Even with the TikTok divest-or-ban law officially in effect since January, the app has only shut down service in the US for one day. Now, The Information reports that an agreement for a sale satisfying the law’s requirements is close and would come with a new, separate version of the app. Any deal, however, would need approval from the Chinese government, which is also still wrangling with the Trump administration over tariffs.The outlet reports that the Trump administration says it’s close to working out a sale to a group of “non-Chinese” investors, including Oracle, with current majority owner ByteDance maintaining a minority stake that would satisfy the terms of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.Earlier today, the Wall Street Journal reported that the General Services Administration says Oracle has reached a new agreement with the federal government that “is the first of its kind that provides the entire government with a discount on cloud infrastructure,” with a 75 percent discount on licensed software.TikTok’s staff is reportedly working on a new version of the app — dubbed M2, to the current app’s internal M designation — for release in app stores on September 5th. Trump issued a third legally questionable extension of the deadline to ban TikTok from US app stores last month, which is set to expire in mid-September. According to The Information’s unnamed source, under the current timeline, the original TikTok app would leave app stores as the new one launches and then stop working entirely in March 2026.

When I started self-hosting apps with Docker containers in my home lab, I followed the advice to manage them with a widely recommended tool — Portainer. Like many, I loved the comfort of using a GUI to manage the containers. When I tried Dockge to improve my enjoyment of working with code in Docker Compose files, I liked it more. It’s not as feature-rich as Portainer, though it’s a worthy alternative. So, I used Portainer and Dockge to manage Docker containers in my home lab to help me discover a winning combo. Over time, using both the apps turned out to be a game-changer for managing containers and stacks in my home lab.

I'm a tech hoarder, and by that, I mean I hoard accessories and small gizmos that help me extend the functionality of my gadgets. For instance, I carry a ton of dongles with me that help plug in external SSDs, SD cards, or various types of cables into laptops that have limited ports. Similarly, I have a MagSafe attachment for my phone that helps me grip it better when clicking photos and adds a ring light for better luminance. Owing to this, I end up spending more money than I would like on accessories. So, I decided to curb the expenditure without really putting an end to my accessory obsession — all thanks to my 3D printer. I found several useful laptop accessories that I could easily 3D print instead of buying — thus saving me a good chunk of money.

If you've ever scrolled through PC hardware threads on Reddit, you've probably seen gamers obsessing over CPU bottlenecks. Some of them act like it's a crime to pair a high-end GPU like the RTX 5090 with anything less than a 9950X3D or 9800X3D. But is that really justified? In the past five years, I've owned two AMD CPUs — the Ryzen 9 5900X and 5800X3D — and two high-end Nvidia GPUS — the RTX 3090 and 4090. And from my experience, CPU bottlenecks are often overstated.

Switching to a new operating system can feel like a daunting task, especially when you have to learn a whole new paradigm for how to use your computer. However, things really aren't as dire as they might seem before you start, and there are tools you can use to make your transition easier. I've used Windows all my life, but after recently spending time with Ubuntu, I also wanted something that would make window management as easy as FancyZones does on Windows 11.

When I built my first Network-Attached Storage rig using TrueNAS Core ages ago, I figured I’d occasionally use it for data archival and file transfers over the Samba protocol. After all, I had cobbled together a makeshift NAS from old PC parts and spare drives without planning out the storage, RAID, and other provisions.

I started self-hosting apps a few months ago by using Docker Desktop on my Windows PC. While I one day want to create a home lab to run these services, I continue to self-host using my main PC, which I also use for work and gaming.

Ask any computing enthusiast about their motive for running self-hosted services, and you’ll hear a bunch of reasons. Some folks run apps on local hardware to stop large corporations from spying on their data, while others prefer the superior customization features offered by these services. Likewise, you may also encounter FOSS lovers who don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on monthly subscription fees.

It doesn’t look like anything special, but it is. The world of Chromebooks has its MacBook Air. Lenovo's latest Chromebook Plus 14 is an Arm-based thin-and-light with good specs, excellent battery life, a great keyboard, all-around solid build, and a fantastic OLED screen. But the best part is that its bright and punchy 14-inch panel comes standard on the base $649 configuration or as a touchscreen for $749. That's cheaper than both the OLED-equipped Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus and Acer Chromebook Plus Spin with an IPS screen. It's also faster than either with more RAM.The new Chromebook Plus 14 could be a go-to laptop for just about anyone - if you're okay living with ChromeOS in …Read the full story at The Verge.

Steam is the most popular online storefront for gaming. Think of it like an electronic version of GameStop or an Amazon dedicated to software and entertainment. You'll always find some enticing deals, it's incredibly easy to get your favorite games up and running, communicate with friends and family, and even stream games to another device. There's one feature that keeps me using Steam, however, and it's not the summer sale.

2025 is halfway over, making now a great time to look back at the best-reviewed games of the year so far. While the final list at the end of 2025 will likely look quite different, with more Switch 2 games and PlayStation exclusives like Ghost of Yotei still coming in 2025. Potential heavy hitters on the Switch 2 include Donkey Kong Bananza and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, but the list so far does include a couple of games available on the Switch 2. For this list, I'm using the Metacritic list of best-reviewed games so far in 2025, and I've bundled two games into a single list item, but that will make sense once we get there.

It's easy to complain about Windows 11 feeling stagnant or only forcing customers to use features they don't care about, and it's fairly clear why we do that. There isn't a whole lot of exciting stuff happening with Windows itself these days, but that doesn't mean Microsoft is incapable of making genuinely useful tools. In fact, PowerToys is a perfect example of that.