Here are today’s 6 verified tech & science stories, covering Tech & Apps and AI Tools.
Table of Contents
Every item below links to its original source.
The TLDR
- Tech & Apps: iOS 27.3 Beta Adds a One-Handed ‘Duo’ Reachability Mode
- AI Tools: Google Will Let Schools Disable AI Tools — But They’ll Lose Search Too
Tech & Apps
iOS 27.3 Beta Adds a One-Handed ‘Duo’ Reachability Mode
Apple’s iOS 27.3 beta 1, released November 3, adds a horizontal version of Reachability built specifically for the iPhone Duo’s extra-wide outer display, letting owners swipe sideways to pull content within thumb’s reach. Regular iPhones only shift content downward, so this is a Duo-specific fix for a one-handed-use complaint that followed the device’s launch, according to 9to5Mac. The feature is currently beta-only, with a public beta expected within days and a full release anticipated around mid-December.
Apple Intelligence Finally Arrives in China
iOS 27.3 beta 1 also marks the first time Apple Intelligence features have reached iPhones in China, including real-time translation in Messages, FaceTime and Phone, writing tools, visual intelligence, Genmoji, and notification and email summaries, per 9to5Mac. Siri’s AI upgrades aren’t part of this rollout yet, and none of the newer AI capabilities introduced with iOS 27 are included — Apple is starting with features that trace back to iOS 26 and iOS 18.
Razer Unveils a Limited-Run Raiju V3 Pro Signature Edition Controller
Razer unveiled the Raiju V3 Pro Signature Edition, a PS5 controller with a see-through magnesium-alloy shell, a laser-etched glass touchpad, contactless TMR thumbsticks, and six mappable buttons, per Engadget. It weighs 260 grams, lighter than Sony’s standard DualSense, and ships November 10 with only 1,337 units made; Razer hasn’t announced a price.
Apple Watch’s ‘Audio Intelligence’ Beta Starts Rolling Out
Apple’s Audio Intelligence features for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 — including Siri Recap, which summarizes ambient conversations, and Live Rewind, which transcribes the last 15 seconds of audio — are now rolling out in English beta, per Lifehacker. The features have drawn privacy concerns for turning the watch into an always-listening device, though Apple says Siri Recap is opt-in, raw audio is processed on-device and deleted, and Live Rewind plays an audible chime to alert people nearby.
AI Tools
Google Will Let Schools Disable AI Tools — But They’ll Lose Search Too
Google will let K-12 schools disable its AI tools — including Gemini, NotebookLM and Gemini in Classroom — by default starting next year unless administrators opt back in, but schools that go this route will also lose access to Google Search, since the two are now deeply integrated, according to TechCrunch. It’s a similar trade-off to what many Android users weigh when turning off Gemini as a default assistant. Google says it will share more details with schools ahead of the rollout.
Cybersecurity VC Ballistic Ventures Seeks $490M Amid AI Security Boom
Ted Schlein’s cybersecurity-focused Ballistic Ventures is raising $490 million across two vehicles — a $360 million flagship fund and a separate $130 million fund — betting on continued growth in AI-driven cybersecurity startups, per TechCrunch. The firm, which Schlein founded after more than two decades at Kleiner Perkins, has previously backed startups later acquired by Palo Alto Networks and CrowdStrike.
Explore more: turning off Gemini as a default assistant, AI assistant app.
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Photo: Brianhphoto / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.