Dan Ackerman
As seen in:
Micro Center,
Medium,
MSN,
MSN Canada,
MSN Ireland,
Yahoo News,
CBS News,
CNET,
Gizmodo,
Gizmodo en Español,
NPR
and
Editor-in-Chief, @MicroCenter. Ex-EiC, Gizmodo; Editorial Director, CNET/CBS. Author, the Tetris Effect. Get my super sweet Newsletter! bit.ly/334WzQz
Articles by Dan Ackerman
Access Your AI PC from Any Laptop with Tailscale
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The Era of Local AI May Finally Be Here
At Nvidia’s RTX Spark Editor’s Day in San Francisco last week, I kept coming back to one question: is local AI finally ready? Some ideas always seem to be on the cusp of really happening—but never quite get there. For some time, one of those ideas has been local AI, the concept that you can run open-weight AI models on-device, rather than via a cloud subscription service. On paper, it sounds like a great idea.
Hands-On with the Lenovo Pro 9n RTX Spark Laptop
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Benchmarking the RTX Spark
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NVIDIA RTX Spark: Everything We Know
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A Bloodbath for Local News
If you think things look grim for digital publications, that’s nothing compared to the situation at America’s local newspapers. This month brought major layoffs at papers owned by two of our remaining newspaper chains, McClatchy and Lee Enterprises. Among the hardest hit was the Miami Herald, which lost more than one-third of its editorial staff, along with cuts at The Sacramento Bee, The Idaho Statesman, The Lexington Herald-Leader, and many others.
Tech Support with Dan Ackerman
Grand Theft Auto VI is virtually guaranteed to be a blockbuster. Preorders are reportedly strong, and PS5 consoles are in short supply as gamers snatch up remaining stock before the game’s November release. My main exposure to the game so far is the “Extended Look” that briefly debuted as a Netflix exclusive before racking up 14 million views on YouTube. Variety reports that the Netflix version has clocked 31 million views so far.
Maybe Google Zero is Good for Publishers
New data shows that the number of pageviews online publishers are serving continues to decline at an alarming rate. But it’s not all bad news. The pageviews that remain are being monetized at higher rates, replacing at least some of the lost income from what used to be Google’s traffic spigot. At least that’s the take from Digiday, reporting on new figures from adtech company Ozone.
More AI-powered News is Coming, Like it or Not
What was scandalous in 2023 is now commonplace in 2026. AI-generated news is making further attempts at capturing our eyeballs. Three years ago, I was an unwilling party to two early experiments in AI-generated news publishing. CNET’s former parent company started publishing AI-generated finance articles, and later Gizmodo’s parent company published an AI-generated article riddled with errors. Both butted up against editorial policy, and both generated a ton of negative publicity.
Is it Finally Time for a Touchscreen MacBook?
These days, I usually use this space to talk about the downfall of the media industry or the rise of the AI industry (and the possibility that these two things are linked). Today I’m pausing that to talk about one of my other favorite topics—cool consumer tech. Namely, the recent reports that a touchscreen version of Apple’s MacBook may finally be happening. My former CNET colleagues put it at 100%, at least according to the leaker they quote.
Tech Support with Dan Ackerman
GitHub, often the canary in the coal mine for so much in tech, is shifting its AI services billing away from a flat subscription. “The company is switching its billing system from a flat subscription rate to a token-usage system that has the potential to bill users at a significantly higher rate,” TechCrunch reports.
Tech Support with Dan Ackerman
My obsession with the 1920 play Rossum's Universal Robots and what it tells us about robots, AI, and economics. As a writer/editor/reviewer, I tend to stick to the written word, but recently I was inspired to make a rare foray into long-form video. The current discourse about AI has been nagging me for some time to relate it back to one of my long-held obsessions -- Rossum’s Universal Robots. That’s the 1920 play, better known as R.U.R., that introduced the word “robot” to the world.
PlayStation Plus Prices Are Increasing for New Subscribers Starting May 20
34 minutes ago cnet Oscar Gonzalez is a Texas native who covered video games, conspiracy theories, misinformation and cryptocurrency. PlayStation Plus, Sony's subscription gaming service for its consoles, is increasing its price for new subscribers. The company blamed "ongoing market conditions" for the price increase. It's the go-to explanation for gaming hardware companies, including Microsoft and Nintendo's increases in pricing for the Xbox and Switch 2 consoles. cnet .
Tech Support with Dan Ackerman
There’s a new narrative starting to take hold in the business and tech press. Based on everything I’ve seen, it’s one worth exploring. The idea: the true cost of AI, once you strip away the artificially low subsidized pricing everyone has gotten used to paying, makes AI relatively expensive, even given its tremendous capabilities.
Tech Support with Dan Ackerman
In 2024, I got a pair of Meta Ray-Ban glasses. I had prescription lenses put in them and used them as my main eyeglasses...until now. While I’ve gotten a lot of utility out of these smart glasses, just wearing them on the street is starting to take on an uncomfortable air.
Tech Support with Dan Ackerman
People really like talking about AI. That’s not to say they actually like AI; they just like talking about it. They like talking about the political, business, and societal implications, or comparing the current AI era to previous boom-and-bust cycles. In these conversations, I find that very few people are what you might call profoundly pro-AI. Many are ambivalent about it, at best seeing some benefit wrapped in a larger cloak of danger.
Apple Mac Pro Fades Into Oblivion
27 minutes ago cnet I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats. It seems like it was only a matter of time.
I am on the Valnet Blacklist. Here is What I learned.
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Bambu Lab H2D Unboxing and Setup
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How to Upgrade Your Laptop's RAM and Storage
There are a lot of reason why you might want to upgrade a laptop. An upgrade can expand the lifespan of your device by years or bolster its speed and capabilities. Hardware upgrades aren't just for older laptops. A quick upgrade can save you of money when buying a new PC, too; buy the laptop you like and add the storage and RAM you want as needed. I've personally bought gaming laptops on sale, opened them up and installed more storage and RAM, saving hundreds of dollars.
Here Are the Best Game Subscription Services
Why You Can Trust CNET Sq. Feet of Lab Space CNET staff -- not advertisers, partners or business interests -- determine how we review products and services. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Editors' Note: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers a slew of benefits, including a massive game library, diverse device support and both PC and console games.
Trump administration considers a new way of extracting minerals in the Pacific Ocean
The Trump administration is considering a first-of-its kind mining project at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. But deep-sea mining has raised major environmental questions.
Trump administration considers a new way of extracting minerals in the Pacific Ocean
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