Daily Tech News 25 June 2026

Top Story

Walmart has signed a deal to buy 176 megawatts of nuclear power for 15 years. (MSN)

Enough, says the article, to power 150,000 homes, assuming those homes have gas heating and no gaming PCs.
The Trump administration has announced $17.5 billion in loans for 10 new nuclear reactors. (AP News)

Coming soon to a Walmart near you. Well, soon is about ten years from now. Soonish.

Tech News

Grand Theft Auto VI will come in an empty box and cost $80. (The Verge)

They promised a physical edition. Technically they didn't promise to put anything in it.
Disney Wanted to buy Twitter and the James Bond franchise and to merge with Apple. (The Verge)

None of this came to pass, and considering the train wrecks they made of everything they did acquire during Bob Iger's tenure, we can be glad of that.
Slate Auto's new electric truck is here, starting at $24,950. (Tech Crunch)

Any colour so long as it's gray.
Robot from the future Mike Pall is working on LuaJIT 3.0. (GitHub)

LuaJIT is a compiled version of the Lua programming language, that is tiny, bug-free, and impossibly fast. That's why its creator got termed "a robot from the future".
Microsoft's Majorana is poop, says a quantum computing researcher. (The Register)

Microsoft recently announced Majorana 2, a major breakthrough in quantum computing. A new paper in Nature says not so fast, and maybe not at all.
The memory crunch is paying off for this US company. (Tech Crunch)

Spoiler: It's Micron, the only major US player in the memory space. I was hoping for some story about a plucky startup recycling e-waste into working components or, well, literally anything else. I am disappoint.
My new tablet arrived. They said it would, but deliveries to country towns in Australia can often take years. It has 12GB of RAM.
Apple was infamous for years for slapping a 1000% markup on memory in their phones and computers. Now the memory companies are doing exactly the same thing to Apple. (WCCFTech)

If Apple wants to keep its old margins you could end up paying $200 per GB.
The RedMagic Gaming Tablet 5 Pro is a new small Android tablet. (Notebook Check)

I'm a big fan of small Android tablets, but I just got one today - on top of the one I already have, and the other one I have that sucks so I never use it - so I don't need to care for five years of so.

Musical Interlude

Disclaimer: Stare at a wall.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:30 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 w00t

Posted by: m at June 25, 2026 04:30 AM (6wpGE)

2 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2026 04:30 AM (Ia/+0)

3 Morning all.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at June 25, 2026 04:33 AM (BLOW1)

4 G'mornin' everyone!

Thank you, Pixy!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at June 25, 2026 04:38 AM (VyBeY)

5 Howdy!

>>>soon is about ten years from now. Soonish.

Just think-- if we'd raised middle fingers to the "oh, but it'll take TEN YEARS to build more power generation" 20 or 30 years ago-- where we'd be *now*....

Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026 04:42 AM (rdVOm)

6 another musical interlude:

@redsteeze retweeted
@ritajeswnt
18h
Mazzy Star-
Fade Into You❤️❤️
Blessed 60th Birthday to Hope Sandoval

Posted by: m at June 25, 2026 04:44 AM (6wpGE)

7 no kidding, JQ ... here we are a few decades into an era where "long term planning" mostly means "until the end of the next corporate bonus cycle".

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at June 25, 2026 04:47 AM (VyBeY)

8 Ugh, I'm not supposed to be awake to read the tech thread live.

Posted by: IS Roth at June 25, 2026 04:48 AM (Ytm3F)

9 Long commute again
Back when I get there

Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2026 04:48 AM (Ia/+0)

10 Ugh, I'm not supposed to be awake to read the tech thread live.
Posted by: IS Roth

Heh. You & me both, IS Roth!

But here we are. Happy Thursday!

Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026 04:50 AM (rdVOm)

11 5
>>>soon is about ten years from now. Soonish.

Just think-- if we'd raised middle fingers to the "oh, but it'll take TEN YEARS to build more power generation" 20 or 30 years ago-- where we'd be *now*....
Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026 04:42 AM (rdVOm)

That's how Elon Musk thinks.

Posted by: m at June 25, 2026 04:52 AM (6wpGE)

12 >>>The Trump administration has announced $17.5 billion in loans for 10 new nuclear reactors.

SPCX nuclear coming soon.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 25, 2026 04:53 AM (dK+Kv)

13 Evening and morning for the last Thor's Day of June!

Ugh, I'm not supposed to be awake to read the tech thread live.
Posted by: IS Roth
*
Heh. You & me both, IS Roth!

But here we are. Happy Thursday!
Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026

***
Me three. Morning, JQ!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 25, 2026 04:53 AM (wzUl9)

14 Enough, says the article, to power 150,000 homes, assuming those homes have gas heating and no gaming PCs.

.. and no air conditioning.

Posted by: m at June 25, 2026 04:54 AM (6wpGE)

15 Mornin' Wolfus! How goes the house-hunting?

Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026 04:56 AM (rdVOm)

16 .. and no air conditioning.
Posted by: m

Well now, we wouldn't want to embarrass our *betters* in yurrup would we?

Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026 04:57 AM (rdVOm)

17 eh, all 150 k will get to have a dorm refrigerator, a phone charger, and a couple of LED lightbulbs ...

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at June 25, 2026 04:58 AM (VyBeY)

18 Woke up early on my own from a dream in which a maintenance ("physical plant") worker from my old employer, a guy who looked like Liam Neeson, was guiding me to the location of some kind of staff meeting on the campus.

The casting of LN in my dream is no surprise -- Miss Linda and I watched the 1993 Ethan Frome movie with him and Patricia Arquette last night. A beautiful film, a tragedy in white, so to speak. I'd never been forced to read the Edith Wharton novella or read it on my own; the story was new to me.

Whatchoo got on yer plates for today?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 25, 2026 04:59 AM (wzUl9)

19 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at June 25, 2026 05:00 AM (ntk8v)

20 25k homes will get to have heat, full lighting, and air conditioning! Woot!

Wait. 150k? What?! Matches and mantles and candles?

Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026 05:01 AM (rdVOm)

21 Mornin' Wolfus! How goes the house-hunting?
Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026

***
Poorly, JQ. Not much that appeals to me is turning up on Realtor in Terre Haute. Someone here suggested that more properties may be available in fall and winter, because families buy less often then -- they don't want to disrupt the kids' schooling -- and I'd have less competition for a property that I like.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 25, 2026 05:03 AM (wzUl9)

22 slow Thursday morning; up to chapter 341 of First Contact ...

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at June 25, 2026 05:03 AM (VyBeY)

23 "They promised a physical edition. Technically they didn't promise to put anything in it."

And I didn't promise to put any money in their hands, so that works out just fine.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 25, 2026 05:04 AM (O7YUW)

24 LOL, Wolfus!

My last crazy dream featured my car *not shutting off* when I turned it off & removed key, and then it was chasing me & Cat around the yard! (I don't park my car in the yard)

Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026 05:05 AM (rdVOm)

25 Belated BOING!

Just back from a major shop with Mrs. BD. No pups this weekend but good friends driving up to us at our northern Israel vacation home for a few days of good food, rest, and relaxation.

Maybe l8r. Haven't even had time to read the ONT.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at June 25, 2026 05:06 AM (Y+4g7)

26 The car's spark plug change I've been forced to reschedule. My mechanic looked at the car and told me that the intake manifold has to come off to get to the rear three plugs. It'll be a six-hour job instead of about two and a half. I'll need to get a cab back home ($$) and then another to return (also $$). Possibly I'd just leave the car overnight and come back in mid-morning the next day. Next month, I guess.

My IRS refund should be here by then, and will cover the job with a little left over (I hope).

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 25, 2026 05:07 AM (wzUl9)

27 Ugh, I'm not supposed to be awake to read the tech thread live.
Posted by: IS Roth
*
Heh. You & me both, IS Roth!

But here we are. Happy Thursday!
Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026

I thought that was why we were all here.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 25, 2026 05:10 AM (dK+Kv)

28 Need to go work out in a bit. Later this morning I'll bring the new eyeglasses back to the shop and ask them to put only the distance Rx in, instead of the bifocals. The distance lens parts work fine for watching TV and reading signs; the close-up inserts are disorienting.

The Buick needs a bath and spray wax too. By ten I'llbe ready to stagger indoors and detail *me*.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 25, 2026 05:11 AM (wzUl9)

29
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at June 25, 2026 05:11 AM (AMvSw)

30 bingo, G&R, same here

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at June 25, 2026 05:12 AM (VyBeY)

31 Sorry the house-hunt is going poorly, Wolfus. Hope prospects brighten and expand soon!

Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026 05:13 AM (rdVOm)

32 Never wanted to live in the midwest. After a visit to the Fed Ammo facility in Anoka, that was *it* for me, LOL. They had "severe weather shelter" in the basement. No thanks!

Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026 05:16 AM (rdVOm)

33 Sorry the house-hunt is going poorly, Wolfus. Hope prospects brighten and expand soon!
Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026

***
I'm being reasonable, JQ. Not expecting to find a place in my price range with a pool, terrace, guest house, and 4-car garage. I just want something I'm going to like the look of from the start, that doesn't need $$$ work or more than average refinishing (paint, flooring) to get it to "love" status.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 25, 2026 05:17 AM (wzUl9)

34 Ce Ce Winans sings "Great is thy Faithfulness", an old time hymn:

https://tinyurl.com/3jfbd7w9

Sunny Skyz site

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 25, 2026 05:18 AM (Yl2Ob)

35 Well g'morning JQ! Rare day when you're hanging out with us here in the tech thread. :-)

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 25, 2026 05:18 AM (O7YUW)

36 Greetings and good morning one and all. It's a gorgeous day out here in the GPROMD. I'm going to be at the airport in a few hours to go see my folks for the weekend. And I have a feeling part of the trip will be spent helping my mom reach a human being with certain companies.

Posted by: NR Pax at June 25, 2026 05:18 AM (BpO1e)

37 Never wanted to live in the midwest. After a visit to the Fed Ammo facility in Anoka, that was *it* for me, LOL. They had "severe weather shelter" in the basement. No thanks!
Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026

***
I'd prefer the Mountain West too. But I'm not seeing anything in my price range. The Californians have driven up the prices, I guess. At least the MW *has* shelters. Da Swamp used to have hurricane shelters, but not any more: All you can do is flee.

Which I am doing, permanently.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 25, 2026 05:20 AM (wzUl9)

38 I just want something I'm going to like the look of from the start, that doesn't need $$$ work or more than average refinishing (paint, flooring) to get it to "love" status.
Posted by: Wolfus

Sounds reasonable to me, too. Good luck! Wish I could move too. Not far-- just to smaller, more manageable digs. Ain't gonna happen... savings is getting sucked dry by nursing home expense.

*sigh*

Come on, lottery!

Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026 05:20 AM (rdVOm)

39 >>>Slate Auto's new electric truck is here, starting at $24,950.

Just in time for nobody to want them. Make it a diesel hilux, and people would sell their left arms to get one.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at June 25, 2026 05:20 AM (dK+Kv)

40 Mornin' G&R!

Yeah, another sleepless night for yours truly... meh. This place is awesome, so life isn't SO bad, LOL!

Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026 05:22 AM (rdVOm)

41 >>I'd prefer the Mountain West too. But I'm not seeing anything in my price range. The Californians have driven up the prices, I guess.

True story, Wolfus. Calizuelans have ruined the housing market here! Wouldn't be so annoying if they'd not be able to vote for a decade (or ever!) after arrival!

Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026 05:25 AM (rdVOm)

42 The furry thugs are doing well. Big black Stirling was sleeping with me, as he often does, but did not wake me up early. When I got up, little Dagny was waiting for water from the bathroom tap. She has to compete with her big brother for that -- even though they have a perfectly good and clean water fountain in the kitchen.

Now he's chasing her around. He thinks it's fun, she does not -- I've heard her growling at him.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 25, 2026 05:25 AM (wzUl9)

43 Man in Florida talks about how working out with his brother helped encourage him , and how the Bible strengthens us in our faith. Scripture is 2nd Peter 1:5-11;

Our Daily Bread:

https://tinyurl.com/5e2jveb3

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 25, 2026 05:26 AM (Yl2Ob)

44 JQ, I don't know if you heard, but I actually put in an offer in May on a 2BR/1BA bungalow I loved. The inspection revealed it would need close to $30K of work (termite damage to the garage, electrics, and to replace a 35-year-old A/C). So I passed. Another, more recently, checked all my boxes, but was within a block of a low-income and Section 8 development. Pass again.

I remain hopeful and check Realtor every day!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 25, 2026 05:29 AM (wzUl9)

45 Now he's chasing her around. He thinks it's fun, she does not -- I've heard her growling at him.
Posted by: Wolfus

Aww, darn it. It's no fun when the kids don't get along. Hope Dagny can establish her boundaries without a full-on fight!

Skritches for both...

G'night, all. It's time to *try to* sleep.

Posted by: JQ at June 25, 2026 05:29 AM (rdVOm)

46 @40/JQ: I'm glad the HQ is a bright spot in your life. It is for me too.

Coffee? Check.
Tech thread? Check.

Today is the final day at school. Last day at the school bus yard is always "fun" as drivers return their buses and we try to cram all those in like sardines. It's gonna be a zoo.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 25, 2026 05:30 AM (O7YUW)

47 @FenelonSpoke: How did FenSpouse's last day at his bus yard go?

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 25, 2026 05:32 AM (O7YUW)

48 by: NR Pax at June 25, 2026 05:18 AM (BpO1e)

Sorry I didn't quite understand the last bit of your post, but I hope you have a good and safe trip back and forth and get a. accomplished what you need to. God bless you in your care and concern for your parents!

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 25, 2026 05:35 AM (2sfNr)

49 Sorry I didn't quite understand the last bit of your post

Quick summary: My mom has a Power of Attorney to handle my father's accounts and she has to update his records to reflect that.

The long hold times cause problems because dad can't mentally handle them and she can't stay on the phone and help him at the same time. So odds are good I'll be helping with this.

Posted by: NR Pax at June 25, 2026 05:38 AM (BpO1e)

50 Posted by: NR Pax at June 25, 2026 05:38 AM (BpO1e)

Thanks. May rough places be made smooth.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 25, 2026 05:40 AM (2sfNr)

51 Someone here suggested that more properties may be available in fall and winter, because families buy less often then -- they don't want to disrupt the kids' schooling -- and I'd have less competition for a property that I like.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 25, 2026 05:03 AM (wzUl9)

I'm not sure it works like that. People also wait to list their homes until spring, to maximize the likelihood of competing buyers bidding it up. So there's just less activity in the off seasons, fewer lookers and fewer properties both.

Posted by: SciVo at June 25, 2026 05:42 AM (Sy6m/)

52 Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 25, 2026 05:32 AM (O7YUW)

He said it was fine. He said he was trying not to
Monitor them so much so he wouldn't have to yell it them, (I think he just wanted the day completed) .He got some nice gifts and cards from the kids and parents which was very thoughtful including one which said " I will miss you being my bus driver" ' Thanks for asking.

When do you finish?

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 25, 2026 05:45 AM (2sfNr)

53 I'm not sure it works like that. People also wait to list their homes until spring, to maximize the likelihood of competing buyers bidding it up. So there's just less activity in the off seasons, fewer lookers and fewer properties both.
Posted by: SciVo at June 25, 2026

***
Great. Since I started looking this spring, pickings have been meager.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 25, 2026 05:46 AM (wzUl9)

54 Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 25, 2026 05:30 AM (O7YUW)

Yes. He did that as well.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 25, 2026 05:47 AM (2sfNr)

55 @52/FenelonSpoke: "When do you finish?

Today just before 5 PM.

I'm glad FenSpouse's kids (or their parents) give him gift cards. That's very nice of the kids, and the parents.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 25, 2026 05:49 AM (O7YUW)

56 Psalm 3. King James Version:

https://tinyurl.com/4x75zxbb

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 25, 2026 05:49 AM (2sfNr)

57 Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 25, 2026 05:49 AM (O7YUW)

Yes. It is . And may your last day for the school year go smoothly.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 25, 2026 05:51 AM (2sfNr)

58 6 another musical interlude:

@redsteeze retweeted
@ritajeswnt
18h
Mazzy Star-
Fade Into You❤️❤️
Blessed 60th Birthday to Hope Sandoval
Posted by: m at June 25, 2026 04:44 AM (6wpGE)

One of my favorites. I love the song, very atmospheric; and the video fits it well, as does Hope's shirt.

https://youtu.be/ImKY6TZEyrI

IIRC, there were six musicians on it; the three men have all passed from cancer, one of the women (bassist?) left music to pursue her passion for visual arts, and Hope and another gal are still in the game.

Posted by: SciVo at June 25, 2026 05:52 AM (Sy6m/)

59 Made it, taking too many chances on road, got yo stop doing that

Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2026 05:56 AM (sgkY8)

60 @57/FenelonSpoke: "And may your last day for the school year go smoothly."

Here's hoping (and thanks.)

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at June 25, 2026 05:56 AM (O7YUW)

61 Waves at Fen on other side of the river

Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2026 05:56 AM (sgkY8)

62 Posted by: Skip at June 25, 2026 05:56 AM (sgkY8

Waving back at you, Skip. May you have a good day!

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 25, 2026 05:58 AM (Yl2Ob)

63 We are having bees removed from the eave of our house. They built a hive inside the roof and soffit over the kitchen so the bee wranglers are going in through the kitchen ceiling. I slept not at all last night as I am pretty anxious about this. I pray it goes smoothly (for bee removal, anyway).

Posted by: Brunnhilde at June 25, 2026 06:07 AM (3AwA+)

64 Thanks. May rough places be made smooth.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke

Much appreciated.

Posted by: NR Pax at June 25, 2026 06:13 AM (BpO1e)

65 A few days ago I mentioned we miscarried in January, but conceived again in March. First ultrasound came back: high risk Down's. We had test done and results today. Negative for any tested risk including Down's. Positive for girl type unit. Thanks SanFran and Fen for prayers on that.

I used to work for the state of TN. There was a good man there before me. This is his site: https://www.htmlbible.com/

Maybe there is something there you would find helpful.

The reference of the day: soon we will turn to late summer and early fall and the Season of Sharp Elbows will begin.

Late again today because we were in the city. Hello everyone.

Posted by: meh at June 25, 2026 06:13 AM (kK7U2)

66 Great. Since I started looking this spring, pickings have been meager.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 25, 2026 05:46 AM (wzUl9)

Wolfus — I know you’ve been planning to relocate but I missed the where. If you don’t mind saying, what (general) location did you end up choosing? IIRC your current environs are Cajun country and you desired something less hot/humid? Having just moved to Florida myself, I already understand that sentiment

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at June 25, 2026 06:14 AM (YetvJ)

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