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Tech Titans And The Echo Of History

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Watching HBO’s The Gilded Age has made me reflect on the Industrial Revolution of the 1870-1890s—a time that brought us railroads, automated manufacturing, and created many new millionaires. The similarities to today are striking and make me wonder: Are we living through a second Gilded Age?

Over the decades, I’ve witnessed the rise of many influential figures who’ve shaped our digital world. But lately, I’ve been struck by an uncomfortable similarity that keeps nagging at me: the billionaire tech leaders of today bear a striking resemblance to the millionaires of the Industrial Age.

Let me be clear—I’m not someone who criticizes success or innovation. Throughout my career, I’ve admired the transformative power of technology and the entrepreneurs who make it possible. But as I look at the tech landscape in 2025, I can’t help but see echoes of Mark Twain’s The Gilded Age—a thin layer of gold masking deep social and economic inequities.

The numbers tell a stark story. Today’s tech billionaires have amassed fortunes that dwarf even the inflation-adjusted wealth of Carnegie and Rockefeller. These tech titans control platforms that billions use daily, shaping not just commerce but the very flow of information and social interaction. And like their predecessors, they wield this power with minimal oversight and accountability.

Consider the parallels: During the 1870s – 1890s, a handful of industrialists controlled the railroads, oil, steel, and banking—the backbone of the industrial economy. Today, a small group of tech leaders controls the digital infrastructure on which we all depend: our communication networks, marketplaces, news sources, and even our transportation systems. Back then, if you wanted to ship goods across the country, you had to deal with railroad monopolies. Today, to reach customers online, you primarily go through a few dominant platforms.

The first Gilded Age was characterized by extreme wealth concentration alongside poverty and labor exploitation. Factory workers toiled in hazardous conditions for poverty wages, while industrialists built lavish estates. Today, we read about gig workers struggling without benefits or job security, warehouse employees monitored by algorithms, and content moderators traumatized by what they must review—all while their employers accumulate wealth at unprecedented rates and launch space programs.

What troubles me most isn’t the wealth itself—innovation deserves reward. But how does that wealth translate into outsized influence over democratic institutions? The titans of the late 1800s bought politicians and wrote legislation that favored their interests. Today’s tech leaders fund political campaigns, hire armies of lobbyists, and increasingly own the media platforms where political discourse happens. When one controls the town square and can afford to influence the lawmakers who regulate it, we have a problem.

Problems are also noted in environmental consequences of this digital era. According to the EESI, AI-driven data centers are fueling unprecedented boosts in water and energy consumption, with significant consequences for communities hosting these facilities. A single 100-megawatt data center can consume 2 million liters of water per day—equivalent to the needs of thousands of households—and up to 5 million gallons daily in extreme cases, often exceeding local supply capabilities. These demands are particularly acute in water-stressed regions, such as rural Georgia and the American Midwest, where residents have reported direct disruptions to their water supplies and increasing competition for limited resources.

Energy usage is similarly intensive, with AI workloads projected to account for nearly half of all data center electricity demand globally by the end of this year—contributing to rising emissions and local infrastructure strain. The consolidation of industries—tech, retail, and media—into a handful of powerful data center operators intensifies these conflicts, creating monopolistic behaviors and restricting competition. In the process, community and environmental priorities are often sidelined in favor of corporate interests. These issues highlight critical challenges and conflicts of interest in local governance, resource allocation, and environmental stewardship.

Over the years I’ve spoken with many of these tech leaders. Most are genuinely brilliant, propelled by visions they believe will advance humanity. Yet, noble intentions don’t erase the risks associated with concentrated power. Andrew Carnegie also believed he was serving the greater good, and his funding of libraries and universities undoubtedly left a lasting, positive legacy. But during the 1892 Homestead Strike, his steelworkers had a far less charitable view of that benevolence.

The first Gilded Age eventually gave rise to the Progressive Era, which brought about antitrust actions, labor rights, and regulations to curb unchecked corporate power. The question we face now is whether we’ll summon similar courage. The challenge is arguably more difficult today because technology platforms are more complex than railroads, and their owners are more savvy about public relations and regulatory capture.

I’m also troubled by the narrative that technological innovation requires accepting this concentration of power. That’s false. The internet’s most significant innovations came from distributed, open-source collaboration, not monopolistic control. The personal computer revolution was driven by competition among multiple players, rather than a single dominant force.

History suggests change is possible. Public awareness is growing about data privacy, platform power, and wealth inequality. Regulators in the U.S. and Europe are finally taking antitrust concerns seriously. Workers are organizing. Journalists are investigating. The conversation is shifting.

But we need to be honest about what we’re facing. This situation isn’t just about taxing billionaires more or breaking up a few companies. It’s about fundamentally rethinking the relationship between technological power, democratic governance, and economic fairness. It’s about asking whether we want a digital future that concentrates power and wealth, or one that distributes opportunity more broadly.

The first Gilded Age taught us that unchecked capitalism, however innovative, eventually produces social instability that demands correction. We shouldn’t have to learn that lesson twice. The technology these leaders have created is remarkable—it’s changed my life and work in countless positive ways. But the social and work structure they’ve built around it increasingly resembles what we thought we’d left behind in history books.

As someone who loves technology and believes deeply in its potential, I still think we can do better. We can innovate without creating oligarchies, make progress without exploitation, build technologies that protect natural resources and strengthen democracy rather than weaken it. But right now, the parallels to the Gilded Age are hard to ignore. Then, steel and rail shaped the world; now, it’s data and algorithms. Unless we confront what we’ve built—and who it serves—we may find our digital revolution is less a new era than a fresh layer of gilding over the same old system.



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X Issues November 10 ‘Account Will Be Locked’ Twitter Security Warning

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57 minutes ago

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October 26, 2025

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Given the continuing popularity of Elon Musk’s X social network, and the swathing staffing cuts made when the world’s richest man bought what used to be (and still is in my mind) Twitter, it doesn’t make the cybersecurity headlines as much as you might have thought. With PayPal users currently warned of ongoing attacks, ditto WordPress website owners, and even LastPass password manager customers, all being in the threat actor crosshairs, this is a good thing. However, X users have now been warned that unless they make a change to a legacy Twitter security setting, they will be locked out of their accounts from November 10. Here’s what you need to know.

ForbesAct Now — Microsoft Issues Emergency Windows Update As Attacks BeginBy Davey Winder

The X Safety Team Issues Clarification After Warning Of Twitter Account Lockouts

Whatever you call it, X or Twitter, the social network isn’t immune to security threats. This year alone, I have reported on outages caused by a claimed DDoS attack and a warning for 650 million X users not to change their passwords. Sometimes, though, the perceived security threat comes from inside the building. Such was the case after the X safety team tweeted on October 24: “After November 10, if you haven’t re-enrolled a security key, your account will be locked until you: re-enroll; choose a different 2FA method; or elect not to use 2FA.”

This, rather unsurprisingly if you ask me, created a wave of concern amongst both ordinary users and security experts on the social media platform. One asked whether not using 2FA meant their account would remain active; another asked whether there had been a security breach; and another asked whether this only impacted passkey users?

ForbesGmail Account Lockout Warning — Users Must Check This 1 Setting NowBy Davey Winder

The confusion sat with X warning that “all accounts that use a security key as their two-factor authentication method to re-enroll their key to continue accessing X,” and adding that users could “re-enroll your existing security key, or enroll a new one.” A typical example of someone who knows what they are talking about but not how to communicate that in such a way to people who do not. Translating tech-speak into ordinary language is an essential skill and one that the X safety team appears to have misplaced on this occasion.

What X should have said, and ended up being forced into actually saying a day later, was: “To clarify: this change is not related to any security concern, and only impacts Yubikeys and passkeys – not other 2FA methods (such as authenticator apps). Security keys enrolled as a 2FA method are currently tied to the twitter.com domain. Re-enrolling your security key will associate them with x.com, allowing us to retire the Twitter domain. If this relates to you, you’ll be prompted automatically to re-enroll.”

ForbesOrganizations Can’t Deploy Passwordless, Declare Victory And Walk AwayBy Davey Winder





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Google’s Pixel 10 Series Could Soon Receive A Significant Performance Boost

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1 hour ago

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October 26, 2025

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Key Takeaways

  • Some Pixel 10 users have reported underperforming graphics and battery life.
  • Google has confirmed it will release driver updates, potentially addressing these issues and unlocking the Pixel 10’s full potential.
  • A new GPU driver update (version 25.2) is available that Google could deploy for significantly improved performance.

October 26 Update Below: A driver update may be essential for security reasons. This article was originally published on October 24

The Pixel 10 could soon receive a significant boost in performance, and potentially battery life, thanks to an upcoming graphics driver upgrade.

Reports indicate that the Pixel 10 series currently underperforms in graphics performance, notably scoring lower than the Pixel 9 Pro in some benchmark tests. The Pixel 10 series uses a PowerVR DXT-48-1536 GPU from Imagination Technologies, rather than the ARM Mali component found in previous models, which has led to complaints of poor performance, especially when playing popular, graphically intensive games such as Genshin Impact, and reduced battery life during video playback in apps like Netflix.

A primary cause of these performance issues appears to be an outdated GPU driver. The Pixel 10 shipped with driver version 24.3, lacking key features and optimizations necessary for the new GPU to reach its full potential. While it’s not unusual for a smartphone to ship with slightly older drivers, the switch from Mail to PowerVR appears to have exacerbated the issue.

A New GPU Driver Is Already Available

Fortunately, Imagination Technologies has since released driver version 25.2, adding official support for Android 16, along with significant performance enhancements, including support for the latest Vulkan 1.4 specification. That means this particular update could greatly benefit Pixel 10 users, and early indications suggest Google will most likely implement it.

A Google representative recently confirmed to Android Authority that the company plans to continue releasing GPU driver improvements in its regular system updates.

“We are continuing to improve driver quality in our monthly and quarterly system updates. For example, the most recent September and October patch releases included driver improvements. In future releases we are planning further GPU driver updates.”

Google has a strong track record in this area, having delivered a significant GPU performance boost for Pixel 8 Pro users in its December 2023 update, and several generations of Pixel smartphones received performance gains thanks to an updated GPU driver in the March 2025 Feature Drop. However, Google’s statement stops short of any commitment to any specific driver versions or performance benefits for the Pixel 10 range.

Google Pixel 10: Performance Upgrades Are Likely

If this pattern continues, Pixel 10 users can expect significant performance gains with future driver updates. Given that the new driver is already available from Imagination Technologies, we can hope it arrives sooner rather than later. For those currently experiencing graphics performance issues, a fix appears to be on the horizon.

October 26 Update: Existing vulnerabilities make a driver update extremely likely.

Driver updates typically offer not only performance improvements but also essential security patches, increasing the urgency of releasing updates.

The Pixel 10’s GPU driver is vulnerable, putting additional pressure on Google to provide an update.

According to Imagination Technologies’ published GPU Driver Vulnerabilities list, versions of the PowerVR GPU driver, up to and including version 24.3, currently deployed in the Pixel 10 series, contain critical vulnerabilities that could result in system instability, reboots and non-privileged access to secure data.

Addressing these vulnerabilities will be a high priority for Google, making a driver update urgent. Imagination Technologies doesn’t appear to have released any driver updates between versions 24.3 and 25.1, which fixes all of the listed vulnerabilities and adds most of the improvements listed in this article.

This means Google’s next Pixel 10 GPU driver update will likely be to least version 25.1, if not the latest version 25.2 released to partners on Oct 8. Pixel 10 Users can therefore expect significant improvements in performance, reliability and security once Google releases this update.

Follow @paul_monckton on Instagram.

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Edifier Unveils Upgraded S880DB MKII Active Speakers For Hi-Res Performance

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2 hours ago

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October 26, 2025

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Edifier is a speaker brand that’s rapidly building a reputation for producing premium mid-range speakers that sell for very affordable prices. Edifier has just announced the launch of the S880DB MKII, its fully upgraded successor to the brand’s acclaimed S880DB model. This latest version features enhanced acoustic performance, redesigned circuitry and an improved user experience.

The S880DB MKII speakers now feature a completely upgraded driver system that can produce a richer and more precise sound. The tweeters have been upgraded to a 1.25-inch titanium dome model with a 25mm voice coil and neodymium magnet. The output through the tweeters is 12W per channel. The previous model used a 1-inch tweeter, so the improvements deliver clearer and more transparent highs that offer more accuracy and detail.

Complementing the upgraded tweeters are a pair of redesigned 3.75-inch mid-bass drivers with an output of 32W per channel for a clearer sound across the entire mid-range. The woofers also provide an extended low-frequency response that goes as low as 50Hz for a fuller and richer bass response. The overall sound of the upgraded drivers is a more solid and balanced soundstage.

High-Quality Sound

At the heart of the new S880DB MKII speakers are high-performance chipsets sourced from Texas Instruments. Edifier has used the powerful XMOS XU216 onboard processor, which provides advanced digital audio processing and can support high-resolution audio playback up to 24-bit/96kHz, for clearer sound and ultra-low distortion.

The S880DB MKII speakers are designed to meet and exceed the specifications required to gain Hi-Res Audio certification. The speaker’s digital interfaces support resolutions up to 24-bit/192kHz, while the Texas Instruments analog front end operates at 24-bit/96kHz, for precise signal handling and clarity across the entire frequency range.

At the rear of the S880DB MKII’s primary speaker unit are all the inputs for connecting the speakers to a digital or analog source. Users can choose from two RCA line-in connectors, a digital coax and optical inputs, plus a USB-C port, which is ideal for connecting these speakers to a computer so they can be used on a desk setup. There’s no 3.5mm input, but a cable is provided that goes from 3.5mm to RCA.

Bluetooth Connectivity

Finally, these speakers also include a Bluetooth 5.3 receiver for wireless input. The S880DB MKII speakers support the LDAC audio codec with transmission rates up to 990kbps, which means high-resolution wireless audio streaming up to 24-bit/96kHz.

Using the LDAC codec ensures audiophile-grade sound quality over Bluetooth from compatible Android devices running Android 8.0 and higher. Anyone using the speakers with a Mac or iPhone could use a Bluetooth dongle that supports LDAC. In addition, the speakers also support the vanilla SBC codec, but not AAC. The sound of these speakers can be shaped using the three rotary controls at the rear of the primary unit. The three knobs control volume, treble and bass.

The S880DB MKII also includes a dedicated SUB OUT port for the connection of an external subwoofer — like Edifier’s recently announced T5S model — and an even deeper bass response. This feature provides a fuller and more immersive low-end that’s suitable for music, movies and gaming. The one thing missing is a front-mounted headphone jack, which a lot of people use for private listening when seated at their computer.

User-Friendly Controls

Controlling the speakers is easy using the included puck-shaped remote control, which is just as well because those rear-mounted controls aren’t particularly convenient to reach. The S880DB MKII speakers come with a newly designed and rechargeable 2.4GHz remote control for quick access to playback and volume levels.

On the front of the primary speaker is an integrated OLED display featuring auto-dimming and providing clear and real-time feedback without too much glare. The speakers are also fully compatible with Edifier’s ConneX smartphone app, which can be used to fine-tune settings and manage the source inputs directly from a smartphone’s screen.

Pricing and Availability:

The Edifier S880DB MKII speakers are available now for $399.99 from Amazon.com.

Tech Specs:

  • Total output power (RMS): Treble: 12W x 2 / Mid-low: 32W x 2.
  • Drivers: 3.75″ long-throw aluminum diaphragm / 1.25″ titanium diaphragm dome tweeters.
  • Frequency response: 50Hz – 40kHz.
  • Signal-to-Noise ratio: ≥ 85dB(A).
  • Audio inputs: USB-C, Optical, Coaxial, Line In 1, Line In 2, Bluetooth.
  • Input sensitivity: USB-C: 500 ± 50mFFS OPT: 500 ± 50mFFS, COAX: 500 ± 50mFFS, Bluetooth: 500 ± 50mFFS, Line In 1: 500 ± 50mV, Line In 2: 700 ± 50mV.
  • Bluetooth: V5.3.
  • Supported audio codecs: SBC, LDAC.
  • Dimensions (W x H x D): 145 x 237 x 207mm (Primary speaker) /145 x 237 x 192mm (Passive speaker).
  • Weight: 6.27kg.



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