Justice blocks pirate sites, Chinese smartphones would spy on users, this is the recap ‘of the week

ISPs will have to block more than 50 pirate sites, Xiaomi, Oppo and OnePlus would collect their users’ data, Apple is trying to reach its sales targets by lowering the price of its iPhone 14, this is the recap ‘of the week.

While Internet service providers will have 18 months to block many pirate sites, a study reveals that the three main Chinese smartphone manufacturers share their customers’ personal data with certain telephone operators. According to Bloomberg, Apple is struggling to meet its sales targets. As for Sony, the manufacturer is forced to offer special packs of its PS4 to circumvent PS5 stock shortages.

50 pirate sites soon to be blocked by ISPs

The fight against illegal downloading continues in France. According to the media The Informed, French justice has just approached the main Internet access providers (Orange, SFR, Free and Bouygues Télécom) so that they prepare to block more than 50 pirate sites. The Paris court gives ISPs 18 months to block these platforms and prevent the illegal sharing of films and series. Discover the complete list of the 53 pirate sites concerned in our news.

Read: Streaming: ISPs will have to block these 50 pirate sites, here is the complete list

Chinese smartphone makers suspected of monitoring their users

According to the recent study on Android OS privacy and data transmitted by pre-installed systems on some smartphones made in China », OnePlus, Xiaomi and Oppo could install spyware in their devices in order to share the personal data of their users. Indeed, the three most popular manufacturers in the Middle Kingdom would collect sensitive information without the knowledge of citizens and then share it with telephone operators.

Read: Xiaomi, Oppo and OnePlus are accused of deliberately installing spyware on their smartphones

Apple lowers the price of its iPhone 14 to try to reach its sales targets

A recent report from Bloomberg reveals that Apple has lowered the prices of its iPhone 14 Pro in China, while the American giant does not usually sell off its high-end smartphones. These exceptional promotions could be explained by a difficulty in reaching its sales objectives. Bloomberg adds that Apple faces a ” decrease in demand, even for its most high-end devices “.

Read: iPhone 14: Apple reduces the price of its smartphones in the face of the drop in the number of sales

PS5 Shortage Continues, Sony Postpones PS4 Retirement

While the PS5 should have replaced the PS4 a long time ago, the global shortage of semiconductors continues to slow production of the next-gen console, which is still hard to find in some countries. To counter the persistent PS5 shortage, Sony is currently launching new bundles to further push PS4 sales. In Spain, for example, Sony is launching a €359 pack including a “classic” PS4 Slim which comes with three games.

Read: PS4: faced with the PS5 shortage, Sony is launching a new overpriced bundle

A ransomware campaign to watch closely

Italy’s cybersecurity agency has warned its international counterparts that a massive ransomware campaign is currently targeting thousands of computer servers using VMWare’s ESXi. The VMware hypervisor encourages its customers to update their software as soon as possible in order to prevent hackers from installing ransomware, dubbed ESXiArgs, on their machine and compromising their servers.

Read: hackers are currently carrying out an international attack, update this software quickly

Our tests of the week

Poco X5 Pro 5G: an interesting smartphone for less than 400 euros

If Poco presents its X5 Pro 5G as an entry-level product, the fact remains that the brand offers a smartphone with a neat design and particularly complete connectivity. The general performances are good and we were pleasantly surprised by its 120 Hz AMOLED screen. On the photo side, the grain is too present when using the wide-angle module and the capacities are disappointing in low light. The Poco X5 Pro 5G remains a versatile smartphone for less than 400 euros.

Read: Poco X5 Pro 5G review – a versatile smartphone at a good price-performance ratio

Razer Blade 18: an attractive, but imperfect new ultra-high-end PC

Razer offers here a particularly attractive high-end laptop PC for gamers. We love its pretty design, its very appreciable panel in play, its power and its beautiful 18-inch screen. Be careful however, the management of heating and noise is largely perfectible and the chassis is subject to scratches and marks. If the RTX 4080 with which the Blade 18 is equipped is impressive, it remains to be seen whether it was the most relevant graphics card for this product.

Read: Razer Blade 18 review – a great gaming PC, but not without flaws

OnePlus 11 5G: good power, but very average photo quality

If you are looking for a smartphone that combines power and ultra-fast charging, the OnePlus 11 5G is for you. Thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Fen 2, this new premium smartphone is doing very well in AI, in particular thanks to Hyperboost. We also liked its beautiful AMOLED display, perfect for mobile gamers. That being said, the OnePlus 11 will not be suitable for your needs if you are looking for a good camera phone. Indeed, the photo quality is below the competition. We also regret the absence of wireless charging.

Read: OnePlus 11 5G test – without control power is nothing

Sony Bravia XR A83K: an almost perfect OLED television

Sony offers us here a television with a simple design, which offers extremely varied connectivity, good sound and a perfectly controlled colorimetry of the panel. The remote control with voice control is pleasant to use and the compatibility with Next Gen consoles such as the PS5 is very significant. However, we would do well without advertisements in Google TV and note that the Bravia Cam is only delivered as an option.

Read: Sony Bravia XR A83K review – don’t be fooled by its classic design!