These days, buying a cheap Android phone doesn't have to feel like a downgrade, particularly when you pair the device with a great deal on wireless. For a limited time, Metro by T-Mobile will give you a FREE Samsung Galaxy A17 when you pair the purchase of the budget device with any 5G Unlimited plan starting at just $40 per month. No trade-in is required, and all taxes and fees are included in the price.
Sure, there are plenty of carrier deals that will land you a free Samsung phone, but few offers are this affordable or straightforward. The only catch is that, since it's a prepaid carrier, Metro by T-Mobile's service could be deprioritized if you use over 35GB per month. That means that heavy data users may have to deal with slower speeds if the network is congested. Otherwise, if you simply want unlimited wireless and a solid Samsung phone for as little hassle as possible, this Metro by T-Mobile deal deserves your immediate attention.
Join Metro by T-Mobile with a new line on any phone plan ($40/month or higher) and the prepaid carrier will give you enough promo credits to make the new Samsung Galaxy A17 5G completely free. No trade-in required and no hidden fees: just good old-fashioned savings. View Deal
All of the wireless plans included in Metro by T-Mobile's promotion provide unlimited talk, text, and data on T-Mobile's vast 5G network, plus you get a five-year price guarantee and access to exclusive weekly discounts via T-Mobile Tuesdays.
Upgrade to one of Metro's higher-level unlimited plans and you'll get all of the perks mentioned above along with benefits like mobile hotspot data, Google One memberships, and more. Even if you go with Metro's top-tier Unlimited Premium 5G Data plan, you'll never pay more than $60 per month, all taxes and fees included.
The Samsung Galaxy A17 5G, for its part, is a $200 phone that punches well above its weight class, introducing an upgraded camera system, 6.7-inch AMOLED display, and a large 5,000mAh battery. You even get six years of guaranteed software updates, which is a rarity for a device in this price range.
Samsung's A series has spent years proving that you don't need to spend and arm and a leg to enjoy the complete Galaxy experience. Sure, it may not be the most powerful phone on the market (and Metro's data plan may not be the most comprehensive), but if you simply want cheap, reliable wireless and a phone that you can count on for years to come, this carrier deal shouldn't be overlooked.
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Snap revealed its upcoming SPECS smart glasses in full this midweek, stating they are available for pre-order for $2,196 in the U.S. ahead of a late fall launch.
SPECS browser lets users stream content from HBO Max and YouTube, as well as music from Spotify and educational content.
The glasses offer in-display real-time translation with subtitles and directions while walking in big cities, with Tripadvisor for finding food and landmarks.
The Snap SPECS are preparing to launch in the U.S., U.K., and France.
Snap's new smart glasses, SPECS, are finally here. For the time being, pre-orders are open, but Snap is getting candid about everything in its human-centric computing glasses.
Snap announced an "all-new experience" coming to the growing world of smart glasses with SPECS. These glasses are reportedly "built around how you interact with the world, and the AI-native operating system is designed to help you get things done through natural interactions using your hands and voice." To get us going, Snap says SPECS are designed for work and play—and we're starting with play.
The SPECS browser lets users stream content from YouTube, HBO Max, and more on a virtual 115-inch display, placed roughly 10 ft away. Thanks to an HBO Max partnership, Snap says it's bringing the world of Harry Potter to SPECS in time for the HBO Original Series Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, premiering on Christmas. Elsewhere, work with the NBA and WNBA will bring "interactive basketball experiences" to SPECS users.
Watching sports or shows and movies isn't all the SPECS is good for. Snap says you can also listen to your favorite tunes with Spotify. Additionally, learning is made easier with an "interactive recreation" of the Apollo 11 moon mission.
For your day-to-day, Snap says SPECS offers several AR experiences. With "Translation," you'll find real-time, in-display subtitles (supports 60 languages). "Navigation" provides similar assistance, and Tripadvisor helps users find places to eat, landmarks, and more. The Shopify Catalog is another feature that brings 3D products right into your vision, placeable in the space around you.
"Connected Lens" is a feature that lets two SPECS users "share digital experiences in the same physical space." What's more, since Snap is the parent company of Snapchat, you'll find an experience that fits the smart glasses space. Privacy is another aspect that Snap states it takes seriously. It says its glasses do not record the world around you, nor do they constantly capture and save audio.
SnapSnapSnap
There's even more to unpack about the Snap SPECS. For now, you can pre-order the glasses for $2,195 with a $200 refundable deposit at SPECS.com. Shipping is expected to begin later this fall in the U.S., the U.K., and France.
However, if you're feeling hesitant, you can look forward to a trip to Los Angeles on October 1 and visit SPECS First Look at Westfield Century City. Hands-on demos and a meet-and-greet with the SPECS team will await you there. Snap adds that the SPECS glasses have been equipped with a new Charging Case with Cellular. Sold separately, this provides "four additional charges and offers cellular connectivity through participating wireless carriers."
To get this done in the U.S., Snap partnered with Verizon for a Connected Case bundle at $2,395. It adds, "Verizon will offer eligible customers financing options, including a 36 month payment plan. Connected Wearable data plans are available from $10/month for Verizon customers and from $20/month for non-Verizon customers."
AI that anticipates
(Image credit: Snap)
AI is a feature that ties the Snap SPECS together. According to the post, SPECS Intelligence is an "anticipatory" AI platform that "builds an understanding of your goals, priorities, relationships, and routines from the apps and tools you choose." The point of SPECS Intelligence is not only to help you reach your goals, but to know and be proactive about your assistance.
Snap states that this AI platform was built to "anticipate when help would be useful and surface relevant information and actions at the right moment." This would replace the need for users to constantly have to prompt the AI to do something or fetch something. This platform is useful with your connected data and the physical world. Snap states SPECS Intelligence can bring "relevant information" directly into view while outside.
SPECS Intelligence will work with iPhone, Mac, and, of course, the glasses. Beginning today (Sept. 16), users can download the iOS SPECS app and try SPECS Intelligence. There is also a waitlist that you can join for the AI platform within the app "for invitation-only early access to the fuller SPECS Intelligence experience on Mac."
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Amazon has confirmed that its next Prime Big Deal Days sale event will occur on October 6th and 7th, but you don't need to wait to score an incredible Google Pixel phone deal. For a limited time, the retailer is slashing $200 off the unlocked Google Pixel 10 Pro, knocking the price of the last-gen flagship down to just $799. That makes it $100 cheaper than the base model Google Pixel 11 and $300 cheaper than the new Pixel 11 Pro!
Some folks may be hesitant to purchase a last-gen smartphone, even at a discount, but I can confidently say that the Google Pixel 10 Pro still holds its own against the best Android phones on the market. That said, there are a few drawbacks that you should consider before taking the leap. Is this Pixel 10 Pro deal right for you? Let's break it down.
Despite its last-gen status, the Pixel 10 Pro still impresses with its sophisticated design, AI-boosted software features, and years of remaining OS and security upgrades.
Grab the phone unlocked from Amazon today and you'll score a straight $200 off your purchase! The retailer says that the deal is going fast, so don't wait too long if you're interested. View Deal
The Pixel 10 Pro boasts a gorgeous 6.3-inch pOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, while under the hood you get 16GB of RAM, an efficient Tensor G5 chipset, and all of the versatile AI-boosted camera tech that Google is known for. The phone also got a boost to its battery life compared to its predecessor, plus you'll enjoy faster charging speeds with Qi2 magnetic charging support.
So what's the catch? Well, with Big Deal Days and Black Friday just around the corner, there's a good chance that the price of the Pixel 10 Pro will dip even further in the coming weeks. That said, there's an equally good chance that the Pixel 10 Pro will completely sell out before that time.
If you've been interested in this particular phone for a while, I'd take your chances and place the order today. The Pixel 10 Pro is a great device, after all, and the six remaining software updates ensure that the phone won't feel obsolete any time soon. If, on the other hand, you're simply looking for a great Pixel phone and you're in no hurry to make a purchase, it might be worth waiting a bit to see what the fall sale season has in store for the Pixel 11 lineup.
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Samsung has started the stable One UI 9 update for the Galaxy S26 series, beginning in South Korea before expanding to other markets.
One UI 9 brings features like My FanCam and more customizable Now Brief cards to the Galaxy S26 lineup.
Samsung released seven beta builds over nearly five months, giving it time to fix bugs and refine the software.
Samsung has officially started the One UI 9 update rollout for the Galaxy S26 series, nearly five months after the company kicked off beta testing in May. The stable update for the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra began rolling out in South Korea on September 16 and is now being released in other regions as well.
The test drive of the software wasn’t exactly a quick preview. Samsung released seven beta versions before moving to the finished release, allowing it to have several rounds of feedback and bug fixes to go through. The September security patch is, as expected, included with the stable release.
One UI 9 also includes some Galaxy AI features that first appeared on Samsung’s latest foldables. For example, one is the My FanCam feature, which can keep a chosen person in focus while automatically reframing video for different aspect ratios, while Now Brief gets customizable cards and expanded security and privacy information.
Samsung is also adding Now Nudge for more contextual suggestions and improvements to Interpreter, Document Scan, Voice Recorder summaries, and device care. Security Brief can find and surface warnings around malware, unknown apps, and unnecessary permissions, and on-device AI is able to identify potential privacy risks.
What’s interesting is how One UI 9 is moving away from a singular headline feature and is instead becoming more about tying Samsung’s AI, camera, and security tools into everyday tasks. That could make the update feel more substantial in daily use than the visual changes alone would suggest.
Samsung says One UI 9 will be available to more Galaxy phones and tablets, so international users should keep an eye on Settings > Software update > Download and install as the rollout expands to other markets.
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If you need a headset to use at work, Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Gen II and the Sony WH-1000XM6 are undoubtedly good choices. I prefer the Bose because of its comfort and sound quality, and it is the headset I use while traveling.
But I found out recently that there is a better choice: Jabra's Evolve3 85. It is positioned as a work headset, but it does so much more; I used it for the better part of three months now, and I'm convinced that it is better than what Bose and Sony have to offer. Coming in at $475, it is on the higher end of the scale, but it has meaningful advantages over its immediate rivals.
Let's start with the design. The Evolve3 85 is the lightest headset in its category at 220g, and I immediately noticed the difference. Bose and Sony's headsets are at least 30g heavier, and switching between the QC Ultra Gen II and the Evolve3 85, it's clear that Jabra nailed the comfort. The lightweight design ensures you get a fit that doesn't lead to any fatigue even with all-day use.
The ear cushions have a breathable design, and that extends to the headband as well. Build quality is great, and while it is light, you never get a feeling that it is flimsy — it's built to last. Another positive is the case; the headset folds flat and fits snugly into the bundled case, which is significantly smaller than what you get with Bose and Sony. This is a big deal in and of itself, as the Evolve3 85 doesn't take up anywhere as much room in your bag.
I also like the connectivity on offer. The Evolve3 85 uses Bluetooth 5.3, and I didn't see any issues pairing the headset with my Pixel 11 Pro XL, Find X9 Ultra, X9 Pro, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, iPhone 17 Pro, or the iPad Pro M4. It has Fast Pair, so it's about as easy to connect it to an Android device. There's also USB-C and 3.5mm connectivity if you want to plug the headset in, and my favorite inclusion is a USB-C receiver that lets me use the headset with my Windows machine.
I don't like using Bluetooth with Windows; my Gigabyte motherboard has a Bluetooth modem that's built clearly as an afterthought, because it is flaky at the best of times. As such, the convenience of being able to use a receiver to connect the headset with Windows is just great, and I like that Jabra went with USB-C. You also get USB-C and 3.5mm cables in the box, and I like the attention to detail that the brand lavished when it comes to connectivity.
Connectivity is a big part of what makes a work-related headset stand out, and the Evolve3 85 excels in this area. Oh, and you can easily change the battery itself, should you need to down the line. I like tech that's built to last, and given that batteries tend to degrade over time, they're usually the biggest point of failure in a headset, so it's good to see Jabra addressing the issue.
There are other niceties as well; Jabra's ClearVoice does a good job tuning out ambient noises when you're talking, and it holds up astonishingly well. I use NVIDIA Broadcast to do the same, but ClearVoice is a good enough alternative. On that note, it has dedicated ANC as well, and it does an effective job blocking sounds in your surroundings if you're in a meeting or outdoors. The headset pairs with whichever digital assistant you use on your phone, and there are physical controls.
Sound quality is pretty good, too. Honestly, given how much Jabra positioned this as a work headset, I didn't think it would sound as good as its rivals, but the 32mm drivers do a great job. You get a detailed sound with plenty of bass, clean mids, and a tight treble. It's obviously built for meetings, but the headset is just as effective at extended music listening sessions. In fact, the only problem is that you don't get AptX codecs — it is limited to SBC and AAC.
Another thing Jabra does well is charging tech; the Evolve3 85 includes wireless charging, and I didn't realize just how convenient this is until I used the headset — I now want all of my Bluetooth headsets to have this as standard. There's fast charging too, with a 5-minute charge delivering five hours of power. The headset lasts well over 23 hours of meetings, with regular music listening at 60 hours — double that of Bose and Sony. Basically, you'll only need to charge it once a week even if you use it all day.
You get six mics in total, and they use MEMS solid-state tech, delivering better fidelity and low distortion. I attended dozens of meetings with the Evolve3 85 over Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams, and the headset did a brilliant job.
While the Evolve3 85 is targeted as a work headset, it is just as great to listen to music or podcasts, and the lightweight design combined with all the extra features gives it a unique advantage you just don't see in this category.
Jabra
Evolve3 85
With a highly comfortable design, great sound quality, and unique features designed for meetings, the Evolve3 85 is the best work headset around.
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MediaTek's Dimensity 9600 Pro is the company's first 2nm flagship chipset, promising better performance and efficiency.
The new 2+3+3 All Big Core CPU delivers up to 17% faster single-core performance while using significantly less power.
MediaTek's upgraded NPU supports on-device AI models with up to 30 billion parameters while improving AI power efficiency.
MediaTek has officially taken the wraps off its latest flagship smartphone chipset, called the Dimensity 9600 Pro. And it's the company's first flagship chip built on a 2nm process.
The new flagship smartphone season is almost upon us, and chipset makers have started unveiling their next generation of processors. Qualcomm is set to announce its next flagship Snapdragon chipsets later this month, but MediaTek has beaten it to the punch by unveiling its first 2nm chipset.
Called the Dimensity 9600 Pro, MediaTek says its new chipset combines flagship performance and power efficiency with advanced agentic AI experiences. The chip features a 2+3+3 All Big Core CPU design, which MediaTek says delivers an impressive 61% reduction in multi-core power consumption.
The architecture consists of two C2 Ultra cores clocked at up to 4.55GHz, three C2 Pro cores running at up to 4.35GHz, and another three C2 Pro cores clocked at up to 3.1GHz. MediaTek says single-core performance has improved by up to 17%, while multi-core performance is up to 15% higher than the previous generation, all while consuming less power.
(Image credit: MediaTek)
Of course, there's also a big focus on agentic AI experiences. MediaTek says the chipset's new dual-NPU architecture and Agentic AI Engine are designed to power the next generation of on-device AI. Its second-generation Super Efficient NPU reportedly reduces AI power consumption by up to 40%, while delivering 51% higher LLM prefill performance and 55% higher token generation per watt.
The Dimensity 9600 Pro can also support AI models with up to 30 billion parameters directly on the device, which should allow more complex AI tasks to run without constantly relying on the cloud.
There's also a larger 34.5MB cache, alongside support for LPDDR6 memory and UFS 5.0 storage for the first time. MediaTek says its new Scheduling Engine can intelligently allocate computing power and memory resources between hardware and software, allowing multiple apps to continue running smoothly in the background while using fewer resources.
(Image credit: Source: MediaTek)
Gaming is getting a significant upgrade as well. The new G2-Ultra NX GPU delivers up to 27% higher peak performance while consuming 24% less power. MediaTek says the GPU can deliver what it calls console-grade gaming on-device at up to 185fps.
For cameras, there's a new Imagiq 1290 ISP, which MediaTek says will enable more advanced computational photography and content creation features on upcoming smartphones.
There aren't any smartphones powered by the Dimensity 9600 Pro just yet, but we shouldn't have to wait long before the first devices arrive. Apple's 2nm A20 Pro has already launched inside the iPhone 18 Pro series, while Qualcomm is expected to reveal its answer at Snapdragon Summit later this month.
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Meta’s Project Phoenix is finally coming into focus after more than a year of rumors about a lightweight, high-end mixed-reality headset.
Phoenix looks more like smart glasses than a traditional VR headset, using nose pads and temple-mounted sensors.
An external compute puck appears to be part of the design.
Whispers about Meta working on a lightweight, high-end mixed reality headset codenamed Project Phoenix have floated around the tech sphere for over a year. Now, we finally get our first real look at what Mark Zuckerberg's hardware team has been cooking up, and it seems Meta accidentally left the key under the mat.
The images were revealed through Meta’s HorizonOS Prescription Lens package, which first appeared in August as a mostly blank system package, as noticed by UploadVR. An update in September showed detailed pictures of how prescription lens inserts attach to the Phoenix and how users scan a QR code to set them up.
Interestingly, the hardware looks less like a traditional VR headset and more like chunky glasses. Phoenix uses nose pads instead of the bulky face interface of the Quest 3 and other XR headsets, with sensors along the temples. There’s also a cable coming from the left temple, seemingly confirming previous reports that Phoenix will use an external compute puck.
(Image credit: UploadVR)
It's a design that could change the way people think about wearing a mixed reality headset. If you’ve been using more traditional XR headsets, you’ll probably find it comforting to realize potential benefits here, like less weight on your face, but the compromise moves elsewhere: you’ll need to deal with a separate computing unit and a cable.
For Meta, the greater challenge might be getting that extra hardware to feel invisible enough that Phoenix still feels like something you can casually wear, rather than another device you have to gear up for.
There's another interesting clue here. The leaked setup stuff seems to be based on prescription inserts and controller-free interaction.
Meta hasn’t officially announced Phoenix yet, but Meta Connect 2026 starts September 23 and has a session dedicated to controller-free interaction on its agenda. If Phoenix shows up there, we might finally learn whether Meta’s push toward lighter mixed reality headsets is a real shift in headset design, or just a clever way to move the weight somewhere else.
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