These are the articles, videos and more that caught the attention of TechCentral’s editorial team in the past 24 hours.
- Vinyl is crushing CDs as the music industry eclipses cinema, report says: It would have been unthinkable a decade ago, but it’s happening now: vinyl record sales are poised to eclipse CDs. And in an even more surprising twist, the music industry has leapfrogged the movie business to become the bigger breadwinner. More on TechSpot. TS
- How should we treat beings that might be sentient?: Jonathan Birch’s The Edge of Sentience urges us to rethink how we treat beings that might be sentient, from insects to AI. He proposes a precautionary framework: assume potential sentience, avoid harm and balance care decisions. While Birch’s optimism is inspiring, getting humanity to act thoughtfully towards all creatures – whether octopuses or chatbots – might be the most sentient stretch of all! Read more on Ars Technica. DM
- Musk’s rivals fear he will target them with his new power: Elon Musk’s influence has skyrocketed after the US election, aligning closely with President-elect Donald Trump while clashing with rivals like OpenAI’s Sam Altman. Musk’s lawsuits and sharp rhetoric, including dubbing Altman “Swindly Sam”, highlight personal feuds and industry power plays. As Musk’s companies gain sway in the Trump administration, tech giants are scrambling to navigate a landscape shaped by his growing political and economic dominance. Read more in The Wall Street Journal (hard paywall). DM
- The case against spinning off Chrome: The US department of justice’s proposal to force Google to sell Chrome aims to curb its monopoly, but spinning off the browser might not weaken Google’s grip. Users could still gravitate towards Google search out of habit. A better solution? Strip Chrome of features like the omnibox and account integration that boost Google’s dominance. Why sell Chrome when you can defang it? Read more in The Atlantic (soft paywall). DM
- The AI effect: Amazon sees nearly a billion cyber threats a day: Retail and cloud computing giant Amazon.com says it is seeing hundreds of millions more possible cyber threats across the web each day than it did earlier this year, a shift its security chief attributes in part to artificial intelligence. More in The Wall Street Journal (hard paywall). TS
- Overcooking with air fryers increases risk of toxic acrylamide formation: Air fryers have become a standout item for discount days like Black Friday. The convenience they offer is unparalleled. But a study by the Korean consumer commission has found that overcooking food in air fryers leads to the release of dangerous amounts of the toxic chemical acrylamide. Watch the video by Arirang News on YouTube. NN
- How loud earbuds can damage your ears: Earbuds are a great accessory for maintaining focus, especially if they are noise cancelling. But how they are used is important, especially when it comes to volume control. In this animated short, Zack D Films depicts the process by which stereocilia – tiny hair-like projections in the inner ear vital for hearing – can be damaged by earbuds that are too loud. Watch the video on Instagram. NN
Top stories on TechCentral over the weekend:
- Black Friday’s radical reinvention in South Africa
- Ralph Mupita to stay on at MTN until 2030
- South Africa could still be a power player in EV manufacturing
- US to unleash new wave of chip sanctions on China
- Why solar subscriptions might not be the best financial decision
Bookmarks is a daily feature on TechCentral and published Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
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