User-replaceable batteries are coming back in a big way
User-replaceable batteries are coming back in a big way

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more news about gadgets and smartphones, follow Dominic Preston. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started In 2023, the European Union agreed on two landmark pieces […]

Hackers are learning to exploit chatbot ‘personalities’
Hackers are learning to exploit chatbot ‘personalities’

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on AI mischief, follow Robert Hart. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started Hacking the first generation of AI chatbots was a laughably simple affair. […]

Chatbots at the drive-thru are just the beginning
Chatbots at the drive-thru are just the beginning

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more news about how AI is seeping into our daily lives, follow Emma Roth. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started In 2021, McDonald’s became one […]

Netflix may have finally figured out games
Netflix may have finally figured out games

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on Netflix, follow Andrew Webster. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started Boggle has become a spectator sport in my household. Everyone crowds around the […]

AI music is flooding streaming services — but who wants it?
AI music is flooding streaming services — but who wants it?

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on how AI is changing music and the music industry, follow Terrence O’Brien. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started The use of generative AI […]

The plan to quietly kill Coyote v. Acme blew up in David Zaslav’s face
The plan to quietly kill Coyote v. Acme blew up in David Zaslav’s face

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on Hollywood trends and streaming culture, follow Charles Pulliam-Moore. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes on Sundays at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started Under David Zaslav’s leadership, WBD got very […]

The future of local TV news has taken a Trumpian turn
The future of local TV news has taken a Trumpian turn

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more stories on Big Tech versus politics in Washington, DC, follow Tina Nguyen and read Regulator. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started A long time […]

The AI code wars are heating up
The AI code wars are heating up

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on the AI coding and vibe-coding booms, follow David Pierce. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started Writing code was a killer app for AI […]

Grammarly’s sloppelganger saga
Grammarly’s sloppelganger saga

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on the ups and downs of AI, follow Stevie Bonifield. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started Most people probably know Grammarly for its browser […]

Apple’s long, bitter App Store antitrust war
Apple’s long, bitter App Store antitrust war

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on the legal travails of Big Tech, follow Adi Robertson. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started The year was 1998, and reigning personal computer […]