A New Mexico jury on Friday “found Facebook liable for deceiving users” about its privacy protections, reports the Associated Press.
A New Mexico newspaper calls it “another massive legal victory” against Facebook, reporting that the jury found Facebook “had committed tens of millions of violations of the state’s Unfair Practices Act in connection with its lies to consumers about how their personal information was handled by the company and third-party users.”
The state has asked the company be ordered to pay the maximum civil penalty of $5,000 per violation meaning a judge could potentially order the company to pay billions in penalties to the state. The jury also found the company had been dishonest about its investigation of and response to the 2013 Cambridge Analytica data breach scandal, in which approximately 300,000 Facebook users took an online personality quiz, only to have the app that hosted the quiz harvest data from tens of millions of their “friends.” The data was then transferred to the British consulting firm, which used it to create targeted political ads during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
More details from Reuters:
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The verdict followed a two-week trial over a lawsuit filed by New Mexico’s attorney general in 2021, three years after news reports revealed that the firm, Cambridge Analytica, had harvested personal data from as many as 87 million Facebook users through a third-party app… At a press conference after the verdict was announced, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said the case revealed “in stark detail the way in which this company plays fast and loose with the rules.”
Jurors found 26 of 29 statements identified by the state were misleading, including comments about user data… Judge Francis Mathew will now determine civil penalties after jurors found more than 43 million violations, based on the number of people affected by the company’s misleading statements… [New Mexico Attorney General] Torrez said his office is evaluating how much to seek but will push for the maximum penalty based on the jury’s findings. The state will also ask [Judge] Mathew to direct Meta to make changes, which could include corrections to its past misstatements as well as an audit of the way it manages user data, Torrez said.
Most laypeople who encounter SQL think of it purely as a tool for managing large datasets. While that is certainly what it was designed for, SQL is still a programming language at its core. It includes many of the features found in general-purpose languages like C or Python, and although it wasn’t built for general-purpose work, it can handle a surprising range of tasks that programmers might not expect to use it for. To demonstrate its capabilities, and perhaps to show off their skills with SQL, a group at CedarDB ported the original DOOM to this language.
The project stores the WAD data (essentially everything except the engine) in a series of tables, which was fairly straightforward compared to the rest of the project. Where it gets more complicated is managing the timing that ties the game to 35 fps, and of course rendering the images. Their rendering process takes up 1300 lines of SQL across 89 common table expressions (CTEs) which is certainly advanced for this language. The rest of the project is another 4000 lines of SQL, with a bit of Python to handle the keyboard inputs, timing, and display of the generated bitmap.
Perhaps counterintuitively, DOOM might be the perfect game to run on SQL. It was built in an era before dedicated graphics cards and isn’t truly 3D, meaning that the programmers had to do a lot of tricks to get it to look as if it is 3D. This results in a lot of data transformations uniquely suited to SQL. It’s almost like DOOM‘s original renderer was built by someone with extensive SQL knowledge in the first place. For those looking to try this out, the source code for the project is available on a GitHub page, and for some other unique implementations of DOOM there’s also this version built in regular expressions and this one in Microsoft Word.
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If you don’t own a pair of exercise headphones, you might be content working out with whatever kit you already own instead of paying for an extra gadget. Whether you’ve finally picked up some over-ear headphones worth buying, or have found wireless earbuds that are worth the money, you may just be happy using the device you already own.
But take it from me, as someone who’s been reviewing fitness and audio kit for years: you’re doing yourself a disservice. If you really want to work out to the best of your abilities, exercise headphones can give you advantages standard options can’t. Moreover, if you use normal headphones or earbuds that weren’t designed for fitness, you may end up damaging them in a few ways. There’s a reason this massive audio market segment exists.
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Let’s run down a few of the key advantages exercise headphones and earbuds have over “standard” models, highlighting some options worth considering and guiding you toward smart purchases. All of the suggestions are either pairs I’ve tested myself, or well-received models from brands with whom I have personal experience.
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They’re often designed to be sweatproof
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Sweating when you exercise is totally normal, as it’s your body’s way of cooling down. But do you know where sweat shouldn’t be? Your headphones — specifically, the cushions or ear tips. Many of the common materials used to make them can be damaged by your perspiration. For example, it can damage leather by removing protective coatings and creating salt deposits that break down the material. Devices without an ingress protection (IP) rating can also be damaged by the moisture.
This can be a big problem for your beloved headphones, causing them to get damaged and stop working far faster than they otherwise would, even if you take steps to protect your headphones from sweat. However, exercise headphones neatly sidestep the issue.
Any option worth its salt will have an IP rating of at least IPX4 to cover sweat, though options like the IP55-toting Sennheiser Sport offer more protected. Another benefit I’ve encountered frequently is that these buds seem designed so that sweat won’t impede their usual activity; if your earbuds get sweaty from a run, it won’t be on or near the magnetic charging pins, so when you put them in a case their charging isn’t affected. If you’re buying exercise headphones, the label “sweat-proof” should be the bare minimum you look for.
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You can replace and clean the cushions
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When it comes to exercise headphones, one specific sweat-proof feature isn’t offered nearly frequently enough on non-workout cans. Many of the best sports headphones I’ve tested let you remove the cushions, the parts that press onto your head, and few “standard” models let you take this part off easily.
Headphone cushions can get sweaty when you exercise, and even materials which aren’t damaged by perspiration, can still get slick or smelly if you don’t take care of them. Removing them makes them much easier to clean, and avoids you from accidentally damaging the rest of the device, so options like this can be much more hygienic, and safe.
So if you’re interested in over-ears, look for picks like the Raycon Fitness Headphones which tout pad replaceability as a key selling point. There’s an added benefit to replaceable ear cups, beyond avoiding the stink. Online, it’s easy to find cups with different materials or designs, so you can swap out cushions for ones that look better or feel more comfortable, the latter of which is naturally pretty important if you’re going to be wearing these while active.
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They’re designed to emphasize low-end sound
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Your sonic preference, for emphasis on treble or bass or a neutral sound, is completely your own. However, studies have indicated that bassy music is particularly good at motivating you when you work out (as are high-tempo tunes), in addition to it being conventional wisdom. This is something sports audio companies know, and in my experience, this kind of gadget is often the best at offering powerful low-end sound.
Every time I connect a new pair of exercise headphones, I know I’m going to get something with more bass heft than the average gadget, which makes them better than your average device for working out (some earbuds are good for rumbly low-end, but it’s not always the case). In fact, some companies have taken this to extremes. Shokz has its Bassphere tech in devices like the OpenDots 2 to emphasize low-end, and the Crusher 540 Active from Skullcandy has a physical bass slider which you can use to choose just how much bass your tunes have.
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Some models have open designs to hear your surroundings
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When you’re running or cycling on a busy road, lifting weights at a packed gym or doing yoga in a public space, it’s important to be able to hear your surroundings. You might think wearing headphones in the first place would be counterintuitive, but the best open-ear headphones will keep the driver in your ear without blocking the ear canal, so you can hear your music and your environment at the same time. This form factor isn’t exclusively for active users, but many early options like the Bose Sport Open Earbuds were designed for workouts.
There are two common types of open earbuds: hook-style like the Shokz OpenFit Pro which go around your ear, and clip-style models like the Soundcore AeroClip which clip onto the bottom of your ear. In my experience, clip buds sound and fit better, but hook buds have longer-lasting batteries and more advanced features. Ultimately, buying the model that feels most natural in your ear is most important.
Audiophiles won’t love these kinds of earbuds. The fact that the driver is far from your ear means that audio isn’t on par with other earbuds or headphones, but the safety and comfort are the real selling points. Other Slashgear writers have written about the appeal of switching to clip-on earbuds, so there’s more to read if you’re intrigued.
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They’re designed to sit well while you exercise
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There’s a reason your AirPods fly out of your ears when you start working out. When you’re exercising, you’re moving a lot more than you otherwise would be. Everyday earbuds or headphones aren’t all designed to stay in place during this kind of activity. They’ll drop out of your ears or off of your head at the slightest provocation. One of the key selling points of exercise headphones is that they’re designed to stay in place when you’re active.
Over-ear headphones for exercising are often designed to sit tight on your head, with options like the H20 Audio RIPT Ultra having a really firm clasping band. In-ear buds have a few solutions; some have ear hooks that go around the ear to keep them in place, like the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2. Others use small silicon hooks or fins to ensure they’re wedged in place in your ear, like the JBL Endurance Race 2 .
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All of the top-rated wireless earbuds that promise to never fall out are exercise buds that feature some sort of design element to ensure they stay in place. And a reliable fit isn’t just about avoiding the buds falling out; if they wiggle about in your ear, it can affect audio quality, even if they’re not falling to the floor.
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Better IP ratings let you swim with them
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If swimming is your sport of choice, then you’ll already know that most headphones and earbuds are off the table. Not only do mainstream options like the Sony WH-1000XM6 have no water resistance whatsoever, but they’re also often bulky and lacking the hydrodynamic considerations that you’d want when gliding through the water. But if you still want to enjoy music while you’re doing laps (and don’t want to see if your waterproof speaker can really go underwater), you’ll be glad to know that there a few swimming headphones you can buy.
Options like the Shokz OpenSwim Pro and H20 Audio Tri 2 Pro are waterproof enough to work in swimming pools — even if you’re going for underwater lengths — and they’re streamlined to not affect your stroke or fall off while you’re splashing about. They also offer some extra bonuses that’ll be useful for swimming, like the ability to store music so you can leave your phone out of the water (and because Bluetooth won’t work if you’re in water), and designs that don’t interfere with swim googles or caps.
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Some headphones let you store music and ditch your phone
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If you’re exercising with headphones or earbuds — including most pairs of fitness-designed ones — you’ll be bringing your smartphone along for the ride. These gadgets require a source device to play the music from, and unless you’ve opted for an audiophile-focused MP3 player, said device is probably your smartphone. But using a smartphone isn’t always ideal.
As we brought up just a couple paragraphs ago, swimming can present lots of complications, and if you’re running, you’ll have to hold your phone in your hand, or hope it fits in your pocket or shoulder holster. At the gym, you’ll need to remember to pick it up and carry it between stations. If you treat your workout as a digital detox away from your tech, this is all extra problematic.
However, a small group of fitness headphones have internal memory for music, allowing you to ditch the smartphone and keep all your tracks. The swimming earbuds we looked at before are prime examples, as is the Audio-Technica ATH-Sport90BT, which comes with 4GB internal memory. Sure, this solution can be a little fiddly: you will need your own music, instead of relying on a music streaming service, and it’ll take some set-up as you upload your tunes to the earbuds. But if you want to stay light while working out, this will let you keep another device at home or safely stowed in a locker.
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They have touch controls designed for mid-workout
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One of the reasons I personally find non-exercise headphones unsuitable for running is their touch controls. Almost all buds nowadays have some form of gesture control, haptic patch, or physical trigger, for playing or pausing your music, skipping a track, or changing the volume. Quite a few headphones do too. These don’t always work when you’re mid workout.
For starters, many such touch controls use haptic sensors, which sense your finger or gesture in order to enact a control. I’ve found these quite poor at recognizing sweaty fingers, and we’ve already discussed how that’s unavoidable during exercises. Many other options also need accurate touches, which can be nearly impossible when you’re bouncing up and down on a run, or mid-cycle and at risk of wobbling about with one hand off the handlebars.
Quite a few exercise headphones solve this problem by using smartly designed buttons. They’re often mechanical, which means you have to physically press or squeeze them like with the Baseus Bowie MC2 (resulting in a satisfying click), or they have large sensors that are hard to miss like the Soundcore Aerofit 2 Pro. This isn’t a major factor for every buyer, because for some tasks it’s simply easier to use your smartphone to control your music, but certain workouts require dexterity, and easy-to-use touch controls make a difference.
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Some of them can track your heart rate
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If you’ve bought a fitness tracker to help you meet your goals, then you already have a way to track your heart rate. Some people even own a heart rate monitor chest strap for the most accurate information possible. But if you’re trying to keep the tech to a minimum, you may want a way to track your heart rate without an extra gadget, and some earbuds offer that functionality. Naturally, you shouldn’t expect as accurate results as you’d get from a bespoke kit, but it can still be useful.
Models like the AirPods Pro 3 and Soundcore Liberty 4 have in-ear heart rate sensors that measure your metrics, at least once you enable the function. While neither of these pairs would be considered conventional exercise headphones, and they miss out on design considerations that make many alternatives so worthy, this feature could make them useful for buyers who don’t need anything especially hardy. Both also offer IP ratings for sweat protection (and more, the case of the AirPods).
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For some races, they’re the only legal pair
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You don’t want to spend months and months training for a marathon, only to discover that the buds you’d been running with since day one aren’t allowed in your ears during the event. Many major race organizers have bans on certain types of headphone: the Boston Marathon rules discourage the use of any kind of headphones, and United Kingdom Athletics rules actively prohibit most kinds as well. This is because buds which block your hearing, meaning you might not be safe on roads, and you can miss instructions from race marshals.
However, while your standard earbuds and headphones may not be allowed on the run, some exceptions exist, and they’re generally for exercise headphones that don’t block up your ear canal. We’ve already explored open earbuds, which keep your ear canal partially clear, but bone conduction headphones are another option. To paraphrase our bone conduction headphone explainer guide, these don’t go in your ear, and instead let you “hear” sound by transmitting vibrations through the bones in your skull. Therefore, something like the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 could be one of your only choices, if you plan to undertake a marathon.
Apple Music has announced which eight artists will be performing first at the new Apple Music Hall in London, beginning with Elton John on September 28, 2026.
Days after unveiling its spectacular new live concert venue in London, Apple Music has begun programming the venue. It’s announced eight artists playing from September to the start of December, with ticketing starting shortly, assuming you can navigate the website.
Apple Music Hall’s guide to forthcoming shows is stylish, dynamic, and looks brilliant as you scroll through the whole page. It’s just more of a pain when you try to select any of them.
Fortunately, you have time. While Elton John opens the program with a concert on September 28, 2026, tickets are not on sale until that morning.
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That’s a little unusual and realistically limits who can get to the performance at London’s Battersea Power Station. Apple is also releasing tickets on that date for the next two artists, who are playing on October 2 and October 7 respectively.
Once you get through to this section, buying tickets will be easy. But the program you have to go through first is a little tricky to navigate – image credit: Apple.
The first artists at Apple Music Hall, and when they are performing, are:
Elton John: September 28
Baby Keem: October 2
Skye Newman: October 7
Troye Sivan: October 13
Arlo Parks: October 22
Burna Boy: October 29
Chase & Status: November 26
Charli XCC: December 2
Doors for the first three concerts open at 6:00 P.M. local time each and it’s likely that all of them will. Each concert appears to have only a single pricing tier, which is 40 pounds Sterling, or approximately $53.
The hall can seat 600 people. During its announcement of the Apple Music Hall, Apple said that therefore an artist could play an intimate set.
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However, it also said that because of the audio, spatial audio, video, and live streaming capabilities of the space, they could simultaneously create a finished broadcast-quality recording. While Apple has not announced this, it’s beyond likely that all of these concerts will be made available on Apple Music at some point.
The opening programme is commendably broad, but it’s fitting that Elton John opens it. That’s because he was also one of the first DJs when Apple first began its radio station streaming with Beats 1 in 2015.
French soccer legend Zinedine Zidane begins his tenure as Les Bleus’ head coach on Friday with a tricky first test in the UEFA Nations League away to Turkey.
Zidane has big boots to fill, succeeding his former teammate Didier Deschamps, who consistently led the French to the latter stages of major tournaments throughout his 14 years in charge, notably winning the World Cup in 2018.
Zidane’s first job will be to lift his players after the disappointment of losing in the semifinal to Spain in this summer’s World Cup — a tournament they had looked well placed to win after making a superb start to the competition. Turkey, meanwhile, is looking to make amends after falling well short of expectations at the World Cup, crashing out early in the group stage.
Turkey hosts Franceat the Kocaeli Stadium in İzmit on Friday, Sept. 25. Kickoff is at 9:45 p.m. TRT local time in Turkey, which is 7:45 p.m. BST in the UK. It’s a 2:45 p.m. ET or 11:45 a.m. PT kickoff in the US and Canada and a 4:45 a.m. AEST start on Saturday in Australia.
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New France head coach Zinedine Zidane earned 108 caps as a player in a glittering international career, during which he scored 31 goals and won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000.Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu via Getty Images
Livestream the Turkey vs. France match in the US
Today’s game is on Fubo in the US, while Vix will also be covering the match with Spanish commentary.
Carries international soccer for $89 per month
Fubo
You’ll need Fubo’s Pro plan to watch today’s game. A subscription currently costs $89 per month and comes with a 5-day free trial. Click here to see which local channels you get in your region with Fubo. Read our Fubo review.
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The logo for Spanish language broadcasting network Vix in orange on a white background. / Vix
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Watch international soccer for $7
Vix
Vix currently starts at $7 per month for ad-supported streaming, and costs $11 per month for its premium, ad-free service tier.
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How to watch the Turkey vs. France match with a VPN
If you’re traveling abroad and want to keep up with all the action while away from home, a VPN can help enhance your privacy and security when streaming.
VPNs encrypt your traffic and prevent your internet service provider from throttling your speeds, and can also be helpful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling, adding an extra layer of protection for your devices and logins. VPNs are legal in many countries, including the US and Canada, and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy and security.
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However, some streaming services may have policies that restrict VPN use for accessing region-specific content. If you’re considering a VPN for streaming, check the platform’s terms of service to ensure compliance.
If you choose to use a VPN, follow the provider’s installation instructions to ensure you’re connected securely and in compliance with applicable laws and service agreements. Some streaming platforms may block access when a VPN is detected, so verifying if your streaming subscription allows VPN usage is crucial.
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable, safe VPN that works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $15 a month for the basic plan, but if you sign up for an annual subscription, you can save money.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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Price
$78 for two years
Latest Tests
No DNS leaks detected, 18% speed loss in 2025 tests
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British Virgin Islands
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Can I livestream the Turkey vs. France match in the UK?
Prime Video is showing a select number of UEFA Nations League matches this week via pay-per-view in the UK, with this game among those selected for broadcast.
Showing select UEFA Nations League games in the UK
Prime Video
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You won’t need to be a Prime subscriber to access Amazon’s coverage, but there is a £2.49 fee to watch this game.
If you don’t want an Amazon Prime membership, Prime Video standalone subscriptions start at £9 a month or £95 per year in the UK and include access to Prime Video’s content library of shows such as A Very Royal Scandal, Reacher, The Boys and more, as well as live Champions League action. The service is also included with a Prime membership.
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Livestream the Turkey vs. France match in Australia
The UEFA Nations League now has a new home Down Under, with matches being shown on beIN Sports. Today’s game is set to be broadcast on beIN Sports 2 and beIN Sports Connect.
Watch Nations League games from AU$15 per month
beIN Sports
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beIN Sports is available in Australia for AU$17 a month or a yearly commitment of AU$240. If you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber, you can purchase beIN as a Prime Video channel add-on for a slightly cheaper AU$15 per month.
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Livestream the Turkey vs. France match in Canada
If you want to stream this game live in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to DAZN Canada.
Watch international soccer in Canada from CA$30 a month
DAZN
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An annual DAZN subscription currently starts at CA$25 a month or CA$250 a year and will also give you access to the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League, plus EFL Championship soccer, Six Nations rugby and WTA tennis. Monthly subscription passes start at CA$35 per month.
In addition to dedicated apps for iOS and Android, there’s a wide range of support for set-top boxes and smart TVs.
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Kevin Lynch is a London-born, Dublin-based writer and journalist. The author of Steve Jobs: A Biographic Portrait, Kevin is a regular feature writer for a number of tech sites and the former Technology Editor for the Daily Mirror. He has also served as editor of GuinnessWorldRecords.com and has been a member of the judging panel for the BAFTA British Academy Video Game Awards.
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With the introduction of the iPhone Duo, U.S. smartphone customers can now choose from seven contemporary folding smartphones, including one from Google, two from Motorola, and three from Samsung.
The number of laptops with foldable screens ever produced is far fewer: one each from Asus, Huawei, HP and two from Lenovo.
While the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip have entered an annual upgrade cycle for Samsung, the foldable-screen laptop pipeline has been quiet. The most recent – Lenovo’s ThinkPad Fold 16 Gen 2 – hit the market in November 2023, more than a year after its unveiling.
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Surely, we haven’t seen the last of laptops with foldable screens, but a range of structural, technological, and economic issues have conspired to keep folding laptops from becoming more mainstream
ASUS touted the flexible usage scenarios of the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED. (Image credit: Future)
A RAMpocalypse victim
At their launches, foldable-screen laptops were among the most expensive in their line-ups. The Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED launched at $3,500 in 2022. A year later, the HP Spectre Foldable PC launched at $5,000, about 2.5x the price of a Galaxy Z Fold Ultra.
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Obviously, anyone spending this much is going to demand performance, including substantial RAM and flash storage, the two components that have seen their prices skyrocket during the AI data center-fueled ‘RAMpocalypse’. While PC vendors can eat a bit of margin on such high-end products, it’s reasonable to assume that successors launched today would require untenable prices.
On the other hand, it’s been more difficult for vendors to justify the premium because of the lack of a “device-class” jump. In other words, one of the great promises of foldable-screen phones is that you can have the functionality of a tablet in a form factor that stores in your pocket.
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This isn’t just about more screen real estate. Full participants in Apple’s ecosystem understand the differences in experience between the largest iPhones and the iPad mini, which were magnified when Apple finally went full desktop GUI on the iPad in iPadOS 26.
In contrast, when it comes to foldable-screen laptops, the jump from an approximately 13” Windows experience in clamshell mode to a 16” or 17” Windows experience in unfolded mode is less dramatic. (That said, there are some niceties such as the taller aspect ratio compared to most 16” laptops and the option of a portrait mode.)
This also helps to explain why we haven’t seen any foldable tablets from Samsung or Lenovo. Curiously, most of the work around extending Windows on a folding display has been around the scenario of adapting Peek preview to make more efficient use of virtual dual screens, UI improvements that of course also apply to laptops with actual dual screens such as the Asus Zenbook Duo, which received an update this year.
Designs like Lenovo’s ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable provide extra screen real estate while preserving clamshell design (Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)
Some assembly required
Furthermore, while foldable-screen phones require the extra step of unfolding to take full advantage of their screen real estate, their front displays enable everyday usage even when folded; even flip models like the latest from Samsung are improving their folded utility, In contrast, foldable-screen laptops include more significant prep trade-offs.
For example, while Lenovo’s first ThinkPad X1 Fold was able to store the Bluetooth keyboard between the halves of the folded display, the Gen 2 kept it separate, protected for travel by a case that doubles as a stand for the screen. When it’s time to move on, you have to reassemble the bundle, that is, after making sure to remove the keyboard lest you risk damaging the device.
In contrast, the few early glimpses of laptops with rollable screens that we’ve seen from Lenovo can make their full screen area available without any keyboard shuffling. Even though these motorized designs make you wait until the screen retracts before closing the lid, most users will likely find the trade-off worth it.
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When comparing foldable-screen phones to foldable-screen laptops, it makes sense that — other things being equal — the smaller device will reap the greater relative value from extra screen real estate on demand.
But these dynamics have meant that there’s been far more working in favor of smartphones; the next generation of laptops with bending displays will require some rethinking
No Game, Only Stuff: Rockstar has made it quite clear that GTA VI will not ship on a physical disc for consoles. However, the company is well aware that people still want to “touch” game stuff, so much so that they are willing to spend hundreds on completely worthless plastic toys and collectibles.
Rockstar recently announced a collectible set focused on Grand Theft Auto VI, the upcoming blockbuster whose extended gameplay reveal crashed Netflix and which will almost certainly make billions in profits over the next few years. Grand Theft Auto VI: The Goodtime State – Vice City Collection is a premium, albeit completely inconsequential, package featuring some potentially questionable items inspired by Leonida’s most popular TV show, Macca the Gator.
Rockstar recently announced a collectible set focused on Grand Theft Auto VI, the upcoming gaming blockbuster that crashed Netflix and will certainly make billions in profits over the next few years. Grand Theft Auto VI: The Goodtime State – Vice City Collection is a premium, albeit completely inconsequential, package featuring some potentially questionable items inspired by Leonida’s most popular TV show, Macca the Gator.
The limited-edition collector’s box is already available for pre-order with a hefty $400 price tag. Rockstar said pre-orders will remain open while supplies last, which means the box could soon become a highly sought-after collectible among scalpers and GTA enthusiasts.
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Leonida is the Florida-inspired fictional state where GTA VI’s crime adventure takes place, and Macca is the rosy mascot everyone is talking about down there. The GTA VI Vice City Collection includes a 6-inch figure of the aforementioned anthropomorphic gator, matte black sunglasses, a Leonida-themed A-Frame snapback hat, a pin set, a bag, a poster, and everything in between.
The box also includes three items that suggest a rather questionable use case: a Macca the Gator magnetic mirror, a Vice City swizzle spoon, and a Vice City razor blade keychain.
These “toys” would be perfect for preparing a particular type of substance that GTA and crime movie fans should know pretty well, although we doubt Tony Montana would ever use a rosy gator-themed razor to arrange his daily dose of the good stuff.
Despite the steep price, Rockstar confirms that the GTA VI collector’s box will not include the game itself. The package is clearly meant to cater to longtime fans of the Grand Theft Auto series, or even latecomers interested in “owning” a tangible piece of GTA VI memorabilia, at a time when big corporations are working hard to turn digital games into limited licenses they can revoke whenever they want.
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Until now, and before GTA VI’s massively hyped business operation, Rockstar had always released mainline GTA games in full physical format on every available platform. Now, the Take-Two subsidiary is asking fans to stay tuned as more GTA-themed gadgets and apparel become available through the company’s official store.
I’m still looking to complete my GTA collection after buying physical copies of the three games in the original 3D-era trilogy (GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas), although I only buy physical and play on PC. I hope Rockstar eventually offers me a rum swizzle.
An image of the new Apple TV 4K hardware appears to have leaked, showing that there’s nothing new on the outside. But big changes are rumored for the inside.
The current Apple TV 4K was released in October 2022, and a new model has been rumored to be in the cards for some time. The model on store shelves today features an aging A15 Bionic chip and just 4GB of RAM.
Now, the image file reported by MacRumors has revealed the new Apple TV 4K’s upgrades will all be internal, with Apple choosing to stick with its tried and tested design of a small, featureless black box.
The good news is that previous leaks have suggested it will be a box very much ready for 2027 and beyond. Rumored upgrades will make the new Apple TV 4K a more capable streaming and gaming device while bringing Siri AI to the TV for the first time.
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The presence of the image file also suggests that the new Apple TV 4K will be released sooner rather than later. It was already expected to launch at some point this fall.
Much-needed upgrades
Previous Apple TV 4K rumors have pointed to some big improvements in terms of performance. The iPhone 18 Pro’s A20 Pro is expected to be a huge upgrade for gamers, while a doubling of RAM to 8GB will also be beneficial for larger apps.
Both of these upgrades will also allow Apple to bring Siri AI to the Apple TV 4K. Users will be able to ask Siri questions and have it find content or launch apps with a reliability not currently offered by the ailing digital assistant.
On the connectivity front, Apple’s N1 chip is set to bring super-fast Wi-Fi 7 to the Apple TV 4K for the first time. The same chip will be responsible for Bluetooth 6 support, allowing for a stronger, more reliable connection to accessories. One of those accessories is also set to be a revised Siri Remote.
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One aspect of the new Apple TV 4K that remains unknown is its price. Apple hiked the price of the current model to $199 in June 2026. Streaming fans will hope for a price cut when the new model launches.
I’ve noticed a lot more businesses using AI agents to process customer support requests. But now it’s getting weird.
Google’s Live Avatar feature is now available for those with Gemini Enterprise. This comes days after Google announced Gemini 3.8 Live and Gemini 3.8 Live Extended Thinking.
What exactly is Live Avatar? It combines an interactive visual experience with a conversational AI agent to do things like filing insurance claims through a video chat — which was Google’s example in its announcement. Businesses or those with Google Enterprise can choose from a few avatars to put a face to an AI agent’s voice.
Live Avatar seems pretty handy for businesses. It can create live video avatars with lip synching for conversational videos and process live audio, screen sharing and video feeds simultaneously. Live Avatar can run tools and API calls while continuing conversations with customers. But imagine a cartoon or realistic-looking avatar’s lips moving to match the bot’s voice to handle your request. Creepy.
Live Avatar also aims to create more fluid dialogue with native speech-to-speech for “more natural interruption recovery without dropping conversation context or backend transactions.”
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Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on when it will be available to the general public or how it plans to safeguard the information the AI agent receives during video calls (like, in the insurance example, your address, name and live video when filing a claim).
Google has a few safeguards in place to prevent misuse, like choosing from curated, prebuilt avatars. If you want to create a custom avatar, you’ll have to go through a verification process, Google’s announcement says. All audio and video are watermarked with SynthID to keep all AI content verifiable.
Dashia Milden
Senior Consumer Insights Editor
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Dashia is the consumer insights editor for CNET. She specializes in data-driven analysis and news at the intersection of tech, personal finance and consumer sentiment. Dashia investigates economic shifts and everyday challenges to help readers make well-informed decisions, and she covers a range of topics, including technology, security, energy and money. Dashia graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She loves baking, teaching spinning and spending time with her family.
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OpenAI appears to be preparing a new ChatGPT Pro Max subscription that could cost $500 per month, but it’s unclear when it’ll begin rolling out.
OpenAI users, particularly power users, have been requesting more usage than the existing $200 plan offers for a while, so the $500 plan isn’t just coming out of nowhere.
Right now, we don’t know when you’ll be able to subscribe to the $500 plan, but as spotted by TestingCatalog, the unannounced plan has started appearing in ChatGPT’s subscription interface alongside Plus and existing Pro options.
OpenAI tests a new $500 plan (up to $600 with VAT included)
Source: OpenAI / TestingCatalog on X
One version of the page lists Pro Max at $500 per month, while another shows $600 after local taxes or VAT are included.
So far, the most interesting difference in OpenAI’s description is “Fastest Work and Codex.”
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I also noticed that ChatGPT’s new plan teases access to the company’s most capable frontier models, maximum memory, 100GB of file storage, and early access to new features.
It is worth noting that the $200 plan also promises early access, so we are not sure if that capability is going away and becoming exclusive to the $500 plan.
OpenAI has not announced Pro Max, so we don’t know its exact usage limits yet. It could also offer substantially higher allowances than the existing Pro plans.
ChatGPT Pro Max could use Cerebras for faster AI
There’s another interesting possibility behind the “Fastest Work and Codex” wording, and the guess is that it could use Cerebras.
The most recent development was from early this year, when Codex-Spark launched on Cerebras at more than 1,000 tokens per second, and OpenAI later demonstrated GPT-5.6 Sol running at up to 750 output tokens per second in its Cerebras-powered Ultrafast mode.
It is entirely possible that Cerebras is a likely candidate for powering at least some of Pro Max’s faster Work and Codex experience, although neither OpenAI nor Cerebras has confirmed that connection.
Right now, ChatGPT offers Pro tiers at $100 and $200 per month, but new sign-ups and upgrades to the ChatGPT Pro $200 plan have been temporarily paused since September 10.
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Nscale has closed a $3.36B pre-IPO convertible note round led by Third Point, with Nvidia, Apollo, Citadel and the Abu Dhabi Investment Council among the investors, three weeks after it was reported to be seeking up to $3.5B. The London company filed to list on the New York Stock Exchange last week under the ticker NSCL.
Nscale has raised $3.36B in a pre-IPO convertible note round led by Third Point, Bloomberg reported. Nvidia, Apollo, Citadel, Hudson Bay Capital, the Abu Dhabi Investment Council and 8090 Industries took part. The company is based in London and filed last week to list in New York.
It asked for more than that.
Three weeks ago it was reported to be seeking $3.5B, split between convertible notes led by Third Point and a larger cheque from Nvidia. What closed is about $140M short of that. Goldman Sachs acted as placement agent.
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Nvidia’s money arrives later.
The total includes a $2.36B tranche and a separate $1B commitment from Nvidia expected in mid-November. The notes convert into ordinary shares when the listing completes, or into non-voting shares in Nvidia’s case. The listing itself may raise as much as $3B on top of what has just been committed.
Nvidia has done this before.
It bought SB Energy stock at 90% of its IPO price this month, also in non-voting form, also before a listing. It now holds around $99B of shares in companies that buy its chips. Nscale is one of them.
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The conversion terms name a number.
The notes are priced at the IPO price minus a double-digit percentage discount, and that discount is adjusted up to a $30B valuation, above which the conversion price does not move. The filing is reported to seek up to $35B. Nobody has explained which way that gap cuts.
The accounts are still young.
Revenue reached $140.6M in the first half of this year, more than thirteen times what it took in the same period last year, against a net loss of $1.02B. The contracted backlog stands at $103.4B, up from $38B at the end of last year. Most of that backlog is revenue not yet earned.
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The company is British.
It was spun out of a cryptocurrency mining operation in early 2024, and its board includes Sheryl Sandberg and Nick Clegg, a former British deputy prime minister. Twenty-two banks are working on the offering. All of them are preparing a listing that will not happen in London.
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