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Turning mercury into gold (image source: ChatGPT DALL·E) Fusion startup Marathon Fusion claims its theoretical reactor design could generate up to 3000 kg of gold per year by converting mercury inside a layered neutron blanket. The process would also produce tritium fuel for deuterium-tritium fusion, but remains unproven and unreviewed. Marathon Fusion, based in San Francisco, proposes a fusion reactor concept where fast neutrons from a 1.5 gigawatt thermal tokamak transmute mercury-198 into stable gold-197. The layered reactor blanket includes mercury and lithium near the core, surrounded by molten lithium-beryllium-fluoride salts. According to simulation results, the setup could generate up to 3000 kg of gold annually, with a market value of approximately 180 million euros, without reducing electricity output. The same blanket would produce tritium by slowing neutrons and capturing them in lithium, creating a closed fuel cycle. However, the produced gold includes small amounts of radioactive gold-198 and would require about 14 years of decay before commercial use. The research is based on simulation only and has not undergone peer review or physical validation. While the nuclear reactions involved are plausible, the entire proposal remains speculative. Without a functioning commercial fusion reactor, the economic and technical feasibility of gold production through neutron transmutation cannot yet be confirmed. If proven, it could attract interest from both energy investors and the advanced materials industry. ▶ load Youtube video Related Articles Sebastian Jankowski – Proofreader and tech writer – 30 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2025 A heavy PC user since 1989, I’ve experienced every stage—8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit—through the early console years. The Oculus revolution pulled me into VR, leading me to open my own VR arcade. My classic education was complemented by a daily deep dive into PC hardware and software news. With over 20 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry—spanning major financial and administrative firms—I now primarily work as a freelance writer and IT consultant. Based in the UK, I live with my family. Sebastian Jankowski, 2025-08- 1 (Update: 2025-08- 1) Read More

The fictional town of Ebisugaoka based on Kanayama in Silent Hill f (image source: SteamDB) Mount Fuji might have proved to be a distraction and potentially affect the feeling of realism for the game, which resulted in a change of setting for Silent Hill f. Silent Hill f, the upcoming entry in Konami’s horror franchise, almost found its home in Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture, overlooking Mount Fuji. The region seemed tailor-made for the latest spin-off installment, as Shizuoka translates to “Quiet Hill” or “Silent Hill.” But the developers decided to skip the setting and opt for Gifu Prefecture’s Kanayama-inspired fictional town of Ebisugaoka. In an interview with Famitsu at Anime Expo 2025, author Ryukishi07 spilled the details on why they skipped Mount Fuji’s “real Silent Hill” setting and settled elsewhere. The reason was that Mount Fuji towers over the Shizuoka Prefecture and could potentially distract players from the foggy and heavy atmosphere the series is known for. In the interview, Ryukishi07 explained: “When creating the story, we first wanted all the staff to have a common understanding of where the game was set. To achieve this, we used real locations as the basis of imagery.” To realize their vision, the team trekked to Shizuoka and scouted the prefecture before settling on a potential in-game world. However, the team changed their minds when they finally observed the prefecture. Ryukishi07 further stated: “However, when we actually went there, we felt that the presence of Mount Fuji as seen from Shizuoka was too overbearing; it didn’t seem suitable for a Silent Hill setting. After visiting several other locations, I felt that the grid-like townscape of Kanayama was an interesting shape, so I suggested that.” Moreover, Akira Yamaoka took on a fresh take, straying away from the clichéd “Japanese style” and focusing on the unique “ma” and rhythmic changes rooted in Japanese culture since ancient times. The game’s aesthetic is a subtle nod to the Showa-era setting. Therefore, the team decided to embark on a little creative detour, as Kanayama seemed to have struck a chord with the developers. Silent Hill f is set in 1960s Japan and follows the story of high schooler Shimizu Hinaoka as her hometown is blanketed in fog. Developed by NeoBards, the game aims to be more action-oriented than its predecessors. Silent Hill f is slated to release on September 25, 2025, on the Xbox Series S|X, PlayStation 5, and PC. Related Articles Rahim Amir Noorali – Tech Writer – 113 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2025 I am a UAE-based tech writer who likes to build and benchmark PCs both professionally and as a hobby. I contribute to multiple tech publications, including TechRadar and NotebookCheck, as well as Game Rant, where I focus primarily on news, commerce, and buying guides. When I’m not scouring the internet for the latest in tech stories, you will find me playing a game of Civilization or DotA with friends and frenemies alike while dropping recommendations for Apple TV+’s Foundation to everyone I come across. Rahim Amir Noorali, 2025-08- 1 (Update: 2025-08- 1) Read More

Specifications Display 6.80 inch 19.5:9, 2800 x 1280 pixel 453 PPI, Capacitive, AMOLED, glossy: yes, 120 Hz Connections USB-C Power Delivery (PD), 1 Infrared, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Sensors: accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass Networking 802.11 a/​b/​g/​n/​ac/​ax/​be (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/ Wi-Fi 6E 6 GHz be = Wi-Fi 7), Bluetooth 5.4, GSM, CDMA, UMTS, LTE, 5G, Dual SIM, GPS Size height x width x depth (in mm): 8.6 x 162.4 x 76.1 ( = 0.34 x 6.39 x 3 in) Battery 7200 mAh Lithium-Ion Operating System Android 15 Camera Primary Camera: 50 MPix (f/1.8, 26mm) + 8MP (f/2.2, 16mm)Secondary Camera: 16 MPix f/2.4, 23mm Additional features Keyboard: OnScreen Weight 205 g ( = 7.23 oz / 0.45 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds) Price comparison Reviews for the Realme Neo7 Turbo Realme Neo7 Turbo – recenzja, test, opinia i dane techniczneSource: Unite4buy PL→EN Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 06/04/2025 Comment ARM Immortalis-G720 MP12: High-end graphics chip for smartphones with 12 of the 16 possible cores. Based on the new “5th Gen” architecture (successor to Valhall) including Variable Rate Shading (VRS) and Ray Racing. Compared to the G715, 15% higher performance should be possible at the same clock rates. Modern games should be playable with these graphics cards at low settings and resolutions. Casual gamers may be happy with these cards. » Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List. Dimensity 9400e: Fast mid-range SoC for smartphones and tablets from 2025 with 8 cores in 2 clusters. Four large ARM Cortex-X4 cores with up to 3.4 GHz are juxtaposed with four A720 cores with up to 2 GHz.» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors. 6.80″: It is a small display format for smartphones. You shouldn’t be severely defective in vision, and you won’t see much detail on the screen and only have a small resolution available. For that, the device should be small and handy, easy to transport. » To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List. » Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide. Similar devices with the Same Specs Devices from a different Manufacturer and/or with a different CPU Devices with Same Screen Size and/or Weight Stefan Hinum (Update: 2025-08- 2) Read More

An image showing the ocean under a blue sky. (Image source: Mathias Weil, Adobe Stock) If man were to disappear from the face of the Earth, an animal could, after millions of years, rule our planet. And it may well surprise you, even if it has a few predispositions to do so. We’re all familiar to some extent with the animals and dinosaurs that have ruled the Earth over the last few million years. But now, some scientists are wondering which animal might dominate our planet if mankind were to become extinct, and it’s not the one you’re thinking of.  It’s a question that never ceases to cause a stir, especially in these times. It has to be said that the human species has already caused a great deal of damage to the Earth, the effects of which are already being felt. Whether it’s global warming, or military conflicts breaking out in various parts of the world, the future of our species seems to be the subject of many questions.  Of course, this scenario seems unlikely in the near, or even distant, future. But in the event of our imminent extinction, one particular animal could rule the Earth with its many skills, as the Oxford Mail explains.  And that animal is none other than the octopus. And if that sounds astonishing, Professor of Zoology Timothy Coulson of Oxford University believes that these cephalopods are capable of developing genetic mutations. In particular, when they manage to get out of the water, which they already do for a few minutes. So, if humans were to disappear from the face of the Earth tomorrow, in a few million years’ time, these animals could leave the marine world for the terrestrial one. To emphasize this hypothesis, Timothy Coulson states: “Their ability to solve complex problems, manipulate objects, and even camouflage themselves with stunning precision suggests that, given the right environmental conditions, they could evolve into a civilisation-building species following the extinction of humans. Their advanced neural structure, decentralized nervous system, and remarkable problem-solving skills make octopuses uniquely suited for an unpredictable world. These qualities could allow them to exploit new niches and adapt to a changing planet, especially in the absence of human influence. In a world where mammals dominate, octopuses remain an underappreciated contender. Their advanced cognition, tool-use, and ability to adapt to changing environments provide a blueprint for what might emerge as the planet’s next intelligent species after humanss“. However, this hypothesis may be surprising, as we might think that primates would replace humans. However, the latter are also subject to numerous problems and changes, such as global warming, which reduce their chances of reigning on Earth.  Related Articles Alexis Stegmann – Tech Writer – 130 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2025 I’ve been working in the field of web writing for several years, and I’m passionate about keeping readers up to date with the latest news on astronomy, technology, the world of video games and other exciting subjects. In particular, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a number of websites, which has enabled me to cover a wide range of subjects. In my personal life, I’m passionate about a wide range of subjects, including astronomy, video games, history and science. I’m also drawn to psychology, which is a subject that deserves greater documentation and recognition. Alexis Stegmann, 2025-08- 1 (Update: 2025-08- 1) Read More

The company has also focused on the performance capabilities that the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 brings to the table. To that end, GPD boasts that the Win 5 is a 7-inch gaming handheld that provides Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 laptop performance levels. As the company discusses towards the end of the video, pushing the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 to 70 W results in multiple hotspots with surface temperatures exceeding 48 °C in some areas. At this stage, the response from fans has been mixed. On the one hand, some fans seem to appreciate that GPD is pushing the envelope about what a gaming handheld could even be. On the other hand, many have voiced their concerns about GPD’s power button placement, which appears to sit beneath where one’s left-hand would rest. Moreover, omissions of a keyboard and an OLED display have also been taken badly by those in the gaming handheld community. Read More

An image showing stem cells obtained from a woman’s skin (Image source: UCLA via CIRM) In a first-in-human trial, UCLA scientists have shown that a tandem therapy using engineered stem cells can create a renewable source of cancer-fighting T cells that show no signs of exhaustion, a key limitation of current treatments. In a landmark clinical trial, a team of UCLA scientists has successfully used a patient’s own reprogrammed stem cells to create a persistent, internal factory for cancer-killing immune cells. The study, published in Nature Communications, describes a novel “tandem” therapy that could solve one of the biggest challenges in cancer immunotherapy — the short-lived effectiveness of T-cell treatments. Current T-cell therapies often provide a powerful initial response, but the engineered cells can become exhausted and lose their function over time. The new UCLA approach, tested in a Phase I clinical trial, combats this by using two separate cell infusions. Patients first receive a standard infusion of T cells engineered to attack tumors with the NY-ESO-1 antigen. A day later, they receive a second infusion of their own genetically modified blood-forming cell, formally called hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). These HSCs act as a long-term, self-renewing source, generating new T cells directly inside the body. Crucially, the paper reports that these new T-cell “progeny” showed tumor-specific functionality with “no evidence of anergy or exhaustion,” directly addressing the primary weakness of existing therapies. We’ve shown that it’s possible to reprogram a patient’s own stem cells to create a renewable immune defense against cancer. It’s not a cure yet… but it points to a future where we don’t just treat cancer — we prevent it from coming back. — Dr. Theodore Scott Nowicki, a lead author of the study. The engineered stem cells also include a built-in safety feature: a “suicide gene” called sr39TK. This gene allows doctors to track the cells in the body using PET scans and provides a way to destroy them if any unexpected toxicity occurs. Related Articles Chibuike Okpara – Tech Writer – 86 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2024 I have always been fascinated by technology and digital devices my entire life and even got addicted to it. I have always marveled at the intricacy of even the simplest digital devices and systems around us. I have been writing and publishing articles online for about 6 years now, just about a year ago, I found myself lost in the marvel of smartphones and laptops we have in our hands every day. I developed a passion for learning about new devices and technologies that come with them and at some point, I asked myself, “Why not get into writing tech articles?” It is useless to say I followed up the idea — it is evident. I am an open-minded individual who derives an infinite amount of joy from researching and discovering new information, I believe there is so much to learn and such a short life to live, so I put my time to good use — learning new things. I am a ‘bookworm’ of the internet and digital devices. When I am not writing, you will find me on my devices still, I do explore and admire the beauty of nature and creatures. I am a fast learner and quickly adapt to changes, always looking forward to new adventures. Chibuike Okpara, 2025-08- 2 (Update: 2025-08- 2) Read More

It might seem that “ChatGPT” is all you ever hear about when discussing AI chatbots, also known as LLMs. As it turns out, that’s reflected in the real world, too. Statcounter, which tracks the market share of operating systems, browsers, social media sites, and more, has begun tracking the number of sessions by users who visit artificial intelligence sites like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude AI, Microsoft Copilot, and more. The winner, not surprisingly, is ChatGPT, by an enormous margin: over 80 percent and climbing, which coincides with our own chatbot tests. Statcounter began tracking the statistics in March, and they’ve roughly remained the same since then: ChatGPT absolutely dominates, with a cluster of smaller AI chatbots below. So far, the only major change seems to have been Perplexity AI, which captured 16 percent of U.S. users in March, but has dropped to about 6 percent since then. Microsoft’s Copilot has risen, beginning at under 1 percent and now capturing about 10 percent of the market. For the U.S,, the Statcounter numbers break down as follows: in July, 80.22 percent of U.S. chatbot sessions went to ChatGPT, 9.51 percent to Copilot, 5.61 percent for Perplexity, 2.67 percent to Google Gemini, and 1.56 percent to Claude, with Deepseek capturing just 0.43 percent. Statcounter Though those numbers reflect the market share for U.S. users, the picture doesn’t differ that much when viewed from a worldwide perspective. There, ChatGPT’s market share rises to 82.69 percent, followed by Perplexity at 8.06 percent and Copilot (4.56 percent). Gemini (2.2 percent) and Deepseek (1.59 percent) captured the remainder of the sessions Statcounter tracked, with Claude bringing up the rear at 0.91 percent. To be fair, however, it’s not clear how Statcounter arrives at its numbers for tracking AI chatbots. In terms of sample size, Statcounter’s global statistics are based on an analysis of more than 5 billion page views on more than 1.5 million websites per month, the company says. Cookies on those 1.5 million sites can track which devices access them, what operating system they use, and so on. For estimating search engine results, Statcounter says that it uses those tracking cookies to determine if a user arrived from Google, Bing, or somewhere else. Still, one of the challenges with AI chatbots is that they’re not sending users anywhere else, which is worrying to content creators with the rise of features like Google’s AI Mode and AI-powered search. Statcounter representatives did not immediately answer a request for comment. Author: Mark Hachman, Senior Editor, PCWorld Mark has written for PCWorld for the last decade, with 30 years of experience covering technology. He has authored over 3,500 articles for PCWorld alone, covering PC microprocessors, peripherals, and Microsoft Windows, among other topics. Mark has written for publications including PC Magazine, Byte, eWEEK, Popular Science and Electronic Buyers’ News, where he shared a Jesse H. Neal Award for breaking news. He recently handed over a collection of several dozen Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs because his office simply has no more room. Read More

Skip to content Image: Christopher Null/Foundry At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Petite, unobtrusive hardware Wi-Fi connectivity and interconnected features work well Very affordable Cons Doesn’t detect the presence of carbon monoxide No battery backup on the hub; any power outage means no push notifications We encountered a minor operational problem during testing Our Verdict This three-alarm smoke detection system offers seamless, long-range interconnectivity and Wi-Fi support, giving you extra layers of fire security. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: X-Sense XS01-M Interconnected Smart Smoke Alarm (model FS31) The trouble with smoke alarms is that one alone usually doesn’t provide enough protection, even in smaller homes. An alarm that goes off in one room might not be heard in the rest of the house, obviating the entire point of the technology. Interconnected smoke alarms offer a solution: If one goes off, they all go off. But the technology either means having dedicated wiring installed or standardizing on a wireless interconnectivity platform and hoping your mesh of alarms are all in range of one another. Specifications The new XS01-M Interconnected Smart Smoke Alarm smoke alarm system (X-Sense model number FS31) gives the wireless interconnect concept an upgrade by putting a base station in the middle of the mesh. That station doesn’t just coordinate the satellite smoke alarms (it should be noted that these alarms will not detect harmful accumulations of carbon monoxide), it also connects to your home Wi-Fi network (2.4GHz only) and relays information to the X-Sense app on your smart phone. The X-Sense FS31 system worked exactly as promised, despite a wealth of interfering walls, floors, doors, electrical wiring, plumbing, and metal electronics between its three satellites. The satellites are modified versions the X-Sense XS01-WT smoke alarm I reviewed in the spring of 2021, bearing the model number XS01-M. They look identical to the standalone XS01-WT, with the only real difference being the addition of an internal 915MHz radio that’s used for inter-alarm communications. Three satellites come with the base station in the box (a 5-station model is also available for $140). A maximum of 24 satellites can be supported on one network, with add-on detectors priced at $30 each ($20 each at Amazon at press time). The unobtrusive hub of the X-Sense XS01-M Interconnected Smart Smoke Alarm system. Christopher Null/Foundry The base station, smaller than you might think at just 3.5 inches square, is powered by a USB-C connection. Note that it doesn’t carry a battery backup, so if the power goes out, your mobile notifications will go dark; consider plugging the hub into an uninterruptible power supply just in case. Each satellite is powered by an included (and replaceable) 3V lithium cell. The preinstalled batteries promise a 5-year operating life, and the alarm itself boasts a 10-year operating life before it must be retired. Installation and setup Setup is a multi-step affair, and the process is not immediately obvious, as the X-Sense app instructs you to scan a QR code on the back of the manual to begin registration. But that didn’t work for me, and eventually I stumbled my way through the app to find a screen for adding the smoke alarms directly, based on their model number. Again, the app doesn’t indicate how to add the base station but attempting to add an alarm prompts you to first onboard the base station by scanning a QR code on its underside. Once the base station has been added to the app, you can proceed to add the alarms, one at a time, by activating their respective batteries and pressing a pairing button on the side of each device. I encountered no trouble with this part of the process. Performance You can add up to 21 additional X-Sense XS01-M smoke alarms to the FS31 system, but be aware these do not detect the presence of harmful levels of carbon monoxxide. Christopher Null/Foundry The X-Sense FS31’s big selling point is of course the alarms’ interconnectivity, so I tested the devices by placing them in the furthest corners of my house, and then using the X-Sense app’s test feature to trigger an alarm that should, in theory, cause all of them to sound off. Sure enough, the system worked exactly as promised, despite a wealth of interfering walls, floors, doors, electrical wiring, plumbing, and metal electronics between the three satellites. X-Sense claims a 500-meter (1,640 feet) maximum range in open air, and though my home is not nearly that large, the system appeared more than capable at blanketing my entire house with coverage. The sirens are very loud and piercing, and three different siren styles are available, so you can customize different alarms with different sounds if desired. The volume of the alarm on the base station can be set, but all siren alarms remain at maximum volume regardless. Each satellite alarm can also be configured to send a variety of different notifications to your phone, including when alarms are triggered or end; when a device is silenced, tested, or malfunctions; low battery notifications; and offline notifications. Push notifications were successfully sent to both my phone and my email inbox. The X-Sense app gives you an at-a-glance look at all your alarms’ status and displays push notifications if the system goes into an alarm state. Christopher Null/Foundry I also tested the alarms with simulated smoke and found they alerted quickly when exposed to the hazard and stopped sounding promptly when the smoke cleared, with push notifications (and an email) being pushed out in seconds. Finally, I also tested the alarms with the base station disconnected. When one alarm was exposed to smoke, each of the other alarms still activated, even without the central hub to coordinate them. The only difference being that push and email notifications were not sent (with the app showing all devices offline). The absence of battery backup on the hub seems like a missed opportunity. The X-Sense app gives you

Image: AliExpress Multi-screen laptops are a thing, and have been a thing for a while. I vividly remember the ThinkPad W700DS, which had a pull-out, secondary screen years before people started packing USB monitors in their bags. But what about a laptop with a secondary touchscreen, in a convenient place, and a lot smaller than any similar design I’ve seen? The SZBox DSX156 uses a standard 15.6-inch 1080p screen up top, plus a 7-inch touchscreen to the left of the keyboard on the bottom. Again, this isn’t a new idea—we’ve seen the secondary touchscreen on a couple of laptops, like one of Lenovo’s ThinkBook offshoots or the Asus Zephyrus Duo. But both of those are fairly beefy designs, much closer to a “workstation” than a standard laptop. This one crams the secondary functionality into a laptop that’s shockingly normal-sized and just 1.6 kilograms (3.53 pounds), and I can see how touch-friendly apps on the secondary screen would make sense. AliExpress Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be checking it out. There are several red flags for this design, which Liliputing says is now on its second revision. One, the dimensions don’t make sense. A full-sized ANSI keyboard is about 11 inches wide, while a 15.6-inch 1080p screen is 13.6 inches wide. Based on those dimensions and the 7-inch 1280×800 touchscreen (5.6 inches wide without adding in the bezel), and accounting for the 357mm/14-inch total width, it seems like the keyboard on the DSX156 must be very squished, like something sized for a small tablet. (This is why the ThinkBook that had a roughly similar layout was over 17 inches on the primary screen.) Based on the specs listed at AliExpress, it’s also pretty light on power, with an Intel N100 processor and a single slot for DDR4 RAM that I wouldn’t trust to handle that secondary touchscreen at the same time as Windows 11. A 5,400mAh battery is tiny for any laptop, let alone for one with two screens—that’s the size of a phone battery—so I think it might be a typo. (Maybe 54 watt-hours?) At least it’s affordable, showing as $425.12 at the time of this writing… but that’s without RAM, storage, or an operating system. Still, the fact that this exists seems to indicate that we can fit bigger secondary screens in smaller laptops, if not without compromise. I think it’s worth investigating if you happen to be a laptop maker looking for ways to make a new model stand out from the crowd. Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he’s the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop “battlestation” in his off hours. Michael’s previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he’s covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he’s always looking forward to his next kayaking trip. Read More

Image: Ben Patterson/Foundry The United States Federal Trade Commission tried to make it easy to cancel subscription services in 2023. The judiciary threw it out earlier this year, just before it was scheduled to go into effect, on the grounds that the FTC had overstepped its authority and skipped procedural steps. Now the legislature, or at least a few members, will try to achieve the same thing. The newly proposed Congressional bill is being provisionally titled the “Click-to-Cancel Act of 2025.” It’s essentially trying to do the exact same thing that the FTC attempted, explicitly stating that it wants “to codify the rule issued by the Federal Trade Commission relating to click-to-cancel.” The two-page submission merely points to the original FTC filing, which says that customers must be able to cancel a subscription by the same means it was originally agreed upon. So if the bill passes, Americans couldn’t be forced to call or even snail-mail to cancel a subscription that was begun online or in an app. They’d also get an annual reminder before they were charged for re-upping a subscription for another year. It’s being proposed by a trio of Democratic congresspeople from California, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania, as Ars Technica reports. And unfortunately, that means it has little hope of passing under the current administration. At the risk of oversimplifying, the US Congress is currently bitterly divided with a slim margin of control held by business-friendly Republicans, who have gutted federal safeguards over industry at all levels. The conservatives are likely to keep any progressive proposals, no matter how popular, stymied. With the Trump administration apparently keeping an iron grip over the judiciary as well, it’s possible that even if the law were passed, it would be either sued out of existence or simply not enforced by federal regulators. The odds of any progress being made in the area of exploitative subscription tactics used against consumers seem slim to none, at least in the short term. Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he’s the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop “battlestation” in his off hours. Michael’s previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he’s covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he’s always looking forward to his next kayaking trip. Read More