Besides housing my self-hosted arsenal, Proxmox serves as a solid testing ground for tinkering with VMs and training my DevOps skills. After all, it’s light enough to run on practically any old hardware, while including advanced features such as clustering and SDN stacks without charging a dime. In fact, I often use Proxmox with different automation services just to get the hang of managing nodes via configuration files.

ISO corporate scapegoat. OpenAI is hiring a Head of Preparedness. Or, in other words, someone whose primary job is to think about all the ways AI could go horribly, horribly wrong. In a post on X, Sam Altman announced the position by acknowledging that the rapid improvement of AI models poses "some real challenges." The post goes on to specifically call out the potential impact on people's mental health and the dangers of AI-powered cybersecurity weapons. The job listing says the person in the role would be responsible for: "Tracking and preparing for frontier capabilities that create new risks of severe harm. You will be the directly responsible leader for bui …Read the full story at The Verge.

Whenever I have to research a complex topic, I always end up with various pages of notes. Even though I format the notes to make them easy to read, that doesn’t make up for their length. Since I didn’t want to waste time doomscrolling through my notes, wondering where a piece of information was, I used certain NotebookLM features to help me find specific text faster.

For years, Samsung has made products that try to camouflage what they are by displaying works of art. The Frame TV is the most famous example, but the company also released the Music Frame, a speaker disguised as a picture frame, at last year's CES. Now, instead of hiding a speaker with a piece of art, Samsung worked with designer Erwan Bouroullec to make a speaker into a piece of art.According to Samsung, the Music Studio line of speakers, debuting at CES 2026, draw inspiration from the "timeless dot concept" found throughout music and art. As a musician, the Music Studio 5 reminds me of a fermata, the symbol meant to hold a note or silen …Read the full story at The Verge.

Whole-home audio feels very different once music is no longer confined to a single room. When every speaker in your house plays together, even quietly, it turns background sound into part of the way you move through the day. Systems like Sonos promise a smooth experience with minimal effort, but they also expect you to buy into their hardware from the ground up. If you already own speakers you enjoy, that trade-off may not make sense. A Raspberry Pi offers another path that keeps your existing gear while still delivering a polished, multi-room experience.

Out of all the franchises that Capcom has released over the years, one that has been very elusive is the Onimusha series. For a long time, very little was done to bring back or revitalize the series, even though characters from various Onimusha games appeared in other releases. It had the same issue as the Mega Man franchise, even though Capcom's blue bomber is more popular than their demon-slaying samurai. But 2026 is going to change that with the arrivial of a brand-new Onimusha title arriving on consoles.

When SSDs slow down or wear out earlier than expected, most users attribute it to hardware and quality issues. What many are unaware of, however, is that an important driver of premature wear is the constant "micro-write" workload they endure over a course of time.

NotebookLM went absolutely viral earlier this year and has already become so many people's favorite learning tool. You can use it to turn your notes into a fun and entertaining video or podcast, and now everyone has seen the viral clips of AI hosts bantering, and it's fun for 10 minutes, but does it actually help you get your work done?

Whether you're a homelabber looking to take the next step in improving your network, interested in increasing your network speed and snappiness or concerned about your privacy, adding a custom DNS server to your network is a fun (and relatively easy) project with a whole host of benefits. A DNS server is a lightweight server, so it can run on something as small as an SBC like the Raspberry Pi, and is in charge of resolving URLs to their IP addresses. Whatever your motivation, we think it's a great addition to your network and here are our top reasons why.

Google’s Pixel 10 phones are some of the best Android phones on the market. If you’re taking it easy during the slow, in-between week between Christmas and New Year’s, now’s a good time to catch up on deals you might’ve missed. Many of our favorite discounts from the past week are still hanging around, making this an especially convenient moment to shop. Whether you’re eyeing a new phone, gearing up for travel, or just looking to treat yourself before the year wraps up, we’re seeing notable price drops on Google’s Pixel 10 lineup, AirTags, and a wide selection of Nintendo Switch games, along with a handful of other Verge-approved picks worth grabbing now. Here are the best deals worth checking out before the year comes to a close.Google Pixel 10This model touts a 6.3-inch 1080p OLED that supports up to a 120Hz refresh rate. It has the same Tensor G5 processor found in all Pixel 10-series phones, but with a slightly lower 12GB RAM count compared to 16GB on the Pro. Verge reviewer Allison Johnson notes in her review that those who want to take great — not just good — photos should get the 10 Pro instead.Where to Buy: $799 $499 at Amazon (with code PIXEL10) $799 $499 at Best Buy $799 $599 at GoogleGoogle Pixel 10 ProIn addition to have extra memory for handling tasks more swiftly than the Pixel 10, its cameras pack improvements, both in terms of hardware and AI-enhanced software, like the sometimes great, sometimes terrible Pro Res Zoom mode that’s powered by generative AI. Its portrait mode is improved, according to our review.Where to Buy: $999 $649 at Amazon (with code PIXEL10) $999 $649 at Best Buy $999 $749 at Google StoreGoogle Pixel 10 Pro XL (256GB)The Pixel 10 Pro XL is the larger version of Google’s flagship, with a 6.8-inch OLED screen, Google’s Tensor G5 chip, and support for Pixelsnap wireless charging at up to 25W. Where to Buy: $1399 $799 at Amazon (with code PIXEL10) $1199 $799 at Best Buy $1199 $899 at GoogleGoogle’s Pixel 10 phones are among the best Android phones  you can buy, and this week they’ve dropped to some of their lowest prices yet. Amazon is selling the Pixel 10 for $499 ($300 off) with promo code PIXEL10, marking its second-best price to date. If you want better  cameras, Amazon is also offering record-low prices on the Pixel 10 Pro and 6.8-inch Pixel 10 Pro XL, down to $649 ($350 off) and $799 ($400 off), respectively, with the same code.All three phones support Qi2 wireless charging with built-in magnets and run on Google’s snappy Tensor G5 chip. In her review, The Verge’s Allison Johnson called the Pixel 10 a great, basic Android phone with meaningful upgrades, including a bright 6.3-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness. It also adds a dedicated telephoto lens — a first for a non-Pro Pixel — which makes a noticeable difference for portraits.If you’re aiming for great (not just good) photos, though, the 6.3-inch Pixel 10 Pro or 6.8-inch Pro XL are better picks. Both offer improved main and 48-megapixel ultrawide cameras, and additional AI-powered features like Pro Res Zoom and an upgraded portrait mode. They also come with extra memory for smoother multitasking along with sharper displays. Read our Pixel 10 review.Anker Laptop Power BankAnker’s 25,000mAh power bank sports two built-in USB-C cables (one of which is retractable), plus one USB-C and USB-A port. It tops out at 165W when charging two devices simultaneously, or 130W when charging three or four.Where to Buy: $119.99 $87.99 at Amazon $119.99 $87.99 at WalmartAnker’s Laptop Power Bank is once again on sale at Amazon and Walmart for $87.99 ($47 off), which matches the record-low price we last saw a month ago. A favorite among Verge staffers, the 25,000mAh / 90Wh power bank features a retractable USB-C cable along with a second built-in USB-C cable that doubles as a handle for easier portability. You also get a handy LCD screen that shows remaining battery life, total power output, and temperature at a glance. It includes a USB-A port and an extra USB-C port as well, letting you charge a MacBook Pro and up to three other devices at the same time. Power output tops out at 165W when charging two devices, or up to 130W with more plugged in — and since it’s carry-on compliant, you can bring the power bank along on flights.Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate EditionCD Projekt Red has delivered on an incredibly ambitious vision: a vast virtual city with a complex narrative and roleplaying system. Read our review.Where to Buy: $69.99 $39.99 at NintendoSuper Mario OdysseyThe first mainline Mario title for the Nintendo Switch, Super Mario Odyssey, doesn’t disappoint. The game brings plenty of fun, new mechanics, and ample charm. Read our review.Where to Buy: $59.99 $39.99 at Nintendo $59.99 $39.99 at AmazonThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of WisdomEchoes of Wisdom finally lets you play as Nintendo’s titular heroine. The game mixes the top-down perspective of 2D Zelda games with gameplay from the series’ newer, open-world 3D entries. Read our review.Where to Buy: $59.99 $41.99 at Nintendo $59.99 $49.73 at AmazonIf you’re looking to stock up on Nintendo Switch games, now’s a great time to do it. Nintendo is currently taking up to 50 percent off some of its best-known titles. That includes a number of   first-party Nintendo games like Super Mario Odyssey ($39.99 down from $59.99), along with Princess Peach: Showtime ($41.99 down from $59.99) and The Legend of Zelda, Echoes of Wisdom (also $41.99 down from $59.99).The deals aren’t limited to Nintendo’s own catalog, either. A number of well-known third-party games are included as well, from popular releases like Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition ($39.99 down from $69.99)  to game of the year contenders such as Hades 2 ($22.49, down from $29.99) and Hollow Knight: Silksong ($15.99, down from $19.99). Just mark your calendar — most of these deals run through January 4th.A few more deals we’re digging:Right now, you can buy a single AirTag for $19 ($10 off) at Amazon, which is about $1 shy of its best price to date. We strongly recommend Apple’s Bluetooth tracker for iPhone owners, largely because it taps into Apple’s wide Find My network for reliable out-of-range tracking, with built-in UWB delivering an impressive level of precision. You can also share an AirTag’s location with up to five people or, in some cases, participating airlines. Read our review.The Twelve South AirFly Pro 2 Bluetooth transmitter / receiver is on sale for $49.99 ($10 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, which is its second-best price to date. The adapter adds Bluetooth support to any device with a 3.5mm headphone jack, whether you’re listening to in-flight entertainment or using older gym equipment and cars that lack built-in Bluetooth. You can even connect up to two sets of headphones or earbuds at once, making it a great option for watching a movie or listening to a playlist with a travel companion.If you missed out on Amazon’s Echo device sale, the retailer recently launched a new winter sale that basically is a continuation of its holiday sale.  For example, you can still pick up the Amazon Echo Spot for $44.99 ($35 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. That matches the lowest price we’ve seen so far on the  bedside smart speaker and alarm clock, which comes with a small display for checking things like the weather at a glance. Read our review.

Have you ever heard of Andromeda OS before? If not, it was an operating system Microsoft was developing for the Surface Duo range. It was based on Windows 10 and had a very Windows Phone-esque look to it, but for reasons unknown, Microsoft canned it and replaced it with Android instead. And so, the Surface Duos became Android devices, and Andromeda OS just kinda faded away.

I've upgraded my home network in a fairly slapdash manner over the years, and as such, I wasn't entirely sure whether any networking hiccups while watching Netflix were the ISP's fault, the streaming service's, or something inside my walls. I hadn't been documenting my home lab shenanigans with NetBox or similar tools, and had started suspecting one or two of those VMs were causing trouble.