# technology

A $30 router with a built-in VPN? I had to try it - and haven't had any regrets

The GL.iNet Mango mini smart router gives me total control of how I access the internet when I travel.

SSD prices are crazy, but this 8TB WD-Black option is 67% off at Best Buy right now

The AI industry is driving up prices for RAM and SSDs, but we found a great deal on the WD Black SN850P.

Amazon is running a Fire sale on its 4K TV Sticks for up to 50% off right now

Grab a Fire TV Stick 4K Plus or better at a major discount ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale.

How to turn on Google's free VPN on your Pixel - it's worth your 30 seconds

Pixel phones feature a free VPN that's buried in the Settings app. Here's how to find it and why you should use it.

How to disable ACR on your TV - and why doing so is critical for your privacy

Your Samsung, LG, and even Sony TV comes with risks you should know about. Here's how to avoid one of the biggest.

· about 1 month ago· The Next Web

Recap: Europe’s top funding rounds this week (16 -22 March)

A quieter week by headline standards, but one that reveals a great deal about where European venture capital is quietly concentrating: AI agents for physical industries, agritech automation, and the growing operator-to-VC pipeline. What the week of 16-22 March delivered was something different in te

#technology #the-next-web

This USB-C accessory gave my iPhone and Android an unexpectedly useful superpower

If you enjoy being outdoors but are prone to insect bites, this unusual accessory could be a game-changer.

· about 1 month ago· The Next Web

Air Street Capital’s $232m fund is now Europe’s biggest solo GP raise

For most of the past decade, the received wisdom in European venture capital was simple enough: if you wanted a serious fund, you needed a partnership. The large teams, the committee structures, the distributed decision-making, these were treated not merely as operational choices but as a kind of in

#technology #the-next-web

· about 1 month ago· Engadget

Elon Musk announces Terafab project he claims will be the 'largest chip manufacturing facility ever'

Elon Musk has announced the Terafab project, a joint venture between Tesla, SpaceX and xAI, to build the "largest chip manufacturing facility ever." In his usual grandiose fashion, Musk claims Terafab is the next step towards harnessing the power of the sun and creating a "galactic civilization." Mu

#technology #engadget

This Linux desktop runs like an app on your current desktop - and it's amazing

Orbitiny is snappy, portable, and feels like a native experience.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max: I compared the flagship phones, and this one wins

Samsung's latest flagship phone offers some impressive features, but how does it compare to the most powerful iPhone to date?

· about 1 month ago· Engadget

Crimson Desert developer apologizes and promises to replace AI-generated art

The developer behind the open-world RPG Crimson Desert has issued an official apology after players discovered several instances of AI-generated art in the game. Pearl Abyss posted on X that it released the game with some 2D visual props that were made with "experimental AI generative tools" and for

#technology #engadget

I compared Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T 5G coverage on a road trip - and the winner surprised me

Between the three biggest mobile carriers in the US, here's which one delivers the best (and most consistent) network signal.

Online age checks came first — a VPN crackdown could be next

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more news about online age verification and your privacy, follow Emma Roth. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started Virtual private ne

AI was everywhere at gaming’s big developer conference — except the games

AI was everywhere at the GDC Festival of Gaming this year. Vendors at the event pitched generative AI tools for things like making AI-driven NPCs and even entire games from a chat box. On the show floor, I spent 10 minutes playing a demo of a pixel-art fantasy world generated by Tencent's AI tools.

The pint-sized Sonos Roam 2 is more than 20 percent off this weekend

Sonos is no stranger to the occasional sale. The iconic audio company routinely runs sales around Black Friday, Amazon Prime Day, and the Super Bowl, though it’s rare to see substantial discounts on its portable speakers outside of tentpole shopping events. Fortunately, if you have no interest in th

The secret story of the vocoder, the military tech that changed music forever

The vocoder was never supposed to be a revolution in music. It wasn't supposed to be anything in music, really. Its development began a century ago, when an engineer at Bell Labs was looking for a simpler way to send phone calls across copper telephone lines. The engineer, Homer Dudley, built some p

Musk says he’s building Terafab chip plant in Austin, Texas

Grok, how do you make chips? | Image: Laura Normand / The Verge Elon Musk announced plans to build a Terafab plant in Austin, Texas, that will be jointly run by Tesla and SpaceX. The goal is to eventually build chips at scale for robotics, artificial intelligence, and space-based data centers for Mu

The best deals you can already grab from Amazon’s Big Spring Sale

Amazon’s Prime Day sale may arrive earlier than usual this year, but there’s a deal event happening much sooner: Amazon’s annual Big Spring Sale, which is happening March 25th through the 31st. While it won’t be as big as Prime Day or Black Friday, it does offer you a chance to save money at a time