DEVOPS

Persistent sessions could be just the beginning

HashiCorp cofounder Mitchell Hashimoto has launched a new startup to build a server-side terminal multiplexer that allows programmers to switch between multiple persistent work sessions.

Superlogical promises its terminal multiplexer will be faster and keep better track of user jobs. And it could be instrumental to building durable agentic layers into future systems. 

The problem with traditional multiplexers – such as tmux, Zellij and GNU Screen – is that they are all too slow, explained Superlogical cofounder Mitchell Hashimoto in a video posted on X. They duplicate everything the user types and have to constantly reconcile local and remote states. Even slapping a modern terminal such as Kitty, Alacritty or Ghostty in front of a multiplexer won’t do much to speed ops.  

“A terminal multiplexer may sound like a narrow place to start a company,” the company admits on its website. But the lowly terminal is the common denominator across today’s developers, agents, tools, and infrastructure. 

For Hashimoto, today’s computer architecture is missing a fundamental primitive: a stateful session for the work itself. With work spanning machines and users, a task needs its own space for context, data, and history.  

Turning a terminal into a business

The technology builds on a project called Ghostty, a modern terminal emulator that Hashimoto began developing while he was still at HashiCorp, the company he co-founded.

One of the oldest tools in the computer stack, a terminal emulator is simply a text-based window on the screen where developers can enter commands for the computer, either locally or remotely. Taking its name from the physical terminals of a bygone era, the terminal is where one finds the “command line interface” or CLI. 

The terminal geeks quickly and widely adopted the GPU-driven Ghostty for both its lightning-fast performance and wealth of features – two qualities other emulators rarely possessed in tandem.

Hashimoto also extracted the core Ghostty engine into its own software library, libghostty, for others to build upon. Superlogical plans to eliminate that client/server duplication by building on libghostty.

In Superlogical’s approach, the client sends terminal input to the server, much like an SSH session, while the server maintains the persistent session state. This lets users disconnect and return later, while a smart client handles rendering and scrolling locally rather than waiting for a network round trip.

“It does require that every connecting client be a very smart, high-functioning, compliant client,” such as one built on libghostty, Hashimoto said. But this approach sounds better than dispatching streams of raw ASCII hither and yon.

Beyond describing the headaches of multiplexers in his introductory video, Hashimoto didn’t divulge much more about the newly founded company’s plans, but the mission will no doubt involve expanding on the concept of managing work sessions in a standardized and scalable way. 

Gergely Orosz, author of the popular Pragmatic Engineer Substack, speculated on X that the Superlogical team would “be building an AI-native ‘agentic operating system’ that sits a level above OSes.” ®

Most satellite startups are racing to build smaller. K2 Space is going the other way, on purpose. Investors just handed it $500 million to keep going bigger.

K2 raised a $500 million Series D at a $6.8 billion valuation, it said on Thursday. Kleiner Perkins and ICONIQ led the round, with Alphabet’s CapitalG, Lightspeed and ARK Invest among the backers. That more than doubles the $3 billion valuation it carried months ago. K2 has now raised over $1 billion, against more than $1 billion in signed contracts.

The bet is contrarian. Most of the industry shrinks satellites to cut launch costs. K2 argues the opposite: in orbit, power decides what a satellite can do, so it builds big, high-power ones instead.

The proof is already up there

Its first “mega-class” satellite, Gravitas, reached orbit in March on a SpaceX Falcon 9. It weighs two tonnes, generates 20 kilowatts, and carried a dozen payloads for customers including the US military, GeekWire reported.

K2 builds more than 85% of each satellite itself. Its 180,000-square-foot factory in Torrance, California is designed to turn out up to 100 satellites a year. That in-house model, it says, is how it makes large satellites quickly and cheaply.

Defence is writing the cheques

Much of the pull is military. K2 will supply 30 satellites for SES’s meoSphere network, build spacecraft for the Anduril-led Golden Dome missile-defence programme, and act as bus provider on a US Space Force satcom effort, its first Pentagon programme of record. It fits a wider surge of money into defence space.

The real moonshot: data centres in orbit

The bigger bet sits further out. In late 2028, K2 plans a 100-kilowatt “Giga” satellite built to carry “massive amounts of compute on orbit.” In plain terms, that is a step toward AI data centres in space, an application its chief executive flagged to Bloomberg.

K2 was founded in 2022 by the brothers Karan and Neel Kunjur, the latter a former SpaceX engineer. The round lands amid a flood of money into space, from launch to defence to orbital infrastructure.

The risks are real. Building 100 large satellites a year is a manufacturing feat no one has pulled off, and space-based data centres remain years away and unproven. K2’s next mission, Trinity, flies multiple satellites in early 2027. Going from one satellite to hundreds is the bet. Whether orbit becomes the next data-centre site is the wager beyond it.

• NEC unveiled a 999 g business laptop with exceptional battery endurance
• LAVIE BM94C uses carbon fibre to achieve a remarkably light business device
• AI battery management helps extend operating time throughout demanding working days

NEC Personal Computers has unveiled the LAVIE BM94C, a business laptop weighing just 999 g with a starting price of 584,100 yen (about $3,570).

The lightweight notebook is initially launching only in Japan despite attracting attention for combining premium hardware with unusually long battery endurance.

Today’s Wordle answer is a fun word, though it’s a little out of season. Read on for hints and the answer.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has one repeated letter.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

Today’s Wordle answer has one vowel.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with S.

Wordle hint No. 4: Last letter

Today’s Wordle answer ends with H.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to wet, watery snow.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is SLUSH.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, July 31, No. 1868, was PURSE.

Recent Wordle answers

July 27, No. 1864: POSER

July 28, No. 1865: SONAR

July 29, No. 1866: VALVE

July 30, No. 1867: FLUME

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CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of “Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the ’70s and ’80s,” as well as “The Totally Sweet ’90s.” She’s been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She’s Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she’ll be first in line.

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A small, pale oblong device has started turning up in European retail listings and a clear photo, and it carries the name Google Pixel Tag. The model number GA12506 appears alongside a color called Fog Light. The shape stands taller and more pill-like than the round discs most people already know, closer to the core of an old Fitbit without the band attached. A large Google “G” sits in the center of the face. Below it sits a tiny speaker grille and what looks like a small LED.

Photo credit: 9to5 Google
There is no built-in loop or hole on the body, thus the emphasis is on how you want to attach the object to something, such as keys, a wallet, or your suitcase’s handle. You’ll almost certainly need one of those attachments or cases to clip the tracker in place, which is likely what they’re counting on given that the escaping marketing lingo promises that this tracker is designed to be very small and lightweight, and nearly unnoticeable until you need it. This is when the loudspeaker inside starts yelling to tell you where it is so you can go find the missing item.

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All of this goes through Google’s Find My Device system, which has been helping you find your Android phone and tablet for years. Now, the network is large enough that if you lose the Pixel Tag, a nearby Android smartphone with location enabled should be able to ping its location for you. Privacy language in the early product descriptions stresses that the system was built with personal data protection in mind.

Prices have begun to appear in a few early listings in Europe, at €30, which corresponds to some predictions that it would cost between $29 and $39 in the United States, but one thing we still don’t know is how the battery works. Is it a replaceable coin cell or a sealed rechargeable battery? That ultra-wideband precision issue, no one has confirmed or rejected it yet, and it is not even mentioned in those listings. The timing also appears to be planned, as Google’s major hardware event is scheduled for August 12, when they are expected to unveil the new Pixel phones and the forthcoming Pixel Watch. The Pixel Tag is now mentioned as a compatible attachment on the phones’ product sites, which is unusual given that we have yet to see a photo of the tracker.

Russian state hackers are using a maximum-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Outlook’s Exchange Server to backdoor unpatched machines and steal credentials and other confidential information from them, security researchers said Thursday.

The attacks are coming from TA488, a tracking name for a group working on behalf of the Kremlin, Proofpoint researchers said Thursday. Proofpoint and the National Security Agency jointly warned last week that the group, also tracked as Laundry Bear and Void Blizzard, had been carrying out similar attacks by exploiting a zero-day vulnerability in an email service from Zimbra. The revelation that TA488 is also exploiting the Exchange Server vulnerability to install advanced malware when a user does nothing other than open an email sent to an Outlook Web Access (OWA) account has elevated the group’s profile and assessments of its abilities.

Doubling down

“TA488 is doubling down on the use of ‘half-click’ exploits—where opening the email is enough to trigger compromise—with significantly improved loading mechanisms, techniques, and malware, signaling an improvement in the group’s tradecraft and capability,” Proofpoint researchers wrote. “This novel infection chain ends with a previously unknown JavaScript browser-based implant we call OWAReaper, purpose-built for persistent access inside OWA.”

The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-42897, is a cross-site-scripting vulnerability, usually abbreviated as XSS, that Microsoft provided mitigation advice for in May and patched in July. Microsoft gave it a maximum severity rating. The vulnerability, which stems from a failure to properly filter HTML embedded in an email, allows malicious JavaScript execution. Proofpoint said that TA488 may have exploited it as a zero-day.

The malicious JavaScript installs a novel, custom-built browser extension that gives attackers persistent access to victims’ OWA accounts. Proofpoint said it was the most sophisticated backdoor the company has ever seen delivered through a half-click exploit. The company has named it OWAReaper.

BMS’s Kasia Stusinska discusses the importance of embracing the unknown to further your career.

“Over the years, I’ve developed an understanding of how software, equipment and people come together in a modern biopharma environment,” said Kasia Stusinska, a senior automation engineer for the digital plant at Bristol Myers Squibb Cruiserath Biologics.

She added: “I started my career through the BMS Graduate Programme in the process engineering department, where I learned about the manufacturing process of the molecules we make on-site. It felt like the most natural career path for me as a chemical and bioprocess engineer.”

For Stusinska, rotating across multiple departments was an ideal opportunity to engage with elements of the organisation that she may otherwise not have had any knowledge of. 

“As a graduate, the chance to explore different roles was especially attractive,” she said. “On the programme, I rotated through different departments every nine months. During that time, I moved into automation, which is closely connected to process engineering. 

“What began as an opportunity to broaden my experience quickly became the area I wanted to stay in. Seven years later, I’m still here. I realised that the combination of problem-solving and working with software systems was exactly what I was interested in.”

Upon a move to automation she felt as though she had to learn from scratch, as she was unfamiliar with much of the software she now works with. 

She said: “I undertook several technical courses and was lucky to be mentored by a senior engineer who taught me so much. Over time, it all just clicked. Automation engineering might not seem like an obvious career path for a chemical engineer, but the understanding of physical processes, problem-solving and critical thinking I learned in college still stand to me today.”

What first stirred your interest in a career in this area?

I’ve been curious about how things work since childhood. I used to love taking things apart, like toys and remote controls. I even dismantled a Rubik’s Cube once because I wanted to see how it worked inside. I can’t say I was always able to put things back together, but I was always eager to understand how things worked.

My first experience with computers was through video games. At the time, I barely knew how to use a computer properly, but gaming sparked a curiosity that made me want to understand how computers work, not just the software but also how the hardware comes together to create interactive systems. Over time, this interest naturally grew.

When it came to choosing subjects for the Leaving Certificate, I studied chemistry, biology, design and communication graphics and French. I then went on to study engineering at University College Dublin (UCD).

At UCD, the engineering degree begins with a common first year for all disciplines, and at the end of that year you choose your specific path. For me, it was chemical and bioprocess engineering, as I was interested in science but also enjoyed problem-solving.

Tell us more about your role today and what is involved?

As a senior automation engineer, I play a central role in integrating manufacturing equipment with site systems and testing and troubleshooting software for BMS’s first sterile drug product (SDP) facility in Europe.

My work involves solving multi‑layered problems, improving system performance and ensuring that new technologies integrate smoothly into daily operations. This all contributes to a reliable and efficient manufacturing process. I focus on the automation elements of commissioning activities, making sure that the control software, servers and IT components of the new equipment function correctly and integrate smoothly with the existing systems and services.

Do you have a typical day and if so, how does it look?

My mornings often begin at 8am on the construction floor, where the team meets to align on priorities and the day’s commissioning schedule.

The commissioning activities that I support involve ensuring that all new equipment on site is operating as intended. This includes running tests, preparing the documentation that accompanies those tests and ensuring that everything is reviewed by the relevant technical and quality teams.

From there, my work can shift quickly. I may be reviewing design documents, collaborating with vendors, resolving issues arising from equipment testing or implementing code changes required by the business.

Was there any one person who was particularly influential as your career developed?

One experience does continue to shape my approach to work.

Some years ago, I heard an Irish patient, close to my own age at the time, speak about her diagnosis with oesophageal cancer. Listening to her story brought into focus for me the real people behind the work carried out across BMS. It highlighted for me the importance of the systems and processes that support the development and delivery of medicines.

Sometimes we get so absorbed in our work, especially in highly technical roles, that we can lose sight of the bigger picture. But what we do ultimately affects real people and keeping that in mind helps me stay connected to the patient at the end of the process.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

While my role can be very technical, it also leans heavily on communication, and I really enjoy this aspect and the collaboration involved. There are always stakeholders and people who need to buy into your solution or idea. That requires good, clear communication and building trust across diverse teams.

For me, this is as important as troubleshooting a software fault. In a regulated environment where systems must perform consistently, I’ve found that effective communication with others is a core engineering skill to have.

What can people expect from career progression in this industry?

Over the years, I’ve learned that career progression in the biopharma sector can take you anywhere, from highly specialised technical roles to global strategic leadership. I see people moving into completely different roles all the time. The soft skills you gain from working in a highly regulated environment are very transferable, while the specific technical skills can always be learned.

What advice would you give to those considering a career in this area, or just starting out in one?

My advice would be to not doubt yourself, try new things and get as much hands-on experience as possible. Every role teaches you something valuable and you don’t need to have everything figured out from the start. Staying curious and open to learning will take you a long way.

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I watched two robot videos at the opposite ends of the Cantril Scale. You know, the ladder that measures human happiness in steps but that I am now applying to humanoid accomplishment?

At the bottom step and living its worst possible artificial life, we have the Qualcomm robot that, after delivering the new Dragonwing IQ10 robotics reference platform on a tray to a presenter, spectacularly collapsed lifelessly at the guy’s feet. The robot raised one hand as if in defeat, and seconds later, handlers rushed out to throw a sheet over its lifeless mechanical body.