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Showing articles 1561 - 1575 of 1715 total (matching filters).

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  tech 6

  Zombie ZIP vulnerability lets compressed malware leisurely stroll past 95% of antivirus apps — security suites are blissfully unaware of security issue

  (Latest from Tom's Hardware / 2026-03-13 10:40)

  A newly disclosed vulnerability called "Zombie ZIP" allows malware to bypass detection by the vast majority of antivirus programs. The exploit works by creating a corrupted ZIP file that falsely declares its contents as uncompressed, causing security software to scan inert data while missing the actual compressed malware payload.

  This simple technique is reportedly evading 95% of common antivirus suites, as the malicious archive appears as random, non-threatening data. While standard extraction tools fail to open these corrupted files, a small custom program can easily unpack the hidden malware.

  The vulnerability has been assigned CVE-2026-0866, and security advisories have been issued. System administrators are advised to be cautious with ZIP files until antivirus solutions are updated to address this flaw.

  Main topics: Zombie ZIP vulnerability, antivirus bypass technique, cybersecurity threat, vulnerability disclosure and response.

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  tech 6

  Gamers’ Worst Nightmares About AI Are Coming True

  (Feed: Artificial Intelligence Latest / 2026-03-13 11:00)

  The original Xbox creator's comments about the console being in "distress" were misinterpreted as an announcement of its shutdown, highlighting current industry anxieties. The gaming industry is facing significant headwinds, including a global memory shortage driven by AI data center demand, which is increasing hardware costs and stalling console releases.

  Major topics include the misinterpretation of Xbox's status, the pandemic-era boom in gaming, and the current pressures from AI infrastructure. The article details how AI's growth is causing a RAM shortage ("RAMaggedon"), raising production costs, and contributing to job losses and studio scrutiny within the gaming sector.

  It also covers specific impacts on major companies: Valve discontinuing a Steam Deck model, uncertainty around Sony's PS5 successor, and Nintendo's legal challenges over tariffs for the Switch 2. The contrast is drawn between the industry's peak during pandemic lockdowns and its current strained state due to these external technological and economic pressures.

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  tech 4

  Microsoft debuts DirectStorage 1.4 at GDC 2026, with Zstandard compression and GACL — update promises developers improved compression ratios, faster loading, and more

  (Latest from Tom's Hardware / 2026-03-13 11:15)

  Microsoft introduced DirectStorage 1.4 at GDC 2026, featuring support for the Zstandard (Zstd) compression algorithm and a new Game Asset Conditioning Library (GACL). These additions aim to improve compression ratios and asset streaming speeds for game developers, offering more efficient data decompression on both CPU and GPU.

  The update also includes technical changes like global D3D12 CreatorID support, which may help GPU drivers better schedule decompression work to minimize interference with frame rendering. Despite these advancements, DirectStorage adoption has been limited so far, with its benefits heavily dependent on a system's available GPU compute capacity.

  The main topics covered are the new features of DirectStorage 1.4 (Zstd compression and GACL), its technical improvements for GPU scheduling, and the current state of the API's adoption in PC gaming.

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  tech 4

  Apple reduces App Store fees in China to ward off regulators

  (The Verge / 2026-03-13 11:16)

  Apple is reducing its standard App Store commission fee for developers in China from 30% to 25%, effective March 15th. The company stated the change followed discussions with Chinese regulators, aiming to avoid a potential formal investigation into its fees.

  The reduction also applies to the small business program rate, which will drop from 15% to 12%. This move is seen as Apple's latest effort to appease regulators in a critical market, following similar policy adjustments in other regions like the EU.

  Apple framed the decision as part of its commitment to a fair and competitive ecosystem for developers in China.

  Main topics: Apple's App Store fee reduction in China, regulatory pressure, and the company's strategy in a key market.

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  tech 5

  China bans OpenClaw from government computers and issues security guidelines amid adoption frenzy — nation scrambles to rein in popular AI agent

  (Latest from Tom's Hardware / 2026-03-13 11:20)

  China's central government has banned the installation of the Austrian-developed AI agent OpenClaw on office computers, citing security concerns. Multiple agencies, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, have issued guidelines warning of risks like data leaks and cyberattacks due to the tool's broad system access.

  The security advisories instruct users to run only official versions, grant minimum permissions, and avoid connecting it to messaging apps. Concurrently, financial regulators have called for "proactive yet prudent" management of AI, while some local governments are paradoxically offering subsidies for OpenClaw app development.

  The main topics covered are the government ban and security warnings, the specific risks posed by OpenClaw, the detailed security guidelines issued, and the contrasting policy landscape of restriction versus support for AI agent development.

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  tech 5

  Silicon Power US RMA policy now hedges against AI-driven RAM and SSD shortages — company says it will refund the original purchase price 'if there is a shortage of replacement products'

  (Latest from Tom's Hardware / 2026-03-13 11:22)

  Silicon Power has updated its U.S. warranty policy to offer a full purchase price refund if it cannot provide a replacement product due to shortages. This change reflects broader industry pressures, where AI-driven demand has caused severe RAM and SSD shortages, skyrocketing prices, and scarcity of components.

  The policy adjustment is a direct response to market conditions, illustrated by a case where a customer's RAM kit quadrupled in price, making a like-for-like warranty replacement unfeasible. While other major manufacturers currently state they will provide replacements, their policies may also change as the supply crisis deepens.

  The main topics covered are the impact of AI-driven component shortages on warranty policies, specific company responses (particularly Silicon Power), and comparisons with other manufacturers' current RMA terms.

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  tech 5

  2026 PC shipment forecast slashed amid memory shortages — IDC says total PC market value to nonetheless increase to $274 billion due to ongoing price hikes

  (Latest from Tom's Hardware / 2026-03-13 11:40)

  IDC has sharply reduced its 2026 forecast for PC and tablet shipments, now predicting an 11.3% drop in PCs and a 7.6% decline in tablets, citing memory shortages and rising component costs. Despite the significant decrease in unit sales, the total market value for PCs and tablets is expected to increase due to substantially higher average selling prices.

  The research firm warns that memory shortages will persist for years, ending an era of bargain devices and establishing a "new normal" of structurally higher prices. It also notes that escalating geopolitical risks, specifically the Middle East conflict, were not factored into the current forecast and present a potential downside risk.

  The main topics covered are the revised shipment forecasts for PCs and tablets, the reasons for the decline (supply chain and component issues), the countervailing increase in market value due to higher prices, and the additional uncertainty posed by geopolitical events.

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  tech 6

  EU states back ban on AI generating sexualised deepfakes

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-13 11:54)

  European Union nations have agreed to ban AI systems that generate non-consensual sexualized deepfakes and child sexual abuse material. This decision follows public concern over such images created by AI tools like Elon Musk's Grok chatbot.

  The agreement was confirmed by ambassadors, with Cyprus announcing the prohibition on behalf of the EU's rotating presidency. The move targets specific harmful practices in AI-generated content.

  The main topics covered are the EU's regulatory action against harmful AI, the specific ban on non-consensual sexual deepfakes, and the incident involving the Grok AI chatbot that contributed to the decision.

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  tech 4

  China’s OpenClaw Boom Is a Gold Rush for AI Companies

  (Business Latest / 2026-03-13 12:00)

  A craze for the AI agent software OpenClaw swept China, driven by viral demonstrations and workshops, with tech companies and local governments promoting its adoption. However, many non-technical users, like George Zhang, found it difficult to use and ultimately ineffective for complex tasks like autonomous stock trading, leading to disappointment.

  The experience revealed a clear divide: while tech-savvy users hail it as a productivity tool, those without coding skills feel misled by promises of a powerful, easy-to-use product. The primary beneficiaries are major tech companies like Tencent and Alibaba, which profit from increased demand for cloud services and LLM API calls consumed by the constantly running agents.

  Main topics: The OpenClaw AI agent craze in China, the divide in user experience based on technical skill, and the financial beneficiaries being tech companies rather than end-users.

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  tech 5

  How to protect yourself from bad external SSDs during the PC hardware apocalypse – newer drives will definitely cost more, and some may offer up shockingly poor performance

  (Latest from Tom's Hardware / 2026-03-13 12:00)

  The voracious hardware demands of AI hyperscalers are driving up prices and reducing availability for PC components, including external SSDs, with prices nearly doubling from recent lows. New external drive launches in 2026 are expected to be scarce, and some new models may use lower-quality NAND flash, resulting in shockingly poor sustained write performance. A specific Orico drive review sample demonstrated this issue, with write speeds dropping to 60-80 MB/s after its cache was saturated—slower than many hard drives.

  While one bad drive doesn't define the entire market, major new product announcements are few, and those that do launch, like a new SanDisk model, are coming at significantly higher price points. Consumers needing an external SSD may want to consider purchasing soon or looking for older stock, as the combination of rising costs and potential performance compromises in new drives creates a challenging market.

  Main Topics: AI-driven hardware shortages and price increases, declining performance in new external SSDs, market analysis and consumer advice for storage purchases.

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  tech 6

  PC makers are not ready for the MacBook Neo

  (The Verge / 2026-03-13 12:00)

  Apple's new, affordably priced MacBook Neo has shocked the PC market, with an Asus executive admitting the $600 laptop caught the industry flat-footed. The article criticizes PC makers for underestimating the Neo, arguing they mistakenly view it as a limited "content consumption" device akin to a tablet, rather than a capable machine for mainstream tasks.

  It contends that the Neo, running full macOS, is well-suited for common productivity uses and benefits from Apple's vertical integration, allowing competitive pricing especially during a RAM shortage. Benchmark tests show the Neo's Apple silicon outperforms many higher-priced Windows laptops in everyday single-core tasks, challenging the PC industry's perception of value and capability.

  The main topics covered are the market disruption caused by the MacBook Neo's pricing and performance, the perceived misunderstanding and underestimation of the product by PC manufacturers, and the competitive advantages provided by Apple's control over its hardware and software stack.

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  tech 3

  Get $399 of Corsair Vengeance RAM essentially free with a Ryzen 7 9850X3D and high-end X870E motherboard — Newegg bundle saves you $436 on the core of an overclockable AM5 build

  (Latest from Tom's Hardware / 2026-03-13 12:08)

  Newegg is offering a significant bundle deal on high-end PC components. The package includes an AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D CPU, an Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Apex motherboard, and 32GB of Corsair Vengeance DDR5 RAM for a combined price of $1,187.99.

  This represents a discount of $436.99 off the items' individual retail prices, effectively making the RAM free. The components are premium, with the CPU highlighted as the fastest for gaming and the motherboard built for overclocking and connectivity.

  The deal is positioned as a cost-effective way to build a high-performance AM5 system.

  Main Topics: PC hardware retail deal, component bundle (CPU, motherboard, RAM), discount and savings, product specifications and features.

• 
  tech 2

  Grab this £59.99 TP-Link wireless router with Wi-Fi 7 support at its lowest ever price — 31% discount unlocks faster connections for lag-free streaming and gaming

  (Latest from Tom's Hardware / 2026-03-13 12:14)

  The TP-Link Archer BE3600 wireless router is on sale for a record low price of £59.99, a 31% discount. This budget-friendly router offers Wi-Fi 7 support and strong performance at close range, though it lacks the full spec by omitting the 6 GHz band.

  It features multiple high-speed ports, including 2.5 Gbps WAN and LAN ports, and is noted for easy setup. The sale on Amazon is presented as a limited-time opportunity for a significant network upgrade.

  The main topics covered are a product sale announcement, the router's features and performance, and its primary technical compromise.

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  tech 5

  X offers changes to blue checkmarks to EU

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-13 12:20)

  Elon Musk's X has offered remedies to the European Commission regarding the "deceptive design" of its paid blue checkmark system, which previously earned the company a €120 million fine under the EU's Digital Services Act. The EU will now assess these proposed changes, while still expecting X to pay the fine by a Monday deadline and address other breaches by late April.

  The fine stemmed from an investigation into how the platform's verification system, once a free trust indicator for notable accounts, became a paid feature under Musk's ownership. X has appealed the fine but remains under ongoing EU scrutiny for its handling of illegal content and misinformation.

  Main topics: The EU fine against X, the proposed remedies for the blue checkmark system, X's appeal, and ongoing EU investigations into the platform's content moderation and AI tools.

• 
  tech 2

  Save over £40 on the latest SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite audiophile-grade headset — world's first Hi-Res audio certified wireless gaming headset

  (Latest from Tom's Hardware / 2026-03-13 12:28)

  The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite gaming headset is on sale for £559.49, a £40.50 discount during Amazon's Spring Deals Days. It is marketed as the world's first Hi-Res audio certified wireless gaming headset, offering high-fidelity 96kHz/24bit audio.

  Key features include active noise cancellation (ANC), an AI-powered noise-cancelling microphone, a comfortable ski-band design, and a hot-swappable dual-battery system for uninterrupted use. The headset also supports multi-source audio mixing via a GameHub for connectivity with PCs and consoles.

  This is a flagship, premium-priced product aimed at gamers with a significant focus on high-end audio quality and convenience features.

  Main Topics: Product announcement and discount, key features and specifications (Hi-Res audio, ANC, battery system, design), target audience and price positioning.