Cologne-based designer Kevin Noki built the ADHD ONE, a 3D-printed handset styled after 1980s brick phones, using a Raspberry Pi Pico, an FSC-BT1026C Bluetooth module, and a rechargeable battery. The device has no cellular radio of its own and instead connects via Bluetooth to an iPhone to make and receive calls. Noki is selling the design files, including STL parts, firmware, and manufacturing files, for €29.99 through his website.
Amazon is offering the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G at a 30% discount off its retail price, bringing the paper-like-display Android phone to under $200. The deal represents an $85 price cut from the phone's normal cost.
Four major European telecommunications companies have announced a partnership to explore direct-to-device satellite connectivity for mobile phones. The effort is positioned as a potential rival to Elon Musk's Starlink, which already offers similar satellite-based phone connectivity in some markets.
Several US nuclear power plants that had been shut down are being evaluated or prepared for restart, with utilities citing rising electricity demand. Data centers, particularly those supporting AI computing, are cited as a key driver of this increased power need.
A reader survey asked which $2,000 foldable phone people would rather buy, and a majority chose an existing foldable device over Apple's rumored dual-screen 'iPhone Duo' concept. The poll suggests persistent skepticism toward foldables in general, with voters still preferring an established competitor's design.
Lithium-ion cells age from heat and from time spent at the extremes of charge. Most of the folklore about charging habits is either obsolete or beside the point.
Apple's Phone app now includes Hold Assist, which detects when a caller has put you on hold and notifies you when they return, and Call Screening, which questions unsaved numbers before letting them ring through and displays their response on the Lock Screen. Both features arrived with iOS 26 and are toggled on in Settings under Apps > Phone. A third feature, Call Context, is planned for iOS 27 and will use Apple Intelligence to surface relevant information automatically when calling a business.
The foldable phone category began in 2019 with Royole's FlexPai, an awkward but functional first commercial device using flexible OLED. Samsung's Galaxy Fold followed the same year but suffered widespread screen failures tied to a misunderstood protective layer, forcing a delay and redesign. Huawei took a different approach with the outward-folding Mate X, which looked elegant but left its display exposed to scratches and was never sold in the US due to sanctions.
Following Samsung's July Unpacked launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 8, some buyers say apps don't properly scale to the device's 4:3 internal screen despite the phone's App Continuity feature meant to ease transitions between displays. Users have been discussing workarounds on online forums to address the sizing glitches.
Windows 11's built-in Phone Link app lets users make and receive phone calls directly from their PC by pairing an iPhone or Android device. Setup requires updating Phone Link through the Microsoft Store, enabling Bluetooth on both devices, and installing a companion app (Link to Windows) on the phone to complete pairing. Once paired, users can dial contacts or use a dial pad from the Calls tab, and incoming calls route to the PC automatically.
Voicemod has released the Key Pocket, a magnetic clip-on soundboard device priced at $130 that lets users switch voices and sound effects while gaming or streaming on phones, tablets and consoles. The device pairs with Voicemod's app, processing voice changes locally in real time, and offers access to over 200 original voices, 76,000 community-made voices and 800,000 sounds. It works across platforms including PS4/PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2 and Meta Quest headsets via USB-C, 3.5mm or Bluetooth.
A tech explainer notes that most modern smartphones allow users to remove and replace physical SIM cards while powered on, without requiring a shutdown or airplane mode. The guide outlines the swap process—ejecting the tray, changing the card, and reinserting it—and notes dual-SIM phone owners should confirm which slot they're changing. It also contrasts physical SIM flexibility with eSIM, which uses QR codes or carrier apps for transfers but can only have a few profiles active simultaneously.
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