Pocket-lint

Your Pixel's battery has an expiration date

John Kanellakos — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 19:45:28 GMT

If there's one constant in the smartphone world, it's that the batteries that power them have a limited shelf life. The chemistry within lithium-ion (li-ion) power packs is remarkable, to be sure, but it's also flawed in that it deteriorates the more charge cycles it's put through. This is the case across all smartphone brands, whether it be Pixel, iPhone, Galaxy, or otherwise.

Disney+ isn't worth it anymore

Eli Becht — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 18:21:22 GMT

It might not feel like it, but Disney+ launched all the way back in 2019. Many services have come and gone in that time, but Disney's app has stuck around and continued to grow. It was backed by the then-cultural juggernaut that was Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Both of those properties have waned a bit in popularity, but the MCU appears to be on the upswing again thanks to Spider-Man: Brand New Day and the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.

New patent suggests tap to pay is coming to your living room

Amanda Kondolojy — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 18:04:07 GMT

Sure, using tap to pay services like Google Wallet and Apple Wallet is convenient when you're paying for a coffee or taking a trip to Walmart, but have you ever wished that you could use this technology from your living room to pay for entertainment? A new patent filing suggests such technology may be on the way.

This mysterious drama is one of the best things you can watch on Netflix this fall

Anthony Marcusa — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 17:55:16 GMT

Horror moviescan take all shapes, and some of the most terrifying ones resemble real life. Terror lies in the unknown of the everyday, and even stories without creatures, ghosts, curses, or murders can be filled with dread and discomfort.

I finally unsubscribed from Hulu + Live TV, and I'm not going back

Eli Becht — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 15:34:28 GMT

Not too long ago, I was looking for YouTube TV alternatives after a price hike, and I tested out several different services. I spent time with Fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV, and I even considered giving Sling TV a whirl. That last one never happened because I was happy with Hulu + Live TV. I found that service to be the closest thing to YouTube TV, so I stopped looking. It was perfectly fine for a long time, but it fell victim to the same trap as YouTube TV -- rising prices.

I found out the real difference between CarPlay and CarPlay Ultra

Roger Fingas — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 15:30:19 GMT

If you have no idea what CarPlay Ultra is, or only the faintest idea, you're forgiven. Though Apple first teased the product in 2022, it didn't actually launch until May 2025, and the company quickly flipped back to radio silence. Conversely, the standard version of CarPlay is practically a given on North American vehicles unless you're buying a highly custom EV like a Rivian or Tesla. It's so popular that GM appears to be backtracking on plans to drop it.

The end of the Nvidia Shield TV Pro could be near

Craig Donaldson — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 13:18:51 GMT

Since the Nvidia Shield TV Pro launched in 2019, it's long been considered one of the best streamers you can buy, thanks to its powerful hardware, long-term software support, and the freedom that comes with running Android TV.

New Prime Video bundle gets users 5 streaming services for $30

Anthony Orlando — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 12:00:15 GMT

Prime Video lets subscribers buy exclusive add-on bundles at a discounted price. This lets users watch content from other streaming services like AMC+, MGM+, STARZ, HBO Max, Paramount+, and more. However, now that streaming has become so expensive, some audiences may think twice about paying for so much content every month. But Prime Video has announced an exciting deal that will help users pay less for new content.

One of Android Auto's best features is nowhere to be found on Apple CarPlay

Roger Fingas — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 23:00:16 GMT

You'd most accurately describe Apple and Google's relationship as frenemies. The idea that they're bitter rivals is at best a relic of the Steve Jobs days, when the co-founder threatened to go to "thermonuclear war" over the similarities between Android and iOS. In truth, Google keeps paying Apple billions to remain the default search option in Safari, and Apple is now paying Google for the Gemini models that underlie Siri AI and Apple Intelligence. During the entire Jobs era, the default navigation app on iPhones was actually Google Maps.

The unexpected downside of a cheap 4K Blu-ray player is bigger than you think

Eli Becht — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 20:24:26 GMT

Cutting costs where you can is a tale as old as time, but it especially applies to the world of 4K Blu-ray. In case you haven't noticed, things are expensive in this realm, and the prices are only going up. I don't blame you for wanting to pick up a 4K Blu-ray player for cheap. Sadly, that's not really a thing anymore, but you'll see that many models are cheaper than others. When I picked it up, the Sony UBP-X700K was one of the cheaper players on the market, but you'll still have to pony up about $300 for one today. I didn't pay that price years ago, but you know how it goes now.