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WIRED has released a dedicated mobile app for iPhone and Android, available as a free download. The app bundles a personalized daily digest, video content, podcasts, narrated stories, and a comment section for reader discussion and live AMAs with journalists.
Google confirmed updates to its Pixel VIP widget but did not release official screenshots. Reporters manually activated the feature to capture and share the first images of the redesigned widget ahead of its broader rollout.
Boox introduced three new Android 16-powered E Ink devices: the Palma 3, a palm-sized ereader now built with an anodized aluminum frame and support for the InkSense Plus stylus, plus a 6.13-inch screen, 128GB storage and a 16MP camera. The company also revealed the 10.3-inch color Note Air6 C with a Dual Notes feature and keyboard accessory, and the Note Mini C, an 8.52-inch color device aimed at mobile professionals with enterprise app access.
Google's September 2026 security bulletin fixes 110 vulnerabilities in Pixel devices, including a high-severity flaw (CVE-2026-58704) in the Cellular Modem component that is being exploited in limited, targeted attacks. The bug stems from a logic error that lets an attacker on an adjacent network bypass permissions and escalate privileges without user interaction. The update, rolling out at patch level 2026-09-05, also addresses 12 critical remote code execution bugs and 89 privilege escalation issues.
Because Android Auto ships as a regular Play Store app rather than a system component, it normally updates automatically in the background, but that process can stall if a phone lacks Wi-Fi access or auto-update settings are disabled. Users can check their version by searching for Android Auto in the Play Store, where an Uninstall button confirms they already have the latest release, or an Update button lets them install it manually. Devices need Android 9.0 or later, released in 2018, to receive current updates.
Boox has unveiled the Palma 3, an update to its smartphone-sized black-and-white e-reader line, priced at $339.99, roughly $60 more than the 2024 Palma 2. The device keeps the same 6.13-inch E Ink Carta display but adds an anodized aluminum frame with a fiberglass back, runs Android 16, and now supports Boox's InkSense Plus stylus, sold separately for an extra $46.
Google has released its September Pixel Drop update, bringing the Android 17 QPR1 build to the stable channel for supported Pixel devices. The update package includes several additional features alongside the core software upgrade.
Google announced an 'Opening Night' event in New York on October 5 to formally showcase its first Googlebook laptops, which run an Android-based version of ChromeOS. The event follows the September 21 pre-order launch and will feature interactive displays along with the debut of the first laptop built for Gemini Intelligence. Partners including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo are manufacturing the devices, which include a lid light called a 'glowbar.'
General Motors is reversing course on plans to drop Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, instead building a new infotainment interface that runs them alongside native vehicle gauges in a splitscreen layout. The system debuts in the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, which feature roughly 60 inches of combined screen space including a passenger video display, and will later expand to other GM models. GM says it collaborated directly with Apple and Google to design the shared-screen experience.
Google is rolling out a Play Services update that lets a phone's IMEI number appear in emergency info accessible from the lock screen, without unlocking the device. The feature targets devices running Android 12 or newer and is meant to help identify a phone's owner if it's lost or found. Users can disable it through Settings under Security & Privacy, Lost Device Protection, and Theft Protection.
Security researchers outline how spyware on Android phones can be spotted through symptoms like sudden battery drain, overheating, unexplained data usage, unfamiliar apps, or apps unexpectedly requesting camera and microphone access. Infections most often occur through phishing links or sideloaded apps outside the Play Store, though rogue apps occasionally slip past Google Play Protect too.
Volvo has unveiled updated versions of its XC60 and three-row XC90 SUVs, featuring subtle exterior tweaks like reworked Thor's Hammer headlights with hidden matrix LED projectors and a slimmer front grille. The bigger change is under the skin: a significantly larger lithium-ion battery pack for the plug-in hybrid T8 powertrain, which Volvo says more than doubles real-world electric-only range compared to the current model. Both SUVs also gain a new 11.2-inch infotainment system running Google's Gemini assistant for conversational voice control.