This was a busy week in tech, from new updates for Android and desktop Linux to TikTok’s app store return. Here are the biggest stories from the past week you might have missed.
The Big News
TikTok Is Back on U.S. App Stores
TikTok has returned to mobile app stores in the United States, though the apps are still technically banned in the US until TikTok is divested from China or the law banning it is repealed. Continue reading…
Kindle Is Making It Harder to Switch to Rival eReader Brands
On February 26th, Kindle customers will lose the ability to download eBook purchases directly to their PC. If you want to switch to a rival eReader brand in the future, you should try the soon-to-be discontinued “Download and Transfer via USB” feature to archive your Kindle library. Continue reading…
Asahi Linux Gets a Reboot, Still Working On M3 & M4 Mac Support
Asahi Linux, the project bringing a native Linux desktop to Apple Silicon-based Mac computers, has hit some roadblocks with development and hardware support. The project’s founder is also retiring. Continue reading…
This Rock Has an SSD in It
External SSDs and SSD enclosures all look pretty similar to one another (especially when you look at SATA-based ones), but a lot of them actually use NVMe technology, which allows them to be way more compact. Now, this latest enclosure by ASUS is simply rockin’. Continue reading…
NVIDIA’s RTX 5090 Power Cables Are Melting
As much as NVIDIA technically downsized the RTX 5090, it’s still consuming a lot of power. It has a crazy 575W TDP, almost as much as a whole computer could consume a decade ago. No one could’ve seen this coming: power cables are melting again this generation. Continue reading…
Google Gemini Just Got a Memory Upgrade
Chatbots have gotten better over time at remembering the stuff we tell them. ChatGPT has its own memory feature, and now, Gemini is getting the capability to remember context across different chats. Continue reading…
WhatsApp Finally Has Chat Themes
WhatsApp has introduced a new feature that lets users change how their chats look. It comes with different backgrounds and chat bubble colors to make things feel a lot more personal. Continue reading…
Apple Might Release a New iPhone SE Next Week
Apple has announced a new product launch for next week, which is expected to be a new iPhone SE model. The current iPhone SE is the last remaining iPhone with Touch ID and a Lightning connector, so an upgrade with a more modern design is exciting. Continue reading…
Android 16 Beta 2 is Here With Loads of Camera Updates
Google’s second beta for Android 16 is here, and it’s packed with camera enhancements and performance tweaks. This release gives us a better sense of the direction of Android 16–let’s take a look. Continue reading…
A Final Fantasy iPhone Game Is Shutting Down
Square Enix has stopped supporting the iOS version of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. Apparently, this is due to a bug that can’t be fixed, and Square Enix is throwing in the towel instead of continuing to try and solve it. Continue reading…
Amazon Prime Video Just Overhauled Its Apple TV App
Prime Video just released an all-new and refreshed app for the latest Apple TV devices. The app, which hopefully will deliver an improved interface and vastly better user experience, promises to offer the best of Prime combined with the Apple TV interface users know and love. Continue reading…
You May Have Downloaded A Malware Game on Steam
A harmful game called PirateFi appeared on Steam for about a week but ended up causing some users malware infections. Unfortunately, there were users who played that may have gotten malware. Continue reading…
Microsoft’s Clipchamp Video Editor is Getting Better
For many, Microsoft’s Clipchamp has served to fill the Movie Maker-shaped hole in their hearts. It’s not quite the same, but it’s still pretty neat even on its free version. Now, Clipchamp is getting a number of new features that you might want to check out. Continue reading…
Nissan and Honda Won’t Merge After All
Nissan and Honda have officially canceled plans to merge into a single automaker, which would have made them the world’s fourth-biggest auto group. The plan was a merger worth around $60 billion, potentially bringing Mitsubishi into the fold, but it all fell apart. Continue reading…
Microsoft Outlook on Mobile Just Got a Font Upgrade
Microsoft has announced a big change to the Outlook mobile app that gives you more control over your email formatting. Alongside the usual formatting options, like bold, italics, and underline, you can now switch your font to any of the typefaces you’d expect to see when using the desktop app. Continue reading…
Apple TV+ Has Finally Landed on Android Phones
Apple TV+ has been around for years, but Apple has been extremely reluctant to launch an Android version of the app. It’s available on Google TV/Android TV, but not on regular Android phones—the convenience of watching the service on the go has so far remained iPhone-only. Now, at long last, we have an Android version. Continue reading…
ChatGPT’s GPT-4.5 and GPT-5 Upgrades Are on the Way
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT and its underlying GPT generative AI modesl, is reworking and simplifying its AI models. This should help most people using ChatGPT and similar tools get the best results without understanding the differences between all the models. Continue reading…
Apple Now Sells Refurbished M4 Macs at a Discount
Getting refurbished machines is a really good way to save money on what would otherwise be an expensive computer. Now, Apple has begun selling its excellent lineup of M4 Macs in its refurbished section, so you can give the company’s most powerful hardware a second chance. Continue reading…
Samsung Messages Just Got an Update, Even Though It’s Dead
The Samsung Galaxy S25 was notable for being a boring phone in a lot of ways, but there were a few noticable changes. It was the first Samsung S-series phone to come without the Samsung Messages app. In a bizarre move, though, Samsung is adding new features to the app it supposedly killed off. Continue reading…
Outlook Just Fixed My Biggest Issue With Mobile Email Apps
Microsoft just announced a tiny feature for the Outlook mobile app on Android and iOS, but it fixes one of my biggest issues with sending emails on the go. You can now minimize Outlook email drafts on mobile, like on the desktop, to quickly grab a link, check your calendar, and easily multitask. Continue reading…
The ASUS NUC 15 Pro Is Built for Upgrades
ASUS has just announced the ASUS NUC 15 Pro mini PC, a small computer that is built for upgrading and repairability. It is a big upgrade from the previous NUC 14. Continue reading…
The Galaxy S25 Ultra Is “Boring,” but at Least It’s Easier to Repair
Samsung’s new Galaxy S25 Ultra is a fantastically boring phone. Still, it contains some nice surprises, including a refined battery removal system that drastically improves repairability. Continue reading…
Apple Finally Lets You Transfer Purchases Between Accounts
Apple has released a new feature that lets users move their digital purchases from one Apple account to another. This makes it easier for people who have old or separated accounts for iCloud and purchased media. Continue reading…
Google Family Link’s New Features Help Kids Focus on School
We may be more than halfway through the school year, but Google Family Link is getting an upgrade with school in mind. The update includes a redesigned interface, new features, and improvements to existing tools. Continue reading…
Daggerfall Unity Recreation Leaves GOG, but It’s Still Available
Daggerfall Unity – GOG Cut, a special version of the classic RPG Daggerfall, has been taken down from the GOG store. However, you can still get the game from other sources. Continue reading…
AI Chatbots Are Still Bad at Facts, Says BBC Study
A recent study by the BBC found major inaccuracies in the news answers provided by AI assistants. Researchers tested four well-known AI assistants—ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Perplexity—by allowing them to use the BBC website for their responses. Continue reading…
Jeep Cars Are Getting Pop-up Warranty Ads
When is the last time you’ve received a cold call asking you to extend your car’s warranty? If you’ve ever wished it was actually your car that asked you to extend it every time you hit the brakes, then buy a Jeep. Continue reading…
No, Google Is Not Scanning All the Images on Your Android Phone
You may have recently stumbled upon an app called “Android System SafetyCore” in your battery stats or while digging through app permissions. It sounds important and a bit scary, but it’s not as worrisome as you might think. Continue reading…
Google’s I/O 2025 Event Finally Has Dates
Google has confirmed the dates for its biggest event of the year: Google I/O 2025. It will take place on May 20th and 21st in Mountain View, California. Continue reading…
Tumblr Still Plans to Connect to Mastodon and the Fediverse
The ‘Fediverse’ had a massive boom around 2023 with the popularity of Mastodon, and while it has lost some of that momentum, the open social network is still going strong. Tumblr has now confirmed again that it’s still working on interopability with Mastodon and other Fediverse platforms. Continue reading…
The New Powerbeats Pro 2 Finally Adds Noise Cancellation
Beats by Apple has released the Powerbeats Pro 2. This is supposed to be an upgraded version of its fitness earbuds. Continue reading…
KDE Plasma 6.3 Arrives With New Settings and Digital Art Focus
The developers of the KDE Plasma desktop environment continue to paint an image of Linux as a home for artists with the release of Plasma 6.3.0. The update also has a lot more settings that anyone can try out. Continue reading…
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Will Run On Older Graphics Cards
New games sometimes demand newer PC hardware for a stable experience. Thankfully, Pierre F, Technology Director of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, confirmed that older graphics cards will still be able to run the game. Continue reading…
Word on Mobile Just Made Tables Less Painful
Microsoft has announced a game-changing update to the Microsoft Word mobile app that finally addresses and completely eradicates a pet peeve many of us have had to put up with for too many years: shoddy table creation. Continue reading…
YouTube TV Teases Live Sports Commentary and a Better Multiview
It’s clear that YouTube wants sports fans to watch more content on its platform, and now we heard about several changes coming soon aiming to do just that. The company again mentioned a new “Watch with” feature, upgrades to multiview, and other changes coming this year. Continue reading…
uTag App Brings Galaxy Trackers Non-Samsung Phones
A new open-source Android app called uTag lets users use Samsung SmartTags with non-Samsung Android devices. Samsung SmartTags work like Apple AirTags and use ultra-wideband technology for more accurate location tracking. Continue reading…
Almost Half of Steam Players Still Use Windows 10
Even though Windows 10 will stop being supported after October 14, 2025, many Steam users still use it. A survey from January 2025 showed that more than 40% of Steam users are on Windows 10, while Windows 11 is the most popular version at 53%. Continue reading…
PlayStation Is Booting Shovelware From the PS Store
PlayStation is removing low-quality, or “shovelware,” games from its PS store. These include games for both PS4 and PS5. Continue reading…
Rivian’s Electric Van Is One Step Closer to Arrival
You may soon start seeing Rivian’s electric van driven by someone other than Amazon on the streets. The popular e-cargo delivery vehicles that bring packages to homes are no longer exclusive to Amazon. It’s still not available to regular home buyers, but it’s getting there. Continue reading…
Nintendo Kicks off 6 Weeks of Goodies for Switch Online Subscribers
Nintendo has started a “Play On” campaign for the Nintendo Switch, which will go on until March 23, 2025. The campaign includes various activities, sales, and rewards. Continue reading…
Google One AI Premium Subscription Now Unlocks More NotebookLM Features
Many people think of Gemini when they think of an AI made by Google, but NotebookLM is often overlooked and might be more useful than Gemini itself. Now, the premium version of the AI, which was recently arrived for business users, is rolling out for everyone. Continue reading…
Spotify’s New Valentine’s Day Playlist Covers Help Set the Mood
According to Spotify, more than 1.6 million Valentine’s Day playlists are created globally each year. If you’re like me and take great pride in producing the perfect playlist, you’ll love this new Valentine’s Day sticker collection for sprucing up your playlist with the right cover art. Continue reading…
Apple’s New iPhone Update Fixes a Critical USB Security Flaw
Apple released iOS 18.3.1 and iPadOS 18.3.1 to fix a serious security problem related to USB Restricted Mode. This vulnerability could let someone bypass USB Restricted Mode on a locked device through a physical attack, which might allow access to the device’s data. Continue reading…
Resident Evil Re:Verse Is Shutting Down
Capcom has announced that it will be shutting down the multiplayer game Resident Evil Re:Verse. The game only lasted for three years. Continue reading…
The New OnePlus Watch 3 Lasts Weeks Without a Charge
OnePlus has revealed the OnePlus Watch 3 smartwatch will be available in North America and Europe later in February. The main selling point here is its long-lasting battery. Continue reading…
Discord Has a New Way to Block People
Discord has released a new feature called “Ignore” that gives users a new way to make someone stop interacting with users. This feature is being rolled out to every user and should be available soon. Continue reading…
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Support is Coming To An End
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS is nearing the end of its original five-year support cycle. If you still have a PC, virtual machine, or server running that version, it’s time to get updated. Continue reading…
Apple Just Broke the App Store for Some Old Macs
Apple supports its computers, phones, and tablets for a long time compared to much of the industry, but once operating system updates end, you’re usually in trouble. Case in point: the Mac App Store is now broken for some older versions of macOS. Continue reading…
The Other Stuff
There was another carriage dispute with YouTube TV this week, this time with Paramount. It threatened to pull all Paramount-owned TV stations from YouTube TV, including CBS and CBS Sports, but the two companies agreed to a “short-term extension” before time ran out. Also, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said earlier this week paywalled content is in the works for Reddit, with plans for “exclusive content or private areas.”
