Posts by Mike Knight
Pollinger’s Productivity : October 2025
Breaking News: OpenAI Unveils Sora 2 Overnight, OpenAI has launched Sora 2, its next-generation text-to-video + audio model, along with a new social app simply called Sora. Unlike its predecessor, Sora 2 supports synchronised speech, sound effects, and ambient audio, enabling far more immersive and realistic video creations. Users can trigger “cameo” videos by verifying…
Read MoreMicrosoft Launches AI & Cloud Apps Marketplace
Microsoft has launched a single unified Marketplace bringing together Azure Marketplace and AppSource, offering a central location for cloud services and AI applications integrated directly into the Microsoft ecosystem. One Destination For AI And Cloud Procurement On 25 September 2025, Microsoft announced the launch of Microsoft Marketplace, a new platform designed to simplify the way…
Read MoreUK Gov Pushes AGAIN For iCloud Backdoor
The UK government has reportedly issued a fresh order instructing Apple to enable access to encrypted iCloud backups for British users, narrowing an earlier demand that had sought global access. The New Order According to reports in the Financial Times, the Home Office served Apple with a new Technical Capability Notice (TCN) in early September…
Read MoreNew Sora 2 Creates Incredible Videos
OpenAI has launched Sora 2, a powerful new AI model for generating realistic video and audio, alongside a companion app called Sora that functions as a short-form video platform in the style of TikTok. Cameos The app, now live in the US and Canada, allows users to create, share, and remix AI-generated videos featuring themselves…
Read MoreBT Promises 5G Standalone for 99% Of UK By 2030
BT has committed to delivering full 5G Standalone coverage to 99 per cent of the UK population by the end of the decade, laying out a detailed plan that raises pressure on rivals and calls for regulatory support to finish the job. Announced At Connected Britain 2025 BT’s announcement came during Connected Britain 2025 (a…
Read MoreOpenAI World’s Most Valuable Private Company
OpenAI has reportedly reached a $500 billion valuation after completing a $6.6 billion secondary share sale involving current and former employees. Share Sale The transaction, finalised on 2 October, allows OpenAI workers and alumni to sell their equity stakes to a group of institutional investors including Thrive Capital, SoftBank, Dragoneer Investment Group, Abu Dhabi’s MGX,…
Read MoreClaude In Copilot & Google Data Commons
Microsoft has confirmed it is adding Anthropic’s Claude models to its Copilot AI assistant, giving enterprise users a new option alongside OpenAI for handling complex tasks in Microsoft 365. Microsoft Expands Model Choice In Copilot Microsoft has begun rolling out support for Claude Sonnet 4 and Claude Opus 4.1, two of Anthropic’s large language models,…
Read MoreAd‑Free Facebook & Insta … For £3.99 Monthly
Meta will let UK users pay a monthly fee to use Facebook and Instagram without adverts, introducing a lower‑priced “consent or pay” model in response to UK data protection guidance. Users Offered A Choice Meta has confirmed that UK users will soon be offered a choice, i.e., continue using Facebook and Instagram for free with…
Read MoreApp Pays You For Your Phone Calls
A new iPhone app that pays users for their call recordings to train AI systems rose rapidly in late September. However, it then went offline after a security flaw exposed user data. What Neon Is And Who Is Behind It? Neon is a consumer app that pays users to record their phone calls and sells…
Read MoreFriendship Tech Goes From Novelty To Necessity
In this Tech Insight, we look at how a new generation of digital platforms and community initiatives is rising to meet the growing UK demand for meaningful friendship, tackling loneliness through apps, events, and innovative social design that prioritises connection over dating. A Growing Demand (And Rising Cost) Loneliness in the UK is no longer…
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