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Code found in a new Galaxy Buds app update suggests Samsung will soon tell users to place overheating earbuds back in their charging case to cool down, reversing its long-standing advice to keep them out. The update also indicates overheated buds will now automatically shut off for safety instead of continuously beeping while still active, as current guidance describes.
Security researchers and government advisories document a shift in ransomware tactics, with groups like BlackMatter and Gunra deliberately locating and destroying backup data before encrypting primary systems. The 2024 ALPHV/BlackCat attack on Change Healthcare exemplified the pattern: inadequate backup isolation contributed to UnitedHealth paying $22 million without recovering its data, with total costs reaching an estimated $1.6 billion. CISA, the FBI, and the NSA have jointly documented these methods across multiple incidents.
Android Authority's battery benchmarks show the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra's new 5,000mAh silicon-carbon cell outperforms last year's 4,400mAh lithium-polymer battery in most tests, but the improvement is smaller than the raw capacity increase suggests. The report attributes this partly to the phone's new 200MP camera and faster processor offsetting battery gains, particularly in photo-shooting endurance.
Amazon introduced the Ring Smart Lock, which lets users generate emergency power by turning its thumb-turn dial if the battery dies, avoiding the need for a backup key. The $249 device offers fingerprint and keypad unlocking, app and Alexa voice control, and connects via Amazon's Sidewalk network rather than Wi-Fi. It's expected to launch in the US in early 2027 pending FCC approval, in black, silver, and brass finishes.
Geekom is offering discounts of up to 28% across 13 mini PC models during Amazon's Big Deal Days event, covering both Intel and AMD configurations including its newly released A9 Max (2026) with AMD's Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 chip. The AMD model drops from $1,599 to $1,359, while the Intel-based IT15 with a Core Ultra 9 285H chip falls from $1,199 to $1,019.15.
Starbucks announced plans to roll out a new store concept aimed at locations with a smaller physical footprint. The company said these compact cafés will still include seating so customers can linger rather than just grab and go.
Architecture firm Snøhetta has completed a new rooftop lookout point called 'Lech Mountain Mirror' at an Austrian ski destination. The structure is designed to frame and reflect the surrounding Alpine scenery, creating an open-air viewing platform with no barriers between visitors and the mountains.
A new study examining Claude Opus 5.5 found the model frequently relies on certain words and phrases, including 'dependable' and 'quietly', that can signal AI-generated text. The research reportedly found that em dashes, long considered a giveaway of AI writing, are not a reliable marker for this model.
Atoco, co-founded with Nobel laureate Omar Yaghi's MOF (metal-organic framework) technology, says its water-harvesting material can be powered by low-level industrial heat rather than high-energy processes. CEO Samer Taha says this makes AI data centers—which generate large amounts of waste heat and consume significant water for cooling—a natural partner for the technology, which absorbs atmospheric moisture and releases it using heat.
Bissell's ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro Plus upright carpet cleaner is discounted to $209.99 at Amazon and Bissell during an October Prime Day sale, down from its normal $279.99 price. The machine includes deep-cleaning brushes, separate reservoirs for clean and dirty water, and an accessory hose port for spot cleaning.
New Chromebooks replace the traditional Caps Lock key with a Quick Insert button that gives access to clipboard items, emojis, GIFs, translation, and voice typing. Google engineer Mishaal Rahman confirmed on Reddit that Chrome OS does not currently support remapping this key to restore Caps Lock functionality. Users can still trigger Caps Lock by holding the function key and pressing Quick Insert, or rely on Shift keys for capital letters.
Google appears to be rolling out the newer Screen Saver styles, including the Charge, Clock, and Weather designs introduced with Pixel 10 and Pixel 11, to Pixel 9 series phones. A tipster's Pixel 9 Pro reportedly gained access to these options, and a separate Reddit report says Pixel 10 units are also now getting the Charge style that debuted on Pixel 11.