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The crypto bars are invading Washington

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The crypto bars are invading Washington

In a true sign of a vibe shift in Washington, a DC bar beloved by Republican staffers announced that it was shuttering its doors – and will reportedly be replaced by a bar that only accepts cryptocurrency as payment.

Local news site PoPville first reported on Thursday that a D.C. outpost of Pubkey, a bar located in Greenwich Village that describes itself as a “vibrant bitcoin community”, had taken over the lease of Hill Country, a popular Texas barbecue restaurant and music venue, which recently announced it would close its doors in Penn Quarter after 14 years.

It’s part of a trend of crypto-centric social venues opening up across the country in the past several years. Pubkey, which opened in 2022 near New York University’s Manhattan campus, has a notably casual atmosphere: a subterranean dive bar-slash-podcast recording studio, with a pub grub menu designed by an Eleven Madison Park alum, where anyone could hang out – so long as they paid with cryptocurrency. (When Eater visited in 2022, they observed “a variety of regional styles” of hot dogs on the menu, as well as a stuffed raccoon next to “a television that appeared to be playing A Christmas Story”.) But unlike its competitors, Pubkey has a unique link to the White House: Donald Trump made a high-profile visit during the 2024 campaign and used $998.70 worth of bitcoin to buy smash burgers for the entire bar, becoming the first president to conduct a bitcoin transaction – a symbolic embrace of the crypto community.

When reached for comment, Pubkey owner Thomas Pacchia confirmed that they would be opening a DC location in the coming months, but declined to specify the location. “The DC location will have podcast studios, event space, all that stuff,” he told The Verge. Although he acknowledged the negative publicity surrounding Trump’s visit, Pacchia added that Democrats such as Rep. Ritchie Torres and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand had visited Pubkey as well and hoped the new location would draw a bipartisan crowd. “Anybody that wants to come and talk about Bitcoin is welcome. Literally, anyone.”

The bar it will reportedly replace has diametrically opposed vibes. Located close to DC’s power lobbying firms, Hill Country, a bar whose decor could not scream “TEXAS” any louder, has long been known as a DC nightlife spot particularly beloved by Republican staffers looking for live country music, a good smoked brisket, and decently priced well liquor. It’s also a place where one could witness high-powered GOP lawmakers letting loose: Rep. George Santos was once spotted singing “I Will Survive” on a Wednesday karaoke night in 2023, while under a federal and Congressional investigation for fraud and lying about his background. (This reporter has personally attended several live karaoke nights and at least one company holiday party at Hill Country over the past several years.)

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Pubkey’s arrival in Washington comes at a notable time in crypto’s history, whether it displaces the Republican bar or not. Once considered an unserious group of libertarians by lawmakers, the cryptocurrency community now has massive influence with the Trump administration, thanks to key crypto players such as David Sacks and Elon Musk supporting Trump’s reelection. Trump himself has embraced cryptocurrency more than previous presidents, launching his own memecoin, appointing Sacks as a “crypto czar” and announcing a potential cryptocurrency strategic reserve. (The rise of crypto has inadvertently stoked competition between the nativist MAGA right and the global economy-focused tech right, a tension so palpable that Vice President J.D. Vance recently had to call for a truce between the two.) With the upcoming opening of Pubkey, it appears that in the nation’s capital, the crypto faction is literally gaining ground.

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Nvidia, Microsoft, and Arm are all teasing Nvidia’s new N1X laptop processors

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Nvidia, Microsoft, and Arm are all teasing Nvidia’s new N1X laptop processors

It’s the world’s worst kept secret that Nvidia is about to announce its own Arm-powered laptop chips at Computex this weekend, and now Microsoft, Nvidia, and Arm are all openly teasing the announcement. The Windows and Nvidia GeForce accounts on X both posted “A new era of PC” earlier today, and now Arm has followed up with an identical post.

All three posts include coordinates pointing to where Computex is hosted in Taipei. Nvidia is holding a Computex keynote in Taipei at 8PM PT / 11PM ET on Sunday night, where it’s rumored to be announcing its new N1 and N1x laptop chips.

These Arm-powered Nvidia processors have been long-rumored, with reports earlier this year suggesting that both Lenovo and Dell have been preparing new laptops with the N1X chips. We first heard rumors about Nvidia’s laptop processors in 2023, and Dell CEO Michael Dell hinted at the possibility of an AI PC with Nvidia during an interview in 2024.

Nvidia’s entry into Windows on Arm will mean Qualcomm will no longer have an exclusive license for Microsoft’s Windows 11 Arm variant of its operating system. That’s good news for laptop competition, even if Qualcomm is trying to keep entry-level laptops affordable with its new Snapdragon C platform.

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Hyundai to send 25,000 Atlas robots to the US

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Hyundai to send 25,000 Atlas robots to the US

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Hyundai wants to bring humanoid robots into American car factories in a big way. The company is looking at a future where Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robots work alongside people inside U.S. auto plants. 

These human-shaped machines can bend, lift, balance and move through spaces built for workers. That could change how cars get made. It could also raise new questions about factory jobs, safety and how much automation consumers are willing to accept.

Here’s what Hyundai is planning and why Atlas could become one of the most closely watched robots in American manufacturing.

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BMW PUTS HUMANOID ROBOTS TO WORK BUILDING EVS

Hyundai Motor Group plans to bring Boston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoid robots into U.S. auto factories as early as 2028. (Hyundai)

Hyundai Atlas robots are headed to U.S. factories

Hyundai Motor Group reportedly outlined plans to deploy more than 25,000 Atlas robots developed by Boston Dynamics across Hyundai Motor and Kia manufacturing facilities. The plan appeared in investor relations materials tied to a JPMorgan Chase-hosted session.

The company also plans to build annual production capacity for 30,000 Atlas robots by 2028. Hyundai has not released a detailed public schedule for every plant. However, Kia CEO Song Ho-sung said the robots are expected to begin work in 2028 at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia. Kia’s Georgia plant would follow in 2029.

Why Hyundai wants Atlas humanoid robots

Hyundai faces the same pressures as other automakers. It needs faster production, flexible factories and better ways to handle labor shortages. Humanoid robots may help because they can work in areas designed for people. That can reduce the need to rebuild a factory from scratch.

Atlas could also help with physically demanding jobs. Lifting, carrying and moving awkward objects can wear down workers over time. If robots take on some of that work, factories could become safer. Still, this technology will need careful oversight. A humanoid robot working near people must move predictably and stop safely when something goes wrong.

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INDUSTRIAL EXOSKELETONS HELP WORKERS DO MORE WITH LESS STRAIN

Hyundai’s robot rollout could reshape auto manufacturing while raising questions about jobs, safety and automation. (Hyundai)

How Boston Dynamics trained Atlas to lift

Boston Dynamics recently showed Atlas handling a heavy object in a new technical demo. The robot squatted down, picked up a mini-fridge, rotated its torso and carried the object while keeping its balance. The company says Atlas learned this behavior through reinforcement learning and simulation training. In simple terms, the robot practiced in a computer world before testing the skill in real life.

Engineers changed the object’s weight, floor friction, grip force and placement during training. That helped Atlas learn how to adapt when conditions changed. That is important because factory work rarely happens in perfect conditions. Parts shift. Floors vary. Workers move around. Loads can feel different from one moment to the next. Atlas needs to react in real time, not freeze when a task changes. 

What makes Atlas different from older robots

Many robots rely heavily on cameras. Atlas also uses proprioception, which means internal body awareness. That may sound technical, but the idea is easy to understand. When you carry a grocery bag and the weight shifts, you feel it. Your body adjusts before you think about it.

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Atlas uses sensors and software to do something similar. It monitors balance, grip pressure, resistance and body movement as it works. Boston Dynamics says the new Atlas platform also helps reduce the gap between simulation and real-world movement. The robot uses a simplified hardware design, symmetrical limbs and only two actuator types.

Actuators are the robot’s joints and muscles. Hyundai reportedly plans to make more than 300,000 actuator units each year at U.S. facilities. That shows Hyundai wants control over the parts that make humanoid robots move.

Hyundai Atlas robots raise job questions

The biggest concern is obvious. What happens to workers when thousands of humanoid robots enter factories? Companies often say robots will take on dull, dirty or dangerous tasks. That may be true in many cases. However, workers will still want clear answers about training, staffing and job security.

The rollout could create new roles in robotics maintenance, safety monitoring and factory software. It could also reduce the need for some physically demanding jobs over time. That trade-off will follow Hyundai’s robot plan closely. The company will need to show that Atlas improves factory safety and productivity without pushing workers aside without support. For now, Hyundai has not provided enough public detail to answer those workforce questions fully.

HUMANOID ROBOTS HANDLE QUALITY CHECKS AND ASSEMBLY AT AUTO PLANT

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Hyundai reportedly plans to deploy more than 25,000 Atlas robots across Hyundai and Kia manufacturing facilities. (Hyundai)

What this means to you

This story may sound like it only affects autoworkers or car companies. But it could eventually touch anyone who buys a car. If humanoid robots help factories move faster, automakers may adjust production more quickly when demand changes. That could affect wait times for popular models.

Robot-assisted manufacturing could also influence vehicle costs. Automation can lower some production expenses, although savings do not always reach buyers right away. The bigger shift may be trust. Consumers may soon ask how much of their vehicle was built by humans and how much was handled by robots. That does not automatically make the car better or worse. But it does change the story behind how that car reached your driveway.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Hyundai’s plan to deploy more than 25,000 Atlas humanoid robots in the U.S. marks a major shift for auto manufacturing. This is one of the clearest signs yet that humanoid robots are moving from demos into real industrial work. The Georgia rollout will be especially important. If Atlas performs well at Hyundai and Kia facilities, other automakers may feel pressure to speed up their own robotics plans. Still, the hard part starts on the factory floor. Atlas must work safely around people, handle unpredictable tasks and prove it can do more than impress in videos. The technology is exciting. The job questions are real. Hyundai now has to prove that both can be managed responsibly.

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Acer’s launching a Linux handheld for streaming your PC games

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Acer’s launching a Linux handheld for streaming your PC games

The Acer Nitro Blaze Link might run on Linux, but it’s no Steam Deck. Acer says it’s a “streaming-first handheld and companion device,” like a PlayStation Portal for your PC. Announced ahead of Computex on Friday, it’s launching in Q4 2026 with a 7-inch (1920 x 1200) display, Wi-Fi 6, just 1GB of LPDDR4 RAM, and 8GB of eMMC storage. That’s technically not even enough RAM to run Stardew Valley, but the Blaze Link isn’t meant for playing games locally.

Logitech launched a similar handheld a few years ago, the Logitech G Cloud, that cost $350, included 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, and ran on Android. It was a tough sell at that price considering that its performance was dependent on a good internet connection.

Acer hasn’t yet announced a price for the Nitro Blaze Link. But its specs suggest it could cost significantly less than proper handheld gaming PCs — which have been skyrocketing in price — potentially offering a more affordable and streaming-first alternative.

Correction, May 29th: The Nitro Blaze Link was announced ahead of Computex 2026, not at it.

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