First revealed last December through a Chinese retailer, Sharge’s new 65W GaN charger is now available globally. As the name implies, the Retractable 65 features an integrated USB-C cable that fully retracts when not in use so you won’t be scrambling to find one when a device is about to die. It’s available in white or black for $39.90 and while it comes with US style folding prongs it can be ordered with EU and UK outlet adapters.

The Retractable 65 can deliver up to a maximum of 65W of power with a single device connected, so you can use it to charge larger devices like laptops. In addition to the retractable USC-cable that’s just over 27 inches in length, the charger includes an additional USB-C port. Two devices can be charged simultaneously, but while Sharge hasn’t detailed how power is split between the two ports, the charger’s maximum output drops to 60W while both are in use.

The Retractable 65 joins a growing number of chargers and portable power solutions featuring retractable cables, thanks in part to most devices now supporting USB-C so companies like Sharge don’t have to accommodate several different charging ports.

The big question with this trend is how durable are the internal mechanisms used to retract integrated cables? As someone who likes to fidget with gadgets all day (and who broke the spring-loaded memory card eject mechanism on a Sony camera while fidgeting with it) I will undoubtedly be doing the same with chargers like this.

Will it survive someone mindlessly yanking out the cable and watching it go flying back into the charger all day like a tape measure? On its website Sharge claims the mechanism can survive “10,000+ stretch cycles” without breaking, but we’ve reached out to the company for more details about the charger’s durability — including if a broken retraction mechanism is covered under warranty — and will update this story when it responds.

Bitcoin miner Argo Blockchain announced a CEO departure and interim leadership changes.

Argo Blockchain, the British dual-listed Bitcoin (BTC) mining company, has revealed that CEO Thomas Chippas will step down from his role and board position, effective Feb. 28. 

CFO Jim MacCallum will step in as interim CEO while the company conducts a search for a permanent successor.

Chippas, who joined Argo in November 2023, led several financial improvements during his tenure. These included the early repayment of the company’s Galaxy loan and strengthening its balance sheet.

Argo’s heavy losses

Despite these initiatives, Argo continues to face significant challenges. According to Finance Magnates, the company reported a $6.3 million net loss in Q3 2024, with revenue falling 28% year over year to $7.5 million.

In December, Argo raised $5.3 million through a share subscription to support strategic initiatives. These included relocating or selling mining equipment from its Helios facility in Texas and maintaining operations in Quebec, Canada.

The company’s latest mining report highlights stagnant production, with 39 Bitcoin mined in December — the same figure as November — marking a five-month low.

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Christian’s journey with the written word began long before the age of Bitcoin. In the hallowed halls of academia, he honed his craft as a feature writer for his college paper. This early love for storytelling paved the way for a successful stint as an editor at a data engineering firm, where his first-month essay win funded a months-long supply of doggie and kitty treats – a testament to his dedication to his furry companions (more on that later).

Christian then roamed the world of journalism, working at newspapers in Canada and even South Korea. He finally settled down at a local news giant in his hometown in the Philippines for a decade, becoming a total news junkie. But then, something new caught his eye: cryptocurrency. It was like a treasure hunt mixed with storytelling – right up his alley!

So, he landed a killer gig at NewsBTC, where he’s one of the go-to guys for all things crypto. He breaks down this confusing stuff into bite-sized pieces, making it easy for anyone to understand (he salutes his management team for teaching him this skill).

Think Christian’s all work and no play? Not a chance! When he’s not at his computer, you’ll find him indulging his passion for motorbikes. A true gearhead, Christian loves tinkering with his bike and savoring the joy of the open road on his 320-cc Yamaha R3. Once a speed demon who hit 120mph (a feat he vowed never to repeat), he now prefers leisurely rides along the coast, enjoying the wind in his thinning hair.

Speaking of chill, Christian’s got a crew of furry friends waiting for him at home. Two cats and a dog. He swears cats are way smarter than dogs (sorry, Grizzly), but he adores them all anyway. Apparently, watching his pets just chillin’ helps him analyze and write meticulously formatted articles even better.

Here’s the thing about this guy: He works a lot, but he keeps himself fueled by enough coffee to make it through the day – and some seriously delicious (Filipino) food. He says a delectable meal is the secret ingredient to a killer article. And after a long day of crypto crusading, he unwinds with some rum (mixed with milk) while watching slapstick movies.

Looking ahead, Christian sees a bright future with NewsBTC. He says he sees himself privileged to be part of an awesome organization, sharing his expertise and passion with a community he values, and fellow editors – and bosses – he deeply respects.

So, the next time you tread into the world of cryptocurrency, remember the man behind the words – the crypto crusader, the grease monkey, and the feline philosopher, all rolled into one.

U.S. government contractor Conduent, which provides technology to support services such as child support and food assistance, has confirmed that a recent outage was caused by a cybersecurity incident. 

Conduent confirmed the disruption, which left some U.S. residents without access to support payments, to TechCrunch on Tuesday but declined to say whether the outage was related to a compromise of its systems. 

In an updated statement sent to TechCrunch on Wednesday, Conduent spokesperson Sean Collins confirmed that the disruption was due to a “due to a cybersecurity incident”, the nature of which was not confirmed. 

“This incident was contained and all systems have been restored,” Collins said. “Maintaining system integrity and functionality is as important to us as it is to our clients.”

Collins declined to share any further details about the incident, including whether the company was aware of any data exfiltration.

Kingdom Holding, the investment firm of Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, won’t invest in cryptocurrency in the near future because it has not been adopted as a payment method for goods and services, CEO Talal Ibrahim al-Maiman said, Reuters reported.

The prince, a senior member of the Saudi royal family is known for his Warren Buffett-style value investing approach and, like him, has consistently shunned crypto. The company’s estimated $13.6 billion in assets are held in a diversified portfolio that includes holdings in finance, hospitality, health care, media, technology and real estate companies.

“We support Mr. Buffet’s theory that you don’t buy with, don’t invest in, so as we cannot buy any goods with cryptocurrencies, therefore we are currently not looking into investing in them,” Al-Maiman said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, according to Reuters.

Rumors on social media have for long suggested that the Saudi royal family would invest in cryptocurrencies, and the recently improved U.S. regulatory outlook given President Donald Trump’s pro-crypto stance was seen as a catalyst for that investment.

Al-Waleed’s public comments on bitcoin reflect the company’s crypto concerns. In 2017, the Saudi prince said he believes the cryptocurrency is “just going to implode one day.”