The Latest from Gadget Hacks: Page 6

Apple is holding a private 'Welcome home' experience in New York today, with announcements expected for a new Apple TV 4K, a refreshed HomePod mini, and a new smart home hub called HomeView, according to MacRumors. The most notable report heading into the event involves a new Apple TV built-in microphone: Apple has tested an Apple TV 4K with a built-in mic for hands-free Siri requests, a feature MacRumors describes as tested, not confirmed for the shipping device.

Netflix is cutting roughly 6% of its global workforce, about 1,000 jobs, in its steepest reduction since 2022. Co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters told staff in an internal memo that the greatest impact falls on the company's product, technology, legal, and HR teams.

If the Google Maps speedometer on your Android Auto display is missing and you haven't touched a single setting, you're not alone, and you're not stuck. The most consistently reported fix is to set a destination and start navigating, a workaround several affected drivers say brings the speedometer right back (SlashGear, yesterday). That fix addresses one specific version of the feature, though. It won't help if what's actually missing for you is the newer, always-on display that works without a...

Global smartphone shipments fell 20% year-over-year in the third quarter of 2026, the weakest Q3 total since 2012, according to preliminary estimates from Counterpoint Research's Market Monitor service. That's the headline behind the global smartphone market decline, but the number that matters more if you're holding a phone right now is what's happening underneath it.

A report on Microsoft's October Windows 11 update says it resolves "mouse-input stutter in some games," grouped with fixes for an actively exploited Windows Shell vulnerability, VPN connection failures, and desktop black screens. For anyone chasing a Windows 11 gaming mouse stutter fix, that line stands out. Microsoft's October 13 release notes confirm the mouse-input stutter fix. It appears in KB5127648 for Windows 11 versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H2, and KB5127646 for version 26H1. Microsoft...

Google may be testing location as a new signal for Pixel Launcher app suggestions. Android Authority spotted interface text yesterday that swaps "routines" for "location" in the wording Pixel Launcher uses to describe why certain apps surface on the home screen or in the app drawer. Nothing beyond that text has turned up, so this reads as an early signal, not a confirmed feature.

Samsung's next flagship smartphone lineup could introduce a Galaxy S27 Pro, giving buyers another premium option — and potentially another reason to pay attention to which version of a phone they're buying. New reports suggest Samsung is expanding production of its Exynos 2700 processor, which could power several Galaxy S27 models in some markets while other regions receive Qualcomm Snapdragon chips.

Apple and Xiaomi introduced their first passport-style foldables within two days of each other, and anyone running an iPhone Duo vs Xiaomi 18 Fold comparison right now will notice how closely the hardware converges.

The 2026 Singapore Grand Prix is over, but fans looking for a free way to watch the race still have an official option. Formula 1 has published race highlights from the Oct. 11 event at Marina Bay, where Max Verstappen claimed victory ahead of Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli.

Chrome is building a Save Video Frame feature for its desktop Global Media Controls panel, a button meant to grab the active video frame as a clean image rather than a standard screenshot. Digital Citizen first reported the feature in April 2026. Chromium subsequently implemented it in July and enabled it by default in September. The feature has also been observed working in Chrome 155 builds, although availability across the stable channel remains unconfirmed.

Google's new Android sideloading restrictions took effect on September 30, 2026, bringing developer verification requirements to four countries. But Android users can still install apps outside Google Play, and the first round of enforcement is more limited than the broader policy might suggest.

A Windows security feature designed to warn users about potentially dangerous downloads has been bypassed in real-world attacks, prompting Microsoft to release a fix as part of its October 2026 Patch Tuesday updates. The vulnerability affects Windows Shell and can allow malicious files to evade protections that normally help flag untrusted content.

WhatsApp says it is introducing guest calling, a feature that lets people without a WhatsApp account join a voice or video call through a shared link, the company announced yesterday. Guests open the link in a computer browser, type in a name, and wait for the host to let them in. No app install, no sign-up.

Does Windows Update include BIOS updates? Sometimes, yes, but there's no blanket rule guaranteeing your specific machine will receive one alongside a routine monthly patch. Windows Update can deliver system BIOS/UEFI firmware updates to supported PCs. Whether you get one depends on your PC maker, the exact model you own, its firmware-update capabilities, and whether the manufacturer publishes a compatible package through that channel.

Microsoft is turning Windows Search into a more capable control center, allowing users to type commands like "turn on Bluetooth" or "dim my screen" and execute them directly from search results. The redesigned experience began rolling out to Windows 11 Insiders on Oct. 7, with the goal of completing everyday tasks without opening another app or navigating through Settings.

Samsung's Galaxy S27 lineup is reportedly expanding from three phones to four, and that expansion is tangled up with a chip decision Samsung hasn't made yet. Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra rumors have picked up through industry reporting out of Korea rather than leaked spec sheets this time, covering a new display material, a camera shake-up, and an unresolved fight over which processor powers the phone. Samsung's next top-tier device is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2027.

Microsoft has built a working prototype that moves Edge to a newer, more secure version while you continue working, without a restart prompt. The demo required clicking an Update button, but Microsoft aims to eliminate that step. That version isn't available yet. Microsoft says plainly that the prototype is not in production code and not part of Chromium today.

Google may be preparing a new Phone Unlock feature that lets an already-unlocked Android phone unlock a nearby Googlebook automatically. Strings discovered in Android 17 QPR3 Beta 1 describe the feature, along with setup screens showing a Googlebook laptop. However, Google hasn't announced Phone Unlock or confirmed when it might become available.

Microsoft's Surface Laptop Ultra pairs Nvidia's RTX Spark SoC with up to 128GB of unified memory and up to 1 petaflop of AI compute. The company has confirmed a $2,599.99 starting price, with preorders open ahead of its Oct. 16 release.

Apple's biggest smart home expansion in years is taking shape, with a new touchscreen hub, upgraded speakers, a more powerful Apple TV, and a collection of cameras, locks, and thermostats. But while the hardware is arriving over the next few months, some of its most anticipated AI features won't be available to everyone on launch day.

The Google Phone Contacts tab is returning to the bottom navigation bar for beta testers, reversing a change that buried the shortcut inside a sidebar menu last year.

Samsung's intelligent eyewear, widely referred to in reports as the Galaxy Glasses, just got its most detailed leak yet, and the headline number is weight. The glasses reportedly weigh about 41g with standard lenses, making them among the lightest AI glasses expected to hit the market this year.

From its official launch back in September, iOS 11 has been equal parts revered as it has been criticized. Even with all the great, new features we've come to expect from a major iOS update, plenty of bugs and glitches have forced users to overlook the positives. Perhaps that is why, four months later, 25% of iPhone owners are still running iOS 10.3 or earlier.

For months, some Android Auto users have been glancing at their car dashboards only to find that the familiar cellular signal bars have disappeared. Their phones may still have reception, and navigation and music may work normally, but the indicator that once showed their connection strength is nowhere to be found.

Five years after Google introduced the Pixel 6, owners who have held onto the phone are approaching a decision they can no longer put off indefinitely. Its guaranteed software support ends in October 2026, making the Pixel 10a and Pixel 11 two potential replacements. But spending more doesn't automatically mean getting the better upgrade.

Nothing began rolling out the stable Nothing OS 5.0 update on October 12, but so far only the Nothing Phone (3) is in the current wave. Nine more phones across Nothing and CMF have tentative rollout windows extending into mid-January 2027, according to Nothing's published roadmap and subsequent reporting.

Apple's support documentation still requires an iPhone to set up an Apple Watch, even though some third-party guides describe ways to use a cellular model alongside an Android phone after initial setup. That sentence is the extent of what's confirmed. Apple hasn't published eligible models, carriers, regions, or setup steps to go with it.

Samsung's familiar One UI interface could be heading for its biggest overhaul in years. A new leak suggests the company is exploring a software project called Galaxy OS, potentially bringing deeper artificial intelligence integration and a different identity to future Galaxy phones. But newer reports have complicated the story, raising questions about when the changes might arrive and whether Samsung intends to retire the One UI name at all.

The Google Translate Android redesign rollout is underway, but it's patchy, and Google still hasn't said a word about it officially. Android Authority reported last Friday that the new interface showed up on two of its test phones running version 10.39.34.99, while other devices on the exact same build kept the old layout. Antihype reported the same day that Google is pushing the interface out gradually, with no official explanation yet of who qualifies or when.

Tax season turns up the pressure on paperwork, and the fastest fix is already sitting on the home screen. Here's how to scan documents on iPhone without downloading a single app: Apple built a scanner directly into Notes and Files. Point the camera at a W-2, a receipt, or a lease agreement, and the scanner finds the page edges, straightens the angle, and saves the document as a PDF in a few taps.

Android Authority's teardown of Gmail version 2026.10.05.993506826 found code for an in-development Gmail settings page redesign that folds the Android app's separate "General" and per-account settings into labeled categories. The outlet says it only got the screens to render through "a lot of tinkering," and Google has not announced a public test or given any rollout timeline.

Godox has introduced the A2, an $84.90 magnetic accessory that attaches to an iPhone and fires a genuine xenon flash tube instead of relying on the phone's built-in LED. The Godox A2 iPhone xenon flash attaches magnetically, pairs over Bluetooth, and supports TTL auto exposure, manual power control, and high-speed sync up to 1/8,000 second, according to Godox's product page and Notebookcheck.

Microsoft's Surface Laptop Ultra launched October 16, following preorders that opened October 7 at a $2,599 starting price. The laptop is built on Nvidia's RTX Spark platform and targets developers, creators, and users running demanding local AI workloads, according to Microsoft's launch announcement and Tom's Hardware.

Microsoft has started testing a Windows 11 Search overhaul that turns the taskbar search box into a command tool. Instead of digging through Settings, typing a phrase like "switch to dark mode" or "dim my screen" can carry out the action directly from the search box, according to the Windows Insider Blog.

TextExpander introduced a free-forever plan in 2026 that needs no credit card and syncs the same snippet library across Mac, iPhone, iPad, Windows, and Chrome, according to 9to5Mac and TextExpander's own site. The TextExpander free plan gives individuals a genuine no-cost entry into cross-device text expansion, not a time-limited trial that pushes a sale.

This guide walks through how to import passwords into Apple Passwords, using the built-in CSV import on Mac and a separate Safari import method on iPhone. If switching password managers has been sitting on the to-do list, this covers what to check before starting, how the transfer actually works, and why it's worth verifying everything before deleting the old vault.

A new rumor claims the Galaxy S27 Pro and Galaxy S27 Ultra could introduce DC dimming, a technology Samsung hasn't traditionally offered on its Galaxy S flagships, according to Android Central.

The first wave of Samsung Galaxy A38 5G leaks shows a phone moving through early certification reports, but the only concrete hardware detail attached to it so far concerns its batteries.

Google started rolling out Personal Intelligence to Android Auto on October 20, giving Gemini permission-based access to Gmail, Calendar, Photos, Maps, YouTube, and Search while a driver is behind the wheel, according to Google's announcement. The Gemini Gmail integration in Android Auto is opt-in from the start: personal app data isn't connected until a driver enables the feature, and it can be switched off anytime in Gemini's settings.

Apple is testing a new HomePod Lock Controls setting in the Home app that shuts off most touch input on the speaker's top surface. The toggle appears in the iOS 27.2 Release Candidate alongside matching HomePod 27.2 software, and once switched on, it disables standard touch, touch-and-hold, and volume controls.