Brian Fagioli

Google is hitting back at the Department of Justice over a proposed plan that could force massive changes to how the company operates. The DOJ, which sued Google back in 2020 over search distribution practices, is now pushing for remedies that Google says go way too far -- and could end up hurting American consumers, innovation, and even national security!

In a new blog post, the search giant says the proposed changes are not only unnecessary but also dangerous. At the heart of the issue is how Google partners with phone makers and browsers to make its search engine the default. According to Google, people use its search because they want to -- not because they’re forced to. The company says blocking these deals would just make it harder for people to get to the services they prefer, with alternatives like Microsoft’s Bing being pushed on users instead.

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TrueNAS 25.04, codenamed “Fangtooth,” was recently released (download here), and with it comes a full embrace of Linux as the underlying base. While previous versions of TrueNAS were confusingly split between CORE (built on FreeBSD) and SCALE (built on Linux), this release finally pushes the project further into its beautiful Linux future.

This version builds on the foundation laid by TrueNAS 24.10 “Electric Eel.” That version brought improved performance and Docker support, and Fangtooth expands on it with more than 1,000 changes, including over 150 bug fixes. The update is being offered as a release version, but iXsystems is still recommending it for early adopters only -- at least for now.

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Want to hear something absolutely insane? Apparently, Jack in the Box has decided it wants to be more than just a place to grab curly fries at midnight. You see, the fast food chain is now venturing into the world of Fortnite with something called “Jack’s CEO Minigames.”

Wait -- what exactly is that? Well, it is a very strange gaming experience where players compete in several challenges for the chance to become… CEO of Jack in the Box. No, seriously. This is really happening.

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ASUS is bringing some much-needed excitement to the Chromebook market with its newly announced CX14 and CX15 series computers. These new ChromeOS laptops deliver a fresh mix of style, performance, and environmental awareness. These 14-inch and 15.6-inch laptops are built for everyday users but with enough polish to appeal to professionals and students alike. What sets them apart isn’t just the design, but more importantly, the surprising variety of configurations. Not to mention, there is optional support for Google’s Chromebook Plus platform, which includes a year of Google One AI Premium at no extra cost.

The CX14 and CX15 models come in seven different color choices including Misty Green, Cream Pink, Rock Grey, Fabric Blue, and Quiet Blue. There are also three distinct finish types: Crystallice, Washi, and Paint. Believe it or not, the finishes are more than just for looks. For instance, the Paint version is mixed with diamond and stone particles, giving it 2.5 times the abrasion resistance of traditional coatings. ASUS clearly wants these Chromebooks to look good for the long haul, and the company is using 30 percent post-consumer recycled plastics in the chassis to help reduce environmental impact. Very cool, ASUS!

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When it comes to mobile storage, speed and reliability can be absolutely crucial -- especially if you’re a content creator. Recognizing this growing need, ADATA today unveiled a trio of new products designed specifically to keep up with the demands of creative professionals and on-the-go users. We’ve got the Premier Extreme SD 8.0 Express memory card, UE720 USB flash drive, and the EC680 M.2 SSD enclosure.

The Premier Extreme SD 8.0 Express memory card isn’t your typical memory card by any means. It’s equipped with a PCIe Gen3 x2 interface, delivering insanely fast read speeds up to 1,600MB/s and write speeds up to 1,200MB/s! Folks, that’s twice the speed of SD Express 7.0 and an astounding twelve times faster than those old-school UHS-I cards you’ve probably got lying around. Heck, it’s even faster than many external SSDs!

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When it comes to storage, flashy gimmicks really aren’t necessary nowadays. Look, most people simply want a reliable way to carry data without fuss or frustration. With that said, TEAMGROUP has announced two new products -- the compact X2 MAX portable SSD and the S5 USB flash drive. Neither aims to reinvent storage -- both are merely practical tools.

The X2 MAX portable SSD offers USB 3.2 Gen 2x1 speeds, capable of delivering read performance up to 1,000MB/s. One handy feature is the dual-connector design -- both USB Type-A and Type-C -- so users don’t have to annoyingly hunt down adapters when switching between computers, tablets, or even gaming consoles. It’s impressively compact, measuring just 75.9mm x 20mm x 8mm and weighing only 12 grams.

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It’s raining Linux distributions! Earlier today, we told you about the release of Manjaro 25. And now, Fedora Linux 42 has officially arrived. If you’ve been looking for a fast, polished, and privacy-respecting replacement for Windows 11, this open source operating system could be the one.

This new Fedora release gives users a powerful and flexible desktop experience across multiple editions and devices. Whether you prefer GNOME or KDE, use x86 or Apple Silicon, or just want to ditch Microsoft’s operating system entirely, Fedora 42 definitely has something to offer.

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Great news, folks -- the developers of Manjaro have officially launched version 25 of the popular Linux distribution. Codenamed “Zetar,” this release delivers updated desktop environments, new features aimed at improving performance and usability, and expanded hardware support through the latest Linux kernel.

The GNOME edition now ships with version 48 of the desktop environment, a release first introduced in March 2025. One of the key features is notification stacking, which organizes alerts from the same app into expandable groups. GNOME 48 also includes dynamic triple buffering, a technology aimed at delivering smoother animations and reducing skipped frames.

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As someone who uses and loves TP-Link products (including its affordable routers and smart home devices) I’m truly elated to see the company taking cybersecurity more seriously. You see, the company has officially joined the CVE Numbering Authorities (CNAs), meaning it can now assign CVE IDs to security flaws found in its own products.

Here’s why it matters, folks: CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) are used to track publicly known cybersecurity issues. By becoming a CNA, TP-Link gains the power to document and disclose vulnerabilities faster and more transparently. That’s a win for both the company and the people who rely on its devices every day (such as yours truly).

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After years of internal use, Ubisoft has open-sourced Chroma -- a real-time colorblind simulation tool. This accessibility software is designed to help developers better serve the 300 million people around the world who live with color vision deficiencies.

Originally developed in 2021 by Ubisoft’s Quality Control team in India, Chroma allows developers to simulate how a game looks to people with various forms of colorblindness -- all without slowing down performance. It works on both single- and dual-screen setups, runs with customizable overlays, and responds to hotkeys for easy toggling during gameplay.

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OpenAI has just thrown a serious wrench into the AI landscape with the release of three new models: GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and GPT-4.1 nano. They’re dramatic improvements over GPT-4o, raising the bar for what AI can actually do. If Elon Musk wasn’t already nervous about Grok falling behind, he probably should be now. In comparison, Grok is starting to look a bit… dusty.

At the top of the stack is GPT-4.1, which now dominates in critical areas like coding, long-context comprehension, and instruction following. This model scores 54.6 percent on SWE-bench Verified, a benchmark designed to measure real-world software development ability. That puts it well above GPT-4o and even higher than GPT-4.5, which it’s now set to replace. Developers relying on these models to generate accurate patches or edit large codebases are going to find GPT-4.1 a lot more practical.

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You know what, folks? Sometimes, the best updates are the ones that don’t try too hard. That’s exactly the case with MX Linux 23.6. There’s no nonsense to be found here -- just a strong Linux distribution that continues to get better.

While Microsoft continues to push AI distractions and questionable design changes in Windows 11, MX Linux sticks to what matters: speed, stability, and letting the user stay in control. In fact, MX Linux 23.6 could truly be the Linux distribution of your dreams!

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Sony has once again bumped up the price of the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition across several markets (Europe, Australia and New Zealand), citing economic challenges like inflation and unstable exchange rates. Starting April 14, gamers in some regions will have to pay more to get their hands on the digital-only version of the console. The price of the standard model with the disc drive is also going up in some countries, though not all. Curiously, despite Donald Trump’s confusing tariffs, one major country isn’t affected at all -- the United States.

In certain regions, the PS5 Digital Edition now costs €499.99 or £429.99, depending on where you live. Other places are seeing even steeper prices, hitting figures like AUD $749.95 or NZD $859.95. The standard version with a disc drive is also being adjusted in those same areas, sometimes hitting nearly NZD $950. The PS5 Pro, on the other hand, remains untouched. For now, at least.

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Are you tired of the constant updates, ads, and restrictions in Windows 11? Well, folks, you’re certainly not alone. Thankfully, SparkyLinux 7.7 “Orion Belt” just dropped, and this open source operating system might be the escape hatch you’ve been looking for. Built on Debian 12 “Bookworm,” this is exactly the kind of no-nonsense Linux distro that gives users freedom, speed, and stability without all the Microsoft bloat.

Unlike Windows 11, SparkyLinux doesn’t shove AI assistants in your face or lock you into a Microsoft account. Instead, it quietly gets the job done. Quite frankly, that’s what makes it a solid choice for folks who just want their computers to work.

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PNY is targeting consumers who need serious reliability from their storage media. You see, the company just rolled out its new PRO Elite High Endurance microSD cards, and these things are designed for folks using dash cams, security cameras, body cams, and more.

Unlike regular microSD cards that can wear out over relatively quickly, these are designed for the long haul. The top-tier 512GB model is rated for up to 137,600 hours of Full HD recording. That’s more than 15 years of writing and rewriting video -- assuming you’re pushing it to the limit. Even the smaller capacities can handle thousands of hours of use.

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