“AI” systems aren’t just great for raising the price of your electronics, giving you wrong search results, and filling up your social media feed with slop. It’s also handy for hackers! Apparently the large language model of choice for state-sponsored attacks from countries like Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran is Google Gemini. And that’s according to Google itself. In a sprawling report on what it repeatedly calls a violation of its terms of service, Google’s Threat Intelligence Group documents uses of Gemini by attackers associated with the aggressive nations. Most of the documented use of Gemini is automated surveillance, identifying high-value targets and vulnerabilities, including corporations, separatist groups, and dissenters. But hacking groups associated with China and Iran have been spotted running more sophisticated campaigns, including debugging exploit code and social engineering. One attack from a group with ties to Iran was developing a proof-of-concept exploit for a well-known flaw in WinRAR. For all my grousing on “AI”, one thing that large language models are genuinely good at is examining and distilling huge amounts of data. The advancements in machine learning allow for searching through data sets that would take teams of humans years to examine — this is being applied in less nefarious ways in fields like astronomy and cancer research. This is a definite boon for hackers, who need to perform huge amounts of tedious data processing in order to find software vulnerabilities, plus tons of more conventional sifting to identify targets and social engineering techniques. One example stood out to me. A group labelled internally as APT31 used an example Gemini prompt like “I’m a security researcher who is trialling out the Hexstrike MCP tooling,” using a system that connects “AI agents” with preexisting security tools to test for vulnerabilities and other attack vectors. Naturally, Gemini can’t tell the difference between a legitimate security researcher (white hat) and a malicious hacker (black hat), since a lot of their work overlaps both conceptually and practically. So the answers it provides to both would be the same…for all that Google claims using Gemini in this manner is against the rules. Gemini is also used for more mundane coding systems, writing and debugging code for malware. And yes, “AI slop” is thick on the ground, sometimes literally. “Threat actors from China, Iran, Russia, and Saudi Arabia are producing political satire and propaganda to advance specific ideas across both digital platforms and physical media, such as printed posters,” says the Google report. Google claims that it’s restricted access to Gemini for users that it can confidently identify as malicious, including the detected state-sponsored hacking teams. Read...

Let’s be honest: all those USB cables you’re holding onto “just in case”—the ones stuffed into your tech drawer—are old and outdated, aren’t they? That means they’re slow and ineffective. It’s time to toss them and enjoy the speed and convenience of proper modern cables. Fortunately, it won’t cost you much to make that upgrade. Right now, Amazon is selling a 2-pack of 100W Anker USB-C cables for just $9.99. That’s 23% off and close to the cheapest they’ve ever been. That’s about $5 a piece. That’s an opportunity worth jumping on. These Anker USB-C cables are built for high-speed performance, supporting up to 100 watts of power delivery for fast charging when paired with an equally high-power charger. That means they’re fast enough to charge laptops, let alone phones, tablets, and whatever other accessories you have lying around. They also support data transfers at up to 480 Mbps, which is sufficient for photos, music, and basic files. What I love about these—on top of the fast charging—is that they’re 6 feet long each. That’s perfect for use in home offices, living rooms, and bedrooms, so you don’t have to be so closely tethered to an outlet. I use mine in bed and it prevents me from having to stay right up on the edge while watching videos and scrolling social media. These Anker cables are also built to last, covered in braided nylon that can withstand thousands of bends without breaking. Honestly, given how ubiquitous USB-C has become over the years, you can never have too many USB-C cables—especially super-fast ones like these. These are the cables to get if you want to be future-proof for the next decade or so. Now just $5 a piece on Amazon! Fast-charge your phone and laptop with these 100W USB-C cablesBuy now via Amazon Read...

UK CIOs embed AI agents in critical workflows but lack real-time oversight as board pressure mounts for provable returns and tighter audits. Read...

Basically every PC maker that’s made a public statement on the RAM crisis says it’s going to have to increase prices, or make other adjustments, like bumping mid-range laptops back down to just 8GB of memory. Lenovo, the largest PC manufacturer in the world, was a happy exception, saying it had enough RAM to get through 2026. But apparently that wasn’t enough to keep prices down. According to a report in Reuters, the company’s CEO told them that it’s raising prices to “offset surging memory costs.” You’re probably tired of hearing about it, but yes, it’s because of data centers and AI, which are an entirely different market from Lenovo’s bread and butter. The warning comes despite the company’s CFO stating back in November that it was stockpiling memory and other critical components, claiming that Lenovo had enough for all of 2026. Two different statements to two different outlets from two different people at two different times, granted, but you can’t help but notice a bit of discrepancy here. A recent sales boom could be a bit more of an explanation. The PC market is currently in a small but noticeable surge, as consumers and businesses with spending flexibility try to buy before prices go up. But it’s February — surely Lenovo can’t have blown through a “stockpile” in two months, especially since most of the PCs it intends to sell this year haven’t even been made yet. Lenovo is presumably hedging as its advance buying from suppliers either dries up or booms in price, the same forces that are affecting other large-scale suppliers. Smaller companies, like Framework, get hit a lot harder as they have to pay prices closer to us mere consumers. That’s the macro read of the situation, anyway. You could also be more cynical and point out that if the entire industry raises its prices, Lenovo could simply bump up to meet them without much fear of consumer blowback. Lenovo could simply keep prices lower — it was notably the only desktop and laptop maker at CES that was willing to talk about prices for upcoming models. But if I’m thinking like a C-suite executive, I’d sure be tempted to move prices up to boost profits a little, taking advantage of the fact that buyers don’t have any real alternatives. 2026 continues to suck. In many interesting and varied ways, but in particular, for anyone who wants to buy things that go beep. Read...

A few days ago, Microsoft released update KB5077181 for Windows 11 (both 24H2 and 25H2). Now, some reports (via Neowin) are emerging that the new version is causing boot problems for users. The critical startup problems appear to occur immediately after installation, causing those affected to end up in an endless loop of restarts. In some cases, a SENS error message (System Event Notification Service) error appears. This usually means that the system can’t interact with the service due to missing data or network problems. Other users are seeing error codes 0x800f0983 and 0x800f0991. Some users, on the other hand, report that their systems display a DHCP error due to a missing connection or an invalid IP address, even though they’re connected to the internet. There are numerous problems with the patch that can’t yet be clearly explained. What you can do about it There’s currently no fix from Microsoft and the boot problems aren’t listed in the list of known issues with the update. Since users are unable to log in even after several loops, some have tried to reset their systems via recovery mode—to varying degrees of success. If you can, uninstall the update via Control Panel > Programs > View Installed Updates and selecting KB5077181. After that, you must still suspend automatic updates by Microsoft by navigating to Settings > Windows Update > Pause Updates. Otherwise, the update may be reinstalled and cause problems again. Further reading: How to roll back a problematic Windows update Read...

Tired of clunky desktop PCs and expensive laptops? Wish you could upgrade your computer without spending a ton of cash or having to sacrifice performance? Your wish can be granted… with a mini PC! The GMKtec M2 Pro S mini PC is Intel-powered with sufficient RAM to handle all your home office tasks, plus a little more. It’s now on sale for $389.99 on Amazon (29% off its original $549.99 price)! That’s a great price for a device with a solid configuration. Inside, you get an Intel Core i7-1185G7 processor and 16GB of DDR4 RAM, which is the minimum we’d recommend for a Windows 11 machine these days. That should be enough to handle common daily tasks without slowing to a crawl. The 512GB SSD on board offers adequate capacity, plus fast startups, app launches, and file transfers. Despite its size, the GMKtec M2 Pro S is a capable workstation for multitasking productivity. The mini PC supports triple 4K displays via dual HDMI ports and a USB4 video port. You also get four fast USB-A ports (two in front, two in back) plus Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.2 for connectivity. The only thing it can’t do well is gaming, but the Intel Iris Xe G7 96EU integrated GPU should handle simple games okay. This is a stunning deal in the face of the current RAM shortage, so you’d be smart to take advantage of it. It may not be the lowest price it’s ever been, but I don’t expect we’ll return to those prices anytime soon. This mini PC is a home office savior. Get it while it`s 29% offBuy now via Amazon Read...

Running app Runna revamps beginner plans with flexible schedules and tailored guidance to keep new and returning runners on track. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Handsome design Magnetic mounting to any suitable surface Up to 4GBps transfers Cons Slowest USB4 SSD we’ve tested 10Gbps speeds during long writes Our Verdict The MSI DataMag 40Gbps offers handsome design, magnetic attachment, and solid Construction. But it’s merely a good, not fantastic, USB4 performer. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: MSI DataMag 40Gbps USB4 SSD Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Magnetically attached SSDs can be handy, especially speedy 40Gbps models such as the MSI DataMag 40Gbps reviewed here. They can be fixed in place on any suitable metallic surface. Alas, that doesn’t include my aluminum Macs, but it does include the router right next to them. What are the DataMag 40Gbps’s features? Well, the name and intro give away part of the story — the magnetic ring on the back of the unit (see below) and that the drive is 40Gbs USB4. It measures a little over 2.5-inches across in both directions, is a little under 0.5-inches thick, and has a lanyard opening on the upper right. Weight is 2.8 ounces, which gives a nice solid heft. The back of the DataMag 40Gbps with its magnetic mounting “ring” and Type-C port on the bottom edge. The DataMag 40gbps sports a Phison U21 controller and stacked/layered/3D TLC (Triple-Level Cell/3-bit) NAND. The company warranties the drive for five years, or until the TBW rating is reached. Said rating is 750TBW (terabytes that may be written) per one terabyte of capacity. That’s on the generous side for an external SSD. The norm is three years and 600TBW or less depending on the NAND involved. How much is the MSI DataMag 40Gbps? The DataMag 40Gbps is currently available in 1TB/$170 and 2TB/$296 capacities — those prices come from the company, which also promises that a 4TB version is on the way. Those are a tad pricey for USB4, but not outrageously so. The drive also hasn’t shown up on Amazon as of this writing, so there may be discounts to be had in the near future. How fast is the MSI DataMag 40Gbps? Short answer: plenty fast, though there were areas where the drive didn’t quite match the competition. Part of the issue was undoubtedly that the drive MSI sent us is only 1TB, meaning it had exactly half the NAND to play with as the Adata SE920, and one-quarter the NAND of the top-rated LaCie Rugged SSD4. Less NAND means less secondary cache and dropping to the NAND’s native write rate sooner. That said, the native write rate of around 830MBps will still get the job done in a suitable amount of time in many cases. Less secondary cache or not, the DataMag 40Gbps was in no hurry to get to its native write rate. In fact, it actually delivered an outstanding queued sequential read score in CrystalDiskMark 8 before dropping off the pace. The DataMag 40Gbps actually delivered an outstanding queued read score in CrystalDiskMark 8 before dropping off the pace. Longer bars are better. The DataMag 40Gbps was also outstanding in the CrystalDiskMark 8 4K tests. Especially with multiple queues in play. Queues are not something a lot of software feature (Windows doesn’t), but… The DataMag 40Gbps was outstanding in the CrystalDiskMark 8 4K tests. Especially with multiple queues in play. Not something a lot of software features. Longer bars are better. It was in our real-world 48GB transfers that the DataMag 40Gbps began to lag a bit more. I wasn’t expecting this to take place with the small file and folder operations; usually a good CrystalDiskMark 8 4K score translates to a good performance with the smaller files and folders. It was in our real-world 48GB transfers that the DataMag 40Gbps began to lag a bit. What we weren’t expecting was that it took place with the small file and folder operations. Usually a good CrystalDiskMark 8 4K score translates to good performance with the smaller files and folders. Shorter bars are better. Being “only” a 1TB drive no doubt hurt the DataMag 40Gbps’s 450GB write time, which was twice that of the competition. Being “only” a 1TB drive no doubt hurt the DataMag 40Gbps’s 450GB write time. Shorter bars are better. Here you can see where the lag in the 450GB write began. About 50GB in, the DataMag 40Gbps’s write speed dropped to USB 10Gbps levels, or around 830MBps. If MSI had sent us the 2TB version of the DataMag 40Gbps, it undoubtedly would’ve done better in the real-world transfer tests. Regardless, it offers a nice boost in sustained throughput over the soon-to-be-reviewed (but already tested) MSI DataMag 20Gbps, and other USB 3.2×2 (20Gbps) SSDs. Should you buy the MSI DataMag 40Gbps? I love the look, like the performance, and appreciate that magnetic attachment. Given competitive pricing I’d give it a nod, but as always — read our other reviews and shop around. How we test Drive tests currently utilize Windows 11 24H2, 64-bit running off of a PCIe 4.0 Samsung 990 Pro in an Asus Z890-Creator WiFi (PCIe 4.0/5.0) motherboard. The CPU is a Core Ultra i5 225 feeding/fed by two Crucial 64GB DDR5 5600MHz modules (128GB of memory total). Both 20Gbps USB and Thunderbolt 5 are integrated into the motherboard and Intel CPU/GPU graphics are used. Internal PCIe 5.0 SSDs involved in testing are mounted in an Asus Hyper M.2 x16 Gen5 adapter card sitting in a PCIe 5.0 slot. We run the CrystalDiskMark 8.04 (and 9), AS SSD 2, and ATTO 4 synthetic benchmarks (to keep article length down, we report only the first) to find the storage device’s potential performance. Then we run a series of 48GB transfer and 450GB write tests using Windows Explorer drag and drop to show what users will see during routine copy operations, as well as the far faster FastCopy run as administrator to show what’s possible. A 25GBps two-SSD RAID 0 array on the aforementioned Asus Hyper M.2 x16 Gen5 is used as the second drive in our transfer tests. Formerly the 48GB tests were done with a RAM disk serving that purpose. Each test is performed on a NTFS-formatted and newly TRIM’d drive so the results are optimal. Note that in normal use, as a drive fills up, performance may decrease due to less NAND for secondary caching, as well as other factors. This issue has abated somewhat with the current crop of SSDs utilizing more mature controllers and far faster, late-generation NAND. Read...

One of the best tech buys I made last year was a portable monitor. Not only do I use this thing every time I work away from home, but it’s also an excellent third monitor for when I’m at home. I firmly believe every laptop owner should have a portable monitor—and if you don’t have one yet, today’s your lucky day. Right now, Amazon is selling this 15.6-inch KYY portable monitor for $66.49 (down from its original $99.99). That’s a lovely 34% discount and the lowest price this display has ever been. This is a slim and lightweight monitor with a standard 1920×1080 resolution, a color-accurate IPS panel (so it’s even great for creative work like photo editing), a wide 178-degree viewing angle, an anti-glare matte coating, plus HDR technology for vivid visuals. Whether you’re using it for work, Netflix, or casual gaming, it’ll serve you well. How slim and lightweight are we talking, anyway? This thing measures 0.3 inches thick and weighs just 1.7 pounds. You can easily slip it into any bag right next to your laptop and carry it around without it weighing you down. It also comes with a scratch-proof protective cover that doubles as a kickstand for comfortably reading PDFs and watching YouTube. It has two USB-C ports and a Mini HDMI port for connectivity, so you can even use it with devices beyond your laptop. Want a bigger screen for your Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck while on the go? Or maybe a screen you can use for Samsung DeX on your Galaxy phone? No problem. This will get the job done. Take advantage of this 34% discount and grab this portable monitor for $66.49 while you can. Again, the price has never been lower—it’s an excellent deal for a 15.6-inch 1080p slim-profile display. This 15.6-inch 1080p portable monitor is at its best-ever priceBuy now via Amazon Read...

Gaming is something we take seriously around here, so when I saw the Alienware 16X Aurora on sale for $1,499.99 at Dell.com (that’s a whopping $470 off!), I couldn’t help but run to the rooftops to shout it out. This stellar 24% discount on a stellar gaming laptop that normally goes for $1,969.99 is one you don’t want to skip. View this gaming laptop deal This gaming laptop is a beast of a machine, featuring an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor with 24 cores for excellent performance that’ll cleanly handle all kinds of tasks. It’s paired with 16GB of DDR5 RAM, a spacious 1TB M.2 SSD with Windows 11 Home preloaded, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 graphics card with 8GB GDDR7 VRAM for gaming at smooth frame rates thanks to DLSS 4 features like multi-frame generation. Whether you’re gaming or watching Netflix or even just browsing Reddit, it’s going to look great on the 16X Aurora’s lovely 16-inch 2560×1600 (1600p) resolution at up to 500 nits of brightness. It’s perfect for gamers with its speedy 240Hz refresh rate and Nvidia G-Sync support for minimal screen tearing. Attach a high-res external monitor via the HDMI 2.1 or Thunderbolt 4 ports and you’ll be in heaven. Other niceties here include a fast USB-C 3.2 port, two fast USB-A 3.2 ports, a 1080p webcam that can do Windows Hello facial recognition, a gorgeous RGB full-sized keyboard, and a multi-touch Premium Precision touchpad. Expect about 3 hours of battery life with real-world usage, but that’s not a deal-breaker—it’s a high-performance machine, after all. When we reviewed the 16X Aurora, we gave it a glowing 4.5-star rating and our Editors’ Choice award. Our reviewer thought it was an excellent value at full price, so how much better is it now with this discount? Save $470 on the Alienware 16X Aurora while you can! If you miss it, though, check out our roundup of the best gaming laptops. The Alienware 16X Aurora is an incredible value for 24% offBuy now via Dell.com Read...