I asked every TV manufacturer 17 questions about how they spy on you
Every TV company is spying on you, not just LG. Like other tech companies, they collect lots of information, and while some is necessary for products to work, not all of it is - and could include details you'd prefer to keep private. Many customers are concerned about how TVs and streaming devices might be spying: listening to what you say, taking screenshots of everything you watch, storing sensitive information on your TV, and sharing your data with the cloud.
To find out what TV and streaming device companies are doing, I decided to ask every one to explain itself. I put together 17 yes-or-no questions, like "Do your TVs store any record …
Not everyone is loving their new iPhone Duo
For most new relationships, two weeks probably isn't enough time to decide if you're ready for long-term commitment. But two weeks with a new phone? You probably know. The iPhone Duo launched just over two weeks ago, and that's been enough time for a subset of day-one buyers who aren't loving the phone to make a decision: It's time to end things. Also, they wanted their $2,000 back.
This is to be expected, to an extent; the Duo just isn't a phone for everyone. It's an early adopter device - we called it "a messy, expensive good time" - and on top of that, the hinge appears to be suffering some first-gen growing pains. Despite all that, Appl …
Serve Robotics wants to democratize sidewalk delivery robots
Serve Robotics is opening up its platform to make its autonomous last-mile delivery robots available to anyone who wants to use them. The company is launching a new AV Delivery Developer Portal, enabling third-party software engineers, independent businesses, and even autonomous AI agents to access its fleet of 2,000 sidewalk robots.
With this new capability, third-party developers and interested small businesses can use Serve's software tools to dispatch robots directly without relying on major food delivery companies, like Uber Eats. Now, anyone who lives in one of the 150 neighborhoods where the company currently operates can employ a si …
Apple is killing its Support Community forum next week
It's the end of the road for the Apple Support Community. The dedicated discussion forum, which gave Apple users a place to exchange advice, troubleshoot, and generally chat about Apple products, has been placed into read-only mode, with a message from the company announcing that the Support Community will shut down for good on November 20th.
Here's the full banner notice that's currently displayed on the website:
"The Apple Support Community will permanently close on November 20, 2026. Starting today, the site will no longer accept new posts and is available in a read-only state. You can continue to find trusted guidance and support on t …
Microsoft’s DLSS competitor is out for the Xbox Ally X and works in handheld mode
Microsoft is now rolling out Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR), an upscaling technology that competes with Nvidia's DLSS, for the Xbox Ally X, Xbox Ally X20, and select Windows Copilot Plus PCs, the company announced today. Auto SR is also getting some new features alongside this official release.
In April, Microsoft started testing Auto SR on the Xbox Ally X, but you could only use it while docked. The full release of Auto SR announced today now works while you're playing handheld and running on battery, and it also supports games running at 1080p. Microsoft does note that playing in handheld and at 1080p might lead to performance that …
The VR Disney Plus app on Meta Quest now has 3D movies
Disney is bringing more than 60 3D movies to the Disney Plus app on Meta Quest. The movies will be available to Disney Plus subscribers as part of an updated Disney Plus app that's rolling out today.
The 3D movies you can check out include The Avengers and Black Panther, Meta says. But the updated Quest app doesn't just offer 3D movies; you'll also be able to see some films in themed, immersive virtual environments, like a Tatooine environment when watching Star Wars: A New Hope or a Scare Floor one for Monsters, Inc. I got to see an Avengers-themed immersive environment for myself while trying Meta's forthcoming VR Glasses in September, an …
Oura is acquiring medical AI chatbot startup Counsel Health
Oura announced its quarterly earnings today and said it agreed to acquire Counsel Health for $625 million, after adding the company's AI chatbot to its app earlier this year. Counsel Health calls itself an "AI-native primary care company," using the app to deliver AI-generated responses and insights based on users' health data reported from their wearables that can then proceed to a conversation with one of its in-house physicians.
Oura says it expects the deal to close before the end of the year.
Oura CEO Tom Hale said in an interview with Bloomberg that the acquisition is part of a plan to connect wearables, clinical AI, and access to do …
Sony cancels live-service shooter Fairgames
Sony has canceled Fairgames, a heist game announced in 2023, according to Bloomberg. Fairgames had once been part of Sony's big planned push for PlayStation live service games, but the company ended up canceling some planned live service titles, including in the God of War and The Last of Us franchises, and it shut down Concord shortly after its failed launch.
The Fairgames cancellation won't result in job cuts, and developer Haven Studios will now support other PlayStation studios, Bloomberg reports. The game was canceled following a recent test where "player feedback and retention results were mixed and fell short of the goals we had set, …
The PlayStation Plus PC app is shutting down next month
Sony is retiring the PlayStation Plus app for PC on December 10th. Sony says it will notify users directly about the shutdown. The app allowed PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers to stream certain games on PC, but according to Sony, not many people are using that perk:
With a very small number of eligible PlayStation Plus Premium members (less than 0.4%) using the PlayStation Plus app on PC, making this change allows us to focus on enhancing high-quality experiences that more of our members want to use. As a result, the PlayStation Plus cloud streaming app on PC will no longer be available.
PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers can still …
Starlink Mini 2 adds a swappable battery
SpaceX announced a new version of its all-in-one satellite internet terminal that integrates a dish, Wi-Fi router, and now a battery into a single device about the size of a laptop. According to some users on X who shared screenshots of invitations to order Starlink Mini 2, the dish is priced at $999, which includes a full year of Roam Unlimited service that SpaceX values at $2,100.
The Starlink Mini 2 will run for up to 4.5 hours on a full charge, SpaceX claims, but that can be expanded by hot-swapping in additional batteries that will be sold separately, or by connecting the dish to a 60W power source over USB-C.
Despite the addition of …