This digest compiles the latest from Tech Spot.
Today’s Tech Spot Roundup
$1,000-a-month basic income program launches for workers displaced by AI
The program is for workers who have lost pay, jobs, or opportunities to AI, writes the Blood in the Machine newsletter. Called the AI Dividend, it is run by nonprofits the AI Commons Project and What We Will, which aim to support humans in an increasingly AI-first world.
Kali Linux 2026.1 adds Linux 6.18 and a nostalgic BackTrack mode
Kali Linux 2026.1 lands with a fresh look, a Linux 6.18 kernel, and a batch of new pentesting tools – but the standout is a nostalgic BackTrack mode that recreates the classic desktop for longtime users. It’s a relatively light release, yet one that blends practical updates with a throwback twist security pros seem to appreciate.
Prototype mod brings native 1080P output to the Super Nintendo
Developed by hardware engineer Stanislav Parhomovich – the same developer behind the MegaSwitch HD for the Sega Genesis – the new modification, called the Super Switch HD, introduces full digital video output to Nintendo’s 16-bit classic. The mod enables the console to output a high-resolution digital signal over HDMI on…
PS5 Pro's PSSR upscaler proves AMD FSR 4 can work on older Radeon GPUs
PlayStation architect Mark Cerny recently told Digital Foundry that a new, improved version of Sony’s PSSR upscaler utilizes 8-bit integer (INT8). Since the company developed PSSR and FSR 4 with AMD, Sony’s new variant likely incorporates technology that could expand FSR 4 to GPUs that do not officially support it.
Minecraft "Tiny Takeover" overhauls baby mobs with new looks and mechanics
Minecraft’s latest “Tiny Takeover” update gives baby mobs a full glow-up, with new models, sounds, and even a Golden Dandelion item that lets you keep them small a little longer. It’s a lighter, charm-focused drop, but one players are already embracing for how much personality it adds to everyday gameplay.
AMD repurposes RDNA 3 for next-gen Medusa APUs with FSR 4 and AI features
Internal software documentation from the LLVM compiler project recently added two identifiers, GFX1171 and GFX1172, marking GPUs that occupy an unusual place in AMD’s architecture lineup. While the GFX12 branch represents AMD’s next-generation RDNA 4 designs and GFX13 maps to RDNA 5, these new IDs remain under the GFX11 family…
Microsoft and Nvidia announce AI partnership to fast-track nuclear power plants
Before anyone starts picturing Copilot sitting in a control room, the companies say this is mostly about speeding up the slow work that comes before a reactor ever goes live.
LG's new 1Hz display tech promises up to 48% better battery life in laptops
LG Display recently announced Oxide 1Hz, a brand-new display technology that it says can significantly improve battery efficiency. The new display type, which has just entered mass production, is designed to automatically change the refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz depending on the context.
Xbox's new CEO is exploring cheaper Game Pass tiers to boost growth
Making Microsoft’s PC and console game subscription service more affordable would run counter to the multiple price hikes the service has received in recent years. However, reports indicate that the gaming division’s new leadership intends to shift to a more offensive stance.
Ayaneo Next 2 handheld gaming PC canceled after soaring memory costs kill launch
In an update on its Indiegogo page, Ayaneo writes that even before the Next 2’s launch, storage prices had been rising for several months, but the company was prepared to make little or no profit on the handheld.
Firefox 149 brings split view, free VPN, and faster PDFs
Mozilla has released Firefox 149, bringing a new mode for side-by-side browsing, a built-in free VPN with limited rollout, and improved PDF performance thanks to hardware acceleration. The update also adds a share button and enhances security by blocking notifications and known malicious sites by default.
OpenAI pulls the plug on Sora, ending $1 billion Disney deal in sudden pivot
The decision stunned Disney executives, who just 30 minutes earlier had been meeting with OpenAI teams about Sora’s future, according to a person familiar with the matter. “It was a big rug-pull,” the person told Reuters, describing how the media giant learned of the shutdown moments before it became public.
Jury reaches verdict in social media addiction trial, finds Meta liable for harm to children
Update (March 25): A New Mexico jury has delivered one of the first major rulings in the growing wave of social media addiction lawsuits, finding Meta liable for misleading the public about platform safety and exposing children to harm. After a nearly seven-week trial, jurors concluded the company violated state…
Arm just changed the rules, building its first-ever CPU and betting big on agentic AI
For the past three years, every data center conversation has started and ended with GPUs. Training clusters and inference racks and accelerator roadmaps. If you worked in data center silicon and you were not talking about GPUs, people looked at you like you were lost.
End of today’s Tech Spot roundup.
