All posts tagged: Pen

Why the Galaxy S27 Pro Ditching the S Pen is a Genius Move

Why the Galaxy S27 Pro Ditching the S Pen is a Genius Move

Published by skeptic

Samsung has introduced a significant evolution in its flagship smartphone lineup with the Galaxy S27 Pro, a model designed to bridge the gap between the base/Plus models and the Ultra. This addition reflects a deliberate strategy to cater to diverse consumer preferences while refining its competitive edge in the premium smartphone market. By offering premium features without the inclusion of the S Pen, Samsung is creating a clearer distinction between its flagship models, making sure that each device serves a specific audience. The S Pen: Redefining Its Role The S Pen has long been a hallmark of Samsung’s flagship devices, particularly for users who appreciate the productivity and creativity it enables. However, recent changes in its functionality suggest a shift in Samsung’s approach. The Galaxy S26 Ultra retained the S Pen but removed Bluetooth-enabled features such as remote camera control and air gestures, signaling a reevaluation of its role. With the Galaxy S27 Pro, the S Pen is excluded entirely, allowing Samsung to focus on other priorities like design and performance enhancements. This decision highlights …

Le Pen met France’s richest man and other major CEOs at secret dinner – POLITICO

Le Pen met France’s richest man and other major CEOs at secret dinner – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

For years, France’s entrepreneurial elite have been deeply suspicious of a populist party that has flipflopped on key economic policies such as membership of the eurozone. In 2017, Arnault backed French President Emmanuel Macron against Le Pen, and had until this week refused to meet National Rally leaders. But with Le Pen and National Rally President Jordan Bardella topping the polls ahead of next year’s presidential election, business leaders have been seeking to build bridges with far-right leaders to gain influence over a party whose economic vision often clashes with their interests. Pouyanné had in January called for business leaders to talk to the far right and the hard-left France Unbowed party to “introduce some realism into a confused and illusory political debate.” According to an executive who works for one of the attendees, the encounter wasn’t an opportunity for business leaders to “cozy up” to Le Pen, but rather a robust exchange of views. But a former government official who was granted anonymity to protect relationships with past colleagues said that the symbolism of …

Trump spent several minutes spinning a tale about Sharpies to his Cabinet. The pen maker doesn’t know what he’s talking about

Trump spent several minutes spinning a tale about Sharpies to his Cabinet. The pen maker doesn’t know what he’s talking about

Published by Sam Flores

President Donald Trump described a phone call about custom-made Sharpies at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting — but a spokesperson for the pen brand told The Washington Post the conversation he recounted didn’t happen. “We don’t have any information about the conversation described. We’re proud to be a beloved brand trusted by so many globally,” a spokesperson for Newell Brands, which makes Sharpies, told the outlet. The Independent has contacted the White House and Newell Brands for comment. Trump launched into his Sharpie anecdote about an hour into his latest Cabinet meeting, where administration officials were discussing several pressing topics, including the Iran war and the Department of Homeland Security shutdown. President Donald Trump described a phone call with the ‘head of Sharpie,’ but the company that makes the markers reportedly rejected his description of events (Getty Images) “This pen is very inexpensive, but it writes well, I like it,” Trump said, holding up a marker. “But I can’t have the pen the way it was — you know what it is? I don’t want to give …

11 Best USB Flash Drives (2026): Pen Drives, Thumb Drives, Memory Sticks

11 Best USB Flash Drives (2026): Pen Drives, Thumb Drives, Memory Sticks

Published by skeptic

Photograph: Simon Hill Other Flash Drives We Like We have tested many other USB flash drives that did not make the cut. Here are a few that might be worth considering for some folks. Photograph: Simon Hill Kingston Dual Portable SSD (1 TB) for $229: With a snazzy metallic red body, this SSD disguised as a flash drive is very speedy, matching the stated 1,050 MB/s read and 950 MB/s write in my tests. It is USB 3.2 Gen 2 with a C jack at one end and an A jack at the other, both with removable covers. As much as I like this drive, which comes in 512-GB, 1-TB, and 2-TB models, it is on the pricey side. Amazon Basics Flash Drive (128 GB) for $18: I like the grippy texture on the slider of this drive because it’s easy to open one-handed and locks in place securely. The loop at the top is perfect for a key ring, and it is lightweight. Performance was limited, as you might expect at this price, but …

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: Features, S Pen, and Flex Magic Pixel

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: Features, S Pen, and Flex Magic Pixel

Published by skeptic

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 represents a significant evolution in foldable smartphone technology, blending innovation with practicality to meet the demands of modern users. By reintroducing the S Pen and incorporating advanced display features, Samsung has taken steps to enhance productivity, privacy, and portability. This device is more than just a smartphone; it’s a versatile tool designed to cater to both professional and personal needs. Below is an in-depth look at how the Galaxy Z Fold 8 redefines the foldable smartphone experience. The S Pen Makes a Comeback The return of the S Pen is one of the most notable features of the Galaxy Z Fold 8. After its absence in the previous model, Samsung has reengineered the S Pen to work seamlessly with the foldable display. This redesign eliminates the need for a traditional digitizer layer, allowing the stylus to function without adding bulk to the device. The result is a sleek, lightweight design that doesn’t compromise on functionality. For users who rely on the S Pen for note-taking, sketching, or document editing, …

Startup Generates Caring Letters to Your Friends Using AI, Handwrites Them Using Robot Pen

Startup Generates Caring Letters to Your Friends Using AI, Handwrites Them Using Robot Pen

Published by José Betancourt

Sign up to see the future, today Can’t-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech Think back to the last time you peeled open an envelope to find a handwritten letter. Maybe it was a heartfelt thank-you message for attending someone’s wedding. Perhaps it was a note from a close friend traveling abroad. Whatever the reason, it feels good to get an actual letter in the mail, right? Now, you may never experience that feeling again without a jolt of paranoid suspicion. Introducing Handwrytten, a young AI company oozing with corporate-twee, peddling in a Rube Goldberg machine of automation that produces handwritten notes with zero emotional or physical effort: a large language model produces the content, and then a proprietary robot inks it out onto stationary with unmatched “speed, quality, and realism.” “In an age where we are all drowning in electronic communication, handwritten notes really stand out,” the company’s website reads, bragging that its robo-scrawl is “virtually indistinguishable from human writing.” From what can be gathered on its website, Handwrytten is primarily …

Forget Le Pen. French politics has a new archvillain. – POLITICO

Forget Le Pen. French politics has a new archvillain. – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“We condemn both extreme-left and extreme-right wrongdoing,” said a government official, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly on the sensitive topic. “But there has been a complacency toward the far left, a sort of romanticism in France about the radical left that is dangerous.” Mélenchon, for his part, has long been a controversial figure in French politics, including for his refusal to immediately condemn the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel. That position crystallized in recent days after he praised the spirit of “resistance” of the Young Guard, a now-disbanded antifascist group that was cofounded by a France Unbowed lawmaker and accused of involvement in the fight; blamed the authorities for the violence; and attacked the National Assembly president for suspending the parliamentary aide who is now under investigation for his role in the affair. Looking further ahead, one Socialist Party official warned against counting out the savvy political veteran Jean-Luc Mélenchon with more than a year to go before the presidential election. | Bertrand Guay/AFP via Getty Images Left gets squeezed Though …

Parents opt kids out of school laptops, ask for pen and paper

Parents opt kids out of school laptops, ask for pen and paper

Published by Sam Flores

Stein, a math teacher, said he doesn’t think it makes sense to pull students off of computers entirely — state tests are all online now, and teaching statistics requires datasets stored on software — but many teachers agree there is too much screen time in class. “The default is always just do it on the screen,” he said, “instead of thinking about, ‘Do we need to do that on the screen?’ I think that that’s the issue.” The Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations is pressing the district to provide a formal process to request “non-screen alternatives” for families that have “made the conscious effort to limit their children’s exposure to screens.” Lisa Cline, a Montgomery County mom who chaired a parent advisory committee focused on technology, said she opted her son out when he was in third grade and then requested each school year that his teachers keep him off screens as much as possible until he graduated high school last year. She said she hopes to work with the advocacy group Fairplay for …

French court to rule on July 7 in Marine Le Pen appeal trial

French court to rule on July 7 in Marine Le Pen appeal trial

Published by Sam Flores

Rassemblement National (RN) MP Marine Le Pen and RN MEP Catherine Griset at the Paris de Justice in Paris on February 11, 2026. SARAH MEYSSONNIER / REUTERS A Paris appeals court said on Wednesday, February 11, that it will rule on July 7 in a fraud case against far-right leader Marine Le Pen, in what is expected to be a pivotal moment for French politics. If the appeals court upholds last year’s bombshell ruling, the three-time presidential candidate would be banned from running in 2027, widely seen as her best chance at the top job. At the end of Wednesday’s proceedings, the court’s president said it will deliver the ruling on July 7 in the early afternoon. “The sooner, the better, I feel,” Le Pen told reporters after the hearing. Le Pen made it to the second round in the 2017 and 2022 presidential polls, losing to President Emmanuel Macron both times. But he cannot run again next year after hitting the limit of two consecutive terms in office. Read more Subscribers only Le Pen’s …

Le Pen stuck on French election sidelines until July 7 – POLITICO

Le Pen stuck on French election sidelines until July 7 – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The prolonged uncertainty appears to be working against Le Pen, whose was found guilty last year of illicitly using European Parliament funds to pay for assistants who solely did domestic political work. A recent survey by pollster Odoxa found that 69 percent of National Rally supporters now believe Bardella would be a stronger candidate than Le Pen. According to the same poll, Bardella also enjoys higher approval ratings than his mentor across party lines — and, unlike Le Pen, is viewed positively by a majority of voters backing the conservative Les Républicains party, whose support the far right would need to win the race. Over the weekend, as Bardella traveled to southern France to support a candidate in a mayoral race ahead of nationwide local elections next month, he was greeted by a dense crowd chanting “Jordan [Bardella] at the Elysée,” French media reported. In an interview during the trip with broadcaster BFMTV, Bardella said he would “always remain entirely loyal to Marine Le Pen,” adding that his party would be competitive in the next …