Tech
AGIBOT Deploys 300-Plus Robots Across Chinese Theme Park
AGIBOT and Chimelong are deploying more than 300 robots across a Chinese theme park and hotel, testing embodied AI in real commercial operations.
The post AGIBOT Deploys 300-Plus Robots Across Chinese Theme Park appeared first on TechRepublic.
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Tech
TikTok agrees to pay at least $100M in Alabama settlement
TikTok will pay Alabama at least $100 million in a settlement tied to allegations that the short-form video platform misled users about safety and was designed to addict children. The case was scheduled to go to trial on Monday.
According to the Alabama attorney general’s office, TikTok could end up paying the state a total of $300 million, depending on “certain conditions.” The company also agreed to introduce a two-hour daily time limit for underage users, with additional parental controls, as well as restrictions on overnight usage and cosmetic filters.
In a statement, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said that parents in his state can now “rest easier knowing real protections are in place to shield their children from the dangers of social media addiction.”
TikTok also released a statement saying that the settlement “builds on our commitment and core objective to continually enhance our robust safety tools to protect teens.”
In August, TikTok reached a $400 million settlement with the Department of Justice over allegations that the platform violated child privacy laws.
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Tech
Meta says it will run ads for ‘Musk’ documentary after all
At least one social media company appears to be reversing its stance on whether it will accept advertising for director Alex Gibney’s upcoming documentary about Elon Musk.
The Hollywood Reporter published a story Friday saying that TikTok, Meta, YouTube, and X had all refused to run paid ads promoting the trailer for “Musk.” However, when TechCrunch reached out to Meta on Saturday, a spokesperson said, “This was an error and the ads are being restored.”
We’ve asked Meta for more details and will update this article if we hear back.
X’s rejection is unsurprising — Musk, who owns the social media platform, recently posted that “Dogshit is worth more respect than Gibney.”
But Meta, TikTok, and YouTube reportedly rejected the ad for “political content,” which the platforms have various restrictions on. (Meta said last year that it will stop accepting political ads in the European Union, while TikTok says it doesn’t run them at all.) It’s not clear how a documentary trailer counts as campaign advertising, and the film’s U.S. distributor Bleecker Street told the Hollywood Reporter that it’s appealing the rejections.
Gibney previously directed acclaimed documentaries including “Going Clear” (about the Church of Scientology) and “The Inventor” (about Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos), as well as a movie about Steve Jobs. “Musk,” his latest, premiered at the Venice International Film Festival earlier this month and has received almost universally positive reviews. The film currently has a 100% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is set for theatrical release in the United States on October 9.
Vulture’s Bilge Ebiri described the nearly four-hour movie as a revealing look at Musk’s tech career, his alliance with President Donald Trump, and his personal life, with interview subjects including ex-wife Justine Musk and former right-wing influencer Ashley St. Clair (who recently had a child with Musk but now describes him as “a nuke”).
Ebiri wrote that while the film is a “fascinating” character study, adding, “As a tale of modern business, it’s revealing. And as a warning about our future, it’s terrifying.”
Despite the initial wave of critical acclaim, The Hollywood Reporter also said that Universal Pictures was wavering in its commitment to distribute the film internationally, reportedly due to the studio’s fear of angering the Trump administration. (Universal subsequently said it will release the documentary in theaters but is still figuring out its release strategy).
TechCrunch has also reached out to YouTube, TikTok, X, and Bleecker Street for comment.
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Tech
Levoit’s new air purifier is for the pet odors that have taken over your apartment
Someone recently had to sit me down, hold my hands, and tell me something no pet owner ever wants to hear: my apartment smelled like wet dog. Horrifying.
With all the nonstop fur and dander that seem to appear everywhere no matter what, the intervention was probably necessary. So when Levoit launched its Vital Pet Pro Air Purifier, I was curious to see whether it could actually make a noticeable difference.
Designed specifically for pet-friendly households, the $189.99 machine takes a more targeted approach than a conventional air purifier, combining a three-stage filtration system with features designed around one of the biggest problems pet owners face: fur everywhere. (And the occasional “wet dog” smell.)
The three-stage filtration system consists of a washable pre-filter, a main filter, and an activated carbon filter. The pre-filter catches larger debris such as pet hair, while the main filter targets smaller particles and dander. The carbon filter is designed to tackle odors, with 140 grams of activated carbon packed into it.
Another one of the purifier’s key design features is its U-shaped air inlet, which Levoit says is designed to capture airborne pet hair and particles while improving airflow and helping prevent the filter from becoming clogged.

After testing the purifier for a little over a week, I found it impressively effective at collecting fur and trapping the kind of debris that would normally end up floating around the apartment or settling onto furniture.
When it comes to tackling pet odors, Levoit says that the Vital Pet Pro can remove up to 70% of odors within an hour. I can’t really do a specific test to verify that claim, but the difference was easy enough to notice. After the purifier had been running, the room smelled considerably fresher.
I also appreciated the automatic cleaning technology, which removes accumulated hair and debris from the pre-filter and collects it in a removable tray. It’s a very practical feature, especially if the alternative is constantly pulling apart the purifier to clean out a layer of fur.
Additionally, the companion app offers different modes designed to make the purifier more hands-off. Auto Plus Mode monitors changes in air quality and adjusts the purifier’s performance in real time.
Pet Mode is designed specifically around the way pet-related particles can build up throughout the day. It alternates between running the fan at its highest speed for 15 minutes to capture particulates in the pre-filter and then switching to a lower speed for 60 minutes to maintain air quality while reducing noise and energy use.

Also, rather than displaying a numerical air-quality reading, the Vital Pet Pro uses a simple color system. Red indicates bad air quality, orange means moderate, green means good, and cyan means very good. I actually preferred this since you can quickly glance at the purifier and immediately get a sense of whether the air is improving without having to interpret a number.
I’ll also point out that the Vital Pet Pro is a little larger than I expected, so make sure you have enough floor space before bringing one home.
Noise is another consideration. At its highest setting, the fan is definitely audible. Once the purifier settles into a lower setting, however, it’s quiet enough to leave running overnight without disrupting my sleep. For light sleepers, Sleep Mode makes the purifier run even more quietly.
The air purifier is available to purchase from Levoit’s website, Amazon, Chewy, and other retailers.
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