July 19, 2026
Today's top tech stories, deduped across the newsletters I read and briefly summarized. Click a source to open the original article.
AI
GPT-5.6 Helped Close a 30-Year Gap in Convex Optimization
Following OpenAI's CDC proof announcement, GPT-5.6 was reportedly used to close a mathematical gap in convex optimization that had stood unsolved for 30 years, according to a widely discussed r/math thread.
Anthropic Makes Fable 5 Permanent in Claude Max and Team Premium
Starting July 20, Claude Fable 5 will be included in all Max and Team Premium plans, according to an update from the @claudeai account on Twitter, noted by Simon Willison.
NYC Mayor Mamdani Bars Landlords From Secretly Using AI Images in Listings
Mayor Mamdani has introduced rules barring New York landlords from using AI-generated images to misrepresent properties in listings without disclosure.
Speech Recognition and TTS in Under 500kb
Moonshine AI has released a remarkably compact speech recognition and text-to-speech model that fits under 500kb, suited for running on highly constrained devices.
Security
LG Monitors Silently Install Software via Windows Update
LG monitors have been caught installing extra software through Windows Update without user consent, drawing sharp criticism from the Windows and security community.
7-Zip Patches RCE Flaw Exploitable via Malicious Archives
7-Zip version 26.02 fixes a remote code execution vulnerability that attackers could exploit by tricking users into opening specially crafted archive files. Update immediately.
Public Exploits Released for WordPress "wp2shell" RCE Flaws
Public exploits are now available for critical "wp2shell" remote code execution vulnerabilities in WordPress Core, making immediate patching essential for site administrators.
Microsoft Warns of Surge in ACR Stealer Attacks on Enterprise Customers
Microsoft has observed a sharp rise in attacks using the ACR Stealer malware, which steals browser-stored passwords, authentication tokens, and sensitive documents from enterprise customers.
Dev
Guide: Setting Up a Spare Mac for Claude Code to Control
A detailed step-by-step guide shows how to set up a spare Mac that Claude Code can remotely control, popular among developers experimenting with agentic workflows.
New Tool Explains SQLite Queries in Plain English
Simon Willison has released the SQLite Query Explainer, a tool that explains SQL queries in plain language, inspired by Julia Evans' notes on running SQLite.
Web
Hardcore IndieWeb: Run Your Own Site 100% Independently for $0.01/Day
A guide walks through running a fully independent website — no cloud providers, no third-party services — for less than a cent a day.
Other
Is This the End of the Once-Mighty GoPro?
Amateur Photographer examines GoPro's decline from dominating the action camera market to struggling against smartphones and competitors like DJI.