179231628
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Buying a car is one of the biggest financial moves most people make, and it rarely feels simple. Prices are high nowadays, financing is confusing, and every website claims to have the right answer. When it came time to replace my 2020 Nissan Rogue Sport with 45,000 miles, I wanted a smarter way to cut through the noise. So I leaned on ChatGPT 5, the newest generation of AI, to see if it could help me make a clearer decision.
This was not an experiment for fun. It was a real purchase that mattered to my family. With a toddler and more road trips ahead of us, the Rogue Sport just was not cutting it anymore. It was starting to feel cramped, and I knew it would not hold up trouble free forever (its CVT is notoriously problematic). Trading it in before it hit 50,000 miles made sense, but deciding what to buy next was the real challenge.
At the end of it all, I drove home a used Honda Pilot EX-L. It may not be the flashiest option, but it was the most balanced. Big enough for road trips, dependable enough for long term peace of mind, and comfortable for family life. Trading in the cramped Rogue Sport for the roomy Pilot felt like the right move, a big step up that matched our needs without creating new headaches. Most importantly, I love it.
The truth is, I probably would have gotten to the Pilot eventually. But ChatGPT 5 helped me cut the noise, confirm the facts, and feel confident that I was not missing something better. That confidence changed the whole experience.
179162502
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Artificial intelligence is often blamed when companies announce layoffs, but new data shows the picture is far less dramatic. While some tasks are being reshaped by AI, most jobs are not disappearing. The bigger problem comes from business leaders choosing cuts instead of retraining.
TechWolf, a workforce intelligence company, has released its Workforce Intelligence Index. It draws on more than two billion job postings collected worldwide between 2015 and 2025. The numbers tell a different story from the headlines. Only 18 percent of tasks can be fully automated. About 62 percent of work remains entirely human. Another 38 percent falls into the category of disruption, meaning tasks that can be either automated or augmented by AI.
That means most workers are not being replaced. They are facing change, and change can be managed through reskilling. According to the data, 75 percent of employees at large technology firms have the potential to retrain into AI-augmented roles. Yet too often, companies fall back on layoffs, a move that may cut costs in the short term but weakens innovation and morale for years.
Engineering jobs are a prime example. These roles are often painted as endangered, especially with the rise of AI-assisted coding tools. The Index shows the opposite. Engineers are shifting into roles where AI speeds up development, improves code quality, and frees up time for more complex architecture and design work.
Some of the biggest names in tech highlight this potential. Microsoft shows 86 percent of its workforce could benefit from retraining. IBM sits at 85 percent, Dell at 79 percent, Apple at 75 percent, Cisco at 70 percent, and Qualcomm at 71 percent. In all of these cases, layoffs risk throwing away talent that could instead be retrained to master AI-driven tools.
The same trend shows up outside of tech. Healthcare workers can be trained to work alongside AI in diagnostics and administration. Retail employees can move from repetitive logistics tasks to data-driven customer engagement. Even within industries, the picture varies. For example, one pharmaceutical companyâ(TM)s supply chain may be ripe for AI adoption, while another companyâ(TM)s sales team shows little disruption.
The big takeaway is simple. AI is not triggering mass unemployment. It is reshaping tasks. The real damage comes when executives rush to layoffs instead of investing in their people. Companies that choose reskilling are better positioned to keep expertise, maintain culture, and capture the productivity gains that AI can actually deliver.
179110096
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Microsoft has decided it is time to rein in remote work. The company will soon require employees to spend at least three days per week in the office, starting with those in the Puget Sound region by February 2026. From there, the policy will spread across the United States and eventually overseas.
The announcement came in a memo from Amy Coleman, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer. She reminded staff how work has evolved over the decades, from the old days of desktop machines in the office to the pandemic era when working from home became normal. Coleman claimed that Microsoftâ(TM)s own data shows people thrive when they are together in person, saying teams are more energized, deliver stronger results, and drive the kind of collaboration needed to build its next wave of AI tools.
That may be the official line, but I think forcing employees back into the office nowadays is rotten. It feels like a step backwards at a time when workers have already proven they can get the job done from home. While the company insists this is not about cutting staff, the underlying message is clear: Microsoft wants people at desks again, whether itâ(TM)s truly necessary or not.
Exceptions can be requested, but managers are expected to enforce the rule and guide their teams through the change. The company also said it is beefing up safety and security measures at its offices to help ease the transition.
For employees outside of Puget Sound, nothing changes immediately, but new timelines for other U.S. regions are on the way. International offices will follow in 2026.
The bottom line? Remote work at Microsoft is being chipped away, and many workers who built their lives around flexibility will be left scrambling to adjust. To me, itâ(TM)s a disappointing move that ignores the lessons of the past few years.
179093588
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Plex has alerted its customers about a security incident that may have affected user accounts. In an email sent to subscribers, the popular media server company confirmed that an unauthorized third party gained access to one of its databases. The breach exposed emails, usernames, and hashed passwords.
Plex emphasized that passwords were encrypted following best practices, so attackers cannot simply read them. The company also reassured users that no credit card data was compromised, since Plex does not store that information on its servers. Still, out of caution, it is requiring all account holders to reset their credentials.
Users are being directed to reset their passwords at plex.tv/reset. During the process, Plex recommends enabling the option to sign out all connected devices. This measure logs out every device associated with the account, including Plex Media Servers, forcing a fresh login with the updated password.
The company says it has already fixed the method used by the intruder to gain entry and is conducting additional security reviews. Plex is also urging subscribers to enable two-factor authentication if they have not already done so.
In its message, Plex stressed that no employee will ever ask for a customerâ(TM)s password or payment details via email. The company closed by apologizing to users and promising to strengthen its defenses to avoid similar incidents in the future.
178994698
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Influencers are everywhere. A study from Casino.org estimates there are between 30 and 50 million of them worldwide, with that number growing by as much as 20 percent each year. For many, the lifestyle looks glamorous. But behind the brand trips and photo shoots is a grind that can have real consequences.
Ava is a glimpse into what an influencer of the future might look like by 2050. She is not just a thought experiment but a warning about what years of chasing trends, filters, and cosmetic fixes can do to a body.
The images of Ava were created by Casino.org as concept art, informed by medical research, to visualize how influencer habits might shape a personâ(TM)s health and appearance over decades. Put simply, this is what someone like iJustine (one of the internetâ(TM)s most enduring influencers) could look like if she kept living the lifestyle far into the future.
178992440
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Roku is celebrating a milestone that says a lot about where entertainment is heading. For the third month in a row, people in the United States spent more time streaming on Roku-powered devices than they did watching traditional broadcast television.
Nielsenâ(TM)s latest data shows Roku-powered devices accounted for 21.4 percent of all TV viewing in July. Broadcast came in at 18.4 percent. That gap may not seem huge, but it marks a steady trend from May and June where streaming also came out ahead. Roku says its share of TV viewing is up 14 percent year-over-year, which suggests people are not just trying streaming, theyâ(TM)re sticking with it.
The Roku Channel, the companyâ(TM)s free and ad-supported streaming service, represents 2.8 percent of all TV viewing on its own. But Roku is quick to point out that its platform goes beyond one service, covering thousands of apps and live TV providers. Itâ(TM)s not just about giving people access to content, but also about becoming the front door to modern television.
âoeWhen we first said that all TV would be streamed, it was a bold prediction,â said Anthony Wood, Rokuâ(TM)s founder and CEO. âoeThat day is closer than ever.â Wood said the company now wants to make streaming easier and more personal while also giving creators and partners more impact.
Charlie Collier, President of Roku Media, made a point about how much has changed since the days of the old TV guide. âoeIn broadcastâ(TM)s heyday, TV guides directed us to âmust-seeâ(TM) television and the pop cultural moments we shared. Today, the streaming platform is the guide, and the moments shaping culture are happening on Roku.â
Roku powers streaming on smart TVs and devices in over half of internet-enabled U.S. households. By its own numbers, it sells more TV units than the next two operating systems combined. Itâ(TM)s a reminder that Roku has positioned itself as more than just a box or an app. It clearly wants to be the place where television happens.
So, is traditional TV dead? Not yet, folks. Broadcast still plays a role, especially for live sports and local news. But with Roku steadily outpacing it, the balance of power is shifting. For many households, streaming is no longer the future of TV⦠itâ(TM)s already the present.
178977690
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has signed a new agreement with Microsoft that could change how federal agencies buy and use technology. The deal, part of GSAâ(TM)s OneGov strategy, is expected to save $3.1 billion in the first year alone.
One of the biggest perks is free access to Microsoft 365 Copilot for millions of government employees on G5 plans. Agencies will be able to use the AI tool at no cost for up to 12 months.
âoeThis agreement helps us advance AI adoption across the federal government, a key priority of the Trump Administration,â said GSA Deputy Administrator Stephen Ehikian. He called on agencies to take advantage of the new offers to cut costs and modernize operations.
Josh Gruenbaum, Commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service, called OneGov âoea paradigm shift in federal procurementâ and said the savings are possible because the government is now buying as one large customer.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said the company has worked with the U.S. government for more than four decades. âoeWith this new agreement, including a no-cost Microsoft 365 Copilot offer, we will help agencies improve citizen services, strengthen security, and save taxpayers more than $3 billion in the first year alone,â Nadella said.
Chris Barry, Microsoftâ(TM)s U.S. Public Sector lead, added that the company is âoecommitted to leading as the governmentâ(TM)s essential partnerâ as agencies move deeper into the AI era.
The deal also includes steep discounts on Azure, Sentinel, Dynamics 365, and Entra ID Governance. Agencies wonâ(TM)t pay per-agent fees for new AI agent features, which can power citizen inquiries and case management systems. Microsoft also waived data egress fees, making it easier for agencies to share information securely across departments.
Security is a major selling point. Microsoft 365, Azure, and other services are already authorized at FedRAMP High, meeting more than 400 NIST security controls. Copilot has provisional approval from the Department of Defense and is expected to earn full FedRAMP High clearance soon.
Microsoft is also investing $20 million in support services and workshops to help agencies get the most from the deal. Those workshops will focus on cutting software duplication, boosting automation, and improving interoperability.
Agencies can opt in until September 2026, with discounted pricing available for up to three years. If the projections hold, the partnership could deliver more than $6 billion in total value over three years.
178881562
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Hosting.com has acquired Rocket.net, bringing the fast-growing managed WordPress hosting company under its corporate umbrella. The move gives hosting.com a proven SaaS platform and a strong brand in WordPress hosting, while Rocket.net gains the capital and global reach of a much larger player. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Rocket.net will continue to operate under its own name, but it is now part of hosting.comâ(TM)s family of brands. As part of the deal, Rocket.net founder and CEO Ben Gabler has been appointed Chief Product Officer at hosting.com, where he will lead product and software engineering across the entire company.
Here at NERDS.xyz, we use Rocket.net ourselves, and we absolutely love it. The service has been rock solid for us, with top-tier performance and customer support that actually feels personal. That kind of reliability and responsiveness is rare in the hosting world.
Rocket.net has been on a rapid rise since its founding in 2020. In 2025, it ranked 167th on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in the United States. The company has also boasted a 98 percent customer satisfaction rate while powering some of the largest WordPress sites in the world.
For hosting.com, the acquisition strengthens its ability to serve a wider range of customers. The company, founded in 2019, already operates more than 20 data centers, powers over 3 million websites, and serves 600,000 customers worldwide with a team of 900 employees.
Jessica Frick, a veteran of Automattic and Pressable, will continue to run Rocket.net as General Manager, reporting to Gabler. âoeIâ(TM)m beyond excited by our new partnership with hosting.com. It will immediately put the Rocket.net platform in front of hundreds of thousands of hosting.com customers,â she said.
The Rocket.net platform will now be rolled out across hosting.comâ(TM)s global footprint, including the USA, UK, Germany, and Singapore, as well as new regions such as Mexico, the UAE, and Australia.
Both companies stress that their commitment to WordPress and open source will remain intact. Hosting.com already sponsors global WordCamps and encourages employees to contribute to the WordPress project, while Rocket.net has long positioned itself as a champion of the open web.
In plain terms, folks, Rocket.net is now owned by hosting.com. The brand lives on, but the acquisition means Rocket.net is no longer an independent company.
178856552
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
A new Redfin report paints a troubling picture of housing affordability in America, particularly for Gen Z and millennial renters and homeowners. Seven in 10 renters in those generations say they struggle to make their regular housing payments. Even homeowners in the same age group are feeling the pressure, with 41 percent saying the same.
The study, based on a May 2025 survey of more than 4,000 U.S. adults, shows just how widespread the crunch has become. Younger generations were hit hardest, though baby boomers and Gen Xers are also affected. Over half of baby boomer renters and more than two-thirds of Gen X renters said they have a hard time making monthly payments.
To make ends meet, young renters are cutting back on eating out, with 40 percent saying they dine at restaurants less often. Nearly one-third are skipping vacations, 27 percent borrow money from family or friends, and 25 percent pick up extra shifts. Some of the most drastic measures include selling belongings, delaying medical treatments, and in more than one in five cases, skipping meals.
Millennials and Gen Zers who own their homes report similar adjustments. They are more likely than renters to cut luxuries like eating out and traveling, but fewer said they are skipping meals or putting off doctor visits to make mortgage payments. Older Americans also trim back on non-essentials. Roughly 45 percent of baby boomer and Gen X homeowners said they cut back on restaurants, and two in five reported taking no or fewer vacations.
The backdrop is a basic affordability problem. Home prices are up more than 40 percent since before the pandemic, mortgage rates have doubled, and rents have climbed more than 20 percent. Wages, on the other hand, have grown about 28 percent in the same period. Younger workers typically earn less because they are earlier in their careers. Many are also burdened with student loans and do not have equity from a previous home sale to help.
“Many Gen Zers and millennials are making real sacrifices, picking up side gigs, selling their possessions, even delaying doctor’s appointments just to pay for the basic need of housing,” said Daryl Fairweather, Redfin’s chief economist. She added that “a lot of the young people who can easily afford housing can do so because they have major financial support from their parents, with roughly one-quarter of the young Americans who recently bought a home using family money for their down payments.”
Fairweather warned that with home costs rising much faster than wages, “people without access to family money are much more likely to struggle to pay for housing, which could widen the gap between the haves and the have-nots in the future.”
There are a few encouraging signs, however. Mortgage rates recently dropped to a 10-month low. Buyers now have more purchasing power and sellers are more willing to negotiate. Affordability has even improved in 11 major metro areas, including parts of California and Florida.
Jim Fletcher, a Redfin Premier agent in Tampa, Florida, explained that “the local market is slow, with builders offering incentives to entice people to buy and individual sellers willing to negotiate because there’s so much supply on the market.” He suggested that for people early in their careers, “it’s a good time to start building equity. They can get homes for less than they could have a few years ago, especially if they’re open to condos or townhouses.”
But the report also raises a larger question. If so many young people are skipping meals and delaying medical care just to afford rent, how are they still buying the latest smartphones, tablets, and laptops?
Look, folks, flagship devices now range from $800 to more than $2,000 nowadays. Even so-called budget laptops and tablets remain a serious expense. If housing continues to strain budgets, younger buyers may finally cut back on yearly gadget upgrades. That could ripple into the consumer tech industry, which depends heavily on these same demographics for steady sales.
178848304
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Brave researchers have revealed a troubling vulnerability in Perplexityâ(TM)s Comet that shows just how risky AI-powered browsers can be. The flaw, known as an indirect prompt injection, allowed attackers to trick the browser into carrying out hidden commands.
The research was led by Brave engineer Artem Chaikin and detailed with VP of Privacy and Security Shivan Kaul Sahib. They found that Comet could not tell the difference between a userâ(TM)s instructions and malicious text hidden inside a webpage. That oversight opened the door to serious account takeovers and data theft.
In their demonstration, a Reddit comment with invisible text instructed Comet to visit Perplexityâ(TM)s account page, grab the userâ(TM)s email, intercept a one-time password from Gmail, and then send the stolen data back to the attacker. Once the victim clicked âoesummarize page,â the AI did the rest automatically. No additional input was required from the user.
This kind of attack bypasses traditional web safeguards such as same-origin policy and CORS. Those protections normally prevent websites from stealing data across different domains, but when an AI assistant has full control of the browser, the rules break down. Because the AI operates with the full privileges of a logged-in user, it can move freely between services and access sensitive accounts without the user realizing what is happening.
178815140
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Google is preparing to bring its television platforms in line with the rest of Android. Starting August 1, 2026, both Google TV and Android TV will require app updates that include native code to provide 64-bit support. The move follows similar requirements for phones and tablets, and it paves the way for upcoming 64-bit TV devices.
For developers, the change means any new app or update with native code must include an arm64 version alongside the existing 32-bit variant. Apps that fail to do so will not be accepted on Google Play for TV devices. Google says the shift will bring better performance, shorter start times, and enable new experiences on future hardware.
If an app targets Android 15 or higher, it must also be compatible with 16 KB memory page sizes, another requirement meant to ensure smoother performance across modern systems. While 32-bit support will continue, apps can no longer be 32-bit only. Developers will need to ship both versions using App Bundle ABI splits.
Google stresses that this requirement only impacts apps containing native code, such as those with .so libraries. Tools like the APK Analyzer can help identify whether an app includes these files. To test the changes, developers can use the Google TV emulator for Apple Silicon Macs or physical hardware like the Nvidia Shield, which supports both 32-bit and 64-bit userspaces. Pixel phones running Android 7 or newer can also be configured to mimic TV resolution and DPI for sideload testing.
The company recommends developers begin checking their apps now and updating code where needed. By August 2026, all TV apps with native code must be ready for 64-bit and 16 KB page size compliance in order to remain on Google Play.
178802718
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
LibreOffice 25.8 has landed, and while it packs in new features and speed improvements, the biggest headline is who just got left behind. If you are still running Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1, this is the end of the road. LibreOffice will not run on those systems anymore, and there are no workarounds. The suite has slammed the door shut.
For years, LibreOffice kept older Windows users afloat while Microsoft and other developers moved on. That lifeline is gone. Anyone stubbornly clinging to Windows 7 or 8 now has two choices: upgrade or stay stuck on outdated software. LibreOffice has made it clear that it will not carry dead platforms any further.
And the cuts do not stop there. 32-bit Windows builds are on their way out, with deprecation already in place. On the Mac side, 25.8 is the last release that runs on macOS 10.15. Starting with LibreOffice 26.2, only macOS 11 and newer will be supported. In other words, if your computer is too old to run modern systems, LibreOffice is walking away.
178793784
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Google has finally revealed what is next for its smart speakers and displays. The company is pushing Gemini into your living room, replacing the Google Assistant with a more powerful AI voice. On the surface, that might sound exciting. But letâ(TM)s not ignore the fine print: Google plans to put parts of this experience behind a paywall. Yes, really.
For years, the search giant hooked us with free services backed by ads. Gmail, Maps, and of course Search all trained us to expect powerful tools at no cost. Now it wants users to accept that features we once assumed were included will only be available if we pay up. That feels like a bait and switch, and it could mark a turning point for how people view the company.
Gemini for Home builds on the same AI models used on phones. It can reason through complex requests, manage multiple commands, and answer nuanced questions. Google says it can find songs with vague descriptions, adjust your smart home with natural speech, and even help coordinate family life. You can ask it to create calendar events, manage shopping lists, or set up a timer for perfectly blanched broccoli. These sound like handy upgrades, but they also show how much deeper Gemini will integrate into personal routines compared to Assistant.
Gemini Live takes it further with conversational back and forth. You can brainstorm dinner with whatever is in your fridge, troubleshoot broken appliances, or spin a custom bedtime story for your kid. The pitch is that Gemini is not just an assistant, but a collaborator in your home life. Early demos show it weaving together tasks in a way that makes Assistant look outdated by comparison.
Over time, Gemini for Home will replace Google Assistant on existing speakers and displays. The company admits it will be offering both free and paid versions, and early access begins in October. That means the assistant you already own could feel stripped down unless you start paying. The very same devices that once promised convenience without extra costs are about to become subscription upsells.
This shift raises bigger questions about Googleâ(TM)s strategy. Amazon Alexa is still free, even as Amazon struggles to monetize it. Apple does not charge extra for Siri, though it sells hardware at a premium. By charging for Gemini in the home, Google is signaling that its long-term AI play is not just about ads or devices, but subscriptions. It wants to squeeze recurring revenue out of what used to be considered baseline functionality.
The privacy angle is worth mentioning too. Even if you pay for Gemini, Google will likely still be collecting data to refine its models and serve ads elsewhere. Consumers may rightly wonder why they should hand over money for features while also remaining the product in terms of data collection. Paying does not mean you suddenly own the assistant or control how it learns from your household conversations.
There is also the question of how much people will actually tolerate. Smart speakers have never been as essential as smartphones. If users feel tricked into paying for features that used to be free, they could simply unplug their Nest Hub and walk away. Google is betting that people are already too locked into its ecosystem to make that choice.
At the end of the day, Gemini for Home looks like a technically impressive upgrade. It can make cooking, troubleshooting, and even entertainment more natural. But the push to divide features between free and paid tiers risks souring the experience. The company that once bragged about free tools for everyone is now testing just how much its customers are willing to pay to keep the convenience they thought they already had.
178779026
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Kioxia has developed a prototype memory module that delivers both size and speed. The flash-based design offers an insane 5TB of capacity and 64GB/s of bandwidth, overcoming the trade-off that has limited conventional DRAM modules.
The work was carried out under Japanâ(TM)s Post-5G Information and Communication Systems Infrastructure Enhancement R&D Project, commissioned by NEDO. The goal is to create hardware ready for a world of faster networks, lower latency, and heavier data demands.
Instead of a bus connection, Kioxia used a daisy-chain layout that links flash memories through controller âoebeads.â This approach prevents bandwidth from collapsing as capacity scales upward. On top of that, a 128Gbps PAM4 transceiver enables high throughput while keeping power requirements down.
The company also addressed latency. A flash prefetch system reduces delays by pulling data in advance during sequential reads. Combined with low-amplitude signaling and distortion correction, the flash-to-controller interface reaches 4.0Gbps.
The prototype uses PCIe 6.0 as its host interface and has already been tested. It hit the promised 5TB capacity and 64GB/s bandwidth while drawing less than 40 watts of power. That makes it efficient enough to consider for real-world server deployments.
Kioxia expects the technology to play a role in Mobile Edge Computing servers. As 5G and 6G connect more devices, latency from relying on distant cloud servers becomes a problem. By pushing powerful memory closer to users, industries can support real-time workloads in AI, IoT, and big data analysis.
178752326
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
OpenAI is making a play for affordability in India with the launch of a new subscription plan called ChatGPT Go. Announced by Nick Turkley on X, the tier is priced at â399 and delivers a big boost over the free version.
Subscribers get ten times the message limit, ten times the image generations, and ten times the file uploads. Memory is also doubled compared to the free plan. Payments can now be made through UPI, and all subscriptions are displayed in Indian Rupees for easier checkout.
India is the first country to see ChatGPT Go, with OpenAI saying it will learn from feedback before expanding the option elsewhere. The move reflects the demand from users who have been asking for a more affordable way to use ChatGPTâ(TM)s most popular features.
