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Daily Tech News Roundup - 2026-01-16

1. Casting is dead. Long live casting!
Source: https://www.theverge.com/column/861948/casting-netflix-dead
Summary: This is Lowpass by Janko Roettgers, a newsletter on the ever-evolving intersection of tech and entertainment, syndicated just for The Verge subscribers once a week. Last month, Netflix made the surprising decision to kill off a key feature: With no prior warning, the company removed the ability to cast videos from its mobile apps to […]

2. Meta has discontinued its metaverse for work, too
Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/863209/meta-has-discontinued-its-metaverse-for-work-too
Summary: Two months before it changed its name to "Meta," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg personally introduced us to his metaverse for work: Horizon Workrooms, envisioned as a virtual space for workers to collaborate. Today, the company announced it's shutting that space down: "Meta has made the decision to discontinue Workrooms as a standalone app, effective February […]

3. The best Sonos speakers to buy in 2026
Source: https://www.theverge.com/tech/652171/best-sonos-speakers
Summary: After the self-induced tumult Sonos went through last year, I can understand why some people are reluctant to spend money on the company’s products. But newly appointed CEO Tom Conrad has shown that he’s determined to get back on track and revitalize Sonos as the leading whole-home audio brand. The contentious mobile app is in […]

4. AI journalism startup Symbolic.ai signs deal with Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/15/ai-journalism-startup-symbolic-ai-signs-deal-with-rupert-murdochs-news-corp/
Summary: The startup claims its AI platform can help optimize editorial processes and research.

5. Here are the best Apple Watch deals available right now
Source: https://www.theverge.com/21289209/best-apple-watch-deals
Summary: In September, Apple launched its latest fleet of smartwatches, including the Apple Watch Series 11, the SE 3, and the Ultra 3. Each wearable offers something a little different (their prices indicate their breadth of features), and we’re already starting to see big price drops. Additionally, we’re still recommending some recent predecessors in Apple’s portfolio, […]

6. Grok undressed the mother of one of Elon Musk’s kids — and now she’s suing
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/863097/ashley-st-clair-elon-musk-grok-undressing-lawsuit
Summary: Ashley St. Clair, the mother of one of X owner Elon Musk's children, is suing his company for enabling its AI to virtually strip her down into a bikini without her consent. St. Clair is one of the many people over the past couple weeks who have found themselves undressed without permission by X's AI […]

7. Dave Filoni takes charge of Star Wars as new president of Lucasfilm
Source: https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/863065/dave-filoni-lucasfilm-president-star-wars
Summary: There's a new name in charge of stewarding Star Wars at Lucasfilm. The studio just announced that Dave Filoni - best-known for his work on The Mandalorian and The Clone Wars - will be taking over as president. Former president Kathleen Kennedy, whose departure had been rumored for some time, will be stepping down and […]

8. Natural Cycles launches wristband to replace thermometers for its FDA-cleared birth control app
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/863046/natural-cycles-wristband-digital-birth-control
Summary: Natural Cycles, the company behind a controversial FDA-cleared birth control app, is replacing its thermometer with a wristband that measures skin temperature, heart rate, and movement during sleep. The newly-launched wristband costs $129.99 and syncs with the Natural Cycles app, which uses an algorithm to determine a person's "daily fertility status." Users can already track […]

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