Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) is pressing OpenAI about its move to bring ads to ChatGPT, and is asking several other companies whether they have similar plans. In letters to the CEOs of OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Snap, and xAI, Markey writes that embedding ads into AI chatbots "raises significant concerns for consumer protection, privacy, and the safety of young users."OpenAI will start testing ads for free ChatGPT users in the coming weeks, and they'll appear in the form of "sponsored" products and services at the bottom of conversations with the chatbot. The company says it will surface ads relevant to your chat, though it won't …Read the full story at The Verge.

Ever since I’ve discovered AFFiNE, it has become my go-to place for taking and managing my notes. And I use it for both personal and work purposes, including reading materials, novel drafts, research, outlines, project planning, and so on. I’ve already been pairing my AFFiNE notes with NotebookLM for getting quick summaries and insights. However, it wasn’t until recently that I got a bit more serious about funneling my studying materials from AFFiNE into NotebookLM.

Samsung’s aptly titled Frame TV is designed to blend in with the rest of your home decor. Unless you’re dead set on picking up a larger panel, Samsung’s forthcoming 2026 Frame lineup represents a fairly minor upgrade. That makes last year’s model an easy rec for those on the hunt for an art-inspired 4K TV, especially given the 43- and 50-inch models are down to the lowest prices we’ve seen at Woot, selling for $597.99 ($302 off) and $697.99 ($402 off), respectively, through January 31st.Samsung The Frame (2025)Where to Buy: $899.99 $597.99 at Woot (43-inch) $1099.99 $697.99 at Woot (50-inch)Samsung’s last-gen 4K TV can easily pass for a piece of artwork, thanks to its slim QLED display that can showcase thousands of famous paintings when idle. Its anti-glare matte panel adds a realistic, canvas-like quality that helps it blend into your home decor, and you can even display your own photos and images. It’s great for watching TV shows and movies, too, as it supports HDR10 Plus for richer image quality and Dolby Atmos for more spacious, immersive sound. You also get access to all your major streaming apps — Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, etc. —along with support for both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.There are some caveats to bear in mind, such as the fact that the 43-inch model only offers a 60Hz refresh rate, whereas larger models can reach 144Hz. And though Samsung offers a limited selection of free artwork, you’ll need a Samsung Art Store subscription ($4.99 a month / $49.99 a year) to access the full catalog. Nonetheless, both the 43-inch and 50-inch models are a good investment if you want Samsung’s artsy TV experience but in a smaller, more affordable package.

As a recent convert to PC gaming from the close-off, simple world of consoles, I've grown to appreciate the Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE), both on my ROG Xbox Ally X and my gaming PC. It's far from perfect, but it strips back a lot of things tied to PC gaming that I just don't want to deal with all the time, and makes it far easier for console players to easily jump ship, especially when it comes to the Xbox Ally X.

You never forget your first laptop, do you? Back in 2020, a $200 laptop was my first, which I got during the pandemic since half my degree hung in the balance. Even back in 2020, it was capable of doing just the basics — word processing, browsing in Chrome, and, of course, some onboard graphics processing that helped me play pre-2005 classics.

A judge is questioning whether Epic Games and Google are settling their long-running antitrust fight partly because of a previously unannounced partnership involving the Unreal Engine, Fortnite, and Android. In a hearing in San Francisco today, the court revealed that Epic and Google have struck a new deal that apparently includes "joint product development, joint marketing commitment, joint partnerships." California District Judge James Donato expressed concerns that the agreement - which he indicated would involve Epic "helping Google market Android" and Google newly "using Epic's core technology" - could have led Epic to soften its demand …Read the full story at The Verge.

Leaving Windows can be a grueling decision for a long-time user. The transition for a slightly tech-enthusiastic user like me is more seamless than for an average one. When an older user makes the switch, the first impression is starkly different than the regular “old” Windows. Then begins a love-hate relationship of finding settings, apps, and making adjustments. The shortcuts seem different, the settings are different, and there's a slight terminal interaction as well.

What do you do if you have terrible Wi-Fi coverage and no option to run Ethernet cabling throughout the home? One solution that could be recommended is using a few powerline adapters. They're actually extremely smart by using existing electrical wiring to provide channels for electrical signals to be sent and received. In essence, you're hard-wiring your home without drilling any holes.

Developing apps for Windows is hard. There are a lot of elements to consider, rules to obey, and standards to adopt before you even get started with making the app itself. Fortunately, it seems like Microsoft understands this, as it is constantly releasing new tools and features that remove the roadblocks preventing people from launching their own Windows apps.

Vimeo is laying off employees around the globe just months after the Italian software company Bending Spoons acquired the platform for $1.38 billion, as reported earlier by Business Insider. Even though it's not clear how many people were laid off, Dave Brown, Vimeo's former brand VP, says in a post on LinkedIn that "a large portion of the company" was impacted.Other former employees echo this statement in posts online, with one video engineer saying "almost everyone" at the company was laid off, "including the entire video team." Another software engineer says he was laid off along with "a gigantic amount of the company." Bending Spoons s …Read the full story at The Verge.

Security and surveillance systems used to be something you'd have to order and have set up. But now, there are plenty of different options to go with that you can install yourself with not much work.

Nintendo’s Talking Flower interactive toy will launch in March. | Image: Nintendo After sharing a brief look at its new Talking Flower during a Nintendo Direct showcase last September that generated more questions than answers, Nintendo has finally revealed more details about what the interactive toy actually does and how much it costs. It shares some functionality with Nintendo's Alarmo alarm clock, but the Talking Flower seems more like a talkative companion for fans of Super Mario Bros. Wonder.First and foremost, as the name implies, the Talking Flower will just randomly speak a couple of times every hour when left alone, with phrases like "sometimes it's nice to space out," and "is it weird for flowers to talk?" A s …Read the full story at The Verge.