Tech

February 23, 2025

Latest Smartphone Releases: Top New Phones You Need to Know in 2025

It’s 2025, and AI is slowly making its way into our daily lives. I mean, I never thought five years ago that I’d be sitting in front of my laptop, telling a program to write down a ten-page article on quantum mechanics for me. Haah, I blame AI for my laziness. Phones have made AI a big part of their software, too. In every phone trailer we see nowadays, we find mention of how AI has been integrated into them, what it can do, and more. It feels like they’re competing over how superior their AIs are rather than focusing on improving the other aspects.

Sup peeps, Sloth here, and if you haven’t guessed already, today’s topic will be the phones that have been launched recently. And if I’m feeling un-lazy, maybe I’ll talk about the leaks of upcoming phones. We’ll be talking about all kinds of price ranges so that none feels left out. Let’s begin, shall we?

I ended the previous phone blog with flagships, and I start this one with the same. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra! Rocking a massive 6.9-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a buttery 120Hz refresh rate, this beauty serves up completely mesmerizing visuals. The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy and its powerhouse Adreno 830 GPU push an AnTuTu score nearing 1.2 million! Photographers, rejoice: a 200MP main sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, and dual telephoto cameras ensure your shots are crisp and vibrant. A robust 5000mAh battery with 45W fast charging ensures you can use your phone throughout the day. Sadly, the S Pen in this phone doesn’t support Bluetooth, so air gestures and remote camera shutter control are no longer available. Galaxy AI elevates your daily tasks, making everything feel smarter. While many praise its stunning display and performance, some users grumble about the premium price of roughly $1,299.

The Realme 14 Pro+ brings some serious heat to the mid-range segment! Sporting a 6.7-inch curved AMOLED display with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and 1.5K resolution, it delivers crisp and vibrant visuals. Powering this beast is the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, backed by up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. It hits an AnTuTu score of around 700K, solid for a mid-ranger. Camera-wise, it packs a 50MP Sony IMX890 main sensor with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide, and a 2MP macro, plus a 32MP selfie cam for sharp shots. A 5000mAh battery with blazing-fast 80W charging keeps you going all day. It even has Realme AI features for better photos and smart optimizations. Oh, and here’s the fun part, its Pearl White variant has a colour-changing back that reacts to temperatures below 16°C, adding a unique aesthetic touch. Users love its design, performance, and fast charging, but some wish for a better ultra-wide camera. Priced around $350, this is one of the best value-for-money picks right now.

The Vivo V50 is making waves in the mid-range scene! It flaunts a sleek 6.77-inch quad-curved AMOLED display with a buttery 120Hz refresh rate, delivering vibrant visuals. Under the hood, it packs the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor with up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage, ensuring smooth performance for multitasking and gaming. Photography? Oh, it’s Zeiss-certified! The 50MP main sensor with Zeiss optics delivers pro-grade clarity and natural colours, while the 50MP ultra-wide lens ensures crisp landscape shots. Expect Zeiss-style bokeh, enhanced low-light performance, and cinematic portrait effects for that DSLR-like magic! A 6000mAh battery with 90W fast charging keeps you going all day, and its IP68/IP69 rating means it’s dustproof and waterproof. Priced at $420, it’s a killer deal for those who want flagship-tier cameras without breaking the bank!

The OnePlus 13 is here, and it’s a beast! Rocking a 6.8-inch QHD+ AMOLED display with a buttery 120Hz refresh rate, your content has never looked this smooth. Under the hood, the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor teams up with up to 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, ensuring you blaze through apps and games without a hitch. The Hasselblad-tuned triple 50MP rear cameras deliver stunning shots, while the 32MP front camera ensures your selfies are on point. Plus, it’s the first OnePlus device to capture 4K Dolby Vision video across all cameras, bringing cinematic quality to your fingertips. The 6000mAh battery has you covered, offering impressive endurance and support for fast charging. Design-wise, the unique blue microfibre back not only looks sleek but feels premium in hand. Starting at $899, the OnePlus 13 offers flagship features without the flagship price tag. It’s a solid contender for anyone looking to upgrade their smartphone experience.

If the OnePlus 13 was all about clean software and flagship power, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ takes a different route, focusing on raw specs at an aggressive price. Packing a 6.67-inch 1.5K HDR OLED curved display with a 120Hz refresh rate, this mid-ranger ensures a premium visual experience. Under the hood, it rocks the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, coupled with up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage, making it a strong contender in its segment. The camera setup is nothing to scoff at either, with a 50MP main sensor, promising solid shots for photography lovers. Battery is where this phone goes way ahead of its competitors. 6200mAh with 90W fast charging means you’ll barely run out of juice. It’s got that classic Redmi appeal, offering killer value for the price, starting at around $500. While MIUI (or HyperOS now) isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, if you want high specs without splurging on a flagship, this one’s worth a look.

The POCO X7 Pro flips the script with pure performance-focused aggression. It sports a 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED flat display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 2160Hz PWM dimming, keeping visuals crisp and smooth. Under the hood, it’s fuelled by the Dimensity 8300 Ultra, paired with up to 12GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB UFS 4.0 storage, making it an absolute beast for gaming and multitasking. The 50MP Sony IMX882 OIS main camera delivers solid shots, but let’s be real, POCO is more about speed than photography. A 5500mAh battery with 67W fast charging ensures you’re never out of action for too long. And the best part? All this power comes for $369, making it one of the most aggressive value-for-money phones out there. If you crave raw speed over everything, this is your pick.

Next up, the iQOO 13 comes with a stunning 6.82-inch 2K LTPO AMOLED display and a 144Hz refresh rate. The Snapdragon 8 Elite on a 3nm process teams up with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, delivering blazing performance for heavy multitasking and immersive gaming. Photography gets a serious boost with its triple-camera setup, featuring a 50MP Sony IMX921 main sensor with OIS, a 50MP ultra-wide, and a 50MP telephoto lens, ensuring every shot is crisp and vibrant. And the real showstopper? The Monster Halo Light, an eye-catching RGB LED ring around the camera module that lights up for notifications and in-game events, adding a customizable flair to your phone. All this power is backed by a robust 6000mAh battery with 120W fast charging, keeping you in the zone all day long. It is priced at around $700, affordable for a flagship.

Stepping into the premium arena again, the Vivo X200 Pro is a true flagship marvel that redefines performance and style. It boasts a gorgeous 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a buttery 120Hz refresh rate, delivering vibrant, lifelike visuals that draw you in at first glance. Powered by the cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, it handles multitasking and high-end gaming with ease, ensuring ultra-smooth performance all day long. Photography enthusiasts will love its Zeiss-tuned camera system, featuring a 50MP main sensor, an ultra-wide lens, and a telephoto shooter, that captures every detail with stunning clarity and natural colours. Backed by a robust 5000mAh battery with rapid charging, the Vivo X200 Pro keeps you powered through your busiest days. Plus, Vivo’s proprietary AI enhancements fine-tune every shot and optimize performance, making this phone a standout contender in the flagship segment. Truly, the Vivo X200 Pro delivers next-level innovation wrapped in a sleek, modern design that’s built to impress.

Alright, I’ll talk about one upcoming series. It just so happens I’m planning to get my hands on it, so here’s the Nothing phone 3a series. The Nothing Phone 3a carries forward Nothing’s signature minimalist, transparent design with its iconic Glyph interface that lights up notifications in a way only Nothing can deliver. Leaked details suggest it features a crisp 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate for ultra-fluid scrolling and immersive viewing. Under the hood, it’s rumoured to run on the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, paired with 8GB of RAM (with an option for 12GB) and storage choices of 128GB or 256GB. The camera setup is simple yet effective—a 50MP primary sensor complemented by an 8MP ultra-wide lens on the rear, and a 16MP front camera for standout selfies. A 4500mAh battery with fast charging around 67W promises all-day endurance, while Nothing OS offers a clean, near-stock Android experience with unique animations and intuitive tweaks. This mid-range marvel is designed to deliver premium features without the flagship price tag, making it an exciting option for those wanting style and substance in one package.

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro takes things up a notch. It’s expected to sport a slightly larger, higher-resolution display, and upgrade to the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 with 12GB of RAM for even smoother performance. The Pro model also steps up its photography game with a triple-camera system—adding a telephoto lens for versatile shooting—plus a bigger battery and faster charging, all while retaining that unmistakable Glyph charm and minimalist Nothing OS design.

That’s it for today. If I buy Nothing 3a Pro, it’ll last for 3-4 years. By then, Nothing will probably have even crazier Glyph features or some new futuristic design. Maybe RGB Glyphs that sync with music or a back panel that displays notifications like an e-ink screen! Moral of the blog? I’m slowly becoming a tech nerd, no way…. So long, peeps. Happy procrastinating!

Source-Picture By Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels

February 22, 2025

CBDCs: The Future of Money or Just Another Digital Fad?

Ge-erdy Tech

Hey GEERDS, money’s been around forever—shells, gold coins, paper bills, and those shiny credit cards that make us feel rich (until the bill arrives). But hold up—there’s a new player in the game. No, it’s not Bitcoin. It’s not Dogecoin either (shoutout to Elon for the memes). It’s CBDCs—Central Bank Digital Currencies.

They’re like cash, but digital. Like crypto, but not wild. Like your bank balance, but without the sketchy middlemen. Some say they’re the future of money. Others think they’re just government-approved surveillance wrapped in a sleek digital wallet. So, what’s the real deal? Let’s dive in.

Catch a support chair or something, for this Reaper is going to change tones and sing you poetry.

What the Heck Are CBDCs?

Picture this: You’ve got cash in your pocket, but instead of physical bills, it’s just 1s and 0s chilling in a government-backed digital wallet. That’s what a CBDC is—digital currency issued by your country’s central bank, meaning it’s not decentralized like Bitcoin or Ethereum. It’s got the same value as your regular dollars, euros, or yen, but it exists purely in the digital realm.

Think of it like if your government decided to launch its own Venmo, but without the fees and with a whole lot more power over your transactions. Unlike Bitcoin, which fluctuates like a rollercoaster at Six Flags, a CBDC is stable, backed by the government, and won’t vanish overnight because some billionaire tweeted about it.

Source-Picture By Jakub Zerdzicki on Pexels

Why Are Countries Jumping on the CBDC Bandwagon?

The whole world seems to be having a serious case of FOMO when it comes to digital currencies. In May 2020, only 35 countries were exploring CBDCs. Fast forward to today, and 134 countries—representing a massive 98% of the world’s GDP—are deep into research, development, or pilot programs. That’s a glow-up if I’ve ever seen one.

One of the biggest reasons governments are racing to launch CBDCs is that cash is basically becoming a relic. Let’s be real, when was the last time you even carried cash? Exactly. Digital payments are taking over—Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and a dozen other apps make it way too easy to tap and go. CBDCs are a way for governments to keep up with the times.

Another major reason? Crypto is eating into the financial system. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoins like USDT have shown people that they don’t necessarily need banks to send or store money. And, let’s not forget China’s digital yuan—one of the first fully operational CBDCs—which is already processing billions in transactions. Other countries don’t want to get left behind.

And then there’s the efficiency factor. CBDCs promise faster transactions, lower fees, and more financial inclusion. Imagine being able to send money across borders instantly without your bank charging you an arm and a leg. Sounds good, right? Well, there’s a catch (or a few).

Source- Atlantic Council’s Global CBDC Tracker

The Good, The Bad, and The Glitchy

Now, before we all start celebrating a cash-free future, let’s talk about the pros and cons. Because while CBDCs sound like a financial utopia, they also have some serious red flags.

On the bright side, CBDCs could help billions of unbanked people get access to money. Right now, if you don’t have a bank account, you’re basically locked out of the digital economy. With CBDCs, all you need is a smartphone, and boom—you can store and send money instantly, no bank account required. That’s a game-changer for countries where traditional banking is limited.

Then there’s the speed and efficiency factor. If you’ve ever waited three business days for a bank transfer (which, let’s be honest, feels like an eternity), CBDCs promise to make transactions instant. Imagine sending money across borders in seconds, without outrageous fees. This could totally disrupt how remittances work—especially for families who rely on money sent from abroad.

But, here’s where it gets sketchy. Privacy is a HUGE concern. With physical cash, no one tracks what you buy, where you spend it, or how much you’ve got stuffed under your mattress. But with CBDCs? Every transaction could be monitored by the government. Some fear that this could lead to financial surveillance on a whole new level. Imagine living in a world where the government could limit what you spend based on your behavior. Spooky, right?

And let’s not forget about cybersecurity risks. We’ve seen major banks and financial institutions get hacked before—what happens if a country’s entire CBDC system gets compromised? It’s not like you can hide your cash under the bed when everything’s digital. A single cyberattack could cause chaos.

Then there’s the simple fact that people aren’t fully sold on CBDCs yet. In Nigeria, for example, the eNaira launched with a ton of hype, but adoption has been painfully slow—less than 0.5% of Nigerians actually use it. Turns out, just because something is new and digital doesn’t mean people will automatically trust it.

Real-World Trials and Tribulations

So, which countries are actually testing CBDCs? Some are diving in headfirst, while others are still dipping their toes.

China is leading the pack with its e-CNY (digital yuan). Since launching pilot programs, China has processed nearly $987 billion worth of transactions using its CBDC. That’s more than the GDP of some countries. The government is pushing for widespread adoption, and with a population of 1.4 billion people, this could be the biggest financial shift in decades.

Then there’s the Bahamas’ Sand Dollar, which was the first fully operational CBDC launched in 2020. It’s been a pretty successful experiment in digital currency, showing that even small island nations can lead the way in financial innovation.

And, of course, there’s Nigeria’s eNaira. Despite being one of the first African countries to roll out a CBDC, adoption rates have been shockingly low. Turns out, convincing people to switch from cash to digital isn’t as easy as flipping a switch.

The U.S. and European Union? They’re still playing it safe, researching and debating whether CBDCs are the move. The U.S. Federal Reserve is studying a digital dollar, but with privacy concerns and regulatory hurdles, it’s still a long way off.

Source-Headquarters Of The People's Bank Of China

The Road Ahead: Digital Utopia or Dystopia?

So, are CBDCs the future of money? Maybe. They have the potential to revolutionize finance, make transactions cheaper, and improve financial access. But they also come with major concerns—privacy, security, and government control over personal finances.

It all comes down to how they’re implemented. Will governments use CBDCs to empower people or to monitor every cent they spend? Will they truly be better than cash and crypto, or will they just be another way for banks and governments to maintain control?

For now, CBDCs are still an experiment. Some countries will embrace them, others will reject them, and a few might find the perfect balance between innovation and personal freedom.

One thing’s for sure—money is evolving. Whether CBDCs are a digital revolution or just another financial trend remains to be seen. But hey, if nothing else, at least we’ll have another fancy payment option to flex in the future.

What do you think? Are you ready to ditch cash for digital, or are you keeping your dollars right where they are? Let’s talk in the comments!

References:

Global CBDC Exploration: As of recent data, 134 countries, representing 98% of the world’s GDP, are exploring Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). This is a significant increase from May 2020, when only 35 countries were considering them.
atlanticcouncil.org
China’s Digital Yuan Transactions: China has conducted the world’s largest CBDC pilot scheme, with its digital yuan (e-CNY) transactions reaching nearly $987 billion.
reuters.com
eNaira Adoption in Nigeria: Despite being one of the first African countries to launch a CBDC, Nigeria’s eNaira has seen limited adoption. As of March 2024, the eNaira accounted for less than 1% of the total currency in circulation.
fintechmagazine.africa
Projected CBDC Issuance by 2030: A survey indicates that up to fifteen CBDCs are likely to be issued by 2030, reflecting the growing global interest and exploration in digital currencies.
elibrary.imf.org
Global CBDC Transaction Projections: The number of global payments made using CBDCs is projected to reach 7.8 billion by 2031, a significant increase from 307.1 million in 2024.
juniperresearch.com
eNaira Wallet Usage: Reports suggest that 98% of users have abandoned their eNaira wallets, indicating challenges in user retention and ongoing engagement.
africanliberty.org
eNaira Value Decline: The Central Bank of Nigeria reported a marginal decline in the value of the eNaira, dropping by 0.16% from N18.35 billion to N18.32 billion at the end of September 2024.
nairametrics.com
eNaira Circulation Increase: The value of eNaira in circulation rose by 302% in nine months, reaching N10.26 billion at the end of September 2023, reflecting increased adoption of Africa’s Central Bank Digital Currency.
vanguardngr.com
Consumer Attitudes Towards CBDCs: Surveys indicate that among respondents hesitant about adopting a CBDC, 32.5% would consider replacing cash, while 29.4% might replace credit cards.
philadelphiafed.org
Bank of England’s CBDC Exploration: The Bank of England is exploring the development of a wholesale CBDC aimed at facilitating large transactions between banks, aligning with a global trend among central banks to investigate tokenizing money through blockchain technology.
fnlondon.com

February 15, 2025

AI Trends 2025: How Artificial Intelligence Is Shaping the Future of Work, Innovation, and Life

Ge-erdy Tech

It really is 2025, GEERDs. We’re knee-deep in a world where AI is no longer just a sci-fi villain or the thing that recommends you weird Netflix movies. It’s now the hotshot celebrity of the tech world, stealing headlines and probably your job. Let’s break down the biggest AI trends of this year—because if you’re not paying attention, you’re missing out on the next Skynet or, at the very least, a robot that can finally make your morning coffee or be your next girlfriend(Why? Because some of you are worse than Kazuya when it comes to asking a girl out). I’m Reaper and now that Valentine’s is over. Let’s dive into the tech world.

Catch a support chair or something, for this Reaper is going to change tones and sing you poetry.

Frontier Foundation Models: The New Kings of the Jungle

The AI world is in a race. And it’s not just any race; it’s more cutthroat than The Hunger Games and as dramatic as every Taylor Swift album. Companies like OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Anthropic are battling it out to build the best “frontier” foundation models—the AI powerhouses that drive everything from chatbots to art generators. These models are designed to be general-purpose, enabling them to handle a wide range of tasks, from complex language translations to high-resolution image generation.

According to Wired, China’s DeepSeek model has entered the ring, offering similar capabilities at a fraction of the cost. Yes, China’s basically selling Gucci AI at Walmart prices. DeepSeek’s language comprehension is rumored to be 15% faster than GPT-4’s, making it a serious contender for the top spot.

These models are becoming as essential as Wi-Fi. They’re powering AI applications in customer service, education, entertainment, and even dating apps. Imagine swiping right on an AI-generated soulmate—it’s coming. Industries like healthcare, banking, and education are increasingly relying on AI foundation models for efficiency and scalability. Gartner’s recent report projects a 30% rise in AI-based enterprise solutions this year alone, and IDC predicts AI-related spending will hit $500 billion by the end of 2025.

AI: Your New Overlord (and Office Mate)

The corporate world is already being shaken up. And not just because Janet from HR keeps sending weird memes. Forget the junior developers—AI coding assistants are now taking over basic programming tasks. In fact, GitHub’s Copilot has seen a 40% increase in adoption this year. It’s been optimized to suggest entire blocks of code based on just a few keystrokes, reducing development times by up to 50%. If you’re a coder, maybe start learning pottery.

AI chatbots have evolved from their awkward 2020 phase (remember how they couldn’t even handle “talk to a human”?). Now, they’re slicker, faster, and can even handle Karen-level complaints. Deloitte predicts that 20% of entry-level tech jobs will be automated by the end of 2025. Humans are so 2024. The global automation market is expected to hit $300 billion by the end of 2025, driven largely by AI advancements.

Remote work, too, has been revolutionized by AI-driven project management platforms. Platforms like Asana and Trello now integrate AI assistants that can predict project delays and suggest resource reallocations, saving companies millions in lost productivity.

The Rise of AI Super-Apps

Imagine an app that does everything: answers emails, orders pizza, plans vacations, and even suggests break-up lines. Enter AI super-apps. Microsoft has integrated AI across its Office Suite. Your Excel sheet can now analyze trends and predict profits, while PowerPoint generates entire presentations (so no more 3 a.m. panic sessions).

Google’s Workspace AI feature helped businesses save an average of 12 hours per week. That’s 12 more hours for TikTok scrolling. Super-apps are also emerging in finance and healthcare, where AI integrates everything from budgeting tools to mental health support. Super-apps like WeChat are expanding globally, allowing users to access banking, shopping, social media, and healthcare services from one platform—a one-stop shop for your digital life.

China’s DeepSeek: The Underdog Turned Top Dog

While Silicon Valley dukes it out, China’s DeepSeek quietly slipped in like a dark horse in a rom-com. DeepSeek’s AI offers robust natural language processing (NLP) and image recognition capabilities for 30% less cost. Companies globally are flocking to it, and Silicon Valley execs are sweating more than contestants on The Bachelor. DeepSeek’s NLP capabilities reportedly outperform GPT-4 in contextual understanding and tone detection, making it a preferred choice for global corporations.

DeepSeek’s success marks a growing trend of innovation shifting to Asia. By 2025, Asian tech companies are projected to control 40% of the global AI market. Startups in South Korea and Japan are also emerging with niche AI solutions that focus on healthcare diagnostics and manufacturing efficiency.

AI’s Ethical Dilemmas: The Moral Compass is Broken

Ah, the age-old question: Just because we can build AI that writes Shakespearean sonnets about cats, should we? The repeal of certain AI regulations in the U.S. has left companies in limbo. No one knows if they’re pushing innovation or creating the next big disaster movie.

A recent study found that 65% of companies lack a clear ethical AI framework. That’s like giving a toddler a flamethrower. Despite progress, AI bias remains a significant problem. Research from MIT showed that some facial recognition models still have a 15% higher error rate for minority groups. IBM is leading the charge by rolling out transparency frameworks and audit trails, while the European Union is tightening its AI regulations through the proposed AI Act.

AI Everywhere: From Healthcare to Taco Orders

AI isn’t just confined to the tech bros anymore. It’s infiltrating every industry. AI diagnostic tools now boast 98% accuracy in identifying early-stage cancers. Your doctor might soon be a chatbot named Dr. Watson. AI has sped up drug development timelines by 30%. Companies like BioNTech are leveraging AI to create new vaccines and treatments faster than ever. Even mental health platforms like Woebot are using AI-driven therapies for cognitive behavioral therapy.

Domino’s new AI assistant can now predict your pizza cravings before you do. If that’s not black magic, what is? Walmart is using AI to optimize shelf stocking, ensuring that your favorite snacks are always within reach. The airline industry is also embracing AI for predictive maintenance, reducing flight delays and ensuring passenger safety.

AI’s Creative Takeover

Artists and writers, beware—AI is coming for your turf. AI-generated music is topping Spotify playlists, with platforms like Amper Music enabling anyone to create tracks in minutes. AI writing tools now generate novels, screenplays, and even ad copy. OpenAI’s ChatGPT has seen a surge in use for content creation, helping businesses pump out blog posts and marketing campaigns.

Platforms like DALL-E are redefining digital art, with AI-generated artwork fetching thousands at auctions. In the gaming industry, AI-generated NPCs (non-playable characters) are now capable of complex, dynamic conversations, creating more immersive experiences for players.

The Future of AI: What’s Next?

Looking ahead, AI’s trajectory shows no signs of slowing. The next frontier in AI development involves integrating quantum computing. By leveraging quantum algorithms, companies aim to solve previously unsolvable problems. AI is being deployed to combat climate change, from optimizing energy grids to monitoring deforestation with satellite imagery. Personalized AI assistants tailored to individual users’ preferences could become the norm by 2030. Think Siri, but way cooler—and possibly sassier.

AI is also venturing into autonomous transportation, with companies like Tesla and Waymo pushing for full self-driving capabilities. Advances in AI-powered language translation are expected to break down language barriers further, enabling real-time cross-cultural communication.

Final Thoughts: Buckle Up, GEERDS

2025 is shaping up to be the year AI stops being a novelty and becomes a necessity. Whether it’s answering emails, diagnosing diseases, or writing the next Oscar-winning script, AI is here to stay. So, strap in and maybe start making friends with our robot overlords.

For more details, check out these resources:

February 9, 2025

Game Development Journey #1: My First Steps, Designing a Simple Tetris Game in Python

Ge-erdy Games, Tech

Say, have you guys missed me? I haven’t been posting as many blogs as in the past. I do have a good reason (excuse). I’ve been interested in coding recently. Why? Well, I want to become a… game developer! Shocking, right? So, anyway, this blog is the start of a new series, one where I record how I slowly enter the game dev world AND MAKE IT MINE, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Sup gamers, Sloth here, and if you haven’t guessed already, today I’ll be partly explaining and partly advising how to not procrastinate, but fully bragging about my newly-learnt skill: Coding. The last two months or so, I’ve been coding now and then, so Reaper gave me a project out of nowhere. Make a basic game in Python. Now, you may know about game development. It involves creating a game from scratch and maintaining it. Now there are many stages to it. You first come up with a game plot, the characters, how it will be played, and more. Then, you create the game environments, characters and other visual assets. These are usually done by game engines and 3D software. After that, comes sound. This includes background music, character dialogues, fighting noises, if any, and others. Next, you write the code that brings all these together and create something that’s worthy of being called a game. Of course, you need to test your game and ensure its free of bugs and glitches. Finally, you release it to the platforms you want, and start promoting it.

So, as you can see, it’s a lot of work. Was I doing all this? Nah, I was said to create a game of Tetris, nothing else. And if you follow our YouTube and Instagram accounts, you’ve already seen how fast I was typing. Since this was a personal project, I didn’t give any comments or gaps, and the code was 122 lines. And it took me around 2 hours, heh. My genius is frightening.

Let’s start from the beginning. The coding I was doing was not related to game development so I had to research and learn many things. Here’s the way I thought of solving the problem. First, I create a game board to display the tetrominoes. I create a grid, where each cell will either be empty or contain a block. This information can be stored in a 2D grid, with 0’s corresponding to empty cells and 1’s to filled ones. Then, I design the tetrominoes. This will be easy as the shapes only have like four blocks each. There are seven shapes: I, O, T, L, J, S and Z, and their rotation can be handled by 2D matrices.

Next comes the movement. I need to move down the pieces every few milliseconds. They should also be able to move horizontally and rotate, provided they don’t collide. Which brings us to another important aspect. I need to check if a piece hits the bottom, overlaps with another block, or goes outside the grid. Also, if a piece hits the floor, or if there’s another piece under it, we need to lock it in place. And if a row is filled, it gets cleared and everything below it shifts down. The game-over condition will be if a new piece spawns and immediately collides with another piece.

I figured I needed four modules for this: pygame (for graphics, input handling and the game loop), random (for piece selection), time (for controlling the game speed), and sys (for smoothly exiting). So, I started by creating a 600×600 window for the game, filled it with black, and ran it at 30 fps so that your potato PC could run it. Next, I created a 20×20 grid, each cell being 30×30 pixels and bordered by grey lines. Yes, I made it square instead of a rectangle. Not only does this add a unique touch, but it also makes the game harder, befitting of a soulsborne player. I used the pygame.draw.rect() command to draw it. I stored this in a function draw_grid().

Then, I defined seven tetromino shapes as lists, assigned colours to them, and stored them in a dictionary for easy access. With that out of the way, I decided to spawn a random tetromino at the top of the grid. For that, I created a class Tetromino that creates a new piece with a random shape and colour. I defined a constructor to initialize a piece when it is created. It picks a random shape, gets the matrix for it, picks the colour and stores its position. And, I made a draw() function to draw the shape on the screen. It loops through the shape’s matrix and draws a solid rectangle wherever it encounters a 1. Next, I had to add movement. So, I added a timer and used pygame.time.get_ticks() to control speed.

I also added a move_down() function to control the vertical movement. The logic behind this was updating the y coordinate. Then, I added a move_horizontal() function that helped you move a shape left and right. To prevent it from going outside the grid, I used if 0<=new_x<=COLS-len(self.shape[0]). And, pygame.KEYDOWN() detected arrow presses.

Next, I added a rotate() function for rotating the pieces whenever I pressed the up arrow key. I used zip(*matrix[::-1]) to rotate the matrix.

Then, I added a grid to track placed blocks and added a check_collision() function to make sure blocks don’t overlap. I also updated the move_down() and rotate() functions to check for collisions, and created lock_piece() to lock the pieces in place as they reach the bottom. After that, it was time for clearing full rows, so I added clear_rows() to clear filled rows and move the blocks above it down by one space. Then, I inserted those cleared rows at the top.

I also added a score variable and a draw_score() to display it with the blit() command. Finally, I added a game over screen that stops the loop and displays when a piece gets locked at the top. After that, you can press R to play again.

That was the breakdown of the code I’ve written. I couldn’t explain all the lines, or the blog would be too long and… let’s face it, boring. I’ll upload the program to GitHub so that you can download it by clicking here. Have fun playing it, coz it’s harder than your typical Tetris game. Moral of the blog? THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. I’LL TAKE OVER THE GAMING INDUSTRY ONE DAY. So long, peeps. Happy procrastinating!

February 7, 2025

Do You Really Own Your Digital Content? Spoiler: Nope.

Ge-erdy Tech

Hey there, tech-savvy amigos! It’s your friendly neighborhood Reaper, slicing through the digital delusions you’ve been fed. You think you own that digital movie, game, or e-book you “bought”? Hate to break it to you, but you’re just renting with extra steps.

The Illusion of Ownership: You’re a Customer, Not an Owner

Remember that time you “purchased” the latest blockbuster on your favorite streaming platform? You probably thought, “Sweet, now I can watch this anytime!” But here’s the kicker: you’re not buying the movie; you’re buying a license to access it. And that license can be revoked faster than you can say “Chimichanga.”

Case Study: Amazon and Apple In 2019, Amazon Prime Video users noticed that movies they had “purchased” suddenly disappeared from their libraries. Amazon’s response? “You didn’t buy the movie; you bought a license to view it.” Apple has also removed movies from users’ iTunes libraries due to lost licensing agreements.

Statistic Alert! According to a 2023 report by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), over 32% of digital media purchases are at risk of removal due to licensing changes within five years of purchase. That means that one in three “purchases” could become ghost files.

Source: Screenshot by iamstevetay on reddit

License to Thrill… Until It’s Gone

Digital content often comes with terms of service that are longer than a mutant’s rap sheet. Buried in that fine print is the fact that your access can be yanked away if the platform loses licensing rights or decides to pull the plug. So, that epic game or must-read e-book? Poof! Gone.

The Tragic Tale of PlayStation’s Vanishing Library

In 2022, Sony announced that PlayStation users would lose access to hundreds of Discovery Channel shows they had purchased through the PlayStation Store. No refunds. No compensation. Just a digital “Sorry, not sorry.”

Source: PlayStation Fanatic article on the removal.

Music Streaming and the Case of the Disappearing Albums

Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal remove thousands of songs every year due to licensing disputes. In fact, Spotify removed over 70 million songs in 2021 alone due to copyright issues.

California Knows How to Party (and Legislate)

In a plot twist worthy of a superhero flick, California passed a law (AB 2426) requiring digital stores to fess up about the whole “you’re just licensing this” deal. Starting January 1, 2026, platforms must clearly state that you’re getting a license, not ownership(Cus well I don’t have expectations for this year). No more sneaky “buy” buttons without disclaimers. Transparency FTW!

But will this actually change anything? Maybe. But Big Tech has lawyers, and they know how to dance around regulations. Expect new, even more confusing fine print.

The Physical Media Advantage

Unlike digital purchases, physical media like DVDs, Blu-rays, and CDs grant you actual ownership. Once you buy them, they’re yours to keep, lend, or resell without the risk of losing access due to licensing changes or platform decisions.

The Vinyl Resurgence: Proof That Physical Still Rules

Despite the convenience of streaming, vinyl records outsold CDs in the U.S. for the first time since 1987, with 41 million units sold in 2022 (Recording Industry Association of America). Why? Because people want to own their music again.

Source: Associated Press article on United Record Pressing.

Gaming and the Digital Dilemma

The gaming industry is seeing a similar trend. According to a 2023 Statista report, 71% of gamers prefer physical copies for expensive titles, fearing digital revocation.

The Takeaway: What Can You Do?

Next time you’re about to click that tempting “Buy” button, remember: you’re entering a rental agreement with a fancy name. If you truly want to own your media, consider going old-school with physical copies. Otherwise, be prepared for the possibility that your digital treasures might vanish into the ether.

Pro Tips to Keep Your Content Safe:

Buy physical copies whenever possible. They can’t be deleted by a corporation.
Use DRM-free platforms like GOG for games, Bandcamp for music, and Humble Bundle for e-books.
Backup everything. External hard drives and NAS (Network Attached Storage) systems are your friends.
Read the fine print. Yeah, it sucks, but knowing your rights (or lack thereof) is key.

Stay savvy, my friends. And always read the fine print—it’s more thrilling than a fourth-wall break.

January 25, 2025

Gaming Phones: Devices Running Console Games With Smaller Screens

Ge-erdy Tech

Now, now, I know I haven’t posted in this category for quite some time now. And that’s why we’re here today! I had promised a blog on PC peripherals, but before that, I think I should do our mobile gaming friends some justice and make a blog about them too. Especially since phones are becoming more and more capable of doing heavy tasks that would’ve required a laptop some few years ago. I do know there hasn’t been any mobile game release recently that would push these top phones to their limits, but hey! Who can predict the future?

Sup peeps, Sloth here, and if you haven’t guessed already, today’s topic will be mobiles and their specs. We’ll go from low-range to mid-range, to top-of-the-line phones, where basically every mobile is a premium gaming one. Let’s begin, shall we?

Starting with lower budget phones, we got the Infinix GT 20 Pro at $259 approximately. It shares many similarities with its predecessor, Infinix GT 10 Pro, with the boxy body, sharp edges, the three rear cameras with neon strips in the background, and more. It is 7 grams heavier too, with 194 grams. We have the volume and power buttons on the right and a USB Type-C port at the bottom. Sadly, there’s no 3.5 mm audio jack. Let’s talk about the gaming aesthetics. There’s an RGB light setup at the back, with 8 colour combinations and 4 lighting effects. You can not only set custom lights for specific notifications, but the lights also adjust to the beats of the music you’re playing and sync with the game you’re running for that cool gamer look. The phone itself comes in 3 colour variations, Mecha Orange, Mecha Silver and Mecha Blue.

The Infinix GT 20 Pro offers a 6.78-inch (17.22 cm) Full-HD+ (1080×2346 pixels) AMOLED flat display with 144 Hz refresh rate and 1300 nits peak brightness. It features dual stereo JBL speakers. With MediaTek Dimensity 8200 Ultimate, 8 GB/12 GB LPPDR5X RAM and 256 GB 3.1 storage, it’s AnTuTu score is… wait for it… 936985!!! Yes, close to a million and it’s not even $300! It even has a dedicated graphics chip made with PixelWorks which enhances SDR content to HDR. It utilises VC Liquid cooling tech, and also has a GT Cooling Fan you can buy separately for greater cooling. There is a 108 MP main camera with OIS, and two 2 MP cameras for macro and portrait shots. It also has a 32 MP punch-hole front camera. Speaking of battery, it has 5000 mAh and 45 W charging. In PCMark’s battery test, it took nearly 10 hours for the battery to drop from 100 to 20 percent. In short, this phone is perfect if you’re a gamer with a tight budget. But keep it in mind, there are other phones with better cameras in this segment.

Moving over to mid-budget, we have OnePlus 12R at $499, for those who want a flagship phone but at a lower price. The display looks premium, with curved glasses on the front and back and a solid matte aluminium frame. There are 3 colour variants, Iron Gray, Cool Blue and Sunset Dune. It’s got that big circular camera module that can only be found in OnePlus mobiles. It features a 6.78-inch (17.22 cm) AMOLED curved display (2780×1264 pixels) with 120 Hz refresh rate and 4500 nits peak brightness. It has IP64 rating, stereo speakers and weighs 207 grams. There is also an IR sensor at the top and an alert slider on the left. You also get features like Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support.

It is powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with 8 GB/16 GB LPDDR5X RAM and 128 GB UFS 3.1/256 GB UFS 4.0 storage, and offers OxygenOS 14 based on Android 14. Its AnTuTu score is 1473559. OnePlus promises 3 years of software updates and 4 years of security updates for the OnePlus 12R, a year less than what the company is offering with the OnePlus 12. The camera department sets this phone fairly apart from the flagships, as it uses the same cameras it did in OnePlus 11R. A 50 MP Sony IMX890 main camera with OIS, 8 MP ultra-wide, 2 MP macro and 16 MP front camera. You can record steady videos up to 4K 60 fps with the primary sensor.

It has a 5500 mAh battery and 100 W charging support. The phone also delivered an impressive 20 hours in the PCMark battery test. The R series in OnePlus’ lineup has reached a point where you question whether it makes sense to invest in the brand’s premium flagship. The OnePlus 12R gets several terrific upgrades which would make me suggest it over the OnePlus 12 purely for the value it offers, with the camera being the only downside. Simply put, I would recommend the OnePlus 12R to anyone looking for a fast Android phone with a clean software experience and good battery life, but not to someone looking for pro-grade cameras.

At the top budget, almost every phone can run games extremely well. There’s iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung S25 Ultra for those who want cameras, performance and display all together, but we will focus on two other phones. First, Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro has 6.78-inch (17.22 cm) AMOLED display with 2500 nits peak brightness and 165 Hz, with a Game Sense feature that bumps it up to 185 Hz. It also has IP68 dust and water resistance. Gaming is still where Asus’ smartphones set themselves apart, and AirTriggers, Asus’ version of shoulder buttons, is one of the most unique ways that they do so. They also have haptic feedback for added immersion. There’s an AniMe version that creates a display on the back with 648 LEDs. You can display time, battery level, a custom GIF or even play a couple of games.

As one would expect from a flagship smartphone, especially one focused on performance, the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro boasts a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, with a whopping 24 GB LPDDR5X RAM and 1 TB 4.0 storage. The cameras include a 50 MP Sony Lytia 700 main camera with 6-axis hybrid gimbal image stabilization, 32 MP telephoto camera, 13 MP ultrawide camera and a 32 MP front camera. There is a 5800 mAh battery and supports 65 W fast charging. The AnTuTu score is 3110000 and gave more than 13 hours in the PCMark test.

The 2nd phone we will talk about is the REDMAGIC 10 Pro featuring a 6.85-inch (17.39 cm) AMOLED display with 2000 nits peak brightness and 144 Hz refresh rate. It comes in 4 colour variants, Moonlight, Dusk, Shadow and Lightspeed. Speaking of performance, it has the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset too, with 24 GB LPDDR5X Ultra RAM and 1 TB UFS 4.1 Pro ROM, making multi-tasking a breeze, even more so than other flagships. It also has an AI-powered chip, the Red Core R3 for double frame insertion, 2K upscaling and more. As usual, it has dual stereo speakers, enhanced by DTS Ultra certification and Qualcomm Snapdragon sound.

The cameras are a 50 MP main camera with OIS (duh), a 50 MP ultrawide, a 2 MP macro and a 16 MP under display front camera. Yes, the front camera is under the screen, so its not visible. You can record 8k videos at 30 fps with the main camera. And there’s no camera bump on the back, the body is fully flat. And… that starts the list of unique features this phone has. There’s a 7050 mAh dual battery and 100 W fast charging. The thing that sets this phone completely apart? A high-speed turbofan that has cool RGB lights and a speed of 23000 RPM. The AnTuTu score is 3102960 and PCMark test gives 11 hours.

So, that was it for today. Hope you found something to your liking. There are many other phones you can game on, but that would make the blog too long. Let us know down in the comments which phone you’re using and/or plan to buy. Moral of the blog? I’ll probably buy Nothing 3a Plus when it comes out. So long, peeps. Happy procrastinating!

December 31, 2024

Console VS PC: How Much Money You Got?

Ge-erdy Tech

This entire week, we’ve been talking about games, movies and animes. Well, movies and animes you can watch with just a mobile and a Wi-Fi connection. Games, on the other hand? Nah, those bad boys chew through your dollars faster than a hungry racoon in a trash can buffet. Especially if you’re a PC gamer. With all the constant ‘need’ to keep upgrading your setup, you’ll often find yourself staring at the cavernous depths of your empty wallet, questioning if that shiny new GPU was worth surviving on instant noodles for a month.

Sup peeps, Sloth here, and today we’re gonna be discussing nerd stuff. Or tech stuff, whichever suits your tongue. First, we’ll be looking at consoles. And then, we’ll move over to PCs. Beginning with…

Xbox

Owned by Microsoft, it was first introduced in the US in November 2001. The 1^st Generation of Xbox had a 733 MHz 32-bit Intel Pentium III CPU and a 233 MHz NVIDIA custom GeForce 3 NV2A DirectX 8.0 based GPU with 64 MB DDR SDRAM. It has sold roughly 24 million units. The launch price was $300.

Four years later, we saw the release of Xbox 360. Launched at $300 again, it contained a 3.2 GHz IBM PowerPC tri-core CPU and a 500 MHz ATi custom Radeon X1800 DirectX 9.0c based GPU with 512 MB of GDDR3 RAM. It has sold over 84 million units.

On November 22, 2013, the Xbox One was released at $500. Having sold over 58 million units, it features a 1.75 GHz AMD x86-64 eight-core CPU and a 853 MHz AMD Radeon HD 7000 series DirectX 11.1, DirectX 12 based GPU with 8 GB of DDR3 RAM. In August 2, 2016, an S version at $300 was released with the GPU upgraded to 914 MHz AMD Radeon HD 7000 series DirectX 11.1, DirectX 12 based GPU. It introduced support for 4k gaming. Again, in November 7, 2017, Xbox One X came out boasting a 2.3 GHz semi-custom AMD x86-64 eight-core CPU and a 1172 MHz AMD GCN DirectX 11.1, DirectX 12 based GPU with 12 GB of GDDR5 RAM. This version fully supported 4K gaming at 60 fps and was priced at $500.

The Xbox Series was launched on November 10, 2020. It had 2 variants, an S version at $300 and an X version at $500. The S version had a 3.6 GHz custom AMD Zen 2 eight-core CPU and a 1550 MHz AMD Custom RDNA 2 DirectX 12 based GPU with 10 GB of GDDR6 RAM. It could render at 1440p in 60 fps with support for 4K upscaling. And then there was the beast: X version. With a 3.8 GHz custom AMD Zen 2 eight-core CPU and a 1825 MHz AMD Custom RDNA 2 DirectX 12 based GPU with 16 GB of GDDR6 RAM, it supported gaming at 8K at 60 fps and 4K at 120 fps.

PlayStation

Owned by Sony, it was first introduced in Japan in December 1994. The PS was priced at $300 and had a R3000A 32bit RISC chip. Released the following year, the PS1 was released in July, 2000.

On march 4, 2000, the PS2 was released at $300. It had a 300 MHz MIPS “Emotion Engine” and a 147 MHz “Graphics Synthesizer”. A Slimline version was released on October 29, 2004 at $150.

The next one had 3 versions: PS3 at $600, PS3 Slim at $300 and PS3 Super Slim at $270. They were released on November 11, 2006, August 27, 2009 and September 25, 2012 respectively. It had a 3.2 GHz Power ISA 2.03-based PPE with eight 3.2 GHz SPE and a 550 MHz RSX “Reality Synthesizer” (based on Nvidia G70 architecture) 192 – 251.2 GFLOPS.

PS4 had Slim and Pro versions too on top of the original. The original was released on November 15, 2013 at $400 for 500 GB, the Slim on September 15, 2016 at $350 for 1 TB, and the Pro on November 10, 2016 at $400 for 1 TB. The PS4 and PS4 Slim had 8-Core 1.6 GHz AMD, and the PS4 Pro had 8-Core 2.1 GHz AMD.

PS5 had 3 similar versions. PS5 was released on November 12, 2020 at $500 for 825 GB, the Slim on November 10, 2023 at $500 for 1TB, and the Pro on November 7, 2024 at $700 for 2 TB. All had 8-Core variable frequency (3.5 GHz capped) AMD “Zen 2”.

PC

Ho ho ho! So, you’ve decided you wanna up your game. You’re gonna spend those big bucks for the mods, the repacks, ahh good old PC gaming! There are lots of combinations you can try. CPUs are provided by Intel and AMD, while GPUs are provided by both of them and also NVIDIA.

Right now, the latest Intel processor you can buy is the Intel Core i9-14900K. it has 24 cores, with 8 P-cores and 16 E-cores, and 32 threads. A base clock speed of 3.2 GHz, which can be increased to 6 GHz. There’s also 36 MB of Intel Smart Cache and 32 MB of L2 Cache. It’ll require a base power of 125 W and 253 W at maximum turbo. It does come with an integrated GPU Intel UHD Graphics 770, but we’ll use others. And the price? $600. Heh. Already above PS5 Pro.

Let’s come to AMD. The latest is AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, with 16 cores and 32 threads. The base clock speed is 4.3 GHz and the maximum is 5.7 GHz. The L2 cache is 16 MB and L3 is 64 MB. The default TDP is 170 W. BTW, it costs $650.

Let’s talk GPUs. A work of art, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, with AD102 processor, 16,384 shading units, 24 GB memory and GDDR6X memory type. It has a TDP of 450 W, and we suggest a PSU of 850 W to go with it. It costed a whopping $1600 at launch.

The 2^nd best GPU on the market is arguably the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX, with Navi 31 processor, 6144 shading units, 24 GB memory and GDDR6 memory type. It has a TDP of 355 W, our suggested PSU being 750 W. The launch price was $999.

Now, it depends on your budget what you want to buy. For console gaming, you need a console, a screen, a controller, and games. For example, the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $20 per month and you can download more than 100 games for console and PC. And the PlayStation Plus Premium costs $18 per month, with up to 340 titles in the game library. Now, we won’t be talking about peripherals, coz that would make this blog insanely big, but maybe in our next tech blog. Oh, and one last warning. Once you’ve experienced the beauty of an OLED screen, there’s no going back. Hold that thought till we meet again. So long, peeps. Happy procrastinating!