Learning Basic Electronics by Building FireFlies
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2025 The first thing you notice about the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 is the AniMe lights. The pixelated LEDs (also found on devices like the ROG Phone 9), flowing in a rhythm from a back strip like a scar streaked dashingly across a warrior’s eye, let you know what you’re in for before you even crack open the lid. The Strix Scar 18 is a fine gaming laptop with plenty of enticing qualities and one major flaw. But what makes it so appealing isn’t the dancing lights that are only attractive to moths o
Lightning has long terrified and fascinated scientists and non-scientists alike. For something so relatively common, the precise atmospheric events that give rise to a lightning strike have been shrouded in mystery, but new research is offering some tantalizing clues. A team of engineers and meteorologists believe they’ve cracked the curious case of how lightning forms in the cloudtops, and their solution comes from an increasingly influential contender for cracking climate mysteries: mathemati
Netflix’s dazzling and complex Liu Cixin adaptation 3 Body Problem was one of io9’s top TV shows of 2024. After its first season, we still had lots of questions about what would happen next—there’s the small matter of that impending alien invasion, for one thing—so it was good news when creators David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo confirmed two more seasons were on the way. But that was over a year ago. Since then, we’ve heard nary a peep about what’s going on with 3 Body Problem—until
Just a few months after wrapping up its seventh test flight in orbit, Space Force’s experimental vehicle known as X-37B is ready for another go. For its upcoming mission, the spaceplane will test new technologies meant to bolster military capabilities in space, such as a navigational sensor that could replace GPS. The U.S. Space Force is set to launch the Boeing-built orbital test vehicle, designated as OTV-8, on August 21 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket
Techno-noir and cyberpunk have flourished in science fiction for decades, especially in movies. Films combining the dark vibes and jaded perspective of film noir, with futuristic dystopian settings that lean into a world where technology has blurred the lines between humanity and machines. In the 90s, The Matrix was a breakout hit for the genre, but there were also options that flew under the radar on release. One of my overlooked favorites is Dark City, a mind-bending techno-noir thriller that
Cash App/CNET You and your pals can now use Apple Pay and Google Pay to contribute to group payments through Cash App. The popular digital payment app announced its peer-to-peer group payment feature, Pools, which lets you set up and track group payments, including those from Apple Pay and Google Pay. "With Pools, our customers now have a dedicated, easy-to-use solution for group payments," Cameron Worboys, head of product design at Cash App, said in a statement. "They can start a pool to coll
I search the internet high and low to find deals that really save you money. And I mean deals that offer genuine savings, not reductions that are just a lot of buzz without actually saving you much. That's why every day my team and I scour your favorite sites (Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and more) to handpick daily deals for CNET's Deals texts to subscribers. We deliver the hottest sales to your phone, helping you score must-have items with minimal effort while keeping a lot of cash in your pocket
The trickle of leaks about Apple's first foldable iPhone continue, and we're starting to get a clearer picture of what's in store for the new kind of iPhone reportedly launching next year. The first foldable iPhone is expected to be revealed in September 2026 during Apple's annual iPhone event, according to a report from financial services firm JPMorgan, at a price of $1,999. It will be part of Apple's iPhone 18 lineup, the report said. The iPhone will reportedly include these features: Apple
The next front in Donald Trump's trade war will be chip tariffs—which could come by next month—but national security experts are warning that the president may have already made a huge misstep that threatens to disrupt both US trade and national security. In a letter Monday to Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, 20 policymakers and professionals with a background in national security policy urged Trump to reverse course and block exports of Nvidia's H20 chips to China. In April, t
Whistle pet trackers are headed to the Internet of Things (IoT) graveyard. After releasing its first product in 2013, the Seattle-based Whistle has just been acquired by a competitor that has decided to brick all of Whistle's smart GPS and activity monitors. Tractive, an Austrian company that has also been selling Internet-connected GPS trackers for pets since 2013, on Monday announced its acquisition of Whistle from Mars Petcare, as spotted by The Verge. Mars Petcare is the pet food subsidiary
is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. YouTube will soon begin using AI-powered age estimation technology to figure out which users are under the age of 18. Starting August 13th, YouTube will detect underage users in the US based on their activity and the age of their account, allowing the platform to automatically apply restrictions. These accounts will get the same protections YouTube
YouTube on Tuesday announced it’s beginning to roll out age-estimation technology in the U.S. to identify teen users in order to provide a more age-appropriate experience. The company says it will use a variety of signals to determine the users’ possible age, regardless of what the user entered as their birthday when they signed up for an account. When YouTube identifies a user as a teen, it introduces new protections and experiences, which include disabling personalized advertising, safeguards
Last week, the dating safety app Tea experienced a data breach, exposing 72,000 sensitive images containing selfies and photo IDs for account verification, as well as images from posts and messages. The personal data was reportedly shared by users on 4chan. As now reported by 404 Media, a second security issue exposed more user data, prompting the app to disable its direct messaging feature on Tuesday afternoon. Earlier this week, 404 Media received a tip from independent security researcher K
The U.K. government is reportedly backing down from its earlier demand that Apple builds a secret backdoor allowing its authorities access to customer data worldwide, following a harsh rebuke from the U.S. government. But one U.S. senator wants to know if other tech giants, like Google, have also received secret backdoor demands from the U.K. government, and Google has so far refused to say. Earlier this year, The Washington Post reported that the U.K. Home Office sought a secret court order i
Google announced on Tuesday that it’s rolling out Video Overviews to NotebookLM, its AI-based note-taking and research assistant. First introduced at Google I/O in May, Video Overviews allow users to turn dense multimedia, such as raw notes, PDFs, and images, into digestible visual presentations. Previously, the service took an audio approach to helping users understand materials with Audio Overviews, a feature that gives users the ability to generate a podcast with AI virtual hosts based on do
Cash App launched a new peer-to-peer payment feature on Tuesday called “Pools” that allows users to pool money with friends or family members to pay for expenses like grocery bills, restaurant checks, vacations, and group gifts. Initially available to select users, it will expand more widely in the coming months. Users can create Pools through the payment tab by setting a target amount and inviting contributors via their $cashtag or texting a link to non-users to pay through Apple Pay or Google
In context: Google's sister company, Waymo, plans to launch its autonomous ride-hailing service in Dallas next year. The company already operates in Austin, Atlanta, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, and has plans to expand to Miami and Washington, DC by 2026. Waymo has partnered with Avis to manage a robotaxi fleet in Dallas, Texas, despite having an active tie-up with Uber for fleet maintenance services in Austin and Atlanta. As part of the multi-year deal, Avis will oversee vehicle ma
Nikesh Arora, CEO of Palo Alto Networks, looks on during the closing bell at the Nasdaq Market in New York City, U.S., March 25, 2025. CyberArk shares soared as much as 18% on Tuesday after The Wall Street Journal reported that cybersecurity provider Palo Alto Networks has held discussions to buy the identity management software maker for over $20 billion. Representatives of the two companies didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. Cloud security is becoming an increasingly critic
Tushar Mehta / Android Authority TL;DR Google’s AI Mode is getting a host of new features on mobile and desktop. AI Mode on mobile gets a live video search option, which is accessible through Google Lens. On desktop, AI Mode gets file support and a Canvas option for taking notes while researching. Google’s AI Mode is gradually expanding beyond Search and recently made its way to other apps used to look up information on your phone, including Google Lens and Circle to Search. In doing so, it
Here’s one to take with a grain of salt: earlier today, user Fox Puppy on X published a couple of photos that supposedly show someone filming an iPhone 17 Pro on the street, using an iPhone 16 Pro that, for some reason, has its Apple logo covered. ‘This looks legit’ While there’s no way to verify the claims, Fox Puppy says that one of the people accompanying the man filming “was security and trying to go in front of the iPhone to hide it.” Here’s the original post: I just spotted a test deve
This fall, watchOS 26 will arrive as the next major Apple Watch software update. After more than a month using the beta on my Apple Watch, here are the new watchOS 26 features that I’ve been using the most. #1: Wrist flick When the Apple Watch Series 9 launched, it came with a new double tap gesture that I was originally excited about, but ended up barely using. I was afraid watchOS 26’s wrist flick gesture would be a similar story. But so far, I’ve found wrist flick a much more reliable and
After adding Gemini 2.5 Pro, Google is updating AI Mode with four big features across Search Live (video with Google Lens access), Canvas, and more. In addition to text, you will soon be able to upload images and PDF files to AI Mode on the web. The former is already available on mobile, while the latter will let you “ask detailed questions about those documents and bring that context into your search.” Uploaded files will be analyzed and cross-referenced with “relevant information from the we
Google is updating AI Mode on desktop this week with the ability to process images, so you can ask it detailed questions about the pictures like you already can on mobile. In the coming weeks, the company is also adding support for PDF uploads on desktop, which could help you digest lengthy course or work materials. You can ask AI Mode to summarize the documents for you and ask follow-up questions that it will then answer by cross-referencing the materials you uploaded with information available
Netgear has launched its most affordable Wi‑Fi 7 mesh system yet, the Orbi 370. The headline price is $350 for a router and two satellites, which is extremely competitive. A quick look at the specs, however, reveals several trade‑offs that make the lower cost possible. The company says the Orbi 370 is “designed for customers with moderately demanding Wi‑Fi needs,” claiming the system’s total bandwidth is 5 Gbps. However, since it carries only a 2.5‑gigabit internet port, the maximum speed to a
Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . Elgato just introduced a novel new webcam with a pro-grade feature . The Facecam 4K allows users to mount lens filters for unique effects. This is the first time a webcam has offered this functionality. The camera integrates with any 49mm lens filter , which opens up a world of potent
After kicking off its PS Plus 15th anniversary celebrations last month , Sony has announced the PS Plus Monthly games for August. From August 5, members of all of the service’s tiers will be able to add Lies of P (PS5, PS4), DayZ (PS4) and My Hero One’s Justice 2 (PS4) to their libraries. The headliner is undoubtedly Lies of P , the surprisingly great Pinocchio-flavored soulslike from 2023. South Korea-based studio Neowiz’s twisted take on the oft-reimagined children’s novel stood out in what i
Hackers were spotted exploiting a critical SAP NetWeaver vulnerability tracked as CVE-2025-31324 to deploy the Auto-Color Linux malware in a cyberattack on a U.S.-based chemicals company. Cybersecurity firm Darktrace discovered the attack during an incident response in April 2025, where an investigation revealed that the Auto-Color malware had evolved to include additional advanced evasion tactics. Darktrace reports that the attack started on April 25, but active exploitation occurred two days
Yarbo Core robot mower ZDNET's key takeaways The Yarbo is a modular yard care robot starting at $5,000. It does well caring for large yards with complex layouts thanks to its tracked design, and its modular features make it easy to use year-round. The Yarbo is one of the most expensive robot mowers on the market; it presented multiple connection issues, and its attachments are heavy and bulky. View now at Amazon The Yarbo is one of the most visually appealing robot mowers I've seen. It's more
'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or