Quick Links Do you remember when you purchased your Wi-Fi router? Probably not. If you’re like most people, you likely got it from your ISP potentially many years ago. Here’s another question: when was the last time you updated its firmware? Never? Highly likely. I’ve been using the excellent (and free)pfSense CEandOPNsensefirewall and router software for a while now, and I wouldn’t go back to an off-the-shelf router. Below are six reasons why....

Farscapeis—and I don’t want to undersell it—one of the best sci-fi TV shows to ever grace our screens. When most sci-fi TV shows just gave use dudes with thick makeup,Farscape(with the help of Jim Henson’s puppets) gave us actuallyalienaliens. The only other show that came close wasBabylon 5, but that’s a story for another day. The good news is thatFarscapeis readily available to stream (and I really need to get around to buying the25th Anniversary Box Set), so there’s no reason to miss out on this amazing and singular space adventure....

Summary When OpenAI drops a new feature, there’s often a small amount of buzz among people who are interested, but it rarely breaks the internet. However, with the release of an updated image generation model, ChatGPT did exactly that. 4o Image Generation has replaced DALL-E as the default image generation tool in ChatGPT, and the results are seriously impressive. It has led to people flooding the internet with images that they’ve generated using the tool, and its popularity seems to have even taken OpenAI by surprise....

Summary Will a new base model iPhone offer everything you love in your older iPhone Pro, for less money? The answer depends on how old your iPhone is, and where your priorities lie. Let’s look at how this pans out with the new iPhone 16 and the previous-generation iPhone 15 Pro. Similar Design, but Your Case Won’t Transfer Apple has landed on a uniform iPhone form factor that has persisted across its recent yearly iterations....

Summary Most CPUs come bundled with a half-decent stock cooler. However, some enthusiasts strongly believe that they “suck” and that you should spend an extra $50 to get an aftermarket cooler. So, is it really worth it? You (Probably) Don’t Need an Aftermarket Cooler Unless you plan to purchase a processor without an included cooler (more on that later), your money is better spent elsewhere. Sure, a stock cooler won’t perform as well as afancy AIOor a mid-range aftermarket cooler, but it doesn’t need to....

Quick Links Summary Parallels Desktop is not free, but by visitingParallels Desktop’s trial page, you can download it with a free 14-day trial that gives you access to the full suite of features so you can try before you buy. Parallels Desktop is one of the easiest ways to run Windows on a Mac. It works on everything from Apple Silicon models with the M1 or M2 chip to older Intel Macs, plus the setup process is easy....

Summary For a very budget-friendly price, JLab packs a lot of notable features into theJLab Go Lux ANC headphones. While they won’t provide you with perfect, audiophile-worthy listening, they will deliver on all-day comfort, long-lasting battery life, and decent ANC for the price point. JLab Go Lux ANC The JLab Go Lux ANC headphones offer comfortable, all-day wear and hybrid active noise cancellation for a cheap price. Other features, like customizable EQ in the JLab App, make these a good budget option for daily listening....

If you noticed Copilot is randomly unpinned from your taskbar and missing from your Windows machine, you’re not alone. Microsoft’s fancy new Copilot app is being “unintentionally uninstalled” on Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices during this month’s latest update. While Microsoft is busy trying to add Copilot to every PC possible, its own updates are working against that goal. Earlier this month, the company started rolling out its long-awaitedWindows 11 24H2 updatefor more devices....

Microsoft has offeredGame Passfor years as a monthly subscription with popular games, accessible through PC, Xbox, and evencloud streaming. However, Microsoft is now switching up the formula with the release of Hi-Fi Rush. Microsoft heldan “Xbox & Bethesda Developer_Direct” eventyesterday, showing off games in development from Microsoft-owned studios, like Minecraft Legends from Mojang Studios and Redfall from Arkane Austin. There was also a surprise game that had not been revealed or discussed previously:Hi-Fi Rush....

Most manufacturers have responded to the Right to Repair movement with malicious compliance and doublespeak. They make empty promises about repairability, they purposefully launch crappy self-repair programs, and they silently lobby against consumer rights legislation. Oddly, Microsoft has emerged as an ally in this fight, and its allyship is most evident on its YouTube page. Microsoft published itsfirst officialSurface repair video in early 2022. It was a relatively short seven-minute video (and it was more of a demonstration than a repair guide), but it marked a turning point for the company’s hardware design....

Summary Technicians at Microsoft have had a week from hell trying to deal with multiple email-related issues. Since Saturday, March 1, many customers worldwide have been unable to send or receive emails, with some people even being locked out of their Microsoft emails altogether. When the issues first arose, people were unable to access Outlook features, and other Microsoft 365 services were also affected. According to aposton the Microsoft 365 Status X account, the problems were caused by the firm attempting to update the email server’s programming language: “We’ve identified a potential cause of [the] impact and have reverted the suspected code to alleviate [the] impact....

Quick Links Summary iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 introduce a big redesign for the Photos app, with a cleaner interface and the ability to create custom collections, customize layout, filter out screenshots, and more. It’s saved me tons of time by tidying up my Photos library automatically. iOS 18 Brings a Major Photos App Redesign Small tweaks can add up to make a big difference, and that’s the main theme of Apple’s Photos app redesign in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18....

Anker 525 (7-in-1) Charging Station Attached to a 5ft extension cord, this Anker charging station has two 65W USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and three AC outlets on the back. It has everything you’ll need for your desk, office, or bedside. If you’re gearing up to travel this summer or want to clean up your desk with a better charging system, we have you covered. The Anker 525 (7-in-1) charging station can charge phones and power laptops, has USB-C and AC outlets, doubles as an extension cord, and ison sale for just $30....