News written by Petteri Pyyny (August, 2024)

Try this: gently but firmly shake your phone near your ear. Do you hear a faint rattling or clattering sound?

If you do, there's no need to panic - you probably own a slightly more expensive phone. Cheaper models usually don't make this sound unless they're genuinely broken.

For most mid- to high-end phones, a bit of rattle is expected.

The light rattling sound usually comes from the fact that when you shake the phone, the rear camera inside the phone is moving around.

So, why does the rear camera move inside the phone?

If your phone is equipped with optical image stabilization (OIS), at least one of the rear cameras likely has a mechanical stabilizer built for the camera element itself. In such phones, the rear camera element typically has the ability to move a couple of millimeters inside the phone when that particular camera isn't in use.

This changes when the camera with optical image stabilization is activated, i.e. when you open the camera app and the zoom level corresponds to the OIS-equipped camera. At that point, small magnets around the camera sensor "grab" the camera, reducing its free movement.

In practice, the camera element floats inside the phone so it can move freely to counteract the phone's motion, reducing shake in your photos and especially in videos. Phones with OIS are typically more expensive because the mechanical solution is rather expensive to build.

Telegram's co-founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, has been arrested in France.

The arrest was carried out by French police at the small Le Bourget airport, located near Paris.

The reason for the arrest is linked to an investigation in France, which accuses the company of failing to sufficiently monitor the content on its messaging platform. According to French authorities, the service is used for criminal activities, such as drug trafficking, fraud, and crimes against minors.

Telegram is particularly popular in former Soviet states, and it is widely used by both Russian and Ukrainian authorities for communication with their citizens. The app also has a massive user base across Asia, including in India and Pakistan.

Durov has been in exile from Russia since 2014, and Telegram's operations have been moved out of the country years ago. However, the messaging app has been surrounded by a strong veil of suspicion regarding its privacy practices, as Telegram has not allowed its encryption algorithms to be reviewed by independent parties.

Roborock has consistently ranked among the top-selling robot vacuums globally for years. The Chinese manufacturer has distinguished itself as a leader in high-end robotic vacuums, continuously introducing innovative features year after year.

In recent years, however, competition in the innovation space has intensified, with other Chinese brands making strong pushes into the premium robot vacuum market. Despite this, Roborock has adeptly met these challenges, maintaining its position at the forefront of the industry.

This context makes it particularly intriguing to explore what Roborock currently offers to consumers who prioritize features over price. For this review, we had the opportunity to test the company's latest flagship model, the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, which was released in the spring of 2024. This model encapsulates Roborock's vision of the ultimate robot vacuum, incorporating the company's most advanced technologies.

The S8 MaxV Ultra is a premium robot vacuum that mops, avoids obstacles, empties its own dustbin, and even wets its mop automatically. However, its price is not for the faint of heart. As of this review's publication, the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is priced at an astonishing €1500 / $1800.