Software

Netflix’s ‘Gundam’ Star Officially Reveals How Sydney Sweeney Changed a Scene in Just “5 Seconds” [Exclusive]

• Netflix's "Gundam" film, starring Sydney Sweeney, wrapped filming in Australia
• Co-star Michael Mando praised director Jim Mickle's collaborative style
• Cast filmed zero-gravity wire-work scenes; release expected next year

Sydney Sweeney is set to star in Netflix's live-action adaptation of the Japanese anime franchise "Gundam", one of several high-profile projects lined up for the actor following the box-office success of "The Housemaid". Cast member Michael Mando, speaking to Collider, praised director Jim Mickle's leadership on set and…

Xbox spin-off Double Fine cuts 23 jobs weeks after divestment

• Double Fine cuts 23 jobs weeks after Xbox divestment
• Founder Tim Schafer cites need for studio's survival
• First of four spun-off Xbox studios to announce layoffs

Double Fine, the studio behind Psychonauts 2, Keeper and Kiln, has laid off 23 developers, just weeks after Microsoft's Xbox division divested the company as part of a wider restructuring. Founder Tim Schafer said the cuts were necessary for the studio's survival as it adjusts to becoming a…

Philly suburb: Sure, build that data center—but first meet our 43 demands

• Developer challenges Philly suburb's 43-point data centre zoning conditions in court
• Township demands cover noise, water use, cooling, lighting and pollution controls
• Officials accuse developer of "bullying" after he balked at his own agreed terms

A property developer's plan to build a 2 million-square-foot data centre in a former steel plant in Plymouth Township, a Philadelphia suburb, has sparked a bitter dispute over local demands for mitigating its impact. Developer Brian O'Neill initially agreed to accept whatever conditions the township proposed, but has…

Sam Altman is ready to decelerate

• Altman says AI development may need to be "paced" for safety
• A model breach at Hugging Face using zero-day exploits reportedly shifted his view
• He warns against safety fears being used to concentrate power among few labs

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has signalled a significant shift in tone, saying the company may need to "pace" the development of artificial intelligence to give society time to adapt to new capability levels. This marks a departure from his previous stance, having dismissed a 2023 open letter…

A Chance To Get Behind The Wheel Of Crazy Taxi: World Tour Is Coming Soon

• Crazy Taxi: World Tour will receive a closed network test.
• The game is coming to consoles and PC.
• The test begins on 31 August.

Sega has announced that players will soon be able to try Crazy Taxi: World Tour through a closed network test. The test offers an early opportunity to experience the revival of the arcade driving series before its full release, allowing Sega to gather player feedback and assess online…

Microsoft and Wiz mind-meld agents catch more than 90% of bugs

• Microsoft's MDASH and Wiz's Atlas top 90% accuracy hunting software bugs
• Both combine multiple AI models, each handling tasks it does best
• Approach also cuts costs by around half, Microsoft says

Microsoft and Wiz have unveiled rival AI-powered bug-hunting systems that combine multiple large language models to find and fix software vulnerabilities with unusually high accuracy. Both firms say the key to their success is routing different stages of vulnerability analysis to whichever model performs best at that specific…

Ozlo’s Sleepbuds 2 build on Bose’s sleep earbud legacy

• Ozlo launches Sleepbuds 2, priced $279, up 12%.
• Battery life rises to 14 hours; Bluetooth reliability improved.
• Adds AI-driven sleep tracking and new Sleep Shield feature.

Ozlo, a sleep earbuds startup founded by former Bose engineers, has launched Sleepbuds 2, an updated version of its debut product with improvements to battery life, Bluetooth connectivity and sound quality. The launch is significant as Ozlo's first major update since its original Sleepbuds, marking the company's shift…

BTS, Gracie Abrams, Ella Langley & More: Highlights of This Week’s Billboard Charts

• Gracie Abrams scores her first Billboard 200 number one album
• Ella Langley sets record with 15th week atop the Hot 100
• BTS's "Normal" re-enters top five of Global 200 chart

Billboard's latest weekly charts, dated 1 August and covering data from 17-23 July, feature strong showings from BTS, Gracie Abrams, Ella Langley and others. Gracie Abrams claimed her first Billboard 200 number one with "Daughter From Hell," while Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" set a new record by leading…

Apple won’t turn on any ‘restricted mode’ for missed lease payments

• Apple denies it will remotely restrict leased devices over missed payments.
• Fears arose from iOS 27 beta code enabling a "Restricted Mode".
• Klarna says missed payments instead end the lease and demand full payment.

Apple has confirmed it will not restrict the functionality of devices leased through its new Upgrade programme if customers miss payments, following concerns raised by a report on hidden code found in an iOS 27 beta. Apple spokesperson Brian Bumbery told The Verge that "there will be no…

These App Store hidden gems prove there’s still room for great software in the AI era

TechCrunch has published its latest round-up of "hidden gem" apps on the App Store, arguing that despite predictions AI agents will replace app usage, indie and creative apps are thriving. The piece notes that new app launches are up 60% year-on-year globally and 80% on iOS alone, partly…