SMRTR Tech

Tech stories

Get hand-picked daily summaries of the best, most informative technology articles from around the web. Browse recent summaries, then jump to the original source when you want the full article.

Latest story• Apr 29, 2026

Taylor Swift Wants to Trademark Her Likeness. These TikTok Deepfake Ads Show Why

Taylor Swift recently filed trademarks to protect her image and voice, and a new report shows exactly why — AI deepfakes of her and other celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Rihanna are appearing in scam TikTok ads promoting fake rewards programs designed to steal users' personal information. Social media scams are surging, and deepfake technology is making them increasingly harder to detect.

Read summary Original source

Latest stories

Virtualisation on Apple Silicon Macs is different

Apple silicon Macs use built-in macOS virtualization with Virtio drivers, delivering near-native CPU and GPU performance. Key limitations include no App Store access, iCloud requiring Sequoia on both host and guest, and a two-VM...

Read summary Original

Can NASA and SpaceX really build a moon base in the next 10 years?

NASA has announced plans to build a permanent moon base starting as soon as 2027, but scientists warn the timeline is overly ambitious. Razor-sharp electrified dust, constant radiation, and the moon's weak gravity pose serious...

Read summary Original

Google Search queries hit an ‘all time high’ last quarter

Google Search hit record query levels in Q1 2026, with AI features driving 19% revenue growth. Alphabet posted $109.9B total revenue (+22% YoY), Google Cloud surged 63% to $20B, and paid AI subscriptions exceeded 350M users.

Read summary Original

YouTube TV gets a fully customizable multiview feature, with availability for all channels

YouTube TV is rolling out a fully customizable multiview feature that lets subscribers watch multiple live streams at the same time on one screen. Unlike the previous version, which had limited options, users can now pick any...

Read summary Original

Apple might ditch MagSafe on future iPhones, per bizarre rumor

Apple may remove MagSafe from future iPhones to support a "single sheet of glass" redesign, as the magnets could restrict design flexibility and increase manufacturing costs.

Read summary Original

SMRTR Tech

Get the next batch of curated stories in your inbox.

This archive is built from SMRTR newsletter stories. Subscribe for hand-picked stories without the extra noise.

More recent stories

Pixel dreams: how the Nintendo NES brought video games back from the brink

After the video game industry collapsed in 1983 due to oversaturation and terrible games — most notoriously the disastrous E.T. game — consoles like Atari became worthless, with 750,000 unsold cartridges famously buried in a...

Read summary Original

Apple's AI Smart Glasses Likely to Support Hand Gesture Controls

Apple is developing AI-powered smart glasses to compete with Meta Ray-Bans, featuring two cameras — one for photos and videos, and one for reading hand gestures to control Siri. Battery life concerns are keeping the first version...

Read summary Original

Raspberry Pi Connect may control Windows soon

Raspberry Pi's free remote access tool, Pi Connect, is testing Windows PC support — a big step beyond its original Raspberry Pi-only design. The experimental Windows version uses WebRTC and VNC standards, making the port from...

Read summary Original

Google Photos Wardrobe will scan your pictures to compile a digital version of your closet

Google Photos is launching a Wardrobe feature that scans your existing photos to automatically build a digital catalog of your clothing. This lets you browse and plan outfits without opening your actual closet, making it easier...

Read summary Original

You can now book a hotel via the Uber app

Uber is adding hotel booking to its app, letting users plan and book accommodations alongside rides — eliminating the need to juggle multiple travel services.

Read summary Original

An open-source stethoscope that costs between $2.5 and $5 to produce

An open-source stethoscope design, costing just $2.50–$5 to produce, performs as well as the industry-leading Littmann Cardiology III. The 3D-printed device uses basic silicone tubing and a plastic sheet for the diaphragm, making...

Read summary Original

Apple Has Likely Abandoned 'iPad Ultra' Plans

Apple appears to have quietly dropped plans for an "iPad Ultra," largely because iPad Pro sales have been weak. Analyst Ross Young slashed his 2024 shipment forecast from 10 million to just 6.7 million units, blaming high prices...

Read summary Original

An electric air taxi just flew from JFK to Manhattan in under 10 minutes

Forget hailing a cab. An electric air taxi zipped from JFK Airport to Lower Manhattan in under 10 minutes recently, a trip that can drag on for an hour by car. Joby Aviation is conducting 10 days of test flights over New York...

Read summary Original

The OpenAI smartphone will fail, but it’ll be good for iPhone users

OpenAI is reportedly developing its own smartphone, built around AI agents instead of traditional apps, with mass production expected by 2028. While the concept of delegating tasks to AI rather than opening individual apps is...

Read summary Original

Google Translate uses AI to help you practice pronunciation

Google Translate is turning 20 and marking the milestone with a new AI-powered pronunciation practice feature, one of its most requested additions. Available on Android for English, Spanish, and Hindi, it listens to users speak,...

Read summary Original

Australia gives Google, Meta, and TikTok a choice: pay news outlets or pay a 2.25% tax

Australia is threatening Google, Meta, and TikTok with a 2.25% revenue tax if they don't reach fair payment agreements with news publishers, replacing a 2021 law with a stronger incentive to negotiate.

Read summary Original

Adobe Photoshop gets AI object rotation, as Lightroom adds new presets, better search, more

Adobe is rolling out major updates to Photoshop and Lightroom, bringing AI-powered tools that make editing faster and smarter. Photoshop's new Rotate Object tool lets users spin and tilt assets in 3D space with automatic lighting...

Read summary Original

Turtle Beach put a touchscreen on a gaming mouse, and it costs $160

Turtle Beach launched the Command Series MC7, a $160 wireless gaming mouse featuring a 2.25-inch touchscreen — similar to Apple's unpopular Touch Bar — for managing DPI, macros, and streaming. It also boasts a 30K DPI sensor and...

Read summary Original

YouTube Starts Testing “Ask YouTube” Feature With Premium Users in the US

YouTube is testing "Ask YouTube," a conversational search tool for US Premium users that answers queries with text and videos, supports follow-up questions, and may later roll out to non-Premium users.

Read summary Original

I Built My Own Hair Electrolysis Machine

A DIY engineer built a custom galvanic hair electrolysis machine from scratch to permanently remove body hair at home, potentially saving thousands of dollars in professional treatments. Starting with a crude car battery...

Read summary Original

NVIDIA starts offering a 12GB version of the 5070 for laptops

NVIDIA is adding a 12GB VRAM version of its RTX 5070 laptop GPU in June, responding to memory supply constraints. While the extra memory sounds like an upgrade, the chip likely uses a narrower memory bus, limiting speed compared...

Read summary Original

DJI Mic Mini 2 review: The tiny wireless mic is colorful and much cheaper

The DJI Mic Mini 2 is a $100 wireless mic offering solid audio, 450-yard range, and 11.5-hour battery life, with new voice presets and colorful covers — ideal for first-time buyers, though not yet US-available.

Read summary Original

‘Windows K2’ Could Be Microsoft’s Answer to Years of Windows 11 Frustration

Windows K2 is Microsoft's internal project to overhaul Windows 11, focusing on performance, reliability, and a cleaner UX. Highlights include a 60% faster Start menu, no ads, taskbar customization, reduced bloat, and more stable...

Read summary Original

Back to all archives Load more stories