4 useful Android Auto apps that made the cut after I purged my home screen

Obsidian on mobile changed how I take notes, and I wasted years not knowing it

A personal account of switching to Obsidian on mobile after years of using only the desktop version. Covers how the vault system works on iOS vs Android, the customizable editing toolbar, swipe gesture navigation, plugin usage, Canvas, and graph view on mobile. The author finds the mobile experience surprisingly close to desktop and better than Apple Notes for managing imported text and PDF files.

Your router's WPA3 security is breaking your smart home, and here's what to do about it

WPA3-only or WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode on modern routers frequently causes connection failures for smart home devices, which largely still rely on WPA2-only hardware. The mixed mode overwhelms the limited processing power of older IoT devices, leading to handshake failures and intermittent disconnections. The recommended fix is to create a dedicated 2.4GHz WPA2-only SSID for IoT devices while keeping a separate WPA3-only network for modern devices. To harden the less secure WPA2 network, use WPA2-PSK with AES, disable WPS, set a strong password, and disable remote management.

Microsoft Is Raising Xbox Prices by $100 & More

Microsoft is raising Xbox console prices by $100–$150 starting August 1, citing a global storage and memory shortage driven by AI demand. The Xbox Series S will now start at $499.99, up from its original $299 launch price in 2020. Microsoft attributes the increase to component costs rising over 2.5x, with another doubling expected by fall 2027. To offset the impact, Xbox is introducing Buy Now Pay Later options, 0% APR financing for up to 12 months, trade-in programs, and certified refurbished consoles at up to $100 off MSRP.

Louder ESP32 Mini board adds WiFi and Bluetooth to old speakers for SqueezeLite, Snapclient, or ESPHome support

Sonocotta's Louder ESP32 Mini is a compact open-source hardware board designed to retrofit old passive speakers with WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. Built around the ESP32-S3 with 8MB PSRAM and a TAS5805M DAC/amplifier, it comes in two sizes (42×42mm and 52×52mm) and replaces the standard speaker terminal cup. It supports multiple firmware options including Squeezelite-ESP32 for Spotify Connect and AirPlay, Snapclient for multi-room audio, and ESPHome for Home Assistant integration. Priced at $15–$20, it's available on Lectronz and Tindie, with schematics and Gerber files published on GitHub.

Microsoft significantly increases Xbox prices worldwide and withdraws 2TB model citing "components crisis"

Microsoft is raising Xbox console prices worldwide effective August 2, citing a components crisis driving up storage and memory costs by more than 2.5x. The Xbox Series S 512GB jumps from $399.99 to $499.99, the Series S 1TB from $449.99 to $599.99, the Series X Digital from $599.99 to $749.99, and the Series X from $649.99 to $799.99. The 2TB model is being discontinued. Microsoft notes consoles are sold below cost and points to buy-now-pay-later options and refurbished console programs to help with affordability. The announcement follows Valve's Steam Machine also launching at higher-than-expected prices due to similar hardware supply issues.

4 apps I always remove from every Samsung Galaxy phone

A Samsung Galaxy user shares four preinstalled apps they always remove: Samsung Browser (replaced by Chrome for cross-device consistency), Samsung Notes (replaced by Google Keep for web accessibility), Samsung TV Plus (unused ad-supported streaming service), and Samsung Global Goals (a charity app they prefer not to use). The author clarifies these aren't truly bloatware — they're decent apps — but cross-platform compatibility with iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and Windows PC makes Samsung's ecosystem apps redundant for their workflow.

I used Android Auto and Apple CarPlay on long drives for a month and one is clearly better than the other

Sau một tháng thử nghiệm trên những chuyến đi dài, Apple CarPlay nổi trội hơn nhờ thiết kế mượt mà (Liquid Glass) và hỗ trợ widget từ bên thứ ba. Tuy nhiên, Android Auto giành ưu thế nhờ khả năng tùy biến, kiểm soát thông báo và đặc biệt là trợ lý ảo Gemini xử lý lệnh đa ứng dụng tự nhiên hơn Siri, giúp nó phù hợp hơn cho những chuyến đi thực tế.

Nếu bạn là lập trình viên phát triển ứng dụng cho hệ sinh thái ô tô, bài này sẽ giúp bạn so sánh những điểm mạnh kỹ thuật của hai nền tảng—CarPlay và Android Auto—để tối ưu hóa giao diện, tính năng và khả năng tích hợp với hệ thống thông minh của xe, từ đó cải thiện trải nghiệm người dùng trong ứng dụng của bạn.