Asahi Linux lead resigns from Mac-based distro after tumultuous kernel debate

Working at the intersection of Apple’s newest hardware and Linux kernel development, for the benefit of a free distribution, was never going to be easy. But it’s been an especially hard couple of weeks for Hector Martin, project lead for Asahi Linux, capping off years of what he describes as burnout, user entitlement, and political battles within the Linux kernel community about Rust code. In a post on his site,…

February 14, 2025
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What we know about AMD and Nvidia’s imminent midrange GPU launches

The GeForce RTX 5090 and 5080 are both very fast graphics cards—if you can look past the possibility that we may have yet another power-connector-related overheating problem on our hands. But the vast majority of people (including you, discerning and tech-savvy Ars Technica reader) won’t be spending $1,000 or $2,000 (or $2,750 or whatever) on a new graphics card this generation. No, statistically, you (like most people) will probably end…

February 14, 2025
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Streaming used to make stuff networks wouldn’t. Now it wants safer bets.

There was a time when it felt like you needed a streaming subscription in order to contribute to watercooler conversations. Without Netflix, you couldn’t react to House of Cards’ latest twist. Without Hulu, you couldn’t comment on how realistic The Handmaid’s Tale felt, and you needed Prime Video to prefer The Boys over the latest Marvel movies. In the earlier days of streaming, when streaming providers were still tasked with…

February 13, 2025
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Financially motivated hackers are helping their espionage counterparts and vice versa

There’s a growing collaboration between hacking groups engaging in espionage on behalf of nation-states and those seeking financial gains through ransomware and other forms of cybercrime, researchers noted this week. There has always been some level of overlap between these two groups, but it has become more pronounced in recent years. On Tuesday, the Google-owned Mandiant security firm said the uptick comes amid tighter purse strings and as a means…

February 13, 2025
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Apple now lets you move purchases between your 25 years of accounts

Last night, Apple posted a new support document about migrating purchases between accounts, something that Apple users with long online histories have been waiting on for years, if not decades. If you have movies, music, or apps orphaned on various iTools/.Mac/MobileMe/iTunes accounts that preceded what you’re using now, you can start the fairly involved process of moving them over. “You can choose to migrate apps, music, and other content you’ve…

February 12, 2025
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An update on highly anticipated—and elusive—Micro LED displays

Micro LED has become one of the most anticipated display technologies for consumer products in recent years. Using self-emissive LEDs as pixels, the backlight-free displays combine the contrast-rich capabilities of OLED with the brightness and durability potential of LCD-LED displays, and they avoid burn-in issues. We’re often asked about the future of Micro LED and when display enthusiasts can realistically expect to own a TV or monitor with the technology….

February 12, 2025
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When software updates actually improve—instead of ruin—our favorite devices

For many, there’s a feeling of dread associated with software updates to your favorite gadget. Updates to a beloved gadget can frequently result in outrage, from obligatory complaints around bugs to selective aversions to change from Luddites and tech enthusiasts. In addition to those frustrations, there are times when gadget makers use software updates to manipulate product functionality and seriously upend owners’ abilities to use their property as expected. We’ve…

February 11, 2025
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New hack uses prompt injection to corrupt Gemini’s long-term memory

In the nascent field of AI hacking, indirect prompt injection has become a basic building block for inducing chatbots to exfiltrate sensitive data or perform other malicious actions. Developers of platforms such as Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT are generally good at plugging these security holes, but hackers keep finding new ways to poke through them again and again. On Monday, researcher Johann Rehberger demonstrated a new way to override…

February 11, 2025
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Google Chrome may soon use “AI” to replace compromised passwords

Google’s Chrome browser might soon get a useful security upgrade: detecting passwords used in data breaches and then generating and storing a better replacement. Google’s preliminary copy suggests it’s an “AI innovation,” though exactly how is unclear. Noted software digger Leopeva64 on X found a new offering in the AI settings of a very early build of Chrome. The option, “Automated password Change” (so, early stages—as to not yet get…

February 11, 2025
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OpenAI’s secret weapon against Nvidia dependence takes shape

OpenAI is entering the final stages of designing its long-rumored AI processor with the aim of decreasing the company’s dependence on Nvidia hardware, according to a Reuters report released Monday. The ChatGPT creator plans to send its chip designs to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) for fabrication within the next few months, but the chip has not yet been formally announced. The OpenAI chip’s full capabilities, technical details, and exact…

February 10, 2025
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