Good morning. It’s Monday, March 10. Today we are covering:
Undocumented commands found in Bluetooth chip used by a billion devices
Apple does AI as Microsoft did mobile
GeoCities in 1995: Building a Home Page on the Internet
China needs to boost its tech sector more than ever. How to play it
Banks and fintechs join 'stablecoin gold rush'
Let’s dive in
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Undocumented commands found in Bluetooth chip used by a billion devices
By Bill Toulas via BleepingComputer
Undocumented commands discovered in the ESP32 Bluetooth chip, used in over a billion IoT devices, could enable device spoofing, unauthorized data access, and long-term persistence for attackers.
Researchers from Tarlogic Security identified 29 hidden vendor-specific commands in the chip’s firmware, allowing for memory manipulation and Bluetooth attacks; the issue is tracked under CVE-2025-27840.
Exploitation risks include supply chain attacks and persistent malware infections, especially if an attacker gains physical access or pushes malicious firmware updates.
𝕏: This is basically every HomeKit/IoT gadget on Amazon. - Steven Sinofsky (@stevesi)
Apple does AI as Microsoft did mobile
By David Heinemeier via HEY
Apple's AI strategy is drawing comparisons to Microsoft's failed mobile strategy, marked by overconfidence and underestimation of challenges—echoing Steve Ballmer's infamous dismissal of the iPhone.
Despite promoting "Apple Intelligence," the company is struggling with unmet AI promises, delayed features, and underwhelming performance, particularly with Siri and AI-generated content.
Leadership issues are highlighted, with John Giannandrea's AI division under scrutiny and Tim Cook's oversight questioned, suggesting a need for a strategic and organizational reset.
𝕏: "This is what regression to the mean looks like. This is what fiefdom management looks like. This is what having a company run by a logistics guy looks like. Apple needs a leadership reboot, stat. That asterisk is a stain." - DHH (@dhh)
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GeoCities in 1995: Building a Home Page on the Internet
By Richard MacManus via Cybercultural
GeoCities, initially known as Beverly Hills Internet (BHI) in 1995, was among the first services enabling non-technical users to easily create personal home pages on the World Wide Web through its user-friendly "Personal GeoPage Generator."
The platform introduced location-themed virtual communities like RodeoDrive, Hollywood, and SiliconValley, encouraging users to build personalized web spaces and fostering a sense of online habitation.
Despite design limitations and clunky templates, GeoCities democratized web publishing in the 1990s, becoming a significant stepping stone for early creative expression online before the rise of more sophisticated web design and hosting services.
𝕏: "By 1995, people had begun to create their own web pages on the World Wide Web — or “home pages” as they were called back then....." The web has been around for a long enough time for its stories to be told as part of the online culture. - Aditya Kane (@adityakane)
China needs to boost its tech sector more than ever. How to play it
By Evelyn Cheng via CNBC
Chinese tech companies are accelerating AI innovation, with startups like Monica launching invite-only applications and major players such as Tencent and Alibaba unveiling advanced AI models to compete with global counterparts.
Investment opportunities are highlighted by Nomura, favoring mainland suppliers like Shennan Circuits, Shengyi Technology, WUS PCB, and Accelink, which are integral to China's AI infrastructure growth.
Beijing's supportive policies, including increased subsidies and deficit spending, are boosting the sector, with Tencent identified as a leading AI contender due to its rapid AI integration across platforms like WeChat and Yuanbao.
Banks and fintechs join 'stablecoin gold rush'
By Nikou Asgari via Financial Times
Major banks and fintechs, including Bank of America, Standard Chartered, PayPal, Revolut, and Stripe, are racing to launch their own stablecoins, aiming to tap into the growing cross-border payments market influenced by cryptocurrency adoption.
Regulatory shifts, including evolving US legislation and new EU and UK rules, are encouraging financial institutions to enter the stablecoin space, with notable moves like Stripe's $1.1 billion acquisition of the stablecoin platform Bridge and Standard Chartered's plans for a Hong Kong dollar-backed token.
Despite increasing enthusiasm, stablecoin newcomers face stiff competition from dominant players like Tether and Circle, and concerns linger about the long-term sustainability and credit risks associated with the proliferation of multiple stablecoins.
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