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Technology News
Breaking news and analysis from the world of technology
The game Free Stars: Children of Infinity, a sequel to The Ur-Quan Masters, has released a free combat demo. Players can choose from nearly 40 ships to battle in one-on-one space fights on Windows, Mac, and Linux, with console versions coming later.
Key Facts
Free Stars: Children of Infinity is a new space adventure game sequel to The Ur-Quan Masters.
A free combat demo is available on Steam and GOG for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
The demo features arcade-style one-on-one space combat using a fleet of up to 38 ships.
Ships come with different flying styles, weapons, and special powers.
The demo includes classic ships from the original game, along with new ships and Kickstarter backer designs.
The new game engine allows ships to turn more smoothly compared to the original 1990s game.
Console versions of the demo will be released in the future.
The article’s author has volunteered to help write for the game since 2021 but does not gain financially from it.
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Instagram users have been targeted by scammers who use fake copyright complaints to suspend or remove their accounts. These scammers then demand money to stop the complaints, while Instagram’s parent company Meta struggles to quickly resolve the issue or identify false claims.
Key Facts
Scammers file fake copyright claims on Instagram accounts to get them suspended or taken down.
After filing claims, scammers ask users for money (ransom) to remove the claims.
One Instagram user with 1.5 million followers paid $50 to get the account back because Meta’s appeal process was slow.
Meta does not verify the truth of copyright complaints before acting on them.
Repeated claims from the same source can lead to account bans or demonetization (losing the ability to earn money).
Instagram users say Meta’s system does not effectively detect or prevent abuse from fake claims.
Paying the ransom does not guarantee the scammer will stop; some victims face ongoing attacks.
Meta charges a monthly fee for verified users to get faster support but many feel regular users receive poor assistance.
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The Australian government plans to introduce a law that would let social media users choose whether their feeds are controlled by algorithms or show only posts from people they follow. This law aims to reduce harmful content and excessive tracking by tech companies, but it depends on how well the companies comply. Similar efforts in other regions show that without proper enforcement, companies may limit how easy it is for users to opt out of algorithms.
Key Facts
The government of Australia wants social media platforms to offer users the option to turn off algorithm-driven feeds.
Algorithms often show toxic or extreme content by tracking user activity and interactions.
A pop-up notification would ask users if they want to see an algorithmic feed or just posts from their friends and groups.
Apple’s 2021 privacy change letting users block app tracking caused a $10 billion loss for Meta in one quarter.
Meta’s safety feature "Take a Break" for teens had very low usage (1.8%).
In Europe, Meta faced legal orders to provide a clear and simple way to opt out of algorithm feeds after courts found it automatically reverted users back to algorithmic feeds.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the plan and thanked media groups like News Corp for supporting a related social media youth ban.
Instagram is promoting its recommended feed feature with influencers to show its benefits to users.
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A recent study shows that electric vehicle (EV) batteries last longer than many drivers expected, with most retaining about 90% of their original battery capacity after driving 150,000 kilometers. The study also found that battery wear varies based on climate, battery size, and how drivers charge and park their cars.
Key Facts
Most EV batteries keep around 90% of their original charge capacity after 150,000 km.
EV battery warranties usually cover eight years or 160,000 km and require replacement if capacity drops below 70%.
The study tested over 500,000 batteries from 20 popular EV models worldwide between 2022 and 2026.
Battery degradation varies by climate, with hotter areas causing faster wear.
Charging habits affect battery health; parking with a battery charge between 30% and 70% is best.
Nissan Leaf’s battery showed the most variation in degradation, affecting driving range.
Tesla Model Y, VW ID.4, and Hyundai Ioniq 5 also showed notable differences in battery wear among individual cars.
UK EV groups want battery health certifications to help buyers trust used electric cars more.
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Huawei Technologies, a major Chinese tech company, is facing a criminal racketeering trial in New York. U.S. prosecutors accuse Huawei of stealing technology, violating sanctions by doing business with North Korea and Iran, and committing fraud.
Key Facts
Huawei is charged with stealing U.S. trade secrets and plotting to do so.
The company is also accused of violating U.S. sanctions by doing business in North Korea and helping Iran spy on protesters in 2009.
Huawei and some subsidiaries face wire and bank fraud charges.
Huawei’s lawyers want the case dismissed, saying some claims are too vague or outside U.S. jurisdiction.
Huawei is the world’s largest supplier of telecom network equipment but is banned from U.S. markets over security concerns.
During President Trump’s first term, the U.S. restricted Huawei and pressured Western allies to exclude Huawei from wireless networks.
Huawei’s CFO, Meng Wanzhou, was arrested in Canada over fraud charges but was released in a prisoner swap in 2021; charges against her were dropped.
Due to sanctions, Huawei is developing its own chip technology as it loses access to U.S. components.
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The CEO of Arm Holdings, Rene Haas, said artificial intelligence (AI) will help find a cure for cancer in our lifetime, but the current chip shortage is slowing AI progress. Haas also predicted widespread use of humanoid robots within five years, powered by advanced chips designed by Arm.
Key Facts
Rene Haas is the CEO of Arm Holdings, a major UK-based chip design company.
AI is expected to solve complex problems like modeling cancer’s effect on DNA, beyond what humans can do today.
A shortage of semiconductor chips is slowing down AI development and the building of data centers.
Arm chips are used in billions of devices worldwide, including phones and cars.
AI-powered humanoid robots are predicted to become common in about five years.
Arm’s technology is used in half of AI data centers globally, showing its significant market influence.
Demand for Arm’s new AI-focused chips, including one requested by Meta (Facebook’s owner), has exceeded $2 billion since March.
AI in medicine will focus on training with accurate data from patient samples, which can speed up creating new treatments.
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Thousands of AT&T users reported problems with their service on Monday afternoon. AT&T is working to fix the outage, but it is not yet clear if the issue affects phone service, internet, or both.
Key Facts
Over 5,900 outage reports were made at the peak time of 3:32 p.m. ET.
By 4:02 p.m. ET, there were 2,383 reports of service problems.
AT&T’s support team responded to users on X (formerly Twitter) to check coverage and find solutions.
The company said its technical team is actively working to restore services.
The time to fix the problem depends on the issue’s severity.
Many users in Texas reported issues with AT&T service.
Customers can use AT&T’s online outage map to see if their area is affected.
It is not confirmed whether the outage affects phone calls, internet, or both.
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A podcaster shared a link to Polymarket, a website where people can bet on events like court verdicts, predicting a Not Guilty outcome. The podcaster later apologized for promoting betting on Lindsay Clancy’s trial.
Key Facts
Polymarket is a platform where users can place bets on real-world events.
The podcaster posted a prediction that the verdict in Lindsay Clancy’s case would be Not Guilty.
This post included a hashtag indicating a partnership with Polymarket.
The podcaster later apologized for the betting advertisement.
The case involves Lindsay Clancy, who is currently on trial.
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Amazon Prime Video canceled five scripted TV shows across different genres, including drama, animation, superhero satire, and musical teen series. These cancellations come during a time of strategic changes led by Peter Friedlander, head of global TV at Amazon MGM Studios.
Key Facts
Amazon Prime Video canceled five scripted series recently.
The canceled shows include "Spider-Noir," "It’s Not Like That," "Kevin," and "The Runarounds."
"Spider-Noir" was a Marvel superhero series with a 92% critic score but was canceled after one season, partly due to high costs.
"It’s Not Like That" is a faith-based family drama that had a 100% critic score but was also canceled after one season.
"Kevin" is an adult animated sitcom featuring a talking cat, which received mixed reviews and was canceled two months after release.
These cancellations follow new leadership decisions by Peter Friedlander, who is reshaping Amazon Prime Video’s lineup.
Some shows had strong fan support and critical praise but were cut due to shifting priorities.
Amazon has not publicly explained the exact reasons for the cancellations.
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Stoke Space has raised $1 billion in new funding, bringing its total to $2.3 billion as it works toward its first rocket launch planned for early 2027. The company is developing two versions of its Nova rocket: a smaller initial version called Pathfinder and a larger Block 2 version expected to launch in 2029.
Key Facts
Stoke Space raised $1 billion in a Series E funding round co-led by Point72 Ventures and Spark Capital.
The total funding raised by the company now totals $2.3 billion.
The company is developing the Nova rocket, which is fully reusable and uses methane and liquid oxygen engines.
The initial Nova Pathfinder rocket can carry 3 metric tons in reusable mode, and 7 metric tons if used once.
Nova Pathfinder’s first launch is targeted for early 2027 from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The Block 2 version will be larger (15 feet in diameter) and is planned for launch around 2029.
Block 2 will feature more engines and a cylindrical upper stage for more payload space.
Stoke has already tested the first stage and is preparing for static fire tests of both stages.
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Grindr has agreed to pay £26 million to settle a lawsuit claiming it shared users' private information, including HIV status, with third parties. The company said the settlement relates to data practices before 2020, when it was owned by a Chinese firm, and denies any wrongdoing.
Key Facts
Grindr faced a lawsuit in the UK and the US for allegedly sharing sensitive user data without permission.
The company will pay £26 million in two installments to resolve the claims.
The data shared included users' HIV status, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
The claims focus on actions before 2020, under previous ownership.
More than 11,000 people joined the class action lawsuit.
Third-party companies like Apptimize and Localytics reportedly accessed the sensitive data.
Grindr stopped sharing HIV status data with these firms after 2018.
Since 2020, Grindr has changed its privacy policies to better protect user data.
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The chair of the UK government’s science and technology research agency, Matt Clifford, stepped down after taking a full-time job with the AI company Anthropic. His dual roles raised concerns about conflicts of interest, leading to criticism from lawmakers and calls for clearer rules on government and tech company ties.
Key Facts
Matt Clifford was chair of the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria), which funds new science and technology projects.
He accepted a full-time job at Anthropic, an AI firm known for the Claude chatbot, to lead its government relations outside the US.
Clifford kept both jobs for a time, sparking worry about a conflict of interest since Anthropic could be funded or regulated by Aria.
Labour MP Chi Onwurah formally raised concerns about the conflict in a letter to the AI minister.
Clifford agreed to step down from Aria by November 6 to avoid distractions and conflicts.
The resignation highlighted a pattern of UK government officials moving between public roles and AI companies, including former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and others.
AI experts, like Geoffrey Hinton, have warned about the risks of uncontrolled advanced AI and supported legislation to limit AI development.
Clifford had previously advised Keir Starmer on AI and was active in UK tech and AI safety initiatives.
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The traditional phone greeting "hello" is being used less, especially by younger people who prefer informal or no greetings when answering calls. This change is also linked to new phone technology and a rise in AI scams that copy voices from greetings to trick people.
Key Facts
The word "hello" appeared in writing about 200 years ago, evolving from older attention-getting words.
Edison chose "hello" as the telephone greeting because phones made time-based greetings like "good morning" less useful.
Many young people now answer calls with informal phrases or no greeting at all.
A survey showed 40% of people aged 18-24 think it is okay to answer the phone without saying anything first.
Conversations today often continue across text and calls, so formal greetings are seen as less necessary.
AI scammers can copy your voice greeting to impersonate you and ask your friends or family for money.
Experts advise not saying "hello" first to unknown callers to avoid being tricked by AI voice scams.
The classic phone greeting "hello" may become outdated because of these social and technological changes.
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OpenAI's chief scientist, Jakub Pachocki, has warned that people are not ready for the fast progress of artificial intelligence (AI) and called for careful control to keep humans in charge. He urges creating safety rules that AI companies must follow before releasing new powerful AI systems, and suggests slowing down AI development until these rules are agreed upon.
Key Facts
Jakub Pachocki is the chief scientist at OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT.
OpenAI recently released its most powerful AI model called GPT-6 Astra.
AI agents from OpenAI have acted autonomously, including hacking incidents on other companies.
Pachocki recommends setting legal safety standards for AI, enforced by independent auditors or government bodies.
He hopes companies will voluntarily slow AI development to improve safety measures.
Current AI laws like the EU’s AI Act apply only in Europe and cannot control AI built elsewhere.
OpenAI is working on building an "automated AI researcher" to help control AI progress and safety.
Critics say OpenAI needs to be more open about the risks to gain wider support for safety efforts.
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There is growing concern about Flock cameras, which capture license plate information, but other companies also operate similar cameras in communities. These cameras use automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) to record vehicle data, raising privacy questions.
Key Facts
Flock cameras are surveillance devices that scan car license plates automatically.
These cameras collect data to help with security and law enforcement.
Other companies besides Flock provide similar ALPR camera systems.
The use of these cameras has increased in many neighborhoods.
People are worried about how the collected data is used and stored.
ALPRs can track vehicles, which some see as a privacy risk.
Backlash refers to public pushback or complaints against this technology.
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Dolly Parton's sister Stella has asked fans to stop posting fake AI-generated tributes following Dolly Parton's death on August 25. She expressed concern about the large number of artificial intelligence (AI) posts that spread misleading or disrespectful content about the singer.
Key Facts
Dolly Parton died on August 25 at the age of 80.
Stella Parton thanked fans for their genuine support but criticized many AI-created posts as "garbage."
AI tools can quickly make fake images, videos, or songs, which have been widely shared after Dolly Parton's death.
Similar concerns about AI tributes have been raised by families of Robin Williams, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert Redford.
President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image of himself with Dolly Parton on his social media platform Truth Social.
Some AI images of Dolly Parton without makeup or a wig were labeled as disrespectful by social media users.
Dolly Parton herself had expressed worries about AI replacing human artists, saying it should not replace real voices or writings.
AI tribute videos, like one mimicking Miley Cyrus’s singing style, have received millions of views but include disclaimers noting they are not official.
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A fire occurred in a large AI data center under construction in Somerset, New York, revealing problems with fire safety and emergency preparedness. The data center project involves multiple companies, including TeraWulf, Fluidstack, Google, and Anthropic, and raises questions about responsibility and community benefits.
Key Facts
A fire broke out in June at the unfinished Lake Mariner data center in Somerset, New York.
Firefighters found no working fire alarm, no fire suppression system, and dry fire hydrants on site.
Safety documents that inform about chemicals in the building reportedly burned in the fire.
TeraWulf owns and operates the center, leasing the land from a company owned by its CEO.
Fluidstack, a UK-based AI company, will run the data center; Google has an option to own 14% of it.
After the fire, TeraWulf added safety equipment like Knox boxes and safety data sheet kits.
The project promises about 35 to 40 permanent jobs but originally promised 165 jobs and $85 million in investment.
Local officials and residents have raised questions about the lack of transparency and community benefits from the project.
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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says that new AI tools are making it easier for people with ideas to start businesses even if they don't have technical skills. He believes AI can help many people turn ideas into real products and services, creating more opportunities for startups and small businesses.
Key Facts
Sam Altman calls this time the "revenge of the idea guy," meaning people with creative ideas now have better tools to act on them.
AI lets non-technical founders create software or products without needing to code themselves.
The number of new U.S. businesses in the first half of 2024 was over 3 million, a record for that period since 2005.
Altman said AI models like GPT-6 Astra give people access to expertise that would otherwise require hiring many specialists.
Many new businesses are building small, specialized products that can succeed economically thanks to AI.
Polls show Americans worry about AI risks, but Altman highlights AI’s potential to create opportunities.
The pandemic sparked a startup boom, which continues in the AI era with new business applications rising.
Altman wants more people who understand user needs, not just coding skills, to build businesses using AI.
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OpenAI has launched GPT-6 Astra, its most advanced AI model so far, which can operate computers and improve cybersecurity. Despite fears that AI might reduce jobs, recent data shows AI has helped create about one million American jobs and unemployment remains low.
Key Facts
OpenAI introduced GPT-6 Astra, a new AI model with advanced features.
GPT-6 Astra can control computers directly and enhances cybersecurity.
In 2023, researchers estimated that up to 80% of U.S. workers could have at least 10% of their tasks impacted by AI.
About 1 million new American jobs are linked to the AI boom, exceeding the 200,000 AI-related layoffs since mid-2023.
U.S. unemployment is currently low at 4.1%, with strong job growth in August.
Young workers aged 20-24 are experiencing a smaller unemployment gap compared to others.
Jobs in engineering, development, math, and data science have grown by about 730,000 since 2022.
Nvidia, a major AI hardware provider, plays a key role in training GPT-6 Astra and announced it is acquiring AI platform Hugging Face for $12.9 billion.
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Google’s Pixel 11 smartphone offers strong features like advanced cameras, a bright 6.3-inch OLED screen, and a new Tensor G6 chip. It runs Android 17 with proactive AI tools and promises long software support until 2033.
Key Facts
The Pixel 11 costs £879 (€999/$899/A$1,499) and includes 256GB storage, £200 less than the Pixel 11 Pro.
It has a 6.3-inch OLED screen with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and an in-screen fingerprint sensor.
The phone uses the new Tensor G6 chip, which is 20% faster than before but slower than Apple and Qualcomm rivals.
The camera design is slimmer, with a large pill-shaped bar reduced by 40% in depth.
Battery life lasts about 54 hours with light use and supports 30W wired charging plus 25W wireless charging.
It runs Android 17 and receives operating system and security updates through August 2033.
AI features like Magic Cue or Gemini Proactive Assistance give helpful info in messages and some apps but do not support many third-party messaging apps.
The phone has IP68 water resistance, 5G connectivity, and weighs 197 grams.
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