Galaxy Fold 8 Popularity-Samsung Diverting Parts from Next Year’s Phones; Waymo Is Expanding to More Markets; Amazon Drivers Rig Trucks to Keep the AC On; Dyson’s Camera-Equipped Toothbrush

They are expensive, and have had the dreaded crease in the middle, but folding phones are finally really gaining steam with the public. They are not close to the numbers of regular smartphones, but at Samsung the gain is serious. 9to5google.com reports that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 sales are so strong now that Samsung is syphoning off parts for the phone from it’s 2027 smartphones to meed the demand for the folder. Specifically, it is Display Driver ICs that are the bottleneck. They are made by UMC, a semiconductor foundry in Taiwan, which claims it has reached its limit for now on making the chips. Samsung’s Fold 8 is in short supply in the US, and with Apple coming out with a folder this month, Omdia reported this week that they project foldable shipments will double by 2028 with up to 36 million units. 

On one hand, it is understandable…with the growing fleet of electric vans, Amazon uses software to limit the air conditioner running, as that drains the battery packs. According to bgr.com, the system is set to shut off if the door to the van is left open more than 10 minutes. Where a driver is making multiple trips to say apartments or condos in a building, they are going to tend to need to leave the door open longer. When they get in on a hot day, it’s gonna take a while to cool back off. Amazon drivers have come up with a unique work around. They put a good sized package on the driver’s seat to fool the sensors there, then jam a carabiner into the female slot on the door jam where the door latches. Bingo…the software thinks the vehicle is closed and the air conditioning will run longer. Certainly after word has gotten out, Amazon will push out an update and try to negate this, but count on human ingenuity to find yet another work around!

Alphabet’s Waymo is expanding its robo taxi service to more markets. CNBC.com notes that you will now be able to catch a ride in them in San Diego, Tampa, and Denver. Waymo will now have over 4,000 vehicles operating in 14 US Cities. Tesla has an event this Thursday introducing their new robotaxi model, but even if it is the greatest since sliced bread, it is going to have a heck of a time catching Waymo. The same can be said for Zoox, which right now only operates in San Francisco and Las Vegas. Zoox says it is beginning testing of its toaster shaped carriage style vehicles…with human drivers on board in Houston and San Diego. 

They make great but pricy vacuums, and really expensive hair dryers, those blade hand dryers, and fans. Now, apparently after years of research and development, we get the CameraJet toothbrush from Dyson. What on earth makes a toothbrush worth $499? Well, thenextweb.com says Dyson’s brush has a tiny camera…and not for beauty shots of your teeth. It is there to guide the toothbrush where to aim. The brush can identify gaps between teeth and aim a tiny jet that sprays mouth rinse between your teeth. James Dyson says the tech is called Gap Optical Targeting. This gadget is designed to replace flossing. Besides the brush and camera, a tiny jet draws mouthwash from a little pump and pressure chamber to blast gunk out from between your teeth. Dyson notes that for tooth brushing, the cam doesn’t have to be high resolution, and that it is only on when you have the toothbrush on…so no worries about spying on you in the bath. The brush has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth because of course it does…and it connects to the MyDyson app…which guides your cleaning and maps where you have brushed…offering personalized feedbacks. If you are in the market, it is on the Dyson website and through Dyson Demo Stores.

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.