News and Updates from Gadget Hacks

With tvOS 26.2 beta hitting Apple TV devices, we're looking at what might be the most significant update for family streaming since Apple first entered the living room space. This isn't just another incremental upgrade. Apple has fundamentally rethought how families interact with their streaming content, introducing two features that tackle some of the platform's most glaring limitations.

If you're in the mobile streaming world, you probably clocked the news. Blackmagic rolled out version 3.2 of its camera app, not a ho-hum point release. Native streaming landed, the kind that can reshape how we think about going live from a phone.

Speed you can feel. The iPhone 17 marks a leap in wireless connectivity, and recent survey data shows just how big that jump is. Apple’s N1 chip is not a routine refresh, it is driving Wi‑Fi gains that change what a phone can actually do.

Galaxy S26 leaks are making waves in the tech world, and if these early reports prove accurate, Samsung might be preparing to deliver a serious challenge to Apple's latest iPhone lineup. The rumors hint at a strategy shift, slimmer and lighter flagships instead of the usual bulked‑up bricks. We are still months from an announcement, but the early buzz points to a company eager to stand apart in a crowded field.

Looking at the early reports and leaks surrounding Apple's iPhone 18 Pro, we're staring at what could be the most significant iPhone design overhaul since the introduction of Face ID back in 2017. We're still over a year away from seeing these devices hit the market, but the technical groundwork being laid suggests Apple is finally ready to tackle one of the biggest visual elements that's defined iPhone design for nearly a decade. About time, right?

When you think about regulatory battles between tech companies and governments, they usually unfold over months or years with careful diplomatic language and procedural formalities. What we are seeing between Apple and the European Union right now is different. It is a full-blown public confrontation with accusations flying in both directions, and it is revealing some fundamental tensions about how our digital world should actually work.

Google has quietly transformed the mobile search landscape with its latest Chrome update, placing artificial intelligence directly at users' fingertips. The company just rolled out a convenient shortcut button for AI Mode, a small addition that signals a bigger shift in how we discover and interact with information on our phones and tablets. One tap, and you are talking to search.

Apple's been playing the premium game for years, but whispers from the supply chain suggest the company is finally ready to shake things up. The Cupertino giant appears to be developing its first truly affordable Mac laptop, a significant departure from its traditional high-margin strategy. This is not just another incremental update, it is a fundamental shift that could reshape how Apple competes in the broader laptop market. Big claim, sure. The signs are there.

Google's mobile browsing experience just got a major upgrade, a simple button with big consequences. The tech giant has rolled out a dedicated AI Mode shortcut directly below Chrome's search bar on both iOS and Android devices, TechCrunch reports. What was once buried behind forgotten URLs and bookmarks now sits front and center. One tap, and casual browsing turns into an AI chat.

Apple just crossed a line it had never cleared. For the first time in company history, quarterly revenue crossed the $100 billion threshold, hitting $102.5 billion in Q4 2025. The real headline is not backward looking. CEO Tim Cook is predicting the December quarter will be the biggest in company history.

Apple's smart home ambitions have been quietly brewing. The latest iOS 26.2 developer beta hints at what's coming next. While most users focus on the visible features in this update, the real story sits in the code, where references to Apple's upcoming smart home command center are already taking shape.

The tech world just felt a seismic shift in how we think about app distribution and platform openness. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said on 2025-11-05 Google's antitrust settlement a victory for Android's foundational promise as an open ecosystem, a potential turning point in the long fight between app developers and platform gatekeepers.

The wait is finally over. After a decade of Apple Watch users making do with basic WhatsApp notifications, Meta has delivered something many thought would never come: a full-featured WhatsApp app for Apple Watch. This is not just another notification mirror. It provides a rich Apple Watch experience but initially functions as a companion app that relies on a paired iPhone.

When you look at Apple's financial strategy in 2025, you can't help but notice something fascinating happening in Silicon Valley. While the tech world seems obsessed with building massive AI data centers, Apple has taken a dramatically different approach, one that is raising eyebrows and generating heated debates among investors and analysts alike.

Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S26 Plus promises to shake things up in the flagship arena, but the question remains: is it worth holding out for when the Galaxy S24 Plus is already delivering solid performance? Let's break down what we know about these two flagship contenders.

Apple’s iOS 26.2 beta 3 just dropped a seismic change in how the iPhone works. Japan gets it first. For the first time, iPhone users can ditch Siri and set alternatives like Alexa or Google Gemini, though Apple’s developer documentation confirms the feature is initially limited to Japan. It arrives with iOS 26.2’s beta release, where new code lays the groundwork to reassign the side button so it can launch third party conversational apps instead of Siri.

Apple's latest iOS 26.2 beta is quietly setting the stage for the biggest shake up to iPhone voice control since Siri showed up. Buried in the code are hints that EU users could soon ditch Siri for Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. Not a routine tweak, more like a line in the sand that could change how voice works on Apple devices.

The telecom industry's latest drama is unfolding in real time, and it is more entertaining than any reality TV show. What started as AT&T's bold attempt to call out T-Mobile has spiraled into a multi-front war involving advertising watchdogs, lawsuits, and celebrity spokespeople. The Un-carrier is not backing down, and the latest developments show just how heated things have become between these wireless giants.

When Netflix announced that its ads reached 190 million viewers in October, it was not just throwing out another impressive number. It was signaling a fundamental shift in how the streaming giant measures and communicates the true reach of its advertising platform. The milestone arrived with a new measurement metric focused on actual ad exposure rather than subscriber counts. A strategic evolution, and a sign of Netflix's growing sophistication in advertising and its commitment to the...

Spotify's momentum in 2025 tells a compelling story about how streaming platforms are evolving beyond simple music delivery. The company recently announced remarkable third-quarter results, surpassing 700 million Monthly Active Users while achieving double-digit subscriber growth. This expansion is not just about numbers, it marks a fundamental shift in how Spotify is positioning itself as a comprehensive audio ecosystem. Premium subscribers climbed 12% year over year to 281 million, while...

When Apple unveiled the M1 chip five years ago, it felt like witnessing a tectonic shift in the computing world. What started as a bold move to ditch Intel processors has transformed into something much bigger, a complete reimagining of what's possible in personal computing. Looking back now, it's clear that the M1 was just the opening act in what would become one of the most significant technological disruptions of the decade.

The tech world's about to see something unusual. Apple is reportedly preparing to integrate Google's Gemini AI into a completely redesigned Siri, one of the biggest strategic tech tie-ups in years. Not another incremental update, a fundamental shift in how Apple approaches AI and what that means for millions of iPhone users.

T-Mobile just tossed a lifeline to anyone who has ever stared at a phone with no bars and a knot in their stomach. The carrier now offers free satellite-based 911 texting to anyone with a compatible device, regardless of carrier, according to The Verge. The reach is huge, more than half a million square miles of terrain that used to be off the grid in the United States, as noted by Android Authority. It rides on T-Mobile's T-Satellite system, which connects directly to Starlink's network of...

Looking at the current Apple deal landscape, the timing feels spot on. The M4 Mac mini has dropped to what might be its sweetest pricing yet at just $499, according to 9to5Mac. That is for a machine already turning heads with its first major redesign in over a decade. MacBook Air pricing keeps sliding too, especially on those higher-memory configurations that used to sting.

When Google ended support for their first and second-generation Nest Learning Thermostats in October 2025, many users figured they would simply lose remote control features. What they probably did not expect was for Google to keep collecting detailed data from these supposedly "unsupported" devices. Here is what is happening behind the scenes, and why it raises serious questions about data privacy and corporate responsibility.

Google's decision to discontinue support for older Nest thermostats has set off a firestorm in the smart home community. On October 25, 2025, Google terminated software updates and cloud connectivity for first and second-generation Nest Learning Thermostats, according to multiple tech outlets. These devices, which originally launched between 2011 and 2014, have been stripped of their smart features and now function only as basic manual thermostats, as reported by Android Police. The gut punch,...

It's been a whirlwind two weeks for sports fans, and the streaming saga is finally over. YouTube TV subscribers have their favorite channels back. Better yet, the deal comes with perks that might make the blackout feel almost worth it.

Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra is getting the Black Friday treatment early. If you're hunting a flagship Android, this might be the moment to pull the trigger. Retailers are jumping the gun and Samsung is leaning in with aggressive promos, so the Ultra is seeing some of its steepest cuts since launch.

Apple's high-end desktop computer appears to be heading toward an uncertain future. The Mac Pro once stood as the crown jewel of professional computing. Recent reporting suggests the company has shifted its focus elsewhere. Apple's professional desktop strategy now centers around the Mac Studio, according to MacRumors, with internal sentiment viewing it as both the present and future of high-performance desktop computing. The current Mac Pro, which received its last major refresh with the M2...

Tech never sits still, and Apple's latest announcements show how wide innovation can stretch. Five years ago, the company bet on its own chips with the M1 and big talk about revolutionary performance. Today, on that anniversary, Apple is not just looking back, they are showing how far they have sprinted with the M5, then tossing in a curveball, a fashion-forward iPhone accessory that is already selling out worldwide.

Samsung's been busy cooking up something interesting for their next generation of earbuds. Leaks from One UI 8.5 point to the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and a big shake-up in design. Setup animations in the firmware show a move away from the sharp, angular look of recent models, according to Find Articles. It sounds like Samsung's most comprehensive product refresh in years, with the Buds expected to debut alongside the next Galaxy S-series phones in early 2025.

The Apple M5 Ultra represents the next frontier in consumer computing power, arriving next year as potentially the most revolutionary chip Apple has ever created. Mark Gurman's reporting has already outlined the M5 family expansion, giving us our first glimpse into what could be Apple's most powerful consumer chip yet. The timing could not be more critical, as AI workloads become increasingly demanding and creative professionals push hardware to its limits, the M5 Ultra promises to deliver...

When two tech giants join forces, you know something big is brewing. Samsung SDI and Tesla are reportedly negotiating a massive deal that could reshape the energy storage landscape, with discussions centered around a multi-billion-dollar battery supply agreement. This is not just another business partnership, but a strategic move that highlights Tesla's growing focus on energy storage systems and showcases Samsung's expanding role beyond traditional electronics.

Apple's latest MacBook Pro refresh brings serious upgrades under the hood, but choosing between the M4 Pro and M5 models is trickier than it looks. Apple now sells two distinct 14-inch MacBook Pro configurations at different price points, and the entry-level model was just updated with Apple's newest silicon. Both laptops can be customized with additional memory and storage to fit your workflow, whether that means more headroom for renders or extra space for media libraries.

Japan's regulatory landscape for mobile platforms is shifting fast, and Apple may find the terrain rougher than Europe. The Act on Promotion of Competition for Specified Smartphone Software taking full effect by December 2025 is one of the most comprehensive frameworks aimed at mobile ecosystems to date. The kicker, Japan is becoming the 29th country to require third-party iPhone app stores, a sign that pressure is spreading well beyond the European Union’s early push.

Apple's tightly controlled ecosystem just hit another major crack, and this time it is happening in Japan. The latest iOS 26.2 beta reveals that Japanese iPhone users can now install alternative app marketplaces for the first time, marking a major expansion beyond the EU-only availability that has existed since early 2024. The shift follows Japan's regulatory push to loosen Big Tech's grip on mobile app distribution, with new legislation specifically targeting Apple and Google's market...

EU regulators kept Apple's latest innovation on ice, but the thaw starts now. After months of back-and-forth, Apple's Live Translation feature for AirPods is finally headed to European users, a reminder that product launches now zigzag through law as much as they do code.

Apple's latest developer release cycle says a lot about where the company is steering its software. While Bloomberg's Mark Gurman got it right when he predicted iOS 26.2 would arrive "as soon as Tuesday," the reality is more nuanced than the headline suggests. What we're seeing is a coordinated, staggered push, with iOS 26.1 launched to users on Monday, 2025-11-03 (America/Chicago) while macOS Tahoe 26.1 is currently rolling out with its own slate of changes.

Apple's latest iOS 26.2 developer beta brings compelling safety enhancements that could change how we receive critical alerts on our iPhones. This is not just another incremental update. Apple is introducing a dedicated Enhanced Safety Alerts system that expands beyond traditional government notifications to include earthquake warnings and imminent threat detection, according to 9to5Mac. The timing feels pointed after a year of extreme weather, active shooter situations, and regional...

Reviewed by: Ysa Garcia