🤖 Hugging Face bots, Android malware, data fights

Newslit Daily

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🤖 Hugging Face bots, Android malware, data fights

Plus: Gemini Brings Smarter AI to Watches, Waymo Targets Teens.

Jose Montes de Oca

Jul 09, 2025

Transcript

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, Jul 9. Today we are covering:

Hugging Face opens up orders for its Reachy Mini desktop robots
Android malware Anatsa infiltrates Google Play to target US banks
Why Big Tech is threatened by a global push for data sovereignty
Gemini for Wear OS rolling out to Pixel Watch, Samsung, and more
Waymo introduces teen accounts for the first time in Phoenix

Let’s dive in

Hugging Face opens up orders for its Reachy Mini desktop robots

By Rebecca Szkutak via TechCrunch

Hugging Face has opened orders for its Reachy Mini desktop robots, available in two versions: the $449 Wireless model (powered by Raspberry Pi 5) and the $299 Lite model (requires external computing), both open source and designed for developers.
The palm-sized robots come as DIY kits, feature Python programmability, dual screen “eyes,” antennas, pre-installed demos, and integration with the Hugging Face Hub, providing access to over 1.7 million AI models.
CEO Clém Delangue emphasized community-driven development and open source accessibility, aiming to foster user creativity and avoid a “black box” robotics future dominated by closed platforms.

𝕏: The robotics industry has a $50,000 problem: research-grade robots are financially out of reach for most developers and educators. Enter Reachy Mini at $299 - a fully open-source, desktop-sized robot (11" tall, 3.3 lbs) that democratizes AI robotics development… - Jack (@JacklouisP)

Android malware Anatsa infiltrates Google Play to target US banks

By Bill Toulas via BleepingComputer

Anatsa, a sophisticated Android banking trojan, infiltrated Google Play again via a fake PDF viewer app with over 50,000 downloads, targeting US users by overlaying fake maintenance messages on banking apps to steal credentials and automate transactions.
Threat Fabric found the app ‘Document Viewer – File Reader’, which remained benign initially before receiving a malicious payload update, enabling the trojan to activate, connect to a C2 server, and monitor specific banking apps.
Google has since removed the app; users who installed it are urged to uninstall immediately, run Play Protect, and reset banking credentials, as Anatsa continues to reappear via new deceptive tactics.

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Why Big Tech is threatened by a global push for data sovereignty

By Damilare Dosunmu via Rest of World

Developing nations like Nigeria, India, Vietnam, and South Africa are intensifying efforts to reclaim data sovereignty by demanding Big Tech companies store data locally and contribute to national infrastructure.
Governments and institutions such as the African Development Bank and World Bank are investing hundreds of millions in local data centers to curb dependence on foreign infrastructure and secure economic benefits from their citizens’ data.
While countries like South Africa attract Big Tech investments due to their infrastructure and market size, others like Nigeria face hurdles from regulatory uncertainty, even as demand for local cloud services surges and domestic providers, including MTN, expand capabilities.

Gemini for Wear OS rolling out to Pixel Watch, Samsung, and more

By Abner Li via 9to5Google

Google's Gemini is now rolling out to Wear OS 4+ smartwatches, replacing Google Assistant with more conversational, multi-modal capabilities across Pixel Watch, Samsung, OnePlus, OPPO, Xiaomi, and others.
Users can activate Gemini via "Hey Google", side-button long press, or tapping the app, and issue prompts for tasks across productivity (Gmail, Calendar), memory, weather, messaging, and YouTube Music.
With Wear OS 6, Gemini will support integration with watch brand-specific apps, expanding functionality while maintaining continuity with users’ existing app ecosystem.

Waymo introduces teen accounts for the first time in Phoenix

By Andrew J. Hawkins via The Verge

Waymo has launched its first teen accounts in Phoenix, allowing teens aged 14–17 to ride solo in its driverless taxis, with parent-linked accounts and safety measures like real-time location sharing and remote operator assistance.
The move mirrors similar features by Uber, and follows months of testing, surveys, and feedback emphasizing benefits like no distracted driving, flexible scheduling, and monitored rides.
With fewer teens getting driver’s licenses and growing parental demand for help with transportation, Waymo is positioning its service as a safe, convenient alternative—despite remaining concerns over robotaxi performance in complex traffic.

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