Gadgets
TechnologyThe latest on Gadgets from our Technology desk.
High-End 4K Gaming PC Can Cost $3,700 or More in 2026
A high-end gaming PC built for native 4K at ultra settings can cost $3,700 and up, depending on component choices and availability. A typical build includes an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 16GB, while volatile GPU and memory prices can push costs higher.
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Apple Warns Rising Memory Costs Will Cut Holiday-Quarter Margins
Apple reported fiscal fourth-quarter revenue of $114.5 billion, but warned that rising memory chip costs will reduce gross margins in the holiday quarter. CEO John Ternus called conditions in the memory market unprecedented. The company forecasts margins of 45% to 46%, while higher iPhone revenue and a new product lineup set the stage for its busiest sales period.
Apple Home Robot Delay Puts $1,000 Price in Doubt
Apple has reportedly pushed back its rumored tabletop home robot, with a launch now possible next year or in 2028. The device’s hardware is said to be finished, but its software team wants more time and has proposed focusing on FaceTime and home automation. The robot could cost around $1,000 or more, with a swiveling 9-inch display on a robotic arm.
Smart Locks: What to Check Before Buying One in the UK
Smart locks can unlock a front door with a phone, fingerprint or code, but the right model depends on the door and the lock already fitted. Prices range from less than £100 to well over £1,000. Buyers should check compatibility, security certification and the effect on home insurance before installation.
Leatherman Rebar, Super Tool 300 and Skeletool CX Suit Garden Jobs
Leatherman multitools can help with small gardening jobs, from cutting thin wire to measuring before a cut. The Rebar and Super Tool 300 offer different combinations of tools, while the Skeletool CX takes a simpler approach. These compact options are meant to supplement—not replace—dedicated garden equipment such as hand trowels, clippers and knives.
NASA’s Swift space telescope faces uncontrolled reentry
NASA’s Swift space telescope is expected to reenter Earth’s atmosphere in the next few days after a robotic rescue mission failed to raise its orbit. Its path crosses a band near the equator, mostly over ocean, while experts say a small number of dense components could survive the descent.
Five Foldable Phones Challenge Apple’s $2,000 iPhone Duo
Apple’s iPhone Duo arrives in a foldable market with established Android rivals. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold are among five alternatives highlighted for buyers weighing price, screen size and design. The available product details show how their displays and features differ from Apple’s new device.
Club386 Opens Worldwide Giveaway for Three-Part PC Upgrade
A worldwide giveaway offers one winner a Sapphire Pure Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB graphics card, AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor and Sapphire Pure X870A WiFi 7 motherboard. The prize combines three PC components, with the graphics card equipped with 16GB of VRAM and the processor carrying 96MB of L3 cache.
Apple’s Touchscreen MacBook Revives Debate Over Laptop Design
Apple’s first touchscreen MacBook Pros have reopened a debate about whether laptop displays are practical to use by touch. Steve Jobs argued in 2010 that vertical touch surfaces cause arm fatigue, while touchscreen laptops and convertible designs have since appeared across the market. The weekly poll asks readers whether touch makes sense on a laptop, and whether the answer depends on its hinge design.
Apple Brings Touch Gestures to MacBook Pro With macOS 27
Apple’s new MacBook Pro adds a touch display, while macOS 27 Golden Gate brings larger touch targets and familiar gestures to the screen. Users can swipe between spaces, zoom with a pinch and reach Spotlight through Dynamic Island. Apple says more touch optimizations are coming to the Mac.
Voyager 1 briefly goes silent as thrusters switch to backups
Voyager 1 lost contact with Earth for more than 24 hours on October 18 and 19. Diagnostic data gathered after communications returned showed that a group of thrusters had gone offline and backup units had taken over. The team is investigating whether the issue involved fuel lines that have clogged before.
Samsung Mocks iPhone Duo Display Cracks in Instagram Campaign
Samsung has used an Instagram campaign in Canada to poke fun at reports of iPhone Duo inner-screen cracks, posting images of a bright line across the display. The company called the ad playful and tied it to competition in the foldable-phone market. Apple says a small number of devices are affected and directs customers with display problems to AppleCare for a replacement.
Voyager 1 gives controllers a scare before signal returns
NASA's Voyager 1 stopped communicating with Earth after the Deep Space Network failed to detect a signal on October 18 and October 19. The signal returned on October 20. Engineers are investigating a possible thruster issue as the spacecraft approaches a milestone that will stretch command-and-response times to 24 hours each way.
Apple Unveils First Touchscreen MacBook Pro, Starting at £2,899
Apple has introduced its first touchscreen MacBook Pro, adding touch controls to a laptop line that previously relied on trackpads and keyboards. The new models pair the feature with PROLED XDR displays and M5 Pro or M5 Max chips. Apple says the laptops will be available from November 6, with prices ranging from £2,899 to £14,549.
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan Touts Nova Lake for Desktop Gap
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan says Nova Lake is on track and expected to bring twice as many design wins as Panther Lake at launch. The lineup is intended to cover high-end desktops through mainstream laptops, with Intel planning to share more at CES in January. The company also says memory shortages and rising prices weighed on its client business.
Samsung May Use Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Extreme in Europe for Galaxy S27 Ultra
Samsung is reportedly preparing to use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Extreme in the Galaxy S27 Ultra in Europe, while the Exynos 2700 may power other S27 models. A tipster says there is no sign of an Exynos Ultra variant in Europe; Samsung’s plans for South Korea remain unclear.
Apple’s iPhone Duo Edges Galaxy Z Fold 8 in Tom’s Guide Test
Tom’s Guide compared Apple’s iPhone Duo with foldable phones from Samsung, Google and Motorola. The review says the Duo leads in display brightness, battery life and chipset performance, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 offers stronger multitasking and AI utility. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra adds a dedicated telephoto camera and a 5,000 mAh battery, but costs $2,099.
Apple Unveils OLED, Touchscreen MacBook Pro From $2,899
Apple announced a MacBook Pro with an OLED display and touchscreen, the first Mac to support touch. The 14-inch model starts at $2,899 and the 16-inch at $3,399. Pre-orders are open, sales begin November 6, and the launch arrives in a weak PC market with rising memory costs.
Samsung’s First Clip-Style Galaxy Buds On Land in the U.S. on Nov. 6 for $229
Clip-on earbuds have become one of the busiest corners of the audio market, and Samsung has now stepped in. The company announced the Galaxy Buds
Amazon’s First Digital Picture Frame Adds Alexa and Voice Notes
Amazon has released the Alexa Photo Frame, a 10-inch touchscreen device with Alexa built in. It pulls images from Amazon Photos, picks the best shots with Alexa Plus, never shows ads, and costs $199.99 for the black version or $229 for a wood finish.
Webb Captures N159, an Eerie Star-Forming Region
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured N159, a turbulent star-forming region in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The observation, selected as Webb’s Picture of the Month for October, shows gas and dust structures that help astronomers investigate how stars form under conditions unlike those in the Milky Way. The region’s lower metallicity also offers a window into conditions in the early universe.