In this internet-centric world, your connection speed matters. Having a slow connection can be at best annoying, with dropouts, slow downloads and dodgy video calls, and at worst crippling and extremely frustrating. Gaming, streaming and communication have all been revolutionized by the ever-improving speed of our internet connections, and ultra-fast internet is increasingly being recognized by governments and ISPs as a priority to deliver to customers. That said, there are diminishing returns here, and for most people, splashing the cash to upgrade to a multi-gig setup isn't worth the time, hassle, or cost.

Choosing between air and water cooling can be tough when it comes to cooling your PC. While both options have advantages, they also have drawbacks, making the decision hard sometimes. You will also need to consider the other components that make up the PC, as things like the case and memory can play a big part in which type of cooler you choose.

Thanks to their lightweight design, massive number of app images, and high compatibility with other tools, Docker containers are amazing for self-hosting FOSS services on your local hardware. Plus, getting Docker Desktop, Engine, Compose, and other tools running on Linux operating systems is fairly simple, as all you have to do is run a few commands in the terminal and watch the scripts work their magic.

Photo: David Pierce / The Verge Meta has announced the v72 Quest update, and it’s packed with features like faster hand tracking, an easier way to pair your headset with a Windows 11 PC, and better support for showing your keyboard while you’re in full virtual reality. The update is rolling out gradually, which also goes for certain features so you may not be able to use them immediately.Meta says you can now connect to a paired PC with the Quest’s Remote Desktop feature simply by looking at it and tapping the “Connect” button that appears above your keyboard. That’s similar to how it works on the Vision Pro, but here, you’ll need the Mixed Reality Link app installed on your computer before you can pair the devices together from within your Quest headset’s Settings app. The feature requires Windows 11 22H2 and newer. Image: Meta Now you can connect to your PC just by looking at it. Also, in Quest v72, the company says it’s “rolling out a more general keyboard tracking system” that should detect and let any keyboard around you appear through a passthrough “window” while you’re in a virtual environment, similar to the Vision Pro. Quest headsets have had a feature that shows a virtual version of your keyboard where your real one is since 2021, but that has only ever worked with specific keyboards.Meta also says it has made the hand cursor more stable when navigating, pinching to select things, and pinching and dragging windows. The company also says it’s now easier to use your hands while in confined spaces and that it added a “hand ray visualization” to help find and target things with the cursor.There is a little bit more in the update, too, including new live captions for calls from the People app and the addition of direct messaging in the Instagram app. Meta also added a Media Gallery app for viewing your images, videos (spatial included), and screenshots.

Microsoft Excel is one of the oldest pieces of software we still use today, and one of the most important, too. Some may have you believe that there are far better ways to do the things you can do in Excel, but this tool that was first crafted all the way back in 1985 is still the king when it comes to spreadsheet management and everything you can do with it.

A thin layer of ice thaws on a puddle in the sunshine in Bavaria, Marktoberdorf. | Photo: Getty Images Scientific advisers to the European Commission are calling for a moratorium across the EU on efforts to artificially cool Earth through solar geoengineering. That includes controversial technologies used to reflect sunlight back into space, primarily by sending reflective particles into the atmosphere or by brightening clouds.Proponents argue that this can help in the fight against climate change, especially as planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions continue to climb. But small-scale experiments have triggered backlash over concerns that these technologies could do more harm than good.The European Commission asked its Group of Chief Scientific Advisors (GCSA) and European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE) to write up their opinions on solar geoengineering, which were published today alongside a report synthesizing what little we know about how these technologies might work.Experiments have triggered backlash over concerns that these technologies could do more harm than goodThere’s “insufficient scientific evidence” to show that solar geoengineering can actually prevent climate change, says the opinion written by the GCSA.“Given the currently very high... Read the full story at The Verge.

Network-Attached Storage enclosures work well when you want to expand the data-storing capacity of the devices on your local network. Aside from fulfilling your file-hoarding needs, these neat systems can even double as file-sharing and backup servers, making them useful for pretty much every type of user.

We've come such a long way from the first high refresh rate LCD. Refresh rates continue to rise well past the 144hz mark and response times continue to lower along with it. 240hz had a noticeable increase in responsiveness, but many can't tell the difference beyond that. We've cracked into the realm of 500hz, but at what cost? Is there actually any reason to buy one of these ultra-high refresh rate displays? The answer is: no, you don't need hundreds of hertz, and here's why.

So we've only just got our hands on the new iPad Mini, but what about an OLED version? It feels like a natural progression, but Apple hasn't disclosed any information on whether it will add an OLED screen to the iPad Mini. Well, if a leaked release timeline is to be believed, we will get one; just don't expect it to drop anytime soon.

Image: Epic Games Indie game storefront Itch.io is currently offline because of what it describes as a bogus phishing report. While the game store’s servers are still online, the domain for the website is currently pointing towards IP addresses that itch.io doesn’t own — making it inaccessible for most people.Itch.io blames pop culture collectibles company Funko for the issues in a post on X, “because they use some trash ‘AI-powered’ Brand Protection Software called Brand Shield that created some bogus Phishing report to our registrar.”I kid you not, @itchio has been taken down by @OriginalFunko because they use some trash "AI Powered" Brand Protection Software called @BrandShieldltd that created some bogus Phishing report to our registrar, @iwantmyname, who ignored our response and just disabled the domain— itch.io (@itchio) December 9, 2024While the disputed page has been taken down, itch.io’s domain registrar, iwantmyname, still disabled the domain likely due to automated systems. According to a post on X, the indie game marketplace is now waiting on the domain registrar to respond and re-enable its domain.If you know how to tweak your hosts file that maps hostnames to IP addresses then you can use the 45.33.107.166 IP address in the meantime, but you’ll need to remove the entry once the domain is restored. Itch.io is hoping the problems will be resolved in a matter of hours so it doesn’t have to deploy a new domain name instead.The domain issues come just days after itch.io started allowing its users to use its domain name for Bluesky accounts. If you have spent $10 on the platform then you have the option to use your itch.io profile URL on Bluesky, but the current domain issues mean anyone who switched to the custom itch.io URLs has an “invalid handle” error on Bluesky until the main itch.io domain is back online.

Photo by Ashley Carman / The Verge Spotify has officially shut down its Car Thing accessory that offered simple and slick control over music and playlists while driving, and it’s giving owners just over a month (January 14th) to reach out to the company and get a refund. The device started to display its final words early today as enthusiasts mourn the loss of the device on its dedicated subreddit.The final message on the Car Thing reads:Car Thing is discontinued and no longer operational. Thank you for being on this journey with us, safe travels. For more information, visit carthing.com. Contact customer service by no later than January 14th, 2025 to discuss your refund options.Spotify announced in May that it intended the already discontinued devices would shut down in December, and now they have. The company also said, eventually, that it would work to issue refunds, but owners need to contact the company and provide proof of purchase to receive compensation.For most users, the Spotify Car Thing is just another piece of e-waste humans will have to deal with later. The company recommends resetting it to factory settings and “safely disposing of your device following local electronic waste guidelines.”However, tinkerers are finding new uses for the hardware: Car Thing can be hacked to run custom software that doesn’t require Spotify’s backend. As 9to5Google notes, it’s a bit underpowered to run full-on Android, but some projects like “Desk Thing” can repurpose them as a controller at your computer desk.

Will Manchester City’s next uniform feature AI-generated cats? | Screenshot: Puma AI Creator Manchester City is holding a competition that asks fans to generate its future kit design with AI. Players will wear the winning design during the 2026-2027 season as City’s official third kit, and it will even be sold to fans.The club partnered with Puma to launch a text-to-image uniform generator powered by the AI company DeepObjects. To use the tool, you’ll have to create an account and enter a prompt that describes the look you’re going for. You then have to choose a style the AI will use when generating your design, such as “abstract,” “emotive brushstrokes,” or “dream visions.” Screenshot: Puma AI Creator This wasn’t quite what I was envisioning when I entered a prompt for “soccerballs shooting through space like stars on a galaxy background.” The Puma AI Creator will then generate four different design options that appear on a virtual uniform, allowing you to customize the collars, trim colors, and badges.You get 15 credits to create designs (generating one design costs one credit), but you can only enter two of your creations in the contest, which ends December 20th. Fan ratings, along with experts from Manchester City and Puma will help determine the winner. Image: Manchester City City players designed this goalkeeper kit with AI. Manchester City says its players, Ederson, Stefan Ortega, and Rico Lewis first used the Puma AI Creator to design a goalkeeper kit “creatively inspired by the net of a football goal.” It will be the first AI-generated soccer uniform to be worn on the pitch, according to the club.The announcement comes at an awkward time for City, which is mired in a poor run of form and awaiting the verdict of an investigation into breaching Premier League financial rules.