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Apple's iOS 26 and watchOS 26 introduced a new fitness companion called Workout Buddy. This feature uses Apple Intelligence to provide spoken feedback during workouts and give motivation based on your activity history. Workout Buddy analyzes your pace, heart rate, distance and other metrics to deliver real-time encouragement and performance insights directly through connected Bluetooth headphones. It works in conjunction with the Workout app on Apple Watch and is partially controlled through the Fitness app on iPhone. This guide walks you through everything needed to set up and use Workout Buddy effectively during workouts.
What Workout Buddy doesIt's important to note that Workout Buddy is not a full coaching program. Instead, it adds to your workout with spoken cues that reflect how your session is going. Workout Buddy can remind you of your weekly activity totals, alert you to personal bests or performance milestones and provide an overview when you're finished. It is designed to feel like a supportive training partner rather than a strict coach.
The feature operates in English by default and uses a text-to-speech model trained on voices from Apple Fitness trainers. It is available for a subset of workout types, including running, walking, cycling, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength training. It requires on-device Apple Intelligence, which means you'll need to keep one of the latest iPhones running updated software nearby during workouts.
Supported models include iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and any iPhone 16 model. You'll also need an Apple Watch running watchOS 26.
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 Apple rumors are starting to pick up now that we're a few weeks into 2026, and this week saw some potential clarity around conflicting iPhone 18 Pro rumors, plus some new word on Apple's plans for Siri.
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Google has started rolling out a new feature for its Photos app that can turn your images into memes. The feature, called Me Meme, uses Google Gemini to take meme templates and recreate them with the photo you use from within the app. It's still in its experimental stages and will only be available for users in the US in the English language. In addition, it seems to be rolling out for Android users only at the moment, and Google warns that the generated images may not match the original photo at times. If you do get access to the feature soon, check out the instructions below on how to use it.
Open your Photos app. Go to the Create tab at the bottom and find the Me Meme option. If it's not showing up even though you're an Android user in the US, you'll have to wait for it as it continues rolling out. Google told TechCrunch that it will reach iOS users over the coming weeks.
You'll see onscreen instructions the first time you use it. The next time you access the feature, you'll go straight to the meme creation process.
You can browse and choose one of the preset templates Google provides, but you can also upload a meme or any other image as a template.
You then have to upload a photo that you want to insert into the meme. Google advises using a selfie or a photo where your face is clearly visible.
After you tap Generate, you can save the meme if you're satisfied with the result or share it directly to social media platforms online. You can also tap Regenerate to see a different output.
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Smart rings are a great way to track your health and wellness in the new year. After testing three different options for several months, this one stood out among the rest.
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Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. It's been a very busy week of fun game releases (next week will be too!), so let's get into some of them after a quick reflection on gaming while traveling.
I love my Steam Deck. I really truly do. It's a fantastic machine. And yet when I brought it with me on a five-week trip over the holidays, I used it for barely an hour the entire time. That doesn't really justify the space and weight it takes up in my bag. The same holds true for my Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation Portal.
I'll be leaving them all at home next time. I'll take a small controller (probably OhSnap's MCON) so I can play the odd game on my laptop or phone. I'll bring my Playdate as well. I adore that little yellow console, and I haven't spent nearly enough time using it. I have a lot of neat-looking indie games to catch up on there (Diora looks particularly interesting). I'm more likely to play something on a flight if it's on a device I can pull out from my pocket. I just wish Panic had put a backlight in the Playdate.
New releases
Massive Monster and publisher Devolver Digital gave
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I put two camera goliaths to the test and I honestly didn't expect this outcome.
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Investing in a smart home gym? Check out our favorite setups before spending a penny.
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The racing series' latest edition, out in May, includes stunning views of Mount Fuji.
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 For now, rumors have settled on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max featuring a smaller Dynamic Island, and now a leaker has revealed its alleged size.
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Sports fans who want to catch every last game and news junkies who want to watch network news as it unfolds have two main options: cable or a live TV streaming service. Cable or satellite service often requires extra equipment and convoluted contracts. Live TV streaming services only require an internet connection and a smart TV. These plans used to be cheaper and more user-friendly, too, but price hikes, media consolidation and contract disputes are starting to change the value a bit. We tested out all the major players to compare what you get and help you make sense of the options out there. Here are the best live TV streaming services, according to our testing.
Editor's note: YouTube TV announced in December it will start offering genre-specific plans in early 2026. We still don't have word on the pricing or specifics, but will update this guide when we do. The
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 Representation of cryptocurrency Dogecoin is seen in this illustration taken November 29, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File PhotoTesla Inc (TSLA.O) will accept the meme-based cryptocurrency dogecoin as payment for its products such as the "Giga Texas" belt buckle and mini electric vehicle models, CEO Elon Musk said on Friday in a tweet.
The move which sent dogecoin prices up 14% higher, comes a month after Musk said Tesla would test the digital token as a payment option. Musk, a voucal of cryptocurrencies has heavily influenced dogecoin and bitcoin prices, and at one point said the company would accept bitcoin for the purchase of its cars before scrapping the plans.
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