Martian Habitats, Chip Shake-Ups, and Solar Speedsters: Tech Roundup (Aug 23–24, 2025)

August 23, 2025

• NASA Unveils Mars Simulation Habitat (Reuters, Aug 23) – NASA gave media a tour of a 3D-printed Mars habitat in Houston as it prepares for a second year-long Mars mission simulation news.tv5.com.ph. Starting in October, a crew of four will live for one year in the 1,700-square-foot CHAPEA habitat, carrying out tasks mimicking a future Mars expedition news.tv5.com.ph. “The crew will have to deal with whatever comes their way… they’ll have to problem-solve when they’re subjected to these conditions,” explained Suzanne Bell, a lead researcher on the project news.tv5.com.ph, highlighting the mission’s focus on human endurance and teamwork in isolation. NASA plans to announce the new crew next month as it inches closer to its goal of a real Mars mission in the 2030s news.tv5.com.ph.
• U.S. Takes $10 Billion Stake in Intel (Reuters, Aug 23) – In a bold move under the CHIPS Act, the U.S. government will acquire a ~10% equity stake in Intel, converting about $10 billion of federal chip subsidies into company shares reuters.com. The deal, announced by President Trump, ensures Intel gets funding to build and expand U.S. fabs and came after Trump pressured Intel’s new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, to step up domestic production reuters.com reuters.com. “He walked in wanting to keep his job and he ended up giving us $10 billion… So we picked up $10 billion,” Trump quipped, framing the agreement as a win for U.S. industry reuters.com. Industry analysts, however, remain cautious. “Without government support or another strong partner, it will be difficult for Intel’s foundry unit to raise enough capital… [Intel] needs to catch up with TSMC from a technological perspective to attract business,” warned Daniel Morgan of Synovus Trust reuters.com, underscoring that cash alone won’t solve Intel’s competitive challenges.
• Google’s Pixel 10 Phones Debut (The Verge, Aug 23) – Google launched its 10th-generation Pixel smartphones at its annual hardware event, revealing a refreshed lineup headlined by the Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL, and a new Pixel 10 Pro Fold theverge.com theverge.com. The devices look similar to their predecessors but pack the upgraded Tensor G5 processor and brighter displays theverge.com theverge.com. Notably, even the base Pixel 10 now gains a triple-camera system for the first time (including a 48 MP main lens) theverge.com. The phones support faster Qi2 wireless charging and come in new colors, with Google touting them as its “most personalized, proactive and helpful Pixels ever” blog.google thanks to the Tensor G5’s smarts. Pricing and availability: the standard Pixel 10 starts at $799, while the Pro models begin at $999 (Pro) and $1,119 (Pro XL), with pre-orders opened immediately and retail launch set for August 28 theverge.com theverge.com. Google also previewed a dust-resistant Pixel 10 Pro Fold (IP68) arriving later in the fall theverge.com theverge.com, alongside a revamped Pixel Watch 4 and new Pixelsnap magnetic accessories for the phones.
• Apple’s CarPlay Getting a Makeover (TechRadar, Aug 23) – iPhone users received a sneak peek at a major CarPlay overhaul coming in iOS 26. According to TechRadar, Apple is introducing “a completely new interface and handy new features inbound” for CarPlay’s in-dash system techradar.com. The update will extend CarPlay’s reach across multiple dashboard displays and bring Live Activities (real-time app widgets) to car screens for the first time techradar.com. These changes – part of Apple’s push into automotive tech – aim to make CarPlay more immersive and useful for drivers. For example, navigation, music, and smart vehicle controls will integrate more seamlessly, and passengers can expect a richer multi-screen experience. No formal statement from Apple accompanied the leak, but the feature set aligns with what Apple previewed for next-gen CarPlay, which is expected to roll out in vehicles from late 2025.
• China Targets Fair Pricing on Tech Platforms (Reuters, Aug 23) – China’s government released draft regulations to crack down on unfair pricing tactics by e-commerce and internet platforms reuters.com. The proposed rules, open for public comment for one month, urge platform operators and merchants to “increase the transparency of pricing rules and promptly disclose fee changes” and to negotiate prices via standardized contracts reuters.com. The move follows complaints from consumers and merchants about misleading discounts and manipulative pricing by China’s tech giants reuters.com. It also comes on the heels of Beijing’s tech-sector crackdown – for instance, Alibaba was fined a record $2.75 billion in 2021 for anti-monopoly violations reuters.com. The new pricing rules underscore China’s continued regulatory pressure to foster fair competition and protect consumers in its digital marketplace.

August 24, 2025

• Solar Cars Race Across Australia (Reuters/Manila Times, Aug 24) – The world’s top solar cars hit the road as the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge kicked off in Australia dailymotion.com. Racing teams from 18+ countries set off from Darwin on Sunday, embarking on a 3,000 km (1,864 mile) journey south to Adelaide in vehicles powered solely by the sun dailymotion.com. Darwin’s streets were filled with spectators as 42 sleek, futuristic cars began the week-long endurance run dailymotion.com. The biennial event is one of the most prestigious in green tech, challenging university and corporate teams to “engineer innovative and sustainable climate change solutions” in automotive design dailymotion.com. Organizers noted an especially strong field this year, including first-time entrants from several countries. The race tests cutting-edge solar panels, ultra-light materials, and energy management software under grueling Outback conditions – with the first teams expected to reach Adelaide by week’s end if their technology (and the sun) holds up.
• Engineer Jailed for “Kill Switch” Cyberattack (TechRadar, Aug 24) – A disgruntled ex-developer in Ohio received a four-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to sabotaging his former employer with hidden malware techradar.com techradar.com. The 55-year-old engineer, Davis Lu, had planted an Active Directory “kill switch” in 2019 that automatically locked out all users if his own account was ever deactivated bleepingcomputer.com bleepingcomputer.com. When he was fired, Lu’s trap sprung – crashing servers in an infinite loop and freezing thousands of employee accounts, causing an estimated six-figure loss techradar.com. Investigators later found he had also deleted data and googled how to elevate his IT privileges and hide his tracks bleepingcomputer.com. “The defendant breached his employer’s trust… wreaking havoc and causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses,” noted Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti at sentencing bleepingcomputer.com. FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Brett Leatherman said the case “underscores the importance of identifying insider threats early” and should “send a strong message” about consequences for rogue IT insiders techradar.com.
• Spotify Plans Price Hikes as Users Grow (Reuters, Aug 24) – Music streaming giant Spotify signaled that more price increases are on the horizon as it rolls out new services and hunts for its next 1 billion users reuters.com. In an interview with the Financial Times, Spotify’s co-president Alex Norström said raising prices will be “part of our business toolbox and we’ll do it when it makes sense” to boost margins reuters.com. The company already announced an increase of its Premium individual plan from €10.99 to €11.99/month in many markets starting September reuters.com. Norström suggested the extra revenue will fund fresh features and content to keep Spotify competitive reuters.com. The strategy appears to be paying off – a combination of price hikes and belt-tightening helped Spotify achieve its first annual profit last year reuters.com. Analysts note that as Spotify approaches saturation in some regions, incremental revenue from slightly higher fees (if users don’t churn) could be key to sustaining growth and investments in podcasts and audiobooks.

Sources: Reuters news.tv5.com.ph reuters.com reuters.com reuters.com reuters.com, TechRadar techradar.com, The Verge theverge.com, Google Blog blog.google, The Manila Times/Reuters dailymotion.com.