Goodbye: after 34 years, AOL will be shutting down its dial-up internet services in September. While we were shocked at the number of users still using dial-up in 2025, what’s even more shocking is that according to data from Pew Research Center, roughly 13 million Americans polled last year said they don’t use the internet at all. We charted the year that dial-up peaked and the year it was overtaken by wired high-speed internet. US stocks ended Monday near session lows as traders scaled back risk ahead of inflation data due today. The S&P 500 fell 0.2%, the Nasdaq 100 gave back 0.4%, and the Russell 2000 declined 0.1%. News that the US-China trade truce has been formally extended for another 90 days did little to move markets, as this outcome had been well telegraphed in advance. |
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Look out, Slate Auto: there’s a new upstart in town promising a low-cost electric truck. OK, it’s not really a startup per se, but rather the result of a “skunkworks” project within the storied, 122-year-old automaking giant Ford. But what that project has created is already drawing parallels to Ford’s iconic Model T and the way it revolutionized the production line. According to CEO Jim Farley, Ford will build multiple low-cost EVs at its Louisville assembly plant through a new production process that leaves the single assembly line behind, instead shifting to three concurrent lines that join together at the end. The first vehicle produced through the new platform is planned for release in 2027 and will be a midsize EV truck starting at $30,000. It comes at a time when the carmaker could use some good news: |
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| Ford’s EV chief, Doug Field, seems bullish on the company’s $30,000 future and unworried about the competition, saying, “I don’t think that the new EV startups will be able to keep up with the kind of innovation that you’re seeing in manufacturing, and how they can actually turn this into a reality.” He added that Ford has the chops to deliver, not just dream. |
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Texas Drone Company Takes Flight in American Agriculture |
Picture this: a farmer controlling three drones at once, treating hundreds of acres while sipping their morning coffee. That's the reality Hylio is building for American farmers. This Texas-based company has an end-to-end solution that forms the holy trinity of modern farming: drones that spray, software that plans, and a controller that runs the whole show. With over 1 million acres already treated and partnerships with agricultural giants, Hylio is showing that American-made drone technology can compete globally. While tariffs and regulations create headaches for foreign drone makers, Hylio's Texas manufacturing gives them a competitive advantage in the US market. Their current funding round closes August 15 — which could be good timing as demand for domestic drone tech surges. Learn more about Hylio’s expansion plans and explore investment opportunities.1 |
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Since the first trailer we saw for “Barbarian” director Zach Cregger’s new horror mystery, “Weapons,” we knew how one thing would end. No spoilers here — don’t worry! We just knew we’d end up seeing it in the theater. And we weren’t alone: it opened to an impressive $42.5 million at the US box office over the weekend. It’s the latest entry in the recent horror renaissance, and continues a trend of high-grossing horror films finally getting critical praise alongside audience raves. In fact, “Weapons” was already making headlines for debuting at a perfect 100% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes before it opened! “Weapons” is just the latest flick to help boost the genre to a potentially record-breaking year. The share of ticket sales for horror movies at the US box office is at an all-time high, as we’ve charted here. What’s interesting is that while sequels like “28 Years Later” and “Final Destination Bloodlines” are powering some of the blood-filled box office blowouts, the most successful horror film of the year is a complete original. This is a big shift from the last time we saw big horror success stories, which was a period dominated by franchise follow-ups. |
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While some in the industry warned of a “horror glut” — with Variety counting a total of 29 wide-release horror films across seven major studios coming out this year — the huge box office haul of 2025’s biggest hits so far suggests that the appetite for big scares on big screens is still there. |
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