From EcoFlow’s new Power Hat to an ultra-geeky youngster’s construction of a 32-bit computer inside the videogame Terraria, these are the things that caught the TechCentral team’s eye over the past 24 hours.
- I made a 32-bit computer inside Terraria: It’s always amazing to see when someone does the unthinkable. This youngster spent 600 hours building a computer inside the game Terraria. It’s better not to say more and to watch it yourself. Catch it on YouTube. TS
- There’s a tool to catch students cheating with ChatGPT. OpenAI hasn’t released it: Great story this. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that OpenAI has had a reliable means of detecting when someone uses ChatGPT to write an essay or research paper for more than a year already. Except the company hasn’t bothered to release it. Why? Read more in the Wall Street Journal (paywall). DM
- EcoFlow’s Power Hat is a floppy, phone-charging solar panel for your noggin: South Africans know the EcoFlow brand for its range of design-conscious lithium-ion inverters. But how’s this for different? The company has debuted a solar-powered hat that not only keeps your precious dome (and face) safe from UV rays but also harnesses the power of the sun to keep your smartphone charged. Tourists are going to snap these up in their thousands. There are no details yet about a South African launch, though we hear it may be coming to our shores soon. Pricing in the US is $129. Read more on The Verge. DM
- Can a church exist exclusively on the internet?: In Kenya, the rise of online-only churches has transformed traditional worship practices. What does this mean for the future of religion? Read more on Rest of World. DM
- Mainframes find new life in AI era: It sometimes feels like mainframes will be with us forever, with people always seeming to find new applications for them as the technology world advances. It turns out they also have a role to play in the emerging field of artificial intelligence. Read more in the Wall Street Journal (paywall). DM
- AI can see what’s on your screen by reading HDMI electromagnetic radiation: It’s scary to think that it’s possible that someone could spy on what’s shown on your computer screen in this way. Read more on Techspot. TS
- Meta’s VR dream: billions lost, gamers disinterested: You would think that virtual reality would take off, but gamers, who are the main users of VR, dislike the design of the headsets. Still, Mark Zuckerberg isn’t giving up. Read more on essanews. TS
- Has the AI bubble burst? Wall Street wonders if artificial intelligence will ever make money: Is it the beginning of the end for AI? Is AI ending as quickly as it started? We doubt it. But investors are going to have to wait a little longer than anticipated for returns. Meta, on the other hand, seems to be doing well. Read more on CNN Business. TS
- Trying to convince ChatGPT it’s conscious: A YouTuber named Alex O’Connor (oh, the irony) tries to convince an AI chatbot that it’s conscious. Imagine what people 10 years ago would have thought about this. It is entertaining to see a person grill a chatbot. Watch it on YouTube. TS
Top reads on TechCentral in the past 24 hours
- Delinquent municipalities owe Eskom R82-billion
- Homeowners are still going solar – but for different reasons
- Smart geysers – the key to ending load shedding permanently
- The SABC wants to launch a rival to Openview
Bookmarks is a new daily feature on TechCentral that’s published Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
Read next: Smart geysers – the key to ending load shedding permanently
