Tech Trends 📰

Chrome’s Android app will now let you zoom in on text without affecting the webpage

Chrome for Android now lets users zoom in on just the text using a slider without affecting the page layout.. Chrome’s desktop version can now automatically recognize text in scanned PDFs, making it easier to highlight, copy, or use screen readers.. Google’s TalkBack screenreader on Android now supports follow-up questions about images, like identifying colors or objects.. A new feature called Expressive Captions uses AI to show real-time captions that reflect how something is said, including emotional expressions.. Expressive Captions also adds support for non-verbal sounds like whistling or throat clearing, rolling out in English on Android 15+ in select countries..

Intel has limited customer commitments for latest chip manufacturing tech, CFO says

Intel's upcoming chip manufacturing tech has received only a small volume of confirmed customer commitments, according to CFO David Zinsner.. Big companies like Nvidia and Broadcom are testing Intel’s chip production, but many customers drop out after initial test phases.. Intel’s foundry business, which manufactures chips for external clients, aims to break even by 2027, needing billions in external revenue to do so.. Despite $4.7 billion in foundry revenue last quarter, most of it still comes from chips made for Intel’s own use.. New CEO Lip-Bu Tan is focusing on streamlining Intel’s operations, selling off non-core assets, but is not planning major strategic shifts..

Vibe-coding startup Windsurf launches in-house AI models | TechCrunch

Windsurf has launched its own AI models named SWE-1, SWE-1-lite, and SWE-1-mini, built for the full software engineering process, not just coding.. SWE-1 will be available only to paid users, while SWE-1-lite and SWE-1-mini will be accessible to both free and paid users.. SWE-1 performs comparably to GPT-4.1 and Claude 3.5 Sonnet but falls behind newer models like Claude 3.7.. Windsurf is shifting from relying on third-party AI models to building its own, expanding beyond just application development..

Windows Is Under Attack, Microsoft Confirms — Act Now, CISA Warns

Microsoft has confirmed multiple zero-day vulnerabilities in Windows that are actively being exploited before patches were released.. The most critical flaw, CVE-2025-30397, affects all Windows versions and allows remote code execution through the Windows scripting engine.. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability can happen via Internet Explorer Mode in Microsoft Edge, commonly used in enterprise systems.. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued an urgent warning advising immediate patching.. Security experts stress this issue is high-risk despite Microsoft rating it "important," and urge all users to update without delay..

Tech giant Seagate sees hard drive capacity tripling by 2030 on booming AI demand

BS Teh, Seagate’s chief commercial officer, told CNBC that the company is aiming to launch a 100-terabyte hard drive by 2030.. The largest hard disk drive Seagate currently produces is the 36-terabyte Exos M model, which it launched in January.. Seagate has been touting itself as more of an artificial intelligence player in recent years amid the rise of foundational models like those being developed by OpenAI..

Google's Gemini chatbot can now more easily analyze GitHub projects | TechCrunch

Google Gemini can now connect to GitHub, but only for users on the $20/month Gemini Advanced plan.. Users can import code by pasting a GitHub URL, allowing Gemini to analyze, debug, and explain the code.. This update comes right after OpenAI launched a similar GitHub connector for ChatGPT deep research.. AI companies like Google and OpenAI are racing to add new features to stay competitive in the growing AI market..

Using AI tools like ChatGPT at work may harm your reputation, study finds | The Express Tribune

A Duke University study found that using AI tools like ChatGPT at work may make colleagues see you as lazy or less competent.. In experiments with over 4,400 people, AI users were viewed as less hireable and more replaceable.. Managers unfamiliar with AI were less likely to hire candidates who regularly used it.. The negative perception was reduced when AI use was clearly tied to the job’s needs.. Many employees hide their AI usage at work, earning them the nickname “secret cyborgs.”.

Google is adding new device-level features for its Advanced Protection program | TechCrunch

Google is adding new device-level security features to its Advanced Protection Program with the Android 16 release.. Device logs will be stored with end-to-end encryption in the cloud for threat analysis.. A new USB protection feature allows only charging when the device is locked—no data transfer.. Devices will auto-restart if locked for 72 hours continuously.. Advanced Protection will block auto-connection to insecure Wi-Fi and detect potential scam calls in real time..

Cisco shows quantum networking chip, opens new lab

Cisco unveiled a prototype quantum networking chip designed to connect smaller quantum computers into larger systems.. The company opened a new quantum computing lab in Santa Monica, California to advance research in the field.. The chip uses quantum entanglement of photon pairs to enable instant communication between quantum computers, no matter how far apart they are.. Although it's not commercially ready, the chip could have practical uses in areas like financial trade timing and meteorite detection.. Unlike other tech giants focusing on building qubits, Cisco is working on linking quantum systems together through networking..

Veriam Launches Fully Integrated Platform for Identity, Access, Subscriptions, and Contracting

Veriam launched a fully integrated platform for identity, access, subscriptions, and billing.. It reduces integration code by 99 percent, helping businesses boost conversions.. Users get a single login for all services, improving security and experience.. Startups can access the platform for free, with only transaction fees applied..

Grok AI Can Now Answer Your Queries Right in X Replies

Grok can now be used in replies on X. Users can tag @grok in top-level replies to ask questions about the post.. Grok understands context and media. It can analyze text, images, and videos, and respond even to vague prompts like “explain this.”. It provides real-time answers using web search.. Tagging works only in top-level comments, not in replies to other replies..

Microsoft Is Shutting Down Skype Today: Here's All You Need to Know

Skype shuts down after 20+ years; Microsoft is replacing it with Microsoft Teams.. Users can log in to Teams using their Skype credentials, and chats/contacts will be migrated automatically.. Paid features like Skype Credit and subscriptions will be discontinued; users can use existing credits until they're exhausted.. Data migration is available until January 2026; after that, Skype data will be deleted..