All posts tagged: computers

Meta Installing Software on Employee Computers to Track Everything They Do, Feed the Data to AI

Meta Installing Software on Employee Computers to Track Everything They Do, Feed the Data to AI

Published by José Betancourt

Sign up to see the future, today Can’t-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech As if activity-monitoring software installed on your work computer that snitches on you if you’re away from the keyboard for too long wasn’t enough, Meta is taking the trend to its logical — and dystopian surveillance state-level — conclusion. As Reuters reports, the Mark Zuckerberg-led company is installing new tracking software on all of its US-based employees’ computers that tracks all of their mouse movements and keystrokes, data that will be used for training the company’s AI models. The company is reportedly looking to develop AI agents that can complete work tasks autonomously, in perhaps one of the more conspicuous efforts to automate human workers’s jobs we’ve come across as of late. Besides the ethical concerns of forcing employees to train their AI replacements, the news also raises thorny questions regarding data privacy. Meta, in particular, has garnered an incredibly poor reputation when it comes to protecting personal data. According to an internal memo obtained by Reuters, the …

Framework Has a Better, More Take-Apart-Able Laptop

Framework Has a Better, More Take-Apart-Able Laptop

Published by skeptic

Framework, the company that makes laptops designed for optimal repairability, announced a new version of its main product, a 13-inch screen laptop. It’s called the Framework Laptop 13 Pro, and it has far better battery life, a touchscreen, a haptic touchpad, and is fitted with Intel processors. At an event in San Francisco today, Framework CEO Nirav Patel showed off the company’s new tech, opening with a joke about making Framework AI—something the company is very much not doing. Framework’s whole thing, after all, is aiming to give users control over the physical tech they use. “That industry is fighting for you to own nothing, and they own everything,” Patel said about the AI industry. “We’re fighting for a future where you can own everything and be free.” Framework used the event to detail other updates coming to its 16-inch laptop. It also showed off previews of an official developer kit and a wireless keyboard for controlling your rig from the couch. Framework 13 Pro The Framework Laptop 13 Pro. Courtesy of Framework As the …

Best Gaming Laptops (2026): Razer, Asus, Dell, and More

Best Gaming Laptops (2026): Razer, Asus, Dell, and More

Published by skeptic

Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 (16 Inch, Intel) Now, there’s another class of high-end gaming laptop that focuses more on performance than being thin or portable. The Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 is one of my favorites in this class, featuring a beautiful white chassis and glossy OLED display. Unlike some OLED displays, the Legion 7i’s screen can be cranked up to over 1,000 nits of brightness. The result is some really splendid HDR performance that brings games to life. HDR is a powerful way of improving the visuals of your games without a performance cost. The Legion 7i Gen 10 is one of the very best in this regard. It’s still fairly thin at 0.7 inches thick too, while a lot of the ports are found on the back. It’s the definition of a “clean” gaming laptop. It’s no slouch when it comes to performance either, offering either the RTX 5070 Ti or RTX 5080 for graphics. Cheap Gaming Laptops That Are Worth It No gaming laptops worth buying are actually cheap. High-refresh rate …

We might finally know how to use quantum computers to boost AI

We might finally know how to use quantum computers to boost AI

Published by skeptic

Quantum computing and AI may one day work together NESPIX/Shutterstock Quantum computers might eventually be able to handle some AI applications that currently require huge amounts of conventional computing power. Such a development would be a major boost to machine learning and similar artificial intelligence algorithms. Quantum computers hold the promise of eventually being able to complete certain calculations that are impossible for conventional computers. For years, researchers have been debating whether these advantages over conventional computers extend to tasks that involve lots of data, and the algorithms that learn from them – in other words, the machine learning that underlies many AI programs. Now, Hsin-Yuan Huang at the quantum computing firm Oratomic and his colleagues argue that the answer ought to be “yes”. Their mathematical work aims to lay the foundations for a future where quantum computers offer a broad boost to AI. “Machine learning is really utilised everywhere in science and technology and also everyday life. In a world where we can build this [quantum computing] architecture, I feel like it can be …

Asus TUF Gaming A14 (2026) Review: GPU-Less Gaming Laptop

Asus TUF Gaming A14 (2026) Review: GPU-Less Gaming Laptop

Published by skeptic

In the past, I’ve stayed away from Asus TUF laptops, as it was the bottom-tier in terms of design. That meant chunky chassis, poor displays, and thick bezels. The models from 2025 looked more modern, but the prices weren’t competitive with some of my favorite cheap gaming laptops like the Lenovo LOQ 15 and Acer Nitro V 16. But again, the TUF A14 is something new, and the design is impressive. It’s right around the same thickness and weight as the 14-inch MacBook Pro, and the bezels around the sides of the screen are really trim. The bottom bezel is thick, primarily because the A14 uses a 16:9 aspect ratio screen. I won’t belabor that point, but it means less screen and more bezel in the same footprint. Overall, it’s very subtle. The gaming aesthetic is heavily downplayed, with only a few elements left, such as the typeface on the keycaps and the shape of the vents below the hinge. There’s not even per-key backlighting on the keyboard. Photograph: Luke Larsen Photograph: Luke Larsen You’d …

The Surprising MacBook Neo Competitor You’ve Never Heard Of

The Surprising MacBook Neo Competitor You’ve Never Heard Of

Published by skeptic

The MacBook Neo made quite a splash when it landed in March. $599 for a MacBook felt groundbreaking, and it was easy for casual onlookers to declare that Windows laptops had no true answer to it. But what if I told you there was a Windows option that was better in almost every way? That’s the HP OmniBook 5, a laptop you’ve probably never heard of unless you watch the space closely. I’ve been recommending it ever since I tested it last month. The price has been fluctuating, but more often than not, the 14-inch model was selling for $500. You read that right: $500. Today, the cheapest, most consistent price you’ll find it for is $730 over at Walmart, but I’ve seen the HP frequently drop the price from $1,050 down to around $500. And just take a look at what you get for the price, because it’s absolutely stacked. It comes with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage, double what you get on the $599 MacBook Neo. There’s a 16-inch …

Quantum computers could usher in a crisis worse than Y2K

Quantum computers could usher in a crisis worse than Y2K

Published by skeptic

The moment where quantum computers break encryption appears to be getting closer dem10/Getty Images Quantum computers could cause a global security crisis that makes the once-feared millennium bug, or Y2K, look quaint. This infamous computer risk was averted through the persistent behind-the-scenes work of engineers across the world, but whether the new threat will be tackled similarly is an urgent yet unresolved question. Most digital communications and transactions are protected by cryptography based on mathematical problems that are unsolvable by conventional computers but are solvable by a sufficiently capable quantum computer. Researchers have understood this since the late 1990s, but the day when this capable-enough quantum computer comes online – or Q-Day – was thought to be very far in the future. Much has changed since. Working quantum computers are now a reality, and recent leaps in how to use them are bringing Q-Day ever closer. Since the beginning of 2026, several studies have found that the two most common encryption methods, RSA-2048 and ECDLP-256, could be broken by quantum computers projected to exist by …

Best 2-in-1 Laptops (2026): Microsoft, Lenovo, and the iPad

Best 2-in-1 Laptops (2026): Microsoft, Lenovo, and the iPad

Published by skeptic

There will always be a use case for owning both a laptop and a tablet as stand-alone products. But the 2-in-1 laptop is the utopian dream of combining these two into a single device. Of all the models I’ve tested, no 2-in-1 laptop is equally good at being both a tablet and a laptop. They always lean toward one or the other. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy one, especially since the convenience of having both in one device makes it an easier pill to swallow, price-wise. The products below should meet most people’s needs. But if none are a fit for you, check out our other computer buying guides, including the Best Cheap Laptops, the Best Tablets, and the Best iPad. Table of Contents AccordionItemContainerButton Detachable Tablets Microsoft Surface Pro 13-inch (11th Edition, 2024) If you want a 2-in-1, think first about a detachable tablet. These are basically tablets that attach to a keyboard. This form factor emphasizes being able to switch between tablet and laptop modes. It’s just as functional as a …

We urgently need to prepare for quantum computers breaking encryption

We urgently need to prepare for quantum computers breaking encryption

Published by skeptic

Dragon Claws/Getty Images Something very bad is going to happen in the near future unless we change course. Researchers know what will cause it and roughly when it will happen, and have ideas to mitigate it. Yet policy-makers may not do enough to avert it in time. This could be describing climate change, or perhaps the early days of the covid-19 pandemic. Now, it also applies to something more esoteric:quantum computers. As we report here, two separate papers, including one from Google, have discovered that the threshold for a quantum computer to threaten the encryption that keeps our data safe is far lower than expected. The knowledge that quantum computers will one day be able to quickly solve the maths problems that underpin our security isn’t new – it is perhaps one of thefew well-grounded applications of these exotic machines. What is new is that this moment, labelled Q-Day by some, may be far closer than anyone expected. Should it arrive unbidden, the results will be catastrophic: emails hacked, bank accounts emptied and secrets spilled. …

Best Laptop Stands (2026): After Testing 25+ Models, These 5 Stand Out

Best Laptop Stands (2026): After Testing 25+ Models, These 5 Stand Out

Published by skeptic

What to Look for in a Laptop Stand AccordionItemContainerButton When shopping for a laptop stand, think about how and where you’ll use it, and how much you’re willing to spend. Here’s what you need to consider: Do you need portability? If you commute or like to work from a coffee shop, opt for a foldable laptop stand that fits in your bag. Some models even double as cases, like Moft’s Carry Sleeve. Material preferences? Laptop stands come in a variety of materials—aluminum, steel, plastic, wood, etc. Aluminum models are generally lightweight and excellent for heat dissipation. Steel stands are sturdier but heavier, and plastic tends to be more affordable but also wobblier. If aesthetics matter, some wooden models like Grovemade’s Walnut Stand or Oakywood Laptop Stand add a bit more warmth and polish to your space. How adjustable? Everyone’s workspace is different, and everybody is different, so most people benefit from an adjustable stand that lets you tweak your setup. If you’re using a sit-stand desk, you’ll want a stand that accommodates both modes. Some …