A swap file is a form of virtual memory, similar to random access memory (RAM) and cache on a processor in which a file swap can be used to store temporary data. It's the slowest form of memory, located on an HDD or SSD, and is reserved by the Linux system for use when the OS runs out of RAM. By configuring your Linux installation to use a swap file, you can technically use more RAM than your PC has physically installed.

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Meta and TikTok are challenging fees they must pay EU regulators tasked with enforcing tough new content moderation rules required by the Digital Services Act (DSA), both companies have confirmed to The Verge. Although the fee is capped at 0.05 percent of a company’s profits, Meta isn’t happy that loss-making companies won’t have to pay while it’s on the hook for a reported €11 million, while TikTok is also taking issue with how its user numbers have been calculated to work out its reported €3.9 million fee.“We disagree with the methodology used to calculate these fees,” Meta’s EMEA policy comms spokesperson Ben Walters tells The Verge. “Currently, companies that record a loss don’t have to pay, even if they have a large user base or... Continue reading…

Apple Music, TV, and Devices have been in preview on Windows for just over a year now. If you're a fan of using these Apple-based apps, but you don't want to keep swapping between Windows and macOS, then we have good news for you. The aforementioned apps are now coming out of preview, and are available for everybody to download right now.

Upgrading your monitor is akin to making a huge commitment — you're basically mandating a corresponding GPU upgrade to make the most of your new display. This is what I did when I switched from a 1080p 60Hz monitor to a 1440p 144Hz monitor back in 2020. The higher resolution as well as the higher refresh rate meant that my trusty old GTX 1050 Ti was now woefully inadequate. So, I had to buy a GTX 1660 Ti to get the best gaming experience my monitor could offer.

Microsoft developed its CCleaner alternative in the form of an app called PC Manager back in 2022 to help users free up system resources. But believe it or not, it's taken the company two more years since then to finally make the app available for all via the Microsoft Store.

Apple Vision Pro, the company's first and highly anticipated augmented reality headset which it showcased at WWDC23 keynote last year, is finally available to purchase. That's right, Apple's new spatial computing hardware has finally hit the stores, and you can grab one right now if you can stomach its $3,500 starting price. The Vision Pro is a mixed-reality headset that can switch between augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) with the help of a physical dial, but there's more to it than that.

AI has been the talk of the town for over a year now, with tools like ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Microsoft Copilot threatening to upheave much of digital society as we know it. With those great risks and the potential for deepfakes, automatically generated content, and more, the European Union feels that AI legislation is necessary to safeguard its development without harming users. This legislation was first put forward three years ago, where it aimed to set a global standard for the technology.

The price to record visitors at your Ring video doorbell is about to go up. | Image: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge In what is fast becoming a trend, another security camera company is raising the price of its subscription plan. According to a Ring support article, starting March 11th, 2024, it will cost $4.99 monthly or $49.99 yearly to subscribe to the Ring Protect Basic plan, an increase of $1 a month or $10 a year. The Basic is Ring’s cheapest plan and gives you access to cloud storage of recorded videos from one camera or video doorbell. If you subscribe, you’ll see the bump on your next renewal date after March 11th unless you cancel before then.Just last month, Arlo increased its single-camera subscription price to $7.99 monthly from $4.99. Google Nest’s cheapest plan went up to $8 a month from $6 late last year, but that covers all cameras... Continue reading…

All the best iPhones have tons of great features that draw you into grabbing them 24/7. However, if you paid attention to how much time you actually spend on your smartphone, it would be shocking. That’s why people nowadays are taking steps to cut down on their screen time by doing things like setting daily usage limits.

Illustration: The Verge Danish privacy regulator Datatilsysnet has ruled that cities in Denmark need considerably more assurances about privacy to use Google service that may expose children’s data, reports BleepingComputer. The agency found (translated) that Google uses student data from Chromebooks and Google Workplace for Education “for its own purposes,” which isn’t allowed under European privacy law.Municipalities will need to explain by March 1st how they plan to comply with the order to stop transferring data to Google, and won’t be able to do so at all starting August 1st, which could mean phasing out Chromebooks entirely.The regulator ruled that municipalities aren’t allowed to send Google data unless the laws change or Google provides a way to... Continue reading…

Sharing files across devices should be easy, but in 2024, it isn't. It's slightly easier this year, because Google and Samsung have consolidated Nearby Share and Quick Share into one, unified service. Quick Share is the surviving name, and it's Google's equivalent to Apple's AirDrop, allowing users to transfer files and other content seamlessly between Android devices and even Windows laptops and desktops. However, unlike AirDrop, Quick Share is not available on Macs. This means that transferring files from your Android phone to your Mac can be a tedious experience. But this is where NearDrop comes in.

It’s just as fast, the magnet is just as strong, but it costs half as much as those proprietary Apple mounts. Continue reading…