Device and wearable technology news

Hong Kong-based toolmaker Arrowmax has launched a Kickstarter campaign for the Arrowspace S1, an electric screwdriver that relies on an integrated camera and artificial intelligence to identify fasteners and adjust torque. Surpassing its original target of just under $11,500, the project has collected more than $164,000. Kickstarter pledges start at around $79 or $80 for the standalone screwdriver, while a complete kit featuring a Smart Case and 52 bits made from S2 steel runs about $129, with deliveries scheduled to begin in April 2027.

The city council of Plymouth, Minnesota, unanimously voted on September 22 to terminate its automated license plate reader contract with Flock Safety. After the city suspended local user accounts and sent formal cancellation notices by mail and email, corporate representatives failed to acknowledge the decision. Following more than a month of silence, Police Chief Eric Fadden directed department staff to physically unplug the power cords to prevent the cameras from functioning or recording license plates.

Regulatory filings required by the European Union reveal that Apple's new eighth-generation iPad mini contains a 4,900 mAh battery, a slight decrease from the 5,034 mAh capacity used in the previous model. The tablet is currently available for preorder starting at $699, £699, or AU$1,099 for a 128GB Wi-Fi configuration, with customer deliveries scheduled to begin on Friday, November 6. Color options include Midnight and Starlight.

Samsung has introduced its new clip-on open-ear wireless earbuds, priced at $229 and scheduled to arrive in early November 2026. TechRadar refers to the model as the Galaxy Buds Open, while Engadget names them the Galaxy Buds On. The earpieces, available in black, weigh 6.65g each and carry an IP54 water resistance rating. Samsung rates the earbuds for 9.5 hours of audio playback, reaching up to 38 hours with the included charging case.

Samsung launched a series of international social media ads promoting its $1,900 Galaxy Z Fold 8 by directly targeting Apple's first foldable device, the $1,999 iPhone Duo. Regional marketing teams across Canada, Malaysia, Australia, and Saudi Arabia published posts mocking early reports of broken hinges and dead center screen pixels, a problem dubbed crackgate by users online.

Apple has refreshed its entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro and 24-inch iMac with its new 2nm M6 chip. The updated 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,999, while the iMac begins at $1,499 for a base 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU model, rising to $1,699 for a 12-core edition. Pre-orders open on October 28, with retail availability and shipping scheduled to start on November 6.

Chief executive Lip-Bu Tan stated that Nova Lake is tracking ahead of schedule and projected that design wins at launch will double those of Panther Lake. Intel executives expect the lineup to address a longstanding gap in high-end desktops.

Xreal officially debuted its Aura smart glasses, marking the arrival of the first wired glasses powered by Google's Android XR platform and Qualcomm's Snapdragon Reality Elite chip. Available in the United States, Canada, Japan, and South Korea, the device begins shipping in mid-November 2026. A 12GB memory and 256GB storage model carries a promotional launch price of $1,099 before rising to $1,279, while a 16GB and 512GB configuration is temporarily discounted to $1,299 from its standard $1,499 price through December 2026.

Bose's flagship QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are currently marked down to $369 on Amazon. The temporary price cut knocks $80 off the standard $449 retail price, representing an 18% discount and matching the record low previously seen during Prime Day.