New testing of robotic pool vacuums shows that suction strength, measured in gallons of water pulled through per hour, matters less than how efficiently a robot navigates and targets debris. This year's test batch included models with AI-powered cameras and sensors that detect debris and redirect the robot toward it, a first for these tests. Corded models like the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus generally outperformed cordless ones like the Aiper Scuba V3 due to continuous power for repeated cleaning cycles.
In the latest episode of the Apple @ Work podcast, host Bradley Chambers and 9to5Mac's Arin Waichulis discuss Apple's move to impose caps and cool-down periods on submissions to its bug bounty program. The episode explores how these restrictions could change the way security researchers interact with Apple's vulnerability reporting system.
Federal contractors are moving forward with border wall and road construction across private ranchland in West Texas, threatening thousands of years' worth of Native American artifacts and rock art. While public pressure halted a planned steel bollard wall inside Big Bend National Park, DHS and Customs and Border Protection still intend to build barriers and roads through mountains and canyons on private land nearby. Ranchers like Jeff Fort, whose property hosts ongoing excavations led by archaeologist Bryon Schroeder, worry the construction will split their land and destroy sites that haven't even been fully studied yet.
A birth-cohort study tracking 502 Singaporean children from age 1 to 8 found that higher screen viewing time, especially at age 1, 1.5 and 6 years, was linked to weaker academic performance at age 9 and poorer working memory at 10.5, even after adjusting for other factors. Cumulative screen exposure across childhood also predicted lower academic performance, though not working memory.
Google is rolling out an experimental Gemini feature called Device Help on Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro phones, letting users troubleshoot issues like battery drain or Wi-Fi problems, adjust settings such as brightness or dark mode, and get explanations of Pixel features using plain language instead of navigating menus. The feature carries a 'Labs' tag, signaling it's still experimental, and Android Authority's hands-on testing found it worked well for some tasks but gave inconsistent guidance for others, such as Magic Capture instructions.
A robotics industrial cluster in Shanghai that houses over 100 companies opened its doors for a carnival-style event where visitors could watch quadrupedal robots climb stairs, remote-controlled bots duel with water beads, and humanoid machines perform tasks like brewing coffee and folding laundry. DexForce and other firms used the event to let families interact directly with their technology.
Scientists including Curtin University's Joshua Newton found that spiderwebs collect exceptionally rich environmental DNA from surrounding wildlife, outperforming other passive sampling methods like vegetation swabs, water, and soil in identifying vertebrate species. Because collecting real webs means destroying spider homes, University of Waikato genomicist Angela McGaughran tested synthetic Halloween webs instead, finding they captured DNA from livestock, birds, and even fungal spores just as effectively.
CNET published a guide recommending smart devices to upgrade home desks and offices, starting with a smart surge protector like Tapo's model that lets users label, remotely control, and track energy use of connected devices. The guide also highlights smart speakers, such as Google's newest model, for hands-free reminders, timers, and voice commands while working.
A developer released fDeploy, a self-hosted automation tool for deploying software to Windows servers running IIS. It ships in Community, Professional and Academic tiers, all offering unlimited projects, deployment targets and users, with licensing based on server instances rather than usage limits. Community is free for organizations under $1M/€900k in annual revenue, while larger companies pay for Professional under annual or perpetual licensing.
Quantinuum has introduced Helios, a 98-qubit trapped-ion quantum computer that uses a four-way junction to shuttle ions between memory and processing zones, alongside new control software called Helios runtime that schedules ion movement and laser operations. It surpasses the company's earlier machines, which had 32 qubits in 2023 and 56 qubits in 2025, making it the largest trapped-ion system built so far.
In a podcast interview with David Senra, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman conceded that he and other industry leaders were overly optimistic about how quickly society would embrace AI tools. He pointed to the inertia of existing habits and business relationships as the main reason adoption has been slower than predicted, despite growing chatbot usage among US adults.
Indian startup Airbound has closed a $37 million Series A round led by Greenoaks, with backing from DoorDash, Lachy Groom, Lightspeed and Humba Ventures, bringing its total funding to nearly $50 million less than a year after an $8.65 million seed round. The company is developing lightweight, tail-sitter drones that take off and land vertically, aiming to carry cargo more cheaply than trucks by minimizing the aircraft's own weight relative to payload.
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