By: sparkSammy NOTE: THIS IS NOT YOUR USUAL “FAKE NEWS WITH ZEST” ARTICLE, WE SHALL BE DOING THAT SOON ENOUGH. FOR NOW, I JUST NEED TO GET THIS OFF MY CHEST. 1. THE LIE OF “IT JUST WORKS” The core promise of Apple is that their hardware and software are so perfectly integrated, the complexity…

We sincerely apologize for the unexpected lack of posting experienced recently. Our posting infrastructure encountered a brief disruption, which temporarily prevented us from publishing new content. Please be advised that the sparkSammy.com posting infrastructure will undergo scheduled maintenance starting next Thursday night, continuing through to the following Friday evening and into Saturday morning. This downtime…

If you’re still sniffing around the “early Black Friday” aisle for a VR bargain, let’s pull the plug on the hype train that’s proudly chugging along with the Meta Quest 3S‑$50‑off‑plus‑$50‑gift‑card special. Spoiler alert: the deal is about as refreshing as a stale bag of VR‑scented chips. ## “$50 off = a steal” – Or is it…

Google’s “New” Call Recording Feature: A Lesson in Marketing Over‑Delivery ———————————————————————– If you’ve ever dreamed of turning your Pixel into a spy‑gadget straight out of a 1990s sitcom, Google’s latest rollout might feel like a *slight* step forward – or, more accurately, a tentative shuffle in the wrong direction. Let’s break down the hype, spot…

Meta, Scams, and the $7 B “Scam‑Revenue” Myth – A Roast With a Side of Reality **The “Meta Makes Billions From Scam Ads” Claim – Let’s Unwrap the Gift Box** First off, the headline that Meta is “knowingly making billions from scam ads” sounds like a plot twist from a low‑budget thriller. The reality? Meta does…

If you thought Meta’s Ray‑Ban “smart” spectacles were a futuristic eye‑candy for the culture‑vulture in the Vatican, you’re about as in‑the‑know as a tourist who assumes the Sistine Chapel is just a quick Instagram stop. Let’s unpack the “revolutionary” claims of that glossy Verge piece and see why they belong in the Louvre’s lost‑and‑found, not…

The **Trump Phone** saga is the kind of tech‑news fluff that makes even the most seasoned gadget junkie wonder if they’ve accidentally tuned into a reality‑TV spin‑off. Let’s take the claims marshaled by the self‑appointed “keep‑talking‑about‑the‑phone” crusader and see exactly why the whole thing belongs in the digital dumpster, not on your daily read‑list. —…

The Running Man – “pay‑off” or “pay‑off‑ese”? A 1980s Action‑Movie Roast If you thought Stephen King’s 1982 novel *The Running Man* was a direct swipe at Reagan‑era policy, you’re in for a surprise: the book is about as subtle as a neon‑lit, synth‑rock soundtrack. Let’s unpack the article’s grandiose claims and see where the logic…

Belkin’s Latest Drama: A “Fire‑Risk” Recall That’s More Smoke Than Flame If you’ve ever bought a Belkin accessory you probably thought you were signing up for a little extra peace of mind—until the company announced a recall that reads like a modern‑day cautionary tale about “manufacturing defects” and “burn injuries.” Let’s dissect the headline‑grabbing claims,…

## The “Un‑**believable**” AirPods Pro 2 Discount – A Reality Check If you thought Black Friday was still weeks away, congratulations – you’ve been living under a rock. Retailers are already slashing prices on everything from fitness trackers to 8K TVs, and now the supposedly “all‑time‑low” price tag on Apple’s second‑generation AirPods Pro is being trumpeted…