Ant Group, the fintech powerhouse behind Alipay, is betting on smart glasses as the next frontier for mobile payments. They’ve just notched a milestone with the first transaction outside mainland China using Meizu’s AI-enabled StarV glasses in Hong Kong—no smartphone needed. It’s part of their push to make digital payments even more seamless, literally at a glance.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just about ditching your phone to pay for coffee—it’s a glimpse into how wearable tech could reshape everyday transactions. Ant Group’s move signals a broader trend of tech giants weaving payments into devices we already wear, making convenience even more invisible. For consumers, it could mean faster, hands-free spending; for the industry, it’s another step toward a post-smartphone financial ecosystem. Whether it catches on depends on how much people actually want to blink-and-pay, but it’s clear the race to own the next payment interface is heating up.

Microsoft is ditching traditional passwords in favor of passkeys—a more secure login method using biometrics or PINs. The change rolls out in August, so if you're still clinging to passwords, now's the time to switch. The article walks you through setting up a passkey, and while there’s technically an option to stick with passwords, the expert quoted thinks Microsoft’s move is the smarter play for security.

Editor’s Note: Passwords are a pain—easy to forget, easy to hack. Microsoft’s push for passkeys is part of a bigger shift toward simpler, safer logins. If you’ve ever been locked out of an account or worried about breaches, this update could save you a headache (and keep your data tighter). Plus, it’s one less thing to remember.