Browsing: Tech Reviews

Like most tools, generative AI models can be misused. And when the misuse gets bad enough that a major dictionary notices, you know it has become a cultural phenomenon. On Sunday, Merriam-Webster announced that “slop” is its 2025 Word of the Year, reflecting how the term has become shorthand for the flood of low-quality AI-generated content that has spread across social media, search results, and the web at large. The dictionary defines slop as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” “It’s such an illustrative word,” Merriam-Webster President Greg Barlow told…

The company which popularized robot vacuum cleaners around the world has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. iRobot, makers of the Roomba, has been synonymous with the category since its inception, but its star had dulled in recent years. The company plans to sell its assets to its primary supplier, China’s Picea Robotics, in the hope of maintaining its business.Everyone’s got a strident opinion as to why iRobot fell from grace. The rugged individualists blame limp regulators on both sides of the pond (and their hatred for big tech) for blocking Amazon’s attempted purchase in 2023. Those on the hardware side…

Roast beef tenderloin, plated with chives and the sherry-Dijon pan sauce Anna Gragert/CNET Meal kits are great for cooking year-round, saving you hours of shopping, prep and cooking in the process. The only time you wouldn’t be able to use these kits is when you want to make specific recipes that aren’t on the company’s weekly menu, such as during the holidays. However, Blue Apron and other meal kit companies have filled that gap by offering meal kits specifically tailored for the winter season. Blue Apron’s holiday menu does have overlap with the meal kits Blue Apron offered for Thanksgiving, which…

Polish storage vendor introduces 122.88TB PCIe 5.0 SSD aimed at immersion cooled serversDrive targets ultra high capacity workloads with QLC NAND and modest endurance ratingsLaunch appears quietly in technical materials rather than through major industry announcementA little-known Polish storage company has quietly introduced an enterprise SSD designed for immersion cooled data centers, offering capacities that push well beyond what most operators are using today.Goodram Enterprise, which operates as the data center focused arm of Wilk Elektronik, has added a 122.88TB PCIe 5.0 drive to its portfolio. The large SSD appears in technical documentation rather than a high profile launch.The drive…

There are so many Wi-Fi systems on the market, and this post will point you in the right direction and help you pick the best mesh for your home. A suitable network system is more than just the performance or Wi-Fi coverage. It’s also about the cost, features, customizability, and, most importantly, your privacy. Let’s dig in! Dong’s note: I first published this post on Feb 21, 2024, and last updated it on December 15, 2025, to add the latest relevant information. Related stories on Wi-Fi and mesh systems How to pick the best mesh Wi-Fi system: Mesh hardware is…

In recent years, it has faced competition from cheaper Chinese rivals, including Picea, putting pressure on sales and forcing iRobot to reduce headcount. A management shake-up in early 2024 saw the departure of its co-founder as chief executive. Amazon proposed buying the company in 2023, seeing synergy with its Alexa-powered smart speakers and Ring doorbells. EU regulators, however, pushed back on the deal, raising concerns it would lead to reduced visibility for rival vacuum cleaner brands on Amazon’s website. Amazon and iRobot terminated the deal little more than a month after Adobe’s $10 billion purchase of design software maker Figma…

Some gifts are fun, some are useful, and AirTags manage to be both. This tiny tracker pairs instantly with iPhones, making it almost impossible to lose keys, wallets or bags. The Find My app guides you straight to your stuff with precision tracking, which feels like magic the first time you try it. As a Secret Santa gift, it’s perfect for anyone who’s always misplacing things. It’s affordable, clever and small enough to feel like a stocking stuffer, but useful enough to make them thank you every time they lose their keys. If they don’t use an iPhone, go for…

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tough one. There are some crazy terms in the green group, especially. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you…

Following the surprise announcement that Milla Jovovich is joining Hitman: World of Assassination and Gemma Chan’s upcoming turn as Selina Tan in 007 First Light, the entire energy in the room changed when Lenny Kravitz stepped onto the stage at IO Interactive’s showcase. This was fresh off the reveal of his swaggering new character, the pirate king Bawma, in the next James Bond adventure.IOI wants to redefine how players connect to the Bond mythos in 2025 and beyond. During our conversation, Senior Licensing Producer Theuns Smit made one thing clear: Kravitz didn’t just join the world; they built part of…

You must have experienced it. You got a new (possibly expensive) router or Wi-Fi system, but it failed to meet your expectations for performance or coverage. This post aims to explain, in simple terms, how ambiguity leads to the wrong hardware purchase and, ultimately, to false assumptions. When you’re through, you’ll know how to set your expectations straight, which is the first step in choosing the proper hardware for your needs. Let’s start with how Wi-Fi signals work. Dong’s note: I first published this post on February 4, 2024, and updated it on December 13, 2025, to add up-to-date relevant…