Gear / Buying Guides on Cowlpane

Best Live-Captioning Smart Glasses (2026), WIRED tested

Sat, 09 May 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Originally published by Wired

People with hearingloss have relied onhearing aidsto communicate more effectively and comfortably. But there’s now a new tech, live-captioning eyeglasses, that could be an additional accessibility tool to treat hearing loss. Instead of amplifying speech, however, these gadgets turn it into subtitles. Even if your hearing is fine, you may still find this type of device to behelpful in everyday life.

Captioning glasses are a distinct subset ofsmart glasses, and they work exactly as the name suggests, displaying real-time subtitles in front of your eyes—transcribing everything you hear (orcan’thear) into text, whether it’s face-to-face chitchat or movie dialog at the cinema. There is a tiny display embedded in each lens, though these are single-color screens designed specifically to display captioned text, invariably in a vibrant shade of green. Don’t expect typical smart-glass features like camera recording or music playback, though there are helpful functions like live translation, navigation, and other information. Fundamentally, captioning glasses are designed to do one thing: turn dialogue into readable text.

The Best Mobile Gaming Controllers for iPhone and Android (2026)

Fri, 08 May 2026 11:02:00 +0000

Originally published by Wired

The best mobilegaming controllers are excellent tools that allow you to play compatible games for hours on end. Whether you’re looking for an iPhone or Android controller, we’ve tested all the top picks (aka we’ve played a bunch of games on our phones) and have opinions on them all.Backbonemakes the best mobile gaming controllers we’ve tried that’ll work for most people, but we also have solid recommendations for specific uses, like for pairing with smart glasses or a tablet.

The Best Cat Water Fountains of 2026: Petlibro, Petkit, Oneisall

Fri, 08 May 2026 09:32:00 +0000

Originally published by Wired

Featured in this article

As seen withthe rise ofautomatic litter boxes,automatic feeders,pet trackers, and now cat water fountains, technology has made it so that we can take care of our pets without having to do as much of the manual labor.

These fancy fountains don’t just make our lives easier. They can also help cats stay hydrated and live healthier. Ever wonder why your cat can’t resist a dripping faucet but ignores its water bowl? In the wild, cats are drawn to moving water, since stagnant puddles can house bacteria. A water fountain plays into this natural instinct, encouraging cats to drink more. These techy fountains are also often connected to an app, which sends reminders and tracks drinking habits.