Microsoft says it has resolved a Windows 11 bug that caused some commercial systems to fail to boot with an “UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME” error after installing recent security updates, with the fix delivered in the February 2026 Patch Tuesday update.

The boot issue, which Microsoft previously investigated and linked to failed December 2025 updates, affected a limited number of commercial Windows 11 devices running versions 25H2 and 24H2.

According to a private enterprise advisory seen by Susan Bradley of Ask Woody, the issue has now been marked as fully resolved in the Windows 11 KB5077181 security update released on February 10, 2026.

Microsoft says impacted devices suffered boot failures after installing the January 13, 2026, security update KB5074109 or later updates, displaying a black screen and the message: “Your device ran into a problem and needs a restart. You can restart.”

At that point, impacted systems were unable to boot and required manual recovery to restore functionality.

Microsoft previously confirmed the issue was caused by the failed installation of the December 2025 security update, leaving devices in an improper state after the installation rolled back. 

Attempting to install future Windows updates on devices with this “improper state” could cause the system to become unbootable.

Microsoft said the issue affected only physical devices running Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2, and did not receive reports of it affecting home users or virtual machines.

Fix delivered in February Patch Tuesday update

Microsoft says it previously released an initial resolution in the optional non-security preview update KB5074105 on January 29, 2026, which helped prevent additional systems from becoming affected by the bug.

The company now says the issue is fully resolved in the Windows 11 KB5077181 update released during the February 2026 Patch Tuesday and later updates.

“This issue is fully resolved in the Windows security update released on February 10, 2026 (the Resolved KBs listed above), and later updates,” reads Microsoft’s advisory.

Unfortunately, devices that became unbootable before the fix was released may still require additional remediation. 

Microsoft advises enterprise customers whose devices remain affected to contact Microsoft Support for Business for assistance restoring system stability.

It is unclear why Microsoft did not share this advisory publicly, as it does for other known Windows issues.

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Former NPR host David Greene is suing Google after accusing the tech giant of stealing his voice for use in one of its AI-powered tools.

Greene, who presented NPR’s Morning Edition for eight years until 2020 and now hosts the political podcast Left, Right & Center, told the Washington Post he was “completely freaked out” when he heard the voice used by Google’s NotebookLM, a tool that summarizes documents and generates spoken audio overviews — using a voice that sounds very much like his.

When friends and family started getting in touch to ask him if the voice was his, he decided to sue Google, accusing it of violating his rights by copying his voice for NotebookLM, without asking for his permission or offering any kind of compensation.

Google has denied any wrongdoing. “These allegations are baseless,” a spokesperson for the company said, adding that the male voice in NotebookLM’s audio overviews “is based on a paid professional actor Google hired.” It has yet to reveal who that actor is.

Take a listen to the voice generated by NotebookLM in the video below (it runs for about eight seconds) and then listen to David Greene’s voice in the video below that, and see what you think.

NotebookLM :

David Greene:

Greene’s case is the latest to highlight how AI is steadily upending the creative industries, and at the same time upsetting many of those working within them.

It also brings to mind a similar case in May 2024 when the actor Scarlett Johansson accused OpenAI of replicating her voice for use as one of ChatGPT’s voices for the chatbot’s voice mode.

Johansson said she had twice declined requests from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to use her voice, and was shocked when the newly released Sky voice sounded “eerily” or “strikingly” similar to hers and that of her AI character in the 2013 movie Her, about a lonely man who falls in love with an advanced AI operating system called Samantha.

Lawyers representing the actor demanded explanations about how the voice was created. OpenAI responded by removing the voice, claiming that it came from a different professional actress, not Johansson, and insisting that it was never intended to mimic her.

As for Greene, he also has concerns about how Google’s NotebookLM tool — using a voice that sounds very much like his — can be used to spread the kind of conspiracy theories that he would never personally give any credence to, with some listeners possibly believing that he’s doing just that.

Unless some kind of settlement is reached beforehand, it’ll be up to a California court to decide if Google has infringed on Greene’s rights to his voice or likeness.

If you’ve been wondering what’s next for Netflix’s Terminator Zero in the time since its first season, we finally have an update, and it’s a bummer. Responding to a fan on social media, showrunner Mattson Tomlin said this weekend that the show has been canceled. Despite being generally well received, Tomlin noted that “at the end of the day not nearly enough people watched it.”

Season one of Terminator Zero was released in August 2024 and focused on the events around Judgment Day — August 29, 1997, as established in Terminator 2 — and its aftermath, jumping forward to 2022, more than two decades into a war between humans and machines. In the post about the show’s cancellation, Tomlin wrote, “I would’ve loved to deliver on the Future War I had planned in season’s 2 and 3, but I’m also very happy with how it feels contained as is.”

Tomlin went on to praise the marketing team in additional replies for “trying to really make the show work,” as well as the hundreds of people who worked on the show. Offering a bit of insight, Tomlin wrote, “Generally speaking, anime audiences skew younger. Terminator audiences skew older. Terminator Zero asked them to meet in the middle, and they didn’t in the way the corporation needed to justify the spend to continue. I’m extremely grateful to the people who have watched it.”

Tesla’s long-awaited adoption of Apple CarPlay is still happening – just not as quickly as some drivers had hoped. After signaling last year that support could arrive by the end of 2025, the electric carmaker has hit a few unexpected hurdles that are slowing the rollout, according to the latest edition of Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter.

A delayed but ongoing integration

Tesla began working to bring Apple’s CarPlay system to its vehicles amid a period of soft sales and mounting pressure to boost demand. At the time, adding CarPlay was viewed internally as more than a minor software update. For many car buyers, CarPlay has become a must-have feature – a familiar, iPhone-like interface that seamlessly integrates navigation, messaging and music into the dashboard.

Despite Tesla’s reputation for having one of the best in-house infotainment systems in the auto industry, customer demand for CarPlay has remained strong. Tesla’s software already supports Apple Music, Spotify, video playback, web browsing and deep integration with its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system. But for many users, that’s not enough. CarPlay’s simplicity and ecosystem integration remain a powerful draw.

Tesla confirmed plans to support CarPlay in a windowed mode within its existing interface. However, technical challenges have pushed the timeline back.

During testing, Tesla discovered compatibility issues between Apple Maps and its own mapping software used for self-driving features. Specifically, turn-by-turn guidance from Tesla’s navigation system did not properly synchronize with Apple Maps when autonomous driving was active. In scenarios where both systems were visible side by side, this mismatch could confuse drivers.

Tesla requested engineering changes from Apple to address the issue. Apple implemented the fix in a later update to iOS 26 and the latest version of CarPlay. But another obstacle emerged: not enough users had installed the updated software.

CarPlay isn’t just another dashboard app – it’s become a central part of how many drivers interact with their vehicles. For iPhone users especially, the ability to mirror apps, access messages, use Apple Maps or Google Maps, and rely on Siri through a familiar interface can significantly improve the driving experience.

Tesla has long resisted adding CarPlay, arguing that its own system offers superior integration

But as competitors increasingly include CarPlay as standard, the absence has been a sticking point for some potential buyers. Adoption rates of iOS 26 have been slower than previous releases. Apple recently revealed that 74% of iPhones released in the past four years are running iOS 26 – slightly behind the pace of earlier updates. Crucially, the necessary Apple Maps fix did not arrive in the initial iOS 26.0 release but in subsequent updates. Apple has not disclosed how many users are on those later builds.

For Tesla, rolling out CarPlay before a critical mass of drivers has the compatible software could create inconsistencies and support issues. That has prompted a more cautious approach.

The good news is that CarPlay remains firmly on Tesla’s roadmap. As iOS 26 adoption continues to rise, the technical barriers should gradually ease. Apple is also expanding CarPlay functionality, adding support for third-party voice chatbot apps and enhancing its premium Ultra version – moves that could make the eventual Tesla integration even more compelling.

For now, Tesla drivers eager for CarPlay will need to wait a little longer. But the direction is clear: the feature is coming – just on a timeline dictated as much by software adoption as by engineering.

Gamer Dorison Hugo has been working on a crazy concept for seven years: squeezing four GameCube controller ports onto a normal Nintendo Switch dock, and he’s finally done it. Players can now just plug in their hefty purple GameCube controllers without having to clutter up their TV stand with additional boxes. The end result appears polished enough to pass as a factory-made accessory.

Hugo starts with the normal Switch dock that comes with the console. Inside, there’s mostly empty space, making it ideal for hiding a Gamecube adaptor. He chooses a little one from Input Integrity, primarily because larger ones, such as the Wii U version, will not fit. Next, he removes some of the adaptor ports to make room. Then a few precise holes are made at the front of the dock. He has a mixture of superglue, epoxy, hot glue, and other adhesives to keep everything together. Some simple connectors allow you to easily replace out cables if necessary. To finish, he only needs to solder four wires from the adapter to the dock’s circuit board. Gamecube controllers now glow up as normal on the Switch screen or any TV you connect.

Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle

• This bundle includes a system and a full GAME DOWNLOAD for the Mario Kart World game, exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2. Limited quantities. While…
• One system, three play modes: TV, Tabletop, and Handheld
• Larger, vivid, 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR and up to 120 fps

There’s also a version that reduces the whole thing down to pocket size. All you have to do is slot the Switch in, connect the HDMI and power, and you can play it from anywhere. There’s even a special “handheld mode” that allows you to utilize the Switch’s built-in screen without a television. If you want to play for hours on end, external batteries make it possible.

Security becomes an issue for tournament participants, so Hugo installs a mechanical lock that snaps over the dock. A modified padlock secures the Switch, cords, and game card, but strong printed walls and side holes prevent bike locks or bolts from causing problems. Organizers of events can assign keys with numbers to keep setups safe.

There’s some good news for Switch 2 owners: there’s more room within the dock, making it easier to hide the connections. The ports are cut down somewhat at the top so that they fit flush. A 3D printed extension maintains the USB-C port easily accessible. Hugo scanned all of the pieces to ensure accurate fits, preventing any frequent mistakes that modders may make.

There are several additional features that improve the design, such as reinforced USB-C ports that can withstand intensive use. Some configurations even offer the option of adding USB hubs and Ethernet slots. Mayflash adapters are good for cheap solutions, but the Input Integrity unit is the one to acquire if you want top-notch reliability (which is essential at a tournament). Every single button and stick works just as Nintendo intended. Hugo is enabling everyone with a 3D printer participate by sharing the print files on Cults3D. And for those who simply want to buy one off the shelf, he is selling limited editions on eBay to fund his expenses.
[Source]

While I’ve tried plenty of the best dash cams on the market, I’ve spent less time using one of the alternatives – a mirror dash cam, such as the Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam. It’s a chunky hunk of kit, being designed to fit over a standard issue rear view mirror, using one of three different mounting options. It can be strapped, stuck or screwed on, but no matter which option is employed, the result is the same – this is a large gadget.

The Miofive Mirror 1 Dash Cam differs from traditional offerings in the design department, but it’s actually a refreshing variation on the theme. This gadget delivers the same functionality found on a traditional dash cam but everything is presented slightly differently.

Adding to the appeal is the way it can be an electronic rear-view mirror as well as offering a view out of the front too, or indeed, a split combination of the two. Both views also get recorded in a continuous loop process, much like a typical dash cam.

The Miofive Mirror 1 comes with an impressive specification, and sizable price tag. There are twin Sony sensors for the cameras; a 4K (3840 × 2160 30fps) IMX415 Starvis 2 for the front and a 2K (2560 × 1440 30fps) IMX675 for the rear unit, capable of capturing crips footage for regular day time driving as well as after dark scenarios – these sensors have proven performance characteristics. What they see is also presented on the mirror screen, which is an expansive 11.26-inch modestly curved display that features anti-glare capabilities.

As a premium device, the Miofive Mirror 1 also boasts excellent connectivity features, including 5GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2, which means moving those high-resolution files is quick and easy – Miofive says up to 7MB per second, while data itself can be managed by an accompanying no frills Miofive app.

The Miofive Mirror 1 dash cam also packs sophisticated and in vogue AI-driven driver assistance features and functions, which are all easily accessed via the touchscreen. These include warnings for abrupt acceleration or braking, lane departure and ‘Stop and Go’ traffic movement.

Along with those bang-up-to-date features, the Miofive Mirror 1 comes with everything needed to keep it running. There’s a super capacitor-based power supply plus the unit can be powered off a 12V socket or, if preferred, hardwired to exploit its functionality more comprehensively. Hardwire features include the 24-hour parking monitor aspect.

What makes a good laptop? Well, I can give a pretty haphazard answer to that. But if I were to give a broad verdict, I would say any PC that gets the job done without nuking your wallet, heating like a pan, and lasting at least a full day without forcing you to hunt for a wall socket, takes the cake.

Apple has mastered that art with the MacBook Air, and to such an extent that shoppers have no qualms spending on two, or even three-generation-old, machines. Windows, thanks in no part to the extreme fragmentation, has struggled with the idea.

With Intel Evo-certified PCs, an attempt was made, but they just couldn’t hit the performance-efficiency levels of a MacBook. Then came Qualcomm with its Snapdragon silicon for Windows-on-Arm machines bearing the Copilot+ branding. The vision was squarely a Mac-killer machine at various price points.

Now that we are headed into the second generation of Qualcomm-powered laptops, I took a leap of faith away from my trusty M4 MacBook Air and fired up the cheapest Cipolot+ laptop I could find – the Asus Vivobook 14, which is currently going for $649 from the brand’s online marketplace, and often dips lower during sales events. 

Did I regret it? Not exactly. On the contrary, I came out fairly impressed with the machine, though not without a few harsh learnings. 

A quick look at the specs

What worked? 

I will start with the value perspective first. Asus is more generous with the memory situation on the Vivobook 14 than Apple, matching the memory at 16GB, but offering a healthy 512GB storage on the base model. For anyone who wishes to use their PC for at least the next half a decade, this is the bare minimum.

I keep my media editing work restricted to the iPad Pro, and it’s a headache. Beyond the cumulative burden of OS updates, the gradual app installs fill up the storage sooner than I would like. Whether you need a machine for work, or college duties, Asus offers a better value for your money if you have an Apple comparison in mind. 

Then we have the port situation. Yes, the MacBook Air is sleek, but that comes at the cost of a terrible port selection. And the only way to survive the MacBook Air lifestyle is a dongle. Asus’ affordable laptop won’t outdo Apple’s laptop in the looks department, but it trades a svelte waistline for a reasonable diversity of ports. 

You get a pair of USB-C and USB-A ports each, alongside an HDMI port and a 3.5mm combo jack. Now, you may not always use all the ports, but on the days when you are struggling with an external monitor, charger, storage device, and an input device, you really appreciate the I/O versatility at hand. 

Another neat perk, and an expected one at the current asking price, is the IR camera kit for face unlock. On modern PCs, biometric unlock is an extremely underrated perk, especially in an age where passkeys are taking over conventional passwords for identity verification. 

The keyboard isn’t bad either. There’s plenty of travel, the keycaps are spaced well, and despite the slight wobble, I actually loved typing on it more than my MacBook Air. The keys offer a springy feedback, and there’s a satisfying resistance, as well. There’s a bit of flex in the central portion of the deck, but not enough to hamper the typing experience. 

The display is a mixed bag. The 14-inch panel offers a full-HD resolution, which is fairly standard for the price. But it doesn’t fare well in well-lit surroundings. I mostly work in a dark room, but every time I stepped out for a cafe work session, or the nearby park, I had to crank the brightness all the way up to the 100%, and still felt a tad underwhelmed. 

Thankfully, it’s not a glossy panel, so reflection was never much of a problem. Out of the box, the display has an odd tint to it, and I had to manually adjust the temperature to make it look neutral. And yeah, the saturation could definitely be better. The Asus laptop, however, is hiding a cool trick. 

In the MyAsus app, there’s an E-reading mode that gives a monochrome tint to the screen. All the content is rendered in black and white, and you can even adjust the grayscale level. You also get an eye-care mode, with five levels of blue light reduction. I often found myself juggling between these two modes as they tangibly reduced the eye strain, while the e-ink mode helped me with an extra dose of focus. 

Another cool trick is hiding on the trackpad. It’s serviceable on its own, but I loved the edge gestures. Across the left and right edges, you can slide to adjust the volume and brightness levels, while the top edge helps with media playback. I love these thoughtful additions, which go beyond gimmicks and don’t burden you with a learning curve either. 

Performance 

The Snapdragon X is a rather odd processor, which is both good and bad news. For example, it fares almost as well as the MacBook Air… with the three-generation-old M2 chip on Cinebench at multi-core output, but the Oryon core can’t quite drive ahead of the single-core performance. 

That’s both good and bad news. Apple’s M-series silicon is terrific, and I have friends and family members still holding on tightly to their M1-powered machines. On the Windows side of the ecosystem, the Vivobook 14 raced ahead of Intel’s Core Ultra 5 226V, and the equivalent Intel Core 12th Gen processor at Geekbench runs 

Paired with 16 gigs of RAM and speedy SSDs, the Asus laptop fared pretty well at my day-to-day tasks. It handled Slack, Teams, Chrome with two dozen tabs, and Copoilt with ease. For academic use and basic corporate work restricted to Workspace and Office suites, there’s enough firepower available here. 

But what holds this machine back — and nearly every Windows on Arm machine that I have tested so far – is the inconsistency. On days, the Asus laptop felt buttery smooth. And then there were occasions where it randomly crashed under the stress of a few Chrome windows. Another recurring problem is the update situation, which often left me staring at a blank screen and required a force restart. 

Where Qualcomm needs to work, especially when compared against Intel’s Arc and AMD’s Radeon graphics architecture, is the integrated Adreno GPU. On 3DMark Steel Nomad, I got an average tally of around 9fps after three test runs, while an in-game benchmark only reached 18fps.  Needless to say, gaming is a distant pipedream, and your only hope is cloud services such as Xbox or GeForce Now. 

I wish the fans were a tad less noisy. Even under the stress of web-based work, you can hear them whirring. Thankfully, I didn’t notice any overt heating or scenarios where the laptop became too hot to keep on the lap. Whisper mode offers some respite from the fan house, but to avoid the heat build-up and throttling, I preferred working with the fan profile set to Full-Speed mode. Thankfully, my earbuds helped deal with the noise. 

But when I pushed it while editing videos in Filmora, the upper area of the keyboard deck ran noticeably hotter.  What bothered me more was the resource allocation. Between two windows and a total of eight apps in total, the system was using 80% of the memory, which is way too much, while the CPU load remained comfortably under the 18% range. 

Battery life

This is one aspect where the Asus Vivobook 14 really surprised me. I was expecting it to be a mediocre performer, but it actually proved to be a workhorse. With Power Mode set to balanced, the laptop managed around 11 hours of work in my most recent run, with the screen brightness set close to the 60% mark. 

Dialing up to the high-performance mode, the device still managed around eight to nine hours of consistent work before I saw the first low-battery alert. It’s evident that the entry-level Snapdragon X silicon is focusing more on efficiency, instead of raw performance. This approach, I believe, works well for a machine like the Vivobook 14.

I’ve tested over a dozen Windows machines in as many months, but this Asus machine offered the best mileage in the Snapdragon pool for its size, and fared better than Intel machines from rival brands. If your budget is strictly close to the $700 mark, you already have a certain performance expectation in mind. 

The Asus Vivobook 14 isn’t exactly blowing past those expectations, but it delivers solid results with battery efficiency. The hiccup was the edge scenarios, where I needed the machine to focus more on creative workflows at high performance levels, and the drop in battery levels was haphazardly aggressive. 

On the bright side, the laptop offers a few meaningful tricks within the MyAsus app. There’s a dedicated battery care mode that limits peak charging to the 80% mark, similar to iPhones, in order to preserve its longevity. But for scenarios where you want the full juice for on-the-go work sessions, you can temporarily bypass it for 24-hours and get the full 100% juice.

Verdict 

The Asus Vivobook 14 is a laptop that cuts some expected corners, but delivers in a few unexpected ways. It’s got a kit that’s easy on the eyes, but raises the bar with a military-grade (MIL-STD 810H) build. For students and workers who commute daily, this is an underrated perk that can save you hundreds of dollars in accidental repairs and servicing. 

On to the topic of battery life, this laptop does a fine job, and support for fast charging (an hour of plugged-in time for a full tank)  is just the cherry on top. Now, I don’t know many souls out there who want a laptop specifically for native Copilot AI perks, but if you’re one of those souls, this Asus laptop is a bargain deal that qualifies for all the Copilot+ AI perks, such as on-device translations, AI-powered image editing, and Windows Recall.

The performance is enough for the asking price, though not exactly an Earth-scorcher. As a sweet bargain for not setting the benchmark tables on fire, you get plenty of ports (with ample diversity), a large trackpad with practical tricks, convenient biometric unlock with a physical privacy shutter, and a decent set of speakers that get the job done, but won’t exactly wow your ear canals. 

At an asking price of $649 (and even lower, if you’re a good deal-hunter), the Asus Vivobook 14 is a lovely laptop for its target audience. And at a time when the industry is staring at rising PC prices owing to an unprecedented memory crisis, this laptop feels like a bargain in stormy days for market.