This digest compiles the latest from Tech Spot.
Today’s Tech Spot Roundup
Disney bets on Fortnite to reinvent the movie premiere
After acquiring a $1.5 billion stake in Epic Games in 2024, Disney began outlining plans to build what it calls a “persistent social universe” where users can play, watch, shop, and engage with its many properties. That vision – still light on specifics – could soon include the debut of…
Elon Musk wants to launch AI satellites from the Moon using a giant catapult
At an internal all-hands meeting this week, Musk laid out an idea that sounds like something ripped straight from a SF novel: build a massive factory on the Moon that manufactures AI satellites and launches them into space using a giant catapult. It’s part of his plan to create an…
Unwanted AI upgrade to Windows Notepad created a serious security flaw
According to Microsoft’s release notes, the update fixes 25 elevation of privilege flaws, 12 remote code execution vulnerabilities, three denial of service vulnerabilities, five security feature bypass exploits, six information disclosure bugs, and seven spoofing vulnerabilities. Six of the vulnerabilities were rated “Critical,” while the rest were marked as “Severe.”
Fortnite escalates anti-cheat by mandating Secure Boot, TPM, and IOMMU
Starting February 19, all Fortnite tournaments on PC will require users to activate Secure Boot, TPM, and Input-Output Memory Management Unit (IOMMU). Although virtually all PC players likely already meet the anti-cheat system’s hardware requirements, many might have to update their BIOS and startup settings.
Discord's age-check crackdown is already pushing users elsewhere
The decision, announced on February 9, signals a major shift in Discord’s approach to moderation and compliance. The company says the system will apply universally, overriding prior account settings and community affiliations.
Sony to exit the recordable Blu-ray market this month in another blow to physical media
The announcement isn’t a surprise. Sony said in a 2024 interview that it would gradually end development and production of recordable Blu-ray discs and other optical disc formats. It said at the time that the decision was made because the cold storage market never really took off in the way…
Nvidia bundles Resident Evil Requiem as AMD counters with Crimson Desert
Team Green’s deal applies to desktop and laptop variants of the GeForce RTX 5070, 5070 Ti, 5080, and 5090, as well as pre-built desktops containing the cards. Resident Evil Requiem’s somewhat modest system requirements – it recommends just an RTX 2060 – suggest that all participating GPUs should achieve high frame rates.
OpenAI executive who opposed ChatGPT "adult mode" fired over sex discrimination claim
Ryan Beiermeister, who was OpenAI’s vice president of product policy, had spoken out against ChatGPT’s adult/spicy mode announced by CEO Sam Altman in October last year. The mode is being framed as allowing mature conversations – but it’s obviously going to be used for more than discussing the latest arthouse…
HP's latest offer turns gaming laptops into a monthly subscription
The offer arrives as gaming laptops grow more expensive, pushed up by pricier memory, storage, and GPUs, and as rigs age faster under modern game and AI workloads.
End of today’s Tech Spot roundup.
