Technology

Apple helped kill netbooks. Will it bring them back?

Published

4 months ago

November 8, 2025

Apple helped kill netbooks. Will it bring them back?

Rumor has it, Apple is working on a low-cost MacBook. And not “low-cost for a Mac,” but a proper cheap laptop, possibly as low as $599. For a company that traditionally targets the more premium end of the market, this would be something of an about-face.

Of course, Apple takes great pride in its design and aesthetics. So the company isn’t going to simply take the innards of a MacBook Air, slap them in a cheap plastic case, and call it a day. Instead, Apple is supposedly building a smaller laptop, with a lower-resolution screen and an “entirely new design” around an iPhone processor.

That chip could be some version of the A19 found in the current iPhone lineup, but analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed earlier this year that the company was working on a laptop powered by last year’s A18.

If the idea of a small, low-cost laptop running on an ultralow-power chip feels familiar, well, it should — we used to call them netbooks. Netbooks erupted on the scene at a weird time in the late aughts, when we were transitioning to a web-first computing world.

What set netbooks apart from other laptops was their pursuit of portability, battery life, and rock-bottom prices at almost any cost. The original netbook, the ASUS Eee PC, came in two sizes (7-inch or 10-inch) and ran on Intel’s budget Celeron M processor. But even that slow, low-powered CPU was too demanding for the tiny Eee PC, and so ASUS underclocked it to just 630 MHz. (Yes, back in the halcyon days of 2007, we measured CPU speed in MHz, not GHz.)

Intel saw this emerging trend and built CPUs just for the netbooks called Atom. In many ways, Atom chips were Intel’s answer to the growing might of ARM, and even formed the basis for its tablet and smartphone efforts. It’s essentially the reverse of what Apple did, which took its mobile A-series processor and turned it into a powerful laptop chip. (And, now back again, it seems.)

As we all know now, netbooks were not long for this world. A number of things helped spell their demise. For one, most of them were just never particularly good. And the ones that weren’t awful tended to be a bit pricer. Sure, you could get a 7-inch Eee PC for around $200. But something more capable, like an HP Mini 210 HD, could set you back about $385 in 2010, depending on the configuration. When adjusted for inflation, that’s a hair over $577. As the prices of regular laptops came down, this didn’t seem like a particularly good deal anymore.

But two of the biggest culprits are undoubtedly the emergence of the Chromebook and the iPad. (We’ll save the discussion of the Chromebook for another day.) The iPad was introduced in 2010, and it immediately started eating into the netbook’s market share. By 2012, tablets had overtaken netbooks, and by 2013, netbooks were effectively dead. Sure, some still lingered around, and you had a spiritual successor in the Chromebook, but the iPad helped kill off the netbook in swift and spectacular fashion.

Many of the things that one might have used a netbook for — browsing the web, checking email, shouting into the void of what was then called Twitter — were now being handled better by the iPad. And, when paired with a Bluetooth keyboard, the iPad was actually a decent productivity machine, so long as your expectations were low.

And so, the netbook vanished.

But this new, cheaper MacBook, at least on paper, sounds like it might be borrowing a bit from the netbook blueprint. Some people will just never be able to adjust to the workflow of a tablet and keyboard combo. So Apple might be giving them a proper laptop form factor.

While we don’t know what the screen size will be, we do know it will be smaller than the current 13.6-inch MacBook Air. That could mean 13.3 inches, but perhaps Apple will bring back the 12-inch format or even revisit the 11-inch realm of its smallest Air model. That’s inching into netbook territory.

Pair all that with a mobile-first SoC that will handle everyday tasks and browsing with aplomb, but certainly won’t cut it for heavier tasks like video editing or gaming, and you have something that sounds like the original pitch for a netbook if you ask me. Apple will obviously never call its new affordable MacBook a netbook, but maybe by avoiding the name, it can make them cool again.

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Terrence O’Brien

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Technology

Apple smart home display rumors now point to a fall launch with iOS 27

Published

43 minutes ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Apple smart home display rumors now point to a fall launch with iOS 27

The rumored “HomePod with a screen” we’ve heard so much about was reportedly lined up for launch in 2025, and then this spring, and now, according to the latest updates, it’s on the shelf until this fall. Leaker Kosutami posted as much on X last week, and today, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman followed up with similar information, saying its robot arm-equipped cousin is now planned for launch in 2027.

That was supposed to be ready by now, but it is now predicted to arrive later this year, along with the iPhone 18 Pro plus 2027 updates for iOS, macOS, and all the rest. He describes a silver aluminum-cased device with a 7-inch screen and USB-C power port running a version of tvOS 27, while new versions of the HomePod speaker and Apple TV 4K box are also waiting in the wings for that Siri update, and a smart home sensor is in the works, too.

Technology

Fake Google Gemini AI pushes ‘Google Coin’ crypto scam

Published

1 hour ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Fake Google Gemini AI pushes ‘Google Coin’ crypto scam

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You may think you can spot a crypto scam from a mile away. But what if the pitch comes from what looks like an official Google AI assistant, answering your questions in real time and showing projected profits? That is exactly what scammers are doing now. Security researchers at Malwarebytes, a cybersecurity company known for tracking malware and online scams, recently uncovered a live “Google Coin” presale site featuring a chatbot that claimed to be Google’s Gemini AI.

The bot walked visitors through an investment pitch, gave detailed return estimates and guided them to send cryptocurrency payments. Google does not have a cryptocurrency. Yet the site looked polished and professional, convincing enough to appear legitimate at first glance.

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Security researchers at Malwarebytes uncovered a polished crypto scam that falsely claims Google launched a new digital coin. (Photo by Helena Dolderer/picture alliance via Getty Images)

What you need to know about the “Google Coin” crypto scam

Researchers discovered a fraudulent website promoting a fake cryptocurrency called “Google Coin.” The site was designed to look like it belonged to Google and claimed the project was connected to its AI assistant, Gemini.

At the center of the scam was a chatbot that introduced itself as “Gemini, your AI assistant for the Google Coin platform.” It used familiar branding and visuals to make visitors believe they were interacting with a legitimate Google product.

When asked simple investment questions, the chatbot gave specific financial projections. For example, it claimed that buying 100 tokens at $3.95 each could turn into more than $2,700 once the coin was “listed.” The site displayed fake progress counters, countdowns and claims of millions of tokens already sold. Once someone clicked “Buy,” they were instructed to send Bitcoin to a specific wallet address. The payment was final and irreversible.

There is no official Google Coin. The entire operation was built to collect cryptocurrency from unsuspecting investors.

How the “Google Coin” crypto scam works

This scam combines two powerful tricks: brand impersonation and artificial intelligence. First, the scammers created a website that mimics Google’s look and feel, including logos, design, and tech language. Then they layered in a chatbot that acts like a real AI assistant. Because many people are now used to chatting with AI tools, this interaction seemed normal and legitimate.

The chatbot is programmed with a tight script. It answers questions confidently, avoids admitting risk, and refuses to acknowledge the possibility of a scam. If you ask about company registration or regulation, it deflects with vague promises about security and transparency.

This means you are not debating with a clumsy scammer over email. You are interacting with software designed to persuade you around the clock. The chatbot can talk to hundreds of people at once, give each one personalized answers and push them toward sending cryptocurrency. Once you send it, your money is gone.

This type of scam is dangerous because it’s interactive and appears credible. When a chatbot answers your questions in real time, it can lower your guard. You might think, “If this were fake, it would not sound so professional.” But that is exactly the point. AI allows scammers to scale up their confidence and polish.

If you fall for it, the financial loss can be immediate and permanent. Cryptocurrency payments cannot be reversed like credit card charges. There is no customer support line to call. There is no refund process.

Even worse, once you engage with a scam site, your contact details, email or wallet address could be added to lists that circulate among fraud groups. That can make you a target for future investment scams, phishing emails or impersonation attempts.

We reached out to Google for comment but did not hear back before our deadline.

SPOTIFY VOTING SCAM EXPOSED

Scammers are using a fake “Google Coin” presale site with a chatbot posing as Google’s Gemini AI to lure investors into sending cryptocurrency. (Photo by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)

7 ways you can protect yourself from a crypto scam

Crypto scams are getting more sophisticated, especially with AI tools that make fake investments look polished and legitimate. The good news is that you can dramatically lower your risk by taking a few smart precautions before you invest or send any digital currency.

1) Be skeptical of “new” coins tied to famous brands

If you see a cryptocurrency claiming to be launched by a well-known company, verify it directly on the company’s official website. Major corporations publicly announce major financial products. If you cannot find confirmation on the company’s real domain, assume it is fake and walk away.

2) Never trust guaranteed or specific return projections

No legitimate investment can promise that your $395 will turn into $2,700. When a chatbot gives exact future prices or guaranteed multipliers, that is a red flag. Real investments carry risk and uncertainty. Promises of quick, predictable profits are classic scam tactics.

3) Use a password manager

A password manager creates strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts and stores them securely. If scammers trick you into entering credentials on a fake site, unique passwords prevent them from accessing your other accounts. Many password managers also alert you if your information appears in known data breaches. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.

4) Install antivirus software

Strong antivirus software helps detect malicious websites, phishing attempts, and suspicious downloads before they can harm your device. It adds another layer of protection if you accidentally click a dangerous link. This can stop hidden malware from being installed while you are distracted by a convincing scam pitch. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

5) Consider identity theft protection

An identity theft protection service monitors your personal information, such as your Social Security number or email, and alerts you if it is being misused. If scammers collect your details through a fake investment site, early alerts can help you act quickly before financial damage spreads. See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com.

6) Use a personal data removal service

Data removal services work to remove your personal details from public data broker sites. The less personal information available about you online, the harder it is for scammers to target you with personalized pitches. Reducing your digital footprint lowers your overall exposure to fraud. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com. Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

7) Slow down before sending cryptocurrency

Crypto payments are fast and irreversible. Before sending any digital currency, pause and verify the recipient independently. Search for reviews, warnings, and official announcements. If the investment requires urgency, such as a countdown or “final stage” message, treat that pressure as a warning sign.

300,000 CHROME USERS HIT BY FAKE AI EXTENSIONS

The AI-powered scam mimics Google branding and uses real-time chat to build trust before requesting irreversible crypto payments. Google does not have a cryptocurrency, despite claims on a convincing “Google Coin” investment website. (Photo by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)

Kurt’s key takeaway

Scammers are no longer relying only on clumsy emails or obvious red flags. They are using artificial intelligence to create polished, persuasive conversations that feel real and responsive. When that fake AI wears the face of a trusted brand, it becomes even more convincing. The good news is that awareness is powerful. If you take a moment to verify claims, question guaranteed returns, and use protective tools, you dramatically reduce your risk.

Do you think AI is making online scams harder to recognize than they were a few years ago? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Google’s latest Pixel Watches have fallen to their lowest prices ever

Published

13 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Google’s latest Pixel Watches have fallen to their lowest prices ever

With longer days and warmer weather on the way, it’s a good time to take your gym routine outside. Luckily, Google’s Pixel Watch 4 can help you track all your outdoor fitness activities, and right now it’s on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target starting at $289.99 ($60 off), a new low price. The last-gen Pixel Watch 3 is also currently the cheapest it’s ever been, with the 41mm / Wi-Fi configuration selling for $169.99 ($80 off) — also a new low — at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target.

The Pixel Watch 4 is our favorite Fitbit-powered smartwatch, one that offers a great feature set for the price. Google’s latest wearable features dual-frequency GPS, which improves accuracy in challenging environments such as cities and dense forests, and it can automatically record certain cardio activities on your behalf, including both running and cycling. It also offers improved sleep tracking, satellite SOS (on the LTE model), and a slew of AI features courtesy of Gemini — including an exclusive raise-to-talk gesture that’s useful while on a run.

The hardware has improved as well. Most notably, you can now replace and repair both the screen and the battery, making it a better long-term investment. The display is bigger and brighter, too, and the Pixel Watch 4 lasts about a day and a half on a single charge, or roughly 45 hours if you buy the 45mm model (up from 32 hours on the Watch 3). Charging is also faster, allowing you to charge it up to 80 percent capacity in under 30 minutes. And as a nice little extra, the included side-mounted charger lets you use the watch as a glanceable display, so you can see the battery percentage and other useful tidbits of info more easily.

If you want a great Android smartwatch for less, the last-gen Pixel Watch 3 is also a good option. While it’s not easily repairable like the Watch 4 and lacks some of the aforementioned upgrades (including dual-frequency GPS), it still offers a good set of health and fitness tools, allowing you to track your activity, sleep, blood oxygen levels, and heart rate. It also supports Gemini and integrates well with Google’s various services, letting you download offline maps and leave your wallet at home by paying via Google Wallet. You can even use it to control a slew of compatible devices from your wrist, from Nest cameras and video doorbells to the newest Google TV devices.