Trump administration will reportedly get $10 billion for brokering the TikTok deal

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There may have been some extra incentive for the Trump administration to get the TikTok US deal done. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration is set to receive a total of $10 billion in the deal that allowed TikTok to remain in the US. The new investors who acquired stakes in the US entity of TikTok already paid a $2.5 billion fee to the administration when the deal closed in January, but WSJ's latest report noted that the group of investors would continue to make payments until the total hits $10 billion.

After a group of investors, which includes Oracle along with the Silver Lake and MGX investment firms, acquired stakes in the US-based TikTok entity called TikTok USDS Joint Venture, the WSJ previously reported that the administration would receive a "multibillion-dollar fee" for its work on the deal. To better contextualize the recently-revealed $10 billion fee the Trump administration is receiving, the US entity of TikTok was valued at $14 billion by Vice President JD Vance.

The Trump administration has previously involved itself in major deals with other US corporations. Last year, the administration invested $8.9 billion into Intel and received a nearly 9 percent equity stake. In terms of unprecedented windfalls, the Trump administration also received a Boeing 747-8 as a gift from the Qatari government in May.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/trump-administration-will-reportedly-get-10-billion-for-brokering-the-tiktok-deal-180954979.html?src=rss

What to read this weekend: Locked in with The Iron Garden Sutra

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Need something new for your reading list? This week, we recommend A.D. Sui's The Iron Garden Sutra, a meditative horror sci-fi/fantasy and murder mystery.

I don't typically gravitate toward locked room mysteries, but the description of this book ticked all the right boxes to win me over: "a death monk and a team of researchers trapped onboard a spaceship of the dead encounter something beyond human understanding." It has all the makings of a compelling murder mystery, which is fine on its own, but thanks to the philosophical musings of its main character, Vessel Iris, and a setting that almost demands existential contemplation, it becomes something much deeper.

Vessel Iris is a monk some time in the far future whose mission is to perform funeral rites for the dead so their souls may reach their ultimate destination, according to the beliefs of his religion, the Starlit Order. "Vessels" like Iris share their mind with an AI companion, which creates a really interesting dynamic for the reader, as there is a constant dialogue going on between the two from the start (carrying a tone that sometimes verges on "old married couple," which I quite enjoyed). Iris shows up to an ancient ship called the Counsel of Nicaea expecting to perform his duties for the long-deceased on board and instead finds himself facing a group of researchers who are very much not dead — and a jumbled mess of bones from the hundreds of bodies they disturbed by moving, which he'll have to sort in order to properly bless. 

Despite being a ghost ship in most respects, it turns out the Nicaea is alive with vegetation and gardens that would have once supported the humans that lived there. And, there's seemingly something else, as Iris' AI begins to pick up strange pings from a presence on the ship, and one by one the team of researchers starts getting picked off. As everything unravels, Iris begins to question his faith and his purpose.

This was such a great read, and I was excited to learn it's the first in a two-book series, The Cosmic Wheel series. Fans of horror sci-fi/sci-fantasy should definitely check this one out. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/what-to-read-this-weekend-locked-in-with-the-iron-garden-sutra-172342019.html?src=rss

The $599 MacBook Neo is Shaking Up the PC Industry: 6 Best Alternatives

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Apple has never really done “affordable.” For decades, the cheapest way into the Mac ecosystem meant spending at least $999, and that was considered a deal. So when the company announced the MacBook Neo at $599, or $499 for students and educators, the reaction wasn’t just surprise. It was something closer to disbelief. This is the same Apple that charges $19 for a polishing cloth, and it just put a laptop on the shelf for less than most people’s monthly rent.

It’s not an accident or a moment of generosity. The MacBook Neo is a deliberate move into a market segment Apple has ignored for years: the budget laptop buyer. Students, first-time Mac users, families on tighter budgets. These are the people who’ve been defaulting to Chromebooks and cheap Windows machines, not because they preferred them, but because a Mac was simply out of reach. Apple just changed that math, and the PC industry is already scrambling to respond.

Designer: Apple

More Than a Fresh Coat of Paint

The Neo comes in four colors: blush, indigo, silver, and a sharp citrus yellow. The colors even extend to the Magic Keyboard in lighter shades and matching wallpapers, which is a level of cohesion you genuinely don’t see at this price point in Windows hardware. The aluminum enclosure weighs 2.7 pounds, and the 13-inch Liquid Retina display runs at 2408-by-1506 resolution with 500 nits of brightness, outpacing most competing devices in this segment by a considerable margin. Combine that with up to 16 hours of battery life, and the headline specs read like a mid-range laptop, not an entry-level one.

The chip underneath all of that is the A18 Pro, the same processor that powered the iPhone 16 Pro in 2024. That’s where the picture gets a bit more nuanced. It’s definitely more than enough for web browsing, document editing, streaming, casual photo editing, and AI tasks. What it isn’t is a creative workstation. This machine is fanless, silent, and cool-running, but it isn’t going to replace even a MacBook Air for serious video work or sustained heavy computation. Apple has been honest about that positioning, and the spec sheet backs it up.

There are also a few caveats beyond the silicon. There’s no backlit keyboard on the base $599 model, which feels like an odd omission in 2026. Fast charging isn’t supported either, with only a 20W USB-C adapter in the box. The connectivity is minimal: one USB 3 port (USB-C) and one USB 2 port (USB-C), the latter topping out at 480Mb/s, which is slow enough to matter if you regularly move large files. No Thunderbolt. No MagSafe. Touch ID is exclusive to the $699 model. These are deliberate subtractions, not oversights, designed to protect the MacBook Air’s value proposition while keeping the Neo’s cost down.

Road Once Traveled: Windows RT

Before getting too swept up in the novelty of the MacBook Neo, it’s worth remembering that the idea of an affordable, ARM-based portable computer aimed at everyday users isn’t new. Microsoft tried exactly this in 2012 with Windows RT, a version of Windows designed to run on ARM chips and released alongside the original Surface tablet. The pitch was appealing: a sleek, efficient, battery-friendly device that could handle the basics and connect to the broader Windows world.

The fact that it failed is pretty much part of history by now. The core problem wasn’t the hardware or even the concept: it was the software. Windows RT looked and felt like Windows but couldn’t run traditional Windows desktop applications. It was a watered-down experience wearing a familiar face, and users who expected full Windows compatibility found themselves stranded. The app ecosystem didn’t materialize fast enough, either, and Microsoft eventually abandoned the platform. Windows on ARM has continued in various forms since then, but it’s never fully shaken the baggage of that first failed attempt.

Apple, by contrast, spent years laying groundwork before making its ARM leap. When the company transitioned the entire Mac lineup to Apple Silicon starting in 2020, it didn’t ask developers to build for a new platform overnight. The Rosetta 2 translation layer handled legacy Intel apps smoothly from day one, and Apple had spent over a decade pushing developers toward modern APIs and frameworks through iOS. By the time the A18 Pro landed inside a $599 laptop, the software ecosystem was already there waiting for it. The MacBook Neo doesn’t run a restricted version of macOS. It runs full macOS Tahoe, with access to the same App Store and the same apps as any other Mac, and that is the fundamental difference that Microsoft was never able to bridge with Windows RT.

The best alternatives if the MacBook Neo isn’t for you

The MacBook Neo sets a new standard for what a $600 laptop can look and feel like. That said, it’s not the right machine for everyone. If you’re committed to Windows, need more RAM, prefer a larger display, or simply aren’t ready to switch ecosystems, there are some solid alternatives worth considering in the same price range.

Acer Swift Go 14 (SFG14-73)

The Acer Swift Go 14 is one of the more compelling Windows options at this price point, running on an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor with integrated Intel Arc graphics, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. That’s double the storage of the base Neo for roughly the same $600 price. The bigger draw is the display: a 14-inch OLED panel at 2880×1800 resolution, which is genuinely excellent for a laptop in this category and makes the Swift Go a strong pick for anyone who consumes a lot of media.

Designer: Acer

The trade-offs can’t be ignored, though. Battery life comes in around 8.5 hours, which is significantly shorter than the Neo’s 16-hour rating, and it weighs about 2.87 pounds in a larger chassis. It’s also a somewhat older-gen model, and that sweet price tag is only available in select retailers. If you want a bigger, sharper screen and don’t mind carrying a charger more often, the Swift Go earns a serious look.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 (15″, AMD)

Lenovo’s IdeaPad Slim 5 punches above its price with a more generous hardware loadout than the Neo: an AMD Ryzen 5 8540 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage, all available around the $500 price point. Lenovo also tends to make the best keyboards in the budget Windows space, and this one continues that tradition.

Designer: Lenovo

Where it falls short is predictable. The display is a 15-inch 1920×1200 IPS panel, which is perfectly functional but a noticeable step down from the Neo’s Liquid Retina screen in terms of sharpness and color. The battery life is what you’d expect from a Windows laptop. It won’t make you smile when you pull it out of a bag the way the Neo will, but if raw specs-per-dollar is the priority, the IdeaPad Slim 3 is a difficult machine to argue against.

HP OmniBook 5 (BA1056NR)

HP’s OmniBook 5 positions itself as an entry-level everyday laptop with pricing that frequently dips below $650, giving it a clear edge over the Neo in pure cost. It runs on modest Intel hardware, comes with a generous serving of 16GB of RAM, and is built primarily for email, web browsing, document editing, and video calls, the exact workload profile Apple says the Neo is designed for. Battery life is rated respectably, and the keyboard and trackpad are comfortable enough for extended daily use.

Designer: HP

The honest version of this recommendation comes with a caveat: the OmniBook 5 doesn’t compete with the Neo on display quality, build materials, or software longevity. The screen is a standard 16-inch 1080p IPS panel in a plastic chassis, and it runs Windows on Intel Core 5 silicon, which is a much older generation than today’s selection. It makes sense as a pure budget play if the price tag is still a stretch, but going in with eyes open about what those savings cost you is important.

Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (CP714-1H-54UB)

The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714 is one of the more capable Chromebooks available around the $530 mark with a discount ($699 in full), and it brings a feature the Neo completely lacks: a touchscreen. Running on an Intel Core Ultra 5 with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, it matches the Neo’s base memory and storage configuration while adding 2-in-1 convertibility and a 14-inch IPS display at 1920×1200. For students, especially, the tent and tablet modes open up use cases that a standard clamshell laptop can’t cover.

Designer: Acer

The limitations are ChromeOS itself, which has narrowed the gap with full desktop operating systems considerably but still trails macOS and Windows for professional app compatibility. Battery life is advertised to be around 10 hours, shorter than the Neo but solid for a school day. At 3.21 lbs, it’s heavier and physically larger, and the display is a step behind the Neo in resolution and color quality. For someone already in the Google ecosystem, though, this is the sharpest Chromebook rival to the Neo in this price window.

Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 (ChromeOS)

Lenovo’s Chromebook Plus 14 is the premium option in the ChromeOS space, and its headline feature is the display: a 14-inch 1920×1200 OLED panel with touchscreen support at a price of $749. For a Chromebook, that’s genuinely unusual hardware, and the screen quality puts it ahead of most of the Windows competition in this tier. It also supports Wi-Fi 7, runs on an Arm-based MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 chip with 16GB of RAM, and offers a build quality noticeably above the typical Chromebook standard.

Designer: Lenovo

The case for it over the Neo comes down to ecosystem preference. If Google Docs, YouTube, and Android apps cover your workflow, the Chromebook Plus 14 delivers a premium screen and a refined experience for less money than a MacBook Air. If you need desktop-class software, the ceiling becomes apparent quickly. ChromeOS has matured, but it still hits walls that macOS doesn’t. This is the Chromebook that makes you reconsider the category, not the one that makes you forget its limitations entirely.

Refurbished MacBook Air M1

It feels slightly odd to list an older Mac as an alternative to a newer Mac, but the refurbished MacBook Air M1 is worth the mention. Available through Apple’s certified refurbished store, third-party retailers, and resellers, the M1 Air frequently surfaces in the $600 to $700 range and represents a considerable step up from the Neo in several areas. The M1 chip is more capable than the A18 Pro for sustained workloads, it has MagSafe-era USB-C with Thunderbolt support, and it comes with 8 to 16GB of unified memory in the base configuration with a more mature, battle-tested macOS optimization story.

The catch is that you’re buying hardware from 2020, and Apple’s software support timeline means the M1 will eventually age out of macOS updates before a Neo purchased today will. For someone who wants macOS and a bit more headroom without stepping up to the $1,099 MacBook Air M5, the refurbished M1 is a pragmatic option rather than an inspired one. It gets the job done, but it doesn’t have the new colors, and the MacBook Neo, despite its compromises, is the more forward-looking machine.

Wake-up call

Affordable Windows laptops and Chromebooks have never been in short supply. The problem has always been that most of them require accepting significant compromises: dim displays, plastic chassis that creak, battery life that barely lasts a workday, or chips so underpowered that the experience degrades within a year of purchase. Many of the more appealing options in this segment come from lesser-known manufacturers, which brings its own concerns around software support and build reliability over time.

What the MacBook Neo does is reframe the question the PC industry has been comfortable not asking. ARM-based Windows laptops have existed for years, and the Snapdragon X series has made genuine progress, but Windows on ARM still hasn’t found the cultural moment that would turn it into a mainstream category. The Neo’s arrival and the reaction to it suggest that the market for a well-made, genuinely affordable computer aimed at students and everyday users is larger than the industry has been willing to address seriously. Apple just walked in and asked whether cheap and simple was enough, or whether those buyers might actually want something better.

The post The $599 MacBook Neo is Shaking Up the PC Industry: 6 Best Alternatives first appeared on Yanko Design.

Meta is reportedly planning to cut up to 20 percent of its staff in upcoming layoffs

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Meta could be preparing for one of the largest layoffs in its history, according to a Reuters report. The tech giant is planning to cut about 20 percent of its workforce, according to the outlet's sources. According to the report, neither a date nor the exact number of layoffs has been finalized yet.

However, Reuters reported that Meta's top executives have told "other senior leaders" to start "planning how to pare back." In its latest financial report, the company's employee headcount was 78,865 as of December 31, 2025, while revenue reached nearly $60 billion for the fourth quarter and more than $200 billion for the entire year. A Meta spokesperson told Reuters that this was "speculative reporting about theoretical approaches."

Meta is no stranger to major layoffs. Earlier this year, Meta targeted about 1,000 employees in its layoffs with the Reality Labs division that's responsible for the company's virtual reality and metaverse efforts. Early last year, Meta laid off about five percent of its workforce, following a smaller round of firings that same month. Meanwhile, the company has been spending heavily to acquire AI startups, like Moltbook, a social network designed for AI agents, and Manus, a startup focused on AI agents for task automation.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-is-reportedly-planning-to-cut-up-to-20-percent-of-its-staff-in-upcoming-layoffs-160812304.html?src=rss

Samsung Galaxy The Z Fold 8 Camera Upgrade We’ve Been Waiting For—And It’s Not the Zoom

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Samsung Galaxy The Z Fold 8 Camera Upgrade We’ve Been Waiting For—And It’s Not the Zoom Samsung Galaxy The Z Fold 8

Samsung is developing the Galaxy Z Fold 8, a device that could significantly influence the foldable smartphone market. With anticipated advancements in camera technology and innovative design changes, the Fold 8 is positioned to challenge competitors like Apple and Google in the premium foldable segment. Leaks suggest the possibility of two distinct models: one offering […]

The post Samsung Galaxy The Z Fold 8 Camera Upgrade We’ve Been Waiting For—And It’s Not the Zoom appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

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Digg shuts down for a ‘hard reset’ because it was flooded with bots

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Digg has shut down, for now, just a few months after its open beta launched. Justin Mezzell, the company’s CEO, has explained on the home page that it noticed hours after the beta launched that it was already being targeted by SEO spammers. “The internet is now populated, in meaningful part, by sophisticated AI agents and automated accounts,” he wrote. Apparently, the Digg team wasn’t ready for the scale and the speed at which bots found and started flooding the website.

Mezzell said Digg banned thousands of accounts and deployed both internal tools and external solutions, but they weren’t enough. He admitted that the votes and the comments on the website couldn’t be trusted due to the amount of bot activity it got. While Digg has decided to significantly downsize its team, a small number of staff members has stayed to rebuild it completely. He said it wasn’t enough to present Digg as an alternative to current social networks and community-based websites. “What comes next needs to be genuinely different,” he added.

The CEO didn’t explain how Digg will reinvent itself, but he did announce that its founder, Kevin Rose, is joining the company full time. Rose bought back Digg last year in partnership with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Back then, they said they had “a fresh vision to restore the spirit of discovery and genuine community that made the early web a fun and exciting place to be.” Based on what happened to Digg, that’s now harder to achieve with the state of the internet today.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/digg-shuts-down-for-a-hard-reset-because-it-was-flooded-with-bots-153848094.html?src=rss

Jetboil TrailCook Stove System combines fast boiling with precise camp cooking control

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Jetboil has long been associated with fast, efficient backcountry camping stoves designed primarily for boiling water. Over the years, the brand’s integrated cooking systems have become a familiar sight in backpacks thanks to their compact form and rapid heating performance. With the TrailCook series, Jetboil expands on that reputation by introducing a stove system designed not just for boiling water, but for preparing more varied meals in remote outdoor environments.

The TrailCook 1.2-liter Stove System centers around Jetboil’s FluxRing heat-exchange technology, which concentrates heat around the base of the cooking pot for improved efficiency. By capturing and directing heat more effectively than traditional backpacking stoves, the system minimizes wasted fuel while reducing boil times. The regulated burner delivers around 6,000 BTU per hour and can bring half a liter of water to a boil in roughly two minutes and fifteen seconds, allowing hikers and campers to quickly prepare coffee, instant meals, or hot drinks after a long day on the trail.

Designer: JetBoil

Unlike many lightweight stove systems that focus almost entirely on rapid boiling, the TrailCook emphasizes cooking control. Jetboil integrates a proprietary fuel regulator that allows the flame to shift smoothly between a gentle simmer and a strong boil. This incremental adjustment makes it possible to sauté ingredients or cook more elaborate meals rather than relying solely on boil-and-eat options. The regulator also helps maintain steady performance as fuel pressure changes, ensuring consistent heat output even in cooler conditions.

The included 1.2-liter cook pot is designed with a ceramic-coated interior that helps prevent food from sticking and makes cleanup easier in the outdoors. An easy-on, easy-off lid features a handling tab that allows users to stir or monitor food without fully removing the lid, while integrated straining holes make it simple to drain liquids directly from the pot. A folding silicone handle provides a secure grip when the pot is hot and locks the lid in place when the system is packed for travel.

Ease of use is another key element of the design. The TrailCook incorporates a turn-and-click ignition system that lights the stove quickly without the need for matches or a separate lighter. A self-centering pot support keeps the cooking vessel stable during use and can also accommodate additional cookware up to about 9 inches in diameter and roughly 2 liters in capacity. This compatibility allows campers to use frying pans or other pots if they want to expand their outdoor cooking setup.

For groups or larger meals, Jetboil also offers a TrailCook 2.0-liter version of the system. The larger model includes a Dutch-oven-style pot designed to serve two to four people while maintaining the same regulated burner and FluxRing efficiency. It can boil one liter of water in about four minutes and fifteen seconds, offering similar performance while increasing cooking capacity.

Portability remains central to the TrailCook design. The entire system nests neatly inside the cooking pot, helping conserve valuable pack space during backpacking trips. The bottom cover doubles as both a measuring cup and a small bowl, reducing the number of extra utensils hikers need to carry.

Weighing about 19.4 ounces without fuel, the TrailCook 1.2-liter system remains lightweight enough for backpacking while still providing genuine cooking flexibility. A single 100-gram JetPower fuel canister typically boils 10 to 12 liters of water, underscoring the stove’s efficient fuel use on extended trips.

By combining Jetboil’s signature fast-boiling performance with improved flame control and practical cookware design, the TrailCook system broadens what campers can realistically cook in the backcountry while keeping the entire setup compact and travel-friendly. The Trailcook 1.2L retails for US$ 180, and the 2.0L version for US$200.

The post Jetboil TrailCook Stove System combines fast boiling with precise camp cooking control first appeared on Yanko Design.

DIY $8,500 Zeus Supercomputer Replaces Cloud Tools for AI Business

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DIY $8,500 Zeus Supercomputer Replaces Cloud Tools for AI Business Close-up of the Zeus DIY server showing the AMD Ryzen 9 system and cable-managed case interior.

Jay has unveiled Zeus, a custom-built supercomputer designed for $8,500 to tackle the rising costs of cloud services. Equipped with an AMD Ryzen 9 CPU, 128GB of RAM and an Nvidia 5090 GPU, Zeus is optimized for tasks such as data scraping, email verification and AI model training. Its modular setup, powered by Unraid OS […]

The post DIY $8,500 Zeus Supercomputer Replaces Cloud Tools for AI Business appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

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The 2026 Guide to the Ultimate iPhone Home Screen Setup

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The 2026 Guide to the Ultimate iPhone Home Screen Setup Featured image for One Screen iPhone - The ULTIMATE iPhone SETUP !

Simplifying your iPhone’s home screen to a single page can transform your device into a sleek, efficient tool. By carefully curating apps, widgets, and shortcuts, you can achieve a minimalist design that balances functionality with aesthetic appeal. The video below from iReviews will help you create a one-screen setup that prioritizes productivity, ease of access, […]

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