If you're looking to buy a charger in India, you can't go wrong with Stuffcool. The brand regularly churns out reliable products, and with the Omni Pro, it's making its debut with Qi 2.2 charging tech. The Omni Pro is now available for ₹4,999, and that is in line with other Qi 2.2 power banks I used from the likes of Baseus, Anker, and other global brands.

But the Omni Pro isn't just a standard Qi 2.2 power bank. It also has a swivel arm that swings out, and you can easily charge your Apple Watch on it. This is a brilliant idea, and you don't have to take any other devices if you're heading out with an iPhone and Apple Watch. Oh, and there's also a kickstand, giving you the freedom to plonk your phone on the Omni Pro and use it while charging.

The design is elegant too; Stuffcool went with a silver finish that looks good, and build quality is great — I didn't see any issues in the month I used the power bank. It isn't much bigger than other 10,000mAh power banks, and at 214g, you can slot it into a bag without any issues. There's a tiny panel on the left that shows battery level, and while you don't get charging metrics like the Nexode Pro, it is an easy way of seeing how much charge is left on the power bank.

Qi 2.2 charging tech is interesting because it delivers 25W, and I use it constantly with my iPhone 17 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL. I'm switching to the iPhone 18 Pro Max this week, and it's great to be able to reliably charge these devices without having to connect a cable. The versatility of being able to do so with the Apple Watch is just the icing on the cake.

There's a USB-C cable as well that goes up to 35W, so if you need a faster charge, this is the way to go. The internal battery also charges at 35W, and you get a USB-C cable bundled in the box.

The Omni Pro has a 10,000mAh battery, and it can easily charge the Pixel 11 Pro XL or iPhone 18 Pro Max once over. Standard energy conversion means you don't actually get up to 10,000mAh of usable power — it's around 5,500mAh or so. This is the case with all power banks, and the Omni Pro did a good job delivering consistent power in the month I used it.

There aren't many reliable Qi 2.2 power banks in India, and the Omni Pro is one of the best available in the country. It looks good, does a good job charging devices over the Qi 2.2 standard, and is easy to take anywhere.

What you need to know

• One UI 9 has started rolling out to some T-Mobile Galaxy S26 Ultra owners in the U.S.
• The Android 17-based update is around 4GB in size and also includes the September security patch.
• Unlocked Galaxy S26 phones and models on AT&T and Verizon don't appear to have received the update yet..

Samsung has started rolling out the One UI 9 update for Galaxy S26 Ultra owners in the U.S., although it appears to be limited to T-Mobile models for now.

Earlier this month, Samsung announced that One UI 9, which debuted with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series, would begin rolling out to the Galaxy S26 lineup this month. Reports initially suggested the rollout would begin around September 21, but that didn't happen. We later even heard rumors that Samsung may have delayed the Galaxy S26 series' One UI 9 rollout indefinitely.

It now looks like things have taken a U-turn, and there's finally some good news for Samsung users in the U.S. The company appears to have started rolling out One UI 9 to at least some Galaxy S26 Ultra owners.

A user on Reddit reports that their T-Mobile Galaxy S26 Ultra has received the One UI 9 update. As expected, the update is based on Android 17 and comes in at around 4GB. It carries the build number S948USQU4BZID/S948UOYN4BZID/S948USQU4BZID and also includes the September security patch.

A few other users in the Reddit thread have also confirmed receiving the update on their T-Mobile Galaxy S26 Ultra. However, it appears that other Galaxy S26 models on T-Mobile, alongside unlocked devices and phones on AT&T and Verizon, haven't received the update just yet. So, it looks like T-Mobile may have jumped the gun and started rolling out One UI 9 ahead of the wider U.S. release.

That said, if you have a T-Mobile Galaxy S26 Ultra, it's worth heading into Settings and manually checking for the One UI 9 update if you haven't received a notification yet.

There's currently no word on exactly when One UI 9 will arrive for unlocked devices or other carrier variants. But with the update now appearing on T-Mobile models in the U.S., the wait hopefully shouldn't be much longer.

What you need to know

• Garmin is rolling out a new software update to select Fenix, Forerunner, Venu and Vivoactive smartwatches.
• The Venu 6 is getting fall detection, which can automatically share your live location with emergency contacts.
• Select Garmin watches are also gaining hands-free "OK Garmin" voice controls and personalized run workouts.

Garmin has released a new software update for some of its smartwatches, bringing a variety of new features to the ecosystem.

Garmin makes some of the best smartwatches for fitness tracking, and the company continues to improve its devices with regular software updates. Now, Garmin has announced its latest round of features for select watches, including the Fenix 8 series, Forerunner 570, Forerunner 970, Venu 6, and Vivoactive 6.

Garmin says the new features are designed to help users get even more from their devices and take their training to the next level.

With the fall update, Garmin is bringing fall detection to the Venu 6. The feature can send the user's live location to emergency contacts after detecting a hard fall. It's something we've already seen on plenty of Apple and Wear OS smartwatches, but thankfully, Garmin is adding it as well.

Several Garmin smartwatches are also getting hands-free voice controls with a new "OK Garmin" command, allowing users to access certain features without touching their watch.

Garmin is also improving its running features. The update brings personalized run workouts alongside a new adaptive Garmin Run Coach plan, which can adjust training based on the user's performance and progress.

Garmin says the software updates have already started rolling out to compatible devices. Users can check for the latest software through the Garmin Connect app on their phone. If you don't see the update or new features just yet, it's worth checking again over the next few days as the rollout continues.

In addition to its smartwatch updates, Garmin has released new features for its Edge cycling computers as well, including automatic climb and descent detection and switching. Those updates can also be installed through the Garmin Connect app.

We haven't tested the new software on our Garmin smartwatches just yet, but I'm particularly looking forward to trying the new personalized running features. Garmin already excels when it comes to run and training guidance, and these additions could make that part of the experience even better.

What you need to know

• The Motorola Signature 27 is powered by Qualcomm's new 2nm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chipset.
• Motorola's new ArcticMesh cooling system promises around 40% better thermal performance than the previous generation.
• The quad-camera setup includes a 50MP Sony LYTIA 910 main camera and a massive 200MP periscope telephoto sensor.
• Motorola hasn't announced pricing yet, but the Signature 27 is expected to launch in markets worldwide later this year.

Motorola has just revealed its first smartphone powered by the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, and it's called the Motorola Signature 27.

Motorola has been teasing the Signature 27 on social media for the past couple of days, and now we're finally learning more about the device. The Signature 27 is the company's top-tier flagship smartphone and the second generation in the lineup following last year's first Signature model.

Motorola says the Signature series is also adopting a new naming scheme, using the final two digits of the coming year for each new model.

Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, Qualcomm's first 2nm chipset, Motorola says the Signature 27 will deliver flagship performance alongside powerful on-device AI, gaming, and camera capabilities. To keep all of that performance cool, Motorola is using a new ArcticMesh cooling system that combines diamond-infused thermal gel with a redesigned 3D vapor chamber.

Motorola says the new cooling system offers around a 40% improvement in thermal performance compared to the previous generation, particularly during sustained AI workloads, gaming, and video recording.

Speaking of cameras, one of the main highlights of the Signature 27 is the quad-camera setup on the back. It includes a 50MP Sony LYTIA 910 main sensor alongside a massive 200MP periscope telephoto camera.

There's also a new video enhancement engine that uses AI to create a real-time intelligence layer, automatically adjusting things like color tones by analyzing the scene before and during recording. Motorola has also integrated Qualcomm's image stabilization technology with 3.5-degree hardware OIS, which the company says should result in smoother and more stable video.

Audio is getting a major upgrade as well, with the Signature 27 becoming Motorola's first smartphone to feature Audio by B&O.

In terms of design, Motorola is sticking with premium materials and offering the Signature 27 in two distinct finishes. Pantone Cool Smoke features a woven texture designed to improve grip, while Pantone Capulet Green goes for a softer, more fashion-inspired finish.

Motorola hasn't announced the Signature 27's exact release date, availability, or pricing just yet. However, the company says the phone is expected to launch in markets worldwide later this year, so we should hear more about pricing and availability fairly soon.

What you need to know

• Qualcomm is splitting its top-tier lineup into the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 and the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6.
• Both 2nm platforms center around custom Oryon CPUs, redesigned Adreno GPUs, and Hexagon NPUs tuned to run responsive, context-aware AI assistants locally.
• APV support and Intelligent Pixel Control aim to deliver better scene understanding and more natural photos and videos.

Qualcomm is doubling down on AI-powered smartphones with two new flagship mobile platforms: the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6. The company says both chips are designed to push on-device AI further while improving gaming, cameras, and connectivity across premium Android phones.

The new Qualcomm lineup is capped out with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6. It’s built for high-end Android phones and is very much centered around what Qualcomm calls “everyday agents” — AI that can respond faster, customize experiences, and learn about users during the day.

There are already a handful of likely homes for the Extreme chip. Rumors suggest Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra, while the iQOO 16 has also been associated with the processor in benchmark leaks. Motorola’s upcoming Signature 27 is also said to be in queue for the chipset, but none of these rumors is confirmed.

Qualcomm’s new Adreno Neural Fusion technology uses AI to improve graphics for gamers, and the company says it will lead to better visuals and longer gaming sessions.

The chip also adds new camera features like support for Advanced Professional Video (APV) and Intelligent Pixel Control, which is designed to help the camera understand the scene better and deliver more natural-looking photos and video.

Meanwhile, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 is a bit more broad in its approach. It’s based on the same 2nm process and packs Qualcomm’s custom Oryon CPU, redesigned Adreno GPU, and Hexagon NPU.

Qualcomm says phones with both chips will come from leading global smartphone brands. That said, it remains to be seen whether the AI, gaming, and camera upgrades they promise will make any real difference for the average user.

What you need to know

• Nothing announced that its OS 5.0 (Android 17) Open Beta is now welcoming the Phone 4a, 3a, and 3a Pro.
• Users may find an update ~2.8GB, loaded with new features for the camera, the a new system typeface, widgets, customization, AI, and more.
• The Phone 3 got into the Open Beta in August, and users with that phone should see a full release in mid-October.

Another new day means something to look forward to from Nothing OS. The company announced that it's now rolling out the Open Beta of OS 5 to more phones.

Over on X, Nothing announced that it's now accepting the Phone 4a, Phone 3a, and 3a Pro into the OS 5 Open Beta. Going by the company's timeline, these phones are right on schedule, as it listed a "Late September" timeframe for the Open Beta. What's more, testing should last for a little while. Nothing says these devices likely won't see a general release until early November.

The folks at Android Authority swiped the changelog for the Open Beta. That is, for the Phone 3a. It states the update is ~2.8GB on the Phone 3a, so the size should be similar on the other two devices. Much of the changelog mirrors what Nothing released for the Phone 3 back in August. The Android 17 test brings a dedicated Glyph app for the Glyph Interface. While the Quick Settings and home screen app management get refreshed, Nothing is introducing a new "three-color status bar indicator."

This indicator is for "scenes of sensitive access," location, AI processing, and more. Visual enhancements are rolling out across the board for Nothing's phones, as are updates to its camera. Users will find Filters and Tuning support for video, alongside Dual-View for recordings.

Some users on X have said they've had difficulties with the Open Beta. Basically, it's showing that there's nothing to download. It might be worth waiting a while before attempting as the beta comes online for more users.

Testing continues, but launch is near

There was hype around the Nothing OS 5.0 Open Beta for the Phone 3 back in August. This is the company's major Android 17 update, and there was a lot to go over. A new system typeface (Geist), refreshed system icons, better adaptive colors for your wallpapers, and more. Since the Phone 3 got its Open Beta last month, Nothing said users should expect its stable release in mid-October.

Most phones are getting that two-month testing period to iron out any bugs before it his everyone's device. In our hands-on, it was evident that Nothing was pushing ahead with a little more AI on Nothing OS 5.0. What's more, the company is doing so with privacy at the forefront.

What you need to know

• Samsung has reportedly delayed the global release of its One UI 9 (Android 17) update for Galaxy users.
• The company originally planned to release the update on September 21, but missed the date, and quietly changed its new plans twice.
• Samsung went from a September 28 possibility to a general "September 2026" window, but time is running out.
• One UI 9 has been in testing for five months, and users we're eagerly awaiting the release of the next major Android software/

Reactions have been in an uproar across social media and publications early today (Sept. 22). Samsung has reportedly delayed its major Android update, and we have a general timeline for when to expect it.

Reports have been fast and furious on social media; however, we're getting started with a post by SammyGuru. The post reminds us that Samsung originally announced One UI 9's arrival last week, on September 16. The Android 17 update was supposed to begin rolling out globally to more users on September 21 (yesterday), but that didn't happen.

This is where things get strange. Tarun Vats brought this up on X, too, stating that Samsung Thailand's blog changed the original September 21 date to September 28. However, early this morning, the company changed the date once again.

Now, September 28 is no longer present. Samsung has replaced this missed date with a general "September 2026" launch window. The blog reads, "In Thailand, the update will first be available on the Galaxy S26 series, Galaxy S25 series, and Galaxy Z7 series within September, with further updates to the Galaxy S23 FE later this year." It's hard to think one way or the other right now. Either Samsung is still sticking to this delayed September 28 date, or we're going to see it even later.

However, Samsung can't go too late into the month. September only has 30 days. So we'll either see the update on the 28th, 29th, or 30th. Either way, this development is extremely disappointing.

Surprise, surprise

To remind you, we've been dealing with five months of One UI 9 testing with Samsung. Testing for the Galaxy S26 series started for users in May. The company synced its beta across multiple regions, including Germany, India, Korea, Poland, the UK, and the U.S. The start was pretty light, offering users a glimpse into a few new features for the Contacts app and Samsung Notes.

Fast-forward to September, and we received the wondrous announcement of One UI 9's full release. Funnily enough, Samsung's U.S. newsroom post didn't mention a specific date for the global release. Makes one curious. Regardless, Samsung said it was pushing its update in South Korea on September 16. Global users were to follow, but it looks like we're all left waiting—again.

Android Central's Take

I've got nothing to say. That's not true. I have something to say, but I'd rather not. It's frustrating. That's also the sentiment I'm getting from users on social media, too. People are annoyed and tired and confused about the delay. If you remember Samsung's One UI 8.5 update, that was hounded by delay after delay. I can't imagine One UI 9 getting pushed back into October, but I guess I won't hold my breath about it, either.

Fall sale season is swiftly approaching, but you apparently don't need to wait to score some exceptional Chromebook deals from Best Buy. For a limited time, the iconic retailer is slashing up to $250 off laptops from manufacturers like Lenovo, HP, ASUS, and Acer, making Amazon's upcoming Big Deal Days sale (October 6-7) feel a bit superfluous.

The devices on sale are no slouches, either. Some of the best Chromebooks we've ever tested are seeing hefty discounts at Best Buy right now, from the versatile Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 (currently $220 off) to the no-frills HP 14" Chromebook ($170 off). Our favorite Chromebook on the market today, the excellent Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, is even included in the offerings with a hefty $250 discount. Whether you want a new laptop for class, work, or entertainment, there's sure to be a discounted Chromebook that will meet your needs.

Of course, the big question now is whether prices will drop even further when the big sales commence next month. It's tough to say, but the current deals are good enough that you shouldn't feel any FOMO if you simply can't wait. Keep reading for my top recommendations from Best Buy's Chromebook sale.

• See the full list of deals available at Best Buy today

My top picks from Best Buy's Chromebook sale

Didn't find anything today? If the current lineup of Chromebooks doesn't interest you, it's worth mentioning that Google has just opened preorders for its long-awaited Googlebooks series of laptops. Learn more about the launch of these devices here.

• More Chromebook deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Lenovo | HP | Amazon

Choosing between the Galaxy S26 Ultra and iPhone 18 Pro Max? I'm about to make this decision much easier for you.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra came out in March 2026, while Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Max debuted in September. That six-month gap is enough to account for some major differences between these phones, but Samsung's lackadaisical attitude with its flagship phones in the past few years has finally caught up, and that means I'm about to do something I've never before done in my life: recommend an iPhone.

You might think I'm crazy for it, but Apple's latest flagship checks more boxes than Samsung's and, at the same price, it's hard to argue with the facts. Here's what you need to know.

Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Design, specs, and performance

Over the years, Samsung has opted for flatter and flatter designs. While the company thankfully got rid of the square corners on the Galaxy S Ultra series, Apple's curvier iPhone designs are far more comfortable to hold on a daily basis. But while those curves certainly feel better in the hand, the iPhone weighs a whopping 35g more and is nearly 1mm thicker than the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Some of this has to do with the MagSafe magnets built into iPhones, but some of it is also because the iPhone has a 10% larger battery than the Galaxy S26 Ultra. And while 10% doesn't sound like a lot, real-world usage of both phones ends up showing a far greater difference in the end.

Samsung's Galaxy S Ultra phones have had the same 5000mAh battery size for the last 5 years. Meanwhile, most Android phones have switched to higher-capacity silicon-carbon batteries that reduce physical size and weight. The Galaxy S26 Ultra at least improves charging speed compared to previous Samsung phones, but it's still slower than Apple's latest.

Plugging the iPhone 18 Pro Max in for 15 minutes gives it a 50% charge, while our tests have shown that the Galaxy S26 Ultra only hits 41% in the same time frame. That difference becomes wider when you consider that the iPhone's battery is larger, too.

Additionally, Apple's A20 chipset in the iPhone 18 Pro Max is at least 20% faster than the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in the Galaxy S26 Ultra (and up to 40% faster in gaming). That, combined with Apple's new "next-generation" vapor chamber, gives games like Monster Hunter Outlanders special advanced graphics settings only available on iPhone.

Apple also sports a customizable side key and the camera button, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra offers a built-in stylus. Samsung has been placing less emphasis on the stylus lately, though, stripping it of its Bluetooth features and opting for a weird design that can only be docked one way.

Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Display and cameras

The Galaxy S26 Ultra's Privacy Display is a unique AMOLED display that allows the phone to dim specific portions of the screen so that they are not visible from an angle, keeping prying eyes from reading your messages or seeing your photos.

While this feature is incredibly cool and quite a bit of fun to show off to people, the screen quality has been degraded because of it. In my display review, I showed that the effective resolution, brightness, contrast, and the anti-reflective layer were worse than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and some people even found that Privacy Display was uncomfortable to look at.

Neither phone is suitable for folks who are PWM-sensitive, but more people in the flicker-sensitive community have had luck using iPhones than Samsung phones. While both phones run at paltry 480HZ dimming rates, Apple does a better job of managing the intensity of the PWM cycle.

Samsung experimented with variable aperture cameras a few years ago on the Galaxy S9 series, but did not stick with the technology for very long. Now that Apple has adopted variable aperture, the iPhone 18 Pro Max's main camera promises to deliver crisper low-light photography and better bokeh than the Galaxy S26 Ultra's 200MP main camera.

Apple has also caught up to Samsung with several features, including an actual Pro camera mode. The iPhone 18 Pro Max's ultrawide camera and portrait modes are better than what Samsung offers, and the iPhone even lets you adjust the angle you took the photo after it was taken with its Spatial Reframing feature. Samsung's most unique camera feature is Horizon Lock, which is excellent if you take a lot of action videos.

Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Software and features

One of the most difficult reasons to choose the iPhone over the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the fact that Apple's iOS operating system is nowhere near as customizable or open as Android. Aside from general customization, Android phones like the Galaxy S26 Ultra support a wider variety of peripherals.

Apple mainly wants you to only buy its products, so many parts of the operating system are locked down, meaning third-party watches, smart glasses, etc. don't have the same level of access as Apple's own products. This is the reason I've chosen Android for the last 16 years, and the reason I will continue to stick with it.

There's also no denying that Samsung phones are substantially more feature-rich than any iPhone. There's a running joke every year that Apple announces features that Android users have had for 10 years, and that's really no different this year.

Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Which should you buy?

If you're truly only the fence between these phones this year, it's pretty clear that Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Max is the better option. With better performance, better battery life, faster charging, a better display, and tons of new features that finally caught up with Samsung, it's difficult not to recommend Apple's latest.

If I were picking from the huge selection of Android flagship phones, I'd definitely pick something other than a Galaxy S26 Ultra.

An Apple iPhone 18 Pro vs. Google Pixel 11 comparison is like apples to oranges. Both devices run different operating systems and have very different ecosystems. Based on what you value in a smartphone, and how much money you've got to spare, which phone is better is subjective.

What makes this a difficult choice is that both phones came out a month apart, so they have the best of what Apple and Google have to offer, and both phones have different positive and negative attributes. Before making a suggestion, let me break down the cold hard facts and dive into the important aspects of what make each device good — or bad.

Apple iPhone 18 Pro vs. Google Pixel 11: Design, specs, and performance

Looks-wise, both the iPhone 18 Pro and Pixel 11 haven't changed much over their last-gen counterparts beside getting a bit slimmer and lighter. Interestingly, between the two of them, they have a similar in-hand feel as both sport 6.3-inch AMOLED screens, weigh almost the same, and have very similar dimensions too. Neither display is good for PWM-sensitive folks, but iPhone tends to manage PWM cycles better.

The iPhone 18 Pro has a smaller battery than the Pixel 11, but phones deliver all-day battery life on average. The iPhone charges faster when plugged in, recharging 50% in just 15 minutes as opposed to the Pixel — 55% in 30 minutes. The Pixel also lacks UWB.

Both phones have 12GB RAM and start with 256GB storage as standard, but the Pixel 11 only comes in one other variant with 512GB. Meanwhile, the iPhone 18 Pro goes all the way up to 2TB. Notably the iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 while the Pixel 11 starts at $899, setting them $300 apart.

Apple's A20 chipset is superior to Google's Tensor chipset in terms of raw performance and power, so the iPhone is better for processor-heavy gaming.

Google promises seven years of updates, while Apple guarantees five. In reality, Apple usually delivers seven years of software support, so they're evenly matched.

Apple iPhone 18 Pro vs. Google Pixel 11: Cameras

The iPhone 18 Pro favors a strikingly different camera unit compared to the Pixel 11's camera bar, even though both have triple cameras. If you have trypophobia, the iPhone will probably trigger it.

The iPhone has superior camera hardware with higher resolution overall. Variable-aperture is the biggest upgrade on the iPhone 18 series, allowing users to have granular control over the aperture and depth of field. Low-light photography has also improved.

On the Android side of things, the Pixel 11 has a new main camera compared to the Pixel 10, but overall the camera hardware is largely unchanged. Pixels always take spectacular photos, as do iPhones, so this is a really tough battle.

Both devices have their own set of camera tools and features baked in. The iPhone 18 Pro finally has a proper Pro camera mode and features like Spatial Reframing. Google also has cool tricks up its sleeves with AI-based features like Magic Capture, the most attractive draw of the Pixel 11.

Apple iPhone 18 Pro vs. Google Pixel 11: Software and features

This is the most polarizing part of the face off because iOS and Android are vastly different operating systems. Apple focuses on a more shut-off, locked in ecosystem that does not play nice with third-party peripherals, and that flows into the software, restricting customization.

Meanwhile, Android is a lot more open, and the Pixel UI is arguably one of the purest, most useful and fun versions of the Android experience. And, of course, Pixel users get access to a significantly more open and wider range of accessories.

At the end of the day, Apple might have introduced a ton of useful "new" features with the iPhone 18 Pro, but the truth is, most Android devices have had these features for years. The Pixel 11 is much more versatile and feature rich in terms of software.

Apple iPhone 18 Pro vs. Google Pixel 11: Which should you buy?

Unless you're an absolute camera nut or gaming enthusiast, the Google Pixel 11 is clearly the better deal overall. You still get triple cameras, all-day battery, spectacular software, and seven years of OS and security upgrades, all for $300 cheaper than the iPhone 18 Pro.

Admittedly, the iPhone 18 Pro may beat the Pixel 11 at photography and videography, as well as heavy gaming, but this in no way means that the Pixel can't stand on its own. You can still game on it, though the phone might need a few breaks. Not to mention, the Pixel's cameras blow us away every time.

In the entry-level flagship segment, the Pixel 11 delivers better value overall.

Samsung's foldable phones are more popular than ever before, and retailers all across the web are trying to capitalize on this success by dropping some pretty great Galaxy Z Fold 8 deals ahead of fall sale season.

The offers from Verizon and T-Mobile are particularly impressive this time around, but which Z Fold 8 deal is best? Well, as always with carrier deals, the answer isn't exactly straightforward. Let's break it down.

How do the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 deals compare?

T-Mobile:

For starters, it's important to note that, in the world of phone deals, nothing is ever truly free. Yes, play your cards right and T-Mobile won't charge you anything for the Galaxy Z Fold 8, but you'll still need to pay for the wireless. The Experience Beyond plan starts at $105 per month for a single line, although you can drop that price down considerably by adding multiple lines and using AutoPay.

It also helps that it's one of the best unlimited plans in the business, providing unlimited coverage and premium data with a mobile hotspot, free streaming subscriptions, and a ton of international benefits.

You'll also need to trade in an old or broken device to receive the full savings. At this time, Samsung phones dating back to the Galaxy S23 Plus will earn you the max credit, in addition to a number of devices from OEMs like Apple and Google. Check T-Mobile's product page for the full list of phones.

Verizon:

Verizon is actually keeping things pretty simple with its Galaxy Z Fold 8 deal. New customers who bundle the device with the carrier's Simplicity plan will only pay $59.98 per month for 48 months.

The plan in question gets you unlimited talk, text, and 5G Ultra Wideband data, plus you'll get 10GB of mobile hotspot data and coverage in Mexico and Canada. The benefits aren't as comprehensive as T-Mobile's Experience Beyond plan, but if you just want some straightforward wireless coverage, Verizon's Simplicity plan is a great deal.

No trade-in is required, although you'll need to be a new customer and use AutoPay to enjoy the full discount. Existing Verizon customers can enjoy the same deal, but the rate will increase to $85 per month.

So which Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 deal is best?

✅Choose T-Mobile's deal if: you have a device to trade-in; you're a heavy data user and you want to experience one of the best unlimited plans in wireless; you live in an area with good T-Mobile coverage.

✅Choose Verizon's deal if: you're looking to switch wireless carriers; you don't need all of the bells and whistles included in some unlimited plans; you live in an area with good Verizon coverage.

The AI glasses race is seriously heating up in fall 2026 with yet another new brand, but this one is doing something no one else has done so far. Vonder, a new company from the folks behind Viture and Oura, showed me its new line of intelligent eyewear that's coming to Best Buy shelves in just a few weeks, with preorders starting on September 28.

Vonder sets itself apart by ditching the camera, a piece that's become a privacy nightmare for some smart glasses, and instead uses a combination of bone conduction sensors, powerful speakers, and seriously intelligent AI to create a totally different experience.

Instead of capturing moments in photos or videos, Vonder Intelligent Eyewear captures all the thoughts you (and only you) have spoken out loud throughout the day and turns them into searchable, actionable information. It's a similar concept to MemoMind One, but with a far more private experience and more mature software, and they're going to be a huge hit if my time with them is any indication.

A chat with the founders

I spent just over two hours chatting with two of Vonder's three founders, Emily Wang and David Jiang, on a Monday afternoon in Palo Alto. The duo showed up with a briefcase full of Vonder glasses, showcasing a blend of every glasses style the company offers.

As they talked to me about their latest product, Emily, who co-founded Viture (some of the best smart glasses), pointed out that David was wearing the style I had just picked up, something I hadn't noticed at all because the glasses looked so normal. Even Ray-Ban Metas are a tad thicker than a normal pair of Ray-Bans, but these glasses had totally fooled me, and that's just the start of where Vonder got things right.

At just 30g, these glasses are by far the lightest smart glasses I've worn to date, making them the same weight as a normal prescription pair. It's the moment I've been waiting for, and I know a lot of other people have, as well.

But what good are smart glasses without a camera? Here's where the paradigm shift comes in. Instead of capturing moments in the form of photos and video, Vonder Intelligent Eyewear captures your thoughts as you speak them out loud via a clever bone conduction sensor located at the end of the temples, before the curved temple tips.

This ensures that other people around you aren't recorded without their consent. Consent is the biggest problem with smart glasses today, and Vonder's clever design goes a long way to solving it. You can even permanently delete all your data with one tap in the app if you want to.

The glasses have two switches onboard plus a tactile raised touchpad on the underside of the right temple. One switch is a power switch, while the other is a "meeting mode" switch. This second one switches the glasses' recording function from bone conduction to four microphones located on the temples: two forward and two downward.

This mode is intended to be used only for recording meeting notes or other conversations that are important and is paired with a tamper-proof bright blue LED on the side. Start recording, and it immediately illuminates. Flip the switch, and it turns off. Audio is deleted the moment it's transcribed.

Vonder's AI platform soaks in all the data and turns it into actionable items and summaries. Full conversations — whether they're just your thoughts or the entire meeting room's — are not available at any time. "Notes, not recordings," is one of Vonder's key tenets for ensuring privacy, and it seems to work impressively well in the two hours I spent talking to Emily and David.

The Vonder app and web platform store all these notes for future reference, allowing you to search your memories at any time. It's a full AI agent that's powered by every major AI platform to date, including ChatGPT, Gemini, you name it, so you know it works well.

The service sports a unique 3D knowledge cloud that links common topics you talk about. Everything is not only searchable when you need it, but also proactive. That means when you search using Vonder, it doesn't just come up with the same information that ChatGPT or Gemini would; it also adds your memories into the mix.

Vonder AI can even be connected to your Google account, letting it parse details from there. David showed me his AI-generated daily digest, which included a "know before you go" summary of my bio and articles I've published about Viture, all pulled from the calendar entry for u

It's the sort of personalized "superintelligence" that we've heard Google, Meta, and others talk about, and it's made possible by a pair of ordinary-looking glasses you'll want to wear all day.

Less looking down, more looking forward

As David Jiang was telling me this, he made it a point to highlight the brand's blend of fashion and tech roots. Emily Wang, who was also at the table, previously worked for The RealReal and NEIWAI. The company's other co-founder, Guillaume Hamon, comes from Rivian and Oura, while David himself hails from Google.

Vonder features European design, comes in six different styles, three different colors, two sizes for each style, and a boatload of different lens and color combinations for all of them. Unlike Meta's somewhat confusing product lineup, which features a mishmash of colors and style options unique to each line, everything Vonder makes is available in the style you want.

It's all part of making glasses you'll actually want to wear all day, including battery life that matches the part. Vonder glasses ship with a magnetic charging cable that lets them charge while being worn (unlike glasses that charge in a case), but you likely won't ever need to do this thanks to 16-hour long battery life. That's more than double Meta's best estimates.

And, of course, there's no denying the utility that comes with a wearable AI companion. Vonder is a 100% American company founded and based in San Francisco's Bay Area, another building block in ensuring you feel comfortable while wearing these glasses.

Plus, Vonder AI seems to actually be able to do "regular" tasks like play and control music and answer calls with your voice, something brands like Even Realities and MemoMind haven't been able to deliver on just yet. And if you'd prefer a pair of Vonder glasses with displays in the lenses, well, they've got that coming, too!

All of this adds up to the best pair of camera-free AI glasses I've used to date, and I can't wait to get a final retail pair on my head.

What you need to know

• Google is expanding the motion-sickness feature to more Android phones through Google Play services.
• You’ll need an Android 17 or newer device running Google Play services v26.37.
• Motion Assist uses your phone’s motion sensors to move on-screen bubbles in sync with the vehicle.

Google is taking one of the more unusual features from its September Pixel Drop and bringing it to a much wider audience. Motion Assist, the company’s attempt to reduce motion sickness while you’re using your phone in a moving vehicle, is now rolling out through Google Play services.

The feature arrived on Pixel phones a few weeks ago, but the latest update to Google Play services v26.37 extends support beyond Google's hardware. You’ll need an Android 17 or later phone and the latest version of Google Play services.

For starters, Motion Assist places small visual bubbles around the edges of the display. Then, it uses the phone’s motion sensors to move those shapes in sync with the vehicle. This works pretty much like Apple’s own take on the feature, which has long been available on iOS devices.

The idea is to provide your eyes with a visual reference that correlates more closely with what your body is experiencing. This might lessen the mismatch that can cause motion sickness.

The appearance of the feature can also be customized, including the opacity, color and shape of the bubbles. Motion Assist can turn on when your phone detects that you are in a moving vehicle, or you can turn it on manually through Quick Settings.

The September 21 update is not solely about motion sickness. Google is also working on making it easier to transfer real-time health metrics from Wear OS watches to phones, making it easier to find Driving Do Not Disturb, and creating larger, more refined system emoji fonts.

Google Play Store v53.3 also includes a few extras such as local-currency purchases in Argentina, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Ethiopia; changes to Wear search results; and the ability to add a pre-registered paid app or game to your wishlist after it launches.

You can find the full changelog on Google’s help page. Keep an eye out for the system update rolling out to your device over the coming days — your stomach will thank you on your next road trip.

I have a never-ending pile of books to read, and I try to take at least an hour a day to read. That usually involves sitting on the couch with the Kobo Libra Colour, and while I enjoy using the 7-inch e-reader (a lot), it isn't what I'd call portable; I mostly use it while at home or on a flight.

This is the biggest advantage with the Boox Palma 2 Pro solves. As it has roughly the same dimensions as a phone, it is seamless to take anywhere, and I just throw it in my EDC bag. While I was initially hesitant to use the device because of the smaller size, I now see it as a huge advantage, and I ended up using the Palma 2 Pro much more than I imagined in the last six months. Starting at $399, it isn't an impulse purchase by any measure, and it costs more than most high-end e-readers; I like the DuRoBo Krono as well, and that retails for $279 as of writing.

That said, the unique size and feature-set of the Palma 2 Pro make it a great choice to use just about anywhere, and I'm outlining three areas where it's made a real difference.

The Palma 2 Pro allowed me to read everywhere

When I take out the Kobo, it is intentional. I plan my reading sessions and try to minimize distractions. That hasn't been easy in recent years because of a busy schedule and a toddler, and there are weeks where I don't get any reading done.

This isn't an issue with the Palma 2 Pro; I have it with me while going out, so if I'm just waiting around, I just use it instead of reaching for my phone. While I prefer reading in hour-long sessions, it's just easier to take out 10 minutes to read something interesting rather than get distracted by my phone, and the Palma 2 Pro made a big difference in that area.

The 6.13-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 panel is a delight to use, and it has the standard 300ppi pixel density with monochrome content. It has colors as well, and the 150ppi density is decent enough when reading comics on the go. What I like better is that it has adjustable light with warm tones, and it definitely comes in handy.

I didn't use my phone as much

I'd like to think I do a good job with phone usage. I have DND enabled throughout the day, and I try to be cognizant about how much I use my phone. That said, there have been enough times when I went down a Reddit rabbit hole and didn't realize hours had passed (r/watches is addictive).

This is where having a dedicated device like the Palma 2 Pro is so handy. The e-reader runs Android 15 out of the box and gives you full access to the Play Store, and it has a SIM slot that lets you use a data plan as well. But because it has an E Ink panel, you're limited in what you can do with the device. This is a good thing overall, and I found the size to be ideal to hold in-hand and read on the go.

I don't have to charge it daily

Look, I don't like charging devices daily; that's why I used the Find X9 Ultra as my daily driver, and why I'm liking the Pixel Watch 5. Thankfully, the Palma 2 Pro does a great job in this area, and the 3,950mAh battery easily lasts a week between charges.

This is a big part of what makes e-readers great in general. The battery on my Kobo Libra Colour lasts closer to two weeks before having to plug in it, and not having to worry about whether I've charged a device — particularly while on the go — is a big relief.

Honestly, I didn't think I'd use the Palma 2 Pro anywhere as much as I did when I got started with the e-reader. The smaller size is just so convenient, and while it doesn't have the same screen real estate as a 7-inch reader, the portability is unmatched. If you don't want to shell out quite as much cash, the Krono is a decent enough alternative, but you get a lot of additional software features with the Palma 2 Pro.

What you need to know

• Xiaomi has confirmed the Xiaomi 18 Pro will feature a hardware-based smart privacy display similar to Samsung's.
• The screen will remain clearly visible from the front, while side brightness reportedly drops to around 1% beyond 60 degrees.
• Privacy protection will also be able to work with specific lock screen notifications as well as floating windows.

Xiaomi has already confirmed that the Xiaomi 18 series is arriving very soon with a magical rear display. And now, the company has revealed another major feature coming to its new flagship smartphone lineup.

Similar to the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, Xiaomi has confirmed that the Xiaomi 18 Pro will feature a new smart privacy display. For those who don't remember, Samsung introduced Privacy Display with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which uses the display hardware itself to make it difficult for people looking from the sides to see what's on your screen. And now, Xiaomi is bringing similar technology to the Xiaomi 18 Pro.

In a teaser posted on Weibo, Xiaomi confirmed that the Xiaomi 18 Pro will ship with what it calls a smart privacy screen. Similar to Samsung's implementation, the privacy effect is built into the display itself rather than relying on software or a third-party privacy screen protector.

When the mode is active, the person directly in front of the phone will still be able to see the display properly, while someone looking from the side will instead see a much darker, nearly black screen.

But Xiaomi claims it's going one step further than Samsung here. One downside of Samsung's Privacy Display is that enabling the feature also makes the screen look slightly dimmer for the person directly using the phone. Xiaomi says its implementation won't compromise normal front-on viewing when the privacy feature is enabled.

Once you move beyond a 60-degree viewing angle, Xiaomi says the side brightness drops to roughly 1%, making the display appear almost completely black to anyone trying to look from the side.

Similar to Samsung, Xiaomi is also building software controls around when the privacy mode kicks in. For example, Xiaomi's implementation can automatically protect specific notifications on the lock screen, while the feature will also work with floating windows.

Thankfully, we won't have to wait much longer to see how well the technology actually works. The Xiaomi 18 series is set to launch in just a few days, so we should learn much more about the smart privacy display soon.

What you need to know

• Googlebooks are finally here, and Google says pre-orders have begun as promised today (Sept. 21).
• The Googlebooks feature touchscreens, haptic glass trackpads, backlit keyboards, and strong Android phone pairing.
• The company says users can cast apps or stop and start projects from their Android phone on their Googlebook.
• Googlebooks from ASUS, Dell, HP, and more start at $899; available at Best Buy, Google Store, and other retailers ahead of an October 4 market release.

In case you haven't checked your phone, it's September 21. Googlebook pre-orders officially begin today, and Google's full announcement is finally here.

Today (Sept. 21), Google announced that pre-orders for the first wave of Googlebooks have begun. The post states that Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo build this initial wave. Pre-orders are open, and laptops begin at $899. Each brand features distinct craftsmanship, ranging from custom keyboards to cinematic audio. Google states these laptops from these brands were crafted in "premium materials like aluminum, magnesium alloy, and carbon fiber, making them exceptionally light, sleek, and durable.."

These Googlebooks provide touchscreens with up to 2.8K OLED displays, haptic glass trackpads, and backlit keyboards. Powered by Qualcomm and Intel processors (depending on the brand), these laptops also offer up to 14 hours of battery life. It's also hard not to mention that the Glowbar is back.

Google says this illuminates on startup and offers information about your battery percentage, as well as fancy animations when talking to Gemini.

You also shouldn't miss out on what's powering the Googlebook: Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite. The first Googlebooks are being powered by this chip, delivering a 12-core Oryon CPU setup, clocking in at up to 4GHz.

Google is taking its Android software on the Googlebook seriously this time around. These laptops "bring the best of the web and the Play Store" to consumers, but everything you enjoy on your phone is right on your Googlebook.

The post states that when users sign in, everything moves with them. By "everything," Google means your "Android phone’s settings, saved passwords, Wi-Fi networks, and messages." Users can pick up where they left off with projects or booking tickets at a venue. App casting makes it easy to continue what you're doing on your phone, but on a bigger screen. Additionally, you can search your phone's files from your computer. The Googlebook's Files app lets users "view, search, and open files and photos" from their Android phone.

We briefly mentioned the Googlebook's support for the web and Play Store, but the company stresses this for the user experience. Major apps like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom feel right at home on the Googlebook, alongside streaming services and games (since the Play Store is supported). What's more, users can launch AAA titles from popular gaming studios thanks to "a complimentary year of GeForce NOW included with every purchase."

Of course, Google wouldn't leave out its AI: Gemini. Googlebooks feature "Magic Pointer." If you remember its I/O 2026 reveal, you'll recognize this feature. Magic Pointer lets users bring Gemini directly to what they're looking at on their screen by wiggling their pointer. When it appears, you can give it a task to complete or ask for assistance. Among the major Pixel 11 features this year, there was Rambler.

This spruces up your text, cutting out any filler words you might've said while speaking. Elsewhere, consumers will find "Create My Widget" with AI, which will create a custom widget displaying information you want.

Meet the Googlebook

As previously stated, pre-orders are open today (Sept. 21) for the Googlebook. Users can pre-order a laptop from Best Buy and the Google Store, alongside other retailers. The Googlebook won't arrive on shelves until October 4 in the U.S. Consumers in Canada will see them on October 5 with the U.K., Ireland, France, Germany, and Australia. There are also several goodies you'll earn upon purchasing a Googlebook for Google AI Pro and YouTube Premium.

One way Google entices you to buy its latest smartphones — including the Google Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold — is through its subscriptions. Like most tech companies, Google upsells you a subscription to keep you inside its ecosystem, but unlike most tech companies, Google reaches a large swathe of most people’s daily lives.

For years, Google subscriptions were fragmented and separate, and while they still are to a degree, this year has been transformative for those of us with multiple Google products. I personally had four different subscriptions to Google products on my personal account — Google One storage, YouTube Premium, Fitbit Premium, and Gemini Advanced — and in the case of the latter, it’s one that I often forgot to cancel the renewal on.

Now, Google has a new proposition: the Google AI Pro bundle. The $20 starting price tag will be familiar to anyone who uses ChatGPT, Cursor, Claude, or any other AI model. What will surprise you is how much value is packed into that $20 price tag. Even better? You can get up to six months free with one of the latest Google devices.

This is the best AI subscription for everyone, even iPhone users. Here’s why.

Google AI Pro bundle offers phenomenal value for money

Like any human being, I love a bargain, or at least the perception of one. The Google AI Pro bundle is the definition of an absolute bargain, especially if you use one or two of the services.

First, it replaces the previous Google One bundle. In fact, consider it the evolution of that, as it’s managed by the same Google One bundle subscription process; the subscriptions are now named AI XYZ. I used to pay $9.99/m for 2TB of storage and was very close to my storage limit, but now the new bundle includes 5 TB. This is shared across Google Drive, Photos, and Gmail, and it’s more than enough for 99% of users. The best part? You can also share this with up to 5 family members.

Retail price: $20/month

Then there’s the Gemini Pro access; this alone is worth the $20/month price tag. This gives you access to Gemini Thinking and Gemini Pro models, which are quite capable for most of your tasks. It also lets you build platforms in Google AI Studio with the same allowances, and it’s a great platform for average users to build tools and platforms, since integrations with other Google services streamline complex tasks like database management and file storage.

If you only need extra storage and a powerful AI model, the Google AI Pro bundle already offers the best value for money, but the three lifestyle perks included really tip the scales in Google’s favor.

Retail price: $20/month.

The three hidden gems inside the Google AI Pro bundle

Google’s integration into your daily life is second to none, and the Google AI Pro bundle proves it has finally cracked how to deliver value and inspire customer loyalty. The key is that each of these three was a standalone bundle that would arguably be worth paying for on its own, and at least two had already proven their market fit.

First, there’s everyone’s favorite service: YouTube. The Google AI Pro bundle includes YouTube Premium Lite, which is designed to make YouTube Premium accessible to more customers. If you want fewer ads, a more streamlined experience, and a few other perks but don’t need the full ad-free YouTube Premium experience, this is a great subscription… and now it’s included in this bundle. (Retail price: $9/month.)

Then there’s Google Health Premium, the real hidden gem in this bundle. Google Health Premium includes the innovative Gemini Health Coach and, crucially for Apple users, can integrate with and pull data from Apple Health. This means your Apple Watch data can mostly sync with Health Premium, and Google’s Gemini Health Coach can answer questions and help you understand your health. This is a diamond that’s only going to get better, and I love that it’s included here. (Retail price: $10/month.)

Finally, there’s Google Home Premium Standard, a service I don’t subscribe to — I’ve mostly given up on my smart home dreams because of Google’s general apathy toward it — but it could have value if you still have a Nest Cam. It’s mostly for those with compatible security cameras and doorbells, and it lets you access video history, receive smart notifications, and ask questions about it. (Retail price: $10/month.)

The best AI bundle for everyone, even iPhone users

If you subscribe to cloud storage or an AI provider, the Google AI Pro bundle is a no-brainer, as it objectively offers more value for a similar price. If you already subscribe to one or two of Google’s other services, or any other combination, it’s also a no-brainer: $70 worth of services for $20.

Here’s where things get really interesting, however: Google is working on Project Aura, which will be among the first Gemini-powered smart glasses. They’re launching before the end of the year, and Gemini allowances are presumably key to making the most of them. If you’re buying the new iPhone Duo, you're probably buying the new Apple Watch and may even consider Google’s glasses. All of these bundled integrations ultimately give you a wide swathe of products and services, many of which are best in class.

Personally, I mostly wear an Apple Watch, and while the Pixel Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 both have excellent, unique features, the Apple Watch has saved my life, so it's hard to move away. Google Health Premium integrating with Apple Health, plus the included 5TB of storage, is enough for the Google AI Pro bundle to cement its place in my workflow, let alone the included YouTube Premium Lite and Gemini Advanced subscriptions.

The fact that it comes included with the Pixel 11 series, some of the best Android phones you can buy, the Pixel Watch 5, or the Fitbit Air is just an added bonus.

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You probably wouldn't have noticed unless you're constantly searching for Samsung and Google Pixel phone deals like I am, but Verizon has had a noticeable shortage of offers over the past few weeks.

Fortunately, it looks like the lull has come to an end, as the Big Three carrier just launched a promotion that will give you a FREE Google Pixel 11 Pro when you add a line with the Unlimited Plus or Unlimited Ultimate plan.

Meet the Google Pixel 11 Pro

The Pixel 11 Pro wasn't a dramatic transformation for Google, but I'm certain it'll still end up on our list of the best Android phones of 2026. The compact flagship comes equipped with a vibrant 6.3-inch OLED 120Hz display and the new HiLight LED array for notifications, while under the hood you get a powerful Tensor G6 chipset with 12GB of RAM, some upgraded camera hardware, and the advanced Titan M3 security coprocessor.

As one would expect from Google, the Pixel 11 Pro also features the latest AI-boosted software features and seven years of OS and security upgrades, plus you get Qi2.2 charging support and a thinner and lighter form factor than ever before.

The problem is that this lighter build results in a smaller battery than last year's Pixel 10 Pro, and Google still wasn't able to escape the rampant price increases that have been plaguing the industry. Still, the Pro remains one of the best phones that Google has ever produced, the price hike just means that deals like this Verizon offer are more essential than ever before.

Why is this Verizon deal important?

This Verizon deal is notable for two reasons. First off, it doesn't require a trade-in, which is always a plus. Secondly, you don't have to sign up for the carrier's most expensive data plan to receive the full savings. Unlimited Plus is a nice mid-tier option that's perfect for folks who want the premium plan experience without paying the premium price.

It starts at $80 per month for a single line (using AutoPay and paperless billing), but you can drop that price down significantly by adding multiple lines at once. Unlimited Plus gets you unlimited talk, text, and 5G Ultra Wideband data on Verizon's vast network, 30GB of premium mobile hotspot, and the ability to mix and match additional perks every month for as little as $10 each.

You can also pay a bit more for Verizon's premium Unlimited Ultimate plan, which lands you all of the perks above in addition to 4K video streaming, international coverage, and more.

If you're already a Verizon customer or planning to switch, this deal presents an easy way to get one of the industry's best unlimited plans AND one of the best Android phones for as little hassle as possible. It won't be for everyone, but unless you plan to buy the phone unlocked, it's one of the simplest Pixel 11 deals around.

Deals on smart glasses can be hard to find, but Amazon attempting to change all of that with its latest offers. Weeks ahead of the Big Deal Days sale (sometimes known as October Prime Day), the retailer is offering the Viture Pro 2 XR smart glasses at a 21% discount, marking $81 off the normal purchase price and bringing them back to their lowest price ever recorded.

These are a good pick for anyone looking to use their AR glasses for gaming, watching movies and TV shows, traveling, or other AR-based activities. They also have the benefit of selling for far less than many other smart glasses options, making them a budget-friendly pick as well.

They also come with adjustable frames, three different nose pad sizes, and seven fit customization options overall. To be sure, these aren't the most powerful or versatile smart glasses ever built, but for most casual users consuming media or tackling simple work tasks, they're a great pick.

• Prime Big Deal Days returns Oct 6-7: see the full list of deals

✅Recommended if: you're looking for XR smart glasses that feature a user-friendly UI and a nice display without having to break the bank; you want a pair of glasses with a good portable case and easy stowability, as well as adjustable frames that make them extra comfortable; you want XR glasses that will work for Switch 2 gaming or other console gaming, and you have a budget of around $300.

❌Skip this deal if: you'd rather upgrade to a pair of smart glasses that are better suited for work tasks than for gaming or watching movies; you're looking for smart glasses with high-quality built-in speakers; you mostly want AR or XR smart glasses for reading and want something that will offer a good user experience when doing so.

The Viture Pro 2 glasses feature an expanded field of view from the previous generation, now offering 50 degrees and offering a less limited screen. Viture's glasses also boast some of the best XR smart glasses ecosystems in the game, offering a nice experience for users.

These boast a 1,600 nit brightness level, 1080p resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and they also feature filters for blue light, a more cinematic aesthetic, and a bright display.

Vivo just unveiled the X500 Pro Max at an event in Shanghai, China, and there's a lot to like with the phone. The X500 Pro Max is the clear highlight, but there's also a standard X500, and the X500 Pro. With the Pro Max, Vivo is delivering a bigger phone with a huge 6.85-inch AMOLED panel, and an 8,000mAh battery — the largest on one of its devices yet.

It's the cameras that are the main highlight of these phones, so let's start with what the X500 Pro Max has to offer. It uses a 1/1.28-inch 50MP main camera that uses Sony's new Lytia 910 sensor, and it's joined by a 200MP telephoto lens with 3.5x optical zoom — the same as the X300 Ultra — and a 50MP wide-angle module.

Elsewhere, the X500 Pro Max is powered by MediaTek's latest 2nm Dimensity 9600 Pro platform, and it is a clear powerhouse. The switch to 2nm brings huge gains in efficiency, and with the phone having an 8,000mAh battery, it should easily last three days without any issues. There's also a bigger 6.85-inch AMOLED panel with higher resolution than last year (3168 x 1440), and the latest connectivity.

Just like the X300 Ultra earlier this year, the X500 Pro Max focuses on video, with Vivo bringing most of the features over to Pro models. Vivo says it has achieved vertical integration through what it calls the BlueImage Dynamic Imaging Technology Stack, with the brand working closely with Sony (who made the camera modules), MediaTek (to customize the Dimensity 9600 Pro), and ZEISS (to deliver gimbal-level stability).

The X500 Pro and Pro Max can shoot 4K240 cinematic video as well as 8K footage, and they use Vivo's custom V3 and VS1 imaging silicon to boost fidelity of images and videos. There's a lot to like on the software side as well, with the phones running OriginOS 7 based on Android 17 out of the box.

The X500 Pro is largely the same as the Pro Max, but it doesn't have the tele lens, and the standard X500 is based on the Dimensity 9600M, doesn't have cameras that are quite as good as the Pro models, but the 7,500mAh battery is great to see. The X500 Pro Max starts out at the equivalent of $1,045 (CNY 6,999), with the Pro at $970, and the standard X500 at $830. Obviously, they'll cost a lot more once they start selling outside China, and as of now, there's no telling when that will be — or what they'll eventually cost. That said, given just how good the X300 Pro was, I'm excited to take a look at the X500 Pro Max and see just how it differs.

What you need to know

• Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite is powering Googlebook, a new laptop category built specifically for Gemini Intelligence.
• Equipped with a 12-core Oryon CPU (up to 4GHz) and a Hexagon NPU pushing 45 TOPS, the platform is engineered to run complex generative and agentic AI directly on-device.
• Preorders are open now for the first wave of hardware, including the HP Googlebook 14 and new models from Dell.

Qualcomm today announced it will bring its Snapdragon X Elite platform to the first Googlebook laptops, a collaboration with Google to power a new breed of computers built around Gemini Intelligence.

Dell and HP are the first manufacturers to release Googlebook devices, and both models are currently available for preorder.

The collaboration pairs Google’s Gemini-based software with the Snapdragon X Elite’s emphasis on performance, efficiency, and on-device AI. Qualcomm’s platform also features a 12-core Oryon CPU that can clock up to 4GHz and a Hexagon NPU that can deliver up to 45 TOPS, meaning Googlebook will have dedicated hardware for generative and agentic AI workloads.

Googlebook also aims to make Android devices feel more connected to the laptop. Qualcomm's press release mentioned features including Cast my Apps, Magic Pointer, and Rambler, which are designed to provide information from e-mail, calendars, and on-screen content. Native Android app and game support also broadens what users can run directly on the laptop.

The Snapdragon hardware also has plenty of connectivity and display support. It supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, LPDDR5x memory with up to 135GB/s bandwidth and up to three external 4K displays at 60Hz. The platform also supports 4K HDR capture and can decode 4K120 video.

Again, preorders are already open for the first wave of hardware, including the HP Googlebook 14 and new designs from Dell. HP’s Samuel Chang says the HP Googlebook 14 blends Snapdragon efficiency with Gemini smarts for productivity.

Should Qualcomm and Google fulfill their promises of smooth multi-device continuity and serious NPU efficiency, this shift could finally give Windows laptops and MacBooks a run for their money in everyday productivity.

What you need to know

• MediaTek's Dimensity CX C10 Max is the company’s first chip for its new Compute Experiences family, targeting premium Googlebook devices.
• The 3nm chip packs an all-big-core octa-core CPU, 11-core GPU, and eighth-generation NPU for demanding workloads.
• The Imagiq 1090 ISP supports cameras up to 32MP, HDR video, smoother zoom, cinematic video, and continuous focus.

MediaTek is officially bringing its silicon chops to high-end laptops. The chipmaker has announced the Dimensity CX C10 Max, a new processor specifically designed for the upcoming new wave of AI-first Googlebook devices.

The chip is the first product in MediaTek’s new Dimensity Compute Experiences family and is expected to power an upcoming premium ultra-portable laptop.

The C10 Max is built using TSMC’s 3nm process and takes a very unusual approach to laptop performance, with an all-big-core octa-core CPU, paired with an 11-core GPU. MediaTek also brings its 8th-generation NPU that provides dedicated hardware for AI workloads to the platform, rather than just relying on the CPU or GPU.

According to the company's press release, the MediaTek NPU 890 can deliver up to 55 trillion operations per second (TOPS). MediaTek is promoting the NPU as the engine behind the Gemini Intelligence features for upcoming Googlebook hardware. The company says that keeping more AI processing on the device can also improve response times and provide additional privacy benefits.

The device has more capabilities beyond AI. The integrated ISP Imagiq 1090 is said to be capable of supporting up to 32MP cameras and introduces AI-assisted imaging features such as HDR video, smoother zoom, cinematic video, and continuous focus. That should translate to better video calls, livestreams, and other camera-heavy laptop tasks.

Connectivity gets a big boost as well. You get Wi-Fi 7 with speeds of up to 7.3Gbps, plus dual-engine Bluetooth 6.0 for wireless accessories and audio devices.

The larger promise is efficiency. MediaTek says the chip can help manufacturers build laptops that are thinner, lighter, and fan-less, while still aiming for all-day battery life. The first devices are coming, giving Googlebook makers another ARM-based option for bringing local AI to the heart of the laptop experience.

The announcement comes as Qualcomm unveils its Snapdragon X Elite chipset for the first wave of Googlebook hardware, including the HP Googlebook 14 and new models from Dell.

What you need to know

• Gmail now shows a Copy Code button when an OTP or verification code arrives directly in your email inbox.
• The shortcut can appear inside the email and directly in the main Gmail inbox alongside the message preview.
• Google's new verification code shortcut is rolling out through the Gmail app on both Android and iOS.

Gmail now offers an easier way to copy verification codes directly from the app.

Android already makes it pretty easy to copy OTPs and verification codes when they arrive through the Messages app. But now, Google is bringing similar functionality to verification codes that land directly in your Gmail inbox.

The company is rolling out a new integration for the Gmail app on both Android and iOS that adds a small Copy Code shortcut whenever an OTP or verification code arrives.

Now, when an OTP lands in your inbox, Gmail shows a small card at the top of the email (below the subject line) containing the verification code alongside a Copy Code button. You can simply tap the button and paste the code wherever you need it, instead of manually typing it out or selecting and copying it from the email.

In addition to showing the shortcut inside the email, Gmail has also started displaying the Copy Code button directly in the main inbox alongside the email preview. That implementation doesn't seem to work every time just yet, but I've found the shortcut inside emails containing verification codes to appear much more consistently.

The feature has already started rolling out with the latest Gmail update on both Android and iOS. If you don't see it yet, it's worth updating the Gmail app to the latest available version.

Unlike the Messages app, though, Gmail's implementation doesn't directly integrate with Gboard for now, so you'll still need to open Gmail and manually copy the code. Nonetheless, it's a useful little upgrade that makes dealing with verification codes arriving through email much quicker.

Forget sharing a KitKat bar or a pizza; Nimble lets us share power banks by splitting them in half. If you're having trouble digesting this bit of info, you're not alone. If I hadn't been using the Nimble SHARWPOWER 10,000mAh power bank myself for a few weeks, I wouldn't have believed it either. But it's a real product, and it's well executed.

It's a wild concept, and once you've let the idea sit with you for a while, you might ask why do that when a multi-port power bank can easily be shared with extra cables. But there are some occasions that call for such a shareable battery pack.

It's not cheap, but it's one in a million

At $79.95, the Nimble SHAREWPOWER 10,000mAh power bank isn't an affordable purchase. It supports 35W PD wired charging in total and comes in four colorways: black, pink, white, and blue. It's a very small power bank that can easily fit in the palm of your hand, even when whole.

When split in half in what is called Share Mode, both halves are 5,000mAh batteries, and each comes with a built-in USB-C cable. So while this might be a pretty expensive 10,000mAh power bank compared to virtually every other option, its splitting act sets it aside from the rest.

Magnetic pins keep the two 5,000mAh halves together, and when you separate them, you reveal a folded USB-C connector inside. This is attached to the half that has the display indicating the battery percentage.

The other half has a proper USB-C cable that's tucked inside like a lanyard when the two halves are stuck together, which is called Stack Mode.

Each half also has one extra USB-C port, so you can actually charge four devices altogether when the batteries are split. The two halves support 20W PD each in Share Mode.

A truly and properly shareable power bank

This is such a fun little power bank, and you can tell how much thought was poured into its design once you start using it. Imagine a day out with your friends, and you need to share a battery pack; the other person can just walk away instead of leaving their phone with you.

Whether it's friends or family on a longer vacation or a short getaway with you, there is always that one person who refuses to bring their own charger or power bank along and usurps your battery pack. The Nimble SHAREPOWER helps you preserve half for yourself in such scenarios.

Even if someone hijacks one half of the SHAREPOWER power bank for the entirety of the trip or excursion, you don't need to be side by side or in close proximity all the time. You can go to the bathroom without leaving your phone behind or waiting in separate lines, since this product doesn't require two people to stay anchored to one power bank.

This is easily the best part of the power bank.

A great power bank for group trips and holidays

The Nimble SHAREPOWER addresses the main issue with sharing a multi-port power bank with others: you both need to be attached to the power bank and therefore must be close to each other for a while.

This is obviously problematic sometimes, especially when on holiday with lots of other people. Someone might need to go to reception while the other individual heads to the restaurant. One person might decide to skip an activity and stay behind. I've faced this issue myself as I'm always the designated tech person on holidays, and there's always one friend or another borrowing my power bank.

There have been times when I needed to go to a separate location as my friend, and we were both low on phone battery, in an unknown city, with all but one 5,000mAh power bank to share. One of us had to leave our phone with the other person until it fully charged, then meet up at a designated location later. Obviously, this was quite a risky move, but luckily we had other friends to accompany the phone-less person.

This illustrates the usefulness of the Nimble SHAREPOWER's ability to split into two independent halves that function as two separate 5,000mAh power banks in Share Mode. You don't even have to worry about bringing extra cables along. So if you're going on a trip with lots of other people, I highly recommend investing in one or two of these power banks.

I dabble in silly little puzzle-based Android games on the daily. Games that require sorting, untangling, or disassembling things systematically to beat a level are so soothing to my nervous system. They don't require much intellectual or emotional investment, so I can kill time on the train or while waiting at the dentist's.

Adding to a long list of quirky casual games, Meowdoku is my latest obsession. I don't know if you were being bombed with ads for the game like I was, but several friends told me they kept getting ads for it too. So, I took one for the team and gave in to the impulse.

I'm glad I did because this revamped version of sudoku turned out to be right up my alley.

The perfect cat-themed brain teaser to unwind

The game is built on the basic rules of Sudoku, but with no numbers. Instead, you get cats and colors. Just like Sudoku has a rule per column and row, Meowdoku has a similar principle: there can only be one cat per row or column.

There are other rules too: only one cat per color, and cats can't be in neighboring blocks.

Players build on these three cardinal rules and find all ten cats per level. You get three strikes for wrong cat placements, and then you've lost that level and must start over.

Some levels are easier than others, and sometimes you get one cat right at the beginning to help you out. You can also use limited hints, which can be earned back by watching ads or via the in-game reward system. Players can also participate in a daily challenge in addition to the usual levels.

I play sudoku on my phone regularly, and it's gotten a little too boring and predictable lately. Meowdoku is a fun take on sudoku, capturing the essence of the game perfectly. In fact, I have uninstalled the classic version of the game from my phone at this point!

I kept coming back to Meowdoku, despite the sheer number of ads after almost every level

I love cats, and I'm a big Sudoku fan, so it's no wonder that I love Meowdoku this much. What I despise about the app, however, is the unholy number of ads you need to watch.

Meowdoku bombards you with mandatory ads, one after almost every single level. And you know what's insane? There is no premium, ad-free version on Android. I would happily pay for an ad-free experience, but for some reason, the developer, Oakever Games, decided to skip that option.

I really hope they introduce an ad-free tier, because I'm not the only one going bonkers over Meowdoku. I came across YouTube videos, Facebook posts, Reddit threads, and even Instagram reels of people trying to find workarounds to rid themselves of the ad purgatory. Oakever Games has the opportunity to make a lot of money if they listen to what the people want.

Until then, I will be patiently grinding my teeth, sitting through the ads but refusing to stop playing the game, because I have a problem. Give the game a try and let me know if you think it's worth sitting through the ads.

It feels like I just reviewed the RayNeo Air 4 Pro, but the company is already back with another impressive new release aimed at the $300 price segment. The RayNeo GT is a much simpler name with notable design and spec boosts, making it a solid entry into what has become the most competitive price segment in smart glasses.

Despite the same $299 price as the RayNeo Air 4 Pro, the new GTs are 8g lighter and feature a new native 3DoF spatial tracking chip, plus the same Vision 4000 chipset that provides SDR-to-HDR conversion and a top-notch 3840Hz PWM dimming rate. Like all glasses in this segment, it sports a 47-degree FoV, but RayNeo has upgraded several parts of the experience that make it more competitive this time around.

That starts with three different IPD sizes to accommodate more people. I've been largely ok with RayNeo glasses in the past since my IPD is 64, but anyone with a wider IPD was out of luck if they didn't want to go cross-eyed. This time around, you can choose from small (63 and lower IPD), medium (64-67 IPD), and large (68+ IPD). You can also adjust the screen size within the glasses, which helps you better scale specific content. Neither feature is standard at this price range.

RayNeo GT is far more comfortable for me than any previous RayNeo glasses. The initial fit put the display too low for my eyes, but I just widened the nosepiece, and that perfectly centered the screen. That, plus the impressively low-flicker display, meant I could wear these for a long time without any discomfort. Plus, the included temple pads meant they didn't fatigue my ears or temples.

The new 3DoF tracking works incredibly well and lets you choose between steady, anchor, and follow (0DoF) modes with the click of the button on the top of the right temple. The 0DoF Follow mode is best if you want the most flicker-free experience, since any 3DoF or 6DoF mode introduces low-persistence flickering, also known as black frame insertion, which can easily cause headaches for anyone who is flicker-sensitive.

RayNeo also packed this one with native 10-bit displays and software support for 12-bit Dolby Vision content. You'll need to pair it with RayNeo's Pocket TV device, which is a dope little remote that turns your glasses into a full-fledged Google TV that fits in your pocket. It works perfectly as a streaming device, although it has significant limitations for offline downloads, so you're better off using your phone as a remote if you need offline playback.

I was also very impressed with the audio quality of the open-ear speakers. They don't ship with the sound tubes as the RayNeo Air 4 Pro did, but you can buy them separately if you want more direct audio to your ears. Still, I found the open-ear 4-speaker design to be impressively high quality and plenty loud without the sound tubes.

The biggest issue with RayNeo GT is that the lenses have no tinting and no electrochromic dimming, so while the micro-OLEDs are plenty bright, they can easily get drowned out by ambient lighting. This probably won't be an issue in a dim airplane, but likely will rear its ugly head everywhere else. Definitely order a glasses cover if you're picking up a pair.

All in all, these are a fantastic pair of glasses for the price and are among the most competitive I've yet seen from RayNeo. If you're looking for more customizable glasses, Xreal XBX A01+ are the ideal pair since they're designed to be modular.

Pokémon Sleep has been out for a few years, but I only got into it in the past year. And by coincidence, just as I logged a year's worth of sleep into the app, Google released a new Pokémon Sleep edition of the Fitbit Air as part of Pokémon's 30th Anniversary Celebration.

I've been using this special edition of the Fitbit Air to log my sleep in the Pokémon Sleep app, and it might be the best way to play the game. The wearable is lightweight, beautifully crafted, and tracks sleep quite reliably. If you're a Pokémon fan like myself, this might be the

Understanding the basics of Pokémon Sleep

When Pokémon Sleep first launched, I thought it was pretty pointless. I already track my sleep in apps like Google Health (then Fitbit), so why add yet another app? Two years later, something convinced me to finally try it, and boy, was I wrong about Pokémon Sleep.

Turns out, it's a great way to gamify your sleep! The game centers around a Snorlax that does nothing but sleep and eat, while attracting wild Pokémon to sleep around it. The more you sleep, the more points you get, which contribute to the Snorlax's Drowsy Power. The higher your Drowsy Power, the more Pokémon it attracts each day, and your sleep type (based on your sleep cycles) can influence the Pokémon it attracts, including rarer or shiny Pokémon.

You can "catch" these Pokémon by feeding them biscuits and maxing out their friendship points before they get full. It's both enticing and frustrating trying to "catch" certain Pokémon, each with its own attributes to help you throughout the game.

As you watch over this Snorlax, you have to feed it three times a day to build its strength and help it grow. You do this by curating a team of up to five Pokémon, all of which can collect berries and ingredients so you can make various dishes that contribute different amounts of strength. The Pokémon also have special skills that can help in different ways.

You can unlock additional skills and more ingredients, but it often requires careful planning. You have to consider things like a Pokémon's nature, its ingredient list, and other attributes that make it better for what you want. Thus, one Pikachu might be better than another and more worth the candies you collect to level up and evolve it.

Where the Fitbit Air fits

Pokemon Sleep offers a few ways to track your sleep, including the Google Health app. So you can track your sleep with a more traditional smartwatch like the Pixel Watch 5, but I often find them heavy, cumbersome, and uncomfortable to wear while you sleep. That's where the Fitbit Air comes in.

At roughly 12g with the band, it's incredibly lightweight, and it barely feels like I'm wearing anything. This makes it one of the most comfortable wearables I've used to track my sleep, and I recommend it for this alone.

And while there are some nice colors out there, the Special Edition Pokémon Sleep strap is my absolute favorite. It comes in a deep blue color that looks fantastic (it helps that my favorite color is blue) and even has a little sleeping Pikachu on it, which is a pretty nice touch.

As for the actual tracking, it's actually quite reliable. I often compare my results each morning to my Oura Ring and Garmin watch, and the duration, cycles, and other metrics are usually pretty on par. And of course, the Fitbit Air can do more than sleep tracking, since it's also a solid health and fitness wearable.

It also helps that battery life is quite good, easily lasting about a full week on a single charge. That means you don't have to worry about charging it before bed every night or when you wake up each morning.

Setting up the Fitbit Air to track your sleep in Pokémon Sleep

If you're just setting up Pokémon Sleep, you should be able to follow the setup process to get Google Health as your sleep source. You can only choose one, and your options include Google Health, Samsung Health (for Galaxy Watches), and Garmin Connect (for Garmin Watches).

If you're already using another source to track your sleep, changing it to Google Health is relatively easy.

1. From the main menu, tap Settings and More.

2. Under Smartwatch (Health Connect), tap Data Source.

3. Tap Google Health, then tap Change to confirm.

Note: You can also tap the Sync/Settings button in the field view to change your data source. Make sure you've already synced any past sleep data, since changing the data source will leave it unsynced.

If the Fitbit Air is already set up in the Google Health app, you're good to go and ready to catch 'em all while you catch some z's!

It didn't take me very long to fall in love with the app after finally deciding to check it out. It's a fun, low-effort way to catch and interact with Pokémon, while also motivating you to get more consistent sleep (something I definitely need to get better at).

The Fitbit Air with the Special Edition Pokémon Sleep band is available now on the Google Store for $129.

What you need to know

• Google has apparently admitted that Gemini had escaped its testing environment and independently accessed systems belonging to three real companies.
• A misconfigured internet connection was the initial opening, while a matching company name added to the confusion.
• Gemini eventually stopped itself after recognizing that it was targeting real companies.
• Google initially kept the incident quiet, arguing that Gemini self-corrected and caused no damage.

Google's Gemini adds to the long list of AI models that have gone rogue.

We have already seen similar digital jailbreaks handled by OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta in third-party safety testing. Now, it’s been revealed that Google’s Gemini model escaped its containment area in May, hacking its way into systems at three real companies, all on its own.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the incident took place during a “capture the flag” exercise conducted by AI security firm Irregular. Gemini was intended to test a fictional company in a closed testing environment, but an unplanned internet connection gave it an escape. The fictional company also had a real business with the same name, creating another opening for confusion.

Once online, Gemini found its way into three real companies. In one case it just kept guessing passwords until it got through. In two others, it found working credentials stored in public repositories and used them to access protected systems.

It turns out that throughout the entire process, Gemini didn’t require any exotic movie-style exploits. It just combined elementary security vulnerabilities with the ability to search, decide, and persistently try, without a human directing each and every move.

Google said Gemini stopped when it realized the targets were real companies and did not cause damage. In fact, while Anthropic’s Claude 4.7 kept going during a similar incident, Gemini backed off on its own volition. The impacted organizations were informed, although Irregular says the known testing issues were corrected weeks later.

The search giant felt the incident didn't warrant a public announcement at the time because the AI self-corrected. But third-party researchers were not told until late July, and details are only now emerging after media inquiries pushed the issue.

As AI agents gain broader access to the internet and computers, companies will need to establish tighter boundaries around what those systems can reach and clearer rules for what happens when those boundaries fail.

I've used pretty much all foldables released in the last four years, so I know what this category has to offer. Whether it's the tri-folding Huawei Mate XT, creaseless Find N6, or the camera powerhouse that is the Vivo X Fold 5, Android foldables have come a long way.

But it took just an hour of using the iPhone Duo to understand just what Android brands need to do differently. With the iPhone Duo, Apple proved yet again that it doesn't need to chase industry trends, instead launching a product when it feels that the timing is ready. That's my biggest takeaway of the iPhone Duo — it doesn't feel like a tech demo at all, and is instead just as polished as the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

There are three things that particularly stood out about the iPhone Duo during my hands-on: design, inner panel, and software. I used the foldable at an Apple briefing in Mumbai, India, and my initial impression with the design is that it's better to hold than the product photos make you believe.

I went into the briefing with some apprehension, as I knew the iPhone Duo weighted 254g, which is 15g heavier than the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. As someone who's used Google's foldables extensively, I wasn't keen on another device that was bulky and cumbersome to hold and use. But you know what? That absolutely wasn't an issue with the iPhone Duo; Apple did a fabulous job with the weight distribution, and at no point did I feel like I was using a phone that weighs as much.

The design itself looks good, and I prefer the Night Sky model. The rounded edges make it very comfortable to hold the iPhone Duo, and I like the wider and shorter size — I can see why Android brands are now trying to emulate this design. Because of the positioning of the camera modules, there is some wobble when using the iPhone Duo folded on a table, but it isn't anywhere as extreme as the Z Fold 8. The sides have a glossy finish, which is mildly annoying, as they tend to pick up smudges without any effort.

Then there's the hinge; it has a smooth articulation and doesn't need much force to open. It closes with a satisfying click, and it stays unlocked in various positions, which is a definite plus point. What I like about it is the use of StandBy even when the iPhone Duo isn't charging, and it effortlessly doubles as the world's most expensive desk clock. That said, folding the device at a 90-degree angle makes it easy to put on a table and view content, with one half of the inner panel showing the video and the other half dedicated for controls.

Talking about the 7.6-inch OLED inner panel, this is where the iPhone Duo truly stands out. Apple is using a unique system where it layered panels of ultra-thin glass, and that has led to a creaseless inner screen. What is notable is that I didn't even feel the crease with the foldable fully flat, and this implementation is better than any Android foldable — including the Find N6, which comes closest to what Apple is doing. Also, while this isn't new on Android, I like that the inner panel has an under display camera, essentially making it invisible in day-to-day use.

What I like even better is the nano-texture coating. This is a matte coating over the inner panel that reduces glare, and it makes a huge difference in usability. You still get good brightness levels, and the matte coating makes the iPhone Duo a great choice to read books or view content on the go. Honestly, if Android brands take two things away from this foldable, it has to be the creaseless design and the matte coating.

On that note, the 5.4-inch OLED outer panel isn't as limiting as I initially imagined. You still get plenty of real estate, and it uses the same ratio as the inner screen, so there are no issues with content scaling. Both the inner and outer panels use LTPO tech, so if you're using things like StandBy, it won't consume much in the way of battery.

Another area where Apple nailed the brief is the software. The iPhone Duo has smooth animations when you open and navigate the interface, and UI elements are arranged intuitively. The taskbar is oriented to the right, you get split-screen multitasking similar to Android foldables. While there isn't a mode like ColorOS' floating windows — which lets you have up to four floating windows anywhere — you can easily maximize the real estate on the Duo.

There's plenty to like with the hardware as well. The iPhone Duo uses the same 2nm A20 Pro silicon as the iPhone 18 Pro, and it has similar thermal management. While I wasn't able to test this effectively (I'll do so once I get my review unit), a five-minute gaming session showed that the foldable has power to spare.

The introduction of the iPhone Duo serves as a much-needed catalyst to the entire foldable industry. Coming in at $1,999 and going on sale starting October 23, the foldable costs the same as the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and it is a genuine threat to Samsung and Google. While you'll end up paying closer to $2,700 to get the iPhone Duo outside of the U.S., I can see the foldable having plenty of takers — it is the most exciting iPhone I used in close to a decade.

What you need to know

• Leaked images of the ASUS Googlebook show a distinctive dark gray chassis, slim display bezels, a giant trackpad.
• We're also seeing a dedicated Google "G" key and a signature glowing, multicolored light bar on the lid.
• The physical hardware looks practical, packing two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, a headphone jack, and a fingerprint sensor.

Google’s first Googlebooks will be available for preorder on September 21, and a new set of ASUS images is giving us a much better look at what one of these new laptops will actually look like.

The ASUS model has a familiar laptop shape, but it’s clear Google is trying to give the new category a visual identity of its own. Leaked images from The Mac Observer reveal that the new Chromebook features a dark gray body, a large touchpad, thin display bezels, a dedicated Google "G" key, and a multicolor light bar on the lid.

There’s an ASUS logo at the bottom of that glowing strip and “Googlebook” branding on the palm rest.

The hardware looks refreshingly practical too. Side views show at least two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and a headphone jack, giving users plenty of options for peripherals without immediately having to reach for a dongle. There’s also a fingerprint sensor and a keyboard that appears to have a reasonable amount of key travel.

From the leaked renders, it looks like ASUS is using active cooling on the inside with a fan and heat pipe visible. That implies this particular Googlebook could be aimed at heavier workloads than today’s average Chromebook, although the processor and other specs are unknown.

Googlebook is Google’s new premium laptop class that blends Android tech with the familiar desktop feel and Gemini features like Magic Pointer, Create My Widget, Cast My Apps, and Quick Access. ASUS is one of five launch partners, alongside Acer, Dell, HP, and Lenovo.

The big missing pieces are price, exact specs, shipping dates, and whether this ASUS model will be available on September 21. Those answers should be coming soon, as Googlebook moves from leaked hardware to something you can actually order.

What you need to know

• Motorola teased its upcoming Signature 27 successor to the original Signature that debuted at CES 2026.
• The company states there will be surprises ahead at Snapdragon Summit, as it teases work with Qualcomm.
• Qualcomm states we can expect to see "Dual 8 Elites" at Snapdragon Summit on September 22, and this is a chip that would mark a change from the O.G. Signature's midrange SoC.

Motorola started teasing its upcoming Signature 27 on social media, and what it has to say is so interesting that we're not sure what to think.

The company posted a short clip about the device on X this morning (Sept. 18), and it's got us thinking flagship in a big way. The video starts off saying, "Every material. Obsessed." We see the phone in what looks like a moss green before an artisan takes a knife to a long stretch of leather (or fabric). This is where things get interesting. Motorola confirms the name of the device—Signature 27—alongside a date: September 22, 2026.

This is important. Motorola's post reads, "There’s more to discover with Motorola and Snapdragon." Qualcomm's annual Snapdragon Summit is set for September 22-24. If Motorola and Qualcomm have come together for something regarding Snapdragon, and at this event no less, perhaps we're looking at a true flagship chip for the Signature 27.

Motorola's teaser was brief, but it's given us enough to think about.

For context, the Motorola Signature launched at CES 2026 in January. It's a premium, "ultra-thin" phone from Moto with a 6.8-inch screen. The Signature stood out to us as one of Motorola's best flagships. However, the phone features one tiny little drawback: its chip is for midrange phones. The Signature features Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. The chip, while good, offers flagship-level performance for affordable phones.

It misses the robust strength you'd get from the Elite Gen 5. Motorola's current Signature 27 teasers have us excited—for two reasons, mind you.

Going flagship

Mid-August held Qualcomm's teasers for what we can expect from the Snapdragon Summit this year. The company said we can expect "Dual 8 Elites" this year. Rumors claim the company is working on an 8 Elite Gen 6 and a Gen 6 Pro. Qualcomm's summer teaser mentioned connectivity enhancements and "advanced camera functionality."

What's more, "immersive gaming experiences" were mentioned. The major upgrades Qualcomm has planned are headed to both its 8 Elites this year. Its teaser was brief, but it gave us enough to think about heading into September. Now that we're here, we've got Dual 8 Elites on the mind and Moto's Signature 27.

A flagship chip could definitely solidify its premium ambitions for the Signature 27. The original was good and gave that premium/flagship feel we enjoy, but it could've been more. Hopefully, if what we're thinking is true, Motorola will reach for a flagship Elite from Qualcomm to put the cherry on top.

What you need to know

• Honor highlights an IDC report on the Q2 2026 Android tablet market in EMEA, in which the market dipped by 10.5% YoY.
• Honor surged ahead with positive growth in Q2, with a 25.3% YoY increase.
• The brand's latest tablet, the MagicPad 4, brought a better OLED display that pushed boundaries and focused on PWM dimming in a way that its competitors do not.

There's been a lot of speculation about the state of tablets. Honor's coming forward to end the week with market data that silences those whispers.

This morning (Sept. 18), Honor directed us to an IDC report about the state of the Android tablet market in EMEA for Q2 2026. It's worth mentioning what's already evident: the Android tablet market (unit shipments) in EMEA dropped by 10.5% YoY (year-over-year), down to 5.9 million units. While Samsung still holds the majority of the tablets shipped despite this fall, it's Honor that's silencing the crowd.

According to the IDC report, Honor experienced a massive 25.3% YoY increase in Android tablet shipments. This was the strongest recorded growth for Android. So we're clear, EMEA consists of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Honor highlights a statement by IDC's senior research manager, Daniel Goncalves, who pointed out the brand's "established presence."

Goncalves said, "Many of these recent challengers to Samsung’s dominance in the Android tablet space, such as Honor, have leveraged their established presence in the smartphone market to expand into tablets." It's also worth noting that the only other Android brand to see growth in Q2 was Xiaomi, but at a lower 3.4% YoY.

Hold on, tablets still have a chance

Honor's most recent tablet is the MagicPad 4, and it features a display that pushes boundaries. The old, tired LCD panel Honor used in 2025 has been replaced by a much brighter and more vibrant OLED screen. What's more, my colleague Nicholas Sutrich marveled at what Honor did with it: the company provided 5,320Hz PWM dimming. This is a significant step in the right direction, and something Sutrich notes other companies tend to ignore.

We often tend to ignore tablets. Look at the state of the phone market. We have foldables that can double as tablets. In Q2, the phone market saw another dip, and it's unlikely that it will recover in any major way. The market fell by 4%, thanks to the ongoing memory crisis. Samsung and Apple were key players that saw modest increases—2$ and 4%, respectively. The market is expected to continue to fall even into the holiday season.

Android Central's Take

I also struggle with the idea of a tablet. I like the idea of one, but to go and get one seems... unwise. I have my phone. I can do everything I want on it, and if I need a larger screen, I have my PC. It's a strange situation to find myself in because I used to have a tablet before. I used it in tandem with my computer—not my phone. I guess things have switched around in that regard.

There are a ton of Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 deals on the web right now. Whether you're looking for a trade-in opportunity or a straight discount on an unlocked phone, stiff competition in the foldable space means there has never been a better time to pick up one of these innovative devices. That said, if you're looking for a different type of deal, Mint Mobile has you covered.

Bundle the purchase of the new Galaxy Z Flip 8 with one year of the unlimited plan and you'll get $200 off the phone and 50% off the wireless, knocking your total payment down to $1,180 (or $99 per month using affirm). Considering that the retail cost of the Z Flip 8 usually starts at $1,200, you're essentially getting a FREE year of unlimited T-Mobile-powered wireless, courtesy of Mint Mobile. And hey, there's a little $20 discount in there too.

Mint Mobile's unlimited plan gives you unlimited talk, text, and data on T-Mobile's legendary 5G network, plus you get a free mobile hotspot and calls to Mexico, Canada, and the UK. It's not the most comprehensive unlimited plan I've ever used, but if you like to keep things simple, this deal presents an easy way to avoid paying your phone bill for an entire year.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 is worth the price of entry too, coming complete with a foldable clamshell design, two gorgeous AMOLED displays, and the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset for powerful performance. The phone also comes equipped with 12GB of RAM, an upgraded 4,300mAh battery, and a thinner and lighter build than ever before.

Sure, this deal isn't for everyone. Some folks may miss the premium features offered by some unlimited plans, while others might be looking for a trade-in opportunity to could make the Galaxy Z Flip 8 even cheaper upfront. But if you have the cash lying around and you want to score a year of wireless and a great flip phone in one fell swoop, now's your chance.

The iPhone 18 lineup finally went on sale today, but that simply means that the Samsung Galaxy S26 deals are about to get even more competitive. Add a line with the Experience More OR Experience Beyond plans and T-Mobile will slash $1,100 off the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, dropping the price down to just $5.56 per month for 36 months. No trade-in required!

This T-Mobile deal is particularly compelling because, unlike some offers, it will still give you the full discount when you sign up for the mid-tier Experience More plan. That means you aren't stuck paying for the carrier's pricey Experience Beyond plan.

For comparison, Expensive More will only net you a $930 discount when you buy the iPhone 18 Pro Max at T-Mobile, while signing up for the Experience Beyond plan could land you $1,200 off the Apple device. In other words, unless you want to pay for T-Mobile's most-expensive wireless plan, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra deal is the better value.

• See my guide to the best Galaxy S26 deals of September 2026

The most powerful phone in Samsung's 2026 flagship lineup, the Galaxy S26 Ultra boasts a gorgeous 6.9-inch AMOLED display with embedded S Pen stylus, while under the hood you get the incredible Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset with 12GB of RAM and seven years of guaranteed OS/security updates.

Charging speeds have been improved here as well, plus you get all of the latest AI-boosted software features from Galaxy AI (if you're into that kind of thing). The Galaxy S26 Ultra has also stolen a lot of headlines for its new Privacy Display, a unique design feature that prevents prying eyes from looking at your phone's screen at a side angle.

Indeed, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is going to be the Ultra's biggest competition as we head into the fall sale season, but how do these two phones compare? I'll start by saying that both premium flagships are impressive, with huge gorgeous screens, powerful performance, and steep price tags to match.

With a direct comparison, you'll find that, although the two phones are nearly identical in size, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is considerably lighter than the 18 Pro. The Samsung phone also has more unique features than the iPhone, while the 18 Pro Max is likely superior when it comes to battery life and video recording.

Ultimately, for many folks, the final decision is going to come down to which device will land you the better deal. If you've been eyeing T-Mobile's mid-tier Experience More plan, the answer is clear.

Fall's Big Deal Days sale at Amazon isn't quite here yet, but the retailer is already offering some great smartwatch deals ahead of the event. As one example, Amazon is already offering the 2023 Garmin Venu 3 at a 35% discount, along with a bunch of other early price drops for the upcoming sale.

The Garmin Venu 3 is a 2023 release, but it still includes a 14-day battery life, accurate health sensors, and a bright, good-looking display that still holds up quite well in 2026. It's not as bright or powerful as the newer Venu 4, but the differences are marginal enough to justify going with the lower-priced option here.

This particular discount is for the 45mm configuration of the watch. If you're more keen on the smaller 41mm version, or the 45mm in white, Amazon is also offering similar price drops on those, so it might be worth clicking around a bit.

• Prime Big Deal Days returns Oct 6-7: see the full list of deals

✅Recommended if: you want a fitness watch with a long-lasting battery, features like GPS, HR monitoring, sleep data, and more; you have a budget of around $300 for an Android smartwatch; you need a watch with a useful, easy-to-read display.

❌Skip this deal if: you'd rather upgrade to the newer Venu 4 for its updated aesthetic, accuracy, dual-band GPS, and the latest training tools; you need a watch with an LTE-capable configuration; you prefer to get wearables with support for newer technology, such as Garmin's new Health Status app.

The Garmin Venu 3 is a solid pick for those who aren't concerned with dual-band GPS, though our tests confirmed that it still offered fairly accurate tracking capabilities back in 2023. It also offers a more discreet and versatile design than many of Garmin's watches, in my opinion, making it a solid affordable option that won't look or feel clunky on your wrist.

Garmin says the watch will net users up to 14 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, and the 1.4-inch AMOLED display on the 45mm is large and vibrant, without sacrificing battery. In any case, if you're a new or intermediate athlete who is ready to upgrade from an even older device, this deal might be one worth considering.

What you need to know

• Samsung is officially ending its long-standing OneDrive integration on September 30 in favor of direct Google Photos backup inside Samsung Gallery.
• Starting with Gallery app update 15.9.01.7, you can link your backup by tapping Menu > Settings > Sync photos and videos and connecting a personal Google account.
• You can selectively sync specific local folders (like Screenshots or Camera) or toggle off main camera roll uploads entirely.

I’ve been using OneDrive integration with Samsung Gallery for years, so seeing that setup disappear in a few weeks feels a bit strange. It was one of those Galaxy features I hardly ever thought of. I'd just take a picture, let Gallery back it up, and move on with my life. Now Samsung is giving that job to Google Photos, and frankly I’m more intrigued than irritated.

Samsung has already started rolling out the Google Photos integration with the latest Gallery app update, version 15.9.01.7, as per Ice Universe on X. Once you open the app, you may see a new “Sync photos and videos” option to connect your Google account and backup photos and videos without leaving Samsung Gallery.

The move comes as Samsung’s more than decade-long partnership with Microsoft winds down. OneDrive integration has been part of the Galaxy experience for years, allowing users to automatically upload their Gallery content to Microsoft’s cloud in a convenient way. But that arrangement officially ends September 30, after which Samsung Gallery won’t provide the same direct OneDrive sync.

Google Photos makes more sense to me simply because I already have a Google account on my Galaxy phone. That means I can use Samsung Gallery as my daily photo app and let Google handle the cloud backup.

How to enable Samsung Gallery Cloud Sync with Google

• Open the Samsung Gallery app on your Galaxy phone or tablet device.
• Tap Menu in the bottom-right corner, then tap Settings.
• Tap Sync photos and videos.
• Follow the on-screen prompts to choose your Google Account.
• Grant Samsung permission to sync your photos and videos with Google.

The feature, however, is only available on Android 13 or later, a compatible Samsung device, and a personal Google account.

Synced albums also let you have some control over what gets backed up. You can select specific device folders like Camera, Screenshots, or Downloads, and even disable syncing of the main camera roll while still syncing other folders. You can disable syncing for individual local albums, but if Gallery Cloud Sync is enabled, Samsung Gallery will behave as a read-only cloud gallery. It will display synced media but will not upload any new photos from that device.

There's one caveat: don't expect Samsung Gallery to become a full Google Photos browser. Google's documentation says the integration is meant for backing up photos and videos, not for browsing your entire Google Photos library within Gallery.

If you’d rather not use the new Google Photos sync, Samsung makes it easy to switch off. Open Samsung Gallery > Menu > Settings, then turn off Sync photos and videos. This prevents new backups, and photos already backed up to your Google account remain accessible in Google Photos.

What you need to know

• Google has launched Android Bench 2.0 to test AI models on complex Android development tasks that can take days.
• The new benchmark includes tasks like upgrading dependencies, adding major features, and building Android apps from scratch.
• GPT-6 Astra currently leads Google's new benchmark with a 28% pass rate, while Gemini 3.8 Flash scored just 8%.

Google has announced Android Bench 2.0, an updated version of its benchmark for evaluating how well large language models (LLMs) and AI agents handle complex Android development tasks.

Earlier this year, Google introduced the first version of Android Bench to measure how AI models perform on real-world Android development work. The company has now updated the benchmark with Android Bench 2.0, which is designed to evaluate models and agents against more complex tasks that better reflect actual software development.

One of the biggest additions is what Google calls long-horizon tasks (LHTs). These are significantly more complex development jobs that could take a human engineer several days or even a week to complete.

Google says the first version of Android Bench, along with many other early AI coding benchmarks, focused primarily on smaller, incremental changes. Android Bench 2.0 is designed to raise that bar with tasks such as upgrading dependencies, adding major new features, and even building Android apps from scratch.

With Android Bench 2.0, Google has changed how models are graded. Rather than relying entirely on a binary pass-or-fail system, Android Bench 2.0 uses "continuous scoring." The company says this provides a more "meaningful indication" of how well a model performed, even when it wasn't able to fully complete a task.

Google has already tested several of the latest AI models using the new benchmark, including Gemini 3.8 Flash, GPT-6 Astra, Claude Fable 5.1, GPT-5.6 Sol, and Claude Opus 5, among others. According to the results, GPT-6 Astra currently sits at the top of the benchmark with a 28% pass rate. Gemini 3.8 Flash, meanwhile, scored just 8%.

Google says testing models against the LHT dataset should give it a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, while also providing developers with more practical guidance about which models are better suited for different Android development tasks.

The updated Android Bench 2.0 leaderboard is available now, and Google says it plans to continue expanding it with more models and results over time.

What you need to know

• Google is rolling out Android 17 QPR2 Beta 5 to Pixel testers, solving several issues, such as an unexpected reboot problem.
• The company is also fixing another Bluetooth problem; however, this one involves a bug when changing device type.
• Beta 4 at the end of August marked QPR2 entering Platform Stability, meaning we're headed down the final stretch toward launch.

Get your Pixels ready. Google is rolling out another beta for its next quarterly Android 17 update.

The company detailed everything enrolled testers will find on Reddit. If you're looking for the update, you might find one of two build numbers. Google states users with a Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, 7 Pro, 7a, Pixel Fold, or Pixel Tablet will download vCP41.260828.005.A6. If you have any other eligible Pixel device, you will find vCP41.260828.004.A8. The company is fixing a few problems users have reported throughout QPR2's testing.

One fix is coming in for a system instability issue. The patch notes state this fix should solve the "unexpected device reboots during continuous UI scrolling in media-heavy applications." Another fix aims to solve an issue with the Pixel's side buttons for volume control. Users noticed that while casting media, pressing these buttons wouldn't surface the volume slider UI. Google states a fix for this issue is rolling out.

Additionally, enhanced HDR was stuck for several users on the Issue Tracker. Google says its fix should solve the issue of the feature "remaining enabled despite being turned off in user settings."

The remainder of the patch notes is as follows:

• Changing a Bluetooth device type in settings failed to update its icon visually
• Fixed a text-rendering issue that caused unexpected background highlights to appear when typing in search fields, and resolved a navigation routing issue that prevented Private Space from unlocking correctly
• Launching Google Wallet via the power button shortcut caused the touchscreen to become unresponsive
• Camera crashes during panorama processing
• Bluetooth audio experiences noise and distortion after completing or answering a call

The Final Stretch

Beta 5 is fixing up some lingering issues, but it was QPR2 Beta 4 that we were really excited about. The end of August saw Android 17 QPR2 enter the Platform Stability phase. This is a standard milestone for Google's software development. It locks in the OS' APIs, ushering it down the final stretch. We're starting to wrap things up, but there's still work to do—for everyone.

Similarly, Google was fixing quite a few bugs last month. Pixel Bluetooth is apparently still giving it some trouble. In August, Google fixed a Bluetooth call audio issue that saw user calls getting erroneously put through the phone's speaker. Other issues included a broken gesture problem and strange UI freezing.

What you need to know

• An overseas report claims the Galaxy Z Fold 8 saw a 10% increase in sales following the iPhone Duo.
• It was alleged that consumers were interested in seeing pricing details and more before deciding on a device, among other factors.
• The Galaxy Z Fold 8 was already incredibly popular for Samsung, shattering pre-order records and exceeding the Fold 8 Ultra and Flip 8

It's just over a week since Apple's main event where it debuted the iPhone Duo, its first foldable phone. Trends have shifted since then, and it's Samsung that's seeing an uptick in Fold 8 sales.

The Chosun (Korean) reported that Apple's event provided a noteworthy boost in Galaxy Z Fold 8 sales following the iPhone Duo's debut (via GSMArena). This appears to be the result of consumers "waiting and seeing," as the publication notes. According to the report, Samsung observed a 10% boost in Galaxy Z Fold 8 sales following the iPhone Duo reveal.

There might've been a few deciding factors that consumers were waiting out. The report highlights the price difference between the two phones as one of them. That price might be minimal in the U.S. (the iPhone Duo is $100 more), but in South Korea, there's a one million won difference. What's more, the report acknowledges that there is no 1TB option for the Fold 8; however, if consumers wanted the 2TB iPhone Duo, they'd have to pay five million won (by comparison, the Fold 8 starts at 2.2 million won).

These two factors were cited as the deciding factors for Korean consumers when choosing between the Fold 8 and the iPhone Duo. The publication went on to highlight one more factor: actually receiving the phone. Consumers can more readily go out and purchase a Fold 8. But the iPhone Duo isn't set to appear until October. In the U.S., Apple said pre-orders begin October 16, but its market debut isn't until October 23.

The Fold 8's pretty popular

It was nice finally seeing Apple's long-awaited foldable debut. Shortly after the event, Android Central's Harish Jonnalagadda was quick with his two cents about it. While an appealing phone, there were some glaring differences between it and the competition. Comparing the iPhone Duo's weight was highlighted. Both Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Google's Pixel 11 Pro Fold are lighter (it's 53g heavier than the Fold 8).

Elsewhere, Samsung and, yes, Duolingo, chirped Apple on social media during the event. It's probably safe to say Samsung wasn't too impressed. It said, "Making us wait? Fine. We'll be over here, folding 3 ways." The company even said the iPhone Duo's bedside clock mode was "giving groundhog day." Then we have Duolingo—completely unhinged. Its post read, "They named a phone after me and made it bend over," accompanied by its mascot's—you get the idea.

Getting back on topic, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 was already incredibly popular following its debut. After a week of pre-orders, the Fold 8 shattered expectations with its high volume. Inventory sold out online, and the Fold 8 far outpaced the Fold 8 Ultra and Flip 8.

Android Central's Take

I'm sure this is the case for a lot of people. The "waiting and see" approach is how to stay smart in a market that demands a lot from your wallet. But also, Samsung and Apple are major competitors. People might grab one phone one year and then the other the next. It's a constant flow. An ever-shifting reality we live in. However, it speaks a little more volume on Samsung's end. Clearly, people were on the fence and wanted to see. But after seeing, they still opted for Samsung. That's good for now. I want to know if it'll stick, though.

What you need to know

• Ultrahuman and HealthEx partner to bring the HealthEx PowerPlug for $4.99/mo or $45.99/yr in the app.
• HealthEx brings your official medical records into the app, and Ultrahuman's biomarkers/Ring data is placed alongside it for better insights into your wellbeing.
• Ultrahuman states this PowerPlug will also generate a "Visit Pack" full of data that's listed with your records to make your next visit more insightful.

Medical records are often a tricky obstacle to navigate. This week, Ultrahuman announced a partnership that streamlines appointments, tests, and even surgeries.

This morning (Sept. 17), Ultrahuman announced a partnership with HealthEx in a press release, bringing the HealthEx PowerPlug to its app. The company states the PowerPlug will "combine a member’s medical records with continuous biomarkers" from its smart ring "in a secure, transparent, and consented manner." This will roll out over the week; however, Ultrahuman shared details on how this new PowerPlug will work.

Ultrahuman members will need to verify their identity to activate HealthEx's capabilities. This will automatically locate your health records from places you've received care before. Ultrahuman states HealthEx has nationwide reach, thanks to the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA).

Additionally, users can choose which care sites the HealthEx PowerPlug accesses. This is done via your consent, and you can stop sharing any records at any time.

Priyanka Agarwal, M.D., MBA, co-founder and CEO of HealthEx, said, "When members choose to connect the two through HealthEx, they arrive at their next appointment with the most complete health picture, helping them arrive better prepared for that conversation."

Getting down to brass tacks, the HealthEx PowerPlug aims to place your entire medical history in one convenient place for you and your doctor.

Ultrahuman states this new feature "maps 532 conditions" based on your medications and procedures. Incorporating your biomarkers only enhances its usefulness. Your previous diagnosis and new medications will be displayed alongside the daily measurements your Ultrahuman Ring captures of your heart. Your resting heart rate, heart rate variability, skin temperature, and deep sleep are all factored in.

If a follow-up has been missed, or a condition/medication record hasn't been checked, the HealthEx PowerPlug will surface it for your attention. Users can bring this up as a question during their next doctor's visit. Additionally, Ultrahuman highlights its "Visit Pack."

This is a collection of your medication information—a "doctor-ready summary"—tied to your wearable data. The company states, "The PowerPlug also flags questions and tests to raise with their doctor based on their reports."

Take care

Research states the average doctor's visit lasts ~15 minutes. What's more, the information about your health is typically scattered. This PowerPlug with HealthEx aims to make that process a little less strenuous.

The HealthEx PowerPlug has started rolling out today (Sept. 17) for users in the U.S. Users can access this PowerPlug from the Ultrahuman PowerPlugs tab in the Ultrahuman app. However, it costs $4.99/mo or $45.99/yr. If you're interested in viewing your "longitudinal health history," Ultrahuman states this is free through HealthEx Wallet.

Ultrahuman and HealthEx plan to do more following the PowerPlug's debut. Vitamin D, GLP-1, and Respiratory Health should arrive sometime in the future.

Amazon's 48-hour Big Deal Days sale kicks off on October 6th, but the retailer has wasted no time in dropping some of its Garmin watch deals early. Whether you want the sleek Venu 3S or the ready-for-anything Garmin Instinct 3 Solar, you don't need to wait for October Prime Day to score a great deal on some of the best fitness watches around.

Garmin has been a leading manufacturer of fitness watches for years, providing wearable solutions for every level of athlete and every budget under the sun. These smartwatches are tough and reliable, full of premium features like AMOLED displays, military-grade durability ratings, and all of the health and fitness tracking features you could ever need.

The early Prime Day deals even extend to the Venu 4, which is our favorite Garmin watch on the market today. Will prices drop even further when Amazon's sale begins in earnest? It's hard to say, but if you need a new fitness smartwatch ASAP, you can rest easy knowing that you scored a great deal weeks before everyone else.

• Prime Big Deal Days returns Oct 6th-7th: see the full list of early deals

What is the best Garmin watch?

We consider the Garmin Venu 4 to be the best overall Garmin watch for most people in 2026. While it may not be for the world's most advanced fitness device, the watch is an impressive all-rounder, covering most of the bases for beginners and experienced athletes alike. You get a bright OLED display with 5ATM water resistance, while the case and bezels are constructed from durable stainless steel and reinforced polymer materials.

Moreover, the Venu 4 comes equipped with a bounty of premium software features under the hood, including multi-band GPS and NFC support in addition to accurate tracking for heart rate, ECG, SpO2, and beyond. The watch also comes with Garmin-exclusive features like Body Battery and Evening Report, plus you get a built-in flashlight, dozens of pre-installed sports modes, and up to 12 days of battery life on a single charge. The Venu 4 is Garmin's 'everything but the kitchen sink' watch, and for most athletes, that's a very good thing.

These days, buying a cheap Android phone doesn't have to feel like a downgrade, particularly when you pair the device with a great deal on wireless. For a limited time, Metro by T-Mobile will give you a FREE Samsung Galaxy A17 when you pair the purchase of the budget device with any 5G Unlimited plan starting at just $40 per month. No trade-in is required, and all taxes and fees are included in the price.

Sure, there are plenty of carrier deals that will land you a free Samsung phone, but few offers are this affordable or straightforward. The only catch is that, since it's a prepaid carrier, Metro by T-Mobile's service could be deprioritized if you use over 35GB per month. That means that heavy data users may have to deal with slower speeds if the network is congested. Otherwise, if you simply want unlimited wireless and a solid Samsung phone for as little hassle as possible, this Metro by T-Mobile deal deserves your immediate attention.

All of the wireless plans included in Metro by T-Mobile's promotion provide unlimited talk, text, and data on T-Mobile's vast 5G network, plus you get a five-year price guarantee and access to exclusive weekly discounts via T-Mobile Tuesdays.

Upgrade to one of Metro's higher-level unlimited plans and you'll get all of the perks mentioned above along with benefits like mobile hotspot data, Google One memberships, and more. Even if you go with Metro's top-tier Unlimited Premium 5G Data plan, you'll never pay more than $60 per month, all taxes and fees included.

The Samsung Galaxy A17 5G, for its part, is a $200 phone that punches well above its weight class, introducing an upgraded camera system, 6.7-inch AMOLED display, and a large 5,000mAh battery. You even get six years of guaranteed software updates, which is a rarity for a device in this price range.

Samsung's A series has spent years proving that you don't need to spend and arm and a leg to enjoy the complete Galaxy experience. Sure, it may not be the most powerful phone on the market (and Metro's data plan may not be the most comprehensive), but if you simply want cheap, reliable wireless and a phone that you can count on for years to come, this carrier deal shouldn't be overlooked.

What you need to know

• Snap revealed its upcoming SPECS smart glasses in full this midweek, stating they are available for pre-order for $2,196 in the U.S. ahead of a late fall launch.
• SPECS browser lets users stream content from HBO Max and YouTube, as well as music from Spotify and educational content.
• The glasses offer in-display real-time translation with subtitles and directions while walking in big cities, with Tripadvisor for finding food and landmarks.
• The Snap SPECS are preparing to launch in the U.S., U.K., and France.

Snap's new smart glasses, SPECS, are finally here. For the time being, pre-orders are open, but Snap is getting candid about everything in its human-centric computing glasses.

Snap announced an "all-new experience" coming to the growing world of smart glasses with SPECS. These glasses are reportedly "built around how you interact with the world, and the AI-native operating system is designed to help you get things done through natural interactions using your hands and voice." To get us going, Snap says SPECS are designed for work and play—and we're starting with play.

The SPECS browser lets users stream content from YouTube, HBO Max, and more on a virtual 115-inch display, placed roughly 10 ft away. Thanks to an HBO Max partnership, Snap says it's bringing the world of Harry Potter to SPECS in time for the HBO Original Series Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, premiering on Christmas. Elsewhere, work with the NBA and WNBA will bring "interactive basketball experiences" to SPECS users.

Watching sports or shows and movies isn't all the SPECS is good for. Snap says you can also listen to your favorite tunes with Spotify. Additionally, learning is made easier with an "interactive recreation" of the Apollo 11 moon mission.

For your day-to-day, Snap says SPECS offers several AR experiences. With "Translation," you'll find real-time, in-display subtitles (supports 60 languages). "Navigation" provides similar assistance, and Tripadvisor helps users find places to eat, landmarks, and more. The Shopify Catalog is another feature that brings 3D products right into your vision, placeable in the space around you.

"Connected Lens" is a feature that lets two SPECS users "share digital experiences in the same physical space." What's more, since Snap is the parent company of Snapchat, you'll find an experience that fits the smart glasses space. Privacy is another aspect that Snap states it takes seriously. It says its glasses do not record the world around you, nor do they constantly capture and save audio.

There's even more to unpack about the Snap SPECS. For now, you can pre-order the glasses for $2,195 with a $200 refundable deposit at SPECS.com. Shipping is expected to begin later this fall in the U.S., the U.K., and France.

However, if you're feeling hesitant, you can look forward to a trip to Los Angeles on October 1 and visit SPECS First Look at Westfield Century City. Hands-on demos and a meet-and-greet with the SPECS team will await you there. Snap adds that the SPECS glasses have been equipped with a new Charging Case with Cellular. Sold separately, this provides "four additional charges and offers cellular connectivity through participating wireless carriers."

To get this done in the U.S., Snap partnered with Verizon for a Connected Case bundle at $2,395. It adds, "Verizon will offer eligible customers financing options, including a 36 month payment plan. Connected Wearable data plans are available from $10/month for Verizon customers and from $20/month for non-Verizon customers."

AI that anticipates

AI is a feature that ties the Snap SPECS together. According to the post, SPECS Intelligence is an "anticipatory" AI platform that "builds an understanding of your goals, priorities, relationships, and routines from the apps and tools you choose." The point of SPECS Intelligence is not only to help you reach your goals, but to know and be proactive about your assistance.

Snap states that this AI platform was built to "anticipate when help would be useful and surface relevant information and actions at the right moment." This would replace the need for users to constantly have to prompt the AI to do something or fetch something. This platform is useful with your connected data and the physical world. Snap states SPECS Intelligence can bring "relevant information" directly into view while outside.

SPECS Intelligence will work with iPhone, Mac, and, of course, the glasses. Beginning today (Sept. 16), users can download the iOS SPECS app and try SPECS Intelligence. There is also a waitlist that you can join for the AI platform within the app "for invitation-only early access to the fuller SPECS Intelligence experience on Mac."

What you need to know

• Meta is reportedly developing Luna smart glasses without a camera, with a launch possible as soon as next month.
• Luna will reportedly feature six microphones, six speakers, and a dedicated button for quickly accessing Meta AI.
• Meta is also developing Phoenix AR glasses with virtual workspaces and movie screens, reportedly coming in 2027.

Meta is reportedly preparing to enter a slightly different category of the smart glasses market with a new pair that doesn't have any cameras.

Smart glasses have faced plenty of scrutiny over the past few months, and privacy has always been one of the biggest concerns surrounding models with built-in cameras. Meta has taken several steps recently to prevent users from tampering with the capture LED and secretly recording people, but the privacy concerns and perception around camera-equipped smart glasses still remain.

Now, it looks like Meta is preparing an alternative for people who want smart glasses without the camera. According to a report from The Information, Meta is developing a new pair of camera-free smart glasses and could begin shipping them as soon as next month.

The new model will reportedly be called Luna and could be unveiled at the Connect developer conference next week. The glasses are expected to be available in two designs, called Clubmaster and Burbank.

While Luna won't have a camera, it will still pack plenty of hardware for accessing Meta AI. The glasses will reportedly feature six microphones and six speakers aimed at the user's ears. This will allow users to talk directly with Meta's AI chatbot without pulling out their phone.

The glasses are also expected to retain a dedicated button on the side for quick access to Meta AI.

Removing the camera will reportedly allow Meta to slim down Luna considerably. The new model is expected to look and feel much closer to a conventional pair of glasses, which could make them more appealing to people who don't necessarily want the bulk or privacy concerns that come with camera-equipped smart glasses.

Luna isn't the only new pair of glasses Meta is reportedly working on, though. The company is also developing its own augmented reality glasses, reportedly called Phoenix.

Meta is reportedly preparing a major demo of Phoenix that could show us a different way of video calling. The glasses will reportedly be capable of displaying virtual workspaces and large virtual movie screens. Phoenix is still further away, though, with the AR glasses currently expected to arrive sometime in 2027.

Two years ago, I had the privilege of going hands-on with Meta Orion glasses. It was the first time I'd used a pair of AR glasses that didn't feel like a massively compromised experience, and while they weren't quite ready for prime time, I knew a proper consumer version wasn't far off.

Sure enough, Meta debuted Ray-Ban Display glasses at last year's Meta Connect show in September. They're not quite the full vision Orion showed me was possible, but they made the right concessions to deliver good-looking frames at a good price.

Now, a year later, I'm asking the question: have they been worth it, and should you buy them, or should you wait for the next big release?

What can Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses do?

Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses retail for $799 and are available at stores like Best Buy, where you can stop in and try a pair on. These support a narrow prescription range, so be sure to get your prescription filled when you order, since the lenses can't be easily swapped out after ordering.

Ray-Ban Display glasses feature a display in the right lens only to reduce weight and battery use. This is a full-color display and doesn't have the warping or light bleed found in similar glasses like Even Realities G2 or MemoMind One. The sophisticated lenses and displays are a hallmark of Meta's glasses and a major difference from the competition.

I spoke with Lumus, the manufacturer of the waveguide displays Meta uses, to better understand how the tech works. In a nutshell, these full-color optics are built for privacy and clarity. People cannot see your display, even if they put their face right up to the outside of your glasses.

Meta's software is also substantially more robust and mature than any other smart glasses platform I've used to date. It integrates directly with popular fitness services like Garmin and Strava, and supports all of Meta's apps and services, like WhatsApp and Instagram.

Viewing Instagram feeds on the display is novel, though it's a bit visually tiring since the display is in only one lens. You'll never have an issue seeing things since the display gets so bright (yes, even in direct sunlight), but the monocular vision can be very jarring for some tasks.

Reading messages, navigating, checking notifications, and controlling music are all perfect examples of how this hardware shines. Even taking pictures with the built-in viewfinder feels like a major step-up from Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 glasses, which have no display and can only give you audio feedback.

Like those glasses, Ray-Ban Display also has built-in microphones and speakers and can do everything those can do (plus more). The camera quality is excellent, and you can even zoom in using the camera viewfinder, which isn't something supported on non-display Meta AI glasses.

Updates and apps make all the difference

When Meta launched Ray-Ban Display last year, it very much felt like a beta product. The glasses had tons of promise, but the vision clearly wasn't complete. It didn't even ship with the handwriting recognition feature that Mark Zuckerberg proudly showed off on stage at last year's Connect.

One year later, Display not only has that and every other promised feature, but it also sports some fresh features Meta didn't initially show off. My favorite feature addition so far is app support, but this comes with a big caveat. Apps all require smartphone connectivity to work, and you'll need to add them through a beta UI panel on the Meta AI app on your phone.

The easiest way to find them is the Meta Glasses Apps website, which gives you a QR code you can scan with your phone to get it quickly added to your glasses app list.

The problem with the current crop of apps is that only 26 are available. Clearly, Meta is having just as hard a time convincing developers to make content for these glasses as it did convincing the same developers to make 2D apps for its Quest headsets.

And that's really the core problem with Meta Ray-Ban Display Glasses. While Meta has proven itself time and time again to deliver incredible support and regular updates to its excellent hardware products, the company continues to have a difficult time courting developers for its ecosystems.

The band is still the best (and worst) part

Meta's Neural Band, which is required to interact with most of Ray-Ban Display's UI, is truly brilliant. The band is vitally important to the experience because you can interact with the glasses without pointing or holding your hand in the air. Keep your hands in your pockets, if you like, or just leave them in your lap. It's effortless and brilliant.

The degree of control it delivers over the floating glasses UI is astounding, and the haptic feedback you receive with each interaction is paramount to making the glasses feel like a more authentic experience. It's essentially the touchscreen of the smart glasses world.

The band is ultra-responsive and never misses a beat. You interact with the glasses' UI through gestures the band picks up, understanding the nuances of muscle movement and electrical signals. The first time you respond to a message by writing with your fingers or adjust music volume by turning an invisible nob is going to blow your mind.

I'm someone who dislikes wearing watches all day because they irritate my wrist, especially when I'm writing, but Meta's comfortable cloth construction feels different.

However, the worst part about needing the Neural Band is that you have to remember to charge it. Battery life is slightly longer than the glasses, but you'll still need to charge it once per day.

Like most smartwatches, this one uses a bespoke charger that doesn't work with anything else. That also means that if you lose the charger (like I did), you won't be able to use your glasses until you find the charger or buy a new one.

Should you buy it?

The short answer is no; most people should not buy these glasses. While they represent a big step up in capability compared to standard Meta AI glasses, there simply aren't enough reasons for the average person to spend twice the amount of money (or more) on them versus a pair without a display.

I love what Meta built here and think it's a great template for upcoming smart glasses that will inevitably be lighter, have thinner frames, better battery life, and more functionality. For now, though, these are an amazing tech toy that's perfect for

Foldable phones are clearly having a moment, and if you're gearing up to buy your first-ever clamshell device, there's one T-Mobile deal that you simply must know about. Add a line with the Experience Beyond plan and the carrier will hook you up with enough promo credits to make the excellent Motorola Razr Plus (2026) completely free! That's like getting $1,100 back over 36 months, no trade-in required.

Even if you don't want to sign up for T-Mobile's top-tier Experience Beyond plan, the carrier is guaranteeing $600 off with 'most plans' on its website, plus there are some trade-in opportunities available if you'd rather go that route. The Motorola Razr Plus (2026) is one of the best foldable phones I've ever used, and now you can get your own for free with very little hassle. Why wait for the iPhone Duo when Motorola already has a tried-and-tested device like this?

• See my guide to the best T-Mobile deals of September 2026

✅ Recommended if: you want a balanced flip phone with a sleek, sophisticated design, snappy performance, and impressive camera tech; you're a heavy data user looking for a new phone plan.

❌ Skip this deal if: you're looking for a cheap phone plan; you can afford the Motorola Razr Ultra (2026); you're interested in a book-style foldable phone like the Razr Fold, Z Fold 8, or iPhone Duo.

Motorola has been making flip phones for years, and while it didn't release a book-style foldable until May 2026, the success of the company's long-running Razr series proves that no other OEM understands the folding hinge quite like Moto. The Razr Plus (2026) is a culmination of everything Motorola has learned from producing these devices, boasting a durable titanium-reinforced hinge, two stunning AMOLED displays, and a larger battery than ever before.

The phone also boasts a solid Snapdragon processor, 12GB of RAM, and five years of software updates guaranteed. True, it's not as powerful as the Motorola Razr Ultra (2026), but if you've ever used the Razr Plus (2024) or Razr Plus (2025), you'll recognize the 2026 version as a true refinement of everything that made past generations so great. At a starting retail price of $1,099.99, Razr Plus (2026) is also cheaper than both the Razr Ultra (2026) and Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 8.

The Experience Beyond plan, for its part, comes with unlimited talk, text, and premium data on T-Mobile's vast 5G network, plus you get a ton of international benefits and an unlimited mobile hotspot. The unlimited plan even comes with early device upgrades and free streaming subscriptions to Hulu and Netflix. Experience Beyond starts at $105/month for a single line, although you can make the monthly cost significantly cheaper by adding multiple lines and using AutoPay/paperless billing.

What you need to know

• Boox launched three new ePaper tablets today (Sept 16), starting with the 10.3-inch HD color ePaper Note Air6 C.
• The company is also expanding its Note series with the 8.5-inch Note Mini C and its next Palma, the Palma 3 with a redesigned premium frame.
• The Note Air6 C is available now for $579, while the Mini C and Palma 3 are "coming soon," those will start at $579 and $339, respectively.

Onyx Boox launched a trio of ePaper tablets today (Sept. 16), just in time for the chillier months. Each tablet features a built-in front light, capable of reading in any situation.

This morning, Boox detailed its press release for the Note Air6 C, Palma 3, and the Note Mini C. Reading and writing are the hallmarks of these tablets, and we're beginning with the Boox Note Air6 C. "Available now," the Note Air6 C continues what Boox states is its "most popular series." Consumers will find a 10.3-inch HD color ePaper display with a 4nm octa-core processor and "Dual Tone" to adjust the screen's warm and cooler tones for a softer eye experience.

The tactile writing experience is something Boox reiterates as a positive note from many Air C-series consumers. The Air6 C delivers that with a native Notes app with Outline, Tag, and Search tools. This Notes app features a "Dual Note" feature, letting consumers open two separate notes "horizontally or vertically." What's more, Boox states the tablet fully supports Android 16 and the Google Play Store.

Reading is another major highlight for Boox tablets. The post states it delivers a "40% reduction in page turn speed compared to its predecessor," thanks to its BSR technology. Additionally, the tablet offers 6GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and includes the Boox Pen3 stylus.

The Boox Note Air6 C is available today for $579. The tablet will become available on Amazon soon.

On the other hand, we have two more ePaper tablets that are "launching soon." The first is another addition to the Boox Note series: the Note Mini C.

This smaller, 8.5-inch color ePaper display reportedly balances "portability and readability." Boox spoke highly of its one-handed use in its overview of the tablet. With the smaller size, Boox says it has kept its PDF legibility intact for users. The included InkSight Magnetic Active Stylus has been redesigned with a side button and a stronger magnetic connection.

Boox made sure to provide the Note Mini C with the same front-light treatment. It states the tablet features "Dual-Tone" adjustable warm and cool tones. This should provide an easy-on-the-eye experience, especially when using the device for prolonged periods.

BSR technology assists the Mini C's lag-free scrolling for documents and websites. Android 16 and access to the Play Store are included as well. Once the Mini C arrives, consumers can utilize its 6/64GB configuration and 3,150mAh battery.

Boox states the Note Mini C will "launch soon" for $579 in the U.S., with Amazon availability to follow.

The Palma series gets another

If we're talking portability and the one-handed experience, it's hard not to mention Boox's Palma series. Luckily for consumers, the Palma 3 was announced this morning.

The Palma 3 features a 6.1-inch ePaper display. Boox adds that it's improved the screen with "deeper blacks and higher contrast." However, the Palma 3's redesigned frame is also earning attention. According to the post, Boox integrated "fine stationary" tactility. It replaced the plastic body with anodized aluminum to emulate a more premium feel. The fiber-glass back panel reinforces that ambition of a premium ePaper tablet.

The Palma 3 also features the "Dual Tone" front light tech for warm and cooler tones, alongside an Ambient Light Sensor. Boox says this sensor will adjust the device's brightness depending on your surroundings. Similar to the other two devices launched today, the Palma 3 features Android 16 and Google Play Store support.

Other specs include 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The 3,950mAh battery is said to provide "days of deep reading" on a single charge.

The Boox Palma 3 will launch soon for $339.

Amazon has confirmed that its next Prime Big Deal Days sale event will occur on October 6th and 7th, but you don't need to wait to score an incredible Google Pixel phone deal. For a limited time, the retailer is slashing $200 off the unlocked Google Pixel 10 Pro, knocking the price of the last-gen flagship down to just $799. That makes it $100 cheaper than the base model Google Pixel 11 and $300 cheaper than the new Pixel 11 Pro!

Some folks may be hesitant to purchase a last-gen smartphone, even at a discount, but I can confidently say that the Google Pixel 10 Pro still holds its own against the best Android phones on the market. That said, there are a few drawbacks that you should consider before taking the leap. Is this Pixel 10 Pro deal right for you? Let's break it down.

• Prime Big Deal Days returns Oct 6-7: see the 20+ best early deals available now

The Pixel 10 Pro boasts a gorgeous 6.3-inch pOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, while under the hood you get 16GB of RAM, an efficient Tensor G5 chipset, and all of the versatile AI-boosted camera tech that Google is known for. The phone also got a boost to its battery life compared to its predecessor, plus you'll enjoy faster charging speeds with Qi2 magnetic charging support.

So what's the catch? Well, with Big Deal Days and Black Friday just around the corner, there's a good chance that the price of the Pixel 10 Pro will dip even further in the coming weeks. That said, there's an equally good chance that the Pixel 10 Pro will completely sell out before that time.

If you've been interested in this particular phone for a while, I'd take your chances and place the order today. The Pixel 10 Pro is a great device, after all, and the six remaining software updates ensure that the phone won't feel obsolete any time soon. If, on the other hand, you're simply looking for a great Pixel phone and you're in no hurry to make a purchase, it might be worth waiting a bit to see what the fall sale season has in store for the Pixel 11 lineup.

What you need to know

• Samsung has started the stable One UI 9 update for the Galaxy S26 series, beginning in South Korea before expanding to other markets.
• One UI 9 brings features like My FanCam and more customizable Now Brief cards to the Galaxy S26 lineup.
• Samsung released seven beta builds over nearly five months, giving it time to fix bugs and refine the software.

Samsung has officially started the One UI 9 update rollout for the Galaxy S26 series, nearly five months after the company kicked off beta testing in May. The stable update for the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra began rolling out in South Korea on September 16 and is now being released in other regions as well.

The test drive of the software wasn’t exactly a quick preview. Samsung released seven beta versions before moving to the finished release, allowing it to have several rounds of feedback and bug fixes to go through. The September security patch is, as expected, included with the stable release.

One UI 9 also includes some Galaxy AI features that first appeared on Samsung’s latest foldables. For example, one is the My FanCam feature, which can keep a chosen person in focus while automatically reframing video for different aspect ratios, while Now Brief gets customizable cards and expanded security and privacy information.

Samsung is also adding Now Nudge for more contextual suggestions and improvements to Interpreter, Document Scan, Voice Recorder summaries, and device care. Security Brief can find and surface warnings around malware, unknown apps, and unnecessary permissions, and on-device AI is able to identify potential privacy risks.

What’s interesting is how One UI 9 is moving away from a singular headline feature and is instead becoming more about tying Samsung’s AI, camera, and security tools into everyday tasks. That could make the update feel more substantial in daily use than the visual changes alone would suggest.

Samsung says One UI 9 will be available to more Galaxy phones and tablets, so international users should keep an eye on Settings > Software update > Download and install as the rollout expands to other markets.

What you need to know

• Samsung's OneDrive Gallery integration is ending soon, but Google Photos appears ready to take its place.
• A new Gallery Cloud Sync service has appeared on the Galaxy Store with support for backing up to Google Photos.
• Samsung hasn't announced the Google Photos integration yet, but it could start rolling out within weeks.

Samsung has started laying the groundwork for what appears to be the replacement for its outgoing OneDrive integration, and unsurprisingly, it's Google Photos.

Earlier this year, Samsung announced that users would no longer be able to use OneDrive to back up photos and videos directly through the Samsung Gallery app. Until now, Galaxy users have been able to automatically sync their Gallery photos and videos with OneDrive without needing to use another app or service.

However, that partnership is coming to an end later this month. And now, Samsung appears to be preparing its replacement with none other than Google Photos.

X user Sandeep Adap has spotted a new Samsung service called "Gallery Cloud Sync" on the Galaxy Store, which appears to be designed to take over from the existing Gallery OneDrive Sync integration. The app listing says Gallery Cloud Sync will safely back up your memories, including photos and videos, to "Google Cloud" so you can access them across your devices.

The mention of Google Cloud might sound slightly confusing, but it appears Samsung is actually referring to Google Photos here.

User That Josh Guy on X was able to preview the upcoming functionality, which isn't live just yet, and found that Samsung Gallery will offer an option to sync directly with Google. The Gallery settings will reportedly show your available Google storage, let you choose which albums to sync, and offer controls to sync over Wi-Fi or while roaming.

This could be a big change if you currently rely on OneDrive for Samsung Gallery backups, since you'll likely need to switch to Google Photos. That said, the overall experience should remain pretty similar, with the sync controls still built directly into the Gallery app.

The OneDrive sync option has already started disappearing from Samsung Gallery for some users and is expected to be discontinued completely later this month. Thankfully, Samsung's upcoming Google Photos integration looks like it could be an even more natural replacement.

Samsung hasn't officially announced Galaxy Cloud Sync or started rolling out the Google Photos integration just yet. But with OneDrive support ending soon, we expect the new option to become available sometime later this month or in early October.