Plain English guides
Explainers
The questions behind the headlines, answered in plain English: what a technology is, how it works, how the options compare and what it means for you. Every explainer links its sources.
43 stories, page 1 of 2
Why 128GB of shared memory matters more than your GPU for local AI
What is unified memory? It lets the CPU and GPU share one pool, which sets how large a local AI model you can run. Here is what fits in 8, 32 and ...
AIOpen weight vs closed AI models, and what you actually get
Open weight vs closed AI models explained: what weights are, why open weight is not open source, and how cost, privacy and running locally compare.
SecurityPasskeys vs security keys, and the accounts where a $29 key still wins
Passkeys vs security keys compared: synced passkeys are fine for most logins, but your email and cloud account deserve a hardware key. Here is which ...
ComputingHow to ditch Google Photos with Immich on a 200 dollar mini PC
Immich is the self-hosted Google Photos alternative that actually works in 2026. Here is the hardware you need, the Docker setup, and the migration ...
ComputingvLLM vs Ollama is the wrong question if you own spare machines
vLLM vs Ollama is the usual local LLM argument, but LocalAI and exo solve different problems. Here is how to pick a serving layer for your hardware.
ComputingHow to block ads on every device in your home with a Raspberry Pi
Pi-hole turns a Raspberry Pi into a network-wide ad blocker that covers every phone, laptop, TV and smart speaker in your house. Here is how to set ...
AI25 mathematicians vs OpenAI: The fight over who owns mathematical discovery
Twenty-five leading mathematicians have signed an open letter targeting OpenAI, arguing that AI labs are misrepresenting mathematical discovery and ...
AIWeatherNext 3 explained: Google's AI forecast now updates every hour at 5km
WeatherNext 3 explained: Google's AI weather model runs 15 day forecasts hourly at 5km resolution and claims up to 50 percent better rain accuracy.
ComputingBest home server OS 2026: Proxmox vs TrueNAS vs Unraid
Best home server OS 2026: Proxmox, TrueNAS and Unraid do three different jobs. A decision guide by workload, drive sizing, cost and learning curve.
SecurityHow to check what ports are exposed to the internet
How to check what ports are exposed to the internet, in five steps, from finding your real public IP range to closing management interfaces nobody ...
ComputingCo-Packaged optics explained: The AI chip bottleneck is the wiring
Co-packaged optics moves silicon photonics into the processor package. At 100 terabits per second per node, copper has run out of physical road.
SecurityHow to check the CISA KEV Catalog and find out what is being exploited today
The CISA KEV catalogue is a free public list of vulnerabilities criminals are provably using right now. Here is how to check your own software ...
ComputingShould you buy RAM now or wait? The 2026 memory crisis, priced
Should you buy RAM now in 2026? DRAM contract prices rose 90 percent then 58 percent in two quarters. Here is exactly when to buy and when to leave ...
ComputingHow to check if your server is exposed to the internet in under an hour
How to check if your server is exposed to the internet, in seven steps that cost nothing and take about an hour. Built for homelabs and small ...
ComputingAMD Helios vs Nvidia Vera Rubin: The memory number decides this one
AMD Helios vs Nvidia Vera Rubin comes down to memory, not FLOPS. AMD claims 31TB of HBM4 per rack against Nvidia's 20.7TB, and builds the whole thing ...
ComputingWhat is HBM4, and why your AI accelerator is starving rather than thinking
What is HBM4 memory explained in plain terms: how stacked memory works, why bandwidth beats raw FLOPS for AI inference, and why only three firms can ...
AILocal AI agent vs cloud agent: Which one should touch your accounts
Local AI agent vs cloud agent really comes down to where your session cookies live and what revocation means when the agent gets something wrong.
ComputingWhy NVIDIA is betting big on South Korea as its next AI stronghold
In the space of a few weeks, NVIDIA has announced a research lab at South Korea's leading university, a 500-billion-dollar partnership with SK Group.
ComputingA2A vs MCP: What each agent protocol actually does
A2A protocol vs MCP explained: MCP connects an agent to tools and data, A2A connects agents to each other. What each covers and who governs them.
ComputingMac mini M6 vs Mac Studio M5 Max vs M5 Ultra: Which one actually runs local models
Mac mini M6 vs Mac Studio for local LLM work. Unified memory is the real constraint, not core count. Here is the sum that decides which Apple desktop ...
ComputingWi-Fi 7 vs Wi-Fi 6E: Is the upgrade worth it in 2026?
Wi-Fi 7 vs Wi-Fi 6E, is it worth it? One speed test on your wired connection settles the question. For most homes the honest answer is not yet, and ...
ComputingNPU vs GPU vs CPU: What actually runs your AI
NPU vs GPU vs CPU explained: what each chip actually runs, what a TOPS number does not tell you, and why memory bandwidth decides local AI speed.
AIHow to run a local LLM on a Mac in 2026
How to run a local LLM on a Mac in 2026: work out your memory ceiling, pick a runner, choose the right quantisation, and know when a local model ...
EVs and EnergyWaymo vs Tesla vs Zoox vs Motional: Four robotaxi stacks compared
Waymo vs Tesla vs Zoox vs Motional robotaxi comparison: sensor suites, vehicle designs, operating models and permit counts, and what each bet assumes.
ComputingWigner crystal explained: Physicists just watched one move
Wigner crystal explained: electrons locking into a repeating pattern through mutual repulsion alone, and the Basel and Munich team who finally ...