Month: March 2025

Is it bad for the sector not to have a One Plus Open 2 in 2025?

OnePlus has decided not to launch the highly anticipated OnePlus Open 2 this year, describing the decision as a “recalibration” of its plans in the foldable device sector. This announcement, made by a product manager in a community note published on the company’s website, has left many surprised, considering that the OnePlus Open, launched in 2023, had set a new standard in the foldable phone market. The OnePlus Open received praise for its slim design, its hinge that minimized the visible crease, and its innovative multitasking system called Open Canvas. We all want a new […]

OnePlus has decided not to launch the anticipated OnePlus Open 2 this year, describing the decision as a “recalibration” of its plans in the foldable device sector.

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This announcement, made by a product manager in a community note published on the company’s website, has left many surprised, considering that the OnePlus Open, launched in 2023, had set a new standard in the foldable phone market.

The OnePlus Open received praise for its slim design, its hinge that minimized the visible crease, and its innovative multitasking system called Open Canvas.

We all want a new One Plus Open 2

This last one allowed users to easily switch between full-screen applications, significantly improving productivity. However, the lack of a successor raises concerns about the future of innovation in this market segment.

The OnePlus Open 2 was expected to be inspired by the Oppo Find N5, which supposedly promised better camera performance and a lighter design.

With the OnePlus Open 2 out of the equation, there are now concerns that the pace of innovation in foldable devices may slow down. Additionally, rumors about future launches from competitors, such as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, suggest changes that could be primarily iterative, without offering significant advancements.

Rumors about a possible Galaxy G Fold with triple fold and a more affordable Galaxy Z Flip FE model are circulating, which could bring relief to the market.

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Despite the absence of a OnePlus Open 2, while the competition remains active, the lack of this model could lead other manufacturers to rethink their strategies to stay relevant in an increasingly competitive landscape of foldable phones.

Baidu confirms the purchase of a streaming platform for 2.1 billion dollars

The Chinese internet giant, Baidu, has confirmed the purchase of JOYY Inc’s livestreaming business for $2.1 billion, after canceling a previous agreement due to a lack of regulatory approval. The price paid represents approximately 60% of the original deal, which was valued at $3.6 billion in 2020. Baidu announced that it has acquired JOYY Inc’s video-based live entertainment business, a transaction that, according to statements from founder Robin Li in 2020, has the potential to “catapult Baidu as a leading livestreaming platform and diversify our revenue sources”

The Chinese internet giant, Baidu, has confirmed the purchase of JOYY Inc’s livestreaming business for $2.1 billion, after canceling a previous agreement due to a lack of regulatory approval.

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The price paid represents approximately 60% of the original agreement, which was valued at $3.6 billion in 2020.

Baidu announced that it has acquired the video-based live entertainment business of JOYY Inc, a transaction that, according to statements from founder Robin Li in 2020, has the potential to “catapult Baidu as a leading livestreaming platform and diversify our revenue sources.”

An agreement they have been pursuing since 2020

However, the initial agreement was supposed to be completed in 2021, but it was canceled in January 2024 due to being subject to regulatory conditions that were not met.

Livestreaming is a multimillion-dollar sector in China, generating significant profits for e-commerce giants and popular influencers. Baidu is facing increasing competition from rivals like Tencent, which operates the WeChat messaging platform, and ByteDance, the company behind TikTok and its Chinese equivalent, Douyin. This competition has complicated Baidu’s position in the market.

In a context where income diversification becomes key, Baidu has also been exploring areas such as cloud computing, autonomous driving, and artificial intelligence.

Although the company reported that its revenues in 2024 decreased by 1%, its net income increased by 100% in the fourth quarter, closing the year with an annual net income of $3.26 billion, which represents a 17% increase compared to 2023.

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This strategic move reflects Baidu’s effort to adapt to a competitive environment and change its sources of income in the face of current market challenges.

We already have the price of the Pixel 9a in Europe: Apple trembles

The prices of the anticipated Pixel 9a have just been leaked in several European countries, revealing that the basic model of 128 GB could be priced at €549 in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, while the 256GB version could sell for €649. In Ireland, the figures could rise to €559 and €659, respectively. In the UK, the smartphone is expected to cost £499 for the 128GB model and £599 for the 256GB one. Meanwhile, in Canada, a price of $679 and $809 is expected for the same configurations. Google wants to maintain […]

The prices of the anticipated Pixel 9a in several European countries have just been leaked, revealing that the basic model of 128 GB could be priced at €549 in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, while the 256GB version could be sold for €649.

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In Ireland, the figures could rise to €559 and €659, respectively. In the United Kingdom, the smartphone is expected to cost £499 for the 128GB model and £599 for the 256GB model. Meanwhile, in Canada, a price of $679 and $809 is expected for the same configurations.

Google wants to keep its economic model cheap, unlike Apple

The leaked prices suggest that Google has no plans to drastically increase the price of the Pixel 9a, keeping figures similar to those of the Pixel 8a.

In the United States, it is rumored that prices could be around $499 for the entry-level model and $559 for the more advanced version, maintaining the same pricing strategy as in previous years.

Regarding the specifications, the Pixel 9a will feature a 6.3-inch OLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and will be powered by Google’s Tensor G4 processor. One of the most notable features of this model is its new dual-camera design, which eliminates the prominence of the rear camera, providing a sleeker and more harmonious finish.

It is believed that the photographic capability will be comparable to that of the Pixel 9, with a main lens of 48 MP and an ultrawide lens of 13 MP.

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The launch of the Pixel 9a is rumored to be on March 26, 2025, continuing Google’s tradition of introducing its mid-range devices in spring. Despite the leaks, brand fans remain hopeful about what this new model can offer in the competitive smartphone market.

Canada is so angry with Elon Musk that they want to take away his nationality

More than 200,000 Canadians have signed a formal petition requesting the revocation of Elon Musk’s Canadian citizenship, in response to his closeness to U.S. President Donald Trump and the implications this has for Canada’s sovereignty. The petition, presented on February 20 in the House of Commons by writer Qualia Reed and supported by New Democratic Party (NDP) MP Charlie Angus, has generated considerable debate in the country. The controversy revolves around Musk’s actions and statements, who, as a special advisor to Trump, has been seen […]

More than 200,000 Canadians have signed a formal petition requesting the revocation of Elon Musk’s Canadian citizenship, in response to his closeness to U.S. President Donald Trump and the implications this has for Canada’s sovereignty.

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The petition, presented on February 20 in the House of Commons by writer Qualia Reed and supported by Member of Parliament Charlie Angus from the New Democratic Party (NDP), has generated considerable debate in the country.

The controversy revolves around the actions and statements of Musk, who, as a special advisor to Trump, has been seen as a supporter of a government that threatens Canadian interests.

Trump has made repeated threats to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian imports, which could severely impact Canada’s economy. Additionally, his insinuations about the annexation of Canada as the 51st state of the U.S. have intensified public outrage.

Elon Musk responds by saying that Canada is not a real country

Musk’s stance has come into direct conflict with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whom Musk has belittled on his social media, praising instead the conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.

These actions have been interpreted by many as an interference in Canadian politics and have contributed to the growing clamor for the revocation of his citizenship.

While Canadian law allows for the revocation of citizenship in cases of fraud or threats to national security, there are no precedents for revocations on political grounds. Experts believe that the likelihood of this petition succeeding is low, as any attempt at revocation would need to follow established legal procedures.

If the revocation were approved, Musk would have to wait 10 years to reapply for Canadian citizenship, although he would still retain his American and South African citizenships.

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The Canadian government’s response to this remains pending discussion when the House of Commons resumes sessions on March 24.

In this company, AI is going to replace more than 4,000 workers

DBS, the largest bank in Southeast Asia, has announced its intention to cut 4,000 jobs over the next three years as it implements artificial intelligence (AI) in its operations. This decision is part of a broader context in which AI is estimated to lead to the elimination of up to 200,000 jobs in the banking sector worldwide over a period of three to five years. According to a report by Bloomberg Intelligence, this phenomenon would affect approximately 40% of jobs globally. Does the future involve losing […]

DBS, the largest bank in Southeast Asia, has announced its intention to reduce 4,000 jobs over the next three years as it implements artificial intelligence (AI) in its operations.

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This decision is part of a broader context in which it is estimated that AI could lead to the elimination of up to 200,000 jobs in the banking sector worldwide over a period of three to five years.

According to a report by Bloomberg Intelligence, this phenomenon would affect approximately 40% of jobs worldwide.

Does the future involve losing our jobs due to AI?

A spokesperson for the bank, based in Singapore, confirmed that the staff reduction would mainly occur through the termination of temporary and project contracts.

“We anticipate that AI could reduce the need to renew around 4,000 temporary employees in our 19 markets,” he stated in a statement to AFP. He clarified that permanent employees will not be affected and will continue in their positions.

To mitigate the impact of these changes, DBS has initiated upgrade and retraining programs for approximately 13,000 employees, where more than 10,000 have already begun to acquire skills in areas such as AI and data analytics. This strategy aims to prepare the workforce for a constantly evolving environment due to automation.

In light of this situation, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has emphasized the importance of developing appropriate policies that allow for the safe and beneficial harnessing of AI’s vast potential for humanity.

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However, experts warn that the rapid adoption of technologies can carry risks if the implications for the labor market are not adequately addressed.

The AI invention that was going to revolutionize smartphones forever will stop working this Sunday

Humane AI has announced the discontinuation of its wearable device, the Ai Pin, which will stop functioning on February 28, 2025, after being acquired by HP. Since its launch, the acceptance of the Ai Pin in the market has been very poor due to various criticisms regarding its difficulty of use and technical issues, including overheating and lack of connection with smartphones. Consumers who own the Ai Pin must sync and download their data before the deadline to avoid loss of information, as after February 28, 2025, the device […]

Humane AI has announced the discontinuation of its wearable device, the Ai Pin, which will stop functioning on February 28, 2025, after being acquired by HP.

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Since its launch, the acceptance of the Ai Pin in the market has been very poor due to various criticisms regarding its difficulty of use and technical issues, including overheating and lack of connection with smartphones.

Consumers who own the Ai Pin must sync and download their data before the deadline to avoid data loss, as, after February 28, 2025, the device will lose access to Humane’s servers and all stored data will be deleted.

Goodbye to a project that was set to change the world

“We strongly recommend syncing your Ai Pin via WiFi and downloading any saved images, videos, or notes before February 28, 2025,” the company stated in a statement.

The Ai Pin, which was described by CNET as a “Star Trek communicator powered by AI,” included features such as language translation, object recognition, and responses to AI queries.

However, despite its promising concept, the execution failed to meet user expectations. According to CNET’s lead writer, Scott Stein, the device was interesting but complicated to handle: “The lack of connection to any phone made it feel absurd,” he stated.

Through its camera, the Ai Pin had the ability to identify locations and describe objects, although these attempts often resulted in confusion, as happened on one occasion when, while trying to identify a can of drink, the device returned information about a 2022 Apple TV Plus movie.

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With the halt of its sale and operation, AI enthusiasts will need to reflect on whether the concept of smart wearable devices was another failed attempt in the pursuit of technological innovation.

The new AI export regulations could significantly impact the global tech industry

The administration of Donald Trump is considering tightening restrictions on the export of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) processors, in a move that could have significant repercussions for the global tech industry and the economies of several countries. According to reports, only entities from the United States and 18 allies, classified as Tier 1 countries, will be able to acquire powerful AI processors without limits. This contrasts with the proposed restrictions for other nations, which could see their access to these critical resources reduced. The new guidelines, framed within the so-called AI diffusion rule, allowed […]

The administration of Donald Trump is considering tightening restrictions on the export of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) processors, in a move that could have significant repercussions for the global tech industry and the economies of several countries.

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According to reports, only entities from the United States and 18 allies, classified as Tier 1 countries, will be able to acquire powerful AI processors without limits. This contrasts with the proposed restrictions for other nations, which could see their access to these critical resources reduced.

The new guidelines, framed within the well-known AI dissemination rule, previously allowed Tier 2 countries to obtain up to 1,700 units of Nvidia H100 GPUs without a license.

The U.S. does not want anyone else but them to develop AI

However, sources suggest that there is consideration to lower this limit, which could raise concerns among tech companies that fear such restrictions may harm their operations and encourage the development of Chinese alternatives.

The administration is also pressuring Japan and the Netherlands to restrict the maintenance service for semiconductor manufacturing tools in China.

This move could severely impact China’s semiconductor production, while ASML and Tokyo Electron, companies that provide these services, would lose millions in revenue.

In addition, sanctions are being evaluated against Chinese companies such as ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC).

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However, it is unclear how allies will respond to these proposals or when these regulations will be implemented, as it could take several months before they come into effect, due to the current personnel transition in federal agencies.

iOS 18.4 brings a countdown timer for 2FA codes

The beta of iOS 18.4 (not to be confused with beta 4 of iOS 18) is now available for members of the developer program and public beta, although it has not yet reached non-beta users. This new version brings a series of improvements aimed at optimizing the iPhone user experience, notably the inclusion of a countdown timer for two-factor authentication (2FA) codes, a feature that makes it easier to use these codes that change every 30 seconds. A more secure operating system, that is the goal of iOS 18.4 […]

The beta of iOS 18.4 (do not confuse with beta 4 of iOS 18) is now available for members of the developer program and public beta, although it has not yet reached non-beta users.

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This new version brings a series of improvements aimed at optimizing the user experience of the iPhone, notably the inclusion of a countdown timer for two-factor authentication (2FA) codes, a feature that makes it easier to use these codes that change every 30 seconds.

A more secure operating system, that is the goal of iOS 18.4

One of the most important features of Apple Passwords is its fusion between a password manager and an authenticator. Previously, the problem was that 2FA codes did not inform the user when they were going to expire, complicating the login process.

With the new update, a green ring is implemented that gradually fills over 30 seconds, allowing users to have a clear indication of the remaining time until the code becomes nonexistent.

In addition to this improvement in authentication, iOS 18.4 introduces extra icons on larger CarPlay screens, AI-driven priority notifications, a new Genmoji icon for the keyboard, and additional language options for Apple Intelligence.

However, the new Personal Context feature of Siri, which aims to improve understanding of user requests, is still not available in this beta.

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The final version of iOS 18.4 is likely to be released in April 2024, according to rumors. Until then, users will have to wait to enjoy all the improvements and features that this new operating system has to offer, while the gloomy points of the beta raise doubts about the arrival of some promises made by Apple in the past.

Is the launch of the RTX 5000 the most disastrous in Nvidia's history?

The recent family of GeForce RTX 50 graphics cards from NVIDIA is under scrutiny following reports of a manufacturing defect affecting a small number of units. Users from various forums, including Reddit, have pointed out that the RTX 5080, 5090, and 5070 Ti graphics cards have fewer Raster Output Processor (ROP) units than specified by NVIDIA. Specifically, the RTX 5080 should integrate 112 ROPs, but some models have been found with only 104, resulting in a performance that is 4% lower than expected. Another failure from Nvidia that joins power cables […]

The recent family of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 graphics cards is under scrutiny following a report of a manufacturing defect affecting a small number of units.

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Users from various forums, including Reddit, have pointed out that the RTX 5080, 5090, and 5070 Ti graphics cards have fewer Raster Output Processor (ROP) units than specified by NVIDIA.

Specifically, the RTX 5080 should integrate 112 ROP, but some models have been found with only 104, thus generating a performance that is 4% lower than expected.

Another failure from Nvidia joins the burning power cables and the low supply

Although this impact is considered minor and does not affect artificial intelligence and computing workloads, NVIDIA has confirmed the issue. The company has indicated that less than 0.5% of the RTX 5090, 5090D, and 5070 Ti cards exhibit this anomaly.

Consumers who find themselves in this situation can contact the manufacturer of their graphics card to request a replacement. It is also suggested to check the number of ROPs present in the GPU using diagnostic tools like TechPowerUp GPU-Z.

NVIDIA has assured that the issue has already been fixed in the production lines; however, some Founders Edition cards may also be affected.

It is important that users who have purchased one of these GPUs check if their unit is among the affected ones, as it will not be possible to resolve this issue through BIOS or driver updates, being an irreparable hardware defect.

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With more than a month and a half since its launch, the issues related to the RTX 50 series continue, and although the shortage of these products is still a topic of discussion, users should be alert regarding this recent manufacturing problem.

Sony is not very happy with the sales of its PlayStation 5 Pro

Sales of the PlayStation 5 Pro have fallen since its launch three months ago, surpassing the PS4 Pro in the same time period. According to Mat Piscatella, executive director of games at Circana, spending on consoles has decreased by 35% compared to the previous year, and spending on video game hardware has dropped by 45%. This negative trend has been reflected in several major console platforms, including a 38% reduction in PS5 hardware sales. The console market is in full decline. Xbox Series consoles […]

Sales of the PlayStation 5 Pro have declined since its launch three months ago, surpassing the PS4 Pro in the same time period.

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According to Mat Piscatella, executive director of games at Circana, spending on consoles has decreased by 35% compared to the previous year, and spending on video game hardware has fallen by 45%.

This negative trend has been reflected on several major console platforms, including a 38% reduction in PS5 hardware sales.

The console market is in free fall

Xbox Series consoles have experienced a 50% decrease in sales, and the Nintendo Switch has seen a 53% drop. This latest decline is mainly attributed to the anticipation of the Nintendo Switch 2 launch, which is expected to sell 4.3 million units in its first year in the U.S., indicating significant pent-up demand.

Despite a promising start, PS5 Pro sales are lagging behind the figures recorded by the PS4 Pro, which accounted for about 13% of total PS4 sales over its lifetime.

The PS5 Pro, priced at 799.99 euros in Europe, has established itself as the most expensive PlayStation console to date, generating mixed opinions among consumers and commentators.

Since its launch, the PS5 Pro has seen some minor discounts at various retailers. It is speculated that, due to the drop in sales, Sony may consider lowering the price of the console in the future. However, so far no pricing strategy has been confirmed by the company.

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With these developments in the console market, attention is focused on the future of the PS5 Pro and how Sony will respond to the decline in sales in an increasingly competitive environment.