TechCapsules

Funko will launch a limited Green Lantern Pop! collection at New York Comic‑Con 2026, featuring Hal Jordan in multiple color schemes. The standard Green Lantern will sell daily from October 8‑11, while the White, Red, Yellow, Green/Blue Hybrid, and Black Lanterns are available on specific days with quantities ranging from 100 to 2,000 units. Prices vary from $40 to $60. All figures are exclusive to Funko’s booth (#4515) and select online releases via Funko Web.

The first leak of Google’s Pixel 11a shows a design virtually identical to its predecessors, featuring the same bar‑less camera layout and dimensions of 153.46 × 72.35 × 9 mm. CAD renders reveal a new color lineup that includes black, silver, green, and a deeper purple shade, a return of purple to the Pixel series. The device is expected to run the Tensor G6 processor, bypassing the Tensor G5 used in other mid‑range models. The leak also confirms the phone’s compact, lightweight profile. [...]

Microsoft announced at its European Fabric + SQL Community Conference that Fabric IQ, its context layer, will integrate with Microsoft Copilot, enabling AI to use consistent business logic across the platform. The company also introduced IQ sharing, allowing governed data and context to be shared internally and with third parties, and added Fabric Apps features that let builders connect applications directly to Fabric warehouses, SQL databases, lakehouses, and Power BI semantic models without duplication. Analysts note that [...]

OpenAI announced that its DevDay 2026 will feature over 20 new releases, streamed live at 10 am PT. The company is expected to unveil a ChatGPT update that directly competes with SpaceXAI’s Grok Bot and Meta’s Muse, expanding its AI agent capabilities for broader consumer use. The event will also highlight existing ChatGPT Work features, though the new offerings promise a simpler, more accessible experience. Viewers can watch the livestream at the scheduled start time.

Nate Hagens, a long‑time forecasting analyst, has shifted from a peak‑oil narrative to a broader net‑energy framework, arguing that declining EROI and “peak cheap oil” threaten continued economic growth. After acknowledging earlier misjudgments about oil supply, he now emphasizes oil quality, shale decline, and the financial system’s reliance on energy surplus. Hagens maintains that resource constraints will drive a deflationary depression within the next decade, a view he has reiterated in recent podcasts and articles. [...]

Geely announced a partnership with Nio to build a joint charging and battery‑swap network in China, aiming to rival Tesla’s Supercharger system. The collaboration will merge Geely’s 2,500 stations and 12,000 connectors with Nio’s battery‑swap infrastructure, targeting 22,000 stations and 100,000 connectors nationwide. Both companies plan to deploy AI‑powered smart chargers capable of up to 2,250 kW, delivering 10‑70 % charge in 4½ minutes and 10‑97 % in 8 min 40 s. The alliance seeks to enhance customer convenience, reduce wait times, and [...]

Vietnam’s government is training young ethnic minority residents in digital skills—filming, audio recording, storytelling, data preservation, and responsible AI use—to create a new generation of cultural custodians. The initiative aims to transform intangible heritage—languages, songs, dances, rituals, crafts, cuisine—into economic assets while preserving cultural vitality. Digital tools such as short videos, virtual museums, and language apps broaden access to heritage, fostering intergenerational transmission and community ownership. However, the project faces risks of cultural misappropriation and commercial exploitation [...]

Nick, a veteran tech journalist with 15 years in IT, has written on smartphones and VR since 2011. He blends nostalgia for early computing with current trends, championing foldable phones and covering every major VR headset, including Meta Quest. His weekly thVRsday column delivers in‑depth reviews, while his photography showcases camera performance for consumers. Nick’s broad expertise bridges classic hardware and emerging tech, offering readers comprehensive insights into both mobile and immersive devices.