Would you really give up ChatGPT to shut down data centers? Tech CEO highlights the hypocrisy of some AI critics
Verb CEO Cyrus Beschloss questions whether AI critics would really sacrifice their favorite chatbots
New proposed bill would make video games something you own, not rent
Stop Killing Games lost in Brussels and Sacramento. A federal bill picks up where they left off
Why it matters: Two years after Ubisoft's The Crew went dark and took 12 million copies with it, the question of whether you own the games you buy has finally reached Congress. A proposed bill by Representative Ritchie Torres is short on detail and long on obstacles, but it is the first federal attempt to answer a question the industry would rather leave alone.
Memtest86+ adds Arm support, new memory tests, and USB reports
Memtest86+ 9.0 brings the popular open-source memory testing utility to ARM64 devices, including Snapdragon X laptops and Raspberry Pi boards. The update also introduces new RowHammer and memory bus stress tests.
Microsoft Office is down to $27 for a lifetime license
TL;DR: If you're looking for a powerful productivity suite without paying for any monthly subscriptions, Office is now available for just $27. All the essentials you need for work or personal projects at 85% off the regular price.
Nvidia and Cisco unveil next-gen network interface built for the AI data center boom
Four times the bandwidth, much better power efficiency for new "AI factories"
TCL wants to build a 700Hz OLED gaming monitor, and it's betting on inkjet printing to do it
The panels would be 32 and 34 inches, with production not expected until 2028
Microsoft won't patch old Windows Servers, so a small security firm is doing it
Third-party service 0patch is patching a Windows DNS Server flaw that Microsoft won't fix
Apple wants Chrome users to switch to Safari, claims up to five extra hours of video playback on a Mac
Apple says Safari is also faster and comes with built-in privacy protections
Nvidia Broadcast 2.3 adds 4K video upscaling and frame generation
Nvidia Broadcast has received a major upgrade, bringing AI-powered 4K video upscaling and frame generation to webcams. The update also moves beyond live streaming, allowing users to enhance previously recorded videos and audio files. The features require compatible RTX GPUs.
Microsoft breaks Patch Tuesday record with more than 1,000 Windows security flaws fixed
That's a lot of bandages
Holy Patch: Microsoft is increasingly relying on AI tools to uncover security vulnerabilities in Windows and its other software products. Yet this month's Patch Tuesday brings an unprecedented number of bug fixes, with Windows bearing the brunt of the latest security cleanup.
ASML says it won't be able to make enough chipmaking machines to meet demand through 2028
The AI boom has a bottleneck, and it's ASML's factory
Xbox unveils the Nano Controller, a smaller, cheaper alternative that fits in your pocket
The $50 controller weighs just 3.5 ounces but retains all 18 standard Xbox inputs
Valve Index VR drops to $400 as production ends, leaked code hints at 4K OLED Steam Frame upgrade
The rumored OLED refresh could offer a huge resolution boost, but don't expect it anytime soon
Anthropic ditched Git for its own version control system because Claude is writing too much code
Company says merged code changes went from 2,500 a day to 30,000 in four months
First look: Anthropic has replaced Git in its main code repository as AI-generated changes outpaced the infrastructure built to manage them. The new system, called "Scion," moves most source-control operations to servers, reducing the amount of data that agents and automated jobs must download.
Police seize humanoid robot after it allegedly sexually assaulted 16-year-old girl in Germany
The robot was reportedly controlled by two teenagers, who filmed the alleged assault on a busy street
A new mod brings Apple's classic iPods into 2026 with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C, and Spotify support
No soldering necessary, and the mod is reversible
South Korea removes safety barriers to let humanoid robots work alongside humans in factories
A trial involving 20 robots across four industries could pave the way for wider adoption, despite concerns over safety and job losses
Google Play now lets you install your own vibe-coded apps without publishing them
The apps stay private to the creator, with no developer account needed
Meta's smart glasses were recording conversations without the wake phrase, company admits
Meta says the issue has been fixed, but hasn't explained what caused the unwanted recordings
A hot potato: If there's one product that really doesn't need any more negative stories, it's Meta's smart glasses, but here we are. Some users discovered that the wearables were recording their voices without the wake phrase, an issue the company says has now been resolved.
Mozilla is betting Europe's digital sovereignty push can help fund Firefox
Firefox Enterprise adds a self-hosted management console and AI controls for organizations, with Thunderbird Enterprise to follow
Sony shut down Overdrive, the fake PlayStation Store for pirated PS5 games, but clones appeared within hours
The GitHub project went up on October 9 and listed more than 1,600 free games for jailbroken PS5s
ESA calls Anbernic-style handhelds "superfakes" and wants the US to treat them as piracy hubs
Retro handhelds loaded with ROMs are now a US trade policy target
Super Mario Galaxy's PC port arrives without Nintendo's blessing
A Wii classic goes native on PC, with help from Claude
HP's keyboard PC is back with AMD's Ryzen AI 400 chip, a 32Wh battery option, and a $3,000-plus price
A full PC in a 14-inch keyboard, at nearly twice the original's price
One of the world's worst passwords, 123456, helped a hacker steal 8.8 million people's data in Denmark
The hacker claims at least three company accounts, including an admin account, used the same password
Intel's Nova Lake lineup leaks with a cache-heavy Core Ultra 9 4970K BFC at the top
BFC: Intel's answer to AMD's X3D chips may finally have a name
Epic Games' new "vibe-coded" launcher promises 30x faster loading and native Linux support
Epic's redesigned launcher is now available in Preview. The company openly describes the new client as "vibe coded," claiming it loads game libraries 30x faster and starts up 46% faster than Steam. The overhaul also brings a cleaner interface, improved game management, and native Linux support for the first time.
Netflix slashes 1,000 jobs in largest workforce reduction in four years
Netflix is struggling with consumer engagement, axes 6% of its workforce
Steam adds new Big Picture features, faster startup, and better Linux compatibility
Valve continues to bring Steam closer to a console-like experience across TVs, handhelds, and Linux PCs. The latest update introduces Big Art Mode, customizable screensavers, faster startup, and improvements to Remote Play and Steam Input. Linux users gain Proton support for non-Steam Windows games.
Your Android phone could double as a Steam Deck with this free app that runs PC games locally
DroidDeck brings Steam to Android, with Cyberpunk 2077 reaching around 60fps
Apple unveils HomePod mini 2 with Siri AI and a $50 price hike
Pre-orders now open for $149
OpenAI employee arrested for hiding recording device in executive meeting room
The Saudi engineer allegedly concealed a tiny recording device in toilet paper and plugged it into a TV's USB port
What we know so far: In a prime example of the cloak-and-dagger world of tech espionage, a Saudi national has been arrested for allegedly planting a recording device in OpenAI's executive conference room. It's claimed that Abdulrahman Alfozan wrapped the device in toilet paper and inserted it into a USB port on the back of a TV.
Scientists create super ice that's almost as tough as concrete
It absorbs 70 times more energy before breaking and could eventually be used for construction in the Arctic