October 15, 2025, 1:58 AM EDT. Android Auto 15.2 introduces a bug that hides taskbar widgets and reorients the bar to a left, vertical layout. The issue surfaced in late September during the staged rollout, with many users on Pixel and Samsung devices reporting that toggling Taskbar widgets does not restore the elements, and the UI briefly redraws before reverting. Some workarounds-clearing cache/data or reverting to older builds-offer only temporary relief. Google has opened an investigation but has not provided a timeline. A clearer path is expected with the Android Auto 15.4 beta, but for now users should wait for a stable update or temporarily roll back. The episode shows how even polished interfaces can stumble around core UI elements.
October 15, 2025, 1:57 AM EDT. Google's October 2025 Pixel update blocked the 'shell' workaround used by the Pixel IMS app to enable VoLTE and VoWiFi on unsupported carriers, breaking functionality for importers. The patch targeted an internal API call that overrides carrier config - a capability Pixel IMS exploited via the open-source tool Shizuku to run with elevated shell privileges. In response, the developer released a new workaround that bypasses the restriction by laundering the API call through another component so the system doesn't detect it as coming from shell. The episode highlights the ongoing tug-of-war between device flexibility, carrier support, and platform security, and how developers react when patches close holes.
October 15, 2025, 1:56 AM EDT. New Pew Research Center findings show most parents of kids ages 11-12 report their child has a smartphone, even as many experts urge delaying social media access until about age 16. The study highlights how smartphones are just part of a broader rise in kids' screen time: 85% watch YouTube, including more youngsters under 2 than in 2020. While 86% of parents have rules for screen use, only 19% consistently enforce them, and 80% worry that the harms of social media outweigh the benefits. The article offers practical approaches: stay in touch without a smartphone via a dumbphone or a child-friendly watch; use a family device that's shared with a parent; and befriend other parents to coordinate norms. The takeaway: rethink techniques for managing kids' tech while keeping them connected.
October 15, 2025, 1:55 AM EDT. Honor has appointed Nicholas Tse as its Future Technology Experience Officer ahead of the Oct 15 unveiling of the Magic8 lineup. The actor and multimedia icon features in a promo image that spotlights the device's AI self-evolution concept, designed to learn habits and optimize over time. Honor also released a promo video comparing the Magic8 Pro with the iPhone 17 Pro in high-altitude night shots captured from a helicopter, claiming the Magic8 Pro comes out on top. Teased specs include a 50 MP main camera, a 50 MP ultrawide, and a 200 MP periscope telephoto (85mm, f/2.6, 1/1.4" sensor).
October 15, 2025, 1:53 AM EDT. NVIDIA says its DGX Spark, billed as the world's smallest AI supercomputer, ships from Oct 15 for $3,999. CEO Jensen Huang delivered the first units to Elon Musk. DGX Spark bundles NVIDIA's entire AI stack-GPUs, CPUs, networking, CUDA libraries-into a compact system delivering a petaflop of AI performance with 128 GB of unified memory. Powered by the GB10 Blackwell Superchip, it can run inferences on models up to 200 billion parameters and fine-tune up to 70 billion parameters. It enables local AI agents and advanced software stacks. Pre-orders open on NVIDIA's site, with partners like Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, MSI. Other tech giants-Microsoft, Google, Hugging Face, Meta-are testing DGX Spark to optimize their tools.