Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

AT&T Buys CenturyLink's Fiber Broadband Business for $5.75 Billion

2025-05-23

AT&T has agreed to acquire CenturyLink's consumer fiber broadband division for $5.75 billion, adding 1.1 million fiber customers across 11 states. The deal, expected to close in the first half of 2026, provides AT&T access to over 4 million fiber-ready locations, significantly expanding its fiber network footprint in major metropolitan areas. AT&T plans to leverage this acquisition to accelerate fiber deployment, aiming for 60 million fiber locations by 2030. Notably, the deal excludes CenturyLink's enterprise fiber customers and legacy copper infrastructure, leaving those users with potentially unresolved service issues.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Fiber Broadband

Bellmac-32: The CMOS Gamble That Changed the World

2025-05-23

In the late 1970s, Bell Labs engineers took a bold gamble, using cutting-edge 3.5-micron CMOS technology and a novel 32-bit architecture to create the Bellmac-32 microprocessor, aiming to surpass competitors like IBM and Intel. While not a commercial blockbuster, the Bellmac-32's pioneering use of CMOS laid the groundwork for the chips in today's smartphones, laptops, and tablets. Despite the high risks of this technology at the time, Bell Labs' teams across Holmdel and Murray Hill overcame manufacturing and testing challenges. Though it didn't become mainstream, the Bellmac-32's innovations in CMOS and chip architecture profoundly impacted the semiconductor industry, forging a new path.

(spectrum.ieee.org)

Tech

Internet Archive Livestreams Microfiche Digitization

2025-05-22

The Internet Archive is livestreaming its microfiche digitization process on YouTube, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the work involved in its Democracy's Library initiative. This project aims to digitize and share millions of government records. The livestream shows operators transforming fragile microfiche cards into searchable public documents using high-resolution cameras, image stitching software, and OCR. Live scanning happens Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM PT (excluding holidays), with a second shift planned.

(9to5mac.com)

Tech Microfiche Digitization Democracy's Library

Broadcom's VMware Price Hikes Spark EU Antitrust Concerns

2025-05-22

Broadcom's acquisition of VMware has resulted in licensing cost increases of 8 to 15 times, prompting outrage among European cloud providers. A report by the European Cloud Competition Observatory (ECCO) reveals Broadcom's termination of existing agreements, forcing customers into new subscription models with drastically inflated prices—some seeing increases exceeding tenfold. This has burdened European cloud providers financially and operationally, hindering competition and innovation. Formal antitrust complaints have been filed with the European Commission, demanding fairer VMware licensing practices from Broadcom.

(www.theregister.com)

Tech Licensing Costs

Ancient Greek Tech: Unlocking the Parthenon's Lighting Secrets

2025-05-22

A four-year study led by Oxford University has revealed how the Parthenon was illuminated in ancient Greece. Using archaeological evidence, 3D technology, and optical physics, researchers recreated the temple's lighting system, showing how it was designed to inspire awe. The architects and sculptor Phidias strategically used roof openings, water basins, windows, and the marble's reflective properties to manipulate light. During the Panathenaic Festival, the rising sun would dramatically illuminate Athena's statue, creating a breathtaking spectacle. This research, soon to be available as an immersive VR experience, showcases the power of technology in unlocking ancient mysteries.

(arkeonews.net)

Tech Ancient Greece

Apple's Smart Glasses: 2026 Launch, Smartwatch Plans Shelved

2025-05-22

Apple is aiming for a late 2026 release of its smart glasses, a key part of its push into AI-enhanced gadgets. The glasses, set to rival Meta's Ray-Bans, are in active development, with mass prototype production beginning late this year with overseas suppliers. However, the company has reportedly abandoned plans for a smartwatch featuring a built-in camera for environmental analysis.

(www.bloomberg.com)

Tech

Mozilla to Shut Down Pocket Read-It-Later Service in 2025

2025-05-22

Mozilla announced it will shut down its popular read-it-later service, Pocket, on July 8, 2025, disappointing longtime users. While users can continue saving and reading until July, the service will become export-only afterward, with all data permanently deleted on October 8. Mozilla cites changes in how people consume content and a desire to focus resources on tools aligning with modern online habits. Premium subscribers will receive refunds. A portion of Pocket's functionality will live on as the "Ten Tabs" newsletter.

(betanews.com)

Tech Read-it-later

Kangaroo: Efficient Flash Caching of Billions of Tiny Objects

2025-05-22

Facebook and Carnegie Mellon University collaborated on Kangaroo, a novel flash cache designed for efficient caching of tiny objects (around 100 bytes or less). Addressing limitations of existing flash cache designs, Kangaroo minimizes DRAM usage and write amplification. Implemented within Facebook's open-source CacheLib, it's easily integrated. Tests using Facebook and Twitter production data show Kangaroo reduces cache misses by 29%, significantly reducing backend storage load and proving highly effective for applications dealing with massive numbers of small objects, such as social media.

(engineering.fb.com)

Tech flash cache tiny objects

US to Stop Making Pennies: A Costly Tradition Bites the Dust

2025-05-22

The US Treasury is phasing out the penny. Production of new one-cent coins will cease once existing blanks are used up. This move, driven by the fact that producing a penny costs over three cents, follows President Trump's earlier order to halt production. While consumers can still use existing pennies, businesses will round cash transactions to the nearest nickel. The Treasury estimates $56 million in annual savings, but increased nickel demand might offset this. This echoes Canada's previous elimination of the penny, highlighting a trend towards efficiency and waste reduction.

(www.cnn.com)

Tech penny coin US Treasury

Moscow's Mandatory Tracking App for Foreign Nationals

2025-05-22

A new Russian law mandates that all foreign nationals in the Moscow region install a tracking app. This app collects residence location, fingerprints, facial photographs, and real-time geolocation data. While presented as a crime-fighting measure targeting migrant crime, the law has sparked privacy concerns. Critics argue it violates Russia's constitutional right to privacy and may deter potential labor migrants. The mass-surveillance experiment runs until September 2029, with potential expansion nationwide if deemed successful.

(www.bleepingcomputer.com)

Tech

US Intel Agencies Build a 'Data Supermarket': Privacy Nightmare?

2025-05-22

US intelligence agencies are building a centralized database called the "Intelligence Community Data Consortium" to purchase and analyze massive amounts of commercially available information (CAI), including sensitive personal data like location data and social media content. This bypasses the Fourth Amendment, raising serious privacy concerns. While officials claim adherence to civil liberties and privacy best practices, critics argue this creates a "one-stop shop" for mass data collection and analysis, utilizing AI, including the controversial "sentiment analysis," which can lead to discrimination and privacy violations. The project may also be used by law enforcement to target non-citizens.

(theintercept.com)

Tech

Signal Fights Back Against Microsoft's Invasive Screenshot Feature

2025-05-22

Privacy-focused messaging app Signal is taking a stand against Microsoft's Recall feature, an AI-powered screenshot tool that captures screen activity. To protect user privacy, Signal has enabled a default "Screen security" setting on Windows 11 that blocks Recall from capturing Signal chats. Signal states this was a necessary measure as Microsoft hasn't provided alternative ways to prevent Recall's data collection. This solution, while impacting some users' accessibility, underscores Signal's commitment to privacy and calls for Microsoft to prioritize user data protection.

(betanews.com)

Tech

AI Winter Bites: Silicon Valley Layoffs and a Tough Job Market

2025-05-22

Early in the pandemic, the tech job market boomed. But 2023 brought massive layoffs, fueled by economic uncertainty and the rapid advancement of AI, which is automating entry-level roles. Even graduates from prestigious universities like Berkeley and Stanford are struggling to find jobs, highlighting the need for strong, specialized skills in today's challenging market.

(sfstandard.com)

Tech Silicon Valley layoffs AI impact on jobs

From Vacuum Tubes to Chiplets: A History of Semiconductor Scaling and its Challenges

2025-05-22

This article traces the history of semiconductor scaling, from bulky vacuum tubes to integrated circuits and massive modern SoCs. Starting with the invention of the transistor at Bell Labs, it details breakthroughs in silicon materials, planar processes, MOSFETs, and the exponential growth in chip integration driven by Moore's Law. However, the article highlights the challenges SoCs face in manufacturing, cost, and yield, setting the stage for a future discussion on how chiplets can overcome these limitations.

(www.chipstrat.com)

Tech

Microsoft Email Censorship Sparks Employee Protests

2025-05-22

Microsoft employees have reported that emails containing words like "Palestine" or "Gaza" are being temporarily blocked. The No Azure for Apartheid (NOAA) group claims dozens of employees are affected. Microsoft says it's to reduce "politically focused emails," but the move has sparked concerns about free speech. This comes amid ongoing protests against Microsoft's contracts with the Israeli government, with several employees disrupting Microsoft's Build conference, resulting in at least one dismissal.

(www.theverge.com)

Tech Palestinian protests

Wisk Aero and NASA Extend Partnership to Accelerate Autonomous Flight

2025-05-22

Wisk Aero, a developer of all-electric autonomous aircraft, announced a renewed five-year research partnership with NASA. This collaboration aims to establish advanced air mobility standards for integrating autonomous aircraft into the National Airspace System (NAS). The focus will be on leveraging NASA's simulation and Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) environments to accelerate the development of their Gen 6 autonomous systems, with the goal of safe and efficient autonomous passenger flights by 2030.

(electrek.co)

Tech Autonomous Flight eVTOL

Nostalgic Tales of VAX/VMS: Lessons Learned and Hilarious Mishaps

2025-05-22

This blog post recounts the author's humorous experiences working with VAX/VMS systems and the life lessons learned along the way. With a lighthearted tone, the author shares anecdotes from their college years as a computer lab technician and operator, including creatively solving student email issues and a near-firing incident due to a mail system crash. A particularly amusing story involves using a VAX/VMS system as a pillow for two years. The post is a blend of nostalgia for past technologies and unique insights into a programmer's career, falling under the Tech category.

(davewentzel.com)

Tech Programmer

The Decibel (dB): A Scientific Unit Gone Mad

2025-05-22

The decibel (dB), a seemingly simple unit for measuring sound, is surprisingly complex and confusing. It's not a unit in the conventional sense, but rather a logarithmic scale representing a change in magnitude. The article delves into the history and application of the bel and decibel, highlighting the ambiguity arising from its context-dependent nature. Different fields use dB differently, leading to inconsistencies and misunderstandings. The author uses the example of microphone sensitivity to illustrate the inherent confusion, arguing for a more standardized and less ambiguous approach to this widely used unit.

(lcamtuf.substack.com)

Tech decibel scientific unit measurement

New Bacteria Discovered on China's Tiangong Space Station

2025-05-22

A new bacterium, Niallia tiangongensis, has been discovered on China's Tiangong space station. This rod-shaped, spore-forming bacterium is unlike any previously known terrestrial species. It thrives in microgravity and possesses unique adaptations, including the ability to break down gelatin for survival in nutrient-poor environments and to withstand radiation damage. The discovery highlights the potential hazards of space travel and informs the development of improved sanitation protocols for future long-duration missions. While its terrestrial relative can cause sepsis, the potential risk to taikonauts remains unclear.

(www.wired.com)

Tech space bacteria Tiangong space station

PalmPad: Typing on Your Hand with a Single RGB Camera

2025-05-22

A team from Tsinghua University has developed Palmpad, a novel mixed reality interaction technology. Using only an RGB camera and an Arduino, Palmpad projects a virtual keyboard onto the user's palm. The user types by tapping virtual keys with their index finger from the opposite hand. The system overcomes previous limitations of unreliable fingertip tracking and poor touch detection through sophisticated video processing and a CNN for accurate fingertip positioning. An Arduino UNO detects finger-palm contact using impedance changes, achieving 97% touch recognition accuracy. Palmpad offers a convenient and innovative approach to mixed reality interaction.

(blog.arduino.cc)

Tech

Cisco Firewall and TLS 1.3 Compatibility Issues

2025-05-22

A company encountered a problem with their Cisco firewall: due to TLS 1.3 encrypting server certificates, the firewall couldn't enforce URL or application access rules based on certificate content. To solve this, Cisco introduced TLS Server Identity Discovery, using an additional TLS 1.2 handshake to retrieve the certificate in plaintext. However, this clashed with expected Postgres database behavior. The actual issue wasn't TLS 1.3 incompatibility, but rather the firewall wasn't configured to block unknown applications; it attempted to learn the certificate for 3 seconds before giving up and allowing the connection.

(marc-bowes.com)

Tech

350-Million-Year-Old Reptile Footprints Rewrite Evolutionary History

2025-05-22

Scientists in Australia have unearthed the oldest known reptile footprints, dating back approximately 350 million years. This discovery predates the previously oldest known footprints by 32 million years, suggesting that the transition of vertebrates from ocean to land happened much faster than previously thought. The footprints, exhibiting clawed feet, confirm the animal's complete terrestrial adaptation, as claws only evolved in fully land-dwelling creatures. Estimated to be about 2 1/2 feet long, the reptile likely resembled a modern monitor lizard. This remarkable find significantly alters our understanding of early vertebrate evolution and provides crucial insights into the history of life on Earth.

(apnews.com)

Tech reptiles

Keyword Search Warrants: Privacy vs. Law Enforcement

2025-05-22

A teen arson case sparks a debate over 'keyword search warrants.' Police used this method to track down suspects via search engine keywords, raising concerns about privacy and law enforcement efficiency. The article details the case, the convicts' post-incarceration lives, and explores the complex relationship between digital identities and online footprints. This case also provides a precedent for the US Supreme Court's review of the legality of keyword search warrants.

(www.wired.com)

Tech keyword search warrants

Brembo's Greentell Brakes: 90% Less Brake Dust

2025-05-22

As electric vehicles reduce exhaust emissions, focus shifts to other pollution sources like tires and brakes. Europe's upcoming Euro 7 standard addresses this with stricter particulate emission limits. Brembo's new Greentell brake system aims to solve this, boasting a 90% reduction in brake dust while improving durability. Developed over a decade, this mass-market solution balances environmental responsibility with performance, offering a significant step towards cleaner transportation.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Brakes

Apollo Creator Joins Revamped Digg as Advisor

2025-05-21

Christian Selig, the iOS developer behind the popular third-party Reddit client Apollo, has joined the relaunched Digg as an advisor. This move signals Digg's intention to differentiate itself from Reddit, particularly in the wake of Reddit's controversial API pricing changes that forced the closure of many third-party apps, including Apollo. Selig's involvement highlights Digg's commitment to a community-first approach and a more enjoyable social media experience, free from the prevalence of AI-generated content. Digg is currently in an early access phase.

(techcrunch.com)

Tech

Google's Android XR Glasses: A Glimpse into the Future of Everyday Computing

2025-05-21

At I/O 2025, Google offered a detailed look at its Android XR glasses, designed for seamless daily integration. These glasses feature a camera, microphones, and speakers, with an optional in-lens display for discreet information delivery. They'll work in tandem with your phone, providing app access without needing to reach for your pocket. Powered by Gemini, the glasses understand context and provide relevant information from apps like Calendar, Maps, and more. Google is collaborating with brands like Warby Parker and Gentle Monster to ensure stylish designs for all-day wearability. A partnership with Samsung is advancing the software and hardware platform, with developer access later this year. Privacy is a focus, with ongoing user testing. A second Android XR device, developed with XREAL, is also launching as a developer edition.

(9to5google.com)

Tech

Boom, Bust, and the Next Industrial Revolution: A Review of Two Competing Visions

2025-05-21

This review essay examines two books tackling technological stagnation and the path forward: *Boom: Bubbles and the End of Stagnation* and *The New Lunar Society: An Enlightenment Guide to the Next Industrial Revolution*. The former argues that 'good bubbles' can break stagnation and drive technological progress, but its framework for distinguishing between 'good' and 'bad' bubbles lacks rigor. The latter takes a historical approach, using the example of Britain's Lunar Society to emphasize process innovation, sustained maintenance, and the role of government in technological development, while criticizing over-reliance on 'core competencies' and 'specialization'. While offering contrasting perspectives, both books provide valuable insights into overcoming technological stagnation, highlighting the crucial role of government in fostering technological advancement.

(americanaffairsjournal.org)

Tech Technological Stagnation Economic Bubbles

Minor Planet 2017 OF201 Observation Report

2025-05-21

This report from the Minor Planet Center details observations of minor planet 2017 OF201. It includes observational data from multiple observatories, such as time, coordinates, and brightness, along with calculated orbital elements. This data will help astronomers further understand the asteroid's orbital characteristics and physical properties.

(www.minorplanetcenter.net)

Tech orbital elements

The Age of the Business Idiot: Tech Giants and the Illusion of AI Progress

2025-05-21

This article offers a scathing critique of the prevalence of 'Business Idiots' in the tech industry. The author argues that many tech executives lack a deep understanding of their own businesses and technologies, blindly chasing short-term gains and market hype, leading to the overuse and waste of resources on technologies like AI. They treat AI as a panacea for all problems, rather than focusing on customer needs and product value. This phenomenon stems from decades of neoliberal thinking and an overemphasis on shareholder value, resulting in management detaching from reality, fixated on superficial metrics while ignoring product quality and employee well-being. The article uses numerous examples, including tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Meta, and failed startups, to demonstrate the pervasiveness and dangers of this phenomenon. Ultimately, the author calls for a disruption of this distorted business model, advocating for a renewed focus on technological value, product quality, and employee rights.

(www.wheresyoured.at)

Tech

Signal Desktop's New Screen Security Feature Fights Back Against Microsoft Recall

2025-05-21

Signal Desktop for Windows now includes a "Screen security" setting to prevent screenshots of Signal chats from being captured by Microsoft Recall. This setting is automatically enabled on Windows 11. Recall, a feature that takes screenshots every few seconds and stores them in a searchable database, was initially met with intense backlash and removed, only to return with adjustments. Signal's new feature uses DRM flags to block screenshots, albeit with usability trade-offs. Signal urges OS vendors to provide better developer tools to avoid privacy apps needing workarounds to protect user privacy.

(signal.org)

Tech Microsoft Recall

Category: Tech