Bits and Bytes – June 2021 Edition
Moe from Mondo / 21-06-2021 / BitsBytes
Lego Inspired Smartphone has Entered the Chat
Building your own, customisable phone may no longer be just a fantasy.
Xiaomi has requested a patent for the Lego Smartphone, a three-piece device each housing a different smartphone aspect – camera plus PCB, battery and speaker / USB function.
While not a new concept, the Chinese electronics company could be the first to execute the idea to its full potential and give smartphone users the capability to modify parts of their device as and when they choose.
Huawei – The Right Time for A New Smartwatch?
The tech giant plans on releasing a smartwatch range without Android in June.
Since Google cut ties with the company, the Huawei Watch 3 and the Huawei Watch 3 Pro will be the first to run on the company’s own operating system – the HarmonyOS.
Only time will tell if the new system will meet consumer expectations.
A WhatsApp Mixed Bag
WhatsApp recently announced it would no longer hinder users who did not accept its updated privacy policy which came into play on 15 May.
In the lead up to the change, WhatsApp faced worldwide backlash – including from South Africa’s Information Regulator which suggested it would pursue legal action of over the inconsistent terms and conditions of the policy and wrote to the mobile messaging app requesting a revision.
The heat is still on the Facebook-owned app in various countries but earlier this month, WhatsApp released some happier news. Soon users will be able to operate on four devices using a single account. This is just one among a host of other upgrades promised by Facebook head himself, Mark Zuckerberg. Other promised upgrades include the “view once” feature, allowing users to share images and videos with their contacts that will disappear after only one viewing.
A Good Dose of Horror
Boosting tourism and immune systems go hand-in-hand in Transylvania – the birthplace of the vampire.
Bran Castle, the inspiration behind author Bram Stoker’s book Dracula, opened its doors to tourists in search of a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Tourists were given the shots for free and later gained free entry into the museum's “Medieval Torture Instruments” exhibit where they were encouraged to check out “jabs of a different kind”.