TechCapsules

Apple tested a shorter, magnetic Apple Pencil designed for its iPhone Duo, intending to attach to the device’s hinge. The prototype faced technical issues and was abandoned, prompting a shift to support existing iPad Pencil models on the Duo’s dual screens. At the September event, Apple announced that the Duo will accept the USB‑C Apple Pencil later this year, marking the first iPhone with official stylus support. Only the USB‑C model will work; the Pencil Pro is [...]

Apple is set to launch its J490 smart‑home hub, internally called the HomePod, as early as October 2026. The device will feature Wi‑Fi, a camera, microphones, and a front‑facing camera that identifies users to deliver personalized Siri interactions, calendars, notes, and media. Designed to blend with home décor, it will offer watch‑style swatches and clock‑face displays. Apple plans the hub to serve as a command center for IoT devices, video calls, intercom, and Apple services, integrating data [...]

Alphabet and Meta have launched competing consumer AI agents—Google’s family‑oriented CC and Meta’s single‑user Muse—that can act on users’ behalf rather than merely answer questions. CC supports up to six family members and is tightly integrated with Google’s ecosystem, while Muse offers broader autonomy across a user’s digital life, including commerce. Both companies are investing billions in AI infrastructure, but Google maintains a lower valuation (P/E 14 vs. 24) and stronger margin profile, whereas Meta’s recent earnings [...]

Agility Robotics unveiled Digit 5, a humanoid robot that visibly cowers and kneels when a human approaches, demonstrating a new safety protocol for workplace coexistence. The robot uses proprietary AI and an Nvidia Thor IGX chip to monitor vision‑based sensors, autonomously avoiding or stopping to protect nearby workers. Digit 5 can lift up to 50 pounds, operates on a 90‑minute battery with a nine‑minute recharge, and has already been deployed in Amazon and Toyota facilities. The design aims to reassure employers [...]

India’s technology strategy has shifted from resourceful improvisation to building core capabilities in chips, AI, and space. The government’s Semiconductor Mission, now in its second phase, has approved 12 projects across six states with investments exceeding ₹1.64 lakh crore, including silicon and compound‑semiconductor fabs, display fabrication, and advanced packaging. Three facilities are already in commercial production. The initiative covers chip design, equipment, fabrication, packaging, R&D, and talent development, positioning India to produce critical components for automotive, telecom, defence, [...]

Republican donors expressed frustration after President Donald Trump dismissed concerns about artificial intelligence, labeling them a “hoax.” The comments came amid rising worries that tech firms are creating uncontrollable AI models that could threaten society. Donors, speaking anonymously, criticized Trump’s dismissive tone as out of touch with voter anxieties, comparing it to his handling of cost‑of‑living issues. They warned that ignoring public fears could cost the GOP seats in the upcoming midterms. A White House official countered [...]

Mercedes-Benz has converted its eActros 600 electric truck into a motorhome capable of 621 miles per charge, a record for a fully electric vehicle. The 28,000‑mile circumnavigation, driven by content creator Tobias Wagner, will cover more than 30 countries in about a year with no more than 80 charging stops. The truck’s three 207‑kWh lithium‑iron‑phosphate batteries provide a 621‑kWh total capacity, while a custom living module and reduced weight allow the vehicle to travel farther than the [...]

President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that AI requires only a “strong and smart” president as its guardrail, dismissing concerns raised by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and others who advocate slower development. Trump criticized Amodei’s 3,800‑word essay and claimed the U.S. already possesses “tremendous criminal and regulatory power” over AI firms. The post coincided with growing public unease after Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon resigned over safety fears. Academics like Princeton’s Arvind Narayanan and UW’s Emily Bender argued that guardrails are [...]