Trump administration's deal to allow 3D-printed gun blueprints online ruled illegal

In brief: A settlement between the Trump administration and a gun technology company that allowed the latter to post blueprints of 3D-printed guns online has been ruled illegal.

Back in 2018, the Defense Department reached a deal as part of a settlement with non-profit Defense Distributed, which in 2013 claimed to have created the world’s first working 3D-printed pistol, the “Liberator.”

The Obama State Department had banned blueprints of 3D-printed guns being posted


Seagate reveals FireCuda PCIe 4.0 SSD and a $350 'gaming dock'

If you thought the rush of PCIe 4.0-powered SSD announcements was over, think again. Following in the wake of reveals from Samsung, Sabrent , and Gigabyte , Seagate today launched the FireCuda 520 : a blazing-fast M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD from a company with a fairly reliable track record in the storage space.

Alongside the FireCuda 520's

Continue reading...

WordPress partners with Stripe to offer recurring payments for millions of websites

In brief: WordPress says over 400 million people view 20 billion pages on the platform every month. The company is now giving creators an easy way to set up subscriptions for their websites, which could prove beneficial especially for the smaller ones.

Last December WordPress owner Automattic released the latest version of the popular content management system with lots of new features and a new, block-based editing experience. The company now wants to lend a hand to the millions of bloggers out there that might not be able to


Tesla's next Gigafactory will be built in Berlin

In brief: Despite several setbacks, electric carmaker Tesla continues to forge ahead. It's set to unveil its latest vehicle (a "cyberpunk" electric pickup truck) later this month, and now, reports claim the company's next "Gigafactory" is on the way. The factory will produce "batteries, powertrains & vehicles," starting with the upcoming Model Y crossover.

For the unaware, Tesla's Gigafactories are just what they sound like: massive factories with thousands of workers, which all aim

Continue reading...

Take-Two Interactive says more sequels are on their way

Something to look forward to: Take-Two Interactive, the publisher best known for Grand Theft Auto, has revealed that sequels to some of its biggest games are in the works.

In its earnings call for the second quarter of the financial year, the company stated it had the "strongest development pipeline in its history, including sequels from our biggest franchises as well as exciting new IP."

While one of these sequels could be GTA VI, a more likely title is a new BioShock game. Early last year,


Iowa hired a cybersecurity firm to do penetration testing, then arrested its workers

In brief: With data breaches and ransomware attacks seemingly occurring weekly, Iowa state officials thought it would be an opportune time to have professionals test the security at government facilities around the state. So it hired cybersecurity firm Coalfire to conduct penetration testing (pen testing) on both infrastructure components like servers and physical building access. Then something else happened...

In one of its tests back in September, two Coalfire employees found a door at the Dallas County Courthouse wide open. They entered the building and intentionally set off an


iPhone bug shows Facebook app accessing the camera while scrolling through videos and the newsfeed

What just happened? People have discovered a bug in the Facebook app that seems to open the camera in the background, which is yet another privacy risk that wasn't assessed by the company before releasing the latest version of the app to iPhone users. A fix is on the way.

Recently, several Facebook users noticed the app is opening the camera while they're scrolling through their feeds. Many of them took to platforms like Twitter and Reddit to report their findings.

A common description of the problem seems to


Twitch Studio is now available to the public in its open-beta phase

In context: While getting started streaming your games on Twitch can be as easy as hitting the share button on your PS4 controller, these broadcasts lack the professionalism that you will see on experienced streamers' channels. This is a make-or-break issue for beginners looking to generate followers. Fortunately, Twitch is making it easier for them to create beautiful channels right out of the gate.

Back in August, Twitch announced that it was working on a desktop application called Twitch Studio that aimed at making it easier for

Continue reading...

Facebook introduces 'Facebook Pay,' a new payment platform for Messenger and Facebook

It seems like just about every major tech company has come up with a branded payment system for its users. There's Google Pay (once known as Android Pay), Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and now, Facebook Pay .

Facebook Pay was announced today, with the primary goal of providing Facebook users with a " convenient, secure, and consistent " payment experience throughout various company properties, including Facebook itself and Messenger. Instagram and WhatsApp support is coming down the line.

Unlike the other "Pay" services

Continue reading...

8BitDo's N30 wireless mouse is a must-have for NES lovers

Bottom line: The 8BitDo N30 wireless mouse is clearly a nostalgia grab. It doesn’t look very comfortable for long-term use and there are far better options out there in terms of practicality but boy is that retro design incredibly gorgeous.

Third-party video game hardware maker 8BitDo is now shipping an affordable stocking stuffer that’s both nostalgic and practical.

Inspired by the original Nintendo Entertainment System, the 8BitDo N30 wireless mouse could easily be mistaken for a period correct accessory from

Menu