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I tried out OpenAI’s new AI keypad — which will be fun for some coders and slightly mystifying to everyone else | TechCrunch
OpenAI launched its first piece of hardware last week — a fancy little keypad built to pair with ChatGPT. Micro, which was developed in collaboration with specialty keyboard designer Work Louder, is essentially an artisanal workplace novelty that many tech enthusiasts will love and that may leave everyone else a little puzzled.

OpenAI’s entrance into the hardware market hasn’t arrived without drama. Several weeks ago, Apple sued the AI lab and accused it of trade theft — kicking off what’s certain to be a long-simmering legal battle. Meanwhile, news of another smart home product in development at OpenAI has also raised eyebrows, as the supposed device — which is being built to pair with ChatGPT — was reportedly developed by former Apple engineers.







Until the legal battle works itself out and OpenAI’s broader hardware ambitions materialize, the most the startup has to offer is Micro — a funky little keypad clearly engineered to delight the tech industry’s code monkeys.

OpenAI sent TechCrunch a Micro test unit. The first big thing you notice when initially handling the keypad is that it’s a sturdy little device — enough so that if the AI accessory thing doesn’t end up working out, it could easily double as a paperweight. The other thing you might notice (and I am not the only one to point this out), is that the packaging — an immaculate white box with a sleek, clean aesthetic — is pretty Apple-coded. Make of that what you will.

The keypad’s layout involves six frosted “agent” keys at the top of the pad, which can be customized to carry out specific tasks within ChatGPT or its agentic coding tool Codex. Below them are six command keys, which can be used to control those programs. You can pair your Micro with your computer either through a Bluetooth connection or a USB cable.

Image Credits:Lucas Ropek/TechCrunch

Perhaps the most convenient thing Micro offers is a button for voice dictation — meaning you simply tell the app what you want done and it will get busy working on your behalf. Just hold down the dictation button and start talking. When you’re done, tap the “send” button next to it to submit your request.

You can customize your Micro keypad within ChatGPT itself, where a Micro tab allows you to adjust everything from the brightness of the light from the keys to the specific commands and projects you want tied to those keys. 


Hard-core coders — the device’s actual target audience — haven’t exactly embraced it. Reviews by Redditors have largely negative, with one Reddit user calling it “a prank and not a real product,” and others saying serious coders won’t touch it. A review by the smaller independent outlet Aftermath was even harsher, calling the 0 price tag hard to justify next to cheaper DIY and off-the-shelf alternatives. (The title of that review: “OpenAI’s expensive macropad feels engineered to piss me off specifically.”)

It’s definitely the case that new users may need some time to figure out how Micro works and what to do with it.

Once I figured out how to program the keypad to my liking, I found it was actually pretty fun. You can assign various ChatGPT sessions to specific keys, which then allows you to easily toggle back and forth between all of your various projects. When you combine that with the dictation button, it makes the whole experience considerably more efficient and enjoyable.







But there’s still a learning curve. Micro’s buttons are color-coded. White means an agent is idle, blue means its thinking, green means a task is complete, and red means there’s been an error. You’ll need to memorize that, along with memorizing which specific projects are coded to each key.

The big question is whether the Micro keypad is functionally easier to use than just continuing to work on your laptop. In short: Why would I spend a week learning how to program and operate this thing when I already know how to use my computer’s mouse and keyboard?

Ultimately, your experience with the Micro will depend heavily on how much you use ChatGPT. Since I don’t use AI much day to day, I’m probably not the target audience for it.

That said, if you’re a ChatGPT power user, have 0 to spare, and like vintage-looking hardware with clicky buttons, Micro probably isn’t the worst purchase you could make — it might even brighten your day a little.


When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.#OpenAIs #keypad #fun #coders #slightly #mystifying #TechCrunchAI,ChatGPT,codex,micro,OpenAI

I tried out OpenAI’s new AI keypad — which will be fun for some coders and slightly mystifying to everyone else | TechCrunch

OpenAI launched its first piece of hardware last week — a fancy little keypad built to pair with ChatGPT. Micro, which was developed in collaboration with specialty keyboard designer Work Louder, is essentially an artisanal workplace novelty that many tech enthusiasts will love and that may leave everyone else a little puzzled.

OpenAI’s entrance into the hardware market hasn’t arrived without drama. Several weeks ago, Apple sued the AI lab and accused it of trade theft — kicking off what’s certain to be a long-simmering legal battle. Meanwhile, news of another smart home product in development at OpenAI has also raised eyebrows, as the supposed device — which is being built to pair with ChatGPT — was reportedly developed by former Apple engineers.

Until the legal battle works itself out and OpenAI’s broader hardware ambitions materialize, the most the startup has to offer is Micro — a funky little keypad clearly engineered to delight the tech industry’s code monkeys.

OpenAI sent TechCrunch a Micro test unit. The first big thing you notice when initially handling the keypad is that it’s a sturdy little device — enough so that if the AI accessory thing doesn’t end up working out, it could easily double as a paperweight. The other thing you might notice (and I am not the only one to point this out), is that the packaging — an immaculate white box with a sleek, clean aesthetic — is pretty Apple-coded. Make of that what you will.

The keypad’s layout involves six frosted “agent” keys at the top of the pad, which can be customized to carry out specific tasks within ChatGPT or its agentic coding tool Codex. Below them are six command keys, which can be used to control those programs. You can pair your Micro with your computer either through a Bluetooth connection or a USB cable.

I tried out OpenAI’s new AI keypad — which will be fun for some coders and slightly mystifying to everyone else | TechCrunch
OpenAI launched its first piece of hardware last week — a fancy little keypad built to pair with ChatGPT. Micro, which was developed in collaboration with specialty keyboard designer Work Louder, is essentially an artisanal workplace novelty that many tech enthusiasts will love and that may leave everyone else a little puzzled.

OpenAI’s entrance into the hardware market hasn’t arrived without drama. Several weeks ago, Apple sued the AI lab and accused it of trade theft — kicking off what’s certain to be a long-simmering legal battle. Meanwhile, news of another smart home product in development at OpenAI has also raised eyebrows, as the supposed device — which is being built to pair with ChatGPT — was reportedly developed by former Apple engineers.







Until the legal battle works itself out and OpenAI’s broader hardware ambitions materialize, the most the startup has to offer is Micro — a funky little keypad clearly engineered to delight the tech industry’s code monkeys.

OpenAI sent TechCrunch a Micro test unit. The first big thing you notice when initially handling the keypad is that it’s a sturdy little device — enough so that if the AI accessory thing doesn’t end up working out, it could easily double as a paperweight. The other thing you might notice (and I am not the only one to point this out), is that the packaging — an immaculate white box with a sleek, clean aesthetic — is pretty Apple-coded. Make of that what you will.

The keypad’s layout involves six frosted “agent” keys at the top of the pad, which can be customized to carry out specific tasks within ChatGPT or its agentic coding tool Codex. Below them are six command keys, which can be used to control those programs. You can pair your Micro with your computer either through a Bluetooth connection or a USB cable.

Image Credits:Lucas Ropek/TechCrunch

Perhaps the most convenient thing Micro offers is a button for voice dictation — meaning you simply tell the app what you want done and it will get busy working on your behalf. Just hold down the dictation button and start talking. When you’re done, tap the “send” button next to it to submit your request.

You can customize your Micro keypad within ChatGPT itself, where a Micro tab allows you to adjust everything from the brightness of the light from the keys to the specific commands and projects you want tied to those keys. 


Hard-core coders — the device’s actual target audience — haven’t exactly embraced it. Reviews by Redditors have largely negative, with one Reddit user calling it “a prank and not a real product,” and others saying serious coders won’t touch it. A review by the smaller independent outlet Aftermath was even harsher, calling the 0 price tag hard to justify next to cheaper DIY and off-the-shelf alternatives. (The title of that review: “OpenAI’s expensive macropad feels engineered to piss me off specifically.”)

It’s definitely the case that new users may need some time to figure out how Micro works and what to do with it.

Once I figured out how to program the keypad to my liking, I found it was actually pretty fun. You can assign various ChatGPT sessions to specific keys, which then allows you to easily toggle back and forth between all of your various projects. When you combine that with the dictation button, it makes the whole experience considerably more efficient and enjoyable.







But there’s still a learning curve. Micro’s buttons are color-coded. White means an agent is idle, blue means its thinking, green means a task is complete, and red means there’s been an error. You’ll need to memorize that, along with memorizing which specific projects are coded to each key.

The big question is whether the Micro keypad is functionally easier to use than just continuing to work on your laptop. In short: Why would I spend a week learning how to program and operate this thing when I already know how to use my computer’s mouse and keyboard?

Ultimately, your experience with the Micro will depend heavily on how much you use ChatGPT. Since I don’t use AI much day to day, I’m probably not the target audience for it.

That said, if you’re a ChatGPT power user, have 0 to spare, and like vintage-looking hardware with clicky buttons, Micro probably isn’t the worst purchase you could make — it might even brighten your day a little.


When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.#OpenAIs #keypad #fun #coders #slightly #mystifying #TechCrunchAI,ChatGPT,codex,micro,OpenAI
Image Credits:Lucas Ropek/TechCrunch

Perhaps the most convenient thing Micro offers is a button for voice dictation — meaning you simply tell the app what you want done and it will get busy working on your behalf. Just hold down the dictation button and start talking. When you’re done, tap the “send” button next to it to submit your request.

You can customize your Micro keypad within ChatGPT itself, where a Micro tab allows you to adjust everything from the brightness of the light from the keys to the specific commands and projects you want tied to those keys.

Hard-core coders — the device’s actual target audience — haven’t exactly embraced it. Reviews by Redditors have largely negative, with one Reddit user calling it “a prank and not a real product,” and others saying serious coders won’t touch it. A review by the smaller independent outlet Aftermath was even harsher, calling the $230 price tag hard to justify next to cheaper DIY and off-the-shelf alternatives. (The title of that review: “OpenAI’s expensive macropad feels engineered to piss me off specifically.”)

It’s definitely the case that new users may need some time to figure out how Micro works and what to do with it.

Once I figured out how to program the keypad to my liking, I found it was actually pretty fun. You can assign various ChatGPT sessions to specific keys, which then allows you to easily toggle back and forth between all of your various projects. When you combine that with the dictation button, it makes the whole experience considerably more efficient and enjoyable.

But there’s still a learning curve. Micro’s buttons are color-coded. White means an agent is idle, blue means its thinking, green means a task is complete, and red means there’s been an error. You’ll need to memorize that, along with memorizing which specific projects are coded to each key.

The big question is whether the Micro keypad is functionally easier to use than just continuing to work on your laptop. In short: Why would I spend a week learning how to program and operate this thing when I already know how to use my computer’s mouse and keyboard?

Ultimately, your experience with the Micro will depend heavily on how much you use ChatGPT. Since I don’t use AI much day to day, I’m probably not the target audience for it.

That said, if you’re a ChatGPT power user, have $230 to spare, and like vintage-looking hardware with clicky buttons, Micro probably isn’t the worst purchase you could make — it might even brighten your day a little.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

#OpenAIs #keypad #fun #coders #slightly #mystifying #TechCrunchAI,ChatGPT,codex,micro,OpenAI

OpenAI launched its first piece of hardware last week — a fancy little keypad built to pair with ChatGPT. Micro, which was developed in collaboration with specialty keyboard designer Work Louder, is essentially an artisanal workplace novelty that many tech enthusiasts will love and that may leave everyone else a little puzzled.

OpenAI’s entrance into the hardware market hasn’t arrived without drama. Several weeks ago, Apple sued the AI lab and accused it of trade theft — kicking off what’s certain to be a long-simmering legal battle. Meanwhile, news of another smart home product in development at OpenAI has also raised eyebrows, as the supposed device — which is being built to pair with ChatGPT — was reportedly developed by former Apple engineers.

Until the legal battle works itself out and OpenAI’s broader hardware ambitions materialize, the most the startup has to offer is Micro — a funky little keypad clearly engineered to delight the tech industry’s code monkeys.

OpenAI sent TechCrunch a Micro test unit. The first big thing you notice when initially handling the keypad is that it’s a sturdy little device — enough so that if the AI accessory thing doesn’t end up working out, it could easily double as a paperweight. The other thing you might notice (and I am not the only one to point this out), is that the packaging — an immaculate white box with a sleek, clean aesthetic — is pretty Apple-coded. Make of that what you will.

The keypad’s layout involves six frosted “agent” keys at the top of the pad, which can be customized to carry out specific tasks within ChatGPT or its agentic coding tool Codex. Below them are six command keys, which can be used to control those programs. You can pair your Micro with your computer either through a Bluetooth connection or a USB cable.

Image Credits:Lucas Ropek/TechCrunch

Perhaps the most convenient thing Micro offers is a button for voice dictation — meaning you simply tell the app what you want done and it will get busy working on your behalf. Just hold down the dictation button and start talking. When you’re done, tap the “send” button next to it to submit your request.

You can customize your Micro keypad within ChatGPT itself, where a Micro tab allows you to adjust everything from the brightness of the light from the keys to the specific commands and projects you want tied to those keys.

Hard-core coders — the device’s actual target audience — haven’t exactly embraced it. Reviews by Redditors have largely negative, with one Reddit user calling it “a prank and not a real product,” and others saying serious coders won’t touch it. A review by the smaller independent outlet Aftermath was even harsher, calling the $230 price tag hard to justify next to cheaper DIY and off-the-shelf alternatives. (The title of that review: “OpenAI’s expensive macropad feels engineered to piss me off specifically.”)

It’s definitely the case that new users may need some time to figure out how Micro works and what to do with it.

Once I figured out how to program the keypad to my liking, I found it was actually pretty fun. You can assign various ChatGPT sessions to specific keys, which then allows you to easily toggle back and forth between all of your various projects. When you combine that with the dictation button, it makes the whole experience considerably more efficient and enjoyable.

But there’s still a learning curve. Micro’s buttons are color-coded. White means an agent is idle, blue means its thinking, green means a task is complete, and red means there’s been an error. You’ll need to memorize that, along with memorizing which specific projects are coded to each key.

The big question is whether the Micro keypad is functionally easier to use than just continuing to work on your laptop. In short: Why would I spend a week learning how to program and operate this thing when I already know how to use my computer’s mouse and keyboard?

Ultimately, your experience with the Micro will depend heavily on how much you use ChatGPT. Since I don’t use AI much day to day, I’m probably not the target audience for it.

That said, if you’re a ChatGPT power user, have $230 to spare, and like vintage-looking hardware with clicky buttons, Micro probably isn’t the worst purchase you could make — it might even brighten your day a little.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

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#OpenAIs #keypad #fun #coders #slightly #mystifying #TechCrunch

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Breakout WNBA guard just got terrible injury news news <figure> <img alt="" data-caption="WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 16: Sarah Ashlee Barker #3 of the Portland Fire looks on against the Washington Mystics during the second half of the game at CareFirst Arena on July 16, 2026 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images" data-portal-copyright="Getty Images" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/gettyimages-2285932958.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 16: Sarah Ashlee Barker #3 of the Portland Fire looks on against the Washington Mystics during the second half of the game at CareFirst Arena on July 16, 2026 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Sarah Ashlee Barker was amid a career season when she injured her left leg in Wednesday’s game against the Dallas Wings. Two days later, the Fire announced the worst: Barker suffered a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the 2026 WNBA season. </p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Barker was one of the Fire’s standout players, averaging 10.7 points per game, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, while shooting 50.2% from the field and 40% from three. All of those numbers were career bests and substantial jumps from her rookie season with the Los Angeles Sparks. </p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">OFFICIAL: The Portland Fire announced today that guard Sarah Ashlee Barker underwent an MRI that revealed a torn ACL. Barker will miss the remainder of the 2026 WNBA season and will undergo surgery to repair the injury. <a href="https://t.co/ZNsto6JwR7">pic.twitter.com/ZNsto6JwR7</a></p>— Portland Fire (@theportlandfire) <a href="https://x.com/theportlandfire/status/2080670908042350863?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2026</a></blockquote> </div></figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The 24-year-old was drafted 9th overall after a standout year at Alabama, but was left unprotected in the expansion draft when the Fire and Toronto Tempo joined the WNBA. The Fire ultimately selected Barker, who became a critical part of their early success. </p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">She joins a long list of WNBA players who have torn their ACLs in the past year, a list that includes Chicago Sky guard Rickea Jackson and Fire teammate Sania Feagin, who tore her ACL this month. </p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><br></p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> #Breakout #WNBA #guard #terrible #injury #news #news


The Pixel Watch 4 proved Google could make a truly great Android smartwatch, so for this year’s Pixel Watch 5, the company apparently doesn’t plan to change much. According to a Google Play Console listing spotted by 9to5Google, the Pixel Watch 5 may end up using the exact same Qualcomm chip as the Pixel Watch 4, just with a smidge more RAM.

The listing specifically names a device called “google godric_btwifi” using a “Qualcomm SW5100” with a 4x ARM Cortex-A53 CPU and a Qualcomm Adreno 702. That suggests Google is using a chip in the same Snapdragon W5 family as it did on its smartwatches starting with the Pixel Watch 2. It may even be the exact same Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 chip as the Pixel Watch 4 if the yet-to-be-listed co-processor hasn’t been changed. That’s a notable difference from early leaks that suggested Google might introduce its own Tensor chip for the Pixel Watch 5.

One place the smartwatch could be different is memory: the listing shows the Pixel Watch 5 as having 3GB of RAM, a 1GB increase over the Pixel Watch 4. This might not change the day-to-day experience of using the smartwatch, but it could enable new Gemini Intelligence features Google has planned.

Combined with leaked renders of the Pixel Watch 5, which show the wearable as looking more or less like the Pixel Watch that came before it, Google’s new smartwatch seems like not much of an upgrade. It’ll reportedly be available in new “Dark Anthracite” (dark gray) and “Pyrite” (green) colors, and Google will likely introduce new bands, but nothing about what’s leaked so far suggests the watch will do anything different than it did before.

Google could still wow in the software department—for example, the company patented technology for measuring arterial stiffness that could show up on a future watch—but it’ll still have an uphill battle selling the smartwatch. Dealabs reported earlier this month that the Pixel Watch 5 will likely start at $400, $50 more than the Pixel Watch 4. That price might be harder to swallow if the watch also looks nearly identical to last year’s model.

Increasingly, it seems like the Pixel Watch story Google will be telling at its upcoming Made by Google event will be focused on software. That’s one of the company’s strengths, but it remains to be seen whether the Pixel Watch 5 will be worth the upgrade.

#Temper #Excitement #Pixel #WatchGoogle,Google Pixel,smart watch,Wearables">You Might Want to Temper Your Excitement for the Pixel Watch 5
                The Pixel Watch 4 proved Google could make a truly great Android smartwatch, so for this year’s Pixel Watch 5, the company apparently doesn’t plan to change much. According to a Google Play Console listing spotted by 9to5Google, the Pixel Watch 5 may end up using the exact same Qualcomm chip as the Pixel Watch 4, just with a smidge more RAM. The listing specifically names a device called “google godric_btwifi” using a “Qualcomm SW5100” with a 4x ARM Cortex-A53 CPU and a Qualcomm Adreno 702. That suggests Google is using a chip in the same Snapdragon W5 family as it did on its smartwatches starting with the Pixel Watch 2. It may even be the exact same Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 chip as the Pixel Watch 4 if the yet-to-be-listed co-processor hasn’t been changed. That’s a notable difference from early leaks that suggested Google might introduce its own Tensor chip for the Pixel Watch 5. One place the smartwatch could be different is memory: the listing shows the Pixel Watch 5 as having 3GB of RAM, a 1GB increase over the Pixel Watch 4. This might not change the day-to-day experience of using the smartwatch, but it could enable new Gemini Intelligence features Google has planned.

 Combined with leaked renders of the Pixel Watch 5, which show the wearable as looking more or less like the Pixel Watch that came before it, Google’s new smartwatch seems like not much of an upgrade. It’ll reportedly be available in new “Dark Anthracite” (dark gray) and “Pyrite” (green) colors, and Google will likely introduce new bands, but nothing about what’s leaked so far suggests the watch will do anything different than it did before.

 Google could still wow in the software department—for example, the company patented technology for measuring arterial stiffness that could show up on a future watch—but it’ll still have an uphill battle selling the smartwatch. Dealabs reported earlier this month that the Pixel Watch 5 will likely start at 0,  more than the Pixel Watch 4. That price might be harder to swallow if the watch also looks nearly identical to last year’s model. Increasingly, it seems like the Pixel Watch story Google will be telling at its upcoming Made by Google event will be focused on software. That’s one of the company’s strengths, but it remains to be seen whether the Pixel Watch 5 will be worth the upgrade.      #Temper #Excitement #Pixel #WatchGoogle,Google Pixel,smart watch,Wearables

Pixel Watch 4 proved Google could make a truly great Android smartwatch, so for this year’s Pixel Watch 5, the company apparently doesn’t plan to change much. According to a Google Play Console listing spotted by 9to5Google, the Pixel Watch 5 may end up using the exact same Qualcomm chip as the Pixel Watch 4, just with a smidge more RAM.

The listing specifically names a device called “google godric_btwifi” using a “Qualcomm SW5100” with a 4x ARM Cortex-A53 CPU and a Qualcomm Adreno 702. That suggests Google is using a chip in the same Snapdragon W5 family as it did on its smartwatches starting with the Pixel Watch 2. It may even be the exact same Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 chip as the Pixel Watch 4 if the yet-to-be-listed co-processor hasn’t been changed. That’s a notable difference from early leaks that suggested Google might introduce its own Tensor chip for the Pixel Watch 5.

One place the smartwatch could be different is memory: the listing shows the Pixel Watch 5 as having 3GB of RAM, a 1GB increase over the Pixel Watch 4. This might not change the day-to-day experience of using the smartwatch, but it could enable new Gemini Intelligence features Google has planned.

Combined with leaked renders of the Pixel Watch 5, which show the wearable as looking more or less like the Pixel Watch that came before it, Google’s new smartwatch seems like not much of an upgrade. It’ll reportedly be available in new “Dark Anthracite” (dark gray) and “Pyrite” (green) colors, and Google will likely introduce new bands, but nothing about what’s leaked so far suggests the watch will do anything different than it did before.

Google could still wow in the software department—for example, the company patented technology for measuring arterial stiffness that could show up on a future watch—but it’ll still have an uphill battle selling the smartwatch. Dealabs reported earlier this month that the Pixel Watch 5 will likely start at $400, $50 more than the Pixel Watch 4. That price might be harder to swallow if the watch also looks nearly identical to last year’s model.

Increasingly, it seems like the Pixel Watch story Google will be telling at its upcoming Made by Google event will be focused on software. That’s one of the company’s strengths, but it remains to be seen whether the Pixel Watch 5 will be worth the upgrade.

#Temper #Excitement #Pixel #WatchGoogle,Google Pixel,smart watch,Wearables">You Might Want to Temper Your Excitement for the Pixel Watch 5You Might Want to Temper Your Excitement for the Pixel Watch 5
                The Pixel Watch 4 proved Google could make a truly great Android smartwatch, so for this year’s Pixel Watch 5, the company apparently doesn’t plan to change much. According to a Google Play Console listing spotted by 9to5Google, the Pixel Watch 5 may end up using the exact same Qualcomm chip as the Pixel Watch 4, just with a smidge more RAM. The listing specifically names a device called “google godric_btwifi” using a “Qualcomm SW5100” with a 4x ARM Cortex-A53 CPU and a Qualcomm Adreno 702. That suggests Google is using a chip in the same Snapdragon W5 family as it did on its smartwatches starting with the Pixel Watch 2. It may even be the exact same Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 chip as the Pixel Watch 4 if the yet-to-be-listed co-processor hasn’t been changed. That’s a notable difference from early leaks that suggested Google might introduce its own Tensor chip for the Pixel Watch 5. One place the smartwatch could be different is memory: the listing shows the Pixel Watch 5 as having 3GB of RAM, a 1GB increase over the Pixel Watch 4. This might not change the day-to-day experience of using the smartwatch, but it could enable new Gemini Intelligence features Google has planned.

 Combined with leaked renders of the Pixel Watch 5, which show the wearable as looking more or less like the Pixel Watch that came before it, Google’s new smartwatch seems like not much of an upgrade. It’ll reportedly be available in new “Dark Anthracite” (dark gray) and “Pyrite” (green) colors, and Google will likely introduce new bands, but nothing about what’s leaked so far suggests the watch will do anything different than it did before.

 Google could still wow in the software department—for example, the company patented technology for measuring arterial stiffness that could show up on a future watch—but it’ll still have an uphill battle selling the smartwatch. Dealabs reported earlier this month that the Pixel Watch 5 will likely start at $400, $50 more than the Pixel Watch 4. That price might be harder to swallow if the watch also looks nearly identical to last year’s model. Increasingly, it seems like the Pixel Watch story Google will be telling at its upcoming Made by Google event will be focused on software. That’s one of the company’s strengths, but it remains to be seen whether the Pixel Watch 5 will be worth the upgrade.      #Temper #Excitement #Pixel #WatchGoogle,Google Pixel,smart watch,Wearables

The Pixel Watch 4 proved Google could make a truly great Android smartwatch, so for this year’s Pixel Watch 5, the company apparently doesn’t plan to change much. According to a Google Play Console listing spotted by 9to5Google, the Pixel Watch 5 may end up using the exact same Qualcomm chip as the Pixel Watch 4, just with a smidge more RAM.

The listing specifically names a device called “google godric_btwifi” using a “Qualcomm SW5100” with a 4x ARM Cortex-A53 CPU and a Qualcomm Adreno 702. That suggests Google is using a chip in the same Snapdragon W5 family as it did on its smartwatches starting with the Pixel Watch 2. It may even be the exact same Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 chip as the Pixel Watch 4 if the yet-to-be-listed co-processor hasn’t been changed. That’s a notable difference from early leaks that suggested Google might introduce its own Tensor chip for the Pixel Watch 5.

One place the smartwatch could be different is memory: the listing shows the Pixel Watch 5 as having 3GB of RAM, a 1GB increase over the Pixel Watch 4. This might not change the day-to-day experience of using the smartwatch, but it could enable new Gemini Intelligence features Google has planned.

Combined with leaked renders of the Pixel Watch 5, which show the wearable as looking more or less like the Pixel Watch that came before it, Google’s new smartwatch seems like not much of an upgrade. It’ll reportedly be available in new “Dark Anthracite” (dark gray) and “Pyrite” (green) colors, and Google will likely introduce new bands, but nothing about what’s leaked so far suggests the watch will do anything different than it did before.

Google could still wow in the software department—for example, the company patented technology for measuring arterial stiffness that could show up on a future watch—but it’ll still have an uphill battle selling the smartwatch. Dealabs reported earlier this month that the Pixel Watch 5 will likely start at $400, $50 more than the Pixel Watch 4. That price might be harder to swallow if the watch also looks nearly identical to last year’s model.

Increasingly, it seems like the Pixel Watch story Google will be telling at its upcoming Made by Google event will be focused on software. That’s one of the company’s strengths, but it remains to be seen whether the Pixel Watch 5 will be worth the upgrade.

#Temper #Excitement #Pixel #WatchGoogle,Google Pixel,smart watch,Wearables

The world could face the strongest El Niño since recordkeeping began, increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events and significant, long-term economic impacts globally.

A new analysis by Berkeley Earth climate scientist Zeke Hausfather paints a worrying picture of the climate phenomenon developing in the Pacific Ocean. Models have consistently forecast that this year’s El Niño—characterized by hotter than normal waters in the eastern tropical Pacific—could be among the strongest on records. Hausfather’s analysis using the El Niño forecast based on 14 climate models through July indicates that “this year’s El Niño is not only very likely to be the strongest event since reliable records began—it may end up the strongest by a truly mind-blowing margin.”

Climate researchers measure the strength of El Niño by looking at the temperatures in a region of the Pacific known as Niño 3.4, which covers the eastern and central part of the ocean basin. The new analysis relies on 667 simulations and compares them with historical records of the most intense El Niño events since 1877. It also disentangles El Niño’s intensity from the background warming driven by fossil fuels, making it easier to draw comparisons between super El Niños.

The model average shows that heat in the Niño 3.4 region could peak at 3.6 degrees Celsius (6.5 degrees Fahrenheit) above normal levels. This figure would exceed the previous record—set during the 2015-2016 El Niño episode—by approximately 0.8 degrees Celsius. It’s rare for records to fall by such a wide spread.

“For context, the gap between the strongest and the fifth strongest El Niño of the past 150 years is only about 0.5C. The models are forecasting something outside the envelope of anything we have ever observed,” Hausfather writes.

Of course, what happens in the tropical Pacific doesn’t stay in the tropical Pacific. El Niño rearranges the atmosphere, changing weather patterns around the world. The more intense the El Niño, the more intense the impacts (usually).

Record-breaking ocean heat in the Pacific combined with warming driven by carbon emissions could send the global temperature to new highs. But it takes a while for the extra heat released by El Niño to work its way through the vast climate system, meaning that next year is when we’ll see the full impact of this year’s Pacific heat wave on the global average temperature. According to his projections, global temperatures in 2027 could reach up to 1.7 degrees Celsius above the preindustrial average, well above the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold that’s been dubbed a relatively safe level of global warming.

But the world won’t have to wait until 2027 to feel the heat of El Niño. A separate analysis by Carbon Brief shows that the odds are increasing for 2026 to set an annual heat record, with the likelihood up from 19 percent in April to 35 percent as of July. And the forecasters are expecting extreme weather associated with El Niño to impact various parts of the globe in the coming months. In fact, some impacts are already here: Fisheries in the eastern Pacific are seeing lower catches, with the Peruvian government setting up a ban for catching anchovies this spring.

Hausfather’s analysis also revealed that the phenomenon is developing faster than usual. According to the comparison, this year’s El Niño is intensifying more rapidly than the 1997-1998 event, another super El Niño. It also differs significantly from the 2015 event, which began when the ocean was already showing signs of prior warming—in other words, it had a running start. That’s particularly striking because this year began with La Niña, the cooler-than-normal cousin of El Niño, so it had a bit of work to do before it even got going.

#Niño #Track #Strongest #Recordclimate,environment,weather,el nino">The 2026 El Niño Is on Track to Be the Strongest on RecordThe world could face the strongest El Niño since recordkeeping began, increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events and significant, long-term economic impacts globally.A new analysis by Berkeley Earth climate scientist Zeke Hausfather paints a worrying picture of the climate phenomenon developing in the Pacific Ocean. Models have consistently forecast that this year’s El Niño—characterized by hotter than normal waters in the eastern tropical Pacific—could be among the strongest on records. Hausfather’s analysis using the El Niño forecast based on 14 climate models through July indicates that “this year’s El Niño is not only very likely to be the strongest event since reliable records began—it may end up the strongest by a truly mind-blowing margin.”Climate researchers measure the strength of El Niño by looking at the temperatures in a region of the Pacific known as Niño 3.4, which covers the eastern and central part of the ocean basin. The new analysis relies on 667 simulations and compares them with historical records of the most intense El Niño events since 1877. It also disentangles El Niño’s intensity from the background warming driven by fossil fuels, making it easier to draw comparisons between super El Niños.The model average shows that heat in the Niño 3.4 region could peak at 3.6 degrees Celsius (6.5 degrees Fahrenheit) above normal levels. This figure would exceed the previous record—set during the 2015-2016 El Niño episode—by approximately 0.8 degrees Celsius. It’s rare for records to fall by such a wide spread.“For context, the gap between the strongest and the fifth strongest El Niño of the past 150 years is only about 0.5C. The models are forecasting something outside the envelope of anything we have ever observed,” Hausfather writes.Of course, what happens in the tropical Pacific doesn’t stay in the tropical Pacific. El Niño rearranges the atmosphere, changing weather patterns around the world. The more intense the El Niño, the more intense the impacts (usually).Record-breaking ocean heat in the Pacific combined with warming driven by carbon emissions could send the global temperature to new highs. But it takes a while for the extra heat released by El Niño to work its way through the vast climate system, meaning that next year is when we’ll see the full impact of this year’s Pacific heat wave on the global average temperature. According to his projections, global temperatures in 2027 could reach up to 1.7 degrees Celsius above the preindustrial average, well above the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold that’s been dubbed a relatively safe level of global warming.But the world won’t have to wait until 2027 to feel the heat of El Niño. A separate analysis by Carbon Brief shows that the odds are increasing for 2026 to set an annual heat record, with the likelihood up from 19 percent in April to 35 percent as of July. And the forecasters are expecting extreme weather associated with El Niño to impact various parts of the globe in the coming months. In fact, some impacts are already here: Fisheries in the eastern Pacific are seeing lower catches, with the Peruvian government setting up a ban for catching anchovies this spring.Hausfather’s analysis also revealed that the phenomenon is developing faster than usual. According to the comparison, this year’s El Niño is intensifying more rapidly than the 1997-1998 event, another super El Niño. It also differs significantly from the 2015 event, which began when the ocean was already showing signs of prior warming—in other words, it had a running start. That’s particularly striking because this year began with La Niña, the cooler-than-normal cousin of El Niño, so it had a bit of work to do before it even got going.#Niño #Track #Strongest #Recordclimate,environment,weather,el nino

strongest El Niño since recordkeeping began, increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events and significant, long-term economic impacts globally.

A new analysis by Berkeley Earth climate scientist Zeke Hausfather paints a worrying picture of the climate phenomenon developing in the Pacific Ocean. Models have consistently forecast that this year’s El Niño—characterized by hotter than normal waters in the eastern tropical Pacific—could be among the strongest on records. Hausfather’s analysis using the El Niño forecast based on 14 climate models through July indicates that “this year’s El Niño is not only very likely to be the strongest event since reliable records began—it may end up the strongest by a truly mind-blowing margin.”

Climate researchers measure the strength of El Niño by looking at the temperatures in a region of the Pacific known as Niño 3.4, which covers the eastern and central part of the ocean basin. The new analysis relies on 667 simulations and compares them with historical records of the most intense El Niño events since 1877. It also disentangles El Niño’s intensity from the background warming driven by fossil fuels, making it easier to draw comparisons between super El Niños.

The model average shows that heat in the Niño 3.4 region could peak at 3.6 degrees Celsius (6.5 degrees Fahrenheit) above normal levels. This figure would exceed the previous record—set during the 2015-2016 El Niño episode—by approximately 0.8 degrees Celsius. It’s rare for records to fall by such a wide spread.

“For context, the gap between the strongest and the fifth strongest El Niño of the past 150 years is only about 0.5C. The models are forecasting something outside the envelope of anything we have ever observed,” Hausfather writes.

Of course, what happens in the tropical Pacific doesn’t stay in the tropical Pacific. El Niño rearranges the atmosphere, changing weather patterns around the world. The more intense the El Niño, the more intense the impacts (usually).

Record-breaking ocean heat in the Pacific combined with warming driven by carbon emissions could send the global temperature to new highs. But it takes a while for the extra heat released by El Niño to work its way through the vast climate system, meaning that next year is when we’ll see the full impact of this year’s Pacific heat wave on the global average temperature. According to his projections, global temperatures in 2027 could reach up to 1.7 degrees Celsius above the preindustrial average, well above the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold that’s been dubbed a relatively safe level of global warming.

But the world won’t have to wait until 2027 to feel the heat of El Niño. A separate analysis by Carbon Brief shows that the odds are increasing for 2026 to set an annual heat record, with the likelihood up from 19 percent in April to 35 percent as of July. And the forecasters are expecting extreme weather associated with El Niño to impact various parts of the globe in the coming months. In fact, some impacts are already here: Fisheries in the eastern Pacific are seeing lower catches, with the Peruvian government setting up a ban for catching anchovies this spring.

Hausfather’s analysis also revealed that the phenomenon is developing faster than usual. According to the comparison, this year’s El Niño is intensifying more rapidly than the 1997-1998 event, another super El Niño. It also differs significantly from the 2015 event, which began when the ocean was already showing signs of prior warming—in other words, it had a running start. That’s particularly striking because this year began with La Niña, the cooler-than-normal cousin of El Niño, so it had a bit of work to do before it even got going.

#Niño #Track #Strongest #Recordclimate,environment,weather,el nino">The 2026 El Niño Is on Track to Be the Strongest on Record

The world could face the strongest El Niño since recordkeeping began, increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events and significant, long-term economic impacts globally.

A new analysis by Berkeley Earth climate scientist Zeke Hausfather paints a worrying picture of the climate phenomenon developing in the Pacific Ocean. Models have consistently forecast that this year’s El Niño—characterized by hotter than normal waters in the eastern tropical Pacific—could be among the strongest on records. Hausfather’s analysis using the El Niño forecast based on 14 climate models through July indicates that “this year’s El Niño is not only very likely to be the strongest event since reliable records began—it may end up the strongest by a truly mind-blowing margin.”

Climate researchers measure the strength of El Niño by looking at the temperatures in a region of the Pacific known as Niño 3.4, which covers the eastern and central part of the ocean basin. The new analysis relies on 667 simulations and compares them with historical records of the most intense El Niño events since 1877. It also disentangles El Niño’s intensity from the background warming driven by fossil fuels, making it easier to draw comparisons between super El Niños.

The model average shows that heat in the Niño 3.4 region could peak at 3.6 degrees Celsius (6.5 degrees Fahrenheit) above normal levels. This figure would exceed the previous record—set during the 2015-2016 El Niño episode—by approximately 0.8 degrees Celsius. It’s rare for records to fall by such a wide spread.

“For context, the gap between the strongest and the fifth strongest El Niño of the past 150 years is only about 0.5C. The models are forecasting something outside the envelope of anything we have ever observed,” Hausfather writes.

Of course, what happens in the tropical Pacific doesn’t stay in the tropical Pacific. El Niño rearranges the atmosphere, changing weather patterns around the world. The more intense the El Niño, the more intense the impacts (usually).

Record-breaking ocean heat in the Pacific combined with warming driven by carbon emissions could send the global temperature to new highs. But it takes a while for the extra heat released by El Niño to work its way through the vast climate system, meaning that next year is when we’ll see the full impact of this year’s Pacific heat wave on the global average temperature. According to his projections, global temperatures in 2027 could reach up to 1.7 degrees Celsius above the preindustrial average, well above the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold that’s been dubbed a relatively safe level of global warming.

But the world won’t have to wait until 2027 to feel the heat of El Niño. A separate analysis by Carbon Brief shows that the odds are increasing for 2026 to set an annual heat record, with the likelihood up from 19 percent in April to 35 percent as of July. And the forecasters are expecting extreme weather associated with El Niño to impact various parts of the globe in the coming months. In fact, some impacts are already here: Fisheries in the eastern Pacific are seeing lower catches, with the Peruvian government setting up a ban for catching anchovies this spring.

Hausfather’s analysis also revealed that the phenomenon is developing faster than usual. According to the comparison, this year’s El Niño is intensifying more rapidly than the 1997-1998 event, another super El Niño. It also differs significantly from the 2015 event, which began when the ocean was already showing signs of prior warming—in other words, it had a running start. That’s particularly striking because this year began with La Niña, the cooler-than-normal cousin of El Niño, so it had a bit of work to do before it even got going.

#Niño #Track #Strongest #Recordclimate,environment,weather,el nino

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