The 30-minute ad features artist and activist Tame Iti (Ngai Tuhoe) in a cavernous space reading a `Maori roll call` of people who have recently joined the Maori electoral roll. Read...

Amazon is gearing up for Prime Day and has slashed the price of the Fire TV Stick 4K to its lowest price of the year. Right now, you can get this $50 streaming stick for only $25—and you definitely should get it! This tiny device can completely overhaul any TV, whether it’s already smart and capable of streaming or not. Plugging the Fire TV Stick 4K into the HDMI slot of a TV gives you instant access to your streaming accounts, all your favorite shows and movies, and so on. Take it with you to hotels, Airbnbs, and more to conveniently keep watching your series! The device is small enough to fit into the palm of your hand, so you won’t have to worry about it not fitting into your bag. The Fire TV Stick 4K can also play Xbox games without an Xbox console—just stream the games via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate! There’s also an Alexa Voice Remote that lets you quickly find, launch, and control the content you’re watching using your voice. With the remote, you can also ask Alexa to do all the usual things Alexa can do, like provide instant weather forecasts, look up information and answer questions, control other smart devices on your network, and more. That’s a lot of cool features for such a tiny device. Get the Fire TV Stick 4K for $25 while you can and take full advantage this summer! Save 50% on the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K ahead of Prime DayBuy now at Amazon Read...

If your home office is still powered by an ancient desktop tower that’s not only hogging up a ton of space but crawling along on its last legs, then it’s high time you swapped it for a mini PC. They’re smaller, cheaper, and possibly more powerful than what you already have—especially this GMKtec M2 Pro that’s down to $410, or 36% off its full $640 price. This is a pretty powerful device, and you won’t regret the money you’re about to invest in it. It features an Intel Core i7-1195G7 processor and a fantastic 32GB of RAM, which is a superb combo that’s able to multitask all kinds of apps, Chrome tabs, and whatever else you plan on doing. There’s also a 1TB SSD on board, which means you get quite a bit of space for apps and files and all your photos and videos. Need more specs eventually? You can do it yourself! The great thing about this tiny PC is that it’s super easy to upgrade as you only need to pop open the top and replace the components. The system supports up to 64GB of RAM and 2TB of SSD storage. If you’re going to use this PC for work, you’ll also love that it comes with triple 4K@60Hz display capabilities. It has two full-sized HDMI and a USB-C video port, and the 4K graphics are powered by integrated Iris Xe Graphics for performance. Other bits and bobs include four high-speed USB-A 3.2 ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, a 2.5G LAN port, plus Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. It’s fully ready to handle whatever you throw at it. Don’t miss out on this solid discount and grab the GMKtec M2 Pro for $410 while this limited-time deal is still available! Save 36% on this powerful Core i7 mini PC with 32GB RAMBuy now at Amazon Read...

Ten years later, and Microsoft is still trying to charge you a subscription to play Solitaire without ads. And pretty much everything else, too. It’s no joke. I wrote about the Microsoft Solitaire Collection Premium Edition a decade ago, when Microsoft was trying to lure you (or your grandfather) into paying $1.50 per month to remove ads for Solitaire. Today, that subscription is called the Microsoft Casual Games Premium Edition. And unlike cable, you’re not paying for an ad-free subscription for all of Microsoft’s games at once. Now, each and every game has its own subscription, and each game’s subscription is only valid for a single device. In other words, you can sign up for separate subscriptions to Microsoft Solitaire Collection, Minesweeper, Sudoku, and Wordament, as well as Jigsaw, Mahjong, and Ultimate Word Games. To be clear, you don’t need a subscription to play each of these games. But each subscription eliminates any advertising, and unlocks bonus moves, replays, or “coins” for daily challenges. If you made a fatal misstep in Minesweeper, you can continue for free. Can’t get past a Mahjong board? A subscription gives you an extra reshuffle. Note how these ad-free subscriptions are specific to Windows, and even (oops?) just Windows 10.Mark Hachman / Foundry An annual subscription isn’t expensive, about $10 per game per year. But if you’re a fiend for casual games, that number will climb quickly: seven games at about $10 apiece is $70 per year, or $140 if you want to play on the road, too. What about your spouse or partner? The money adds up. Microsoft also makes it very clear that each subscription is locked to the game and to the device upon which it was purchased. “For example, if you purchased the subscription for Microsoft Solitaire Collection on Windows PC, you cannot use the subscription while playing a different game in the collection or on a mobile device,” Microsoft says. Microsoft does offer Solitaire Collection as a value bundle of sorts. The Collection includes Jewel 2, Gem Drop, Bubble, Gravity Blocks, and Mahjong 3D. I was also happy to discover that the Solitaire Collection is covered by an ongoing Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, which already runs $19.99 per month but can be offset or even paid for by Microsoft Rewards. But still. Look at how irritated people became when Amazon Prime Video started adding ads! Should we mention that Microsoft made $25.8 billion in profits during the March 2025 quarter alone? It all feels petty and cheap. Remember the days when Solitaire and Minesweeper were just one of those features that made Windows great? There’s something sad to see both games relegated to just another software-as-a-service, paid for by nostalgia and a recurring subscription that will get lost among the credit-card receipts. Read...

AI-powered people-, pet-, and vehicle detection without paying extra for a subscription plan? That’s what TP-Link’s Tapo brand is promising with its new wave of 4K security cameras, and I got some hands-on time with one of them.  Available now for $60, the Tapo RoomCam 360 has a pan-and-tilt 4K lens that can automatically patrol the area, tracking any motion it detects, and it can warn you if it spots a person, a pet, a vehicle, or even a familiar face. (You can read all about Tapo’s other new security cameras here.) I’ve only spent roughly a day with the RoomCam 360, so this isn’t a proper review; instead, consider it more of an unboxing with some initial hands-on impressions. So far, I’m really liking what I’m seeing, including solid build quality, quiet pan-and-tilt operation, razor-sharp image quality, and accurate person detection. And no, you don’t need to pay for a subscription plan if you don’t want to.  The RoomCam 360 itself resembles a jumbo-sized egg with a flat base. An embedded oval-shaped component houses the lens, panning and tilting as the need arises. The camera can also swivel on its base, allowing it to turn completely around.   The Tapo RoomCam 360 looks a bit like a jumbo-size egg; it’s pictured here next to a Wyze Cam 2. Ben Patterson/Foundry Weighing in at 7 ounces, the RoomCam feels solid but not excessively heavy, and while the cam might appear to be top-heavy, it would take a fair amount of shaking to make it topple. A small bracket with a screw kit is included if you’d rather mount the camera on a wall or ceiling.  Setting up the RoomCam 360 took a matter of minutes. After installing the Tapo app and creating an account (you can’t log in with Google, Facebook, or Apple, so you’ll need to supply an e-mail address and password), I plugged in the camera (a USB-A power adapter and a USB-A-to-USB-C cable are included). The lens panned and tilted this way and that for a few moments, and then an LED light flashed red and green to indicate that the RoomCam was ready for pairing. The RoomCam 360’s USB-C power port is in the bottom of the unit’s swiveling base.Ben Patterson/Foundry After connecting the camera to the app and then to Wi-Fi (“Connecting to Wi-Fi,” the cam says during the process), it’s time to slot in a microSD card, the key to storing your video events without a cloud plan. At first, I was stumped as to where the RoomCam’s microSD port was located; there was no slot in the rear of the unit or inside its base. But after a little poking around, I found the slot’s hidden location: an inch or so beneath the lens, meaning you must rotate the oval lens housing to reveal it.  The RoomCam 360 supports microSD cards with capacities between 8GB and 512GB, but you must supply your own card; there isn’t one included in the box. Once you’ve installed the microSD card, the Tapo app will prompt you to initialize it. When you’re ready to shop for one, we can help you find the right microSD card for your security camera. You must swivel the RoomCam’s lens assembly upward to reveal its MicroUSB memory card slot.Ben Patterson/Foundry With the memory card installed and the camera assigned to a room (I have it guarding the basement door leaning into our pantry), I set about creating motion zones for the various AI detection modes. You can configure a motion zone that detects all activity (person, pet, and vehicle), or separate motion zones for each AI detection mode. Privacy zones are also available, as well as a “patrol” mode that makes the camera lens follow a course of customizable waypoints around the room. I then tried some tests, popping my head into the frame to see what would happen. Almost instantly, the RoomCam 360 reacted, shooting off a motion alert to my phone that a person had been spotted. I also enabled an “auto tracking” feature that makes the lens follow the action whenever motion is detected, and the RoomCam did a nice job of following me as I walked around the area, dutifully panning and tilting as I rummaged around a high shelf and then crouched near the floor.  Spotted!Ben Patterson/Foundry You can set the RoomCam to record 24/7 if you like, and you can designate which hours of the day and week you’d like the camera to record continuously, for video events only, or not at all.  As with Tapo’s other new 4K cameras, the RoomCam 360 works with Alexa and Google Home, but not Apple HomeKit. In contrast, the latest security cams from Anker’s Eufy brand (which also offer a wide range of features without a subscription) do work with Apple Home as well as HomeKit Secure Video, in addition to Alexa and Google Home.  This article is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best security cameras. Again, I’ll note that all these features come without a subscription. The Tapo app offered me a 30-day trial of its cloud service (which gets you 30 days of video history plus rich notifications for $3.49 a month, supporting up to 10 cameras), but I declined, wanting to truly see what the camera could do without a plan—quite a bit, as it turns out. Ring, on the other hand, charges for AI motion detection as well as cloud storage (starting at $4.99 a month per camera for Ring Basic), and free local storage isn’t an option. Stay tuned for a full review of the Tapo RoomCam 360 once I’ve completed my testing, and we’ll have in-depth review for Tapo’s other new 4K and 2K cams soon. Read...

Tapo is showing off a slew of new security cameras, including its first 4K and dual-lens models, and among their standout features is a mode that can continuously capture images all day and all night—and crucially, no subscription is required. A wireless base station with built-in video storage is on tap, too. The top-of-the-line MagCam 4K ($129.99, or $349.99 for a 3-pack) is just one of nine new cameras that TP-Link-owned Tapo is rolling out, with the battery-powered cam boasting 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) resolution; a 134-degree field of view; starlight color night vision; AI-powered person pet, and vehicle detection; a magnetic wall mount; and up to 512GB of local storage via a user-provided microSD card.  The Tapo MagCam 4K (seen here with its optional solar panel) can snap images up to once per second.Ben Patterson/Foundry That feature mix also includes Tapo’s “continuous capture” mode, which can take snapshots at intervals ranging from every minute to once per second, with the camera automatically upping its frame rate when motion is detected.   The continuous-capture mode allows for 24/7 coverage, although it does so at the expense of battery life. Typically, the MagCam 4K’s 10,000mAh battery offers up to 100 days of power on a single charge. With continuous capture mode enabled, that battery life estimate drops to 25 days when snapshots are captured at 5-second intervals, or just 8 days with 1-second snapshots.  Using the camera with its optional solar panel (a kit that includes the cam plus the panel goes for $149.99) changes that equation somewhat, with Tapo estimating that 100 daily minutes of direct sunlight will allow the panel to keep the camera running when it’s snapping an image a second, while 45 minutes of sunlight could be enough for 5-second intervals. If you do need to bring the camera in for charging via its USB-C port, the magnetic base makes it easy to detach the cam from its mount. The MagCam 4K’s magnetic mount makes it easy to detach the camera when its battery needs recharging.Ben Patterson/Foundry Tapo’s continuous capture mode might sound familiar to Ring users, who have the manufacturer’s Snapshot Capture feature at their disposal. Like Tapo’s continuous capture mode, Ring’s Snapshot Capture can continuously capture images at regular intervales—up to one snapshot every 3 seconds in Ring’s case—and those snapshots are used to fill out the gaps in a Ring user’s event timeline.  The big differentiators are price and resolution: Ring’s Snapshot Capture feature requires (at a minimum) subscribing to the Ring Basic plan, which costs $4.99 a month per camera, whereas Tapo’s continuous-capture mode is free. Indeed, none of the features on Tapo’s new security cameras are stuck behind a paywall, although the brand does offer paid cloud storage for those who want it. And, of course, Ring’s best security cameras offer only up to 2K resolution. Tapo’s continuous-capture feature isn’t restricted to the MagCam 4K; it’s also offered on the outdoor-capable Tapo VistaCam 360, a pan-and-tilt model with a 105-degree field of view, AI motion detection with auto-tracking, and a solar panel that’s integrated into the wall mount.  The pan-and-tilt Tapo VistaCam 360 comes with a solar panel integrated into its wall mount.Ben Patterson/Foundry Other models in Tapo’s new 4K camera line include the wired RoomCam 360 ($59.99), an indoor pan-and-tilt camera that can detect suspicious sounds (read my hands-on impressions of the RoomCam), and the wired version of the VistaCam 360 ($99.99).  Besides its just-released 4K camera, Tapo is unleashing a range of affordable “hybrid” security cams, including its first dual-lens model.  The indoor/outdoor Tapo HybridCam Duo ($69.99) boasts two lenses: a fixed 2K lens with a 125-degree field of view, and a PTZ 6mm telephoto lens. The lenses can be aimed at two different areas for a panoramic view, or they can be linked, allowing the pan/tilt lens to track any motion detected by the fixed lens.  The Tapo HybridCam has a fixed 2K lens and a pan-and-tilt 6mm telescopic lens.Ben Patterson/Foundry As with the pricier MagCam 4K, the HybridCam Duo boasts color night vision, although it lacks the former’s starlight sensor. On-device and AI-powered motion detection (including person, pet, and vehicle detection) is on the menu, as is the ability to detect such sounds as babies crying, barking dogs, meowing cats, and breaking glass.  Tapo is also offering the step-down, single-lens HybridCam 360 in three configurations: one with 3K resolution ($49.99), another with 2K resolution ($34.99, or a 2-pack for $65.99) and a third with 1080p resolution ($29.99). All of those cams are pan-and-tilt models with IP65 ratings for outdoor operation, color night vision, and on-device AI motion detection.  All of the just-unveiled security cameras will work with Tapo’s new HomeBase smart hub, which first debuted back at CES 2025.  The Tapo HomeBase connects to up to 16 cameras and boasts 16GB of built-in eMMC storage, which is expandable to 16TB with a 2.5-inch hard drive or SSD.Ben Patterson/Foundry Capable of connecting to up to 16 cameras and 64 of Tapo’s sub-gigahertz sensors, as well as ONVIF- and Matter-compatible devices, the HomeBase ($149.99) doubles as a tablet dock and offers 16GB of local eMMC storage that can be expanded up to 16TB by adding a 2.5-inch hard drive or SSD. This news article is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best security cameras. With the HomeBase connected, you’ll be able to view up to four live camera feeds at a time on a tablet, while an HDMI port allows for connecting a monitor.  The Tapo HomeBase doubles as a tablet dock.Ben Patterson/Foundry With the exception of the 3K HybridCam 360, all of Tapo’s new cameras and the hub are available now; the 3K resolution HybridCam is due for release in July. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Good CPU performance for the price Excellent display Fairly light for a 16-incher Cons Unimpressive keyboard with a cramped numpad Sacrifices battery life Bland design Unsatisfying speakers Our Verdict The Acer Swift Go 16 packs an excellent display and solid CPU for the price, giving it a value edge. But its boring, sometimes unpleasant design, uneven performance lead, and shorter battery life from the high-power CPU make it harder to recommend overall. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Acer is no stranger to releasing tons of slightly different versions of what seems like almost the same system. That’s where the Acer Swift Go 16 fits next to the Acer Swift 16 AI. They’ve got the same display specs, both come in aluminum, weigh nearly the same amount, and are almost equally priced. That price? Fairly affordable. At $1,149, it’s impressive the Acer Swift Go 16 packs in 32GB of memory and a high-power Intel Core Ultra 9 285H where most of its contemporaries are opting for lower-power chips. Unfortunately, the Acer Swift Go 16 doesn’t actually end up a lot more capable for everyday computing, but it does end up with a much shorter battery life. If you’re just after a great display and decent speed, it may be a reasonable pick for the frugal shopper, but there are better all-around options out there. Acer Swift Go 16: Specs and features Model number: SFG16-73-92RC CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 285H Memory: 32GB LPDDR5X-7467 Graphics/GPU: Intel Arc 140T Display: 16-inch 2880×1800 OLED, Glossy Storage: 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD – Micron 2500 Webcam: 1440p + IR Connectivity: 2x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C with Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alternate Mode, 2x USB-A 5Gbps, 1x microSD card reader, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm combo audio Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: Windows Hello fingerprint, facial recognition Battery capacity: 75 watt-hours Dimensions: 14.03 x 9.88 x 0.66 inches Weight: 3.3 pounds (measured) MSRP: $1,149 as-tested ($1,149 base) At the time of writing, the Acer Swift Go 16 was available only in the above configuration with a price of $1,149. This model appears to only be for sale at Micro Center, though, and the retailer has it listed for $1,199. Acer Swift Go 16: Design and build quality IDG / Mark Knapp The Acer Swift Go 16 almost, almost, doesn’t look like all of Acer’s other productivity laptops. It goes for a darker gray color scheme than the many Acer models I’ve tested in the past. It appears Acer is shifting its design ethos. This model looks nearly identical to the Acer Swift 16 AI, and I saw a similar push into darker designs in the Acer Aspire Go 15 earlier this year as well. In a few places, the laptop has glossy metal accents. The lid has some little style lines etched in, and it calls to memory the designs Asus does on the lids of its ZenBooks (for example), except that Acer’s is rather boring.  All that gray is aluminum at least. This gives the laptop something of a premium feel, even if its size and thinner design make it a little flexy. Even then, there’s something a little thoughtless about the shape. At some points it’s curvy, and at others it has sharp angles. The display has one of those lift-up hinges that creates extra airflow underneath the laptop when it’s on a table, but this creates an uncomfortable pressure point when it’s on a lap. The hinge opens smoothly and easily, wiggling for just a second when it’s moved to new positions. It can also fold flat, for whatever that’s worth. The display isn’t a touchscreen, though.  Acer has made the Acer Swift Go 16 fairly thin, with it maxing out at 0.66 inches at its thickest point before factoring in the rubber feet that hold it steady on tables. And it weighs in at just 3.3 pounds — not bad for a 16-incher. That slimness and weight is enough to forgive the light flex of the keyboard deck.  A slim grille on the underside of the Acer Swift Go 16 is responsible for air intake, meanwhile a grille above the keyboard is where the laptop exhausts its heat, though less than half of the grille is actually exhausting anything. The rest is hunky punk filled with heat-fin-shaped plastic. That exhaust runs directly into the slim bezel below the display and will be guided upward by the display. While this isn’t a high-wattage machine, it’s still worrying to know hot exhaust is blowing almost directly onto the display.  Above the display, a small extra bit of bezel houses the webcam and a physical camera shutter. This little extra lip helps with opening the laptop, though it does make me prone to touching the webcam’s cover.  Despite the large size of the Acer Swift Go 16, Acer has fitted its speakers on the bottom of the system at either side. The positioning can make it very easy to snuff the speakers when using the laptop on your lap. Acer Swift Go 16: Keyboard, trackpad IDG / Mark Knapp The keyboard is classically Acer. It features the same domed contour I’ve long held disdain for but have tested so many times that I’ve almost become comfortable on. I found myself typing comfortably at around 110 words-per-minute with decent accuracy in Monkeytype. I’d love to type a bit faster, but that tends to only come with truly exceptional keyboards. The fact this somewhat awkward keyboard can keep up is a plus. The keys aren’t even terribly well stabilized, feeling nicely poppy in the middle but mushy if I tap toward the edges. The backlight also isn’t terribly well executed, offering uneven illumination to the primary and secondary legends on each key.  Acer’s trackpad is a curious one. On the one hand, it’s a sizable trackpad with a smooth Gorilla Glass surface that feels great to use for all things mousing around. Its physical click feels a little loose and cheap, but not awful. The trackpad isn’t just a trackpad though. When certain apps are playing media, it will light up special zones for media control, including fast forward, rewinds, play/pause, volume, fullscreen. These work well and add a bit of style to the laptop. The downside is that to enjoy this feature, you have to accept a small “Swift” logo being permanently illuminated at the bottom of the trackpad and constantly wasting a bit of battery. This can be turned off by reducing the trackpad illumination, but that also renders the playback controls invisible. Good work, Acer. Awkwardly, even when they’re not illuminated, these controls can still work, and there won’t be a clear indication about when they will. Acer Swift Go 16: Display, audio IDG / Mark Knapp The Acer Swift Go 16 has a largely excellent display. It combines the best aspects of OLED — infinite contrast and fast pixel response — with a wonderfully wide color gamut, covering 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color space. The panel can get plenty bright, hitting 408 nits in my measurements (and HDR scenes should have room for even brighter details), helping it get past the reflectivity of its glossy screen somewhat. It also has a high degree of accuracy with a dE Max of 2.15. Its 2880×1800 resolution is satisfyingly sharp at this size, and it runs at 120Hz for smooth motion. Curiously, it appears to run exclusively at 120Hz, with Windows not presenting 60Hz as an option or automatically switching when on battery power. The display supports Adaptive Sync down to a 48Hz refresh rate, but it’s hard to tell if it’s doing this often as the display generally looks very smooth.  The Acer Swift Go 16 is a whole lot of meh wrapped around a big and beautiful display. There are some oddities to the display, though. For one thing, that 120Hz refresh rate appears to be locked, with no dropping to 60 or even 90Hz to help conserve battery when unplugged.  By default, it also has some unfortunate dimming behavior, adjusting the brightness of the whole screen based on the content on display, but its adjustments aren’t immediate and can be distracting, sometimes appearing like faint flickering. Sometimes it would just turn off (maybe because it’s dark and the camera thought I left), and then wouldn’t come back on despite my clicking the trackpad and typing on the keyboard. The speakers sound a bit boxed in, making for unpleasant listening, almost especially when listening to people speaking. This ruins a lot of the content you might watch on a productivity machine. Acer Swift Go 16: Webcam, microphone, biometrics IDG / Mark Knapp The 1440p webcam on the Acer Swift Go 16 could be better. It’s not that it’s bad. In fact, it offers an impressively natural exposure and color. But the camera’s cover being built right into the lip of the display, where you’re likely to open it, will get it covered in finger oils and result in a smeared look to the visuals that will be hard to avoid.  The mics are a bit weak, too. My voice sounded rather low through them compared to the mics on two HP laptops I tested at the same time. The mics did at least offer solid noise suppression, eliminating the sound of a fan running just a foot away from the laptop and the sound of my hands clapping while I spoke.  The Acer Swift Go 16 supports both facial recognition through its webcam and fingerprint scanning with a sensor integrated into the power button at the top right corner of the keyboard. Both have proven quick and reliable in my testing. Acer also integrates some extra capabilities with presence sensing, which can automatically lock the laptop if you walk away or wake it if you return.  Acer Swift Go 16: Connectivity IDG / Mark Knapp The Acer Swift Go 16 has decent connectivity, though it could certainly have done more with its size. It offers two Thunderbolt 4 ports for high-speed connections and charging the laptop. Unfortunately, these are both on the same side of the system. You’ll get a 5Gbps USB-A port on either side. The left side includes an HDMI 2.1 port while the right side offers a 3.5mm jack and microSD card reader. That may seem like plenty, but this is a big, 16-inch laptop, and there’s room for more. The right side even has a big empty space where an additional port could have gone.  Wireless connectivity is strong. The system includes a Wi-Fi 7 chip for fast networking that should be up-to-speed for years to come. It also gets support for Bluetooth LE audio — another future-facing technology that ought to improve audio quality for supported headsets and earbuds. While I didn’t have a device ready to take advantage of it, as it has been slowly rolling out to Bluetooth headphones and buds, Bluetooth connectivity to my current earbuds worked without issue.  Acer Swift Go 16: Software Few laptops do things with their pre-installed software that I feel is worth calling out. But Acer’s pre-installed Acer Jumpstart app is hard to ignore. It is basically an app advertising engine. In just three days, it popped up notifications suggesting Dragon’s Fortune Slots, Adobe software, and ExpressVPN (with that last one at least mentioning that the PC includes the service, albeit a 30-day trial). Without any meaningful additions to the experience, it’s annoying to see. Thankfully, because it doesn’t add anything meaningful, it’s also easy to freely remove without losing any capabilities on the machine.  Acer Swift Go 16: Performance The Acer Swift Go 16 is equipped to be a powerful ultrabook, relying on a high-end Intel Core Ultra 9 285H laptop CPU that boasts a total of 16 cores, not to mention that Intel’s recent CPUs have been offering excellent single-core performance. This setup is a marked difference from the Acer Swift 16 AI, which relied on a lower-power Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, comes with half the memory, and managed to cost $50 more than the Acer Swift Go 16. The Acer Swift Go 16 also managed to slip under the price radar for the $1,659 HP Omnibook X Flip 16, $1,649 Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro, $1,199 Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16ILL10 while featuring a higher-tier CPU than the whole lot, though it does lack a touchscreen — something all three include. While the Intel Core Ultra 9 285H can help in heavy computing workloads, it’s not enough to put the Acer Swift Go 16 far ahead of the pack in everyday office computing, which PCMark 10 evaluates. It performs admirably, with strong results across the board, but it’s somewhat held back by its storage. It has the lowest scores in the App Startup portion of the test in spite of its PCIe 4.0 SSD.  IDG / Mark Knapp Where raw performance is concerned, the Acer Swift Go 16 has the advantage. Our Handbrake encoding test tasks each system with a 32GB video file that it needs to shrink down to a lower resolution. This one tends to hit systems hard, making their CPU work for a long enough time to see how well it handles thermals. Here, the Acer Swift Go 16 had a big lead, beating the next closest system by over six minutes, and beating most by over 10 minutes. It was still not as fast as some gaming system with more advanced cooling can muster, but it still shows the advantage of more cores and a higher-power processor.  IDG / Mark Knapp Naturally, we see that advantage carry over to Cinebench, which again stresses the CPU. The single-core performance of all of the systems is very close, though the Acer Swift Go 16 tended to be at the front of the pack or very near it. And where multi-core performance is concerned, the Acer Swift Go 16 easily stays ahead. Only the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro offers a surprising challenge — not only coming a bit closer to the Acer Swift Go 16 than some of the other systems, but also doing so without any more cores than the others. It’s likely Samsung’s cooling is making the difference. On the flip side, Acer’s cooling is also likely coming into play, as the longer and hotter run of Cinebench R24 see’s its performance lead narrow compared to the shorter (and therefore less heat-inducing) tests of earlier Cinebench versions. IDG / Mark Knapp When it comes to 3D graphics, all of these systems are using integrated graphics solutions from Intel. Most get Intel Arc 140V while the Acer Swift Go 16 is alone in featuring Intel Arc 140T. Unfortunately for Acer, it has no benefit. The Acer Swift Go 16 actually had the lowest scores in 3DMark’s Time Spy Graphics subtest and was largely buoyed by its leading CPU performance, though that was only enough to keep it neck-in-neck with the competition here. And again, we saw the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro step out ahead with about 10 percent more performance than the Acer Swift Go 16. None of these systems are offering very exceptional graphics performance, though.  Acer Swift Go 16: Battery life While I’d generally expect a system that offers high performance to lose a little ground where efficiency is concerned, I didn’t expect Acer to perform as badly as it did here. The Acer Swift Go 16 simply couldn’t keep up with the competition in our battery test. IDG / Mark Knapp It barely eked past 10 hours in our 4K video playback test, which sees the system set to Airplane Mode and the display set between 250 and 260 nits. That might have been good a few years ago, but thin-and-light PCs have come a long way in the past couple years, and the Acer Swift Go 16 simply hasn’t kept up. All of its competitors here offered over 17 hours in our test, and Samsung topped 23 hours, more than doubling the Acer Swift Go 16’s longevity. In real-world use, it can predictably struggle to reach 8 hours of runtime without some coddling, like a lower brightness level.  Acer Swift Go 16: Conclusion The Acer Swift Go 16 is a whole lot of meh wrapped around a big and beautiful display. There’s no knocking the sharp, 16-inch OLED panel with its gorgeous contrast, rich color, and smooth refresh rate. But the rest of the system just lets it down. The build of the laptop is uninspired and not exceptionally good. It’s competitively light but not leading the pack in a meaningful way. The keyboard and trackpad make for a just fine user experience, but could definitely be better (though Acer seems allergic to adjusting its keycaps). And the speakers don’t do much to complement the display.  The Acer Swift Go 16 steps up where CPU performance is concerned, but it’s thermals don’t let it keep as wide a margin as it ought to have against even some lower-power systems. And the high-power CPU comes with a big hit to battery life, seeing the Acer Swift Go 16 barely crack 10 hours in our test. If you’re not too worried about being away from power outlets for long and want to prioritize the display and CPU performance, the Acer Swift Go 16 is at least competitive on price. But otherwise the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro proves a worthy alternative, and the earlier Acer Swift 16 AI proves a more competent on-the-go machine for its much longer battery life. Read...

Vibe coding is programming by gut feel. You have an idea for a tool, a website, or a repetitive task you want to automate… but instead of enrolling in a coding boot camp or slogging through YouTube tutorials, you fire up an AI chatbot and have it write the code for you. This AI-driven approach to creative coding has exploded in popularity over the past year or two—chiefly because it works. People are building genuinely useful stuff without even knowing what a variable is. I’ve been vibe coding my own apps with AI and I’m absolutely loving it, despite being a relative newbie to coding. But most advice about AI-assisted programming still assumes you want to become a “real” programmer eventually. Because of that, the advice tends to steer you towards professional tools that are overkill for simple projects. You need a different—easier—approach. PROMOTIONLaunch in minutes by vibe coding Turn your ideas into reality with Hostinger Horizons. Build web apps, websites, and custom tools by chatting with the AI – no coding required. Get everything you need to launch and grow including web hosting, domain management and email. Start now Here’s what you really need to start vibe coding your own stuff right now, without any of the BS that only complicates matters. Use an AI chatbot, not an AI-assisted IDE Your first instinct might be to use an AI-assisted integrated development environment (IDE), one that you’ve heard is good for vibe coding, like Windsurf, Cursor, or even Claude Code (which technically isn’t an IDE, but that’s besides the point). All of these tools are built for AI coding, so they’re the best place to start, right? Well… no. These tools are designed to make highly productive programmers even more productive, and that means they assume a level of knowledge that amateur coders—like you and me—lack. Diving into these programs straight away is likely to leave you confused and discouraged. An AI-driven code editor can be powerful, but it’s overkill for an amateur vibe coder. This one starts at $15 per month after a two-week trial.Windsurf Not to mention that AI-powered IDEs are pretty darn expensive, too. While most offer a bit of free use, it’s easy for even uber-casual vibe coders to find themselves in need of a paid plan. Many such IDEs charge based on usage instead of a flat monthly rate, too. As an amateur vibe coder, you’re better off using an AI chatbot. The downside here is that you’ll need to copy-paste code back and forth between the chatbot and your code editor. It’s a bit of a nuisance, but it’s not too bad if your project is small. Choose your AI chatbot carefully When it comes to AI chatbots with programming proficiency, there are several you can choose from. All of the popular ones are good enough to get started, but even so, I have a couple recommendations. Don’t want to spend a dime? Try Google’s AI Studio. This chronically under-appreciated AI tool provides free and effectively unlimited access to Google’s latest Gemini Pro models, which many consider the best in the business without paying a cent. Google AI Studio does have a few downsides. Google will train on your data (most paid services promise they don’t), the interface isn’t the best, and there’s no desktop or mobile version. None of these are serious obstacles for amateur vibe coding, though. A screenshot of a quick data visualization tool I created using Claude.Matt Smith / Foundry But if you’re willing to pay a bit and want an attractive interface with desktop and mobile apps, I recommend Anthropic’s Claude Opus. I like Claude’s Artifacts feature, which breaks code out in a separate interface pane. It can even execute some code (like HTML or JavaScript) to provide a preview in Claude itself, and you can download code to your PC from this pane. Competitors have emulated it with similar features, but I think Anthropic’s implementation remains the best. Stick to popular programming languages Choosing a programming language is a major obstacle for both amateur and experienced programmers. There are hundreds to choose from, dozens of them are mature, and promoters of each tend to have strong opinions, so it’s easy to fall into analysis paralysis. When it comes to vibe coding, though, I recommend that you stick with languages that are both popular and forgiving. That means the usual suspects of JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, HTML, and perhaps C# if you’re feeling saucy. AI does best with these languages because AI models are trained on data from across the web. The more popular the language, the more examples there are to train on—and the more source data to work with, the better the generative results. As for how forgiving a particular language is, it’s an important aspect to consider because you’ll be quicker to get a program up and running even when it has bugs. Some languages, like Rust and C++, have strict syntax and architectural demands that can be a nightmare to debug. Veteran coders are likely to recoil at the idea of willingly accepting bugs in a program, but for beginners, it’s better to have a buggy-yet-functional program than a program that was abandoned because it never worked. Alternatively, you could let the AI choose your language for you. Describe the program you want to create and ask the chatbot to make it in whatever language seems most appropriate. Choose a simple code editor Once you have a chatbot and coding language picked, you’ll need to choose the software you use to edit code. You may feel pushed towards a full-blown programming IDE like Visual Studio, which is admittedly powerful but, again, designed for people who have some knowledge of programming. For casual vibe coding, I recommend a simpler code editor like Notepad++, Sublime Text, or UltraEdit. (My bias is towards Notepad++.) A screenshot of my vibe coded personal website in Notepad++.Matt Smith / Foundry Code editors lack the comprehensive terminal, debugging, and remote development features found in many IDEs. However, code editors still provide a fast, functional, and approachable interface that looks more like the barebones text editors you’ve likely used (e.g., Notepad), and they still provide handy features like code auto-completion. Think small (and reinvent the wheel) Scope creep is a common problem that all programmers face, and it can stop you cold. Big projects are more difficult than small projects, and vibe coding grows more difficult as the size of a project increases. So while it might be tempting to try vibe coding your way to a full-blown 3D game or world-class accounting software, you might want to hold your horses and start small. Very small.  A screenshot of me asking Claude about some enhancements to my tabletop game web app, which is relatively simple and small in scope.Matt Smith / Foundry Here are some great entry-level project examples for vibe coding: Python scripts that automate specific tasks, like scraping web pages for data or filtering documents by various criteria. A single-page personal website or app in HTML and JavaScript. A single-feature app programmed in Python or C#. My first vibe-coded project was a dice-rolling tool with text-to-speech capability for the tabletop strategy game Battletech. It can roll dice and announce the results of a roll, speeding up play. I also vibe-coded my own personal website, a single page of HTML with some JavaScript. Use AI to troubleshoot issues, answer questions, and generate documentation You might be surprised by how quickly AI can help you vibe code basic tools and programs. It’s so easy to pop out a quick Python script, you may find yourself doing it several times a day at one point. However, heavy reliance on vibe-coded projects can lead to another problem: losing track of how each script and program works, and becoming confused by dependencies. For example, Python programs typically don’t work right out of the box. You’ll need to install Python as well as the various libraries that are used to accomplish different things in a script. Not only do you have to figure that out, but if you ever move to another computer, you’ll also have to set up Python and those dependencies on that computer as well. Fortunately, AI is great at solving this problem. Just ask and it’ll provide you with instructions on how to install a new programming language and any related libraries on your computer. This will typically involve a handful of command-line prompts. I also recommend ending every vibe coding session by asking the AI to create documentation that teaches new users how to use the generated program. And when you use AI to modify existing scripts or programs, it’s a good idea to ask for a changelog of everything it does. Documentation will help you remember how your program works and help you get it working when you switch computers. Pick up Arduino and/or Raspberry Pi Python scripts and web pages can be useful, but they lack pizzazz… and that can be discouraging for any new vibe coder. If you want to try programming something that feels more tangible and exciting, then I recommend picking up an Arduino and/or Raspberry Pi. Going this route is likely to increase your starting costs and will make your vibe coding journey more complicated. You’ll need to buy some hardware and most likely a soldering iron. You’re also going to need to pick up some skills that AI can’t help with, like soldering. A Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W hooked up and ready to tinker with.Raspberry Pi While you can use AI to suggest Arduino and/or Raspberry Pi projects, I recommend picking a tutorial that already exists, like this Raspberry Pi Pico W weather station by ExplainingComputers. The tutorial explains the basics, of course, but the AI chatbot can further explain concepts that you don’t quite understand and handle edge cases. For example, I had a different temperature sensor than the one in the tutorial, so I had to wire it differently than how it was shown and make changes to the code to identify my sensor. With the help of AI, I was able to make the required changes in just 15 minutes. Further reading: Practical Raspberry Pi projects anyone can do PROMOTIONLaunch in minutes by vibe coding Turn your ideas into reality with Hostinger Horizons. Build web apps, websites, and custom tools by chatting with the AI – no coding required. Get everything you need to launch and grow including web hosting, domain management and email. Start now Read...

Goodman Property Services (NZ) Limited has provided NZX with the Goodman Property Trust and GMT Bond Issuer Limited 2025 Annual Report. It incorporates GMT’s Climate-related Disclosures and features a new remuneration report following internalisatio Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Wide rotation and tilt range covers large areas Sharp 3.5K resolution with full-color and infrared night vision On-device AI detection Cons Bulky design may stand out too much for some setups Requires a wired power connection Only supports 2.4GHz Wi-Fi Our Verdict The Imilab EC6 Panorama delivers broad, high-quality coverage with smart features that punch above its price. It’s a strong choice for anyone willing to trade a compact design for fewer blind spots and less reliance on multiple cameras. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Imilab EC6 Panorama Retailer Price $113.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Covering large areas like front yards, driveways, or wide side yards often means juggling multiple cameras and feeds–and apps, if you buy from more than one manufacturer. But as users pile on more devices to cover every angle, managing all that footage can get cumbersome and expensive. Imilab’s EC6 Panorama 3.5K Wi-Fi Spotlight Camera aims to solve that by offering a broad, near wraparound coverage from a single vantage point. It’s built to reduce blind spots—and maybe the need for a second or even third camera. The Imilab EC6 Panorama’s marquee feature is its wide coverage, thanks to dual lenses that deliver a combined 180-degree field of view. Design and features The EC6 Panorama is a dome-style camera with a clean white finish, designed to be mounted on a porch, under an eave, or anywhere else that gives it a clear view of a large area. It measures 7.91 inches deep, 7.56 inches high, and 5.04 inches wide, so it’s not exactly inconspicuous, but that can work in its favor as a visual deterrent. With an IP66 rating, it’s sealed against dust and can handle heavy rain or high-pressure water jets, making it well-suited for outdoor use in exposed areas. You can read more about IP codes at the preceding link. The camera’s marquee feature is its wide coverage. It uses dual lenses with an ultra-wide-angle 180-degree field of view to capture broad scenes. It can also rotate 344 degrees and tilt 90 degrees to follow movement across nearly an entire perimeter. You control the rotation and tilt through the Xiaomi Home app, which also offers 6x digital zoom if you want a closer look. The camera’s bulky design isn’t discreet, but the broad coverage eliminates the need for multiple-camera setups.Michael Ansaldo/Foundry It also uses AI to identify people and vehicles and to create virtual fences, with all detection handled on the device itself—there’s no cloud processing or subscription required. You can filter alerts based on what kind of activity you want to be notified of, which helps cut down on false alarms from things like squirrels or passing headlights. Video is recorded in 3.5K (3456 × 1944 pixels) resolution. The camera offers full-color night vision with the help of its onboard spotlight, or you can switch to infrared mode for a more discreet view in total darkness. That spotlight, along with a built-in siren, adds an extra layer of deterrence when motion is detected. The EC6 connects over 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, which offers better range but might be more prone to interference in congested network environments. If a wireless connection doesn’t work for you, take advantage of the RJ45 port on its power cord to make a hardwired connection to your network. Two-way audio allows you to speak to visitors—or warn off intruders—directly from the app. The camera works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, giving you the option to control it with voice commands. Once paired, you can pull up the live feed on a compatible smart display or interact with the camera hands-free, which can be handy when your phone isn’t within reach. A microSD card slot allows for local storage. It’s hidden behind a tamper-resistant tab.Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Video can be stored locally on a user-provided microSD card (capacities up to 256GB are supported) or in the cloud. The latter requires a subscription: $4.49 per month for 7 days of event video history or $6.49 per month for 30 days. Setup and performance Getting the EC6 Panorama installed was straightforward. The camera includes everything you need to get it mounted and powered up. You’ll need to mount it near an outlet, which limits your placement options a bit, but once it’s up, it feels solid and secure. To start the setup, you’ll press a small reset button hidden behind a protective tab on the base of the camera. The microSD card slot is located there too, and you’ll need to remove a couple of tiny screws to get in there—not difficult, but you’ll need a precision Phillips screwdriver to do it; I had to borrow one from a computer repair kit. Once that’s done, the Xiaomi Home app walks you through the Wi-Fi connection process, which only took a couple of minutes in testing. The Xiaomi Home app makes it easy to get started. The main control screen is clean and straightforward, with clearly labeled buttons for key functions like two-way talk, spotlight activation, snapshots, and recording. A simple directional pad lets you control the camera’s pan and tilt, and swiping gestures can be enabled from the camera settings. Most features are easy to find, though a few—like auto-tracking and sleep mode—are still tucked away in submenus. Overall, it’s a smooth, user-friendly experience that doesn’t require much of a learning curve. The Xiaomi Home app has clearly labeled buttons for key functions like two-way talk, spotlight activation, snapshots, and recording plus a directional for controlling the camera’s pan and tilt. Other features can be customized from the settings menu. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry The EC6 Panorama delivers excellent video quality. Footage is crisp during the day, and at night the camera automatically switches to full-color mode when motion is detected, using its spotlight to illuminate the scene. This helps conserve power while still giving you detailed nighttime footage when it matters. AI motion tracking works well. The camera follows people and vehicles as they move through the frame, and for the most part, it stays locked on. It’s not perfect—once in a while it overcorrects or drifts off-target—but it’s fast enough to be useful, especially if you’re watching events in real time. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras. Two-way audio worked well. I had no trouble hearing people on the other end, and my voice came through clearly when I tested it from the app. It’s more than enough for giving delivery instructions or yelling at someone to get off your lawn. The spotlight and siren also kick in with barely any delay—loud and bright enough to startle, if not outright scare someone off. We reviewed Imilab’s dual-2K-camera–the Imilab EC6 Dual–last October and had a similarly favorable opinion. Should you buy the Imilab EC6 Panorama? If you need to monitor a large area and don’t want to stitch together coverage with multiple cameras, the Imilab EC6 Panorama is a solid bet. With a street price of $169.99, it delivers a lot for the price: broad coverage, dependable performance, and smart features that often come with higher-end models. It’s worth a look for anyone looking to simplify their surveillance setup without sacrificing coverage. Read...