Want Your iPhone's Dark Mode To Be Even Darker? Try This
Apple’s iPhone includes a standard Dark Mode that reduces screen brightness, but many users find it insufficiently dark. SlashGear outlines a set of hidden settings—home‑screen customization, Liquid Glass tint, and accessibility tweaks—that deepen the dark appearance. Applying these steps creates a richer black UI, eases eye strain, and can modestly improve battery life. Users can revert the changes at any time.
Sony Group Bets on AI to Fuel Gaming Evolution, CEO Says
Sony Group President Hiroki Totoki announced that artificial intelligence will be a core driver of the next wave of gaming content, aiming to revitalize the PlayStation ecosystem. The company is deepening its partnership with TSMC to develop next‑generation image sensors...
Heineken’s ‘The Clinker’ Smartband Creates Festival Friends
Heineken introduced "The Clinker" smartband at Coachella, a wearable that reads users' Spotify data and instantly creates a shared playlist when two bands touch. The device aims to turn strangers into instant music‑based connections, bypassing the awkwardness of approaching new...
8 Google Messages Features I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Sooner
Google Messages packs a suite of under‑the‑radar tools that go far beyond basic SMS. Users can schedule texts, snooze conversations, pin up to 20 chats, and star important messages for quick retrieval. Advanced search filters, customizable swipe gestures, and sensitive‑content...
My OLED TV Looked Washed Out Until I Found This One Picture Setting
Dynamic tone mapping (DTM) is a frame‑by‑frame HDR feature that many modern OLED TVs, including LG’s G3, ship with but often leave disabled. When enabled, DTM dynamically adjusts peak brightness, pushing OLEDs toward their 2000‑nit ceiling and delivering punchier images...
Nintendo President Promises ‘Robust Software Lineup’ to Make the Price-Hiked Switch 2 Worth Your While
Nintendo announced a $50 price increase for the Switch 2, citing rising production costs and AI‑driven component shortages. President Shuntaro Furukawa issued a public apology and promised a "robust software lineup" to offset the higher price. The company expects the hike...
3 Tech Companies that Make Your Gadgets More Expensive
A recent MakeUseOf column highlights three licensing entities—HDMI Licensing Administrator, Dolby, and Qualcomm—whose fees add to the cost of smartphones, laptops, and TVs. HDMI charges per‑port licensing fees, Dolby requires paid certifications for Vision and Atmos, and Qualcomm levies a...
I'm Finally Back on My Switch 2 Thanks to This GOTY Contender From 2025
Tech reviewer Max Freeman‑Mills returns to Nintendo’s Switch 2 after waiting for the narrative‑driven title Dispatch, a 2025 Game‑of‑the‑Year contender that launched on the console in early 2026. The game blends choice‑based storytelling with dispatch missions, featuring veterans from Telltale Games...
Your Fire TV Collects More than Just Watch History, Here’s How to Stop It
Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max gathers more than viewing history, logging app interactions, usage duration, crashes, and even voice commands when Alexa is enabled. The article walks readers through the privacy menu to disable Device Usage Data, App Usage Data, and interest‑based...
5 Hidden Motorola Gestures that Make Other Android Phones Feel Basic
Motorola’s Android skins hide a suite of exclusive gestures that streamline everyday tasks. Users can slide the power button to pull down notifications, swipe horizontally to launch split‑screen mode, and control media playback with volume keys while the screen is...
Japanese Retailer Limiting Switch 2 Purchases After Price Increase Announcement
Nintendo announced a price increase for the Switch 2, raising the U.S. price from $449.99 to $499.99 and the Japanese price from ¥49,980 (≈$352) to ¥59,980 (≈$422) effective May 25, 2026. In response, Japan’s Bic Camera now only sells the Switch 2—and even...
HP’s 15.6″ Laptop Is Back On Sale for Under $300 With Free Microsoft 365
HP has reduced the price of its 15.6‑inch laptop to under $300, bundling a one‑year Microsoft 365 subscription. The device ships with 1.1 TB of storage, an Intel Celeron N100 processor, and a 1366×768 HD display. It runs Windows 11 Home in S...
These Are the 5 Features that Make the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Worth It
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8, priced from $350, positions itself as a slimmer, more affordable Wear OS alternative to the Pixel Watch and OnePlus Watch. Its standout appeal lies in the Samsung Health suite, which delivers daily Energy scores, detailed Sleep scores, and...
Beats Studio Pro Headphones Just Hit a Massive 51% Discount for a Limited Time
Beats Studio Pro headphones are now priced at $169.95, a 51% discount from the regular $349.99. The over‑ear model delivers active noise cancelling, transparency mode, lossless USB‑C audio, personalized spatial audio with head tracking, and up to 40 hours of...
The Instax Wide 400 Builds on Instant Photography’s Simplicity and Stretches It, Literally
Fujifilm’s Instax Wide 400 retails for $175 and prints 62 × 99 mm photos, roughly twice the size of Mini frames. The camera is a pure point‑and‑shoot device with automatic flash, focus and exposure, and it includes a close‑up lens attachment and a four‑speed...
![Review: I Want to Love Belkin’s 3-in-1 Pixel Watch Charging Dock, but Google Ruined It [Gallery]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://i0.wp.com/9to5google.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/05/belkin-pixel-watch-charging-dock-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1){kind=tracking}
Review: I Want to Love Belkin’s 3-in-1 Pixel Watch Charging Dock, but Google Ruined It [Gallery]
Belkin introduced a modular 3‑in‑1 Qi2 charging dock that supports Pixel Watch 1‑3, phones and earbuds, priced at $64.99. The dock features a 25 W wireless pad, a secondary earbud charger, and a pull‑out watch shelf with interchangeable inserts. Reviewers praise...
This Buried Samsung Feature Helps Keep My Galaxy S26 Running Like New
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 includes a hidden Auto restart option within its Device Care suite, allowing users to schedule periodic reboots. The feature, part of Auto Optimization, can be set to reboot on a chosen day and time or when performance...
Your Yarbo Lawnmower Is a Backdoor Into Your Wi-Fi Network
Security researcher Andreas Makris revealed that every Yarbo internet‑connected lawnmower ships with a hard‑coded root password and a persistent backdoor that transmits telemetry, GPS data and Wi‑Fi credentials to the manufacturer’s servers. By exploiting the flaw he accessed data from...
Nextorage NEM-PAC 2TB SSD Review: A Solid, PS5-Ready Workhorse
The Nextorage NEM‑PAC 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD retails for $289.99 and delivers up to 7,400 MB/s reads and 6,400 MB/s writes, matching the performance of higher‑priced rivals. It uses a Silicon Motion SM2268XT2 controller paired with Samsung 236‑layer TLC NAND and includes a...
Best Budget Gaming Laptops of 2026: The Best Cheap Laptops We've Tested and Benchmarked
Tom's Hardware evaluated the current generation of budget gaming laptops, highlighting that the market under $1,500 now typically ships with Nvidia RTX 5050‑5070 GPUs and the latest Intel Core Ultra or AMD Ryzen 7 processors. The Acer Nitro V 16S AI emerged as the...
"62% Won’t Pay $70 Anymore": Gen Z's Shift Toward Xbox Game Pass Has Me Rethinking How We Buy Video Games...
According to the IGN and Dentsu “Generations in Play: 2026” report, 62% of gamers—driven largely by Gen Z—no longer purchase full‑price games, opting instead for subscription services like Xbox Game Pass. The study highlights a generational shift toward treating games as...
![Google Pixel Phones Will Probably Let You Ditch the Search Bar in Android 17 QPR1 [Video]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://i0.wp.com/9to5google.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/03/google-pixel-10a-launcher-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1){kind=tracking}
Google Pixel Phones Will Probably Let You Ditch the Search Bar in Android 17 QPR1 [Video]
Google is testing a new toggle in the Pixel Launcher that lets users hide the persistent search bar, a feature long baked into the Pixel homescreen. The option lives under Settings > Search bar settings > Show search bar and, when disabled, shifts docked...
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 Vs. Galaxy Z Flip 7: Maybe Not Worth the Wait?
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 8 is slated for a July 22, 2026 launch, promising a slimmer chassis, a new Exynos 2600 2 nm processor and out‑of‑the‑box Qi2 magnetic charging. The device retains the same 6.9‑inch inner and 4.1‑inch cover OLED panels, 4,300 mAh battery and 50 MP...
Best Live-Captioning Smart Glasses (2026), WIRED Tested
WIRED tested five live‑captioning smart glasses and found the Even Realities G2 to be the clear winner. Priced at $599, the G2 offers real‑time transcription in 35 languages, AI‑generated summaries, and a 10‑hour battery, but it relies on an internet connection...
A Buggy Fitbit Update Is Blinding Sensors on the Pixel Watch 3 and 4
Google’s recent Fitbit Air launch coincided with a firmware update (3.57.1.2.910093395.release) that unintentionally stripped sensor permissions on Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Watch 4. The bug disables SpO₂ and skin‑temperature tracking, leaving users unable to re‑enable the sensors because the system reports...
I Lost My Roku Remotes Constantly Until I Found This Simple Fix
Roku users often misplace the sleek remote, but the platform now offers multiple ways to locate it. Voice‑enabled Roku remotes respond to a spoken “Hey Roku, where’s my remote?” with a chirp, while the Roku mobile app can ping any...
Apple Made It Easy for Others to Record Your iPhone Calls, without You Even Knowing It
Apple’s iOS 18.1 added a built‑in call‑recording function that lets anyone using the Phone app capture a conversation. The feature plays a brief audible cue for both parties, but only the initiator receives a persistent on‑screen notification and can stop the...
Review: Akaso 360, the Budget Alternative for the Action Cam Beginner
The Akaso 360 is a budget‑friendly 360° action camera aimed at beginners, retailing between $212.49 and $249.99. It features dual 48‑MP 1/2‑inch sensors that capture 5.7K video at 30 fps and 72‑MP stills, housed in a 180 g body with a touchscreen and...
Pro Breeze Upgrades Its Popular Hybrid Fan with Smart Controls – Here’s Why It’s Better than Before
Pro Breeze has released an upgraded AirFlo 43” Smart Hybrid Pedestal Fan, adding Wi‑Fi connectivity, app‑based speed and timer controls, and an aroma pod. The new model retains the original’s 100° horizontal and 130° vertical oscillation and built‑in air filter, while...
I Spent Weeks Testing the TCL QM8L TV, and I'm a Believer in Its New SQD Mini-LED Technology — This...
TechRadar’s hands‑on review finds the TCL QM8L a surprise winner, thanks to its new SQD mini‑LED backlight that delivers peak brightness exceeding 2,000 nits and a wide color gamut. The 65‑inch model retails for roughly $1,099, positioning it well below...
Roku Starts to Roll Out a Major Update to Roku TVs & Roku Players
Roku has begun the phased rollout of its Spring OS 15.2 update to compatible TVs and streaming players, a process that may take several weeks to a month. The upgrade introduces developer‑focused tools such as Perfetto‑based tracing and the chanperf command,...
Nintendo's President Intends for the Switch 2's Lifespan to Match that of the Original Switch
Nintendo’s original Switch, launched in March 2017, has sold 156 million units and enjoyed an eight‑year hardware lifespan—far longer than its Wii predecessor. President Shuntaro Furukawa told investors the upcoming Switch 2 will be engineered to match that longevity. Nintendo is already...
AI Finally Solves the Food Tracking Problem Wearables Ignored
Polyverse’s CalCam app leverages Google’s Gemini 2.0 Flash model to turn a single meal photo into a detailed calorie and nutrient breakdown. By automating food identification, portion estimation, and macronutrient calculation, the app eliminates the manual data entry that drives...
How Often Do You Upgrade Your PC?
A recent PC Gamer reader survey shows 47% of gamers wait at least five years before upgrading their PCs, a marked slowdown from the rapid upgrade cycles of the late 1990s‑2000s. Longer‑lasting CPUs and GPUs, rising component prices, and AI‑driven...
Nintendo Announces a Slew of Price Hikes, Beyond Just the Switch 2
Nintendo disclosed 20 price adjustments, including a $50 hike for the Switch 2 in the U.S., Canada and Europe effective Sept. 1, raising the console to $499.99. The company cited ¥100 billion ($638 million) of added component costs, especially memory chips, as “market conditions”...
Turn Your Living Room Into a Full-On Arcade & Save $60 on the Nex Playground
The AI‑powered Nex Playground, an active‑gaming system that turns any living room into an interactive arena, is now priced at $239—a 20% discount from its regular cost. The console connects directly to a TV via HDMI and uses a built‑in...
Amazon's $100 2-in-1 Laptop and Tablet Comes with a 7-Piece Productivity Bundle
Amazon is offering the Ehfidc A30 Pro 2-in-1 laptop‑tablet for $100, down from $150 after applying a clippable coupon. The device ships with a seven‑piece productivity bundle that includes a wireless keyboard, mouse, case, screen protector, stylus, charging cable and...
Amazon Is Rebranding Fire TV—Here Are the 3 Big Changes, Including the New Name
Amazon has renamed its line of smart‑TV hardware from Fire TV to Ember TV, aligning the brand with its newly launched Ember Artline model. Existing Fire TV sticks and cubes keep their original name, while all physical TV models—2‑Series, 4‑Series, QLED and Mini‑LED—receive the...
New Smartphone Study Finds Samsung Users Pay Up to 60% More for Repairs Than iPhone Users
A new Insuranceopedia analysis shows Samsung users pay between $100 and $120 for insured repairs, which is 30% to 60% higher than the roughly $75 AppleCare+ cost for iPhone repairs. The study attributes the gap to Samsung Care+’s variable pricing...
Your Old Smartphone Is Secretly the Best Smart Home Device You Already Own
The article shows how an unused iPhone—or any old smartphone—can be turned into a dedicated smart‑home controller, especially for Apple HomeKit. By resetting the device, enabling Guided Access, and mounting it, users get an always‑on touch panel that eliminates the...
Pixelated 099: Should We Be Worried About the Pixel 11?
In episode 99 of the 9to5Google podcast, hosts Abner, Damien, and Will dissect the latest Pixel 11 rumors, suggesting a summer 2026 launch with upgraded camera sensors and a mysterious "Pixel Glow" feature. They also flag potential downgrades such as...
4 Big Things We Just Learned About the Future of Sony's PlayStation
Sony’s 2025 fiscal report reveals a pivot toward digital revenue, with dynamic pricing tests on the PlayStation Store offsetting slowing hardware sales. The company is embedding generative AI into first‑party studios, enabling facial‑animation and hair‑model automation that could cut development...
3 Features that Make Google Pixel’s “Context-Aware” Voice Typing Better than Any Keyboard
Google’s Pixel phones now pair Gboard with advanced, context‑aware voice typing that goes beyond simple dictation. Users can insert punctuation and emojis by speaking, edit text hands‑free with commands like “delete last word” or “change X to Y,” and on...
Google Unveils Screenless Fitbit Air, New Google Health App
Google introduced the screenless Fitbit Air, a $99.99 wearable that tracks heart rate, sleep, oxygen, temperature and activity without a display. The device pairs with the rebranded Google Health app—formerly the Fitbit app—offering a unified dashboard that aggregates data from...
Target Has a $360 Smartwatch for $36 that Runs up to 7 Days on a Single Charge
Target is offering the Veatool Smartwatch, originally priced at $360, for just $36—a 90% discount. The device features a 2.01‑inch HD touchscreen, Bluetooth 5.3, IP68 water resistance, and over 180 sport modes. Its battery lasts up to seven days of...
Don't Connect Your Smart Plug to These 5 Household Devices - an Expert Warns
Smart plugs offer convenient remote control for low‑power devices, but most are limited to a 15‑amp (≈1,800 W) rating. Connecting heavy‑duty appliances, medical life‑support equipment, power strips, heating tools, or continuously cycling devices can overload the plug, cause overheating, or interrupt...
Shockingly, Way Fewer People Are Buying PlayStation 5 After Sony Hiked Its Price
Sony’s latest price hikes triggered a sharp drop in PlayStation 5 sales, with Q4 2025 shipments falling to 1.5 million units – a 46% decline from the same quarter a year earlier. Overall, FY 2025 console sales were down 2.5 million units year‑over‑year, even though...
A $30 USB Drive Just Saved Me From a $500 PC Repair Bill
A $30 dual‑connector USB flash drive can serve as a multiboot rescue kit, letting users store Windows 11 installers, live Linux environments, and essential drivers on a single stick. Using free tools like Ventoy, ISOs are copied like regular files and...
Nintendo Praises Switch 2 Third Party Support, Says Game Lineup Is the "Largest Ever Following a Platform Launch"
Nintendo highlighted unprecedented third‑party support for its upcoming Switch 2 in its latest financial report, calling the current game lineup the largest ever seen after a platform launch. The company noted that a steady flow of new titles from major publishers...
Braun Series 9 Pro+ Electric Shaver Review 2026
The Braun Series 9 Pro+ electric shaver impresses with a high‑speed motor and multi‑element foil that delivers a razor‑smooth finish on both facial and head stubble with few passes. Battery life hits the advertised 60 minutes and a five‑minute quick‑charge keeps it ready...