Technology & Telecom

San Francisco – October 29, 2026 -- Wabi, a personal AI assistant designed for couples, families and friends to use together, has raised $55 million at a $1.25 billion valuation, with apps available now on iOS, Android and Mac.

IVP led the round. Andreessen (a16z), Forerunner and Amazon Alexa Fund also took part, along with angels and founders including Tobi Lütke, Marc Benioff, Marissa Mayer, Dick Costolo and Alex Pall. The company says the money will go toward product development and expansion.

Wabi targets groups instead of one person in one chat

Wabi comes from Eugenia Kuyda, who previously founded the AI companion platform Replika. Most AI assistants are built for a single person typing into a single chat. Wabi is built around people doing things together: a book club planning a themed night, a running group choosing a weekend route, or a family sharing the load of running a household.

SAN FRANCISCO – October 29, 2026 -- WaterField Designs has launched the Shield Case for Steam Frame, a $169 handcrafted carrying case for Valve's VR headset, which ships without a dedicated case. The case holds the headset, both controllers and the included wireless adapter in a foam-reinforced, fleece-lined interior.

A separate compartment keeps controllers apart from the headset

Inside the main case sits a Padded Accessory Case, placed between the goggles and the headband. Its main compartment holds both controllers, and it cushions and helps stabilize the headset. An Ultrasuede pocket holds the wireless adapter, with room for an Arcturus Vision Camera next to it.

"The tricky part was fitting the controllers without making the case larger than it needed to be," said founder Gary Waterfield.

NEW YORK – October 29, 2026 -- Nikon's NIKKOR Z 120-300mm f/2.8 TC VR S is a full-frame, constant f/2.8 zoom that stretches from 120-300mm to 168-420mm with a flip of a switch at the rear of the lens. It is the first zoom in its category with a built-in teleconverter, and B&H announced it after Nikon first teased the lens in May 2025.

It is nearly 10 ounces lighter than its F-mount predecessor

The lens follows the AF-S 120-300mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR, a DSLR-era design that many photographers used on Z cameras through the FTZ adapter. B&H says the new version is more than a mount change. It shares the focal range and a similar footprint with the older lens, but the optics and autofocus were reworked, and the weight dropped by nearly 10 ounces.

DUBAI – October 29, 2026 -- HONOR's X9e Pro smartphone is now available, pairing an 11,000mAh silicon-carbon battery with 3-metre drop resistance, IP69K water protection, a 10,000-nit peak-brightness display and a 108MP camera.

It is built to survive drops onto marble

HONOR says the phone is designed to withstand falls from up to three metres onto smooth marble. It is also built to handle drops from up to 1.2 metres at multiple angles.

The protection comes from reinforced corners, high-strength metal supports and specialised display adhesives. Together they help absorb and distribute impact forces, shielding critical internal components.

Sunnyvale – October 29, 2026 -- XREAL's AURA glasses, which XREAL calls the first wired XR glasses powered by Android XR, are available to order now in the United States, Canada, Japan and South Korea. A limited-time offer sets the 12GB + 256GB model at $1,099 and the 16GB + 512GB model at $1,299. Shipping is expected to begin in mid-November.

Transparent lenses and a puck keep the weight under 95 grams

XREAL announced AURA on stage at Google's Android Developer Summit. It was developed with Google and Qualcomm Technologies and is the first wired XR glasses to launch on the Snapdragon Reality Elite Platform, according to the company.

Unlike fully enclosed headsets, AURA uses optical see-through lenses, so wearers still see the room and the people around them. The main compute and battery sit in a compact puck, which keeps the glasses under 95 grams.

New York – October 29, 2026 -- The ECOVACS WINBOT W3 OMNI window-cleaning robot has made TIME's Best Inventions of 2026 list, praised for making floor-to-ceiling window cleaning far more effortless.

Vortex Wash removes the chore of hand-washing dirty pads

The W3 OMNI ships with a station built around Vortex Wash, which ECOVACS calls the industry's first contact-free wiping pad washing system. It is designed to end hand-washing of dirty pads. The TruEdge scrubber adds edge-to-edge cleaning with millimeter-level accuracy, for a more hands-off result.

TIME judged the robot on originality, efficacy, ambition and impact

TIME's Best Inventions list has recognized innovations with the potential to change how people live, work and play for more than two decades. Products are chosen through an editorial process.

NEW YORK – October 29, 2026 -- Two in three 10-year-olds in US Findmykids families use more than one chat-enabled app in a typical week, and by age 12 most use three or more. The study covers 30,778 children aged 10 to 17 on Android phones, tracked over four weeks in August and September 2026.

A typical 10-year-old uses two chat apps a week

From age 15, the typical child uses four. YouTube and texting are not counted. Among 10- and 11-year-olds, 34% used both a chat game and a messenger in the same week, with Roblox plus WhatsApp the top pairing at 28%.

Roblox reaches 57% of children while dating apps reach 1.5%

Roblox reached 57% of children aged 10 to 17. All dating and anonymous-chat apps combined reached 1.5%. About half of 10-year-olds use a social app, before 13, the minimum age on most platforms.

Olive Branch, Mississippi – October 29, 2026 -- AiPower has announced the AiQ13000iRT, a portable generator priced at $2,699 (MSRP) that is meant to cover home backup like a standby system but can be wheeled to jobsites, campsites, events and off-grid properties.

The AiQ13000iRT delivers 13,000 starting watts on gasoline

The generator produces up to 13,000 starting watts and 10,500 running watts on gasoline. AiPower says that is enough for refrigerators, HVAC systems, pumps, lighting, internet equipment and other household appliances. Its Digital Inverter technology keeps total harmonic distortion below 3%, which the company says provides stable power for sensitive electronics and connected devices.

"Ready at home when the power goes out, then go wherever power is needed next," said Thomas Gallagher, VP of Product Development.

PHOENIX – October 29, 2026 -- Lectric eBikes has launched the XP Lite3, a 49-lb folding ebike with built-in rear turn signals, starting at $799, the same entry price as the original XP Lite from 2022 and the XP Lite2.

The third-generation bike reaches speeds up to 20 mph (where permitted by state law) and offers up to 80 miles of range. At 49 lbs., it is meant for commuters, students, and RV owners who need to lift it into a trunk, carry it onto a train, or take it up an apartment staircase.

CEO and co-founder Levi Conlow said the company found efficiencies to avoid raising the price. By his estimate, inflation since 2022 could have pushed a bike like this to around $920.

Turn signals and a bigger display headline the upgrades

The XP Lite3 adds integrated rear turn signals for visibility on busy streets. It also gets a bright 3.5-inch full-color display, first used on the XP4, that shows ride data at a glance.

New York – October 29, 2026 -- Sam's Club members can now buy Hohem's iSteady V3 Ultra AI tracking smartphone gimbal for $129.00, a $40 savings, at 318 clubs across 40 states or online at SamsClub.com. The gimbal is sold in black.

The gimbal tracks people and pets without a separate app

The iSteady V3 Ultra uses on-device AI tracking to follow people, pets and other subjects. It works with a phone's native camera or compatible apps, and it does not need a dedicated tracking app. Hohem says this makes it easier to film solo, whether you are behind the camera or in the shot.

A detachable 1.22-inch touchscreen shows framing from a distance

The detachable remote has a 1.22-inch full-color touchscreen. It gives a live view from the AI tracker and controls from a distance. Users can check their framing and pick which subject to track.