Microsoft is expanding its Xbox 25th anniversary celebration beyond the translucent green Series X console with a matching accessory collection. Third-party partners Razer, 8BitDo, Backbone, PowerA, and GameSir are releasing limited-edition peripherals like mice, keyboards, earbuds, controller docks, and mobile controllers, mostly in the same translucent green theme, available now for pre-order at a price premium over standard versions.
Microsoft has set an $899 price for its special-edition translucent green Xbox marking the console's 25th anniversary, with preorders opening August 27th and a November 13th launch. The unit is essentially an Xbox Series X with 1TB storage, individually laser-etched and numbered, bundled with a matching 'OG Green' controller and a full download of Halo: Campaign Evolved. A separate matching controller is also available to preorder now for $79, launching October 20th.
Counterpoint Research's Q2 2026 global market share report shows Samsung's $1,300 Galaxy S26 Ultra was the best-selling Android phone worldwide, ranking fourth overall behind three iPhone models. The base Galaxy S26 also made the top-ten list at ninth place, alongside three budget Galaxy A models.
A once-celebrated AI startup founder who drew massive investor enthusiasm and sky-high valuations has seen the company's worth collapse by billions, according to new reporting. The report traces how early hype around the founder's technology claims outpaced scrutiny of the underlying business, culminating in a dramatic financial unraveling.
Following the guilty plea of hacker Connor Moucka, who used stolen but valid credentials to breach over 165 Snowflake customer accounts and steal billions of records including AT&T call logs, Snowflake is phasing out password authentication for non-human service accounts. By October 2026, all legacy service users will be forced onto the SERVICE account type, which cannot authenticate with a password at all.
A Georgia Bureau of Investigation probe found that three Savannah police officers and one community service specialist improperly used the city's Flock automatic license plate reader system to track personal acquaintances and family members. All four were arrested last week, and two other employees had already been fired for similar conduct. Mayor Van Johnson publicly condemned the abuse, calling it a breach of public trust.
A report highlights that modern Android phones already include native document scanning, OCR, QR code reading, and other utilities that previously required separate downloads. Devices running Android 14 or later can scan documents directly through the stock Camera app, eliminating the need for dedicated scanner apps.
A newly filed class-action lawsuit claims Oura Ring cannot accurately determine sleep stages because it relies on AI inference rather than direct brain-wave measurement, likening its accuracy to a coin flip. The complaint argues Oura is exploiting sleep-deprived consumers by marketing statistical estimates as reliable science. Verge writer Victoria Song notes that no wearable device measures brain activity directly, since all such gadgets rely on motion and physiological proxies interpreted through algorithms.
SoundCloud has begun testing a beta feature letting artists sell tracks directly from their profiles, keeping fans from having to visit third-party sites like Bandcamp or Beatport. The company takes no cut of these sales, so all proceeds go to musicians, and buyers receive files in whatever format the artist uploads, such as MP3 or WAV. The feature is initially limited to 200 Artist Pro creators in the US, with a wider rollout planned for later this fall.
FromSoftware's Elden Ring, including the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, has arrived on Switch 2 as the 'Tarnished Edition,' letting Nintendo owners experience the acclaimed open-world game for the first time on the hybrid console. After roughly 10 hours with the port, the game runs well enough to hold up despite not matching the technical fidelity of other versions.
Ikea revealed its new Yxstaby gaming furniture line at Gamescom in Cologne, developed jointly with Xbox's device design team after a chance meeting at Milan Design Week in 2024. The nine pieces include a wheeled charging side table, a cable-hiding toolbox that doubles as a laptop stand, a lounge chair with a controller pocket, and a rollable TV stand for screens up to 55 inches. Several items, like a D-pad-shaped cushion and a controller-holding platter derived from a stool design, directly reference Xbox's visual language.
Android Authority found a hidden feature in Google Photos version 7.90 that expands reactions on shared photos beyond a simple heart. Once enabled, it shows a redesigned reaction button alongside comments, and a floating bar suggesting emojis while also letting users tap through to the entire emoji picker to choose any reaction. The feature isn't publicly available yet but appears functional and ready for rollout.
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