WHAT’S INSIDE:

• Hyundai Staria, Lucid Hands-Free Highway, Samsung AI Earrings, xAI's Avatars

• Feature: How Blockchain Is Transforming Travel

• 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

Tesla — Elon Musk confirmed a new affordable version of the Model Y, set to launch in Q4 2025. This stripped-down model aims to increase accessibility and utilize underused production lines, priced at $25,000.

iOS 26 Beta Unveiled — Apple launches the 4th beta of iOS 26 with tweaks to Liquid Glass design, AI-powered news summaries, and dynamic wallpapers. Updates include new screens for Siri and other OS betas are out too.

iOS Camera App — VSCO's Capture boasts over 50 presets and manual controls, syncing with VSCO Cloud. Additionally, VSCO acquires The Freelance Photographer to support pro photographers.

Amazon Wearables — Amazon acquired Bee, an AI wearable startup known for its $49.99 bracelet and app that record conversations for task management.

Meta's Gesture-Control — Meta researchers partner with Carnegie Mellon to test a gesture-controlled wristband using surface electromyography (sEMG) to help individuals with motor disabilities control computers mon-invasively.

Mind-Reading Headphones — Neurable Inc. and Master & Dynamic unveil the $699 MW75 Neuro, a wireless headset with EEG sensors to track brain activity using AI to enhance focus and productivity with insights via the Neurable app.

Pixel 10 Sneak Peek — Google unveils the Pixel 10 with a familiar design, new grayish-blue finish, and an added camera. All models feature telephoto cameras and a new Tensor chip.

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FEATURE ARTICLE 

First Corporate, Then the World: How Blockchain Is Transforming Travel

When Blockskye announced its $15.8 million Series A funding round last week, the pitch sounded targeted — and technical: a blockchain-powered platform to overhaul the way corporate travel is booked, tracked, and reconciled. But beneath the surface its ambitions hint at something far more expansive.

The promise of blockchain in travel has long lived in the realm of theory. Smart contracts could automate trip approvals. Immutable ledgers could cut out middlemen. Token-based loyalty systems could replace walled-garden point platforms. Yet few companies have moved past the prototype phase. Blockskye is already live, working with Fortune 100 clients, and embedding its blockchain rails deep into existing travel workflows.

This funding round, led by Omnia Partners with participation from Spotlight Capital and Alumni Ventures, gives Blockskye a war chest to further entrench its system into the corporate stack. But it also raises a bigger question of whether blockchain can replace the fragile back office of leisure travel?

Rebuilding the Backbone of Business Travel

To understand the scope of Blockskye’s innovation, you have to understand how messy corporate travel is. Most companies use travel management companies (TMCs) to coordinate flights, hotels, and car rentals. These bookings often flow through multiple intermediaries—global distribution systems, payment processors, and reconciliation services—all of which take a cut.

Even with modern SaaS overlays, these systems rely on outdated infrastructure. Settlement can take weeks. Data is siloed. Fraud is common. And post-trip reconciliation often requires human intervention.

Blockskye replaces this entire chain with a single, verifiable record on the blockchain. Using smart contracts, it can enforce corporate travel policies in real time. It links directly to suppliers, bypassing traditional distribution networks. And its system keeps a transparent ledger of who booked what, when, and for how much — slashing admin costs and reducing fraud.

“We’re not building another booking interface,” said Marty Pompadur, co-founder of Blockskye. “We’re rebuilding the plumbing.”

That “plumbing” is what could eventually support a much broader ecosystem of blockchain-native travel tools — far beyond the enterprise world.

Leisure Travel on the Blockchain

While Blockskye is laser-focused on enterprise use cases, its success could pave the way for broader consumer applications. And several startups are already exploring what that might look like.

Platforms like Travala, Winding Tree, and Dtravel are experimenting with decentralized travel booking for individuals—each with a different angle:

• Travala, backed by Binance, functions as a crypto-friendly travel agency. It allows users to pay for hotels and flights with dozens of cryptocurrencies and has its own native token (AVA) for loyalty rewards.

• Winding Tree takes a B2B approach, connecting suppliers directly to distributors without intermediaries. It’s been used by companies like Air Canada and Lufthansa to test direct booking channels.

• Dtravel, a decentralized version of Airbnb, lets hosts earn in crypto and manage bookings via smart contracts. It promises lower fees, more host control, and a DAO-governed platform.

What ties these platforms together is a common principle: trustless infrastructure. Like Blockskye, they aim to strip away the opaque layers of the traditional travel stack — replacing them with verifiable, automated systems where intermediaries become optional, not essential.

Why Now?

The travel industry has long resisted change. Booking giants like Expedia Group and Booking Holdings command massive distribution power. OTAs and GDS systems have entrenched relationships with hotels and airlines. And the technical complexity of overhauling these systems has made true innovation rare.

But several trends are converging to make blockchain travel viable:

• Increasing Institutional adoption and integration of blockchain deep into global financial infrastructure rails.

• DeFi infrastructure: As DeFi matures, new financial tools like crypto-backed trip insurance or on-chain loyalty exchanges could emerge to support decentralized travel.

• The rise of AI agents and gen AI colliding with blockchain tech to accelerate its innovations.

• Post-COVID digitization: Travel companies accelerated tech adoption during the pandemic. Now they’re open to deeper structural shifts.

• Enterprise demand for efficiency: As businesses slash costs and optimize compliance, solutions like Blockskye look increasingly attractive.

• Consumer crypto adoption: With millions of users holding crypto wallets, platforms like Travala and Dtravel have a ready-made audience.

What’s Still in the Way?

Despite the momentum, several hurdles remain:

• Supplier adoption: Hotels and airlines are still slow to integrate with blockchain systems, especially outside of pilot programs.

• User experience: Many decentralized platforms lag in UX compared to consumer giants like Airbnb or Google Travel.

• Regulatory uncertainty: Crypto-based payments and DAOs exist in a legal gray zone in many jurisdictions.

But if Blockskye proves that blockchain infrastructure can support one of the most rigid, compliance-heavy forms of travel — corporate bookings for Fortune 500 companies — then it may de-risk the category for broader adoption.

Final Boarding Call

Blockskye’s raise is all about infrastructure. It's all about rebuilding travel not around trust and intermediaries, but around verifiable, programmable rules. First corporate. Then everything else.

FOOD + DRINK

Tesla Diner Debut — Elon Musk opens the Tesla Diner in Hollywood featuring Optimus robots serving locally-sourced food in Cybertruck-themed boxes, with plans to expand if successful.

Cane Sugar Coke — Coca-Cola plans to launch a cane sugar version of Coke in the U.S. following President Trump's suggestion, facing criticism from the corn lobby over potential job impacts.

AI Revolutionizes Cold Chain — AI transforms cold chain operations with algorithms for warehouse management and temperature monitoring, with Lineage, Americold, and Unilever utilizing it for efficiency despite data challenges.

Booze Alert Across 18 States — Eighteen states face extreme heat up to 115 degrees, with health authorities recommending avoiding alcohol to prevent dehydration, especially for vulnerable groups.

Pumpkin Spice Returns Early — Starbucks will launch the Pumpkin Spice Latte on August 26, its earliest release since 2022. The PSL accounts for approximately 10% of sales, boosting store visits under new CEO Brian Niccol.

ARTS + CULTURE

Netflix Goes AI — Netflix utilized generative AI in its series The Eternaut to speed up production and cut costs, sparking controversy over job security and ethical concerns in the industry.

Netflix Adopts Runway AI — Netflix is employing Runway AI's video generation software to aid in content production.

Spotify's AI-Generated Controversy — Spotify released a series of AI-generated songs on deceased artists' pages without permission , raising concerns over authenticity and legacy rights.

Dream Recorder Innovation — A Dutch design studio created the Dream Recorder, an AI tool that visualizes dreams, promoting self-reflection and subconscious exploration.

Musical Humanoid — Adam, a PNDbotics humanoid robot, performs with keytar at China's VOYAGEX Music Festival, showcasing human-like agility through advanced actuators and reinforcement learning.

Runway Unveils Act-Two — Runway launched Act-Two, an AI model enhancing motion capture fidelity and versatility from a single video without specialized tools.

SPORTS DESK

USOPC's Compliance — The U.S. Olympic Committee will adhere to Trump's executive order banning transgender women in women's sports.

Sports Tech Surge — The sports tech sector reached $52B in deals during H1 2025, with $32B in M&A and $6.6B in private financings; key acquisitions include TSG Consumer's $1.5B purchase of EōS Fitness.

ESP-NFL — ESPN is nearing a deal to acquire NFL Media, which includes the NFL Network and the Red Zone channel, potentially enhancing ESPN's app and negotiation power with cable operators.

NBA Expansion Delayed — The NBA may delay expansion talks until the Trail Blazers sale price is settled, with additional complications from revenue sharing, expansion fees, and local TV revenue issues.

LeBron Trade Rumors — LeBron James could be traded from the Lakers to the Cavaliers alongside his son Bronny, potentially receiving Darius Garland and Max Strus in return to boost both teams.

Seahawks' High-Tech Field — over 5,000 organizations globally including the Seattle Seahawks utilize a Turf Tank Two autonomous robot for precise field markings, completing layouts in under two hours with GPS precision.

Geofencing Revolution — Uvenu's geofencing technology enhances fan engagement at live sports events through real-time interactions and insights, offering targeted marketing and seamless integration for teams and venues.

FUTURISM

Futurism Reimagined — Futurism risks becoming a tool for corporate agendas rather than societal empowerment. Experts advocate for a shift towards democratizing future thinking to regain control over future narratives.

Solano Foundry — Utopian urban project California Forever plans to build a 2,100-acre tech manufacturing park with 40M square feet of space, as part of a master-planned utopian city, aiming to attract Silicon Valley with expedited permitting.

Magic Mushrooms and Longevity — Psilocybin may extend lifespan by slowing telomere degradation. Studies on human cells and mice reveal potential benefits for aging and disease progression.

Lifelike Lung Lab — UBC researchers have developed a 3D-printed lung tissue model that mimics human complexity potentially advancing personalized medicine for conditions like COPD and lung cancer.

Green Cement — Seabound introduces a carbon capture system on a cement carrier, transforming CO2 emissions into limestone for cement, tackling pollution in shipping and cement industries.

Paradox-Free Time Travel — Mathematicians prove time travel can exist without paradoxes, maintaining determinism and free will.

WELLBEING TECH

Johns Hopkins Surgical Robot — AI-driven robotic system SRT-H achieves 100% success in autonomous gallbladder surgery using imitation learning; data access from Intuitive Surgical remains a hurdle.

AI-Enhanced Virus Detection — UNLV's AI algorithm boosts wastewater surveillance, detecting viruses like influenza earlier than clinical tests; aids rapid interventions in resource-limited areas.

Four-Day Workweek Wins — Six-month trial of four-day workweek without pay cuts improved mental health, reduced burnout, and increased job satisfaction across six countries while maintaining productivity.

Tailored DBS for Parkinson's — Personalized deep brain stimulation using machine learning enhances walking speed and stability in Parkinson's patients; linked to reduced beta-band activity in the globus pallidus.

Cannabis & Psychedelics for Eating Disorders — Survey shows cannabis and psychedelics outperform traditional treatments for eating disorders; clinical trials for psilocybin and CBD targeting anorexia nervosa underway.