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ZDNET published a guide showing how an unused computer monitor can be converted into a functional television, typically by adding an external streaming device or tuner and speakers since most monitors lack built-in audio and tuning hardware. The guide is part of ZDNET's product recommendation coverage, which discloses that the outlet may earn affiliate commissions from linked retailer purchases.
TECNO's bezel-less concept phone, first teased weeks ago, got its first hands-on demonstration from Marques Brownlee ahead of its planned IFA 2026 debut. The device uses internal display stacking so its metal frame sits slightly above the screen, hiding the bezel but creating a raised edge that can interfere with Android's edge gestures. It also packs a 144Hz display, triple rear cameras, a 6,000mAh battery, and a holographic lenticular back panel.
Ubiquiti released patches for three maximum-severity vulnerabilities affecting UniFi Protect, UniFi Talk, and UniFi OS Server products. The flaws include an input validation bug in Protect, a CRLF injection issue in UniFi OS that allows authentication bypass, and a command injection vulnerability in the Talk VoIP application, all exploitable remotely without authentication or user interaction.
NASA hired startup Katalyst Space Technologies to launch an autonomous spacecraft called LINK to dock with the 21-year-old Swift observatory and push it into a stable orbit, mirroring Jared Isaacman's earlier scrapped plan to save the Hubble. The rushed, high-risk mission, assembled in record time after Isaacman became NASA administrator, ultimately fell apart before achieving its goal.
A Reddit user who preordered Asus's ROG 20th Anniversary Component Bundle for $10,350 says the order was cancelled and returned without any delivery attempt or explanation. Friends who ordered the same bundle were later charged and received their packages, but this buyer was left without the product and now faces reordering at $10,849.96, $500 more than the original price. Asus reportedly told the customer the case is still under review with no firm resolution timeline.
Android Authority's review of the Pixel 11 Pro XL highlights HiLight, a feature that assigns glow colors to specific contacts similar to old notification LEDs. The reviewer found the concept appealing but the execution confusing, requiring navigation between multiple apps and menus just to assign a color to a contact.
Researchers from Google and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign tested large language models on variations of the classic Knights and Knaves puzzle, where truth-tellers and liars must be identified from their statements. The models frequently failed when puzzles were slightly altered from familiar training patterns, defaulting to memorized answers instead of reasoning through the new version. A similar pattern showed up on a benchmark called SimpleBench, where humans easily spot subtle twists that trip up even leading AI systems.
A tech-industry writer describes how growing awareness of social media's harms—cyberbullying, body dysmorphia, and related mental health issues seen firsthand through his wife's pediatric nursing work—led his family to restrict their children to flip phones and keep them off platforms like TikTok. He notes this reflects a broader trend among tech workers and public figures, coinciding with rising cultural pushback including Jonathan Haidt's book, national social media bans in countries like Australia, and a US Supreme Court ruling upholding age-verification laws.
JDK 28 has integrated JEP 401, a Project Valhalla milestone, as a preview feature that introduces value classes to the JVM. The author explains that these classes drop object identity, letting the JVM flatten and scalarize data in memory rather than always using pointer-based references, which can boost performance in many cases.
OpenStreetMap US has designated OldInsuranceMaps.net (OIM), a platform digitizing and georeferencing historic Sanborn Insurance Maps, as one of its Charter Projects. Started by Adam Cox at Louisiana State University in 2022, OIM now hosts over 1,200 Sanborn maps sourced largely from the Library of Congress, supported by a volunteer community of georeferencers.
Amazon-owned Ring is introducing an encryption system called Throw Away the Key Encryption (TAKE), which uses rotating keys that are deleted within 24 hours while still allowing AI features like smart alerts and video search. The rollout begins in September and will become the default for all Ring users, subscribers or not.
Police in Oviedo, Florida arrested 24-year-old Evan Meyer and charged him with three felonies after he destroyed what he believed was a real Flock surveillance camera. In reality, the camera was a 3D-printed decoy set up as part of a sting operation targeting people who vandalize the AI-powered license plate readers. Mayor Megan Sladek said she was unaware of the decoy operation and acknowledged the charges are controversial, especially as the city council is weighing whether to end its Flock contract.