chiprook

Tech News

September 22
Science

Tesla Reopens $50,000 Roadster Reservations Ahead of October 1 Debut

Tesla is again taking $50,000 deposits for the Roadster: $5,000 upfront plus $45,000 wired within 10 days. The production car is set to be revealed on October 1 at SpaceX's Waco, Texas test site. The first reservations opened in 2017 with promised deliveries in 2020 that never happened.

Tesla Reopens $50,000 Roadster Reservations Ahead of October 1 Debut
Policy

Civil society demands transparency in ASEAN digital economy pact

Civil society groups and digital rights advocates are urging ASEAN to publish the full text of its Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), warning the talks lack transparency. They fear provisions on cross-border data flows, source code protection and limits on data localization could weaken privacy, AI regulation and labor rights.

Civil society demands transparency in ASEAN digital economy pact
Science

Researchers validate quantum results on 96 IBM qubits for distributed systems

A protocol presented at an IEEE conference verifies whether quantum processor data stays usable when moved to classical systems. On IBM's 96-qubit Marrakesh chip, a circuit with over 6,000 gates preserved a recognizable pattern, and a quantum result triggered a PING command between two conventional computers.

Researchers validate quantum results on 96 IBM qubits for distributed systems
Software

Tesla FSD v14.3.9 Bug Triggers False Camera Cleaning Alerts

Tesla has acknowledged a software bug in FSD v14.3.9 that falsely warns of dirty front-facing cameras and demands service visits even when the windshield is clean. The company is proactively canceling scheduled cleaning appointments and advising owners not to book service; a fix is expected in a future update.

Tesla FSD v14.3.9 Bug Triggers False Camera Cleaning Alerts
Security

MojeID rolls out post-quantum digital identity security

Czech digital identity provider MojeID has launched post-quantum cryptography (PQC) protections for encrypted server communication and identity confirmation. Its MojeID Klíč app version 16.0.0, built with Wultra, adds PQC algorithms for login, and nearly half of traffic already comes from PQC-enabled browsers.

MojeID rolls out post-quantum digital identity security
Policy

Ghana Card digital wallet to enable bank transfers and mobile money payments

Ghana's national ID card will gain an e-wallet feature letting users link bank accounts and load mobile money balances. The rollout will be phased, with biometrics and a PIN securing payments. From November, compulsory biometric verification and a ban on ID photocopying take effect.

Ghana Card digital wallet to enable bank transfers and mobile money payments
Gaming

PS5 Update Turns On Enhanced PSSR by Default for PS5 Pro

A September 2026 PS5 system update added an "Enhance PSSR Image Quality" setting that is enabled automatically on PS5 Pro for sharper images. Standard PS5 consoles gained a voice chat speaker indicator and a Community Activity widget in the Welcome Hub.

PS5 Update Turns On Enhanced PSSR by Default for PS5 Pro
Gaming

Mojang reveals Minecraft Dungeons 2 lore: Illagers found the Sift dimension

Mojang unveiled the story of Minecraft Dungeons 2 at its The Last Stand creator event: three Illagers discovered a portal to the Sift dimension and weaponized its soul energy against the Overworld. Minecraft Live on September 26, 2026 at 10 AM PT will reveal the next chapter ahead of the game's September 29 launch.

Mojang reveals Minecraft Dungeons 2 lore: Illagers found the Sift dimension
Science

Rainmaker raises $100 million for cloud-seeding drones

Rainmaker, a weather-modification startup that seeds clouds to generate rain and snow, has raised $100 million in Series B funding. Its custom drones release silver iodide into clouds; August test flights in Alaska's Kenai Peninsula produced 19 million gallons of precipitation in three hours, and the company ties its flights to 145 million incremental gallons of freshwater.

Rainmaker raises $100 million for cloud-seeding drones
Security

CISA adds LiteLLM, Kestra and Starlette to exploited vulnerabilities list

In the second week of September 2026, CISA added seven CVEs to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Three target self-hosted AI infrastructure: LiteLLM (unauthenticated admin endpoint exposing all API keys), Kestra (RCE via crafted workflows) and Starlette (SSRF, the ASGI framework under FastAPI).

CISA adds LiteLLM, Kestra and Starlette to exploited vulnerabilities list
Science

Perseverance finds evidence of at least three separate water episodes on Mars

NASA's Perseverance rover found rocks at the inner edge of Jezero Crater pointing to at least three separate water episodes. Instead of expected sedimentary rocks, the Margin Unit contains carbonates and volcanic material, reshaping views of the ancient lake.

Perseverance finds evidence of at least three separate water episodes on Mars
Security

Claude and ChatGPT sessions sold for $5 on Telegram after infostealer theft

FlashPoint analyzed 44,791 stolen JWTs from a single infostealer log dump: 555 tokens belonged to AI services including Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot, and 24 API keys were still valid. Anthropic warned affected users in September 2026 that session tokens were harvested from user machines and resold for LLMjacking.

Claude and ChatGPT sessions sold for $5 on Telegram after infostealer theft
Gadgets

OnePlus 16 teased officially as leaks point to 9,000mAh battery and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro

OnePlus has revealed the design, colors and four China configurations for the OnePlus 16, including up to 16GB/1TB, a 165Hz system-wide refresh rate and ColorOS 17 on Android 17. Leaks point to a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro chip, LPDDR6 RAM, a roughly 9,000mAh battery with 100W charging and a 200MP camera. The company has confirmed it will no longer launch new products in Europe or North America.

OnePlus 16 teased officially as leaks point to 9,000mAh battery and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro
Software

Apple Notes in iOS 27 adds section links for power users

Apple Notes in iOS 27 gains section links: when adding a link, users can pick a specific heading or subheading in the note. The feature simplifies navigation in long notes and enables building a table of contents.

Apple Notes in iOS 27 adds section links for power users
Science

Spaceflight may harm reproductive system of astronauts' kids and grandkids, mouse study finds

A study of female mice that spent 42 days on the ISS found their offspring and grandoffspring produced smaller, fewer litters and had lower levels of key reproductive hormones. The second generation also showed about 15% less muscle strength. Whether the effects apply to humans remains unclear.

Spaceflight may harm reproductive system of astronauts' kids and grandkids, mouse study finds
Software

Azure Virtual Network Routing Appliance hits GA: hub routing without the NVA bottleneck

Microsoft has made Azure Virtual Network Routing Appliance generally available — a managed forwarding layer that routes traffic between VNets through a hub on dedicated networking hardware inside the Azure backbone. It comes in 10, 50, 100 and 200 Gbps tiers, does not inspect traffic and does not replace a firewall.

Azure Virtual Network Routing Appliance hits GA: hub routing without the NVA bottleneck
Gadgets

Leak: only Galaxy S27 Ultra gets 16GB RAM option

According to WalleGalaxy, all Galaxy S27 models except the Ultra will stick to 12GB of RAM. The Ultra is said to offer 12GB with 256/512GB storage and a 16GB version with 1TB. The lineup is expected to debut in early 2027.

Leak: only Galaxy S27 Ultra gets 16GB RAM option
Gadgets

Motorola Signature 27 confirmed for North American launch in coming months

Motorola has confirmed its Signature 27 flagship will arrive in North American markets in the coming months. The phone packs Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, 7 years of updates, and audio tuned by Bang & Olufsen.

Motorola Signature 27 confirmed for North American launch in coming months
Business

Apple shares hit record $339.64 on iPhone Duo and Siri AI momentum

Apple stock closed at an all-time high of $339.64 as investors reacted to the improved Siri AI and the upcoming foldable iPhone Duo. Pre-orders for the iPhone Duo begin October 16, 2026, with in-store availability from October 23; Apple reports earnings in late October.

Apple shares hit record $339.64 on iPhone Duo and Siri AI momentum
Science

2026 Volvo EX30 review: quick and stylish, but minimalism gone too far

Review of the 2026 Volvo EX30 electric crossover: priced from $40,345, up to 261 miles of range, and a 422-hp Twin Motor Performance version hitting 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. Criticized for ditching the instrument cluster and physical buttons, forcing climate and even glovebox controls onto the touchscreen.

2026 Volvo EX30 review: quick and stylish, but minimalism gone too far
Gaming

Blizzard keeps contested enemy tagging in World of Warcraft: Forever

Senior game designer Josh Greenfield said Blizzard will not add shared enemy kill credit in WoW: Forever, calling the friction "extremely important to our social pillar." The full release is set for November 4.

Blizzard keeps contested enemy tagging in World of Warcraft: Forever
Science

Final ViaSat-3 Satellite Enters Service, Completing Three-Satellite Constellation

The ViaSat-3 F2 satellite has entered service, completing Viasat's trio of high-capacity satellites. F2 covers the Americas and F3, in service since late August, covers Asia-Pacific; each adds over 1 terabit per second of capacity. F1, launched in 2023, operates at only a fraction of expected capacity due to an antenna anomaly.

Gaming

Lawsuit Forces 2K To Explain Why NBA 2K VC Can't Transfer Between Games

In an ongoing 2023 class action against 2K and Take-Two, a court has forced the publisher to explain why purchased NBA 2K virtual currency (VC) cannot carry over to the next game. NBA 2K VP Michael O'Dwyer said no technical solution exists, and the terms of service state players have no ownership rights to virtual items.

Lawsuit Forces 2K To Explain Why NBA 2K VC Can't Transfer Between Games
Policy

Judge blocks OpenAI from seeing Apple's confidential settlement with Musk's X Corp and SpaceXAI

A federal judge denied OpenAI access to the secret settlement between Apple and Elon Musk's X Corp and SpaceXAI. Judge Mark Pittman reviewed the agreement privately and found nothing relevant to the remaining claims against OpenAI. The terms stay sealed, and the case against OpenAI continues.

Judge blocks OpenAI from seeing Apple's confidential settlement with Musk's X Corp and SpaceXAI
Science

True Anomaly and Northrop Grumman to Build GHOST-R Reconnaissance Prototypes

DIU and Space Systems Command awarded True Anomaly and Northrop Grumman contracts for GHOST-R reconnaissance satellite prototypes under the RG-XX program. The spacecraft are to reach orbit by 2028 at lower cost, with Northrop promising a 24-month prototype based on its ESPASat-L bus.

AI

DOJ seeks AI legal assistant for pilot program

The US Justice Department has asked vendors for information on commercial AI legal assistant platforms. A pilot with 20–30 government users would test autonomous multi-step legal tasks and handling up to 100,000 documents per session.

DOJ seeks AI legal assistant for pilot program
Gadgets

AI glasses shipments surged 263% in H1 2026, Counterpoint says

Counterpoint Research reports global AI glasses shipments jumped 263% year over year in the first half of 2026. Meta captured 94% of the display-less segment with volumes up 260%, while the AR display segment grew 449%, led by Rokid at 41%.

AI glasses shipments surged 263% in H1 2026, Counterpoint says
Science

Europe Pushes Faster Procurement for Space Defense

At the Space and Defense & Security Summit, EDA and European Commission officials said Ukraine has accelerated a rethink of military requirements, cutting agreement times from up to 1.5 years to about six months. Key hurdles remain consensus among all 27 member states, certification and access to space, with the IRIS² program at the center.

Business

SoftBank's SB Energy delays IPO as investors question $50B+ valuation

SB Energy, SoftBank's energy unit, has delayed its IPO, originally planned for this month, as investors question the sought-after valuation of over $50B. Several data-center-related companies have also postponed offerings amid growing public backlash against energy-hungry facilities.

SoftBank's SB Energy delays IPO as investors question $50B+ valuation
Science

Neuralink Implant Lets ALS Patient Speak Again via Thoughts

Neuralink released a video showing Terry, an ALS patient and the third participant in its VOICE trial, communicating as his brain implant converts thought words into speech.

Neuralink Implant Lets ALS Patient Speak Again via Thoughts