Author: kirklandc008@gmail.com

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on AI mischief, follow Robert Hart. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here.Hacking the first generation of AI chatbots was a laughably simple affair. You didn’t need any technical know-how, backdoor access, or even a basic understanding of what a large language model was. You didn’t need to code. To get an AI system that had cost billions to build to abandon its safety instructions, sometimes all you had to do was ask.These…

A buzzy de-extinction company is making headlines again, the Smile spacecraft launched on its way to observe Earth’s magnetic shield in action, and a new study cast doubt on the existence of water vapor plumes on Europa. Plus, SpaceX’s Starship V3 lifted off for the first time. Here are this week’s most interesting science stories. Chicken or artificial egg Colossal Biosciences, the “de-extinction” biotech company best known for its claims of reviving the dire wolf, announced this week that it has hatched 26 healthy chicks from 3D-printed artificial eggshells. According to the company, it’s a step toward its goal of…

Two Different Cars, Two Different Regulatory Worlds G82 BMW M4 Competition Coupe front dynamic driving shotBMW The M4 GT3 competes in the SP9 GT3 class at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, one of the race’s most prestigious categories. GT3 regulations are globally standardized through the SRO framework, which means the car’s specifications—aerodynamics, engine output, minimum weight—are governed not just by the race organizers but by the homologation rules that make the car eligible for GT3 championships worldwide. That standardization is the GT3’s greatest commercial strength and, at the Nürburgring, one of its constraints. The M3 Touring 24h, by contrast, runs in…

SAIC is set to become China’s first auto group to surpass 100 million in cumulative vehicle sales. The group’s vehicle sales fell 1.50% year-on-year to 1,301,589 units in the January-April period. (SAIC logo. Image credit: CnEVPost) SAIC Motor (SSE: 600104) is about to mark a historic moment by the end of this month when it delivers its 100 millionth vehicle globally, according to a Friday announcement. The achievement marks a significant milestone for China’s automotive industry, making SAIC the country’s first auto group to top 100 million in cumulative sales. The delivery milestone underscores SAIC’s development over more than seven…

Don’t get overexcited, because these unprecedented price cuts only apply to a limited number of car-derived vans and other models officially classed as light commercial vehicles (LCVs), which are therefore more suited to companies and sole traders than individual private motorists. But it’s the thought that counts. And Toyota did a lot of thinking before deciding that price reductions in excess of 50 per cent are doable.  I don’t know and, frankly, don’t care whether this is the famously traditional Japanese company dramatically reacting to increasingly intense pressure from its South Korean neighbours. Or perhaps it’s the even greater (and…

Image by Luke Ma, under CCA 2.0 Generic license. While some nations and their Boomer leaders cling to some imagined past, the rest of the world is charging towards a zero-emission future. Now, you can add Malaysian states Kuala Lumpur and Penang to the latter list, as both states exceeded their annual EV charger deployment goal … and they did it in March! The Malaysian Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI) hopes to add a total of 10,000 electric vehicle charging stations to its streets by the end of the year, and it seems like they’re well on their…

It’s no secret that many Honda engines carry excellent reputations for various reasons. Some, like the K-Series, are known for their inherent ability to accept bolt-on modifications without becoming unreliable in any way. Others, like the D-Series, are regarded for their extreme levels of reliability. There’s also the newer L-Series, which has shown itself to be incredibly versatile. It’s not just these few Honda engines that deserve attention, either. That’s because you also have to include the J-Series in that list. More specifically, the J35A. Unlike the three listed above, the J-Series J35A is a V6 engine. It’s been around…

While electric vehicles aren’t exactly the flavor of the month right now, they do offer some decent benefits over their internal combustion-engined rivals that make them a tantalizing option. Their simplicity means there is little to go wrong mechanically, while their instantaneous power delivery and lack of a proper gearbox make them excellent for zipping around town without having to constantly row through the gears. Their general unpopularity, which has been led by their elevated MSRPs and relative lack of mileage they offer, and further compromised by a still sub-par EV charging infrastructure, has also meant they’ve depreciated by insane…

At first glance, it looks like a regular USB cable. But a new Kickstarter project called Hacknect is trying to turn something as ordinary as a charging cable into a surprisingly powerful hacking and automation device. The product is being pitched toward ethical hackers, cybersecurity researchers, developers, and automation enthusiasts. Hidden inside the cable is a tiny Wi-Fi-enabled computer powered by an ESP32-S3 chip, allowing it to do far more than simply charge a phone or transfer files. According to the Kickstarter campaign, Hacknect can remotely execute scripts, automate tasks, emulate keyboard inputs, and even store hidden files through a…

The models in this list have been extensively researched to ensure the most accurate information possible as of the time of publishing. Models are listed in ascending order from least to most roomy. 2026 Kia Sorento Hybrid Interior Passenger Volume: 143.8 Cubic Feet 2026 Kia Sorento acceleratingKia The 2026 Kia Sorento Hybrid doesn’t force families to choose between comfort and efficiency. At the upper end of the compact SUV segment, the Sorento Hybrid delivers comfortable three-row versatility for six or seven bodies, provided smaller passengers are relegated to the rear bench. The Sorento cabin leans into practical comfort, with generous…