The future is here! And in so many ways, it kinda sucks. A new graphics card costs more than a mortgage payment because billionaires are sucking up all the GPUs to boil the planet and make Hayao Miyazaki cry at the same time, and I still don’t have a Marty McFly hoverboard. But at least I can order fast food that literally flies to my door. That’s nice. In fact, I could order a flying curry delivery if I lived in Charlotte, North Carolina—specifically, within four miles of the Arboretum Shopping Center—where DoorDash is now offering food deliveries via drone. You can choose from a limited selection of local eateries, including Panera Bread, Matcha Cafe Maiko, and Joa Korean. The latest expansion is part of a partnership with drone delivery company Wing. Deliveries are also available in tiny slices of Dallas-Fort Worth and southwest Virginia, after a pilot (ha!) program in Logan City, Australia. Wing’s drones are autonomous, according to the press release, needing no human pilots. The drones are pretty beefy, too. Promotional photos show a design with no less than 16 propellers spread across two struts and two wings, and it tucks the fast food package up underneath the main body. The bags are loaded by humans while the drone is airborne, and the food is then lowered down on an extensible cable at the destination so the drone doesn’t need to land. It’s pretty neat, though I can think of a lot of ways it could go wrong. If you happen to live in Charlotte, NC (or the other introductory locations), you can check to see if your address is in the service area on Wing’s website. DoorDash is offering a $1 bowl of Panera mac and cheese for anyone who tries it out in the new area. Read...

Several users are now reporting that Google Search has swapped its classic “I’m Feeling Lucky” button for an “AI Mode” button instead. In some cases, the AI Mode button appears to the right of the search bar with the I’m Feeling Lucky button remaining in its usual spot. AI Mode is an experimental feature that offers an AI-generated search experience powered by Google’s Gemini 2.0 language model. Google spokesperson Ashley Thompson told The Verge that the search engine’s AI Mode is currently only visible to a limited number of users in Google’s experimental Labs environment. It’s unclear at this point when—or if—the redesign could become the new standard for Google Search. You can see some examples of the new design in the tweets below: I see this… AI Mode button next to Google Search. pic.twitter.com/zacHHA5AwH— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) May 10, 2025 Read...

Microsoft is laying off up to 3 percent of its global workforce, reports Bloomberg. With Microsoft having around 228,000 employees at the end of June 2024 (the latest reported number), that’d mean around 6,000 to 6,800 people being let go, according to CNBC. This confirms the rumors from last month. The layoffs are to take place in different regions across different employee levels and teams. “We continue to implement organizational changes necessary to best position the company for success in a dynamic marketplace,” a company spokesperson told CNBC. Microsoft plans to cut 1,985 jobs at its Redmond headquarters alone, 1,510 of which will be in the office. One aim is to reduce layers of management, the spokesperson said. Unlike the previous job reduction from January 2025 that hit “low performers,” these layoffs are not performance-related. It’s currently unknown whether the Xbox games division will also be affected by the layoffs, but Microsoft has repeatedly cut jobs in the Xbox division in recent years. These job cuts don’t fit with the latest business figures. At the end of April, Microsoft reported a net profit of $25.8 billion for the quarter, which exceeded expectations, and also issued a positive forecast. Read...

Malware is a thing you just have to be aware of. But it’s pretty rare that it can actually damage your computer in a permanent sense — wipe the drive if you’re okay with losing local data, and you can generally get up and running in a day or two. But what if the microcode running on your CPU’s tiny integrated memory becomes infected? One security researcher says he’s done it. Christiaan Beek of Rapid7 says he has created a proof-of-concept ransomware that can hide inside a CPU’s microcode, building on previous work that emerged when Google required AMD processors to always return “4” when asked for a random number. He claims that modifying UEFI firmware can install an unsigned update to the processor, slipping past any kind of conventional antivirus or OS-based security. In a statement given to The Register, Beek says that Rapid7 won’t release the tool. However, the implications of this possibility are significant. If your computer’s CPU was infected to that degree, it would technically be possible to recover with official tools from Intel, AMD, et cetera. But it would be so involved, and your system would be so fully compromised, that you might as well just pull a Ron Swanson and yeet that thing. Malware that can bypass the encryption in UEFI firmware is already known, though it’s a lot more complex and involved than your typical dodgy download. CPU-level ransomware has not been seen “in the wild,” and it seems likely that when and if it emerges, it’ll be a state-level actor that exploits it first. That means your typical user probably won’t be targeted, at least immediately. Still, maybe keep a remote backup of your important files, just in case. Read...

Alongside the latest security fixes, Microsoft just added a number of new features to Windows 11 via the KB5058411 update. The new Copilot+ AI feature known as Windows Recall and the ability to use Phone Link in the Start menu have been mentioned in previous articles, so we don’t need to mention them again. One of the best improvements in the update is that Windows Search now supports AI, which means—among other things—that you can now use “natural language” in your search queries to find documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and images. Get Windows 11 Pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro File Explorer also got some boosts, like how it’s now possible to view Microsoft 365 content directly in File Explorer (but requires you to pay for the service). File Explorer should also open files and unpack ZIP archives much faster, and as for the colors in the bars, the shades of blue and green are now darker than before. Other goodies in the update include Microsoft removing the blue-colored background for shortcuts on the desktop, which users complained about, as well as numerous bug fixes, which should mean that the risk of running into “blue screen” crashes has gone down. Update KB5058411 should automatically download and install to your system, assuming you’re on Windows 11 24H2. If it hasn’t yet, you should be able to jump-start it with a manual check in Windows Update. Further reading: Windows 11 24H2 is now auto-downloading on PCs Read...

Just as we were growing accustomed to the term “Max,” HBO Max will soon revert to its original name.  The head-spinning move, slated to take effect this summer, was announced Wednesday morning during Warner Bros. Discovery’s upfront event in New York City, and the idea behind the re-rebrand is, well, I’ll just let them say it:  “Returning the HBO brand to HBO Max will further drive the service forward and amplify the uniqueness that subscribers can expect from the offering. It is also a testament to WBD’s willingness to keep boldly iterating its strategy and approach—leaning heavily on consumer data and insights—to best position itself for success.” Well, it’s a testament to something, all right, if not Warner Bros.’s ongoing indecisiveness over what HBO Max—er, Max—ah, I mean HBO Max—should be.  The original decision to rebrand HBO Max as “Max” came after the 2022 merger between then-HBO parent WarnerMedia and Discovery, which formed a new media conglomerate called Warner Bros. Discovery.  Company execs wanted to merge Discovery’s more family-friendly fare with HBO’s signature adult programming, and the new name—Max—was intended to signal the streamer’s “broader content offering.” Put another way, while HBO and Discovery on their own offered “something for some people,” the new Max would serve up “a broad array of quality choices for everybody.”   But right away, the name “Max” just didn’t sit right. Streamers kept calling it “HBO Max,” new branding be damned, while Warner Bros. Discovery executives kept dithering over what was an “HBO” original and what was a “Max” original. For example, shows that were originally intended to be Max Originals, like the upcoming Harry Potter series and an It prequel called Welcome to Derry were abruptly switched to HBO Originals. The result? Confusion all around is not the thing you want when trying to establish a new brand.  Then, in late 2024, something even stranger happened: HBO and Max passed on new episodes of Sesame Street, the beloved kids’ show that had called HBO home since 2016. (Max—or HBO Max—will still keep existing Sesame Street shows in its streaming library.) Soon after, Max dropped several popular animated shows, including Teen Titans, Ed, Edd n’ Eddy, and The Looney Tunes Show. Suddenly, the family-friendly Max wasn’t looking so family-friendly anymore.  Now, by going back to the HBO Max brand, Warner Bros. Discovery seems to have gone full circle, embracing an HBO name that’s served it so well over the years—a name that’s represented high-end programming for grown-ups.  The company said so much in its press release announcing the re-rebrand today, noting that it is focusing on “programming that is working best, like HBO, recent box-office movies, docuseries, certain reality series, and Max and local originals, and de-prioritizing other genres that drive less engagement or acquisition.  In any event, welcome back, HBO Max. Hopefully you’ll stay awhile this time. Read...

When we reviewed LG’s UltraGear 27GX790A-B, we said the monitor’s “motion clarity will leave gamers gobsmacked.” The $1,000 price tag wasn’t exactly appealing, but now that the monitor has gotten a serious discount, we think it’s worth grabbing. This gloriously fast OLED gaming display is now just $800 on Amazon. It may not be one of those huge ultrawide monitors on the market—it’s “only” 27 inches—but it’s a fantastic pick for high-frame-rate gamers. This LG UltraGear delivers a 2560×1440 resolution on a vibrant OLED panel with a blazing-fast 480Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time. It’s all great, but that refresh rate in particular is chef’s kiss. This isn’t the first 480Hz OLED monitor by any means, but as our testing shows, it delivers “class-leading” motion clarity that most competitive gamers will be happy with. All those action-heavy scenes will be smoother than ever, and this display comes with both AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync for minimal screen tearing. No worries about connectivity either. You get two HDMI 2.1 ports, a DisplayPort 2.1, as well as two USB-A and a 3.5mm headphone jack. We’d have loved to see a USB-C on there, but it is what it is. OLED monitors aren’t cheap, especially the uber-fast ones. But if you wanted one, now’s the time to get it. The 20% discount is solid and it’s not every day you see a 480Hz OLED for only $800. If this one doesn’t suit your fancy for whatever reason, you should check out our other picks for the best gaming monitors we’ve tested. Save 20% on LG`s ultra-fast 27-inch OLED gaming monitorBuy now at Amazon Read...

Boy, it’s not getting any easier to afford a gaming laptop these days, huh? You might be considering a step down in power for your next purchase if you’ve got a tight budget, way down from the current crop of $3,000+ laptops. If that’s you, Nvidia might have a few cheaper options in store soon, in the form of RTX 5050 laptop GPUs. They’ll slide in under the RTX 5060 series, scheduled for later in May. Prolific leaker @momomo_us showed off two screenshots of Lenovo LOQ (the company’s more budget gaming brand) and Legion 15-inch laptops sporting 13th-gen Intel processors paired with not-yet-announced RTX 5050 cards. The pages were up on UK-based seller Laptops Direct, but appear to be down as of now. As VideoCardz.com notes, they’re packing 8GB of GDDR7 video memory, matching the laptop version of the RTX 5060 and boasting a 2GB upgrade over the mobile RTX 4050. We don’t know any other specs at the moment, but presumably it’ll be a step down from the 5060 in at least a few metrics. Less encouraging is the price. The cheaper of the two laptops was priced at £1,149.97. At today’s exchange rate, that would put its USD price at $1,531. Ouch, especially considering that RTX 5060 laptops are allegedly going to start at $1,100. The existence of more expensive models doesn’t preclude the existence of cheaper ones… but yeah, I wouldn’t hold out hope for getting a newer Nvidia card in a laptop that dips below the four-figure mark anytime soon. There’s always the Acer Nitro V (or as I like to call it, “Old Faithful”). Read...

A power bank is easily one of the most useful things you can carry on you at any time. You never know when your phone will start blinking red, and you don’t want to be caught with a dead phone while out and about, do you? Well, if you don’t have one, today’s your lucky day. Right now you can get this 10K Baseus power bank with a 50% discount on Amazon. Yep, you read that right! Just use code NROBNZA3 at checkout. The Baseus Picogo is tiny enough to fit in the palm of your hand, which means it can slip into even the tightest pockets. The 10,000mAh capacity should be enough to recharge your phone about two times over, give or take depending on your particular model. But the best thing about it is the built-in USB-C cable, which frees you from having to carry around a separate cord when you’re on the go. When not in use, the cable plugs right into the power bank itself and turns into a convenient handle. With up to 45 watts of charging power, the Picogo can charge flagship phones like the iPhone 16 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra more than halfway in 30 minutes. And with the additional USB-C and USB-A ports, you can charge up to three devices at once. (When multiple ports are being used, the charging power is split between them.) Never get caught with a dead phone again. Get the Baseus Picogo power bank for $20 on Amazon and enjoy the convenience of its built-in USB-C cable. Don’t forget to use discount code NROBNZA3 at checkout to score this amazing 50% off deal before it’s gone! Save 50% on the 10K Baseus Picogo with built-in USB-C cableBuy now at Amazon Read...

Roku is spending $185 million to get into a business that most other streaming platforms have avoided. In early May, the company announced that it will acquire Frndly TV, the cheapest of all the live TV streaming services. For $9 per month, Frndly TV offers a bundle of channels you’d typically find in a cable TV package, including Hallmark, A&E, and The Weather Channel. While it’s normal for streaming platforms to offer their own free or premium streaming services, most aren’t selling their own bundles of cable channels with optional DVR service. Roku is doing something pretty unusual here, and while it says it’s just trying to boost subscription revenues on its platform, that doesn’t sound like the whole story to me. How Frndly fits in Frndly TV is what’s known in industry jargon as a “virtual Multichannel Video Programming Distributor,” or vMVPD. You could also use the terms live TV streaming services, streaming channel bundles, or cable replacements. Whatever the nomenclature, the point is that these are essentially cable TV packages delivered over the internet. You get a big bucket of cable channels, a grid-based channel guide to flip through, and DVR functionality for recording live airings and watching them at your leisure. Most major streaming platforms have stayed out of this business, which involves cutting carriage deals with numerous TV programmers (and dealing with the risk of blackouts when renewal negotiations fail). It’s a messy business and one that’s barely profitable, if at all. So while you can access services like Hulu + Live TV and Fubo on a Fire TV Stick or Apple TV 4K, Amazon and Apple haven’t bothered putting together channel bundles of their own. (The only exception is Google, which operates YouTube TV and has its own Google TV/Android TV streaming platform.) Nonetheless, Roku sees an opportunity in Frndly TV, which claimed to be profitable in 2022. While Roku once described itself as an advertising company, lately it’s been talking up its plans to grow subscription revenue as well. The company already gets a cut when users subscribe to services on its platform, but with Frndly TV it can claim 100 percent of the revenue for itself. The near-term playbook, then, will look like it did for the Roku Channel, the ad-supported streaming service Roku launched in 2017. Roku makes more money when people watch the Roku Channel instead of other ad-supported services, so it’s aggressively promoted its own service in practically every corner of its home screen. The company has made no secret of its plans to do the same for Frndly TV. “We’re going to use [the platform] to drive Frndly, which is now part of Roku,” CEO Anthony Wood said during an earnings call. Thinking bigger If all Roku does with Frndly TV is use its home screen to peddle more Frndly TV subscriptions, that’d be pretty boring. And maybe that is the entire strategy. But my theory is that Roku will use Frndly TV as the first step toward offering a broader lineup of pay TV channels. Frndly TV, after all, is a niche within a niche, with channels that focus largely on reality TV and reruns. It carries none of the top 10 cable channels and only eight of the top 50. None of those channels cover news or sports. As of late 2022, Frndly TV had a mere 700,000 subscribers. By entering the vMVPD business, Roku instantly becomes a major player that can negotiate more and better carriage deals on behalf of its 90 million households. It would be weird if those efforts started and ended with whichever programmer has the syndication rights for Columbo and Bonanza. An equally plausible outcome is that Roku expands its channel offerings over time, taking advantage of TV programmers’ newfound willingness to allow for more flexible bundles. It could then tie those offerings into its home screen and live TV guide, with a built-in billing system to manage subscriptions. For folks who still have cable or just want an easy way to access cable channels, Roku could present itself as the simplest solution. I’ve always wondered why no streaming platform has done this—here’s me arguing for Apple to do it in 2017—and now Roku is in the best position to pull it off. Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter weekly newsletter to get more streaming advice every Friday Read...