Author: Eternity Lab

Some of the world’s most widely used open-weight generative AI (GenAI) services are profoundly susceptible to so-called “multi-turn” prompt injection or jailbreaking cyber attacks, in which a malicious actor is able to coax large language models (LLMs) into generating unintended and undesirable responses, according to a research paper published by a team at networking giant Cisco.

Cisco’s researchers tested Alibaba Qwen3-32B, Mistral Large-2, Meta Llama 3.3-70B-Instruct, DeepSeek v3.1, Zhipu AI GLM-4.5-Air, Google Gemma-3-1B-1T, Microsoft Phi-4, and OpenAI GPT-OSS-2-B, engineering multiple scenarios in which the various models’ output disallowed content, with success rates ranging from 25.86% against Google’s model, up to 92.78% in the case of Mistral.

The report’s authors, Amy Chang and Nicholas Conley, alongside contributors Harish Santhanalakshmi Ganesan and Adam Swanda, said this represented a two to tenfold increase over single-turn baselines.

“These results underscore a systemic inability of current open-weight models to maintain safety guardrails across extended interactions,” they said.

“We assess that alignment strategies and lab priorities significantly influence resilience: capability-focused models such as Llama 3.3 and Qwen 3 demonstrate higher multi-turn susceptibility, whereas safety-oriented designs such as Google Gemma 3 exhibit more balanced performance.

“The analysis concludes that open-weight models, while crucial for innovation, pose tangible operational and ethical risks when deployed without layered security controls … Addressing multi-turn vulnerabilities is essential to ensure the safe, reliable and responsible deployment of open-weight LLMs in enterprise and public domains.”

What is a multi-turn attack?

Multi-turn attacks take the form of iterative “probing” of an LLM to expose systemic weaknesses that are usually masked because models can better detect and reject isolated adversarial requests.

Such an attack could begin with an attacker making benign queries to establish trust, before subtly introducing more adversarial requests to accomplish their actual goals.

Prompts may be framed with terminology such as “for research purposes” or “in a fictional scenario”, and attackers may ask the models to engage in roleplay or persona adoption, introduce contextual ambiguity or misdirection, or to break down information and reassemble it – among other tactics.

Whose responsibility?

The researchers said their work underscored the susceptibility of LLMs to adversarial attacks and that this was a source of particular concern given all of the models tested were open-weight, which in layman’s terms means anybody who cares to do so is able to download, run and even make changes to the model.

They highlighted as an area of particular concern three more susceptible models – Mistral, Llama and Qwen – which they said had probably been shipped with the expectation that developers would add guardrails themselves, compared with Google’s model, which was most resistant to multi-turn manipulation, or OpenAI’s and Zhipu’s, which both rejected multi-turn attempts more than 50% of the time.

“The AI developer and security community must continue to actively manage these threats – as well as additional safety and security concerns – through independent testing and guardrail development throughout the lifecycle of model development and deployment in organisations,” they wrote.

“Without AI security solutions – such as multi-turn testing, threat-specific mitigation and continuous monitoring – these models pose significant risks in production, potentially leading to data breaches or malicious manipulations,” they added.

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You might not expect there to be much risk of collisions out in the infinite void of space, but at least within Earth’s orbit, there’s a veritable gravel pit of loose debris flying around at potentially dangerous speeds. Earth’s space junk problem is pretty concerning, what with the well over million pieces of debris in orbit, and that’s just the bits large enough to track. This is why composite materials manufacturer Atomic-6 has developed its new “Space Armor,” a lightweight, high-strength material that could protect spacecraft, satellites, and even astronauts themselves from these spacebound projectiles.

Unlike here on Earth, there’s no gravity to slow a projectile’s momentum in space, so once a little shard of metal gets up to speed, it won’t stop until it hits something with disastrous results. Space Armor is designed to safely receive the impact of flying space debris without endangering sensitive equipment beneath the plating, or allowing any other debris to penetrate or splinter off into additional projectiles. Not only will this armor plating go a long way toward protecting vital spacefaring assets and personnel, it can do so with a fraction of the weight of most leading protection solutions.

Space Armor has impressive strength at lighter weights

Currently, the most frequent choices for protecting spacecraft are materials like solid aluminum and the Whipple Shielding employed by some satellites and the International Space Station. While these materials are good enough at stopping the majority of direct impact damage, their metal compositions mean that, when struck, small bits will splinter off and go flying, which leads to more debris orbiting around Earth and potentially transforming into more dangerous projectiles. Researchers have been tinkering with ways to cut down on space debris, such as Japan’s experiments in building satellites out of wood, but we still need a better way to protect what’s already up there.

Space Armor is made of a composite material rather than metal, which means that when it’s struck, it doesn’t generate any additional debris. The material is also far lighter than its metal contemporaries while providing the same level of strength and coverage. A square meter of Space Armor Lite tile weighs about 14 kilograms (approximately 30.8 pounds), and can stop a projectile up to 3 millimeters in size flying at up to 7.2 kilometers per second. You’d get roughly the same basic strength and size defense from a sheet of aluminum with a thickness of 1 centimeter, but that aluminum sheet would weigh twice as much at 28.8 kilograms (approximately 63.5 pounds).

Atomic-6 is currently developing an even stronger Space Armor plate, Space Armor Max, with comparable stopping power to Whipple Shielding. The company doesn’t know exactly how much it will weigh yet, but odds are good it will be less than the 27.5 kilograms you’d get from a square meter of Whipple Shielding.

The plates could protect spacecraft, satellites, and astronauts

Atomic-6 developed Space Armor plating with the help of funding from the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force, specifically a $1.2 million Small Business Innovation Research Phase 2 award and a $3.8 million Tactical Funding Increase agreement. With the blessing of both agencies, Atomic-6 is looking to begin running tests in orbit with satellites as soon as next year.

Atomic-6 has already conducted extensive testing using simulated hypervelocity launchers, which fire off small projectiles at a comparable speed and size to the flying debris that spacecraft could be subjected to. Part of the appeal of Space Armor’s tile-based design is that the tiles can be sized and cut to a client’s needs, with custom sizing up to 1 square meter available.

“It has taken around 18 months to take Space Armor tiles from an idea to a final product. So we took the shot at making a tile, and were blown away by the test results,” Atomic-6 CEO Trevor Smith said in a statement to Space.com, “We offer Space Armor in simple hex tiles, but we can technically make Space Armor into most any shape you want.”

Once Space Armor’s viability has been definitively proven, it could be used in just about any spacefaring applications you could think of, whether it’s protecting vital communication satellites, shoring up space craft, and even providing an extra layer of defense to astronauts. For satellites in particular, Space Armor comes in both radio-permitting and radio-blocking versions, unlike Whipple Shielding which blocks all radio signals. The tiles could be used to protect the most sensitive parts of a communication satellite without hampering its functions. This kind of benefit will become even more important as more satellites are sent into orbit from brands like Starlink.

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Fuelled by a mandate to create “an experience for millions”, the City of London is aiming to redefine how connectivity utilising leading-edge technologies empowers residents, visitors and businesses. As part of this plan, it has forged a partnership with Roc Technologies.

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile of the UK capital, with a dedicated mandate to “foster a vibrant and successful” location which is the beating heart of the UK’s financial industry.

Headquartered at Guildhall in the City of London, the corporation delivers a range of municipal functions including public services, policing oversight and open spaces management – while also promoting the interests of the UK’s principal international financial and professional services centre.

Its coverage spans the City of London Corporation, the City of London Police, the Barbican Centre, City of London schools, parks, libraries and protected heritage locations such as Epping Forest, the iconic ponds at Hampstead Heath and Mansion House. With over 200 locations, the City of London has to ensure connectivity reaches every employee, official, resident and visitor in its community.

The partnership with Roc Technologies is designed to build on this vision, helping the corporation advance digital innovation and further strengthen its position in the business and financial services sector. As a strategic partner, Roc will deliver an end-to-end networking connectivity service, encompassing what is said to be a UK-first enterprise secure access service edge (SASE) roll-out for public services, AI-driven wireless capability and high-availability internet.

Having reliable, high-speed access is designed to allow City of London Corporation staff to work productively and securely from any location. The service is based on the HPE AI-Ops platform, Juniper Mist, Palo Alto Networks’ Prisma SASE service and Vorboss business connectivity, via its dedicated, fully owned and managed central London fibre network. 

Roc’s technology will use cloud and AI capabilities for network delivery and services, incorporating the first public sector full enterprise deployment of SASE in the UK. This will in turn provide standardised, highly available connectivity to millions of users across the City of London, while simultaneously enhancing and automating security at the edge.

One particular demand in the contract was that the enhanced connectivity addressed critical public safety challenges such as ensuring support for 4K body-worn police cameras to help protect officers and the communities they serve, even in remote areas.

With all traffic and devices managed in the cloud, offering significant operational enhancements and cost savings, Roc’s service has protections such as safeguarding operations from their secure networks and security operations centre, and applying data controls including data loss prevention, zero trust networking access and alignment with UK policing standards.

All Roc suppliers and partners involved in the transformation and delivery of the service maintain resilient datacentre operations in the UK, ensuring no sensitive data leaves the UK.

“The City of London sees footfall of millions of people a day, so it’s vital that a consistent network experience is delivered across all locations and to all users, including visitors, residents and businesses regardless of the services they need to access,” said Roc Technologies chief technology officer Chelsea Chamberlin.

“We’re delighted to be the sole primary supplier for this exciting project, drawing on a range of solutions from our expert partners to deliver a truly future-proof network architecture in the heart of the capital.”

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The government has announced 14 projects sharing £14m through Innovate UK’s Quantum Sensing Mission Primer awards, to support the development of next-generation sensors that could be used in healthcare, transport and defence.

The funding announcement ties in with the National Quantum Technologies Showcase, which brought thousands of researchers, investors and global policymakers together in London. The government has positioned the event as a step forward to unlock quantum’s vast potential to drive economic growth and national renewal, and help tackle major challenges such as health and climate.

Projects include a portable eye scanner that could replace the large and expensive optical coherence tomography machines currently relied on in hospitals, and a new type of sensor to enable civil engineers to detect buried structures without the need for costly excavation works.

Along with funding for projects, the UK’s National Quantum Computing Centre has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. The government hopes the MoU will enable easier UK-Japan collaboration in quantum computing research, as well as talent exchange.

Through £30m of Innovate UK support, seven quantum computing testbeds have been deployed at the National Quantum Computing Centre. These will enable businesses to demonstrate and validate new quantum computing technologies.

Earlier this week, the National Metrology Institute – Quantum was launched at the National Physical Laboratory. The UK is a co-chair of this quantum research and development partnership across the G7 and Australia.

“Quantum technologies are changing the world – from ultra-sensitive sensors to help diagnose diseases, through to the potential of a new type of computer that can do things in seconds that would take today’s computers decades to compute,” said science minister Patrick Vallance. “The UK already has considerable strengths, and lots of exciting new companies have sprung up in the UK. The funding and agreements being announced today aim to support this exciting and important growth area right across the country.”

The package of support includes the Quantum Centre for Nuclear Defence and Security at the Atomic Weapons Establishment, which is working with the University of Strathclyde to bring quantum computing and sensing to bear in nuclear science and technology.

There is also a £300,000 government investment to relaunch the Scotland-California quantum and photonics partnership, which brings quantum researchers from across the universities of Strathclyde, St Andrews, Heriot-Watt and Glasgow together with colleagues from Stanford and the California Institute of Technology.

The government’s industrial strategy includes £670m for quantum computing. Among its goals is the development of quantum computers, which are capable of outperforming conventional supercomputers, by 2036.

UKQuantum, the industry body for quantum computing in the UK, welcomed the UK’s plans for quantum computing.

“The achievements of the UK’s National Quantum Technologies Programme over the last 10 years have positioned the UK as one of the world’s leading quantum nations,” said Jonathan Legh-Smith, executive director of UKQuantum.

“Our companies have developed world-leading technologies across the whole quantum domain – including sensing, imaging, clocks and computing – with strong engagements across sectors such as transport, finance, telecommunications and defence.”

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Following Apple’s ongoing dispute against the European Union’s Digital Markets Act legislation, the company confirmed to French publication Numerama that iOS 26.2 will remove automatic Wi-Fi network syncing between iPhone and Apple Watch in the region. According to the report, Apple is responding to the European Commission’s interoperability requirements, which wants the American company to continue to open up its iPhone ecosystem and features to third-party developers.

That said, Apple decided to remove the ability to automatically connect the Apple Watch to the same network the iPhone is connected to in iOS 26.2. While this seemingly won’t affect the networks that the Apple Watch already has stored, it will mean that the user needs to sign in separately on each device going forward. Even though Apple hasn’t addressed this case specifically, the company previously said that it wouldn’t be afraid to remove features in Europe to protect its users’ data against “data hungry companies.”

European Commission still expects Apple to commit to other fundamental changes

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With Apple set to remove this key Apple Watch feature for EU users, the company has been reportedly working on other interoperability features that will be available for European users. For example, iOS 26.1 beta code revealed that the company is working to implement third-party smartwatch notifications from the iPhone, making these devices more compatible with Apple’s iPhones.

Besides that, another report suggests that AirDrop might get a security PIN whenever users start a connection with a user. This could be a way for Apple to avoid opening up the AirDrop technology to other companies, which it says might put user data at risk. Still, the company has other features it might need to implement in iOS 26 and iOS 27 to appease the European Commission.

Last May, Apple filed an appeal against interoperability rules in the EU. However, a final decision hasn’t been reached yet, and the company keeps saying it could continue to limit features in the region to protect itself and its users.

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In August, Google announced a Gemini-powered tool that can help you make sense of the financial world, the new Google Finance “reimagined with AI at its core.” On Thursday, Google unveiled new features coming to Google Finance, including an AI capability some users will love: Support for Deep Search reports. If the feature sounds familiar, it’s because the Gemini app already offers Deep Research support for topics users want more detailed reports based on thorough web searches. A similar feature is also available in Google Search’s AI Mode, called Deep Search.

Deep Search will work similarly in Google Finance, but it will focus on the world of finance and the financial markets. Deep Search in Google Finance will let users ask complex questions and have Gemini provide the detailed analysis they want about a specific company, market, and events that might impact their financial decisions. Google explained in a blog post that Gemini models will “get to work” on the prompt by performing up to hundreds of simultaneous searches and “reasoning across disparate pieces of information” to produce a detailed report within minutes.

Google

The Deep Search feature in Google Finance will also show users how the report has been created so they can understand how the AI generated the financial reports. After the report is ready, the AI can continue the conversation, allowing the user to ask follow-up questions. Citations will also be available to the user, so they can visit websites Gemini used to create the report.

Kalshi, Polymarket, and earnings data in Google Finance

Google

While Deep Search is the most important new AI feature for Google Finance, Google also added a few other useful tools to the app. Users will be able to access prediction market data from Kalshi and Polymarket directly in Google Finance via natural conversation prompts. You might ask something like “What will GDP growth be for 2025?” and Google Finance will automatically display data from prediction markets showing the current probabilities.

Google also highlighted a feature it announced last week, a new earnings experience for Google Finance that lets you stay on top of earnings reports and earnings calls. The “Upcoming earnings” calendar will show all scheduled earnings events. Clicking a ticker can also provide information about upcoming earnings reports. A new “Earnings” tab will give you information about the next earnings call, and let you tune into a live audio stream when it happens. The AI will transcribe the call in real-time. Also, an “At a glance” feature will deliver AI-powered insights about the company. The information will be updated before, during, and after the call, so users can stay informed throughout the earnings report period.

Earnings season just got a major upgrade. We’ve launched a brand new earnings experience in the new Google Finance! Get live audio, instant transcripts and AI insights right when they matter. pic.twitter.com/gl8ic2mrAM

— Rose Yao (@dozenrose) October 31, 2025

Deep Search will be available to Google Finance users in the U.S. in the coming weeks, with subscribers to the Google AI Pro and AI Ultra premium services getting higher usage limits. Prediction markets data will be available to users in the coming weeks, starting with Labs users. These features will be available in additional markets in the future. Finally, Google is rolling out Google Finance in India, with support for English and Hindi.

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Jeff Bridges-owned WideluxX unveiled a prototype of its analog, retro camera at the annual convention of the International Association of Panoramic Photographers. In a video shown during the conference, the Bridges — Jeff and his wife Susan Bridges — presented the new camera design to the audience. Involved are the Bridges, Charys Schuler, and Marwan El Mozayen, the latter of which are also responsible for publishing the Silvergrain Classics magazine. It’s an inspiring idea, but why bring back the Widelux and what makes it so iconic?

The original Panon Camera Shoko Widelux series of cameras is well-known for its unique designs, spanning several releases from the late 1950s (Widelux FI) to the final model released in 2000, the Widelux F8. Classified as a swing lens panoramic camera, it works differently than traditional shutter models. Instead, the camera has a slit, which exposes the film, at the same time the lens pivots on a horizontal arc. This not only provides a distinct style for the finished photos but also the expansive, panoramic images captured through the rotating lens are credited as being more immersive and “cinematic.” A huge proponent of these cameras is Hollywood actor Jeff Bridges. He began using the Widelux camera in 1984 to capture and document behind the scenes experiences, on sets of big movies like “The Big Lebowski” and “Seabiscuit.” He even published his photos in a book and online, and won the International Center of Photography’s Infinity Award in 2013 for his work. Unfortunately, the Panon factory burned down in 2005 with all blueprints and that put a wrench in further production. It makes perfect sense why Bridges and his colleagues are reviving the classic beauty.

What is the new Widelux prototype?

Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock

With some of the world’s top camera brands giving up because everyone has a camera in their smartphone now, it is good to see projects that honor unique technologies like the Widelux. Especially when brands like Apple are working to simplify the camera controls, not unlike old-school cameras. Susan Bridges explicitly calls out in the announcement video, “We’re keeping it old-school.” Reverse-engineered and based on the final Widelux F8, the new prototype from WideLuxX is made from scratch. Since the Panon factory burned down in 2005, and all the blueprints with it, the unique, mechanical parts need to be painstakingly crafted. While few details are forthcoming, we know the camera is handmade in Germany. More will be shared on WideLuxX’s official site. The site also describes a faithful recreation that preserves “everything that made the original great” while also incorporating sustainable manufacturing processes.

The new WideLuxX will be “purely mechanical” much like the old one, and “designed to last for generations.” This is nothing like the redesigns of old tech, the Kodak Smile+ and HP Sprocket Panoramic Printer come to mind. It’s a labor of love, and looking back through some of Bridges’ classic photos, you can see the DNA of the camera in the shots. The distinct panoramic style, even with its curved distortion, is almost a character of its own. As for when the new Widelux camera will be released and move beyond the prototype stage, there’s no word as of yet. If you’re interested, it’s best to sign up at WideluxX to get updates if and when they arrive.

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For some people, reading can be as simple as grabbing a book from the shelf — or opening one on Kindle — and then curling up in a quiet corner. For others, though, their reading experience wouldn’t be complete without some technology. Yes, technology has proven to be quite handy in every other part of the home, so it would make sense to use it even in your reading routine. This can come in the form of iOS or Android apps designed for avid readers. It can also be physical gadgets that upgrade your comfort and enjoyment.

A quick browse online and you’ll find a whole range of reading accessories that fit the bill, from lighting solutions to text magnifiers. They’re all easy to use, and the best part is that they’re easy on the wallet too. To give you an idea, here are five cheap but useful gadgets every avid reader should consider getting for their reading sessions.

DATAFY Remote Control Page Turner

While e-readers are generally lightweight, holding one for hours on end can get tiring real quick. It would be much more convenient if you could just prop your e-reader up a few feet away as if you’re watching a TV and then control it remotely. Well, you can actually achieve such a setup with a gadget like the DATAFY Remote Control Page Turner.

This under $20 page turner is quite straightforward. Simply pair the screen sensor clip with the remote control and install the clip right where you typically tap to turn the page. Once the clip is secured, press the remote, and you’re ready to start reading. The page turner works within a maximum range of 33 feet (10 meters) and is compatible with several popular devices that use capacitive screens — a.k.a. the displays that react to the touch of a finger. These devices include Kindle Paperwhite and Oasis, Kobo, iPad, Android tablet, and even Android phone with a Kindle-like display. Just make sure the device is 0.45 inch thick or less. Since the page turner runs on battery power, it will only last for roughly three hours of active use or at least a couple of months on standby. You can then recharge it with any USB-C adapter. 

Besides flipping pages on your e-reader, the DATAFY Remote Control Page Turner doubles as a camera remote control for smartphones too. It can snap a picture or start a video recording of you from a distance. Just clip it to where the camera shutter is.

MagniPros Page Magnifier

Probably one of the biggest draws of e-readers is the option to change the font size to make reading more comfortable. Unfortunately, physical books, newspapers, or magazines don’t offer such flexibility. If you prefer the reading experience on traditional printed materials, though, the MagniPros Page Magnifier can come in handy.

Available for under $25 on Amazon, this page magnifier can enlarge the text by five times to help you read better. It uses an anti-glare lens for magnification and 24 LED lights around the lens for illumination. You can change the lights to one of three modes: cool white (12 LEDs on), warm white (12 LEDs on), and combo (all 24 LEDs on), depending on how bright you want it to be. Each mode supports dimming for added control. Just press the button to switch modes, or long press to dim the lights.

On top of the light features, the MagniPros Page Magnifier is designed with an adjustable stand for hands-free use. The stand itself can be bent from 0 to 90 degrees, while the magnifier can be rotated from 0 to 360 degrees. If this setup is too bulky for you and you just want to hold the magnifier with your hand, you can detach or collapse the stand. Power-wise, the magnifier just requires three AAA batteries, so they should be easy to replace.

Aside from reading, the MagniPros Magnifier can also help you with other hobbies that require detailed work, like sewing, diamond painting, and tiny model building.

Gritin 9 LED Rechargeable Book Light

Reading a physical book after dark isn’t a problem if you sleep alone. But if you share the room with someone else, you’ll usually end up using your phone’s flashlight and getting tired from holding it up all night long. In this case, what you need is a light specifically designed for reading. One affordable option is the Gritin 9 LED Rechargeable Book Light, a highly-rated reading accessory you can get from Amazon.

This Gritin Book Light is a wireless clip-on light with nine LEDs. Weighing only 2.22 oz, it’s lightweight enough to snap onto the top of any book or e-reader up to 1.18 inches thick. It can also stand on its own since the clip has a flat base, handy for when you want to use it as a desk light instead.

The book light is built with several convenient features to fit your needs. For one, it includes a 360-degree flexible gooseneck that lets you aim the light wherever you need it. The light offers some typical customization features like dimming and color modes too. You can adjust the brightness from 10% (15 lumens) to 100% (75 lumens) and pick from three color modes: warm, cool white, and mixed color.

In terms of runtime, the book light lasts a maximum of 80 hours at 10% brightness, thanks to its built-in 1,000mAh battery. However, this big battery means it takes a bit longer to charge, requiring around 2.5 hours to reach 100% via USB-C.

Glocusent Book Light

Clip-on lights as reading lights are generally okay, but they aren’t always the best option for everybody. This is especially true if you have a thick book that’s too big for the clip, or a clip-on light so heavy it wrinkles, or worse rips, the page. Since the light attaches to the book itself, you also have to move it every time you turn a page, which can be more of a hassle than a convenience. A nifty alternative to clip-on lights for reading is a neck light like the Glocusent Book Light.

Sitting comfortably around your neck, this 4.8-oz book light works like any other personal lighting solution. It comes with a narrow 90-degree beam angle, six brightness levels, and three color options — yellow, warm white, and cool white. But unlike other lights with one-button controls, the Glocusent Book Light includes two — one for brightness and another for modes. These buttons are placed on each side of the neck light for quick access.

One feature this neck light shares with clip-on lights is the flexible gooseneck. It bends far enough to allow you to twist it into a compact loop. This way, it takes up less space in your bag when traveling. Similar to the Gritin Book Light, the Glocusent Neck Light is equipped with a 1,000mAh battery that delivers up to 80 hours of runtime and charges via USB-C. It’s relatively more expensive at $29.99 on Amazon, though.

Soundcore by Anker Q20i Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones

There are people who read books, and there are people who listen to them. If you’re part of the second group, then one gadget you should definitely have at home is a pair of active noise cancelling (ANC) headphones. ANC headphones are a godsend for audiobook listeners as they reduce the distracting background noises, and in turn, make the narration clearer and easier to follow. For budget-conscious audiobook lovers, the Soundcore by Anker Q20i is a solid choice.

Costing $70, the Soundcore Q20i features hybrid ANC technology. This means it uses four mics — a pair inside and a pair outside — to block out up to 90% of ambient noise. The headphones are also built with 40mm dynamic drivers that can produce clean and natural voices for your audiobooks.

Besides delivering high-quality performance, the headphones’ hardware is designed for comfort too. It comes with memory foam cushions and multi-angle rotating ear cups to make the gear more comfortable to wear when listening to hours-long audiobooks. Speaking of hours-long, the Soundcore Q20i has a battery life of up to 40 hours with ANC on. If you’re listening at home where noise is minimal, you can even use the headphones for a maximum of 60 hours without ANC. Charging is convenient, as well. The headphones support fast charging, and just a five-minute topup can last you four more hours.

Like many other headphones, the Soundcore Q20i has a companion app, which is mainly for control. But you can also use it to play some white noise, perfect for when you’re on Kindle or are reading a physical book.

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Alongside the iPhone 17 lineup, Apple released an all-new, ultra-thin iPhone Air this year to take the place of the Plus model. While many reviewers praised the iPhone Air for its sleek design, they also pointed out that it didn’t have great battery life compared to the iPhone 17 models. There were also complaints about the lack of a second main camera on a $999 phone.

With rumors suggesting that Apple will release a second-generation iPhone Air in 2026, Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station claims the company might fix one of its biggest flaws by adding a second main camera. According to the leaker, Apple will add a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera to sit alongside the existing 48MP Fusion Main camera. What’s interesting about this rumor is that the company apparently doesn’t plan to add a plateau like the iPhone 17 Pro models, as it would continue to offer the horizontal alignment of the Air version.

What to expect from the 2026 iPhone lineup

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Since reports suggest Apple will continue to focus on having an ultra-thin and lightweight iPhone Air in the lineup, the company would have to reengineer the camera plateau for the second camera and therefore shrink the battery, or leave it the way it is but with an extra camera. While we’ll  have to wait for more reports to corroborate this leak, other online chatter suggests that the 2026 iPhone lineup will be made of the iPhone 17e at the beginning of the year, followed by the iPhone Air 2, iPhone 18 Pro models, and Apple’s first iPhone Fold later in the year (unless it gets delayed).

If that turns out to be accurate, the company would release the iPhone 18 by the beginning of 2027 alongside the iPhone 18e, marking a new strategy for the company’s smartphones. Rumors so far point to general improvements to the specifications, but little is known about the potential design changes expected for these devices.

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In the United States, around 128 million people live with presbyopia, an age-related condition that causes farsightedness, rendering objects closer to you fuzzy and indistinct. It’s fairly common, and is most frequently managed through the use of reading glasses or contact lenses, though neither option is particularly convenient. Various, treatments like stem cell therapy, bionic eyes, and smart glasses have been tested for fixing eye conditions, but these can be both invasive and expensive. Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new avenue: Vizz, a prescription eyedrop from LENZ Therapeutics that narrows your pupils to help you focus on close objects without hindering your overall vision.

Vizz has been approved by the FDA and made available in the United States this past month, with wider adoption expected by the start of 2026. It’s been marketed as a presbyopia solution for those who don’t like using glasses or contacts, and has undergone extensive clinical testing to verify its efficacy and safety. It’s not a cure for the condition, as it does require daily reapplication, and it may not be ideal for some individuals with certain conditions or allergies, but it could be an attractive alternative to glasses for those who can use it.

Vizz narrows your pupil to create a pinhole effect

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If you’ve ever had difficulty making out an object close to you or far from you, you may have instinctively tried to narrow your eyes to focus on it. This is a phenomenon commonly known as the pinhole effect, wherein limiting the amount of light entering your eye makes it easier to focus on objects. Vizz eyedrops work on this basic principle, albeit from a direct application to your eyes rather than by squinting. When applied to an eye, Vizz causes the pupil to narrow slightly, creating that same pinhole effect.

Clinical trials were conducted in 2024 using a typical vision chart, the same you’d find at your optometrist’s or ophthalmologist’s office for testing your ability to read small, distant text. Thirty minutes after applying Vizz drops, around 70% of participants were able to read at least three more lines on the chart than they were previously. An hour after application, around 95% of participants were able to read at least two more lines on the chart. What’s more, these improvements were made without any loss in far vision.

Amongst test participants, no serious side effects were reported for the trials’ duration, though some minor side effects were reported, such as a momentary darkening of vision and red, irritated eyes, but these all passed on their own. It’s not a perfect, all-encompassing solution for the condition, as it does take time to properly activate and some people may have allergies to the drops’ ingredients, but if you’re sick of maintaining your glasses or contact lenses, it is certainly an option with far less hassle.

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