Google's Android XR wearable platform to get fashionable boost with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster

Photo: Google

Google is stepping up its smart glasses game with a focus on style, announcing partnerships with eyewear giants Warby Parker and Gentle Monster for its Android XR platform. The move revealed at the company's I/O developer conference signals a clear strategy to create smart glasses that consumers will actually want to wear, echoing the approach taken by Meta with its successful Ray-Ban smart glasses.

The collaborations highlight Google's commitment to aesthetics this time around. Warby Parker, known for its trendy and accessible eyewear, suggests a focus on versatile, everyday designs. Meanwhile, the partnership with Gentle Monster, a popular Korean brand favoured by celebrities and Gen Z for its bold and edgy styles, indicates that Android XR will also cater to more fashion-forward consumers.

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LEGO unveils nostalgic Minifigure Vending Machine set

Photo: LEGO

The LEGO Group has announced its latest LEGO Ideas creation: the Minifigure Vending Machine. This retro-inspired collectible set is designed specifically for adult LEGO enthusiasts, bringing the charm of classic vending machines to life with a brick-built twist.

The set originated from the LEGO Ideas platform, where fan designer Rob Vangansewinkel from Belgium saw his childhood inspiration come to fruition.

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Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 launching early, confirmed for September

Photo: Qualcomm

Qualcomm has officially confirmed that its next flagship Snapdragon chipset, widely expected to be the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, will be unveiled earlier than its predecessor. The announcement came today during the company's Computex presentation in Taiwan, revealing that the annual Snapdragon Summit will occur from September 23 to September 25.

This confirms recent rumours suggesting an earlier launch for Qualcomm's top-tier mobile silicon. The Snapdragon Summit is the traditional platform for the unveiling of the company's latest and greatest Snapdragon processors.

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Gemini's colours appear on Nest speakers, signalling potential assistant takeover

Screenshot: Reddit

Google's artificial assistant, Gemini, is starting to show its true colours on Nest smart speakers. Some Reddit users and 9to5Google report seeing a blue-and-purple gradient on their Nest Audio devices, replacing the usual white LEDs.

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