These are the articles, videos, podcasts and more that caught the attention of TechCentral’s editorial team at the weekend.
- The Grand Tour: One for the Road official trailer: Well, this is sad. The Grand Tour is coming to an end. After more two decades of hugely entertaining television (first as Top Gear from the BBC and later as The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime Video), Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and Captain Slow have announced their next epic road trip will be their last. And they’ve chosen Africa – Zimbabwe, to be precise – for their final motoring adventure. The Grand Tour: One for the Road begins streaming on 13 September on Prime Video. In the meantime, you can catch the trailer on YouTube. DM
- The best free Mac apps in 2024: Reddit user James Jingyi’s list (updated for 2024) of free and/or open-source Mac apps is a great place to check out the best alternatives to commercial apps. Compiled in a Google Sheet, the list doesn’t replace existing comprehensive master lists but offers free alternatives to paid software and is worth a look. Read more in this Google Sheet. DM
- How Telegram became criminals’ favourite marketplace: Despite Telegram’s claims that it is addressing moderation challenges, it has become a hub for illicit transactions, including identity theft, according to law enforcement and researchers. Read more in The Wall Street Journal (hard paywall). DM
- Moon GPS is coming: Nasa and other space agencies are developing a GPS-like system for the moon, aiming to support upcoming missions by the end of the 2020s. This lunar navigation system will aid future astronauts, resource extraction and even moon tourism. Read more in Wired (soft paywall). DM
- Pat Gelsinger’s grand plan to reinvent Intel is in jeopardy: Intel’s foundry business faces serious challenges, with billion-dollar quarterly losses and delays in production on its 20A node. The company is outsourcing much of its 2024 product line-up to TSMC, raising doubts about its ability to meet targets. Investors are losing faith, with lawsuits looming. Read more on The Register. DM
- Starliner undocks from ISS and returns to Earth without crew: The failed Boeing spacecraft that left two Nasa astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) has returned safely back to Earth. The Boeing Starliner landed in White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico, following a six-hour descent from the ISS. Watch the video on BBC.com. NN
- Therapy sessions exposed by mental healthcare firm’s unsecured database: Weaknesses in the security protocols of a database belonging to virtual medical company Confidant Health have led to the leakage of audio and video recordings of therapy sessions, transcripts and other patient records. Changing the company’s name might not be a bad idea after this mishap, though. Read more on Wired (soft paywall). NN
- TSMC’s $65-billion Arizona facility can now match Taiwan production yields, according to early trials: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co has reached a significant milestone in its expansion into the US. Recent trial production at its new Arizona facility has yielded results comparable to those of its established plants in Taiwan. More on TechSpot. TS
- Fraudster charged with $12-million in stolen royalties used 1 000 bots to stream hundreds of thousands of AI tracks billions of times: They say crime doesn’t pay. But North Carolina musician Michael Smith allegedly managed to con music streaming services out of US$12-million by setting up a thousand-strong army of bots to stream AI-generated tunes he’d uploaded. Read more on PC Gamer. TS
Top stories on TechCentral over the weekend
- MTN board rallies around CEO Ralph Mupita
- Most of the matter in the universe is missing – inside the hunt to find it
- Everything Apple will announce at Monday’s iPhone 16 keynote
- Elon Musk dares the world to take on X
Bookmarks is a daily feature on TechCentral and published Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
