These are the articles, videos and more that caught the attention of TechCentral’s editorial team in the past 24 hours.
- The AI machine gun of the future is already here: The US military is testing the “Bullfrog”, an AI-powered, autonomous gun by Allen Control Systems, designed to counter drone threats. Mounted on a rotating turret, it uses computer vision and precision targeting to shoot down drones effectively. This low-cost, automated weapon could be the Pentagon’s first known lethal autonomous system, providing a practical solution for unmanned threats. Read more on Wired. DM
- The Blair Witch Project is releasing a version you’ve never seen before: A new version of The Blair Witch Project will soon release, showing the film as its creators originally intended, without errors from past transfers. Using the original DigiBeta master corrects colour and motion issues, creating a scarier effect. It includes 90 minutes of deleted scenes and a documentary. Read more on Gizmodo. DM
- Apple says there’s a simple reason for the Mac mini’s odd power button location: The 2024 Mac Mini’s power button is on the underside due to its reduced size, explained by Apple VPs Greg Jozwiak and John Ternus. The smaller design left limited placement options, and Apple noted that most users typically don’t use the power button, instead opting to put their Mac to sleep. While functional, the button’s position is a minor inconvenience for some users. Read more on Gizmodo. DM
- New Rode Wireless Micro: Rode has unveiled the Wireless Micro, a compact, cable-free wireless microphone meant to deliver professional-grade audio for creators on the move. This latest release is available in both USB-C and Lightning versions, allowing direct connection to smartphones. Check out this nifty little gadget on Rode’s website. TS
- Arcane season 2 tops Netflix most popular charts in 60+ countries: Arcane season 2 is the most popular show on Netflix right now – and not just in the UK or US, but in more than 60 countries worldwide. Arcane is based on the characters from the popular game League of Legends and is a must-watch. More on Eurogamer. TS
- New study on moons of Uranus raises chance of life: Scientists’ best view of Uranus and its five moons is based on evidence from the 1977 Voyager 1 space mission. Now scientists have discovered that Voyager 1’s observations took place during a solar storm, obscuring the reality of the planetary system, which could feature oceans and even have the conditions to support life. Read more on BBC News. NN
- Google Slides is getting a new collection of professionally designed templates: Microsoft’s dominance of the slide presentation market is so vast that “making a PowerPoint” is the colloquialism for what is really creating a presentation. Google is, however, creeping up on the incumbent with a stylish update to its PowerPoint competitor, Google Slides. Read more on The Verge. NN
- Amazon confirms employee data stolen after hacker claims MOVEit breach: The CrowdStrike outage earlier this year highlighted the security risk third-party vendors pose to businesses worldwide. Now Amazon has suffered a breach due via a third-party property management vendor. Read more on TechCrunch. NN
Top stories on TechCentral in the past 24 hours:
- This mobile provider is failing to implement Rica
- Decision to block Maziv deal is a ‘travesty’: Vodacom CEO
- Teraco starts work on giant Free State solar farm
- Big changes coming to DStv Stream
- One bitcoin will now cost you R1.5-million
Bookmarks is a daily feature on TechCentral and published Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.