Innehållsförteckning för #725 från Techlife News

Huawei has announced a breakthrough in artificial intelligence hardware with the unveiling of its next-generation AI chip technology, positioning the Chinese tech giant as a direct challenger to Nvidia’s global dominance in AI computing. The move underscores how Beijing-backed firms are racing to reduce reliance on U.S. technology as Washington tightens export restrictions on advanced semiconductors. A NEW PLAYER IN THE AI CHIP RACE Huawei’s new chip architecture, revealed during its annual developer conference in Shenzhen, is designed to accelerate training and deployment of large AI models, the kind powering chatbots, recommendation engines, and autonomous systems. Company executives described the chips as offering competitive performance to Nvidia’s A100 and H100 GPUs, while promising lower power consumption and stronger integration with Huawei’s cloud ecosystem. “AI is the foundation of the next…

Northrop Grumman has postponed its latest resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) after engineers discovered engine trouble in the Antares rocket slated to carry cargo to orbit. The delay is the latest setback for a program that has long been central to keeping the orbiting laboratory stocked with food, equipment, and science experiments. A CRITICAL SUPPLY RUN PUT ON HOLD The mission, designated NG-21, was scheduled to launch from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia and deliver more than 8,000 pounds of supplies to the ISS. The Cygnus cargo spacecraft was already loaded with food, crew provisions, and materials for dozens of scientific investigations when the issue was identified during prelaunch checks. Northrop Grumman confirmed that the Antares rocket’s first-stage engines showed performance anomalies in final testing, prompting officials…

Whilst the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro range garnered the most headlines at this year’s September Event, the standard iPhone 17 for many will be the ultimate smartphone. Packed with groundbreaking features like the Center Stage front camera, Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion, and the A19 chip, iPhone 17 redefines what users expect from their devices. NEXT-LEVEL ENTRY-LEVEL With a sleek design, enhanced durability, and a suite of advanced technologies, this latest iteration promises to be a game-changer. Perhaps the most exciting thing about this year’s release is that the iPhone 17 introduces a camera system that takes mobile photography and videography to new heights. At the forefront is the innovative Center Stage front camera, a first for iPhone with its square sensor design. This camera offers a…

Amazon is rolling out a new AI-powered agent designed to assist its millions of marketplace sellers by automating time-consuming tasks such as responding to customer questions, managing product listings, and handling inventory-related inquiries. The move represents one of Amazon’s most ambitious applications of generative AI in its e-commerce ecosystem, aimed at streamlining operations for third-party sellers who now account for more than 60% of sales on the platform. A NEW TOOL FOR SELLERS The AI agent, currently in phased rollout, can draft product descriptions, automatically answer routine customer messages, generate recommendations for pricing adjustments, and suggest keywords for improving visibility in Amazon search results. It can also analyze performance data, flagging listings that may benefit from updates or identifying stock shortages before they become problems. Amazon said the tool was…

Apple’s iOS 26 brings a major visual overhaul called the Liquid Glass design, a fluid aesthetic update that blends transparency, depth, and motion to make the iPhone interface feel more dynamic. While many users are excited by the fresh look, others prefer a more minimal style. Apple has anticipated this divide, introducing new customization tools that let people adjust or scale back Liquid Glass effects to suit personal preference. WHAT IS LIQUID GLASS? Liquid Glass is Apple’s most ambitious design update since iOS 7. It introduces translucent surfaces, dynamic reflections, and shifting highlights that mimic the feel of glass bending under light. Control Center, notifications, and widgets appear to ripple with subtle motion when users swipe or scroll. Apple says the system is designed to feel more “alive,” responding to…

Apple’s bold new cosmic orange color option for the iPhone 17 Pro Max is proving to be a hit, with preorders selling out within hours in major markets including the United States and India. The high-end model, introduced during Apple’s September launch event, is now facing weeks-long shipping delays, highlighting both the strength of demand for exclusive finishes and the challenges Apple faces in managing supply for its flagship phones. COSMIC ORANGE MAKES A SPLASH Apple has a long history of using color to create buzz, but the cosmic orange edition appears to have struck a particular chord. Market analysts say the hue—positioned as premium and distinct from Apple’s usual palette of silver, space black, gold, and natural titanium—has tapped into consumer appetite for standout designs in a market where…

Elon Musk has made some of his boldest statements yet about artificial intelligence, telling investors and followers that his startup xAI could achieve artificial general intelligence (AGI) with its next-generation model, Grok 5. The remarks came during a wide-ranging discussion on Tesla, AI, and the future of his companies, in which Musk admitted that for the first time, he believes true human-level AI may be within reach. MUSK’S SHIFTING VIEW ON AGI Musk has long been both an evangelist and a critic of AI, often warning of the dangers of unchecked development. But his latest comments suggest a shift in tone. “I never thought that before,” Musk said when asked whether Grok 5 could deliver AGI. “But now, given the progress we’ve made, I think it’s possible.” AGI—defined as an…

Spotify is rolling out one of the most significant changes to its free tier in more than a decade: users will soon be able to play the songs they want, when they want, without being forced into shuffle-only listening. The update, which removes one of the last major barriers between Spotify’s free and paid tiers, is a bold shift that could reshape the music streaming market—and push rivals to reconsider their own free offerings. FROM SHUFFLE TO CHOICE Since Spotify’s early years, the free tier has come with limits designed to push listeners toward Premium subscriptions. Chief among them: on-demand song selection was restricted. Free users could only shuffle albums, playlists, or artists, with unlimited on-demand access reserved for Premium subscribers. That restriction is now being lifted. Free users will…

Apple is giving sports fans one of their most requested features: widgets for the Apple Sports app. With the latest update, users can now pin live scores, upcoming games, and personalized team updates directly to their iPhone, iPad, or Mac home screens. The change marks the app’s biggest step forward since its launch and signals Apple’s ambition to make Apple Sports a core part of its growing sports media strategy. HOW THE WIDGETS WORK The new widgets provide real-time data for major leagues, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, and leading international soccer competitions such as the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, and Bundesliga. Fans can configure widgets to follow a favorite team, highlight a marquee matchup, or display an entire week of scheduled games. On the iPhone…

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, says he has been struggling to sleep in recent months—not because of the company’s meteoric rise, but because of the controversies and existential stakes surrounding its technology. In a rare, sweeping interview this week, Altman addressed criticism of OpenAI’s governance, transparency, and business practices, while outlining both his hopes and fears for the future of artificial intelligence. A LEADER UNDER SCRUTINY Altman’s comments come at a turbulent moment for OpenAI. The company behind ChatGPT and GPT-5 is both celebrated as the most influential AI firm in the world and criticized for its pace of development, secrecy, and commercialization. In the interview, Altman admitted that the responsibility of guiding AI safely has taken a personal toll. “I don’t sleep very well these days,” he said.…

Apple has confirmed that the rollout of iOS 26 will likely cause noticeable changes in iPhone battery behavior, with some users seeing faster drain in the first few days while others may experience long-term improvements. The company emphasized that the update introduces new background processes and power demands, but also includes optimizations designed to make the iPhone more efficient once everything stabilizes. WHY IOS UPDATES AFFECT BATTERY LIFE One of the biggest reasons battery life appears inconsistent after major iOS updates is the re-indexing process. When iOS 26 installs, the system reprocesses large amounts of local data—including photos, videos, search indexes, and files used by on-device AI models. This activity runs quietly in the background, but it can cause a spike in power consumption for hours or even days depending…

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has reached a $3 trillion market capitalization, cementing its place among the world’s most valuable corporations and becoming only the fourth company in history to pass the milestone. The achievement underscores both the enduring strength of Google’s advertising empire and the accelerating influence of artificial intelligence on investor confidence in Big Tech. JOINING A CLUB OF GIANTS Alphabet’s move into the $3 trillion tier places it alongside Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia, all of which crossed the threshold in the past two years. Collectively, the four companies now account for an extraordinary concentration of global equity value, representing more than $13 trillion in combined market capitalization. Apple was the first to pass the milestone in 2022, powered by iPhone sales and its ecosystem. Microsoft followed,…

Americans considering a switch to electric vehicles or heat pumps may want to move quickly. Federal and state tax credits that have been fueling the adoption of cleaner technologies are set to phase down or change in structure, meaning households could miss out on thousands of dollars in savings if they wait too long. TAX CREDITS DRIVING CLEAN ENERGY ADOPTION The Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) included some of the most generous consumer incentives ever offered for climate-friendly technologies. Buyers of new EVs can qualify for up to $7,500 in federal credits, while households installing heat pumps, electric water heaters, or improved insulation can receive tax breaks worth several thousand dollars. These subsidies have helped drive record demand. EV sales in the U.S. topped 1.6 million units in 2023,…

Researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence model capable of predicting a person’s risk of developing serious diseases up to a decade before symptoms appear. The breakthrough, detailed this week in medical journals, could transform preventative healthcare by identifying risks for conditions like cancer, heart disease, and neurological disorders long before they manifest. HOW THE MODEL WORKS The AI was trained on millions of patient records, genetic data, and medical imaging scans, enabling it to spot subtle biological markers and patterns that traditional diagnostics often miss. By analyzing a patient’s medical history in combination with lifestyle data, bloodwork, and imaging, the system generates a personalized “risk profile” for a wide range of illnesses. Unlike existing predictive models, which are usually limited to one disease, this AI can evaluate multiple conditions…

Apple has announced visionOS 26, the newest version of its mixed reality operating system for the Vision Pro headset, and it introduces a wide range of improvements designed to make the device more useful, more comfortable, and more integrated into the broader Apple ecosystem. While Vision Pro is still in its early adoption phase, Apple is moving quickly to refine the platform, responding to feedback from developers and early users. A MORE NATURAL USER EXPERIENCE One of the most significant updates in visionOS 26 is a suite of improvements to eye- and hand-tracking. Apple has refined the algorithms that power its gaze-based interface, making it faster at recognizing subtle gestures and better at adapting to different lighting conditions. For users, this translates into less effort when selecting apps, navigating menus,…

A new wave of research is showing that thermal drones can revolutionize the way scientists monitor wildlife, with recent field studies demonstrating they are ten times faster than traditional human surveys at detecting animals in dense forests. The findings highlight how aerial thermal imaging is emerging as a game-changing tool for conservation, ecology, and even climate adaptation efforts. HOW THERMAL DRONES WORK IN THE FIELD Thermal drones use infrared cameras to detect the body heat of animals against cooler backgrounds, allowing them to spot creatures hidden under tree canopies, dense vegetation, or at night. This overcomes one of the biggest limitations of human-led wildlife surveys, which rely on visual observation, often missing species that camouflage well or are active after dark. In recent trials, drones equipped with thermal imaging flew…

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the classroom, but it’s also blurring the boundaries between legitimate learning and academic dishonesty. As tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Google Gemini become commonplace in schools and universities, educators are wrestling with how to distinguish between students using AI as a study aid and students crossing the line into cheating. CHEATING OR JUST A NEW KIND OF HELP? For years, calculators, spellcheckers, and search engines forced schools to rethink what counted as fair use of technology. Now, AI presents an even bigger challenge. Students can use chatbots to draft essays, solve math problems, or even generate code, often in seconds. Many teachers say the problem isn’t just plagiarism—it’s that AI tools can undermine critical thinking. “It’s one thing to look up facts,” said one high…

Russia is preparing to launch its own satellite internet service, positioning it as a direct competitor to SpaceX’s Starlink. Officials say the project, which has been in development for several years, is aimed at ensuring the country’s digital sovereignty, reducing reliance on foreign technologies, and offering high-speed internet access across remote regions. A STARLINK RIVAL WITH GEOPOLITICAL STAKES The Russian initiative, sometimes referred to by insiders as “Sphere,” involves a constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites designed to deliver broadband connectivity across the country and potentially abroad. Much like Starlink, the network will use thousands of satellites to beam internet to ground stations and user terminals. “Russia cannot depend on foreign satellite infrastructure for critical connectivity,” said a government adviser quoted by Russian state media. “We must build our own system…