Windows 11 26H2 extends Home and Pro support to October 2028, two years beyond 24H2
The takeaway: Microsoft has officially released Windows 11 26H2 to the stable channel, rolling it out to all eligible users. The update is described as an "enablement package" that simply switches on dormant features delivered with previous monthly updates. It's a tiny 174 KB download for devices that are already up to date with all cumulative updates.
TL;DR: If you're looking for a powerful productivity suite without paying for any monthly subscriptions, Office 2021 is now available for just $32. All the essentials you need for work or personal projects at 85% off the regular price.
WhatsApp is introducing new parental controls for teen accounts, giving parents more control without access to private conversations. Parents can restrict who sees a teen's profile photo or adds them to groups, receive group activity alerts, and more. Messages and calls remain end-to-end encrypted.
Bottom line: After years of rumors and speculation, Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to go on sale next month, but getting enough of them into customers' hands could prove the harder part. Foxconn, the contract manufacturer responsible for producing the device, is reportedly facing severe production constraints that could limit early output, raising the prospect of tight supply for what is now Apple's most expensive iPhone.
In a nutshell: There's been a depressing trend recently in which hardware companies refuse warranty claims for questionable reasons – or refund the customer's original purchase amount – as a result of their products' prices skyrocketing. But it seems not every firm is being greedy. One person has praised G.Skill for replacing a 64 GB DDR5 RAM kit bought from eBay for $150 with a brand-new kit worth $1,199.
ASML is betting bigger EUV mirrors and stacked transistors will keep chips advancing
Crystal ball: ASML is the only company that makes the EUV lithography machines needed to produce the world's most advanced chips. Its CEO, Christophe Fouquet, says the AI boom will play out over 10 to 15 years and that we're only seeing the tip of the iceberg. Meeting that demand will depend on better optics, vertical chip designs and a sprawling supplier network that can't be scaled up quickly. That makes ASML's roadmap a useful gauge of how far AI hardware can go, and how fast.
The latest Firefox release introduces a visual refresh across toolbars, menus, and the sidebar, alongside new themes and a compact mode with tighter tabs and toolbar spacing. The update also adds hardware AV1 decoding for WebRTC video calls.
Winners & losers: EVGA's 2022 exit from Nvidia graphics cards remains one of the industry's most striking partner breakups, and this first-hand account shows how the relationship worked day to day. Hedrick describes a company squeezed by Nvidia's Founders Edition cards, pressure to keep a loss-making entry model and tight control over launch information, all in a business that made up 78% of EVGA's sales. It's only one side of the story, though. Nvidia's CEO and outside reports point to EVGA's own strategy and costs.
Blackmail, resisting shutdown, and human extinction make for an unusual investment pitch
WTF?! In what sounds like a self-defeating move, but could also be a way to hype its IPO, Anthropic is warning any potential investors that the company's most advanced AI models could pose "catastrophic or existential risks to humanity." How much that will dissuade people from investing in the company remains to be seen.