The smartphone industry’s next battleground may not be the phone itself, but how consumers get it. As premium devices become more expensive, Apple, Samsung, and others are betting that leasing, subscriptions, and guaranteed buyback programs can make upgrading more attractive. This week, Apple launched Apple Upgrade in the U.S. in partnership with Klarna, allowing consumers…
Cybercriminals are using AI to move faster, and companies are paying a premium when those attacks lead to data breaches. IBM found that AI played a role in one in four malicious breaches examined for its 2026 Cost of a Data Breach Report, a 56% increase from the previous year. These incidents cost organizations an…
The Moon is still in its waning gibbous phase following the Full Moon. Here’s what you can see on its surface tonight. What is today’s Moon phase? As of Sunday, Aug. 2, NASA’s Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in Waning Gibbous phase, with 87% of its surface visible. You don’t…
This week, WIRED obtained a memo that tied dozens of cyberattacks against Minnesota water and wastewater utilities to Iran, the first official documentation of Iran’s likely responsibility for the most impactful campaign of cyberattacks to hit the US in the midst of the war that began nearly six months ago. In other news, more details…
Despite a lawsuit from xAI, a Minnesota ban on apps that allow users to “nudify” images can move forward, according to NBC News. U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank’s ruling focused as much on the timing of xAI’s lawsuit as on the substance of the law itself. Frank wrote that xAI filed its request for a…
The office desk is no longer the default setting for business computing. HP’s 2026 commercial PC lineup includes Intel-powered laptops, convertibles, and desktops built for employees moving between meeting rooms, home offices, client sites, and shared workspaces. First announced at HP Imagine 2026, the lineup includes Intel configurations across HP’s EliteBook, ProBook, and EliteDesk families,…
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine. There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it’ll take…
Perhaps more importantly, Rorra, Boroux, and Culligan have shed nearly all plastic from their devices, especially in areas that come in contact with filtered water. Boroux in particular has taken the extra step of attaining certification for microplastic filtration. If microplastics are a big concern for you, the new generation of gravity-fed filters does quite…
Six twentysomethings in East London have built what they say is the anti-San Francisco hacker house. The goal is a “holistic improvement in life,” rather than “12 weeks, Demo Day is coming,” Rowan Aldean, 26, explained. Intrigued, I spent an afternoon visiting the house, meeting its residents, and doing a vibe check. I arrived after…
Samsung’s record second-quarter earnings were powered almost entirely by its semiconductor business, masking losses in the division that includes smartphones, televisions and home appliances. With the mobile business under pressure from higher component costs, Samsung is relying on the newly launched Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Fold8 and Flip8 to lift premium sales and improve the…
