Tech Rookies Staff

The DIY energy boom is here — 30 US states are planning to legalize plug-in solar tech, as home battery installations quietly hit a record high

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There’s no mistaking the growing momentum behind small-scale, low-cost solar panel installations: panels you can plug into a standard wall outlet, without the expense, time, or paperwork of a full rooftop installation. Now widely established in Europe (where the tech is best known as ‘balcony solar’), we’re starting to see a wave of American states … Read more

Austrian Audio’s new ‘semi-open-back’ wired headphones are named like some sort of hired assassin, but I tested them and if you want layered audio, they’re ‘The Arranger’ for you

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Austrian Audio The Arranger: Two-minute review The Arranger by Austrian Audio are an attempt to at least begin to fill the gap that exists between the company’s highest-end headphones and its wildly successful entry-level stuff. In case that isn’t a big enough ask by itself, Austrian Audio wants this new gap-filler to be just as … Read more

I’ve driven the hybrid Audi RS 5 — and it’s completely changed what I think of plug-in hybrids

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For decades, Audi’s RS division has built its reputation on extracting astonishing performance from combustion engines, pairing muscular powerplants with the brand’s legendary quattro all-wheel-drive system to create machines that could embarrass exotic supercars while carrying an entire family… and their pets. But times have changed. Stringent emissions regulations, the soaring cost of fuel and … Read more

Ukrainians are using VPNs to cause havoc in Russia by changing fuel station statuses on maps in a bid to cause chaos and confusion

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Ukrainians reportedly manipulate Russian fuel maps through coordinated online participation Over a million users visit the website behind the fuel map campaign Digital platforms become another battlefield during ongoing geopolitical conflicts worldwide A coordinated online campaign has reportedly encouraged users to alter fuel station information on digital maps across Russia, creating confusion among drivers. The … Read more