Honor releases new models including the Magic8 Pro Air
Anker and Feishu jointly launch the Anker AI Voice Recorder Buds
Xiaohongshu rolls out Community Guidelines 2.0
ASUS stops releasing new smartphones
Rumors You Can Just Glance At
Honor releases new models including the Magic8 Pro Air
On January 19, Honor held a product launch event, unveiling new devices including the Honor Magic8 Pro Air, Honor Magic8 RSR, and the Honor 500 Pro MOLLY 20th Anniversary Limited Edition.
The Honor Magic8 Pro Air is powered by the Dimensity 9500 processor and features a 6.31-inch Honor Oasis Eye-Care display. It measures 71.9 mm in width, just 6.1 mm in thickness, and weighs 155 g. The rear camera setup includes three cameras: a 50-MP 1/1.3-inch f/1.6 main camera with a 23 mm equivalent focal length and OIS support; a 50-MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera; and a 64-MP periscope telephoto camera with 3.2× optical zoom, f/2.6 aperture, and OIS support. It also includes a color temperature sensor and a flicker sensor. The phone is equipped with a 5,500 mAh battery and supports IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance. It supports eSIM and has dual physical SIM card slots. Color options include Light Orange, Fairy Purple, Feather White, and Shadow Black. Pricing ranges from RMB 4,999 (12 GB + 256 GB) to RMB 5,999 (16 GB + 1 TB), with an additional RMB 500 discount available through government subsidies.
The Honor Magic8 RSR is a co-branded model created in collaboration with Porsche Design. It features an ultra-microcrystalline nano-ceramic body and has largely the same overall configuration as the Magic8 Pro, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. The Magic8 RSR supports Honor’s Hongyan dual-satellite communication (Tiantong satellite calling and BeiDou satellite messaging) and offers an optional professional imaging kit. It is available in Moonstone and Slate Gray, priced at RMB 7,999 (16 GB + 512 GB) and RMB 8,999 (24 GB + 1 TB).
The Honor 500 Pro MOLLY 20th Anniversary Limited Edition is a collaboration with POP MART and comes with an exclusive gift box containing various themed accessories. It is priced at RMB 4,499 (16 GB + 512 GB). Source
Anker and Feishu jointly launch the Anker AI Voice Recorder Buds
On January 19, Anker announced via its official WeChat account that it has partnered with Feishu to introduce a new form-factor hardware product—the Anker AI Recording Bean. The device weighs just 10 grams, roughly the size of a broad bean, and features a dual MEMS microphone array. With the charging case included, the total weight is about 48 grams. It supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi transmission modes, offers up to 8 hours of battery life on its own, and up to 32 hours when used with the charging case. The product focuses on unobtrusive wearability and instant recording, supporting AI-powered visual real-time summaries, multilingual transcription and translation, and the generation of illustrated “fishbone diagrams” that can turn messy discussions into clear conclusions and to-do lists. It also supports one-tap syncing of recording summaries to Feishu multi-dimensional spreadsheets, where quality checks and analysis can be completed automatically based on user-defined rules. The hardware is now available on JD.com, priced at RMB 899. Source
Xiaohongshu rolls out Community Guidelines 2.0
On January 19, Xiaohongshu rolled out Community Guidelines 2.0, which merge the previous Community Guidelines and Community Business Guidelines into a single framework with three sections: sincere sharing, friendly interaction, and orderly operations. In the “sincere sharing” section, Xiaohongshu calls on users to proactively disclose the use of AI-assisted tools, avoid creating false personas, and refrain from flaunting consumption levels far beyond those of ordinary people. The “friendly interaction” section requires users not to maliciously speculate about the motives of content creators, to engage in rational dialogue, and to avoid posting inflammatory remarks or making unfounded accusations against others. The “orderly operations” section prohibits marketing practices such as posing as ordinary users or manipulating reviews, as well as the abuse of the reporting mechanism. Source
Rumors You Can Just Glance At
According to foreign media outlet Windows Central, Microsoft is introducing an “ad-supported model” to Xbox Cloud Gaming. This would allow users who have purchased digital Xbox games but are not subscribed to Xbox Game Pass to play cloud games for free by “watching ads.” In cloud computing, “idle computing power” is one of the most expensive forms of waste. By rolling out an ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming service, Microsoft could increase Azure server utilization during low-demand periods, while also providing stronger commercial justification for the continued expansion of its data centers, as cloud and AI become core parts of the company’s strategy. Source
There are rumors that the Google Pixel 10a will be announced on February 18 and go on sale on March 5. The device is said to feature 8 GB of RAM, with overall specifications largely similar to the Pixel 9a, and a starting price of EUR 549. Source
Matthew Forsyth, Director of Developer Experience Product Management and Chief Product Evangelist for the Google Play Store, said on X that Android’s app sideloading process will add extra steps to ensure users fully understand the risks of installing apps from unverified developers. However, advanced users will still be able to choose “skip verification and install directly,” and sideloading will not be restricted. This explanation is largely consistent with what has been observed in recent versions of the Google Play Store: while new warning messages pop up emphasizing developer verification requirements, the need for an internet connection, and potential risks, users are still allowed to proceed with installation. Source
Apple’s U.S. website shows tightening supply of M4 Pro / Max MacBook Pro models, with delivery dates pushed back to after February 6. Custom configurations of the 14-inch MacBook Pro with a 16-core M4 Max chip and 128 GB of memory are now scheduled for delivery as late as March 17. Combined with earlier rumors—and considering that Apple often extends shipping times for current models ahead of new product launches—this may indicate that the M5 Pro / Max MacBook Pro lineup will quietly appear on Apple’s website on January 28. Source
According to insiders, Xiaomi’s second-generation in-house SoC, Xuanjie O2, may adopt TSMC’s N3P process (third-generation 3 nm) rather than the company’s latest 2 nm node. Xiaomi is also planning to apply the Xuanjie O2 to “non-smartphone” products to further expand the use of its self-developed chips, including tablets, cars, and computers—starting with tablets, followed by PCs and vehicles. Source
According to TechCrunch, Meta’s social platform Threads has surpassed X in mobile daily active users, reaching 141.5 million, compared to X’s 125 million. Source
Bungie, a studio under Sony, has announced that its new shooter Marathon (also known as Lost Starship: Marathon) will launch on March 5 at a price of USD 39.99, and will be released simultaneously on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. Source
Zootopia 2 has surpassed Inside Out 2 at the box office, reaching USD 1.703 billion, becoming the highest-grossing Hollywood animated film of all time and ranking ninth in global box office history. Source
National rollout of the medical insurance drug price comparison mini program
New regulations ban the sale of 13 categories of food in livestreams
Setapp abandons plans to open a third-party iOS app store in Europe
NVIDIA blog typo misstates a unit, correction triggers copper price fluctuations
Huawei smartphone shipments return to No.1 in China for the first time in five years in 2025
Rumors You Can Just Glance At
ChatGPT to introduce ads
On January 16, OpenAI announced plans to begin testing ads in ChatGPT over the coming weeks. The initial rollout will target users in the United States, before gradually expanding to other regions worldwide. Ads will primarily appear in the free version and the low-cost “Go” plan priced at USD 8 per month (which has been tested in India for several months and will be rolled out to more markets). Users on Plus, Pro, and Enterprise tiers will not see ads for now.
OpenAI stated that ads will not interfere with or alter the content of ChatGPT’s generated answers. They will appear as clearly labeled standalone boxes placed below the chatbot’s replies. For example, when a user asks for travel advice for New York, ChatGPT will first provide a standard itinerary, and may then display ads for local hotels underneath. The head of OpenAI’s app division also said the company will explore more interactive ad formats in the future, such as allowing users to ask questions directly about the advertised content to assist with purchase decisions.
Regarding privacy concerns, OpenAI emphasized that it will not sell user data to advertisers, nor will it disclose specific conversation content. Advertisers will only receive aggregated performance metrics such as impressions and clicks. While the system will match ads based on conversation topics and some personalization data, users can disable data usage for ad targeting at any time in the settings. In addition, OpenAI has implemented strict restrictions: ads will not be shown in conversations involving sensitive topics such as health or politics, nor in chats with underage users.
OpenAI is under significant pressure to commercialize. Although ChatGPT now has more than 800 million weekly active users, the vast majority are free users who generate no direct revenue. As a company founded a decade ago with roughly USD 64 billion raised in total funding, OpenAI urgently needs to develop new revenue streams beyond subscriptions to support the high costs of model training and operations, and to meet increasingly fierce competition from rivals such as Google Gemini.
National rollout of the medical insurance drug price comparison mini program
On January 16, China’s National Healthcare Security Administration announced that the “Designated Pharmacy Medical Insurance Drug Price Comparison” mini program has been rolled out nationwide. The program integrates real-time data from designated retail pharmacies covered by medical insurance across the country, providing regularly updated information on drug prices, stock availability, and manufacturers.
According to the announcement, insured users can access the feature by searching for their local medical insurance service platform on WeChat or Alipay, or by using the official National Medical Insurance Service Platform app and locating the price comparison module. After entering a drug name, the system displays the price range at designated pharmacies in the user’s area along with detailed stock information, and supports sorting and filtering by options such as lowest price first or nearest distance. Once a pharmacy is selected, users can navigate to it directly using the built-in map function or place a call with one tap for inquiries, helping reduce unnecessary trips and avoid extra expenses.
Building on the full rollout of the basic price comparison feature, local medical insurance authorities are continuously expanding service scenarios and functionality based on user feedback. For example, to address typing difficulties among elderly users, mini programs in several provinces have added a “photo-based drug recognition” feature, allowing users to simply take a picture of a medicine box to automatically identify the drug and retrieve price comparison information. Some regions have also integrated online purchasing and home delivery services, providing added convenience for residents with limited mobility or urgent needs.
In addition, certain areas are further exploring features such as medical consumables price inquiries, prescription-based drug matching and search, and analysis of drug price fluctuation trends. These regions also display index ratings for pharmacies based on “volume–price comparisons” of insured drugs, helping the public make more informed purchasing decisions.
New regulations ban the sale of 13 categories of food in livestreams
According to Xinhua News Agency, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation recently issued the Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Livestream E-commerce Operators in Fulfilling Their Primary Responsibility for Food Safety, which will take effect on March 20, 2026. The regulations clearly specify 13 categories of food that are prohibited from being sold via livestreaming, including: food produced using non-food raw materials or containing toxic or harmful substances; food with pathogenic microorganisms or heavy metals exceeding safety limits; expired, spoiled, deteriorated, moldy, or insect-infested food; meat and aquatic products from livestock or poultry that died of disease or poisoning, or that failed quarantine inspection, as well as their processed products; prepackaged food without labels; and food whose production or sale is explicitly prohibited by the state, among others.
The regulations bring livestream e-commerce platform operators, livestream channel operators, livestream marketers, and livestream marketer service agencies all under regulatory oversight. All of these parties are required to fulfill their respective primary responsibilities for food safety in accordance with the rules. Food producers and distributors that operate livestream channels must disclose their licensing information and verify supplier qualifications, while non-food producers and distributors are required to establish strict product selection systems. Livestream marketers must strengthen screening and vetting of products. Platforms, for their part, must set up systems for review and registration, training, and risk control, appoint food safety management personnel, formulate food safety risk control lists, and establish working mechanisms for “intelligent monitoring, investigation and scheduling, and rapid response.”
To strengthen regulatory enforcement and improve consumer protection, the regulations require market supervision authorities to include food sold via livestreaming in routine inspections and annual sampling and testing plans, and clarify that technical monitoring records may be used as electronic evidence. Platforms are also required to provide convenient channels for complaints and reports and to handle consumer requests in a timely manner.
Setapp abandons plans to open a third-party iOS app store in Europe
Ukrainian software developer MacPaw recently announced that it will officially shut down its third-party iOS app store for users in the European Union, Setapp Mobile, on February 16. On its official support page, MacPaw explained that the decision was made because the app marketplace’s “constantly evolving and complex commercial terms” no longer align with the company’s current business model, hinting at difficulties in achieving profitability.
Setapp Mobile launched a public beta in the EU in September 2024, offering iOS app distribution through a subscription model. After the service is officially discontinued, all apps obtained through the platform will be removed. The company advises users to back up important data before the deadline to avoid losing access once the service ends. The Mac version of Setapp, which is also subscription-based, will continue to operate normally and will not be affected by this adjustment to the mobile business.
Setapp Mobile came into existence thanks to the enforcement of the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires Apple to allow third-party app sideloading in the region. However, this emerging distribution channel faces serious challenges. In particular, Apple’s introduction of the “Core Technology Fee” rule requires apps that exceed a certain installation threshold to pay Apple a fee for each first annual installation, significantly increasing operating costs for third-party app stores and their developers.
At present, there are still five other third-party app stores operating in the EU market, including the Epic Games Store. Epic has repeatedly criticized Apple’s fee policies for hindering competitors from gaining a foothold, but it continues to operate while awaiting further scrutiny of Apple’s rules by EU regulators.
NVIDIA blog typo misstates a unit, correction triggers copper price fluctuations
According to Caixin, a blog post published by NVIDIA in May 2025 has recently drawn renewed attention from the market. In the article, NVIDIA stated that a 1-megawatt (MW) rack requires 200 kilograms of copper busbars, and that the rack busbars of a 1-gigawatt (GW) data center would require 500,000 tons (half a million tons) of copper.
Since 1 GW equals 1,000 MW, a proportional calculation would mean that a 1 GW data center should require 1,000 times 200 kilograms of copper, or 200,000 kilograms. Therefore, the “500,000 tons” figure in NVIDIA’s original text was clearly a typo. NVIDIA later corrected the mistake.
However, the figure had already been cited by many market research reports, and NVIDIA’s correction directly led to a short-term drop in international copper prices. After reaching a record high of USD 13,407 per ton on January 14, LME copper futures retreated for two consecutive days, with a cumulative pullback of about 3.4%, temporarily falling below the 10-day moving average (MA10).
In fact, driven by factors such as tariff arbitrage in the United States, constrained copper mine supply, and new demand from AI, copper prices had repeatedly hit new highs in the second half of 2025. LME copper rose from around USD 9,900 per ton in early September 2025 and, for the first time in history, broke through USD 13,000 per ton in January 2026. Citi expects copper prices to reach USD 14,000 per ton over the next three months.
Huawei smartphone shipments return to No.1 in China for the first time in five years in 2025
According to data released by IDC and cited by Nikkei, Huawei reclaimed the top position in China’s smartphone shipments in 2025, returning to No.1 for the first time in five years. In absolute terms, Huawei shipped 46.7 million smartphones in 2025, a year-on-year decline of 1.9%. However, as vivo—the top vendor in 2024—saw a sharp drop of 6.6%, Huawei overtook it to claim first place.
Previously, Huawei had been restricted in procuring high-performance semiconductors and was unable to offer 5G, which drove consumers away. In recent years, however, the company has revived sales with its Kirin chips. The launch of its latest model, the Mate 80, in November 2025 further boosted performance, added AI features capable of automatically handling various tasks, and was priced lower than its predecessor.
Apple of the United States ranked second, with shipments rising 4% to 46.2 million units. Sales of the iPhone 17 series, launched in September 2025, were strong. Toward the end of 2025, Apple also stimulated demand by offering a 300-yuan discount on its high-end Pro and Pro Max models through official sales channels.
Overall smartphone shipments in China fell 0.6% in 2025 to 284.6 million units, the first year-on-year decline in two years. Although government subsidies encouraging trade-ins provided some support, in certain regions the subsidy quotas were used up early, weakening momentum. Against the backdrop of subdued consumption, IDC forecasts shipments of 278 million units in 2026, continuing to fall below the previous year.
Rumors You Can Just Glance At
On the afternoon of January 16, Jia Guolong, founder of Xibei Oat Noodles Village, announced on his personal Weibo account that he would give a comprehensive response at 10 p.m. to what he described as serious slander and defamation by Luo Yonghao against Xibei, and invited media, netizens, and relevant government departments to follow the matter. Luo Yonghao soon reposted the message, saying he would try to remain patient. However, when 10 p.m. arrived, Jia Guolong’s personal Weibo account did not publish any update. At present, the accounts of both Luo Yonghao and Jia Guolong have been muted. The response Jia mentioned was eventually published in text-and-image form on Xibei Group’s verified account (@西贝人心声). Jia stated that Luo had implied in a previously published article that Jia had colluded with relevant authorities to carry out a “cross-province arrest” against him, which Jia said maliciously incited public sentiment. He demanded that Luo explain the matter clearly and go together to the relevant government departments to verify whether there had been any report to the police or request for an arrest. The post was later deleted. Weibo CEO Wang Gaofei (@来去之间) then posted, citing the Cyberspace Administration of China’s “negative behavior list for online celebrity accounts,” saying that “in the future, if people want to engage in public disputes, they should probably do so through media interviews.” Luo Yonghao later acknowledged that he had been muted for 15 days and said he would no longer comment on the Xibei incident.
On January 15, the mainland China App Store could no longer find the solo-living safety app “死了么” (“Are You Dead Yet”), which had recently drawn attention for its unusual name, while it remained available in App Stores in other regions. Previously, on January 13, the app announced on its official Weibo account that it would officially adopt the global brand name “Demumu” in its upcoming new version. On January 14, its official account said that the previous renaming attempt had not been satisfactory and that it was soliciting creative ideas from across the internet.
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
@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
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
@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.
@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
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
@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
@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.
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[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.
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
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
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
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
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
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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
DJI releases the DJI RS 5 lightweight commercial gimbal
MediaTek announces the Dimensity 9500s and Dimensity 8500 chips
The Philippines grants visa-free entry to Chinese travelers
Qwen announces the launch of AI-powered lifestyle shopping features
Apple announces Apple Pay support for Visa cards
Google Gemini now rolls out “Personal Intelligence”
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
SK Hynix says it has no plans to exit the consumer storage market
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation opens investigation into Trip.com Group in accordance with the law
Insta360 releases Link 2 Pro series webcams
Google Chrome to restore support for the JPEG-XL image format
Apple confirms Pixelmator for iOS will stop receiving updates
Hannsnote launches Lumo reading tablet
Garmin releases quatix 8 Pro marine smartwatch
IKEA launches Kallsup Bluetooth speaker
Zhipu teams up with Huawei to open-source GLM-Image, the first SOTA multimodal model trained on domestic chips
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
“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
Tesla launches the 2026 7-seat Model Y in the U.S.
Adobe Firefly rolls out the GPT-Image 1.5 model
Nintendo denies using AI in its advertisements
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
Google unveils the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)
Apple and Google reach a partnership on AI models
Xianyu launches a collectible consignment service “Yuligou”
Anthropic announces the launch of an AI healthcare service
OpenAI acquires AI healthcare company Torch
Google removes AI-generated summaries for searches involving specific medical keywords
Instagram mistakenly sends millions of password reset emails due to a system bug
China’s first 3D-printed aircraft engine completes its maiden flight
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
State Council launches investigation and evaluation of competition in the food delivery market
Claude Code blocks access from third-party compatible tools
Well-known open-source framework Tailwind CSS lays off a large number of employees due to the impact of AI
Large-scale internet outage hits Iran
Cloudflare fined by Italy, threatens to stop providing network security services for the Winter Olympics
iOS 26 adoption rate lower than previous versions at the same point in time
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.
Recent recommendations: [Film] 100 Meters., [UK series] The Night Manager Season 2, [UK series] All Creatures Great and Small: 2025 Christmas Special, [UK series] A Ghost Story for Christmas: The House in the Tower, [Animation] Kaguya-sama: Love Is War – The Stairway to Adulthood, [Animation] There’s No Way I Can Have a Lover! (Or Maybe There Is!?) ~Shining Again!~, [Documentary] Eighty Years After the War, [Reality show] Culinary Class Wars: Black & White Chef Season 2, [Reality show] Manhattan Gold Brokers Season 2
A few notable trailers: new trailer for Avengers 5, first trailer for The Death of Robin Hood, first trailer for The Crowd, and the first trailer for the film Burst Pipe
A few pieces of film & TV news: The Shining confirmed for release, Green Liquid Panic confirmed for release, Safe Haven confirmed for release, My Friend Andrei scheduled for January 17
👀 N Picks This Week
Based on reader feedback, if a recommendation involves spoilers (revealing key elements such as the core plot, hidden threads, foreshadowing, or the ending), we will add a 🔦 emoji before the title.
You can find past recommendations here or by clicking the tag #WhatToWatch at the end of the article. For more themed watchlists, click here; for more in-depth film and TV content, feel free to follow our spin-off column “What to Watch Café.” If you have other suggestions, you’re welcome to leave them in the comments. Thank you for your continued love and support for the “What to Watch” column.
[Film] 100 Meters.
Keywords: manga adaptation / drama / sports / inspirational
If you can run faster than everyone else, you can solve any problem.
@SHY: Naturally gifted at running, the boy Tomita believes this is where the value of his life lies. After meeting Komiya, who runs as a way to escape reality, the two gradually build a friendship—until Komiya transfers schools once again. Years later, Tomita, who once gave up, and Komiya, who never stopped training, reunite on the track. What kind of outcome will they face?
You might have first heard the name of manga artist Uoto from Orb: On the Movements of the Earth. Compared with that work’s relay across generations, his debut manga 100 Meters. measures a life-or-death sprint within the span of just ten seconds. On the starting line, every athlete has a reason they cannot lose, and different obstacles they must overcome. And at the far end of both talent and hard work, perhaps by returning to the starting point, they may finally reconcile with themselves and learn to savor the act of giving it their all.
Director Kenji Iwai, who helmed the animated adaptation, deeply understands the spirit of this story. He once spent more than seven years, almost single-handedly, completing the animated feature On-Gaku: Our Sound, and he continues to use the live-action rotoscoping technique here as well. Rough, rhythm-shaking lines sketch out a breathtaking long take in the rain, carving out vivid character arcs. The collision of two creators who both pursue their craft to the extreme has given birth to this powerful animated film—one that draws out a genuine sense of motivation and forward drive from its audience.
[UK Series] The Night Manager Season 2
Keywords: suspense / crime
Also known as: The Night Manager Season 2
Runtime: about 60 minutes per episode × 6 episodes
@利兹与青鸟: Jonathan is recruited from his job as a hotel night manager to become a frontline MI6 agent, going undercover at the side of arms dealer Richard and, after countless dangers, bringing him to justice. Ten years have passed since the first season aired, and the story of season two is set eight years after the previous installment. His former superior, Angela, reveals that Richard has died unexpectedly in prison. Relieved, Jonathan changes his name to Alex and becomes the leader of the “Night Owl” surveillance unit, responsible for intelligence work, yet his past experiences still haunt him. When he accidentally uncovers remnants of Richard’s network, he is once again plagued by sleepless nights and even launches a private investigation without his superiors’ approval.
The series moves at a brisk pace and gets straight to the point, using cross-cutting to establish the background. Tom Hiddleston delivers a solid performance, staging a somber, hard-edged tale of espionage and revenge in London. The opening episode’s tracking, surveillance, and wiretapping sequences are deeply engaging. As the investigation unfolds, it turns out that officials within MI6 are also implicated, raising the difficulty of the case to another level. The two sides are evenly matched: Jonathan’s team is quickly set up, suffering heavy casualties that keep viewers on edge, while Jonathan once again follows the same path as in season one, infiltrating the enemy as an undercover agent. Overall, the viewing experience and production quality are in no way inferior to the first season. A third season has already been renewed, so fans of the series should not miss it.
[UK Series] All Creatures Great and Small: 2025 Christmas Special
Keywords: drama
Also known as: All Creatures Great and Small: 2025 Christmas Special
The first Christmas after the war is both special and ordinary.
@Sholmes: Yorkshire welcomes its first Christmas since the end of the war, and everyone is still adjusting to a new rhythm of life. Helen is bedridden with illness, while James is busy rehearsing for a Christmas performance and stretched thin. Mrs. Pumphrey, however, shows up with Tricki and insists on giving him hormone injections. Mrs. Stockes’s goat is poisoned, prompting Siegfried to rush out on an emergency call, only to reunite with Dorothy after returning home. Tristan forgets to prepare a Christmas tree for Maggie, and has to enlist Charlotte’s help to “steal” one. Turkeys have become a scarce commodity, so Mrs. Hall decides to enter the pub’s darts competition to win one to take home—only to run into unexpectedly strong opponents.
For farmers, animals’ needs never pause, whether it is a holiday or not, so Christmas is essentially no different from any other day. But for people who have endured a long war, there is an urgent need for release, a chance to let out emotions that have been bottled up for far too long. It is within this tension that the holiday becomes especially meaningful. The Christmas special deftly weaves together the veterinarians’ daily calls with people’s anticipation of the festivities, juxtaposing the responsibility of caring for life with the joy of regaining warmth in living. With restraint and tenderness, it recreates the singular atmosphere of that postwar Christmas. Only after loss do people truly learn to cherish the present moment, and the ones who are still by their side.
[UK Series] A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Room in the Tower
Keywords: drama / thriller / horror
Also known as: A Ghost Story for Christmas: The Room in the Tower
@潘誉晗: A sudden air raid forces everyone to take shelter in an air-raid bunker, including a woman who had originally planned to spend the time listening to music. While hiding, she strikes up a conversation with a man named Roger to mask her inner unease. When the topic of dreams comes up, Roger reveals his torment. He has been haunted by the same dream over and over again: in it, the mother of his friend, Mrs. Stone, always appears, and she always says to him, “I’ve left the tower for you.”
In recent years, the BBC has aired a horror short adapted from a novel every Christmas Day, directed by Mark Gatiss (Mycroft in Sherlock). Although each episode runs for only about half an hour, they are exceptionally strong in atmosphere, enough to leave viewers unsettled, with a chill creeping up their spine.
Countryside settings, old mansions, towers, abandoned houses, murals… the architecture and elements are steeped in classic British style, archaic and elegant, as if imbued with a strange magic that pulls you straight into the terrifying story. The protagonist recounts his experiences in an extremely calm and restrained voice, creating a sharp contrast with the festive timing of Christmas, and making the seemingly predestined ending feel all the more bleak and hopeless.
[Animation] Kaguya-sama: Love Is War – Stairway to Adulthood
Keywords: manga adaptation / school / romance / comedy
Also known as: かぐや様は告らせたい 大人への階段 / Kaguya-sama: Love Is War -Stairway to Adulthood-
Runtime: about 26 minutes per episode × 2 episodes
@SHY: The battle of wits in love between these geniuses has come to a temporary close, and the first kiss that would never end has become a thing of the past. Now that they are officially dating, Kaguya and Shirogane can finally open their hearts to each other. Yet stories are never without twists. As time moves to the eve of Shirogane’s departure to study abroad, the two spend a night together—can they step onto the stairway to adulthood?
A good adaptation stays true to the original; a great one transcends it. “Kaguya” undoubtedly belongs to the latter. Although the reputation of the original author, Aka Akasaka, has long since taken a nosedive, director Mamoru Hatakeyama and A-1 Pictures have brought extraordinary passion to deliver what can only be described as a miraculous revival. Building on the manga, this adaptation discards the dross and keeps the essence, skipping the heavily criticized arcs and, through perfectly judged rewrites, presents the decisive moments fans have been longing for—everything exactly as beautiful as it lives in their memories.
To smooth out the awkwardness in continuity, the anime jumps forward to a point after everything has settled, letting Kaguya, while organizing photo albums, open up sealed memories and naturally piece together fragments scattered across the story. Beyond the usual fun episodic segments, the development between Kaguya and Shirogane is the true highlight, with an overdose of sweetness that makes it impossible not to smile. This thoughtfully crafted New Year’s gift remains an unsurpassable peak of the school romance comedy genre, and one can only hope that the upcoming theatrical finale with an original storyline will bring the series to a perfect close.
[Animation] There’s No Way I Can Be Your Lover, No Way! (※Or Maybe It Is Possible!?) ~Next Shine!~
Keywords: light novel adaptation / school / romance / comedy
Also known as: わたしが恋人になれるわけないじゃん、ムリムリ!（※ムリじゃなかった!?）〜ネクストシャイン！〜
Runtime: 24 minutes per episode × 5 episodes; Douban link
You are all my wings!
@SHY: After receiving a confession from Ajisai, Renako once again chooses to run away, unable to make up her mind. Faced with tangled emotions and unwilling to hurt anyone, how is she supposed to make a choice? Meanwhile, after being completely absent for an entire season, a mysterious blue-haired background character suddenly storms onto the battlefield as a “childhood friend out of nowhere.” Surrounded by a pack of love rivals, can she finally shed her status as a mere side character?
As last year’s most talked-about yuri anime, affectionately given countless nicknames by content creators, “Lover? No Way” has arrived right on schedule with a pseudo-sequel. As early as the project’s planning stage, the creators realized that a single cour would be far from enough to fully capture the essence of the original work. They ultimately opted for an unconventional 17-episode structure, adapting the story at a more suitable pace up to volume four of the novels. This installment carries on the TV series’ strengths: generally solid animation and the voice actors’ outstanding performances maintain a similarly high level of overall quality.
While the fun factor hasn’t dropped at all, the already tangled web of relationships grows even more complicated. Fortunately, the multiple storylines are handled well, successfully bringing a whole cast of characters to life. Standing on stage and delivering explosive declarations, Renako fully embraces her path as the “trashy pink-haired girl,” generating an endless supply of reaction images and meme-worthy moments. This delightfully off-the-rails chaotic romantic comedy can’t help but make you sigh: you guys living your lives properly is more important than anything else—now please hurry up and greenlight a real sequel.
@潘誉晗: It was a Monday. Chieko Kiriaki had planned to go to the hospital for an examination and treatment. Because she had spent years standing at work, her legs were injured. When she reached the riverside, overcome by heat and pain, she decided to stop and rest for a moment. Just as she found a shady eave to take shelter under, a blinding flash filled her vision. That day was August 6, 1945, in Hiroshima.
After finishing Ryukyu in a Single Thought, the Shipindao team felt that the topic of Japan deserved another in-depth exploration. What, exactly, has made this country so divided, contradictory, and distorted? An even more remarkable coincidence is that Eighty Years After the War was filmed during the transition between the terms of Prime Ministers Shigeru Ishiba and Sanae Takaichi.
The opening, in which Hiroshima atomic bomb survivors slowly recount their experiences, already leaves one speechless. The subsequent appearance of anti-war activists further sets the documentary’s solemn tone. Sadly, the protest calling on the government to acknowledge its historical wrongdoings sees very few young faces. From this entry point, the film unfolds a sweeping narrative touching on Japan’s aggression, defeat, and reconstruction, while also leaving behind a question that seems difficult to answer: over these eighty years, has Japan truly remembered?
[Reality Show] Culinary Class Wars Season 2
Keywords: reality show / food
Also known as: Culinary Class Wars Season 2
Runtime: about 81 minutes per episode × 13 episodes
@潘誉晗: Riding on its stellar word of mouth and the long-tail impact of the participating chefs’ restaurants, the reality show Culinary Class Wars returned with its second season last month. This season continues the core concept of “a war between culinary classes” from the first installment, while introducing a slight tweak to the competition rules: in the opening round, there are 18 “White Spoons” (celebrity chefs), 80 “Black Spoons” (lesser-known cooks), and two hidden white chefs. For every white chef who advances, one additional black chef slot opens up—so in this season, how many white chefs move forward directly determines how many black chefs get the chance to advance.
Korean variety shows are truly masters at reinventing formats and controlling the rhythm of competition. At its core, this is simply a cooking contest, but by layering in a class-based rivalry, the whole event becomes tense and thrilling. Beyond the fast-paced battles and the chefs sharing their techniques on screen, the chefs’ own personalities are a huge draw. The White Spoons brim with confidence, but the Black Spoons—despite being nobodies in the industry—never sell themselves short. Here, taste is the only answer.
I’m not selling houses—I’m selling emotional value.
@潘誉晗: New York real estate mogul Ryan Serhant is back. In this season, he continues to lead his famous brokerage firm in its charge toward becoming “New York’s number one real estate company.” At the same time, his agents, as luxury property specialists, are doing everything they can to sell the homes in their portfolios.
They say insiders watch for the craft, while outsiders watch for the spectacle. If season one’s popularity let ordinary viewers glimpse how ultra-luxury properties are bought and sold in New York, this time it’s easy to be impressed by Ryan and his team’s sheer professional competence. Take Ryan’s recruiting strategy, for example: instead of offering higher pay, he tells candidates that he has an extremely difficult listing in hand. As a leader in the industry, once you’ve reached this level, money alone is no longer enough as bait. The higher you stand and the farther you see, the more challenging the project, the greater the sense of extraordinary achievement when it succeeds. Add to that going all-in to hit sales targets, fierce competition over the same listings, and other high-stakes maneuvers, and it all plays out like a dramatic TV series packed with highlights.
Is this a tour of luxury homes? No—this is real competition in the workplace.
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[Film] Olivia and the Clouds @SHY: Clouds are elusive, and so is love. Olivia, still immersed in an old romance, hides away a bouquet of flowers, and a hallucinatory journey begins. This is the feature-length animation debut of Dominican director Tomás Pichardo-Espaillat, a project that took ten years to complete and bears witness to the growth of the local animation industry. The film boldly combines sketching, collage, live action, and other techniques, using surreal storytelling to convey the unique charm of the Caribbean. The story may feel somewhat obscure, but its lively visuals are brimming with vibrant life.
[Film] Chutard Manor @SHY: In 1931, as the British Empire slips into decline, the Davenport family at Chutard Manor struggles to preserve its former glory. After a wedding full of unexpected twists, Lord Davenport, still without an heir, suddenly dies, pushing the family’s fate to the brink. When the British start poking fun at themselves, no one else stands a chance—this pun-filled comedy specializes in shameless jokes and spares no effort in parodying everything from Downton Abbey to Tolkien. There’s bound to be at least one moment that will make you burst out laughing.
[Film] Eternal Station @Sholmes: After dying of cancer, Joan arrives at a transit station that connects different eternal worlds, where everyone must decide where they will spend eternity. There, she encounters her current husband, Larry, and also reunites with Luke, her first husband who died in the war. Both men want to spend eternity with her, and Joan must choose between them. With the fantastical setting of an eternal transit station, the film explores the struggles people face when confronted with love, death, and choice.
[UK Series] Dangerous Pursuit @Sholmes: After a fierce argument with her parents, Simon’s daughter Peggy runs away from home. During a chance encounter in a park, Simon tries to persuade her to return, but is stopped by her boyfriend, Aaron. Not long after, Aaron is brutally murdered, and Simon quickly becomes the police’s prime suspect. At the same time, a series of murders occurs in succession, and behind them seems to lie a carefully planned, goal-driven serial killing scheme. The plot advances layer by layer, with constant twists and turns, as the truth gradually emerges from the fog, making for a highly gripping watch.
[US Series] I Love Los Angeles @潘誉晗: This new HBO series is set in Los Angeles and follows five friends—Maya, Charlie, Dylan, Tallulah, and Alani—who reunite in the city after many years apart. Each of them is struggling and pushing forward in their own careers, while also supporting one another, yet their way of getting along is rather strange: one moment they are warmly close, and the next they are tearing into each other. With brisk, half-hour episodes, this urban ensemble drama has a light rhythm that resonates well with the mindset of today’s young adults.
[Japanese Series] The Solitary Gourmet: 2025 New Year’s Eve Special @Sholmes: Goro Inogashira is tasked with preparing special rice balls for a year-end event and sets out on a journey to find high-quality rice and ingredients. From Sado Island in Niigata to Yonezawa in Yamagata, he travels through the winter cold, never forgetting to stop and savor the simple, heartwarming local dishes along the way, ultimately completing his mission under the pressure of time. Goro’s culinary journey can be summed up in a haiku: Blanched anglerfish slices, Deeply warming the temple of the five viscera, Winter on Sado. Working overtime at the end of the year is indeed exhausting, but thankfully, there is always good food to soothe the soul.
[Japanese Series] Shall We Have Curry Today Too? @利兹与青鸟: Newly arrived in Tokyo, Chinatsu happens to meet Natsumi, who is heading to the same curry shop—only to discover that she is actually her former college roommate. Thus begins the bond between two curry lovers and their shared journey of exploring curry restaurants. Rich North Indian curry with naan, Pakistani-style curry, Japanese curry—each bite feels like stepping into a fantasy world. Alongside introductions to the characteristics and flavors of various curries, the show also weaves in the daily life of four college dormmates. Lively in style, it’s perfect for watching while eating.
[Japanese Series] Kazama Kimichika: Reunion @Sholmes: The story centers on police academy instructor Kazama Kimichika. A new class of cadets enters the academy and is put to the test under Kazama’s nearly ruthless training. Through high-pressure environments and psychological trials, he forces them to confront their own weaknesses, lies, and fears. Several former trainees who once graduated under his guidance reunite and fight alongside him in the search for a key figure. The film interweaves personal growth with professional duty, offering a profound examination of the price one must pay to become a police officer.
[Korean Series] Judge Lee Han-young @利兹与青鸟: After being wrongfully killed in a major case, Judge Lee Han-young unexpectedly reincarnates at the scene of the very first trial he ever presided over alone. Not yet understanding what is happening, he excitedly sentences a would-be thief to death on the spot. Adapted from a web novel of the same name, the series shifts back and forth between a serious tone and a high-school-like style. Ji Sung’s performance is delicate and spot-on, and utterly charming. Lee Han-young attempts to use his memories to prevent one murder after another from happening. Whether he acts as an angel of justice or a devil of vigilantism, one thing is certain—it’s immensely satisfying.
[Chinese Series] Uncle @潘誉晗: Told from the perspective of his nephew, Huo Xiaoyang, the series portrays the life of his uncle, Huo Guoming. In Northeast China in the 1990s, amid a wave of layoffs, Cui Guoming begins his transformation from a key technician at a state-owned factory to someone who quits to go into business and start his own venture. Along the way, there are laughter and tears, as well as personal growth and transformation. Rich in a sense of its era, the series depicts the ups and downs of ordinary people to carve out a deeply moving portrait of family affection, while also reflecting the imprint of an entire generation.
The film Avengers 5: Doomsday has released two new in-theater trailers in succession, announcing the return of Thor and the X-Men. Directed by the Russo brothers and starring Chris Hemsworth, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, and more, the film is set to open in North America on December 18. Source
On January 6, A24 released the first trailer for The Death of Robin Hood, which is scheduled to premiere in North America in 2026. Directed by Kerr Sarnoski and starring Hugh Jackman, Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgård, and others, the film follows a battle-hardened, solitary Robin Hood who discovers he is gravely wounded and falls into the hands of a mysterious woman, who offers him a chance at redemption. Source
On January 6, the film The Crowd unveiled its first trailer and is set to be released in South Korea this May. Written and directed by Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan) and starring Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook, Shin Hyun-been, Kim Shin-rok, Go Soo, and others, the story centers on survivors trapped inside a building after an unknown infection outbreak, fighting for their lives against infected beings that evolve in unpredictable forms. Source
On January 5, the crime comedy Burst Pipe released its first trailer. The film is directed by Zhou Difei and stars Eddie Peng, Allen Ai, Zhou You, and Yan Peilun, with special appearances by Yang Haoyu, Jiang Xueming, Fu Hang, Pan Binlong, and Bu Yu, and featuring Zhang Qi, Huang Yan, Xu Dong, and Yang Zhen, with guest appearances by Zhou Yanchen, Liu Yichun, Jing Ci, and Ai Ran. It is scheduled to be released on January 23.
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New trailer for the animated film Radiant Princess Beyond Time!: Directed by Seigo Yamashita, produced by Studio Colorido and Studio Chromato, with music created by renowned artists including ryo (supercell), kz (livetune), 40mP, HoneyWorks, Aqu3ra, yuigot, and more. Inspired by The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, it will premiere on Netflix on January 22. Source
Official trailer for Marvel’s new series Wonder Man: Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as “Black Manta,” with Ben Kingsley reprising his role as the failed actor Trevor Slattery. A retired director returns to filmmaking for a new project, drawing in superhero-actor trainees, washed-up veterans, and opportunistic agents eager to ride the hype. The series will launch on Disney+ on January 27. Source
Official trailer for the series Beautiful Poison: Directed by Ryan Murphy (American Horror Story) and starring Evan Peters, Rebecca Hall, Ashton Kutcher, Jeremy Pope, and others. A disease known as “Beauty” begins to spread rapidly—a virus that makes people more beautiful, but is ultimately deadly. Streaming on Disney+ from January 21. Source
Final trailer for 96 Minutes: The Train Explosion: The 2025 box-office champion in Taiwan, 96 Minutes: The Train Explosion, has been scheduled for release in mainland China on January 10, 2026. The film is produced by Zou Jiezhong, directed by Hong Zixuan, written by Hong Zixuan, Chen Yifang, and Yang Wanru, and stars Austin Lin, Vivian Sung, Wang Po-chieh, and Lee Lee-zen.
📽 Weekly Film & TV News
The Shining confirmed for release
On January 6, Warner Bros. confirmed that Stanley Kubrick’s classic psychological thriller The Shining will be released in mainland China, marking its first-ever theatrical run there. The release date is yet to be announced. 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 mountaintop hotel cut off by heavy snow, where eerie घटन begin to unfold. Source
Green Slime Panic confirmed for release
On January 6, the B-movie sci-fi horror comedy Green Slime Panic was confirmed for release in mainland China, along with the debut of its trailer and poster. The release date has yet to be announced. Directed by Jonny Campbell and written by David Koepp, the film stars Joe Keery of Stranger Things alongside Liam Neeson of the Taken franchise, teaming up to save a world on the brink of being consumed by a fungal threat. It is set to open in North America on February 13. Source
Safe Haven confirmed for release
On January 9, the film Safe Haven was confirmed for release in mainland China and unveiled its trailer and poster. The release date is yet to be announced. Directed by Ric Roman Waugh and starring Jason Statham, the story follows Mason, a legendary agent living in seclusion on a remote island, who is forced back into action after rescuing a young girl named Jessie, setting off a no-turning-back battle of protection. The film is scheduled to premiere in North America on January 30. Source
My Friend Andrei set for January 17 release
On January 8, the film My Friend Andrei released its release-date trailer and poster, confirming a January 17 premiere. Directed by Dong Zijian and starring Liu Haoran and Dong Zijian, with Yin Tao in a special appearance and Han Haolin and Chi Xingkai also starring, the film is adapted from the novel of the same name by Shuang Xuetao. It traces the playful, chasing childhood of Andrei and Li Mo, and their reunion later in life as they walk forward side by side. Source
Aqara releases the U400 smart door lock with UWB support
Lenovo showcases the Legion Pro Rollable concept device
RayNeo presents the X3 Pro Project AR smart glasses with eSIM support
Krono launches a black-and-white e-ink phone–style e-reader
Sony introduces the new Hyperpop series shells and controllers for PS5 Slim
TCL releases the P50 mobile router and BE36 Wi-Fi router
MSI showcases multiple new products
The world’s first ultrasonic kitchen knife, the C200 Ultrasonic, makes its debut
OpenAI announces the launch of ChatGPT Health
Rumors You Can Just Glance At
OnePlus unveils the Turbo 6 smartphone series
On January 8, the OnePlus Turbo 6 series was officially released, consisting of two models: the Turbo 6 and the Turbo 6V.
The OnePlus Turbo 6 adopts a minimalist design language with a strong emphasis on in-hand feel, and is available in silver, black, and teal color options. It is powered by the fourth-generation Snapdragon 8s processor, paired with OnePlus’s self-developed “Fengchi Gaming Kernel.” According to OnePlus, this combination can reduce gaming power consumption by around 8%, lower kernel load by approximately 15.24%, and improve scheduling efficiency by about 35.46%.
In terms of display, the OnePlus Turbo 6 features a 1.5K-resolution 165Hz screen, supporting three refresh-rate modes at 165Hz, 144Hz, and 120Hz. Select games also support native 165 fps gameplay, including titles such as Call of Duty: Mobile and Honor of Kings. For imaging, the Turbo 6 is equipped with a Sony 50-megapixel main camera with OIS optical image stabilization, ultra-clear Live Photos, portrait algorithms, and AI-powered photo editing features.
For battery life, the OnePlus Turbo 6 series is fitted with a 9000mAh battery, supporting 80W fast charging and bypass charging technology, as well as up to 27W wired reverse charging. In other areas, the OnePlus Turbo 6 supports IP66 / IP68 / IP69 / IP69K dust and water resistance, runs ColorOS 16, and offers features such as one-tap Flash Notes, AI real-world conversations, Game Fluid Cloud, and a variety of gaming assistance tools. It also supports interoperability with the Apple ecosystem. Pricing for the OnePlus Turbo 6 starts at RMB 2,099, or RMB 1,784.15 after national subsidies.
OnePlus also introduced the Turbo 6V model alongside it, available in white, blue, and black. It is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 processor and features a 144Hz eye-care display, while also packing a 9000mAh battery. The Turbo 6V starts at RMB 1,699, or RMB 1,444.15 after national subsidies. Source
Aqara releases the U400 smart door lock with UWB support
At CES 2026, Aqara officially unveiled the Smart Lock U400. The product supports ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, enabling hands-free automatic unlocking through high-precision positioning with an iPhone or Apple Watch. When an authorized user approaches the door from outside, the lock can automatically unlock. By combining ToF distance measurement with AoA trajectory detection, the system reduces false triggers and enhances security to guard against relay attacks. In addition to UWB, the lock also supports unlocking via Apple Home Key, passcodes, fingerprints, and physical keys. It supports Matter over Thread and carries an IP65 water-resistance rating. The Smart Lock U400 is currently available in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. Source
Lenovo showcases the Legion Pro Rollable concept device
At CES 2026, Lenovo unveiled the Legion Pro Rollable concept gaming laptop. Built on the Legion Pro 7i platform, the device is equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card and a high-end Intel Core Ultra processor. It features a 16-inch OLED display by default, which can be horizontally expanded via a rollable mechanism to 21.5 inches or 24 inches. Lenovo positions it as a premium mobile device for professional esports players, offering three display modes tailored to different sizes: focused training, tactical observation, and competitive play.
According to Lenovo, the Legion Pro Rollable adopts a dual-motor tension-controlled rollable OLED solution to ensure stability and reliability during screen extension and retraction. The device also demonstrates a range of AI-powered gaming assistance features, including key visual element recognition, information magnification, cursor tracking, AI guidance, and dynamic lighting effects. The product remains in the concept stage, with no official release date or pricing announced. Source
RayNeo presents the X3 Pro Project AR smart glasses with eSIM support
At CES 2026, RayNeo officially unveiled the X3 Pro Project eSIM AR smart glasses. The product adopts a binocular full-color optical engine design, which the company says delivers a 3D spatial visual experience equivalent to a 43-inch display. On the hardware side, it is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 computing platform and features a built-in RayNeo AR application virtual machine, supporting apps such as WeChat, Douyin, and Bilibili.
The X3 Pro Project eSIM AR smart glasses also integrate an eSIM communication module, allowing users to make calls, engage in real-time AI conversations, perform live translation, and stream online content without needing to connect to a smartphone or Wi-Fi network. Source
Krono launches a black-and-white e-ink phone–style e-reader
Dutch company DuRoBo unveiled the Krono monochrome E-Ink reader at CES 2026. The device adopts a smartphone-like form factor and features a built-in AI assistant. Krono is available in black and white color options, with dimensions of 154 × 80 × 9 mm and a weight of 173 grams. On the front, it is equipped with a 6.13-inch Carta 1200 monochrome E-Ink display, with a resolution of 824 × 1648, a pixel density of 300 PPI, and adjustable dual-tone front lighting.
On the left side of the body, Krono includes a “smart dial” that allows users to turn pages and adjust settings through rotation or pressing. In terms of hardware, the device features built-in speakers and Bluetooth connectivity, an unspecified octa-core processor, 6 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of storage. It runs Android 15 out of the box and integrates the Libby AI assistant. The Krono is priced at €239.99. Source
Sony introduces the new Hyperpop series shells and controllers for PS5 Slim
Sony PlayStation unveiled a new color lineup, The Hyperpop Collection, on January 8, introducing three high-saturation color options for the DualSense controller and PS5 console covers. The collection includes Techno Red, Remix Green, and Rhythm Blue, with an overall aesthetic clearly leaning toward an RGB-inspired visual style.
The collection will go on sale on March 12, with pre-orders opening on January 16. Sales channels include PlayStation Direct and selected partner retailers, depending on regional availability. The Hyperpop DualSense controller has a suggested retail price of USD 84.99. The Hyperpop-series PS5 console covers will be available for a limited time in select markets, with a suggested retail price of USD 74.99. It is worth noting that these covers are compatible only with the PS5 Slim, and do not support the original PS5 or the PS5 Pro. Source
TCL releases the P50 mobile router and BE36 Wi-Fi router
TCL unveiled two new networking products at CES 2026—the TCL 5G Mobile Wi-Fi P50 and the TCL Wi-Fi Router BE36—covering a wide range of scenarios from outdoor travel to home networking.
The TCL 5G Mobile Wi-Fi P50 is designed for business travel and outdoor use. It supports both mmWave and Sub-6 full-band 5G, with peak download speeds of up to 3.97 Gbps, while Wi-Fi 7 delivers peak speeds of up to 5.8 Gbps. The device can connect up to 64 devices simultaneously. It features a built-in 5,000 mAh battery that provides around 12 hours of continuous use and can also function as a power bank to charge smartphones. A 2.4-inch touchscreen displays real-time data usage and network status, and a Gigabit Ethernet port is included for wired connections.
Aimed at home users, the TCL BE36 router offers dual-band Wi-Fi 7 connectivity with speeds of up to 3.6 Gbps, using a 5 GHz 3T3R configuration to significantly improve signal coverage. It supports EasyMesh R6, making it easy to build a seamless whole-home Mesh network. With support for up to 512 connected devices, it is well suited for smart homes with a large number of IoT devices. On the security side, the router includes anti-malware, anti-tracking, and brute-force attack protection. For gamers, the BE36 integrates game acceleration features that intelligently optimize traffic to reduce latency. In terms of connectivity, it also provides a 2.5 G Ethernet port. Source
MSI showcases multiple new products
MSI showcased several new products at CES 2026, including the MPG CoreFrozr AP15 and AP17 dual-tower air coolers, as well as the MPG 272QRF X36 27-inch QHD 360 Hz monitor.
Among them, the MPG CoreFrozr AP15 features a segmented digital display dubbed “Digi-Display.” The screen is divided into four sections, allowing real-time display of key system information such as CPU temperature, system load, and fan speed. The lower-left corner also integrates a weekly calendar display.
In terms of performance, the AP15 is optimized for AMD Ryzen X3D series processors. To address heat buildup from high-performance gaming CPUs, it uses a solid copper base paired with six heat pipes. Positioned as a higher-end model, the MPG CoreFrozr AP17 is equipped with a 6-inch LCD screen that, in addition to system monitoring, supports fully customizable content, enabling users to tailor visuals to match their system’s overall aesthetic. For cooling, the AP17 uses a nickel-plated copper base and increases the number of heat pipes to eight to improve thermal conductivity. Both the AP15 and AP17 feature detachable display modules. Source
Also on display was the MPG 272QRF X36 G-SYNC Pulsar gaming monitor. This model features a 2560 × 1440 resolution Rapid IPS panel with a 360 Hz refresh rate, a 0.5 ms GtG response time, 400 nits of SDR brightness, and 500 nits of HDR brightness, while supporting 10-bit color (8-bit + FRC). The monitor includes a built-in ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts color temperature and brightness.
The display supports VESA 100 × 100 mm mounting and offers a range of ports, including one DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.1 ports, three USB-A 5 Gbps ports with KVM support, and a 3.5 mm audio jack. It incorporates NVIDIA G-SYNC technology, delivering variable refresh rate support and up to four times effective motion clarity, ensuring precise aiming and clear visuals even in fast-paced games. The monitor is currently available on domestic e-commerce platforms, priced at 4,999 yuan. Source
The world’s first ultrasonic kitchen knife, the C200 Ultrasonic, makes its debut
Seattle Ultrasonics unveiled the world’s first ultrasonic kitchen knife, the C200 Ultrasonic, at CES 2026. The core idea behind the product is to use high-frequency micro-vibrations to reduce cutting resistance, allowing the blade to penetrate ingredients more easily while also minimizing food sticking to the knife.
The operation is straightforward: a button on the handle activates the ultrasonic vibration. Once turned on, the blade shows no visible shaking, but the user can feel a subtle buzzing sensation in the hand, similar to a faint electric current. When cutting high-density or starch-rich ingredients, its performance is noticeably superior to that of a conventional kitchen knife. The product is priced at USD 399. Source
OpenAI announces the launch of ChatGPT Health
OpenAI has announced the launch of ChatGPT Health, a dedicated health consultation area within ChatGPT that operates independently from the main chat experience. Users can ask health-related questions in this section and receive reference-oriented interpretations based on their personal data, but the service does not provide medical diagnoses or treatment recommendations.
In terms of functionality, ChatGPT Health supports integration with multiple health services, including Apple Health, MyFitnessPal, and Peloton. It can read users’ exercise, sleep, and activity data, and can also incorporate medical records to help users understand lab results and prepare for medical appointments—again, without offering specific diagnostic or treatment advice. Regarding privacy and security, OpenAI states that the feature uses multi-layer encryption, runs as a separate space, and that related data is not used for model training by default.
Currently, ChatGPT Health is available to users in select regions via a waitlist. The medical record integration feature is temporarily limited to the United States, with plans to gradually expand availability to the web and iOS platforms. Source
Rumors You Can Just Glance At
According to a report by Beijing Youth Daily, China’s National Medical Products Administration has recently approved Apple’s “Mobile Pulse Rate Atrial Fibrillation Indication Recording Software” as a Class II imported medical device (registration). The software corresponds to the Atrial Fibrillation History feature on Apple Watch, which analyzes users’ pulse rate data and records potential signs of atrial fibrillation. Apple told Beijing Youth Daily reporters that it is currently advancing follow-up procedures in accordance with relevant regulations and processes, and looks forward to officially making the feature available to users in mainland China in the near future. Source
