There’s a new type of laptop arriving later this fall: the Googlebook. No, it’s not running ChromeOS like Chromebooks; it’s actually built on Android technologies. Google isn’t sharing a ton of details yet—not even the name of the operating system—but companies like Acer, HP, Dell, and Lenovo have all signed up to produce Googlebooks by the year’s end. These laptops are built around AI tools, featuring a “Magic Pointer” that you can wiggle over anything for contextual suggestions from Gemini. For example, wiggle the cursor over a date in an email, and Gemini will suggest creating a calendar event. Google promises that many apps will be the “desktop” versions of their Android counterparts, including Chrome, and that these machines are the best devices for Android owners. We’ll see.
Also big this week was the announcement of the Royal Pop collaboration between Swatch and Swiss luxury watch brand Audemars Piguet. In the week since Swatch teased the collab, Instagram was flooded with AI fakes that showed off colorful wristwatches, when in actuality, the Royal Pops are a collection of pocket watches. That left many fans disappointed, but now the race is on to create wristwatch straps that house the Royal Pop, allowing owners a way to finally put an Audemars Piguet on their wrist without spending thousands of dollars.
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They won’t replace Chromebooks, but Googlebooks have an Android-centered operating system, AI-first features like the Magic Pointer, and a promise of desktop-grade apps. |
Can’t hear what they’re saying? Now you can turn on the subtitles for real-life conversations. |
These cuddly, connected companions could disrupt everything from make-believe to bedtime stories. No wonder some lawmakers want them banned. |
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For me, the waiting period beside the baggage carousel is, objectively, the worst part of travel. The way I see it, I’m either about to reunite with my precious belongings and hail a taxi, or get on my first of many customer service calls to begin the stressful, headache-inducing process of locating lost luggage. The fact that I’ve never actually been the victim of a missing suitcase doesn’t stop me from believing there’s a 50 percent chance my ostensibly New York–bound luggage has inexplicably ended up in Japan, New Zealand, or someplace else very, very far away. Before reading this guide, it hadn’t occurred to me that I could give myself the gift of peace of mind by tracking my bags. Here’s how to keep tabs on your luggage so you can relax on your next flight.—writes Elana Klein.
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In what is the 11th Cybertruck recall, certain models of Elon Musk’s embattled pickup could experience a sudden, unexpected wheel separation, thanks to the wrong grease and loose nuts. |
The cars that debuted at the Beijing Auto Show demonstrate that the Chinese market is now at the forefront of electrification and intelligence. These are the 19 most intriguing models we saw. |
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Watch fans spent a week falling in love with colorful Royal Oak wristwatches that didn’t exist—then the real thing arrived. Now, fantasy is becoming a manufacturing opportunity. |
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