Technology

Welcome to Meta’s future, where everyone wears cameras

Published

1 year ago

September 28, 2024

Welcome to Meta’s future, where everyone wears cameras

All around Meta’s Menlo Park campus, cameras stared at me. I’m not talking about security cameras or my fellow reporters’ DSLRs. I’m not even talking about smartphones. I mean Ray-Ban and Meta’s smart glasses, which Meta hopes we’ll all — one day, in some form — wear.

I visited Meta for this year’s Connect conference, where just about every hardware product involved cameras. They’re on the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses that got a software update, the new Quest 3S virtual reality headset, and Meta’s prototype Orion AR glasses. Orion is what Meta calls a “time machine”: a functioning example of what full-fledged AR could look like, years before it will be consumer-ready.

But on Meta’s campus, at least, the Ray-Bans were already everywhere. It was a different kind of time machine: a glimpse into CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s future world where glasses are the new phones.

I’m conflicted about it.

The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

Meta really wants to put cameras on your face. The glasses, which follow 2021’s Ray-Ban Stories, are apparently making inroads on that front, as Zuckerberg told The Verge sales are going “very well.” They aren’t full-fledged AR glasses since they have no screen to display information, though they’re becoming more powerful with AI features. But they’re perfect for what the whole Meta empire is built on: encouraging people to share their lives online.

The glasses come in a variety of classic Ray-Ban styles, but for now, it’s obvious users aren’t just wearing glasses. As I wandered the campus, I spotted the telltale signs on person after person: two prominent circle cutouts at the edges of their glasses, one for a 12MP ultrawide camera and the other for an indicator light.

This light flashes when a user is taking photos and videos, and it’s generally visible even in sunlight. In theory, that should have put my mind at ease: if the light wasn’t on, I could trust nobody was capturing footage of me tucking into some lunch before my meetings.

But as I talked with people around campus, I was always slightly on edge. I found myself keenly aware of those circles, checking to see if somebody was filming me when I wasn’t paying attention. The mere potential of a recording would distract me from conversations, inserting a low hum of background anxiety.

When I put a pair on for myself, the situation changed

Then, when I put a pair on for myself, the situation suddenly changed. As a potential target of recording, I’d been hesitant, worried I might be photographed or filmed as a byproduct of making polite eye contact. With the glasses on my own face, though, I felt that I should be recording more. There’s something really compelling about the experience of a camera right at the level of your eyes. By just pressing a button on the glasses, I could take a photo or video of anything I was seeing at exactly the angle I was seeing it. No awkward fumble of pulling out my phone and hoping the moment lasted. There might be no better way to share my reality with other people.

Meta’s smart glasses have been around for a few years now, and I’m hardly the first person — or even the first person at The Verge — to be impressed by them. But this was the first time I’d seen these glasses not as early adopter tech, but as a ubiquitous product like a phone or smartwatch. I got a hint of how this seamless recording would work at scale, and the prospect is both exciting and terrifying.

The camera phone was a revolution in its own right, and we’re still grappling with its social effects. Nearly anyone can now document police brutality or capture a fleeting funny moment, but also take creepshots and post them online or (a far lesser offense, to be clear) annoy people at concerts. What will happen when even the minimal friction of pulling a phone out drops away, and billions of people can immediately snap a picture of anything they see?

Personally, I can see how incredibly useful this would be to capture candid photos of my new baby, who is already starting to recognize when a phone is taking a picture of her. But it’s not hard to imagine far more malicious uses. Sure, you might think that we all got used to everyone pointing their phone cameras at everything, but I’m not exactly sure that’s a good thing; I don’t like that there’s a possibility I end up in somebody’s TikTok just because I stepped outside the house. (The rise of sophisticated facial recognition makes the risks even greater.) With ubiquitous glasses-equipped cameras, I feel like there’s an even greater possibility that my face shows up somewhere on the internet without my permission.

There are also clear risks to integrating cameras into what is, for many people, a nonnegotiable vision aid. If you already wear glasses and switch to prescription smart glasses, you’ll either have to carry a low-tech backup or accept that they’ll stay on in some potentially very awkward places, like a public bathroom. The current Ray-Ban Meta glasses are largely sunglasses, so they’re probably not most people’s primary set. But you can get them with clear and transition lenses, and I bet Meta would like to market them more as everyday specs.

Of course, there’s no guarantee most people will buy them. The Ray-Ban Meta glasses are pretty good gadgets now, but I was at Meta’s campus meeting Meta employees to preview Meta hardware for a Meta event. It’s not surprising Meta’s latest hardware was commonplace, and it doesn’t necessarily tell us much about what people outside that world want.

Camera glasses have been just over the horizon for years now. Remember how magical I said taking pictures of what’s right in front of your eyes is? My former colleague Sean O’Kane relayed almost the exact same experience with Snap Spectacles back in 2016.

But Meta is the first company to make a credible play for mainstream acceptance. They’re a lot of fun — and that’s what scares me a little.

Technology

You need to listen to the cosmic horror-comedy podcast Welcome to Night Vale

Published

3 hours ago

January 19, 2026

Press Room

It’s relatively rare for a podcast to last 14 years, especially a fiction one. In fact, as far as I can tell, Welcome to Night Vale is the longest continually running fiction podcast out there. (Some will argue it’s actually We’re Alive, but that has taken a few significant breaks between seasons.) The story of Night Vale, the titular desert town, now spans 12 seasons, over 280 episodes, three books, and at least 10 live standalone shows. While dedicating several hundred hours of your life to listening to every episode might seem like a big ask, I believe you’ll be hooked once you dive in.

The show is written by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, who draw heavily on the work of H.P. Lovecraft. Every season has its own arc, but broadly, the show tells the story of a town that exists in an alternate version of Earth. In this town Angels are real, but acknowledging their existence is illegal; librarians are dangerous creatures with “thousands of spiny legs” and “pincers”; and there is a Faceless Old Woman who secretly lives in your home.

These are clearly unsettling concepts when taken at face value. But rather than trying to scare the listener, Cranor and Fink lean into the natural absurdity of cosmic horror and refuse to take themselves too seriously. They also routinely subvert the bigotry of their inspiration, using Lovecraftian creations to tell stories rich with LGBTQ+ characters.

Of course, having well-written scripts and telling a compelling story is only part of the equation. What elevates Welcome to Night Vale to true greatness is the cast, especially narrator Cecil Baldwin, who plays the host of the central radio show, Cecil Palmer. Cecil’s voice has the gravitas to tell ominous stories of secretive government agencies and ancient gods. But he has the range to deliver light-hearted banter with a sentient patch of haze (her name is Deb, in case you were wondering).

Cecil Baldwin has the charisma to make even the reading of a repair manual for a toaster compelling. He can be creepy, funny, or soothing, often all within the same episode. (For this reason, I don’t suggest listening to Night Vale at night. I have fallen asleep to the dulcet sounds of Baldwin’s voice several times, only for the more unsettling parts of the show to make their way into my dreams.)

Every episode also features a musical interlude in the guise of “The Weather.” The show mostly features lesser-known artists, but alumni include Jason Isbell, The Mountain Goats, Waxahatchee, Angel Olsen, Open Mike Eagle, and Sylvan Esso.

Welcome to Night Vale is also a great way to introduce younger listeners to horror. I would never suggest my eight-year-old read H.P. Lovecraft. Partly because the man’s unrepentant racism is baked into the very fabric of his stories, but also because the violence is often too much for children. Night Vale, on the other hand, takes those horrors and exposes them for what they are: entertainment. I can put the podcast on, bond with my kid over their burgeoning love of all things creepy and weird, and trust that they’ll walk away with a good message.

Welcome to Night Vale is available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Pocketcasts, YouTube, and Spotify.

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Terrence O’Brien

Technology

New personal eVTOL promises personal flight under $40K

Published

4 hours ago

January 19, 2026

Press Room

New personal eVTOL promises personal flight under K

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Personal electric aircraft have teased us for years. They look futuristic, promise freedom from traffic, and usually come with prices that put them out of reach or timelines that feel uncertain. Recently unveiled at CES 2026, the Rictor X4 entered that conversation with some bold claims.

It is a single-passenger electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft designed to make short-range personal flight more accessible and far more affordable. If those promises hold up, it could change how we think about flying for everyday trips.

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CES 2026 put health tech front and center, with companies showcasing smarter ways to support prevention, mobility and long-term wellness. (CES)

TECH STARTUP, MAJOR AIRLINE PARTNER TO LAUNCH ELECTRIC AIR TAXI SERVICE

What the Rictor X4 actually is

The Rictor X4 uses a multirotor design with eight propellers spread across four carbon fiber arms. Those arms fold inward when the aircraft is not in use, allowing it to fit in the bed of a pickup truck. The aircraft focuses on low-altitude flight and short hops rather than long journeys.

Key specs include:

Top speed of about 50 mph
Maximum flight time of 20 minutes
Payload capacity of up to 220 pounds, including the pilot

It can lift off and land vertically like a helicopter, then transition into forward flight once airborne. Rictor describes its mission as light aerial mobility, which essentially means short-distance commuting and professional applications.

Inside the X4’s propulsion and power system

According to Rictor, the X4’s propulsion system is built around stability and redundancy rather than raw speed. Each axis uses a coaxial dual-motor configuration designed to provide consistent thrust during low-altitude flight.

Key propulsion details include:

Rated thrust of up to 165 pounds per axis
Peak thrust exceeding 285 pounds per axis
Maximum continuous power output of 10 kW
120-volt operating system designed for outdoor conditions

Together, these systems aim to deliver controlled, predictable flight with built-in safety margins, especially during takeoff, landing and hover.

The Rictor X4 is a single-passenger electric aircraft designed for short-range, low-altitude flight with a folding multirotor layout. (Rictor)

Safety systems and flight control in the Rictor X4

Rictor puts safety at the center of the X4’s design. The aircraft uses a semi-solid state battery system with dual battery redundancy, which helps enable a controlled landing if one battery module fails. In addition, an emergency parachute system provides backup protection during critical situations. At the same time, a centralized flight control system actively manages propulsion, attitude and overall system health. This system continuously monitors key flight data to help maintain stability in changing conditions.

Beyond software, the hardware plays an important role. The X4 features 63-inch carbon fiber folding propellers in a 4-axis, 8-propeller configuration. Together, they support a payload of up to 220 pounds, including the pilot. According to Rictor, the aircraft is designed to operate at noise levels below 65 decibels, although independent testing has not yet been published. Finally, Rictor’s proprietary Dynamic Balance Algorithm adjusts the output of all eight motors in real time. As a result, the X4 can maintain a stable hover even in side winds rated up to Level 6.

The FAA rule that could make personal flight easier

One of Rictor’s most attention-grabbing claims involves regulation. The company says the X4 is designed to comply with FAA Part 103, which governs ultralight vehicles in the U.S. If operated within Part 103 limits, the X4 could be flown legally without airworthiness certification or a pilot’s license. Rictor says this is enabled by autonomous pre-programmed flight paths and very low altitude operation, reportedly as low as three meters above ground. It is worth noting that Part 103 still carries operational restrictions, including where and how flight can occur. Final compliance depends on real-world use and FAA interpretation.

Designed to fold, transport, and recharge

Portability is a major focus. Rictor says the X4 folds down to about 42 cubic feet, which makes it compact enough to transport in the bed of a pickup truck. The company also highlights in-vehicle charging support while parked or on the move, positioning the X4 as something that can be transported and recharged alongside ground vehicles rather than stored at an airfield.

AIR TAXI SERVICE PLANS EVTOL RIDES FROM ALL THREE NYC AIRPORTS

The price that resets expectations

The Rictor X4 carries a launch price of $39,900 with a $5,000 deposit. That alone separates it from most personal eVTOLs currently discussed in the market. The aircraft is produced by Kuickwheel Technology, Rictor’s parent company. According to the company, first customer deliveries are scheduled for Q2 2026. As with any aircraft launch, timelines remain aspirational until production units reach customers.

Why this matters now

Personal eVTOLs have lived in a narrow space between concept and reality. High costs, regulatory hurdles and safety concerns have slowed adoption. If Rictor delivers an aircraft that performs as described while operating within ultralight rules, it could expand personal flight beyond niche enthusiasts and into practical short-range use. Now it comes down to whether the company can deliver on what it’s promising.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

The Rictor X4 brings together aggressive pricing, compact design and regulatory positioning in a way we have not seen before. Folding propellers, redundant safety systems and Part 103 alignment make it one of the most ambitious personal eVTOL launches to date. The unanswered questions center on real-world performance, regulatory interpretation and production readiness. Until aircraft are flying outside controlled demonstrations, healthy skepticism remains warranted. Still, this is one of the most compelling personal flight announcements to come out of CES in recent years.

Would you trust a personal eVTOL like this for everyday trips, or does flight still feel like a step too far for now? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Microsoft’s first Windows 11 update of 2026 stopped some computers from shutting down

Published

15 hours ago

January 18, 2026

Press Room

Microsoft’s first Windows 11 update of 2026 stopped some computers from shutting down

Microsoft has identified issues upon installing the January 2026 Windows security update. To address these issues, an out-of-band (OOB) update was released today, January 17, 2026.

– Connection and authentication failures in remote connection applications: This issue affects multiple platforms including Windows 11, version 25H2; Windows 10, version 22H2 ESU; and Windows Server 2025. See the bottom of this message for the complete list of affected products.

-Devices with Secure Launch might fail to shut down or hibernate: This issue only affects Windows 11, version 23H2.