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Fast Company's Innovation by Design Awards named Conway's Arcade, built by Special Guest X for Google, the winner in its artificial intelligence category. The project is an AI-driven arcade cabinet that continuously generates new variations of classic games such as Space Invaders and Breakout, alongside a list of other honorees in the category.
Fast Company named the winners of its 2026 Innovation by Design Awards in the architectural design category, honoring buildings and interiors that address challenges in the built environment. The top prize went to UC Berkeley's Grimes Engineering Center, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, an adaptive-reuse project featuring a new seismic-responsive structural system aimed at improving earthquake resilience.
Fast Company named the winners of its 2026 Innovation by Design Awards in the accessible design category. Make Good's Toddler Mobility Trainer, an open-source device that can be fully produced with 3D printing, took the top honor, alongside a list of other recognized projects in the category.
WIRED's latest soundbar roundup highlights the Focal Mu-So Hekla as a standout premium option, praising its 15-speaker array, powerful bass, upfiring Dolby Atmos drivers and intuitive companion app. The guide also names honorable mentions including the Sonos Beam Gen 2 and Sony Bravia Theatre Trio, noting each device's tradeoffs in sound quality, price and expandability.
WIRED refreshed its noise-canceling earbuds recommendations for September 2026, updating specs, prices and links across brands including Bose, Apple, Samsung, Anker and Beats. After testing in real-world noisy settings like subways and cafes, the reviewer named the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) as the top overall performer for active noise cancellation and sound quality.
Newegg is selling AMD's Ryzen 7 9850X3D, currently the top gaming CPU on the market, for $484, roughly $15 under its original launch price. The deal throws in a 240mm Cooler Master AIO liquid cooler worth $79.99 and a copy of Onimusha: Way of the Sword worth $69.99 at no extra cost. The chip, an upgraded version of the 9800X3D announced at CES 2026, keeps the same 8-core/16-thread design and 3D V-Cache but adds a higher boost clock for a modest gaming performance gain.
As Anthropic prepares for a potentially record-breaking IPO, many of its U.S. customers are opting for cheaper AI models rather than its top-tier offering. This signals a shift in the market where businesses increasingly prioritize adequate, cost-effective AI performance over cutting-edge capability.
WIRED's year-long testing of indoor garden systems found the Gardyn Home 4.0 the simplest to set up and the most productive, successfully growing everything from herbs to a full cauliflower. The system uses proprietary seed pods called yCubes, sold in curated flavor sets, and pairs with an optional AI-powered subscription app called Kelby that automates watering and lighting.
Apple opened iPhone 18 Pro preorders and simultaneously released its own Silicone and TechWoven MagSafe cases in new colorways like Burgundy and Mulberry, priced at $49 and $59 respectively. Third-party brands including ESR, Spigen, Nomad and Burton Goods also rolled out cases ranging from $14 budget options to premium leather and grip-focused designs with built-in stands.
A tech guide outlines practical settings changes Windows 11 users can make to extend laptop battery life, noting that x86-based machines remain more power-hungry than ARM alternatives and that Windows 11 itself carries performance overhead. The top recommendation is lowering screen brightness via the Win + A shortcut, alongside other adjustments that trade some performance for longer runtime.
Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo, a foldable phone launching October 23 starting at $1,999, whose hardware resembles rivals like Samsung's Z Fold 8. What sets it apart is a version of iOS and apps specifically reworked for the folding screen, including repositioned app icons and smoother transitions between the cover and inner displays.
WIRED's roundup of the best standing desks for 2026 includes expert commentary questioning whether standing desks are truly beneficial. Kinesiologist Anne-Kristina Arnold of Simon Fraser University notes that prolonged standing carries its own cardiovascular risks and that research on standing workstations remains mixed. The guide also breaks down the tradeoffs between electric and manual standing desks for buyers.