Software

The latest security update for Windows 11 is causing significant issues on numerous systems. Reports indicate that the KB5074109 package is resulting in a black screen immediately after system startup on certain hardware configurations. Affected users have several options for restoring functionality.

A new update is rolling out to the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2. Currently available for users in China, this HarmonyOS release brings a new feature to help users monitor their risk of heart disease. It also brings a new wheelchair activity tracking mode, and improvements for Skiing and Outdoor Cycling activities.

Garmin has launched a new beta update for many of its recent flagship smartwatches. A beta update for now, the build is said to improve the navigation experience across smartwatches like the Fenix 8 and Fenix 8 Pro while also refining Portal watch face readability.

Garmin has released a new stable update for some of its older smartwatches. The first of 2026, the new update should improve the scrolling and touchscreen experience in some cases while also addressing Garmin Coach Plans issues too.

OnePlus is kicking off 2026 with fresh OxygenOS updates for the OnePlus 13, OnePlus Nord 5, and Nord 4. The rollout adds practical upgrades like bypass charging on the OnePlus 13, smarter Photos and Home screen features on the Nord 5, and the January 2026 Android security patch across all supported devices.

Buyers may find it surprising that not even free games can dent the dominance of Steam. In the latest example, the Epic Games Store offered Blood West at no cost during the holidays. Loyal to Valve’s convenience and social features, gamers nevertheless boosted its sales on Steam.

Valve has made a small but important update to how AI-related information is handled on Steam. The change is meant to clear up confusion around what developers are expected to share with players.

Garmin has issued a new stable update for many of its latest high-end smartwatches. Rather than the culmination of recent beta development, Garmin has return to its older development branch with a fresh set of urgent bug fixes.

Spotify has rolled out another subscription price increase in the US, following similar hikes in other regions late last year. The music streaming giant's cheapest paid plan now costs $6.99 a month.

Fortnite players are slamming the "Steal the Brainrot" map for adding $40 loot boxes and gambling wheels. See why Epic’s new UEFN payout rules are facing a massive backlash.

Volvo is flexing its muscles ahead of the world premiere on January 21, 2026. The new Volvo EX60 boasts specs that are sure to turn heads. In addition to an enormous range of over 800 kilometers, the SUV features extremely high charging capacity and comes with its own AI supercomputer.

Stop Windows 11 battery drain with the new KB5074109 update. Patch 114 security vulnerabilities and fix NPU power issues on your laptop.

Garmin has launched a new update for several of its older high-end smartwatches. Arriving in the wake of new smartwatch releases, the update is said to resolve a frustrating Wi-Fi connectivity issue that has plagued recent builds.

Apple Creator Studio includes Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, and supporting tools across Mac and iPad, alongside premium features in Apple’s iWork apps. Available from January 28, the bundle offers standard and discounted education pricing while keeping one-time purchase options in place.

Garmin has introduced a new update for its current batch of high-end smartwatches. A rather confusing update, Beta Version 21.16 follows a build from last week that has left Beta Program participants scratching their heads.

Apple recently suffered a landmark ruling in the UK. In sum, the ruling requires Apple to repay up to £1.5 billion to around 36 million British customers. Now, the tech giant is appealing the decision.

Garmin has delivered new firmware for older smartwatches, including the Fenix 7 and smaller Fenix 7S. The second v25.xx update released to date, Beta Version 25.08 introduces several new improvements to Garmin's older high-end smartwatches with several aimed at improving the maps app experience.

Chinese tablet manufacturer Teclast installs its own ArtOS operating system, designed for creative work, on its tablets. But does it really confer advantages in drawing and editing?

Ambitious athletes are likely to benefit from a new way of displaying individualized workouts, provided they use Strava and pay for the service.

Microsoft is killing off a little-known Kindle feature that let Microsoft Word users send documents straight to their e-reader with a single click. The Send to Kindle integration will stop working in February 2026, likely due to low adoption, though users can still upload Word files using Amazon’s web-based Send to Kindle tool.

Three Amazfit products are set to receive their last round of new features and improvements in 2026. The end-of-life product list on a Zepp Health website names two smartwatches and one other wearable, which are currently on a two-year update cycle. However, there are some circumstances under which there could be future updates.

Volkswagen Group and Qualcomm Technologies are working toward a long-term supply agreement related to future software-defined vehicle platforms.

Zepp Health recently made a public statement about the (upcoming) functionality of two smartwatches. Both the Active 2 and the Bip 6 will receive a new feature that many users have been eagerly awaiting and that should already be available on the devices.

Home Assistant 2026.1 is rolling out to users of the open-source smart home automation software. This latest release brings improvements for the Home dashboard on mobile and more purpose-specific triggers. It also includes a range of new integrations and a reorganized Settings page.

Smartwatch manufacturer Suunto is currently rolling out a very comprehensive software update for several wearables. This update not only includes various bug fixes but also improvements and new features.

Vivo has delivered a significant new camera update for the Vivo X200 Ultra. Rolling out now, the Android 16-based update introduces several new features, including one that was previously exclusive to the Vivo X300 Pro.

A new version of the Home Assistant app for iOS has arrived. The version 2026.1 release brings improvements linked to CarPlay, new options for the Control Center widget and several bug fixes. Plus, the app’s Entity Picker is said to have been enhanced with new filters to make it easier to search.

The Codee Codeebot physical programming system allows children to create software to control AI robots by connecting magnetic blocks, which represent different pieces of code logic. No computer is required to assemble and run Codeebot programs.

Nvidia's latest DLSS 4.5 upscaling now uses a 2nd gen Transformer model that promises improved visual fidelity. While all RTX GPUs can leverage DLSS 4.5 super resolution, older RTX 20 and RTX 30 series cards may suffer a performance penalty owing to lack of FP8 and FP4 units in their Tensor cores. Also on offer is dynamic multi-frame generation up to 6x on RTX 50 series Blackwell GPUs.

AMD has significantly improved the performance of its open source ROCm GPGPU software stack in version 7 across its hardware lineup. ROCm v7.2 is now a common Linux and Windows release, supports the latest Ryzen AI 400 series APUs, and offers integrations with ComfyUI and Radeon Adrenalin 26.1.1.

Following the nearly half-million dollar crowdfunding success of the Mini-KVM, Openterface is back with the KVM-GO, a tiny KVM that reduces cable clutter by including all the hardware in the display connector.

It's generally accepted that Windows has become more bloated over time. However, after this YouTuber benchmarked every version of Windows from XP to 11, the ultimate winner might surprise you.

CheckMag With the growing number of users jumping from Windows to Linux, I decided to fully take the plunge and dive deep into the Open Source ocean. A few months and several headaches later, it has proved to be the best computer-related decision I've made in over a decade (and perhaps in my entire life).

Baldur’s Gate, BioWare’s 1998 isometric CRPG set in the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms, helped revive the RPG genre with its real-time-with-pause combat, deep character customization, and narrative shaped by player choice. Its 2013 Enhanced Edition modernizes the classic with widescreen support, new content, and quality-of-life improvements, keeping it relevant alongside Larian’s acclaimed Baldur’s Gate 3 and currently attracting new players with a steep discount and consistently strong user reviews.

Garmin appears set on expanding the functionality of Garmin Connect, according to hidden code discovered in version 5.20. Users are set to gain an improved and even more detailed view of their health metrics.

Garmin is expected to further expand the functionality of Garmin Connect in the future. Specifically, this will likely enhance and simplify the tracking of one's diet, which will be particularly relevant for individuals who want to lose weight or ensure optimal nutrient intake.

The Nuclear music player project has released an early build of the next iteration of its all-in-one music sourcing and playing program. While still in its early stages, this update is set to address many of the shortcomings of the popular yet temperamental program.

Together with Ben Edelman, YouTuber MegaLag proves a systematic obfuscation tactic that deliberately deceives testers and redirects commissions unnoticed. The "dieselgate" principle is applied: honey identifies testers and disables manipulative features.

Zepp Health is rolling out a new software update for a somewhat unusual wearable. It promises several improvements, as users should be able to benefit from more accurate sensors both during workouts and while sleeping, among other things.

Xiaomi is accelerating its HyperOS 3 rollout as 2025 winds down, pushing the Android 16–based update to more than a dozen additional Xiaomi and Redmi phones and tablets. The latest wave primarily targets Chinese variants for now, though select global models are already receiving the update. International versions are expected to follow in early 2026.

Microsoft’s latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.7523 introduces a revamped File Explorer that cuts duplicate file-indexing operations to reduce RAM usage and improve search speeds. Rolled out via a Controlled Feature Rollout to Dev and Beta channel Insiders, the update is a modest but timely optimization aimed at easing performance strain on aging hardware amid rising memory costs.

Valve is phasing out 32-bit Windows support for Steam, with the client shifting entirely to 64-bit on compatible PCs and updates ending for 32-bit systems on 1 January 2026. While the change affects only a tiny minority of users, those who don’t upgrade their OS, or are stuck on legacy 32-bit hardware, will lose access to client updates, security patches, customer support, and reliable compatibility with new games.

Garmin has issued a new update for one of its most expensive smartwatches released this year. Packing numerous new features and bug fixes, v16.11 remains in beta for the time being, though.

The Venu 4 is one of Garmin's most recent smartwatch releases. While software development has been rather slow since launch, the company has now started offering a new beta update that will underpin a substantial stable update further down the line.

The Garmin Venu 4 has received a new update that will form the basis of a future stable firmware release. Available on Garmin's Beta Program, Beta 16.11 brings several new features to the mid-range smartwatch, including one that adds the option of tracking your weight.

Garmin has previewed a significant update for both the Forerunner 570 and the more expensive Forerunner 970. The first of many v16.xx updates to come, Public Beta Version 16.11 introduces almost three-dozen changes to both smartwatches after this month's recent stable update.

Garmin has started rolling out the first significant update for the Fenix 8 and its peers in three months. Available globally, Beta Version 21.12 introduces over 80 new features, bug fixes, updates and other improvements like a Battery Manager and the Garmin Fitness Coach.

Monster Hunter Wilds received the first of three planned PC performance patches this week, and it's a lot more playable—but a Digital Foundry analysis reveals some shockingly poor texture quality in select areas, even at high settings. Medium textures have improved across-the-board, though.

TikTok’s US operations will be housed in a new joint venture, according to a memo sent to employees by CEO Shou Zi Chew. The entity is named TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC. As part of the venture, TikTok has signed agreements with the three managing investors: Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX.

Garmin is rolling out a new update for the Instinct model series, bringing significant improvements in certain areas. However,, the update to software version 13.08 is still in beta.