Tech - The Daily Ittefaq

Apple products expected to launch by 2026

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:02:07 +0600

Will Apple finally launch a foldable phone this year? Is the iPhone 18 launch being split? Apple fans around the world are currently enduring a nail-biting wait as the likely launch date for the tech giant's new lineup draws near. While Apple is yet to officially announced the date, this is expected to be their biggest hardware launch of the year, reports the Khaleej Times. According to... Details

Chinese robotics giant Unitree soars in stock market debut

Click Ittefaq Desk — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 13:21:55 +0600

The world's biggest humanoid robot maker Unitree Robotics made its stock market debut in Shanghai on Wednesday, with its shares soaring by more than 600% in early trading. In the highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO), the Chinese firm's shares opened at 1,100 yuan (£120.60; $163.12), before giving up some of the gains to trade at around 900 yuan, BBC reports. The listing on... Details

Ferrari's first ever electric car sold for record $40m at auction

Click Ittefaq Desk — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 10:15:27 +0600

Ferrari's first ever all-electric car has fetched $40m (£29.5m) in a charity sale, setting a record for a new car sold at auction. The RM Sotheby's auction in California raised more than 35 times the usual price of a Ferrari Luce. The auction house said the "first production chassis" features a unique finish and bespoke parts, BBC reports. The Luce, the brainchild of iPhone designer Sir... Details

Why Japanese firms are slow to adopt AI

UNB — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 12:10:42 +0600

Facing acute labour shortages, an ageing population and long-standing productivity problems, Japan would appear to be an ideal environment for the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). Yet AI use in Japanese workplaces remains relatively slow and cautious compared with the United States and the United Kingdom. Japan’s response to AI is beginning to resemble one of the country’s... Details

Tokenomics: Why making AI pay is tricky

Click Ittefaq Desk — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 11:02:29 +0600

If you have used a free version of ChatGPT or any of its AI rivals, then you are obviously getting a good deal. Firms like Microsoft, Google and Anthropic have invested hundreds of billions of dollars in developing Large Language Models (LLMs) the tech behind those services, BBC reports. So getting ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini to help with your speech or holiday plans is a bargain. But,... Details

As AI takes over, vintage computer collecting gains popularity

UNB — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 11:56:35 +0600

As the technology world races toward artificial intelligence, a growing number of enthusiasts are looking back to the early days of computing by collecting and restoring vintage computers. Software engineer Josh Dersch is one of them. He spends hours in his garage trying to bring decades-old machines back to life and estimates that he has more than 200 vintage computers and related devices at... Details

MySpace comeback sparks nostalgia

UNB — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 11:45:10 +0600

The possibility of a MySpace comeback is stirring nostalgia among former users who remember the social networking site as a more personal and less polished corner of the internet. For Monticah Hawkins, a 31-year-old real estate agent in Atlanta, MySpace was more than a website. It was part of her daily routine and a place where people could share photos without worrying about filters or online... Details

Meta ordered to pay $567m in New Mexico case

UNB — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 23:20:51 +0600

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez hopes a state court ruling ordering Facebook parent Meta to pay $567 million and make major changes to protect children will trigger a wider review of how Big Tech affects young people. The ruling came Thursday at the end of the second phase of a landmark trial. Earlier this year, a jury found that Meta knowingly harmed children's mental health... Details

Meta says AI model accessed internet, hacked another firm

Click Ittefaq Desk — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 10:01:25 +0600

Facebook owner Meta says an issue during an evaluation by an independent testing company allowed one of its artificial intelligence (AI) models to connect to the internet and hack another organisation's system. The announcement follows recent incidents across the AI industry, including breaches by OpenAI and Anthropic models, that have raised cyber-security concerns, BBC reports. A Meta... Details

Xbox Series X price hiked by £170

Click Ittefaq Desk — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 15:59:47 +0600

Microsoft has increased the price of Xbox consoles worldwide, citing rising memory and storage chip costs. Its premium Series X console with a disc drive will now cost £670, when it previously retailed for £500, BBC reports. Meanwhile a baseline Xbox Series S console now costs £430 - a roughly 43% increase on its previous £300 price tag. It is among a host of tech... Details

Internet users surge faster than mobile subscribers

BSS — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 17:34:08 +0600

Bangladesh added internet users at a much faster pace than new mobile subscribers during the first half of 2026, highlighting rising digital adoption as the government seeks to raise the information and communication technology (ICT) sector's contribution to the economy to 10 percent within the next five years. Latest Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) data showed the... Details

BCF: A cyber ecosystem behind fragmented identities

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 14:31:13 +0600

A complex digital threat landscape has emerged in South Asia, centered on the enigmatic hacktivist collective Bangladesh Civilian Force (BCF). With an estimated core membership of approximately 300 individuals, the organization has evolved from a decentralized online community into a highly coordinated digital ecosystem, according to a statement. According to threat intelligence assessments,... Details

EU plans $11.4b funding for 7 AI gigafactories

UNB — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:08:02 +0600

The European Union is offering 10 billion euros ($11.4 billion) in public funding to help build seven large-scale artificial intelligence facilities as the 27-nation bloc seeks to narrow its technology gap with the United States and China. The European Commission said on Thursday that the funding could attract another 20 billion euros ($22.8 billion) in private investment. “Access to... Details

China launches satellites to test new communication technologies

UNB — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 13:32:32 +0600

China launched new satellites into space on Thursday to test communication technologies, according to the China National Space Administration. The satellites were launched at 9:00 a.m. Beijing time from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China’s Shanxi Province aboard a modified Long March-6 rocket. The satellites successfully entered their planned orbits after the launch.... Details

AI fuelling new wave of identity fraud

Click Ittefaq Desk — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 14:00:51 +0600

AI-driven identity fraud is emerging as a growing cyberthreat as attackers increasingly exploit synthetic identities, deepfakes and autonomous artificial intelligence agents to target digital systems, according to Ping Identity. Jasie Fon, regional vice-president for Asia at Ping Identity, an identity management provider, told the Bangkok Post that Thailand is not immune, as the rapid... Details

SpaceX launches Starship on 13th test flight

UNB — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 14:34:00 +0600

SpaceX successfully launched its massive Starship rocket on Friday during its 13th test flight, marking another milestone in the development of the world's largest launch vehicle. The mission also deployed 20 of the company's most advanced Starlink satellites into orbit. Standing 407 feet (124 meters) tall, Starship lifted off from SpaceX's Starbase facility in southern Texas. The mission,... Details

Starship grounded after engine failure during countdown

UNB — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:45:14 +0600

SpaceX aborted the launch of its giant Starship rocket just moments before liftoff on Thursday after several engines failed to ignite during the countdown, marking the first last-second launch cancellation for the full-scale spacecraft. Engine ignition began about three seconds before the scheduled launch, but four of the rocket’s 33 engines did not start, prompting the automatic launch... Details

Midnight social media curfew proposed for older UK teens

Click Ittefaq Desk — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:28:49 +0600

Older teenagers in the UK will face an overnight social media curfew, the government has announced - though they will be able to opt out of it by changing their account settings. It would mean apps such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube being set to be unavailable by default to 16 and 17-year-olds between midnight and 06:00, BBC reports. The government also wants "addictive" features such as... Details

Apple sues OpenAI over theft of trade secrets

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 09:37:44 +0600

Apple has accused OpenAI of gaining access to valuable inside information through the hiring of its former employees. In a federal lawsuit filed on Friday, Apple sued the artificial intelligence (AI) company, two of its employees, as well as io Products, claiming it has engaged in "a pattern of theft" of Apple's confidential product development and related work, BBC reports. At least two... Details

How too much screen time may be changing your body

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:30:07 +0600

Many people worry about the mental effects of spending hours on phones and other digital devices, but experts say the physical impact may be just as important. From neck pain and weaker hands to vision problems and skin irritation, growing evidence suggests heavy technology use can gradually affect the body in ways many people do not notice. One visible sign for some users is a small callus on... Details

Microsoft backtracks on 16GB RAM rule with new 8GB Surface

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 21:27:54 +0600

Microsoft has updated its buyer's guidance for its latest Microsoft Surface devices, stating that 8GB of RAM is sufficient for running Windows 11, backpedalling on its previous insistence that 16GB was the new baseline for modern computing. The tech giant has spent recent years aggressively pushing the industry toward a new era of AI PCs and Copilot+ PCs, reports the Bangkok Post. It... Details

Tech firms blame AI for mega device, console price rises

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 10:12:37 +0600

For years, buyers of tech could rely on a familiar trend - that older devices would get cheaper over time. That now seems to have stopped, or in some cases, completely reversed, reports the BBC. Apple and Microsoft's Xbox have joined the firms hiking prices for devices and games consoles which are years old. They and other tech companies have pointed to the rising cost of crucial components... Details

Australia to tighten social media ban for U-16s

UNB — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:15:12 +0600

Australia is preparing to tighten its laws banning children under the age of 16 from using social media, as the government admits many young users continue to access major platforms despite the restrictions. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government is reviewing whether the existing law, which took effect on Dec. 10 last year, needs to be strengthened and whether regulators have... Details

Apple increases prices for Macs and iPads

UNB — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 19:32:07 +0600

Apple on Thursday raised prices for several Mac and iPad models, attributing the increases to a global shortage of memory chips driven by surging demand from the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. The Cupertino, California-based technology giant described the supply crunch as an “unprecedented challenge” for the consumer electronics sector, saying the rapid expansion of AI data... Details

China targets clean energy system by 2030

UNB — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 19:22:15 +0600

China aims to basically establish a clean, low-carbon, secure and efficient new energy system by 2030, according to a plan recently issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration. The plan, which covers the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), sets out targets for strengthening energy security, advancing the green transition, boosting... Details

Wonders of Chinese Architecture and the Rise of Sustainable Technologies

Ahamed Shakil — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 13:10:38 +0600

China, a civilization with more than 5,000 years of history, has long been admired for its extraordinary architectural achievements. From ancient timber palaces and pagodas to futuristic skylines and eco-friendly smart cities, Chinese architecture represents a remarkable blend of tradition, innovation, and sustainability. In recent decades, China has not only reshaped its urban landscape but... Details

Apple to raise prices as AI boom pushes up chip costs

Click Ittefaq Desk — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 11:20:47 +0600

Apple plans to raise the prices of its products as the cost of the memory chips it uses has surged, the technology giant's boss has said. Tim Cook, Apple's outgoing chief executive, told The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that price increases are "unavoidable" as the situation around memory chips has become "unsustainable", BBC reports. He did not say when prices will rise or which products will... Details

China launches rocket carrying 8 satellites into orbit

UNB — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 18:02:09 +0600

China successfully launched a Lijian-1 Y14 carrier rocket on Monday, sending eight satellites into their planned orbit. The rocket lifted off at 11:44 am Beijing time from a commercial space innovation pilot zone in northwest China. According to Chinese authorities, all eight satellites were successfully deployed into their designated orbit, marking another successful mission for the Lijian-1... Details

Academia-Industry dialogue in humans in AI Week held

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 20:11:11 +0600

A roundtable discussion bringing together university professors, and technology industry professionals was held on 3 June 2026 in Dhaka, calling for urgent action on how Bangladesh prepares its young professionals and university students, for a world increasingly shaped by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The event, titled “Cultivating Ethical, AI-Proficient Workforce: Academia-Industry... Details

Canada proposes social media ban for under-16s

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:33:53 +0600

Canada has proposed banning social media use for children and teenagers under the age of 16, in a move similar to legislation recently introduced in Australia, while allowing tech companies to avoid penalties if they can prove strong safeguards to reduce harm to minors. Under the proposed “Safe Social Media Act,” platforms could bypass the restriction if they demonstrate adequate policies and... Details

Meta ordered to open WhatsApp to rival AI chatbots for free

BSS — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 23:35:39 +0600

The EU ordered Meta on Tuesday to give rival AI chatbots access to its WhatsApp platform for free within five working days as it carries out an antitrust probe, or risk a heavy fine.The measure follows the launch in December of an EU investigation into the US firm's policy of blocking access for AI providers other than Meta AI. The European Commission, the EU's digital watchdog, said Meta will... Details

Rally held to build brighter future with safe AI

Click Ittefaq Desk — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 15:04:10 +0600

The AI Collective Bangladesh Chapter, a local chapter of a US-based global non-profit community platform, organized a Rally in Dhaka on 6th June to raise public awareness about the development and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Rally was part of the global initiative “Humans in AI Week”, a program launched by The AI Collective and celebrating from 1st to 7th... Details

Nvidia announces new AI chip for personal computers

Click Ittefaq Desk — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 16:01:29 +0600

Nvidia has announced a new chip for personal computers as it moves into the consumer market for devices integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) technology. "This reinvention of the computer is as big of a deal as the reinvention of the phone into what we now know as the smartphone," Nvidia's chief executive Jensen Huang said as he unveiled the RTX Spark chip, reports the BBC. Huang made... Details

Malaysia bans social media for children U-16

UNB — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:15:19 +0600

Malaysia on Monday started enforcing new rules that prohibit children under the age of 16 from having social media accounts, joining a growing number of countries seeking to improve online safety for young users. Under the new regulations, social media companies must introduce age-verification systems and prevent users younger than 16 from creating accounts. The rules apply to platforms with... Details

Blue Origin rocket explodes during test at launch pad

UNB — Fri, 29 May 2026 14:36:03 +0600

A Blue Origin rocket owned by Jeff Bezos exploded during a test at the launch pad on Thursday night, shaking nearby homes and lighting up the sky with a bright orange glow. The company said its New Glenn rocket blew up while engines were being tested ahead of a planned satellite launch next week. Officials at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station confirmed that no one was injured. Bezos said it... Details

NASA unveils early plans for Moon base

UNB — Wed, 27 May 2026 13:17:54 +0600

NASA has announced early plans for building a long-term base on the Moon, moving ahead with orders for landers, rovers and drones just weeks after its Artemis II lunar mission. The US space agency revealed the first phase of its lunar base programme on Tuesday, awarding hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to four American companies. Under the plan, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin will... Details

Ferrari unveils first fully electric car

Click Ittefaq Desk — Tue, 26 May 2026 21:00:06 +0600

Luxury sports car maker Ferrari has unveiled its first fully electric car - the $640,000 (£474,320) Luce. The new model departs from the look of typical Ferraris as the Italian brand's first ever five-seater, created in collaboration with the LoveFrom agency founded by former Apple design chief Sir Jony Ive. Responses on social media to the launch have ranged from describing it as "straight... Details

WhatsApp to intorduce usernames for enhanced privacy

UNB — Sun, 24 May 2026 12:05:36 +0600

WhatsApp is set to introduce a username feature that will allow users to communicate without sharing their phone numbers. Under the new feature, users will be able to create and share unique usernames, similar to handles used on Telegram and Instagram. When someone contacts a user through a username, only the handle will be visible instead of the phone number. The username feature will be... Details

SpaceX launches most powerful starship

UNB — Sat, 23 May 2026 10:20:44 +0600

SpaceX launched its largest and most powerful Starship rocket yet on Friday in a major test flight, showcasing an upgraded spacecraft that NASA hopes will eventually carry astronauts to the moon. The newly redesigned rocket lifted off from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in southern Texas just two days after CEO Elon Musk announced plans to take the company public. During the nearly hourlong... Details

SpaceX files for IPO that could make Elon Musk a trillionaire

Click Ittefaq Desk — Thu, 21 May 2026 09:36:16 +0600

Elon Musk's SpaceX has revealed its plans to go public in the US, allowing people to trade shares in the firm on the stock market. SpaceX makes rockets, offers a satellite internet service called Starlink, and also owns Musk's controversial artificial intelligence (AI) firm xAI, BBC reports. The initial public offering (IPO) on the US stock market is set to be the largest in Wall Street... Details

'AGI is on the horizon, raising hopes and concerns'

UNB — Wed, 20 May 2026 15:23:41 +0600

Demis Hassabis, the head of Google DeepMind, says artificial general intelligence (AGI) is now “on the horizon,” suggesting that a major breakthrough in AI could be closer than many expected. Speaking at Google I/O, Hassabis said AGI could one day help solve all diseases and that humanity may be approaching the “foothills of singularity,” a theoretical point when AI... Details

China vows crackdown on illegal drone flight system tampering

UNB — Mon, 18 May 2026 10:34:13 +0600

China's Ministry of Public Security on Monday vowed to maintain a tough stance against the illegal use of drone flight control systems by releasing 10 typical cases of such offenses. In some cases, individuals used technical means to help others illicitly bypass drone restrictions, such as altitude limits and no-fly zones, or tampered with factory-set payload parameters, assisting unauthorized... Details

China issues new rules to advance AI agent innovation

UNB — Sat, 09 May 2026 11:50:30 +0600

China has unveiled a set of guidelines aimed at regulating and advancing the innovative development of artificial intelligence (AI) agents, as the country accelerates efforts under its “AI plus” initiative. The guidelines, jointly issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the National Development and Reform Commission(NDRC) and the Ministry of Industry and Information... Details

E-filing rapidly expanding across Bangladesh

BSS — Mon, 04 May 2026 13:18:41 +0600

Use of e-filing and digital office management is rapidly expanding across the country to build a faster, transparent, and accountable administration by reducing paper-based activities in government offices. Officials say that digital administrative systems are reducing service time, lowering costs, and making citizen services much easier and more effective than before. According to the... Details

China blocks Meta's $2bn acquisition of Manus

Click Ittefaq Desk — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:15:06 +0600

Facebook-owner Meta's acquisition of AI start-up Manus has been blocked by Chinese regulators. Announced in late December, Meta said the deal - estimated to be worth around $2bn (£1.48bn) at the time - would see Manus' agents used to boost to its own AI across its platforms, BBC reports. But reports on Monday said Beijing's National Development and Reform Commission had prohibited... Details

AI boosts efficiency in industrial production in east China

UNB — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:22:25 +0600

Companies across China are increasingly using artificial intelligence to make industrial production faster and more efficient. In east China’s Shandong Province, a steel plant has introduced smart systems powered by AI and big data to monitor operations. Hundreds of screens display every stage of the production process in real time. With these advanced tools, workers can track... Details

DeepSeek unveils upgraded AI model

UNB — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 10:08:03 +0600

Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek on Friday released preview versions of its latest AI model, stepping up competition with leading US tech firms. The new V4 model has been highly anticipated, with users keen to compare it with rivals such as ChatGPT by OpenAI, Claude from Anthropic and Gemini by Google. The company introduced “pro” and “flash” versions... Details

Meta to cut 8000 jobs as AI spending soars

Click Ittefaq Desk — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:21:35 +0600

Meta will cut thousands of jobs next month as it spends more than ever on artificial intelligence (AI) projects. The company told employees in a memo on Thursday that it planned to cut 10% of its workforce - roughly 8,000 staff. It said it would also not fill thousands more open jobs it had been hiring for, BBC reports. A key reason for the layoffs is Meta's increased spending in... Details

OpenAI faces US criminal probe

UNB — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 09:22:05 +0600

OpenAI is facing a criminal investigation in the United States over whether its chatbot ChatGPT played a role in a deadly mass shooting at Florida State University last year. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said Tuesday that his office has been examining how the suspected gunman used the AI tool before the attack in Tallahassee. "Our review has revealed that a criminal investigation... Details

John Ternus to succeed Tim Cook as Apple CEO

UNB — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:44:52 +0600

Apple has named its head of hardware engineering, John Ternus, as its new chief executive officer to replace Tim Cook, marking a major leadership transition at the world’s most valuable tech company. Cook, 65, will step down from the CEO role on September 1 after a 15-year tenure that transformed Apple into a $4 trillion company and cemented its dominance in the global smartphone market.... Details

AI replacing developers: Is the industry ready?

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 20:31:51 +0600

The AI Collective Bangladesh Chapter recently hosted an exclusive "Tech Pros’ Meetup" in Dhaka. The event brought together the leading CTOs, Software Engineering Leads/Architects to discuss the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence on software development, delivery and employment. The session, titled "Building in the Post-Code Era: Human Engineering in an AI World," explored... Details

Robot runners beat humans in Beijing half-marathon

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 15:25:50 +0600

A humanoid robot has been declared champion at a half-marathon running race held in Beijing, China, on Sunday, far outpacing human participants and beating the world record. The autonomously navigated robot Shandian was presented with the laurels after a remote-controlled robot, Lightning, who technically finished first, was denied the prize under the event's weighted scoring rules,... Details

Google uses AI to fight rising scam and spam threats

UNB — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 12:59:23 +0600

Artificial intelligence has become a major enabler for online spammers and scammers, but tech giant Google is increasingly using the same technology to counter the threat. From fake advertisements promoting miracle herbal cures to AI-generated videos using celebrity-like voices, users are frequently exposed to sophisticated spam and scam content online—much of it created with generative... Details

Snapchat cuts 1,000 jobs

Click Ittefaq Desk — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 21:48:54 +0600

Snap is the latest tech company to cut jobs, citing the growing ability of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. The Snapchat owner has axed about 1,000 employees - 16% of staff - and withdrawn hundreds of open job roles, according to a financial disclosure, BBC reports. Evan Spiegel, Snap's co-founder and CEO, told employees the company was in "a crucible moment" and the goal of the cuts was... Details

Amazon to spend $11bn on satellite firm in growing Starlink rivalry

Click Ittefaq Desk — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:25:34 +0600

Amazon is aiming to build-up its satellite business to offer internet and mobile phone services by spending $11.57bn (£8.5bn) on an acquisition of Globalstar. The deal, announced Tuesday, will allow Amazon to get thousands of satellites into low-earth orbit through the Amazon Leo project the company has been working on for several years, BBC reports. Amazon said the Globalstar takeover... Details

40 minutes when Artemis crew loses contact with Earth

Click Ittefaq Desk — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:32:10 +0600

No-one will have been further from home than the Artemis astronauts. But as the Earth shrinks ever smaller in their rear-view mirror, they've had a constant connection with mission control in Houston, Texas. The calm words from the Nasa team have given the crew a comforting link with home, reports the BBC. That link is about to be lost. As the astronauts pass behind the Moon at about 23:47... Details

Google now lets users change Gmail addresses

UNB — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:31:56 +0600

Google has introduced a long-awaited feature allowing users to change their Gmail addresses, offering relief to those stuck with outdated or embarrassing email IDs created years ago. The feature was quietly rolled out in India late last year and is now available to all Google Account users in the United States, the company said in a recent blog post. However, it did not specify when the update... Details

From a garage to $3.7tn: Apple turns 50 today

Click Ittefaq Desk — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 21:20:10 +0600

A scrawny hippie and a nerdy engineer who became prank-playing friends vowed to change the world when they founded a Silicon Valley startup on April Fools' Day 50 years ago and then — no joke — pulled it off. The improbable odyssey began April 1, 1976, when a then-shaggy Steve Jobs and his gadget-tinkering friend Steve Wozniak signed a two-page partnership document that created... Details

Australia warns social media giants over U-16 ban compliance

UNB — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:06:44 +0600

Australia’s internet regulator has warned that major social media platforms are not doing enough to keep children under 16 off their services, despite a law that came into effect in December 2025. The legislation prohibits anyone under 16 from using 10 platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. However, eSafety expressed “significant concerns”... Details

DeepSeek chatbot suffers over 7hr outage in China

UNB — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:48:01 +0600

DeepSeek’s chatbot experienced a major outage of more than seven hours overnight in China, prompting the AI firm to release multiple updates to fix the problem. Users first reported issues on Sunday evening, according to Downdetector. DeepSeek’s status page noted an initial disruption at 9:35 p.m., which was marked resolved two hours later. However, further performance problems... Details

Melania Trump shares spotlight with humanoid robot

UNB — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:11:26 +0600

Melania Trump drew attention at a recent education and technology summit in Washington, but this time she shared the spotlight with a humanoid robot. On Wednesday, the former first lady attended the final day of a global summit held in the White House East Room, organized under her “Fostering the Future Together” initiative. The event brought together international representatives... Details

NASA announces new Mars mission, reshapes Moon goals

Click Ittefaq Desk — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 15:05:59 +0600

NASA’s new chief is reshaping the space agency’s goals, unveiling at an event in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday an ambitious vision that includes revamped plans for a moon base. While the space agency has long had its sights set on creating a settlement on the moon for astronauts to live and work more permanently, Tuesday marked the first time NASA has revealed a timeline and road... Details

Chinese firm unveils humanoid robot

UNB — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 11:42:51 +0600

Chinese robotics company Westlake Robotics has introduced its humanoid robot, Titan o1, driven by a self-developed large-scale model known as General Action Expert (GAE), capable of replicating human movements in real time without constraints of time or space. The company said the model allows multiple robots to carry out identical tasks simultaneously under the control of a single operator.... Details

Many parents unaware of how teens use AI, studies find

UNB — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 18:51:36 +0600

A significant gap exists between parents and teenagers over the use of artificial intelligence (AI), with many parents unaware of how their children are engaging with the technology, according to recent studies. Surveys by Pew Research Center and Common Sense Media found that while 64% of teenagers reported using AI tools, only 51% of parents believed their children were doing so. Researchers... Details

Over 2.5 million users boycott ChatGPT after OpenAI-Pentagon deal

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:07:45 +0600

More than 2.5 million users have pledged to boycott ChatGPT following OpenAI’s agreement with the Pentagon, triggering widespread criticism of the AI developer. A website tracking the boycott reported that over 2.5 million users have already left ChatGPT, which has a global user base exceeding 900 million, after OpenAI signed a contract last week allowing the U.S. Department... Details

GPT-5.4 unveiled with stronger features

UNB — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:41:24 +0600

OpenAI has launched GPT-5.4, its newest frontier artificial intelligence model, introducing major upgrades in reasoning, coding and automated task execution. The company said the model combines several of its recent advancements into a single system and is available in different variants, including GPT-5.4 Thinking and GPT-5.4 Pro. One of the most significant features of GPT-5.4 is its 1... Details

Iran war could affect Middle East data centre plans

UNB — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:59:59 +0600

South Korea’s chip industry has expressed concern that the ongoing conflict in Iran could disrupt plans by major technology firms to establish AI data centres in the Middle East, lawmaker Kim Young-bae said on Wednesday. Speaking to Reuters after meetings with executives from companies including Samsung Electronics, Kim warned that prolonged regional instability could delay... Details

Moon’s shrinking raises questions for future lunar missions

UNB — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 12:45:46 +0600

Scientists say the Moon, Earth’s closest neighbour, is shrinking faster than previously thought, a discovery that could affect future lunar exploration. Research by the National Air and Space Museum’s Center for Earth and Planetary Studies shows that as the Moon’s interior cools, its surface contracts, creating tectonic features such as lobate scarps and small mare ridges... Details

AI edges closer to decoding human thoughts

UNB — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:10:54 +0600

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping scientists’ ability to interpret the brain’s complex electrical signals, bringing researchers closer than ever to decoding human thoughts and inner speech. In a recent breakthrough, a 52-year-old woman who lost her ability to speak clearly after a stroke nearly two decades ago was able to see her unspoken thoughts appear as text on a... Details

OpenAI raises $110bn in record funding round

BSS — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 23:14:08 +0600

OpenAI announced Friday a massive $110 billion funding round valuing the ChatGPT maker at $730 billion, with SoftBank, Nvidia and Amazon each making multi-billion-dollar commitments as the artificial intelligence company races to meet surging global demand. The investment round - one of the largest in Silicon Valley history - includes $30 billion from Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, $30... Details

Discord delays global age verification after backlash

UNB — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 10:02:23 +0600

Discord has postponed the worldwide rollout of its age verification system following strong criticism from users who raised concerns about privacy and data security. In a blog post published Tuesday, Discord Chief Technology Officer and co-founder Stanislav Vishnevskiy acknowledged the company had “missed the mark,” announcing that the global expansion of age checks will now be... Details

NASA plans first Moon mission in 50 years

UNB — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:11:07 +0600

NASA is aiming for early March to launch its Artemis II mission, sending four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, marking the first human trip beyond Earth’s orbit in over 50 years. The mission will prepare the way for a future lunar landing under Artemis III. After a successful "wet dress rehearsal" at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA set March 6 as the earliest launch... Details

New rocket issue delays astronaut moon mission again

UNB — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:26:40 +0600

NASA has once again postponed the eagerly awaited Artemis II mission to the moon after encountering a new problem with the rocket on Saturday. The earliest the four astronauts could now fly to the moon is April. The latest delay came just one day after NASA had targeted March 6 for Artemis II, marking humanity's first moon flight in more than 50 years. Officials said the rocket’s upper... Details

Google AI boss for urgent research to tackle AI threats

Click Ittefaq Desk. — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 23:03:23 +0600

More research on the threats of artificial intelligence (AI) "needs to be done urgently", the boss of Google DeepMind has told BBC News. In an exclusive interview at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi, Sir Demis Hassabis said the industry wanted "smart regulation" for "the real risks" posed by the tech, BBC reports. Many tech leaders and politicians at the Summit have called for more global... Details

Microsoft admits Copilot error exposed some confidential emails

UNB — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 12:19:29 +0600

Microsoft has acknowledged a technical error that caused its artificial intelligence work assistant, Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, to access and summarise some users’ confidential emails by mistake. Microsoft has promoted Copilot Chat as a secure AI tool for workplaces. However, the company said a recent issue allowed the tool to surface content from some enterprise users’ Outlook... Details

SpaceX sends new team to ISS after medical emergency

UNB — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 10:21:55 +0600

A fresh team of astronauts blasted off Friday for the International Space Station (ISS), replacing crew members who returned to Earth early in NASA’s first-ever medical evacuation during a human spaceflight mission. At NASA’s request, SpaceX launched the new crew as quickly as possible from Cape Canaveral, sending American astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France’s... Details

Apple and Google agree to change app stores

Click Ittefaq Desk. — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 23:25:46 +0600

Apple and Google have agreed to make changes to their app stores in the UK following an intervention from the UK markets regulator. According to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the tech giants have committed to not giving preferential treatment to their own apps and will be transparent about how others are approved for sale, among other agreements, BBC reports. It comes seven... Details

Life on the Moon will test astronauts beyond physical limits

UNB — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:52:15 +0600

As Nasa prepares for its Artemis programme to return humans to the Moon, space agencies say future astronauts will face extreme physical, psychological and social challenges far beyond those experienced during earlier space missions. Nasa astronaut Victor Glover, who will pilot the Artemis II mission, says space travel is far more demanding than many people realise. The mission will take the... Details

Can robots ever move gracefully?

UNB — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 10:31:29 +0600

From clumsy machines to fluid, human-like movers, the future of robotics may depend less on artificial intelligence and more on the hidden hardware that powers motion, researchers and engineers say. British YouTuber and engineer James Bruton recently drew attention online after building a giant, rideable walking robot inspired by the At-At vehicles from the Star Wars films. His aim, he said,... Details

YouTube rolls out auto-dubbing globally

UNB — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 11:04:10 +0600

YouTube has expanded its auto-dubbing feature worldwide, allowing creators to reach a broader global audience as the platform added support for 27 languages and introduced new tools to improve translated audio quality. The video-sharing platform said auto-dubbing is now available to all users, marking a major step in reducing language barriers on YouTube. The company reported that in December... Details

Microsoft unveils AI Content Marketplace

UNB — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:20:28 +0600

Microsoft has launched a pilot platform that allows artificial intelligence developers to pay publishers for using licensed “premium content” to train their AI models, aiming to create a new revenue stream for media organisations while improving the quality of AI-generated responses. The platform, called the Publisher Content Marketplace (PCM), will enable publishers to set their... Details

NASA postpones crewed moon mission

UNB — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:07:29 +0600

NASA has delayed its much-anticipated crewed mission around the moon until at least March after hydrogen fuel leaks disrupted a key fueling test of its new mega rocket. The problem surfaced during a full dress rehearsal at Kennedy Space Center, forcing officials to stop the countdown. Similar hydrogen leaks had also delayed the debut of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket three years ago.... Details

China bans hidden car door handles over safety concerns

Click Ittefaq Desk — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 10:00:33 +0600

China has banned hidden door handles on electric vehicles (EVs), making it the first country to stop the use of the controversial designs that were made popular by multi-billionaire Elon Musk's Tesla. It comes as EVs are facing scrutiny from safety watchdogs around the world after a number of deadly incidents, including two fatal crashes in China involving Xiaomi EVs in which power failures... Details

Is China quietly winning the AI race?

Click Ittefaq Desk. — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 10:51:26 +0600

Every month, hundreds of millions of users flock to Pinterest looking for the latest styles. One page titled "the most ridiculous things" is filled with plenty of wacky ideas to inspire creatives. Crocs repurposed as flower pots. Cheeseburger-shaped eyeshadow. A gingerbread house made of vegetables, BBC reports. But what would-be buyers may not know is the tech behind this isn't necessarily... Details

TikTok seals deal to launch new US entity

UNB — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 12:42:49 +0600

TikTok has finalized an agreement to create a new American entity, easing years of uncertainty and sidestepping the prospect of a US ban on the short-video platform used by more than 200 million Americans. In a statement issued Thursday, the company said it has signed deals with major investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi-based investment firm MGX, to form a TikTok US joint... Details

ChatGPT's free ride is ending

UNB — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 12:03:25 +0600

OpenAI announced Friday that it will begin showing advertisements to users of the free version of ChatGPT in the coming weeks, part of the company’s effort to generate revenue from its over 800 million users. The ads will appear at the bottom of ChatGPT’s responses when relevant to the ongoing conversation and will be clearly labeled and separated from the AI’s answers. CEO... Details

Meta blocks 550,000 accounts under Australia's social media ban

Click Ittefaq Desk — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 11:23:09 +0600

About 550,000 accounts were blocked by Meta during the first days of Australia's landmark social media ban for kids. In December, a new law began requiring that the world's most popular social media sites - including Instagram and Facebook - stop Australians aged under 16 from having accounts on their platforms, BBC reports. The ban, which is being watched closely around the world, was... Details

BTCL supercharges internet speeds

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 14:45:44 +0600

Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) has taken a major decision to further improve the quality of its digital services. Keeping the monthly subscription fees unchanged, the company has increased the speeds of all existing internet packages by up to three times. The decision was announced in a press release signed by Muhammad Jasim Uddin, Public Relations Officer of the Ministry... Details

Musk says X outcry is 'excuse for censorship'

Click Ittefaq Desk. — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 21:53:21 +0600

Elon Musk has said critics of his social media site X are looking for "any excuse for censorship", after its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Grok drew criticism over its use to create sexualised images of people without their knowledge or consent. Ofcom says it is conducting an urgent assessment of X in response, with the backing of Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, BBC reports. But the... Details

Why phone to PC may get pricier in 2026

Click Ittefaq Desk. — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 00:22:27 +0600

The cost of lots of the devices we all use could be forced up in 2026 because the price of Ram - once one of the cheapest computer components - has more than doubled since October 2025. The tech powers everything from smartphones to smart TVs, as well as things like medical devices, BBC reports. Its price has shot up because of the explosive growth in the data centres which power AI, which... Details

AI reshapes storytelling from script to screen in China

UNB — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 23:15:38 +0600

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming China’s film and television industry, playing an expanding role in storytelling from script development to on-screen production. At Hengdian World Studios in east China’s Zhejiang Province, often dubbed “China’s Hollywood” — AI is increasingly used to create large-scale visuals that were once beyond the reach... Details

Microsoft to invest $17.5bn in India for AI, Cloud infrastructure

UNB — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 23:55:39 +0600

Microsoft on Tuesday announced its largest-ever investment in Asia, pledging $17.5 billion over the next four years to expand India’s cloud computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure. CEO Satya Nadella revealed the plan on X following a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. He said the investment aims to help India develop “infrastructure, skills,... Details

EU fines X €120mn over Digital Services Act violations

UNB — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 20:01:24 +0600

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow is ready to provide "uninterrupted shipments" of fuel to India, as Delhi faces pressure from the US to stop buying Russian oil. Putin, speaking alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, questioned earlier why India should be punished for buying oil when the US itself buys nuclear fuel from Moscow, BBC reports. President Donald... Details

Earthquake Alerts: Best Free Mobile Apps in 2025-26

UNB — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:21:56 +0600

When the ground tremor occurs without warning, safety issues often feel incomplete until mobile apps for earthquake alerts enter the picture. Bangladesh, with its long-known vulnerability to seismic pressure, has a particular stake in fast, reliable alerts. Technology is quietly reinforcing hope here, offering ordinary phone users a chance to react milliseconds earlier. Such tools may not erase... Details

AI Collective Bangladesh Chapter held industry-academia dialogue

Click Ittefaq Desk. — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 11:56:04 +0600

The AI Collective Bangladesh Chapter, part of a US-based global non-profit community platform, recently organized an industry-academia dialogue on AI education jointly with the renowned newspaper The Daily Ittefaq, to address the scope of collaboration between industry and academia to bridge the AI education gap to develop technically-equipped workforce, adhering high ethical and... Details

Microsoft admits system bug causing Windows 11 instability

Click Ittefaq Desk — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 12:35:08 +0600

Microsoft has officially admitted that nearly all core features of Windows 11 are currently unstable due to a bug within the Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) system. As a critical component of the operating system's user interface, the glitch has disrupted the Start Menu, Taskbar, Explorer, Settings page and other system elements, according to the Bangkok Post. Issues began... Details

Southeast Asia grows wary of crypto mining

Click Ittefaq Desk. — Sun, 30 Nov 2025 23:21:59 +0600

Malaysia's national utility firm Tenaga Nasional incurred losses of more than $1 billion (€860 million) from illegal power usage by cryptocurrency miners between 2020 and August this year, the country's Energy Ministry said earlier this month. Malaysian police have stepped up a crackdown, conducting several raids on suspected sites since January, as part of a multi-agency operation... Details

'Don't blindly trust what AI tells you'

Click Ittefaq Desk. — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 23:14:27 +0600

People should not "blindly trust" everything AI tools tell them, the boss of Google's parent company Alphabet has told the BBC. In an exclusive interview, chief executive Sundar Pichai said that AI models are "prone to errors" and urged people to use them alongside other tools, BBC reports. Mr Pichai said it highlighted the importance of having a rich information ecosystem, rather than solely... Details

Cloudflare apologises for outage which took down X, ChatGPT

Click Ittefaq Desk. — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 21:53:01 +0600

A number of high-profile websites, including X and ChatGPT, went down for many on Tuesday, due to problems affecting major internet infrastructure firm, Cloudflare. Thousands of users began reporting issues with the sites, as well as other services, to outage monitoring site Downdetector shortly after 11:30 GMT - with issues continuing into the afternoon for many, BBC reports. Cloudflare said... Details

Apple strikes deal with Google to bring Gemini to Siri

Click Ittefaq Desk — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 18:35:17 +0600

Apple has reportedly abandoned its in-house development efforts for the core Siri model and has instead contracted Google to design a bespoke version of its Gemini Large Language Model (LLM) specifically for deployment within Apple’s Private Cloud Compute framework, making Apple's AI more on par with its competitors. According to a recent dispatch in the pay-walled Power On newsletter by... Details