Sifu, a martial arts game, will be launching on iPhone, iPad, and Android on October 12, with adapted touchscreen controls and full controller support.
Phone upgrades often lead to replacing devices every couple of years, but old phones still hold value. Users typically choose to deal with their old phones in the following ways: 26% sell or trade it in, 26% hand it down to family or friends, 42% turn it into a dedicated gadget, and 5% let it sit in a drawer.
Old phones can be kept as second devices for personal and work separation, used as an Android Auto display, or serve as a backup phone for emergencies. They can also be repurposed into gadgets like dash cams, security cameras, music players, e-readers, universal remotes, or PC companions. Additionally, they can replace webcams, act as second screens, or provide portable storage.
If repurposing isn’t appealing, selling the phone is a practical option, with a strong market for used phones on platforms like SellCell, Swappa, eBay, or Facebook Marketplace. Trading it in may yield better benefits, especially with retailer promotions, and donating it to charity is another option.
HP has introduced the Googlebook 14, a premium laptop designed to integrate seamlessly with Android phones, featuring phone-file access, app streaming, and a 2.8K OLED touchscreen powered by Snapdragon X Elite hardware. The laptop starts at ,199.99, with Google listing it at ,299 for a configuration with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. It supports Android 17 or newer phones, allowing users to access phone files and applications directly from the laptop. The Googlebook 14 has a slim profile, vapor-chamber cooling, a 5MP infrared camera, and supports up to two UHD external displays. Battery life is claimed to be up to 19 hours, but testing methods vary. The laptop includes AI features like Magic Pointer and Rambler, but some features are limited by region and age. Eligible buyers receive 12 months of Google AI Pro with 5TB of cloud storage, available in select countries.
On October 1, 2026, Google launched Guided Vision within its Gemini Live platform, providing real-time, voice-driven visual assistance for individuals who are blind or have low vision. The feature is available on Android devices running Android 9 and above in regions where Gemini Live is accessible. Guided Vision allows users to share their phone's camera feed for spoken descriptions of their environment and responds to follow-up questions, offering verbal cues for better navigation. It was developed in collaboration with Aira and the accessibility community, involving extensive testing with over 1,000 members of Aira’s Trusted Tester network. The technology aims to assist with tasks such as reading fine print, locating objects, and exploring unfamiliar environments. Users can access Guided Vision through the Gemini app, an Android Accessibility shortcut, or Google TalkBack, but it is not a substitute for medical devices or safe travel practices.
The iFLYTEK AINOTE Air 2 and AINote 2 are e-ink tablets with AI capabilities for voice transcription, excelling in note-taking and audio transcription but suffering from a sluggish user interface. The TCL Note A1 NXTPAPER features a matte NXTPAPER display for comfortable reading and writing but does not match the feel of e-ink, priced at £479. The Huion Note E is a budget-friendly Android tablet at £299, designed for productivity with a matte display and PenTech 3.0 EMR pen technology. It has an 8.4-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200, powered by a MediaTek Helio G99 processor, and offers approximately 6.5 hours of battery life. The tablet includes a handwriting recognition feature but lacks integrated voice transcription. It is designed to resemble a hardback book, with a PU leather folio case and a fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button. The display has a brightness of 300 nits and a refresh rate of 60 Hz, and while it supports a Reading Mode for a greyscale experience, it does not fully replicate an e-ink reading experience. The device has no expandable storage and limited USB 2.0 speeds for file transfers.
Google has introduced a new app called Antigravity to the Play Store, specifically designed for the Googlebook OS and not for traditional Android devices. Antigravity is described as an agent-first development platform for Googlebooks, allowing users to create and manage applications directly on the device. The Play Store indicates that regular Android devices are incompatible with Antigravity. Attempts to sideload the app onto a Pixel phone revealed significant limitations, including a poorly scaled interface and a failure during the onboarding process due to a permission-denial error. Other Googlebook-specific applications, such as Look Up and Desktop Camera, have also appeared in the Play Store. The first Googlebooks are set to launch in the U.S. on October 4.
Qualcomm's Snapdragon 850 will no longer be compatible with Windows 11 following the upcoming update to version 27H2. The last supported update for the Snapdragon 850 will be Windows 11 version 26H2, which promises 24 months of support, including essential security updates. After this period, devices powered by the Snapdragon 850 will not receive further patches. Microsoft has previously ceased support for the older Snapdragon 835, and while there is no official explanation for the Snapdragon 850's discontinuation, there is a possibility that it may still function with future updates despite lack of support.
Google has enhanced the Find Hub app by introducing a feature called the Remembered tab, which allows users to track items that cannot accommodate a physical tracker. Users can tag items, record notes, and attach pictures to help remember where they are stored. Instead of using a physical tracker, users can inform Google’s AI assistant, Gemini, about an item's location verbally or through manual entry. This feature is particularly useful for organizing items that are not frequently moved, such as passports or other essential belongings. Users can quickly add items by stating their location and taking a photo, making it easier to retrieve them later. The Remembered tab enhances the utility of the Find Hub app without requiring additional subscriptions or gadgets.
Microsoft's Windows 10 update "KB5126256," intended as a licensing preparation package for Extended Security Updates, has caused issues for users, including one Reddit user whose File Explorer crashes when clicking on files due to the automatic activation of the Copilot feature. The crashes were misleadingly attributed to Microsoft Edge, but further investigation revealed they were linked to "mscopilot_proxy.exe" and the module "ShellEh6055x64.dll," associated with the 4t Tray Minimizer application. Users have reported that uninstalling problematic updates can provide temporary relief, while some have chosen to disable updates entirely, despite Windows not offering a complete option to do so.
Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra has a maximum charging speed of 60W, while the Pixel 11 Pro family reaches up to 45W. The OnePlus 15 offered 80W charging, and brands like HUAWEI and Xiaomi have devices capable of 120W charging or more. IR blasters are now rare in flagship devices, with the OnePlus 15 being an exception, while Xiaomi's Second Space allows for a separate user profile at the OS level. Motorola's Moto Actions use hardware sensors for gesture-based controls, enabling actions without waking the display. The Nothing Phone's Glyph system features a dot-matrix display for app-specific alerts, contrasting with Google's HiLight LED indicator.
