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Google's My Pixel app, previously called Pixel Tips, has been sending push notifications to owners of older Pixel phones promoting the new Pixel 11 series and Pixel Watch 5, often without users opting in. Android Authority polled over 9,600 readers on whether smartphone advertising has gone too far, and 93.9% said yes.
Tado has unveiled its Smart Thermostat X, a 17.8mm-thick device priced at £159.99-£199.99 depending on wired or battery-powered versions. The company says Google's decision to shut down servers for older Nest thermostats has already driven a surge in sales, and it's betting more Nest owners will switch as support for older generations lapses.
E-commerce SEO firm Productrise found that identical products listed through Google's AI Mode averaged 21.6 percent higher prices than the same items shown via traditional Google Search. The study also found AI Mode listings appeared 49 percent more prominently to users, and nearly half the time recommended a different primary retailer than standard search results.
Multiverse Computing has launched Quasar 438B, a reasoning model for enterprise agents and coding that operates in English and Spanish. It scored 43 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, the highest mark of any European model, surpassing Mistral Medium 3.5, NVIDIA Nemotron 3 Ultra and Inkling, though still trailing global leader Claude Opus 5 at 63. It also responds quickly, generating 500 tokens including reasoning time in 15.3 seconds, and is accessible via the CompactifAI API.
Acronis has published a checklist defining six required capabilities for MSP ransomware protection services, spanning exposure reduction, early detection, round-the-clock incident response, isolated backup preservation, clean recovery, and consistent enforcement across all client tenants. The guidance draws on Acronis's Cyberthreats Report, which documented 143 ransomware victims among MSPs, IT service providers and telecoms in 2025, with phishing responsible for 52% of initial breaches and unpatched systems for 27%.
Google has released Android 17 QPR2 Beta 4 to supported Pixel devices, a smaller update than the previous beta but one that introduces meaningful refinements. The standout addition lets users control which notification and system icons appear in the status bar through a new settings menu, alongside a Voice Broadcast option added to Quick Settings.
A graphic designer has begun redesigning poorly executed AI-generated posters, replacing them with hand-crafted versions to demonstrate what professional design skill can add. The project responds to a wave of low-quality AI posters that have become common in promotional material, particularly for films and events.
A recent piece highlights a low-effort technique for coping with work-related stress: pausing briefly to notice your breath and physical tension rather than taking dramatic action. The approach centers on brief moments of stillness that can shift perspective on stressful situations without requiring major lifestyle changes.
Pangram, a 24-person AI-detection startup that raised $13 million, has flagged high AI-generated percentages in several notable works, including a Hachette-acquired novel that was subsequently canceled, a New York Times Modern Love column, and prize-winning fiction. Substack recently integrated Pangram's detection tool so readers can check content for AI involvement.
Fomu is a tiny programmable device that plugs directly into a USB-A port, combining an FPGA chip, four touch pads, and an RGB LED in a compact plastic case. It ships with enough RAM and storage to run Python natively, while also supporting a RISC-V softcore and other softcores like LM32 and OpenRISC, all programmable through a fully open-source toolchain without accounts, NDAs, or heavy installers.
SteamDB, the widely used Steam analytics and database site, has been sold to Chosen, the company behind Nexus Mods. Co-founder Pavel Djundik said running the site solo had become unsustainable after burnout following years of increasing workload since launching it in 2013 with Marlamin. Chosen CEO Victor Folmann said the site will be commercialized through partnerships and affiliate links rather than ads, while preserving what makes it useful to users.
Xiaomi's mobile division president Lu Weibing posted official renders confirming the Xiaomi 18 Fold will debut in China on September 7, 2026, two days before Apple's expected iPhone Ultra foldable reveal. The device features a 5.38-inch cover display, a 7.58-inch inner screen, a triple rear camera system, and Xiaomi's new XRing O3 chipset, with leaks pointing to a 3.5x optical zoom telephoto lens.