Allison Johnson

Here’s the upgrade to my favorite phone camera of last year

Dominic Preston and Allison JohnsonMar 2

Allison JohnsonMar 2

Hang on, my cat is calling.

I got a look at a device called PetPhone, which promises two-way connectivity to your pet no matter where you are. The device clips to a collar and includes speakers so your pet can hear your voice when you’re away. The kicker? GlocalMe, the company behind PetPhone, says your pet can call you.

You just have to train them to jump in the air three times in six seconds. Which means your dog could… butt dial you by jumping around too much? I have questions.

Oh great, here comes 6G

We could be in for some wild stuff come 2030. But is this the 5G hype industrial complex all over again?

Allison JohnsonMar 2

Just watch those pixels flex.

Samsung Display has a helpful visual on its MWC booth showing how the Flex Magic Pixel technology in the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Privacy Display works. The technology itself isn’t new — it debuted at MWC 2024 — but its application in a real, shipping product is.

Front and center at Samsung Display’s booth, the demo shows how the OLED structure limits light emitted to the sides of subpixels when privacy mode is engaged. Kinda cool.

Allison JohnsonMar 2

Qualcomm’s new smartphone modem is skipping ahead.

The X105 5G modem-RF is the X85’s successor, which is 20 more X by my count. The modem comes with a familiar emphasis on enabling AI applications; it also “predicts RF conditions” with the help of sensing software to try and maintain a stronger connection.

It’s 15 percent smaller and 30 percent more power efficient compared to the last one. Shrinkflation strikes again, but in a good way, maybe?

Image: Qualcomm

The Motorola Razr Fold is shaping up to be pure flagship

Allison JohnsonMar 2

Allison JohnsonFeb 27

The Clicks Communicator will come in more localized layouts.

The phone-away-from-phone that Clicks announced at CES will come in a handful of different keyboard layouts, the company says. In addition to the QWERTY version, it’ll be offered in AZERTY (French), QWERTZ (German), Korean, and Arabic.

Clicks has also extended the window for early reservations until March 15th, which brings the price down to $399 if you’re willing to put down some (or all) of that cost now. But as for a firm launch date this year? We’re still waiting on that.

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