Latest Tech News

Stay updated with the latest in technology, AI, cybersecurity, and more

Filtered by: ne Clear Filter

Apple will let third party music apps show animated artwork on the iPhone lock screen, not just Apple Music

One of the stylish visual changes to the iPhone on iOS 26 is a new layout for the lock screen when music is playing. Artwork can now be animated and shown full-screen on the iPhone display, with playback controls resting on a platter of a liquid glass. You can try this out right now with Apple Music. Play a song that has animated album art, and lock the phone. But users of third-party music streaming apps like Spotify will also be pleased to know that Apple is opening up this capability as an A

SIMD-friendly algorithms for substring searching (2016)

Introduction Popular programming languages provide methods or functions which locate a substring in a given string. In C it is the function strstr , the C++ class std::string has the method find , Python's string has methods pos and index , and so on, so forth. All these APIs were designed for one-shot searches. During past decades several algorithms to solve this problem were designed, an excellent page by Christian Charras and Thierry Lecroq lists most of them (if not all). Basically these al

Have a damaged painting? Restore it in just hours with an AI-generated “mask”

The restoration is printed on a very thin polymer film, in the form of a mask that can be aligned and adhered to an original painting. It can also be easily removed. Kachkine says that a digital file of the mask can be stored and referred to by future conservators, to see exactly what changes were made to restore the original painting. Still, there has been no way to translate digital restorations directly onto an original work, until now. In a paper appearing today in the journal Nature, Alex

Laptop Buying Guide (2025): How to Choose the Right PC (Step-by-Step Guide)

For some people, however, it might be helpful to think through what software you need to run and which operating systems it runs best on will help you determine the hardware you need. And let's not forget: ChromeOS and Linux are still alternative options. So, here's how the four available operating systems break down. Windows: Windows is the stalwart default OS. Windows is the broadest and most widely used operating system, supporting the largest number of applications and hardware. It may be r

These are the best iPad deals right now, just in case iPadOS 26 made you rethink things

A short while ago, I was browsing Apple deals on Amazon (as one does) – and something stuck out to me. High-end iPad Pros, particularly 12.9-inch models, are surprisingly cheap. I saw M1 models with 1TB and cellular for under $700. Given the recent iPadOS 26 overhaul that makes the iPad much more Mac-like, I figured these deals would be worth a share. While renewed iPad deals are the focus here because of their affordability, new iPad deals are also mentioned at the end. Renewed M1 iPad Pro de

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ third season falls short of its second

This is a spoiler-free preview of the first five episodes of season three. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ended its second season with arguably the single strongest run of any streaming-era Trek. The show was made with such confidence in all departments that if there were flaws, you weren’t interested in looking for them. Since then, it’s gone from being the best modern Trek, to being the only modern Trek. Unfortunately, at the moment it needs to be the standard bearer for the show, it’s become

Infineon security microcontroller flaw enabled extraction of TPM secret keys

A few months ago, security researcher Thomas Roche presented his fundamental research on secure elements used in the YubiKey 5. The security element is the Infineon SLE78, which contains a proprietary implementation of the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA). Using side-channel attacks and a great deal of smart research, the author discovered a vulnerability in Infineon Technologies' cryptographic library and, as a result, was able to extract the ECDSA secret key from the secure

Have a damaged painting? Restore it in just hours with an AI-generated "mask"

The restoration is printed on a very thin polymer film, in the form of a mask that can be aligned and adhered to an original painting. It can also be easily removed. Kachkine says that a digital file of the mask can be stored and referred to by future conservators, to see exactly what changes were made to restore the original painting. Still, there has been no way to translate digital restorations directly onto an original work, until now. In a paper appearing today in the journal Nature, Alex

A shortage of high-voltage power cables could stall the clean energy transition

In a nutshell: As nations set ever more ambitious targets for renewable energy and electrification, the humble high-voltage cable has emerged as a linchpin – and a potential chokepoint – in the race to decarbonize the global economy. A Bloomberg interview with Claes Westerlind, CEO of NKT, a leading cable manufacturer based in Denmark, explains why. A global surge in demand for high-voltage electricity cables is threatening to stall the clean energy revolution, as the world's ability to build n

Scientists Reveal Easy Three-Step Plan to Terraform Mars

Terraforming, the act of radically transforming a planet's climate and environment to make it suitable for human habitation, currently belongs to the realm of science-fiction. But it's possible, at least in theory, and the idea of terraforming our nearest candidate planet for off-world colonization, Mars, has captivated us for generations. But how would we even begin to pull off such a monumental feat of engineering? You can basically boil it down to three simple steps, argue the authors of a r

What to read this weekend: Vampires and more vampires

I was pretty late in getting to this one, as it's been on my list for a good while now, but I really can't think of a better time to have finally picked up this retelling of the original sapphic vampire story, Carmilla, than during Pride Month. And what a treat it is. Hungerstone is a gothic novel that follows Lenore, a woman who has been uprooted from London and moved to the British moorlands by her husband, Henry, to fulfill his career ambitions. Henry is… not the best, and Lenore could defini

The Best Water Filter Pitcher for 2025

As mentioned earlier in this article, there are quite a variety of contaminants worth removing from your tap water. The team here at our lab settled on three primary tests to benchmark the efficacy of these filters: TDS, pH and chlorine. Before we began the actual testing process, each pitcher was removed from the packaging, cleaned and then prepared per the manufacturer's instructions. This is very important, as most of these filters utilize activated carbon filtration, which will deposit sedim

Starlink Speeds Are Improving, But Only 17% of Customers Get the FCC’s Minimum

Starlink speeds have doubled in the past two years, according to a new report from the speed test site Ookla. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Median download speeds from the satellite internet provider have steadily ticked up over the past few years, going from 53.95 megabits per second in 2022 to 104.71Mbps today. That’s an impressive feat considering Starlink added about 5 million customers over the same period and recently passed the 6 million mar

Live TV Streaming Channel Face-Off: YouTube TV vs. Hulu Live vs. Sling and More

Making the switch from cable to streaming could feel confusing or like a chore, but it might be exactly what you're looking for. As TV costs increase, there are plenty of alternatives you can consider, such as live TV streaming services and affordable skinny bundles. Cord-free live services come with perks like a broad mix of channels, DVR and no long-term commitments. You can stream sports and more, and these services offer wider channel options than antennas but also let you watch on your lapt

Best Internet Providers in Houston, Texas

What is the best internet provider in Houston? AT&T Fiber is CNET's pick for the best internet service provider in Houston. It's our top recommendation because it offers symmetrical download and upload speeds along with high customer satisfaction scores. Plans range from $55 to $245 for the impressive 5-gig option. Since AT&T Fiber coverage doesn't extend to all Houston neighborhoods, Xfinity and Verizon 5G Home Internet are also solid alternatives to consider if you're outside of AT&T's servic

Best Internet Providers in Madison, Wisconsin

What is the best internet provider in Madison? CNET's top pick for the best internet provider in Madison is AT&T Fiber. The provider offers a wide variety of plan options, transparent pricing and the fastest internet in the area with speeds of up to 5,000Mbps. If AT&T Fiber isn't available at your address, Spectrum is another reliable choice with citywide coverage and plans starting at $30 per month. Be warned, however, that Spectrum's prices increase after the first year. But Spectrum isn't t

Liquid Glass, New Photos App and All the Other iOS 26 Features Coming to Your iPhone

Your iPhone will soon look a lot different when iOS 26 (named for 2026) comes out in the fall, but there's more to see under the frosted glass facade. Announced at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, the latest version of the iPhone's operating system incorporates some features that iPhone owners have watched their Android friends enjoy, plus plenty of other enhancements. For instance, the Camera and Photos apps are gaining long-awaited functional redesigns; the Messages and Phone apps are

Today's NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for June 15, #735

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today's Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles. Today's NYT Connections puzzle has one mention of Father's Day to mark the holiday. It's not super tough -- maybe race Dad to see who can complete it fastest. Read on for clues and today's Connections answers. The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle.

Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for June 15, #265

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today's Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles. Today's Connections: Sports Edition might be tough. Read on for hints and the answers. Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That's a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports jo

Best Internet Providers in Berkeley, California

What is the best internet provider in Berkeley? Sonic Telecom is the best internet provider in Berkeley, according to our CNET experts. For just $50 a month, Sonic offers symmetrical gigabit speeds, which is an extremely rare find and an excellent value. But be aware that there are equipment fees and your bill will go up by $10 after the first month. However, it's still an excellent deal for the speeds available. If you need even faster connectivity, AT&T Fiber offers both 2,000Mbps and 5,000M

Best Kamado Grill for 2025

Testing kamado grills is an intense experience for a griller. It requires playing with fire (literally) and high temperatures, although in a controlled, responsible way. The most critical element to kamado's performance is heat, specifically temperature control and how well a grill holds to one temperature. To smoke meat low and slow, that magic number is 225℉. Good smokers, kamados or otherwise, will stick to this temp for as long as 12, 15 or 20 hours. This means the temperature gauge is key a

I'm a Fiend for Horror and Westerns. Netflix Has One of the Best Genre Mashups Ever Made

Father's Day is coming up and, if you're like me, you're searching for the perfect movie to watch on the big day. Well, as a dad myself, I can easily find comfort in the tried and true classics like National Lampoon's Vacation, Once Upon a Time in America or even The Shawshank Redemption. There's no arguing that those titles are stereotypical "dad" movies. But I'm not a stereotypical dad. My cinematic tastes usually lead me down an alternate path. Yes, I love me a good western but I'm also a d

So... You Want to Become a Penetration Tester?

Cybersecurity is a rapidly growing and evolving field with a wide range of subfields and specializations. One of these is penetration testing, a discipline within what's known as "red teaming," which seeks to actively find and exploit vulnerabilities within computer systems (with permission, of course). It's an exciting and rewarding career, and I'll show you how to become a penetration tester. Before I continue, however, let me be transparent about my own experience. While I have about three

So... You Want to Become a Penetration Tester?

Cybersecurity is a rapidly growing and evolving field with a wide range of subfields and specializations. One of these is penetration testing, a discipline within what's known as "red teaming," which seeks to actively find and exploit vulnerabilities within computer systems (with permission, of course). It's an exciting and rewarding career, and I'll show you how to become a penetration tester. Before I continue, however, let me be transparent about my own experience. While I have about three

Scientists Intrigued by Conical Skull Found in Ancient Burial Ground

Secrets of the skeletons. Head Game Archaeologists in Iran have discovered an ancient cone-shaped skull that is believed to have belonged to a teen girl — and there are signs of tragedy in her bones. As Live Science reports, the skull, which was found in a prehistoric burial ground known as Chega Sofla without its corresponding skeleton, shows signs not only of intentional modification, but also possibly fatal blunt force trauma. Dated to roughly 6,200 years old, the strange cone shape of th

5 reasons why buying the latest flagship is not always a good idea

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority That brand new flagship phone you have your eyes on sure does look appealing, doesn’t it? It’s often touted as the best on offer, featuring the fastest chipset, cameras that can perform miracles in all lighting conditions, and a design that turns heads. But don’t let your emotions run the show. Take a step back, relax, and truly consider whether you need it before you reach for your wallet. Chances are, buying the latest flagship might be a mistake. Here are

The Vivoactive 6 is the best and worst thing to happen to the Garmin Venu series

Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority I’ve been testing Garmin’s Vivoactive and Venu series for generations, and in the past, each line clearly catered to distinct user needs. The Vivoactive line was my go-to recommendation for budget-conscious athletes. The Venu stood as Garmin’s best option for a rounded smartwatch experience. With the release of the Garmin Vivoactive 6, however, the line between the two series feels blurrier than ever, and for the first time, I’m struggling to distinguish betwe

Your Apple Watch is getting a big upgrade. Here are the 8 features I can't wait to use in WatchOS 26

Your iPhone, Apple Watch, and other Apple-owned devices are getting a big overhaul soon. The tech giant recently rolled out all of the newest apps and updates coming to its devices over the next few months. Apple announced several new features coming to WatchOS 26 at its annual software conference, WWDC, on Monday in Cupertino. The features touch everything from Fitness to Messages, and include a major design update across Apple's platforms for a more unified look and naming mechanisms that ref

My favorite lightweight Windows laptop was already affordable - but now it's $250 off

When I first picked up the Asus Zenbook A14, I thought I was holding an empty prototype. Then it turned on, and the brilliant OLED display proved me wrong. At 2.1 pounds, it's not just one of the lightest laptops I've used; it's also well-balanced -- both physically and in terms of hardware -- and epitomizes the thin, battery-efficient category that's exploded over the last year. Also: The best lightweight laptops of 2025: Expert tested It's my pick for the best lightweight laptop, and was als