technology

Microsoft is cracking down on bypass methods that let Windows 11 installs use a local account, and avoid an internet requirement during the setup process. In a new Windows 11 test build released today, Microsoft says it’s removing known workarounds for creating local accounts as they can apparently cause issues during the setup process. “We […]

In a Q&A with reporters Monday at OpenAI’s DevDay event in San Francisco, CEO Sam Altman said the recently-launched ChatGPT Pulse was his “favorite feature we’ve launched in a long time,” and he didn’t rule out including ads in the future. Pulse is OpenAI’s latest personalization play for ChatGPT. It allows the chatbot to learn about […]

OpenAI is introducing a way to work with apps right inside ChatGPT. The idea is that, from within a conversation with the chatbot, you can essentially tag in apps to help you complete a task while ChatGPT offers context and advice.  The company showed off a few different ways this can work. In a live […]

First announced in July, Lexar’s ES5 Magnetic Portable SSD is now available in a 1TB capacity for $119.99 or 2TB for $199.99. A 4TB version is also planned, but availability isn’t expected until Q1 of 2026. The ES5 is compatible with any USB-equipped device and delivers read and write speeds of up to 2000MB/s. It’s […]

For the last several years Netflix has been quietly banking episodes of a new show called Famous Last Words, interviews with famous people entering their twilight years. The catch is that episodes will only air after the subject passes away. The full list of interviewees is a closely guarded secret, but last week Netflix quietly […]

Rebrands rarely get much love. That backlash can be especially strong if you’re giving a facelift to a decades-old piece of software beloved by nerds around the globe. So, it was no surprise that when Audacity revealed its new logo people on the internet got a little worked up. And look, there’s no two ways […]

If the only thing Roland ever released was the TR-808, the company would still deserve a place in the music gear hall of fame. The 808 is arguably the most important instrument since the creation of the electric guitar. It's been a cornerstone of hip-hop, electronic, and pop music for 45 years now, used by […]

Editor’s note: Amazon’s fall Prime Day event kicks off on October 7th; however, if you want to shop ahead of the two-day sale, we’ve rounded up the best early Prime Day deals you can already get. If you choose to get an extra controller for your Nintendo Switch 2, you can spend a lot — […]

Life is a series of battles, and I just lost my last one against four gyoza on a skewer. It was an unexpected blow, because honestly, who could have expected me - a springy, respectably proportioned hot dog - to lose against a seemingly inflexible spear of small, unassuming dumplings? This is my struggle in […]

We've been working on a new show for the last few months, called Version History, and the first episode is now live! It's called "Hoverboards: so hot right now," and it's an hour-long tour of the biggest rideable gadget of the 2010s. Hidden inside the history of this weird two-wheeled scooter is a crucial inflection […]

Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days may bring some great Kindle deals, but if you can’t wait, you don’t have to. Right now, the Kindle Kids (Amazon, Best Buy, and Target) and Kindle Colorsoft Kids (Amazon, Best Buy, and Target) are down to their lowest prices ever, but my favorite deal is on the Kindle Paperwhite […]

Spotify has found itself the target of artists' ire for many reasons over the years: poor audio quality, terrible payouts, giving Joe Rogan millions of dollars… the list goes on. But recently it's been CEO and founder Daniel Ek's extracurricular activities that have been cause for consternation. Over the past few months his funding of […]