Tech News – by Arlin Schaffel

Sony revives the original Walkman headphones, adds USB-C

Originally called the “MDR-3L2,” the first Walkman headphones were known for their sleek, adjustable gray plastic headband, which extended via metal sliders and ended in signature orange, circular ear cushions. The lightweight, on-ear headphones are a contrast to the bulky headsets that are popular these days, which use wide, cushioned headbands for long-term comfort and large earcups that can support big drivers and are often heavily padded for noise isolation.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/11/sony-adds-usb-c-to-its-70s-era-mdr-3-walkman-headphones/

TikTok launched a dedicated TikTok Shop app

TikTok has released a standalone app for TikTok Shop in a few countries, as spotted by social media consultant Matt Navarra. According to its App Store listing, the TikTok Shop app offers: Personalized picks inspired by your interests, LIVE streams & short videos to see products in action, App-only deals, free shipping offers & exclusive first-order benefits that make every order feel worth it, Secure payments for safe checkout, Easy order tracking & 24/7 support from purchase to delivery
https://www.theverge.com/tech/1027772/tiktok-shop-app

Canva’s mass layoffs are a warning sign for creative tech

But the layoffs highlight an inescapable contradiction. Even those responsible for the ubiquity of AI image generation are suffering from its expansion. Rather than a push for growth and innovation, Adobe and Canva's rollout of AI tools feels more their own desperate fight for survival, and it's a fight they might not be able to win.
https://www.creativebloq.com/news/canvas-mass-layoffs-are-a-warning-sign-for-creative-tech

Meta quietly launches an AI fashion app called Style Sketch

Meta has quietly launched Style Sketch, an AI fashion app that helps users put together outfit ideas using clothes they already own. The app connects to Instagram to build a virtual closet from photos you’ve posted, or lets you add items manually by snapping a photo, recording a quick video, or uploading images from your camera roll. Style Sketch then suggests outfit combinations built from your wardrobe matched to your style. Users can then try on the outfits on a “realistic model matched to your body shape and skin tone,” the app description reads.
https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/29/meta-quietly-launches-an-ai-fashion-app-called-style-sketch/

‘Not Sustainable.’ Starlink Users Compare Dynamic Pricing to Being Held Hostage

Starlink’s test of dynamic pricing, which will enable the satellite internet service to raise and lower prices based on demand, has drawn comparisons to Uber. But to Loran Hatfield, the new policy is simply a “dogshit idea" that leaves users at the mercy of SpaceX. “Dynamic pricing does sound better than calling it hostage negotiations,” he told PCMag. Hatfield, a truck driver, is among the Starlink subscribers who will now have to pay up to 20% more after SpaceX introduced dynamic pricing for its Residential plans, a change that has been appearing mainly in Missouri and Kansas in the US market.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/not-sustainable-starlink-users-compare-dynamic-pricing-to-being-held-hostage

Microsoft’s Canada timezone troubles leave admins fixing calendars, pretending they’re in Bogota

Microsoft has discovered once again that few things strike fear into the heart of a software engineer quite like a government deciding to fiddle with the clocks. Parts of Canada stopped observing seasonal clock changes on November 1, leaving affected areas of British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba permanently on UTC-07:00, UTC-06:00 and UTC-05:00 respectively. Unfortunately, Microsoft's sprawling software empire hasn't entirely caught up. Outlook users have been left with the most homework. Switching to the new Canadian time zones won't automatically update existing calendar entries, meaning that meetings scheduled after November 1 are potentially an hour out of whack.
https://www.theregister.com/software/2026/11/02/microsofts-canada-timezone-troubles-leave-admins-fixing-calendars-pretending-theyre-in-bogota/5306934

Apple launches its new touchscreen MacBook Pro

After years of resisting, Apple today launched a MacBook Pro with a touchscreen starting at $2,899. The release comes nearly 10 years after the company first tried integrating touchscreens on its laptops, with its Touch Bar on a MacBook Pro, which it later went on to remove. To make the new MacBook easy to use, Apple designed a hinge that stabilizes the screen when users touch it. This also helps to stabilize the camera when you are on a video call and trying to access content on the display.
https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/28/apple-launches-its-new-touchscreen-macbook-pro