Category: 4. Technology

Stay on top of the latest in World of Warcraft—gamescom delivers two can’t-miss panels, September’s Trading Post is brimming with fresh rewards, and the Eastern Kingdoms Cup takes flight across Azeroth’s skies!

Watch the gamescom 2025 Systems Download Panel VoD

Catch up with Senior Game Director Ion Hazzikostas and Associate Game Director Paul Kubit as they take you further into the Midnight expansion systems and features. You can also watch the previous The World of Midnight panel VoD. 

Discover more about Midnight in our complete VOD overview—Xal’atath ascends, the Void advances, and Azeroth’s fate hangs in the balance. Explore new allies, zones, raids, and more—start reading now.

Enjoy a Little Dwarven Charm at the September Trading Post

Keep your feet on the ground and head to the Trading Post for a little dwarven charm.

This month, you can add the High Shaman’s Aerie Gryphon mount to your collection. This proud creature is ready to carry you on all your adventures. You’ll find both new and returning items you won’t want to miss.

Complete activities to fill the bar at the top of the Traveler’s Log found in the Adventure Guide (Shift-J), and you’ll receive this month’s bonus reward—the High Shaman’s Aerie Gryphon mount. Ride this majestic and formidable creature into all your adventures.

Visit T&W (Tawney and Wilder) just outside the Mage District in Stormwind or the Zen’shiri Trading Post next to Grommash Hold in Orgrimmar to check out all the latest items they have available.

Players can also visit the Trading Post in the capital city of Dornogal (The Foregrounds) on the Isle of Dorn, where representatives of both Tawney and Wilder and the Zen’shiri Trading Post are open for business.

Here’s Some of What’s in the September Stock

Read through our article for a detailed list of all the items available from the September Trading Post and how to get them.

Champions new or returning to World of Warcraft and The War Within who want to know more can take a tour of the Trading Post to learn everything you need to know, from where to find it to how you can earn additional Trader’s Tender through the Traveler’s Log.

Saddle Up for the Eastern Kingdoms Cup

Launch into action as the Eastern Kingdoms Cup sweeps across Azeroth!

When: August 26–September 9

Where: Valdrakken, Stormwind, and Orgimmar

New and veteran riders can race through fourteen thrilling courses, and take on challenges in Normal, Advanced, and Reverse modes—each offering excitement and a test of skill.

Whether you’re chasing gold times, collecting every customization, or simply reveling in the thrill of flight, prep your saddles and mount up—the race is on, and the sky’s the limit!

Begin your quest with Lord Andestrasz to dive into the aerial action—details can be found in our article.

Follow along on the official World of Warcraft news site for all the latest developments as we journey through the week together.

In just over a week, the Apple iPhone 17 event will be here — it’s Tuesday, September 9 — and we’ll finally get to see the new iPhone 17 lineup. Assuming Apple sticks to tradition, we should be able to install iOS 26 roughly one week after the event. But you don’t have to wait to test out the new features because you can download and install the newly released public beta 5 (or iOS 26 developer beta 8 for developers). I’ve been playing around with it for the past couple of weeks, and have found that taking screenshots is way better in the new operating system, as well as getting to choose how long you snooze. Even the refreshed Camera app is easier to navigate. You can see a more complete view of the new features in our preview of the iOS 26 public beta release, which shows off the fresh home and lock screen redesign. Called Liquid Glass, the translucent look will extend across all of Apple’s upcoming operating systems. The overhaul is one of several big changes coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the rest of Apple’s software suite, all of which were showcased during the company’s WWDC keynote on June 9.

After overpromising on AI plans last year, Apple kept its iOS roadmap focused more on basic quality of life improvements this year. There are multiple useful additions coming to the Phone and Messages apps on your iPhone, for instance: Apple execs outlined the ability to weed out spam texts or other unknown senders and an option to hold your spot on a phone call when you’ve been waiting for a representative to pick up. Plus, a treasured feature that we took for granted is coming back (hint: it’s in the Photos app).

With each beta, it seems like additional new improvements are popping up, like this new AirPods gesture we’re all curious about, and this FaceTime feature that’ll freeze your video if it detects nudity. With the release of the iOS 26 developer beta 5, we saw more added features, like a new bouncy animation on the passcode screen and in the Control Center, MacRumors reports. Some or all of those changes will likely soon migrate into the separate public beta (see below). Most newer iPhone models are eligible to download iOS 26 (both the betas and final version). Want to see the full list of new features coming this fall? Read on.

What is iOS 26?

The current iPhone operating system is iOS 18, and Apple is still actively updating it — version 18.6.1 was released to restore Apple Watch blood oxygen monitoring functionality for certain users in the US. More recently, Apple released 18.6.2 to address a vulnerability related to image processing. Apple has officially stopped signing iOS 18.6, MacRumors reports, which means it can no longer be installed on your iPhone due to a “server-side software verification check.” That’s pretty normal when newer versions are available to download.

But don’t expect to see iOS 19 soon — or ever. Instead, Apple is skipping the numbering ahead to iOS 26 next month. The company has decided to line up its iOS version numbers with a year-based system, similar to car model years. So while iOS and its sibling operating systems will be released in late 2025, they’re all designated “26” to reflect the year ahead.

What is Liquid Glass design?

Let’s be honest. Out of everything announced at WWDC this year, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the show. The iPhone’s home and lock screens have looked pretty much the same year after year — the last exciting thing (in my opinion) was the option to add your own aesthetic to your home screen by customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the home and lock screens’ new facelift is refreshing.

So what exactly is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a “new translucent material” since, well, the apps and widgets are clear. However, the screen can still adapt to dark and light modes, depending on surroundings. You’ll also notice buttons with a new floating design in several apps, like Phone and Maps. They’re designed to be less distracting than the current buttons, but are still easy to see. While the design overhaul has proven to be controversial since its announcement, some — including Engadget’s own Devindra Hardawar — like the new direction, even if it’s somewhat reminiscent of Microsoft’s translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from nearly twenty years ago.

That said, as of the release of the iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing back the transparency in at least some places. And while it will continue to evolve, Apple users won’t be able to escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple’s OSes more cohesive. Here’s a look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the new macOS Tahoe 26 on your desktop.

What are the new and notable features of iOS 26?

iOS 26 has a laundry list of new features. Among the most worthwhile:

Phone app redesign: You’ll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that’ll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music and continue on with other tasks.

Live Translation in Phone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translation will translate your conversation in real time, which results in some stop-and-go interactions in the examples Apple shared during its presentation.

Polls in group chats: Tired of sorting through what seems like hundreds of messages in your group chat? You and your friends will soon be able to create polls in group messages for deciding things like which brunch spot you’re eating at or whose car you’re taking on a road trip.

Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you haven’t received spam texts about unpaid tolls or other citations, you’re lucky. For those of us who have, those annoying messages will soon be filtered away in a separate folder.

Visual Intelligence: Similar to a reverse Google image search, this new feature will allow you to search for anything that’s on your iPhone screen. For instance, if you spot a pair of shoes someone is wearing in an Instagram photo, you can screenshot it and use Visual Intelligence to find those shoes (or similar ones) online.

Photos tabs are back: For anyone who’s still frustrated with the Photos changes made last year, you’ll be happy to know that your tabs are coming back. Library and Collections will have their own separate spaces so you don’t have to scroll to infinity to find what you’re looking for.

FaceTime “Communication Safety” feature: A newer addition to iOS 26 appears to be the FaceTime “Communication Safety” feature that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The feature appears to be a child safety feature that uses on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privacy issues.

New lock screen options: The iPhone lock screen gets more customizable in iOS 26, with a cooler clock, 3D wallpaper effects, more widgets and better focus mode options.

New changes coming to iPadOS 26

Your iPad isn’t getting left behind when it comes to big updates. Here’s what’s coming this fall.

Multitasking and real windowing: When you download the newest update, you’ll be able to have multiple apps running on your screen at the same time. Once you open an app, it’ll appear on your screen as normal but you’ll be able to resize and move it across your screen to make room for other apps. This feature is optional so you can turn it off if you don’t like it.

Visual update: Along with the other new OSes, iPadOS 26 is coming with the Liquid Glass aesthetic. This new look will appear on the lock and home screens, as well as the drop-down menus.

New menu bar: When you swipe down on your screen, the new menu bar will appear with options like File, Edit, Windows and more. There’s also a search option if you’re looking for something specific.

Check out our first impressions of iPadOS 26.

What about AirPods?

AirPods are also getting updated with iOS 26. Here are some of the more notable functions.

Enhanced audio recording: Apple calls this “studio-quality” audio recording, and with it, you’ll notice more clarity while in noisy environments.

Camera remote control: Using this, you can take a photo or start and stop video recording with just one press on your AirPods. When taking photos, you’ll get a three-second countdown before your iPhone or iPad snaps the picture.

Live translation feature: While not officially announced or confirmed, it appears that the long-rumored live translation for AirPods could be coming with iOS 26. The evidence comes from a system asset spotted in the in iOS 26 beta showing a gesture that’s triggered by pressing both earbud stems at the same time. The photo also shows words in several different languages.

Heart rate monitoring (rumored for now): Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman believes Apple will introduce new AirPods Pro earbuds this year, which could have heart rate monitoring. It would work with Apple’s Health app and other fitness apps that track heart rates.

Will Siri get an update?

Siri is in a holding pattern. Apple has previously specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is delayed until some point “in the coming year,” so you shouldn’t expect any major changes in the current betas. But there are reports that Apple is aiming to give Siri a bigger brain transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, which could make 2026 a pivotal year. The company is also reportedly working on a “stripped-down” AI chatbot to rival ChatGPT.

Which iPhones will be able to upgrade to iOS 26?

A few iPhone models that run the current version of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — won’t be compatible with the latest upgrade. But any iPhones released in 2019 or later will be eligible for the iOS 26 update.

• iPhone SE (second generation or later)

Not listed here are the presumed new iPhone 17 models (or maybe iPhone 26?) that are all but certain to be announced and released in September.

How to install iOS 26 beta

The iOS 26 public beta is now available to download via the Apple Beta Software Program. If you’re not already a member, you’ll need to sign up to try out all the latest features. Just visit beta.apple.com and sign up with your phone number or email address. It’s free.

Once you’re in, you can install it by going to Settings > General > Software Update and selecting iOS 26 public beta.

A word of caution: Don’t sign up with your main iPhone unless you’re OK with any risks that occur with using an OS that isn’t finalized.

When will the final version of iOS 26 be released?

iOS 26 will be released to the public this fall. It usually comes in September, within a week of the Apple iPhone event. Last year, it rolled out to iPhone users on September 16 — exactly one week after the iPhone 16 lineup was announced. Since the iPhone 17 event falls on September 9 this year, it’s possible the downloads will hit our phones on September 16.

If you’re more interested in the Apple Intelligence features coming, here’s everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more during WWDC. Also, check out how iOS 26 screenshots could be an intriguing preview of Apple’s delayed Siri rework.

Update, August 29: Added new section about Siri and a link to what’s new with the iOS 26 Camera app.

Update, August 27: Added the official iPhone 17 event date, as well as the potential iOS 26 release.

Update, August 25: Added a rumor about new AirPods Pro having heart rate monitoring.

Update, August 22: Noted that Apple has officially stopped signing iOS 18.6.

Update, August 20: Noted that iOS 26 public beta 4 and iOS 18.6.2 are now available to download.

Update, August 18: Added details about a potential iOS 18.6 update.

Update, August 15: Added to link to what to expect at the Apple iPhone event and details about what’s available in the iOS 26 screenshots editor.

Update, August 13: Added new AirPods detail spotted in the iOS 26 beta.

Update, August 11: Noted that iOS 26 developer beta has hit beta 6.

Update, August 8: Added new features coming with iPadOS 26 and AirPods.

Update, August 6: Noted the release of iOS 26 beta 5 and the new bouncy feature on passcode screen and Control Center.

Update, August 4: Noted that Apple is reportedly working on a ChatGPT rival.

Update, August 1: Added quote from Tim Cook about iOS 26.

Update, July 31: Noted that iOS 18.6 is now available.

Update, July 24: Noted the iOS 26 public beta is now available.

Update, July 3: Noted new FaceTime feature found in the developer beta.

Update, June 30: Noted ongoing iOS 18 releases, and reports that Apple is considering additional external LLMs for Siri.

Update, June 25: Noted changes added in iOS 26 beta 2.

Microsoft has largely relied on OpenAI’s artificial intelligence models to power AI features in its key products. It’s trying to lessen that dependence. The software company said Thursday that it’s begun publicly testing a homegrown AI model that could lead to enhancements to its Copilot assistant for consumers. The MAI-1-preview model is being tested on LMArena, a website where people can conduct evaluations. “We will be rolling MAI-1-preview out for certain text use cases within Copilot over the coming weeks to learn and improve from user feedback,” Microsoft said in a blog post. The company has published a form where developers can request early access. Meanwhile, Microsoft remains a key backer of OpenAI and strategic partner to the AI startup that’s now valued at about $500 billion. Microsoft has invested over $13 billion in OpenAI, which in turn relies on cloud infrastructure from Microsoft to run its models. Microsoft draws on models from OpenAI to power features in Bing, the Windows 11 operating system and other products.

Full report : Microsoft starts testing AI model that could escalate competition with OpenAI.

SAVE $100: As of Aug. 29, get the Acer Nitro 5 (Intel Core i7-13620H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) gaming laptop for $849.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $949.99. That’s a discount of 11% and the lowest price we’ve seen.

There are some great games to check out this fall, and plenty already out that you probably have in your gaming backlog. If you need a new gaming PC to check them out, consider a gaming laptop that can handle all the heavy lifting for some of the best titles around. But here’s the fun part: you don’t have to spend over a thousand bucks to get one, thanks to this Amazon deal.

As of Aug. 29, get the Acer Nitro 5 (Intel Core i7-13620H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) gaming laptop for $849.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $949.99. That’s a discount of 11% and the lowest price we’ve seen.

This feature-rich laptop packs an Intel Core i7-13620H processor, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD to hold all the games you want to install. It also has a massive 15.6-inch screen to help you stay immersed in whatever it is you choose to play.

Mashable’s former tech edtior Kim Gedeon praised the 2023 model of this laptop as “impressive”, and it became Mashable’s favorite gaming laptop for players on a budget — for good reason. Its configuration is the perfect combination of accessible and powerful, with a slim profile and lightweight frame that you can take anywhere or add to a gaming setup at your desk.

If you’re looking to get your game on without breaking the bank, this is an excellent opportunity to score a laptop that won’t let you down. But grab it fast, because it likely won’t hang around for long at this price.

There’s always that one friend who just gets your music taste. You hear a new track and instantly think, “They need this.” Up until now, that meant the same old routine of copying the music link, dropping it into WhatsApp or any other social media platform, and waiting for the reply.

Well, Spotify finally said enough of that. Its new in-app Messages feature lets you send songs, playlists, and albums one-on-one, complete with text and emojis. The feature is starting to roll out gradually, so it may not appear for you right away.

Whether people will actually chat there or stick to their usual group chat is not clear. Either way, Spotify has made sharing music a whole lot easier.

Would you be chatting on Spotify?

— Oluwaseun

📰 News & Insights

🍏 Apple taps Google’s Gemini to give Siri a long-overdue upgrade

Why it matters: After years of lagging behind rivals, Siri might finally catch up in the AI assistant race.

📱 Nine quarters in and Africa’s smartphone surge shows no signs of slowing

Why it matters: Africa is bucking the trend thanks to cheaper devices, stabilizing economies, and local manufacturing, proving the continent’s digital future is being built on its own terms.

📍 If you run a PoS business in Nigeria, the central bank just gave you 60 days to geo-tag your machines or risk getting cut off.

💰 In 2025, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading in MENA investments.

📺 Tired of endless scrolling? Gen AI is coming to your TV to help it finally feel smarter about what to watch.

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This week’s Velo Podcast takes a tech-heavy turn while Mike Levy is away, while Josh and I (Alvin Holbrook) dive deep into the latest from MADE Bike Show, new gravel shoes, and more.

We kick things off with Wahoo’s firmware updates. Credit to Wahoo, here, as they pushed a series of updates to its first-generation bike computers, experiencing mass file corruptions and problems, a long eight years after the first Elemnt computer was released.

Next up are the new Shimano S-Phyre RX910 gravel shoes, the brand’s first gravel-specific model under its flagship line. At $480, they promise elite-level performance with a supple upper, serious stiffness, and clever pontoons that offer road shoe-like stability. Still, their pedal sensitivity and premium pricing sparked a lively debate on whether “gravel-specific” is worth the investment.

We also tested Zwift’s new over-ear headphones, boasting 50-hour battery life, sweat resistance, and active noise cancellation. At $249, they’re aimed squarely at serious indoor riders, but are they really better than in-ear buds?

From there, Josh shares highlights from the MADE Handmade Bike Show in Portland. Standouts included the fillet-brazed artistry of Ira Ryan, the aero-focused, 3D printed titanium No.22 Reactor, and a bold paint scheme from Black Magic. The show reinforced that road and gravel continue to dominate, but also showcased fresh experiments, like Moots’ monster-cross machine.

Finally, we wrap with a bit of talk before Alvin’s last criterium of the season. What bike, wheel, and tire combo should he roll with this weekend? With options like the Canyon Aeroad, Factor Monza, and Specialized Tarmac SL8, plus the latest Roval Rapide CLX III wheels, there’s a lot to discuss.

Further reading

On my recent trip to the coast, I took along the K&F CONCEPT Magnetic Filter Kit, and it was the perfect chance to test out how well these filters handle long exposure seascapes.

Instead of using a single heavy ND, I stacked the CPL with the included ND filters from the kit, giving me plenty of flexibility right there on the shoreline.

Why stack filters?

Stacking a Circular Polarizer (CPL) with ND filters gives you more creative control:

• The CPL reduces glare on the water and deepens the blues in the sky.
• The ND filters cut light, allowing longer exposures even in bright daylight.
• Together, they transform crashing waves into silky, mist-like water while keeping the rocks and coastline sharp.

The results

Grabbing the Tamron 16-30mm wide-angle and my Sony a7RV, and popping it on a tripod. Working with shutter speeds of 5–15 seconds, the waves softened into smooth, smoky trails that wrapped around the rocks, almost like fog rolling in from the sea. The contrast between the sharp foreground and flowing water gave the images a surreal, fine-art feel.

I was especially impressed with:

• Colour accuracy – No strong cast, just clean, natural tones, and a pop of colour.
• Ease of use – The magnetic system meant I could swap filters quickly without fumbling.
• Durability – Salt spray and sand are always hazards, but the coatings make them easy to wipe clean.

Real-world impressions

• Bright sunny days: stacking filters gave me the extra stops I needed for long exposures without blowing out highlights.
• Cloudy skies: the CPL helped boost contrast in moody conditions.
• On the move: light, compact, and easy to handle on a tripod setup by the water.

Final thoughts

The K&F CONCEPT Filter Kit is more than just handy—it’s a creative tool that can take your seascapes to the next level. By stacking the CPL and NDs, I was able to capture that classic smoky water effect that turns a beach scene into something truly magical.

If you’ve ever wanted to create those dreamy, misty water shots, this kit is a brilliant and budget-friendly way to get started.

Check out the full review here.

Today, I can confirm the system actually works. I traveled to Framework’s San Francisco offices to be the first journalist to upgrade an entire laptop graphics card, with my own hands, in just three minutes — including the time it took to reboot. I yanked an AMD Radeon RX 7700S video card out of the machine and plugged in a brand-new mobile Nvidia RTX 5070, with just six screws and using the pen-shaped screwdriver that comes included with the machine.

And because seeing is believing, I filmed the whole thing to show you how quick and easy it was. (Hey veteran PC builders: this looks easier than MXM modules, right?)

I wasn’t able to test everything I would have liked to test at Framework’s offices. We couldn’t run benchmarks, only basic gameplay samples to show the card was working. (Framework claims the Nvidia card should be a 30 to 40 percent upgrade over the existing AMD one; games did run, and didn’t seem to have obvious issues at 1440p and high settings.)

Also, I wasn’t able to upgrade quite from scratch. I actually hauled my original Framework Laptop 16 review unit to San Francisco to see if I could turn that one into a new Nvidia laptop, but CEO Nirav Patel told me it would need software updates, including at least one new BIOS version, which weren’t fully ready yet. So while I did do the upgrade myself, the laptop I upgraded was one that Framework had prepped for the GPU swap.

While I was there, I also got to try Framework’s new standards-compliant 240W USB-C PD 3.1 charger, one of the very first on the market, letting the Laptop 16 (the first 240W PD 3.1 laptop!) finally play and charge at full speed. I brought my power meter and saw the Framework Laptop 16 pull over 220W while running stress tests, charging up its battery, and charging up a couple phones plugged into the laptop all at the same time. When I came back 15 or so minutes later, the new power adapter was only warm, not hot — comfortable to pick up and hold. I’ll have a video on that next week.

At $699 for only a 100W, 8GB mobile RTX 5070 worth of performance, this might be niche tech for now. But Framework’s proven the point, and I’m hoping future upgrades keep it from being niche for long.