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Users are reporting that the Google Photos editor's Share, Edit, Add to, and Trash buttons stop responding once a photo has been cropped or rotated. The issue appears across multiple Pixel generations, including the 8, 9, 10 and 11 series, and does not occur if the photo hasn't been edited. Google has been contacted for comment but has not yet responded publicly.
Startup Meadow has built a small, simplified Android device meant to be used alongside a person's regular smartphone rather than replace it. The device supports select apps such as Uber, Apple Music, Spotify, Maps and Strava, plus native tools for calling, texting, notes, voice memos, camera and ticket scanning, and connects via Bluetooth. Founder Shreyas Narlanka demonstrated the phone handling a concert ticket scan, an Uber ride and music streaming without needing the user's iPhone.
Mark Zuckerberg has said in recent interviews that Ray-Ban Meta glasses signal photo-taking more clearly than smartphones do, since the glasses light up when capturing an image while phones typically do not. Journalist Joanna Stern countered that holding up a phone is itself a visible cue, even without a light indicator.
An opinion piece argues that tech commentary repeatedly overstates new gadgets and technologies as poised to replace or 'kill' smartphones. The author contends this framing has become excessive and calls for more measured coverage of emerging devices.
A tech guide walks through built-in screen recording tools available on Android and iOS phones, starting with Google Pixel devices. On Pixel, users access the Screen recorder widget from Quick Settings by swiping down with two fingers, then adjust options such as showing touches, adding a selfie camera overlay, and capturing app or microphone audio before starting the recording, which saves to Google Photos. The guide also covers similar steps for Samsung Galaxy phones and iPhones.
Google has rolled out a Play services update that lets many Android 12+ phones show their IMEI number on the lock screen alongside emergency info like contacts and medical details. The feature is optional and can help prove ownership if a device is lost, especially as newer phones like the Pixel 11 series drop physical SIM trays that once displayed the number.
HTX Studio, a DIY tech creator, spent roughly two months building a desk that uses an overhead camera to detect a phone's position and a motorized system to slide a single wireless charging coil beneath it, rather than requiring the phone to sit on a fixed pad. The project, inspired by Apple's abandoned AirPower mat, also adds a transparent display with an animated cat that tracks the coil, plus standing-desk controls and other automation features, documented in a YouTube video.
Android Authority found that Google is developing a UI change for the Phone by Google app that would move the Contacts tab back into the bottom navigation bar, alongside Home and Keypad. The feature was uncovered in beta version 240.0.986973448 and enabled through manual tinkering, not yet a public rollout. Currently, Contacts sits in a sidebar menu after Google's Material 3 Expressive redesign removed it from the main navigation last year.
A Sony patent published September 17, 2026 (filed March 2025) describes a PlayStation controller with NFC capability that could let users tap a phone or swipe a card against it to make purchases. The filing outlines uses including buying games, adding funds via gift cards, transferring player IDs, letting guests join multiplayer sessions, and sending screenshots or recordings to a phone.
Google has begun expanding Gemini's agentic capabilities with a '@Call for me' feature that lets the AI phone businesses to check hours, availability or pricing, or make reservations. The tool is limited by design: it cannot make payments or share credit card details, though it can share a user's name and contact information, meaning users must take over calls to complete sensitive transactions.
At Snapdragon Summit 2026, Microsoft's Brett Ostrum announced updated 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop models powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon Elite X2 processors, extending a chip already used in larger Surface devices. The refreshed machines also get higher RAM ceilings of 16GB and 24GB, up from 8GB and 16GB previously.
A Sony patent published September 17, filed in March 2025, describes a system letting a PlayStation controller accept payments when a user taps it with a credit card, smartphone, or gift card. Diagrams show scenarios like confirming a game purchase or redeeming a gift card directly through the DualSense, using NFC or Bluetooth. The patent illustrations depict existing PS5 hardware rather than any new console or controller.