Hands-on reviews, comparisons, and buyer guides for gadgets and software.
Verdict Engadget's comprehensive guide, "What happens when a hybrid battery dies and what to do about it," is an indispensable resource for any hybrid vehicle owner. It demystifies a common, yet often misunderstood,
Ars Technica's 'So much solar' article offers an excellent, data-driven analysis of US power plant additions in H1 2026, highlighting the dominance of utility-scale solar and batteries. Essential reading for energy enthusiasts.
ChatGPT's new 'Computer History' on Mac logs activity (clicks, typing, app switches) for better AI context. It's opt-in with granular controls, but local files are unencrypted, raising privacy concerns despite OpenAI's stated policies against training or retention.
Our detailed review of the GoPro Max 2 Bundle, CNET's favorite 360-degree action camera for beginners, now at a record-low price with essential accessories included.
The Ars Live recap delves into the "Stop Killing Games" movement, highlighting Ross Scott's impassioned arguments against publishers prematurely ending online games. It explores potential solutions, legislative avenues, and the significant challenges for preserving digital gaming history.
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls has redefined the tag fighter genre with its fresh look, new developer, and innovative fighting system. Drawing comparisons to the legendary Marvel Vs. Capcom series, it not only lives up to expectations but actively raises the bar, proving Marvel still dominates this arena. Launching on PC and PS5, the game achieved impressive sales figures in its first week, demonstrating its broad appeal despite early technical refinements addressed by a swift PC patch.
Quick Verdict Google's push to replace Assistant with Gemini for hands-free calling on Android Auto is currently a misstep. With Assistant's September 2026 deprecation looming, Gemini's unreliable performance for
Dive into low-level graphics with C by building a software renderer from scratch, moving beyond terminal applications to gain a deep understanding of CPU architecture, memory management, and game engine foundations. This hands-on approach, utilizing the cross-platform SDL3 library, teaches direct pixel manipulation, custom frame buffer management, event handling, and frame rate control. The course culminates in rendering effects like the iconic Doom fire using only CPU instructions, offering invaluable practical experience for any developer.
Quick Verdict In a market currently grappling with component shortages and rising prices, the Geekom IT13 Max 2026 emerges as a surprisingly compelling option. For $799, it delivers a capable Intel Core Ultra 9 185H
The budget laptop market has been buzzing since Apple launched its MacBook Neo in March, quickly becoming a best-seller. However, with rising component costs affecting prices and the ongoing RAM crisis, consumers are
Amazon is training its AI on Twitch streams by default, requiring users to opt-out. This move has ignited community fury and raised significant privacy concerns among streamers and viewers.
The foldable phone market just got a lot more interesting with the arrival of two new titans: Google's Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. Both aim to redefine the premium foldable experience,
Truth Social's Premium Information Access: Under Scrutiny Quick Verdict: Truth Social's Truth API, a service offering early and permanent access to presidential posts for a substantial fee, is currently embroiled in a
This paper introduced score-based generative modeling, a paradigm shift to estimating local gradients of the data distribution. Leveraging Noise Conditional Score Networks and annealed Langevin dynamics, it offered a stable, tractable alternative to GANs and likelihood models, laying the foundation for modern diffusion models.
Apple's base iPhone 18 model will skip its traditional fall 2026 launch and instead arrive in early 2027, according to supplier Pegatron. This delay, attributed to chip shortages, means Apple will prioritize its high-end iPhone 18 Pro series and a new foldable for the autumn release. The strategic shift aligns with earlier analyst predictions amid global supply chain challenges.
Amazon's MMO Retreat: A Critical Analysis of a Strategic Shift Quick Verdict: Amazon is strategically exiting the competitive MMO publishing landscape in the West, divesting from Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty after
OpenAI-backed Thrive Holdings secured $2 billion at a $12 billion valuation to expand its enterprise AI integration strategy. The firm acquires traditional businesses, infusing AI into their operations, and plans to extend its proven model beyond accounting and IT into regulatory services for physical assets. This major funding round highlights a growing trend of hands-on AI deployment in the enterprise.
Google has officially unveiled its latest flagship smartphones, the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro series, at its Made by Google 2026 event. These new devices, including the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and the
Quick Verdict: A Step Back for Samsung's S27 Camera? It appears Samsung may have made a disappointing decision regarding the upcoming Galaxy S27 series, reportedly canceling plans for a highly anticipated variable
The Verdict: Google's 2026 Vision – Smarter, Stronger, Pricier Google's Made by Google 2026 event brought forth a comprehensive suite of hardware and software updates, headlined by the Pixel 11 series, the Pixel Watch
Xbox Elite Series 3: Leaked Screen Points to a Bold New Direction Quick Verdict: The rumored Xbox Elite Series 3 controller, recently seen in leaked images, presents a fascinating and unexpected evolution for
The wireless landscape has become notoriously complex, often luring consumers with low advertised prices only to reveal a slew of hidden charges – activation fees, unexpected taxes, and fluctuating monthly bills. This
Quick Verdict The InfiMaker K1 stands out as a genuinely intriguing proposition for anyone fascinated by physical object creation but intimidated by the complexities of traditional CNC machining. Its core appeal lies in
Verdict: Linux's Moment Arrives for the Mainstream Desktop The latest data from Cloudflare, corroborated by StatCounter, paints a compelling picture: Linux desktop usage is experiencing unprecedented growth, even
Quick Verdict Japanese anti-piracy efforts have taken a significant leap forward with the reported deployment of a new, highly effective tool to pinpoint initial torrent uploaders. This method, utilized by CODA and the
