Apple CarPlay users can rearrange app icons via their iPhone's Settings > General > CarPlay menu rather than the car display itself, and iOS 26 adds widgets for weather, calendar and clock with a Smart Rotate feature that swaps them automatically. Users can also adjust brightness with Automatic light/dark mode and customize wallpaper and icon colors through CarPlay's own Settings menu.
Some Google Home speaker owners are reporting that the devices' LED lights stay on and pulsate continuously, only pausing briefly after a voice command before resuming. One user found the behavior tied to a notification about Hispanic Heritage Month, but the pattern has appeared across multiple Reddit reports without a clear common trigger. Google has not yet confirmed a cause.
Todd Sheridan Yeary, a 13-year air traffic control veteran, publicly criticized the FAA's planned AI system SMART (Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories), saying its intended use—predictive versus prescriptive—remains unclear even to aviation professionals. He said his top concern is that the AI could 'hallucinate' inaccurate data, and insisted any deployment must allow human controllers to override its outputs.
Amazon is currently selling the Oura Ring 4 for $319.99, down 20% from its $399 list price, matching the lowest price seen since Prime Day. The smart ring tracks sleep, recovery, readiness, heart rate, temperature and stress, and offers roughly 5 to 8 days of battery life depending on size and settings.
Beats' new 360 headphones adopt design elements from Apple's AirPods Max 2, including rotating ear cups, a stainless steel arch, and a more flexible headband, while still carrying the Beats logo. Unlike the aluminum AirPods Max 2, the Beats 360 uses mostly plastic construction, making them noticeably lighter at 294 grams versus 386 grams. The two also differ in accessories, with Beats offering a magnetic fabric case compared to Apple's minimal Smart Case.
A Bloomberg investigation citing an unreleased Pentagon review found that overreliance on Palantir's Maven Smart System contributed to a strike that killed over 150 people, including 123 children, at an elementary school in Iran on the first day of the war. Outdated intelligence wrongly labeled the school an IRGC facility, and Maven surfaced it as a recommended target without flagging the stale data, officials said. Palantir denies responsibility, saying it does not own the underlying intelligence data, while the Pentagon retains accountability for what is fed into the system.
Vonder, a new eyewear brand from the founders of XR company Viture, has unveiled its first collection of smart glasses built around privacy rather than cameras or screens. The glasses come in six frame styles, three colors, and can be made with prescription lenses, weighing under 30 grams. Pre-orders open September 28, 2026, starting at $299, with shipping planned for November.
Viture, the San Francisco and Beijing-based maker of display-equipped smart glasses like the Viture One and Beast, announced a new product called Vonder that ditches the virtual screen and built-in cameras. Instead, the glasses use an AI assistant to observe user behavior and habits, organizing memories, ideas and goals into a digital vision board, and can proactively message users with behavioral feedback.
A new analysis argues that earbuds, already worn daily by millions, are better positioned than smart glasses to host always-available conversational AI assistants. The piece contends that audio-first wearables offer a more natural and less socially awkward way to interact with AI throughout the day.
A tech guide outlines how homeowners can assemble their own smart security systems using motion sensors, door sensors, cameras and video doorbells that store footage locally instead of in the cloud. The approach avoids recurring subscription costs charged by brands like Abode and SimpliSafe, while still letting users customize and expand their setup over time.
A Wonder Tools newsletter roundup highlights 20 Google Docs capabilities that many regular users overlook, including voice typing, instant translation, smart chips, and AI-assisted proofreading. The piece frames these as practical productivity boosts hidden within a tool most people already use daily.
EssilorLuxottica has released the Nuance Audio Plus, an upgraded version of its FDA-cleared over-the-counter hearing aid glasses that look like ordinary eyewear. The new model adds sharper voice clarity in noisy settings, extra physical controls on the frame, and up to 10 hours of battery life, and comes in three frame styles and five colors starting at $829. The original Nuance Audio glasses, priced from $699, will continue to be sold alongside the new Plus version.