Comparing a 256GB SSD to a 1TB hard drive isn't a simple capacity contest, since SSDs retrieve data electronically from flash memory while HDDs rely on spinning platters and moving read/write heads, making SSDs significantly faster for booting and running programs. Whether 256GB is enough depends heavily on usage: it suits light users who rely on cloud storage, while heavy local file storage, creative work or gaming may require 512GB, 1TB or more.
Electro-pop duo Sylvan Esso, made up of Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn, dropped their latest record Ow ∞ this past Friday. The album marks a stylistic shift toward distorted guitars and breakbeats reminiscent of early-2000s acts like Soul Coughing and Blur, while still retaining some of the electronic production the band is known for. The duo also took part in a weekly questionnaire, discussing their reliance on laptops and frustrations with smartphones.
A tech guide outlines practical settings changes Windows 11 users can make to extend laptop battery life, noting that x86-based machines remain more power-hungry than ARM alternatives and that Windows 11 itself carries performance overhead. The top recommendation is lowering screen brightness via the Win + A shortcut, alongside other adjustments that trade some performance for longer runtime.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei published an essay arguing AI development should be slowed to allow safety safeguards to catch up, starting by giving outside evaluators like METR broad access to Anthropic's models. He outlined a three-stage plan: unilateral transparency now, industry-wide safety standards among democratic AI firms next, and eventually persuading authoritarian governments such as China and Russia to accept shared global limits.
Engadget published a recap covering recent product reviews, including the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 laptop and the Insta360 Luna Pro camera. Senior writer Devindra Hardawar praised the ThinkPad's speed, light weight and OLED display, while noting it sticks to a familiar, utilitarian design rather than chasing a more stylish look.
Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo, a foldable phone launching October 23 starting at $1,999, whose hardware resembles rivals like Samsung's Z Fold 8. What sets it apart is a version of iOS and apps specifically reworked for the folding screen, including repositioned app icons and smoother transitions between the cover and inner displays.
Apple has started taking pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which feature a variable aperture camera, a shrunken Dynamic Island capable of showing three Live Activities, and the new A20 Pro chip with faster GPU and memory performance. The phones start at $1,199 and $1,299 respectively, with storage up to 2TB, and ship beginning September 18.
The Guardian gathered reader accounts describing how GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro have reshaped family dynamics, with many users hiding their use out of shame. Several described feeling they had 'cheated' at weight loss, straining relationships with partners, children and friends who didn't know about the medication.
A veteran smart-home tester outlines ten practical adjustments homeowners can make to limit data collection from cameras, speakers and displays, including physically closing camera shutters and muting microphones when not in use. The piece also cites cybersecurity attorney Laurie Selkowitz, who warns that many users fail to disable opt-in data-sharing settings on devices like Ring cameras.
Apple's 'Surprise and Shine' event introduced only two new iPhone models — the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max — alongside a foldable device called the iPhone Duo, priced at $1,999.99. The event also marked John Ternus's debut as CEO, opening the show solo rather than alongside outgoing CEO Tim Cook, who is now executive chair. CNET's reader prediction contest showed most participants expected three phones and a joint Cook-Ternus appearance, both of which turned out wrong.
Tom's Hardware Premium's weekly roundup details extensive benchmarking of the Qwen 3.8 27B language model on consumer-accessible hardware, including an RTX 5090, Mac Mini, DGX Spark and Strix Halo systems, showing it can approach top-tier AI performance without cloud API costs. The issue also covers IFA show reports noting a market split between ultra-light MacBook-style laptops and pricey agentic AI PCs, squeezing out affordable mid-range machines, plus a note on Ajinomoto's role in supplying materials for the chip industry.
A retrospective analysis compares the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube, noting the PS2 sold 160 million units globally versus the GameCube's 21.7 million, even though the GameCube was technically more powerful. The piece attributes PS2's dominance to broader adult-oriented marketing, DVD playback functionality, backward compatibility, and a massive library of nearly 4,500 titles compared to the GameCube's more limited third-party support.
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