Tech & AI News Roundup — October 13, 2026, 1:01 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.

Apple Reboots Its Smart-Home Strategy With New Hardware and a ‘Home Collection’

I got an early glimpse of Apple’s biggest push into the smart home in years. — Wired

The Apple HomeView Is Like a Giant Apple Watch for the Home

With customizable “faces,” this 7-inch smart display is a unique hybrid between an iPhone and an Apple Watch. — Wired

Everything Apple launched at its ‘Welcome Home’ event

Apple unveiled a slate of new smart home gadgets at its aptly named "Welcome Home" event today, including its first (and highly anticipated) smart home hub. That flagship announcement came alongside much-needed refreshes for Apple's HomePod Mini and TV 4K devices, and a selection of new smart home and security accessories designed together with trusted third-party manufacturers. Catch up on all of — The Verge

Elgato takes on DJI with a tiny wireless mic for creators on the go

The Wave Go microphone is around the size of an AirPod. | Image: Elgato Elgato already dominates the market for hardware built for creators that use powerful desktop PCs, and it's now turning its attention to creators on the go with its first wireless microphone. The $99.99 Wave Go clips onto your clothes just like DJI's Mic Mini, with hands-free recording for vlogging and content creation. The Wa — The Verge

Amex introduces a framework to prevent AI agents from making unauthorized purchases

American Express is introducing a new framework designed to ensure AI agents only make purchases their users have authorized, potentially preventing costly mistakes and disputes as AI-powered shopping grows. — TechCrunch

Giraffe Bio aims its bespoke biomolecules at the looming copper shortage

As AI data centers and EVs drive up demand for copper, Giraffe Bio has unearthed a $6.4 million seed round to help miners extract more of the mineral. — TechCrunch

The Download: open model trade-offs and geothermal power’s promise

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. Open models have real benefits. Do they outweigh the risks? Anthropic recently released a report arguing that a powerful new model released by the Chinese company Z.ai, poses a major cyberattack… — MIT Technology Review

Dutch tax authorities cancel Microsoft 365 cloud rollout – and turn toward open source

Another European move toward digital sovereignty has curtailed adopting the US workplace suite. — ZDNet