From Intel’s CEO turning rather publicly to his faith, to Google’s new streaming device and Apple’s worst-ever software feature, these are the articles, videos and podcasts that caught the TechCentral editorial team’s eye over the past 24 hours.
- Things are so bad at Intel that the boss is posting Bible verses: We all know that Intel is facing challenging times. But just how bad is it when its CEO, Pat Gelsinger, has taken to posting the scriptures on social media and adding quotes from the Bible to corporate presentations? Read more on Gizmodo. DM
- Samsung just showed a 600-mile solid-state EV battery, charges in nine minutes: That’s almost 1 000km for those of us on the metric system. The solid-state EV battery promises a significant leap in electric vehicle technology, including a 20-year lifespan. The pilot production line began in 2023, aiming for mass production by 2027. It will target the premium EV segment initially. Read more at RideApart. DM
- The worst feature Apple ever made: Apple’s Screen Time feature aims to reduce phone usage by tracking and reporting screen time, but often leads to guilt without effectively helping users. It flattens diverse phone activities into one number, missing context and nuance. Do you use Screen Time? Let us know in the comments below. Read the full story at The Atlantic. DM
- Parody site ClownStrike refused to bow to CrowdStrike’s bogus DMCA takedown: Someone decided to set up a parody website on the CrowdStrike “blue screen of death” disaster. But CrowdStrike was not happy about ClownStrike and tried to force him to take it down. He refused. More on Ars Technica. TS
- New biomaterial regrows cartilage, could prevent knee replacement surgery: Scientists at Northwestern University in the US have created an innovative bioactive substance capable of regenerating high-quality cartilage in knee joints. No more bionic knees, please! Read the full story on Interesting Engineering. TS
- The Google TV Streamer might be the Apple TV 4K rival we’ve been waiting for: The Google TV Streamer, priced at $100 (likely about R2 500 when it reaches South African shores), is Google’s latest upgrade to its streaming device line-up, replacing the Chromecast. It offers 4K HDR with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, along with personalised content suggestions and an ambient mode that displays art when idle. It also supports the smart home standard Matter and includes a built-in Thread border router for enhanced smart home connectivity. Read more on The Verge. DM
- There will be blood: The US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency, also known as Darpa, is investing $46-million into artificial blood research. A compound named ErythroMer can be stored in powder form at room temperature and last for years. Unlike human-to-human blood transfusions where blood types have to be taken into account, ErythroMer is compatible with all blood types. This game-changing compound could represent the future of blood transfusions. Read more in Science. NN
- We need to prepare for addictive intelligence: The AI threat is often characterised in the form of a machine uprising that overthrows human control in the same way the Greek gods overcame the Titans. But experts now warn that there are other, more subtle dangers associated with AI advancements. Researchers have found that interactions based on companionship, including sex chats, dominate generative AI usage worldwide. As people get lonelier, they are using AI to fill the void. Read more in the MIT Technology Review. NN
Top stories on TechCentral in the past 24 hours
- Why the SABC wants to go ‘extra-terrestrial’
- How Intel spurned OpenAI – and lost the AI chip race
- Shock as former Altron CEO Robbie Venter dies
- Call for new laws to protect online shoppers in South Africa
- Astronomy Olympics is being hosted in Africa for the first time
Bookmarks is a new daily feature on TechCentral and published Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
