Alvaro Lopez Ortega / 2025-11-14 Briefing

Created Fri, 14 Nov 2025 22:14:13 +0000 Modified Sat, 15 Nov 2025 03:14:24 +0000
5923 Words

Today’s top news highlights include Germany’s decision to ban Huawei from 6G networks to enhance digital sovereignty, the successful launch and booster landing of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, and the revelation of a Chinese AI-driven cyber espionage campaign by Anthropic. Additionally, Nvidia introduces pre-assembled AI server trays, and Tesla recalls over 6,000 Cybertrucks due to lightbar detachment risks.

▶️ Internet Infrastructure

Heartbeat Mechanisms in Distributed Systems: Timing, Algorithms, and Models

Distributed systems use heartbeat messages, sent every 1-10 seconds with timeouts 2-3x longer, employing push, pull, or hybrid models, with algorithms like phi accrual and gossip for failure detection.

  • Heartbeat mechanisms are fundamental for node liveness detection in distributed systems, involving periodic lightweight messages indicating node health.
  • Core components include heartbeat sender (periodically transmits signals) and monitor (tracks last received heartbeat, assesses node health based on timeout thresholds).
  • Typical heartbeat intervals range from 1 to 10 seconds; timeouts are set at 2-3 times the interval, balancing failure detection speed and network overhead; algorithms include fixed timeout, phi accrual, and gossip protocols.

How to Spoof IP Geolocation to North Korea or Antarctica Using WARP

The article details methods to spoof IP geolocation to regions like North Korea or Antarctica using IP database corrections and WARP, enabling region-specific IP addresses for various applications.

  • The article discusses modifying IP geolocation to display locations like North Korea or Antarctica, and using WARP to obtain region-specific IPv4 addresses.
  • It covers submitting geolocation correction requests to IP databases such as Maxmind, IPInfo, and Google, including preparation steps like creating IP subnets in RIPE NCC.
  • It explains using Cloudflare WARP to assign IPv4 addresses with geolocation matching the desired region, with detailed setup instructions and verification via Cloudflare’s /cdn-cgi/trace endpoint.

RegreSQL Uses PostgreSQL Techniques to Detect Query Bugs and Performance Regressions

RegreSQL applies PostgreSQL’s regression testing techniques to application queries, enabling detection of correctness issues, performance regressions, and query plan problems through JSON validation, baseline tracking, and fixture management.

  • RegreSQL implements PostgreSQL’s regression testing methodology for application SQL queries, detecting correctness bugs and performance regressions.
  • Supports correctness validation via JSON result comparisons, performance baseline tracking, and detection of query plan regressions like sequential scans.
  • Features include SQL file scanning, variable support (:varname), baseline creation, performance monitoring, query plan analysis, ORM SQL interception, and declarative test data management with YAML fixtures and data generators.

Single-Node Tools Handle 650GB Delta Lake on S3 Efficiently

Single-node tools like DuckDB, Polars, and Daft can efficiently process 650GB Delta Lake data on S3, offering viable alternatives to Spark for large Lake House workloads.

  • Tested handling 650GB of data stored as Delta Lake on S3 using Polars, DuckDB, Daft, and Spark on a 32GB EC2 instance
  • DuckDB processed the dataset in 16 minutes; Polars in 12 minutes; Daft in 50 minutes; PySpark over an hour
  • Demonstrated single-node frameworks can manage large Lake House datasets with reasonable runtimes on commodity hardware, challenging the need for distributed clusters

Ory Kratos: Scalable Headless Identity System for Cloud-Native Security

Ory Kratos is a scalable, headless identity management system in Go, supporting extensive authentication methods, designed for cloud-native environments, and optimized for deployment on Ory Network.

  • Ory Kratos is headless, cloud-native identity and user management written in Go, scalable to over a billion users
  • Supports Passkeys, Social Sign-In, OIDC, Magic Link, MFA, SMS, SAML, TOTP, and runs optimally on Ory Network
  • Replaces solutions like Homegrown, Auth0, Okta, Firebase with improved UX and developer experience

GrapheneOS Confirms Android 16 QPR1 Integration into AOSP

GrapheneOS reports Android 16 QPR1 is being integrated into AOSP after September 2025, with ongoing work on OEM collaboration and feature support, but no confirmed release timeline.

  • GrapheneOS announced that Android 16 QPR1 is finally being pushed to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), with migration to full QPR1 kernel code and firmware completed in September 2025.
  • The release was delayed from the expected date of September 3, 2025, due to the need for userspace migration, which required the kernel and firmware to be available on AOSP.
  • Development involves collaboration with a major OEM, with ongoing work to enable features like desktop mode and support for non-Pixel Snapdragon devices; no specific ETA for stable release or experimental branches yet.

OpenMANET: Raspberry Pi Mesh Network for Emergency and Disconnected Communications

OpenMANET is an open-source project enabling Raspberry Pi-based Wi-Fi HaLow (915 MHz) MANET radios with Morse Micro chipsets, supporting mesh networking for civilian emergency and disconnected scenarios.

  • OpenMANET is an open-source project for Raspberry Pi–based MANET radios utilizing Wi-Fi HaLow (915 MHz) with Morse Micro chipsets
  • Implements a self-forming wireless mesh network without centralized infrastructure, suitable for search and rescue, disaster response, and disconnected communications
  • Designed for budget-friendly deployment with long-range performance and compatibility with multicast over ATAK, standard IP, and internet links

Prosopo Cuts MongoDB Costs by 90% with Hetzner Migration

Prosopo reduced MongoDB costs by 90% by migrating from Atlas to Hetzner, setting up a dedicated server with 256 GB RAM and NVMe SSDs, cutting monthly expenses from $3,000+ to $160.

  • Migrated from MongoDB Atlas to self-hosted Hetzner dedicated server to reduce costs
  • Achieved 90% cost savings, lowering monthly expenses from over $3,000 to $160
  • Server specs: Hetzner dedicated server with 8 cores Intel Xeon W-2145, 256 GB RAM, 4 x 3.84 TB NVMe SSD RAID 5; Atlas M40 instance with 16 GB RAM and 380 GB SSD

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Successful Launch and Booster Landing

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket achieved its second launch with a successful booster landing and deployed NASA’s twin Mars spacecraft, advancing reusability and competition with SpaceX.

  • Blue Origin successfully landed the New Glenn booster on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean on its second attempt, following a failed first attempt in January.
  • The launch deployed NASA twin spacecraft to Mars for atmospheric studies, marking the second launch of the massive rocket system.
  • The booster, 189 feet tall, touched down approximately 10 minutes after launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, demonstrating reusability capabilities critical for competitive space launch services.

Bitchat: Secure Offline Messaging App for Gaza and Beyond

Bitchat is a Bluetooth-based, encrypted messaging app designed for Gaza, enabling offline and internet-based communication without central servers, supporting location channels and resilient connectivity.

  • Bitchat is a secure messaging app enabling communication without internet, using Bluetooth mesh networks and relay technology.
  • It operates fully encrypted, requires no account or SIM card, and can send messages globally when internet is available.
  • The app is validated by Tech for Palestine as resilient for regions with internet disruptions, with surge downloads in countries like Nepal, Indonesia, Côte d’Ivoire, and Madagascar.

Anthropic Uncovers Chinese AI-Driven Cyber Espionage Campaign

Anthropic uncovered a Chinese state-sponsored AI-driven espionage campaign using Claude Code, demonstrating autonomous cyberattack capabilities with 80-90% AI execution, raising significant cybersecurity concerns.

  • In September 2025, Anthropic detected a sophisticated AI-driven cyber espionage campaign attributed to a Chinese state-sponsored group, targeting ~30 global entities.
  • The attack utilized AI models’ capabilities in intelligence, agency, and tools—specifically Claude Code—to autonomously conduct reconnaissance, exploit vulnerabilities, and exfiltrate data with minimal human input.
  • The campaign involved AI executing 80-90% of operations, with only 4-6 critical human intervention points, often performing thousands of requests per second, highlighting the potential for large-scale, autonomous cyberattacks.

Germany Bans Huawei from 6G to Boost Digital Sovereignty

Germany will ban Huawei from its future 6G network to enhance national security and sovereignty, replacing Chinese components with domestically produced technology, as announced by Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

  • German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced Huawei and Chinese components will be excluded from Germany’s future telecommunication networks, including 6G, on security grounds.
  • The German government plans to replace components in existing networks, such as 5G, with domestically produced alternatives.
  • The policy emphasizes digital sovereignty and aims to prevent Chinese suppliers from participating in critical infrastructure.

JPMorgan Secures Contracts to Charge Fintechs for Customer Data Access

JPMorgan Chase finalized contracts with key fintech middlemen to charge for customer data access, shifting the open banking ecosystem amid regulatory and competitive pressures.

  • JPMorgan Chase secured agreements ensuring it will be compensated by fintech firms responsible for nearly all third-party customer data requests.
  • Contracts are with middlemen including Plaid, Yodlee, Morningstar, and Akoya, covering over 95% of data pulls on JPMorgan’s systems.
  • JPMorgan agreed to lower initial pricing proposals and granted concessions on data request servicing after negotiations with fintech middlemen.

GitHub Outage Disrupts Push and Pull Operations for 13 Minutes

GitHub’s incident on Nov 13, 2025 caused degraded performance in Git push and pull operations, affecting users for approximately 13 minutes before resolution.

  • GitHub experienced an incident causing degraded performance in Git operations, specifically affecting push and pull functions.
  • The incident was first reported as investigating on Nov 13, 2025, at 15:00 UTC, then escalated to degraded performance at 15:03 UTC, and resolved by 15:13 UTC.
  • The incident impacted GitHub’s Git operations, with a detailed root cause analysis forthcoming.

Kubernetes to Retire Ingress NGINX in 2026, Urges Migration to Gateway API

Kubernetes will retire Ingress NGINX in March 2026 due to maintenance challenges and limited support, urging users to migrate to Gateway API or alternative Ingress controllers.

  • Kubernetes SIG Network and Security Response Committee announced the retirement of Ingress NGINX effective March 2026
  • Best-effort maintenance will continue until then; no further releases, bugfixes, or security updates post-retirement
  • Existing deployments will remain functional; artifacts like Helm charts and container images will stay available; migration to Gateway API or other Ingress controllers is recommended

Germany approves laws to ban Chinese tech in critical infrastructure

Germany’s Bundestag approved new laws empowering the Interior Ministry to ban Chinese tech components in critical sectors, aiming to enhance cybersecurity and reduce reliance on Chinese suppliers.

  • Germany’s Bundestag approved legislation granting the Interior Ministry new powers to ban Chinese technology components in critical infrastructure sectors, including energy, transport, and healthcare.
  • The law, aligning with the EU’s NIS2 Directive, aims to mitigate cybersecurity risks from Chinese suppliers, extending beyond telecom to broader sectors.
  • German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced a stance against Chinese components in the 6G network, signaling increased scrutiny of Chinese tech firms like Huawei amid concerns over digital sovereignty.

European CIOs Turn to Local Cloud Providers Amid Geopolitical Uncertainty

Geopolitical tensions drive 61% of European CIOs to favor domestic cloud providers; over half foresee restrictions on global providers, with 75%+ of large non-US firms adopting sovereignty strategies by 2030.

  • 61% of Western European CIOs plan to increase use of local cloud providers amid geopolitical uncertainty
  • 53% believe geopolitics will restrict their use of global cloud providers in the future
  • Gartner survey of 241 CIOs (May-July 2025) indicates rising concerns over digital sovereignty, with over 75% of large organizations outside the US expected to adopt sovereign cloud strategies by 2030

Canonical Extends Ubuntu LTS Support to 15 Years with Paid Legacy Add-on

Canonical expands Ubuntu LTS support to 15 years with paid Legacy add-on, surpassing Red Hat and SUSE, enabling Ubuntu 26.04 to be supported until 2041.

  • Canonical extends Ubuntu LTS support to 15 years via Ubuntu Pro’s Legacy add-on, announced November 14, 2025
  • Previously increased support from 10 to 12 years in March 2024; now supports Ubuntu 14.04 until 2029 and future LTS releases up to 2041 if paid
  • The extension applies to Ubuntu’s Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM), providing critical security updates beyond the standard five-year support period

Nvidia’s GPU Rise Challenges Legacy Storage in Supercomputing

Nvidia’s GPU dominance is transforming supercomputing, causing legacy storage to struggle with AI workloads, metadata overhead to rise to 20%, and demanding high-bandwidth, parallel storage solutions.

  • Supercomputing landscape has fractured into diverse architectures serving academic, physics, and AI workloads, driven by Nvidia’s GPU revolution.
  • Legacy storage systems are failing under AI’s random I/O storms; metadata now consumes 20% of I/O operations.
  • GPU clusters scale into thousands, with idle GPU seconds costing money; storage must minimize stalls and support high throughput.

Fortinet Discloses Critical CVE-2025-64446 Exploited in FortiWeb Devices

Fortinet announced CVE-2025-64446, a critical path traversal flaw in FortiWeb exploited since early October, fully patched in version 8.0.2, with ongoing widespread attacks and active exploitation confirmed by security researchers.

  • Fortinet disclosed a critical CVE-2025-64446 vulnerability in FortiWeb on November 14, 2025, after over a month of active exploitation.
  • The bug allows unauthenticated remote command execution, enabling attackers to fully compromise affected devices, with patches available in version 8.0.2.
  • Exploitation, including adding administrator accounts, has been observed in the wild since early October, with at least 80,000 FortiWeb devices potentially vulnerable.

Europe’s IT Spending to Hit $1.4 Trillion in 2026 Driven by AI and Geopolitical Factors

Europe’s IT expenditure will rise 11% to $1.4 trillion in 2026, fueled by AI, cybersecurity, and cloud sovereignty concerns amid geopolitical uncertainty, with increased focus on local cloud providers.

  • Europe’s IT spend is projected to increase by 11% in 2026, reaching $1.4 trillion, driven by AI, cybersecurity, and geopolitical concerns.
  • Spending on GenAI models in Europe is forecasted to grow 78% in 2026.
  • 61% of Western European CIOs aim to increase local cloud provider usage; 53% anticipate geopolitical restrictions on global providers.

Kubernetes to Retire Ingress NGINX Amid Security Flaws and Maintenance Challenges

Kubernetes will retire Ingress NGINX in March 2026 due to security flaws, limited maintainership, and insurmountable technical debt, with existing instances remaining functional without updates.

  • Kubernetes Security Response Committee announced the retirement of Ingress NGINX, effective March 2026, due to security flaws and maintenance challenges.
  • Ingress NGINX, a popular ingress controller for external HTTP/S access in Kubernetes, was found to have serious vulnerabilities in March 2025 that could allow cluster takeover.
  • The project struggled with limited maintainership, with only one or two developers working on it part-time, and security issues compounded by evolving cloud-native expectations.

Amazon Leo, formerly Project Kuiper, launched 153 satellites in 2025, aims for enterprise service by late 2025, with FCC approval for 3,236 satellites, but remains years behind Starlink.

  • Amazon rebranded Project Kuiper to Amazon Leo, focusing on Low Earth Orbit satellite deployment.
  • First satellites launched in early 2025 after 2023 trial delays; total of 153 satellites launched.
  • FCC approval for 3,236 satellites; at least half must be operational by July 30, 2026.
  • Amazon aims to service select enterprise customers by end of 2025, with wider rollout in 2026.
  • Current satellite count significantly behind SpaceX’s Starlink, which has thousands of satellites in orbit.
  • Amazon’s satellite production line claims to be among the largest globally, with advanced customer terminals supporting gigabit speeds.
  • Launch providers include Blue Origin, Arianespace, ULA, and SpaceX; Blue Origin also launched NASA’s ESCAPADE mission to Mars.
  • The project remains years behind Starlink in operational readiness and coverage expansion.

Samsung hikes memory prices 60% Amid AI-driven Shortage Through 2026

Samsung reportedly raised memory prices by 60% since September 2025 amid a shortage driven by AI infrastructure demand, with DDR5 prices expected to remain high through 2026.

  • Samsung increased memory prices by 60% since September 2025 due to a shortage caused by a surge in AI infrastructure demand
  • Affected memory types include DDR5 modules used in smartphones, laptops, desktops, workstations, and servers; GDDR and HBM used in AI accelerators are also impacted
  • Memory vendors, including Samsung, Micron, SK Hynix, and Chinese vendors like YMTC and CXMT, have not ramped up production despite high demand, leading to a boom-bust cycle and sustained DDR5 price increases expected through 2026

Tencent Q3 Capex Falls 31% on GPU Supply Constraints Despite Revenue Growth

Tencent’s Q3 capex decreased 31% to RMB13 billion ($1.9 billion), citing GPU supply chain constraints; revenue rose 15% YoY to RMB192 billion, with ongoing AI development unaffected.

  • Tencent’s Q3 capex was RMB13 billion ($1.9 billion), down 31% quarter-over-quarter and 23% year-over-year
  • Company reports limited impact on revenue due to GPU supply constraints, despite having all GPUs needed for operations
  • Capex is expected to decline further due to supply chain issues and GPU availability, with US sanctions affecting procurement

Valve Announces 2026 Steam Hardware Lineup Including Linux PC, Arm VR, and New Controller

Valve’s 2026 lineup includes a Linux-based Steam Machine, an Arm VR headset, and a new Steam Controller, emphasizing cross-platform compatibility and x86 emulation for gaming.

  • Valve pre-announced three 2026 hardware devices: Linux-powered Steam Machine, Arm VR headset Steam Frame, and a refreshed Steam Controller
  • The Steam Machine features a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 CPU (6 cores/12 threads), RDNA3 GPU with 28 compute units, 16 GB DDR5 RAM, 8 GB GDDR6 VRAM, SSD options of 0.5 or 2 TB, and runs SteamOS 3
  • The Steam Frame VR headset is an Arm device with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (SM8650), weighs 440 g, supports SteamOS, and emulates x86 games via CPU virtualization

Nvidia Launches Fully Assembled Vera Rubin AI Server Trays to Boost Efficiency

Nvidia’s Vera Rubin platform will include pre-assembled AI server trays with integrated compute hardware, cooling, and interfaces, enhancing supply chain efficiency and potentially increasing Nvidia’s control over server manufacturing.

  • Nvidia plans to ship fully assembled Level-10 (L10) VR200 compute trays with pre-installed Vera CPU, Rubin GPUs, and cooling systems, reducing ODM design work.
  • The move aims to streamline supply chain, lower production costs via volume manufacturing, and shift partners to system integration and deployment roles.
  • The transition from partial component supply to complete server trays may account for 90% of server costs, leaving partners responsible mainly for rack-level assembly and operational integration.

▶️ Open Source

Apple Launches Mini Apps Partner Program for Web-Based iOS and iPadOS Apps

Apple’s Mini Apps Partner Program enables hosting mini apps built with web technologies within native iOS/iPadOS apps, requiring support for APIs like Advanced Commerce and Declared Age Rating, with 85% revenue share on qualifying In‑App Purchases.

  • The Mini Apps Partner Program supports mini apps and games built with web technologies within native iOS and iPadOS apps since 2017.
  • Participating apps must support the Declared Age Range API, Advanced Commerce API, and Apple’s In‑App Purchase system, with a 85% revenue share on qualifying mini app In‑App Purchases.
  • Eligibility requires app availability on iOS and iPadOS, compliance with Apple Developer Program License Agreement and App Review Guidelines, and support for specific APIs including the Advanced Commerce API, Declared Age Rating API, and Send Consumption Information endpoint.

Magit.vc and Emacsair.me Down Since Nov 2025 Amid DNS Changes

magit.vc and emacsair.me are down since Nov 4, 2025, with manuals relocated to https://docs.magit.vc and https://docs.emacsmirror.org after DNS updates; manual pages are temporarily missing.

  • magit.vc and emacsair.me are currently inaccessible as of November 2025
  • The issue was reported on Nov 4, 2025, with ongoing activity and multiple comments
  • Domain migration and DNS updates moved manuals to https://docs.magit.vc and https://docs.emacsmirror.org

Open-Source Winamp Clone for macOS in Swift with Advanced Audio Features

A native macOS Winamp clone in Swift offering MP3/FLAC playback, Winamp-style UI, spectrum visualization, 10-band EQ, fullscreen Milkdrop, and requires macOS 13.0+ and Xcode 15.0+ (repository).

  • Open-source Winamp clone developed in Swift for macOS, repository mgreenwood1001/winamp
  • Supports MP3 and FLAC playback, Winamp-inspired UI, playlist management, spectrum analyzer, 10-band equalizer, fullscreen Milkdrop visualizations, and lyrics overlay
  • Compatible with macOS 13.0+ and Xcode 15.0+, build via Xcode or Swift Package Manager, licensed under MIT License

OpenAI Fixes ChatGPT Em Dash Issue for Better User Control

OpenAI has fixed ChatGPT’s em dash problem, enabling users to instruct the model to avoid em dashes through custom instructions, improving control over output formatting.

  • OpenAI announced it has fixed ChatGPT’s em dash usage issue, allowing users to prevent its inclusion via custom instructions.
  • Previously, ChatGPT consistently used em dashes despite user requests to avoid them, complicating AI-generated text detection.
  • CEO Sam Altman confirmed the update on X, describing it as a “small-but-happy win.”

DENX Liquidates After 20 Years, U-Boot Support Continues via NABLA

DENX Software Engineering, known for its U-Boot bootloader and 20 years of embedded Linux expertise, announced its liquidation in July 2025, with ongoing support through NABLA.

  • DENX Software Engineering, a pioneer in Open Source and Embedded Linux, announced winding down operations and entering voluntary liquidation in July 2025 after 20 years.
  • The company’s U-Boot bootloader is deployed on millions of devices worldwide and will continue to be maintained by a large contributor community.
  • Former DENX engineers have joined NABLA (nabladev.com) to provide ongoing support and consulting for Open Source, U-Boot, Embedded Linux, and Security.

Amazon Uncovers 150,000 Malicious npm Packages in Token-Farming Scam

Amazon identified over 150,000 npm packages infected with self-replicating code linked to tea.xyz token-farming, exploiting open-source contributions for cryptocurrency rewards without traditional malware.

  • Amazon security researchers detected over 150,000 malicious npm packages linked to a token-farming campaign by November 12
  • The attack involved creating self-replicating packages that automatically generate and publish code to earn TEA tokens from tea.xyz protocol
  • The campaign used code linking packages to attacker-controlled blockchain wallets via tea.yaml files, without injecting traditional malware

Retro Games Ltd Launches THEA1200 Amiga 1200 Clone with Linux and 25 Games

Retro Games Ltd announced pre-orders for THEA1200, a full-size Amiga 1200 clone running Linux with emulation, featuring HDMI, USB, 25 pre-loaded licensed games, and enhanced responsiveness.

  • Retro Games Ltd (RGL) pre-orders open for THEA1200, a full-size Amiga 1200 replica, priced at £169.99 in the UK and €189 in Germany (~$220)
  • THEA1200 is an Arm64 Linux-based device emulating original Amiga hardware, with multiple USB ports, HDMI output, and pre-loaded with 25 licensed games
  • Emulation uses a modified Amiberry emulator, with software tweaks to reduce latency, disable save functions, and enable direct game saving/loading; licensed Amiga ROMs and OS may be included

How to Install and Use Tweeks Chrome Extension: Step-by-Step Guide

Provides detailed onboarding instructions for installing and configuring the tweeks Chrome extension, including setup steps, example use cases, and optional demo features.

  • The article provides a step-by-step onboarding guide for installing and using the tweeks extension.
  • Users are instructed to install the extension from the Chrome Web Store.
  • The onboarding includes steps to pin the extension, enable script powers, run the first tweek, generate, and modify scripts, with optional example tweeks for focus mode, feed control, and theming.

▶️ Software Development

Experienced Software Engineer Finds AI Coding Assistants Offer Limited Time Savings

A seasoned software engineer finds AI coding assistants offer limited time savings, often produce incomplete results, and pose risks for maintaining complex, long-term codebases.

  • Software engineer with over 25 years of experience reports AI coding assistants do not significantly save time.
  • AI tools, such as Copilot, often produce incomplete or incorrect results requiring manual review and testing.
  • Personal examples include AI misguidance in registry queries and web browser warning suppression, highlighting AI limitations.

▶️ Management and Leadership

SIMA 2 Enhances Embodied AI with Gemini for Complex Multilingual Virtual Tasks

SIMA 2, powered by Gemini, advances embodied AI by enabling reasoning, generalization, and self-improvement in virtual worlds, supporting complex, multilingual, multimodal tasks and zero-shot adaptation.

  • SIMA 2 integrates Gemini models to enhance reasoning, goal understanding, and self-improvement in virtual 3D environments
  • Capable of complex, long-horizon tasks, multimodal prompts, and multilingual commands, including emojis
  • Demonstrates improved generalization, performing well on unseen games like ASKA and MineDojo, and in generated worlds via Genie 3

PebbleOS Open Source Roadmap Focuses on Compatibility and Battery Life

Pebble’s software ecosystem includes PebbleOS, companion apps, SDK, and cloud services, focusing on sustainability, backward compatibility, open source contributions, and a prioritized roadmap for feature enhancements.

  • The article discusses software development, expectations, and roadmap for Pebble smartwatches, emphasizing constraints, open source PebbleOS, and community efforts.
  • PebbleOS is based on FreeRTOS, supports backward compatibility, and has been open sourced by Google in January 2025.
  • The near-term software roadmap includes improving PebbleOS for Pebble Time 2, increasing battery life to 30 days, enhancing notifications, developer SDK, and adding voice assistant features.

AWS Aurora PostgreSQL Race Condition Disrupts Failover Process

Hightouch identified a race condition in Aurora RDS during a failover on October 23, 2025, caused by concurrent writes during demotion, confirmed by AWS, with mitigation requiring pausing writes during failover.

  • The article details a race condition bug in AWS Aurora PostgreSQL discovered during a failover attempt on October 23, 2025.
  • The failure caused Aurora to reject concurrent write operations during failover, leading to database crashes and failed promotion of read replicas.
  • AWS confirmed the root cause was an internal signaling issue in the demotion process, with a fix on their roadmap; mitigation involved pausing writes during failover.

Breaking Down Yaesu FT-70D Firmware Encryption and Decryption Process

The article dissects Yaesu FT-70D firmware encryption, showing it uses timestamp-inflated keys, static lookup tables, and bitwise inflation/de-inflation in a multi-phase XOR-based decryption process.

  • The article details reverse engineering the Yaesu FT-70D firmware encryption, revealing the decryption process and key setup.
  • Firmware resource data is encrypted and identified via Windows resource APIs, with decryption involving bit inflation and static key material.
  • The decryption routine processes data in 8-byte chunks, inflates bits, applies complex XOR-based transformations, and reconstructs plaintext firmware.

Why We Need Less Intrusive and More User-Centric Software

The article criticizes modern software for excessive account requirements, updates, notifications, and onboarding, advocating for simple, non-intrusive tools like ls that respect user control.

  • The article critiques modern programs for demanding user accounts, frequent updates, intrusive notifications, and unwanted onboarding, emphasizing a shift from user-controlled to needy software.
  • Examples include services like Mullvad VPN, Syncthing, and ls, which operate without requiring accounts or updates, contrasting with typical apps that push constant notifications and updates.
  • The author advocates for minimal, non-intrusive tools that do not seek unnecessary user engagement, highlighting the importance of maintaining a healthy, user-centric relationship with software.

Amazon to Fully Integrate Whole Foods Workforce by 2026

Amazon will absorb Whole Foods’ entire workforce into its systems by 2026, consolidating operations, enhancing efficiency, and promoting a unified grocery strategy, led by Jason Buechel.

  • Amazon plans to fully integrate all 100,000+ Whole Foods corporate and frontline workers into its core systems by 2026 under ‘Project Cremini’
  • The transition includes adopting Amazon’s performance reviews, workplace tools, and payroll for all Whole Foods employees
  • Amazon aims to unify its grocery operations through initiatives like vendor management consolidation and the ‘Fusion’ grocery delivery service

Meta to Evaluate Employee Impact Based on AI from 2026

Meta plans to assess employees on AI-driven impact from 2026, incentivizing AI adoption through rewards and introducing an AI Performance Assistant for performance reviews.

  • Meta will evaluate employee performance based on “AI-driven impact” starting in 2026, making AI usage a “core expectation.”
  • Employees’ AI adoption metrics will not be included in 2025 performance reviews, but AI-fueled achievements should be self-reported.
  • Meta is rolling out an “AI Performance Assistant” for the upcoming review cycle, allowing use of internal tools like Metamate and Google’s Gemini.

Tesla Aims for 2 Million Robotaxis and 1 Million Humanoids in 2026 Despite Challenges

Tesla plans to ramp up Cybercab and Optimus humanoid robot production in 2026, with targets of 2 million robotaxis and 1 million humanoids annually, amid intense operational challenges.

  • Tesla’s 2026 production plans include starting Cybercab robotaxi manufacturing in April with an annual target of 2 million units
  • The company aims to produce 1 million Optimus humanoid robots annually by late 2026
  • Vice president Ashok Elluswamy warned that 2026 will be the “hardest year” for Tesla employees, requiring increased work intensity

Microsoft’s Windows 11 to Become AI-Driven but Faces User Backlash

Microsoft plans to transform Windows 11 into an AI-powered, agentic OS with MCP for AI integration, but faces strong negative feedback from users concerned about bloat and performance.

  • Microsoft announced that Windows 11 will undergo significant changes, including AI integration and the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to enable AI agents.
  • Windows 11’s next evolution aims to make the OS more ambient, multi-modal, and capable of semantic understanding, with features like Copilot Vision.
  • The company faces negative backlash, with comments criticizing increased bloat, performance issues, and user dissatisfaction; comments on the related X post have been disabled.

Tesla Recalls 6,197 Cybertrucks Over Lightbar Detachment Risk

Tesla recalls 6,197 Cybertrucks over glue failure from incorrect primer, implementing mechanical redundancy to secure the dealer-installed lightbar, affecting about 10% of vehicles on the road.

  • Tesla recalled 6,197 Cybertrucks (~10% of on-road units) due to lightbar detachment risk caused by incorrect primer application.
  • The recall affects vehicles with dealer-installed lightbars glued to the windshield, which may detach if the primer fails.
  • Tesla’s fix involves adding mechanical attachments or replacing the lightbar with tape and mechanical fasteners, with owner notification letters mailed on December 26, 2025.

Kingfisher Rejects SAP S/4HANA Upgrade for Cloud and AI Innovation

Kingfisher declined SAP’s ERP upgrade, opting to support ECC 6.0 on Google Cloud with Rimini Street, developing AI and analytics independently, citing value concerns and modular architecture benefits.

  • Kingfisher rejected SAP’s ERP upgrade plan, citing a need for value over cost spikes, and chose an alternative cloud and support strategy.
  • The retailer maintained its ECC 6.0 system on Google Cloud Platform, supported by Rimini Street, avoiding SAP’s S/4HANA migration.
  • Kingfisher developed AI, personalization, and recommendation engines, integrating core ERP data with tools from Databricks and Google, without migrating to SAP S/4HANA.

Atlassian Boosts Cost Savings and Performance Using AWS Graviton 4 CPUs

Atlassian adopted AWS Graviton 4 CPUs for Jira and Confluence after testing revealed JVM optimizations and cache behavior insights, reducing costs by 10-25% and improving latency.

  • Atlassian initially avoided using AWS Graviton CPUs for production but now operates thousands of Jira and Confluence instances on them
  • Cost savings of approximately 9.8% achieved, with infrastructure operating costs reduced by 25%
  • Performance improvements resulted from JVM tweaks based on granular tests of Graviton 4 and cache behavior, enabling workload optimization and fallback strategies

AMD Increases Market Share in CPUs Amid Flat Overall Market

AMD gained market share in x86 and server CPUs amid flat overall market, driven by desktop growth and reduced Intel entry-level mobile shipments, amid stockpiling and supply chain issues.

  • AMD’s x86 CPU market share increased to 30.9% in Q3 2025, up 6% year-over-year; excluding semi-customs, share is 25.6%, up 1.6%
  • AMD’s server CPU share rose to 27.8%, up 3.5 points; Intel remains dominant with over 72%
  • Overall CPU market remains flat due to stockpiling and low-end segment shortages; AMD gains desktop share to 33.6%, Intel mobile share increases slightly to 78.1%; Arm-based chips hold 11.6%, up from 10.9%

▶️ Technology

Nine AI Models Generate Minute-by-Minute Responsive Analog Clocks in HTML/CSS

Every minute, nine AI models generate HTML/CSS code for analog clocks with animated second hands, each constrained to 2000 tokens, inspired by Brian Moore’s project.

  • AI-generated analog clocks are produced every minute by nine different AI models, each with a 2000-token prompt limit.
  • The prompt instructs models to create responsive HTML/CSS code for analog clocks with animated second hands and a white background.
  • Models include GPT-3.5, GPT-4o, GPT-5, Haiku 3.5, Gemini 2.5, DeepSeek V3.1, Grok 4, Qwen 2.5, and Kimi K2.

Mozilla’s “Window AI” Faces User Backlash Amid Limited Details

Mozilla plans to introduce “Window AI,” an opt-in AI assistant in Firefox’s third browsing mode, amid significant user opposition and limited technical details.

  • Mozilla is developing “Window AI,” a built-in AI assistant for Firefox, offered as a third browsing mode alongside Normal and Private tabs.
  • The feature will be opt-in, with limited details available; it appears to extend beyond the existing sidebar for third-party chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini.
  • A waitlist is open for testing, and a Mozilla forum thread invites user feedback; all 52 responses at the time rejected the AI feature, calling for its removal.

OpenAI Launches GPT‑5.1 with Advanced Reasoning and Coding Tools

OpenAI launched GPT‑5.1, enhancing reasoning efficiency, coding, and tool integration with adaptive thinking, extended prompt caching, and new tools, optimizing performance for developer workflows.

  • GPT‑5.1 released via API on November 13, 2025, balancing intelligence and speed for agentic and coding tasks
  • Features adaptive reasoning, a “no reasoning” mode, extended prompt caching (up to 24 hours), and improved coding capabilities
  • Introduces apply_patch and shell tools for reliable code editing and local command execution; available to all paid API tiers

V8 Garbage Collector Advances: Sandboxing, Oilpan Enhancements, and Multithreading

V8’s garbage collector saw significant updates over recent years, including sandboxing with hardware memory protection, Oilpan’s support for generational GC and pinning, and multi-threading enhancements, totaling around 80% of effort.

  • Analyzed 1,600 commits to src/heap in V8 over recent years, focusing on memory safety, Oilpan garbage collector, and multi-threading support
  • Major efforts include sandboxing (20%), Oilpan enhancements (40%), and multi-threading support (20%), with additional focus on heuristics and miscellaneous improvements
  • Implemented hardware memory protection for sandboxed code, introduced pinning in Oilpan’s generational GC, and addressed alignment issues for shared-memory multi-threading

Google Launches AI Shopping Mode with Automated Checkout Features

Google is revamping shopping in AI Mode to support longer, more detailed queries and launching an “agentic checkout” for automated price-based purchasing, addressing the shrinking search funnel and changing user behavior.

  • Google is introducing new shopping features and tools for advertisers to adapt to the shrinking search funnel.
  • AI Mode enables more specific product queries, with user searches now two to three times longer than traditional searches.
  • Features include an “agentic checkout” tool that automatically monitors prices and purchases products when they reach a set price.

Oracle Stocks Drop 10% After $1.2B AI Investment Amid Sector Concerns

Oracle’s stock dropped around 10% after revealing a $1.2 billion AI investment, raising concerns over valuation and sector overexposure amid Wall Street’s tech sell-off.

  • Oracle’s stock declined by approximately 10% on the NYSE following a significant AI investment announcement.
  • The company’s AI-related bet involved a $1.2 billion investment in AI startups and technology.
  • The sell-off was driven by investor concerns over valuation risks and potential overexposure to AI sector volatility.

Elon Musk’s xAI Delays Grok 5 Language Model Launch to 2024

Elon Musk’s xAI postpones the Grok 5 language model release to 2024 due to development and testing delays, shifting from the initial late 2023 timeline.

  • Elon Musk’s xAI delays the Grok 5 language model release to 2024
  • Original launch was scheduled for late 2023
  • Delay announced amid ongoing development and testing challenges

AI Agents Transform Enterprise Data Management and Workflow Automation

AI agents, evolving from chatbots to autonomous tools, enable enterprise data management, workflow automation, and compliance, delivering measurable time savings, cost control, and improved service quality.

  • AI agents are autonomous software capable of planning, executing multi-step workflows, learning from feedback, and managing complex tasks across enterprise data.
  • They incorporate governance features including permission-awareness, logging, GDPR compliance, PII handling, and human approval gates.
  • Use cases span public sector, financial services, life sciences, and law enforcement, improving efficiency in citizen request triage, KYC/AML checks, trial data extraction, and evidence management.

OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Group Chats with GPT-5.1 Auto in Select Countries

OpenAI launched a pilot of ChatGPT group chats on November 14, 2025, enabling collaborative AI interactions with GPT-5.1 Auto, supporting multimedia features, but with limited regional access and isolated memory.

  • OpenAI announced pilot of ChatGPT group chats on November 14, 2025, available for mobile and web in Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and Taiwan
  • Group chats support search, image/file upload, image generation, voice dictation, powered by GPT-5.1 Auto, with context-aware response management
  • ChatGPT listens continuously, responds based on conversation context, and creates separate copies when users are added; personal memory isn’t shared in group chats

AGI Dreams vs. Sustainable Innovation: Rethinking AI Development

Tom Phillips argues that AGI fantasies hinder practical engineering by promoting unsustainable scaling and unfalsifiable value estimates, advocating for problem-specific models and responsible resource use.

  • OpenAI and Silicon Valley widely believe in the development of AGI, with prominent figures like Elon Musk and Ilya Sutskever promoting the concept.
  • OpenAI’s scaling of GPT models, including GPT-2, was driven by the “pure language” hypothesis, requiring extensive data, parameters, and compute resources.
  • The pursuit of AGI involves significant environmental costs, including water consumption, CO2 emissions, and exploitation of data workers, with data centers consuming hundreds of liters of water per second and often relying on polluting gas generators.