GoKawiil
Tech News
Florida's Department of Transportation issued a memo revoking permits for automatic license plate readers, including Flock Safety cameras, on state-controlled roads. Law enforcement agencies have 30 days from August 31 to remove the devices, and the agency says it will stop approving new permit requests going forward.
Amazon has cut the price of Blink's newest Mini 2K Plus indoor security camera to $21.99, a 45% discount off its regular price. The plug-in camera records at up to 2K resolution with HDR, low-light color vision, infrared night vision, two-way audio, and a built-in siren, and can also work outdoors with an optional weather-resistant adapter.
Reports suggest Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro lineup will introduce a variable aperture lens on the main camera, a first for the iPhone. It remains unclear whether both the Pro and Pro Max models will get this feature, or just the larger Pro Max, and the wide-angle and telephoto lenses are expected to keep fixed apertures.
Candidates across parties are campaigning against Flock Safety's AI-powered license-plate camera network, which operates in thousands of U.S. communities and lets police search shared vehicle data. Politicians in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Florida have called for bans, funding cuts, warrant requirements, or campaigned directly against the surveillance system. Flock defends the technology, citing its role in solving roughly a million crimes and reuniting thousands of missing people with families.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman published fresh details on Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, set to debut September 9. He says the phones will get a mechanical aperture camera system for adjusting light and depth, a second-generation vapor chamber for cooling, improved battery life, and in-house C2 modems.
GoPro published an open letter addressing customer concerns that its planned merger with Starman could shift focus away from consumer and professional cameras. The company said the deal will strengthen its finances and enable continued investment in new cameras, accessories and software, pointing to its history of over 2,500 patents as evidence of ongoing innovation.
AT&T is offering Samsung's Galaxy S26 FE for as low as $2.43 monthly over a 36-month installment plan for customers who add a new line online, with no device trade-in needed. Business customers get even steeper discounts, including a $0-per-month option on a new line, plus perks like an Enterprise Edition with extended warranty and Samsung Knox Suite.
SmallRig has released two power banks, the Nano 36 and Nano 72, designed specifically for camera rigs rather than pockets. Both include 1/4"-20 threaded holes and V-mount plates so they can attach directly to cages, tripods, and gimbals within SmallRig's accessory ecosystem. The Nano 36 offers 10,000mAh with 45W output for lighter tasks, while the Nano 72 packs 20,000mAh with 100W bi-directional charging for heavier, longer shoots.
Leaked images shared by tipster Fixed Focus Digital reveal the design of OPPO's upcoming Find X10 Pro Max, featuring a large rectangular camera plateau with a raised square module housing three lenses, plus separate flash and sensor cutouts. Reports claim the device will pack 200MP main, ultrawide, and telephoto cameras, which would make it the first phone with three 200MP sensors. Other rumored specs include a Dimensity 9600 Pro chip, roughly 8,000mAh battery, an LTPO OLED display, ColorOS 17, and IP69 protection.
Android Authority discovered that Google Gemini's Android app, version 17.55.8, contains unreleased code for a redesigned camera interface that shrinks the viewfinder to roughly half the screen instead of taking up the full display, letting users see chat content behind it. The same build also reveals a reworked '@' menu meant to look cleaner and to automatically hide disabled Connected Apps.
A reviewer tested Google's $1,099 Pixel 11 Pro against Apple's iPhone 17 Pro across various lighting conditions in Delhi, including well-lit and shadowy scenes at Lodhi Garden. Both phones were tested with default camera processing, with Google's camera brightening shadows more while Apple's rendered more natural tones.
At an event near IFA, Dyson unveiled the CameraJet, a combined toothbrush and water flosser equipped with a built-in camera that captures 28 images per second to locate gaps between teeth and gums. Engadget's Mat Smith tried the device on fake teeth at the show, since testing it on real mouths wasn't feasible at a trade event, and found it could complete multiple passes without refilling its notably small water tank.