Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Ultra starts at $2,599 with an Nvidia RTX Spark GPU, up to 128GB of memory, and support for running large AI models locally.
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Google’s Nano Banana 2.1 cuts image-generation costs, improves editing consistency and gives developers only weeks to migrate from Nano Banana 2.
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Monitor arms have spent decades doing one job: holding still; CyboPal’s answer challenges that premise in an intriguing way.
The Kickstarter-funded CyboPal ONE bolts a 27-inch 4K display to a six-axis robotic arm that clamps to your desk, keeps an eye on where you are, and moves the screen to match, whether you are hunched over a keyboard, standing, or leaning back to read.
The $1,599 price is the Super Early Bird price, converted from HK$ 12,536 on the same site, and it seems to stay the same even if you order up to 5, though only the first 300 single-unit orders benefit from the current markdown.
The pricing hasn’t stopped backers, who have piled in by the bucket; Kickstarter showed the campaign, which closes on November 21 2026, at just over 11,000% of its HK$80,000 goal, roughly HK$8.8 million (about $1.1 million).
This includes about 255 visible backers, even though BackerClub’s tracker counts more than 450 backers, which may include those who paid a $30 deposit to get an $1,499 lock-in.
The ONE also carries its own computer: CNX software lists an eight-core Rockchip RK3588 with a 6 TOPS NPU, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage, housed in what CyboPal calls a Linux AI Compute Base that handles face tracking, gesture recognition, and 3D spatial sensing on the device.
The campaign pitches the ONE as a companion to the computer you already own, tying voice control, robotic motion, and the full feature set to a USB-C link with that machine, which the same port can also charge at up to 65W.
The Pauli voice agent runs in a CyboPal desktop client for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and an HDMI 2.1 input lets compatible phones, tablets, and other sources use the panel as an external display. The onboard RK3588 essentially is the robot’s brain, but you still need a laptop or desktop to do the necessary compute.
CyboPal’s founder and CEO Frederic Peng said in the company’s launch announcement that AI “should also change what a computer is.” One could argue this is more akin to having a more persistently present assistant than a modern stationary computer.
CyboPal says face tracking brings the screen into position in under four seconds, within a 747mm reach, and presents tracking as one mode among several: you can also recall saved positions or tell the screen to come closer, back off, rotate, or switch to portrait mode.
Gestures allow users to move the screen and scroll content, and a firm tap on the desk stops the arm in place. CNX’s spec list, which includes a separate HDR camera, assigns it to spatial awareness, path planning, and obstacle avoidance, and the campaign describes 3D sensing as how the arm spots desk clutter and stays within preset boundaries.
CyboPal’s Kickstarter page bills the ONE as the world’s first desktop robotic terminal, a category label the company introduced with this product, and claims mass production is already underway.
The ONE has multiple use cases, chief among them being catering to people who change positions all day, and possibly users with limited mobility; Gizmodo Japan has suggested it could prove handy as a medical tool.
Whether that enthusiasm pans out into a tangible product that delivers on its promises remains to be seen. At $1,599 now and $2,499 later, backers are paying for a monitor, an arm, and a bet on software that hasn’t been independently tested, making it a rather expensive, albeit intriguing, gamble.
Disclaimer: We do not recommend or endorse any crowdfunding project. All crowdfunding campaigns carry inherent risks, including the possibility of delays, changes, or non-delivery of products. Potential backers should carefully evaluate the details and proceed at their own discretion.
Artificial intelligence is giving conventional hard drives an unexpected second wind, as data centers require enormous amounts of relatively affordable storage.
Toshiba is responding to this surge by investing 60 billion yen, or about $380 million, to expand its HDD manufacturing in the Philippines.
The company expects production capacity for AI and cloud storage drives to nearly double by fiscal 2027.
The investment would become Toshiba’s first major HDD expansion in roughly five years as the company responds to growing demand from AI infrastructure.
New production lines will be added, while Toshiba will also handle drives capable of storing up to 40% more data than existing products.
The company is additionally pursuing 65TB-class HDDs around 2030, followed later by models capable of reaching 100TB.
These higher-capacity products would allow Toshiba to supply more storage without requiring equivalent increases in drive quantities.
Toshiba currently holds slightly more than 10% of the global HDD market when measured by storage capacity, and the company is expanding because demand is strong.
Hard drives remain useful to Toshiba’s expansion plans because their lower cost allows data centers to store enormous datasets without relying on expensive SSDs.
Though SSDs provide faster access, their prices run about 20 times higher than HDDs, making disks attractive where capacity matters more than immediate retrieval speed.
AI systems generate and retain substantial amounts of data, creating demand for storage that does not always require the performance associated with SSDs.
Rivals such as Seagate and Western Digital also face strong demand for their high-capacity drives from data center customers.
Seagate has reportedly allocated most of its nearline HDD capacity through 2028, with some customers discussing requirements extending into 2029 and beyond.
Western Digital has also committed much of its 2027 production, with some capacity for 2028 and 2029 already covered.
Toshiba also plans to automate inspection activities and cleanroom operations at its Philippine facilities as production increases.
The company expects those changes to reduce additional staffing requirements by around 40% while also improving manufacturing yields.
Toshiba is not expanding in isolation, because suppliers of specialized HDD components are also increasing their manufacturing capabilities.
Nitto Denko plans to spend 28 billion yen (about $117 million) expanding CISFLEX production, with capacity expected to rise 40% by fiscal 2028 from fiscal 2025.
Nitto Denko controls more than 90% of the global market for the component used in HDD magnetic-head suspension assemblies.
Western Digital is separately planning about $1 billion of investment in Japan through 2030 for research, manufacturing technology, recruitment, and cooperation with universities.
For Toshiba, the immediate challenge is increasing supply quickly enough to capture AI-driven demand, and its long-term plan is to increase its market share to 30%.
Via TrendForce
Amazon plans more than 20,000 Smart Delivery Glasses by the end of 2027, bringing AI navigation and new privacy questions to its delivery network.
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Huawei says its blood-sugar technology is nearing production, with patent work showing how a future smartwatch could measure glucose without a separate CGM.
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It’s International Coffee Day today, October 1, and I’ve written that phrase so many times already this morning that I’m glad it’s acceptable to be on my third cuppa already — in celebration, of course.
And right on cue, Breville — the brand responsible for many of the best coffee machines in Australia — has discounted a number of its top-performing models to commemorate the occasion. And TechRadar readers can save an extra 10% on already discounted machines with our exclusive promo code.
In fact, our exclusive coupon code can be used to any Breville appliance, not just espresso machines either — it will work site wide!
Just head to our dedicated Breville coupon code page, click on the very first green Get Code button and copy the unique one that’s generated just for you. Head to the Breville website, shop what you’d like, then use the code at checkout.
It’s all about the coffee today though, and to help with any purchasing dilemmas you might have, I’ve picked out a few of my favourite Breville espresso machines that get the TechRadar seal of approval.
The Breville Bambino Plus is incredibly simple to use, and can take care of most of the coffee making process for you. Grind some beans into the porta filter, insert it into the group head and use the one-touch controls to brew. It also has a hands-free milk texturing system for expertly frothed milk, while ThermoJet technology means the machine is ready to use in seconds. There’s very little you need to do other than simply enjoy the results.View Deal
The Barista Express is about as iconic as they come. It has everything one needs for cafe-quality coffee at home, including built-in grinding, dosage control and a hand tamp. You can also customise the water volume and temperature for the perfect espresso. Available in various colours, the three different shades of black work out to be the most affordable once our coupon code is applied. View Deal
Barista Express Impress (BES876): was $869 now $719.10
The Barista Express Impress takes everything that’s great with the Express, and adds Breville’s Impress tamping lever to ensure you apply the same tamping force to your ground beans each time. It also benefits from smart dosing, which will automatically correct the grind size if the machine detects the previous espresso was under- or over-extracted.View Deal
The Barista Touch is another fine choice for coffee aficionados. It includes a compact integrated grinder, tamping functionality, auto-dosing, and auto milk frothing, along with Thermo Jet technology for quick heat-up times. Its user-friendly interface means anyone can operate it via the touchscreen too. View Deal
The Oracle is one of Breville’s older machines, but it still more than holds its own against newer alternatives. It boasts automatic grinding, dosing, tamping and milk texturing, while its dual boiler means you can extract espresso and foam milk at the same time. View Deal
The Oracle Jet is perhaps all the coffee machine anyone could need. Its front panel is dominated by a large colour touchscreen, making it easy to select and see whatever drink you want. It will grind and tamp for you (and give intelligent feedback), and can steam milk (including non-dairy) automatically too. Plus, it heats up and is ready to use in seconds. It’s not cheap, but you’ll hold onto it for years to come.View Deal
Vivo’s latest foldable just hit the global market, after first appearing in China in June. I’ll rip the band-aid off early: the X Fold 6 won’t be launching in the UK or US, but it will be available in select European markets (as per usual).
The Vivo X Fold 6 is launching at a very interesting time. Apple’s first-ever foldable, the iPhone Duo, is just about to land, and Samsung shook things up with its passport-sized Galaxy Z Fold 8 earlier this year, too. Vivo keeps things a little more traditional; the X Fold 6 is the normal book-style fold that Android users are accustomed to. And to keep it appealing, Vivo has maxed out the specs in every department.
Choosing a foldable over a bar phone has always come with compromises, whether that be size and weight, battery capacity, or camera performance. Vivo has been working to eliminate every single one of these limitations, and it’s getting really close. I’ve been using the X Fold 6 as my main device for the past week to see if it lives up to the hype.
At the moment, it feels like all eyes are on Apple, as the official launch of the Duo draws closer. I get the impression Vivo is more interested in one-upping the likes of the Honor Magic V6 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, but the launch timing means that many will be weighing up the difference between it and Apple’s first attempt at the foldable form factor. It’s an interesting comparison, because the two devices couldn’t be more different.
The X Fold 6 looks and feels like a Pro Max-sized flagship when folded shut. The cover screen isn’t narrow like the Z Fold 8 Ultra’s, nor is it shorter like the Duo. It’s meant to feel like a regular phone that can unfold into a spacious tablet when you need it, and it succeeds at doing so.
It almost feels like this form factor is going out of style, and I think that’s a real shame. The utility is plain to see; apps are all perfectly designed for the cover screen, and when you open it, you can have two apps side by side in their intended aspect ratio. I loved using the Z Fold 8, but I ran into software optimization hiccups on many occasions.
The X Fold 6 is a fairly big and heavy phone, especially compared to the slender Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, but somehow, it’s still lighter than the iPhone Duo. The Vivo tips the scales at 235g, while the smaller iPhone Duo weighs 254g. That chunky camera bump on the Vivo is sure to be divisive, though.
On the other hand, the camera bump is there for a good reason. While the Duo forgoes a telephoto camera entirely, the X Fold 6 has the most impressive telephoto I’ve ever seen on a foldable. Plus, if you really want to take things to the next level, it supports the same external teleconverter lens as the X300 Ultra.
And the camera prowess doesn’t stop there. The X Fold 6 has a 200MP main camera with a large 1/1.4-inch sensor, and a 50MP ultra-wide to boot. It also benefits from Vivo’s Zeiss partnership, with the signature T* lens coatings and co-developed picture styles in tow.
I’ve tested almost every foldable phone in 2026, and so far, I reckon Vivo’s photos and videos are probably the best. Sadly, I haven’t tried the Duo yet, but I do own the iPhone 18 Pro, and in most situations, I prefer the results I’m getting from this foldable phone. That’s quite the achievement, and without a telephoto, I don’t see Apple competing.
Vivo is also light-years ahead of the competition with its battery tech. Somehow, there’s a 6,900mAh battery crammed into the X Fold 6, and I’ve been getting two days on a charge quite consistently. That’s with heavy use, spending lots of time with the large folding screen and taking loads of photos.
Apple hasn’t revealed the iPhone Duo’s battery capacity (it never does), but what it did say at the phone’s launch was revealing enough. Users can expect up to 24 hours of typical use. That’s not even close to what the Vivo is offering here.
The same goes for the charging speeds; the X Fold 6 supports up to 80W with a wire and 40W wirelessly. Again, Apple hasn’t confirmed the wired speed, but we already know enough. The brand says you can expect up to a 50% charge in 20 minutes; meanwhile, the Vivo can fully charge from flat in about 35 minutes.
Obviously, there will be a lot of differences in the software, but Origin OS 7 is closer to iOS than ever, at least in terms of aesthetics. It has a Dynamic Island clone, really nice-looking Liquid Glass styling, and very similar lock screen customization, too. If there’s anything you don’t like, you can almost certainly change it, as the customization options are extremely detailed.
Where the X Fold 6 truly pulls ahead is with its multitasking capabilities. So far, all sources report that the iPhone Duo can only display two apps side by side in split-view, and that these windows aren’t resizable; it’s always a 50/50 split. What Vivo is doing is on a whole different level.
On the X Fold 6, you can have up to four apps open in split view, all resizable, and then you can open a fifth as a floating window on top. Still not enough? You can also add tabs to the floating window to quickly switch between apps. I can’t imagine anyone ever needing more than that; it’s essentially desktop-level multitasking in your pocket.
Of course, no device is perfect, and the X Fold 6 has its shortcomings. The biggest one is the phone’s software polish, notwithstanding those aforementioned multitasking features. I doubt I’m alone when I say I was salivating when I first saw the iPhone Duo’s unfolding animation. It’s incredibly slick.
By contrast, the X Fold 6 reacts more slowly than most when being opened or closed. Instead of smooth animation, you’ll be greeted with a blank screen every time you unfold it, and then you’ll have to wait a split second for the UI to catch up and appear on screen. This transition isn’t hard to live with, but it’s far less polished than what Apple is offering on the iPhone Duo.
For the most part, though, I really like the X Fold 6’s software. It’s quick, smooth, and extremely customizable. Unfortunately, it has the same quirks we always see from Chinese brands. Apps will close themselves in the background to conserve battery life, which can result in delayed notifications until you go in and tweak the settings.
There’s also that ever-present lock screen feature that just shows random images until you disable it. Weird.
The iPhone Duo impressed with its almost-invisible crease, too. The Vivo X Fold 6’s crease is minimal, but it’s still there. I’d say it trades blows with the Z Fold 8, and it’s a step behind the Oppo Find N6’s crease. It seems like Apple might be leading the pack in this particular area, but we’ll pass judgment once we’ve spent more time with it.
Then, there’s the issue of availability. If you live in a region where Vivo is present, then great, no issue — but that won’t be the case for a lot of our readers. I live in the UK; Vivo doesn’t operate here, so the only way for me to get a Vivo phone is to import one from a European neighbor, or grab a Chinese model.
It’s not hard to do, but it means there are no contract deals on offer, and if anything goes wrong with the phone (which is more of a worry with foldables), I’m on my own.
The Vivo X Fold 6 is a foldable phone with almost no compromises. Honestly, it’d be a pretty solid phone if it didn’t unfold, and the fact that it does is just the icing on the cake. The battery life is incredible, gaming performance is solid, and the cameras are among the best we’ve seen on a foldable to date.
If the iPhone Duo is the foldable phone for people who didn’t know they needed a foldable, the Vivo X Fold 6 is the phone for foldable users who are fed up with compromises. The two couldn’t be more different, and I’m glad they both exist.
As someone into photography, gaming, and content creation, who often needs to get serious work done on the go, the Vivo X Fold 6 is almost certainly more suited to my needs. But most people don’t demand so much from their phone.
I have no doubt that many will prefer what Apple has cooked up. Still, I’ve been having an amazing time with this Vivo, and I don’t want to put it down anytime soon.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 with the A20 Pro chip, variable-aperture camera, Siri AI, faster charging, and up to 2TB of storage.
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OpenAI plans to expand independent safety assessments into model training and evaluation, giving outside groups earlier access to test high-risk AI systems.
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