Spotify is beta-testing a new feature called Artist Profile Protection that lets artists review releases before they go live. Sometimes songs end up on the wrong artist pages because of metadata mixups or shared names. But increasingly, artists have been targeted by impostors and AI-generated fakes. Profile Protection offers a buffer against bad actors.Everyone from Drake and Beyonce, to experimental composers like William Basinski, and indie rock acts like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have had fake tracks appear under their names on streaming platforms, with some that were likely AI-generated. It's an issue that has stoked a lot of …Read the full story at The Verge.

If you're on an AMD RX 6000 or RX 7000 GPU, you've probably already made peace with the idea that FSR 4 — and now FSR 4.1 — isn't meant for you. At least, not officially. AMD's latest upscaler has brought some rather remarkable improvements to image stability, reconstruction, and performance scaling, but it's locked behind newer hardware in a way that feels unusually restrictive.

Less than a week into his tenure as Disney's newly-appointed CEO, Josh D'Amaro is already dealing with two separate crises that have cast a shadow over the company's future plans. OpenAI is shutting down its Sora image-generation program just months after Disney announced a $1 billion dollar collaboration to bake the tech into Disney Plus. And Fortnite maker Epic is laying off 1,000 employees at a time when we've heard basically nothing about the game studio's $1.5 billion investment deal with Disney to build a metaverse.Disney could still integrate generative AI into its streaming service, and we might end up seeing some version of the co …Read the full story at The Verge.

My self-hosting journey began with a simple goal: to reclaim my data and build a high-performance environment that worked exactly the way I wanted. In the beginning, I was fascinated by every new Docker container. I was convinced that the more I customized and automated, the more efficient I would become.

For PC gamers, getting a significant performance boost has always come down to better hardware, whether that's a faster GPU, a newer CPU, or sometimes even more RAM. In fact, when I upgraded from the RTX 3090 to the 4090 in 2022, I saw roughly a 60–70% FPS uplift across the board at 4K. Fast-forward to 2026, and its successor, the RTX 5090, is only about 27% faster for a 25% increase in MSRP. That felt underwhelming to me, which is why I decided to skip this generation altogether, and as it turns out, it was probably the best decision I made.

Fanttik’s X9 Pro is $20 off, which is its best price since July. | Image: Fanttik If you’ve ever had to deal with a flat tire, you know how quickly it can derail your day. That’s why it’s worth considering a portable inflator like the Fanttik X9 Pro. The small, rechargeable air pump that can quickly inflate tires on cars and bikes is down to $59.98 ($20 off) at Amazon and directly from Fantikk as a part of Amazon’s Big Spring sale. This sale price is the best we’ve seen since July.Fanttik X9 Pro Portable Tire InflatorWhere to Buy: $79.97 $59.98 at Amazon (with on-page coupon) $79.97 $59.98 at Fanttik (with code X9PRO1) $79.99 at Best BuyFanttik’s portable pump can inflate a compact car tire from 30 to 35 PSI in about a minute, and with a maximum pressure of 150 PSI, it works with everything from SUVs and bikes to sports balls. Using it is simple; pull out its air hose, attach it to your tire (or other inflatable doodad), then select from one of the four preset modes for cars, motorcycles, bikes, and balls — or switch to manual if you want more control. The built-in display shows your tire’s pressure in real time, your selected target level, and remaining battery life, so you can easily track progress on the most important metrics. It also automatically shuts off when it’s done, so there’s no need to keep checking it. Weighing in at about a pound, the X9 Pro should be easy to carry, and its slim design includes built-in storage for accessories (it comes with adapters for different valve types). Its battery recharges via USB-C and can run continuously for up to 23 minutes.

It's a rookie mistake to assume that just because you're not using it, your network is sitting idle. While your laptop might be shut, and your phone might be on charge, your network is still very much active. Every device on your network is constantly sending and receiving data in the background. Be it software updates, sync services, analytics, status checks, it all adds up even if you can't really see it. And when things stop working the way you expect them to, you're left grasping for information.

Razer is giving its Blade 16 gaming laptop a speed and battery boost for 2026. The high-end gaming laptop keeps the same thin chassis and RTX 50-series GPU options as last year's model, but it's now making the switch from AMD to an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H "Panther Lake" chip, and corresponding faster RAM. The new Blade 16 is available now directly from Razer, starting at $3,499.99 with an RTX 5080 GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD. The top-end RTX 5090 model gets 2TB of storage and costs $4,499.99. According to Razer's specs sheet, a cheaper Blade 16 with RTX 5070 Ti will be priced and released at a later time.Razer claims its new laptop is up …Read the full story at The Verge.

I didn’t think I’d ever care about Ethernet again. For the longest time, gigabit felt like it was enough. It was fast, stable, and the kind of tech you stop thinking about because it just works. But over the past year, I started noticing small things like downloads that should’ve been faster, file transfers dragging, and my network choking the moment everything ran at once.

Woot is running a day-long sale coinciding with the start of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. Many products across multiple tech categories are discounted, including dozens of video games and accessories. What’s more, you can get an extra 20 percent off through 12:59AM ET on March 26th when you use code SAVETWENTY. Also, if you’re a Prime member who links their Amazon account, you’ll get free shipping.Of the grab bag of products, the Nintendo Switch 2-related discounts stood out the most. For instance, you can get the physical version of Mario Kart World at Woot for $52 ($28 off). If your Switch 2 didn’t already include a digital copy of the exclusive, World is a must-have racing title that’s fun to play alone or with others (my colleague Andrew Webster called it “the perfect launch game” in his review). It includes an open world chock-full of challenges — a series first — or you can race through different course-filled cups, just like in the old days.Mario Kart WorldWhere to Buy: $79.99 $52 at Woot (with code SAVETWENTY)Additionally, 8BitDo’s fantastic Ultimate 2 and Pro 3 controllers — both compatible with the Switch 2 and other platforms — currently cost $36 and $37.60, respectively. Considering that both gamepads typically cost over $50 each, the savings are steep enough to consider getting more than one gamepad. The Ultimate 2 and Pro 3 have a similar set of features — rumble, motion controls, TMR joysticks, customizable back paddles, an extra shoulder button, and adjustable triggers — but their button and stick layouts cater to different gamers.8BitDo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth ControllerWhere to Buy: $69.99 $36 at Woot (with code SAVETWENTY)While the Ultimate 2 is arranged like a Switch 2 Pro (which itself is an Xbox-style layout), the Pro 3 is more akin to a PlayStation controller, with sticks close together in the middle. One neat feature of the Pro 3 not found in the Ultimate 2 is the ability to pull off its magnetic buttons and swap their positions, which is handy if you’re switching platforms. Both models also feature a 90-day Woot warranty. Read our Pro 3 review.8BitDo Pro 3 Wireless ControllerWhere to Buy: $69.99 $37.6 at Woot (with code SAVETWENTY)If you already own Mario Kart World — or don’t own a Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 — there are also plenty of other great deals to choose from, including titles for both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X / S.Here’s a smattering of favorites:The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of WisdomWhere to Buy: $59.99 $37.6 at Woot (with code SAVETWENTY)Pokémon Legends: Z-AWhere to Buy: $59.99 $36 at Woot (Switch, with code SAVETWENTY)Super Mario Bros. WonderWhere to Buy: $59.99 $37.6 at Woot (with code SAVETWENTY)Metaphor: ReFantazioWhere to Buy: $69.99 $14.4 at Woot (Xbox, with code SAVETWENTY)Silent Hill FWhere to Buy: $69.99 $32 at Woot (PS5, with code SAVETWENTY)Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Switch 2 EditionWhere to Buy: $59.99 $44 at Woot (with code SAVETWENTY)Monster Hunter WildsWhere to Buy: $69.99 $16 at Woot (PS5, with code SAVETWENTY)Armored Core VI Fires of RubiconWhere to Buy: $59.99 $16 at Woot (PS5, with code SAVETWENTY) $59.99 $16 at Woot (Xbox, with code SAVETWENTY)

Everything about video games is getting more expensive, and soon that will include a budget-friendly console. The Nex Playground - a Kinect-like device aimed at families that made headlines by outselling the Xbox over the holidays last year - will cost $299 starting on April 1st, a $50 bump.In a statement on the Nex Playground site, co-founder and CEO David Lee cited a number of familiar reasons for the higher price point:Over the past six months, the cost of key components - especially memory (DDR) and storage (eMMC) - has risen significantly across the industry. These increases are driven in part by the rapid expansion of AI infrastru …Read the full story at The Verge.

Meta is laying off hundreds of employees across its company, according to reports from The New York Times, NBC News, and The Information. The job cuts impact workers on Meta's recruiting, social media, and sales teams, along with Reality Labs, the division that develops the company's smart glasses and virtual reality headsets."Teams across Meta regularly restructure or implement changes to ensure they're in the best position to achieve their goals," Meta spokesperson Tracy Clayton says in an emailed statement to The Verge. "Where possible, we are finding other opportunities for employees whose positions may be impacted."Clayton declined …Read the full story at The Verge.