915 Stories
We Asked If “AI Was Really Useful on Smartphones in 2024” and Here’s What You Chose
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In this read, we discuss the overhyping of AI features on smartphones in 2024. While tech giants like Google and Apple showcased AI-powered features, they often seemed like gimmicks rather than solutions to real problems.
2024, the Year the Bird Was Freed into the Bluesky
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Bluesky, a decentralized platform founded by Jack Dorsey in 2019, gained massive popularity in 2024 due to a series of events, including X's policy changes and Elon Musk's support for President-elect Donald Trump. The platform saw a 60% jump in activity in August and reached 25 million users by December, with many popular personalities and organizations joining the app.
More Bucks, More Ads: How Streaming Backed Itself into a Corner in 2024?
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The streaming industry has reached a saturation point, with over 1.8 billion subscribers worldwide. To maintain growth, services are introducing ad-supported plans, increasing prices, and cracking down on password sharing. This shift is causing confusion and frustration among consumers and will continue to do so going towards 2025.
This New Snapchat Feature Lets You Start a Snap Streak Instantly
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Snapchat+ subscribers can now start a Snapstreak instantly with a new feature called Instant Snapstreaks. This feature allows users to start a streak by sending and receiving a Snap from each other, without waiting for 3 consecutive days. The feature is exclusive to Snapchat+ subscribers, but only one person needs the subscription to start the streak.
Tick-Tock…of Doom? Study Suggests Your Smartwatch Might Be Poisoning You!
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A recent study by Environmental Science & Technology Letters found high concentrations of the "forever chemical" PFHxA in 22 different smartwatch bands. Exposure to this chemical can lead to serious health issues, including cancer and hormonal problems. The chemical is commonly found in watch bands made of fluoroelastomers, often used in fitness and sports bands.
OnePlus Ace 5 aka OnePlus 13R Makes Its Debut in China
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The OnePlus Ace 5 has made its debut in China, featuring a 6.78-inch flat display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, 6400mAh battery, and 80W charger. It has a 50MP primary camera, 16MP front camera, and supports 4K 60fps video recording. Pricing starts at 2299 Yuan (~$315) for the 12GB + 256GB variant.
Instagram Will Soon Let You Catch Up on Week-Old Stories
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Instagram is working on a feature that will show unseen stories from the past week at the end of the stories tray. This feature is currently in testing and will only display stories saved by mutual followers. It's expected to roll out in the future, but an exact release date is unclear.
MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Announced with All Performance-Only Cores
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The MediaTek Dimensity 8400 processor features an octa-core cluster of ARM Cortex-A725 cores clocked at 3.25GHz, without efficiency cores. It offers 41% higher multicore performance and 24% better peak performance, while being 44% more power efficient. The chip offers better AI performance, and support WQHD+ resolution at 144Hz.
X’s Premium+ Subscription Now Costs 40% More Than Before
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Elon Musk-owned platform X is increasing the price of its ad-free Premium+ plan from $16/month to $22, a 40% markup. The yearly plan now costs $229, up from $168. The price hike will take effect on January 20, 2025, to support creators and offer additional benefits to subscribers.
Google Plans to Separate Search and AI with New “AI Mode”
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Google is introducing an "AI Mode" for search, showcasing AI-generated results as a separate option. This change may replace AI overviews on the search results page. The AI Mode will feature a chat window-like interface, links to sources, and a search box for follow-up questions.
Major Victory for Meta: Israel’s NSO Group Found Guilty of Hacking WhatsApp
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A US judge has held the NSO Group responsible for hacking WhatsApp servers and breaching user privacy. The Israeli cyber-intelligence firm installed its Pegasus spying software on 1,400 phones, surveilling individuals like journalists and activists. The trial will continue to determine the damages, owed by NSO.
Redmi K80 Impressions: This Phone Means Business
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The Redmi K80 is a the company's latest device after their rebranding and it features some amazing top of the line specs like a 2K OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, a new design, IP 68 rating and video recording at upto 8K. In this read, I have shared my impressions of the Redmi K80.
Netflix Household Rules: Everything You Need to Know
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In this article, we have discussed everything important that you need to know about Netflix Household and its rules as discussed by thee platform itself. We have talked about important questions surrounding whether you can share your account password outside of your household as well as pricing for the plans and additional member cost.
Google is rolling out the second Developer Preview for Android 16, and it is available for Pixel 6 and above devices. The update brings along minor improvements that are mainly targeted towards Pixel devices like the ability to unlock the phone with the screen off, and enhanced Now Playing feature. It also includes several under the hood improvements.
200+ Discord Status Ideas That Will Make You the Coolest in the Server
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The default status options in Discord can be a bit too boring and I know most people like me would want to switch to a more fun, quirky or cute options depending on their personality. That is why, we have compiled a list of various Discord status ideas to help you find the best option that suits your profile.
How to Change Your Discord Profile Picture
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In this guide, we have discussed how you can change your Discord profile picture in a few easy to follow steps which work for web, desktop, Android and iPhone. You just have to go to user settings > Profile > Change Avatar > Upload Image > Apply and Save Changes.
How to Create Custom Emojis for Your Discord Server
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In this read, we have detailed what are custom emojis on Discord and mentioned the detailed process for creating, finding and adding them to the app itself. We have also mentioned a few websites that can come in useful if you want to create your own unique emojis for your server.
Motorola’s US Future in Doubt After Patent Infringement Ruling
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Motorola may face significant challenges in the US market due to a patent dispute with Ericsson. A US International Trade Commission judge ruled that Motorola infringes on Ericsson's 5G wireless technology patents. If the final ruling in April confirms this, Motorola could be banned from importing phones to the US, potentially leading to their demise in the market.
Android 16’s New API Will Make Your Night Mode Photos Look Much Better
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The upcoming Android 16 update will introduce a Night Mode Indicator API, allowing apps to detect ambient light situations and adjust their camera settings accordingly. This feature will improve low-light photo quality in apps like Instagram and Snapchat, with three distinct values for different lighting conditions.
How to Mark Text or Image as Spoiler on Discord
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If you want to mark a text or image as a spoiler on Discord then you can use the "/spoiler" tag to easily to do so. This methods works for both desktop and mobile app. Other than that you can out "||" on either end of the text to mark it as a spoiler and hide it from appearing.
How to Bypass Netflix Household
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In this article, we have discussed some of the ways that we can use to bypass the Netflix Household error, "Your device isn't part of the Netflix Household for this account". These include connecting to Household Wi-Fi once a month, avoiding streaming on Smart TVs, updating your household, or downloading content to watch later.
How to Change Your Discord Banner
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Looking to add a bit of flair to your Discord profile then might I suggest you change your profile banner. We have laid out a step by step process to change your profile banners on Discord mobile app for Android and iPhone, desktop app and the website.
Samsung Will Soon Offer Free Screen Repairs for Its Care+ Subscribers, But with a Catch
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Samsung is offering free screen repairs to its Care+ subscribers starting January 15, 2025. This new benefit, called "Zero Dollar Screen Repairs," covers damages to the front screen and back glass of eligible Galaxy smartphones. However, the foldable display of the Galaxy Z lineup is excluded from this coverage.
YouTube Testing Voice Replies for Comments But with a Catch
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YouTube is testing a new voice comment feature, allowing users to record and share voice messages with a play button and transcript option. However, it's only available to a limited set of creators in the US, and they can only use it to reply to other comments in their videos.
How to Add Emojis on Discord
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Discord features both static and animated style of emojis, however animated emojis and cross server emoji are only limited to Discord Nitro members. To use emojis on the app, tap on the greyed out emoji icon in the right corner of the text field and then choose the emoji you wish to use.
Instagram Now Lets You Schedule Messages, Here’s How You Can Do It
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Instagram has launched a message scheduling feature, allowing users to send text messages at a specified date and time. To use this feature, users can type out their text, long press the send button, and select the desired date and time. This feature is currently available for all users and has a 29-day scheduling limit.
Snapchat Joins the Rewind Trend This Year with Snap Recap
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Snapchat's Snap Recap is now available for both free and Snapchat+ users. The feature provides a yearly recap of your Snapchat activity, including top friends, total Snaps sent and received, and usage statistics.
7 Years Later, a New HDMI Standard Could Be Coming Soon
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A new HDMI specification will be announced at CES 2025, potentially introducing HDMI 2.2. The next-gen standard is expected to support higher resolutions and refresh rates. However, details are scarce, and it's unclear if this will be a major update or a minor revision like HDMI 2.1b.
Google Could Be Ditching Samsung for MediaTek in Pixel 10 Series
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Google is reportedly switching from Samsung to MediaTek modems for the Tensor G5 chip in the Pixel 10 series. This change aims to improve network capabilities, a long-standing issue with the Pixel series. The Tensor G5 will also be manufactured by TSMC, replacing Samsung.
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Event Date Leaked Along with Device Lineup
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The Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event is scheduled for January 22nd, 2025, at 10 AM P.T. in San Jose, California. This news comes from tipster Alvin on X. The event will feature the launch of the S25 series. Additionally, Samsung could share some more information about the "Project Moohan" XR headset.
Snapchat’s Newest Feature Lets You Keep Chats For 7 Days
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Snapchat has dropped a big update, and the app now lets you keep your chats and Snaps for upto 7 days after viewing them. This feature is available for everyone. Meanwhile, Snapchat+ members received completely customizable themes, new Christmas themed lenses and Bitmoji reactions.
Hands-On with One UI 7’s Now Bar: More Than Just a Dynamic Island
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Samsung has introduced a new feature in their One UI 7 beta, called the Now Bar. This is a pill shaped icon that sits at the bottom of the Lockscreen and will show up whenever a new live activity is going on like while playing music, voice recording, stopwatch, or timer. In this read, I will be sharing my thoughts on the feature after using it for a while, and detailing everything it has to offer.
WhatsApp Gets New Video Effects, Custom Group Calls Support
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WhatsApp has introduced new features to enhance its calling experience. Users can now choose participants for group calls, access 10 video call effects and backgrounds, and create call links or dial numbers directly from the desktop app. Video calls will also support higher resolution, making them more reliable and high-quality.
WhatsApp’s Upcoming Feature Will Help You Bid Language Barriers Adieu
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WhatsApp is testing an in-app translation feature, allowing users to translate messages and updates on their device. This ensures user data remains secure and encrypted. The feature is currently available to a limited number of beta testers and will be rolled out to everyone soon.
Google Pixel 9a Full Specifications, Price Leaked Months Ahead of Launch
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The Google Pixel 9a is rumored to feature a 6.285-inch Full HD plastic AMOLED display, Tensor G4 processor, 8GB RAM, and 128/256GB storage. It will have a dual-camera setup, 5,100mAh battery, and IP68 rating. The device is expected to be released in March with a price of $499 for the 128GB variant.
What Is Discord Nitro? Is It Worth Buying?
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Discord Nitro is a subscription for the Discord app which unlocks special members exclusive features and perks that are not available for those using the app for free. It allows you to use emojis across any channels, apply animated profile pictures, gives free server boosts, a Nitro badge and more.
Free Lunch Is Over: Bluesky Premium Features Leak with $8 Monthly Fee
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Bluesky is planning to introduce a premium subscription called Bluesky+. Early mockups show features like a profile badge, custom app icons, and higher video upload limits. The subscription could cost $8/month or $72/year.
How to Strikethrough Text on Discord
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In this guide, we have talked about how you can strikethrough any line of text on Discord. We have laid out an easy to understand guide, laying out the steps to crossing out text whether you are on Android, iPhone or using the service from the Desktop app or web version.
How to Update Netflix Household
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In this guide, we have laid out the steps to update your account's Netflix Household. To do this, head over to the Netflix app on your smart TV, then go to Get Help > Manage Netflix Household > Update Netflix Household and then send an email to confirm your preferences. You can also manage which devices are connected to your account by going to My Netflix > Account > Manage access and devices and sign out the options that aren't part of your family.
How to See Your Stats on Spotify
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In this read, we have discussed all the different ways that you can see your Spotify stats, from in app options to third part services which let you check up on your music listening habits in a fun and creative way. We have mentioned them all in this guide as well as provided a mini explanation on how to use them.
All New One UI 7 Features Every Samsung User Should Know
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Samsung has released the first build of OneUI 7 Beta which is based on Android for their Galaxy S24 series of devices, and based upon that, we have created a list of all the new changes coming with this new upgrade. It includes redesigned app icons, quick settings, notification panel, camera app and more.
Spotify Wrapped 2024 featured two AI podcast host as its key highlight this year but due to limited availability it didn't turn out too well. It was only available in 7 countries leaving out the rest of the audience so in this read, we are using the same Notebook LM to voice our frustration for Spotify.