mobile

Sony has launched the most anti-2026 high-end mobile. It’s an idea as good as it is risky.

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Sony continues launching mobile phones. And it has reached a point where the news is not that it has launched a mobile phone, but rather why it has done so and what it wants to tell the market when it does so. Although it may seem like a counter-current idea, launching mobile phones knowing that you are only going to sell them makes some senseand Sony is not alone there. The anti2026. For some reason, manufacturers have been convincing us for years that more than useful technologies should disappear. All in pursuit of a more minimalist design, larger batteries and an evolution close to that of the portless mobile. To this, Sony responds with a blunt “hold my cap.” The Sony Xperia 1 VIII. He Sony Xperia 1 VIII It is a return to the past, maintaining technologies that the vast majority of its rivals discarded years ago. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack It has a slot for microSD cards up to 2 TB Thick, very thick bezels The SIM slot is not removed with the tool, just press it The stereo speakers are front-facing, there is no one below There is no trace of what might look like an iPhone Very good. Sony’s proposal is clear: in the middle of 2026 you can enjoy technologies that one day we banished and that are useful despite the passing of the years. Furthermore, each and every one of these steps does not distance the Xperia 1 VIII from what is required of a modern flagship. The best Qualcomm processor A powerful camera system with ZEISS optics Up to a generous 16 GB of RAM The only unforgivable point is that of a Full HD+ panel. On a 1,499 euro mobile phone this resolution is not acceptable. Because. The short answer is that Sony is not launching the Xperia 1 VIII to compete with Samsung or Apple. He gave up that battle a long time ago. In the last Corporate Strategy MeetingSony president Kenichiro Yoshida made it clear that the smartphone division does not exist to sell volume, it exists to prove something. Sony Xperia is, above all, a technological showcase. In addition, the Xperia division is a fundamental pillar for the company’s R&D. The advances made in these smartphones are later applied to what really matters: the brand’s cameras. In Xataka | At half price the Sony WH-1000XM5, headphones with one of the best noise cancellations we have tested

In 2026 we are hooked on mobile. In 1929 people were alarmed by the “addiction” to crossword puzzles

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At a time when heroin and cocaine were legal tender, activists, journalists and legislators decided that what was really worrying, what was really was destroying western civilization They were crossword puzzles. Yes, as it sounds: crossword puzzles. Yesterday’s moral panics. Thanks to Jose César Peralesone of the country’s leading addiction neuroscience experts, we come to what is likely to become my favorite case of “moral panic”: the newspaper’s anti-hobby movements. Although I would have to search the monumental “Verbalia” of Marius Serra To confirm this, popular wisdom tells us that this evolution of magic square What we know today as a crossword puzzle was invented in 1913 by the English journalist, Arthur Wynne, while working on the ‘Fun’ supplement of the ‘New York World’ newspaper. where does it come from. The success of the hobby was spectacular and throughout the decade newspapers around the world incorporated it into their pages. In 1922, comic strips about people doing crossword puzzles were already circulating, and in 1924, the New York Library assured that “the latest fad to hit libraries is the crossword puzzle” complaining bitterly that “puzzle fanatics” monopolized “dictionaries and encyclopedias scaring away readers and students who need these books in their daily work.” Popularization. That library report was not something isolated. In fact, during 1924, voices of alarm against the threat posed by crossword puzzles became increasingly popular. That year, as the Harrisburg Telegraph stated“professors at the University of Michigan had banned crossword puzzles in their classes.” “Crossword addiction”. Concerned about crossword puzzle fever, the Kingsport Times-News, a Tennessee newspaper, denounced that “if legislators have acquired the habit, as they presumably have, it is difficult to see how they will find time to legislate” and lamented that “opposition to crossword puzzle addiction had not yet been organized”, although they were convinced that it would soon do so. After all, until now he had only “interfered with relatively unimportant matters”, but as the addiction grew the problems would increase. It sounds familiar to us. I have no doubt, As Perales himself pointed outthat opposition to crossword puzzles was nothing more than a “hobby” in those wonderful 1920s that blew up after the crash of ’29. That is to say, to the chagrin of the Kingsport Times-News columnist, that anti-puzzle movement was never organized (or turned into a lobby). However, it is a paradigmatic example of what moral panic is; that is, “a reaction by a group of people based on the false or exaggerated perception of some cultural behavior.” It is something that we have seen repeatedly with video games and that has become an urban myth. But it is when we see it in things like crossword puzzles (or in the dozens of examples that this “technophobia archive” has that is ‘Pessimists Archive‘) when it becomes especially evident. It’s good to remember it from time to time. In Xataka | Helping the waiter clear the table seems like a kind gesture: psychologists see something much deeper In Xataka | The mirage of the hyperpresent father: they dedicate four times more time to their children, but mothers are still on the verge of collapse In Xataka | “It doesn’t give me life”: the phrase that summarizes the vital state of an entire generation of Spaniards in their thirties Image | Ross Sneddon

why the great battle of mobile cameras is in size and not in megapixels

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How difficult can it be? know if the camera of one mobile phone is better than that of another. An example as a riddle, let’s see if you can see, at a glance, which camera is better. They are the two main cameras of two different phones: 50 megapixel sensor with f/1.7 aperture and one-inch size. 3.2 µm pixels and OIS stabilization. 200 megapixel sensor with f/1.7 aperture and 1/1.4 inch size. 0.56 µm pixels and OIS stabilization. Since a large number always attracts attention, a first glance could tell us that the camera with 200 megapixels is better than the one with 50 megapixels. Is that so? Well, not in this case, since the top camera (which corresponds to a Xiaomi 17 Ultra) It’s much better than the one below (from a Redmi Note 15 Pro+). That is something we could know from the size of the sensor and the pixels, which is exactly what we are going to explain in this article. A camera with more megapixels is not necessarily better Cameras are increasingly a claim by manufacturers when it comes to selling mobile phones. This is nothing new, since we have been seeing different races between them for years: first they were to offer more megapixels and then, to have a greater number of cameras. As we have seen in the example above, even cheap phones already have sensors with 200 megapixels. But, Does that mean the camera is better? In order to answer this question, we are going to explain what a megapixel is. A megapixel (also called ‘MP’ or ‘mpx’ on mobile devices) is equivalent to one million pixels and is an element that is not used to measure the quality of a sensor or an image, but its resolution. In short, the higher the number of megapixels, the larger the image size will be. This is very useful because it allows you to take large photographs and later make a digital crop to have an enlarged image. It is a very interesting solution for mobile phones that do not have a telephoto sensor (like the iPhone 17efor example), but it is not a factor that will determine the quality of the photograph. I understand this, now let’s talk about a key concept in photography: light. The more light a camera captures, the better the image quality and the less noise it will have. This is where pixel size comes in: the larger they are, the more light they are able to collect. What’s happening? That you cannot fit a huge number of megapixels into a small sensor because, in that case, each pixel receives less light. That is exactly the opposite of what we are looking for in photography, but it is a problem that is diluted if the sensor is larger. Why is sensor size so important? If the camera sensor is larger, the pixel and megapixel size will be larger. so they will capture more light. In fact, this is another detail that we can see in the example cameras that we used at the beginning of the article, since they tell us the size of their pixels measured in micrometers (or µm). The larger these are, the more light they will capture. Precisely based on this, manufacturers use a technique called ‘Pixel Binning’. Explained very simply, it is a process by which pixels join adjacent ones, thus forming larger pixels (and therefore, capable of capturing more light). There the number of megapixels (and therefore the resolution) is reduced in exchange for gaining more light. At this point, the question may arise in our mind as to why manufacturers don’t introduce larger sensors in phones. The answer, if we ignore the cost of these, is that you not only have to mount them: they have to be placed on the mobile so that it can take advantage of them 100%. And that takes up a lot of space on a device that seeks to be (relatively) thin. And where is the size of a sensor most noticeable? Well when we go to take a photo and there is little light. These large sensors offer more natural results at night and when lighting is poor, all without the need for overly aggressive software processing. It also performs very well with the contrast between dark and brightly lit areas, in addition to achieving a natural blur effect without having to resort to Portrait mode (or what is usually called ‘bokeh). How can I find out the size of a camera sensor? Sensor size is expressed in inches, usually as a fraction: for example, 1/1.95″. The smaller that fraction (closer to 1), the larger the sensor. A 1/1.3″ sensor is larger than a 1/1.95″ sensor. Megapixels are easy to sell because they are a large number and easy to compare in a store. Sensor size is harder to communicate, harder to manufacture, and harder to make profitable in the mid-range. That’s why manufacturers highlight it when they have it and omit it when they don’t.. Now you know which column to look at. Two mobile phones with one-inch sensors In recent months we have been seeing mobile phones with very good photographic sections and the vast majority of them (if not all) have one-inch sensors. It is true that we have mobile phones with an outstanding photographic section that barely have a sensor like this, like the Vivo X300 Ultra (main camera sensor measures 1/1.12 inch), he Vivo X300 Pro (1/1.28 inch) or the OPPO X9 Ultra (also 1/1.12 inch). There are many aspects that come into play when talking about mobile photography. and not all of them are physical (the processor and software also have a lot to say). Now, we have two good examples with one-inch sensors that we are going to see right below. Xiaomi 17 Ultra We have used it as an example because the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is one of the best cameras we have seen on mobile phones … Read more

It’s called Gemini Intelligence and it wants to change how we use our mobile phones

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Google just introduced Gemini Intelligence in The Android Showthe great event dedicated to the green android operating system. The name, which inevitably reminds Apple Intelligencemakes it quite clear where the news is going: artificial intelligence. But here we are not just talking about creating emojis or generating images, but about something more ambitious, at least on paper. The company wants to change the way we use our devices. So how does that promise hold up? Google assures that Gemini Intelligence will allow us to automate tasks, as can be seen in the example shown during the event and included in the cover image, reading the information that appears on our screen and interacting with it. It will also arrive with a navigation assistant for Google Chrome, make it easier to fill out forms, and update Gboard to help us shape our thoughts out loud. Let’s see in a little more detail what each new feature consists of. Everything Gemini Intelligence brings to Android Google says it has been working on automation features for months alongside several popular food and transportation apps. The goal is for Gemini Intelligence to be able to take care of certain tasks for us, not just answering questions, but acting within the device and some compatible applications. “Gemini takes care of the logistics so you can enjoy the moment,” the company says. These are some of the examples that Google has shared: Reserve a bike in the front row for a spinning class Find a class program in Gmail Add to cart the books you need Gemini Intelligence may also use the context of the screen or an image. The company proposes, for example, an open shopping list in a notes application. In that scenario, it would be enough to press and hold the power button to activate Gemini Intelligence and ask it by voice to create a shopping cart with those products. In theory, the system would take care of it. Another example is photographing the poster for an activity and asking them to search Expedia for a similar tour for six people. Another important piece of Gemini Intelligence will be in Chrome. Google wants to make its browser on Android smarter starting at the end of June, with Gemini built in to help us research, summarize information, and compare content on the web. It is not just about reading a page and returning a summary, but about accompanying us in tasks that normally require jumping between several tabs or services. In addition, Chrome will incorporate a function called auto browse, aimed at more mechanical tasks. Google gives examples of booking an appointment or a parking space. On paper, it is another step in the same direction: less manual interaction and more capacity of the system to take care of specific procedures. Android autofill will also take a leap with Gemini Intelligence. So far, Autofill with Google has mostly served to save time in basic fields, but Google wants to take it further. The feature will be able to take advantage of Gemini’s personal intelligence to fill out more fields within apps and Chrome, even when forms are longer or have small boxes spread across the screen. The promise is simple: that filling out forms from your mobile will no longer be such a burdensome task. Android may use relevant information from connected applications to fill in that data for us. In any case, Google emphasizes an important point: this integration will be strictly optional. Each user will decide if they want to connect Gemini with Autofill, and that connection can be activated or deactivated from the settings. Gboard will also be updated with a new Gemini Intelligence feature called Rambler. The starting point is quite recognizable: Android already allows you to quickly convert voice to text, but we don’t speak the same way we write. We correct ourselves as we go, we repeat ideas, we leave half-sentences or we fill in the gaps with fillers. Rambler wants to take care of just that. The idea is that you can speak naturally, without having to construct the perfect sentence before starting. The system will take the important parts of what you say and organize them into a clearer, more concise message. Google ensures that Gboard will clearly show when Rambler is activated and that the audio will only be used to transcribe in real time, without being stored or saved. In addition, Rambler will be designed for multilingual conversations. Thanks to Gemini’s advanced model, you will be able to change languages ​​within the same message and understand the context even if we mix several languages. Google uses a combination of English and Hindi as an example, but the idea is broader: that the message still sounds like us, just a little more polished. 10 GOOGLE APPS THAT COULD HAVE SUCCESSFUL Which phones will be compatible with Gemini Intelligence Google has made it clear that Gemini Intelligence will be an exclusive function of Android phones, something that we could already imagine due to its characteristics. Nothing about an application that allows you to use some of its new features on the iPhone. Now, even within the Android ecosystem, its deployment will also be limited: it will be focused on the “most advanced devices” and will arrive in phases. According to official information, Gemini Intelligence will first arrive on compatible Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones as early as this summer. Later, at the end of the year, it will also land on other devices, such as smart watches, cars, glasses and laptops. In development. In Xataka | Anthropic does not offer its services in China. So China has invented a black market for Claude tokens

It also serves to set up a mobile karaoke

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One of the things that the world of social media, vertical video, and content creation has taught me is that average image quality can be supported by almost anyone, but bad sound cannot. That a TikTok or Reel looks bad is passable, but if it doesn’t sound good, the rejection is immediate. We have the greatest proof of this when we open TikTok: the mobile is the default camerabut the audio capture device is usually a wireless microphone. There are several options on the market and today we must add a very interesting proposal from a brand that knows a lot about audio: JBL. The firm has just announced the new JBL EasySing Mic Mini. And yes, they come with a twist: you can set up the world’s largest duffel bag wherever you want. JBL EasySing Mic Mini | Image: JBL Why an external microphone? Because the microphone (“microphones”, really, it is normal that there are several) of mobile phones is not designed for content creation. Not at least in a professional or semi-professional way. Mobile phones use very small, omnidirectional MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems) microphone systems. They have a very high noise floor, they distort if we bring them very close to the sound source and they are omnidirectional, so they capture all the sound around them. They are useful for making calls, for everyday video recording, and for guerrilla content like a quick story. Now, from 20-30 centimeters away its performance drops greatly, even more so if we record outdoors. While mobile video has evolved at breakneck speed, audio remains a pending task. That’s why a dedicated microphone is still a good investment when creating content at a higher level. JBL EasySing Mic Mini | Image: JBL JBL EasySing Mic Mini. That is the name given to JBL’s new proposal. This new microphone has a more compact format than the EasySing Mics available so far, which are more reminiscent of a normal microphone. The new Mic Mini comes in a more compact case that we can carry in our pocket or backpack, and includes two devices: the dongle (which we will connect to the speaker or mobile phone) and the microphone, which we can hold in our hand, attach to an accessory or clip it to our t-shirt using the magnetic clip. A dongle… The dongle has a USB type C, AUX and Bluetooth connection, so it can be connected to practically any device, be it a mobile phone, laptop or speaker. The connection to the microphone is via 2.4 GHz and the effective range is about 20 meters. At the expense of testing it, it is to be expected that the sound quality will be much better than what we can achieve by recording with the mobile microphone. JBL EasySing Mic Mini | Image: JBL …a little bit of AI… One of the keys to the microphone is the built-in AI system, which works de facto on the device itself. The device is capable of reducing noise, separating the voice from any song and improving our voice to reach high tones. And why would we want the microphone to separate the voice from a song? …and karaoke. Because one of the curiosities of this microphone is that it allows us to set up karaoke anywhere. Simply connect the dongle to a compatible JBL speaker and play music. The dongle itself will be in charge of analyzing the song and eliminating, if we want, the background voice so that only ours can be heard. We can leave 25% of the original voice to use as a guide, use it as a 50% accompaniment, or eliminate it completely. If we connect the microphone to the JBL One app we can also access voice effects and additional settings, such as an equalizer. JBL EasySing Mic Mini | Image: JBL Versions and price. The JBL EasySing Mic Mini will be available for 149.99 euros from June 2026. Of course, it has not arrived alone. In addition to this new microphone, which is the most different proposal in the catalogue, JBL has renewed its product range with the following products. JBL Live 780NC | Image: JBL JBL Live 780NC and 680NC: supra-aural headband headphones that mount 40 mm drivers, incorporate active noise cancellation and offer 80 hours of autonomy. The difference between the two is that the 780NC uses six microphones for noise cancellation, while the 680NC uses four. Both are compatible with Smart TX. JBL Live 4 | Image: JBL JBL Live 4: TWS headphones in stick in ear (Live Beam 4), in ear (Live Buds 4) and semi-open stick (Live Flex 4) formats with smart casing. The main novelty is Perfect Call 2.0, a six-microphone system to improve call quality; and the new smart case with a screen and more functions, such as checking notifications. JBL PartyBox 330 | Image: JBL JBL PartyBox 330 and JBL PartyBox 130: your new speakers to mount the backpack anywhere. They have up to 280W of power, lights and, of course, microphone compatibility. Images | JBL In Xataka | The best song to test the performance of your headphones, according to a sound researcher who has been using it for 35 years

Why more and more mobile phones last up to two days and weigh less

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Technological devices have been chained to the chemical limitations of lithium-ion batteries for almost 30 years. Until recently, if we wanted a mobile phone to have more autonomy, what we needed was a much larger battery. This, in the end, translated into much thicker and heavier phones. That has changed in recent years, since in the middle of 2026 we are witnessing a change in the x-ray of batteries. Now, there are mobile phones on the market that they do not exceed 7 mm thick (as is the case with the Honor Magic V3, which when deployed has a thickness of just 4.35 mm) and which are capable of mounting 5,500 or 6,000 mAh batteries (or even more) without the design looking crude. The secret is not magic, but the anode silicon-carbon. HONOR Magic8 Pro 5G Smartphone, 12+512 GB The price could vary. We earn commission from these links How to understand this progress? In order to understand this progress, we must look inside the battery. Traditional ones use graphite in the anode – the negative electrode –, a cheap and stable material, but with a clear capacity limit. This means that a lot of graphite is needed to be able to store an amount of energy for our mobile phone. He silicon It is a “supermaterial” that can store up to 10 times more lithium ions per gram than graphite (with a specific capacity of around 4,200 mAh/g compared to approximately 370 mAh/g for graphite). This translates into smaller batteries for the same autonomy or more autonomy in the same space. If silicon has such advantageous properties, why isn’t it used sooner? The answer is given by its defect and that is that it is a material that can reach expand by 300-400%depending on the type of silicon used. This is something that could end up fracturing the battery of our mobile phone with just a few charging cycles. This has currently been solved in mobile phone batteries, managing to encapsulate silicon nanoparticles within a carbon structure, which functions as a cage. He carbon It acts as a shock absorber, allowing the silicon to expand and contract internally without destroying the physical structure of the battery. Benefits of mobile phones that have this type of battery The fact that this technology is being implemented in mobile phone batteries basically offers us three benefits that can be translated into the following: Higher energy density: It is now possible to mount a 5,800 mAh battery in the space where a 4,500 mAh battery previously fit. Less thickness on mobile phones: Manufacturers no longer have to sacrifice design so that the mobile battery lasts until we go to sleep. This means that the thickness of today’s mobile phones (in the vast majority of cases) is decreasing. Better fast charging: This type of battery better supports high current densities. This allows us to do ultra-fast charging with less long-term battery degradation. Some mobile phones that have this type of battery A few years ago, Honor (it was one of the first brands to bring this technology to a high-profile folding device with the Honor Magic V3) and Xiaomi began to experiment with this type of batteries, although it is now that silicon-carbon has gone from being a luxury for become the new industry standard. These are some of the mobile phones with silicon-carbon batteries that you can buy currently. Xiaomi 17 (855.34 euros currently on Amazon): the latest release from the Chinese manufacturer, the Xiaomi 17 mount a battery 6,330 mAh on a phone with a thickness of 8.06 mm. This battery supports 100 W fast charging and 50 W wireless charging. Its photographic system signed by Leica is another of its assets, as is its 6.3-inch OLED screen. XIAOMI 17, Smartphone 12+256 GB The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (1,559 euros on the Samsung website): after years with graphite, Samsung has implemented a hybrid silicon architecture in its S26 series. Of course, the 5,000 mAh remains, but the mobile is much thinner and lighter than the S24 Ultra (7.9 mm and 214 grams of weight S26 Ultra compared to the 8.6 mm and 232 g weight of the S24 Ultra). This Korean firm’s mobile is a clear example that the industry uses silicon-carbon not only to provide more battery, but to make phones more ergonomic without losing capacity. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, 512GB The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Honor Magic8 Pro (899 euros): As we have already said, Honor was the first brand to launch a mobile phone with this type of battery. He Honor Magic8 Pro It is its latest addition to the market. Your battery 6,270 mAh Not only is it thinner, but it also stands out for using a dedicated chip (E2; whose main function is to optimize consumption and stabilize the voltage at the minivolt level) to manage the silicon-carbon. Its autonomy is enough for a day and then some, something unthinkable recently on such a bright and fluid 120 Hz screen. HONOR Magic8 Pro 5G Smartphone, 12+512 GB The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Xiaomi, Samsung, Honor and Álex Alcolea (Xataka Móvil and Xataka) In Xataka | The best quality-price mobiles. Their analyzes and videos are here In Xataka | Fast chargers for your mobile phone or tablet. Best models to buy for their power and safety

everything we know and think we know so far about the next Google mobile

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Let’s collect you everything we think we know about the future Google Pixel 11the family of mobile phones that is the successor to the current ones Pixel 10. As is usual in the industry, weeks and months before the launch of the most anticipated mobile phones, the Internet is filled with all kinds of leaks, and we will tell you the most interesting and plausible. We are going to start by talking to you about the possible presentation dates of the new Google Pixel 11, because based on experience we can already narrow the range quite a bit. Then we will tell you the models that there may be, to finish by going into the features that have been leaked. Finally, you should know that the Pixel 11 will be the first to arrive with Android 17 serial. And as usual, you will also do so enjoying some exclusive featuresin addition to being one of the first where you can try all the other new features of the operating system. When do we think the Google Pixel 11 will come out Although historically Google used to present its phones in the months of October, the strategy has been changing to have a greater role, advancing the presentations by a few months. We will update this article periodically to add new leaks. We hope that the Pixel 11 will be presented in mid-August 2026during the “Made by Google” event. As we have seen in the latest models, the normal thing is that The launch is at the end of the montha couple of weeks after the announcement. What models are expected to exist? As we have seen in Google internal documents that have been leaked, it seems that the current structure of four high-end devices. They would be the following: Pixel 11 (codename “cubs”) Pixel 11 Pro (codename “grizzly”) Pixel 11 Pro XL (codename “kodiak”) Pixel 11 Pro Fold (code name “yogi”) In addition to this, months later a version 11a will arrivewhich like all those in the A range will have less power and will be more economical, although it will maintain some of the characteristics of its older brothers. What do we know so far Now, we are going to compile everything that has been leaked so far about the different components of the future Pixel 11 family. We are going to touch on what we know about the camera, the processors and other of its internal components. Design, size and screens According to the latest CAD-based renders leaked by OnLeaks and Android Headlinesit is expected that Pixels maintain their design languageand that there are no drastic changes in its appearance. This means that the edges and rounded corners will remain flat. The change that does seem to occur is that screen bezels will be thinner. The iconic horizontal camera module that makes these phones so recognizable will also be maintained, although in this case it seems that the panel will be made of completely black glass. Regarding the dimensions, everything points because they will be almost the same size as the previous generation. The only thing that will change is that they are expected to be a little thinner, going from 8.5 to 8.4 millimeters on the Pixel 11 Pro. As for the displays, we can expect a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED panel, while the Pro XL model will be 6.8 inches. So far everything is normal, no news, although some media such as Mobiflip suggest that Google could release new Samsung M16 OLED panels. This would be a major change, and would mean more maximum brightness and greater energy efficiency. Finally, on the Mystic Leaks Telegram channel, which specializes in leaks, the term is mentioned “Pixel Glow”. This would be an addition of RGB LED lights like the one you can find on mobile phones like those from the manufacturer Nothing. This term was mentioned in a leak where the cameras of the Pixel 11 Pro are also detailed and that the Tensor G6 processor will be used. Cameras and photography As for the main cameras, it is expected that there will be continuity with a triple camera with a 50 megapixel main sensor, an ultra wide angle and a 5x telephoto lens. We will also have improved AI processing for aspects such as cinematic blur, low light video and surely other aspects. Yes, more changes are expected on the front of the device, especially in biometrics. One of the first leaks pointed out that Google could bring back the infrared camera that we last saw on the Pixel 4, allowing the device to have 3D facial recognition at the level of Face ID of iPhones. With this, the Pixel could authorize payments and unlock the screen with your face even in the dark. However, this so-called ‘Project Tuscany’ of the infrared camera has barely appeared in leaks, so it is still early to know if it is true. Processor and memory The processor is possibly the field where the Pixel 11 will change the most. The leaks say that the new Tensor G6 will be manufactured by TSMC, the same manufacturer as the Pixel 10 after years of trusting Samsung, and that a 2 nanometer process will be used. Tensor processors have always followed Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips, and with this change Google hopes surpass them in power and efficiency. In fact, there are leaks that suggest that the new Google chip will have 15% higher performancein addition to an improvement in thermal and energy efficiency of 30%. This would help a lot to improve the autonomy of the device. The leaks also talk about 12 GB of RAM as a base, with which to help run the advanced functions of Gemini directly on the device in a fluid way. Additionally, we also expect a new Titan M3 security chip. Battery and connectivity We hope that the battery of the next Pixel 11 will be about 5,000 mAh for the base modeland greater capacities for the XL … Read more

BlackBerry seemed dead and buried. You have no idea how important it still is (but not for your mobile)

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Let’s take a little trip back in time. It’s 2014 and we’re in Silicon Valley. An executive named John Wall, president of QNXa division of Blackberry, has just arrived in the world’s technology mecca, fresh from Waterloo, in Ontario (Canada). He goes to a meeting with managers from Audi, one of his company’s best clients. The automotive firm has just announced the arrival of Android Auto to its cars. Meanwhile, Apple he doesn’t stop signing QNX engineers to create their own operating system for cars. Blackerry’s shortcomings continue to grow: after losing in mobile phones, it now also had a really bad time in the infotainment systems business. And then, something happened. A beer. The beer of the resurrection. Audi’s head of engineering went to have a beer with him and confessed that Audi was going to use Google’s infotainment systems. However, he told him, his next generation of cars would still need safety features that didn’t exist yet. So Wall came up with an idea. Instead of trying to control the car’s screen, I would try to conquer the software that is the backbone of that entire experience. “The circumstances that caused us to lose infotainment caused the company to pivot in the right direction, whether we knew it or not at the time,” counted Wall. The truth is that they did not have many alternatives, especially after experiencing one of the most famous boom and bust phenomena in the technology industry. From everything to (almost) nothing. In 2008 BlackBerry I was on top of the world. Its market capitalization at that time reached $83 billion, but from then on it plummeted mainly due to the iPhone. Today its capitalization round the 3,000 million dollars, but the surprise is that its great treasure is an almost mythical software that has turned out to be a success in the automotive world. Its name: QNX. How BlackBerry ended up making car software. In 2010 Research In Motion (RIM)—BlackBerry’s former official name— acquired QNX. This real-time operating system that appeared in the mid-1980s and in the 2000s completely changed its focus to target the automotive industry. When RIM bought it, it tried to take advantage of it for its own operating system, blackberry 10but we already know how that ended. QNX’s other big business. The curious thing is that while the company was sinking in the mobile market, QNX engineers who had not moved to the smartphone team continued working on car software. John Wall, president of QNX, has been with the company since graduating in the early ’90s, and in an interview in The Wall Street Journal he recalled how “no one paid attention to us.” That was precisely what changed the course of the company. A crucial operating system. QNX is the operating system that operates collision alerts, blind spot notifications, adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection or lane correction systems. Not only in cars, be careful: also on motorcycles. It is invisible to the user, who never sees the QNX logo, but certainly sees that everything works. Wall compared his engineers to plumbers and electricians: “What makes QNX virtually irreplaceable is its reputation for never failing.” In Fortune a user commented years earlier how “the only way to make this software fail is to shoot a bullet at the computer running it.” A flourishing business. For years QNX was an overlooked division within an ailing company, but today it accounts for about half of BlackBerry’s total revenue. The software that failed on mobile phones and tablets has ended up being almost the only business that matters for the company, but it has not been limited to cars. QNX is integrated into surgical robots and dozens of medical devices in hospitals around the world. It is also used in industrial plants and automation systems that depend on the security and reliability that QNX provides. It is not without problemsof course, but its software is still key in many critical systems. Prize for being late. BlackBerry was late to the smartphone revolution and lost. It was also late to try to conquer the infotainment segment in the automobile industry and lost. But upon losing that second battle, it adapted and managed to reconvert its operating system into something for which it was precisely designed: a real-time operating system that does not fail and whose latency and response time was (and is) extraordinary. If QNX had continued trying to compete with CarPlay or Android Auto it would probably have disappeared completely, but now it is an absolute benchmark in a niche where its reliability is much more valuable than the flashy new features that infotainment systems usually sell. Today its systems are installed in more than 275 million vehicles. BlackBerry is doing well. BlackBerry shares are up 50% in the latest financial results, and the company has four consecutive quarters in profits. That has caused BlackBerry CEO John Giamatteo to declare that his company “is now a growth story.” These data must be taken with caution, because BlackBerry is very far from where it was almost two decades ago, but the path this company has taken seems the right one. We may not see it compete in the mobility arena anymore, but it has become a fundamental element of an automobile industry that is only doing one thing: growing. In Xataka | There are still those who insist on resurrecting the keyboard and the jack: this is the mobile phone that brings them back with the scent of BlackBerry

What mobile charger to buy without spending a fortune and that is reliable

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You remove the seal from your new mobile phone, open it and… well, it’s no longer a surprise: it comes without a charger. Almost everyone has one (or several) with USB-C that could be useful to you, but What happens if your new phone has a very high fast charge? Well, it’s time to go to the checkout, but be careful when choosing what you buy: there is no need to buy a very expensive one nor do you need to stick with the first one you see that costs three euros. The important thing is to know what to look at before choosing and that is exactly what I am going to tell you below. Xiaomi 120W HyperCharge Combo USB Charger (1xUSB-A) + Cable (USB AC) The price could vary. We earn commission from these links The first filter will always be the power Let’s get down to business with the first filter that we are going to use when choosing a charger: charging power. This is not much of a mystery, since it is the energy it is capable of delivering and is measured in watts (you will see it reflected with a ‘W’). To know which one is ideal for us, the first thing is to look at the data sheet or specifications of our device. For example, let’s look at the POCO X8 Pro. If we look, we will see how this device has a maximum fast charge of 100 W, so, if we want to make the most of it, we should look for a charger that delivers this power. Be careful with this, since it is possible that our device also has wireless charging, in which case we will see two values ​​in your specifications. Small aside to answer a very recurring question: is fast charging harmful? Historically, this has been said repeatedly because This type of load causes more heat to be generated and this is one of the worst things there is for the degradation of a battery. However, there are already experiments that show that, although there is more degradation, The impact is much less than believed. Now, what happens if my charger has 100 W of power and I plug it into a mobile phone with 45 W fast charging? Short and to the point answer: nothing. The charger can have a lot of power, but it will always deliver to your devices the necessary. Imagine this power as a water faucet: it can pour a huge spout, but it can also be regulated so that a trickle of water falls. Let’s look at this more closely. Charging protocols are more important than it seems As we say, although a charger has very high power, it does not mean that it will deliver it to your devices. There is ua kind of negotiation between the charger and your mobile to determine how much power to deliver or to regulate it at certain times during charging (for example, before reaching the charging limit you have set). This is known as the loading protocol. There is a universal charging protocol called USB Power Delivery (or PD) that, yes or yes, your charger must have. Chargers without this standard are already somewhat outdated, so you may find them at ridiculous prices. Now, although this standard is the universal one, there are many others. And that’s where we might find a “problem.” In addition to PD, we already have other standards such as Programmable Power Supply (or PPS), an extension of USB Power Delivery, but there are also others that are specific to certain manufacturers. For example, brands like OPPO have VOOC, just as Samsung has Super Fast Charging or Huawei has SuperCharge. The important thing here is that you keep the idea that, if your mobile phone has one of these protocols in its specifications, the ideal is that, to make the most of its fast charging, so should your charger. What is GaN? If you start browsing chargers in stores like Amazon, it is very likely that you will find models that, in their description, indicate that they have something called GaN. What does this mean? It’s very easy to explain: while the vast majority of chargers use silicon (surely it sounds familiar to you with how fashionable they are). carbon-silicon batteries), GaN chargers use galli nitrideeither. In short, this material is better and more efficient than silicon. This implies that they have a better efficiency when charging and generate less heatsomething that, as we said above, is very good. Additionally, by dissipating temperature better, GaN chargers are more compact, which is also great. Is it mandatory for your new charger to have this material? No, but if you bring it, all the better. Don’t lose sight of certifications, the cable and the ports You already know the essentials for choosing a charger, but three more notes. The first thing would be to check that the charger is certified, especially with the most relevant certifications. It should have the CE seal yes or yeswhich means that it complies with European safety regulations. In addition to this, you may also have others from certain entities such as TÜV. There is no point in buying the perfect charger for your mobile if you do not accompany it with the correct cablesince these also have to be compatible with the power we need. It is important to look at this, but also its compatibility with the different charging protocols, its materials (if it is braided, better) and its length. And finally, there is the issue of charging ports. If you only plan to charge one device, as long as it has a port it will be enough for you. Now, as a personal recommendation, I wouldn’t lose sight of chargers with two or more portssince being able to charge several devices with a single charger is very convenient and saves you one less thing. Of course, be careful with the ports: not all of … Read more

How to measure the distance between two points in Google Maps on PC and mobile

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Let’s explain to you how to measure distances in Google Mapsso that you can have better references of how far away the points that interest you are. It is not about measuring distances on roads or paths, for that you can make routes on Google Mapsbut to draw a line between two points and know their physical distance. You will be able to do this to measure streets, roads, or anything you want on the map. A virtual ruler will be generated telling you the distance. We are going to teach you how to do both on the Google Maps website and in the application. Measure distances on the Google Maps website If you are using the Google Maps website, you have to do right click on one of the points of the measurement you want to make. This will open a context menu, where you have to click on the option measure distance that will appear at the bottom. Now all you have to do is click on another point on the map. Come on, you right click on the starting point, and then when you choose the option, click on the final click. This will generate a ruler that will show you the distance between these two points. Now you can continue marking new points that will be joined with the previous ones, and you will be able to see the distance between each of the points. Besides, At the bottom you have a local distance indicator which will tell you the total of the sum of all the distances. Measure distances in the Google Maps app Distance measurement is different in the Google Maps app, since it only shows you the total distance and not point by point. But the way to do it is quite similar. The first thing you have to do is click with your finger on the place on the map that you want to be the starting point. This will open a menu with many options, and in it you must click on the option measure distance that you will have inside at the bottom. Now, there will be an aiming point in the center of the screen, and with your fingers you will have to move until you go pointing to where you want to add new points. When you do, click on the button Add pointand everything will stay the same so you can add new points. At the end, you also have an indicator at the bottom left where it will tell you the total distance that all the points add up. In Xataka Basics | Google Maps: 45 functions and tricks to get the most out of both your website and your mobile app

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