ARTICLES

Cybersecurity researchers are warning of a growing increase in firmware level attacks targeting business-class laptops, a trend that poses serious risks to organizations due to its stealth and persistence. Unlike traditional malware, firmware-based threats operate below the operating system, making them extremely difficult to detect and remove. Recent research indicates that attackers are increasingly targeting UEFI and BIOS firmware on laptops used in corporate and governmen

Image source: Intel Intel has announced plans to develop a custom Panther Lake CPU specifically for handheld gaming PCs, as it moves to establish a full “handheld gaming platform” and enter an increasingly competitive market. Qualcomm has been hinting at potential Windows gaming handhelds appearing at the Game Developers Conference in March, while AMD’s new Strix Halo chips could pave the way for more powerful portable systems. According to reports from IGN and TechCrunch, In

As we predicted, the world’s biggest consumer electronics show turned out to be something of a let-down for gamers this year. CES 2026 delivered a handful of interesting gamepads, but scarcely any handhelds and not a single new desktop GPU, not from Nvidia, not from Intel, and not from AMD. Yet for those willing to look closely, AMD made two understated disclosures at this year’s show that are well worth paying attention to. Did you notice that the company is preparing to mak

Published:  January 2026 Category:  Technology, Consumer Electronics, Tech Industry Developments CES has long been the place where future technology first appears  often years before it is practical, affordable, or widely understood. Some ideas launched there go on to shape daily life. Others disappear entirely. But the starting point is often the same. From oversized televisions to early smart devices, CES has acted as a proving ground where companies test what consumers mig

Microsoft has released an urgent security update for Windows 11 to fix a high severity zero day vulnerability that was actively exploited before a patch was available. The flaw affected a core operating system component and allowed attackers to escalate privileges, bypass built-in security protections, and ultimately take full control of compromised systems. The vulnerability was addressed in Microsoft’s latest cumulative Windows 11 security update, and the company is urging

Published:  January 2026 Category:  Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Big Tech Strategy Apple’s decision to use Google’s Gemini models to power the next evolution of Siri is less about long-term dependence and more about buying time. As the race toward agent-based AI accelerates, Apple needs a capable, proven foundation while it continues developing its own in-house models. Rather than placing visible Google branding across its devices, Apple is expected to integrate Gemin

ChatGPT is introducing advertising for its free version  and a new $8-per-month “Go” tier , marking a shift in how the AI platform is funded. Higher-priced plans will remain ad-free. The move reflects the rising cost of running large AI systems and OpenAI’s effort to balance accessibility with sustainability. Adverts will help keep ChatGPT free for casual users while encouraging more frequent users to upgrade to premium subscriptions. The Go tier sits between the free and Plu

Tesla is changing how customers access its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, moving to a subscription-only model from 14 February 2026 . The company will no longer offer FSD as a one-off purchase, requiring drivers to pay a monthly fee to continue using the feature. Previously, buyers could either pay an upfront fee of around $8,000 (£6,300)  or subscribe monthly. Under the new system, cancelling the subscription will mean losing access to FSD, even though the vehicle itself

Spotify, the world’s most popular music streaming service, has announced that the cost of its subscription plans will increase again early in 2026. The company has confirmed that users in the United States, Estonia and Latvia will see higher monthly charges for their Spotify Premium plans from their next billing date, beginning in February 2026. The changes form part of what has become a broader trend of rising subscription prices across the company’s global markets. Under th

T TikTok has announced that it will soon introduce new technology to check the ages of its users in Europe, following rising pressure from regulators and lawmakers concerned about the safety of children online. The move is part of an effort to enforce existing age limits and stop children under 13 from using the popular video-sharing app. The company, owned by Chinese group ByteDance, said the new system is being rolled out across Europe in the coming weeks after a year-long

AI cloud computing startup Runpod has reached an impressive $120 million in annual recurring revenue, marking a major milestone for a company that began with a simple Reddit post. Founded in 2021, Runpod has grown rapidly by targeting developers who need affordable and flexible access to powerful GPU infrastructure for AI workloads. The company was started by engineers who initially repurposed unused GPUs from cryptocurrency mining rigs. Rather than pursuing traditional marke

Microsoft has rolled out an emergency out of band update for Windows 11 after a recent patch caused serious problems across a wide range of devices. The issues affected core system functions, with many users reporting that their PCs would not shut down properly. Others found themselves unable to sign in at all, leaving some systems effectively unusable. The problems began shortly after the latest security update was released. As complaints increased, it became clear that the

A Chinese mobile application whose original name literally asked “Are you dead?” has become a viral hit and is now being rebranded with a new name as its makers prepare for an international rollout. The app, developed by a small independent team, was known in Mandarin as Sileme  — which translates directly as “Are you dead?” — and has surged to the top of China’s paid download charts after striking a chord with millions of people living alone in cities. Designed as a simple s

Chinese smartphone maker Honor  turned heads at the CES 2026  technology show in Las Vegas by revealing a prototype of its ambitious new Robot Phone  — a device that blends robotics, artificial intelligence and smartphone technology in a way that could redefine what a phone can do. Rather than a traditional static camera module, the Robot Phone  features a built-in robotic gimbal camera arm  that can extend and swivel from the back of the handset. The concept is designed to g

Samsung Electronics is accelerating its push into artificial intelligence, announcing plans to mass-produce 800 million AI-powered mobile devices in 2026 , as the global technology industry shifts toward more practical and integrated uses of AI. The move signals Samsung’s intent to strengthen its position against competitors such as Apple and fast-growing Chinese smartphone makers, while reinforcing AI as a core feature across its consumer electronics portfolio. According to

Major technology and automotive companies are forming new partnerships to push forward self-driving vehicles after years of setbacks and high development costs, with much of the momentum on display at CES 2026 in Las Vegas. The self-driving car sector has struggled with expensive delays and safety challenges, but firms including Nvidia, Lucid, Nuro and Uber announced collaborations to accelerate autonomous mobility. Nvidia introduced its latest AI-driven platform, Alpamayo, w

It has been a turbulent period in cybersecurity, with a newly disclosed vulnerability in React Server Components rapidly turning into a widespread attack vector days after its discovery. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2025-55182 and nicknamed React2Shell , allows unauthenticated remote code execution on vulnerable systems without any special permissions, making it one of the most serious vulnerabilities to surface in recent years. React is a foundational open-source framework for

Anthropic has taken a significant step into the healthcare space with the launch of Claude for Healthcare, a new suite of features designed to help users better understand their personal medical information. Under this initiative, subscribers in the United States on Claude’s Pro and Max plans can now choose to link their health records and lab results directly to Claude, the company’s advanced AI assistant, through partnerships with services such as HealthEx and Function Heal

Roborock has unveiled what it claims is the world’s first “two-wheel-leg” robot vacuum , revealing the futuristic device at CES 2026 . The breakthrough design could finally solve one of robot vacuums’ biggest challenges: stairs . According to Roborock’s press release, each wheel-leg is capable of independent movement, providing reach, lift and height while mimicking human mobility. This allows the robot to raise and lower each leg separately, perform small jumps, make agile t

At CES 2026 a Finnish company called IXI revealed what could be a major leap forward in eyewear technology with smart glasses that automatically adjust focus based on where the wearer is looking. Conventional glasses have fixed focus or rely on bifocal and progressive lenses that require the user to look through specific areas for different distances. IXI’s design aims to eliminate this compromise. The glasses use a combination of liquid crystal lenses and an eye-tracking sys