A hobbyist project called RotaryCell adds internal electronics to an unmodified rotary telephone, letting it place calls over LTE using an ESP32-S3-based LilyGO board, a battery, and the AG1171 ringer chip, while keeping the original handset, dial, and hook intact. The current release is a documented, hand-wired working prototype on firmware v0.10.4, with new integrated PCBs already ordered from JLCPCB but not yet assembled or validated.
The guide walks Android users through checking their OS version, applying pending system updates via Settings, and enabling or manually triggering app updates in Google Play. It also notes that some app updates require accepting new privacy permissions before installing.
Multiple Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL owners say their screens wake up on their own from minor vibrations, like something being set down nearby or driving over a bump, rather than actually being picked up. The only current fix reported is disabling the 'Lift to check phone' feature entirely, and some users say the feature feels far more sensitive than on earlier Pixel models.
ZDNET published a roundup of the ten products its readers bought most often over the past month, with phone cases making up a large share of the list. The list is compiled from actual reader purchase data through ZDNET's affiliate links rather than editorial rankings alone.
Apple is set to unveil its first foldable phone, the iPhone Ultra, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro line at next week's event. While earlier rumors suggested a delay into late 2026 or even 2027, the most recent supply chain reports from Weibo leaker Fixed Focus Digital and Cailian News Agency indicate the device remains on track for a September release, though with very constrained initial stock.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple has internally prototyped and tested an Apple Pencil designed for its upcoming foldable iPhone, reportedly called the iPhone Ultra. However, Gurman says it's unlikely the stylus will be included when the device debuts at Apple's Sept. 9 event, with a shorter 'stubbier' Pencil variant possibly coming later.
BlackBerry's business today centers on secure government communications and its QNX operating system, which powers safety-critical functions like braking and driver assistance in 275 million cars worldwide. CEO John Giamatteo described the shift from the company's smartphone era on a CNBC podcast, positioning BlackBerry as an embedded software provider rather than a device maker.
A survivor of the deadly Tibet-Nepal flooding reported that satellite connectivity on his HUAWEI Mate X5 let him stay in contact with the outside world after cellular networks failed. He used the satellite link to reach a helicopter crew and was subsequently evacuated, then shared his account through HUAWEI executive Richard Yu's social media page. The flooding has killed over 900 people, with thousands still unaccounted for.
Google explains that using Find Hub to mark an Android device as lost will log it out of the owner's Google account and strip all cards from Google Wallet, with an option to show a contact message on the lock screen. If account access isn't possible, users can lock the phone remotely via android.com/lock by verifying their identity and phone number. Samsung devices with SmartThings Find offer a similar safeguard, automatically locking Samsung Wallet and pausing transactions until identity is confirmed.
Honor has begun selling its experimental Robot Phone in China, a device that hides a tiny three-axis gimbal mechanism behind the main 200-megapixel camera on its back. The company says it engineered a custom 2.6-gram motor to make the mechanism small enough to fit inside a handset, though the result is a 9.6mm-thick phone. Despite showing the device internationally at MWC 2026, Honor is limiting the launch to a small production run in its home market for now.
An installation artist placed a working phone booth at Black Rock City's Temple of the Flying Spaghetti Monster corner, rewired to route calls over the internet instead of accepting coins. Attendees can dial a friend or loved one anywhere for five minutes free, or simply call the booth's public number hoping a passing stranger picks up.
Huawei has started taking pre-orders in China for its second-generation tri-fold phone, the Mate XT 2, ahead of a formal launch on September 7. The device switches to an inward-folding mechanism that fully shields the inner display, unlike the zig-zag fold on the original Mate XT that left part of the screen exposed, and will come in 16GB/512GB and 16GB/1TB configurations, including a purple variant with a built-in privacy screen.
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