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LightInk: Solar-Powered ESP32 E-Ink Smartwatch with 10-Month Battery Life – CNX Software

LightInk

Daniel Ansorregui has developed LightInk, an open-source solar-powered E-ink watch inspired by 90s solar digital watches. It features a 1.54-inch e-paper display and supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LoRa, and GPS, running on a 100mAh battery. The project integrates a custom low-quiescent-power design using a TPS63900 buck-boost converter, capacitive-touch input, and deep-sleep-driven firmware, along with ultra-fast partial e-ink updates (<1 ms active time) and precise RTC timekeeping with drift calibration. It also supports solar-first operation (no dedicated charging IC) and dynamic power gating of peripherals, enabling around 9–10 months of operation on a small battery supplemented by solar power. LightInk specifications: System-in-package – ESP32-PICO-D4 SiP CPU – Dual-core processor @ 240MHz Memory – 520KB SRAM Storage – 4MB flash Wireless – 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 4 up to 150 Mbps and Bluetooth 4.2 BR/LE connectivity Display – 1.54-inch 200×200 B/W e-Paper panel (GDEH0154D67 or compatible) Audio – 10-15mm piezo electric disc speaker Connectivity […]

The post LightInk – An ESP32-based, solar-powered E-ink smartwatch with up to 10 months of battery life appeared first on CNX Software – Embedded Systems News.

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LightInk: Solar-Powered ESP32 E-Ink Smartwatch with 10-Month Battery Life - CNX Software
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How to Guarantee the Privacy of Deleted Messages in Signal

Vic Hood


Signal messaging app displayed on an iPhone with the device on a keyboard

miss.cabul/Shutterstock

Signal stands out as one of the most secure private messaging applications available. Established by the nonprofit Signal Foundation, this free messaging platform provides end-to-end encryption for all messages exchanged, encompassing texts, voice calls, images, and videos — enabled by its cutting-edge open source Signal Protocol.

Consequently, no one, not even the Signal organization, can access your discussions on the app. Furthermore, the service only necessitates a telephone number for registration, with the Signal Foundation assuring users there are no ads, affiliate marketers, or tracking practices involved. Engineered this way, Signal has gained traction among hackers and activists, as the company openly supported protests in 2020 and introduced a feature that allows users to blur faces to safeguard protester identities. Additionally, with growing concerns regarding privacy, Signal has seen an uptick in usage as individuals searched for secure messaging app alternatives following WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy changes.

Nevertheless, while Signal gives users the option to set messages for automatic deletion after a specific period through its disappearing messages feature, this does not guarantee the privacy of incoming messages. A defendant in Texas discovered this when the FBI was able to retrieve some of their deleted incoming messages from their iPhone’s notification database. Below, we outline how to stop Signal message content from showing up in your phone notifications on both iOS and Android to ensure your conversations remain private.

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Nicolas Cage Features in Fresh Trailer for Prime Video’s Marvel Series “Spider-Noir”

“Spider-Noir” should be on your watch list. The forthcoming live-action streaming series — inspired by the “Spider-Man Noir” comics – centers on Ben Reilly (Nicolas Cage), a weary private detective in 1930s New York who coincidentally is his dimension’s Spider-Man. After forfeiting his role years ago, Reilly must wear the mask again when his past confronts him.

The newest trailer indicates that the vibe of “Spider-Noir” will be quite distinct from what we’ve witnessed from Marvel lately. This is a gritty noir, brimming with shadowy streets and unsavory figures — simply set in a universe populated with superpowered beings. We catch a glimpse of several adversaries Reilly will combat, including Megawatt (Andrew Caldwell), Sandman (Jack Huston), Tombstone (Abraham Popoola), and the Irish crime lord Silvermane (Brendan Gleeson).

Although Ben Reilly may not be an Avenger, he does have allies on his team. They include Lamorne Morris as freelance reporter Robbie Robertson, Li Jun Li as nightclub vocalist Cat Hardy (aka Black Cat), and Karen Rodriguez as Reilly’s assistant, Janet. Given the caliber of his enemies in this trailer, he’ll require all the support he can muster.

Nic Cage is becoming a Marvel staple

Spider-Noir (Nicolas Cage) preparing to shoot a web.

Aaron Epstein/Prime Video

Cage made his Marvel introduction in 2007’s “

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Nicolas Cage Features in Fresh Trailer for Prime Video's Marvel Series "Spider-Noir"
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Consumer Reports’ Endorsed Budget-Friendly Android Smartwatch

Consumer Reports serves as a trustworthy source for purchasing advice on premium technology, household devices, and wearable gadgets. They evaluated the top Android smartwatches of 2026 and assigned rankings based on features, fitness functionality, and overall construction quality. Among those rankings, the Amazfit Bip 6 stands out as the most affordable Android smartwatch recommended by CR, and it is also compatible with iPhones. Priced at just $74.99, this smartwatch boasts an impressive battery life of approximately 10 and a half days.

The CR team assessed the Bip 6 in genuine fitness situations and discovered that it accurately tracks health metrics, a reliability not found in all smartwatches. Its main limitation is the absence of additional features; it can tell time and track your health, but not much beyond that. In terms of daily usage, there’s little distinction between luxury and budget smartwatches. While the Amazfit Bip 6 may not serve as a high-end fashion statement, nor is it the most feature-laden device, it sufficiently fulfills the requirements for exercise tracking and achieving fitness objectives.

What real users report about the Amazfit Bip 6

Amazfit has a reputation for creating affordable Android smartwatches that users recommend. This is evident in the Amazon customer review section, where the Amazfit Bip 6 maintains a 4.4-star rating from over 5,200 reviews. The leading reviews often draw comparisons between the Bip 6 and high-end Apple or Samsung watches, asserting that it’s a valuable option that can even surpass those costly models in reliability. The limited negative feedback typically mentions that the Bip 6 struggles in aquatic conditions, which is a relevant point for those who are enthusiastic swimmers.

Another issue to bear in mind is the potential for your smartwatch to be selling your health data. When companies offer products at a lower price, they sometimes compensate by selling customer information for profit. Reddit users have raised concerns about the security implications of these budget watches for years, with numerous commenters recommending an open-source Android app called Gadgetbridge to safeguard data locally.

Nonetheless, Amazfit has firmly asserted that they do not sell user information. Customer reviews on Amazon, Best Buy, and various online platforms have not indicated any apparent misuse of data by Amazfit, but it remains prudent to stay aware of privacy if you choose to heed Consumer Reports’ suggestion to purchase the Amazfit Bip 6.

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Consumer Reports' Endorsed Budget-Friendly Android Smartwatch
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Why You Should Refrain from Making Contact with a Meteorite Using Unprotected Hands

every year, the planet may experience thousands of meteorite impacts; however, those that survive the atmospheric entry usually land as such small fragments that distinguishing them from regular rocks is quite difficult. This doesn’t mean it’s entirely impossible to find one, though. If you happen to discover a meteorite or pieces of it, refrain from touching it. Even if the meteorite poses no danger to you, your bare hands could inadvertently damage it.

It’s common to think a meteorite would be quite hot if it has just fallen from the sky, but this is a misconception. The temperature of a meteorite’s surface may only be slightly warm, depending on how soon it is found after its atmospheric descent. Nonetheless, no meteorite is hot enough to ignite a fire upon landing on Earth. That said, exercising caution when handling a meteorite is crucial to ensure the integrity of the specimen.

Handling a meteorite with bare hands could cause damage

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