Wisconsin Lawsuit Seeks to Ban Musk From Offering $1 Million Checks to Voters
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A government watchdog group in Wisconsin filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking to prohibit billionaire Elon Musk from ever again offering cash payments to voters in the battleground state like he did in this spring's hotly contested Supreme Court race.
Musk handed out $1 million checks to three Wisconsin voters, including two in person just days before the state's April 1 Supreme Court election, in an effort to help elect conservative candidate Brad Schimel. Two weeks before the election, Musk's political action committee, America PAC, offered $100 to voters who signed a petition in opposition to 'activist judges," or referred someone to sign it.
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Forbes
34 minutes ago
- Forbes
AWE 2025 Fueled By Android XR, Snap Specs, And AI
The theme of the show was evident from the start. Augmented World Expo 2025, now in its 16th year, wrapped up today in Long Beach, California. The XR industry's largest and longest-running event drew more than 5,000 attendees and 250 exhibitors to the cavernous Long Beach Convention Center from June 10 to 12. For the first time, both the conference and expo floor ran a full three days, with expanded programming that included hackathons, keynotes, investor meetups, and breakout areas for startups, game developers, and enterprise providers. The week began, as always, with Ori Inbar's annual keynote. AWE's co-founder took the stage with his usual mix of irreverence and conviction. This year's theme was direct: 'XR is going mainstream.' Inbar said the wait was over. 'The hardware is good enough, the tools are mature, and AI has lowered the barrier to entry,' he said, urging developers to stop building for the future and start shipping to the present. He celebrated XR's strange persistence—joking that we've been waiting for a 'mass market moment' for 30 years—and framed AI as both a complement and a catalyst: 'XR is the killer interface for AI,' he said, to sustained applause. AWE head of Programming Sonya Haskins and CEO and co-founder of AWE, Ori Inbar. Google and Snap delivered first day main stage keynotes that energized the crowd. Snap dominated the hallways with demos of Specs and their mirror technology. Niantic Spatial also had a big presence, as they did last year, before they spun off Pokemon Go to Scopely to focus on WebXR and a digital twin of the physical world. Google's Justin Payne at AWE 2025. Google's Justin Payne introduced Android XR, the company's new spatial computing operating system. Introduced to some fanfare at Google I/O two weeks ago, this was a direct pitch to the developers in the audience. Android XR is built to unify headset and glasses development across Qualcomm and Samsung hardware and deeply integrate with Gemini. 'This is the first Android platform built for the Gemini era,' Payne said. He described Android XR as the logical evolution of Google's long-term investment in vision-based computing—Glass, ARCore, Lens, Live View—now converging with real-time AI. He emphasized that XR devices shouldn't be siloed or episodic. 'The same person will use multiple XR devices throughout the day,' he said, 'and Gemini can follow them between worlds.' Snap's Evan Spiegel took the stage next and as expected he announced that consumer-ready Spectacles are coming in 2026. Snap has spent over $3 billion and 11 years refining its mobile AR platform, which now supports more than 4 million lenses used 8 billion times a day. 'We're obsessed with making computers more human,' Spiegel said. With OpenAI and Gemini onboard, the new Spectacles will support spatial AI interactions, WebXR, and shared gaming overlays. Specs are already in the hands of hundreds of developers, many of whom were demoing real-world applications throughout the Long Beach venue. In the past CTO Bobby Murphy has keynoted AWE, but this is Speigel's inaugural appearance, signaling the growing importance of the medium and its largest annual gathering. Chi Xu, founder and CEO of Xreal. Both Google and Snap highlighted the growing ecosystem of Android XR tools. XREAL's Chi Xu previewed Project Aura, the company's latest eyewear, built for Android XR stack and also unveiled two weeks earlier at I/O. Featuring an upgraded Qualcomm X1S spatial chip, Aura has a 70-degree field of view and native support for Gemini-powered voice interfaces. Xu described it as a long-awaited convergence of hardware, AI, and open platforms: 'All the pieces are finally ready,' he said. At Qualcomm's booth, attendees could test its new AR1+ Gen1 chipset, an on-device AI processor designed for smartglasses. Qualcomm SVP Ziad Asghar framed it as a turning point for wearable computing: 'It's time to build AI glasses that can stand alone.' From L to R: Dylan, Brent, Nolan, Alissa, and Wyatt Bushnell In a packed session featuring Atari and Chuck-E-Cheese founder Nolan Bushnell and his family consisting of entrepreneurs, daughter Alissa, and brothers Brent, Wyatt and Dylan, the family discussed the personal, and professional reality of being a Bushnell. The discussion turned to the lessons XR can learn from arcade design. The Bushnells made a persuasive case for intuitive mechanics and social play, less UI, more instinct. 'Nobody wants to play a tutorial,' one of them said. 'If they don't get it in the first ten seconds, they walk.' They also made a passionate case for location-based XR. Brent's Dream Park demo on the show floor's Playground allows players to interact with digital characters in the physical world. 'This isn't VR anymore,' he said. 'You are the game.' Palmer Luckey at AWE 2025. Palmer Luckey began by explaining his hoarse voice was the result of spending a week in Washington, DC with his main customers. In the news just weeks ago was his surprise reunion with Meta, seven years after being fired. They are together taking over the IVAS project from Microsoft. IVAS was a $22 billion contract to create AR equipped infantry that could use heads-up displays for threat detection, drone management, mapping, targeting, in addition to the thermal imaging (night vision) they use now. 'The best AR hardware isn't coming out of DARPA anymore,' he said. 'It's coming from the consumer sector. Meta, Snap, Google, they've pulled ahead.' His Eagle Eye platform, developed for the U.S. Army, is a high-resolution, multimodal sensor suite that fuses thermal, RF, and spatial data in real time. 'It's not entertainment hardware,' he said. 'It's a tool built for life-and-death decisions, but it will trickle back to consumers.' Author and entrepreneur Tom Emrich signing copies of his new book, Next Dimension. Emrich announced ... More at the show that he is launching a new spatial/XR news site, Remix Reality. Vicki Dobbs Beck of ILM and researcher and author Helen Papagiannis approached XR from a cultural and narrative perspective, emphasizing its potential as a medium for identity, expression, and immersive storytelling. Beck framed ILM's evolving mission as a shift from 'storytelling to storyliving.' Drawing from a decade of immersive projects under the Lucasfilm banner, she described the next frontier as emotionally responsive worlds, powered by real-time AI and character memory. Papagiannis, author of Augmented Human, unveiled her new book Reality Modding, which proposes that reality-like software which is now editable, customizable, and increasingly aesthetic. 'This is about identity and presence,' she said. 'We're no longer just users of technology, we're becoming the medium itself.' Mentra AR glassess will soon be compatible with Android XR. The tone of the show was celebratory but not naive. Inbar acknowledged the ghosts of past hype cycles. XR has been 'the next big thing' for nearly two decades. But this year, the combination of stable platforms, purpose-built hardware, and AI-native developer tools made the proposition feel more grounded. The term 'ambient computing' came up repeatedly—devices that disappear into daily life, interfaces that respond without friction. On the floor, dozens of demos aimed at enterprise deployment, not just entertainment: spatial planning, logistics, training, and field service. Enterprise now represents 71% of the XR market, and it showed. All 5000 people must have tried the new Snap Spectacles by the end of the show. The AWE Playground is always a highlight as it features entertainment experiences for both in-home and out-of-home audiences. Installations ranged from social XR games to large-scale multisensory exhibits. A highlight was an expanded version of Brent Bushnell's Dream Park, a walkable mixed-reality experience that allowed users to embody virtual characters without controllers. They just raised $1.3 M to expand from their Santa Monica pilot. Their 'theme park in a box' can literally be run by a couple of kids in a park. Auki's robot had a. lot of fans. Auki Labs placed QR codes on the floor of the convention center for indoor navigation. This mobile AR experience helped guide their attention-getting robot. Auki is doing a massive retail rollout of their indoor virtual positioning systems on a much larger scale in decentralized protocol, PoseMesh, uses scannable QR codes and self-hosted data to guide robots and humans through physical spaces. Auki also worked with Zappar on enhanced QR codes, which Unilever is now putting on their packaging. Auki won a coveted Auggie award for its Posemesh technology. Trying out Viture for the first time at CES 2023. Virture's Kickstarter raised $3.2 M for these ... More Assisted Reality smartglasses targeting gamers. Founder Marcus Lim has raised over $10M. Every year there are a handful of suite demos in the nearby Hyatt Hotel. Some meetings are better and more relevant than others. This year I got a private detailed tour from the founder David Jiang who I first met at CES in 2023, where he showed me his Viture AR screen reflecting glasses. According to IDC, they account for 52% of AR smartglasses sales worldwide. You plug them into your phone and see a 200' screen in a compact form factor. It's favored by gamers but popular for content consumption and productivity as well. They've come a long way in three short years, diversifying into software, including an app that uses AI to transform movies into 3D, spatial experiences, much like Leia, which does it with a 3D display in tablet form. It is even more impressive when fully immersed in Viture's lightweight headset. With Google and Apple entering the market they're hoping their software will give them a way to leverage the competition into even greater success. Trying out Flow Immersiver on an Xreal AR headset. In the hallways and informal corners of the convention center, old ideas resurfaced in sharper, more polished form. Jason Marsh, founder of Flow Immersive, gave one of his signature roaming demos—an evolving tradition that began seven years ago when he first cornered me outside a session room with a prototype on his tablet. This year, Flow's layered, interactive data visualizations ran smoothly on headsets, phones, and smartglasses. What once felt like an ambitious idea now looked like a viable product, complete with enterprise traction and UX refinements. The evolution of Flow mirrored the tone of the show itself: confident, capable, and finally ready for primetime. Patrick Johnson and the team from Rock, Paper, Reality, with the hideous yet coveted Auggie Award, ... More which they won for their extraordinary work with Google maps on the history of Paris. This year's Auggie Awards reflected both breadth and maturity across the XR spectrum. With a record number of nominations and public votes, the 16th annual ceremony honored excellence across 19 categories: LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 11: Director for Medical Virtual Reality Institute for Creative ... More Technologies Albert "Skip" Rizzo at Participant Medias screening of That Which I Love Destroys Me in Los Angeles on Wednesday, February 11, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo byfor Participant Media) Ten new XR Hall of Fame inductees were honored on June 11, celebrating pioneers whose work has shaped today's $40 billion industry: Their induction honors the foundational work they've done while helping the next generation of creators. The packed theatre was a reminder that today's XR movement is not new, but finally catching up to its own imagination.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Judge blocks Trump's National Guard deployment in Los Angeles
A federal judge on Thursday ruled President Trump must return control of California's National Guard to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) by Friday afternoon, prompting a lightning-fast appeal that began within minutes. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, an appointee of former President Clinton, temporarily blocked the president from deploying thousands of guardsmen to Los Angeles, where protests over his immigration agenda have sometimes turned violent. But the judge paused his order until Friday at noon PDT, giving the administration a quick window to try to fast-track an emergency appeal. 'At this early stage of the proceedings, the Court must determine whether the President followed the congressionally mandated procedure for his actions,' wrote Breyer, who is also the brother of retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. 'He did not. 'His actions were illegal—both exceeding the scope of his statutory authority and violating the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution,' the judge continued. 'He must therefore return control of the California National Guard to the Governor of the State of California forthwith.' Breyer went on to reject Trump's justification for mobilizing the troops, saying the protests 'fall far short' of a rebellion. The decision hands a major victory, at least for now, to Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) in their quest to invalidate Trump's deployment as illegal and an unconstitutional intrusion into state authority. The judge left for another day, however, whether Trump needed Newsom's consent. Newsom did not ask the judge to completely block Trump's deployment at this stage, instead urging him to immediately prevent the troops from patrolling the streets of Los Angeles. Breyer refused Newsom's Tuesday request to intervene in mere hours, instead providing the Trump administration a chance to defend themselves at a Thursday hearing before ruling. At the hearing, Justice Department attorney Brett Shumate argued that Trump was not required to seek approval from Newsom in mobilizing the guard, calling the governor 'merely a conduit.' The president does not have to call up a governor and 'invite them to Camp David' for a negotiation summit to call in the National Guard in their state, he said. 'There is one commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and when the president makes a decision, the states are subservient to the president's decision,' Shumate said. Newsom and Bonta sued Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Department of Defense over the deployment of several thousand National Guard troops to Los Angeles, where protests over the administration's aggressive immigration enforcement efforts have sometimes turned violent. During a congressional hearing Thursday, Hegseth refused to commit to following court orders regarding the deployment after a Democratic congressman pressed him on the matter. He said that the U.S. should not have 'local judges determining foreign policy or national security policy for the country.' The California officials say the deployment was unlawful. Nicholas Green, a lawyer for the state, said that the government's argument meant the president 'by fiat' could federalize the National Guard and deploy it in the streets of any civilian city in the nation. He called it an 'expansive, dangerous conception' of federal executive power. 'I view the constitution a little differently than my colleagues do,' he said. Updated at 9:37 p.m. EDT. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Announcing the 2025 Hall of Fame Philadelphia Titan 100 Recipients
PHILADELPHIA, June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Titan CEO is pleased to announce Robert Mesmer, CEO of RMG Erectors & Constructors as a 2025 Philadelphia Titan 100 Hall of Fame recipient. The Titan 100 program recognizes Philadelphia's Top 100 CEOs & C-level executives. They are the area's most accomplished business leaders in their industry using criteria that include demonstrating exceptional leadership, vision, and passion. Collectively, the 2025 Philadelphia Titan 100 and their companies employ over 111,000 individuals and generate over $145 billion in annual revenues. This year's honorees will be published in a limited-edition Titan 100 book and profiled exclusively online. They will be honored at the annual awards ceremony on September 18th, 2025, and will be given the opportunity to interact and connect multiple times throughout the year with their fellow Titans. Titan award recipients are allowed to make the Titan 100 list for up to three years, with each year getting progressively more difficult. To make it to the Hall of Fame, Titans must complete on-camera interviews and answer a series of questions where they do not know what will be asked in front of a live judging committee. The Titan 100 Hall of Fame is a class of elite executives that have consistently shown over the past three years their ability to demonstrate the characteristics of a Titan who is a pillar of our community. This year's Titan 100 embody the true diversity of Philadelphia's business landscape. Representing construction, marketing & advertising, financial services, food & beverages, information technology & services, and non-profit sectors, among others. "Philadelphia's Titan 100 are redefining business with vision and purpose, setting new standards for growth, innovation, and impact. These trailblazing leaders inspire transformation across industries, uplift communities, and drive meaningful change. We proudly celebrate their legacy of excellence and unwavering commitment to shaping a brighter future for all," says Jaime Zawmon, President of Titan Bobby Mesmer, CEO of RMG Erectors & Constructors, LLC, the world's largest Pre-Engineered Metal Building Erector Company, is a highly successful entrepreneur. In addition to RMG Erectors & Constructors, LLC, Mesmer is also the founder and CEO of Iron Will Racing, LLC a professional prototype race team, and RMG Luxury Services, LLC a new startup providing Black car SUV and luxury Jet services to the national market, created to disrupt the current market sector. Mesmer was born and raised in Southern New Jersey. He grew up in the farmlands of the Garden State, just outside of Philadelphia. He made his first foray into business when he started his construction management and general construction firm in the year 2000. "Being inducted into the Titan Hall of Fame is an incredible honor. To be recognized among such an inspiring group of leaders is both humbling and motivating. It's a reminder that hard work, vision, and surrounding yourself with the right people truly make a difference," says Mesmer Robert Mesmer will be honored at the annual Titan 100 awards celebration on September 18th, 2025, held at 2300 Arena. This elegant, cocktail-style awards event will unite 100 Titans of Industry for an unforgettable evening of celebration, camaraderie, and networking—an evening unlike anything that exists in the Philadelphia business community. Media Contact: Connie Guaracini | RMG Erectors & Constructors | Social Media Manager & Executive Assistant to the CEO | Email: constanceg@ | Phone: 856-777-7641 | Website: About RMG Erectors & Constructors Founded in 2000 by Bobby Mesmer, RMG Erectors & Constructors is the nation's largest and fastest-growing steel erection firm, specializing in pre-engineered metal buildings (PEMB). With headquarters in Sewell, New Jersey, and offices in Tennessee, Montana, and Costa Rica, RMG delivers steel projects BETTER, FASTER, and SAFER. For more information about RMG Erectors & Constructors and its full suite of services, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE RMG Erectors & Constructors Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
