Modder Natalie The Nerd has converted the LEGO 421-piece Nintendo Game Boy replica into a fully playable Game Boy using real Game Boy hardware and cartridges. The build uses a custom PCB, a very small screen kit, and USB-C power — and Natalie plans to share the designs once she finalizes the button mounting. Key details Custom PCB with soldered Game Boy chips and working controls Smallest screen kit on the market to fit inside the LEGO shell Powered via USB-C (no battery hassle) Current temporary button fix: elastic band; planned fix: 3D-printed LEGO piece holding a custom PCB Primary sources and further info: Natalie The Nerd blog — build notes and updates YouTube short showing the mod LEGO announcement Nintendo product page Search LEGO Nintendo Game Boy on Amazon…

Google's new Gemini-powered smart speaker: what we know Summary: Google has announced upcoming smart home speakers and a compact Nest device that will be powered by Gemini AI, which is set to replace Google Assistant on smart speakers and displays. The initial rollout is planned for the United States, and wider availability has not yet been confirmed. Key features Gemini for Home: a generative AI replacing Assistant with more conversational interaction and smarter camera alerts. 360° audio and a TV speaker mode (can be used as a speaker for Google TV streamer). Multiple speaker sizes, including a compact Nest speaker and a larger Google Home speaker with improved audio. Expected launch: spring 2026 (reports indicate initial US availability). Why it matters This marks a major shift in Google's smart home…

Bitrig brings “vibe coding” to iPhone — build native SwiftUI apps with AI Bitrig is a new iPhone app — developed by a team of former Apple engineers involved with SwiftUI — that lets you create native SwiftUI apps directly on your iPhone using AI. The app runs a custom Swift interpreter on the device, enabling generated code to call into iOS frameworks and access hardware (camera, GPS, motion, etc.) without a Mac or Xcode. Quick summary AI-driven "vibe coding": describe or speak your idea and Bitrig generates runnable Swift & SwiftUI code on-device. Native features: generated apps can use MapKit, Photos, Notifications and device hardware. Edit & share: tweak the code, preview instantly, and share projects via AirDrop, Messages or export to Xcode/TestFlight. Built by ex-Apple engineers (including contributors…

Amazon expands Fire TV lineup: Omni QLED refresh + new Fire TV 2- & 4-Series At its recent hardware event Amazon announced new Fire TV Smart-TVs: a refreshed Omni QLED series and new Fire TV 2- and 4-series. The models target different audiences and combine higher processing power with enhanced personalization features. Key highlights Omni QLED (refreshed): Now featuring QLED Mini-LED technology, Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive, AI-powered "Intelligent Picture" and built-in far-field Alexa. Available in multiple sizes (from ~50"+). Fire TV 4-Series: Refreshed generation aimed at mainstream users with updated performance and features (details pending). Fire TV 2-Series: New entry in the lineup targeting budget or midrange segments (detailed specs not yet fully published). Availability & pricing Amazon's announcement lists the new models but did not provide complete…

UK government orders Apple to provide access to encrypted iCloud backups — Apple disables Advanced Data Protection in the UK Early this month the UK government reportedly issued a new directive instructing Apple to enable access to encrypted iCloud backups for users in the United Kingdom. Unlike an earlier request in January that would have had global effect, the current order appears to be limited to UK users. In response, Apple has disabled its Advanced Data Protection feature in the UK and is challenging the demand. Key points Scope: The new order is reported to target encrypted iCloud backups of UK-based users only. Apple response: Apple has disabled Advanced Data Protection (ADP) in the UK and has indicated it is resisting the demand. Context: A previous, broader request in January…

Best smart plugs for 2025 — Quick guide & top picks Smart plugs aren’t complicated, but they make life more convenient — and a bit more fun. Say “Goodnight” to your voice assistant and watch lamps and holiday lights click off. After testing many smart plugs, our top pick for most people is the TP‑Link Kasa EP25. Below is a short guide to picks, uses, setup tips and compatibility. Top pick TP‑Link Kasa EP25 — great balance of reliability, features and price. Find options: Amazon search: TP-Link Kasa EP25 Outdoor & specialty picks Outdoor (patio, holiday lights): TP‑Link Kasa Outdoor EP40A — weatherproof and long-range. Amazon search: TP-Link Kasa Outdoor EP40A Energy-monitoring: Emporia Smart Outlet — monitor usage (note: older units were recalled; current models updated). Amazon search: Emporia Smart…

Microsoft refreshes Office icons with "Fluid forms, vibrant colors" Microsoft has redesigned the icons for its core Office apps—Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams—introducing softer, fluid shapes, reduced graphic details and richer, more vibrant colors. The change aims to improve recognizability on small screens and reflect a more approachable, AI-era design language. Key points Softer, curved forms replacing sharp edges Richer gradients and more saturated colors Simplified iconography to improve clarity at small sizes Part of Microsoft’s broader "fluid forms, vibrant colors" design direction "We've moved away from bold, static solidity to embrace softer, more fluid forms. Sharp edges and crisp lines are replaced by smooth folds and curves, giving the icons a sense of playful motion and approachability." — Jon Friedman, Corporate VP of Design and Research (Microsoft) The redesign…

Govee TV Backlight 3 Pro — triple HDR camera, Matter support Govee has launched the TV Backlight 3 Pro, a new ambient lighting kit for TVs that promises more accurate and immersive bias lighting using a new triple HDR camera array. The kit is available in sizes for 55–65" and 75–85" TVs and adds Matter support, app and voice control, and denser, brighter LEDs. Key features Triple HDR camera: Three wide-angle HDR-tuned cameras capture on-screen colors more accurately for real-time LED sync (1080p/30fps). High-density LEDs: Around 75 LEDs per meter with 16-bit color control for smoother gradients and improved brightness. Smart home: Works with the Govee app, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and supports the Matter protocol. DreamView: Sync multiple Govee lights throughout your home for expanded ambience. Easy setup: Camera-based…

AI Search Podcast — Top AI Highlights This Week Welcome to the AI Search Podcast. Each week we curate the top AI news, product updates, and tool releases so you get fast, useful highlights without the noise. What’s in this episode Curated AI headlines and short summaries Relevant product links and further reading (we remove RSS-only links) Quick takes and discussion prompts How we handle links We remove links that only point to RSS sources. Important news links are kept. If a product is available on Amazon, we include an Amazon search link with our affiliate tag. We won’t post promotional reviews of a site as the news item on X. Want us to cover something? Reply to the tweet or leave a comment below suggesting an AI topic, tool,…

From Jan 2026: Gmail drops Gmailify and POP support Google has announced that, starting January 2026, Gmail will stop supporting both Gmailify and the POP mail protocol. This affects users who relied on Gmail to fetch messages from third-party accounts via POP or to apply Gmail features (spam filtering, inbox categories, advanced search) to external accounts using Gmailify. What changes POP: Gmail will no longer fetch mail from external accounts using the POP protocol via the Gmail web interface. Users should switch to IMAP or use their email provider's native client if they want continued syncing and retrieval. Gmailify: The feature that applied Gmail’s spam protection, categories, and other Gmail tools to third-party accounts (e.g., Yahoo, Outlook) will be discontinued. Who is affected Anyone using Gmail to access external mailboxes…