Author

Alex Mercer

Alex Mercer writes about artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the tools reshaping how software gets built. Articles under this byline are produced by Newzlet's AI-assisted editorial process and checked against our published editorial standards; see our AI Disclosure for how the newsroom works.

Areas of focus: AI & machine learning, developer tools, emerging tech

240 articles  ·  Contact the newsroom

Consumer Tech

Vint Cerf’s Retirement and the End of Internet Idealism
Vint Cerf’s Retirement and the End of Internet Idealism

Who Is Vint Cerf, and Why the ‘Father of the Internet’ Title Actually Means Something Vinton Cerf is…

Jul 8, 2026  ·  8 min read

Startups & Business

8090 Labs Funding: Is All-In’s Buddy Network a Problem?
8090 Labs Funding: Is All-In’s Buddy Network a Problem?

The Deal at a Glance: Big Money, Fast Chamath Palihapitiya closed a $135 million Series A for his…

Jul 8, 2026  ·  9 min read

Consumer Tech

Do You Need a New Router? Probably Not—Here’s Why
Do You Need a New Router? Probably Not—Here’s Why

The Myth of the Must-Have Upgrade: What the Marketing Doesn’t Tell You Router manufacturers want you to believe…

Jul 7, 2026  ·  9 min read

Gadgets & Reviews

TCL RM9L’s 4 HDMI 2.1 Ports Change Living-Room Gaming
TCL RM9L’s 4 HDMI 2.1 Ports Change Living-Room Gaming

Four HDMI 2.1 Ports: Why This Number Actually Matters Most TVs competing at the RM9L’s price point ship…

Jul 7, 2026  ·  8 min read

AI & Machine Learning

How AI Browsers Are Becoming Agents That Control Your Data
How AI Browsers Are Becoming Agents That Control Your Data

The old browser wars are over — here’s what the new ones are actually about For most of…

Jul 6, 2026  ·  8 min read

AI & Machine Learning

Midjourney’s Countersuit Forces Studios to Reveal AI Use
Midjourney’s Countersuit Forces Studios to Reveal AI Use

The Lawsuit at a Glance: What Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. Are Actually Claiming Disney and Universal fired…

Jul 6, 2026  ·  9 min read

Cybersecurity

Switching to Immich: Self-Hosted Google Photos Alternative
Switching to Immich: Self-Hosted Google Photos Alternative

The Privacy Wake-Up Call Driving People Away From Big Tech Photo Clouds Every photo you upload to Google…

Jul 6, 2026  ·  10 min read

Cybersecurity

iPhone Messages Settings Apple Hides That Boost Security
iPhone Messages Settings Apple Hides That Boost Security

The Hidden Cost of Apple’s ‘Good Enough’ Defaults Apple ships every iPhone with Messages configured for maximum compatibility…

Jul 6, 2026  ·  9 min read

Consumer Tech

Why Ansible Needs No Agent to Outlast Its Rivals
Why Ansible Needs No Agent to Outlast Its Rivals

The Problem Every IT Team Knows But Rarely Talks About: Tool Sprawl Most automation platforms share a common…

Jul 5, 2026  ·  9 min read

Consumer Tech

Phones Blocked in the US in 2026: What You’re Missing
Phones Blocked in the US in 2026: What You’re Missing

The Invisible Wall: Why These Phones Are Blocked From the US Two distinct forces keep compelling smartphones out…

Jul 5, 2026  ·  9 min read

Consumer Tech

Silverado EV Review: Great Truck, Wrong Audience?
Silverado EV Review: Great Truck, Wrong Audience?

A genuinely impressive truck that almost nobody asked for The TechCrunch reviewer who tested the Silverado EV admits…

Jul 5, 2026  ·  9 min read

Startups & Business

Slate EV Truck: How Tariffs Boosted Chinese Parts Inside It
Slate EV Truck: How Tariffs Boosted Chinese Parts Inside It

Meet the Slate Truck: America’s Most Affordable EV Michigan startup Slate entered the electric vehicle market last week…

Jul 4, 2026  ·  8 min read