For years, texting between an iPhone and an Android device felt less like a private conversation and more like shouting across a crowded street. Well, that changes on May 11, 2026, as Apple and Google jointly launched end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messaging.
Big news: Today, we’re starting to roll out end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging between Android and iPhone users! This cross-industry effort replaces outdated SMS with a more secure & private way to chat, no matter what phone you have.🔒
It’s quite rare that Apple and Google work together on something, as they’re often busy creating advertisements to make fun of each other.
However, for enabling end-to-end encryption for RCS, both companies have worked together, alongside the GSM Association, to codify the encryption standard into RCS Universal Profile 3.0, built on Messaging Layer Security Protocol.
The result: messages traveling between iPhones and Android devices can no longer be seen or heard by anyone mid-way, not even Apple and Google. Once you enable the feature, a small lock icon appears in your Messages app, indicating that the chat is secured.
Who can use the feature right now?
For the feature to take effect, carrier support is essential. Thankfully, the E2EE rollout for RCS has arrived with an impressive list of carrier partners.
In the United States alone, major carriers like AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Boost Mobile, and Xfinity Mobile, among others, already support the new security feature. Canadian carriers, including Bell, Rogers, and Telus, are also supported.
It’s worth mentioning here that both the sender and the receiver must have a participating carrier for encryption to kick in their chats. While iMessage continues to provide E2EE independently, support for RCS will gradually extend to all existing conversations over time.
For me, E2EE for RCS sounds more than just a software update: it’s a geopolitical truce between different smartphone platforms. For years, the lack of cross-platform encryption gave way to privacy-first messaging platforms like WhatsApp. Now, the baseline has risen, and for good.
The foldable trend has reached phones and laptops, and Logitech may be taking it to PC accessories next. According to leaked marketing images reported by WinFuture, the company is working on an ultra-portable wireless mouse that folds shut like a tiny clamshell.
Is this Logitech’s answer to Microsoft’s Arc Mouse?
The mouse appears to draw clear inspiration from Microsoft’s Surface Arc mouse, launched in 2017. Microsoft’s version could snap flat for easier storage, but Logitech’s leaked design reportedly goes a step further by folding inward like a small clamshell. That could make it even easier to slip into a laptop bag or pocket.
Logitech also seems to be dropping the traditional scroll wheel to keep the design slim. In its place, the leaked images show a touch-sensitive strip between the left and right buttons. WinFuture refers to this as “Adaptive Touch Scrolling,” which is expected to mimic scroll-wheel behavior through swipes.
Could a folding mouse actually be useful?
The biggest appeal of this mouse is portability, which is a big ask these days among digital nomads and professionals who travel frequently for work. Laptop trackpads are fine for quick work, but many people still prefer a proper mouse for longer sessions. A foldable design could offer a sweetspot of being more comfortable than a trackpad without taking up much space.
The leaked mouse is also said to support Bluetooth pairing with up to three devices and an ambidextrous design for both left- and right-handed users. Key details are still missing, including DPI, battery life, price, and release date. That said, since the marketing details of the mouse have already surfaced, the official launch can’t be that far off.
For years, security experts warned that AI would eventually give hackers a dangerous new edge. That moment has arrived.
Google’s Threat Intelligence Group has published a report confirming that a criminal hacking group used an AI model to discover a zero-day vulnerability and nearly pulled off a mass cyberattack. Google says it caught and stopped the attack before the hackers could deploy the attack at scale.
What exactly happened, and how serious was it?
The exploit targeted a popular open-source web-based system administration tool, the kind businesses use to remotely manage servers, employee accounts, and security settings.
Had it gone undetected, it would have let hackers bypass two-factor authentication, which is often the last line of defense protecting accounts.
The attackers planned to deploy it in a mass exploitation event targeting multiple organizations at once. Google alerted the tool’s developer in time for a patch to be issued before any damage was done.
The company declined to name the hacking group, the specific software targeted, or which AI model was used, but confirmed it was not Google’s own Gemini.
According to Google, groups linked to China and North Korea have also shown significant interest in using AI tools like OpenClaw for vulnerability discovery.
Is AI becoming cybersecurity’s biggest weak point?
On the defense side, a growing discipline called AI pentesting is emerging to stress-test how language models behave when exposed to adversarial inputs, but the field is still in its early stages.
WhatsApp has fiercely defended its status as a free, no-nonsense online messaging app for over a decade, but a new subscription tier is muddying the waters.
Meta is rolling out WhatsApp Plus, a paid subscription model, to a limited number of iPhone users using the latest version of the App Store.
So, what does WhatsApp Plus actually offer?
The list of benefits included as part of the WhatsApp Plus subscription sounds more like a cosmetic buffet than something useful. First, subscribers get 18 accent colors to replace the app’s signature green theme.
Then, there are 14 alternative home-screen icons to choose from. Additional perks include premium animated sticker packs, 10 exclusive call ringtones, and the ability to pin up to 20 chats (up from three), which is the only benefit I can imagine using.
What’s more is that subscribers can also apply unified themes and alert tones across entire chat lists, but the core WhatsApp experience, including E2EE messaging, calls, video, and status updates, remains the same.
How much does the WhatsApp Plus subscription cost?
In European markets, the subscription is priced at around €2.49 per month. While the US pricing hasn’t been revealed yet, it could land around $2.49 to $2.99. A free trial, for a week or a month, depending on the region, may also be available for eligible users.
For now, the WhatsApp Plus subscription is billed monthly via the App Store. For now, WhatsApp Business accounts can’t access the subscription, which is all the more questionable, since such users are more likely to pay for paid tiers.
What doesn’t sit well with me is that several WhatsApp Plus headline features are already available on rival messaging platforms for free; no monthly fee required.
Competitor apps offer chat background customization for free
Signal recently added a paid tier for cloud backups (removing the 45-day restriction on media storage), but even so, it lets users set custom chat wallpapers at zero cost. Apple’s native messaging service, iMessage, also offers free chat customization inside the Messages app, including per-contact photo backgrounds.
You see? What WhatsApp is charging for is already available in the base package of its competitors.
The paid tier should have included more useful features
The Telegram Premium subscription, which costs $4.99 per month in the US, raises the file upload limit from 2GB to 4GB, provides voice message transcription, real-time chat translation, boosts download speeds, and allows users to join up to 1,000 Telegram channels.
These, in my opinion, are functional updates that change the way you use the app. WhatsApp Plus, however, only changes how the app looks, for the most part.
WhatsApp Plus, I’d say, isn’t a bad product. It’s a perfect add-on for enthusiasts who might want a purple app icon and animated stickers. However, for value-seeking buyers like me, the competition is offering more, either for less or nothing at all.
If you have been waiting for a Ghost in the Shell anime that truly captures the essence of the original manga, here’s some good news. Science Saru has officially confirmed that a new Ghost in the Shell anime will premiere on July 7, 2026, with a new trailer dropping alongside the announcement.
— 攻殻機動隊【公式】GHOST IN THE SHELL official (@thegitsofficial) May 11, 2026
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The series will stream worldwide on Amazon Prime Video, with Japan getting early exclusive access. Before the global release, the first two episodes will screen at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France, running June 21 through 27, where the creative team will also take the stage to discuss the production.
What is The Ghost in the Shell anime about?
Set in 2029, the story follows Motoko Kusanagi, a full-body cyborg who leads an elite combat unit. Working alongside Daisuke Aramaki of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the two establish Public Security Section 9, known as Shell Squad. It is a tactical organization built to take on cybercrimes and international conspiracies. Lurking in the background is a mysterious, unidentified hacker called the Puppet Master.
This adaptation feels different from everything that came before
Here is the thing that genuinely excites me about this one. Every previous Ghost in the Shell adaptation, including the beloved 1995 film, Stand Alone Complex and and the Scarlett Johansson-led live-action film from 2017, took significant creative liberties with Masamune Shirow’s original manga.
The 1995 movie narrowed its focus to AI and consciousness. Stand Alone Complex came closer but still made notable changes, swapping the Fuchikomas for Tachikomas, among other departures.
Science Saru, the studio behind Dandadan and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, is producing the Ghost in the Shell anime. Based on everything shown so far, the new anime actually looks like the manga, from the character designs to the hardware and the overall tone.
The studio’s track record with faithful manga adaptations, particularly Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! and Inu-Oh, gives real reason to believe they will pull this off. For years, people said a true adaptation of Shirow’s manga was impossible but Science Saru seems ready to prove otherwise this July.
There is no host narrating your every move, no studio audience gasping when you waste a guess on a word, and absolutely nobody cheering you on. Just you, the word, and the slightly smug satisfaction of getting it right under three attempts.
However, The New York Times wants to change that by bringing it to NBC primetime. Wordle is becoming a game show, hosted by Today anchor Savannah Guthrie and produced by Jimmy Fallon, with filming starting this summer and a 2027 air date on the cards (via BBC).
So what would the Wordle TV show look like?
Details are still thin, but what we do know is that the show will be described as “fast-paced” and a “great family game.” It will be filmed in Manchester, England, and will replicate Wordle’s signature typeface and color scheme.
For the NYT, this is a first. The company has never partnered with a broadcast network for a primetime entertainment show before. It is also a telling sign of where the company is headed.
Its Games division, which includes Wordle, the Crossword, and Spelling Bee, is one of its most popular products, with users playing over 11 billion puzzles across all NYT games last year alone. Turning Wordle into a TV franchise makes business sense. Whether it makes creative sense is a different question.
I’ve been playing Wordle for years, but this announcement feels like a loss
Wordle’s appeal is rooted in its ritual. You do it once a day, the same word as everyone else, and then you share your little green and yellow squares with whoever is in your group chat. That’s all there is to it, and this simplicity is the whole point.
A neuroscientist once observed that people have a remarkably good radar for sensing when something online is designed to keep them hooked, sell them something, or quietly profit from their attention. Wordle’s quiet nature, with no ads, no push notifications, and a simple website, is a big part of why it worked.
Josh Wardle, the software engineer who built the original game, said that Wordle demonstrated that the internet could be about something other than money. A primetime NBC game show with a studio audience, a celebrity host, and a cash prize is about as far from that original spirit as you can get.
The show might end up being entertaining for many, since Guthrie is a genuine Wordle devotee, and Fallon knows how to make a crowd have fun. But the version of Wordle that is coming to your TV screen next year may not be the one you fell in love with over your morning coffee. That one was always just for you.
I hate scalpers. I especially hate scalpers when they swarm gaming hardware that already has limited availability. They buy it before regular customers and gamers can get a fair shot, and then relist it at cartoonish prices for the people who actually wanted to use it. We’ve seen this issue time and time again, but Valve’s latest move might be the best anti-scalper weapon I’ve seen in a while.
Steam’s database now suggests Valve may already have a reservation queue system prepared for the upcoming Steam Machine. The discovery reportedly comes from a recent Steam update spotted by user Pepeizq, where references to multiple Steam Machine packages appeared inside the same reservation system code used for the Steam Controller.
How the Steam Controller inspired this move
The new Steam Controller launched on May 4, and demand immediately overwhelmed supply. In less than an hour, reports claimed that the new Valve hardware was completely sold out, with some regions even seeing stocks disappear in just over half an hour. Then came the usual nonsense. Scalpers started appearing on platforms like eBay at heavily inflated prices. Some reports claimed that the listings went as high as $349.99, which is far above the controller’s $99 original price.
This was the worst possible news for actual gamers who wanted to get their hands on the new gaming hardware at launch. Even if you show up on time, the stock disappears in minutes, being held hostage by people who never cared about the product in the first place. Valve’s response? A great reservation queue that actually makes the Steam Controller accessible again.
The new system gives eligible users a place in line, then emails them when a unit becomes available. Buyers get 72 hours to complete the purchase before the controller is offered to the next person. Eligibility is also restricted to Steam accounts in good standing that made at least one purchase before April 27, 2026, and reservations are limited to one controller per account.
I won’t call this foolproof entirely, but it is far better than turning every restock into a refresh-button war. Giving actual gamers with Steam accounts a shot at buying their new hardware also adds to the strong community loyalty that Valve has built over the years.
Steam Machine needs this from day one
In the reservation system code, four Steam Machine packages were spotted along with references to two Steam Frame packages and existing Steam Controller and Steam Deck package references. Meaning, there might be four Steam Machine entries that are likely related to multiple configurations and bundles. It makes sense since Valve has already confirmed a 512GB and 2TB model.
Keep in mind that this is just database evidence and not an official Valve announcement. But just like the scalping issue that plagued the initial Steam Controller release, the company should be better prepared for the big demand its Steam Machine will likely attract. So this time around, Valve doesn’t need to wait until after launch chaos for a fairer system.
Unlike the new controller, the Steam Machine isn’t just an accessory and is Valve’s next major swing at living-room PC gaming. And if the pricing, performance, and SteamOS land, there could be a huge audience for the hybrid gaming machine. All of this makes it pretty obvious that the Steam Machine will most definitely be the next target for scalpers.
I understand why lining up digitally for a product can be frustrating, but I would rather wait in a transparent queue than lose a launch to bots and resellers.
We recently reported that Sony could be working on a new pair of premium headphones that might make even the AirPods Max feel relatively affordable. Now, fresh leaked renders shared by Steve H. McFly, in collaboration with Android Headlines, are giving us our first proper look at what’s reportedly called the ColleXion headphones. And honestly? They look very Sony. The Black and White variants instantly reminded me of the Sony WH-1000XM6, especially with the clean, understated design language. Sony seems to be leaning even harder into minimalism this time around, and personally, I think that works in its favor. A lot of headphones today try too hard to look futuristic or flashy. These, at least from the renders, feel far more refined and grown-up.
What is more interesting, though, is the hinge redesign. The XM6 received its fair share of criticism over hinge durability concerns, and according to the report, Sony is reportedly trying to address that with an entirely new hinge mechanism on the ColleXion. From the renders alone, the design does look noticeably different, so there is a good chance Sony is finally taking those complaints seriously.
Sony’s minimalist era looks dangerously expensive
There is also speculation that Sony could move towards a more premium material finish, possibly using leather or other higher-end materials instead of the matte plastic used on previous models. Right now, though, it is difficult to say anything with certainty from renders alone. Product renders have a tendency to make almost everything look more luxurious than it actually is. We will have to wait for hands-on impressions before drawing conclusions there. That said, the White color variant already has my attention. It looks clean, minimal, and surprisingly elegant without trying too hard. It is the kind of gadget aesthetic that feels premium quietly, instead of screaming for attention, and I genuinely prefer that approach.
As for pricing, rumors currently suggest these headphones could cost somewhere around $649. If that turns out to be true, Sony is clearly positioning the ColleXion well into luxury territory. Whether people are willing to spend that kind of money on headphones is a completely different conversation, especially when premium audio products are already getting absurdly expensive. For now, though, these are still early leaks, and Sony itself has not officially confirmed anything around the launch, specifications, or pricing. So yes, it is best to keep expectations in check and take everything with a grain of salt. Still, based on the renders alone, these headphones already look far more interesting than I expected.
I’ll be blunt: $1,500 is a lot of money to spend on the Razr Ultra, a clamshell phone that folds in half. In fact, it’s a lot of money to spend on any smartphone, especially when a Galaxy S26 Ultra or iPhone 17 Pro Max costs less and still leaves a few hundred dollars in your pocket, or throwing in a couple of hundred bucks can get you a full-fledged book-style foldable.
For me, the Razr Ultra doesn’t quite make a strong case at $1,500. In isolation, it’s a genuinely impressive flip phone that gets all the basics right and delivers the premium experience you’d expect at this price. The Alcantara back, the 5,000-nit display, the silicon-carbon battery, and the dual cameras on the back make it sound like a complete package.
However, it’s when I look at the price tag and what that kind of money can get me elsewhere that something feels off. I know Motorola attributes the $200 price hike to surging memory and component costs, and that’s a real industry-wide problem. But increasing the price while barely upgrading the hardware, to $1,500, no less, is exactly the kind of move that makes you stop and ask what else you could get for the same money.
The clamshell foldable was never about specs, and that’s the problem at $1,500
Here’s the thing about flip phones: they were never about top-tier specifications. The appeal of a clamshell foldable, by design, is the satisfying snap of the hinge, folding a normal-looking phone in half, slipping it into your pocket, and watching heads turn when you flip it open at a coffee shop or a family dinner. It’s the tactile feeling and the wow factor.
I’d never buy a flip phone expecting it to set a new high score on synthetic benchmarks or grind through a three-hour gaming session. But that’s where the $1,500 price tag creates a problem; it breaks the years-long rule of “the higher the price, the better the specifications.”
The Razr Ultra’s primary differentiator has always been its form factor and Motorola’s passionate approach to materials and design, not the chipset. At $1,500, the price is writing checks that the spec sheet can’t cash. And even when you do look at the specs, the Razr Ultra 2026 is tough to justify.
You’re paying a revised price for a barely revised spec sheet
Whenever there’s a new phone on the market, I first compare its spec sheet to its immediate predecessor, and then to its immediate rivals. While differences within the brand aren’t much, often enough to justify a yearly upgrade, the Razr Ultra 2026 isn’t even trying.
The Razr Ultra 2026 is basically the Razr Ultra 2025 with a slightly larger battery (4,700 mAh vs. 5,000 mAh), new color options (Orient Blue Alcantara, Cocoa wood veneer), and Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 protection on the cover screen. That’s the entire change log on a smartphone that costs $200 more than its predecessor.
Everything else, including the 4-inch cover screen, the 7-inch main foldable screen, the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, memory and storage configuration (16GB + 512GB), and cameras (triple 50MP sensors), is carried over from the 2025 model.
What makes this even harder to stomach is that the Razr Ultra 2025 is currently up for grabs at Motorola’s website for $799.99, for the 1TB variant, with a free pair of Moto Buds 2 Plus. It could be a limited-time deal before the stock runs out, but selling the same chip, same display, with twice the storage for nearly half the price is simply absurd.
It could be the difference in the price of last year’s components and this year’s that has led to this, but for me, this makes the Razr Ultra 2026 a head-scratcher at $1500.
If you really want a flip phone, I’d recommend these two options
If you want a Motorola flip phone, the Razr+ 2026 at $1,099 is where I’d point most buyers first. It costs $400 less than the Ultra, and delivers the same core clamshell experience with the titanium hinge, 4-inch cover screen, an IP48 rating, and clean Hello UI based on Android 16.
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 handles everything most flip phone buyers actually do, but more importantly, it folds the same satisfying way the $1,500 Razr Ultra does. Do you leave anything on the table? Yes. A brighter display, a more benchmark-friendly chipset, and the Alcantara finish. But none of that changes the fact that it folds in half just as well.
If you’re open to crossing the aisle, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is available at a discounted price of $899.99 for the 256GB variant or $1,099.99 for the 512GB model. You might argue that its Exynos 2500 chip isn’t as powerful as the Snapdragon 8 Elite, and you’d be right, but the phone delivers a capable, smooth daily experience with no major drawbacks.
You’ll get another six years of software upgrades, the Galaxy AI suite, and the One UI’s feature-loaded ecosystem. I’d say that the Flip 7 is much more pocket-friendly, both literally (it’s thinner than the Razr+) and figuratively.
Ultimately, you’re paying for the joy of folding a normal-looking phone in half, and you can get around $1,000.
At $1,500, you can get a phone that unfolds into a tablet
That’s the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung’s most refined book-style foldable to date. Right now, it’s available for $1,599 for the base 256GB variant, $400 off its launch price, which makes it one of the better deals in the foldable space right now. I’ve used the Fold 7, and it’s the practical versatility behind the folding mechanism that earns its price, even when it retails close to $2,000.
And before you raise an eyebrow, I want to be clear: this isn’t a spec argument. The premium goes toward the versatility the form factor offers. The ability to use the cover screen like a regular phone — answering calls, dropping quick messages, checking navigation — and then unfolding into a tablet-like screen for watching content or running multiple apps at once, is something no flip phone has ever done, nor ever will.
If you can’t compromise on the clean Android experience, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is worth a look at $1,799 (unlocked, 256GB) at the Google Store, or $1,699 at Best Buy, if you’re willing to connect it to Verizon or AT&T. For the price, you get Google’s iconic camera science, a deeper Gemini AI integration, and software support until 2032, all with an 8-inch foldable screen.
Fold-style phones are the current epitome of smartphone technology, and the fact that you can get them around the same price or by stretching your budget by a few hundred dollars undersells the $1,500 Razr Ultra even more.
For $1,500, you can choose from the best flagships available in the market
If you’re even a little hesitant about spending a fortune on a flip-style foldable, or the book-style kind doesn’t excite you either, maybe you’re second-guessing your usage habits, or whether a foldable would hold up to them in the long run. Either way, $1,500 can buy you the absolute best flagship.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max (256GB) at $1,199 (which is $300 less) is the gold standard for anyone living inside Apple’s ecosystem. Top-tier performance for heavy workloads, ProRes Log and 4K 120fps video, an excellent 4x telephoto for portraits, a battery that easily clears a full day, and Continuity features across iOS, macOS, and iPadOS that genuinely make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra at $1,299 (which is $200 less) is Samsung’s most feature-loaded flagship in 2026, headlined by the Privacy Display, the fastest Qualcomm chip on the market, and an ever-expanding Galaxy AI suite. It also sports one of the most versatile camera arrays on any smartphone, with four rear sensors, and comes with a built-in S Pen.
For Android power users, this is the one to beat. I just checked, and Samsung is offering a $200 discount on the launch price. The 256GB variant is available for $1,099.99.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL at $1,199 (which is $300 less) is Google’s answer to what a smartphone can do when the hardware and software are built by the same team. The cameras are legendary for natural, true-to-life photography, while Gemini-powered editing adds a genuine element of fun.
Clean Android, excellent battery life, and long-term software support round out a package that’s hard to argue with.
And then there’s the OnePlus 15 at $899 (which is $600 less than the Razr Ultra), which, in my honest opinion, has no business being this good at this price. It outlasts every flagship on this list with a two-day battery, delivers unparalleled gaming performance with 165fps support for compatible titles, and runs OxygenOS loaded with features that actually get out of your way.
The OnePlus 15 is the most capable value flagship in the United States right now.
None of these smartphones folds, vertically or horizontally, but every single one offers the best of what a smartphone from the respective brands is in 2026.
So, should you spend $1,500 on the Razr Ultra?
If the flip form factor is non-negotiable, you go caseless, spend meaningful time outdoors, and shoot a lot of video content, the Razr Ultra earns its place. Price tag aside, it’s a genuinely impressive phone for a very specific kind of buyer.
However, if you only want to experience the clamshell form factor and you’re getting a flip phone for the joy of flipping it open in front of friends, colleagues, and family members, save some money and go with the Razr+ 2026 or the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7.
The book-style foldables unlock a totally different use case, one that’s difficult to fully appreciate until you try it for yourself, but they’ll ask you to stretch the budget a bit further. And if you’re hesitant about spending a fortune on a technology you haven’t tried before, the slab-style flagships are where you simply can’t go wrong.
Discord and Xbox have teamed up several times over the years, usually with Xbox offering Discord Nitro perks through one of its own subscription plans, such as the Game Pass Ultimate. This time, the arrangement is flipped. Discord is now offering Xbox Game Pass “Starter Edition” as a reward for buying Nitro.
What does Nitro get you now?
Until now, Nitro has mostly been about making Discord better to use every day. Subscribers paid for perks like custom profiles, animated avatars, profile banners, HD video streaming, and bigger file uploads, among other features. That remains part of the package, but the new Game Pass perk gives Nitro a much stronger appeal.
Is Nitro becoming a gaming bundle?
That certainly seems to be the direction. Nitro Rewards also offers discounts of up to 30% on Logitech G products, 15% off SteelSeries gear, and 20% off KontrolFreek, with offers expected to rotate over time. Nitro members will also receive 250 Orbs every month, along with an Orbs multiplier for completing Quests.
Nitro Rewards will roll out over the next few weeks in eligible regions, so some subscribers may not see the new perks right away. The Game Pass Starter Edition also appears to be aimed at Nitro members who do not already have an active Xbox Game Pass subscription. Still, it makes Nitro a lot easier to sell, and for Xbox, it is a smart way to put Game Pass in front of players who are already using Discord to hang out. So, it looks like a win-win situation for both parties.
