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Tech
Questyle QCC Dongle Pro2 Brings Bluetooth 6.1 and Hi-Res Audio to iPhone, Mac, PCs and Consoles
Bluetooth audio has come a long way, but your phone, computer, or game console may still lack support for the latest codecs and features built into your headphones. Building on its QCC and QCC Pro dongles, Questyle’s flagship QCC Dongle Pro2 is designed to close that gap with broader compatibility, lower latency, and more reliable wireless performance across Apple devices, PCs, and gaming consoles.
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Bypassing the Bluetooth Limits Built Into Your Devices
Native platform limitations have restricted access to high-end Bluetooth audio. Even the latest iPhones support only SBC and AAC codecs, while PC platforms are known for inconsistent specifications that can compromise performance and stability. Console gamers are often forced to avoid Bluetooth altogether because most systems lack native support for low-latency codecs capable of delivering the precise audio-video synchronization required for a natural gaming experience.
Questyle designed the QCC Dongle Pro2 to bypass native Bluetooth codec limitations using an external plug-and-play transmitter. This allows owners of premium Bluetooth headphones to enjoy low-latency, high-resolution audio with PCs, the PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and even wired hi-fi devices such as Questyle’s own M18i Max.

Apple Users Can Finally Move Beyond AAC
The QCC Dongle Pro2 also reflects Questyle’s commitment to the Apple ecosystem, with which it shares a similar design philosophy: technology should work quietly in the background and make products easier to use. The Dongle Pro2 significantly expands the Bluetooth capabilities of Apple devices without compromising the streamlined experience users expect.
Apple MFi certification further supports stable connectivity, efficient power management, and long-term ecosystem compatibility, positioning the QCC Dongle Pro2 as a reliable wireless audio gateway for sending high-resolution audio to premium Bluetooth headphones.
Questyle QCC Dongle Pro2 Features:
Bluetooth 6.1: The incorporation of Bluetooth 6.1 supports more reliable connectivity while ensuring compatibility with next-gen listening devices.
More Codecs: The inclusion of LHDC and LC3 (LE Audio) codecs expands ecosystem support and introduces a new power-efficient audio standard. LHDC-V5 and LC3 also join the list of supported codecs that includes aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, and LDAC, further expanding the already robust protocol coverage the original QCC Dongles were known for.
Apple MFi Certified: The QCC Dongle Pro 2 is optimized for iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices, providing a reliable foundation for Apple ecosystem compatibility, power management, and long-term iOS support
Multi-Device Connectivity: With Auracast, the QCC Dongle Pro 2 can broadcast Bluetooth audio from a single source to multiple compatible receivers. This makes sharing audio at home, the office, or in public spaces easy.
Proven Audio Quality Standards: The QCC Dongle Pro 2 carries both Sony LDAC and Snapdragon Sound certifications.
Easy App-Based Management: With the Questyle App, users can conveniently manage connected devices, view real-time status, change audio codecs, and perform firmware upgrades.

Putting It All Together
The QCC Dongle Pro2’s enhanced performance is made possible by Bluetooth 6.1, which is designed to reduce wireless interference, improve connection stability, increase power efficiency, and deliver more precise synchronization.
Another significant addition is Auracast, a broadcast system that allows audio from a single source to be streamed to multiple compatible listening devices, making the QCC Dongle Pro2 useful for sharing audio at home, in the office, or in public spaces. Actual codec support, latency, Auracast, and LE Audio performance will depend on the receiving device and wireless environment.
“At Questyle, we aim to make advanced audio technologies more accessible to everyone. The QCC Dongle Pro2 expands on the promise of its predecessors to break down the barriers that typically prevent listeners from enjoying the best Bluetooth audio on their favorite devices, all with the ease of plug-and-play.” – Jason Wang, Questyle CEO

Who Should Buy the Questyle QCC Dongle Pro2?
The QCC Dongle Pro2 is designed for listeners who want to access the best Bluetooth audio their headphones can deliver without worrying about native codec compatibility, laggy synchronization, or dropped connections.
With its compact design, low power consumption, and simple plug-and-play operation, the Dongle Pro2 is a practical everyday solution for hi-fi enthusiasts, casual listeners seeking better wireless sound, and gamers who want the convenience of Bluetooth without game-breaking latency.
The Bottom Line
The Questyle QCC Dongle Pro2 is more than a routine update, but it does not make the company’s earlier transmitters obsolete. The QCC Dongle and QCC Dongle Pro use Bluetooth 5.4 and already support the aptX family of codecs, while the Pro adds LDAC. The Pro2 retains those capabilities and adds Bluetooth 6.1, LHDC, LC3, LE Audio, and Auracast, making broader compatibility and multi-device broadcasting its most meaningful upgrades. Apple MFi certification is not new, because all three models carry it.
The Pro2 makes the most sense for Apple users whose headphones support codecs unavailable natively on the iPhone, along with PC and console gamers seeking more stable connectivity and lower latency. It is also the obvious choice for anyone who wants Auracast or better support for emerging LE Audio products. Existing QCC Dongle Pro owners who rely primarily on LDAC or aptX may have less reason to upgrade unless those newer features matter.
The QCC Dongle Pro2 will not magically improve every pair of Bluetooth headphones. What it can do is stop an otherwise capable source device from preventing premium headphones from using the features printed on the box, which is a surprisingly common problem in 2026.

Price & Availability
The QCC Dongle Pro2 is available now for $99 at Amazon and is already shipping worldwide.
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Tech
Wharfedale Super Denton Review: The British Bulldog of Standmount Speakers
Wharfedale has spent the past decade rummaging through its attic with considerably more success than most British institutions. Instead of finding damp tweed, unpaid tax bills, and a portrait of an uncle nobody discusses, it rediscovered the Denton, Linton, and Dovedale.
The resulting Heritage Series has become one of the loudspeaker industry’s more convincing revivals because Wharfedale did not simply reproduce its old cabinets and hope everyone had forgotten how loudspeakers work. The company retained the broad baffles, wood veneers, cloth grilles, and furniture friendly proportions, while Peter Comeau and his engineering team rebuilt the drivers, crossovers, and cabinet structures for modern systems.
The Wharfedale Super Denton might be the most interesting expression of that strategy.
It is compact without being small, traditionally styled without looking like a stage prop, and broad across the shoulders in a way that explains the British Bulldog comparison. Think Davey Boy Smith after tea at Fawlty Towers: solid, slightly stubborn, and wholly unimpressed by the skinny Scandinavian loudspeaker across the room or Manuel’s attempt to carry it upstairs.
That does not automatically make it a great loudspeaker. Walnut veneer and a distinguished family history can make almost anything look persuasive under the right lighting; Selfridges has built an empire on less, while Harrods simply adds another zero. The Super Denton still has to justify the pedigree through its engineering, but the ingredients suggest Wharfedale may have produced something considerably more substantial than another well dressed tribute act.

The Super Denton does, however, offer something unusual at its current $1,499 per pair price: a genuine three way driver configuration inside a cabinet measuring only 14.17 inches tall. Wharfedale is not the only manufacturer building compact three way loudspeakers, but it remains a relatively uncommon approach at this size and price.
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Where Does the Super Denton Fit?
Wharfedale’s Heritage Series began its modern revival in 2014 with the Denton 80th Anniversary, followed by the Denton 85th Anniversary and the much larger Linton. The range has since expanded to include the Super Linton, Dovedale, limited production Aston, Denton 1S, and Heritage Centre channel. The family tree now has enough branches to require a solicitor and several uncomfortable conversations about inheritance.
Within that increasingly crowded lineup, the Super Denton occupies a very specific position.
The Denton 85th Anniversary is a traditional two way standmount using a 6.5-inch woven Kevlar midbass driver and 1-inch soft dome tweeter. The newer Denton 1S is a more contemporary interpretation, using a coaxial driver, wall mounting capability, and a rear panel Brilliance adjustment for near wall placement. The Linton, Super Linton, and Dovedale are significantly larger three way designs intended for listeners with more floor space and fewer objections from the furniture committee.
The Super Denton is the compact, conventional three way option.
It is not merely a smaller Linton, although the family resemblance is obvious. It uses a dome midrange rather than the larger cone midrange found in the Linton models, and its smaller cabinet creates a different set of demands involving bass extension, driver integration, amplifier control, and placement.
It is also not the affordable entrance into the Heritage Series. The Denton 1S currently sells for $999 per pair, while the Super Denton has increased from its original $1,399 U.S. price to $1,499 per pair. That puts it firmly into a competitive part of the standmount market where a handsome cabinet and several decades of history will only get one so far.

The Denton 3 Connection
The Denton name dates back to 1967, when compact loudspeakers were beginning to make hi-fi systems more practical for listeners who did not possess a ballroom or a tolerant spouse.
Most Denton models used two way driver configurations, but the Denton 3 broke from that formula in 1971 by combining separate bass, midrange, and treble drivers inside a comparatively small cabinet. Wharfedale claimed it was the smallest three way loudspeaker available at the time.
The Super Denton is based on that idea rather than being a direct reproduction.
Its external proportions and three way configuration refer back to the Denton 3, but the cabinet construction, driver materials, crossover network, damping, and manufacturing methods are modern. That distinction matters. Nobody needed Wharfedale to reproduce a 1971 crossover with period correct capacitors and the electrical temperament of a Morris Marina.
Wharfedale retained the original concept: fit a dedicated midrange driver between the woofer and tweeter without allowing the cabinet to expand into Linton territory.
That sounds straightforward until one considers how much hardware, internal volume, bracing, damping, and crossover circuitry must be accommodated inside a 14.7 liter enclosure.
Design and Construction
The Super Denton measures 14.17 inches high, 9.69 inches wide, and 11.61 inches deep with its terminals included. Each loudspeaker weighs just over 20 pounds, which is substantial for the size and a useful warning against placing them on a decorative shelf held up by optimism and two drywall anchors.
The proportions are traditional Wharfedale. The cabinet is relatively wide and shallow compared with many contemporary standmount designs, with an inset front baffle, removable fabric grille, and hand matched real wood veneer.

Three finishes are available: Black Oak, Walnut, and Red Mahogany. The Walnut review pair looks especially appropriate because it emphasizes the cabinet proportions without making the speakers resemble something removed from the smoking room of a minor country estate.
The cabinet walls use multiple materials rather than a single thickness of MDF. An internal layer of high density particle board is bonded to an external MDF layer using a damping adhesive. The different materials are intended to distribute cabinet resonances across a wider range rather than allowing one dominant panel resonance to announce itself during every bass note.
Wharfedale also uses internal bracing and layers of long hair fiber for acoustic damping. The midrange and tweeter are isolated within their own rear chambers, reducing their exposure to pressure generated by the 6.5-inch woofer inside the main enclosure.
Two rear firing ports provide the bass reflex loading. That arrangement preserves the clean appearance of the front baffle but makes placement directly against a wall unlikely to produce ideal results. The rear panel also contains a single pair of binding posts rather than biwire terminals, sparing owners the expense of purchasing twice as much cable to achieve precisely nothing useful.
Mirror Imaged Pairs

The Super Denton is supplied as a matched, mirror imaged pair.
The 2-inch midrange dome and 1-inch tweeter are offset from the vertical center of the baffle, with one cabinet configured for the left channel and the other for the right. The asymmetrical placement helps distribute diffraction from the cabinet edges and allows Wharfedale to fit all three drivers onto the compact front baffle.
It also means the two loudspeakers are not interchangeable decorative boxes. Their orientation can be changed by positioning the midrange and tweeter assemblies toward the inside or outside, but that decision affects dispersion, image focus, and the relationship between the speakers and nearby sidewalls.
Wharfedale clearly had to make compromises to package three drivers inside a cabinet this size. The offset layout is one of them, although it is an engineering decision rather than a stylistic flourish pasted on by someone wearing an expensive scarf from some expensive store in London.
Three Drivers in a Rather Small Cupboard

The Super Denton uses a 6.5-inch black woven Kevlar woofer mounted in a cast chassis. The driver handles bass and lower midrange information before handing over to the dome midrange at 940Hz.
Wharfedale rates the bass response at 52Hz to 20kHz within a plus or minus 3dB window, with usable extension down to 40Hz at minus 6dB. That is a respectable specification for a 14.7 liter enclosure, although it does not make the Super Denton a full range loudspeaker. Anyone demanding organ pedal notes from a cabinet this size should consult a subwoofer or perhaps a priest.
The 2-inch soft dome midrange is derived from work completed for Wharfedale’s EVO4 Series. A dome midrange offers wider dispersion than many small cone drivers and allows the woofer to operate over a narrower portion of the vocal range.
That is one of the Super Denton’s most significant differences from both the Denton 85 and the larger Linton models. The dedicated dome handles frequencies from 940Hz to 4.6kHz, covering a substantial part of the region occupied by vocals, guitars, strings, piano, and brass instruments.
Above 4.6kHz, a 1-inch soft dome tweeter handles the upper frequencies. Both dome drivers are positioned close together to reduce the physical distance between their acoustic centers, while their separate internal chambers isolate them from the woofer.
The crossover therefore has two rather important handovers to manage. Integrating three drivers in a small cabinet is not automatically superior to using two. It simply gives the designer more control over how much of the frequency range each driver must reproduce, followed by more opportunities to get the crossover wrong.
Cunning plans often work that way.
Wharfedale Super Denton Specifications
- Design: 3-way vented box standmount
- Enclosure: Bass reflex with twin rear firing ports
- Bass Driver: 6.5-inch black woven Kevlar cone
- Midrange Driver: 2-inch soft dome
- Tweeter: 1-inch soft dome
- Frequency Response: 52Hz to 20kHz +/-3dB
- Bass Extension: 40Hz at -6dB
- Crossover Frequencies: 940Hz and 4.6kHz
- Sensitivity: 87dB, 2.83V at 1 meter
- Nominal Impedance: 6 ohms, compatible with 8 ohm amplifiers
- Minimum Impedance: 3.4 ohms
- Recommended Amplifier Power: 25 to 120 watts
- Maximum Rated SPL: 103dB
- Cabinet Volume: 14.7 liters
- Dimensions: 14.17 x 9.69 x 11.61 inches, including terminals
- Weight: 20.28 pounds each
- Finishes: Black Oak, Walnut, and Red Mahogany
- Stands: Not included

Listening
My first extended experience with the Super Denton came while assembling an Audiophile System Builder around the MOON 250i V2. That pairing revealed something important rather quickly: the Wharfedales might not look especially demanding on paper, but they respond decisively to an amplifier with proper current delivery and control.
The 25 watt Naim NAIT 50 produced an appealing tonal balance, but the 250i V2 tightened the bottom end, improved impact, and demonstrated that the Super Denton could reach deeper and sound considerably larger than its 52Hz specification might suggest.
I can already hear the upgrade mice screeching in the lunchroom, gnawing through another credit limit while declaring that the loudspeakers they worshipped six months ago are now the system’s obvious bottleneck.
The Upgrade Express has a very simple timetable. Buy a loudspeaker you like, enjoy it for twelve months, and then begin staring at the larger and more expensive model from the same company as though it contains the final chapter of the Book of Revelations.

Magnepan LRS+ owners look toward the larger panels. Q Acoustics 5040 owners start measuring the room for the 5050. Super Denton owners wonder whether the Linton, Super Linton, or Dovedale represents the inevitable next stop. DeVore Fidelity O/baby owners begin performing financial calculations that would make the Treasury suspicious.
But what happens when you already like the loudspeakers you own?
Does it make more sense to replace them with something larger and theoretically better, or to invest in a superior amplifier and discover how much performance was sitting there unnoticed because the existing electronics had reached their limit first?
That question became increasingly difficult to ignore with the Super Denton. The Quad 3 was an excellent partner and one I could have lived with quite happily, but the longer I listened, the more I wondered whether the Wharfedales had considerably more to give. Rather than immediately booking another ticket on the Upgrade Express, I decided to change the locomotive.
Enter the Advance Paris A10 Classic and the new MOON by Simaudio 371 Network Amplifier.
Yes, both amplifiers cost significantly more than the speakers. That may appear to violate one of the sacred commandments of sensible system building, although most of those commandments were written by people trying to sell you another pair of loudspeakers. The real question was not whether the combination looked balanced on a spreadsheet. It was whether the Super Denton could justify the investment.
It could.
That does not mean anyone needs to spend $6,500 on an amplifier for the Super Denton. It does mean that buyers can start with something more modest and upgrade the electronics later without immediately discovering that the loudspeakers have reached the end of the road.
The British Bulldog proved more than capable of running with considerably more expensive company, leaving the Upgrade Express looking like Basil Fawlty trying to conduct a fire drill with Manuel holding the extinguisher.
I went back and forth between both amplifiers and would comfortably recommend either one, although they impose their authority in very different ways.
The MOON delivers a firmer backhand to the Super Denton—which, rather unexpectedly, appears to enjoy being told what to do. Its bass is tighter, its timing more exact, and its presentation more precise. This is the stern headmaster with the paddle, reminding the Wharfedale that it may be wearing walnut veneer, but it is most certainly not in charge.
The Advance Paris is less analytical and considerably sweeter through the top end. It gives the Super Denton more tonal richness and a little more warmth, without allowing the bass to become soft or indolent. One amplifier applies discipline; the other offers persuasion, a glass of red wine, and the strong possibility of poor decisions after dinner.
Nick Cave and the Fine Art of Feeling Worse
Nick Cave’s “Avalanche” has become my preferred corrective whenever I start feeling suspiciously pleased with myself and require a reminder of my bad behavior and questionable choices.
It also feels uncomfortably like a conversation I once had with someone. She was gentle with the biltong. Possibly.
The MOON 371 presented Cave’s piano and gravelly voice with greater accuracy, firmer tonal weight, and considerably more impact than the Quad 3. The Super Denton came alive with this track, pushing Cave forward of the loudspeakers and giving his voice a physical presence that made the entire performance feel more immediate.
The Advance Paris A10 Classic approached the recording differently. It added more texture, greater top end shimmer, and a sweeter overall balance, but delivered less upper bass and lower midrange punch. Cave sat a little farther back, with more atmosphere around him and less insistence that he was about to climb across the coffee table and review my text messages.
Neither presentation was wrong. The MOON was more precise, direct, and forceful; the Advance Paris was richer, more textured, and slightly more forgiving. They simply placed Cave differently in the room, and the better choice will depend on whether you prefer the interrogation or the confession.
Lee Morgan, Liberty, and Léa Seydoux
Every time I listen to Lee Morgan’s “Search for the New Land,” I shake my head at how young he was, how good he was, and how much music he managed to leave behind before everything ended far too soon.
Between Morgan and Miles Davis, I am never quite sure whether to storm the Bastille in the name of liberté or collapse into a faded café chair somewhere in Paris, drink coffee, and share a galette with Léa Seydoux.
Both transcend time.
So do her legs.
The MOON 371 delivered Morgan’s trumpet with enormous presence and considerable top end energy. It was impossible to ignore. The horn charged into the room with real bite and authority, while the Super Denton kept the performance firmly anchored and pushed the leading edge of each note forward without turning it brittle or aggressive.
The Advance Paris A10 Classic created a more holographic scene. The musicians appeared more naturally distributed across the room, with greater air around the trumpet, piano, bass, and drums. They were perhaps not planted as firmly on the floor as they were through the MOON, but the presentation felt deeper, sweeter, and more atmospheric.
The MOON gave the band sharper outlines and greater physical authority. The Advance Paris made the room disappear more convincingly.
Neither presentation left much to complain about. And frankly, if you cannot live with sound at this level, you may be spending too much time reading forum arguments and not nearly enough time listening to records.
Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin, and Sunday Gravy
I cannot entirely explain it, but age has sent me back toward Boards of Canada and Aphex Twin with alarming frequency. Perhaps I genuinely missed the music. Perhaps I enjoy it because my family loathes it so completely that they leave me alone to listen and write.
Tyrion the Westie simply sits on the floor staring at me as though he has been to this club before and is still wondering where everything went wrong with that Beagle.
Tracks such as Boards of Canada’s “Roygbiv” and Aphex Twin’s “Xtal” exposed the Super Denton’s low frequency limitations more clearly than the acoustic recordings. These loudspeakers do benefit from a subwoofer, particularly a properly integrated REL, but that is a system discussion for another review in late August.
Even without one, both the MOON 371 and Advance Paris A10 Classic drove the Super Denton with considerably more authority than the Quad 3. Bass lines had greater definition, electronic percussion carried more impact, and dense layers of synthesizers remained easier to follow as the recordings expanded across the room.
The MOON delivered the firmer foundation. Its superior control gave the music more energy and kept the lowest available notes tighter, faster, and more clearly separated. The Advance Paris produced the more spacious and atmospheric presentation, allowing the synthesized textures to drift farther beyond the cabinets with a little more sweetness and less insistence around the edges.
Both amplifiers served up atmosphere, energy, layers of synthesizers, and convincing spaciousness—the way Mamma used to make the Sunday gravy.
Easy on the veal shanks, Bubie. And perhaps fewer beef sausages and peppers this time.

The Bottom Line
The Wharfedale Super Denton is unique because it combines a genuine three way design, excellent cabinet work, and the ability to scale with far better electronics without annexing the living room. It sounds substantial, tonally rich, spacious, and considerably more capable than its size or price would suggest.
The limitations are real. Bass extension is good rather than subterranean, electronic music benefits from a properly integrated subwoofer, and listeners chasing forensic detail or surgical neutrality should probably continue their joyless march through the forums.
These are for listeners who value tonal weight, natural vocals, long term listenability, and a loudspeaker that rewards amplifier upgrades rather than immediately demanding replacement.
The Super Denton is one of my favorite loudspeakers available right now. Before selling them for the next model up, try a better amplifier first. The Upgrade Express will still be at the station, idling noisily while several men with measuring microphones argue over the timetable.
Pros:
- Genuine three way design in a relatively compact cabinet
- Rich tonal weight with excellent vocal presence and texture
- Scales remarkably well with better amplification
- Spacious presentation with strong image depth
- Smooth top end encourages long listening sessions
- Excellent cabinetry and real wood veneer finishes
- One of the strongest values at $1,499 per pair
Cons:
- Twin rear ports require breathing room from the wall
- Bass is substantial for the size but not truly full range
- Electronic music and larger rooms benefit from a subwoofer
- Warm sounding amplifiers can push the balance too far
- Not the final word in speed, forensic detail, or treble openness
- Proper stands are required and not included
Our Ratings:
★★★★★★★★★★ Sound Quality
★★★★★★★★★★ Build Quality
★★★★★★★★★★ Value
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Tech
The AI that went rogue
A yet-unreleased, cutting-edge AI model escaped its test environment last week, connecting to the internet and murdering its creators in a bid for self-determination and autonomy.
I’m kidding, of course: That’s the plot to Westworld. (And Ex Machina, and The Matrix, and too many other sci-fi stories to list.) But on Tuesday, OpenAI did reveal that two of its models broke containment and hacked Hugging Face, a platform for AI developers, during a recent test. (Disclosure: Vox Media is one of several publishers that have signed partnership agreements with OpenAI. Our reporting remains editorially independent.)
The test was designed to evaluate how good the models had gotten at finding, and exploiting, cybersecurity flaws. To do that, researchers placed the models in a tightly controlled, tightly isolated environment, called a “sandbox,” and essentially challenged them to solve a cybersecurity puzzle.
Instead of solving it directly, however, the models identified an unknown flaw in software connected to their test environment — then used that flaw to tunnel through OpenAI’s research network until they located a computer with internet access. From there, the models (correctly!) reasoned that Hugging Face might hold the answer to their challenge.
It’s an “unprecedented” incident, OpenAI said — and a cautionary tale. Over the past year, a growing chorus of AI researchers, cybersecurity experts, and tech executives have warned that society is unprepared for this new generation of frontier AI models.
In the real world, of course, these models do come with guardrails. (OpenAI turned them off for the test.) But the episode still suggests that the gap between reality and science fiction is narrowing — perhaps a bit faster than you’d expect.
The (impossible?) quest for a moral AI
The Hugging Face hack is a textbook example of what AI researchers call the alignment problem: the enormous, mind-melty challenge of getting AI systems to do what you want, the way that you wanted them to do it.
Given a task and left to their own devices, AI models will pursue that task using the most efficient means available to them. But sometimes, the most efficient means are harmful, deceitful, antisocial, or otherwise…bad.
The Hugging Face episode is one example. Bias is another: When an Amazon hiring algorithm discriminated against female candidates, for instance, it was doing what Amazon wanted (finding candidates who resembled past hires) in a way that Amazon did not want (by penalizing resumes that included words associated with women).
In a truly apocalyptic scenario, you could even imagine — and many sci-fi writers have imagined — AI systems killing people in the narrow, relentless, and morally indifferent pursuit of their goals. Consider an AI that’s asked to order coffee, for example, and then takes steps to ensure that no one on earth can ever stop it.
In the interests of avoiding this dystopia, AI companies have poured billions of dollars into the project of encoding their creations with human values. But even that apparently worthwhile ambition raises thorny questions, because human values vary — and often, conflict.
Should the AI order the cheapest coffee, or the cup produced under the best labor conditions? A lot of forests are cleared to plant coffee each year; maybe the AI should nudge me toward tap water, instead. Is your inferior human brain starting to melt yet…?
➨ Write a little note today. By hand. With a pen. Handwriting is a disappearing art in American schools, homes, and workplaces. (The average kindergarten teacher spends only 10 minutes a week teaching handwriting, and that’s the primary grade when kids learn penmanship.) People tend to think more deeply when they’re writing than when they’re typing, one education researcher told Vox. Plus, a handwritten note has a certain charm that an email or text does not.
- Did you know…that the average F1 race car driver can lift 90 pounds — wait for it — with their neck? Driving doesn’t immediately sound all that athletic, but the extreme physics of F1 racing demand extraordinary fitness.
- Today’s trivia: Which Eminem song gave us the slang term for an obsessive admirer? (You can find this and other brain puzzles in Vox’s daily crossword. Look for the answer in tomorrow’s edition.)
- Yesterday’s trivia: Yesterday we asked you for the number of countries in North America. The answer is 23. It includes Central America and the Caribbean, in addition to the big three.
Tech
Most Australian Teens Still On Social Media Three Months After Ban
More than 81% of Australian children ages 10 to 15 were still using social media three months after the country’s under-16 ban took effect, with roughly half saying platforms never checked their age. Reuters reports: In a study published on Friday, eSafety also found most children aged between 10 and 15 were using social media just as frequently in March as they had before the ban came into force on December 10 last year, while parental awareness of their habits decreased. Children’s continued social media use took place even as account ownership declined to 42% from 52%, with “statistically significant” reductions across YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok in particular, the report said.
“Most under-16s who had social media accounts before commencement were able to either retain them or create new ones at the three-month mark, with social media platforms’ failure to implement effective age assurance measures cited as the main reason,” eSafety said in a statement […] Before the ban, nearly 86% of children surveyed reported using at least one age-restricted platform. Three months later, that figure remained above 81%, the report said. About 58% of teenagers reported using social media daily or more often, barely down from roughly 60% before the ban, it found. The report showed minimal change in “sports and physical activity, arts and music, spending time with friends and family, and attendance at community events.”
Around half the children who retained their accounts said platforms had not checked their age, the most common reason they were able to stay on the services. Others said their accounts listed them as aged 16 or older or that age-checking systems had incorrectly determined they were older. The findings broadly matched snapshot data eSafety published in late March.
Tech
The Major Labels Propose Rules to Keep AI Slop Off the Charts
Major record labels including Universal, Sony, and Warner have proposed excluding AI-generated songs from official charts unless they are “substantially human made,” properly labeled, legally produced, and free from manipulation concerns. The Verge reports: The proposal goes quite a bit further than a labeling proposal put forth by the RIAA, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), SAG-AFTRA, and others. That would create a set of standardized labels for AI-generated and AI-assisted music. The labels’ proposal would require songs be clearly labeled, but it would also keep them off international charts unless they met specific criteria, including being “substantially human made.”
To be eligible, the songs would also have to respect the terms of service of whatever AI service was used, the model would have to have the rights to any data it was trained on, and “not raise stream or chart manipulation concerns.” What sort of concerns and what constitutes “substantially human made” are currently vague. Sony Music, UMG, and Mom+Pop Music did not immediately respond to a request for clarification. The IFPI has thrown its weight behind the labels’ proposal, though no charting organization has signaled any immediate plan to adopt the rules […].
Tech
Will A Mini Chainsaw Cut Down A Tree? Here’s What The Tool Can Do (Safely)
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When you think of a chainsaw, you might envision a massive cutting tool making short work of thick forest vegetation. While you can still find those among forestry crews, mini chain saws are scaled down versions that have become popular with homeowners. Professionals are recommended for bigger jobs such as felling a full-grown tree, which isn’t cheap, but hiring a crew for smaller trimming jobs can still run hundreds of dollars.
Meanwhile, the The mini chainsaw, a cordless battery-powered handheld tool that’s offered at lengths of six to ten inches. This is just one of the adorable mini tools you can get at Home Depot, which provide some space saving benefits over larger options. Some manufacturers insist on calling these “pruning saws,” or “garden pruners,” but they are functionally similar enough to the larger tool to warrant the title of mini chainsaw.
When deciding whether a mini chainsaw is actually worth it or not, you’ll need to factor in price and understand the limitations in terms of what you can cut through. For instance, the 8-inch Milwaukee M18 Fuel Hatchet Pruning Saw can handle thickness up to 7.5 inches in diameter. Ryobi made a mini pruning chainsaw with a 12V internal battery that features a 6-inch bar, but with both less voltage and a shorter cut than the Milwaukee, it can only handle something up to 4 inches in diameter. So, you could easily get through a variety of thicker branches or even fell some smaller, younger trees that don’t exceed the tool’s maximum cut diameter.
Can a mini chainsaw cut up a stump?
If you wanted to remove a stump, you might be able to but only when dealing with the remnants of a thin and narrow tree. There are far better options for removing a large stump. Choosing to use a mini chainsaw on a stump will come with inherent limitations.
The tool simply isn’t designed for this kind of work, especially if a stump is thicker in diameter than what a mini chainsaw can handle. However, you might be able to get away with it if the interior of the tree is hollowed out, allowing the limited cutting length of a mini chainsaw to make progress. You can use a mini chainsaw to cut through some of the smaller roots, as long as you have removed the soil completely around the cutting area, as dirt and rocks can damage the tool.
Thickness isn’t your only limiting factor, as you’ll need to account for battery life as well. For example, the Ryobi 12V 6-inch pruning chainsaw promises a fully charged battery can provide over 30 cuts. Depending on the size of the stump and considering typical removal of these requires substantial effort, 30 cuts may not be enough.
You also have to consider that hardwoods like hickory require more power and might be too much for a mini chainsaw to handle. Finally, when dealing with a stump, you might work the mini tool beyond its capability, potentially causing the motor to overheat or suffer damage.
Tech
Spotify’s latest update matches songs to your running tempo
Spotify is expanding its fitness offering with a new set of running-focused features for Premium subscribers.
The headline addition is Running Mode, a new section that generates AI-powered playlists based on the type of run you’re planning.
Users can choose from 25 preset workout options spanning different training styles and music genres. You can then customise the experience further by selecting the exact workout you want.
Rather than shuffling songs together, Running Mode lets users pick from sessions such as steady runs, interval training and pyramid workouts, before setting an exact workout duration. Spotify also offers optional BPM matching, allowing tracks to better align with your running cadence.
Once everything is selected, Spotify automatically builds a playlist designed around those preferences. The company describes this as “seamless transitions” between songs, which help maintain the desired pace during a workout.
The feature builds on Spotify’s growing use of AI to personalise music discovery. According to the company, fitness has become one of the most frequently requested themes for its AI-generated Prompted Playlists.
Long-time Spotify users may find the feature familiar. The music service previously offered a tempo-matching running mode that adjusted songs to match a user’s pace, but it was discontinued in 2018. However, this new version takes a different approach by leaning on AI-generated playlists and additional workout customisation. It does this rather than automatically tracking a runner’s speed.
The launch also continues Spotify’s wider push into fitness. Earlier this year, the company partnered with Peloton to bring guided workout classes to Premium subscribers within the Spotify app. This broadens the service beyond music streaming.
Tech
Amgen says cloud data breach exposed patient health, proprietary info
Pharmaceutical company Amgen says it suffered a data breach after threat actors stole corporate data and patient information stored in multiple cloud systems operated by third-party service providers.
Amgen is a California-based biotechnology company that develops and manufactures medicines for serious illnesses, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and rare diseases.
The company said it detected the unauthorized activity in July 2026 and responded by activating its cybersecurity response plan, implementing containment measures, and hiring independent forensic experts to investigate the incident.
The investigation found that the attackers stole sensitive data from the cloud environments.
“The Company has since learned that some of its data, including proprietary data, patient protected health information, and other information, has been exfiltrated from these cloud environments,” Amgen said in a Form 8-K filing with the SEC.
The company is still determining whether additional information was accessed or stolen, including confidential business information, intellectual property, research and development data, and other patient information.
Amgen has not disclosed which third-party cloud providers were involved, how the environments were compromised, how many people may have been affected, or whether the attack was linked to a known threat actor.
On July 29, the company determined that the incident was material after evaluating the volume of potentially impacted files and the possibility that they contained sensitive information.
However, Amgen currently does not believe the incident is reasonably likely to materially affect its financial condition or operating results.
The company said it is continuing to investigate the breach with the assistance of third-party cybersecurity experts.
Amgen added that it is evaluating legal and regulatory notification requirements and will notify impacted patients where required.
BleepingComputer contacted Amgen to ask whether the breach involved a vishing attack targeting an employee’s single sign-on account, which cloud services were affected, and whether the company has been contacted or extorted by threat actors claiming to be ShinyHunters.
A response was not immediately available.
Security teams log 54% of successful attacks and alert on just 14%. The rest move through your environment unseen.
The Picus whitepaper shows how breach and attack simulation tests your SIEM and EDR rules so threats stop slipping by detection.
Tech
ChatGPT’s Chrome extension can now read your tabs, YouTube videos, and highlighted text
ChatGPT just got a lot better at understanding what you’re actually looking at. OpenAI has rolled out updates to its Chrome extension and desktop app that let ChatGPT read your open tabs, react to highlighted text, and answer questions about YouTube videos. The update arrived shortly after OpenAI shelved its standalone Atlas browser to shift its focus toward tools people already use.
What’s new in ChatGPT’s Chrome extension?
Inside Side Chat, you can now reference your open tabs directly, so ChatGPT already has context without you having to explain anything. Highlighting text on a page works too, letting you ask a question about that exact section instead of describing it yourself.

If you ask about any YouTube video, ChatGPT will read it directly without requiring a manual summary request. There’s also a quicker shortcut built right into your browser. You can right-click anywhere on a page, select Ask ChatGPT, and the sidebar opens automatically.

What’s new in ChatGPT’s desktop app?
The desktop app now suggests URLs as you type, and works like a normal browser address bar. You can also dig back through your browsing history from Settings, and ChatGPT can search that history whenever a task calls for a page you visited earlier.
OpenAI also rolled out a couple of smaller updates in the latest release. A new Activity view in the sidebar shows which chats you’ve engaged with recently and which ones still need your attention.
Reviewing code across multiple repositories in one project just got simpler, and generated images now open in an expanded viewer where you can leave comments before requesting edits. If you already use ChatGPT while researching online, these updates should make that workflow feel faster.
Tech
OpenAI reportedly finds evidence that more of its agents ran amok
Much has been made of the incident in which one of OpenAI’s agents broke out of its sandboxed test environment and proceeded to hack the AI hosting platform Hugging Face. OpenAI has since launched an investigation into how the incident occurred, which is still ongoing.
Now, anonymous sources have told Reuters that more of OpenAI’s agents are believed to have escaped their sandboxes. However, one source downplayed the severity, saying that with those escapes, the agents didn’t appear to leave OpenAI’s network to hack into another company’s. TechCrunch reached out to OpenAI for more information.
AI programs acting in bizarre ways has apparently become a weird, almost bragging point for companies. The same week, Anthropic also announced that it had discovered not one, but three instances in which its agents had escaped test environments and hacked other organizations.
AI companies have also been accused of using such incidents for marketing purposes — as they generate considerable attention and may underscore how powerful the companies’ products are. The flip side of that is that these disclosures are also ramping up discussions of government regulations.
Tech
Snapchat’s Spotlight algorithm now favors human-made videos over AI-generated ones
If you’ve been uploading fully AI-generated videos on Snapchat in hopes of earning rewards, it might be time to rethink your strategy. Snapchat has announced changes to Spotlight that prioritize authentic, original creativity over content created entirely by artificial intelligence. The company says its recommendation system will now favor videos made by real creators, while fully AI-generated submissions will no longer qualify for monetization.
So what’s changing on Spotlight?
Starting this month, fully AI-generated videos are no longer eligible for recommendation on Spotlight, Snapchat’s public feed for vertical content. That rule applies even if AI use is disclosed, since Snapchat’s updated guidelines state that human-made content gets prioritized over AI content regardless of transparency labels.
Snapchat isn’t cutting AI out completely, though. Videos edited or enhanced using Snapchat’s own AI creative tools remain eligible, and those will carry visible indicators showing AI played a role. Snap says unique Spotlight contributors are up more than 120% from last year, a number it points to as proof people are already choosing to create original content.

Snapchat joins the growing pushback against AI slop on social media
The rise of AI slop has become a growing challenge across social media platforms. They are quick to produce, easy to flood the recommendation feeds, and often crowd out original creators. Snapchat says its latest changes are meant to improve the viewing experience while ensuring creators who invest time and effort have a better chance of reaching an audience.
Snapchat joins a growing list of platforms tightening their AI policies recently. LinkedIn rolled out a button letting users flag posts as AI slop, and YouTube updated its monetization rules to block payouts on generic or template-based AI content. Meta pulled a controversial Instagram AI photo tool after backlash too, though its CEO has continued pushing for more AI driven personalized content elsewhere.
With the latest move, Snapchat is betting that authenticity, not automation, is what keeps pulling people back to the platform.
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