Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

China's 'Thousand Sails' Megaconstellation Faces Major Delays

2025-07-27

China's ambitious 'Thousand Sails' (G60 Starlink) constellation, aiming for over 15,000 satellites by 2030 to provide global internet access, is facing significant delays. Only 90 satellites have been launched, far short of the 648 target for the end of 2025. The shortfall stems from a severe rocket shortage, hindering the project's ability to compete with SpaceX's Starlink. To meet its goals, the project needs to launch over 30 satellites per month, a pace currently unattainable.

(www.scmp.com)

Tech satellite constellation space launch

Hainan Island Pilots Global Internet Access, Bypassing the Great Firewall

2025-06-05

China's Hainan province is piloting a program granting select corporate users broad access to the global internet, a rare move given China's strict online censorship. This initiative aims to attract international businesses as Hainan develops into a global free-trade port. Employees of registered Hainan companies can apply for the "Global Connect" mobile service through the Hainan International Data Comprehensive Service Centre, bypassing the Great Firewall to access sites like Google and Wikipedia. Applicants need a 5G plan with a major carrier and must submit company information; approval can take up to five months. Approved users get global internet access at no extra cost. Currently, there are no restrictions on company size or business scope, and the program has generated significant interest.

(www.scmp.com)

Tech global internet access Hainan free trade port

Lufthansa Flight Flies on Autopilot for 10 Minutes After Co-pilot Faints

2025-05-17

A Lufthansa Airbus A321 flight from Frankfurt to Seville flew on autopilot for 10 minutes after the co-pilot fainted while the captain was away. A Spanish investigation report revealed the incident, which occurred on February 17, 2024. The autopilot maintained stable flight despite unusual noises in the cockpit indicating a medical emergency. The captain, who had recently completed emergency training, accessed the cockpit using an emergency code. Lufthansa acknowledged the report but declined to comment further on its internal investigation.

(www.scmp.com)

Tech autopilot

Huawei Unveils First HarmonyOS Laptop

2025-05-08

Following the expiration of its Microsoft Windows license, Huawei has launched its first laptop powered by its self-developed HarmonyOS 5 (HarmonyOS Next). This AI-powered laptop features Huawei's Celia assistant, capable of tasks like creating slides, summarizing meeting minutes, and retrieving information from local documents. It boasts compatibility with office software such as WPS and DingTalk, and will support over 2,000 HarmonyOS mobile apps by year's end, expanding the HarmonyOS ecosystem.

(www.scmp.com)

Tech

Microsoft Shuts Down Shanghai IoT & AI Lab Amidst Growing Tensions

2025-03-31

Microsoft has quietly closed its Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Insider Lab in Shanghai's Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, marking another step back from China amid rising geopolitical tensions. Opened in 2019 to support domestic development of IoT and AI technologies, the lab was reportedly shut down earlier this year, with equipment removed and the logo gone. The closure highlights the increasing challenges faced by tech companies operating in the complex Chinese environment.

(www.scmp.com)

Tech China withdrawal geopolitical tensions

China Unveils Deep-Sea Cable Cutter, Raising Global Concerns

2025-03-24

China has unveiled a new deep-sea cable-cutting device capable of severing the world's most fortified underwater communication or power lines, with a maximum operating depth of 4,000 meters – twice the range of existing subsea infrastructure. Developed by the China Ship Scientific Research Centre, the device is intended for civilian salvage and seabed mining, but its dual-use potential, especially near strategic chokepoints like Guam, raises concerns about its potential to disrupt global communications and escalate geopolitical tensions.

(www.scmp.com)

Tech deep-sea cable cable cutter

DeepSeek, Open-Source AI Startup, Shifts Focus to Monetization

2025-02-18

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has updated its business registration, signaling a shift towards monetizing its cost-efficient large language models (LLMs). The updated scope includes "internet information services," indicating a move away from pure R&D and towards a business model. This follows the release of their open-source LLMs, previously developed with a research-focused approach. The company, spun out of hedge fund High-Flyer, has yet to comment on this strategic change.

(www.scmp.com)

AI Monetization

Chinese Scientists Develop Revolutionary Battery Repair Tech, Extending Lifespan Sixfold

2025-02-18

Chinese scientists have unveiled a groundbreaking, low-cost, and eco-friendly repair technology for lithium-ion batteries, capable of extending their lifespan by over six times. Published in Nature, the research details an injection solution that rejuvenates aging batteries, countering efficiency loss in cold temperatures. This technology promises a significant leap forward for smartphones, electric vehicles, and other modern technologies, with market readiness anticipated soon.

(www.scmp.com)

Tech lithium battery battery repair

Chinese Researchers Develop 800x Faster Material Design Algorithm

2025-02-02

Researchers at Shenzhen MSU-BIT University have developed a high-performance algorithm that dramatically accelerates material design simulations on consumer-grade GPUs. The algorithm boosts the computational efficiency of peridynamics (PD), a non-local theory for modeling complex material behavior like cracking and fracture, by a groundbreaking 800 times. This breakthrough opens doors for various industries, especially aerospace and military applications, utilizing readily available, low-cost GPUs unaffected by US sanctions.

(www.scmp.com)

Tech GPU Computing High-Performance Algorithm

China to Host World's First Human-Robot Marathon

2025-01-20

Beijing will host the world's first human-robot half-marathon in April, with dozens of humanoid robots competing alongside 12,000 human runners in a 21km race. This event showcases China's push to develop AI and robotics to address an aging population, declining birth rates, and compete with the US in technological advancement. Robots from over 20 companies will participate, with prizes awarded to the top finishers.

(www.scmp.com)

Tech human-robot marathon