Borrowed reading: stories from our extended colleagues

Five stories worth your time from our extended colleagues at CIO, Computerworld, Macworld, and PCWorld.

Nov 1, 2026 · Connie Loizos

OpenAI might rebrand its data centers as ‘AI compute campuses’

Data centers are deeply unpopular. But what if we called them something else?

Nov 1, 2026 · Anthony Ha

AI can make tech CEOs’ lives easier. What about everyone else?

On Equity, we discuss why tech CEO statements can seem so tone deaf.

Nov 1, 2026 · Anthony Ha

TechCrunch Mobility: A new, bigger AV boom is here

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your hub for the future of transportation and now, more than ever, the role AI is playing in it.

Nov 1, 2026 · Kirsten Korosec

Binance resumes withdrawals following $6.3 billion breach

The cryptocurrency exchange said it's now covered 95% of the stolen assets.

Nov 1, 2026 · Anthony Ha

Pixel 11 Pro Fold: Sturdy rectangle in a wide wide world

Google made a sturdy phone, but there is increasing competition in the foldable world.

Nov 1, 2026 · Ivan Mehta

Here’s what ‘renoa’ — the first new fiber in 25 years — feels like

Startup Everbloom's new material, renoa, is the first new fiber in 25 years, and it feels very familiar.

Nov 1, 2026 · Tim De Chant

The 30 Best Gifts for Star Wars Fans (2026)

From marble runs to advent calendars, these are the best Star Wars gifts for fans of all ages.

Nov 1, 2026 · Simon Hill

There’s a Free Video Editor Inside Google Drive That Anyone Can Use

You may not have noticed everything Google’s free software suite offers—especially a web app called Google Vids.

Nov 1, 2026 · David Nield

The Hollywood Color Nerd Who Shot ‘Knives Out’ Explains His Viral iPhone Camera App

The Chromagraph Camera app costs $13 dollars and processes iPhone photos with the same color math Rian Johnson’s cinematographer, Steve Yedlin, uses for film.

Nov 1, 2026 · Reece Rogers

Lenovo LOQ 15: The Only Gaming Laptop Worth Buying Below $1,500

As prices escalate on gaming laptops, there’s really only one affordable option still around: the Lenovo LOQ 15, which offers a better performance and display t…

Nov 1, 2026 · Luke Larsen

8 Best Space Heaters (2026): Tested, Measured, and Mistreated

These portable heaters will heat a room quickly, quietly, and safely.

Nov 1, 2026 · Matthew Korfhage, Kat Merck

What Democrats Can Learn From New York’s Data Center Moratorium

With a number of anti-data-center candidates poised to win on Tuesday, New York provides a glimpse at the tensions around actually having to do something about …

Nov 1, 2026 · Molly Taft

7 Best Travel Mugs (2026): Insulated, Leakproof, and Self-Heating

These top picks from brands like Ember, Owala, and Hydro Flask are built to last, keeping your drinks hot and your mornings smooth.

Nov 1, 2026 · Boutayna Chokrane

Chatbots Are Leading Hikers Astray, With Dangerous Consequences

Outsourcing planning to AI can lead people to surrender their own critical thinking, which can have potentially deadly results in places like the backcountry.

Nov 1, 2026 · Christine Peterson

Best Chromebooks and Googlebooks (2026): Laptops With a Google Touch

While Google is heralding a new series of laptops called Googlebooks, Chromebooks are sticking around—for now. These are the ones to consider.

Nov 1, 2026 · Luke Larsen

A Newly Discovered Trail of Cosmic Debris Illustrates How the End of the Solar System Could Look

A dying star 1,600 light-years from Earth is surrounded by two rings of gas and dust that astronomers believe are the remnants of the planetary bodies it once h…

Nov 1, 2026 · Jorge Garay

Data centers are now a midterm issue, even in Brooklyn

At a Brooklyn midterm party five days before Election Day, every conversation, from a council member’s fireside chat to a debate about the Democratic Party, kep…

Oct 31, 2026 · Dominic-Madori Davis

Apple CEO says the company doesn’t ‘want to ship AI for AI’s sake’

Apple's new CEO defended the company's current position in the AI landscape.

Oct 31, 2026 · Anthony Ha

4 days left: How TechCrunch Founder Summit helps you make more useful connections to scale

On November 4 at Boston’s SoWa Power Station, get ready for a full day packed with meaningful networking opportunities, actionable insights, and connections tha…

Oct 31, 2026 · TechCrunch Events

Judge allows NAACP lawsuit over xAI data center pollution to move forward

An NAACP lawsuit accuses the SpaceX-owned AI company of violating the Clean Air Act.

Oct 31, 2026 · Anthony Ha

OpenAI reportedly lowers funding target for new round

OpenAI’s latest funding round doesn't seem to be living up to expectations.

Oct 31, 2026 · Anthony Ha

November 2026 Skywatching Guide: Meteors, Planets, Stars and a Full Moon

This month, you’ll find three meteor showers and a planetary alignment starring four planets.

Oct 31, 2026 · Joe Hindy

From restaurant guides to payments, here’s how TikTok is building a super app

TikTok may be working to become the app that people use for most of their digital activities.

Oct 31, 2026 · Aisha Malik

I took two iPhones on vacation. The Duo won me over.

The iPhone Duo has its frustrations, but it’s also fun and engaging enough that I didn’t want to switch back to my Pro Max.

Oct 31, 2026 · Sarah Perez

Spooky New Infostealer Malware Uses AI to ‘Autodox’ Victims

Named “Volta-Autodoxer,” the recently uncovered malware uses AI tools to collect troves of data about victims, from login credentials and credit card numbers to…

Oct 31, 2026 · Lily Hay Newman, Matt Burgess

Will the iPhone Duo Fit in Your Pocket? Here’s How It Compares to Other iPhone Sizes

The iPhone Duo has a palm-size build, but how does that measure up against Apple’s other current phones?

Oct 31, 2026 · Abrar Al-Heeti

Jean-Luc in Blue Jeans: Picard Cosplay Taught Me How Much Patrick Stewart Is Loved

My husband was assimilated at an Emerald City Comic Con, and even the Borg adored him. Thank you, Patrick Stewart.

Oct 31, 2026 · Gael Cooper

Seabirds racing home over the ocean can get jet-lagged

A long flight home from feeding grounds messes with birds' internal clocks.

Oct 31, 2026 · Jacek Krywko

The FDA wants to pull its approval of a drug. It’s not so easy.

The regulator says Tavneos was approved on the basis of manipulated study data. Should patients still have access to it?

Oct 31, 2026 · Sara Talpos, Undark Magazine

Govee Christmas Lights 2 Deal: Save $25 on These Smart String Lights

Glow up your home indoors or out with these versatile, discounted, full color smart string lights. They’re WIRED-tested and 25 percent off right now.

Oct 31, 2026 · Simon Hill

There’s a Completely New Type of Whisky. It’s French and Made in Concrete Eggs

The founders of Maison Lineti are, in a world first, making single malt whisky as if it were wine—and the spirit world is mighty impressed.

Oct 31, 2026 · Jeremy White

Backup by Biolite Review: A Cool Idea

Backup by BioLite is designed to power your fridge when the grid goes down. It works, but protecting your ice cream doesn’t come cheap.

Oct 31, 2026 · Christopher Null

Meta’s Muse Could Upend All Kinds of Businesses. It Hasn’t Yet

Companies have spent the past several weeks trying to reassure investors that Muse and other AI agents pose more of an opportunity than a threat.

Oct 31, 2026 · Paresh Dave

An AI Agent Injected Drugs Into a Live Mouse’s Brain

A biotech startup let an agent choose a gene therapy and successfully inject the treatment, offering a startling glimpse of the future of research labs.

Oct 31, 2026 · Emily Mullin

Bose QC Headphones (2nd Gen) Sale: Lowest Price Ahead of Black Friday

They’re a steal at over 40 percent off in multiple colors. Plus, other great Bose deals you should know about ahead of Black Friday.

Oct 31, 2026 · Harry Rabinowitz

The Wild World of Third-Party AI Apps for Ring Security, and Whether You Need Them

Ring cameras offer broad capabilities, but third-party AI tools give HOAs, landlords and others even more ways to use them.

Oct 31, 2026 · Tyler Lacoma

Keurig Alta Brewer Review: Brand-New Tech, Classically Good Coffee

This multifaceted home coffee brewer and its new AltaRounds will make you rethink everything you know about Keurig machines.

Oct 31, 2026 · Louryn Strampe

Are Memories Transferable? Meet the Scientists Replicating an Infamous Study to Find Out

In the 1960’s, an odd experiment showed planarian worms could transfer memories by consuming each other. It was a sensational finding—that is until the worms st…

Oct 31, 2026 · Claire L. Evans

Best Sunrise Alarm Clock (2026): Hatch, Lumie

I’ve never been a morning person. This bedside gadget is the only thing that’s ever changed that.

Oct 31, 2026 · Nena Farrell , Molly Higgins