A developer has released Hamilton, an Android app that pulls health metrics from Google's Health Connect into a single dashboard without requesting any network permissions. The app supports data from Garmin, Withings, Fitbit, Samsung Health, Oura, Whoop, Google Fit and Strava, covering metrics like steps, sleep, heart rate and body composition. It avoids double-counting overlapping data (e.g., steps from both phone and watch) by selecting a single best source per metric per day.
Toyota unveiled a prototype mobility device called 'Walk me' at the Japan Mobility Show, replacing wheelchair wheels with four independently articulating, LiDAR-equipped legs that can navigate stairs and uneven terrain. The device features a pastel, minimalist design and generated buzz at the show, but a disability-focused commentator argues such prototypes rarely reach mass production or serve everyday users.
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.
Novo Nordisk this week detailed plans to diversify its business beyond its blockbuster obesity and diabetes treatments, according to CNBC reporting. The move comes as the Danish drugmaker faces intensifying competition from Eli Lilly in the weight-loss drug market.
Cato Fashions, a women's apparel chain competing with TJ Maxx and Ross, announced it will close 120 stores this year, more than it had previously planned. The company said it does not expect these underperforming locations to improve.
Engineers are developing thermoelectric generators designed to capture heat naturally radiating from human skin and convert it into electricity for small wearable devices. The technology targets low-power, screenless gadgets rather than power-hungry devices like the Apple Watch, which would still require conventional charging.
Nintendo of America won a $4.5 million default judgment against James Williams, who allegedly moderated the r/SwitchPirates subreddit and ran online shops selling pirated Switch games. Nintendo sued Williams in June 2024, but he stopped responding to the case, prompting the company to request and receive a default judgment. The court has ordered Williams to pay the damages and immediately shut down all pirated game shops he operates or controls.
Details and images found in Apple's own code by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris suggest Apple is preparing a HomePod mini 2 in new muted color options, an iPad mini 8 with a repositioned front camera and A20 Pro chip, and an updated Apple TV 4K that looks similar to its predecessor. The leak follows Apple's recent launch of the iPhone 18 Pro and folding iPhone Duo.
An investigation by YouTube channel Gamers Nexus found that LG smart TVs continuously gather user data—including search terms, audio recordings, payment details and screenshots—and send it to LG's ad division, Alfonso Inc. (LG AdSolutions). The company reports roughly 49 million LG smart TVs active in the US and 216 million worldwide, and the tracking reportedly includes Wi-Fi-based location data accurate to within about 10 meters.
Google plans to launch a small experimental satellite called MVP next month aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The craft carries four of Google's TPU chips and solar panels producing about one kilowatt of power, and is meant to test whether AI processors can withstand radiation and heat exposure in orbit. Earlier ground tests exposed the chips to simulated years of space radiation, finding that restarts usually fixed resulting data errors.
In an interview on Ezra Klein's podcast, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang argued that skills like long division, multiplication and square roots no longer matter because of AI tools. He also revealed he doesn't know his ZIP code, address, or phone number, saying he can live without that knowledge.
A writer describes losing enthusiasm for smartphones after once being an eager early adopter who camped out for the first iPhone. The essay recounts a shift from excitement over device upgrades and platform debates to viewing smartphones as an unavoidable obligation rather than a choice, comparing them to a tax collected by companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google.
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