Welcome to a new month, Junebugs. I’m Diamond Naga Siu, and I’m one of the 68 million people who are part of Gen Z. (Here’s how to find out which generation you’re part of, by the way).
From a young age, many of us experienced a variety of life-altering events. My colleague Elana Klein highlighted seven of these defining circumstances (including how we don’t really remember a time before smartphones).
Before I go research some old phones — they’re actually pretty hip now — let’s dive into today’s tech.
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Aly Song/Reuters
1. Elon Musk’s royal treatment in China. The Tesla CEO reportedly arrived in Beijing via a private jet on Tuesday for a surprise visit — his first in three years. Since landing, Musk was treated to a 16-course meal and has received high praise.
- Some people online even hailed him as “Brother Ma” — in a possible reference to Alibaba founder Jack Ma. It’s a stark contrast to Musk’s controversial status in the US and plummeting online popularity.
- He has also met with Beijing officials during the trip, telling them that he’s against the US and China decoupling their economies.
- Check out these photos of Musk’s trip to China so far. And when you’re done, my colleagues Hasan Chowdhury and Cheryl Teh have even more details from the trip.
Get the full story here.
In other news:
Courtesy of Amazon
2. Amazon will soon let you pay with your palm. Amazon One is the company’s latest gadget. The palm scanner is meant to make paying (and verifying your age) for alcohol a more seamless experience. Check it out here.
3. Salesforce’s major restructuring is starting to pay off for investors. After cutting thousands of workers and shedding office space, its finances are starting to look rosier. More here.
4. Nvidia joined the exclusive trillion-dollar club — and it has ChatGPT and AI to thank for its membership. More here. Bonus: Check out the booming finances of these five, trillion-dollar tech companies.
5. Google signs a $75 million deal with Runway. It’s one of the buzziest generative AI companies around. And leaked documents revealed that the internet giant will soon provide a host of cloud services to the startup. Read more.
6. “I made $10,000 a month chatting with guys on dating apps.” Nicole Miranda made up to $400 a day from dating apps Meete and ToChat. Some men had weird requests, but most just wanted to feel like someone cared. Check out her full experience on the apps.
7. Amazon Prime vs. Walmart Plus. Walmart Plus costs around $40 less per year and boasts a lower minimum fee for free grocery delivery. Meanwhile, Amazon Prime has more streaming content and access to its infamous Prime Day. Get the full head-to-head here.
8. BMW brings video games to its newest luxury sedan. Drivers and passengers will be able to use their phones as controllers to play games in the new 5 Series, which is available in electric, hybrid, diesel, and gas-powered options. Find out more about the latest gaming experience.
Odds and ends:
Gerard Bottino/Getty Images
9. Man who went overboard on a Carnival cruise ship is still missing. It was Ronnie Lee Peale Jr.’s first-ever cruise, and his fiance said life on the boat was his “happy place.” He went overboard around 186 miles from Jacksonville, Florida. More on his story here.
10. $120,000 in debt: The financial road “nobody should ever go down.” This couple laid bare their finances to budgeting podcast host Caleb Hammer. He told them that they had to change or they would be relying on their child in later life. Find out more.
What we’re watching today:
- Happy Pride Month! Plus, it’s the first day of summer (based on the meteorological season) and World Milk Day.
- Meta is hosting its third annual Meta Quest Gaming Showcase. Watch it live here.
- Quarterly earnings for Asana and other companies. Keep up with earnings here.
- Happy birthday, Morgan Freeman! You don’t look a day over Seven.
Curated by Diamond Naga Siu in San Diego. (Feedback or tips? Email dsiu@insider.com or tweet @diamondnagasiu) Edited by Alistair Barr (tweet @alistairmbarr) in San Francisco and Nathan Rennolds (tweet @ncrennolds) in London.
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