TechCapsules

Apple unveiled its HomeView smart display with a launch video that diverges sharply from the company’s usual polished style. The clip shows a chaotic family kitchen during a weekday morning, emphasizing the device’s intended role as a shared hub for households with children. Reviewers note that the design nods to the iMac G4 while adopting a modern aesthetic, but the small screen limits its usefulness as a digital photo frame. Apple already offers similar multi‑user functionality through HomePod’s [...]

Scientists from University College London have shown that hypernovae—explosions thought to be ten times more energetic than typical supernovas—may never have occurred. By modeling the uneven ejection of material in ordinary supernovas, the team demonstrated that the unusual chemical signatures of four halo stars, previously attributed to hypernova debris, can be reproduced without invoking such events. Detailed analysis of a red‑giant star with excess heavy elements, including silver and uranium, indicated its composition results from a combination [...]

Crystal Lake, the Friday the 13th prequel debuting on Peacock Oct. 15 and on Sky/NOW UK Oct. 19, follows single mother Pamela Voorhees (Linda Cardellini) as her son Jason drowns and she embarks on a murderous rampage that shapes the iconic killer seen in the 1980 film. Writer‑director Brad Caleb Kane says the eight‑part season was designed as a story, but he has outlines for a second season, kill scenes, and a broader exploration of Crystal Lake’s townspeople. The [...]

Google is adding new diagnostic utilities to Pixel phones that target call quality, Wi‑Fi and mobile‑data problems. The features appear in the Device Health & Support menu of Android 17 QPR3 Beta 1 and the accompanying Google Play Services beta. Users can launch a specific test, which scans system logs and network settings, then either automatically applies a fix or provides step‑by‑step instructions. Existing Pixel tools already cover battery, Bluetooth and touchscreen health, and the expansion aims to [...]

The EU‑UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) permits tariff‑free trade of electric vehicles and batteries if they satisfy rules of origin (RoO), imposing a 10 % duty on non‑compliant goods. Effective 1 January 2027, battery packs and cells must be produced in the EU or UK and contain originating cathode active material, limiting non‑originating content to 30‑35 %. The European Commission, led by Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, has pledged a “lock‑in mechanism” that bars any further extensions of these rules until [...]

Jez Corden, a lifelong content creator and internet personality, has become a prominent voice in the Xbox and Microsoft‑adjacent ecosystems. He maintains a substantial following on X, co‑hosts a leading gaming podcast at TheXB2.com, and serves as Executive Editor at Windows Central. Corden’s early work involved building web communities linked to animation sites such as Newgrounds and Explosm, and after high school he pursued a career in IT, corporate network infrastructure, and web design. His hobby‑blogging on [...]

Several first‑party PlayStation titles have vanished from the PlayStation Store in the Americas, prompting alarm among gamers. Over the past few days, users reported that games such as God of War III Remastered, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection and Knack 2 are no longer purchasable in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Sony confirmed the removals are confined to those regions; the same titles remain available in Europe, Asia and other markets and are still part of ongoing store promotions. Industry [...]

Rockstar Games disclosed that Grand Theft Auto VI began under the codename “Project Americas,” originally intended to span vast territories across both North and South America before being narrowed to Miami and its environs. The concept was conceived in 2015 during a research trip led by Rockstar North studio head Rob Nelson, and was initially slated to develop alongside Red Dead Redemption 2. After Red Dead 2’s expansion, the GTA VI project was delayed, and the studio’s workforce more than doubled to 4,711 employees. [...]