This digest compiles the latest from Tech Spot.
Today’s Tech Spot Roundup
Intel's CEO is also a major startup investor, and it's starting to get messy
When Tan pitched his board on acquiring the AI chip startup Rivos this summer, he did so from both sides of the table. Tan also chaired Rivos, the same company he wanted Intel to buy, according to three people familiar with the discussions. The board rejected his proposal, citing a…
Elon Musk confirms SpaceX IPO plans, could value company at over $1 trillion
The IPO plans were initially reported by The Wall Street Journal and The Information last Friday before Musk confirmed it on X this week. Replying to a post on the IPO rumors by Ars Technica Space Editor Eric Berger, Musk simply wrote that the reports are “accurate,” but did not…
Trump's executive order seeks to centralize AI regulation at the federal level
The administration argues that a unified national policy will eliminate what Trump described as a confusing patchwork of state rules that stifle innovation and jeopardize America’s lead over China in AI development.
2025's most-downloaded iPhone app is, you guessed it, ChatGPT
Apple has released a list of the App Store’s most downloaded free apps, with OpenAI’s ChatGPT predictably at the top. “The GenAI chatbot has seen tremendous growth since its introduction, which helped launch the ongoing AI craze.
California startup's new fire-suppression system uses sound instead of water
Sonic Fire Tech, co-founded by aerospace engineer Geoff Bruder, has developed a system that uses infrasound – low-frequency sound waves below the threshold of human hearing – to suppress fire.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dominates The Game Awards with nine wins; free DLC available now
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won all but two of the eleven categories it was nominated in. Sandfall Interactive’s title always looked like the strongest contender in the GOTY category, going up against Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades 2, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
Utah discovery could be one of the most significant US critical mineral finds in years
According to Ionic, independent analyses identified elevated grades of 16 minerals, including lithium, alumina, germanium, rubidium, cesium, vanadium, niobium, and scandium. These materials are essential to producing the semiconductors, defense components, and clean-energy technologies that underpin major industries.
Nintendo Switch 2 could get more expensive as DRAM and NAND costs spike
The memory shortage crisis, a result of the huge demand from AI companies, has sent DRAM prices through the roof. According to Bloomberg, Nintendo is now paying 41% more for the 12 GB LPDDR5X modules used in the Switch 2 than it did three months ago.
Single Stick vs. Dual Channel RAM: How Much Performance Do You Actually Lose?
DRAM prices just doubled, pushing many builders to consider running a single 16 GB stick. We test how much performance you give up when running a Ryzen system in single vs. dual channel.
Notepad++ users urged to update immediately after hackers hijack the app's updater
The developers of Notepad++ recently discovered an actively exploited vulnerability that enabled hackers to hijack the popular editor’s automatic updater. Version 8.8.9 addresses the issue, but users should avoid relying on the updater in earlier releases and instead download the latest installer directly from the Notepad++ website or from TechSpot’s…
End of today’s Tech Spot roundup.
