TechCapsules

Patrick, the eCommerce Editor at Android Central, transitioned from independent bookstore work and freelance writing to full‑time tech journalism in 2020. He joined Android Central in 2022 as the Deals and Commerce Writer, now overseeing eCommerce coverage and major sale events. Patrick specializes in simplifying complex tech purchases, aiming to reduce buyer’s remorse. His background spans writing for the Chicago Tribune, The Hill, BestReviews, and OddityMall, and he enjoys outdoor activities and caring for a polydactyl cat.

Saber’s upcoming Turok: Origins, slated for spring 2027, reintroduces the classic dinosaur‑slaying shooter with a modern twist. The game offers both first‑ and third‑person perspectives, a new Cerebral Bore gun, and cooperative play for up to three players, aiming to attract both nostalgic fans and newcomers. Developers emphasize social gameplay, citing the popularity of friend‑centric titles like Warzone and Wardogs. The title will launch on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

A financially motivated threat actor linked to the npm registry released the JavaScript-based stealer PhantomRaven, targeting developers’ authentication tokens and CI/CD secrets. CrowdStrike’s analysis suggests the malware was likely written with a large language model, based on verbose comments and token‑analysis patterns. The actor, who claims bug‑bounty credentials, distributed over 100 malicious packages via slopsquatting and typosquatting, embedding a remote dynamic dependency that harvests system fingerprints, email addresses, and CI/CD environment variables. No stolen data has appeared [...]

Following its recent launch event, Apple has made its newest products available in physical stores worldwide. The iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5 can now be purchased at Apple retail locations, giving consumers the opportunity to test the devices before buying. The move follows the company’s announcement of the new lineup, which includes upgraded camera systems, faster processors, and enhanced battery life across the smartwatch and audio product ranges. Apple’s global retail network [...]

China’s private aerospace firm LandSpace successfully recovered the first stage of its Zhuque‑3 rocket using deployable landing legs in Gansu, marking the country’s inaugural ground‑based controlled booster recovery. The achievement follows a series of U.S. milestones, with SpaceX claiming over 600 reusable launches. While China has yet to reuse a booster, the Zhuque‑3 landing demonstrates progress toward cost‑effective reusability and signals the nation’s intent to close the gap with U.S. leaders in commercial spaceflight. The event underscores [...]

Stanford physicists recorded the first real‑time quantum jumps of sound by monitoring individual phonons in a microscopic mechanical resonator coupled to a superconducting qubit. The resonator, fabricated with chip‑making techniques, vibrated for two milliseconds, allowing repeated measurements that captured discrete energy transitions from one phonon state to zero. The experiment demonstrates quantum behavior in sound, a prerequisite for quantum computing error correction and ultra‑sensitive sensing, such as protein detection in cells. The findings were published in Science. [...]

WhatsApp has begun rolling out a new in‑chat search button for iPhone users after several weeks of beta testing. The button appears at the top of the screen when users scroll up in a conversation, channel, or group chat and disappears when they return to the bottom. It allows users to start a search directly within the chat without navigating to the chat info screen. The feature works the same as the existing search mode and is [...]

MG Motors will launch the MG U9 EV, a fully‑electric ute priced from $78,990 before on‑road costs, in Australia. The vehicle features dual electric motors delivering 325 kW and 700 Nm, a 102 kWh battery for a 430 km WLTP range, and a 3,500 kg towing capacity. It outperforms rivals KGM Musso EV and Toyota HiLux BEV in power and range, though it is roughly $20,000 more expensive. The U9 EV will debut at the Everything Electric event on 18 September 2026, with a global launch slated for late 2026 or [...]