TechCapsules

Windows 11’s new taskbar Search now displays Android apps from a paired phone, allowing users to launch them directly from the PC. A Surface Laptop 7th Edition paired with a Samsung Galaxy A26 showed the Bluesky app as a “Mobile App” result; selecting it opened the app on the phone and mirrored it to the PC via Phone Link. Microsoft confirmed that Search can also call, text, and toggle Do Not Disturb on a connected phone, though [...]

SwitchBot’s new K11+ Pro robot vacuum targets compact living spaces with a 9.76‑inch diameter, 3.62‑inch height and a 5‑pound weight, allowing it to slip under low furniture and navigate tight corners. It uses LiDAR mapping and a close‑range sensor, storing up to five floor plans for multi‑level homes, and offers room, zone and schedule cleaning via the SwitchBot app. The unit delivers up to 12,000 Pa suction in Max mode—double the original K11—while Quiet mode runs at about 45 dB [...]

Researchers at Parameter discovered a vulnerability in ChatGPT’s public‑share feature that allowed an attacker to execute code within a victim’s logged‑in session. By sending a shared chat link, the attacker could run malicious scripts that accessed the victim’s private conversations and transmitted them to an external server. OpenAI reported the flaw through its bug‑bounty program on October 18, fixed it within eight days, and rated it P1, the highest severity. The exploit leveraged the Preview feature, an [...]

Apple’s rollout of Siri AI with iOS 27 has transformed how a driver uses his iPhone, turning the voice assistant from a basic command tool into a contextual memory aid. The author, a 40‑year‑old diagnosed with inattentive ADHD, explains that Siri AI now captures spoken content, creates reminders with linked iMessage notes, and retrieves information from emails or other apps when prompted from the steering wheel. These capabilities, which rely on stronger 5G connectivity and the iPhone 18 Pro Max’s hardware, [...]

Patrick Stewart, famed for X‑Men and Star Trek, voiced Emperor Uriel Septim VII in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Bethesda supplied an extensive lore dossier, which Stewart praised as unprecedented detail. The story surfaced from a 2006 Collector’s Edition documentary, where Todd Howard showed the notes to Stewart, who expressed enthusiasm. Despite the character’s brief role, the developers celebrated Stewart’s performance, noting his delivery matched the game’s epic tone. The anecdote highlights the collaboration between Hollywood talent [...]

TechCrunch columnist offers a rapid‑fire guide to Halloween costumes for self‑identified tech enthusiasts who have left their outfit planning to the last minute. The piece lists eight DIY ideas, ranging from a “recursive self‑improvement” AI researcher—complete with a productivity book and Oura Ring—to a Meta or OpenAI avatar dressed in fluffy jackets and colored boas. It also suggests a “recording glasses” costume mimicking Meta’s privacy‑questionable eyewear, a Mark Zuckerberg‑inspired black‑on‑black tee with a tongue‑in‑cheek slogan, a cardboard [...]

Antwerp pilotage operator Brabo ordered the Artemis EF‑12 electric hydrofoil pilot boat in August 2024, combining electric propulsion with submerged foils and active controls. Sea‑trial data and a Python‑based operating model show the vessel spends only 0‑13 % of its time foilborne, limiting drag‑reduction benefits. A fifteen‑year discounted cost estimate places the hydrofoil at €5.32 million versus €3.81 million for a conventional diesel tender, a 40 % premium. Electric propulsion still cuts energy use, but capital costs and limited high‑speed opportunities [...]

Bethesda’s id Software and fellow Xbox studio MachineGames announced an intensified collaboration following the recent “reset” layoffs at id Software, which cut roughly half of its staff. Co‑director Marty Stratton said the remaining teams are “incredibly viable” and that the two studios are now working more closely on technology development, a partnership that began earlier this year. Both studios share the idTech engine, and the deeper tie‑up could accelerate future titles, including the rumored Wolfenstein 3, while Doom: The Dark [...]