Author: dailyguardian.ae
There was a time when getting a new PlayStation console meant something: staring at your bank account, convincing yourself that it is the right decision, swiping your card, and sighing dramatically after stepping out of the shop with the console; it felt like a ritual. However, somehow, the concept of owning something has become so outdated in 2026 that even Sony has decided to provide the PlayStation 5 on a lease or rental program (along with other PlayStation hardware), at least in one of its key markets. A Netflix-style approach to next-gen gaming In the United Kingdom, Sony has partnered…
Gaming laptops aren’t getting any cheaper, and HP seems to have decided that fighting rising hardware costs head-on isn’t the answer. Instead, the company is reportedly exploring something different: letting gamers rent their laptops instead of buying them outright. While the service has actually been available for a couple of months, it’s been brought into the notice again owing to the shift in the market. HP seems to be experimenting with subscription-style access to gaming machines, where players pay a monthly fee to use high-end laptops rather than dropping a large upfront sum. The idea is simple on paper. Instead…
Samsung appears to be laying the groundwork for its next major software update well ahead of schedule, with early signs of One UI 9 development surfacing alongside next-generation foldable hardware testing. While the tech giant is still gearing up for the imminent launch of the Galaxy S26 series – expected to debut One UI 8.5 – sightings of internal One UI 9 builds for upcoming devices hint at a broader strategy to align new software with future hardware releases. One UI 9 has already been spotted running on early test firmware tied to the Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Galaxy…
OpenAI is officially removing several older language models from its ChatGPT interface as of February 13, 2026, marking a significant shift in how users interact with its AI. The retirement affects several models, including GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and OpenAI o4-mini, alongside previously announced retirements of GPT-5 Instant and GPT-5 Thinking variants. These changes apply to the ChatGPT product itself, while access via API remains unchanged for the time being. Known for its expressive tone, multilingual capabilities, and multimodal features, GPT-4o was temporarily brought back after user pushback during the GPT-5 rollout last year. But with most users already gravitating…
Anthropic just made some of the most powerful tools in Claude available to everyone for free. Features that were once locked behind paid tiers, such as file creation, connectors, and custom skills, can now be accessed by all users without a subscription. We’re bringing some of Claude’s most-used features to the free plan.File creation, connectors, and skills are all now available without a subscription. pic.twitter.com/6EjrwLTWVQ— Claude (@claudeai) February 11, 2026 The move significantly raises the baseline for what people can expect from a free AI assistant. By making advanced tools free and keeping the experience ad-free, Anthropic is positioning Claude…
Recent research into artificial intelligence’s emotional capabilities indicates that AI chatbots – long dismissed as rule-based and mechanical – may be better at recognizing empathetic patterns in text-based communication than many humans. This shift is emerging as large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Gemini and other generative systems are increasingly used in everyday interactions, from customer service to mental-health support. A study published in Nature Machine Intelligence found that AI models can evaluate the subtleties of empathic communication nearly as well as human experts and significantly better than non-expert people. Researchers analysed hundreds of real text conversations involving emotional…
German Engineering Leader Positions UAE as Regional Command Centre to Drive Infrastructure Innovation Across Emerging Markets Dubai, UAE – February 10, 2026: GEBO Armaturen GmbH, the German engineering specialist with more than eight decades of industrial heritage, has announced a structured global expansion strategy focused on the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific (APAC), positioning the United Arab Emirates as its regional coordination hub. The announcement was made during a high-level media interaction and industry gathering held in Dubai on February 10, 2026, where GEBO’s global leadership outlined the company’s forward-looking roadmap for emerging infrastructure markets. The event featured key leadership…
Folks over at Android Authority have pieced together an animation from an early build of One UI 9, Samsung’s version of Android 17, and it gives us the new form factor and the design of the purported Wide Fold. The outlet has shared what appears to be an introductory device animation, depicting a swipe-up gesture on the cover screen that reveals a list-type content, then the handset unfolds, and the content expands on the main screen. A familiar animation, but an unfamiliar shape What other details does the animation reveal? First, the Wide Fold’s cover screen could come with a…
Abu Dhabi is set to welcome a new kind of motorsport experience as YUKA Gymkhana Challenge arrives at the iconic Yas Marina Circuit on February 15 from 19:00 to midnight. With free public entry and a family-friendly format, the event aims to introduce audiences in the UAE to the fast-growing discipline of Gymkhana. Gymkhana is a precision-based racing. In each heat, two drivers start simultaneously on mirror-layout tracks filled with technical obstacles. After switching sides, the winner is determined by the combined time of both runs — creating intense, second-by-second competition. Beyond the racing action, the event offers a large…
Five years after shutting down facial recognition on Facebook over privacy concerns, Meta is preparing to bring the technology back – this time through its smart glasses. According to reports, the company is developing a feature internally called “Name Tag” that would allow wearers of its Ray-Ban Meta glasses to identify people in real time using facial recognition, with assistance from its built-in AI system. Meta had previously discontinued facial recognition for photo tagging in 2021, citing the need to find the “right balance” between innovation and privacy. Now, as its wearable ambitions expand, the company appears ready to revisit…