It began with a tip–an email from a San Francisco resident who had read The Secret, Byron Preiss’s 1982 book about hidden treasures. That message set off a chain of events that led to a 1974 building plan drawn by architect William Pereira, a visit to an underground pump room, and the eventual discovery, beneath six feet of concrete, of a long-lost time capsule buried deep within the Transamerica Pyramid. The capsule, a 14-by-16-inch metal cylinder, was unearthed during a recent renovation of the building. Buried in 1974, it offers a glimpse into life in San Francisco during the tower’s construction and reveals key details about the project itself. Its contents will be displayed in a new exhibit curated in partnership with Foster + Partners opening May 18 in the building’s lobby. The capsule was located based on an email tip and a 1974 building plan labeled “Time Capsule” drawn by architect William Pereira. (Courtesy SHVO) The capsule, a 14-by-16-inch metal cylinder, offers a glimpse into life in San Francisco during the tower’s construction and reveals key details about the project itself. (Courtesy SHVO) When the Transamerica Pyramid officially opened in 1972, it was hailed as a symbol of the city’s growth and ambition. Local media buzzed with anticipation. Two years later, as the Transamerica Corporation moved out of the building, the company assembled the capsule’s contents and commemorated its burial with a celebratory event. A plaque was installed above the site, instructing that the capsule remain untouched for 50 years. As decades passed and renovations altered the building’s layout, the plaque disappeared—and the capsule was (almost) forgotten. That is, until the email tip arrived. Fifty years after it was buried, just ahead of when it was intended to be opened, the capsule was located. This flyer was circulated in 1969 to stop the Transamerica Pyramid’s construction. It was among the objects inside the time capsule. (Courtesy SHVO) The timing of its burial coincided with a chaotic chapter in San Francisco’s history. In 1974, Mayor Joseph Alioto’s wife mysteriously vanished, only to reappear two weeks later claiming she’d staged her disappearance to punish him for ignoring her. Around the same time, 19-year-old heiress Patty Hearst was kidnapped at gunpoint by members of the radical Symbionese Liberation Army. The Transamerica Pyramid too made headlines: The San Francisco Chronicle dismissed it as “the world’s largest architectural folly,” and the city’s own planner derided it as “an inhumane creation.” These turbulent moments, and the spirit of the era, were captured in the time capsule’s contents, along with a recipe for Pisco Punch, the famed cocktail invented at the nearby Bank Exchange Saloon. Once buried and nearly forgotten, the capsule now takes center stage in a curated exhibit in the building’s lobby, offering a vivid snapshot of a city in the midst of transformation. “Through moments of prosperity and periods of challenge, the Transamerica Pyramid has stood tall as one of the iconic silhouettes of San Francisco’s skyline. I see it now not just as a symbol of bold design, but of resilience–for this neighborhood, and for our city,” said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. “Fifty years from now, my hope is that we will look back on this era–this exact moment in time–as the beginning of a new chapter for San Francisco,” he added. Opening to the public on May 18, the exhibition aims to honor the legacy of the Transamerica Pyramid while highlighting the design of its recent renovation. (Nikki Richter) SHVO and Deutsche Finance America purchased the Transamerica Pyramid in 2020 for $650 million, pledging to preserve its historic legacy. In 2024, the landmark reopened following extensive renovations by Foster + Partners, marking a major step in the broader revitalization of downtown San Francisco, which had been deeply impacted by widespread office closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. “This exhibition serves as a reminder of the significance of the Transamerica Pyramid as a global icon since its inception more than a half century ago,” said Michael Shvo, chairman and CEO of SHVO. “By sharing the contents of the time capsule publicly, as a thoughtfully designed exhibition, we are honoring Transamerica Pyramid’s legacy and seamlessly complementing our meticulous remastering.” The Time Capsule Exhibition opens to the public on May 18.

AMETEK, provider of industrial technology solutions, and FARO Technologies, a specialist in 3D measurement and imaging solutions, have entered into a definitive agreement under which AMETEK will acquire all outstanding shares of FARO for $44 per share in cash. The purchase price reflects a 40% premium over FARO’s closing share price on May 5, 2025, and values the company at approximately $920 million. The boards of directors for both companies have unanimously approved the transaction. “FARO is an outstanding acquisition for AMETEK and an excellent strategic fit with our Ultra Precision Technologies division,” comments David A. Zapico, AMETEK Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “FARO’s differentiated 3D metrology and imaging solutions expand our presence in attractive growth markets. Its strong brand, global customer base, employees and technology capabilities complement our existing Creaform business and provide compelling opportunities for growth and margin expansion.” AMETEK is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Photo via AMETEK. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and the approval of FARO shareholders. Completion is expected in the second half of 2025. About FARO Technologies Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Lake Mary, Florida, FARO Technologies provides a broad range of 3D measurement and imaging technologies. Its product portfolio includes portable measurement arms, laser scanners, trackers, specialized software, and comprehensive service offerings. Serving a diverse set of industries such as aerospace and defense, FARO generates approximately $340 million in annual revenue. “We are excited to join AMETEK and become part of its portfolio of industry-leading technology businesses,” said Peter Lau, President, CEO, and Director of FARO Technologies. “AMETEK’s global scale, operational excellence, and dedication to innovation will help us accelerate our growth and continue to deliver cutting-edge solutions to customers worldwide.” FARO Blink Imaging Laser Scanner. Image via FARO Technologies. 3D Printing Mergers and Acquisitions  AMETEK and FARO Technologies are not the only companies executing mergers and acquisitions in additive manufacturing.  This month Sodick, a Japanese EDM manufacturer, has finalized the acquisition of  a metal 3D printer manufacturer Prima Additive, reinforcing its position in the metal additive manufacturing sector. With the majority stake secured, Prima Additive has officially exited the Prima Industrie Group and is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Sodick. Going forward, the company will operate under the name “Prima Additive by Sodick.” The existing management team will remain in place, with CEO Paolo Calefati continuing to lead the company. Plans are already underway to open a new production facility and expand R&D operations in Turin, Italy. In April, Nano Dimension completed its acquisition of U.S. FDM 3D printer manufacturer Markforged Holding Corporation.Nano Dimension’s deal for Markforged was first announced in September 2024. Valued at $116 million, or $5.00 per share, the transaction has been sealed following the completion of regulatory approvals and satisfaction of customary closing conditions. As part of the agreement, Markforged’s Chief Financial Officer, Assaf Zipori, has become Nano Dimension’s new CFO.  droive Elsewhere, United Performance Metals (UPM), a US-based specialty metals solutions provider and affiliate of O’Neal Industries, acquired Fabrisonic LLC, an Ohio-based 3D metal printing manufacturing company. The acquisition is intended to enhance UPM’s manufacturing capabilities and expand its range of solutions. Take the 3DPI Reader Survey — shape the future of AM reporting in under 5 minutes. Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content. Featured imageshows FARO Blink Imaging Laser Scanner. Image via FARO Technologies.

Any time a major acquisition occurs, it’s standard for regulatory agencies to want to secure some promises before giving it the green light. Verizon’s recently approved purchase of Frontier Communications for $20 billion is no exception, but the concessions that Brendan Carr, Donald Trump’s pick to head the Federal Communications Commission, was able to secure are a little… different. Carr gave the green light to consolidate the industry once Verizon promised it would stop caring about workforce diversity. In a statement announcing approval of the merger, which will see Verizon take over Frontier’s million broadband subscribers and its sizable fiber optic network, Carr revealed that his support came after Verizon “committed to ending DEI-related practices.” DEI programs have been something of a bugaboo for Carr ever since he took over the agency, as it has for basically every part of the Trump administration. One of Carr’s early actions as head of the regulatory agency was to launch a probe into Verizon’s diversity, equity, and inclusion polices. In a letter announcing the investigation, Carr explicitly tied the whole ordeal to Verizon’s then-ongoing attempt to acquire Frontier. “In order to aid the FCC’s resolution of these matters, please reach out to the agency personnel that have been working on Verizon’s pending transactions at the FCC,” he wrote. “They are the FCC personnel most familiar with Verizon’s operations due to their merger review activity.” While Carr didn’t outright say “promise to kill off your DEI initiatives and we’ll push this thing through,” that does seem to be what happened. He did make it clear in an interview with Bloomberg that this was going to be his M.O. “Any businesses that are looking for FCC approval, I would encourage them to get busy ending any sort of their invidious forms of DEI discrimination,” Carr he told the publication in March. Verizon isn’t the only company to get what it wants by agreeing to axe DEI programs. T-Mobile was able to get a deal with fiber provider Lumos approved by the FCC after it got rid of a page on its website promoting its DEI efforts. Paramount, which is in the process of trying to complete a merger with Skydance and needs FCC sign-off, told staff it would end its own DEI policies in order to acquiesce to the demands of the Trump administration. So, if you have any business in front of the Trump administration, don’t worry about whether your deal might result in market consolidation that may ultimately harm consumers. No one is looking into any of that. Just make sure you are willing to hire some white guys so people like Brendan Carr can finally see people who look like him working in these industries.

Just a little more than a year after releasing Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, Activision is ending its support for the game, which includes removing it from the Apple App Store and Google Play stores.Activision made the announcement with a written statement on X (formerly Twitter). "Going forward, we will be streamlining the scope of the game," Activision wrote. May 18 is the last day the game will be available for download from Apple and Google's stores, and Activision has ended the ability of players to purchase Call of Duty points or Black Cell in the game "effective immediately." Social features are also being retired.However, Activision said servers will still be available for players who have already downloaded the game--in essence, while you can't download Warzone Mobile after this weekend or buy anything in it, you'll still be able to play. Activision didn't say if or when servers for Warzone Mobile would be shut down.Continue Reading at GameSpot

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Microsoft testing Xbox Home screen pins, hidden system apps, and more options Pulasthi Ariyasinghe Neowin @LoneWolfSL · May 16, 2025 15:22 EDT Microsoft has just unveiled some upcoming changes that are hitting the Home screen on Xbox consoles, giving players more personalization options on what they see when checking out the recently played section. The company says that the updates, which are coming to Insiders first, are aimed at making the Home page more "personal, flexible, and responsive." From the new options, the first one lets Xbox players hide the system apps that appear when they seek through the 'recently played games and apps list' on Home. The company says that this should keep players focused on their games and entertainment while also reducing clutter. Next, players will be able to pin up to three games or apps straight to the 'recently played games and apps list'. Even when other games are played, the pinned titles will remain available up front in Home for quick access. Lastly, Microsoft is also working on letting players have a more minimal look in Home, reducing the number of tiles that appear in the 'recently played games and apps list'. It's still said to be working on refining this Reduce Tile Count option, so it won't be rolling out to Insiders just yet. As for why the company has gone this route for adding more tweaking options, it said: "We’ve heard from many of you that Home should feel more like your space. Whether it’s surfacing your favorite games, hiding what you don’t use, or simply making Home feel less crowded, this update is a direct response to that feedback." Microsoft will be rolling out the new options to Xbox Insiders in the Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha rings first. The company is looking for feedback from users on the new functionality as well as what needs changing before they begin rolling out more broadly. Anyone interested in testing out the new Home updates can use the Xbox Insider app to enroll in the ongoing Insider Previews. Tags Report a problem with article Follow @NeowinFeed

AI startup Cohere has acquired Ottogrid, a Vancouver-based platform that develops enterprise tools for automating certain kinds of high-level market research. Sully Omar, one of the founders of Ottogrid, announced the deal Friday in a post on X. He didn’t disclose the terms. Ottogrid will sunset its product, according to Omar, but will give customers “ample notice” and “a reasonable transition period.” “We’re very excited to join the Cohere team and integrate Ottogrid into Cohere’s … platform,” Omar said in a statement. “Through our work with Cohere, we’re [going to] dramatically impact how people can automate their workflows, enrich their data, and scale their operations.” Cohere didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Cohere’s purchase of Ottogrid comes as the former experiences a bit of corporate turbulence. According to The Information, Cohere fell well short of revenue projections the company prepared in early 2023, missing its target for last year by 85%. The company told Reuters on Thursday that its annualized revenue recently reached $100 million, following a strategic shift with a focus on private AI deployments for customers in sectors like healthcare, government, and finance. Techcrunch event Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot for our leading AI industry event with speakers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. For a limited time, tickets are just $292 for an entire day of expert talks, workshops, and potent networking. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you’ve built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | June 5 REGISTER NOW Ottogrid launched in 2023 as Cognosys, led by Omar and Homam Malkawi. It rebranded in October 2024 with a major platform redesign that introduced a number of new integrations, tools, and APIs. Today, Ottogrid offers a “native table interface” with AI-powered document analysis capabilities. Customers can use it to extract data from a website and save it directly to a spreadsheet, for example, or automatically enrich sales lead lists. Ottogrid managed to raise $2 million in venture capital from investors, including GV (Google Ventures), Untapped Capital, Replit CEO Amjad Masad, Vercel CEO Guillermo Rauch, Cohere co-founders Ivan Zhang and Aidan Gomez, and others prior to its exit, according to Crunchbase. As part of Cohere, Omar says that Ottogrid will focus primarily on North, Cohere’s recently launched ChatGPT-style application designed to assist knowledge workers with tasks such as summarizing documents.

Urban Genesis smartwatch has been launched in India with a 1.45-inch circular AMOLED display. It was introduced in the country on Thursday and comes with a metal chassis, a stainless steel block strap, and two functional buttons. Users can utilise the wearable to track their heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation level (SpO2) and sleep. It is claimed to offer up to seven days of battery life. The watch has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance.Urban Genesis Price in India, AvailabilityUrban Genesis price in India is set at Rs. 3,999. The smartwatch is available for purchase through the official e-store, Amazon, Flipkart and select offline retail stores across the country, the company added.Urban Genesis Features, SpecificationsThe Urban Genesis sports a 1.45-inch AMOLED display with always-on display support. A Dynamic Island-like bar appears on the screen to show notifications comprehensively. It supports Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity with iOS and Android devices, and allows users to receive Bluetooth calls. The smartwatch comes with several preset workout modes like track walking, running, cycling, and skipping.The company equips the Urban Genesis with more than 100 watch faces. It offers quick access to AI voice assistants like Google Assistant or Siri for hands-free commands and smart control on paired devices. The smartwatch is equipped with a functional, rotating crown, and another button.Urban claims that the Genesis smartwatch comes with heart rate, blood oxygen level, blood pressure, and sleep cycle trackers. It helps monitor stress levels and has a 'Breathe' mode that is claimed to help users regulate their breathing. The watch also offers users regular hydration alerts.  The Urban Genesis is claimed to last for up to seven days on a single charge. It has an IP67-rated dust and water-resistant build. The watch supports magnetic wireless charging. It arrives with several built-in games. 

A dependable laptop is a necessity these days, whether you’re a professional or a student. If your device is due for a replacement, we highly recommend going for the HP Pavilion 16t, especially now that it’s on sale with a 55% discount from HP itself. From its original price of $1,200, it’s down to only $530 for massive savings of $670. We’re not sure how long you’ve got until this offer expires, so if you don’t want to miss out on one of the best laptop deals we’ve seen recently, you need to push forward with your purchase as soon as you can. Why you should buy the HP Pavilion 16t laptop The HP Pavilion 16t isn’t going to challenge the performance of the top-tier configurations of the best laptops, but it’s going to serve as reliable device for your daily tasks. It’s equipped with the 13th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, and 8GB of RAM, which will be enough for activities such as typing documents, making presentations, and joining online meetings and classes. With its 16-inch screen featuring WUXGA resolution and anti-glare properties, it’s also a solid entertainment device for watching streaming shows during your downtime. With the 512GB SSD of the HP Pavilion 16t, you’ll have enough storage space for all the apps that you use and the documents that you need quick access to. The laptop also comes with Windows 11 Home pre-installed, so it’s ready to start helping you out with your workload as soon as you open it for the first time. HP laptop deals are an excellent source of bargains, but this one’s even more attractive than usual — the HP Pavilion 16t with a $670 discount that slashes its price from $1,200 to only $530. The device probably won’t stay at 55% off from HP for much longer though, as stocks are likely already flying off the shelves. If you want to buy the HP Pavilion 16t laptop for less than half-price, you should add it to your cart and finish the checkout process as soon as possible in order to secure the savings.

Zffoto - stock.adobe.com News No workaround leads to more pain for VMware users There are patches for the latest batch of security alerts from Broadcom, but VMware users on perpetual licences may not have access By Cliff Saran, Managing Editor Published: 16 May 2025 14:41 Earlier this month, Broadcom informed customers it would no longer renew support contracts for VMware products purchased on a perpetual licence basis and that support would only continue for those that moved to a VMware subscription. Given VMware’s significant footprint in corporate IT, many organisations are facing the challenge of maintaining a secure virtualisation environment at an affordable cost. As Computer Weekly has previously reported, Broadcom has simplified the VMware product portfolio, which means several products are now bundled into VMware Cloud Foundation, driving up costs. On 12 May, Broadcom issued security advisories relating to some of its VMware products. One – CVE-2025-22249, which affects the Aria toolset – has been flagged as critical. The other – CVE-2025-22247, which impacts VMware Tools – is classified as moderate risk. While it has issued patches for VMware Aria 8.18.x and VMware Tools 11.x.x and 12.x.x, Broadcom has not provided any workarounds. According to some industry experts, the lack of a workaround and access to patches for customers running perpetual VMware licences not only causes a rift between Broadcom and VMware customers, but can also be interpreted as indirect pressure from the owner of VMware to move customers onto subscription-based licensing. In an open letter, VMware rival Platform9 pointed out that when Broadcom switched from perpetual licensing of VMware to subscription-based pricing, it assured customers that the transition would not affect customers’ ability to use their existing perpetual licences. In the letter, Platform9 said: “This past week, that promise was broken. Many of you have reported receiving cease-and-desist orders from Broadcom regarding your use of perpetual VMware licences. These letters demand that you remove/deinstall patches and bug fixes that you may be using.” According to Platform9, Broadcom’s definition of “licensed support” looks to have changed. The letter notes that VMware customers with perpetual licences are only covered for “zero-day” security patches. “Regular security patches, bug fixes and minor patches can only be used if you now pay for an ongoing subscription,” Platform9 warned in the open letter.  Without access to patches, VMware customers that decide to use third-party support for their perpetually licensed VMware products need to rely on workarounds. Looking at the specific vulnerabilities, Iain Saunderson, chief technology officer at Spinnaker Support, said the company provided its VMware third-party support customers with an advisory within hours of the announcement. “There are workarounds that we implement to disrupt possible attack chains. Our proactive and robust approach to security means we make a fix quickly available to customers that’s easier to deploy than a version upgrade or patch.” Gabe Dimeglio, chief information security officer, senior vice-president and general manager for Rimini Protect and Watch, said: “Our threat intelligence team is actively reviewing, and our support team is assisting clients who have requested assistance. We have a 10-minute response time SLA for priority cases, we work individually with each client based on their specific use of the affected product or module within their unique environments, and mitigations are tailored based on their applicable systems and configurations.” The alert for the CVE-2025-22247 vulnerability notes that VMware Tools contains an insecure file handling vulnerability. A malicious actor with non-administrative privileges on a guest virtual machine (VM) can exploit the vulnerability to tamper with the local files to trigger insecure file operations within that VM. Rimini Street said the vulnerability allows users to exploit a flaw in VMware Tools and the alternative Open-VM-Tool to manipulate a virtual machine’s filesystem. It recommends using Open-VM-Tools over VMware Tools where feasible. According to analysis from Rimini Street, CVE-2025-22249 pertains to a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability with the VMware Aria automation tool that is typically used only by administrators to facilitate tasks, and many organisations may not be using it at all. Craig Savage, vice-president of cyber security at Spinnaker Support, said: “A strategic approach to security involves proactive mitigation. That’s exactly what third-party providers offer. Before applying a patch, they assess how vulnerabilities impact the environment, ensuring security gaps are closed holistically. Many vulnerabilities stem from configuration weaknesses, not outdated software or patching gaps.”  According to Savage, misconfigurations like exposed vCenter instances on the internet are a far greater threat than missing a single patch. He said third-party support teams are able to perform proactive security reviews, looking at an organisation’s entire security posture. “A weak root password on vCenter isn’t fixed with a patch – it requires assessment, remediation and better security policies,” he added. Read more VMware stories VMware patches put spotlight on support: Recent security updates in VMware products have highlighted the challenge IT decision-makers face as they navigate Broadcom licensing changes. Broadcom letters demonstrate push to VMware subscriptions: The owner of VMware is reminding customers on perpetual licences that they will no longer be able to buy support for their VMware products In The Current Issue: UK MoJ crime prediction algorithms raise serious concerns Interview: Markus Schümmelfeder, CIO, Boehringer Ingelheim Download Current Issue GraphQL as an ‘essential protocol’ for AI-API orchestration – CW Developer Network Mind the insight-to-impact gap, Qlik captures analytics ‘in the moment’ – CW Developer Network View All Blogs

A Russian-born gaming mogul has been named the UK’s richest person under 40 — in a ranking dominated by tech entrepreneurs. Dmitry Bukhman, 39, built his fortune after founding mobile gaming giant Playrix. His estimated wealth of £12.54bn tops The Sunday Times 40 Under 40 Rich List — and makes up over a third of its £36.2bn combined total. His net worth has nearly doubled since last year. As a child in post-Soviet Russia, Bukman taught himself to code. Alongside his older brother Igor, he built his first game with an old Pentium PC given to them by their grandfather. After founding Playrix in 2004, the duo turned their focus to free-to-play mobile games. Their biggest hits — including Homescapes, Fishdom, and Township — have come in the casual puzzle and simulation genres. The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!Most of their revenue derive from in-app purchases (IAP). In 2024, Playrix was the world’s fourth-largest mobile game publisher by IAP revenue, generating around $1.66 billion. The company has also faced accusations of pay-to-win mechanics and misleading advertising. The Bukhman brothers left Russia in 2016. They moved to Israel in 2016 and then relocated to the the UK four years later. In 2022, they shut down Playrix’s operations in their home country after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Bukhman is far from the only tech leader on the rich list — nearly half its members come from the sector. Five of them join Bukhman in the top 10: Herman Narula, the CEO of virtual worlds business Improbable, Oliver and Alexander Kent-Braham, the co-founders of insurtech firm Marshmallow, and Piotr Dabkowski and Mati Staniszewski, the co-founders of AI firm ElevenLabs. The rankings are a subset of The Sunday Times Rich List, which profiles the UK’s 350 wealthiest people and families. Their combined wealth is estimated at £772.8bn — more than the annual GDP of Switzerland. Story by Thomas Macaulay Managing editor Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he e (show all) Thomas is the managing editor of TNW. He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers. Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse). Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with