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Meta leaked videos of its new smart glasses before its Meta Connect event.
The leaked videos show Ray-Ban and Oakley glasses with advanced tech features.
Meta’s CEO believes smart glasses will be key for future AI interactions.
Meta’s would-be surprise announcement about its new smart glasses display was leaked on Monday ahead of a major company event. The culprit? Meta itself.
Meta posted and then removed a YouTube video showing off its new Ray-Ban smart glasses and Oakley smart glasses days before Meta Connect, the company’s annual flagship conference that is set for Wednesday and Thursday this week.
UploadVR first reported on the leaked video, which it also captured and uploaded clips of to X. A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed the leak to Business Insider.
One video clip shows off a new pair of Meta Ray-Ban glasses that include a heads-up display, or HUD, that will let wearers superimpose maps and text onto the real world,as well as a wristband that interacts with them. The glasses appear to be labeled “Display.” The second video clip shows off a pair of wraparound Meta Oakley glasses with a center camera.
Meta did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
The leaked video appears to have spoiled what could have been an exciting surprise at Meta Connect — the integrated HUD, which brings the company a step closer to producing commercial glasses with the level of tech it showed off in its Orion prototype.
Meta’s Orion glasses, which Business Insider’s Peter Kafka tried out last year, are augmented-reality glasses that come with a HUD and a wristband that tracks muscle movements. Meta said at the time the product was too expensive to bring to mass market.
Meta isn’t the first company to show off smart glasses with a built-in display. Google showed off its own version in May, powered by Android XR, a new platform for augmented reality glasses. Google is partnering with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster to design its frames, which are expected to be released later this year.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been bullish on smart glasses. During the company’s second-quarter earnings call in July, he said smart glasses will eventually be the primary way people interact with AI and that anyone not using them would be at a “cognitive disadvantage.”
Despite being the world’s biggest-selling projector brand for nearly a quarter of a century, Epson arguably hasn’t made quite the sort of impact on the currently trending portable home entertainment projection world that we might have expected it to. The brand seems to be intent on putting this right from today, though, with its innovative and attractive new Lifestudio range of LED projectors.
The Epson EF-72 features a 4K resolution, ambient light effects, and a cute Oak wood finish for its stand and top edge.
Photo: Epson
Boasting two separate series of two models each available in a range of different colour options, Epson’s Lifestudio projectors aim to offer something for every home entertainment need and room design with integrated Bose sound systems and, for the first time in Epson’s history, portable projection-friendly RGB-LED 3LCD technology designed to deliver optimal performance bang for your buck.
The new Lifestudio Flex EF-71 and EF72 and Lifestudio Pop EF-62B/N and EF-61W/G/R models all also feature Epson’s 3LCD Smart projector powered by Triple Engine technology, which Epson claims delivers cost-effective images that are up to three times as bright as those achieved by rival single-chip DLP projectors. All four projectors will support high dynamic range video, too.
I’ve had the opportunity to see an EF-72 running in fairly typical living room light conditions against popular portable projector rivals and was seriously impressed by how bright, colorful and sharp its picture looked.
The Epson Pop EF-61W is a more compact, less bright but cheaper alternative to the new Flex projector models.
Photo: Epson
The Bose sound systems in each projector are backed up by integrated Bluetooth music playback (they can all be run in “portable speaker” modes) and Dolby Audio for a more immersive home cinema experience, and all four models cater for gamers with ALLM support for automatically switching the projector into its low latency mode when a game source is detected.
As we now expect to see with portable projectors, all four of Epson’s Lifestudio models feature integrated Google TV smart systems, complete with support for personalized profiles, curated recommendations, Google Assistant voice recognition/control, and support for Google Casting from compatible phones and tablets.
Portable projectors should ideally be easy to set up, of course. So it’s great to find all four new Lifestudio projectors carrying an Intelligent Instant Setup system that automatically corrects focus and keystone correction, as well as being able to reposition the image so that it isn’t affected by any obstacles that might be between the projector and your screen or wall. I’ve seen a live demo of this auto-set up feature in action with an EF-72, and it seemed to be one of the most effective and intelligent such systems I’ve witnessed to date.
All of Epson’s new Lifestudio projectors feature Bose audio systems capable of filling your room with sound.
Photo: Epson
Getting into features specific to each series, the two Lifestudio Flex portable projectors sport an integrated stand under their cubic bodies offering tilt (+90 degrees/-15 degrees) and swivel (±90 degrees) so that you can get their images to play on almost any surface – including the ceiling or floor if you so desire. They support images up to a claimed 150 inches in size, too, giving them genuinely cinematic potential.
The Flex EF-72 boasts a claimed 1,000 lumens of brightness, 4K resolution, touch LED and ambient lighting support, and a USB-C charging port, while the EF-71 reduces the brightness to 700 lumens, swaps the EF-72’s 4K resolution for full HD, and loses the Touch LED, Ambient lighting and USB-C features of the step-up model. The EF-72 features a tasteful Oak colour scheme, including a wood effect top edge, while the EF-71 sports a Diamond White finish.
The Pop EF-62 and EF-61 models feature a more compact design than the Flex models, swapping the cubic shape and integrated tilt hinged pole stands for more conventional – though unusually compact – rectangular designs and much smaller tilt and swivel stands. Both of the Pop projectors are rated to deliver 700 lumens of brightness, but the EF62 sports a 4K resolution while the EF61 is full HD. The EF-62 is available in Metallic Black and Metallic Navy colour options, while the EF-61 is available in Diamond White, Ice Green and Rose Quartz.
Epson will also be selling optional accessories for its new Lifestudio projectors in the shape of an optional ELPFS01 floor stand for the Flex models with adjustable height (between 60 and 80cm) and angles, while an ELPKM01 Wireless Karaoke microphone will be available for all four projectors.
Despite such unusual specifications for the portable projector market as 4K native resolution in two cases and relatively high claimed brightness figures by portable projector standards, Epson’s new Lifestudio projectors are surprisingly affordable. Available from today, the EF-72 is £1,149.99, the EF-71 is £879.99, the EF-62 is £799.99, and the EF-61 is £649.99.
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Meta’s smart glasses plans were already one of the worst kept secrets, as there have been more than a year of leaks and reports about its work to add a heads-up display to the product. Now, just days before their unveiling at Connect, a promotional video of the new frames seems to have leaked.
The video, reported and reposted by UploadVR, shows the new “Meta Ray-Ban Display” frames as well as a new model of camera-enabled Oakley sunglasses. The clip mainly features the new Ray-Ban glasses, and shows a pair of black frames with clear lenses that look similar to the company’s previous Wayfarer frames.
Meta is adding two new pairs of glasses to its lineup.
(Screenshot)
The glasses also include a small display that’s able to show info like a map preview, chats with friends and information related to what you’re looking at. As reported, it also shows a dedicated wristband for the device. The video briefly shows someone swiping with their fingers in order to type out a reply to a message in a chat app.
The clip also shows a new pair of Oakley frames that don’t have a display. The sunglasses seem to be based on the company’s wraparound Sphaera frames and show a camera in the center directly over the nosepiece. That would line up with prior reporting about the glasses that suggested Meta planned to market the glasses to cyclists and other athletes.
The latest Oakley Meta glasses will have a different camera placement.
(Screenshot)
A separate promotional video of the Sphaera sunglasses also cropped up on Monday. That video more clearly shows the placement of the camera in the center of the glasses, but doesn’t reveal what, if any, new features might be arriving with the device.
UploadVR reports that both videos briefly appeared on Meta’s official YouTube channel as unlisted clips but were later removed. We’ve reached out to the company for comment.In the meantime, you can read more about the company’s new smart glasses lineup and what to expect at Connect here. Engadget will be reporting live from the event beginning September 17.
Update, September 15, 2025, 2:56PM PT: Added info about a second video showing the Oakley sunglasses.
The news:Google’s Gemini surpassed longtime leaders like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Meta’s Threads to become the No. 1 free iPhone app in the US App Store. Downloads surged due to the viral success of its Nano Banana AI image-editing feature, which sparked intense social media engagement, per ZDNet.
Gemini is the No. 3 app in Google’s Play Store, behind ChatGPT and TikTok. It isn’t built into all Android phones but replaces Google Assistant on the latest Samsung devices and Google Pixels.
Key stats: Since its August 26 launch, Nano Banana has added 23 million new Gemini users who have edited more than 500 million images, per 9to5Google.
Viral appeal:Aside from demonstrating that consumers are willing to use AI on devices like smartphones and tablets, Gemini’s dramatic rise on iOS’ top charts reveals how a viral AI feature can drive adoption.
Nano Banana uses prompts to create hyper-detailed 3D figurine-style images from user photos, which became a viral trend across platforms like X and Instagram. The feature appealed to a wide audience, including celebrities and politicians, driving organic word-of-mouth and viral sharing, per Tom’s Guide.
Aside from its viral appeal, Nano Banana offers generous usage caps (up to 100 image generations per day for free users), which drives steady engagement.
FOMO-driven AI adoption: This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a single feature from an AI tool accelerating user adoption. OpenAI had a similar moment thanks to its 4o model being used to generate Studio Ghibli-like images in April.
However, history suggests that viral AI features often burn brightly but fade quickly. Sustained adoption depends less on a single viral feature and more on whether the app can offer consistent value beyond entertainment.
Our take: Gemini’s top-chart breakthrough demonstrates the power of social media to amplify AI tools overnight, yet its long-term position will hinge on whether it can evolve from a trend into a staple. For now, Nano Banana’s popularity is a huge win for Google, but the next test is whether Gemini can convert that buzz into habit.
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One of the most prestigious honors we award products is inclusion on our Buy It for Life gear roundup. This list represents products that WIRED writers have personally used for years, and as the name implies, they should last you for the rest of your life with proper care and warranty support. There’s only one coffee maker on that list, the Moccamaster KBGV Select, and you can currently pick it up from Amazon for up to $40 off its list price, depending on the color.
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
Courtesy of Moccamaster
Moccamaster
KBGV Select Coffee Maker
These drip coffee makers are seriously built to last, handmade in the Netherlands with solid steel and copper components. They’re fully repairable, which means they’ll keep churning out hot mugs of perfect coffee even after the five-year warranty ends. There are a variety of models, but we like the KBGV Select because it can also brew a half carafe instead of a full carafe, a useful trick for smaller households or an afternoon energy burst.
Extremely precise temperature control means you get excellent coffee every time, managing to consistently heat within a range of 4 degree Celsius. Technivorm is one of less than a dozen companies producing SCA-certified coffee makers for home use, and the Moccamaster models take up a noticeable chunk of that list.
It has all the features you’d expect from a drip coffee maker, like a hot plate for the carafe that has an automatic shut off, which automatically adjusts temperature based on whether you brewed a full or half carafe. The reservoir is 1.25 liters, so you can brew up to 10 cups of coffee at once, and it takes just four to six minutes from start to finish.
This model is available in a huge variety of colors, and your discount will vary based on which you think will match your kitchen best. I found the best price of $317 on the Turquoise, with the Apricot and Matte Black right behind at $320, as well as lesser discounts on the Off-White, Polished silver, and Juniper varieties. While we think it’s worth spending the extra cash for something that will last you years to come, you can always peruse our other favorite coffee makers if you’re looking for something more wallet-friendly.
Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Today’s NYT Strands puzzle stumped me, both in finding the answers and in unscrambling them. If you need hints and answers, read on.
I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.
If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far
Hint for today’s Strands puzzle
Today’s Strands theme is: Riding high.
If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Kind of like flying.
Clue words to unlock in-game hints
Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:
PLUS, GULP, MITE, TIME, TIMES, ABLE, ABLER, LOVE, LOVES, HELM
Answers for today’s Strands puzzle
These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:
CABLE, GLOVES, HELMET, CARABINER, PULLEY, HARNESS
Today’s Strands spangram
The completed NYT Strands puzzle for Sept. 16, 2025.
NYT/Screenshot by CNET
Today’s Strands spangram is ZIPLINING. To find it, look for the Z that’s three letters to the right on the bottom row, and wind up.
An unlisted and now-removed video from Meta showed off a new pair of Ray-Ban branded smart glasses with a display and a wristband to help control them, as reported by UploadVR. The video also features a new pair of wraparound “Sphaera” Oakley smart glasses with a camera on the nose, meaning that Meta itself may have inadvertently leaked two of its biggest announcements from its Connect event this week.
For the glasses with a display, the video includes branding that says “Meta | Ray-Ban” and “Display,” so perhaps Meta will call them the Meta Ray-Ban Display. Based on a brief clip included in UploadVR’s article, the actual display is in the right lens of the glasses, and the clip shows how the glasses will let you do things like ask Meta AI a question, look at a map on the glasses to help you navigate, translate a sign, or use your hand with the wristband to “write” a reply to a chat.
Earlier this year, CNBC reported that the wristband for Meta’s codenamed “Hypernova” glasses with a display would use surface electromyography (sEMG) technology to interpret signals from hand movements to help you control the device, so the clip is presumably showing that tech in action.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will be hosting a Connect keynote at 8PM ET on Wednesday, where it seems like these new glasses will make their official debut. The Verge will be covering the keynote live.
Correction, September 15th: An earlier version of this article speculated about translucent versions of the HSTN Oakley glasses, but those are already on sale.
A new iOS app called Awake, designed specifically for heavy sleepers who must complete missions to turn off their alarms, launched Monday. The app is only available to users with the iOS 26 update, which also came out on Monday.
Unlike traditional alarm clocks that can be silenced with a simple tap, Awake is intended to actively engage users’ brains to ensure they fully wake up. Once the alarm sounds, users must complete a series of interactive missions to turn it off.
These tasks include a variety of challenges, such as rotating the iPhone, completing a set of push-ups, or tackling math problems, puzzles, or even language lessons. By incorporating physical and mental activities, Awake aims to help break the cycle of hitting snooze and encourage a more active start to the day.
Image Credits:unorderly
While other similar apps exist, such as Alarmy, Challenges, and Mathe Alarm, among others, Awake sets itself apart by offering additional features. One of these is a “Morning Briefing,” which offers a customized summary of information the user chooses the night before, including the weather forecast and events from a calendar.
There’s also a Block integration, which prevents users from accessing social media immediately upon waking. A future feature will allow people to listen to new podcast episodes as soon as they open their eyes.
Additionally, Awake includes a sleep planning function that helps improve sleep quality by allowing users to enter the desired amount of sleep and preferred wake-up time. It then calculates the best time to go to bed.
Image Credits:unorderly
Leo Mehlig, the indie developer behind the popular daily planner app Structured, says he developed Awake in response to high demand from Structured users. Mehlig jumped on the idea after Apple announced iOS 26, which provided developers with access to a new Alarm Kit framework to create alarm and timer apps with features like full-screen alerts.
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“I just felt like there had to be something better than a standard alarm clock for people who struggle to get up in the morning,” he told TechCrunch. “So we always had [planned for it], but we basically sidelined it. And then when I saw the [Apple] keynote, I saw the Alarm Kit, I was like, ‘OK, now we need to build this.’”
Awake is available for free, with a premium subscription option for $1.75 per month or $19.99 per year, which unlocks additional missions such as getting up to turn on a light, scanning a QR code, and walking a certain number of steps. One mission even requires users to recite a mantra.
Looking ahead, Mehlig envisions incorporating a feature called “Wake Up Check,” which will double-check if people are truly awake after completing a mission. By using the step counter, the app will track users’ movement after the mission; if no movement is detected, it will send a notification. If the user does not respond within a few minutes, the app will trigger another alarm to ensure they don’t fall back asleep.
Samsung announced last month that it was going to offer a collection of Kpop Demon Hunters themes for free to users of its Galaxy devices. Anyone could go to the Galaxy Store and get those themes at no charge.
It was initially confirmed that the free themes would only be available for download until September 12. However, the company has now extended the timeline, giving fans more time to get their hands on the free stuff.
You’ve got more time to grab these themes
This deal was made possible through a partnership with Netflix to promote the hit animation, KPop Demon Hunters. Galaxy device owners can download a curated collection of smartphone themes through the Galaxy Store for free.
The themes include eleven special designs inspired by the film’s visual identity, with customizations being applied to the Home Screen, Lock Screen, Phone Screen, AOD, Message Screen, and Icons. One special theme package is also included in this collection which highlights the in-universe K-pop groups HUNTRIX, in addition to ten individual character-based wallpapers.
Samsung has confirmed today that these themes are now available for download until September 30th via the dedicated promotion page in the Galaxy Store. The themes can be unlocked by launching the Netflix app through the promotion page in the Galaxy Store. Those who don’t have the Netflix app will first need to download it. They can get the themes once the app is installed and launched.
