WhatsApp begins reservations for usernames

WhatsApp

Exchanging information to chat on WhatsApp will soon be as easy as giving someone your username. The Meta-owned messaging app plans to roll out usernames gradually in the coming months. In the meantime, you can reserve the username of your choice through your account or profile settings in the mobile app. It isn't a compulsory feature, so you don't have to set it up if you don't think you need it.

Names will be limited to 35 characters, and there will be restrictions, including using the names of high-profile officials and celebrities. Their names will not be made available to anyone else. So, we're guessing similarly named "ordinary people" will need to come up with unique usernames.

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Dummy unit of the rumoured foldable iPhone Ultra surface

JamOnline

A new set of leaked dummy images for Apple's rumoured first foldable smartphone has appeared online. Supposedly named the iPhone Ultra, the wide-screened foldable looks similar to the Huawei Pura X Max, with a stout, book-like form factor. According to JamOnline, the device could be nearly as thin as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 when folded. Unfolded, it's expected to measure just 4.5mm.

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Apple and Microsoft hike device prices as AI infrastructure monopolizes chip supply

Apple and Microsoft have raised prices across their hardware lineups, citing an unprecedented global shortage of memory and storage chips driven by the artificial intelligence boom. On Thursday, Apple increased the price of its entry-level MacBook Neo by $150, bringing the starting price to $949 in Canada, while also raising prices for iPads, HomePods, and Apple TV devices.

In a statement to CBC, Apple warned that the consumer electronics industry is facing an "unprecedented challenge," noting the company has never seen component costs rise this quickly. The price surge stems from major chipmakers like Samsung and Micron shifting production capacity away from consumer electronics to prioritize high-margin AI orders for companies like Nvidia.

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Meta, EssilorLuxottica debuts new styles for smartglasses

Meta

Meta Glasses have gotten a refresh through Meta's partnership with EssilorLuxottica. The smart glasses come in three frame styles, with one pair designed in collaboration with Kylie Jenner. The companies said there are 26 frame-and-lens combinations available, including support for prescription lenses.

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