As the week comes to an end, it’s time to round up the top headlines you might have missed from the world of tech. From Nvidia Robotics Efforts to Snap AR and more, this week’s blog has you covered!
FireSat: A New Era in Wildfire Detection
A Google-backed mission to detect wildfires from space launched its first prototype satellite last week, marking the beginning of the FireSat constellation. Led by the nonprofit Earth Fire Alliance and startup Muon Space, the initiative received $13 million in funding and technical support from Google.org and Google Research. FireSat aims to detect fires as small as 5 x 5 meters, a major improvement over previous satellite technology, which could only spot blazes once they had grown to several acres. With climate change making wildfires more frequent, satellites like FireSat can provide critical real-time data, especially in remote areas where human monitoring is limited. The first satellite launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, with three more scheduled for 2026 and a full network of over 50 satellites expected by 2030, delivering fire detection updates every 20 minutes.
Snap Expands AR Spectacles with New Features
Six months after launching its fifth-generation Spectacles, Snap has introduced new AR-enhancing features, including GPS-based navigation, multiplayer gaming, and improved hand tracking. The Spectacles’ AR effects, known as Lenses, can now use location data like GPS and compass headings, enabling experiences such as Utopia Labs’ NavigatAR for real-world navigation and Path Pioneer for guided AR walking tours. Niantic’s Peridot Beyond has also integrated multiplayer functionality, allowing users to interact with AR characters in shared sessions, while developers can now add leaderboards to games. Snap has further improved the AR keyboard with better hand tracking and introduced a grab gesture for Lens interactions. However, the Spectacles remain exclusive to developers, requiring an application process, a $99 monthly rental fee, and a year-long commitment, with no consumer release announced.
Zoom’s AI Companion Gets Smarter with Task Automation
Zoom’s AI Companion is receiving a major upgrade this month, allowing it to perform tasks like scheduling follow-up meetings, generating documents, and creating video clips. These features will be accessible through a new Tasks tab in Zoom Workplace, enhancing productivity with AI-driven automation. Additional updates include a mobile voice recorder that transcribes and summarizes in-person meetings. Additionally, live notes will be available for real-time meeting summaries. Zoom Workplace users will get these AI tools at no extra cost. A $12/month Custom AI Companion add-on, featuring personalized AI avatars, will launch next month. Zoom’s chief product officer, Smita Hashim, emphasized that AI is now integrated across all Zoom products to streamline work and enhance collaboration.
Google Wallet Now Supports Tap-to-Pay for Kids
Google Wallet is introducing tap-to-pay for kids on Android. The update will allow kids to make purchases with parental consent. In addition, the feature will also store passes like event tickets and gift cards. Parents can manage their child’s access through the Family Link app. The app will give parents control over payment cards, tracking transactions, and disabling tap-to-pay if needed. Each purchase triggers an email notification to parents, and kids are restricted from making online transactions without approval. This feature follows Google’s rollout of tap-to-pay support on the Fitbit Ace LTE. In addition, the feature expands support to young users in the US, UK, Australia, Spain, and Poland. Similar to Apple’s Family Sharing payment controls, Google’s update aims to give families more secure and flexible digital payment options.
Nvidia Unveils GR00T N1 to Advance Humanoid Robotics
Nvidia has released Isaac GR00T N1, an open-source, pre-trained foundation model. The Nvidia model is designed to accelerate the development of humanoid robots by enhancing their reasoning and adaptability. Demonstrated during GTC 2025, the Nvidia model enables robots to perform autonomous tasks with minimal post-training. Likewise, the efforts by Nvidia mark a step toward AI-powered robotic companions. GR00T N1 operates using a dual-system architecture. Early access partners to the Nvidia model include Boston Dynamics, Agility Robotics, and Neura Robotics. Of course, it is to be expected the developers will be leveraging GR00T N1 to refine humanoid capabilities. Developers can customize the model using Nvidia’s training data, available through Hugging Face and GitHub. These options will allow developers to create more intelligent and versatile robotic assistants.
Reddit Introduces Long-Term Ad Hiding Feature
Reddit is rolling out a new feature that allows users to hide ads from their feeds for at least a year. Likewise, this change provides greater control over their browsing experience. When available, users will see a “Hide” option—represented by an eye icon with a line through it. The option will appear on ads in their home or subreddit feeds. If a hidden ad reappears after the designated period, users can hide it again. The update is launching this week and will gradually roll out across iOS, Android, and the web. This change aims to improve personalization while still maintaining Reddit’s ad-supported model.