TechCapsules

Amazon is offering a $275 trade‑in boost for buyers of the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. The promotion adds the bonus to existing trade‑in values, which can reach up to $850 but typically hover around $500 for newer models. The extra credit applies even to older devices that normally fetch lower amounts, though the specific boost varies by device. The deal is part of Amazon’s broader push to [...]

Solos has released a $79 Privacy Kit for its AirGo V2 smart glasses, featuring a transparent ClearView Temple and a clip‑on Privacy Shield that physically blocks the cameras. The kit also includes a polarized sun lens for UV protection. The company, spun out of Kopin and founded by MIT‑trained engineers, markets the kit as “privacy by design,” offering a tangible alternative to software toggles and LED indicators. The kit is available online and ships with the AirGo [...]

The Global Electronics Association (GEA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics to accelerate the transition of advanced packaging technologies from pilot to industrial scale. The partnership centers on the APECS pilot line, a European facility under the EU Chips Act, and leverages GEA’s standards expertise to address design, manufacturing, testing, and reliability gaps. The MoU aims to align pilot‑line capabilities with industry‑wide standards, fostering supply‑chain readiness and scalable adoption of heterogeneous integration. [...]

Sean Endicott, a seasoned journalist at Windows Central, reports on Microsoft’s software, hardware, and AI initiatives. With a First Class degree in Broadcast Journalism, he covers Windows 11 updates, Surface releases, Microsoft 365 changes, and the company’s expanding AI services. Endicott also writes the weekly Windows Wrap column, curating key stories across the Windows ecosystem. Outside tech, he coaches youth American football in Nottingham, earning the BAFCA Youth Coach of the Year award in 2024.

Final Cut Camera for iOS has been updated to support the iPhone 18 Pro’s variable aperture Fusion Main camera, allowing users to choose apertures from f/1.48 to f/4 and select shutter or aperture priority modes. The release adds Cinematic mode effects for ProRes and Apple Log footage, video scopes (RGB parade, histogram), false‑color and clipping indicators, and a genlock frame‑delay feature. It also enables broadcast‑quality HDMI‑to‑SDI output and requires iOS 26.66 or later. The update is free. [...]

Quantum eMotion Corp. has agreed to acquire Plurilock Security Inc. for about C$33.8 million (US$23.8 million). The deal, approved by court, gives Quantum eMotion an established enterprise customer base and public‑sector procurement channels in Canada, the U.S., and NATO. Plurilock shareholders receive C$0.084 cash and 0.0763 QeM shares per share, a 100 % premium over the 20‑day VWAP. The transaction is 30 % cash, 70 % equity, and includes a C$2 million bridge loan at 8.5 % interest. The merger will combine Quantum eMotion’s [...]

Vadzo Imaging announced the completion of platform validation for its Bolt‑821CRS 8‑MP Onsemi AR0821 color MIPI CSI‑2 camera, designed for direct integration with Rockchip RV1126 vision processors. The camera delivers on‑chip HDR, native MIPI CSI‑2 output, and has been tested to meet image quality and driver stability requirements in embedded AI and machine‑vision applications. Validation removes interface uncertainty, enabling integrators to connect and stream on day one. The program addresses common issues such as driver timing mismatches, [...]

The U.S. government unveiled its first public‑facing AI chatbot, America.gov, developed with Google and SpaceXAI. Designed to withstand red‑team testing, the bot has not been easily jailbreaked. When queried about Minecraft, it produced an 1,800‑word monologue that mirrors the game’s “End Poem,” sparking speculation about embedded Easter eggs. The chatbot also confirms Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory, a fact still contested by former President Trump. The incident highlights the bot’s unexpected creative output and the challenges of [...]