Smartphone

Pozio Cradle keeps your phone from listening to you while you charge it

By

The Pozio Cradle is a wireless charger that jams your smartphone's ability to hear you until you tell it to stop.
The Pozio Cradle is a wireless charger that jams your smartphone's ability to hear you until you tell it to stop.
Photo: Pozio

A device shown at CES 2022 that made some publications’ “weirdest stuff from the show” lists is the Pozio Cradle. It’s a “listening blocker” that wirelessly charges smartphones. It ensures your gadget and its voice assistant can’t hear or record what you say, according to the company.

Vermont bill would ban cellphones for anyone under 21

By

Sydney
Teens are going to love this law.
Photo: Apple

Democrat lawmakers in Vermont are trying really hard to lose the youth vote in 2020 with a newly proposed law that would ban anyone under 21 from using a smartphone.

The bill, introduced to the committee by Democratic senator John Rodgers, lists cyberbullying, terrorist radicalization and mass shootings as a few of the reasons why people under 21 aren’t mature enough to possess a cellphone.

Samsung allegedly plans to launch folding clamshell phone next year

By

Apple invents a unique, no-crease folding iPhone screen
Apple invents a unique, no-crease folding iPhone screen
Photo: Samsung

Samsung plans to reinvent the flip phone next year with yet another folding display smartphone, only unlike the Galaxy Fold, this one will come with an old-school design.

The new Samsung folding phone will reportedly launch next year and instead of folding out into a tablet, the new design folds inward to make the phone more pocketable.

Microsoft is working on mobile Xbox controllers for iPhone

By

Microsoft-mobile-Xbox-controller
They would be perfect for streaming Xbox games.
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft has started developing new Xbox controllers for mobile gaming. Prototype images reveal how the gamepads might attach to the sides of your iPhone and iPad for portable play.

The controllers would be ideal for Microsoft’s upcoming Project xCloud service, which will allow players to stream Xbox games to their smartphones and tablets.

New Pokémon Masters details will be revealed this week

By

Pokémon Masters
It will feature every Trainer and Pokémon from every region.
Photo: The Pokémon Company

The Pokémon Company will reveal new information about upcoming mobile game Pokémon Masters this week.

Its first presentation since the game was confirmed ahead of E3 is just a couple of days away. We know very little about it so far, but we have been promised battles against Pokémon Trainers from the main RPG series.

Uh-oh! Huawei delays its first foldable smartphone

By

Huawei’s Mate X isn’t exactly svelte.
You’ll have to wait until September for the Mate X.
Photo: Huawei

If you’re itching to get your hands on a foldable phone and you thought choosing Huawei over Samsung would be a good idea following the Galaxy Fold’s delay, think again.

Huawei has confirmed that it, too, is delaying its first foldable handset. The Mate X is now pegged for a September debut so that extra tests can be carried out to avoid another Galaxy Fold fiasco.

Google, Qualcomm and others cease partnerships with Huawei

By

Huawei P20 Pro
It’s just a backup plan for now.
Photo: Huawei

Google has suspended its business with Huawei and revoked its Android license following a U.S. crackdown on Chinese technology companies.

It’s a massive blow for the world’s third-biggest smartphone-maker — and it’s not the only one it received this weekend. Intel, Qualcomm, and other chip manufacturers have also halted their partnerships with the company.

Slowing smartphone sales hit Samsung profits hard

By

Galaxy A7
Samsung says that Q1 operating profits will be down 60 percent.
Photo: Samsung

The massive rise of the smartphone is coming to a close, and Samsung is bearing the brunt of it.

As well as a manufacturer of its own handsets, Samsung also provides memory chips and display panels to other companies. Due to slowing demand for smartphones around the world, Samsung today revealed that its operating profits have plunged. It expects that its first quarter takings will be down by 60 percent compared to last year.

Samsung also suffers as smartphone sales slump in China

By

Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Apple isn't the only one suffering in China.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

It turns out Apple isn’t the only smartphone maker that’s suffering from falling sales in China. Samsung, one of the iPhone’s biggest rivals, is also expected to follow Apple in confirming lower than anticipated revenue for the fourth quarter of 2018.

The South Korean company’s warning, which will reportedly come on Tuesday, will reveal a 12 percent fall in year-on-year operating profit for the three-month period. Revenue is also expected to drop 5 percent.

Google takes on Apple with Pixel 3, Pixel Slate and Home Hub

By

The new Made by Google products.
The new Made by Google products.
Photo: Google

Google unleashed its latest wave of hardware designed to take on Apple and Amazon by combining its powerful software with custom-designed hardware. And it actually looks pretty good.

Three new products were unveiled at Google’s event in New York City this morning: the Pixel 3, Pixel Slate and Google Home Hub. All three pack some interesting new features that some of Apple’s own products can’t match. But there are also glaring weaknesses in the new Google products. Like the horrifically huge notch on the Pixel 3 to start with.

Take a closer look at all the new products:

iPhone gobbles up 8 of 10 top-selling smartphone spots for Q2

By

iPhone X
iPhone X sales are still booming.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone absolutely dominated its Android competition in the United States during the second quarter or 2018.

According to the latest data from the folks at Kantar, iPhones took 8 of the top 10 spots in smartphone sales, helping iOS gain market share at Samsung and LG’s expense.

Huawei on track to steal iPhone’s crown in 2019

By

Huawei
Chinese smartphone maker Huawei is on the rise.
Photo: AndroidCentral

Apple’s biggest competitor in China could soon supplant it as the second largest smartphone manufacturer in the world in terms of units shipped.

Huawei says it’s on track to ship 200 million phones by the end of 2018 after setting a blistering pace of 100 million units shipped as of July 18. That won’t be quite enough to top the number of iPhones Apple sold last year, but 2019 could be Huawei’s biggest year ever.

General Magic trailer gives peek into one of Silicon Valley’s most influential startups

By

0CC94C75-E155-4BEC-BA3B-4D2051B913FD
The smartphone that never was.
Photo: Spellbound Productions

The documentary about the most important tech company you’ve never heard of is nearly ready to hit the big screen.

General Magic, a ‘90s startup created by some of the best minds at Apple, is getting the documentary treatment it deserves and the trailer is finally here.

Check it out:

Facebook’s scary plan to record your conversations while you watch TV

By

the Facebook logo on an iPhone 6 Plus
Here we go again.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Some believe Facebook is already using our smartphones to hear our private conversations. That’s not true, but the social network is certainly considering it.

Facebook has applied for a new patent that describes a method of tapping into our microphones to listen to our reactions to TV ads. It’s just as invasive as it sounds.

iPhone will grab more market share as Samsung falls in 2018

By

iPhone plus model next to iPhone X
New iPhones will require millions of new displays.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone will gain market share as Samsung loses its grip in 2018, according to new predictions.

Apple is one of just three companies that are expected to see growth this year following weaker-than-expected smartphones sales in late 2017. TrendForce expects total handset production to grow just 2.8 percent, down from the 5 percent previously expected.

Verizon will start locking iPhones to deter theft

By

iPhone X
Ready to ditch your iPhone X already? There's still time to get a great price!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Verizon plans to start locking all phones, including iPhones, to its network for a certain period of time. The carrier is hoping the move, which will prevent customers from using other SIM cards in Verizon devices, will help it fight theft.

Substitute Phone will never cure your iPhone addiction

By

Substitute Phone
It's little more than a fancy fidget spinner.
Photo: Klemens Schillinger

Spending too much time on your iPhone? You might be addicted. One designer hopes to help cure that with the Substitute Phone.

It doesn’t have iMessage or Facebook or Snapchat. It doesn’t even have a screen. Instead, it’s a block of plastic that uses stone beads to give you the touchscreen gestures you crave.

Will it really work?