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Apple iPhone 8 First Impressions

Apple iPhone 8 First Impressions

Step by step. We already suspected that Apple would only show a slightly improved version of its smartphone this year. The 8th generation iPhone from Cupertino gets a revised chassis and more performance, which is at least more than in the previous years.
Apple A11 Bionic | Apple A11 Bionic GPU | 4.7" | 148 g
Apple iPhone 8 Plus First Impressions

Apple iPhone 8 Plus First Impressions

Big sibling, small improvement. Just like its smaller sibling, the Apple iPhone 8 Plus does not have many new features. We get a slightly revised chassis, now with a glass rear panel, as well as the new A11 chip. However, small optimizations improve the iPhone in many areas.
Apple A11 Bionic | Apple A11 Bionic GPU | 5.5" | 202 g
Sep 23
The AMD CrossFire brand is being dropped. (Source: AMD)

AMD Crossfire says so long, and thanks for all the fish

AMD has dropped the CrossFire brand, and will no longer use it to refer to their multi-GPU products. The functionality that it provided still remains, and AMD has made a statement explaining why they are no longer using the name and what will happen with DirectX 12 going forwards.
The pieces that make up the Apple iPhone 8. (Source: iFixit)

iFixit teardown rates iPhone 8 repairability as 6 out of 10, but glass back almost impossible to replace

iFixit have completed their teardown of the iPhone 8. They found that the screen and battery were fairly easy to replace, but that the rear glass panel was extremely difficult to remove due to large amounts of glue.
The Mi Note 3 may have paved the way for future Snapdragon 660-powered Xiaomi devicres. (Source: Playfuldroid)

Don't get your hopes up on the Redmi Note 5

Recent leaks have detailed the specification sheet of the upcoming Redmi Note 5, and while Xiaomi fans may have their hopes up, we're quite skeptical as to the veracity and plausibility of the reported information. Here's why you'd do well to take it all with a pinch of salt.
That's an A in the design department. (Source: Weibo)

Huawei Maimang 6 launched in China

The Maimang 6, expected to launch as the Mate 10 Lite outside, China has been announced, with its quad camera formation and 18:9 display making for a novel package from Huawei.
LG and Samsung throwing 25 million Euros at new power-efficient OLED panels

LG and Samsung throwing 25 million Euros at new power-efficient OLED panels

The cash injection will increase Cynora's global presence with the eventual commercialization of more efficient TADF OLED panels.
Tim Cook says the iPhone X is "value price" for consumers

Tim Cook says the iPhone X is "value price" for consumers

At least one analytical firm is not expecting noticeable price cuts until 5 to 12 months after launch. Cook suggests taking advantage of 24-month installment plans and other incentives as alternatives to pay for the iPhone X.
The main weakness of pattern and PIN is the ability for those around you to obverve entry. (Source: Msporch/Pixabay)

Android pattern unlock is the easiest authentication method to snoop

A study by researchers from the University of Maryland and the US Naval Academy has been published showing that a six-spot pattern unlock is six times easier for snoopers to repeat after seeing once than a six-digit PIN.
Sep 22
Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) facing charging bug after Nougat update (Source: Samsung)

Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) with Nougat plagued by charging bug

More Galaxy A3 (2016) users who upgraded their handsets to Android 7.0 have been complaining that they cannot load the battery more than 87 percent. Even worse, it looks like none of the usual bug-fixing methods works.
iPhone 8 Plus showing great dynamic range in this mixed light scene. (Source: DxOMark)

iPhone 8 Plus has the best camera on any smartphone according to DxOMark

DxOMark have put the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus through their extensive test suite, declaring that they are the best smartphone cameras they have tested to date. Strong points include exposure, contrast, color reproduction, and flash performance.
Nokia 8 flagship coming soon with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage (Source: HMD Global)

Nokia 8 with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage hits FCC

Nokia 8 is still not present in China and the US, but it looks like these two key markets will receive special versions of this flagship. Two variants for the US have just been spotted on FCC, and they both feature 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage.
Huawei Y7

82% Huawei Y7 (2017) Smartphone Review

Convincing. The Huawei Y7 aims to convince its buyers with a metal case, a strong processor, and a large battery. While these assets are good, the competition in the 200-Euro price range (~$238) is strong. You can find out in our test how the Huawei Y7 fares.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 | Qualcomm Adreno 505 | 5.5" | 165 g
Lenovo ThinkPad 25: New specs and pictures of the Retro ThinkPad have been leaked (Picture source: Winfuture.de/Roland Quandt)

Lenovo ThinkPad 25: New specs and pictures of the Retro ThinkPad have been leaked

Lenovo´s ThinkPad Anniversary in October draws near. Months ago, Lenovo already announced that it would release a special model celebrating this occasion. Few details and pictures were leaked until now, but today all the specs and many pictures were leaked.
The 2NX NNA has the advantage of ultra-low energy consumption over Apple's and Huawei's SoCs. (Source: Imagination)

Imagination releases new PowerVR mobile GPUs and its first Neural Network Accelerator

The PowerVR Series9XE GPUs are designed for entry-level mobile devices and cost-effective products, while the more advance Series9XM chips are aimed at mid-range smartphones/tablets, premium gaming set-top boxes and infotainment systems. Imagination's first NNA chip offers similar features to Apple's A11 Bionic and Huawei's Kirin 970 SoCs, but in a more ener...
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Steering Wheels, Gear Sticks and Foot Pedals - A Racing Wheel Market Overview

Steering Wheels, Gear Sticks and Foot Pedals - A Racing Wheel Market Overview

An airbag? Not really. But instead, you can have sophisticated technology and high-torque force feedback servo motors. Steering wheels have also had their fair share of technological development and now they offer Hall sensors instead of potentiometers, belt drives instead of gear drives as well as CNC-milled aluminum and real leather - hand sewn, of course. It is time for us to take a look at these new developments.
Moto G5S Plus Android smartphone in Lunar Gray coming to the US (Source: Motorola)

Moto G5S Plus coming to the US later this month

Yesterday, the Moto G5S Plus became available for pre-order across the US starting at US$229.99. The successor of the popular Moto G5 Plus is scheduled to launch on September 29.
The Zenfone 4 Pro leads the lineup. (Source: Asus)

Asus Zenfone 4 series finally hits Europe

After launching in the Asian market a few months back, Asus has finally announced the launch of its Zenfone 4 series for the European market.
The GTX 1070 Ti should be the direct competitor for AMD's RX Vega 56 GPU. (Source: Nvidia)

Nvidia GTX 1070 Ti most likely to arrive in late October for US$430

The GTX 1070 Ti is very close to the original GTX 1080, spec-wise, and this makes it more appealing for crypto-miers. It's supposed to be released in late October for around US$430.
The HTC 11 is set to be joined by a larger bezel-less stablemate. (Source: HTC)

HTC U11 Plus rumored to sport bezel-less design

According to a new report, HTC is planning to launch a Plus-size model of its flagship U11 smartphone. The device will also be the first from HTC to feature a bezel-less design.
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Netzwelt: Das Magnesium-Lithium-Ultraleichtbook, Chip.de: Medion Akoya E3216, HardwareLuxx: HP Omen 15 mit GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q , Tablet Blog: Eine gute und günstige Surface-Alternative?, Netzwelt: Lüfterlos trotz Nvidia-GPU, WinFuture: Premium-Tablet mit Stylus, WinFuture: Neuauflage mit USB-C , Tech Stage: Cat S41 klasse Outdoor-Handy mit 5000-mAh-Akku, Curved: Cat S41 das neue Outdoor-Smartphone, Area DVD: Dual-Kamera & Fingerprintscanner für unter 200 Euro, Chinahandys.net: Doogee X30, Curved: Quantum-Dot-Display angeschaut, Notebooksbilliger Blog: SCHENKER XMG A517 dxf Gaming Laptop mit 15,6 Zoll Full HD-Display, Tech Stage: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 exzellent, aber teuer!, Gamestar: Gaming-Notebook mit GTX 1080, 120 Hz und WQHD, Inside Handy: Samsungs Referenz mit einem Makel, PocketPC: Ist Nokia nun wirklich zurück?, Spiegel Online: Tolles Smartphone, fürchterlicher Preis, Chinahandys.net: Leagoo T5, Verivox: Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Tschauder.de: HP Pavilion 15-cc593nd - Reviews, Netzwelt: Der Riese bleibt ein Riese, Netzwelt: Hollywood-Kamera statt Ticker-Display, Area DVD: Infos zum Samsung Galaxy Note 8 , PC Welt: Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Chip.de: Nur der Akku ist der Star, Spiegel Online: Das erste Smartphone mit Android 8.0 Oreo, Computerbase: Gelungenes Comeback für gut betuchte Stylus‑Fans, Curved: iPhone 8 und iPhone 8 Plus, Android Pit: Mit Viel Schick Zurück Nach Europa, Frankfurter Allgemeine: An diesem Smartphone muss sich Apples neues iPhone messen, WinFuture: Günstiges Smartphone mit 18:9-Display, Curved: Viel Smartphone für viel Geld, Android Pit: Rahmenlose Displays Zum Einstiegspreis, Tweakers: HP Pavilion x360 14-ba043nd - Reviews, Tweakers: HP Stream 13-c000nd - Reviews, Tweakers: BTO U-BOOK 14CL23 - Reviews, Notebook-Center.ru: Dell Alienware 15 R3 – Один За Всех!, HDblog.it: RECENSIONE Nokia 6, migliorabile in attesa del vero top di gamma, Alt om Data: Fujitsu Lifebook S937 [TEST]: Erhvervsbærbar hvor batterilevetiden er i fokus, Notebook-Center.ru: Hp Elite X2 1012 G2 – Крепкий Орешек, Alt om Data: Apple iPad Pro 10,5” [TEST]: Fantastisk tablet for de få, KinaTech: Óriási akkumulátorral érkezik a DOOGEE BL7000, KinaTech: Négy kamerával és óriási akkumulátorral érkezik az elegáns megjelenésű Oukitel K3, Value Nomad España: HP Stream 14-ax003ns Análisis Completo, KinaTech: Extrém körülmények között tesztelték az Ulefone Armor 2 telefont, Dinside: Test av HP Omen 15, Tweakers: Asus ZenBook 13 Preview, Tweakers: Acer Aspire F5-573G-743S - Reviews
Is iPhone X production running behind schedule? (Source: Apple)

iPhone X may not yet be in production

Already facing predicted supply constraints, production of the iPhone X may not yet have even started. If true, this could push back the launch of the highly anticipated device until December.
Sep 21
Nvidia Shield TV with remote. (Source: Nvidia)

Pre-orders open for a cheaper Nvidia Shield TV that comes without the game controller

Nvidia have dropped the price on their Shield TV by removing the game controller from the bundle but still including the remote. The new pricing puts it in in a more competitive position against the base model of the new Apple TV 4K.
Image: Twitter user Nick Sweeting

Equi-fail: Equifax directs customers affected by hack to fake phishing website

In another major misstep for Equifax, an employee of the credit services company responded to customer tweets with a link to a fake phishing website. The site, which was styled to look like the official Equifax site dedicated to the hack, was a fake used to demonstrate how easily malicious parties could further exploit Equifax's customers.
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Amazon Alexa logo (Source: Amazon)

Amazon allegedly working on Alexa-enabled smart glasses

Insiders familiar with the matter claim that Amazon's Lab126 group is working on a pair of glasses with Alexa support via a bone-conduction audio system. However, this accessory is expected to come without a camera or a screen similar to those used by products like the Google Glass smart glasses.
Toshiba has reached a deal to sell Toshiba Memory Corporation. (Source: Toshiba)

Toshiba sells Toshiba Memory Corp to a consortium including Apple, Dell, and SK Hynix

After months of trying to sell Toshiba Memory Corp, Toshiba has managed to reach a deal with a consortium of companies for US$17.81 billion that involves the soon-to-be-former subsidiary being independently managed and still able to develop NAND flash products.
ZTE Tempo X Android smartphone with Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 (Source: Boost Mobile)

ZTE Tempo X hits Boost Mobile for just $79.99 USD, features a Snapdragon 210 processor

The ZTE Tempo X arrives more than a year after Boost Mobile introduced its predecessor, the ZTE Tempo. This new handset sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 processor and only 1 GB RAM, but it comes loaded with Android 7.1.1 Nougat.
The U11 sported a regular 5.5-inch display.

Google deal no herald of doom as HTC looks set to launch another flagship

HTC may have entered a partnership with Google but it will still produce smartphones in its own name, at least for the time being. Its next device is said to be the bezel-less flagship, the U11 Plus.
AMD’s CTO Mark Papermaster announcing the 12 nm transition at the Global Foundries Technology Conference. (Source: Tom's Hardware)

Ryzen and Vega will get 12 nm versions in 2018

AMD’s CTO Mark Papermaster announced that the Vega GPUs and the Ryzen CPUs will get 12 nm version in early 2018. The 12 nm Vega chips should compete with Nvidia's GeForce GTX 2000 series that are expected to be released in early 2018, while the 12 nm Ryzen CPUs will be AMD's response to Intel's 10 nm Ice Lake processors, until it releases the 7 nm Ryzen 2 pr...
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Tesla plans to release self-driving cars by 2019. (Source: Tesla)

Next self-driving Tesla cars to use AMD AI chips

Tesla intends to release autonomous cars by 2019, and these cars will be equipped with semi-custom AI chips manufactured by AMD. Sample chips are currently tested by 50 Tesla engineers who are lead by ex-AMD legendary microarchitect Jim Keller.
The refresh of the Amazon Fire HD makes it worth a second look. (Source: Amazon)

Amazon Fire HD tablet upgrades make it warrant a second look

Amazon has given its Fire 10 HD tablet some much needed improvements in its latest refresh of the Android-based device. It is now 30 percent faster than before and sports a new 1080p display.
Meizu M6 5.2-inch Android smartphone with MediaTek MT6750 (Source: Meizu)

Meizu M6 unveiled with the MediaTek MT6750 SoC onboard

Not long after the M6 Note, Chinese brand Meizu intros the M6. This 5.2-inch smartphone features an octa-core MediaTek processor and is scheduled to hit the Chinese market next Monday.
The Mate 10 Pro will be the most feature-packed model. (Source: Medicalman)

Huawei Mate 10 to have four models, Maimang 6 the Mate 10 Lite

Contrary to previous thoughts, the Maimang 6 will not launch as the G10 in the western market, with Huawei set to offer it as the Mate 10 Lite, a lower-specced version of the upcoming Mate 10 flagships.
Sager NP5852 (Clevo N850HL, i7-7700HQ, MX150) Laptop Review

78% Sager NP5852 (Clevo N850HL, i7-7700HQ, MX150) Laptop Review

GeForce MX150 gaming. The performance-per-Watt of the MX150 is a generational leap over the 940MX, but its high starting price at the moment gives it poor performance-per-Dollar. We check out the entry-level Sager NP5852 gaming notebook to see how to stacks up against previous generation Maxwell offerings.
Intel Core i7-7700HQ | NVIDIA GeForce MX150 (Laptop GT 1030) | 15.6" | 2.5 kg
Ultra-thin Chuwi LapBook Air 14 shipping October 10th for $460 USD (Source: Chuwi)

Ultra-thin Chuwi LapBook Air 14 shipping October 10th for $460 USD

Users in Europe may get the notebook even earlier from September 30th. The LapBook Air 14 will be a passively-cooled competitor to the MacBook Air series and other superthin Ultrabooks.
A new report suggests HTC has sold its mobile division to Google. (Source: HTC)

Rumor: HTC mobile division sold to Google [Update]

If the rumors coming out of Taiwan are true, HTC has reached an agreement to sell its mobile division to Google. Set to be announced tomorrow, the deal could also mean the end of HTC-branded devices.
Sep 20
Image: Google

Moto done right? Moto X4 coming to Project Fi, will receive two years of updates

Google announced today that the upcoming Moto X4 will be available as an Android One device on their Project Fi mobile network. The smartphone will run Stock Android and come with a guaranteed minimum of two years of software updates and support from Google.
The Surface Pro 2017. (Source: Microsoft)

Online retailer starts pre-orders for the Surface Pro 2017 LTE edition before it is officially annouced

We expect Microsoft to officially announce the LTE version of the Surface Pro 2017 at their 'Future Decoded' in London. However, an online retailer has just listed two Intel i5 based variants for pre-order with pricing details and shipping expectations.
T-Mobile CEO John J. Legere (Source: T-Mobile)

T-Mobile increases its unlimited plan's throttling limit

Not long after launching the "Netflix On Us" deal, T-Mobile is now increasing the throttling limit of its unlimited plan from the industry-leading 32 GB to no less than 50 GB.
Intel's Stacy Smith shows off a 10nm 'Cannon Lake' wafer. (Source: Intel)

Intel shows off a 10nm wafer and a bevy of other developments on the occasion of Technology and Manufacturing Day

At its Technology and Manufacturing Day held in Beijing, Intel showcased a number of new developments ranging from the 10nm process for its upcoming 'Cannon Lake' chips to the first commercially available 64-layer 3D NAND for data centers. The company also shared plans for its first 10nm FPGA codenamed 'Falcon Mesa'.
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The AOC AG322QCX is an 1800R curved panel. (Source: AOC)

AOC unveils the AGON QHD curved gaming monitor with support for AMD FreeSync

AOC has announced the launch of the AG322QCX — a curved 32-inch QHD gaming monitor with support for AMD FreeSync. The AG322QCX targets the enthusiast gamer segment and features technologies that reduce eye fatigue.
Asus building. (Source: Ubergizmo)

Asus has worst quarterly profit since 2010, changes product focus

Asus appears to have an increased focus on their high-margin products such as ultra-thin, 2-in-1, mid-range gaming, and high-end gaming in the hopes that the higher profit per unit will help them recover from their lowest quarterly profit for seven years.
The Intel NUC roadmap for 2018-19 offers an assortment of 'Gemini Lake' and 'Coffee Lake' configurations. (Source: CNXSoft)

Roadmap reveals new Intel NUCs with Gemini Lake and Coffee Lake offerings

The roadmap for Intel NUCs in the coming years seems to be a rather interesting one with a host of NUCs in different configuration options starting from the 10W 'Gemini Lake' Celerons all the way till the 100W Kaby Lake-H Core i7-xxxxK. NUCs based on the Coffee Lake and Kaby Lake-H CPUs also come with support for Thunderbolt 3 and Intel Optane memory.
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The Core i9 7980XE CPU will be released on September 25 with an MSRP of US$1999. (Source: Intel)

Intel Core i9 7980XE CPU annihilates AMD's Threadripper in latest leaked benchmarks

The i9 7980XE CPU manages to keep a 30% lead against AMD’s Threadripper 1950X throughout synthetic and gaming benchmarks. The Intel CPU has 2 more cores that yield 4 more threads, so it's not really that surprising it performs better, but is the US1000 price difference really worth it?
Both devices feature dual rear cameras. (Source: Weibo)

Images and pricing details of the Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro revealed

Huawei's upcoming flagships, the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro, are billed for a mid-October launch. Here, we have a look at the first set of details available for both devices.
The Pimax 8K VR headset comes with dual 4K displays and a wide 200-degree field of view. (Source: Pimax)

Pimax 8K VR headsets coming in February 2018 for as low as US$449

The Kickstarter campaign initiated by Pimax raised the US$200,000 funding goal in less then 2 hours, so the company is now expected to ship the first models in February 2018. The 8K headset comes with dual 4K displays and can be pre-ordered for US$449, while the 5K version integrates dual 2560x1440 displays and costs US$349.
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HiSilicon Kirin 930 SoC - Benchmarks and Specs

Cortex-A53 ARM 8 cores @ 2000 MHz 28nm
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HiSilicon Kirin 935 SoC - Benchmarks and Specs

Cortex-A53 ARM 8 cores @ 2200 MHz 28nm
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HiSilicon Kirin 659 SoC - Benchmarks and Specs

Cortex-A53 ARM 8 cores @ 2360 MHz 16nm
This the first look at the new Pixel 2 made by HTC in blue. (Source: Droid Life)

Fresh Pixel 2 leak reveals new blue color

The Pixel 2 has surfaced in the flesh in a new blue hue. The HTC-made device will also come in regular black and white colors when it launches on October 4.
The new Google Pixelbook runs Chrome OS and supports Android apps. (Source: Droid Life)

Huge Google leak reveals new Pixelbook with Android app support

A big leak out of Mountain View has seen the new Google Pixelbook revealed before its official launch set for October 4. Not previously picked up by the rumor mill, the device will come in three main configurations.

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Notebookcheck (Update: 2017-09-23)