GoKawiil
Tech News
Amazon is discounting mid-range 13-inch M5 MacBook Air configurations by $150, bringing 16GB/1TB models down to $1,449 and 24GB/1TB models to $1,649. Separately, Apple's official refurbished store has 15-inch M5 MacBook Air units marked down by as much as $300. These sit alongside other current promotions including $50 off AirPods Pro 3, $240 off the entry Studio Display, and over $100 off various M4 iPad Air models.
Leaker Ice Universe reports that Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra uses four-way baffles to block screen visibility from top, bottom and both sides, while Huawei's Mate XT 2 and Xiaomi's 18 Pro series only block side views. This makes Samsung's privacy screen more thorough, but the tighter light control brings side effects like dimmer off-axis brightness, blurrier images, and reported eye strain or nausea for some users.
A hands-on roundup highlights Good Lock modules that let Samsung Galaxy owners customize their phones beyond what One UI offers by default. Key examples include Display Assistant, which sets screen timeout and refresh rate per app, and Sound Assistant, which allows individual volume levels for each app.
Ahead of Wednesday's official launch of Apple's M6 Mac mini, M5 Pro mini, and Mac Studio, GoKawiil staff compiled their favorite peripherals to pair with the new machines. Recommendations include Apple's discounted Studio Display, Samsung's M9 OLED Smart Monitor as an alternative screen, and the Logitech MX Master 4 mouse for those skipping Apple's own input devices.
Apple's official refurbished store is now selling the entry-level 2026 Studio Display with a Tilt-adjustable stand for $1,359, down $240 from its $1,599 list price, though supplies appear limited. The deal arrives alongside other launch-week discounts, including AirPods Pro 3 at $50 off timed to iPhone 18 Pro delivery day, early markdowns on the new Apple Watch Ultra 4 and M6 Mac mini, and a $50 discount on the upcoming 2026 Mac Studio ahead of its release.
Acer has launched the Googlebook 14, one of five inaugural Googlebook laptops from different PC makers, and it's the only model with a 360-degree hinge that converts into tent or tablet mode. It also supports USI 2.0 stylus input, though it lacks the haptic trackpad found on rival models from ASUS, HP and Lenovo.
Apple is internally testing a smart home hub codenamed J490 that would rival Amazon's Echo Show and Google's Nest Hub, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The device would feature a camera, microphones, facial recognition to personalize content per user, and an interface blending iOS, tvOS and watchOS elements, all built around the newly launched Siri AI from iOS 27. Gurman also reported Apple scrapped a special Pencil designed for the dual-screen iPhone Duo due to technical issues, opting instead to support the existing iPad Apple Pencil.
Xiaomi has detailed the Smart Privacy Display on its upcoming Xiaomi 18 Pro series, which alternates standard wide-angle pixels with narrow-angle pixels fitted with microscopic baffles in a 1:1 ratio. When privacy mode is switched on, the standard pixels turn off so only the baffled pixels emit light, cutting visible brightness to about 1% for viewers beyond 60 degrees. The feature can be activated through Quick Settings, the AI key, voice commands, app or page rules, location triggers, or automatic detection of someone looking over your shoulder via the front camera.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports Apple is testing a smart home display, internally coded J490/J491, in employee homes ahead of a possible launch as soon as next month. The device reportedly combines elements of iOS, tvOS, and watchOS, with its own home screen, widgets, and clock faces, and leans heavily on an upgraded Siri to handle tasks across apps like Notes and Reminders.
Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station claims Apple is prototyping two new iPhone displays—6.41 inches and 6.96 inches—for what may become the iPhone 20 Pro and Pro Max. The panels reportedly feature a bezel-less design that curves on all four edges, paired with a new punch-hole camera cutout, though no actual images of the hardware have surfaced.
iFixit's teardown of the iPhone 18 Pro examined the new variable aperture system, an under-display Face ID infrared camera, and a larger vapor chamber. During disassembly, a tiny aperture blade popped loose, suggesting that any malfunction in the mechanism would likely force a full replacement of the main camera assembly rather than a simple fix.
E Ink tablets rely on reflective displays rather than backlit or emissive screens, making them easier on the eyes and far more readable outdoors than most iPads, aside from the high-brightness iPad Pro. Devices like the reMarkable Paper Pro also offer longer battery life and lighter builds because their screens only draw power when content changes, unlike an iPad's continuously lit display.