Earlier this morning, the company deleted both the tweets announcing the change and the official blog post that explained the policy in further detail.

In a rare show of contrition, Elon Musk tweeted: “Going forward, there will be a vote for major policy changes. My apologies. Won’t happen again.”

The Ban: Explained

As explained last night, the ban prohibited Twitter users from posting links to their profiles on certain alternative social networking sites.

These included Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, and Donald Trump’s Twitter clone, Truth Social.

The ban also prohibited attempts to circumvent these restrictions by using third-party link aggregators like Linktree, or by otherwise obfuscating the URL through technical or non-technical means.

Violators would face temporary bans and tweet deletions. Twitter also warned that repeat offenders would receive longer (or permanent) bans.

During its few hours, this policy provoked a fiery response from users, who argued it undercut Elon Musk’s purported commitment to free speech.

On a more practical level, this policy would also likely fall afoul of the European Commission’s anti-gatekeeper rules, which are set to be introduced next year as part of the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Under the DMA’s rules, companies deemed to be ‘gatekeepers’ could face fines of up to 20 percent of their revenue if they use their incumbent status to disadvantage competitors.

We note that many platforms Twitter listed in the original third-party social media ban were direct (albeit up-and-coming) competitors. Examples include Post, Mastodon, and Tribel.

A New CEO?

Coinciding with this turmoil, Musk issued a (totally non-scientific) Twitter poll that asked if he should step down as “Chief Twit.”

At the time of writing, the yes camp holds a commanding lead with 57.5 percent of the vote.

Musk said he would honor the result of the poll, although followed with a warning: “be careful what you wish for, as you might get it.”

Musk also lamented that he believes that “there is no successor” and “no one wants the job who can actually keep Twitter alive.”

KnowTechie notes that since acquiring the company in late October, Twitter has suffered an exodus of advertisers.

The company remains deeply reliant on advertising revenue, while subscriptions remain a small proportion of its annual income.

Twitter may have been on a downward trajectory, but Musk’s antics — particularly surrounding the failed first launch of Twitter Blue — have likely only accelerated that trend.

If nothing else, the first incarnation of Twitter Blue lasted longer than his link prohibition to third-party social networking sites.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Twitter shutting down Substack-like Revue platform
• Twitter reportedly looking into forced location tracking
• Elon Musk says Twitter is phasing out legacy verified checkmarks
• Twitter rolls out gold checkmarks for verified business accounts

The post Twitter lifts ban on third-party social links appeared first on KnowTechie.

The list includes well-known names like Facebook and Instagram and platforms that directly compete with Twitter, including Post, Tribel, and Mastodon.

Truth Social, the microblogging site owned by former US president Donald Trump, is also on the blocklist.

So is Nostr, a decentralized microblogging site that’s (ironically) backed by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey.

Dorsey, we note, still owns about $1bn of Twitter equity.

The Blocklist

Curiously, several big-name social networking sites did not feature on the list.

TikTok was seemingly spared. So are Gab and Parler, Truth Social’s biggest rivals in the alt-tech space.

Seeing the list of banned websites lengthen in the coming days and weeks wouldn’t surprise me.

In practice, Twitter will no longer allow people to share links to their profiles on other platforms.

So, posting your Facebook or Instagram profile is now strictly verboten.

You are, however, allowed to cross-post content from these platforms.

Skirting The Rules

Twitter has cracked down on third-party link aggregators to stop users from circumventing these new rules. These include Linktree and lnk.bio.

The updated rulebook also prohibits attempts to circumvent the ban on third-party social linking “through technical or non-technical means.”

Twitter cited two examples: using a URL cloaking service or spelling the punctuation in a URL (for instance, writing “facebook.com” as “facebook dot com”).

First-time offenders will receive a temporary suspension and must delete the tweet that violated Twitter’s rules.

Those who break Twitter’s link ban will receive lengthier suspensions — or potentially have their accounts banned permanently.

Free Speech and Twitter

Twitter is, as mentioned before, Elon Musk’s personal fiefdom. He owns almost all of the company’s equity. He can do whatever he wants.

But that doesn’t mean people (or, in the case of Twiter Blue’s paid-for verification, advertisers) have to like it.

At the very least, Musk’s self-stated free speech credentials are in doubt. Hypocrisy is never a good look. It’s (as the kids say) bad optics.

If one takes a critical view, Musk’s belief in free speech extends as far as Twitter’s user numbers.

At worst, this move will further alienate Twitter’s most active users.

For those concerned about Twitter’s direction, this crackdown on third-party social websites is emblematic of Twitter’s unpredictable and often self-interested direction.

And it will only incentivize them further to look for alternatives.

In late October, Elon Musk tweeted: “The bird is freed.” He now owned Twitter.

As his own personal fiefdom, the social networking platform would be a bastion of free speech unlike any other.

Two months later, how’s that going? Not great.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Twitter shutting down Substack-like Revue platform
• Meta brings Twitter-like Notes feature to Instagram
• Twitter reportedly looking into forced location tracking
• Elon Musk says Twitter is phasing out legacy verified checkmarks

The post Twitter bans links to third-party social networks appeared first on KnowTechie.

Since the earliest days of the pandemic, popular single-board computers have been a scarce commodity.

If you visited the storefront of any approved reseller, you’d see the same three words: “Out of stock.” 

But now, as the semiconductor shortage shows signs of easing, that’s about to change.

These brightening conditions have allowed the release of over 100,000 Raspberry Pi computers for single-unit sales. 

According to Raspberry Pi founder Ebon Upton, these units are split across the company’s most popular machines.

These include the “Zero W, 3A+ and the 2GB and 4GB variants of Raspberry Pi 4.” 

This is welcome news for hobbyists, who previously were forced to pay the extreme markups demanded by Raspberry Pi scalpers.

In some cases, the company’s most powerful machines were sold for 400 percent above retail. 

Why was it so hard to buy a Raspberry Pi?

The Raspberry Pi was especially affected by the semiconductor crunch.

As a relatively small customer (compared to the likes of Samsung or Apple), it lacked the power and influence to demand priority from manufacturers. 

Complicating matters further, its chipsets use older semiconductor manufacturing processes.

The BCM2711 chipset that powers the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B uses a 28nm node. That’s the same as many industrial and automotive chipsets. 

In early 2021, the semiconductor industry was devastated by two freak incidents: the first was a fire at a Japanese semiconductor fab owned by Renesas, which primarily catered to industrial and automotive customers. 

The other was a cold snap in Texas, which resulted in the collapse of the state’s power grid. As a result, Samsung and NXP were forced to stop manufacturing chipsets. 

Semiconductor manufacturing isn’t like a faucet. You can’t just turn it on and off. It takes time — a lot of time — to restart production.

And this only exacerbated the woes faced by Raspberry Pi, which faced increased competition for precious manufacturing time. 

Industrial and automotive users either switched foundries, often to TSMC, which makes the Pi’s BCM2711 processor, or redesigned their chips to use the same 28nm node as the Raspberry Pi. You see where this is going.

There’s also the demand element. Raspberry Pi computers are great educational tools, but they’re also good for building embedded devices.

At the start of the pandemic, these computers were increasingly found in medical equipment and other physical hardware products. 

And so, individual users were forced to wait in an ever-lengthening line. 

Price hikes

It’s not all good news. Faced with higher production costs, Raspberry Pi is hiking the price of some key devices.

The cheapest Raspberry Pi Zero machine will jump from $5 to $10, whereas the more powerful Raspberry Pi Zero W now costs $15, up from $10. 

Writing on the official Raspberry Pi blog, Upton said this was a necessary step, due to the low margins of the computers.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Oceanic+ turns the Apple Watch Ultra into a dive computer
• The iPhone 15 Pro Max could get USB 3.2 – here’s why that matters
• What is OLED burn-in and how can you avoid it?
• Is it okay to keep my computer near the window?

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Raspberry Pi devices resurface as semiconductor shortage eases appeared first on KnowTechie.

Twitter Blue confers a few benefits. Subscribers see fewer ads, can edit Tweets, and gain a (once highly-coveted) verification tick next to their name.

The package costs $8 per month or $11 for those using iOS’ in-app payment system.

The price difference for those paying directly with Apple Pay accounts for the 30 percent ‘tax’ that Apple charges on all digital goods. 

The death and rebirth of Twitter Blue 

Twitter Blue (under Elon Musk) first debuted in November, only to be suspended less than 48 hours after users took advantage of the paid-for verification tool to impersonate major brands. 

In one case, a Twitter Blue subscriber changed their profile to mimic pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and announced plans to slash the price of insulin to zero.

Because the account had a verified checkmark, it was almost indistinguishable from the real corporate mouthpiece. Eli Lilly’s stock price tumbled as a result.

One fake, masquerading as McDonald’s, falsely announced the fast food chain routinely sold expired meat. 

Another, this time pretending to be defense giant Lockheed Martin, said it would suspend sales of military hardware to countries with a checkered human rights record.

These hoaxes — although profoundly funny — caused advertisers to suspend their Twitter ad buys. And that’s a problem because Twitter relies heavily on advertising to keep the lights on.

Even with the push towards a subscription model, advertising accounts for the bulk of Twitter’s revenue.

This time around, Twitter plans to closely scrutinize Twitter Blue accounts to mitigate the risk of impersonation. These measures include limiting verification to those accounts that have been active for at least 90 days.

Whether it will be successful — particularly given its drastically diminished headcount — remains to be seen. 

Existing verified accounts could change

Musk has expressed a wish to see existing verified accounts pay for Twitter Blue to maintain their status. So far, that hasn’t happened. 

But it’s not unthinkable. For some (but not all) people with a pre-Musk checkmark, Twitter now says their accounts are a “legacy verified account” that “may or not be notable.” 

Twitter is likely to add additional checkmark styles in the coming weeks. These will distinguish between genuinely noteworthy pages and those that simply paid for verification. 

As some leaks suggest, pages belonging to businesses will receive a gold checkmark, while those associated with government bodies will have a grey checkmark. 

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Twitter will soon tell you if your account is shadowbanned
• Oversight Board finds Meta puts business over people
• Elon Musk puts an end to Twitter’s COVID misinformation policy
• A Tesla Model 3 redesign is in the works

The post Twitter Blue relaunches with higher price for iOS users appeared first on KnowTechie.

You likely seldom think about your router. And that’s okay. Your ISP takes care of it when you open a new broadband connection.

But here’s the thing: most ISP-supplied routers are total crap. I’m generalizing, of course. Some providers don’t cheap out. But many do.

These penny-pinching ISPs give their customers whatever they can find within the gloomy confines of the Bargain Basement.

And so, if you want to make the most of your speedy fiber connection, you’ll likely have to buy your own router. So, what should you get? Well, allow me to introduce you to the Linksys Hydra 6.

Linksys Hydra 6

Learn More

Quick Verdict

It’s not cheap, but it delivers on every point: from performance and range to support for the latest Wi-Fi standards and configurability.  Its biggest weakness is the 1Gbps WAN limit. But, it delivered consistent performance no matter how many devices I added to my home network.

It’s not the cheapest router, with a ticket price of $179.99.

But it justifies its steep price, thanks to its support for the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard, exceptional performance, and remarkably slick software. 

Released during 2022’s halfway point, the Linksys Hydra 6 is positioned as an all-purpose router, placing a premium on everyday performance and household coverage.

It sits towards the upper echelons of the mid-range networking market, both in terms of pricing and capabilities. 

A major selling point, particularly for those looking to upgrade from an older router, is its support for Wi-Fi 6. 

Introduced in 2019, the Wi-Fi 6 standard supports higher theoretical speeds of up to 9.6Gbps. This shouldn’t sway you towards upgrading.

The average US broadband home connection speed stands at around 167Mbps, according to Ookla. 

What’s arguably more important is its support for larger, busier home networks

Let’s imagine a hypothetical household of five people, each using a phone and laptop simultaneously. And then throw in a smattering of smart home devices.

It’s not long before you have fifteen or even twenty devices connected to the same router.

Wi-Fi 6

As the network grows, cracks emerge, taking the form of sluggish speeds and connection reliability issues. Without going too deep, Wi-Fi 6 is designed to withstand large multi-device environments. 

Wi-Fi 6 also allows for improved device battery life and wireless security. In short, it’s a big deal. 

If you’re curious, The Verge has a great explainer about the standard. It’s worth reading, as I only scratched the surface.

Ports

Let’s move on with our overview. The Linksys Hydra 6 doesn’t have the most generous port selection we’ve ever encountered, but it’s hardly paltry.

There’s one ethernet WAN port for your modem, four ethernet ports for wired connections, a barrel power jack, and a USB-A port that allows you to create an ad-hoc file server. 

Above these are two chunky antennas, which purportedly give the device its solid range.

Linksys claims the Hydra 6 can blanket a 2,500-square-foot house with a solid connection. On the front, you’ll spot a solitary status light. 

Setting up the Linksys Hydra

The Linksys Hydra came with an ethernet cable, a power adaptor (with both UK and EU plugs), and a setup CD which I immediately discarded because it isn’t 2008 anymore.

Getting started was a simple matter of disconnecting my existing router and connecting the new one. 

Linksys pushes you to download a dedicated app during the setup process. I must admit, I was a bit skeptical of this.

Over a decade-long career in tech journalism, I’m no stranger to installing “mandatory” apps that are often utterly superfluous. 

Linksys app

This wasn’t one of them. The Linksys app slickly guided me through the ropes of deploying the Hydra 6. A few moments later, I was up and running.

It was a painless experience and one I imagine a non-technical user repeating without much stress or inconvenience. We’ll talk more about the Linksys app later in this article.

There is no shortage of garish-looking routers, particularly when looking at those in the gamer niche. By contrast, the Linksys Hydra 6 is aesthetically quite conservative. 

As mentioned, the cabling sits towards the rear. There are just two antennas. It has a single, lonely status light. It’s clad entirely in black.

Linksys seemingly designed the Hydra 6 to look invisible. And that’s not a bad thing. 

What I didn’t like

That said, the router does have a few noteworthy design elements. The router sits on four (rather substantial) rubber feet, allowing it to dissipate air and limiting its dust ingestion.

Its top chassis has a lattice-style design, which likely also helps when it comes to thermal management. 

And it feels robust. The chassis feels hard enough to withstand any untimely drops or prangs — although, for obvious reasons, I didn’t test this out. 

Okay, here’s my first complaint: the Linksys Hydra 6’s WAN port caps out at 1Gbps. This means if your connection is faster than 1Gbps, you won’t see any benefit. 

In practice, this wasn’t an issue for me. My home broadband connection is precisely 1Gbps — or at the upper limit of what this router can do.

But this limitation may prove a dealbreaker if you’re lucky enough (and rich enough) to have multi-gigabit broadband. 

For most people, this problem is purely theoretical. The average US (and, indeed, UK) broadband connection is far slower. 

That throat-clearing aside, I was impressed to see how capable the Linksys Hydra 6 was. With the router in place, I began connecting my multitudinous Wi-Fi-enabled devices.

Eventually, I neared the 20-device mark. Even under this pressure, the Hydra showed no signs of buckling. 

The speed test

I performed a speed test on the router itself. This showed the device hitting the upper limits of my ISP’s promised download speeds of 849Mbps and upload speeds of 53Mbps, rounded off with a ping of 23ms. 

A later speed test on my laptop over Wi-Fi delivered 243.15Mbps down and 40Mbps up. That’s about as expected. You’d naturally expect a device to have a slower connection than the router itself.

Before I wrap this section up, let’s talk about range. The UK has among the smallest average houses within the OECD.

Therefore, you’d reasonably assume that ensuring whole-house Wi-Fi coverage isn’t an issue, right? Not quite.

Our houses are primarily built with brick, which can limit the reach of Wi-Fi.

But the connection speed and strength remained constant even when pushed back from the router as far as possible. Overall, I was impressed. 

The Linksys Hydra 6 encourages you to use the app for its day-to-day maintenance. This app is the router’s shining feature. It is ridiculously easy to manage your network, even when you’re away. 

I’m most excited about the security benefits here. Routers — like most embedded devices — are a cybersecurity nightmare. 

Security

Why? Because they’re computers. But unlike your phone or laptop, we aren’t really in the habit of periodically upgrading them.

This has led to the emergence of massive botnets that consist primarily of zombified routers and can be weaponized against a given target.

The infamous Mirai botnet, which took down a huge chunk of the global internet in 2016, is a great example of this dangerous potential. 

The Linksys Hydra 6’s software makes running or scheduling updates easy. It reduces the friction required to ensure your router is always secure. And that’s a good thing. 

As an added bonus, you can see what devices are connected to your network at any given time. I can imagine this being handy for diagnosing misbehaving IoT devices.

Parental controls and device access

A suite of parental control settings allows you to block specific websites for certain devices. So, if you want to stop your kid from accessing Instagram during exam season, you can.

You can also block devices from accessing the internet entirely and schedule pauses for specific times. 

Additionally, the app shows you the relative signal strength for everything, which is very handy.

Sadly, I couldn’t find a way to implement global website-blocking settings for all devices. That feels like an oversight. 

Elsewhere in the app, you can create a secondary “guest” network, which I imagine is ideal for those running Airbnbs, where they’re reluctant to let strangers access their connected IoT devices.

You can also set up a file-sharing system, and if you need to stretch your router’s footprint further, add new nodes and build a mesh network. 

Previewㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ	Product	Price
	TP-Link AX3000Best Budget Pick Support Wi-Fi 6 Features AI-powered Mesh technology Dual-band supports 802.11ac wave 2 with 6000Mbps at 2.4GHz for high-speed networks Price: $129.99	Learn More
	eero Pro 6 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh RouterThe Safe Pick Supports Wi-Fi 6E, the latest revision of the Wi-Fi standard Covers up to 2,000 sq. ft. with support for Wi-Fi speeds up to a gigabit Alexa built-in Price: $229	Learn More
	TP-Link Deco Wi-Fi 6 Mesh The Standard Pick It comes with three Wi-Fi 6-enabled hubs Covers a 5,800-square-foot property Supports up to 150 devices Price: $249.99	Learn More

If you’re unwilling to stomach the Linksys Hydra 6’s $179.99 price tag, consider the TP-Link AX3000. This supports the same Wi-Fi 6 standard but at half the price. 

For those with a bigger budget, Amazon will sell you its Eero Pro 6E mesh Wi-Fi system.

This device supports Wi-Fi 6E, the latest revision of the Wi-Fi standard, and is primarily concerned with lower latencies. 

Another possible option is the TP-Link Deco Wi-Fi 6 Mesh System.

This pack consists of three Wi-Fi 6-enabled hubs, allowing you to cover a 5,800-square-foot property, albeit at a cost. It normally retails for $250. 

The Linksys Hydra is a compelling device. It’s not cheap, but it’s arguably worth the cash.

It delivers on every point you’re likely to care about: from performance and range, to support for the latest Wi-Fi standards and configurability. 

I’m a big fan of the Linksys Hydra 6’s industrial design and the fully-featured companion app.

It delivered consistent performance no matter how many devices I added to my home network and blanketed my house with a reliable and nimble connection. 

Its biggest — and arguably only — weakness is the 1Gbps WAN limit. This isn’t an issue now, but as ISPs accelerate the roll-out of FTTP internet, it may dent the appeal of an otherwise well-rounded router. 

You can pick up the Linksys Hydra 6 from the company’s own website, Amazon, Best Buy, Lenovo, and Walmart. It usually retails at $179.99.

Editor’s Choice

Linksys Hydra 6 Mesh Router

Experience the next level of WiFi with Linksys Hydra 6 Mesh router. Now you can experience the fastest connection to everything you do, from next-level gaming to streaming your favorite content.

See at Linksys

See at Best Buy

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Review: Eight Sleep Pod 3 Mattress – deep sleep at any cost
• Review: EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid wireless gaming earbuds
• Review: HHOGene GPods light earbuds
• Review: Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Review: Linksys Hydra 6 Mesh Router appeared first on KnowTechie.

Unihertz is arguably the weirdest phone company in existence. It knows that, of course.

Since its inception in 2016, the company has won fans and headlines through its highly-niche devices, like the Unihertz TickTock 5G.

Today’s specimen is no exception. KnowTechie got its hands on the company’s latest miniature phone, the Unihertz Jelly 2E. We covered its predecessor a few years ago.

Unihertz Jelly 2E

Quick Verdict

The Unihertz Jelly 2E is a tiny, credit card-sized phone. Practical, yet impractical. As a digital detox phone or a backup device — it’s hard to fault the Unihertz Jelly 2E. But if your ambitions are grander, this phone is not for you. It’s clever but limited.

While the Unihertz Jelly 2E doesn’t break much new ground compared to previous models, it remains an eye-catching and weirdly practical device, but one that’s totally and unrepentantly bonkers.

But what was it like to use this phone on a daily basis? Is it worth using? Better yet, is it worth buying? That’s the question we’re going to tackle today.

When you shrink the dimensions of a phone, you inevitably limit its capabilities. Batteries, cooling systems, and multi-sensor camera arrays take up space. A lot of space.

Like the previous model, the Unihertz Jelly 2E is a living testament to that point.

If you’re spoiled by the amenities of the modern (or rather, conventional) smartphone industry, this device will leave you wanting.

But that doesn’t mean that it’s underpowered. Even with the performance trade-offs that its credit card-sized frame requires, the Unihertz Jelly 2E is more than capable of day-to-day tasks.

That said, it does suffer from a fair degree of sluggishness.

Many of the headline specs on the Jelly 2E are actually a downgrade from its predecessor. The MediaTek A20 is vastly less powerful than the Helio P60 in the previous model.

It comes with 2GB less RAM than the previous model, and storage is half that on the older Unihertz Jelly 2.

Indeed, most aspects of the device remain unchanged from the previous Jelly 2 device. The form factor is unchanged. The battery size is the same. And it looks and feels identical to the previous model.

But looking and feeling nearly identical isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Unihertz also preserved the weirdly useful elements that elevated the original Jelly 2 phone beyond gimmickry.

The IR blaster remains. This is a lovely little addition since it lets you use the phone as an ad-hoc TV remote control. It’s something we’d love to see across more devices.

READ MORE: Review: Infinix Zero Ultra

Given that you’ll likely want to spend as little time as possible using this phone’s diminutive 3.3-inch screen, the physical headphone jack is also welcome.

In practice, it means you can listen to your tracks without fiddling with the Bluetooth settings and switch songs by using the built-in remote control on your headphones.

The first Android device I owned mirrored the Unihertz Jelly 2E in many respects. It was the Sony Xperia X10 Mini. And I hated, hated, hated it.

Like the Unihertz Jelly 2E, it touted a tiny screen that measured 2.55 inches across. But, from a usability perspective, it was a nightmare.

It forced you to type using a T9 keyboard, like the ones found on an old-school phone, which was tedious beyond words. It was slow and clunky.

On a really basic level, the Sony Xperia X10 Mini was a nightmare to use.

I can’t say the same thing about the Unihertz Jelly 2E. If you set your expectations low enough, it’s something you can learn to live with — and perhaps even love.

Although small, it’s big enough to show a normal QWERTY keyboard. You won’t type with the same cadence as on a conventional phone, but it’s good enough for the occasional text.

Some usability flaws are unavoidable. Good luck trying to read long emails and documents on the Jelly 2E. You can’t. At least, not without also feeling really uncomfortable.

But Unihertz softens the blow with a few nice touches. One is the inclusion of a physical hotkey that can trigger pre-defined apps or behaviors.

Unihertz doesn’t take a particularly hands-on role in customizing the pre-installed Android 12 OS. But the changes it does make are sensible, proportionate, and beneficial.

Unihertz explicitly markets the Jelly 2E as a companion phone.

Something you’d use when trying to wean yourself from your existing phone, but you can’t (or won’t) make the full jump to old-school feature phones, like one of Nokia’s reborn classics.

Or, as a device that you won’t really mind losing. Something slightly above a burner phone. A smartphone for festivals or camping, where you don’t want to risk your everyday carry device.

With that in mind, focusing too much on the phone’s lethargic specs is unfair.

And so, I’ll mention them in passing. The original Unihertz Jelly 2 impressed us with its ability to handle day-to-day tasks with aplomb, despite its small frame.

The Jelly 2E, on the other hand, struggles. Applications take noticeably longer to load. It can’t multitask as well as its predecessor. You can do stuff, sure. But it’s not a fun or fluid experience.

To illustrate that point, the phone took almost eight seconds to bring up the Wi-Fi password prompt during setup.

Unlike the original Jelly 2, I didn’t bother trying to run any intensive games because what would be the point?

The camera similarly fails to impress, with pictures looking flat and stagnant.

On most devices, that would be a deal-breaker. But, as I mentioned, the Unihertz Jelly 2E isn’t “most devices.” Realistically, you won’t be capturing life’s finest moments with this phone.

It won’t be the tool that earns you the photography world’s most prestigious awards.

So, to recap: The Unihertz Jelly 2E is a tiny, credit card-sized phone. It’s clever but limited. Practical, yet impractical.

Specs-wise, this model represents a major downgrade from the previous version. But it also comes cheaper than the original Unihertz Jelly 2.

Still, for most people, I’d recommend considering the pricier option. It’s just so much less frustrating.

For its stated purpose — as a digital detox phone or a backup device — it’s hard to fault the Unihertz Jelly 2E. But if your ambitions are grander, this phone is not for you.

Despite its niche status, there is no shortage of alternatives to the Unihertz 2E. The most obvious is the Unihertz Jelly 2.

This device has the same form and aesthetic as the newer Unihertz Jelly 2E, but touts stronger internals, more RAM, better storage, and a faster processor.

The Unihertz Jelly 2 costs $199.99 – $40 more than the Unihertz Jelly 2E.

Previewㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ	Product	Price
	Unihertz Jelly 2The Next Best Thing Touts stronger internals It offers more RAM and storage Better storage and a faster processor Price: $199.99 ($40 more than the Unihertz Jelly 2E)	Learn More
	AGM H5 ProThe Rugged Pick It’s rugged and shockingly heavy Tacitly promoted as a backup device rather than something for day-to-day Excellent battery life Price: $319	Learn More
	Nokia 8210The Nostalgic Pick Vastly cheaper than the Unihertz Jelly 2E 2.8” QVGA color display 128MB, and there’s even room for a MicroSD card Price: $78	Learn More

I’d also consider the AGM H5 Pro. It’s a conventional (albeit rugged and shockingly heavy) phone with plenty of quirks.

Its most charming feature is a massive loudspeaker that pokes out of the rear like a pimple. Like the Unihertz Jelly 2E, this device is tacitly promoted as a backup device rather than for day-to-day usage.

Finally, if you’re looking for a digital detox device, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Nokia’s many reborn classics, like the 3310 and the 8210.

These are vastly cheaper than the Unihertz Jelly 2E, although their global availability remains somewhat of a mixed bag.

At the time of writing, the Unihertz Jelly 2E is yet to appear on Amazon. You can buy the device directly from Unihertz, which will save you $160.

As for availability, units start shipping in December. After that point, the phone’s price will rise to $170.

Review

Unihertz Jelly 2E

While the Unihertz Jelly 2E doesn’t break much new ground compared to previous models, it remains an eye-catching and weirdly practical device, but one that’s totally and unrepentantly bonkers.

See at Unihertz

See at AliExpress

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Review: Eight Sleep Pod 3 Mattress – deep sleep at any cost
• Review: HHOGene GPods light earbuds
• Review: INNOCN 27 4K mini LED monitor
• Review: Das Keyboard 6 Professional mechanical keyboard

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

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I’ve spent the past decade writing about phones. Looking back through my work, you’ll notice a growing dissatisfaction.

Time made me cynical. Jaded even. Try as I might, I couldn’t bring myself to be excited about anything. Fortunately, the subject of this review bucks that trend.

Today, we’re looking at the Infinix Zero Ultra. Infinix isn’t a household name in the US, but this device is novel enough to pique my interest.

Infinix Zero Ultra

Learn More

Quick Verdict

The Infinix Zero Ultra is a great phone. Sure, the camera quality isn’t the best and doesn’t deliver flagship performance. On the other hand, the screen is outstanding. Its 180W fast charging is nothing short of a game-changer. It’s beautiful. It feels incredible to the touch.

Of course, I’d be negligent in my duty if I only cared about nostalgia or fast charging speeds. The whole package matters.

And while I’ll deliver my reasoning in a second, I’m fairly content with how the Infinix Zero Ultra performed. This is a great phone—one worthy of your consideration.

Price-wise, it sits in the middle of the Android market. You won’t find the Infinix Zero Ultra in the bargain basement, but it’s still reasonably affordable.

When factoring in exchange rates, it costs about $500, give or take.

When it comes to specs, Infinix delivers a mixed bag of goods.

The model reviewed by KnowTechie came with a generous 13GB RAM and 256GB storage, although including a MediaTek Dimensity 920 felt a little strange.

We regularly see high-end Qualcomm and MediaTek silicon on devices within this price range and would have liked to see something similar here.

Chipset

To be fair, the MediaTek Dimensity 920 is no slouch. Sure, it’s not the fastest chipset in the world, but it’s nonetheless capable.

It’ll handle everything you throw at it, from games to social media doomscrolling. It doesn’t frustrate, but it doesn’t deliver the delightful snappiness of more powerful platforms.

Perhaps I’m just spoiled. Or maybe the line between flagship and mid-ranger is so blurred our expectations are a little out of alignment.

As mentioned earlier, the Infinix Zero Ultra packs 180W fast charging. This is the fastest charging speed on the market.

Having used this device for the past couple of weeks, it’s hard to imagine going back to the iPhone 12’s 12W charge speeds.

Fast charging is no joke

You can fully recharge your phone from empty in the time it takes to shower. You can reach the halfway point in under four minutes. This effectively eliminates the entire notion of battery anxiety.

You can meaningfully replenish your phone if you have a few minutes and a wall outlet. I know, I write for a living, but it’s hard to articulate how awesome that actually is.

The Zero Ultra technically has two batteries

Infinix achieved this by re-using a trick used by other smartphone vendors. The Zero Ultra technically has two batteries that charge in tandem at a speed of 90W each.

This approach is used on various devices, from the OnePlus 8T to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. There’s a downside to this, however.

When you use two distinct batteries, you end up with a lower overall capacity.

Space that would otherwise be occupied by anodes and cathodes houses battery packaging and duplicate power management circuitry.

And that’s arguably why the Infinix Zero Ultra has a 4,500mAh battery. Sure, that’s about the standard. But it’s also a little smaller than you expect when considering the phone touts a 6.8-inch display.

Battery life is average

The Infinix Zero Ultra lasts a full day but with little power in reserve. Fortunately, this isn’t much of an issue.

As the battery starts to wane, you just need to plug the phone in with the charger included, and you’re set for the rest of the day.

I’ll be honest, the Infinix Zero Ultra is a gorgeous piece of engineering. It’s a beautiful phone. More beautiful than you’d reasonably expect, given the price range.

Display

The 6.8-inch display delivers exceptional levels of brightness and color fidelity. It uses an AMOLED panel (1080×2500) with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz.

The screen itself is curved. This is one of those smartphone industrial design choices I’m not wildly enthusiastic about.

Sure, they look great, but only when they’re unshackled from a protective case.

Curved screen

Additionally, curved screens are often harder to replace than flat-pannel equivalents, with replacements costing more. Put simply: They look good but have undeniable trade-offs.

A metal bracket holds the near-borderless display in place, which leads to the rear chassis.

Like the Samsung Galaxy FE20, Infinix opted for a plastic back. But this doesn’t feel cheap. It touts an unusual and texturally-spectacular pattern that gives this phone an undeniable premium aesthetic.

Camera

The cameras are some of the widest I’ve encountered, looking more akin to a Sylvanian Family dinnerplate than anything else.

They’re bulbous, too, protruding awkwardly from the phone’s rear chassis.

Sensors

The aforementioned 200MP primary shooter uses a Sony ISOCELL HP1 sensor, which sits above a secondary 13MP ultrawide lens. To the right, you’ll spot a more conventional-looking 2MP macro sensor.

Sure, 200MP sounds like a lot. But like most other high-density megapixel cameras, the Infinix Zero Ultra uses pixel binning. This is where smaller pixels are grouped into one larger virtual pixel.

There’s a good reason for that. Smaller pixels, by definition, absorb less light than larger pixels. This becomes an issue when taking nighttime shots.

Picture quality

The Infinix Zero Ultra didn’t underwhelm in terms of image quality, but it didn’t impress, either.

Pictures were of acceptable social media quality but couldn’t hold a candle to a premium flagship phone or a proper DSLR.

The Infinix Zero Ultra is a great phone. Sure, the camera quality isn’t the best and doesn’t deliver flagship performance.

And if you’re wondering, yup, it also comes with a dumpster truck worth of bloatware, which undoubtedly will offend anyone used to clean Android installs.

But it’s also practical in ways that are hard to ignore. The screen is outstanding. Its 180W fast charging is nothing short of a game-changer. It’s beautiful. It feels incredible to the touch.

Despite Infinix’s French roots, the company is yet to make a retail splash in Europe or the US. If you want to grab one, you’ll have to import it.

Fortunately, you’ll be able to pick one up with Google’s essential Android apps pre-installed, unlike some China-exclusive devices I’ve reviewed in the past.

Infinix holds sway throughout the Asian market and is making slow, tentative steps westward.

Imageㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ	Product	Price
	Xiaomi 11T ProThe Best Value Fast charging speeds Slightly larger battery than the Infinix Zero Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset	Learn More
	Pixel 7Editor’s Pick Excellent camera Fairly priced Great battery life Good for those looking for a premium Android experience	Learn More
	OnePlus 10 ProRunner Up Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 6.7” QHD+ 120Hz display 48MP Sony IMX sensor Good for those seeking a Samsung or Apple alternative	Learn More

You have options if you’re looking for something now and don’t have the time or inclination to wait for an import.

The Xiaomi 11T Pro is available in Europe at roughly the same price as the Zero Ultra.

It offers similarly impressive fast charging speeds, albeit with the benefit of a slightly larger battery and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset.

For those Stateside, the OnePlus 10 Pro will also deliver your need for charging immediacy, albeit at a slightly higher cost.

If you decide that the Infinix Zero Ultra is for you, you can snag it directly from the company’s website for approximately $500.

US buyers can purchase the phone from retailers like AliExpress for around the same price.

Review

Infinix Zero Ultra

I’m fairly content with how the Infinix Zero Ultra performed. The phone’s screen is gorgeous. The fast charging is incredible. It feels smooth and clean to the touch. This is a great phone—one worthy of your consideration.

See at Infinix

See at AliExpres

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Review: Eight Sleep Pod 3 Mattress – deep sleep at any cost
• Review: EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid wireless gaming earbuds
• Review: HHOGene GPods light earbuds
• Is God of War Ragnarök worth buying? Here’s what reviewers say

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The post Review: Infinix Zero Ultra appeared first on KnowTechie.

It sounds lonely and a bit sad, but trust me, it isn’t. In short, it’s a note-taking tool that allows users to create memos without leaving the app. 

Here’s how it works. When you want to leave a note for yourself, just start a new chat. Your name will appear at the top of your contacts list.

WhatsApp will synchronize your memos across the various devices you’re logged in, with notes protected by the company’s end-to-end encryption. 

Unlike the changes to WhatsApp’s account-sharing capabilities, which we discussed earlier this week and remain in beta, WhatsApp’s memo functionality is available to use now.

The feature appears on version 22.23.74 on iOS, and version 22.22.23.77 on Android. 

With this update, WhatsApp catches up with the competition. As mentioned, Slack already lets you leave notes for yourself by DMing Slackbot.

Signal rolled out its “Note to Self” tool in 2021. Even iMessage lets you text yourself. 

WhatsApp is the world’s most popular messaging app. In recent months, the Meta-owned platform has sought to narrow the functionality gap between itself and its many competitors. 

To access WhatsApp’s new notes feature, update your app in the App Store or Google Play Store. If you still don’t have it, you’ll likely have to wait a few days for the company to complete its rollout. 

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to add people on WhatsApp
• Twitter will no longer mention which device tweets come from
• Signal adds Stories to its app
• Telegram founder says we should ‘stay away’ from WhatsApp

The post WhatsApp now lets you send a message to yourself appeared first on KnowTechie.

It’s been a while since we last covered an Honor phone here at KnowTechie. And boy, it’s been a busy couple of years for the company.

Let’s recap: Honor was riding high, expanding its mid-range mobile business across Europe and Asia. Everything was going great. Until it wasn’t.

The erstwhile US President, Donald Trump, took aim at its parent company, Huawei. Suddenly, they couldn’t buy components from suppliers or even license Google’s Android apps.

For a moment, it looked like they were down and out. But then, Honor split from Huawei. As their own company, hoping to one day shine again.

Now, they’re again spreading their wings worldwide, selling phones people want to buy, and gradually reclaiming their place at the mobile table.

And it’s phones like the Honor 70 that are making this possible. As far as reunions go, this was a good one.

Honor 70

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Quick Verdict

The Honor 70 is a great phone. But it’s also in a fiercely-competitive market. But it’s also hugely compelling, with some of the best photography chops in the mid-range segment. Overall, great camera but dated UI. Honor still has a long way to go.

The Honor 70 isn’t a perfect phone, but it’s also hugely compelling, with some of the best photography chops in the mid-range segment.

It’s a beautiful, potent bit of technology. And if you pull up a chair, I’ll tell you about it.

First Impressions

Honor and I have been around the block a few times.

I’ve covered their devices at almost every tech publication I’ve worked at, from The Next Web and The Register, to this humble outfit. And they’ve never let me down.

READ MORE: Review: Infinix Zero Ultra

Not once have they given me cause to hold my nose and give you a resounding thumbs-down, like Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator.

And my praise has always been the same: pretty phones, great cameras, and solid specs, all at a reasonable price.

CPU and storage

The same is true with the Honor 70. Sure, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ chipset isn’t the fastest in the world.

Still, it’s nimble enough, demolishing games and social media tasks with the enthusiasm of former Toronto mayor Rob Ford at a celestial buffet.

Where, among the Bloody Marys and bottomless omelets, they also serve Pablo’s finest marching powder.

They offer customers a dizzying array of RAM and storage configurations, ranging from a basic 8GB RAM and 128GB storage to a slightly extravagant 12GB RAM and 512GB storage.

The model you shipped this humble journalist sat toward the middle of that pack.

Looks aren’t everything, but I can’t fault the Honor 70’s design.

Display

I’m a big fan of the tall 6.67-inch display, which positively invites the owner to waste the afternoon in a flurry of PUBG Mobile gunfire.

READ MORE: Honor Magic Earbuds Review

Its 120Hz refresh rate makes it well-suited for mobile gamers, while its HDR10+ compatibility and OLED panel elevates the long hours spent watching Netflix in the office toilet.

Still, lacking a QHD resolution (just FHD+) feels like a missed opportunity.

The camera modules sit in two UFO-shaped bulges within the rear of the phone’s textured chassis. It’s an eye-catching design and surprisingly elegant.

Camera

The phone’s three rear-facing cameras are a 54MP wide-angle primary lens based on Sony’s new IMX800 sensor, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 2MP depth sensor.

Cameras have always been Honor’s bag. They were the first phone vendor to release a 48MP camera — a groundbreaking feat back in 2019.

So, it wasn’t a surprise to see how capable the Honor 70 was as a portable photography machine.

Exerting little effort, it produced rich and vibrant images, capturing the finer details of complicated compositions with startling accuracy.

This mural of Ringo Starr — the Beatles’ second-best drummer — demonstrates this.

And I was gratified to see its photography chops hold up even in the most adverse conditions, like nighttime or during the bleariest days of the English winter.

The Finer Touches

The Honor 70 is a solid phone. There’s a lot I like that I haven’t touched upon.

Fast charging

Its 66W fast charging gives you almost 60 percent of charge in around 20 minutes, and its 4,800mAh battery can handily last one-and-a-half days with moderate usage.

Some things to grumble about

Let’s start with the lack of an IP rating. On a basic level, it would be nice to have some reassurance about how this phone handles splashes and dust.

The bloatware. My god, the bloatware

I didn’t expect a pristine stock Android experience, Honor, but I also didn’t want the first ten minutes to be spent hunting down apps I have no desire to use or install.

Magic UI 6.1

The Honor 70 uses Magic UI 6.1, which itself is built upon Android 12.

There’s a lot to like about Magic UI, particularly regarding its support for gesture-based navigation, but it does look a touch dated.

Its lineage, which stretches back to Huawei’s EMUI, is still glaringly apparent.

Final Verdict: Great Camera, Dated UI

It’s been a lovely reunion, Honor. You’re still you. You still excel when it comes to design and imaging. But you still have a long way to go.

Magic UI. To quote the philosopher Fergie, it’s so 2000-and-late. It’s the carbuncle that betrays an otherwise spectacular piece of industrial design.

With no MicroSD slot or 3.5mm headphone jack, you have no excuse to leave out a proper dust- and water-proofing rating.

Given the starting price of £449 (or $695, when imported to the US), you need to get these details right.

Honor 70 alternatives to consider

Imageㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ	Product	Price
	Nokia X30 5GThe Basic Pick Three years of software updates and an impressive three-year hardware warranty. Eco-friendly Stock Android experience	Learn More
	Nothing Phone(1)Best Budget Pick Decent Specs Flashy and bold design Excellent camera Good for those looking for an alternative that isn’t offered by Google or Apple	Learn More
	Google Pixel 7Editor’s Pick Excellent camera Fairly priced Great battery life Good for those looking for a premium Android experience	Learn More

The Honor 70 is a great phone. But it’s also in a fiercely-competitive market.

The Nokia X30 5G rivals you on the photography front but has the benefit of a three-year warranty and three years of software updates.

The Nothing Phone(1) and countless devices from OPPO and Realme all deliver compelling alternatives, but at the same or lower price as the Honor 70.

READ MORE: Bad news, the Nothing Phone 1 isn’t coming to America

And Google continues to impress with the Pixel line-up. The Google Pixel 7 is priced within reach of the Honor 70.

It touts a similarly-impressive camera setup and benefits from long-term OS support and a stock Android experience.

Pay attention, Honor. If you want to reclaim your rightful place at the smartphone table, these are the companies and devices you’ll need to beat.

Where to buy the Honor 70

US buyers can pick up the Honor 70 from Amazon’s third-party sellers. The base device costs around $700, shipping included.

At the time of writing, the Honor 70 is discounted to around £379 on Amazon UK’s Black Friday sale.

That’s a £100 discount from its usual price. You can also buy it directly from Honor’s site.

Review

Honor 70

The Honor 70 is a great phone. It looks great, feels great, and its camera takes amazing pictures. But Honor still has a long way to go if it intends to keep up with competing brands. Still, it’s not the worst phone, but it’s certainly not the best.

See at Honor

See at Amazon

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Review: EPOS GTW 270 Hybrid wireless gaming earbuds
• Review: G Pen Hyer
• Review: HHOGene GPods light earbuds
• Review: AGM H5 Pro smartphone

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Review: Honor 70 appeared first on KnowTechie.

The smartphone industry is an ecological catastrophe. This unhappy fact is by design.

Vendors make money when you buy new phones. And so, they silently tip the scales in their favor by accelerating obsolescence and making repairs harder.

Nokia’s latest device — the snappily-named Nokia X30 5G — is the anathema of that trend.

It’s designed for longevity. It uses recycled materials. You get at least three years of updates and upgrades and an equally-long warranty. And no, it doesn’t have a bundled charger.

Sustainable Pick

Learn More

Quick Verdict

The Nokia X30 5G isn’t a powerhouse, and that’s okay because it doesn’t pretend to be. Rather, it delivers the things most people care about in a phone. Excellent screen? Check. Spectacular cameras? Double check. Fast charging and solid battery life? It’s got those too. Oh, and it’s pretty.

A three-year warranty? Really?

It’s easy to be cynical about the environmental credentials of tech brands.

When a CEO starts channeling their inner Greta Thunberg, the appropriate response is to ask: “How did you get here? Gulfstream or Bombardier?”

But, at the same time, we have to give Nokia some respect here. The three-year warranty is something seldom seen in the consumer tech world.

It’s rare for an Android vendor to commit to a long lifespan. Especially when the phone — as with the Nokia X30 5G — is decidedly mid-range.

How much does Nokia X30 cost?

The Nokia X30 5G retails in the UK at £400 and $575 in the US (if you’re lucky to find one).

The mid-range of the smartphone market is a decidedly low-margin business. Apple will gladly tell you that the big bucks are in the premium tiers.

These low margins incentivize vendors to offer the least amount of support possible. So, yeah. Nokia’s ethos for the X30 5G is nothing short of remarkable.

Review

Nokia X30 5G

Nokia will also let you rent the phone on a subscription basis through its Nokia Circular service. If you decide to go down this path, you can expect to pay £22 (around $27) every 30 days.

See at Amazon

See at Nokia

But is the phone any good? I spent the last few weeks putting this to the test. Let’s get right to it.

Breaking down the Nokia X30 5G

On paper, the Nokia X30 5G is a fairly unremarkable phone, touting the same kind of mid-range specs you’d expect within its price tier.

It has a modestly-sized 6.43-inch display, a touch smaller than some of the recent devices we’ve reviewed at KnowTechie, but still fairly comfortable.

The Nokia X30 5G’s small profile makes it easy to grip.

Meanwhile, the vivid AMOLED display delivers an exceptional Netflix viewing experience thanks to its top-notch color fidelity and stellar brightness.

Regarding sheer computational performance, the Nokia X30 5G walks a road of moderation.

The processor beating within the phone’s metal chassis is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695, and buyers can choose between 6GB and 8GB RAM.

Storage, meanwhile, comes in two flavors: 128GB and 256GB.

The Nokia X30 5G runs a delightfully stock version of Android 12, as you would expect from the Finnish mobile stalwart. That’s appreciated.

My least favorite thing about buying a new phone is spending 15minutes meticulously deleting unwanted bloatware.

Within the phone’s diminutive frame, there’s a relatively small 4,200 mAh battery. That’s a touch below par, but it doesn’t impact day-to-day usage.

Thanks to the phone’s relatively small display, and the power-sipping Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor, the Nokia X30 comfortably delivers around 36 hours of life.

It also touts 33W fast charging, and you can easily replenish a fully-drained battery in less than 90 minutes.

Camera

Nokia has long enjoyed a photography pedigree. Even during the difficult Windows Mobile years, this was something it did well.

And although Nokia’s smartphone business is no longer owned by the original company but rather a plucky Finnish startup called HMD Global, it’s certainly nice to see it return to its roots.

READ MORE: Review: Infinix Zero Ultra

The Nokia X30 5G touts two rear-facing cameras: a 50MP primary sensor with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and a 13MP ultra-wide.

The primary sensor is the show’s real star, delivering vivid images with exceptional detail.

OIS is somewhat of a rarity on smartphones, particularly those in the market’s middle tier. There’s a reason for that.

It’s a hardware solution. Hardware costs money. And remember how I said mid-range phones are a low-margin business?

But here’s the thing: OIS is a total game-changer. It smooths out the natural jolts and jitters that come with taking a picture on your phone.

It dramatically improves low-light photography, where your phone’s camera shutter needs to remain open for longer to absorb as much light as possible.

In short, it lets you take better pictures in various arduous contexts.

The results speak for themselves.

The Nokia X30 5G happily captures detailed, vibrant pictures — no matter the situation. It’s arguably the best photography experience I’ve had with a phone in its category.

Design and aesthetics

This point is subjective, but the Nokia X30 5G is a wonderfully attractive phone. Its metal frame and svelte size make it an ergonomic delight. It’s not just easy to hold but comfortable too.

Meanwhile, the phone’s aluminum frame, which snakes around the screen and touches upon the backplate, gives this device a wonderfully premium feel.

I’d wager the decision to use a smaller battery and the restraint shown by Nokia in choosing to include just two cameras, which limits the size of the rear camera bump significantly.

The phone touts a plastic rear, but this doesn’t feel cheap or flimsy. Rather, it’s as delightfully robust as the rest of the phone.

Our Verdict: Green, Mean, and (Visually) Clean

The Nokia X30 5G isn’t a powerhouse. But that’s okay because it doesn’t pretend to be. Rather, it delivers the elements most people care about in a phone.

Excellent screen? Check. Spectacular cameras? Double check. Fast charging and solid battery life? It’s got those too. Oh, and it’s pretty.

If you align your expectations with what this phone can deliver, you’ll likely be happy with what you get.

I turned 31 this year. As a result, whenever I review a phone, I find myself asking: “Would my parents be happy if I gave them this?” And the answer is yes.

It’s an uncomplicated phone. It’s not too big, not too expensive, and hits most elements on the average person’s wishlist.

Additionally, there’s no bloatware or clutter to frustrate. On a really basic level, the Nokia X30 5G is a good phone.

Imageㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ	Product	Price
	Fairphone 4Sustainable Pick Five-year warranty Modular Easy to repair Good for those who care about repairability and the environment	Learn More
	Pixel 7Editor’s Pick Excellent camera Fairly priced Great battery life Good for those looking for a premium Android experience	Learn More
	OnePlus 10 ProThe Fringe Pick Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 6.7” QHD+ 120Hz display 48MP Sony IMX sensor Good for those seeking a Samsung or Apple alternative	Learn More

Committed earth fanciers will also want to consider the FairPhone 4, which although significantly more expensive, surpasses the Nokia X30 5G’s warranty with five years of support.

It’s also modular, easy to repair, and holds an unprecedented 10/10 repairability score from iFixit.

Fans of the stock Android experience might also want to consider the Google Pixel 7, which nears the Nokia X30 5G’s price, and boasts similarly impressive optics.

Like the Nokia, the Google Pixel 7 also guarantees a level of long-term support.

And finally, if you can stretch your budget a little further, consider the OnePlus 10 Pro.

READ MORE: OnePlus 10 Pro Review

The base model retails at $125 more than the Nokia, sure, but it boasts more capable internals. Its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 platform is a real flagship chipset and, therefore, more capable.

Where to get the Nokia X30 5G

If you’re based in the UK, you can find the Nokia X30 5G on Amazon for £399.

Nokia will also let you rent the phone on a subscription basis through its Nokia Circular service. If you decide to go down this path, you can expect to pay £22 (around $27) every 30 days.

Review

Nokia X30 5G

We have to give Nokia some respect here. The three-year warranty is something seldom seen in the consumer tech world. Especially when the phone — as with the Nokia X30 5G — is decidedly mid-range.

See at Amazon

See at Nokia

Nokia has yet to release the Nokia X30 5G in the US.

Fortunately, with decent US network support and each phone sold unlocked by default, you can import it without any real problems.

You can find third-party resellers offering the phone on Amazon, with prices floating around the $575 to $600 mark, with free shipping included.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Review: AGM H5 Pro smartphone
• Review: Unihertz TickTock 5G smartphone
• Don’t be fooled by Apple’s embrace of ‘Right to Repair’
• The Nokia 8210 sees new life in 2022 thanks to HMD Global

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Review: Nokia X30 5G appeared first on KnowTechie.

But not every iPhone will be equal, reports mobile analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. 

Ming-Chi, a well-connected analyst with a solid track record for predicting Apple’s future moves, claims the company will limit the fastest USB data transfer speeds for its priciest devices.

While the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro will benefit from USB 3.2 (or possibly even Thunderbolt), the entry-level iPhone 15 will use the same aging USB 2.0 protocol as previous Lightning-based models. 

If this prediction proves accurate, the base iPhone 15 will have the same lethargic data and video transfer speeds as previous models. 

Why high-speed transfer matters

There are likely a few reasons for this. First, by limiting the standard iPhone 15, Apple incentivizes customers to spend more on the Pro and Pro Max models. 

I hear you. Why would iPhone customers care about slightly faster data transfer speeds? It’s a fair question. 

The most likely answer is that USB 3.2 would allow Apple to position the iPhone as a computer replacement, much like the iPad.

Users could theoretically connect their device to a hub and use it with a traditional desktop and monitor. 

USB 3.2 supports throughput speeds of 20Gbps. This is more than enough to connect two 4K monitors, plus the other peripherals required for desktop computing, like a mouse and keyboard. 

By contrast, USB 2.0 has a maximum theoretical throughput of 53Mbps. You can attach a single 1080×1920 monitor, and possibly some peripherals, but not much else. 

The other likely reason behind Apple potentially limiting USB 3.2 (or Thunderbolt) to its more expensive devices is cost. USB 3.2 requires dedicated chipsets to work. These cost more than older, slower USB 2.0 controllers. 

Some important context

Ming-Chi has a solid track record when it comes to predicting Apple’s future. While I take everything he says with a pinch of salt (chased by a shot of healthy skepticism), I don’t dismiss him, either. 

USB 3.2 has the potential to transform the iPhone into something bigger. Apple wouldn’t be the first mobile manufacturer to bring a desktop experience to their phone.

Samsung, Motorola, and Huawei all have attempted similar things. But it would be the first to actually popularize it. 

And it makes sense that Apple would limit that for its most premium models.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• PSA: Apple has cut trade-in values for iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks
• Apple’s emergency SOS feature is now live
• Google Maps now shows the fastest EV charging stations
• The Meta Quest 3 will release in late 2023

The post The iPhone 15 Pro Max could get USB 3.2 – here’s why that matters appeared first on KnowTechie.

To help EV owners find the right charger, Google Maps will now show the fastest charging stations in the nearby vicinity. 

Manufacturer support, a growing charging ecosystem, and healthy government subsidies have all contributed to the rise of the zero-emissions car. 

But there are still obstacles to overcome. Not all chargers are made equal. That’s where the Google Maps update comes in.

While the US had 48,000 charging stations by 2022’s halfway point, only 6,000 were fast DC charging stations, which can replenish a battery in as little as fifteen minutes. 

When you search for a charging station, Google Maps will show the power throughput of each charging station, allowing you to avoid sluggish Level 1 and Level 2 chargers, which typically deliver speeds under 43kW. 

Google Maps users can filter results to show only the fastest charging options — namely those with speeds above 50kW.

Another filter option allows you to select stations that are compatible with your particular electric vehicle. 

To be fair, this information was already available to people in the US. The catch was that you had to visit the Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center, which looks and feels like a website from the early 2000s. 

Google’s solution is cleaner, faster, and vastly more mobile-friendly. It’s also available worldwide. To start searching, update the Google Maps app on Android and iOS. 

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Either they could commit to a new “hardcore” version of Twitter, where they’ll work grueling hours at “high intensity,” or they could leave with three months’ severance. They had two days to decide. 

Last night, Musk’s deadline elapsed. Many, it seems, decided to take the money and run.

We don’t have any concrete figures, but reporting from The Verge suggests the ultimatum backfired spectacularly. Twitter now faces an exodus of talent and no clear path to replace them.

The Verge reports that many of Twitter’s most critical engineering teams are now completely unstaffed, or operating with a skeleton crew. And when I say critical, I mean it.

The team that handles Twitter’s internal software development libraries is reportedly “gone.” One company insider said: “You cannot run Twitter without this team.”

Cogs in a machine

Musk is an iconoclastic figure. The Cult of Elon has millions of adherents. Many took to Twitter to gleefully brigade the mentions of departing Twitter employees, reminding them that they’re easily replaceable. 

Except, they aren’t. Look, I started life as a software developer.

READ MORE: Musk says Apple never considered removing Twitter from App Store

I have a Computer Science degree. I’ve interned at startups. I know how the sausage gets made. Technology products are incredibly complex. They involve countless moving parts.

In the case of Twitter, are the culmination of thousands of people’s work. 

Twitter is almost two-decades old. Before Musk decimated its workforce, it had around 7,500 employees. I mention this because I want to illustrate the unknowable complexity of Twitter. It’s a big, big system. 

Sure, Musk can hire new engineers. They may be competent — even brilliant — coders.

And, perhaps most important, they may even be committed believers in the Cult of Elon. They’ll drink the Kool-Aid and say: “Please sir, can I have some more?” 

But that isn’t enough. It typically takes three and nine months for an engineer to fully acclimate to a new company. To have a meaningful understanding of the code base. And those are in the best of situations. 

The road to productivity

Twitter’s layoffs — and the voluntary exodus of the remaining workers — have meant a lot of institutional knowledge has left the company.

There is nobody left to explain how some of the most vital and complicated systems work. 

These new hires — assuming they materialize — will have to figure things out for themselves. I have no idea how long that will take. I am certain it won’t be quick, however. 

For the foreseeable future, Twitter will struggle to add new features. The platform’s reliability will nosedive. Remember the Fail Whale of early Twitter? It’s coming back. It’ll be a less competitive, more broken platform. 

And it was entirely avoidable. There’s a lesson here. Don’t screw over your engineers. Musk began its acquisition from an adversarial point.

He fired thousands, and threatened to make the working lives of the survivors that much worse. It’s no surprise they left in droves. 

Developers aren’t cogs in a machine. They’re talented people who understand the complexity and hidden nuances of application.

To reach that point, they spend months learning and studying but not really delivering any value in terms of new features. 

Have we hit bottom yet?

We don’t precisely know how bad things are at Twitter. We don’t know the true number of those who agreed to Musk’s “Twitter 2.0” pledge, and those who packed their belongings on Thursday night, never to return. 

And we don’t know what Musk plans to do next. Will he manage to recruit engineering talent to keep Twitter afloat? Can he persuade those leaving to stay? Will he walk back his more egregious cultural and workplace changes? 

Musk has suggested he may find a replacement CEO to take over at Twitter.

Will his successor mend the bridges that Musk unceremonially torched over the course of a matter of weeks? And will these fixes arrive in time to prevent a mass exodus of users? 

I honestly don’t know. But I have never been more convinced of one thing: Don’t fuck with your coders. 

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If they overheat or short-circuit, they’re liable to catch fire. Puncture them, and they may explode in the most spectacular of fashions.

Remember the Samsung Galaxy Note 7? Or the spate of highly-combustible hoverboards that flooded the US in 2016?

Illustrating this point is a new video from iFixit, which shows what happens when you pierce a Lithium-Ion battery. 

You’re probably familiar with iFixit. If your phone or laptop breaks, iFixit will show you how to fix it. It sells repair tools and replacement components.

I’m a massive fan of its Mako screwdriver kit. And, most importantly, iFixit is the leading force behind the Right-to-Repair movement. 

As an organization, iFixit isn’t in the habit of deliberately breaking technology, or creating huge explosions for comic effect.

But their video raises an important point: Lithium-based batteries should be handled with care and respect. 

Breaking batteries for fun and science

iFixit started by taking a small smartphone battery and piercing it with a metal spudger. Lithium batteries are effectively thin strips of electrodes stacked atop each other.

As the spudger makes its way through the battery, it creates a short circuit that ignites the volatile lithium and oxygen within. 

Moments after, a thick plume of smoke poured from the battery. But what happens if you puncture a larger battery, like the one found in your laptop? 

Answer: the same thing. Just bigger. Since larger batteries contain more of the highly-combustible elements found in your smartphone, they produce a more intense flame when punctured or damaged. 

For iFixit’s next trick, it turned its attention to an obviously-defective battery. You can tell when a battery its end-of-life. The cells begin to bulge with noxious gas. This phenomenon has a nickname: spicy pillows.

iFixit pointed out that a battery’s combustibility is linked to its charge. Since worn-out batteries have a smaller capacity, their destructive potential is limited. Limited, but still dangerous.

As iFixit’s team poked holes into the swollen cells, they emitted thick plumes of smoke. 

Concluding this display of technological pyrotechnics, iFixit fired a volley of nails into a large battery. The kind you’ll find in a hoverboard or electric scooter.

This produced an intense flame that, if it occurred in a confined space, would easily turn a family home into a smoldering pile of ashes. 

An important message

iFixit didn’t do this for shock value. There’s method to the madness. One of the biggest refrains we hear from Right-to-Repair opponents is that consumers would be at risk if allowed to fix their own equipment. 

But if you handle batteries sensibly and with respect, that risk disappears. iFixit ended the video with practical advice.

Before disassembling your hardware, ensure the battery is charged to 25 percent or lower. Depleted batteries are ultimately safer batteries.

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Since they sit behind a screen, they can’t capture all the details required to distinguish a recognized user from an imposter accurately. 

But that’s starting to change. Qualcomm (the company that likely designed the processor in your Android phone) has partnered with trinamiX to support its under-display facial recognition tech in its latest chipsets. 

How it works

TrinamiX’s tech purportedly achieves spoof-proof facial recognition, even when placed behind an OLED screen, and can spot when someone is wearing a hyper-realistic face mask. 

It combines standard facial recognition tests with “liveness” checks. The latter works by searching for the telltale signs of human skin, which are impossible to replicate even with the most compelling silicone masks. 

This test — called the Beam Profile Analysis — works by casting a regular dot pattern against the user’s face.

It measures the reflection of each dot with an infrared (IR) camera and processes the results against a patented algorithm. This algorithm then returns a verdict: “Skin” or “no skin.” 

In its own tests, the trinamiX Face Authentication tech identified facial replicas with a 100 percent success rate. 

It has since earned various certifications, including the IFAA Biometric Face Security Test Requirement, allowing it to be used as an authentication method for sensitive applications, like mobile payments.

Qualcomm will support trinamiX Face Authentication in the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform. This chip is intended for flagship devices and is rumored to feature on the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S23 series. 

Other efforts in facial recognition

It’s worth noting that other companies have wrestled with making under-screen cameras suitable for biometric authentication. 

Earlier this year, Samsung received approval for a patent that used dual under-screen cameras to verify a user’s authenticity securely. 

When you double the number of front-facing cameras, you also double the amount of data available for biometric authentication tasks.

Conventional smartphones manage with just one camera — but remember, they also don’t have a huge piece of display sitting between them and the user. 

This approach has three major downsides. It adds cost, weight, and takes up valuable space.

ZTE — which introduced the first device with an under-display camera in early 2021 — has its own solution. It increased the pixel density of the projector used to map the user’s face by a factor of ten.

With more light passing through the screen, the phone can produce a more faithful digital representation of the user’s face. This, according to Engadget, is accurate enough for mobile payments. 

What makes trinamiX so interesting? Well, the fact it’s supported by a major — if not the leading — mobile chipset vendor gives it a major advantage over the competition.

Trinamix Face Authentication has also won the support of several certifying bodies, including FIDO, which sets the standard for many authentication technologies. 

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see this tech eventually appear on other devices, including low-end and budget phones. As a result, we’re one step closer to eliminating the unsightly camera notch for good. 

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But now, the work-from-home crowd will be able to game during business hours with the blessing of Microsoft itself. 

The latest update to Microsoft Teams — Redmond’s answer to Slack — brings a swath of new casual games, where you can even compete against up to 250 of your colleagues. 

But don’t get too excited — yet. You won’t be able to frag colleagues in Doom Eternal’s multiplayer, no matter how much your boss looks like a Cacodemon.

Nor will it let you take down the malevolent Institute in the post-apocalyptic hellscape of Fallout 4. Rather, ‘Games for Work’ includes options like Minesweeper, Solitaire, and Wordament.

In Solitaire, players will compete to finish first. The Microsoft Teams flavor of Minesweeper adds a collaborative edge, as you work with your colleagues to clear the board.

Wordament, meanwhile, will list your company’s most erudite linguists on a leaderboard. 

Microsoft envisions ‘Games for Work’ as a team-building tool. It hopes that, by incorporating games into the working day, employees will emerge refreshed and ultimately more productive. 

“Research shows that gaming promotes cognitive benefits, helps foster empathy and encourages inclusion, team building and learning,” the company said in an announcement.

If you’re curious, you can check out the Microsoft Games for Work app here. You’ll likely have to get permission from your IT department before you start pwning your n00b colleagues in Minesweeper, however.

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With no sense of urgency, it’s all too easy to hit “snooze” on those all-important patches and upgrades.

Now, with the latest improvement to the Google Play Store, users have a new incentive to update their apps.

Whenever an Android app crashes, Google will prompt users to install the latest version to hopefully prevent future crashes.

As noted by Android Police, the November 2022 Play Store system update changelog says it will “help users resolve app crashes with new update prompts.”

A dive into the Play Store’s source code by esper.io’s Mishaal Rahman revealed the following text:

There’s no shortage of reasons why Android apps crash. These range from sloppy coding and network connectivity issues, to a lack of quality control. Some crashes are the product of unforeseen edge cases. 

With thousands (if not tens of thousands) of device types and billions of users, crashes are inevitable. 

Inevitable, but undesirable. Developers want to make software that works. This desire — and the Google Play Store’s rating system — motivates developers to fix their code. But patches only work if people install them. 

With this relatively minor tweak, the Google Play Store will hopefully help users to help themselves.

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In a tweet, Musk timetabled the relaunch for November 29 in order to “make sure that it is rock solid.” 

Twitter suspended its paid verification service after just one day, following a spate of verified fake accounts that impersonated existing corporate brands, including Lockheed Martin and Eli Lilly. 

The first days of paid verification

One tweet from a fake Eli Lilly account promised to make insulin free of charge for all patients. The real company’s market value lost billions as a result. 

Another damaging tweet claimed Lockheed Martin — the manufacturer of the F35 fighter jet — would cease working with nations accused of human rights abuses. It similarly saw its share price slump as a result. 

According to Musk, the new version of Twitter Blue verification will see users lose their verified status if they change their name. Twitter will manually approve name changes to prevent hoax accounts.

This sounds good in principle, but Twitter is shedding employees as rapidly as it loses advertisers. It goes without saying, but manual verification requires human involvement. People, essentially. 

Twitter could use contractors, much like Facebook uses third-party staff to moderate content.

This approach poses its own risks. These workers usually reside outside the US, often in countries like India and the Phillippines, and may lack the cultural knowledge required to spot a fake. 

Content moderation is a low-paid, unfulfilling job. As whistleblower testimony has shown, it isn’t an environment that lends itself to thoughtful contemplation. Workers often have high quotas and are prone to mistakes. 

This risk is heightened when you consider Twitter intends to make verification a core part of its business model.

If it intends to reduce the company’s dependence on advertising, which stands at around 90 percent of revenues, it’ll need to verify a lot of users.

Twitter’s plan for legacy blue checkmarks

Musk also shed light on his plans for “legacy” blue checkmarks — or accounts Twitter verified because they’re associated with high-profile figures in business, media, politics, or entertainment. 

In a tweet, he confirmed these “legacy Blue checkmarks” will lapse in a few months, unless the owner signs up for an $8 Twitter Blue subscription. 

Musk’s push to monetize verification may prove unsuccessful, but it’s necessary. The company faces an exodus of advertisers in the days and weeks following its acquisition. 

The first emigrants consisted primarily of automotive manufacturers, who feared Tesla gaining access to sensitive business data.

The car industry accounts for a disproportionate amount of ad spending in the US, with more than half going to digital platforms (like Twitter). 

Twitter’s subsequent mishandling of verification has deterred other advertisers. Eli Lilly, the aforementioned victim of a spoof account, suspended Twitter advertising earlier this week. 

While Twitter’s future trajectory remains uncertain, these high-value advertisers won’t return. Or, if they do, they’ll spend less than before and require greater assurances from Twitter that their brands will be protected. 

Twitter has to pivot. It needs to find something besides advertising. Even with its diminished headcount, the company needs money. Musk needs to repay the banks and investment funds that financed his acquisition. 

Is paid verification the best way to accomplish that? As the evidence shows, probably not. 

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The latest edition commemorates the iconic (but, at the time, profoundly divisive) virtual office assistant, Clippy. 

If you’re unfamiliar with Clippy, here’s a brief history lesson. With the launch of Office 97, Microsoft sought to make its productivity suite less intimidating to the millions of people using a computer for the first time. 

Its solution was an interactive assistant that would appear as you worked, giving friendly tips about making the most of Microsoft Office.

Clippy was just one of many possible assistants, which included a caricature of Albert Einstein, an energetic puppy, and a cartoonish version of William Shakespeare. 

Microsoft’s intentions were pure, but the results were mixed. Experienced Office users found these assistants patronizing, intrusive, and unhelpful.

As Clippy was the most well-known of the assistants, it became the poster child for everything wrong with the feature. 

With the release of Office XP, Microsoft led Clippy behind the cowshed. Few shed tears.

But nostalgia is a weird thing. It makes you look fondly at things you once loathed. And in the years since, the Internet has quietly rehabilitated Clippy’s reputation. It’s no longer a reviled cartoon character, but a meme. 

And so, it makes sense Microsoft would choose to use Clippy as its mascot for the company’s annual Windows Ugly Sweater extravaganza. 

As in previous years, Microsoft will donate the proceeds to a charitable cause. This year, it’s the College Success Foundation, which helps “underserved, low-income students to access and succeed in college.”

If you’re tempted, you can buy the sweater from the Xbox Gear Shop while stocks last. It retails at $74.99 in the US and £64.99 in the UK. 

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A marketing maven who made computers cool? Definitely. Terrible father? Oh yes. 

But fashion icon? That’s a bit more complicated. When dealing with clothing, Jobs was a man of simple taste.

His wardrobe seemingly consisted of two things: blue denim jeans and black turtleneck sweaters. He looked more at home on the stage of WWDC than strolling down the catwalk at New York Fashion Week. 

And yet, his simple attire inspired others. Elizabeth Holmes, convicted fraudster and founder of Theranos, mirrored his style thread-by-thread.

If you ever go to a large tech event, take a shot for every Jobs wannabe you stumble across. I promise you; you’ll be drunk by lunchtime. 

I mention this because someone just spent $218,750 buying Steve Jobs’ sandals. Were they the kind of diamond-encrusted shoes Paul Simon sang about on Graceland? No. They were normal, brown suede Birkenstock Arizonas. 

Birkenstocks are undeniably comfortable but hardly the cutting edge of haute couture. They’re more commonly found on the feet of park rangers and aging hippies than Victoria’s Secret models. 

But although these sandals may lack on the aesthetic front, they were nonetheless present for some of the most important moments in tech history.

Jobs purportedly owned (and wore) them during the 1970s and 1980s, when Apple emerged from a Palo Alto basement and began its path to world dominance with the release of the Apple II computer.

According to the auction house, Julien’s Auctions, the “well used” yet “intact” slippers still bear the imprint of Jobs’ feet.

Julien’s Auctions did not disclose the identity of the buyer. In total, the Birkenstocks attracted 19 bids and far surpassed its guide price of $60-80k. 

The auction house claims a former house manager for Jobs, Mark Sheff, retrieved the slippers from the trash during one of Jobs’ many clearouts. 

According to an interview with Sheff in Business Insider, Jobs “kept very few things.” He seemingly was a devotee of Marie Kondo, long before Marie Kondo was a thing. 

Oh, and because it’s 2022, the buyer also received an NFT with the slippers. According to the auction house, the NFT is a 360-degree representation of Jobs wearing the slippers and is stored on the Polygon blockchain. 

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