Today's Consumer Tech Pulse
Updated 2h ago
Meta’s facial‑recognition glasses spark privacy backlash
Meta plans to embed a facial‑recognition feature called “Name Tag” in its Ray‑Ban and Oakley smart glasses, enabling wearers to retrieve information about anyone they see. Over 70 civil‑rights and advocacy groups, including the ACLU and EPIC, have urged Meta to abandon the feature, warning it could aid sexual predators.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Stareep raises $14.6M Series A
Xbox CEO Called Game Pass 'Too Expensive for Players' In a Leaked Memo
Xbox’s newly appointed CEO Asha Sharma circulated an internal memo warning that the Game Pass subscription has become too expensive for many players. The memo follows two price hikes in the past 15 months that pushed the service to $15‑$30 per month. Sharma said the current model is not final and that Microsoft will test a more flexible, value‑driven pricing structure. The move comes as Xbox adds high‑profile titles like Call of Duty while trying to retain its subscriber base.
Coreboot Comes To AMD Ryzen Powered Star Labs StarBook MK VI After 3+ Year Wait
Star Labs has finally released a Coreboot firmware image for its AMD Ryzen 5000‑based StarBook MK VI laptop, ending a three‑year wait that began when early buyers received an AMI BIOS instead of the promised open‑source option. The firmware was upstreamed to...
Stop Killing Games Backs California Bill Supporting Clearer End-of-Life Rules for Online Games
California’s Protect Our Games Act (AB 1921) would force live‑service publishers to notify players 60 days before server shutdowns and either provide offline patches or issue full refunds. The bill, effective for titles released after Jan 1 2027, also requires clear in‑game and...
The Apple Watch Series 11 Has Returned to Best-Ever Price
Apple has slashed the price of its Watch Series 11, offering the 42mm GPS model for $299 and the 46mm version for $329—a $100 discount across major retailers. The latest iteration adds a brighter OLED display, the longest battery life...
New App Think2Switch Lets Users Control Devices Using Their Thoughts
Calgary‑based Possibility Neurotechnologies launched Think2Switch, an app that lets users operate smartphones and IoT devices using brainwave signals captured by consumer‑grade EEG headsets. The service, built on research from the University of Calgary’s BCI4Kids program, aims to improve digital accessibility...
Flip Foldables Outpace Wides; Z Flip8 Proves It
Here's a hot take There's a bigger market for Flip foldables than for Wide foldables I think this will become clear with the Z Flip8 which drastically improves the Flip experience
My Android Phone Was Slowing Down My Internet Until I Changed These Settings
Android’s default power‑saving settings can unintentionally throttle internet performance, causing slower browsing even on fast connections. By disabling Wi‑Fi scan throttling, enabling intelligent network switching, configuring a private DNS, and limiting background data, users can restore consistent speeds and improve...
Retro Handheld Maker Anbernic's Latest Device Has a Swiveling Display
Anbernic unveiled the RG Rotate, a retro‑gaming handheld with a square 1:1 display that swivels on a proprietary ultra‑thin alloy hinge, reminiscent of the classic T‑Mobile Sidekick. The device runs Android, sports an aluminum alloy frame, and will be offered...
App Makes Conversation Musical
Feels Music Messaging, founded by former Interscope executive Tony Seyler, launched last month as a free app that lets users share bundled lyrics, images, audio clips and music videos instead of static screenshots. The platform secured licensing agreements with Universal...
How to De-Gemini Your Google Apps
Google has embedded its Gemini AI across Gmail, Chat, Meet, Docs, and other Workspace apps, prompting many users to seek ways to disable it. The article outlines a two‑step process in Gmail settings to turn off "Smart features" for both...
NZXT to Pay $3.45 Million in Class-Action Settlement over "Predatory" Flex PC Rental Scheme
NZXT has agreed to a $3.45 million class‑action settlement over its Flex PC rental program, which critics labeled a predatory, rent‑to‑own scam. The settlement will distribute funds to more than 19,000 participants through debt forgiveness, a PC‑retention option, and cash payouts....
I Found a Windows 11 Log that Shows Exactly What's Making My PC Slow — and Most People Don't Know...
Microsoft’s Windows 11 includes a little‑known built‑in utility called Reliability Monitor, launched with the command perfmon /rel. The tool visualizes a daily stability index from 1 to 10 and flags critical failures, warnings, and informational events with distinct icons. By drilling into specific...
App Turns Phones Into At-Home Ultrasound Devices
A new app called DopFone transforms a smartphone’s speaker into a fetal Doppler radar, letting pregnant women listen to their baby’s heartbeat at home. Developed by Georgia Tech researchers, the prototype was tested on 23 patients and achieved a ±4.9...
Meta Is Warned That Facial Recognition Glasses Will Arm Sexual Predators
A coalition of more than 70 civil‑rights and advocacy groups has urged Meta to abandon “Name Tag,” a facial‑recognition feature planned for its Ray‑Ban and Oakley smart glasses. The technology would let wearers instantly identify anyone with a public Instagram...
Microsoft Killed These 5 Features and I Want Them Back
Microsoft’s recent Windows updates have stripped several long‑standing features, including the ability to move the taskbar, the classic F8 safe‑mode shortcut, easy creation of local accounts, native Android app support, and Live Tiles. These changes were justified by design consistency,...
(Sponsor) Magic Lasso Adblock: Effortlessly Block Ads on Your iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV
Magic Lasso Adblock is a native ad‑blocking suite for Apple’s ecosystem, covering iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV. The app blocks ads and trackers in Safari, YouTube, third‑party apps and even on Apple TV, using a Swift‑based, on‑device architecture that...
Google’s Pixel 10A Is a Good Midrange Phone That’s $50 Off
Google has trimmed the price of its mid‑range Pixel 10A by $50, bringing the 128 GB model to $449 and the 256 GB version to $549 across Amazon, Best Buy and the Google Store. The phone mirrors the Pixel 9A’s Tensor G4 processor and...
Whoop 5.0 Review: A Fitness Tracker Focused on Performance and Longevity
Whoop’s fifth‑generation band adds a two‑week battery, faster processor and a new Healthspan suite that estimates biological age. The device remains screenless, streaming all data to a subscription‑based app with three membership tiers—One, Peak and Life—priced from $199 to $359...
I Hated AI Until I Saw What It Could Do to My Favorite Retro Games
AI‑generated texture packs are breathing new life into retro titles, turning 1990s graphics into 4K‑ready visuals. Projects like RE:Enhance and the Resident Evil HD Remaster 4K mod combine neural upscaling with human curation to deliver crisp assets on modern displays....
Boomer Mispronunciation of Nintendo Still Drives Kids Crazy
memory jog: the mom in the flower shirt pronounces the system "intendo" (without the "N") and that was a total thing in the 80's with the older boomers. it used to drive me **crazy** as a kid that they refused...
Apple Smart Glasses Will Reportedly Come in Multiple Styles
Apple is developing its first display‑free smart glasses with at least four distinct frame styles and multiple color options, including black, ocean blue and dark brown. The designs range from a Wayfarer‑type rectangle to slimmer and oval silhouettes, all built...
This Blink Security Bundle Is Over $100 Off Right Now
Blink’s Video Doorbell + Outdoor 4 XR bundle has slashed to $64.99, a 64% discount from its $174.98 list price. The package includes a second‑generation video doorbell, an Outdoor 4 1080p camera, and a Sync Module XR that links the devices. Powered by AA...
This Apple Product Has a 10-Week Wait Time — And It’s Been Around Forever
The Apple Mac mini, a $599 desktop, is now facing 10‑12 week wait times as AI hobbyists snap it up to run autonomous agents like OpenClaw. Shipment data shows double‑digit growth in 2025, driven by the device’s low cost, ability...
I Love AirTags, but This Alternative Slips Right in My Wallet and Solves Their Biggest Flaw
The UAG Metropolis is a slim, polycarbonate tracker card that slides into a wallet alongside credit cards. It offers a five‑month, wireless‑rechargeable 110 mAh battery and a 95 dB speaker that outshouts first‑generation AirTags. The device integrates with both Apple’s Find My and...
Microsoft Isn't Removing Copilot From Windows 11, It's Just Renaming It
Microsoft removed the Copilot label from the Notepad app in the latest Windows 11 Insider build, replacing it with a generic writing icon and renaming the AI setting to “Advanced features.” The underlying AI writing assistance—rewrite, summarization, tone adjustment—remains active and...
I Skipped the Raspberry Pi This Time and Don't Regret It
Amir Bohlooli chose a used Dell Latitude 5330 over a Raspberry Pi 5 for his home Jellyfin server after finding the Pi’s total cost exceeds $250. The refurbished laptop, purchased for $180, offers an i5‑1245U, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, and dual Thunderbolt 4 ports,...
IOS 27 Siri App: Everything We Know About Apple’s AI Overhaul
Apple is set to launch a dedicated Siri app with iOS 27, codenamed “Campos,” that mimics modern AI chat interfaces. The app will sit on the Home Screen, offering chat bubbles, conversation history, and the ability to switch between voice,...
Razer Viper V4 Pro Best Settings: Click to Win with These Synapse Tweaks
The Shortcut’s guide details optimal Synapse Web tweaks for the Razer Viper V4 Pro, one of the lightest and fastest esports mice available. It walks readers through DPI, polling rate, and button mapping adjustments that can be made directly in...
I Bought an Earwax Camera for My Toolkit and Use It for Everything but My Ears
The Bebird Earsight Plus D39R is a $47, USB‑C‑charged inspection camera that combines a flexible, length‑marked head with IP67 dust‑ and water‑proofing. Its built‑in gyroscope locks the image horizon, delivering clear, stable video via a dedicated iOS/Android app. The device...
Skepticism Persists as Apple Explores New Smart Glasses
After being a Google Glass Explorer and testing out various versions of smart glasses, I'm still not a believer they will be a hot item... Yet companies keep going down this path. We'll see how it goes for Apple ->...
Forget the MacBook Neo — This Record-Low Price on the New MacBook Air 13 M5 Could Be the Better Value...
Apple’s latest MacBook Air 13‑inch with the M5 chip has dropped to $949 on Amazon, a $150 cut from its $1,099 launch price. The discount brings the premium Air closer to the budget‑oriented MacBook Neo, which starts at $599, while...
Google Makes It Harder to Exploit Pixel 10 Modem Firmware
Google has bolstered the security of its Pixel 10 smartphones by embedding a Rust‑based DNS parser into the cellular baseband modem firmware. The new component, derived from the open‑source hickory‑proto library, replaces legacy C code and adds roughly 371 KB to the...
Chinese Firms Shift to Brazil's Consumer Tech, Mixue Opens First Store with $590M Investment
Chinese direct investment in Brazil doubled to $4.2 billion in 2024, and ice‑cream chain Mixue opened its first Brazilian store, pledging a 3 billion‑real ($590 million) rollout. The move signals a strategic pivot from infrastructure to consumer electronics, smartphones, wearables and smart‑home devices.
Apple Unveils AI Smart‑Glasses Plan, Targets 2027 Launch to Beat Meta
Apple announced a display‑less AI smart‑glasses line slated for a 2027 market debut, positioning the product to eclipse Meta's Ray‑Ban smart glasses. The devices will blend premium acetate frames with integrated cameras, microphones and Siri‑driven AI, forming part of a...
Kobo Clara Colour Debuts at $159, Undercutting Amazon's Kindle Colorsoft by $90
Kobo has introduced the Clara Colour e‑reader at a U.S. price of $159, positioning it as a cheaper alternative to Amazon's Kindle Colorsoft, which retails for $249. The device adds a color front‑lit display, warm night lighting, a 49‑hour battery...
Apple Is Building Smart Glasses without a Display to Serve as an AI Wearable
Apple is developing a new pair of smart glasses, codenamed N50, that forgo a traditional display and function purely as an AI‑driven wearable. The glasses will work alongside AirPods and a camera pendant to capture the wearer’s surroundings via computer‑vision...
The Best iPhone Apps for Brainstorming and Keeping Your Ideas Organized
The article highlights top iPhone apps that help users capture and organize spontaneous ideas, focusing on Notion and Milanote as premier choices. Notion provides a highly customizable workspace with databases, document handling, and cloud sync, priced up to $20 per...
AI Turns Journaling Into Interactive Personal Companion
AI is starting to change even the most personal habits. Journaling apps that respond, reflect and offer feedback are turning a private activity into something interactive, with users describing the experience as having a “new best friend.” It blurs a subtle line....
AirPod Case Theft Reveals Precise Location Tracking Limits
Someone stole my AirPod case, but I can track exactly where they live, 🤔 If I click the sound button, does it still work if it's in another state?
Android Auto Finally Adds Climate Control UI Preview
Android Auto is still working on climate control settings, and here's an early look at the new UI It's been almost a year since we spotted this first 🫠 ✅ Details - https://t.co/qVPRffCqze https://t.co/fvNjV3cUDw
New Xbox Chief Calls Game Pass Too Pricey
scoop: Xbox Game Pass "has become too expensive," says Microsoft’s new Xbox chief in an internal memo. Asha Sharma wants a "better value equation" for Xbox players. All the details here 👇https://t.co/9WBXgl9r1T
Google Adds Verified Caller to Block Spoofed Scam Calls
Google's building a better way for Android to protect more of you from scam calls Verified caller feature lets select bank apps check incoming calls for number spoofing scams ✅ Details - https://t.co/qVPRffCqze https://t.co/nmOEHKf0av
Google's Gemini to Launch Proactive “Your Day” Feed
"Your Day" -> Google preps Gemini-powered ‘proactive feed’ called ‘Your Day’ "It’s unclear what the interface for Your Day will be, but a series of cards detailing upcoming events and relevant reminders seems likely. Like Personal Intelligence, this should be sourced...
Cheap Creative Pebble Pro: Good Sound, Notable Trade‑offs
The Creative Pebble Pro is very, very affordable and it sounds pretty good for the price. Of course, it comes with plenty of compromises due to its low price. https://t.co/7AL6aPoFEs
Screenless Fitbit Revives Brand’s Core Analytical Strength
What's old is new again — a screenless Fitbit focused on analysis is a return to what made the brand great. https://t.co/Fs7TEctfBI
Best Buy's Ultimate Upgrade: Up to 50
Best Buy has launched its Ultimate Upgrade sale, featuring discounts of up to 50% on TVs, laptops, headphones, and more — and bigger savings when you trade-in. https://t.co/YL3h5GxPOE
Lenovo Legion Go 2 Joins Surge in Overpriced PC Hardware
Prices for PC hardware continue to skyrocket, and now Lenovo's Legion Go 2 handheld is placed higher up on the list of overpriced devices. https://t.co/Wc2tAxsbOK
DIY Giant Fan Built From 15 Case Fans Works
A YouTuber created a giant fan comprising of 15 individual 120mm case fans — and it somehow works really well. https://t.co/rG4KbgCb65
Gen Z Skips Websites, Lives Inside Apps and Games
Young people (20s) barely use websites, 70% prefer apps, they mostly exist inside apps and games not websites
Microsoft Tests Xbox Gamepad Cursor for Handheld Mouse
Microsoft has started testing a new Xbox Gamepad Cursor option that gives you a virtual mouse on handhelds. Full details on how it works and how to get it early, here: https://t.co/Bhe6jCzy0t https://t.co/vinTsloyNT
