BTTR Roundup #51: Google wants you to think that AI overviews are great and not killing news publishers

There were a lot of new products announced this week, from budget Motorola phones to powerful home security cameras with local AI search features.

But for some reason, the thing I'm most excited for is the Kindle Colorsoft. Nine months after it was first announced, Amazon is finally selling the colour e-ink reader in Australia.

In other news, Google argues that AI overviews are great and despite all the studies saying otherwise, haven't impacted traffic to publishers. I go into this a bit more in the paid section of today's newsletter. If you've been reading the free version for a while, why not take the plunge? It's just $10 a month!

–Nick

This week's new tech news

• Amazon's Kindle Colorsoft has finally (FINALLY!) launched in Australia. Despite being announced late last year, it's taken months to make its way to Australia. The good news is that in addition to the Colorsoft Signature edition, which has a 7-inch display and 32GB of storage for $449, there's a cheaper 16GB version as well for $399. [Amazon]
• Apple has opened up the public betas for all its new "26" software versions: iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, watchOS 26 and tvOS 26. If you like to get things early and don't mind living life on the edge, you can sign up for the public beta to get started. Just make sure you backup before you begin. [Apple]
• Anker has dropped a pair of new portable power stations. The C300 and the C300 DC are designed to power up to seven devices, have a 288 Wh capacity and up to 300W output. The C300DC is a bit smaller, weighing just 2.8kg and measuring just 20cm tall, while the C300 has an extra couple of AC outlets and can be charged in just over an hour. RRP is $449 for the C300 DC and $549 for the C300. [Anker]
• Reolink has launched a new Elite Floodlight Wi-Fi home security camera this week. You get an ultra-wide 4K 180º panoramic view, and the floodlight itself can adapt to different situations and times at up to 3000 lumens. But the key feature this camera has is on-device AI search, which lets you identify important moments recorded by the camera by search with on-device AI – Kind of like Ring's feature, except without the need for a premium monthly subscription, and more secure because it's on-device. Price starts at $299.99, available now. [Reolink] [Amazon]
• Motorola has a pair of new budget handsets for Aussies.
  • The moto g56 5G (RRP $399) is rated IP68/69, is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7060 with 8GB RAM, has a 5,200 mAh battery and a combo 50MP wide and 8MP ultra-wide camera array. The 6.7-inch Full HD+ LCD display has a 120 Hz refresh rate and is made from Gorilla Glass 7i. It comes with 2546GB of on-board storage, expandable up to 1TB. [Motorola]
  • The moto g86 Power 5G (RRP $499) looks similar, with the same IP rating, but has a few big improvements. The battery is a huge 6,720 mAh, and the 6.7-inch display is AMOLED rather than LCD, with Super HD resolution and adaptive refresh rates. The cameras appear to be the same as the g56 5G, with the addition of OIS on the main 50MP lens. The g86 Power has the Mediatek Dimensity 7300 running the show with 8GB RAM and 128GB on-board storage (expandable to 24GB). [Motorola]
• The NBN is finally starting to reach its potential. SpinTel has launched a new 500/50Mbps plan to take advantage of the newer wholesale costs, which costs just $74/month. There are other telcos playing at this price for those speeds, so definitely shop around to make sure you're getting the best deal. [SpinTel]
• You can no longer buy or rent TV shows or movies through the Xbox store, as of 18 July. No real reason was given, and you can still download previously purchased titles. It's just another example of why we should all go back to buying physical media, right? [Xbox via Stevivor]
• Breville has announced an absolute beast for its latest coffee machine. The Oracle Dual Boiler is built around a quad-core CPU and 5.7-inch touchscreen to help you make your coffee. It will offer an automatic mode that does all the work for you, or a manual mode so you can tweak your pull. You'll pay for the experience though – this thing will cost $4,499 when it launches. [Breville]
• Spotify has added some bonus audiobook subscriptions to its lineup for those who like to listen to other people read. It already offered up to 15 hours of audiobook listening time per month as part of its premium plans, but now you can add an additional 15 hours for $15.99. [Spotify]
• Great news for wireless charging nerds (I know you're out there) – the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) has announced the official launch of 25W Qi2 charging. That means you're going to be able to charge your iPhone even faster on a magnetic wireless charger. Perhaps even more exciting, though, is that the announcement heralded that "major Android smartphones" will join the Qi2 ecosystem for the first time. While there have been some Qi2 Android devices in the past, it hasn't quite landed in the way I hoped it would, but maybe the faster charging will accelerate Android's takeup. [WPC]
• Lego officially unveiled its version of the Nintendo Game Boy. It will arrive on October 1, and at only $99, it's a deadset bargain of gaming nostalgia. I was never a Game Boy kid, but I need this... [Lego]

This week's reviews

Backbone Pro review: Levelling up

Backbone has created one of the best controllers on the market with the Backbone Pro, but its price places it out of reach for many.

BTTR ReviewsNick Broughall

The best robot vacuums I’ve tested | BTTR

I’ve done the research, tested the products and come up with this list of my favourite robot vacuums in Australia.

BTTR ReviewsNick Broughall

Best wireless earbuds Australia: My favourite pair | BTTR

I’ve reviewed a whole heap of headphones over the past few years. These are my favourite wireless earbuds.

BTTR ReviewsNick Broughall

This week's deep dives

How Backbone turned controller comfort into a science for the new BackBone Pro

Backbone created over 9,000 iterations of BackBone parts, designing its new BackBone Pro controller over three years. I spoke with Backbone CEO Maneet Khaira about how it made the controller happen.

BTTR ReviewsNick Broughall

I had the chance to interview the CEO of mobile gaming controller Backbone last week. His vision for the future of gaming, where people are more aligned with their controller than any given console or platform (thanks to the rise of cloud gaming), was an interesting. It's not too far a jump from my thoughts that Apple should make a move on the gaming market through the Apple TV.