
The World’s Hottest Engine Is Smaller Than a Cell and Hotter Than the Sun’s Corona
The breakthrough redefines how physicists imagine engine builds.
The breakthrough redefines how physicists imagine engine builds.
Google is adding a toolbar, selfie camera capture, and more features to Android’s screen recorder.
For most people, a laptop is the default option when shopping for a new computer. It can work at home, it can work on the go, and it has everything built right into it: a screen, a keyboard, a trackpad, speakers, a webcam, and the computer itself. But as convenient as that might be, a laptop might not be the best choice depending on how you’re going to use it. You may not need the whole kit and kaboodle. Plus, there’s a good bit of engineering that goes into laptop designs — and that adds to the cost. If your laptop is going to be used at home all the time, tethered to your desk with an external monitor and keyboard and mouse, and you’re only picking a laptop because you don’t want to spend tons for a bulky pre-built desktop PC… then consider a mini PC instead . Mini PCs offer several benefits over laptops that are totally worth it if you don’t need the innate portability that laptops offer. Related: Why you shouldn’t buy a laptop based purely on its specs Mini PCs are more economical Jared Newman / Foundry While there’s no guarantee that a mini PC will always be cheaper than an equivalent laptop, it’s typically true that you can get a solid mini PC for a lower price than you’d pay for a laptop with similar hardware. That’s because the mini PC can forego the costs of other elements that aren’t included: display, keyboard, mouse, speakers, battery, etc. If you already have all that stuff, or if you plan to equip your laptop with lots of external peripherals, then you’re wasting money with a laptop. For an extreme example that drives home the point, compare the M2 Mac Mini with the M2 MacBook Air. By skipping out on all the other “laptop” elements, the Mac Mini only costs $599 — significantly less than the MacBook Air’s $999 price tag. Which means if you’re in the market for a specific range (e.g., entry-level, mid-tier, high-end), then you’ll likely pay less for the same options if you go with a mini PC instead of a laptop. Mini PCs have better performance Mini PCs have an advantage that allows for even greater performance than you’d get in similar laptops: they aren’t constrained by the size limitations that laptops require, so mini PCs have greater freedom when it comes to their internal components. The physical design of a laptop determines how air flows through the laptop, which affects cooling. Laptops have to balance heat management with performance. Meanwhile, mini PCs can shape themselves however they want — and with more effective cooling, they can push their components further and eke out more performance. For example, the $479 Beelink SER8 runs its Ryzen 7 8745HS CPU fast enough to score over 13,000 points in Cinebench R23’s multi-core test and 1,600 points in its single-core test. That puts it pretty close to the $850 Asus Zenbook 14 OLED laptop , which scores 13,777 and 1,508 in the same tests, respectively — and that’s with a Ryzen 7 8840HS CPU, which is an upgrade over the mini PC’s chip. It’s a similar story on the Mac side of things. Our friends over at MacWorld saw the $699 M1 Mac Mini outperform the $999 M1 MacBook Air in Cinebench R23 and Geekbench 5 tests. Talk about huge savings! buy the beelink ser8 on amazon Mini PCs don’t have batteries Panos Sakalakis / Unsplash Ignoring the cost and performance factors that push mini PCs ahead of laptops, here’s another big one to consider: since mini PCs aren’t portable, they don’t have any batteries. Batteries can be problematic, not just in laptops but in any portable device. The constant charging and discharging generates extra heat that can harm the other internal components if pushed too hard, and it also wears down on the battery’s lifespan. Mini PCs have fewer parts to worry about as far as longevity is concerned, which means they generally last longer. Mini PCs are easier to upgrade Jared Newman / Foundry Most laptops don’t have enough internal space for upgrades. Maybe you can swap out a piece here and there, but generally you’re stuck with whatever configuration you buy. Mini PCs are a different story. The $399 GMKTec M5 Plus Gaming might be a mini PC, but it’s spacious enough for an M.2 slot, a 2.5-inch SATA slot, and two SO-DIMM slots. So, despite coming with an M.2 drive, you can upgrade with an extra SATA drive if you want to — and you can upgrade the RAM modules beyond the initial configuration, even though this model already comes with an ample 32GB installed. In fact, a quick search for “mini PC” on Newegg shows that most available mini PCs explicitly offer user-accessible RAM and support multiple storage drives (i.e., both SATA and M.2 slots). Meanwhile, modern laptops typically come with a single M.2 slot with no room for an extra drive, and they commonly come with RAM modules that are soldered on. This means you can only upgrade your data drive by replacing it and you can’t upgrade your RAM at all. buy the GMKtec M5 Plus on amazon Further reading: Killer PC upgrades that are shockingly cheap Mini PCs have more ports Newegg As laptops have gotten slimmer and smaller, certain aspects had to be sacrificed to get there — like ports and connectivity. These days, you’d be lucky to get two USB ports and a headset jack. Bonus points if you also get an HDMI port. High-end laptops in particular have just about given up on ports, such as the Dell XPS 13 that only offers two USB-C ports. This means an extreme reliance on hubs and docks. Mini PCs play to a different tune. The very first mini PC in my Newegg search includes four USB-A ports on one side, and then two HDMI 2.0 ports, two Ethernet ports, and a headset jack on another side. And that’s not even one of the more impressive mini PCs. The $647 Minisforum UM890 Pro has four 10Gbps USB-A ports, two HDMI ports capable of 4K@120Hz, as well as USB4 and DisplayPort outputs, dual 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports, and a headset jack. buy the Minisforum UM890 Pro on Newegg Mini PCs might be just what you need In short, mini PCs offer more bang for your buck than laptops, able to wring out more performance from equivalent hardware and costing less than laptops on the same tier. Of course, you’re giving up the innate portability of a laptop by opting for a mini PC, but that’s fine if you’re always at home anyway. You’ll also have to provide your own keyboard, mouse, and monitor, but you can get them for cheap and still pay less than you would for a laptop. If you’re in the market for a new device and you think your only choices are laptop, desktop, or tablet, think again. The mini PC might be exactly the thing that serves you best for the price. We regularly highlight mini PC deals in our editorial coverage, so hit that link and poke around if you want to save even more money. Related: I switched from a $1,000 desktop PC to a $300 mini PC and regret absolutely nothing
Google suddenly introduces new Gmail lockout protection — check your account settings now.
Cybersecurity researchers have shed light on a new campaign that has likely targeted the Russian automobile and e-commerce sectors with a previously undocumented .NET malware dubbed CAPI Backdoor. According to Seqrite Labs, the attack chain involves distributing phishing emails containing a ZIP archive as a way to trigger the infection. The cybersecurity company's analysis is based on the ZIP
Apple may be planning to release an updated Developer Strap for the Vision Pro next week, according to a hint on its website. On its visionOS resources page for developers, Apple says the Developer Strap will be available to order again starting Wednesday, October 22, which is the same day that the Vision Pro with the M5 chip will be released. Accordingly, it seems likely that Apple plans to release an updated version of the accessory next week. Apple first released the Developer Strap in February 2024, when the original Vision Pro with the M2 chip launched in the United States. The optional accessory provides a USB-C connection between the Vision Pro and a Mac, for app development and diagnostic purposes . It can only be purchased by Apple Developer Program members. It is unclear what new features or changes the updated Developer Strap would have, or if it will remain priced at $299 in the United States. It also remains to be seen if the new version of the accessory is compatible with the original Vision Pro. As noted on Reddit , the current Developer Strap is limited to USB 2.0 speeds of up to 480 Mbps, even though it technically could support Thunderbolt . Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now) Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro This article, " Apple's Vision Pro Developer Strap May Receive an Upgrade Next Week " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
We spotted both Elon Musk and Sam Altman being handed cute glittering DGX Spark mini PCs by Jensen Huang this week.
EU mandates USB-C for most power bricks and wall warts by 2028
And would happily do it over and again!
Thanks to a huge battery upgrade and much better-than-expected sound, this may be the only SoundLink Micro speaker worth buying.
TeamGroup has announced the T-Force Z54E, a PCIe 5.0 SSD that leverages Phison's speedy E28 controller.
iOS 26 was released last month , but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages , and it includes some other minor changes across the Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, Clock, and Safari apps. More features and changes will follow in future versions, ranging from later iOS 26.1 beta versions through to iOS 26.4. These are only the features that are known so far, and there will surely be many others added over the next year or so. Digital Passport iOS 26 will eventually let you add a digital version of your U.S. passport to Apple's Wallet app. The feature will be available later this year , according to fine print on Apple's website. Apple initially said a software update would be required , but it no longer mentions that, so perhaps the feature can be enabled with a server-side update. After creating a Digital ID in the Wallet app, you will be able to present it in person at TSA checkpoints in select U.S. airports for identity verification purposes during domestic travel. However, Apple says it is not a replacement for a physical passport, and it cannot be used for international travel and border crossing purposes. Apple says the feature is secure, private, and compliant with REAL ID. It will also be possible to use the Digital ID feature for age and identity verification in apps, online, and in stores, according to Apple. RCS Upgrades Earlier this year, Apple said it planned to add support for end-to-end encrypted RCS messages to the Messages app in future iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS software updates, and we are still waiting for that to happen. However, the upgrade has yet to be implemented on iPhones on iOS 26, or in the iOS 26.1 beta versions released so far. End-to-end encryption for RCS was announced in March, as part of version 3.0 of the RCS Universal Profile , a global standard for RCS features and specifications. This means that Apple has indirectly confirmed that it will support RCS Universal Profile 3.0, which includes not only end-to-end encryption for RCS, but several other iMessage-like enhancements for RCS that were originally introduced in RCS Universal Profile 2.7. Apple has to wait on carriers to implement RCS Universal Profile 3.0 too, so it is understandable why the process is taking time. Here are five new capabilities to expect for RCS conversations on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, once Apple rolls out support for RCS Universal Profile 3.0: End-to-end encryption, which will prevent Apple and any other third party from being able to read messages and attachments while they are being sent between devices, as has always been the case with iMessage In-line replies Edit messages Unsend messages Full-fledged Tapback support for RCS messages, with no special workarounds RCS support as a whole was added to the iPhone with iOS 18, which supports RCS Universal Profile 2.4. It is effectively a modernized version of the SMS standard, which remains available as a fallback option for text messages over a cellular network. RCS will be playing catch up with iMessage in many ways. iMessage conversations with blue bubbles have already supported end-to-end encryption by default since iOS 5. In addition, iMessage has supported in-line replies since iOS 14, while the options to edit and unsend iMessages were introduced with iOS 16. It seems likely that Apple will roll out these RCS upgrades at some point during the iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and watchOS 26 software cycle. Personalized Siri In late July, Apple CEO Tim Cook said his company was making "good progress" on a more personalized version of Siri, and he reiterated the features were on track to launch next year. Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman expects the new Siri to launch in the U.S. in spring 2026 , so Apple is likely aiming for an iOS 26.4 launch. Apple first announced the personalized Siri features during its WWDC 2024 keynote, but in March it announced that they were delayed . The new capabilities will include better understanding of a user's personal context, on-screen awareness, and deeper per-app controls. For example, Apple showed an iPhone user asking Siri about their mother's flight and lunch reservation plans based on info from the Mail and Messages apps. Weather via Satellite Earlier this year, MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris discovered references to an unreleased "Weather via satellite" feature in the code for the first iOS 26 developer beta. However, the feature has yet to be released or even announced by Apple, so it is unclear if it is still coming or if it was scrapped. It might still launch eventually. The feature would let you view the forecast and other weather information in the Weather app, in supported areas without Wi-Fi and cellular range. Apple's other satellite features include Emergency SOS via satellite, Messages via satellite, Find My via satellite, and Roadside Assistance via satellite, with availability varying by country. Apple has yet to charge a fee for any of its satellite features. Last month, the company announced it is providing existing iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 users with an additional year of free access to the entire suite of satellite features on those devices. New Emoji iOS 26.4 will likely add new built-in emoji to the iPhone. In celebration of World Emoji Day on July 17, the Unicode Consortium previewed some of the new emoji that are part of Unicode 17.0. Here are some of the new emoji: Trombone Treasure Chest Distorted Face Hairy Creature (Bigfoot/Sasquatch) Fight Cloud Apple Core Orca Ballet Dancers Landslide Notably, Distorted Face is a popular emoji in Discord servers. It is essentially a distorted version of the embarassed face emoji, also known as Flushed Face. It typically takes Apple several months to design new emoji in its own style, so the emoji listed above will likely be added to the iPhone in iOS 26.4. Apple most recently added new emoji to the iPhone with iOS 18.4 , an update that came out in late March. iOS 17.4, iOS 16.4, and iOS 15.4 also introduced new emoji over the years, so the timing has become predictable by this point if it holds up. Related Roundups: iOS 26 , iPadOS 26 Related Forum: iOS 26 This article, " iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
An alleged One UI 8.5 clip showed Samsung's supposed new lock screen effects when playing music.
While the new iPad Pro 's headline feature is the M5 chip, the device has some other changes, including N1 and C1X chips, faster storage speeds, and more. With the M5 chip, the new iPad Pro has up to a 20% faster CPU and up to a 40% faster GPU compared to the previous model with the M4 chip, according to Geekbench 6 results . Keep in mind that 256GB and 512GB configurations have a 9-core CPU, while 1TB and 2TB configurations have a full 10-core CPU. Here are six other upgrades: An increased 12GB of RAM for models with 256GB or 512GB of storage. 1TB and 2TB configurations still have 16GB of RAM. Apple's custom N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. However, the chip only supports up to 160 MHz channel bandwidth for Wi-Fi 7, short of the standard's 320 MHz maximum. Apple says the chip also improves the overall performance and reliability of features like AirDrop and Personal Hotspot. Apple's custom C1X chip for cellular configurations. With this modem, Apple says the new iPad Pro achieves up to 50% faster cellular data performance than its predecessor, and power efficiency is also improved. Apple says the new iPad Pro offers up to 2× faster SSD read and write speeds compared to the previous generation. The new iPad Pro can drive external displays at up to a 120Hz refresh rate , and Adaptive Sync is now supported, resulting in smoother scrolling and gameplay with lower latency on the external display. The new iPad Pro supports fast charging . Apple says up to a 50% charge can be reached in around 30 minutes for the 11-inch model, and in around 35 minutes for the 13-inch model. Apple has not shared similar figures for previous iPad Pro models, so it is unclear how much of an improvement this is. Apple's tech specs also indicate the new iPad Pro can drop down to an ultra-low 1 nit of display brightness, which can be useful in dark environments, like a bedroom at night or a movie theater. Apple's tech specs did not list this for previous iPad Pro models. The new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models are available to pre-order now, and the devices will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Wednesday. Related Roundup: iPad Pro Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now) This article, " New iPad Pro Has Six Key Upgrades Beyond M5 Chip " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
How badly do you want a foldable Pixel?
OnePlus' OxygenOS 16 launches, Samsung's Project Moohan gets a launch date, Pixel 10 Pro Fold smokes up in a durability test, Samsung's ultra-slim Edge could be gone for good, and Android 16's QPR2 Beta 3 brings app shortcuts.