Gadgets

Gadgets

Meta Platforms ( NASDAQ:META) has been a one-trick pony for most of its existence. The company makes almost all of its revenue from online ads. While other tech giants have diversified beyond their original revenue source, Facebook's parent company still heavily relies on ads, but that may finally change. The tech company is starting to see early signs of success as it diversifies beyond ad revenue thanks to AI. These are some of the things investors should monitor as Meta Platforms seeks to produce big gains for investors after a relatively slow 2025.

In the fast-paced race to load AI into every smartphone, laptop, tablet, and earbud, the flashiest AI-powered features usually receive the most attention. When your earbuds use AI to perform real-time translation services or allow hands-free access to a gen AI chatbot, you'll know. There's another way your earbuds use AI that isn't as exciting to talk about, but when it's done well, it's incredibly valuable: AI-powered adaptive noise cancellation.

Despite the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) releasing the Bluetooth 6.2 core specification in Nov., you'll find that many headphones released as recently as this year still feature Bluetooth 5.3 or 5.4. Not every specification brings mind-blowing features, but there are connectivity, latency, and performance improvements to look forward to within the 6.0+ specifications. This year, several smartphones but fewer headphones debuted with Bluetooth 6.

Insta360 has introduced two AI-powered 4K webcams, the Insta360 Link 2 Pro and Insta360 Link 2C Pro. The new models aim to narrow the gap between basic webcams and professional camera and microphone setups by offering improved video quality, enhanced audio capture, and smarter software tools. The Link 2 Pro has received a 2026 CES Picks Award in the TWICE category. Both webcams are built for desktop use and are said to be aimed at professionals, educators, and content creators seeking reliable performance.

The Oppo Reno15 series, announced for India last week, is now available for purchase in the country through Oppo India's official website, Amazon.in, Flipkart, and mainline retail outlets. The lineup includes the Reno15, Reno15 Pro, Reno15 Pro Mini, and Reno15c. The Reno15c will be available in India next month. The Oppo Reno15 comes in Glacier White, Twilight Blue, and Aurora Blue colors with three memory options - 8GB/256GB, 12GB/256GB, and 12GB/512GB, priced at INR45,999, INR48,999, and INR53,999, respectively.

Sometimes I'm rather impressed by the ingenuity of those in the business of making scammy gadgets. Over the years, I've examined a wide range of products, from scam devices that claim to save you money on your power bill to a high-power USB charger filled with an unusual goo-like substance. Also: Want to cut your electric bill? Skip these scam 'power-saving' devices - and buy this instead

But one thing did catch me by surprise. For a split moment, as I fidgeted with the various crevices, buttons, and hinges of the TriFold, I felt a sense of nostalgia. Specifically, in 2019, when the very first Galaxy Fold was released. It was far from being a lavish or refined handset, with its bulky design and oddly sized cover screen.

The US has increasingly shut out Chinese smartphone makers in recent years with outright bans and punitive tariffs, not to mention Apple's dominance. But the truth is, some of the best smartphones you can't officially buy in the US are simply some of the best smartphones. If you want cutting-edge photography, interesting innovations, and top-tier hardware that won't break the bank, you can find them in China.

The release of the iPhone in 2007 marked the beginning of the end of the BlackBerry era. The prospect of on-screen keys was undeniable, and the trend of having a pocket PC left everyone dazed over the years as smartphones evolved into their best version, year after year, for decades. However, things then go full circle, and we are plateauing with what bezelless smartphones can offer.

The Asus ZenBook Duo (2026) features two 14-inch OLED touchscreens with a 2,880 x 1,800-pixel resolution (2.8K), a 144Hz refresh rate, and up to 1,000 nits peak brightness for supported HDR content. Each of them are in a 16:10 aspect ratio, which is the same as the M4 MacBook Air's display. This year, Asus expanded the screens to minimize bezels near the hinge, offering a 93% screen-to-body ratio and a more immersive experience.

The Snap-n-Charge is small as power banks go, and only 3,200 mAh/16 Wh. This is good enough for a quick top-up of a smartphone or headphones. And a top-up is what you get -- the capacity is enough for about a 50% top-up for a smartphone or portable speaker, or about three or four recharges of earbuds or headphones. The power bank is housed in a polymer shell that shrugs off impacts and damage from being rattled around pockets and bags with things like keys.

Taiwanese officials have issued an arrest warrant for OnePlus CEO Pete Lau on allegations of illegally employing workers in Taiwan. Two Taiwanese citizens who worked for Lau have also been indicted. The China-based smartphone company has been accused of illegally recruiting more than 70 engineers from Taiwan. Members of the Shilin District Prosecutors Office claim that OnePlus reportedly set up a shell company in Hong Kong with a distinct name, then launched a branch in Taiwan in 2015 without government approval.

The refrigerator is the heart of the kitchen. Actually, we'll go even further and say it's the heart of the home. Family meals, delicious snacks, and the best beverages usually start with a trip to the refrigerator, after all. That's why it's all the more heartbreaking when you invest time and money into finding the perfect refrigerator for your home, only to run into problems, like faulty compressors, broken ice makers, and leaky compartments.

But there's more: Unlike the USB-C breakaway connectors I've had previously, this one comes with three connectors: USB-C, Lightning, and microUSB. That essentially covers everything you're likely to come across these days. Also: This 3-in-1 USB-C cable replaced every other cable in my travel bag - here's why On the other end of the cable, there's yet another cool feature: A connector that transforms from an 18W-capable USB-A connector into a 100W-compatible USB-C connector.

In early tests with a review unit of Bee, we found the device itself was easy to use. It's just a press of a button to turn recording on or off. In the app, you can configure whether a double press bookmarks a section of the conversation, processes the current conversation, or both, and you can set whether a press and hold gesture lets you leave a voice note or chat with the AI assistant.

The Trigger 'Nade's nerfage is a bit more significant. The throwable device, designed to be used as a sticky grenade when fighting drones and stompy bots in the game's PvE, became a favorite of PvP players who realized it could be used for mid-air detonation. So Embark has rejigged it such that "damage falloff has been rebalanced to concentrate the damage closer to the center of the explosion, and deal less damage further away." In other words, to ensure it still remains useful as a sticky explosive, but less effective for "trigger-in-air" attacks. There's also been a huge increase in the delay before it explodes, going from 0.7 seconds to 1.5 seconds, "giving players more time to react and making it harder to time the detonation in the air."

The achievement was revealed at the recent CES 2026, using commercial modem silicon, with real satellite-to-satellite mobility, leading to a standard 5G phone said to stay connected while switching between satellites, using the new 3GPP Release 19 n252 band, as defined by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) under Release 1. The demo also represented the public validation of n252 in an NTN system, a band expected to be adopted by next-generation low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations.

Lenovo has a hunch that some of you are about to shift to a different hypervisor and has created hardware to make the move easier. As explained to The Register by Kumar Mitra, Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions Group's executive director for Central Asia Pacific, plus Australia and New Zealand, some organizations are contemplating cloud repatriation projects to on-prem hyperconverged or private cloud rigs.

Working from home has become commonplace, and having the proper equipment around your home workspace can be the difference between an inviting workday and an uncomfortable slog through your daily tasks. Readily available are gadgets that make working from home easier, as well as gadgets to boost productivity when working from home. They range from ergonomic furniture to electronics you can put to use on a daily basis.

Nintendo Switch 2 players can grab a surprisingly good alternative to the Joy-Con 2 for handheld mode for only $42.49 (was $54) at Amazon. This is the lowest price yet for the Gammeefy JC400, a Bluetooth controller with a cradle designed specifically to hold the Switch 2 console. The JC400 has Hall Effect sticks with RGB light rings, two remappable back buttons, rumble with five intensity levels, six-axis motion controls, and numerous other features that make it a bargain.

I love a good vacuum, and since I live in a household with a no-shoes policy, I'm extra invested in making sure my bare (or socked) feet don't feel dirty all the time. I've relied on a corded vacuum for years, but in my small NYC apartment, it sometimes feels too bulky to properly move around. Plus, it's so heavy that vacuuming can feel like an entire workout, especially when I'm cleaning up pet hair off the sofa.

On Tuesday, Omega released two new versions of the Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional in Black and White - or, as the watch world is inevitably going to call it, the "Reverse Panda." (A "panda" is a white-dialed chronograph with black subdials, while a "reverse panda" features a black dial with white subdials.) While there have been reverse-panda Speedies before, these have largely been "reduced" automatic Speedmaster watches or special editions such as the "Speedy Tuesday" made with Fratello in 2017.