TechCapsules

Self‑taught coder Sigil Wen, a former Thiel Fellow who hacked alongside Andrej Karpathy, Aravind Srinivas and Noam Brown, launched Underdog on Monday. The assistant runs entirely on‑device on macOS and Windows PCs, with other platforms coming soon. Powered by Wen’s Husky inference engine, Underdog uses a 27‑billion‑parameter model fine‑tuned from Qwen‑3.8‑27B and matches benchmark results of Claude Opus 4.6. It encrypts account keys and keeps all user data local, removing cloud processing. Underdog will be free initially [...]

Apple is reportedly developing its first touchscreen MacBook Pro, slated for a late‑2026 or early‑2027 launch. The new models would feature OLED panels supplied by Samsung, a Dynamic Island cutout, and run on next‑generation M5 Pro or M5 Max silicon. Macworld and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman cite supply‑chain sources and software references confirming development, with a possible October‑November 2026 announcement. Touch capability is expected to be limited to premium configurations, potentially bundled with 5G and priced above the current $1,999 entry point. [...]

Apple’s newly appointed CEO John Ternus has completed just over a month in the role, prompting analysts to gauge his emerging leadership style. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Ternus is steering Apple toward a “more experimental” product cadence while maintaining a leaner workforce. A proposed plan to replace roughly 5,000 AppleCare support staff with AI‑driven agents was paused, and instead the company trimmed middle‑management positions. Ternus has also taken a hands‑on approach to design, regularly working in the Apple [...]

Tesla began rolling out a Halloween‑themed software update that transforms the vehicle’s interface and exterior cues into a seasonal spectacle. The package adds a ghost‑like avatar overlay, a “Trick‑or‑Treat” mode that triggers flickering lights and spooky sounds when motion is detected, and a new light‑show sequence with themed wraps and a distinctive lock chime. A Halloween‑styled photobooth filter and the ability to broadcast a synthetic voice through the car’s speaker from the mobile app are also included. [...]

The article explains that product design costs for startups vary widely, influenced by product complexity, team experience, and project scope. It outlines typical cost components—research, concept development, prototyping, testing, and final design—and notes that expenses can range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. Stfalcon, a 15‑year‑old design firm, offers to partner with startups, providing detailed proposals that align with clients’ visions. The piece emphasizes that investing in quality design can boost brand loyalty, [...]

Apple announced a major MacBook Pro refresh slated for later this year, featuring its first OLED display and a new hole‑punch camera cutout that will host a Dynamic Island interface. The update will also introduce a touchscreen, prompting macOS to adapt with dynamic touch controls. Despite expectations, the laptops will use existing M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, while the next‑generation M7 chips focus on AI. Apple plans to launch the lineup in October or November, potentially branding it [...]

Australia’s September new‑car sales show a decisive shift toward electric vehicles, with three EVs ranking in the top ten: Tesla Model Y (4,476 units), BYD Sealion 7 (2,687) and Geely EX5 (2,008). Electric sales now match petrol and diesel, each representing roughly a quarter of the market, and total EV sales rose over 18 %—a 165 % increase year‑to‑date. Plug‑in hybrids grew 120 %, while conventional hybrids up 10 %. Conventional fuels fell: petrol down 27 % and diesel 16 %. The Ford Ranger remained [...]

OpenAI will deploy invisible watermarks on ChatGPT and Codex outputs in the European Union, enabling detection of AI‑generated text without altering its appearance. The watermark subtly modifies word choices to create a statistical signature that detection software can later identify. The feature will be added to eligible EU outputs over the coming weeks and is optional for API developers worldwide, remaining disabled by default. OpenAI is also accepting applications for its detection system, initially limited to selected [...]