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Tech News
Google has added a new Map tool to the Gemini app, currently available only on Android and iOS mobile versions. The tool shows users' location on a live map with zoom and search functions, and an 'Explore this area' button that adds map data to prompts. Separately, a beta version of the Google app is replacing the forward-slash shortcut with an @ symbol for accessing skills and connectors.
Samsung raised prices across its entire Galaxy A lineup for the second time this week, with the A17 5G rising from $200 to $270, the A27 5G to $380, the A37 5G to $490, and the A57 5G to $600. Google increased the Pixel 10a's price by $100, from $499 to $599 in the US, with an even steeper jump in Canada from $679 to $849.
Users on Reddit and other forums have reported intermittent or complete failures of tap-to-pay on Pixel phones since mid last month, affecting devices from the Pixel 9 series onward, including the Pixel 11 and Pixel 10 Pro. ZDNET says Google has not yet acknowledged the bug or issued an official fix, though restarting the phone appears to resolve the problem for some users.
Visible is giving new customers who port their number from another carrier $5 off Visible Plus or Visible Plus Pro for 60 months, using promo code 5OFF5. That brings Visible Plus to $30/month and Visible Plus Pro to $40/month, with total savings of up to $300. The offer applies only to monthly plans and runs through October 29, 2026.
Nacon has announced the Revolution 5 Unlimited, which it calls the first officially licensed PS5 controller with a built-in screen for adjusting settings like joystick sensitivity and remapping buttons. The screen also lets users mix audio from a connected phone with game sound through wired headphones. Preorders open today at $229.99 via Nacon's online store, with shipping expected later this year.
A CNET reviewer tested the $1,299 Google Pixel 11 Pro XL against the $1,400 Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra during a weekend trip to Cape May, New Jersey, shooting unedited photos across varied lighting and moving subjects. The comparison found the Pixel's 48-megapixel ultrawide sensor renders more neutral, realistic colors, while Samsung's 50-megapixel sensor produces more saturated, vibrant tones.
A Reddit leak combined with reporting from The Mobile Report outlines T-Mobile's unannounced T-Mix plan lineup, showing 15 total plans split into Standard, More, and Loaded tiers, each with regular, 55+, First Responder, Military, and Student variants. The leaked pricing, which excludes AutoPay or other discounts, shows costs ranging from roughly $55 to $180 depending on tier and number of lines, with some discounted plans capped at two lines.
Android Authority's Robert Triggs suggests ways to keep using a retired phone rather than discarding it, including as a dedicated secondary device for work or personal use, as an Android Auto display via apps like Open Headunit, or as a backup device. The piece also notes old phones can be converted into standalone gadgets using their remaining camera, microphone, screen and storage functions.
Apple vice-president Kate Bergeron told a TikTok creator that the iPhone Duo's matte display coating, which helps minimize the crease on its foldable screen, can be replaced over time. She did not specify pricing or whether users can do this themselves, but described significant engineering work to extend the layer's performance.
Nothing is accepting applications through October 5 for its Community Review Program, which gives selected fans early hands-on access to unreleased hardware or software. Participants receive a device to test, provide direct feedback to Nothing's team, and must return the product once the review period ends.
404 Media reports that forensic access tools used by law enforcement can work around the 'inactivity reboot' feature Apple added to iOS in November 2024. That feature automatically restarts an iPhone after 72 hours of being locked, a safeguard designed to make the device harder to unlock using forensic hardware. The report does not name the specific tool or vendor involved.
Samsung quietly raised prices on the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus and S26 Ultra by $100 without an official announcement, though the Galaxy S26 FE and new foldables were unaffected. The 512GB Galaxy S26 now costs $1,200, the S26 Plus $1,400, the S26 Ultra $1,600, and the 1TB S26 Ultra jumped $200 to $2,000.