One thing I've learned while covering DIY projects is that there's an API for stuff you wouldn't think there'd be an API for. For example, did you know that some train services have their own API you can hook up your DIY projects to and make your own departure boards with notifications? I guess you don't know what services have an API until you look for it.

We've covered quite a few mini PCs over the past few months, but this one is a little more unique, thanks to its size and the power that it packs. Sure, it's not going to be the most powerful mini PC you've seen, but it features enough power to handle the basics. And it certainly has more than enough power to become the heart of your home lab or the center of your entertainment hub. And it's not that pricey either, coming in at just $230.

You don't need to spend a ton of money if you're looking to improve your PC experience. And while we can recommend a ton of different upgrades and accessories, a new mouse pad can be an effective and low-cost purchase that can make a world of difference. We've talked about this in the past, and we're now seeing one from Corsair drop down to just $7, which is an absolute steal.

Let's say you've just spent $150 on a high-speed 40GB/s dock but your external SSD is transferring at half speed and your second monitor won't turn on. The issue here is that we were promised one cable to rule them all. Instead, we have got a dozen protocols hiding behind the same reversible connector.

JBL’s new wireless mics can improve your pitch. | Image: JBL Karaoke is more fun for everyone when the person holding the mic sounds as good as a song's original performer. So the latest addition to JBL's PartyBox Bluetooth speaker line, the On-the-Go 2 Plus, comes with one of the company's new EasySing wireless microphones, which use an algorithm to silence a song's vocals while also helping a karaoke singer stay on pitch and hit more challenging high notes.The On-The-Go 2 Plus is now available for preorder from the company's website for $419.95, with availability expected to start on April 5th. It's an update to JBL's original PartyBox On-The-Go speaker, and while it still delivers up to 100W of s …Read the full story at The Verge.

Today, many of us are becoming more concerned about privacy and are moving from managed services to self-hosted alternatives. Modern network-attached storage (NAS) devices and virtual private server (VPS) instances are becoming common for everyday users. Self-hosting today is no longer limited to enthusiasts or homelab hobbyists.

I love to procrastinate, just like most people, and that goes for addressing system log entries. Home Assistant is no exception to this rule, and yet it's something that should be addressed because it can cause issues for my smart home. Now, I know nothing outright breaks on a daily basis since all sensors continue providing data, everything still works when toggled, and no household members have complained. So, all is well, right? Well, it turns out ... not everything is well. I decided to throw my Home Assistant log to an LLM for parsing, and I have a few issues I should get around to sorting.

Picking out a new gaming monitor is harder than ever before. Besides the standard choice between flat panels and curved ones, you're often stuck choosing between several panel types, including VA, IPS, LCD, and OLED options. Each has its own advantages, quirks, and technicalities that you simply cannot overcome because of limitations of the very process used to manufacture them. As such, choosing the right display now goes well beyond picking something to view as a mere output.

Perplexity wants to be more than just an answer engine. On Wednesday it launched Personal Computer, a new AI agent tool that can turn a spare Mac into a locally run AI system, pitching it as "a digital proxy for you."Personal Computer will run 24/7 on a dedicated device on your local network, have full access to your files and apps, and be controllable from anywhere and on any device, Perplexity said. That deeper access makes it a more personalized version of a similar product Perplexity launched last month, Perplexity Computer, a cluster of agents it described as a "general-purpose digital worker." Perplexity pitches the system as more …Read the full story at The Verge.

Most home networks are far more crowded than they seem. Phones, laptops, TVs, tablets, smart speakers, printers, and stray little IoT gadgets all pile onto the same connection, yet most of us only see them when a router app coughs up a vague list of devices. That works well enough until something unfamiliar pops up. At that point, the network stops feeling invisible and starts feeling uncertain.

Did your homelab start as a weekend project and slowly turn into a digital jungle? For me, it started as a couple of useful services and eventually turned into 12 different apps, each with its own issues, resources, and maintenance headaches.

This marks Iran’s first significant cyberattack against the US since the war started. | Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images US medical equipment provider Stryker said its global networks were disrupted by a cyberattack on Wednesday, allegedly carried out by a hacking group linked to Iran. The attack impacted Stryker's internal Microsoft environment and deleted information from devices, with one employee telling NBC News that company phones stopped working, grinding work and communications to a standstill.In an SEC filing disclosing the attack, Stryker says the "full scope" of the operational and financial impact on its business "are not yet known," and that it's unable to provide a full restoration timeline. The situation was still ongoing as of 12:32AM ET on T …Read the full story at The Verge.