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Technology News

  • Windows 10 end of support: what it means and how to respond
    October 11, 2025, 8:01 PM EDT. Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 on 14 October, meaning security updates stop and devices may be exposed. Users can upgrade to Windows 11 for free if their PC is eligible, or sign up for Extended Security Updates (ESU) for up to 12 months, with limitations. Free ESU requires the latest Windows 10 version, a Microsoft account, and backing up settings; otherwise a $30 fee or 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points applies, and commercial devices cost about $61 per device. Many devices may not be eligible for Windows 11, forcing purchases of new hardware and generating environmental impact. Analysts and consumer groups worry about waste and security gaps. For now, plan whether to upgrade, pay for ESU, or replace hardware before the deadline.
  • Samsung Galaxy XCover7 and Galaxy M54 Get Android 16-based One UI 8 Stable Update
    October 11, 2025, 8:00 PM EDT. Samsung has begun rolling out the Android 16-based stable One UI 8 update to two devices: the Galaxy XCover7 and the Galaxy M54. The XCover7 receives firmware version G556BXXUBDYIA, while the M54 gets M546BXXU9EYI4. The release is hitting multiple regions, including Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, New Zealand, and Malaysia for the XCover7, and Thailand, Vietnam, New Zealand, Myanmar, and Malaysia for the M54. If you haven't seen the update yet, you can manually check by opening Settings > Software update. This marks another step in Samsung’s push to deliver One UI 8 across its mid-range and rugged lines.
  • AI Holiday Planning: ChatGPT Guides Coastal Getaways, with Caution
    October 11, 2025, 7:44 PM EDT. ABTA's travel study shows more travelers turning to AI for holidays. Alan Smith in Kent used ChatGPT to identify coastal stops in northern Spain and ended up loving Castro Urdiales, a 700-year-old town with lively pintxos. He verified results on Google and booked himself, cautious about the AI's limits. In Wales, Hannah Read aimed for a Norway trip and found a non-existent Newcastle–Bergen ferry predicted by ChatGPT, a reminder that AI can be wrong. The report notes age-based use: 3% of travelers over 60 use AI, 18% of 25–34-year-olds, with overall ~8%. The takeaway: AI can speed up planning and surface ideas, but users should double-check details and not rely on it for bookings or critical routes.
  • DX Coding: The Forgotten Film-Era Innovations Digital Photography Forgot
    October 11, 2025, 5:50 PM EDT. Long before face detection, cameras learned to read a film's speed with DX coding. Kodak introduced this 1983 standard, using a checkerboard of conductive squares on the canister to let cameras auto-set ISO via simple camera auto sensing contacts. It solved the era's most common mistake: forgetting to match ISO when loading a new roll, which could ruin an entire shoot. The system also spoke to exposure latitude and count, with barcodes for lab workflows. The elegance lay in a low-tech, reliable solution—no microprocessors required. DX-compatible cameras proliferated in the 80s, gradually fading as digital sensors gained true ISO flexibility. This feature shows how film-era design addressed real problems with simple engineering, a contrast to today's computational wonders.
  • SOM: Breakthrough mission-aware battery metric predicts whether an EV can finish a trip
    October 11, 2025, 5:32 PM EDT. Researchers at UC Riverside have developed the State of Mission (SOM), a mission-aware diagnostic metric that goes beyond traditional battery state functions. Unlike SOC or SOH, SOM predicts whether a battery can complete a specific task—such as powering an EV over a mountain pass, a drone in wind, or a home through a cloudy day—under real-world conditions. By fusing physics-based models with machine learning, SOM combines battery data with factors like temperature, terrain, and traffic to move from reactive readings to proactive, goal-based guidance. This could help electric vehicles plan routes, optimize energy use, and reduce range anxiety. The work by Mihri and Cengiz Ozkan at UC Riverside envisions a new class of battery management that answers: can I finish this trip?