Whoever said to throw the laptop out, instead of squeezing everyone else out, is a genius.
Switch to the web: You can access lots of phone apps on the web, like on your laptop or desktop, instead of directly on your device. It’s nice to have a bigger screen to look at stuff and a bigger keyboard to type out posts and comments. Try it with Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.
Laptop catches fire on plane
It started smoking inside a passenger’s bag. Plus, the RiteAid hack, and AT&T data breach. We also talk to Elliston Berry and Anna McAdams, a mother-daughter team fighting deepfake revenge porn.
Singing like a canary: Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing life in prison for sex trafficking, racketeering and a slew of other charges. But it seems his biggest worry is not having a laptop in his cell to use whenever he wants. There’s a laptop he can use with supervision from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The judge says that’s enough time for him to do diddy-squat.
In 2008, the U.S. Department of Defense experienced the worst breach of military computers, ever. Was the source a … A.) Phishing email, B.) USB flash drive, C.) Confused employee or D.) Stolen laptop?
💻 “An unspecified error has occurred”: That Windows message drives me nuts. Over the last few months, Windows 10 has grown in popularity, while Windows 11 has dropped in market share … despite Windows 10’s planned sunset on Oct. 25, 2025. Windows 10’s market share currently stands at 61.8%, compared to just 34.9% for Windows 11. No wonder folks are waiting to upgrade; about 240 million active PCs might not meet the new hardware requirements for Windows 11. Need a new system? Check out my three sweet laptop picks here!
🕺 Speaking of twisting: Lenovo’s new laptop, the Auto Twist PC, opens and closes with a voice command. Say “Open lid” and yep, it does. The screen rotates almost 180 degrees, too, and it can put itself into tablet mode. Neat? Yes. Gimmicky? Absolutely.
Trust me, it’s dusty: Your laptop and desktop gather dust just like everything else. Do yourself (and your wallet) a favor and blow out all the junk. Compressed air (whoa, 47% off) gets the job done, but I prefer a reusable air duster (54% off!).
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Never hurts to ask: Some credit cards offer extended warranties on anything you buy with the card. If your expensive vacuum or laptop craps out, it’s worth asking Amex or Chase if they’ll pay to repair or replace it.
💸 Old electronics lying around? Costco’s revamped trade-in program lets you swap them for a store gift card, no membership needed. The trade-in values aren’t small potatoes, either; you can get up to $1,080 for an old laptop! Go to this portal for a quote. If you’re cool with their offer, the shipping’s free and you’ll have your money in under three weeks. PSA: Amazon has a trade-in program, too, so compare both to see which gives you the better price.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
🚴♂️ Not wheelie good: Researchers found a way to hack bicycle wireless gear shifters with just a few hundred bucks of tech and a laptop. The trick works on Shimano Di2 shifters, which are used by top cycling teams worldwide. A patch is rolling out in late August.
Keep your Android automatically unlocked: Go to Settings > Security > Smart Lock. You can set it to stay unlocked when it’s on you, near a trusted device (like your laptop) or in a trusted place (like your house).
Breathe new life into an old laptop or PC: Install ChromeOS Flex, a free, cloud-based operating system. With processing done on Google’s servers and a bare-bones interface, you’ll get surprisingly good performance. Your PC will need to meet these minimum specs: x64 CPU, 4GB RAM, 16GB storage and a USB port for installation.
Single gunshot wound to the head: That’s the official cause of death for former President Trump’s would-be assassin, Thomas Crooks. The FBI says Crooks’ final search on his encrypted Samsung phone was for p*rn. A few hours before that, he flew his drone over the rally site. Now, investigators are moving on to his laptop and external hard drives found at his parents’ home.
MacBook battery widget: It’ll regularly remind you how much juice is left in your laptop. On your Mac, click the date and time in the top right corner. In the notification center pop-up, click Edit Widgets at the bottom. Search for “batteries” and pick your favorite options.
🔥 A laptop caught fire on an American Airlines flight: When the plane left the San Francisco gate on its way to Miami, chaos ensued, as folks grabbed their bags before jumping down the emergency exit slide. Panic turned into pushing, then minor injuries. When I flew Hawaiian Airlines a few weeks ago, they announced they had fireproof laptop bags on board. So smart.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Don't put your laptop in the fridge
Is your computer running hot? You might think putting it in a cool spot will help. It might, but it could also ruin your computer.
Yesterday's Supreme Court ruling on social media
The Supreme Court made a surprising decision on a social media censorship case involving Missouri and Louisiana. Find out why their lawsuit didn’t go as planned.
⚠️ Urgent Windows update: Don’t use public Wi-Fi unless you’re running the latest update for Windows 10 and 11. It fixes a vulnerability that lets crooks take over your laptop just by connecting to the same Wi-Fi network. Go to System > About. If you see 14393.7070, 22621.3737 or 22631.3737, update right away.
Windows laptop feeling extra warm? Consider an app to monitor the temperature in real time. CoreTemp and Real Temp for Windows are good options. Anything higher than 176 degrees Fahrenheit is bad news.