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SpaceX achieves unprecedented feat in commercial space travel Two astronauts, a billionaire and an engineer, completed the first private spacewalk in orbit on Thursday outside a SpaceX capsule. They wore a new type of spacesuit in a high-risk feat once limited to astronauts from government space agencies. As part of the Polaris Dawn mission, the astronauts each spent about 10 minutes outside the Crew Dragon capsule, tethered for safety, while their two crewmates remained inside. The mission, led by Elon Musk's SpaceX, further pushed the boundaries of private space travel. Jared Isaacman, a pilot and founder of Shift4, was the first to exit, followed by SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis. Meanwhile, their crewmates Scott Poteet and Anna Menon observed from inside the capsule. Orbiting about 450 miles (730 km) above Earth, the entire spacewalk lasted one hour and 46 minutes. Isaacman, who also funded the Polaris mission, previously financed his Inspiration4 flight with SpaceX in 2021. Th...

Lucasfilm in trouble for recreating Peter Cushing's image in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story In a report by The Times, Disney subsidiary Lucasfilm is caught up in a legal battle over its controversial recreation of the late actor Peter Cushing in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The case, which continues to develop, focuses on the use of CGI technology to bring Cushing's character, Grand Moff Tarkin, back to life in the 2016 film, despite the actor's death in 1994. The lawsuit was filed by Kevin Francis, a close friend of Cushing and owner of Tyburn Film Productions. According to Francis, an agreement made in 1993 between him and Cushing granted him control over the late actor’s image and likeness. Francis claims that Lucasfilm, without seeking his authorization, digitally recreated Cushing's image in Rogue One, sparking a significant legal challenge that centers on the ethics and legality of using advanced visual effects to recreate deceased actors. Lucasfilm, however, dis...

This new tech puts AI in touch with your emotions Hume AI, a New York-based startup, has unveiled an empathic voice interface called EVI 2, a voice-to-voice foundation model designed to transform how we interact with artificial intelligence (AI). This latest development represents a significant leap forward in making AI more emotionally expressive and attuned to user emotions. By integrating with major AI platforms like Anthropic, Google, Meta, Mistral, and OpenAI, EVI 2 sets the stage for emotionally aware AI interactions. At its core, EVI 2 enables AI to communicate with a remarkably human-like quality. It can not only understand the tone of a user’s voice but also respond in kind, offering a more natural and emotionally engaging experience. What makes this model stand out is its ability to generate a wide range of emotions, accents, and even speaking styles, adapting to different personalities and preferences. EVI 2’s ability to converse fluently with users at subsecond response t...

Tech YouTuber Mrwhosetheboss unveils the world’s largest iPhone to set a new record YouTuber Arun Maini, known as Mrwhosetheboss, has built the largest smartphone replica: a giant iPhone over two meters tall. This scaled-up iPhone 15 Pro Max was created with assistance from Matthew Perks, aka DIYPerks. Growing up, I would disappear into the library for hours to read the latest Guinness World Records books, so to achieve an award myself feels absolutely surreal. - Mrwhosetheboss The phone must be fully functional, capable of scrolling, sending texts and emails, and running all standard apps. It also needs a working camera, flashlight, and charging port. “It’s a full circle moment for us. I’m incredibly proud of our team and Matt for achieving something unprecedented,” he said. Arun started posting on YouTube in 2011 and has gained a substantial following with his tech reviews. He made this giant iPhone to celebrate surpassing Apple in YouTube subscribers, a milestone he’s recently pur...

“Let Us Know When It Folds”: Samsung’s cheeky response to Apple’s Iphone 16 series launch In a fresh twist to the ongoing tech rivalry, South Korean electronics giant Samsung has reignited its playful feud with Apple. Following Apple's major product reveal at the Glowtime event on Monday, Samsung took to social media with a cheeky remark aimed at its competitor. At Apple's event, the company showcased its new iPhone 16 series along with updates to the Apple Watch Series 10, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and a refreshed AirPods lineup. The event also introduced enhancements to iOS 18, highlighting Apple's latest technological advancements. However, as the tech world buzzed with excitement over Apple's announcements, Samsung seized the opportunity to take a playful dig at Apple. On its official X (formerly Twitter) account, Samsung reposted a comment from 2022 that read, “Let us know when it folds.” This comment, aimed at Apple’s continued absence from the foldable smartphon...

YouTube adds new ‘Website Visits’ option for direct traffic in paid promotions YouTube has introduced a new feature aimed at driving traffic to websites through paid promotions, offering a “Website Visits” goal in its campaign options within YouTube Studio.  According to YouTube:   “It’s easier than ever to find your ideal audience and turn video views into site visitors. Right from YouTube, use promotions to meet your growth goals. Provide a few quick inputs like country and language targeting and you can get your ad up and running. Over time, you can start getting results and track the site visits that you’re generating on the Promotions tab in YouTube Studio.” This addition allows a more streamlined approach to increasing site traffic, offering advertisers the opportunity to measure responses more effectively while also utilising additional promotional tools.  YouTube has clarified that this new goal can be used in ads displayed on Shorts, the main feed, and skippabl...

World’s strongest battery set to revolutionise energy efficiency in future vehicles Researchers at Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology have unveiled a breakthrough in massless energy storage with the development of a structural battery. This new technology could potentially reduce the weight of laptops by half, make mobile phones as thin as a credit card, and extend the range of electric vehicles by up to 70% per charge. “We have succeeded in creating a battery made of carbon fibre composite that is as stiff as aluminium and energy-dense enough to be used commercially,” said Richa Chaudhary, lead author of the research published in Advanced Materials. “Just like a human skeleton, the battery has several functions at the same time.” Chalmers has been at the forefront of structural battery research for years, alongside collaborations with KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The group's 2018 discovery that carbon fibres could store energy as electrodes in lithium-ion batteries...

Australia to ban minors from using social media The Australian government is set to ban children from using social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, citing growing concerns about the negative impact on their physical and mental health. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans for an age verification trial ahead of new legislation aimed at enforcing the ban. Albanese said the government is considering setting the minimum age for social media use between 14 and 16 years, with a focus on getting children "off their phones and onto the footy field." "Parents are worried sick about their kids' use of social media," Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "We are taking this action because enough is enough." The opposition leader, Peter Dutton of the Liberal Party, has previously backed a similar ban for those under 16. Australia's move follows similar initiatives in countries like China and France, which have imposed res...

Apple unveils iPhone 16 amidst Huawei's surprise triple-folding smartphone release Apple on Monday kicked off an event to unveil its iPhone 16 and lay out artificial-intelligence features of the flagship device, although Apple could be upstaged by a triple-folding smartphone unofficially released by China’s Huawei hours earlier. Apple’s event at the tech giant’s Apple Park headquarters started at 10 a.m. PDT (1700 GMT). Huawei has scheduled an official announcement of its Mate XT phone on Tuesday in China. The Chinese company’s website showed on Monday that it had garnered more than 3 million pre-orders for its Z-shaped tri-fold phone. This underscores Huawei’s ability to navigate US sanctions and solidifies its position against Apple in China, where consumers are hankering for more AI features and are willing to pay for them. “The Chinese market is hungrier for AI features than the US market,” said Ben Bajarin, CEO and principal analyst at Creative Strategies. For Apple, “it wil...

ChatGPT outperforms trainee doctors in diagnosing respiratory diseases ChatGPT has outperformed trainee doctors in evaluating complex respiratory cases, including cystic fibrosis, asthma, and chest infections, according to a study presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Vienna. The research, led by Dr. Manjith Narayanan of the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh, highlighted that Google's Bard also exceeded trainee performance in certain areas, while Microsoft’s Bing matched trainees' abilities. Dr. Narayanan explained, “Large language models, like ChatGPT, have come into prominence in the last year and a half with their ability to seemingly understand natural language and provide responses that can adequately simulate a human-like conversation. These tools have several potential applications in medicine. My motivation to carry out this research was to assess how well LLMs are able to assist clinicians in real life.” The study use...

OpenAI reaches 1 million business users In a significant milestone, OpenAI’s paid business offerings—ChatGPT Enterprise, Team, and Edu—have reached one million paying users. This growth represents a rapid rise from the 600,000 users recorded in April this year and is a clear indication of the widespread adoption of AI-powered tools across industries. The milestone reflects the increasing demand for business-centric AI solutions as organizations look to transform operations and improve productivity. In January, Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s chief operating officer, reported that ChatGPT Enterprise—the company’s flagship business product—was already gaining traction, with 150,000 users from 260 organizations. Today, with the broader lineup including ChatGPT Team and ChatGPT Edu, OpenAI's business ecosystem has flourished. Beyond user growth, OpenAI is also tracking how businesses are leveraging ChatGPT’s capabilities to boost productivity. A recent survey of 4,700 business users revealed...

Ride service launched for women, transpersons An online ride service for women and transgender people has been introduced in the city. All the drivers and customers of the 'SheDrives' service will be women or transgender persons. The CEO of the service, Ammaz Farooqi, told The Express Tribune, "We have been working for a long time to empower the transgender community. We are working on the first gender guardian school project in Pakistan to skill and educate transgender individuals. Now, we have started a service called SheDrives to address transportation issues faced by women and transgender individuals." He said women and transgender people who know how to drive a bike, car or rickshaw may register with the service. He said the service would place a high emphasis on the security of women and transgender individuals. The app includes a "help" option. If a customer or rider feels unsafe in any way, they can quietly press the help button, which will immedia...

New iPhone to feature Arm chip technology for AI, FT reports Apple’s  latest iPhone with its A18 chip, which is set to be unveiled at an event on Monday, has been developed using SoftBank -owned Arm’s newest V9 chip design, the Financial Times newspaper reported on Saturday. Apple is set to host its fall event on Sept. 9 at its headquarters in Cupertino, California, where it will likely unveil a series of new iPhones and updates to other devices and apps. Apple signed a deal with Arm in September last year that "extends beyond 2040" in a boost for Arm for chip technology. Arm had said in July that its V9 chip accounts for 50% of smartphone revenue. Arm owns the intellectual property behind the computing architecture for most of the world's smartphones, which it licenses to Apple and many others. Apple uses Arm's technology in the process of designing its own custom chips for its iPhones, iPads and Macs. The two companies have a long history - Apple was one of the in...

Apple's AI breakthroughs: Preview of expected AI features Apple Incs fall event is scheduled for September 9 at its Cupertino, California headquarters where the company is expected to showcase new iPhones, along with updates to other devices and apps. This launch is pivotal for Apple as it seeks to counteract a global sales decline, especially in China, and outline its artificial intelligence (AI) strategy. Known for its cautious approach to AI, Apple is now advancing features to compete with tech giants like Google and Microsoft. During its June developers conference, Apple revealed several AI advancements under the "Apple Intelligence" initiative, including an upgraded Siri and integration with ChatGPT. Here is a look at all the features that we are expecting Apple to launch and incoorporate into its products soon. Enhanced Siri with GPT-4o integration A significant update is the transformation of Siri into a more conversational assistant. Integrated with OpenAI's...

SpaceX starship explosion creates temporary hole in Earth's atmosphere A recent study has revealed that the explosion of SpaceX's Starship rocket on November 18 caused a temporary hole in Earth's ionosphere. The rocket, which exploded twice during its ascent from Boca Chica, Texas, sent powerful shock waves through the upper atmosphere, creating a disruption in the ionosphere— a region filled with charged particles. The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, found that the blast temporarily neutralised the charge of nearby particles, creating a hole that spanned up to 1,200 miles. This is the first documented case of a non-chemical ionospheric hole formed by a man-made explosion. Fortunately, the hole closed within 30 to 40 minutes. Researchers were surprised by the size of the disturbance, raising questions about the underlying atmospheric processes involved. The findings offer valuable insights into how the ionosphere responds to such disruptions, both natura...

Indian student creates world’s smallest vacuum cleaner from a pen A 23-year-old Indian student, Tapala Nadamuni, has reclaimed a Guinness World Record by designing the world’s smallest vacuum cleaner, measuring just 0.65 cm (0.25 in), smaller than the width of a pinkie fingernail. This new creation breaks the previous record set in 2022, which was 0.2 cm larger.   Tapala, who first held the title in 2020 with a 1.76 cm vacuum, spent two years and two failed attempts trying to regain his title. “I came with a completely new design,” he explained, after preparing over 50 schematic diagrams to ensure the vacuum met strict criteria. The device, built primarily from a ballpoint pen, includes a tiny fan powered by a four-volt motor, generating suction capable of picking up dust particles.   The project cost around 20,000 rupees (£181; $238), and Tapala shared his excitement in reclaiming the title, saying, “All the students in our college were amazed at this tiny vacuum cleaner, a...

Boeing’s Starliner completes key uncrewed return, facing $1.6b in space struggles Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday, completing a crucial test mission without astronauts on board.  NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who first flew the Starliner in June, remained on the ISS along with seven others, as the spacecraft autonomously departed at 6:04 p.m. ET (2204 GMT) for a six-hour journey back to Earth. Initially scheduled as an eight-day test, the mission was extended to eight months due to technical problems with Starliner’s propulsion system. While Starliner was stocked with food and supplies, Wilmore and Williams will now return on a SpaceX spacecraft in February 2025, according to NASA's recent update. In preparation for the spacecraft's return, Boeing engineers installed new software to enable Starliner to make the journey back without a crew. This return is considered a crucial test of the spacecraft...

Google enhances virtual try-on with expanded clothing options Google is expanding its Virtual Try-On tool to include more clothing options, as it continues to refine its AI technology to offer more accurate depictions of how items will look on different body types. Originally launched last year for men’s and women’s tops, the Virtual Try-On feature uses artificial intelligence to show how garments fit on a variety of body types, right down to the “shadows, wrinkles and draping,” improving the online shopping experience. The latest update expands the feature to dresses, allowing shoppers to visualise how different styles might look on real models of various sizes. As Google explained, “If you’re in the U.S, simply search for dresses on Search and click any style that includes a 'try on' badge. From there, you can see what that garment looks like on a diverse set of real models, ranging in sizes from XXS-XXXL. Select a model that resonates with you to get a better sense of how ...

YouTube enhances deepfake detection to combat AI misuse YouTube is ramping up its efforts to tackle the growing threat of AI-generated deepfakes by introducing new detection technologies. These advancements will alert creators and publishers whenever their face or voice is used in another video, aiming to curb misrepresentation and misinformation on the platform. As the use of generative AI surges, deepfakes have increasingly portrayed artists and politicians through computer-generated replicas. In response, YouTube has developed a "synthetic-singing identification technology" that will allow creators and publishers to detect and manage AI-generated content simulating their singing voices. The company explained, “This technology uses audio matching to highlight likely fakes and copies, enabling artists and publishers to better manage false depictions of their work.” The move has been welcomed by the music industry, which has long battled copyright violations. Many music pub...

US boosts testing for new mpox strain, ensures vaccines at local pharmacies The United States has beefed up testing and surveillance for a new strain of mpox and has ensured that vaccines are readily available at local pharmacies and community health centers, senior administration officials said in a briefing on Friday. No cases of the more transmissible strain of the virus have been confirmed in the United States, but experts are preparing for that possibility following a World Health Organization declaration last month of a global public health emergency, the second such declaration in two years. The new strain, called clade Ib, has caused a major surge in cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has spilled over to several neighboring countries. Travel-related cases have been confirmed in both Sweden and Thailand. In a briefing on Friday, senior US administration officials said any American doctor can now order an mpox test, which can be processed through national laborato...

European regulators tighten grip on Big Tech European regulators have launched a series of investigations into Big Tech in recent years. Here are some of the actions taken: Digital markets act The European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into effect in 2022, aiming to rein in the power of Big Tech and ensure a level playing field for smaller rivals. The European Commission, which acts as the EU competition watchdog, charged Meta in July for failing to comply with the DMA in its new pay or consent advertising model. It has also started three investigations into Apple and one into Alphabet's Google over possible breaches. In September 2023, the EU named 22 so-called "gatekeeper" services run by Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft and TikTok-owner ByteDance, giving them six months to comply with the provisions of the DMA. Meta and TikTok appealed against the gatekeeper status in November, with the latter losing a bid to suspend its designation in February. ...

Telegram CEO Durov slams France's 'surprising' and 'misguided' charges Telegram's founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, has publicly criticised the French government's decision to arrest and charge him over extremist and illegal content on his platform. In his first statement since his arrest in late August, Durov expressed surprise at being held accountable for user-generated content, labeling the charges as "misguided." In a detailed post on Telegram, Durov rejected accusations that the platform is a haven for anarchic content. He emphasised that Telegram removes "millions of harmful posts and channels" daily, and stated that the platform cooperates with authorities, including assisting French officials in setting up a hotline to counter terrorism. Durov acknowledged that Telegram's rapid growth—now serving 950 million users worldwide—has posed challenges in content moderation. He pledged to improve the platform's safety measures whil...

Elon Musk challenges suspension of X in Brazil Elon Musk and the social media platform X are intensifying their opposition to a recent suspension by the Brazilian Supreme Court, led by Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The suspension was implemented after X failed to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, necessary for handling content moderation requests under Brazilian law. Musk has resisted complying with de Moraes' orders to remove disinformation, leading to the platform's ban. Musk and X have mobilised their resources to criticise de Moraes, alleging that his actions undermine democratic principles and free speech. This includes the creation of the “Alexandre Files” account on X, which has been used to share documents and posts criticizing de Moraes' judicial decisions. The account has gained significant attention, accumulating over 124 million views and 377,000 followers. Some of the shared documents contained sensitive personal information, leading to concerns about ...

Meta oversight board rules phrase 'From the River to the Sea' not hate speech Meta's content moderation board has ruled in favour of permitting Facebook posts that feature the phrase "From the River to the Sea," a slogan often associated with Palestinian solidarity. The board's decision follows a review of three posts containing the phrase, concluding that banning it outright would infringe upon free speech rights. After a thorough review, the board determined that the posts did not breach Meta’s hate speech or incitement policies. The slogan refers to the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, encompassing Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Critics have argued that the phrase can be interpreted as antisemitic, while supporters view it as a legitimate form of advocacy for Palestinian rights. Meta’s independent oversight board acknowledged the complexity of the slogan, noting that it carries different meanings depending on the contex...

Google launches initiative to produce 0.5m Chromebooks in Pakistan Global tech giant Google announced a significant initiative to manufacture 500,000 Chromebooks in Pakistan on Thursday.  The launch ceremony, held in Islamabad, was marked by presenting the first Chromebook to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. President of Google Asia Pacific Scott Beaumont presented the device to the PM. Farhan Qureshi, Google's Regional Director for Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, emphasised that focusing on technology would stimulate economic activity in Pakistan. He pointed out the vast opportunities for freelancers in various tech fields to thrive and contribute to the country’s progress. In his address at the event, PM Shehbaz commended Google's contributions globally and within Pakistan. He stressed the potential of the country’s youth in the field of Information Technology (IT), noting their capability to drive Pakistan's economic development. The prime minister called on federal...