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  • What to Watch This Week | 11 Recent Picks Worth Your Time

    What to Watch This Week | 11 Recent Picks Worth Your Time

    ☕️ TL;DR

    Recent highlights: [US series] The Pitt Medical Frontline Season 2, [Animation] Chinese Tales 2, [Animation] Jujutsu Kaisen: Culling Game – Part 1, [Film] 3670, [British series] Industry Season 4, [US series] The Mistletoe Murders Season 2, [Taiwan series] Life Is for Rent, Not for Sale, [Japanese series] The Private Aesthetic of Kyotoites: Rouge Inheritance, [Animation] Fate/Strange Fake, [Animation] Primal Season 3

    Several exciting trailers: official trailer for Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2, new trailer for Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway’s Flash – The Witch of Circe, teaser trailer for One Piece Season 2, first trailer for The Mummy, first trailer for Euphoria Season 3

    Several pieces of film & TV news: Wuthering Heights confirmed for import, The Shining set for mainland China release on January 30, The Dark Bride! set for mainland China release on March 6, Sanctuary set for mainland China release on January 30

    [US Series] The Pitt: Medical Frontline – Season 2

    • Keywords: Drama / Medical
    • Also known as: The Pitt Season 2
    • Runtime: approx. 50 minutes per episode × 15 episodes
    • Where to watch: HBO; Douban link

    One hour between life and death.

    @潘誉晗： July 4, Independence Day in the United States. Ten months have passed since the end of last season, yet the music festival incident still weighs heavily on Robby’s already battered psyche. He decides that after finishing today’s shift, he will take a long vacation and give himself a proper break. But the emergency room doesn’t become any easier just because Robby’s leave is approaching. The newly appointed doctor comes from a battlefield hospital background, sharp and decisive in his actions—completely different from Robby’s style. Dr. Landon has also returned to work, but his past struggles with drug addiction and the incident of stealing medication have damaged his credibility, so he has been assigned to triage duties instead.

    The critically acclaimed series The Pitt: Medical Frontline, which swept numerous awards during the awards season, returns with its second season, continuing the first season’s structure of telling one hour of story per episode, recreating the extreme tension of the emergency room. This follow-up is full of sincerity, bringing us many real-life cases. Combined with highly mature special-effects makeup, every treatment scene is rendered in stark, flesh-and-blood realism (not recommended viewing during meals). The gritty visuals and overwhelming sense of pressure stand as a tribute to those doctors who are always running through hospital corridors.

    [Animation] Yao – Chinese Folktales 2

    • Keywords: short-film anthology
    • Also known as: Yao – Chinese Folktales 2
    • Runtime: variable per episode × 9 episodes, updated every Thursday
    • Where to watch: Bilibili; Douban link

    The dragon in our village simply doesn’t have horns.

    @SHY: Co-produced once again by the Shanghai Animation Film Studio, Yao – Chinese Folktales 2 continues to gather creative talents from all walks of life. Each episode is crafted by a different creative team, turning ideas from their minds into highly free-form animated shorts, with even greater diversity in both subject matter and style. So far, four episodes have been released, each with its own distinct flavor, and all maintaining a solid level of quality.

    In Episode 1, three snake demons who impersonate the Dragon King go from stealing incense offerings to taking responsibility, earning the villagers’ respect through their actions. Episode 2 draws from the Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio story “The Man in the Ear,” in which a bewildered scholar falls into layers of nested illusions, with atmosphere handled exceptionally well. Episode 3 moves to a modern setting, where animals in cages harbor their own thoughts, and a little bear longing for the performance hall finally finds a place to belong. Episode 4, rendered in delicate felt-style stop motion, explores the relationship between mother and child, showing that learning to let go at the right time is also a form of love.

    With fantasy as the outer layer and real-world concerns at its core, the creators reflect on and explore meaning across multiple dimensions, striving to tell Chinese stories well. After being reassured by these initial episodes, there’s every reason to believe the rest of the season won’t disappoint, carrying forward the strong reputation established by Season 1. At the same time, I sincerely hope this season will produce another standout episode like The Summer of the Little Monster—one that can in turn give rise to a new animated feature that succeeds both critically and commercially, adding yet another brick to the foundation of China’s animation industry.

    [Animation] Jujutsu Kaisen: The Culling Game – Part 1

    • Keywords: manga adaptation / fantasy / action
    • Also known as: 呪術廻戦 死滅回游 前編 / Jujutsu Kaisen: The Culling Game Part 1
    • Runtime: 24 minutes per episode × number of episodes TBA, updated every Thursday
    • Where to watch: Bahamut Anime Crazy; Douban link

    Love and hate entwined, held tightly together.

    @SHY: After the “Shibuya Incident,” Yuji Itadori’s suspended sentence is revoked, and the special-grade sorcerer Yuta Okkotsu is tasked with carrying out his execution. At the same time, the deadly game “Culling Game,” orchestrated by Kenjaku, begins, and Megumi Fushiguro’s sister, Tsumiki, is also caught up in it. Entering the barrier, Yuji and the others face powerful enemies while searching for even the faintest chance to save those involved.

    Compared with the safe-and-steady approach of Demon Slayer, another flagship shōnen adaptation of the 2020s, Jujutsu Kaisen gives its animators far more room to fully unleash their creativity. Shota Goshozono, who made his directorial debut in Season 2, goes even further this time, injecting the series with a strong personal style. Although this arc in the manga has already shown signs of decline, the anime thoroughly digests the source material and reconstructs it where appropriate. With MAPPA’s top-tier animation, rough sketches are transformed into exhilarating, extended action sequences.

    Brimming with ideas, the animation team makes a bold statement right from the opening’s storyboards, racing across multiple styles, packing in countless Easter eggs, and syncing perfectly with King Gnu’s music—so good you’ll want to loop it endlessly. The main episodes add even more flair through agile camera movement and striking lighting effects. Even the long stretches of exposition in Episode 3, which could have been dull, are enlivened by an abundance of clever staging, evoking more than a hint of Evangelion. Nearly flawless as an adaptation, this may well be the most experimental big-budget commercial anime of the moment.

    [Film] 3670

    • Keywords: Drama / LGBTQ
    • Runtime: 124 minutes; Douban link

    The two of us are so lonely.

    @潘誉晗： Within South Korea’s gay community, there is a numerical code, “367,” which means going to Exit 6 of Jongno 3-ga in Seoul at 7 p.m. On this day, Cheol-jun stands there, hands in his pockets, looking around with quiet anticipation. Sadly, cars and people pass by, and not a single one stops for him. Exit 6 of Jongno 3-ga, 7 p.m., no one there—perhaps this is the true meaning of “3670.” This opening, rich with symbolism, draws back the curtain on the film and introduces its protagonist, Cheol-jun: a North Korean defector, and a gay man.

    In recent years, more and more works have turned their gaze toward sexual minorities, but a film like this—combining the experience of North Korean defectors with that of the gay community—made its first appearance as a dark horse at the 26th Jeonju International Film Festival. Through Cheol-jun, we see an individual consumed by loneliness: in the city, he conceals both his identity as a defector and his sexual orientation. Caught between these two selves, he struggles to find a way out for his soul. The film is delicate and poetic, its quiet sorrow seemingly light on the surface, yet it silently conveys the deep, hidden pain carried in the heart.

    [British Series] Industry Season 4

    • Keywords: Drama / Finance
    • Also known as: Industry Season 4
    • Runtime: approx. 52 minutes per episode × 8 episodes
    • Where to watch: HBO; Douban link

    Without an economic function, society buries you before you’re dead. (没有经济能力，在你死之前，社会就会埋葬你。)

    @潘誉晗： Harper and Yasmin’s careers are progressing better than ever. Each is shining in her own field, though challenges still await. Harper, now working at an asset management firm, initially believes her abilities have finally been recognized. But when her boss tells her the truth, she realizes it is her Black identity that the company values—as a polished piece of public-facing symbolism. Yasmin’s marriage into a wealthy family may look glamorous from the outside, yet trapped within it, she feels only emptiness. Meanwhile, a financial journalist named Jim gets in touch with Harper, hoping to interview her.

    After a year’s absence, Industry finally returns with its fourth season. The very first episode is packed with information, instantly prompting viewers to sigh, “Yes—this is that familiar feeling.” This season centers on a fintech company that appears to be thriving, but in reality built its fortune on gray-area businesses and porn-related payment services. Enormous profits bring endless temptations, and Harper and Yasmin find themselves standing on opposite sides as a result. Perhaps this is simply what lies at the heart of the financial storm: money is the only true god, profit is everything, love can be sold, and friendship can be betrayed.

    [US Series] Mistletoe Murders – Season 2

    • Keywords: Drama / Mystery / Thriller
    • Also known as: Mistletoe Murders Season 2
    • Runtime: approx. 42 minutes per episode × 6 episodes; Douban link

    It’s Christmas again—seems like it’s time for a few murders.

    @潘誉晗： Eleven months ago, unwilling to reveal her secret, Emily parted ways with Sam on bad terms, and the two even cut off contact as a result. Sam’s daughter, Violet, however, has remained in touch with Emily. She says she wants to return to work at Emily’s shop and often shares her life with her. During this time, at the request of her English teacher and chess club advisor Henry, Violet has been helping a boy with his English studies. Then one day, Henry disappears. The vice principal claims Henry resigned in a hurry, but Emily senses that things are not so simple.

    The series continues its pace of one case every two episodes, and this season weaves in Emily’s past experiences throughout her investigations. This dual-track narrative not only gives viewers a deeper understanding of Emily, but also further enriches her character. She is solving cases, yes—but she is also using the pursuit of truth as a form of psychological self-rescue, slowly healing her own trauma. Like sunlight filtering through the leaves of mistletoe, it may be only a faint glimmer, but it is enough to give Emily strength. And beyond the cases themselves, the lingering romantic tension between Emily and Sam remains just as compelling.

    [US Series] The Rookie – Season 8

    • Keywords: Drama / Comedy
    • Also known as: The Rookie Season 8
    • Runtime: approx. 43 minutes per episode × 18 episodes; Douban link

    So what if he’s old? That just means he’s experienced.

    @潘誉晗：With an upgraded budget, the eighth season opens by moving the action to Prague. To capture a dangerous arms dealer, the police strike a deal with an old acquaintance, Monica, with Nolan going undercover as a bodyguard and his wife Bailey posing as his assistant. Together, they carry out the mission abroad—while also enjoying a second honeymoon. Back in Los Angeles, the rest of the team pulls its weight as well, raiding the arms dealer’s hideout under Lieutenant Gray’s command. Meanwhile, Lucy and Tim make up and begin their sweet life of cohabitation.

    The long-running crime comedy The Rookie remains reassuringly steady in its eighth season. Focusing on the idea of a “second start in life for men over 40,” the series paints a well-rounded portrait of someone choosing to begin again in middle age. Nolan is no longer young—his hair is streaked with gray, and his stamina can’t match that of younger officers—but he still carries the drive to fight on. Who says life has to slow down after 40? Who says you can’t be on the front lines just because you’re no longer young? Nolan shows viewers, through his own actions, the meaning of refusing to bow out. Over eight seasons, he has grown step by step from an aging rookie into a trustworthy police officer, delivering a simple but powerful message: don’t give up easily.

    [Taiwan Series] Life Is for Rent, Not for Sale

    • Keywords: Drama / Comedy
    • Runtime: approx. 45 minutes per episode × 12 episodes; Douban link

    Is it ideals and ability—or a lousy job with a lousy boss?

    @利兹与青鸟： He Xingqi’s parents divorced when she was young. When she was seventeen or eighteen, her father passed away and the house was transferred to her aunt, forcing her—through sheer bad luck—into a life of renting. One day out of the blue, she receives a call from a lawyer: her deceased mother has left behind a well-located property, but it must be jointly inherited with a certain Mr. Cheng Xuan. Mr. Cheng is the director of Xinghe Property Management Services, and he promises that if He Xingqi works at his firm for a full year, he will give her the other half of the property—on the condition that her performance meets expectations. And so, the odd-job worker He Xingqi suddenly finds both a job and a home falling from the sky. She becomes a salesperson at this company, which specializes in rental brokerage and property management, and begins a brand-new life of outwitting clients and navigating the world of real estate rentals.

    This Taiwanese series, spoken in Hokkien, unfolds Taipei’s rental ecosystem in a lighthearted comedic tone. It touches on people from different social classes and vulnerable groups, while also explaining various types of rental arrangements and emerging policies—such as government-subsidized social housing rented out at 20% below market rates. The female lead’s dopamine-bright outfits are eye-catching; she’s playful and quick-witted, yet also a bit of a greenhorn. As she takes on more clients, conflicts and complications pile up one after another. Her sweet, cute voice belies a sharp tongue—she often voices the audience’s complaints outright, adding plenty of charm. Each episode ends on a small cliffhanger, making it easy for viewers to slip into her perspective and, through her doubts and struggles, explore the many faces of life reflected in the industry.

    [Japanese Series] The Secret Delights of Kyotoites: Rouge — Inheritance

    • Keywords: Drama
    • Also known as: 京都人の密かな愉しみ Rouge 継承
    • Runtime: approx. 45 minutes per episode × 9 episodes; Douban link

    The beauty of Kyoto.

    @利兹与青鸟： Born in Kyoto and raised in Paris, Lo comes to Kyoto to study at her father’s suggestion and attempts to inherit a traditional wagashi shop—Kuraya Harunobu, a centuries-old establishment with over 200 years of history and eight generations of craftsmanship. The shop has become part of Kyoto’s cultural fabric, yet now faces the prospect of having no successor. Whether out of a momentary impulse or because her Kyoto DNA has been stirred, Lo sets foot on her homeland for the first time as an adult and begins touring the city’s famous sights: praying to the Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Kannon at Rengeō-in (Sanjūsangen-dō), hopping across stepping stones on the Kamo River, and gazing over the water from Nijō Bridge, slowly feeling her connection to this ancient capital.

    The Secret Delights of Kyotoites series has aired seven installments since 2015, all directed and written by Takashi Minamoto, developing a style uniquely its own. It frequently weaves in Kyoto’s humanistic history, possessing the classical restraint of a documentary and the refined beauty of a travelogue, all infused with the dry, sharp-edged humor characteristic of Kyoto locals, as it gently tells the story of this Kyoto family. The very first episode uses the Eleven-Faced Kannon as a metaphor for how Kyotoites rarely reveal their true feelings, introducing the story’s background and its somewhat complex web of relationships—making it easy to slip in even if you haven’t seen the previous entries. The slow, tender piano soundtrack also calms the mind and draws you onward, as you begin to wonder how Lo will carry on this century-old shop amid the collision of cultures and generations.

    [Animation] Fate/strange Fake

    • Keywords: novel adaptation / fantasy / action
    • Also known as: Fate/strange Fake
    • Runtime: 24 minutes per episode × 13 episodes, updated every Saturday
    • Where to watch: Bahamut Anime Crazy; Douban link

    Art is a gas explosion!

    @SHY: Several years after the Fifth Holy Grail War, anomalies emerge in the snowy city of Snowfield in the western United States. Masters and Servants gather upon a false pedestal, acting according to their own designs. Yet when the Saber class—one that should not exist—is summoned, the “false Holy Grail War” is elevated into a real one, and a grand banquet of magi and heroic spirits begins.

    What, then, is the core appeal of the Fate series? Fashionably mysterious worldbuilding and spectacular clashes between legendary heroes from different eras surely rank at the top. And these two elements are precisely the specialties of author Ryohgo Narita. A master of ensemble storytelling, he writes without a single absolute protagonist; instead, dozens of characters enter from the outset, each with an origin more outrageous than the last. Through deft multi-perspective shifts and carefully arranged moments in the spotlight for everyone, he stages the ultimate all-out brawl of godlike combatants, fulfilling every chūnibyō fantasy about the Holy Grail War.

    The anime adaptation by A-1 Pictures knows exactly where to place its focus. While preserving the main narrative spine, it heavily compresses the novel’s quieter, dialogue-driven sections to ensure that each episode delivers heavyweight action scenes. Starting with the “Gil vs. Enkidu clash” in the prologue Whispers of Dawn, explosive highlights arrive one after another, producing countless iconic moments. Lavish animation resources paired with Hiroyuki Sawano’s thunderous score—how could it be described as anything less than exhilarating? This fantasy carnival, balancing both serious drama and outrageous spectacle, stands as the season’s strongest popcorn anime, and has all the makings of becoming many young viewers’ first Fate experience.

    [Animation] Primal – Season 3

    • Keywords: Fantasy / Action / Adventure
    • Also known as: Primal Season 3
    • Runtime: 22 minutes per episode × 10 episodes, updated every Sunday
    • Where to watch: HBO Max; Douban link

    Death is not the end.

    @SHY: After the generational handover at the end of Season 2, most viewers probably assumed that Spear’s daughter—riding a dragon into battle in the final scene—would take over as the new protagonist. But this series has never followed convention. At the start of Season 3, Spear, who should have been long dead, is resurrected as a walking corpse. After breaking free from control by accident, he is left with nothing but his body, wandering by instinct until fragments of memory begin to ripple back to the surface.

    According to creator Genndy Tartakovsky, he originally intended Season 2 to be the end of the series, until this irresistible idea suddenly took shape. Carrying forward the elements that set the earlier seasons apart, the new season uses sharp, forceful storytelling to sketch out the full spectrum of life in this brutal, survival-of-the-fittest land. Now a zombie, the protagonist can withstand even more damage—and strikes with far less restraint, embodying a blood-soaked aesthetic of violence through deadly, flesh-and-bone combat that sets the pulse racing.

    Stripped of reason and emotion, the protagonist severs his ties with the past, yet in a sense this brings the series closer to its origins, returning to the mysterious and restrained primal adventure of its opening. As blurred fragments gradually come into focus, Spear follows the traces he once left behind, embarking on a long journey to rediscover himself and reclaim his humanity, reexamining the world from another perspective. With its striking visuals and bold narrative voice, this critically acclaimed, hard-edged adult animation is poised to carry its legacy forward.

    More

    [Film] Into the Line of Fire
    @潘誉晗: Based on a true story, the film follows foreign correspondent Ma Xiao and doctor Pan Wenjia as they accompany engineer Miao Feng to repair a base station—only to be kidnapped by terrorists. Faced with a ransom demand of USD 5 million per person, they begin a 105-day struggle for survival. Thanks to extensive research into the incident and related materials, the film is rendered with delicacy and realism: sandstorms, explosions, bloodshed, and the inhuman brutality of the militants. War is always cruel—we should stay far from it and cherish peace.

    [US Series] His and Her Lies
    @Sholmes: A murder occurs in a small town near Atlanta. Both Jake, the investigator on the case, and Anna, the anchor reporting on it, know the victim, Rachel. On the night Rachel was killed, Jake was on a date with her in a car in the woods, while Anna watched coldly from not far away. To conceal their connections to the victim, Jake and Anna can only rely on lies. Told through dual perspectives, the series probes the boundary between truth and falsehood, constructing a multilayered narrative maze about deception and self-preservation.

    [Japanese Series] Tokyo P.D.: Metropolitan Police Public Relations Division 2
    @Sholmes: Imaizumi is a criminal investigator who is unexpectedly transferred to the Metropolitan Police Department’s Public Relations Division, tasked with dealing with the media—an assignment that leaves him confused and resistant. A woman is stabbed to death in Sumida Ward, and the investigation points to Yajima, a police officer who had been stalking the victim for a long time. To cover up the scandal, Hashimoto, head of the Internal Affairs Division, forcibly frames an innocent homeless man as the culprit. Imaizumi attempts to uncover the truth through indirect means. Using criminal cases and media reporting as its entry points, the series combines social relevance with strong suspense.

    [Japanese Series] The Counterproof of Sirius
    @Sholmes: Lawyer Fujishima is devoted to defending the wrongfully convicted and seeking retrials. Miyahara, who was sentenced to death in the “Yoshidakawa Incident” 25 years ago, sends Fujishima a letter claiming his innocence. Fujishima begins reinvestigating the cold case, challenging an almost impossible bid for a retrial. The series not only traces the painstaking search for truth, but also portrays a broader human landscape—Fujishima’s own trauma, the suffering of death-row inmates’ families—imbuing this story about judicial justice with deep compassion.

    [Korean Series] UDT: Our Neighborhood Task Force
    @潘誉晗: This neighborhood is something else. Insurance investigator Choi Kang is a former UDT demolition expert; hardware store owner Kwak Byeong-nam is an ex–special forces soldier; and the supermarket owner is a formidable former drill instructor. After retirement, all they want is a quiet life—but a string of explosions in the neighborhood prompts the three to join forces to protect their home. Perfectly blending action and comedy, the series moves at a brisk pace, and its theme of safeguarding family and community is warm and touching.

    [Ireland] Leonard and Hungry Paul
    @潘誉晗: Leonard and Paul are two quiet friends. Leonard carries a gentle air of melancholy, has few particular interests, and finds his only real pleasure in playing board games at Paul’s house. Paul lives with his parents, leading an equally subdued life. Adapted from the novel of the same name, the series depicts the everyday existence of two men well into adulthood—days without many highs or dramatic turns. Yet it is precisely this restrained, tranquil simplicity that makes you feel that perhaps life is meant to be this way.

    📅 This Week’s New Trailers

    Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End – Season 2 | Official Trailer

    On January 11, the TV anime Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End – Season 2 released its official trailer, announcing that the opening theme will be performed by Mrs. GREEN APPLE. The series will begin airing on January 16. Adapted from the manga by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe, the anime is directed by Tomoya Kitagawa with Keiichiro Saito as series director, and produced by MADHOUSE. It follows the journey of the elven mage Frieren. Source

    Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway’s Flash – The Witch of Circe | New Trailer

    On January 16, the animated film Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway’s Flash – The Witch of Circe released a trailer featuring its theme song. The film will premiere in Japan on January 30. Adapted from the novel of the same name by Yoshiyuki Tomino, it is directed by Shukou Murase, written by Yasuyuki Mutou, with music by Hiroyuki Sawano, and produced by Sunrise. Voice cast includes Kensho Ono, Reina Ueda, Junichi Suwabe, Soma Saito, and others. Source

    One Piece – Season 2 | Teaser Trailer

    On January 12, the live-action TV series One Piece released a “Baroque Works” version teaser trailer for its second season, which will debut on Netflix on March 10. Starring Iñaki Godoy, Mackenyu, Emily Rudd, Jacob Gibson, Taz Skylar, and others, the Straw Hat crew sets sail from Loguetown, crosses Reverse Mountain, and arrives at the Grand Line, with characters such as Smoker, Robin, Vivi, and Chopper making their appearances. Source

    The Mummy | First Teaser Trailer

    On January 13, the film The Mummy released its first teaser trailer and is scheduled to open in North America on April 17. Produced by James Wan and directed by Lee Cronin (Evil Dead Rise), the film stars Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, and May Calamawy. When a journalist’s daughter mysteriously disappears in the desert, what should have been a joyful reunion gradually turns into a living nightmare. Source

    Euphoria – Season 3 | First Trailer

    On January 14, HBO’s hit series Euphoria released the first trailer for its third season, set to premiere on April 12. Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Eric Dane, Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, Colman Domingo, Rosalía, Alexa Demie, and Maude Apatow return. With high school behind them, the characters step into very different paths in life. Source

    More

    The film Avengers 5: Doomsday released a new in-theater trailer, announcing the return of the Fantastic Four and the Wakandans. The previous three in-theater trailers had already confirmed the return of superheroes such as Captain America, the X-Men, and Thor. Robert Downey Jr. returns as the main villain Doctor Doom, with the Russo brothers directing. The film is scheduled to be released in North America on December 18. Source

    The series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters – Season 2 released a teaser trailer. Kurt Russell, Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Hiroyuki Sanada, and others return to star. The fierce battles between Godzilla and the Titans will level San Francisco, leading into a shocking new world where monsters truly exist. The season will premiere on Apple TV on February 27. Source

    The Los Angeles Heist released a new official trailer: starring Chris Hemsworth, Halle Berry, Mark Ruffalo, and Barry Keoghan; directed by Bart Layton (American Animals) and co-written with Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). Adapted from the novel of the same name by Don Winslow, the film will be released in North America on February 13.

    📽 Film & TV News Weekly

    Wuthering Heights confirmed for mainland China release

    On January 12, the film Wuthering Heights was confirmed for release in mainland China, along with the launch of its trailer and poster. The release date is yet to be announced. Directed by Emerald Fennell (Saltburn) and starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, with Zhou Hong, Alison Oliver, Owen Cooper, and others also appearing, the film tells the tragic and intense love story between the orphan Heathcliff and Catherine, daughter of the Earnshaw family. Source

    The Shining set for mainland China release on January 30

    On January 14, Stanley Kubrick’s legendary masterpiece The Shining released its mainland China release trailer and poster, announcing that it will hit Chinese theaters for the first time on January 30 in 2D, CINITY, and IMAX formats. Starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, and Danny Lloyd, the film follows writer Jack, his wife Wendy, and their son Danny as they move into a remote mountain hotel, where eerie events begin to unfold. Source

    The Dark Bride! set for mainland China release on March 6

    On January 16, the film The Dark Bride! released its mainland China release trailer and poster, confirming a simultaneous release with North America on March 6. Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale, the story follows the lonely Frankenstein monster, who begs Dr. Euphronius to create a companion for him. Together, they successfully revive a young woman who was murdered. Source

    Sanctuary set for mainland China release on January 30

    On January 15, the action thriller Sanctuary released its mainland China release trailer and poster, announcing a simultaneous release with North America on January 30. Directed by Ric Roman Waugh and starring Jason Statham, the film centers on Mason, a former elite agent living in seclusion on a remote island. After unexpectedly rescuing a young girl named Jessie, he is forced back into his old life, launching a no-retreat battle to protect her. Source

  • SSPAI Morning Brief: Google Gemini now rolls out “Personal Intelligence”, DJI Releases the DJI RS 5 Lightweight Commercial Gimbal, and More

    SSPAI Morning Brief: Google Gemini now rolls out “Personal Intelligence”, DJI Releases the DJI RS 5 Lightweight Commercial Gimbal, and More

    Morning Brief

    1. iQOO releases the iQOO Z11 Turbo smartphone
    2. DJI releases the DJI RS 5 lightweight commercial gimbal
    3. MediaTek announces the Dimensity 9500s and Dimensity 8500 chips
    4. The Philippines grants visa-free entry to Chinese travelers
    5. Qwen announces the launch of AI-powered lifestyle shopping features
    6. Apple announces Apple Pay support for Visa cards
    7. Google Gemini now rolls out “Personal Intelligence”
    8. Microsoft to remove the Collections feature from Microsoft Edge

    iQOO releases the iQOO Z11 Turbo smartphone

    On January 15, iQOO officially unveiled the iQOO Z11 Turbo smartphone, with a starting price of RMB 2,699, or RMB 2,039.15 after national subsidies.

    In terms of display, the iQOO Z11 Turbo features a 6.59-inch flat OLED screen with a resolution of 2750 × 1260 and a maximum refresh rate of 144 Hz. The panel uses TCL CSOT C9+ luminous material, reaching a local peak brightness of up to 5,000 nits and a minimum brightness of around 1 nit. For dimming, it supports DC-like dimming as well as high-frequency PWM dimming up to 4,320 Hz, with DC-like dimming available across the full brightness range. The display also offers up to 3,200 Hz instantaneous touch sampling and 300 Hz ten-finger touch sampling, supports 1.07 billion colors, and is protected by Schott Diamond Shield glass.

    In terms of performance, the iQOO Z11 Turbo is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor and is paired with a self-developed auxiliary chip, Q2, dedicated to gaming performance scheduling and display optimization. The device uses LPDDR5X memory and UFS 4.1 storage, along with a large-area VC liquid-cooling system. Official benchmark scores exceed 3.59 million points. In gaming tests, mainstream open-world mobile games achieve an average frame rate of around 60 fps, with overall power consumption controlled at approximately 4.54 W.

    For battery life, the new model is equipped with a 7,600 mAh battery using a second-generation semi-solid-state design. According to iQOO, the battery maintains relatively stable discharge performance in both high- and low-temperature environments. Charging-wise, the iQOO Z11 Turbo supports 100 W wired fast charging and offers a direct power supply mode for gaming while charging. The cooling system uses a multi-layer heat-dissipation structure to lower core temperatures and improve heat distribution under heavy loads.

    In imaging, the iQOO Z11 Turbo is the first in the Z series to feature a 200-megapixel main camera, supporting 4× lossless zoom and covering commonly used portrait focal lengths such as 50 mm and 85 mm, as well as multi-focal-length Live Photo shooting. The front camera is 32 megapixels and supports 0.8× wide-angle capture.

    In terms of appearance and design, the iQOO Z11 Turbo is available in four colors: Canglang Floating Light, Halo Pink, Sky White, and Polar Night Black. The Polar Night Black version uses a fiberglass back, while the other colors use glass backs. The phone adopts an aluminum alloy frame, measures about 74.42 mm in width and 7.9 mm in thickness, weighs around 202 g, and supports IP68/IP69 dust and water resistance.

    For connectivity and software, the device integrates a multi-antenna design to improve connection stability in complex network environments. On the software side, the iQOO Z11 Turbo comes preinstalled with OriginOS 6, introducing new smoothness optimizations and animation effects, along with multiple AI features for everyday scenarios such as search and sharing. Source

    DJI releases the DJI RS 5 lightweight commercial gimbal

    DJI today officially unveiled its new lightweight commercial gimbal, the DJI RS 5, priced at RMB 3,099 for the standard version and RMB 3,899 for the combo kit.

    According to DJI, the RS 5 introduces a brand-new RS Enhanced Intelligent Tracking Module, expanding tracking subjects from people to multiple categories such as vehicles and pets. DJI claims the maximum recognition distance for human tracking reaches up to 10 meters, and the system can re-lock onto the subject even if it briefly leaves the frame. The module attaches magnetically and supports tap-to-select or box-select tracking on the touchscreen. Combined with assisted composition, it significantly lowers the barrier for complex camera movements.

    In terms of stabilization and power, the DJI RS 5 delivers up to a 50% increase in peak motor torque compared to the previous generation. Together with the fifth-generation RS stabilization algorithm, it provides more stable footage during fast rotations, motion shooting, and vertical filming scenarios. On the control side, the new model supports a native electronic control handle adapter, making one-handed and low-angle shooting easier, and adds a Z-axis stabilization indicator to provide real-time feedback on vertical shake to help users adjust their walking pace.

    Battery life and body design have also been enhanced. Charging speed is increased by 60%, allowing a full charge in about one hour. The standard battery offers around 14 hours of runtime, which can be extended to up to 30 hours with the BG70 high-capacity battery grip. The gimbal weighs approximately 1.46 kg, supports third-generation native horizontal/vertical switching, and has a maximum payload of 3 kg, covering most mainstream mirrorless camera and lens combinations.

    In terms of expandability, the DJI RS 5 natively supports the Focus Pro motor and the DJI SDR video transmission system, features a built-in RSA communication interface, and is compatible with a wide range of official and third-party accessories. DJI also opens up the DJI RS SDK, allowing developers to customize additional professional features. Source

    MediaTek announces the Dimensity 9500s and Dimensity 8500 chips

    On January 15, MediaTek announced the Dimensity 9500s and Dimensity 8500 chipsets. Both chips are deeply optimized at the hardware level for generative inference and multimodal models, with native support for major global large language models (LLMs / MLLMs) and Stable Diffusion image generation models. They also introduce AI-powered ultra-clear telephoto algorithms, the Dimensity AI semantic segmentation engine, and AI reflection and flare removal technology. In addition, the chips support on-device AI enhancements for Live Photos and photo editing, as well as AI-powered summaries for calls, meetings, and document content based on local AI computing capabilities.

    The Dimensity 9500s is built on TSMC’s second-generation 3nm process, integrating more than 29 billion transistors. It features a flagship all–big-core CPU architecture and includes a Cortex-X925 ultra-big core. MediaTek states that, combined with the second-generation Dimensity scheduling engine and advanced memory compression technology, the chip delivers significant improvements in performance scheduling efficiency and app launch speeds. The Dimensity 9500s also supports ray tracing, 8K HDR video, on-device AI computing, as well as 5G and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity.

    Targeting the “light flagship” segment, the Dimensity 8500 also adopts a second-generation all–big-core CPU architecture and is manufactured using TSMC’s N4P process. CPU performance is up 7% over the previous generation, GPU performance is improved by 25%, and it comes with a quad-channel memory configuration. The Dimensity 8500 likewise supports ray tracing and further enhances AI capabilities for voice and imaging. Source

    The Philippines grants visa-free entry to Chinese travelers

    The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs has announced a visa-free policy for Chinese citizens. Starting from January 16, 2026, Chinese passport holders will be allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for stays of up to 14 days. This policy applies only to tourists entering through Manila and Cebu airports, and the 14-day stay period is non-extendable. Source

    Qwen announces the launch of AI-powered lifestyle shopping features

    On January 15, the Qwen app announced full integration with Alibaba ecosystem services including Taobao, Alipay, and Taobao Instant Delivery, opening beta access to AI-powered shopping and lifestyle services for all users.

    According to the official introduction, the Qwen app now enables unified operations such as ordering food delivery, AI-assisted shopping, and booking flights directly within the chat interface. More than 400 new features have been launched, with deep integration into Alipay’s government services and Fliggy’s travel services, along with the release of a complete feature list. A new “Task Assistant” feature has also been added to support intelligent planning and execution of multi-step complex tasks. Source

    Apple announces Apple Pay support for Visa cards

    On January 15, Apple announced the expansion of Apple Pay’s cross-border payment support. When traveling abroad, users in mainland China can use locally issued Visa credit and debit cards to make payments at offline merchants and online scenarios that support contactless payments.

    At present, Visa credit cards issued by Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of Communications, China Merchants Bank, China CITIC Bank, Ping An Bank, and Industrial Bank, as well as Visa debit cards issued by China CITIC Bank, already support this feature. After adding these cards to the Apple Wallet app, users can make cross-border payments via Apple Pay.

    In addition, Visa credit cards issued by institutions such as Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, China Construction Bank, China Minsheng Bank, and China Everbright Bank are expected to join the list of supported cards in the coming months. Mastercard has also stated that it plans to enable Apple Pay support for Chinese cardholders of some issuing banks in the coming months. Source

    Google Gemini now rolls out “Personal Intelligence”

    On January 14, Google announced that a new feature called “Personal Intelligence” has been opened for testing to individual accounts. This feature can integrate information from apps such as Gmail and Google Photos, helping Gemini understand contextual relationships without explicit instructions, enabling the chatbot to comprehend user data across apps and provide responses that better match personal situations.

    The feature will be rolled out first to Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers in the United States, and will later be added to Google Search’s AI Mode. To reduce potential risks, “Personal Intelligence” is turned off by default.

    Josh Woodward, Vice President of Google Labs and the Gemini app, said that the test version may still produce judgment errors and encouraged users to actively provide feedback. In scenarios involving changes in relationships or complex personal interests, Gemini may still struggle to accurately grasp timing and context. In sensitive areas such as health, Gemini will not make proactive inferences and will only discuss based on existing data when users explicitly ask questions.

    In addition, Google stated that it will not directly use users’ Gmail content or photo libraries to train models. Only some interaction data, such as user prompts and model responses, will be used to gradually optimize feature performance. Source

    Microsoft to remove the Collections feature from Microsoft Edge

    Microsoft recently notified users in the latest Microsoft Edge Dev build that it plans to remove the “Collections” feature from the browser. After the change is implemented, users will no longer be able to add new content to Collections.

    For existing data, Microsoft is offering limited migration options. Users can move all web pages saved in Collections to Favorites (bookmarks), but this method will only preserve the page links and will not migrate any images or notes previously added. To fully retain images and notes, users must manually export their Collections data as a CSV file for offline storage. Microsoft warns that if the export is not completed in advance, the related data will be removed from user accounts later and may be permanently lost.

    According to public information, the Edge Collections feature was first introduced in 2020, allowing users to save web pages, images, and notes in one place, commonly used for travel planning, research organization, and shopping lists. At present, Microsoft has not issued an official announcement regarding the removal of this feature. However, as the notice has already appeared in the Dev version, users are advised to back up their data as soon as possible to prepare for potential future product changes. Source

  • New Stuff 233｜What SSPAI Editors Have Been Buying Lately

    New Stuff 233｜What SSPAI Editors Have Been Buying Lately

    @张奕源 Nick：

    Bambu Lab P2S 3D Printer + AMS 2 Pro

    • Reference price: ¥3,994.15 (including AMS, after government subsidy)

    As mentioned before, I got into 3D printing because I wanted to work on home organization, so I ended up putting a Bambu Lab P2S in my apartment.

    Although the P2S has been out for more than two months, it’s still considered a new product from Bambu Lab. Since I entered the hobby relatively late, I didn’t experience the many earlier stages of consumer-grade and miniaturized 3D printers. My first hands-on experience was already with a nearly flawless, mature product, so in my eyes the P2S is close to perfect. Over the two weeks I’ve been using it, everything has felt fresh and exciting.

    First of all, it’s extremely easy to use—really, really easy to get started. You may have heard of their open model community, Makerworld. It’s full of all kinds of flashy, quirky, and unusual models you can download, and most of them already come with configurations tailored for Bambu printers. You just download the file, sync it with your specific model, and start printing directly—no parameter tweaking needed at all.

    Makerworld also has many niche but highly practical models, which happen to suit my needs perfectly. For example, I’m currently preparing for SSPAI’s Tracing the Southern Frontier project, which involves carrying a lot of filming gear, so I printed a set of battery cases, lens caps, and other accessories for Sony cameras. There are also various storage boxes designed specifically for small items like USB drives—great for travel, both practical and convenient.

    3D-printed lens caps and battery cases like these are not cost-effective to buy individually, which makes them perfect candidates for 3D printing.

    If you’re a super lazy person like me who hates hassle, you can just get an AMS along with the printer (or buy the bundle directly) and stick to Bambu Lab’s own filament. That way, the machine can automatically read information like color and remaining material, and it will handle loading, unloading, and filament switching by itself. You can pretty much reach a state of “the only thing you need to decide is what to print”—see a model you like, print it, and you’re done.

    Its ease of use also shows in how forgiving it is about placement. My apartment is small, and I don’t have space for a heavy, sturdy table, so I put the P2S on a small three-legged tea table in the kitchen. I was worried that the wobbling would affect print quality, but it turned out to be completely fine. Later I learned that the P2S has a built-in balancing and compensation system that automatically levels and stabilizes itself against small vibrations, so it’s much less delicate than I had imagined.

    Second, its output is very stable. I haven’t used many 3D printers, but the P2S is definitely the one with the best print quality among them. With default settings, the models it produces are already fine-grained and solid, and the printing process almost never goes wrong. The only time I encountered a “spaghetti failure” was due to an issue with the model design itself. Generally speaking, Bambu Lab’s companion app, Bambu Studio, will automatically determine whether a model needs supports, brims, and so on. If you also take a quick look at photos of other users’ finished prints or their feedback, you can usually avoid such problems altogether.

    The sliding-lid storage box fits together very precisely. After the purple filament ran out, I continued printing with pink, and the transition blended quite nicely too.

    Third, it runs very quietly, which exceeded my expectations. The P2S uses a fully enclosed design that blocks out a lot of noise, and most of what you hear during printing is a steady, mid-to-low-frequency sound that isn’t particularly irritating. The overall volume is roughly comparable to an air conditioner while it’s running. At first I placed it in the living room next to my desk, and working while it was printing wasn’t an issue at all. But since I plan to run long jobs overnight, I eventually moved it to the kitchen. Now I can’t hear it at all from the bedroom, so it doesn’t affect my sleep.

    Lastly, let me recommend a few models I’ve been enjoying recently. If you also have a 3D printer, you might want to try printing them.

    The first one is currently my favorite storage box: the single-color version of the “Mechanical-Style Storage Box.” It has a neat, boxy shape that makes it easy to arrange; its default size is just right, with generous capacity; and it supports stacking, with well-designed slots that let you build an endless tower. I’ve printed about ten of these already and used them to organize all sorts of random small items around the house—it’s surprisingly satisfying.

    Model link:
    https://makerworld.com.cn/zh/models/1018417-ji-jie-feng-ge-shou-na-he-ke-dui-die

    Super useful!

    The second one is “BUCKETS – Stackable Storage Boxes.” Among all the slanted-opening storage boxes I’ve printed, this is the best in both build quality and looks. It has thick outer walls and a large interior capacity, supports stacking, and its slim, narrow shape makes it perfect for fitting into corners and tight spaces. You can put almost anything in it—it’s very versatile.

    Model link:
    https://makerworld.com.cn/zh/models/1504594-buckets-ke-dui-die-shou-na-he-wu-xu-zhi-cheng

    Also very handy!

    The third one is a more niche model called the “Large Card Box with Sliding Lid.” It was originally designed as a tarot card box, and the pattern on the lid follows that theme as well. But it offers generous capacity, refined craftsmanship, and a relatively short printing time. Among all the sliding-lid boxes I’ve printed so far, this one has the best overall quality.

    Model link:
    https://makerworld.com.cn/zh/models/631847-dai-hua-gai-de-da-qia-pian-he

    It’s extremely detailed while using very little filament, making it a great match for wood-style materials.

    MelGeek Centauri 60 Magnetic Switch Keyboard

    • Reference price: ¥1,695.18 (launch promotion price)

    Buying this keyboard was half an impulse purchase. It looks good, the 60% layout is very compact, and I was also curious about how magnetic switches would feel, so I placed an order as soon as the product was released, becoming one of the first batch of users.

    Thankfully, this impulse wasn’t punished—the Centauri 60 is genuinely good to use. It comes by default with TTC White Magneto magnetic switches, which feel similar to tactile brown switches: straightforward, crisp, and not tiring to press. I mainly use it for typing and office work, and even with long sessions it doesn’t feel fatiguing. The snappy feedback also makes it easy to slip into a flow state, which is quite enjoyable.

    Further reading: https://sspai.com/post/105108

    The Centauri series also has a more flagship 80-key model. The difference is that it uses an 80% layout with an F1–F12 function key row, and includes an additional screen on the right side of the keyboard for viewing status information or adjusting settings. I personally prefer having my keyboard closer to the mouse and want it to be as small as possible, so I didn’t go for the larger version. The 60% layout also makes the whole keyboard look more compact, which I think is nicer than the 80%.

    I also really like the LED light strip on the Centauri 60. MelGeek designed a special effect for it that looks a bit like a snake looping around in circles, which adds a touch of fun to the keyboard and feels much more tasteful than the usual eye-searing RGB lighting.

    As for performance, I didn’t worry too much about it. I haven’t played CS in years, so I no longer have strong demands when it comes to latency or anti-ghosting. The web-based driver provided by MelGeek offers a full set of tuning options: you can define keys individually, or even copy configurations used by pro players, and the whole process is very straightforward. That said, this keyboard actually supports full customization inside and out—from the switches and internal foam, to the springs and mounting plate, and even the external metal decorative frame, all of which can theoretically be swapped or adjusted freely. For users who love to tinker, that’s definitely good news.

    MelGeek’s driver interface lets you adjust parameters for each key individually, or simply copy existing setups.

    That said, I do have one complaint about the Centauri 60: the lighting effects change too quickly. Even at the slowest setting, they still switch about once per second, so you can’t really get that gentle “breathing” fade-in and fade-out effect. This is actually something that could be solved at the software level. If anyone from MelGeek happens to see this, I hope you’ll consider adding a few more speed levels for the lighting, for the sake of us older users 🙂

    @克莱德： Xiaomi Label Printer

    • Reference price: ¥139 (with 3 rolls of label paper)

    Every time the seasons change, I end up digging through boxes to find clothes and bedding. And every year, I repeat the same eternal question to myself: what on earth did I put in that storage box on the top shelf?

    So this year, I finally decided to buy a label printer and put some “idiot-proof labels” on every storage container at home. Since this was a product category I had never really looked into before, I started with Xiaomi, a well-known brand for small home appliances.

    Unlike the label printers I had seen before that can print all kinds of images or invoice-style layouts, Xiaomi’s model is mainly designed for scenarios where you just need to stick labels everywhere. As a result, it uses consumables in the form of long, tape-like label strips with a fixed width, similar to transparent adhesive tape. In the Xiaomi app, you can manually set a fixed length for each label (up to 150 mm), or let the printer decide automatically based on the actual content.

    Naturally, label text is edited in the Xiaomi app as well. The built-in layout tools include styles, fonts, and alignment options. The style settings further cover basics like bold, italic, underline, character spacing, line spacing, and text direction. While moving text around, the app provides alignment guides, along with some preset alignment modes and fine-adjustment buttons. For everyday reminder labels, where there isn’t much need for complex design, these tools are more than enough. But if you want something more decorative or playful, it quickly starts to feel limited: there’s no emoji support, only a small selection of stickers, and a few built-in text-and-image templates—bordering on minimalistic, if not downright barebones.

    In my use case, though, the printed labels come out clear and sharp. The label paper also uses a split backing design that peels off down the middle, which helps avoid the common problem of reduced stickiness around the edges from handling it too much with your fingers.

    The only real drawback is that the labels default to a transparent background with black text, and only support black-and-white printing. They look fine on light-colored storage boxes or white appliances and electronics, but on dark surfaces they can be quite annoying. The only workaround is to sacrifice half the label’s width: peel off one side of the adhesive backing and print the text on the unpeeled half, effectively creating a white background with black text.

    @PlatyHsu: Laifen Swift 4 Hair Dryer

    • Reference price: ¥560 (after government subsidy; original price ¥659)

    I don’t usually have much need for a hair dryer—according to my mom, “what’s there to blow-dry with those few strands of yours anyway?” (For the record: I do still have a few.) But living in Shenzhen, you never know when the heavens will suddenly open up, so it’s always good to have something on hand to help you look presentable again quickly.

    My previous hair dryer was bought under exactly those circumstances: after running home in a thunderstorm, I spent a few dozen yuan on a food delivery app to get one. As you can imagine, its airflow was so gentle that even my few strands of hair found it a bit too civilized. Around that time, while browsing government subsidy deals, I came across Laifen’s hair dryers. I asked around among friends who had bought one, and the feedback was decent, so I picked up their newer model, the Swift 4, to try out.

    Laifen is known for taking inspiration from Apple, and sure enough, that reputation holds true. From the kraft paper shipping box and the way it’s sealed, to the plain white retail packaging with only a product image printed on it, to the layout of the instruction manual inside, and even the smell of the cleaning agent when you first open it—all of it gives off a strong “Apple flavor.”

    Getting back to the product itself, compared with earlier models, the main upgrade in this generation is the use of an aluminum alloy body, which looks fairly refined. The power cable comes with a cable organizer, though its length of 1.7 meters (not even as long as two phone charging cables) is a bit on the short side.

    In terms of performance, the Swift 4 is rated for a maximum wind speed of 23 m/s, which is quite fast. That said, because the body is compact, the overall air volume still can’t compete with those huge professional dryers that salon stylists use. For me, though, it’s more than enough. The maximum noise level is rated at 59 dB, which matches what I measured on my phone, and it’s fairly quiet. Depending on the operating mode, the circular light at the back of the dryer shows four different colors—a design that’s both eye-catching and attractive.

    These days, every household appliance seems to want a touch of “smart,” and the Swift 4 is no exception. It has built-in Bluetooth and can be paired with the Laifen app or a WeChat mini program. My limited imagination really can’t grasp why a hair dryer needs to be smart—and what’s even more absurd is that you can only pair and operate it while the motor is running—but fortunately, aside from scheduled hot-and-cold air cycling, there aren’t any features that absolutely require pairing. Most of the time, you can just ignore this part altogether.

    Overall, with the subsidy, the Swift 4 offers pretty decent value for money. It may still fall short of Dyson in some details, but for someone like me who only uses a hair dryer occasionally, it’s more than sufficient. If I had to nitpick, I’d say that simplicity and refinement don’t have to come in only one “Apple-style” form—perhaps Laifen could be a bit more creative and confident when taking inspiration.

  • SSPAI Morning Brief: Google Chrome to restore support for the JPEG-XL image format, and More

    SSPAI Morning Brief: Google Chrome to restore support for the JPEG-XL image format, and More

    Morning Brief

    1. SK Hynix says it has no plans to exit the consumer storage market
    2. China’s State Administration for Market Regulation opens investigation into Trip.com Group in accordance with the law
    3. Insta360 releases Link 2 Pro series webcams
    4. Google Chrome to restore support for the JPEG-XL image format
    5. Apple confirms Pixelmator for iOS will stop receiving updates
    6. Hannsnote launches Lumo reading tablet
    7. Garmin releases quatix 8 Pro marine smartwatch
    8. IKEA launches Kallsup Bluetooth speaker
    9. Zhipu teams up with Huawei to open-source GLM-Image, the first SOTA multimodal model trained on domestic chips
    10. Rumors You Can Just Glance At

    SK Hynix says it has no plans to exit the consumer storage market

    In response to recent market rumors claiming that “SK Hynix plans to discontinue consumer storage products,” SK Hynix told Jiemian News that the company has not discussed or planned to exit the consumer products business, and that such claims are inaccurate.

    At an internal meeting disclosed last year, SK Hynix noted that growth in commodity DRAM capacity is expected to be limited and may struggle to keep up with steadily rising demand, potentially pushing memory prices even higher. According to presentation slides from that meeting shared by BullsLab, SK Hynix forecasts that, aside from high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and SOCAMM modules, capacity growth for commodity DRAM will remain constrained through 2028. The main reason is that major memory manufacturers are gradually shifting more production capacity toward AI-related demand, leaving only modest increases in capacity allocation for the consumer market. Source

    China’s State Administration for Market Regulation opens investigation into Trip.com Group in accordance with the law

    Recently, based on preliminary verification, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), in accordance with the Anti-Monopoly Law of the People’s Republic of China, has opened a formal investigation into Trip.com Group Co., Ltd. on suspicion of abusing its market dominance to engage in monopolistic practices. Source

    Trip.com stated:

    “Recently, Trip.com received a notice from the State Administration for Market Regulation informing us that a formal investigation has been initiated, in accordance with the law, into alleged monopolistic behavior involving our company. We will actively cooperate with the regulatory authorities throughout the investigation, fully implement all regulatory requirements, and work together with all parties in the industry to build a sustainable market environment. At present, all of the company’s business operations are running normally, and we will continue, as always, to provide high-quality services to our users and partners.”

    Insta360 releases Link 2 Pro series webcams

    Insta360 officially released its flagship Link 2 Pro series webcams on January 14.

    The Link 2 Pro series includes two models: the Insta360 Link 2 Pro and the Link 2C Pro. Both feature a large 1/1.3-inch sensor and support 4K ultra-high-definition resolution, making the series well suited for nighttime or low-light indoor meetings and live-streaming scenarios. The Link 2 Pro series also introduces dual native ISO technology and optimizations for HDR mode. In addition, it is equipped with a directional microphone to ensure clear audio capture even in open offices or noisy outdoor environments. As for design differences, the Insta360 Link 2 Pro comes with a built-in tracking gimbal, while the Link 2C Pro uses a fixed mount.

    In terms of features, the Link 2 Pro series supports Link Controller, which uses AI algorithms to separate the subject from the background and deliver a natural depth-of-field effect close to that of DSLR cameras. The products are also equipped with AI tracking and a dual-axis gimbal, support automatic framing, can connect seamlessly with the Wave stabilizer, and offer features such as automatic speaker recognition.

    In terms of pricing, the Insta360 Link 2 Pro starts at RMB 1,758, while the Insta360 Link 2C Pro starts at RMB 1,398. Source

    Google Chrome to restore support for the JPEG-XL image format

    On January 13, Google re-integrated the JPEG-XL image format into the Chromium browser engine. The feature is implemented using jxl-rs, a secure decoder written in Rust, to meet Chromium’s security requirements. At present, JPEG-XL support is disabled by default; users need to enable the #enable-jxl-image-format option on the chrome://flags page to use it.

    Chromium had supported JPEG-XL in earlier versions. However, Google removed support for the format with the release of Chrome 110 in 2022, citing the limited number of websites adopting it. Since then, Google has shifted its focus to promoting the adoption of the AVIF image format.

    It is worth noting that at the end of last year, the PDF Association designated JPEG-XL as the preferred format for embedding HDR images in PDF files. Source

    Apple confirms Pixelmator for iOS will stop receiving updates

    On January 13, Apple released Pixelmator Pro for iPad and launched the Apple Creator Studio subscription service. At the same time, Apple disclosed the future plans for the existing iOS versions of Pixelmator and Photomator in the Q&A section at the bottom of its official website.

    Apple clearly stated that Pixelmator will no longer receive updates. The app will retain its basic image editing features, such as cropping, color adjustment, and effects, and users can continue to use it normally. Another app, Photomator, will continue to be available as a standalone product on the App Store and is expected to receive ongoing feature updates and support in the future. Source

    Hannsnote launches Lumo reading tablet

    On January 14, Hannspree released the Lumo reading tablet. Designed for low-power reading scenarios, the device features a 7.8-inch reflective LCD display without a backlight, relying on ambient light reflection to deliver a viewing experience close to that of an e-ink screen.

    In terms of hardware, Lumo is equipped with a 1024 × 768 display panel with a 60 Hz refresh rate, powered by a MediaTek Helio G99 processor, and includes a 3000 mAh battery. It also comes with a 5 MP front camera and an 8 MP rear camera.

    To improve usability in low-light environments, Hannspree offers an optional front light accessory. According to official figures, with the front light turned on at maximum brightness, the device can still deliver about 6.5 hours of battery life. Pricing for the Hannspree Lumo is set at €369. Source

    Garmin releases quatix 8 Pro marine smartwatch

    On January 13, Garmin unveiled its flagship marine smartwatch, the quatix 8 Pro. Designed for offshore and professional maritime scenarios, the device integrates inReach satellite communication technology and an LTE cellular module to address the common challenges of communication and signal coverage at sea.

    According to Garmin, even when users are about 50 miles (approximately 80.5 km) offshore, the quatix 8 Pro can send and receive text messages, make voice calls, and check real-time weather information without relying on a smartphone. The watch also features a built-in SOS emergency function, allowing users to send distress signals directly to the 24/7 Garmin Response emergency coordination center in case of unexpected situations.

    On the software side, Garmin has introduced a Boat Mode for the quatix 8 Pro. When the system detects that the user is in a maritime environment, it prioritizes features such as autopilot control, trolling motor status, and vessel data. Once ashore, the interface switches back to a layout focused on everyday apps and health data to better suit office work or fitness use.

    In terms of hardware, the quatix 8 Pro features a 47 mm titanium bezel and a sapphire crystal lens, along with a 1.4-inch high-brightness AMOLED display. In smartwatch mode, battery life can reach up to 15 days. In addition to marine-specific functions, the device supports 24/7 health monitoring, Garmin Pay contactless payments, and more than 100 sports modes, including water sports such as wake surfing and water skiing. Garmin stated that the quatix 8 Pro is scheduled to go on sale on January 16, 2026, with a starting price of USD 1,299.99. Source

    IKEA launches Kallsup Bluetooth speaker

    During CES 2026, IKEA unveiled the Kallsup portable Bluetooth speaker. The product features a cube-shaped design and focuses on affordability and portability. It measures approximately 70 × 70 × 70 mm, uses a plastic корпус, and is equipped with anti-slip feet on the bottom, making it suitable for carrying around or for desktop use.

    In terms of colors, Kallsup is available in bright pink, bright green, and white. For connectivity, the speaker supports Bluetooth 5.3 and introduces a “broadcast mode.” According to IKEA, this mode allows up to 100 Kallsup speakers to be wirelessly connected at the same time to expand audio coverage.

    The body is equipped with only two physical buttons—for power and Bluetooth pairing—and provides operation feedback through audio prompts. For battery life, Kallsup has a built-in rechargeable battery and charges via USB-C. Official figures show that it can play continuously for about 9 hours at 50% volume. IKEA stated that Kallsup is scheduled to go on sale in April 2026, priced at USD 10. Source

    Zhipu teams up with Huawei to open-source GLM-Image, the first SOTA multimodal model trained on domestic chips

    On January 14, Zhipu announced that it has jointly open-sourced a new-generation image generation model, GLM-Image, together with Huawei. The model was developed end-to-end—from data processing to model training—based on Ascend Atlas 800T A2 computing hardware and the MindSpore AI framework. Zhipu stated that GLM-Image is the first state-of-the-art (SOTA) multimodal model to be fully trained on a domestic AI chip platform.

    In terms of model architecture, GLM-Image adopts a self-developed hybrid design combining “autoregressive + diffusion decoder,” enabling joint modeling of image generation and language models. By optimizing the tokenizer design, the model can adaptively handle inputs of different resolutions and natively supports image generation tasks ranging from 1024 × 1024 to 2048 × 2048 at arbitrary aspect ratios, without requiring separate training for each resolution.

    Regarding application performance, Zhipu noted that GLM-Image performs stably on image generation tasks involving complex logical relationships and textual explanations, making it suitable for scenarios such as scientific illustrations and schematic diagrams. In content creation for e-commerce images and multi-panel comics, the model can maintain consistency of subjects and visual style across multiple images while improving the accuracy of text generation. In addition, it is suitable for producing visually complex layouts such as social media covers, posters, and commercial promotional graphics.

    Beyond text- and layout-related tasks, GLM-Image also supports image generation across a variety of subjects and shot types, including portraits, pets, landscapes, and still life. The model has now been open-sourced on GitHub, Hugging Face, and the ModelScope community.

    Rumors You Can Just Glance At

    • Recently, a quirky app called “死了么” topped the paid apps chart on the Chinese App Store. As the app has also seen explosive growth overseas, the development team has decided to officially update its global brand name to “Demumu.” At the same time, the official team posted on social media last night inviting netizens to suggest more creative Chinese names for the app. Source
    • According to CCTV News, on January 13 local time, the U.S. government approved NVIDIA to export its H200 AI chips to China. This decision is expected to resume shipments of H200 chips to Chinese customers. Earlier, U.S. President Trump had stated on social media that the U.S. would allow NVIDIA to sell H200 chips to China. The related sales are subject to approval and security review by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Meanwhile, the U.S. side will also collect about 25% in fees from the related transactions. In other related information, an NVIDIA spokesperson previously told the Global Times that compliant sales of H200 chips to authorized Chinese customers would not affect the company’s supply to other global markets. In addition, according to Tencent Technology citing informed sources, the channel price of an 8-card H200 module is about RMB 1.4 million, higher than that of the H20. In terms of performance density (TPP), the H200 reaches a computing power value of 15,832, about 6.7 times that of the H20. Source
    • According to Reuters, multiple informed sources revealed that Chinese customs authorities notified relevant officials this week not to allow the import of NVIDIA H200 AI chips. At the same time, Chinese government officials convened domestic technology companies and explicitly required that, in principle, companies should not purchase H200 chips unless there is an irreplaceable necessity. The instructions did not specify the reasons, nor did they clarify whether this constitutes a formal ban or a temporary measure. It is also currently unclear whether H200 chips that have already been ordered will be affected. Source
  • SSPAI Morning Brief: Apple Launches Apple Creator Studio

    SSPAI Morning Brief: Apple Launches Apple Creator Studio

    Morning Brief

    1. Apple launches Apple Creator Studio
    2. Insta360 releases the Link 2 Pro series webcams
    3. Tesla launches the 2026 7-seat Model Y in the U.S.
    4. Adobe Firefly rolls out the GPT-Image 1.5 model
    5. Nintendo denies using AI in its advertisements
    6. Rumors You Can Just Glance At

    Apple launches Apple Creator Studio

    On January 13, Apple announced that it will roll out a creative software subscription bundle called Apple Creator Studio on January 28. The bundle brings together Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro for Mac and iPad; Motion, Compressor, and MainStage for Mac; as well as advanced features across the iWork suite (Keynote, Pages, Numbers, and Freeform). It is designed to provide professional-grade software support and AI assistance for video editing, music production, graphic design, and productivity workflows. After the subscription launches, Mac users will still be able to purchase standalone apps such as Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro outright from the App Store with a one-time payment.

    Apple Creator Studio is priced at RMB 38 per month or RMB 380 per year, with a one-month free trial. An education discount is available for college students, priced at RMB 18 per month or RMB 180 per year. Source

    Insta360 releases the Link 2 Pro series webcams

    On January 13, Insta360 announced the Link 2 Pro series webcams, including the Link 2 Pro and Link 2C Pro. Both models feature a 1/1.3-inch large sensor, support 4K ultra-high-definition resolution and dual native ISO technology, and are equipped with directional microphones for clear audio capture in open offices or noisy outdoor environments. They also support the Link Controller, enabling one-click activation of an AI-powered natural depth-of-field effect. The Link 2 Pro further adds AI tracking, a two-axis gimbal, and automatic framing.

    The Insta360 Link 2 Pro series can integrate with Wave to deliver an all-in-one audio and video solution, automatically identifying and switching between speakers in multi-person meeting scenarios. In terms of pricing, the standard Insta360 Link 2 Pro is priced at RMB 1,758, while the standard Insta360 Link 2C Pro is priced at RMB 1,398. Source

    Tesla launches the 2026 7-seat Model Y in the U.S.

    On January 13, Tesla introduced the 2026 Model Y to the U.S. market. The high-end Premium all-wheel-drive version can be configured with a 7-seat layout, while the other variants remain 5-seaters.

    The interior space of the 2026 Model Y is unchanged from the previous version, but a child seat has been added in the trunk area as part of the 7-seat option, priced at USD 2,500. The vehicle starts at USD 51,490. In addition, the Premium trim now includes the previously top-tier features of a high-resolution 16-inch infotainment display and a black headliner as standard, at no extra cost. Buyers of the Premium version can also opt for 20-inch graphite-colored Helix wheels for an additional USD 2,000. Source

    Adobe Firefly rolls out the GPT-Image 1.5 model

    On January 13, Adobe announced that OpenAI’s GPT-Image 1.5 model has been added to its Firefly AI creation platform. Firefly Pro and Premium subscribers can use this model to generate images with no usage limits until January 15. At present, the Adobe Firefly platform has integrated image, audio, and video models from Adobe itself as well as from major providers including OpenAI, Runway, Black Forest Labs, Pika, Ideogram, and Google.

    The platform operates on a “generative credits” subscription system. The Standard plan costs USD 9.99 per month and includes 2,000 generation credits; the Pro plan costs USD 19.99 per month and provides 4,000 credits; and the Premium plan costs USD 199.99 per month, offering up to 50,000 credits. Source

    Nintendo denies using AI in its advertisements

    Following earlier claims that AI generation tools were used in its new My Mario children’s toy advertisement, Nintendo has recently denied the allegations, stating that no AI was involved in the production or filming of the ad.

    Screenshot from the controversial advertisement

    The controversy mainly centered on the model’s thumb shown in the image. However, the model involved told IGN in an interview that they did participate in the audition and selection process and were actually filmed for the commercial. Some netizens later added that the part in question in the image was also a normal appearance of a double-jointed thumb. Source

    Rumors You Can Just Glance At

    • According to a report by Reuters citing Nikkei Asia, Google plans to move the R&D and manufacturing of all Pixel models except the A series out of China. Source
    • A recent market research report released by Counterpoint shows that Apple has taken the top spot with a 20% share of the global smartphone market, followed by Samsung and Xiaomi. Source
    • According to an exclusive report by Tech Planet, Pinduoduo is currently testing a new business section called “100-Billion Supermarket,” which covers multiple categories including fruits and vegetables, nuts and snacks, and dairy and beverage products. Notably, users can start claiming various instant-discount or coupon vouchers every Monday at midnight to purchase discounted items. Source
    • Leaks also suggest that Honor will soon collaborate with the POP MART IP and plans to launch a POP MART co-branded Honor 500 smartphone next week. Source
  • SSPAI Morning Brief: Google Unveils the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), and More

    SSPAI Morning Brief: Google Unveils the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), and More

    Morning Brief

    1. Google unveils the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)
    2. Apple and Google reach a partnership on AI models
    3. Xianyu launches a collectible consignment service “Yuligou”
    4. Anthropic announces the launch of an AI healthcare service
    5. OpenAI acquires AI healthcare company Torch
    6. Google removes AI-generated summaries for searches involving specific medical keywords
    7. Instagram mistakenly sends millions of password reset emails due to a system bug
    8. China’s first 3D-printed aircraft engine completes its maiden flight
    9. Rumors You Can Just Glance At

    Google unveils the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)

    Recently, Google, together with retail giants such as Walmart, Shopify, and Etsy, introduced a new standard for AI shopping agents called UCP (Universal Commerce Protocol), which was officially announced at the NRF (National Retail Federation) conference in the United States. UCP is a new open standard designed to unify digital commerce. Google plans to integrate UCP-related services into its search engine and Gemini in the future, enabling users to find desired products more accurately and quickly when searching or interacting with AI, and to complete purchases directly via Google Pay without leaving the interface. It is also worth noting that at the same conference, Walmart officially announced a partnership with Google that will allow consumers to shop for products at Walmart and Sam’s Club directly through Gemini. This service will launch first in the United States and will later expand to global markets. Source

    Apple and Google reach a partnership on AI models

    On January 12, Google and Apple released a joint statement announcing that the two companies have entered into a long-term collaboration. The next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be built on Google’s Gemini large language model and cloud technologies. These models will power Apple Intelligence features as well as a more personalized version of Siri scheduled to launch later this year. The statement said that after careful evaluation, Apple believes Google’s AI technology is the best fit for Apple Foundation Models, and that Apple Intelligence will not alter its existing privacy commitments, including on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute. Previous reports claimed that Apple pays Google about USD 1 billion annually to integrate Gemini, and that the new Siri model would have around 1.2 trillion parameters. After the announcement, Elon Musk commented on X, saying that given Google also owns Chrome and Android, this collaboration looks like an “unreasonable concentration of power.” Source

    Xianyu launches a collectible consignment service “Yuligou”

    Recently, Xianyu has “quietly” rolled out its new trendy-toy consignment service, Yuligou. Under this program, Xianyu officially inspects the seller’s items. Yuligou strictly controls goods shipped directly from official sources to ensure authenticity and traceability. Items are either ordered by sellers through official brand channels (such as official apps, mini programs, or Tmall flagship stores) and shipped to the warehouse by changing the delivery address, or shipped directly into the warehouse by Xianyu-certified brand partners. From receiving and quality inspection, warehousing and listing, to order picking, packing, and shipping, the entire in-warehouse process is recorded on video, with professional procedures providing peace of mind. To avoid players relying on “luck-based blind draws,” all items sold on Yuligou are pre-inspected confirmed units rather than blind boxes. In addition, sellers set their own prices. The platform compares listings and displays the current lowest price for each item in real time, making it easier for buyers to compare prices and make purchases. Source

    Anthropic announces the launch of an AI healthcare service

    On January 11, Anthropic officially announced that its AI product, Claude, will roll out a healthcare service compliant with the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The service will be available to hospitals, medical institutions, and individual users for handling protected health information. Claude has also integrated multiple scientific databases and enhanced its support for biomedical research. For individual users, Anthropic will allow people to export their personal health data from apps such as Apple Health and Function Health, making it more efficient to organize medical records and share them with healthcare providers. Anthropic said that Banner Health, one of the largest nonprofit healthcare systems in the United States, already has more than 22,000 clinicians using Claude, with 85% reporting improvements in work efficiency and accuracy. The company is also collaborating with organizations including Novo Nordisk and Stanford Medicine. In addition, all healthcare-related responses are supported with citations from authoritative sources such as PubMed and the NPI Registry, and medical user data will not be used to train the model. Source

    OpenAI acquires AI healthcare company Torch

    On January 13, OpenAI announced its acquisition of the AI healthcare company Torch. Founded less than a year ago, Torch has released an iOS app designed to bring together users’ medical and health data — including hospital lab results, medication records, wearable device data, and direct-to-consumer testing services — into a single place, providing a unified “medical memory” for connected AI services. The four founders of Torch will join OpenAI. People familiar with the matter said the deal was an equity transaction valued at over USD 100 million. Source

    Google removes AI-generated summaries for searches involving specific medical keywords

    Recently, while testing Google’s AI summary feature, The Guardian found that for some medical-related keywords — such as several specific liver function blood test indicators — the summaries generated by Google omitted conditions that are crucial for interpreting those metrics and instead presented only numerical values. Experts interviewed by The Guardian said that some of these summaries were misleading and could cause users to misjudge their own health conditions. After the report was published, Google quietly removed the AI summary feature for the related keywords. A Google spokesperson said the company would not comment on individual removals, but that when the AI summary feature performs inappropriately, Google will make broader improvements and take action under its policy framework when necessary. Source

    Instagram mistakenly sends millions of password reset emails due to a system bug

    Over the past weekend, millions of users around the world received password reset emails from Instagram. Security organizations and media outlets suggested that Instagram might have suffered an information leak. Meta responded that there was a vulnerability in its system that allowed external third parties to bypass the normal verification process and submit password reset requests in bulk for some Instagram users. Because the requests appeared to be legitimate, the system automatically sent genuine reset emails to the registered email addresses of affected users. Meta emphasized that this was only a flaw that triggered the sending of reset emails and did not mean that its internal systems had been illegally accessed. The company said it has identified and fixed the issue, and users who received the emails can simply ignore them. Source

    China’s first 3D-printed aircraft engine completes its maiden flight

    According to People’s Daily, a turbojet aircraft engine produced using 3D printing technology and developed by the Hunan Power Machinery Research Institute of AECC (Aero Engine Corporation of China) has successfully completed a test flight in Dingbian County, Shaanxi Province. This marks China’s first domestically developed 3D-printed turbojet engine, filling a gap in the engineering application of full-engine 3D printing in the country. In the past, subtractive manufacturing required machining from a solid block of raw material, resulting in significant material waste. By contrast, 3D printing is an additive manufacturing process, with material utilization exceeding 90%. It also enables precision designs that traditional manufacturing processes cannot achieve, such as labyrinth-style cooling channels and integrated load-bearing structures, making designs more open and flexible. In addition, 3D printing technology allows manufacturers to switch between different products without adjusting production lines. Small-batch and customized production can shorten the R&D cycle by more than 30%. Source

    Rumors You Can Just Glance At

    • At CES 2026, Qualcomm officially unveiled its Snapdragon X2 Plus chip. The chip features a third-generation Oryon CPU, an integrated Adreno X2-45 GPU, and the latest Hexagon NPU. This brings notable performance gains over the previous generation, along with a significant reduction in power consumption, and more balanced improvements in AI and ray tracing performance. According to currently leaked CineBench benchmark scores, Apple’s M4 chip still leads in single-core performance with 173 points, compared to 133 points for the X2 Plus. In multi-core performance, however, the X2 Plus narrowly edges out the Apple M4 with 1,011 points versus 993 points. Source
    • According to the latest support documentation released by Microsoft, Microsoft Lens has been discontinued on both Android and iOS as of January 9, 2026. Starting February 9, the app will no longer be supported and will be removed from Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store. Users will still be able to scan documents until March 9, after which new scan requests will no longer be possible, though existing scan records can still be accessed via the last signed-in Microsoft account. Microsoft recommends switching to OneDrive for document scanning. OneDrive includes a built-in scanning feature that can be accessed by tapping the “+” icon at the bottom of the app interface. However, OneDrive does not save scanned files locally, storing them in the cloud instead. Source
    • Google has confirmed that Chrome 150, scheduled for release later this year, will be the last version to support macOS 12 Monterey. Source
    • Due to Australia’s ban on social media use by minors under the age of 16, Meta has removed 544,052 underage accounts since December 11, including 330,000 Instagram accounts, 170,000 Facebook accounts, and nearly 40,000 Threads accounts. Source
    • According to leaker Ice Universe, Samsung will adopt a new main camera sensor, the S5KHP6, on the S27 Ultra. The sensor has the same size as the HP2 released in 2023. Source
    • Microsoft announced the immediate retirement of the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT), an enterprise deployment tool first released in 2003. The software will no longer be supported, its download packages will be removed, and no future compatibility updates will be provided. Source
  • SSPAI Review | Apps Worth Watching Recently

    SSPAI Review | Apps Worth Watching Recently

    Welcome to this episode of Pai Review. You can use the table of contents to quickly jump to the sections you’re interested in. If you’ve discovered other apps worth checking out, or topics you’d like us to cover, feel free to join the discussion in the comments.

    NotePlan 3.2: Simplified Chinese support, new integrated HTML plugins, and more

    • Platforms: iOS / iPadOS / macOS / Web
    • Keywords: task boards, team collaboration

    @ElijahLee: NotePlan, the all-in-one time management tool that combines tasks, notes, and calendars, has been updated to version 3.2. The update adds multilingual support, including Simplified Chinese, as well as a lock screen widget for quick capture, integrated HTML plugins, support for the Liquid Glass design style, and more.

    First up is multilingual support. NotePlan 3.2 now fully supports Simplified Chinese. For an app that is both complex and highly professional, native language support makes it much easier for users to get started. The new version also adds localization for Japanese, Italian, Korean, and Russian, along with VoiceOver accessibility support.

    On mobile, the update introduces a new lock screen widget focused on quick capture. You can add tasks, start voice transcription, or create a note directly from the lock screen.

    This lock screen widget supports custom configuration. In the widget settings, you can choose where the note content is saved and under which heading. In terms of content, the editor supports rich text formatting such as tasks, bullet points, quotes, and more. Functionally, it supports multiple input methods including voice transcription, typing, handwriting, and drawing.

    On macOS, NotePlan has introduced integrated HTML plugins and provides multiple plugin templates and tutorials to help users get started quickly. In “Settings – AI & Plugins,” you can manage all plugins, download updates, and use them.

    The main integrated HTML plugins in this update are the Dashboard plugin and the Linear Calendar plugin. The Dashboard plugin is a dashboard-style plugin that displays statistics, summary views, task progress, and more in the sidebar, allowing you to quickly review your work status. The Linear Calendar (calendar view plugin) provides an enhanced calendar view that integrates both the macOS calendar and the NotePlan calendar.

    HTML plugins run directly within the main NotePlan window. When you open an HTML plugin, it automatically appears in the sidebar, and you can switch to it at any time just like switching between notes, calendars, or tasks. This makes HTML-based plugins much more practical in daily workflows, without the need to open a separate window.

    NotePlan officially mentioned that more plugins are in development, but users can also follow the tutorials to quickly create their own plugins using Claude Code or Cursor—even without prior coding experience.

    In NotePlan 3.19, the app added support for the Liquid Glass design style. The sidebar becomes floating and shows the background color of notes through it, the command bar and menus are updated with a more transparent glass-like texture, and the overall icon set is more unified and modern.

    You can download NotePlan for free from the App Store. With a paid subscription, you can unlock features such as cross-platform sync, Markdown export, and integrated HTML plugins. Pricing is USD 12 per month or USD 99.99 per year. Setapp users can get it for free.

    Typeless: Making Voice Input Truly Practical

    • Platforms: iOS / macOS / Windows
    • Keywords: voice input, AI transcription

    @Vanilla: Most voice input methods on the market (such as WeChat Input, Doubao Input, iFlytek Input, etc.) focus on reproducing human speech with 100% accuracy, but overlook the fact that people don’t speak perfectly—they make slips, pause, and stumble. Typeless changes this. Instead of merely aiming for “accurate transcription of sound,” it aims to “reconstruct the original expression in the mind.”

    Before getting into its advanced features, I’d like to first introduce Typeless’s solid basic capabilities, because these are the foundation that keeps me using it.

    First is mixed-language input. Typeless supports more than 100 languages, and its recognition of mixed Chinese and English—what I use most often—is excellent. There’s no need to switch keyboards or languages; it just works.

    Next are the practical built-in keys. The Typeless input interface includes @, space, delete, and a Return key. The Return key is context-aware: in WeChat it means “send,” in documents it’s “new line,” and in search fields it becomes “search.”

    Then there’s the personalized dictionary. Typeless lets you create custom entries manually or by voice, accurately matching rare words or proper nouns. This ensures accuracy in the output and saves you from tedious corrections.

    Finally, there’s whisper recognition. Typeless allows input by speaking very softly. For introverts like me, it can accurately recognize quiet whispers into the microphone in public places, avoiding “social death.” Typeless also works while media is playing—for example, I can dictate while listening to music with AirPods. It doesn’t interrupt playback; the music just becomes background audio and doesn’t affect recognition accuracy.

    If the basic features are the skeleton, then AI is the soul of Typeless, solving the pain points of traditional voice input:

    Typeless supports automatic removal of filler words. It can identify and eliminate interjections like “um,” “uh,” “that is,” as well as repeated content caused by stuttering or hesitation, keeping only the meaningful information.

    Typeless supports real-time speech editing, which is its killer feature compared to other voice input methods. When I say, “Tomorrow morning at 7… ah no, let’s make it 3 p.m.,” Typeless automatically corrects this to “Tomorrow at 3 p.m.” and outputs only the final result, rather than recording the whole correction process.

    Typeless supports intelligent formatting. When it recognizes lists (such as shopping lists) or multi-point content, it automatically formats them into separate lines and lists, and adapts the layout to the writing context of the app.

    Typeless supports scenario-based tone polishing. It adjusts tone based on the type of app. For example, in text messages it keeps casual phrases like “kinda wanna,” while in Gmail it automatically converts them into the more formal “kind of want to.”

    Typeless isn’t a flashy demo from a big tech company—it genuinely solves the problem that “voice input isn’t practical enough.” On iPhone, it’s great for replying on WeChat and other instant messaging apps, saving you from typing while still producing messages that are easy for others to read. On desktop, Typeless is well suited for writing and capturing ideas. It supports seamless switching with a physical keyboard, making it suitable as your primary input method, with the keyboard used for quick fine-tuning.

    Typeless can be downloaded for free from the App Store and its official website, with a free Pro trial for the first month. Subscription pricing is USD $12 per month (billed annually) or USD $30 per month, mainly to unlock the monthly limit of 4,000 words.

    TypeLouder: A Keyboard Sound Effects App Recommended by Luo Yonghao

    • Platform: macOS
    • Keywords: keyboard sound effects

    @化学心情下2: Last week I recommended a mechanical keyboard and mouse click sound simulator called Funkey. This week, I’m recommending another similar keystroke sound app. This time it’s TypeLouder, which focuses more specifically on simulating keyboard sounds. The app lets you set different keyboard sound profiles and adjust volume levels, so even when typing on a membrane keyboard, you can still experience the satisfying feel of a mechanical one.

    In principle, TypeLouder works much the same way as Funkey: it converts key presses into simulated mechanical keyboard sounds. The difference is that TypeLouder first asks you to choose the type of mechanical switch—such as brown, red, blue, or black switches—then set the volume. You can also preview the sound that will be produced when typing, giving you a clear idea of both loudness and tone in advance.

    This approach is much more intuitive than Funkey’s method of listing a large number of keyboard model names. After all, with many modern mechanical switches, the differences in sound are often subtle, while the bigger distinctions lie in key travel stages and tactile feedback.

    More importantly, TypeLouder can automatically adjust its volume based on your surroundings, so you can enjoy the intense clicking sounds without getting awkward side-eyes from people nearby.

    TypeLouder also offers some thoughtful settings. For example, you can choose the audio output device (so the sounds play only in your headphones, letting you enjoy them privately without bothering others). You can decide whether the space bar or return key should produce sounds, and you can switch between different switch sound profiles using keyboard shortcuts. Overall, it’s very convenient.

    You can download TypeLouder from the Mac App Store for RMB 22.

    PocketCheck: the “Did you forget?” helper

    • Platform: Android
    • Keywords: item checklists, task reminders

    @Peggy_: You leave home and realize you forgot your keys. You get to your desk and notice you didn’t bring your water bottle. You return home only to find your charger is still at the office… little things like these happen all the time. I still remember a college classmate whose behavior was legendary—almost every time he was halfway to somewhere, he’d suddenly realize he’d left something in the dorm and turn back.

    PocketCheck is designed to solve exactly these easy-to-forget little things, or to constantly remind people who are especially forgetful. Through scheduled prompts and persistent notifications for important items, PocketCheck provides reminders right when you need them. First, you can set up a checklist of things to carry based on your needs when going out. If your forgetfulness is really serious, you can even take photos of the items or note where they are stored. Then, you can set time-based reminders according to your usual departure times, so that before you head out, you’ll be soul-questioned: “What’s in your pockets?”

    Besides serving as an item checklist, you can also get creative and use PocketCheck as a “put-things-back” list, to avoid forgetting to return items to their original places after using them. For work tasks with relatively fixed workflows, PocketCheck can also act as a supervisor for task completion. It allows you to set an “active” status for items in a list; when you open the relevant task, the app shows a persistent notification and indicates how many activities are currently active.

    In terms of notifications, PocketCheck lets you enable alerts for individual lists and freely choose which days of the week to be reminded. It also supports periodic reminders, prompting you to occasionally open the app to confirm that you’ve packed your items properly or completed your tasks. Of course, you can also set quiet periods during which no reminders are received, such as while sleeping at night.

    Overall, PocketCheck’s features are clearly aimed at people who are prone to forgetting things. By combining persistent notifications, interval reminders, and task activation states, it tries to help us forget less—or even not forget at all—when it comes to important matters. You can download PocketCheck from F-Droid to try it out; the app is completely free.

    Danji: Schedule & Sponsored-Content Management for Creators

    • Platform: iOS
    • Keywords: media schedules, business management

    @Snow: Danji is a schedule and business-collaboration management tool designed specifically for media professionals, content creators, and freelancers. With its AI engine and built-in analytics, you can quickly create schedules and sponsored-content projects from screenshots or short text, and clearly track income, payments received, and other financial details—addressing common pain points like chaotic schedules and difficult bookkeeping.

    Danji’s centralized management focuses on two areas: schedules and sponsored projects. For schedule management, in addition to filling in project info, contact details, costs, publishing progress, and reimbursement status, it also distinguishes between online and offline events. For offline events, it intelligently calculates departure times based on travel methods such as flights, high-speed rail, or driving, automatically syncs with the system calendar, and provides targeted reminders. You can also place schedule widgets on your home screen for more intuitive alerts.

    For sponsored-content management, the app supports full-cycle tracking from “to be executed,” to “in progress,” to “published,” making it easy to adjust plans and monitor progress. Each project can include the contract amount, payment status, commission status, and commission amount. The app then automatically calculates net income in its statistics based on payments received, giving you a clear picture of each project’s financial performance.

    Danji’s most thoughtful feature is its use of AI to parse chat screenshots, itineraries, or text and automatically generate schedules or sponsored projects. Contacts, transport details, project amounts, commissions, and more can all be recognized accurately and imported quickly, saving the time required to create entries manually. The app also offers Shortcuts support, allowing you to build screenshot workflows for even higher efficiency.

    At the moment, however, Danji can only recognize a single screenshot at a time. To improve accuracy, it’s recommended to import long screenshots that include full conversations with project overviews. If you only import an itinerary, Danji may mistakenly treat departure points or destinations as the project name and location—ironically reducing efficiency instead of improving it.

    As a business-management tool, rich analytics are essential. Danji’s charts clearly show monthly and yearly income and expenses, as well as the proportion of online vs. offline work. They also dig deeper into payment performance by industry, brand, and agency, generating payment-rate rankings to help identify reliable partners and potential risks—enabling more refined and professional business management.

    You can download Danji for free from the App Store.

    App Brief

    • The long-standing outlining and information-organizing app OmniOutliner has been updated to a major 6.0 version, adding support for the Liquid Glass design style and introducing features such as Omni Links. Source
    • Instagram reportedly experienced a sensitive user data leak. The company later stated that the issue causing the system to send emails asking users to reset their passwords has been fixed, that user data was not affected, and that such emails can be safely ignored. Source
  • SSPAI Morning Brief: State Council Launches Investigation and Evaluation of Competition in the Food Delivery Market

    SSPAI Morning Brief: State Council Launches Investigation and Evaluation of Competition in the Food Delivery Market

    Morning Brief

    1. State Council launches investigation and evaluation of competition in the food delivery market
    2. Claude Code blocks access from third-party compatible tools
    3. Well-known open-source framework Tailwind CSS lays off a large number of employees due to the impact of AI
    4. Large-scale internet outage hits Iran
    5. Cloudflare fined by Italy, threatens to stop providing network security services for the Winter Olympics
    6. iOS 26 adoption rate lower than previous versions at the same point in time
    7. Rumors You Can Just Glance At

    State Council launches investigation and evaluation of competition in the food delivery market

    On January 9, the Office of the Anti-Monopoly and Anti-Unfair Competition Committee of the State Council announced that it would conduct an investigation and evaluation of market competition in the food delivery platform services sector.

    A person in charge of the department said that recently, problems such as aggressive subsidies, price wars, and traffic control have become prominent in the food delivery platform services industry, squeezing the real economy and intensifying “involution-style” competition within the sector, drawing strong reactions from various parts of society. This investigation and evaluation will involve on-site verification, face-to-face interviews, and questionnaire surveys to gain an in-depth understanding of competitive practices among food delivery platforms, widely solicit opinions from platform-based merchants, new forms of workers, consumers, and other stakeholders, comprehensively assess the state of market competition, organize analysis and verification, transmit regulatory pressure, and propose measures for handling the situation.

    Subsequently, Meituan and Taobao Flash Delivery both issued statements saying they would actively cooperate.

    Earlier, in February 2025, JD.com entered the food delivery business, becoming the starting point of the subsidy war in the sector. At the end of April, Alibaba announced its entry into the competition and upgraded the instant retail service “Hour Delivery” under Taobao and Tmall to “Taobao Flash Delivery,” rolling out high-profile subsidies for food delivery and further announcing a RMB 50 billion subsidy plan on July 2. In response to the competition, Meituan followed suit and joined the subsidy campaign.

    In this context, in May and July 2025, the State Administration for Market Regulation and other departments held two rounds of talks with Ele.me, Meituan, and JD.com. In September, the State Administration for Market Regulation organized the drafting of the Basic Requirements for the Management of Food Delivery Platform Services (Draft for Public Comment), which was implemented as a recommended national standard in December, setting out provisions on merchant management, fees and promotional practices, labor management, and dispute resolution.

    Claude Code blocks access from third-party compatible tools

    On January 9, Anthropic confirmed that it had deployed technical measures to prevent third-party applications—represented by popular terminal-based AI coding tools such as OpenCode—from masquerading as its official tool Claude Code to access its models, in an effort to crack down on behavior that circumvents commercial API fees.

    In response, Anthropic explained that unauthorized third-party access had caused hard-to-diagnose technical failures, leading to reduced platform stability. In addition, some xAI employees were found to be using the Cursor IDE to call Claude at scale to assist in developing their own models, violating the exclusivity clause in Claude’s terms of service that prohibits using the service to build competing products.

    However, community discussions generally believe that economic considerations are the primary motivation behind this ban. The Claude Max subscription plan is priced at USD 200 and offers a generous usage allowance. By comparison, achieving a similar level of compute through pay-as-you-go API calls would easily push monthly costs beyond USD 1,000.

    In response to the blockade, OpenCode quickly launched a USD 200-per-month OpenCode Black plan, switching to access Claude via enterprise-grade APIs.

    Well-known open-source framework Tailwind CSS lays off a large number of employees due to the impact of AI

    This week, Tailwind Labs, the company behind the well-known open-source CSS framework Tailwind CSS, confirmed that it has been forced to lay off three out of four members of its development team—75% of the entire team—due to what it described as the “brutal impact” of AI. CEO Adam Wathan revealed that although usage of Tailwind CSS is growing at a record pace, the company’s revenue has plunged by nearly 80%. Without restructuring, its funds are expected to run out within six months.

    Wathan pointed out that the widespread adoption of AI coding tools has changed developers’ working habits, leading to a 40% drop in visits to the official documentation site over the past two years. Tailwind Labs’ main business model is selling “lifetime license” Tailwind UI component libraries and templates to developers who visit the documentation. Now that developers can obtain code directly from AI, they no longer need to visit the website or purchase paid component libraries, making this business model difficult to sustain.

    Released in 2019, Tailwind CSS is one of the most popular CSS frameworks. Many AI models are particularly good at writing Tailwind code and tend to use the framework by default.

    Wathan disclosed the situation during a recent controversy in the GitHub community. Previously, some contributors proposed optimizing the documentation format to make it easier for large language models to crawl and learn from, but Wathan rejected the idea. He explained that making it easier for AI to access the content for free would make the business “even more unsustainable” and could eventually turn the project into “abandonware” due to a lack of maintainers, citing the background described above.

    The layoffs sparked widespread discussion in the tech community and reignited criticism of industry giants that use open-source projects and train AI models on open-source code without giving back. Vercel and Google AI Studio later announced that they would become sponsors of Tailwind CSS.

    Large-scale internet outage hits Iran

    According to Xinhua News Agency, around 8:00 p.m. local time on January 8, internet services in Iran’s capital, Tehran, were disrupted. NetBlocks, an international NGO that monitors global internet connectivity, said Iran is implementing nationwide network controls related to ongoing protests in multiple regions. Cloudflare’s routing data shows that Iran’s IPv4 connections dropped sharply between the 8th and 9th before partially recovering, while IPv6 connections fell to zero. (Technically, IPv6 traffic is harder to censor than IPv4.)

    The Guardian, citing expert analysis, reported that this shutdown set new records in both scale and technical measures, causing about 90% of the country’s internet traffic to vanish almost instantly. A whitelist mechanism was used during the blackout—for example, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was still able to post on X.

    In addition to the internet shutdown, international long-distance calls within Iran were blocked, mobile communications services were completely paralyzed, and most regions entered a digital vacuum with no signal and no service. The Starlink satellite internet system, which had helped maintain connectivity during the 2022 protests, was also subjected to targeted signal interference this time.

    Cloudflare fined by Italy, threatens to stop providing network security services for the Winter Olympics

    Recently, Italy’s communications regulator AGCOM fined Cloudflare €14 million (about RMB 114 million) for failing to cooperate with the country’s “Piracy Shield” system in blocking pirated content. In response, Cloudflare threatened to stop providing cybersecurity services for the upcoming 2026 Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics and is considering a complete withdrawal from the Italian market.

    Under Italy’s Piracy Shield legislation, internet service providers are required to unconditionally block IP addresses and domain names suspected of infringement within 30 minutes of receiving a report from copyright holders. Since its launch in 2024, the system has been highly controversial in the tech community. Critics point out that its automated blocking mechanism lacks transparency and forces DNS resolvers to implement blocks within extremely short timeframes, making it prone to mistakenly affecting legitimate websites. For example, it previously caused large-scale internet disruptions after accidentally blocking lawful services such as Google Drive.

    Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince sharply criticized the mechanism on X, calling it a “censorship program without judicial oversight,” and accusing it of attempting to force Cloudflare’s public DNS service (1.1.1.1) to enforce blocks globally rather than only within Italy. Prince said the company will firmly appeal the decision and plans to travel to Washington and Lausanne next week to discuss the matter with the U.S. government and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), respectively.

    As countermeasures, Prince listed four potential actions: terminating millions of dollars’ worth of pro bono cybersecurity support for the Winter Olympics, stopping the provision of free services to all users in Italy, removing all servers located in the country, and canceling plans to invest in setting up local offices. With the Winter Olympics set to open on February 6, a Cloudflare withdrawal at this point could expose the event to serious risks of cyberattacks.

    iOS 26 adoption rate lower than previous versions at the same point in time

    According to data released by web traffic analytics firm StatCounter, as of January 2026 only about 15% to 16% of active iPhones worldwide are running iOS 26, while more than 60% of devices are still on iOS 18.

    Based on these figures, the adoption rate of iOS 26 appears to be less than one quarter of that of several previous versions over the same period. For example, StatCounter’s data from January 2025 showed that about 63% of iPhones were running some version of iOS 18 roughly four months after its release. In January 2024, iOS 17 reached about 54% adoption over a similar timeframe, while iOS 16 had already surpassed 60% by January 2023.

    StatCounter’s estimates are derived from web traffic analysis, tracking operating system versions through page views across participating websites worldwide. Different methodologies, however, produce different results. For instance, TelemetryDeck reports iOS 26 at 60% adoption, with iOS 18 still at 37%.

    Well-known Apple news site MacRumors noted that in the first week of January last year, 89.3% of its visitors were using iOS 18. During the same period this year, only 25.7% of its readers were on iOS 26. As Apple has yet to release official figures, the true penetration rate of iOS 26 remains unclear, but these data suggest that user hesitation toward iOS 26 is unprecedented in recent years.

    Rumors You Can Just Glance At

    • According to social media posts, the chairman of China’s domestic Linux distribution UnionTech UOS reportedly fired a kernel engineer over his attire. The company recently issued a last-minute notice requiring employees to wear suits to the annual party. When a key engineer responsible for Linux kernel development asked in a group chat, “What if I don’t have a suit?”, the chairman allegedly dismissed him on the spot.
    • According to what some users were recently told by China Merchants Bank customer service, Visa credit cards issued by the bank can be added to Apple Pay starting January 15. Previously in mainland China, Apple Pay only supported UnionPay debit and credit cards. Apple has also updated the wording on its Apple Pay supported card list from “UnionPay credit and debit cards” to “bank cards.”
    • Wccftech claims that based on data from several Czech e-commerce websites, the 512 GB version of the Steam Machine is priced at about 19,826 Czech koruna (around RMB 6,622), while the 2 TB version is about 22,305 koruna (around RMB 7,450). However, retail prices for electronics in Europe usually include around 20% value-added tax, and third-party retailers often add extra channel markups.
    • On January 11, the team behind the recently discussed solo-living safety app “Dead Yet?” responded regarding the app’s name and the decision to start charging fees. They said they appreciate the positive suggestions from users about a new name and will carefully study and consider them. In order to keep the project healthy and sustainable, and to cover the growing costs of SMS messages, servers, and other expenses, they will introduce a paid plan priced at RMB 8. The team also welcomes interest and contact from investors, and will choose partners—institutions or individuals—who can best support the project’s growth. Finally, they called on more people to pay attention to those living alone and to offer them more care and understanding. In the “Dead Yet?” app, users must set emergency contacts and check in regularly; if they fail to check in for several consecutive days, the system will automatically send an email to the emergency contact the next day.
  • CES 2026 Roundup: The Weird and Wonderful Stuff You Might Have Missed

    CES 2026 Roundup: The Weird and Wonderful Stuff You Might Have Missed

    If last year’s CES was still half about showing off muscle and half about goofing around, then this year’s show is fully powered by the strong winds of AI. Everyone is desperately trying to “do something wild,” to the point where, without a bit of absurdity, it’s hard to leave any impression at all in the sea of people.

    Some of these stunts actually come with decent ideas behind them, and a few have even turned into real products. But the overarching theme this year is obviously AI: AI can be slapped onto anything. In 2025, when everyone has outsourced their imagination to prompts, conventional products instead start to reveal a different kind of beauty—one that doesn’t rely on AI to exist.

    So what flashy new gadgets did CES 2026 bring us? Here’s a roundup of some of the more unusual “memory points.”

    Dell’s laptop: undoing a “betrayal of the ancestors”

    Last year, Dell made what many would call a decision that betrayed its lineage: renaming its product lines to Dell, Dell Pro, and Dell Pro Max, claiming this would make it easier for customers to find the AI PC that suited them (it didn’t). Perhaps after seeing big brother Microsoft’s Copilot struggle over the past year, Dell suddenly realized that whether the name sounds like Apple’s or whether it has AI positioning doesn’t really matter—the only thing that matters is sales.

    So the XPS, which had been put in the coffin for a year, was lifted back out at CES 2026.

    As for the specs, nothing special—pretty standard. The design is the classic XPS look. Pricing-wise, the XPS 14 starts at USD 2,049 (about RMB 14,310), and the XPS 16 starts at USD 2,199.99 (about RMB 15,365). Dell also said an Ubuntu version of the XPS 14 will be available later, which should be a bit cheaper.

    Aqara’s smart lock lets you walk in without even noticing

    But you still feel tired when you get home from work, right?

    At CES 2026, Aqara unveiled the world’s first Apple Home smart lock with UWB support: the Smart Lock U400. Thanks to its ultra-wideband chip, if you’re using an iPhone or Apple Watch, the door will automatically unlock as you approach—no need to say “open sesame.” Once you’re inside, it even locks itself for you.

    Of course, Android users don’t need to feel left out. It also supports fingerprint, NFC, and passcode unlocking, and uses the Matter over Thread protocol, so it can join ecosystems like Google Home, Home Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings.

    All in all, UWB has been in smartphones and wearables for years now, and it’s about time it unlocked more truly “frictionless” scenarios in smart homes. Hopefully, Aqara—long known for its close ties with Apple—can use this smart lock to nudge other manufacturers as well.

    Sony’s console highlight wasn’t at CES

    Probably feeling that the PS5 is already five years old and the market is getting a bit tired, Sony rolled out a brand-new color lineup for its controllers and consoles on January 8: The Hyperpop Collection.

    In plain terms, that means limited-edition, high-saturation reskins for DualSense controllers and PS5 Slim console covers—in Nintendo red, Xbox green, and Sony blue. Patch it up, repaint it, and sell it for another year.

    As for pricing, the console covers are USD 75 (about RMB 524), and the controllers are USD 85 (about RMB 594). Want a PS6? Keep dreaming. All I know is that a friend who just bought a PS5 Pro is grinding his teeth right now, because Sony almost simultaneously launched a new model called CFI-7100B01. Not many changes—just some optimizations to performance, cooling, and noise control, plus a bit more battery life for the bundled DualSense controller, while keeping the overall price the same.

    He’s probably mad that Sony didn’t bother to announce something this important at CES for everyone to hear about, huh?

    Lenovo squeezes an ultrawide “beltfish screen” into a laptop

    At CES 2026, Lenovo showcased the Legion Pro Rollable, a gaming laptop with a roll-out display. The key feature: once you open it, you can physically adjust the screen size—from the original 16 inches horizontally expanding to 21.5 or even 24 inches.

    According to Lenovo, the screen has three modes: 16 inches is “Focus Mode,” 21.5 inches is “Tactical Mode,” and 24 inches is “Arena Mode.”

    Image: The Verge

    But honestly, compared with hardcore gamers, I think this machine would sell better to office workers commuting on the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed rail or flights. The three sizes could just as well be renamed “Boss Mode,” “Manager Mode,” and “Corporate Drone Mode.” Also, the Legion Pro Rollable is still only a concept for now, and there’s no word yet on whether it will actually go on sale.

    Intel’s new chip, supposedly with longer battery life

    This year at CES, Intel unveiled its new Core Ultra 300 series processors based on the Intel 18A (2 nm) process. Intel claims that its top-end X9 388H model delivers up to 60% higher multi-threaded performance, 77% better gaming performance, and battery life extended to as much as 27 hours.

    Wait a second—why did Thunderbolt 5 turn into Thunderbolt 4…

    Congratulations: in the past, you could still apply for an x86 Windows laptop and use “no power on the plane” or “the computer is lagging” as excuses to delay the urgent task your boss suddenly dumped on you. In the future, you might—still be able to use the same excuses. After all, specs on paper are one thing; Windows is another.

    This Dutch company is also here to grab a piece of “Teacher Luo’s underwear”

    DuRoBo, a company from the Netherlands, unveiled a phone-sized (6.13-inch) e-reader called Krono at CES 2026. Judging by its looks alone, there’s nothing particularly special about it, and its specs—6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, running Android 15—can only be described as just barely adequate.

    But unlike traditional e-ink readers in the past, it integrates an AI assistant called Libby. With a press of the button on the left side of the device, you can easily record voice notes, and the AI will transcribe them into text.

    You really have to admit: once you put AI into “Teacher Luo’s underwear,” it can feed quite a few tech companies.

    This Samsung speaker looks like a MagSafe power bank

    After getting a taste of success in home-decor-friendly products with its Frame TVs and wall-art Bluetooth speakers, Samsung this time launched a new Wi-Fi speaker lineup at CES aimed at blending into living-room interiors: Music Studio 5 and Music Studio 7.

    The Music Studio 5 comes with a 4-inch woofer and a tweeter, while the Music Studio 7 features a 3.1.1-channel spatial audio system and supports 24-bit/96 kHz high-resolution audio, and can link up with other Samsung speakers for synchronized playback.

    But I really want to know whether the designer of the Music Studio 7 once looked over at the desk next door during work slacking time and noticed a MagSafe power bank.

    My house isn’t big, but cleaning has gone 3D

    When robot vacuum cleaners were first born, they were basically round plates with a few wheels. But this design has an unsolvable problem: it can’t handle height differences or stairs. For households with split-level floors or multi-story villas, if you want to be lazy and not sweep the floor yourself, you have to buy one for every floor.

    To address this, Roborock and MOVA (Dreame) offered two very different solutions—one adds legs, the other adds wings. Roborock’s G-Rover claims to be the “world’s first wheeled-legged robot vacuum,” combining multiple sensors and AI navigation to automatically climb up or down when it encounters stairs or changes in floor height.

    MOVA Pilot 70 goes one step further: why not just give it wings like a drone?

    While these technologies do solve a major long-standing problem for robot vacuums, in terms of their core job—cleaning—there doesn’t seem to be much new to talk about. Or is it that today’s cleaning problems are already too trivial for mopping robots to really show their skills? If you’re using one, share your thoughts in the comments.

    It turns out Kindle is what puts nail technicians out of work

    Anyone who gets their nails done regularly knows the drill: it takes time and damages your nails. Now iPolish claims to solve this with “digitally color-changing nails.”

    Using material technology derived from Kindle e-readers, iPolish has created a nail product that can change color under certain conditions. It charges via a companion wand, pairs with your phone, and can switch among more than 400 colors in just five seconds.

    Most importantly, compared with other expensive, borderline-abstract gadgets at CES, this one is actually pretty affordable. The starter kit costs only USD 95 (about RMB 663) and includes two different nail shapes, while replacement sets start at just USD 6 (about RMB 42).

    This might be the product from CES 2026 that I most want to get…

    AI has Tony—maybe this really works

    A friend once described Google I/O by saying, “even stray cats passing by have to shout ‘AI.’” At CES 2026, the message is: even hair clippers are AI.

    You’ve probably experienced getting a “bowl cut” from Teacher Tony at a barbershop. But with these clippers called Glyde, you can block Tony and cut the hairstyle you want at home. Just pick your desired style in the Glyde app, put on a positioning cap, and ask someone to hold the clippers for you. During the haircut, the AI automatically controls how far the blades extend, trimming only the parts needed according to your preset style preferences.

    That said, the clippers currently seem suitable only for short hair. Glyde still can’t be used alone—you need someone else to hold them—and it’s unclear whether the app supports fine-grained settings like trimming bangs.

    You don’t need a sledgehammer to kill a chicken, but I do need ultrasound to cook

    This time, Seattle Ultrasonics brought us an ultrasonic knife called the C-200. When you press the orange button on the handle while cutting, the blade vibrates more than 30,000 times per second, making it much sharper—while your hand feels nothing unusual at all.

    The ultrasonic knife is priced at RMB 2,712 and will start shipping in March this year.

    Of course, for environmental reasons, the knife doesn’t come with a USB-C charging cable. Think wired charging for a knife isn’t elegant enough? Then you can buy a storage + wireless charging set to magnetically mount the knife on the wall, priced at RMB 3,288.

    From desk setups to showing off your “partner”: AI moves onto your desktop

    At CES 2026, Razer unveiled a 3D holographic AI assistant called Project AVA, which can display five different characters as holographic projections on your desk.

    Razer says Project AVA is a desktop AI companion. Built on last year’s concept of an esports AI coach, it can stay by your side 24/7, “bridging the gap between virtual assistants and physical companionship.”

    Similar products also exist, such as Lepro Ami from China. It doesn’t use holographic projection, but instead relies on a curved OLED display.

    I can’t help but wonder: after AI takes over the world, will it start putting humans into bottles to play with too?

    So… Rolex or Apple Watch? What a dilemma

    According to the creator of this watch strap, David Ohayon, speaking at CES, he absolutely hated having to decide every morning in his mansion whether to wear a Rolex or an Apple Watch. Now, he no longer has to.

    If you happen to own both a Rolex and an Apple Watch, this USD 400 (about RMB 2,800) strap might be worth considering. It lets you wear both watches on the same wrist—one to tell the time, the other to track your activity (and maybe check whether the more expensive watch is more accurate).

    If your finances are even stronger than those of the people who buy those framed TVs mentioned earlier, you can also opt for the titanium version, priced up to USD 700 (about RMB 4,885, not including the smartwatch or the Rolex). And if you’re not using an Apple Watch, versions for Samsung, Google, and Fitbit are also available.

    I think the next step for this guy is figuring out how to stop the strap from pinching arm hair on both sides.

    CES’s ultimate oddball: the anti-AI lamp, Light Saver

    I’ll admit that AI is indeed great and capable of many things. But when it comes to AI devices inside the home, most of them rely on cameras to collect data. Imagine if your fridge, speakers, clothes-folding robot, robot vacuum, picture frame, and desktop companion all had cameras. One day your home might get hacked—or the AI might awaken—and all these devices could suddenly “defect.”

    sPresto thought about this tricky problem too, so they introduced an “anti-AI” lamp called Light Saver. It’s designed specifically to disable the cameras in these devices by emitting light that is harmless to human eyes but interferes with camera sensors, rendering them unable to capture images.

    Light Saver is suitable for places that value privacy, such as homes, hotels, hospitals, and archives, helping prevent secret filming. And considering that “this year’s CES probably couldn’t even happen without AI,” sPresto’s anti-AI lamp almost feels like a sharp, rebellious outlier in an age obsessed with playing it smooth.

    At this price, the frame itself is part of the art

    At CES 2026, more than one company launched smart picture frame products.

    For example, Fraimic introduced its Smart Canvas color e-ink smart frame, which looks almost like a physical print. The smaller size is 13.3 inches, priced at USD 399 (about RMB 2,791); the larger one is 31.5 inches, priced at USD 999 (about RMB 6,990). Add the RMB 20 print I bought on Taobao, and who’s to say what’s hanging on the wall isn’t a piece of art with some real value?

    Another company, Vinabot, released a picture frame that can move—and even talk. They say the inspiration comes from the magical portraits in Harry Potter. All you need to do is upload a photo and a simple prompt, and the person in the frame can come to life and chat with you, including deceased celebrities or loved ones. As for the price, Vinabot says it will launch on Kickstarter soon, starting at USD 299 (about RMB 2,086) after a 40% discount.

    Both frames can generate images directly via large AI models based on your needs.

    But at this point, I don’t know why, I suddenly thought of the idle iPad Air sitting in my hands.

    By the time I finish a shower, I’ve already made a fortune

    There’s a common way to describe how fast Wall Street tycoons make money: in the time it takes you to do XXX, they’ve already earned an N-digit sum.

    Superheat brought a hot water heater built on a similar idea to CES 2026. It doesn’t use fire, electricity, or natural gas to heat water, but Bitcoin-mining ASIC chips instead. Their thinking is that mining chips generate so much heat anyway—rather than struggling to dissipate it, why not use that heat to warm water?

    What if you hit the jackpot while taking a shower?

    Superheat says the installation cost is USD 2,000 (about RMB 13,967.5), and its power consumption is about the same as a regular water heater—basically free crypto mining.

    To be fair, the design of this heater does look great, very Jonathan Ive-like. I’d recommend domestic manufacturers take notes.

    For emotional companionship, cute may matter more than realistic

    Perhaps as people have grown increasingly lonely in recent years, many products designed to provide emotional value with AI have also appeared at CES.

    For instance, Takway brought an egg-shaped virtual pet, similar to a Tamagotchi. After you buy it, you first have to incubate it for two days, then it “hatches” and “grows” a cute little face. Next, you have to take care of it for a while and raise it into an adult egg—otherwise it dies and everything resets.

    Once it grows up, it can take care of itself and keep you company. It will even go out on its own, then come back and tell you where it went and what fun things it did. (Hmm? Why does that sound so familiar?)

    You can also buy little outfits to dress it up.

    When it reaches 51 years old, it won’t die anymore—unless you stop charging it. No idea how they came up with that setting.

    Another similar product is the bionic panda Anan. It comes from Shenzhen and is designed to provide companionship for the elderly and people with cognitive impairments, as well as timely reminders to prevent forgetfulness. It can also collect certain data to help caregivers understand the health condition of those being cared for.

    Compared with making those very abstract humanoid robots, I think this approach is pretty good.

    After all, eggs and pandas are much cuter, right?

    Conclusion

    That wraps up our CES 2026 roundup. Given the limited space, many major and interesting products didn’t make it in. As for some of the truly abstract, hopelessly AI-obsessed creations—like an ice maker that uses AI to reduce workplace noise—we won’t dive into those here either.

    Feel free to share in the comments the CES 2026 moments that left the deepest impression on you, along with your spiciest takes. And here’s hoping next year’s CES will be even more fun.

  • Ditching the Remote Is the First Step Toward a Robot’s Sense of Life: The First Full-Web Hands-On of Vbot “Big Head”

    Ditching the Remote Is the First Step Toward a Robot’s Sense of Life: The First Full-Web Hands-On of Vbot “Big Head”

    Editor’s note: The following text version is a polished, written rearrangement based on the video’s verbatim transcript. AI tools were used in the process, and the images are screenshots from the original video. The goal is to help you quickly browse the key information. It is recommended to watch the original video alongside this article for a more complete picture.

    This is Vbot’s first product, “Big Head.”

    I’ve been especially excited about this episode, because it’s going to be different from what we’ve done before. I’ll start with the physical design of Big Head itself, and move earlier into its mobility performance; then I’ll cover the hardware specifications that many people care about, explain why it doesn’t need a remote control, and what kind of perception capabilities it has. Later on, I’ll also talk about quite a few standout features that rarely appear in past robot reviews, many of which are highly practical. Big Head performed far beyond my expectations, and I didn’t anticipate this episode becoming so long—there are simply too many details worth talking about. I hope you enjoy it. This might well be the beginning of the next generation of home robots.

    Appearance

    Let’s start with the design. As a To-C (consumer-oriented) product, Big Head stands out from other small robot dogs that lack a head: with its head design, it is noticeably taller when standing and looks much more like a real puppy. Its standing dimensions are 61 cm × 34 cm × 57 cm, and it weighs about 14 kg.

    The body makes extensive use of curved lines, giving it a cuter and more approachable feel. The aluminum alloy on the outer sides of the thighs is treated with a powder-coating process, so scratches and bumps are not very noticeable, and there’s no need to be overly protective during long-term use.

    In terms of details, Vbot’s Big Head features larger knee joint limiters. The underside of the body is slightly raised, so when it lies down, your hand won’t get caught between the thigh and the lower leg, nor will it be pressed under the body (either would be very painful). The mass-production version adds soft material wrapping between the joints and the body, with no exposed joints on the outside, so there are no safety hazards.

    After a few days of use, I found that not only do humans like Big Head—it also attracts some small animals, mainly dogs, which become very curious about it. Alpacas and deer tend to keep a bit of distance. Whether pigeons come over doesn’t seem to have much to do with Big Head; as long as there’s food, they’ll fly in. When Big Head is still, everything feels peaceful and calm; once it starts moving, the pigeons take off.

    I think its “human-friendly” and “animal-friendly” qualities come partly from its design, and partly from the fact that it runs very quietly—there’s almost no audible noise.

    As a home robot dog, Big Head supports silent foot pads and is suitable for indoor use. But if it could only be used indoors or only on flat terrain, then there wouldn’t be much point in it being a quadruped robot at all. So next, let’s talk about its mobility performance.

    Mobility Performance and Navigation

    As you can see, this is a wild IROS obstacle course site. Any robot dog that can decisively traverse terrain like this is no simple machine. The following is a video segment of “Big Head” moving through complex terrain, showcasing several of its capabilities: first, its motion control does not require mode switching; when encountering relatively high steps, it can adjust its leg-lifting height within just a few frames to ensure passability. This detail is only noticeable in slow motion—at normal speed, you’d hardly catch it, only feeling that it walks well and that its leg adjustments are extremely fast. Everyday steps and curbs are all handled smoothly as well.

    Its cruising speed can reach 14 km/h, with a top speed of 18 km/h. Overall, its mobility performance is excellent. Its disturbance rejection strategy is not overly aggressive: instead of using extremely high step frequency, it keeps its adjustments restrained and stabilizes its posture as much as possible while prioritizing user safety. In this kind of usage scenario, “Big Head” also has to account for the possibility of being messed with at close range by “rowdy kids (me).” From a safety standpoint, this design choice is very reasonable.

    Next, let’s take a look at the overall hardware configuration of “Big Head.”

    First, battery life—something I care a lot about, because carrying a dead robot home is both awkward and troublesome. “Big Head” offers 3 to 6 hours of runtime with a 594 Wh battery. The battery is not swappable, but that isn’t really a problem: the large capacity means you can head out without worrying about changing batteries, and there’s essentially no range anxiety. For charging, it supports both a Type-C port and a wireless “dock-and-charge” station, with a maximum charging power of up to 240 W, taking about 2.5 hours for a full charge.

    In terms of perception, “Big Head” is equipped with a 16-beam LiDAR and a stereo depth camera system, supporting 1080p video transmission. It uses the DiGuA Robotics S100P chip, providing up to 128 TOPS of AI computing power. Many of the features I’ll talk about next are closely tied to these perception capabilities and hardware specs.

    Lead, follow, navigate, tow—some of these functions are fun, some are special, and some are almost unheard of, yet they are all simple to use. The four-microphone array can detect the direction of sound and provide head-movement feedback—“Big Head” really is listening to me.

    I give the command: “Big Head, Big Head, start leading.”

    The leading function is a lot like walking a dog: “Big Head” walks in front, autonomously perceiving obstacles, finding its way, and planning routes. When it reaches an intersection, it chooses a path on its own; if I want to take a different one, I just tug the leash slightly from the side to guide it, and it will switch to the route I choose.

    These visuals show the world as “Big Head” sees it: perception results, route planning, depth information, its understanding of the road, and a top-down view. You might already recognize shades of autonomous driving here. “Big Head” knows where the road is and where it can go—but it doesn’t yet know when to stop. If I want it to halt, for example to tie my shoes or greet someone, I just pull the leash from behind.

    To resume leading, I don’t even need to give another voice command—just give “Big Head” a gentle nudge on the backside. The overall interaction feels very natural, a real-world version of “cyber dog-walking.”

    It’s worth noting that the leading function does not require positioning systems or high-precision point clouds. It relies solely on its onboard LiDAR and vision to perceive the environment. This means “Big Head” can explore and unlock new maps with me even in unfamiliar places.

    Now let’s look at following. I think this may currently be the most fully realized follow mode in the robotics industry, truly turning “Big Head” into a “little sidekick.” This uses an included accessory: a UWB beacon.

    I give the command: “Big Head, Big Head, follow me.”

    With obstacle avoidance enabled, “Big Head” locks onto the beacon, tracks its target precisely, and doesn’t drift or lose the subject the way vision-only solutions sometimes do. But even that alone would only count as “pretty good.”

    Vbot also offers an expansion board accessory, which can be mounted on “Big Head’s” back with hand-tightened screws. A basket can be installed on top for carrying items. “Big Head” supports a payload of 10 kg, with a maximum of 12 kg. The structure is solid and also supports quick release, making it easy to carry things or remove the module—already impressive.

    The expansion board also includes a standard 1/4-inch screw mount commonly used in the imaging industry, allowing you to attach action cameras, 360-degree cameras, camera gimbals, or even smartphone gimbals for follow-shot filming. I personally love this feature.

    There’s another great design detail: the UWB beacon has a built-in microphone. You can press its button and speak directly to “Big Head,” avoiding wind noise or other ambient sounds interfering with command recognition.

    Navigation is a feature I’ve rarely experienced on consumer robot dogs—it’s more common in industrial-grade products, mainly for scheduled inspection tasks. With “Big Head,” you first map the navigation area; usually walking it twice is enough. After mapping, you can tap a location on the map in the mobile app to name it, then give the command: “Big Head, Big Head, take me to the restaurant.”

    Each navigation run may involve different people and changing street scenes, yet “Big Head” still performs very well, showing a certain level of generalization ability. Night navigation is no problem either. And it doesn’t get boring along the way—every so often, “Big Head” draws attention to itself and reports the navigation progress. For me, the most convenient part is that there’s no need to set the robot’s position or orientation on the map beforehand; you can start navigating right away. It’s very user-friendly for ordinary users.

    Towing mode is for situations where you need to move faster or when the environment and obstacles are more complex: you simply pull “Big Head” along. I also made a point of confirming that its head structure has been reinforced, so using it as a leash attachment is reliable. The two degrees of freedom in the head (rotation and pitch) showed no issues at all during several days of use.

    After seeing all these features, I think you can understand why “Big Head” doesn’t need a remote control. Still, a remote option exists as a safety backup, tucked away in the secondary menu of the mobile app. It supports one-handed operation and offers plenty of movements to try, so I won’t go into detail here.

    But remote control doesn’t stop at remote control—there’s also a particularly interesting mode: the Avatar proxy. I can join this world in the form of “Big Head,” remotely control the robot itself, and experience extremely low network latency. With a new perspective and a different identity, I can run outdoors, greet passersby, and approach small animals. You have to realize: a person in their twenties or thirties chasing pigeons on a lawn looks pretty strange to others—that’s the kind of self-restraint adults impose on themselves.

    Remotely controlling a robot dog, however, is different. If I want, I can lie on the couch and chase pigeons until “Big Head” is almost out of battery. I can greet puppies and, within safe limits, interact with children. In truth, every adult was once a child—only a few still remember it. At this moment, I am one of those few.

    While playing, I once asked, “Can we turn on ‘Big Head’s’ microphone for live voice chat?” The answer I got was: “Absolutely not!” On second thought, that makes perfect sense. If you came across such an adorable robot dog and it suddenly spoke in the deep voice of a grown man, the sense of mismatch would be overwhelming—like when Disney’s LinaBell character head falls off and the staff inside greets you in a thick Beijing accent. The fairy tale would shatter in the most terrifying way.

    Of course, you can now type what you want to say (or use speech-to-text) and have “Big Head” speak it in its own voice. You really should try this—it gets some hilarious reactions.

    I believe many people can find a kind of pure, genuine, age-independent joy in “Big Head,” or in things that seem childish on the surface. I haven’t felt this way in a long time.

    There’s also a feature called “Dance to the Beat”: “Big Head” can recognize audio waveforms picked up by its microphone and generate movements according to the rhythm of the music, focusing on hitting the beat. In the past, whether robot dogs danced on beat largely depended on how accurately you pressed the play button for the music. Now, letting “Big Head” listen and generate beat-matched movements on its own solves that problem.

    A Sense of Life

    If the features mentioned earlier already show “Big Head’s” playfulness and technical autonomy, then what comes next is what fascinates me the most about it: its sense of life.

    Where does this sense of life come from? I see unpredictable autonomous decision-making, and movements that align with biological intuition.

    Here is an example of “Big Head’s” chain of thought. The command was: “Let Big Head look for something it finds interesting.” No one knows what it will choose, so every time I’m eager to see what kind of response it gives.

    The most surprising instance was when “Big Head” noticed an advertisement display. It wanted to get a closer look: first walking over, then lifting its head to look up. That head-raising motion matched biological instinct perfectly, but I had no expectation of it at all—seeing it for the first time was genuinely stunning. “Big Head” knows what it is interested in, knows that tall things need to be looked at by raising its head, and can even recognize that the image in the ad is a robot dog, judging it to be one of its “own kind.”

    Another time, many people stood in front of “Big Head” and asked it to find someone it found interesting. No one knew who it would pick, but being chosen by a robot dog is truly a delightful experience. “Big Head” would actively walk up and interact with the person it was interested in.

    Its spatial-agent capabilities allow “Big Head” to complete complex, multi-step tasks in the real world, such as going to find someone to get a bottle of water and then bringing it back. You might think that’s not particularly hard—but this is only the beginning.

    In past reviews, we were used to using a product to gaze into the future. This time, I hope you can look at the present instead: using today’s existing technologies, Vbot has already delivered a large number of innovative experiences for everyday users, listening to user needs and polishing the details thoroughly. Many things that usually require DIY modifications already have official solutions among the original accessories. For me, “Big Head” has almost no barrier to entry.

    Even though I understand what hardware and technologies are behind these features, I still find myself immersed in the “magic” they create. Sometimes “Big Head” leads the way ahead of me; sometimes I have a little sidekick at my side. A huge number of its movements and expressions are designed by animators, to the point that it can even give you the illusion of a cartoon character—and you never once need to think about “where the remote control is.”

    Epilogue

    The past few days with “Big Head” have felt more like the future—yet they’re happening right now.

    This robot dog is already far beyond the level of a mere “early taste” product. I genuinely want to have “Big Head” with me for the New Year, and I’d be happy to keep it by my side for a long time to come.

    Alright, thank you for reading all the way to the end. I hope you enjoyed this episode, and that you liked seeing all the different sides of “Big Head” in the review. Thanks to Vbot for creating such an amazing product—this was a truly satisfying review to make. Thanks as well to the Vlight Club at Beijing Forestry University for their support, which made it possible for us to complete this episode smoothly. There’s more robot review content currently in production, so stay tuned. See you in the next video.