Photo credit: NASA / Lori Losey
Lifting off from Edwards Air Force Base at 11:08 a.m. PDT on June 5, NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less guided the X-59 into the skies above the Mojave Desert. Eighty-one minutes later the aircraft returned to the runway after crossing the speed of sound for the first time.

At 43,400 feet, the aircraft briefly broke through the sound barrier, hitting Mach 1.077 and nearly Mach 1.1, or approximately 713 mph. An F-15 chase plane flew beside the X-59 throughout the mission, keeping an eye on things and gathering data for NASA. Unfortunately, the sonic boom it generated along the way completely drowned out any sound from the X-59, thus they were unable to get the vital acoustic profile during this inaugural flight. The flight effectively marked the conclusion of the subsonic stage and the start of some serious supersonic testing. We’d conducted 16 test flights since the X-59’s debut in October, and as a result, we’d been slowly pushing the flying envelope at lower speeds, but today’s mission verified what engineers had suspected: the X-59 handles itself fairly well once it reaches speeds sufficient to break the sound barrier.

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Engineers designed the X-59 with a long, streamlined fuselage and a distinctive sharp nose. The goal of this design was to spread out the shock waves generated when a plane flew faster than sound. When an airplane reaches supersonic speeds, the waves begin to converge and eventually contact the ground as a big pressure spike that sounds like a loud boom. However, with the X-59, the waves are spread out over a longer length of time. So, instead of hearing a loud bang, you’ll hear a mild thud, similar to closing a car door in a calm neighborhood several houses away.

The Quesst mission’s ultimate goal is to collect flight data and community feedback to help engineers establish new noise limits. We’re talking about obsolete laws that were last modified in 1973 and state that commercial supersonic flights over land in the United States are prohibited due to sonic boom disturbances. If you can build something substantially quieter than a normal sonic boom, you might be able to get the faster passenger routes we all desire without the loud blast.

NASA was highly involved with this project, but they also collaborated closely with Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, which designed and produced the X-59. The aircraft incorporates an external vision system that helps the pilot maintain a clear forward view despite the towering nose that blocks a straight line of sight. Every time they fly the X-59, they collect a little more data and gain a better understanding of aerodynamics and performance. This knowledge will be used to develop innovative aircraft designs in the future. The next flight is likely to be within a few days. And that one will drive the plane to Mach 1.4 at about 55,000 feet. That is closer to what you want for potential commercial routes. As a result of a shock-sensing probe on the pursuit and ground microphones, we’ll be able to witness the X-59’s own acoustic signature.

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Google has set new browser performance records for Chrome following a year of improvements, with the latest results made using an M5 MacBook Pro.

As one of the main browsers in use today, Google Chrome has engineers working to improve its performance, so it can maintain its position in the market. That work can sometimes lead to massive improvements, even for Mac users.

In a Chromium blog post on June 4, Google declares that its optimizations to Chrome have resulted in it setting records in some industry-standard benchmarks. They are said to be records across all browsers.

For the JetStream 3 benchmark, it managed a score of 469, a new record and a 10% improvement from the start of 2026. At the same time, a test of Speedmeter 3.1 resulted in another score of 61, a 5% year-over-year bump.

The blog post explains that the results were measured using a MacBook Pro M5 with macOS 26.0.1 installed.

Project improvements

Google outlines three areas where work was carried out to improve performance.

The first, JavaScript, adjusted an optimizing compiler to inline “fast paths,” common paths used regularly, helping the engine skip some time-consuming tasks. Inlining async operations like microtask dispatch and await resolution also had a big impact.

Work was also made to improve Google’s heuristics of what JavaScript code to optimize, as well as to implement some missing optimizations in BigInt handling.

For WebAssembly, Google looked into how V8 managed internal data structures. Code generation optimizations helped improve performance for AI, cryptography, and interpreter use cases.

Changes were also made to reuse temporary memory in the compiler more efficiently. There was also work to reduce the overhead of function calls from JavaScript to WebAssembly.

On the rendering engine, Blink, there were optimizations to style resolution and DOM operations using smarter caching and reducing redundant DOM lookups. A fast bailout path reducing checks was introduced for element attribute tracking, while style recalculation delays were minimized and CCSS selector caching was simplified.

Foundational page-loading and text-processing performance was addressed, including making string copying more efficient. Critical performance bottlenecks were also identified in typography and vector graphics rendering.

The team also completed Apple Advanced Typography shaping optimizations and fixed font fallback issues. At the same time, it eliminated heap allocations for glyph width calculations and added a cache to speed up SVG processing for graphics.

A well-timed release

Google’s decision to publish a blog post on optimizations in early June, as well as bringing up the use of the M5 MacBook Pro and Apple Advanced Typography, is quite apt. Especially considering the week ahead.

Apple’s WWDC event is set to start on June 8, with the keynote address happening on the first day. That keynote will focus on software changes coming up in Apple’s operating systems, and will almost certainly touch upon Safari improvements at some point.

As a developer-focused event, a cynic may view Google’s article as trying to spoil Apple’s party and to try to diminish Safari in advance of the keynote. However, since the article is very much a web developer-focused piece, it is doubtful that it will make any real impact in the eyes of consumers.

These days, we take it for granted that a video game console will have multiple USB ports. There’s even an expectation that basic peripherals such as storage devices will “Just Work” when plugged into the system — a far cry from the days when each system had its own proprietary memory card.

The original Xbox from 2001 actually had USB ports as well, it’s just that they were used for the controllers and had non-standard connectors that kept you from plugging in other devices. But a simple adapter gets you a standard USB-A port, and after that it’s just a matter of software. Like this homebrew project to get generic USB webcams working on Microsoft’s first foray into console gaming.

Well, “generic” may be pushing it a bit, as the project by [Darkone83] currently lists only two compatible cameras. The first is the Xbox Live Vision Camera, which was never intended to be used on the original Xbox and was instead an accessory for Microsoft’s follow-up console, the Xbox 360. Interestingly, the other supported camera happens to be Sony’s PS2 EyeToy. Claiming that you plugged a PS2 camera into your Xbox would have been fighting words back on the playground circa 2003, but now it’s a reality thanks to the power of open source.

Now there technically was a camera for the original Xbox, but it was only released in Japan and is quite rare. Perhaps unsurprisingly it used the same OV519 chipset as the EyeToy and later Vision Camera, and reverse engineering how the console communicated with it was critical to the development of this project.

As of right now, there’s not much practical application for this webcam driver. It just shows the image from the camera on your TV in glorious 320×240 resolution. But now that the code to make it work is out in the wild, hopefully other Xbox homebrew projects will add support for it.

Although things aren’t quite as active these days as they once were, the hacking scene for the original Xbox is the stuff of legend. If you ever see one of this gargantuan consoles at a flea market for cheap, there’s still plenty of fun to be had pushing the system outside of its comfort zone.

It’s launching earlier than planned if everything goes well.

Pros

• Affordable
• Comfortable, secure fit with upgraded slim C-ring and air cushions
• Good sound for the price
• They’re equipped with Bluetooth 6.0 and are fully waterproof and dustproof with an IP67 rating
• Physical button for playback and volume control
• Solid battery life and decent voice-calling performance

Cons

• Rounded case is a little slippery
• Can distort a bit at higher volumes

Not too long after the release of Bose’s premium-priced Ultra Open Earbuds, budget clip-on earbuds started appearing, and they sounded pretty mediocre and looked pretty cheap, too. But in the last several months, I’ve tested an increasing number of affordable versions of this new earring style of open true-wireless earbuds that sound surprisingly good. Case in point: Baseus’ Bowie MC2 buds, which list for $80 but can be had for $60 after you apply an instant $20-off coupon on their product page at Amazon or the company’s site. 

Read more: The 6 Best Clip-On Earbuds I’ve Tested for 2026

The Bowie MC2 improves upon the earlier MC1 with superior sound and a design that’s a little less generic. (Don’t confuse it for the $10 cheaper MC2 Air buds, which are a slight step-down for sound and build quality.) They’re also a bit more comfortable, thanks to an upgraded “slim wave C-ring” and “air cushions” that come in three sizes.

Equipped with Bluetooth 6.0, they have an IP67 certification, which means the buds are fully waterproof and dustproof, making them suitable for runners and bikers. I also like that they have a small physical control button on each earbud to control playback and adjust volume. (You can customize the controls and adjust equalizer settings in the Baseus companion app.) 

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The buds offer a bit better performance to the Bowie MC1 Pro. I felt they sounded a little cleaner with slightly bigger sound overall and less distortion at higher volumes. (The MC2 has slightly larger 11-millimeter drivers instead of the 10.8mm driver found in the MC1 Pro.)

The sound does change a bit depending on where you place the buds on your ears, with a little bit of adjustment yielding more bass. These buds, like other clip-on open buds, aren’t designed for critical listening. But what’s notable is that the sound is now  respectable, with decent bass and treble response along with fairly natural-sounding mids (where voices live). Because they’re open earbuds — and they sound open, which is good — they do better in quieter environments because ambient sound will leak into your ears and compete with whatever you’re listening to.

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As far as competing models go, Earfun has improved the sound of its Clip 2 earbuds from its original Clip buds. However, they didn’t fit my ears quite as well as the Baseus Bowie MC2 buds, and the sound ended up coming across as a little recessed (less open) by comparison because the driver sat further outside my ear canal. I also thought the MC2’s sound was noticeably cleaner overall, particularly at higher volumes. Also, the bass response was better to my ears. Again, some of these sound differences may have been affected by the fit, but I’d still rate the Baseus buds higher for sound quality. (I manually pushed the drivers closer to my ear canals to optimize the sound quality to try to eliminate fit as a variable as much as I could.)

While not quite in the same league as Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds, Shokz’ Open Dots or Baseus’ own Inspire XC1 clip-on buds, they’re only a very small step down for sound quality but cost a lot less.

Like the MC1 Pro, these have support for the LDAC audio codec (along with AAC and SBC) for Android devices and multipoint Bluetooth pairing. A low-latency gaming mode is also available.

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Baseus is quickly becoming a leader in value headphones and earbuds, and its Bowie MC2 buds are easily among the best budget clip-on earbuds I’ve tested as of June 2026. They cost around $60 at Amazon, and Baseus also throws in a bonus item with your purchase. As of this writing, you can get Baseus BP1 Pro noise-canceling buds, which are valued at $24. Baseus bonus items have a tendency to change over time, so that item may be different in the future or not available at all. But at the moment, getting an extra set of budget ANC earbuds with a set of top-value clip-on buds that exceeded my expectations is a pretty nice deal.

Samsung’s next clamshell foldable may arrive with a familiar frustration. New reports suggest the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 8 could retain the same 25W wired charging speed as its predecessor, extending a trend that has now lasted several generations.

According to recent leaks, Samsung is expected to keep both the charging speed and battery capacity largely unchanged on the Galaxy Z Flip 8. If the reports prove accurate, the device will continue to use a 4,300mAh battery paired with 25W wired charging – specifications that have become increasingly difficult to justify as rivals push far beyond them.

The timing is particularly noteworthy because Samsung may be preparing a charging upgrade for its larger foldable sibling, the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Regulatory filings and industry reports indicate the Fold 8 could jump to 45W charging, potentially leaving the Flip lineup behind once again.

Samsung’s flip phone may be standing still while rivals move ahead

The Galaxy Z Flip series has historically prioritized design and portability over battery and charging performance, but that strategy is facing increasing pressure. Competing foldables from brands such as Motorola have already adopted faster charging technologies, with some models offering charging speeds between 30W and 45W.

For consumers, charging speed is one of the most noticeable day-to-day features. While processor upgrades and AI capabilities often dominate marketing campaigns, faster charging can have a much greater impact on everyday convenience. A phone that reaches usable battery levels in minutes rather than nearly an hour can dramatically improve the ownership experience.

Reports also suggest the Galaxy Z Flip 8 may retain the same 4,300mAh battery capacity found in the Galaxy Z Flip 7. That means Samsung could be focusing its efforts elsewhere, including chipset improvements, software enhancements, AI features, and refinements to the foldable design itself.

Leaks indicate the device may feature a thinner chassis, reduced display crease visibility, and Samsung’s next-generation Exynos processor, but none of those changes directly address charging concerns.

Galaxy Z Flip 8 could end up being a modest refresh

The broader picture emerging from leaks is that the Galaxy Z Flip 8 may be an iterative upgrade rather than a major redesign. Rumors point to largely unchanged cameras, similar display specifications, and minimal external design changes compared to the current model.

That does not necessarily make the phone a bad product. Samsung’s foldables remain among the most polished devices in the category, and the company continues to lead the global foldable market. However, consumers hoping for meaningful battery or charging improvements may need to temper their expectations.

Samsung is widely expected to unveil the Galaxy Z Flip 8 during its summer Galaxy Unpacked event, reportedly scheduled for July. Until then, additional leaks will likely reveal whether the company has any last-minute surprises planned for its next-generation foldable.