The translucent back and flashing glyph design of the Nothing Phone 1 have many US phone enthusiasts fascinated, yet they are unable to get one. Certainly not quickly. However, it might be simpler for its ancillary gadgets.
Carl Pei, a co-founder of Nothing, told CNBC that the firm wasn’t prepared to handle the complexity of the industry, which often requires working with strong US carriers, therefore the Nothing Phone 1 isn’t available in the US. We are currently in talks with a few US carriers about maybe launching a future product there, he said. A third of the sales of the device were produced in the US, where Nothing already offers its Ear Stick wireless buds. Pei was also a founding member of OnePlus and is already acquainted with the US smartphone market. It took years for OnePlus to launch a device with carrier support.
Nothing has topped 600,000 Phone 1 devices sold so far. But Pei has big ambitions, matched by similarly big challenges. He previously said the company has a “zero-percent margin” on its phones, due to the strong US dollar and less-than-favorable terms from suppliers. “The goal is to be profitable in 2024,” he said.
– Mat Smith
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The development pressures have allegedly led to animal deaths.
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We’ve tested a prototype.
The Magic VS is Honor’s second folding phone, but it’ll be the first available outside China when it launches in early 2023. This feels like a polish rather than an evolution of the 2022’s Magic V foldable. The major difference is a vastly redesigned hinge with far fewer parts, which should make it more reliable. It still looks an awful lot like Samsung’s premium-priced Galaxy Z Fold series. Honor has given attention to the external display, which is arguably just as important as the fold-out display. Check out our impressions.
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You won’t need to grind through as many levels to get them.
One of the major (and controversial) changes Blizzard made in Overwatch 2 was locking new heroes behind a battle pass. However, it should be a little easier for players to unlock the latest character, Ramattra, in the game’s second season. Players who opt for the free track of the battle pass won’t need to grind through as many levels before they can use the new tank in all game modes. However, those who buy the season-two premium pass will get access to Ramattra right away.
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Other updates include better Pixel Watch sleep tracking.
Google is releasing its latest round of Pixel updates, including the free VPN the company teased at its October event. However, the Google One VPN doesn’t support regional location switching, so no sneakily streaming different services around the world – but it does secure your browsing activity. Clear Calling, which had been in beta since October, is also now available for all Pixel 7 series owners. The AI-powered feature makes calls in noisy environments sound better by bringing your voice to the forefront while drowning out background noise.
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If you have the space.
Cooler Master’s Orb X is its newly announced semi-enclosed work and gaming station. The built-in recliner is made of “genuine leather” and has a fully adjustable headrest, lumbar support, and leg rest. Once you’re seated, the motorized dome at the top of the Orb X lowers a screen to eye level. You can configure the pod with either a single 34-inch monitor or up to three 27-inch displays. If you’re going to own a gaming pod, I demand you get all three.
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