Owning an SUV often comes with high maintenance costs, but hybrid technology is changing that. In an automotive market where fuel economy and reliability are top priorities, some hybrid SUVs stand out for saving owners thousands in long-term upkeep. Among them, one model rises above the rest with the lowest 5-year maintenance costs. Hybrid SUVs typically cost less to fuel, but their maintenance savings are sometimes overlooked. With fewer moving parts than traditional gasoline engines and advanced regenerative braking systems that reduce wear, hybrids can be surprisingly affordable to maintain....

There was a whole lot of tech news this week, from the arrival of Copilot+ Windows laptops to the release of new Spotify plans. Here are the biggest stories you might have missed. The Big News Spotify Has a New Secret Premium Plan Spotify Basic is $1 cheaper per month for individuals, with one missing feature. Android 15 Beta 3 Has Arrived We’re getting close to the final release of Android 15, and Google has now released the third beta for eager testers and app developers....

Summary Last year, Walmart launched a new Google TV streamer with a remote that had a big ‘ol “Free TV” button smack dab in the middle of it. Google has reportedly confirmed that all future Google TV devices will be required to have this button from now on. The “Free TV” or “Live TV” button opens the “Live” tab on the Google TV home screen. This tab started rolling out in early 2023, and it’s essentially Google’s version of something like Pluto TV or Tubi....

Microsoft is still trying to figure out the best way to implement Copilot AI in its software. Sure, it’s present in most Microsoft software already, but as with all rollouts, there are some things that stick and some things that don’t. Now, Microsoft’s latest canary WIndows 11 update is making some changes to Copilot, including the removal of a very recently-added shortcut that might have actually turned out to be completely unnecessary....

Microsoft is bringing its Xbox Copilot to the Windows Game Bar, so you can get help with your games without ever having to leave the screen. This is a huge deal for anyone who gets stuck in a game and doesn’t want to break their focus by searching for a walkthrough on Google. The new “Gaming Copilot” is a chatbot that is a lot like an assistant, and it’s being tested by Xbox Insiders in the PC Gaming Preview right now....

Although most Linux distros can be secured, some stand out by delivering advanced privacy and security features out of the box. These distros employ a range of apps and services to ensure you and your data remain safe and private. If you’re looking for a secureLinux distro, here are five options that offer varying levels of built-in privacy and security enhancements. Depending on which you choose, the learning curve and ease of use can vary....

Switching operating systems can be a daunting task—you have to figure out which of your favorite apps are supported, and find good alternatives for those that aren’t. Here are the ones I installed immediately after switching to Linux. 7Steam Steam is the most popular digital game storefront on the internet, and it would be a shame to lose access to your library just because you changed operating systems. Half the fun of having a PC is gaming, after all....

These older Sony headphones do a fantastic job of blocking out the noise, without you taking a big hit to your wallet. This sort of overwhelming noise is doubled in places like airports. There’s so much going on with people rushing to their terminals, announcements, and so on that the noise can quickly overwhelm me, even if I’m just sitting at my terminal. Moreover, I don’t need to listen to my general surroundings on an airplane, and I can’t exactly drop everything to go home and re-center....

If you have family and friends arriving this holiday season, take a moment to protect your streaming services by setting up a guest profile. Why You Should Make a Guest Profile I used to only have one profile on each service, with my curated watchlist, shows in progress, and no parental controls. That’s fine when it’s just me watching, but it falls down when guests come to stay. It means that a kid could watch something inappropriate for their age, half-finished movies linger in the “Continue Watching” list, and the recommendation algorithm gets screwy after someone streams endless episodes ofSpongeBob SquarePants....

Quick Links Summary Reference speakers, rather than being designed to make music sound good, are meant to make music sound exactly as it was recorded. This helps audio engineers identify and rectify flaws in the mix, but unless you’re an audiophile you probably won’t enjoy listening with reference gear. While shopping for new speakers or headphones, you notice some fancy products with the word “reference” in the description. They look slick and have a price tag to match, but what does “reference” mean, and is it right for you?...

Quick Links Summary DDR6 RAM is expected to begin the testing phase of production in 2024 and be available to buy sometime during 2026. While the standard is still in development, you can expect speeds in the area of 12,800Mbps for DDR6. Although most PCs are still running onDDR4 or even DDR3 memory, DDR6 is well on its way to being released. But how far away is the release of the upcoming memory standard, and will it be worth the wait?...

Summary Have you ever noticed those little ridges or bumps that some keys on a keyboard have? Regardless of whether it’s a laptop, tablet, or computer keyboard, pretty much all of them have it. So, what’s the purpose of the bump? The Bumps Help You Find Keys and Type Without Looking Have you ever seen someone type really fast without ever having to look down? Although the skill is nothing short of amazing, it’s not magic; the person knows where all the keys on the keyboard are located by feeling for them and with the help of muscle memory....

Vibe coding is the trend now, with many people claiming you don’t need to learn to code anymore because of it. But I’m going the other way, and I’ll share with you why. The Hype of Vibe Coding Every day I log into Reddit, I come across at least a few posts aboutpeople vibe coding their first app. The same goes for other social platforms. There’s no doubt that vibe coding is attracting more and more non-coders to creating software....