TechCapsules

Larry Evans joined his friends on the Australian YouTube channel Ludicrous Feed to compare the XPENG L03 equipped with VLA 2.0 against the Tesla Model 3 running Full Self‑Driving. The discussion highlighted how each vehicle’s intelligent driving system performs in real‑world conditions, noting differences in sensor suites, software updates, and user interface. The hosts also touched on broader EV market trends in Australia, including the rapid expansion of available models and the channel’s evolving focus on electric vehicle technology. [...]

Ben Lovejoy used an iPad mini to simulate the upcoming iPhone Duo’s large‑screen experience while awaiting its launch. He mirrored his iPhone 18 Pro setup on the mini, noting the 8.3‑inch display versus the Duo’s 7.6‑inch interior screen. The iPad’s iPadOS offered flexible multitasking, though the author preferred full‑screen or split‑screen modes. The experiment highlighted the Duo’s pocketability trade‑off and confirmed the author’s enthusiasm for the new device.

Sean Endicott, a seasoned journalist at Windows Central, has reported on Microsoft’s software and hardware since 2017, covering Windows 11, Surface devices, Microsoft 365, AI initiatives, and ecosystem services. He authors the weekly Windows Wrap column, curating key stories across the PC landscape. Endicott holds a First Class Broadcast Journalism degree from Nottingham Trent University and brings experience from live production. Outside tech, he coaches youth American football in Nottingham, earning BAFCA Youth Coach of the Year

Tesla announced that it will reduce the memory specifications of its AI5 and AI6 chips to ensure sufficient memory for the mass production of its Optimus humanoid robot. The decision follows a prolonged memory supply crunch that threatened to delay Optimus development. By scaling back the memory capacity of the AI5 and AI6 processors, Tesla aims to reallocate resources and maintain production timelines for the robot. The move underscores the company’s prioritization of Optimus over other AI [...]

Apple is developing a fix for its Mac Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Notes, and Reminders apps after Microsoft began disabling Exchange Web Services (EWS) in October 2026. The EWS shutdown will fully take effect in April 2027, disrupting work and school accounts that rely on this older connection. Administrators can temporarily keep approved apps connected, but Apple plans to shift all affected Mac apps to Microsoft’s newer connection method in a future macOS 27 update, though a release [...]

Tesla reported Q3 deliveries of 486,532 vehicles, surpassing the Wall Street consensus of about 462,000 and outpacing its own production of 464,391 units. The figure marks the company’s third‑best delivery quarter ever, trailing only Q3 2025 and Q4 2024, despite a 2.1 % dip from the prior year. Tesla’s energy segment deployed 13.7 GWh of storage, the second‑largest quarterly haul in its history and nearly double the 6.9 GWh delivered in Q3 2024. The energy deployment represents a ten‑fold increase since Q3 2021. Following [...]

Tom’s Guide compared the iPhone 18 Pro Max with the iPhone 16 Pro Max to determine whether a two‑year upgrade is justified. Both devices share a 6.9‑inch Super Retina XDR display with 1‑120 Hz ProMotion, 12 GB of RAM, and identical storage options. The 18 Pro Max introduces Apple’s A20 Pro 2 nm silicon, a variable‑aperture 48 MP main camera (f/1.48‑f/4) with 4× optical zoom, and a larger 5,391 mAh battery that supports 60 W wired charging. The 16 Pro Max retains a 48 MP main sensor at f/1.78, a 5× telephoto lens, and a 4,685 mAh [...]

A Financial Times analysis revealed that Apple has met with EU policymakers 257 times since June 2024 and spends €8‑9 million annually on lobbying in Brussels. The report, sourced from the EU transparency register, ranks Apple second only to Google among U.S. tech firms, with Google holding 302 meetings. Apple’s lobbying outpaces European giants Total, Volkswagen, and Airbus combined, while Meta spends over €10 million. The data underscore American tech companies’ active engagement in shaping European digital policy.