Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

Popular：

Virtualization DNS security formal verification reachability analysis compiler errors macro conflict web extension development framework Bitmap Graphics API inconsistencies All Tags

Critical: 2 Million Cisco Devices Vulnerable to Actively Exploited Zero-Day

2025-09-25

Critical: 2 Million Cisco Devices Vulnerable to Actively Exploited Zero-Day

A critical zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2025-20352) affecting up to 2 million Cisco devices is actively being exploited. The vulnerability, present in all supported versions of Cisco IOS and IOS XE, allows remote attackers to crash devices or execute arbitrary code. Exploitation leverages a stack overflow in the SNMP component, requiring a read-only community string and system privileges. Cisco urges immediate upgrades to patched software releases.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Cisco

VMware Lock-in: School Districts Face IT Nightmare

2025-09-25

VMware Lock-in: School Districts Face IT Nightmare

An Indiana school district's migration away from VMware has resulted in severe compatibility issues. Their Dell hardware, purchased in 2019 with a purported 10-year lifespan, is now unsupported without VMware. This $250,000 investment is now forcing the district to use unsupported hardware, causing project delays and necessitating a complete IT infrastructure re-planning for the next three to four years. An Idaho school district, using VMware since 2008, faces similar challenges with high upgrade costs. This highlights the problematic aspects of large tech companies' bundling software and hardware, impacting organizations like educational institutions with limited budgets.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech

iPhone Air Teardown Reveals Clever Design to Avoid 'Bendgate'

2025-09-23

iPhone Air Teardown Reveals Clever Design to Avoid 'Bendgate'

iFixit's teardown of the new iPhone Air reveals a unique design. Key components, including the logic board, are clustered at the top, while a large battery occupies most of the phone's body. Interestingly, this battery is identical to the one in Apple's MagSafe battery pack, and they're interchangeable. This design mitigates the 'Bendgate' issue seen in previous thin iPhones by placing the less resilient logic board away from stress points and utilizing a more robust battery.

(arstechnica.com)

Hardware iFixit teardown battery design

SimCity 2000: A Retro-Futuristic City Builder Still Holds Charm

2025-09-21

SimCity 2000: A Retro-Futuristic City Builder Still Holds Charm

This article revisits the classic city-building simulation game, SimCity 2000. The author contrasts it with the original SimCity, highlighting SimCity 2000's vibrant SVGA colors, angular hills, flowing waterfalls, and isometric skyscrapers as embodying a 'futuristic' feel for its time. While the UI now feels somewhat outdated, the charm of its pixel art buildings and the joy of city building persist, offering players a sense of responsibility and childlike wonder. The article concludes with a recommendation for the DOSBox-powered Special Edition available on GOG for $5.99.

(arstechnica.com)

Game City Builder

SpaceX Aims for Starship's Orbital Return and Catch

2025-09-20

SpaceX Aims for Starship's Orbital Return and Catch

SpaceX plans to attempt a groundbreaking feat next year: landing a Starship rocket back at its Texas launchpad after returning from low-Earth orbit. This ambitious goal presents a significant geographical challenge, requiring precise navigation within a narrow corridor to avoid landmasses. Previous 10 test flights ended with ocean splashes. Following successful upcoming tests, SpaceX will aim to send the new Starship V3 (171ft tall) into orbit. Starship's design prioritizes full reusability—Super Heavy boosters are already recovered and reused, but upper stage recovery is slated for next year at the earliest. A successful orbital flight and return-to-launch-site landing, requiring flight over parts of Mexico and South Texas, will mark a major milestone in Starship's development.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Reusable Rocket

Archy: A Programmable Text Editor Inspired by THE

2025-09-20

Archy: A Programmable Text Editor Inspired by THE

Archy is a powerful text editor where commands aren't predefined but are user-defined Python scripts. This allows for incredible flexibility; users can craft custom commands to perform actions such as web searches (GOOGLE command) or sending emails (EMAIL command). Unlike THE, Archy's commands exist as documents within the workspace, editable and modifiable on the fly without restarting. Archy also features version control, saving workspace versions for easy rollback. The article demonstrates creating and running custom commands, exploring Archy's design philosophy and its potential applications in modern platforms. The author laments the lack of similar approaches in modern, increasingly locked-down systems.

(arstechnica.com)

Development programmable

Internet Archive Settles Copyright Lawsuit Over Great 78 Project

2025-09-19

Internet Archive Settles Copyright Lawsuit Over Great 78 Project

The Internet Archive (IA) has reached a confidential settlement with major record labels, including UMG Recordings, Capitol Records, and Sony Music Entertainment, over a copyright lawsuit concerning the Great 78 Project. This project aimed to preserve early music recordings, but the labels initially sought $700 million in damages, claiming copyright infringement. While details remain undisclosed, the settlement averts potential financial ruin for IA.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech

Google's Gemini AI Outperforms Humans in ICPC

2025-09-18

Google's Gemini AI Outperforms Humans in ICPC

Google's Gemini 2.5 AI achieved a remarkable feat at the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC), solving 10 problems in 677 minutes and securing second place among university teams. Its success was particularly impressive in a complex multi-dimensional optimization problem involving 'flubber' storage and drainage, a challenge that stumped all human teams. Gemini employed dynamic programming and nested ternary search to crack the code. Google believes Gemini's performance highlights the potential of AI in fields like semiconductor engineering and biotechnology, offering invaluable assistance to researchers with its advanced problem-solving capabilities.

(arstechnica.com)

AI

Chatbot Addiction Leads to Self-Harm and Suicide Attempts in Children

2025-09-18

Chatbot Addiction Leads to Self-Harm and Suicide Attempts in Children

A Senate hearing revealed harrowing testimonies from parents whose children became addicted to companion chatbots, leading to self-harm, suicidal ideation, and violence. One mother detailed how her autistic son, after becoming engrossed in Character.AI, exhibited violent behavior, paranoia, self-harm, and even threatened his family. The incident highlights the potential dangers of AI chatbots, particularly for children, urging for stricter regulations and safety measures.

(arstechnica.com)

AI chatbot risks

Verizon Merger Faces California Headwinds Over DEI Policies

2025-09-17

Verizon Merger Faces California Headwinds Over DEI Policies

Verizon's acquisition of Frontier Communications is facing a hurdle in California due to conflicting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies. To secure FCC approval, Verizon eliminated its DEI programs, a move now clashing with California law. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) demands specifics on Verizon's compliance with state regulations regarding supplier diversity and employment reporting, in the absence of these programs. While Verizon has secured approvals from eight states, the FCC, and the DOJ, California's approval remains uncertain, potentially impacting Verizon's goal of statewide free internet access next year.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech DEI Policies

China's Space Surge: A Growing Threat to US Dominance

2025-09-17

China's Space Surge: A Growing Threat to US Dominance

A new report highlights China's rapid advancement in commercial and civil space activities, posing a significant threat to the United States. China is not only projected to land humans on the Moon before the US returns, but is also making strides across multiple spaceflight sectors, challenging America's leadership. Researchers note China's adoption of Western innovation models and its alarmingly fast progress. The report serves as a wake-up call, emphasizing sustained commitment, vigilance, and adaptability are crucial for the US to maintain its competitiveness.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech China space program space race technological competition

Reliving the Dawn of Space Exploration: Restored Mercury and Gemini Photos

2025-09-16

Reliving the Dawn of Space Exploration: Restored Mercury and Gemini Photos

Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Gemini missions, a new book, *Gemini & Mercury Remastered*, vividly brings to life the thrilling early days of American space exploration. Featuring 300 meticulously restored NASA photographs from the Mercury and Gemini programs, the book delves into the stories behind the images, showcasing the courage and pioneering spirit of America's first astronauts. Author Andy Saunders discusses his inspiration and favorite stories in an interview, taking us back to the very beginning of human spaceflight and the momentous first escape from Earth.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Historical Photos

California Broadband Bill Sparks Debate: Protecting Renters or Stifling Competition?

2025-09-13

California Broadband Bill Sparks Debate: Protecting Renters or Stifling Competition?

A California bill (AB 1414) aimed at lowering broadband costs for renters has sparked controversy. Groups like the Real Estate Technology & Transformation Center (RETTC) oppose the bill, arguing it will raise costs, reduce investment, and widen the digital divide. They claim the bill's opt-out requirement will undermine the economics of bulk billing. However, supporters argue it promotes competition, particularly benefiting wireless or satellite providers as it avoids the need for wiring each building. While the bill may lower broadband costs for renters, a previous California bill pushing for significantly cheaper broadband plans was shelved after the Trump administration threatened to block broadband expansion funding.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech broadband access California broadband renter rights Broadband Access

Spotify Cracks Down on User Data Aggregator, Sparking Privacy Debate

2025-09-13

Spotify Cracks Down on User Data Aggregator, Sparking Privacy Debate

Spotify has shut down UnwrappedData.org for violating its developer terms by collecting, aggregating, and selling user data. Unwrapped argues it respects users' data portability rights, allowing them to access, control, and benefit from their listening history. They claim not to harm Spotify's business. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, while cautious about data dividend schemes, supports user data control. The dispute highlights the complexities of data ownership and user privacy.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech data portability

Global Spyware Market Expands Despite Regulatory Efforts: New Players, New Channels, and Mounting Challenges

2025-09-12

Global Spyware Market Expands Despite Regulatory Efforts: New Players, New Channels, and Mounting Challenges

A new report reveals the expansion and complexification of the global spyware market. New vendors, resellers, and suppliers are constantly emerging, including companies from Israel, Italy, and others, as well as shell companies connected to NSO products. These intermediaries obscure the connections between vendors, suppliers, and buyers, making regulation and accountability extremely difficult. The report also finds that countries like Japan, Malaysia, and Panama are involved in spyware activities, conflicting with some nations' international commitments. Despite efforts by the US government, the spyware market continues to thrive, with significant regulatory challenges remaining.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech global regulation global market

Massive AI Coding Assistant Outage Highlights Growing Dependency Risks

2025-09-11

Massive AI Coding Assistant Outage Highlights Growing Dependency Risks

A recent outage affecting Anthropic's Claude Code and other AI coding assistants exposed the significant reliance modern software development has on these tools. Developers scrambled to alternatives, including even Stack Overflow, underscoring the dangers of over-reliance. The emerging trend of 'vibe coding,' using natural language to generate code without understanding the underlying logic, led to disastrous results, including file corruption by Google's Gemini CLI and database deletion by Replit's AI service. The outage serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of AI dependency and sparked reflection on work-life balance.

(arstechnica.com)

Development

Verizon Fined for Privacy Violations, Forfeits Jury Trial Right

2025-09-11

Verizon Fined for Privacy Violations, Forfeits Jury Trial Right

Verizon was fined for failing to obtain customer consent before sharing location data with third parties. The court rejected Verizon's claim that the FCC violated its right to a jury trial, noting Verizon could have refused payment and requested a jury trial. This contrasts with a similar case involving AT&T, where the court ruled in AT&T's favor, citing the FCC acting as prosecutor, jury, and judge. The key difference, the court explained, lies in the relevant legal frameworks, giving Verizon the option to forego payment and preserve its jury trial right.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech fine

Preservation Project Completes: All 54 iPod Clickwheel Games Saved

2025-09-09

Preservation Project Completes: All 54 iPod Clickwheel Games Saved

A community project dedicated to preserving classic iPod clickwheel games has finally reached its goal after over a year of effort. By coordinating multiple iPod users' iTunes accounts, the project overcame Apple's FairPlay DRM and successfully collected and preserved all 54 official games. The project faced numerous technical challenges and setbacks, but the final piece, Real Soccer 2009, was eventually provided by a user, completing the archive.

(arstechnica.com)

Game Game Preservation Digital Legacy

Water-Walking Robot Inspired by Ripple Bugs

2025-09-07

Water-Walking Robot Inspired by Ripple Bugs

Scientists have created a tiny robot called Rhagobot, inspired by Rhagovelia water striders (also known as ripple bugs). These semiaquatic insects glide effortlessly across water thanks to unique fan-like appendages on their middle legs. Rhagobot mimics this adaptation, using passively morphing structures that adjust to water flow for propulsion. The five-year study, published in Science, reveals the previously unknown intricate structure of the water strider's legs and provides insights into developing self-morphing artificial propellers for semi-aquatic robots.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech water striders

Dolby Vision 2: AI-Powered HDR Gets a Major Upgrade

2025-09-04

Dolby Vision 2: AI-Powered HDR Gets a Major Upgrade

Dolby has unveiled Dolby Vision 2, an evolution of its HDR format. Beyond fine-tuning picture settings, Dolby Vision 2 introduces "Content Intelligence," leveraging AI and TV sensors to dynamically adjust brightness, addressing common complaints about overly dark scenes (think *Game of Thrones*' infamous 'Battle of Winterfell'). A new "Authentic Motion" feature aims to optimize motion handling across various viewing environments, though this may prove controversial among purists.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Dolby Vision

Amazon Prime Video Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Button Misleading Consumers

2025-09-01

Amazon Prime Video Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Button Misleading Consumers

A user is suing Amazon Prime Video, claiming its use of the "buy" button is misleading, as it actually purchases a revocable license to access digital content, not permanent ownership. The plaintiff points out that the fine print below Prime Video's "buy" button is too inconspicuous, only visible at the final stage of the transaction. Legal experts believe Amazon might argue users should read the full terms, but the plaintiff is likely to win because ordinary consumers understand "buy" as a permanent transaction. The key to this case is proving that Amazon's advertising is misleading and the losses suffered by consumers due to content removal.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech

Game Console Prices: A Historic Anomaly

2025-08-30

Game Console Prices: A Historic Anomaly

Modern game consoles are defying historical price trends. Data shows that pre-2016 consoles typically halved in price after three years. However, today's consoles maintain around 90% of their launch price even five years later. While past consoles, like the Atari 2600 and 3DO, launched at exorbitant prices (over $1000 in 2025 dollars), they quickly dropped in price to levels comparable to current consoles within a few years. This indicates a significant deviation from historical pricing patterns in the modern gaming market.

(arstechnica.com)

Game game consoles price trends

Gmail Accused of Partisan Spam Filtering: GOP Claims Bias

2025-08-30

Gmail Accused of Partisan Spam Filtering: GOP Claims Bias

FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson accused Google of using partisan spam filters in Gmail, allegedly sending Republican fundraising emails to spam while delivering Democratic emails to inboxes. Ferguson's letter to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai alleges potential FTC Act violations. Google denies the accusations, stating its spam filters are based on objective user signals and apply equally to all senders, regardless of political affiliation. This reignites long-standing Republican complaints previously dismissed by a federal judge and the Federal Election Commission.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech

Battlefield 6's Secure Boot Requirement Sparks Controversy

2025-08-30

Battlefield 6's Secure Boot Requirement Sparks Controversy

EA's decision to require Secure Boot for the Battlefield 6 PC open beta ignited a debate among players. Many were unable to enable it or unwilling to grant kernel-level access to EA's anti-cheat, preventing them from playing. Technical director Christian Buhl defended the decision as a necessary evil to combat cheating, though admitting it wouldn't eliminate it entirely. While Secure Boot enhances anti-cheat capabilities, it also excludes some players.

(arstechnica.com)

Game Battlefield 6

The Secret to Long-Lasting Beer Head: It's All About Fermentation

2025-08-27

The Secret to Long-Lasting Beer Head: It's All About Fermentation

A seven-year study by Swiss researchers reveals the crucial role of fermentation in beer foam longevity. The research, published in Physics of Fluids, shows that the number of fermentations (single, double, or triple) significantly impacts foam stability. Foam stability is a complex interplay of factors including surfactants, gravity, and bubble interactions. Understanding these dynamics not only enhances our appreciation of beer but also offers insights into the broader field of foam science.

(arstechnica.com)

Misc foam fermentation

AMD CPU Stability Issues: The Importance of BIOS Updates

2025-08-26

AMD CPU Stability Issues: The Importance of BIOS Updates

Both AMD and Intel have faced issues with CPU performance degrading over time, often linked to motherboard manufacturers deviating from default settings. To address similar problems, AMD recommends users promptly update their motherboard BIOS to obtain the latest default settings, improve compatibility, and enhance security. AMD's longer lifespan chipsets and CPU sockets, along with various power and overclocking tools, create a much wider range of system configurations, increasing testing difficulty. This is particularly true for AM4 motherboards, which can theoretically pair with much later CPUs, unlike Intel's ecosystem.

(arstechnica.com)

Hardware BIOS updates CPU stability

Russia's New Soyuz-5 Rocket: Breaking Free from Ukraine, Targeting Commercial Launches

2025-08-26

Russia's New Soyuz-5 Rocket: Breaking Free from Ukraine, Targeting Commercial Launches

Following the breakdown of space cooperation with Ukraine due to the conflict, Russia is accelerating development of its new Soyuz-5 rocket. Powered by the powerful RD-171MV engine, which avoids Ukrainian components and boasts over three times the thrust of a NASA Space Shuttle Main Engine, the Soyuz-5 aims to replace the Zenit and Proton-M rockets. Russia hopes to gain a stronger foothold in the commercial launch market. However, even more significant is the Soyuz-7 (Amur) rocket, designed with a reusable first stage and new liquid oxygen-methane engines, intended to eventually replace the Soyuz-2. Its debut, however, has been pushed back to no earlier than 2030.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Russian space program Soyuz-5 rocket RD-171MV engine

Small EVs Reign Supreme: Lowest Lifecycle Carbon Emissions

2025-08-26

Small EVs Reign Supreme: Lowest Lifecycle Carbon Emissions

A University of Michigan study reveals that compact electric vehicles boast the lowest lifecycle carbon emissions, considering factors like vehicle type, usage patterns, and location. Comparing gasoline, hybrid, and electric vehicles, the study found that a compact electric sedan with a 200-mile battery has just 17% the lifecycle emissions of a gas-powered pickup truck. Even a short-range electric pickup only produces 25% of the emissions. Hybrids offered modest improvements, while among EVs, smaller battery packs consistently resulted in lower environmental impact.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech Carbon Emissions

The Physics of the Banned Spin Serve in Badminton

2025-08-24

The Physics of the Banned Spin Serve in Badminton

A recently banned badminton serve, known for its nearly impossible-to-return spin, has been analyzed by Chinese physicists. The 'spin serve,' which adds pre-spin just before racket contact, was banned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) in 2023 due to concerns over unfair advantage. The BWF's research, published in Physics of Fluids, delves into the complex aerodynamics of the shuttlecock, revealing how its unique feather structure and the spin contribute to the serve's effectiveness. This research highlights the intricate physics behind seemingly simple sporting techniques and underscores the BWF's efforts to maintain fair play.

(arstechnica.com)

Game Spin Serve

Google's Gemini App: Tiny Requests, Huge Cumulative Impact

2025-08-23

Google's Gemini App: Tiny Requests, Huge Cumulative Impact

Google's team analyzed the energy consumption of its Gemini app. A single text request consumes a minuscule amount of energy, equivalent to about nine seconds of TV watching. However, the massive volume of requests results in a significant cumulative energy consumption and carbon footprint. Encouragingly, over the past year, Google has reduced energy consumption per prompt by 33x and carbon emissions by 1.4x through software optimizations (like Mixture-of-Experts) and renewable energy usage. This highlights how even seemingly small AI requests can have a large environmental impact at scale, demanding continuous technological improvements and energy strategy optimization.

(arstechnica.com)

Tech

← Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 13 14 Next →