• California residents can use new tool to demand brokers delete their personal data

    California is giving residents a new tool that should make it easier for them to limit data brokers’ ability to store and sell their personal information. While state residents have had the right to demand that a company stop collecting and selling their data since 2020, doing so required a laborious process of opting out with each individual company. The Delete Act, passed in 2023, was supposed to simplify things, allowing residents to make a single request that more than 500 registered data brokers delete their information. Now the Delete Requests and Opt-Out Platform (DROP) actually gives residents the ability…

  • How to watch the Hyundai CES 2026 presentation live

    CES has long felt like a full-on auto show, but the car-centric energy seems somewhat muted at CES 2026. Sure, the Afeela electric vehicle from the Sony-Honda joint venture is returning to the show floor, but with the Trump administration yanking most EV incentives from the market, the industry isn’t offering a full-court press of new vehicles in Las Vegas this year. That said, there’s no shortage of in-cabin car tech on display, including Hyundai’s Holographic Windshield Display. Indeed, the company’s Mobis subsidiary will present “more than 30 mobility convergence technologies” during CES. And we’ll also get to see Hyundai’s…

  • Mitsubishi Pajero: New Triton-based SUV teased

    Mitsubishi has teased its upcoming SUV based on the Triton ute, which many believe will resurrect the Pajero nameplate. The video (below) released on New Year’s Day celebrates the company’s rally and racing heritage, and includes shots of the Lancer Evolution, Pajero Evolution and various Dakar vehicles. The meat of the video is of the current Triton Ralliart competing in the Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR). At the end, Mitsubishi’s new SUV makes a shadowy appearance. The headlight graphics match up with the company’s latest design, and the overall styling matches spy photos taken in the middle of 2025. Those…

  • Volkswagen is bringing physical buttons back to the dashboard with the ID. Polo EV

    We could be witnessing the start of the renaissance for real buttons in cars, courtesy of Volkswagen’s ID. Polo. The German automaker unveiled the interior of its upcoming compact EV, which features real buttons, switches and even a knob for audio controls. “We have created an interior that feels like a friend from the very first contact,” Volkswagen’s chief designer, Andreas Mindt, said in a press release. “Clear physical buttons provide stability and trust, warm materials make it appealing, and charming details such as the new retro views of the instruments show the typical Volkswagen wink.” Volkswagen Last year, Mindt…

  • Bitfinex hacker Ilya Lichtenstein credits Trump for early release from prison

    Ilya Lichtenstein, who pled guilty to money laundering charges tied to his role in the massive hack of crypto exchange Bitfinex, has apparently been released early from prison. In a Thursday evening post on X, Lichtenstein said he was out early “thanks to President Trump’s First Step Act” (a prison reform bill passed during Trump’s first term). “I remain committed to making a positive impact in cybersecurity as soon as I can,” Lichtenstein said. “To the supporters, thank you for everything. To the haters, I look forward to proving you wrong.” The Department of Justice arrested Lichtenstein and his wife…

  • Automotive trends that need to die in 2026

    Some automakers’ design choices are never mimicked, while others become so trendy every other brand rushes to follow suit. Be it massive touchscreens, capacitive ‘switchgear’ or designs that came straight out of I, Robot, there’s always something ‘new’ that feels like we’ve seen it before. Here are some of the automotive trends the CarExpert team would like to leave in 2025. Alborz Fallah: Stop putting the Tesla-like car display in the instrument cluster I want to see car companies stop putting the Tesla-esque assistance display in the instrument cluster. I don’t need to have a computer tell me what cars…

  • California introduces a one-stop shop to delete your online data footprint

    Californians can now put a stop to their personal data being sold around on an online trading floor, thanks to a new free tool. On January 1, the state launched its Delete Request and Opt-out Platform, shortened to DROP, that allows residents to request to delete all of their personal information online that’s been harvested by data brokers. According to the California Privacy Protection Agency (CalPrivacy), which was responsible for DROP’s release, it’s a “first of its kind” tool that imposes new restrictions on businesses that hoard and sell personal info that consumers didn’t provide directly. The process requires verifying…

  • How to watch the Sony Honda Afeela CES 2026 press conference

    Sony’s CES 2026 press conference is just a few days away, and this year comes with a twist: Rather than an overview of Sony’s electronics, video game and Hollywood studio plans for the new year, the presser will have a more narrow focus: electric vehicles. Sound odd? That’s because the traditional end-of-press-day slot isn’t just Sony, but rather Sony Honda Mobility — the joint venture responsible for the Afeela 1 electric car that has been showcased at CES for the better part of a decade. But this year, we’ll get to see an all-new concept model at the event. How…

  • How to watch the NVIDIA CES 2026 presentation live

    During CES 2025, NVIDIA spent much of its keynote touting its leading position in artificial intelligence. Still, the company managed to squeeze in a few notable hardware announcements, including its RTX 5000-series GPUs and Project Digits desktop supercomputer (later redubbed Spark). For this year’s show, the company’s website says it’s “lighting up CES 2026 with the power of AI.” To that end, NVIDIA is going big in Las Vegas, promising hands-on demos in its Fontainebleau booth, replete with the “latest NVIDIA solutions driving innovation and productivity across industries.” But if you won’t be in Vegas for the action, don’t worry.…

  • What to expect from tech’s big January conference

    The new year is upon us, and that means CES 2026 is imminent. The biggest tech trade show of the calendar comes with a bevy of new and notable announcements that set the tone for trends and expectations for the subsequent 12 months. The CES 2026 show floor is officially open from January 6 through 9, but the fun kicks off with events on Sunday January 4, followed by a host of press conferences on Monday. As always, product demos, announcements and networking will be happening at the Las Vegas Convention Center and other hotels all over the city. As…