Expert reviews and news on laptops, smartphones and tech innovations

We're reviewing AMD's first Zen+ Ryzen 5 3550H gaming laptop

First AMD Zen+ Ryzen 5 3550H gaming laptop now shipping, review in progress

The 12 nm Ryzen 5 3550H quad-core processor will hopefully challenge the Core i5-8300H in the budget-mainstream gaming category. The AMD chip is making its debut on the Asus TUF FX505DY budget gaming laptop now retailing for just $799 USD.

Allen Ngo, 27 Feb 2019 09:50

There are decent savings to be had on RTX 2080 cards from EVGA, Asus, and others. (Source: Walmart)

Deal | Walmart discounts EVGA, MSI, and Asus GeForce RTX 2080 GPUs; Nvidia offers Founders Edition game bundle

Walmart has discounted a number of different variants of Nvidia’s expensive GeForce RTX 2080 graphics card. GPUs with special offers include the MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Duke 8G OC card and the EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 XC Ultra Gaming card, both of which come with an attractive game bundle. Nvidia is also offering a good deal on the Founders Edition of the RTX 2080.

Daniel R Deakin, 27 Feb 2019 08:28

The Nvidia GeForce MX250 laptop GPU is aimed at mobile gamers. (Source: Nvidia)

Update | Nvidia announces GeForce MX230 and MX250 laptop GPUs

Nvidia has added two new members to the MX product family: The GeForce MX230 and the GeForce MX250. Both GPUs are based on Pascal architecture, offer DirectX 12 support, and they both utilize Nvidia’s Optimus graphics-switching technology. The MX230 and MX250 also support Vulkan 1.1, OpenGL 4.6, and OpenCL 1.2 APIs.

Daniel R Deakin, 27 Feb 2019 00:18

Xbox owners have been asking for unified platform ever since Windows 10 was announced. (Source: TechRadar)

Microsoft may soon enable Xbox games to run on Windows 10

Testers from the Windows Insider program report that the latest Windows 10 builds feature a new app called Microsoft Gaming Services that adds direct access to Xbox APIs and allows users to download and install games directly from the Xbox distribution servers. Moreover, the 2020 update planned for Windows 10 could integrate seamless compatibility between the two platforms.

Bogdan Solca, 26 Feb 2019 22:52

Swatch claims that Samsung has copied its trademarks. (Source: Swatch)

Swatch has filed a legal case against Samsung for trademark infringement

The Swiss watchmaker group Swatch has filed a complaint with US legal authorities to the effect that Samsung has impinged on its trademarks. This is connected to the design of some downloadable watchfaces for Gear-line smartwatches. The company will look for hundreds of millions of US dollars in compensation for this breach.

Deirdre O Donnell, 26 Feb 2019 22:26

The trade negotiations between the U.S. and China could be close to a resolution. (Source: The Daily Conversation @ Youtube)

Trump delays tariffs for China, trade war might end soon and computer part prices may reset

The trade war between the U.S. and China may soon end, as president Trump believes that the negotiations are going well and is now determined to delay the increased tariffs for China as a gesture of good will. As a direct consequence, the Chinese Shanghai Composite index spiked by 5% and we could be looking at a price reset for the overpriced computer hardware in the next few months.

Bogdan Solca, 26 Feb 2019 22:07

Dell first reported last October that it would be fixing the DPC latency issues that have plagued some XPS 15 9570 laptops (Image source: Dell)

Updated | The Dell XPS 15 9570's DPC latency issues are more complicated than the company first thought

Almost four months on since Dell announced that it would soon fix the DPC latency issues that have caused audio problems for some XPS 15 9570 laptops, Frank Azor has conceded that there is no end in sight for beleaguered owners. While he claims that Dell is making progress, he still cannot give a timeline for when the company hopes to release a fix.

Alex Alderson, 26 Feb 2019 19:18

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9's successor may double its rear cameras. (Source: Samsung)

The Samsung 'Galaxy Note 10' could end up looking a lot like the S10 5G

SamMobile claims to be privy to exclusive information that points to a quad-camera set-up for the upcoming addition to the Samsung Galaxy Note line. This is the same number of rear-panel sensors found in the Galaxy S10's 5G variant. In addition, it is possible that the OEM may change its phablet's naming scheme this year.

Deirdre O Donnell, 26 Feb 2019 19:08

MediaTek MT6297 M70 will be the company's first multi-mode 5G modem (Source: MediaTek)

MWC19 | MediaTek Helio M70 MT6297 will be the company's first multi-mode 5G modem

MediaTek is also collaborating with Oppo, Vivo, Skyworks, Qorvo, and Murata to accelerate development of 5G components without impacting the thin profiles of next generation smartphones.

Allen Ngo, 26 Feb 2019 18:40

EeWrite E-Pad will be an Android tablet based entirely off of E-Ink technology

Jump between reading your favorite e-book and playing Play Store games in black and white. The soon-to-be Kickstarter project has no price or launch date yet, but we're definitely intrigued as to how the developer plans on overcoming the challenges of E Ink on an Android operating system.

Allen Ngo, 26 Feb 2019 18:11

Guo Ping is Huawei's current chairperson. (Source: Huawei)

MWC19 | Huawei chairperson denies US espionage allegations on stage

Guo Ping, Hauwei's current chairperson, has appeared on stage as part of a conference at MWC19. He asserted that the company is not involved in activities that amount to cyber-spying on behalf of the Chinese govermment, as the U.S. has alleged. Guo also called for improved regulation and assignation of responsibility in the coming global 5G infrastructure roll-out.

Deirdre O Donnell, 26 Feb 2019 18:07

The Sony 5G phone. (Source: Pocket-Lint)

MWC19 | Sony shows its 5G phone prototype off at MWC

Sony has unveiled its own foray into 5G tech at the Mobile World Congress (2019). It is a phone that, with its 21:9 aspect ratio, resembles the new Xperia 1 closely. The OEM did not offer much detail on this device, besides that it is powered by the Snapdragon 855 and runs the X50 modem.

Deirdre O Donnell, 26 Feb 2019 17:33

The OnePlus 3/3T may have taken a step closer to Pie. (Source: OnePlus)

OnePlus may have started work on Pie for the 3/3T

Some time ago, the Android OEM OnePlus committed itsefl to provide an update to Android 9.0 (Pie) for its 2016 flagships, the 3 and 3T. However, it may have fallen behind in these plans recently. Now, a potentially important piece of evidence that the company has at least started on this project has surfaced.

Deirdre O Donnell, 26 Feb 2019 17:05

The Bixby Studio in Barcelona. (Source: Samsung)

Samsung has opened a Bixby Studio in Barcelona

It seems Samsung is doing more in Barcelona than MWC. The OEM has opened a Bixby Studio in the city's Plaza de Catalunya. This installation gives visitors a sense of what life would be like with Bixby-powered applicances and devices in it.

Deirdre O Donnell, 26 Feb 2019 16:24

Capcom to bring three classic Resident Evil games to Nintendo Switch on May 21

Capcom announced that they will bring three classic Resident Evil games to the Nintendo Switch eShop. Resident Evil Zero, Resident Evil 1 (the Gamecube remake), and Resident Evil 4 will be available on Nintendo's mobile console May 21 with pre-orders opening February 28.

Sam Medley, 26 Feb 2019 16:17

This picture might take some getting used to but its possible after all: Android on Nintendo Switch

Modders manage to get Android 10 Q running on Nintendo Switch

The modders are back at it again! After the Nintendo switch was modded to run Linux, 2 developers released a twitter video presenting their modified Nintendo console that manages to run Android 10 Q. It never ceases to amaze us what some modders can do.

Daniel Puschina, 26 Feb 2019 12:15

The GTX 1650 and GTX 1660 could soon be joining Nvidia's GeForce line-up. (Source: XanxoGaming)

New report offers alleged prices and release dates for Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1660 and GTX 1650 GPUs

A report quoting “industry sources” has offered the prices and launch dates for the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics cards. The GTX 1660 will apparently be released on March 15 with a minimum price tag of US$229. The even cheaper GTX 1650 will purportedly be launched on April 30 at a price starting at US$179.

Daniel R Deakin, 26 Feb 2019 11:14

Lenovo ThinkPad T490s, T490 & T590: Sleeker & brighter screens, but less flexibility

MWC19 | Lenovo ThinkPad T490s, T490 & T590: Sleeker designs & brighter screens, but less flexibility – Update

At MWC 2019, Lenovo has announced five new ThinkPads. The three new T series models ThinkPad T490, T490s & T590 are supposed to win over business-customers with new designs, thinner bezels and better displays.

Benjamin Herzig, 26 Feb 2019 10:46

The Huawei P30 Pro will have a rear-facing triple camera setup. (Source: Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends)

MWC19 | Real-world photos of the Huawei P30 Pro emerge; 5G variant could be in the works

Real-world photos of the upcoming Huawei P30 Pro have been printed online by Digital Trends. The intriguing collection of images unfortunately does not include a shot of the front of the flagship smartphone as the device in question was an incomplete prototype. The P30 Pro in the photographs has a rear triple camera setup and there is no sign of a 3.5 mm headphone jack.

Daniel R Deakin, 26 Feb 2019 10:07

The actual weight of the Energizer Power Max P18K Pop is yet to be officially revealed. (Source: ExpertReviews)

Hands-on photos of the Energizer Power Max P18K Pop show the portly 18,000 mAh battery

ExpertReviews has published some hands-on photos of the Energizer Power Max P18K Pop and its ample 18,000 mAh battery. The smartphone, which Energizer has been displaying at MWC19, offers reasonable hardware on top of the stout battery that can also be used as a power bank. The P18K Pop has been priced at €600 (~US$681).

Daniel R Deakin, 26 Feb 2019 09:00

Indian variants of the upcoming Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro. (Source: Twitter/Ishan Agarwal)

Press renders and specifications of the Redmi Note 7 Pro revealed

Specifications for the Redmi Note 7 Pro from Xiaomi have been spotted on TENAA. The Chinese variant of the smartphone is expected to be released very soon with an Indian variant coming shortly after. Technology tipster Ishan Agarwal has shared some press renders of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro on his Twitter account.

Daniel R Deakin, 26 Feb 2019 08:05

The new, red BlackBerry Key2. (Source: 9to5Google)

MWC19 | BlackBerry launches its new Red Dual SIM variant of the Key2

BlackBerry had an announcement of its own for the MWC19 event. It was not for a new device, however, but for a new variant of the pre-existing Key2. It is a vibrant, red, dual SIM, 128GB version of this phone.

Deirdre O Donnell, 26 Feb 2019 00:35

MWC19 | MicroSD cards are getting faster and bigger

Western Digital and Micron both announced 1 TB microSD cards earlier today. At 1 TB, these will be the largest microSD cards upon release later this year. Additionally, the SD Association announced SD Express, a new protocol that will be part of the upcoming SD 7.1 specification. SD Express promises to bring transfer rates of 985 MB/s to SD cards and microSD cards, although there is no word on when the standard will be released.

Sam Medley, 25 Feb 2019 23:43

One of TCL's devices at MWC. (Source: TCL)

MWC19 | TLC's folding prototypes make it to MWC

TCL is one of a handful of companies to bring foldable technology prototypes to this year's MWC. Interestingly, this company's demo models include form-factors besides phone/tablets. However, their presentation was a little low on detail.

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Feb 2019 23:00

The Spigen Cota-enabled Forever Sleeve. (Source: Ossia)

MWC19 | Truly wireless charging is closer than ever thanks to a Spigen/Ossia partnership

The popular case-maker Spigen is collaborating with Ossia, a true-wireless charging pioneer, to bring a phone case that integrates the necessary Cota technology to market. The two groups have brought renders of this product (which comprises a 'phone sleeve' and a transceiver) to this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC19).

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Feb 2019 19:59

MWC19 | HTC wants to replace your router with its new 5G Hub

HTC has taken the wraps off its 5G Hub. The Taiwanese company claims that this new device can deliver the speed and poiwer of the new radio bands to homes or businesses. It is powered by the Snapdragon 855, as well as Qualcomm's 60GHz 802.11ad Wi-Fi and 2x2 Wi-Fi 6-ready chipsets.

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Feb 2019 19:20

The new Alcatel 3T 10 tablet. (Source: Alcatel)

MWC19 | Alcatel's newest tablet has a stand that is also a full-sized speaker

The TCL subsidiary Alcatel has launched its new 3T 10 tablet at MWC19. This device has a 10-inch screen and runs Android 9.0 (Pie) out of the box. It also comes with a Google Assisant pre-install. The Alcatel 3T 10 is compatible with an optional "Audio Station" stand which, as the OEM claims, adds 7 hours of battery life (for some tasks) and a dedicated 'docked' interface.

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Feb 2019 18:50

The Alcatel 3 is clearly the flagship of this new bunch at MWC19. (Source: Alcatel)

MWC19 | Alcatel showcases a new fleet of phones at MWC19

Alcatel has brought four new phones to show off at 2019's Mobile World Congress (MWC19). The 1X and 1S are bugdet-friendly options, whereas the 3 and 3L are slightly more premium. They have been finished with some attractive materials, and boast some up-to-date features such as AI camera enhancements and face unlocking.

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Feb 2019 18:10

The Asus Zenfone 6 is unlikely to be revealed at MWC; billed for May launch instead

The launch dates of the Zenfone 5 last year may have led some to believe that the Zenfone 6 would be unveiled this week at MWC. This is unlikely to be the case, though, as a new advert has touted the Asus flagship to be launched in May instead.

Ricci Rox, 25 Feb 2019 14:17

The Samsung Galaxy A30 and A50. (Source: Samsung)

MWC19 | Samsung unveils the Galaxy A30 and A50 for lovers of sub-premium phones with massive batteries

Samsung's new Galaxy S10 phones may have a monopoly of the headlines at the moment but the company's new A30 and A50 are also interesting releases in their own right. The devices feature premium camera setups, Super AMOLED displays, and beefy batteries for power users.

Ricci Rox, 25 Feb 2019 14:16

The Xperia 10 and 10 Plus. (Source: Sony)

MWC19 | The Sony Xperia 10 and 10 Plus are the newest kids on the mid-range block

Sony generally has a reputation for releasing disappointing mid-range devices. The company's new Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus attempt to cast off that label and while we won't be quick to claim them successful, the phones are undoubtedly an improvement on last year's models.

Ricci Rox, 25 Feb 2019 14:15

The Sony Xperia 1 features a 4K HDR OLED panel. (Source: Sony)

MWC19 | The Xperia 1 consolidates the best of Sony technologies into a flagship smartphone

Sony has announced its flagship Xperia 1 at MWC 2019 today. The Xperia 1 brings the best of Sony technologies across photo, film, and television, and aims to create an immersive viewing experience with its 21:9 4K OLED HDR screen. The Xperia 1 comes with 2019 flagship specifications and is expected to be available sometime late spring.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 25 Feb 2019 13:31

MWC19 | LG G8 ThinQ and G8s ThinQ offer a host of engaging features (hands-on photos)

The LG G8 ThinQ and G8s ThinQ flagship smartphones have finally made an official appearance. The G8 variant comes with numerous attractive features that should appeal to users, such as touchless commands and an OLED screen that doubles as a speaker. The G8 also has a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor, known as the Z Camera, as part of the front dual camera setup.

Daniel R Deakin, 25 Feb 2019 09:34

The Microsoft HoloLens 2 promises enhanced comfort and more immersive holographic experiences. (Source: Microsoft)

MWC19 | Microsoft HoloLens 2 blurs the line between real and virtual for US$3,500

Microsoft took to stage at MWC 2019 in Barcelona to demo their new HoloLens 2 mixed reality headset. The HoloLens 2 offers 2x the field of view and 3x the comfort of the previous generation while bringing more interactivity and collaboration to holograms. Microsoft is opening up the platform to all developers and is making it easy for businesses to create and deploy MR apps. HoloLens 2 is still focused on the enterprise but the next generation could possibly have a more consumer-centric approach.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 25 Feb 2019 09:30

LG has announced the V50 ThinQ 5G flagship smartphone.

MWC19 | LG officially reveals the V50 ThinQ 5G and its optional Dual Screen (hands-on photos)

LG has unveiled the V50 ThinQ 5G flagship smartphone. The multimedia-devouring powerhouse is unsurprisingly 5G ready and houses a Snapdragon 855 behind its 6.4-inch QHD+ OLED display. For more enhanced content consumption, there is an optional Dual Screen for the V50 that will offer a greater viewing area for gamers or film fans to enjoy.

Daniel R Deakin, 25 Feb 2019 08:02

Lenovo IdeaPad C340 convertible coming with AMD Ryzen 3200U, 3500U, and 3700U options (Source: Lenovo)

MWC19 | AMD Zen+ Ryzen 3200U, 3500U, and 3700U will debut on the Lenovo IdeaPad C340 convertible series

The upcoming mainstream Lenovo IdeaPad C340 family will be one of the first to offer Zen+ Ryzen 3, Ryzen 5, and Ryzen 7 processor options that were initially unveiled at CES 2019. The AMD options should be comparable to Intel Whiskey Lake-U for at least $50 USD less when the Lenovo convertible launches next month.

Allen Ngo, 25 Feb 2019 00:01

Lenovo IdeaPad S340 and S540 will carry separate GeForce MX250 and Radeon RX Vega 10 graphics

MWC19 | Lenovo IdeaPad S340 and S540 with AMD Ryzen Zen+ will undercut the Intel SKU by $150 USD

The affordable IdeaPad S340 and S540 series will carry GeForce MX250 and Radeon RX Vega 10 options when they launch in the next couple of months. The AMD-based IdeaPad S540 SKU in particular will retail for $730 compared to $880 for the Intel variant.

Allen Ngo, 25 Feb 2019 00:01

Lenovo ThinkPad X390 & X390 Yoga: Smallest ThinkPads now with 13.3 inch instead of 12.5 inch LCDs

MWC19 | Lenovo ThinkPad X390 & X390 Yoga: Smallest ThinkPads now with 13.3 instead of 12.5 inch LCDs

Aside from the larger ThinkPads of the T series, Lenovo has announced two compact models of the X series as well. The Thinkpad X390 has a bigger display with a much smaller screen bezel than its predecessor, while the ThinkPad X390 Yoga has been redesigned with a much thinner chassis.

Benjamin Herzig, 25 Feb 2019 00:01

The Huawei Mate X also has a tent mode. (Source: AnandTech)

MWC19 | The Huawei Mate X has been previewed at MWC19 already

Huawei's first foldable phone, the Mate X, has been demonstrated to tech journalists in Barcelona as part of a preview event for the 2019 Mobile World Congress. The device has some similarities with the Samsung Galaxy Fold, but also has some unique features of its own.

Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Feb 2019 22:57

The Nokia 9 PureView with a penta-lens camera system is now official. (Source: HMD Global)

MWC19 | The Nokia 9 PureView redefines smartphone photography with five cameras for US$699

HMD Global has released the highly anticipated Nokia 9 PureView at MWC 2019 in Barcelona today. True to the rumors so far, the Nokia 9 indeed comes with a penta-lens rear camera setup that takes stunning images and is actually comparable to a professional full frame camera. HMD has incorporated enhancements at both the software and hardware level to make the most of the five cameras.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 24 Feb 2019 22:56

A GeForce GTX 1660 Ti equivalent GPU should be coming soon for laptops (Image source: Nvidia)

A GeForce GTX 1660 Ti equivalent or GTX 1050 Ti successor should be coming soon for laptops

Now that the RT-free and AI-free GTX 1660 Ti GPU is out for desktops, it's only a matter of time before a similar option becomes available for laptops. An unannounced Nvidia "N18E-G0" GPU is looking more like the inevitable GTX 1050 Ti successor based on the Turing architecture.

Allen Ngo, 24 Feb 2019 21:29

The Samsung Galaxy Fold gets demonstrated in a new product video. (Source: Samsung on YouTube)

The Samsung Galaxy Fold speaks for itself in a silent product video

Samsung has released a video showing off the new Galaxy Fold and demonstrated some device usage as well. Features like App continuity, camera, and Samsung Dex are briefly shown. While the video does not go into too much detail, and is actually silent for the most part, it does give a glimpse of what to expect when the device is made available later this year.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 24 Feb 2019 16:59

The Microsoft HoloLens 2 is all set to be unveiled at MWC 2019. (Source: WalkingCat on Twitter)

First images of the Microsoft HoloLens 2 leak just hours before launch

The first images of the upcoming Microsoft HoloLens 2 have leaked online just hours before launch. While not much information is known about the new device, we are getting to see that Microsoft has focused on the ergonomics and a possible new menu tapping gesture. The new HoloLens might also be made available for consumers at sub-US$1,000 price points.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 24 Feb 2019 15:19

The Nokia 6.2 may have a 2019 front-facing camera. (Source: 91Mobiles/OnLeaks)

Nokia 6.2 may not make it to MWC19: new rumor

Some leaks have pointed to the 6.2 as Nokia's first phone to feature a punch-hole camera. However, it appears we will have to wait a while to confirm this. A HMD-focused leaker has asserted that the brand intends to focus on the 9 PureView instead at its MWC event.

Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Feb 2019 15:00

According to a new report, smartphones are now the most popular form of consumer tech. (Source: YouTube)

Smartphones account for 59% of all spending on consumer electronics in 2018: tech author

Jim Harris, an author and speaker on disruptive innovations, has released a new report on consumer tech ahead of MWC 2019. In it, he claims that 59% of all the money spent in the same market in 2018 was expended on smartphones. Harris also asserts that Android is now the most popular software platform.

Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Feb 2019 14:42

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