All articles tagged with #tech news
Google has released its latest frontier model, Gemini 4 Argon, to paying subscribers and developers. While the model is available in the Gemini app and Search for AI Pro and Ultra users, advanced coding features in the Antigravity platform are restricted to the higher-cost Ultra tier. API pricing starts at $2 per million input tokens but doubles after November 30.
Amazon has released a fully refreshed Kindle lineup to mark the device's 20th anniversary, featuring thinner designs, flush displays, and new color options. The update includes the base Kindle, Paperwhite, and Colorsoft, alongside new accessories like the Bluetooth 'Kindle Click' remote and a case with physical page-turn buttons. While the base model is available now, most new devices and accessories ship on October 28, with prices remaining stable despite recent global memory shortages.
OpenAI has released ChatGPT Images 2.5, featuring a new 'Sketch' tool that converts user doodles into detailed AI images, alongside faster generation speeds and improved editing controls. The update includes new API models, one of which is already integrated into Adobe's Firefly platform, and introduces prompt-sharing features to encourage viral adoption. While the new version offers up to 50% lower latency and better texture rendering, it also raises questions about the sustainability of image provenance metadata as usage scales to over 3 billion images weekly.
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone Ultra is expected to share nearly identical dimensions with Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8, featuring a 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner screen. While the Z Fold 8 has impressed reviewers with its compact, passport-sized design, the iPhone Ultra is anticipated to introduce curved corners and potentially eliminate the screen crease. Analysts predict Apple will capture nearly 40% of the global foldable market by 2027, driven by consumer demand for the form factor rather than traditional spec comparisons.
Apple’s 'Surprise and shine' event on September 9 marks the first keynote under CEO John Ternus. The lineup likely includes the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and the debut foldable 'iPhone Ultra,' while the base iPhone 18 is delayed. Expect price increases for Pro models and a potential 'One More Thing' surprise.
Google is testing a redesigned Search homepage that removes the Google Search button and introduces three AI shortcuts (Create images, Ask about files, Brainstorm). The test appears limited to a small group of users and does not affect core search results; Google’s Robby Stein confirmed the test.
A Brazilian family says Minas Gerais’ AI-powered Core-MG bed-allocation system downgraded 32-year-old Rebeca Cardoso Tenente Molina’s condition, delaying her transfer to an ICU for five days and 186 miles, contributing to her death from septic shock; officials defend the system as based on clinical need and bed availability, while doctors continue to investigate the case amid broader debates about AI in healthcare.
Apple reportedly overhauls AirPods controls in iOS 27 with a redesigned, more discoverable settings menu, but won’t add a dedicated AirPods app; details on firmware updates and battery status UI remain unclear.
A Reddit post claimed Google had moved multiple Chromecast models to a status of no longer receiving critical security updates. A follow-up check of Google's support page shows most Chromecast devices still list as receiving critical updates (with only the original Chromecast 1st gen outside that list). The author suggests a mistaken status change or cache issue, and there’s no confirmed change from Google about ending updates for these devices.
Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt was booed at a college graduation after praising artificial intelligence, a moment captured by 404 Media that highlights growing graduate skepticism toward AI. The episode, echoed by earlier pro-AI speeches, is framed as a potential barometer for rising populist attitudes toward AI, labor, and public life as graduates enter a job market already shaped by automation.
Tesla has rolled the final Model S and Model X off its Fremont line, ending 14 years of Model S and 11 years of Model X production as Elon Musk pivots the company toward an autonomous future and greater automation, including VIP Signature Series Plaid models.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that under incoming CEO John Ternus Apple may shift away from Tim Cook’s shareholder-first model and instead retain more cash for major acquisitions, talent, and expanded R&D, including AI infrastructure. The move could see Apple pursue AI leadership through strategic buys and big bets, though past missteps (car project, expensive VR headset) show the company has experimented with bold spending. Critics caution against overhyping AI, while supporters argue this could position Apple to break new ground beyond incremental updates.
Gear Patrol rounds up the past week’s notable gadget releases across audio and home tech, highlighting premium turntables, flagship wireless earbuds, high-end preamps and integrated amps, affordable Atmos-enabled sound systems, and new studio monitors and subwoofers—from Teac’s turquoise TN-400BTX/TB to Sony’s WF-1000XM6, MoFi UltraPhono Pro, Majority Bowfell Halo Atmos, Ultrafide Enso INT-125, Mophie Gallery Edition Powerstation, JBL 4369, Arendal 1610, Dali V-16 F, and Noble Spectre.
Samsung's $2,900 Galaxy Z TriFold sold out on its US launch within minutes, signaling strong demand for premium foldables even at a steep price; only a single unit reportedly secured while the rest of stock went out of stock, with a restock planned and a full review to follow.
iOS 26 is experiencing unusually slow adoption several months after its release, indicating a potential issue or user hesitation with the update.