GoKawiil
Tech News
OnePlus has officially revealed the OnePlus 16's design and opened pre-bookings in China, showing off three color options and confirming RAM configurations of 12GB or 16GB paired with up to 1TB of storage. The phone retains the OnePlus 15's design language, including its camera module and button placement, while adding a new 'Interstellar Lighting Effect' on its back panel.
Smart TVs running WebOS, Google TV, Fire TV OS or Roku OS use standby mode to install software and app updates in the background rather than forcing users to wait through updates at power-on. OLED TVs specifically rely on standby to run pixel-refresh routines that prevent image retention and burn-in, a process that gets interrupted if the set is shut down or unplugged too soon after use.
Android Authority writer Khamosh Pathak explains how he made his Pixel 9a feel like a distraction-free dumbphone without buying a $500 device like the Light Phone or Wisephone. He disabled most app notifications and used Switchly, a free open-source app blocker that supports QR codes and NFC tags, to block addictive features like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. He also paired it with BlockAds, a VPN-based ad blocker, to remove intrusive full-screen ads from free apps.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro now starts at $1,200 for 256GB storage, with top configurations reaching $2,400, while Google's Pixel 11 Pro keeps its 256GB starting price at $1,099 after dropping the base 128GB tier. Android Authority argues the Pixel offers significantly better value across storage tiers, saving buyers as much as $200 compared to Apple's equivalent options.
Stuck pixels on laptop screens can sometimes be repaired using software tools like JScreenFix or PixelHealer, or through manual techniques involving light pressure or gentle warmth applied to the affected spot. Simply powering off the device for a day may also reset the pixel before trying anything more involved.
A hands-on test of the Pixel 11 Pro XL's advertised 25W wireless charging found the PixelSnap charger topping out at just 23W, well short of its rated speed and the 31W previously measured on the Pixel 10 Pro XL. The charger also took roughly six minutes to ramp up to peak power, cycling between voltage levels before settling, and could only sustain that peak for a similarly short window.
Amazon has confirmed its second major sale event of the year, Prime Big Deal Days, will run October 6-7, though discounts on tech and home products are already appearing ahead of the official start. Highlighted deals include the Google Pixel 10a, WIRED's top pick for Android phone, priced at $424, down from $499.
Android Authority's Paul Jones argues that despite the $350 Moto Watch Ultra's strong feature set—LTE eSIM, Wear OS 6, a 1.5-inch pOLED screen and Polar health tracking—its weaker processor and limited two-generation OS upgrade path make it a risky buy. Instead, he recommends five alternatives including the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025), Google Pixel Watch 4, Samsung Galaxy Watch 9, Garmin Venu 4 and Amazfit Balance 2. The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025, now around $330 on Amazon, is highlighted as the top pick for Samsung phone owners thanks to its rugged sapphire-glass build, 64GB storage, multi-day battery and four years of promised software updates.
Google's September Pixel Drop brought Android 17 QPR1 to Pixel phones this week, adding minor features alongside a wave of user complaints about new bugs. Reported issues span performance slowdowns, connectivity failures, display glitches, and unexpected UI behavior, though it's unclear how widespread the problems actually are.
Android 17 QPR1, rolling out to Pixel devices, reportedly changes how the OS exposes developer and USB debugging status to installed apps. This means apps can no longer easily detect that a device has developer options or debugging enabled, a check many banking and finance apps use to block access.
Google has begun distributing Pixel VIPs version 2.0.97, delivering the redesign it previewed but did not fully demonstrate at the September Pixel Drop. The update introduces a floating navigation strip for quickly switching between VIP contacts, moves local updates like weather and time higher on the page, and applies Material 3 Expressive visual touches such as scalloped profile frames and outlined icons.
Google is quietly expanding its chat themes feature in Google Messages beyond RCS conversations to include standard SMS texts, according to a Reddit user's discovery confirmed on a Pixel 6a. Users can access the feature through the three-dot menu or contact info page, though Google hasn't published official documentation about the rollout.