❌

Normal view

Planning permission for new Scottish AI datacentres suspended for up to a year

16 September 2026 at 19:28

MSPs vote for strict environmental impact assessments and will delay decisions until national strategy is developed

Holyrood has voted to pause planning applications for all new AI datacentres for up to a year until the Scottish government has developed a national strategy.

On Wednesday, MSPs backed a Scottish Labour motion to halt new schemes for up to 12 months while rules on hyperscale datacentres are developed in what could be a blow to the British government’s AI strategy.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

© Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

© Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

Reminder: macOS 27 Ends Time Machine Backups to Time Capsule

16 September 2026 at 11:38
If you're upgrading to macOS Golden Gate and you have an AirPort Time Capsule, Time Machine won't be able to back up to it. macOS 27 removes support for AFP, the legacy file-sharing protocol that Time Capsule relies on for Time Machine backups. Said backups now exclusively use the SMB protocol, which Apple's discontinued Time Capsule hardware does not support in the form required by macOS 27.

Apple warned users about the change back in June 2025 when macOS Tahoe began displaying a warning that Time Capsule backups would no longer work in the next macOS. Users still backing up to one will need an alternative, such as an external drive or a modern NAS.
This article, "Reminder: macOS 27 Ends Time Machine Backups to Time Capsule" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

The US government is failing Americans on AI | Shakeel Hashim

16 September 2026 at 11:00

Trump and Republicans want companies to regulate themselves. It’s a dereliction of duty that will make AI less safe

It is hard to get Sam Altman, Elon Musk and Dario Amodei to agree on much. But over the weekend, all three AI company CEOs called for AI development to slow down in the face of growing, alarming risks. Their employees are sounding the siren too, with one researcher publicly quitting and accusing OpenAI and Anthropic of “gambling with our lives”.

The combination of dire warnings from insiders and growing real-world evidence of rogue AIs should, in a sane world, lead to government action. Instead, Donald Trump and the Republican leadership have their heads in the sand.

Continue reading...

© Composite: Getty Images

© Composite: Getty Images

© Composite: Getty Images

Migrants Are Taking Britain for a Ride – and We’re Letting Them

16 September 2026 at 09:00

Britain has now become such a soft touch that migrants know they can break the law and lie and they will not face deportation, while Brits hamstring themselves with actually obeying their own rules, says Steven Tucker.

The post Migrants Are Taking Britain for a Ride – and We’re Letting Them appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

Lenovo YOGA Pro 15 Spark Teased With NVIDIA RTX Spark N1X Superchip

16 September 2026 at 07:15

Lenovo has started teasing YOGA Pro 15 Spark, a new China-market laptop built around NVIDIA’s RTX Spark platform. The company has not yet revealed the full domestic configuration or pricing, but the latest teaser suggests that more details are coming soon.

The new laptop is closely related to Lenovo’s recently announced AI laptop Yoga Pro 9n, which debuted internationally at IFA 2026. Lenovo lists the Yoga Pro 9n as a 15-inch premium creator laptop powered by NVIDIA RTX Spark, while the Chinese-market version is called the YOGA Pro 15 Spark.

YOGA Pro 15 Spark Brings RTX Spark to China

The YOGA Pro 15 Spark has now entered the domestic preheating phase, indicating that Lenovo is preparing to introduce its NVIDIA RTX Spark-powered laptop to the Chinese market.

Rather than relying on a conventional Intel or AMD processor paired with a separate graphics card, the RTX Spark platform combines a Grace CPU and Blackwell RTX GPU into a single superchip. Lenovo says the platform is designed for demanding local AI workloads, content creation and software development.

This architecture is one of the most notable aspects of the new Yoga laptop because the CPU and GPU can share a large pool of unified memory. That design is particularly relevant to AI applications that require substantial memory capacity.

NVIDIA RTX Spark N1X Targets Local AI Workloads

The RTX Spark N1X platform used by Lenovo’s announced systems can integrate a 20-core NVIDIA Grace CPU with a Blackwell RTX GPU containing up to 6,144 CUDA cores. The platform can also support up to 128GB of unified memory and deliver up to 1 PFLOPS of AI performance at FP4 precision, according to Lenovo’s China-market information.

For users, the significance goes beyond raw specifications. Large unified memory capacity can allow the CPU and GPU to access the same memory pool, making the architecture particularly suited to running demanding AI models locally rather than depending entirely on cloud processing.

NVIDIA has also described RTX Spark PCs as Windows-on-Arm systems, with the first machines scheduled to arrive in October 2026.

The International Yoga Pro 9n Already Has a 15.3-Inch OLED Display

Lenovo’s international Yoga Pro 9n provides an indication of what to expect from the China-market YOGA Pro 15 Spark.

The Yoga Pro 9n features a 15.3-inch 2.5K OLED display with a refresh rate of up to 165Hz. It can also be configured with up to 128GB of LPDDR5X memory and up to 4TB of storage. Lenovo positions the machine toward creators and developers who need high local computing performance.

The laptop also uses an aluminum chassis and measures as little as 16.7mm thick, while its cooling architecture supports an 80W TDP configuration.

However, Lenovo has not yet confirmed whether every specification of the international Yoga Pro 9n will carry over unchanged to the Chinese YOGA Pro 15 Spark.

More Details Expected Soon

At this stage, Lenovo has confirmed the domestic preheating of the YOGA Pro 15 Spark, but key details such as its Chinese pricing, exact configuration and retail launch date have not yet been announced.

The new model could become an interesting option for users looking for a relatively portable laptop capable of handling local AI workloads, creative applications and GPU-accelerated tasks.

For now, the main takeaway is clear: Lenovo is bringing its RTX Spark N1X-powered Yoga platform to the Chinese market, with the YOGA Pro 15 Spark expected to receive more official details in the near future.

The post Lenovo YOGA Pro 15 Spark Teased With NVIDIA RTX Spark N1X Superchip appeared first on IGeeKphone China Phone, Tablet PC, VR, RC Drone News, Reviews.

Lenovo Googlebook 15: What the 120Hz OLED and Core Ultra 5 325 Mean for Users

16 September 2026 at 03:20

Lenovo’s upcoming Lenovo Googlebook 15 is shaping up to be a very different kind of Google-powered laptop. Leaked specifications point to a 15.3-inch 120Hz OLED touchscreen, Intel’s Core Ultra 5 325 processor, up to 32GB of LPDDR5X memory and a 70Wh battery. The combination suggests that Lenovo is targeting users who want more than the basic hardware traditionally associated with Chromebooks.

The laptop is expected to become one of the first devices built around Google’s new Googlebook Panther Lake processor platform. Lenovo has not yet confirmed the final retail price or complete launch details, so the specifications below should still be treated as leaked information until the company makes an official announcement.

Lenovo Googlebook 15 specifications

The reported configuration puts the Googlebook 15 firmly in the premium laptop category.

  • Processor: Intel Core Ultra 5 325
  • Graphics: Integrated Intel Xe3 graphics
  • Memory: 16GB / 32GB LPDDR5X
  • Storage: 256GB / 512GB SSD
  • Display: 15.3-inch OLED touchscreen
  • Resolution: 2880 × 1800
  • Refresh rate: 120Hz
  • Brightness: Up to 500 nits
  • Color coverage: 100% DCI-P3
  • Battery: 70Wh
  • Claimed battery life: Up to 11 hours
  • Wireless: Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
  • Ports: 2 × Thunderbolt 4, USB-A, HDMI 2.0 and 3.5mm audio
  • Webcam: 5MP RGB with dual microphones
  • Audio: Four speakers with Dolby Atmos
  • Weight: Approximately 1.29kg
  • Thickness: Approximately 15.9mm

A 120Hz OLED display is the biggest highlight

The Googlebook 15 laptop lineup reportedly uses a 15.3-inch OLED touchscreen with a 2880 × 1800 resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio.

The 120Hz refresh rate is particularly notable. Instead of positioning the machine as an inexpensive web-focused notebook, Lenovo appears to be giving it a display specification normally associated with more expensive Windows laptops.

The panel is also reported to reach 500 nits and cover 100% of the DCI-P3 color space. That combination should make the Googlebook 15 more appealing for photo and video viewing, creative work and general multimedia use.

For everyday productivity, the 16:10 format also provides more vertical workspace than a traditional 16:9 laptop display.

Core Ultra 5 325 and up to 32GB RAM

Performance is another area where the Googlebook 15 moves beyond the usual entry-level Chromebook formula.

The leaked configuration points to Intel’s Core Ultra 5 325 processor, paired with integrated graphics. Buyers are reportedly expected to have a choice between 16GB and 32GB of LPDDR5X memory.

Storage options are said to include 256GB and 512GB SSD configurations.

The higher 32GB memory option could be particularly useful if Googlebook is intended to handle heavier multitasking, Android applications and AI-assisted workloads rather than simply running browser-based tasks.

Googlebook 15 brings a different keyboard and design

Lenovo is reportedly giving the laptop several visual and functional details designed specifically for the Googlebook platform.

One of the most unusual additions is a dedicated Google “G” key positioned between the Fn and Alt keys. Its final software function has not been fully explained, but the key could become an important shortcut for Google services or AI features.

The lid is also expected to feature a multicolor LED strip known as Glowbar. Rather than being purely decorative, the lighting system can reportedly provide visual information related to power and charging status.

The laptop is said to use a large haptic touchpad measuring approximately 150 × 95mm, while the keyboard is backlit.

Security and video-call features

The Googlebook 15 also appears to take security and communication more seriously than a basic Chromebook.

The power button is reportedly integrated with a fingerprint reader, while the laptop is expected to support Google’s facial authentication system.

For video calls, Lenovo is reportedly using a 5MP RGB webcam with dual microphones. A physical privacy shutter is also included, allowing users to cover the camera when it is not in use.

Audio is handled by four speakers with Dolby Atmos support.

Plenty of ports for a thin 15-inch laptop

Despite its relatively slim chassis, the reported port selection is fairly comprehensive.

The laptop is expected to have two Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB-A port, HDMI 2.0 and a 3.5mm headphone and microphone combo jack.

Wireless connectivity reportedly includes Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.

This combination makes the Googlebook 15 more flexible for users who connect external displays, storage devices and other accessories.

70Wh battery and lightweight design

The reported 70Wh battery is another interesting part of the specification.

Lenovo is said to target up to 11 hours of battery life under its own testing conditions. That figure should not be interpreted as guaranteed real-world runtime, since display brightness, refresh rate, applications, wireless connections and workload can all affect battery performance.

More impressive is the reported weight. Despite its 15.3-inch display, the laptop is expected to weigh around 1.29kg and measure approximately 15.9mm thick.

That would make the Googlebook 15 relatively portable for a large-screen notebook.

Why the Googlebook 15 matters

The most interesting part of the Googlebook 15 is not any single specification. It is the overall hardware combination.

A 120Hz OLED touchscreen , Core Ultra 5 processor, up to 32GB of RAM, Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 7 and a 70Wh battery place the machine well above the basic hardware profile that consumers traditionally associate with Chromebooks.

The Googlebook platform also appears designed around Google’s broader ecosystem, including Gemini AI features and closer Android integration.

That means Lenovo’s new laptop could be aimed at users who want the simplicity of Google’s software environment without accepting entry-level laptop hardware.

This is also why the Googlebook 15 may be more interesting than a conventional Chromebook upgrade. Its value will ultimately depend on how well Googlebook OS takes advantage of the more powerful hardware.

Lenovo Googlebook 15 release date and price

Lenovo has not yet announced a final retail price for the Googlebook 15.

The laptop is expected to arrive this autumn, with Googlebook hardware expected to receive more attention as Google reveals additional details about the platform.

For now, the leaked specifications suggest that Lenovo is preparing a premium large-screen Googlebook rather than another budget-focused Chromebook.

The combination of a 120Hz OLED display, Intel Core Ultra 5 325, up to 32GB of RAM, modern connectivity and Google-focused software could make the Lenovo Googlebook 15 one of the more interesting new laptops in the emerging Googlebook category.

Until Lenovo officially confirms the specifications, however, pricing, availability and final software features should be considered unconfirmed.

The post Lenovo Googlebook 15: What the 120Hz OLED and Core Ultra 5 325 Mean for Users appeared first on IGeeKphone China Phone, Tablet PC, VR, RC Drone News, Reviews.

DuoHinge leva a animação de dobra do iPhone Duo para os MacBooks

15 September 2026 at 23:58

Algo que não passou despercebido durante a apresentação do iPhone Duo, primeiro smartphone dobrável da Apple, foi a animação ao abrir e fechar o aparelho — uma cortesia da versão adaptada do iOS especialmente para o modelo.

Como quase nada é impossível no mundo dos desenvolvedores, essa animação já foi transportada para o macOS graças ao DuoHinge, que adiciona uma ilusão de ótica interativa de dobra à tela física do seu MacBook.

Ao acessar diretamente o sensor de ângulo da tampa integrado ao Apple Silicon, o DuoHinge projeta sua área de trabalho em tempo real em um plano 3D virtual vertical, aplicando perspectiva realista via raycasting, dispersão gaussiana de vidro em duas passagens e dispersão cromática nas bordas conforme você fecha a tela.

An iPhone Duo–style hinge animation, but on a MacBook. Sometimes it’s fun to build things just because. pic.twitter.com/grYKra4X91

— João Franco (@JoaoFranco_03) September 10, 2026
Uma animação de dobradiça no estilo do iPhone Duo, mas em um MacBook. Às vezes, é divertido criar coisas simplesmente pelo prazer de fazê-lo.

O processamento da área de trabalho ocorre localmente no dispositivo, utilizando a taxa de atualização da tela integrada (até 120Hz em telas compatíveis) por meio do ScreenCaptureKit e shaders Metal personalizados, tudo encapsulado em uma camada transparente que permite cliques através dela, sem interromper seu fluxo de trabalho.

O aplicativo lê o sensor de ângulo da tampa e suaviza o movimento de acordo com a cadência de renderização. Um ícone vetorial do MacBook, no estilo da Apple, gira e espelha o ângulo real da sua tela nas barras de menu do macOS (no modo claro ou escuro).

O DuoHinge é gratuito, não contém assinaturas, nem rastreia quantas vezes você abre o seu MacBook. Ele exige pelo menos o macOS Sonoma 14 e pode ser baixado diretamente pela página no GitHub — ao iniciar o aplicativo pela primeira vez, abra-o na barra de menus e conceda permissão de Gravação de Tela e Áudio do Sistema quando o macOS solicitar.

Opting Into Training Siri AI and Apple Foundation Models

15 September 2026 at 21:55

Amber Neely:

A new section in the iOS 27 privacy policy shows that Apple has reversed its stance on using customers’ data to train its AI models. Previously, the company assured customers that it had no need for customer data, and would figure out how to make Siri AI work well without it.

Apple maintains that it “takes steps to ensure that personal data is not stored or used by Apple.” But as Heise points out, and Apple has said in the terms of service for a few years now, the audio material may be listened to by Apple employees after anonymization.

[…]

It also admits that data collected may be reviewed by “review personnel.” It is unclear if “review personnel” are Apple employees or a third-party company contracted to read conversation transcripts, as it has historically been.

Chance Miller:

Starting today, when a user enables Siri AI, they will see a setup screen asking whether they want to opt in to “improve Siri and Apple Intelligence,” with two options: “Share Audio and Text” or “Not Now.”

[…]

What’s important to note here is that nothing is changing about the type of data Apple collects if you opt in to this setting. What’s changing is that Apple will now use the data to train and refine its Foundation Models, as well as Siri and Dictation like before.

nunez:

iOS 26 had a toggle you could select to disable all Apple Intelligence features.

That toggle was removed for iOS 27. Every AI feature has to be turned off individually.

Previously:

18-year-old dies of measles in PA from severe neurological complication

15 September 2026 at 19:58

A fourth person in Pennsylvania has died of measles, the state health department confirmed Tuesday. The latest death was in an unvaccinated 18-year-old resident of Mifflin County.

In the announcement, the state health department also confirmed a county coroner's report over the weekend of the death of an unvaccinated 40-year-old woman in Jefferson County. The state had previously reported two deaths in Lancaster County; both were infants—a newborn boy and a 6-week-old girl, both too young to be vaccinated.

According to the Mifflin County coroner, Andrea L. Alcalde, the 18-year-old's cause of death was determined to be acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), which is a rare but known severe complication of measles. The condition is characterized by a rapidly progressing autoimmune disorder in which aberrant inflammation from an infection strips away the protective coverings of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Before measles vaccines were widely used, ADEM was commonly associated with measles, though other viral infections can also spur its development.

Read full article

Comments

© Getty | Natalya Maisheva

SpaceX declares Starship ready for orbit, sets launch date next week

15 September 2026 at 19:48

Pending regulatory approval, SpaceX said today it intends to launch its 14th Starship mission as early as September 22. This flight is notable, as it will be the first time that SpaceX attempts to launch the experimental vehicle into orbit.

The company set a target liftoff time of 7:15 am local in Texas (12:15 UTC), with a 75-minute launch window. Sunrise in Brownsville, Texas, is 7:17 am CT, so the launch could make for some striking imagery.

The super heavy lift rocket will be carrying 26 of the larger V3 Starlink satellites into an orbit 275 km above the Earth. In an update on its website, SpaceX said the Starship upper stage will seek to complete six orbits around the Earth before completing its mission after about 10 hours.

Read full article

Comments

© SpaceX

SpaceX declares Starship ready for orbit, sets launch date next week

15 September 2026 at 19:48

Pending regulatory approval, SpaceX said today it intends to launch its 14th Starship mission as early as September 22. This flight is notable, as it will be the first time that SpaceX attempts to launch the experimental vehicle into orbit.

The company set a target liftoff time of 7:15 am local in Texas (12:15 UTC), with a 75-minute launch window. Sunrise in Brownsville, Texas, is 7:17 am CT, so the launch could make for some striking imagery.

The super heavy lift rocket will be carrying 26 of the larger V3 Starlink satellites into an orbit 275 km above the Earth. In an update on its website, SpaceX said the Starship upper stage will seek to complete six orbits around the Earth before completing its mission after about 10 hours.

Read full article

Comments

© SpaceX

❌