BMW’s iX4 SUV is a 428-mile defensive weapon against China’s EV takeover
While much of the automotive world sits dumbfounded as China gobbles up all its customers, BMW continues to roll out extremely well-crafted, technologically advanced electric vehicles that impress in both drive quality and price. The latest is the BMW iX4, a coupe-shaped SUV that puts a sportier spin on the automaker's iX3.
The iX4 is the third vehicle to be released on BMW's next-generation Neue Klasse platform, following the iX3 and i3 models. The iX4 50 xDrive will come first in March 2027, followed by an even more high-performance M60 xDrive version later in the year. The automaker is positioning this new lineup as its bulwark against t …
Teenage Engineering’s CEO says it’ll stop making synths
Teenage Engineering founder and CEO Jesper Kouthoofd told Highsnobiety that it plans to stop making synths. And yes, that includes the iconic OP-1, which put the company on the map. TE isn't just a music gear maker; it's also a sought-after design firm. It's collaborated with Ikea, Nothing, and Playdate, among others. But almost everything the company makes itself - the OP-1, the OP-XY, EP-133, TP-7, et cetera - is music or audio-focused. Which makes the supposed decision to abandon the market all the more confusing.
Here's the relevant quote from Highsnobiety:
Kouthoofd tells me that, as part of a reorganization last fall, he announced …
Android’s physical navigation buttons are back on Googlebooks, but not the way you think
A common misconception I've seen with Googlebooks is that the Quick Insert and Google logo keys are new. They're not, as they first debuted a couple of years ago on some Chromebooks. But there is something new for Googlebooks that's ripped straight from Android phones circa 2014.
On every Googlebook keyboard, the F1, F2, and F3 keys are the old triangle, circle, and square navigation icons that first debuted on Android 5.0 Lollipop. These were the back, home, and app switcher buttons long before everything went to gesture-based navigation, and they're still built into phones on Android 17 as an alternative. On Googlebook OS, these keys do w …
We found some great October Prime Day deals under $50
Getting in on the Prime Day action doesn’t have to result in an empty wallet. Just as we found a couple handfuls of goodies that are under $25, there are plenty of deals during Amazon’s October sale that are $50 or less, many of which offer a lot of practical value. Everything from chargers to coffee makers are discounted until 3 AM ET on October 8th, 2026, so you only have a few hours to take advantage of some of these deals.
For the full range of deals, make sure to head over to our main roundup, where we’ll keep updating prices and stock into the evening.
LEGO Star Wars The Mandalorian’s N-1 Starfighter
This 412-piece set features the Mandalorian’s reconstructed Naboo starfighter, with minifigs for Din Djarin, Grogu, and Peli Motto.
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VidaBay NFC E-Paper Fridge Magnet
A tiny magnetic digital photo frame that repurposes a color E Ink screen developed for use as electronic shelf labels.
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EasySMX S10
The EasySMX S10 is our favorite Switch 2 controller for people who don’t want to spend twice as much on Nintendo’s option. It offers an excellent take on HD rumble, along with amiibo support and the ability to wake the Switch remotely.
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Ridge Tracker Card
This incredibly slim tracking card is just 1.55 millimeters thick, compatible with both iOS and Android, and recharges wirelessly via MagSafe or Qi.
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HOTO Electric Screwdriver Rechargeable
Hoto’s compact rechargeable electric screwdriver includes 12 magnetic tips. It’s great for quick fixes at home or on the go.
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TP-Link Tapo Matter-Certified Smart Plug Mini
A smart plug adds functionality to an existing gadget rather than replacing it. Once the plug is connected to your Wi-Fi network and a gadget, you can turn it on and off using an app. TP-Link’s Tapo smart plug supports Matter, so you can add it to whichever smart home platform you use.
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Anker Nano 45W charger with display
Anker’s latest single-port USB-C charger offers up to 45W of power, foldable prongs, and a front-facing “smart display” that lets you see the charge level, power flow, and other useful information at a glance.
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Blink Outdoor 4 and Battery Doorbell 2K+
This Blink bundle includes the battery-powered video doorbell with a 2K resolution, and an outdoor camera.
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Loop Quiet 2 earplugs
Attending a live concert? You can protect your hearing with Loop’s Quiet 2 earplugs. They pack up to 24dB (SNR) of noise reduction and come with four eartip sizes, allowing them to accommodate a range of ear shapes.
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Amazon Echo Dot (Fifth-Gen)
Amazon’s Echo Dot is an affordable way to add a smart speaker to your space. The small, powerful speaker offers surprisingly robust sound, and it’s great for controlling smart home devices, including those compatible with Matter. The Dot also offers faster response times than its predecessor, and it can act as an extender for an Eero Wi-Fi system. Read our review.
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Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023)
Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max is noticeably faster than its predecessor, features Wi-Fi 6E, and benefits from twice the storage. It can also showcase widgets and artwork when idle, and continues to offer robust Alexa integration.
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JBL Go 4
The last-gen JBL Go 4 has been around for a bit, but the pocket-sized Bluetooth speaker still delivers with up to seven hours of runtime, dual device connectivity, and an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. You can also pair it with other Go 4 speakers for bigger stereo sound, if desired.
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Life360 Tile Tracker
The Tile can help you keep track of your personal belongings from up to 350 feet away, which is 100 feet more than its predecessor. The handy location tracker is also platform-agnostic and can send SOS alerts, though only if you pay for Life360’s Gold subscription ($14.99 a month).
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Anker Zolo MagSafe power bank (10,000mAh, Qi 7.5W)
This compact 10,000mAh power bank is MagSafe compatible, with both 7.5W wireless and 30W wired charging over USB-C.
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Black & Decker Dustbuster
Black & Decker’s handheld vacuum can help you quickly clean up small messes in your home or car.
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LifeStraw personal water filter
LifeStraw’s basic filter removes unwanted bacteria and microplastics as you drink, giving you a safe way to hydrate no matter where you are.
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Ring Solar Panel (2nd Generation)
The Ring Solar panel can keep your outdoor cameras or other small devices charged up with up to 4 watts of power via USB-C.
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Goodr OG Sunglasses
Goodr’s classic OG sunglasses have polarized lenses and come in a variety of stylish colors. They’re cheap, durable, and practical.
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Keurig K-Express
The compact Keurig K-Express brews single cups of K-Cup coffee pods, with a 48 ounce reservoir for fewer refills.
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Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Pokémon Legends: Z-A is the first game in the main series with a real-time battling system instead of the traditional turn-based formula. Its more action-oriented battles and smooth performance on the Nintendo Switch 2 are very welcome.
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Roku’s OLED TVs are up to $400 off during Prime Day, starting at $700
Just over a week ago, we covered a deal at Amazon that knocked around 30 percent off Roku’s new (and first-ever) OLED TVs. The deal expired, but has returned for the final day of October Prime Day.
The 55-inch Pro Series OLED is $699.99 at Amazon, which is 30 percent off its list price. The 65-inch model is $799.99, which is $400 off its list price, also at Amazon. Both models support a native 120Hz refresh rate, which is great for gaming, plus four HDMI 2.1 ports for 4K gaming at its full refresh rate, and support for Dolby Vision and HDR10 Plus. You’ll also get a backlit Roku remote control.
There have been a few TV deals during Prime Day, though these are the lowest prices on OLEDs by a wide margin. We haven’t tested this model, but it’s an affordable way to get unbeatable contrast for your next movie or game night.
Roku Pro Series OLED TVs
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ChatGPT’s ‘Intelligent UI’ update fills its responses with pictures, charts, and buttons
OpenAI is launching a new Intelligent UI feature in ChatGPT that allows the chatbot to answer your questions with interactive visuals. The update, which is rolling out to all users alongside GPT-6, gives ChatGPT the ability to combine a text response with diagrams, charts, forms, tappable buttons, and more.
In a blog post explaining the change, OpenAI says it trained GPT-6 when to generate interactive visuals over text, as well as how to format them in its response. An example shared by OpenAI shows how ChatGPT might show a diagram of a seven-speed bicycle if you ask about its design, complete with interactive buttons that highlight differe …
The first Nvidia RTX Spark laptops cost up to $7,000
The first array of laptops powered by Nvidia's new RTX Spark chip are designed to compete with high-end MacBook Pros - and they've got some high-end prices to match.
The flagship Surface Laptop Ultra and RTX Spark laptops from Dell, Lenovo, MSI, HP, and Asus start as low as $2,599 for configurations with an 18-core CPU, 24GB of unified memory, and 512GB of storage. That's close in price to a similarly specced 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro chip, though Apple includes 1TB of storage. But the prices for both RTX Spark and Apple laptops of course go much, much higher.
Of the pricing we've seen so far, a kitted-out Asus ProArt P16 RTX Spark …
It appears .agent and .agi are about to be the hot new domains
For the first time in years, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers - better known as ICANN - is accepting applications for new top-level domains. These are the suffixes at the end of all URLs, and you may know them as things like .com, .org, and .pizza.
ICANN just announced the 1,615 applications that have been submitted so far, from 481 different applicants. The trend will not surprise you: AI is everywhere. Ten different companies, including both Meta and OpenAI, applied for the .agent domain. Seven, including OpenAI, applied for .agi. Six, including OpenAI, applied for .asi, clearly attempting to get in on President Tru …
Everything announced at Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Ultra event
Microsoft just wrapped up a big Windows and Surface-focused keynote in San Francisco.
The biggest announcement was arguably the release details about the Surface Laptop Ultra, its new laptop that’s powered by Nvidia’s RTX Spark Arm-based chip. The machine will start at $2,599 for a configuration with an 8-core CPU, 24GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage, and it will be released on October 16th. The laptop also has built-in magnetic USB-C charging instead of the proprietary Surface Connect magnetic charging port. The Verge‘s Tom Warren published a deep dive all about the new laptop. Microsoft also announced that the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, a mini PC for developers, is available for preorder for $5,999 ahead of shipping in November.
In addition, Microsoft shared details about some updates coming to Windows, including “Hybrid Intelligence” features that lets Copilot use files on your Windows PC to take actions and a new search experience that lets you do quick actions from the search bar.
You can catch up with all of our coverage from the event right here.
- Fs in the chat.
- The first Nvidia RTX Spark laptops cost up to $7,000
- Microsoft is giving Copilot more control over Windows and your files
- The Surface Laptop Ultra finally has a release date — and a starting price of $2,599
- Surface RTX Spark Dev Box is available for preorder for $5,999
- Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Ultra has built-in magnetic USB-C charging
- Muse is coming to Windows.
- Windows and Surface live blog: On the ground at Microsoft’s event
Microsoft is giving Copilot more control over Windows and your files
At today's Windows and Surface event, Microsoft showed off an upgrade to its Copilot AI system that will give it access to local files on your PC and the ability to take actions across the OS. It's part of an idea Microsoft is calling "Hybrid Intelligence," where apps and tools rely on a mix of local and cloud AI models to accomplish tasks efficiently.
To show off how Hybrid Intelligence works, Jacob Andreou, Microsoft's EVP of Copilot, walked through a video demo onstage asking Microsoft's Autopilot tool to help with filing taxes. Andreou told the AI agent that he got an email from his accountant and asked Autopilot to get her what she nee …