Quick Links We hear it all the time: “I swear my phone is listening to me because I just saw this ad about the exact thing I was just talking about.” Online ads undeniably have a way of promoting the same products and services we talk (and think) about. So is your phone really spying on your conversations? Your Phone Isn’t Listening to You; It’s Worse Than That No, your phone is not recording your conversations and uploading them to some remote server to be analyzed for generating ads that are then beamed back to your phone....

This was another busy week in tech, with the arrival of the repairable Fairphone 6, big updates for Windows 11, Dell’s XPS replacement laptops, an exciting update for Linux phones, and much more. Here are the biggest stories you might have missed. The Big News The Fairphone 6 Is Here, And It’s Amazingly Repairable The Fairphone is very unique in the Android ecosystem. A phone that goes against most widely established conventions and goes out of its way to be more modular and repairable....

Visual Studio Code has thousands of extensions that add productivity-boosting features, support for more languages, and integrations with other development tools. My favorite extension doesn’t do any of those things, though: it connects to Discord. The Discord chat application has a ‘Presence’ feature, which shows someone’s current activity on their profile. It was primarily built to show a person’s current game activity, across platforms like Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox. However, it can also display your Spotify activity if you connect your account, and other services can use it withDiscord’s Rich Presence API....

Indie game developer Team Tapas announced its next game Garden of Witches will launch intoSteamearly access on May 23. Garden of Witches is a roguelikeaction RPGwith a cute and cozy aesthetic that’ll remind you of Cult of the Lamb’s art style. You’ll play as the young witch Sil, brandishing large scissors for a weapon, as she gathers fellow witches to hold a garden-saving tea party. Theindie gamessphere is a crowded space, especially forroguelikes, so Garden of Witches will be banking on its cozy/roguelike mashup to stand out....

Quick Links A lot of people praise stock Android for being clean and light, often comparing it to One UI, which is deemed bloated. While certain pre-installed Samsung apps are indeed not very useful, I’m willing to argue that One UI is by far the best Android skin, and the minimal aesthetic of stock Android is highly overrated. It’s Not Bloatware If It’s Better Stock Android purists often use the term bloatware to refer to anything non-Google, and since One UI comes preloaded with a lot of Samsung alternatives, it’s labeled bloated....

Summary While I like in-ear wireless earbuds for many activities, theShokz OpenFit Air earbudsmade being active while listening to music and audiobooks a little more convenient, thanks to their soft, flexible ear hooks. Their design made me aware of my surroundings, making these buds my favorite accessory for gym trips. Some shortcomings, however, like lack of customization and poor EQ settings, may give some buyers pause. Shokz OpenFit Air Earbuds The Shokz OpenFit Air earbuds feature a signature flexible nickel-titanium alloy with a soft silicone and a dual-bevel design that makes them comfortable to wear all day while delivering clear sound without blocking out ambient noise....

Summary Starlink, the satellite internet service provided by SpaceX, has quietly launched a more affordable internet package for the United States. The new “Residential Lite” plan is only $80, but it unfortunately comes with a catch or two. While we’ve seen “Lite” plans arrive for other regions, it looks like Starlink is finally delivering similar options stateside. This new plan costs $80 a month and offers unlimited deprioritized data. Yes, that’s $40 cheaper than the regular Residential plan, which costs $120 per month....

SteamDB has added a new filter that lets users hide games made with generative AI. This new feature comes from Steam’s rule, established in the past year, which requires developers to reveal if they have used generative AI in their games. Steam’s rule basically tells developers that if they use generative AI, they must disclose it on their store page. The information given helps potential buyers make smart choices about their purchases based on their views on AI-generated content....

Just picked up the iPhone 16 Pro, or looking for a new case to deck the phone out with? We have the best picks for any use case. Spigen Tough Armor AI MagFit Case for iPhone 16 Pro The Spigen Tough Armor (AI) MagFit for iPhone 16 Pro combines a slim, professional design with rugged, Military-grade protection, featuring AI-enhanced foam corners and raised bezels to guard against drops and scratches. This durable polycarbonate and TPU case includes a built-in kickstand for hands-free viewing, seamless MagSafe compatibility, and haptic-feedback camera button covers for precision photography....

Whether your classes are in-person or online, a laptop is a vital tool for college. Plus, when you’re not writing a paper or looking for study materials, you can stream your favorite show or play some games on your laptop. Apple MacBook Pro (14.2-inch, M2 Pro) What to Look for in a Laptop for College Trying to buy a laptop for college can be overwhelming because of the vast variety of laptops available, all with wildly different specs that can look confusing to the untrained eye....

Quick Links Continuous delivery (CD) pipelinesautomatically release code to live environments as it’s integrated into your project’s main branch. This allows developers to focus on building new features, instead of manually rolling out deployments. CD is often discussed in the context of developer productivity but it’s also a competitive asset for your business. In this article you’ll learn how CD adds business value, and the ways in which it benefits you and your customers....

Quick Links Stuck and need the answer to today’s wordle? We’ve got you covered. We have some hints for the Wordle, in case you’d like to take another crack at it yourself before we tell you. If you want to get straight to the answer, tap or click “What is Today’s Wordle Answer” in the table of contents. We’ll update this article daily. The hints and answers today are for July 21, 2025, or Wordle #1014....

Quick Links Summary Using Vulkan can result in a noticeably higher frame rate for many games, but DirectX 12 tends to provide a more stable experience. You should test both and choose the one that works best for the game you want to play. More PC games than ever allow players to choose between DirectX 12 and Vulkan. But it isn’t always obvious what the difference is, nor which one will provide the best gaming experience....