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Asus may be quietly winding down its smartphone ambitions. According to distribution channels in Taiwan, the company has decided not to launch any new smartphones in 2026, putting its long-running gaming-focused ROG Phone lineup on pause.

For a brand that never chased volume but built its reputation on extreme performance, the move suggests the niche may no longer make sense commercially.

No new Asus phones planned for 2026

Distributors in Taiwan have reportedly been unable to source new Asus smartphones for some time. Information shared with partners indicates that Asus continued operating its smartphone business only through the end of 2025.

Asus has since confirmed that it has informed telecom partners of its plan not to release new smartphones in 2026. The company says it will continue supporting existing devices with software updates, warranty coverage, and after-sales service.

What that means in practical terms is simple: there will be no ROG Phone 10, and no new Zenfone flagship this year.

The statement stops short of announcing a permanent exit. Asus frames the move as a pause rather than a shutdown, leaving the door open to a possible return. Still, the absence of any forward-looking roadmap makes the future of its phone business uncertain.

A niche that may no longer pay off

The ROG Phone carved out a distinct identity in the Android space. Large batteries, aggressive cooling, shoulder triggers, and maximum chipset performance made it a favorite among hardcore mobile gamers.

That focus also limited its reach. ROG Phones were expensive, bulky, and often hard to find outside select markets. As mainstream Android flagships closed the performance gap and mobile gaming shifted toward efficiency rather than raw power, the value proposition narrowed.

From a business perspective, maintaining a smartphone division for a small, performance-obsessed audience may no longer justify the cost.

Why Asus might be pulling back

Asus has not given a detailed explanation for the decision. Several pressures line up, though.

Component costs remain volatile, particularly DRAM and NAND pricing. Smartphones are also facing slowing global demand, tighter margins, and increased competition from Chinese brands that operate at massive scale.

Gaming phones sit at the intersection of all of these problems. They rely on premium components, sell in limited volumes, and require ongoing software support to stay relevant.

Main changes for users

For most smartphone buyers, the impact is minimal. Asus was never a major player in the broader Android market. Its Zenfone and ROG devices appealed to enthusiasts, not the mass market.

For fans of gaming phones, however, this removes one of the few brands willing to build devices around performance first, battery size second, and everything else after that.

Asus says existing devices will continue receiving updates and support, so current owners are not being abandoned. The bigger question is whether the pause becomes permanent.

If Asus does return, it will likely do so in a very different market than the one that allowed gaming phones to stand out in the first place.

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Boston Dynamics is moving its humanoid robot Atlas out of controlled demos and into real industrial environments. The company is now testing AI-powered versions of Atlas inside factories, with early trials focused on repetitive material-handling work.

With backing from Hyundai, which owns a majority stake in Boston Dynamics, Atlas has already been deployed in limited trials at Hyundai's new Georgia manufacturing plant. There, the humanoid robot practiced autonomously sorting roof racks for the assembly line, a task normally handled by human workers.

This marks a shift from spectacle to practicality. Atlas is no longer just running, jumping, or performing choreographed routines. It is being trained to do useful work.

From pre-programmed moves to learned behavior

Earlier versions of Atlas relied heavily on manually coded motion algorithms. The current generation looks very different. It is fully electric, slimmer, and powered by AI systems running on high-end compute hardware.

Instead of scripting every movement, Boston Dynamics now trains Atlas using machine learning. Engineers teach the robot tasks through demonstrations rather than explicit instructions.

One method involves supervised learning using virtual reality. A human operator wears a VR headset and directly controls Atlas' arms and hands, guiding it through each step of a task. That interaction generates training data, which is then used to teach Atlas how to repeat the task autonomously.

Another technique uses motion capture suits. Human movements are recorded and translated to Atlas' very different body structure. The robot does not copy motions directly but learns how to achieve the same outcome using its own mechanics.

Training thousands of robots at once

Much of Atlas' learning happens in simulation. Boston Dynamics runs thousands of digital Atlas models in parallel, exposing them to different conditions such as uneven floors, limited mobility, or mechanical resistance.

These simulations allow the system to test variations quickly and identify stable movement strategies. Once a skill is learned in simulation, it is uploaded to the control system used by every physical Atlas robot.

That approach means improvements scale instantly. Training one Atlas effectively trains them all.

Useful, but far from general-purpose

Atlas can now run, crawl, lift, sort objects, and perform coordinated movements that were considered unrealistic for humanoid robots only a few years ago. Still, Boston Dynamics is clear about the limitations.

The robot cannot yet perform many everyday tasks humans take for granted, such as dressing, cooking, or handling fragile objects reliably. These remain difficult problems due to the complexity of human environments and fine motor control.

The company's focus is narrower: repetitive, physically demanding work in structured environments like factories and warehouses.

Factory work comes first

The Hyundai trial highlights where humanoid robots are most likely to appear first. Assembly-line logistics, material handling, and physically taxing jobs are well-defined and repeatable, making them ideal early use cases.

Boston Dynamics' leadership has framed this as a way to reduce human exposure to dangerous or exhausting work rather than replace entire roles. Robots like Atlas still require human oversight, maintenance, and training.

That also limits how autonomous they can be in the near term.

No Terminator scenario

Despite growing concern about AI and automation, Boston Dynamics downplays fears of runaway humanoids. The company describes the reality as the opposite: robots are difficult to train, fragile in unexpected situations, and heavily dependent on human input.

Atlas represents progress, but also the current ceiling of what AI-powered humanoids can do outside controlled environments.

For now, the goal is not general-purpose robots roaming freely, but specialized machines capable of doing one job well and safely.

Atlas' factory trials suggest that phase is already underway.

Do you believe that robots can replace humans in manual work? yes/no

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When hardware behaves oddly on a Linux system, the fastest answers are often already available from the terminal. One of the most useful tools for this is lspci, a small command that reports what devices are connected to the PCI bus and how the kernel sees them.

lspci is not flashy, but it is reliable. It works on servers, laptops, desktops, and recovery environments, and it does not depend on a desktop session being available. These are the ways it is most useful in day-to-day troubleshooting.

1. Get a quick inventory of internal hardware

Running lspci without any flags gives a concise list of PCI devices detected by the system:

lspci

This shows graphics adapters, network controllers, storage controllers, and chipset components. Each entry includes a slot address, vendor name, and device description. If a GPU, network card, or controller does not appear here, Linux is not seeing it at all.

This step is often enough to confirm whether a hardware issue is physical or software-related.

2. Narrow the output to a specific device

On systems with lots of devices, the output can be overwhelming. Piping the results into grep makes it easier to focus on one component:

lspci | grep USB

This works well for USB controllers, graphics devices, or network hardware. Searching by vendor name is often more reliable than generic terms like "GPU" or "graphics," which may not appear in the device label.

3. View detailed information for troubleshooting

When basic output is not enough, verbose mode adds useful context:

lspci -v

This includes IRQ assignments, memory ranges, and other technical details that help diagnose driver or resource conflicts. Some fields require elevated privileges, so running it with sudo may reveal more data.

Higher verbosity levels exist, but they are usually unnecessary unless debugging kernel or driver-level issues.

4. Understand how devices are connected

The PCI tree view shows how devices relate to each other:

lspci -tv

This is especially useful on laptops and servers, where multiple devices share bridges or controllers. It can explain why disabling or removing one device affects another, and it helps when diagnosing bandwidth or bus contention problems.

5. Check which driver a device is using

Knowing whether the correct kernel driver is loaded can save time. Once you know the device's slot address, you can check its driver like this:

lspci -ks 00:02.0

This reveals the kernel module currently in use and which modules are available. For graphics cards and network adapters, this step quickly shows whether the system is using an open-source driver, a fallback module, or nothing at all.

6. Get vendor and device IDs for deeper research

Sometimes device names are not enough. lspci can display numeric vendor and device IDs that uniquely identify hardware:

lspci -nn

To focus on a single device:

lspci -nns 00:02.0

These IDs are invaluable when searching documentation, reporting bugs, or checking compatibility lists. They also help confirm the exact hardware variant when multiple revisions exist.

When lspci is the right tool

lspci only shows PCI devices. It does not list USB peripherals, storage partitions, or removable drives. For those, tools like lsusb and lsblk are more appropriate.

Still, for diagnosing GPUs, Wi-Fi cards, Ethernet controllers, NVMe interfaces, and chipset components, lspci is one of the fastest ways to see what Linux actually recognizes.

Keeping it in your troubleshooting toolkit makes hardware issues easier to identify before they turn into guesswork.

 

Resources:

https://www.howtogeek.com/practical-uses-for-the-linux-lspci-command/

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CES 2026 has not officially opened yet, but the pattern is already clear. As usual, the real show starts early, with companies teasing products and half-announcements well before the doors open in Las Vegas. This year feels busier than the last few editions, with more hardware, bigger booths, and less restraint around buzzwords.

Artificial intelligence is going to be everywhere. Not as a category, but as a label glued onto almost every product. Laptops, TVs, appliances, wearables, cars-if it has a chip, it will claim some form of AI advantage. Much of it will be backend automation rather than visible features, but marketing will make sure the word is front and center.

Smart glasses look set to dominate the show floor. After years of false starts, nearly every major brand now wants a piece of what comes after the smartphone. Expect a wide mix of designs: camera-focused glasses, audio-first "AI glasses," lightweight display glasses, and hybrids that sit somewhere between eyewear and XR headsets. No single design is likely to emerge as the obvious winner, but the sheer volume will be hard to miss.

TV technology is also back in the spotlight. Display makers will push new panel types, higher brightness, and higher refresh rates, whether or not those gains translate into real-world improvements. AI processing will be heavily promoted here as well, often tied to image enhancement, motion smoothing, and content upscaling.

Mobility continues to expand its footprint at CES. Electric vehicles, e-bikes, scooters, and concept transport devices will take up large sections of the show. One noticeable shift is the slow return of physical controls in car interiors, after years of touchscreen-heavy designs. Buttons and dials are quietly becoming a selling point again.

Robotics will blur further into the smart home category. Beyond robot vacuums, expect more humanoid and semi-humanoid demos focused on lifting, carrying, and basic household tasks. These systems are not close to mass-market pricing, but CES remains a favorite venue for showing what might arrive several product cycles from now.

Alongside all of that will be the usual CES staples: laptops, monitors, audio gear, accessories, and experimental form factors that may or may not ever ship. The mix is familiar, but the density feels higher this year.

CES 2026 looks less like a reset and more like a return to excess, with AI as the connective tissue tying together a very crowded hardware show floor.

Does someone heading to CES this year?

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On a soccer pitch outside Beijing, the players are humanoid robots. They dribble, fall over, get back up, and occasionally crash into things they should not. This is not a gimmick demo. It is how a growing number of Chinese robotics companies are training machines for real-world use.

One of them is Booster Robotics, founded in 2023 by Cheng Hao. His company builds humanoid robots designed to play soccer using artificial intelligence. The goal is not entertainment alone. Soccer is a stress test.

Robot sports have become a proving ground across China. In 2025 alone, humanoid robots danced during the Spring Festival Gala, ran half-marathons, boxed, and competed in the world's first World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing. Soccer, boxing, sprinting, and even simulated factory tasks were all part of the program.

Sports expose weaknesses quickly. Balance fails, vision systems misjudge distance, and coordination breaks down under pressure. For robotics engineers, those failures are useful. A robot that can run, turn, react, and cooperate with teammates on a field is closer to working safely in unpredictable environments.

Soccer has long been a benchmark task in robotics research. The international RoboCup competition, launched in the 1990s, uses the sport to test motion control, vision, planning, and team coordination. Cheng's team at Booster Robotics treats it the same way. The game is the lab.

The attention helps, too. Robot sports draw crowds, livestreams, sponsors, and investors. Booster Robotics ran an exhibition robot soccer league in mid-2025 that sold hundreds of tickets and attracted national broadcast coverage. Two days after winning RoboCup 2025 in Brazil, the company announced more than $14 million in new funding.

This public-facing angle fits neatly into a broader national push. China has spent the past decade accelerating its robotics industry, backed by subsidies, research funding, and local government support. Humanoid robots are now positioned as a strategic technology, tied to productivity gains and an aging population.

The government's involvement is visible. The World Humanoid Robot Games were co-hosted by Beijing authorities and state media. Regional governments have organized robot marathons and competitions, often paired with investment showcases. For now, the ecosystem still leans heavily on public backing.

The robots themselves are not flawless. At Beijing's games, humanoids ran into referees, missed punches, and collapsed mid-match. Engineers hovered nearby, resetting systems and collecting data. That is part of the process. Each failure feeds the next iteration.

What is changing is where this leads. Companies are already moving robots out of arenas and into factories. Sorting, inspection, and material handling are common test cases. Some humanoids are being trialed in controlled service environments as well.

Booster Robotics is aiming further. Just months after a lab visit, the company launched a smaller humanoid robot designed for broader use, priced far below its earlier competition-focused models. The pitch was straightforward: robots as practical helpers, not lab curiosities.

The idea being sold is familiarity. A humanoid that walks, carries objects, follows instructions, and interacts naturally fits more easily into homes and workplaces than specialized machines. Sports are just the training montage.

The robot sports craze may look playful on the surface, but it is increasingly tied to commercial strategy. The field is crowded, competition is intense, and differentiation matters. For many Chinese startups, turning robots into athletes is a way to turn them into products.

I think robots are the future of not just efficiency, but also entertainment.

 

Resources:

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/02/china/china-humanoid-robot-sports-intl-hnk-dst?cid=external-feeds_iluminar_flipboard

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China has enacted a major revision of its Cybersecurity Law, effective January 1, 2026. The amendments mark the most significant shift since the law's original introduction in 2017 and materially change how companies must handle cyber incidents, regulatory reporting, and compliance exposure.

The updated framework places speed and accountability at the center of enforcement. Incident response is no longer measured in days. In several cases, regulators now expect disclosure within minutes of detection.

Incident reporting timelines shrink dramatically

The most immediate operational change is the new reporting requirement for cybersecurity incidents. Operators of critical information infrastructure, and in some cases general network operators, must notify authorities of significant incidents within extremely short windows.

Depending on severity, initial reporting is required within four hours, or as little as 60 minutes. These timelines are reinforced by the Administrative Measures for National Cybersecurity Incident Reporting, which came into force on November 1, 2025, and consolidate reporting rules under a single framework enforced by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC). Incidents are classified into four severity levels. "Relatively major" incidents include data breaches affecting more than one million individuals or financial losses exceeding RMB 5 million.

These must be reported within four hours of discovery, followed by a detailed assessment within 72 hours and a post-incident report within 30 days. At the highest level, "particularly serious" incidents must be reported within one hour. Authorities are then required to escalate the report to national regulators and the State Council within 30 minutes, compressing escalation timelines to an unprecedented degree.

Higher penalties and personal accountability

The amended law significantly increases penalties for non-compliance. Organizations found to be in serious violation can now face fines of up to RMB 10 million. Individuals directly responsible, including executives and security leadership, may be fined up to RMB 1 million.

Enforcement procedures have also changed. Regulators are no longer required to issue warnings or remediation orders before imposing penalties. This allows authorities to move directly to sanctions, reducing the time organizations have to correct deficiencies after an incident.

Supply chain risk is explicitly addressed as well. Operators of critical infrastructure may be penalized for using non-compliant products or services, with fines in some cases reaching up to ten times the procurement value. Vendor selection and third-party risk management now carry direct regulatory consequences.

Expanded reach beyond China's borders

The revised law broadens its extraterritorial scope. Earlier versions focused on foreign activities that directly harmed China's critical information infrastructure. The amended language extends jurisdiction to foreign conduct that endangers China's network security more broadly.

This expansion affects multinational organizations with indirect exposure, including cloud services, software dependencies, managed service providers, and manufacturing or logistics systems that intersect with China-connected networks. In severe cases, authorities are authorized to impose measures such as asset freezes or other sanctions. For global enterprises, compliance obligations can now arise from architectural and operational decisions made entirely outside China.

Artificial intelligence enters the legal framework

For the first time, artificial intelligence is explicitly referenced in the Cybersecurity Law. The amendments promote the use of AI to enhance cybersecurity management while simultaneously calling for stronger ethics oversight and safety governance.

The law does not yet define detailed AI compliance requirements. Those are expected to emerge through follow-up regulations or technical standards. The inclusion itself signals that cybersecurity compliance in China is expanding beyond traditional infrastructure security into algorithmic risk and system-level accountability.

Clear thresholds for severe incidents

The CAC's reporting measures also define what qualifies as a "particularly serious" incident. Examples include cyber incidents that disable government portals or major news platforms for more than 24 hours, or six hours in cases of complete system failure. Large-scale disruptions affecting essential services for more than half of a province's population, or impacting the daily lives of more than 10 million people, are also included.

Data breaches involving personal information of more than 100 million individuals or financial losses exceeding RMB 100 million fall into the same category. Once an incident is resolved, operators must submit a comprehensive report within 30 days covering root causes, response actions, impact, corrective measures, and lessons learned.

What organizations should be doing now

The practical impact of the amendments is immediate. Incident response plans that assume extended investigation periods no longer align with legal requirements. Security teams must be able to classify incidents, assess severity, and trigger regulatory notification almost immediately.

Decision-making authority may need to be delegated in advance, especially for multinational organizations operating across time zones. Evidence collection and documentation processes must function in parallel with response, not after containment. For companies connected to Chinese infrastructure through suppliers, software, or services, the amended law turns speed and documentation into enforceable legal obligations rather than best practices.

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Most calendars end up as passive records of meetings. Events go in, notifications pop up, and everything else that needs doing floats around as an informal mental list. That setup works until days start feeling full without much actually getting finished.

The single Google Calendar feature that changes this dynamic is time blocking. Instead of treating the calendar as a log, it turns it into a planning tool by assigning chunks of the day to specific types of work. Time blocking is simple. Tasks are no longer abstract items on a to-do list.

They are given a start time and an end time and placed directly alongside meetings. Writing, admin work, research, exercise, and even breaks become calendar events. This solves a common problem with task-based productivity systems. A task list shows what needs doing but ignores when it will actually happen. Without time attached, everything competes for attention at once.

Time blocking forces prioritization by making the limits of the day visible. In practice, this exposes unrealistic plans quickly. If the calendar is already full, adding another block means something else has to move. That trade-off is useful. It prevents overcommitting and makes delays obvious instead of hidden. The feature works best when blocks describe intent rather than micromanaged tasks. A "writing" block or "admin work" block leaves room for flexibility while still protecting time.

If something unexpected comes up, blocks can be dragged to another slot instead of being abandoned entirely. Google Calendar keeps the process frictionless. Creating a block takes seconds, recurring blocks handle daily routines, and color coding makes different types of work easy to scan at a glance. If a block does not get used as planned, rescheduling it keeps the plan intact rather than discarding it.

Time blocking does not add hours to the day. It reduces the mental overhead of constantly deciding what to work on next. The calendar answers that question in advance. Once the habit sticks, the calendar stops being a passive reminder system and starts acting as a boundary around time. That boundary is what makes the difference.

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Samsung is entering CES 2026 with a broader scope than in previous years. The company is using the event to showcase new display technology, gaming hardware, audio products, foldable devices, and a unified push around AI-powered consumer electronics.

Unlike years where the focus centered almost entirely on televisions, Samsung is spreading its announcements across multiple product categories. That approach is reflected in the volume of pre-CES disclosures and the decision to operate a large standalone exhibition space away from the main show floor. CES has traditionally been one of Samsung's most important public stages, and 2026 follows that pattern, with several product lines positioned as near-term commercial offerings rather than distant concepts.

Micro RGB televisions expand beyond early adopters

Samsung is using CES 2026 to formally expand its Micro RGB television lineup. The company has confirmed models ranging from 55 inches up to 115 inches, building on a limited release strategy that began in 2025. Micro RGB is positioned as an alternative to OLED rather than a replacement.

The technology uses microscopic RGB LEDs instead of organic compounds, with the stated goal of delivering OLED-like contrast and color accuracy while improving longevity and reducing burn-in risk. Samsung is also emphasizing scalability, which explains the unusually wide size range announced for 2026. Pricing and regional availability remain unclear, but the move signals that Micro RGB is transitioning from showcase hardware into a broader consumer-facing category.

Gaming monitors push resolution and refresh rate limits

Gaming displays remain a CES staple for Samsung, and the 2026 lineup continues that trend. The company is bringing a refreshed Odyssey monitor range, with a focus on extremes rather than incremental upgrades. Among the announced models is the Odyssey 3D, a glasses-free 3D gaming monitor with a 6K resolution.

Samsung is also highlighting the Odyssey G6, which it describes as the first gaming monitor capable of reaching a 1,040Hz refresh rate. Additional Odyssey G8 models include 6K, 5K, and OLED variants. These products are aimed at niche segments-competitive gamers, enthusiasts, and early adopters-rather than mainstream users. CES will be the first opportunity to evaluate how usable these specifications are outside of controlled demos.

Foldables make an appearance beyond phones

Samsung's foldable strategy is also visible at CES 2026. The company's first tri-fold smartphone, the Galaxy TriFold, was already unveiled prior to the show, but CES provides a public hands-on opportunity for many attendees. While no additional foldable phones are expected to be formally launched during the event, Samsung Display is expected to exhibit experimental panels and form factors.

Historically, these display demos have served as early indicators of hardware that appears in consumer devices one or two product cycles later. Samsung has not confirmed timelines or commercial plans for additional foldable formats shown at CES.

Audio products emphasize design and wireless features

Samsung is introducing new audio hardware at CES 2026, including additions to its Q-series soundbar lineup. More attention is likely to fall on two new Wi-Fi speakers: the Music Studio 5 and Music Studio 7. The Music Studio 7 is a 3.1.1-channel system with front-facing, side, and top-firing drivers designed to create spatial audio effects without external speakers. It supports high-resolution audio and integrates Samsung's AI-based audio processing features.

The smaller Music Studio 5 focuses on compact design, using a four-inch woofer and dual tweeters. Both speakers support Wi-Fi streaming, Bluetooth connectivity, and Samsung's ecosystem features. Industrial design is a notable aspect, with Samsung crediting designer Erwan Bouroullec for the speakers' external appearance.

AI becomes the unifying theme

Samsung is framing CES 2026 around what it calls a unified AI approach across its Device eXperience division. To support that message, the company has set up a large standalone exhibition space at The Wynn, separate from the main convention center.

The AI focus spans multiple product categories. Samsung has confirmed new AI-connected home appliances under its Bespoke branding, including washing machines, air conditioners, clothing care systems, refrigerators, and robotic cleaners. These devices emphasize automation, usage prediction, and integration with other Samsung hardware.

Samsung is also extending its partnership with Google, integrating Gemini-based features into select home appliances. The goal is to make voice interaction and contextual automation consistent across different device types. The scale of Samsung's CES presence suggests that the exhibition itself is intended to be part of the announcement, offering hands-on demonstrations rather than relying solely on staged presentations.

What this means for users

CES 2026 shows Samsung doubling down on hardware breadth rather than narrowing its focus. Displays, gaming gear, foldables, audio products, and home appliances are all being positioned as parts of a single ecosystem, tied together by software and AI services.

For users, the practical impact will vary by category. Some products, such as Micro RGB TVs and new Odyssey monitors, are moving closer to retail availability. Others, particularly AI-driven appliances and experimental displays, are more about signaling long-term direction. Samsung has not provided release dates or pricing for most of the hardware shown at CES, and availability may vary significantly by region.

Are you a fan of Samsung? Or prefer Apple technologies?

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The Google Play Store has picked up several small but practical changes that directly affect how apps install, update, and surface information. None of these features alter what the Play Store is at its core, but together they reduce friction during routine app management and give users more granular control.

These changes are easy to miss because they do not announce themselves during onboarding or updates. They surface only when installing apps, reviewing updates, or browsing the management screens. Once enabled or discovered, they tend to stick because they solve common annoyances that long-time Android users have learned to work around. The following four features stand out because they remove long-standing limitations without adding new complexity.

Per-app auto-update control

Global auto-update settings have always forced an all-or-nothing decision. Either every app updates automatically, or none do. For users who rely on specific apps for work or daily tasks, this creates a risk: a single bad update can break a workflow.

The Play Store now allows auto-updates to be enabled or disabled on a per-app basis. This setting works as an exception layer on top of the existing network and update preferences. To enable or disable auto-updates for a specific app:

1. Open the app's page in the Play Store.
2. Tap Install or Update.
3. Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
4. Toggle Enable auto-update.

This setting persists until changed manually. Uninstalling and reinstalling the app resets it to the default behavior, which follows the global update rule. Network preferences remain untouched, meaning Wi-Fi-only restrictions still apply. This change allows critical apps to stay pinned to known-good versions while less important apps continue updating automatically.

Built-in download manager shortcut

The Play Store now exposes a lightweight download manager directly in its interface. The shortcut appears as a circular icon near the top of the Apps and Games pages and changes state when a download is active. Tapping the icon opens a list of recently installed or updated apps, along with timestamps indicating how recent each install was.

Apps can also be launched directly from this list without navigating back to their store pages. When a download is in progress, the icon switches to a progress indicator. Selecting it shows the active download alongside recent installs. The shortcut only appears on the Apps and Games tabs and does not show up in Books or general search views. This feature removes the need to dig through notifications or the system app drawer to confirm what was just installed, especially when multiple apps are updated in a short session.

Auto-open when ready

A new toggle labeled Auto-open when ready appears immediately after tapping the Install button on supported app pages. When enabled, the app launches automatically once installation finishes. The behavior is intentionally cautious. Instead of opening the app instantly, the Play Store displays a notification with a visible countdown timer.

The notification includes options to cancel or open immediately, giving users time to intervene if they are in the middle of another task. The notification appears even if the device is idle, ensuring the launch is predictable rather than sudden. The toggle must be enabled per app and does not grant blanket permission for all installations. This approach removes the need to wait on the download screen while still avoiding disruptive app launches.

Viewing changelogs without opening app pages

Checking what changed in an update previously required opening each app's store listing individually. The Play Store now surfaces changelogs directly from the app management screen. To access update notes:

1. Tap the profile icon in the Play Store.
2. Select Manage apps and device.
3. Open the Manage tab.
4. Use the filter to show Recently updated apps.
5. Tap the down arrow next to any app to expand its changelog.

The displayed notes correspond to the version currently installed on the device. Apps can also be selected from this screen and uninstalled in bulk using the checkbox and delete icon. This makes it easier to review updates at scale, especially after automatic update runs.

Why these changes matter

Individually, each feature addresses a narrow problem. Together, they shift the Play Store toward a more controlled and transparent experience. App updates no longer require blind trust, installs no longer demand attention, and change information is no longer buried. These additions also reduce reliance on third-party app managers or manual tracking habits that experienced users often develop over time.

The Play Store still enforces its existing security and policy layers, including app scanning and network restrictions. These features operate within those boundaries rather than replacing them. Users who prefer to keep app management centralized will find fewer reasons to step outside the default store, especially on primary devices where stability matters.

The new controls do not appear everywhere and may not surface on older app versions or devices immediately, but when present, they function without additional configuration.

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If your PC suddenly feels sluggish, it's easy to assume your SSD is wearing out. That's exactly what I thought when apps started launching slower and file operations felt laggy. But after a few targeted Windows-level checks, my system performance bounced back-no reinstall, no replacement drive.

The biggest surprise was TRIM being disabled. TRIM allows Windows to tell an SSD which blocks are no longer in use, so the drive can clean them up ahead of time. When it's off, often after cloning a drive, restoring an old image, or changing storage controllers, performance can degrade steadily. Re-enabling it takes seconds and immediately removes a common bottleneck.

Another overlooked factor is SSD firmware. Firmware controls garbage collection, caching, and wear leveling, and outdated versions can cause subtle slowdowns or compatibility issues after Windows updates. Checking the manufacturer's utility and applying a firmware update can restore lost performance and improve stability.

Windows themselves can also get in the way. Background indexing, write-caching settings, and power management policies can all affect SSD responsiveness, especially on systems that were upgraded across multiple Windows versions. Small adjustments here can make storage feel fast again.

The key takeaway is simple: before blaming your SSD's health, check Windows. A handful of built-in settings and quick tweaks can fix performance issues that look like failing hardware, but aren't.

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My Gmail inbox used to feel less like email and more like a never-ending to-do list. Important messages sat unread for days, buried under newsletters, notifications, and follow-ups I meant to get to later. Labels, filters, even "inbox zero" systems didn't stick.

What actually worked was much simpler: Gmail's built-in "Add to Tasks" feature.

Instead of letting emails linger as vague reminders, I now force a decision the moment I open one. If an email needs action later, I turn it into a Google Task with one click. The task links back to the original email, can have a due date, and lives where tasks belong-not in my inbox. If no action is needed, I archive or delete the email immediately.

That small shift removed the ambiguity that made my inbox stressful. Emails stopped being passive reminders and became either actionable tasks or finished information. I no longer rely on unread emails as a memory system, and I'm far less likely to miss something important.

The best part? There's no new app to learn and no complex workflow to maintain. It scales whether you get ten emails a day or a hundred, and it's already built into Gmail.

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Microsoft heads into 2026 with a mixed bag for Windows 11 users. After a rough 2025 marked by bugs, uneven AI features, and trust issues, some upcoming changes genuinely improve everyday usability-while at least one raises fresh privacy concerns.

On the positive side, Snapdragon X2 support is a big deal. Windows 11 version 26H1 is being built specifically for next-gen ARM silicon, promising better performance and efficiency on upcoming devices. This is one of the clearest signs Microsoft is serious about Windows on ARM long-term.

Another long-overdue fix is the return of Agenda view in the taskbar calendar. Windows 11 will finally show upcoming meetings and events directly from the clock functionality Windows 10 already had, but was oddly removed.

Dark mode improvements are also welcome. Microsoft is expanding dark mode to more system dialogs, progress bars, file operations, and legacy UI elements, reducing the visual inconsistency that's plagued Windows 11 since launch.

The downside? Microsoft Teams' location sharing feature. An upcoming option will automatically update your work location based on the Wi-Fi network you connect to. While it's off by default, it reinforces concerns about workplace monitoring creeping deeper into everyday tools.

Overall, 2026 looks less about flashy features and more about fixing long-standing gaps. Whether that's enough to rebuild confidence in Windows 11 remains to be seen.

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Epic Games Store has kicked off 2026 by returning to its regular weekly free game format. Players can currently claim Total War: Three Kingdoms and Wildgate at no cost, but the offer ends on January 8.

Both games are available to keep permanently once claimed. Together, they represent nearly $90 in value and carry "Very Positive" user reviews.

Total War: Three Kingdoms is a large-scale strategy game set during China's Three Kingdoms period, blending real-time battles with campaign diplomacy and character-driven mechanics. Released in 2019, it remains one of the better-regarded entries in the Total War series.

Wildgate, released in 2025, is a cooperative sci-fi shooter with PvPvE elements, mixing extraction-style gameplay with space combat and team-based objectives. It's a newer title, but it has already built a solid reputation among players.

The giveaway runs until Thursday, January 8 at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET. After that, Epic will rotate in its next free title.

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Apple is still months away from unveiling iOS 27, but early reports are already outlining the direction of the next major iPhone update. If the rumors hold, iOS 27 will focus less on flashy surface changes and more on AI-driven features, app refinements, and performance cleanup, especially as Apple prepares new hardware form factors.

Here are the main features currently rumored for iOS 27, with an important caveat: none of these are confirmed, and Apple's plans can still change before WWDC in June.

One of the biggest additions could be Apple Health+. According to repeated reports from Bloomberg, Apple has been working on an AI-powered health service that builds on the existing Health app. Health+ is expected to add guided coaching, food logging, educational content, and more proactive recommendations. Integration with Fitness+ is likely, and Apple may ultimately merge the two into a single subscription offering. The focus appears to be accountability and personalized guidance rather than raw data tracking.

iOS 27 is also rumored to include features designed specifically for Apple's first foldable iPhone, expected later this year. The software may introduce new multitasking capabilities optimized for a larger, unfolded display. Reports suggest Apple could bring a windowing or multitasking system closer to what already exists on iPadOS, at least on foldable hardware. These features would likely be exclusive to the foldable model.

Siri is expected to continue its long transition toward a modern AI assistant. While the major functional upgrades are still tied to iOS 26.4, rumors suggest iOS 27 will deliver a visual redesign for Siri. Apple may be deliberately separating capability upgrades from visual changes, rolling out the underlying AI first before reintroducing Siri with a refreshed interface.

Another rumored addition is an AI-powered web search tool. Bloomberg has reported that Apple is developing its own AI search experience, though details are limited. Apple is unlikely to replace Google as the default Safari search provider, given the revenue involved. A more realistic outcome is an AI-enhanced Spotlight search that can answer questions and summarize information directly, using the same underlying AI systems powering Siri.

The Photos app may also see refinements. References found in Apple's code point to improved "Collections" in iOS 27. Apple has heavily reworked Photos over recent releases, and the next step may focus on organization and shared content. Specific details are scarce, but incremental usability improvements appear likely rather than a full redesign.

AirPods pairing is another area reportedly getting attention. Code references suggest iOS 27 will introduce a new pairing system for AirPods. Apple's current pairing experience is already strong, so any changes are expected to be subtle, possibly aimed at faster device switching, better multi-user handling, or improved setup flows across multiple Apple devices.

Finally, Apple is said to be working on a revamped Calendar app, with Bloomberg reporting that the update was delayed from earlier plans and is now targeted for iOS 27 and macOS 27. The Calendar app has seen relatively few updates over the years, making this one of the more overdue changes if it ships as expected.

Beyond specific features, iOS 27 is rumored to place a heavier emphasis on bug fixes and performance improvements. Some observers have compared it to a "Snow Leopard-style" release-an update that prioritizes stability and polish alongside selective new features. If Apple can meaningfully reduce bugs while rolling out AI features more carefully, that alone would be a notable shift.

Apple is expected to officially reveal iOS 27 at WWDC in June. Until then, these features should be treated as informed speculation rather than promises.

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Google is rolling out a noticeable update to Reading Mode in Google Chrome for Android, and the changes focus less on new features and more on usability. Reading Mode has existed on Android for years, but it has often been inconsistent, with the option failing to appear on pages where it would clearly be useful.

That friction appears to be the main thing Google is addressing. With Chrome for Android version 143, Reading Mode is becoming more predictable and persistent, making it easier to rely on as part of everyday browsing rather than a feature you occasionally stumble into.

The biggest change is how Reading Mode is accessed. Instead of appearing sporadically, it now shows up as a clear option in Chrome's three-dot menu when viewing compatible pages. Once enabled, Chrome displays a visible indicator confirming that Reading Mode is active, removing the guesswork that previously surrounded whether the mode had actually kicked in.

Customization controls are also easier to reach. Swiping up on the Reading Mode view brings up options to adjust font style, text size, and background color. These controls will feel familiar to anyone who has used reader views in other browsers, but the key improvement is persistence. Chrome now remembers your Reading Mode preferences and applies them across pages, rather than resetting them each time you open a new article.

That change alone makes Reading Mode feel more like a proper reading environment instead of a temporary overlay. For users who read frequently on their phones, especially long articles or documentation, not having to reconfigure fonts and colors on every page removes a major annoyance.

The update is rolling out gradually with Chrome 143 on Android, so it may not appear immediately on all devices. There is no separate toggle to force-enable the new behavior; it becomes available automatically once the updated version reaches your device.

Reading Mode remains optional and does not alter how pages load by default. It still strips away ads, sidebars, and other distractions only when you choose to enable it. The feature is also available on desktop versions of Chrome, where it can be paired with text-to-speech for reading articles aloud.

This is not a flashy update, but it addresses one of Reading Mode's biggest weaknesses: inconsistency. By making the option easier to find and keeping settings consistent across pages, Chrome's reader view becomes far more practical for daily use.

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The Nintendo Switch 2 launched to strong demand and fewer supply issues than the original Switch, but that does not mean it is a clean upgrade in every respect. After a year on the market, some trade-offs and surprises have become clearer-especially for buyers coming from an original or OLED Switch.

One of the biggest misconceptions is around accessories. Most existing Switch controllers work just fine with the Switch 2, including Pro Controllers and older Joy-Cons. While Joy-Con 2 controllers add improvements, they are not mandatory on day one. For many players, buying extra controllers immediately is unnecessary.

Storage is another area where expectations can mislead. The Switch 2 ships with 256GB of internal storage, which is a massive improvement over earlier models. It also changes the expansion story. The console no longer supports standard microSD cards and instead requires Micro Express SD cards, which are currently more expensive. For most players, the internal storage is sufficient early on, making expandable storage a purchase that can safely wait.

Battery life is less forgiving. The Switch 2 is noticeably more powerful, and that comes at a cost. In handheld mode, especially at higher brightness or performance settings, playtime can drop to just a couple of hours. A power bank is no longer a nice-to-have accessory for travelers; it is effectively required.

Backwards compatibility changes the upgrade math. Nearly all original Switch games run on the Switch 2, often with better load times and performance. For players without must-keep incompatible titles, the original Switch becomes redundant. Selling or gifting the older console can help offset the cost of the new hardware.

Game libraries matter more than ever. Digital purchases cannot be resold, and even physical games often benefit from the Switch 2's improved hardware. Titles that struggled on the original Switch-such as Pokémon Scarlet and Violet-run noticeably better. Keeping older games, even ones that disappointed initially, can pay off.

One of the more surprising aspects is how familiar the system feels. The user interface is essentially unchanged. Setup is quick and painless, but the lack of visual or structural UI changes makes the console feel less like a generational leap and more like a refinement. For some users, that familiarity is reassuring; for others, it is underwhelming.

Finally, timing matters. The Switch 2's first year was solid, but not transformative. Outside of standout titles like Donkey Kong Bananza, the exclusive lineup did not redefine the console the way Breath of the Wild did for the original Switch. For players on the fence, waiting for a stronger second-year lineup or hardware revisions may make sense.

The Switch 2 is a better Switch in almost every technical way. It just rewards informed buyers more than impulsive ones.

Do you have a Nintendo Switch? If yes, what's your best observation after buying it?

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Florida is moving ahead with a real-world test of something that has long sounded like science fiction: a road that charges electric vehicles as they drive over it. The Central Florida Expressway Authority plans to embed wireless charging technology directly into a new highway under construction in Central Florida.

The pilot will be installed on State Road 516, a 4.4-mile expressway that is still being built. Around three-quarters of a mile of one travel lane will include inductive charging coils beneath the asphalt, with installation scheduled to begin in June 2026.

The system is designed to deliver up to 200kW of power to compatible vehicles while they are in motion. EVs equipped with the correct receiver hardware can pick up energy from a magnetic field generated by the road surface, allowing them to recharge without stopping or plugging in. The goal is not to fully recharge batteries, but to maintain or extend range during normal highway driving.

Wireless road charging has been tested before, but mostly in short demonstration tracks or low-speed environments. Florida's project stands out because it targets real highway speeds and live traffic conditions, rather than a controlled test facility. If it performs as intended, it could address several persistent EV concerns at once: range anxiety, charging downtime, and congestion around fast chargers on busy routes.

There are significant limitations. Only vehicles fitted with compatible receiving hardware will be able to use the system, which means most EVs on US roads today will not benefit. Standards, interoperability, and retrofitting costs remain unresolved, and it is not clear how quickly automakers would adopt support even if the pilot proves successful.

The wireless charging lane is only one part of a much larger infrastructure project. The broader expressway carries a price tag exceeding $500 million and is expected to be completed by 2029. Plans also include solar panels to support road infrastructure, wildlife crossings, and shared-use paths, positioning the route as a showcase for future transportation design.

For now, the charging lane is a pilot, not a promise. It will test whether dynamic wireless charging can survive daily wear, weather, and traffic while delivering consistent power. Even if it remains limited in scope, the project signals how aggressively states are experimenting with new approaches to EV infrastructure. Roads that actively supply energy are no longer theoretical; in Florida, they are being built into the pavement.

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Windows updates are supposed to improve stability and performance, but in practice they often do the opposite. One update runs fine, the next introduces stutter, latency, or sudden slowdowns. The problem is not a single bug. It is how frequently Windows updates change system behavior in ways that are hard to predict and even harder to roll back cleanly.

Microsoft's release notes rarely explain the full scope of what changes. Task scheduling, background service behavior, power management, and driver interaction can all be adjusted silently. On a platform that runs on countless hardware combinations, even a minor tweak can push some systems into noticeably worse performance.

Driver updates compound the issue. GPU and chipset drivers are updated independently of Windows, yet tightly coupled to it. A new graphics driver may boost performance in a recent game while introducing microstutter or frame pacing issues elsewhere. In some cases, updates have caused double-digit performance drops until hotfixes arrived days later.

After dealing with repeated regressions, the solution was not chasing every new update. It was controlling when and how updates are applied.

The first change was treating Windows updates as optional, not automatic. Pausing updates after a stable build prevents surprise regressions. Updates can still be installed manually once reports confirm they are safe on similar hardware.

The second change was being conservative with driver updates. If a GPU or chipset driver works well, there is little reason to replace it immediately. New drivers are best installed only when they fix a specific issue or support software you actually use.

Power management was another source of instability. Switching to a consistent power plan and disabling aggressive power-saving features reduced latency spikes and inconsistent boost behavior, especially on laptops and hybrid CPUs.

Finally, rollback paths matter. Keeping restore points enabled and knowing how to uninstall recent updates makes recovery faster when something does go wrong. Performance issues are easier to tolerate when reverting is straightforward.

Windows performance does not have to feel random. The system becomes far more predictable once updates stop being forced and start being managed. Stability comes less from the newest version and more from staying with what already works.

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Linux often looks calm on the surface. You install a distribution, pick a desktop, and get to work. Underneath that stability is decades of open conflict, technical, philosophical, and sometimes personal, that determined how Linux works today. These were not minor disagreements. They were long-running battles that split communities, spawned forks, and permanently altered the direction of the operating system.

Freedom vs. pragmatism: defining "free software."

The first major conflict predates Linux desktops and package managers. It was about ideology.

The Free Software Foundation (FSF) argued that software freedom was a moral issue. Code should remain free forever, and anyone distributing modified versions should be required to share their changes under the same terms. This philosophy shaped the GPL license and the idea of "free as in freedom, not free as in beer."

The Open Source Initiative (OSI) took a more pragmatic approach. Its goal was adoption, especially by businesses. The term "open source" itself was created to make collaborative software more palatable to companies that were wary of ideological language.

This tension peaked with the release of GPLv3, which attempted to prevent companies from locking down GPL software in consumer devices. The backlash was immediate. Many projects refused to adopt it, including the Linux kernel itself, which remains on GPLv2. That single decision still affects how Linux can be used in phones, routers, and embedded systems.

The argument never ended. It simply became part of Linux's DNA.

KDE vs. GNOME: the desktop that divided users

Linux desktops exist in their current form because of a licensing dispute.

KDE arrived first and was technically impressive, but it depended on the Qt framework, which raised concerns about long-term licensing freedom. In response, developers created GNOME as a fully free alternative, even though it initially lagged behind in features.

Over time, both desktops matured, and Qt adopted a dual-licensing model that removed most of the original objections. By then, it was too late for consolidation. KDE and GNOME had become separate ecosystems with different design philosophies, workflows, and communities.

That split shaped the Linux desktop experience permanently. Even today, distribution defaults, application toolkits, and UI debates trace back to this early ideological fork. The abundance of choice Linux users enjoy exists because compromise failed.

systemd vs. the old model: the init war

The most explosive conflict came much later and hit the core of the operating system.

systemd was introduced as a modern replacement for traditional Unix init systems. It promised faster boot times, better service management, and fewer fragile shell scripts. Technically, it solved real problems.

Philosophically, it broke with Unix tradition. Critics argued that systemd centralized too much functionality, violating the "do one thing well" principle. Supporters argued that modern systems required integration, not purity.

When Debian adopted systemd as its default init system, the community fractured. The result was Devuan, a Debian fork created specifically to avoid systemd. Most mainstream distributions followed Debian's lead, and systemd became the de facto standard.

The war ended not with consensus, but with momentum.

Why these conflicts still matter

These battles were not abstract debates. They determined:

• Which licenses projects use
• Why multiple desktops exist
• How Linux boots, logs, and manages services

Linux exposes its disagreements in public. Forks are visible. Arguments happen in mailing lists, issue trackers, and conferences. That openness is messy, but it is also why Linux adapts without a single company dictating outcomes.

If you use Linux today, you are using the result of these conflicts-whether you realize it or not.

Agree?

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Meta Platforms has agreed to acquire Manus, an AI startup that drew outsized attention earlier this year with a polished demo of autonomous agents handling tasks like screening candidates, planning trips, and analyzing portfolios. The deal values Manus at roughly $2 billion, matching the valuation the company was reportedly seeking for its next funding round.

Manus emerged quickly. After debuting in the spring, it went viral on the strength of a single demo video and bold claims that its agents outperformed competing research tools. By April, the company had closed a $75 million round led by Benchmark at a $500 million post-money valuation. Additional backing reportedly included Tencent, ZhenFund, and HSG via an earlier raise.

Despite skepticism around early pricing-Manus charged $39 or $199 per month while still testing-the company said it crossed $100 million in annual recurring revenue and signed up millions of users. That traction appears to have accelerated Meta's interest, especially as investors scrutinize Meta's heavy AI infrastructure spending.

According to reports, Meta plans to keep Manus operating independently while integrating its agents into Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, where Meta AI is already available. The acquisition adds a revenue-generating agent platform to Meta's portfolio rather than another experimental model.

The deal also carries geopolitical sensitivity. Manus was founded by Chinese nationals and traces its origins to a parent company established in Beijing before relocating operations to Singapore earlier this year. That background has drawn scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers wary of technology transfers and foreign influence. Meta has stated that, following the acquisition, Manus will sever ties with Chinese investors and discontinue operations in China.

For Mark Zuckerberg, the acquisition aligns with a strategy centered on AI agents embedded across consumer platforms. Unlike prior bets that focused on foundational models, Manus offers a product already in market with paying customers-something Meta can scale across its existing user base.

Regulatory review and integration details remain open questions. Meta says Manus will continue as a standalone product initially, with agent capabilities gradually woven into Meta's apps. How aggressively that integration happens, and how regulators respond to the cross-border aspects of the deal, will shape what users see next.

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