The Download: Chicago’s surveillance network, and building better bras

February 23, 2026
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. Inside Chicago’s surveillance panopticon Chicago has tens of thousands of surveillance cameras—up to 45,000, by some estimates.  That’s among the highest numbers per capita in the US. Chicago boasts one of the largest…

Inside Chicago’s surveillance panopticon

February 23, 2026
Early on the morning of September 2, 2024, a Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line train was the scene of a random and horrific mass shooting. Four people were shot and killed on a westbound train as it approached the suburb of Forest Park.  The police swiftly activated a digital dragnet—a surveillance network that connects thousands…

Wispr Flow launches an Android app for AI-powered dictation

February 23, 2026
AI-powered dictation startup Wispr Flow has launched its Android app today. The company released its app for Mac and Windows first, then launched on iOS in June 2025. On iOS, users could use Wispr Flow through a dedicated keyboard. On Android, the interface is a bit different, as you can access the dictionary through a […]

Quantonation’s double-sized second fund shows quantum still has believers

February 22, 2026
Quantonation Ventures, a venture firm investing in quantum and physics-based startups, has closed its oversubscribed second fund at €220 million, or approximately $260 million. That’s more than twice the size of its inaugural fund, and comes in addition to other signals that the quantum winter isn’t coming yet.