Last Week's Tech Highlights

Lenovo’s Solar-Powered Laptop: 20 Minutes of Sunlight, 1 Hour of Video

Lenovo has revolutionized solar-powered laptop technology with the Yoga Solar PC, unveiled at MWC 2025. The device can play videos for one hour with just 20 minutes of sunlight, thanks to its 84 solar cells on the back cover, which convert 24.3% of light into energy. With a thickness of 15mm and a weight of 1.22kg, the laptop boasts a sleek design, though excessive sunlight exposure may lead to overheating issues. Lenovo is exploring the possibility of developing USB-C-supported additional solar panels, but it is not yet confirmed whether this innovative concept will hit the market.

U.S. Government Demands Google to Sell Chrome

The U.S. Department of Justice and 38 state attorneys general have demanded that Google divest its Chrome browser and stop favoring its own search engine in exclusive agreements. The final proposal submitted on Friday states that Chrome should be transferred to a buyer approved by the court and plaintiffs. While Google will no longer be required to sell its stake in OpenAI rival Anthropic, it must notify the government before making new AI investments. The DOJ argues that Google has used its market dominance to stifle competition and manipulate ad prices. This case is considered the largest tech antitrust lawsuit since the 1990s.

Volkswagen Brings Back Physical Buttons

Volkswagen has announced plans to reinstate physical buttons in its vehicles after replacing them with touchscreens. Design chief Andreas Mindt admitted that the decision to remove them was a mistake. The company will reintroduce physical controls for essential functions like audio, climate, and hazard lights. This change will debut in the ID 2all model in 2026 and will gradually be implemented across all new Volkswagen vehicles. Studies show that physical buttons enhance driving safety, and the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) emphasizes that cars should include physical controls for at least five key functions.

SKYNET 6A Satellite Passes Critical Tests

The UK’s next-generation military satellite communication system, SKYNET 6A, has successfully completed rigorous tests at the National Satellite Test Facility (NSTF) in Harwell, Oxfordshire. Developed in collaboration with Airbus Defence and Space UK and the Ministry of Defence, the satellite passed critical assessments for electromagnetic compatibility, extreme temperature tolerance, and vibration resistance. Scheduled for launch in 2026, SKYNET 6A will be the first military communications satellite fully designed, built, and tested in the UK. It will provide secure communications for 15 years and create 550 highly skilled job opportunities, reinforcing the UK's space sector capabilities.

Chinese Investors Turn to AI-Powered Stock Trading with DeepSeek

Following last year’s crackdown on quantitative (quant) funds, Chinese retail investors are increasingly turning to AI-powered trading tools. DeepSeek, developed by High-Flyer Fund, helps investors evaluate companies, select stocks, and develop trading strategies. As online courses and seminars on AI-driven investments surge, brokerage firms and wealth management companies are integrating AI models into their platforms. While experts acknowledge AI's advantages for investors, they warn that overreliance on such tools carries risks and may lead to misleading investment decisions.

Elon Musk Blames Cyberattack for X Platform Outage

Social media platform X experienced outages on Monday, with Elon Musk attributing the disruption to a large-scale cyberattack. Musk claimed the attack was conducted by "a well-resourced large group or a nation." However, cybersecurity experts questioned this claim, pointing out that Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks can also be carried out by small groups or individuals. Internet infrastructure sources reported that attack traffic originated from countries like the U.S., Vietnam, and Brazil, while Ukrainian sources were deemed "insignificant."

T-Mobile Named World’s Fastest Mobile Network

Mobile network performance evaluation firm Opensignal has named T-Mobile the world’s fastest mobile operator in its 2024 Global Mobile Network Experience Awards. Leading the large land area category, T-Mobile provided an average download speed of 152.5 Mbps. Meanwhile, South Korea’s SK Telecom retained the top spot in the small land area category with a speed of 155.7 Mbps. The report also assessed video streaming, gaming performance, and connection reliability. T-Mobile’s success is attributed to its post-merger investments with Sprint and its standalone 5G network.

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt Becomes Relativity Space's New Leader

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has taken control of U.S.-based space company Relativity Space, stepping in as its CEO. Schmidt, who also provides financial backing, is focusing on developing the medium-sized Terran R rocket, a potential competitor to SpaceX’s Falcon 9. This leadership change sees co-founder and former CEO Tim Ellis step down from management while remaining on the board. Initially, Relativity aimed to 3D-print most of its rockets, but it is now incorporating traditional manufacturing methods to optimize engineering and production processes. The company plans to complete Terran R’s first test model this year and launch it from Cape Canaveral in 2026.

Fortinet Patches 18 Security Vulnerabilities

Cybersecurity firm Fortinet has fixed 18 security vulnerabilities across multiple products, including FortiOS, FortiProxy, FortiPAM, FortiSRA, and FortiWeb. High-risk flaws include CVE-2023-48790, which allows unauthenticated attackers to execute code on FortiNDR, and CVE-2023-40723, which exposes database passwords in FortiSIEM. Other fixes address command injection, privilege escalation, and sensitive data leaks in systems like FortiSandbox, FortiADC, and FortiIsolator. Fortinet stated that most vulnerabilities were identified through internal research and that there is no evidence of active exploitation.

Chinese Volt Typhoon Hackers Hid in U.S. Power Grid for 300 Days

Cybersecurity firm Dragos has revealed that China-linked Volt Typhoon hackers infiltrated the Littleton Electric and Water Department (LELWD) in Massachusetts, staying undetected for 300 days. The attackers, who breached the system in February 2023, were found to have gathered sensitive data on operational technology (OT) systems. Microsoft initially disclosed in May 2023 that Volt Typhoon was surveilling U.S. critical infrastructure. Dragos emphasized that the hackers stole geolocation data of the power grid, potentially preparing for future disruptive attacks.

AI Search Engines Fail: 60% Error Rate

A study by Columbia University’s Tow Center has found that AI-powered search engines generate incorrect results 60% of the time. The research evaluated ChatGPT Search, Perplexity, Gemini, DeepSeek Search, Grok-2, Grok-3, and Copilot. X’s Grok-3 had the worst performance, with a 96% error rate. Although ChatGPT Search responded to all 200 test queries, it had a 57% error rate. Researchers warned that AI models present misinformation convincingly, misleading users. Despite their flaws, some users appreciate the speed and ad-free interface of AI search tools.

Australian Patient Survives 100 Days with Artificial Heart

An Australian patient has set a medical milestone by surviving over 100 days with a fully artificial heart. Developed by Queensland-born Dr. Daniel Timms, the BiVACOR artificial heart uses magnetic levitation technology to mimic natural blood flow. The patient, who underwent surgery at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney in November 2024, was discharged in February 2025 and later received a donor heart transplant in March. Experts emphasize that further development is needed for artificial hearts to become a long-term solution.

Microsoft to Replace Remote Desktop with New Windows App

Microsoft will discontinue support for the Remote Desktop app on May 27, 2025, directing users to its new Windows app. Introduced in September 2024, the new Windows app offers enhanced features such as multi-monitor support, dynamic screen resolution, and seamless access to cloud PCs. The older Remote Desktop app will lose access to Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, and Microsoft Dev Box, though the legacy Remote Desktop Connection tool, integrated into Windows for over 20 years, will remain available.

Zoom Vulnerabilities Put User Data at Risk

Zoom’s March 11, 2025, security bulletin has revealed critical vulnerabilities that could expose millions of users to data breaches, privilege escalation, and unauthorized access. High-severity flaws include CVE-2025-27440 (heap overflow), CVE-2025-27439 (buffer underflow), and CVE-2025-0151 (use-after-free), affecting Zoom’s desktop, mobile, and Workplace apps. These flaws allow attackers to execute malicious code, steal login credentials, or access meeting encryption keys. Zoom urges all users to update to version 6.2.0 or later.

Intel Appoints Lip-Bu Tan as New CEO

Intel has named former board member and semiconductor industry veteran Lip-Bu Tan as its new CEO. Taking office on March 18, Tan aims to strengthen Intel’s global competitiveness and innovation strategies. Following the announcement, Intel’s stock surged 12%, with analysts predicting that Tan could stabilize the company. His appointment signals Intel’s commitment to integrating chip design and manufacturing, though analysts warn that the transformation process will take years. This move aligns with U.S. efforts to boost domestic chip production amid global trade tensions.

95% of Data Breaches Caused by Human Error

According to Mimecast’s 2024 report, 95% of data breaches stem from insider threats, credential misuse, and user errors. Notably, just 8% of employees were responsible for 80% of incidents. Security decision-makers estimate that insider threats cost organizations an average of $13.9 million. While 95% of companies employ AI for cybersecurity, 55% lack specific strategies for AI-driven threats. Concerns are growing over AI-powered collaboration tools increasing security risks, with 61% of organizations expecting such incidents to impact them negatively in 2025.

GitHub Malvertising Campaign Infected Millions of Devices

Microsoft has uncovered a large-scale malvertising (malicious advertising) campaign that exploited GitHub, infecting nearly a million devices worldwide since December 2024. Attackers injected harmful ads into illegal streaming sites, directing users to malicious GitHub repositories containing scripts that collected system data and installed malware. The hackers deployed Lumma stealer, an updated version of Doenerium infostealer, and the remote access tool NetSupport. Microsoft, tracking the campaign under the code name Storm-0409, found similar threats on Discord and Dropbox.

French Publishers and Authors Sue Meta Over Copyright Infringement

Major French publishers and author associations—including the National Publishers’ Association (SNE), National Authors and Composers’ Association (SNAC), and Authors’ Society (SGDL)—have filed a lawsuit against Meta in Paris, alleging copyright infringement and economic "parasitism." The organizations claim that Meta used their works without permission to train its AI models. SNE General Manager Renaud Lefebvre likened the lawsuit to a “David vs. Goliath” battle. This marks France’s first copyright lawsuit against an AI company, following similar cases in the U.S., where comedian and author Sarah Silverman sued OpenAI and Meta for unauthorized use of her works.

Vodafone and Ericsson Cut 5G Energy Consumption by One-Third

Vodafone UK and Ericsson have successfully tested a new energy-saving technology in London that reduces 5G and 4G base station power consumption by up to one-third. The 5G deep sleep mode cuts radio unit power usage by up to 70% during low-demand periods, while the 4G cell sleep mode enhances efficiency without affecting coverage. Vodafone is also exploring new mast designs that could reduce the need for physical base stations and street cabinets. Rival operator EE has launched a similar initiative, projecting annual energy savings of 4.5 million kWh.