CANON

Canon PowerShot V1 launches as compact vlogging camera with 1.4-inch sensor, cooling fan for extended 4K 60fps video

Canon's new PowerShot V1 compact camera features a 1.4-inch sensor, built-in cooling fan, and 4K 60fps recording with Canon Log 3. It comes with Dual Pixel CMOS AF II and USB-C charging, and is priced at 148,500 yen (~990) in Japan.

After recent leaks contributed to the hype, Canon has now officially introduced the PowerShot V1. The compact new camera looks to be catered towards creators who need high-quality video and photography in a small, travel-friendly package. Launching in late April 2025, it stands out with a larger-than-usual sensor, built-in cooling for longer recording, and pro-level color grading support.

The 1.4-inch CMOS sensor - which is undoubtedly the star of the show - is the largest ever in a Canon compact camera. It offers twice the surface area of standard 1.0-inch sensors. This translates to better low-light performance, improved dynamic range, and sharper image quality. Paired with the DIGIC X processor, the camera supports ISO up to 32,000 for stills and a 35mm-equivalent zoom range of 16mm to 50mm for photos (17mm to 52mm for video). These specifications make it well-suited for vlogging, travel, and everyday photography.

For video, the PowerShot V1 comes with a built-in cooling fan, something rarely seen in compact cameras. This helps prevent overheating during long 4K recording sessions. It also records in 4K at 60 fps with 5.7K oversampling. Additionally, Canon Log 3 with 10-bit color depth should give users more flexibility in post-production.

The camera’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system improves autofocus speed and accuracy, now with eye detection for both humans and animals (dogs and cats). It also supports 30 fps burst shooting with an electronic shutter and includes features like subject-tracking IS for smooth video stabilization.

Connectivity options include USB and wireless support for direct image transfers, along with the ability to be used as a webcam for live-streaming and video calls.

Canon has listed the PowerShot V1 at 148,500 yen (including tax) in Japan, which translates to roughly $990. While exact international pricing hasn’t been confirmed, it is expected to align with similar high-end compact cameras when it launches in April. 

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TECH

Pomera's typewriter smashes crowdfunding target, brings distraction-free writing to the US

Another device is joining the list of distraction-free digital typewriters. The Pomera D250 has been available in Japan since 2022, where it's proven very popular. Now, thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign, it's coming to the US for writers who prefer not having the entire internet distracting them.

There have been numerous Pomera models since the first was released in 2008, and the DM-250 is said to be the best yet.

As with other devices of this ilk, the small, laptop-like Pomera has the sole job of ensuring you can type without being tempted to have a quick online browsing session, play a game, or are taken out of the zone by notifications or popups.

An Indiegogo campaign to make a US version, the Pomera D250US, has already smashed past its $10,000 funding goal by 853% – it's currently at $85,333.

Specs-wise, the Pomera D250US features a high-contrast, 10.3-inch 1024 x 600 black-and-white LCD screen and an adjustable backlight with light and dark modes for nighttime writing.

It weighs just 1.37 pounds, measures 10.35 x 5.04 x 0.97 inches, and has a 20-hour battery life. One of its best features is that it's ready to use as soon as you flip open the lid. There's also a scissor-switch keyboard with a US layout and 1.3GB of internal storage, expandable with SD cards up to 32GB in capacity.

The software includes the sort of tools you'd expect in most word processors – spell check, text selection, copy/paste, word count, etc. There are also features such as document comparison.

Documents can be transferred to a PC via USB-C, or Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth using the Pomera Link mobile app. There's even the option to convert documents into QR codes, up to 999 of them in succession, for wireless transfer.

The Pomera D250US has a launch special price of $374 (only 15 left), which is 25% off the retail price of $499 – higher than a lot of similar devices. There's also a super early bird price of $399 and an early bird price of $424. Shipping is estimated to start in March 2025.

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DIGITAL LIFE

US investigates whether DeepSeek obtained Nvidia chips through Singapore to bypass restrictions

Singapore has found itself at the center of an investigation into the distribution of Nvidia's advanced semiconductors. The inquiry comes as Washington examines whether Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has been acquiring chips through the Southeast Asian nation, potentially circumventing US export controls.

Singapore's Second Minister for Trade and Industry, Tan See Leng, addressed the issue in a statement to lawmakers. According to Tan, while Nvidia reported that 22 percent of its sales in the August-October 2023 period were attributed to Singapore, this figure primarily reflects billing practices rather than physical product delivery.

Tan emphasized that the actual physical delivery of Nvidia products to Singapore represents less than one percent of Nvidia's overall revenue for the three-month period ending in October 2023. These deliveries were primarily for major enterprises and government use within Singapore.

The discrepancy between billing attribution and physical delivery is not unique to Nvidia or Singapore. Tan explained that it is common practice for global entities to centralize billing for procured goods and services in their hubs, separate from where products are shipped. This strategy allows multinational companies operating across borders to streamline their financial operations, often billing everything through their headquarters address while shipping items directly to where they're needed.

Nvidia has long acknowledged this practice in its financial reporting, stating that revenue by geographic area is based on the billing location of the customer, which may differ from the end customer and shipping location.

Singapore's position in this matter is particularly sensitive due to its close ties with both China and the United States. The country has become a hub for many Chinese tech companies, including ByteDance's TikTok, which has its headquarters in Singapore.

Meanwhile, Singapore considers the US a key strategic partner in trade and politics, with significant military cooperation. The ongoing US-China trade tensions and technology restrictions have put Singapore in a challenging position. The country is keen to maintain its reputation as a business-friendly hub while also complying with international regulations and export controls.

In response to the allegations surrounding DeepSeek's acquisition of Nvidia chips, Tan assured that the Singapore government is cooperating fully with US authorities to investigate the matter. He emphasized that Singapore does not condone any businesses using their Singaporean address to circumvent export controls set by other countries.

The investigation comes in the wake of DeepSeek's release of a chatbot called R1, which has demonstrated capabilities comparable to US-developed tools. This development has raised questions about China's progress in AI technology and whether this progress has relied on Western technology.

In fact, Nvidia itself has long said, "Revenue by geographic area is based upon the billing location of the customer. The end customer and shipping location may be different from our customer’s billing location. For example, most shipments associated with Singapore revenue were to locations other than Singapore and shipments to Singapore were insignificant."

However, Singapore is closely tied to China — especially in business. This is especially true in the tech sector, where many Chinese companies have set up key offices on the island. For example, TikTok, which Chinese tech giant ByteDance owns, has its headquarters in the country, and its CEO is also Singaporean. Despite that, the country also considers the U.S. to be a key strategic partner, both in trade and politics, with the two countries’ militaries even allowed to use each other’s facilities on the island and in Guam.

The country has to carefully balance its relationship with China and the United States, especially as the countries are currently engaged in a trade war with various bans and sanctions taking effect in recent years. Singapore likely doesn’t want to be put on Washington’s entity list, especially as it considers itself a business-friendly country, and getting on that list means it will have several limitations put on it, especially in the tech space. Because of this, Tan said that the Singapore government is working closely with U.S. authorities to investigate this discrepancy and that the country does not condone any business using their Singaporean address to get around export controls set by other countries.

mundophone

 

TECH

Apple iPhone 17 Pro might be more compact but sport 45% larger battery and new features

The Apple iPhone 17 Pro could get a more radical redesign than previously expected. According to a new leak, the smartphone will be noticeably more compact than its predecessor, but supposedly there's enough space for a much larger battery and a quite practical new feature.

Leaker MajinBu has released a bunch of new information on the upcoming Apple iPhone 17 Pro. As usual, these claims should be treated with caution, as their accuracy can’t be verified. That being said, the leaker asserts that these details are based on a prototype from the EVT phase, which means that Apple is currently focusing on the technical aspects of the new phone and that the exterior design might not be final.

Either way, the significantly wider camera module is rumored to protrude more than two millimeters from the chassis, and a total of three cameras lenses could add another millimeter to the smartphone’s thickness. It remains unclear whether the camera bump will simply be black or color-matched to the back panel.

The frame of the phone is supposedly made of aluminum instead of titanium, which could make the iPhone 17 Pro slightly lighter than the iPhone 16 Pro. The frame might also have a rough texture that is somewhat reminiscent of leather.

The leaker's report provides further details on two more unexpected changes. First, the screen is said to shrink from 6.3 inches to 6.0 inches, which would turn the iPhone 17 Pro into one of the more compact smartphones on the market. Secondly, the battery capacity could grow from 3,582mAh to 5,200mAh, which would be an increase of 45%.

This would mean that Apple will follow the current trend of relatively pocketable smartphones like the Oppo Find X8 Mini, which may be equipped with a big battery with up to 6,000mAh. The iPhone 17 Pro could also support reverse wireless charging, so that AirPods Pro and other gadgets could be charged by placing them on the back of the Apple smartphone. The iPhone 17 Pro is expected to be unveiled in September 2025.

Apple iPhone 16e Launched With A18 Chip, Apple Intelligence & 6.1-Inch OLED Display

Apple unveiled the iPhone 16e, a new entry-level model in its iPhone 16 lineup, replacing the iPhone SE. The device includes Apple’s first in-house cellular modem, the C1, and supports Apple Intelligence, the company’s privacy-focused AI system. Pre-orders begin February 21, with availability starting February 28.

Performance and Design...The iPhone 16e is powered by the A18 chip, delivering an 80% faster CPU and six times faster machine learning performance compared to the iPhone 11’s A13 Bionic. It features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display and Ceramic Shield glass. Battery life lasts up to 12 hours longer than the iPhone SE, with support for USB-C (up to 480 Mbps data transfer speed) and wireless charging. Specifically, the device is rated for up to 26 hours of video playback (up to 21 hours while streaming), and up to 90 hours of audio playback. It is capable of charging up to 50% charge in 30 minutes using an Apple 20W USB‑C power adapter.

Super Retina XDR Display:

6.1-inch (15.40 cm) all-screen OLED display

2532×1170 resolution at 460 ppi

HDR, True Tone, and Wide Color (P3) support

Haptic Touch and 20,00,000:1 contrast ratio (typical)

800 nits max brightness (typical); 1,200 nits peak brightness (HDR)

Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating

Display Zoom and Reachability

The device supports satellite connectivity for emergency SOS, roadside assistance, and off-grid messaging. An Action button provides quick access to functions like the camera, Translate, Shazam, and third-party apps such as Snapchat.

Apple Intelligence Integration...Running iOS 18, the iPhone 16e is designed to support Apple Intelligence, allowing on-device AI features such as Clean Up for photo editing, natural-language photo searches, and AI-generated Genmoji. Siri now has improved contextual awareness and offers optional ChatGPT integration for broader queries. Privacy is a key focus, with Apple’s Private Cloud Compute ensuring that processed data is not stored.

Camera...The 48MP dual-camera system includes a 2x optical zoom, Night mode, and 4K Dolby Vision video recording.

Rear Camera System:

48MP main camera (26 mm, ƒ/1.6) with optical image stabilization and Hybrid Focus Pixels

12MP 2x telephoto (52 mm, ƒ/1.6) with optical image stabilization and Hybrid Focus Pixels

Digital zoom up to 10x

Night mode, Photonic Engine, Deep Fusion, and Smart HDR 5

Portrait mode with Depth Control and Portrait Lighting

Panorama (up to 63MP), Photographic Styles, and Burst mode

4K Dolby Vision video at multiple frame rates, Night mode time-lapse, and QuickTake video

Spatial Audio recording and wind noise reduction

Front Camera (TrueDepth):

12MP camera (ƒ/1.9) with autofocus and Focus Pixels

Night mode, Smart HDR 5, and Photographic Styles

Portrait mode with Depth Control and Portrait Lighting

4K Dolby Vision and slow-motion video support

Sustainability...Apple continues its sustainability efforts with the iPhone 16e, which incorporates 100% recycled cobalt and 95% recycled lithium in its battery. The chassis is made from 85% recycled aluminum and fully fiber-based packaging. The device is rated IP68, meaning it can withstand submersion up to six meters for 30 minutes under IEC standard 60529.

Pricing and Availability...The iPhone 16e starts at $599 (INR 59,999) and is available in matte black or white, with storage options of 128GB. It also comes in 256GB, and 512GB storage potions, which cost $699 and $899, respectively.

 

TECH

Steam game found to contain info-stealing malware, Valve removes it from store

Valve is often criticized for allowing almost any game to be sold on Steam, no matter how amateurish it appears. However, despite the immense number of titles released daily, actual malware is almost unheard of on the storefront. But users might need to start exercising caution when downloading free-to-play games from new developers.

Users who installed the free-to-play game PirateFi from Steam should change their passwords and seriously consider reinstalling their operating systems. Valve removed the game after discovering it contained malware designed to steal account credentials and other info.

PirateFi initially appeared on February 6 and likely affected only a few hundred users before Valve delisted it a few days later. Accounts that downloaded and ran the game while malicious builds were active should receive an alert from the company recommending that they perform a virus scan and reformat their devices.

One user reported that their antivirus prevented the game from booting after flagging a trojan called "Win32.Lazzzy.gen," and Steam presented a hardware failure warning. They also suspected that the reviews were fake.

According to PCMag, other users lost their passwords, and some accounts were broken into using stolen cookies. In one case, the malware stole a Microsoft account, blocked Microsoft support from the associated emails, and sent scam links to the targeted users' contacts.

Furthermore, hackers attempted to distribute the game through Telegram. A suspected chatbot advertised a chat moderation job that paid $17 an hour, describing PirateFi as a web3 game with over 7,000 players. The mysterious account's consistent response time – 21 seconds, caused the recipient to suspect that it was run by an AI.

A SECUINFRA Falcon Team researcher told TechCrunch that PirateFi was likely designed to spread the Vidar info-stealer malware, suggesting that the hackers hadn't commandeered an initially legitimate game. They appeared to use ready-made assets from the Easy Survival RPG template, which likely helped PirateFi bypass Valve's security measures. Licensing the assets cost a few hundred dollars, which might have been cheap enough to make the scam profitable, depending on the number of infected users.

Vidar can steal browser history, cryptocurrency wallet information, browser autofill passwords, two-factor codes, and more. It can also steal session cookies to log into various services without a password. Impacted users might find a file called "Howard.exe" in AppData > Temp.

If affected users don't reinstall their operating systems – and they likely should – they should at least clear their browser history and change their passwords.

How did PirateFi and its malware work?...Along with the game installation was a malware known as Vidar. This malicious code has already been used in other attacks, such as in an attempt to steal data from the hotel reservation website Booking and in fake Google ads.

Vidar is an infostealer malware. The version used in PirateFi stole, among other data, passwords from the browser autofill feature, session cookies, browsing history, cryptocurrency wallet data, screenshots, PC files and two-factor authentication codes.

Marius Genheimer, from the security company Secuinfra Falcon Team, explains that the malware is extremely popular, sold under the Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) model. This allows any user to acquire the program. This easy access makes it difficult to identify the group responsible for the game. However, an analysis by the Secuinfra Falcon Team showed that samples of Vidar used in PirateFi were found in a VirusTotal repository, and the uploader was apparently a gamer in Russia. Other samples were found in SteamDB and in the company's malware database.

How did the crackers develop a game to steal data?...PirateFi is created from a template game. Therefore, the crackers did not need to develop a game from scratch. All they had to do was acquire the license for Easy Survival RPG and make the necessary adjustments.

These small adjustments gave PirateFi a minimum of credibility, since releasing only the raw Easy Survival RPG on Steam would be problematic. First, it would not attract gamers, who might notice something suspicious. Second, improper use of the license could take down the game.

Seaworth Interactive, which appeared as the developer of PirateFi, does not have any online presence (such as a website or GitHub). It had an account on X that was recently deleted. The link in X's bio was the game's Steam page.

mundophone

 

DIGITAL LIFE

Niger turns to satellites to bridge digital divide

Less than a third of Niger's vast territory has internet access, so the west African country is betting on satellite broadband to bridge the digital divide in remote rural areas.

The patchy coverage is mostly down to a lack of investment and the destruction of relay antennae by the numerous armed groups active in the country, according to electronic communications regulator ARCEP.

In November, Niger's military rulers granted a five-year contract with US billionaire Elon Musk's company Starlink to provide high-speed internet access across the Sahel state.

It is one of around 15 African countries to have authorized the use of Starlink's thousands of satellites on their territory.

"Essential services that drive economic development—banks, hospitals, schools, the energy and farming sectors—all rely on the internet and data," said economist Ibrahim Adamou Louche.

Communications Minister Sidi Ahmed Raliou predicted the move would provide internet access to "about 80 to 100 percent" of Niger—1,267 square kilometers (490 square miles) largely covered by desert plains and sand dunes.

The deal is lucrative for the US company.

In a country where almost 50 percent of the population earns less than a dollar a day, according to the World Bank, users who want internet access must pay between 260,000 and 400,000 CFA francs ($414 and $637) for the satellite firm's necessary basic equipment.

Big in the country...The drive to access the internet has also spawned illicit operations.

The equipment, much of it imported from neighboring Nigeria, is sometimes brought across the border illegally.

Users who cannot afford the equipment must pay the US company for one-off access to the internet for a limited amount of time.

"On market days especially, people congregate round the wifi router," said Moussa Djibrilla, a secondary school teacher in the rural western community of Mangaize.

Much of the enthusiasm for satellite broadband comes from remote areas, said vendor Ali Sat.

In the capital, Niamey, sales of equipment have not so far taken off and only a handful of homes are connected, he added.

                       The small square dishes are starting to be seen out in the streets.(image above)

In rural areas, the situation is different.

Technician Moumouni Harouna said the biggest demand for satellite internet equipment came from people "out in the bush" who liked it because "they don't lose connection".

Elusive signal..."We're back in civilization," grinned Alfa Hama, a villager in the western hamlet of Gorou, near the border with Mali, where the local phone and internet relay antennae were destroyed eight years ago.

"We don't need to go six kilometers and climb to the top of a hill to get an elusive signal any more," he said. "The wifi is right here."

For a price, high-speed internet access is now available in some parts of the Tenere desert, through which travelers pass, alongside thousands of migrants seeking to make the perilous journey out of one of the world's poorest countries and through Libya towards the El Dorado of Europe.

In Tabelot, a little further south, illegal gold mining operations, markets and the long-distance bus station all offer connection points for those who can pay.

Local Touareg chief Youssaf Houssa said whole neighborhoods sometime clubbed together to afford a piece of communal satellite equipment.

"People are able to come together more thanks to WhatsApp groups and do business online," he said.

Niger's four long-standing telecommunications operators, who are often criticized for the quality of their services, are less than keen to see the military rulers embrace the new US competitor.

"Satellite solutions complement what we do but they can't replace the advantages we offer in terms of cost, performance and personal service," said a senior official from one of the operators, asking to remain anonymous.

© 2025 AFP

 

TECH

Samsung is working to fix Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Ultra charging issues

Samsung has officially confirmed that both the Galaxy S25+ and the Galaxy S25 Ultra have issues with certain charging cables after numerous users complained that charging was way too slow or inconsistent. The South Korean company is already working on a solution.

Shortly after the Samsung Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Ultra launched, complaints about the flagships' charging behavior have been piling up in Samsung’s Community Forum and on Reddit. Some early adopters have reported that the smartphone only charges for a short period of time before the charging stops and then restarts. This cycle repeats itself until the smartphone is fully charged, which makes the entire process much slower.

For other users, the issue simply causes very slow charging with 5 to 10 watts, which means that a full charge can take several hours longer than it should. Samsung Italy has now officially acknowledged this problem. Samsung is aware of a problem with 5A cables, which is supposed to be fixed with an upcoming software update. However, Samsung has not specified a specific time frame for the rollout of this much-needed bugfix.

USB-C cables that support 5 amps are usually advertised with a maximum charging power of 100 watts or more, while cables that can charge devices with up to 60 watts only use 3 amps at 20 volts. Under certain circumstances, switching to a USB-C cable that does not support the fastest USB-C Power Delivery standard may fix this issue. The cable that is included with the Samsung Galaxy S25+ and Galaxy S25 Ultra is apparently not affected by this problem, but some users have experienced similar hiccups with this cable.

One UI 7 might not bring this awesome Galaxy AI feature on older devices...One UI 7 is one of the biggest software upgrades for Galaxy devices in recent years. It was released with the Galaxy S25 series at the Galaxy Unpacked event in January. The newest flagship phones running One UI 7 pack a host of software goodies, including several Galaxy AI features such as Now Bar, Now Brief, and more. Since these features were unveiled alongside One UI 7, many (including some of us at Gizmochina) assumed they would also roll out to older Galaxy devices with the update. But that won’t be the case as some Galaxy AI features may remain exclusive to the Galaxy S25 series.

Sally Jeong, EVP and Head of Framework R&D at Samsung MX, revealed some interesting details about the One UI 7 software in a recent interview published by Samsung Indonesia. She said that planning alone took more than two years before development even started. This is probably the biggest reason behind the significant delay in the release and rollout of One UI 7.

During the interview, Sally was asked about the role of NPUs and GPUs in powering these new AI features on the Galaxy S25, and the response was quite surprising. Samsung’s AI features can be divided into two categories: those that rely on on-device hardware and those that rely on the cloud. Sally said the “Personal Data Engine” in One UI 7 that powers features like Now Brief requires advanced chipsets and hardware like the Snapdragon 8 Elite on the Galaxy S25 series. 

Sally also mentioned that cloud-based AI features, such as Circle to Search, are easier to roll out to a wide range of Galaxy devices. But for deeper on-device AI experiences, powerful hardware is required. This means some AI features that require extensive on-device processing might not come to older Galaxy devices after installing One UI 7.

The Samsung executive didn’t specify which Galaxy AI feature won’t make the cut to older Galaxy devices, nor did she reveal details about the ineligible devices. Now Brief could be one of them, which has, so far, not been seen in the One UI 7 betas for the Galaxy S24 series, as spotted by Android Police.

We’ll get to know more as and when One UI 7 starts rolling out, which is already too delayed. Samsung still hasn’t announced the rollout plans. If leaks are anything to go by, we shouldn’t expect it anytime soon, at least before April. You can read more about it in our One UI 7 section.

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