Internet reactions on the massive success of Nintendo’s Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream
The Shark Navigator Robot Vacuum is on Sale for Under $200 at Amazon — Act Fast to Save $110
As of April 28, the Shark Navigator robot vacuum is on sale for $189.99 at Amazon. This is 37% off its list price of $299.99.
Smartphone Sales Drop as Fairphone Sees Notable Increase
In a year characterized by a worldwide drop in smartphone sales, Fairphone has distinguished itself as an exceptional player with an impressive 116% rise in shipments year-over-year. This increase signifies the company’s third consecutive quarter of advancement, counteracting the prevailing downward trend in the industry. The growth is especially notable in Europe, with the UK spearheading the movement with a 241% boost in phone shipments. The Netherlands and France have also documented substantial increases, with phone sales climbing by 200% and 121%, respectively. Germany exhibited consistent growth as well.
Fairphone’s achievements are credited to its distinctive approach to smartphone design, emphasizing repairability and sustainability. This tactic appeals to consumers who are progressively looking for enduring and ethically manufactured technology. The company’s Chief Commercial Officer, Rutger Sneep, points out that Fairphone’s growth amid a declining market indicates a shift in consumer inclinations toward more responsible technology.
The momentum builds on a solid 2025, where Fairphone’s sales surged by 42%, culminating in total revenue of €73.3 million, reflecting a 35% increase from the previous year. As Fairphone nears the benchmarks of one million devices sold and $500 million in overall revenue, its model of transparency and repairability continues to resonate, presenting a robust business strategy during challenging times for the electronics sector.
Microsoft Office Now Compatible with Logitech’s MX Creative Console
Logitech has announced a new suite of Productivity Plugins for its entire MX line of accessories, including its Stream Deck alternative, the MX Creative Console. Since the console launched in September 2024, Logitech has been expanding its capabilities with plug-ins that support creativity-focused apps such as Final Cut Pro, Adobe Lightroom, and Figma. That is […]
NYT Connections Sports Edition: April 28, 2026 Hints and Answers
Connections: Sports Edition is a New York Times word game about finding common sports threads between words. How to solve the day’s puzzle.
Crucial Details for Importing a Phone from China: Six Important Factors
Purchasing a Chinese phone can lead to significant savings, but there are important factors to consider.
Devices available in China differ greatly from their internationally released versions. Since these phones lack the Play Store, each manufacturer presents its own unique app marketplace, and their update processes vary as well.
Over the past year, I experimented with Chinese versions of Vivo, OPPO, Xiaomi, Huawei, and Honor devices, and I observed that the differences between the global model and the Chinese variant—at least regarding software—are not as pronounced as they once were.
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Data transfer occurs without delay
Google includes a built-in feature for transferring data to a new Android device, and although the process is slower than I prefer, it effectively transfers your content—photos, videos, texts, apps, calls, contacts, and more—to your new phone.
However, since Chinese phones do not utilize Google services, manufacturers have developed their alternatives. In the case of Vivo, they provide EasyShare for data transfer to your new device, which is significantly quicker than Google’s option. While setting up the Chinese version of the Vivo X300 Ultra from the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, I migrated over 100GB of data in under 10 minutes.
What I appreciate most is that it transfers all the applications present on your current phone, addressing many issues associated with not having the Play Store pre-installed.
Installing the Play Store and Google services is simple
The primary drawback of using a Chinese device is the absence of Google Mobile Services (GMS). This means that you won’t find the Play Store, Chrome, YouTube, Gmail, or other Google services pre-installed.
However, this isn’t a significant drawback on contemporary Chinese smartphones, as installing the Play Store is straightforward, allowing you to download all your usual applications. Most of these devices come with something called Google basic service management accessible in the settings. You’ll need to activate this feature, which supplies the essential services that Google employs for many functionalities you typically receive on
What a Difference Two Years Make: Comparing SBC Prices in 2024 vs. 2026 – CNX Software
Looking back, 2024 feels like a golden year for single board computers, as the increasing price of RAM (and storage and other components) since late 2025 due to the AI demand has made those much less attractive, price/performance ratio-wise. We’ve already documented Raspberry Pi SBC price hikes, and after several increases, the Raspberry Pi 5 16GB went from $120 to $305, or a 154% change in price. Yesterday, I noticed the Banana Pi BPI-M4 Zero had a new version with 4GB RAM and 32GB eMMC flash, and a reader was quick to point out the $181 price tag to Europe was painful, bearing in mind it also includes VAT and shipping. Looking at the original December 2023 article, the BPI-M4 Zero 2GB/8GB sold for $28.90 plus shipping, and it now shows up at $115 before taxes. That’s a 297% hike, or about four times the price from a little over […]
The post What a difference two years make? Comparing SBC prices in 2024 and 2026 appeared first on CNX Software – Embedded Systems News.
Jury Selection in Musk v. Altman: “People Don’t Like Him”
On Monday, the courtroom battle between Elon Musk and Sam Altman over alleged broken promises at OpenAI started, as usual, with jury selection. The only tricky part? A lot of the prospective jurors already have an opinion about Elon Musk, and it’s not a good one. The Verge reporter Elizabeth Lopatto, who was there at […]
India’s Snabbit Raises $56M as Investor Interest in On-Demand Home Services Grows
Snabbit now processes over 40,000 daily jobs and has cut costs sharply as it expands across cities and services.
Insights from Evaluating SpeakON: An AI-Driven Dictation Tool for iPhone
### SpeakON: The First Voice Typing Device for iPhone
In recent weeks, I had the chance to try SpeakON, a magnetic dictation accessory powered by AI that attaches to the back of the iPhone and improves transcriptions according to predefined settings. Here’s how it fared.
#### Overview of SpeakON
SpeakON is promoted as the first voice typing device tailored specifically for the iPhone. This cutting-edge accessory aims to improve voice-driven AI interactions, enabling users to effortlessly convert speech into text across diverse applications. By serving as a tangible shortcut for dictation, SpeakON offers a precise, task-oriented solution for users aiming to optimize their communication.
#### The Good
The setup process for SpeakON was simple. The Bluetooth connection was smooth, and the onboarding tutorial successfully walked me through the accessory’s configuration within the SpeakON app. After integrating it as an iOS keyboard, utilizing SpeakON was easy. With a quick press of the device’s button, I could dictate texts, emails, or lists, while the accessory proficiently transcribed my words, removing filler words and inaccuracies.
One of the notable features of SpeakON is the Attune setting, which allows users to choose from Casual, Professional, or Formal presets. This feature modifies the tone of the transcribed text based on the application in use, making it adaptable to different scenarios. Moreover, the auto-translate feature demonstrated its effectiveness, especially in translating dictations from Portuguese to refined English texts.
The design of the hardware is praiseworthy as well. Weighing merely 25 grams, it feels comfortable to hold, and the powerful magnet ensures it is firmly attached to the iPhone. The satisfying click of the button enhances the user experience, although the haptic feedback could use some enhancement.
The company seems dedicated to improving the product, as shown by multiple firmware updates released during my testing phase, which resolved various concerns without issues.
#### The Bad
While SpeakON’s microphones excelled in quiet spaces, they faced challenges in louder environments, necessitating closer proximity for your voice to be accurately captured. Users can remove the device and talk directly into it, but this diminishes its intended function somewhat.
Battery life also raised concerns. Although the company promises up to 8.5 days on standby and 20 hours of recording time, my experience indicated that the battery depleted much more quickly than anticipated. Although charging is fast, it’s wise to keep a USB-C cable nearby.
#### The Mid
SpeakON is SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA certified, reflecting strong security protocols for managing sensitive information. However, specific models used for security purposes were not disclosed by the company. They assured users that data is encrypted and recordings are processed exclusively for text generation, with no audio utilized for model training without clear consent.
A potential downside is the subscription model, which places certain features behind usage caps. While the device is priced at $129, users may need to subscribe to the Pro plan for expanded word limits and more regular access to features like Attune, with a cost of $108 per year or $12 per month.
Finally, getting accustomed to SpeakON’s ergonomics and the habit of reaching for the button might require some adjustment for newcomers. Though I found it challenging to seamlessly integrate it into my routine, my experience reaffirmed the promise of voice-based interactions.
To find out more about SpeakON, [follow this link](https://www.speakon.app).
