JLab has unveiled its full JBuds Mini ANC range of headphones, adding Apple Find My compatibility to its JBuds Mini ANC earbuds, the first pair under $100 to offer the feature.

Only Apple’s AirPods and Beats models have offered native Find My tracking before now, so JLab’s move brings that reassurance to a sub-100-dollar pair of earbuds. Users can clip the charging case to a bag and locate it inside the Find My app alongside their other Apple devices.

Active Noise Cancellation and Spatial Audio carry over from that CES debut, and the updated range is available now across Europe, with wider US retail availability following from 1 October.

Con Hathy printed a stubby PETG rocket named Spark, loaded an Estes B4, and sent it up a launch rod. Jolly Logic Altimeter 2 data put the flight at 81 feet, 48 mph, and 6.4 G. He then wanted the same motor to do more work by firing it from a closed tube, the same idea that once helped the Arcas sounding rocket leave the pad faster than a rail ever allowed.

Atlantic Research built Arcas in the late 1950s as a low-cost way to deploy weather balloons. To get it moving, they inserted the 4.5-inch airframe into a closed-breech launch tube. The exhaust, which became trapped behind the rocket, acted like a piston, forcing it out of the tube – and quickly. The “Super Arcas” was equipped with an auxiliary gas generator and reached an altitude of 100 kilometers. The ordinary Arcas variants remained with the simple tube configuration and no additional propellant.

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Hathy wanted to see if this piston-thing worked on the scale of a model rocket. The first thing he did was fire up a rod for control, and that was it. He then created a clamshell sabot, printed it to lock the rocket within a larger tube, and tried again, but the results were the opposite of what he wanted. Altitude decreased by around 40%. Going even slower, accelerating even less. Later, a simulation helped figure out why, as the tube behind the rocket became empty quicker than the small B4 motor could fill it, sucking the pressure right out of it, resulting in the rocket pulling a vacuum on its own and decelerating.

Hathy attempted to improve things by shrinking the tube significantly, down to a 1.5 inch internal diameter and trimming it back to five feet. To make the rocket fit, he had to modify the airframe as Spark II. Wrap-around fins that folded tightly against the body as the rocket traveled through the tube burst open on torsion springs as they reached the tube’s finish. He also worked on the sabot, employing a sawtooth lock and foam strips to create a tighter seal. To make things more interesting, he installed a pressure tap near the tube’s base, allowing him to measure friction with a kitchen scale prior to takeoff. The program predicted that if there were no leaks, he’d obtain an energy increase of about 80%. Just a little extra might assist the rocket arrive to its destination.

Spark II flew out of the five-foot tube on a B4, and the altimeter confirmed that it had reached 72 percent higher altitude than the initial rod. Not bad considering the sabot’s increased weight and the drag caused by the springs and fins when they folded out. Video indicated the item was moving roughly 12 meters per second when it left the tube, and the simple math said it hit around 5 Gs of acceleration as it was going through. Pressure readings remained positive until the rocket cleared the tube end, when it fell and began ringing at 75.5 Hz, as if it was complaining about being left behind. Those readings also suggested that there was still a lot of energy left behind, waiting to be used.

The sabot splits during ejection, and the recovery line melted a little from the heat, but that’s about it. The rocket flew straight and true, which is not awful. All of the increased weight and drag from the hardware appeared to be worthwhile in the end, and Hathy’s model rocket simulation slightly overestimated mass flow and a few other factors. However, the overall direction of the result was very clear, since the properly sized tube can convert waste gas into extra thrust, but the incorrectly sized tube can do the opposite, sucking the life right out of the rocket.
[Source]

A US law firm is alleging that UK-based telecoms and software company ConnexAI sold it software and AI systems that failed to perform as the vendor claimed, and then unlawfully renewed its contract. ConnexAI has rejected the allegations. The dispute has involves two court cases, both of which are ongoing.  

DK Law, a personal injury specialist based in California, alleged in a California court filing in April that ConnexAI promises “customers a telephone system and AI software solution with functionality that does not exist or perform as represented.”

It also alleges in the California complaint [PDF] that ConnexAI continued to send it invoices after it had told the vendor it was not renewing the year-long contract.

The Register understands that ConnexAI believes the allegations to be frivolous and without merit. The vendor is branded ConnexAI, and registered as Connex One Limited in the UK and Connex One Inc in the US.

The customer’s claim followed a complaint that ConnexAI itself filed against the law firm the month before. In March 2026, in a New York court, ConnexAI filed a complaint [PDF] claiming its law firm customer had breached its contract by failing to pay invoices.

Dan Richardson, ConnexAI general manager of North America, said in a statement: “There is a limit to what we can say while the matter is before the court. This claim is one part of a wider dispute which was initiated by Connex One Inc. The allegations now being made are rejected, and we would note that they were raised only after we issued proceedings which are active.”

In its complaint in the US District Court, Central District of California, Southern Division, DK Law alleges that ConnexAI sold it a telephone system and software on the basis that it would provide phone and voice services integrated with SMS and WhatsApp. ConnexAI also said its Athena software included “sentiment analysis, entity recognition, call transcripts, interaction clustering, training cues, and the ability to identify trends.” Crucially, it also claimed the AI transcription worked in Spanish.

“ConnexAI represented that the Athena AI software included AI Agent, AI Guru, AI Analytics, AI Voice, Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), all of which were represented to elevate customer interactions and enhance customer engagement and experience,” the filing said.

Using AI agents would offer around-the-clock availability, faster response times and personalized interactions, with a “human-like voice and text-based communication,” the complaint argued.

After less than a year using the software, DK Law alleged its experience of the software differed from the claims made by the vendor.

According to the California filing, the telephone system frequently “went down”, with calls often dropped or unanswered. Calls were also consistently misrouted, the customer alleges.

The problems were reported to the vendor’s support team. After the issue was escalated, the filing continues, ConnexAI sent US technical services engineers and the UK-based CTO to troubleshoot. “Sometimes the problem was resolved for the moment, only to recur shortly thereafter, with no permanent fix,” the complaint claimed.

In addition, WhatsApp was unreliable and effectively unusable, DK Law alleges.

While ConnexAI had claimed its ASR “would never miss a word,” DK Law claimed “this too was false.”

Per the filing, on checking recordings of calls, the customer claims to have discovered that only a few seconds of a conversation were actually recorded despite evidence of a longer call.

“Connex also represented in pre-contract discussions that its software was able to create real-time call transcripts of customer interactions conducted in English and Spanish. However, in reality, the Connex software only sometimes produced a transcript. When compared to the recorded conversations, DK Law found the transcripts of calls conducted in English to be inaccurate, and the Spanish language transcription did not work at all,” the California law firm alleged.

Given the performance, the filing claims, Brendan Haverlock, DK Law CTO, told the vendor that the contract would not be renewed after it expired in October 2025.

But that was not the end of the matter. The complaint alleges ConnexAI continued to invoice DK Law after the end of the contract term, demanding payment and “harassing its employees” for payment, the customer alleged.

In March 2026, Connex Inc, the US company, launched a legal claim in the New York case against DK Law in which it alleged DK Law had failed to make the required payments and breached its contract.

The filing, which was originally made in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, and then moved to a New York District Court, said that in October 2024, the two companies entered into an agreement, which “renewed for a subsequent term commencing on October 8, 2025.”

However, in the separate but related California filing in April, DK Law alleged that ConnexAI had already breached the contract “by failing… to implement and deliver telecommunications and software services in a manner consistent with industry standards.”

It also said in the filing that ConnexAI’s claim that the contract had automatically renewed was not in accordance with New York State law, which “required Connex to give written notice of the automatic renewal in advance.” The law covers telecommunications and software. ConnexAI “never provided the requisite notice of automatic renewal,” DK Law alleged.

In the California Court, DK Law seeks restitution and damages.

In a statement to The Register, ConnexAI’s Richardson questioned why Connex One Ltd was included on the California claim, given Connex Inc sued DK Law in New York.

In the California filing, DK Law alleged the UK company “directly participated in the sales process, provided or controlled implementation and support personnel, and directed or ratified the post-notice renewal and retention conduct.”

It said the US company is wholly owned and operated by the UK’s Connex One Limited and acted as a contracting arm or agent.

The case is now waiting to move through the courts. Last week, (August 27) the California court denied DK Law’s claim, but only insofar as it “stayed” the case, pending the New York claim. In effect, that case is put on hold until the New York case is settled.

DK Law is attempting to have the New York case dismissed and has requested the court hear oral arguments. On September 1, in an order and opinion filed by federal magistrate judge Katharine H Parker, the motion to stay the case was denied [PDF].® 

Reg note: We are not accepting comments on this article and have closed the forum. 

In the past, Dyson move relatively slowly with its robot line-up, with years between models. Today that changes, as the company adds three robots to its new Nurovi range, while also completely revamping its purification range with HushJet tech. Here’s what the company has in store.

Dyson Robot Nurovi range

The Dyson Spot+Scrub AI showed that Dyson could finally compete, with a self-cleaning, self-emptying docking station and proper mopping. The robot market moves fast, and new models are needed to keep up, so it’s good to see Dyson’s back with three new models, all under the new Nurovi branding.

Dyson R3 Nurovi Spot+Scrub UV

A new flagship robot, the Dyson R3 Nurovi Spot+Scrub UV is a more powerful and smarter robot vacuum cleaner and mop. Its key feature is the AI stain detection system, which combines UV light, AI vision and a green laser to spot nearly 200 different types of household substances and objects.

Once a stain has been detected, the robot is designed to keep cleaning until the mess has gone, using a roller that is dosed with 70°C heater water.

Vacuuming power has been updated, too. Rated at 30,000Pa, this robot should compete well with flagship robots from other brands.

The dock is similar to the previous one, retaining the bagless bin for clean, emptying. This robot is available in early 2027, and pricing has not yet been announced.The Nurovi R2 also features Dyson’s new Twin-capture system, separating fine and coarse debris for more efficient cleaning. Brush-bar bristles sweep larger debris into the machine, while suction targets fine dust and smaller particles. An acoustic piezo sensor detects dust levels and floor types in real time, automatically adjusting suction and clean

Dyson R2 Nurovi Wash+Dry

The Nurovi R2 has Dyson’s new Twin-capture system, separating fine and coarse debris for more efficient cleaning. Brush-bar bristles sweep larger debris into the machine, while suction targets fine dust and smaller particles. An acoustic piezo sensor detects dust levels and floor types in real time, automatically adjusting suction and cleaning behaviour.

Dyson R1 Nurovi Dry

Effectively as dry-only version of the R2, the Dyson R1 Nurovi Dry has the same twin-capture technology, but ditches the mopping option. Its 21,000Pa suction power should be good enough for most scenarios, and this vacuum is particularly well suited for those who have carpeted homes and don’t need mopping.

This robot has a slightly smaller dock, as it only needs to charge the room and suck out dirt. Available now, the Dyson R1 Nurovi Dry costs £499.99.

Dyson W1 PencilWash

We liked the small size of the Dyson PencilWash but felt that the hard floor cleaner missed a few features that larger models have. The Dyson W1 PencilWash fixes that, while keeping the same super-small body.

A new, more absorbent roller helps cleaning, and there’s a hygienic waste system. The big difference is the on-dock self-cleaning tech, making this product easier to look after. You can buy the product now for £299.99.

HushJet Purifiers

Dyson’s purifiers have typically been designed around the bladeless fan, but that tech has hit its performance limits, so the company is now introducing new purifiers based on its HushJet technology. Shaped like a jet engine, HushJet tech lets Dyson boost its power while keeping noise down, and it first made its appearance with the Dyson HushJet Purifier Compact HJ10.

While the HushJet Purifer Compact was just a purifier, the new models are also fans.

Dyson HushJet Pure Cool+ Formaldehyde

The Dyson HushJet Pure Cool+ Formaldehyde is a medium-format purifier built for bigger spaces without the bulk of a full-size machine. Dyson says it delivers up to three times more purification power than previous models, while also offering personal cooling.

This product will be available from October, priced at £549.99.

Dyson HushJet Hot Cool Pure+ air purifier

The Dyson HushJet Hot Cool Pure+ is Dyson’s most powerful 3-in-1 purifier, combining air purification, heating and personal cooling in a single machine. Designed for year-round use, it uses HushJet air projection to push powerful airflow around the room, helping manage both air quality and comfort from one device.

This purifier will cost £549.99 and will be available from December.

Few companies are pushing back against the black, oblong smartphone design hegemony in 2026, but RugOne is one of them. It’s part of Ulefon, which has been pumping out ruggedized phones for a few years, and its newest phone, the Xsnap 7 Pro, is very rugged but has a magnetic removable camera unit that can work like an action cam.

Yeah, it made me go “ooh” when I heard about it. (Unfortunately, my sample landed while we report on IFA 2026 here in Berlin. I’ll update this story when I get to see the device in person later this week. The almost cube-shaped camera weighs 39 grams and can record video up to 2.7K resolution at 30fps — it’s not coming for the latest GoPro quite yet. 

RugOne says the module can run for up to 40 minutes on a full charge, with 64GB of built-in storage. It’ll broadcast a preview feed to RugOne’s companion app, up to 50 meters away. It also includes a handful of software features, including distortion correction, horizon lock and a Freeframe shooting mode that captures the full sensor area, so you can crop to vertical or horizontal footage as needed.

The camera is waterproof up to five meters (without any additional protective cases), and the company will also include a companion magnet pendant so you can wear it on your body for capture; it will also work with third-party accessories that support a universal mount.

The Xsnap 7 Pro also has a 50-megapixel “AI main camera” with optical image stabilization, plus a 64MP infrared night-vision camera with IR LEDs for “crisp black-and-white detail” during nighttime wildlife shooting — RugOne’s suggestion, not mine.

And let’s not forget: still a phone. The Xsnap 7 Pro has a 6.67-inch display with 1,700-nit peak brightness and up to 120Hz refresh rates. It packs a MediaTek Dimensity 8400 processor, and the device has strong durability credentials. It’s rated IP68 and IP69K and can handle water submersion up to two meters deep for 30 minutes as well as 1.5-meter drops onto concrete.

While a prototype was teased at MWC 2026 a few months ago, the Xsnap 7 Pro is officially debuting at IFA, with early-bird sales opening on Kickstarter on September 7 at a discounted preorder price of 799 euros (roughly $930). The phone will then go on sale globally sometime next month on Amazon and RugOne’s online store, priced at $999, in Sand Dune and Classic Black.

Walsh stated it is a privilege to represent Ireland’s businesses during a time of considerable change for the economy.

Ireland’s representative body for business and employers yesterday (3 September), announced the appointment of Maureen Walsh to the position of Ibec president for the period 2026 – 2027. 

She was elected by the organisation’s National Council and will succeed Dr Colin Hunt. 

Walsh is the managing director of DeCare Dental Insurance, which she has led from the start-up stage. She also previously served as a member of the Governing Body of GMIT, before the transition to ATU, is a former chair of the Mayo Cancer Support Association and serves on the Local Enterprise Evaluations and Appeals Committee.

Commenting on her appointment, Walsh said, “It is a privilege to lead Ibec and represent Irish business at a time of considerable change for our economy. 

“The resilience that has been synonymous with the Irish economy over the last number of years in the face of considerable global disruption is both a source of pride and a reminder that complacency is the enemy of our future success. 

“Operating from the West of Ireland, I know that the Irish economic success story is not just confined to our major cities, but one that touches towns and villages throughout the country.”

She added, “When it comes to regional development, we must keep Ireland’s momentum up by expanding our infrastructure- from housing and energy to transport and digital connectivity, all of which will be key to enabling our continued growth in all parts of the country.

“Individually, businesses of all sizes are also navigating this generation’s major technological disruption, but by supporting businesses to embrace artificial intelligence and develop future-focused skills, Ireland can be a real net beneficiary here.”

Ibec CEO Danny McCoy said the group is delighted to have Walsh onboard and he commended her track record as an entrepreneur and business leader, alongside her deep commitment to regional enterprise and digital innovation, which he explained gives her an exceptional perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing Irish businesses today.

He said, “Through her leadership of Ibec’s Digital and AI Policy group, and her former role as Regional President of Ibec West, Maureen has already demonstrated a clear commitment to shaping policy that serves businesses of all sizes and locations. We look forward to working closely with Maureen during her term and wish her every success.”

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Power banks are going through a quiet revolution of their own. Just when solid-state power banks started to find a spot, Ugreen has unveiled what could be the next evolution of power banks at its Smart Living Launch Event, far away from the glitz of IFA 2026. The latest from the brand is the Ugreen MagFlow Pro Magnetic Power Bank 10000mAh 25W, which is said to be the world’s first liquid-cooled power bank that combines the convenience of wired charging with wireless top up.

So how does the liquid cooling actually work?

And yeah, you can see the coolant liquid moving across the channel through a transparent window at the front. It’s similar to how Red Magic has implemented liquid cooling in its Red Magic 11S Pro smartphone and the new Red Magic Astra gaming tablet. The rear glass shell on both devices lets you see the coolant liquid flowing through the visible channels.

Coming back to the in-house CryoPulse tech, as Ugreen calls it, the company claims it can reduce heat buildup by half, keeping the power bank up to 18 degrees Fahrenheit cooler. Accompanying the liquid-cooled micro-pump assembly, there’s a copper foil sitting right below the Qi2 magnetic ring for further heat dissipation. I really like the built-in charging cable, which folds and buckle-locks neatly so that you can use it as a strap.

How fast does it actually charge your phone?

Talking about specifications, the wireless pad on the Ugreen MagFlow Pro 10,000 mAh power bank supports 25W Qi2 magnetic charging, letting you fill an iPhone 17 Pro Max from empty to the halfway mark in just 40 minutes. For wired charging, the power bank can output 45W through its built-in USB-C cable, promising a 0% to 65% top-up for Apple’s flagship in just 30 minutes. Charging the power bank, on the other hand, takes 2 hours for a full juice-up.

What about pricing and availability?

There’s also a dedicated USB-C inlet on the power bank, letting you charge three devices simultaneously. Supported charging standards include PD 3.0, Qi2, QC 4.0, and PPS, among others. The asking price of the Ugreen MagFlow Pro Magnetic Power Bank 10000mAh 25W is set at $149.99, which is twice as expensive as a regular 10,000 mAh power bank by the brand with wireless charging support. It’s already up for grabs on Ugreen’s website with a 20% discount, and you can also get it from Amazon’s storefront in the US.

USA’s last-gasp reshuffle has set up a fascinating FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026. The 11-time champions – who haven’t lost a tournament game since 2006 – were thrown into a tailspin by the withdrawals of four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum just days before tip-off, and will therefore need to calibrate on the fly in Berlin.

Although they’re still the title favourites, everything depends on coach Kara Lawson and two-time WNBA MVP-winning veteran Breanna Stewart being able to coax the best out of superstar World Cup debutants Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese on the international stage.

The cuts come despite a 13.9% rise in first-half profit

Real estate manager CapitaLand Investment (CLI) has axed 90 jobs, or about 4% of its Singapore workforce in 2026, The Straits Times reported on Sep 3.

The firm “periodically reviews its organisational structure” to ensure it remains aligned with strategic priorities and long-term business needs, the CLI and the Singapore Industrial and Services Employees’ Union in a joint statement on Sep 3.

Currently, CLI, a unionised company, has 2,200 employees in Singapore, and most of them are based at its office in Capital Tower.

The union said it had been informed of the restructuring exercise in advance and has been engaging with the firm throughout the process, including representing workers’ interests and ensuring that affected employees are treated fairly, with severance packages in accordance with the Collective Agreement.

“Supporting employees is a key priority. Where appropriate, the company will also consider redeployment opportunities within the group,” said CLI and the union.

According to figures released in the firm’s 17th Global Sustainability Report in May 2026, the company had 9,542 staff worldwide in 2025, with 24%—or about 2,290—based in Singapore.

Local employees made up approximately 77% of its Singapore workforce in 2025, with more than 48% of these local employees holding managerial and senior management positions.

Based on a global workforce of over 9,500 employees, the report stated that CLI has maintained a turnover rate of 24% “with no major layoffs.”

CapitaLand Investment is a global real asset manager headquartered where it was listed in 2021. The firm has a strong presence in Asia and operates in over 40 countries, including China and India.

As at Sept 3, job openings on its website showed over 60 Singapore-based roles and internships available in areas such as operations, property management and marketing.

At the real estate manager’s results briefing on Aug 13, chief executive Lee Chee Koon said the firm is weighing a partial divestment of its stake in hospitality arm The Ascott Limited to accelerate growth.

The firm also posted a 13.9% rise in net profit to S$327 million for the first half of the financial year ended Jun 30, up from S$287 million a year earlier.

• Read other articles we’ve written on Singaporean businesses here.

Featured Image Credit: EdgeProp