TechCapsules

ConsoneAI, a Wetherby‑based AI firm, has been named a finalist in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s 2026 Emerging Technologies Competition for its drug‑development platform, DioScor. The system predicts drug efficacy and side‑effects across genders, ethnicities, and age groups in 90 seconds, using AI to model human and animal responses while accounting for genetic and demographic variables. Founder Mo Kosar highlighted the platform’s potential to shorten drug approval timelines and reduce bias in clinical trials. DioScor also offers a [...]

Boston Dynamics, a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group, is unlikely to pursue an initial public offering next year, according to a senior Hyundai executive who declined to be named. The company has yet to deploy its flagship Atlas robots at scale and remains unprofitable, delaying a potential U.S. market debut. Hyundai’s robotics ambitions spurred a record‑high rally in its shares earlier this year, but the lack of a clear timetable or valuation target for a Boston Dynamics [...]

Apple announced its forthcoming Home Hub, a smart display positioned as the household’s AI center, during a keynote by new CEO John Ternus. The device, dubbed J490, will run a Siri‑focused OS and feature facial recognition to personalize content, integrating device controls, video calls, and media playback. Mark Gurman reports the hub is in employee testing, with a square design resembling a HomePod mini and a magnetic wall‑mount option. No release date is confirmed, though speculation points [...]

Sean Endicott writes for Windows Central, covering Windows 11, Surface devices, Microsoft 365, AI, and related apps. Since 2017 he has produced over a thousand pieces, ranging from breaking news to opinion and weekly “Windows Wrap” columns that synthesize major PC‑industry stories. His reporting tracks Microsoft’s software updates, hardware launches, and the firm’s expanding AI and services strategy. Endicott holds a First‑Class degree in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and began his career in journalism and media production, [...]

A Bloomberg report suggested Apple is cutting “handful” of jobs at its Fitness+ service and inferred that the streaming workout platform is facing major trouble, possibly to be merged into Apple Health. The article disputes those claims, noting there is no evidence of substantial layoffs and that Apple currently lists 73 fitness‑related positions in Cupertino. It argues that Fitness+’s overhead is low because Apple owns its studios and equipment, making staff reductions financially insignificant. The piece also points [...]

Nvidia’s Vice President of Product, Adel el Hallak, revealed that he runs the company’s DGX Spark AI workstation in his home, treating it like an appliance that works overnight on personal tasks. The DGX Spark, priced at $4,699, can run open‑source models locally, eliminating the need to send data to cloud servers for services such as ChatGPT or Perplexity. El Hallak argues that local AI protects privacy, avoids subscription fees, and offers unlimited queries without usage caps, though the hardware cost [...]

Apple released two new AirPods models: the $129 AirPods 5 with ANC and a $149 variant featuring a wireless‑charging case, and the $249 AirPods Pro 3. Both use the H2 chip and support Adaptive Audio, Transparency, and Conversation Awareness. AirPods 5 have an open‑ear design without silicone tips, weighing 4.3 g each, while Pro 3 earbuds include silicone tips, weigh 5.55 g, and offer a seal for passive noise isolation. Pro 3 delivers longer battery life—up to eight hours [...]

In June, Sony informed Hideo Kojima via a Zoom call that it would cease funding the PlayStation‑exclusive title Physint, a spiritual successor to Metal Gear Solid. Kojima, accompanied by Kojima Productions president Shinji Hirano and talent‑development head Aki Saito, said the announcement left him stunned and raised immediate concerns about cash flow, staff retention, and pending loans tied to the studio’s recent projects. Facing the loss of one of only two active contracts—Physint and the Xbox‑bound game OD—Kojima feared a [...]