AllYouCanTech

Netflix Secures Warner Bros. Content in Historic $82.7 Billion Deal

‘Netflix and relax’ has received a new enhancement!

TECNO Unveils State-of-the-Art Imaging Advancements to Transform Smartphone Telephoto Cameras

TECNO’s Future Lens 2025 event showcased remarkable progress in smartphone camera innovations, particularly in the realm of telephoto lenses. The company introduced a more compact Dual-Mirror Reflect Telephoto module, created in partnership with Samsung and Largan, which employs a coaxial optical design that cuts the telephoto camera size by 50% while preserving image quality. This advancement is especially advantageous for slimmer smartphones, which frequently compromise on telephoto features to achieve a more refined design.

Moreover, TECNO rolled out the Freeform Continuum Telephoto module, providing continuous optical zoom ranging from 1x to 9x. This technology eradicates the “focal jumps” typically found with digital zoom, facilitating a fluid transition among zoom levels. The module utilizes an Alvarez optical structure, allowing a sleek design that accommodates a broad zoom range, potentially minimizing the necessity for multiple dedicated telephoto lenses.

These innovations highlight TECNO’s dedication to improving smartphone photography, tackling prevalent challenges such as image quality and zoom performance. Although the company hasn’t indicated a timeline for when these technologies will appear in their devices, their adoption could profoundly influence the smartphone industry. TECNO’s partnership with DXOMARK and the creation of an automated imaging lab further emphasize their commitment to enhancing real-world imaging capabilities.

Xiaomi’s Tri-Fold Phone Unveils Amid Samsung’s Highlight Week

*Insert The Rock’s iconic raised eyebrow meme*

Foldable Smartphone Exceeds Galaxy Z Fold 7 in Essential Characteristics

The 6,560mAh battery in the Nubia Fold delivers a 49% blow to the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Samsung to Organize ‘The First Look’ Gathering for 2026 Mobile and AI Breakthroughs

Samsung is preparing for a major event just ahead of CES 2026, called “The First Look.” Set for January 4, 2026, at 7 PM PST (10 PM EST), the gathering will take place at the Latour Ballroom within the opulent Wynn Las Vegas hotel. This occasion will act as a precursor to CES 2026, providing a sneak peek into Samsung’s strategies for its Device eXperience and AI-enhanced customer interactions for the upcoming year.

TM Roh, Samsung’s CEO and Head of Device eXperience Division, will present the keynote address, accompanied by SW Yong, President and Head of the Visual Display Business, and Cheolgi Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Appliances. Although specific information is still confidential, Samsung has suggested the reveal of its 2026 roadmap for Device eXperience and innovative AI-based customer experiences.

The event will be broadcast live on Samsung’s YouTube channel, Samsung Newsroom, and Samsung TV Plus. There are speculations regarding possible announcements concerning the Exynos 2600 chip, which is believed to provide notable performance enhancements, and possibly previews of the Galaxy S26 series, though its launch is projected for February. Advancements in AI, especially regarding Galaxy AI and Bixby, are also expected to be highlighted.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Gets Significant One UI 8 Update in the US

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 6 has finally aligned with Wear OS 6.

Pixel 10 December Update Allegedly Interferes with Always-On Display Feature

The December update for Pixel smartphones has rolled out multiple improvements, featuring AI-enhanced notifications, lock screen widgets, and new customizable icon shapes. Nevertheless, users of Pixel 10 are facing an unexpected problem with the always-on display (AoD) flickering. This issue occurs during wireless charging when the clock refreshes, and sometimes after the device is unlocked. The flickering appears to be specific to Pixel 10 models, with no similar feedback from owners of older Pixel versions.

Reports on Reddit suggest that the flicker is evident when the screensaver activates during wireless charging and when the clock refreshes in AoD mode. Furthermore, some users have noted the screen turning entirely black for a moment after unlocking their phone. Although not all Pixel 10 devices exhibit the issue, a considerable number of users are impacted.

At present, the only solution for those affected is to turn off the always-on display feature. This can be accomplished by going to Settings > Display & touch > Always-on display and switching it off. This isn’t the first display problem encountered by Pixel 10 users; a prior issue involving the screen turning black during transitions was patched by Google in a later update.

As of now, Google has not officially responded to the AoD flicker issue, but if it is found to be widespread, a hotfix could be issued shortly. Users are recommended to remain alert for future updates concerning a possible resolution.

Comparison of Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, Snapdragon 8 Elite, Tensor G5, and Dimensity 9500

It has been an excellent year for smartphones, and the overall hardware landscape is at its peak. Qualcomm is achieving significant advancements with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, MediaTek has made similar strides with the Dimensity 9500, and even Google has stepped up its game with the Tensor G5, finally adopting TSMC’s 3nm process — the same utilized by Qualcomm and MediaTek.

Over the past month, I tested five devices featuring the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 — the OnePlus 15, POCO F8 Ultra, iQOO 15, Redmagic 11 Pro, and Realme GT 8 Pro — alongside four devices with the Dimensity 9500: Vivo X300 Pro, Find X9 Pro, and Find X9. Additionally, I explored key models from the Pixel 10 series, including the Pixel 10, 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

While I won’t delve too deeply into specifics for each platform, at a high level, all chip manufacturers are utilizing the latest cores and reporting impressive advancements. Clearly, Qualcomm stands out due to its implementation of custom cores in the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, with the platform showcasing a second-generation design featuring notable performance improvements, matched by increases in gaming capabilities.

That said, MediaTek’s achievements are even more captivating. The company is leveraging Arm’s latest cores, including the C1 Ultra, C1 Pro, and C1 Premium. The G1 Ultra GPU is outstanding as well, and overall, Arm has significantly enhanced its offerings this year. In that context, the Tensor G5 actually performs well this time around. Although it still does not utilize the latest Arm cores or match the speed provided by Qualcomm and MediaTek, it does not feel purposefully limited, which is an accomplishment in itself.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 vs. Snapdragon 8 Elite vs. Tensor G5 vs. Dimensity 9500

Now, let’s examine how the new platforms perform in synthetic benchmarks. I am using the Redmagic 11 Pro and Redmagic 10S Pro to assess Qualcomm, the Vivo X300 Pro for the Dimensity 9500, and the Pixel 10 Pro XL with the Tensor G5.

The Geekbench 6 single-core scores indicate that Qualcomm truly has the leading single-core architecture on Android, thanks to a custom design and higher frequencies, with Qualcomm reaching up to 4.6GHz, while MediaTek peaks at 4.21GHz. As evident, the multi-core performance differences between the two are minimal, but compared to last year’s chipsets, there’s still a notable enhancement.

Similarly, Qualcomm leads in the 3DMark’s Wild Life benchmark, although results are balanced in the ray tracing-focused Solar Bay tests. The performance improvements over the previous year are not as pronounced, and these benchmarks starkly reveal how the Tensor G5 lags behind. Google emphasizes an AI-centric approach rather than chasing raw performance, which is reflected in the benchmarks.

Fortunately, this does not carry over to real-world scenarios. I utilized the Pixel 10 Pro XL as my primary phone for over two months, and it proved just as responsive as the POCO F8 Ultra or the X300 Pro for many everyday tasks. While it doesn’t perform as strongly in gaming — despite improved thermal management — there is noticeable throttling during prolonged gaming sessions. Nonetheless, it performs better than nearly every other Pixel I’ve used — which isn’t a high bar.

Regarding Qualcomm and MediaTek, there is essentially no significant difference in real-world performance. Both demonstrate comparable efficiency, but if I had to choose, I’d say the Dimensity 9500 comes out ahead — my Find X9 Pro lasts longer even though its battery is similar in size to that of the OnePlus 15.

Both chipsets deliver excellent gaming experiences, managing resource-intensive games effectively. There is some level of throttling with extended use, but it doesn’t markedly impact visual quality. The primary concern is overheating — this issue affects Qualcomm significantly more than MediaTek. In my experience, the Redmagic 11 Pro became considerably warmer than the X300 Pro during gaming sessions over an hour, and while it didn’t reach temperatures as high as during synthetic testing, it remained uncomfortable to grip.

The X300 Pro also heats up, but never to an extent that made it unmanageable. It peaked at 43 degrees Celsius, while the Redmagic 11 Pro exceeded 48 degrees and surpassed 52 degrees during 3DMark tests.

JBL Earbuds Now 60% Discounted on Amazon After Black Friday and Cyber Monday

The JBL Tune Flex earbuds typically sell for $100. Currently, they are available for only $40.

Google and AWS Team Up to Tackle Widespread Outage Problems

Both firms are aiming to eliminate significant outages altogether.

What you need to know

– Amazon and Google have reportedly announced their collaboration to develop a new “multicloud networking service.”
– The goal is to enable “reliable connectivity” and enhance “network interoperability” to ideally help minimize major outages.
– A significant outage that recently took place was on October 20, when AWS experienced downtime, resulting in a substantial portion of the internet going offline.

Following that substantial AWS disruption in October, Google and Amazon have come together to work towards rendering outages a thing of the past.

The collaboration between Amazon and Google was detailed by Reuters, which refers to a comment from both entities. Per the announcement, the two companies have united to establish a “multicloud networking service” aimed at promoting “reliable connectivity.” Reuters quotes Robert Kennedy, AWS’s vice president of network services, who remarked, “This partnership between AWS and Google Cloud signifies a critical evolution in multicloud connectivity.”

The intricate specifics of this new service indicate that Amazon’s portion of the agreement brings its internconnect-multicloud services into play.

This is complemented by Google Cloud’s Cross-Cloud Interconnect. Reports indicate that, in conjunction, the cloud services from Amazon and Google should enhance “network interoperability,” with the hope of decreasing the chances of significant outages disrupting the internet. Officially, Rob Enns, vice president and general manager of cloud networking at Google Cloud, informed Reuters that this cooperative effort is designed to streamline the movement of data and applications “between clouds” for users.

Amazon and Google assert that their collaborative initiative to develop this multicloud networking service should assist clients with “private” and “high-speed” connections between the two platforms.

October 20 marked a grim chapter… for several hours

It was hard to overlook, as October 20 was the date when a significant AWS outage affected thousands, effectively bringing the internet down for hours. AWS (Amazon Web Services) reached peak outage around 3 AM ET, though issues began around midnight. The outage severely impacted the US-EAST-1 (Northern Virginia) region, which serves as the largest data center hub for the service.

This disruption, which knocked out a portion of the internet, along with major applications like Reddit, Snapchat, and even Fortnite, highlighted a crucial reality: AWS is immensely relied upon. Global government services were also affected, amplifying calls for diversity in multi-cloud strategies to prevent such severe occurrences.

The problems within the EC2 network caused significant latency and “increased error rates” for users attempting to access online services. AWS even reported that its connection health was “degraded,” prompting ongoing efforts to address these issues. After approximately six hours, applications and services started to come back online, but the impact had already been felt.