Weekend Tech Innovation Roundup February 17, 2024

Amazon allegedly tricked users into buying more expensive products through the use of its “Buy Box,” according to a class action lawsuit filed last week. The Buy Box, which features a “Buy Now” and “Add to Cart” button next to eligible items, funnels users into terrible deals through the ease of one-click shopping according to the complaint, Ars Technica reports on Monday. - Maxwell Zeff / Gizmodo Read More

An unspecified defect in early model Starlink satellites has prompted SpaceX to preemptively deorbit the units before they potentially fail and become hazards in low Earth orbit. While the company remains confident that the deorbiting of these problematic units will prevent any issues, this incident underscores the challenges and uncertainties in navigating the realm of gigantic satellite networks. - George Dvorsky / Gizmodo Read More

You probably upgraded to the iPhone 15 over the holiday season. But now that Samsung has just finished its flagship launch fanfare for the Galaxy S24 series, it’s time to start talking about what’s next. The next major smartphone we expect from Apple is the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro series. - Florence Ion / Gizmodo Read More

Thousands of people lined up outside Apple Stores on Feb. 2 to see the Vision Pro’s stunning debut, but dissatisfied customers are returning their headsets this week. Why? Apple’s 14-day return period expires on Feb. 16 for day one Vision Pro users. It looks like these bros kept their receipts, from Apple, and are making sure everyone on X understands their plight. - Maxwell Zeff / Gizmodo Read More

Tesla CEO Elon Musk now owns a 20.5% stake in the company, according to a new SEC filing, meaning the world’s richest person is close to his demand for 25% voting control of the EV maker. - Britney Nguyen Read More

Twitter is one of the internet’s favorite places for internet beef and Elon Musk is no stranger to it. A particular beef involving a college student tracking his private jet was the catalyst for the billionaire purchasing shares of Twitter, commencing his takeover of the social media platform, according to a new book about the ordeal. - Maxwell Zeff / Gizmodo Read More

Thousands of Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash drivers and delivery workers will go on strike across the US on Wednesday. The drivers are seeking fair wages, safety protections, and more job security from ride-sharing and delivery apps. - Maxwell Zeff / Gizmodo Read More

SpaceX, the aerospace company founded by Elon Musk, is aiming to make lunar history.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched a lunar lander made by Houston-based Intuitive Machines into space early Thursday morning. If successful, it would be the first private spacecraft to land on the moon. It would also be the first time the US has returned to the moon’s surface since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.  - Bruce Gil Read More

For a look at the future of the chip manufacturer leading the AI revolution, Quartz talks with the author of WEB3, Alex Tapscott

23andMe is in a death spiral. Almost everyone who wants a DNA test already bought one, a nightmare data breach ruined the company’s reputation, and 23andMe’s stock is so close to worthless it might get kicked off the Nasdaq. CEO Anne Wojcicki is on a crisis tour, promising investors the company isn’t going out of business because she has a new plan: 23andMe is going to double down on mining your DNA data and selling it to pharmaceutical companies. - Thomas Germain / Gizmodo Read More