Code found in Android 17 QPR2 Beta 5 references an 'Unlock with Google Account' feature that would let users regain access to a locked phone using their linked Google credentials instead of performing a factory reset. Google offered a similar pattern-unlock recovery option through Android 4.4 before removing it, leaving users locked out of forgotten PINs with no option but a full wipe. The feature appears unreleased and possibly optional, suggesting Google is still testing how to implement it.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-22
A survey cited in the report shows daily AI usage among marketers climbed from 88% to 91%, yet less than half say it has meaningfully improved their results. The gap is compared to the early days of factory electrification, when productivity gains only came after work processes were redesigned around the new technology, not just when it was installed.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-21
Author and engineering leader Will Larson describes his hands-on attempt to apply the 'software factory' pattern within his organization. The post outlines his motivations and early experiences testing this approach to structuring engineering work. Larson, known for books like Staff Engineer and An Elegant Puzzle, frames this as a practical exploration rather than a finished framework.
lethain.com
· 2026-09-20
Valve's Steam Deck supports a built-in factory reset option accessible through Settings > System > Advanced, without needing a PC or USB drive. The reset process takes about 10-15 minutes and requires an internet connection if reinstalling SteamOS afterward, while microSD cards remain unaffected but should still be removed as a precaution.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-19
Crusoe, the company behind construction of one of OpenAI's largest data center projects, has closed a $3.9 billion funding round valuing it at nearly $31 billion. The company is now expanding into factory-built, smaller-scale data centers alongside its large infrastructure work.
wsj.com
· 2026-09-17
SK Hynix is in talks with Intel about producing RAM chips in the United States, according to a Reuters report citing unnamed sources. Options under discussion include leasing space at Intel's planned Ohio plant or forming a joint venture, possibly with cloud-service providers involved, though SK Hynix says no final decisions have been made.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-16
Researchers from the BASE Collaboration at CERN sealed 92 antiprotons inside a specialized ultrahigh-vacuum trap, then drove them 7.5 kilometers around the lab's grounds without losing them. The experiment, published in Nature, demonstrates that antimatter can survive real-world transport rather than staying confined to the site where it's produced.
nature.com
· 2026-09-16
AI coding startup Factory has raised $200 million in new funding, pushing its valuation past $5 billion—more than triple its previous mark. Investors in the round include Khosla Ventures, Blackstone and Marc Benioff.
wsj.com
· 2026-09-15
A researcher used AI to scan thousands of digitized construction trade journal issues dating back to the 1850s, tracking every historical attempt to automate building tasks. The analysis found that successful automation clusters into two categories: off-site factory processes like steel fabrication and precast concrete, and on-site tasks simple enough to be performed by a machine repeating the same motion along a fixed path. Nearly everything outside these two categories failed to gain lasting adoption.
construction-physics.com
· 2026-09-14
Ivo Stivoric, who holds the title 'Lt. Trouble + Maker' at Alphabet's X, the Moonshot Factory, has been named 2026 Innovative Leader of the Year. Over more than a dozen years at X, he has led varied projects including Taara's light-based wireless communication, Tapestry's electric grid mapping, Chorus's AI supply chain tracking, and Materra's AI-driven waste sorting, and holds over 90 patents.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-08
Fusion startup Realta Fusion signed a deal with utility Madison Gas and Electric to explore building a 200-megawatt fusion power plant in Wisconsin by the mid-2030s. The utility also made an undisclosed equity investment in Realta, which is converting a former Oscar Mayer factory in Madison into its research facility.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-03
A detailed community guide explains how Xiaomi 15 Ultra owners can strip down HyperOS without rooting their device, disabling telemetry, diagnostics, and bundled extension services during setup. The author recommends locking the phone on the final Android 16 build and deliberately skipping the upcoming Android 17 update, citing concerns over added tracking and AI features.
trackerninja.codeberg.page
· 2026-09-02
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