There are plenty of ways you can write down notes and documents on your PC, and we tend to be drawn to the ones that offer more features. Fancy formatting, syncing capabilities, and others can make it appealing to opt for a more advanced editor.

I have been running Windows 11 on this same machine for the past 10 years, and I haven't had to wipe and reformat once. I haven't felt the need to reformat because I use it primarily for writing. I keep the system light, and my regular maintenance keeps it running like new. Some added Microsoft features have helped, but my steady system-management routine does the best job of keeping it running smoothly.

Big Walk's co-op multiplayer walking adventure has proved popular since launching in August, but Xbox players have been excluded from the fun - and now the game's creators have explained why. Developer House House said in a blog post that it decided not to release Big Walk on Xbox consoles in accordance with the Palestinian-led BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement, which has called to boycott Microsoft, including products under the company's gaming division.Microsoft was named a priority BDS target in June last year over contracts it has with the Israeli military and government, with the boycott specifically calling out Xbox conso …Read the full story at The Verge.

Apple’s HomeView smart display seems tailor-made for the kitchen. (That aluminum base looks like it will hold up better than my now off-white kitchen HomePod.) I'm just going to come right out and say it. I love the approach Apple has taken with the HomeView. I think it's the shared, always-available household interface that my family might finally use. Is Apple's first smart display my dream smart home dashboard? No. But is it the right product for Apple Home at this moment? Absolutely.A lot of initial reactions to the $299 HomeView (which looks like a giant Apple Watch on a flatter metallic HomePod Mini) ask why you would want it when you can do most of what it offers on your iPhone or iPad. And yes, its features replicate many of the things you already do on the devices you use all the time. B …Read the full story at The Verge.

Consulting firm McKinsey & Company is going to ask some entry-level candidates to have a 10-minute conversation with an AI simulation of a client as part of the interview process, according to The Wall Street Journal.The AI simulation "aims to reflect 80% of the scenarios McKinsey consultants might encounter in their day-to-day work," the WSJ says, and it isn't designed to "mimic an unhinged client." The AI won't score the candidates - humans will be in the room to assess the candidates and see how well they deal with the simulated situations.The McKinsey tool will be in testing for undergrads seeking business-analyst jobs in "some" offi …Read the full story at The Verge.

While VS Code has served me well, I recently started wondering whether there was a faster way to handle complex coding projects. Instead of comparing features on paper, I decided to put Google’s Antigravity to the test.

Back in early 2025, we saw Opera release its new browser, Air. The idea behind Air was simple; while other browsers tend to shove a ton of exciting features in your face, Air made things a lot simpler, smoother, and most importantly, calmer. Now, Opera is taking a second shot with its Air browser, as it's re-releasing it with some nice tweaks.

Eiliko. | Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge There's a new digital pet in town - a cute little marshmallow of a robot that can change its cartoony expressions to match your mood. But if you or your kids talk to "Eiliko" over Wi-Fi, it'll phone home to China. Its AI companion can store literally everything you tell it on Chinese servers, where hackers can easily gain access or even hijack its personality. And the company that made it, Energize Lab, doesn't seem to care.I bought an Eiliko from Amazon on August 29th. During a 10-minute conversation on August 30th, I asked the little bot: "Do you ever tell anybody else what I'm saying?""Your secrets are safe with me," it replied.With …Read the full story at The Verge.

My Pixel 8 has sat unused since I switched to my Galaxy S25 Ultra, and I was looking for a practical way to get it working again.

The iconic blue screen of death (BSOD) has graced some of our worst Windows moments over the years —moments when your PC completely gave up. This error screen is reserved for catastrophic errors that prevent Windows from functioning normally. The OS displays the details of whichever process caused the fatal crash, and restarts itself to avoid damage to your data and hardware.

When it comes to budget builds, there are some compromises most users are willing to make more than others. One argument I've heard more often than others is that, if a GPU is going in the PC anyway, it's a reasonable call to buy a processor that lacks integrated graphics and spend the change elsewhere. After all, both major manufacturers of desktop processors, AMD and Intel, have F-series processors that can be bought for $15-$40 less.

One of the best parts about being a tinkerer is that you never have to purchase a household gadget again. Sure, you need to buy the components and build it yourself, but you also free yourself from proprietary services and from having to repurchase an entire device when one component breaks. Such is the case of this cool air quality detector you can make yourself, complete with Home Assistant integration.