News

Google Pixel users might be drug dealers, Spanish cops say

Because of its open-source nature

Published

July 4, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

Did you know that there is an enduring, semi-confirmed Hollywood myth that movie villains cannot be seen using an iPhone? During the press tour for the hit murder mystery Knives Out, director Rian Johnson revealed that the unwritten rule does exist. Now, if bad guys can’t use an iPhone, what phone should they use? Police in Spain have a strange answer: a Google Pixel.

In a report published by Catalan newspaper Ara, Catalonian authorities have named the Pixel as the smartphone of choice for drug dealers. “Every time we see a Google Pixel, we think it may be a drug dealer,” according to a translated statement from the police.

The strange association isn’t just a sign that Spanish criminals have a discerning taste for branded smartphones. According to InLab FIB’s René Serral, the Pixel’s indictment is mainly due to Android’s inherent nature as an open-source system. With Android, the Pixel “any operating system to be freely installed.”

For criminals, the software of choice is GrapheneOS, an operating system focused on security and privacy. Additionally, the system allows users to circumvent the Play Store. In effect, users can install any app they want outside Google’s surveillance.

It’s also a boon for organized crime that users can remotely scrub their phones without holding it themselves. This is especially useful when the police seize phones used by criminals.

To combat this, police have resorted to sealed bags which can prevent the phones from receiving a factory reset order from criminals. They are also using Trojans to access the phones without the user present.

For their part, GrapheneOS has decried the association with organized crime. To be fair to the operating system, association with criminal activity seems to be an unfortunate stereotype for privacy-oriented services. For example, despite offering a secure messaging platform, Telegram has also been implicated in criminal activity for providing a space for criminals to form groups outside the purview of the law.

SEE ALSO: Google Pixel 9a First Look

News

Dua Lipa is suing Samsung for $15 million

Samsung allegedly used her image without her consent.

Published

May 11, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Samsung has an unlikely rival. Dua Lipa is suing the South Korean company for using her image without her permission.

In the marketing world, brand endorsers are part and parcel of how products are pushed to the market. Famous celebrities are often asked to advertise a product for their potential star power. That said, a company needs the endorser’s consent first.

According to a new suit (via Variety), pop star Dua Lipa is suing Samsung for using her image to endorse TVs without her consent. The South Korean brand is reportedly using Lipa’s photo on the packaging of its TVs. Lipa alleges that the photo’s usage implies that she endorses the TV, which she does not.

The complaint also alleges that Lipa asked Samsung to take down the image last year. However, Samsung’s reply was, to her, “dismissive and callous.” The brand has then continued to use the image in its packaging.

To prove her point, the suit includes anecdotes of Samsung customers who bought the TV specifically because the packaging has Lipa’s image on it. To pay for damages, Lipa is asking for US$ 15 million from the global brand for copyright infringement.

Gaming

The Switch 2 is getting more expensive this year

The price increases will start this month.

Published

May 11, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Gone are the days when consoles get cheaper as time goes by. These days, especially because of the RAM crisis, gaming consoles are getting more expensive. Joining this worrying trend, the Nintendo Switch 2 is getting a price hike.

Even upon launch, the Switch 2 was already pricier than its original counterpart. Currently, without the incoming price hikes, the console retails for US$ 449.99. It’s a lot but not completely out of reach.

Last week, Nintendo announced a price hike that might push the console to less than attainable levels. Starting May 25, the Switch 2 will cost JPY 59,980 (up from JPY 49,980) in Japan. The original generation is also getting a hike: JPY 47,980 for the Switch OLED, JPY 43,980 for the base Switch, and JPY 29,980 for the Switch Lite.

Abroad, you can expect price hikes on September 1. The Switch 2 will jump to US$ 499.99, CAN 679.99, or EUR 499.99, depending on where you live. These are the only official hikes announced right now, but Nintendo has confirmed that price revisions will be implemented in other regions, too.

As you might expect, the price increases are due to the ongoing RAM crisis. Though the console is an undeniable hit, the Switch 2 can’t hide behind its popularity against the price shortage dealt by unnecessary data centers. At the very least, users worldwide have time to grab the console in its original pricing before the hikes.

Gaming

Call of Duty drops the PlayStation 4 starting with its next game

Is this the beginning of the end for the PlayStation 4?

Published

May 8, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

When can we declare that a console is officially dead? Is it as soon as the launch of the next generation? Is it when games no longer come out on the console? Recently, Call of Duty has confirmed that the next game will not be available anymore on the PlayStation 4, which presents an important question: Is the PlayStation 4 officially dead?

Call of Duty is one of the most persistent gaming franchises today. The last entry, Black Ops 7, is still available for the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Both consoles were launched over twelve years ago. (If that doesn’t make you old, the current generation was launched almost six years ago.)

As such, the franchise is one of the last stalwarts keeping the past generation alive. This week, Call of Duty, via a post on X, confirmed that the next game will not arrive on the PlayStation 4. Presumably, this also means the Xbox One.

Not sure where this one started, but it’s not true. The next Call of Duty is not being developed for PS4.

— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) May 4, 2026

Currently, we don’t have details about the upcoming game yet. But a new entry is confirmed to arrive later this year.

With the departure of the Call of Duty franchise, it’s fair to ask what will become of the old generation moving forward. Over the years, developers have started shying away from the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Since the franchise still maintains a steady fan base today, a lot of PlayStation 4 users might be forced to make an upgrade to play the latest entry.