Tech Digest daily roundup: EU votes for replaceable smartphone batteries
The European Parliament has voted yes to replaceable battery legislation, putting Apple on a path to a second redesign just over a year after USB-C charging ports were mandated in the bloc. Unlike the USB-C redesign, which has a 2024 deadline, the “portable battery” rule will come into play in 2027 at the earliest. That rule, by the way, covers all appliances and will mean that if you own the gadget, you should be able to remove and replace its battery yourself. Smartphones designed by Samsung and most other makers on the market already include USB-C ports, but for almost all of them the battery news will mean a redesign. The Register
Tesla vehicles appear to have a secret hands-free driving feature named “Elon Mode”, an anonymous hacker has revealed. The hacker, who goes by the handle @greentheonly on Twitter, is known for assessing the electric vehicle manufacturer’s software code and uncovering features before their official rollout. In the latest reveal, the hacker unveiled the hidden “Elon Mode” feature which doesn’t require any attention from the driver while using Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. Independent
Cyber-criminals have told the BBC they do not have data belonging to large UK organisations thought to be victims of a mass hack. Firms including the BBC, British Airways and Boots have told staff that sensitive payroll data was stolen in last month’s breach. But now the hackers Clop, speaking over email, claim “we don’t have that data”. It raises the possibility that another unknown hacking gang has the stolen data or that Clop is lying. Zellis, the UK payroll provider that hackers breached to gain access to the BBC, Boots and BA’s data, said it could not comment as a police investigation was ongoing. BBC
Mankind will be overtaken by artificial intelligence, the chief executive of one of the world’s biggest investment funds has warned. Masayoshi Son, chief executive of SoftBank, said the tech investment fund, which owns Cambridge chip designer Arm, will pursue an aggressive growth strategy centered on AI despite reporting losses of $27bn (£21bn) earlier this year. He said: “What I am interested in most, what I am working on most, is the AI revolution. I believe that mankind is going to be exceeded by computer or AI. Telegraph
Lighting company Signify has announced a new feature coming to the Philips Hue app that aims to give users better control over brightness in their home, as well as a Hue bridge automation update that brings more nuance to motion sensor triggers.
Philips Hue lights will soon include a brightness balancer that lets users customize the relative brightness of individual lights in an Entertainment area, instead of controlling the lights as a group. Signify says the new feature was developed following requests from Philips Hue’s users who wanted to more control over their lights while watching a movie, listening to music or gaming. MacRumors
Taking a nap during the day can leave you feeling refreshed, recharged and ready to take on the world. Now new research suggests it could be good for your brain too. The average difference in brain volume between habitual nappers and those who were not was equivalent to 2.6 to 6.5 years of ageing, researchers found. Senior author Dr Victoria Garfield, from the MRC Unit for Lifelong Health & Ageing at UCL, said: “Our findings suggest that, for some people, short daytime naps may be a part of the puzzle that could help preserve the health of the brain as we get older.” Sky News
