These are the articles, videos and more that caught the attention of TechCentral’s editorial team in the past 24 hours.
- Five asteroids will zoom past Earth on Thursday, but don’t panic – they’re just passing through: Five asteroids will pass by Earth on 24 October, but none reportedly poses any threat. The largest, NV16, measures 177m and will remain 4.5 million kilometres away. Only one asteroid qualifies as a “potentially hazardous asteroid” but even it will pass by safely. Our fingers are nevertheless firmly crossed. Read more on Gizmodo. DM
- Former OpenAI staffer says the company is breaking copyright law and destroying the internet: Former OpenAI researcher Suchir Balaji has criticised the company, claiming its AI models violate US copyright law by using copyrighted data without proper authorisation. Balaji argues that AI systems like ChatGPT fail to meet the “fair use” standard and harm the original creators. OpenAI has defended its practices, citing legal precedents, but faces multiple lawsuits from artists, authors and media organisations. Read more on Gizmodo. DM
- Vivaldi gives its browser a buffing, adds a dashboard: Vivaldi has refreshed its browser, adding a modernised interface and a customisable “Dashboard” with widgets for managing Mail, Calendar, Notes and Tasks. Tabs now appear as floating elements, and the interface includes updated icons. The Dashboard turns the browser into a command centre. Read more on The Register. DM
- San Francisco to pay $212-million to end reliance on 5.25-inch floppy disks: San Francisco will spend US$212-million to replace its outdated train control system, which has relied on 5¼-inch floppy disks since 1998. The new system, implemented by Hitachi Rail, will modernise operations and eliminate the need for floppy disks. The upgrade, delayed by Covid-19, is expected to improve reliability and support services for up to 25 years. Read more on Ars Technica. DM
- Here’s what the regenerative cities of tomorrow could look like: Thriving organic landscapes were flattened to build the bustling metropolises spanning the world today. Now the jungle returns to urban areas as cities of the future are being reimagined with ecological principles in mind. Read more in Wired (soft paywall). NN
- All aboard the sparkling railway breaking new ground for East Africa: Tanzania’s first electric train linking the port of Dar es Salaam to the capital, Dodoma, has gone live. This marks the beginning of Tanzania’s ambition to build a 2 560km-long railway network connecting the country’s key cities. Read more on BBC News. NN
- Apple tests Aequs in latest India supply chain push: Aequs, an Indian contract manufacturer, has move to the trial stages of being onboarded as an official Apple supplier. If successful, Aequs will be the second Indian company after Tata Electronics to integrate into Apple’s supply chain. Read more from Economic Times. NN
Top stories on TechCentral in the past 24 hours:
- EOH says it can trade its way out of debt
- Getaway publishes AI image on its cover, sparking controversy
- This South African car hire company offers EV rentals only
- ARM and Qualcomm go to war
- TCS | Lesaka’s Lincoln Mali on the fintech opportunity in South Africa
- TCS | Sandile Dube on Equinix and South Africa’s data centre boom
Bookmarks is a daily feature on TechCentral and published Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.