If you're the type of person that just uses their computer to browse the internet, do some light work, and maybe play some games occasionally, well, a Chromebook might be for you. While it might not be the most powerful option that you can buy, it is a good fit if you're someone that lives on the internet.

Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos from Scott Olson, Getty Images The US Department of Justice has charged three Iranian nationals linked with a cyberattack against Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, according to an indictment on Friday.The three hackers, all of whom have ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, allegedly gained access to the accounts of campaign officials using social engineering and spear phishing, a tactic that attempts to trick victims into disclosing sensitive information. They then used the hijacked accounts to steal nonpublic campaign documents and emails, which they shared with the press.As outlined in the indictment, the US linked the hackers to an Iranian internet service provider, Respina Networks, which allegedly allowed them “unrestricted” internet access... Continue reading…

Photo by Jack Guez / AFP via Getty Images Here’s the thing about asking investors for money: they want to see returns.OpenAI launched with a famously altruistic mission: to help humanity by developing artificial general intelligence. But along the way, it became one of the best-funded companies in Silicon Valley. Now, the tension between those two facts is coming to a head. Weeks after releasing a new model it claims can “reason,” OpenAI is barreling toward dropping its nonprofit status, some of its most senior employees are leaving, and CEO Sam Altman — who was once briefly ousted over apparent trust concerns — is solidifying his position as one of the most powerful people in tech.On Wednesday, OpenAI’s longtime chief technology officer, Mira Murati, announced she’s leaving... Continue reading…

Whether you love macOS Sequoia or Windows 11, it's clear that Apple makes some pretty great computers under the Mac line. However, it hasn't always been smooth sailing. There have been corporate failures, user outrage, and huge misses throughout the decades-long history of the Macintosh. Surprisingly, many of Apple's worst decisions to hit the Mac lineup were made recently. Let's break down the 10 worst moves Apple ever made regarding the Mac.

Unlike SSDs, which can have radically different form factors and interface options, HDDs dont have that many distinctions. Aside from the size difference between 2.5 and 3.5-inch hard drives, RPM is often the most important statistic that sets two hard drives apart. Or so you might think, until you encounter SMR and CMR variants of the same HDD.

Illustration: Cath Virginia / The Verge Arc creator The Browser Company has officially started a bug bounty program to keep its growing Chromium-based browser’s security in check. The company is also launching a new security bulletin to maintain “transparent and proactive communication” with users and researchers on bug fixes and reports.These security revisions followed a devastating bug a researcher found and reported to the company that would’ve allowed bad actors to insert arbitrary code into anyone’s browser just by knowing their easily findable user ID. The problem lived inside the Arc Boosts feature that lets you customize any website with CSS and Javascript. On top of its initial mitigations, the company says it now has disabled Boosts with Javascript by default and... Continue reading…

Automated responses in Gmail can now provide more detail and context for some users on iOS and Android. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Google is rolling out a Gemini-powered update to Gmail for Android and iOS that will tailor smart replies more specifically to emails. First announced back in May, Google says its new contextual Smart Replies will “offer more detailed responses to fully capture the intent of your message” by taking the entire content of the email thread into consideration.Users can hover over each of the suggested contextual smart replies to preview the text, and select the option that best matches their needs or writing style. Suggested replies can be edited or sent immediately. The idea is that this will both save time (especially if you’re often buried in your Gmail inbox) and improve the variety of automated responses available beyond a simple “Yes,... Continue reading…

On the 18th of May, 2003, Maria Vindevogel of Schaerbeek, Belgium, found herself placed in the center of a cosmic anomaly. While Vindevogel was one of the least favored candidates, she had received more votes than was possible at the time. Belgium had been experimenting with electronic voting for a decade at this stage, but something seemed amiss. After hours of re-counting, all vote counts matched... except for Vindevogel, who was up 4,096 votes more than she should have been.

A container truck burns outside the Port of Los Angeles. | Image: Pepe’s Towing A truck full of lithium-ion batteries is burning in Los Angeles, shutting down ports and a bridge. It’s not clear what the batteries were for — but LA’s Vincent Thomas Bridge, leading to the Port of Los Angeles and the next-door Port of Long Beach, has been shut down for at least 15 hours now while local firefighters let the truck burn. State Route 47 was also closed in both directions as of a couple of hours ago.Amazingly, a local towing company caught the explosion on camera from a nearby drone: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pepe's Tow Service Inc (@pepestowing)Both the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach have shut down a number of terminals while the fire continues to... Continue reading…

While Microsoft Excel helps you manage multiple projects, deadlines, and responsibilities, building complex spreadsheets from scratch can eat up precious hours of your life. Here is where Excel templates come into play. Whether you want to manage cash flow, create a shift calendar, develop a social media calendar, or make an assignment schedule, these Excel templates can streamline your workflow, automate tedious tasks, and help you reclaim your valuable time.

Having a ton of screen real estate can be a true blessing when you're trying to get lots of work done or even take in more of the action of your favorite game. Of course, it doesn't hurt to also have great colors and performance numbers too. This LG ultrawide monitor really delivers on all fronts with its large 34-inch 21:9 screen, 240Hz refresh rate, and 0.03ms response time. And while it typically comes priced at $1,300, it can now be had for much less, with a stellar discount from Best Buy that slashes $500 off for a limited time.

Setting a timer to shut down your Windows PC can be helpful in many cases. For example, if you are downloading a large piece of software or a game, you can set your computer to shut down after a particular time, based on the estimated download time. This will not only save energy while allowing you to get on with your day, but also reduce the unnecessary load on your computer.