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The lack of built-in, MagSafe-style magnetic accessory support has been a major bugbear for Android users in recent years, but Google has finally debuted a Pixel-exclusive alternative to Apple’s popular iPhone technology.
Pixelsnap is an ecosystem of magnetic Qi2.2 accessories for the entire Google Pixel 10 line. Much like MagSafe, it lets you attach wireless chargers, stands, grips, and other accessories to the back of any Pixel 10 phone, with their built-in magnetic rings facilitating charging up to 25W (the Pixel 10, 10 Pro, and 10 Pro Fold are capped at 15W, while the 10 Pro XL gets a higher 25W ceiling).
Google revealed a suite of first-party Pixelsnap accessories at its latest Made by Google showcase; the first batch includes a magnetic charger, a magnetic stand, and a magnetic ring tool. But, crucially, Pixelsnap is also compatible with existing MagSafe accessories from Apple and third-party brands like Belkin, which is a bigger deal than it sounds.
@techradar ♬ original sound - TechRadarApple hasn’t been gatekeeping its MagSafe technology; it actually helped develop the Qi2 wireless charging standard in 2023, which uses magnetic alignment to facilitate faster charging on mobile devices.
Until now, though, the HMD Skyline was the only Android phone to come with built-in magnets to fully support the Qi2 standard.
Recent top-end Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and OnePlus 13 are technically Qi2-ready, but they don’t have built-in magnets – you have to purchase a compatible case (or adhesive ring) with a magnetic mounting system to make use of their Qi2 capabilities.
Image 1 of 2Pixelsnap accessories for the Pixel 10 Pro (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Image 2 of 2Pixelsnap accessories for the Pixel 10 Pro (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)The Google Pixel 10 and its siblings, then, are the first mainstream Android phones to ship with a true MagSafe-style alignment system – and for now, that gives them a rare hardware edge over the best Android phones from the likes of Samsung, OnePlus, and Motorola.
Other upgrades for the Google Pixel 10 line include new AI-powered camera features, a dedicated telephoto camera for the base model, and an IP68 rating for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold; but, for the reasons outlined above, Pixelsnap could be the most important upgrade of all.
You might also like- Audio-Technica has revealed a new limited edition version of the ATH-M50xSTS
- It's in collaboration with virtual singer Hatsune Miku
- It will be available later this week
Esteemed audio brand Audio-Technica has unveiled a cute limited edition version of its best gaming headset in collaboration with virtual idol Hatsune Miku.
Officially called the ATH-M50xSTS-USB MIKU, it's a new variant of the excellent ATH-M50xSTS. The headset, which is based on the professional ATH-M50X monitoring headphones, scored close to full marks in our ATH-M50xSTS review.
It offers sublime audio quality that's particularly impressive for its upper mid-range price point, plus multiple comfortable ear-cup types in the box. Paired with a strong boom microphone, it's a fantastic option for gamers or streamers that want to get away from the usual gaming brands.
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The ATH-M50xSTS-USB MIKU comes in a special limited edition colorway inspired by the singer. This includes blue details on the headband meant to mimic her iconic hair and a colorful green ring on the outside of each earcup.
The headset is covered in little details, like the bright Hatsune Miku emblem on the inside of its ear cups and the futuristic-looking blue ring around the microphone module.
They come in special packaging featuring an illustration by the artist LAM created for the collab. It features a USB Type-A connection, so is definitely geared towards PC users, but does come bundled with a USB Type-C adaptor.
The headset will be available from August 22 for $279 / £239.
You might also like...- Sony has just unveiled two new pieces of Inzone gaming audio gear and PS5 owners should take note
- I’ve tried the Asus Raikiri 2 wireless controller, and it might set the standard for third-party Xbox pads
- I threw a glass bottle at a giant zombie woman in Resident Evil Requiem, then she turned around and bit my head off
- Windows 11's Copilot app just got an update for testers
- This introduces a powerful new natural language-based search
- There are also some useful changes for the app's home page
Windows 11's Copilot app is getting a deeper and more powerful search functionality, and more besides – although this is only in testing for now.
The Verge reports that Microsoft is rolling out an update for the Copilot app to Windows Insiders (those running test versions of Windows 11) who have Copilot+ PCs.
Those devices have the necessary NPU to drive this new AI search, which allows you to use natural language in queries, and will dive into files to find results for you.
So, as Microsoft points out, you can ask a conversational query such as 'find the file with the tiramisu recipe' and the Copilot app will hunt through the files on your PC to locate it. Or similarly, you could ask 'find pictures of my dog on the beach' and the AI will pick out those images specifically. Microsoft calls this functionality a 'semantic file search'.
Microsoft is also bringing in a rejigged home page for the Copilot app which surfaces recently used files, apps, and conversations, a move designed to make it easy for you to jump back into whatever you were doing previously.
You can also click on those recently-used files to query them with Copilot, or elect to get help with apps via a specific 'guided help' pane – this fires up a Copilot Vision session to guide you through said app.
Testers who want to give the new Copilot app a whirl should grab the latest update from the Microsoft Store in Windows 11.
(Image credit: Microsoft)Analysis: AI end gameYour immediate concern here may be privacy, and Microsoft has been quick to allay any fears along those lines in its blog post introducing these changes. The company makes it clear that Copilot surfaces recently-used files simply via the standard 'recent' folder that Windows 11 maintains – so the AI app isn't digging into your system any more deeply than the records which the OS keeps itself.
Microsoft clarifies that: "Copilot doesn't scan your entire system or upload anything automatically." However, when you're directly querying a file with Copilot, in that case it is uploaded for processing, but "nothing is shared unless you explicitly do so".
As for the semantic file-search capability, I assume that it functions similarly to the AI-supercharging of Windows 11's search itself on Copilot+ PCs (when Microsoft introduced natural language queries via the search box on the taskbar).
Microsoft seemingly wants to beef up search with AI across the board, and so on Copilot+ PCs we have that powered-up Windows 11 search, as well as Recall (a screenshot-based AI search leveraging the activity on your PC), and now an improved natural language search within the Copilot app itself.
What's the end game with pushing AI in search so strongly? Well, search is an obvious use case for AI, and I'd speculate that eventually, Copilot will take over all Windows search duties entirely.
There will be no basic Windows search at all, in other words – if you want to find stuff on your PC, you'll ask Copilot, end of story. And hopefully it'll complete the search without showing you 15 related 'suggestions' or 'recommendations' about what else you might need to complete whatever task the AI thinks you're carrying out.
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