System Admin Stuff

Meta's AI spending spree is helping make its Quest headsets more expensive

2026-04-18T00:13:09.838+05:30

The rising costs of RAM and other computing components are pushing up the price of Meta's Quest VR headsets, which the company says will increase by $50–$100 (about 12–20 percent) starting on April 19. In announcing that price increase on Thursday, the company cited the "global surge in the price of critical components—specifically memory chips—[that] is impacting almost every category of consumer electronics, including VR."

But unlike many of the other tech companies that have been pushed into similar price increases in recent months, Meta's own spending priorities are at least partly to blame for the rising prices of those components. The company's recent hard pivot to the "AI superintelligence" race has directly contributed to the conditions that are now making its own Quest headsets more expensive.

Spending like a drunk sailor

In January, Meta announced that it plans to spend $115 billion to $135 billion on capital expenditures this year, up significantly from $72 billion in 2025 and just $28 billion as recently as 2023. The vast majority of that investment is going into AI infrastructure, including a recent $21 billion in new investment in data center company CoreWeave (in addition to $14.2 billion originally committed) and an additional $10 billion recently committed to a planned El Paso data center (up from $1.5 billion initially).

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source https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/04/metas-ai-spending-spree-is-helping-make-its-quest-headsets-more-expensive/

North Korea targets macOS users in latest heist

2026-04-17T00:33:37.802+05:30

Social engineering: 'low-cost, hard to patch, and scales well'

North Korean criminals set on stealing Apple users' credentials and cryptocurrency are using a combination of social engineering and a fake Zoom software update to trick people into manually running malware on their own computers, according to Microsoft.…

source https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2026/04/16/north_korea_social_engineering_macos/

How the 3-3-3 Rule Helped Me Stick to an Exercise Routine

2026-04-17T00:15:46.955+05:30

If you've ever started a new workout routine with the best intentions only to find yourself skipping sessions by week two, you're not alone. I'm the type to get trapped in the same cycle of burnout, where I go hard for a couple of weeks, feel exhausted, feel guilty, and repeat. For me, what finally broke that cycle wasn't a new gym membership or a fancy fitness app, but a simple scheduling hack: the "3-3-3 rule." I'd seen this rule applied it to general productivity, and all the same principles can apply to your fitness habits, too. Here's how you can use the 3-3-3 rules to structure your workouts and create a habit that sticks.

What is the 3-3-3 rule?

The 3-3-3 "rule" (or "method," or "gentle suggestion") is essentially a weekly workout framework built around three types of movement, each done three times per week:

Three strength training sessions. This includes lifting weights, bodyweight circuits, resistance bands, whatever builds muscle and challenges your body.
Three cardio sessions. This includes running, cycling, swimming, jump rope, a dance class—what counts as "cardio" is up for debate, but here, I think of it as anything that gets your heart pumping.
Three active recovery days. This includes light walking, yoga, stretching, foam rolling, and so on.

And yes, I realize this math adds up to nine intentional days of movement across a seven-day week. Here's the thing: You do double duty some days, or skip workouts here and there, or adjust to a nine-day cycle, because the point isn't rigid scheduling. The point is rhythm over a strict structure. For me, the 3-3-3 rule provides a sense of momentum that's flexible enough to fit into real life, but consistent enough to actually stick to.

Why the 3-3-3 rule works for me

Before I get into how the 3-3-3 rule helped me specifically, let's talk about why so many workout plans fall apart in the first place. I believe most of them make two classic mistakes. The first is doing too much, too soon. You go from zero to six days a week at the gym, you get burnt out, and the whole thing unravels. The second mistake is having no real structure at all—just vague intentions, like "I'll work out when I can," which never materializes into anything real for a lot of people.

For me, the 3-3-3 rule solves both of those problems. It gives me enough structure to build habit and momentum, but not so much intensity that my body and brain feel overwhelmed. I personally adore running, but I struggle to motivate myself to lift weights; the 3-3-3 rhythm here helped me find a middle ground between those two workouts. When I know I have three strength sessions to hit in a week (or nine-ish day cycle), I can look at my calendar and find three slots without too much drama or dread.

There's also plenty of breathing room built into the plan, which was the biggest game changer for me. I used to have the (toxic) thought that my rest days were wasted days, which is a mentality that led to either overtraining or complete inactivity with pretty much no middle ground.

Plus, there's something psychologically satisfying about the number three. I know and love the rule of threes in photography, comedy, survival tips, and all over the place.

How to make a 3-3-3 workout schedule work for you

The 3-3-3 rule has a ton of wiggle room for customization. Here are some ideas for how you can approach it:

For strength days, pick a format you actually enjoy. That might be a full-body circuit, a push/pull/legs split, or a class at your gym. (Boxing, anyone?) Your focus on these days should be a progressive challenge—push yourself, yes, but don't obliterate yourself.

For cardio days, variety helps. Mix a longer, easier effort with a shorter, more intense session (like a 20-minute interval run). I know I'm biased, but cardio really shouldn't feel like punishment.

For recovery days, resist the urge to "make them count" by sneaking in extra work. The whole point is to let your body consolidate the gains from your harder days. Walk, stretch, breathe, and trust the process.

Another practical tip: Pick a night to map out your 3-3-3 week ahead of time. You'll probably find that the week arranges itself pretty naturally once you're looking for those nine windows.

The bottom line

As always, consistency should always be your priority in fitness. If you've been struggling to find a rhythm, if your past workout plans have always fizzled out around week three, give the 3-3-3 rule an honest four-week try. Maybe start with a 1-1-1 month! After all, the 3-3-3 rule isn't a hack to totally transform your physique, but I do think it can provide something way more valuable. Finding a routine that works for you—like the 3-3-3 rule works for me—is the first step to make exercise a reliable, sustainable part of your life.

Signed software abused to deploy antivirus-killing scripts

2026-04-16T00:24:04.645+05:30

A digitally signed adware tool has deployed payloads running with SYSTEM privileges that disabled antivirus protections on thousands of endpoints, some in the educational, utilities, government, and healthcare sectors. [...]

source https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/signed-software-abused-to-deploy-antivirus-killing-scripts/

This $7 Epoxy Putty Saved My Home From Thousands in Water Damage

2026-04-16T00:15:20.192+05:30

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Ever since our house flooded in the middle of the night (though thankfully before we fell asleep), my wife and I have been diligent about setting up water alarms all over the house, so we'll receive crucial warning the moment something leaks or backs up.

Well, the other night, the alarm under the kitchen sink went off while the dishwasher was running—and, sure enough, there was water gushing out of the sink drain. Luckily, I was able to turn off the water and clean everything up before it totally ruined my cabinets and floors. I started my investigation into the problem, and about three seconds later, it was obvious: My sink drain had a huge gap in it:

The ginormous hole in my corroded kitchen drain pipe. Credit: Jeff Somers

It was actually kind of amazing—a chunk of pipe was just gone, and what was left was as fragile as tissue paper. I called a few plumbers, but no one could get to me for a few days (plumbers have a very narrow definition of the word “emergency”). I was faced with the prospect of not being able to use my kitchen sink or dishwasher for a while, or risk further damage to my house.

But I had another option: A quick fix with an epoxy putty.

Epoxy putty is an easy, water-resistant solution to leaks

J-B Weld 8277 WaterWeld Epoxy Putty Stick - 2 oz.

$6.17 at Amazon

PC Products - 45593 PC-Plumbing Epoxy Putty, 4oz Stick, Gray (45596) (Pack of 1)

Oatey 31274 Stick Fix-It Multi-Purpose Epoxy Putty, 1.33 oz, White

Loctite Epoxy Multi Purpose Repair Putty , 2 oz Stick, 1 Pack

Epoxy putties all work generally the same: They contain a resin and a hardening agent, and when these clay-like materials are combined, a chemical reaction quickly hardens them into whatever shape you work them into. There are a few major brands to choose from, including J-B WaterWeld, PC-Plumbing Epoxy Putty, Oatey Stick Fix-It, and Loctite Epoxy Putty. I happened to have some WaterWeld on hand, so that’s what I used to save my kitchen, but any of these products will probably work as well.

How to quickly patch a leak with epoxy putty

The process is pretty straightforward: First, you pinch off as much putty as you think you’ll need (wear gloves—this stuff can irritate your skin):

The two parts of an epoxy putty ready to be combined. Credit: Jeff Somers

Knead the meaterial together, mixing the resin and the hardener until it’s all one color:

Kneading the putty together is oddly satisfying. Credit: Jeff Somers

Now apply the putty to your leak. In my case, I used pretty much the whole package to encapsulate the massive hole in my kitchen drain:

My masterful putty repair kept the kitchen in business until the plumber arrived. Credit: Jeff Somers

Different products will have different working times and hardening times. WaterWeld takes about 25 minutes to set, so you need to work relatively quickly. Luckily, temporary plumbing repairs don’t need to be pretty. I just rolled it onto the drain, pressed it into place, and worked the edges to create a seal. It's important to note that epoxy putty products like this are intended for low-pressure repairs; while they can probably plug pinhole leaks in high-pressure pipes, a repair of this size wouldn't have worked if under any sort of intense water pressure.

WaterWeld cures in about an hour, so after waiting it out, I went ran the water in the sink for a while to test it—and not a drop came out. Then I ran the dishwasher with my water alarm in place, and experienced zero problems. The putty repair held for the three days it took a plumber to show up (to add insult to injury, he wasn’t even impressed with my brilliant temporary fix). In the meantime, we were able to use the kitchen normally without risking further water damage. For a product that costs about $7, that’s not bad.

McGraw-Hill confirms data breach following extortion threat

2026-04-15T00:24:30.158+05:30

Education company McGraw-Hill has confirmed in a statement to BleepingComputer that hackers exploited a Salesforce misconfiguration and accessed its internal data. [...]

source https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/mcgraw-hill-confirms-data-breach-following-extortion-threat/

I Upgraded From the Garmin Forerunner 165 to the 970, and It Was Worth the Cost for Me

2026-04-15T00:15:33.975+05:30

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

In the past few years, I’ve gone from being a defiant minimalist runner, to becoming a humble fan of Garmin’s most entry-level running watch, to now falling in love with the company's top-of-the-line Forerunner.

A quick cheat code to understanding the model numbers in Garmin’s Forerunner line: The first number tells you how fancy (and expensive) the watch is. This means that my upgrade from the Garmin Forerunner 165 to the Forerunner 970 is not a small step up the ladder. Honestly, it's more like skipping the ladder entirely and taking the elevator to the penthouse. The price gap alone—from $250 to $750—is enough to give anyone serious pause. Having made the switch, here’s my honest take on who actually needs this big of an upgrade in their running watch.

The Forerunner 165 is a solid entry-level watch, especially for its price

In fact, for a truly casual to intermediate runner, I think the 165 punches above its weight. It comes with daily suggested workouts, HRV Status, a morning report, running power, and over 25 sport profiles. What it lacks are features I’d always told myself I didn’t really need: Training Readiness, Training Status, multi-band GPS, built-in maps, and more. As I write in my full review, this watch is the perfect for athletes who want running-specific metrics without the complexity of a big ol’ multi-sport behemoth. But if your training is becoming more structured (as mine is these days), you might outgrow the 165.

Garmin Forerunner 165

The Forerunner 970 is one of the best running watches on the market

The hardware upgrades on the 970 start with a titanium bezel and sapphire crystal lens, which gives the watch a noticeably more premium feel than the 165. It's still pretty light at under two ounces, and the AMOLED display is the brightest Garmin has ever put on a Forerunner—which makes a real difference when you’re running in direct sun. There's also a built-in LED flashlight (both white and red), which has become a must-have for some Garmin fans. There’s also a speaker and microphone, so you can now make and take phone calls from your wrist, use your phone's voice assistant, and respond to texts (features that may have become standard on Apple Watches, but were absent from running-focused Garmin watches until now).

On the sensor side, the 970 has a new Elevate Gen 5 heart rate sensor, which brings with it ECG capability—another first for any Forerunner. There's also skin temperature tracking, which feeds into more accurate recovery and sleep metrics. A new GNSS chip improves satellite acquisition and positioning accuracy, particularly in tricky GPS environments, like the city high-rises I’m usually darting around.

I could go on, but if you're not a triathlete, a lot of the features may not matter to you. But for anyone who is dabbling in multi-sport needs, the 970 is now the most capable tool Garmin makes outside of the Fenix line.

I share in my full review why it doesn’t quite earn five full stars, with the main reason being its steep price jump over the 965. What to know for our purposes here is I find myself consistently impressed by how all the data from the 970 has helped me level up my training.

Garmin Forerunner 970

$749.99 at Amazon

What I experienced when I upgraded from the Garmin Forerunner 165 to the 970

The metrics are where the 970 (somewhat) justifies its price tag for serious runners. For me, the most buzz-worthy metrics and scores are its running economy (How efficiently are you spending your energy?), running tolerance (Go hard today, or dial it back?), step speed loss (How long is your foot staying on the ground when you run?), and an improved projected race time.

Unfortunately, there's some immediate disappointment: Running economy and step speed loss require Garmin’s HRM-600 chest strap. Since I don’t have one, I can’t report on how helpful these features are. What I can say is it’s a bummer to have to factor this additional cost into the watch’s total value before you buy.

Built-in full-color maps with turn-by-turn directions are also a significant upgrade from the 165's GPS-only approach. On trail runs especially, having the map on your wrist rather than fumbling for your phone is a genuine quality-of-life improvement. The round-trip routing feature—where you enter a target distance and the watch generates a route—is one of those things that might become a must-have for more adventurous runners.

For me, going from the 165 to the 970, the daily running metrics are where I can best compare the value of this upgrade. For instance, the running tolerance feature was the one that changed my training most immediately. It sets a weekly mileage ceiling based on your individual impact history, essentially acting as a guardrail against the kind of overtraining that leads to injury. For someone like me who tends to pile on mileage too aggressively when training for a race, this is a valuable insight—even if I somewhat override Garmin’s recommendations.

Who should upgrade from the Garmin Forerunner 165 to the 970?

So, is the upgrade worth it? For me, honestly, yes—but only with a clear-eyed understanding of who this watch is actually for. Before buying a new watch, ask yourself: Have you really hit the ceiling of what your current watch can teach you? Because here's how I see it: If you're a recreational runner who logs three or four runs a week without a specific race on the calendar, I cannot encourage you to buy a $750 watch. Something entry-level like the 165 is probably still the right watch for you. Why not spend that $500 difference on running shoes and race entries for years to come, right?

If you're a dedicated runner training seriously for events, a triathlete, someone who runs trails and needs navigation, or anyone who has maxed out what the 165's metrics can offer, the 970 offers a lot. You’ll experience a major jump in sensor quality, training intelligence, navigation capability, and overall feel of the watch. When used right, all these features can actively change how you train, not just how much data you collect.

How to Hide Sensitive Info From Your Notifications

2026-04-15T00:15:33.112+05:30

Last week, we learned that the FBI accessed a defendant's deleted Signal messages on their iPhone, even though that user had deleted the app entirely from their device. It wasn't that the FBI was able to find the messages themselves on the device; rather, it turns out they were able to pull incoming Signal texts from the defendant's push notification database. If you're like most people, you probably had no idea devices like the iPhone had such a push notification database, and that it could be used to retrieve deleted messages. Luckily, there's an easy way to protect yourself, and ensure no one can pull sensitive information from this space on your iPhone, or any device that receive sensitive notifications.

It is unclear how the push notifications database works, or whether clearing notifications deletes their info from the database. But we might be able to glean some insight from a blog post by the Objective See Foundation (admittedly from 2018), which highlighted an issue with Signal messages on the Mac. The post reads: "In short, anything that gets displayed as a notification (yes, including 'disappearing' Signal messages) in the macOS Notification Center, is recorded by the OS." It looks like the recent FBI investigation used a similar loophole to retrieve data from iOS notifications.

So, how can you protect yourself? The safest method is to turn off notifications altogether, which will prevent any information from being saved in this database, but that's not practical for most people. Most of us want to be alerted when receiving a new email, message, or an important update in an app. However, you can stop your device from displaying the contents of messages in the notifications, preventing this information from appearing in the database. When you do this, each of your notifications will look something like, "You have a new message," as opposed to: "Pranay Parab: My Netflix password is Lifehacker." Again, it's not clear how this database works, or which platforms have the same database as iPhone, but for the sake of privacy and security, I've listed steps for most major device platforms below:

Protect sensitive notifications on an iPhone

Your iPhone allows you to hide the contents of messages from all of your app notifications. You can enable this by going to Settings > Notifications > Show Previews and select Never. You also have the option to disable notification previews for specific apps. To do this, go to Settings > Notifications, scroll down, and tap the name of the app you wish to hide alert previews for. Select Show Previews > Never, and repeat that step with every other app that you want to hide notifications for.

Remove information from the notification database on a Mac

Credit: Pranay Parab

On your Mac too, you can hide notifications previews globally or for individual apps. First, go to System Settings > Notifications. Click the drop-down menu next to Show previews and select Never. This will disable notification previews altogether. Alternatively, you can scroll down, select any app from the list, and click Show previews > Never to disable previews for individual apps.

In case you want to purge notifications from the database on your Mac, you can install the free app called AuRevoir, which was developed by The Objective See Foundation following their findings. It allows you to view and remove all the information stored on your Mac's notification database. You can click View Msgs to see the stored data, followed by Remove Msgs to purge it from your Mac.

Keep sensitive information out of Android's notifications

Although Android has a few different ways to hide notification previews on the lock screen, there aren't too many options to disable these previews when the phone is unlocked. You'll find it easier to disable notification previews from each app's settings page individually, as opposed to looking for a toggle that works across Android.

To disable notifications on the lock screen, go to Settings > Notifications > Notifications on lock screen, and turn off Show sensitive content. You can also enable Hide silent notifications in status bar and also turn off Show silent notifications. There are some granular options available under Settings > Notifications > App notifications, so be sure to check that out too. These settings pages may be different on your Android phone on account of manufacturer customizations.

Clear notification information in Windows

Unfortunately, Windows doesn't have a global setting to disable notification previews, but you can hide previews from the lock screen. To disable notification previews in Windows, open the Start Menu, and click the gear icon near the power button. This will open the Settings app. Go to System > Notifications > Notifications. Disable Show notifications on the lock screen. Next, scroll down and select each app you want to hide previews for, and enable Hide content when notifications are on lock screen.

Beyond this, you're going to have to rely on notification settings within individual apps to disable previews. I've listed a few popular options below.

Hide sensitive content from notification in popular messaging apps

Popular messaging apps allow you to disable notification previews through in-app settings. This is just as effective as using your device's system settings to disable notification previews, but I'm mentioning it here in case your operating system doesn't let you disable notification previews easily:

In WhatsApp, you can go to the app's settings, tap Notifications and disable Show preview.
If you're using Signal, tap the profile icon in the top-left corner, and go to Settings > Notifications. Select Show, under "Notification Content." On the next page, the safest option is to select No Name or Content.
You can also do this in Telegram's settings. Go to Notifications and Sounds > Private Chats, and disable Message Preview. You can do the same thing under the Group Chats page in notification settings.

Windows 11 no longer forces you to install updates when setting up your PC — ending mandatory 30 minute update process forever

2026-04-14T00:57:05.207+05:30

A new update now rolling out globally will give users the option to skip the update process when setting up a new Windows 11 PC, speeding up the experience two-fold.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/windows-11-no-longer-forces-you-to-install-updates-when-setting-up-your-pc-ending-mandatory-30-minute-update-process-forever

Windows 11 no longer forces you to install updates when setting up your PC — ending mandatory 30 minute update process forever

2026-04-14T00:35:34.080+05:30

A new update now rolling out globally will give users the option to skip the update process when setting up a new Windows 11 PC, speeding up the experience two-fold.

Fake Linux leader using Slack to con devs into giving up their secrets

2026-04-14T00:33:49.664+05:30

Google Sites lure leads to bogus root certificate

Imagine getting asked to do something by a person in authority. An unknown malware slinger targeting open source software developers via Slack impersonated a real Linux Foundation official and used pages hosted on Google.com to steal developers' credentials and take over their systems.…

source https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2026/04/13/linux_foundation_social_engineering/

Linux 7.0 debuts as Linus Torvalds ponders AI's bug-finding powers and their impact on release process

2026-04-13T06:33:41.523+05:30

Makes Rust support official, adds code for ancient Alpha and SPARC CPUs

Linus Torvalds has released version 7.0 of the Linux kernel.…

source https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2026/04/13/linux_kernel_7_releaseed/

Anthropic's mysterious Mythos AI threatens to upend the infosec world

2026-04-13T05:33:20.802+05:30

Or it's a bunch of pre-IPO hype. Either way, we're giving it the once-over on this week's episode

Kettle Anthropic dropped a doozy on us this week with the launch of Mythos, an AI model it says is able to find and exploit zero-day vulnerabilities with a shocking level of ability. …

source https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2026/04/12/anthropic_mythos_kettle_podcast/

Windows Wrap: Snapdragon X PCs are the latest victims of lazy takes and willfully ignorant tech journalists

2026-04-13T02:57:34.257+05:30

Windows 11 on Arm has come a long way, but many reviewers and commenters fall back on horror stories of incompatibility that haven't been true for years.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/windows-wrap-snapdragon-x-pcs-are-the-latest-victims-of-lazy-takes-and-willfully-ignorant-tech-journalists

Windows Wrap: Snapdragon X PCs are the latest victims of lazy takes and willfully ignorant tech journalists

2026-04-13T02:35:35.821+05:30

Windows 11 on Arm has come a long way, but many reviewers and commenters fall back on horror stories of incompatibility that haven't been true for years.

Is Valve prepping its own AI for Steam?

2026-04-12T01:35:36.368+05:30

Is Valve prepping its own AI for Steam?

2026-04-12T00:57:02.988+05:30

Reference to something called SteamGPT has appeared in a datamined Steam update, which could mean that Valve is bringing in AI to help speed up support requests and to buff anti-cheat. Here's what you need to know.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gaming/is-valve-prepping-its-own-ai-for-steam

What leaked "SteamGPT" files could mean for the PC gaming platform's use of AI

2026-04-11T00:13:32.978+05:30

These days, it seems like every tech company and their corporate parent is looking to squeeze AI tools and features into their products, whether they're wanted or not. So when files with names and functions referencing a "SteamGPT" appeared in a recent Steam client update, Valve watchers took quick notice.

From the outside, it's hard to tell precisely what form any such "SteamGPT" would take. But looking through variable names and references in the files themselves suggests that Valve may be looking to use AI tools to streamline internal evaluations of in-game incidents and sift through potentially suspicious accounts.

Looking at the variables

As tracked by the automated SteamTracking GitHub project, the term "SteamGPT" appears multiple times in three separate files added in the April 7 Steam client update. In addition to the SteamGPT naming convention—a seemingly obvious reference to the generative pre-trained transformers popularized by ChatGPT and its ilk—the files include mentions of terms like multi-category inference, fine-tuning, and "upstream models" that point to some sort of generative AI system.

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source https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2026/04/what-is-steamgpt-leaked-files-point-to-ai-powered-valve-security-review-system/

Google Chrome adds infostealer protection against session cookie theft

2026-04-10T00:24:29.788+05:30

Google has rolled out Device Bound Session Credentials (DBSC) protection in Chrome 146 for Windows, designed to block info-stealing malware from harvesting session cookies. [...]

source https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/google-chrome-adds-infostealer-protection-against-session-cookie-theft/

This Physical Barrier Finally Helped Me Limit My Screen Time

2026-04-10T00:15:37.153+05:30

I've written before about various software tricks to nudge a smartphone toward dumb-phone territory: stripping the home screen down to essentials, enabling greyscale mode, scheduling downtime windows. I tried all of it, and for a time it worked for me, but only in the way that hiding a bag of chips in a high cabinet works—technically an obstacle, but not really a barrier. One tap to "Ignore Limit," and I'm back to scrolling.

The problem is that the key to unlock everything is right there in your pocket. Turns out I needed a small device called Brick to ~~physically restrain me~~ create a physical barrier, and I can feel my screen time habits finally change for the better.

The Brick Phone Access Blocker Device - Subscription-Free Phone Lock, Limits Smartphone Access, Reduces Screen Time & Improves Focus - High-Grade Magnet & Anti-Slip Silicone

$59.00 at Amazon

How Brick works with your smartphone

Brick is a small NFC fob—roughly the size of an AirPods case—paired with an app. You open the app, pick which apps or sites to block (or flip it around: choose only the apps you want to keep, and everything else gets blocked), name it something like Work or Family Time (or just Sanity), and tap your phone to the Brick to activate it.

That's it. And to get everything back, you have to physically walk to wherever you left the Brick and tap again. Each Brick comes with five emergency unbricks you can trigger from the app. I appreciate that those exist, and luckily, I haven't had to use them yet.

Why Brick actually helps you reduce your screen time

Here's the thing I keep coming back to: Every digital-based solution asks you to rely on yourself in the exact moment you're weakest. By the time you're faced with the "Ignore Limit" option, you've already picked up your phone. You're already mid-habit.

Brick changes the physicality of the problem. I've found that the greatest service Brick provides is that it doesn't ask you to resist temptation in the moment; instead, it forces you to set an intention earlier, then it makes that intention stick through physical separation rather than willpower. The research on behavior change says this is exactly the right approach. Environment design beats in-the-moment resolve almost every time. (I just apparently needed a $59 piece of hardware to finally internalize that).

I do have to be honest about how ridiculous this is for me: I spent a lot of money on my phone. And I have now spent additional money ($59) specifically to stop using it. Oh well! That's where my screen time had brought me. On the bright side, Brick is a one-time purchase with no need for a subscription or "premium plan." I'll admit I hesitated to make any purchase, given the irony of the situation and my desire to simply have more willpower. But I've realized my time and attention span is worth the cost, and I'm annoyed it took me this long to act on it.

Trump-appointed judges refuse to block Trump blacklisting of Anthropic AI tech

2026-04-10T00:13:33.094+05:30

A federal appeals court refused to halt the Trump administration's efforts to blacklist Anthropic yesterday, denying the company's emergency motion for a stay. But the court granted the US-based AI firm's request to expedite the case and will hold oral arguments on May 19.

The ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit was issued by a panel of three judges appointed by Republicans, including Trump appointees Gregory Katsas and Neomi Rao. Katsas previously served as deputy counsel to the president during Trump's first term, while Rao served in the Trump administration's Office of Management and Budget. The judges' decision is a setback for Anthropic, but it's only one of two cases it filed against the Trump administration, and the AI firm has had more success in the other one.

Anthropic says it exercised its First Amendment rights by refusing to let Claude AI models be used for autonomous warfare and mass surveillance of Americans, and that Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blacklisted it in retaliation. Trump directed all federal agencies to stop using Anthropic technology, and Hegseth labeled Anthropic a "Supply-Chain Risk to National Security," prohibiting military contractors from doing business with Anthropic.

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source https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/04/trump-appointed-judges-refuse-to-block-trump-blacklisting-of-anthropic-ai-tech/

"Reclaiming my screen's real estate": Google Chrome is finally launching vertical browser tabs to catch up with Microsoft Edge

2026-04-09T17:35:49.968+05:30

Google Chrome finally adds vertical tabs and a refreshed Reading Mode, making tab management and the overall reading experience even better.

RAF eyes cheap drone-killer as Typhoon jet tests laser-guided rockets

2026-04-09T00:33:55.154+05:30

BAE says trials could offer cheaper way to counter uncrewed aerial threats

BAE Systems has successfully tested a laser-guided rocket system with a Typhoon fighter jet from Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) as a potential anti-drone weapon. It follows earlier trials in the US with the F-15E Strike Eagle.…

source https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2026/04/08/typhoon_drone_laser_rockets/

CISA orders feds to patch exploited Ivanti EPMM flaw by Sunday

2026-04-09T00:24:45.972+05:30

CISA has given U.S. government agencies four days to secure their systems against a critical-severity vulnerability in Ivanti Endpoint Manager Mobile (EPMM) that has been exploited in attacks since January. [...]

source https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/cisa-orders-feds-to-patch-exploited-ivanti-epmm-flaw-by-sunday/

These Beats Studio Earbuds (With Noise Cancellation) Are on Sale for $100 Right Now

2026-04-09T00:15:36.761+05:30

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

The Beats Studio Buds + are among the best in-ear noise-cancelling earbuds on the market for both Apple and Android users. Compared to their predecessor, they have longer battery life and better ANC, plus a sleek design available in three colors. Right now, the Beats Studio Buds + earbuds are 41% off, bringing them down to $99.95 (originally $169.95).

Beats Studio Buds + True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds

A more affordable alternative to AirPods (with the added perk of ANC and a more secure fit), the sound signature is bass-forward yet balanced, and, according to PCMag, “offer some of the best active noise cancellation we've experienced under $200,” which is even more attractive at the current $100 price point. The earpieces have a secure fit and come with four sizes of silicone ear tips. They have three mics, including a feed-forward, feedback, and voice-focused mic for crisp call quality.

The Beats Studio Buds + support hands-free Siri, Bluetooth 5.3, and AAC and SBC codecs, though not AptX. While they don’t have an H2 chip like the AirPods Pro, they do have a longer continuous battery life. You’ll get around nine hours without ANC on, plus an additional 27 hours of battery life from the charging case. With ANC on, battery life will decrease to around 6-18 hours. It will take approximately two hours to fully charge from empty, and five minutes of charging will give you around an hour of battery life.

Whether you’re using them for your daily commute, travel, or workouts, the Beats Studio Buds + earbuds are a comfortable and secure pick for everyday use—especially if you want to block out background noise—and that value gets even stronger when you combine that impressive noise cancellation with a 41% discount.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $224.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $321.00 (List Price $349.00)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $329.00 (List Price $399.00)

Fire TV Stick 4K Plus Streaming Player With Remote (2025 Model) — $29.99 (List Price $49.99)

Bose TV Speaker — $199.00 (List Price $279.00)

Deals are selected by our commerce team