GoKawiil
Tech News
In a lengthy new blog post and media interviews, Bill Gates has shifted from AI optimism to alarm, warning that the technology could become either the greatest equalizer or the worst source of inequality in history. He told Semafor he's shocked others aren't as worried as he is, arguing AI's breadth means virtually no job will be untouched.
Apple has begun reaching out to customers whose M4 Mac mini orders were still backordered when the company unveiled new M6 and M5 Pro models. Those pending orders are being automatically switched to the newer chips while keeping the original price, with some buyers reporting earlier delivery dates and savings of up to $300.
Motorola has started pushing its stable Android 17 update, beginning with its flagship Signature series lineup, following the earlier beta testing phase. The update introduces a refreshed system UI, an upgraded Quick Settings menu, expanded cross-platform file sharing, device diagnostics tools, and new AI-driven anti-scam security features, alongside standard Android 17 additions like stackable widgets, themed icons, and notification summaries.
Apple has started showing ads in the Maps app, appearing as the top entry in 'suggested places' and search results, marked with a blue 'ad' label. The rollout, first reported by 9to5Mac, began this week and will expand to more users across the US and Canada in coming weeks, following Apple's March announcement that businesses could pay for premium placement.
According to data reported to French telecom regulator Arcep as of December 31, 2025, fiber-to-the-home (FttH) networks now reach 94.9% of premises across France. The regulator's interactive map lets users check deployment status by commune and even by individual address when zoomed in at the neighborhood level.
At the Actuate conference, robotics AI builders acknowledged that while robot bodies keep improving, the underlying AI models still can't reliably perform valuable work. This gap was underscored by Unitree's stock losing nearly half its value days after its blockbuster IPO valued the Chinese robot maker at $66 billion.
OpenAI revealed its first custom AI chip, called Jalapeño, claiming it delivers industry-leading speed and efficiency for inference workloads. The chip, co-developed with Broadcom, is set to be deployed in OpenAI's own infrastructure by year-end, with two more generations already in development.
Google removed support for 32-bit apps from Android several years ago, breaking many older games. Developers behind an app called VPhoneOS have built a workaround using a virtual machine that runs Android 7 for free, letting users install and play old 32-bit titles like Wayward Souls and Bloons TD 5. Higher Android versions, 64-bit support, and ad removal are locked behind a paid VIP subscription.
Meta has reached a settlement with 29 US states that had sued the company over allegedly designing Instagram and Facebook to be addictive and harmful to minors. Reuters reports the deal could cost Meta as much as $16.68 billion and would involve 52 state attorneys general, requiring Meta to adopt default usage limits during school and nighttime hours plus stricter age verification. The agreement still needs court approval but would let Meta avoid a trial that could have forced broader industry changes.
Raspberry Pi has released an official step-by-step guide showing hobbyists how to build a cyberdeck—a custom, purpose-built computing device—using its own hardware. The reference build uses a Raspberry Pi 5, a 128GB Raspberry Pi Flash Drive, a 7-inch Raspberry Pi Touch Display 2, a Rii RK302 Bluetooth keyboard, and a Pelican-style case, with a power bank recommended over batteries for simpler wiring.
After trade talks collapsed, Canada announced tariffs of 25-50% on nearly 900 US goods, including toilet paper and tissue products, set to take effect September 8. This is retaliation for a 50% US tariff hike, and since Canada supplies $328 million worth of toilet paper to the US annually, prices are expected to climb on both sides of the border.
Bluesky announced it is extending its maximum video length from three minutes to 10 minutes, alongside a new 300MB file size cap and faster upload speeds of 2x-3x. The change also benefits third-party apps built on the AT Protocol, like Bluescreen, Reelo and Skylight, which will inherit the same longer video capability.