Author: The Tech Guy

2025 was a good year for vivo as it continued to innovate and upgrade on its solid lineup of devices. But the maker also faced challenges, like delivering its many great phones to markets outside of China and India. A great showing overall, but not without some losses. Winner and loser: vivo X200 Ultra Just like last year’s X100 Ultra, the vivo X200 Ultra is one of the best phones on the market, yet it didn’t manage to spread its immeasurable talents beyond China. The X200 Ultra kept what made its predecessor excellent, but made it better in every way…

Spaceflight poses a risk of adverse health effects due to the interactions between microorganisms, their hosts, and their environment. The JSC Microbiology team addresses the benefits and risks related to microorganisms, including infectious disease, allergens, environmental and food contamination, and the impacts of changes in environmental and human microbial ecology aboard spacecraft. The team includes certified medical technologists, environmental microbiologists, mycologists, and biosafety professionals. The JSC Microbiology laboratory is a critical component of the Human Health and Performance Directorate and is responsible for addressing crew health and environmental issues related to microbial infection, allergens, and contamination. This responsibility is achieved…

Versatile and convenient, this blender is great for all-day use Good for all day use, the KitchenAid Pure Power Blender combines versatility with convenience at mealtimes. With all the kit in the box and no set up required, you can be enjoying a fresh smoothie within minutes. It bites off more than it can chew with frozen berries so keep it fresh and you’ll be on to a winner. It’s a solid piece of kit No setting up required Powerful blade Easy to clean Loud Struggles to blend frozen fruit & veg Key Features Three dedicated modes Smoothie, Ice Crush…

Managing your emails in Outlook often feels like a choice between manually dragging your messages into folders and relying on automated Outlook rules for your inbox that may not behave exactly the way you expect. However, there’s a feature that solves both problems, and you’ve probably scrolled past it dozens of times without giving it a second thought. Microsoft Outlook’s Quick Steps allow you to bundle several actions into a single click or keyboard shortcut that you trigger when it actually makes sense to do so. After using it consistently, I’ve found Quick Steps to be one of the smartest…

Joe Maring / Android AuthorityTL;DR Samsung’s updated Tips app contains a listing for the long-rumored Privacy Display feature. The page reveals that Privacy Display will be located in the Settings app, in the Display section. An animation showing how the feature works was also spotted on the page. Samsung has been developing a new feature for the Galaxy S26 Ultra called Privacy Display. This feature is designed to dim or hide the display when viewing the screen at an angle, preventing strangers from taking unwanted peeks. Back in September 2025, we spotted code within an alleged build of One UI…

Generative AI is biology’s new playground. The technology powering popular chatbots can also dream up new, entirely novel versions of life’s most basic molecules, from DNA to proteins.Once the domain of highly trained specialists, relative novices can now design synthetic molecules using open source AI software. But ease of access is a double-edged sword. While lower barriers to entry might spur creativity or even yield new medicines, the technology could also be used for nefarious purposes, such as designing novel toxins.In 2024, two experts wrote an essay highlighting the need for biosecurity in the field. One of them, David Baker…

Pebble’s revival has stirred plenty of enthusiasm, especially among smartwatch fans looking for a retro-minimalist wearable that can get the basics right without a digital overload. The company, now operating as RePebble, is bringing back another hot favorite from a decade ago — the Pebble Time Round. Say hello to the Pebble Round 2. Ooh, this one’s a looker The latest from the Pebble lineup goes for a round dial with a stunningly thin profile at just 8.1mm, while the chassis is made out of stainless steel. It will be available in Matte Black, Brushed Silver, and Polished Rose Gold…

I genuinely pity people coming into the home theater space in 2026. While the technology is better than ever, there’s such a baffling number of terms and standards — and products associated with them — that it can be hard to know where to begin. Perhaps it’s no wonder that some people might just wander into a store and walk out with the largest TV they can afford. When it comes to speaker connections, there are several predominant connection types available: ARC, eARC, optical, 3.5mm, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. I’m going to explain why in the majority of situations, you should…

Liu Zhankun/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images While many world governments seem happy to let untested AI chatbots interact with vulnerable populations, China looks to be moving in another direction. Recently proposed regulations from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) have encouraged a firm hand when it comes to “human-like interactive AI services,” according to CNBC, which translated the document. It’s currently in a “draft for public comment,” and the implementation date is yet to be determined. Yet if it passes into law, the crackdown would be rigorous, building on generative AI regulations targeting misinformation and internet hygiene from earlier…

The OnePlus Nord 5 was released in July, so you wouldn’t necessarily expect its successor to show up anytime soon, but you might be wrong in making that assumption. That’s because the Nord 6 has already been certified for sale by SIRIM in Malaysia, the GCF, and TDRA in the UAE. These certifications are a normal step in the development process, but usually occur within a few weeks, or a couple or so months, before a phone is actually unveiled. That makes us think the Nord 6 might arrive earlier in the year than its predecessor. Unfortunately, no specs for…