News

Instagram Launches Long-Awaited iPad App

Instagram has finally released a native iPad app, arriving 15 years after the platform first launched. The tablet version opens directly to a Reels feed, lets users view posts and Reels in chronological order, and takes advantage of the larger screen with side‑by‑side comments and an integrated inbox in Direct Messages. The move follows earlier comments from Instagram head Adam Mosseri that the iPad market was not a priority, making the new app a notable shift in the company’s tablet strategy.

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PayPal and Venmo Offer Free Year of Perplexity Pro and Access to AI-Powered Comet Browser

PayPal and its mobile‑payment arm Venmo are rolling out a promotion that gives U.S. users a free 12‑month subscription to Perplexity Pro, the AI‑enhanced service from the NVIDIA‑ and Bezos‑backed startup. The deal also grants access to Perplexity’s new Comet browser, which embeds the company’s AI as the default search engine and runs on Chromium. Users can claim the offer through the PayPal or Venmo apps, and a $50 credit is available for linking three subscriptions via PayPal’s new subscription hub. The promotion runs through the end of the year, after which the Pro plan auto‑renews at the standard rate.

Google to Unveil New Gemini for Home Details and Nest Devices on October 1

Google announced that it will reveal additional information about its Gemini for Home platform on October 1, including new Nest hardware. The teaser suggests a fresh Nest camera and possibly a speaker, while confirming that Gemini will replace Google Assistant with natural‑language capabilities and both free and subscription tiers. Nest Aware subscribers who pay $10 per month are slated to receive early access to Gemini within Google Home.

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Acer Unveils Ultra‑Light Swift 16 Air Laptop at IFA 2025

Acer introduced the Swift 16 Air laptop at IFA 2025, highlighting a 16‑inch display that weighs just over two pounds—lighter than many smaller notebooks. The device offers two screen options, including an IPS panel and an AMOLED variant that adds a modest weight increase. Powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series CPUs, with options up to the AI 7 350, and paired with AMD Radeon graphics, the Swift 16 Air promises solid performance and up to 13 hours of battery life. Connectivity includes USB‑C, USB‑A, HDMI, a privacy‑shutter webcam, dual speakers, and microphones. The laptop will launch later this year in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with pricing around $1,160 in Europe.

JBL Unveils PartyBox 720 and Boombox 4 Speakers

JBL announced the PartyBox 720, its largest battery-powered party speaker, offering 800 W of power, up to 15 hours of playtime, dual 9‑inch woofers, 30 mm dome tweeters, AI Sound Boost, Auracast multi‑speaker connectivity, USB‑C streaming, a synced lightshow, and XLR inputs for microphones and instruments. Priced at $1,099, it ships on September 21. JBL also introduced the Boombox 4, an updated portable speaker featuring AI Sound Boost, a lighter chassis, IP68 water and dust protection, Auracast linking, a replaceable battery lasting up to 28 hours, and a $550 price tag with three colorways, shipping on September 28.

Acer Unveils AI‑Powered 18‑Inch Gaming Laptop and 720Hz OLED Monitor

Acer announced a major expansion of its gaming portfolio, introducing a massive 18‑inch Predator Helios AI laptop equipped with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 GPU, 6 TB of SSD storage and a Mini‑LED 4K display. The company also revealed a Predator X27U F8 OLED monitor featuring a 720 Hz refresh rate, 2‑560 × 1‑440 resolution and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. On the Nitro side, Acer added two new laptops—Nitro V 16 and Nitro V 16S—and a suite of monitors ranging from 27‑inch 4K to a 39.7‑inch curved 5K panel. Availability and pricing details were shared for North American markets.

Apple Watch lineup expands with Series 10, Ultra 2, and SE updates

Apple has refreshed its smartwatch portfolio with three distinct models: the Series 10, the Ultra 2, and the second‑generation SE. The Series 10 introduces larger 42mm and 46mm cases, a glossy jet‑black aluminum finish, and a brighter 2,000‑nit OLED display. The Ultra 2 retains its 49mm size while adding a satin‑black finish, a 3,000‑nit screen, and a depth gauge for water activities. The SE remains the budget option with 40mm and 44mm sizes, a 1,000‑nit display, and core health sensors. All three watches share Apple’s health‑focused software, on‑device Siri processing, and NFC for Apple Pay, while offering varied battery life, water resistance, and price points.

Google Announces Gemini AI Integration for Smart Home Devices Starting October 1

Google revealed that its Gemini artificial‑intelligence, the next‑generation AI behind the Gemini for Home brand, will roll out to its Nest smart‑home lineup on October 1. The company teased the move on X, showing an updated Nest camera that hints at a broader refresh that could include a speaker and a doorbell with 2K video. Gemini will eventually replace Google Assistant in these devices, keeping the “Hey Google” wake word while offering more nuanced conversational abilities for tasks such as cooking suggestions, thermostat control, and lighting management. The smart‑home market is projected to grow markedly in the coming years.

AI Assistant Orders Pizza: A Glimpse into ChatGPT’s Real‑World Capabilities

OpenAI’s ChatGPT Agent demonstrated its ability to handle a multi‑step online purchase by ordering a pizza from a local shop. The system navigated the restaurant’s website, added the desired pie to the cart, and completed checkout after the user supplied address and payment details. The process took only a few minutes, and the pizza arrived promptly. While the experience highlights the convenience of AI‑driven personal assistants, it also raises questions about security, potential misuse, and the broader impact of agents that can interact directly with consumer platforms.

AI Features Lag Behind Consumer Priorities in Smartphone Upgrades, Survey Finds

A recent survey of U.S. smartphone owners shows that artificial‑intelligence capabilities are no longer a primary driver for device upgrades. Most respondents prioritize longer battery life, more storage, and better cameras. While AI is now embedded in many flagship phones from Apple, Google, and the survey reveals that a significant share of users find AI features unhelpful, are reluctant to pay extra for them, and express privacy concerns. The findings highlight a mismatch between manufacturers’ AI‑focused roadmaps and actual consumer demand.