Tech news

Ross Young (a trustworthy leaker with almost always trustworthy sources) tweeted in June that Apple is working on a 14-inch iPad model that will be released in late 2022 or early 2023. Sadly, no cigar... http://dlvr.it/Sg9yj5

Christmas may be over, but there are still good deals running, and if you're a fan of OnePlus phones, we have some good news for you! http://dlvr.it/Sg9yV0

According to a tweet from MIUI Polska writer Kacper Skrzypek (his track record is unclear), the Redmi K60 will be called the Poco F5 Pro when it is released in global markets. http://dlvr.it/Sg7bZk

The saga of TikTok and its security issues has taken yet another turn. The app faces a nation-wide ban in the US! http://dlvr.it/Sg7bKD

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed into law one of the country's most comprehensive "right to repair" laws. The Digital Fair Repair Act sat on the governor's desk for quite some time, and was watered down at the last minute, but still requires that makers of "digital electronic equipment" — including phones — provide parts, tools, and documents to owners and repair providers to facilitate repairs. The bill was amended at the last minute to allow manufacturers to provide "assemblies of parts rather than individual components when the risk of improper installation heightens the risk of injury." The bill was also amended to remove the requirement that manufacturers provide ways to override security features to carry out repairs. Critics say this change creates a loophole that manufacturers could exploit to deny consumers many types of repairs. The bill only applies to products that are offered directly to consumers, not products that are exclus...

LG Innotek has announced a new, smaller camera module for phones with a 4–9x optical zoom range. Unlike fixed telephoto cameras, the Optical Telephoto Zoom Camera Module actually moves the telescopic lenses to zoom, enabling 100% camera resolution at all zoom levels from 4x to 9x. The module also includes optical image stabilization (OIS). LG has worked with Qualcomm to ensure that camera software will be optimized for this new module when running on the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform. The module will be showcased at CES next week. http://dlvr.it/Sg52Lz

The entry-level Samsung Galaxy A01 and A02s are getting Android 12 updates in the US, one year later than they should. http://dlvr.it/Sg2T9H

OnePlus' flagship for 2023 will launch on February 7th, 2023. http://dlvr.it/Sfzxbk

Wondering what to buy with all those gift cards you found under the Christmas tree? Why not a smartwatch at a bargain price. http://dlvr.it/SfxlbL

iPhone 15 mini! Make yourself heard - vote now! Many want Apple to bring back the cheapest and smallest flagship iPhone. http://dlvr.it/Sfvzfb

You might be eligible to receive a refund of the money you spent on in-app purchases while playing Fortnite. http://dlvr.it/SfvzLb

In the spirit of transparency, LastPass released a statement which confirmed that user passwords have been indeed stolen by malicious hackers. http://dlvr.it/Sft3hw

Grab the earbuds through this offer and save $85 in the process http://dlvr.it/SfqTRy

The FCC has officially proposed new rules that would require wireless carriers to route 911 calls to the appropriate call center based on the caller's actual location, instead of the location of the nearest cell tower. This change should reduce incidents where 911 calls or texts are routed to the wrong 911 call center when the caller is near a city or county border. This mis-routing requires manual re-routing to the correct call center, "which can waste valuable time and resources during emergencies." The new rules take advantage of new technology that enables this capability. While mobile phones already transmit a phone's actual location to the call center when contacting 911, using this information in the call routing step is a new technology. The rules would only apply to newer 4G and 5G networks where this technology is easier to implement. AT&T has already deployed this technology. http://dlvr.it/SfmZ9F

People traveling for the holidays should now have better 4G connection on some UK roads http://dlvr.it/SfjZRs

We haven't even entered 2023 yet, but the first camera leak about the Google Pixel 8 is already out, and it looks like a major improvement is on the way! http://dlvr.it/SfjZBg

Samsung has made many iterations of rugged XCover phones over the years, so let’s take a moment to check out how that culminated in the creation of the Galaxy XCover 6 Pro. http://dlvr.it/SffVTB

We will no longer be able to see pimples in 4K. http://dlvr.it/SffVKX

Pixel 7a - the flagship phone for the people! No need to spend more than $450 for a phone ever again? http://dlvr.it/SfbStW

A veteran Twitter tipster says that the release of the Galaxy S23 line, which was expected to take place on February 17th, could be delayed to the end of that month. http://dlvr.it/SfbSjs

Google hints at a major upgrade to its Find My Device feature which would put it on the same level as Apple's. http://dlvr.it/SfYHfN

UpTradeit.com has a proven strategy for buying and selling previously owned iPhone units. http://dlvr.it/SfYHR7

Motorola’s latest flagship has been unveiled as a powerhouse of a phone, and it is confirmed to be coming to the west. http://dlvr.it/SfW9yN

FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington is calling for the FCC to mandate that device manufacturers "explicitly commit to supporting their wireless devices with security updates for a defined period." Phones and other wireless devices that are in active use but no longer receiving security patches represent a national security risk, according to Simington. Some manufacturers have committed to providing security updates for up to five years for their high-end devices, while other companies make no specific promises. New security vulnerabilities are regularly discovered in both new and old versions of Android, iOS, and other OSes. Left unpatched, older devices become susceptible to more and more of these issues over time, providing an open door for malware, spyware, ransomware, and more. http://dlvr.it/SfSK4V

Motorola doubled the number of phones that it will update to Android 13 starting early next year. Among the new models is the Edge 30 Ultra and the RAZR 2022. http://dlvr.it/SfP9ll

Sony is rolling out Android 13 updates to four phones: Xperia 5 IV, Xperia Pro-I, Xperia 1 III, and Xperia 5 III. http://dlvr.it/SfL5V9

Xiaomi creates a short-form video to prove that the myth about removing scratches from your phone's screen using toothpaste does not work. http://dlvr.it/SfL5Dl

Huawei’s latest smartwatch hides a pair of wireless earbuds inside, while still offering quite a lot of functionality and a sleek design. http://dlvr.it/SfGymW

T-Mobile's 5G network covers 323 million people and its faster "Ultra Capacity" 5G network now covers 260 million people, a goal the company has set for the end of this year. 300 million is the company's plan for the end of 2023. T-Mobile has also just launched 5G nationwide in band 2 (1900 MHz), adding more nationwide 5G capacity in a band with good coverage. The company also continues to roll out three-carrier aggregation (3CA), offering the fastest 5G speeds possible. This feature is available "in parts of the network now" for customers with a Samsung Galaxy S22. 3CA "will expand nationwide, and be accessible by additional devices, in the near future." http://dlvr.it/SfGyZh

The Pixel 6a drops back to the lowest price ever. http://dlvr.it/SfCwyX

Starting this Monday, December 12th, Android users can no longer use the "pay for gas" and "pay for street parking" options on Assistant and Google Pay. http://dlvr.it/Sf9qDc

Apple is introducing several new security-focused features this week. The optional features give users new ways to secure their accounts and protect their data. A feature Apple calls Advanced Data Protection for iCloud will let users end-to-end (E2E) encrypt nine additional types of cloud data, including iCloud Backup, Notes, and Photos. This is beyond the 14 categories already E2E encrypted by default. E2E ensures that personal data stays encrypted in transit to/from the cloud, and while stored in the cloud, in such a way that not even Apple can decrypt it. Data would also be protected in the event Apple suffers a cloud security breach. This could present a challenge for law enforcement, which sometimes subpoenas Apple for iCloud data of suspects, including iPhone backups. Advanced Data Protection for iCloud is in beta now, and will be available to US users by the end of the year. Apple will also now support hardware security keys for two-factor login using Apple ID. Hardware security...

Samsung is generously giving bargain hunters one final (seven-day) chance to purchase all of the best Galaxy phones, tablets, watches, and earbuds at special prices before Christmas. http://dlvr.it/Sf4zSf

Motorola today announced the new moto g play (2023). This update to the 2021 model has 90 Hz display refresh and a 16 megapixel camera (compared to 13 megapixel on the model it replaces). Other features of this affordable 4G phone are similar, including a 5,000 mAh battery, 10-watt fast charging, fingerprint reader on the back, and a headset jack. It's powered by a MediaTek Helio G37 chipset paired with 3 GB RAM and 32 GB storage (expandable via memory card). Extra cameras include a 2 megapixel macro camera and depth camera. The front camera is 5 megapixel. The unlocked moto g play (2023) goes on sale December 12th for $170. Later, it will come to Metro, Dish, Xfinity, US Cellular, Consumer Cellular, Spectrum, and Optimum. http://dlvr.it/Sf4yzc

WhatsApp’s latest feature is already live and allows you to express yourself via a fully customizable avatar. http://dlvr.it/Sf21mp

Samsung’s commitment to supporting its devices – even older ones – impresses again as the Galaxy S20 gets December’s security update. http://dlvr.it/SdyykT

Verizon has reached "its goal of reaching 175 million people covered by the end of 2022, a month ahead of schedule" in its deployment of 5G in new C-Band (mid-band) radio spectrum. Verizon is also expanding capacity in many deployed markets from 60 Hz to 100 Hz of bandwidth. http://dlvr.it/Sdvwgd

Apple's ridiculously fast M2 11-inch iPad Pro is on sale at Amazon. http://dlvr.it/Sdrtn1

Intel announced that it will be able to stuff one trillion transistors into an IC package by 2030. http://dlvr.it/SdrtTR

It's finally the end of Samsung's 10x zoom reign, as what seems to be the new camera champion puts out far superior photos than Galaxy S22 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro! http://dlvr.it/SdpjNv

Motorola's edge 30 fusion — a model that would normally only be sold in other parts of the world — will come to the US as an unlocked phone compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile. This special edition will come in Pantone's just-announced Color of the Year 2023, Pantone 18-1750 "Viva Magenta". The edge 30 fusion is a near-flagship-level phone, featuring a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ chipset, pOLED display with 144 Hz refresh, and 50 megapixel camera with OIS. Other specs include a 4,400 mAh battery, 12 GB of RAM, 256 GB storage, 13 megapixel wide-angle camera, 32 megapixel front camera with auto-focus, and Wi-Fi 6E. Although it supports enough frequency bands to function on the AT&T or T-Mobile networks, it does not support all of the bands necessary for full coverage and best data speeds. (For example, it lacks 4G in bands 30 and 71, and lacks 5G in band 2.) Motorola will sell the phone starting December 12, unlocked on its web site for $800, in a bundle that include...

Google Pixel phones now have the ability to share digital car keys via messaging, including with iPhones. Select other phones with Android 12 or later will also get the feature soon. http://dlvr.it/SdjlxD

Corning, a leader in specialty glass for phone surfaces, has announced Gorilla Glass Victus 2, its toughest glass yet. Gorilla Glass Victus 2 is more shatter-resistant than the original Gorilla Glass Victus, able to survive "drops of up to one meter on a surface replicating concrete", or drops of two meters onto asphalt. While the original Gorilla Glass series made trade-offs between shatter resistance and scratch resistance, the Victus series is durable in both ways. The Victus 2 has the same level of scratch resistance as the original Victus. Gorilla Glass is very commonly used for the display glass on phones, and sometimes the back surface as well. "Gorilla Glass has been designed into more than 8 billion devices by more than 45 major brands." Gorilla Glass Victus 2 "is expected to reach the market within the next few months." http://dlvr.it/Sdfgy1