Astra Arrives, Apple Stumbles, and VMware Caves | Tech News of the Week

Welcome to Tech News of the Week for 09/14/2026. This week we are covering: OpenAI releases its new flagship model Astra, Apple introduces hardware alongside a new CEO, VMware brings back vSphere Standard, and much more.

Open AI Releases Astra

OpenAI has officially launched GPT-6 Astra, showcasing top benchmark results and fueling the ongoing debate over the path to AGI.

🔗 https://openai.com/index/gpt-6-astra/🔗 https://stratechery.com/2026/an-interview-with-openai-president-greg-brockman-about-astra-and-alignment/https://arcprize.org/results/anthropic-claude-fable-5

Apple Releases A Bunch Of Stuff, Including A New CEO. It Does Not Go Well

Apple revealed its foldable iPhone Duo and watch updates under newly minted CEO John Ternus, drawing criticism over design compromises and always-listening Siri features.

🔗 https://www.wired.com/story/everything-apple-announced-september-2026/

VMware Backs Off VCF Forcing

In response to pushback from small and midsize businesses, Broadcom-owned VMware is reviving the standalone vSphere Standard SKU to offer an alternative to its costly Cloud Foundation bundles.

🔗 https://4sysops.com/archives/vmware-revives-vsphere-standard-after-pushing-customers-toward-vcf/

Breaking News! From March Of This Year! Some Hard Drives Fail Faster Than Others

A multi-year analysis of Backblaze drive reliability data highlights significant lifespan differences across drive manufacturers alongside a clear correlation between elevated operating temperatures and higher failure rates.

🔗 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11458693

Proxmox Offering Enterprise Grade Support

Proxmox is expanding its enterprise presence by launching 24/7/365 live support through its North American operations to better attract organizations migrating away from VMware.

🔗 https://www.proxmox.com/en/about/company-details/press-releases/proxmox-24-7-support-and-proxmox-north-america/

Science Discovers New Sleep-Type Way To Help Your Brain Do Sleep Brain Things Better… With SCIENCE!

Researchers found that delivery of precisely timed bursts of pink noise during restorative sleep enhances the brain's cerebrospinal fluid flushing process to clear waste buildup.

🔗 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2588451-bursts-of-pink-noise-during-sleep-seem-to-help-flush-waste-from-brain/🔗 https://www.alieward.com/ologies/somnology

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• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:36) - Open AI Releases Astra
• (04:59) - Apple Releases A Bunch Of Stuff, Including A New CEO
• (08:27) - VMware Backs Off VCF Forcing
• (10:33) - Breaking News From March: Some Hard Drives Fail Faster Than Others
• (13:24) - Proxmox Offering Enterprise Grade Support
• (15:11) - Science Discovers New Sleep Type Way To Help Your Brain