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This Month

FoloToy’s artificial intelligence-assisted plushie, Teddy Kumma.

Singapore firm’s AI teddy bear back on sale after shock sex talk

FoloToy had pulled its ChatGPT-assisted Teddy Kumma, along with the rest of its artificial intelligence-enabled plushies, from its website after criticism.

Dreame Matrix10 robovac
For Digital Life review by John Davidson

Dreame just solved the number one problem in robovacs

It’s not just your house that will stay clean with the new Matrix10 Ultra. The docking station will stay clean, too.

The counter-drone firm has faced increased scrutiny after chief executive Oleg Vornik and two directors offloaded their stakes in the company.

DroneShield struggles to keep up with evolving battlefield

Changing tactics and technology are posing a challenge for the under-fire defence contractor’s signature product, military experts say.

My 5.6-metre failure while testing the Apple Watch Ultra 3

The high-tech timepiece can be submerged 40 metres underwater, into the inky depths of the ocean where the monsters are – but I barely scratched the surface. 

Robot falling

Russian humanoid robot falls on its face in hyped debut

The artificial intelligence-powered creation was supposed to put on a world-beating performance, but wound up on its face.

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Life 360’s pet tracking device will notified users if their pet escapes.

Family tracking device banks on pet finder for growth

Life360 is famous as an app for tracking kids, but its CEO says its new pet GPS gadget will lure more free users and childless adults into paid subscriptions.

This is one of the best photography phones of all time

Pairing Oppo’s Find X9 Pro handset with Hasselblad’s Teleconverter Kit offers a giant leap for mobile images as it shoots for the moon. It’s pricey, though.

Criminals could hack your EV, cyber tsar warns

The Australian Cyber Security Centre head also urged people to stop storing passwords and bank details in browser as hackers develop software to steal it.

MacBook Pro and Air laptops. The new device will be cheaper and aimed at typical Chromebook users.

Apple is preparing to enter the low-cost laptop market for first time

The new device will target would-be iPad buyers who are averse to tablets, or people who primarily browse the web using Chromebooks or similar technology.

Canva World Tour 2025 new product launch event in Sydney, October 30, 2025. From left Cliff Obrecht, Melanie Perkins, Cameron Adams. Image supplied. Photographer: Tammie Joske

Why Canva’s new AI announcements should make rivals nervous

Canva seems to be thinking about AI differently than many big tech companies, and it looks like they’re coming for Microsoft’s lunch.

October

The iPhone 17 Pro was only available for a week of the first quarter.

Apple promises blockbuster Christmas iPhone sales after quarterly miss

Apple announced iPhone sales narrowly missed expectations in the last quarter, but it told investors to expect record sales over Christmas for iPhone 17 models.

Mark Zuckerberg shows off Meta’s smart glasses Ray-Ban Display AI glasses during the Meta Connect event in California last month.

Are smart glasses finally moving beyond the hype into real-world use?

Chinese companies such as Alibaba, Xiaomi, Huawei, Tencent and Baidu are seeking to overcome consumer resistance by emphasising the utility of tech-heavy eyewear.

Consumers look over the newly launched iPhone 17 Pro at an Apple Store in Sydney.

Why your new phone is not designed for women

Capitalism, and Apple in particular, is not giving me what I want, but I could always behave like a good free market consumer and switch companies.

Incoming Nine chairman Peter Tonagh/

Nine’s new chairman inadvertently publicises his Whoop data

Is Peter Tonagh losing sleep about taking over the Nine Entertainment board?

Sssh! Is that the sound of the best earphones ever – AirPods Pro 3?

Apple’s new in-ear devices come with a mode that allows mere mortals to experience superhuman hearing.

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The standard iPhone 17 has caught up to the Pro models, and practically every Android phone, with a high refresh always-on display.

Owning the latest iPhone may be a flex but is it worth it financially?

Buying an iPhone each year might be a status symbol, but succumbing to lifestyle inflation could delay you from reaching financial goals. If you do opt to upgrade, here’s how to find the best deal.

September

Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro is great, but we still prefer the Air

This new smartphone is more than just a pretty colour. Under all that lies the fastest phone we have ever reviewed.

iPhone Air review: why buy anything else?

Apple made surprisingly few compromises to squeeze out its new, ultra-thin phone.

Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses don’t know what they’re looking at

The tech company’s AI glasses can provide a wealth of information about the world outside your porthole, but you have to take it with a pinch of salt.

How Apple’s new Watch could save your life

New Watch features that Apple says can warn of heart disease or send SOS messages via satellite will be released, and new AirPods are coming too.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/gadgets-hqp