Tech & AI News Roundup — October 11, 2026, 1:03 PM UTC

Quick links to what's actually happening in AI, tech, and IT right now — curated from real reporting, not rewritten, so you can go read the full story wherever it's genuinely worth your time.

What to expect from Apple’s ‘Welcome Home’ event

We are quickly coming up on Apple's "Welcome Home" launch event, where we expect a host of smart home-related announcements. We are expecting refreshes to Apple TV and HomePod Mini, as well as a brand new smart home hub. We could also see the debut of a new platform called homeOS, and some partner devices from LG. What we probably won't be seeing is the long-rumored touchscreen MacBook, which Cupe — The Verge

Vurt wants you to look at vertical videos as a genre of their own

From Disney Plus to HBO Max, almost every major established streaming service is experimenting with ways to get into vertical content. It's clear that these companies see video-focused social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram as existential threats. In this arms race for viewers' attention, it has often felt like everyone is trying to find new ways to exist on people's phones. But a new st — The Verge

I Made Terrible Games With Google’s AI Playground

A long day’s haul in the video game slop mines. — Wired

13 Best Gifts for Every Traveler Should Have (2026)

Travel smarter with gifts packed by WIRED’s globe-trotting staffers. — Wired

Surveillance company Flock cuts staff as privacy backlash grows

Flock would not say if CEO Garrett Langley would take a pay cut following the reduction in workforce. — TechCrunch

Galaxy Tab S12+ vs iPad Air M4: Is Samsung’s Pricier Tablet Actually Better for Work?

Samsung's Galaxy Tab S12+ challenges Apple's iPad Air M4 for work. Compare productivity features, storage, accessories, and costs to see which offers more. The post Galaxy Tab S12+ vs iPad Air M4: Is Samsung’s Pricier Tablet Actually Better for Work? appeared first on TechRepublic. — TechRepublic

We’re putting too much faith in AI’s ability to say no

Ever since people first seriously contemplated giving machines an intelligence modeled on our own, there has never been any question that they would, like us, be able to say no. The sci-fi canon is full of stories of robotic disobedience. Most of these capers are, of course, cautionary. But recently, the idea that AI shouldn’t… — MIT Technology Review

Three Teams Demonstrate Remote Hacks of Fully Patched Google Pixel 10 at Pwn2Own

Three research teams broke into Google's Pixel 10 on October 8 at Pwn2Own Ireland, a hacking contest in Cork whose rules require every target to be fully patched. The contest pays researchers to show working exploits and passes the flaws to the vendors. One of the three Pixel exploits earned Ikotas Labs $300,000, the contest's top prize, and made the team the overall winner. Trend Micro's Zero — The Hacker News