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Solana Saga specs updated ahead of 2023 launch for this crypto-phone that rose from the ashes of Essential

The Solana Saga is set to be the first smartphone manufactured by OSOM, the new startup founded by former employees of Essential. So it has an interesting pedigree. But it’s also a phone with a very niche value proposition: it’s basically a phone for crypto enthusiasts. In other words, the Solana Saga isn’t meant to […]

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OSOM OV1 smartphone coming in Q4, 2022 with ceramic and metal body, Snapdragon 8 series processor

The OSOM OV1 will be the first phone from OSOM products. But in a lot of ways it will be the sequel to an older phone that had a bit of a cult following: the Essential PH-1. OSOM is a startup founded by former Essential employees after that company went belly up. And the OV1 […]

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OSOM OV1 smartphone coming in summer 2022 (from the makers of the Essential PH-1)

Last year a startup called OSOM announced plans to develop new hardware with an emphasis on privacy. Founded by a group of folks who had previously worked at the now-defunct Essential Products, all signs pointed to that hardware including a new smartphone. Now the company has confirmed that one of its first products will be a […]

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Lilbits: Microsoft Edge gets more interesting, Chromebooks outsell Macs, and a 31.2 inch color E Ink display

Now that Microsoft’s Edge web browser is based on Google’s open source Chromium project, it behaves a lot like Google’s Chrome browser… and for the most part that’s left me wondering why you’d use Edge instead of Chrome. Microsoft has been adding features that help set its browser apart, but up until now I haven’t […]

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Lilbits: Nothing buys Essential, tech company names are dumb, and the future of the PinePhone

Microsoft’s game streaming service is coming to the web — which means it’s coming to iOS without giving Apple a cut of revenue. Pine64 has announced the default GNU/Linux distribution and user interface that will ship with its PinePhone devices in the future. And the new company from the co-founder of OnePlus has bought the […]

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Lilbits: A handheld PC for IT pros, a shady Nintendo Switch emulator, and more

Chinese PC maker One Netbook specialized in tiny laptops, and this year the company has been branching out into a few new niche categories. The OneGx line of computers are designed for gamers. And the company has an new device on the way that’s designed for engineers and IT pros. It has a 7 inch […]

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Newton Mail is back from the dead (again) and this time it’s going open source

Newton Mail has had a rough couple of years. The cross-platform email app offered a bunch of nifty features and earned itself a bit of a fan base — but the company must have had a tough time making money because it announced plans to double its price in 2018… then announced it was shutting […]

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Essential PH-2 and PH-3 design concept images show two phones that will never be

The Essential PH-1 smartphone first shipped in 2017 and… it was the only phone the company ever shipped before shutting down earlier this year. But the company did have dreams of expanding its lineup. The planned Essential Home line of smart home products never saw the light of day. And the weirdly elongated Project GEM […]

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This is the Project GEM phone that Essential never released

Late last year, Essential revealed that it was working on a brand new type of Android-powered smartphone code-named Project GEM, with a tall and skinny design and an unusual user interface. Now that the company is shutting down, you’ll never be able to buy a Project GEM device. But in the company’s farewell letter, Essential […]

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Essential is shutting down (no new products, no more updates for the Essential PH-1)

The smartphone company started by Android co-founder Andy Rubin is shutting down. Essential only ever released one smartphone. But since the Essential PH-1 hit the streets in 2017, it’s been one of the most well-supported Android phones on the market. Essential pushed out Android OS updates and monthly security updates the same day they were […]