9 Great CNET Reads This Week: Google I/O, iPods, Black Holes and More

the Met Gala it’s not, but tech events like Google I/O have appeal for people beyond the developers in the audience. They offer a glimpse of the technology that will soon be in our hands and our homes.

This year’s Google I/O gave us more than just software updates, like Android 13adjusts to Google Maps and the transition to Monk skin tone scale. Google also focused on hardware, talking about, among other things, the Pixel 6A and Pixel 7 phones, the Pixel Buds Pro headphones and the Pixel Watch, his first smartwatch. Be sure to check out our comprehensive Google I/O coverage.

These stories are an integral part of the many in-depth features and thought-provoking commentaries that have appeared on CNET this week. So this is it. These are the stories you don’t want to miss.

Google’s language algorithm can handle your dad’s jokes. Here’s why it matters.

Here’s why the first images of black holes look like flaming donuts.

Comment: The gadget has survived music streaming, rival players and the iPhone.

Facebook said last year that it had mistakenly removed pages from the Australian government and emergency services. Whistleblowers say it was intentional.

Comment: Google wants to make the technology less intrusive. But to do that, its devices need to be everywhere.

Body doubling can be a complete game-changer for people who have trouble concentrating.

We need to fix the problems that already exist on social platforms today, he says.

Last week, a luna coin was worth $85. Now it’s worth a penny. Here’s why it matters.

The Burnt City proves that Punchdrunk can still create fantastical new worlds, but exploring them brings new discomfort.