Tag: PCMag

Google Chrome Automatically Downloads a Storage-Eating 4GB Model to Support AI Features. Here’s How to Turn it Off.

Mouse cursor hovering over Google Chrome icon on computer

Google Chrome offers plenty of AI features, but some of them could quietly eat up your device storage. As spotted by The Privacy Guy, the browser automatically downloads a 4GB model to support on-device AI features, and it may stay on your PC unless the features are turned off. The AI model in question is Gemini […]

A Temporary Reprieve for Users as FCC Extends the Update Deadline for Foreign-Made Routers and Drones Until 2029

TP Link wireless router in front of product box

The FCC’s bans on foreign-made Wi-Fi routers and drones initially included an expiration date on software updates, but the commission has now extended the cutoff from 2027 to 2029.  As PCMag reports, on Friday, the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) issued an extension that permits previously authorized foreign-made drones and Wi-Fi routers to “continue to receive software and firmware […]

Is the Vision Pro Heading for a Tech Graveyard?

woman wearing Apple Vision Pro headset

Apple has reportedly stopped work on its Vision Pro headset and shifted staff to other teams within the company, MacRumors reports. As PCMag reports, once touted as “the next big thing” in tech, Apple unveiled the Vision Pro in 2023 and launched in early 2024. The headset, powered by the M2 chip, had a slow start, with […]

Spotify Rolls Out Green ‘Verified’ Badges to Prove an Artist is Human

Spotify logo on smartphone with earbuds

Major music-streaming platforms are being flooded with AI-generated tracks, so Spotify has decided to roll out a preemptive strike in the form of a new verification badge to prove to listeners that an artist is actually human. As PCMag reports, to earn a badge, which will appear as a light green checkmark, an artist needs to have consistent listener […]

Microsoft says its Built-In Windows 11 Antivirus Is Enough Protection for Most Users

Windows 11 displayed on smart phone in front of laptop

Microsoft is weighing in on whether you should install third-party antivirus software on a PC, telling users the built-in Defender should be enough.  As PCMag reports, Microsoft quietly took an official stand in a Learning Center article published earlier this month, which Windows Latest later spotted. “For many Windows 11 users, Microsoft Defender Antivirus covers everyday risk without requiring additional […]

OpenAI puts a Pause on “Adult Mode” for ChatGPT Indefinitely

Exterior of OpenAI HQ against blue sky and white cloud

You may never get to experience ChatGPT’s adult mode (not that you wanted to, of course). OpenAI has confirmed to the Financial Times (FT) that it is putting the project on hold as it shifts focus toward its core products. As PCMag reports, this news comes after The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that some of the company’s staffers and advisors were […]

Consumers are Buying up PC’s Ahead of Anticipated Global Chip Shortages

Stack of DRAM illustrating RAM shortage

If you’re a hardware aficionado, or keeping a close eye on console prices, you’ve likely noticed how the global RAM shortage is driving up hardware prices. As PCMag reports, global PC shipments grew 3.2% year over year in Q1 2026 to reach 63.3 million units, and pre-emptive buying ahead of memory-led price increases was one of the key […]

Anthropic Pitches New ‘Claude Design’ Tool as a way to “Bring Ideas to Life”

Anthropic on screen behind smartphone display of Claude with logo

AI firm Anthropic has a new tool it says can help those without a design background bring their ideas to life, or assist time-strapped designers prototype more ideas. As PCMag reports, Claude Design, powered by Anthropic’s latest Claude Opus 4, “gives designers room to explore widely and everyone else a way to produce visual work,” the […]

Streamflation Strikes Again: YouTube Premium Announces a Price Increase

Hand holding clicker pointed at YouTube on TV

Yet another streaming service has decided to implement a rate hike. YouTube Premium is raising their prices as its US subscribers get set to pay an extra $2 per month, which is about a 15% increase. As PCMag reports, in a statement released on Friday, April 10, YouTube said, “this change allows us to maintain the features our […]

Microsoft Rolls Out Secure Boot Status Dashboard for Windows 10 & 11

Windows 11 displayed on smart phone in front of laptop

Microsoft’s original Secure Boot certificates that protect your PC’s startup process are set to expire in June. That’s why, to help users check if they’re still protected, the company is ready to roll out a new Secure Boot status dashboard in Windows 11 and Windows 10.  As PCMag reports, starting this month, the new status page will […]