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Open remote profile ↗A celebration of the ROG brand, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 is a cool collector's item, with a great new OLED screen and an eye-catching design. However, with performance that's about the same as last year's Xbox Ally X, it's a hard sell at $1,299. Here's our review: https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/asus-rog-xbox-ally-x20
One of writers had high hopes for Googlebooks, but after tesitng them he concludes they just aren't ready: https://www.pcmag.com/opinions/i-wanted-googlebook-os-to-win-me-over-its-just-not-ready
PCMAGI Wanted Googlebook OS to Win Me Over. It's Just Not ReadyGoogle says the Googlebook is Android's perfect partner, but it needs much more work to steal my heart.
Our survey of 1,000 people reveals that more than half of them are more terrified of fake texts and impersonation fraud than computer malware. https://www.pcmag.com/news/forget-viruses-62-of-americans-think-ai-fueled-scams-are-the-bigger-threat
PCMAGForget Viruses: 62% of Americans Think AI-Fueled Scams Are the Bigger ThreatOur survey of 1,000 people reveals that more than half of them are more terrified of fake texts and impersonation fraud than computer malware.
The long-rumored touch-screen MacBook Pro might finally debut at Apple's upcoming event in LA on Oct. 28th: https://www.pcmag.com/news/apple-teases-macbook-pro-focused-event-for-oct-28th
PCMAGApple Teases MacBook Pro-Focused Event for Oct. 28thThe long-rumored touch-screen MacBook Pro might finally debut at Apple's upcoming event in LA.
Mozilla calls out Microsoft for forcing Edge on Windows users, and it's absolutely right: https://www.pcmag.com/opinions/mozilla-is-calling-out-microsoft-for-forcing-edge-on-users-and-its-absolutely
PCMAGMozilla Is Calling Out Microsoft for Forcing Edge on Users, and It's Absolutely RightWindows 11 constantly tries to nudge you toward Microsoft's browser. It's time for the tech giant to start respecting user choice.
The ex-OpenAI employee accused of planting a spying device held many WhatsApp conversations with a member of the Saudi royal family:
https://www.pcmag.com/news/arrested-openai-employee-was-asked-to-join-saudi-arabias-ai-effort-us-alleges
PCMAGArrested OpenAI Employee Was Asked To Join Saudi Arabia's AI Effort, US AllegesThe wife and son of the ex-OpenAI employee Abdulrahman Alfozan fled the US with airplane tickets bought by a 'member of the Saudi military,' according to federal prosecutors.
"I was down the Rabbit Hole." How scammers stole $400K from a retired nurse: https://www.pcmag.com/articles/i-was-down-the-rabbit-hole-how-scammers-stole-400k-from-a-retired-nurse
PCMAG‘I Was Down the Rabbit Hole’: How Scammers Stole $400K From a Retired NurseAmericans 60 and older lost more than $7.7 billion to scams last year, and AI is making the cons harder to spot. I spoke to cybersecurity experts to find out how the scammers think, and what you can do to protect your parents and grandparents.
Archer Aviation is one of a handful of companies aiming to offer commercial point-to-point electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) passenger service. It's now touting the completion of "No Roads" Air-Taxi Flight Tour of California: https://www.pcmag.com/news/archer-aviation-touts-completion-of-no-roads-air-taxi-flight-tour-of-california
PCMAGArcher Aviation Touts Completion of ‘No Roads’ Air-Taxi Flight Tour of CaliforniaThe company is one of a handful aiming to offer commercial point-to-point electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) passenger service.
Facing the US’s foreign-made router ban, TP-Link plans to partner with domestic electronics manufacturer Key Tronic Corporation to assemble Wi-Fi 8 routers in Mississippi. https://www.pcmag.com/news/to-get-around-fcc-ban-tp-link-taps-us-company-to-build-wi-fi-routers
PCMAGFacing Ban, TP-Link Taps US Company to Build Wi-Fi Routers DomesticallyTP-Link's corporate affairs officer tells PCMag how it's navigating the US's foreign-made router ban, and why it's still trying to secure an exemption.
In another promise, Elon Musk claims he'll give one of his SpaceX shares to every child in America in 2027. This comes as his reputation has been taking a beating from a new documentary and the controversy over Starlink restrictions in Ukraine: https://www.pcmag.com/news/elon-musk-ill-give-a-spacex-share-to-every-child-in-america
PCMAGElon Musk: I'll Give a SpaceX Share to Every Child In AmericaMusk's new plan comes after Anthropic promised to commit 5% of its shares to a scheme it calls the Public Benefit Fund.
No, gaming's not the point with Nvidia's RTX Spark laptops. But we tested a Spark-powered HP OmniBook Ultra 16 on eight games to see what it can do when it’s time to log off work. https://www.pcmag.com/news/nvidia-rtx-spark-gaming-tests-are-these-new-ai-laptops-good-for-play-too
PCMAGNvidia RTX Spark Gaming Tests: Are These New AI Laptops Good for Play, Too?No, gaming's not the point of these machines. But we tested a Spark-powered HP OmniBook Ultra 16 on eight games to see what it can do when it’s time to log off work.
BlueOrigin aims to reach a launch cadence for its New Glenn family of rockets of "multiple flights per week by the end of the decade." https://www.pcmag.com/news/blue-origin-unveils-plans-for-massive-upgrade-to-its-florida-facilities
PCMAGBlue Origin Unveils Plans for Massive Upgrade to Its Florida FacilitiesThe Jeff Bezos-owned company aims to reach a launch cadence for its New Glenn family of rockets of 'multiple flights per week by the end of the decade.'
Dozens lined up to check out the first RTX Spark laptops on launch day in San Francisco, but actual purchases were few and far between, with curious Nvidia fans citing the machines' high cost. https://www.pcmag.com/news/nvidias-rtx-spark-event-in-san-francisco-attracts-long-lines-but-few-buyers
PCMAGNvidia's RTX Spark Event in San Francisco Attracts Long Lines, But Few BuyersDozens lined up to check out the first RTX Spark laptops on launch day, but actual purchases were few and far between, with curious Nvidia fans citing the machines' high cost.
A change to the company's commercial terms is raising fears that Meta will have legal cover to grab content from third-party sites that have business accounts on Facebook and Instagram. https://www.pcmag.com/news/meta-sparks-alarm-about-it-scraping-websites-for-potential-ai-training
PCMAGMeta Sparks Alarm About It Scraping Websites for Potential AI TrainingA change to the company's commercial terms is raising fears that Meta will have legal cover to grab content from third-party sites that have business accounts on Facebook and Instagram.
We try the RTX Spark-powered Asus ProArt P16 to see how it handles local LLMs and AI agents, and how it stacks up against the MacBook Pro. Apple ftw...?https://www.pcmag.com/news/nvidia-rtx-spark-first-ai-tests-n1x-vs-apple-macbook-pro-m5-max
PCMAGNvidia RTX Spark First Tests: Can These Ambitious AI Laptops Beat Apple’s M5 Max?I dug into the RTX Spark-powered Asus ProArt P16 to see how it handles local LLMs and AI agents, and how it stacks up against the MacBook Pro.
If you decide to preorder the iPhone Duo, brace for a three-month wait to receive your device. https://www.pcmag.com/news/preordering-an-iphone-duo-delivery-dates-quickly-stretch-into-2027
PCMAGPreordering an iPhone Duo? Delivery Dates Quickly Stretch Into 2027Resellers jump in to fill the void, listing the foldable on eBay for up to $5,000.
China is rolling out it's own export controls on several of its domestically developed AI technologies: https://www.pcmag.com/news/china-reportedly-planning-ai-export-controls-citing-national-security
PCMAGChina Reportedly Planning AI Export Controls, Citing National SecurityYou'll still be able to use DeepSeek, and API access will remain, Reuters reports.
Meta concedes its smart glasses briefly recorded audio without the wake phrase: https://www.pcmag.com/news/meta-admits-its-smart-glasses-briefly-recorded-audio-without-a-wake-phrase
PCMAGMeta Admits Its Smart Glasses Briefly Recorded Audio Without a Wake PhraseAfter multiple Reddit users discovered unsolicited audio recordings in the Meta AI app, the company says it has fixed the issue, but has not explained what caused the issue.
Nvidia and Microsoft, at dual events last week, unveiled lots of detail around Nvidia’s new laptop platform, the N1X chip, and the AI ecosystem around it all. Here’s a “quick” primer as these machines hit our bench and go on sale tomorrow: https://www.pcmag.com/news/nvidia-rtx-spark-everything-you-need-to-know-before-our-first-tests
PCMAGNvidia RTX Spark: Everything You Need to Know Before Our First TestsNvidia and Microsoft, at dual events last week, unveiled lots of detail around Nvidia’s new laptop platform, the N1X chip, and the AI ecosystem around it all. Here’s a “quick” primer as these machines hit our bench (and go on sale Oct. 16).