These are the articles, videos and more that caught the attention of TechCentral’s editorial team in the past 24 hours.
- Apple ‘evaluating’ idea of releasing a TV set again: Apple might dip back into the TV game, according to Mark Gurman, but only after testing the waters with upcoming smart displays like the rumoured “HomePad”. A full-blown Apple TV set could follow – if their smart home ambitions don’t flop first. But with Vision Pro doubling as a home theatre, would Apple really risk competing with itself? Stay tuned. Read more on 9to5Mac. DM
- AI-generated shows could replace lost DVD revenue, Ben Affleck says: Ben Affleck thinks AI in filmmaking is like a super-efficient carpenter – not an artist. At the CNBC summit, he said AI could slash costs by handling tedious tasks but will never match human creativity, like writing Shakespeare or directing Good Will Hunting. Bonus? AI might help HBO crank out House of the Dragon seasons twice as fast. Read more on Ars Technica. DM
- Apple reportedly releasing AirTag 2 next year with these three improvements: Apple’s AirTag 2 is reportedly dropping in the middle of next year, with three key upgrades: better range, an improved wireless chip and enhanced privacy. After concerns about misuse, like stalking and speaker tampering, Apple seems set to address them head-on. Same design, but smarter and safer – because who doesn’t want their keys tracked responsibly? Read more on 9to5Mac. DM
- Nvidia’s data centre Blackwell GPUs reportedly overheat, requiring rack redesigns and causing delays for customers: Nvidia’s next-generation Blackwell processors are facing significant challenges with overheating when installed in high-capacity server racks. These issues have reportedly led to design changes and delays and raised concerns among customers like Google, Meta and Microsoft about whether they can deploy Blackwell servers on time. More on Tom’s Hardware. TS
- Wi-Fi 8 won’t improve transfer speeds – but the new standard will enhance reliability and user experience: Instead of increasing the physical data transfer rate beyond the theoretical 23Gbit/s offered by Wi-Fi 7, the next-generation Wi-Fi 8 – based on IEEE’s 802.11bn Ultra High Reliability (UHR) specification – will focus on improving connection reliability and user experience. More on Tom’s Hardware. TS
- Reflect Orbital – a start-up that sells sunlight at night: A constellation of satellites sporting reflective prisms that can direct sunlight to any spot on the planet? That is science fact and not science fiction. Read more on Medium. NN
- Introducing the world’s first sand battery: Solar power has proven to be a reliable source of renewable energy, but the sun’s unavailability at nighttime is a major drawback. Now, Finnish company Polar Night Energy has developed a thermal energy storage system that uses sand as a medium. Watch the video on Instagram. NN
- How robo-taxis are trying to win passengers’ trust: Autonomous vehicles are already clocking up millions of kilometres on public roads, but they face an uphill battle to convince people to climb in and enjoy the ride. Read more on BBC News. NN
Top stories on TechCentral in the past 24 hours:
- WhatsApp-powered bank card launched in South Africa
- The fight for South Africa’s prepaid market
- MultiChoice suitor’s plan to build a global content platform
- OTP scam syndicate busted by MTN, police
- Why MTN is turning to space
- Google could be forced to sell Chrome
Bookmarks is a daily feature on TechCentral and published Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
