Lenovo Launches New ThinkPad X1 Series Aimed at Business Professionals

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Jan 3, 2017

Lenovo, today announced a refresh to its ThinkPad X1 series. The ThinkPad series is a line aimed at business professionals and the new series doesn’t fall short of that. The new line includes the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, the ThinkPad X1 Tablet, and the ThinkPad X1 Yoga.

ThinkPad X1 Carbon

The new ThinkPad X1 Carbon is the 5th generation notebook in the ThinkPad line. Now available in silver for the first time, the Carbon still maintains its light weight, coming in at just 1.14 kg. Although equipped with a 14-inch display, the X1 carbon has a 13-inch form factor. The small form doesn’t mean ports are sacrificed. There are USB 3.0 ports, Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a HDMI port too. The battery life has also been upgraded as it now offers up to 15.5 hours.

The Carbon also has enhanced biometric authentication and now boasts an IR camera with face recognition support. According to Lenovo, the Carbon is the first business-class notebook to support FIDO-enabled biometric authentication for PayPal. The feature allows you to authenticate your PayPal via fingerprint instead of a password.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon will launch in February with pricing starting at $1,349.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet

The new ThinkPad X1 Tablet with its 2-in-1 design weighs less than 1kg and passes the MIL-SPEC durability test. You can attach a number of modules to increase productivity such as a projector module; a battery expansion module that offers up to 5-hours of extra battery life and also additional ports; or you can settle for a keyboard dock. There is also LTE-A for connectivity so that you can keep working when on the road.

The ThinkPd X1 Tablet will be available in March for $949.

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The SpeedX Unicorn Bike Can Measure How Much Effort You Put While Riding

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 3, 2017

SpeedX, a smart bike company that launched its first bike the SpeedX Leopard in March last year is back with another one called the SpeedX Unicorn. The SpeedX Unicorn was unveiled today at CES.

The Unicorn is an upgrade to last year’s Leopard road bike and boasts some new and interesting features. There is a detachable computer on the stem of the bike that runs a custom version of android and sports a 2.2-inch display. The computer displays your current, average, and maximum speed allowing you to measure your performance.

SpeedX says the new Speedforce computer apart from being visible under direct sunlight also has a strong battery life, lasting for more than 20 hours on a single charge. You also don’t need to take your hand off the bars to switch the screen as there re wireless buttons embedded in each handlebar.

The major upgrade in the SpeedX Unicorn is the integrated power meter which helps cyclists measure the effort on each ride. Other bikes require you to buy a power meter separately but SpeedX already has one built in.

Want to buy the SpeedX Unicorn? Then you’ll have to back it up on Kickstarter like their last bike the Leopard, which if you still remember is the most funded bike campaign on Kickstarter. The SpeedX Unicorn has three models: the Unicorn Di2, The Unicorn Pro, and the Unicorn X.

The lower-priced Unicorn Di2 has a Fizik R3 saddle, a pair of Xero SpeedX Carbon wheels and a Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset for $3,499. The more expensive Unicorn Pro has a Fizik R5 saddle and a SRAM eTap Hydro groupset and costs $4,599. The Unicorn X priced at $5,899 has a Fizik R7 saddle and a pair of Zipp 303 wheels.

Backing it up on Kickstarter will get you a discount. The Unicorn Di2 is $3,199 for the early backers after which it will sell for $3,299; the Unicorn Pro is $3999 for the early birds and will sell for $4099 when all the early bird units are out of stock; while the Unicorn X is $5,299 for the early bird and $5,399 for the special price.

Just to let you know, the units set aside for the early bird price for all three models will soon be out of stock. Early birds will get their bikes by April while those who buy at the special price will get theirs in May.

You can check out the Kickstarter here.

Umidigi Bluetooth Speaker Review

By

Linus

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Jan 3, 2017

Umi, which has changed the name to UMIDIGI, has been known for producing quite a lot of smartphones but the company also makes other gadgets. We just came across their brand new Bluetooth speaker that costs just about $33. Learn more in our full review.

UNBOXING

The speaker comes in quite a nice box. Inside of it, you can find some paperwork, AUX cable and the micro USB cable.

DESIGN

The very first impressions you’re going to get is that the speaker is very tiny and lightweight.

It is made entirely out of aluminium and the build quality is top-notch. Also, the buttons feel nice and tactile.

On the bottom, we have a silicone pad to prevent the speaker from sliding on the table.

Overall, this speaker definitely exceeded my expectations in terms of the build and the overall looks and feel.

PAIRING

Pairing the UMIDIGI Bluetooth speaker is very easy as the pairing mode turns on automatically once you power on the device. All you have to do is turn on the Bluetooth on your smartphone and select it. All other times the speaker will connect to your smartphone automatically in just a second.

SOUND QUALITY

For such a tiny speaker, the sound quality is pretty good. If you have tested hundreds of speakers like me, you will not be surprised that these tiny cheap speakers can sound pretty well.

The UMIDIGI speaker has a decent sound quality with some rich tones and clear vocals. Also, there is a decent amount of bass. However, the sound gets distorted quite a lot at the highest volume settings.

TEST NOTES

The built-in battery allowed us to listen to music for about 7 hours, which is a decent result.

The built-in mic lets you use the speaker for handsfree calling. The call quality is pretty good as we were able to make a clear conversation.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the UMIDIGI Bluetooth speaker is a pretty good device for the price. We cannot say that this is the only speaker you should check out in this price range but the UMIDIGI speaker has a premium design and build, it sounds pretty well and we did not have any connectivity issues.

Therefore, we can recommend this speaker to buy, even if it is not the only great option for this price on the market.

Buy on Amazon UK

Buy on Amazon US

Gizmochina Giveaway – Win An Elephone S7 Phone

By

Shine Wong

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Jan 3, 2017

Gizmochina along with Elephone official is conducting a Elephone S7 phone as Giveaway gift to one of our lucky readers. Like always, you just have to follow the steps mentioned on the Gleam widget to get a chance to win this amazing phone.

First of all, Elephone wants to express their gratitude to their customers for their support for the year,and they say it’s your support that make them stronger and better day by day and they want to share the journey with you in the future.

What expect for elephone of 2017? Please leave comments under this article. Elephone will get better with your suggestions.

In order to thank Elephone for sponsoring the Elephone S7 giveaway, the one lucky winner will be selected among those who follow on Elephone Twitter:

Follow Elephone on Twitter

Visit Elephone products on official site

Just follow the steps mentioned in the Gleam widget to participate in the giveaway.

Once again, happy new year everyone and good luck.

Gizmochina Giveaway – Win A Free Elephone S7

Lenovo Smart Storage Comes Packed with Dual-band Wi-Fi & 6TB capacity

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 3, 2017

Launched along with its other CES 2017 surprises, Lenovo took the wraps off its Smart Storage device. The Lenovo Smart storage is a storage device that offers up to 6TB storage space and comes as a smart gadget with Dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity.

The Smart storage can be said to be ultra-smart as it also features a facial recognition for better sorting of synced photographs based on the faces in the photos in addition to the dual-badn Wi-Fi that allows peer-to-peer access.

Powering the Smart storage is an Intel Celeron N3060 dual-core processor with a clock frequency of 1.6GHz. The processor is backed by 2GB of RAM and there is 8GB of internal storage. The unit takes a 3.5-inch SATA hard drive and can offer 2TB of storage as well as up to 6TB. There is a pair of USB 3.0 ports onbaord for connecting other devices as well as a button to upload stuffs and another to reset the device. There is also an RJ45 1000M port on the device.

The functions offered by the Lenovo Smart Storage are enormous. It can be used to watch movies over Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) platform and it also supports wireless data transfer between devices. If the wireless data connectivity is running at snail speed, you can also use a wired connection by connecting the two devices via USB ports. There is also the issue of confidentiality as files can be kept private and secured and it also auto Sync if that function is set up, and this enables the device transfer data to the hard drive automatically.

The Smart storage also enables users to print photos stored inside using Kite Photo Service and it is also compatible with the Lenovo Smart App. Talking about the price, the Lenovo Smart Storage device is priced at $139.99 USD and will be available for purchase in May, 2017.

ZUK Z2 Pro 6GB+128GB Version Gets Slashed to ¥1999 ($287)

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 3, 2017

The Snapdragon 820 might be a year old already but it is still a powerful processor and since new phones sporting the new Snapdragon 835 processor will soon be released, phones with the older Snapdragon 820 are getting price cuts. One of them is the ZUK Z2 Pro.

Lenovo’s ZUK Z2 Pro is the more powerful variant of the Z2 series. It has a larger 5.2-inch Super AMOLED full HD display, 4GB/6GB of RAM, and 64GB/128GB of storage. The rear camera is a 13MP f/1.8 sensor with OIS, PDAF, and dual LED flash; and there is an 8MP f/2.0 shooter up front. You also get a front-mounted fingerprint scanner and the built-in 3100mAh battery also supports Quick Charge 3.0. Unlike some other flagships released last year, the ZUK Z2 Pro has an audio jack and sports a version 3.1 USB Type-C port.

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Lenovo Miix 720 2-in-1 PC with Active Pen 2 unveiled, Surface Pro Killer!

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 3, 2017

Lenovo has unveiled a new verson of the Miix 700 2-in-1 tablet which was released last year at CES 2016. The Lenovo Miix 720 unveiled just before CES 2017 takes on the Microsoft Surface Pro and it even takes the notch higher when compared to previous Miix tablets.

The Lenovo Miix 720 is actually a detachable PC that boots Windows 10 form the go. The gadget has a design where it easily transforms from a laptop design to a tablet just by detaching some parts. The tablet PC also comes with Lenovo’s Active Pen 2 and has a light weight design. The Lenovo tablet laptop is touted as an all-purpose digital vehicle and besides it being light weight, the stylus can be used for hands-on creations.

On the hardware, the Lenovo Miix 720 features a 12-inch touchscreen display with QHD+ resolution (aka 2880 x 1920 pixels). Lenovo touts the display as being ultra crisp with “graphics-enriched pitch”. The tablet weights just 2.4lbs and is somewhat thin at 14.6mm of thickness.

Still on the hardware, the Miix 720 is powered by the 7th generation Intel Core i7 “Kabu Lake” processor, tagging along with an Intel HD 620 graphics card.There is a 16GB of RAM onboard and a storage of up to 1TB. The device also carries a facial recognition feature and a powerful battery that can last up tp 8 hours of usage. Other features include a USB port, Thunderbolt 3, a rear camera and a kick-stand that can extend up to 150-degrees.

The new Active Pen 2 which comes with the Miix 720 is said to be ultra-sensitive with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. The keyboard is backlit, so you don’t have to worry about operating the device in the dark.

The Lenovo Miix 730 2-in-1 Windows PC carries a price tag of $999.99 USD and would become available for purchase in April starting at $999.99. The Active Pen is sold separately and costs just $59.99 USD. It will be available from February 2017.

Lenovo Smart Assistant with Amazon’s Alexa Announced

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 3, 2017

When Amazon released the Amazon Echo back in 2015, everyone was blown away. The speaker with a built-in smart assistant called Alexa performed a variety of functions. You could ask it questions, order items from Amazon’s website, set alarms and even control your other smart electronics with it. Other companies such as Google seeing how successful the Echo is launched their own version called Google Home with Google’s Assistant baked in.

But what if you do not want to buy Google’s Home and you don’t like Amazon’s Echo because it’s only available in black and white? Lenovo has got you covered. The PC manufacturer just launched its own smart home speaker before CES 2017, called the Lenovo Smart Assistant which comes in very cool colors and the best thing about it is that it has Amazon’s Alexa built-in.

Lenovo Smart Assistant Design

Lenovo’s Smart Assistant can be said to be a cross between the Echo and Google Home. The top half looks like an Echo and the lower half like the Google Home’s replaceable base. The top has just a single button but has a circular speaker grille similar to that of the Echo, although just one set of holes in the Lenovo.

The top part has a ‘floating design” from the rest of the body and has an aluminium frame around it. Just below it is the remaining part of the first half that has Lenovo’s branding hanging like a banner outside a castle. The lower half is the part that looks like the Google Home with its fabric design which we believe is covering the speaker(s). While the Google Home has a removable base, the Lenovo Smart Assistant isn’t and you are stuck with whatever color you purchase.

The underside of the speaker has a cut-out groove for the power cord and a reset button that can be activated using a sim ejector tool or office pin.

RELATED: Lenovo has just unveiled the stylus-equipped Microsoft Surface Killer

Lenovo Smart Assistant Features

The Lenovo Smart Assistant equipped with eight 360° far-field microphones with noise suppression and acoustic echo cancellation is designed to pick up users’ voice commands from up to 5 meters away. Lenovo says there is a special Harman Kardon Edition of the Smart Assistant for those who want premium audio quality when streaming music.

The Smart Assistant not only answers questions and takes commands but can also be used to control other Lenovo smart home devices as well as a number of existing 3rd part products.

Lenovo Smart Assistant Pricing and Availability

The Lenovo Smart Assistant will be available in May 2017 for $129.99 in White with either a Light Gray, Green, or Orange base and Black for $179.99 if you want the Harman Kardon Edition.

Note that our CES coverage can be read at CES 2017 Hub

(Sources: 1 and 2)

Xiaomi Follows Suit, Increases Prices of Its Mi TVs

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 3, 2017

The increase in cost of electronics from China has started and major manufacturers are already adjusting prices. First to effect the change is Meizu who have increased the price of the M5 Note and also their android TV box. Xiaomi is following suit and is starting with its smart TVs.

According to the source, LeEco was the first to increase the price of TVs before Xiaomi increased theirs. The price increase affects only two models though but there is no assurance that the rest will remain the same for long. The price changes are listed below:

Mi TV 3S 48-inches: initially priced at ¥1999 ($285), now ¥2299 ($331)
Mi TV 3S 55-inches: initially priced at ¥3499 ($503), now ¥3699 ($532).

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More Images of LeEco’s Dual Camera Le 2S Dual

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 3, 2017

Yesterday we reported that a LeEco smartphone with dual cameras was seen online. The phone called the Le 2S Dual sports Mediatek’s Helio X25 processor and two 13MP sensors on the rear. Today, more pictures of the phone have been posted on Weibo by a user who goes the name of 搞机王腾霄 (Wang Tengxiao Engage Machine).

The Le 2S Dual in the pictures has a champagne gold coating with the unusual design of the dual camera setup standing out in a not so attractive way. Below the camera setup sits LeEco’s signature mirror fingerprint scanner. Up front, the first thing that hits you is the annoying black band around the screen (we hope Chinese manufacturers remove it from their phones this year). The top bezel has the sensor, speaker, and the 12MP front camera setup in the usual arrangement employed by LeEco.

While the images don’t show the top and bottom of the phone, the Le 2S Dual likely doesn’t have an audio jack. So you are left with the USB Type-C port as the only port on the phone.

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Samsung Patents Dual Camera Tech, Could We See It On the Galaxy S8?

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 3, 2017

A recent Samsung patent filing in South Korea has shown what the tech giant has in the offing as regards dual lens camera. The patent application was published today in Samsung’s home country and it bears the title, “Digital photographing apparatus and the operating method for the same”.

A perusal of the patent document reveals a pair of attached images and on one of the images we could see a smartphone with dual cameras at the rear. While one of the lens is a wide-angle lens, the other seems to function as a magnifier to optimize the image in focus.

The dual camera setup seems to make it easy to take shots of a very wide angle and still capture a particular object as the focus object. Samsung demonstrated this feature using a snowboarder who is the main focus and yet the camera still captured a wide scenery of the snowy environment where the snowboarder surfs.

It is not known if the new Samsung patent filing will find its way into the Galaxy S8 expected this year. There were already rumors of the Galaxy S8 using a dual-lens camera at the rear but that isn’t certain. Perhaps if we don’t see the dual-lens technology on the Galaxy S8, it might just find its way into the Galaxy Note 8 except Samsung kills that line as is already rumored. We can’t eait to have Samsung’s first dual-lens camera packing device on our hands. If it is going to be the Galaxy S8, time will tell.

(via)

Meizu Quietly Increases Price of Meizu M5 Note

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Jan 3, 2017

The Meizu M5 Note was released towards the end of last year. The all-metal phone with a 5.5-inch FHD display, 3GB of RAM and a Helio P10 processor is available in different storage variants with pricing starting at ¥899 ($130 ) and moving up ¥1499 ($218). Barely a month later and the prices are no longer the same.

If you head to Meizu’s official website, you will notice that there has been a price increase for all the M5 Note models. The 3GB + 16GB model priced at ¥899 ($130) now sells for ¥999 ($144) and the 3GB + 32GB version selling for ¥999 before is now ¥1099 ($158). However the 3GB + 64GB variant remains priced at ¥1499 ($248).

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Xiaomi’s Second Teaser for CES 2017: Let the World Experience Innovative Technology From China!

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 2, 2017

Xiaomi has once again teased the unveiling of a new innovative product during a Xiaomi news conference holding at CES 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada, US. The recent teaser is coming on the heels of the one earlier teased by Xiaomi VP, Hugo Barra. Mr Barra’s teaser did no good in enabling us know what the product will likely be.

Going by the information contained in the teased post, the new technology from Xiaomi would be unveiled officially on January 6, 2017 at 3.00 for the world to witness. While we cannot really pinpoint what the so called new innovative technology from China is, we can only take a cue from the content of the teased image.

The poster contained some set of programming code using the C programming language which means the product has something to do with computer programming, perhaps on mobile devices. Perhaps this could be a new operating system, it could be AI, it could be something out of this world!

Xiaomi is an innovative start up, so it is always striving to improve its standing and considering the company’s interest to enter the US market, this could be a perfect spring board to achieve that. Already the company has got the Yi Erida drone an Yi 4K+ action cam under its sleeves for release in CES 2017. However, as to what the product really is, we’ll have to wait till January 6 to find out.

(source)

Vernee to Unveil World’s First Helio X30 Powered Smartphone at MWC 2017; Is it Apollo 2?

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 2, 2017

Vernee has confirmed that it will be present at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 to unveil its upcoming flagship that will be powered by MediaTek MT6799 Helio X30 chipset.

The Chinese company has confirmed that it will be unleashing its next flagship at MWC 2017 at booth number 7G60. The Helio X30 chipset is the most powerful SoC from MediaTek. Vernee could possibly unveil world’s first smartphone running on the next generation MediaTek SoC.

Rumors have it that Vernee’s next flagship will come in 6 GB /8 GB RAM variants along with 64 GB and 128 GB storage sizes. However, there is no confirmation whether the Vernee Apollo 2 will be announced at MWC 2017 as the world’s first Helio X30 powered smartphone.

In September 2016, MediaTek had announced three chipsets, Helio P20, Helio P25 and Helio X30. Among these, the Helio X30 is designed to power flagship devices while others are pegged to drive midrange smartphones.

The Helio X30 is a 10nm SoC that features a deca-core processor. It features two Cortex A73 processors working a 2.8 GHz. The four Cortex A53 processors run at 2.2 GHz and the other four Cortex A35 processor have a clocking speed of 2 GHz

It includes IMG 7XTP-Mt4 GPU working at 820 MHz. It can support 4 GB to a max of 8 GB RAM. It also carries support for eMMC 5.1 and UFS 2.1 flash storage.

It can support up to WQXA display that offers a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels. It supports up to 28-megapixel (Dual ISP) camera, 4K video shooting at 30 fps and Ultra HD video playback.

The Vernee Apollo 2 is under the wraps. Since it is expected to feature Helio X30, it may come with features like a quad HD display, 6 or 8 GB of RAM and Android 7.0 Nougat. Previous rumors have also stated a device dubbed as Apollo Pro 2 is under works with Snapdragon 830. However, none of the specs mentioned here for Apollo 2 have been officially confirmed by the Chinese manufacturer.

Apollo is the first flagship from Vernee that was released last year. It features a 5.5-inch quad HD display, Helio X20 SoC, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB storage, 21-megapixel rear camera, 8-megapixel selfie snapper and 3,180 mAh battery. It is now selling for $249 through flash sale.

Asus Could Beat Samsung & Xiaomi To Release The First Snapdragon 835 Flagship

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 2, 2017

Qualcomm had promised to unveil details about its latest Snapdragon 835 chip during CES 2017 but recent benchmark data have revealed the enormous power of the flagship SoC. The Qualcomm chip was hitherto expected to be used by Samsung first on its Galaxy S8 flagship earlier billed for MWC in February and then on the Xiaomi Mi 6 also.

However, there are indications that Taiwanese smartphone maker ASUS may beat the duo of Samsung and Xiaomi to use the flagship Snapdragon 835 chip on its smartphone. The company recently teased via Twitter, the launch of a flagship Asus Zenfone model during CES that would be powered by the world’s best processor. The launch will take place on January 4, 2017.

Level up! World's best processor now fully unleashed the potential! Save the date: 01.04.17 #ASUS #ZenFone #Zennovation #CES2017! pic.twitter.com/c6WuavRiHT

— ASUS (@ASUS) January 2, 2017

We are not entirely sure if the Asus Zenfone expected would actually feature the Snapdragon 835 chip, as it is not categorically stated but don’t forget that the ASUS Zenfone 3 Deluxe was the first Snapdragon 821-powered phone.In addition, it is sure going to be a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip on board and the best so far Qualcomm has got is the Snapdragon 835. It is possible, though, that the SD 821 which is also one of the best around is being referred to.

From earlier teaser, the Asus Zenfone model would likely feature a dual camera set up on board but other details are a bit sketchy right now. We’ll keep you updated here on Gizmochina as more details emerge.

(source)

Galaxy S8 Rumors: Samsung Desktop Experience, a Continuum-Like Feature Leaked

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 2, 2017

Fresh information suggests that Samsung will introduce Microsoft Continuum-like on its upcoming Galaxy S8 flagship smartphone.

Continuum feature was revealed by Microsoft on its Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 smartphones from 2015. The feature allows Windows 10 Mobile powered Lumia 950 and 950 XL to deliver full-fledged desktop experience by connecting the smartphone to a monitor by using a Display Dock.

Samsung Desktop Experience Arriving on Galaxy S8?

A leaked presentation slide with the title ‘Samsung Desktop Experience: Next Mobile Workspace,” the South Korean company will be introducing a feature like Continuum from Microsoft. The Samsung Desktop Experience feature will allow Galaxy S8 users to connect it to an external display and enjoy desktop experience by using wireless keyboard and mice.

The Samsung Desktop Experience will provide extended workspace along with multi-window multi-tasking. If the South Korean company is really going to bring the new feature on Galaxy S8, it must have also developed a new UI for seamless experience once the device is connected to a display.

It is not sure whether the leaked slide is real or fake. Hence, we advise you to take this rumor with a pinch of salt. If it comes true, the Galaxy S8 will become the first Android smartphone to deliver a proper PC experience.

It is likely that the Android powered Galaxy S8 would come loaded with Microsoft Office productivity software. With Samsung Desktop Experience, Galaxy S8 will be able to work seamlessly on Word, Excel, PowerPoint on so on.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Rumored Specs

Samsung Galaxy S8 is expected to come in two sizes with dual-edge curved screens. Rumors have it that the Galaxy S8 will feature 5-inch display whereas the Galaxy S8 Plus will have 6-inch display. Both the phones are expected to come with higher screen-to-body ratio along with no hardware buttons.

The Galaxy S8 models are pegged to feature USB Type-C headphone connectivity instead of the standard 3.5 mm audio jack. Other rumored specs of the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus include Snapdragon 835 SoC, 6 GB of RAM, autofocus enabled selfie cameras, dual rear camera, USB Type-C ports, iris scanners, smart AI assistants, S-Pen stylus and more. The Galaxy S8 is speculated to get unveiled in April 2017.

(Source)

Faraday Future ELectric Car Likely Price Revealed

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 2, 2017

As the CES 2017 draws nearer, more details about LeEco-backed Faraday Future electric car are emerging. Before now, it had been established that the car would be unveiled in Las Vegas on January 3 during the Consumer Electronic Show (CES). It was also revealed that the car isn’t just a concept piece anymore but what we’ll be seeing during CES 2017 is a production version ready to go on sale in 2018.

Further details on the likely price tag of the Faraday Future electric car have now emerged, with suggestions in some quarters that the car is likely to carry a price tag of around $150K – $200K USD.

The LeEco-backed electric car is said to have a range of up to 300 miles (482 km), thanks to the large 92-kWh battery it packs inside. The car is even faster than the Tesla Model X.

It is likely, though, that the company is looking to get buyers to key into the concept car so as to help boost its finances. Already, LeEco is swimming in troubled waters financially and Faraday Future is also said to be battling financially. It is reported that the company is hoping to bring in new investors during the CES 2017 unveiling, if not it would go bankrupt in February. We hope the company survives, though, as there are rumors that the innovative company is also planning a midrange electric car to debut in 2020, codenamed Project 81.

Asus ZenFone AR Leaks: Press Renders Surface; Snapdragon 821 to Power It, Reveals Qualcomm

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jan 2, 2017

Asus is expected to unleash new smartphones at the upcoming CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2017 event. Qualcomm and a famous leakster have both revealed that the Asus ZenFone AR is slated to get announced on Jan. 4

Google Tango Augmented Reality platform has been developed by Google. The Asus ZenFone AR has been in the rumors since several weeks. Qualcomm has now spilled the beans on the key features of Asus ZenFone AR.

On the Qualcomm blog post that carries a publishing date of Jan. 4 reads that the Asus ZenFone AR is powered by Snapdragon 821 processor. It also revealed that it is the first mobile device ever to be enabled with Tango augmented reality as well as support Daydream mobile virtual reality.

The blog post has been taken down, but its cache image reveals the experience ZenFone AR will deliver. The post states that, “with Zenfone AR and the Daydream View headset and controller, you’ll be able to explore new worlds with apps like Google Street View and Fantastic Beasts, dive into your personal VR cinema with YouTube, Netflix, Hulu and HBO, and get your game on with Gunjack 2, LEGO BrickHeadz, Need for Speed and dozens other titles.”

Even the well-known leakster, Evan Blass (aka @evleaks) has tweeted Asus ZenFone AR press renders before its official announcement on Wednesday. In the press renders, the display of the smartphone carries Jan. 4 date. This is also an indication that the Asus ZenFone AR is slated for a Jan. 4 announcement.

Related: ASUS X00GD Shows Up AT TENAA: Sports 4850mAh Battery and Runs Android Nougat

The CES 2017 runs from Jan. 5 to 8 in Las Vegas. However, the press events will be on Jan. 3 and 4 which indicates that several announcements will be done on these dates.

The Asus ZenFone AR specifications are not available yet. However, with Daydream VR onboard, it is expected to come preinstalled with Android 7.0 Nougat. Asus CEO, Jerry Shen has stated that ZenFone AR will deliver advanced performance with competitive pricing.

The first Google Tango smartphone is the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro that was unleashed in November 2016 with features like 6.4-inch quad HD screen, Snapdragon 652 SoC and 4 GB of RAM.

Its other specs include Android 6.0 Marshmallow, 16-megapixel camera enable with features like PDAD, depth and motion tracking sensors, 8-megapixel frontal camera, fingerprint scanner, a 4,050 mAh battery with fast charging support.

Miro Smart Media Center Review – A Speaker That You Have Never Seen

By

Linus

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Jan 2, 2017

I have reviewed a lot of Bluetooth speakers and I have to say that there are so many different models that I love. However, I’ve never seen anything like this. The Miro by Zbinno smart media center is one of the most interesting gadgets you can find. Learn more in the full review.

VIDEO REVIEW

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_BfCXKajik[/embedyt]

UNBOXING

This multimedia center ships with the remote control, some paperwork and the power cable.

DESIGN and FEATURES

The Zbinno speaker sports an excellent build quality as it is made almost entirely of aluminum.

Also, the device is pretty heavy as it weighs over 900g. Still, it is a pretty reasonable weight considering the fact that there is a speaker on each side and the subwoofer on the back. The total power output is 20w, which is just insane for such a compact device. Also, there are mics for handsfree calling.

We have all the controls you need on the speaker itself but you can also control it using the remote control. It’s pretty cool that it has abuilt-in magnet, so you can attach it to the speaker.

We have a 5.5” 720p display, which is bright and sharp enough for multimedia consumption. However, it would have been nice to see a 1080p panel.

Since this speaker runs on Android Lollipop, you can download any apps you want, just like on any phone or tablet. The built-in apps are mainly designed to watch multimedia or listen to music.

The speaker has 8GB of internal storage but you can always connect the USB flash drive and this feature works well. Also, you can use the device as a power bank to charge other gadgets.

Also, the Zbinno multimedia center has an ARM Cortex-A7 processor with Mali 400MP2 GPU to assure a great multimedia experience. I was curious how the device can handle the most demanding 3D games. The performance was quite poor and I can’t recommend this speaker for gamers but it was not designed to play games.

As far as UI performance it is good but there was a little bit of stutter here and there and hopefully this can be fixed with the future software updates as I have received 2 of them already. Anyway, we have the pre-production unit.

SOUND QUALITY

When it comes to the sound quality, it is just insanely good. You can’t really compare it with any regular Bluetooth speaker since it offers a truly immersive 3D sound. Also, the volume output of 20w makes this speaker ridiculously loud. The sound is crisp and clear, there is a ton of bass. The only complaint would be that there may be some distortions going on at the very highest volume settings.

TEST NOTES

As far as connectivity, everything works fine but the Wifi range could be slightly better on my review unit.

As for battery life, the built-in 4500mAh unit assures that the device works for about 5 hours on a single charge, which is a pretty good result.

CONCLUSIONS

The Zbinno portable multimedia center is a great yet a bit pricey gadget. For the price of about $230, you are getting a well-made device that has a large and sharp display, a fantastic sound quality with the volume output of 20w, a 3D sound and Android user interface that allows you to download any apps you want.

If you want to be the first to get this cool multimedia center, you can check out the Indiegogo campaign page and grab this device at the discounted rates.

Buy from Amazon

https://www.indiegogo.com/project/preview/034ef68c#/

LG All Day Gram Isn’t Only Light But Has A 24-Hour battery Life

By

Habeeb Onawole

-

Jan 2, 2017

Battery life for notebook computers have improved in recent years but that doesn’t mean there is still no room for improvement. When LG introduced the LG Gram back in 2015, their aim was to make Windows PCs lighter than the MacBook Air. But why stop at just being light? The new LG Gram line heading to CES 2017 adds battery life to its selling points and has a model called the LG All Day Gram that boasts a 24-hour battery life!!!

LG is launching a total of 8 new models but only the 13.3-inch model with an Intel Core-i3 processor and a 60Wh battery lasts for a full day on a single charge. The LG All Day Gram might be the champ but two other models also boast impressive battery life as well. The 14 and 15.6-inch models which have higher specs will last for 23 and 22 hours respectively, which is still freaking awesome.

The new LG Gram laptops are still light. Save for the 15.6-inch model, the rest weigh less than the 980g of 2015’s model. The 24-hour battery monster weighs 940g and the 14-inch version weighs 970g. Not light enough for you? Then you might want to check out the ultra-lightweight division which has a 13.3-inch model that weighs 830g and a 14-inch model that weighs 860g.

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