Author: kirklandc008@gmail.com

Microsoft has released a new Insider Preview update for the modern Windows 11 Media Player. However, the app is facing criticism after tests revealed it uses more memory and opens local video files more slowly than the classic 17-year-old Windows Media Player. The update adds some useful fixes, including better captions, clearer codec errors, and improved file recognition. But the biggest complaints remain higher RAM usage and paid codec support for some common video formats. The update is not available to everyone yet. Media Player version 11.2605.14.0 has only arrived on Experimental Insider builds as part of Microsoft’s June 12…

There is a beautiful and varied range of touring motorcycles today that offer the best in comfort and luxury on long highway rides. Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycle have been nailing this formula for a long time now. The influence of low-slung American land yachts has also led brands like BMW and Honda to offer some pretty cool luxury touring bikes loaded with modern features. While BMW offers an extensive lineup with the K 1600 series and the old-school-vibing R 18 bunch, things are a lot more limited for Japanese bike makers. Among Japanese manufacturers, the Honda Gold Wing is the…

There are many automakers with their own in-house performance brands. Think of Mercedes-Benz and its AMG performance arm, which, at one point, was its own independent operation before Merc bought AMG in 1999. There’s also BMW’s M GmbH, which is famous for producing various M-Powered machines. Having an in-house tuning and/or motorsport company is an excellent way for mass-market brands to save on costs while also allowing for total control over projects. At one point in time, Mitsubishi’s dedicated performance arm was called Ralliart. It was born in the 1980s, and its main objective was to build cars to compete…

Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 133, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, happy belated Juneteenth, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)This week, I’ve been reading about Sam Bankman-Fried and PE Guy and admin nights (which we should totally all do together one of these days), listening to Paul McCartney on Song Exploder, trudging through the bugs of the iOS 27 beta in order to use the good new Siri, once again trying and failing to switch to YouTube Music, free trial-hopping my…

The updated 2026 Maserati Folgore EV lineup. Image: Stellantis Maserati revealed updates to its Folgore electric lineup, with the GranTurismo Folgore now claiming over 540 km (335 miles) of WLTP range — an improvement of roughly 85 km over the previous version thanks to new energy management algorithms. The range gains come as Maserati fights for relevance amid a sales collapse that saw deliveries drop to just 7,900 units in 2025, down 30% year-over-year and the lowest since 2012. What’s new for the Folgore EVs The updates span all three of Maserati’s electric models: the GranTurismo Folgore coupe, the GranCabrio…

The Swift Boost rescue mission will soon head to space. NASA/Ron Beard The NASA Swift Boost mission is on track to launch later this month to rescue the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, whose orbit is decaying faster than anticipated. In other words, the space telescope is falling is too fast, and the agency intends to rendezvous with it and keep it in space for a few more years than it would have lasted without intervention. According to the publication Space, launch has been set for June 27. NASA teamed up with Arizona company Katalyst Space last year to build LINK,…

When it comes to modern pickup trucks, they’re nothing like the old-school ones, save for a shared basic shape. Trucks these days are tasked with filling multiple roles, such as being the family hauler, work vehicle, weekend toy, and, in some cases, a luxury vehicle, all in one. However, if you turn back the clock just a couple of decades, the pickup truck rarely ventured outside its bread-and-butter work vehicle duties. There were a few outliers, like the original Ford F-150 Lightning and the Chevrolet 454 SS, but by and large, the pickup was rugged and bare-bones. While we are…

While the automotive world sprints toward complex, high-tech, and whisper-quiet forced induction, an unyielding relic from the mid-20th century refuses to die. Modern engine bays are dominated by twin-scroll turbochargers, variable valve timing, and hybrid assistance, all designed to squeeze maximum power out of tiny displacements. Yet, despite billions spent on modern engineering, one simple, old-school pushrod V8 engine continues to match, outperform, and outlast its modern turbo rivals on the track, on the street, and in the hearts of car builders worldwide. Why Turbochargers Became The Modern Standard The Replacement For Displacement Close-up shot of 2025 Honda Civic Type R…

There are specific countries that do certain cars better. Japan is great at low-cost performance options, Great Britain will sell you some of the best luxury barges, and the US is pickup truck heaven. You could also argue that Germany was always the home of the super sedan with its big displacement engines and driver-focused mantra. But that’s changing fast — and it’s Cadillac that’s picking up the pieces. While the Europeans have moved to smaller powertrains, Cadillac has been sticking to its all-American guns with a V8 engine and manual transmission in protest at the rise of electrification in…

Nio launched a new special edition theme for its flagship executive sedan, the ET9, on June 21, 2026. Credit: Nio Nio added a new theme to the ET9 Horizon Edition, with a starting price of 838,000 yuan ($124,000) including the battery pack. Nio is continuing its strategy of using special editions to boost the market performance of its halo model. Nio Inc (NYSE: NIO) has launched a new special-edition theme for its flagship executive sedan, the ET9, continuing its strategy of using limited models to draw market attention. The new theme, translated as “Pursuing Light at the Extremes,” is part…