GoKawiil
Tech News
Apple's iOS 27 update introduces the revamped Siri AI experience to CarPlay, giving drivers a ChatGPT-like conversational assistant that remembers context and syncs chat history with the iPhone's Siri app. The update also lets developers build dedicated video-browsing apps for CarPlay screens, though only in cars whose automakers opt into the feature, alongside minor interface tweaks like a new MiniPlayer for media apps.
Vivo has unveiled its X500, X500 Pro, and X500 Pro Max smartphones in China, with the Pro Max model built around a 200MP ZEISS telephoto camera that can attach to a 400mm-equivalent extender. The phone also supports 17EV dynamic range video capture and 4K recording at 240 frames per second, positioning it as a tool for serious mobile filmmakers. Chinese sales start September 24, though international pricing and release plans haven't been announced yet.
Zach Cregger's new take on 'Resident Evil' has opened to a record-setting box office haul for the long-running franchise, buoyed by positive critical reception and strong audience word of mouth. Industry watchers expect the film to maintain steady earnings over the coming weeks rather than fade quickly after opening weekend.
Palo Alto startup ScrollEd, presenting at TechCrunch Disrupt's Startup Battlefield 200, has built an app that transforms text files like PDFs and textbooks into short-form vertical feeds resembling Instagram Reels or TikTok. Users scroll through AI-generated video, audio, text, and quizzes, swiping up for new topics and sideways to dig deeper into a subject. Co-founders Utsav Gupta and Rebecca Neff, both current students, bootstrapped the company after growing frustrated with unproductive doomscrolling.
A new adaptation of the 'Resident Evil' franchise directed by Zach Cregger has released, prompting an open discussion among viewers about its quality. Reactions appear divided, with some praising the take and others expressing disappointment.
A UX designer describes an eight-week collaboration with Raph Koster, author of 'A Theory of Fun,' to study how video game design principles could inform app UX beyond traditional gamification tactics like achievements. The piece explores the initial tension between game design's use of 'juicy' visual feedback and tension-building mechanics versus UX design's typical goal of minimalism and simplicity.
A viral video shows a large quadcopter drone equipped with hose attachments hovering over a dog in Linyi, Shandong province, and dousing it with water while the animal wags its tail. The clip reportedly stems from a demonstration by a Chinese company that builds drones designed to clean solar panels, though the exact company and video's authenticity remain unverified.
Kadokawa is turning the cult hack-and-slash video game Lollipop Chainsaw into both a live-action movie and an anime series, alongside plans for a game sequel. The multimedia push signals a broader effort to revive the property beyond its original 2012 release.
Google has started actively prompting users on its homepage to set up a video selfie as an optional sign-in method, following its initial announcement of the feature in July. The setup involves recording a short video while turning your head, which Google can use later to verify identity if you're locked out of your account. Google also says the selfie data may be used to estimate a user's age and, with opt-in consent, to improve its broader facial recognition and verification systems.
Smart locks replace either a full deadbolt or just its indoor thumb turn, connecting to home Wi-Fi so owners can lock, unlock and monitor doors remotely via a smartphone app. Many models add features like keypads, fingerprint readers, temporary guest passcodes and real-time lock-status alerts.
Code strings found in version 17.59.17.sa.arm64 of the Google app reveal a feature called 'Ephemeral Video Mode' tied to Gemini's internal codename Robin. The strings describe enabling an ephemeral mode specifically for video input during Gemini Live sessions, suggesting Google is testing a way to keep certain video interactions from being saved.
A writer tested AliveMoment, an image-to-video AI tool launched in August 2025 that animates and restores old photographs without requiring text prompts, using it on childhood pictures and a photo of her grandmother. The tool runs on a credit-based subscription and includes photo restoration to fix grainy or low-quality images before animating them. Results varied: one animation felt unsettling while another evoked genuine emotional warmth.