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Black Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 shown from the front on a white background, camera and capture LED in the front corners

Meta fixed the capture LED, but it still failed testing in Hamburg

Since early September the glasses stop recording as soon as someone covers the light. Eight days later the Hamburg data protection authority published its final report, and it shows where the light still falls short. For one feature it does not light up at all.
Steffen Zahn, 23 Sep 2026 10:05
Casio

🎙️ OpinionUnder $300? Here's my "perfect" Casio and Timex collection starter kit

Five watches on a $300 budget, and almost all of them from Casio and Timex. Here's why these two brands give the best bang for your buck, with alternative picks in every slot, from the AE-1200WH and Duro to the AQ-230A, MTP-1302D and Timex Expedition Scout 40.
Anubhav Sharma, 23 Sep 2026 06:58
ROG at 20 and the India story

Asus ROG offers everything from gaming motherboards to monitors, and India bought into all of it

Twenty years, sharper numbers. Asus ROG’s 20th anniversary at Computex 2026 marked two decades of gaming innovation across motherboards, laptops, graphics cards, handhelds, and high-refresh-rate displays. The company also detailed its rapid expansion in India, where broader retail reach, community engagement, local production, and simultaneous global launches have helped lift its share among the country's gaming audience.
Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 22 Sep 2026 08:42
A smartphone lying on a wooden desk, its display showing a grid of photos

Google Photos: the AI search needs a model of your face

Google Photos has been answering questions like "Where did I camp last summer" in Germany since March. Two settings have to be on before the feature runs at all, and Google attaches a remarkable note to one of them elsewhere. The reassuring sentence about AI training turns on a single word.
Steffen Zahn, 21 Sep 2026 10:05
A row of old ring binders in a dimly lit room.

The share link you forgot still shows your email

Sharing a file by link does not hand the link back when you are done. It keeps working, it shows your email address to anyone who opens it, and Google lists those readers as anonymous animals. The expiration date everyone recommends is a paid feature at Google, Microsoft and Dropbox alike.
Steffen Zahn, 18 Sep 2026 10:00
Diablo 5 has a chance to turn the franchise around, but it will take some serious work

🎙️ OpinionBlizzard, this is the Diablo 5 I want

Diablo V has a rare opportunity to learn from everything that came before it, both within the series and outside it. Here is what I want Blizzard to keep, rethink and completely overhaul for the next chapter.
Anil Ganti, 18 Sep 2026 05:31
A hand putting an envelope into a row of letterboxes

Your old work email keeps running, and Google recommends it

Google tells administrators to hand a departing employee’s email address to a current colleague as an alias. Microsoft suggests forwarding or a shared mailbox. The data protection commissioner for Saxony-Anhalt calls that impermissible. Whoever reads the address can reset private accounts.
Steffen Zahn, 16 Sep 2026 10:00
Close-up of a smartphone screen with many app icons

Sign in with Google: Deleting the app does not revoke access

One tap on "Sign in with Google" hands a token to a third party. It lives on their servers, survives the app being deleted, and only expires after six months without use. A new password revokes Google tokens that carry mail scopes and nothing else. Everything else stays until you remove it yourself.
Steffen Zahn, 14 Sep 2026 13:31
Despite the iPhone Duo foldable already being out, Apple is far from done for the year.

With the iPhone Duo on shelves, what does Apple still have in store for 2026?

The iPhone Duo is undoubtedly Apple's most important product launch in recent memory. While non-enthusiasts may think Apple may be done for the year, the company is actually expected to bring major updates to its MacBook and iPad lineups later this year.
Sambit Saha, 13 Sep 2026 20:57
Apple is shaking up the foldable market with several new iPhone Duo tricks, particularly in terms of software optimization.

Samsung faces backlash after some of Apple's iPhone Duo tricks get ported over to the Galaxy Z Fold

It took Apple's late entry into the foldable market to get long-time foldable users to think twice about their devices' software. This is one criticism currently being voiced repeatedly in light of various experiments with the iPhone Duo's animations and features. The other is directed at Samsung, which, as a pioneer in the field may have placed too little emphasis on the software aspect of foldables.
Alexander Fagot, 12 Sep 2026 12:53
Stone letter slot with the word Letters carved into a wall

Your old email address can belong to a stranger in 12 months

GMX and WEB.DE are allowed to empty an unused free mailbox after 6 months and hand the address to another user after 12. Section 5.3 of their terms says so at both providers. Anyone still using that address at a shop, an insurer or an old account is sending their password resets to a stranger.
Steffen Zahn, 11 Sep 2026 10:05
A key sitting in the lock of a closed wooden drawer

Backup codes: Instagram wants a screenshot, Microsoft forbids one

Turning on two-factor authentication gives you 10 backup codes and the instruction to keep them safe. Almost nobody says where. Microsoft says not to store them on the device you sign in with, Instagram suggests a screenshot, and Google's own help page names the file the codes are saved as. Infostealer malware searches for exactly that.
Steffen Zahn, 09 Sep 2026 10:05
Two Starfield characters in a futuristic facility with Nvidia DLSS 5 enabled

DLSS 5 looks creepy in some games, but these examples show its real potential

CheckMag Nvidia's DLSS 5 has faced criticism for its uncanny visuals and performance hit, but when used correctly, it can transform how games look. Here are some of the best examples of the neural rendering technology enhancing visuals while preserving the original art direction.
Anmol Dubey, 08 Sep 2026 09:12
Heap of retired smartphones on a grey surface

The phone you sold is still signed in to your accounts

A new password does not sign out every session, and most providers never say what it actually does. Google keeps showing devices you factory reset, Amazon leaves Kindles signed in, Netflix hides anything idle for 90 days. Where the device lists of Google, Microsoft, Apple, WhatsApp, Netflix, Instagram and Amazon are, and how to clear them in 10 minutes.
Steffen Zahn, 07 Sep 2026 10:05
GTA VI, Insomniac's Wolverine, DLSS5, The Blood of Dawnwalker, Gamescom and more, all in one place.

The biggest gaming news from August 2026

GTA VI's Netflix-paywalled trailer, EA's $55B go-private buyout, Marvel's Wolverine backlash, Elden Ring hitting Switch 2, free Witcher 3 expansions, a leaked DLSS 5, Valve's Steam Frame, and a wild month for fighting games. August 2026 had it all, and we're breaking it down in one massive recap.
Santiago Nino, 05 Sep 2026 21:03
The Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe 14 in "Spicy Gold" with customized keycaps.

Lenovo goes MacBook Neo: Hands-on review with Lenovo's best-looking $699 laptop

Consumer laptops do not have to look boring - with the Lenovo IdeaPad vibe, Lenovo goes for a design with a few colorful twists, at an attractive price-point with many useful features. We had a chance to check it out at IFA 2026.
Benjamin Herzig, 05 Sep 2026 13:48
Smartphone on a wooden desk with an open Google app folder

Your new Google password does not lock out the old apps

After a scare, most people change their Google password and feel safe again. Google's own documentation shows that this only cuts off apps tied to your inbox. Photos, calendar and contacts stay connected. A second list has been growing alongside since August 12, and it does more than read.
Steffen Zahn, 04 Sep 2026 10:05
We got a chance to play Lego Skylines before launch

Lego Skylines hands-on: Complex city builder or just a game for kids?

Lego Skylines combines the world's most famous building blocks with a modern city-building simulation. Our hands-on session revealed quite a few surprises, suggesting the game could be more than just an introduction to modern city builders.
Silvio Werner, 02 Sep 2026 15:16
A hand holding a smartphone with the word eSIM large on a yellow screen.

SIM swapping now starts in your carrier account, not in a shop

Steal the phone number and the SMS codes come with it. Most people picture a forged ID at a shop counter. The route German investigators warn about runs through your online account at the carrier, a self-ordered eSIM and a phone call. What Telekom, Vodafone and O2 offer against it, and why one of those switches points the wrong way.
Steffen Zahn, 02 Sep 2026 10:00
Professional cosplayers and me

🎙️ OpinionMy first Gamescom: Cosplayers, party vibes, DnD, Schweinsteiger — and elves at the supermarket

This wasn't my first time in Cologne, but it was my first time at Gamescom. Young people, costumes, atmosphere, music and games everywhere you look, but also long lines, lots of advertising and plenty of crowds. Here's how I experienced the massive gaming expo.
Christian Hintze, 31 Aug 2026 15:42
WhatsApp settings showing the list of linked devices and the note about end-to-end encryption

WhatsApp: the encryption protects a stranger's device too

Under the list of your linked devices sits a reassuring line about end-to-end encryption. It is even true. That encryption just protects every linked device alike, including one that is not yours. The BSI has warned about a scheme built on exactly that, and the list never tells you when a device was added.
Steffen Zahn, 31 Aug 2026 10:00
Pixel 11 series have a key security feature removed that GrapheneOS deem crucial, but is that the entire story? (Pixel 11 Pro pictured)

Pixel 11 lost a security feature most people never needed, but the story behind it is wild

GrapheneOS says it will not support Google’s Pixel 11 because the Tensor G6 chip lacks Memory Tagging Extension (MTE), a hardware security feature central to the privacy-focused operating system. Bootloader analysis and leaked Google documents suggest MTE was deliberately removed, prompting GrapheneOS to recommend older Pixels while exploring support for a forthcoming Motorola flagship.
Bùi Giang, 31 Aug 2026 09:02
Vampire the Masquerade Reawakened brings both the old and modern world into play using Skyrim's engine as a tool to create an entire standalone experience.

Upcoming Skyrim mod converts the engine into a full Vampire: The Masquerade game

Skyrim is being hollowed out and rebuilt as an old-school World of Darkness RPG. Vampire: The Masquerade Reawakened goes far beyond swapping dragons for vampires, replacing Bethesda’s familiar systems with blood hunting, Disciplines, Humanity and the constant threat of breaking the Masquerade.
Santiago Nino, 31 Aug 2026 02:06
White Wi-Fi router with three antennas and a power supply on a yellow background

TP-Link router from your provider: patching is not up to you

On 10 August TP-Link reported five vulnerabilities in routers that internet providers hand out to their customers. One model on the list is rented out in Germany. The worst flaw walks straight past the router password. You cannot repair it yourself, and there is no firmware to download. Whether your particular variant is affected is something the maker deliberately does not say.
Steffen Zahn, 28 Aug 2026 10:00
"I wanted to make a city that feels alive, but is made fully of ASCII symbols."

Solo dev builds ASCII Cyberpunk city in one HTML file

At a time when corporate greed is top-of-mind in the gaming zeitgeist, there are still people who are creating things for the love of the game, instead of the investors. Indie solo dev Grow Now! Games have created a walkable cyberpunk city rendered entirely with ASCII characters.
Santiago Nino, 28 Aug 2026 03:46
Path of Exile 2 will finally get its 1.0 release on December 11

🎙️ OpinionPath of Exile 2 is going 1.0, but I’m still wondering where the rest of the game is

Grinding Gear Games has set December 11 as Path of Exile 2’s 1.0 release date. However, several planned classes, Ascendancies and weapon types are still absent, making the move out of Early Access feel premature.
Anil Ganti, 26 Aug 2026 23:21
Half-open MacBook in a dark room, light spilling from the gap onto the desk

Mac Screen Sharing: your password does not help here

Apple shipped an out-of-band update on 6 August that closes exactly one flaw. An attacker on the network can authenticate to Screen Sharing without valid credentials. Changing the password does not help, because the flaw hits before authentication. Around 40,000 Macs sit exposed, most of them on home connections.
Steffen Zahn, 26 Aug 2026 10:00
ComfyUI with MiniMax H3: Better than Kling AI, Seedance and other video generators on the free tier?

ComfyUI with MiniMax H3: Better than Kling AI, Seedance and other video generators on the free tier?

AI video generators are significantly harder to use for free than typical LLMs like ChatGPT, with most providers being stingy with free credits. Getting them to create exactly what you want — while also maintaining a good, consistent look — is even harder. So I decided to test the alternative: hosting a local model such as MiniMax H3.
Christian Hintze, 25 Aug 2026 18:00
Smartphone with the ChatGPT app open next to a pair of glasses on a patterned surface

ChatGPT: what the training toggle does not switch off

You switched off "Improve the model for everyone" under Data Controls and assume that settles it. The toggle does exactly one thing, and only from the moment you flip it. Memories, connected apps, uploaded files and the safety checks carry on regardless. One gesture even sends a whole chat into training anyway.
Steffen Zahn, 24 Aug 2026 10:00
Which smartphone is the fastest in Geekbench 7?

Single-core kings, multi-core powerhouses. | New Geekbench: This is the fastest smartphone

Just how fast are the most powerful smartphones, really? Geekbench 7 aims to provide an answer with new tests and more realistic workloads. We take a look at the current performance elite and put the results into perspective.
Daniel Schmidt, 21 Aug 2026 14:38
A Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra standing upright on a table, an open website visible on the display

Samsung Internet: Your monthly security patch never reaches it

Samsung ships a security patch every month. It does not renew the preinstalled browser, which gets its updates through the Play Store and the Galaxy Store instead. And which Chromium base it builds on there is something Samsung has not published for Android in more than two years. What researchers found on a Galaxy S25, and how to check which build is running on your phone.
Steffen Zahn, 21 Aug 2026 10:00
SIM cards in three sizes and an ejector pin on a white surface

Your old phone number still opens your accounts

Germany has no legal waiting period before a disconnected mobile number is handed to someone new. Deutsche Telekom itself describes cases where numbers are released after 30 days. Whoever gets that number also receives the one-time codes for the previous owner's accounts. The US regulates this. What you should clear out today.
Steffen Zahn, 19 Aug 2026 10:00
An older woman with white hair and glasses on the phone in a bright living room, holding her hand to her temple.

The cloned voice on the phone: how you will not spot it

Six signs are supposed to give away a synthetic voice on the phone. Two of them appear in no source at all, three are technically obsolete, and the one that still works has nothing to do with sound. The largest listening study to date also shows that people are not getting better at catching fakes. They are getting worse at believing real voices.
Steffen Zahn, 17 Aug 2026 10:05
An adult hand setting up a smartwatch on a child’s wrist

Your child’s GPS watch tells everyone where they are

Two researchers took over millions of children’s GPS watches at DEF CON. The real finding is the supply chain: 39 brand names sit on a single server in China, several of them sold across Europe. You can check it yourself in the Play Store. The badge on the strap says nothing about where your child’s location data goes.
Steffen Zahn, 14 Aug 2026 10:00
Casio, Seiko, and Citizen logos

Every Casio, Seiko, and Citizen watch launched in August so far: The ultimate roundup

Casio, Seiko and Citizen released more than 30 watch references in the first half of August. Casio's August 7 batch moved five lines to general sale in Japan, Seiko's 145th anniversary wave reached seven pieces plus three new Presage Classics, and Citizen brought new models, plus confirmed Western pricing on two Tsuyosa models.
Anubhav Sharma, 13 Aug 2026 16:13
Close-up of a black laptop keyboard with the Windows key in focus

Windows 11 ships nine AI components, you can delete one

Microsoft's support page names four AI components inside a Copilot+ PC. Its own delivery list has nine, among them Semantic Analysis, Content Extraction and Image Search. Exactly one can be removed since late July, and Microsoft only turned it into a separate package on that very day. What really goes, what only switches off and what stays.
Steffen Zahn, 12 Aug 2026 10:00
The Honor X80 Pro Max with a 11000mAh battery

Is Honor quietly murdering the powerbank?

Honor's latest battery leak has raised an odd but fair question : "does anyone need a power bank anymore?"
Bùi Giang, 11 Aug 2026 20:31
Windows laptop on a wooden table with the Google homepage open in the browser

Account hijacked despite 2FA: a stolen cookie is enough

Session hijacking happens after you sign in. Whoever steals your session cookie gets into your account without a password and without a second factor, and antivirus does not fix it because the stolen cookie keeps working. Chrome now ties sessions to the device with DBSC, while Firefox still stores its cookie database unencrypted. How the theft works and what really helps.
Steffen Zahn, 10 Aug 2026 10:00
Seiko watch, smartwatch

Why does the watch industry still make billions in the smartwatch era?

Smartwatches outsell traditional watches ten to one. So why is the watch industry still worth tens of billions, and why are the Japanese brands, selling at smartwatch prices, the only ones actually growing? The answer is not nostalgia.
Anubhav Sharma, 09 Aug 2026 11:44
The Casio F-91WF-1A

🎙️ OpinionCasio wants almost $50 for fabric-strap on the F-91W, while fans are building it for half that

Casio's F-91WF has been confirmed to sell for about $48 in Thailand. We priced 18 mm nylon straps on AliExpress between $0.99 and $4.85, meaning a standard F-91W plus a band ends up near $25. The catch is fitting the strap, not cost, since spring bar clearance is tight.
Anubhav Sharma, 08 Aug 2026 17:52
Woman looking down at her smartphone with a laptop beside her

Phone lost, account locked: what really helps now

Your phone is gone. You still know the password, but the second factor lived on that exact device. We read the recovery procedures at Google, Apple and Microsoft, and the ones at 1Password, Bitwarden and Dashlane. All six come down to the same thing. Nothing can be set up after the fact, and at one provider the account is gone for good.
Steffen Zahn, 07 Aug 2026 10:00
The Apple iPhone 18 Pro could end up being more expensive than previously expected. Render pictured.

Apple September event 2026: iPhone 18, new Apple Watches, AirPods and more expected

Apple's September event is expected to be one of its biggest product showcases, with the anticipated debut of the iPhone 18 lineup alongside updates to the Apple Watch, AirPods, and other products. Here's a brief overview of what portable devices Apple is most likely to announce.
Karan Sharma, 05 Aug 2026 15:53
A finger entering a PIN on a keypad on screen

Most security keys ship without a PIN, and websites rarely ask

Two FIDO2 keys, same standard, same price. One asks for a PIN, the other just needs a tap. On most models no PIN is set at the factory, and whether you are asked at all is usually the website’s decision. We read the manuals from Yubico, Token2, Nitrokey, OnlyKey, Feitian and Google.
Steffen Zahn, 05 Aug 2026 10:05
A person is writing notes in a notebook next to an open laptop

A million tokens is fewer words than you think: We measured it

One million tokens sounds like enough space for everything. We calculated how many German words that actually is, how much a single query costs for the entire GPT-5.6 Sol collection, and when Obsidian or Notion are still worth it.
Steffen Zahn, 03 Aug 2026 10:30
Dark view of a note network with glowing dots and labels such as Zettelkasten, Tax return 2025 and Backup strategy

Your second brain: Obsidian, Notion and who lets the AI in

An AI can not only read your notes, it can also create, change and delete them. Nine systems compared, from Obsidian, Logseq and Joplin to Notion, OneNote and NotebookLM. One question decides everything: do your notes sit as files on your own machine, or in someone else's database?
Steffen Zahn, 31 Jul 2026 10:05
Smartphone showing the DeepSeek app on screen

Kimi K3 and DeepSeek: is your access to cheap AI at risk?

Cheap AI from China could be pushed out of reach by politics. Washington accuses Moonshot of siphoning off Anthropic's Fable and is floating restrictions on Kimi K3 and DeepSeek. Nothing has been decided, and the evidence is missing. What the agencies actually measured, and what it means for your access.
Steffen Zahn, 29 Jul 2026 10:05
Insomniac Games' Marvel's Wolverine puts everything on the line to save a piece of physical media in one of the most ironic trailer releases following Sony's move to end physical media.

Wolverine has become the poster boy in the fight for physical media

Insomniac Games' latest Marvel's Wolverine story trailer was supposed to get fans talking about Logan's brutal journey, Lady Deathstrike, and the game's September release. Instead, much of the conversation has shifted toward Sony's controversial move away from physical media, with perhaps their last physical disc release becoming the centerpiece of the debate.
Santiago Nino, 27 Jul 2026 20:05
A person inserts a USB security key into a laptop

Pass-the-Passkey: new attacks target the password's successor

(Update: description of the event log flaw corrected) Passkeys are replacing the password, and Microsoft is making them the default from September. Security researcher Michael Grafnetter is presenting a family of attacks called Pass-the-Passkey at Black Hat. This follow-up explains cloud passkey versus hardware key, what the research found and how to close the most common password back door.
Steffen Zahn, 27 Jul 2026 10:00
One Citizen and Seiko watch

🎙️ OpinionCitizen is now a better watch choice than Seiko

Citizen's watch division has now matched Seiko's revenue for the first time, and the spec sheets detail exactly why. Better movement accuracy, sapphire further down the price range, a five-year warranty, and next to zero service bill — the value crown might've quietly changed hands.
Anubhav Sharma, 24 Jul 2026 13:41
Home screen of the Kimi web interface with input field and K3 logo

What's really behind Kimi K3's record numbers

China’s new flagship model is breaking size records, and the headlines are coming thick and fast. Moonshot itself ranks Kimi K3 behind Claude and GPT. We’ll break down what the numbers really mean, whether you’ll ever be able to run the model yourself, what it actually costs, and what happens to your input.
Steffen Zahn, 23 Jul 2026 10:00
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Notebookcheck, 2022-04-20 (Update: 2025-11-17)