We may be approaching six months on from the Pixel 10 launch, but with time comes the best deals. The latest is a steal with the Pixel 10 Pro dipping well below the $600 barrier on Amazon.
While there are undoubtedly bigger, bolder, and more brash handsets to choose from, the Pixel 10 Pro (not XL) is still one of the few “flagship-level” small-to-medium phones out there. You don’t have to compromise on the internals, nor the camera system. Only the battery capacity is diminished to account for the smaller profile.
If that sounds good to you, Amazon has the unlocked 128GB version of the Pixel 10 Pro for an impressively low $570 via the “Amazon Renewed” section, offering you a substantial $330 discount over the base Pro tier phone. This puts the 10 Pro below the base Pixel 10 on most online storefronts right now, after specific deals have ended. As far as deals go, this is a steal for a Pixel 10 Pro in our opinion.
To put that pricing into context, this is actually lower than reselling sites like Swappa and eBa,y where prices are closer to the $600 mark. What’s more, those channels don’t offer warranties, guarantees, or the return polices you get with Amazon.
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If you want something a bit bigger and are happy to go for last year’s best Google phone, a renewed Pixel 9 Pro XL can be snapped up for around $440 on Amazon, too. That might be a good buy if you are not too fussed with the latest devices. Google’s update plan still means six further years of updates, and you only really miss out on Magic Cue plus Pixelsnap. Only the latter is something most people will desire, and a good case solves that problem.
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SPRINGFIELD – The Planning Board gave preliminary approval Wednesday to a controversial 50-home Wendover Road subdivision, but urged the developer to keep in close contact with neighbors who aired concerns about drastic changes they expect.
Developer Thomas Bretta purchased 18 acres at 90 Wendover Road from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in May for $1 million. Bretta plans to build a subdivision in an area home now to small trees and brush.
His engineer, Robert Levesque, unveiled the preliminary plan to the board. It shows one entrance off Wendover Road that will link to three new streets, each ending in a cul-de-sac.
In total there will be 50 lots ranging in size from 7,500 square feet to nearly one acre.
In a preliminary estimate, Bretta said he expects to sell the homes for $500,000 to $600,000 and hopes to begin construction late this year or early in 2027.
“This is very early in the steps,” Planning Board Chairman Leo Florian said. “There is a whole lot of work to be done but we are getting a little glance of what the project will look like.”
The board approved the preliminary plan in a 6-0 vote. The next move will be for Bretta to return with a definitive site plan that shows far more information, such as utility placement, storm water drainage and road and sidewalk details, Florian said.
This property at 90 Wendover Road in Springfield overlooks both the Mary A. Dryden Veterans Memorial Elementary School and Pope Francis Preparatory School. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)Douglas Hook
The subdivision will be constructed between Island Pond and Wendover roads and Amanda Street. It is across the street from Pope Francis High School and will abut the Mary Dryden elementary school.
Neighborhood concerns
About 20 neighbors attended the meeting. Few spoke against it. They instead asked the developer to work with them on issues such as traffic, leaving a tree buffer between homes and preventing water and sewer problems in the neighborhood.
The property is zoned for single-family homes, so it is difficult to block the project completely. In addition, the Conservation Commission has already ruled there are no wetlands on or near the property that could constrain development.
After the purchase, new City Councilor Gerry Martin proposed having the city purchase the property by eminent domain. That was shot down by the city’s law department, which ruled the idea would put the city in legal jeopardy.
“A big development like this seriously affects the quality of life and impacts the three roads,” said Francis Ryan, referring to Overlook Drive and Surrey and Wendover roads.
He estimated the development would bring an additional 150 cars to the neighborhood.
Michael Carvalho also aired concerns about additional traffic, adding the city recently put in stop signs at Wendover and Surrey to address the growing number of cars traveling through the area.
“There seem to be challenges and safety concerns when traveling by foot or by car,” he said. “I think this development could make this more dangerous at least during peak traffic times.”
Bethany Romano, president of the East Forest Park Neighborhood Council, said neighbors have aired concerns about losing trees that serve as buffers to homes. She said the neighborhood will look much different if the property is clear cut.
The 2011 Springfield tornado, which directly hit the property, knocked down most of the mature trees at 90 Wendover Road, as well as destroying what was formerly Cathedral High School. Most of what is located on the property is brush and small trees, Levesque said.
“A lot of the trees that we have in the central portion of the property are basically secondary successional species,” he said. “A lot of that area will be cleared for the development.”
But Levesque said street trees will also be planted with the development.
Planning Board members encouraged Bretta to work with the neighbors now and during the project.
Bretta has already spoken with some abutters individually and in small groups, but is expected to meet with the East Forest Park Neighborhood Council in March. In addition, he talked to the neighbors who attended the Planning Board after the preliminary plan was approved.
Planning Board member Rosemary Morin recommended that Bretta and Levesque bring more detailed information to the March meeting, citing many concerns about trees.
Apple may be developing its own AI wearable, according to a report published Wednesday by The Information. The device will be a pin that users can wear on their clothing, and that comes equipped with two cameras and three microphones, the report says.
Should the rumored device come to market, it would mark another sign that the AI hardware market is heating up. This news follows comments made Monday by OpenAI Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane, who told a Davos crowd that his company will likely announce its highly anticipated first AI hardware device in the second half of this year. Additional reporting suggests that the device may be a pair of earbuds.
Apple’s device is described as a “thin, flat, circular disc with an aluminum-and-glass shell,” which engineers hope to make the same size as an AirTag, “only slightly thicker.” The pin will also have two cameras (one with a standard lens and another with a wide-angle) for pictures and video, as well as a physical button, a speaker, and a Fitbit-like charging strip on its back, according to the report.
Apple may even be in the process of trying to accelerate development of this product to compete with OpenAI’s. The pin could potentially be released in 2027 and involve 20 million units at launch, the report notes. TechCrunch reached out to Apple for more information.
But it remains to be seen if consumers want this kind of AI device. Two Apple alums previously founded Humane AI, a startup which also sold an AI pin. Humane’s pin also included built-in microphones and a camera. However, it floundered upon release, and the company had to shut down operations and sell its assets to HP within two years of its product launch.
Marshall plans to add seamless multi-room audio to its Bluetooth speakers via a newly announced music streaming hub called Heddon. The $300 hub makes it possible to connect and synchronize multiple older Marshall speakers together, not unlike Sonos’ audio devices.
Rather than use Wi-Fi to get multiple speakers playing the same audio, though, the Marshall Heddon uses Auracast. The hub connects to services like Spotify Connect or Tidal over Wi-Fi, or other devices through Google Cast and AirPlay, and then shares that audio over Auracast to the Marshall Acton III, Stanmore III and Wobrun III speakers. You can control playback over a connected Marshall app and the Heddon also has RCA ports to connect other speakers or a record player to the system.
Because the Heddon requires a Wi-Fi connection, Marshall says it could add features to the system over-time, but even in the short term, the hub should meaningfully extend the life of the company’s speakers. Rather than switch to newer models with built-in Wi-Fi, you can just grab a Heddon. Sonos offers similar functionality through its Sonos Port and Sonos Amp accessories, and third-party hubs from companies like WiiM can add even more options. The Marshall Heddon is more streamlined in comparison, but if you’re already invested in the company’s speakers, or planning to build out your audio system with them, the hub could be a helpful tool to have.
The Marshall Heddon is available to purchase now for $300. Marshall says that customers purchasing an Acton III, Stanmore III or Woburn III can get a Heddon at half price, and the hub is included for free when you buy two or more eligible Marshall home speakers.
Ahead of the Pixel 10a, the Google Store is running a rather extended sale on the Pixel 9a that ends on February 15.
The Pixel 9a is once again $100 off to $399 for the 128 GB model, while the 256 GB variant is $499. It’s available in Iris, Peony, Porcelain, and Obsidian, with Amazon running a similar deal.
This Google Store sale started today (January 21), just a few days after the last round of New Year’s offers ended. The Pixel 9a is on discount until February 15, which is quite a prolonged period at over three weeks.
That falls on the usual Sunday, with the next day being Presidents’ Day in the US. The Pixel 10a is rumored to get an unveil on Tuesday, February 17.
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The timing more than lines up. It will be very interesting to see how Google markets the Pixel 10a in light of the many specification similarities. The design is mostly unchanged, though there are tweaked dimensions that are hopefully meant to support Pixelsnap.
Meanwhile, by launching in February, Google gets a six-month gap between the A-Series and flagships. We’d expect this schedule to continue going forward.
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A significant winter storm is expected to affect Massachusetts Sunday into Monday. But exact snowfall amounts remain uncertain.
StormTeam 5 Meteorologist Mike Wankum said “predicted snow totals can change dramatically” between Wednesday and Sunday but that it is the “perfect scenario for getting a big storm to develop.”
The worst of the storm is expected in Texas through the mid-Atlantic states as ice and power outages are expected.
The storm arriving late this week and into the weekend is shaping up to be a “widespread potentially catastrophic event from Texas to the Carolinas,” said Ryan Maue, a former chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told the Associated Press.
“I don’t know how people are going to deal with it,” he said.
Adam Frederick, amateur meteorologist known as New England Weather Guy, expects those in the south to feel like it’s New England’s Blizzard of 78. But he doesn’t expect actual blizzard conditions in New England.
Still, he’s warning New England residents that heavy snow is expected and to be prepared to have school canceled Monday and Tuesday.
Here’s what meteorologists and forecasters across Massachusetts are predicting as of Wednesday night.
How much snow could Mass. get Sunday night?
Frederick is predicting anywhere between 2 inches to 10 inches.
“Maybe more, maybe less,” he wrote, adding on Wednesday that he has “models showing anything from 2-4 inches up to 18-20 inches for us up here.”
Snow chances for New England have increased significantly in the last 24 hours, according to NBC Boston.
“Our probability of 6 inches of snow or more for Boston has increased to now a 40% to 60% chance Sunday into Monday,” the news outlet reported, adding that the snow is expected to be fluffy.
Dave Hayes The Weather Nut stated that the storm is moderate to major with some possibility of double-digit snowfall accumulations.
“While timing, potential snowfall amounts, and the rest of the forecast are still up in the air, I will say that you should be prepared to stay inside Sunday and Monday, and potentially Tuesday as well,” Frederick wrote.
Bad travel expected across U.S.
People with travel plans should consider moving them if possible, both Frederick and the Boston Globe’s Dave Epstein warned.
Even if the storm doesn’t hit Massachusetts, it could move south and hit New York and Washington, D.C. — still causing major issues for airlines.
“I would rebook now if you can and either leave Saturday or late Tuesday,” Frederick said on Facebook.
When will snow forecasts be ready?
National Weather Service forecasters said they “won’t be able to lock in to a forecast with confidence until Friday,” including expectations for snow totals.
“So bottom line, while there is certainly a risk of a major snowstorm for (Southern New England) this is a day 4-5 forecast and a subtle shift back to the south would keep the significant impacts to the south,” the weather service stated.
Hayes expects to talk about the snow forecast on his Facebook page Thursday morning. But he warned there is still a lot up in the air.
And Epstein also stated his forecasts wouldn’t be complete until Friday.
“I know this can be frustrating, but this is the nature of long-range forecasting,“ he wrote for the Globe. ”The best information right now is that we have potential for a storm late in the weekend. I am comfortable with this.”
Bluesky’s “Starter Packs,” the curated lists of suggested users to follow, have proven a popular way to help people connect with others on the social network — so popular, in fact, that X is now copying the feature.
On Wednesday, X’s head of product Nikita Bier announced that the Elon Musk-owned app will soon introduce its own version of these lists, which it’s calling “Starterpacks.” (How original!)
The idea behind the new feature is to help users find accounts that match their interests across a range of categories, including News, Politics, Fashion, Technology, Business & Finance, Health & Fitness, Gaming, Stocks, Memes, and more.
Bier shared the announcement in a post on X, detailing how the new feature will work.
However, unlike Bluesky’s Starter Packs, which anyone on the platform can make and share with others, X created its own lists internally.
As Bier explains in his post on X, the company “scoured the world for the top posters in every niche and country” over the past several months to compile its lists. In other words, the packs are based on X’s internal data — not on individual users’ personal recommendations.
Bier notes the Starterpacks will roll out to everyone on X in the “coming weeks.”
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Suggested user lists are nothing new to X — they’ve been utilized on the social network since its earliest days, back when it was known as Twitter. As one of the first interest-based social apps, Twitter users didn’t necessarily want or need to only find and connect with their friends, as they had on other apps like Facebook. Instead, they wanted to find people whose ideas and interests aligned with their own. To help them get started, Twitter offered up a list of suggested users that would make for a good follow.
Still, the feature was controversial at the time because it massively boosted users’ popularity and follower base when they were added to the Suggested Users List. Others felt this system was unfair, leading Twitter in 2010 to revamp the editorially-created list to become one determined by algorithms.
X is not the only social app to copy Bluesky’s ingenious idea for Starter Packs. Meta’s Threads began testing its own version of Bluesky’s Starter Packs in December 2024, which were also curated lists created by individual users. These collections of suggested users were shown to users when they first sign up to Threads and at other times within the For You feed. The decentralized social network Mastodon has also more recently been developing “Packs” to help in user onboarding.
Amazon an AI-powered assistant to One Medical, the tech-forward primary care provider it . Dubbed ‘Health AI,’ Amazon says the tool “provides 24/7 personalized health guidance based on your medical records.”
The company says Health AI can explain lab results, help manage medications, and book appointments for patients. Amazon also says it can “analyze images” but doesn’t specify whether this means medical imaging or user uploaded photos. While the company specifically says the tool “complements, but does not replace,” a patient’s healthcare provider, it also vaguely says the AI can “answer general and complex health questions” while “considering your unique health history.”
“Health AI recognizes when symptoms, situations, or specific queries require or benefit from human clinical judgment,” reads the company’s announcement, while giving few details on just how much medical advice the AI tool is empowered to give.
Use of AI tools brings up data privacy concerns, and Amazon says it follows HIPAA-compliant privacy and security practices. The company says that a user’s conversations with Health AI are “not automatically added to your medical record.” This of course implies the option to do just that. It also says the company doesn’t sell members’ protected health information.
One Medical has a limited number of brick-and-mortar offices in major metros throughout the US, but the focus of the company seems to be telehealth services. These services are offered as part of an annual subscription, which is discounted for Amazon Prime members. This is only the latest investment Amazon has made in the healthcare space. In recent years the tech giant has begun in certain markets, and built for prescription drugs.
Health AI follows the trend of AI companies competing to enter healthcare with their AI-powered chatbots. Google added an AI health coach to the Fitbit app , and OpenAI announced a within ChatGPT in January.
Everyyear, YouTube outlines its priorities, and the 2026 edition previews what product updates to expect.
The first tentpole from YouTube CEO Neal Mohan is “Reinventing entertainment: Creators are the new stars & studios.” In terms of the end user (watcher) experience, YouTube will “bring even more variety to Shorts by integrating different formats – like image posts – directly into the feed.” The format now “averages 200 billion daily views.”
On the Music front, YouTube’s investment includes “helping you find your next go-to artist, uncovering the stories behind the songs that move you or making it easier to discover and experience new releases.” That sounds like more discovery features and the AI “Beyond the Beat” moving beyond the experimental stage.
Mohan reiterates that 10 genre-specific YouTube TV Plans across sports, entertainment, and news are coming, as well as “fully customizable multiview.”
Powering the creator economy: More ways to earn, including shopping (“buy it without leaving the YouTube app”), brand deals, fan funding
“We’re also giving creators new tools to make these partnerships successful, like the ability to add a link to a brand’s site in Shorts or swap out a branded segment once a deal concludes, transforming back catalogs into recurring revenue streams.”
Supercharging & safeguarding creativity
On the last priority, YouTube says “more than 1M channels used [its] AI creation tools daily in December.” Creators this year will be able to “create a Short using your own likeness, produce games with a simple text prompt, and experiment with music.”
YouTube says “AI will remain a tool for expression, not a replacement” and equates it to how the “synthesizer, Photoshop and CGI revolutionized sound and visuals.”
There’s an interesting section on “Managing AI Slop.”
The rise of AI has raised concerns about low-quality content, aka “AI slop.” As an open platform, we allow for a broad range of free expression while ensuring YouTube remains a place where people feel good spending their time. Over the past 20 years, we’ve learned not to impose any preconceived notions on the creator ecosystem. Today, once-odd trends like ASMR and watching other people play video games are mainstream hits. But with this openness comes a responsibility to maintain the high quality viewing experience that people want. To reduce the spread of low quality AI content, we’re actively building on our established systems that have been very successful in combatting spam and clickbait, and reducing the spread of low quality, repetitive content.
From the viewer perspective, YouTube says “more than 20 million users learned more about the content they watched” through the Ask tool on videos in December. Autodubbed videos are another example of AI for watchers.
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HOLYOKE ― An Agawam man was arrested in Holyoke early Friday after police recovered crack cocaine and a trench knife during his traffic stop, officials said Wednesday.
Michael Jenks, 56, faces charges for drug possession, carrying a weapon, and driving a car that was uninsured, unregistered and had improper license plates.
On Jan. 16 around 2 a.m., an officer saw an unregistered car with revoked insurance and improper license plates near Cabot and Main streets, Holyoke Police Chief Brian Keenan said Tuesday on social media.
The officer stopped the car near Cabot and Bigelow streets, as other officers arrived to help. Police said the driver, identified as Jenks, did not follow orders and was detained at that time.
Police said officers saw what they suspected was crack cocaine in the car and later recovered the trench knife, which is knife with built-in brass knuckles, and additional drugs during a search, leading to Jenks’ arrest. An adult female passenger was released, police said.
