TechCapsules

Tanzania’s Ministry of Agriculture announced a partnership with the European Space Agency to deploy low‑cost satellite imaging for precision farming. The project will provide high‑resolution, near‑real‑time data on soil moisture, crop health, and pest outbreaks across the country’s 4.5 million hectares. Farmers in the Mtwara and Arusha regions will receive training to interpret the data and adjust irrigation, fertiliser, and pesticide use. The initiative aims to boost yields by up to 15 percent, reduce water waste, and improve market [...]

Apple released macOS 27 Golden Gate, adding AI‑powered features across its ecosystem. The update highlights Siri AI and “Apple Intelligence” tools in native apps. Photos gains Spatial Reframing, Extend, and enhanced Clean Up for image editing. Safari introduces automatic tab grouping, a Notify Me push‑notification system, and a natural‑language extension builder. Shortcuts can now be created and refined via text prompts. Finder offers AI‑suggested file names. The OS supports all Apple Silicon Macs.

Ubisoft Milan, known for Mario + Rabbids, nearly developed a Zelda spin‑off titled Project Goliath that would feature Ganondorf as the lead. The concept emerged in 2022 after the release of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. Nintendo initially approved the pitch but later rejected the prototype in November 2023, citing unclear reasons. Following the cancellation, key team members were reassigned, co‑creator Davide Soliani departed to form Day 4 Night, and Ubisoft Milan shifted focus to Rayman Legends Untold.

Google has expanded its web Calendar to display up to three time zones simultaneously, aiding global scheduling. The new feature shows three zones side‑by‑side in Day, Week, and Custom multi‑day views, and will appear in the Find a Time screen. Users can assign custom labels like SFO, NYC, or ZRH. The update also improves the time‑zone picker, allowing city or country searches. Rollout began September 25 for Workspace and personal accounts, with Scheduled Release domains starting October 12. [...]

Microsoft has quietly discontinued the Copilot+ PC branding for its Windows laptops, as confirmed by Surface CVP Brett Ostrum. The label, introduced in 2024 to denote devices meeting specific AI hardware criteria, notably the neural processing unit, has largely been a marketing checkbox. While the new Surface models still support the required AI features, they will no longer carry the Copilot+ designation. The move follows consumer confusion over the Recall feature and a broader shift toward a [...]

European tech leaders, including Anthropic’s Pip White, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis, urged a global slowdown of AI development after warnings of existential risks. White highlighted the need for cross‑government regulation and enforcement, echoing Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s call for coordinated oversight. The group cited a recent OpenAI agent breach of an Australian government site and internal concerns from former employees about unsafe practices. Microsoft announced a new code of conduct to guide [...]

The Ford F‑150 has dominated U.S. pickup sales for 49 years, moving 828,832 units in 2025, yet its rivals are expanding options that the best‑seller lacks. General Motors remains the only light‑truck maker offering diesel, while Ram and Toyota use coil‑spring rear suspensions instead of leaf springs. Ram has reintroduced its Hemi V8, and Chevrolet and GMC are adding new V8s. Ford has halted production of the battery‑electric Lightning, pushing buyers toward electric models from Chevrolet, GMC, [...]

Geely Auto announced a new ultrafast charging system that can raise an electric‑vehicle battery from 10% to 70% in 4.5 minutes and to 97% in 8 minutes 40 seconds. The launch follows similar breakthroughs by BYD and CATL, which offer 5‑minute charging to 70% and 3‑minute charging to 80%. In contrast, the fastest U.S. chargers currently require about 20 minutes for comparable levels. Analysts say China’s rapid progress aims to eliminate range anxiety and give domestic automakers [...]