IT General

I'm not a huge fan of laptops, and while there are many reasons for that, perhaps my biggest problem is the lack of screen real estate. Even 18-inch laptops just don't give me enough space to work efficiently.

As Google Drive fills up, finding the file you need can get frustrating. Basic search either misses what you’re looking for or throws back too many results, making it hard to narrow things down. I used to struggle with this, too, but after learning a few search tricks, I can now find files in seconds.

When smart bulbs first hit the market, I wanted in. However, the prices made that hard to justify. If you wanted something that works with Google Home, you had to pay around $30 a piece for something like the Philips Hue, and that was (and still is) a tough pill to swallow.

It's been years since flagship phones ditched the headphone jack, yet I can't stop thinking how nice it'd be if they'd replace that old jack with a second USB-C port. Some gaming phones already offer this feature, and it's a standard thing for handheld PCs, but mainstream smartphones from brands like Apple and Samsung need to adopt the dual-port design.

This isn't a story I expected to write. As a longtime eReader owner, I never saw the appeal of reading books on a phone. Yet I've slowly transformed into someone who reads books on their phone almost every day (and my wife does, too). Here's why I ditched by eReader and decided my smartphone was the better option.

While you might think you need a high-powered machine to learn to code, your current machine or even an older laptop will likely be all you need to get started. Here's why.

Maintenance and repair costs are one of the biggest factors that affect long-term vehicle ownership, but few shoppers research them until it’s too late. In 2025, one SUV stands out above the rest for having the lowest average maintenance costs in its class, making it an ideal choice for buyers who want peace of mind and minimal expense over years of ownership. Whether you’re commuting daily, shuttling families, or hauling gear on weekend trips, lower upkeep means more savings down the road.

Netflix has released the trailer for the last episode in Stranger Things' fifth and final season, teasing the end of the Duffer Brothers' hit series after a decade-long run. We've come a long way since the vanishing of Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) in November 1983. 

It's been four years since Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) first encountered Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and the Upside Down, and now their battle against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) is finally coming to a head. 

Having learned more about the Upside Down's true nature and Venca's ultimate plan, the Hawkins teens are on a mission to stop him once and for all, fighting alongside allies Joyce (Winona Ryder), Hopper (David Harbour), Max (Sadie Sink), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Steve (Joe Keery), and Robin (Maya Hawke). It won't be an easy task though, and victory may require painful sacrifices.

The series finale of Stranger Things premieres Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Netflix.

TCL just unveiled its latest tablet — the Note A1 NXTPAPER. The e-note tablet delivers a distraction-free workspace powered by AI so you can focus more on taking notes and less on organizing them.

Launching on Kickstarter first, the TCL Note A1 NXTPAPER is a tablet resembling the likes of ReMarkable's Paper Pro or the Kindle Scribe. It won't be the device for streaming or gaming, as it aims to keep you focused on note-taking or reading.

The TCL Note AI NXTPAPER comes with an 11.5-inch NXTPAPER Pure display, which delivers flicker-free visuals and paper-like clarity that's gentler on the eyes. TCL claims that the e-note tablet doesn't ghost (leaving remnants of erased pen marks or text on a previous page). It features color displays with a 16.7 million color range.

Record and transcribe meetings on the TCL A1 NXTPAPER. Credit: TCL

Where the tablet goes above and beyond is with its AI productivity tools. Wish your handwriting were neater? It'll "beautify" it. Plus, it can convert handwriting to text, do real-time transcription and translation with its included eight microphones.

The TCL Note AI NXTPAPER launches in late February of 2026, retailing for $549. Early access will be available through Kickstarter.

Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL Note AI NXTPAPER $549 at Kickstarter
  Learn More

The idea of using your Android phone as a mouse or keyboard might sound gimmicky, but it actually works pretty well. With the right software, your phone becomes a wireless trackpad that's always on hand when you need to deal with awkward setups or when your regular devices let you down.

The most dangerous thing you do every day is getting behind the wheel of a car, and that's true even if it's just your econobox on the commute to work or on the way to the grocery store. But some cars, especially those designed for performance, are notorious for setting your GPS destination to "Valhalla" in the blink of an eye.

A smart home device without power is just an expensive paperweight. The trouble is, getting power to your smart home devices isn't always easy, depending on where you want to locate them. The good news is that there's a relatively simple way to supply both power and connectivity to many smart home devices.

A smart home device without power is just an expensive paperweight. The trouble is, getting power to your smart home devices isn't always easy, depending on where you want to locate them. The good news is that there's a relatively simple way to supply both power and connectivity to many smart home devices.

Are you getting ready to start a server using Linux? You have tons of distribution options to choose from, but I can show you which ones I prefer. Soon enough, you'll be running services on your computer like best of them.

Are you getting ready to start a server using Linux? You have tons of distribution options to choose from, but I can show you which ones I prefer. Soon enough, you'll be running services on your computer like best of them.

When I bought the original Raspberry Pi all those years ago, it never even crossed my mind that it would need some form of active cooling, or that it would make any difference. However, as every generation of Pi gains more powerful CPU and GPU cores, and increases the total number of those cores, physics inevitably catches up.

When I bought the original Raspberry Pi all those years ago, it never even crossed my mind that it would need some form of active cooling, or that it would make any difference. However, as every generation of Pi gains more powerful CPU and GPU cores, and increases the total number of those cores, physics inevitably catches up.

Cell notes are the clutter of the Excel world—they block your view and get in the way of formulas. That's why you should adopt the developer mindset by tucking notes inside your formulas, keeping your logic clean, your data visible, and your spreadsheets professional.

Throughout the years, my job has had me bouncing between project management tools like Asana, Trello, and Basecamp, and to be fair, they all do certain things well. Trello is great for simple visual boards. Asana shines once tasks and dependencies start piling up. Basecamp keeps communication tidy. The problem is that none of them stay lightweight for long, and the moment you need anything beyond the basics, you likley hit a paywall. What starts as a helpful tool quickly turns into another monthly expense, with your projects and data living entirely on someone else’s servers.

The New Year is right around the corner, which also means we’re already neck-deep in CES season. For 2026, the world’s largest consumer electronics show returns to Las Vegas and is expected to lean heavily into robots and "living with AI" — a direction car enthusiasts may not be thrilled about after last year’s vehicle-heavy spotlight.

SEE ALSO: LG to unveil a new home robot helper at CES 2026

That said, the biggest car manufacturers on the planet will still be there as the industry continues its full-speed pivot toward AI, much like everyone else. As with last year, expect far more software reveals than actual new car announcements, which — depending on who you ask — is either encouraging progress or a major letdown.

So, here’s everything you need to know about cars heading into CES 2026.

Sony-Honda is back again

At CES 2025, we covered the debut of the Sony–Honda joint venture’s first EV, the AFEELA 1. While we didn’t get to see it in motion, Sony-Honda Mobility Group did walk us through a demo of the car’s infotainment system. For 2026, the company plans to return with what it’s calling a "pre-production" version of the AFEELA 1, alongside an all-new concept vehicle.

What’s less clear is what Sony-Honda actually considers pre-production at this point. The version shown in 2025 already looked fairly road-ready, at least from a visual standpoint, making the distinction feel more semantic than substantive.

According to the SHM Group, their EVs are expected to start production sometime in 2026 and will initially be available only in California.

Software-defined vehicles take center stage (again)

If there’s one theme that will quietly dominate CES 2026, it’s the continued shift toward software-defined vehicles. This isn’t new, but it is becoming unavoidable. Automakers are less interested in showing off the vehicles themselves and more focused on proving their cars can evolve after they leave the factory.

That means operating systems, over-the-air updates, and modular software stacks will be everywhere. Companies like P3 are using CES to highlight Android Automotive — based platforms that let automakers roll out features, apps, and services long after a vehicle ships. For consumers, this could mean improved infotainment and enhanced features over time. For automakers, it’s about speed, flexibility, and, ultimately, new revenue streams.

The bigger shift is toward "agentic AI." For reference, these are AI systems that actively make decisions on behalf of the user, rather than just responding to commands.

At CES 2026, expect to see AI utilized for route planning, energy management, and driver assistance systems that adapt in real-time rather than follow fixed rules. On the surface, it's a meaningful attempt at innovation, but it raises some questions about privacy and how much control drivers are willing to relinquish.

Don't expect much spectacle

If CES 2025 was about big promises, CES 2026 looks more like a reality check. Several analysts have noted that automakers are now in the less glamorous phase of turning previous announcements into actual products. That's just how the state of the auto industry is right now, especially given the development of the EV industry in 2025.

Heading into CES 2026, the EV industry is in a noticeably more sober place than it was even a year ago. After years of aggressive timelines and all-in commitments, automakers are recalibrating as demand has proven softer and more uneven than expected. U.S. EV sales peaked in late 2025 ahead of the expiration of federal incentives, then dropped sharply, forcing companies like GM and Ford to pull back billions in planned EV spending while refocusing on hybrids, trucks, and SUVs that actually move volume.

Automakers are now operating in what industry analysts have called an era of "EV realism," where electrification is still the long-term goal, but the path there is slower, more fragmented, and far less ideological. Expect CES 2026 to reflect that shift.

That’s why the show may feel quieter from a car-news perspective, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. CES has always been a supplier-driven event, and this year will likely highlight chips, sensors, robotics, and manufacturing tech that won’t grab headlines.