Ars Technica – Tech News

Affinity’s image-editing apps go “freemium” in first major post-Canva update

When graphic design platform-provider Canva bought the Affinity image-editing and publishing apps early last year, we had some major questions about how the companies’ priorities and products would mesh. This week, Canva gave us definitive answers to all of those questions: a brand-new unified Affinity app that melds the Photo, Designer, and Publisher apps into a single piece of software called “Affinity by Canva” that is free to use with a Canva user account, but which gates generative AI features behind Canva’s existing paid subscription plans ($120 a year for individuals).
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/10/canvas-new-affinity-app-is-free-to-use-but-locks-ai-features-behind-a-subscription/

NPM flooded with malicious packages downloaded more than 86,000 times

Attackers are exploiting a major weakness that has allowed them access to the NPM code repository with more than 100 credential-stealing packages since August, mostly without detection. Anyone who regularly downloads packages from NPM should check the Koi post for a list of indicators that their system has been compromised through PhantomRaven. These indicators can be used in system scans to determine whether they’ve been targeted.
https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/10/npm-flooded-with-malicious-packages-downloaded-more-than-86000-times/

Keep losing your key fob? Ford’s new “Truckle” is the answer.

It's called the "Truckle," and it's a hand-crafted silver and bronze belt buckle that might be the envy of every other cowboy out there, since this one has a place to keep your F-150's key fob without ruining the lines of your jeans. "Once you have it in there, you're not going to lose that key fob. You’re not going to be scratching your head (wondering) where it’s at. It's right there with you in the Truckle."
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/10/keep-losing-your-key-fob-fords-new-truckle-is-the-answer/

Software update shoves ads onto Samsung’s pricey fridges

Samsung confirmed today that it is showing advertisements on some US customers’ smart fridges. Samsung said the ads showing on some Family Hub-series fridges are part of a pilot program, but we suspect that they may become more permanent additions to Samsung fridges and/or other types of screen-equipped smart home appliances.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/09/samsung-forces-ads-onto-fridges-is-a-bad-sign-for-other-appliances/

Lenovo demos laptop with a screen you can swivel into portrait mode

Lenovo has proven again that it isn’t content with PC designs. The latest era of laptops has been focused on ultralight computers that are easy to transport, but they're hard to differentiate. However, Lenovo’s continual experimentation has brought us some unique laptop releases and concepts in recent years, including a laptop with a screen that expands by rolling, a laptop with an outward folding screen, laptops with foldable screens, and laptops with dual 14-inch displays.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/09/lenovo-demos-laptop-with-a-screen-you-can-swivel-into-portrait-mode/

Blogging service TypePad is shutting down and taking all blog content with it

image via arstechnica.com

In the olden days, publishing a site on the Internet required that you figure out hosting and have at least some experience with HTML, CSS, and the other languages that make the Internet work. But the emergence of blogging and "Web 2.0" sites in the late '90s and early 2000s gave rise to a constellation of services that would offer to host all of your thoughts without requiring you to build the website part of your website. The TypePad shutdown is rough news for the site's remaining user base—and it's yet another tranche of old Internet content that will only be available via the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, when it's available at all.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/08/one-time-wordpress-competitor-typepad-ends-its-slide-into-obscurity-by-shutting-down/

Google announces Material 3 Expressive, a colorful evolution of Android design

Google says the new interface will begin with Android OS, but it will eventually expand across the full Google app ecosystem, bringing a more lively vibe to Gmail, Google Photos, and more. Material 3 Expressive won't be entirely unfamiliar—it shares some basic design elements with the Material You system Google launched four years ago. Material 3 Expressive is a bolder take on the same aesthetic, featuring "springy" animations, brighter colors, and new shapes.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/05/google-reveals-vibrant-material-3-expressive-coming-soon-to-a-pixel-near-you/