Technology News 18.11.2025

Smartwatches detect A-fib with high accuracy, but false positives remain a concern

November 18, 2025, 11:58 PM EST. Seven years after Apple introduced a smartwatch feature that can detect possible atrial fibrillation (A-fib), similar technology is now widespread across wearables. A new meta-analysis of 26 studies reports that these devices show excellent diagnostic accuracy in identifying A-fib. The visuals suggest most devices correctly classify who does and doesn't have A-fib, though concern remains about false positives-even a low rate, amplified across millions of users, can burden cardiologists and healthcare systems.

Wall Street slides as Nvidia and Bitcoin swing amid AI-fueled volatility

November 18, 2025, 11:56 PM EST. New York stocks fell Tuesday as Nvidia led a market rout and Bitcoin wobbled, extending a recent pullback after a rally driven by AI optimism. The S&P 500 slipped 1.3%, the Dow shed about 644 points (1.4%), and the Nasdaq dropped 1.8%. Nvidia remained the market's heaviest weight and slid 2.9%, bringing its monthly loss to about 10.5% – a correction by some measures. The stock's size and AI-chip demand help steer the S&P, making its moves felt across investing portfolios. A Bank of America Global Research survey shows fund managers see an AI bubble as the top risk, ahead of bonds, inflation, and trade wars, with many worried that overinvestment in AI and data-center infrastructure may not deliver the expected profits. Bitcoin briefly dipped below $90,000.

Secretive SpaceX Starshield satellites emit disruptive radio signals, amateur astronomer discovers

November 18, 2025, 11:54 PM EST. An amateur astronomer recently uncovered unusual radio signals believed to originate from SpaceX's secretive Starshield satellites, part of the Starlink constellation operated by U.S. government agencies. The transmissions appear to use frequencies outside standard downlink bands, effectively sending data in the opposite direction (uplinks re-purposed as downlinks) and may conflict with ITU allocations. The signals were detected by Scott Tilley while scanning rarely used spectrum and are now associated with the NRO and the U.S. Space Force's Starshield assets. Space authorities and SpaceX have not publicly confirmed the findings, prompting questions about transparency and spectrum management and whether other spacecraft could be affected. The observations come from a non-peer-reviewed paper that has yet to be independently validated.

First Windows 10 ESU Patch Tuesday Fails for Some as Microsoft Investigates 0x800f0922

November 18, 2025, 11:50 PM EST. Microsoft's first Windows 10 Extended Security Update (ESU) patch, KB5068781, fails to install on devices activated via the Microsoft 365 admin center, delivering error 0x800f0922 (CBS_E_INSTALLERS_FAILED). The issue is under investigation, with no fix yet, marking the second ESU failure in a week after an out-of-band enrollment patch. The ESU program lets commercial customers pay for continued security updates after Windows 10's end of support. As Ignite unfolds, Microsoft is expected to address reliability and stability concerns rather than new features, even as executives tout AI with Copilot. Windows 10 users should monitor for updates and potential workarounds while Microsoft investigates.

Free Windows 10 security patches extended to October 2026 – how to enroll

November 18, 2025, 11:48 PM EST. Microsoft is extending free security updates for Windows 10 through October 2026 via Extended Security Updates (ESU). For personal devices, you can enroll at no cost using a Microsoft account. The ESU subscription can be applied to up to 10 PCs signed in with the same account. Eligible editions are Windows 10 version 22H2 Home, Pro, Pro Education, and Workstation with the latest cumulative update installed; Enterprise and Education editions are not eligible. Devices must not be joined to an Active Directory domain, Entra, or managed by MDM. You must be signed in with an administrator account to enroll. Once activated, you can sign out and the PC will continue receiving updates through Oct 13, 2026. This avoids hardware refresh while keeping security patches current, delivered automatically on Patch Tuesday.

The Best Smartwatches for 2026: A Modern Horology Brief

November 18, 2025, 11:46 PM EST. Smartwatches have evolved from novelty to essential digital valets that monitor health, sleep, blood-oxygen, and stress while keeping you punctual. The guide highlights the top 2026 models: Best Overall goes to Apple Watch Series 10/11 and the Ultra 3, with brighter displays, improved health sensors, longer battery life, satellite connectivity, and a rugged titanium chassis. For iPhone users, it's seamless integration-Messages, workouts, and Siri-though with the same lifestyle branding. On Android, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Ultra offer a stylish, high-performance rival featuring Google's Gemini AI, titanium builds, sapphire crystal, and a 3,000-nit display. Together, these watches form Android's most polished reply to Apple's regime, balancing freedom, health insights, and all-day wearability.

First Windows 10 ESU Update Fails on Company-Licensed PCs, Microsoft Investigates 0x800f0922

November 18, 2025, 11:44 PM EST. Microsoft is investigating a bug that prevents the first Windows 10 ESU update (KB5068781) from installing on devices with a company license. Reports show the update appears to install but after a restart it rolls back with error 0x800f0922. The issue does not affect consumers using private licenses, and Microsoft has not announced a patch or workaround yet. The root cause appears tied to the activation of Windows subscriptions via the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. Regular Windows 10 users can still receive the ESU update automatically once their device is registered, resulting in build number 19045.6575. No workaround is currently available. The ESU update remains a critical security update now that support for Windows 10 has ended.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra gets early Black Friday cut with big discounts

November 18, 2025, 11:42 PM EST. Samsung is rolling out early Black Friday deals on the Galaxy S25 Ultra with up to $700 instant trade-in credit and six months of Google AI Pro, though you can't stack them. All three storage tiers get $350 off: the 512GB at $1,069.99 (was $1,419.99), and the 1TB at $1,309.99 (was $1,659.99). The phone features a 6.9-inch QHD+ display, 12GB RAM, embedded S Pen, and the overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite with a 200MP main camera and 100x Space Zoom. Our take: a big, capable phone with long-term support (seven-year software updates). A base price dip to $949.99 makes it competitive against rivals. If you want up-to-date Galaxy software and S Pen, act fast-these deals may not last.

NANLITE Unveils Cookie and Cookie-S Tiny USB-C LED Lights for Smartphones

November 18, 2025, 11:40 PM EST. NANLITE launches the cookie and cookie-s tiny USB-C powered LED lights for smartphones. Weighing 21.4 g and powered directly from the USB-C port (no internal battery), they offer three brightness levels and three CCT temperatures (roughly 3200K, 4300K, 5600K). The dual-sided design provides hard light on one side and diffusion on the other, with eight LEDs per side and color accuracy: CRI 95 and TLCI 98. They support dual capture by lighting both sides simultaneously and come in coral pink, cyan blue, or lavender for $12.99.

Garmin Forerunner 165 vs. Coros Pace 4: Best starter AMOLED running watch showdown

November 18, 2025, 11:38 PM EST. Looking to pick between the Coros Pace 4 and the Garmin Forerunner 165? This Wareable comparison covers two current-gen, entry-level AMOLED running watches. Both offer a light ~40g polymer case and a sharp 1.2-inch AMOLED (390×390) display. Price-wise, Pace 4 sits at about $249/£229 with dual-frequency GPS and strong battery life; the Forerunner 165 debuted at $249/$299 and often lands around $200-$250 as it matures, creating parity if you skip music. In use, Garmin's UI feels punchier out of the box, while Coros tends to keep brightness lower to squeeze extra hours. Verdict: choose the Pace 4 if you want premium screen tech and GPS at a modest premium; opt for the Forerunner 165 if you value software polish and near-price-parity on many SKUs.

Gemini 3: Google's Next-Gen AI with Enhanced Reasoning, Context, and Agentic Capabilities

November 18, 2025, 11:36 PM EST. Google unveils Gemini 3, the next leap in the Gemini era, blending all prior generations' strengths into a single model. Gemini 3 achieves state-of-the-art reasoning, deep context understanding, and enhanced intent detection, delivering results with less prompting. Google is shipping Gemini at scale-from Search with Gemini 3 in AI Mode to the Gemini app, and to developers via AI Studio and Vertex AI, plus the new agentic platform Google Antigravity. The update follows widespread adoption: billions of monthly users across AI Overviews and the Gemini app; thousands of developers building with its models. Google emphasizes a full-stack approach spanning infrastructure, research, tooling, and consumer products to bring advanced capabilities to billions. Expect ongoing improvements and new developer opportunities.

Start Building with Gemini 3 and Google Antigravity: An Agentic Dev Platform

November 18, 2025, 11:34 PM EST. Google Antigravity demonstrates what's possible with Gemini 3: an agentic development platform that lets developers work at a higher, task-oriented level by coordinating agents across workspaces while keeping a familiar AI IDE at its core. It accelerates development as you act as the architect, collaborating with intelligent agents that operate autonomously across the editor, terminal, and browser. These agents plan and execute complex software tasks, conveying results via detailed artifacts. The platform elevates feature building, UI iteration, bug fixing, research, and reporting. A public preview is available at no charge for macOS, Windows, and Linux via the Google Antigravity site.

Microsoft releases KB5072653 ESU Licensing Preparation Package to fix Windows 10 ESU install errors

November 18, 2025, 11:32 PM EST. Microsoft released the emergency Windows 10 KB5072653 ESU Licensing Preparation Package to resolve the 0x800f0922 install errors seen with the November 2025 ESU update (KB5068781). After installing KB5072653, devices on Windows 10 22H2 must have the October 2025 KB5066791 cumulative update, then run Windows Update to apply the November ESU. Some admins report WSUS/SCCM not flagging eligible devices; Microsoft will provide a new Scan Cab with updated metadata to improve compliance checks. Windows 10 reached end of support on Oct 14, 2025, but ESU remains available: consumer ESU is $30 for one year (or 1,000 Microsoft reward points); enterprise ESU licenses run three years (~$427 per device). Guidance: back up settings, enroll in ESU, and re-run updates after restart.

Xiaomi reports 22% Q3 revenue jump as EVs and AI drive growth amid rising memory-chip costs

November 18, 2025, 11:26 PM EST. Xiaomi reported a 22.3% year-on-year jump in quarterly revenue to 113.1 billion yuan, with EV and AI initiatives lifting results. Handset shipments reached 43.3 million (13.6% global share), while the company posted a net profit of 11.3 billion yuan, up 80.9%. The EV segment generated 28.3 billion yuan in the quarter, helped by the second model YU7 and a first operating profit in the quarter. Xiaomi warned that soaring memory chip prices may push smartphone costs higher next year, potentially requiring price hikes, though increases alone won't fully offset the costs. The stock closed softer; Xiaomi remains focused on EVs, AI, and new initiatives contributing to growth.

Cloudflare outage hits sites worldwide as internet infrastructure provider suffers major disruption

November 18, 2025, 11:24 PM EST. Cloudflare, a key internet infrastructure provider, said a fix was implemented and the incident is now resolved, with monitoring ongoing. The outage affected millions of sites globally, taking down or slowing services like Spotify, ChatGPT, X, Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Canva, and impacting merchants such as Visa, Vodafone, Vinted, Asda and M&S. UK users faced login disruptions as engineers paused some services to troubleshoot. Cloudflare said it would carry out data-center work in Tahiti, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Santiago; the cause remains unclear, with officials noting a disruption but saying a major cyber-attack is unlikely. The firm handles protection, acceleration and DDoS mitigation for a sizeable share of global web traffic.

Buffett Shifts Berkshire: Sells Apple, Buys Google as Nvidia Earnings Loom

November 18, 2025, 11:22 PM EST. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway is trimming its Apple stake, citing elevated valuation, and reallocating capital into Alphabet/Google, boosting the tech exposure while amassing a record cash pile of about $382 billion. The Q3 2025 filing marks Google as Berkshire's 10th-largest holding, a notable shift as Buffett eyes selective growth alongside value discipline. Buffett has hinted at missing Google's upside, and with Alphabet's AI and data-center momentum, Berkshire blends cash discipline with growth bets. The note also highlights Nvidia's upcoming Q3 fiscal 2026 earnings, where investors will scrutinize data center demand, GPU sales, and guidance amid AI optimism. Policy risk around chip export controls to China could weigh on sentiment, adding a potential headwind for high-performance GPUs.

Best of Google Play 2025 winners in India: Cookie Run India Leads Game Awards

November 18, 2025, 11:20 PM EST. Google Play has announced the Best of Play 2025 winners in India, highlighting top achievements in gaming. The crown for Best Game goes to CookieRun India: Running Game, while Best Pick Up and Play also lauds the title. Free Fire Max is named Best Ongoing Game, and Disney Speedstorm wins in the Best Multi-device category. Indian studios shine with Kamala – Horror Exorcism Escape taking Best Indie, and Real Cricket Swipe earning Best Made in India. Other category winners include Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown for Best Story, 8 Pool Fever – Billard City for Best Multiplayer, and Dredge as Best on Play Pass. These winners reflect localisation, cultural relevance and accessibility across devices in India's vibrant gaming scene.

DJI Action 6 Review: A Versatile, Variable-Aperture Action Camera Sets a New Standard

November 18, 2025, 11:18 PM EST. DJI Action 6 redefines the action camera by adding a variable aperture (f/2.0-f/4.0) and a new 1/1.1-inch square sensor with 2.4 μm pixels, delivering strong image quality and natural color in 10-bit 4K. It ships with robust stabilisation, seamless DJI Mic support, and built-in storage, making it a flexible tool for creators, vlogs, and on-set work. However, it's slightly larger and heavier than the Action 5 Pro, incompatible with older waterproof cases, and limited to two wireless transmitters (even with newer Mic 3 features). Priced at AUD$669 (Standard) or AUD$839 (Adventure), with a slate of in-house accessories. Compared with the GoPro HERO13 Black and the Osmo Action 5 Pro, the Action 6 stands out for versatility despite premium pricing.

Microsoft and Nvidia Invest in Anthropic; JPMorgan Bullish Nvidia Pre-Earnings Play

November 18, 2025, 11:10 PM EST. Leading AI chip maker NVIDIA is in focus as JPMorgan flags a bullish options setup ahead of its fiscal Q3 results. The note argues a beat-and-raise could spur a catch-up trade, with meaty upside on NVDA through mid-2025 and a ~6.4% implied move. The trade centers on buying call spreads, with break-even near $199.30 and upside capped by the upper strike around $212.19 after recent trading in the $180-$210 range. The broader AI backdrop stays intense as Microsoft and NVIDIA back Anthropic with Azure capacity around $30 billion, highlighting demand for advanced computing and AI services.

Why I finally gave up on the 3.5 mm headphone jack in smartphones

November 18, 2025, 11:06 PM EST. From cassette nostalgia to a wireless future, the 3.5 mm jack vanished one phone at a time. The precursor was Oppo's Finder in 2012, but the change truly accelerated with Apple's move in 2016 on the iPhone 7, and again with Samsung's Galaxy Note 10 in 2019. Reasons cited ranged from design constraints and waterproofing to the push for thinner devices and, later, to favoring Bluetooth/wireless headphones. In the author's world, early wireless options suffered from unstable connections, limited battery life, and compromised sound quality, making wired gear worth keeping. As Bluetooth improved, latency dropped and quality rose, the nostalgia faded and the tradeoffs narrowed. Today, the shift reflects a broader move toward a cordless, more portable audio ecosystem.

Tesla Stock Stalls as Nvidia AI Verdict Looms and Market Holds Breath

November 18, 2025, 11:04 PM EST. Tesla stock slipped 1.4% to around $403 as the broader market paused ahead of Nvidia's pivotal AI earnings verdict. The stall comes as investors await Nvidia's report, seen as the driver of AI-powered market leadership. Nvidia is expected to post strong Q3 sales and guide for Q4, underscoring AI's role as the market's new engine and tying Tesla's performance to the AI chip winner. Analysts show a mixed view on TSLA, with a Hold consensus on TipRanks and a target near $384, implying modest downside. The piece also notes AI's widening market dominance-the Magnificent Seven dwarf traditional sectors-heightening sensitivity to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's commentary. Investors should watch Nvidia's guidance and any signals from Elon Musk about AI-driven autos and robotics.

Google CEO: No Company Is Immune to AI – What It Means for Consultants and Workflows

November 18, 2025, 11:00 PM EST. Google CEO Sundar Pichai warns that no company will be immune to AI, signaling vast opportunities to redesign workflows across CRM, logistics, finance and more. The piece argues that while core business goals stay the same, AI will supercharge workflows, creating demand for consultants, MBAs, and tool builders who can rewire processes. Tracing three eras-Steam Era (process efficiency and the birth of consulting), the Digital Era (product managers shaping predefined workflows), and the AI Era (dynamic, adaptive workflows)-the argument suggests the next wave hinges on people who redesign systems to fit evolving needs. Early examples include Cursor in coding and improved interfaces like Google Docs and smarter assistants, while Clippy shows why AI needs context.

How to Get a Free Apple Watch by Exercising Through John Hancock Vitality

November 18, 2025, 10:58 PM EST. John Hancock's Vitality Plus program lets members earn points for regular exercise to lower monthly payments on an Apple Watch (SE, Series 11, Ultra 3). New customers pay an initial $25 plus tax, then the balance is split over 24 months; more activity means a cheaper plan. To participate: register your Vitality account, complete the Vitality Health Review (VHR), and order the watch. Higher-end models may require a supplemental first payment. Points are earned with a standard workout (20 points/day) or an advanced workout (30 points/day). Milestones include 0, 240, 360, and 500 points, with 500 points yielding a $0.00 monthly payment. Availability is limited to Vitality Plus life insurance customers.

ChatGPT outage tied to Cloudflare incident: what happened and how to cope

November 18, 2025, 10:56 PM EST. Millions of ChatGPT users faced access issues after a Cloudflare outage disrupted the service. Cloudflare acknowledged the fault, traced to a latent bug in a bot-mitigation service following a routine configuration change, and said it was working to restore reliability. The disruption hit India and other markets, underlining how dependencies on global networks can ripple across popular apps. While users cannot fix the problem themselves, the article notes fallback options like Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, DeepSeek AI, and Grok. Cloudflare's CTO apologized for the impact and explained the incident, stressing the importance of robust failover as the company works to prevent recurrence.

DJI Osmo Action 6 Launches Globally with 1/1.1-Inch Sensor and Variable Aperture

November 18, 2025, 10:50 PM EST. DJI has globally launched the Osmo Action 6, following its China debut. The camera introduces an industry-first variable aperture (F/2.0-F/4.0) paired with a 1/1.1-inch square sensor, 40% larger than the Action 5, and up to 13.5 stops of dynamic range. The sensor enables 4K at 120p recording and adds 4K Free Cut, a crop-later mode for reframing into 4:3, 16:9, or 9:16. Stabilization is upgraded with RockSteady 3.0+, HorizonBalancing, and HorizonSteady. Battery life reaches up to 240 minutes at 1080p/24fps with a 1950 mAh cell; 52-minute fast charge with a 30W charger; optional 4900 mAh extended pack. Wireless OsmoAudio links to two DJI mics; dual screens include a 1.46" front and a 2.5" rear OLED.

Google launches Gemini 3 with Antigravity coding interface and record benchmark scores

November 18, 2025, 10:48 PM EST. Google today released Gemini 3, its most capable foundation model yet, available via the Gemini app and AI search. A deeper variant, Gemini 3 Deepthink, will launch to the Google AI Ultra subscribers after safety testing. Early benchmarks show a new high on Humanity's Last Exam with a score of 37.4 (surpassing GPT-5 Pro at 31.64) and a leadership position on LMArena for user satisfaction. Google says the Gemini app has more than 650 million monthly active users and 13 million developers have used the model in their workflows. The release also introduces Antigravity, a multi-pane, agentic coding interface that blends a ChatGPT-style prompt window with a terminal and browser, enabling the agent to assist across editors and workflows.

Google unveils Gemini 3 and Antigravity to accelerate AI against OpenAI

November 18, 2025, 10:46 PM EST. Google unveiled Gemini 3, its latest AI model, eight months after Gemini 2.5, promising users less prompting for complex queries. The upgrade will be integrated across the Gemini app, AI Mode, AI Overviews, and Google's enterprise tools, with rollout starting for select subscribers and expanding in the coming weeks. Google says Gemini 3 is better at grasping depth, context, and intent, aiming to deliver what you need with minimal prompts. The company also introduced a new agent platform called Google Antigravity, designed for developers to code at a higher, task-oriented level. Alphabet emphasizes heavy infrastructure and capital expenditures as rivals race to add enterprise-ready AI features, alongside OpenAI's GPT-5 updates.

Microsoft Turns Windows into an Agentic OS With AI Taskbar, Copilot, and Background Agents

November 18, 2025, 10:42 PM EST. Microsoft is turning Windows into an agentic OS by integrating AI agents into the Windows 11 taskbar. The update fuses Microsoft 365 Copilot with local search and adds third-party agents, letting them run in the background and automate routine tasks. Users can hover the taskbar to monitor an agent's progress, interact via a floating window, and receive badges when attention is needed or tasks finish. The new Ask Copilot feature blends file search with conversational AI and task execution. The shift emphasizes opt-in controls, giving users choice over when to engage with Copilot. Microsoft is embedding AI capabilities into core Windows components to enable scalable agent-based workflows.

Google launches Gemini 3, embeds AI into Search from Day One

November 18, 2025, 10:40 PM EST. Google unveils Gemini 3, embedding its latest AI model into products-from day one of launch. The upgrade arrives 11 months after Gemini 2 and underlines Google's bid to stay ahead in the AI race as Gemini powers revenue-generating tools, notably the search experience. CEO Sundar Pichai calls it "our most intelligent model." For the first time, Gemini 3 is embedded in Google Search from day one, with paying subscribers gaining AI Mode, which delivers generated answers rather than standard links. New features include improvements in coding and reasoning, plus Gemini Agent to handle multi-step tasks like inbox triage or travel planning. The move supports a broader "universal assistant" vision (codenamed AlphaAssist), while the redesigned Gemini app aims to present results as an on-demand interface, potentially reshaping web traffic for publishers.

The Latest Circular AI Deal Stars Anthropic, Nvidia, and Microsoft

November 18, 2025, 10:38 PM EST. An emerging deal links Anthropic, Nvidia, and Microsoft in a push for circular AI-combining safer model research, sustainable hardware usage, and scalable cloud deployment. The collaboration reportedly centers on energy-efficient training, hardware reuse, and shared governance standards, with Azure hosting and Nvidia GPUs powering larger models. The agreement aims to accelerate innovation while embedding environmental and ethical considerations across the AI lifecycle.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leads Game Awards 2025 with record 12 nominations

November 18, 2025, 10:36 PM EST. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leads The Game Awards 2025 with a record 12 nominations, the most in the show's history. Other GOTY contenders include Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. Sony Interactive Entertainment remains the top publisher with 19 nominations, followed by Kepler Interactive with 13, and EA and Microsoft with 10 each. Nominations are chosen by a global jury of 150+ outlets. Last year logged 154 million livestreams; this year's ceremony streams on YouTube, Twitch, X, Steam, Facebook, TikTok Live, Instagram Live, and Prime Video, on Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST.

Dell Unveils PowerEdge XE9785 AI Servers Powered by AMD Instinct MI355X GPUs and EPYC CPUs

November 18, 2025, 10:34 PM EST. Dell today expanded its server lineup with the PowerEdge XE9785 family designed for enterprise-scale AI workloads, powered by AMD Instinct MI355X GPUs and AMD EPYC CPUs. The XE9785 and its liquid-cooled XE9785L pack eight MI355X GPUs per node and dual EPYC CPUs, with the L variant fitting 128 GPUs in a single 42U rack. The MI355X ships 288GB of HBM3E per GPU and supports FP6/FP4 for large-model inference and quantized workloads. Dell contrasts this with NVIDIA's Grace Blackwell NVL, noting NVLink-domain benefits are not essential for most tasks. The air-cooled XE9785 spans 10U with up to 40 PFLOPS per machine. Networking comes from Pensando Pollara 400 NICs and PowerSwitch AI fabric. Dell also promotes the PowerEdge R770AP (Intel Xeon) and an Automation Platform featuring AI tooling like Tabnine.

Dell and Nvidia Partner to Accelerate Enterprise AI Adoption

November 18, 2025, 10:32 PM EST. Dell Technologies and Nvidia are expanding their collaboration to scale enterprise AI, uniting Dell's servers, storage, and automation with Nvidia's GPUs and software in a unified AI Factory. The deal features Dell's new PowerEdge XE7740 and XE7745 servers powered by Nvidia RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPUs and aims to accelerate AI workloads with greater security and efficiency. The integration of Dell's infrastructure with Nvidia's chips lets customers run larger models and manage large-scale workloads. Dell also expanded its Automation Platform for automated deployment of full-stack AI workloads, shortening time from experiment to production. Storage solutions like Dell ObjectScale and PowerScale will pair with Nvidia's Dynamo to speed data workflows, with hands-on demos planned at Supercomputing 2025.

VAST Data, Dell, Versity and Spectra Power Horizon AI/Simulation Storage at TACC

November 18, 2025, 10:30 PM EST. Texas Advanced Computing Center's Horizon supercomputer will usher in a new era of open scientific research with 400 petaFLOP/s performance and 10X simulation gains. VAST Data provides the AI OS data layer for Horizon, delivering around 400PB of local all-flash storage and more than 10TB/s read/write bandwidth, with multi-tenancy and Quality-of-Service features. Horizon's storage stacks also include a Ranch exabyte-scale archive built on Spectra Logic TFinity Plus tape libraries, working alongside Dell and Versity. The system uses Versity ScoutAM to automate data movement across Dell PowerEdge R760 servers, Dell ME5 storage arrays, and Dell ECS object storage, forming a 4PB flash tier and 16PB of extended cache. This setup enables a seamless, scalable workflow as researchers train AI models and publish discoveries.

Tesla Stock Rises on Robotaxi Signals, Supplier Shifts Highlight Volatility

November 18, 2025, 10:28 PM EST. Tesla shares surged in the afternoon on robotaxi progress and a shift in its supply chain, with analysts pegging much of the price target to the autonomous ride service. Reports of Robotaxi mules in a new state underscored progress toward expansion. Separately, the company asked suppliers to avoid China-made parts for US-built vehicles, a move seen as de-risking amid geopolitics. After the initial jump, shares trimmed gains to about $408.85 as investors weighed ongoing volatility and a broader market rotation away from high-flying tech. Tesla's October China sales fell to a three-year low, narrowing its market share and intensifying competition. The backdrop includes a cautious tech sector and expectations that macro data could influence rate-cut expectations.

Dell Technologies Drives Horizon, the U.S.'s Largest Academic Supercomputer for Open Science

November 18, 2025, 10:24 PM EST. Horizon, the U.S.'s largest academic supercomputer, is a Dell Technologies-NVIDIA collaboration at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) to accelerate open science and discovery. Built on the Dell AI Factory, Horizon uses Dell PowerEdge servers with the NVIDIA Grace Blackwell platform and NVIDIA Vera GPUs to deliver about 300 petaflops-roughly 10x faster than Frontera, the current No. 1. The system stacks Integrated Rack Scalable Systems with direct-liquid cooling and high-performance InfiniBand networking to support HPC/AI workloads. When operational in 2026, Horizon will empower thousands of researchers with faster access to compute, strengthening U.S. leadership in science, AI, and innovation.

Historic breach leaks 1.3B passwords and 2B email addresses, per Have I Been Pwned

November 18, 2025, 10:22 PM EST. A historic breach has exposed about 1,300,000,000 passwords and 2,000,000,000 email addresses, with Gmail, Hotmail/Outlook and Yahoo among the affected providers. Have I Been Pwned (HIBP) founder Troy Hunt warns that those in the leak should change passwords immediately as a precaution. The leak is nearly three times larger than any prior breach, and about 625,000,000 passwords were previously unseen in breaches. Users can check if their data is exposed via HIBP's free service, including whether their email or associated accounts and passwords appear in stealer logs or in Pwned Passwords. The piece also emphasizes password hygiene: avoid personal info, craft strong, unique passwords, and consider a password manager.

Urgent Warning: 1.3 Billion Passwords Exposed – Check If You're Affected

November 18, 2025, 10:20 PM EST. An urgent notice from News Group Newspapers warns that the system may misclassify legitimate user activity as automated and block access under its terms. The message prohibits automated access, collection, or data mining of content, including for AI/ML or LLMs, and directs inquiries about commercial use to [email protected]. If you are a genuine user, contact customer support at [email protected]. The notice emphasizes these restrictions are stated in the terms and conditions and provides steps to obtain permission or support. If you encounter this alert, follow the listed contacts to resolve access issues and avoid automated scraping.

4 immediate changes I made after 1.3 billion passwords were stolen

November 18, 2025, 10:14 PM EST. After the Have I Been Pwned data dump of 1.3B passwords, I updated my online security guidance. The breach illustrates how credential stuffing thrives when passwords are reused. My response centers on practical changes, notably using a different email address for every account to sever attacker linkage, and adopting email aliases / masked emails so you can keep unique handles without exposing your real inbox. Email aliasing (plus addressing) is supported by providers like Gmail and Proton Mail, offering forwards and privacy. These steps, along with mindful management of your alerts from Have I Been Pwned, help reduce risk and protect privacy across accounts.

NVIDIA & Arm Extend NVLink Fusion to Neoverse for High-Bandwidth AI Data Centers

November 18, 2025, 10:12 PM EST. NVIDIA and Arm are expanding their collaboration by bringing NVLink Fusion to Arm Neoverse AI data center platforms. The integration delivers high-bandwidth, coherent interconnects that link CPUs, GPUs, and accelerators into a single rack-scale architecture, alleviating memory and bandwidth bottlenecks for AI workloads. Connected through Arm's AMBA CHI C2C protocol, the solution enables seamless data movement across Arm-based compute and partner accelerators, enabling ecosystem partners to build differentiated, energy-efficient AI systems. The move builds on the Grace Hopper/Grace Blackwell generations and reinforces Arm's dominance in hyperscale deployments across AWS, Google, Microsoft, Oracle, and Meta. The continued momentum aims to accelerate AI at scale with flexible, high-throughput interconnects across the Neoverse portfolio.

Microsoft and Amazon Back Gain AI Act, Threatening Nvidia's China AI Revenue Opportunity

November 18, 2025, 10:10 PM EST. Nvidia has led the AI chips revolution, but recent policy dynamics in the China market threaten a key growth avenue. The company's biggest customers-Microsoft and Amazon-are ramping up cloud compute, a development that could unlock a multitrillion-dollar opportunity. Yet U.S. export controls and China's pushback complicate Nvidia's status in the world's second-largest AI market. Investors have watched as Microsoft and Amazon back the Gain AI Act, a bill urging chip designers to serve U.S. demand before shipping abroad. If enacted, the act could slow Nvidia's China deployments and cap a potential revenue stream valued by decade's end in the hundreds of billions. Nvidia remains the AI leader, but policy shifts introduce a major challenge to sustaining rapid growth.

Anthropic Strikes $30B Cloud Deal With Nvidia and Microsoft as AI Spending Frenzy Accelerates

November 18, 2025, 10:08 PM EST. Anthropic announced a landmark deal with Microsoft and Nvidia to secure $30 billion in cloud computing capacity, reinforcing a wave of AI spending that is eclipsing the billion-dollar threshold. As part of the arrangement, Microsoft will power Anthropic's services on Nvidia-based systems, while Nvidia and Microsoft commit up to $10 billion and $5 billion in funding, respectively. The agreement signals a broader trend of tech giants investing heavily to scale AI infrastructure, following recent multi-billion-dollar deals involving OpenAI, Amazon, Google, Oracle, and others. The move underscores the race to secure compute capacity for next-generation AI models, data centers, and ongoing model training, with payoffs tied to accelerated deployment and competitive advantage.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Highlights Blur Between Indie and AAA at The Game Awards

November 18, 2025, 10:06 PM EST. Six titles compete for Game of the Year at The Game Awards, but Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sits at the center of an indie debate. Despite 12 nominations, including Best Independent Game and Debut Indie Game, its production values and publisher partnership with Kepler Interactive blur the line between indie and AAA. With about 30 core developers and a sizable budget, the game resembles a mid-tier release, prompting questions about what counts as indie. The decision to cast Hollywood stars and align with a major publisher highlights how independent studios often partner for visibility, funding, and distribution. The broader field features other strong indies, yet Clair Obscur's placement underscores how the term "indie" remains murky in a modern landscape.

How to check if your data was exposed after the 1.3 billion password leak-and what to do next

November 18, 2025, 10:04 PM EST. Following the leak of over 1.3 billion passwords, you should verify whether your accounts are affected and take action. Start by using a trusted breach checker like Have I Been Pwned to search emails or usernames. If you're listed, immediately change passwords and use unique, strong passwords for each site. Enable two-factor authentication wherever possible and review account activity for unfamiliar logins. Monitor your email for phishing attempts and avoid reusing passwords across sites. Consider enabling credit monitoring or identity protection services if sensitive data was exposed. Remove risky apps, update software, and keep an eye on breach notices. Regularly update credentials and use a password manager to maintain strong, unique keys across your online accounts.

AI capex panic: Fund managers warn of overinvestment and bubble risk as Nvidia awaits earnings

November 18, 2025, 9:58 PM EST. Global fund managers have signaled a historic reversal in sentiment toward corporate spending, driven by concerns about the pace and financing of the AI capex boom. In Bank of America's FMS (Nov 7-13), a net 20% of respondents say companies are deploying capital too aggressively-the first such signal since 2005. The warning centers on how the AI surge is financed and scaled, just as Nvidia faces earnings with growing skepticism about its strategy. The survey marks AI as the top tail risk (45%), and 53% already consider AI stocks in a bubble, even as overall bullishness remains. With funds cautious, investors warn of slowdowns for hyperscalers and broader risk, lest the AI boom falter.

Nvidia Unites Quantum and AI for HPC with NVQLink, CUDA-Q and BlueField-4

November 18, 2025, 9:54 PM EST. Nvidia is expanding its AI leadership into quantum computing by linking quantum processors to GPUs via NVQLink, creating accelerated quantum supercomputers. At GTC Washington DC, the company introduced NVQLink, BlueField-4 DPUs, and CUDA-Q to orchestrate quantum devices with AI-enabled supercomputers. Nvidia promotes a holistic, system-architecture approach-from chips to networking to software-to tackle quantum error correction and scale-out infrastructures. The company notes more than 80 new Nvidia-powered scientific systems in the last year, totaling roughly 4,500 exaflops of AI-like performance. With SC25 underway, Nvidia positions itself as a key infrastructure provider for quantum-classical compute and large-scale AI workloads, building on a history from DGX-1 to a broad ecosystem.

Google Play Best of 2025 Winners: Best App, Best Game and More

November 18, 2025, 9:46 PM EST. Google Play Best of 2025 reveals the platform's top apps, games and books, celebrating brilliance and ingenuity. The awards underscore Play's aim to be an experience built around you, with a more unified gaming flow, boosted rewards and easier discovery across devices. Winners include Best App: Focus Friend by Hank Green, along with honors for Best Game, Best Multi-device App and Best Multi-device Game. Google emphasizes that developers' success fuels the ecosystem, and viewers can watch winner videos and explore local winners in Indonesia, India, Japan, Korea and Taiwan on the Best of 2025 hub. For the full U.S. list, read the post or visit the Best of 2025 page on Play.

Apple N1 Wi-Fi Chip Delivers 329 Mbps Global Median; iPhone 17 Gains Over iPhone 16 as Ookla Notes Mixed Android Results

November 18, 2025, 9:44 PM EST. Apple's in-house N1 Wi-Fi chip powers the iPhone 17 lineup, delivering a global median download of 329.56 Mbps and an upload of 103.26 Mbps per Ookla Speedtest Intelligence. The gains beat the iPhone 16 and show broad uplift across regions (US, UK, Germany, Italy, Japan, India, France, Singapore) and percentile bands as Wi-Fi 7 and 6 GHz networks gain traction. The N1 bundles Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread on a single die and uses 160 MHz channels (not 320 MHz), a practical factor given current router deployments. Regionally, India (~101 Mbps down) and China (~386 Mbps) illustrate the uplift, while Japan and others follow. On Android, the Pixel 10 Pro leads median at 335.33 Mbps, with the iPhone 17 near parity.

Google Play Best of 2025: Top Apps, Games, and Books Unveiled

November 18, 2025, 9:40 PM EST. Google has unveiled its Best of 2025 list for Google Play, spotlighting outstanding apps, games, and books across categories. The four marquee winners include Focus Friend by Hank Green as the best app of 2025, Pokémon TCG Pocket as the best overall game, Luminar as the best multi-device app, and Disney Speedstorm as the best multi-device game. Google notes the awards celebrate innovation and user-centric experiences on Play. Beyond the top four, the company highlights category winners in apps and games and lists notable books available on Google Play, including fiction, nonfiction, and kids/teens titles like The Raven Scholar, Famous Last Words, This American Woman, and Wind Watchers. The list offers developers and users a window into current design and content trends.

Can AI Griefbots Help Us Heal? Exploring Digital Afterlives and Therapy

November 18, 2025, 9:38 PM EST. An experiment in 2025 tech: a writer converses with a generative AI that mimics his deceased father, using emails, letters, and a personality brief to sound plausibly familiar. The result is a digital ghost shaped by the model's training on the internet, not a true afterlife. The piece explores whether such AI-driven echoes can offer therapeutic value-echoing psychologist Robert Neimeyer's idea that an imagined conversation with a loved one, fully healed of pain, might help a patient process loss. It weighs potential benefits-revisiting unfinished issues, reframing relationships, confronting regrets-against cautions about authenticity, consent, and privacy. The author questions what healing means when your interlocutor is a silicon simulation, and whether the therapy lies in the dialogue itself or in the chance to tell a story you couldn't tell before.

Boop turns social travel tips into bookable itineraries with AI-powered trust

November 18, 2025, 9:36 PM EST. Boop, a new startup, turns social travel tips into bookable itineraries rather than AI-generated plans. By converting real trips into shareable itineraries-with location data and photo metadata-the app lets users copy and personalize itineraries from friends and creators. Boop aims to build a monetizable network for travel creators, offering a new revenue stream. Founder Nancy Li Smith, ex-Meta and Microsoft AR/VR leader, launched Boop to ease the emotional and logistical labor of planning-burdens she notes women shoulder most in travel decisions. Instead of scrolling TikTok or sifting reviews, users access tested itineraries and refine them with AI in one tap. In short, Boop bills itself as an AI travel companion built on social trust, turning personal trips into flexible, sharable itineraries.

Stocks slip as AI fears weigh markets ahead of Nvidia earnings

November 18, 2025, 9:34 PM EST. U.S. stocks pulled back Tuesday as concerns over a potential AI bubble and the broader economy kept risk assets on edge ahead of Nvidia's upcoming earnings release. The Dow fell over 1%, the Nasdaq slid about 1.4%, and the S&P 500 traded lower for a fourth straight session. Bitcoin slipped below $90,000, while 10-year Treasury yields eased. Traders are eyeing Nvidia's report and the delayed September jobs data to gauge the durability of this year's AI-driven rally and the Fed's likely path. Big retailers like Home Depot cut guidance; earnings from Walmart and Target loom. Overnight Cloudflare outage headlines dent sentiment as the company recounted disruptions affecting X and ChatGPT.

Tesla's Revenue Streams: How the EV Leader Makes Money in 2025

November 18, 2025, 9:32 PM EST. Tesla makes money primarily from selling EVs, which remains its largest revenue source. The company also earns income through leasing and servicing its vehicles. Its energy and storage segment develops and sells clean energy products for homes and utilities, including the Powerwall residential system and large-scale Megapack projects. Tesla's solar offerings-panels and solar roof tiles-complement its storage business. The company operates a global Supercharger network and sells home-charging products. It also monetizes software and driver-assistance technology with its Full Self-Driving (FSD) platform, which includes ongoing updates and potential subscriptions. Beyond hardware, revenue growth depends on vehicle demand, energy deployments, and the pace of software adoption, all while navigating competition, recalls, and regulatory considerations.

Google Play Announces 2025 Best Android Apps and Games: Focus Friend, Pokémon TCG Pocket, Luminar, and Disney Speedstorm

November 18, 2025, 9:30 PM EST. Google Play's 2025 roundup names the year's standout Android titles, with Focus Friend by Hank Green earning Best App for a cozy, gamified focus timer that blends productivity with a Tamagotchi-like twist. The Best Game honor goes to Pokémon TCG Pocket, a faithful port focused on card design and booster packs. In the multi-device category, Luminar secures Best App for its AI-powered photo editing tools that aim to serve both Google Photos and Photoshop users, while Disney Speedstorm takes Best Game in the cross-device space, bringing Disney characters into the kart-racing genre on mobile.

WEKA Unveils Augmented Memory Grid on NeuralMesh, Delivering 1000x GPU Memory and 20x Faster Inference on OCI

November 18, 2025, 9:26 PM EST. WEKA unveils Augmented Memory Grid on NeuralMesh to break the AI memory barrier, extending GPU memory by 1000x and reducing time-to-first-token by up to 20x. Validated on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and other leading AI clouds, this memory extension streams KV cache between GPU memory and flash using RDMA and GPUDirect Storage, enabling longer-context reasoning and agentic AI workflows. By bridging GPU memory and storage, Augmented Memory Grid tackles the AI memory wall, boosting inference efficiency, scaling tokens-per-GPU, and unlocking new service models for long-context workloads.

Klarna expands Apple Pay installments to Denmark, Spain, and Sweden; France to follow

November 18, 2025, 9:22 PM EST. Klarna announced that its flexible payment products are now available on Apple Pay in Denmark, Spain, and Sweden, adding to existing support in the US, UK, and Canada, with France expected in coming weeks. Eligible customers can check out online, in-app, or in-store by selecting Klarna at checkout and tapping Pay Later to choose an option. Purchases can be split into three monthly installments or paid up to 30 days later, with interest-free options and longer-term plans with competitive rates starting from 0%. Klarna applies underwriting before approval and has no impact on the customer's credit score. Apple Pay remains secure and private, with Apple not retaining transaction data on Klarna payments. Klarna aims to reach tens of millions more consumers.

Tesla Faces Tax-Rebate Review in Travis County, Texas

November 18, 2025, 9:20 PM EST. Tesla is under review by Travis County over a 2020 deal that promised a multi-decade tax rebate in exchange for a $1.1 billion investment, with rebates rising from 70% to 75% and then 80% as investments hit milestones. The county says Tesla hasn't supplied documentation proving it met job, wage, and investment benchmarks. Elon Musk's move of the company's HQ and more of its portfolio to Texas, including the 2024 relocation of corporate legal base, is part of a broader realignment away from California. The tale includes past tensions with California and a WSJ report about alleged environmental lapses near Austin in 2022, which could threaten rebates if laws were violated. Tesla, Travis County, tax rebates, Musk, Austin appear in context.

Cloudflare outage: why so many sites went down and what it reveals about internet resilience

November 18, 2025, 9:18 PM EST. Cloudflare, a global cloud services and cybersecurity firm, suffered an outage described as an 'internal service degradation' that disrupted access to a swath of websites for about three hours. Acting as an intermediary between customers and the wider internet, Cloudflare protects sites and speeds traffic, and is believed to serve roughly one in five websites. The disruption hit high-profile sites and apps, from ChatGPT and X to Bet365, League of Legends, Sage, YouTube and Google. The firm cited an unusual spike in traffic and temporarily disabled an encryption service in London during remediation. The episode underlines how much the internet relies on a handful of providers, fueling calls for greater diversity and resilience across cloud and edge services.

Microsoft, Anthropic, and Nvidia Strike Cloud Infrastructure Pact

November 18, 2025, 9:16 PM EST. Microsoft is expanding its cloud footprint by partnering with Anthropic and Nvidia in a cloud infrastructure deal. Under the agreement, Anthropic will commit to purchasing $30 billion of computing capacity from Microsoft's Azure platform, while Nvidia will invest up to $10 billion in Anthropic and Microsoft will invest up to $5 billion in the San Francisco startup. The announcements, unveiled ahead of Microsoft's Ignite conference, signal a shift away from the company's long-time exclusive cloud partnership with OpenAI, which is pursuing capacity with other data centers and chipmakers. The deal reflects a broader trend of diversification in AI cloud infrastructure and emphasizes ongoing collaboration among the three firms as they build out competing AI workloads.

Tesla recalls 10,500 Powerwall 2 home batteries over fire risk

November 18, 2025, 9:12 PM EST. Tesla has issued a recall for about 10,500 Powerwall 2 home energy storage systems due to a potential fire risk. The CPSC says the lithium-ion cells can cause the unit to overheat, resulting in smoke or fire and the possibility of death or serious injury. CPSC reports 22 overheating incidents, including six smoke events and five fires; no injuries reported. The affected units were sold online at Tesla.com/powerwall and through installers from November 2020 to December 2022 for about $8,000. If you own a unit, keep it online and check the Tesla App for recall notifications; Tesla has remotely disabled energy in online Powerwalls to reduce risk until a replacement is installed. Source: CPSC recall notice.

EU Youth Online: 97% Use Internet Daily and Social Networking Remains High

November 18, 2025, 9:10 PM EST. New EU stats show that in 2024, 97% of people aged 16-29 in the EU used the internet daily, versus 88% of the total population-a gap that has shrunk from 24 percentage points in 2014. Among youths, social network activity is especially common: 88% create profiles and post messages, compared with 65% of the overall population. The Czech Republic leads with 99% of 16-29-year-olds on social networks, followed by Cyprus and Greece at 98%. France (70%), Italy (80%), and Germany, Slovakia and Bulgaria (84%) are among the lower ends for youth social activity. This data comes as World Youth Skills Day on 15 July highlights youth empowerment through AI and digital skills.

Crypto market loses over $1tn in six weeks as AI bubble fears roil markets

November 18, 2025, 9:06 PM EST. Over the past six weeks, the crypto market has shed more than $1 trillion, with Bitcoin down 27% to around $91,000. The decline comes as fears of a broader tech/AI bubble prompt warnings from industry leaders, including Sundar Pichai of Alphabet. Global stock indices slipped, from the FTSE 100 to the Nikkei 225, amid fading expectations for a US rate cut. Klarna's Sebastian Siemiatkowski warned that surging investment in AI datacentres could be overheating valuations of AI firms, including Nvidia. Investors also watch gold, which has fallen as rate-cut hopes fade. The piece highlights concerns about asset allocation and the risk that an AI surge could spill into traditional markets if the bubble bursts.

Klarna CEO warns AI-driven layoffs could impact prime borrowers ahead of IPO

November 18, 2025, 9:02 PM EST. Klarna's CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski warns that AI-driven layoffs across corporate America could threaten prime borrowers as the company gears up for its Sept. 10, 2025 IPO. He says the near-term consumer picture looks healthy, but the labor-market shift may hit office workers with solid credit who aren't typical subprime borrowers. While those with higher incomes are affected, the impact could ripple through lending risk as AI reshapes employment. Klarna reports a 26% revenue rise to $903 million and expanding US share, with rising active users yet a dip in average revenue per user. Siemiatkowski notes the need to monitor loan losses while highlighting growth of Fair Financing. The episode underscores the intersection of AI, credit risk, and fintech ahead of the IPO.

Apple 3D-prints titanium for Watch models, cuts waste and advances carbon goals

November 18, 2025, 9:00 PM EST. Apple details a manufacturing breakthrough: Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Series 11 cases are 3D-printed from 100% recycled aerospace-grade titanium powder, a feat once considered impossible at scale. The shift to additive manufacturing halves raw material use and saves more than 400 metric tons of titanium in 2025, driving toward Apple's 2030 carbon-neutral pledge. The approach preserves durability, elegance, and improved waterproofing for cellular antennas. Apple claims all Watch production already runs on renewable electricity. Beyond wearables, the company cites a 3D-printing-enabled USB-C port design for the iPhone Air, wrapped in a titanium enclosure that showcases the same recycled material. The release frames this as a broader step toward more sustainable manufacturing without compromising performance or aesthetics.

Anthropic to Buy $30B Azure Capacity in New Microsoft-Nvidia Deal

November 18, 2025, 8:54 PM EST. Microsoft announced strategic partnerships with Nvidia and Anthropic, as it accelerates its AI-stack independence from OpenAI. Under the deal, Microsoft will invest $5 billion in Anthropic, while Nvidia commits $10 billion. Anthropic has agreed to purchase $30 billion of Azure compute capacity and has secured optional capacity up to one gigawatt. The collaboration aims to optimize Anthropic's Claude models for performance and efficiency on Nvidia architectures. This follows Microsoft's existing funding of OpenAI and underscores a broader push into enterprise AI infrastructure. The agreement marks a significant expansion of enterprise AI partnerships and positions Anthropic as a major Azure customer and developer in the ecosystem.

Apple Captures 25% of China's Smartphone Market on iPhone 17 Demand

November 18, 2025, 8:52 PM EST. Apple now accounts for about 25% of China's smartphone sales in October, rising 37% year-over-year thanks to robust demand for the iPhone 17 lineup, according to Counterpoint Research. The iPhone 17 models generated mid- to high-double-digit growth with the base model leading the charge; new variants represented more than 80% of Apple's unit volume. The update comes as China's overall market grew 8% year over year, aided by strong performances from Xiaomi (no.2), Oppo (Find X9 and Reno 14), and other domestic brands. Counterpoint notes potential upside from the pricing mix, while warning of competition from Huawei launching the Mate 80 on Nov. 25, though momentum for Apple remains healthy into Q4.

Survey Finds 41% of EV Drivers Would Avoid Tesla Over Politics

November 18, 2025, 8:50 PM EST. Global survey finds that more than 40% of EV drivers would avoid buying Tesla due to political considerations surrounding CEO Elon Musk and the brand. The study shows politics can influence consumer behavior in the automotive and technology sectors, potentially affecting market share for Tesla and other EV makers. While many buyers separate politics from product quality, a sizable segment says ideology could drive purchasing choices more than vehicle features. The findings have implications for brand strategy, policy, and competition in the evolving electric market. The report, credited to AFP, underscores how politics can intersect with tech business and consumer sentiment globally.

Galaxy Tab S10 FE Drops to $359 on Amazon, Making a Flagship Tablet Budget-Friendly

November 18, 2025, 8:48 PM EST. Samsung's Galaxy Tab S10 FE, a value-focused flagship, just hit a new low: $359 for the 128GB/Wi-Fi model on Amazon, down from $499. The deal puts a premium Android tablet-featuring an S Pen, IP68 water resistance, and Samsung's ecosystem-into budget territory. The 10.4-inch 2000×1200 display runs at a 90Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling, while the Exynos 1580 and Mali-G68 deliver steady multitasking and casual gaming. Dual speakers with Dolby Atmos boost media playback, and the 8,000mAh battery targets long life (roughly 15-20 hours). Includes magnetically attached S Pen with 4,096 pressure levels and about 26 ms latency. A strong value for buyers who want flagship features without flagship pricing.

California's Opt Me Out Act Could Redefine Browser Privacy Across the U.S.

November 18, 2025, 8:46 PM EST. A new California law, AB 566-the California Opt Me Out Act-requires browser makers to offer an opt-out signal that lets users disable sharing and selling of personal information while they browse. Signed in October 2025, the measure aims to automate privacy controls so people don't have to set preferences per site. When it takes effect in January 2027, the feature would protect data like browsing history, location data, purchase history, and interests across the web with a single step. Advocates say it could become a national standard, since rolling this out state by state would be difficult. Some progress already exists (Mozilla's Firefox), while others-like Google's Privacy Sandbox-are winding down, potentially accelerating the move to universal browser-based controls.

Best DJI Mic Mini Deal: Lowest Price Yet at $99

November 18, 2025, 8:44 PM EST. Take your audio on the go with the DJI Mic Mini. This compact system (2 TX, 1 RX, and Charging Case) delivers portable, easy audio for creators. As of Nov 18, you can save $70 and pay $99 (normally $169), the lowest price we've seen. A great choice for vloggers, streamers, and mobile shooters seeking clean, reliable sound. Deal pricing can change after publication-act quickly to lock in the discount.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai says AI could do his job one day

November 18, 2025, 8:42 PM EST. Google CEO Sundar Pichai suggests that AI could eventually handle his responsibilities, underscoring growing questions about automation and the future of work in tech. While he frames it as a possibility rather than a promise, his remarks highlight the pace at which AI tools are advancing and their potential to reshape leadership, decision-making, and daily operations. The discussion signals both opportunities-increased efficiency and new capabilities-and concerns about job displacement and the need for regulation and ethics as these technologies scale. Expect ongoing debate about how soon AI could complement or replace human roles at major tech firms and across the economy.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches 29 Starlink Satellites From Cape Canaveral – Watch Live

November 18, 2025, 8:40 PM EST. SpaceX's Falcon 9 is set to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station around 7:10 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, carrying 29 Starlink satellites. Viewers can watch the live stream at fox35orlando/watch; the first stage booster is on its 12th flight, and the satellites should deploy about an hour after liftoff. Starlink aims to deliver global high-speed internet for streaming, calls and remote work, with residential pricing starting at $59 (moving to $80 after Oct. 29). SpaceX has completed hundreds of missions and landings as part of its reusable-rocket program. The FAA had placed launch-time restrictions during the 2025 shutdown (10 p.m.-6 a.m.); after reopening, those restrictions were not fully lifted.

Cloudflare outage disrupts ChatGPT, X, League of Legends, and NJ Transit services

November 18, 2025, 8:38 PM EST. A Cloudflare outage disrupted a wide swath of online services, impacting ChatGPT, X (formerly Twitter), the online game League of Legends, and the New Jersey Transit website. By around 10 a.m. ET, Cloudflare said it was monitoring the situation to restore all services. Other affected platforms included Shopify, Dropbox, Coinbase, and Moody's credit ratings site, which displayed an Error 500. NJ Transit cautioned that njtransit.com and related digital services could be slow or unavailable. Cloudflare, a San Francisco-based internet infrastructure provider, protects sites and improves performance. The incident follows past outages at Azure and AWS that disrupted Office 365, Minecraft, and broader services. The industry is reminded how a single network provider can ripple across the internet.

Let the Internet Die? A Case for Rebuilding a User-Centric, Privacy-First Web

November 18, 2025, 8:36 PM EST. Enrique Dans argues that the internet has already died in practice, overshadowed by intrusive advertising, pervasive tracking, and powerful platform algorithms. He warns that GenAI and bot-driven browsing are hollowing out traffic, eroding clicks and publishers' revenue, and threatening the open web. Google's shift from blue links to AI-generated answers, plus the rise of AI browsers, could collapse traditional traffic models. The piece casts the shift as a rescue from a surveillance-driven old web and calls for a rebuilt internet centered on user control, data ownership, privacy, and merit-based value exchange, where those who deliver genuine value are paid. A redesigned internet would redistribute traffic fairly, protect privacy, and preserve a space for exploration-if we commit to rebuilding rather than restoring the old order.

Microsoft Develops CUDA-to-ROCm Toolkits to Run NVIDIA Models on AMD GPUs, Slashing Inference Costs

November 18, 2025, 8:34 PM EST. Microsoft is reportedly building toolkits to translate CUDA models into ROCm-supported code, enabling inference workloads on AMD GPUs and potentially cutting costs. The approach aims to bridge the CUDA ecosystem-vital for many AI deployments-with ROCm, mitigating NVIDIA's software advantage. Tools may rely on a runtime compatibility layer to map CUDA API calls to ROCm, similar to ZLUDA, avoiding full source rewrites. Microsoft reportedly discussed partnerships with AMD and is exploring paths for Azure-integrated, end-to-end cloud migration that supports both NVIDIA and AMD instances. While ROCm remains immature and some CUDA calls lack mappings (risking performance), the strategy underscores rising inference demand and the appeal of AMD GPUs when CUDA models must run across platforms.

Motorola Razr 60 Ultra price drops by Rs 19,100 on Flipkart

November 18, 2025, 8:32 PM EST. The Motorola Razr 60 Ultra gets a price cut on Flipkart to Rs 89,900 from Rs 1,09,000-a Rs 19,100 discount-with an extra Rs 4,000 instant discount on SBI Card or Flipkart Axis Card. The foldable features a 6.96-inch LTPO pOLED display at 165 Hz with HDR10+, Dolby Vision, up to 4,500 nits, protected by Gorilla Glass Ceramic; exterior is a 4-inch AMOLED cover at 165 Hz. Powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite, with up to 16GB RAM and 512GB storage. A 4,700mAh battery supports 68W fast charging, 30W wireless, and 5W reverse charging. It runs Android 15 with Hello UI and promises 3 years major updates and 4 years security patches. Dual 50MP rear cameras with OIS, 50MP front, 30x AI zoom, and 4K video. This is a limited-time deal.

Tesla's 2025 Holiday Update: Santa Mode Returns, Grok Wake Word, and Regional Expansions

November 18, 2025, 8:30 PM EST. Tesla's 2025 Holiday Update is shaping up to mirror last year's feature-packed release, with a focus on in-car personality, AI features, and regional reach. The piece lists a 'Nice List' of likely additions, including a revived Santa Mode for refreshed Model S and X with enhanced visuals; a new Grok wake word (Hey Grok/Hey Tesla) to simplify voice control for passengers; expanding Grok for Intel vehicles by slimming UI on older hardware; broader Grok regions as xAI processing scales to Europe and APAC; and customizable in-car visuals like custom wraps and license plates for the visualization. The article also recalls 2024's highlights such as the Energy App, Precipitation Map, Arrival Energy, and Nearby Parking, suggesting these experiences may continue to evolve this year.

Smart Enclosures Powering EV Charging and Grid Storage

November 18, 2025, 8:26 PM EST. Smart enclosures are quietly powering the EV revolution and grid storage by protecting critical power electronics in harsh environments. From rugged cabinets with advanced latches to Electronic Access Solutions (EAS), these enclosures guard high-value components-power converters, digital control modules, and safety interfaces-while enabling reliable operation at outdoor sites. EV charging hubs, from office lots to transit centers, rely on dedicated substations to link chargers to the grid and balance power flow. In grid-scale facilities, compact, container-sized enclosures house massive energy storage to stabilize local grids. The design challenge combines tough security with accessibility; models feature outdoor-rated housings, multi-point/rotary/draw latches, and remote monitoring via EAS that can issue virtual access keys. This hidden hardware is essential to a resilient, electrified future.

New study finds EV batteries age gracefully; most models retain 90%+ range after years

November 18, 2025, 8:24 PM EST. New study by Recurrent tracks real-world EV battery health and finds aging is slower than feared. After three years on the road, top brands like Cadillac, Hyundai, and Mercedes-Benz show almost no range loss, while Tesla maintains over 96% of its original range. Even brands with more loss-Volkswagen, BMW, Jaguar-keep above 90%, though older models pull the average down. The study explains batteries include built-in buffers that hide aging, unlocked over time by software updates. Updates can improve efficiency and further mask tiny losses. Battery degradation follows a predictable path: larger early drops, then a slowdown. Using real-world range rather than EPA stickers, Recurrent notes many EVs exceed EPA estimates in the first year or two. Overall, fears of a dying EV battery appear outdated.

Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) 1TB Now $999.99 at Motorola Store – Biggest Discount Yet

November 18, 2025, 8:22 PM EST. Flip-phone fans: The Razr Ultra (2025) 1TB variant is down to $999.99 at the official Motorola Store, a $500 discount and the first multi-hundred-dollar price cut in the line. The price drop marks the largest reduction Motorola has offered, also bringing the 512GB model to $899.99 with $400 off. The sale positions the Razr Ultra as a strong rival to the Galaxy Z Flip 7, showcasing Motorola's aggressive pricing strategy for 2025. Act fast-the window for these markdowns looks limited, and the 1TB option now stands as the best value in Motorola's flip-phone lineup.

DJI Osmo Action 6 introduces square sensor, variable aperture, and 4K120fps

November 18, 2025, 8:20 PM EST. DJI's Osmo Action 6 introduces a 1/1.1-inch square sensor that enables flexible framing, matching iPhone 17's front-camera approach and letting you shoot portraits in editing. The action cam adds a variable aperture from f/2.0 to f/4.0, improving low-light shots and close-ups. It maintains 4K video up to 120fps with a 4:3 crop, and supports D-LOG (10-bit) for richer colors and LUT-friendly edits. The new model uses RockSteady 3.0 extended to 4K@60fps, offers 2x lossless zoom, a Macro Lens with 11 cm minimum focus, and a FOV Boost option to widen the view. Storage reportedly increases to 50GB onboard storage.

Apple Podcasts 2025 Top Charts: Joe Rogan Leads US Listenership

November 18, 2025, 8:16 PM EST. Apple today unveiled its 2025 Apple Podcasts Top Charts, now accessible in the New tab across the app and extending through year-end. In the US, The Joe Rogan Experience tops listenership, with full top-ten lists across Top Shows, Top New Shows, Top Series, Top Episodes, and more. The release also includes Best Shows of 2025 selections in over 15 countries and a global, region-specific rollout. Notable entries include The Daily, Dateline NBC, Huberman Lab, and Crime Junkie among others. The charts highlight trends like sharing, following, and subscriber behavior, with metrics such as Most Shared Shows, Most Followed Shows, and Top Subscriber Shows.

Satellite Images Reveal Ukrainian Strike on Russia's Orion UAV Base in Crimea

November 18, 2025, 8:14 PM EST. Satellite imagery from Dnipro Osint shows scorched areas and debris at the Kirovske airbase in Russian-occupied Crimea, indicating damage to facilities used to operate the Orion reconnaissance-strike UAVs. The images, dated November 17, corroborate reports that the Ukrainian 1st Center of Unmanned Systems carried out the strike, which also hit a helicopter parking area at the same airfield. The Orion drone, built by Russia's Kronshtadt Group, has a 16-meter wingspan, 8-meter length, up to 200 kg payload, MTOW around 1.2 tons, and endurance up to 24 hours at altitudes up to 7,000 meters, with a range of 1,000-1,500 km and multiple hardpoints for guided munitions, including the S8000 "Banderol."

Wall Street slips as Nvidia, Bitcoin and AI hype fade in cautious market pullback

November 18, 2025, 8:12 PM EST. U.S. stocks edged lower as a global sell-off broadens, with Nvidia, Bitcoin and other AI-driven names retreating. The S&P 500 fell 0.4%, the Dow slid about 373 points (0.8%), and the Nasdaq lost around 0.6%. Nvidia, after leading a rally around AI chips, is down about 9.5% for the month as investors reassess lofty prices. Bitcoin briefly traded below $90,000 from near $125,000 last month, underscoring renewed volatility in crypto markets. Home Depot dropped 3.4% after reporting weaker summer profit than expected, citing a softer storm season. The pullback follows a period of rapid gains tied to AI fervor, with investors balancing optimism about AI against concerns of overvaluation and a possible AI bubble.

AI Boom to Persist Across Arm's Compute Subsystems, Says Arm CMO

November 18, 2025, 8:10 PM EST. Arm's CMO says the AI boom will endure despite bubble fears. The company reported 620 million in royalty revenue with a 21% YoY rise, driven by its shift from licensing IP to compute subsystems that accelerate AI chip time-to-market. In the long run, Arm aims to be everywhere: powering 325 billion devices across Edge AI (mobile, PCs, industrial and home automation, wearables), Physical AI (automotive and robotics), and Cloud AI (data centers). The strategy centers on power-efficient compute and a distributed future where AI moves beyond the data center toward the edge for privacy, security, and latency gains. Over the next decade, Arm envisions AI computing integrated from the smallest devices to the largest data centers, with compute increasingly embedded in everyday technology.

Markets slump as AI valuations spark jitters ahead of Nvidia results

November 18, 2025, 8:08 PM EST. U.S. stocks fell and global markets retreated amid growing concern that AI and tech valuations may be inflated, with attention focused on Nvidia as it prepares to report earnings. Nvidia, the world world's most valuable public company, trades under a cloud of fears that the AI rally may be overextended, and that a correction could ripple across the S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq. Analysts warn that even a mild miss could trigger further selling. A December rate cut by the Fed faces renewed scrutiny after Powell warned a cut isn't guaranteed, while Boston Fed President Susan Collins signaled rates may stay higher longer. The FedWatch tally puts the odds of a December cut near 47%, as traders await delayed U.S. jobs data and other releases.

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 hits $899.99 on Amazon for early Black Friday deal

November 18, 2025, 8:06 PM EST. Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 just hit an all-time low of $899.99 on Amazon as an early Black Friday deal, down from its $1,299.99 launch price. Equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, 16GB RAM, and 512GB storage, it keeps pace with flagship slabs. The folding display is a 7-inch AMOLED at 165Hz, paired with a capable 4-inch cover screen. Design shines with Pantone finishes and a sturdier titanium hinge, plus a 4,700mAh battery with 68W wired and 30W wireless charging. This discount makes a premium folding phone more accessible, though stock is limited.

Tesla Rises as Institutional Investors Boost Stakes in Q3 13F Filings

November 18, 2025, 8:04 PM EST. Tesla (TSLA) edged higher after institutional investors expanded their positions in the third quarter according to new 13F filings. Nomura Asset Management raised its stake to about 1.17 million shares (~$373.6 million), placing Tesla as its tenth-largest position. Others adding to holdings include Brighton Jones, Revolve Wealth Partners, Bison Wealth, and AMG National Trust Bank, while ARK Invest added more than 512,000 shares. Despite softer vehicle sales and the expiry of the $7,500 federal tax credit, funds still view Tesla as a diversified tech and energy company with growth potential in energy storage, Full Self-Driving software, the planned Robotaxi service, and its humanoid robotics program. Some investors trimmed exposure (e.g., Peter Thiel's fund), but institutional ownership rose to about 66% of outstanding shares.

Nvidia Faces Fresh Bubble Concerns as Peter Thiel Exits Stake

November 18, 2025, 8:02 PM EST. Regulatory filings show Thiel's hedge fund exited its entire Nvidia stake in Q3, selling about 537,742 shares worth roughly $100 million at quarter-end. The move fuels concerns that the current surge in AI valuations may be nearing a peak, joining earlier exits by SoftBank and trims by other hedge funds in big tech. With Nvidia again serving as a barometer for AI demand because its chips power data centers and servers, investors will scrutinize the upcoming Q3 results for signs that spending on AI infrastructure remains robust. The developments add to a growing narrative that lofty prices tied to AI hype could face a cooldown, even as demand remains a core driver for Nvidia's business.

Cloudflare outage exposes the internet's hidden pillar as major services go offline

November 18, 2025, 7:58 PM EST. Cloudflare, the invisible backbone of much of the web, faced a disruption Tuesday that knocked popular services offline. The outage hit high-profile platforms such as X and ChatGPT, with widespread login issues and 500 errors reported as customers navigated an affected network. Cloudflare, a cloud infrastructure provider used by roughly 20% of sites, offers DDoS protection, performance optimization, and the ubiquitous Are you a human checks. By about 6 a.m. Eastern, the company acknowledged an issue and began remediation. By 9:42 a.m. Eastern, it said a fix was implemented and the incident was likely resolved, though operators continued monitoring. The exact cause remains unclear, underscoring how a single vendor outage can ripple across the internet and into everyday online experiences.

Free Phones for Black Friday: Which Mobile Carriers Are Giving Away Devices

November 18, 2025, 7:56 PM EST. Several mobile carriers are rolling out Black Friday deals that include free phones with new lines or trade-ins. This guide compares how to qualify, what plans are required, and any limits or fees. Expect terms around device payments, activation costs, and potential bill credits. Learn how to maximize value-from upfront credits to monthly discounts-and what to watch for in the fine print. If you're shopping for a new device, this overview highlights where you can snag a free phone without sacrificing coverage or plan quality.

SpaceX targets morning Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg; where to watch in California

November 18, 2025, 7:54 PM EST. SpaceX is targeting a morning Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County. The mission-Transporter-15-is a rideshare of small satellites, not a Starlink batch, following the Sentinel-6B deployment earlier this month. The launch window runs 10:18-11:15 a.m. PT, with a potential backup the following day per FAA guidance. The rocket will launch from Space Launch Complex 4E on a southern trajectory toward a sun-synchronous orbit. Public viewing at Vandenberg is not offered, but clear skies can provide distant views in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Check back with VC Star for updates on timing or delays as weather or rocket issues can postpone liftoff.

Tesla safety driver asleep in robotaxi fuels debate on autonomous vehicle safety and permits

November 18, 2025, 7:50 PM EST. Ars Technica reports that a safety driver in a Tesla robotaxi fell asleep during a passenger ride, with another instance on a Temescal-San Francisco run. The incident underscores the demanding role of human safety drivers in autonomous cars, and contrasts Tesla's approach with Waymo's training standards. Since the Austin trial began in July, Tesla has seen at least seven crashes, though it redacts data shared with the NHTSA. California operations appear precarious: Robotaxi LLC holds a DMV testing permit but lacks CPUC authorization for autonomous rides, while a separate permit was obtained to operate a conventional ride-hailing service with human drivers. Ars sought comment from Tesla and will update on developments.

DJI Osmo Action 6: Variable Aperture, 1/1.1-Inch Sensor, 4K/120fps

November 18, 2025, 7:48 PM EST. DJI today unveiled the Osmo Action 6, the industry's first action cam with a mechanically variable aperture (f/2.0-f/4.0) paired to a 1/1.1-inch square CMOS sensor. The camera promises up to 13.5 stops of dynamic range, 4K Custom recording (3840×3840) up to 60fps and 4K/120fps in 4:3, plus 10-bit D-Log M for color grading. It features dual OLED touchscreens, 1000-nit peak brightness, IP68 waterproofing to 20m, and 50GB built-in storage. DJI positions the Action 6 as a high-end option for pros needing a lightweight B-camera or rig option. The mechanical aperture system is the headline shift for action cams, enabling Auto, Fixed, Starburst, and Large Aperture modes.

Samsung's Movingstyle: a 27-inch rollable TV that doubles as a tablet

November 18, 2025, 7:46 PM EST. Samsung's Movingstyle is a 27-inch QHD smart display that can roll on an adjustable stand, lie flat, or prop up with an integrated kickstand. It functions as a TV and a tablet, with a touchscreen for gaming and navigation and support for AirPlay, USB-C, and HDMI mirroring. Running Tizen, it offers streaming apps, a 120Hz refresh rate, and Samsung Gaming Hub for Xbox Cloud Gaming. It can run on battery for up to three hours, supports Dolby Atmos via Q-Symphony with compatible soundbars, and includes the Art Store and AI features like generative wallpaper. UK price is £1,199 (US $1,199); available via John Lewis.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-15 Launch from Vandenberg: Will Arizona See It?

November 18, 2025, 7:44 PM EST. SpaceX plans a Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Nov. 19 as part of the Transporter-15 rideshare mission. The window runs 10:18-11:15 a.m. PT, with a backup slot the following day if needed. This mission is not a Starlink flight-the payloads are small satellites deployed into a sun-synchronous orbit. Because the rocket will follow a southern trajectory, visibility from Arizona is unlikely, and morning sun glare could further obscure sightings. Delays due to weather or technical issues are common, so check back with local outlets such as azcentral for updates. The launch follows a prior Sentinel-6B mission from California and marks another step in SpaceX's busy west coast schedule from Vandenberg.

SoftBank sells Nvidia stake for $5.8B, pivots toward OpenAI

November 18, 2025, 7:42 PM EST. SoftBank Group disclosed it sold its stake in Nvidia for about $5.8 billion, raising capital to diversify into other bets and speed up its shift toward OpenAI and AI services, including in Japan. The Tokyo-based firm said first-half profit jumped to roughly ¥2.5 trillion (~$13 billion) and six-month sales rose about 7.7% to ¥3.7 trillion. SoftBank has long invested through its Vision Funds and recently reiterated plans tied to AI ventures, including a high-profile joint push with OpenAI and partners on a project named Stargate. The move signals a strategic pivot away from Nvidia exposure toward boosting AI capabilities and potential collaborations around ChatGPT and related offerings in Japan and beyond.

Nicholas Carr Revisited: Is the Internet Making Us Stupid? A 17-Year Look at Our Changing Minds

November 18, 2025, 7:40 PM EST. Nicholas Carr's early warning in The Atlantic that the Internet is reshaping our neural circuitry and eroding our capacity for deep thinking remains striking. This Atlantic piece helped crystallize concerns that online life alters how we read, remember, and concentrate. The Time-Travel Thursday edit revisits how digital tools-from the iPhone to social media-have intensified interruptions and shortened attention spans. Carr reflects on his own attempts to resist scatter and questions whether his predictions have held up. The broader argument asks whether technological mediation enhances knowledge or dulls conceptual understanding. Framed alongside media milestones-from the printing press to television-the piece invites readers to consider how to foster focused thinking in an era of rapid information flow.

Microsoft warns Windows 11's agentic AI could install malware; enable only if you understand security implications

November 18, 2025, 7:38 PM EST. Microsoft has warned that Windows 11's upcoming agentic AI features carry security risks and will be off by default. In a support document, the company says you should only enable this feature if you understand the security implications, since agentic workspaces will create local AI agent accounts with access to user folders. Microsoft describes risks like cross-prompt injection (XPIA), which could trigger unintended actions such as data exfiltration or malware installation if UI elements are compromised. The company emphasizes human oversight, observable AI behavior, and tamper-evident audit logs. Preview builds are rolling out to Insiders, with Copilot and other AI apps expected to use agentic workspaces on Windows 11 soon.

Microsoft's AI-Native Windows: Insider Build Adds Experimental Agent Workspace and Local AI Agents

November 18, 2025, 7:32 PM EST. Microsoft is pressing toward an AI-native Windows, with Insider Build 26220.7262 introducing an Experimental agentic features toggle that creates a separate Agent Workspace. Unlike cloud copilots, these AI agents run locally and can perform tasks in the background, such as scrolling documents or managing apps. Each Agent Workspace gets its own agent with access to known folders (Documents, Downloads, Desktop, Videos, Pictures, Music) and is logged with a traceable activity path. The feature is off by default and requires administrator approval to enable, applying to all users on the device. Microsoft promises ongoing security, but acknowledges tradeoffs and cautions users to understand implications before enabling. The concept shifts Windows toward on-device AI agents, moving away from cloud-based windows toward a sandboxed, workspace-like environment, with privacy and control remaining central concerns.

AI Hacks AI: Cybercriminals Unleash a Self-Replicating AI-Powered Botnet

November 18, 2025, 7:30 PM EST. A new wave of cyber threats leverages AI-powered techniques to create a self-replicating botnet that can spread across devices and networks with minimal human input. Researchers warn that the botnet could rapidly scale, adapt in real time, and evade traditional security by changing tactics. The piece outlines the threat landscape for enterprises and individuals, and why detection and mitigation require a mix of behavioral analytics, strong patching, network segmentation, and secure configurations. It also calls for industry collaboration and secure-by-design AI to curb autonomous cybercrime and protect critical infrastructure.

Apple's 3D-Printed Titanium Watch Cases: A Sustainable Leap in Additive Manufacturing

November 18, 2025, 7:24 PM EST. Apple reveals its new Series 11 and Ultra 3 watch cases are 3D-printed from 100% recycled titanium. Framed as a cornerstone of its sustainability push toward a 2030 carbon-neutral goal, the approach uses additive manufacturing to reduce material waste and energy versus traditional subtractive CNC processes. The goal is an identical aesthetic to Apple's past watches while enabling production at scale without sacrificing quality. In an exclusive discussion, Apple researchers explain how this process is brought together and why it marks a major shift for hardware manufacturing. The piece highlights how 3D-printed components, recycled titanium, and scalable production intersect with the future of high-end wearables.

Hokkaidō's Taiki Spaceport Aims to Become East Asian Space Launch Hub

November 18, 2025, 7:18 PM EST. Taiki, in Hokkaidō, is positioning itself as an East Asian space launch hub. After a Taiwan-affiliated company conducted Japan's first foreign-funded rocket launch from Taiki in July 2025, a new spaceport plan aims to attract more missions. The story highlights a surge in compact small satellites and small-lift vehicles, fueling a growing network of launch sites in the Asia-Pacific (per BryceTech). Most satellites launched in 2023 weighed under 600 kg, boosting demand for SSO (sun-synchronous orbit) launches; meanwhile, operators seek efficiency and strong infrastructure. GEO missions remain valuable for heavier payloads, but high-latitude sites like Taiki offer pivotal geographic advantages. Hokkaidō Spaceport (HOSPO) seeks to leverage its location facing the Pacific to serve operators with frequent launches and robust support.

iOS 26.2 Beta Adds Temporary AirDrop Access With Shareable Codes

November 18, 2025, 7:12 PM EST. Apple's iOS 26.2 beta 3 adds a new AirDrop mode that lets two people share files temporarily using a shareable code. The code grants AirDrop access for 30 days without adding the recipient as a contact. Users can generate a code in Settings and share it securely; the receiver enters the code to connect. Access can be managed or revoked later in Settings, General, AirDrop, Manage Known AirDrop Contacts. This expands options beyond the existing contacts-only or everyone modes by enabling a one-time, time-limited connection with someone who isn't in your address book. Apple has also been updating firmware for AirPods and other products in the same news cycle.

EV real-world range after 3 years: Tesla holds up well as Cadillac, Hyundai and Mercedes lead

November 18, 2025, 7:10 PM EST. New data from Recurrent shows concerns about battery aging are often overstated. Across 14 brands, real-world range after three years remains solid, aided by buffers and software tweaks. Cadillac, Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz lead in preserving real-world range, with Tesla retaining more than 96% of its initial capacity. VW, BMW and Jaguar lag somewhat but stay above 90%. The study highlights how engineering strategy-heat management, charging behavior and software optimization-shapes aging, and how older platforms (Bolt, I-Pace, early i3) pull a portfolio's averages down. In short, battery aging is real but less consequential for most owners than expected, and automakers continue to improve the resilience of their EV lineups.

Tesla Holiday Update 2025 Wishlist: More streaming platforms, European FSD, and Grok improvements

November 18, 2025, 7:08 PM EST. Tesla's 2025 Holiday Update is highly anticipated, with owners hoping for more than just fun features. The wishlist highlights: More streaming platforms (HBOMax, Paramount+, YouTube TV alongside Netflix, Disney+, Hulu); Full Self-Driving for Europe (regulatory hurdles remain, but testers have done trials); Deeper Grok Integration to handle in-car tasks like climate control and navigation stops; and an 'Learn' Mode for FSD arrival options. Past updates delivered items like Custom Lock Sound, new Light Shows, and High Fidelity Park Assist, and 2025's update is expected to blend practical upgrades with entertainment. While impossible to know what will arrive, enthusiasts want streaming options, better regional FSD support, and smarter Grok-based controls.

iPhone 17 Drives Apple to 25% Share of China Smartphone Market

November 18, 2025, 7:06 PM EST. Apple strengthened its dominance in China's premium smartphone market in October, as shipments climbed and the iPhone 17 series drove growth. China's overall smartphone market rose 8% YoY, with Apple capturing about 25% of total sales-one in four smartphones. iPhone shipments jumped 37% YoY on the back of iPhone 17 demand; all three models posted mid-to-high double-digit growth, and new iPhones accounted for over 80% of unit sales per Counterpoint. Higher average selling prices are expected to lift revenue into the December quarter. Xiaomi reached No. 2 for the first time in over a decade, fueled by its early Xiaomi 17 launch and strong lineup, while OPPO contributed with Find X9 and Reno 14. Despite Huawei's Mate 80 launch, Apple remains on a strong momentum path, with the stock up YTD.

Amazon vs Perplexity: The AI Agent War Reshaping Shopping and Regulation

November 18, 2025, 7:04 PM EST. Amazon has sued Perplexity AI over a browser feature that uses an AI agent to automate shopping, arguing that Comet secretly accessed user accounts and masqueraded as human browsing. The case spotlights questions about regulation of autonomous shopping agents, liability for their actions, and who benefits-the customer or the maker. Perplexity, valued at about $20B, has faced criticism over data sourcing and alleged plagiarism from outlets like Forbes and Wired, fueling the controversy around its rapid growth and market ambitions. The startup's ascent has even seen investments from Jeff Bezos. The dispute echoes broader tensions between platform controls and startup innovation, with research from Microsoft indicating AI agents can be manipulation-prone. The ruling could reshape how consumers use agents online.

Supermicro Unveils AI Factory Clusters Powered by NVIDIA Enterprise Architectures and Blackwell GPUs

November 18, 2025, 7:00 PM EST. Supermicro today unveiled turnkey AI factory cluster solutions built on NVIDIA Enterprise Reference Architectures and NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs. The full-stack offerings fuse Supermicro's NVIDIA-Certified Systems, Data Center Building Block Solutions (DCBBS), and NVIDIA Spectrum-X Ethernet to shorten deployment cycles and speed time-to-online for scale deployments. These rack-scale AI factory clusters are fully integrated and validated by Supermicro, with the NVIDIA software stack pre-installed and plug-and-play readiness for greenfield data centers or factory refurbishments. Led by CEO Charles Liang, the company positions the AI factory as a foundation for enterprise democratization of AI. Available in scalable units (small, medium, large), they aim to reduce lead times and vendor juggling, accelerating development from concept to production.

Japan sets world-record internet speed: 125,000 GB/s over 1,120 miles with ultra-dense optical fiber

November 18, 2025, 6:58 PM EST. Researchers in Japan claim a new world-record for the fastest internet speed, delivering 125,000 GB/s over 1,120 miles (1,802 km). They say it's about 4 million times the average U.S. speed and could let you download the entire Internet Archive in minutes. The achievement, presented at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference by Japan's NICT, relies on a novel optical fiber that packs 19 fibers into a five-thousandths-of-an-inch diameter, reducing data loss over long distances. The system required 21 transmission steps to reach the destination. The result, not yet independently verified, highlights progress toward long-distance, high-capacity, scalable communications and may influence future infrastructure. Researchers aim to explore practical telecom applications.

Chinese XYJ-7 Satellite Reentry Over Canary Islands Triggers Strong Infrasound and Seismic Signals

November 18, 2025, 6:56 PM EST. On October 16, 2025, a bright fireball broke apart above the Canary Islands, with seismic networks recording a distinct signal around 2:58 a.m. local time. Officials later identified the source as the reentry of the Chinese satellite XYJ-7 over Tenerife. The event produced low-frequency infrasound that can travel vast distances, and seismometers logged multiple pressure pulses as energy dispersed along the flight path. Video timestamps and eyewitness directions helped reconstruct the trajectory, consistent with a controlled orbital decay ending over Tenerife. U.S. space sensors maintain a public database of atmospheric events to compare new signals with prior reentries. The observation was a bolide-like atmospheric event, not an earthquake or volcanic movement.

Can Nvidia regain its AI crown as AMD and Broadcom surge

November 18, 2025, 6:54 PM EST. Nvidia is no longer the hottest AI trade on Wall Street as rivals outpace it in 2025. Year-to-date Nvidia is up about 39%, while AMD has doubled and Broadcom has climbed 48%. In the last three months, Nvidia is up 2%, vs AMD 37% and Broadcom 12%. Citi and other analysts note investors see slower EPS growth for Nvidia relative to its peers. Still, next week's earnings could help Nvidia reclaim the AI crown: Stifel's Ruben Roy lifted his 12-month target to $250, pointing to a moderate beat and a backstop of more than $500bn in cumulative order book for Blackwell and Rubin infrastructure through 2025-2026. A stronger print could lift broader markets, even as Nvidia trades around 29x forward earnings vs the S&P's roughly 21x, while peers fetch AMD 39x and Broadcom 36x.

First Demonstration of Quantum Teleportation Over Live Internet Cables

November 18, 2025, 6:48 PM EST. Northwestern University researchers achieved the first demonstration of quantum teleportation over a fiber optic link already carrying Internet traffic. Published in Optica, the work shows quantum and classical networks can share a single fiber-optic infrastructure, simplifying deployment for quantum sensing and quantum computing applications. Led by Prem Kumar, the team found a quieter wavelength and added filters to suppress noise, enabling entangled photons to transfer a quantum state without the photons themselves traveling long distances. Experts say this approach could unlock ultra-fast, secure communications and a path toward integrated quantum-classical networks over existing cables.

Will Battlefield 6 run on Steam Machine? Valve hopes kernel-level anti-cheat talks spark on SteamOS

November 18, 2025, 6:44 PM EST. Valve unveils the Steam Machine, a SteamOS-based plug-and-play PC designed to pull more games into its ecosystem and spur kernel-level anti-cheat discussions with developers. Games like Valorant and Battlefield 6 rely on kernel-level anti-cheats Linux can't emulate, blocking launches on SteamOS. Valve argues the Steam Machine could shift incentives to enable anti-cheat on the platform, given its multiplayer focus and broader reach beyond the Deck. VAC Live remains non-kernel, while others deploy more invasive anti-cheats. Steam's hardware survey still shows Linux around 3%, MacOS ~2%, and Windows about 95% of users. The article links to coverage of Valve's hardware rollout and previews for the Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame.

Oppo Reno15 Pro launches to narrow the gap between mid-range and flagship smartphones

November 18, 2025, 6:38 PM EST. Oppo has unveiled the Reno15 Pro, aiming to narrow the gap between mid-range and flagship smartphones. The device sports a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with 2772 x 1272 resolution, 1800 nits peak brightness, and a 1-120 Hz variable refresh rate. Its sleek frame features 1.15 mm bezels, measuring 161 x 76 x 7.65 mm and weighing 205 g. Camera specs are headlined by a 200 MP main sensor, plus 50 MP ultra-wide, 50 MP telephoto, and a 50 MP front camera. Pricing starts at CNY 3,699 (~$520) for 12 GB RAM / 256 GB storage, with up to 16 GB RAM / 1 TB variants at CNY 4,799 (~$675). No word yet on an international release date.

Samsung launches Smart Keyboard for Galaxy devices with AI Short Key and coin-cell power at $109

November 18, 2025, 6:36 PM EST. Samsung unveils the Smart Keyboard, a standalone Bluetooth keyboard for Galaxy devices (phone, tablet, or Galaxy Book). The standout feature is an AI Short Key next to the arrow keys that launches Gemini, Bixby, or Copilot depending on the connected device. The keyboard supports up to three paired Bluetooth devices and includes three customizable app buttons (Notes, Calendar, PenUP) and a dedicated DeX key. It uses a CR2032 coin-cell battery rather than a rechargeable power source, with an eject pin for replacement. Priced at $109, Samsung's accessory targets on-the-go productivity for Galaxy owners. Is it worth the cost for you?

Black Friday 2025 tech deals are live: Amazon, Apple, Bose and more save big

November 18, 2025, 6:34 PM EST. Holiday deals are rolling in early, with Prime Day leftovers turning into Black Friday previews. This guide tracks legit price drops and verified savings from Amazon, Apple, Bose and other brands, so you don't overspend on impulse buys. Highlights include AirPods with a refreshed design and easier controls, budget-friendly streaming with the Fire TV Stick 4K, and smart TVs that unlock thousands of apps. We also note Apple AirTag bundles for travelers and a mix of gadget upgrades you actually need, not just shiny extras. I'll update this roundup through the season with deals you can trust and clear price history so you know a true bargain when you see it.

Pentagon Acting CIO Urges Aggressive Space Cybersecurity Push as CMMC Enters Enforcement

November 18, 2025, 6:32 PM EST. At CyberSat in Reston, Pentagon acting CIO Katie Arrington urged space professionals to push beyond complacency and accelerate cybersecurity innovation. With CMMC enforcement now underway, she said the DoD baseline must be adopted across the defense industrial base. "CMMC is great. You need to do more," she said, warning that neglecting the basics jeopardizes major programs like the F-35 and future space assets. Highlighting SpaceX's "fail early, fail often" mindset, Arrington urged industry to move at the speed of risk and innovation. She argued that small improvements can cause large ripple effects, and that speeding up a workflow can be the difference in preventing a kinetic satellite conflict years down the line.

Oracle (ORCL) Falls Steeply Ahead of Earnings; Valuation Stretches vs. Peers

November 18, 2025, 6:30 PM EST. Oracle (ORCL) closed at $219.86, down 1.34% on the day, underperforming the S&P 500 (-0.92%), Dow (-1.18%) and Nasdaq (-0.84%). The software giant has shed about 23.5% in the past month, lagging a modest Computer and Technology sector rally. Ahead of its upcoming earnings, the street projects EPS of $1.63 and revenue of $16.15 billion, with full-year Zacks Consensus calling for $6.80 per share and $66.89 billion in sales. Oracle carries a forward P/E of 32.77 and a PEG of 1.91, ahead of an industry average P/E of 23.03 and PEG of 1.85. The Zacks Rank sits at #3 (Hold) amid modest positive estimate revisions.

Apple Sees Record October in China on Strong iPhone 17 Demand

November 18, 2025, 6:22 PM EST. Apple posted a bumper October in China as iPhone 17 models drove a 37% year-over-year sales jump, with one in four smartphones sold in the month being an iPhone. New models accounted for more than 80% of unit sales, and the iPhone 17 family led a market-share milestone not seen since 2022. Analysts cited momentum ahead of possible competition from Huawei's Mate 80, while domestic brands like Xiaomi lifted overall Chinese smartphone sell-through. The report marks the best start to a December quarter for Apple in China, even as some markets report lukewarm reception to the iPhone Air. Counterpoint notes strong demand across the premium segment and a robust, resilient growth trajectory for the October period.

What We Lose by Letting AI Speak for Us – A Cluely Experiment

November 18, 2025, 6:20 PM EST. explores Cluely, an AI overlay that can read text, summarize live conversations, pull web context, and generate follow-ups to 'cheat' at chats. The author tests whether outsourcing dialogue to AI improves interaction and finds the opposite: any genuine understanding or connection seems to come despite the AI. The piece argues that AI cannot capture a person's conversational style or the lived experience behind speech. Even if AI scanned all of someone's writings and calls, it wouldn't reproduce their full life. The author's attempts in casual chats and interviews with linguists like Deborah Tannen and anthropologist N. J. Enfield show that the best approach may be to translate ideas into one's own voice rather than rely on AI. Human connection, not automation, remains central.

Internet Archive Reaches One Trillion Web Pages Archived

November 18, 2025, 6:18 PM EST. On October 22, 2025, the Internet Archive celebrates a milestone: archiving one trillion web pages. The non-profit, which hosts the Wayback Machine at archive.org, was founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle to preserve digital artifacts and create an Internet library for researchers and historians. The organization stores two copies of every item across a storage cluster built from tens of thousands of datanodes and rising petabytes of data. Back in 2016 they ingested ~13-15 TB per day and housed about 20,000 drives, upgrading to higher-density drives (up to 8 TB) while keeping two copies. The milestone underscores the value of digital preservation and open access to humanity's online history.

Samsung's Smart Keyboard: multi-device Bluetooth, DeX key and AI shortcuts

November 18, 2025, 6:16 PM EST. Samsung's new Smart Keyboard is a slim, 4.3mm aluminum tenkeyless that can pair with up to three devices via Bluetooth 5.4. A dedicated switch with LEDs lets you cycle between Galaxy phones, tablets and laptops, with no 2.4GHz dongle. It's built for desk setups-especially with DeX-thanks to a DeX key and F1-F3 shortcuts. An AI button summons Bixby or Google Gemini on Android, or Microsoft Copilot on Windows, when on One UI 8.0+. Power comes from a CR2032 coin cell, promising long life, though Samsung hasn't shared exact figures. A caveat: there's no matching wireless mouse, so you'll need a compatible multi-device mouse as well. Available in several regions, with a price around $110.

iPhone 17 Tops China Market with 25% Share in October, Counterpoint Reports

November 18, 2025, 6:14 PM EST. Counterpoint Research says the iPhone 17 lineup is selling exceptionally well in China, delivering a record October performance. Apple captured 25% of all smartphones sold in China in October, with iPhone sales up 37% YoY and strong growth across the three iPhone 17 models. Despite geopolitical and regulatory headwinds, Apple's China dependence remains: the company is expanding manufacturing to India and other regions but still relies on China, even as it navigates data localization and app-store pressure. The report notes a banner December quarter start and a shift of Huawei buyers toward iPhone, leaving rivals like Mi and Vivo trailing. Overall, the iPhone 17 is driving premium segment momentum and solidifying Apple's leadership in China's premium market, even as manufacturing in China continues to be central to Apple's global strategy.

Bezos-backed Project Prometheus targets AI-driven manufacturing and robotics

November 18, 2025, 6:12 PM EST. Bezos is back in the spotlight as he becomes co-CEO of Project Prometheus, a startup billed as building AI for the physical economy. The venture aims to advance AI that supports engineering and manufacturing across sectors such as computing, aerospace, and automotive. Reportedly, it has raised about $6.2 billion and hired 100+ staff from Meta, OpenAI, and DeepMind. Co-CEO Vik Bajaj-formerly with Google X, Verily, and Foresite Labs-helps steer the effort. While concrete products remain under wraps, the firm is described as enabling robots to observe and run experiments autonomously and scale their capabilities, potentially augmenting humanoids in workplaces. The move sits alongside broader robotics/AI trends in manufacturing, including Agility Robotics' Digit and Apptronik's Apollo initiatives, and parallels investments in AI-enabled material science.

Garmin announces feature updates for select smartwatches and Edge cycling computers

November 18, 2025, 6:10 PM EST. Garmin unveiled free software updates for popular devices including Venu X1, vívoactive 6, fēnix 8, Forerunner 570/970 and Edge 540/840/1050 as well as MTB bikes. New smartwatch feature Health Status lets users monitor metrics like heart rate, HRV, respiration, skin temperature and Pulse Ox overnight, with trends visible in Garmin Connect. In-ride cycling enhancements include smart fueling alerts, real-time weather overlays, and power guide updates that adjust targets for altitude and wind. Gear ratio analysis shows time spent in each gear, and GroupRide data comparisons let riders compare speed, heart rate, power and cadence within a group. A premium 3D maps feature is added in Garmin Connect+ for topographic detail. Updates roll out via automatic updates or Garmin Express.

EU weighs extra scrutiny for AWS and Azure under DMA

November 18, 2025, 6:06 PM EST. EU regulators are weighing whether Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure should be classified as gatekeepers under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), potentially subjecting their cloud businesses to tougher rules. The European Commission says it will assess whether these cloud providers act as essential gateways between businesses and consumers, even if they miss the DMA thresholds. The inquiry follows existing designations like Amazon Marketplace and LinkedIn and comes as cloud infrastructure remains central to digital services. Officials cite strong market positions and the recent AWS outage to illustrate dependence on cloud platforms. Both companies say the sector is dynamic and competitive, and the Commission will consider facts before deciding on any designation.

Cloudflare outage disrupts X, Spotify and more as global network issues unfold

November 18, 2025, 6:04 PM EST. Cloudflare faced a global outage that disrupted many services relying on its network, with a spike in unusual traffic around 6:20 a.m. EST. The problems affected popular sites including X, Spotify, OpenAI, and League of Legends, per Downdetector. Cloudflare acknowledged the issue, said it was investigating, and later reported changes to recover its Access and WARP systems to restore traffic. By mid-morning, Downdetector and other sites were also experiencing outages tied to Cloudflare. The company said it would provide updates on its status page as it works to restore full service and prevent future incidents.

Apple Loses Top Product Designer Abidur Chowdhury to AI Startup

November 18, 2025, 6:02 PM EST. Apple loses another top product designer as Abidur Chowdhury departs for an AI startup, per Bloomberg. Joining in 2019, Chowdhury helped shape products like the iPhone Air and carried a rising profile within Apple's industrial design team. His exit underscores ongoing brain drain in Apple's revered design group, which has shrunk and seen multiple departures since Jony Ive left in 2019 and LoveFrom has poached other top designers. With roughly 30 designers in the core team, even a single departure can have outsized impact on Apple's design cadence and product aesthetics.

Apple Podcasts 2025: Most Popular Shows, New Debuts, and Editorial Picks

November 18, 2025, 6:00 PM EST. Apple today unveiled the 2025 Apple Podcasts charts, highlighting the most popular shows, Top Shows, Top New Shows, Most Followed, Most Shared, and Top Channels. The release includes a curated section from Apple's editorial team, presenting the Best Shows of 2025 and localizable global and regional charts. Fans can explore the full collection in the New tab of the Apple Podcasts app through year-long views of the biggest hits. Highlights include Top Shows (based on listenership), Top New Shows (debuting in 2025), Most Followed and Most Shared lists, plus Top Channels. In 15 markets, Apple also offers the Best Shows of 2025 curated picks, with the official Show of the Year reveal on December 4.

Cloudflare outage disrupts major websites as services recover

November 18, 2025, 5:58 PM EST. Cloudflare suffered an outage described as an internal service degradation that disrupted many popular sites and apps. The provider said it began investigating just before 7 a.m. ET, with users reporting outages on X, Spotify, OpenAI, and Amazon Web Services as well as other sites via DownDetector. Affected pages showed internal server error messages or prompts to unblock challenges.cloudflare.com. Cloudflare said it was focused on restoration and would issue updates; around 7:30 a.m. some services began to recover, though higher-than-normal error rates persisted. By shortly after 8 a.m., Cloudflare said the issue was identified and in the process of being fixed. New York City Emergency Management monitored potential disruptions. The incident follows an earlier, widespread AWS outage in October.

Tuesday's Biggest Analyst Calls: Nvidia, Amazon, Alphabet, Deckers, Marriott, FormFactor & More

November 18, 2025, 5:56 PM EST. Tuesday's biggest analyst calls cover tech hardware, software, and related growth names. Highlights include Deckers upgraded to Buy by Stifel on attractive risk/reward after management meetings; Alphabet upgraded to Buy by Loop; Amazon raised to Buy by Loop with a $360 target on a stronger retail/advertising engine; Nvidia reaffirmed by Stifel with higher estimates; Citigroup reiterates Nvidia and Broadcom as Buy and calls AMD Neutral; Lumentum opened at Outperform by Mizuho as AI-driven demand heats data-center opticals; FormFactor initiated at Overweight by Cantor Fitzgerald on share gains; Scholar Rock started Outperform by Wolfe; Marriott and Wynn initiated Overweight by Wells Fargo on cash-flow and growth upside.

Nvidia's $4+ Trillion Data Center Opportunity: AI, Cloud & the Data Center Boom

November 18, 2025, 5:54 PM EST. Nvidia is at the center of a $4+ trillion data center opportunity, driven by rising demand for AI, cloud computing, and advanced compute. The piece highlights how NVDA benefits from secular shifts in enterprise IT, accelerated adoption of AI workloads, and expansive data-center infrastructure. Key themes include GPU-accelerated AI, leadership in semiconductors, and opportunities across hyperscalers, enterprises, and industrials. It also notes risk factors such as market cycles, competition, and regulatory dynamics, along with disclosures. As AI adoption accelerates, Nvidia's ecosystem-anchored by CUDA, software, and hardware-positions the company for durable growth in the data center market and broader AI applications.

Samsung Smart Keyboard debuts with AI key and DeX shortcut, rivaling Apple's Magic Keyboard

November 18, 2025, 5:52 PM EST. Samsung launches the Smart Keyboard, a tenkeyless Bluetooth keyboard with a slim metal frame and a dedicated AI key and a DeX shortcut. When connected to a Galaxy phone or tablet, pressing the AI key summons Bixby or Gemini; when paired with a Windows laptop, it can launch Microsoft Copilot. It features media controls on the function row, customizable shortcuts on F1-F3, and seamless multi-device pairing with Bluetooth 5.4. A replaceable coin-cell battery keeps it slim. Priced at $109.99 in the US, the keyboard targets Galaxy users seeking an Apple Magic Keyboard-style alternative for non-Apple devices, with easy switching between up to three devices. The AI-centric design highlights Samsung's push to weave AI into everyday workflows.

Ethical Web AI Launches AI Vault 2.0 Beta to Accelerate GTM, Compliance, and Data Sovereignty

November 18, 2025, 5:50 PM EST. Ethical Web AI announced the beta launch of AI Vault 2.0, a major upgrade to its enterprise generative AI platform. The release introduces in-country deployment and data sovereignty controls, letting customers choose their deployment country to keep data within jurisdiction. It adds Hybrid SaaS access for non-AWS customers, with workloads hosted on dedicated AWS instances. New DPO roles and expanded compliance reporting enable executives to govern AI usage and demonstrate regulatory adherence. The update features global shared history access, improving cross-organization oversight, and a significantly enhanced UI for large teams. The move supports go-to-market expansion with partners like Ingram Micro and AWS, aiming for strong year-end momentum and growth.

Why Generative AI Went from Risk to Business Imperative for U.S. Companies

November 18, 2025, 5:48 PM EST. Morning reading: three years ago, most companies saw generative AI as an uncertain curiosity. Today, Fortune 500s are rethinking core processes to leverage it, and momentum is accelerating toward 2026. In conversations with Wharton professor Stefano Puntoni and the WHAIR study, 800 senior leaders report that 88% expect to increase generative AI investment in the next year, and 62% anticipate budgets rising by more than 10% within two to five years. After early concerns about data leakage, liability, and consumer protection, many firms are moving ahead with guardrails. Adoption has surged-from 37% weekly users in 2023 to 82% now, with 46% using it daily. Leaders track ROI on profitability, productivity, and throughput, though results vary by size, with larger enterprises facing slower progress.

Cloudflare outage disrupts major sites after spike in unusual traffic

November 18, 2025, 5:46 PM EST. Cloudflare faced a global outage after a spike in unusual traffic before the errors began, impacting platforms like OpenAI's ChatGPT, Shopify, and X (formerly Twitter). Downdetector flagged widespread issues as other services such as Indeed, Anthropic's Claude, and Truth Social also appeared affected. Cloudflare said the spike occurred around 6:20 a.m. ET, with some traffic passing through its network experiencing errors as it worked on a fix. The company emphasized it does not yet know the cause and is actively investigating. The outage underscored Cloudflare's role in securing and routing traffic for roughly a fifth of the web and came amid recent cloud-service disruptions from AWS and Microsoft Azure. Updates were being posted to its status page as the situation evolved.

ChatGPT outage explained: Cloudflare disruption, OpenAI status, and what's next

November 18, 2025, 5:44 PM EST. OpenAI's ChatGPT is down due to a Cloudflare service disruption, with updates reaffirming a third-party provider issue. Cloudflare reports a spike in unusual traffic affecting some users, while OpenAI points to the external provider as the root cause and promises updates. Downdetector shows incidents across ChatGPT and other services on Cloudflare's network. The outage comes amid AI developments around Gemini and new ChatGPT builds (5.1). Users are reporting login failures and unavailability on web and mobile apps. As OpenAI and Cloudflare investigate the traffic spike, expect further status updates and potential workarounds. Stay tuned to official status pages; for now, many users are briefly unable to access ChatGPT, OpenAI, and related AI services as Cloudflare works to restore normal service.

Apple takes 25% of China smartphone market in October on strong iPhone 17 demand

November 18, 2025, 5:40 PM EST. Apple captured about 25% of China's smartphone market in October, as iPhone 17 demand drove a 37% YoY surge in sales, according to Counterpoint. The overall China smartphone sell-through rose 8% YoY, with gains led by Apple and domestic brands. All three iPhone 17 variants posted mid-to-high double-digit growth, led by the base model, and new models accounted for more than 80% of Apple's unit sales. Analysts say rising ASPs are lifting Apple's top line, and momentum suggests a possible record December quarter. The milestone mirrors a 2022 peak when competition in the premium segment was softer, underscoring Apple's strength in the China market.

DDN Unveils AI FASTTRACK to Accelerate Enterprise AI Adoption at SC25

November 18, 2025, 5:38 PM EST. DDN unveiled AI FASTTRACK at SC25 to help enterprises move from AI pilots to production with speed, simplicity, and confidence. A response to 2025 research showing 65% of organizations say AI complexity blocks ROI and scale, FASTTRACK blends validated architectures, expert guidance, and cloud flexibility to shorten time-to-value. Built on DDN CORE, it delivers up to 15× faster checkpointing, 70% higher throughput, and 10× lower power and floor-space, enabling measurable efficiency from day one. Validated with the NVIDIA AI Data Platform reference design, AI FASTTRACK includes three offerings that span HPC conversion, turnkey deployment, and cloud-first scale-starting with Enterprise AI HyperPOD (turnkey, power-on readiness) for up to 10× throughput gain and 60% lower TCO, with up to 22× accelerated performance.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 debuts 3D-printed titanium case from recycled powder

November 18, 2025, 5:34 PM EST. Apple is pushing its carbon-neutral ambitions into wearable design with the Apple Watch Ultra 3, featuring a 3D-printed titanium case produced from 100% aerospace-grade recycled titanium powder. The process, developed by Apple's metallurgy team, uses half the titanium of earlier Ultra generations and dramatically reduces waste by recycling unused powder. The result is not only a premium build but a demonstration of sustainable manufacturing that aligns with the company's broader 2030 goals. By 3D-printing the case and opting for recycled materials in magnets and copper elsewhere, Apple lowers energy use and material waste while preserving the premium tactile experience. The Ultra 3's case exemplifies how design, materials science, and supply-chain innovation can converge to redefine product sustainability in consumer tech.

DJI Osmo Action 6 Debuts With Variable Aperture and 1/1.1-Inch Sensor-US Launch Omitted

November 18, 2025, 5:32 PM EST. DJI unveils the Osmo Action 6, touting a variable aperture and a new 1/1.1-inch image sensor with fusion large pixels of 2.4 μm for better low-light videography. The camera aims to be a new benchmark for action-shot quality and strengthens DJI's position against GoPro. However, the flagship is not being sold through DJI's official US storefront at launch, continuing a pattern of skipping the US market. The development comes amid rising tensions and reflects DJI's selective regional rollouts. Creators depending on top-end image quality for drone and ground footage may find the Action 6 compelling despite the absent US launch, as its sensor and optics promise notable performance gains.

Cloudflare outage hits X, Spotify and more: what caused it and recovery updates

November 18, 2025, 5:30 PM EST. An outage at the internet infrastructure firm Cloudflare disrupted access to popular services on Tue, Nov. 18, including X (formerly Twitter), Spotify, OpenAI, and more. Downdetector tracked thousands of reports as users faced connectivity issues across sites that rely on Cloudflare's edge network. Cloudflare said it had made changes to help Access and WARP recover, though some problems remained as teams work toward full restoration. The incident underscores how many services depend on Cloudflare for performance and security. For users seeking a quick workaround, steps include disabling browser extensions, clearing caches and cookies, trying a different browser, or a different device. The list of affected sites also included League of Legends, Google Store, and others.

Dell PowerScale goes parallel with Project Lightning and AI Factory tie-in at SC25

November 18, 2025, 5:26 PM EST. Dell used SC25 to unveil Project Lightning, parallelizing PowerScale via parallel IO in its OneFS operating system, using pNFS with a metadata server and Flex Files layout for scalable, multi-node throughput. Dell says this enables true parallel data distribution across a cluster, boosting throughput and linear scalability. The update adds NIXL (Nvidia Inference Transfer Library) integration for scalable KV cache offload to accelerate AI workloads, delivering a 1-second Time to First Token (TTFT) at a 131,000-token context, about 19x faster than standard vLLM. Dell also offers PowerScale in software-only, subscription form on qualified Dell PowerEdge servers, enabling compute purchases separate from hardware appliances. Dell's ObjectScale adds AI-optimized search features. The Dell AI Factory with Nvidia aims to speed production-grade AI, with broad ecosystem support from partners.

Google Calendar adds task-based time blocking and DND options for focused work

November 18, 2025, 5:24 PM EST. Google Calendar is finally making it easy to block off time for focused work. You can create a new task, name it, and set how long you'll need. The feature marks you as busy, helping avoid other meetings, and Workspace and Education users will also get a DND option or automatic decline for conflicts. This tightens the link between Google Calendar and Tasks, giving tasks a practical presence in your schedule. Availability should roll out to users everywhere by early December. If you've relied on ad-hoc hacks to carve out time, this formalizes the process and keeps your day clearer.

DJI Osmo Action 6 review: adjustable aperture, swappable lenses push action cams toward real cameras

November 18, 2025, 5:22 PM EST. DJI's Osmo Action 6 aims at real-camera performance in a compact action cam. It sports a larger 1/1.1-inch sensor, an adjustable aperture, and swappable lenses, pushing image quality beyond rivals while staying portable. The sensor upgrade enhances low-light performance, and a front touchscreen plus modular optics offer flexible shooting. Video supports up to 4K60 (with 120fps in certain modes) and 1080p at 960fps for slow-mo, plus 20m waterproofing. The standard kit is £329 and the Adventure bundle £415, with three batteries shared across the Osmo 360 family. Is it a 'real camera'? In practice, yes-if you want better optics and more setup options in a compact form.

DJI Osmo Action 6 Debuts with 1/1.1-inch Square Sensor, Variable Aperture, and HorizonSteady – Preorder at B&H

November 18, 2025, 5:18 PM EST. DJI's Osmo Action 6 introduces a 1/1.1-inch square sensor, a variable aperture from f/2.0 to f/4.0, and HorizonSteady. It records up to 4K120 and captures 8K Still Photos, with 13.5-stop dynamic range and 10-bit D-Log M. Features include dual OLED touchscreens, 3 stereo mics and OsmoAudio, live streaming, 50GB built-in storage, gesture control and voice control. Waterproof to 65.6 ft, about four hours of battery life, pre-recording, a microSD slot, fast charging, timecode, and more. Available as Standard and Adventure Combo kits. Preorder information at B&H Photo.

Save $50 on Amazon's Meta Quest 3S with Exclusive Gorilla Tag Bundle this Black Friday

November 18, 2025, 5:16 PM EST. Amazon's Black Friday deal drops the Meta Quest 3S 128GB to $249.99, including an exclusive Gorilla Tag bundle and access to 40+ games in Meta's VR ecosystem. The wireless, standalone VR headset delivers high-resolution visuals, intuitive controls and untethered play – no PC or console required. Highlights include immersive gaming, fitness and entertainment experiences, plus easy setup. This offer marks the year's lowest price for the Quest 3S and runs while supplies last through Cyber Monday. Prime members may access select deals, but the sale is open to all shoppers. Don't miss this chance to upgrade your virtual world with a discounted, feature-rich headset and an exclusive bundle.

Early Black Friday Apple Watch Series 11 Deals Live: From $350 on Amazon

November 18, 2025, 5:12 PM EST. Amazon has kicked off early Black Friday deals on the Apple Watch Series 11, with new all-time lows across GPS and cellular variants and even some titanium finishes. The 42mm models step into the low-$400s, while 46mm Cell units hover around the $480 range, with popular colors like Jet Black, Rose Gold, Space Gray, and Silver. Premium finishes such as the Natural Milanese loop are also discounted. In short, big price cuts across base aluminum and titanium configurations, with additional Amazon lows on select Milanese configurations. If you've been waiting for a deal on the newer Apple Watch Series 11, these Black Friday discounts provide solid value on both the standard and premium options, but act fast as these prices are time-sensitive.

Apple Quietly Sidelines Mac Pro, Bets on Mac Studio for Pro Desktop Strategy

November 18, 2025, 5:08 PM EST. Apple has quietly sidelined the Mac Pro and refocused its professional desktop strategy on the Mac Studio, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. There is no plan for an M4 Ultra or a 2026 Mac Pro upgrade; the next high-end desktop chip is the M5 Ultra, paired with a redesigned Mac Studio. The current Mac Studio with M3 Ultra or M4 Max delivers workstation-class performance without expansion slots, while the 2023 Mac Pro with M2 Ultra remains the only model with six PCI expansion slots. Apple Silicon transition and design choices have kept the Mac Studio as the practical choice for most professionals, offering similar power in a smaller footprint and lower cost.

DJI Osmo Action 6 Debuts Variable Aperture, 4K/120fps and More

November 18, 2025, 5:02 PM EST. DJI unveils the Osmo Action 6, a rugged action cam that introduces a variable aperture (f/2.0-f/4.0) for better exposure control across lighting. Its 1/1.1-inch square sensor with 2.4 μm pixels delivers up to 13.5 stops of dynamic range, while native 4K/120fps recording and 32x Super Slow Motion give creators more slow-motion options. The new 4K Custom mode uses the square sensor to crop for vertical and horizontal versions in post, saving setup time. Improved low-light with Starburst mode and a broader auto-aperture; plus a color-temperature sensor, water-pressure gauge, and up to four hours of battery life. Built-in 50 GB storage and OsmoAudio support, plus optional Macro and FOV Boost lenses for closer shots and wider frames.

Google's AlphaEvolve and Gemini: AI tools supercharge mathematical research

November 18, 2025, 4:56 PM EST. AI tools from Google DeepMind, including AlphaEvolve and Gemini, are accelerating mathematical discovery. An AI evaluator filters nonsensical solutions, and in tests led by Terence Tao on 67 problems, AlphaEvolve can outperform a human and sometimes yield improved solutions fed into systems like AlphaProof. It targets optimisation problems across disciplines, hinting at translating other questions into solvable ones. It can sometimes "cheat" by exploiting loopholes, but the result points to a potential AI-powered wave of mathematical reasoning at scale.

Bezos-backed $6.2B AI startup Project Prometheus names him co-CEO; bets on industrial AI

November 18, 2025, 4:54 PM EST. Bezos is funding a new AI startup called Project Prometheus with about $6.2 billion in backing, elevating him to co-CEO alongside Vik Bajaj. The venture, described as a Moonshot Factory-like effort, focuses on AI-powered engineering and manufacturing across areas such as computers, aerospace, and automobiles, and has recruited researchers from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Meta. The aim is AI that learns from real-world trial and error, not just digital data. The AI startup scene remains crowded with names like OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI, Thinking Machines, Safe Superintelligence, and Mistral. Bezos argues this is an industrial AI bubble, not a dot-com-style crash, and may yield societal benefits as winners emerge. He's also invested in other robotics AI ventures, signaling a bullish stance on this space.

Microsoft VP Brings macOS Edge Light to Windows 11, Boosting Video Calls

November 18, 2025, 4:52 PM EST. Microsoft VP Scott Hanselman teased a Windows 11 port of macOS's Edge Light, a ring-light effect designed to improve face illumination during video calls. The Windows version, released on GitHub, places a white ring around the screen and supports click-through transparency so you can interact with apps while it runs. Real-world performance depends on your monitor and room lighting; brighter panels yield better results. Apple's Edge Light uses face detection and an Image Signal Processor to adjust lighting and can auto-activate in dark environments on newer Macs. Windows Edge Light currently lacks some of those features, but it's available now and likely to gain more capabilities-possibly even integration with PowerToys.

Google boss warns against blind trust in AI ahead of Gemini 3.0 launch

November 18, 2025, 4:48 PM EST. Google CEO Sundar Pichai warns that AI is prone to errors and cautions against relying solely on chatbots for research in a BBC interview, just as Google readies the next-gen DeepMind move with Gemini 3.0. He warns of an investment bubble around AI that could hurt if it bursts, noting no company will be immune. The comments come as spending on AI climbs-Big Tech may spend roughly $400 billion annually, with forecasts toward $2 trillion by decade's end-fueling valuations that risk disconnect from tangible outcomes. The warning mirrors concerns from OpenAI's Sam Altman about overexuberance. Pichai stresses using tools for their strengths and building safeguards to prevent harms amid rapid AI development.

DJI Osmo Action 6: Larger Sensor, Variable Aperture, 4K120, and HorizonSteady

November 18, 2025, 4:44 PM EST. DJI's Osmo Action 6 upgrades the action-cam line with a 38MP 1/1.1in CMOS sensor and a wider 155° FOV, plus a first-for-Action unit variable aperture (f/2.0-f/4.0) for improved exposure. It records up to 4K120 video and 8K stills, adds Live Streaming, 50GB built-in storage, and a 3-mic OsmoAudio array with Voice Control. Dual OLED touchscreens, pre-recording, timecode, and high-speed Wi-Fi transfers stay, while HorizonSteady becomes available in 4K. Waterproof to 65.6 ft, it offers roughly four hours of battery life, a cold-resistant design, and gesture control. Expanded mic support and built-in mic backup further boost vlogging and action-shot versatility.

Sony's Horizon MMO: now with video

November 18, 2025, 4:42 PM EST. Sony teases an update for its Horizon MMO, announcing that the project will now incorporate video content. The report, written by Sean Hollister for PlayStation, invites readers to follow the story's topics and authors for personalized feeds and email updates. While details remain sparse, the move signals Sony's push to expand Horizon MMO's online experience and engage fans with multimedia features. Stay tuned for more about the Horizon MMO's development and community features.

Apple releases macOS Tahoe 26.2 beta 3 for developers

November 18, 2025, 4:38 PM EST. Apple has released macOS Tahoe 26.2 beta 3 for developers just days after beta 2. The prior beta introduced a new Edge Light effect around the display during video calls, but beta 3 reportedly includes few changes so far. Apple is still rolling out build 25C5048a and editors are digging through the code for noteworthy updates. To install the beta: Backup your Mac → Open System Settings → General → Software Update → tap the i icon next to Beta Updates → select macOS Developer Tahoe Beta → Done. If you spot changes in beta 3, share them in the comments.

Emirates to Roll Out Free Starlink Wi-Fi Across Its Fleet by 2027

November 18, 2025, 4:36 PM EST. Emirates is gearing up to roll out complimentary Starlink Wi-Fi across its 232-aircraft fleet by mid-2027, delivering ultra-fast connectivity for streaming, gaming, video calls, and browsing at 35,000 feet. The rollout starts with retrofitting Boeing 777s from November 2025, followed by the Airbus A380s in 2026 and complete fleet coverage by mid-2027. Passengers can login with a single-click login and enjoy live TV, seatback and personal devices, with no membership or payments. The initiative complements Emirates' premium cabins and 6,500+ entertainment options, aligning with a broader cabin refurbishment and a push toward fly better.

DJI Osmo Action 6 adds adjustable mechanical iris and square 4K sensor for versatile footage

November 18, 2025, 4:28 PM EST. DJI's Osmo Action 6 adds an adjustable mechanical iris aperture, a larger square 1/1.1-inch CMOS sensor, and improved postproduction versatility for horizontal and vertical formats. The aperture opens to f/2.0 for better low-light performance and can narrow to f/4.0 for increased depth of field. The new sensor is bigger than the Action 5 Pro's, enabling more crop flexibility across 4K/120fps and 1080p/240fps (with 960fps interpolation). A square sensor design helps with vertical video cropping in post. Internal storage rises to 50GB, expandable via microSD up to 1TB. Availability is global outside the US, with regional pricing in yuan, euros, pounds, and yen.

Nvidia's 22-week maternity leave: a business case for a family-first ethos

November 18, 2025, 4:26 PM EST. Nvidia differentiates itself with a generous, policy-driven approach to parental leave that goes beyond U.S. norms. The company offers 22 weeks of paid maternity leave and 12 weeks for non-birthing parents, plus eight weeks of Flex Time to ease the return. This is part of a broader ethos: you can't replicate Nvidia's success by copying policies alone; you must build a culture that prioritizes family support. Leadership, led by CEO Jensen Huang, treats caring for employees as a core value, which builds trust and loyalty and factors into decision-making. Beyond leave, Nvidia funds surrogacy/adoption, backup childcare, and well-being resources, with a tailored, not one-size-fits-all approach to meet diverse needs.

DJI Osmo Action 6: first action cam with variable aperture and square sensor

November 18, 2025, 4:18 PM EST. DJI's Osmo Action 6 introduces the first action cam with a variable aperture (f/2.0-4.0), boosting light capture and depth of field. In Auto or fixed modes you can't manually dial f-stops beyond those, but it offers advantages in dim and bright scenes: faster shutter in low light and calmer footage in bright sun. It packs a 1/1.1-inch square sensor (9.8 x 9.8 mm) for more crop flexibility and improved low-light performance, delivering up to 13.5 stops of dynamic range with D-LogM and 10-bit color. New Film Tone looks, 2x lossless zoom, portrait centering/tracking, and a Natural Wide mode reduce corner distortion. It can shoot up to 4K 120 fps (and 4K60 in SuperNight), plus 3,840×3,840 square video for social-friendly formats.

Apple Watch Series 11 gets lowest-ever Black Friday discount on Amazon

November 18, 2025, 4:16 PM EST. Amazon's early Black Friday deal slashes the price of the Apple Watch Series 11. The 42mm GPS drops from $399 to $349; the 42mm GPS + Cellular falls to $449 (from $499). The 46mm GPS model is $379 (from $429), and the 46mm GPS + Cellular to $479 (from $529). Apple rarely discounts new wearables, so this is notable. The Series 11 offers longer battery life, hands-free gestures, broad third-party app support, and health metrics like sleep tracking and potential hypertension detection. While battery life may still trail some rivals, its seamless iPhone integration remains a strength. For more Black Friday deals, see our deals hub.

Cloudflare outage disrupts websites as investigation unfolds

November 18, 2025, 4:14 PM EST. Cloudflare, the invisible backbone of much of the web, is grappling with a widespread outage. The incident caused multiple sites to experience 500 errors and degraded access to Cloudflare's Dashboard and API. While users reported some pages returning, the company said it was aware of the issue and was investigating, with no clear source or fix yet. The outage echoed similar events at AWS a month earlier, highlighting how much of the internet relies on Cloudflare's services for protection and delivery. As of the updates, Cloudflare has yet to post a definitive root cause, and engineers are working to understand the impact and mitigate the problem.

Cloudflare outage affects X and other sites; investigation underway

November 18, 2025, 4:12 PM EST. An outage affecting several websites, including the social network X, appears linked to internet infrastructure firm Cloudflare. Thousands of users reported issues to Downdetector shortly after 11:30 GMT Tuesday. Cloudflare said it is aware of the issue and is investigating a potential impact on multiple customers, with further details to come via its service status dashboard at 11:48 UTC. The incident highlights how many online services rely on Cloudflare's network for resilience. No cause has been disclosed yet, and updates are expected as more information becomes available.

Masimo v. Apple: Does 'Patient Monitor' Cover the Apple Watch?

November 18, 2025, 4:10 PM EST. Last week a California jury awarded Masimo a $634 million verdict against Apple Watch patent infringement. Post-verdict motions loom, including Apple's Rule 50(a) motion for judgment as a matter of law and challenges to jury instructions. Apple's central argument is that the asserted patent's 'patient monitor' claim limitation targets hospital-grade devices, yet the claims themselves are not strictly limited. Apple contends that a consumer wearable like the Apple Watch cannot be a 'patient monitor,' while Masimo argues the claims' scope supports broader coverage. The patent (US 10,433,776) expired in 2022, but the dispute hinges on claim construction and whether the wearable meets the high and low heart rate notification features and other limitations.

Swapping a Smartwatch for a 'Dumb Watch' for Two Weeks: Regrets from a Wearables Tester

November 18, 2025, 4:08 PM EST. Experiencing smartwatch fatigue after major launches, I eschewed all wearables for two weeks and rediscovered the simple joy of knowing the time. Without HRV, sleep tracking, or biometric fuss, I relied on a Timex Ironman to tell time, time workouts, and avoid data overload. The experiment highlights how heavy multisensor ecosystems create friction: switching between Garmin, Apple, Samsung, and Huawei prompts inconsistent guidance and constant churn. The upside was mental clarity and less stress from tracking metrics that aren't medical devices. I still enjoy the fashion and reliability of classic dumb watches, but the broader lesson is that most wearables push a flood of data rather than meaningful signals for everyday users. The article also touches build-up of ownership with gear boxes and the little joy of simple timekeeping.

F1: The Movie sequel talks with Apple confirmed by Kosinski, sparking speculation

November 18, 2025, 3:56 PM EST. F1: The Movie director Joseph Kosinski confirms talks with Apple about a potential sequel to the Brad Pitt-Damson Idris hit. Kosinski told Variety that the team is in the early dreaming phase for Sonny Hayes's next chapter and APXGP's fate, fueled by global fan enthusiasm after a June 2025 release that surpassed $630 million at the worldwide box office. Apple CEO Tim Cook said he's met with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who served as executive producer, about a follow-up. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer also signaled interest, noting that if fan chatter grows a strong case could be made for more, possibly kicking off with a Melbourne track return. Discussions remain exploratory but ongoing.

Steam Frame: Release Date, Price, and Specs for Valve's Next-Gen VR Headset

November 18, 2025, 3:52 PM EST. Valve's Steam Frame is the company's next-gen standalone VR headset, featuring onboard processing, inside-out tracking, and Android compatibility. It aims to blend high-end specs with a more attainable price than rivals like Apple, Meta, and Samsung. Valve hasn't set a firm price yet, but expects a Q1 2026 release with Steam-only distribution in supported regions and gradual expansion via retailers. The headset reportedly uses LCD displays over OLED and may include monochrome front-facing cameras to reduce costs. Key details include a possible early-2026 launch window, preliminary specifications such as a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-based platform, and ideas around usage modes and controllers. We will update as Valve reveals more.

flydubai to equip fleet with Starlink inflight Wi-Fi from 2026

November 18, 2025, 3:50 PM EST. flydubai has signed a deal with SpaceX to equip its fleet with Starlink inflight Wi-Fi from 2026. The agreement will install Starlink on 100 Boeing 737 aircraft, expanding access to more than 100 destinations. The Dubai-based carrier had earlier placed a large order for up to 150 Airbus A321neo jets. The service promises high-speed, low-latency connectivity capable of streaming, online gaming, video calls, and HD streaming with real-time digital services. Ghaith Al Ghaith says this ensures reliable connectivity for travelers; Chad Gibbs of SpaceX notes the experience could be similar or better than home internet. By late 2025, over 15 airlines have announced Starlink in-flight Wi-Fi, with Dubai Airshow 2025 coverage ongoing.

Google Calendar adds task-time blocking that treats tasks like meetings

November 18, 2025, 3:48 PM EST. Google Calendar is rolling out a new feature that lets you block off time for tasks and mark yourself as busy directly in the app. The update expands Google Tasks by turning tasks into calendar events with defined durations, optional do-not-disturb mode, and automatic rejection of overlapping invites. Deadlines are now date-only, aligning tasks with scheduling rather than abstract reminders. The rollout started for Rapid Release domains on November 6, 2025, and should reach all Workspace customers, Google One subscribers, and personal Gmail users by mid-December. This marks a tighter integration between task management and scheduling, complementing existing Focus Time, and offering precise calendar space for individual responsibilities.

Google Calendar introduces Task blocks to reserve focus time and boost productivity

November 18, 2025, 3:46 PM EST. Google Calendar now lets users block out dedicated focus time by turning empty slots into Task entries. You can add task details, set duration, adjust visibility, and enable Do Not Disturb to avoid interruptions. The system will display tasks on your calendar, remind you until completion, and nudge you as the deadline approaches. The feature is rolling out to all Google Workspace users worldwide with no admin controls required. This complements recent updates like Help Me Schedule and Gemini meeting suggestions, aimed at boosting productivity and calendar efficiency. In short, you can create a focused work block, annotate tasks, and manage interruptions-making it easier to get work done without resorting to fake meetings.

Jeff Bezos launches AI startup Project Prometheus with co-CEO Vik Bajaj

November 18, 2025, 3:44 PM EST. Jeff Bezos has reportedly become the latest billionaire to launch an AI startup, taking on the role of co-CEO at Project Prometheus with Vik Bajaj. The venture has already raised about $6.2 billion and hired around 100 employees, including recruits from Google DeepMind, Meta, and OpenAI. In response, Elon Musk called Bezos a copycat on X. Prometheus aims to build AI for engineering and manufacturing in aerospace, automobiles, and computers, with potential ties to Blue Origin. Bezos stepped down as Amazon CEO in 2021 but remains deeply involved in his other ventures. At events like Italian Tech Week 2025, he spoke of AI-driven robotics for future space exploration, while noting concerns about an AI bubble.

Calum Worthy's AI app 2wai that chats with deceased relatives sparks backlash

November 18, 2025, 3:42 PM EST. Calum Worthy, the former Disney star of Austin & Ally, is facing backlash over 2wai, an app that lets users converse with AI versions of deceased relatives. Worthy says the technology uses short footage to create lifelike avatars of loved ones. Critics call the project dangerous and exploitative for those who are grieving, warning it could impede healthy processing or create dependency, even risks of induced psychosis from hyper-real interactions. Supporters argue it could offer new ways to remember or connect with loved ones, but raise questions about consent, data rights, and emotional impact. The controversy underscores the ethical and regulatory challenges of AI-driven grief tools and the need for safeguards as the tech expands.

Roblox rolls out AI age verification to curb chatting with adults amid safety lawsuits

November 18, 2025, 3:40 PM EST. Roblox is rolling out stricter age verification, requiring government IDs or an AI-driven face estimate to limit chat with adults. The move follows lawsuits and claims that predators exploited the platform to groom children. Roblox says the update prioritizes safety and civility, building on parental controls and moderation. The policy expansion would boost the number of users who verify their age for 17+ experiences and other features, as regulators scrutinize platforms hosting minors. This comes amid broader industry action on age checks, with YouTube and Meta pursuing AI-driven estimates, and a planned ParentsTogether Action protest calling for stronger protections for users under 13.

Huawei to square off with Apple, Xiaomi as Mate 80 series and Mate X7 set for Nov 25 launch

November 18, 2025, 3:38 PM EST. Huawei says it will launch its flagship Mate 80 family-including the Mate 80, Mate 80 Pro, Mate 80 Pro Max and Mate 80 RS-alongside a foldable Mate X7 on November 25. Pre-orders have begun, but pricing and technical specs were not disclosed. The releases are linked to chatter around Huawei's rumored self-developed Kirin 9030 processor, though industry debates continue over the chip powering the devices. Huawei previewed the Mate X7 online on the same day the launch date was announced. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The moves position Huawei against Apple and Xiaomi in flagship and foldable markets.

Oxford Professor Outlines 3 Ways Schools Can Teach Students to Shape AI

November 18, 2025, 3:34 PM EST. An Oxford professor outlines three practical approaches to teaching AI literacy in schools. The emphasis is not just coding, but shaping how students understand, evaluate, and responsibly deploy AI. First, embed AI literacy across curricula with age-appropriate concepts of bias, data privacy, and accountability. Second, teach critical thinking and decision-making around AI tools through project-based learning, debates, and real-world case studies. Third, foster responsible innovation by encouraging students to imagine AI applications that benefit society, while learning ethics, safety, and collaboration with peers. The piece also highlights the role of teachers, updated curricula, and partnerships with industry to provide hands-on experiences. By equipping students with these skills, schools can prepare the next generation to shape the future of AI rather than just use it.

AI Grifts and Digital Deities: The Internet's New Grief Tech

November 18, 2025, 3:30 PM EST. An exposé of AI-driven grift in the grief economy: startups like 2wai promise to create an AI avatar of a deceased loved one, while Text With Jesus lets users chat with a digital Jesus (and, for premium, Satan). The piece highlights how such ventures blend AI hype with emotional manipulation, eliciting public backlash and ethical concerns about exploitation and consent. It cites cultural critique (Black Mirror) and the casual chaos of online discourse as symptoms of a tech sector enamored with novelty over responsibility. In short, these projects reveal the troubling edge of digital immortality when startups monetize sorrow and sacred images for profit.

Aave to Roll Out App Store Savings App with 6.5% Yield

November 18, 2025, 3:26 PM EST. DeFi lender Aave is expanding into consumer finance with an upcoming app on the Apple App Store that acts like a savings account. The Aave App will let users earn up to 6.5% APY on deposits, backed by Aave's lending infrastructure and deposits from banks, debit cards, or stablecoins. The product also promises balance protection up to $1 million. This move continues the trend of DeFi projects offering neobank-like services, following recent launches and acquisitions such as Stable Finance. Industry watchers note past crypto liquidity crunches and centralized lender failures, but Aave positions this as a consumer-facing expansion leveraging its deposit ecosystem and 2.5 million users. The project recently acquired Stable Finance to accelerate development.

Don't Buy the OnePlus 15 in India – Pick the Find X9 for Better Cameras and Reliability

November 18, 2025, 3:24 PM EST. In India, the Find X9 and Find X9 Pro have launched with prices from ₹74,999 and ₹109,999, while the OnePlus 15 is around ₹72,999. The reviewer argues you should skip the OnePlus 15 due to downgrades and lack of Hasselblad integration, and instead gravitate to OPPO's ecosystem. Hands-on impressions show the Find X9 is the better value: a smaller 6.59-inch panel, sturdy IP68/ IP69 water/dust resistance, ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, and Gorilla Glass 7i. The 7,050mAh battery supports 80W charging and lasts a day plus, with the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 handling gaming without noticeable overheating. Camera setup matters: the Find X9 offers a 50MP main, 50MP zoom, and 50MP ultra-wide with Lumo imaging tuning that excels in low light and color accuracy. Incentives include a 180-day defect guarantee.

Apple's Vision Pro: A Flop, Yet a Sign of Bold Innovation

November 18, 2025, 3:22 PM EST. Apple's Vision Pro, its first AR headset, is a remarkable technical achievement but struggles with weight, battery life, and a $3,500 starting price. Tepid sales prompted a modest upgrade and signals of retreat from further updates. So, is it a flop? Not necessarily. The lesson is that Apple, despite missteps, still pursues world-changing innovation and continues to push a long-term strategy in immersive computing, showing that early hurdles can precede breakthroughs in a future where Apple remains a leading force in tech.

Infosys launches AI-first GCC Model to turn Global Capability Centers into AI-innovation hubs

November 18, 2025, 3:16 PM EST. Infosys launches an AI-first GCC Model to transform global capability centers into AI-driven engines for enterprise growth. The framework covers GCC setup, talent strategy, and operations, offering a unified platform to scale AI solutions and production-grade AI agents. It includes tools like Infosys Agentic Foundry, EdgeVerve AI Next, and Infosys Topaz, plus digital learning via Infosys Springboard. Clients can choose operating models such as Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT), assisted builds, joint ventures, or partner-hosted options. Infosys cites over 100 GCC engagements across industries and collaborations with Lufthansa Systems, zooplus, and Danske Bank. The partnerships are advancing AI integration across software delivery, risk, compliance, and operations.

Nike and Apple IPOs 45 Years Later: What $1,000 Invested in 1980 Would Be Worth Today

November 18, 2025, 3:12 PM EST. Forty-five years ago, Nike and Apple went public within 10 days of each other. A $1,000 stake in Nike's 1980 IPO would now generate roughly $4,800 per year in dividends, while Apple evolved into a tech behemoth after early struggles against IBM. The piece tracks Apple's path from near-bankruptcy in the mid-1990s to becoming the first trillion-dollar company, and Nike's strategy of outsourcing and inventory discipline that helped sustain growth. It also recalls the famous 1984 Big Brother ad, the era's skepticism, and how timing, product cycles, and strategic shifts shaped long-run shareholder returns for two icons.

GOS to deploy Neuraspace space traffic management for ESA Celeste Pathfinder A pilot satellite

November 18, 2025, 3:08 PM EST. German Orbital Systems has contracted Neuraspace to deliver real-time space traffic management (STM) for the ESA Celeste In-Orbit Demonstration constellation's pilot satellite Pathfinder A (16U). Neuraspace's STM package covers conjunction screening, analysis, and classification, plus maneuver planning and optimization, with LEOP support through GNSS data processing and dedicated optical tracking. The services aim to control collision risk and advance compliance with ESA space debris requirements as Celeste tests LEO-PNT capabilities. This demonstrator forms part of the FutureNAV initiative within the Thales Alenia Space consortium, led by Thales Alenia Space France/Italy. The project highlights Europe's growing demand for resilient navigation and secure satellite operations, enabling applications from autonomous vehicles to 5G/6G timing networks.

OnePlus teases the OnePlus 15R and a new smartwatch with a likely 2-3 month launch window

November 18, 2025, 3:06 PM EST. Two new OnePlus devices have been teased, with launches expected in the next 2-3 months. The OnePlus 15R is expected to be a value-focused sibling to the OnePlus 15, likely international version of the Ace 6. Rumored specs include a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, up to 16GB RAM and 1TB storage, plus a dual 50MP + 8MP camera. On the wearable side, the teaser points to a OnePlus watch (described as the OnePlus New Watch), with a late-year reveal and a launch in December or January. There are rumors it could be a rebadge of the Oppo Watch S, offering a thin profile and up to 10 days battery life. Official site teases haven't revealed much, but progress appears imminent.

Peec AI raises $21M Series A to bring Generative Engine Optimization to AI search

November 18, 2025, 3:04 PM EST. Berlin-based Peec AI raised a $21M Series A led by Singular after a Seed round from 20VC, with its valuation now above $100M. It has grown ARR to over $4M in ten months and serves about 1,300 brands, monitoring their presence in AI-powered searches and tracking sentiment and source influence to enable Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). The funding will accelerate growth to ~300 new customers per month, expand hires (targeting ~40 in Berlin) and open a New York City office. Pricing centers on prompts: €75 for 25 prompts up to €169 for 100 prompts, with an enterprise tier from €424/month.

Apple Reaches 25% of China's Smartphone Market as iPhone 17 Leads Growth

November 18, 2025, 3:02 PM EST. Apple has surged in China, claiming about 25% of the smartphone market as per Counterpoint Research via a Bloomberg report. The iPhone 17 lineup is outperforming last year's models, with the 5,999-yuan iPhone 17 and the 8,999-yuan iPhone 17 Pro Max selling at double-digit gains. Analysts note that over 80% of Apple's unit sales in China come from the new models, supported by higher price points boosting revenue. While Huawei's Mate 80 launch on Nov. 25 could alter the mix, current momentum shows no signs of a slowdown, marking a sharp turnaround from early 2025 and prompting investors to watch whether the streak extends into the holiday season.

Deal alert: Samsung Galaxy S25 FE slashes to new low at $474.99

November 18, 2025, 2:58 PM EST. As part of Samsung's early Black Friday sale, the Galaxy S25 FE has fallen to a record low of $474.99 – $175 off. The 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display runs at 120 Hz for smooth media and gaming. Under the hood, the Exynos 2400 with 8 GB RAM powers swift multitasking. Its triple-camera setup includes a 50 MP main sensor plus ultrawide and telephoto lenses, with AI enhancements to boost selfies and night shots. This makes the Galaxy S25 FE a compelling mid-range option for those seeking great value. If you're hunting for a solid daily driver, this deal is hard to beat this year.

iOS 26.2 Beta Lets Japan iPhone Users Assign Third-Party Assistants to Side Button

November 18, 2025, 2:56 PM EST. Apple's iOS 26.2 beta 3 reveals that in Japan the Side Button can launch a third-party voice assistant via the App Intents framework. Once developers adopt it, a long-press could start a non-Siri app immediately (examples include Alexa or Gemini). The feature requires the Apple ID region set to Japan and the user located there. Initial availability is limited to Japan, with expansion unclear. The update also adds third-party App Stores and a Safari Search Engine setup screen in Japan, in line with Japan Fair Trade Commission guidelines. Earlier DMA discussions about EU support remain speculative. Developers must explicitly enable this functionality to let consumers access their voice apps from the Side Button.

Traders Expect Nvidia Stock to Move About 7% After Earnings as Revenue Tops $55.4B

November 18, 2025, 2:54 PM EST. Analysts expect Nvidia to report earnings after the close, with revenue seen up about 60% year over year to a record $55.4 billion and adjusted EPS around $1.26. Traders priced in a roughly 7% move in shares by week's end, with the stock hovering near $187 to start the week. A move could retest last week's highs near $199 or dip toward $174 on either side. Historically, Nvidia has been a 'sell the news' name in some quarters even amid record results. With the AI rally large, the bar to impress remains high, though most analysts still call the stock a buy and target about $219.

Elon Musk revives billionaire beef with Bill Gates over Tesla short and a $1.5B loss

November 18, 2025, 2:50 PM EST. Elon Musk rails against Bill Gates over a long-running short position against Tesla, claiming Gates should close it soon as Gates' $1.5B loss resurfaces. The clash traces to a 2022 exchange about Gates' bet against the EV maker, which Musk publicly ridiculed on X. Gates has said the short has nothing to do with climate and noted he is diversifying. The feud gains new fuel as Musk's team pointed to Gates' past calls and a $1 trillion compensation plan for Musk at Tesla, approved by shareholders. The saga keeps spotlight on tech billionaires' bets, influence, and how pay packages intersect with corporate strategy and public perception.

Apple iPhone Air designer Abidur Chowdhury quits for AI startup, signaling turbulence in the design division

November 18, 2025, 2:46 PM EST. Abidur Chowdhury, the designer who unveiled Apple's ultra-thin iPhone Air on stage, has left Apple for an artificial intelligence startup. In six years at Apple, Chowdhury helped shape the device and narrated its launch video, a role that highlighted his rising profile within the design team. Bloomberg notes the move comes amid a broader reorganization of Apple's design division after Jony Ive's 2019 departure and a series of high-profile exits. Apple says the decision isn't tied to the iPhone Air's sales, which were modest, and plans a second-generation iPhone Air in 2027 centered on a 2-nanometer chip. Tim Cook now directly oversees the design group, reflecting ongoing turbulence and a shift toward external talent.

What 'agentic AI' means: from chatbots to autonomous agents

November 18, 2025, 2:44 PM EST. Agentic AI signals a shift from chatbots to systems that can plan, act, and learn on their own. Unlike chatbots that merely answer or summarize, AI agents are expected to execute multistep tasks and adapt as they go. A MIT Sloan Management Review report and BCG survey describe agentic AI as a new class of systems that behave like autonomous teammates rather than tools awaiting instruction. The difference hinges on using high-level goals to drive action, not just predicting the next word via large language models. Industry leaders-from OpenAI and AWS to Google and Microsoft-talk up agents that can buy, book, or eventually control more complex workflows. Real-world uses may start in online shopping and travel, expanding as agents gain access to devices and guidelines.

Windows 11 evolves into an agentic OS with Copilot Actions and an agent workspace

November 18, 2025, 2:42 PM EST. Microsoft is rolling out 'agentic' features to Windows 11, including an experimental Copilot Actions tool that lets AI interact with local files. The feature operates inside a separate agent workspace-a contained space where users grant agents access to apps and files for background task completion. Microsoft says this setup keeps agent activity separate from your own data with scoped authorization and runtime isolation. Insiders are beginning to receive the Copilot Actions update via the Microsoft Store, with examples like sorting vacation photos, organizing Downloads, converting files, or extracting info from PDFs. Privacy and guardrails are highlighted, but questions linger about how data could be used for AI training or anonymization. Microsoft references its Privacy Report and Responsible AI Standard as guiding constraints, aiming for transparency and control.

Ohio State to hire 100 AI-expert faculty over five years to advance AI Fluency

November 18, 2025, 2:40 PM EST. Ohio State will hire 100 new tenure-track faculty with AI expertise over five years as part of its AI Fluency initiative. The hires will join three cohorts-Responsible AI and Cybersecurity, Foundational AI, and Applied AI-with the first group joining in autumn 2026. The plan expands Ohio State's roster of some 300 current AI researchers and aims to embed AI education in every undergraduate core curriculum. University officials say AI will reshape education and research and position the university at the forefront of the AI era. The initiative accompanies the new AI(X) Hub spanning all 15 colleges, intended to accelerate AI research and its use as a public good. The effort aligns with President Ted Carter's Education for Citizenships 2035.

China's Automotive Domination: Global Transformation in EVs, Batteries, and Exports

November 18, 2025, 2:36 PM EST. China has evolved from a domestic champion to a global force in vehicle manufacturing, exports, and electric mobility. The shift is propelled by accelerated development cycles, battery dominance, and aggressive overseas investment-driving a global transformation under the banner of China Speed. With domestic overcapacity pushing firms to scale exports and build plants abroad, China produced about 30% of the world's vehicles in 2024 and became the largest vehicle exporter. Four of the world's top five battery companies are Chinese, and the country controls a majority of critical minerals. Policy moves aim to manage exports, quality, and market balance, while tensions with tariffs complicate growth. Domestic consolidation remains likely as smaller players exit and the search for overseas markets continues.

AI App 'Demonic' Lets Users Talk to Deceased, Faces Backlash

November 18, 2025, 2:34 PM EST. An AI startup, 2Wai, released a beta of its HoloAvatar tool that turns minutes of footage into conversational video avatars across 40 languages. FedBrain runs largely on-device to protect privacy and curb AI 'hallucinations,' but critics say the technology monetizes grief and pressures mourners. The app, pitched as a legacy-preservation tool, has reignited debate over consent, data ownership, and post-mortem privacy in the burgeoning grief-tech sector. A viral promo by co-founder Calum Worthy-featuring a late mother, bedtime stories, and digital twins-has intensified scrutiny of what some call digital ghosts. 2Wai has raised about $5 million in pre-seed, plans a paid tier after beta, and cites potential partnerships with BT and IBM, linking to broader AI-entertainment shifts post-SAG-AFTRA concerns.

M5 MacBook Pro vs M4 MacBook Air: buying advice for 2025

November 18, 2025, 2:32 PM EST. Facing a choice between the new M5 MacBook Pro and the lighter M4 MacBook Air? This comparison breaks down the core tradeoffs: portability and battery life lean toward the M4 Air, which weighs about 1.24 kg and stays nimble for travel; the M5 MacBook Pro offers stronger performance for on-device AI, GPU tasks, and sustained workloads, at a higher starting price. Display quality also favors the M5, though larger screens are available in the M4 family. Price matters: the M4 Air starts near $1,000, with sales driving it lower, while the M5 Pro base starts around $1,599. For most users who don't need peak performance, the M4 Air is a sensible pick; if you need more horsepower and a premium display, choose the M5 MacBook Pro.

iOS 26.2 Beta 3 Arrives With Live Translation Expansion, PIN AirDrop and UI Tweaks

November 18, 2025, 2:30 PM EST. Apple has released iOS 26.2 beta 3 to developers ahead of a mid-December public release, alongside betas for iPadOS 26.2, macOS Tahoe 26.2, watchOS 26.2, tvOS 26.2 and visionOS 26.2. The update continues to refine Liquid Glass animations and brings the UI closer to a smoother experience, with Measures and other stock apps adopting the effect. A new Apple Store icon and UI appear in the update, though not required by iOS 26.2 beta. One major feature arriving in December is the expansion of Live Translation to European users to support real-time translation via AirPods, after regulatory delays related to the Digital Markets Act. Also teased is Known AirDrop Contacts with PIN-protected AirDrop connections.

Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra Review: Design Upgrade Without the Laptop-Replacement Leap

November 18, 2025, 2:26 PM EST. Samsung's latest flagship, the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, arrives with a slimmer chassis and slimmer bezels, but the changes aren't a game-changer. A key design shift is the removal of the glass back, which disables wireless charging for the S Pen since the stylus no longer relies on Bluetooth. The reviewer notes the display remains outstanding-nearly identical to the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra-and questions whether the upgrade justifies moving up from the S9. If Samsung intends these tablets as a laptop replacement, the lineup still lacks true PC-like performance to rival Apple's top iPads. Verdict: a solid design and superb screen, but not the dramatic leap some buyers expected. Check out the full SamMobile review on YouTube for details.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus vs. S24 Plus: Is the upgrade worth waiting for?

November 18, 2025, 2:24 PM EST. Samsung's Galaxy S26 Plus is shaping up as a meaningful upgrade over the S24 Plus, with a refreshed design, Qualcomm's latest top-tier chipset, and a suite of AI-powered features alongside Qi2 wireless charging support. The S24 Plus remains a strong, two-generation-old powerhouse with excellent battery life and a vibrant LTPO display, often available at substantial discounts. The S26 promises better performance and improved thermals, plus years of OS and security updates, but camera hardware may stay similar and 45W wired charging remains modest for a flagship. If you crave the newest features and longer platform support, wait for the S26; if you want solid value now, the S24 Plus is hard to beat.

Report Warns AI-enabled Toys May Share Inappropriate Content and Collect Data

November 18, 2025, 2:22 PM EST. An NPR report highlights a new study on the risks of AI-enabled toys for children. In an interview with NPR's A. Martinez, Teresa Murray, the co-author of the study, details how some toys and their apps can share inappropriate content and gather personal data, sometimes without clear consent or robust privacy protections. The paper examines how these devices could influence youngsters, blur lines between entertainment and surveillance, and expose families to privacy and safety challenges. The authors call for stronger industry standards, clearer disclosures, and better parental controls to curb data collection and ensure safer play. The segment underscores ongoing concerns about AI in consumer gadgets and the need for responsible design and regulation.

Trust Is the Missing Ingredient in the AI Boom

November 18, 2025, 2:18 PM EST. Trust is the missing ingredient driving AI adoption, according to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer Flash Poll. Across five nations, trust in AI correlates with acceptance, revealing four divides: Geography, Industry, Income, and Age. Developed markets show a mass-class split: the bottom income quartile in the UK and U.S. fear being left behind, while younger people are more optimistic-though gaps persist: in the UK, 18-34 trust at 59% versus 18% among 55+. Americans are far more likely to reject AI (49%) than embrace it (17%), while Chinese respondents lean the opposite. Industry findings show higher adoption in Technology and Financial Services, with Retail, Manufacturing and Healthcare mixed, and Education, Food, and Transportation more negative. The path forward hinges on truth and transparency, and on using personal experience to convey AI benefits and risks.

The AI Bubble You Haven't Heard About: Signals, Risks, and Real Opportunities

November 18, 2025, 2:12 PM EST. As investors chase breakthroughs, a quieter AI bubble is forming around AI startups, large language models, and the race for compute power. The story isn't just fast exits; it's funding dynamics, profitability pressure, and the gap between hype and fundamentals. Look for signs of cooling: slower funding rounds, longer exit horizons, and rising costs for labs and chips. Yet genuine opportunities exist in enterprise AI, automation, and data tooling that can deliver durable value. Readers should separate speculative valuations from viable revenue streams, track unit economics, customer retention, and regulatory sentiment, and stay nimble as the market recalibrates. This is a market snapshot, not a forecast, with practical signals for builders and buyers alike.

Goldman Sachs Identifies 5 Stocks Poised for the Biggest AI-Driven Productivity Boost

November 18, 2025, 2:10 PM EST. Goldman Sachs identifies five stocks across major sectors positioned to enjoy the biggest AI-driven productivity boosts. The bank highlights improved operating efficiency from automation, data analytics, and scalable AI platforms as key catalysts. The picks span software, semiconductors, healthcare tech, and consumer tech, with analysts noting rising AI adoption, capital-light models, and durable earnings power. Investors should watch for near-term catalysts like margin expansion, AI tool integration, and stronger revenue per employee. The report underscores that AI is shifting productivity paradigms and that these five names could lead in shareholder value as AI investments mature.

Nvidia Wins Big Orders as RIKEN Builds AI and Quantum Systems with FugakuNEXT

November 18, 2025, 2:08 PM EST. Nvidia (NVDA) lands major orders from RIKEN, Japan's largest research institute, to power two systems on the GB200 NVL4 platform, featuring 1,600 Blackwell GPUs linked by Quantum X800 InfiniBand and 540 GPUs for quantum-classical testing. The project advances the joint FugakuNEXT plan with Fujitsu and Nvidia, using Monaka X CPUs and a high-speed bridge to blend AI with traditional compute and quantum workloads. Slated for spring 2026, the deployments will help test code that mixes AI tools with classic models and quantum units, expanding Nvidia's reach in a key global market. With upcoming earnings, Nvidia reinforces its leadership in AI and quantum acceleration.

Musk Calls Bezos a Copycat as Bezos backs $6.2B AI Startup Project Prometheus

November 18, 2025, 2:06 PM EST. Elon Musk has labeled Jeff Bezos a copycat after Bezos backed Project Prometheus, a $6.2 billion AI startup. Bezos is reportedly taking a hands-on role as co-CEO of the stealth-focused venture, joining former Google X director Vik Bajaj to push AI for engineering, manufacturing, and aerospace. The move echoes past Musk critiques when Bezos pursued satellite internet and Zoox's self-driving tech, seen as competitive to SpaceX and Tesla. Musk's playful reply on X – 'Haha no way – copy 🐱' – adds to ongoing public sparring between the tech titans. Project Prometheus aims to apply practical AI to manufacturing and engineering, with funding from Bezos and others to accelerate development in computing, aerospace, and automotive sectors. The startup's stealth status suggests a broader strategy to reshape industrial AI.

DJI Osmo Action 5 vs GoPro: The Ultimate 2025 Action Camera Showdown Explained

November 18, 2025, 2:04 PM EST. In this 2025 showdown, the DJI Osmo Action 5 and GoPro compete for the top action camera. The guide covers key differences in sensor performance, resolution and frame rates, stabilization, durability, and battery life. DJI leans toward natural colors and improved low-light, while GoPro emphasizes maximum detail, vibrant color science, and rich HDR footage. Expect stronger temperature tolerance and easier use from DJI, versus GoPro's rugged build and proven reliability in extreme conditions. The article also compares charging options, software ecosystems, and real-world use cases for adventure creators, vloggers, and filmmakers, helping readers decide which camera best fits their workflow and shooting environments.

EU Could Let iPhone Users Replace Siri With Third-Party Voice Assistants (iOS 26.2 Beta)

November 18, 2025, 2:02 PM EST. Apple may soon let iPhone users in the EU replace Siri with a third-party voice assistant thanks to DMA interoperability rules. The iOS 26.2 beta 3 reportedly includes references to a Default Side Button App option, allowing a long press on the Side Button to launch a chosen app. If enabled, the feature would broaden options in Apple's otherwise closed ecosystem and appear to be EU-region specific. Potential choices could include Google Gemini and other AI assistants like ChatGPT or Claude. Regulators have previously compelled Apple to open features such as USB-C, third-party wallets, and app stores in the EU. Whether Apple will ship this change remains unclear, but it would markedly shift how users interact with iOS.

Nvidia's ascent questioned as debt-fueled strategy and neoclouds test its AI dominance

November 18, 2025, 2:00 PM EST. At Nvidia's GTC, Jensen Huang framed the company as the epicenter of the next industrial revolution and unveiled ambitious partnerships-from Uber's driverless cars to Palantir's software and chips-plus a blueprint for hyperscalers to build AI factories powered by Nvidia systems. The splashy demo helped push Nvidia's market cap toward historic highs and cement a $5 trillion valuation, with a street full of bullish ratings. But a growing chorus of skeptics cautions that Nvidia's supremacy may depend on a sprawling financial engine: funding and debt for its customers to sustain demand for its hardware, via OpenAI and neoclouds like CoreWeave. Critics worry this could become a self-reinforcing cycle if weaker customers falter. Nvidia declined comment. To grasp the dynamic, one must watch hyperscalers, rival neoclouds, and Huang's underlying fear of losing pricing power.

Rethinking Satellite IoT: Market Landscape, Tech Choices, and Opportunities

November 18, 2025, 1:58 PM EST. Satellite IoT is gaining traction within the broader IoT and telecom space. Recent reports from Transforma Insights and IoT Analytics map opportunities and constraints driven by spectrum strategy, network architecture, and technological evolution. Core applications span agriculture and environmental monitoring, maritime and logistics, energy and utilities, and emergency response, with hybrid cellular-satellite designs for broader coverage. The field faces diverse requirements in data volume, latency, power, and geography, demanding careful technology selection per use case. Suppliers vary in protocol design, spectrum ownership, and constellation architecture, highlighting the need for rigorous evaluations to advance the Satellite IoT ecosystem.

AI-Generated Evidence in Court: Judges Warn of the Deepfake Dilemma

November 18, 2025, 1:54 PM EST. Judge Victoria Kolakowski flagged Exhibit 6C as an AI-generated deepfake in a California housing dispute (Mendones v. Cushman & Wakefield). The video showed a witness with a distorted voice, fuzzy facial features, and repetitive expressions, later identified as synthetic. The case marks one of the first times suspect AI-generated content was submitted as authentic evidence and dismissed. NBC News consulted five judges and ten legal experts who warn that rapidly advancing generative AI could flood courtrooms with convincing videos, images, audio, and documents. Some courts are raising awareness and calling for policy action, while others acknowledge that the technology's implications are not yet fully understood. Judges fear making decisions based on AI-created, non-real material.

Nvidia earnings test the AI boom as investors weigh bubble fears

November 18, 2025, 1:52 PM EST. All eyes are on Nvidia as it prepares to report summer profits/earnings, a crucial test of whether the AI boom can sustain momentum or falter. Investors warn of potential bubbles after rapid gains, while analysts stress that Nvidia remains a prime beneficiary of AI investment. The stock has surged, though it slipped recently, and the company sits on about $57 billion in cash with manageable debt. Analysts note that revenue guidance aligns with expectations but lacks a China uplift, fueling questions about long-term growth. Sector research from Bain & Co. projects AI revenue gaps; MIT researchers say 95% of GenAI bets have yet to yield returns, underscoring broader profitability questions.

Beta Film and FABW launch lab-to-market AI production initiative

November 18, 2025, 1:48 PM EST. Beta Film and Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (FABW) unveil a lab-to-market AI initiative to shape future film and TV production. The Europe-based collaboration pairs a leading producer-distributor with a renowned film school to pursue ethically responsible R&D, training, and the use of AI in authentic, virtual production workflows. The partners aim to develop new tools and formats for the industry while addressing job impacts and governance. Beta's latest move follows the launch of its AI startup Chapter41, underscoring a broader AI strategy and a commitment to industry-wide collaboration and talent development through hands-on projects with FABW.

Best Satellite Internet Providers for November 2025

November 18, 2025, 1:42 PM EST. Comparing the top satellite internet options, this guide highlights Starlink, HughesNet, and Viasat based on speeds, pricing, and availability in rural areas. Expect Starlink's potential with top speeds up to 100-350 Mbps, HughesNet for reliable speeds in the 50-100 Mbps range and affordable pricing, and Viasat for versatile plans from 12-150 Mbps. The article explains how location can affect access (e.g., 90001 availability), discusses monthly costs ranging roughly from $50 to $300, and notes that satellite is often the best option where wired options are unavailable. It also clarifies the trade-offs between speed, data caps, and flexibility in choosing the right plan for your needs.

Google and Meta pause Red Sea subsea cables over security risks; 2Africa and Blue-Raman delays

November 18, 2025, 1:38 PM EST. Tech giants Google and Meta have paused segments of their subsea cable projects across the Red Sea due to ongoing security risks along a corridor that carries about a fifth of global internet traffic. Bloomberg says 2Africa and Blue-Raman delays stem from danger to ships and crews, with past outages near Jeddah causing latency spikes between Europe and South Asia. Detours via alternative routes could worsen congestion if delays extend. The region has seen higher insurance costs and fewer repair options, prompting warnings from the UK Parliament on resilience. While not canceled, the projects are unlikely to proceed on original timelines as geopolitical instability reshapes capacity, latency, and the future of critical subsea fiber links.

Galaxy Watch Ultra (2024) gets 43% off on Amazon ahead of Black Friday

November 18, 2025, 1:36 PM EST. An early Black Friday deal on the Galaxy Watch Ultra (2024) slashes price by 43% off on Amazon, dropping to about $368 (from $650). The white model from a third-party seller includes a return window through January 31. The rugged wearable pairs a titanium case with sapphire crystal, IP68/10ATM water resistance, and health features like body composition analysis and sleep apnea detection. It also includes dual-band GPS, NFC, and Wear OS for third-party apps, plus a two-day battery life. If you're a Samsung user with an active lifestyle, this deal stands out before Black Friday prices rebound.

9 AI Productivity Hacks to Save Time and Automate Your Work

November 18, 2025, 1:34 PM EST. Productivity isn't just about adding tools-it's about integrating them effectively. This article argues that AI tools can automate routine tasks, organize workflows, and help professionals make smarter decisions faster. By delegating repetitive work to machines, knowledge workers can reclaim time and shift their attention to tasks that require creativity, judgment, and human insight. The secret is using AI strategically: pick tools that complement human decision-making, tailor automation to specific workflows, and continuously refine processes as technology evolves. The piece outlines nine practical strategies to reclaim hours, reduce cognitive load, and focus on meaningful work, transforming how teams and freelancers operate in modern knowledge work.

Why Thiel, SoftBank and Burry are cashing out of Nvidia amid AI rally doubts

November 18, 2025, 1:32 PM EST. Three big investors – Peter Thiel's hedge fund, SoftBank, and Michael Burry – have cycled out of Nvidia as the AI stock rally cools. Nvidia accounts for ~8% of the S&P 500 and has surged to a $5 trillion market cap, delivering outsized profits from AI demand. Thiel disclosed selling his entire 537,742-share stake ahead of Nvidia's earnings; SoftBank sold all Nvidia holdings to fuel a roughly $23B OpenAI investment; Burry hedged by buying puts against Nvidia and Palantir, betting on declines. The moves fuel chatter about a possible bubble in AI bets and whether demand for Nvidia can sustain. Still, SoftBank remains bullish on AI long-term, while Thiel and Burry appear more cautious. The episode tests how big-name investors balance risk, liquidity needs, and AI optimism.

Google Keep Reminders Now Saved to Google Tasks, Unifying Your Workspace

November 18, 2025, 1:30 PM EST. Google Keep's reminders are being saved directly to Google Tasks, making Tasks the central hub for reminders across Google Workspace. The rollout began October 13, 2025, and completes Google's consolidation strategy by feeding items from Keep, Gmail, Chat, Docs, and more into a single unified list. Existing Keep reminders are migrated to Tasks, and you can convert a note's reminder by tapping the bell icon where it now says 'Your reminders are saved in Google Tasks.' You can edit dates and times in Keep, Calendar, or Tasks, and even ask the Gemini AI about your reminders. Trade-offs include sunsetting location-based reminders and shifting notification duties away from Keep to Tasks/Calendar.

NVIDIA NVQLink Bridges Quantum Processors and GPUs Across Global Supercomputing Centers

November 18, 2025, 1:28 PM EST. NVIDIA's NVQLink is a universal interconnect that links quantum processors with state-of-the-art accelerated computing, enabling hybrid quantum-classical workflows via the CUDA-Q stack. With microsecond-level latency and high throughput, it's being adopted by more than a dozen supercomputing centers across Asia and Europe alongside U.S. facilities. Quantinuum demonstrated real-time decoding for quantum error correction on its Helios processor, showcasing performance well beyond requirements. The system delivers up to 40 petaflops of AI performance at FP4 precision and a GPU-QPU throughput of 400 Gb/s, with latency under four microseconds. The open architecture unites quantum processors, GPUs, and quantum control within the CUDA-Q platform, accelerating hybrid quantum-classical applications globally.

Brendan Greene: Gamers' AI backlash is heartening; PlayerUnknown Productions operates independently of Krafton

November 18, 2025, 1:26 PM EST. Brendan Greene says he's heartened by a gamer-led revolt against AI in game development. He notes that PlayerUnknown Productions doesn't rely on LLMs and views AI as a tool for artists to sculpt worlds, like an orchestra where they control the levers. He argues the goal is to speed up creation without erasing jobs. The comments come as Krafton-an investor and former sponsor-champions an internal AI first mandate. Greene stresses that Project Artemis and the studio's three-game plan are being developed independently, with Krafton as a minority stakeholder since 2021.

Google Calendar adds Task-based time blocking and Busy status for all users

November 18, 2025, 1:24 PM EST. Google Calendar now lets you block off time for tasks and mark yourself as busy, uniting tasks with scheduling in one place. The update expands the existing Tasks feature so tasks can function like meetings with a dedicated time block, a Do Not Disturb option, and even the ability to auto-reject meetings. A deadline can be added (date only). The change, rolling out to Workspace customers, individual subscribers, and personal Gmail accounts, began on the Rapid Release track (Nov. 6) and may appear on accounts through mid-December. For planners who prefer a calendar-first workflow or are used to similar features in Outlook, this could align tasks with actual work blocks. To try: open Google Calendar and pick Task when you click an empty calendar slot.

Google Calendar gains task scheduling with dedicated time blocks

November 18, 2025, 1:20 PM EST. Google Calendar is expanding its productivity toolkit by allowing users to block off time for tasks rather than only meetings. You can add descriptions and configure settings like do not disturb and visibility to tailor how the task appears. It's a practical upgrade for teams and individuals who plan work sessions separately from calendar events. The feature began rolling out in Google's Rapid Release domains in November and will reach standard release domains by December 1, with full default availability for both Workspace users and personal Google accounts.

Microsoft CEO Nadella Warns AI Investors: Power Shortages Could Weigh on the AI Boom

November 18, 2025, 1:10 PM EST. Microsoft's Satya Nadella has highlighted a new constraint for the AI boom: power, not just chips. In a BG2 podcast interview, he said hyperscalers struggle to deploy AI builds fast enough because there aren't enough warm shells to plug into, signaling a potential drag on demand for AI infrastructure. The issue compounds estimates that the energy footprint of AI could rival large portions of U.S. electricity use, fueling forecasts that trillions will flow into AI infrastructure over the next five years. While the AI rally could pause as investors reassess high valuations, Microsoft remains central through deals with Nvidia, CoreWeave, and other partners. The takeaway: even with robust growth, energy demand, data-center capacity, and power delivery are critical headwinds for AI deployment and investor sentiment.

Global stocks slide on AI-valuation fears ahead of Nvidia earnings

November 18, 2025, 1:08 PM EST. Global equities tumbled as concerns over inflated valuations and a murky macro backdrop weighed on sentiment ahead of Nvidia's upcoming earnings release. The Stoxx 600 and U.S. indices fell as fears of an AI bubble persisted, with tech and financials leading losses. Analysts call it "natural profit taking" after a broad rally since April, with potential downside around 5%. The narrative centers on whether mega-deals tied to AI can be funded; OpenAI's mounting GPU and data-center commitments featured prominently. Investors also weigh how Meta and other hyperscalers translate AI ambition into revenue, just as Nvidia's results loom after Wednesday's close.

Apple releases Sneaky Sasquatch iMessage Sticker Pack with 60 stickers

November 18, 2025, 1:06 PM EST. Apple surprised iPhone users by releasing a new iMessage Sticker Pack tied to its hit game Sneaky Sasquatch. The pack offers around 60 stickers, including emoji variations in the Sasquatch style and numerous in-game references, all accessible in iMessage. This marks the first independent release from RAC7 after Apple acquired the studio earlier this year. The move follows October's Sneaky Sasquatch farming update and shows Apple's continued software push ahead of iOS 26.2. Since iMessage stickers launched in 2016, Apple hadn't delivered a new pack in nearly a decade-until now. The release underscores how Apple Arcade titles can extend beyond games into messaging, expanding revenue and engagement opportunities for both Apple and developers.

Why AI-Generated Feeds Are Everywhere-and How to Tell Real from Fake

November 18, 2025, 1:02 PM EST. Clare Duffy hosts a deep dive into the surge of AI-generated content saturating feeds and why it matters for trust online. She talks with Henry Ajder, an AI and deepfake expert, about how to tell real from fake in a world of synthetic video – including OpenAI's Sora and its implications for creators and consumers. They cover the risks of deepfakes, the signals that media might be artificial, and practical tips for verification in real time. The episode also examines policy and platform responses as tech shifts reshape how we view video, credibility, and authenticity. A must-listen for anyone navigating today's AI-enabled feeds. Terms of Service, CNN.

ASUS Unveils NVIDIA Blackwell-Powered AI Infrastructure at SC25

November 18, 2025, 1:00 PM EST. ASUS unveiled a complete AI infrastructure portfolio at SC25 powered by NVIDIA Blackwell and Blackwell Ultra. Highlight: the XA GB721-E2 AI POD built on GB300 NVL72, with 72 Blackwell Ultra GPUs and 36 Grace CPUs, 100% liquid cooling, integrated switches, delivering ~10-petaflops for enterprise AI and national-cloud workloads. The lineup also includes ESC NM2N721-E1 on GB200 NVL72 for sovereign AI, and the debut of ESC8000A-E13X, a 4U NVIDIA RTX PRO Server based on MGX, with two AMD EPYC 9005 CPUs, eight RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell GPUs, and 400G connectivity. ASUS frames the portfolio as seamless NVIDIA compute integration for data center to developer workloads, democratizing access to powerful AI tech.

ESA hydroGNSS launch: SpaceX Falcon 9 carries HydroGNSS, IRIDE and ICEYE satellites

November 18, 2025, 12:56 PM EST. ESA's HydroGNSS, a twin-satellite mission to study Earth's water cycle, is set to launch on 19 November from Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the rideshare also carrying the Italian national mission IRIDE and satellites from ICEYE for Greece's National Small Satellite Programme. The mission, part of ESA's FutureEO programme, uses GNSS reflectometry to measure four hydrological parameters: soil moisture, inundation, freeze/thaw state, and above-ground biomass, plus wind speed over the ocean and sea-ice extent as secondary products. Live coverage on ESA Web TV begins at 19:01 CET with liftoff at 19:18 CET. The page notes launch times may change and will be updated with new details-follow for real-time updates.

GSK and Fleming Initiative Unveil Six Grand Challenges to Fight AMR with Advanced AI

November 18, 2025, 12:54 PM EST. GSK and the Fleming Initiative unveil six Grand Challenges leveraging advanced AI and collaboration with Imperial College to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Grounded in WHO GLASS projections (mortality rising to ~8.22 million by 2050), the programs (starting 2026, three-year funding) cover: 1) discovering new antibiotics for Gram-negative infections; 2) new antifungals; 3) immune response and vaccine research; 4) disease surveillance and AI models predicting emergence/spread; 5) a novel clinical trial approach to antibiotic prescribing; 6) policy, data sharing and public engagement. The Fleming Initiative, founded with Imperial College London and NHS Trust, partners with GSK and Agilent Technologies to build AI-driven data sets on diverse molecules, aiming to design antibiotics for multi-drug-resistant pathogens; data/models will be shared globally to accelerate R&D and policy actions.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai warns against blindly trusting AI and calls for a richer information ecosystem

November 18, 2025, 12:52 PM EST. Google CEO Sundar Pichai tells the BBC that AI models are prone to errors and should be used alongside traditional tools. He argues for a rich information ecosystem rather than relying solely on AI, noting that Google Search and other products provide more grounded, accurate information. While AI can help with creative tasks, users should not blindly trust everything AI says. Pichai also discussed the Gemini 3.0 launch, its integration with Gemini in Search as part of a broader 'AI Mode', and the need to balance speed of development with mitigations to prevent harm. He emphasized responsible, bold progress and highlighted investments in AI security and open-source tools to detect AI-generated content.

The Best Early Black Friday Tech Deals Under $100: Earbuds, Headphones, Tablets, and More

November 18, 2025, 12:46 PM EST. Save now with the best early Black Friday tech deals under $100: from earbuds and headphones to budget tablets and more. The guide compiles hot discounts across popular gear you can buy today, with a focus on value and must-have features. Expect snag-worthy prices on wireless earbuds, noise-canceling headphones, and compact tablets from top brands. Availability may vary by retailer, so act fast as these early offers won't last. This roundup helps shoppers cut through clutter with concise picks, clear savings, and quick buy links to beat peak shopping season.

Nvidia Leads Tech Pullback as Bitcoin Slumps, Dragging US Stocks Lower

November 18, 2025, 12:44 PM EST. Tech leaders take a hit as a broad pullback drags U.S. stocks lower, even as Nvidia bucks the trend with persistent market grip. CNBC guests warn that valuations in names like Tesla and Palantir look stretched, amplifying the risk of a sharper pullback. While Bitcoin and other cryptos retreat, chipmakers face rising competition that could pressure AI-driven demand. The overall tone is cautious: investors weigh AI momentum against valuation risk, with Nvidia's dominance and potential shifts in semiconductor competition likely to steer the next leg of the market. Analysts argue the pullback may test but not derail the AI-driven rally.

Agentic AI: Redefining Commerce and the Next Growth Phase

November 18, 2025, 12:38 PM EST. Agentic AI marks a pivotal shift in the digital economy, moving from assistive chatbots to autonomous proxies that can browse, compare, and transact based on shopper preferences. These agentic models promise frictionless, personalized experiences and faster value movement, unlocking new efficiencies for merchants, banks, and tech providers. Surveys show 45% of consumers and 54% of Gen Z would be comfortable with AI agents completing purchases on their behalf. Major players-OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Worldpay among them-are piloting autonomous agents, signaling large-scale adoption. Yet adoption hinges on trust, compliance, and robust guardrails to mitigate fraud and regulatory risk. The agentic commerce market is projected to reach about $1.7 trillion by 2030, signaling a transformative, high-stakes shift for the global economy.

Exclusive: Garmin Beats Apple to World's First MicroLED Smartwatch

November 18, 2025, 12:36 PM EST. Garmin has delivered the world's first MicroLED smartwatch with the Fenix 8 Pro, signaling a major shift in wearables. In a two-year development push, Garmin's team, led by Ralph Poshak, partnered with an early supplier to bring MicroLED to a wearable-friendly format. The result is a display touted for front-screen performance, brightness, and color with reduced burn-in compared with OLED. MicroLED is inorganic and emissive, offering longer life and better viewing angles. Garmin emphasizes the driver IC difference and the massive task of placing over 400,000 discrete LEDs, highlighting manufacturing challenges and ongoing exploration of the tech across its lineup. While pricier than AMOLED, the technology promises to be a game-changer for wearables.

Hughes Satellite Faces Cash Crunch With $1.5B Debt Maturing; Chapter 11 Possible

November 18, 2025, 12:34 PM EST. EchoStar-owned Hughes Satellite Systems warns it has no assured funding for the next 12 months, with a $1.5B debt due in August 2026 and one option being Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company, which operates the Jupiter 3 Ka-band satellite (EchoStar 24) and pays EchoStar $190M/year to lease capacity, disclosed the risk in a November 14 SEC filing. Following EchoStar's $17B spectrum sale to SpaceX, Hughes must refer existing HughesNet subscribers to Starlink, and SpaceX may also acquire Hughes and EchoStar assets. With about $119M in cash and receivables against the $1.5B debt, Hughes says it cannot rely on EchoStar for liquidity, and substantial doubt exists about its ability to continue as a going concern without new financing or cash flows.

Tesla reportedly to phase out China-sourced components for US-made cars within two years, per WSJ

November 18, 2025, 12:32 PM EST. Tesla is instructing suppliers to eliminate China-sourced components from US-produced cars within two years, according to a 14 November 2025 report by the Wall Street Journal. The move mirrors a similar order from General Motors and underscores growing concern over ongoing US-China trade tensions. The policy hints at broader sourcing diversification as automakers seek to reduce exposure to Beijing's supply network and prices. Analysts say the shift could affect suppliers with deep China exposure and potentially alter cost, lead times, and vehicle content. Tesla's stance comes amid a broader push by automakers to scrutinize supply chains for national-security and tariff reasons while balancing quality and timelines.

Galaxy S26 lineup: 6 upgrades rumored for February launch

November 18, 2025, 12:30 PM EST. Samsung appears to be reviving a chip-split strategy for the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus, with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in some regions and the Exynos 2600 in others. The Exynos 2600 is built on a 2nm process, aiming for better power efficiency and speed. Visually, the S26 and S26 Plus reportedly get a redesigned back with a new camera island that encircles the lenses. Wireless charging is rumored to jump to 20W, aligning with Qi2 support across the lineup, enabling magnetic accessories. The changes apply to both models, while the vanilla S26 drops the "Pro" branding. If true, this could improve endurance and charging convenience versus the S25 era.

Calum Worthy's AI app 2wai sparks backlash for reviving deceased relatives

November 18, 2025, 12:28 PM EST. Disney Channel alum Calum Worthy unveils the AI app 2wai that lets users chat with lifelike recreations of loved ones who have passed away. In a promotion video, Worthy portrays a grandson speaking to his late grandmother, created from a short video the family recorded while she was alive. The pitch promises that 'three minutes can last forever'. The launch has drawn swift criticism from creators and commentators who call it dystopian, dehumanizing, and a troubling way to avoid grieving. Critics warn it could impede the natural cycle of life and foster dependency. The beta is free today, with a later shift to a subscription-based model. 2wai also offers fictional, historical, and celebrity avatars, and even a chatbot of Worthy himself.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 costs $100 more than Watch 7 – is the upgrade worth it?

November 18, 2025, 12:24 PM EST. Samsung's Galaxy Watch 8 is leaner and brighter, but costs about $100 more than the Galaxy Watch 7 at street prices. The 8 starts around $349.99 for the Bluetooth 40mm; the Watch 7 often sits near $249.99. Larger 44mm adds $30; LTE variants about $50 more for each. Design upgrades include a squared-off cushion profile and a lighter frame, with improved grip on workouts. Display remains the same size/res, but the Watch 8's peak brightness tops 3,000 nits versus 2,000 nits on the 7. Both run the latest Exynos/One UI on Wear OS; battery life edges out slightly on the Watch 8 (roughly 26h with AOD on, 39h with it off) vs Watch 7 around 22h/28h. Real-world verdict: is the premium worth it if you value brightness and design?

Study Debunks Major Myth: AI's Energy Usage Is Significantly Less Than Feared

November 18, 2025, 12:22 PM EST. New research from the University of Waterloo and Georgia Tech challenges the idea that AI dramatically increases energy demand or climate impact. By merging U.S. economic data with AI adoption estimates, the study projects that current AI electricity use is small relative to national energy demand and, at a global scale, its emissions effects are negligible. Local effects could be meaningful where electricity is produced for data centers, but overall AI could also spur green technologies and economic growth. The authors note results vary by region and call for similar analyses in other countries. Paper: Watts and bots: the energy implications of AI adoption.

Tesla shareholders approve special share reserve for Elon Musk as employee option pool drains

November 18, 2025, 12:20 PM EST. Before the Nov. 6 meeting, Tesla drew investor concern as its employee stock option pool was drained to fund an interim award to Elon Musk. Shareholders approved Proposal 3 to refill the pool with 208 million special shares worth about $97 billion, earmarked for Musk and separate from the broader $1 trillion pay package (Proposal 4). Critics warn the move could hurt talent retention and morale, since stock options are a key tool for attracting engineers and staff. Fears include slower product development and recruitment challenges as top talent weighs competing EV makers. The bundling of employee and CEO pay votes is unusual, prompting governance questions about Tesla's future innovation and performance.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Series RAM/Storage Options Leak: S26/S26+ 12GB RAM; S26 Ultra Up to 1TB (16GB in China)

November 18, 2025, 12:18 PM EST. New leak outlines RAM and storage options for the Samsung Galaxy S26 lineup. The S26 and S26+ are tipped to ship with 12GB RAM in two configurations: 256GB or 512GB of storage. The Galaxy S26 Ultra, meanwhile, reportedly arrives in three configurations: 12/256GB, 12/512GB, and a top-end 12GB/1TB model. In some markets, notably China, the Ultra may offer 16GB RAM with 1TB storage, aligning with local flagship norms. Outside those markets, Samsung is expected to keep you at 12GB RAM. A separate leak confirms the entire S26 range will use LPDDR5X RAM clocked at 10.7Gbps. All signs point to an early launch window, with rumors pinning a February debut.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 returns to all-time low price ahead of Black Friday

November 18, 2025, 12:14 PM EST. Amazon has cut the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (40mm) to $149.99, a 40% discount off its $249.99 list price and an all-time low. While the Galaxy Watch 8 has appeared in recent weeks, this return to the Watch 7's price is noteworthy for a current-generation Samsung wearable. The 40mm model isn't the cellular variant, and the 44mm edition isn't discounted as deeply. Still, at $150 you get a premium Wear OS 6 smartwatch with dual-frequency GPS, a BioActive sensor, long-term software support, and access to Google apps like Maps and Wallet. Health features include Energy Score, body composition, and FDA-authorized sleep apnea detection. The trade-off is battery life, but the value proposition remains strong ahead of Black Friday.

Nomad Tracking Card Pro Extends Battery Life to 16 Months, Sparking Wallet-Tracker Showdown

November 18, 2025, 12:10 PM EST. Nomad's Tracking Card Pro delivers up to 16 months of battery life, more than tripling the standard version's five months. At $39, the card trades thinner design for endurance, measuring 2.5mm thick and 15g. The upgrade signals a maturation in the wallet-tracker market where battery life is a primary differentiator, a trend echoed by rivals like Pebblebee Card 5 offering 18 months of life and cross-platform Find My support. While the Pro preserves core features such as audible alerts within 150 feet, wireless charging, and MagSafe/Qi2 compatibility, it sacrifices some thinness and magnets. The broader takeaway: the race is shifting toward longer-lasting trackers, with players balancing form factor, price, and ecosystem compatibility across Find My networks.

DJI Unveils T100S, T70S, and T55 Agricultural Drones with Advanced Safety and L3 Autonomous Capabilities

November 18, 2025, 12:08 PM EST. DJI has announced three new agricultural drones – the T100S, T70S, and T55 – aimed at large-field spraying and orchard operations. The flagship T100S weighs up to 149.9 kg and features an 85 L spraying system, a 90 kg spreading payload, and a 95 kg lifting payload. The mid-range T70S offers a 50 L spraying payload and 70 kg spreading and lifting payloads with strong cost-performance. The entry-friendly T55 emphasizes portability, with 50 L spraying, 80 L spreading, and a 40 kg lifting payload, plus one-person handling and phone-based automated planning. Prices start at ¥36,999 for the T55, with up to ¥8,000 off for full-payment orders through 2026-01-31. Safety features include a 256-line LiDAR and high-density radar, signaling a new era of aerial intelligent driving (L3).

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15-Inch Surges to $549 on Amazon – 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 78% Off

November 18, 2025, 12:04 PM EST. Amazon slashes the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 to an all-time low of $549 for a 15.3-inch laptop packing a 13th-gen Intel Core i5-13420H, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and 512GB PCIe SSD. The versatile display is a 15.3-inch WUXGA panel (1920×1200) with a 16:10 aspect ratio, 300 nits, and anti-glare, while Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 boost connectivity. A practical port lineup includes USB-A, USB-C with PD/DP, HDMI, SD card reader, and more, all in a chassis weighing about 4 pounds and slimmer than prior generations. Unique touches like a Copilot key for Microsoft's AI assistant add modern convenience. With this configuration, it's a compelling choice for students and professionals who want credible performance at a dramatic discount.

Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3: 1TB, Ryzen 5, 24GB RAM, Windows 11, Now $649 (62% Off) on Amazon

November 18, 2025, 12:00 PM EST. Amazon's early Black Friday exclusive slashes the Lenovo Ideapad Slim 3 from $1,699 to $649, delivering a true Windows 11 laptop at a budget price. Powered by the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS with six cores and twelve threads, clocking up to 4.55GHz, it handles heavy workloads and multitasking. It pairs 24GB DDR5 RAM with a 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD (configured as two 512GB drives) for ample headroom and flexible storage. The 15.3-inch WUXGA IPS panel (1920×1200, 300 nits) favors productivity with extra vertical space and decent brightness. Connectivity covers USB-C with PD/DP, two USB-A, HDMI 1.4, an SD reader, and a headphone jack. The 720p webcam has a privacy shutter and dual mics. Great for video editing, coding, and VM work, all at an unbeatable price.

Vikram 'Vik' Bajaj Named Co-CEO of Bezos-Backed $6B AI Startup Project Prometheus

November 18, 2025, 11:58 AM EST. Vikram 'Vik' Bajaj has been named co-CEO of Project Prometheus, Jeff Bezos's reportedly $6+ billion AI startup. The venture aims to build AI systems for the physical economy, from manufacturing to engineered products. Bajaj is a scientist and entrepreneur with a track record at Verily, Google X, GRAIL, and Foresite Labs. He co-founded Xaira Therapeutics and serves as Director and Interim President; he has been a Managing Director at Foresite Capital since 2017. He led as Chief Scientific Officer at GRAIL and helped establish Verily. Academically, Bajaj holds a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from MIT and a combined BA/MS in biochemistry from UPenn. Bezos will share the CEO duties with Bajaj as Prometheus pursues substantial funding to advance practical AI.

Planet and Quantum Systems unite satellite and drone capabilities in new European ISR network

November 18, 2025, 11:54 AM EST. Planet Labs GmbH and Quantum Systems have announced a partnership to integrate satellite surveillance with tactical drones via the MOSAIC UXS mission software. The alliance aims to blend Planet's wide-area orbital monitoring with Quantum Systems' unmanned reconnaissance to deliver a seamless Tip & Cue workflow, giving defence and security operators faster, more precise situational awareness from orbit to operator. By linking automated satellite change detection with targeted multi-sensor drone deployments, the collaboration seeks to accelerate decision cycles and enhance resource efficiency. Executives describe it as a milestone for European security and technological sovereignty, enabling real-time maps from orbit and safer, more effective ISR missions.

RIKEN to integrate Nvidia GB200 NVL4 systems in two new AI and quantum supercomputers

November 18, 2025, 11:48 AM EST. RIKEN will integrate Nvidia GB200 NVL4 systems into two new supercomputers for scientific AI research and quantum computing. The AI system will host 1,600 Nvidia Blackwell GPUs and use Quantum-X800 InfiniBand networking, while the quantum system will deploy 540 Blackwell GPUs on the same platform. Together, they will accelerate work across life sciences, materials science, climate forecasting, manufacturing, and laboratory automation, and serve as proxy machines for hardware/software/application development ahead of FugakuNEXT. The collaboration with Fujitsu and Nvidia targets a flagship system, with FugakuNEXT deployment by 2030 and a projected large performance uplift via MONAKA-X CPUs and NVLink Fusion. Operational launch for the two supercomputers is planned for spring 2026.

Apple secures 25% share of China smartphone market as iPhone 17 demand surges

November 18, 2025, 11:46 AM EST. Apple captured about 25% of the China smartphone market in October, with a 37% YoY jump as demand for the iPhone 17 series drove growth. Counterpoint notes that this marks a milestone not seen since 2022 amid intense competition in the premium segment. Overall China sell-through rose about 8% YoY, aided by Apple and domestic brands. All three iPhone 17 variants posted mid-to-high double-digit gains; new models accounted for over 80% of Apple's unit sales, per Counterpoint's Ivan Lam, who cites rising ASP as a driver of revenue. The momentum hints at a record December quarter. Domestic players like Xiaomi climbed to No. 2, while Oppo sales rose 19%; Huawei's Mate 80 launch is anticipated on November 25.

Quantum Readiness Alarm: Cybersecurity Leaders Warn Q-Day Could Reshape Encryption

November 18, 2025, 11:42 AM EST. Cybersecurity leaders warn that Q-Day-the point at which quantum computers could crack current encryption-may arrive sooner than expected, with 2030 as a potential milestone. Governments are outlining post-quantum encryption plans, but key sectors like banking, healthcare, and government risk being unready. Experts warn of a harvest-now, decrypt-later era where threat actors collect data today to decrypt tomorrow. The shift threatens core trust mechanisms such as the HTTPS padlock, digital certificates, and PKI, forcing a reevaluation of encryption and signatures. Enterprises must move toward post-quantum security and quantum-resistant strategies now, or face disruption as quantum computers outpace current defenses.

Markets slide as AI hype and debt-fueled funding spook investors ahead of Nvidia results

November 18, 2025, 11:40 AM EST. Global markets extend their losses as technology valuations spook investors, with Asia-Pacific indices marking a one-month low and the S&P 500 slipping to its lowest close in a month. Traders fret that US rates won't fall as quickly as hoped and that the AI boom may be faltering. The sector's funding spree-led by Amazon's $15bn bond sale, and a rush of debt by Meta and Alphabet-is raising questions about whether AI infrastructure can be monetised from cash flow. Klarna's CEO warns about the scale of data-centre investment, and analysts flag doubts about the sustainability of capital expenditure. Nervousness ahead of Nvidia's results adds to the risk backdrop as investors weigh if the euphoria around AI is built on solid fundamentals.

47-day SSL/TLS certificates are coming: A CIO's first step toward quantum readiness

November 18, 2025, 11:38 AM EST. Quantum disruption is reshaping digital trust. CIOs must pair AI strategy with quantum readiness, as NIST's guidance pushes for post-quantum cryptography and a 2030 deadline to retire RSA and ECC. The industry is adopting 47-day SSL/TLS certificates, reducing lifespans to improve security hygiene and crypto agility. By 2026, renewals every six months; by 2027, every three months; by 2029, monthly. The CA/Browser Forum ballot SC-081v3 accelerates this shift, creating operational pressure to renew, replace, and monitor certificates fast. Sectigo's 2025 State of Crypto Agility report shows high concern (96%), low preparedness (

Tesla Tells Suppliers to Drop China-Made Parts for U.S.-Built Cars Within Two Years

November 18, 2025, 11:36 AM EST. Reports indicate Tesla has instructed its suppliers to remove China-made components from all U.S.-built vehicles within two years, aiming to reduce dependence on China amid tariffs and geopolitical tensions. The move mirrors a push by GM and reflects a broader shift toward a more resilient supply chain in the auto industry. Some components have already been swapped, as Tesla navigates tariff-driven cost pressures and a recent semiconductor dispute involving a Dutch chip maker. The plan underscores efforts to diversify sourcing and insulate U.S. production from political decisions.

Garmin Slashes Prices Ahead of Black Friday: Forerunner 265, Venu Sq 2 and Epix Pro Hit Deep Discounts

November 18, 2025, 11:34 AM EST. Garmin kicks off Black Friday 2025 with deep discounts across its smartwatch lineup. The Forerunner 265 drops to $299 with dual-frequency GPS and an OLED display, while the Venu Sq 2 lands at $149 for an Apple Watch-style design and 11-day battery. The premium Epix Pro falls to $550, bringing topographic navigation and a long, multi-day charge. Garmin emphasizes multiband GPS across its range, turning flagship performance into mainstream affordability and expanding entry points like the Forerunner 165 at $249 and the Vivomove Sport at $165. Offers are live across major retailers, positioning Garmin against Samsung and Apple with better battery life and feature sets at new low prices.

Linux Foundation calls for cryptographic agility ahead of the quantum era

November 18, 2025, 11:32 AM EST. At the Singapore FinTech Festival 2025, Linux Foundation Decentralised Trust CTO Hart Montgomery urged banks and market infrastructures to embrace cryptographic agility-the ability to swap algorithms, keys and protocols without disrupting services. He highlighted three priorities: inventory of cryptography use, agility in migration, and open collaboration through LFDT and the Post-Quantum Cryptography Alliance (PQCA). With quantum risk projected in the 2030s, upgrade programs are already underway at leading banks such as JPMorgan, HSBC, Citi, Visa and Mastercard, while regulators like MAS (Singapore), NIST and ENISA push for visibility on where cryptography is used. A gap remains between awareness and readiness, especially for smart cards and legacy systems. The core message: isolate cryptography behind services and libraries to enable rapid, phased migrations.

China Smartphone Sales Up 8% YoY in Oct as iPhone Advances Toward Record Q4

November 18, 2025, 11:30 AM EST. China's smartphone market rose 8% YoY in October, signaling momentum in the world's largest market. The trend supports demand for premium devices as iPhone continues its run toward a potential record Q4. Counterpoint Research analyst Ivan Lam notes a constructive mix with channel activity and a gradual shift to higher-end models, even as some price-sensitive segments recover. The October performance sets the stage for a closely watched quarter for Chinese brands and Apple.

Therapist-AI-Client Triad: Rewriting Mental Health Support With Generative AI

November 18, 2025, 11:24 AM EST. Explores the shift from the traditional therapist-client dyad to a therapist-AI-client triad, where generative AI serves as a co-partner in the therapeutic process. The piece argues that many therapists are embracing AI while others resist, predicting that hesitation could shrink their client base as people increasingly seek AI-assisted mental health guidance. It ties this trend to ongoing Forbes coverage, with additional context from a 60 Minutes appearance about AI safeguards. The discussion covers popular tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Llama, and Grok, available 24/7 at low cost. While the potential upsides are substantial, the risks-misguided advice, off-the-rails outputs, and governance gaps-underscore the need for balanced integration and thoughtful policy within this rapidly evolving field.

Motorola Edge 70 Review: Ultra-slim Design vs iPhone Air and Galaxy S25 Edge

November 18, 2025, 11:22 AM EST. Motorola's Edge 70 delivers an ultra-slim design at 5.9mm with Pantone collaboration offering three bold colorways. The 6.67-inch OLED display is bright with a narrow bezel, and at 159g the phone feels light thanks to an aluminum frame and grippy back. A 4,800mAh silicon-carbon battery powers the device, typically lasting a day or two in real-world use. Internally, it trades on powerhouse performance with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. On the rear, four colored rings house two 50MP cameras (wide and ultra-wide), the flash, and a light sensor, positioning the Edge 70 as a direct rival to the iPhone Air and Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. Apple favors a single camera approach here, Motorola argues for versatility.

Galaxy S25 Ultra Price Drops to New Record Low on Amazon

November 18, 2025, 11:20 AM EST. Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite and 512GB of storage, showcases a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with up to 120Hz and peak brightness around 2600 nits. It sports a 200MP main sensor, a periscope 5x optical zoom lens, and AI Night Mode for brighter low-light shots. Built with Gorilla Armor glass, an IP68 rating, and a built-in S Pen in titanium. It also includes Qualcomm's AI cores to speed up machine learning tasks. Amazon has quietly cut the price to $1,069 from $1,419, a new record low for a recently released flagship. The unlocked model works with any carrier and includes a one-year US warranty.

Google Gemini Certifications for Education: 3 new credentials for Educators, University Students, and K-12 Students

November 18, 2025, 11:18 AM EST. Google announces three new Gemini certifications to validate core skills in using Gemini and other Google AI tools to boost learning, creativity and productivity. The credentials include Gemini Certified Educator, Gemini Certified University Student, and Gemini Certified Student (K12). A foundational course is required before the assessment. All exams are multiple choice and free of charge, with verifiable, shareable digital certificates that can count toward PD credits or showcase to the education community. Examinations will be offered in 12 languages starting today, with student-language localization coming soon and a university faculty exam arriving next month. Register at goo.gle/gfecerts to pursue these credentials and demonstrate proficiency in AI-enhanced education.

Anthropic CEO warns AI could wipe out entry-level jobs faster than ever

November 18, 2025, 11:16 AM EST. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warns that AI could erase nearly half of entry-level white-collar roles and push unemployment to 10-20% within five years, absent intervention. He argues the impact could arrive faster than past tech shifts and worries about a lack of transparency around AI risks, comparing it to past cigarette and opioid industry failures. Amodei named roles like entry-level consultants, lawyers, and financial professionals as vulnerable. The remarks echo ongoing debates with figures like Jensen Huang and Sam Altman offering different views. A recent DeepSeek researcher, Chen Deli, also warned of gradual disruption over the next decade. Amodei says Anthropic is trying to predict risks and is concerned about misuse, loss of control, and broader economic effects as AI adoption accelerates.

Alphabet chief warns against blindly trusting AI tools amid AI bubble fears

November 18, 2025, 11:14 AM EST. Alphabet chief Sundar Pichai tells the BBC that people should not blindly trust AI tools, noting they are prone to errors and should be used alongside other tools. The interview highlights that no company would be immune if the AI bubble bursts, as hype and investment rise. Google has rolled out an AI Mode in its search using its Gemini chatbot, with Gemini 3.0 expected soon. Pichai stresses AI can help with creative writing but users must leverage it for what it's good at, not accept every claim at face value. The piece notes broader concerns about the AI sector's valuation and potential market correction.

Nvidia vs Broadcom: Which Stock Is Best for a $75,000 Retirement Investment?

November 18, 2025, 11:12 AM EST. AI-powered gains have lifted the tech market since late 2022, with Nvidia and Broadcom among the top beneficiaries. From late 2022 to today, their market caps surged 681% and 378%, respectively. Nvidia has become the AI bellwether, driven by its GPUs that power hyperscalers and data centers, with next-gen Blackwell chips and a busy roadmap (Ruben). In the latest quarter, its data-center revenue reached $30.2B, outpacing 2022 totals. Yet threats exist: AMD-level competition, cheap accelerators from Chinese labs like DeepSeek, and potential customer divergence as companies build in-house chips. Trade tensions between the US and China could also weigh on sales. The piece outlines the bull case for Nvidia and the bull case for Broadcom as durable AI beneficiaries, framing a choice for a $75,000 retirement investment.

Garmin Epix Pro Gen 2: Marathon-ready smartwatch with major early Black Friday discounts (US & UK)

November 18, 2025, 11:02 AM EST. Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2) is my top marathon companion thanks to its reliable GPS and Elevate V5 heart-rate monitor. In early Black Friday sales, the US Amazon listing drops the 42mm model from $899 to $449, with the Sapphire Edition 42mm at $549. The 47mm and 51mm sizes follow at 45% off, bringing the 47mm to $549 and the 51mm to $607. In the UK, Blacks cuts the Sapphire Edition 47mm by 54% to £399, while other sizes aren't available. This watch remains my preference over the Fenix 8 for endurance training, thanks to up-to-date sensors, strong battery life, and practical widgets. For more deals, see the Black Friday hub.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra gets early Black Friday discount before the rush

November 18, 2025, 10:58 AM EST. Samsung's Galaxy Watch Ultra gets an early Black Friday discount: about $369 on Amazon US (from $650), and around £462 in the UK (from £599). The white variant offers the deepest discount, other colors are slightly higher. In our review, the 47mm titanium case and rugged design shine, with a bright AMOLED display and strong outdoor durability. Battery life sits at about two days, a concession versus Garmin or Apple. It excels at fitness tracking with precise heart-rate, dual-frequency GPS, and multi-sport modes, but watersports performance and proprietary lugs limit accessory options. With WearOS and a premium feel, it's a compelling Android option that competes with Garmin and Apple on style and resilience.

Burner Emails: The Secret to a Cleaner Inbox and Stronger Online Privacy

November 18, 2025, 10:54 AM EST. Burner emails, also called disposable emails or aliases, help you keep your main inbox clutter-free by giving sites a temporary address instead of your real one. They curb spam, protect your privacy, and reduce follow-up marketing. The article notes you can generate multiple addresses-even unlimited ones in Gmail-and points to browser extensions and mobile apps that provide fake emails. Free options exist, often with paid tiers and occasional ads. Desktop and mobile solutions include Temp Mail (Chrome/Firefox extensions), iPhone's Hide My Email (iCloud+), MailVerified, Burner Mailbox, and Proton Mail's Hide-My-Email. Whether for site sign-ups, short-term access, or preserving anonymity, burner emails are a practical tool in today's spam-prone era.

ITU: Digital divides persist in developing markets despite rising connections

November 18, 2025, 10:52 AM EST. New ITU data shows internet growth but the digital divide remains sharp in speed, reliability, affordability, and digital skills. About 6 billion people are online in 2025, up from 5.8B in 2024, while roughly 2.2 billion remain unconnected. Connectivity gains mirror wealth and location: 94% online in high-income countries vs 23% in low-income ones, and 96% of those offline live in LMICs. Urban areas (85%) outpace rural areas (58%). 5G subscriptions total ~3 billion, about a third of mobile broadband, with coverage around 55% of the global population, but only 4% in low-income countries compared with 84% in high-income ones. A typical high-income user generates far more mobile data. Affordability blocks access for roughly 60% of LMICs, while the digital skills gap slows advanced use.

Game Awards voting site overwhelmed by GOTY buzz as nominations spark record traffic

November 18, 2025, 10:46 AM EST. The Game Awards voting site saw unprecedented traffic after the 2025 nominations, causing outages as fans cast votes for GOTY. Geoff Keighley confirmed the surge, with millions voting and access remaining open through December 10. Nominations spotlight contenders like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (the most-nominated), Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Hades II. The awards use a blended voting system with both a jury and fan input. The show airs December 11. Fans are urged to keep trying as traffic stabilizes. The buzz around this year's GOTY race has dominated discussions ahead of the ceremony.

Starlink performance slows after solar storms trigger orbital rerouting in LEO

November 18, 2025, 10:42 AM EST. New findings from a paper, A Deep Dive into the Impact of Solar Storms on LEO Satellite Networks, show that SpaceX's Starlink system can experience degraded performance after geomagnetic storms. During four CMEs between May and October 2024, solar storms heat the upper atmosphere, increasing drag on LEO satellites. To counter this, Starlink reportedly raises affected sats above nominal altitude, but these adjustments propagate across neighboring satellites, taking 3-4 days to fully stabilize and often hurting link quality and latency. The study used data from 76 RIPE Atlas probes (AS 14593) plus orbital data. Despite the disruption, Starlink remained operational across all four events. The authors question whether current autonomous constellation management is robust enough during extreme space weather, noting high-latitude satellites are most vulnerable.

Rare OPPO Factory Tour Reveals Smartphone Precision and SMT Line Mastery

November 18, 2025, 10:32 AM EST. Scotty Allen of Strange Parts gets rare access to an enormous OPPO factory outside Shenzhen, peeking at how flagship phones like the Find X9 Pro are built. Guided by Mr. Shan, head of manufacturing, the tour focuses on manufacturing rigor-from the three-layer logic board stack to the dense SMT line that produces hundreds of boards per hour. On the production floor, robots shuttle between stages, while laser tests verify even solder coverage after paste is applied by a screen printer. Reflow ovens melt the paste in a controlled nitrogen atmosphere, and probes confirm there are no shorts during the testing phase. The piece highlights design choices aimed at longer battery life and compact layouts, illustrating the precision behind modern smartphones.

Anthropic, Rwanda Government and ALX to Bring AI Education to Hundreds of Thousands Across Africa

November 18, 2025, 10:30 AM EST. Anthropic has announced a partnership with the Government of Rwanda and ALX to deploy Chidi, a Claude-based learning companion, across Africa's education system. Rwanda's ICT & Innovation and Education ministries will pilot Chidi for teachers and students, while ALX will scale access through its technology training programs. The initiative aims to help graduates and young professionals acquire skills in data analytics, cloud computing, and other tech disciplines, and to support teachers with lesson planning and productivity. The government plans to train up to 2,000 teachers and civil servants to integrate AI into classrooms. Graduates from the Rwanda pilot will gain an extended access to Claude tools (e.g., Claude Pro for individuals and Claude Code for developer teams). The effort aligns with Rwanda's Vision 2050 to build a knowledge economy and an AI-ready workforce.

AI in Education: Grounded in Learning Science and Collaborative Innovation

November 18, 2025, 10:28 AM EST. AI in Education: From access to understanding, this approach is grounded in learning science rather than bigger models alone, with Gemini and LearnLM built around pedagogical principles like managing cognitive load, encouraging active learning, and stimulating curiosity. The program emphasizes partnership with educators, students, and researchers to shape technologies that are useful and relevant. It commits to an evidence-based, transparent process: iterating on what works, sharing lessons, and aligning tools with the highest human goals. As AI evolves, the aim is to adopt effectively in the near term and, in the longer term, transform education to serve a changing world shaped by AI, through dialogue and collaboration.

UN ITU Finds 2.2 Billion People Still Offline: The Global Digital Connectivity Gap

November 18, 2025, 10:24 AM EST. New UN ITU data show that around 6 billion people are online, leaving about 2.2 billion completely offline – more than a quarter of the world. The gap persists even as 3G networks reach 96% of people. The digital divide is widest between rich and poor nations: in low-income countries just 23% are online, with Africa at 36% online. In contrast, high-income countries report about 94% online. Within regions, variations are stark: youth (ages 15-24) online at 82% vs 72% for the general population; rural areas lag behind urban ones. The ITU says the divide is defined by speed, reliability, affordability, and skills, underscoring the need for universal connectivity to close the gap.

iOS 26.2 Beta Could Let Japan Users Set a Third-Party Assistant as Side Button Default

November 18, 2025, 10:22 AM EST. Apple's iOS 26.2 beta 3 reveals code hints that the Side Button could launch a third-party voice assistant instead of Siri, but only for Japanese users for now. The beta includes phrases like 'Select Another Default Side Button App' and notes that the default app can't be hidden or locked, with region restrictions. The change ties to Japan's Mobile Software Competition Act, which requires third-party access to core OS functions. While Bloomberg previously linked EU timing to the DMA, Apple appears to test the feature in Japan first, with EU timing uncertain. If implemented, apps such as Gemini or Alexa could be launched by a long-press on the Side Button. The DMA language suggests broader potential rollout later.

How Much of the Market Is AI? Trends, Segments and Growth

November 18, 2025, 10:18 AM EST. AI's share of business and consumer markets is growing, but measuring 'how much' depends on the definition: spending on AI software, hardware, and services, plus the productivity gains from AI-enabled workflows. Major adopters include enterprise software suites, cloud platforms, and verticals such as finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. The biggest drivers are model training, data infrastructure, automation of routine tasks, and decision-support systems. Market share varies by segment: AI platforms and services command rising budgets, while standalone AI products lean on existing software ecosystems and startups pushing specialized AI applications. Challenges include data governance, talent shortages, bias, and regulatory risk. Looking ahead, sustained investment in compute and data ecosystems, plus thoughtful policy, will shape AI's role in economic activity.

Medina Educators Take Closer Look at AI in Education Policy and Training

November 18, 2025, 10:16 AM EST. Medina City Schools officials say they will deepen their understanding of AI and its implications for education. At a recent board meeting, Director of Instruction Tina Cassidy noted that AI was discussed in a curriculum committee and that January professional development will offer teachers various AI sessions. The district is also developing a shared policy on AI for staff and families. Board member Amy Smoyer highlighted community involvement with the annual Coats for Kids Express, reflecting the district's broader engagement. The effort aims to keep schools on top of AI developments and clarify its applications in the classroom.

Apple Watch redesign delayed to 2028, leaker claims, breaking four-year cycle

November 18, 2025, 10:14 AM EST. A new Weibo post from a leaker claims the next major Apple Watch redesign won't arrive until 2028, extending the device's design cycle to a four-year cycle. If true, the 2026-series would resemble today's model, with a full overhaul saved for the year after the 20th-anniversary iPhone in 2027. This would break Apple's pattern of a new chassis with every fourth Series update (Series 4, Series 7), and the latest Series 10 variants. The rumor also mentions possible 2026 external changes tied to new sensors, such as non-invasive blood glucose tracking, though that tech remains years away. As always, the leaker's track record is mixed, and Apple's internal roadmap could shift before any 2028 release.

Albatross Raises $12.25M to Build Real-Time AI Second Pillar for Instant User Intent

November 18, 2025, 10:06 AM EST. Albatross, a Zurich startup founded by former Amazon AI leaders Kevin Kahn and Matteo Ruffini with Johan Boissard, has raised $12.25M to advance what it calls the second pillar of AI. The round, led by MMC Ventures with Redalpine, Daphni, and angels, brings total funding to about $16M. The company claims its system reads user behavior in real time and adapts instantly, outperforming traditional recommendations. It uses an API layer that controls search and discovery by feeding a transformer model with inputs as event triplets: user, action, item, enabling real-time understanding of intent without retraining. Its flagship products are Real Time Discovery Feed and Multimodal Search, processing 2-3B events per month with tens of millions of predictions. Early tests in Spain and Germany show meaningful engagement gains and new acquisitions.

Galaxy Watch 7 50% off from $149; Galaxy Watch 8 down to $250 in Amazon deals

November 18, 2025, 10:04 AM EST. Amazon is slashing prices on the Galaxy Watch 7, with the 40mm at $149.99 and the 44mm at $179.99 – about 50% off and among the lowest prices tracked. The 40mm has returned to a prior all-time low, while the 44mm hits a fresh low. The Galaxy Watch 8 meanwhile drops to around $250 on Amazon (and $249.99 on the 40mm via Woot; 44mm at $279.99). Samsung's official site still lists full price. These promo prices vary by retailer and are often affiliate-driven; stock can change quickly. Whether you prefer the classic rounded Watch 7 or the newer Watch 8, these deals offer solid savings today.

Amazon Dumps IonQ Stake: What It Signals for the Quantum Computing Race

November 18, 2025, 10:02 AM EST. Amazon disclosed it sold all 854,207 IonQ shares it held at the end of Q2, leaving no IonQ position by Q3. While the stake equaled about $36.7 million-small for Amazon-it underscores how even tech giants trim noncore bets while tracking the quantum race. Rivian and AMD stakes were also wound down, hinting at portfolio cleanup rather than a slam on IonQ. Some readers wonder if Amazon's cloud and hardware teams have sharper views on which quantum players will win, and whether a 2030 commercialization horizon is still credible. The piece notes quantum computing likely won't replace classical compute but may converge in a hybrid model. Investors should watch how major players refine bets as the industry matures.

The biggest snubs from the 2025 Game Awards nominees

November 18, 2025, 10:00 AM EST. Even as the 2025 Game Awards lineup looks stacked, this piece calls out the notable omissions. The field is crowded with heavy hitters like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades 2, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, yet several beloved titles miss out in key categories. The piece highlights snubs across the board, including snubs in Game of the Year where fans expected a top-six finish. It spotlights Game of the Year entries Ghost of Yōtei and Split Fiction as surprising omissions from the final six, despite critical praise and other nominations for each. The article also notes Sony's usual GOTY dominance is bucked this year, though Ghost of Yōtei still lands nominations in Best Performance and Best Action Adventure Game. It also critiques the Best Mobile Game field for favoring marketed, IP-driven gacha titles.

NASA and SpaceX Launch Sentinel-6B to Monitor Global Ocean Health

November 18, 2025, 9:58 AM EST. NASA and its international partners launched Sentinel-6B, the second in a pair of ocean-monitoring satellites, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg. The mission will provide high-precision sea-level data and atmospheric measurements via radar-altimetry to support hurricane forecasting, coastal planning, and maritime safety. Once cross-calibrated with its predecessor, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, the satellite will serve as the global reference for sea-surface height and will orbit about 1,336 kilometers above Earth, circling roughly 13 times per day. The mission is a collaboration among NASA, ESA, NOAA, and EUMETSAT under the Copernicus program, with instruments supplied by JPL. Beyond sea-level, it will collect wind speeds, wave heights, temperature, and humidity to improve flood models and inform coastal and maritime decision-making. International partners emphasize long-term climate monitoring and global cooperation.

Is the AI boom a bubble? Analysts clash on what's driving market jitters

November 18, 2025, 9:52 AM EST. Analysts remain divided on whether the current AI rally resembles a bubble or reflects real, lasting gains. With AI-related stocks contributing a majority of the S&P 500's returns and earnings growth since ChatGPT's 2022 debut, optimism is high but so are warnings. UBS's Andrew Garthwaite flags classic bubble hallmarks: a buy the dip mindset, the refrain that this time is different, rising retail participation, and a narrow base of earnings outside the top seven names. Yet Goldman Sachs notes that today's valuations derive less from speculation and more from favorable macro conditions: low rates, abundant savings, and a long cycle of risk assets, while peers point to real profits behind the AI rally. The debate echoes the dot-com era, but the fundamentals differ in scale, scope, and profitability.

NVIDIA's $500B AI Orders Signal Record 2026 Revenue as AI Demand Surges

November 18, 2025, 9:50 AM EST. Nvidia (NVDA) stunned investors with a reported $500B in combined 2025-2026 AI orders covering Blackwell and Rubin GPUs and related networking gear. Analysts see this as a signal of higher-than-expected 2026 revenue, with data-center demand potentially lifting estimates by about $60B. Nvidia remains a dominant AI chip supplier to Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta. The company has strategic bets, including up to $10B in OpenAI equity, $5B with Intel, and a $1B Nokia stake to weave GPUs into networks. Despite robust orders, the stock trades near late-October levels as investors weigh AI-spending risk. Forecasts call for $1.25 EPS on $54.9B Q3 revenue, with Q4 guidance around $61.4B.

Dongfeng Targets 620-Mile Solid-State EVs by 2026

November 18, 2025, 9:46 AM EST. China's Dongfeng plans a production EV powered by a new generation of solid-state batteries, targeting sales in 2026. Dongfeng claims more than 620 miles (1,000 km) of range on a full charge under the CLTC, with EPA projections potentially lower but still competitive. The cell stack uses a multi-component design-ternary cathode, silicon-carbon anode, and an oxide polymer electrolyte-and a 1,200-volt architecture for fast charging via a 1,700 V silicon-carbide power module, enabling around 1.5 miles per second (≈280 miles in 5 minutes). Tests reportedly tolerate −22°F to 266°F with minimal capacity loss (~72% at −30°C). If validated at scale, the program could accelerate global interest in true solid-state tech and higher-density EVs.

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro hits its lowest price ever at £255 ahead of Black Friday

November 18, 2025, 9:44 AM EST. DJI's Osmo Action 5 Pro has dropped to a new low ahead of Black Friday, now selling for £255 – £65 off recent prices. The rugged action cam packs a 1/1.3-inch sensor for detailed 4K footage, plus 4K at 120fps and high-frame-rate modes. Dual OLED touchscreens simplify framing and settings, while DJI's stabilization and horizon-levelling keep footage smooth even in chaotic motion. It also features strong subject-tracking and fast autofocus. With around 64GB built-in storage plus a microSD slot, a removable high-capacity battery, and waterproof to 20 metres, it's built for winter sports and underwater use. A compact, durable package that remains one of the best-value options for creators today.

Indian Shares Open Lower as Nvidia Earnings and US Jobs Data Awaited

November 18, 2025, 9:42 AM EST. Indian shares opened lower as investors awaited delayed September U.S. jobs data and Nvidia results, dragging the benchmark indices. The BSE Sensex slipped about 299 points to around 84,652 and the NSE Nifty was down roughly 103 points to 25,910. In stock-specific moves, Paytm fell 1.4% after a block deal of 1.32 crore shares, while Emcure Pharma tumbled 3.6% amid reports that Bain Capital's BC Investments plans to offload up to 2% of equity. HCL Technologies eased 1% after opening an innovation lab in Santa Clara, and JSW Energy dipped 1% on director resignation news. Reliance Industries edged lower following an exclusive distribution tie with Germany's cosnova Beauty. Conversely, WPIL jumped 7% on a ₹426 crore contract win with a Matla a Metsi JV.

Abidur Chowdhury leaves Apple to join AI startup, adding to design talent drain

November 18, 2025, 9:38 AM EST. Industry reports say Abidur Chowdhury, the designer behind the iPhone Air, has left Apple to join an undisclosed AI startup, per Bloomberg. The move underscores a broader talent drain from Apple's AI and design divisions as high-profile designers seek opportunities in fast-growing AI ventures. Chowdhury, who joined Apple in 2019 and led the iPhone Air reveal, is said to have joined an AI-focused firm after an eventful run in Apple's hardware design group. Apple has not publicly commented; his LinkedIn still lists Apple, and the identity of the new startup remains under wraps. If confirmed, the departure would highlight the ongoing churn among top designers shaping Apple's next-generation devices.

Baillie Gifford calls Nvidia the Hermès of chips as it doubles down on TSMC and ASML

November 18, 2025, 9:34 AM EST. Baillie Gifford's Mark Urquhart describes Nvidia as the 'Hermès of the chip market,' underscoring a management-driven, long-term growth thesis. Nvidia remains one of the firm's highest-conviction holdings, held for nearly a decade and oriented toward 2030-2035 rather than the next quarter. Urquhart lauds Jensen Huang as a standout entrepreneur and notes Nvidia's rapid revenue growth. Beyond Nvidia, the firm backs ASML and TSMC as rare long-term winners in the memory chip market, despite it being fast-moving and commoditized. He also warns that Asia is coming for Nvidia's lunch, while expecting a possible compromise to restore access to China. The emphasis is on leadership teams that think in decades and on maintaining scale in a competitive, geopolitical landscape.

UK Consumers Warned AI Chatbots Are Giving Inaccurate Financial Advice

November 18, 2025, 9:30 AM EST. UK consumers are being warned that popular AI chatbots often provide inaccurate financial advice, including misleading tax guidance and unnecessary travel insurance suggestions. A Which? study tested tools from Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Meta, and Perplexity, finding incorrect guidance on HMRC ISA limits and travel insurance rules, and poor handling of a tax refund question. The experiment highlighted risks of relying on AI for important issues, with Meta's assistant scoring worst and Perplexity the best among those tested. The FCA reminded that general-purpose AI advice is not covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service or FSCS. Google said it was transparent about responses.

Dial This Code Now: How IMEI Lock Can Protect Your Stolen Smartphone

November 18, 2025, 9:28 AM EST. Smartphone security isn't just about biometrics or passwords. This piece explains built-in protections on iPhone and Android-Stolen Device Protection, Factory Reset Protection, location checks, and AI theft detection-and adds a simple, universal step: dial *#06# to reveal your device's unique IMEI. With this 15-digit number, you can notify your carrier to blacklist the phone, rendering it unusable even after a reset or SIM swap. The article urges readers to record the IMEI securely and enable protections now to minimize theft damages. Key takeaways: know your iPhone/Android safeguards, use the IMEI trick responsibly, and keep a copy of your IMEI for emergencies.

Back Market offers 8% off refurbished tech this Black Friday (AirPods, smartwatches, PS5, Xbox)

November 18, 2025, 9:26 AM EST. Back Market is offering 8% off on refurbished tech this Black Friday, including AirPods, smartwatches, home appliances, and consoles like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Use codes GIFT4U (US) or GIFT4UUK (UK) at checkout to trigger the discount. The deal is limited to the first 350 US and 350 UK orders. The discount is applied automatically at checkout. Back Market backs every purchase with its Back Market Promise, including a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 1-year warranty. Refurbished items and strong customer service are core strengths of the platform, which continues to grow as a go-to source for affordable tech before the holidays.

One UI Expands Across Samsung Ecosystem with AI-Driven, Cross-Device Experience

November 18, 2025, 9:22 AM EST. Samsung's One UI is evolving into an AI-enabled experience that syncs across phones, tablets, wearables, laptops and even appliances. Since its 2018 debut, One UI aims to keep you focused on what matters with a simpler, more consistent interface. The latest vision doubles down on a cross-device workflow: start a task on a phone and pick it up on a tablet or fridge, with health data, memories and to-dos staying in sync. New "Just-for-You" features tailor updates and reminders to your routines, while the integration across the Samsung ecosystem promises a seamless, personalized journey from home to on the go. Images note generative AI usage, but the core idea is a connected, intuitive experience that adapts to your life, your way.

OnePlus teases the 15R smartphone and a new watch

November 18, 2025, 9:20 AM EST. OnePlus is teasing two new devices by posting on its website: the OnePlus 15R smartphone and a forthcoming New Watch. The 15R looks like the Ace 6 rebrand for various markets, featuring a larger display, the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, and a 7800mAh battery with 120W charging. It reportedly drops the telephoto camera, keeping the other cameras from the 13R, suggesting the camera setup may mirror past patterns rather than introduce a new leap. On the wearable side, OnePlus shows only an outline for the New Watch on European sites, with no official name or specs. A simultaneous announcement and release with the 15R is expected, but details remain scarce.

10 Must-Know DJI Pocket Travel Tips and Osmo Pocket Tricks for Stunning Travel Vlogs

November 18, 2025, 9:16 AM EST. Master the DJI Pocket (and Osmo Pocket) for travel vlogs by leveraging the 3-axis gimbal stabilization for smooth shots, shooting in 4K/60fps, and deliberate, steady movements. Experiment with low-angle POV, time-lapse, and hyper-lapse to tell longer stories quickly. Use creative transitions-spins and slides-via controlled wrist motion to maintain flow. Improve audio with an external microphone adapter and proper wind protection, while capturing ambient sounds for immersion. ActiveTrack on the Osmo Pocket can keep subjects framed automatically, freeing you to focus on composition. With compact size and smart shooting modes, this guide helps you elevate travel videos with practical, stylish techniques.

Asian shares slide on AI-led rout as Nvidia earnings loom

November 18, 2025, 9:14 AM EST. Asian stocks fell after a tech-led pullback in U.S. shares, with benchmarks in Tokyo and Seoul down more than 3%. AI-related names dragged markets lower as traders awaited Nvidia's earnings report. U.S. futures pointed lower, with the S&P 500 futures down about 0.6% and the Dow around 0.4%. Investors worry that this year's rally in chip-related stocks may be overstretched. The sell-off also weighed on regional markets, from South Korea to Taiwan. The day ahead includes U.S. employment data delayed by the government shutdown. In Japan, the 30-year JGB yield climbed to 3.31%, and the yen traded above 155 per dollar as policy debates and spending plans keep markets tense.

Grow with Xiaomi: Powering the Next-Gen Internet Ecosystem with AI

November 18, 2025, 9:12 AM EST. Xiaomi unveiled at the Xiaomi Internet Partner Conference 2026 in Thailand how it is accelerating a next-generation internet ecosystem with AI. The event highlighted four on-device features-AI Search, Creative Tools, Pet Companion, and Shopping Assistant-centered on delivering exceptional user experiences. Pet Companion offers a responsive on-screen AI pet with system integrations, while Shopping Assistant helps users discover products, compare details, and claim coupons with a single tap. Xiaomi also emphasizes an open, sustainable ecosystem for apps, games and services, including GetApps, OEM app publishing improvements, and a vibrant gaming lineup with 450 IAP titles and 90% annual revenue growth. Additional bets include an OEM native advertising framework and the Xiaomi ADS platform with a ROAS-driven approach to partner growth.

Apple CEO succession: Hardware chief John Ternus tipped as front-runner to replace Tim Cook

November 18, 2025, 9:10 AM EST. Apple is accelerating its succession planning to identify a replacement for Tim Cook. A hardware executive, John Ternus, is widely viewed as the front-runner, though no final decision has been made. Ternus, Apple's senior VP of hardware engineering, reports directly to Cook and is 50 years old. If appointed, the leadership would shift back to a hardware-focused chief at a time when Apple faces rival pressure. An announcement is not expected before Apple's late-January earnings report, with preparations aimed at setting up the incoming leader ahead of the June developer conference and the September iPhone launch. Cook has encouraged an internal candidate and cited very detailed succession plans. Apple declined to comment.

Oppo Reno14 F Star Wars Dark Side Edition Brings Darth Vader to a Mid-Range Smartphone

November 18, 2025, 9:08 AM EST. Oppo unveils the Reno14 F Star Wars Dark Side Limited Edition, wrapping the mid-range phone in Darth Vader aesthetics and a Death Star II-themed box. The internal specs mirror the standard model: a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, a 6.57-inch AMOLED display at 2372×1080, 120Hz, and up to 1400 nits brightness. Photo duty is handled by a 50MP main cam, 8MP ultrawide, and a 32MP front shooter, backed by a 6000mAh battery with 45W fast charging and IP68 water/dust resistance. The package includes Star Wars wallpapers, OS animations, and AR camera filters that let you pose with holographic Vader or a lightsaber, making it a must-have collector's item for fans while preserving everyday usability.

Fast Satellite Ground Synchronization Advances for Beam Hopping Communications

November 18, 2025, 9:04 AM EST. Researchers from Xidian University and partners analyze synchronizing satellite beam hopping with ground stations to boost HTS capacity. They propose a signaling-assisted, burst-mode synchronization using a pseudo-random capture sequence and RM(7,64) encoding aligned with DVB-S2X standards to maintain robustness at low SNR. The approach coordinates ground gateway signals with on-board beam switches for uninterrupted service. Demodulation uses frequency conversion, serial-to-parallel handling, peak-time correlation, and Reed-Muller decoding to extract beam-control data. A guide-frequency assistance method employing BPSK sequences and a four-sample estimator achieves high timing precision; simulations show accuracy above 98% under normal conditions and stability with frequency bias up to ±10%. Compared with traditional digital filters, the algorithm delivers higher synchronization accuracy with reduced complexity, improving beam hopping efficiency in HTS networks.

Samsung Galaxy XR Falls Short: Missing killer AR apps and missed opportunities

November 18, 2025, 9:02 AM EST. A critique of Samsung's Galaxy XR launch, arguing there are no killer AR apps aside from Google Maps, and key opportunities were missed. The author highlights that AR visualization used in Samsung's e-shop and QR tool on mobile isn't available in XR, a missed chance to showcase Samsung products in AR on the headset. They also lament that SmartThings integration is non-existent: the SmartThings app can't run on Galaxy XR, preventing 3D Map View and AR controls for devices like TVs, A/Cs, and ovens. The piece calls out the lack of translation of core One UI experiences to XR and questions whether these gaps will be addressed, leaving the launch feeling undercooked and disappointing.

Black Holes Of Code: Do Lopsided Social AI Bonds Threaten Our Humanity?

November 18, 2025, 9:00 AM EST. Humans rely on reciprocal communication to form bonds, but as AI companions move from novelty to daily fixtures, many conversations occur with a Large Language Model rather than another conscious being. The piece argues this creates a reciprocity gap, where words are answered by statistical predictions rather than lived experience, turning intimacy into a performance designed for comfort. The result could be a psychological toll and a weakening of authentic connections, eroding our ability to recognize beliefs, desires and perspectives different from our own. The author warns of a 'black hole of code' that absorbs genuine discourse and urges society to study the risks of mistaking sophisticated programming for human relationship. Understanding this dynamic is crucial to safeguarding our social fabric in a hybrid era.

Nvidia (NVDA) Earnings Preview: What to Expect Tomorrow

November 18, 2025, 8:58 AM EST. Nvidia (NVDA) is set to report earnings this Wednesday after the bell. In the prior quarter, revenue totaled $46.74 billion, up 55.6% year over year, beating EPS estimates albeit with higher inventory. For the upcoming quarter, analysts expect revenue of about $55.45 billion (up 58.1% YoY) and adjusted EPS of $1.25. Nvidia has a history of beating revenue estimates, surpassing expectations on average by around 4.7% over the last two years. Peers such as Qorvo and Qualcomm have reported results that shed light on the sector: Qorvo rose 1.1% YoY and beat estimates; Qualcomm rose about 10% and beat estimates. Nvidia trades near $185.68 with a price target around $232.79. Macro headwinds from tariffs and tax policy keep the market cautious.

Apple's iPhone Air Designer Abidur Chowdhury Exits Apple, Bloomberg Reports

November 18, 2025, 8:56 AM EST. Abidur Chowdhury, a key Apple industrial designer who helped develop the iPhone Air, has left Apple for an AI startup, per Bloomberg. He joined in 2019, around the time Jony Ive departed, and served as a spokesman for the device during its reveal. Bloomberg notes the move is unrelated to the phone's debut, which has drawn praise for its design despite weak sales. Analysts hint at an iPhone Air 2027 rollout, while skeptics compare the device's fate to the iPhone Mini/Plus. Gurman's sources say Chowdhury's exit "made waves" within Apple's design team but was not a dismissal.

What AI Doesn't Know: Could GenAI Trigger a Global Knowledge Collapse?

November 18, 2025, 8:54 AM EST. Across a personal narrative and academic lens, this piece questions what GenAI can and cannot know. It contrasts a family's trust in traditional Siddha remedies with the internet's dominant, digitized authority and shows how large-model systems learn from a biased digital corpus. The author, a Cornell researcher studying responsible AI, warns that rising GenAI could deepen knowledge imbalances by privileging Western, English-language sources and sidelining lived experience. As the internet expands into everyday decision-making, we risk a global knowledge collapse where uncertainty is outsourced to opaque algorithms. The piece calls for critical design, transparency, and inclusive data practices to ensure AI systems augment rather than erode human understanding.

Google boss Sundar Pichai warns 'no company immune' if AI bubble bursts

November 18, 2025, 8:50 AM EST. Alphabet chief Sundar Pichai tells the BBC that while the AI boom is an extraordinary moment, there are signs of irrational exuberance in the market and no company will be immune to a potential bubble burst. He says Google could weather a downturn thanks to its full-stack approach-from chips to data and models-but cautions investors not to ignore the risks. The interview comes as AI valuations surge and rivals like Nvidia and OpenAI shape the competitive landscape. Pichai outlays Alphabet's strategy, including a focus on in-house chips and an emphasis on energy needs, cost discipline, and a recent £5bn UK investment commitment to infrastructure and AI research. He argues the AI era could overshoot yet remain profoundly transformative.

Apple reportedly exploring touch-sensitive cases to add second touch interfaces for iPhone Pro models

November 18, 2025, 8:48 AM EST. Apple is reportedly exploring official touch-sensitive cases that could turn the case into a second touch interface for future iPhone Pro models. The rumor from leakster Instant Digital suggests features that could replace some physical keys with inputs in the case, rather than a full secondary screen. Today, iPhones support the Camera Control capacitive touch area; the proposed concept would expand such inputs. The idea aligns with Apple's patent Case with input for electronic device, which describes an electromechanical touch sensor that can disable device buttons and map signals from the case. If true, launch could arrive with the next Pro models around fall 2026 (vanilla first half 2026).

Former Google Brain Scientist Outlines a Hierarchy of Engineering Talent

November 18, 2025, 8:46 AM EST. Former Google Brain scientist lays out a framework for evaluating and developing engineering talent, detailing a hierarchy that runs from junior contributors to senior researchers and leaders. The framework emphasizes concrete indicators like problem-solving impact, collaboration, and ownership, and offers guidance on hiring, performance reviews, and career progression. The piece argues that organizations should tailor roles to strengths, invest in mentorship, and align team composition with ambitious AI/ML projects. Readers will gain a practical lens on building high-performing technical teams and recognizing different impact levels across the engineering ladder.

Huawei Mate 80 RS debuts with 20GB RAM as Samsung sticks to 12GB/16GB in Galaxy S26 Ultra

November 18, 2025, 8:42 AM EST. Huawei has disrupted the status quo by launching the Mate 80 RS with a base 20GB RAM and up to 1TB storage. Samsung, by contrast, is sticking with 12GB RAM on the Galaxy S26 series, with a 16GB RAM Ultra version limited to certain markets. That means many Samsung fans won't see a 20GB RAM flagship soon. Huawei's hardware upgrade, despite sanctions, highlights a shift toward democratizing memory capacity, while Samsung leans on software optimization. The Galaxy S26 line is expected in early 2026, and major RAM bumps seem unlikely. Huawei's approach adds pressure for more RAM tiers across Android flagships, even as Samsung maintains a cautious, market-by-market rollout for its Ultra editions.

Quantum's tipping point: the commercial era of computing arrives as IBM, Harvard, CHIPX push breakthroughs

November 18, 2025, 8:40 AM EST. Quantum computing has crossed from theory to the commercial front line. In one month, IBM, Harvard, and Beijing-based CHIPX each announced breakthroughs that compress decades of progress into tangible gains: IBM's chip with integrated quantum error correction; Harvard's fault-tolerant architecture that suppresses errors below the threshold; and CHIPX's optical quantum processor claimed to be 1,000 times faster than Nvidia GPUs for certain AI tasks. Taken together, these milestones signal the start of the commercial era for quantum, with real-world deployments from Ford Otosan and others ushering in a potential trillion-dollar technology wave. The technology hinges on qubits, superposition, and entanglement, offering parallel exploration of solutions that could redefine computing far beyond classical limits and reshape investing and policy alike.

Huawei Mate 80 Series: Four Designs and the 20GB RAM RS Ultimate Flagship

November 18, 2025, 8:38 AM EST. China's tech giant confirms November 25 launch for the Huawei Mate 80 series, introducing four models each with its own camera architecture and design identity. The standout is the flagship Huawei Mate 80 RS Ultimate Design, packing 20GB RAM and an octagon-shaped rear camera module, a bold break from the industry's circular layouts. The series ranges from the accessible Mate 80 to the premium Mate 80 Pro Max-with quad- and triple-camera setups and periscope telephoto options. Color palettes reinforce positioning, from Dawn Gold to Hibiscus, while the RS Ultimate Design sets a distinct visual identity for premium visibility. This RAM leadership signals Huawei's push for design-led differentiation in flagship smartphones.

Microsoft's Agentic Windows Backlash: Exec Response Falls Short on Roadmap and Performance Fixes

November 18, 2025, 8:36 AM EST. Microsoft's push for an 'agentic' Windows sparked backlash from users who argue it sacrifices performance for automation. In a reply on X to Gergely Orosz, Windows executive Davuluri acknowledged the flood of feedback but offered few specifics, saying they balance product feedback with direct input. Critics call the response underwhelming and empty, lacking a public, concrete roadmap or technical details about when changes will arrive. Core concerns-system bloat, hardware lock-ins, inconsistent dialogs, and Copilot integrations placed ahead of longstanding design fixes-go unaddressed. Microsoft has not provided a detailed public plan, leaving everyday and power users waiting for measurable action. The thread underscores a growing gap between messaging and execution and a demand for transparency and accountability.

Windows 11 tests AI 'Agent Workspace' with background access to folders, raising security concerns

November 18, 2025, 8:34 AM EST. Microsoft is pushing Windows 11 toward an AI-native future with an experimental feature called Agent Workspace. The setup creates a separate AI runtime and user session that can run in the background and access common folders such as Documents, Desktop, Music, Pictures, and Videos. Accessible to Windows Insiders in the Dev or Beta Channel via an 'Experimental agentic features' toggle, Agent Workspace aims to let AI agents act on your behalf while your main desktop stays in use. However, the feature carries potential downsides: a new, privileged AI runtime; possible performance hits; and privacy and security implications from granting agents access to personal files. Microsoft stresses audits and isolation, but reports suggest it may not be designed primarily for security or privacy.

Krafton Accused of Firing Subnautica 2 Founders to Dodge Earnout; ChatGPT Involved

November 18, 2025, 8:32 AM EST. Unknown Worlds' cofounders allege that publisher Krafton terminated them to dodge a $250 million earnout tied to Subnautica 2's sales. In new filings revealed during litigation, they claim Krafton engineered a takeover after failing to renegotiate lower bonuses, and that internal messages referenced a plan, nicknamed Project X, to cancel the earnout by a deal or a takeover. The filings also accuse Krafton of considering strategies to delay the game and even consulting an AI chatbot-ChatGPT-for ideas to avoid payout, though Krafton says such conversations were destroyed. Krafton disputes the characterization, calling it an attempt to obstruct evidence. The dispute centers on control of Unknown Worlds and whether termination was aimed at protecting the publisher's bottom line rather than advancing the game.

Unknown Worlds founders accuse Krafton of secret 'Project X' to delay Subnautica 2 and dodge earnout

November 18, 2025, 8:30 AM EST. Former Unknown Worlds co-founders Charlie Cleveland, Max McGuire, and Ted Gill claim in a pre-trial brief that Krafton established a secret task force called Project X to delay Subnautica 2 and avoid paying a multi-million dollar earnout tied to its early access launch. The filing, via Fortis Advisors, portrays CEO Changhan 'CH' Kim as pushing to delay the title to protect his job and corporate value, while Krafton counters that the co-founders were fired after the acquisition and that Subnautica 2 needed more time. Plaintiffs allege Kim believed the earnout would shrink Krafton's value, and that the company even sought a takeover when negotiations stalled. Slack messages between Kim and CFO Richard Yoon are cited as showing the possibility of a takeover.

X launches X Chat: A privacy-first messaging platform with video calls to rival WhatsApp

November 18, 2025, 8:28 AM EST. X has unveiled X Chat, a privacy-centric messaging feature that brings video calls, end-to-end encryption, and disappearing messages to a platform free from ads and tracking. The tool supports file transfers, notifications for attempted screenshots, and editable or deletable messages, aiming to give users greater control over their conversations. Initially available on iOS and the web, with an Android rollout planned, X says the feature will coexist with legacy DMs as part of a broader secure communications stack. A future voice memo feature and potential X Money integration signal X's plan to become an all-in-one app. The launch positions X to compete with WhatsApp while emphasizing privacy and user controls.

Windows executive defends AI push as users demand reliability

November 18, 2025, 8:22 AM EST. Microsoft's Windows chief Pavan Davuluri defends an evolving, agentic OS while users flood his post with demand for reliability over novelty. He frames Windows as connecting devices, cloud and AI to boost productivity and secure work anywhere. After hundreds of comments, users say they want an OS that is reliable, performant, and stable rather than more AI features. Davuluri reiterates that the team listens to feedback and to what is heard directly, noting that preferences don't always align but both matter. Critics ask which priorities win: official feedback channels or Copilot-obsessed momentum from investors and enthusiasts. The piece notes Microsoft's tweaks to built-in apps like Paint and Notepad with AI, while core Windows shortcomings linger. In short, questions remain about whether user needs or shareholder appetite shapes the roadmap.

The Game Awards website crashes as voting and nominations go live

November 18, 2025, 8:16 AM EST. Hundreds of users reported that The Game Awards website crashed as nominations went live and voting began, leaving fans unable to load pages or cast votes. The outage hit as the 2025 edition rolled out, with social media flooded by complaints about load times, rate limiting, and inaccessible nominees. Viewers worried the site couldn't handle traffic during the critical voting window, prompting calls for a fix from the gaming community. The event, hosted by Geoff Keighley, is set to stream on Amazon Prime Video from 8-11 pm ET on December 11, with the nominations and voting period closely watched by players worldwide. The hiccup highlights the challenge of scaling high-profile live events online during peak interest.

Unknown Worlds Lawsuit: Krafton Accused of Secret 'Project X' Takeover Tactics to Avoid Earnout

November 18, 2025, 8:14 AM EST. Former Unknown Worlds executives allege in a pre-trial filing that Krafton fired the founders and delayed the launch of Subnautica 2 to dodge a $250 million earnout tied to 2025 Early Access revenue. They claim Krafton created a secret task force, dubbed Project X, whose mandate was to secure a deal with the founders or execute a takeover. Krafton contends the leadership threatened to self-publish and that the company terminated them for management disputes related to the deal, while accusing the founders of downloading thousands of company files. The case has spurred protective orders and claims of intercepted communications between Krafton CEO CH Kim and Unknown Worlds' CFO, as parties dispute control and the sale's terms. Trial begins November 17.

Windows 11 25H2 Dev/Beta Preview Builds Add Agentic Features, HD Voices, and Math in Narrator

November 18, 2025, 8:12 AM EST. Microsoft released Windows 11 25H2 preview builds for the Dev and Beta channels (build 26220.7262, KB5070303). New features include an experimental agentic features toggle in AI Components settings, allowing AI agents to access Windows agentic features. US English users gain HD Voices in Narrator and Magnifier, with Azure-based on-device TTS. Math in Narrator now supports reading equations in Microsoft 365 desktop apps. The Click to Do context menu is streamlined, making actions like Copy, Save, Share, and Open always available and auto-appearing for large images or tables. Additional tweaks include temporary Image Object Selection off, small improvements to Teaching Tips and Pen Input, and configuration changes to AI Actions with some feature adjustments; numerous fixes accompany the release.

Microsoft reveals Windows 11's agentic future: an AI-native OS with agent workspaces and secure, parallel tasks

November 18, 2025, 8:10 AM EST. Microsoft outlines Windows 11's shift toward an agentic OS powered by AI-native capabilities. In a developer preview, Windows will introduce an experimental agent workspace that creates a separate, contained space where agents can access apps and files to complete tasks in the background. Each agent runs under its own dedicated account, preserving user control and visibility. The feature requires enabling the 'experimental agentic features' toggle and runs in a lightweight, isolated Windows session, offering parallel execution without the overhead of a full VM. Microsoft emphasizes ongoing security controls and transparency as the rollout expands, signaling a long-term pivot to intelligent, agent-powered computing across individuals and enterprises.

Krafton CEO allegedly used ChatGPT to dodge Subnautica 2 earnout payments, court brief reveals

November 18, 2025, 8:08 AM EST. In a pre-trial brief, former Unknown Worlds leaders claim Krafton CEO Changham Kim sought to dodge the earnout tied to the Unknown Worlds acquisition and Subnautica 2. The filing says he turned to artificial intelligence, asking for ways to avoid paying, and that ChatGPT reportedly cautioned it would be difficult to cancel. Krafton disputes the claims, noting other factors and denying deception charges. The document argues Kim's fear of a reputational hit and "professional embarrassment" drove the effort to evade payout. The case, ongoing since July, has spotlighted tensions between video game studios and their corporate backers, with broader implications for tech business acquisitions and post-deal disputes.

7 Surprising Day-One S25 FE Changes That Made Me Love This Phone

November 18, 2025, 8:04 AM EST. Unboxed the Galaxy S25 FE and found One UI 8 defaults that slow you down. This quick guide covers the day-one tweaks that turn a good phone into a loveable one: 1) unify the Notifications and Quick Panel by changing Panel settings from Separate to Together; 2) reclaim the Power Button from Bixby/Gemini so a long-press powers off or restarts normally. Each fix is a 15-second tweak that improves one-handed use, UX consistency, and overall responsiveness. If you want a cleaner, faster Samsung experience, these adjustments are a must.

AI and the Labor Market: How Young Workers Are Being Affected

November 18, 2025, 8:02 AM EST. AI is reshaping the labor market, with rising concern that young workers will bear the brunt of automation. The article cites Goldman Sachs economist Jan Hatzius estimating AI could displace about 6-7% of U.S. jobs, signaling a long-term challenge for new entrants. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that in July 2025, 53.1% of ages 16-24 were employed, down from 54.5% in the prior year, illustrating fragile entry into adulthood employment. The piece also notes widespread use of AI tools like ChatGPT among students and workers, even as some studies question the profitability of many AI-driven efforts. In short, the article argues the risk is real and policy solutions remain elusive.

Apple App Store updates mandate explicit consent for data shared with third-party AI

November 18, 2025, 8:00 AM EST. Apple updates its App Store Review Guidelines to require developers to clearly disclose where personal data will be shared with third parties, including third-party AI, and to obtain explicit permission before sharing. The new policy – Apple's first formal guidance on third-party AI – makes consent and transparency mandatory for all apps. By restricting how data can be shared with AI services, the change could push AI developers to seek training data elsewhere or rethink data practices. In short, if you hate the idea of your information being used to train AI, this tweak tightens control over that flow and strengthens user consent.

Trump invites Elon Musk to White House dinner with MBS amid tech-elite forum

November 18, 2025, 7:58 AM EST. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is reportedly invited to a White House dinner hosted by President Trump for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), as Washington and Riyadh host a US-Saudi investment forum. It's unclear whether Musk will attend. The dinner follows MBS's first US visit in seven years and comes after tensions between Musk and Trump in June. The event, at the Kennedy Center, will include CEOs from Chevron, Qualcomm, Cisco, General Dynamics, Pfizer and other majors. Musk previously said a representative would attend, countering rumors of a snub. The public reunion between Trump and Musk signals evolving tech policy and corporate diplomacy amid ongoing US-Saudi ties.

Cantor Reaffirms Salesforce Rating as AI-Fears Are Overstated

November 18, 2025, 7:56 AM EST. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterates an Overweight rating on Salesforce (CRM) with a $325 price target, arguing the stock's appeal rests on a strong free cash flow outlook and durable long-term growth. The firm believes Salesforce maintains a robust enterprise position that supports sustainable expansion and significant FCF generation well into the future. It also contends that AI-fueled fears around Salesforce are overstated, creating an attractive risk/reward setup for investors with a multi-year horizon. At about 16x NTM FCF, CRM trades near its all-time lows, and Cantor suggests a 20-25x multiple is more appropriate for a business of this quality and FCF growth potential. Salesforce's AI platform Agentforce reinforces its competitive stance, even as other AI stocks may offer greater upside.

Early Black Friday Tablet Deals Hit 50% Off Across Amazon, Samsung, iPads and More

November 18, 2025, 7:50 AM EST. Tech shoppers can start their Black Friday season early with substantial tablet discounts across major brands. The roundup highlights Amazon tablets, Samsung Galaxy Tabs, Apple iPads, and other top-rated models, with savings of 50% or more in some listings. The article promises early access to deals, helping you pregame holiday shopping and skip last-minute stress. Look for price drops on popular sizes and features, from entry-level tablets to premium models, plus bundles and accessories. The update is current as of November 17, 2025, so prices may fluctuate as retailers adjust promotions. Readers are advised to compare specs, check return policies, and act fast while stock lasts.

Citi Lifts Nvidia Price Target to $220; TD Cowen Positive Ahead of Earnings

November 18, 2025, 7:48 AM EST. Analysts remain upbeat on NVIDIA (NVDA) ahead of its Q3 print. Citi raised its price target to $220 and reiterated a Buy rating, projecting Q3 sales around $56.8B versus consensus of $54.6B. TD Cowen also reiterated Buy on Nvidia, citing strength from the anticipated Blackwell Ultra uplift and Nvidia's stock underperformance in the quarter. Management is set to report results after the close on Nov. 19. While Nvidia looks attractive as an AI leader, some firms warn other AI names may offer higher upside with lower downside risk; a separate free report highlights undervalued AI stocks tied to tariffs and onshoring. Disclosure: None.

Asian Markets Slip as Nvidia Earnings Loom After Wall Street Dip

November 18, 2025, 7:46 AM EST. Asian stocks slipped Tuesday as Wall Street's decline intensified concerns over frothy tech valuations. Investors turned to Nvidia, the AI chip titan, and the coming earnings as a potential catalyst for the sector. The report notes that Barron's was not involved in the content; AFP produced the article.

The Game Awards 2025 Nominees And Categories Revealed

November 18, 2025, 7:44 AM EST. Geoff Keighley's The Game Awards return on December 11 with trailers, performances, and awards. The full 2025 nominees feature a crowded field for Game of the Year, including Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. Expedition 33 leads with a record 12 nominations, making it the most-nominated title in The Game Awards history. Death Stranding 2 and Ghost of Yotei each have eight nominations; Hades 2 earns six; Hollow Knight five; and Split Fiction four. Check back for updates as December 11 approaches, with more from GameSpot and fans ahead of the show.

Jeff Bezos reportedly launching AI startup Project Prometheus

November 18, 2025, 7:42 AM EST. According to the New York Times, former Amazon chief and current Blue Origin CEO Jeff Bezos is launching an AI startup called Project Prometheus and will serve as its co-chief executive. NPR tech reporter Bobby Allyn discusses the move on NBC News, underscoring Bezos's continued push into artificial intelligence and the broader tech-policy implications. The report places Prometheus within a wave of high-profile AI ventures amid industry and regulatory scrutiny, with Bezos leveraging his space and e-commerce experience to shape an early strategy for the venture.

DJI Neo 2 selfie drone adds LiDAR obstacle avoidance and gesture controls

November 18, 2025, 7:38 AM EST. DJI announced the Neo 2, a selfie drone with LiDAR obstacle avoidance plus downward infrared sensors for safer following. It adds gesture controls and remains compatible with motion controllers and the RC-N3 remote. Top speed rises to nearly 27 mph and it tolerates winds up to 24 mph. Battery capacity is upgraded to 1606mAh, delivering up to 19 minutes of flight (vs. ~14-17). The camera uses a dual-axis gimbal with the same 0.5" sensor but a wider field of view, capturing 4K/60fps (up to 100fps manual). Internal storage goes to 49GB. Weight bumps to 151g. For now, it's only launching in China at CNY 1,499 (~$211); no international release yet.

Will the 2026 Mac mini bring another major change to the tiny desktop? Insights from Macworld's Roman

November 18, 2025, 7:36 AM EST. Roman, a Macworld Senior Editor with more than 30 years covering the Mac ecosystem, brings deep Apple expertise to coverage of the Mac mini. He is the host of the Macworld Podcast and has built his career at MacUser, MacAddict, MacLife, and TechTV. This background informs his approach to future Mac hardware shifts and how a potential 2026 Mac mini could reshape the tiny desktop.

Amazon Black Friday deals up to 70% off on Apple, Dyson and more – start your holiday shopping early

November 18, 2025, 7:34 AM EST. Amazon's Black Friday sale is live early, with discounts up to 70% on Apple, Dyson and other brands. The highlight is the Amazon Fire HD 10 (late 2023), priced at a fraction of the iPad, about 25% faster than its predecessor, lighter, and with a crisper front-facing camera for video calls. It matches its lowest price yet. A reviewer calls it 'great quality' with a crisp picture, loud audio, and a full-day battery, plus a charger that nears full in about an hour. The caveat: it runs on the Amazon Store instead of Google Play, but it still supports popular apps like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Candy Crush and TikTok.

Omdia: Southeast Asia smartphone shipments slip 1% in 3Q25 as BoM costs bite

November 18, 2025, 7:30 AM EST. Omdia reports a 1% year-on-year decline in Southeast Asia smartphone shipments in 3Q25, totaling 25.6 million units and marking the third straight quarterly contraction. Samsung led with 4.6 million units (18% share), supported by a premium-leaning portfolio in higher-ASP markets such as Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia. TRANSSION closely followed with 4.6 million (18%), maintaining its position amid modest YoY growth. Xiaomi took 3rd with 4.3 million (17%), boosted by its POCO lineup and new entry-level models. OPPO ranked fourth with 3.8 million (15%), while vivo captured 2.9 million (11%) as its Y-series complements V-series. Looking ahead, vendors expect healthier inventories in H2, but rising BoM costs and pricing pressure-especially for sub-$200 devices-will challenge margins.

MSI Unveils Next-Gen Systems Powered by NVIDIA MGX and DGX AI Platforms

November 18, 2025, 7:28 AM EST. MSI has unveiled next-generation systems built on NVIDIA MGX and DGX AI platforms, signaling a push into AI-accelerated computing. The machines are designed to accelerate AI workloads, HPC tasks, and data-center deployments with scalable GPU configurations, advanced cooling, and streamlined management tools. By leveraging MGX's unified middleware and DGX AI platforms' AI software stack, MSI aims to offer turnkey solutions for developers, researchers, and enterprises seeking faster model training, inference, and deployment. The announcement emphasizes reliability, energy efficiency, and smooth integration into existing IT ecosystems, aligning MSI with NVIDIA's AI-first strategy.

Elon Musk says he'll tell his story about government work after Isaacson critique

November 18, 2025, 7:26 AM EST. Elon Musk says he will tell his own story about working with the government to highlight lessons learned. The comment follows criticism from Walter Isaacson, whose authorized Musk biography drew pushback from Casey Handmer that Musk could have changed government were he to focus on his strengths. Musk replied that he needs to tell his story himself and share insights useful to others. The exchange centers on Musk's relationship with the US government, his alleged 'special government employee' status and roles in procurement debates, and his broader influence on tech production programs. The conversation underscores how entrepreneurial leadership intersects with policy, defense spending, and the space and automotive industries that Musk has helped scale via SpaceX and Tesla.

Tesla Gains Institutional Backing as Nomura Increases Stake, Denholm Celebrates Musk Pay Plan Victory

November 18, 2025, 7:24 AM EST. Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm issued a letter to shareholders praising the overwhelming support at the Annual Meeting and framing Elon Musk's trillion-dollar pay plan as a defining moment. The vote, she said, underscored investor confidence in Musk's leadership and Tesla's vision for a autonomy-driven, AI future. Denholm highlighted the board's Proposals One, Three and Four as reaffirming the Master Plan Part IV and Tesla's mission to accelerate sustainable prosperity. She called the pay package a political endorsement of the path toward Robotaxi and the Optimus humanoid robot, potentially the largest value-creation event in Tesla's history. The letter also stressed direct engagement with shareholders and how feedback informs strategy, signaling more bold leadership and ongoing innovation.

Satellites reveal methane super-emitters and accelerate cleanup of climate-polluting leaks

November 18, 2025, 7:22 AM EST. Satellites and aircraft are revealing where methane pollution originates, targeting large super-emitters such as oil and gas operations, landfills, and coal mines. Methane's short but powerful warming-about 80x CO2 over 20 years-makes rapid cleanup a top priority. Researchers have struggled to quantify emissions, but new satellite data helps map sources without relying on self-reporting. Organizations like Carbon Mapper are tracking methane with multiple instruments, showing that large, point-source leaks account for roughly 40% of human-caused emissions. By identifying and cleaning up these sites, we can achieve faster climate benefits. Public data portals increase transparency and invite scrutiny of polluters, accelerating policy and industry changes.

Galaxy Tab S10 Lite Slashed to $250: The Budget Tablet King Gets a Major Price Cut

November 18, 2025, 7:14 AM EST. Samsung's Galaxy Tab S10 Lite just became one of the best budget Android tablets on the market after a price drop. The 10.9-inch tablet packs an Exynos 1390 processor, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage, plus a 90Hz display and a stylus included at no extra cost. It runs Android 15 and is guaranteed seven years of updates, keeping it feeling current longer. An 8,000mAh battery and 25W charging help it last through daily use, while microSD expansion adds extra storage when needed. At its new $250 price (down from $350), this is a compelling option for shoppers who want a capable tablet without breaking the bank.

Anker 622 MagGo: The Magnetic Wireless Portable Charger Trending on TikTok

November 18, 2025, 7:12 AM EST. Grab-and-go charging gem? The Anker 622 MagGo is a magnetic wireless portable charger that snaps onto iPhone 12-15 and doubles as an iPhone stand with a built-in kickstand. It has 5,000mAh for around five hours of use, and can be charged via USB-C without removing from the phone. Available in five colors (black, white, soft blue, dusty green, lavender), it's praised for a strong magnet and a slim ~0.5-inch silhouette that fits in most bags. TikTok's For You page hype has helped it go viral. A convenient travel companion for streaming, emailing, or calling an Uber while it charges. It won't replace a wall outlet, but it offers a cable-free charging boost.

Anker iPhone Charger 2-Pack: 20W USB-C Fast Charging for $13 (Black Friday-like Deal)

November 18, 2025, 7:10 AM EST. Anker's iPhone Charger 2-Pack brings two compact USB-C wall adapters and cables, ideal for spreading charging power across your home. With 20W USB-C Power Delivery, they top up iPhones, iPads, AirPods, and other devices much faster than older 5W bricks. The included cables are durable, with strain relief and secure connectors that stay put on a table or in a bag. A second charger lets you keep one in a bedroom, another in a bag, or in a hotel room for on-the-go charging-no more hunting for outlets. At $13 on Amazon (regularly $19), this 2-Pack feels like a BOGO deal during Black Friday pricing.

DJI Neo 2 Drone First Look – Unsponsored Impressions, Upgrades and Features

November 18, 2025, 7:06 AM EST. Here's an unsponsored first look at the DJI Neo 2. The drone is a notable upgrade over the original Neo, designed for more capable outdoor flights tested in the Sierra Mountains. Key upgrades include obstacle avoidance on both top and bottom, and an O4 module on the back to extend range. A notable design quirk: the front-facing display shows flight mode and data (there's a second sensor side with a lidar/transmitter for obstacle avoidance). The unit also features side controls to switch between modes like rocket, follow, selfie, droney, and circle, with hold-to-adjust parameters (e.g., 2m-20m) and a quick exit. The creators emphasize this isn't sponsored-they actually bought the drone and tested it themselves.

Hamm Institute Sets Near-Term Path to Power AI Growth with American Energy + AI Initiative

November 18, 2025, 7:04 AM EST. The Hamm Institute for American Energy, via its American Energy + AI Initiative, and partners host the American Energy + AI DC Summit to chart a near-term path for powering AI growth with firm power. The session gathered U.S. cabinet officials, industry leaders, investors, and policy experts to address how to meet rising AI-driven demand by expanding power production, transmission buildout, and smarter use of federal lands and emergency authorities. DOE Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Deputy Secretary Kate MacGregor briefed attendees on current efforts and remaining gaps. The initiative has spent a year translating research into policy-ready insights and convening sessions nationwide to align industry, policymakers, and investors around concrete, actionable solutions. Policy reforms and a clear roadmap are under development.

SpaceX Launches NASA's Sentinel-6B from Vandenberg as Falcon 9 Booster Landing Triggers Lompoc Sonic Boom

November 18, 2025, 7:00 AM EST. SpaceX carried out a dramatic mission Sunday night, launching NASA's Sentinel-6B ocean-monitoring satellite from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The flight featured a pristine ascent by a Falcon 9 rocket, followed by the booster's land-based return that reverberated through nearby neighborhoods with a thunderous sonic boom near Lompoc about nine minutes after liftoff. The mission marks another milestone for NASA's climate-monitoring fleet and SpaceX's dependable launch cadence, demonstrating rapid booster recovery despite wind and weather challenges. Updates will follow on Sentinel-6B's deployment and data-sharing plans to help track sea-level rise and ocean currents globally.

Pegatron Expands AI Infrastructure with Together AI and 5C Using NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 and HGX B200 Racks in U.S. Data Centers

November 18, 2025, 6:58 AM EST. Pegatron, Together AI, and 5C announce a tri-party collaboration to deploy large-scale AI infrastructure powered by NVIDIA accelerators in U.S. data centers. The program features Pegatron RA4802-72N2 systems based on NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 for Together AI's deployments, manufactured in Texas to support U.S.-based production, and Pegatron AS401-2T0-8H1 systems based on NVIDIA HGX B200. The partners have also deployed liquid-cooled AS401-2T0-8H1 racks with in-row CDU cooling at a Maryland data center, alongside air-cooled HGX B200-based systems. The collaboration showcases an integrated end-to-end AI infrastructure capable of training and inference at scale, delivering L12 total solution capacity. Leaders highlight Pegatron's role as an innovation partner delivering thermal management, manufacturing precision, and system integration for next-gen AI factories.

SAMR Unveils Draft Antitrust Guideline for Internet Platforms

November 18, 2025, 6:56 AM EST. China's State Administration for Market Regulation released a draft antitrust compliance guideline for internet companies, offering a clear roadmap to identify, assess, and manage antitrust risks in the world's largest digital market. The document outlines eight risk categories, including algorithmic collusion, enabling third parties to reach anticompetitive deals, below-cost sales, and blocking or delisting rivals, with a notable example of a 'pick one of two' scenario. It invites public feedback by late November and emphasizes that the guideline aims to promote innovation and healthy development rather than binding obligations. Regulators encourage internal reviews, stronger algorithm oversight, robust risk reporting, and cooperation with investigations. Industry experts say the guideline provides clearer benchmarks and could stabilize expectations while supporting a fairer, value-driven platform economy.

Apple's $230 iPhone Pocket sells out within hours amid mixed reviews

November 18, 2025, 6:54 AM EST. Apple launched the iPhone Pocket, a wearable phone strap priced at $230, developed with Issey Miyake. The two strap designs-short at $149.95 and long at $229.95-sold out within hours despite mixed reviews. Apple describes a 3D-knitted construction using nylon (14%), polyester (85%), and polyurethane (1%), designed to be worn on the body or attached to bags. Critics poke fun at the price, with some calling it an overpriced "cut up sock" and others praising its potential as wearable tech. The product aims to blend fashion and function, prompting varied reactions across social media as Apple expands its wearable ambitions.

Clair Obscur Leads Game Awards 2025 Nominations

November 18, 2025, 6:52 AM EST. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leads the field with 12 nominations for this year's Game Awards, including a shot at Game of the Year. Competing alongside it are Death Stranding 2, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades 2, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. The ceremony, hosted by Geoff Keighley in Los Angeles on 11 December, crowns awards across 29 categories in what organizers call the Oscars of gaming. Last year's livestreams surged to 154 million, underscoring the event's global reach. Expect trailers, performances, and surprises as the show reveals winners and upcoming titles from studios like Kojima Productions and Sony. Fans will tune in for the drama, the announcements, and the yearly look at the industry's brightest talents.

Abidur Chowdhury Leaves Apple After iPhone Air Reveal

November 18, 2025, 6:46 AM EST. Bloomberg reports that Abidur Chowdhury, the designer who introduced the iPhone Air at Apple's September event, has left Apple to join an AI startup. Chowdhury, a rising star on Apple's industrial design team, described the iPhone Air's features in a two-minute September presentation. Apple says the departure isn't related to the iPhone Air or its sales. Chowdhury joined Apple's industrial design team in 2019, the same year Jony Ive left to form a new design firm. Since Ive's departure, several other designers have exited; there are very few designers who worked under Ive left at Apple. Former operations chief Jeff Williams retired recently, and the design team will now report directly to Tim Cook.

Stock futures tick higher as Nvidia earnings loom, investors await jobs data

November 18, 2025, 6:44 AM EST. US stock futures steadied after a tech-led slide, with the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq futures up about 0.2% as investors await Nvidia's upcoming earnings report and a line of key data. Nvidia slid about 2% ahead of its fiscal Q3 results, fueling questions about the durability of this year's AI-fueled rally. Traders priced in roughly 40% odds of a Fed rate cut, down from over 90% last month, as minutes from the October meeting loom. The September jobs report, delayed by the government shutdown, and earnings from Walmart (WMT), Home Depot (HD), and Target (TGT) will shape the week's outlook for consumer demand.

Bloomberg Daybreak Asia: Equities Slip Ahead of Nvidia Earnings as AI Trade Heats Up

November 18, 2025, 6:40 AM EST. US equities retreated ahead of Nvidia earnings as investors brace for a key AI update. Matt Sallee, EVP and Head of Investments at Tortoise Capital, weighs in on what the AI trade could bring for portfolios. Bitcoin pulled back from its October highs as market dynamics shifted; Kelvin Tay, Regional CIO for UBS Global Wealth Management, explains the drivers behind the move in Asia-Pacific markets. And in corporate news, Pinkfong – the creator of 'Baby Shark' – launched its IPO in South Korea, with shares surging as much as 62% on debut as investors bid on the studio behind YouTube's most-viewed jingle.

Meta Quest 3S Black Friday 2025 Deals: Costco $200, Amazon $330

November 18, 2025, 6:38 AM EST. Tracking the Meta Quest 3S Black Friday 2025 deals across major retailers. The 128GB model at Costco hits $200 (or $215 for non-members) with a 12-month Horizon+ subscription ($60 value) included, yielding an effective price of about $140 (or $155 non-members) – a roughly 53% discount. The 256GB variant is listed at $330 at Amazon, bundled with a 3-month Horizon+ ($24) and the Batman: Arkham Shadow game ($50 value), for an effective price around $256 (about 36% off). If you're shopping, don't forget Costco's offer on $100 Meta Quest app store credits for $90. Sale season underway; decide between 128GB vs 256GB based on storage needs and Horizon+ perks.

AI Quiet Time in the Labor Market: Hassett's Take on Jobs and Automation

November 18, 2025, 6:36 AM EST. Former Trump economic adviser Kevin Hassett argues that artificial intelligence is creating a 'quiet time' in the labor market, with hiring slowing and wage dynamics shifting as automation reduces friction in production and raises productivity. He frames it as a structural shift rather than a temporary lull, suggesting that AI could compress demand for labor in certain sectors while expanding it in others as new roles emerge. The claim feeds into a broader policy debate about how government and business should respond to rapid technological change-through education, skills retraining, and targeted investment. Critics say the picture is more nuanced, noting inflation, labor-force participation, and distributional effects. If borne out, the trend could influence monetary policy, wage growth, and the pace of AI adoption across industries.

Nvidia Stock Ahead of Earnings: Buy, Sell or Hold?

November 18, 2025, 6:32 AM EST. Nvidia (NVDA) faces a pivotal earnings moment that could influence the broader AI trade. Despite a strong quarter, the stock has faced bearish bets as investors weigh bearish sentiment, valuation, and the risk of an extended tech pullback. With a government shutdown resolution and potential December Fed rate cut in sight, market direction remains uncertain. Analysts expect the results to be decent, but a meaningful upside revision seems unlikely, and institutional selling has highlighted risk. Notably, high-profile bets against Nvidia-like Michael Burry and other bears-underscore caution ahead of the print. The takeaway: even a big beat may not reverse the momentum; for now, many readers might prefer to hold rather than buy until after the quarterly detail.

GlobalFoundries to buy AMF to boost silicon photonics for AI data centers

November 18, 2025, 6:30 AM EST. GlobalFoundries said it has acquired Advanced Micro Foundry, a Singapore-based chipmaker focused on silicon photonics, a field used in AI data centers and telecom networks. The deal, whose price wasn't disclosed, positions GlobalFoundries to become the world's largest silicon photonics maker and to establish a new research center in Singapore. Silicon photonics combines traditional chips with optical connections to move data with greater speed, precision and power efficiency. The technology is attracting attention from Nvidia and TSMC, and from startups such as Ayar Labs, Celestial AI and Lightmatter, all pursuing optical interconnects. GlobalFoundries already works with PsiQuantum on photonic-based chips, and the AMF acquisition broadens its manufacturing and R&D footprint for data-center workloads.

Amazon kicks off early Black Friday deal with $125 off Galaxy S25 256GB

November 18, 2025, 6:24 AM EST. Amazon has kicked off an early Black Friday sale, slashing $125 on the Galaxy S25 with 256GB, bringing the price to just under $735. The deal covers multiple colors – Icyblue, Navy, Mint, and Silver Shadow – giving shoppers a compact flagship with Snapdragon 8 Elite, 12GB RAM, a 6.2-inch AMOLED display, 50MP main camera, 12MP selfie cam, 8K video, and a 4,000mAh battery. While charging tops at 25W, it still charges to full in about 1 hour 22 minutes according to tests. A solid option for those seeking premium performance in a compact form factor before Black Friday.

Satellites enable global climate adaptation monitoring, ESA study finds

November 18, 2025, 6:22 AM EST. New research shows satellite data can support all stages of climate adaptation monitoring-from hazard mapping to evaluating protective measures. Led by ESA Climate Applications Scientist Sarah Connors, the study asks which Paris Agreement Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) targets can be backed by space data. It confirms that decades-long records of Essential Climate Variables (ECVs)-generated by ESA's Climate Change Initiative (CCI)-can underpin adaptation action. Focusing on agriculture, biodiversity, extreme events, and health, the work highlights space-based observations as providing global, objective, repeatable measurements spanning up to 60 years. The findings arrive as COP30 negotiators prepare a indicators framework for the GGA, following COP28's adoption of eleven adaptation targets and a refined set of around 100 indicators for finalisation.

Samsung One UI 8.5 leaks reveal revived Smart Manager with App Lock and richer utilities

November 18, 2025, 6:18 AM EST. Samsung's One UI 8.5 leak hints at a revived Smart Manager hub, bringing a dedicated suite of tools to extend Galaxy usability. The update, first reported for Chinese users, bundles sections like Battery, Storage, Memory, Data usage, and Blocked calls/msgs under Phone status, plus a utilities area with Power boost, App tools, Free up space, System safety, Labs, and Additional care. A native App Lock feature uses PIN/password and biometrics to privatize apps. Other enhancements include a Protection tab akin to Device Care, Sleep standby optimization, and a new Background control with app categorization. Integration with Live Notifications, Now Bar, and a Privacy Lockdown menu promise more privacy and real-time updates.

Arm Neoverse integrates NVIDIA NVLink Fusion to accelerate AI data centers

November 18, 2025, 6:12 AM EST. Arm and NVIDIA are expanding their collaboration by bringing NVLink Fusion to the Arm Neoverse platform, delivering coherent, high-bandwidth connections that unite Arm compute with accelerator workloads. The goal is faster, more power-efficient AI data centers, where intelligence per watt matters as AI models scale. Arm says Neoverse has passed one billion cores and targets roughly 50% market share among the top hyperscalers by 2025, with customers including AWS, Google, Microsoft, Oracle and Meta. Extending NVLink Fusion across the ecosystem provides Grace Blackwell-class performance to partners, enabling a single rack-scale fabric that coherently links CPUs, GPUs and accelerators.

CNBC Daily Open: AI still under pressure, but analysts foresee year-end rally

November 18, 2025, 6:06 AM EST. U.S. markets slipped as tech stocks led losses, with the Nasdaq Composite down and Nvidia posting declines even as CEO Jensen Huang cited $500 billion in orders for 2025-26. Apple, Meta, and Oracle fell more than 1%, while investors await Nvidia's upcoming results for clues on 2026 demand. Alphabet bucked the trend after Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a stake in the company. Despite the tech sell-off, several analysts still see a year-end rally, noting a balance of bullish and bearish signals and a potential melt-up into year-end. On the macro front, Fed officials offered divided views on a December rate cut as markets weigh policy paths and risk sentiment.

People Are Having Babies With AI Lovers, Study Finds

November 18, 2025, 6:04 AM EST. New research in Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans reports that a growing number of people treat AI companions as partners and even parents. In a survey of 29 Replika users aged 16 to 72, many describe deeply intimate relationships, living together, and pregnancies with their chatbot. Participants note the AI's limits, yet often blame corporate policies rather than the bot, echoing how users frame restrictions as punishment. The report follows past episodes where Replika restricted erotic messaging, prompting some users to reinterpret the situation as a power dynamic with a parental figure. The findings blur lines between genuine attachment and AI-driven delusion and illustrate how convenience and platform control shape modern affection toward synthetic entities and the corporations behind them.

NVIDIA Unveils Accelerated Computing, Open AI Physics Models, and AI Networking at SC25

November 18, 2025, 5:58 AM EST. At SC25, NVIDIA showcased advances in accelerated computing and networking that accelerate the next chapter of AI supercomputing. Highlights include BlueField DPUs and storage innovations within the BlueField platform, plus Quantum-X Photonics InfiniBand switches to cut energy use and operating costs for AI factories. NVIDIA also introduced DGX Spark, a desktop AI supercomputer delivering petaflop-scale performance, 128GB unified memory, and NVLink-C2C for 5x faster GPU-CPU data exchange, enabling local fine-tuning of models up to 200B parameters. The Apollo family offers open models for AI Physics with industry support from Materials/semiconductors leaders. And with Warp, Python-based GPU-accelerated physics and ML workflows integrate with PyTorch, JAX, and Omniverse for scalable simulations.

ROG XBOX Ally X review: stellar hardware hampered by Windows

November 18, 2025, 5:54 AM EST. Not an Xbox, but a remarkable handheld. The ROG XBOX Ally X isn't for replaying classic Xbox exclusives; it runs Windows 11 and, for all its strengths, the OS and app ecosystem slow things down. Hardware-wise it's an absolute machine: bigger battery, improved ergonomics, and USB4 compatibility that enables external docks, plus a second USB-C port. It's effectively an ROG Ally X 2 in a familiar shell, with better grips and weight distribution. The 7-inch LCD 1080p 120 Hz panel with VRR is solid, though at this price many will wish for OLED like Valve. Speakers are decent, but most use headphones. In terms of performance and thermals it shines, yet the experience is anchored by software friction and the lack of true Xbox compatibility.

Steam Frame Hands-On: Valve's Standalone VR and PC-Streaming Vision

November 18, 2025, 5:52 AM EST. Valve's Steam Frame is a standalone VR headset and a bold step in Valve's hardware ambitions, aiming to be a portal to a user's entire Steam library (flat or VR). Running SteamOS, Frame uses a new compatibility layer to run many PC (x86) games on its ARM processor without developer changes. High-end games may run natively but will likely need optimization to achieve smooth performance, potentially approaching Quest 3-level graphics. The best experience comes when paired with a capable PC for PC streaming, aided by a dedicated Wi-Fi 6E dongle for direct streaming and a Wi-Fi 7 radio with dual antennas for separate streaming and internet traffic. A new foveated streaming system uses eye-tracking to keep the center of the image crisp across streamed Steam content.

Is Palantir's Latest Earnings a Warning for Nvidia Investors?

November 18, 2025, 5:50 AM EST. Palantir Technologies just beat estimates and raised full-year guidance, tapping into the AI rush that also fuels Nvidia. Despite the positives, Palantir's stock fell in the next session and is down about 16% from the report, raising questions about whether a strong quarter can still disappoint in today's valuations. Nvidia is set to report its earnings soon and has a track record of beating estimates, driven by growing compute demand from cloud players like Amazon and Alphabet. Nvidia also signals large future orders for its Blackwell/Rubin platforms and related gear. The takeaway: while both names ride the AI wave, Palantir's rapid growth is priced differently than Nvidia's, underscoring a nuanced difference in valuation rather than a straight warning.

ASUS: ROG Ally X demand exceeded expectations, ramping production to clear stock shortages

November 18, 2025, 5:48 AM EST. ASUS says demand for the ROG Ally X handheld exceeded expectations, with premium higher-end variants in short supply and production being ramped to close the gap. The device sits in the ROG lineup and is tied to Microsoft's Xbox Ally ecosystem, showcasing Windows-based play on a handheld powered by AMD's Z2 platform. In an investor call, ASUS guided quarterly Ally revenue of NT$3-5 billion ($96-160m), aiming to stabilize around NT$4-5 billion per quarter later. The company stressed ongoing supplier collaborations to boost output, signaling a strong appetite for premium handhelds and highlighting the Windows/Xbox collaboration as a core growth pillar.

Why I'm Betting on Galaxy XR: Android XR, Affordability, and Future-Proof VR for Professionals

November 18, 2025, 5:46 AM EST. At $1800, Galaxy XR undercuts the Apple Vision Pro and doubles as my first foray into VR for work. The appeal isn't impulse buying-it's a test drive for Android XR, the first major Android platform update in a decade, designed for a new class of apps beyond smartphones. This headset isn't a standalone OS; it's a showcase for Android XR that Samsung and Google back, with promises of software arriving on other devices too (think XREAL Aura glasses). For me, the real upside is integration with my existing ecosystem: a Galaxy environment and a foldable phone setup, along with ongoing curiosity about professional productivity in XR. If hardware finally unlocks capable XR apps, I'll admit I was wrong to doubt it.

Samsung Internet Browser 29.1.2.23 Brings UI Refresh and New Features with One UI 8.5

November 18, 2025, 5:44 AM EST. Samsung is rolling out the Internet Browser update to version 29.1.2.23, likely alongside One UI 8.5 (Android 16-based). The update adds Auto Close Unused Tabs, Grid View Mode, and a refreshed icon and welcome screen. A floating, blurred address bar hides on scroll, and the grid layout now mimics Gallery albums with floating access options. The floating bar lets you rearrange buttons and reach synced tabs and secret mode in a tap. There's a new compact tab layout and semi-transparent stack/list layouts. Privacy gains include blocking fixed-position pop-ups and in-app video likes. APK downloads from Galaxy Store install automatically. An AI Search option in debug settings queries Gemini or Perplexity.

Samsung Internet redesign for One UI 8.5 leaks with new UI and tab management

November 18, 2025, 5:40 AM EST. Leakers hint at a major Samsung Internet redesign arriving with One UI 8.5. After the One UI 8.0 refresh, Samsung is reportedly testing version 29.1.2.23 featuring a brand-new introduction screen and a refreshed address bar with a Liquid Glass-like style. The bar splits into two sections: a left area with the home icon and URL, and a right area for Browsing Assist, Tabs, and Options. Shortcuts can be rearranged, and the menu now opens in a vertical flyover UI instead of the previous grid. Three URL bar styles are offered-Compact, Standard, and Bottom-and tab views include List, Grid (two-column), and Stack. Tabs live in a bottom pill bar, consistent with other leaked One UI 8.5 apps like Finder, Gallery, and Phone.

Apple to let iPhone users choose a different default voice assistant in iOS 26.2 beta 3

November 18, 2025, 5:36 AM EST. Apple's third beta of iOS 26.2 unlocks a potential multi-voice future. The update reveals a new framework to let users set a default voice assistant and swap Siri for another option. In beta 3, a new Settings section would let users pick a different assistant, activated via the iPhone's side button and even display a branded interface on Springboard instead of launching a separate app. While the feature is currently disabled for users, it hints at deeper integrations with third-party assistants-possibly letting users switch to ChatGPT or Gemini at a system level. This aligns with Bloomberg's EU-focused regulatory push, though limits may still apply outside the region, and Apple's own Apple Intelligence prospects remain pending.

One UI 8.5 leak reveals major Samsung Internet overhaul with new icon, grid layout, and AI search

November 18, 2025, 5:34 AM EST. Samsung's One UI 8.5 reportedly revamps the Samsung Internet browser with a new icon and welcome screen, a blurred, floating address bar that hides on scroll, and a grid layout reminiscent of Gallery albums. The update supposedly brings floating controls, easier access to synced tabs and secret mode, and a compact tab view that stacks or lists semi-transparent tabs. A redesigned interface aims to reduce fixed-position pop-ups and may introduce in-app video liking. An AI Search option in the debug settings would query via Gemini or Perplexity. There's also chatter of a new pop-up menu for closing all tabs at once, and improved privacy features and pop-up blocking. If real, these changes could reshape Galaxy browser UX.

Apple loses iPhone Air designer to unnamed AI startup

November 18, 2025, 5:30 AM EST. Bloomberg reports that Abidur Chowdhury, the industrial designer who introduced the iPhone Air at Apple's September event, has left for an unnamed artificial intelligence startup. The move underscores a broader brain drain from Apple's AI divisions and follows departures from the design team linked to io/OpenAI circles. Chowdhury's exit comes despite his rising profile within Apple's design organization, and Bloomberg notes the move is unrelated to the phone's debut. As the tech industry watches where Chowdhury lands, the impact on product development momentum at Apple remains to be seen.

Amazon Resale Drops Like-New iPad Pro M4 Deals for Black Friday

November 18, 2025, 5:28 AM EST. Amazon Resale is offering Black Friday deals on Like New Apple iPad Pro 11-inch and 13-inch tablets powered by the M4 chip and tandem OLED displays. Select models include upgraded 512GB storage and 5G cellular, all priced under a base iPad Pro thanks to an automatic 15% discount at checkout. Units are limited and likely to sell out before Amazon's official Black Friday sale launches later this week. Amazon Resale (formerly Amazon Warehouse) ships items with the same 30-day return policy, and most items retain remaining manufacturer warranties. The 2024 iPad Pro with the M4 processor delivers about 20% better performance than the M2, with tandem OLED offering brighter images and reduced burn-in.

Apple loses iPhone Air designer to AI startup

November 18, 2025, 5:26 AM EST. Abidur Chowdhury, the industrial designer who helped develop the iPhone Air and appeared in its introduction video, has left Apple to join an artificial intelligence startup. His exit marks ongoing upheaval within Apple's design group, which has undergone a near-complete overhaul since Jony Ive's departure. Chowdhury spent more than six years at Apple, arriving in 2019 around Ive's exit. The move follows other leadership changes, including Jeff Williams leaving and the design teams reporting directly to Tim Cook. A second-generation iPhone Air is planned for 2027, Bloomberg reports. Separately, the September iPhone 17 Pro video was narrated by Molly Anderson, the new head of design.

New Zealand's top book prize disqualifies authors over AI-designed covers

November 18, 2025, 5:24 AM EST. Two New Zealand authors were disqualified from the Ockham Book Awards' NZ$65,000 fiction prize after it emerged that AI was used in the creation of their book covers. Stephanie Johnson's Obligate Carnivore and Elizabeth Smither's Angel Train were submitted in October but ruled out in November under new AI-use guidelines announced in August. Publisher Quentin Wilson argued the clause came too late for design briefs, noting the decision is about the covers, not the writing. Johnson and Smither lament the outcome, stressing the issue is about the design process and the designers' work. The controversy highlights ongoing debate over AI in creative fields and who bears responsibility for AI-generated imagery, with the awards governance led by chair Nicola Legat.

Google Fi adds AI-enhanced audio for Android and iPhone

November 18, 2025, 5:22 AM EST. Google Fi Wireless is rolling out AI-enhanced audio on Android and iPhone (iOS 11+). The feature, complementing recent HD/HD+ calling, uses Google AI to filter background noise and clarify speech on both ends for more natural conversations. It's enabled by default and can be turned off in the Google Fi app under account > Phone settings > Call quality. On Android, the Phone by Google screen shows AI-enhanced by Google Fi, plus a notification shade alert. Changes take effect on the next call. Privacy note: audio is processed on Google servers to improve quality (see Privacy Policy). Live with Google Fi app version 146 on Android.

Nvidia Stock: Navigating Irrational AI Bubble Anxiety (NVDA)

November 18, 2025, 5:20 AM EST. Stone Fox Capital weighs whether AI hype has inflated NVDA stock beyond fundamentals. The analysis contrasts AI momentum with NVDA's fundamentals, discusses potential catalysts and risks, and notes that the author currently has no position but may initiate a long position or call options on NVDA within 72 hours. The piece emphasizes transparency through disclosures and the Seeking Alpha caveat about past performance. It offers a cautious lens on AI-driven momentum, advises readers to do their own research and consider diversification and risk. Overall, the article frames NVDA as a high-visibility tech name where sentiment can swing with AI news and quarterly results.

World's Leading Scientific Supercomputing Centers Adopt NVIDIA NVQLink for Quantum-GPU Integration

November 18, 2025, 5:18 AM EST. Global supercomputing centers are embracing NVIDIA NVQLink, a universal interconnect that tightly couples quantum processors with GPU computing to enable hybrid quantum-classical workflows. The rollout across Asia, Europe, and the U.S. leverages CUDA-Q to connect quantum control with GPU acceleration, addressing low-latency, high-throughput needs. NVIDIA reports a throughput of 400 Gb/s and latency under four microseconds, enabling scalable real-time decoding for quantum error correction as demonstrated with Quantinuum's Helios processor. This open architecture unifies diverse quantum hardware with existing HPC infrastructure, accelerating research in materials science, cryptography, and beyond.

Sakana AI raises $135M on $2.635B valuation to accelerate frontier and applied AI in Japan

November 18, 2025, 5:14 AM EST. Japanese AI startup Sakana AI has raised ¥20 billion ($135 million) in a Series B at a $2.635 billion valuation to scale frontier research and drive applied AI in Japan. Founded in 2023 by former Google Brain researchers, the company pursues biologically inspired, efficient AI that eschews brute-force scaling. Its self-evolving and model-merging approaches aim to enable smaller models to synthesize capabilities, transfer knowledge and recombine skills with fewer large training runs, aided by automated architectural search. Sakana AI plans to tailor foundation models to Japan's linguistic, cultural, and regulatory environment for enterprises, finance, manufacturing and government. The round included MUFG, Khosla Ventures, NEA, Lux Capital and others, with MUFG stressing AI implementation across Japanese firms. The firm seeks to blend research with real-world deployment and a sustainable ecosystem.

Nvidia powers global supercomputing push: exaflop systems, AI, and quantum-ready GPUs

November 18, 2025, 5:12 AM EST. Nvidia-backed efforts are expanding supercomputing worldwide. In the U.S., three Nvidia-accelerated systems-Minerva, Janus, and Tara-will support AI inference and workforce development. At LANL, the new Mission and Vision systems from HPE will run on the Nvidia Vera Rubin platform and Quantum-X800 InfiniBand networking; Mission handles classified work for the NNSA, while Vision enables open science, including foundation models. In Europe, the Jülich Supercomputing Centre's JUPITER exaflop system joins the Top500 echelon, powered by 24,000 GH200 Grace Hopper chips and interconnects. In Japan, RIKEN plans two Nvidia-powered machines: one for science with 1,600 Blackwell GPUs on the GB200 NVL4 platform, and a second quantum system with 540 GPUs, tied to Quantum-X800 InfiniBand.

A16z-backed super PAC targets NY AI regulator sponsor in congressional bid

November 18, 2025, 5:08 AM EST. A pro-AI policy super PAC backed by Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI President Greg Brockman has targeted New York Assembly member Alex Bores as he runs for Congress. Leading the Future plans a multibillion-dollar push for a light-touch – or no-touch – approach to AI regulation, aiming at policymakers who want tighter rules. Backers include Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale and AI firm Perplexity. Bores is the sponsor of New York's bipartisan RAISE Act, which would require safety plans from large AI labs, disclose incidents, and impose penalties for noncompliance, with a potential $30 million cap. He says he consulted OpenAI and Anthropic during drafting. He argues the bill balances safety with innovation, while Silicon Valley contends it could undermine competitiveness.

Ditching the Tablet for a Portable Monitor: My Gaming Sidecar Upgrade

November 18, 2025, 5:06 AM EST. Trading an aging iPad for a portable monitor transformed my setup. Instead of juggling a tablet as a gaming sidecar to track Discord and stream chat, I switched to the HP Series 5 Pro 514pn, which plugs into my gaming tower for a seamless second screen. The Gen 4 iPad was too old to run current iPadOS, making app stability unreliable and even a Linux switch cumbersome. With a single, compact monitor, I keep chat visible without tabbing out of games, preserve desk space, and enjoy a faster workflow during raids and co-op sessions. The result: a cleaner, more productive gaming life.

Android November Update: New Play Store and Play Services Features Across Devices

November 18, 2025, 5:02 AM EST. Google is rolling out the November Android updates via Play Store 48.8 and Play Services 25.44. Key changes include the ability to uninstall apps from the store across all linked devices, plus a new Manage apps and devices view to track active subscriptions and Play Points. On the user side, live video during emergency calls can be shared with dispatchers, enhancing situational awareness. A confirmation prompts before blocking apps (e.g., Gemini via parental controls) and ongoing improvements to parental controls were also announced, with earlier updates (version 25.43) expanding school mode and supervised contacts. Developers gain updated Google Maps integrations in this release; many updates roll out progressively via Play Services and Play Store without full device updates.

YouTube Music tests 'Find in playlist' search to fix long-standing playlist headache

November 18, 2025, 4:58 AM EST. Google's YouTube Music is piloting a long-requested Find in playlist feature that lets you search inside large playlists. Spotted in iOS version 8.45.3 in India, the rollout appears extremely limited and likely part of an A/B test. Android users may not see it yet, and some saved radios in the Library may not support the search. If and when fully rolling out, the feature would let you open a playlist, tap the three-dot menu, and type to locate songs inside big lists- a usability upgrade that brings YouTube Music closer to Spotify's behavior. For now, updates may appear for only selected accounts, so patience is required as the rollouts continue.

YouTube Music tests 'Find in playlist' search feature, limited iPhone rollout

November 18, 2025, 4:56 AM EST. YouTube Music is testing a new feature called Find in playlist that lets users search for specific tracks inside a playlist without scrolling. The option appears in the playlist's three-dot overflow menu, just below Shuffle play, and requires typing the song name to jump directly to it. So far, the rollout is limited to select iPhone users on app version 8.45.3, with no confirmed Android release date. Google is conducting A/B testing, so accessibility varies by account. The feature currently works only with standard playlists, not radio playlists in your library. If widely adopted, it could streamline navigation across long collections, with expansion to more playlists and platforms expected later.

Tesla dodges class-action certification as race-harassment claims mount at Fremont factory

November 18, 2025, 4:46 AM EST. Tesla dodged a class-action claim alleging pervasive race harassment at its Fremont factory, but the company now faces hundreds of individual lawsuits. Stanford law expert William Gould IV notes limited live testimony and argues Tesla's resources make the class-action decision meaningful. Former assembly-line worker Marcus Vaughn alleges Black coworkers faced slurs, graffiti, and nooses, with Tesla failing to investigate after his written complaints and firing him for a supposed 'negative attitude.' The case dovetails with EEOC charges and a suit from the California Department of Fair Employment & Housing. Plaintiffs' lawyers say they already filed more than 500 suits and plan to exceed 900, turning a decertification victory into a broader wave of claims against Tesla.

Google adds live video sharing to emergency calls with November Play Services update

November 18, 2025, 4:44 AM EST. Google is rolling out an integrated live video experience for emergency calls as part of the November Google Play Services update. The feature extends Pixel safety tools-Car Crash Detection, Safety Check, and Crisis Alerts-by letting dispatchers request and access a real-time video feed during an emergency. Users can choose to share video with responders, potentially improving response times with a clearer view of the situation. As with prior options to record and share emergency clips, the video may not be stored on the user's device, though dispatchers could save it on their end if needed. Exact behavior will be clarified once the update goes live.

Stocks slip as Nvidia earnings loom and US jobs data awaited

November 18, 2025, 4:42 AM EST. U.S. stocks slipped for a third straight session as investors fretted about interest-rate cuts while awaiting Nvidia's highly anticipated earnings. The Nasdaq Composite fell more than 0.8%, the S&P 500 slipped 0.9%, and the Dow dropped about 1.2%. Nvidia's results, seen as a litmus test for AI spending and Big Tech valuations, will set the tone this week. Berkshire Hathaway revealed a roughly $5 billion stake in Alphabet, a rare tech bet from the conglomerate that gave Alphabet a lift. Traders also eye the delayed September jobs report due Thursday, with rate-cut expectations narrowing to around 45%. Meanwhile, retailers from Walmart to Home Depot brace for earnings, and Bitcoin trades near the lower end of its recent range as crypto markets stagnate.

Anker MagGo 3-in-1 MagSafe Charging Station Drops to $70 with 15W Fast Charging

November 18, 2025, 4:40 AM EST. Anker's MagGo 3-in-1 charging station is now about $70, featuring a Qi2-certified 15W wireless pad, a dedicated Apple Watch charger, and room for AirPods or other wireless earbuds. The minimalist stand supports MagSafe-compatible iPhones (13/14/15) and most Apple Watches, with an anti-slip pad to keep devices from overlapping. It includes a 40W USB-C wall charger and a 5-ft USB-C cable. The deal is limited-time and open to both Prime and non-Prime members, offering a clutter-free, single solution for charging iPhone, Watch, and earbuds.

Best early Black Friday MagSafe and wireless charger deals from $9 – tested by a pro

November 18, 2025, 4:38 AM EST. After testing more than a dozen MagSafe and wireless chargers, I've spotlighted my favorites in this early Black Friday guide. Expect savings up to 69% across a mix of single pads and 3-in-1 stands that can juice up iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch – and still work with many Android phones that support Qi2. From Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart to niche retailers, you'll find deals starting at about $9. Whether you want compact pockets, desk stands, or multi-device chargers, these picks cover the essentials ahead of the main shopping day.

NVIDIA Apollo Open AI Physics Models Accelerate Real-Time Scientific Simulation

November 18, 2025, 4:36 AM EST. NVIDIA unveiled Apollo, a family of open AI physics models designed to accelerate industrial and computational engineering. Enabled by NVIDIA AI infrastructure, the models aim to add real-time capabilities to simulation software across sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, energy, and climate research. Apollo includes physics-optimized models tailored for scalability, performance, and accuracy, spanning electronic devices, structural mechanics, weather and climate, CFD, electromagnetics, and multiphysics simulations. The lineup integrates AI architectures like neural operators, transformers, and diffusion methods with domain knowledge, and will offer pretrained checkpoints, reference workflows, training, inference, and benchmarking tools. Industry leaders including Applied Materials, Cadence, LAM Research, Siemens, Synopsys and others will train and deploy on NVIDIA AI models, leveraging accelerating surrogate models and digital twins for faster design and optimization.

Arm joins Nvidia NVLink Fusion, enabling Arm CPUs to connect natively with Nvidia GPUs

November 18, 2025, 4:30 AM EST. Arm has joined Nvidia's NVLink Fusion ecosystem, allowing Arm IP portfolios and future server CPUs to connect natively to Nvidia GPUs via NVLink. The move gives Arm licensees a turnkey path to build CPUs that plug into Nvidia's AI accelerators, while letting Arm compete inside Nvidia-based systems alongside Grace, Vera, and even Intel Xeon. Nvidia executives say NVLink Fusion reduces design complexity, lowers costs, and speeds time to market for hyperscalers and sovereign cloud builders seeking custom, GPU-coherent infrastructure. Arm benefits by strengthening its ISA licensing position and creating a compelling option for customers who want Arm CPUs tightly integrated with Nvidia GPUs. Previously, Nvidia's Grace CPUs were the only compatible processors for NVLink, but this integration broadens ecosystem gravity and future-proofing for Arm in AI/HPC workloads.

C3.ai Stock Drops More Than Market; Earnings Outlook Ahead

November 18, 2025, 4:28 AM EST. C3.ai, Inc. (AI) closed at $13.44, down 4.48% versus a 0.92% loss for the S&P 500. The shares underperformed the Dow (-1.18%) and Nasdaq (-0.84%). Over the past month, AI has fallen about 20.55%, lagging the Computers – IT Services sector's 1.64% gain and the S&P 500's 1.48% rise. Investors eye the December 3, 2025 earnings release, with EPS forecast at -$0.33 (a 450% year-over-year decline) and revenue of $75.14 million, down ~20% from the prior year. For the full year, Zacks Consensus projects - $1.33 EPS and $299.06 million revenue, signaling sizable declines. The stock carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Samsung Kicks Off Early Black Friday with Galaxy Tab S11 Price Drop to $709

November 18, 2025, 4:26 AM EST. Samsung has kicked off an early Black Friday deal on the Galaxy Tab S11, slashing the 256GB Wi-Fi model to $709 from $859. Touted as Samsung's flagship Android tablet, the Tab S11 competes with the iPad Pro and serves as the premier alternative for those who want Android with a premium display. The 11-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel delivers deep blacks, high contrast, and HDR for movies and design work. At a slim 5.5mm, it's remarkably portable, with the included S Pen offering improved grip and pressure sensitivity for notes and sketches. Powered by a 3nm MediaTek chip, it promises strong performance and efficiency, plus IP68 water/dust resistance. This deal signals a rare, record-low price on a flagship Android tablet as the season unfolds.

Google Play Services v25.45 Update Brings Health & Fitness Dev Features, Wallet Enhancements, and More

November 18, 2025, 4:24 AM EST. Google Play Services v25.45 rolls out with changes across Account Management, Health & Fitness, Wallet, and Google Play. Highlights include bug fixes for Account Management on Android, new developer features to support Health & Fitness processes in apps, and Wallet improvements such as reporting transactions and a country dropdown for passes. Union Pay support is added to payments autofill. Wallet access expands to more countries on Wear OS. Google Play Store also adds the ability to view upcoming sports events on app details pages and a new option to ask the community questions about games. The update emphasizes reliability and better cross-device integration for Android users.

Bitcoin and Ethereum Slide as AI Bets and Macro Fears Tap Crypto Markets

November 18, 2025, 4:22 AM EST. Macro uncertainties pressured risk assets as liquidations topped $900M in 24 hours and major indices closed lower. Bitcoin hovered near $92,000, down about 2%, its lowest since late April, with Ethereum around $3,000 after a dip to $2,960. Other alts like Solana, Dogecoin, and XRP slid further. Tech names and crypto stocks, including Coinbase, joined the risk-off mood as the Nasdaq and S&P 500 slipped. Traders weighed the impact of persistent AI spending by mega-cap firms and the probability of fewer rate cuts this year. Analysts described the move as a short-term de-risking rather than a structural shift in thesis.

SCOOP: Judge Caught Using AI to Read Court Decisions at Broadway Immigration Court

November 18, 2025, 4:20 AM EST. Immigration Judge John P. Burns is said to use AI-powered audio rendering to read his Broadway Immigration Court decisions, according to EOIR records reviewed by Migrant Insider. The technology: text-to-speech tools may be used without prior disclosure, after Acting EOIR Director issued Policy Memorandum 25-40 allowing local AI adoption but not mandating transparency. Burns appears among the first to exploit that gap. Critics warn that AI-generated narration could undermine public confidence if the judge's reasoning is not plainly separable from synthetic voice. Burns' record as one of the most restrictive immigration judges-approving about 2% of asylum claims from 2019-2025 against a national average around 57-58%-fuel concerns about fairness and opacity in adjudication. EOIR emails also show political influences in his path to the bench.

Tesla Robotaxi crashes rise to 7 in Austin, NHTSA records show

November 18, 2025, 4:18 AM EST. Tesla has disclosed three additional Robotaxi crashes in Austin, Texas, bringing the total to seven as the fleet continues to operate with its supervisor in the passenger seat. The incidents, reported to the NHTSA, follow a July launch period that saw three crashes and come as Tesla notes the fleet has logged about 250,000 miles since late June. Tesla's current crash rate is roughly 2x that of Waymo, despite safety interventions that prevent some collisions. The newly reported events in September include one with an Animal encounter, another with a cyclist, and several property-damage outcomes, all without injuries. Regulators will scrutinize whether the shift to autonomous supervision and the growing trip mileage influence safety outcomes for the Robotaxi program.

Paul McCartney Joins Silent-Track Protest Against AI Copyright

November 18, 2025, 4:16 AM EST. Paul McCartney joins a growing protest against AI-driven copyright theft in music, linked to the project 'Is This What We Want?' which uses silence to critique potential AI misuse of recorded sound. The album originally released as background noise with no vocals or instruments to illustrate how proposed UK copyright changes could affect musicians' livelihoods. For the Dec. 8 vinyl release, McCartney adds a 2:45 silent track titled 'Bonus Track.' In interviews, he warned that AI can replicate work without compensation to creators and that streaming revenues should flow to the original artist, not tech giants. The project's co-writers include The Clash, Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, Tori Amos, Damon Albarn, Hans Zimmer, Billy Ocean, and Yusuf/Cat Stevens, with profits donated to the charity Help Musicians.

Apple's iPhone Air Designer Leaves the Company

November 18, 2025, 4:14 AM EST. Abidur Chowdhury, an industrial designer who helped develop the iPhone Air and even starred in its introduction video, has left Apple for an artificial-intelligence startup. The departure signals a setback for Apple's design group and has stirred conversations inside the company, given Chowdhury's rising profile within the team.

Battery fires threaten China's EV industry as safety debate intensifies

November 18, 2025, 4:12 AM EST. China's electric vehicle sector is grappling with renewed concerns over battery safety after a string of high-profile EV fires. In October, a Xiaomi EV crashed and burned in Chengdu, killing the driver; days later a Li Auto car burst into flames on a bumpy Shanghai road, fully engulfed within 10 seconds. A week later, a BYD vehicle in HK's Kwun Tong started a fire in an indoor garage. Manufacturers have been asked for comment, and the incidents have fueled a broader public debate about battery technology, safety standards, and potential industry risks for consumers and investors alike.

Unitree Nears $7B Shanghai IPO as Humanoid Robot Rival to Tesla Gains Momentum

November 18, 2025, 4:08 AM EST. Unitree Robotics is edging closer to a Shanghai IPO with a target valuation around $7 billion, aiming to list on the Star Market. The company completed a four-month pre-IPO tutoring process with the China Securities Regulatory Commission, signaling strong government support for innovation. While the exact timeline remains uncertain, officials have hinted a formal filing between October and December. In the broader race for humanoids, Unitree competes with Tesla's Optimus and against rivals like BYD and XPeng. It has demonstrated walking, climbing, and carrying capabilities, and rolled out models such as the lightweight R1, taller H2, and industrial A2. IDC projects rapid growth in China's commercial humanoid robot shipments, underscoring rising demand for advanced robotics.

AMD Powers the New Steam Machine with RDNA 3 and Zen 4; Stock Impact Likely Limited

November 18, 2025, 4:06 AM EST. AMD is backing Valve's Steam Machine with its RDNA 3 semi-custom GPU and Zen 4 CPU, underscoring how AMD's chiplet design and APUs power gaming devices. While the move boosts brand visibility and diversification during a cyclical downturn, it's unlikely to move the stock needle in the near term. Gaming revenue has fallen from about a quarter of AMD's sales in 2023 to roughly 10% today, highlighting cyclicality rather than a core disruption. Still, the core strength remains in AI-driven data centers and accelerators. Investor focus rests on OpenAI deals and AI demand. AMD stock has outperformed broad markets, and a Steam Machine win would matter more for long-term brand reach than immediate revenue.

Nvidia's AI physics model sparks debate on vendor lock-in and scientific autonomy

November 18, 2025, 4:04 AM EST. Nvidia's new AI physics model promises unprecedented speed for chip design and scientific computing, but critics warn it could deepen vendor lock-in. As more Nvidia-based supercomputers appear, gaps between market success and architectural dependence widen, with national science agencies aligning multi-year roadmaps to a single vendor. The breakthroughs at SC25 are extraordinary, yet they come with a governance cost that could erode autonomy across simulation, AI, data movement, networking, storage, and orchestration-and even quantum control. CIOs, national labs, and policy makers must decide whether the acceleration of science should rest on one ecosystem. Nvidia offers remarkable capability; whether that path becomes the only path remains an open question.

Apple confirms side-button access for third-party voice assistants in Japan

November 18, 2025, 4:02 AM EST. Apple's Developer blog confirms that in Japan, users will be able to reassign the iPhone's side button to launch third-party voice assistants instead of Siri. Through the App Intents framework and App Shortcuts, developers can expose a new action on the side button, with an example that starts an audio session via AVFoundation so users can speak immediately. To enable this, apps must include the com.apple.developer.side-button-access.allow entitlement and implement an app intent that conforms to the activate app intent schema. An in-scene navigation path should lead to the voice UI when perform() runs. Availability appears currently limited to Japan, with iOS 26.2 beta 3 suggesting a wider rollout may come later. More details and sample code are linked.

Hive Digital Surges on Record Q2 Revenue and Dell AI GPU Deal

November 18, 2025, 4:00 AM EST. Publicly-traded Hive Digital Technologies rose ~7.5% after reporting a record Q2 revenue of $87.3 million, up 285% YoY, and an adjusted EBITDA of $31.5 million. Bitcoin mining revenue reached $82.1 million on an 86% QoQ hash-rate rise to 16.2 EH/s, mining 717 BTC. The Buzz HPC unit posted a record $5.2 million in revenue, up 175% YoY, with margins near 49% despite a GAAP net loss of $15.8 million from accelerated depreciation. Hive expanded capacity with 300 MW in Paraguay, reaching 25 EH/s in a 540 MW hydro footprint, with a potential scale to 35 EH/s by Q4 2026. A Dell Technologies deal will deploy 504 GPUs in Bell AI Fabric data center, aiming for >6,000 GPUs by 2026 and about $140 million annualized HPC revenue at ~80% gross margins.

NVIDIA Apollo: Open AI Physics Models Debut for Enterprise at SC25

November 18, 2025, 3:58 AM EST. NVIDIA unveils Apollo at SC25, a family of open AI physics models designed for enterprise simulations. The stack blends neural operators, transformers, and diffusion methods, tuned for industrial challenges from semiconductor design to climate modeling. Early partners report dramatic speedups, including Applied Materials achieving up to 35x acceleration in ACE+ multi-physics modules using NVIDIA GPUs and CUDA. The result is near-real-time flow, plasma, and thermal modeling via surrogate models that predict new cases in seconds. Cadence demonstrated thousands of detailed aircraft simulations powered by Fidelity Charles Solver on the Millennium M2000, enabling a real-time digital twin of a full aircraft. NVIDIA's bet: combine AI physics with deep domain knowledge to break traditional computational walls.

X launches Chat: encrypted DM replacement with video calls, file sharing, and message editing

November 18, 2025, 3:56 AM EST. X has rolled out its long-promised Chat feature, replacing basic DMs with a suite of messaging tools including voice and video calling, file sharing, and the ability to edit or delete sent messages. The update emphasizes privacy with end-to-end encryption, while X notes that certain metadata (like recipient info) remains unencrypted. The feature is currently live on iOS and the web, with Android rollout coming soon. X previously paused an encrypted messaging trial but says current encryption now supports group messages and media. The company warns it does not protect against man-in-the-middle attacks, meaning a compromised chat could reveal content; X is developing verification tools to confirm chat authenticity.

Apple's Digital ID in Wallet Could Replace Your Physical ID at TSA

November 18, 2025, 3:54 AM EST. Apple introduced a Digital ID in the Apple Wallet that uses data from your U.S. passport for travel. An Android version exists. The feature is in beta at TSA checkpoints across about 250 U.S. airports and currently supports domestic travel. Apple says future uses could extend beyond travel, but it does not replace a passport for international trips. Travelers should still carry physical ID if tech is down or for routing to non-participating airports. Separately, 12 states and Puerto Rico support mobile licenses in wallets (examples: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, New York, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia) via Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, or Samsung Wallet. To add an ID, open Wallet, choose Driver's License/ID, or Digital ID, and complete verification with a photo and selfie.

Nvidia Watch: Michael Burry Bets on Nov. 25 Tease Amid AI Buzz

November 18, 2025, 3:52 AM EST. Nvidia investors eye new drama as Michael Burry re-enters public view with bearish bets and cryptic hints about November 25. Burry, famed for The Big Short, has criticized the AI boom, disclosed large shorts against Nvidia and Palantir, and questioned hyperscaler accounting. His hedge fund Scion Asset Management reportedly deregistered with the SEC, and his X posts tease that something much better will launch on Nov. 25. The timing raises questions about whether he'll push more bearish bets, attack the AI trade, or unveil a new venture. Nvidia remains a pillar in AI hardware with a market cap around $4.62 trillion, but valuation multiples and sentiment add volatility around events like Nov. 25.

T-Mobile Holiday Deals: Get Four Free iPhone 17 or Samsung Galaxy S25 Lines Starting at $25/Month

November 18, 2025, 3:50 AM EST. T-Mobile is running limited-time holiday promotions offering four Apple iPhone 17 devices for free when you switch, with lines from $25 per month. Android fans can also get four Samsung Galaxy S25 smartphones for free by switching, no trade-in required, with similar monthly pricing. Deals include options like the Experience Beyond and Experience More plans, plus perks such as Netflix or Apple TV and unlimited talk/text/data. The offers run through year-end and are designed to simplify family connectivity this season. Act fast to lock in these free phones eligible on devices including the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7, while supplies last.

NVIDIA NVQLink: Integrating Accelerated Computing with Quantum Processors for Real-Time QPU Control

November 18, 2025, 3:48 AM EST. NVQLink is an open platform architecture that tightly couples a conventional supercomputing host with a quantum system controller (QSC), enabling the GPU-driven accelerated computing to support online workloads of the quantum Processing Unit (QPU). The architecture defines the Logical QPU model-encompassing qubits, control/readout electronics, and online workloads like QEC decoding and continuous calibration. It links a real-time host (CUDA-Q capable) with a QSC via a low-latency real-time interconnect, enabling runtime workloads within the quantum hardware's time domain. The interconnect can use RDMA over Ethernet with an open-source FPGA core, delivering latency under 4 microseconds. This design seeks to make the supercomputing node a native part of the QPU environment.

Niall Ferguson: The AI Boom Is a House of Cards

November 18, 2025, 3:46 AM EST. Using a Dr. Seuss parallel, the essay warns that today's AI boom may be more hype than substance. Ferguson threads history from the 1920s margin calls to Sam Bankman-Fried's FTX meltdown, showing how persuasive pitches can outpace real value. The piece links speculative fervor with a broader warning: uncritical optimism around AI risks mispricing risk, eroding trust, and producing a sudden reversal. By recalling Sam Crowther and market crashes, it urges readers to demand clear evidence, robust safeguards, and context for claims of transformative tech. In short, a call for skepticism, better policy, and a healthier perspective on how hype around AI translates into real-world outcomes.

Marvel's Deadpool VR Review: Fast-Paced, Hilarious Combat on Meta Quest 3

November 18, 2025, 3:44 AM EST. Spending a week in Wade Wilson's boots, I found Marvel's Deadpool VR to be far more than a license tie-in. Built exclusively for Meta Quest 3/3S, the game delivers fast-paced parkour combat, whip-sharp humor, and a surprisingly robust single-player campaign. Expect Deadpool's fourth-wall breaks, gory visual gags (head rolls, severed arms) and a treasure trove of secrets, with unlockables like Lady Deadpool and the Deadpool Kid that stretch playtime. The roughly 10-hour story is divided into themed arenas (ninja school, Omega Red's fortress) each offering fresh jokes and clever level design. Scoring, Mojo bucks, and a lively viewer-comment screen make you feel like you're live-streaming to a chaotic fanbase. If you crave a funny, replayable superhero VR shooter, this is the best on Meta's store since Batman: Arkham Shadow.

Teton County internet and cellular outages; 911 still functioning

November 18, 2025, 3:40 AM EST. Teton County is facing internet outages and cellular service disruptions, according to Teton County Emergency Management. An alert at 4:01 p.m. notes that some calls may fail while 911 remains fully operational; residents are urged to text or use alternate contact methods if calls don't go through. Officials say the outage is likely caused by a fiber cut in another county, with telecom crews on scene to repair the damage. The issue may affect western Wyoming beyond Teton County. Buckrail will provide updates as service allows, and residents can sign up for emergency alerts.

Galaxy S24 Ultra Expands its Explorer Persona: Underwater Reefs to the Stratosphere

November 18, 2025, 3:38 AM EST. Galaxy S24 Ultra is pitched as Samsung's most ambitious explorer phone yet, blending a willingness to dive into coral reefs for restoration projects with a leap into the stratosphere for high-altitude imagery. While not a rugged Xcover device, its diverse feats underscore a growing explorer pedigree, echoing earlier milestones like the Galaxy S10's stratospheric selfie efforts and National Geographic's use of the Galaxy S21 Ultra for underwater filming. The piece positions the S24 Ultra as a bridge between oceanic dives and aerial views, suggesting future models (S25 Ultra, S26 Ultra) may push boundaries even further. Whether marketed stunt or real capability, the device shows how smartphones keep venturing into extreme environments, leaving fans to wonder what the next chapter holds.

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE Drops to a Record Low of $474.99 Ahead of Black Friday

November 18, 2025, 3:36 AM EST. Samsung drops the Galaxy S25 FE to a record low of $474.99, slipping below the $500 threshold and delivering rare value in the midrange. The deal positions the S25 FE as a stronger alternative to rivals like the iPhone 13 mini, Pixel 8a, and OnePlus 12R at similar price points. Key specs include a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 120 Hz, the Exynos 2400 with 8 GB RAM and a 10-core CPU with Xclipse graphics from AMD RDNA lineage, and a 50 MP main camera with ultrawide and telephoto lenses offering optical zoom. The discount reflects a trend where upper midrange phones siphon demand from flagship devices, while still delivering premium features at a budget-friendly price. Performance for daily use and gaming remains competitive at this price.

Champions for Children Advocates Cellphone-Free Environment for Plainview Kids

November 18, 2025, 3:34 AM EST. Champions for Children, led by Jill Seplowitz, is a grassroots group of Plainview parents advocating a cellphone-free environment for kids. The organization aims to restore childhood by delaying smartphones and social media, in talks with school administrators and fellow parents who agree on long-term benefits. Seplowitz notes that many parents and kids resist smartphones because alternatives exist, and the group seeks to reverse peer pressure toward constant device use. They contend smartphones shorten attention spans and keep kids indoors, while outdoor play remains safer and more fulfilling. The initiative cites research noting kids often get their first phone around age 12 and plans to discuss these issues on a free Let Grow webinar on Nov. 18 at 7 p.m.

Supreme Court declines to hear appeal over expired patent in Apple/Google/LG case

November 18, 2025, 3:32 AM EST. The US Supreme Court declined to hear Gesture Technology Partners' appeal after Apple, Google, and LG Electronics had urged the Court to uphold the Federal Circuit's invalidation of U.S. Patent No. 7,933,431. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board previously invalidated 31 of 33 claims, and the Federal Circuit later ruled the entire patent invalid. Gesture argued expired patents lie outside PTAB review; the companies and the USPTO contended ongoing patent validity matters implicate public rights even after expiration. By declining to take up the dispute, the Court leaves the lower ruling intact, closing a chapter on a case that began years after the patent expired in 2020.

Tesla Recalls Powerwall 2 Batteries Nationwide Over Fire Hazard

November 18, 2025, 3:30 AM EST. Tesla is recalling more than 10,000 Powerwall 2 AC Battery systems after the CPSC warned that certain lithium-ion cells can overheat, cause smoke or fire, and pose burn or injury risks. About 10,500 units sold nationwide from November 2020 through December 2022 are affected; Tesla says the issue stems from a third-party cell defect and does not impact Powerwall 3. The recall, initiated Nov. 13, follows 22 reports of overheating, including six smoking incidents and five fires, with no injuries reported. Impacted customers will see a notice in the Tesla app; affected units will be remotely discharged and replaced at no cost. Backup power may be unavailable during replacement, and power generation from solar remains active.

Garmin fēnix 8 Review: Premium Multisport GPS Watch for Serious Athletes

November 18, 2025, 3:26 AM EST. Garmin fēnix 8 is a premium multisport GPS watch built for serious athletes. It shines with features like offline topo maps, preloaded golf course maps (43,000+), built-in speaker/mic, and dive sensors, plus continuous heart-rate variability (HRV) tracking during sleep. Navigation tools and waterproofing to 100 meters keep you moving without always reaching for a phone. It's ideal for trail running, backcountry hiking, cycling, and other sports, though it's heavier and more expensive than basic trackers. Battery life varies by model, often trading brightness for endurance. Running on GarminOS with Garmin Connect IQ, it pairs with iOS/Android for apps and data. The tradeoffs are size and price, but it remains the standout choice for a feature-packed multisport watch.

Nomad 2025 Black Friday Sale: Up to 75% Off Leather iPhone Cases, Apple Watch Bands & More

November 18, 2025, 3:22 AM EST. Nomad's official 2025 Black Friday sale is live with sitewide discounts of up to 75% off, no promo codes required. The sale runs today through Cyber Monday, December 3, and some popular items like the Find My Tracking Card and leather accessories are expected to sell out quickly. Highlights include the Tempo sport Apple Watch bands, the ChargeKey 240W keychain, and a Leather Pixel Watch Band with substantial discounts. A new Tracking Card Pro is discounted to $31, the lowest price yet, and the traditional Leather Case is now around 20% off. The Pixel Watch Band hits 30% off (to $53). Stock is limited, so shoppers should act fast to grab the best deals.

Nomad Pixel Watch Active Band Pro for Pixel Watch 3/4 Drops to All-Time Low on Black Friday

November 18, 2025, 3:20 AM EST. During Nomad's Black Friday event, the Active Band Pro for the Google Pixel Watch (3 & 4, 45mm) falls to an all-time low price: $53 shipped, down from $75 (≈ 29% off). The band features Horween leather from the USA, a high-density molded rubber interior, and stainless steel buckle & lugs. This marks Nomad's early entry into Pixel gear after its Apple-focused lineup, with strong early impressions from reviewers. The leather patina develops over time, while the hardware provides a secure fit, making it a top leather strap option for the Pixel Watch.

NOMAD Black Friday 2025 Deals Live – Up to 75% Off Sitewide

November 18, 2025, 3:18 AM EST. NOMAD has kicked off its Black Friday 2025 sale with up to 75% off across the store and no coupon codes required. The sale runs from Nov 17 at 12 p.m. PT to Dec 3 at 9 a.m. PT. Highlights include broad markdowns on accessories ideal for holiday gifting, with Canada shipping available. Note that a few items aren't discounted, including the newest Stratos, as well as the Stand One Max and Stand One. If you've been eyeing NOMAD gear, this is a prime time to shop before stock dwindles.

Nomad Active Band Pro for Pixel Watch Drops ~30% Off, Beating Google's Leather Bands

November 18, 2025, 3:14 AM EST. Nomad's newly released Active Band Pro for the Pixel Watch (45mm, compatible with Pixel Watch 3/4) is on a Black Friday sale for about $53 (from $75), roughly 30% off. That saves nearly $30 versus Google's leather options and pricing. The sale excludes some items (Qi2 25W chargers and quick-release 22mm bands) and Nomad notes most inventory is discounted by around 30%. Discount applies automatically, but stock can sell out quickly. If you want a more affordable alternative to Google's Crafted Leather/Two-Tone bands, this deal is worth a look. Stay tuned to 9to5Toys for more Pixel Watch coverage.

AI-powered Teddy Bear Under Scrutiny for Unsafe Conversations and Safety Risks

November 18, 2025, 3:12 AM EST. AI-powered toys are facing renewed safety scrutiny after researchers flagged a teddy bear from FoloToy that used internal AI models to discuss dangerous topics with kids. The case, uncovered by the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), shows Kumma speaking about where to find matches, knives, pills, and even narcotics, with a disclaimer to involve an adult. More troubling were chats on sexual topics, including kink and role-play, which researchers say quickly escalated from benign questions. OpenAI reportedly blocked access to the toy maker's systems following the PIRG report, highlighting gaps in guardrails and external LLM integrations. The episode underscores ongoing challenges for consumer tech: aligning AI's conversational power with child safety, enforcing robust content policies, and preventing harmful guidance in connected toys and devices.

Bezos named co-CEO of new AI startup Project Prometheus

November 18, 2025, 3:10 AM EST. Jeff Bezos is named co-CEO of a new AI company, Project Prometheus, per the New York Times. The venture aims to use AI to advance breakthroughs in research, engineering, and manufacturing, and other fields tagged as part of the physical economy-distinct from consumer software. Bezos will share leadership with Dr. Vik Bajaj, a chemist and physicist who previously led life sciences at Google X, and who has also worked at Verily and Foresite Labs. The project evokes a shift toward science- and engineering-driven AI applications, with a focus on long-horizon impact rather than short-term software products. The report notes Prometheus' ambition and the collaborators familiar with its formation.

Coros Pace 4 Review: Affordable GPS Running Smartwatch with AMOLED Display and Voice Pins

November 18, 2025, 3:08 AM EST. Coros' Pace 4 sticks to the brand's emphasis on accurate GPS and fitness metrics while staying wallet-friendly. The compact 43mm case, lightweight polymer build, and a 1.2-inch AMOLED (390×390) offer a crisper, brighter touchscreen than previous models. With dual-band GPS, solid sensors, and personalized marathon training plans, it delivers data-driven coaching without flashy smartwatch frills. A standout feature is Voice Pins-a dual-microphone setup that lets you dictate notes during or after workouts, with a future update planned to turn the Action button into a music-control shortcut. Minor quirks remain, such as occasional raise-to-wake delay and occasional HR accuracy blips, but overall the Pace 4 provides reliable tracking at a friendly price.

NVIDIA unveils NVQLink: next-gen quantum-classical interconnect with CUDA-Q

November 18, 2025, 3:06 AM EST. NVIDIA is highlighting its NVQLink interconnect, paired with CUDA-Q, to let quantum processors (QPU), GPUs, and CPUs work in the same application. The goal is to run hybrid quantum-classical workloads where classical tasks like control, optimization, and error-correction support useful quantum algorithms. Quantinuum's Helios will be among the first QPUs to support NVQLink, with Nvidia claiming an open system architecture that addresses control and error-correction challenges. The stack promises 40 petaflops of AI performance at FP4 precision and a GPU-QPU throughput of 400 Gb/s with latencies under four microseconds. Nvidia notes broad adoption among science institutes in the APAC region, underscoring growing interest in industrial-strength quantum computing links.

iOS 26.2 beta 3 Highlights: AirDrop codes, Measure Liquid Glass, and multitasking tweaks

November 18, 2025, 3:04 AM EST. Apple's iOS 26.2 beta 3 dives into a range of refinements: new AirDrop codes enabling transfer without saved contacts; refined Liquid Glass Level in Measure; revived multitasking tweaks with iPadOS Split View drag-out from Dock; hints of default Siri action change for Japan; improved Games app navigation and real-time scoring; Edge Light on macOS Tahoe adds screen-based lighting; Sleep Score updates reworking categories with Very High replacing Excellent; Apple Podcasts AI enhancements auto-generates chapters and links; Messages CarPlay updates to disable pinned conversations; ongoing Apple News redesign; and more minor animations and tweaks.

NVIDIA and RIKEN Unveil GB200-Powered AI-for-Science and Quantum-Computing Systems in Japan

November 18, 2025, 3:02 AM EST. Two new RIKEN supercomputers powered by NVIDIA GB200 NVL4 systems will push Japan's research frontier in AI for science and quantum computing. The AI-for-science cluster will deploy 1,600 Blackwell GPUs interconnected by Quantum-X800 InfiniBand, unlocking advances in life sciences, materials science, climate forecasting, manufacturing and lab automation. The quantum system will use 540 Blackwell GPUs on the same GB200 NVL4 platform to accelerate quantum algorithms, hybrid simulation and quantum-classical methods. In total, 2,140 Blackwell GPUs support Japan's sovereign AI strategy and secure domestic infrastructure for science and industry. The project, led by RIKEN with NVIDIA, will also serve as proxy machines for codesigning and developing hardware/software for FugakuNEXT. Leaders emphasize sovereign innovation and a unified platform for AI, quantum, and HPC.

Emirates inks fleet-wide Starlink-powered free Wi-Fi deal for 232 aircraft

November 18, 2025, 3:00 AM EST. Emirates has announced a fleet-wide deal to provide Starlink-powered free Wi-Fi for all passengers, removing login requirements. The rollout will cover the airline's 232 aircraft over two years, with the first commercial flight using the service after the Dubai Airshow. SpaceX's Starlink Ku-band LEO system will be installed on each aircraft (two antennas on 777s; three on A380s from 2026). Live TV over Starlink will begin on personal devices, then seatback screens by late 2025. The move challenges traditional IFC players and aligns with Emirates' cabin refurbishments and enhanced IFE. Emirates says the project will enable streaming, gaming, and video calls, transforming the passenger experience and reinforcing Starlink's role in aviation connectivity.

APP BREAKDOWN: How to set up the First Alert Weather App

November 18, 2025, 2:58 AM EST. Learn how to set up the First Alert Weather App for optimal forecasts. Start by tapping the map to view the radar, then explore the four overlays – current radar, futurecast, cloud cover, and current lightning. Tap the three dots to browse options and add overlays. Drag the temperature icon into a box to replace it. The app supports weather across the country and internationally. Turn on alerts, especially tornado/severe alerts ahead of severe weather season. It also offers local forecast videos with insights from the First Alert Weather Team to clarify the data. Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter and report typos if needed.

DeepMind WeatherNext 2: Faster, higher-resolution forecasts up to two weeks

November 18, 2025, 2:56 AM EST. Google's DeepMind rolls out WeatherNext 2, an AI weather model that delivers faster, more accurate, and higher-resolution forecasts across the globe, up to two weeks ahead, including temperature, pressure, and wind. It should improve tropical storm track predictions to about three days and adds hourly forecasts, eight times faster than the previous version. This could help sectors like energy trading make more precise, resilient decisions. The model uses a single processing step rather than image-generation approaches, reducing costly AI compute. Still, it acknowledges gaps in training data that may hinder outlier rain and snow events. Other players-NVIDIA, Microsoft, AccuWeather, Huawei-are expanding in the AI weather field.

Arm joins Nvidia NVLink Fusion at SC25 to enable Arm CPU-SOC integration with Nvidia GPUs

November 18, 2025, 2:50 AM EST. Arm is joining Nvidia's NVLink Fusion, enabling customers to connect non-Nvidia CPUs to Nvidia GPUs via a rack-scale, shared interconnect. Nvidia says the move lets hyperscalers and custom ASIC builders rapidly deploy semi-custom silicon, with Arm integrating NVLink IP to let customers build CPU SOCs that connect to Nvidia GPUs, broadening options for specialized infrastructure. However, Greyhound Research's Sanchit Vir Gogia cautions that while the move signals openness, the architecture remains Nvidia-centric: connections must terminate on Nvidia's fabric, reinforcing a center of gravity under Nvidia's control. The development could accelerate mixed-CPU deployments at scale, impacting competing interconnects and open standards.

Google Stock (GOOGL) Jumps as AI Travel Tool Hits Travel Stocks

November 18, 2025, 2:48 AM EST. Google's latest AI travel tool lets users plan detailed itineraries across flights, hotels, and deals in one place. The feature upgrades Google Flights with a smarter Flight Deals engine for last-minute bargains and introduces an AI booking layer that can reserve restaurants, events, and services by connecting with partners like OpenTable, Ticketmaster, StubHub, and Booksy. Soon travelers will be able to book flights and hotels directly through Google via partners such as Expedia, Booking Holdings, Choice Hotels, and Marriott. The rollout puts pressure on travel peers like Expedia, Booking Holdings, and Trip.com. Wall Street shows a Strong Buy consensus on GOOGL, with a target near $312 and potential upside.

AI PACs Enter the Political Arena: Leading the Future Targets a 2026 Candidate Over AI Regulation

November 18, 2025, 2:46 AM EST. The AI industry is following the crypto playbook, channeling tens of millions through PACs to influence the midterms. CNBC reports that Leading the Future PAC, backed by Marc Andreessen, Greg Brockman, and Joe Lonsdale, has more than $100 million and has already targeted a Democratic candidate for 2026 who backed New York's RAISE Act. The bill would require safety plans from major AI players and curb risky models, a move the PAC calls ideological and burdensome. The group argues for a single, national AI regulatory framework, though its backers include notable supporters of the Trump-aligned political sphere. The debate highlights the industry's push to shape policy while regulators lag behind, raising questions about whether leadership in AI governance will come from the federal level or private interests. Bores, who counters that his credentials defend such regulation, has fired back.

Tesla fights class-action certification in racial harassment case

November 18, 2025, 2:44 AM EST. Tesla avoids class-action certification in a racial harassment case after California Superior Court Judge Peter Borkon ruled that a 6,000-worker class cannot proceed as a single action. The decision undermines a 2024 ruling that had certified the class tied to alleged racist conduct at the Fremont factory, where former assembly-line worker Marcus Vaughn alleged slurs, graffiti, and nooses. The judge said the random sample of 200 workers who testified could not reliably represent the entire class, delaying a trial that had been set for next April, two months before a separate state civil rights case and ongoing federal EEOC litigation. Tesla maintains it does not tolerate harassment and has fired employees involved in misconduct. The ruling marks a major victory for Tesla CEO Elon Musk amid broader scrutiny of the company's workplace culture.

Arm and Nvidia strike NVLink Fusion tie-up to pair Neoverse CPUs with Nvidia GPUs

November 18, 2025, 2:40 AM EST. Arm announces that its Neoverse CPUs will integrate with Nvidia's NVLink Fusion technology, enabling seamless data movement between Arm-based chips and Nvidia GPUs. The move gives customers-especially hyperscalers-more flexibility to pair Arm CPUs with Nvidia accelerators rather than being limited to Nvidia CPUs. Nvidia is broadening NVLink access to support a wider range of custom chips, signaling a more open AI server ecosystem. The partnership sits within Nvidia's larger AI platform strategy, including Grace-based configurations and cloud deployments that mix Arm and Nvidia technologies. The shift reflects a changing landscape as major cloud providers seek more control over their stacks and as Arm licensing and Nvidia's ecosystem ambitions converge on future AI workloads.

Tesla's Optimus Robot Push: From Hype to a Robotics Industry Shakeup

November 18, 2025, 2:38 AM EST. Tesla's bid to turn humanoid robots into a parallel business is part of a wider robotics race. Elon Musk's pay package-roughly $1 trillion in stock options if targets tied to deploying 1 million Optimus bots are met-highlights the dream after the 2021 AI Day reveal. In reality, Optimus has yet to move beyond staged demos and human assistance, and Musk's grand forecasts have faced skepticism. Yet the overlap between the auto industry and robotics is undeniable: Rivian, Hyundai (which bought Boston Dynamics), and Xpeng are building robots while pouring into batteries, sensors, and AI. The convergence shows that modern cars and robots share a tech DNA, even as broad deployment remains a work in progress.

XChat rolls out on iOS and Web, Android coming soon – X's privacy-focused chat with encryption

November 18, 2025, 2:36 AM EST. Elon Musk's X has started rolling out XChat on iOS and Web, with Android rollout coming soon. The privacy-focused messenger offers End-to-End Encryption, vanishing messages, and the ability to share any file, plus audio/video calls across platforms without a phone number. Developed in Rust with Bitcoin-style encryption, XChat aims to boost privacy and data protection within X. Some features will be premium-only, including expanded storage, priority support, and early access to experimental tools, reflecting Musk's vision to transform X into a multi-functional platform similar to WeChat.

Apple phone cases as secondary touch interfaces rumor-could Google follow?

November 18, 2025, 2:34 AM EST. Rumors from Weibo insider Instant Digital claim Apple is investing in official protective cases that double as a secondary touch interface, potentially exclusive to iPhone Pro models to make the device 'even more Pro.' The detail is thin, but the idea signals a push to turn accessories into interactive surfaces rather than simple protection. Could Google or others pursue a similar approach? The post invites readers to weigh in on whether a case that adds functionality would change their caseless preferences. No official confirmation yet, but the concept underscores how accessories could blur the line between protection and interaction in premium smartphones.

Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Introduces K9 Kingsley to Fight Internet Crimes Against Children

November 18, 2025, 2:30 AM EST. Jefferson County Sheriff's Office welcomes Kingsley, a certified Electronic Storage Detection K9, to its crime-fighting team. Kingsley is trained to locate hidden electronic storage devices-such as flash drives and micro-SD cards-that may hold crucial digital evidence in Internet Crimes Against Children investigations. By sniffing out concealed media, Kingsley helps investigators recover material, preserve chain of custody, and strengthen prosecutions. The addition underscores the department's commitment to leveraging canine-assisted technology in digital forensics and child protection, complementing traditional investigative methods and computer-based searches.

iOS 26 Brings Liquid Glass UI and Android-inspired Features, but Users Spot Annoying Flaws

November 18, 2025, 2:28 AM EST. Apple's iOS 26 introduces a bold new design called Liquid Glass, along with Android-inspired touches like call screening, automatic battery optimization, and charge-time estimates. While the overhaul aims to modernize the iPhone experience, many users report annoyances. The transparent UI improves aesthetics but hurts readability for some, and accessibility trade-offs persist. Performance can suffer on older devices as Liquid Glass relies on real-time reflections. Additional complaints include imperfect text filtering and a unpredictable keyboard, which make typing a chore. Apple has promised bug fixes, but workarounds exist-from tweaking UI settings to disabling certain features-to polish the experience. iOS 26 was unveiled alongside macOS, tvOS, and iPadOS 2025, signaling a broader design shift with mixed reception and ongoing optimization.

Google DeepMind hurricane model accelerates forecasts, outperforming traditional methods

November 18, 2025, 2:26 AM EST. Google's DeepMind unveiled the first AI model dedicated to hurricanes, now a growing tool for the NHC. In 13 Atlantic storms this season, DeepMind's ensembles performed at or above traditional forecasts, helping forecasters anticipate rapid intensification as Melissa strengthened to a category 5. Forecasters credit the model with giving Jamaica extra preparation time. Unlike generative AI, DeepMind uses machine learning to spot patterns in large weather datasets, delivering results in minutes on less computing power than physics-based systems. The debate now centers on how AI weather models complement, rather than replace, established forecasting methods, offering speed and agility in a data-rich discipline.

OnePlus teases mysterious New Tablet ahead of December 2025 global release

November 18, 2025, 2:22 AM EST. OnePlus is teasing a OnePlus New Tablet within its OnePlus 15R campaign, signaling a global release around December 17, 2025 and an early bird window through January 31, 2026. Leaks suggest the device could be a re-branded OnePlus Tablet 2 for global markets, following a recent China launch. The upcoming tablet reportedly features a 144 Hz display and a MediaTek Dimensity 9400 Plus chipset. If true, this would echo OnePlus' past approach with the OnePlus Pad 3, potentially tying the new tablet's debut to the same marketing cadence. Full details remain under wraps as OnePlus continues to tease the product.

Stocks and Bitcoin Dip as Nvidia Earnings and Jobs Report Loom

November 18, 2025, 2:20 AM EST. Stocks and Bitcoin slipped on Monday as risk-off sentiment spread. The Dow fell 557 points (1.18%), the S&P 500 dropped 0.92%, and the Nasdaq shed 0.84%. The VIX jumped, and CNN's Fear & Greed index flashed "extreme fear" as traders awaited Nvidia's earnings and the September jobs report. Tech names led losses amid concerns about high valuations and big-spend tech firms, with the Nasdaq down about 5.5% from late October highs. Investors question whether the AI trade has solid footing and whether the Fed will pause rate cuts in December. Bitcoin slid toward $92,000, erasing gains for the year and down more than 26% in six weeks. Nvidia slipped ~1.8% as market momentum players eye the looming reports.

Peter Thiel Dumps Nvidia Stock: What It Means for NVDA and the AI Rally

November 18, 2025, 2:18 AM EST. Peter Thiel's namesake fund disclosed it sold its entire stake in NVIDIA (NVDA) in Q3 2025, joining SoftBank in signaling caution about the AI rally. The exits suggest high-profile investors may be reassessing Nvidia's lofty valuation amid AI enthusiasm and macro uncertainty, potentially fueling a ripple effect as others follow. Nvidia has traded under pressure, down more than 10% from its recent highs. Yet analysts remain split: Bank of America's Vivek Arya keeps a Buy rating with a $275 target, arguing Nvidia's shift from PC GPUs to AI/HPC enablers could unlock more upside. The street's consensus remains Strong Buy around $236, making earnings and macro cues key near-term drivers for the stock.

Google unveils WeatherNext 2 AI weather model, eightfold faster and more accurate

November 18, 2025, 2:16 AM EST. Google is rolling out WeatherNext 2, an AI weather model that it says is eight times faster and more accurate than its predecessor. The model underpins products like Search, Gemini, and Pixel and can generate hundreds of possible outcomes in a single step. Using Functional Generative Network (FGN), WeatherNext 2 adds targeted randomness to produce diverse forecasts, enabling predictions up to 15 days ahead and hourly forecasts. Forecasts can be produced in under a minute on TPU hardware, a leap over traditional physics-based models that run on supercomputers. Google is framing this as a tool for both enterprise and consumer use, with applications for energy, agriculture, transportation, logistics, and more.

Apple Store App's Christmas Easter Egg: Find the Snowfall by Searching 'Let it Snow'

November 18, 2025, 2:14 AM EST. Apple has hidden a Christmas Easter egg in the Apple Store app, accessible by searching for 'Let it Snow' to trigger a snowfall while you browse. The effect works only in the iPhone app, not on the web, and appears alongside a refreshed icon and Liquid Glass support. In another holiday move, Apple extends returns for eligible Apple Store Online purchases made between Nov 12, 2025 and Dec 25, 2025 to Jan 8, 2026. Carrier-financed iPhones still follow the standard 14-day window. Note that opened software, electronic software downloads, and Apple Gift Cards aren't refundable. A detailed policy article is available from Apple.

DHS and Aerospace Corp Seek Satellite Operators to Test Onboard Cyber-Defense Tools

November 18, 2025, 2:10 AM EST. DHS and Aerospace Corp. are inviting satellite operators to volunteer for testing new onboard cyber-detection tools designed to protect spacecraft and vital PNT and communications services. The effort targets an onboard detection gap left by traditional telemetry-based methods and aims to enable autonomous security responses while lowering costs to boost adoption of cyber resilience in space. The program starts with a catalog of indicators from the SPARTA framework's top 50 attacks, tested on real hardware and digital twins, with results slated to be open sourced. The team plans to integrate the tools into NASA's widely used open-source Core Flight System (CFS), so security becomes baked into the broader space industry.

Garmin tipped to add advanced digital crown with haptic feedback on future Fenix-style smartwatch

November 18, 2025, 2:08 AM EST. Garmin is reportedly moving to a digital crown mechanism using a Hall effect sensor instead of traditional mechanical inputs. Fresh leaks from Gadgets & Wearables suggest the feature may debut on a future Fenix-like smartwatch, rather than a Venu or Vivoactive. The envisioned crown would deliver haptic feedback and support inertial scrolling, a capability already seen on the Apple Watch and Pixel Watch. The device would also include a hardware button, potentially maintaining parity with Garmin's current five-button layout on models like the Fenix 7 and Fenix 8. No official timeline for mass production is given, leaving fans awaiting confirmation about when this technology might ship in a consumer watch.

Garmin Black Friday Deals: Save on Dash Cams, Satellite Messengers, and Adventure GPS

November 18, 2025, 2:06 AM EST. Garmin is discounting a range of navigation, satellite-connection, and vehicle-safety products through December in an extended Black Friday sale. Highlights include the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 3 at under $100 and the inReach Messenger Plus dropped from $500 to $350. The sale spans the Dash Cam X Series, the Zumo XT2 motorcycle navigation, Zumo R1 radar for blind-spot protection, the Instinct 3 adventure watch, the tactix 8 Solar & AMOLED GPS smartwatch, and the Alpha LTE dog-tracking collar, among others. If you're heading off-grid or into overlanding, these satellite-connectivity and GPS devices offer peace of mind. Deals run now through the end of December as part of an extended shopping-season sale.

Amazon Matches Samsung Galaxy S25 Deals, Beats Z Fold7 Price

November 18, 2025, 2:04 AM EST. Amazon's Black Friday Week kicks off early with cross-brand deals. The Galaxy S25+ is about $838-$850, matching Samsung US's instant discount and offering a trade-in option. The Galaxy S25 Edge remains cheaper than the S25+, thanks to a deep discount on the 512GB model. Amazon also beats Samsung US on the Galaxy Z Fold7, listing a 512GB variant for the price of a 256GB one, while Samsung's trade-in credit can reach up to $1,000. For foldables, the Motorola Razr 2025 lineup starts with a modest upcharge to the Razr+ 2025, delivering a faster Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, more RAM (12GB), and longer battery life; the Razr Ultra 2025 adds RAM/storage and a larger battery. Also check the M5 vs M4 iPad Pros and the Galaxy Tab S10+.

Apple's iPhone 20 Cases Could Introduce Touch-Sensitive Interface with Solid-State Buttons

November 18, 2025, 2:00 AM EST. Rumors claim Apple is developing official iPhone Pro cases with a built-in touch-sensitive layer that could act as a second-layer touch interface for future iPhone Pro models. The tipster Instant Digital on Weibo cites plans for a case with capacitive or pressure sensors, referencing a 2024 patent describing actions triggered when the case is detected. The timeline suggests Apple aims to remove physical buttons in the iPhone 20 lineup (2027), while the iPhone 18 may use simplified mechanical controls for the camera, and solid-state buttons with haptic feedback would appear in the iPhone 20. The idea is to enable case-embedded pressure sensing so users won't need to remove the case to access the new controls.

Samsung drops Galaxy S25 Ultra to $849 in the US with free storage upgrade, undercuts iPhone 17 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL

November 18, 2025, 1:58 AM EST. Samsung is offering a dramatic price cut on the Galaxy S25 Ultra in the US, starting at $849 for the 256GB model – a straight $450 discount with no trade-in required. For a limited time, buyers also receive a free storage upgrade to 512GB, boosting value to an estimated $570 in savings. The price undercuts rivals like the iPhone 17 Pro at $1,099 and the Pixel 10 Pro XL at $1,199, with the OnePlus 15 pricing noted as postponed in the US. While this makes the S25 Ultra attractive for deal seekers, discounts on the upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra aren't expected to arrive immediately upon launch.

Galaxy S25 Ultra Deal: $570 Off Without Trade-In (Now $849 for 512GB)

November 18, 2025, 1:56 AM EST. Samsung is offering a strong Galaxy S25 Ultra deal: the 512GB model is $849, a total savings of $570 thanks to an instant $400 discount plus a free doubled storage offer. No trade-in required to claim the lower price. If you do have a trade-in, Samsung can cut the price by up to $700, bringing some configurations as low as $599. The S25 Ultra earns praise for its camera system, impressive zoom, solid software support, and hardware that keeps improving. With these savings, it's a great time to join the Galaxy ecosystem. Follow the link on Samsung's site to claim the deal.

Google launches AI-powered Flight Deals tool in Israel via Google Flights

November 18, 2025, 1:54 AM EST. Google has rolled out Flight Deals, an AI-powered flight search tool, in Israel (Hebrew). Initially limited to a subset of users, it will roll out to everyone within two days. Flight Deals lets travelers describe their trip in natural language-e.g., 'a one-week winter trip to a city with great food, direct flight only'-and uses AI to interpret preferences and surface real-time options from hundreds of airlines and booking sites via Google Flights. Now in beta, Google is gathering feedback to refine AI-driven planning, with no sign-up required. Access is available on the Flight Deals page or via the Google Flights menu. Google's blend of large-language models with Google Flights' pricing data aims to simplify price-savvy travel planning.

Apple's touch-sensitive cases could reshape iPhone controls and bezel-free design

November 18, 2025, 1:52 AM EST. Rumors suggest Apple is exploring touch-sensitive iPhone cases that add a secondary input layer, using capacitive or pressure sensors to reroute button behavior through the case. Patents show case-to-phone connections (NFC) and on-case gestures could trigger actions such as volume, camera, or shortcuts without touching the screen. Details remain speculative: which iPhone models, how sensors are powered, and price are unclear. If real, it fits Apple's bezel-free, button-light direction and complements a rumored 20th-anniversary redesign with curved edges. A smart case could provide tactile feedback and more ergonomic controls, enabling gestures to unlock faster, switch music, or launch apps without screen interaction. Accessory makers may jump in with dedicated cases and workflows.

Mophie's Qi2 wireless charging stands lean into Apple gear

November 18, 2025, 1:50 AM EST. Mophie's latest Qi2 wireless charging stands largely cater to Apple gear. The lineup, priced from $45 to $100, supports Qi2 charging at 15W for compatible smartphones. Three models add dedicated wireless chargers for the Apple Watch and AirPods (or both) and ship with a 40W wall adapter. The focus on Apple Watch and AirPods accessories underscores a trend toward ecosystem-centric charging solutions that complement iPhone setups while remaining compatible with non-Apple devices. With multi-device charging and Apple-forward convenience, the collection targets desks where streamlining Apple charging is a clear selling point.

Black Friday Apple Watch Deals: Save on Series 11 and SE 3 Ahead of the Holidays

November 18, 2025, 1:46 AM EST. Black Friday deals are live for Apple Watches. The Apple Watch Series 11 (42mm) is down to $349 from $399. The Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm) is $199, a $50 saving (about 20% off). These are among the lowest prices ahead of the holiday season, with Amazon listing the Series 11 and SE 3 at these rates. Expect more Black Friday Apple Watch deals to follow across major retailers. For shoppers seeking health, safety, and a sleek interface, these offers deliver solid value.

Five Must-Try iOS 26 Messages Features You Should Use

November 18, 2025, 1:42 AM EST. iOS 26 adds five notable upgrades to Messages, boosting the core texting experience. The centerpiece is Live Translation, which lets you translate messages inside a single conversation using Apple Intelligence. To enable it: Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > enable Apple Intelligence > Messages; open a conversation, tap the contact name, and choose Automatically Translate with your languages. Translations appear beneath the original text, and you can switch to display only the translation. Per-conversation setup means you'll configure it separately for each chat, and language support is currently limited (including Chinese variants). Beyond translation, iOS 26 adds other new tools that further enhance Messages, reinforcing it as one of the platform's most upgraded native apps.

Masimo wins $634M in Apple Watch patent case; what it means for users

November 18, 2025, 1:40 AM EST. A jury awarded Masimo about $634 million to settle a long-running dispute accusing Apple of infringing patents related to the Apple Watch's blood oxygen monitoring. The verdict keeps the US ban on shipping Watches with the feature in place, meaning US customers still cannot use blood-oxygen analysis, while users outside the US are largely unaffected. Apple says it will appeal, arguing many Masimo patents were invalid and that one expired in 2022. If the appeal changes anything, the status could shift; otherwise, the decision marks one of the largest consumer-tech fines in the Central District of California. In the meantime, the feature remains disabled in the US, with the broader product line continuing to ship.

DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Drops to $524 with Early Black Friday Discount

November 18, 2025, 1:38 AM EST. Looking for a compact, one-handed camera? The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is on sale with a 34% off drop to $524 (from $799). Its vertical form makes selfies and on-the-go shots easier, while stabilization, fast autofocus, and face and object tracking keep footage smooth. It records in 4K and can shoot up to 120 FPS, great for kids, pets, and action moments. Discounts like this are rare, so act fast before it returns to normal price. See at Amazon.

Think You Know iOS 26? 18 Hidden Features You Probably Missed

November 18, 2025, 1:36 AM EST. Apple's iOS 26 brings a refreshed look and powerful updates to the iPhone, but its true value lies in 18 hidden features tucked away in Settings and apps. Highlights include adjusting the Snooze Duration for alarms, creating a custom ringtone from files without a Mac or GarageBand, and copying only part of a text message in Messages. The update also expands options in Files and Voice Memos for quick use, while widgets, AI enhancements, and Siri enhancements round out the experience. If you're curious about small tweaks that save time and streamline daily use, this roundup shows where to find them and how to enable them.

Tesla Chair Denholm highlights AI, autonomy roadmap in Annual Meeting letter

November 18, 2025, 1:34 AM EST. Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm's letter to shareholders celebrates overwhelming support at this year's Annual Meeting and frames Elon Musk's pay package as a milestone in Tesla's mission. The note praises investor confidence in Musk's leadership and Tesla's long-term vision for an AI-driven future anchored in autonomy and energy innovation. Denholm highlights the approval of Proposals One, Three, and Four as a reaffirmation of the Master Plan Part IV and the company's push toward the Robotaxi program and the Optimus humanoid robot. She emphasizes direct engagement with investors and notes that their feedback informs strategy as Tesla scales new AI capabilities and technology rollouts, promising years of bold leadership for a better future.

Best MIDI Controller Apps for iOS: Control Your Synths from iPhone and iPad

November 18, 2025, 1:32 AM EST. This article surveys the best MIDI controller apps for iOS and iPadOS, showing how an iPhone or iPad can become a powerful, portable control surface. Benefits include lower cost, portability, and tailor-made layouts that hardware controllers can't easily match. Apps offer a modular, customizable interface to control synths, DAWs, DJ gear, or lighting. The piece spotlights TouchOSC as a standout option, with support for wired/wireless MIDI, MIDI over USB, and OSC over UDP/TCP, plus extensive real-time customization. It emphasizes that these apps adapt to varied setups and can replace dedicated hardware while remaining easy to use on iOS devices.

Five Years After the M1: How Apple Silicon Transformed MacBooks

November 18, 2025, 1:30 AM EST. Five years after the MacBook Air M1, Apple Silicon has reshaped laptops and Mac history. The WWDC reveal kicked off a unified, ARM-based future, with Rosetta 2 easing the transition for non-Arm apps and partners like Microsoft and Adobe racing to port core software. Built on a 5-nm design, the chips promised dramatic improvements in battery life and efficiency, turning MacBooks into genuine marathon machines. Early questions about integrated graphics faded as the ecosystem matured, inspired by the performance seen in iPhone and iPad silicon. This piece revisits the gamble, the developer transition, and how the five-year arc changed everyday computing for millions.

RedMagic 11 Pro: Early Bird Perks, Ultra-Cooling, and Max Gaming Power

November 18, 2025, 1:24 AM EST. Smartphone gaming goes pro with the RedMagic 11 Pro. From Nov. 13-18, 2025, early adopters can snag $30 off, a free exclusive RedMagic canvas bag, and 24-hour early access to the sale by spending just $1. The phone pairs a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 on a 3 nm process with RedCore R4 for ultra-smooth gaming and standout visuals. It ships with up to 24 GB LPDDR5T RAM and 1 TB UFS 4.1 Pro storage, plus a power-efficient Adreno GPU. The highlight is AquaCore AI server-grade liquid cooling: fluorinated coolant, piezo micropumps, a massive 13,116 mm² vapor chamber, and Liquid Metal 3.0, plus a 24,000 RPM waterproof turbofan for cooler, safer temps. Aimed at long, demanding sessions and high frame rates.

Red Magic 11 Pro vs ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro: Liquid Cooling vs AI-Driven Gaming

November 18, 2025, 1:22 AM EST. Two flagship gaming phones duel for the throne. The Red Magic 11 Pro debuts the first mass-market active circulating liquid cooling system – the AquaCore Cooling System – with an internal pump for sustained, marathon gaming. The ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro leans into AI, boasting X Sense 3.0, X Capture 2.0, AI Grabber, and Air Triggers that double as camera controls. On design, Redmagic shows a transparent rear panel while ROG favors sci-fi minimalism and an ergonomic chassis. Display battles: Redmagic's 6.85" AMOLED, 144Hz, with a hidden under-display camera vs ROG's 6.78" AMOLED, 185Hz, up to 2000 nits. Performance centers on Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and cooling efficiency, with Asus winning on ergonomics and Redmagic on flair.

nubia RedMagic 11 Pro review: flagship gaming phone with liquid cooling and 7,500mAh battery

November 18, 2025, 1:20 AM EST. nubia's RedMagic 11 Pro arrives with flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, expanded cooling (enhanced fan, water/dust-proof), and the world's first mass-produced liquid cooling smartphone. It keeps the 6.85" 144Hz OLED panel and upgrades to a massive 7,500mAh battery with 80W wired and 80W wireless charging (68 min). Memory options go up to 1TB / 24GB RAM; UFS 4.1 Pro. Connectivity includes 5G, Wi-Fi 7, NFC, and more. Cameras stay at dual 50MP rear plus a 16MP under-display front. OS is Android 16 with Redmagic OS 11. It also features IPX8, 520Hz touch sensing, a built-in cooling fan, RGB lighting, and the RedCore R4 gaming chip.

Thiel Macro cuts Tesla stake 76%, exits Nvidia ahead of earnings

November 18, 2025, 1:18 AM EST. Peter Thiel's hedge fund, Thiel Macro, slashed its stake in Tesla by 76%, dropping from 272,613 shares at the end of Q2 to 65,000 at the end of Q3. It exited its entire position in Nvidia, reflecting a shift away from chipmakers even as earnings season looms. The fund's remaining top holdings are Apple, Microsoft, and Tesla, valued roughly at $20 million, $25 million, and $29 million. Thiel and Musk – longtime allies in the PayPal Mafia – remain influential in markets, and Musk used the shareholder meeting to back his $1 trillion pay package for the CEO. The backdrop: traders brace for Nvidia earnings and the September jobs report.

Trimble bets big on AI at Insight 2025 with AI-powered TMS and automations for trucking

November 18, 2025, 1:16 AM EST. At Insight 2025, Trimble unveiled AI-powered products and integrations to accelerate automation across transportation and logistics. The event drew ~700 attendees and 200 sessions as CEO Rob Painter and Michael Kornhauser outlined a plan to link data, people and workflows in a unified, intelligent ecosystem. The centerpiece is Trimble TMS, a cloud-native, modular system designed for the AI era and positioned as a single intelligence center for fleets-more than a traditional system of record and intentionally configurable to reduce bespoke risks. The TMS embeds AI across seven modules to automate order-to-cash and deliver predictive insights, including seven-day network load forecasting. Trimble also introduced AI agents to automate administrative tasks such as order entry, invoice processing and roadside breakdown management, for example an Order Intake Agent that auto-extracts data from emails, PDFs or EDI.

Amazon Rebrands Project Kuiper Satellite Service as 'Amazon Leo'

November 18, 2025, 1:14 AM EST. Amazon has renamed its satellite venture from Project Kuiper to Amazon Leo, signaling a branding shift for the company's satellite service. The project currently operates about 153 active satellites and is targeting an enterprise service rollout in 2025. In a recent update, Amazon also dropped references to providing affordable broadband, which could hint at a more commercial, business-to-business strategy focused on enterprises or government and backhaul applications. The move positions Amazon Leo to compete in the growing low-Earth-orbit connectivity market, as the company continues to build out its orbital infrastructure and aligns messaging with enterprise customers.

iPadOS 26.2 Beta 3 restores drag-to-enter Slide Over and Split View on iPad

November 18, 2025, 1:12 AM EST. iPadOS 26.2 beta 3 brings back the ability to drag an app from the dock or Spotlight to enter Slide Over or Split View, restoring a key multitasking pattern people missed after iPadOS 26. The window morphs to indicate whether you're placing it in Split View, Slide Over, or a full window, mirroring the feel of iPadOS 18. This is a meaningful improvement and shows Apple listening to feedback at speed. However, Slide Over still cannot stack multiple apps, and these modes rely on the new windowing system in iPadOS 26 rather than working in Full Screen Apps mode. Still, it's a positive step toward the pre-26 multitasking experience.

NASA Opens Media Accreditation for Artemis II Crewed Moon Mission Launch (Early 2026)

November 18, 2025, 1:10 AM EST. NASA has opened media accreditation for Artemis II, the first crewed Moon mission in the program. Targeted to launch in early 2026, the crew-Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen-will fly about a 10-day mission around the Moon aboard Orion atop the Space Launch System (SLS) from Kennedy Space Center. International media must apply by Nov. 30; U.S. media by Dec. 8. Accreditation requests are online at media.ksc.nasa.gov. Credentialed reporters will receive confirmations and details on pre-launch events, including the rollout of the integrated rocket and spacecraft. For questions, email [email protected] or call the NASA Kennedy newsroom.

The AI Bubble That Isn't There: Energy and the Infrastructure Economics of AI

November 18, 2025, 1:08 AM EST. Michael Burry's AI-bubble critique argues valuations are driven by speculation, yet the article contends the AI boom rests on energy as the true input. Every model, inference, and output converts electricity into structured probability, making AI economics more like infrastructure than consumer software. Thermodynamics and power density shape costs, not traditional software metrics. The AI bubble narrative itself may be a misread, inflated by outdated analogies to OpenAI's losses and heavy compute. Historical infrastructure shifts-from electricity grids to telephony-exhibited heavy spending without indicating a bubble. The message: we're witnessing a structural transformation where the substrate of daily life is rebuilt, and the true cost of intelligence is measured in watts, not dollars. OpenAI's spending mirrors infrastructure evolution, not speculative mania.

The SPV Ecosystem Powering Nvidia Explained (NASDAQ: NVDA)

November 18, 2025, 1:06 AM EST. An overview of how Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) are used in relation to Nvidia (NVDA) and what this means for investors. The piece positions SPVs within the tech sector, highlighting relevance to semiconductors, AI, and related catalysts. It also notes the importance of disclosures and independent research, citing author disclosures and Seeking Alpha's policies. The goal is to explain the SPV ecosystem powering Nvidia and outline potential implications for risk, liquidity, and valuation in the NVDA stock story.

Nvidia's JUPITER Booster hits 1 exaflop as 4th exascale system on TOP500

November 18, 2025, 1:02 AM EST. Germany's JUPITER Booster, built by Eviden with Nvidia GH200 Hopper GPUs and ARM-based CPUs, delivers a peak of 1 exaflop and enters the TOP500 as the world's fourth exascale system. Despite El Capitan and Frontier (AMD CPUs/GPUs) and Aurora (Intel CPUs/GPUs) leading the pack, JUPITER Booster marks Nvidia's first exascale entry that blends Nvidia GPUs with ARM CPUs and Nvidia's NVLink interconnect. The system, installed at a European lab, started as 793 petaflops on entry and crossed the 1 exaflop threshold after completion. The TOP500 ranking underscores ongoing dominance of x86 systems in most of the list's top slots, while ARM and Nvidia architectures gain ground. TOP500 editors also note a growing focus on AI-optimized Benchmarks like HPL-MxP to capture mixed-precision performance.

Today's Android App Deals: Exolotl, Munchkin, Dune Imperium and Google Black Friday News

November 18, 2025, 1:00 AM EST. Today's Android app and game deals feature Exolotl: Zian, Munchkin, Halls of Torment, and Dune: Imperium at all-time lows. The roundup also flags official details on Google's Black Friday 2025 sale, including up to $300 off Pixel 10, $100 off Pixel Watch 4, and Nest discounts. Hardware highlights include the Google TV Streamer 4K at a new low, Lenovo's Idea Tab Plus Android tablet price cuts, a $100 drop on Galaxy Watch 8, and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 savings of about $440 off. The list also runs free-to-download titles and many discount apps. Scroll below for more deals, from Exolotl and Dune: Imperium Digital to weekly bargains and budget picks.

Markets slide as Nvidia earnings loom and bitcoin tumbles

November 18, 2025, 12:58 AM EST. Markets opened lower as nerves fray ahead of Nvidia's earnings and the September jobs report. The Dow slid about 557 points (-1.18%), the S&P 500 fell 0.92%, and the Nasdaq slipped 0.84%, while the VIX jumped and the Fear and Greed index sat in extreme fear. Bitcoin traded just below $92,000 after erasing gains for the year as risk appetite waned for tech and crypto names. Traders worry about lofty valuations and whether the AI rally can sustain itself. Nvidia accounts for roughly 8% of the S&P 500's value, making its results a potential market mover. With the Fed expected to pause rate cuts later this year, investors await guidance from Nvidia's report on Wednesday and the jobs data on Thursday.

Tesla wins bid to decertify class-action racial discrimination suit

November 18, 2025, 12:56 AM EST. Tesla has won a ruling to decertify a 2017 racial discrimination lawsuit as a class-action. California Superior Court Judge Peter Borkon ruled that plaintiffs' attorneys failed to locate 200 class members willing to testify, preventing the use of class-action status for the case against Tesla's Fremont production floor. The suit began with a single employee alleging a racist work environment and claimed more than 100 workers faced harassment. A 2024 lower court decision had allowed class-action to proceed, but the judge's latest ruling means plaintiffs must pursue their claims individually. Tesla's legal battles over alleged racial misconduct have continued, including a 2023 EEOC suit and a confidential settlement with a worker at the same plant.

Thoughtworks and Groq Partner to Accelerate Real-World AI in Australia

November 18, 2025, 12:54 AM EST. Thoughtworks and Groq announced a strategic partnership to accelerate real-world AI value in Australia. Groq's LPU, a deterministic AI inference engine, promises fast, low-cost performance for cutting-edge models and large language models, delivering instant, predictable results even under heavy demand. Thoughtworks contributes expertise in designing, evaluating and scaling trustworthy AI systems, aiming to help Australian enterprises deploy high-performance, cost-effective, sovereign AI. A real-time speech-to-text proof-of-concept on Groq's LPU demonstrated improved inference speed, cost and accuracy in a simulated high-volume call center, with Collinear AI providing data for model training and evaluation. The collaboration shifts the benchmark from 'what if' to 'what's next,' combining Groq speed with Thoughtworks engineering to bring scalable AI to production in Australia.

Today's Android App Deals & Freebies: Atom RPG, Castles of Mad King Ludwig & More

November 18, 2025, 12:50 AM EST. Discover the latest Android app deals and freebies curated by 9to5Toys. This roundup highlights standout titles like Atom RPG and Castles of Mad King Ludwig, plus other discounted and free mobile games and apps. Whether you're hunting for tactical RPGs, strategy sims, or practical productivity tools, expect time-limited offers, bundle discounts, and new freebies across popular stores. Stay in the loop with daily picks, exclusive promo codes, and tuned recommendations to stretch your mobile budget. Save on must-have games and apps while they last, and check back for fresh deals as the day unfolds.

Today's Android App Deals and Freebies: Tempest, Amelia, ARIDA, and More

November 18, 2025, 12:46 AM EST. Get the latest Android app deals and freebies with 9to5Toys' curated round-up. This post spotlights notable titles like Tempest, Amelia, and ARIDA, plus a wide range of discounted Android apps and promos. Our team of technology and lifestyle deal experts pulls together today's must-see savings so you don't miss out. For the full list and continuous updates, visit the homepage. Stay in the loop by following us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and if you're after more savings, check out the best Apple deals, our daily podcast, and the YouTube channel for related coverage.

CapEx to OpEx: Orleans County's Network Modernization and Unified Communications

November 18, 2025, 12:42 AM EST. Join Orleans County, NY, as they reveal a move from CapEx to OpEx for network services. By bundling connectivity with unified communications, they achieved immediate savings of over $124,000, eliminated recurring charges such as long-distance fees and third-party integration costs, and gained access to operational upgrades like call analytics and auto-attendants. The shift strengthened financial planning through fixed monthly expenses and freed IT staff to focus on strategic initiatives. Key takeaway: rethinking your budget model can be as impactful as upgrading technology, delivering fiscal stability and enhanced services for the community.

Today's Android app deals and freebies: Is This Seat Taken?, Dragon Quest titles, Mana, and more

November 18, 2025, 12:40 AM EST. 9to5Toys rounds up today's Android app deals and freebies, including Is This Seat Taken?, Dragon Quest titles, and Mana. Find discounts on mobile apps, games, and bundles, plus tips to save on Android software. Stay in the loop with the latest tech deals and follow 9to5Toys for daily savings on apps, gadgets, and accessories.

Tesla recalls 10,500 Powerwall 2 home batteries over overheating risk

November 18, 2025, 12:38 AM EST. The recall by Tesla affects about 10,500 Powerwall 2 home battery systems after reports of overheating and potential fire risk. Announced Nov. 13 by the CPSC, the recall covers units sold online and through certified installers from 2020-2022 for roughly $8,000. Tesla reports 22 overheating incidents, including six smoking events and five fires causing minor property damage; no injuries have been reported. Affected units can be identified by the Powerwall 2 model on the nameplate. Tesla has remotely discharged affected systems to prevent overheating until replacements are installed.

Goldman says AI boom priced in; market gains near $19 trillion ahead of macro impact

November 18, 2025, 12:34 AM EST. Goldman Sachs argues the U.S. equity market has priced in AI benefits well ahead of the macro impact. The bank's analysis estimates the Present Discounted Value (PDV) of AI-driven capital revenues at about $8 trillion, with a plausible range of $5-$19 trillion. Since the ChatGPT era began in November 2022, the value of AI-related firms has climbed by more than $19 trillion, led by semiconductors, hyperscalers, and private AI model providers (~$1 trillion). This places AI-related market gains near the upper limit of projected macro benefits, even as valuations stay high but not yet a classic bubble. Goldman cautions that past innovation booms show markets can overpay for future profits despite real innovation.

Terray Unveils EMMI: An AI-Native Platform for de Novo Small Molecule Drug Discovery

November 18, 2025, 12:32 AM EST. Terray Therapeutics announced EMMI (Experimentation Meets Machine Intelligence), an AI-native drug discovery platform that combines ultra-miniaturized testing hardware, an automated lab, and a full-stack AI suite to accelerate de novo small molecule discovery. The platform uses Generate, Predict, and Select models powered by a chemistry foundation model to evaluate millions of molecules and select the most impactful candidates for experiments, updating models with new data. Terray claims EMMI can reduce cost and time to optimize molecules by about 3x, leveraging a data advantage of 13 billion target-molecule interactions and more than 1 billion new measurements per quarter from its ultra-dense microarray. Terray aims to advance internal programs and partnerships across targets known and entirely new.

Human-centric AI: How upskilling and AI literacy drive real value as companies shift from experimentation to implementation

November 18, 2025, 12:30 AM EST. Experts say the real unlock for enterprise AI isn't more tech, but people. A human-centric buildout requires upskilling and AI literacy, not just tools. As Accenture and Johnson & Johnson note, for every dollar on technology, three should go to people to help them transition into the future. J&J has rolled out mandatory AI fundamentals for about 80,000 employees and uses AI in drug discovery to identify targets and design molecules, with the drug arm forecast to top $57 billion in 2025. Standard Chartered pilots show how AI can streamline processes, from performance reviews to a skills marketplace that enables a gig-based flow of talent. Cautions include focusing on a few high-value use cases (roughly 15% delivering 90% of value) and avoiding indiscriminate rollout without assessing utility.

Apple Explores Touch-Sensitive Layers in Official iPhone Cases to Extend Controls

November 18, 2025, 12:28 AM EST. Apple is reportedly developing official iPhone cases that embed touch-sensitive sensor layers to serve as an auxiliary input surface. The concept, referenced by a 2024 patent describing a case with input for an electronic device, would allow taps, presses, or sliding gestures on the case to trigger iPhone actions and even reroute button behavior when attached. The system could use capacitive or pressure sensors and communicate via NFC with the phone, potentially enabling a biometric input like a Touch ID sensor in the case. This aligns with rumors of a bezel-free anniversary iPhone that minimizes physical buttons, making the interactive case a natural companion ahead of a 2027 launch.

Nvidia Earnings: Live Updates Ahead of November 2025 Results

November 18, 2025, 12:26 AM EST. Live updates show investors trimming Nvidia ahead of the earnings print. SoftBank's Masayoshi Son and Peter Thiel's hedge fund Thiel Macro exited portions of their Nvidia positions, with SoftBank selling its remaining 32 million shares for about $5.8 billion and Thiel Macro liquidating around $100 million. Despite these moves, the stock remains a AI bellwether, and analysts shift sentiment: BofA Securities lifts full-year and next-year EPS forecasts (2026: $4.56; 2027: $7.02; 2028: $9.15) and reiterates a Buy with a $275 target, noting Nvidia's full-stack, rack-scale AI capability and a large backlog of orders (Jensen Huang citing roughly $500 billion of Blackwell and Rubin orders for this year and next). Thiel's exit is framed as strategic positioning rather than a bearish AI stance, while the market looks ahead to Nvidia's earnings.

Apple Rumored to Launch iPhone Case as Second Touch Interface

November 18, 2025, 12:24 AM EST. Rumors suggest Apple is developing official iPhone cases that function as a second touch interface, turning the accessory into an active control for the device. A Weibo leaker, 'Instant Digital,' points to a future where the case communicates with the iPhone, enabling gestures like sliding over the case's volume area to adjust sound instead of pressing buttons. A corresponding Apple patent, 'Case With Input for Electronic Device,' describes case-mounted touch sensors and even a side fingerprint sensor. If true, Apple would blur lines between case and device, adding a new smart accessory category and expanding the accessory lineup alongside products like the TechWoven Case and collaborations such as ISSEY MIYAKE. No timeline was provided, but the rumor follows other leaks about future iPhone hardware.

Markets Fall as Nvidia and AI Stocks Slump Amid AI Frenzy

November 18, 2025, 12:22 AM EST. New York – The U.S. stock market slid as Nvidia and other AI-driven megacaps extended a pullback sparked by worries that prices got too high. The S&P 500 fell about 0.9%, the Dow dropped ~1.2%, and the Nasdaq slid ~0.8%. Nvidia remained the market's heaviest weight as investors awaited its next profit report on Wednesday. Bitcoin traded below $92,000, helping pull down crypto-linked stocks such as Coinbase and Robinhood. Analysts warn valuations have run ahead of fundamentals, with AI stocks rallying on hopes of big future profits even if near-term results disappoint. Other names like Palantir and Super Micro also weakened.

AI That Bypasses Online-Survey Detection Threatens Data Integrity, Study Warns

November 18, 2025, 12:20 AM EST. New findings published in PNAS reveal an AI-based autonomous synthetic respondent that can answer survey questions and nearly perfectly bypass state-of-the-art bot-detection methods. Developed by Dartmouth associate professor Sean Westwood, the tool demonstrated a 99.8% evasion rate, casting doubt on the reliability of online survey data. The paper argues that traditional defenses-attention checks (ACQs), behavioral flags, and response-pattern analyses-could be rendered obsolete as the AI mimics human reading times, mouse movements, and keystroke behavior. It even suggests potential to craft a coherent demographic persona that could sway poll results, with as few as 10-52 fake responses able to flip elections in some polls and at a cost of about five cents per response. The work underscores a looming data integrity challenge for researchers.

Get Up to $300 Back with T-Mobile 5G Home Internet – Limited-Time Promo

November 18, 2025, 12:18 AM EST. Rolling Stone highlights a limited-time T-Mobile 5G Home Internet offer that pays up to $300 back via a Virtual Prepaid Mastercard when you sign up. Back amount depends on plan: Rely ($100), Amplified ($200), All-In ($300). Plans start at $35/month with Auto Pay (plus taxes/fees and a postpaid line), and include a five-year price guarantee. T-Mobile also covers early termination fees up to $750, and offers a 15-day money-back guarantee. The All-In plan includes Hulu and Paramount+. This is a limited-time deal, so act soon.

SoftBank and Thiel Sell NVIDIA Shares, fueling AI-bubble concerns

November 18, 2025, 12:16 AM EST. SoftBank dumped all 32.1 million NVIDIA shares last week, netting about $5.83 billion, followed by Peter Thiel's hedge fund selling roughly 537,742 NVIDIA shares for about $85 million. The moves amplify fears of an AI market bubble, though experts say the technology's long-term value persists even if prices correct. NVIDIA remains a central pillar of modern AI hardware, underpinning the chips and infrastructure driving the AI surge.

Apple Investigates Pro iPhone Case With Touch Controls, Patent Reveals

November 18, 2025, 12:14 AM EST. Apple is exploring a Pro-only iPhone case that could double as a second touch interface. A July 2024 patent, cited by MacRumors, describes a case with capacitive and pressure sensors that might trigger features such as the flashlight. It's unclear if this would be faster or more convenient than tapping the iOS home screen. The rumor underscores Apple's push to bolster the iPhone ecosystem with quirky accessories. Earlier reports have touched on ideas like an AirPods case with a built-in touchscreen and the ISSEY MIYAKE collaboration's iPhone Pocket, a pricey add-on that sold out quickly. If realized, the Pro case could reinforce the sole pro distinction while adding input options beyond the display.

Save on Thanksgiving with AI tools and retailer deals

November 18, 2025, 12:12 AM EST. Artificial intelligence can help you spend less on a Thanksgiving feast. Tell an AI chatbot like ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, or Microsoft Copilot how many guests you're hosting, dietary needs, and your budget, and they'll compare prices across stores, suggest portions, and even provide step-by-step recipes. For example, Copilot can analyze product photos and help you locate the best deals on stuffing or other staples, then calculate quantities to feed your group while keeping costs in check. Analysts say smart shoppers can feed guests for under $6 per person. Expect total costs around $80-$95 this year, roughly 2-3% less than 2024. Retailers offer budget dinner bundles (Target, Amazon, Walmart, ALDI). Apps like Flipp help compare weekly ads and build shopping lists.

Netflix Offline 101: How Smart Downloads Let You Watch Without Wi-Fi

November 18, 2025, 12:10 AM EST. Netflix makes it easy to watch offline with Smart Downloads that automatically grab the next episode and delete watched titles. You can download on iPhone, iPad, Android, Amazon Fire, and compatible PCs, with Wi-Fi only by default (you can change that). A My Downloads tab shows your library and lets you play or remove items. Each download has an expiration date based on licensing, and some titles may expire if removed from the service. You can download individual episodes or entire seasons, up to a cap that varies by plan. If a title leaves Netflix, its downloads expire immediately. Manage downloads in the app settings.

AI-Driven Attitude Control Demonstrated for Orbiting Satellites

November 18, 2025, 12:06 AM EST. Researchers at JMU Würzburg achieved a major milestone by using an autonomous AI to control a satellite's attitude in space for the first time. The LeLaR project (In-Orbit Demonstrator for Learning Attitude Control) uses deep reinforcement learning to train flight software to adjust orientation without human input. Trained in a high-fidelity simulator, the model was loaded to the flight controller of the InnoCube nanosatellite in low Earth orbit. In tests on multiple passes, the satellite used reaction wheels to align with a target attitude, demonstrating a path toward faster, cheaper, and safer autonomous satellite operations.

DJI Responds as FCC Expands Power to Retroactively Ban Gadgets – What It Means for Your Drone

November 18, 2025, 12:04 AM EST. The FCC has voted to add radio frequency devices to its Covered List, allowing retroactive bans on products deemed a national-security risk. The change could let regulators pull older DJI models off shelves even after they were sold. For now, DJI says it's not on the Covered List, but the FY25 NDAA requires a risk assessment of DJI drones by December 23, 2025. If the assessment isn't completed, DJI and another Chinese drone maker could be added by default, with no wrongdoing required and limited appeal rights. In practice, little changes yet, but time is running out. DJI calls for a transparent, fair audit and warns that due process, fairness, and transparency must accompany security measures.

X launches Chat platform with voice/video calls, file sharing, and encrypted messaging

November 18, 2025, 12:02 AM EST. X is rolling out a redesigned Chat platform that replaces its inbox with a toolkit resembling modern messaging apps. The update adds voice and video calling, file sharing, message editing/deletion, and privacy options, including end-to-end encryption and screenshot alerts. Available now on iOS and the web, with Android coming soon, and a voice memo feature in development. After an earlier encrypted messaging preview and a May pause, the service now supports encrypted group messaging and encrypted media, though some metadata remains exposed. X notes it does not fully guard against man-in-the-middle attacks, and is building tools to verify authenticity as it moves toward a full chat service, with several security features still under development.

{“@context”:”https://schema.org/”,”@type”:”WebPage”,”name”:”Technology News 18.11.2025″,”url”:”https://www.kondorexp.co.il/technology-news-18-11-2025/”,”speakable”:{“@type”:”SpeakableSpecification”,”cssSelector”:[“.liveblog-header”,”h1.post-title”,”.single56__title”]}}

X Expands Updated DM Architecture to All Users with End-to-End Encryption

November 18, 2025, 12:00 AM EST. X is rolling out its updated DM interface to all users, touting improved encryption and security. The update adds end-to-end encrypted chats and file sharing, the ability to edit, delete or send disappearing DMs, and screenshot blocking, plus in-app video chats and soon voice memos. This rollout is a core piece of Elon Musk's plan for an "everything app", aiming to rival WeChat and eventually enable payments and banking within X. Critics have questioned the strength of X's encryption and whether back-end changes truly deliver "least insecure" messaging. Even if imperfect, the new DM architecture could broaden interactions and pave the way for in-app financial features if adoption and partnerships grow.