Samsung just launched the highly-anticipated Galaxy S24 FE smartphone in four main colour options! Take a look at all four main colour options, and tell us which YOU prefer!
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE : 4 Main Colour Options!
Samsung just launched the new Galaxy S24 FE (Fan Edition) smartphone, and it will be available in four main pastel colours:
Graphite
Grey
Blue
Mint
Samsung will not be offering any exclusive colour options on its online store, but will instead offer a 5th colour option in certain regions:
Yellow
I was amongst the few to get an early look at the Galaxy S24 FE, and here is my comparison video of all four main colour options! Do let us know which YOU prefer!
Samsung is making all four colour options, as well as the fifth limited Yellow colour, available for purchase from 26 September 2024 onwards, at these price points :
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched the highly-anticipated Galaxy S24 FE (Fan Edition) smartphone, and here is our hands-on preview in all four main colours!
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE : My Hands-On Experience
I was one of the few who had the rare opportunity to get my hands on not one, but four Samsung Galaxy S24 FE smartphones, which allowed us to do a proper colour comparison.
And now, I present to you – my own hands-on experience with the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE smartphone… in all four main colours!
I apologise for the slightly shaky video – Samsung still insists that I do not take photos or record videos with a smartphone, even though it’s their own Galaxy S24 Ultra!
The first thing you will notice is that Samsung maintained the same basic design from last year’s Galaxy S23 FE. It may not look like it, but the new S24 FE is slightly bigger thanks to a larger 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display – up from 6.3-inch.
What’s also not readily apparent is the upgraded protection courtesy of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+, instead of last year’s Gorilla Glass 5. Overall, it feels slightly larger and heavier in my hands.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE now has a flat aluminium frame, instead of a rounded edge. This new design makes the device look thicker, even though it’s actually slightly thinner.
At the bottom, you will find the USB port, as well as the speaker and microphone ports. The Power and Volume control buttons are located on the right side. At the top, you will find more microphone ports, as well as the SIM tray.
In the front, the Galaxy S24 FE still sports the same 10 MP camera in a display punch hole. At the back, you will find the same triple camera combination of a 50 MP Dual Pixel camera, a 12 MP ultra wide-angle camera, and an 8 MP telephoto camera with 3X optical zoom.
The Galaxy S24 FE is powered by Samsung’s own Exynos 2400e, which is a slightly detuned 10-core flagship processor – its Cortex X4 core runs at just 3.11 GHz, instead of 3.21 GHz in the Exynos 2400. That said, it will be kept cool by a 11% larger vapour chamber.
All Galaxy S24 FE models will come with 8 GB of RAM, and storage options of 256 GB and 512 GB for most parts of the world, and 128 GB for certain regions. It is also IP68-rated for dust and water-resistance, so it will withstand immersion in up to 1.5 metres of freshwater for up to 30 minutes.
Finally, the Galaxy S24 FE comes with a slightly larger 4,700 mAh battery – up from 4,500 mAh in last year’s Galaxy S23 FE. Together with a more efficient 4nm processor, that larger battery should deliver better battery life. It supports 25 watt wired fast charging, as well as wireless charging at up to 15 watts.
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE Specifications
Here are the key specifications of the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE:
Samsung is making all four colour options, as well as the fifth limited Yellow colour, available for purchase from 3 October 2024 onwards, at these price points :
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did an Indian company called Nagarjuna Cement mock the September 11 attack in its controversial advertisement?! Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Nagarjuna Cement mocks September 11 attack in viral video!
People are sharing a video which purportedly shows a controversial advertisement by Nagarjuna Cement mocking the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States.
The viral video shows an airliner flying into a tall building and bouncing off it, instead of exploding. The airplane then reverses and goes around the building, suggesting that the building was simply too hard to take down.
Translated : his cement is impressive, and the airplane head is also very hard 😂 #fyp #viral #recommended #didn’t expect that #India
Circulating on WhatsApp : India Cement advertisement that upset USA. 🤣
印度水泥广告 美国人震怒！
President-Elect Togo : This Indian ad is saying if you used their cement, 9/11 wouldn’t have happened
Remington 870 : Indian commercial showing how strong Indian cement is compared to U.S. that, 9/11 could never happen if built with Indian materials. 9/11 suggest U.S does tofu construction, no other countries building would collapse this easily.
Truth : Nagarjuna Cement did not create video mock September 11 attack!
This is yet another example of fake news circulating on TikTok, YouTube, and social media platforms, and here are the reasons why…
Nagarjuna Cement did not create that 9/11 attack advertisement
First, let me just point out that Nagarjuna Cement did not create any viral advertisement mocking the September 11 attack on one of the World Trade Center towers.
If that was really the case, it would have been reported widely by media outlets all over the world. Yet, there has been no legitimate news report of any Nagarjuna Cement advertisement mocking the 9/11 attacks.
Nagarjuna Cement refuted claims it created the video
Nagarjuna Cement itself publicly refuted (archive) the claim that it created the video as an advertisement on its account on X (formerly Twitter) on 20 March 2024:
Kind Attn: For the past few days this meme has been circulated on social media platforms.We would like everyone to know that we have nothing to do with this content or the creator and we wish to report the illegal usage of our copyrighted/trademark brand logo and our ad content.
The viral Nagarjuna Cement advertisement mocking the September 11 attack on the Twin Towers was actually created from two separate video clips.
The first 5 seconds was taken from a 3D animation of an airliner bouncing off a World Trade Center tower, with the bonk sound effect, that was created by animator Wraysque and posted on YouTube on 20 February 2024.
When someone mentioned to Wraqsque that the video was being used in the Nagarjuna Cement video, he/she said:
lmao,,, i dont think they ever mentioned my channel on their vid, glad u found my channel, here is a cookie
The second part was taken from the last 13 seconds of an actual Nagarjuna advertisement that was posted on YouTube more than 3 years ago – on 13 May 2021.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Was Celine Dion forced to attend her son’s wedding in a wheelchair after suffering from Stiff Person Syndrome?! Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2024-09-13 : Added new video, and updates. Originally posted @ 2023-04-13
Claim : Celine Dion attended her son’s wedding in a wheelchair!
People are sharing videos on YouTube, TikTok and social media platforms, which claim to show Celine Dion attending her son’s wedding in a wheelchair, after being diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome.
It’s just so heart breaking to watch !!
Singer Celine Dion attending her son’s wedding, she was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition known as stiff-person syndrome.
A reminder that health is the most important aspect of life…..
shishillah : Celine Dion gets up from her wheelchair to dance with her son
christfm993 : So pathetic. Everything in Life is temporary. The famous successful singer Celine Dion can no longer walk nor lift any part of her body.
Truth : Celine Dion did not attend her son’s wedding in a wheelchair!
This is yet another example of fake news created to go viral on YouTube, TikTok and social media platforms, and here are the reasons why…
Celine Dion revealed her diagnosis in December 2022
First, let’s start with a quick recap on Celine Dion’s Stiff Person Syndrome diagnosis.
Celine Dion (born Céline Marie Claudette Dion on 30 March, 1968) announced in an emotional video on 8 December 2022, that she had been struggling with health issues for a long time.
She did not mention how long ago she started experiencing muscle spasms, but they became so “severe and persistent” that on 19 October 2021, she delayed her Las Vegas residency. Then on 15 January 2022, she was forced to cancel the US and Canadian concerts from 9 March to 22 April 2022.
It was only recently that the muscle spasms Celine Dion was suffering from was diagnosed as Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) – a rare neurological disorder with features of an autoimmune disease.
I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time. And it’s been really difficult for me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through.
Recently I’ve been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called Stiff Person Syndrome which affects something like one-in-a-million people.
While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what’s been causing all of the spasms I’ve been having.
Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to.
That lady was Kathy Poirier, not Celine Dion
The lady in the wheelchair was not Celine Dion, but a 55 year-old mother called Kathy Poirier from Florida.
Kathy Poirier suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is a progressive nervous system disease that causes a loss of muscle control.
When her 28 year-old son, Zak Poirier, married Anja d’Adesky, 27, on 9 April 2022, she had already lost the ability to walk, and arrived in a wheelchair.
The viral videos were edited to show Celine Dion (really Kathy Poirier) being lifted to hug her son who tears up, before she is placed back on her wheelchair.
In the real video, Kathy actually danced with her son on his wedding day! In his now-deleted Instagram post, Zak explained:
My Mom was diagnosed with ALS shortly before I graduated law school. Since that time, I’ve watched her bravely fight her diagnosis and challenge the odds against her.
Despite not being able to stand on her own, my Mom and I shared a dance at my wedding. She inspires me every day to be humble, kind and selfless. Love you Mom.
On that day, Zak and his two brothers escorted her to the dance floor for the mother-son dance. The three brothers then lifted her off the wheelchair.
With his brothers holding her upright, Kathy Poirier was able to dance with Zak that day. Her sons then lowered her back onto her wheelchair while their guests gave them a standing ovation.
Their wedding planner, Root to Stems also posted a video on Instagram, which went viral last year.
Celine Dion can still stand and walk
Just to be clear, Celine Dion is not suffering from ALS, but from SPS – Stiff Person Syndrome.
As of September 2024, Celine Dion is able to stand and walk on her own, as well as sing and act. In fact, she just finished a commercial for L’Oréal Paris.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did football legend Cristiano Ronaldo just die suddenly in a tragic car accident?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2024-08-26 : Added a fact check video and new updates.
Updated @ 2024-03-21 : Added new updates, including a new photo. Originally posted @ 2023-04-18
Claim : Cristiano Ronaldo just died suddenly in tragic car crash!
People are claiming on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and social media that football legend Cristiano Ronaldo just died suddenly in a tragic car accident, with photos of the car accident and his funeral procession!
YouTube : Cristiano ronaldo no more || ronaldo death || UR Cristiano || cristiano ronaldo || ronaldo || death
Truth : Cristiano Ronaldo did not die suddenly in tragic car crash!
This is yet another example of fake news created and propagated by people to generate income from page / video views and advertising, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Cristiano Ronaldo is still alive + well!
Cristiano Ronaldo (born Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro on 5 February 1985) is still very much alive and well, as of Monday, 26 August 2024!
Of course, you will want “proof of life”, don’t you? Well, Ronaldo posted a photo of himself on Monday, 26 August 2024, which showed him at the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia, where the host nation’s “Team Falcons” won the $7 million prize money.
Obviously, Ronaldo is not only alive, he’s very healthy.
Fact #2 : No legitimate media outlet reported Ronaldo’s death
These social media posts, as well as YouTube and Facebook videos have been circulating for months now, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported on Cristiano Ronald’s death!
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the world’s best footballers and a mega celebrity. His death would have been covered extensively by the media across the globe!
Yet, no legitimate media outlet has reported that Cristiano Ronaldo died recently from any cause. Why should you believe no-name websites, or random YouTube / Facebook / TikTok videos?
There is also the inconvenient fact that there has been no massive outpouring of grief from his millions of fans.
Fact #3 : Viral car crash photo was from 2009
The viral photo of a badly damaged car is genuine, and shows a car in which Cristiano Ronaldo drove and crashed. However, that happened 15 years ago, when the Portuguese footballer was just 23 years old!
At 10:20 am on 8 January 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo crashed his Ferrari sports car into a roadside barrier in a tunnel on the A538 Wilmslow Road near the Manchester airport, on the way to train with the Manchester United team.
The car was badly damaged, with one of the front wheels sheared off and thrown over a hundred metres away. However, Cristiano Ronaldo was not injured, and got out of his car by himself, and later went on to train that morning.
Fact #4 : Cristiano Ronaldo accident and funeral photos are fake!
Because Cristiano Ronaldo never died in a car crash or a hospital, these fake news creator have to resort to using photos from other accidents or funerals.
For example, this photo does not show a screenshot of a news report about Cristiano Ronald’s tragic car accident, in which the other car fled the scene.
The fake news creator simply used a photo from a tragic accident in the Portuguese island of Madeira, where a tour bus swerved off a winding street and tumbled down a hill, killing at least 29 people and injuring dozens of other passengers.
To make it more convincing, the fake news creator added the LIVE and BREAKING NEWS chyrons to the image. Needless to say, Cristiano Ronaldo was not onboard the tour bus. He was never there, never mind injured or killed in that April 2019 tragedy.
In this example, the fake news creator merely added an inset photo of Cristiano Ronaldo with an arrow, a crying emoji and a LIVE chyron, to a photo of the funeral procession of IRA veteran Bobby Storey, which occurred on 30 June 2020.
If you take a closer look, you will see a bagpiper and Argos – a retailer operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland. You may also notice that everyone’s white! That’s because the photo was taken in Belfast, not Portugal!
Cristiano Ronaldo is Portuguese. Why on Earth would his funeral be held in Ireland?! And why would his family want a bagpiper at his funeral?!
Fact #5 : Ronaldo death hoax is driven by fake fact check too
This Cristiano Ronaldo death hoax is, ironically, just another fake fact check article by MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in their fake fact check article:
News of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the March 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the 39-year-old footballer is alive and well.
Rumors of the footballer’s alleged demise gained traction on Sunday after a ‘R.I.P. Cristiano Ronaldo’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the Portuguese footballer’s passing:
“At about 11 a.m. ET on Saturday (August 24, 2024), our beloved footballer Cristiano Ronaldo passed away. Cristiano Ronaldo was born on February 5, 1985 in Funchal. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.
Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 39-year-old footballer was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.
Where as some trusting fans believed the post, others were immediately skeptical of the report, perhaps learning their lesson from the huge amount of fake death reports emerging about celebrities over recent months. Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major Portuguese network, indicating that it was a fake report, as the death of a footballer of Cristiano Ronaldo’s stature would be major news across networks.
Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Cristiano Ronaldo Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.
Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.
Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did football legend Lionel Messi just die suddenly in a tragic car crash?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2024-08-17 : Updated with new information
Updated @ 2023-09-24 : Added video fact check and comparison! Originally posted @ 2023-04-20
Claim : Lionel Messi died suddenly in a tragic car crash!
People are sharing TikTok and YouTube videos which claim that football legend Lionel Messi just died suddenly in a high-speed car accident, with photos of the tragic car crash!
detlokalehotel : Messi died in a car crash #messi #died #in #a #car #crash #rip #rip #ripmessi
#fyp #soccer #messi #dead rest in peace legend👑⚽️🕊️
LIONEL MESSI DIES IN UNBELIEVABLE CAR CRASH
Messi, Xavi and Christiano dead after car accident
#Rip Messie Messie❤️ respect for Messie ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️⚽️🥅
Messie the best of the world ❤️🇦🇷❤️❤️#Messie
INFO CHOC: Lionel Messi est décédé
SHOCK INFO: Lionel Messi has died
There is even an example in which people claim that Lionel Messi died after Ronaldo fans killed him outside his home:
gavixamp : #messi #death Today marks the 2 year death of footballer Lionel Messi after Ronaldo fans killed him outside his home
Truth : Lionel Messi did not die suddenly in a tragic car crash!
This is yet another example of fake news created and propagated by people to generate income from page / video views and advertising, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : No legitimate media reported Lionel Messi died
These social media posts, as well as YouTube and TikTok videos have been circulating for months now, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media outlet has reported on Lionel Messi’s death!
Lionel Messi is one of the world’s best footballer and a mega celebrity. His death would have been covered extensively by the media across the globe! And his fans would have mourned his death on social media.
Yet, no legitimate media outlet has reported that Lionel Messi died recently from any cause, never mind a tragic car accident. Neither has there been any outpouring of grief from his millions of fans.
So why should you believe no-name websites, or random YouTube / TikTok videos???
Fact #2 : Lionel Messi is still alive and well!
Lionel Messi (born Lionel Andrés Messi on 24 June 1987) is still very much alive and well, as of Saturday, 17 August 2024. He did not die in a tragic car accident. Neither was he killed by Ronaldo fans outside his home.
Of course, you want proof of life, right? What you should be asking is the proof of death when you see social media claims that some celebrity or athlete has died. But I digress…
Well, Lionel Messi himself posted a photo with his family on 12 August 2024. As you can see, not only is he very much still alive, his family looks great!
To convince you that Lionel Messi died (even though he’s still alive), fake news creators had to make use of unrelated car crashes.
In this example, the video claimed that Lionel Messi, Xavi, and Cristiano Ronaldo, died in this car accident.
The truth is – that is a photo of a Ferrari 599 that crashed in October 2009, on the Great Ocean Road in southern Victoria, Australia. The driver was a 64 year-old man called Carlo Vaccari.
Mr. Vaccari lost control while driving his Ferrari 599 at 80 km/h and ploughed into two motorcyclists travelling in the opposite direction. He was convicted of careless driving, but only fined $3000.
Fact #4 : This car accident photo was posted in 2014
It is unknown when this car accident happened, but this photo was posted by WreckedExotics.com on August 13, 2014.
Apparently, the driver lost control of his Ferrari 458 Italia while trying to overtake another car, and crashed into a trash bin. The driver left the scene of the accident, possibly under the influence of drugs / alcohol.
Even though this incident happened in Madrid, Spain, this photo is old and has nothing to do with Lionel Messi.
This photo does not show Lionel Messi’s fatal car crash. This accident actually occurred at around 9 PM on 1 September 2012, at the E42 highway near Francorchamps in Belgium.
The driver was a 63 year-old man from Saint-Ghislain, and was obviously not Lionel Messi.
Fact #6 : Lionel Messi death hoax is driven by fake fact check too
This Lionel Messi death hoax is, ironically, also fuelled by MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in its fake fact check article:
News of footballer Lionel Messi’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the January 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the 37-year-old footballer is alive and well.
Rumors of the footballer’s alleged demise gained traction on Sunday after a ‘R.I.P. Lionel Messi’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the Argentine footballer’s passing:
“At about 11 a.m. ET on Thursday (August 15, 2024), our beloved footballer Lionel Messi passed away. Lionel Messi was born on June 24, 1987 in Rosario. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”
Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 36-year-old footballer was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.
Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Lionel Messi Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.
He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.
Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.
Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did the Americans try to hide the logo on a new Chinese crane with the US flag, so that people won’t know that they were made in China?
Take a look at the new viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Did the US hide logo of new Chinese crane with US flag?
People are sharing a video showing the US flag falling from a Chinese crane, revealing the ZPMC logo, together with this message :
During opening ceremony of new gantry cranes in USA. A sudden gust of wind blew away the board covering Chinese brand name. You can see the board is black on one side and has American flag on the other.
What an embarrassment trying to hide the Chinese made cranes.
Truth : The US did not hide logo of new Chinese crane with US flag!
The video is genuine, but taken out of context. Here are the facts…
Fact #1 : Video was recorded on 29 March 2013
The viral message was intentionally vague on when it happened, suggesting that it was new. The truth is – the video was recorded many years ago – on 29 March 2013 in Miami, Florida.
At that time, the President of the United States was Barack Obama, not Joe Biden or Donald Trump.
Fact #2 : It was not an opening ceremony of any kind
The viral message said that this incident happened during an “opening ceremony of new gantry cranes” in the United States. That is completely FALSE.
The video was recorded at the Port of Miami Tunnel project in Miami, Florida – just before President Obama spoke about his infrastructure plan.
It was related to the Port of Miami tunnel project on Dodge Island, which would connect the port to the interstate highway system, and had nothing to do with the gantry cranes.
As President Obama was going to speak about shipping “products made in America” through ports like the Port of Miami, so it would have been awkward optics to have Chinese logos in the background.
Therefore, members of the White House advance team decided to cover up the ZPMC logo with a US flag. Not only did the ZPMC have Chinese characters, it was also a Chinese state-owned company. Awkward indeed!
Fact #4 : They left the ZPMC logo visible
After wind blew the American flag off the logo, a member of the White House team went onto the gantry to retrieve the flag. But instead of putting it back over the logo, he shifted the American flag to the side of the gantry.
Ultimately, the ZPMC logo was left visible during President Obama’s speech, as this picture shows.
They were more than 8 years old when President Obama spoke at the Port of Miami in 2013, and more than 16.5 years old when this fake news started circulating in 2021.
So the claim that the Americans were trying to pass off new Chinese cranes as American-made cranes is nothing but fake news.
Now that you know the truth, please SHARE this fact check so other people won’t be fooled by it!
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
If the watermelon you bought is rubbery, does that mean it is fake or the result of genetic modification?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Watermelon is rubbery because it’s fake or GMO!
Videos of rubbery watermelons are being shared on WhatsApp and social media, with people claiming or suggesting that they are fake watermelons, or the result of genetic modification (GMO)!
🍉Rubbery watermelons can be a result of genetic modifications (GMO) that change the texture. These modifications might affect the quality and nutrition of the fruit.
this.is.what.happns.next : What’s going on with our food? #food #fake #rubberwatermelon #fyp #fypシ゚ #xyzabc #scary #rubberfood #fakefood #creepy
Ernest Odukwe : GMO Foods r Dangerous.Rubbery Watermelon.
Cancer management is a multi billion dollar business. How would you eat this and be normal? Why is cancer a household name in America? If we don’t reject GMO vehemently now, we r headed for trouble. #SayNotoGMO #BanGmoImmediately
This is yet another example of misinformation on food safety, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Watermelon becomes rubbery when overripe
Let me start by quickly pointing out that any rubbery watermelon you may purchase or consume is not fake, or made of plastic. Neither is the rubbery texture due to genetic modification (GMO).
Rather, all watermelons develop a rubbery texture when they become too ripe. This rubbery “phase” occurs before the watermelon begins to decompose, producing a grainy, crumbly texture.
As Rachel Syngo, chief marketing officer of the National Watermelon Promotion Board explained:
All watermelons will begin to have a rubber-like texture eventually as a part of the breakdown process This is a naturally occurring phase in all watermelons before they begin to get a grainy texture and truly begin to decompose.
To be clear – all those videos showing watermelons with a rubbery texture are simply videos of overripe watermelons. They are not evidence of fake watermelons, or GMO watermelons.
Despite claims or suggestions that such rubbery watermelons may be dangerous to consume, that’s not true. Overripe watermelons may have a chewy, rubbery texture, but they are still safe to eat.
In fact, there are many recipes that make use of a rubbery, overripe watermelon:
watermelon salsa
watermelon basil aqua fresca
watermelon smoothie
watermelon sherbet
watermelon granita
watermelon margarita
watermelon mimosas
watermelon gazpacho
watermelon curry
So there is no need to throw away any overripe watermelon. Just make sure it does not taste sour or have a fizzy sensation in your mouth.
Watermelons that have turned bad may also fizz, foam or explode by themselves, or when you cut into them. Avoid them at all cost, as they have turned bad and are fermenting with a lot of bacteria inside.
When a watermelon turns bad, it’s only good for making “shocking” videos to share on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, etc…
While some people believe that such rubbery texture only exists in genetically modified (GMO) watermelons, that’s not true either. In fact, this person (archive) bought an organic watermelon with a rubbery texture!
I have been seeing crazy watermelon pics of rubbery bad melons. I finally got one. The red swirly bits are over ripe, the rest hard and under ripe. And I am usually a good melon picker. Never seen such a thing. Organic as well!
Again, the rubbery texture is due to ripeness of the watermelon, and has nothing to do with whether it was genetically-modified or not.
So if you want to enjoy a crunchy and juicy watermelon, the key thing is to make sure it’s not too ripe. Otherwise, you will end up with a chewy or rubbery watermelon.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did Sylvester Stallone just die suddenly in the hospital?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2024-07-27 : Added new updates, including new Facebook and MediaMass claims. Originally posted @ 2023-04-12
Claim : Sylvester Stallone Just Died Suddenly In Hospital!
People are sharing a Facebook post (archive) claiming that Sylvester Stallone just died:
The supremely talented actor, the man who acted at his best in lots of films has gone!!! Sylvester Stallone known as John Rambo (19 46 -2024) R. I. P Legend. Your martial Arts remain in the Film Industry. May your great soul be remembered for eternity.
People are also sharing YouTube and TikTok videos claiming to show Sylvester Stallone just died in a hospital, with titles like :
5 minutes ago / R.I.P Actor Sylvester Stallone Died on the way to the hospital / Goodbye
R.I.P. It’s With Our Deepest Regret to Report About Sudden Death Of Legend actor Sylvester Stallone.
With a heavy heart at the tearful farewell to Legendary actor Sylvester Stallone, goodbye Stallone.
Sylvester Stallone Just Die Suddenly In Hospital? Family announced sad news legend Sylvester Stallone
Heartbreaking Final Moments Of Legendary actor Sylvester Stallone – cause of death is hidden!
5 minutes ago / Died on the street / Sylvester Stallone
10 minutes ago/ We announce very sad news about Legendary actor Sylvester Stallone, Goodbye Stallone
Sylvester Stallone Passed Away A Few Minutes Ago At His Home / Funeral Held In Hollywood For 3 Days.
Sylvester Stallone Just died RIP FLY HIGH You will be missed 🕊🕊🕊 #rambo #rocky #rockybalboa
Truth : Sylvester Stallone did not die suddenly anywhere!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate likes, engagement, page views, gain followers, or income from advertising, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Sylvester Stallone Is Still Alive + Well!
Hollywood legend, Sylvester Stallone (born Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone on July 6, 1946), is still very much alive and well, as of 26 January 2024.
For those who readily believe claims that Sylvester Stallone has died without even asking for evidence, here are some recent “proof of life”…
On Friday, 26 July 2024, Sylvester Stallone posted a video at the set of the second season of Tulsa King.
This group knows how to work hard. Times almost up on the set of Tulsa King Season 2. 🥊
As you can see, Sly Stallone is still very much alive and well, even regularly keeping in shape in his gym – weeks and months after these fake YouTube videos claimed that he died in a hospital, at home, or even on the street!
Fact #2 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death
These YouTube videos have been circulating for months and years, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported his death.
Sylvester Stallone is a Hollywood icon, starring in the Rocky and Rambo movies, as well as more recently, The Expendables movies.
No legitimate media outlet reported that Sylvester Stallone was sick, much less died suddenly in a hospital!
If Sylvester Stallone did indeed die, the worldwide media would have reported on his death. Yet, no one but an unknown Facebook page, small YouTube and TikTok channels picked up on his tragic death? That’s because it never happened.
Fact #3 : The Photos Were Edited
The photos used in these videos were edited from real photos, with some celebrities added in to make it look genuine. In this example, the fake news creator added overly large heads of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis.
The actual photo is of the February 2019 funeral of Argentinian footballer, Emiliano Sala, who died in a plane crash off Alderney on 21 January 2019.
The photo was taken by Associated Press, and shows Nantes defender Nicolas Pallois and Emiliano Sala’s brother, Dario, helping to carry his coffin at his funeral on 19 February 2019.
Even when it comes to the really good photo-editing efforts, there are still some clues to show you that these were edited images.
In this example, you can see that Sylvester Stallone’s chin appeared to be cut out. More damning is pillow which had a Queensland Health logo on it.
Unless Sylvester Stallone happened to be filming in Queensland, Australia; there is no way he would end up being treated in its hospital!
Fact #4 : Sylvester Stallone Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too
This Sylvester Stallone death hoax is, ironically, also being driven by a fact check article by the MediaMass Project.
News of actor Sylvester Stallone’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the July 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the actor best known for his roles in Rambo or Rocky is alive and well.
Rumors of the actor’s alleged demise gained traction on Saturday after a ‘R.I.P. Sylvester Stallone’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the American actor’s passing:
“At about 11 a.m. ET on Thursday (July 25, 2024), our beloved actor Sylvester Stallone passed away. Sylvester Stallone was born on July 6, 1946 in New York. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”
Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 78-year-old actor, director and producer was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.
Where as some trusting fans believed the post, others were immediately skeptical of the report, perhaps learning their lesson from the huge amount of fake death reports emerging about celebrities over recent months. Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major American network, indicating that it was a fake report, as the death of an actor of Sylvester Stallone’s stature would be major news across networks.
Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Sylvester Stallone Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.
He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.
Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.
Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.
This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate engagement, or gain followers, page views and/or money through advertising, just like these examples:
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Is Chinese President Xi Jinping in critical condition after suffering a massive stroke?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2024-07-19 : Added Xi Jinping photo from Third Plenary Session
Updated @ 2024-07-18 : Added quotes from the official CCP communique Originally posted @ 2024-07-18
Claim : Xi Jinping In Critical Condition After Massive Stroke!
Some people are claiming or suggesting that Chinese President Xi Jinping may be in critical condition after suffering a massive stroke!
US Civil Defense News :🚨Update: President of China Xi Jinping reportedly suffered a stroke, According to reporter Jennifer Zhang!
US Civil Defense News :🚨Update: Chinese dictator Xi in critical condition following a brain stroke.
Frank Valchiria : RUMORS SPREADING: Chinese President, Xi Jinping appears to have suffered a stroke during a meeting of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee. Chinese social media claim he collapsed in pain before helped out of the chamber by staff.
Mario Nawfal : 🚨 UNCONFIRMED — XI JINPING REPORTEDLY SUFFERS STROKE
Social media in China is abuzz with news that President Xi suffered a stroke during a CCP meeting.
Although there is no official confirmation yet, the viral news has caused significant unrest.
Sources: Local Media
Brian Allen : CHINESE 🇨🇳- President Xi may have suffered a stroke based on unconfirmed local reports.
This is yet another example of fake news circulating on social media, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Claim Was Based On Unverified Posts
Let me start by pointing out that these claims appear to be based on unverified reporting (archive) by Jennifer Zeng on 16 July 2024:
Xi Jinping just had a stroke at CCP’s Third Plenary Session? Since yesterday, Chinese social media has been buzzing with the news that something ‘big’ has happened.
Incredibly, it appears that she based her reporting on an anonymous post that does not even mention Xi Jinping, although she seems to believe it refers to the Chinese president…
It is said that my second uncle had a stroke during the group’s shareholders’ meeting, and the backbone of the group is in chaos. After learning this, some people cheered and told me this good news.
Those who are a bit awakened hope that he will die sooner. But those who are fully awakened hope that he can get up and continue to take charge of the group’s business.
I belong to the latter. I hope my uncle can continue to run the group because his mission is not yet completed. At least he should live until he drives all the stakeholders and those who were brainwashed into buying its stocks to their deaths.
Otherwise, it is not fair for us who are fully awakened. Keep up the good work, my dear Second Uncle. I’m behind you!
Is Chinese President Xi Jinping the “second uncle” mentioned in this anonymous post – one of the millions posted on Chinese social media? Who knows???
Her strongest evidence was a YouTube video by Chinese writer Su Xiaohe, who allegedly said:
Xi Jinping suddenly suffered a stroke at the scene of the Third Plenary Session of the CCP. His entire face was distorted, and he was rushed to the hospital.
However, Su Xiaohe does not appear to offer any evidence to back up his claims, and there has been no independent corroboration that Xi Jinping suffered a stroke during the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CCP Central Committee.
Was he at the Third Plenary Session? I highly doubt it as he is not listed as a member of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Committee Party. So how did he come by such shocking news that even China experts appear to be unaware of?
It should also be noted that Jennifer Zeng (曾錚) is a Falun Gong practitioner and writer who fled China, and has “a track record of spreading rumours and unverified videos” according to MIT Technology Review. You may recall that Jennifer Zeng once suggested that Xi Jinping was arrested in a military coup, which turned out to be false…
If Chinese President Xi Jinping suffered a stroke, it would have disrupted the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. After all – he’s presiding over the session, and with political power centralised in him (like a Chinese emperor?), it would have been impossible for the Third Plenary Session to continue if he is incapacitated.
If Xi Jinping suffered a stroke, he would certainly have been rushed to a nearby hospital by ambulance – an event that would be publicly seen, and even recorded, by people working at the event, or hospital. Word of mouth, and surreptitious photos or videos, would be impossible to stop, even if Chinese censors erase all mention on social media.
While Chinese state media may be muzzled from immediately reporting on such a shocking event, they can only delay so long. After all, the entire event is being recorded, and Chinese state media are expected to post videos of it in the past, like this CCTV video of the Third Plenary Session of the 19th CCP Central Committee from 6 years ago.
It also does not benefit the Chinese Communist Party to conceal Xi Jinping’s stroke, if it’s bad enough to incapacitate or even kill him. Sure, it is expected to keep a lid on such an unfortunate event, but only long enough to select a replacement that its cadres can back.
The Third Plenary Session is also being closely watched across the world. If Xi Jinping has been incapacitated by a stroke, it would have spurred a flurry of activity outside of China, as intelligence agencies and world leaders scramble to determine who might replace Xi Jinping, what this could mean for relations with China, and what they should do. Yet, there was no uptick in concern over Xi Jinping’s health inside and outside of China, except for these unverified rumours.
In any case, the Third Plenum ended on Thursday, 18 July 2024, and the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued a communique, in which it stated that “Xi Jinping delivered important addresses”, as well as “explanatory remarks on the draft version of the Resolution” to “Advance Chinese Modernisation”.
The communique ended with a call for the whole CCP, the Chinese military, and the Chinese people to “stay closely rallied around the Party… with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core”. Obviously, that can only happen if Xi Jinping isn’t incapacitated or dead from a stroke.
The Chinese Communist Party also issued this photo of Chinese President Xi Jinping walking to attend the Third Plenum.
I should also point out that the viral photos of Xi Jinping wincing are not new. They were taken on 11 March 2024 – more than 4 months earlier.
During the closing meeting of the second session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC), the Chinese president appeared to wince after taking a sip from his teacup, as if he just took a gulp of hot tea before letting it cool down.
No one seemed to notice his wince, but it was caught on video. While the CCP has not stated why Xi Jinping made that face, he did not suffer any ill effects, and was seen standing to give a round of applause.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung sent me their new Galaxy Z Flip 6 foldable smartphone, and here is my unboxing video, as well as my first impressions!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Unboxing : What’s In The Box?
I managed to get my hands on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 foldable smartphone BEFORE it actually ships! Take a look at my unboxing video, and share it out!
In our unboxing video, you can see that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 package is sparse, and only consists of:
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 smartphone
Set of documents – quick start guide in two languages, and a warranty card
USB Type C to Type C cable
SIM card extractor pin
As the unboxing video shows, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 does not come with any charger, or earphones. Not even a TPU case to hold you over until you get a better case.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 : My First Impressions!
A week before its launch, I managed to get my hands on not one, but four Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 smartphones, which allowed us to do a proper colour comparison.
And now, I present to you – my own hands-on experience with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 smartphone… in all four main colours!
I apologise for the slightly shaky video – Samsung still insists that I do not take photos or record videos with a smartphone, even though it’s their own Galaxy S24 Ultra!
Samsung maintained the same basic design from last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 5, but with a bold new camera ring design. Even though it’s the same in every other aspect as the Z Flip 5, the thicker camera ring design means new Z Flip 6 won’t be compatible with the Flip 5 covers.
It also retained the much larger 3.4-inch Flex Window display from the Z Flip 5, but Samsung says its Dual Rail hinge mechanism has been improved to deliver better shock distribution. It also appears to allow the Z Flip 6 to close even tighter, with a small reduction in its folded thickness.
On the left side of the foldable display, you will find the SIM card tray, which only supports a single nano SIM card. But for those who need more – the Galaxy Z Flip 6 supports multiple eSIMs.
At the bottom, you will find the USB port, as well as the speaker and microphone ports. On the right side are the Power button with a built-in fingerprint sensor, and the Volume control buttons.
In the front, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a punch hole camera hidden at the top of its foldable display. This is the same 10 MP camera from Galaxy Z Flip 4, albeit with a slightly larger f/2.2 aperture. So you can expect it to perform slightly better in low-light conditions.
At the back, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 now has a 50 MP Dual Pixel camera – the same camera used in the Galaxy S24 and S24+ smartphones. But its ultra-wide angle camera remained the same, with a 12 MP sensor, a 123° field of view, and f/2.2 aperture.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile SoC, and for the first time in a Z Flip series smartphone, it comes with a vapour chamber! Samsung tells us that this vapour chamber is 150% larger than the one used in the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which should allow for better sustained performance.
In addition, the Z Flip 6 now comes with 12 GB of RAM, bringing it up to par with the Galaxy Z Fold 6. However, it is limited to storage options of 256 GB or 512 GB. There is currently no 1 TB storage option.
The Z Flip 6 is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and Enhanced Armour Aluminium frame, which offers 10% better scratch resistance. And for the first time, it is IP48-rated. In addition to its water resistance at up to 1.5 metres for up to 30 minutes, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is now protected against solid objects larger than 1 millimeter. It is still not dust-resistant, but it will keep small stones out of its delicate innards.
Finally, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 comes with a 4,000 mAh battery, which is 8% larger than last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 5, which should offer significantly better battery life.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Specifications
Here are the key specifications for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 smartphone :
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 5G
Main Display
6.7-inch Infinity Flex Display
Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel
1080 x 2640 pixels, 425 ppi
1~120 Hz adaptive refresh rate
Cover Display
3.4-inch Super AMOLED display
720 x 748 pixels, 306 ppi
60 Hz refresh rate
Protection
Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (front + back)
IP48 Dust + Water Resistance
Enhanced Armor Aluminum
OS
Android 14 with One UI 6.1.1
Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 5G (SM8650)
CPU
1 x Cortex-X4 (3.3 GHz)
5 x Cortex-A720 (up to 3.15 GHz)
2 x Cortex-A520 (up to 2.27 GHz)
GPU
Qualcomm Adreno 750
Memory
12 GB
Storage
256 GB / 512 GB UFS 3.1
Front Camera
10 MP camera (f/2.2)
Main Cameras
50 MP Dual Pixel camera (f/1.8)
12 MP ultra-wide angle camera (f/2.2)
Audio
Stereo speakers tuned by AKG
Surround sound with Dolby Atmos
UHQ 32-bit and DSD64/128 support
Connectivity
Network : 5G / 4G
Wi-Fi : Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth : BT 5.3
USB : USB-C 3.2
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 will be available in four main colour options, as well as the three exclusive online colours. Pre-order begins immediately, with general available from 24 July 2024 onwards, at these price points :
Just in case you are wondering, the launch prices for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 went up a fair bit (~US$100 / RM500-600) over the launch prices for the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Here are the pre-order deals in Malaysia for new foldable smartphones, smartwatches and earbuds announced at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2024 event!
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2024 : What Was Announced!
Samsung just launched a slew of new foldable smartphones, smartwatches and earbuds at the Galaxy Unpacked 2024 event! Here’s a quick summary of what they announced:
Galaxy Z Fold6 + Galaxy Z Flip6 Smartphones
Samsung introduced upgraded versions of its foldable smartphones – the Galaxy Z Fold6 and and the Galaxy Z Flip6. You can read more about them in our recent articles:
Samsung also introduced the Galaxy Watch7, with an enhanced BioActive Sensor with greater accuracy. For the first time, the Galaxy Watch7 will allow you to track advanced glycation end products (AGEs).
The Samsung Galaxy Watch7 is also the first to be powered by a 3nm processor, as well as the first to feature a dual-frequency GPS system, for more precise location tracking.
Galaxy Watch Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is a new smartwatch built for extreme durability, with a Titanium Grade 4 frame, and 10ATM water resistance. It is also designed to operate at a wide range of altitudes – from 500 metres below sea level, or 9,000 metres high.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 and Galaxy Buds3 Pro leverage the power of Galaxy AI to allow you to translate foreign languages in real-time. They also automatically analyse internal and external sound in real-time to enhanced sound and reduce noise.
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2024 Pre-Order Deals for Malaysia!
Here are the price and pre-order deals Samsung is offering in Malaysia, for the new devices announced the Galaxy Unpacked 2024 event. These deals are valid from now until 30 July 2024:
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Price + Colour Options
Samsung Galaxy
Z Fold 6
RRP
Available
Colours
12 GB + 1 TB
RM9,099
Silver Shadow,
Pink, NavyOnline Only: White, Crafted Black
RM200 instant rebate when you trade in your old Galaxy Watch
Samsung Galaxy Watch7 Price + Pre-order Offer
Samsung Galaxy
Watch7
RRP
Available
Colours
44mm (LTE)
RM1,599
Green, Silver
44mm (Bluetooth)
RM1,299
40mm (LTE)
RM1,499
Green, Beige
40mm (Bluetooth)
RM1,199
Selected Watch Strap worth up to RM229
Smart Tag2 worth up to RM149
RM200 instant rebate when you trade in your old Galaxy Watch
Additional Discounts For Samsung Members In Malaysia!
Here are additional discounts for selected devices announced in Galaxy Unpacked 2024 for Samsung Members in Malaysia:
Model
Discount
Voucher
Galaxy Watch Ultra
RM1,360 (40%)
All Galaxy Watch7 models
RM200
Galaxy Buds3 Pro
RM200
Galaxy Buds3
RM100
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched the Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro, and here is my hands-on preview of those new wireless earbuds in both Silver and White colour options!
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 + Buds 3 Pro Hands-On Preview!
I managed to get my hands on both the Galaxy Buds 3, as well as the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, in both colour options!
And now, I present to you – my hands-on experience with the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3, and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, in both Silver and White!
I apologise for the slightly shaky video – Samsung still insists that I do not take photos or record videos with a smartphone, even though it’s their own Galaxy S24 Ultra!
The Buds 3 and the Buds 3 Pro both look quite similar, with identical charging cases. The Buds 3 has a simpler open-ear design, without ear tips. The Buds 3 Pro, on the other hand, has an in-ear design, but is more easily differentiated by its silicone ear tips and its Blade Lights.
They both support Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, and common SBC and AAC wireless codecs, as well as the proprietary Samsung Scalable Codec in both HiFi and UHQ (Ultra High Quality) versions for superior audio quality and fidelity with supported Samsung devices. However, they notably do not support aptX.
Internally, the Buds 3 has a single speaker, while the Buds 3 Pro version has two speakers – the dynamic driver, as well as a planar driver. They both have three microphones and a voice pickup unit (VPU), and they both support active noise cancellation. However, the Pro model can distinguish between noise and human voices, will automatically switch to Ambient mode so you can hear conversations.
Samsung also leveraged machine learning to improve phone calls on the new Galaxy Buds 3 series, using a pre-trained model to restore the original voice of the speaker in various noise environments – a feature called Super-Wideband Call.
The Buds 3 can play music for up to 5 hours with active noise cancellation enabled, and up to 6 hours with ANC disabled. The Pro version adds an additional hour of music playback time, with or without ANC. Talk time is shorter. You can talk for up to 3.5 hours on the Buds 3 with ANC, and 4 hours without. The Pro version extends that by an hour, with or without ANC.
The case for both versions will automatically recharge the earbuds whenever you put them back in. Its internal battery is enough to give you 20-24 hours of additional music playback time, and 15-17 hours of additional talk time.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro are available for pre-order on launch, with general available from 24 July 2024 onwards, at these price points :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched the Galaxy Z Flip 6, and here is my hands-on preview of its latest compact foldable smartphone in all 4 main colour options!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 : My Hands-On Experience!
I was one of the few who had the rare opportunity to get my hands on not one, but four Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 smartphones, which allowed us to do a proper colour comparison.
And now, I present to you – my own hands-on experience with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 smartphone… in all four main colours!
I apologise for the slightly shaky video – Samsung still insists that I do not take photos or record videos with a smartphone, even though it’s their own Galaxy S24 Ultra!
Samsung maintained the same basic design from last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 5, but with a bold new camera ring design. Even though it’s the same in every other aspect as the Z Flip 5, the thicker camera ring design means new Z Flip 6 won’t be compatible with the Flip 5 covers.
It also retained the much larger 3.4-inch Flex Window display from the Z Flip 5, but Samsung says its Dual Rail hinge mechanism has been improved to deliver better shock distribution. It also appears to allow the Z Flip 6 to close even tighter, with a small reduction in its folded thickness.
On the left side of the foldable display, you will find the SIM card tray, which only supports a single nano SIM card. But for those who need more – the Galaxy Z Flip 6 supports multiple eSIMs.
At the bottom, you will find the USB port, as well as the speaker and microphone ports. On the right side are the Power button with a built-in fingerprint sensor, and the Volume control buttons.
In the front, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a punch hole camera hidden at the top of its foldable display. This is the same 10 MP camera from Galaxy Z Flip 4, albeit with a slightly larger f/2.2 aperture. So you can expect it to perform slightly better in low-light conditions.
At the back, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 now has a 50 MP Dual Pixel camera – the same camera used in the Galaxy S24 and S24+ smartphones. But its ultra-wide angle camera remained the same, with a 12 MP sensor, a 123° field of view, and f/2.2 aperture.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile SoC, and for the first time in a Z Flip series smartphone, it comes with a vapour chamber! Samsung tells us that this vapour chamber is 150% larger than the one used in the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which should allow for better sustained performance.
In addition, the Z Flip 6 now comes with 12 GB of RAM, bringing it up to par with the Galaxy Z Fold 6. However, it is limited to storage options of 256 GB or 512 GB. There is currently no 1 TB storage option.
The Z Flip 6 is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and Enhanced Armour Aluminium frame, which offers 10% better scratch resistance. And for the first time, it is IP48-rated. In addition to its water resistance at up to 1.5 metres for up to 30 minutes, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is now protected against solid objects larger than 1 millimeter. It is still not dust-resistant, but it will keep small stones out of its delicate innards.
Finally, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 comes with a 4,000 mAh battery, which is 8% larger than last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 5, which should offer significantly better battery life.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Specifications
Here are the key specifications for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 smartphone :
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 5G
Main Display
6.7-inch Infinity Flex Display
Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel
1080 x 2640 pixels, 425 ppi
1~120 Hz adaptive refresh rate
Cover Display
3.4-inch Super AMOLED display
720 x 748 pixels, 306 ppi
60 Hz refresh rate
Protection
Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (front + back)
IP48 Dust + Water Resistance
Enhanced Armor Aluminum
OS
Android 14 with One UI 6.1.1
Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 5G (SM8650)
CPU
1 x Cortex-X4 (3.3 GHz)
5 x Cortex-A720 (up to 3.15 GHz)
2 x Cortex-A520 (up to 2.27 GHz)
GPU
Qualcomm Adreno 750
Memory
12 GB
Storage
256 GB / 512 GB UFS 3.1
Front Camera
10 MP camera (f/2.2)
Main Cameras
50 MP Dual Pixel camera (f/1.8)
12 MP ultra-wide angle camera (f/2.2)
Audio
Stereo speakers tuned by AKG
Surround sound with Dolby Atmos
UHQ 32-bit and DSD64/128 support
Connectivity
Network : 5G / 4G
Wi-Fi : Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth : BT 5.3
USB : USB-C 3.2
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 will be available in four main colour options, as well as the three exclusive online colours. Pre-order begins immediately, with general available from 24 July 2024 onwards, at these price points :
Just in case you are wondering, the launch prices for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 went up a fair bit (~US$100 / RM500-600) over the launch prices for the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and here is my hands-on preview of its latest foldable smartphone in all 3 main colour options!
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 : My Hands-On Preview!
I was one of the few who had the rare opportunity to get my hands on not one, but three Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 smartphones, which allowed us to do a proper colour comparison.
And now, I present to you – my own hands-on experience with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 smartphone… in all three main colours!
I apologise for the slightly shaky video – Samsung still insists that I do not take photos or record videos with a smartphone, even though it’s their own Galaxy S24 Ultra!
When folded, the new Z Fold 6 looks like a rather tall and chunky smartphone. Its 6.3-inch Cover Screen is large but has a tall aspect ratio. You can use it like any regular smartphone, without opening the foldable display.
The Dual Rail hinge mechanism is similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 5, allowing the main display to fold completely flat. According to Samsung, it has been improved in the Galaxy Z Fold 6 to deliver better shock distribution.
The SIM tray is now located on the left side of the foldable display. In addition to two physical nanoSIM cards, the Z Fold 6 also supports multiple eSIMs.
On the right side, you will find the Power button, with a built-in fingerprint sensor; and the volume buttons. At the bottom, you will find the USB port, together with the lower speaker and microphone ports; while at the top are another row of speaker ports with what looks like three more microphone ports.
Samsung retained the same cameras from the Galaxy Z Fold 5. The Cover Display itself features a 10 MP punch hole camera with an f/2.2 aperture, while at the back, it features the same triple camera setup, which consists of:
a 50 megapixels Dual Pixel camera
a 10 megapixel telephoto camera, and
a 12 megapixel ultra wide angle camera
When unfolded, you will get a massive 7.6-inch display with a squarish 20.9 by 18 ratio, which offers about twice the screen space as a regular smartphone. This super large display is what makes the Galaxy Z Fold 6 such a productivity powerhouse. It also features a hidden 4 megapixel camera under this large main display.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile SoC, and it is kept cool by a 60% larger vapour chamber, which should allow for better sustained performance. Like the Galaxy Z Fold 5, it comes with 12 GB of RAM, and storage options of 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1 TB.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and Enhanced Armour Aluminium frame, which offers 10% better scratch resistance. And for the first time, it is IP48-rated. In addition to its water resistance at up to 1.5 metres for up to 30 minutes, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is now protected against solid objects larger than 1 millimeter. It is still not dust-resistant, but it will keep small stones out of its delicate innards.
The Galaxy Z Fold 6 retains the same 4,400 mAh battery from the Galaxy Z Fold 5, but Samsung says it will have a longer battery life.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Specifications
Here are the key specifications for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 smartphone :
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 5G
Main Display
7.6-inch Infinity Flex Display
Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel
1856 x 2160 pixels, 374 ppi
1~120 Hz refresh rate
Cover Display
6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display
968 x 2376 pixels, 410 ppi
1~120 Hz refresh rate
Protection
Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Enhanced Armor Aluminum
IP48 Dust + Water Resistance
OS
Android 14 with One UI 6.1.1
Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 5G (SM8650)
CPU
1 x Cortex-X4 (3.3 GHz)
5 x Cortex-A720 (up to 3.15 GHz)
2 x Cortex-A520 (up to 2.27 GHz)
GPU
Qualcomm Adreno 750
Memory
12 GB
Storage
256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB UFS 3.1
Cover Camera
10 MP camera (f/2.2)
Front Camera
4 MP under-display camera (f/1.8)
Main Cameras
50 MP Dual Pixel camera (f/1.8)
10 MP 3X telephoto camera (f/2.4)
12 MP ultra-wide angle camera (f/2.2)
Audio
Stereo speakers tuned by AKG
Surround sound with Dolby Atmos
UHQ 32-bit and DSD64/128 support
Connectivity
Network : 5G / 4G
Wi-Fi : Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth : BT 5.3
USB : USB-C 3.2
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 will be available in three main colour options, as well as the two exclusive online colours. Pre-order begins immediately, with general available from 24 July 2024 onwards, at these price points :
Just in case you are wondering, the launch prices for the Z Fold 6 are slightly higher than the launch prices for the Z Fold 5.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Updated @ 2024-06-29 : Refreshed for a new release Originally posted @ 2023-11-12
The Last Hope: Atomic Bomb – Crypto War
The ongoing struggle between mobsters, terrorists and President John Trump has now shifted its focus towards cryptocurrency. Your mission, while not as easy as it may appear, is to locate the cryptocurrency farm and put an end to this senseless war once and for all!
North Korean terrorists have shown their true colors and finally detonated nuclear warheads across Earth’s surface. Radioactive dust clouds, nuclear fallout and ensuing darkness shall engulf the entire planet. You must immediately take action and history has proved once again that you’re humanity last and best hope for survival.
Your mission, while not as easy as it may appear, is to locate the cryptocurrency farm and put an end to this senseless war once and for all!
You shall have to find the locations of the following cryptocurrencies: Trumbcoin, Atomocoin, Bollarcoin. Because of the fallout, visibility shall be reduced drastically. Germany, United Arab Emirates, China, Korea shall await your heroic arrival.
awesome sounds effects
a unique graphics style
continuation of the “The Last Hope” series
you are the president
Think you got what it takes to overcome this challenge after the initial two? In case you need to jog your memory for a bit, you can find the long awaited sequel to “The Last Hope” further above in the description.
The Last Hope: Atomic Bomb – Crypto War : How To Get It Free!
The Last Hope: Atomic Bomb – Crypto War is a DRM-free game, and that means you do NOT need a special launcher or client (like Steam) to install and play it.
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Celine Dion just died suddenly in the hospital?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2023-06-24 : Added video, and updated with new examples, etc.
Updated @ 2024-02-24 : Added new updates, including updated MediaMass claim. Originally posted @ 2023-04-17
Claim : Celine Dion Just Died Suddenly In Hospital!
People are sharing YouTube and TikTok videos claiming that Celine Dion just died in a hospital from Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), or after a tragic car / plane crash, with titles like :
30 minutes ago, R.I.P. Celine Dion (†55) Died on the way to the hospital, Farewell in tears
1 Hour Ago / R.I.P Celine Dion Died In France / Fans send their condolences to the singer
Very sad 10 minutes ago / Singer Celine Dion dies in hospital / goodbye Celine Dion
15 minutes ago. Actress Celine Dion Saying Goodbye
10 Minutes Ago/ R.I.P. Celine Dion /She died of a dangerous incurable disease/Goodbye Celine
A video is coming forward that a famous name is in the headlines that a famous singer Celine Dion passed away in a plane crash.
Big Shock // “Celine Dion” Dies Suddenly At The Hospital // Heartbreaking Secret…
Stopped breathing 10 minutes ago / Celine Dion dies in hospital / goodbye Celine Dion
5 minutes ago! Millions of people cried over the sudden death of Singer Celine Dion, sad details…
Celine Dion Passed Away A Few Minutes Ago At Her Home. Funeral Held In Hollywood For 3 Days
1 Hour Ago / R.I.P Celine Dion Died In France / We Will Miss Your Voice So Much!
5 minutes ago/ R.I.P Talented Singer Céline Dion passed away at the age of 55, Goodbye and Rest
A few minutes ago in London / Died in a car accident / R.I.P. legendary singer Celine Dion
30 minutes ago / The family announced the sad news of Legend singer Celine Dion / Farewell in tears
5 Minutes Ago / Celine Dion OFFICIALLY DIES On 25/11/2023 / R.I.P.
Rest in peace Celine Dion (1968-2023). Fans send their condolences to the singer
1968-2023 Celine Dion RIP | Farewell to the legendary singer / Farewell to Celine
Truth : Celine Dion Did Not Die Suddenly In Hospital!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page views and YouTube advertising, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported Her Death
These YouTube videos have been circulating for weeks and months, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported her death or car accident!
When Celine Dion announced that she was suffering from Stiff Person Syndrome, the media breathlessly reported it around the globe.
Celine Dion is not just a famous singer. She is a national treasure in Canada, and a music legend. If she fell and broke a nail, you can be sure that celebrity blogs would have excitedly reported it, if not the mainstream media.
Yet, no legitimate media outlet or even a celebrity blog reported that Celine Dion was involved in any car or plane crash, much less died in a hospital of a “dangerous, incurable disease”. That’s because it never happened!
Fact #2 : Celine Dion Is Still Alive!
The truth is – Celine Dion (born Céline Marie Claudette Dion on 30 March, 1968) is very much still alive, as of Monday, 24 June 2024! Of course, you guys want “proof of life”, right?
Well, just last week, Celine Dion appeared at a screening of her documentary – I Am: Celine Dion in New York City on Monday, 17 June 2024. She looked well, wearing a silky white blouse top and matching maxi skirt, as she posed as the screening.
Needless to say – Celine Dion is very much still alive. She doesn’t even need to use a wheelchair, even though she is still suffering from Stiff Person Syndrome!
I analysed the photos used in these videos, and traced the origin of two examples used in many of these videos.
This is a pretty good Photoshop effort, although you can see how Celine Dion’s dark brown hair suddenly became grey hair. And of course, you have to wonder why Celine Dion would still has her makeup on!
The truth is the fake news created edited the photo of Jan Key – a 65 year-old lady from Kalamazoo, Michigan, who was hit by a car on November 21, 2019.
The photo was taken by her daughter, Kitty Jenkins, on November 26, after Jan Key underwent a second surgery for her broken arm and collarbone. She underwent emergency surgery five days ago to treat her broken leg.
This photo, on the other hand, is a pretty bad Photoshop edit of a photo taken at the August 2018 funeral of Oliver Dragojević – a famous Croatian singer and composer.
To make it look like a Celine Dion funeral, the fake news creator added Lady Gaga appearing to cry, and unbelievably – René Angélil was edited in, with a portrait of Celine Dion magically floating in front of him.
For those who are not aware, René Angélil was Celine Dion’s manager who eventually married her on December 17, 1994. The only problem is – René Angélil died many years ago – on January 14, 2016 from throat cancer!
But I would like to give a special Bad Photoshop award to the fake news creator who came up with this gem.
Not only did he/she use the visage of a smiling Celine Dion, it was stitched on so badly, it’s really, REALLY funny!
Celine Dion, who was supposed to be dying in hospital from a terrible car accident, not only has both her eyes open and smiling, it looked the accident smashed her face sideways!
What a terrible, terrible Photoshop edit! If you are going to cheat people, at least put in some effort!
Fact #4 : Celine Dion Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too
This Celine Dion death hoax is, sadly, also being driven by a fake fact check article by the MediaMass Project, which keeps “updating” the dates in their fake fact check article:
News of singer Céline Dion’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the June 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the singer best known for hit songs like S’il suffisait d’aimer, My Heart Will Go On or Pour que tu m’aimes encore is alive and well.
Rumors of the singer’s alleged demise gained traction on Thursday after a ‘R.I.P. Céline Dion’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the singer’s passing:
“At about 11 a.m. ET on Saturday (June 22, 2024), our beloved singer Céline Dion passed away. Céline Dion was born on March 30, 1968 in Repentigny. She will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”
Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 56-year-old singer was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.
Where as some trusting fans believed the post, others were immediately skeptical of the report, perhaps learning their lesson from the huge amount of fake death reports emerging about celebrities over recent months. Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major network, indicating that it was a fake report, as the death of a singer of Céline Dion’s stature would be major news across networks.
Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Celine Dion Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.
She joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. She’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.
Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.
Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
At Computex 2024, we had the opportunity to tour the Synology showcase, and interview Jason Sin about the new ActiveProtect and AI Console, as well as other forthcoming products!
Synology Computex 2024 Showcase!
At Computex 2024, Synology gave us an exclusive tour of their new ActiveProtect appliance, as well as other current and upcoming products!
At 0:36, we started with Synology’s upcoming scale-out file and object storage solution – the GS6200. Powered by GirdStation Manager (GSM), the Synology GS6200 supports between 3 to 96 nodes per cluster, offering up to 20 petabytes of raw capacity per cluster.
A full 96-node Synology GS6200 cluster is capable of supporting up to 150,000 simultaneous uploads and downloads. At 4:56, you can see the actual GS6200 cluster of six nodes in action. They also showed us what it looks like inside of a Synology HC6500 node at 8:36, which has 60 drive bays.
At 10:19, we had an in-depth look at the new Synology ActiveProtect appliance – what it does, and how does it accomplish its objectives. You can also see how easy it is for IT administrators to manage backups using the ActiveProtect Manager software.
At 17:00, Synology showcased its Office Suite of productivity apps, which will soon be enhanced by artificial intelligence. Those AI features will be managed and controlled through Synology AI Console, which will not only verify the API keys for your preferred generative AI services, it will also monitor AI usage, and perform de-identification – filtering out sensitive data in AI requests.
Synology also demoed its BeeStation NAS at 23:12, its Synology Photos app at 27:51, and its BeeDrive portable storage solution at 30:58. Finally, Synology showed us its latest surveillance systems at 33:23.
Synology Computex 2024 Interview With Jason Sin!
After the showcase t our, we had the opportunity to sit down with Jason Sin, the Sales Account Manager of Synology to talk about what Synology announced during Computex 2024.
Here are some quick points we gathered from our interview session:
one SKU (DP7400) offering 140TB of storage capacity will be available in Q4 2024.
it achieves 99% reduction in data transmission through source deduplication.
it also speeds up backups through its integrated SSD cache.
while he was not able to share (at that time) the size of the SSD cache, Synology late revealed that the DP7400 appliance will use two 4TB SSDs in RAID 1.
it can keep costs low by automatically transferring “cold data” to cheaper archiving servers, while maintaining “hot data” in its local storage.
this is a scale-out file and object storage solution
it can support up to 150,000 concurrent transfers (uploads / downloads) per cluster
Synology Surveillance Systems
Synology provides AI features like AI analytics, human detection, facial recognition, people counting, etc.
Synology will be releasing two new cameras – a fisheye camera, and a zoomable camera which is designed for licence plate recognition, both with some AI features.
Synology Surveillance System centralises all cameras, and simplifies the job of the IT administrator.
Synology designs its own cameras, which are manufactured by a partner company.
They will launch a new camera that will upload all footage to the cloud, and will be subscription-based.
These cameras can be used with any NVRs, but if they are paired with Synology NVRs, they will support end-to-end encryption.
Synology AI Console
It will support key AI models like ChatGPT, Azure AI, and Gemini.
Synology is already using its own generative AI model for customer support service.
Synology is planning to eventually release its own generative AI model.
Synology AI Console will debut with DSM 7.2.2
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
I unfortunately missed the AMD keynote at Computex 2024, but managed to join Dr. Lisa Su’s Q&A session! Check it out!
AMD Computex 2024 Q&A With Dr. Lisa Su!
I could not make it to Dr. Lisa Su’s keynote at Computex 2024, but I managed to join her Q&A session after the keynote. Enjoy the full recording of the Q&A session with Dr. Lisa Su!
For those who missed it, here is a quick summary of new AMD products and technologies that Dr. Lisa Su announced at Computex 2024
AMD Ryzen 9000 Series Desktop Processors
Dr. Lisa Su unveiled the AMD Ryzen 9000 series (codenamed Granite Ridge) of desktop processors, slated for release in July 2024. These processors are built around the Zen 5 microarchitecture, which AMD says will offer a 16% average performance boost over the previous Zen 4 microarchitecture.
Here is the first slew of AMD Ryzen 9000 processors announced at Computex 2024:
Ryzen 9 9950X : 16C/32T, up to 5.7 GHz max boost, 80MB L2+L3 cache, 170W TDP
Ryzen 9 9900X : 12C/24T, up to 5.6 GHz max boost, 76MB L2+L3 cache, 120W TDP
Ryzen 7 9700X : 8C/16T, up to 5.5 GHz max boost, 40MB L2+L3 cache, 65W TDP
Ryzen 5 9600X : 6C/12T, up to 5.4 GHz max boost, 38MB L2+L3 cache, 65W TDP
3rd Gen AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series Laptops
Microsoft, HP, Lenovo, and ASUS, unveiled their laptops based on the 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen AI 300 series mobile processors.
Ryzen AI is combination of a dedicated AI engine, AMD Radeon graphics engine, and Ryzen processor cores that enable AI capabilities.
5th Gen AMD EPYC Server Processors
Dr. Lisa Su also previewed the 5th Gen AMD EPYC server processors (codenamed Turin), which are on track to launch in H2 2024. Like the new Ryzen 9000 series desktop processors, the 5th Gen EPYC processors are built around the Zen 5 core microarchitecture.
AMD Versal AI Edge Series Gen 2
The new AMD Versal AI Edge Series Gen 2 brings together FPGA programmable logic for real-time pre-processing, next-gen AI Engines powered by XDNA technology for efficient AI inference, and embedded CPUs for post-processing to deliver the highest performing single chip adaptive solution for edge AI.
AMD Versal AI Edge Gen 2 devices are available now for early access with over 30 key partners currently in development.
AMD Instinct MI325X Accelerator
The AMD Instinct MI325X accelerator will be available in Q4 2024, offering 288 GB of ultra-fast HBM3E memory.
AMD Instinct MI350 Series
The AMD Instinct MI350 series is expected to debut in 2025, based on the next-generation AMD CDNA 4 architecture. AMD expects it to deliver up to 35X better inference performance compared to the AMD Instinct MI300 series, which is based on the current CDNA 3 architecture.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Updated @ 2024-05-16 : Refreshed for a new release Originally posted @ 2023-10-01
MechDefender
MechDefender is a unique hybrid game that combines a top-down shooter game, with a tower defence game. MechDefender lets you pilot mechs in a heroic defense of their homeland from endless zombie hordes.
Wiping out the alien undead will require clever tactics and powerful weaponry. You will build, upgrade and advance your skills and your base of operations as you fight in this Sci-Fi uphill battle!
Defend your headquarters, wipe out the hordes of undead, upgrade your towers and protect their power cores. There are 4 unique campaigns with more than 50 missions overall, along with several types of towers and upgradable robots.
Choose between different type of Mechs such as: Thunder, Fury, Revenant and Punisher. Build deathtrap labyrinths, upgrade your skills to a deadly degree and buy new weapons of mass destruction to save your base from certain annihilation!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Is phone radiation so powerful and dangerous, it can actually set steel wool on fire?! Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Mobile Phone Radiation Can Set Steel Wool On Fire!
People are sharing a video, claiming or suggesting that it shows that radiation from a mobile phone is so strong it can even set steel wool on fire!
DR. Kek : DO YOU T H I N K YOUR CELL PHONE PRODUCES TOO MUCH RADIATION?
♪メღ Debra Whyte ♪メღ : 🚨Be careful with phone usage. This shows how much radiation comes off. 😳🚨
vegastar : Think twice about your screen time!📱⌛️Here’s a revealing look at the radiation it emits ☢️⚡️👀
Protect yourself and your family—transform your phone into an EMF shield with Anti-Radiation stickers! 🛡️
Truth : Mobile Phone Radiation Will Not Set Steel Wool On Fire!
This is yet another example of fake news circulating on social media, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Phone Radiation Video Was Digitally Edited
Let me start by simply pointing out that the viral video showing an iPhone 6 setting steel wool on fire when it started ringing, was digitally edited using a movement effect, as well as the fire effect.
Some people have said that the fake video creator likely hid a battery under the steel wool to trigger the fire. But here are some reasons why the video was digitally-edited.
Such Steady Hands!
When he started recording his video, he used a tripod but for no reason at all, the video started swaying just before the incoming call came in.
It may appear that he started holding the camera with his hands, instead of a tripod. But if you look carefully, the swaying was too steady, and moved in a particular pattern.
Such Strong Steel Wool!
And this is important – despite burning for 11 seconds, the steel wool did not disintegrate. That’s just not possible.
Once it catches fire, steel wool burns up very quickly and disintegrates. Yet, in the fake video, the steel wool remained intact even after burning for 11 seconds! So fake!
Outer Side Catches Fire First?
Even if it was possible for EM radiation to generate current in the steel wool, the inner side would catch fire first. Yet in this video, it’s the opposite – the outer side caught fire first.
The viral video appears to originate from a YouTube channel called ViralVideoLab, which appears to focus on creating / posting fake videos to presumably go viral and make money through YouTube ads.
It even has a startling, clickbait title – Mobile Phone vs Steel Wool | How Your iPhone Will Damage Your Brain, and the channel even pleads with people to share their video, “before it gets deleted”.
ViralVideoLab also wrote a clickbait (and fictional?) story about not knowing why an incoming call would cause the steel wool to ignite, and invited people to share their opinions in the comments.
Fact #3 : Phone Radiation Cannot Generate Current In Steel Wool
It is simply not possible for electromagnetic (EM) radiation from any phone to create electrical current flow in steel wool.
In fact, you will need to use a 9V battery (see our video), to ignite the steel wool by creating a short circuit between its positive and negative terminals!
You can use other batteries, but the steel wool will have to touch both their positive and negative terminals to form a short circuit.
Fact #4 : Phones Radiate All The Time!
Smartphones and mobile phones are constantly in contact with nearby cell towers, and therefore “radiate” at all time. If your phone’s electromagnetic radiation can set steel wool on fire, it would have done so even without an incoming call!
This and similar videos about the dangers of phone radiation are being used to promote products that claim to block EMF (Electromagnetic Field) radiation from your phone, protecting you from its harms.
Decades of research have shown that there is no clear or consistent evidence that exposure to radio frequency energy from mobile phones has any deleterious effects. As the National Cancer Institute explained:
The only consistently recognized biological effect of radiofrequency radiation absorption in humans … is heating to the area of the body where a cell phone is held (e.g., the ear and head).
However, that heating is not sufficient to measurably increase core body temperature. There are no other clearly established dangerous health effects on the human body from radiofrequency radiation.
Fact #6 : EMF Shielding Your Phone Is Stupid
In addition, your mobile phone relies on transmitting and receiving radio-frequency radiation to connect to cell towers, and make your calls or transfer data.
If you shield your mobile phone from all electromagnetic radiation, then it won’t be able to connect to any cell tower, to make calls or transfer data! What you end up with is an expensive and useless electronic brick!
On top of that, products that partially block EMF radiation from your phone can inadvertently increase the amount of radiation it produces because mobile phones are designed to boost radiation emissions to better connect with the cell tower!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The iPhone steel wool fire hoax has gone viral, and people have already pointed out that it’s fake. But most do not explain WHY it’s fake.
In this article and our video, we will explain why the viral video of the iPhone setting steel wool on fire is fake and cannot possibly happen.
Updated @ 2024-04-29 : Refreshed for a new release Originally posted @ 2020-01-19
iPhone Steel Wool Fire Hoax : What Is It?!
The iPhone steel wool fire hoax is a viral video that was posted by ViralVideoLab, a YouTube channel that seems to do nothing but create fake videos that they hope will go viral and make money through YouTube ads.
To make it go viral, they gave it a startling, clickbait title – Mobile Phone vs Steel Wool | How Your iPhone Will Damage Your Brain. They even pleaded with people to share their video, “before it gets deleted”.
ViralVideoLab also wrote a fictional story about not knowing why an incoming call would cause the steel wool to ignite, and invited people to share their opinions in the comments.
Well, we will show you why we know their video is fake, and why it is not possible for the iPhone or any smartphone to set steel wool on fire.
iPhone Steel Wool Fire Hoax Explained + Debunked!
In this video, we will show you the fake video that ViralVideoLab created, and explain what he did and debunk it.
When he started recording his video, he used a tripod but for no reason at all, the video started swaying just before the incoming call came in.
It may appear that he started holding the camera with his hands, instead of a tripod. But if you look carefully, the swaying was too steady, and moved in a particular pattern.
Such Strong Steel Wool!
And this is important – despite burning for 11 seconds, the steel wool did not disintegrate.
As The King of Random demonstrated in his clip on steel wool, once it catches fire, steel wool burns up very quickly and disintegrates.
Yet, in the fake video, his steel wool remains intact even after burning for 11 seconds! That’s just not possible.
No Current Flow?
Also, it’s not possible for electromagnetic (EM) radiation to create electrical current flow in steel wool. The 9V battery only ignited the steel wool because it formed a short circuit between its positive and negative terminals!
Outer Side Catches Fire First?
Even if it was possible for EM radiation to generate current in the steel wool, the inner side would catch fire first. Yet in this video, it’s the opposite – the outer side catches fire first.
Smartphones Radiate ALL THE TIME
Smartphones and mobile phones are constantly in contact with nearby cell towers, and therefore “radiate” at all time.
If that EM radiation can set steel wool on fire, it would have done so even without an incoming call.
Some people have said that the fake video creator likely hid a battery under the steel wool, to trigger the fire. But based on the steady swaying motion of his camera, and the fact the steel wool was literally fireproof, we have to chalk it up to simple video editing simply by adding movement, fire and smoke effects.
Recursosgraficos also shared another video editing trick which would allow for a similar effect (which we edited for clarity):
It is a special effect created with a video editor.
You record the first video with the camera attached to a tripod and add a movement effect.
Then remove the phone and set fire to different parts of the steel wool and record the second video.
You can now morph the second video of the steel wool on fire with the first video.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Read our comprehensive review of the HP Smart Tank 580, and find out if this is the all-in-one colour printer for you!
HP Smart Tank 580 All-in-One Printer
Designed for homes and small businesses, the HP Smart Tank 580 is an all-in-one printer with scan and copy capabilities, and wireless connectivity. It has four separate ink tanks which can be topped up independently.
The HP Smart Tank 580 comes with a set of four ink bottles, allowing it to print up to 18,000 pages of black, and 6,000 pages of colour. Assuming you only print 150 pages a month, even the included ink bottles will last you nearly three years. Thereafter, you can simply buy ink bottles to refill the Smart Tank 580.
Thanks to the ink tank design, the cost of printing is also low at just 0.004 cents per page, regardless of whether it’s black or colour!
Together with support for wired USB printing, the HP Smart Tank 580 also supports wireless printing through Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct.
Here are some online purchase options (we may receive a commission from your purchase):
The HP Smart Tank 580 comes as a complete kit, with everything you will need inside the box. Once you unbox it, these are the items you should find inside:
HP Smart Tank 580 printer
One set of printheads (Black, Tri-Colour)
One set of ink bottles (GT53XL Black, GT52 Cyan, GT52 Magenta, GT52 Yellow)
One set of three power cables with different plugs
The provided set of ink bottles is enough to print 18,000 pages of black, and 6,000 pages of colour. However, this may vary according to country, and region.
But if your region offers this complete kit, then you can get printing very quickly, as installation and setting up takes less than half an hour.
Now, let us go through the key features of the HP Smart Tank 580, and share with you our experience using it…
Spill-Free Ink Tanks
Like Epson EcoTank printers, the HP Smart Tank 580 uses an ink tank design, with four separate colours – Black, Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow.
By using permanent printheads and allowing for the refill of ink, such ink tank printers cut down on waste, and offer much cheaper printing – just 0.004 cent per page with the HP Smart Tank 580!
It is easy to fill and refill the HP Smart Tank 580, because it uses a spill-free design. However, the nozzles of its ink tanks, and its ink bottles, are generic in design and not “keyed”. So it is possible for you to fill the wrong ink tank with the wrong ink!
In that respect, Epson EcoTank printers (like the L3150/ET-2710) have a better design – their keyed ink bottle and ink tank nozzles prevent the wrong ink from being filled into the wrong ink tank.
Low-on-ink Sensors
To ensure you don’t run out of ink, the HP Smart Tank 580 not only lets you visually eyeball the amount of ink left in its four ink tanks, they also have low-on-ink sensors.
This is much better than the Epson EcoTank L3150/ET-2710 for example, which lacks low-on-ink sensors, and requires you to visually monitor the ink levels in its ink tanks.
Like other printers, the HP Smart Tank 580 can be connected to your computer using a USB cable. However, it is not even necessary to use the cable.
The HP Smart Tank 580 has WiFi-N connectivity built-in, so you can just plug in the power cable, and print wirelessly from your computer, or even a smartphone or tablet!
And I have to point out that its Wi-Fi connectivity appears to be much more stable and reliable than the Epson EcoTank L3150, which can fail midway, causing a print error.
HP also provides both desktop and mobile apps to help you setup your printer wirelessly, as well as print your photos directly from your computer or mobile devices.
Plain Paper Printing Performance
The HP Smart Tank 580 supports plain paper of between 60 to 90 grams per square meter (16 to 24 lb), with a recommendation to use 75 grams (20 lb).
It can print up to 12 black / grayscale pages per minute at a maximum resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi, and up to 5 colour pages per minute at a maximum resolution of 4800 x 1200 dpi. The speed of its printing, of course, depends highly on the amount of detail in the page, and the type of paper used.
In this video, we tested its plain paper printing performance using two photos. The less complex photo of an American flag at Alcatraz island took 1.5 minutes to complete, while the more complex photo of the Golden Gate Bridge took a minute longer.
Needless to say – plain paper printing delivers a duller, flatter look in photos. You should restrict colour printing on plain paper to flatter graphics like posters.
Please note that by default, the print driver defaults to Letter size, so you need to change it before printing. It also defaults to Borderless printing, which is not supported with plain paper printing. But what’s really odd is that the print driver cannot detect the portrait orientation of the Golden Gate Bridge photo, so you will need to manually select the correct orientation.
If you intend to print photos, please make sure you use photo paper. The HP Smart Tank 580 supports photo paper of up to 300 grams per square meter (80 lb).
You don’t have to splurge on premium HP Photo Paper. Any kind of photo paper would produce far better results than plain paper when it comes to photos.
In this video, we tested its photo paper printing performance using the same two photos as we did in the earlier video.
The HP print driver defaults to plain paper printing, so make sure you select one of the Photo Paper options before printing. You should also make sure to check the orientation, because the print driver defaults to landscape, and cannot seem to detect photos in the portrait orientation.
By default, Borderless printing is enabled for photo paper printing. However, the photo appears to be cropped at the four edges, even more than with borderless printing disabled!
With photo paper printing, both photos took 3.5 minutes. Far slower than the “up to 5 pages per minute” specification, but the output was fabulous.
The HP Smart Tank 580 can print at up to 4800 x 1200 dpi – less than the Epson EcoTank L3150, but you can’t really tell their prints apart, even if you compare them side-by-side. The resolution on photo paper is really good.
The colours are also vivid, with accurate colour reproduction. Needless to say – we highly recommend you use photo paper whenever you use the HP Smart Tank 580 to print photos.
Flip open the top cover, and you will find a high resolution colour scanner, which can scan at up to 1200 dpi, with a 24-bit colour depth.
You can use the HP Smart Tank 580 to make black and white, or colour photocopies, albeit only at a lower scan and print resolution of 600 dpi.
Low Printing Cost
According to HP, the printing cost for the Smart Tank 580 printer is dirt cheap at just 0.004 cents per page, regardless of whether it’s black and white, or colour.
That’s because the large GT53XL black ink bottle (135 ml) can print up to 18,000 pages, while the three GT52 colour ink bottles (50 ml each) can print up to 6,000 pages.
The HP Smart software is an app for desktop and mobile devices, that is designed to make it easier for you to setup and use their printers.
After setting up the Smart Tank 580 printer, you will need to install and run the HP Smart software on your computer, or mobile device, to connect to it wirelessly. Then you can start printing, or scanning.
The setup process using the HP Smart software is easy, and makes it pretty effortless even for non-techies to quickly setup and use the Smart Tank 580 printer. That said, the HP Smart software leaves much to be desired in other aspects…
For one thing – the HP Smart app requires you to create a HP account, just to print your documents or photos through the app! This is really ridiculous.
I can understand if you need to create an account to print via the cloud – printing a photo or a document on your printer at home, while you are overseas, for example. However, it is ridiculous if you need to create an account before you can print your photos or documents on your own local network!
So fine – I created a HP account, only to discover that the HP Smart software does not support the modern HEIC files using the High Efficiency Image File Format!
Whenever I select HEIC photos, it will give me the error message – “This file type is not supported“. I could only select photos using the older JPEG format.
This is a big problem because HEIC files have been in common use for many years now, becoming the standard for iPhones in 2017, with Android devices supporting it since 2019. It is unthinkable that any modern app would still not support the High Efficiency Image File Format!
On top of that, the HP Smart app only supported simple photo printing – just one photo at a time. You can change its orientation, crop it, rotate or flip it, add a border, but that’s about it. You cannot, for example, select multiple photos and print two or four of them in one page (2-Up / 4-Up printing).
Fortunately, you do not need to use the HP Smart app beyond setting up the printer. You can use other photo editing apps to create 2-Up, 4-Up images to print. I wouldn’t waste my time registering a HP account to use its extremely basic printing features.
HP Smart Tank 580 Review Summary + Verdict
The HP Smart Tank 580 is an impressive colour printer with scanning and copying capabilities, and wireless connectivity. It produced excellent print-outs, with outstanding results on photo paper.
It is also extremely cheap to use – as low as 0.004 cent per page, regardless of whether it’s black and white, or colour.
Of course, the cost will be higher when you print on photo paper, but it is still very cheap even if it uses 10X as much ink. In fact, the photo paper will certainly cost far more than the ink you use to print.
In any case, you won’t need to worry about refilling the HP Smart Tank 580 for some time. It comes with a full set of ink bottles that will last some three years, if you print an average of 5 pages per day / 150 pages per month!
When the time comes to refill the ink tanks, you must be extra careful as the ink bottles and ink tanks are not keyed. People have, and will continue, to wrongly fill the ink tanks with the wrong ink.
I also like how easy it is to setup the printer, and get printing, using the HP Smart software. Unfortunately, that’s about all the HP Smart software is good for. It has extremely basic printing features, and cannot even support the HEIC file format. Fortunately, you can simply ignore the HP Smart software, and just use any other photo editing, or printing app you want.
I am a little annoyed with the HP print driver, which always reverts to Letter, Plain Paper printing, and Landscape, even after I set my preferences. HP should definitely look into these usability issues. It’s not a deal-breaker, just annoying.
But if you can ignore those niggling issues, the HP Smart Tank 580 is an affordable colour printer that does a great job printing, scanning, and copying photos, with a very low cost of printing. If you run a small business, or just need a cheap and easy-to-use printer with scanning, you should definitely consider the HP Smart Tank 580.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did Bruce Willis just die suddenly at home, or on the way to the hospital?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2024-04-22 : Updated with new details and versions. Originally posted @ 2023-05-30
Claim : Bruce Willis Died At Home After Years Of Suffering!
People are sharing YouTube and Facebook videos claiming to prove that Bruce Willis just died suddenly at home, or on the way to the hospital, with titles like:
5 Minutes Ago / Bruce Willis DIED After A Long Battle With CANCER
10 Minutes Ago / Bruce Willis Just Died At Home / Goodbye Bruce Willis.
15 Minutes Ago / Bruce Willis Just Died At Home / Goodbye Bruce Willis
5 minutes ago! Bruce Willis – His Last Goodbye On His Deathbed, Ending After Years Of Suffering.
R.I.P Bruce Willis was confirmed by a doctor to be dead at 5am, Goodby and rest in peace!
5 Minutes Ago / UNEXPECTED Death Of Bruce Willis On The Way To HOSPITAL / R.I.P. Star
Stop breathing 5 minutes ago / Bruce Willis Died on the way to the hospital / Goodbye Bruce Willis
Stopped breathing 10 minutes ago / Actor Bruce Willis dies in hospital/ goodbye Bruce Willis
15 Minutes Ago / Bruce Willis Died on the way to the hospital / Goodbye Bruce Willis
30 Minute Ago! Bruce Willis Passed away in a tragic accident
7 MINUTES AGO: Bruce Willis’ Daughter Shares His FINAL Message To His Beloved Fans..
At Bruce Willis’s tragic funeral! Our condolences to Bruce Willis’s family, goodbye Bruce Willis
Bruce Willis.. Rest in Peace, Great American Film and Television Actor
Heartbreaking Final Moments Of Legendary Actor Bruce Willis – cause of death is hidden!!!
A tragic funeral! With a heavy heart, before a tearful farewell to Bruce Willis, goodbye legend
Bruce Willis’s final moments in the hospital, he died in the arms of his loved ones
Funeral Is Tomorrow R.I.P. Legendary Actor Bruce Willis Heart stopped
Truth : Bruce Willis Did Not Die At Home After Years Of Suffering!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page views and YouTube advertising, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported His Death
These YouTube videos have been circulating for weeks and months, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media reported Bruce Willis’ death.
Never mind the slew of ridiculously terrible movies he participated in before his retirement, Bruce Willis remains a Hollywood mega star. His diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) got front page news all over the world!
If Bruce Willis really did die, whether from his dementia, a car accident, or a heart attack, the worldwide media would have reported it. Such momentous news would not have been left to a bunch of small-time celebrity death blogs / small YouTube and Facebook channels!
The truth is – no legitimate media outlet reported that Bruce Willis died suddenly from any cause, because it never happened
Fact #2 : Bruce Willis Is Still Alive + Well!
Bruce Willis did not die, and is still very much alive and well, as of Sunday, 21 April,2024. That was when he posted a photo of himself on his official Instagram account.
Bruce Willis officially retired from acting in March 2022, after his aphasia diagnosis, and his family announced that his aphasia was caused by frontotemporal dementia on February 16, 2023.
However, Bruce Willis did not die in 2022, 2023, or even April 2024 as alleged by people on social media. He’s very much still alive!
In fact, on Sunday, 21 April 2023, his family posted a video on Instagram, showing him with his granddaughter Louetta.
I analysed the photos used in these videos, and traced the origin of three examples used in many of these videos.
This photo that shows Bruce Willis on a hospital bed, was edited from a stock photo of an old man, taken by Raul Rodriguez. It’s titled “Elderly 80 plus year old man recovering from surgery in a hospital bed“.
In addition, the purple ribbon isn’t used for awareness of frontotemporal dementia, which is relatively uncommon. The purple ribbon is often used to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy and pancreatic cancer.
Incidentally, frontotemporal dementia is different from Alzheimer’s disease, affecting a different part of the brain, and presenting with different symptoms.
This photo of a large funeral is not of Bruce Willis, but of Irish makeup artist Cathriona White, taken on October 10, 2015.
If you look carefully, you can spot actor Jim Carrey looking sombre next to the pallbearer. He dated Cathriona White for three years, from 2012-2015. She died from a suicide by prescription drug overdose on September 28, 2015.
The fake news creator just added a photo of Bruce Willis, making it look like Jim Carrey and the lady beside him were carrying it. The truth is there was no photo, and they were just holding hands.
This photo of Bruce Willis’s funeral is also fake. This is actually a photo of Serbian folk singer, Šaban Šaulić, who died on February 17, 2019. His funeral was held on February 22, 2019.
The fake news creator flipped the photo, and superimposed a large and overly bright head of Sylvester Stallone together with a photo of Bruce Willis magically floating in front of him!
Fact #4 : Bruce Willis Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too
This Bruce Willis death hoax, ironically, is also being driven by another fake fact check article by MediaMass Project.
News of actor Bruce Willis’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the April 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the actor best known for his roles in The Fifth Element or Die Hard is alive and well.
Rumors of the actor’s alleged demise gained traction on Saturday after a ‘R.I.P. Bruce Willis’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the American actor’s passing:
“At about 11 a.m. ET on Saturday (April 20, 2024), our beloved actor Bruce Willis passed away. Bruce Willis was born on March 19, 1955 in Idar-Oberstein. He will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”
Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 69-year-old actor was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.
Where as some trusting fans believed the post, others were immediately skeptical of the report, perhaps learning their lesson from the huge amount of fake death reports emerging about celebrities over recent months. Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major American network, indicating that it was a fake report, as the death of an actor of Bruce Willis’ stature would be major news across networks.
Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Bruce Willis Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.
He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.
Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.
Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Legendary singer Dolly Parton just died suddenly from cancer?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Updated @ 2024-04-20 : Updated with new version and new details. Originally posted @ 2023-05-05
Claim : Dolly Parton Just Died Suddenly In Hospital!
People are sharing YouTube and Facebook videos claiming that legendary singer Dolly Parton just died suddenly in a hospital of cancer or a stroke, with titles like :
5 Minutes Ago / The UNEXPECTED Death of Dolly Parton After A Long Battle With CANCER
7 minutes ago/ Dolly Parton passed away suddenly last night/ Goodbye actor Dolly Parton
1 hours ago, Singer Dolly Parton died at the hospital, extremely painful
5 Minutes Ago/Dolly Parton Is Currently On Life Support After Diagnosed With Dangerous Disease.
7 minutes ago / R.I.P. Singer Dolly Parton Died on the way to the hospital
20 minutes ago / The family announced the sad news of Country singer Dolly Parton / Goodbye
30 minutes ago, Famous Singer Dolly Parton was found dead in the bathroom after suffering a stroke
10 Minutes Ago / Sad News / RIP Dolly Parton / Goodbye Dolly Parton
Minutes ago at Dolly Parton’s funeral, Blake Shelton: ‘I can’t believe she’s gone forever’
10 mins ago / With singer Dolly Parton’s tearful final goodbye, she is confirmed as..
With heavy hearts as we report sudden death of 76-year-old singer Dolly Parton, goodbye and rest.
Truth : Dolly Parton Did Not Die Suddenly From Cancer!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by people to generate income from page / video views and advertising, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : No Legitimate Media Outlet Reported Her Death
These YouTube and Facebook videos have been circulating for months now, but people don’t seem to notice that no legitimate media has reported Dolly Parton’s death.
Dolly Parton is such a big celebrity and a legend in the music industry, her death would have been covered globally by the media and celebrity blogs.
Yet, no legitimate media outlet, nor celebrity blog, has reported that Dolly Parton died recently from any cause. Why should you believe no-name websites, or random YouTube / Facebook videos??
Fact #2 : Dolly Parton Is Still Alive + Well!
Dolly Parton (born Dolly Rebecca Parton on May 13, 1946) is still very much alive and well, as of Friday, April 20, 2023, when she posted on Instagram with players from the New York Yankees at the Yankee Stadium.
And just two days earlier, she posted an Instagram photo promoting the pre-order of her upcoming cookbook – Good Lookin’ Cookin’ (US|UK | AU).
All those posts came many weeks to months after those YouTube and Facebook videos claimed that she died suddenly from cancer, a stroke, or some “dangerous disease”.
Fact #3 : The Videos Provided No Evidence For Her Death
To generate ad money, the videos must engage you long enough, so they come up with some story that Dolly Parton was suffering from “cancer”, a “dangerous disease” or a “stroke”, and they drag out the video with details about Dolly Parton’s life.
In any case, after watching the videos, you will realise that none of them actually provided any evidence that Dolly Parton died from cancer, or any dangerous disease.
That may anger you, but it doesn’t matter. They got you to watch the video, generating income for them. And they know that most people will not realise that, and forward the fake news to their family and friends!
Fact #4 : They Videos Used Stock Photos
To make their videos more convincing, these fake video creators add faces of celebrities like Sylvester Stallone and Blake Shelton to the fake Dolly Parton funeral photos.
Take for example, this photo of Sylvester Stallone apparently leading the pallbearers carrying Dolly Parton’s coffin. Not only is Stallone smirking (odd for a funeral, isn’t it?), his head looks strange – it’s too large and you can see a second ear just right ear!
That’s because the fake news creator use the funeral photo from Dolores O’Riordan of the Cranberries that was taken on Sunday, January 21, 2018 by Getty photographer, Charles McQuillian, in her hometown of Limerick in Ireland.
The fake news creator had to make Sylvester Stallone’s head larger to cover up the face of the man in the real photo, but even so, was not able to cover up the man’s right ear completely.
The fake news creator also added a photo of Dolly Parton. In the real photo, you can see that the man was not holding anything.
Fact #5 : Dolly Parton Death Hoax Is Driven By Fake Fact Check Too
This Dolly Parton death hoax, ironically, also bring driven by another fake fact check article by MediaMass Project.
News of singer Dolly Parton’s death spread quickly earlier this week causing concern among fans across the world. However the April 2024 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. Thankfully, the singer best known for hit songs like 9 to 5, I Will Always Love You or Jolene is alive and well.
Rumors of the singer’s alleged demise gained traction on Monday after a ‘R.I.P. Dolly Parton’ Facebook page attracted nearly one million of ‘likes’. Those who read the ‘About’ page were given a believable account of the American singer’s passing:
“At about 11 a.m. ET on Thursday (April 18, 2024), our beloved singer Dolly Parton passed away. Dolly Parton was born on January 19, 1946 in Sevierville. She will be missed but not forgotten. Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”
Hundreds of fans immediately started writing their messages of condolence on the Facebook page, expressing their sadness that the talented 78-year-old singer, songwriter and actress was dead. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax.
Where as some trusting fans believed the post, others were immediately skeptical of the report, perhaps learning their lesson from the huge amount of fake death reports emerging about celebrities over recent months. Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major American network, indicating that it was a fake report, as the death of a singer of Dolly Parton’s stature would be major news across networks.
Their claim of a viral R.I.P. Dolly Parton Facebook page is false. There is no such Facebook page. It is their standard fake fact check spiel for fake celebrity deaths.
She joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. She’s still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet.
Hidden in the description page for the MediaMass Project is a disclaimer that they are a “satire” website. That’s the usual “cover” for websites peddling fake news.
Regardless of their reasons, anything posted by MediaMass.net must be considered as fake news, until proven otherwise.
Fact #6 : This Is Just Fake Celebrity News
This is yet another example of fake celebrity news created to generate page views and money through advertising, just like these examples:
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Truth : Iran Did Not Shot Down Israeli F-35 Over Isfahan!
This appears to be yet another example of fake news circulating online, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : That Video Was From A Video Game
The viral video does not actually show Iran anti-aircraft personnel shooting down an Israeli F-35 over Isfahan.
It is really just a clip from a gameplay video called “Anti-Air C-RAM System in Action shot down Fighter Jets – Surface-to-Air Missile – Mil-Sim – ArmA 3“.
The gameplay video was recorded using the game, ArmA 3, which is also known as ArmA III or Armed Assault 3 – an open-world, military tactical shooter game by Bohemia Interactive.
This particular gameplay video was posted on YouTube by Compared Comparison on 30 July 2022, so obviously it has nothing to do with the Israeli strike on Iran in April 19, 2024.
Fact #2 : F-35 Does Not Have Canards
Compared Comparison did not state what fighter jets were featured in the video, only that they were shot down using the the 20mm gatling gun on the C-RAM/Phalanx CIWS.
However, if you look closely at the aircraft in the viral video, you can see that it has canards – small wings in front of the main wings. It could be any one of these fighter jets with canards:
Eurofighter Typhoon
Dassault Rafale
Saab JAS 39 Gripen
But the aircraft in the viral video is most certainly not the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lighting II, which lacks any canards.
Fact #3 : It Was Posted As Houthi Shooting Down F-15 Earlier
The perpetrator of this hoax, Joseph, asked his followers to “please go into the comments and call out all the fraudsters saying its fake, thank you.”
Not only did he falsely misrepresent the video as Iran shooting down an F-35 over Isfahan, he actually posted the same video on 12 January 2024, claiming that it showed Houthi forces shooting down an American F-15:
HOUTHI ANTI AIR CAPABILITIES SEEN DESTROYING THE FIRST AMERICAN F-15 OF THE WAR OVER SANA’A, YEMEN.
He even used the same syntax for that fake claim!
Fact #4 : Israel Only Launched A Drone Strike
Regardless of the fake video, it is impossible for Iran to shoot down any Israeli F-35 fighter jets, because Israel never sent any on 19 April 2024.
The April 19 strike by Israel used drone, as well as at least one missile. No Israeli fighter jets – F-35, or otherwise, were involved.
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Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Is Bill Gates tracking people who share conspiracies about him?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Bill Gates Is Tracking People Sharing Conspiracies About Him!
People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claimed that Bill Gates is tracking people who share conspiracies about him!
Here is an excerpt of the long and (intentionally?) confusing article. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!
Bill Gates Warns He’s ‘Tracking’ People Who Share ‘Conspiracy Theories’ About Him
Globalist billionaire Bill Gates says he has a team that tracks people who share “conspiracy theories” about him and they are making a list for when they need to “respond.”
During an appearance on The Rest Is Politics podcast, Gates was asked how he feels about becoming a target of so-called “conspiracy theorists” during the Covid pandemic.
“I have people who track it and we often think ‘which of these things should we respond to?’” said Gates. “If they get broad enough then you want to respond.”
Bill Gates’ colleagues at the United Nations have declared war on so-called conspiracy theories, describing their rise as “worrying and dangerous,” while stating that conspiracy theories about Klaus Schwab’s World Economic Forum must be scrubbed from the internet, and the perpetrators behind the conspiracies must be silenced.
The UN also warns that George Soros, the Rothschilds and the State of Israel must not be linked to what the globalists refer to as “alleged conspiracies.”
This attack on free thinking is disturbing enough, but it’s the consequences for those who break the globalist’s rules that expose them for the Nazis they really are.
Truth : Bill Gates Is Not Tracking People Sharing Conspiracies About Him!
This is yet another example of fake news created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Bill Gates Isn’t Tracking People
Let me start by quickly pointing out that Bill Gates himself is not tracking people sharing conspiracy theories about him.
The video clip that is being used to “prove” that Bill Gates is tracking people sharing conspiracies about him does not even say that.
In that video clip, Bill Gates simply states that he has a team that monitors conspiracy theories involving him, and advises him on whether to respond to them, or not.
Fact #2 : Viral Video Was Edited
More importantly – the viral video was digitally-manipulated, splicing two different parts of the original video together, and then adding the “Bill Gates Tracks ‘Conspiracy Theorists‘” overlay, which did not exist in the original video.
The original video called “Why Bill Gates Is Optimistic About Climate Change” was posted on YouTube on 22 January 2024, by The Rest Is Politics, in which Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell interviewed Bill Gates.
The first part was taken from 39:07 of the original video, where Alastair starts to ask Bill Gates:
How did you feel… this came out particularly during COVID and the work you were doing with vaccine for that… How do you feel when you become part of this whole kind of conspiracy theory stuff going on? Does that bother you? Does it get to you at all?
The second part was taken from 41:53 of the original video, when Alastair asked him if he has people helping him deal with fake news and conspiracy theories, or does he simply accept it. Bill Gates then replied:
Bill Gates : So I have people who track it and we often think “which of these things should we respond to?” Umm… You know, if they get broad enough, then you want to respond. If they’re just in the truly crazy niche, then you probably don’t want to amplify it.
As you can see, the video clip combined two different parts of the interview, to convey a misleading narrative.
Fact #3 : Bill Gates Has No Reason To Track People
On top of that, Bill Gates specifically pointed out in that interview that he has no reason to track people.
The video clip appears to (intentionally?) edit out Bill Gates’ reply because he actually pointed out that it’s ludicrous for him to track people.
In my overall situation, I have nothing to complain about, you know. Somebody coming up to me on the street which happens sometimes, saying that I chipped them [and] I’m following them around.
You know, as long as I’m safe, you almost have to laugh that, you know… “Lady, why would I want to know where you are? I mean, really… is that how I spend my time… just tracking you?”
You can see Bill Gates’ actual reaction to the question that was edited out in the viral video clip, in this promotional video clip by The Rest Is Politics.
This week on Leading, dive into the world of business and philanthropy with the iconic @BillGates. Join Rory and Alastair as they probe:
💼 Business insights from one of the world's wealthiest 🤖 The good guys and bad guys of AI 👔 Politicians earning Bill Gates' admiration… pic.twitter.com/JZndkGoiZB
Fact #4 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Fake News
The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.
Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.
Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice. Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:
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Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Was a “dead” COVID-19 crisis actor seen waking up on live TV?! Take a look at the viral video, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : “Dead” COVID Crisis Actor Seen Waking Up On TV!
People are sharing a video which they claim or suggest is evidence that government faked COVID-19 deaths. The video appears to show a reporter speaking, with rows of black body bags behind him – supposedly COVID-19 victims.
Then one of the “dead” COVID-19 crisis actors is seen fiddling with his body bag that was blowing in the wind, before a lady goes to help cover him up!
Concerned Citizen : 🚨🌎 During Covid – Legacy Media regularly wheeled out the body bags, giving the illusion of mass deaths from a deadly virus
Of course it was all a Lie.
Sometimes Crisis actors waiting to pretend die of Covid got so bored they just had to get up & stretch a little mid – News report.
Covid was a complete scam & Legacy Media is Dead.
Craig Kelly : The world’s greatest consumer fraud.
Knight Wolf : 🚨During Covid – Legacy Media regularly wheeled out the body bags, giving the illusion of mass deaths from a deadly virus..😂😂
Truth : That Was Not A “Dead” COVID Crisis Actor Waking Up On TV!
This is yet another example of COVID-19 fake news, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Video Was About A Climate Change Protest
Let me start by pointing out that the viral video does not show bodies of COVID-19 victims. The video was actually about a climate change protest in Vienna, as these English translations will tell you :
WIEN: DEMO GEGEN KLIMAPOLITIK = Vienna: Demo against climate policy
Aktuell Klimapolitik Nicht = No to the current climate policy
The “dead bodies” were not crisis actors, but 49 protesters in body bags outside the Federal Chancellery in Vienna. This was what oe24 reporter, Marvin Bergauer, was saying on the video:
Fact #2 : Video Was Posted By oe24TV
The original video was posted by oe24 – a TV channel that belongs to Austria, and it featured reporter Marvin Bergauer, who reported:
No greenhouse gas and reduction targets in Austria for 400 days. That is the official title of this event here, this demonstration.
It was organised by Fridays For Future… Here you can also see this protest action, which is somewhat macabre. Forty-nine people are lying here on the ground to represent the climate deaths.
Fact #5 : Video Was Also Misused By Anti-Ukraine Propaganda
This video was also misused in anti-Ukraine propaganda, which claimed that the video showed crisis actors pretending to be people killed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Truth : “Dead” Crisis Actor Was NOT Caught Waking Up On Ukrainian TV!
This is yet another example of anti-Ukrainian fake news, apparently created and distributed by pro-China activists.
Fact #1 : TV Broadcast Was In German
The video has the chyron, WIEN: DEMO GEGEN KLIMAPOLITIK, with one individual holding a sign that said “Aktuell Klimapolitik Nicht“.
Those are German words, not Ukrainian or Russian; and the reporter was speaking in German.
This is one of the reasons why I believe this to be a Chinese effort at misinformation, rather than Russian.
Russians would not waste their time with this video, because they know that most Europeans would be able to identify the German language even if they don’t understand it.
Fact #2 : oe24TV Is Austrian, Not Ukrainian
The video identifies the reporter as Marvin Bergauer of oe24TV – a TV channel that belongs to Österreich.
Österreich, which literally means Austria, is an Austrian newspaper that publishes in the German language.
Fact #3 : Video Was About A Climate Change Protest
The video was actually about a climate change protest in Vienna, as these English translations will tell you :
WIEN: DEMO GEGEN KLIMAPOLITIK = Vienna: Demo against climate policy
Aktuell Klimapolitik Nicht = No to the current climate policy
The “dead bodies” were not crisis actors, but 49 protesters in body bags outside the Federal Chancellery in Vienna. This was what oe24 reporter, Marvin Bergauer, was saying in German :
No greenhouse gas and reduction targets in Austria for 400 days. That is the official title of this event here, this demonstration.
It was organised by Fridays For Future… Here you can also see this protest action, which is somewhat macabre. Forty-nine people are lying here on the ground to represent the climate deaths.
Fact #4 : Video Was Taken Before Russian Invasion Of Ukraine
This video was recorded on 4 February 2022 – 20 days before Russia invaded Ukraine.
You can confirm this in the official oe24TV broadcast page for this protest, as well as this tweet by the Fridays for Future group in Vienna.
— Fridays For Future Wien – #DontFuelWar (@ViennaForFuture) February 4, 2022
Fact #5 : Video Was Also Misused By COVID-19 Deniers
This video was also misused earlier by COVID-19 deniers who claimed that these are crisis actors in Germany who pretended to be dead COVID-19 patients.
They were sharing it as evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic was staged or planned, and that people did not actually die from it.
This video was already circulating in the West since 9 February 2022, so it would be really peculiar for Russian disinformation teams to reuse it.
This would suggest that the video is being used by Chinese disinformation efforts unfamiliar to its earlier circulation in the West.
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Samsung just launched the Galaxy A55 smartphone, and here is our hands-on video and our first impressions!
Samsung Galaxy A55 Hands-On + First Impressions!
The Galaxy A55 is Samsung’s latest mid-range smartphone, and here is our hands-on video and our first impressions!
Same Design, Slightly Larger Display
Samsung retained the same design as last year’s Galaxy A54. It is slightly larger, thanks to its slightly larger 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display, which now supports a maximum brightness of 1000 nits.
Otherwise, the display has the same Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels, with a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz for smoother graphics.
Better Protection
The first thing you will notice when you pick it up is the heft. It’s quite a thick and solid-feeling phone, with a thick metal frame wrapping all around the sides.
The display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus+, which is tougher and more damage-resistant. The back is likely protected by Gorilla Glass 5 like in the Galaxy A54, although Samsung never explicitly revealed what glass it’s using.
Samsung also retained the IP67 dust- and water-resistance, from last year’s Galaxy A54.
The Samsung Galaxy A55 is built around the new 4nm Samsung Exynos 1480 mobile platform, which is fabricated on Samsung’s own 4 nm EUV process technology.
It comes with a Samsung Xclipse 530 GPU, an improved 6K MAC NPU, as well as eight CPU cores arranged in two performance clusters:
four Arm Cortex-A78 high-performance cores, and
four Arm Cortex-A55 low-power cores.
The Samsung Exynos 1480 has an integrated 5G modem that supports Sub-6GHz and mmWave standards, as well as LTE Cat.18 uploads and downloads for current 4G networks.
It also supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, as well as the four main GPS networks – GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo.
32 MP Front Camera
Hidden in its display is a punch hole camera, with a 32 MP sensor and an f/2.2 aperture. As far as I can tell, it’s the same camera as Galaxy A54, with an 80˚ field of view.
This front camera takes 12 MP photos by default, for better low-light performance. But you can switch it to 32 MP if you need the higher resolution. I recommend you stick with 12 MP though.
This front camera can record 4K (UHD) videos with video stabilisation, albeit at just 30 fps. If you want smoother videos though, you can record 1080p (FHD) videos with video stabilisation at 60 fps.
Triple Camera System
At the back, the Samsung Galaxy A55 sports a triple camera system, that consists of:
a 50 MP main camera, with f/1.8 aperture,
a 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera, with f/2.2 aperture, and
a 5 MP macro camera, with f/2.4 aperture
By default, the main camera takes 12 MP photos – combining four pixels into one larger pixel for better low-light performance. You can switch it to the full 50 MP, but unless you need the higher resolution, you are better off sticking with the default 12 MP mode.
Like the front camera, the rear cameras record 4K (UHD) videos with video stabilisation at just 30 fps. I recommend you stick with 1080p (FHD) video recording with video stabilisation enabled, at 60 fps.
Large 5,000 mAh Battery
The Samsung Galaxy A55 is powered by a large 5,000 mAh battery, which supports up to 25 watt fast charging.
It does not come with an in-box USB charger, but it comes with a USB cable that supports up to 45 watt fast charging.
Hybrid SIM + microSD Tray
The Samsung Galaxy A55 comes with a hybrid tray that supports two nano SIM cards, or one nano SIM card and a microSD card (of up to 1 TB in capacity).
It also supports an eSIM, so it is possible to use two phone numbers using a nano SIM and an eSIM, as well as a microSD card.
Samsung Knox Vault
You may not know this, but the Samsung Galaxy A55 comes with Samsung Knox Vault, which helps to protect your sensitive information like your PIN, password, and security patterns.
You can also store sensitive data and files in the encrypted Samsung Knox Vault storage, which is completely isolated and separate from the main operating system.
Samsung Guarantee
Finally, Samsung guarantees up to 4 generations of OS upgrades, and 5 years of security updates, as well as 2 years of warranty for the Galaxy A55!
Samsung Galaxy A55 : Specifications
Here are the Samsung Galaxy A55’s key specifications:
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy A55
Display
6.6-inch Super AMOLED
– 1080 x 2340 pixels (390 ppi)
– 60 Hz / 120 Hz refresh rate
The Samsung Galaxy A55 comes with 8 GB of RAM, and either 128 GB or 256 GB of storage, with the option to add a microSD card in the hybrid SIM tray. It is covered by a 2-year warranty, with the following launch prices:
8 GB + 128 GB : £439 / A$699 / S$618
8 GB + 256 GB : RM1,999 / £489 / S$698
Surprisingly, Samsung decided not to bring the Galaxy A55 to the United States, and suggested that customers consider the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23 FE instead. However, it is possible to purchase Latin American unlocked devices in the US (see below).
There are four colour options, which are not available in all countries – Awesome Iceblue, Awesome Lilac, Awesome Lemon, and Awesome Navy.
Here are online purchase options (we may get commission from your purchase) :
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
