Police investigators tracked suspicious transactions between the Middle East and London. Read...

Prime Day is coming. We know it’s only June, but we’re already hearing some early murmuring about the event, which typically lands in the middle of July. Beyond that, it’s never too early to begin thinking about saving money. If you weren’t already aware, Prime Days are always Amazon’s biggest shopping events of the year. There are usually two Prime Day events dedicated to Prime members—one in July and another in October. When is the first Prime Day 2025? We don’t have exact dates for Prime Day this year as no official announcement has been made yet. However, experience dictates the event will take place either in the second or third week of July, and begin on a Tuesday. Based on historical precedent, we would place a Prime Day event to occur on July 8-9 or July 15-16. That’s our best guestimate based on when the event took place in previous years. Prime Days are usually two day events, but we wouldn’t rule out a longer sale period in 2025. Indeed, it will be interesting to see whether tariff and larger economic concerns influence Amazon’s overall strategy. We’ll be following all the details, and updating this article accordingly. When were Prime Days in year’s past? In 2024, we had a couple of Prime Day events, one starting on July 16th and one on October 8th. Both lasted for 48 hours. Let’s dive into when previous Prime Day events took place: 2024: July 16-17 and October 8-9 2023: July 11-12 and Oct 10-11 2022: July 12-13 and October 11-12 2021: June 21-22 2020: October 13-14 How can you get deals on Amazon Prime Day? As the name suggests, Prime Day events are dedicated to Amazon Prime members. If you’re not already subscribed, you can start a 30-day free trial at any time. Our suggestion, if you’re only going to do a trial, is to wait to sign up until late June to make the most of the sale event. While the vast majority of discounts are targeted toward Prime members, there are loads of deals with no strings attached too.   Amazon Prime costs $14.99 per month or $139 for the whole year. There are student memberships available for $7.49 per month or $69 per year. Similar subscription prices are available for qualifying government assistance recipients. What deals can you expect on Prime Day? Prime Day is a prime (pun intended) time to purchase all the gear you’ve been eyeing but didn’t want to splurge on. From storage solutions (SSDs, portable SSDs, flash drives, microSDs) to monitors, from pricey laptops to Chromebooks, from gaming gear to smart home tech, from security cameras to webcams, and so on. Oftentimes, Prime Day deals are better than Black Friday ones. At the very least, many products get new best price levels on Prime Day. Amazon’s own product lines, from Kindle e-readers to Ring cameras and Echo speakers often get fantastic discounts, as well.   Deals you can get before Prime Day Before Prime Day lands, there are quite a few deals you can take advantage of right now. Here’s a few of them: Anker Nano 100W 3-port charger: $36 (35% off from $55) SAMSUNG ViewFinity S7 S70D, 27?: $200 (43% off from $350) TP-Link ???????? SolarCam C402 Kit: $40 (27% off from $55) Samsung SSD 9100 PRO 4TB: $450 (18% off from $550) Ring Outdoor Cam (Stick Up Cam): $60 (20% off from $80) Read...

A new ad for Windows 11, and by extension new Windows 11-powered laptops, has been posted to the official Windows YouTube channel. It’s called “Right side of risk.” Uh-oh. The 30-second spot once again reminds you that Windows 10 will stop receiving security updates this October. Which is something Microsoft has been blasting to the significant portion of the user base that’s still using Windows 10 for a while now. But the specific language Microsoft is using here is… questionable. “Upgrade now,” it says, showing a flashy animation of a new laptop in the background, “to a Windows 11 Pro PC with Intel Inside, and stay on the right side of risk.” Between the specific callout for Windows 11 Pro and highlights for features like “simple, fast, and reliable deployment,” it’s clear that this video is aimed at corporations and IT managers. Which is a little odd, since they’re the ones who’ll get relatively easy (if expensive) access to security updates for Windows 10 beyond that October deadline. But with all the leeway in the world for a 10-year-old operating system and the need for progress…it’s clear that Windows 10 is still enormously popular. And it’s an OS that Microsoft once billed as “the last Windows,” implying a perpetual upgrade and support setup before it changed its mind. It doesn’t help that Microsoft seems to be doing all it can to make Windows 11 as annoying to use as possible. Microsoft, the decision to sunset Windows 10 is entirely yours. And that means that you’re creating a problem so that you can sell a solution, either in the form of a Windows 11 license or a new laptop. That’s never a good look. It might be worth considering, as Windows has never looked less essential than it does right now. Read...

I like Borderlands. It’s a great turn-your-brain-off-and-blast-things kind of game. But at this point, I have to say the original looter shooter has come a long way down from its height, which was Borderlands 2 waaaay back in 2012. If you don’t have it yet, somehow, you can get it for free on Steam this weekend. Borderlands 2 is a big leap forward versus the original game, with far better graphics, more interesting abilities, better multiplayer support, and a much, much better story and more vibrant world to putter around in. If you’ve remained unfamiliar with it: Borderlands is basically a blend of Halo and Mad Max, with a focus on finding the best randomly generated guns among a ridiculous variety of bang-sticks. Borderlands‘ humor might be its most divisive element. There was a bit of irreverence and sarcasm in the original, but Borderlands 2 is where things really started to ramp up. Your tolerance for the writing might depend on how much time you spent on certain websites in the 2000s and 2010s, saving and reposting memes and GIFs. But on the other hand, the actual story of the game is more fleshed out and interesting. It brings back characters from the original and makes them, well, characters, as well as introducing new faces and a truly excellent villain. It’s good, is what I’m saying! I’ve tried all of the subsequent Borderlands games but haven’t finished any of them because they just couldn’t hit that same sweet spot of gameplay, environment, and story. I should also mention that the game is currently getting review-bombed, with an “overwhelmingly negative” rating on the recent reviews. Players seem to be upset at a recent change in Take-Two’s user license agreement. Or maybe they’re just lashing out at Gearbox’s CEO, who tends to make really dumb public statements on a regular basis. Borderlands 2 is free until June 8th at 10 AM Pacific time, and the rest of the games in the series (along with tons of DLC) are heavily discounted ahead of the Borderlands 4 launch in September. It will not be free. Read...

The most affordable way to connect Ring smart lights to Wi-Fi isn’t going to be around much longer.  A notice on the Ring Bridge product page says the $50 Ring Bridge has been “discontinued,” without giving any further details.   On a Ring Community support thread from late March, a post from a Ring representative confirms the company is “no longer selling the Ring Bridge,” while noting that the product might still be available via third-party retailers.  The Ring rep added that “we are working on something new for Ring Smart Lights” but didn’t go into specifics.  I’ve reached out to Ring for more details.  All indications are that existing Ring Bridge units continue to function. I dug up my own, long-unused Ring Bridge and fired it up, and it successfully connected to the Ring app.  While the Ring Bridge is no longer available on Amazon as a standalone product, it is still included in a few Ring smart lighting bundles, including a two-pack of Ring Pathlights.  The Ring Bridge was first introduced in 2019, alongside a series of Ring smart lights, including the Ring Floodlight Wired, the Ring Spotlight, the Ring Pathlight, and the Ring Steplight.  True to its name, the Ring Bridge connects to the proprietary radio signals transmitted by Ring smart lights (which have a range of roughly 300 meters) and bridges the products to a user’s Wi-Fi network.  Once connected via the Ring Bridge, Ring smart lights can then interface with Ring alarm systems and other Ring products, and they can also work with Alexa voice commands and routines.  The Ring Bridge isn’t the only Amazon device that can connect Ring smart lights to Wi-Fi networks. The fourth-generation Amazon Echo smart speaker comes with a built-in Ring smart lighting bridge, as does the third-generation Echo Show 10 smart display and the Ring Alarm Pro Base Station.  This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart lights.  But while those other products can perform the same functions as the Ring Bridge, they don’t come with the same $49.99 price tag. The most affordable alternative is the fourth-gen Amazon Echo, which at $99.99 is double the price, while the Echo Show 10 and the Ring Alarm Pro Base Station are an eye-watering $249.99 each.  So, could the “something new” teased by the Ring support rep in that late-March community thread refer to a revamped Ring Bridge, or perhaps the arrival of Ring Bridge functionality in some cheaper Amazon devices? We’ll have to wait and see. Read...

In case you haven’t heard, the Nintendo Switch 2 just dropped on the market. But getting your hands on one involves more luck than sense—it’s insanely popular and going out of stock everywhere. Fortunately, if you don’t care about the latest and greatest, this is a great opportunity because the older Switch stuff is going on sale! Here’s a rare deal to jump on: the Nintendo Switch OLED is down to $318 on Amazon (was $350). Use the cash you save to grab a few games from the eShop! The OLED version of the Switch is ideal if you plan to play in handheld mode most of the time, with its larger screen size and more vibrant graphics and improved kickstand. If you’re mainly going to play in docked mode—hooked up to your TV—then you might opt for the original Nintendo Switch for $280 at Walmart (was $300), which comes with the iconic blue and red Joy-Cons. It’s still pretty good for portable play, too, with its 1080p screen and decent battery life that’ll last several hours on a charge. And no matter which system you get, you’ll also want the Nintendo Switch Pro controller for just $41 at Walmart (was $70). It’s still one of the best wireless controller experiences for the Switch, and it’s compatible with the Switch 2 so you don’t have to worry about it becoming trash if you ever decide to upgrade your system. The Switch 2 might be pricey and hard to get, but there’s a silver lining here. Take advantage of these Switch sales! Get the Nintendo Switch OLED for $318Buy now at Amazon Get the Nintendo Switch for $275Buy now from Walmart Get the Nintendo Switch Pro controller for $41Buy now from Walmart Read...

When it comes to desktop graphics cards, Nvidia rules the roost even while gamers complain of rising prices and lowering value. According to a research firm, Big Green has more than 90 percent of the market captured after a precipitous fall from rival AMD, as of the first quarter of 2025. By many definitions, Nvidia is now approaching (or has even surpassed) monopoly status for desktop GPUs. The new data comes from Jon Peddie Research, which gives Nvidia 92 percent of the desktop graphics market share for the quarter ending in March. Despite making gains in Q4 2024, AMD dropped from 15 percent down to 8 percent, finishing even lower than its Q1 representation from last year. Things are just as grim for Intel, who’s fighting for any kind of market space with its Arc discrete cards as they now sit at zero percent (or at least below the 0.1 percent shown in Q1 2024). Giving context to the numbers hardly makes things better. Tom’s Hardware notes that Nvidia and AMD introduced new consumer graphics card designs in the first quarter of 2025, but it appears that demand for Nvidia’s cards far outstripped supply, with prices still elevated well beyond retail prices. The bigger story might be the boom in the “AI” market, as established corporate entities and startups scramble to fill data centers with GPUs to extend their capacity for generative AI services. Jon Peddie Research notes that desktop PC CPU sales decreased in the same timeframe, almost 15 percent year-to-year and over 20 percent quarter-to-quarter. That’s raining on AMD’s parade a bit, as they’ve been making big gains with new CPU products, especially in the gaming space with its much-loved X3D line designed for gamers and media producers. Extending the outlook beyond desktop PCs makes things a little less bleak for AMD. The latest Steam hardware survey shows AMD making slow but steady progress versus Nvidia in terms of graphics representation, up to 17.6 percent as of May. But a couple of caveats. As a survey of PC gamers, Steam tends to skew towards consumers and power users, and the broad “video card” category includes desktops and laptops plus integrated graphics, so AMD’s APU systems (like the chip inside the Steam Deck and many other PC gaming handhelds) get more representation from this set of data. It’s possible that AMD could see progress in the second quarter, which closes out at the end of June. The Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT plus RX 9060 XT all represent superior value versus their Nvidia counterparts, and they seem to be far more readily available to actually buy (though still pretty difficult if you want to find one at retail price). And AMD continues to dominate for enthusiast CPUs on the desktop and low-power, efficient graphics on laptops and handhelds. But it doesn’t look like Nvidia’s dominance is set to change anytime soon. Read...

Yesterday, in a Chromium blog post, Google announced that Chrome has achieved “the highest score ever” in the Speedometer 3 benchmarking assessment, making it one of the fastest browsers in the world. Thanks to a number of optimizations, the Chrome web browser has become 10 percent faster than it was back in August 2024, which results in “better browser experiences” and “deeper enjoyment of what the web has to offer.” Of course, even with this progress, there’s still plenty of room for further improvement in Chrome’s performance. Speedometer 3 is a benchmark that measures performance across various web browser use cases, including HTML parsing, JavaScript and JSON processing, DOM manipulations, CSS layout calculations, and pixel rendering. In theory, a higher score should correlate to a better user experience while navigating the web. Chrome has been heavily criticized over the years for feature creep, slowdowns, and taking up too many system resources, so these gains are welcome. However, it should be noted that there are other factors to consider when choosing a web browser, including features, security, privacy, etc. Even if a browser that scores well on Speedometer 3, it may not be the best browser for you. Further reading: The best browsers for security, privacy, and features Read...

When you start Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Microsoft Edge, the browser always opens in standard mode. If you want to open a window in private mode with a single mouse click, you’ll need to modify the relevant shortcut. To do this, first copy the browser shortcut and right-click the copy. Select “Properties” from the context menu, then in the window that appears, add a command to the “Target” field based on your browser: For Chrome: -incognito For Edge: -inprivate For Firefox: -private-window By adding this command to the browser shortcut settings, you can quickly launch a private or incognito window with a single click.IDG Make sure to place the addition directly after the existing target path, separated by a space. Click “OK” to confirm, then test the shortcut. Note: Firefox only allows one instance to run at a time and will display an error if a window is already open. Alternative method: If your browser is pinned to the taskbar, right-click the icon and select “New private window” from the menu to open an incognito session. Read...

Earlier this week, OpenAI announced that ChatGPT can now be connected to more apps and services, allowing you to pull your data from those sources in real time. Newly connectable sources that were explicitly mentioned include Outlook, Teams, Google Drive, Gmail, and Linear. ChatGPT can now connect to more internal sources & pull in real-time context—keeping existing user-level permissions.Connectors available in deep research for Plus & Pro users (excl. EEA, CH, UK) and Team, Enterprise & Edu users:OutlookTeamsGoogle DriveGmailLinear& more— OpenAI (@OpenAI) June 4, 2025 These new connections are only available for paid ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Team, Enterprise, and Edu users. Furthermore, the feature is excluded for users in the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, and UK. Meanwhile, connections to SharePoint, Dropbox, and Box are also available only to ChatGPT Team, Enterprise, and Edu users. In addition, OpenAI is also rolling out ChatGPT’s new Record Mode feature to ChatGPT Team users on macOS. Record Mode is a button you tap that allows ChatGPT to “capture any meeting, brainstorm, or voice note. ChatGPT will transcribe it, pull out the key points, and turn it into follow-ups, plans, or even code.” We’re also rolling out ChatGPT record mode to Team users on macOS.Capture any meeting, brainstorm, or voice note. ChatGPT will transcribe it, pull out the key points, and turn it into follow-ups, plans, or even code.Coming soon to Plus, Pro, Enterprise, and Edu.— OpenAI (@OpenAI) June 4, 2025 OpenAI said Record Mode is “coming soon” to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Enterprise as well, but did not explicitly mention whether the rollout would also include Windows or web. Further reading: Are premium AI chatbots worth paying for? Read...