Daily digest · Sunday, September 27, 2026
Power and accessories guidance dominated today’s tech coverage, from why you shouldn’t hold down a PC’s power button to how to size a power bank for laptops. The rest of the issue ranges across CarPlay navigation, surround sound vs. soundbars, repurposing an old MacBook into a NAS, and two new music tools built from broken AI hallucinations.
1 · Engadget
Holding down a PC’s power button can interrupt background tasks like syncing, indexing, and autosaving, which can cause corrupted files or lost data, and can permanently damage system state if done during an update.
2 · Engadget
A typical laptop power bank should be evaluated by watt-hours (Wh) for capacity and watts (W) for output—not mAh—because a 20,000 mAh bank is about 74Wh (assuming ~3.7V cells), but fast-charging losses can cut its effective capacity to about 52Wh (using ~30% overhead).
3 · Engadget
Foldable phone cases generally protect the back, sides, and (with a raised lip) the front screen perimeter, often in two parts, but they do not protect the hinge or provide 360-degree coverage.
4 · Engadget
You can make Google Maps the default navigation app in Apple CarPlay in the EU or Japan by changing iPhone Settings > Apps > Default Apps and selecting Google Maps (so Siri directions and address taps open Google Maps instead of Apple Maps).
5 · Engadget
The article says surround sound systems generally deliver a more immersive, object-based experience than soundbars, and a New York Times blind test found participants could tell the difference and understood dialogue better with surround sound but few planned to buy it due to space and setup friction.
6 · Engadget
Smartphone+mount (often plus a fitness smartwatch) is enough for commuting and occasional weekend rides, but a dedicated bike computer starts to be worth it when battery life, all-day visible GPS/navigation, wet-weather/rain controls, or dedicated sensor support happen often enough to justify carrying an extra device.
7 · Engadget
You can reuse an old MacBook as a home NAS by enabling macOS File Sharing (Sharing settings), selecting folders to share, and accessing them over your network via the Mac’s provided IP address—optionally sharing an external drive as well.
8 · Engadget
Goodwill diverts an average of 1 million pounds of electronics from landfills each year through refurbishing and secure recycling, with proceeds funding its career training and job resources.
9 · The Verge
Out of the Park Baseball has 2,300 hours of play time reported on Steam in the article and lets a full season play out in as little as a few hours with faster simulation options.
10 · The Verge
Engram, Thoughtful Things’ first instrument, is an offline “tiny AI” sampler/groovebox that mangles incoming audio and can hallucinate new sounds for experimental audio design.
