Notepad++ is a popular text editor made only for Windows by Don Ho since 2003. A separate “Notepad++ for Mac” app was created by Andrey Letov without Ho’s permission, causing a dispute about trademark misuse and confusion over official support.
Key Facts
Notepad++ is a Windows-only text editor created by Don Ho in 2003.
Notepad++ has never officially released a version for Mac computers.
Andrey Letov made a Mac version called “Notepad++ for Mac” using the Notepad++ name and logo without permission.
Don Ho says this use misleads users into thinking the Mac version is official.
Ho asked Letov to stop using the Notepad++ name and logo and change the website.
Letov initially wanted to keep using the name a little longer and worked on changing the name and branding.
The Mac app was renamed “NextPad++” with a different icon to avoid confusion.
The dispute involves trademark law and concerns over misleading users.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Elon Musk sent an email to OpenAI two days before the start of a trial, asking about the possibility of settling the case. This information was revealed in court documents related to a lawsuit involving Musk and OpenAI.
Key Facts
Elon Musk is involved in a lawsuit against OpenAI, the company co-founded by Sam Altman.
Two days before the trial began, Musk emailed OpenAI to ask about a settlement.
The email was made public through a court filing.
The case has entered its second week of testimony.
News about this was reported by CBS News and The New York Times.
The lawsuit and trial focus on disagreements between Musk and OpenAI.
Settlement means resolving a dispute without continuing the legal trial.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Canadian election officials used a simple security method called a canary trap to find out who leaked voter data. They put fake entries in the voter list given to the Republican Party of Alberta, and when these fake entries appeared in an unauthorized online database run by another group, officials quickly identified the source.
Key Facts
A canary trap involves adding small, unique changes to documents to track leaks.
Alberta’s electoral list includes names, addresses, and voting districts of millions of people.
Political parties can access this voter list but are not allowed to share it with others.
The Centurion Project created an online database using data from Alberta’s voter list without permission.
Elections Alberta noticed fake entries in the unauthorized database that matched ones given to the Republican Party.
The canary trap helped Elections Alberta prove the data leak came from the Republican Party’s copy.
The Centurion Project removed its database after legal action by Elections Alberta.
The canary trap concept is from espionage and was popularized by Tom Clancy’s novel "Patriot Games."
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A study claiming that OpenAI’s ChatGPT greatly improves student learning has been retracted nearly a year after it was published. The publisher, Springer Nature, withdrew the paper due to problems with how the analysis was done and doubts about the results, despite the study being widely cited and shared on social media.
Key Facts
The study analyzed 51 earlier research papers to measure ChatGPT’s impact on student learning.
It initially claimed ChatGPT has a large positive effect on learning performance and thinking skills.
The paper was published on May 6, 2025, in the journal Humanities & Social Sciences Communications.
Critics pointed out many of the original studies were low quality or not comparable.
Experts questioned how so many solid studies about ChatGPT and learning could appear within just two and a half years after ChatGPT’s release in late 2022.
The study got 262 citations in similar journals and 504 citations overall, plus huge social media attention.
Springer Nature retracted the paper on April 22, 2026, after the authors did not respond to requests about the issues.
The paper’s positive claims about ChatGPT were spread widely, but the detailed problems with the study were largely overlooked online.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Meta is working to make the internet safer for teenagers. They offer parents tools to monitor teen accounts and team up with experts and other tech companies to spot harmful online behavior.
Key Facts
Meta provides Teen Accounts designed for safer use by teenagers.
Parents can use supervision tools to help monitor their teens’ online activity.
Meta collaborates with experts to create awareness campaigns about online safety.
The company works with other tech firms to share information about accounts that might be harmful or predatory.
The goal is to protect teens from online exploitation through teamwork and shared resources.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
AMD is working on updating its Linux graphics driver to support HDMI 2.1, a newer video connection standard. This update will allow Linux users, including Steam Machine owners, to use better screen features like higher resolution and smoother refresh rates.
Key Facts
AMD is adding HDMI 2.1 support to its AMDGPU driver for Linux.
HDMI 2.1 offers features like higher bandwidth, better resolution, dynamic HDR, and Variable Refresh Rate.
The update will include HDMI FRL (Fixed Rate Link), which is faster than older HDMI 2.0 technology.
Full support for Display Stream Compression (DSC), needed for very high resolutions up to 10K, is still being tested.
AMD plans to complete full HDMI 2.1 compliance after more testing and patch releases.
This improvement benefits Linux gamers and Steam Machine users by removing workarounds needed for HDMI 2.0 limitations.
Valve has been working with AMD to speed up this driver support progress.
It is unclear if legal or licensing issues with HDMI 2.1 and open source drivers are fully resolved.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Prediction markets, where people bet on future events, are growing quickly. These markets have faced controversies, including legal actions and restrictions on who can participate, showing they affect real-world events and decisions.
Key Facts
Prediction markets allow people to bet on the outcomes of future events.
Companies like Polymarket and Kalshi have become very popular.
US Senators are banned from using prediction market websites.
A US soldier was charged for betting on the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
These markets are influencing how people view and respond to events.
The topic was discussed in an episode produced by NPR and The Take podcast teams.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Cosy gaming is a style of video games that focuses on gentle, relaxing activities like farming or decorating virtual homes. These games have become more popular, especially among young people who face challenges like high unemployment and difficulty buying real homes.
Key Facts
Cosy gaming began with games like Harvest Moon (1996) and The Sims (2000).
These games focus on low-stress, calming activities rather than violence or competition.
The number of cosy games on Steam grew from 19 in 2020 to 616 in 2025.
New cosy games like Hozy let players decorate and fix up virtual abandoned houses.
Many young people cannot afford real homes due to high prices and unemployment.
In the UK, 29% of people aged 20-34 still live with their parents.
Cosy gaming offers a sense of control and satisfaction not often found in real life for young adults.
Although virtual home-owning is popular, real home ownership comes with many challenges like taxes and repairs.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A study by Peec AI found that AI platforms like ChatGPT and Google AI mention Nigel Farage more often than other UK political leaders when asked about British politics. The research showed that AI models often use social media content, especially from platforms like Facebook, which can influence the political figures they reference.
Key Facts
AI platforms were tested on 5,000 prompts about UK politics, producing over 280,000 data points.
Nigel Farage appeared more frequently than Labour leader Keir Starmer in many AI responses.
Reform UK was mentioned in 88% of Google AI Overview results on political topics.
AI showed more references to Labour and Liberal Democrats than Conservatives or Greens overall.
ChatGPT cited Farage first in answers related to immigration policy in a sample prompt.
Large language models (LLMs) often rely on social media and open web content when lacking up-to-date information.
This reliance on social media makes AI systems vulnerable to manipulation and misinformation.
Reform UK’s high visibility in AI responses may relate to their active social media posting strategies.
Experts warn that AI models can be influenced by large volumes of online content, including disinformation.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Kalshi, a prediction market platform, has introduced new features to prevent users under 18 from using its service. These features include making face ID verification the default for users with that option and encouraging parents to activate additional security measures like two-factor authentication.
Key Facts
Kalshi is a prediction market, a platform where people can bet on future events.
The company wants to stop children under 18 from using its site.
New features launched focus on age verification using face ID technology.
Face ID will be automatically turned on for users whose devices support it.
Parents are urged to use face ID and two-factor authentication to protect their children.
Two-factor authentication adds a second step to verify users’ identities for better security.
These changes aim to create a safer environment and prevent underage gambling on the platform.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Elon Musk tried to settle his lawsuit against OpenAI just days before the trial started but refused to drop his claims after OpenAI suggested it. Musk sent a message saying that if the claims were not dropped, OpenAI leaders “will be the most hated men in America,” which could now be used as evidence in court to show his intentions.
Key Facts
Elon Musk sued OpenAI, accusing it of abandoning its nonprofit mission to benefit humanity.
Two days before the trial, Musk offered to settle the lawsuit but refused to drop his claims when OpenAI asked.
Musk sent a message to OpenAI’s president saying, “By the end of this week, you and Sam will be the most hated men in America.”
This message may be allowed in court as evidence of Musk’s real motives, even though settlement talks usually can’t be used in court.
OpenAI argues Musk’s message was a threat, not a genuine effort to settle.
The court might allow the message as evidence because of a similar case where Musk’s threatening message during his Twitter lawsuit was admitted.
Musk’s lawyers want the judge to reject the evidence based on usual rules about settlement talks.
Trial judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will decide soon whether to allow the message in court.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Vine, a short-form video app popular for its six-second looping clips, has relaunched under the new name “Divine,” supported by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. The new app aims to promote human-made content and avoid low-quality videos generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
Key Facts
Vine was originally launched in 2013 and became famous for short, looping six-second videos.
Twitter (now called X) bought Vine but shut it down in 2017 because it wasn’t profitable.
Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s co-founder, is funding a new version called “Divine.”
Divine hosts 500,000 original Vine videos and allows new videos with the same 6-second limit.
All videos must be made by humans, verified by recording directly in the app or a verification process.
The app tries to avoid “AI slop,” meaning low-quality AI-generated content, which is common online now.
Divine opened to the public after testing with 100,000 original Vine videos.
Today, short-form videos are dominated by apps like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, posing a challenge for Divine’s success.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
MIT engineers created a virtual violin, which is a computer tool that simulates how a violin works using physics. This tool can produce realistic sounds of a plucked violin string and may help violin makers design their instruments better by understanding how sound is made.
Key Facts
Violin makers usually rely on hands-on experience to craft violins and choose materials.
The virtual violin simulates the physics of the instrument rather than using pre-recorded sound samples.
The simulation was described in a paper published in the journal npj Acoustics.
The tool aims to help understand violin sound physics and assist makers in design, not replace artisan skill.
Researchers have studied famous violins like Stradivari’s to learn why they sound special, examining wood type, varnish, and chemicals.
Methods like CT scans and 3D lasers have been used to analyze violin structure and vibrations.
Past projects, such as Strad3D, mapped how violins vibrate to understand their unique sounds.
Experts say violin-making includes art and science, and no single factor explains the Stradivari sound fully.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Toyota has built a new city called Woven City, costing about $10 billion, as a test site for future technologies. The city includes many sensors and cameras to improve safety, especially for autonomous vehicles, but it also raises concerns about privacy due to the extensive surveillance.
Key Facts
Toyota started Woven City to create a living lab for researchers, engineers, and scientists to develop future mobility technologies.
The city is built on the site of an old factory and recently welcomed its first 100 residents, called "Weavers."
Woven City aims to support Toyota’s goal of zero traffic accidents by using connected sensors and cameras throughout the city.
Cameras are placed densely, with some intersections having eight or more, all feeding data into an AI system called the Woven City AI Vision Engine.
The AI system tracks people by clothing but does not use facial recognition, aiming to monitor activity and improve safety.
Privacy concerns exist due to this high level of surveillance, and Toyota is working to protect data with a system called "Data Fabric."
Surveys show varying privacy attitudes globally, with Japanese people being particularly cautious and wanting clear data protection and use policies.
Toyota plans to use Woven City as a model for integrating advanced safety technology in future vehicles and urban environments.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Yann LeCun, a leading AI scientist and former Meta AI chief, advises people not to worry about exaggerated fears concerning AI taking jobs or causing human extinction. He encourages students to pursue college degrees, especially in subjects like physics or electrical engineering, and says AI will create new kinds of jobs rather than eliminate many.
Key Facts
Yann LeCun has over 40 years of experience in AI and warns against believing extreme claims about AI's future threats.
He says fears about AI causing human extinction are harming the mental health of some teenagers.
LeCun advises ignoring CEOs who exaggerate AI capabilities because they want to promote their products.
He believes AI is still not very good at reasoning and human-level AI is a long way off.
He recommends students go to college and focus on subjects with lasting value, such as physics or electrical engineering.
LeCun argues AI will change jobs, but not eliminate large numbers of them; new roles will emerge.
He says AI will enable people to manage AI systems, shifting how work is done.
Historically, new technologies take about 15 years to fully improve productivity, so AI's impact will be gradual.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Schools in the London borough of Sutton are using virtual reality (VR) headsets to help students reduce stress and anxiety, especially related to exams and mental health issues. The VR program, developed by Phase Space, offers short sessions that help pupils calm down and regain focus, showing positive effects on attendance and behavior.
Key Facts
All 15 secondary schools in Sutton are using Phase Space VR headsets in a pilot program with the local NHS mental health trust.
The VR sessions last about seven minutes and students use them when feeling anxious or stressed.
The program helps with issues like exam stress, ADHD, and emotional difficulties from home life.
90% of students in the first 10 schools experienced immediate stress relief after using the VR.
Schools reported fewer disruptions in class, as students can use VR instead of leaving lessons unsupervised.
The program is supported by local child and adolescent mental health services (Camhs) to help with overloaded mental health resources.
Students said VR helped them feel calmer, more confident, and better able to focus and follow instructions.
Experts see this digital approach as a promising, low-cost way to improve children’s mental health in schools.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, criticized Australia’s social media ban for users under 16 as a failure that encourages unsafe online surveillance. He said governments should focus on educating parents about parental controls instead of enforcing strict bans and identity checks.
Key Facts
Jimmy Wales called Australia’s social media ban for under-16s an “unmitigated disaster” and “an embarrassment.”
He believes the ban teaches children to accept unsafe online surveillance by requiring age verification with personal information.
Wales compared Wikipedia’s community moderation, which discourages personal attacks, to social media algorithms that promote conflict for engagement.
Wales criticized anonymous moderators on social media platforms, saying Wikipedia’s rules are controlled by its community members.
He highlighted the use of facial age verification on platforms like Roblox to protect young users by grouping them in age-specific groups.
Wales thinks there is an exaggerated fear about young people’s use of social media.
He said many parents don’t know about parental controls on phones and suggested governments educate adults on how to use these tools.
Wales proposed that phones should be sold pre-configured with child-friendly settings to protect young users.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
UK biometrics watchdogs warn that laws and oversight for AI facial recognition in policing and retail are not keeping up with fast technology growth. UK police and retailers use this technology more, but errors and misuse raise concerns about privacy, fairness, and accountability.
Key Facts
The Metropolitan Police nearly doubled the number of faces scanned in London over the last year.
AI facial recognition is used increasingly by police and retailers across the UK.
Current laws and regulations are slow and inconsistent across UK regions.
Watchdogs say police largely self-regulate, which causes concern.
Some people have been wrongly identified as suspects, leading to wrongful arrests.
A planned independent audit of the Metropolitan Police’s use of this technology was delayed and may not happen.
The UK government is considering new laws to better control and oversee facial recognition use.
Many citizens worry this technology leads to mass surveillance and weak protections for privacy and civil rights.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Some shops in the UK use a facial recognition system called Facewatch to spot shoplifters. However, the system sometimes wrongly accuses innocent people, who then face difficulties proving they are not guilty. Critics warn that the technology can impact civil rights and may have bias problems.
Key Facts
Facewatch is a facial recognition system used by many UK shops like Home Bargains and Sports Direct to identify shoplifters.
The company claims their system is 99.98% accurate and sent over 50,000 alerts in one month.
People wrongly identified by Facewatch have been asked to leave stores without clear explanations or easy ways to challenge the accusation.
One man, Ian Clayton, was falsely accused and only found out through a formal data request; he received a £100 voucher apology he refused.
Facial recognition technology is known to be less accurate for people with darker skin and women, raising concerns about bias.
Experts and campaigners argue the system affects civil rights by removing people without proof and lacks proper regulation.
The UK government admitted these accuracy and bias issues last year but national oversight is not keeping up with the technology’s use.
Some worry about similar facial recognition growing in police forces as well as retail stores.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Pirelli, an Italian tire maker, has bought a 30% share in Univrses, a company that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision to analyze roads and vehicle data. This partnership will help Pirelli’s future tires collect and use data to improve road safety, driver assist systems, and infrastructure maintenance.
Key Facts
Pirelli acquired 30% of Univrses, with an option to buy more shares later.
Univrses develops 3DAI technology that uses AI and computer vision for vehicle positioning and road mapping.
The technology combines data from tire sensors and vehicle cameras to analyze road conditions and tire performance.
The data helps improve advanced driver assistance systems and autonomous driving features.
Pirelli’s Cyber Tires will integrate Univrses’ 3DAI technology soon.
This partnership began showing results in Italy starting in 2025.
Univrses has worked on similar technology with many car manufacturers for seven years.
The system aims to help governments predict and fix road issues before they get worse, making driving safer and roads better maintained.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
