Tobias

Tencent’s WeChat has again addressed the recurrent user demand for a “read receipt” feature. The company reiterated that it has never implemented this function and has no plans to do so. This decision is intentional, aiming to grant users autonomy over their responses and avoid potential social pressure and anxiety linked to immediate reply expectations after a message is marked as “read.” WeChat prioritizes user comfort over sender confirmation.

Alex Butler, a 15-year-old from Seattle, became a millionaire by creating the card game “Taco vs. Burrito” at age seven. Butler refined the game through family testing and crowdfunding before launching it on Amazon. The game’s viral success led to over 1.5 million copies sold and an acquisition by PlayMonster. Butler, motivated by profit, plans to buy a Lamborghini with his earnings.

President Trump announced a potential 100% tariff on imported chips, sparking concerns about price increases. He clarified that the tariff exemption would apply to companies manufacturing in the USA. Apple CEO Tim Cook met with Trump, showcasing Apple’s increased US investment pledge to $600 billion, including a smart glass factory in Kentucky. The investment also supports Apple’s US supply chain. Trump reiterated his “Made in the USA” focus, preferring domestic production over Apple’s investments in India.

Alibaba’s 88VIP membership program is expanding its perks without raising prices, adding over 10 new exclusive benefits. The upgrade combines features from previous programs, offering complimentary Hema X membership, prioritized Ele.me deliveries, Feizhu perks, movie ticket discounts, and Gaode ride-hailing vouchers. This builds upon previous enhancements and brings the total number of benefits to over 20, covering dining, entertainment, travel, and daily life. With over 50 million members, 88VIP is influential in Chinese consumer spending.

Zhou Hongyi, founder of 360, addressed concerns about Nvidia’s H20 AI chip security at a Beijing conference, following reports of Chinese regulatory scrutiny. While acknowledging the difficulty of detecting hardware backdoors, Zhou stated software-related vulnerabilities are inevitable. He distinguished between intentional backdoors and unintentional vulnerabilities, suggesting China’s suspicions are reasonable given past US government requests to Nvidia. Despite this, Zhou believes Nvidia likely has no deliberate malicious intent and proposed a third-party security audit to address concerns. Nvidia denies any backdoors in its chips.

China’s MSS warns of increased espionage via cyberattacks targeting personal and state data. Exploits include compromised smart cameras (default passwords, lack of updates) and malware spread through automatic downloads on online forums. The MSS advises users to strengthen security: avoid default passwords, use reliable antivirus software, update systems, and exercise caution with automatic downloads, urging vigilance against foreign intelligence agencies.

OpenAI is teasing a livestream event on X, sparking speculation about the unveiling of GPT-5. A typo in the announcement fueled the rumors. CEO Sam Altman hinted at GPT-5’s integration of several technologies. The standard ChatGPT version may offer free, limited access to GPT-5’s basic capabilities. Plus and Pro subscribers could gain access to more advanced features like voice integration, enhanced search, and research tools.

Former President Trump intends to impose tariffs of approximately 100% on imported chips and semiconductors, but would waive them for companies that manufacture in the U.S., incentivizing domestic production. Tariffs could also be levied on products containing semiconductor chips. This policy aims to reshape supply chains and bolster U.S. self-reliance in critical technology. Apple, with its existing U.S. investments and manufacturing initiatives, appears strategically positioned amidst these potential changes, potentially employing 20,000 more in the US.

Gree Electric faces investor scrutiny over its chip business, despite significant R&D spending. Concerns arose from comparing Gree’s chip subsidiary’s small registered workforce to industry peers. Gree responded, stating its chip team nears 1,000 employees and clarified previous data discrepancies. Gree entered the chip domain in 2015, focusing on MCUs, smart home chips, power devices, and silicon carbide wafer manufacturing. Chairwoman Dong Mingzhu defended the company’s chip venture as a strategic move towards self-reliance and potentially providing semiconductor solutions to others.

A recent leak at TSMC, impacting its 2nm process technology R&D and Fab 20 in Hsinchu, involves nine individuals and has sparked industry debate. The breach, detected internally, highlights the challenges of protecting valuable IP. Intriguingly, the leak involves Tokyo Electron (TEL), a partner of Rapidus, intensifying competition in advanced semiconductor manufacturing. TSMC had implemented rigorous security measures, including iPhone replacements and U.S. security expert recruitment. Despite CEO C.C. Wei’s confidence, the leak originated from TSMC’s headquarters, emphasizing the persistent threat of internal security breaches.