Is America headed for an age of dumb phones?
(businessinsider.com)
Why so many tech lovers are embracing the "appstinence" movement
Why so many tech lovers are embracing the "appstinence" movement
Raspberry Pi Modems
(niiccoo2.xyz)
This all started a few weeks ago, I saw a picture of the new Light Phone 3. I was like "That's pretty cool, how much is it?" I was expecting $200-400 but to my astonishment, after pre-orders, it will be $800. So I logically said, "It can't be that hard," and this project was born, make an E-Ink phone for less than $400 with off-the-shelf parts.
This all started a few weeks ago, I saw a picture of the new Light Phone 3. I was like "That's pretty cool, how much is it?" I was expecting $200-400 but to my astonishment, after pre-orders, it will be $800. So I logically said, "It can't be that hard," and this project was born, make an E-Ink phone for less than $400 with off-the-shelf parts.
I Built My Own Audio Player
(nexo.sh)
In 2025, playing your own music on an iPhone is surprisingly hard, unless you pay Apple or navigate a maze of limitations. So I built my own player from scratch, with full text search, iCloud support, and a local-first experience.
In 2025, playing your own music on an iPhone is surprisingly hard, unless you pay Apple or navigate a maze of limitations. So I built my own player from scratch, with full text search, iCloud support, and a local-first experience.
Brazilian court reverses course, now demands iPhone sideloading within 90 days
(9to5mac.com)
Following a significant defeat in the U.S. on its case against Epic Games, Apple was just dealt another blow, this time in Brazil.
Following a significant defeat in the U.S. on its case against Epic Games, Apple was just dealt another blow, this time in Brazil.
VMOS – Virtual Android on Android
(vmos.com)
Two Accounts Online. Running two social accounts; Dealing with life and work in one device...
Two Accounts Online. Running two social accounts; Dealing with life and work in one device...
Ultra-thin cooling solution for mobile devices unlocks slimmer technology
(techxplore.com)
Scientists from Nagoya University in Japan have developed an innovative cooling device—an ultra-thin loop heat pipe—that significantly improves heat control for electronic components in smartphones and tablets.
Scientists from Nagoya University in Japan have developed an innovative cooling device—an ultra-thin loop heat pipe—that significantly improves heat control for electronic components in smartphones and tablets.
Google contract prevented Motorola from setting Perplexity as default assistant
(bloomberg.com)
Google’s contract with Lenovo Group Ltd.’s Motorola blocked the smartphone maker from setting Perplexity AI as the default assistant on its new devices, an executive of the startup testified at the search giant’s antitrust trial.
Google’s contract with Lenovo Group Ltd.’s Motorola blocked the smartphone maker from setting Perplexity AI as the default assistant on its new devices, an executive of the startup testified at the search giant’s antitrust trial.
When my iPhone was in Tucson, Google thought it was in Japan
(medium.com)
Last week, I visited Tucson, Arizona for five days. The entire time I was there, every time I was using cellular for Internet on my AT&T-based iPhone, all Safari autocomplete suggestions (which come from Google) were in Japanese:
Last week, I visited Tucson, Arizona for five days. The entire time I was there, every time I was using cellular for Internet on my AT&T-based iPhone, all Safari autocomplete suggestions (which come from Google) were in Japanese:
Android phones will soon reboot themselves after sitting unused for three days
(arstechnica.com)
A silent update rolling out to virtually all Android devices will make your phone more secure, and all you have to do is not touch it for a few days.
A silent update rolling out to virtually all Android devices will make your phone more secure, and all you have to do is not touch it for a few days.
Android phones will soon reboot themselves after sitting unused for 3 days
(arstechnica.com)
A silent update rolling out to virtually all Android devices will make your phone more secure, and all you have to do is not touch it for a few days.
A silent update rolling out to virtually all Android devices will make your phone more secure, and all you have to do is not touch it for a few days.
Japan antitrust watchdog hits Google with cease and desist order
(nikkei.com)
The Japan Fair Trade Commission on Tuesday issued a cease and desist order to Google to halt its monopolistic practice of demanding that manufacturers give preferential treatment to its search services on Android phones.
The Japan Fair Trade Commission on Tuesday issued a cease and desist order to Google to halt its monopolistic practice of demanding that manufacturers give preferential treatment to its search services on Android phones.
Eavesdropping on smartphone 13.56MHz NFC polling during screen wake-up/unlock
(reddit.com)
While casually exploring the NFC frequency range using a software-defined radio, I stumbled upon something quite surprising for me.
While casually exploring the NFC frequency range using a software-defined radio, I stumbled upon something quite surprising for me.
Did I just create the world's smallest AI server?
(ycombinator.com)
I successfully installed Ollama in Termux on my degoogled Unihertz Jelly Star, reputed to be the world's smallest smartphone, having a 3 inch screen. The Jelly Star packs 8+7 gb ram. I downloaded and then successfully ran distilled Deepseek-R1:7b locally on the device. Is it slow? Yes. But it still steadily outputs text word by word, does not crash, and takes no longer than a couple mins to respond in full. Anyone have other examples of micro AI workstations?
I successfully installed Ollama in Termux on my degoogled Unihertz Jelly Star, reputed to be the world's smallest smartphone, having a 3 inch screen. The Jelly Star packs 8+7 gb ram. I downloaded and then successfully ran distilled Deepseek-R1:7b locally on the device. Is it slow? Yes. But it still steadily outputs text word by word, does not crash, and takes no longer than a couple mins to respond in full. Anyone have other examples of micro AI workstations?
Staggering price of new iPhone after Trump's tariffs
(msn.com)
The price of an iPhone is set to skyrocket under President Donald Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs crackdown, experts have warned.
The price of an iPhone is set to skyrocket under President Donald Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs crackdown, experts have warned.
Loongson teases trio of new processors for lappies, factories, maybe servers too
(theregister.com)
Chinese chip designer Loongson, whose products have been promoted by Beijing, has teased two new designs that will make it more of a contender for mobile and industrial applications. It may also have a new server up its sleeve.
Chinese chip designer Loongson, whose products have been promoted by Beijing, has teased two new designs that will make it more of a contender for mobile and industrial applications. It may also have a new server up its sleeve.
DMA complaint against Apple for not enabling Tuta email app as default on iOS
(tuta.com)
We at Tuta work hard to offer a privacy-respecting alternative to Big Tech communication offerings. We are a forerunner in secure communications with the implementation of quantum-safe encryption. And while this is already a lot of effort, we are met with even more obstacles - and unnecessary ones for that matter. Over the last two months, Apple has continuously ignored our requests so that Tuta Mail can be set as the default email app on iOS devices.
We at Tuta work hard to offer a privacy-respecting alternative to Big Tech communication offerings. We are a forerunner in secure communications with the implementation of quantum-safe encryption. And while this is already a lot of effort, we are met with even more obstacles - and unnecessary ones for that matter. Over the last two months, Apple has continuously ignored our requests so that Tuta Mail can be set as the default email app on iOS devices.
Watts Should Replace MAh as Essential Spec for Mobile Devices
(theverge.com)
Forget mAh, and stop sweating megahertz. The watt reigns supreme, if only companies would share it with us.
Forget mAh, and stop sweating megahertz. The watt reigns supreme, if only companies would share it with us.
Apple does AI as Microsoft did mobile
(world.hey.com)
When the iPhone first appeared in 2007, Microsoft was sitting pretty with their mobile strategy.
When the iPhone first appeared in 2007, Microsoft was sitting pretty with their mobile strategy.
End of Life: Gemini will replace Google Assistant later this year
(arstechnica.com)
Pour one out for Google Assistant, the sometimes helpful but often frustrating digital assistant Google launched in 2016. In its place, users will encounter Gemini, the generative AI Google has been integrating into every product in its portfolio. Later this year, Google will make Gemini its only supported assistant, forcing most of its users to abandon Assistant once and for all.
Pour one out for Google Assistant, the sometimes helpful but often frustrating digital assistant Google launched in 2016. In its place, users will encounter Gemini, the generative AI Google has been integrating into every product in its portfolio. Later this year, Google will make Gemini its only supported assistant, forcing most of its users to abandon Assistant once and for all.
The Nokia N900: the future that wasn't
(osnews.com)
In what seems like several lifetimes ago, the mobile devices market seemed like it would be wide open. Even as the window for platforms that weren’t Android or iOS was closing rapidly, we were all hoping we wouldn’t end up with another duopoly.
In what seems like several lifetimes ago, the mobile devices market seemed like it would be wide open. Even as the window for platforms that weren’t Android or iOS was closing rapidly, we were all hoping we wouldn’t end up with another duopoly.
RCS texting updates will bring end-to-end encryption to green bubble chats
(arstechnica.com)
Now that Apple is on board, iPhones and their users can also benefit from continued improvements to the RCS standard. And one major update was announced today: RCS will now support end-to-end encryption using the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol, a standard finalized by the Internet Engineering Task Force in 2023.
Now that Apple is on board, iPhones and their users can also benefit from continued improvements to the RCS standard. And one major update was announced today: RCS will now support end-to-end encryption using the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol, a standard finalized by the Internet Engineering Task Force in 2023.
Apple Readies Dramatic Software Overhaul for iPhone, iPad and Mac
(bloomberg.com)
Apple Inc. is preparing one of the most dramatic software overhauls in the company’s history, aiming to transform the interface of the iPhone, iPad and Mac for a new generation of users.
Apple Inc. is preparing one of the most dramatic software overhauls in the company’s history, aiming to transform the interface of the iPhone, iPad and Mac for a new generation of users.
Reversing Samsung's H-Arx Hypervisor Framework (Part 1)
(dayzerosec.com)
In many ways, mobile devices lead the security industry when it comes to defense-in-depth and mitigation.
In many ways, mobile devices lead the security industry when it comes to defense-in-depth and mitigation.
No one asked for this: Google is testing round keys in Gboard
(arstechnica.com)
A lot of Gboard beta users are suddenly remembering they joined the beta.
A lot of Gboard beta users are suddenly remembering they joined the beta.
Rayhunter – Rust tool to detect cell site simulators on an orbic mobile hotspot
(github.com/EFForg)
Rayhunter is an IMSI Catcher Catcher for the Orbic mobile hotspot.
Rayhunter is an IMSI Catcher Catcher for the Orbic mobile hotspot.
Apple's 64GB Era Is Over – MacRumors
(macrumors.com)
All of the iPhone and iPad models that are currently part of Apple's lineup now start with at least 128GB of storage, marking the end of the 64GB era.
All of the iPhone and iPad models that are currently part of Apple's lineup now start with at least 128GB of storage, marking the end of the 64GB era.
PostmarketOS in 2025-02: MSM89x7 Audio, Modern Xiaomis in Community, New Name
(postmarketos.org)
We already wrote plenty about FOSDEM 2025 and the Hackathon we did afterwards. But that was just the start of February! Two weeks later, a mainlining workshop in Aachen (DE) took place.
We already wrote plenty about FOSDEM 2025 and the Hackathon we did afterwards. But that was just the start of February! Two weeks later, a mainlining workshop in Aachen (DE) took place.