Lenovo’s upcoming Googlebook 15 just got its latest and most comprehensive leak, and woof — this is not the affordable Chromebook you’re used to if the specs are accurate. The leak comes from MacObserver, which has the full purported specs sheet, showing that the Lenovo Googlebook 15 is very much going to be a premium laptop, though the leak doesn’t reveal a price or exact launch date.

A Google representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Under the hood, we’re apparently looking at an Intel Core Ultra 5 325 processor, 16GB or 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM, 256/512GB storage and a 70-watt-hour battery that can last for up to 11 hours. MacObserver notes that the leaked machine is identified as GB 151PH12, and according to Lenovo’s naming guide, IPH is the platform code for Panther Lake-H, so you can expect an Intel integrated graphics chip.

The laptop sports a 15.3-inch, 2,880-by-1,800-pixel OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 16:10 aspect ratio with super-thin bezels, according to the leaked photos that you can view on MacObserver. Brightness is 500 nits, and it has 100% DCI-P3 color. According to the leaked specs, the entire device will weigh just 2.84 pounds and measure 13.43 by 9.29 by 0.63 inches. It’s also touchscreen.

Another interesting feature on the laptop’s exterior is the Glowbar, a colored Google indicator on the lid that shows battery and charging status. It’s not clear whether this will have additional functionality like the erstwhile Touchbar on older MacBook models did, but we’d guess that you’re able to customize some of the indicator options.

You get a haptic trackpad (150 by 95 millimeters), fingerprint sensor and Google facial authentication, the company’s challenge to Apple’s Face ID and possibly related to the technology at play with Google Pixel’s Project Toscana. According to the leaked specs, for that purpose, there’s a 5MP RGB webcam with dual microphones and a physical privacy shutter, which is a nice touch.

Audio also seems like it’ll be solid, with four Dolby Atmos speakers that are visible on either side of the keyboard in the leaked renders. Speaking of the keyboard, there appears to be a dedicated Google “G” key on the bottom row between the Function and Alt keys. That could be a command key, similar to what we get on MacBooks, perhaps something that activates AI tool Gemini, which the company has said can provide more proactive help. It should sync well with Android phones, letting you access apps and files directly on the Googlebook, a feature available through Microsoft Phone Link on Windows.

It’s currently unclear from the specs leaks whether there will be deeper integration with Android, whether the new proactive help capabilities will be exclusive to Googlebook or whether they will come to other devices in the future. It will be restricted to certain countries and languages, as well as users who are 18 and older.

The port loadout looks fairly solid with a Thunderbolt 4 port, USB 3.2 Type-A port and audio jack on the left side. The right features another Thunderbolt 4 port and HDMI 2.0. It comes with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. The keyboard is also backlit.

The specs leak also revealed details about accessories expected to accompany the Googlebook. It looks like there may be a bundle that includes the laptop, along with a Lenovo E310 True Wireless Earbuds and a Lenovo 540 Convertible Tote backpack.

There’s also a Lenovo “AI Mouse,” which has the same colorful LED indicator on it as the Googlebook. Details aren’t available about what makes the mouse AI, but it could be similar to what we’ve seen on Logitech’s productivity mice, like the MX Master series, which offer seamless file sharing and cross-device functionality.

Chromebooks captured the budget and midrange laptop segment for non-Apple users, but the idea of a premium Chromebook never really took off due to Chrome OS and its challenges in handling real productivity. The goal of Googlebook is to give you access to the full range of Android apps on your phone, along with storage for files and improved functionality.

“The basic idea is that using a Googlebook shouldn’t be all too different from using a Chromebook or any other laptop; you’ll just get more Gemini AI-powered tools built in, along with access to the full universe of Android apps,” said Josh Goldman, managing editor for CNET’s computing coverage.

Goldman notes that the biggest advantage of the Googlebook over Chromebooks is that it can bring features originally developed for Android to the device more quickly, citing Circle to Search as an example. “It took roughly a year for the feature to make the jump from Android phones to Chromebook Plus laptops. But now, an AI feature like Create Your Widget — which lets you quickly generate custom widgets and was only recently announced for Android phones — will also be available on Googlebooks.”

The only details we’re really missing at this point are the price and exact release date, though a fall launch is expected, so it may be any day now. For price, if we were to take an educated guess, this is not going to be a cheap laptop. With the specs under the hood here, 9to5 Google points out that you’re looking at a device that will likely be priced similarly to Lenovo’s ThinkPad X9 15 Aura Edition, which starts at $1,519 for the base model and upward of $2,396 for a more heavily specced-out unit.

There’s no doubt that the Lenovo Googlebook 15 is meant for productivity and users of full-fledged MacBooks and Windows laptops, so we’d expect pricing to be in the same range, with the larger memory and storage configurations costing more.

Ajay Kumar

Smart Home & Robotics Editor

CNET’s Smart Home & Robotics Editor covering robot vacs, home appliances, smart home, and yard & outdoors. Built CNET’s lab-exclusive testing methodology and lab awards.

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Meta’s upcoming mixed-reality headset has surfaced in a fresh batch of leaked visuals, giving us our clearest look yet at the company’s attempt to make a much slimmer alternative to traditional VR headsets. The images, first spotted by UploadVR, show a smart glasses-like design with several interesting hardware details.

A slimmer build with offloaded hardware

The headset has a remarkably slim frame compared to Meta’s current Quest lineup, featuring a pair of glasses-style nose pads instead of a thick foam cushion and a much thinner overall profile. The sides and undersides of the frame feature sensors, and a leaked image also shows a cable connected to the left side of the headset, suggesting some of the processing hardware could be housed externally.

That would make sense given how slim Project Phoenix looks. Moving some of the computing hardware out of the headset could help Meta keep its weight and size down, potentially making it more comfortable to wear for longer periods.

The images also offer a look at the headset’s prescription lens system, which would sit in front of the displays, with the setup seemingly handled through a QR code. Meta’s existing Quest headsets already support prescription inserts, so this doesn’t appear to be a major departure from its current approach.

A bigger shift for Meta’s Quest lineup

What is more interesting is just how different Project Phoenix looks from the current Quest lineup. Meta appears to be moving toward a design that looks considerably closer to a pair of smart glasses while still offering the capabilities of a mixed-reality headset.

Meta has yet to officially announce Project Phoenix, so details such as its final name, specifications, price, and release date remain unknown. Previous reports suggest the headset may not arrive until next year. But with Meta Connect right around the corner, we may not have to wait long to find out more.

The US government launched at least three previously unreported investigations into trading on the prediction market Polymarket, according to documents obtained by WIRED through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Voting records from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the federal agency that regulates prediction markets, shed new light on how the government approaches these investigations. In early May, CFTC chairman Michael Selig approved an order allowing the agency’s enforcement division to launch a private investigation into potential insider trading on Polymarket event contracts related to pardons issued by former president Joseph Biden. The order granted permission to take testimony, obtain subpoenas, administer oaths, and require the production of documents in the course of the investigation.

The documents obtained by WIRED did not specify which trades were under suspicion, but the order came several weeks after an NPR report on a suspicious Polymarket trader who netted over $300,000 on pardon-related markets in the final days of the Biden administration. The trader correctly wagered that the former president would issue preemptive pardons to a number of prominent MAGA critics, including former US representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, and US senator Adam Schiff.

At the end of May, Selig approved another investigation order. This time, the topic was “Iran event contracts” on Polymarket. As with the Biden pardon documents, the investigation order did not provide details, but it came two weeks after 60 Minutes aired a report on a network of suspicious Polymarket accounts that made $2.4 million on Iran-related trades, with a 98 percent win rate.

“If these investigations are being prompted solely by press reports of potential violations of the Commodities Exchange Act, that’s a significant sign of weakness in this regulatory scheme,” says Joseph Konizeski, a former chief trial attorney in the CFTC’s division of enforcement. The agency has come under fire in the second Trump era for its perceived friendliness to the prediction market industry.

In July, Selig greenlit a third investigation, this time focused on suspected insider trading on Google-themed Polymarket event contracts. In an email exchange included in the documents obtained by WIRED, Paul Hayeck, the acting director of the CFTC’s department of enforcement, noted that the investigation would focus on “additional individuals who may have engaged in insider trading related to Google’s 2025 Year in Search Ranking.” Hayeck wrote that the Southern District of New York is conducting a “parallel investigation.” He specified that the CFTC’s investigation would be separate from the ongoing case against Michele Spagnuolo, a Google engineer accused of insider trading.

SDNY declined to comment. Google declined to comment. It pointed WIRED to a statement it released in June noting that Spagnuolo was no longer with the company. The CFTC did not respond to requests for comment and questions about the status of the investigations.

“While we do not comment on specific investigations, we regularly refer matters to law enforcement and support ongoing investigations as part of our commitment to protecting the integrity of our markets,” Olivia Chalos, deputy chief legal officer at Polymarket, told WIRED in an email.

The CFTC is also reportedly investigating Polymarket itself. The company, which had its flagship platform banned from the United States in 2022, was permitted to launch a US-regulated version with a narrower set of markets in late 2025. It recently underwent a fundraising round led by Donald Trump Jr.’s venture capital firm, 1789 Capital, which valued the company at $21 billion.

The CFTC has also launched investigations into potential insider trading on Kalshi, Polymarket’s archrival, in the past. According to The New York Times, Kalshi has referred at least 32 cases to the agency. The CFTC fined former US representative George Santos $35,000 for his behavior related to a Kalshi contract about whether he would attend Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address.

Kalshi issued its first-ever lifetime ban to Santos for violating its rules on market manipulation for the same behavior, and also fined him just over $71,000. Santos was not criminally charged.

What is CEDIA Expo?

CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association) is a trade association for the custom installation (CI) industry and the manufacturers of all the various gear that goes into a smart home or home theater. Each year CEDIA holds a show to provide installers and firm owners the opportunity to learn skills, experience the latest trends and see the very latest gear like LED Walls, speakers, TVs, projectors and more. This year’s CEDIA Expo was held last week in Denver and it showcased some of the best products in custom A/V.

The custom installation market emerged from the pandemic looking very different from the business that entered it. COVID forced millions of people to reconsider how they used their homes, accelerating investment in audio and video gear, dedicated theaters, distributed audio, outdoor entertainment, lighting, networking, and automation. That momentum did not simply disappear when everyone went back outside. If anything, it raised expectations for what a properly integrated home should sound and look like.

The technology caught up rather quickly. Display performance has improved dramatically, with larger and brighter televisions, more sophisticated projection systems, direct-view LED, and increasingly convincing solutions for rooms that were once hostile to serious video. In-wall, in-ceiling, and outdoor loudspeakers have made an equally important leap. The days when architectural audio meant accepting compromised sound in exchange for keeping the interior designer happy are disappearing.

High-end multi-room audio is now a very real part of the conversation. Better amplification, DSP, room correction, networked audio, and loudspeaker engineering have moved the goalposts to the point where a professionally installed system can deliver genuinely high-end performance throughout a home without turning every room into an equipment showroom. That is a rather significant change for an industry that spent decades selling invisibility as its primary virtue.
CEDIA Expo 2026 made that evolution impossible to ignore.

Our Best in Show selections come from a wide range of manufacturers, but they share something important: each is pushing the category beyond incremental upgrades and demonstrating how much more ambitious the CI market has become. Better sound, better video, smarter integration, and fewer compromises are no longer aspirational talking points. They are becoming the expectation.
Senior News Correspondent Robert Silva and eCoustics Founder Brian Mitchell joined me this year in roving the halls at CEDIA Expo to identify the best of the best in A/V technology. Here are our picks for “Best in Show.”

eCoustics Picks for Best in Show at CEDIA Expo 2026

Best Home Theater Room: Alcons Audio’s 13.8.6 Channel System

We sat through 11 home theater demos (some more than once), with systems priced from roughly $20,000 to $700,000 once you account for all of the audio/video equipment, room treatments, and seating. However, such pricing can be deceiving when you consider that more than half of the total cost could be devoted to video alone. Display options ranged from $5,000 UST projectors and $30,000 to $100,000 long-throw projectors to nearly $400,000 MicroLED walls. Depending on your own specific room size and needs, you could probably get excellent results going with many of these same brands on a smaller scale.

Each vendor had carte blanche to use whatever equipment and partners they wanted. Some brought prototypes, others packed the room with anywhere from 11 to 27 speakers, while a few wanted to demonstrate what could be achieved on a more modest budget.

Ultimately, the Alcons Audio CRMS Series 13.8.6 system, supplied by DreamScapes A/V, impressed us most for its total theater experience. It delivered an incredibly detailed and spacious audio presentation, with superb top-end articulation courtesy of Alcons’ pro-ribbon drivers, which were unique among the theaters we experienced.

With its commercial-grade pedigree, it should come as no surprise that the Alcons system delivered a top notch home theater experience with ease and refinement and never seemed remotely close to hitting its limits with 38,000 watts of power on tap. Dialogue remained intelligible and locked in during fast-paced action scenes, keeping us on the edge of our seats, while eight 15-inch infrasonic subwoofers gave the system the ability to dig exceptionally deep when the soundtrack demanded it.

A Trinnov AltitudeCI preamp/processor handled Dolby Atmos processing along with WaveForming for improved seat-to-seat consistency. Amplification was also entirely Alcons, including three Director 6 amplifiers and two Sentinel 10 amplifiers, essentially creating an active system designed to maximize the performance of each speaker along with room tuning by Poes Acoustics.

The $215,000 Alcons system was paired with Christie’s $115,000 Griffyn 4K35 ultra-high-contrast projector with their Variable Dynamic Range (VDR) system, delivering visuals capable of matching the scale and impact of the audio system. It’s important to note that Christie’s VDR system is currently in beta testing and is expected to come to the company’s pro cinema projectors before finding its way to the company’s home theater projectors.

The rest of the video chain included Lumagen’s $9,000 Radiance Pro 5348 video processor and DreamScreen’s $1,500 160-inch UltraWeave CoreX1 acoustically transparent fixed-frame screen with a 0.85 gain. Kaleidescape’s new Strato K media player provided the clips in the company’s new “4K Cinematic” format, which exceeds the quality of even the finest physical media.

Learn more at Alcons Audio.

Best Lifestyle Speakers: JBL Cove X1

JBL’s new Cove wireless speakers for 2026 are available in three sizes, priced from $229 to $449 each. When we heard the largest model, the Cove X1, set up as a stereo pair, it became immediately clear that the Cove lineup has some serious JBL chops. This is not simply a product of some marketing guy (or gal) saying “we need a wireless lifestyle speaker.” This product line has some serious thought behind it and it shows in its operation and sound quality.

These wide-dispersion speakers had no problem filling a massive convention ballroom with a rich, dynamic presentation that sounded much closer to traditional hi-fi speakers than the typical bass-booming Bluetooth competition. Concealed beneath the unassuming exterior are four 1.25-inch (30 mm) tweeters, one of which is up-firing for height effects, and two 90 x 120 mm woofers.

Multi-room setup and pairing is handled through the JBL One app, with connectivity over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The Cove X1 supports Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect and QOBUZ Connect over WiFi. along with native support for Dolby Atmos Music from TIDAL or Apple Music. Amazon Music is also supported, but only in stereo. We hope they’ll add Dolby Atmos support to Amazon music as well, at some point in the future.

Learn more about JBL Cove.

Best Video Wall: Quantum XDR5-8K MicroLED

Simply put, no video display impressed us more, and if cost is not a consideration, the Quantum MicroLED XDR5-8K is what we would recommend without hesitation. Not only can Quantum deliver a pixel-perfect native 8K video wall, but the company has also addressed two of the three biggest challenges facing MicroLED technology: visible seams between panels and heat. Each video wall is comprised of multiple component MicroLED panel modules which Quantum carefully assembles on site at each customer location. Installation can take up to one week as cables are run, the modules are assembled and each panel is painstakingly calibrated to look precisely like the rest, leading to excellent image uniformity and consistency with no visible seams.

The third problem, however, is cost, which currently puts it well out of reach for most people; unless you’re Ben Affleck, who actually owns two: one for his home and another for the office in his production company. Ben, we’ll expect your invitation to movie night. We’ll bring the popcorn.

Quantum’s smallest configuration starts at $175,000, while the 20-foot-wide 8K wall we saw at CEDIA costs around $375,000. Its ability to handle DCP (Digital Cinema Package) format allows directors and other film production professionals to view their “dailies” or works in progress at home in the same format used in the actual movie production houses and digital theaters. Clearly in this case, you get what you pay for.

Learn more about Quantum MicroLED XDR5-8K.

Best AVR: Arcam AVA35

Arcam’s new top-of-the-line A/V receiver for 2026 isn’t actually a receiver because it does not include an FM tuner. So they refer to it as an “AVA” (Audio/Video Amplifier). Whatever you call it, the AVA35 ($6,999) functions much like a traditional home theater receiver – only bigger. It offers 16 channels of audio processing with nine built-in amplifiers for Dolby Atmos, AURO-3D and DTS:X systems up to 7.4.2 or 5.4.4 channels. It can be expanded up to 9.4.6 channels, by adding external amplification.

All amplifier outputs are assignable and bi-amp capable, giving installers greater flexibility to maximize system performance. The AVA35’s key differentiator, however, is its Class G amplification. Without getting too technical, Arcam’s proprietary Class G design combines the sonic advantages of Class A operation with the additional power reserves of Class A/B when required. It’s heavy and it can run a bit warm, so make sure it has room to breathe.

DIRAC Live full-frequency room correction is also included, while Dirac ART is available as an optional upgrade with the purchase of an additional license.

Learn more about the Arcam AVA35.

Best Compact Soundbar: Sonos Beam Ultra

At $699, the Sonos Beam Ultra is a brand-new soundbar for 2026 that joins the company’s multi-room ecosystem. Ideal for smaller rooms and TVs measuring 65 inches or less, this all-in-one soundbar improves upon its predecessor, the Sonos Beam Gen 2, with the addition of two up-firing speakers inside a chassis that is four inches longer.

In addition to delivering a more spacious presentation on its own, the Beam Ultra is compatible with other Sonos speakers that can be added as surrounds, including the Move 2 and Play models. Because the Move 2 and Play speakers are battery-powered and portable, you can simply carry them in from the backyard barbecue and use them as rear channel surrounds if you like. The Beam Ultra also supports the addition of a Sonos subwoofer (which we highly recommend as it doesn’t have much bass on its own). For those primarily concerned with dialogue intelligibility, the new AI-Assisted Speech Enhancement feature helps ensure that voices remain prominent when a scene gets chaotic.

Expect a full review in the coming weeks.

Learn more about Sonos Beam Ultra.

Best All-Around Speakers: Theory Audio Design

Paul Hales, founder of Theory Audio Design, Theory Professional, and Pro Audio Technology, delivers one of the most mind-bending presentations at CEDIA Expo year after year. This year, he showcased Theory’s new 9-inch full-range architectural speaker in a pendant housing, alongside the company’s existing lineup of 5-inch and 6.5-inch architectural speakers and subwoofers.

With the new pendants hanging overhead, one could easily imagine they were listening to Dolby Atmos, only to discover that it was plain old stereo. Like Theory’s smaller architectural speakers, the new pendants have an uncanny ability to deliver an expansive, natural presentation even when positioned overhead. Vocals sound natural, acoustic instruments exhibit exceptional attack and decay, and the overall presentation is remarkably lifelike.

That coherence extends throughout the lineup, with essentially the same driver technologies repackaged in different enclosures for in-wall, in-ceiling, surface-mount, pendant, and weatherproof outdoor applications.

There is one important consideration with Theory: its loudspeakers are designed to work with the company’s external amplification and DSP modules, which they call “Digital Loudspeaker Controllers.” Individual speakers start well below $1,000, but the required DLC components range from roughly $2,700 to almost $12,000, depending on output power and channel configurations. Due to extreme efficiency, you can drive more than one speaker from each amplifier channel, so large multi-room or outdoor systems can benefit from economies of scale. Subwoofer options range from approximately $1,000 to $16,000 for larger sound-reinforcement projects or home theater installations.

Regardless of the scope of the installation, Theory offers solutions for an unusually wide range of applications, including soundbars, two-channel Hi-Fi, multi-channel home theater, whole-home audio, residential and commercial installations, and even live performance. We have heard Theory systems in enough configurations and environments to know that the performance is not unique to individual models. All of it comes highly recommended. Your CI professional will recommend the best fit for your specific needs.

Learn more about Theory’s 9-inch Pendant Speakers.

This year, the TV tech with all the hype is RGB backlighting. Technically, these are still LCD TVs, but by switching from single color backlights to three-element backlight units (one LED lighting element for each primary color – red, green and blue), these TVs can offer better color reproduction as well as brighter, more dynamic images.

Some of the early RGB backlit TVs had significant issues like color crosstalk, where there can be some color bleed when different colors appear adjacent to each other on screen. But Sony’s version, which they call “True RGB” is almost entirely free from these types of artifacts. It also looks remarkably good from off-axis (sides, below or above). The flagship BRAVIA 9 II TV was on display at CEDIA Expo in its largest 115-inch size and it looked stunning even in the brightly lit convention center. At $30,999, the price is no joke, but because it’s a single monolithic LCD panel, it’s much easier to install than a MicroLED wall or a projection system, saving potentially thousands of dollars in installation and set-up costs.

Learn more about BRAVIA 9 II.

Best Premium TV: TCL X11L (75/85/98”)

While RGB TV is taking the spotlight this year, TCL has developed their own alternative technology, which can also achieve wide color gamut coverage, similar to RGB backlit TVs. Instead of using RGB backlights, the X11L TC uses more traditional blue LED backlights, but uses newly developed ultra small quantum dots to reproduce colors. In addition to extending the color gamut, these SQD (super quantum dot) TVs provide the brightest peak luminance we have ever seen or measured on a consumer display – as high as 10,000 nits peak brightness on the 85-inch model.

At CEDIA Expo, TCL showed off their 85-inch X11L against a Samsung Micro RGB TV as well as an LG OLED. In the demo, the X11L clearly offered a brighter image than both contenders and exhibited no trace of color crosstalk or haloing, thanks to thousands of local dimming zones. If you need a big TV for a bright room, the X11L makes a great choice.

Read our full review of TCL X11L.

Best Lifestyle TV: LG W6 Wallpaper OLED TV (77-inch, 83-inch)

While there’s no denying LCD TVs which use advanced backlighting systems like Micro RGB and Mini LED can get brighter than an OLED TV, they can’t get blacker than an OLED TV. While the best LCD TVs may have a few thousand zones of backlighting, 4K OLED TVs have over eight million lighting zones, thanks to their self-emissive pixels. And this makes their black levels and contrast impossible to match on other, non-emissive TVs.

LG offered the US debut of its 83-inch Wallpaper OLED TV at CEDIA Expo, and it looked stunning from all angles (even the back, thanks to its clean finished back design). While most of its competitors have gotten thicker this year, LG’s W6 Wallpaper TV took things the opposite direction with the TV’s depth coming in at under 10 mm (0.35 to 0.39 inches). They’ve done this by moving all of the inputs and outputs to an external wireless “Zero Connect” box, which can be placed up to 10 meters (33 feet) away from the TV itself.

While LG officially recommends a line of sight connection between the box and the TV, an LG rep told me they had theirs in a closet at the opposite side of the room with no ill effects. If your closet or cabinet has fabric or mesh doors, or standard sheetrock walls, you can likely keep your connections completely out of sight.

Even with that wireless connection, the TV supports a native 4K signal at up to 165 Hz with full lossless audio support, making it an excellent match for next generation gaming consoles or gaming PCs with ALLM (auto low latency mode) and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate).

While it may not reach the peak brightness of this year’s flagship LCD TVs, the W6 does use the same panel as LG’s G6 flagship OLED which has been measured at over 3,000 nits on a 5% full white window. This, along with its Reflection Free Premium screen coating, makes it perfectly suitable for viewing in a reasonably bright room, while still producing those deep inky OLED blacks we love so much.

Learn more about LG Wallpaper TVs.

Best 8K Projector: JVC DLA-NZ900 D-ILA Projector

While 8K sources remain few and far between (Kaleidescape has exactly one 8K title available for download), the extra pixels available in an 8K display can come in handy on a projector when you’re blowing the image up to fit a 10-foot wide (or larger) screen. And while JVC is one of the few consumer projector makers to offer actual native 4K imaging chips (Sony being another), the company also offers a true 8K mode on its higher end projectors thanks to 8K e-shiftX technology. With this, JVC can accept a native 8K input and display every one of those 33 million+ pixels on screen by quickly shifting the imaging engine to display 4 pixels for each one on the trio of D-ILA chips.

The company had this tech on display with their flagship DLA-NZ900 D-ILA projector. In the demo, they were showing both native 8K signals and upconverted 4K content on a 12-foot wide (165 inch diagonal) multi-masking StreamPro screen by Stewart Filmscreen. Even sitting in the front row, just a couple of feet from the screen, I could see no visible pixel structure and the image was ultra-detailed and colorful. Shadow detail was strong and overall specular highlights weren’t bad either, thanks to its BLU-Escent laser light source and triple D-ILA light engine.

Learn more about JVC DLA-NZ900.

Best High-End Projector: Christie Griffyn 4K35-RGB Pure Laser Projector

While high-end consumer grade home theater projectors from Sony, Epson and JVC are more than up to the task of lighting up a medium sized home theater, a larger system, with a larger screen, may need something a little extra. The Christie Griffyn 4K35-RGB has more than a little extra with a rated 35,000 Lumens of peak light output and triple chip native 4K DLP light engine.

Because it uses a separate chip – and a separate laser light source – for each primary color (red, green and blue), it does not suffer from the RBE (Rainbow Effect) that we see on single-chip DLP projectors. This gives it the ability to light up a huge projection screen with bright, vivid images with minimal image artifacts. But this performance comes at a cost – $116,500 (MSRP). It’s also fairly massive, weighing in at 179 pounds (81.2 kg) and measuring 25x15x36.3 inches (635x380x922 mm). Most CI guys recommend a separate projection room or at least a custom cabinet to provide adequate cooling and proper noise reduction.

The 4K35-RGB projector at CEDIA Expo produced practically flawless moving images, with excellent peak brightness and contrast, thanks in part to its use of the company’s new VDR (Variable Dynamic Range) software, which enhances dynamic range based on the on-screen content. VDR is currently in beta testing on the company’s professional line of projectors. It is expected to be rolled out to select home projectors some time in the future.

Learn more at Christie Digital.

Best Lifestyle Projector: XGIMI XWALL Titan Noir Ultra

The word “Lifestyle” in front of the word “projector” used to mean that the projector sacrificed performance for the sake of good looks or a compact form factor. But around 18 months ago, the Valerion VisionMaster projector rewrote that script, proving that good things could indeed come in smaller, more elegant packages. That trend has been taken to the latest extreme with XGIMI’s XWALL Titan Noir Ultra. While it would look just fine sitting on a coffee table, you’ll be best off mounting it to the ceiling where it’s out of the way. XGIMI offers a heavy duty ceiling mount for this, which can support the unit’s 17.9 pound (8.1 kg) weight.

The Titan Noir Ultra features a whopping 8,000 Lumens of peak brightness and a native 12,000:1 contrast ratio, which is respectable even on far more expensive dedicated home theater projectors. The Titan Noir Max also features a motorized lens with a wide 0.98 to 2.0:1 zoom range, motorized focus, and motorized horizontal and vertical lens shift for ease set-up without having to rely on resolution-killing digital keystone adjustments. Also, unlike the VisionMaster projectors, the Titan Noir Ultra includes a custom “lens memory” feature that allows you to store custom presets for different aspect ratios. This is one feature I love as it allows me to zoom in to fill my entire 2.4:1 screen when watching ultra wide CinemaScope content at home.

Learn more about XGIMI XWALL Titan Noir Ultra.

Best Media Player: Kaleidescape Strato K

While we’re big fans of physical media here at eCoustics, there are some aspects of “disc collecting” that we don’t enjoy: the requirement to have shelves and shelves full of discs to house our movie collections and the occasional disc glitch that requires us to eject the movie, wipe it on a clean cloth to remove a smudge or a fingerprint and wait for the disc to re-load so we can (hopefully) continue our viewing. This is even more problematic if you happen to look for bargains on used discs as sometimes seemingly minor scratches can lead to serious problems in playback.

Kaleidescape has always offered a movie playback experience that can match (or even beat) the best physical media but now they’ve gone beyond what physical media can do with their new Strato K movie player ($4,995). While the Strato K is their first player to support 8K content, it’s what they can do with 4K content that is even more exciting. They’ve developed a new content format called “4K Cinematic” which offers a significant improvement in color reproduction and milder use of video compression which can reduce or eliminate common forms of video artifacts and distortion.

While 4K Blu-ray Discs typically use a bandwidth of about 50 to 80 Mbps, Kaleidescape uses a much wider 110 Mbps pipe to deliver the picture and sound. This means the 4K Cinematic content that Kaleidescape creates from the studio’s raw mezzanine files use less compression than UHD Blu-ray (and much less compression than streaming services) in order to deliver a pristine, artifact-free image.

This year, close to 60 different booths and demo rooms at CEDIA Expo used a Kaleidescape player to show their systems in the best possible light, and it translated into powerful demos throughout the Exposition hall. If you’re into movies, and have the means, the Strato K would make an excellent entry-point into the Kaleidescape ecosystem. Its built-in storage has room for five or six 4K Cinematic titles at a time and it’s fully compatible with the company’s Terra Servers for larger collections.

Learn more about Kaleidescape Strato K, or buy for $4,995 at Best Buy.

Best Physical Media Player: Magnetar Ultima Universal Disc Transport

Does anyone really need to spend $12,000 on a Blu-ray Disc player? Maybe not. But for those who want the best, there is the Magnetar Ultima. Unlike a traditional disc player, with analog and digital outputs, the Magnetar is technically a disc “transport” – it includes no built-in DAC of its own. But what it does include is a separate power supply housed in its own chassis and powered by a pair of automotive grade lithium ion batteries manufactured by EV and battery maker (and darling of Berkshire Hathaway), BYD. By using a highly stable DC power source, the unit can eliminate any hint or noise or distortion from the signal chain.

Without its own DAC, the ULTIMA offers only digital outputs, including HDMI, coax and AES/EBU. It even includes a separate clock output for elimination of jitter in the signal. The player supports virtually every form of silver disc, including CD, DVD, DVD-Audio, SACD, Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray 3D and 4K UHD Blu-ray Disc (sorry, no LaserDisc). It also includes network access and a USB 3.0 port for playback of additional media formats on the home network or on an attached USB drive.

Learn more about Magnetar Ultima.

Best Hidden TV: Vanish Designs

Sometimes a big screen TV just doesn’t fit in with the design aesthetic of your living room. Sure, it may look amazing when you’re watching it, but the rest of the time, it’s just a huge black rectangle hanging on your wall or sitting on a credenza. There are multiple options. Get a TV with a stylish design like the LG W6 Wallpaper TV or Loewe Stellar TV. Or you could get an “Art TV” like Samsung’s “The Frame” which can pass as real artwork when not in active use. But what if you could make your huge TV truly disappear when not in use? That’s what a company called “Vanish Designs” can do for you.

Vanish Designs is a custom furniture maker that specializes in making stylish cabinets, tables, dressers and consoles that hide a big screen TV (from 80 inches up to 120 inches) with minimal effort. Concealing a UST (Ultra Short Throw) projector, a motorized screen and a soundbar or component sound system within an elegant piece of furniture, Vanish Designs let’s you decide when the screen takes center stage and when it literally disappears into the woodwork.

To bring one of these systems to life, all you need to do is open a drawer and a top panel on the unit, to expose the projector and speaker, then press a single button on your remote for the screen to appear from within. Because UST projectors can project a huge image from just inches away, the cabinet itself can be fairly shallow. And with recent advancements in light-rejecting screens and brighter UST projectors, you can get a nice bright colorful picture, even in a bright room.

Every piece of Vanish Designs’ custom cabinetry is made to order in the United States. Material and workmanship are exceptional and measurements are precise so your chosen projector, screen and sound system will fit perfectly within each unit with no wasted spece. Prices start at $18,000, not including projector, screen and soundbar.

Learn more at www.VanishDesigns.com.

Best Budget Home Theater: SVS Ultra Evolution 5.2.2 System

While we didn’t see any systems this year that quite hit (or went over) a million dollars, there were plenty of rooms in the high six figures. But as usual, SVS scoffed at this excess with their own 5.2.2-channel home theater system, ringing in at just under $12,000 (for the speakers only) and comprised of speakers from their flagship Ultra Evolution line and a pair of new subwoofers from their R|Evolution line.

The system included The Ultra Evolution Pinnacle tower speakers for left and right, an Ultra Evolution Center, a pair of Ultra Evolution Bookshelf speakers for surrounds and two of the Ultra Evolution Elevation speakers for height effects. These elevation speakers are great as they can be mounted on a ceiling or at the top of the wall, on the sides or front of the room, requiring no cutting of the walls or ceilings and no wire inside the wall. Because they’re direct (not up-firing and reflective), they produce realistic height channel effects without requiring low, flat reflective ceilings.

To put some boom in the room, they added a pair of their new SVS PB-3000 R|Evolution Subwoofers. These ported subs are relatively compact, but can reach down to 16 Hz for that gut-thumping bass we love. The subs were tuned for the room with SVS Auto EQ, a new feature of the company’s subwoofer control app.

The system was powered by a Marantz Cinema 30 AV Receiver, with a Pioneer UHD Blu-ray Player spinning the silver discs. Video came from an AWOL UST Projector and screen. Playing the usual clips from “No Time to Die” and “Sinners,” this little budget system rocked the demo room with clear dialog, excellent dynamics and deep yet articulate bass. After spending so much time in $500,000+ rooms, it was refreshing to hear a system that got the essentials right for a much more reasonable price.

Learn more about SVS Ultra Evolution Speakers.

Continue reading more stories from CEDIA Expo 2026.

We recently got our first look at Lenovo’s upcoming Googlebook, with leaked renders showcasing its design, port selection, and interface. Now, with just days left until Google’s September 15 Googlebook preview event, a new leak has revealed the notebook’s specifications.

Nothing like a bargain-bin Chromebook

According to an official spec sheet obtained by Mac Observer, the Lenovo Googlebook 15 (model number GB 15IPH12) looks to be a premium notebook featuring a 15.3-inch 120Hz OLED display with a 2880 x 1800 resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio, 500 nits of brightness, and 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage. Inside, it will reportedly pack Intel’s Core Ultra 5 325 processor with integrated graphics, paired with 16GB or 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage.

The notebook is also said to feature a 5MP webcam with dual microphones and a physical privacy shutter, four speakers with Dolby Atmos, a 50mm x 95mm haptic touchpad, and a backlit keyboard with a dedicated G key between Fn and Alt. As seen in previous leaks, it’ll also feature an LED strip on the top edge of the lid. The leaked documentation refers to it as the Glowbar, and notes that it will indicate battery and charging status.

Smart features and solid port selection

On the software front, the laptop will reportedly feature built-in Gemini Intelligence for AI tasks. Deep Android phone integration is also expected, which should let users access mobile apps and files directly on the system. For biometrics, the leak points to both a fingerprint reader and Google facial authentication.

Despite packing a large 15.3-inch display, the metal Cloud Gray chassis appears surprisingly light at 2.84 pounds and measures just 0.63 inches thick. A 70W battery will allegedly power the machine, with Lenovo claiming up to 11 hours of video playback. Connectivity also looks surprisingly full-featured, with the spec sheet listing Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB-A port, HDMI 2.0, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Lenovo is apparently also prepping accessories for the Googlebook, including an AI Mouse with matching multicolor accents. While pricing and launch dates remain unconfirmed, the detailed leak suggests that Google and Lenovo are aiming squarely at the high-end laptop market with this device.

Anthropic says multiple threat groups, including the financially motivated and state-sponsored espionage groups linked to Russia and China, tried to abuse its Claude AI model for malicious purposes.

The AI company says that between December 2025 and August 2026, it recorded various forms of artificial intelligence misuse, including for cyber and influence operations,  surveillance, scams, development of biological and conventional weapons, and model distillation.

Over the eight-month period, Anthropic disrupted several activities linked to the ShinyHunters collective, infamous for massive data theft attacks that typically begin with social engineering and account compromise.

An alleged French-speaking member of the group that used the handle ‘frkoo’ distributed a credential-harvesting pipeline across ten AWS EC2 workers that downloaded from multiple stores and then scanned for secrets in 1.8 million Android APKs.

“This pipeline mass-downloaded 1.8 million distinct Android APKs from multiple app-store sources, decompiled them, and scanned for hardcoded secrets with TruffleHog,” Anthropic explains.

“Verified findings were routed in real time to a Telegram group organized into over 100 source types.”

The same actor used a separate automated process to collect GitHub organization email addresses and used them to obtain GitHub Personal Access Tokens (PATs).

The two pipelines provided initial-access credentials that ‘frkoo’ used “for the bulk of the confirmed breaches” associated with the hacker.

Anthropic says that ‘frkoo’ also set up a carding shop at policenationale[.]cc that impersonated the French national police to sell stolen payment-card records, full cardholder information, and an interactive map of victim addresses.

Suspected ShinyHunters members also stole AI API keys and used them for breaching other organizations or for reconnaissance activity.

In one case, they breached a software-as-a-service provider and stole data belonging to around 200 downstream customers.

Fast-paced attacks

With the help of Claude AI, it took a suspected ShinyHunters threat actor about 34 hours to extract authentication data and get more than 2,100 sets of Azure AD authentication tokens linked to over 40 separate corporate Microsoft tenants. According to Anthropic, “AI agents performed nearly all of the work.”

Additional harmful activity involving Claude and attributed to ShinyHunters affiliates includes breaching a technology provider and stealing 1TB of data, compromising an airline, and accessing systems of an energy company.

ShinyHunters moved quickly after obtaining initial access. In the case of an enterprise software firm, the hackers went to bulk data theft in just a few hours.

In another instance, the AI company says that the attacker moved from a single stolen developer token to full administrative control in less than three hours.

Russian and Chinese hackers

Anthropic’s report also highlights activity attributed to the Russian espionage group “Midnight Blizzard,” which used Claude to automate malware development, research, infrastructure acquisition, phishing, persistence, command-and-control (C2) operations, and data exfiltration.

The threat actor also set up a feedback loop that rebuilt malware whenever security products detected it.

Anthropic observed Midnight Blizzard targeting over 20 government, defense, diplomatic, intelligence, and foreign-policy entities.

The campaigns included device-code phishing, ClickFix attacks, DNS hijacking through compromised hotel Wi-Fi providers, WhatsApp account takeovers, cloud-email theft, and Windows, Android, and iOS malware, with Claude being used throughout all attack stages.

Midnight Blizzard automated its operations through AI-driven workflows built around Claude Code skills, with the human operator primarily modifying those skills when they needed refinement.

Anthropic also describes an espionage operation attributed to a Chinese-speaking group tracked as GTG-10007, where Claude was used “as the engineering and orchestration layer of a coordinated offensive program involving a variety of tasks,” such as:

• intrusion attempts against production systems
• reconnaissance of foreign-government networks across the Middle East, Europe, and Southeast Asia
• a standing vulnerability-research and exploit development effort against major endpoint-security products
• malware development
• building an intelligence-collection platform

The GTG-10007 espionage group operated autonomous vulnerability-research workflows while the human operators were away, which uncovered multiple previously unknown vulnerabilities in a major security product.

Additionally, the automated effort also delivered “working exploits for several families of network and security appliances.” The actor then leveraged the exploit code against several government organizations around the globe.

The group’s operations targeted around 50 organizations across government, education, retail, energy, technology, healthcare, finance, and manufacturing, with confirmed compromises at an education-technology company, a retailer, and a Southeast Asian government agency.

The AI company notes that it disrupted the actors’ use of Claude for harmful activities and banned the threat actors’ account.

Furthermore, Anthropic adjusted its guardrails based on the observed malicious use, added measures to detect future misuse faster, and contacted the authorities, industry partners, and victims.

Join Mikko Hyppönen and security leaders from the NFL, CHANEL, and Atlassian for a two-hour digital summit on what AI-speed attacks change, what defenders should stop doing, and how to validate, decide, fix, and re-validate at machine speed.

Save your seat

Mecka AI, a startup that collects and analyzes human motion data to train humanoid robots and other robotics, is nearing a new round led by Sequoia Capital at a valuation of about $500 million, according to two people with knowledge of the deal.

The new financing comes just three months after Mecka announced that it raised $60 million in a round led by Framework Ventures that included participation from Menlo Ventures, SV Angel, and Kindred Ventures.

TechCrunch has not learned the precise size of the new round. The terms of the deal are not final and could still change.

Mecka AI didn’t respond to a request for comment. Sequoia declined to comment.

Mecka AI was co-founded in 2024 by four entrepreneurs, including Canadians Josh Gao and Mogen Cheng, who previously built a restaurant fintech startup, and Jason Chong, who joined Coinbase after it acquired his crypto exchange. Duy Nguyen, the only non-Canadian on the team, focuses on operations at Mecka.

The four co-founders don’t have backgrounds in robotics. But they did recognize that there was a dearth of physical-world data and realized that capturing real-world interactions was the primary bottleneck holding back general-purpose robots, including humanoids.

Mecka, which derives its name from “mecha,” a fictional giant robot controlled by humans, set out to do for robotics what Scale AI, Mercor, Surge, and other human data companies have done for LLMs. The startup pays people to record themselves performing everyday tasks — like making coffee or fixing cars — using body sensors and smartphones.

As of early June, Mecka was projecting that it would end 2026 at an annual run rate of $100 million, Gao told Fortune when the startup announced its previous fundraise.

While Mecka AI hasn’t publicly disclosed its customer list, many robotics companies and AI labs rely on real-world data captured through this “egocentric” approach, alongside other physical data collection methods like teleoperation, to build their models.

Other startups collecting real-world data for robot training include XDOF, which TechCrunch reported last week was nearing a new round at a $1.2 billion valuation, as well as human-data platforms expanding beyond LLMs, such as Scale AI and Micro1.

Are you in the market for a better data, minutes and texts plan for your mobile? Perhaps you’ve found you’re hitting your data limit a little too often for comfort and now’s the time to do something about it. Or, if you’re out of contract and have realised you’re paying too much for what you have – don’t worry, the deals below can help you out.

We’ve compiled the best SIM plans right here, no matter what your budget is or your requirements, all of which take into consideration costs and, of course, how much data you can get for your buck.

SIM-only deals are just as they sound: the SIM without the expensive phone added to the whole contract. It’s the minutes, texts, data allowance and nothing more.

These are great if you’re out of contract and want to save some money, or if you’ve bought a phone SIM-free, such as any in our best smartphone buying guide. It’s also ideal, as mentioned, if you now need more data, as there are great deals to be had.

We’ve broken down the best of the best. They’re sorted by data and price, making it easy to find what you’re looking for and allowing you to compare to what you already have.

Some of the best offers are from companies running off the back of EE, O2, Vodafone and Three. That’s because they can undercut the prices of the main networks and by some margin, too.

Also, if you are reading this while researching what’s available as an initial step to buying a new phone, then we can also help you out. Feel free to dive into our best foldable phones buying guide, best mid-range mobile, best budget phones, and best small phone round-ups.

Unlimited Data Deals

100GB+ Data Deals

50-100GB Data Deals

10-50GB Data Deals

Below 10GB Data Deals

How to choose the best SIM

There are various factors to think about when considering a SIM-only plan:

Data: Using the phone for streaming, gaming, apps and surfing the web away from Wi-Fi can put a strain on your data allowance. It might be worth reviewing your current usage and what you use or might need in the future when considering an upgrade. It’s always worth giving yourself a data cap that provides some wiggle room in relation to your average usage, just to ensure that you don’t have to incur additional costs if you happen to have a particularly data-heavy month.

Contracts: SIM deals usually have shorter service terms than all-in-one phone plans, typically 12-month or 30-day rolling plans, with the latter offering greater flexibility. While 18-month and even 24-month options are available, we recommend choosing a shorter term so you’re not tied in for long if you’re ever dissatisfied with your service.

Networks: Most mobile phone networks nowadays offer a good coverage area, and it’s worth checking what works best in the usual places you’d be with your mobile. With that said, there are networks that run off the back of the usual EE, O2, Vodafone and Three that offer good service at a lower price, such as Smarty and Voxi. Some networks also come with additional freebies and reward services, including O2 Priority and Three Plus, so it’s worth doing a bit of comparison to see what you can get for your money.