A recent earthquake on Norway's Jan Mayen Island triggered a rock slide, an event researchers point to as evidence that Arctic terrain is becoming more unstable. Scientists link the growing frequency and severity of such incidents to climate change, which is altering the physical conditions of the region's landscape.
Apple's upcoming 'Surprise and Shine' event is expected to introduce three new iPhones, including its first foldable device, rumored to be called the iPhone Ultra, priced between $2,000 and $2,500. The lineup will also include the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, both reportedly powered by a new A20 Pro chip, with the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone Air held back for a later announcement. This will be the first major product event overseen by Apple's new hardware engineering chief turned CEO, John Ternus.
Nintendo revealed a special-edition Switch 2 console finished in gold and metallic green to mark The Legend of Zelda's 40th anniversary, launching October 29. The Joy-Con 2 controllers feature original 8-bit sprites of Link and Zelda holding the Triforce, and the dock carries a large Triforce design, but the console does not include the upcoming Ocarina of Time remake, which arrives separately on November 5.
Amazon is selling Anker's compact Nano Laptop Docking Station for $111.99, a 25% cut from its $149.99 list price. The dock offers 13 ports total, including a removable 6-in-1 hub, and supports triple monitors via dual HDMI and one DisplayPort output.
Nintendo has announced its first special edition Switch 2 console, featuring Zelda branding and a departure from the standard black-with-accent-color design. The new version introduces a more vibrant color palette to the console lineup.
Google has shifted Chrome from a four-week to a two-week release schedule, beginning with Chrome 153 rolling out on desktop, iOS, and Android. The company says the change helps it manage a growing volume of security patches driven by AI-assisted bug discovery and faster-moving threats.
Jury selection begins in a long-running federal case against Huawei Technologies, which faces charges including wire and bank fraud, trade secret theft, and violating U.S. sanctions on North Korea. Prosecutors also allege Huawei equipment helped Iran surveil protesters during 2009 demonstrations. Huawei has called the government's case 'demonstrably false' and previously sought to have it dismissed as vague and overreaching.
An international team of scientists published a not-yet-peer-reviewed paper arguing that large language models like ChatGPT and Claude spread through populations similarly to how viruses transmit, driven by social learning and usefulness rather than biology. They contend this spread encourages 'cognitive offloading,' where people increasingly hand over mental tasks like reasoning and writing to AI tools, deepening reliance over time.
Malik Piara has released an updated version of LogiCola 3, a modern port of Professor Gensler's 2008 Windows-only logic drill software, after two years of work. The new release restores infinite translation drills for mastery learning and reintroduces the original's colorful, playful visual style, responding to feedback from Hacker News, GitHub and email.
Labor force participation among Americans 65 and older has climbed to 19.2%, up from roughly 12% in 2000, and 42% of sitting CEOs are now 60 or older—an unusually high share, according to executive recruiter Cowen Partners. Companies like Boeing, Verizon and Cracker Barrel have repeatedly brought back older or previously retired executives rather than promoting younger leaders.
Meta introduced Muse, a personal AI agent that can autonomously handle tasks like online shopping, sending emails, and trip planning by opening browsers, filling out forms, and even negotiating on a user's behalf. The assistant will launch in the US on iOS, Android, and muse.ai, with support for AI glasses planned, and will be free for most users while Meta develops unspecified paid tiers for heavier use.
TSMC has confirmed plans to bring High-NA EUV lithography, using 0.55 numerical aperture optics, into high-volume manufacturing by 2030, likely for its A10 or A11 nodes. The company plans to use standard 6x6-inch photomasks initially, followed by a pilot line for larger 6x12-inch photomasks in 2031, aiming for full production with those masks by 2033.