Jul 18, 2026 · 4 min listen · Last updated July 18, 2026
From storyflo. This is your daily audio brief for July 18th. Hey, it's Theo. July 18th. Here are five stories I'd flag if you missed yesterday's end-of-day. Let's get into it. First, from Hackaday. Using Solar Air Heating to Dry Clothes.
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Daily Tech Brief · July 18th
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Using Solar Air Heating to Dry Clothes
You know how solar panels usually turn sunlight into electricity? Well, this guy, Greenhill Forge, built a different kind of solar panel that collects solar thermal energy with air. He's been experimenting with these panels, and in his latest video, he actually puts one to use in a real-world scenario - drying clothes.
He built a new solar panel with upgraded materials, and then hooked it up to a clothes dryer. He modified the dryer to use the heated air from the solar panel instead of the electric heater. A microcontroller keeps an eye on the temperature and controls a fan to hit the target temperature. After an hour, the clothes were completely dry, and the only electricity used was to turn the drum.
This is a big deal because it's a huge reduction in power needed to dry clothes - more than an order of magnitude. And the possibilities go beyond just clothes drying. Greenhill Forge thinks these systems could be used to augment off-grid systems for home heating, greenhouse heating, or drying out crops. It could also reduce strain on electrical systems that rely on resistive heating methods.
Apple cites paused securities fraud case in bid to halt Epic proceedings
So I was reading about this Apple-Epic thing, and it turns out Apple's trying to pause the whole lower-court thing while the Supreme Court reviews part of their dispute. They're citing this other securities fraud case that's been put on hold, saying it's similar to their situation. Essentially, they're arguing that if the Supreme Court is already looking at this other case, it makes sense for them to wait too. It's not a direct connection, but it's an interesting move, considering the two cases are pretty different.
The securities fraud case Apple's referencing involves a different company, but it's also about the App Store's fees. The judge in that case paused proceedings, saying the Supreme Court's review could impact the outcome. Apple's saying the same thing should happen in their case, given the similar App Store fees issue. They're not asking to dismiss the case entirely, just to pause it until the Supreme Court makes a decision. It's a strategic move, and it'll be interesting to see how the judge responds.
Flathub’s AI slop ban looks like it was the right call
I was reading this thing about Flathub, and it's pretty interesting. So, they banned AI-coded app submissions last month, and some people thought that was a bad idea, that they were dismissing the future and all that. But it looks like they might've been onto something. Apparently, nearly three-quarters of the apps that got rejected because of AI usage are already dead, and I mean, really dead - their code repositories are just sitting there, not being updated anymore. It's not like they were just paused or something, 88 out of 120 of these apps are no longer under active development.
Anthropic, Meta reportedly discussing $10B data center leasing deal
Hey, I just read about this interesting data center leasing deal between Anthropic and Meta. Apparently, Anthropic's looking to rent some of Meta's data center space, and the talks are valued at around $10 billion over two years. Now, this is still in the early stages, so it's not a done deal yet, but it's worth noting that Anthropic is a company that's working on AI, and Meta's got a huge infrastructure setup, so it makes sense that they'd be talking about this. The thing that caught my eye was that this deal would be a massive shift in how data centers are used - instead of just building new ones, companies are starting to think about sharing and leasing space. That's a pretty big change under the hood, and I think it's worth paying attention to.
The Digest: A Pub Takeover, Party Etiquette + An Ice Cream Bar
I’m juggling a new nine‑to‑five with a fragrance brand, so the newsletter landed a day late—sorry for the odd timing, but I’m still cranking out the usual four sections: Edit, Going Out, Cultural Radar, and Talking Points.
In the Edit, I’ve highlighted a breezy linen dress that flips beautifully at the back, slouchy pinstripe trousers from St Agni that are now on sale, and a cheeky Bluebella camisole‑shorts set that feels like a summer‑night secret. There’s also a crochet mini dress for the beach and a canvas bag that’s perfect for low‑key weekends.
For Going Out, the Khaobird rooftop takeover in Shoreditch is still open, and if you miss it, the Soho spot is equally lively—think spicy shan meatballs and mutton fries. Over in Islington, The Dreamery is serving pistachio ice cream made with Loewe’s new candle collaboration, a surprisingly fun brand activation that runs through the end of July.
The Cultural Radar notes a three‑day literary festival, a short‑story collection I’m hoping to break my reading rut with, and a photography show in south London. That’s the quick run‑through—catch you tomorrow for the Friday feature.
It’s easy to think a “good” room needs to be seamless. That harmony means everything aligns, everything matches. But often, it’s the small oddities that make a space memorable.
At first glance, the built-in cabinets in my office might look simple. But if you lean in closer, you’ll notice it. The knobs are oddly placed. They’re too big for the cabinets. They’re staggered slightly, as if someone started the installation after a glass of wine. It’s the kind of detail that could drive a perfectionist crazy, a “mistake” that would be easy to fixate on or feel pressured to correct.
I almost did.
How Claude Code’s Creator Boris Cherny Actually Uses It
Boris Cherny created Claude Code, the system now changing how developers explore repositories, write features, fix bugs, review pull requests, run tests, and manage entire coding workflows. Then he pushed it further. He stopped writing code by hand. He stopped opening his IDE. Eventually, he even moved beyond prompting Claude one task at a time.
Now he builds loops.
Agents monitor his pull requests, repair failing CI, review code, gather feedback, run experiments, and return with evidence. Some work from separate branches. Some challenge the work of other agents.
DXVK 3.0.2 Released With Improved Hang Debugging, Handful Of Game Fixes
In addition to the initial build of Holo Core as AArch64 Arch Linux for the Steam Frame, another software milestone today in Valve's Linux gaming space is the release of DXVK 3.0.2 for Direct3D 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 APIs implemented over the Vulkan API for running Windows games...
Apple Books and Amazon Are Lousy With AI-Generated Books Ripping Off Legitimate Authors
Joanna Stern at New Things, last month:
Last month, just days after my book went on sale, AI knockoffs of the ebook version flooded Apple Books. There was Joanna Stern On I Am Not A Robot by Sophie Mercer. I AM NOT A ROBOT by Finn Tech. I AM NOT A ROBOT by Joana Stern — with one “n.” (Watch our latest video showing all these titles and more.)
In total, I found ten AI-generated ebooks clearly riding on mine, with AI-generated covers mimicking the style of my real one — the same blue, yellow and red color palette. Most were priced at $9.99, but some have gone as high as $20.99.
Is Iran's Ceasefire Faltering? Plus the AI Race China Is Winning by Default and a Statewide Data Center Ban"
Iran’s recent strikes have pushed the Strait of Hormuz into a quieter phase, but ships are still slipping through, and Iran’s now targeting vessels that disappear from AIS. The oil flow hasn’t surged because the market is already pricing in the disruption, and the Saudi‑Houthi ceasefire that held for four years is already cracking.
In Washington, the Senate’s defense appropriations bill stalled, not over AI tech but because lawmakers can’t agree on funding priorities for AI and quantum programs, a delay that could stretch into the fall.
New York just froze approvals for new large‑scale AI data centers, a move that could open a doorway for other states to follow suit.
Meanwhile, China’s AI push is gaining momentum: Xi’s appearance at the World AI Conference, the debut of its biggest open‑weight model, and a multilateral AI organization that 29 nations signed onto—all pointing to a default advantage that’s hard for the U.S. to ignore.