Author: alex

Doctor Who returns for a 2026 Christmas Special — Russell T. Davies to write The BBC has confirmed that Doctor Who will return for a Christmas Special in 2026, written by current executive producer Russell T. Davies. The broadcaster said details about the next full series will be revealed "in due course," bringing relief to fans after months of uncertainty about the show's future. The show’s funding and production have been turbulent in recent years. In 2022 the BBC partnered with Disney to co‑finance the revival and stream it globally on Disney+, but the deal did not deliver the runaway success hoped for. Behind‑the‑scenes issues — including reported recasting and reshoots — added to doubts about whether the series could continue on its previous footing. Why this matters Russell T.…

Amazon confirms ~14,000 corporate layoffs amid AI-driven reorganization Amazon has confirmed it eliminated approximately 14,000 corporate roles today as part of a global reorganization tied to accelerating its use of AI. The company says the move is meant to make its structure "leaner" so it can innovate faster, while reports indicate affected teams include video games, logistics, payments and parts of the cloud business. In a company statement, Beth Galetti, senior vice president of people experience and technology, said the current generation of AI is "the most transformative technology we’ve seen since the Internet" and that Amazon needs fewer layers and more ownership to move quickly for customers. The firm framed the cuts as part of broader internal restructuring. Key facts Confirmed layoffs: ~14,000 corporate employees, announced and executed today.…

Threads adds "Ghost Posts": ephemeral posts that disappear after 24 hours Meta’s Threads is rolling out a new feature called "Ghost Posts" that automatically removes shared content after 24 hours. The idea is to let users post casually — without creating a permanent entry on their profile — similar to Stories on other platforms. Ghost Posts are visible to followers (subject to your privacy settings) but vanish a day after publishing. This gives people a way to share fleeting moments, limited-time updates or playful content without worrying about long-term curation. How it compares Like Stories: Functionally similar to ephemeral features on Instagram and Snapchat, but integrated into Threads’ conversational feed. Not archived by default: Content disappears after 24 hours, reducing permanent footprint — though platform policies and screenshots may still…

AMD chips to power the US "sovereign AI" supercomputers at Oak Ridge AMD is partnering with the US Department of Energy to build two flagship sovereign AI supercomputers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Lux and Discovery. Backed by roughly $1 billion in public and private investment, these systems are intended to accelerate research in energy, medicine, national security and other scientific fields using homegrown infrastructure. According to the announcement, Lux will be powered by AMD Instinct MI355X GPUs, AMD EPYC CPUs and AMD Pensando networking technologies, and is slated for deployment in 2026 as the first US "AI Factory" supercomputer. Discovery will follow and is planned to use next‑generation AMD EPYC "Venice" CPUs and MI430X accelerators (part of a new MI400 series designed for sovereign AI), with an operational target…

13-inch MacBook Air (M4) hits record-low $799 — deal details and buying advice Amazon is selling the 13‑inch MacBook Air with the M4 chip for a record‑low price of $799 — a roughly 20% discount across multiple colors. The 15‑inch MacBook Air is also discounted, with the base model down to about $999 in many listings. The M4 MacBook Air offers very responsive performance for everyday tasks, long battery life (around 18 hours in typical use), a bright 13‑inch display with P3 wide color support and up to 500 nits of peak brightness. These savings make it an attractive pick for students and professionals who want a lightweight yet powerful laptop. What to consider before you buy Ports: The 13‑inch Air lacks a USB‑C port on the right side, which…

YouTube Shorts to gain Adobe Premiere mobile editing tools Adobe announced at Adobe Max 2025 that Adobe Premiere mobile will be integrated into YouTube Shorts. Creators will be able to click an "Edit in Adobe Premiere" option in Shorts and access Premiere’s mobile editing tools, Firefly-powered AI features, generative sound effects and exclusive presets directly within the Shorts workflow. The integration aims to eliminate the current export step — creators who previously had to finish editing in Premiere then export and upload can now edit and publish more smoothly. Adobe says the experience will include pro-grade tools, preset templates for Shorts, and options to create and share custom templates among creators. What to expect Direct editing in Shorts: Tap "Edit in Adobe Premiere" to open Premiere mobile tools inside the…

Insta360 X4 Air: ultralight 8K 360° camera built for everyday capture Insta360 has launched the X4 Air, a notably lightweight 360‑degree camera weighing just 165 grams while still offering up to 8K video capture. The new model sits between the X4 and X5 in the company’s lineup and targets creators who want high‑resolution, pocketable 360 capture without a bulky setup. The X4 Air uses 1/1.8" sensors and, Insta360 says, delivers a 134% increase in pixel area per frame compared with the X4. It also features quickly replaceable lenses with improved optical coating for better drop resistance, and it’s waterproof to 49 feet — making it a versatile option for travel and action use. Key specs Weight: 165 g (ultralight) Resolution: Up to 8K 360° video Sensor: 1/1.8" sensors (larger pixel…

Best 2-in-1 laptops and tablets for 2025: how to choose and top picks 2-in-1 systems remain a versatile option for people who want both tablet convenience and laptop productivity. Our 2025 guide rounds up convertibles and detachable tablets from brands like Microsoft, Apple, HP and Samsung and explains which form factor suits which use case. Highlights in the latest update: the iPad Pro has been added to the roundup, the Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ remains a strong detachable choice, and we no longer recommend a specific budget 2-in-1 — lower-cost options are underpowered or too expensive for the value offered. How to choose Decide between a convertible (traditional laptop that folds) and a detachable (tablet-first with keyboard accessory). Consider ANC, battery life, and whether you need LTE/5G — cellular adds…

Police warn of gift-card scam emails impersonating acquaintances The Lower Saxony State Criminal Police Office (Landeskriminalamt Niedersachsen) is warning the public about a wave of fraudulent emails in which attackers pose as people known to the recipient. These messages often include the real name of a friend or contact but come from a newly created or unfamiliar email address and ask the recipient to quickly buy prepaid gift cards (for example Apple gift cards) and send photos of the scratched‑off codes. Criminals use this tactic to bypass initial suspicion by referencing a real name while controlling the communication from a different account. The scams are effective because the request appears urgent and personal — but once the attacker has the gift‑card codes, the funds are quickly spent or laundered. Red…

Spotify brings music videos and video podcasts to Apple TV with a redesigned app Spotify has rolled out a redesigned app for Apple TV that introduces a new user interface and adds video content types previously available only on mobile and some Android devices. Early adopters reported receiving the update in the last few days, and the company appears to be expanding access gradually. The update brings music videos and video podcasts directly to the big screen, making it easier to browse and watch visual content from the sofa. The refreshed interface is designed for TV navigation and aims to unify the listening and viewing experience across platforms. What’s new Music videos: Watch official music videos on Apple TV from Spotify’s catalog. Video podcasts: Stream video versions of podcasts in…