Tech News Roundup — June 24, 2026 (AM)

Linus Torvalds publicly rebukes the Linux 7.2 sched_ext maintainers over their source-tree layout, Microsoft finally exposes a Bing off-switch in Windows Search, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma declares gaming an “accessibility crisis,” Midjourney’s pivot to medical imaging runs into expert skepticism, and Hollywood’s biggest distributors pass on the Sam Altman biopic Artificial in a single week. Prime Day deal roundups dominate the long tail — vacuums, handhelds, e-readers, and PC peripherals are all discounted.

Linux & Open Source

• Linus Torvalds calls the Linux 7.2 sched_ext source layout “disgusting” and forces a restructure. The main sched_ext changes for 7.2 had already landed — sub-scheduler support and continued work on the user-space BPF scheduler framework — but Torvalds took public issue with how the C source files had been organised. “Please don’t do this disgusting thing…proper hierarchical filesystems have been available since 1965.” Maintainers have already begun re-shaping the tree. Phoronix
• Linux 7.2 shows unexpected local-network and socket performance gains on AMD EPYC Sorano. Michael Larabel’s early benchmarks of the merge window turn up cache-aware scheduling wins and a surprise improvement in local network throughput. Phoronix The kernel also lands better EROFS handling for large sparse AI datasets, with more efficient I/O on the read-only filesystem that drives many container images. Phoronix A DeviceTree-ACPI hybrid mode is also proposed to improve Linux support on Snapdragon laptops. Phoronix
• System76 ships COSMIC Epoch 1.1 with COSMIC-Monitor and compositor improvements — the first minor-version bump since COSMIC 1.0 in December. Phoronix
• An open-source driver for 22-year-old ATI R300 GPUs sees improved Power Mac support in 2026, aimed at vintage IBM PowerPC + Radeon 9600 XT / 9800 XT hardware still running Linux. Phoronix Separately, a BASIC09 programming-language front-end has been developed for LLVM. Phoronix

Microsoft & Windows

• Microsoft finally adds an off-switch for Bing-powered web results in Windows 11 Search. A new Search setting buried in the Windows 11 26H2 experimental build (26300.8697) lets users disable the Bing web suggestions that have long been mixed into local file, app, and settings search. The setting isn’t officially announced but the toggle’s existence is the clearest signal yet that Microsoft is rethinking how aggressively it promotes Bing inside the OS. Windows Central
• “Microsoft accidentally made a better Surface by failing its own AI requirements.” The framing: a Surface model that quietly shipped without the full Copilot+ sticker has turned out to be the most competitive Windows Central has reviewed in months — proof that the AI-tax on entry-level hardware has been weighing the line down. Windows Central

Gaming & Xbox

• Xbox CEO Asha Sharma declares gaming “an accessibility crisis” and says it is “becoming unaffordable.” In a lengthy Entertainment Weekly interview, Sharma outlines an Xbox ecosystem built around a more open platform with more developer invitations and more types of experiences — explicitly breaking from the traditional console model. She also calls Call of Duty “larger than the MCU” and says there is “more appetite” for Xbox multimedia. Windows Central Windows Central Obsidian Entertainment, meanwhile, faces a class-action lawsuit alleging a “systematic pattern of wage and hour violations” — which the studio denies “each and every allegation.” Windows Central
• Halo: Campaign Evolved’s PC system requirements land, and the install size is enormous. Xbox revealed the recommended specs during the Xbox Games Showcase alongside the long-rumored July 28 release date. The Premium Edition unlocks five days early on July 23. Windows Central
• Diablo 4 Season 14 (“Season of Death Awakening”) opens June 30, with the post-expansion Mythic Uniques 3.0 rework front and centre — and reviewers split on whether the change strengthens or weakens the seasonal endgame loop. Windows Central Separately, a new class in the Warhammer 40K horde-shooter Space Hulk: Darktide impressed Windows Central enough to convert a casual fan into a hardcore one. Windows Central

AI & Machine Learning

• Hollywood’s major distributors pass on Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial — the Sam Altman biopic — in a single week. Netflix, A24, Focus Features, and Warner Bros.’ Clockwork all reportedly declined distribution. Amazon MGM unexpectedly pulled out of the deal late in post-production, citing unspecified reasons; Neon and Mubi remain interested. The pattern is being read as Hollywood losing its appetite for critical Big Tech stories. The Verge [The Verge]
• Midjourney’s pivot to a “spa-like” full-body ultrasound scanner draws skepticism from medical imaging experts. Midjourney CEO David Holz has suggested the water-tank device could one day be “as powerful as MRI” — specialists The Verge spoke with are not dismissive of the underlying research direction, but note that the company has yet to publish evidence that its segmentation model works on real patients. [The Verge]
• ChatGPT may wear out a consumer SSD in under a year, Pplware reports. OpenAI’s desktop client appears to write aggressively to the user’s primary disk during background indexing; the article walks through mitigations (moving cache off the boot drive). Pplware
• Corporate AI super PACs spent $27 million on a single local election. The Verge’s Regulator newsletter profiles the New York 12th district race, where independent-expenditure groups backed by AI-industry donors outspent every other issue campaign in the state. The Verge [The Verge]

Consumer Hardware

• Google Home’s Familiar Faces will soon recognise you from the back. Starting June 23, Google’s smart-home cameras will start using non-biometric signals — body size, clothing colour — so tagged users can still be identified when their face is occluded. The library will also auto-refresh with the most recent images of everyone in the home. The Verge [The Verge]
• The Pixel 10A finally has the price it should have shipped with. Prime Day drops Google’s latest A-series phone from $499 to $399 — seven years of OS updates, Gorilla Glass, and satellite messaging for the cost of a mid-range Android. The Verge [The Verge]
• Meta launches a $59 charging stand for its smart glasses, $30 cheaper than the carry-case charger and incompatible with the Ray-Ban Display and Oakley Vanguard variants — only the standard Wayfarer, Skylar, and Headliner frames. The Verge [The Verge]
• Tesla says a driver “manually overrode” Full Self-Driving in the fatal Texas Model 3 crash. Tesla AI head Ashok Elluswamy posted on X that the driver floored the accelerator to 100%, contradicting the Harris County Sheriff’s Office account that the vehicle was operating with “an automated driving assistance system.” The Verge [The Verge]

Transportation

• Formula E’s Season 13 adds Circuit of the Americas, Brands Hatch, and Zandvoort to a calendar that now features two US weekends for the first time since 2014. The Gen4 cars debut in December with a new shorter “E-Prix Unleashed” format ahead of the main race. The Verge [The Verge]

Amazon Prime Day — Verge roundups

• Verge staff favourites at Prime Day prices. A curated running list — Logitech MX Master 3S at $89.99, Eero Pro 6E from $149.99, Kindle Paperwhite 12th-gen at $124.99, Oura Ring 4 at $226, Sonos Five at $449, Noco Boost GB40 at $79.99, and more. The Verge [The Verge]
• Verge’s main Prime Day deal hub covers 4K TVs, Switch 2 / PS5 / Xbox games, smart-home gear, laptops, and a “cheap stuff under $25” roundup. The Verge [The Verge]
• Apple deals worth checking at Amazon — Pplware’s Portuguese-language picks for Prime Day. Pplware

Prime Day — Robot Vacuums

• Prime Day takes $240 off the Roborock Saros 20, dropping the Verge-favourite robovac/mop hybrid from $1,599.99 to $1,359.99 at both Amazon and Roborock — the lowest price since launch. The Verge [The Verge] The Eufy Omni C28 also sees a Prime Day discount. The Verge [The Verge]

Prime Day — Handhelds & VR

• The Lenovo Legion Go S drops to $549.99 for Prime Day, matching a previous low. A 120Hz VRR panel, comfortable ergonomics, and fast charging make up for the loss in raw GPU power versus the Steam Deck. The Verge [The Verge]
• The Meta Quest 3S VR headset drops to $297 for Prime Day, basically returning to its launch price. The Verge [The Verge]
• The XBOX ROG Ally is the only PC gaming handheld getting cheaper in 2026, per Windows Central — a counter-trend to the Steam Deck and Lenovo Legion Go S price hikes. Windows Central
• Pre-built gaming PCs that beat the Steam Machine on price and performance — Windows Central’s comparison roundup. Windows Central
• The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC controller hits $149.99, $50 off for Prime Day — Windows Central calls it “the only PC controller you’ll ever need.” Windows Central

Prime Day — Storage & Peripherals

• Samsung 9100 PRO SSD prices back to February lows — up to 49% off, with 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB models all discounted. Windows Central
• $100 Microsoft gift card for $83 at Newegg — a small but reliable Prime Day saving for Xbox spenders. Windows Central

Prime Day — E-readers, E-bikes & Niche Gadgets

• Xteink X3 and X4 e-readers are 20% off for Prime Day, dropping to $55.20 and $63.20 respectively. Both pocketable e-ink readers feature magnetic mounts for MagSafe-compatible phones; Amazon ships the units with CrossPoint Reader firmware pre-installed. The Verge [The Verge]
• The Nex Playground drops to its pre-RAMageddon Prime Day price. The Verge [The Verge]
• Amflow’s TL e-bike is ready for baby’s first mountain adventure. The Verge [The Verge]
• Hoto’s 25-bit electric screwdriver is 40% off during Prime Day. The Verge [The Verge]
• Pplware rounds up 60%-off speakers and headphones for Prime Day. Pplware

Prime Day — Wearables

• The Oura Ring 4 drops to $226 for Prime Day — $123 below list and the lowest price we’ve seen this year. The Verge [The Verge]

Streaming, Sports & Entertainment

• Netflix’s next cloud-gaming experiment, Unhinged, launches June 30 — an interactive horror experience developed by Night School Studio, marking Netflix’s most ambitious TV-gaming title yet. The Verge [The Verge]
• Meta is building a “no real money” prediction-market app internally called Arena, modelled on Polymarket and Kalshi but using points instead of cash. The Verge [The Verge]
• How much would it cost to build a Steam Machine yourself? The Verge’s build-cost analysis — Valve’s $1,049 base model is “nearly twice the price of a PS5” but a fully-reproducible 6-inch quiet cube isn’t achievable with off-the-shelf parts. The Verge [The Verge]

Huawei & Smartwatches

• Huawei’s seasonal Watch Faces collection celebrates football with interactive displays themed around major international competitions. Pplware
• Pplware asks: can a smartwatch really measure the pulse of an apple? A teardown-style explainer of the optical heart-rate sensor stack. Pplware

Gaming — Indie & Studio News

• Mintrocket announces Bancho The Chef, a prequel to the popular Dave the Diver — a cooking-art RPG from the same studio. Pplware

Portugal & Cybersecurity

• Portugal’s Social Security rolls out another online feature for employers to track domestic-worker contributions via the mobile app or web portal. Pplware
• MCiber: Portugal’s cybersecurity regulatory framework is now in effect, and organisations must register to comply. Pplware’s overview explains what companies need to do before the next reporting cycle. Pplware

Ukraine & Aerospace

• Ukraine debuts the FP-1 suicide drone with a 3,000 km range, striking a Tyumen oil refinery more than 2,000 km inside Russia in its first operational use. Pplware’s coverage explains the airframe and the strategic implications. Pplware

Internet Outages & Social

• Facebook and Instagram faced another outage on Tuesday — thousands of users reported login failures and feed-loading issues. Pplware’s Portuguese-language report captures the monitoring-service data. Pplware

Self-hosting

• The mariushosting Bluesky community passes 900 members. Marius’s announcement post reflects on how Bluesky has become one of his primary NAS-enthusiast channels alongside Mastodon. Marius Hosting

Computing History

• Pixar almost deleted the entire Toy Story 2 film with a single Unix command in 1998 — the disaster was averted only because an off-site backup had run the night before. Pplware recounts the now-canonical story of rm -rf * run from the wrong directory. Pplware

Roundup compiled from the TTRSS Tech category. 60 articles from 5 sources clustered into 35 stories. Cover from Phoronix (Linux sched_ext restructure); inlines from Windows Central (Bing off-switch, Xbox gaming affordability) and The Verge (Hollywood OpenAI).