Silicon Roundabout
Code fixers have fired up the AI warp drive. Strange new worlds await
It is the best of times, it is the worst of times – especially if your job is keeping systems patched and up to date. Microsoft has gone from 60-90 Windows security fixes per month last year to a record of 600+ this July. Oracle and Linux are follow...
Black Hat and DEF CON are AI conferences now, too
KETTLE Our cybersecurity editor Jessica Lyons spent last week in Las Vegas for the Black Hat and DEF CON security conferences, and at both events there was only one thing on everyone's mind: AI agents and their growing threat to cybersecurity defend...
I've tested dozens of tablets - this $300 TCL is a back-to-school powerhouse
The Tab A1 Plus Nxtpaper is a new offering from TCL that has arrived just in time to become a partner for school productivity.
Part didn't fit so techie got out his screwdriver. Then something flew off the motherboard
WHO, ME? Is it a mistake to return to work on Monday? While you ponder that question, pause a minute to read this installment of "Who, Me?" – The Register's week-opening column that shares your stories of workplace errors and escapes. This week, me...
Linux 7.2 debuts, Linus Torvalds says ‘new normal’ means he had to do it now ... or never?
Linus Torvalds has decided version 7.2 of the Linux kernel is ready for release, albeit in a “new normal” state that he seems not to entirely love. The kernel boss announced the debut of a new kernel in his weekly development status update, which on...
What domain registrations tell us about how British businesses get online
Every domain registration starts with a decision – business idea, a rebrand, a new project. At Fasthosts, we've helped UK businesses get online for over 25 years, and when you look at the data behind those decisions, there’s some i...
Microsoft blames AI for delayed Exchange update, can’t say when it will arrive
Microsoft has blamed extra work created by AI bug-finders for the delayed release of a major Cumulative Update to Exchange Server Subscription Edition (SE). Redmond’s Exchange team made that admission last Thursday in a post titled “Where is Exchang...
I’m hooked on Peak Design’s new City bags
Integrated BagLev hooks keep Peak Design’s City Line crossbody bag and backpack off the dirty ground. | Photo by Thomas Ricker / The Verge It's just a hook, sewn into a bag, but I really, really like it. Peak Design is so proud of its clever i...
Chinese AI company Zhipu claims its new model is a better bug-finder than Anthropic, OpenAI
ASIA IN BRIEF Chinese company Zhipu last week launched a new AI model called GLM-5.3 that it claims has bug-finding powers that match those possessed by American models. The company’s announcement includes benchmark data that finds GLM-5.3 beats Fab...
OpenAI reportedly disbanded its preparedness team
According to the Financial Times, OpenAI disbanded its preparedness team at the end of last month. The job of the preparedness team was to assess if models posed serious risks and develop ways to mitigate those risks. (You know, like the possib...
Open Mike Eagle and Kenny Segal crafted a hip hop breakup masterpiece
In every possible universe? | Image: Backwoodz Studioz "Breakups are… tough."It's the opening lines of an interlude towards the end of DOOMED! Called "It Happens in Every Universe." It's also basically the thesis of the entire record. It's no...
The Pixel's new 'HiLight' reminds me of the golden days of Android phones
Google's new LED feature on the Pixel 11 Pro models pays homage to classic notification LEDs, but so far it's subtle.
Amazon is trying to crush class-action suits before they get started
On Friday, Amazon customers received an email alerting them to an update to the site's terms and conditions. Most notably, it stated that disputes would now be resolved through arbitration and said users agree to a class action waiver. Amazon f...
Stopping a cyberattack while walking your dog - defensive AI security CEO says it's not ruff to do
Corma CEO Alon Pluda says his AI security startup aims to close the "defense gap," where models are better at offensive security. He tells the story of one customer, a security executive who was walking his dog when he received a notification on his...
ChatGPT’s Computer History tracks your clicks and keystrokes
ChatGPT's desktop app on macOS has a new feature called Computer History that turns your actions into training data, learning how you work, suggesting automations, and even picking up tasks you left half done. It uses your activity to build a t...
Google Pixel 11 vs. Pixel 9: Why I'm considering the upgrade this year
If you didn't upgrade last year (or the year before), there's a good case to be made for the new Pixel 11.
The what, why, and how of pull requests and source comments
Veteran Microsoft engineer Raymond Chen has weighed in on the difference between a pull request description and comments embedded in the code. Both matter, but they serve very different purposes. As Chen noted on his The Old New Thing dev blog: "The...
Rogue AI aren’t science fiction anymore
This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on AI safety, follow Robert Hart. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepbackhere.How it started I...
Polaroid’s tiny instant camera is $72 and includes a free pack of film
The compact Polaroid Go is great for road trips and adventures. | Image: Polaroid Smartphone cameras are convenient, but they lack the charm of analog instant cameras. If you’re trying to relive the nostalgia of waiting for an instant photo to...
Matt Groening lets slip that Simpsons: Hit & Run might be making a comeback
Doh! | Image: Activision / 20th Century Fox At D23, when asked about the potential for a sequel to the cult classic The Simpsons: Hit & Run game, Matt Groening replied, "I think the original game is coming back in some form," before curren...