After more than a decade, Bumble has ended the women-message-first rule that had come to define the app. The company announced the decision on August 11, saying that now either men or women could make the first move after a match.

On any other dating app, a small change in how users communicate wouldn’t be big news. However, the company had made the policy central to its identity. Upon launch, it branded itself as the only dating app on the market that puts women in the driver’s seat.

Prohibiting unsolicited messages from men had been what set Bumble apart from competitors like Tinder. However, it turned out that many women didn’t like having to act first. Reversing that policy means the company will need to find a new differentiator. Continue reading “Bumble Removes Women-First Messaging Policy, Leaving Itself With an Identity Problem” →

OpenAI announced on August 6 that free ChatGPT users will get unlimited everyday text chats with GPT-5.6 Luna.

Luna is becoming the default model for the free tier, and OpenAI’s announcement means ChatGPT is about to become a lot more useful for people who don’t have a subscription.

The company is also adding a Think button to Luna to give it more time to work through all those tough questions users ask it.

While users are getting unlimited text chats, OpenAI will continue to limit file uploads, images, and other tools for free users.

Even with those limits in place, if you mostly use ChatGPT to ask questions, brainstorm ideas, write or edit text, or just to get help with everyday tasks, you’ll soon be able to keep the conversation going without running into a text-chat limit. Continue reading “Now That ChatGPT Offers Free Unlimited Chat, Is the Paid Tier Still Worth $20 a Month?” →

Google Maps now has AI integration that allows users to do a whole lot more with the app than just navigate. The new capabilities include things like checking on hotel availability, comparing prices, and even placing food delivery orders.

On August 6, Google announced new capabilities, which build on the Gemini-powered Ask Maps experience it introduced earlier this year.

Ask Maps uses Gemini to understand your multi-step requests, search across Maps for the information it needs, and help you get things done.

For example, if you ask Maps to find a restaurant that serves Chicago-style pizza on your way home, it can search for options along your route, take your preferences into account, and add a pie to your cart. You still get to review and complete the order yourself.

Continue reading “AI-Powered Google Maps Can Order Food and Find Hotel Rooms for You” →

BMW is pushing a Spider-Man: Brand New Day promotion onto the Control Displays of compatible vehicles in more than 70 countries.

You might think those who purchased their cars a few years ago would be safe from the onslaught, but that’s not the case. Even drivers of vehicles built as far back as 2020 are being subjected to the ad.

As soon as the car starts, a Spider-Man banner pops up on the center screen: “Surprise! Spider-Man just dropped into your BMW!”

If the driver taps it, they get a full-screen animation with music. In some suitably equipped vehicles, the ad is accompanied by a light show through the ambient lighting system.

Continue reading “BMW Owners Annoyed by Spider-Man Banner on Dashboard Display — ‘Not an Ad,’ Claims Company” →

The United States government has blocked new foreign-made robot vacuums from entering the American market. Manufacturers can circumvent the new ban only by obtaining a government exemption or conditional approval while working to relocate production to the United States.

The new restriction went into effect after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added foreign-produced “advanced robotic devices” to its Covered List on July 28, 2026. The Covered List identifies equipment that the government considers an unacceptable security risk.

While the announcement mostly highlighted humanoid robots and robotic dogs, the FCC confirmed to The Verge that the definition also covers the robot vacuum cleaners that have become common in U.S. households.

Continue reading “The FCC’s New Robot Vacuum Ban Could Mean Higher Prices, Fewer Choices and Older Tech” →