WHAT’S INSIDE:

• OpenAI Device, Liquid Glass, RTX 5050, 11.ai Voice, Liberty Phone, Bible Chat

• Feature: Record Independence Day Travel Expected

• Latest food and dining and food technology news

• Arts and culture news, intersection of tech and entertainment

• The latest sports news and sports tech

• Futurism, the latest in future concepts and cutting edge deep tech

• Latest news in wellness and wellbeing tech, biotech, medtech and more

TOP CONSUMER TECH NEWS

Buy Knight Rider — David Hasselhoff's 1985 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, used during Knight Rider, is for sale at an eminently decent $39,995. The car is verified as Hoff’s original vehicle, featuring T-tops and a 5.0-liter V8. A DIY restoration dream.

Ring Video Descriptions — Amazon’s home security system has a new AI-powered feature that provides detailed notifications about captured events & security alerts.

OpenAI's AI Device — OpenAI and Jony Ive's io are developing a mass-market AI device amid trademark disputes with iyO, with legal filings suggesting exploration of a Pocket-Sized Assistant device — and not an earbud as rumored.

iOS 26 Beta Updates — Apple improves Liquid Glass Control Center readability in the second iOS 26 developer beta with increased opacity and a new ringtone.

Nvidia's RTX 5050 — The new GeForce RTX 5050 has 2,560 CUDA Cores, perfect for 1080p gamers with laptops starting at $999 and $249 desktop cards coming soon.

11.ai's Voice Assistant — 11 Labs integrates voice-first interaction with MCP for AI assistants to manage tools like Salesforce & Slack, currently in alpha with free access.

Purism's Liberty Phone — The $1,999 Liberty Phone is an almost fully US-made smartphone. It highlights the cost and supply challenges faced by Trump Media.

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FEATURE ARTICLE 

Record Independence Day Travel Expected

America Hits the Road

This Fourth of July, Americans are expected to travel in record numbers. AAA projects 72.2 million people will take domestic trips between June 28 and July 6, up 2.4% from last year. Most will drive — around 61.6 million — while 5.84 million will fly, marking the busiest July 4 air travel on record.

Despite airfares rising 4% year-over-year (averaging $810 round-trip), enthusiasm for travel is high thanks to the holiday landing on a Friday, creating a long weekend that encourages extended getaways.

The TSA is preparing to screen over 18.5 million passengers during the holiday week. The busiest day is expected to be Sunday, July 6, when nearly 3 million fliers are projected. For comparison, the TSA hit a record on June 22, screening 3.1 million travelers — the highest single-day total in agency history.

Best and Worst Times to Travel

According to traffic analytics firm INRIX, the best driving windows are in the early mornings, especially before noon on July 3–4. Avoid afternoons, which see the most congestion, especially around July 2 and July 6.

Peak congestion hotspots include major metros like Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and D.C. Planning around these windows could save hours on the road.

Top Independence Day Destinations

Looking for a place to spend the long weekend? These cities deliver unforgettable Independence Day experiences:

• New York City, NY – Home to the Macy’s Fireworks, the largest in the U.S., launched from barges on the East River. Best views are from Brooklyn Bridge Park and South Street Seaport.

• Boston, MA – Hosts the legendary Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on the Charles River Esplanade, plus a weeklong Harborfest of concerts, reenactments, and Chowderfest.

• Philadelphia, PA – The Wawa Welcome America Festival includes free concerts, the Celebration of Freedom Ceremony, and fireworks over the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

• New Orleans, LA – “Go 4th on the River” celebrates with music, food, and choreographed fireworks over the Mississippi River — best viewed from the riverwalk or a steamboat cruise.

The Return of Mass Summer Travel

From city skylines to small-town parades, the 2025 Fourth of July is shaping up to be a celebration of movement — and a reminder of just how mobile Americans have become again after the restricted pandemic years. But with this high demand comes high volume. Plan ahead, drive early, fly smart, and expect full hotels, packed beaches, and long lines.

Quick Tips for a Smooth Trip:

• Check traffic forecasts and airline alerts early.

• Leave early (before noon) whenever possible.

• Use TSA PreCheck or Clear to speed airport lines.

• Fly on the holiday itself for cheaper fares and fewer crowds.

Whether you're headed to the city, the coast, or the mountains, remember: travel early, pack smart, and enjoy the ride. This Fourth of July, America is officially back in motion.

🎆 Happy Independence Day! Safe travels.

FOOD + DRINK

AI Dining — Dine Brands, owner of Applebee’s and IHOP, is set to integrate AI technology to optimize operations and offer personalized deals, aiming to enhance customer retention.

PepsiCo Advances AI Agenda — PepsiCo is implementing Salesforce's Agentforce to boost customer support and operational efficiency by using AI agents to enhance decision-making and retailer engagement.

Alibaba's Strategic Merge — Alibaba plans to integrate its food delivery platform Ele.me into its core e-commerce operations to streamline services amid growing competition and economic pressures.

High-Tech Saffron — BlueRedGold secured €2.73M to innovate a scalable indoor saffron system using robotics and AI to boost sustainability and quality in the food, medical, and nutraceutical sectors with a globally replicable facility model.

Celeb Snacks — Kristen Bell's snack bar brand rebrands to All In after raising $4M, launching five flavors. David Beckham launches Beeup, a honey-based fruit snack line for kids, featuring non-GMO ingredients.

Cannabis Drinks — Jones Soda sold its cannabis beverage business, including the Mary Jones brand, for $3M to focus on core products. It will retain its hemp-derived THC product line, which has seen consistent revenue growth.

ARTS + CULTURE

Disney x OpenAI — Disney has been in talks with “companies like OpenAI” to license its characters and IP. It has also launched a lawsuit against Midjourney which “likely won’t be the last” action it brings against AI firms.

Curated Realities — The AIFF 2025 showcased generative AI films, highlighting industry divides over AI's impact on creativity, copyright, and traditional jobs.

AI Song Detection — The music industry is developing AI detection systems to trace synthetic songs from creation to licensing, ensuring proper attribution before release rather than relying on post-release disputes.

BBC vs AI — The BBC is threatening legal action against Perplexity for alleged copyright infringement and reputational damage.

FTC vs Spotify — Two U.S. senators urged the FTC to investigate Spotify for allegedly bundling services without consent, harming consumers and creators by lowering royalties.

AI Art Restoration — MIT student Alex Kachkine developed AI-generated polymer masks to restore damaged paintings in hours instead of months, using reversible techniques that preserve artwork integrity.

Paul Pope Returns — Cartoonist Paul Pope returns to comics, voicing concerns over AI and surveillance tech while advocating for traditional art methods.

SPORTS DESK

Fanatics Fest 2025 — Fanatics Fest 2025 in New York City from June 20-22 will feature stars like LeBron James, Tom Brady, and Jay-Z. The event blends sports and entertainment with immersive experiences, panels, and competitions for fans.

Apple Sports — Apple’s sports streaming app added a refreshed home screen for better customization and added tennis, just as Wimbledon is getting underway.

Thunder Triumph — The Oklahoma City Thunder claimed the NBA championship by defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game 7. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named Finals MVP. Haliburton is likely out for 2025-26 season with a torn Achilles.

Draft-GPT — NBA teams are reportedly integrating AI and machine learning into player evaluations, using models that analyze player interviews and performance data to predict success.

Woody Johnson's Soccer Move — Woody Johnson, owner of the New York Jets, has purchased a 43% stake in English premier League team Crystal Palace for $254 million, pending Premier League approval.

New Balance Explodes — New Balance is reshaping its image by signing young stars like Cooper Flagg, Coco Gauff, and Shohei Ohtani and aiming for $10Bn in annual sales from a younger audience.

FUTURISM

Myco-Magic Diapers — HIRO Technologies unveils the world's first myco-digestible diaper, using fungi to convert plastic waste into nutrient-rich soil.

Plastic to Paracetamol — University of Edinburgh researchers engineer E. coli to convert waste PET plastic into acetaminophen with a 92% yield, offering a sustainable pharmaceutical production method.

Plastic Alchemy — Novoloop has innovated a process to upcycle tough plastics into thermoplastic polyurethane, completing a demo plant with a 70 metric ton capacity.

Revolutionary Reproduction — Scientists achieve a breakthrough in reproductive science by creating healthy, fertile mice with two fathers, a major step towards enabling same-sex couples to have biological children.

Self-Growing Martian Homes — Researchers create a synthetic lichen system using fungi and cyanobacteria to autonomously produce building materials from Martian soil, enabling autonomous 3D printing of structures on Mars.

WELLBEING TECH

MAHA Wearables Campaign — HHS Secretary Kennedy launched a major HHS campaign to empower the use of wearables to enhance personal health management.

AI Outbreak Simulations — DARPA is crafting AI simulations to model disease outbreaks and intervention strategies, enhancing preparedness for future health crises and exploring collective human behavior manipulation.

Stem Cells Diabetes Breakthrough — Zimislecel therapy led to insulin independence in 83% of type 1 diabetes patients after one year, enhancing glycemic control and preventing severe hypoglycemic events.

BBO-10203 Cancer Drug — AI-developed a non-toxic cancer drug that blocks tumors without hyperglycemia.

Alzheimer’s Defense Mutation — The Christchurch mutation in the APOE3 gene reduces brain inflammation by inhibiting the cGAS-STING pathway, offering new therapeutic avenues.

Heart Aging Reversal — NUS researchers unveil DECIPHER, a lab-grown material emulating young heart tissue by targeting the extracellular matrix.

Food Structure Science — A study from Imperial College London shows that the physical structure of food impacts hormone release, affecting blood sugar and satiety, potentially aiding in obesity, type 2 diabetes.