TechCapsules

UK’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has been awarded a £230,000 grant from the Government Office for Technology Transfer’s Knowledge Asset Grant Fund to accelerate commercial production of trapped‑ion quantum computing hardware. The funding targets the low yields and packaging challenges that currently hinder batch fabrication of micro‑fabricated ion traps, a key component for scaling quantum processors beyond single nodes. Building on earlier KAGF support that installed NPL’s first micro‑trap system at the National Quantum Computing Centre, the [...]

An upcoming Bitdefender webinar will address the hidden risk of “shadow AI” agents that operate on corporate laptops without oversight, storing API keys and passwords and accessing internal systems. The session, titled “AI as an Insider Threat: From Shadow AI to Governed AI,” features Richard De La Torre, Bitdefender’s Technical Product Marketing Manager, and promises a practical playbook for detecting and governing these unseen agents. Bitdefender’s 2026 Cybersecurity Assessment reports that only 51.8 % of firms have full visibility into employee‑used [...]

ZuriQ and Rhonexum have entered a multi‑year commercial framework in which the Swiss cryogenic‑electronics firm will provide integrated‑circuit technology and customisation services for ZuriQ’s trapped‑ion quantum‑computing roadmap. The deal calls for an initial delivery of Rhonexum’s first product by the end of 2026, followed by additional orders and deployments, and grants ZuriQ privileged access to selected Rhonexum technologies and future developments. Both companies aim to reduce the control‑signal overhead that limits scaling of trapped‑ion processors by moving [...]

DevGAMM Awards 2026 announced 70 nominees from 1,088 entries submitted by 987 teams across 80 countries, with more than half of the titles created by five‑person or smaller studios. The third annual ceremony will take place in Lisbon, Portugal, on November 18, streamed by IGN. Winners receive $100,000 in cash prizes from Scorewarrior and over $40,000 in sponsored awards from Epic Games Store, Unreal Engine, tinyBuild, Unity, and Godot. The event will also feature new game reveals and

Rockstar’s art director Aaron Garbut recalls that Grand Theft Auto III was born from a modest Dreamcast tech demo created by DMA Design’s newly opened Edinburgh studio. After years of 2D and limited‑camera GTA titles, the team built a simple 3D city on the Dreamcast, letting players steal cars and roam streets, then presented it to executive producer Sam Houser. Houser’s encouragement pushed the young, inexperienced crew to abandon arcade‑style scoring and pursue a living, breathing urban world. [...]

Apple has increased iPhone Duo orders by over 40% after “extraordinary” pre‑order demand, prompting delivery dates to slip within minutes of launch. The company capped orders at two per customer to curb scalping and has raised shipment targets from 9.7 million to 14 million units in the first year. Early buyers face limited third‑party app support, but Apple says developer adoption is improving. The move signals robust consumer interest in the first folding iPhone.

Nobel laureate Paul Krugman criticized Elon Musk for allegedly shutting down Ukraine’s Starlink service, which had been crucial for the nation’s drone‑based defense against Russian attacks. Krugman cited Wall Street Journal reports suggesting Musk acted on his own accord, despite Musk’s claim that former President Donald Trump ordered the cut. The economist warned that decisions about access to such strategic communications should not rest with private individuals, regardless of their personal politics. Krugman also referenced Musk’s controversial [...]

NASA will announce new details on its Artemis moon program during a live press conference on Friday, Oct. 23, at the Kennedy Space Center. The briefing will cover Artemis III, scheduled for mid‑2027, which will send four astronauts to low Earth orbit to test rendezvous and docking with Orion and potential lunar landers Starship and Blue Moon. Officials will also update on progress toward a 2028 lunar landing and the broader goal of establishing a moon base. [...]