Category: Uncategorized

Apple funds 650 MW of wind & solar in Europe to match device charging — Questions remain Apple is increasing investments in European wind and solar projects intended to supply the same amount of electricity that European users consume when charging Apple devices. The company cites projects in countries such as Greece, Poland and Latvia that together add about 650 megawatts (MW) of capacity — which Apple says will produce over one million megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity (roughly 1 terawatt-hour). The announcement frames these investments as a way to offset the electricity used when customers charge iPhones, iPads and other devices in Europe. Key points from the report: Planned additional capacity: ~650 MW across multiple projects. Estimated annual generation: Apple claims over 1,000,000 MWh (≈1 TWh). Locations mentioned include Greece,…

Research: HPI Finds Apple Is Reworking iOS Security Architecture New research from Moritz Steffin and Jiska Classen at the Hasso‑Plattner‑Institut (University of Potsdam) provides the first deep look into modern iOS security mechanisms. Their analysis shows Apple has significantly changed iOS's internal architecture, introducing separated security domains and other structural changes intended to raise the bar for attackers. The paper highlights several key shifts in iOS design: Segmentation of security domains to limit the blast radius of compromises. Changes to process isolation and privilege boundaries within the OS. New or reworked central components that enforce security policies more strictly. These architectural moves suggest Apple is evolving iOS beyond incremental hardening toward a more structural approach to security. That can make exploitation harder for attackers, but may also change how researchers…

Ofcom fines 4chan £20,000 for non-compliance with the UK Online Safety Act UK communications regulator Ofcom has issued a £20,000 fine to anonymous imageboard 4chan for failing to provide information requested under the Online Safety Act 2023. The regulator asked for the sites illegal-harms risk assessment and details about qualifying worldwide revenue; 4chan did not comply. This is the first penalty Ofcom has issued under the new law, which came into force this year to curb childrens access to harmful content online. In addition to the upfront fine, Ofcom is charging an extra penalty of 300 ($133) per day until 4chan supplies the requested information. When Ofcom opened its probe in June it cited complaints about illegal content on the anonymous board. 4chan has pushed back: in August the site…

Microsoft debuts MAI-Image-1: its first in-house image generator Microsoft has introduced MAI-Image-1, the company’s first internally developed image-generation model. According to the announcement, the model specializes in photorealistic images, capturing natural lighting and landscapes. Microsoft says it will test MAI-Image-1 on LMArena and roll it out to Copilot and Bing Image Creator soon. This release is part of Microsoft’s broader push to build in-house AI capabilities. Over the summer the company launched other MAI models, including MAI-Voice-1 and MAI-1-preview. Microsoft AI division leader Mustafa Suleyman has described an "enormous five-year roadmap" of internal AI development, and MAI-Image-1 underscores that plan. Model name: MAI-Image-1 Strengths: photorealism, natural lighting, landscapes Current testing: LMArena Planned rollout: Copilot and Bing Image Creator For additional context, the original coverage from Engadget provides more detail on…

Google groups Search ads into a single “Sponsored results” section Google is changing how text ads appear in Search by grouping them into a clearly labeled "Sponsored results" section. The redesign keeps ad size the same and limits groupings to a maximum of four ads. Users who scroll past the ad block will see a control to hide sponsored results. Key details: Ad group labeled "Sponsored results" will appear at the top of the Search page. Groups will contain no more than four text ads; individual ad sizes remain unchanged. The sponsored section can appear above or below Google’s AI-generated summaries (AI Overviews). After scrolling past the ad block, users can tap a button to hide all sponsored results; there’s also a sponsored block at the bottom that must be…

Rumored Game Freak Roadmap: "Pokémon Wind and Waves", Project Seed, and More Days before the next Pokémon release, datamining leaks (attributed to Centro Leaks) claim to reveal Game Freak's internal roadmap for multiple upcoming projects. The highlights: a Gen‑10 title called Pokémon Wind and Waves, a multi‑region prototype called Project Seed, and additional entries including a new Pokémon Legends title. Important caveat: these files may be outdated or unauthenticated — some planning documents reportedly date back to 2020 — so treat these details as unconfirmed rumors rather than official announcements. Pokémon Wind and Waves — Reportedly Gen 10, themed around “infinity,” slated for a 2026 release with DLC in 2027. Early builds allegedly featured an MMO‑style lobby, online quest boards, raid bosses and underwater exploration. Project Seed — Described as…

Apple TV+ Is Now Apple TV — And That Might Cause Confusion Apple quietly announced that its streaming service Apple TV+ will now be called simply Apple TV. The change appeared at the end of a press release about the company’s F1 movie (which lands on the service December 12) and was described as a “vibrant new identity.” While the rename aligns with Apple’s preference for minimal branding, it also creates immediate ambiguity: Apple TV refers to a device, an app and now the subscription service. Apple’s press release even notes promotional language such as “purchase an Apple TV to get three months of Apple TV for free,” which reads as confusing on first glance. Announcement method: tucked into an F1 movie press release rather than a standalone marketing push.…

GM pivots from hydrogen fuel cells to batteries and EV R&D General Motors announced it is ending development work under its HYDROTEC brand for hydrogen fuel cells and will instead concentrate R&D on batteries, charging technologies and electric vehicles. The company cited limited infrastructure and high costs as primary reasons hydrogen fuel cells have not gained traction for consumer cars. GM said it will continue its Fuel Cell System Manufacturing joint venture with Honda, which produces fuel cells for data centers and power-generation applications rather than passenger vehicles. This move aligns with a wider industry trend: Toyota recently shifted many of its hydrogen efforts toward industrial uses as well. What’s changing: HYDROTEC vehicle-focused development is ending. What remains: Joint venture with Honda for non-consumer fuel-cell applications (data centers, power generation).…

Google brings Nano Banana AI image editing to Search, NotebookLM and Photos Google's Nano Banana, the AI image editor that went viral last month, is being integrated into several of the company's products: Search, NotebookLM and Google Photos. The biggest changes appear in NotebookLM, where Nano Banana significantly expands how Video Overviews are generated and styled. Key updates include: NotebookLM: Video Overviews now offer six new visual styles (e.g., watercolor and anime), contextual illustrations generated from source material, and a new micro-video option called "Briefs." These explainer videos and narrated slideshows are designed to make document summaries more visual and accessible. Search: Users can create and edit images directly in the Google app using chat prompts, and snap photos via Lens to edit with Nano Banana. This rollout is live…

California enacts AB 1043 — Age-gates for app stores and operating systems California has passed AB 1043, a new law that requires operating systems and app stores to implement an age-gating system that places users into one of four age categories: under 13, 13–16, 16–18, or adult. Rather than asking for photo ID or strict verification, the law lets a parent enter a child’s age during device setup. The state says the approach balances safety and privacy and is backed by major tech companies. Key points: Effective date: Jan 1, 2027 (one year after Texas’ related law takes effect). Four age bands will be assigned by the OS/app store and shared with developers. No mandatory photo ID uploads; parental entry at device setup functions as an age gate, not full…