PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the
latest
products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better
buying
decisions and get more from technology.
Aave service providers have been leading the DeFi United effort to restore rsETH’s backing since the April 18 incident.
We believe ecosystem collaboration matters most in moments like this, and our priority is achieving the strongest possible available outcome for users.… https://t.co/e4fiS6yTxv
— Aave (@aave) April 23, 2026
Bybit, as the biggest holder and supporter of Mantle, will vote YES for this proposal. When we got hacked the industry got together and helped us. It is the only right thing that we do the same to unit together and walk out from difficult times. https://t.co/GmAK4YwLns
— Ben Zhou (@benbybit) April 24, 2026
Start every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.
With the LA28 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games two years away, technology is shaping the way LA28 will be delivered to fans across the globe. Alex Merchan, Chief Marketing Officer at LA28, spoke to Deloitte’s Chief Data & AI Officer Michelle McGuire, at Variety’s Entertainment Marketing Summit presented by Deloitte about the Olympics’ marketing, use of L.A. and what the games mean to the American public.
Merchan revealed he was initially unaware that his position at LA28 existed, but feels that his career experience of “curating customer journeys, understanding fan engagement when it was analog and then digital, and creating real-life experiences and activations for brands” helped prepare him for his role.
When it comes to the 2028 Olympics, Merchan said: “We’re fortunate enough to have some lead time here and really look at those opportunities and see how we can build upon them…This city is built on innovation in so many ways, and such a rich city, people forget [in] the pecking order of things that L.A. has to offer, that’s one of them.”
Merchan also said that the planning committee would use L.A.’s extensive billboards around the city, along with activation elements at local professional sporting events, referring to the rollout as “L.A. in full bloom.”
“We have set the very ambitious goal of being the most technology-advanced games ever delivered,” said Merchan, who cited Deloitte, Omega and Google as key partners helping with the technological side of operations. He added, “Partners like NBC Universal are critical in terms of curating and developing a very unique and immersive way of taking in the games, whether you want to do so from your couch, your device, or streaming broadcast.”
Wrapping up the conversation, Merchan said, “The idea that after three decades, it comes back to American soil, I think, will be an exciting thing. There’s a whole generation out there, for different reasons, that have not experienced the games.”
“The idea that it’s in our time zone, in our backyard, in the U.S., at least if you’re living on the East Coast; the excitement that it’s real will only elevate the importance of this being not just the world’s biggest sporting event, but the idea that being in Los Angeles, we’ve got so much richness to share.”
Happy birthday, Jack Nicholson!
The Oscar-winner’s daughter Lorraine Nicholson marked his 89th birthday on Thursday by posting a rare photo of him on Instagram.
The pic, posted on Lorraine’s Stories, shows Jack clapping and smiling with a clapping Joni Mitchell sitting next to him. Lorraine didn’t indicate when the photo was taken, but simply wrote on the photo, “¡¡ 89 !!” after posting a photo of a younger Jack in a Coca-Cola shirt with, “89?”
Lorraine last posted a photo of her father in January, also on Instagram.
The “Terms of Endearment” actor’s last public appearance was beside Lorraine during the “Saturday Night Live” 50th anniversary television special on NBC in February 2025. He received loud applause while introducing a musical performance by Adam Sandler.
Lorraine is one of Jack’s six children. Her mother is actress Rebecca Broussard, whom he also shares a son, “Smile 2” star Ray Nicholson.
Jack made his acting debut in 1958 in Roger Corman’s “Cry Baby Killer.” What followed was a prolific career spanning more than five decades. He has earned three Oscars and BAFTAs, six Golden Globes and even a Grammy Award.
His last Oscar nomination was for best actor in 2003’s “About Schmidt” followed by his last film work, a supporting role in James L. Brooks’ “How Do You Know” with Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd and Owen Wilson.
Nicholson was honored with the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1994, the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1999 and the Kennedy Center Honor in 2001.
He last appeared at the Oscars in 2013 to present best picture with First Lady Michelle Obama.
John Ternus was unavoidable when Apple debuted the Macbook Neo. He kicked off an intimate media event for the Neo, introducing it as a transformative machine for Apple thanks to its low $599 cost ($499 for education customers) and premium build quality. He was interviewed on Good Morning America, the sort of prominent media feature CEO Tim Cook typically handles. And when I asked Apple workers about the Neo at its launch event, they almost always brought up Ternus’ vision of the laptop.
For all intents and purposes, Tetanus was Apple’s frontman for the MacBook Neo.
Ternus is slated for his coronation as Apple’s CEO on September 1, and the Neo is not only a feather in his cap, but a likely indication of the company’s approach to products going forward. It’s a sign that Apple is getting more comfortable taking risks.
Apple lives and dies on its own premium image. It completely gave up on making cheap iPhones like the SE and 5C, and the $599 iPhone 16e and 17e are more expensive than typical mid-range Android phones (though the $249 Apple Watch SE is admittedly one of the cheaper smartwatches around.). It was risky to shove a mobile processor into a full-fledged computer, which could have made it too weak. And it was a gamble to stick with a meager 8GB of RAM, practically sacrilegious within the Apple pantheon. It’s not breaking new ground for product categories, but the Neo, in being a budget laptop at all, is surprisingly un-Apple.
A citrus MacBook Neo on a table outside. (Devindra Hardawar for Engadget)
And yet, thanks to Ternus’s hardware leadership and Apple’s command of its software, the MacBook Neo has been a resounding success. It has the best build quality, screen, keyboard, speakers and trackpad that I’ve ever seen in a $600 laptop. As I wrote in my review, “every Windows PC maker, including Microsoft, should be ashamed.”
While we don’t know the full build cost for the Neo, Apple’s margins for selling it will undoubtedly be far slimmer than the MacBook Air or Pro. But the Neo is more than a profit maker. It’s a device that can serve as a gateway to the Apple ecosystem for kids and students. Even better, it could easily tempt over Windows users.
We can’t give Ternus all the credit for the Neo, of course, there’s an entire team of product managers and engineers below him doing the actual design work. But it’s hard to deny the flex of building a $600 laptop that doesn’t feel like total garbage. The MacBook Neo surprised me, a jaded technology reporter, on practically every level. And its existence makes me wonder how a Ternus-led Apple could continue to iterate without compromising quality or Apple’s signature attention to detail.
Ternus is the rare Apple engineer who has played a role in almost all of its existing products — in his 25 year tenure, he’s taken charge of building the Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch. That gives him a unique perspective of where the company could go next, as well as how Apple could stretch its own capabilities. And based on what I’ve seen of the MacBook Neo, it’ll be interesting to see how Apple reshapes itself for the future.
Crypto once faced strong rejection from banks, regulators, and mainstream media. Many institutions dismissed it as speculation or worse. That narrative shaped public perception for years. Now the tone feels completely different. Banks build blockchain products. Governments approve ETFs. Media outlets cover crypto daily. This change looks dramatic on the surface.
However, crypto adoption trends reveal something deeper. Institutions did not suddenly believe in crypto. They simply adjusted their strategy. They moved from resistance to participation. This shift reflects power, control, and survival. Financial systems rarely ignore disruptive technology forever. They adapt when resistance no longer works.
The banks that told you crypto was a scam are now building crypto products.
The governments that said they’d ban it are now issuing permits for ETFs and debating digital currencies.
The financial media that mocked it is now covering it daily.
They didn’t change their minds.…
— Lark Davis (@LarkDavis) April 24, 2026
Banks once labeled crypto risky and unreliable. Many warned customers to stay away. That messaging created fear among traditional investors. Today, the same banks explore custody services and blockchain infrastructure. They build trading platforms and integrate digital assets. This institutional crypto shift did not happen by accident. Banks saw rising demand they could not ignore. Clients wanted exposure to crypto markets. Ignoring that demand meant losing business.
Governments initially took a hard stance against crypto. Some countries threatened bans. Others imposed strict regulations. Now the conversation looks very different. Authorities approve crypto ETFs and discuss central bank digital currencies. This shift in government crypto policy highlights a strategic pivot.
Governments realized banning crypto would not stop its growth. Decentralized networks operate beyond traditional control. Instead of fighting it, regulators now aim to manage it.
They introduce frameworks that bring it into the regulated system. This approach allows oversight while supporting innovation. Crypto adoption trends reflect this balancing act. Governments want both control and participation in the digital asset economy.
Financial media once mocked crypto openly. Headlines focused on volatility, scams, and failures. That narrative shaped public skepticism. Today, coverage looks far more balanced. Major outlets track prices, report developments, and analyze trends. This change aligns with the broader crypto market narrative.
Media organizations follow audience interest. As it gained traction, demand for coverage increased. Ignoring crypto meant losing relevance. This shift does not mean complete support. It reflects adaptation to changing market realities. This adoption trends again explain the transition. As adoption grows, narratives evolve to match audience expectations.
This shift carries major implications for investors and users. Institutional involvement brings credibility and liquidity. It also introduces new risks and dynamics. Regulation will likely increase as governments refine policy frameworks. This could stabilize markets but limit certain freedoms.
At the same time, innovation will continue. Blockchain technology evolves rapidly, driven by both startups and institutions. The crypto market narrative will keep changing. Public perception will follow institutional behavior closely. This adoption trends suggest long-term integration into the financial system. It will not replace traditional finance entirely. It will merge with it.
This transformation tells a broader story about power and adaptation. Institutions rarely abandon control willingly. They adjust strategies to maintain relevance. This is challenged the traditional system in ways few technologies have. It forced banks, governments, and media to respond. The result is not a complete shift in belief. It is a calculated move toward participation. This adoption trends highlight this reality clearly. The system did not change its mind. It changed its position.
Last April, quantum computing research company Project Eleven announced it would reward anyone who could crack Bitcoin’s cryptography within a year with 1 Bitcoin (BTC).
The competition has ended, and one person won 1 Bitcoin for breaking the 15-bit encryption using a quantum computer.
According to The Block, researcher Giancarlo Relli won the competition launched by Project Eleven. Relli derived a 15-bit elliptic curve cryptographic private key using a quantum computer and received 1 Bitcoin as a prize.
This competition shows that quantum computers are beginning to break the elliptic curve cryptography used in Bitcoin.
Project Eleven described this result as the largest quantum attack on elliptic curve cryptography to date.
However, Project Eleven stated that Bitcoin wallets are protected by 256-bit elliptic curve cryptography, and comparing this level of security to the 15-bit key broken in this experiment is difficult and illogical.
Project Eleven recently stated that approximately 6.9 million Bitcoins are held in wallets where their public keys are visible on the blockchain, and that these wallets could be vulnerable to quantum attacks if sufficiently robust systems are developed.
As is known, discussions about quantum risks for Bitcoin and altcoins have increased in recent months. In a paper published by Google last March, it was estimated that breaking 256-bit elliptic curve cryptography might require fewer than 500,000 physical qubits.
*This is not investment advice.
Writer and proudcer Jez Butterworth is making a new home with Universal Entertainment.
Butterworth has signed a five-year overall deal that will cover both TV/streaming and film projects. He’ll work with Universal Studio Group on the TV side and Universal Pictures for movie development. Butterworth will also continue working with 101 Studios, which is behind two series, MobLand and The Agency, on which Butterworth is an exec producer and writer (both stream on Paramount+). 101 Studios signed a production deal with NBCUniversal last year as part of Taylor Sheridan moving his overall deals to NBCU.
“Jez Butterworth is a versatile creator whose storytelling has a way of getting under your skin,” NBCU Entertainment chair Donna Langley said in a statement. “Whether it’s on stage or screen, his distinct voice is surprising and intense but always deeply human. Having the opportunity to work across the entire Universal Entertainment ecosystem will provide multiple entry points for Jez to make a lasting impact at the studio.”
Said Butterworth, “I couldn’t be more thrilled and honored to join Donna and the team at Universal. I feel fortunate to continue my incredible partnership with 101 Studios and Chris [McCarthy] while I embark on this new adventure.” Former Paramount co-CEO McCarthy also made the move to NBCU last year and will help manage the company’s relationship with Sheridan, who is moving his film deal to NBCUniversal this year, with TV to follow in 2029.
Butterworth’s writing credits also include Ford v. Ferrari, Edge of Tomorrow, Fair Game and the series Britannia, among others. He is repped by CAA and Jackoway Austen.
The Hollywood Reporter and the Sustainable Entertainment Alliance teamed up on Thursday for an inaugural celebration of Hollywood environmentalism, with a special appearance from former Vice President Al Gore.
The Sustainability in Entertainment Honors event, held at Hotel Bel-Air, was timed to THR‘s annual Sustainability Issue and was led by a keynote conversation between Gore and Bradley Whitford, in honor of the 20th anniversary of An Inconvenient Truth. The Oscar-winning documentary followed the former politician as he campaigned to raise public awareness of the dangers of global warming and called for immediate action to save the planet.
Whitford introduced Gore on stage by declaring him “the leader that all of our children deserved.” The VP started the conversation by looking back at the start of An Inconvenient Truth, which began with him developing an environmental slideshow while still in the White House (“Steve Jobs asked me to join the Apple board soon after that, and said, ‘You know, Al, we have these things called computers now,’” mocking his old-fashioned method.) He then agreed to promote 2004’s The Day After Tomorrow because of its climate change warnings, joking, “and the press said, ‘Well, isn’t this fictional?’ I said, ‘Well, it’s not as fictional as the Bush-Cheney account.’”
That connected him with Day After Tomorrow producer Laurie David, who told him his slideshow should be a movie. “I thought that was a crazy idea,” Gore admitted. Looking back now, he continued, “I’m so glad I was wrong, because the impact of the movie from my own personal experience — I travel around the country and in other countries, people still come up and talk about it and what the impression was.”
“I can’t think of another movie that puts an issue out there in a way that validated the public discussion. I can’t think of anything else that came close to this,” Whitford emphasized, noting the power of storytelling that he experienced personally with The West Wing, as he teased, “we did fix the Middle East in two episodes.”
Gore joked back, “And I was going to say about An Inconvenient Truth, if it hadn’t been for me, we might have a big problem right now.” But despite the escalating climate crisis, Gore said he still believes there are a lot of reasons for hope.
Bradley Whitford, Geena Davis, Al Gore and Ed Begley Jr.
John Sciulli/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images
“We’re in a climate policy recession right now because of the current U.S. president, mainly, and because of the massive spending and lobbying by the fossil fuel polluters. But the polls, just in the last week, confirmed that public opinion here in the U.S. is that it’s matching its highest record ever,” he explained. “People understand that we have to solve this. There’s a certain amount of what’s called ‘climate hushing’ going on now. That’s not climate denial; climate hushing is where business people who are scared of Trump or scared of one of the Broligarchs or something will kind of downplay the issue, but the underlying concern is very, very high, and so there is a lot of hope.”
He pointed specifically to the massive growth in solar power and electric vehicles over the last two decades and put much of the blame on the fossil fuel lobby, who have “spent billions and billions of dollars deceiving people” and have “captured enough of the politicians and policymakers to be in effective control of the policies that affect their business model.” Gore also admitted he was surprised that the politicalization around climate change has lasted so long, thinking it would become a bipartisan issue like fights against tobacco and healing the ozone layer.
The conversation ended with Whitford expressing his concerns about AI and the energy it uses, to which Gore responded, “It’s a serious concern; it is not a cause for panic. If you look at all of the generative AI data centers worldwide as it exists today, their emissions are less than half of what is coming from uncovered landfills … what we need is political will to start looking at the solutions in a very rational and prioritized way.” He did however note that when it comes to AI’s use, “I’ve never seen anything remotely like this. I go along with those who say this is by far the most important and significant scientific revolution in all of history.”
Along those lines, Gore urged, “We have to rekindle the spirit of America and revive the quality of our democratic discourse and bring democracy back to life, IRL — in real life — not by bots on the internet and thinking that’s going to do it,” while emphasizing how Hollywood storytelling could have a significant impact at this moment. “We have the biggest challenge that Americans have ever had in holding onto our democracy, holding onto American values.”
Paradise‘s John Hoberg, Sarah Shahi and Stephen Markley.
Joe Scarnici/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images
Elsewhere during the programming, THR editor-in-chief Maer Roshan and publisher Lori O’Connor delivered remarks, and several Hollywood productions were recognized for their sustainability efforts. Paradise received the Achievement in Sustainable Storytelling honor, presented by actress Sarah Shahi and accepted by writer-executive-producer John Hoberg and writer Stephen Markley.
In their speech, Markley called out the entertainment industry’s poor track record for telling environmental stories, saying, “In the past four years, the industry has collectively greenlit a handful of stories about the climate crisis and that silence has played a direct role in shaping the disregard we see in the public imagination. The world is 1.5 degrees hotter, with endless disaster befalling people on every continent, and every story we greenlight that does not reflect that reality is essentially science fiction. Denial continues to be a piss poor strategy, yet even after 16,000 homes in our home city burned to the ground, I can tell you from experience, it’s never been harder to get something greenlit about the climate crisis.”
The Boroughs creators Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews.
Joe Scarnici/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images
New Netflix series The Boroughs was honored with the Achievement in Sustainable Production award, presented by Netflix’s Jinny Howe to creators Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews; Grey’s Anatomy was recognized with the Legacy of Sustainable Storytelling honor, with actors Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. presenting to showrunner Meg Marinis and Shondaland chief content officer Alison Eakle.
James Pickens Jr., Meg Marinis, Alison Eakle, Chandra Wilson and Caterina Scorsone of Grey’s Anatomy.
John Sciulli/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images
The event also featured a conversation on the state of Hollywood sustainability, moderated by Sustainable Entertainment Alliance executive director Sam Read with director Kat Coiro, Netflix sustainability officer Emma Stewart, Adam Umhoefer (executive, community & impact at CAA) and Gabriele Almon (senior director, advocacy at the Television Academy).
The chat touched on the need for more climate storylines, the push to normalize talking about sustainability on set and asking questions, the importance of talking to sustainability officers at Hollywood companies to help put plans in motion and the desire to change the way things have been done in the industry for decades, despite pushback.
“I remember starting out and feeling so proud of myself for having one of my first big jobs, and I walked out by a dumpster that was filled to the top with plastic bottles that had been used in one day of creating a story. It completely deflated me because I said, ‘I love my job, but I don’t want to be part of this huge problem,’” said Coiro, who recently directed You, Me & Tuscany. “And we are big; movies and television shows, there’s so many people working, there’s so many resources that need to come together to make a story. So how can we be responsible? That was the impetus for me: How can we tell great stories that are entertaining and also not be completely irresponsible?” She added, “I would love to walk away from a set and have created the minimal amount of waste and feel like I created the story, but not a big, giant pile of trash.”
Emma Stewart, Adam Umhoefer, Gabriele Almon, Kat Coiro and Sam Read.
Joe Scarnici/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images
Jez Butterworth has signed a five-year film and television deal with Universal Entertainment, Variety has learned. The deal will begin in January 2027.
“Jez Butterworth is a versatile creator whose storytelling has a way of getting under your skin. Whether it’s on stage or screen, his distinct voice is surprising and intense but always deeply human,” said Donna Langley, chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment. “Having the opportunity to work across the entire Universal Entertainment ecosystem will provide multiple entry points for Jez to make a lasting impact at the Studio.”
On the film side, Butterworth will work with the Universal Pictures team led by Peter Cramer. On the TV side, he will work with Pearlena Igbokwe’s Universal Studio Group for potential linear and streaming projects.
This marks the latest major deal announcement for NBCUniversal. As previously reported, Taylor Sheridan is already at work on film projects for Universal, while the “Yellowstone” mastermind will begin a new TV overall deal with NBCUniversal starting in 2029. Likewise, Sheridan collaborators 101 Studios and former Paramount boss Chris McCarthy have production deals that began at the top of this year.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled and honored to join Donna and the team at Universal,” Butterworth said. “I feel fortunate to continue my incredible partnership with 101 Studios and Chris [McCarthy] while I embark on this new adventure.”
Butterworth most recently collaborated with 101 Studios and McCarthy on the Paramount+ show “Mobland” starring Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan, and Helen Mirren. He is also behind the spy show “The Agency” for Paramount+. Both are currently prepping their second seasons. His film credits include “Edge of Tomorrow,” the James Bond film “Spectre,” “Ford v. Ferarri,” “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” and “Get on Up.”
Butterworth is repped by CAA and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.