At gamescom 2026, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told BBC News that Project Helix, the code name for Xbox's next-generation hardware, actually refers to a whole lineup of devices rather than a single console. She declined to give specifics or say whether the discless-versus-disc question applies to the entire family, only confirming that all Helix hardware will support both console and PC games and that performance will keep improving.
Google has resolved a bug that stopped Google Home users from adding items to Google Keep lists using voice commands. The company initially described the problem vaguely as a 'UI issue' before clarifying it involved two separate glitches, one affecting the interface and another preventing users from viewing or using their lists altogether. Google says both issues are now fixed.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told BBC News that Project Helix, previously described as a codename for Microsoft's next console, will actually be a 'family' of devices rather than a single machine. She declined to confirm whether any of these devices would be discless, though Microsoft recently launched a program letting users digitize physical games.
Anthropic has released a research preview of what it calls the Model Hardware Standard, a set of standardized drivers that let AI agents communicate directly with physical devices like lasers, microscopes, and cameras. The system replaces custom 'translator' software normally needed to connect disparate lab equipment, aiming to cut experimental setup time from weeks to hours. The idea grew out of observing a neuroscientist's manual effort to coordinate multiple instruments for a memory-formation study.
OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft, AMD and over 100 other companies and organizations signed a joint letter urging businesses and governments to urgently strengthen cybersecurity defenses as AI-driven threats accelerate. The signatories called for stronger security tools, wider adoption of both low-cost and frontier AI models, and government funding to help under-resourced sectors like hospitals and water utilities defend themselves.
Google unveiled a special-edition Fitbit Air designed to integrate with the Pokémon Sleep app, timed to Pokémon's 30th anniversary. The device tracks daytime activity metrics like heart rate and movement alongside nighttime sleep data, syncing with both Google Health and Pokémon Sleep. It's priced at $129 and available for preorder now, shipping September 15 through Google Store and Target.
Schools increasingly rely on laptops and tablets for coursework, but these same devices expose students to games, social media, and web browsing that can pull focus from schoolwork. Parents often have limited ability to adjust settings on school-managed devices, making it harder to curb distractions than on family-owned technology.
Britain's government has moved to permit plug-in solar kits, but the Institution of Engineering and Technology says the country's electrical infrastructure wasn't built for it. IET technical regulations head Mark Coles says many homes still use older Residual Current Devices designed only for one-way power flow, which can fail or burn out when solar feeds electricity back through them. The IET issued its own warning the same day as the government's announcement, urging homeowners to get professional wiring checks before installing any system.
Across the United States, individuals are disabling, damaging, or stealing Flock Safety surveillance cameras used by local police departments, employing tactics ranging from spray-painting lenses to outright destruction. In Lumpkin County, Georgia, a sheriff's Facebook post offering a $1,000 reward for information about a vandalized camera backfired, drawing over 30,000 comments largely siding with the vandals rather than law enforcement.
Boston Scientific disclosed in an SEC filing that a cyberattack beginning Tuesday has caused widespread outages across its IT systems, hampering its ability to ship and process orders. The medical device maker, which serves roughly 48 million patients annually, has not said whether implanted devices like pacemakers are affected, and has not given a timeline for restoring systems. Reports from Ireland indicate staff at its Cork campus were sent home after internal network communications went down.
The Justice Department seized domains tied to two tools, QTRouter and QScan, that a Chinese hacking group called QTFY used to route attacks through hijacked IoT devices and commercial proxy services. Prosecutors say the network, allegedly linked to Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company and used by China's Ministry of State Security and PLA, enabled breaches at NASA, the Senate, the Federal Reserve, HHS, NIH, and the DOJ itself since at least 2018.
Boston Scientific detected a cybersecurity incident on August 25 that knocked out access to key IT systems and business applications, halting its ability to process and ship customer orders worldwide. The medical device maker has activated incident response protocols and hired outside cybersecurity experts to investigate and contain the breach, but has not given a timeline for full restoration. In its SEC filing, the company did not disclose details about the attack type, the perpetrators, or whether any data was compromised.
GoKawiil