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Deutsche Bank's analysis shows AI-related spending accounted for up to a third of UK economic growth during the first seven months of the year. The finding comes as Britain's economy has performed better than many forecasters had expected.
A new project called Sprout offers two drop-in replacement mainboards, Sprout Pico and Sprout Pi, that upgrade 3rd- and 4th-generation iPods and the iPod mini with modern connectivity. Built on Raspberry Pi RP2350 boards with a custom OS, the no-solder mods add Bluetooth audio, Wi-Fi, USB-C, expandable microSD storage up to 2TB, and support for formats like FLAC and ALAC, while keeping the original click-wheel interface. The pricier Sprout Pi version adds a Compute Module Zero for AirPlay and streaming from Apple Music or Spotify.
TSMC reported third-quarter net income of NT$763.1 billion, a 68.7% year-on-year jump, with revenue of NT$1.49 trillion, both beating analyst estimates. The company's operating margin hit 58.7%, above its own guidance, and it forecast fourth-quarter revenue of $52.3-54.3 billion, up 58% year-on-year at the midpoint.
Security researcher Azdoufal found that Energize Lab's Eiliko robot companion, which uses AI to converse with owners, stored conversation data on servers with no apparent access protections. The exposed database reportedly contained roughly 13 million conversations tied to about 68,000 active devices worldwide, including over 31,000 profiles linked to children in the US. The Verge says it purchased and tested the device, confirming a conversation was accessible almost immediately after being recorded.
Researchers from Mount Sinai, NASA and Space Tango launched up to 16 miniature engineered hearts and peppercorn-sized 'miBrain' tissue samples to the International Space Station aboard the CRS-35 resupply mission from Cape Canaveral. The organs, housed in an automated CubeLab device from Space Tango, will be monitored for how microgravity and radiation affect their electrical activity and cellular health, with arrival expected two days after launch.
Overnight Monday, attackers broke into commercial refrigeration controllers at major French grocery chains, pushing fridge and freezer temperatures up to 50°C and spoiling stock, with some incidents reportedly sparking small fires. The intrusions reportedly extended normal defrost cycles to disguise the attack as routine maintenance, and over 400 stores across France, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Germany and Belgium were affected in a single night. Two supermarkets in Alsace alone reported combined losses of roughly 270,000 euros.
South Korea's industry ministry approved a regulatory sandbox exemption allowing 20 bipedal robots from robotics firm Robros to operate alongside human workers without the barriers normally required under industrial safety rules. The robots will be deployed at Nepes, Sungwoo Hitech, HD Hyundai Samho, and Delivery Lab, performing tasks like cleaning semiconductor components, positioning car parts, stacking brackets, and moving logistics packaging. The trials will follow additional safety standards, and data from them will inform a broader revision of robot safety regulations.
Google has rolled out a US feature letting Android users install apps built in AI Studio through Google Play without publishing them publicly or using a computer. The apps remain private, invisible in search and listings, and accessible only to their creator with a standard Google account. Creators must still follow Google Play's existing policies, and the apps aren't automatically eligible for public release.
The makers of multiplayer game Big Walk announced they deliberately excluded an Xbox release as part of a boycott targeting Microsoft, citing the company's involvement with Israel. The developers said they are following the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement's designation of Microsoft and Xbox as boycott targets, and will not bring the game to the platform until that designation is lifted.
Multiple Reddit users reported that their Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, including 2nd- and 3rd-generation models, saved audio recordings and transcripts to the Meta AI app even though they hadn't said the wake phrase and had the 'Respond without Hey Meta' setting disabled. The issue reportedly appeared after a firmware update, and Meta's initial support response only suggested disabling core features like microphone permissions and automatic updates rather than explaining the cause. Meta later told users the issue 'has been resolved' without detailing what caused it.
Microsoft has fixed a known issue that caused black screens, delayed desktop loading, and Windows Explorer crashes following updates released since August, mainly on Azure Virtual Desktop hosts using FSLogix. The fix shipped in this month's Patch Tuesday cumulative updates dated October 13, 2026, with Microsoft urging affected users to install the latest update.
A growing number of employees are reportedly turning down career advancement opportunities to avoid taking on added responsibility and stress, a behavior now being labeled 'ladderdodging.' The trend reflects workers prioritizing work-life balance and mental health over climbing the traditional corporate hierarchy.