Everyone knows that if you want a lightweight operating system, you go with Linux. But just how low can you go with the system specs? Could you, for instance, take Linux and run it on a Pentium 1? And not just any build of Linux, mind you; we're talking about a modern-day one.

The gaming scene is in a very strange place right now. While Microsoft has abandoned the idea of console exclusives and began to embrace its competition, we're seeing Valve re-enter the console market with its Steam Machine after its initial run didn't do so hot in the mid-2010s.

The problem with answering the question, "What hardware do you need to run a Minecraft server?" is that it's like asking, "How long is a piece of string?" There are a ton of elements at play, such as the number of people who will play at the same time, what version of Minecraft you're running, and how many mods you plan to stuff into the system until the game is nigh-unrecognisable.

I never really believed self-driving cars would make it to the UK, so you can imagine my surprise when I found myself clambering into one of Wayve's autonomous vehicles for a journey around north London a few weeks ago. In June, the company announced plans with Uber to begin trialing Level 4 fully autonomous robotaxis in the capital as soon as 2026, part of a government plan to fast-track self-driving pilots ahead of a potential wider rollout in late 2027. Alphabet-owned Waymo, now a staple fixture of US cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, also has its eyes on London, announcing plans for its own fully driverless robotaxi …Read the full story at The Verge.

They say once a coder, always a coder. After switching to tech blogging, I don't code full-time now, but there's always a coder in me who finds fun in automating stuff with scripting. Nowadays, major productivity apps seem to demand a monthly payment. This "subscription creep" is annoying, but there’s a better way. I realized that many of these paid features are simple automation tasks in disguise. I built a few custom Python scripts that perfectly handle everything I need.

It's always a special year when two of the biggest FPS franchises in gaming go head-to-head. Battlefield and Call of Duty have been competing against each other for as long as I can remember having a gaming platform, and historically, one of those names has always come out on top. This year, though, things are looking... different.

Meta is on the cusp of launching third-party integration with WhatsApp in Europe — something that’s required by the Digital Markets Act (DMA). It’s rolling out “over the coming months” with WhatsApp’s level of end-to-end encryption (E2EE) maintained.Meta says that BirdyChat and Haiket will be the first third-party services to implement messaging interoperability with WhatsApp. No, we haven’t heard of them either, but that’s what leveling the playing field looks like.WhatsApp users in Europe will eventually see a notification in the settings tab that will explain how to opt-in to third party messaging. It will work in WhatsApp for iOS and Android, but not on desktops, web, or tablets. Meta says that “third-party messaging apps must use the same level of E2EE as WhatsApp,” and Meta can’t see encrypted messages in transit. Content can include text, photos, videos, voice messages, and documents. It will also only work for users with a WhatsApp account registered to phone numbers in regions covered by the DMA, according to the FAQ. In September, Meta previewed what third-party integration with WhatsApp and Messenger will look like. Notably, users will be presented with the choice of receiving third-party messages in a separate folder or combined inbox. Meta also said it would remind users “each time a new third-party messaging app becomes available.”Meta warns that third-party apps “might handle your data differently” than it would — is that a bad thing?

We've seen some pretty steep discounts over the past year on our favorite tech products, but as we approach Black Friday, the discounts are somehow getting even better. While we wouldn't recommend grabbing a cheap laptop, sometimes there's just no choice, since you just need something that works for a good price.

This is an excerpt of Sources by Alex Heath, a newsletter about AI and the tech industry, syndicated just for The Verge subscribers once a week.I spent yesterday at Eric Newcomer's Cerebral Valley conference in San Francisco, which is now in its third year. I've attended this event for three years in a row because Eric does a great job curating the speakers and the audience, and the conversations are more substantive than a typical industry event.This year was no exception; however, I found the most interesting part of the day to be when the results of an anonymous audience survey were shared onstage. The more than 300 attendees who part …Read the full story at The Verge.

Given that NotebookLM is still a relatively new tool, the team has been constantly rolling out updates and features to improve the overall experience and iron out any quirks based on user feedback. If you've been following XDA's NotebookLM coverage (or any other outlet's, really), you’ve probably seen the major updates get plenty of attention, like Video Overviews, Flashcards and Quizzes being introduced, and even Gemini's Deep Research feature being spotted in testing.

You know, there are a few games on Steam that have reached drinking age yet still receive a healthy player base to this day. One of those titles is Garry's Mod, a Source sandbox game that has enjoyed almost two whole decades of updates and content to make it one of the best titles on Steam.

The Asus Vivobook 14 is one of those laptops that often flies under the radar because of its specifications and its usual retail price. This is not a $530 laptop, and you should never buy it for that price because there are plenty of better options. However, when this laptop goes on sale, that's when things become a little more interesting, because it can be a great option for someone that's not looking to spend a lot of money. We've seen this model drop in price before, but this is the best price we've seen for this model. Best Buy's early Black Friday promotion knocks it down to just $270, making it hard to ignore.