Tech Updates News

Microsoft is overhauling its Windows Insider Program, which provides early access to new Windows 11 features. The company is introducing significant changes, starting with giving testers the ability to select specific new features they want to try out, offering more control over their preview experience.

Actor Matt Ryan, who voices Edward Kenway, has confirmed he filmed new scenes for the upcoming Assassin's Creed Black Flag remake. The new content is intended to add more emotional weight and depth to the main character's personal conflicts and overall journey in the popular game.

A new survey from CIO.com shows AI remains the top priority for CIOs, but the focus has shifted. CEOs now expect technology leaders to move beyond experimentation and use AI to drive revenue, improve business resilience, and deliver tangible value across the organization, redefining the CIO's role.

The Java ecosystem received several key updates. Developments include lifecycle changes for two JDK 27 proposals and point releases for major frameworks like Quarkus and Hibernate. Spring AI reached its eighth milestone, and a new JVM-native WebAssembly runtime called Endive was introduced, expanding Java's capabilities.

Randy Pitchford, creator of the Borderlands game series, shared images of a smartwatch on social media. The device was reportedly found by a friend while scuba diving. The back of the watch is said to be labeled "Google Pixel 5," potentially revealing the unreleased wearable.

Chert, a new startup, has launched an API that allows businesses to send, receive, and automate conversations on iMessage at scale. The service aims to be a "Twilio for iMessage," enabling companies to leverage the native iOS messaging app for customer communication and build automated agents.

Spotify is expanding its audio content by introducing narrated versions of long-form magazine articles. The new format launches with over 650 articles from major publications like Rolling Stone, Wired, and Vogue, adding another layer to its existing library of music, podcasts, and audiobooks.

Smart lighting company Govee is facing scrutiny after a reader spotted a controversial book in its product imagery. Two copies of a book with 'White Supremacy' on the spine were used as decorative props in a photo on the company's website, raising questions about its review process.

The Dutch government has blocked US-based Kyndryl's acquisition of Solvinity, a Dutch IT firm that provides secure cloud services and manages the DigiD authentication app. The move highlights growing concerns in Europe over digital sovereignty and the control of critical national infrastructure by foreign companies.

NASA has announced several new missions to the Moon's South Pole, which will lay the groundwork for a permanent lunar base. The first of these, Moon Base I, is scheduled for fall 2026 and will utilize Blue Origin's Blue Moon lander, paving the way for a 2028 crewed landing.

Xreal is launching a new sub-brand, X By Xreal, with its first product being the a01 AR glasses. Priced at $299 and launching in the US in July, the glasses feature an anti-shake mode and customizable frames that can even be 3D printed by users.

Many CIOs find they can't leave their roles because they haven't prepared a successor. Their top deputies are often skilled architects but lack leadership training, a phenomenon known as the "Architect's Trap." This oversight in succession planning creates a critical leadership gap in many organizations.

Spotify has introduced a new feature allowing users to listen to narrated versions of long-form magazine articles. The initial launch includes over 650 articles in English from major publications like Rolling Stone, Wired, and Vogue, expanding its audio content beyond music and podcasts.

NASA has awarded contracts for the first components of a planned lunar base, a key step in its Artemis program. The initial awards cover two autonomous rovers designed to provide mobility for astronauts on the Moon's surface, signaling continued momentum for the ambitious long-term settlement initiative.

Financing platform Capchase has secured $200 million in a new funding round, combining $26 million in equity and a $174 million credit facility. The company provides flexible payment solutions for B2B sales, targeting software, hardware, and cybersecurity vendors to help them accelerate their sales cycles.

Salesforce has launched Headless 360, a new offering marking a significant strategic shift. The move is a response to the rise of AI agents and automated workflows, which reduce the need for users to stay within a single application. This change will impact IT architecture and budgeting.

Strava is now requiring developers to pay a subscription to access its API. The fitness platform cites the rise of zero-code AI tools and data scraping for degrading performance. This change marks a significant shift for developers building apps on Strava's data, reflecting a broader industry trend.

Valve has raised the prices for its Steam Deck OLED models. The 512GB version is now $789, up from $549, and the 1TB model is $949, up from $649. The company attributes the significant increase to rising costs for memory and storage components, but both are now in stock.

Apple released its annual fraud prevention report, stating it stopped over $2.2 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions last year. The company uses this data to highlight the value of its curated App Store, arguing its security measures and review process protect both users and developers.

Salesforce has launched Headless 360, a major architectural shift away from traditional application interfaces. The move allows AI agents, bots, and external tools to access Salesforce data directly via APIs, paving the way for new automated workflows and potential usage-based pricing models.

European tech companies are launching Euro-Office, a new open-source productivity suite, on June 9. It is designed as a sovereign alternative to Microsoft Office and Google Docs, offering governments and businesses more control over their data and software infrastructure.

China's regulators have approved the world's first invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) for use outside of clinical trials. This landmark decision signals a major market opening for deep-tech and a new era in human-computer interaction, accelerating China's position in the global biotech and hardware race.

Disney's new Star Wars movie, 'The Mandalorian and Grogu,' saw a 70% drop in its second weekend, falling to third place. It was outperformed by two horror films reportedly directed by popular YouTube creators, signaling a potential market shift in entertainment and media consumption.

Tech leaders often treat board meetings as one-way presentations, focusing too heavily on technical details. An REI CIO's experience shows the pitfall of this approach, highlighting that boards expect a strategic dialogue, not just a detailed report on roadmaps, to guide the company's direction effectively.

Amazon faces a class-action lawsuit over its 'Subscribe & Save' program. The suit alleges the company attracts customers with low initial prices, then raises them for later shipments, sometimes making the subscription more expensive than a one-time purchase.

Following widespread criticism from the tech industry and privacy advocates, the Canadian government is amending its lawful access proposal, Bill C-22. The changes aim to protect encryption standards and provide clearer rules on how companies must handle and retain user metadata for law enforcement.

Meta is introducing paid subscription plans for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp worldwide. The company is also exploring new AI, creator, and business-focused services under a unified "Meta One" subscription brand. This signals a major shift in its business model beyond advertising, with more offerings planned.

Nvidia is discontinuing its long-standing Control Panel for GeForce GPUs with driver version 610.47. Users will now need to use newer applications like the Nvidia app for managing GPU settings. This change affects anyone managing Nvidia hardware, ending the utility's nearly two-decade run.

California lawmakers are proposing an amendment to an upcoming age-verification law. The change would exempt most open-source operating systems, including major Linux distributions, following criticism from privacy advocates who warned the original rules would force decentralized projects to collect user data.

A new Java library called TamboUI aims to improve building terminal user interfaces (TUIs). Inspired by Ratatui, it offers tools from low-level drawing to high-level components. Major projects like Maven and Spring have already adopted the library, signaling its potential significance for Java developers.