Meta Reveals Features Of Its AI Glasses

Meta shared a new overview of its expanding range of AI glasses, which used to be called Meta Ray Bans, but are now called AI glasses. The name change was intended to cover a wider scope of designs, while also latching onto the broader artificial intelligence trend.

Meta now has four core styles of AI glasses, including its Ray Ban Meta basic glasses and its more advanced Display model, the latter of which includes a wrist controller device.

Sales of Meta’s AI glasses have continued to rise over time, particularly since Meta started emphasizing the AI aspect, with more people seemingly keen to have access to an always-present AI assistant.

In February, CNBC reported that 7 million pairs of Meta’s AI glasses were sold in 2025, up from 2 million sales combined in 2023 and 2024. And with more models, more options to choose from and even more coming in future, Meta explained what it thinks the best usage options are for each of its models.

According to Meta:

• Ray Ban Meta – These are designed for creators who "value both style and substance". The company’s foundation model includes high-quality camera and voice commands, which also feature Meta AI use. The device also includes open-ear speakers and Spotify connection.
• Meta Ray Ban Display – Meta said the Display model is for the creator "who wants to push the boundaries of what’s possible." The display includes an in-lens visual overlay and Neural Band, so the wearer can interact with the device in a more intuitive way. Users can also upload captured content directly from the device to Instagram or Facebook Stories.
• Oakley Meta Vanguard – This model was designed for use during exercise, and features a wraparound design and enhanced water and dust protection. The device connects health tracking apps such as those from Garmin, Strava and Apple Health, and includes a center-mounted camera to better capture exercise data and footage.
• Oakley Meta HSTN – Meta said this version is also aimed at athletes, though at a lower price point than the Vanguard model. "The lightweight, durable O-Matter frame is perfect for everything from a morning run to a weekend hike, or even a round of golf". "Use the built-in AI assistant to check the wind conditions, track your workouts, and snap pictures of your journey without ever having to press pause."

Each option has its own unique features and benefits, and varies in price significantly, from US$ 379 to US$ 799, so it’s worth considering which features are most important for individual usage.

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‘Faster And Free’ Windows PC Update

Microsoft is changing Windows Update. For the first time ever, the Secure Boot certificates first issued in 2011 start expiring in June. Microsoft will automatically install new certificates on most PCs. But for hundreds of millions of Windows 10 users, there are no new certificates. After the June expiry date, you will be at risk.

When Windows 10 expired in October 2025, Microsoft put in place a free year of extended support. This is available until October. Users need to enroll to secure these security updates. They will also get new Secure Boot certificates.

But for PC owners who do not have the extended security updates, Google offers a free PC upgrade. "Windows 10 has reached its end of support, putting those computers at risk of obsolescence. This left many people with a difficult decision: spend hundreds on a new device, or continue using an insecure, outdated one."

As consumer group Which explains, you can "transform your old laptop into a faster, free Chromebook." The group has just published a helpful tutorial on "how you can transform a deteriorating laptop into a secure, speedy machine for free."

The website explains that "older laptops that don’t meet the hardware requirements to upgrade can become unsafe to use online, as well as painfully slow. Instead of letting yours go to waste, consider turning it into a Chromebook. ChromeOS Flex is a free and speedy operating system based on the Google Chrome web browser."

And because "ChromeOS is essentially a web browser," it needs much less RAM and processing power than a Windows laptop, "meaning it will run faster and drain less power — a great perk for old laptops with waning batteries. Your laptop will be much more secure and less prone to any viruses. Its always-online nature ensures it regularly delivers security updates while your device is supported."

Google has cut a deal with Back Market to offer ChromeOS Flex on a $3 reusable USB stick. But that device has been out of stock almost since it launched. That’s why the Which tutorial is timely and useful, as June’s deadline approaches.

ChromeOS Flex isn’t for everyone. It’s a very basic web-based device and doesn’t have any of the local device capabilities of a Windows PC. But it’s much safer than running a Windows device that’s no longer receiving critical fixes.

"By running ChromeOS Flex on an old laptop," Which says, "you’ve saved a computer from becoming part of the mountain of electrical waste." And you’ve saved money on a new PC, "if you were considering buying a new machine."

Against the backdrop of Windows 10 PCs becoming obsolete and users being pushed to new hardware, there’s an ironic story quickly becoming viral. Per XDA-Developers, "it's both really easy and quite difficult to forget that Windows 11 is built on some very old code. It's at its easiest to forget when you're using the newer, more polished features in Windows 11. Then you open up Control Panel, and bam, it feels like you stepped back a few decades."

This has come about because Microsoft’s Azure CTO has posted a video on X asking "did anyone expect Win32 to still be going strong in 2026?,” explaining why the new OS’s deep roots in Windows — and the massive ecosystem built on top — have given it serious staying power. Turns out 'legacy’ can still mean essential."

Not Windows 10, though, which is being treated in a very different way.

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Losing Your Phone Could Mean Losing WhatsApp Details

"Can’t trust WhatsApp," Elon Musk posted this week, sharing a post claiming "WhatsApp’s 'end-to-end encrypted' privacy is a total lie."

The original post referenced an ongoing lawsuit alleging the Meta chat platform has accessed private messages, which has been completely denied by WhatsApp.

But the aftermath of that exchange actually led to something with much more substance. Cloud backups have long been a security and privacy vulnerability for all secure messaging apps that allow them. But WhatsApp has just said that most chats are not properly backed up at all. If you lose your phone, you lose everything.

While WhatsApp offers its own secure backups for Android and iPhone users, if you include your chats within Apple’s or Google’s general device backups to their cloud platforms, then those chats are not secured by WhatsApp.

Per another XChat-linked post, "that means almost every conversation you have still ends up sitting in a cloud backup controlled by big tech — fully accessible to Apple and Google and anyone they share it with."

WhatsApp responded to this one. "This is misleading fear-mongering. Backups are off by default and most people don’t even use them. If you do back up your messages, you can encrypt them with a passkey or pin. Whichever you choose, we still can’t read your messages."

If you don’t enable secure WhatsApp backups in Chats > Chat Backup, or include WhatsApp in your general device backup, then you start afresh if you lose your phone. You also lose messages, photos, videos and anything else in your chats.

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Windows Is Taking Back Copilot

Microsoft spent the past two years putting Copilot everywhere inside Windows 11. Now, it is quietly taking some of it back.

The company has begun removing Copilot buttons from built-in Windows 11 apps including Notepad, Snipping Tool, Photos, and Widgets, according to Engadget.

The AI features themselves are not going away. The branding is.

In the latest Notepad update for Windows Insiders, the Copilot button has been replaced with a pen icon labeled "writing tools."

The underlying AI writing functionality remains identical, just under a different name.

The Snipping Tool has seen a more significant change.

The Copilot button no longer appears when users select an area to capture. Unlike Notepad, there was previously no option to manually disable it.

Windows Latest reported this change is rolling out to all users, not just those in the Insider preview program.

Microsoft also removed mentions of AI from the Settings menu and moved the option to disable AI writing tools into the "Advanced features" section.

The changes follow a blog post published last 20 March by Pavan Davuluri, President of Windows and Devices, titled "Our commitment to Windows quality." Davuluri framed the move as a deliberate shift in how Microsoft thinks about AI inside its operating system.

"You will see us be more intentional about how and where Copilot integrates across Windows, focusing on experiences that are genuinely useful and well-crafted," he wrote. "As part of this, we are reducing unnecessary Copilot entry points, starting with apps like Snipping Tool, Photos, Widgets and Notepad," according to NotebookCheck.

The criticism of Copilot inside Windows 11 has been building for some time. Microsoft spent much of 2024 and 2025 embedding AI into inbox apps, shell surfaces, and productivity tools, framing Windows 11 as the front door to the AI era, according to Windows Forum.

Users pushed back hard. The most common complaints centered on increased CPU usage, reduced battery life on laptops, and slower overall system responsiveness. Many felt AI was being forced into corners of the operating system where it added friction rather than value, Windows News reported.

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France Plans To Move Away From Reliance On Windows

France is stepping up efforts to reduce its dependence on U.S. technology, signaling a broader shift in how governments view digital control.

The country now plans to move some of its government systems away from Microsoft Windows and toward Linux, an open-source operating system.

Officials see the move as part of a larger push to secure national infrastructure and limit exposure to foreign tech providers.

The change will begin within France’s digital agency, DINUM. Authorities have not shared a full timeline.

They also have not confirmed which Linux distribution they will use. Microsoft has not commented on the decision.

French officials frame the move as a strategic necessity.

Minister David Amiel said the goal is to "regain control of our digital destiny." He added that France cannot accept losing control over its data systems.

The decision reflects wider concerns across Europe. Leaders worry about dependence on foreign technology providers.

Many now see digital infrastructure as a national security issue.

France’s approach aligns with broader European Union thinking.

In January, the European Parliament adopted a report. It directs the European Commission to identify areas to reduce reliance on foreign providers.

Recent geopolitical tensions have accelerated this push. U.S. sanctions have shown how access to services can be restricted.

Some sanctioned individuals lost access to banking and U.S. tech platforms.

That risk has sharpened calls for sovereign systems. Governments want tools they fully control. Open-source software offers that flexibility and transparency.

Linux plays a central role in this strategy. It is free, open source, and customizable. Governments can modify it for specific operational needs.

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