ASML, a leading Dutch semiconductor equipment manufacturer, plans to open a support center in Hokkaido, Japan in 2024. The center will provide support to Rapidus, a newly established Japanese chip producer located in Chitose, Hokkaido. ASML will send around 40-50 engineers to the center to assist Rapidus. ASML is uniquely capable of supporting Rapidus as the only manufacturer of extreme ultraviolet lithography machines, which are essential for producing advanced chips. Rapidus was formed in 2021 as a joint venture between 8 major Japanese companies including Toyota and Sony, to develop a domestic source of next-generation semiconductors. The Japanese government strongly supports Rapidus in pursuit of supply chain and economic security.

Notably, Rapidus aims to begin test production of cutting-edge 2-nanometer chips from its new Chitose factory as early as April 2025.

Meta today announced its new $500 Meta Quest 3 virtual reality headset, which features improved resolution, processing power, and comfort over the Quest 2. Meanwhile, Apple is preparing to launch its high-end $3,500 Vision Pro mixed reality headset next year with 4K displays offering 23 million pixels. The Quest 3 uses Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chip and improved cameras for augmented reality experiences similar to the Vision Pro. Weighing over a pound, the Quest 3 includes updated lenses and fabric strap for comfort. Its controllers offer haptic feedback and camera-based navigation. Both headsets last around two hours per charge but the Vision Pro can run all day when wired to a power source.

Pre-orders for the Quest 3 start today ahead of shipments beginning in October.

Raspberry Pi has announced the launch of the Raspberry Pi 5, coming at the end of October. The new model features a faster quad-core processor clocked at 2.4GHz, improved GPU, and is over twice as fast as the previous model. It has been designed in-house in Cambridge and includes new chips designed specifically for it. Notable features include dual 4K display support, USB 3.0 ports, and PCIe and MIPI interfaces for expansion. Accessories like an active cooler, upgraded power supply and camera cables are available. Owners of MagPi magazines and existing customers will have priority access to the new device.

Of interest is that it includes the first Raspberry Pi chip designed entirely in-house.

In the 1950s, psychologist Harry Harlow conducted experiments showing that baby monkeys preferred to spend time with a soft cloth surrogate mother rather than a wire one, demonstrating the importance of physical affection. Today, many people spend more time with the “digital wire mother” of the internet rather than real social connections. While technology can supplement relationships, it cannot replace true human interaction and risks supplanting meaningful socialization. Over-reliance on online platforms reduces opportunities for building robust support networks. However, digital connections may provide temporary relief for those lacking community.

The essay calls for vigilance in ensuring technology supplements rather than replaces real-world relationships.

Engineers have developed a passive solar desalination system that mimics ocean circulation to produce freshwater from seawater. The design uses sunlight to heat saltwater and induce swirling eddies that evaporate water while rejecting salt. Testing showed a single stage could produce 5 liters of drinking water per hour. A scaled-up version is estimated to have a lifetime of several years without maintenance. As it requires no electricity, the system could produce water cheaper than tap water, potentially addressing water scarcity in coastal communities. An innovative aspect is how it circulates saltwater in a manner similar to ocean currents to effectively separate salt without clogging.

The passive design makes it well-suited for household water production in off-grid areas.

The article discusses how hate speech and misinformation spread on Facebook contributed to real-world violence against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar starting in 2012. Activists had warned Facebook for years about this issue but the company was slow to act. Anti-Rohingya rhetoric intensified on Facebook after incidents like the murder of a Buddhist woman, with posts calling Rohingya “subhuman” and “terrorists.” Influential Buddhist monk Ashin Wirathu used Facebook to spread his anti-Muslim messages. Despite continued warnings from NGOs about posts inciting violence, Facebook did not take strong enough action until years later. The piece examines Facebook’s role in the deterioration of the situation and eventual genocide against the Rohingya population in Myanmar.

It highlights how slow and inadequate responses by the platform allowed hate speech to proliferate and likely contributed to deadly attacks.

Poland’s data protection authority has opened an investigation into ChatGPT and its creator OpenAI in response to a GDPR complaint. The complainant claimed ChatGPT provided inaccurate personal information about them and OpenAI failed to rectify it. Several other European agencies had also expressed concerns about ChatGPT’s compliance with GDPR regulations. Italy initially blocked the chatbot before allowing it back with privacy changes, while Spain and a group of Latin American authorities launched probes into its data practices. Regulators across Europe, Canada, and the US have increased scrutiny of OpenAI as ChatGPT raises issues around personal data protection and reputational risks for users. The new EU Artificial Intelligence Act is also designed to regulate privacy in AI systems.

This growing wave of investigations could result in major fines for OpenAI.

An iPhone to HDMI adapter was discovered that, when plugged in, runs a program prompting users to download an app. This EZ Cast app collects extensive personal data and sends it to China for ad targeting. It requires location access, photos, and installs tracking cookies. The adapter appears designed to mimic official Apple products. While its intentions are unclear, it demonstrates how such devices could enable privacy risks by introducing untrusted software into a user’s devices. Analysis of a similar EZCast dongle found it was vulnerable and not designed with security in mind. Reviews complain the app is useless or a scam. The adapter may have originated as unsold Amazon returns later acquired by electronics recyclers.

Its existence relates to concerns about privacy and navigation issues on online marketplaces.