TechCapsules

Microsoft is set to overhaul Xbox Game Pass, introducing an à la carte model that lets subscribers pick individual features such as console-only titles, cloud gaming, and multiplayer. The revamp will operate on a tiered structure, according to a Fortune profile of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. The change follows internal concerns that the subscription model cannibalized sales of higher‑priced first‑party games and created conflicting metrics across teams. Sharma, in her first six months, has already cut Game [...]

OpenAI announced that ChatGPT users can now lock conversations with a four‑digit PIN, Face ID, or Touch ID to keep sensitive chats private when sharing a device. Locked chats move to a dedicated section, separate from regular history, and maintain their own memory that does not bleed into other chats. The feature is available across all paid plans and the free tier, but not on ChatGPT for Healthcare. Locking does not add end‑to‑end encryption or alter data [...]

Walmart is selling a CyberPowerPC prebuilt gaming PC for $1,249, featuring an Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus CPU, GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB GPU, 16 GB DDR5 RAM, and a 1 TB NVMe SSD. The 24‑core processor tops 5.5 GHz and is cooled by a 360‑mm liquid AIO. The RTX 5060 Ti outperforms the RTX 4060 Ti by roughly 20% at 1080p and supports DLSS 4.5. Compared to the $1,049 Steam Machine, the system offers a 30‑40% performance boost and

Apple has capped iPhone Duo purchases to two units per customer in the United States, United Kingdom, and other markets after the device’s launch dates slipped to January. The restriction applies to all configurations and is enforced across Apple’s online stores. The move follows a surge of scalpers listing Duos on eBay for prices above $5,000 and mirrors past limits Apple imposed on earlier iPhone models. The company may also employ additional detection methods to curb bulk [...]

Microsoft is testing a prototype that allows its Edge browser to install security updates without requiring a restart, enabling users to continue working while the browser switches to a newer, more secure version. The early experiment downloads updates in the background and moves the browser’s processes to the updated code, keeping compatible tabs open. The feature is not yet part of Edge’s production code or Chromium, and Microsoft is inviting developers to collaborate on the project. The [...]

A widespread outage began early this morning, crippling Google’s core services—DNS, cloud infrastructure, and ad delivery—across the European Union and the United Kingdom. The disruption has halted internet access for users in these regions, while services in the United States remain unaffected. Google’s status page reports ongoing issues, and the company has not yet provided a resolution timeline. The incident underscores the region’s reliance on Google’s global network and the fragility of digital connectivity. [...]

Google announced TorchTPU, an open‑source version of PyTorch that runs on its Tensor Processing Units, on Tuesday. The move positions Google alongside Amazon, which released TorchNeuron for its Trainium chips, as challengers to Nvidia’s dominance in AI hardware. TorchTPU enables developers to port existing PyTorch models to Google Cloud with minimal code changes, and Google has partnered with Meta, Hugging Face, and other AI toolmakers to ensure compatibility. Amazon also submitted code to the core PyTorch project [...]

Finnish Counter‑Strike 2 pro Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen faces a possible four‑month suspended prison sentence for aggravated tax fraud after failing to declare €53,000 earned from in‑game sticker sales in 2020. Prosecutors argue he avoided paying roughly €28,000 in taxes, while Virolainen claims ignorance of tax obligations at age 22. The indictment was read on October 16 at the Eastern Uusimaa District Court, and a ruling is pending. He remains an active Natus Vincere player.