🥶 Happy Friday everyone! There’s a cold wave in Europe right now, which means temperatures have dropped all the way to the low teens Celsius (or the 50s  in Fahrenheit) here in Sunny Malaga. That’s nothing compared to most places in the world, but you better believe that I’m going to wear my heaviest coat and complain about it.

More leaks for a Pixel Tablet Pro

It’s been a while since we’ve seen or heard anything concrete about Google’s Pixel Tablet, which was announced alongside the Pixel 7 lineup back in May of 2022. Now, more leaks are suggesting that the Pixel Tablet Pro, which we first heard about in December of last year, will be coming to market later this year.

• These new leaks come courtesy of Code-digger Kuba Wojciechowski, who is the same source as the previous leaks.
• According to the leaker, Google initially started working on the Pixel Tablet with the original Tensor chip, and this “Pro” model will use the second-gen Tensor G2 chip.
• At the moment, that appears to be the only difference between the two.
• He also revealed that the code indicates a 2,560 x 1,600 LED screen, so likely no OLEDs to be found here.
• Wojciechowski also revealed new photos of the device, although they don’t show anything new or interesting.

OnePlus Pad breaks the surface

It feels like only yesterday that we first heard about the OnePlus Pad (because it was), but later in the day serial leaker Steve ‘Onleaks‘ Hemmerstoffer posted renders of the upcoming tablet

• The renders show a large tablet with relatively large bezels (compared to what OnePlus has shown so far).
• We can also see a large, circular camera housing in the center of the device when held in landscape.
• The selfie camera is also in the top center when held in landscape.
• It’s believed that it will measure 11.6 inches, which would make it one of the largest tablets on the market.
• Will it compete with the best Android tablets? Hard to say at this point.
• To learn more, we’ll likely have to wait until the official event on February 7, where the company will also reveal the OnePlus 11.

Roundup

🌎 Big news ahead of next week’s launch: Samsung will use Snapdragon for the Galaxy S23 and other flagships globally (Android Authority).

📱 Miss a removable battery, microSD slot, and 3.5mm port? This phone is for you (Android Authority).

😱 Q4 2022 was a disaster for smartphone sales, with the largest-ever drop (Arstechnica).

📸 You told us: Most of you think the Pixel needs more camera accessories (Android Authority).

🤔 Why are so many tech companies laying people off right now? Hint: it has nothing to do with revenue (The Verge).

🚨 DOJ says it disrupted a major global ransomware group (Engadget).

🔐 Google adds new Chrome for Android feature to lock your Incognito tabs (Android Authority).

🤖 BuzzFeed says it will use AI tools from OpenAI to personalize its content (The Verge).

🌌 Get hyped: ‘Dead Space’ is the new benchmark for video game remakes (Engadget).

🎮 What old video games still hold up? The correct answer is Heroes of Might and Magic III (r/askreddit).

Friday fun

Anti-insect lasers have been a thing for a while now, but the Institute of Laser Engineering at Osaka University is taking things to the next level. While previous models have mostly aimed at small pests like mosquitos, this new laser is capable of taking down larger insects like flies, moths, and cockroaches.

It does this not just with a powerful laser, but with a more accurate one. Scientists studied the weak points of the creatures (which, unlike in video games, do not glow red), pinpointing the thorax and face for a high-precision strike. This is a big deal for pesticide-resistant pests, not to mention cutting down on harsh chemicals in farming. For domestic use, it’s also a modern replacement for a rolled-up newspaper. This is what the future looks like.

Pew pew,

Nick Fernandez, Editor.