Verizon’s new ad misunderstands CRTs: bad physics, retro value and e‑waste concerns Verizon’s new 30‑second commercial has drawn criticism for a surprisingly obvious detail: it treats a 27‑inch CRT TV as if it were light and easy to lift. Viewers noted the unrealistic handling, and some commentators have pointed out broader issues beyond the gag — including the vintage value of CRTs and the environmental cost if a working set was destroyed for the shoot. The ad shows a woman walking into a big‑box store and handing over a chunky CRT to a salesperson, who accepts it without struggle. In reality, mid‑sized CRTs can weigh dozens of pounds, and many collectors prize working units for retro gaming and nostalgia. The commercial’s portrayal rings false to anyone familiar with those sets.…

Leica M EV1 swaps the rangefinder for a 5.76M‑dot electronic viewfinder Leica has introduced the M EV1, a new 60‑megapixel mirrorless addition to its M‑system that replaces the traditional optical rangefinder with a high‑resolution electronic viewfinder (EVF). The move keeps the beloved M design cues — including a hand‑stitched diamond‑pattern leatherette and compact body — while modernizing the shooting experience for photographers who prefer an EVF. The M EV1 is largely similar in imaging to the M11‑P, but Leica trimmed weight (about 1.62 ounces lighter) and removed the dedicated ISO dial in favor of a consolidated control scheme. The camera uses a 60MP sensor, records 14‑bit RAW, and offers up to 4.5 fps burst shooting. Leica emphasizes still photography: the M EV1 does not support video capture. Notable specs Sensor:…

Best MacBook 2025: Which model should you buy? Apple’s MacBook lineup in 2025 centers on two families: the MacBook Air (M4) and the MacBook Pro (M5 or M4 Pro/Max). Recent changes include the M5 chip appearing in the base 14‑inch Pro and a $100 price cut to the M4 Air, which now starts at $999 for the base configuration. The product choices can feel small at first glance, but differences in chip, RAM, storage and screen size meaningfully affect real‑world use. Apple has also raised the baseline memory: the Air now ships with 16GB of unified RAM, reflecting growing needs for on‑device AI and multitasking. Quick recommendations Best for most people: MacBook Air (M4) — great battery life, lightweight, and now the best value with the $100 cut. Best for…

OpenAI acquires Software Applications Inc., bringing Mac automation app Sky into ChatGPT OpenAI has acquired Software Applications Incorporated, the team behind Workflows (the iOS automation app that evolved into Apple’s Shortcuts) and the new Mac automation app Sky. The startup’s staff will join OpenAI as the company plans to fold Sky’s deep macOS integration into ChatGPT to enable apps to take more direct actions on users’ devices. Sky is positioned as an agentic automation tool: it understands what’s on your screen and can carry out multi‑step tasks across apps, similar to the way automation apps like Shortcuts operate — but with tighter OS integration and AI‑driven decision making. OpenAI says it will use Sky’s macOS product craft to expand ChatGPT’s ability to act inside desktop apps and workflows. Why OpenAI…

Trump pardons Binance founder Changpeng Zhao — implications for Binance and US crypto policy President Donald Trump has issued a pardon for Changpeng Zhao (known as "CZ"), the founder of Binance. Zhao previously pleaded guilty to federal money‑laundering charges in 2023, stepped down as CEO and received a four‑month prison sentence; he was released in September 2024. As part of his plea agreement he was barred from involvement with Binance for three years. The White House statement framed the pardon as a reversal of enforcement pursued under the prior administration. Both Zhao and Binance reportedly submitted formal pardon applications by August. Key facts Pardon granted: President Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, removing federal penalties tied to his 2023 guilty plea. Prior sentence and restrictions: Zhao pleaded guilty in 2023, served a…

Anthropic’s Claude gets a major memory upgrade — transparent, compartmentalized & editable Anthropic has rolled out a substantial upgrade to Claude’s memory features for paying users. The update adds more transparent, editable memory syntheses, per‑Project memory compartments, and the ability to import and export saved memories from other chatbots — all designed to make Claude more useful while giving users clearer control over what the assistant remembers. The new memory set is optional and controlled via settings: Max subscribers can enable it today, with Pro access following in the coming days. Anthropic says Claude will learn a user’s preferences and work patterns over time so it can provide more helpful, context‑aware responses. What’s new Transparent syntheses: Claude shows an "actual synthesis" of what it has recorded instead of vague summaries,…

Edge’s Copilot Mode adds Copilot Actions, Journeys and optional browsing-history access Microsoft has rolled out notable updates to Edge’s Copilot Mode, bringing features that were teased earlier this year into a US‑only limited preview. The main additions are Copilot Actions (AI‑assisted multi‑step tasks), Journeys (saved research projects you can resume later) and an opt‑in option to let Copilot access your browsing history for more personalized responses. These changes aim to turn Copilot from a passive helper into an active assistant that can complete sequences of steps and remember context across browsing sessions, reducing the need to keep dozens of tabs open. What’s new Copilot Actions: Automates multi‑step tasks like unsubscribing from newsletters or making a restaurant reservation, similar to Actions in the standalone Copilot experience. Journeys: Save a project (research,…

Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition for Switch 2 delayed to 2026 for performance fixes FromSoftware and publisher Bandai Namco have delayed the Nintendo Switch 2 port of Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition until 2026 to allow additional time for performance adjustments. The move follows public demos where the game showed notable frame‑rate and stuttering issues, especially in handheld mode. The Tarnished Edition is set to include the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion plus new classes, weapons, armor and extra customization for Torrent. FromSoftware also confirmed it is working on a Switch 2 exclusive, The Duskbloods, which is now slated for 2026 as well. Why the delay Public demos at events like Gamescom exposed performance problems — reviewers reported frame drops and inconsistent playable performance on Switch 2 handheld mode. Developer statements say…

Zettel 2.0: Quick Notes adds dictation and a redesigned search overview Zettel, the lean iPhone notes app by developer Alexander Weichart, has been updated to version 2.0. The free app keeps its simple philosophy — storing each note as an individual Markdown file in iCloud Drive rather than in a database — and now introduces a built‑in dictation feature and an improved search overview. The update focuses on speed and hands‑free capture. With the new dictation option you can create notes by voice, which is useful for quick ideas, meeting notes or on‑the‑go capture. The redesigned search view makes it easier to scan and filter existing notes stored in iCloud Drive. What’s new in Zettel 2.0 Dictation: Create notes by speaking — ideal for fast, hands‑free capture. Redesigned search overview:…

macOS 26 (Tahoe): Electron apps reported to cause performance issues Since the rollout of macOS 26 (Tahoe), a growing number of users have reported performance slowdowns when running certain Electron-based applications. Affected apps frequently mentioned include 1Password, Dropbox, Discord and Visual Studio Code. Reports say the apps can feel sluggish or unresponsive even when they appear idle in the background and Activity Monitor shows low CPU usage. The issue appears to be linked to how some Electron apps interact with the new macOS runtime or hardware features, though definitive technical causes and an official fix have not been universally reported yet. Developers and users are troubleshooting with temporary workarounds while monitoring for updates. What users are seeing App UI stutters or input lag when switching back to an Electron app.…