New Apple study shows how grouping similar sounds can speed up AI speech generation
Published: Feb 3nd 2026 12:04am on 9to5Mac
A group of Apple and Tel-Aviv University researchers figured out a way to speed up AI-based text-to-speech generation without sacrificing intelligibility. Here’s how they did it.
more…Elon is in the files, Tesla sales are down, and Ford is NOT working with Xiaomi
Published: Feb 2nd 2026 11:40am on Electrek
On today’s island-hopping episode of Quick Charge, we have to talk about Elon Musk’s cringey appearance in the Epstein files amid Tesla’s rapid sales decline in Europe, as well as the ultra-fast Xiaomi SU7 Ultra and its own rapid sales decline.
more…Waymo raises massive $16 billion round at $126 billion valuation, plans expansion to 20+ cities
Published: Feb 2nd 2026 11:18am on Electrek
Waymo just closed a $16 billion funding round at a $126 billion valuation, the largest investment ever in an autonomous vehicle company. The Alphabet-backed robotaxi leader plans to use the capital to expand to over 20 new cities this year, including its first international markets.
more…FERC: Renewables made up 88% of new US power generating capacity to Nov 2025
Published: Feb 2nd 2026 10:45am on Electrek
New solar and wind capacity additions in November were the second highest in 2025 and accounted for 93% of that month’s total. Solar continues to dominate new capacity additions and has held the lead among all energy sources for 27 consecutive months, according to data released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign.
more…SpaceX bails out xAI in mega-deal — here’s what it means for Tesla
Published: Feb 2nd 2026 10:36am on Electrek
SpaceX announced today that it has acquired xAI, Elon Musk’s AI company, in a deal that creates a combined entity reportedly valued at $1.25 trillion ahead of a planned IPO. The acquisition notably does not include Tesla, which just invested $2 billion in xAI last month.
more…The Toyota C-HR is not the $30,000 EV we had hoped for, but this one might be
Published: Feb 2nd 2026 10:18am on Electrek
The 2026 C-HR was expected to be the $30,000 EV everyone was waiting for from Toyota. Although it’s a bit more expensive than anticipated, Toyota does offer an EV starting around that price.
more…2 days left to comment on DOT’s plan to hike US fuel costs by $23B
Published: Feb 2nd 2026 10:10am on Electrek
In December, the US Department of Transportation proposed a plan to make cars less efficient when Americans are already paying record-high energy bills during an affordability crisis fueled by tariff-driven inflation. That plan is still up for public comment, with comments ending in two days.
more…MagSafe Monday: LISEN’s new desk charger brings 25-watt MagSafe charging with a built-in cooling fan
Published: Feb 2nd 2026 9:56am on 9to5Mac
One of the most significant limitations of MagSafe charging is heat management. As induction coils transfer energy, they generate waste heat, which causes your iPhone to throttle its charging speeds if it gets too hot to protect the battery. You especially see this in the outdoors during the summer. LISEN is attempting to fix the normal thermal bottleneck with its new 3-in-1 MagSafe station. By adding an active cooling fan and the Qi2.2, LISEN claims it can sustain 25-watt charging speeds that really does wired charging. This is my current daily driver on my desk, and I really like it thus far.
more…9to5Mac Daily: February 2, 2026 – iPhone Flip and CarPlay rumors
Published: Feb 2nd 2026 9:55am on 9to5Mac
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.
Sponsored by Stuff: Stuff helps you get everything out of your head and into a simple, elegant system—closing open loops and reducing mental stress. Use code 9TO5 at checkout for 50% off your first year.
more…Apple clears a major manufacturing hurdle in India amid regulatory tension
Published: Feb 2nd 2026 9:46am on 9to5Mac
The Indian government approved a measure on Sunday that allows Apple to directly finance iPhone manufacturing equipment in India without risking additional taxes. Here are the details.
more…