TechCapsules

Investor Gary Black of The Future Fund predicts SpaceX will acquire Tesla at a price of $420 per share in SpaceX stock within weeks, potentially closing in a year. The speculation follows a recent Tesla Roadster launch that Black described as a staged push for a merger, and comments from biographer Walter Isaacson linking the vehicle’s thruster technology to SpaceX. Barclays analysts have also warned of a possible announcement before Tesla’s upcoming annual meeting, intensifying market chatter [...]

Apple has introduced “Sound Glow,” a visual feature for the HomePod mini, HomePod mini 2, and second‑generation HomePod that projects ambient colors onto the speaker’s touch surface. The lights draw two to three dominant hues from the album artwork of the currently playing track, creating animated, bouncing color balls that add a subtle visual cue to music or podcasts. The effect works only when artwork is available and is most visible against a light wall in a dim room. [...]

Apple’s new App Store Worldwide head Carson Oliver told Polygon that the company remains convinced iPhone hardware can support premium gaming, citing the A20 Pro GPU, Mac‑gaming apps and new developer tools. Despite iPhones generating the world’s largest mobile game revenue, Oliver admitted most top‑selling titles are indie, pixel‑art experiences and that Apple’s past initiatives such as the Apple Games app have failed to attract core gamers. The interview highlighted Apple Arcade’s ad‑free catalog and upcoming ports [...]

Google Home speakers are unexpectedly downloading large volumes of data, with some units pulling up to 41 GB in a single day and 132 GB over a month, despite minimal user interaction. One reporter recorded a 17 GB download in 24 hours, including a 9.99 GB spike at 3 a.m. PT, likely tied to failed firmware updates. The issue appears isolated to certain Home speakers, as other Nest and Home devices in the same households show normal usage. Users can monitor device traffic [...]

Quebec‑based exploration startup Quminex closed a CAD 1.5 million pre‑seed round, led by Quantacet with participation from Swiss venture firm QAI Ventures and angel backers. The funding will accelerate commercial development and field deployment of its Quminex Discovery Platform™, a machine‑learning system that converts geochemical, geophysical and spatial data into explainable mineral models. Quminex also secured its first commercial contracts with explorer Tech‑X Resources and a Canadian mining producer, providing validation of the platform on active properties. Co‑founder and [...]

WhatsApp is preparing to let iPhone users open any hyperlink within the app, expanding a limited in‑app browser that previously supported only select business sites. The change was first spotted by WABetaInfo in the TestFlight build, which shows a new “In‑app browser” toggle under Settings > Chats. When enabled, links open inside WhatsApp, while a menu still offers to launch the default Safari browser. The settings provide controls to clear cookies, cache and other browsing data stored by the [...]

Taction, a California‑based patent holder, secured a $5.7 billion jury verdict against Apple for infringing two of its patents covering iPhone and Apple Watch technology. The verdict, handed down in 2024, covers damages from 2021 through March 2026. Taction has now asked a federal judge to add hundreds of millions of dollars in prejudgment interest at California’s 7 percent statutory rate and to extend liability to sales made in the final six months of 2026. Apple has filed motions to overturn [...]

The 9to5Mac Daily podcast reported that the newly announced iPhone Duo sold out instantly, prompting Apple to place the device on backorder until next year. Apple described pre‑order demand as “extraordinary” while noting shipping dates have slipped. The episode also covered rumors that Apple’s next HomeView could debut early next year featuring a robotic arm, Verizon’s confirmation of a $10 monthly fee for the iPhone Handoff feature, and EE’s UK pricing details. The show highlighted these developments [...]