Dwight Silverman

AI-driven chip shortages are pushing up prices on laptops, phones and consoles. Here’s why tech costs are rising and what to expect next.

The FCC banned new foreign-made home routers, but critics say the move may do little for security and could complicate updates by 2027.

Houston joins Texas cities with Waymo robotaxis as riders test the tech’s safety, cost and reliability.

RAM prices are spiking as AI centers soak up supply and Micron exits Crucial; experts warn increases into 2026, so buying sooner may save.

Tariffs will affect the price of phones and computers shortly, making the decision about whether to upgrade more challenging.

A text-based meme circulating earlier this month on social media and in forums warned that Siri could “see” normally encrypted exchanges in Signal, a privare messaging app. Most of it was wrong.

Starter Packs helped facilitate a huge influx of people onto Bluesky. In less than a week, I went from having just under 600 followers to more than 3,000, which I chalk up to my name showing up in several Houston- and tech-centric Starter Packs.

On Friday (July 19, 2024) a global technology outage impacted Houston airports, banks, hospital systems, and media outlets. Cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike said it wasn’t a cyberattack, but a software glitch, caused by a faulty update to computers…

I learned long ago that making predictions is a risky business. Unless you have a time machine or insider knowledge that can get you in trouble with certain federal agencies, there’s a pretty good chance that predictions of what will happen are going…

When Google launched its Pixel 8 Android smartphones, its most defining features weren’t its bright display or faster processor. What made the company’s flagship handsets stand out was that they leaned in on artificial intelligence, particularly with…

Do you use Google’s Chrome browser on your PC or Mac to visit websites? And if so, do you have an ad blocker installed? If you’ve not been paying attention to the recent cries of pain from the makers of browser extensions, you may have a rude…

One reason I still write this column after (checks notes) 30 years is that, while I’m getting old, the topic of technology never does. There’s always something new, interesting and often groundbreaking. That said, keeping up with developments is not…

When the European Union's Parliament voted this month to require that electronic “appliances” — including smartphones, tablets and computers — be made with batteries that can be replaced by users, right-to-repair advocates rejoiced. At long last,…

On the fourth Monday of every month, we talk consumer tech with Houston Chronicle columnist Dwight Silverman. In the audio above, he and Houston Matters host Craig Cohen discuss some continued developments in the realm of artificial intelligence,…

This month, the Denver office of the FBI issued a warning about avoiding public smartphone charging stations through its Twitter account. The tweet said that evildoers could tamper with them in a way that would allow the planting of malware on or the…

Houston Chronicle columnist Dwight Silverman says he's never seen any technology develop as rapidly as generative AI, like Chat GPT, has in the last year. In the audio above, Silverman offers some suggestions for those seeking to dip their toes into…

I’ve been writing about consumer technology since the 1980s, and I have never seen any tech develop as rapidly as artificial intelligence during the past year. Typically, new advances percolate and reach a tipping point, eventually becoming available…

When the Armco Steel plant closed its Houston Ship Channel mill in 1984, employee Bob Bartlett lost two things: his job and his eyesight. The former he handled by deciding to retire after 18 years of service; the latter hit harder. At 41, he had to…

Columnist Dwight Silverman discusses some of the latest developments in consumer technology, starts at about the 24-minute mark.

On Monday’s show: Major universities across Texas have reacted quickly to Gov. Abbott's order banning the use of TikTok on government-issued devices. We discuss what sort of threat the social media app may pose and why with cybersecurity expert Chris…