Links have proven to be a tricky thing when it comes to social media engagement. On platforms like Threads, data suggests that people often don’t click the links in posts, and creators on X have complained that posts including links don’t get as much visibility. X is now trying to solve that. Head of product Nikita Bier shared that the platform is “testing a new link experience” that lets people open a link without leaving the original post entirely, so they can still view the Like, Repost and other buttons. The test is rolling out to iOS users first.
“To help get better signal, posts will now collapse to the bottom of the page so people can react while you’re reading,” Bier wrote alongside a screen recording of how it will work. As to why posts with links typically don’t perform as well, Bier said, “This is because the web browser covers the post and people forget to Like or Reply. So X doesn’t get a clear signal whether the content is any good.”
Of course, X has been accused of throttling links tospecific sites, and Elon Musk has said in the past that links “don’t get as much attention” on the platform, so tweaking the popups will only go so far in addressing the reach issue. Bier added that posts should always “stand alone as great content so write a solid caption.”
Like most Google apps, Messages A/B tests many features. However, it takes the RCS/SMS client a rather long time to actually launch these capabilities in stable even after they are announced. From various reports, Google itself, and devices we’ve checked, this is the current state of Messages.
Update 10/19:
Still rolling out (beta)
These are Messages features that Google announced or have been spotted in the wild by beta users.
MLS encryption
Universal Profile 3.0 adds support for the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol that makes possible cross-platform (Android-iOS) RCS that is end-to-end encrypted (E2EE).
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You can check whether this is live for a conversation by long-pressing on a message and opening the redesigned Details page. The portion relevant to MLS is the “Encryption Protocol” section. Value “0” is the existing E2EE, while value “1” is the upcoming approach.
Image viewer redesign
Google is testing a revamp of how images appear in a thread, with photos sent at the same time now grouped together. The fullscreen image viewer has also been redesigned with a blurred background and preview of the last and next image, while you can react from the new bottom row.
Read receipts redesign
Following the last redesign in early 2023, another revamp places read receipts in a circle at the bottom-right corner of message bubbles (and images).You swipe left to see all timestamps and the end-to-end encryption status, while you swipe left to reply/quote a message. This started rolling out in August 2024, with more people receiving it in November.
Ellipsis
Sending
Single check with ring
Sent
Double check with ring
Delivered
Double check solid circle
Read
In January 2025, Google tweaked the design to make the circular background white. In no longer matching the bubble color, the read receipts stand out a great deal more.
L-R: Current, redesign, latest
Recent launches (stable)
Google Messages now has a fullscreen account menu to access Settings, Your profile, Archived, Spam & blocked, Mark all as read, and Device pairing. The previous overlay design allowed you to see the background, with the app now fully Material 3 Expressive.
If a message is suspected to be spam, Google will “warn you when you click on any links within it and stop you from visiting the potentially harmful website.” Available globally, you have the option to make the message as “not spam.”
As previewed in May, Key Verifier will “help protect you from scammers who try to impersonate someone you know” in Google Messages. This tool lets you “verify the identity of the other party through public encryption keys.” These contact keys take the form of a QR code that can also be accessed via the Google Contacts app.
For example, if an attacker gains access to a friend’s phone number and uses it on another device to send you a message – which can happen as a result of a SIM swap attack – their contact’s verification status will be marked as no longer verified in the Google Contacts app, suggesting your friend’s account may be compromised or has been changed.
In Messages, go to the Details page and tap Verify encryption to get “Your QR code” or “Scan contact’s QR code.”
With the initial Material 3 Expressive redesign, the app bar had a four-color ‘G’ in a circle followed by “Messages.” It’s now “Google Messages,” with the full color logo in the light theme. With the dark theme, it’s white text on your Dynamic Color background.
Standalone gallery
Google addressed a complaint about the fullscreen camera and gallery redesign introduced in June by letting users access the latter separately. You can open the ‘plus’ menu for a new “Gallery” grid that takes up the entire screen. “Camera” opens the existing combined interface.
Material 3 Expressive redesign
Like the homepage, the chat interface is now its own container with rounded corners at the top. Google has removed the bubbly backgrounds for solid colors. The ‘plus’ menu is its own container with larger pills that lack any background color.
The Emoji, GIFs, Stickers, and Photomoji pickers make use of connected button groups, with that row and the search bar flipped. As such, you don’t have back-to-back text fields.
Old vs. new
The “Search messages” page has been redesigned with heavy use of containers.
That’s also the case in the “New chat” contacts list, and Settings.
A small tweak sees the Call, Video, Contact info, and Search buttons become pills. In comparison, the previous circles were under-sized.
Wear OS app redesign
Ahead of the big Wear OS 6 redesign on the Pixel Watch, Google Messages is getting modernized. The changes are subtle, with the homescreen barely changing save for the bolder “Start chat” at the top. There’s also a new keypad.
The conversation view sees the bulk of updates with emoji, microphone, and keyboard now pills placed inside a container. The suggested replies (Yes, No, OK) are grouped together instead of being standalone buttons. This redesign is using the new read receipts.
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One scene in a new campaign video announcing U.S. Rep Seth Moulton’s long-awaited U.S. Senate bid stands out: It’s a sunny kitchen somewhere in Essex County, and the Salem pol is making French toast, his daughters at his side.
And one question jumps out: What’s the secret ingredient? Turns out it’s a dose of vanilla and cinnamon, usually added by the youngest Moultons.
“We finally got to the point where they can actually do the vanilla themselves and not pour the entire bottle in,” the Salem Democrat said with a laugh during a conversation with MassLive.
The video also includes police body camera-style footage of Moulton, D-6th District, hoofing and huffing it during a run through a cemetery in Beverly.
Moulton, by the way, describes himself as “more of actually, kind of like, a CrossFit guy than a runner.”
It’s the opening salvo in the ongoing generational battle within a still-scattered Democratic Party as it heads into a determinative 2026 midterm cycle.
And it says the quiet part out loud.
Moulton, who turns 47 later this week, is 32 years younger than the grandfatherly Markey, 79, who will turn 80 by Election Day, and then 86, if he serves out a third, six-year term.
“Since the last election, we’ve all seen what happens when our party clings to the same old playbook and protects the status quo and refuses to make room for new ideas and new leaders,” Moulton said.
“And we have to learn from the lessons of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Dianne Feinstein and Joe Biden,” he continued, repeating what has now become a familiar line. “And that’s not taking anything away from Senator Markey’s public service, but it is about investing in our future.”
Still, the results of similar races, including those unfolding in Maine and Connecticut, could determine the fate of the party for years to come, and more immediately, its ability to counter President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda.
Democrats need to win just a handful of seats in the narrowly divided U.S. House. The lift is significantly higher in the Senate.
“Our country is in crisis and the Democratic Party is in crisis,” Luke Bronin, the former two-term mayor of Hartford, Conn., who’s running for Congress across the border, told MassLive last week.
Bronin is also looking to unseat another deeply entrenched incumbent, U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., who, like Markey, is in his late 70s and has been in politics for decades.
“We have to be willing to look ourselves in the mirror and recognize that we need to make some bigger changes fast,” Bronin, 46, who, like Moulton, is a veteran, said.
U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., right, talks with Rahsaan D. Hall, the president and CEO of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, in Boston.John L. Micek/MassLive
In Maine, incumbent Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, 77, jumped into the race against Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, with the backing of U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y.
The news of Mills’ candidacy also came to the annoyance of some Vacationland progressives who are supporting Graham Platner, 41, a veteran, oysterman and first-time candidate, who describes himself as a “New Deal Democrat.”
Platner faced scrutiny last week over deleted social media posts where he downplayed concerns about sexual assault in the military, The Washington Post reported.
For Moulton, it’s just more of the same from the top of the party.
“The old playbook is failing us. We’ve got a second term of Donald Trump. He’s tearing the country apart. And it feels like Democrats don’t have much response, and that’s why our approval rating as a party is in the toilet,” Moulton said.
“So I’ve been thinking a lot about how to fix the party, and a lot of it does come back to leadership,” he continued. ” As you know, from my time in the Marines, I’m a big believer in the value of leadership. And I think it’s very hard to look at our party today and not say that we need new leadership.”
Markey’s campaign batted away all the generational shade.
In a spiky statement, a Markey campaign spokesperson argued that, while Moulton’s busy running for office during a government shutdown, the Malden pol, who’s been in Congress since the Carter era, “is doing his job — voting against Trump’s extremist agenda and working to stop the MAGA attacks on health care so that we can reopen the government.”
The consequences for Moulton, who previously dabbled in the 2016 presidential derby, are similarly huge. The adages about coming for the king remain applicable, as U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Mass., learned in 2020.
A slew of candidates have also lined up to replace Moulton in his 6th District seat, including former Biden White House aide Dan Koh and former state Rep. Jamie Zahlaway Belsito, who ran against Moulton in 2020, according to published reports.
State Sen. Brendan Crighton, D-3rd Essex, and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, a former Salem mayor, who also have been mentioned, have ruled themselves out.
Markey, despite concerns about his age, remains popular. He sewed up support among some young Democrats last week, the political newsletter MASSterList reported.
A third of respondents to an informal poll by the Gen Z-focused B-Side newsletter said they’d also back Markey, though an equal number remained undecided.
Moulton doesn’t have the field to himself. First-time candidate Alex Rikleen is also running. And rumors that U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-7th District, might jump in refuse to go away.
Through a spokesperson, the Boston Democrat said she “remains focused on ending the Republicans’ government shutdown, serving her district and effectively fighting back against the White House’s attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, Black and brown folks, federal workers and our immigrant neighbors.”
Which, if you noticed, is not “No.”
Moulton, meanwhile, is looking ahead to the campaign, with the same questions about the future of the party animating him.
And there’s the small matter of ending the shutdown that’s paralyzed the government. Moulton and his fellow Democrats have doubled down on protecting health care. He thinks it’s a winning message.
“I love talking about health care,” he said. “I think it’s a winning issue for us, and it should be, and it’s incredibly important to American families, and we are right on this,“ he said.
Healey, who is running for a second, four-year term, will face whomever emerges from what is now a three-way Republican primary between Shortsleeve, fellow Baker administration alum Mike Kennealy, and medical device executive Michael Minogue.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-7th District, speaks at an event in Revere announcing a new study on hunger in Massachusetts conducted by the Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham, June 17, 2025.(Will Katcher/MassLive)
They said it
“Terminating service due to nonpayment translates to a lack of heat, electricity, internet and other essentials. A disruption in service will undoubtedly disrupt learning for kids, diminish resources for elders and endanger the health and safety of entire families.”
— U.S Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-7th District, appeals to National Grid and Eversource to impose a shutoff moratorium for federal employees caught up in the government shutdown.
The Massachusetts State House as pictured on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Boston, Mass.Sebastian Restrepo
Former President Joe Biden speaks during the National Bar Association’s 100th Annual Awards Gala in Chicago, July 31, 2025.(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)
Former President Joe Biden, joined by former First Lady Jill Biden, will pick up a lifetime achievement award as the Edward M. Kennedy Institute rings in its 10th anniversary during an event on Oct. 26 at its headquarters on Morrissey Boulevard in Dorchester. Former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and retired U.S. Navy Adm. Lisa Franchetti also are set to collect honors at the ceremony.
Jonathan Richman, will team with percussionist Tommy Larkins in concert Saturday at Outpost in the Burbs in Montclair.outpostintheburbs.org
Turned up to 11
Boston legend Jonathan Richman plays a three-night residency at the Somerville Theatre, starting Oct. 24 and running through Oct. 26 (tickets and more info here).
And yes, it’s predictable, but here’s Richman, with his old combo, The Modern Lovers, with the indelible “Roadrunner.”
Giorgio Armani receiving his share of applause after presenting his Emporio Fall-Winter 2007-2008 men’s fashion collection, during the Milan Men’s Fashion Week, in Milan, Italy, Jan. 15, 2007.(AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)
Your Monday long read
The future of the late fashion legend Giorgio Armani’s company is now a real-life “Succession” story. Writing for The Observer, Scarlett Conlon notes that, while the company has a new CEO, who took the reins after Armani’s death at 91 in September, its future is not clear.
Here’s the germane bit.
“The Armani succession story is one of the most talked-about in the luxury industry right now, fueled by the contents of Armani’s will, which was made public on 12 September, just four days after his Milan funeral.”
“In a move that Italian tabloids branded “a surprise twist”, Armani expressed wishes for his empire, comprising the Giorgio Armani and Emporio Armani fashion brands as well as Armani Casa, Armani Hotels and Armani Beauty (an organisation that employs some 8,700 people in total) to be gradually sold.”
“The will itself was sensational for its detail: an instruction for his heirs to offload a 15% stake in the business within 18 months, and an additional 30% to 54.9% to the same buyer within the next five years.”
” … Industry analysts have valued the Armani empire at anywhere between €5bn and €12bn – a remarkable sum of money. In the will, Armani appointed Dell’Orco to handle the sale, and stipulated the three luxury conglomerates he would prefer to be considered for ownership: L’Oréal, which holds the licence to market Armani Beauty; EssilorLuxottica, which holds the licence to manufacture Armani eyewear; and LVMH, parent company to Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Fendi, and many more luxury watch, jewellery, wine and spirit brands, and the current title sponsor of Formula One.”
That’s it for today. As always, comments, tips and questions can be sent to jmicek@masslive.com. Have a good week, friends.
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Home goods company Kohler recently unveiled a new device called the Dekoda — a $599 camera that can be attached to your toilet bowl and take pictures of what’s inside.
CNET reports that the Dekoda analyzes these images in order to provide updates on your gut health and hydration, and to potentially detect blood. It also comes with a rechargeable battery, a USB connection, and a fingerprint sensor to identify who’s using the toilet.
The Dekoda is currently available for pre-order, with shipments scheduled to begin on October 21. In addition to the hardware purchase fee, customers will need to pay between $70 and $156 for a subscription.
If you’re uneasy about the privacy implications of putting a camera right below your private parts, the company says, “Dekoda’s sensors see down into your toilet and nowhere else.” It also notes that the resulting data is secured via end-to-end encryption.
We still have a few months to wait before the next Cult of the Lamb DLC, Woolhaven, arrives, but the Massive Monster team just shared a closer look at one of the new experiences the expansion will bring and, oh boy, I cannot wait to play this. In addition to adding a new mountain area with two new dungeons, Woolhaven will introduce ranching, so you can raise animals — the regular, non-anthropomorphic kind — to keep as pets, shear for wool or slaughter for meat (you know, if you have no heart).
Based on the overview video, we’ll get to raise cows(ish), goats and sheep as well as some more unexpected critters like crabs, snails, spiders and turtles. I, personally, am very excited about the snails. You’ll be able to form bonds with and name the animals, and you’ll have to tend to their wellbeing, feeding them healthy foods and cleaning them. Followers will also be able to bond with the animals and have their own pets. As wholesome as that all sounds, this is Cult of the Lamb we’re talking about, so I’m already bracing myself for the inevitable heartbreak of when some unruly follower kills my favorite animals at some point. The video notes that you’ll have to keep them safe from predators.
Woolhaven will be a paid expansion, but we don’t know yet how much it will cost or when exactly it drops. The team has so far only said early 2026.
The arrival of native Qi2 support in the Pixel 10 series has let me dive headfirst into a new world of accessories, and Qi2 battery banks have very quickly become my favorite accessory to have on hand.
This issue of 9to5Google Weekender is a part of 9to5Google’s rebooted newsletter that highlights the biggest Google stories with added commentary and other tidbits. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox early!
Battery life is a problem that’s never truly solved. Putting the Pixel’s slight deficiencies in that department aside, there’s no phone that never gets low on power. That’s why many of us carry battery banks around, but those are still pretty cumbersome and annoying to use.
Qi2 battery banks have really stepped up to solve that problem for me, and I’ve been testing out a handful of them with my Pixel 10 Pro XL and my Galaxy Z Fold 7 that I threw a little magnetic ring on (since Samsung is stubborn). There are three in particular I’ve been enjoying as of late.
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For carrying a lot of power and speed for the Pixel 10 Pro XL’s 25W charging, there’s the Baseus Picogo 10,000 mAh battery bank. This is one of a very select few Qi2 battery banks that can deliver 25W speeds, and it’s been a really nice one to have on hand with my Pixel 10 Pro XL. When my phone gets low I can just attach the power bank and see the power level jump quickly. It tends to warm up, of course, but not to any drastic level. The 10,000 mAh battery means it’s bigger than others I’ve tried, but it makes up for that with the faster charging and the built-in USB-C cable. I found the latter especially useful recently when I needed to charge both my Pixel and an iPad. The power bank was able to give both a considerable boost, all while taking up hardly any space in my backpack.
A different sort of option is from Statik. The company’s 5,000 mAh power bank isn’t know for its speed or capacity, but for its durability.
This power bank uses a semi-solid state battery. What does that mean? It’s very safe.
This kind of battery can literally have a nail driven through it without causing any real damage. That brings a lot of peace of mind for me as I’ve been keeping this one in my disc golf bag. I don’t have to worry about what hits it in the bag, the potential of say, my knife puncturing it. I also don’t have to worry about it heating up if it’s sitting in hot car. This battery tech also holds up better over time, so I worry less about it discharging or losing capacity. I’m not too concerned about this usually, especially in the durability department since many magnetic battery banks are metal-clad, but the extra peace of mind is really nice for a product that might sit in my bag for weeks or months at a time before I actually need to use it.
Finally, my favorite of the bunch is also the “world’s smallest.” The Baseus Picogo Power Bank is a 5,000 mAh power bank that features 15W Qi2 support in a really tiny package.
This option charges quickly and has a built-in kickstand which is a really nice touch, but for me it’s truly all about the size.
This power bank slips into my backpack easily, or really just into my pocket too. It’s so small that you can store it wherever and, when the time comes to use it, your phone doesn’t feel too chunky in the hand or in your pocket. This is already great on my Pixel 10 Pro XL, but I appreciate it even more on my Galaxy Z Fold 7. Samsung’s design means that most Qi2 accessories barely fit on the device, but this Baseus battery just barely sits in place under the camera.
What about you? Have you tried Qi2 battery banks? Do you have another Qi2 accessory you like even more?
Let’s discuss!
This Week’s Top Stories
Samsung gives up on thin phones
Reports out of Korea this week have revealed that the Galaxy S25 Edge was a massive failure and, as a result, Samsung is throwing in the towel on future slim phones including the Galaxy S26 Edge that was supposed to be released in just a few months. Yikes.
Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3
Google’s latest Android 16 beta has arrived, with the newest look at QPR2 making adjustments to existing features, adding back a Live Caption shortcut, and more. It’s not a major update, but things are shaping up for the coming stable release.
OnePlus reveals its Android 16 update
Ahead of the OnePlus 15’s debut on October 27, OnePlus has revealed its Android 16 update. OxygenOS 16 is launching in beta now and will start rolling out in November, with a new design and Apple Watch support being among the biggest additions.
Five zip codes in Massachusetts are among the 100 most expensive places in the nation to purchase a home, according to a study from the real estate data and research company PropertyShark.
On average, the five areas — in Boston’s Back Bay, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and the Boston suburbs of Weston and Wellesley — saw their median home sales reach more than $2.4 million this year.
Miami Beach’s Fisher Island topped the list of the United States’ priciest zip codes, with home sales ranging from a minimum $1.41 million up to $23.7 million this year. Its median sale of $9.5 million led a zip code in San Mateo County, California, where the median sale reached $8.3 million, and a Long Island, New York, zip code that hit $5.9 million.
Boston’s 02199 zip code, which surrounds the Prudential Center, had the second-highest median home sale in the U.S. in 2021, at $5.5 million. This year, its median sale was roughly $2.57 million, leading Massachusetts but placing 54th nationally, according to PropertyShark.
Nantucket’s 02554 zip code trailed at $2.5 million, placing 63rd nationally, after hitting $2.9 million last year.
It was followed by the 02535 zip code in Chilmark, on Martha’s Vineyard, which reached a new high of $2.48 million and ranked 64th nationally.
Weston’s 02493 saw its median sale hit $2.4 million (72nd in the U.S.) while 02481 in Wellesley reached $2.25 million (80th).
Connecticut’s 06878 zip code was the priciest place to buy a home in New England, at $2.75 million. Six other Connecticut zip codes also landed in the top 100, the third most for a state after New York and California.
For the first time, according to PropertyShark, New Hampshire’s most expensive zip code topped the priciest spot in Massachusetts.
New Castle, New Hampshire, reached median home sales of $2.65 million, tying the record high for the state set by a zip code in Rye Beach three years ago.
Here is PropertyShark’s complete list of the 100 most expensive zip codes in the U.S. this year.
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Kevin Hartz tends to be first through the door. In 2001, he co-founded Xoom, back when sending money across borders meant standing in line at Western Union. In 2013, it went public, and in 2015, PayPal paid $1.1 billion for it. Four years after launching Xoom, he co-founded Eventbrite, which went public in 2018 and turned buying event tickets into something you could do without wanting to throw your laptop in the ocean.
After a stint at Founders Fund, Hartz co-founded his own venture firm, A* Capital (a nod to a computer science algorithm), then in 2020, he spotted another trend before the masses: the SPAC boom. His blank-check company, “one,” swallowed up 3D printing outfit Markforged in a $2.1 billion reverse merger in 2021, right as every other financier in Silicon Valley suddenly decided SPACs were the future.
Now Hartz is onto his next thing — teenage founders, not as a social experiment but as an unplanned investment thesis. His firm recently cut a check to Aaru, an AI-powered prediction engine with one founder who was too young to get his driver’s license at the time. Hartz is not alone in this by any stretch. The dropout-and-build movement, made most famous by founders like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg, is becoming a standard lifestyle choice for a certain kind of ambitious kid.
Consider Cory Levy, who was interning at Founders Fund, Union Square Ventures, and Techstars while still in high school, then bailed on the University of Illinois after freshman year. Today he runs Z Fellows, a one-week accelerator that hands technical founders — even high schoolers — $10,000 grants. When Levy dropped out a decade ago, the Thiel Fellowship was a radical new idea. Now, the “community of dropouts is at an all-time high,” he told Business Insider last spring. “At a big group dinner of 15 or 20 people, we’ll look around the table, and no one has a college degree.”
It’s becoming enough of a “thing” that the accelerator Y Combinator, which has quietly reinforced drop-out culture since its outset, recently rolled out a program that’s designed for students who want to start companies but don’t want to drop out. The program allows them to apply while still in school, get accepted and funded immediately, and defer their participation in YC until after they graduate. (For YC, known for being countercultural, the move is very on brand.)
Naturally, TechCrunch has been covering the trend: see here and here and here. But to learn more, I’ll be sitting down with Hartz at the StrictlyVC event inside TechCrunch’s rollicking Disrupt show, kicking off in San Francisco on Monday, October 27. (Hartz is talking on Tuesday, October 28.)
In the meantime, here are excerpts from a chat we had on Friday, where we started to explore the topic:
Techcrunch event
San Francisco | October 27-29, 2025
TC: We’ve always seen teenagers starting companies, but it certainly feels like we’re seeing more of it than ever before, and you’re telling me this is the case behind the scenes. Why do you think that is?
Kevin Hartz: You find these really bright kids who are just very bored in school. I see classes of Stanford freshmen or sophomores who fall into this category — they were completely bored, some ended up homeschooling, and just excelled. Even in top universities, they still go and drop out with a thirst to build, to learn, to push the envelope. We had one company where the founders were 18, 18, and 15. I think the CTO is probably 16 now, but he was 15 at the time we backed them. But that’s not really unusual.
How does Z Fellows compare to the Thiel Fellowship, launched years ago by Peter Thiel?
It’s incredibly similar. The difference is the Thiel Fellowship is a nonprofit, and — I’m a big fan of Peter’s — but as a nonprofit, you’re maybe not out there hustling as hard. Cory [has] just [been] out there building Z Fellows over the last few years, and it’s a really great program. It’s this thing again of Peter being ahead of the curve, seeing the value in the irony of offering money to drop out. That phenomenon has been growing and building, and who knows how far it’s going to continue, especially with the cost of universities and what a lot of people see as a toxic environment in universities with poor administration. All this lines up to drive teenagers to ask, ‘Why don’t I just drop out and build?’
Does Z Fellows take equity in the companies?
They offer a very small check — $10,000. Then there’s a fund where they back people later on down the line. But it’s mostly a no-obligation $10,000 initial piece. I think Cory selects a couple people to put in $100K into pre-seed [rounds], too.
What do you make of the statistics we’re seeing, related to kids not being able to get jobs out of school? I have to think some of this is driven by the realization that even if you graduate, there may not be a job waiting for you.
There’s this other phenomenon happening — this flipping that’s supposed to happen in ’26 or ’27 where there will be more 1099s than W-2s. That just means that 30 years ago, people worked for big corporations like Nestlé or McKinsey or IBM. Now they’re working for themselves. They’re trading crypto or building their own businesses. That points to American individualism. It’s almost like the United States is going into entrepreneurial hyperdrive.
I think it’s because people want to start companies, but I also think that, increasingly, people have to start companies as they get elbowed out of their roles owing to efficiencies gleaned though AI and otherwise.
Paul Graham said something years ago that has always stuck with me, that it’s both good and bad for a young founder when their startup takes off, because it takes over their life. You were a young entrepreneur. How do you feel about funding a 15-year-old, knowing his company might do really well and this person may never have the ability to experience what most 15-, 16-, 17-year-olds get to experience?
I found it to be an exhilarating experience, but it was punctuated with painful challenges. It accentuates everything. And it’s a good point. [Seventeen,] that’s the age of Marines they send into battle because they’re fearless. Maybe there’s something about that age where people are very hard-driving. But I wonder if it’s just too soon to understand the implications, given the recency of this phenomenon.
We’re just at the beginning of what I’d call a super cycle of expansiveness in tech, with AI and everything else — especially AI. We’re in very early innings. You have OpenAI and Anthropic growing incredibly fast in the foundational model part of it. Now we’re all starting to work on the application layers. You have the coding co-pilots like Cognition, and then you have Decagon and Sierra in the AI CRM space. But there are so many other categories still to be disrupted. Even Sierra and Decagon are very, very early in their missions.
You’ve got daughters. Would you like to see them go to college? How would you feel if they said, “Dad, I want to start something now and not go to college”?
Our 17-year-old is applying to colleges now. She does want the college experience. She wants that flavor of life. She never really questioned it. I tried to give her as many chances as I could to consider alternatives, and I’ll do the same with our 13-year-old who will be up next.
Of the bets you’ve made over the last year, how many would you say involve teenagers?
NVIDIA has taken a big step towards strengthening its domestic chip manufacturing, revealing the first Blackwell wafer made in the US. The hardware company assembled the wafer, which is the base material for NVIDIA’s AI chips, in TSMC’s semiconductor manufacturing facility in Phoenix, Arizona.
NVIDIA revealed its Blackwell platform last year, boasting a goal of revolutionizing the AI industry through tech giants like Amazon, Google, OpenAI and others who already committed to adopting the next-gen architecture. NVIDIA said the latest platform was more powerful and translated to 25x less cost and energy consumption compared to its predecessor. Now that Blackwell wafers can be made at the TSMC plant, NVIDIA can better insulate itself from the ever-evolving tariff situation and geopolitical tensions.
“It’s the very first time in recent American history that the single most important chip is being manufactured here in the United States by the most advanced fab, by TSMC, here in the United States,” Jensen Huang, NVIDIA’s founder and CEO, said at the celebration event.
With NVIDIA’s Blackwell architecture ready for the volume production stage, the company is still working on expanding its manufacturing footprint across the US. Earlier this year, NVIDIA said it had plans to funnel half a trillion dollars towards building AI infrastructure in the US through partnerships with TSMC, Foxconn and other companies.
Are the official Pixel 10 accessories worth the exorbitant prices over cheaper alternatives? We’ve spent a decent chunk of time with the lineup this year to work that out and help you decide.
If you’re considering the Pixel 10, then we’d label this as required reading. As noted, we’re separating the essentials from the expensive fluff to see which “Made by Google” Pixelsnap accessories, if any, are actually worth your hard-earned cash and if there are better, cheaper alternatives – spoiler, there might be a few.
The Pixelsnap Charger with Stand
We kick things off with arguably the most impactful — and indeed the priciest — of the new Pixel 10 accessories: the Pixel Snap Charger with Stand.
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Right off the bat, this feels less like a simple wireless charger and more like a proper smart dock. The build quality is excellent, sporting a heavy, secure base and a pleasant, almost felt-like rubber texture. In daily use, placing the Pixel 10 on the dock is a genuinely satisfying experience — that solid, secure snap is addictive.
But the real magic happens once it’s docked. The phone enters a more advanced screensaver mode, engaging the user in a way most wireless pads simply don’t. My personal favorite is cycling through Google Photos, effectively turning the phone into a comfortable, digital photo frame while I’m working. It makes the device feel more purposeful when it’s just sitting idle.
However, it’s not perfect. A notable miss? The lack of an official 3-in-1 combo charger — we’re still waiting for a single dock for the phone, Pixel Watch, and Pixel Buds. Also, a major ‘gotcha’: the power brick isn’t included. You’ll need to supply your own high-output USB-C wall charger to hit the fastest possible speeds, which is a disappointing oversight at this price point. One saving grace is that you can detach the Pixelsnap charger puck and take that with you, which leaves the firm base behind.
What’s more, it isn’t all that great compared to other cheaper options that will travel better or have 2-in-1 charging mechanisms baked in. The best alternative comes from Belkin, as it provides the Qi2 charging speeds, a similar bubbly design in two colors, and a wireless charging pad at the back for your earbuds, plus it is around $20 cheaper. It folds into a bag and is just a vastly superior overall buy in our opinion.
Official Pixel 10 case
While the charger is the star, you need the snap-on accessories to make the system work. Let’s start with the most essential: the official Pixel 10 Case. This is Google’s sanctioned gateway to the Pixelsnap experience. This year, the case features magnets inside the structure itself, complementing the magnets in the phone. While this doesn’t strictly double the strength, it ensures perfect, reliable alignment every single time.
Everything I’ve tested—wallets, battery banks, and car mounts—has clicked on with spot-on compatibility. Otherwise, it’s a very familiar accessory: matte finish, minimalist branding, just with the crucial addition of Pixel Snap. Even at $50, it’s one of the best cases you can get for your new phone.
Only the dbrand Ghost 2.0 case seems to scratch the itch for me outside of the official case this year. Google really nailed this one.
Pixel Ring Stand
To me the most intriguing Pixel 10 accessory is the Pixelsnap Ring Stand. It’s gorgeous, almost reminiscent of the infinity ring on the Pixel Tablet case, and it snaps onto the back for perfect hands-free viewing or as a kickstand for your phone. Surprisingly, the matte and metal textures actually add a solid amount of grip when you’re just holding the phone.
Sadly, like some others have experienced, the hinge on my unit went from firm and solid to distractingly wobbly and loose after a couple of weeks of use. Luckily, the solution is as simple as getting a T1 Torx bit and tightening the solo screw in the mechanism. Not ideal, but at least there is a way to get the firmness back into the kickstand. Even so, for this reason, I’d caution against a purchase right now. Hold off, or grab it only if you see it heavily discounted.
Like many official Pixel 10 accessories, this one is held back by its $30 asking price. I’d highly recommend the Spigen OM102 Magsafe kickstand instead for the same price. Mostly because it has a double hinge so you can find the perfect angle to prop your phone. But mostly because it is magnetic at both ends, allowing you to stick it metallic surfaces. What’s more, there is even a bottle opener hidden in it. For $30, it’s a way better buy.
Google’s 67W power brick
Finally, to unlock the absolute fastest charging speeds for Google’s latest smartphones, you need the right power brick. While it doesn’t use Pixel Snap, the Pixel Flex 67W Dual Port Charger is the final component for users who demand the 100% full set of Pixel 10 accessories. It’s a fine charger: a dual USB-C port design delivering a combined 67W of power and supporting essential modern standards like USB PD and PPS.
Its headline feature is a unique algorithm that intelligently identifies a connected Pixel phone and prioritizes its charging over a second device. This ensures your Pixel is always juicing up at the fastest possible power. The trade-off? If you plug in a second high-power device, like a laptop, that device will be significantly throttled. At $60, this is a pricey accessory when stellar third-party options are abundant.
We recommend this only if you are absolutely all-in on the official Google ecosystem and need priority charging for your phone. Far better alternatives provide faster charging speeds, greater convenience, and a superior experience for way under $50.
Our suggestion is the Baseus PICOGO 67W charger. It’s smaller, lighter, and even has an extra USB-A port for charging up to three things at once. Fort one-third the price of the official Pixel 10 charger, you get so much more value for money.
Have you tried any of the official Pixel 10 accessories with your devices? What do you think? Let us know down in the comments section below.
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