Technology & Telecom

Lewes – October 19, 2026 -- HiBy's new RS2 II portable Hi-Fi player costs US$439 in its aluminum alloy edition, weighs 156g and uses the same DARWIN III audio architecture as the company's flagship RS8 II.

A flagship audio engine runs on an FPGA with 40 DSP units

DARWIN III is built around a newly developed FPGA digital engine with more than 35K logic units and 40 high-speed DSP units. That processing power drives adjustable pure FIR filters, multiple DARWIN filters, harmonic control, NOS/OS switching and native DSD processing. A high-precision R2R resistor network handles digital-to-analog conversion, which HiBy says helps reduce high-frequency noise introduced by digital modulation.

Hong Kong – October 19, 2026 -- TECNO and BBC StoryWorks have released a new film about "100 Portraits of Becoming," a two-year portrait project that will collect 100 portraits and personal stories across five countries, starting in Kenya.

TECNO co-created the project with visual artist Angélica Dass. It pairs Dass's approach to portraiture with TECNO's Universal Tone imaging technology, which is designed to represent different skin tones fairly. The countries involved are Kenya, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Brazil.

Three Kenyans tell their stories on camera

The film introduces some of the people behind the Kenyan portraits, the project's first chapter.

Agripreneur Alex Mutua Muli connects local farmers to wider markets, building a future in the community where he grew up.

Dubai – – October 17, 2026 -- UAE residents can see LG's new OLED evo W6 True Wireless Wallpaper TV in person at pop-up locations across the country this winter, and one visitor will win the TV at the end of the campaign.

The tour starts at The Lotus Lounge at Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort and runs from 16 to 19 October 2026. LG describes the stop as the regional debut of the W6.

The W6 is 9.95 mm deep and has no cable clutter

The W6 mounts flush against the wall with zero gaps. LG's Zero Connect wireless technology sends lossless 4K video and audio to an AV box placed up to 10 meters away, so no cables are visible.

It is also billed as the world's first True Wireless TV to transmit 4K at 165Hz. It supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, Variable Refresh Rate, NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium.

Plano – October 16, 2026 -- Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra phone, Bespoke AI Family HubTM Refrigerator with AI Vision and Odyssey G8 Gaming Monitor (G80HS) have all been named to TIME's Best Inventions 2026. It is the fourth time Samsung Galaxy devices have appeared on the annual list.

TIME's global network of expert contributors and editors picks the winners. They judge new products and ideas on originality, efficacy, ambition, and impact.

Galaxy S26 Ultra brings a built-in Privacy Display to phones

Samsung calls the Galaxy S26 Ultra its most advanced Galaxy S series experience to date. It is billed as the world's first phone with a built-in Privacy Display, which limits the screen's viewing range to restrict peripheral vision. The feature must be enabled in settings. Depending on angle and brightness, some information may still be visible to others.

Los Angeles – October 16, 2026 -- MagBak has opened pre-orders for the MagBak Elite for iPhone Duo, an $89 case designed for the first folding Apple phone, with new orders expected to ship in mid-November. Initial pre-orders have already sold out twice.

A foldable changes shape dozens of times a day, and the case is built around that. Ronny I., MagBak's head of product, said the aim was a case that works across multiple form factors, whether the phone is open or folded.

A kickstand and finger loop work in both open and folded modes

The built-in metal kickstand supports portrait or landscape use, folded or unfolded, and clicks away when not in use. A silicone finger loop makes one-handed and two-handed use more stable, extends how much of the screen a thumb can reach, retracts when not in use, and does not interfere with charging. Grip grooves along the edge make the case easier to open.

Manassas – October 16, 2026 -- Meant, a telehealth platform for GLP-1 weight care, is promoting two features that run alongside the prescription decision: ongoing Care Coach support and a supplement kit on eligible plans.

Licensed providers decide on treatment, not Meant

Meant does not diagnose or prescribe. Eligibility and prescribing decisions are made case by case by licensed providers at its clinical partner, OpenLoop Health. Treatment is not guaranteed for every applicant.

A short online questionnaire is the first step

The program starts with an online health assessment, a brief questionnaire reviewed by a licensed provider. That provider determines whether a prescription is appropriate.

Irvine – – October 16, 2026 -- ROKFORM's iPhone Duo Rugged Case for Apple's first foldable iPhone is available for pre-order at $89.99, with shipping estimated for October 30, 2026.

The case covers both screens and the hinge

ROKFORM says the case offers 360-degree protection and a reinforced hinge that does not restrict the fold. Tempered glass is built in over the outer display, so owners do not need a separate screen protector.

Shock-absorbing TPU and rigid polycarbonate make up the body. The profile is 4.15mm thick, and the case weighs 86 grams.

MAGMAX magnets hold 2–3 times more than standard cases

Integrated MAGMAXTM magnets give 2–3 times the magnetic holding power of standard cases, according to the company. They grip compatible magnetic surfaces, mounts, chargers and accessories, and the case supports MagSafe® functionality.

Sunnyvale – October 16, 2026 -- XREAL's new 1 Pro+ AR glasses are available globally from XREAL.com for $599, bringing a display up to 1,200 nits at peak brightness, AI HDR and smoother 2D-to-3D conversion.

The 1 Pro+ is an update to the XREAL One Pro, which has been part of the company's wearable display lineup since 2025. XREAL says it chose to build on that foundation rather than reinvent it.

Brighter screen and three viewing modes

The display reaches up to 1,200 nits of peak brightness. AI HDR is added to improve perceived image quality on supported content.

Three dedicated modes, Standard, Movie and Reading, let users change how content is presented depending on what they are watching or doing.

Thousand Oaks, Calif. – October 16, 2026 -- RedPocket Mobile is taking pre-orders for iPhone Duo starting Friday, October 16 at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time, and customers who activate it on a new RedPocket line can get a $100 rebate.

iPhone Duo ships unlocked, with no contract

RedPocket sells the iPhone Duo unlocked, with no contract and no 36-month commitment. The phone will be available starting Friday, October 23.

Promotional plans start at $10 for the first month

Monthly plans cost $10 for the first month, while Annual plans start at $100 for the first year. Standard rates apply after the promotional period ends: after the first month on monthly plans, or after the first year on annual plans.

The rebate has strings attached

The $100 rebate requires a new line activation on a qualifying plan with AutoPay. Existing lines are not eligible, and the offer runs while supplies last.

Shanghai – October 16, 2026 -- ZimaOS 1.8 is available now and adds ZimaOS Photos, a self-hosted photo library that stores every picture on your own ZimaOS device instead of a subscription cloud service. Existing users get it by updating to the latest release.

Browse by year, month or day, or just describe the scene

The library replaces the generic thumbnail grid with a continuous stream of memories. Year, Month and Day views let you scroll at your own pace or jump back through years of photos.

Search works by description: type out a scene and Photos returns matching shots, which you can gather into albums. A Collection section resurfaces older images through interactive map views, Favorites and personalized Memory highlights.