June 29, 2026

TechCrunch Top 3

Ford rehires ‘gray beard’ engineers after AI falls short: "Mistakenly we thought that by just introducing artificial intelligence ... that would produce a high-quality product.” Read More

Govee's smart nugget ice maker makes every iced drink feel like a luxury: For some people, the ice in a beverage is almost as important as the drink itself. That's the audience Govee had in mind when designing its latest ice maker, the GoveeLife Smart Nugget Ice Maker Pro. This $500 premium smart home gadget is aimed at those who crave what's called “the good ice,” the soft, chewable nugget ice often found in fast food or restaurant drinks. Govee says that the modern-design gadget delivers nugget ice in as little as six minutes. That's a claim that proved true in my testing. It can make up to 60 pounds of ice per day, and has a 3.5-pound ice basket that automatically refills as you scoop out ice. The hefty price tag means it’s not for people who are perfectly happy with refrigerator ice and don't know what “good ice” even means. Instead, it’s for self-proclaimed ice enthusiasts willing to splurge on a fun, luxury gadget that makes everyday drinks a little more enjoyable. It’s simple to use, as you just need to fill the tank with water and press start on the screen. You can also control the ice maker with the GoveeHome app, which lets you start ice production from your phone or schedule it so ice is ready when you need it, such as before your morning coffee. The app control is quite convenient. I could start ice production from my phone while working at my desk, and by the time I wanted an iced latte, there was fresh nugget ice Read More

Robot hand company settles Tesla trade secret suit and announces $11M raise: The startup, Proception, is taking a unique approach to collecting training data to tackle one of the hardest problems in robotics: hands. Read More

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Morning Must-Reads

Flipper Device's new Busy Bar is a customizable display for productivity: Flipper Device's new Busy Bar will retail for $249. Read More

Why Wall Street thinks US memory maker Micron is the next Nvidia: Eager to find more public AI-related companies that may do as well as Nvidia, Wall Street investors think they've found a winner with Micron. Read More

Pocket raises $11M in bet on rising demand for AI note-taking devices: Pocket sells a $129 credit card-shaped puck, which sticks to the back of your phone, and promises unlimited recordings, transcriptions, and to-do items. Read More

Instagram is testing more ways to customize ‘Your Algorithm’: Instagram users could soon see more ways to tune their content. Read More

Omen AI's plan to optimize data centers is all wet: Omen AI raised a $31 million Series A to monitor chip coolant and stop bacterial outbreaks in data centers. Read More

Last but Not Least

TechCrunch Mobility: All eyes on Tesla FSD: Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your hub for the future of transportation and now, more than ever, how AI is playing a part. Read More

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