News and Updates from Gadget Hacks: Page 2

Google Home just got a game-changer that’s been quietly rolling out, and honestly, it’s about time. The Verge reports you can now control more Google Home devices from your desktop, while 9to5Google confirms device controls are now widely rolled out to the Google Home web app. This ability to control smart devices from Home’s web app was first teased by Google back in June, and is now widely rolled out.

The deal everyone's been talking about is finally taking shape. What does it mean for TikTok users, creators, and the broader tech landscape? After months of uncertainty and political maneuvering, the US and China have reached what appears to be a breakthrough agreement on TikTok's future in America. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Americans will hold six of seven board seats overseeing TikTok's U.S. operations, while Oracle will control the app's algorithm under the...

T-Mobile's digital transformation journey represents one of the most aggressive moves we've seen in the wireless industry recently. T-Mobile says it expects T-Life to handle the majority (or nearly all) of account transactions by 2026 as it embraces a comprehensive digital-first approach that's reshaping how millions of customers interact with their carrier. Not just another app update. A fundamental shift that touches everything from upgrading your phone to managing your account.

While One UI 8 has just started rolling out on the Galaxy S25 series, Samsung is already working on what comes next. More than a dozen new One UI 8.5 features have leaked, and some of them look genuinely useful. The update isn't expected until the Galaxy S26 launch early next year, but these early glimpses offer a clear preview of what Samsung is cooking up for your phone.

WhatsApp just made communicating across languages ridiculously easy. Engadget reports that the messaging giant is now rolling out message translations on both iOS and Android apps, a big step for more than 3 billion monthly users who chat across borders. The twist, and it matters, is that translations are handled entirely on your device to maintain privacy, so WhatsApp still cannot peek at your encrypted chats.

Looking at T-Mobile's latest free line promotion feels a bit like watching a magician's performance. The trick lands, the crowd claps, you know there is more happening under the stage. T-Mobile's giving away free lines for eligible customers, but the reality is more nuanced than the headline suggests. The service charge is zero, while customers still pay initial activation, taxes, fees, and the free line often does not qualify for equipment discounts.

Apple's latest iPhone releases have sparked intense curiosity about their real-world durability. With the iPhone Air being Apple's thinnest phone (5.64mm) and the iPhone 17 Pro featuring new aluminum unibody designs, tech enthusiasts are eager to see how these devices hold up under extreme conditions. Thin is in, but durability still matters. Recent testing reveals a fascinating story of engineering triumph and persistent vulnerabilities that every potential buyer should understand.

When Apple announced the iPhone Air, its thinnest phone ever at just 5.64mm thick, the repair community collectively held its breath. Surely this ultra-slim design meant a return to the dark days of glued-together nightmares that required a full phone swap for minor issues. Then iFixit's teardown landed. The revelation is that the iPhone Air doesn't sacrifice repairability for thinness, earning an impressive 7 out of 10 repairability score. For context, it's even thinner than Samsung's Galaxy...

If you've been following Apple's silicon roadmap, you know the drill. M1 arrived in 2020, M2 in 2022, M3 in 2023, and M4 rolled out across the Mac lineup throughout 2024. Apple's cadence has been remarkably predictable, until now. The M5 timeline is shaping up to break from tradition in ways that might surprise you.

The racing world has always been about speed, danger, and putting viewers right in the heart of the action, but nothing quite prepared me for what CANAL+ just delivered. Tour De Force is not just another sports documentary. It is the first third-party Apple Immersive Video production to hit Vision Pro, and it is absolutely wild.

The world of Android 17's medical device integration represents a profound shift from the incremental health tracking improvements we have grown accustomed to. Earlier Android updates chased steps and simple fitness metrics. This round points at something heavier, the integration of functional safety principles that could turn Android devices into reliable partners in critical healthcare.

Reviewed by Jame Jimenez

Samsung's latest Color E-Paper display is the kind of gadget that gets passed around group chats. Samsung launched the 32-inch Color E-Paper, EM32DX, globally in June 2025, and the pitch is simple. Static image on screen — rated 0.00W under IEC reporting (measured <0.005 W when static). Samsung says the built-in 4,600mAh battery that can last up to 200 days on a single charge if content is updated once per day, and it is no wonder people are asking when this shows up in phones.

Reviewed by Jame Jimenez

Apple's entry into the foldable phone market has been one of the tech world's most anticipated developments, and recent reports suggest we might finally get our first glimpse next fall. The foldable iPhone is reported to be underway in Cupertino with Apple's manufacturing partners overseas, a significant shift in the company's smartphone strategy. This timing is not coincidental. Apple's newfound focus on ultra-thin engineering creates the foundation for tackling foldable challenges.

Apple's iPhone 17 launch delivered something rare in tech, genuine surprise backed by numbers. While Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives just bumped his price target to $310, citing "positively surprised" demand, the real story is the gap between early Wall Street skepticism and the rush at retail.

Apple's latest iPhone 17 Pro has hit the market with plenty of fanfare, but early adopters are discovering an unexpected issue that's got everyone talking. Just days after launch, reports from users and tech reviewers show these premium devices scratch more easily than expected. Several users have shared photos showing scratches on iPhone 17 Pro models displayed in Apple stores, and durability tester Zack Nelson says "Scratchgate" is real and exclusively Apple's fault. What's particularly...

The smartphone market in 2025 is getting more interesting by the day, and Samsung's Galaxy A36 5G is making quite the splash, especially with one carrier offering it absolutely free. When I first heard about this deal, I was skeptical. Free phones usually come with significant compromises. Too good to be true? After digging into what the Galaxy A36 brings to the table, I changed my mind. This might actually be one of those rare deals worth your attention.

Google faces another major legal reckoning, and this time the stakes couldn't be higher. Federal Judge Leonie Brinkema has agreed with the US Department of Justice that Google maintained an illegal grip on the advertising technology market. So what happens next? The remedy phase will decide what penalties and changes Google must implement to undo its monopoly, and the government is pushing for something unprecedented: a breakup of Google's ad tech empire.

Apple's iOS 26 update finally delivers some genuinely exciting developments. Live Translation can now translate another person's words into your language and pipe them through your AirPods, as ZDNet reports, while Tom's Guide confirms iOS 26 added new Apple Intelligence languages and expanded AirPods Live Translation capabilities. SlashGear notes the feature uses on-device AI models, so conversations stay on your iPhone and never hit the cloud.

Samsung's latest leak drops a clear hint. While we're all waiting for the Galaxy Tab A11 and A11 Plus to hit the market, the Plus variant looks set to outmuscle its smaller sibling. The Galaxy Tab A11 and A11 Plus aren't available quite yet, but the leaked specs sketch a gap budget shoppers should know about. Both tablets have a display with a 90Hz refresh rate. After that, the roads diverge in ways you will feel day to day.

When it comes to Android file managers, one name keeps popping up in conversations among tech enthusiasts: CX File Explorer. While Files by Google has become the go-to choice for many users with its clean interface and smart cleanup features, readers still love this legendary Files by Google alternative, and there’s good reason for that loyalty. What keeps CX File Explorer in the rotation in a market full of shiny newcomers? And does it still deserve a spot on your Android device in 2025?

Apple has been methodically building toward this moment for years. Starting with the iPhone 14's US-only eSIM transition in 2022, the company tested the waters for a complete departure from physical SIM cards. Now, with the iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air bringing eSIM-only designs to global markets, we are seeing the final phase of a transformation that began with the iPhone XS series in 2018.

The mobile industry just witnessed a major leadership shake-up that's bound to reshape one of America's biggest wireless carriers. T-Mobile confirmed that Mike Sievert will step down as CEO on November 1, 2025, with current COO Srinivasan Gopalan taking the helm. This is not just another corporate reshuffle, it signals T-Mobile's shift from aggressive customer growth to premium positioning built on robust fiber infrastructure. The timing stands out, Sievert's contract was set to run until 2028,...

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

The Nest app, once the elegant control center for what many considered the most beautiful smart home products ever made, is officially living on borrowed time. Google’s latest moves make it clear we're witnessing the final chapter of Nest as we knew it—and the transformation is accelerating faster than most users realize. The writing is on the wall.

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

Federico Viticci's comprehensive iOS 26 review has landed, and it feels like a line in the sand for Apple's software. With Apple's new Liquid Glass design language dominating the conversation and Viticci testing nearly 70 third-party apps with the new interface, this is not another incremental update. After Apple spent over two months fine-tuning the Liquid Glass appearance before shipping, we are looking at Apple's most ambitious design overhaul in years.

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

Apple's latest updates to Final Cut Pro and the new Final Cut Camera 2.0 feel like a massive leap for mobile video production. Apple today updated Final Cut Pro for Mac and iPad with support for ProRes RAW video recording on iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max models, alongside the announcement of Final Cut Camera 2.0 as the first major update since its June 2024 launch. This is not another incremental bump. It is Apple positioning the iPhone as a legitimate professional filmmaking tool that can stand...

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

Apple just dropped something that's got the entire video production world buzzing, and trust me, this isn't your typical incremental update. Apple has announced Final Cut Camera 2.0, adding ProRes RAW recording and genlock sync support for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The free app update makes Apple's high-end iPhone 17 models the first smartphones that can shoot ProRes RAW. Meanwhile, Blackmagic Design announces Blackmagic Camera ProDock that adds professional camera connections to...

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

When Austin Mann prepares to test a new iPhone camera system, you know the results are going to reveal something significant. The renowned travel photographer has built his reputation on pushing smartphone cameras to their limits in real-world conditions, from windswept ridgelines to midnight streets. While we don't yet have his hands-on assessment of the iPhone 17 Pro cameras, the rumored specifications suggest this could be Apple's most ambitious camera upgrade yet. With the iPhone 17 Pro Max...

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

Google Tasks has been quietly evolving. A recent APK teardowns hint at upgrades that could actually change how you use it day to day. The app has long been dinged for its bare-bones approach to task management, and Android Authority spotted code that suggests Google is finally tackling a top request: better time tracking. Completion dates and task count displays set the groundwork for more sophisticated time management, exactly what users have been asking for. The company appears to be rolling...

Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge launched with significant fanfare earlier this year, but the ultra-thin flagship hasn't exactly set the world on fire. With sluggish sales of just 650,000 units so far and production cuts already underway, Samsung faces a critical decision for its 2026 lineup. The latest rumors suggest the company might be considering a surprising move, bringing back the Galaxy S26 Plus alongside the Edge variant, potentially reshuffling its entire flagship strategy to balance...

Apple Maps just got smarter in iOS 26, and it's not just about finding your way from point A to point B anymore. With Apple Intelligence getting 20+ new features, Maps is stepping up its game with enhanced search capabilities that actually understand how you talk. The standout upgrade? Natural language search powered by Apple Intelligence, letting you "Search the Way You Talk" instead of fumbling with keywords. This isn't a tiny tune up, it's Apple pushing Maps to feel intuitive and proactive...

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

There's never been a better time to be a content creator. Adobe just dropped their full Premiere video editing app for iPhone, and it's now available for download on the App Store. After weeks of anticipation since pre-orders started back in September, Adobe has officially launched what they're calling "pro-quality video editing" right in your pocket. This isn't just another simplified mobile editor. It's Adobe bringing flagship desktop power to a mobile-first design.