TechPulse / Practical technology
Understand the tech. Make better decisions.
Developer guides, useful AI explainers, and hardware buying advice. Find your next answer.
Programming
GitHub Actions Self-Hosted Runner Deadline: September 29
GitHub Enterprise Cloud runner enforcement starts September 29. Check registration versus runtime version floors, audit old images, and automate deprecation alerts.
Cybersecurity
GitHub Copilot Local Sandboxing: Setup, Defaults and Limits
Enable local sandboxing in Copilot app or CLI, review default file, network and credential access, and understand what the controls do not protect.
Programming
npm Trusted Publishing: Stage GitHub Actions Releases Before They Go Live
Set up npm trusted publishing with GitHub Actions, inspect staged packages, approve releases with 2FA, and retire old publish tokens safely.
Tech News
Googlebook Australia: What to Check Before Spending A$2,299
Googlebook launches in Australia from A$2,299 on 5 October. Learn how it differs from a Chromebook, what apps it runs, and who should wait.
Cloud Computing
Best Cloud Backup Services 2026: Backblaze vs Arq vs restic
Best cloud backup services for 2026 compared. Why Google Drive is not a backup, what Backblaze costs, and how to run restic against object storage for servers.
AI & Machine Learning
Siri AI Is Here: What Apple’s New Assistant Can Do—and What It Can’t Yet
Apple’s Siri AI beta adds personal context, onscreen awareness, writing tools, and app actions. Check supported devices, rollout limits, and practical beta advice.
Productivity
Best Home Office Setup for Developers 2026: Where the Money Goes
A developer home office setup ranked by what actually reduces pain per pound spent: chair, screen height, keyboard, then everything else. Full budget breakdown.
Programming
Playwright End-to-End Testing Guide 2026: Tests That Do Not Flake
A practical Playwright guide for 2026: locator strategy, reusing auth state, mocking the network, and the specific habits that make end-to-end tests flaky.
Accessories
Best External SSDs 2026: Samsung T9 vs Crucial X9 Pro
Best external SSDs of 2026 compared. The Samsung T9 hits 2,000 MB/s only on a port most laptops do not have, which changes the recommendation entirely.