from the down-with-the-sickness dept

The anti-vaccine sugar rush that has infected some portions of the country, largely thanks to the profane appointment of RFK Jr. to head HHS, is incredibly frustrating. That makes it all the more important when the movement receives not just pushback when trying to enact absurd policy based on conspiracy theories, but specifically when that pushback comes from the same party engaging in the absurdity.

Earlier this year, flanked by Ron DeSantis, Florida’s Surgeon General, Joseph Ladapo, announced that the state government was seeking to end all vaccine requirements for school children in the state. And, because Ladapo is a hack, he postured this move in the silliest way possible.

Ladapo said the Florida Department of Health would be working with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office to end all mandates in state law, at the event at Grace Christian School in Valrico, located just east of Tampa.

“Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery,” Ladapo said of vaccine mandates.

Equating vaccine mandates to slavery may well be one of the dumbest analogies a human being has ever come up with. Vaccines save lives, prevent illness, and go a long way toward staving off the long term effects of many infectious diseases. Suggesting that any of that is akin to the slave trade reveals far more about the person making such a silly accusation than it does about our vaccination programs.

DeSantis, for his part, stated that some vaccine requirements could be removed immediately, while others would require state legislation. But the legislation drawn up to achieve that has hit a major roadblock, and that roadblock is Florida’s House GOP.

Just minutes into a special session on Tuesday, Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez announced that the Republican-led chamber would not take up a proposal from DeSantis to allow children to opt out of certain school vaccination requirements. The move effectively killed the proposal, which had been backed by the Senate.

Perez, a father from Miami with three young children, said he was concerned by the idea of “children being in school without measles and mumps and polio and chickenpox vaccines that have been working for decades,” according to The New York Times, which reported from the State Capitol. “That was something that I was uncomfortable with.”

Thank the universe for sane, thinking members of the GOP, in this case. Perez is precisely correct: vaccines have worked for a long, long time and removing their requirement in public schools serves to only make more children more sick. It ignores our collective responsibility for the health of those around us, some of which have underlying conditions that mean they can’t get vaccines they would otherwise desire. Why in the world should someone in that unfortunate situation have to literally risk their lives in order to go to school? What are those kids supposed to do, just because someone bought into the vaccine misinformation?

None of these anti-vaccine goobers ever seem to want to answer that question. Instead, they retreat to their “Don’t Tread On Me” slogans, or other talking points. As for DeSantis, sane questions like this are pure political games, apparently.

On social media, DeSantis responded to the House’s rejection by calling it “typical political shenanigans.”

Ladapo also responded, saying: “The governor’s agenda to defend freedom, whether from medical tyranny or tech oligarchs, is something Floridians and Americans everywhere want and value. Members of the Florida House should be leading that effort, not standing in the way.”

Those House members are representing their districts, Mr. Surgeon General. Better than you are, I would argue. And does anyone actually read these boot-licking comments from Ladapo and conclude that any of it represents sincerely held beliefs, rather than a sincere desire to remain in power?

Certainly not this writer, I can tell you. This is more pandering for politics on the part of Ladapo. And he will eventually have the blood of children on his hands if he gets his way.

Filed Under: anti-vaxxers, florida, joseph ladapo, ron desantis, vaccine mandates, vaccines

During Q1 2026, the base iPhone 17 became the world’s top-selling smartphone, outdoing not only the competition but also the premium iPhone models.

Across the world, and especially in key markets like China and the United States, the iPhone 17 range has proven to be quite popular with consumers. Apple made that clear when it revealed its record-breaking March quarter results.

Apple experienced a 20% increase in iPhone sales in China during Q1 2026, while iPhone revenue grew to $85.3 billion, up from $69.1 a year prior. The driving force during the quarter, according to Counterpoint Research, was the base model iPhone 17, with the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro following.

The standard iPhone 17 accounted for 6% of all new smartphones sold in Q1 2026, making it the best-selling smartphone in the world.

While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max dominated the smartphone upgrade wave in Q4 2025, the more affordable model is now in the lead. This is typical for the iPhone.

After the debut of new models in September, Apple enthusiasts get the latest and greatest premium models first. That demand dies down early the following year, and the sales trend towards the more affordable models.

The standard iPhone 17 led global smartphone sales during Q1 2026. Image Credit: Counterpoint Research

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That demand cycle could be one of the driving factors towards Apple moving to a twice-a-year release cycle. The Pro models are expected in the fall starting with iPhone 18 Pro, then standard models in the spring of 2027.

The standard iPhone 17 now has compelling ‘Pro’ features

In 2026, there’s even less of a reason to go for the high-end iPhone models. The standard iPhone 17 now features ProMotion, and it offers the same screen size as the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

The two devices are now closer than ever, with the absence of a telephoto camera being practically the only thing to differentiate the iPhone 17 from its Pro counterpart. That and price.

For most smartphone buyers, it looks as though the base model iPhone 17 offers a good balance of cost and features.

The iPhone Air, meanwhile, isn’t even among the top 10 best-selling smartphones in the world for Q1 2026. Apple’s ultra-thin iPhone has been called a failure, even though it’s demonstrably not the case. According to Monday’s report, though, it’s not exactly much of a success, either.

The iPhone 17 offers features like ProMotion, which was previously exclusive to high-end models.

Behind the iPhone 17 range sits Samsung, with its Galaxy A07 5G and Galaxy A17 5G. In sixth place is the standard iPhone 16, followed by two more phones from Samsung and the Xiaomi Redmi A5.

Overall, it’s not much of a surprise that the base model iPhone 17 is doing so well, given iPhone purchase patterns over the years. Enthusiasts and Apple fans generally go for the feature-packed, high-end models, while the base iPhone reaches its full potential later in the year.

However, the situation is expected to change in the first quarter of 2027.

A different strategy starting in the fall

It’s been said that the iPhone 18 will debut alongside the iPhone 18e in the spring of 2027. That means it most likely won’t be available for purchase during Q1 2027, meaning the quarter will be dominated by another model.

Rumors suggest Apple’s first foldable phone will launch either in September 2026 or maybe even as late as December of the same year. Even if the iPhone Fold reaches upgraders later than the usual September release, it won’t have much effect on the quarterly results or overall demand.

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will sell well to those that already purchase premium iPhones in the fall. The challenge that Apple will face is how customers respond to a lack of a new low-end model in the same time period.

The North Korean hacker group APT37 has been delivering an Android version of a backdoor called BirdCall in a supply-chain attack through a video game platform.

While BirdCall is a known backdoor for Windows systems, APT37, also known as ScarCruft and Ricochet Chollima, has developed a variant for Android that doubles as spyware.

According to researchers at cybersecurity company ESET, the threat actor created BirdCall for Android around October 2024 and developed at least seven versions.

The attacks that ESET observed delivered the malware through sqgame[.]net, a Chinese site hosting games for Android, iOS, and Windows. However, the researchers found that only Android and Windows are targeted by the ScarCruft attacks.

The particular platform caters to Koreans in the autonomous Yanbian region in China, which acts as a crossing point for North Korean defectors and refugees.

BirdCall spyware

BirdCall is a known malware family associated with ScarCruft and documented since 2021. The Windows version can record keystrokes, take screenshots, steal from the clipboard, exfiltrate files, and execute commands.

The campaign identified by ESET introduces a previously undocumented version of BirdCall developed for Android, which was delivered by trojanizing APKs on sqgame[.]net.

The Android variant of BirdCall has the following capabilities:

• Extracts IP geolocation information
• Collects contact list, call log, and SMS
• Collects device OS, kernel, rooted status, IMEI number, MAC address, IP address, and network info
• Sends to C2 info about battery temperature, RAM, and storage, cloud configuration, backdoor version, and file extensions of interest (.jpg, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx, .txt, .hwp, .pdf, .m4a, and .p12)
• Periodically takes screenshots
• Records audio via the microphone from 7 pm to 10 pm local time
• Plays a silent MP3 in a loop to prevent the suspension of its process
• Exfiltrates files from a specified directory

ESET’s analysis shows that the Android version of BirdCall does not feature all the commands present in the Windows version yet.

Missing capabilities on Android include shell command execution, traffic proxying, targeting data from browsers and messenger apps, file deletion and dropping, and process killing.

On Windows systems, the infection chain begins with the installation of a trojanized DLL (mono.dll) that downloads and executes RokRAT, which then deploys the Windows version of BirdCall.

ScurCraft is notorious for using a broad range of custom malware, including THUMBSBD, which targets air-gapped Windows systems, the KoSpy Android malware that previously infiltrated Google Play, the M2RAT malware used in targeted espionage attacks, and the Dolphin mobile backdoor.

To minimize the risk of malware infections, users are advised to only download software from official marketplaces and trusted publisher sites.

AI chained four zero-days into one exploit that bypassed both renderer and OS sandboxes. A wave of new exploits is coming.

At the Autonomous Validation Summit (May 12 & 14), see how autonomous, context-rich validation finds what’s exploitable, proves controls hold, and closes the remediation loop.

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A make-or-break pivot changed everything for Chix Hot Chicken

Singapore is not short of fried chicken joints, from Korean fried chicken to American fast food. But amid this sea of options, there is one homegrown chicken brand that claims to be the first and go-to option for Nashville chicken burgers—and that’s Chix Hot Chicken. 

The brand was initially best known as the chicken spot owned by Singaporean singer-songwriter Taufik Batisah. Over the years, however, it has carved out its own identity, becoming one of Singapore’s popular fried chicken joints, particularly among younger diners.

Vulcan Post spoke with the trio behind Chix Hot Chicken: Taufik Batish, 45, Ismail Bober, 40, and Shehzad Hussein, 46, who shared how they grew a local Nashville hot chicken concept into a brand that has sold over a million chicken burgers.

A recipe for something bigger

As early as 2013, Taufik had been looking to embark on a new venture, alongside his work in interior design, real estate, and a music career spanning more than a decade.

He approached his long-time friend Ismail, who had spent 10 years in the nightlife business. At the time, Ismail was also running a New Orleans-style Southern restaurant, Life is Beautiful Kitchen & Bar, with Shehzad, who had nearly two decades of experience in F&B.

In 2014, Ismail and Shehzad introduced a Southern fried chicken dish at the restaurant that proved to be unexpectedly popular. This sparked an idea for Taufik to turn that single dish into a larger halal fried chicken concept.

After Life is Beautiful Kitchen & Bar closed in 2015 due to high rent, Ismail leaned into the idea. Drawing from frequent family trips to Louisiana, he travelled across South America, sampling as much fried chicken as he could.

[As I] ate at various Nashville chicken joints and learned from the masters… I thought to myself, this is something Southeast Asia hasn’t seen yet.

Ismail Bober, co-founder of Chix Hot Chicken

While Ismail and Taufik were fully on board, Shehzad was initially sceptical about launching yet another fried chicken brand in Singapore’s saturated market. “But when they mentioned Nashville, and the name Chix Hot Chicken, I thought that was brilliant, with the name and the food creating curiosity,” he added.

Pivot or risk closing

In 2018, the trio officially launched Chix Hot Chicken, tucked away at a 1,000 sqft shophouse along Jalan Pisang.

While it stayed loosely true to its Nashville roots, the brand introduced its own twist—fried chicken seasoned with a dry rub rather than drenched in an oil-based hot sauce.

At the time, the menu was intentionally simple. Alongside the fried chicken, Chix Hot Chicken also offered just one burger: the Soul Slider.

Ironically, that single burger consistently outsold the chicken parts, despite the latter being the focus of the menu. It was also the star of the menu that helped the brand break even within two years of opening in the midst of COVID-19, the founders said.

This performance led the founders to question their original direction—should chicken still be the main focus of their menu despite the success of its burger?

At the same time, chicken parts were becoming more expensive to produce and came with thinner margins. When customers inevitably compared them to mainstream chains like Popeyes or KFC, Chix struggled to compete on price while maintaining its commitment to quality.

After about two years, the founders made the painful call to drop the chicken parts entirely. It came down to a stark choice: either commit fully to the new direction or risk closing in the next few months, forcing a complete pivot to keep the business alive.

But going all-in on chicken burgers turned out to be the making of the brand. “The minute we listened to the customers, we became unique,” Shehzad said.

That shift propelled the brand’s growth. Today, Chix Hot Chicken has sold over a million chicken burgers and expanded in 2025 to a second location—a 3,000 sq ft space at Prinsep Street, three times larger than its original Jalan Pisang outlet.

Turning up the heat

Today, Chix Hot Chicken’s menu has expanded to 12 burgers, including three waffle sandwiches that wrap around Chix Hot Chicken’s classic meat, with seven additional in-house sauces to choose from. Each burger starts from S$9.90 ala carte.

The burger buns are intentionally small, while the fried chicken portions are deliberately oversized—a visual signature Ismail conceived early on. “When you post a chicken burger, it always looks the same,” he explained. “But when you see a small bun and a big chicken, that’s Chix Hot Chicken.”

The brand is known for its spice levels, and it’s serious business.

The brand originally launched with three tiers—mild, hot, and insane—but the team quickly realised the middle tier was already too intense for most customers. They eventually expanded the range to six levels, adding milder options at the lower end, including a no-spice option, and introducing Atomic at the top.

Atomic is made using Carolina Reapers, long considered one of the world’s hottest chillies. The trio claims Chix Hot Chicken is not only the first restaurant in Singapore to use Carolina Reapers, but possibly the only one in Asia applying them in a dry rub format.

Customers ordering the Atomic level must sign an indemnity form. “We have seen people collapse. Ambulances came,” Shehzad said.

Ismail personally sources the peppers from the US and the Caribbean, a supply chain he guards so closely that even his co-founders are not fully aware of its origins.

Establishing more outlets & expanding across Asia

Today, the Chix Hot Chicken team stands at around 30 people, including the three founders, who are still regularly on the ground.

The trio operate with clearly defined roles. Taufik leads marketing and drives customer traffic as the public face of the brand. Ismail is solely responsible for the food, with every item on the menu originating from him. Shehzad oversees operations and the day-to-day running of the business.

“We call it the trinity,” Taufik said. The rule is simple: anyone can share an opinion, but the person with the relevant expertise makes the final call. “I have to respect that that is his contribution to the team. That is how we have been functioning for the past eight years.”

For Taufik, one of his favourite milestones is also a surprisingly simple one—walking into either outlet and not being recognised. “Chix Hot Chicken is now living on its own. It has transcended beyond me being the guy bringing people in. Now the team is bringing people in on their own,” he said.

Looking ahead, the founders aim to establish outlets across Singapore, particularly in the east and west. “It took us eight years to expand,” Shehzad said. “There’s a reason for that, and why we turn down venture capitalists. We want to tighten our processes and operations, and make sure this is the menu we want to present to people.”

Beyond Singapore, the trio is also setting their sights on regional franchising, with plans to bring their take on Nashville fried chicken burgers across Asia.

A lot of people think that F&B is the place to make a quick buck. They are very mistaken. It takes time and a long-term plan to build a food business and to get through hard times.

Taufik Batisah, co-founder of Chix Hot Chicken

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• Learn more about Chix Hot Chicken here.
• Read more articles we’ve written on Singaporean businesses here.

Boox has refreshed another model in its lineup, the Boox Go 10.3, adding one new optional feature while, somewhat disappointingly, removing something users really liked.

Boox is back at it again with the lineup refresh. This time, we’re taking a look at the second-gen iteration of the Boox Go 10.3, Boox’s iPad Air-sized e-ink tablet.

Boox Go 10.3 Gen II review: Design

The Boox Go 10.3 is, as the name suggests, a tablet that is 10.3″ on the diagonal. That gives it just a little bit less screen real estate than the 11-inch iPad Air.

Boox has really nailed down the design of many of its e-readers, and the Go is no exception. It’s thin, but doesn’t feel fragile, so you’ll be more likely to toss it in your bag.

Like many of Boox’s offerings, it also features a dedicated thumb-rest area on one side. I appreciate this, specifically because one of my main gripes with reading on the iPad is that it doesn’t really give you a good place to grip.

In addition to the tablet itself, you also receive a folio-style case. The quality is fine, though if you’re used to Apple’s folio cases, this actually is a bit of a disappointment.

Boox Go 10.3 Gen II review: The folio, which is included with your purchase, is somewhat of a miss

It’s a faux suede material, which historically I haven’t loved for devices that get handled a lot. However, I do understand that this is a personal preference; I just worry that it would be much too difficult to clean.

Again, it’s not bad, but the magnets are notably weaker, so it doesn’t feel as secure. Additionally, I don’t love that the bit that keeps it closed is detachable — I’ve had it get knocked off in my bag before.

But, as far as the tablet goes, I really like the design. I think Boox understands that people prize portability and comfort in these e-reader-style tablets.

Boox Go 10.3 Gen II review: Under the hood

As is the case with most of Boox’s offerings, this update was a very minor spec jump over the last generation. I suppose the argument is that if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

This model features a black-and-white only display. I assume, at some point down the line, Boox will make a color model, just like it did with the Go 7.

That being said, the jump to Android 15 over the previous Android 13 is appreciated. Android 15 isn’t exactly new, but it is two years newer.

It still features the 300ppi (2480×1860) resolution, the HD ePaper screen, and the octacore processor. Like earlier generations, it also includes 4GB of RAM and 64GB of memory.

Boox Go 10.3 Gen II review: the display is stunning and easy on the eyes

I don’t love that the Go only has 64GB of memory with no microSD slot. If this is going to primarily be for reading and note-taking, it should be fine.

However, if you start loading productivity apps onto it, or you want to use it for audiobooks, that space can feel a bit limiting. You can plug a USB-C hub into it, though it feels weird to do so if you’re holding the tablet at the same time.

The 3700 mAh battery is decent, especially if you aren’t using (or don’t have access to) a front light. Even with using the front light for nightly reading, I still made it days before needing to recharge it.

And, if I’m being honest, I’m more likely to start charging it out of habit well before it needs it. If you’re the type of person who charges your iPhone or iPad daily, you know what I mean.

There are built-in microphones and speakers. You can listen and record on it, but whether or not you’ll want to is a separate matter. More on that in a little bit.

And lastly, it includes an Inksense stylus. I’ll delve into that a bit more, but the short of it is that it’s a stylus with 4,096 levels of pressure.

If you’re familiar with Boox’s other products that use it, you’ll know what you’re getting.

Boox Go 10.3 Gen II review: What it does and what it doesn’t do

Like with every Boox offering, I like to remind people that this is not an iPad. It is somewhere between a Kindle and an iPad.

So let’s start with what it does well. I love the reading experience on a Boox tablet, and the Go is no different.

Flipping through a book or a long document is quick and easy. You don’t feel particularly limited by the 4GB of RAM for this use.

And, as an eReader, it offers support for plenty of document formats. This includes PDF, CAJ, DJVU, CBR, CBZ, EPUB, EPUB3, AZW3, MOBI, TXT, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CHM, RTF, HTML, ZIP, PRC, PPT, and PPTX.

As an Android device, it also has access to the Google Play Store. While you’re certainly not going to be putting games on it, it handles Evernote and the Google suite of apps, like Docs and Sheets, just fine.

It’s a pretty zippy little tablet, even with an older operating system. This is one of the things that Boox has consistently done well.

I will say it is crucial to keep Boox tablets updated to the current firmware. I once erroneously assumed I had received a bad unit, only for me to find out that a bug had been patched in an update I decided to ignore.

The Boox Go also supports WAV and MP3 files. I should point out that at no point are you going to want to listen to anything via the speakers — they’re not great.

But it does support Bluetooth, which means you can pair your favorite wireless earbuds to it. Honestly, it’s a pretty good way to listen to audiobooks, as you’re unlikely to get interrupted by the myriad interruptions that come with an iPad or iPhone.

Boox Go 10.3 Gen II review: Even without the EMR stylus, it’s still pretty good

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And the 10.3-inch design is pretty close to a standard sheet of paper, making it a perfect desk top companion. Plus, it’s a great way to mark up documents.

Now let’s talk about where it falls short.

If you’re used to the blazing fast speeds of even a decidedly old iPad, you’re going to want to temper your expectations here. While the processor seems good for basic tasks, the display is a limiting factor if you’re navigating a lot of menus.

I found that this was most apparent when using third-party apps.

Again, this isn’t a device that is designed to replace your iPad. This is a device designed to replace your Kindle.

Or, at any rate, you should think of it as supplementary to your current tech setup.

The one place where I was most disappointed was in the stylus.

Boox Go 10.3 Gen II review: the EMR stylus has been swapped out for a capacitive model

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To be clear, the stylus isn’t bad. But it is a downgrade from the one that was provided with the first-generation Boox Go lineup.

The first generation got a Wacom EMR stylus, which uses electromagnetic resonance to communicate pressure and position. The result is a quick, buttery-smooth writing experience.

This generation gets the Inksense stylus. It’s a capacitive touch stylus, meaning that it effectively works the same as your fingers.

Yes, it still has 4,096 levels of pressure. The response time is decent, and it’s comfortable in the hand.

But if you’ve used an EMR stylus, especially one with a Boox device, it does feel like a step backwards.

Boox Go 10.3 Gen II review: Lumi vs Standard

Technically, there are two versions of the Go 10.3: the Lumi edition or the standard.

The Lumi version comes with a pretty standard front light, which I’ve always loved. It’s got a wide range of color temperatures, and I tend to keep mine shifted firmly to the warmer end of the spectrum.

If you’re a person who works indoors or likes to read at night, this quickly becomes indispensable. And, until now, the front light has been universally available on all Boox models.

As is the case with previous Go generations, Boox didn’t include a front light on the standard model. I think the company decided on a very specific audience.

Boox says that this option is great for people who will use the Boox outdoors or in bright environments. I agree, the device works fantastically in bright environments and in midday sun.

Boox Go 10.3 Gen II review: reading in bright daylight is great on both models

You know, in the same way that a book does.

But I can’t imagine buying an e-ink tablet that doesn’t have a front light. But again, I interface my eink devices primarily from the comfort of my bed, where I read until I pass out.

I will say, the standard edition does cost less, so there’s still probably a market for it. However, if I were personally in the market for an e-reader, I’d pay the additional $50 to get the front light.

Boox Go 10.3 Gen II review: Overall

As I said before, Boox makes good devices. I try out a lot of e-readers as a side effect of my job, and Boox has been the reigning king.

Boox has a very large, very loyal following, and I count myself among the ranks. While this specific Boox device isn’t my favorite, I think it’s an excellent choice if you want something that is a good balance of book and notepad.

My personal favorite Boox devices tend to be the much smaller ones aimed at trading writing experiences for ultimate portability. I talk about it a lot, but I think the Boox Palma is such a neat little e-reader.

However, that does sort of relegate those devices to the realm of a one-trick pony. You’re not taking notes on the Palma, and even the Boox Mini is too small to comfortably write for more than a few minutes at a time.

That is not the problem with the Boox Go 10.3. This device trades a little comfort for a lot of utility as a note-taking device.

And for most people, I feel like that would make it one of, if not the best choice for an e-reader.

Pros of Boox Go 10.3 Gen II:

• 10.3-inch size splits the difference between book and notepad
• Android 15 will get updates for at least three years
• Thin, lightweight, but not fragile
• Excellent battery life
• Optional front light

Cons of Boox Go 10.3 Gen II

• 64GB could be limiting if you’re storing audiobooks or third-party apps
• Speakers, microphone are lacking
• Capacitive touch stylus instead of EMR stylus

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Where to buy

The version I tested, the Boox Go 10.3 Gen 2 Lumi, can be bought from Boox’s website for $449 and includes the tablet, the stylus, and a folio-style case. If you don’t think you’ll need the front light, you can pick one up for for $399.

The Boox Go 10.3 Gen II is also available from Amazon. The Lumi version is $449.99, while the light-free version is $419.99.

DJI’s push into portable power has been surprisingly assured, and the DJI Power 1000 Mini Portable Power Station feels like the most deliberate product in the range so far. It takes the core idea behind the larger units and trims it down into something you might actually want to carry.

This is a 1kWh-class power station that doesn’t feel like luggage. For creators, vanlifers and anyone working on the move, that shift in usability matters more than raw output figures, and might make it the best portable power station choice for them.