The Latest from Gadget Hacks: Page 7

Privacy is messy on a packed train or in a coffee line, and Samsung appears to be tackling it in a surprisingly thoughtful way. A recent APK teardown of One UI 8.5 uncovered code referencing something called "Private Display" or "Privacy Display," and the feature looks like a real swing for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The leaked build shows Samsung is developing tech that limits screen visibility from side angles to protect your privacy in crowded public places. One UI 8.5 is expected to be the...

Samsung's audio roadmap just got a lot more interesting. After years of covering the company's ecosystem strategy, I can tell you this round of moves feels bigger than routine tweaks. The big news? Samsung is reportedly working on new premium earbuds, with code references suggesting the Galaxy Buds 4 could debut at Samsung's first Unpacked of 2026 alongside the Galaxy S26. Meanwhile, One UI 8.5 is shaping up as a mid-cycle update that could rewire Samsung's 2026 flagship ecosystem.

Mark Zuckerberg isn't just talking about the future of technology, he's building it. Meta, led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is shifting focus from smartphones to advanced smart glasses and AR devices. This is not a distant sci-fi pitch. The company has been pouring resources into projects like Supernova and Hypernova that aim to enhance digital experiences with versatile smart glasses. And yes, Zuckerberg predicts the end of smartphones by 2030, replaced by smart glasses. That date is closer than it...

The rumors are swirling and the evidence keeps mounting, Samsung appears to be gearing up for what could be their most ambitious product launch yet. These are not incremental updates we are looking at. These are technologies that could redefine mobile computing paradigms for the next decade. Ready to see why September 29 might be worth circling on your calendar?

Microsoft's pricing strategy for the Xbox ecosystem just delivered a reality check that is reverberating through gaming communities worldwide. In May 2025, the company announced some of the most aggressive price increases the console industry has seen, pushing the Xbox Series X from $500 to $600 and bumping the Series S from $300 to $380. Then came the curveball. Microsoft tried to push game prices to $80, met a tidal wave of backlash, and quickly backtracked to $69.99 after criticism around...

When industry analysts first examined leaked specifications and early production insights for the iPhone 17, they spotted something remarkable: a total rethink of how space is used inside your phone. The headline is not subtle. Apple has declared war on the SIM card. The real story is what Apple plans to do with the space it gets back.

The automotive industry is buzzing with excitement about Apple CarPlay Ultra, but not everyone's ready to jump on board. Ford's cautious stance mirrors wider hesitation around Apple's latest in-car push. Apple launched CarPlay Ultra in May 2025 after earlier previews (first teased at WWDC 2022), promising deeper vehicle integration and complete dashboard control. Even so, Ford doesn't think CarPlay Ultra is worth using now, but will look at future versions.

Samsung just dropped some serious tablet upgrades, and if you're eyeing the new Galaxy Tab S11 or S11 Ultra, you're probably wondering which one deserves your hard-earned cash. Samsung announced both models on September 4, 2025, and they're already hitting shelves. The Tab S11 costs $799 while the Tab S11 Ultra is priced at $1,199. But price is only half the story. The rest is how you plan to use it.

Nothing's OS 4.0 is a real step up, and Android Central confirms it is not just another incremental bump. Nothing unveiled OS 4.0 in mid-September 2025, a platform based on Android 16 with enhancements aimed at everyday use. The company promises a "sharper, more thoughtful design" that stays true to its minimalist streak while adding genuinely useful AI features. The twist, AI transparency, is front and center, something most manufacturers gloss over. Android 16's baseline perks, better...

Microsoft's CEO is not just playing defense in the AI revolution, he's haunted by the idea that Microsoft could slide into irrelevance. Satya Nadella is haunted at the prospect of Microsoft not surviving the AI era, and that fear is fueling some of the boldest moves out of Redmond in decades. Nadella gathered his lieutenants to assess the out-of-nowhere competition when DeepSeek's R1 model jolted the strategy built around OpenAI. The gut punch: computer processing that would cost $1,000 through...

Google's finally stepping up to tackle one of the internet's most harmful problems: nonconsensual intimate images. TechCrunch reports that Google is partnering with UK nonprofit StopNCII to bolster its efforts at combating revenge porn. The search giant will begin using StopNCII's hashes, digital fingerprints of images and videos, to proactively identify and remove nonconsensual intimate imagery on Search. What makes this significant is that Google has been slow to adopt StopNCII's system....

When Apple announced the iPhone Air at just 5.6mm thick, one question dominated tech forums and coffee shop conversations: would this ultra-thin device bend? The ghost of "Bendgate" from the iPhone 6 Plus days still haunts Apple's design decisions, and with the iPhone Air being Apple's thinnest phone ever, durability concerns were inevitable. Here is what our testing revealed: this is not your typical fragile flagship. The iPhone Air weighs only 165 grams and features a Grade 5 titanium frame...

When Apple announced the iPhone Air at just 5.6mm thick, the tech world immediately questioned one thing: how could something that thin possibly have decent battery life? Not by cutting corners, but by changing the playbook. The iPhone Air weighs only 165 grams and keeps a 6.5-inch OLED display. And yet, tucked inside is a battery rethink that rewrites the thinness versus power story.

Apple's first OLED MacBook Pro is officially on track for late 2026, and the implications for professional users could be game-changing. According to Samsung Display, test production of OLED panels has already begun, with the company investing approximately $3 billion in dedicated production facilities. This is more than another incremental update. Bloomberg reports it will be the first major redesign of the MacBook Pro lineup since 2021, pairing cutting-edge display tech with Apple's thinnest...

Microsoft Paint has come a long way from the simple drawing program we all remember from childhood. Microsoft has been steadily improving its Paint app for Windows 11 in recent years with a dark mode, transparency and layers, and AI-powered image creation. Now the company is taking another significant leap forward by adding two new Photoshop-like features to Paint. This is not just keeping up with the times, it is a shift toward a basic tool that can actually keep pace with more sophisticated...

The streaming landscape in 2025 is not just about picking a service and calling it a day. From Netflix and Disney+ to Max, Prime Video, and Hulu, the real story in 2025 is how crowded and expensive streaming has become. Video streaming technology has moved from basic content delivery to AI-powered systems that study what you watch and tweak quality in real time. With hundreds of niche services jockeying for attention, catalogs shift constantly, and price changes pop up alongside password...

Apple's latest flagship phones are finally here, and they're bringing some serious heat to the premium smartphone game. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max's availability began on September 19, 2025, representing what many are calling Apple's most significant design overhaul in years. These are not just incremental updates. We're looking at a complete reimagining of what a Pro iPhone can be, from the aluminum unibody construction to the vapor chamber cooling system that finally makes its debut. If...

Google's latest Windows desktop app launch lands at a curious crossroads in search. While Apple has been tuning Spotlight since 2005 with Command + Space and four specialized modes, Google is now bringing its AI-powered search to Windows desktops. The timing is no accident. Microsoft is still wrestling with Windows 11's sluggish search — leaving a gap wide enough for Google to walk through.

The flagship smartphone battle is heating up again, and if you’re torn between Apple’s latest iPhone 17 Pro and Google’s Pixel 10 Pro, you’re not alone. Apple has done a thing with this release, stepping past the routine cycle to give the Pro line a new sense of direction. Meanwhile, Google launched the Pixel 10 Series with new features powered by the Google Tensor G5 processor. Both phones push forward, but they chase flagship greatness in different ways.

Google's 2024 research year has been nothing short of remarkable. What makes it exciting is simple, the advances are not stuck in labs, they are landing in products that millions touch every day. From quantum computing milestones to AI models that help predict natural disasters, Google's research in 2024 represents a fascinating blend of cutting-edge science and practical application. Research cycles that once took years now compress into months. Real progress, fast.