We’re jumping into a new year with the latest tech news headlines from across the web. In this week’s blog, we’re covering it all, from CES 2026 debuts to LG’s Cloi Robot and more. Check out what’s happening and stay connected!
Google lets some users swap their @gmail address (and keep the old one)
Google is quietly rolling out a way for certain accounts to add a new @gmail address to an existing account. Likewise, this change effectively lets people “swap” addresses while keeping the old one active as an alias. The update from Google allows mail to still arrive at the original user ID, and sign-ins continue to work. The change looks more like adding an alternate address than rewriting account history. Of course, this means messages, photos, and files stay attached to the account. Additionally, users can revert to their prior address if they change their mind. The update will be especially welcome for anyone stuck with a cringe handle from their teens or for people who’ve legally changed their name and want their email to match. Google appears to be rolling the feature out gradually rather than flipping a global switch.
LG’s Gallery TV returns, this time tuned for art-forward living rooms at CES
LG teased a new Gallery-style TV for CES 2026 that leans heavily into artful display modes and framelike aesthetics for people who want their TV to read like wall art when it’s off. The Gallery line debuting at CES 2026, is aimed at buyers who treat screens as interior design. Likewise, for CES 2026 attendees, expect crisp panels, subtle bezels, and software that prioritizes high-quality art presentation and ambient modes over raw bragging rights. Additionally, there will be enhancements around image processing and calibration to make artwork pop. Of course, it is likely based on the device’s higher-end price positioning that it sells as decor as much as a display. The CES 2026 reveal will show whether LG is pushing this concept further toward mass-market design or keeping it a premium, aspirational product.
Rodeo (from Hinge vets) wants to make planning with friends less painful
Rodeo, a social planning app built by ex-Hinge folks, focuses on making it easy to coordinate plans with people you already know — think “where should we meet?” without endless group texts and polling fatigue. The app emphasizes simple flows for proposing times, sharing options, and landing on something that actually happens, rather than trading dozens of screenshots and separate DMs. It’s pitched as solving a very human problem: social coordination at scale without turning everyone into a spreadsheet. For event marketers, local venues, and community managers, Rodeo is another place to meet audiences who are actively looking to go out and try new things. The product is still early, but it’s a reminder that good UX for mundane tasks can unlock real usage because people actually want friction removed from making plans.
LG’s Cloi home robot teases practical chore help at CES
At CES, LG previewed Cloi, a home robot pitched at handling light chores — things like surface cleaning or small fetch tasks — with a focus on practical utility rather than humanoid theatrics. The robot’s design and demos aim to show how automation can ease daily drudgery (imperfectly), while LG emphasizes reliability, safety, and integration into existing smart-home systems over flashy autonomy. It’s the sort of product that could be genuinely helpful if it reliably completes narrow tasks without demanding too much user babysitting. The trick for LG will be balancing price, useful capability, and smooth UX so the robot feels like a helpful appliance instead of an expensive novelty. If LG positions Cloi as a complement to existing devices rather than an all-purpose servant, adoption is more likely to follow.
Leaked Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra photos and video hint at a camera redesign
A set of leaked photos and a short video of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra suggest a noticeably reworked camera array — rearranged lenses and a refreshed island that could signal bigger sensor or stabilization changes. Leaks like this aren’t final specs, but they often preview the industrial design language Samsung is testing ahead of official launch, and camera island changes usually mean photo/video improvements are coming. If the leaks reflect the shipping model, expect Samsung to emphasize new imaging tricks in its marketing — computational photography plus hardware shifts that promise better low-light or zoom performance. As always with leaks, treat details as provisional, but they’re useful for product teams and content creators who plan coverage or want early hands-on heads-up. We’ll get final confirmation when Samsung formally unveils the phone.
One Netbook’s OneXSugar Wallet folds into a gaming handheld with a flexible OLED screen
One Netbook’s OneXSugar Wallet is a compact gaming handheld that folds open to reveal a flexible OLED gaming display and runs Android, merging pocketable design with surprisingly capable specs for on-the-go play. The device’s folding screen and clamshell form factor let it double as a tiny handheld console and a more conventional phone-adjacent gadget, and the hardware targets gamers who want PC or cloud gaming in a very small package. For creators and pocket-gear lovers, it’s an intriguing convergence of form-factor innovation and gaming-first ergonomics; for mainstream buyers, the appeal depends on battery life, controls, and game library compatibility. As with new hardware categories, shipping, software polish, and accessory ecosystems will decide whether this becomes a niche curiosity or a popular pocket console. Early impressions make it one to watch for people who prize portability over raw power.
