Talk Fuse

    Software

    Software encompasses the digital tools, applications and systems that power modern life, from the artificial intelligence models reshaping how we work and create to the open-source projects offering alternatives to established platforms. This section covers developments across the full software landscape, including advances in machine learning, developer tools and infrastructure, cybersecurity concerns, and the underlying technologies that connect our digital world.

    The software industry is experiencing rapid evolution driven by artificial intelligence. Major technology companies are integrating new capabilities into widely-used applications, from interactive diagrams in chatbots to local file access in AI assistants. Simultaneously, developers continue building open-source alternatives to commercial software, whilst internet infrastructure providers work to expand the ecosystem of domain names and digital resources available online.

    Software developments matter to readers because they directly shape how we interact with technology daily, influence the tools available to businesses and creators, and raise important questions about security, privacy and competition in the digital economy. Whether through new features in familiar applications, emerging cybersecurity risks, or funding trends affecting startup innovation, software news determines how technology evolves and who benefits from it.

    • Zelenskyy warns airlines Russian airspace is unsafe

      Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned airlines, insurers and operators still using Russian airports that the country’s airspace is becoming “completely unsafe”, citing the growing number of Ukrainian attack drones striking deep inside Russian territory. Vladimir Putin responded angrily, calling the warning “state terrorism” and insisting “negotiations are not conducted with terrorists”, while confirming Russian forces have…

    • Microsoft will stop finishing your sentences in Word and Outlook

      Microsoft is switching off the predictive text feature in Word and Outlook by default, having concluded that unwanted suggestions can hinder rather than help some users. The change affects Word for Windows, the web, iOS and Android, as well as classic Outlook for Windows and Mac; the feature itself will remain available but users will…

    • Firefox and Thunderbird hit the fortnightly release treadmill

      Mozilla has released Firefox 155 and Thunderbird 155 as both projects switch to a fortnightly release schedule, meaning updates will now land roughly every two weeks rather than the previous slower cadence. Mozilla announced the accelerated pace for Firefox in July, with MZLA subsequently confirming Thunderbird would follow suit; users who dislike frequent updates are…

    • Legacy Lenovo login opens 5,000 Dropbox accounts to attackers

      Dropbox has warned roughly 5,000 users that attackers hijacked their accounts by exploiting a legacy login integration with Lenovo. The flaw stemmed from a weakness in Lenovo’s email verification process, which let attackers register Lenovo IDs using victims’ Dropbox email addresses and then use those IDs to log straight into the corresponding Dropbox accounts without…

    • Square Enix denies it’s going private following Japanese reports to the contrary

      Square Enix, the Japanese publisher behind Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts and Dragon Quest, publicly denied it was planning to go private, after a report in Japanese business magazine Sentaku claimed the company was exploring the move with support from foreign investment funds. The report sent Square Enix’s Tokyo Stock Exchange shares up by between seven…

    • Offshoots of cancelled TrueNAS Core upgrade to FreeBSD 15

      Two independent projects have emerged to keep TrueNAS Core-based network storage systems alive on the latest FreeBSD codebase, filling a gap left after developer iXsystems discontinued its FreeBSD-based NAS operating system in 2024 in favour of the Linux-based TrueNAS SCALE. This matters to users who value FreeBSD’s tight integration with the ZFS filesystem, particularly on…

    • UK government does not know what datacentres are being used for, FoI request shows

      The UK government has admitted it does not know what the country’s largest datacentres are actually being used for, according to a freedom of information request, fuelling concerns about transparency as the AI-driven construction boom continues. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (since dissolved) said it did not hold the requested information, prompting criticism…

    • The Army just used a 20-kilowatt laser to take out three drones

      The US Army has used a high-energy laser weapon to destroy three drones near the US-Mexico border, in an operation described by officials as necessary to protect military personnel and Customs and Border Patrol partners. The strike, carried out by the Joint Task Force Southern Border under US Northern Command, marks a notable field use…

    • British banks in crosshairs as pressure mounts on Burnham to tax profits

      Chancellor John Healey is reportedly weighing a windfall tax on banks and oil companies for his late-October budget, the first under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, as he looks for ways to fund support for households facing rising energy bills. Britain’s four biggest lenders – HSBC, NatWest, Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group – have made £200bn…

    • Microsoft update disarms Outlook and Teams on Arm PCs

      Microsoft has confirmed that its August 2026 security update is preventing the new Outlook and Teams apps from launching reliably on Arm-based Windows devices, including Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7. The company acknowledged the fault on 1 September and added it to its Windows release health dashboard, noting it primarily affects new or…