An FCC filing points to new Sonos headphones coming soon
It looks like we'll be getting a successor to the Sonos Ace headphones sometime this fall, which was hinted at by CEO Tom Conrad during a third quarter earnings call. As reported by What Hi-Fi?, an FCC filing by Sonos, Inc reveals details about upcoming wireless headphones with the model number S52A.
In addition to the S52A designation, one of the submitted documents shows an oval diagram - likely the ear cup - marked with the name Sonos Ace Ultra, although that name isn't listed anywhere else. It follows the naming scheme Sonos has used in the past with its Arc and Arc Ultra soundbars. The documents also list color options we'll likely see …
ChatGPT and Gemini both just passed 1 billion users
For the 14th time, a Google product has hit 1 billion users. Google CEO Sundar Pichai posted on X that a billion people are using Gemini every month, and that Gemini is Google's fastest-growing product ever.
A billion users is a huge milestone, but Google isn't the first AI app to hit it. OpenAI's ChatGPT hit the mark a few weeks ago, though the company buried the announcement that "more than 1 billion people are putting ChatGPT to work" in an otherwise anodyne blog post about how people use AI. External data suggested ChatGPT crossed 1 billion users as early as this June, but OpenAI hadn't announced anything until that post on August 6th. …
Threads has a VR app now
Meta has launched a Threads app for Meta Quest VR headsets, the company announced on Tuesday. The launch follows Meta bringing the app to its Ray-Ban Display AR glasses last month and the recent news that the platform has crossed 500 million monthly active users.
It seems like a pretty full-featured app. Meta says that with the Threads VR app, you can do things like browse feeds, make posts, like and reply to posts, visit profiles, search, and watch videos - you know, Threads stuff.
"We designed the new Threads app for Meta Quest to make using VR more social than ever," Meta says. "Whether you want to keep up with conversations during a ga …
Google’s free streaming service now lets you pick shows and movies to watch
Google TV Freeplay, the company's free, ad-supported streaming service, now supports video on demand. Instead of tuning into Google TV Freeplay's selection of always-on channels, you can now choose from over 10,000 shows and movies to watch whenever you want.
The update introduces titles like Lady Bird, Seventeen Again, and Hell's Kitchen, according to Google's announcement. The company has also expanded its live TV lineup to include more than 300 channels dedicated to news, sports, reality TV, true crime, and more. Some of these new channels include World of Love Island, Yahoo! Sports Network, Bloomberg TV Plus, and The Martha Stewart Chan …
Another OpenAI executive takes off
Brad Lightcap, OpenAI's special projects lead and the company's former COO, announced his departure after an eight-year stint at the AI lab. In an internal memo he later posted to X, Lightcap told colleagues he'd be starting "something new."
"Over the last few months, I've been focused on the next horizon and what would stand in the way of mission success," Lightcap wrote. "I believe there are a few important new things the world will need to get right as we enter this next period. I … am excited to help you all advance the mission from a different vantage point." He added that he'd still be around for the next few weeks.
Lightcap's role …
The budget-friendly Pixel Buds 2a are even cheaper right now
Looking for great pair of earbuds that work particularly well with Android phones? The Google Pixel Buds 2a are currently discounted to $99 (usually $129) at various retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and directly from Google. These very capable Bluetooth earbuds come in four colors, with a lightweight fit that helps them disappear into your ears. With ANC and transparency mode support, and a close integration with Gemini, they’re a great choice for anyone with a Pixel or other Android device.
Pixel Buds 2a
Google’s latest pair of wireless earbuds feature crisp sound quality, a comfortable design, and solid active noise cancellation, which is great considering the budget-friendly price tag. They even offer built-in support for Gemini and, unlike the entry-level AirPods, a purple option! Read our review.
Where to Buy:
My colleague David Pierce reviewed the Pixel Buds 2a on their release in October of 2025, and was impressed by the excellent sound quality, impressive ANC and transparency modes, and comfortable fit, particularly at the price point. The biggest complaint we had about these earbuds is that they lack some of the advanced features when paired with an iPhone or iPad, similar to how AirPods don’t support their full feature suite with Android phones.
Read our Pixel Buds 2a review.
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Other deals to consider
- Costco members can grab a discount on Star Fox for Nintendo Switch 2. Normally $49.99, digital codes for the game are only $42.99 and deliver via email so you can get playing right away. This reimagining of the classic Nintendo 64 game adds in cinematic new cutscenes and updates the graphics to modern day standards, showing off the improved power of the Switch 2. Read our review.
- Looking for a charging block with a little attitude? The Anker Nano Smart Display Charger is discounted to $25.99 (usually $39.99) at Amazon and supports up to 45W of power over USB-C. It has a tiny screen that can show charging and device info, or a cute little face in case you need some company while waiting for your phone to recharge. Read our hands-on.
- Amazon has the Philips SmartSleep Wake-up Light discounted to $76.29, a 30 percent discount from its usual price of $108.95, and just slightly above its all-time low price. In addition to slowly lighting up in the morning to help you wake up smoothly, it also functions as an FM radio for quiet music at bedtime, and a reading light with 20 different settings.
Google’s upcoming Pixel phones are for the fans, even if its launch event isn’t
Last year's Made by Google event for the Pixel 10 resembled a late night talk show, complete with Jimmy Fallon as host, and it aired an hour after the phones were revealed. Spec dives and executive appearances were replaced with celebrity cameos and awkward skits, to the confusion of many diehard Pixel fans. But it served its purpose in reaching a broader audience: Last year's stream racked up 8.4 million viewers on YouTube; the launch the year before only managed 1.4 million.
This year, Google has only escalated matters. For tomorrow evening's livestream, Fallon has been replaced by Trevor Noah, who will lead a "stacked" lineup of celebrit …
Made by Google 2026: all the Pixel news and announcements
Google is gearing up to reveal a bunch of new Pixel devices on August 12th. A series of leaks leading up to the event suggest that the Pixel 11 lineup will come in an array of colors, with signs pointing to a built-in light coming to Pro models. Teasers from Google also indicate that it will show off a next-gen Pixel Fold alongside a Pixel Watch 5 in four different finishes. There might be a new Pixel Tag tracker as well.
Google may take the wraps off the new devices well ahead of its Made by Google livestream. On Google’s website, the countdown for preorders ends on August 12th at 10AM ET — eight hours before its event at 6PM ET. Comedian Trevor Noah will host this year’s show, featuring notable guests like NBA star Stephen Curry, podcaster Alex Cooper, Indian cricketer Shubman Gill, and Japanese actress Ayami Nakajo. We’ll be live blogging the event, so stay tuned!
Follow along for all the latest news about Google’s Pixel devices.
Apple could help you prove your iPhone photos aren’t deepfakes
Apple is seemingly developing an iOS feature that can verify when a photograph was taken using an iPhone camera. 9to5Mac reports that the iOS 27 beta 5 includes code references for an "Apple Reference Image" system that can embed provenance metadata into iPhone photographs at the point of capture - enabling users to prove where the photo originated, and that it isn't AI fakery.
Apple Reference Image isn't currently live, but a privacy disclosure in the iOS beta notes that the feature will be off by default. When (or if) it does roll out, 9to5Mac says it can be enabled via Settings > Camera > Reference Image > Reference Mode, and that only p …
‘Zoomsday’ hack uncovered using fewer than 20 AI prompts
Zoom has patched a major security vulnerability that could allow an attacker to hijack anyone's device during a meeting. In a blog post on Tuesday, researchers at A Security say they uncovered the flaw using "fewer than 20 prompts on publicly available AI models," as reported earlier by Wired.
The exploit involved Zoom's annotation feature, which allows users to draw on their screen while sharing it with other meeting participants. With the exploit, an attacker could join or host a meeting and run malicious code on victims' devices, allowing them to steal data, turn on the camera or microphone, or install malware. The attack required no act …