Moltbot’s Jarvis-Like Promise Sparks Open-Source AI Gold Rush—and Alarm

Moltbot and the Rise of Always-On Open-Source AI Assistants

In early 2026, an obscure open-source project quietly crossed a line that many believed would take years to reach. Moltbot, an experimental AI assistant created by Austrian developer Peter Steinberger, exploded past 69,000 GitHub stars in barely a month, instantly becoming one of the fastest-growing AI repositories of the year. To its fans, Moltbot feels like the long-promised “Jarvis moment”—a personal AI that doesn’t just respond when prompted, but actively manages digital life in the background. To its critics, it is a security nightmare waiting to happen. Both sides are right. Moltbot represents the most ambitious attempt yet to bring … Read more

Valve’s Steam Monopoly Trial Advances, Threatening Game Pricing Power Worldwide

Valve’s Steam Faces Landmark UK Lawsuit as Pricing Power Comes Under Fire

Valve’s dominance in PC gaming has long been regarded as one of the most remarkable success stories in modern digital commerce. Steam, the company’s flagship platform, transformed how games are distributed, updated, monetized, and preserved. For millions of players, Steam is not just a storefront—it is the PC gaming ecosystem itself. Yet in 2026, that dominance has become the foundation of one of the most consequential legal challenges the gaming industry has ever faced. A UK court has now ruled that Valve cannot dismiss a £656 million (approximately $900 million) collective action lawsuit alleging anti-competitive pricing and unfair market practices. … Read more

Halide Visionary Returns as Apple Reinforces Its Design Powerhouse

Sebastiaan de With’s Return Signals a Strategic Shift in Apple’s Design Philosophy

Apple has never been just a technology company. At its core, it has always been a design-first organization, one that treats interfaces, interactions, and aesthetics as inseparable from engineering. The announcement that Sebastiaan de With, cofounder of the critically acclaimed Halide and Lux camera apps, is joining Apple’s Human Interface Design (HID) team is more than a personnel update. It is a strategic statement about where Apple believes its design future lies. For longtime Apple observers and design professionals, this move carries deep symbolic weight. De With is not an outsider entering Apple’s culture for the first time; rather, he … Read more

Quantum Computing Bubble Nears Peak as Reality Threatens 2026 Reckoning

When Breakthrough Technology Meets Market Excess

Quantum computing is often described as the next great leap in human computation—a technology capable of solving problems that classical computers may never crack. From molecular simulations to cryptography and advanced AI optimization, the promise is enormous. But history shows that revolutionary technology does not guarantee revolutionary returns for early investors. As 2026 begins, publicly traded quantum computing companies such as IonQ, Rigetti Computing, D-Wave Quantum, and Quantum Computing Inc. have reached market capitalizations that rival mature, revenue-generating technology firms—despite generating only a fraction of the income. This growing disconnect between technological potential and financial reality has raised a serious … Read more

Apple Creator Studio Launches: Subscriptions, Standalone Apps, And The Fine Print

Apple’s Creator Studio: A Strategic Shift Without Burning Old Bridges

Apple’s newly launched Creator Studio subscription marks one of the most carefully balanced pivots in the company’s software history. Unlike many tech giants that have aggressively forced users into subscription-only ecosystems, Apple is attempting something far more nuanced—one that blends subscriptions, standalone purchases, and free access in a way that feels distinctly “Apple.” At $12.99 per month or $129 annually, Creator Studio offers access to a wide portfolio of professional creative tools across macOS and iPadOS. For students and educators, the pricing drops dramatically to $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year, making it one of the most affordable professional … Read more

Xbox Hardware Sales Crash 32% as Microsoft’s Services Engine Powers Ahead

A Profitable Quarter With Uneven Foundations

Microsoft’s Q4 2025 earnings report tells a story of two sharply contrasting realities. On one hand, the company is enjoying robust financial health, driven by cloud computing, enterprise software, and subscription-based services. On the other, its once-celebrated gaming hardware business—particularly Xbox consoles—is showing signs of prolonged structural decline. With overall quarterly revenue reaching $81.3 billion, up 17% year-over-year, Microsoft continues to outperform many of its peers in the global technology sector. Yet buried within this strong headline number lies a concerning data point: Xbox hardware revenue plunged 32% compared to the same quarter last year. This divergence highlights a fundamental … Read more

Steam Machine Pricing Leak Signals Valve’s Most Expensive Hardware Gamble Yet

Steam Machine Pricing Leak Suggests Valve Is Redefining the Cost of Console-Style PC Gaming

Valve’s long-rumored return to the living room is no longer theoretical. While the company has remained conspicuously silent on the official pricing and release schedule of the Steam Machine, new retailer listings emerging from Europe may have inadvertently revealed Valve’s hand. If accurate, these prices signal a dramatic repositioning of the Steam Machine—not as a mass-market console rival, but as a premium console-style PC that sits above traditional gaming systems in both cost and ambition. The implications extend far beyond sticker shock. They speak to Valve’s philosophy, the economics of modern hardware manufacturing, and the increasingly blurred line between consoles … Read more

Why I Finally Replaced Google Photos With Self-Hosted Immich

I finally replaced Google Photos with self-hosted Immich. Local backups, AI search, multi-user sharing—no cloud, no subscriptions. It’s closer than you think. #selfhosting #privacytech #immich #opensource

Google Photos has long been considered the gold standard of photo management. Its seamless backups, intelligent search, facial recognition, and polished mobile experience have set expectations so high that abandoning it often feels impractical, if not reckless. Yet, in a world increasingly shaped by subscription fatigue, data monetization, and opaque cloud policies, the appeal of self-hosting has never been stronger. As someone deeply invested in self-hosted infrastructure, I’ve spent years migrating away from recurring cloud services in favor of local alternatives powered by my own hardware. Streaming, file storage, media libraries, and backups have all found new homes on my … Read more

3 Overlooked Open-Source Apps Power Users Quietly Rely On Daily

Three Free Open-Source Apps Power Users Swear By—but Mainstream Lists Ignore

In the modern tech ecosystem, app recommendation lists have become painfully predictable. LibreOffice replaces Microsoft Office. GIMP replaces Photoshop. Firefox replaces Chrome. While these tools are undeniably powerful and deserve recognition, they barely scratch the surface of what the open-source ecosystem truly offers. Beneath the surface exists a class of free and open-source software (FOSS) that doesn’t chase mass adoption, glossy marketing, or corporate partnerships—but quietly solves real, often critical problems for advanced users. As someone who has spent years evaluating productivity tools, security software, Linux utilities, and emerging AI applications, I’ve noticed a consistent pattern: the most transformative tools … Read more

CES 2026 Redefines Television With Micro RGB, Brighter OLEDs, Massive Screens

CES 2026 and the Future of Television: A Reviewer’s Perspective

The Consumer Electronics Show has always been a strange mix of fantasy and reality. On one hand, it’s a playground for experimental ideas that may never leave the convention floor. On the other, it’s where the television industry quietly reveals what living rooms around the world will look like in the near future. CES 2026 leaned more toward the latter. After more than a decade of reviewing televisions professionally, I’ve learned that not every “revolutionary” display technology survives contact with real-world usage. Some disappear quietly. Others arrive years late or in forms far removed from their original promise. That context … Read more

Keychron Reinvents Input Devices With Adaptive Trackball And Ultra Keyboards

Keychron’s CES 2026 Moment: From Keyboards to a New Input Philosophy

For years, Keychron has been synonymous with premium mechanical keyboards. The brand earned its reputation by blending enthusiast-grade design with mainstream accessibility, winning over programmers, gamers, writers, and hardware purists alike. At CES 2026, however, Keychron made it clear that it no longer sees itself as just a keyboard company. Walking into Keychron’s booth this year felt less like visiting a peripheral manufacturer and more like stepping into an experimental lab for next-generation human-computer interaction. While the company did unveil multiple new keyboard lines, the product that immediately commanded attention wasn’t a keyboard at all. It was a small, oddly … Read more

Roborock’s Stair-Climbing Robot Vacuum Redefines Home Cleaning Robotics Forever

The Robot Vacuum That Learned to Walk: How Roborock’s Saros Rover Changes Everything

For more than two decades, robot vacuums have promised hands-free cleaning, yet they have remained trapped by a fundamental limitation: flat surfaces. No matter how intelligent their navigation or powerful their suction, most robot vacuums still behave like cautious discs, helpless in front of stairs, thick thresholds, or uneven terrain. At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Roborock shattered that limitation. The company unveiled the Saros Rover, a fully functional robot vacuum that doesn’t just roll—it walks. Equipped with leg-like wheel mechanisms inspired by human biomechanics, the Saros Rover climbs stairs while actively cleaning, lifts itself over obstacles, pivots in tight … Read more

AI Uncovers Hidden Weaknesses Inside Fluid Equations That Define Reality

AI and the Search for Hidden Glitches in the Mathematics of Fluid Flow

For nearly two centuries, the equations governing fluid motion have been among the most trusted pillars of physics and engineering. From predicting weather systems and ocean currents to designing aircraft and modeling blood flow in the human body, the Navier–Stokes equations have long been treated as mathematically sound and physically complete. Yet behind this apparent certainty lies one of the greatest unresolved problems in modern mathematics: Do these equations always make sense? Or do they secretly fail under extreme conditions? Now, aided by specially trained artificial intelligence systems, mathematicians are uncovering new evidence that the equations describing fluid flow may … Read more

LG W6 Wallpaper OLED Redefines Brightness, Design, And Wireless TV Tech

LG W6 Wallpaper OLED TV

At CES 2026, LG once again asserted its dominance in premium television technology with the unveiling of the W6 Wallpaper OLED TV—a product that blends extreme industrial design with meaningful advancements in brightness, color reproduction, and wireless connectivity. More than just another incremental OLED upgrade, the W6 represents a deliberate rethinking of how high-end televisions should integrate into modern living spaces. The “Wallpaper” name may be familiar to longtime LG watchers, but the W6 is not a nostalgic revival. Instead, it is a forward-looking reinterpretation of the concept that aligns with current demands for minimalist aesthetics, brighter displays suitable for … Read more

CES 2026’s Biggest Tech Absences Reveal Industry Strategy Shifts

The 5 Biggest No-Shows of CES 2026: What the Silence Really Means

CES has always been about spectacle. Giant keynotes, surprise silicon reveals, and ambitious product roadmaps define the annual Consumer Electronics Show. CES 2026 was no different—except for what didn’t happen. While AI PCs, Panther Lake, next-gen displays, and automotive tech dominated the show floor, a noticeable silence surrounded several highly anticipated hardware launches. NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel all arrived with strong messaging, yet conspicuously avoided unveiling some of the most rumored products leading into the event. For industry watchers, this wasn’t just disappointment—it was a signal. In the modern semiconductor industry, what companies delay can be just as strategic as … Read more

Bosch vs Avinox Showdown Redefines Performance Standards in Modern E-MTBs

When E-Mountain Bikes Become a Systems Engineering Test

Electric mountain bikes have reached a point where incremental upgrades no longer tell the full story. In 2026, the e-MTB conversation has shifted from raw power figures and battery capacity to something far more nuanced: system efficiency, ride feel, integration quality, and adaptability across real-world terrain. During an intensive two-week field test in Bentonville, Arkansas—one of North America’s most diverse trail networks—a group of elite testers put six top-tier e-MTBs through structured challenges, uncontrolled exploration, and a final blind endurance test that stripped away brand bias and forced raw performance to the surface. At the center of this showdown stood … Read more

Plex Expands Free Live TV Lineup, Strengthening FAST Streaming Revolution

Free Streaming Enters a New Phase as Plex Expands Its Live TV Ecosystem

As subscription fatigue intensifies and streaming prices continue to climb, the entertainment industry is undergoing a quiet but powerful shift. Free ad-supported television, commonly known as FAST, is no longer a secondary option—it is becoming a core pillar of digital media consumption. At the center of this transition is Plex, a platform long associated with personal media libraries that has steadily evolved into a full-scale streaming destination. To begin 2026, Plex has expanded its already impressive 600+ free live TV channel lineup, adding three new 24/7 channels that further strengthen its position in the FAST ecosystem. While the announcement itself … Read more

Pimax Redefines PC VR Headsets With Micro-OLED Breakthrough at CES

Pimax’s CES 2026 Showcase Signals a New Era for PC-Based Virtual Reality

At the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, virtual reality hardware manufacturer Pimax made a decisive statement about the future of PC-based VR. In a landscape increasingly split between standalone headsets and enterprise-grade immersive systems, Pimax reaffirmed its commitment to enthusiasts, professionals, and simulation users who demand uncompromising visual fidelity and performance. The company unveiled three new personal computer-based VR headsets—the Crystal Super Micro-OLED, Dream Air, and Dream Air SE—each designed to serve a distinct segment of the VR market while sharing a common technological foundation. These headsets are not incremental upgrades; they represent a strategic evolution driven by … Read more

This Affordable Windows 11 Pro Upgrade Can Make Old PCs Feel New

Why an Affordable Windows 11 Pro Upgrade Can Revitalize an Aging PC

For millions of PC users, the feeling that a computer has become “outdated” creeps in gradually. Applications take longer to open, multitasking feels sluggish, and the interface itself begins to look dated compared to newer devices. While many people assume that replacing hardware is the only solution, the reality is often far simpler: the operating system matters more than most users realize. In early 2026, a limited-time offer has brought renewed attention to Microsoft’s Windows 11 Pro, offering a one-time license at a price so low it challenges conventional assumptions about software value. At just under ten dollars—down from a … Read more

Baldur’s Gate 3 Writer Reveals Why Wyll’s Story Fell Short

Baldur’s Gate 3 and the Case of Wyll Ravengard: When Ambition Meets Development Reality

Few modern role-playing games have reached the cultural and critical heights achieved by Baldur’s Gate 3. Developed by Larian Studios, the game has been widely praised for its deep reactivity, richly written companions, and unprecedented freedom of player choice. Yet, even within a title celebrated as a landmark in RPG storytelling, one recurring critique has persisted among players and critics alike: Wyll Ravengard’s personal arc feels underdeveloped. This perception has followed the character since Early Access and only intensified after launch, despite post-release patches, expanded endings, and epilogue updates. Now, thanks to candid comments from Larian’s senior writing staff, players … Read more