Expert reviews and news on laptops, smartphones and tech innovations

The Galaxy Book 2 is Samsung's first Windows on Snapdragon device. (Source: Samsung)

Samsung launches Galaxy Book 2 with WoS

Samsung has taken the covers off its successor to the Galaxy Book. The new Galaxy Book 2 also happens to be the rumored Windows on Snapdragon (WoS) device that Samsung has been said to be working on.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 19 Oct 2018 12:00

Dell Alienware Area 51 R6 gaming desktop PC (Source: Dell)

Dell and Alienware's gaming business is thriving

In a first-ever move, Frank Azor has just disclosed data related to the Dell and Alienware's gaming business and it is more than good. According to him, the gaming business that involves these two iconic brands is worth US$3 billion, which makes them the leaders of the market by a very large margin.

Codrut Nistor, 19 Oct 2018 11:31

A recent render of the Galaxy S10. (Source: TheNerdMag)

New Samsung patent may bring optical in-display fingerprint scanner to Galaxy S10 after all

A freshly-submitted patent for Samsung may shed new light on how the company plans to handle fingerprint authentication in 2019. The good news is: It is in the display. The bad news is that it may not be the more state-of-the-art ultrasound version bandied about in previous speculations.

Deirdre O Donnell, 19 Oct 2018 09:44

The jump form 12 nm to 7 nm should bring serious performance boosts for the Ryzen 3000 CPUs. (Source: AMD)

AMD's Ryzen 3000 CPUs to get outstanding performance bump over Ryzen 2000 models

The Ryzen 2000 series still delivered decent performance gains over the original Ryzen models, even if the shrinking process was minimal. With the jump from 12 nm to 7 nm, the IPC boost is expected to be almost 5 times greater, at least in "scientific tasks." If multimedia and gaming loads get the same boost, this could be huge for AMD.

Bogdan Solca, 19 Oct 2018 09:44

Project Warlock first person shooter for Windows now available late October 2018 (Source: GOG)

Project Warlock is a nostalgia-infused GOG exclusive first person shooter

Fans of old-school first-person shooters like Doom, Wolfenstein, or Duke Nukem can enjoy the brand-new Project Warlock, a game that features 60 levels, 5 worlds, 72 enemy types, 38 upgradeable weapons, 8 unlockable spells, as well as perk-based character development. Priced at US$12, Project Warlock is a GOG exclusive title.

Codrut Nistor, 19 Oct 2018 09:40

Spotify has a refreshed Wear OS app. (Source: Spotify)

Spotify releases improved Wear OS app update

The music streaming service Spotify has finally pushed an update for the app used on Android smartwatches. This version takes on the functions users formerly had to turn to 3rd-party solutions for. For example, the new Spotify for Wear OS has an actual set of music controls, and also syncs speakers with them.

Deirdre O Donnell, 19 Oct 2018 09:28

Asus ROG smartphone now available for pre-order at $900 USD

A special launch event is taking place today at the 5th avenue Microsoft Store with games and guest appearances from the eSports scene. Attendees will get the chance to play with the smartphone and even pre-order one in person.

Allen Ngo, 19 Oct 2018 00:24

First mainstream DDR5 RAM modules are now expected to be commercialized in 2020. (Source: Anandtech)

DDR5 RAM production postponed for end of 2019

The first desktop and laptop DDR5 RAM modules are now expected to be released at some point in 2020, as JEDEC has not yet finalized the hardware specs for the DDR5 standard. What we know for sure about the DDR5 RAM is that it will feature at least double the bandwidth, 4800 MT/s and later on 6400 MT/s speeds, plus independent 40-bit channels per module.

Bogdan Solca, 18 Oct 2018 21:41

The N64 Classic mini console could be launched in December in order to counter Sony's PS Classic mini console release. (Source: Nintendo)

First pictures of the Nintendo N64 Classic Mini console emerge

The leaked closeups seem to have been captured from a promotional video, suggesting an imminent official announcement. Featuring the hide-away control ports also found on the NES and SNES Classic mini consoles, this appears to be a legit Classic mini console. Unfortunately, there is no info on the game roster.

Bogdan Solca, 18 Oct 2018 20:38

The specs of the alleged Black Shark 2 are awfully similar to those found on the first version. (Source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi Black Shark 2 pops up in Geekbench

Immediately after Xiaomi teased the release date for the Black Shark 2 gaming phone, the model allegedly got tested in Geekbench. As far as hardware specs go, the alleged Black Shark 2 appears to feature the same configuration as the original Black Shark and the Geekbench scores are very similar, as well. Alternatively, the Geekbench model could be the international edition of the original Black Shark that will be launched soon.

Bogdan Solca, 18 Oct 2018 19:49

The Google Pixel 3 models feature the custom Titan M embeded security chip. (Source: Google)

Google details Titan M custom security chip in Pixel 3

Google has detailed what is so special about the new Titan M custom silicon it has baked into the Pixel 3 to help secure the device. In its latest blog post since the official launch of the device, Google has identified four key areas where the new chip will protect users from attacks.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 18 Oct 2018 11:04

Asus ZenFone Lite (L1) and ZenFone Max (M1) are now official. (Source: Asus)

Asus launches the Snapdragon 430-powered ZenFone Lite (L1) and the ZenFone Max (M1) budget smartphones

Asus has announced two new smartphones in the ZenFone lineup — the ZenFone Lite (L1) and the ZenFone Max (M1). Both these phones are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 SoC and target budget smartphone buyers. In India, these phones will be available exclusively via Flipkart at discounted prices during the launch offer period.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 17 Oct 2018 21:43

The Essential Phone was released in August 2017. (Source: Essential)

Essential lays off almost a third of its staff

A report from Bloomberg has stated that Essential Products has cut its workforce by about 30%. An email received by the media outlet from the Palo Alto-based technology company mentioned that regardless of the cutbacks, the firm still intends to develop a “game changing consumer product.” It is believed the layoffs will mostly affect the hardware and sales divisions.

Daniel R Deakin, 17 Oct 2018 21:40

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 Android handset coming soon

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 with 10 GB of memory coming next week

Although not all the features have been revealed yet, Xiaomi has just confirmed that the Mi Mix 3 will be the first handset from a major brand to hit the market with 10 GB of memory and 5G connectivity. Based on the specs of its predecessor, it would be safe to assume that the Mi Mix 3 will use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor.

Codrut Nistor, 17 Oct 2018 21:27

Intel are reportedly re-thinking the way they handle manufacturing. (Source: YouTube)

Intel to re-structure its manufacturing arm into 3 new divisions

Intel is splitting its manufacturing segment into 3 new categories, each of which will be managed by a different staff member. These new divisions will handle various aspects of the chip-making side of the Intel business. They will also be directed by an executive who came to the company from Qualcomm.

Deirdre O Donnell, 17 Oct 2018 20:32

Zadak Double Height Double Capacity DDR4 RAM. (Source: Anandtech)

Intel 9th Generation Core processors can support up to 128 GB DDR4 RAM

The new Intel 9th generation Core processors will support up to 128 GB DDR4 RAM as revealed by a footnote in one of HP's announcements, which was later confirmed by Anandtech. This is made possible due to the availability of double height double capacity modules from Zadak and G.Skill and Samsung's 16 GB DDR4 chips.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 17 Oct 2018 20:28

Gigabyte dismisses 'AORUS RTX 2070 Ti' rumor as "a typo"

Gigabyte had released a promotional Halloween-season banner including the words "AORUS RTX 2070 Ti/2070 Graphics card". This was enough for some to run with the rumor that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 was getting its own Ti variant. However, Gigabyte has taken to Reddit to squash this speculation once and for all.

Deirdre O Donnell, 17 Oct 2018 19:12

OEMs who ship to the EEA may now have to pay for Google Play Store licenses for their devices. (Source: unity.com)

Google will stop auto-bundling Chrome and Search with the Play Store on Android in the EEA

Google has lost out in an anti-trust hearing conducted by the European Commission. As a result, the company have been fined US$5 billion, although it is currently appealing this decision. In the meantime, the requirements for Android phones in the EEA to ship with certain Google apps will be lifted - for a price.

Deirdre O Donnell, 17 Oct 2018 18:21

Nokia 7.1 Plus/Nokia X7 Android handset with Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor hits China

Mid-range Nokia X7 rolls out in China with Android Pie onboard

Expected to reach the rest of the world as the Nokia 7.1 Plus, the mid-range Nokia X7 is now ready to hit the Chinese market. This Qualcomm Snapdragon 710-powered handset runs Android 9.0 Pie out of the box and will soon go on sale for the equivalent of US$245 (4 GB RAM) or US$360 (6 GB RAM).

Codrut Nistor, 17 Oct 2018 18:15

Samsung acquires Zhilabs to enhance its 5G capabilities

Samsung continues its quest for supremacy in the AI and 5G fields with the acquisition of Zhilabs, a company known for its expertise in the field of AI-based network and service analytics. After the deal gets the needed approvals, Zhilabs will operate independently under its own management as a fully-owned Samsung subsidiary.

Codrut Nistor, 17 Oct 2018 16:25

The Pixel 3 XL features a Samsung display after all

Long before the Pixel 3 devices were launched, rumors had it that the 3 XL would sport an OLED display made by LG. The device was released last week and reviews of its display have been extremely positive, all of which now makes sense as it's been revealed that the Pixel 3 XL sports a Samsung-made display, not an LG one as previously thought.

Ricci Rox, 17 Oct 2018 16:04

The ZTE Axon 7. (Source: Digital Trends)

The ZTE Axon 7 finally receives Android Oreo but it's a mess

ZTE, a few days ago, finally released Android Oreo for the Axon 7. The update is an Android 8.0 one that also doubles up as the July security patch, both of which are only the first in a long line of things wrong with the OS update.

Ricci Rox, 17 Oct 2018 16:00

The Xiaomi Black Shark gaming phone. (Source: Fast Tech)

First live video of the Xiaomi Black Shark 2 gaming phone surfaces as launch looms

Over the past few weeks, word of Xiaomi's rumored Black Shark 2 gaming phone has made its way across the internet. A live video and a poster teasing the device's launch has surfaced, and we may be closer to a release than ever.

Ricci Rox, 17 Oct 2018 15:58

Most detailed RED Hydrogen One leak confirms 3.5mm jack and more

The RED Hydrogen One is the high-end camera company's first attempt at a smartphone. A spec-rich infographic of the phone has leaked, indicating the majority of its ports and components. However, the release date is not among these details.

Deirdre O Donnell, 17 Oct 2018 15:04

Google Android Pie statue at Googleplex, OnePlus delays Android Pie for OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 5

OnePlus delays the Android Pie update for the 3 and 5 series

While the reason is — and will probably remain — unknown, it has been officially confirmed that the Android Pie update for the OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 3 handsets will not arrive as soon as expected. Although an official launch date has not been revealed, the aforementioned smartphones will probably receive the update by the end of the year.

Codrut Nistor, 17 Oct 2018 14:50

Google is using onboard AI for its latest software innovations. (Source: Google)

Pixel 3 uses onboard AI processing to preserve privacy and deliver new features

Google has posted a blog explaining the way AI, or machine learning, tasks are processed on the new Pixel 3 models. Instead of sending user data to its servers for processing, most tasks are now processed by the device itself, preserving user privacy.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 17 Oct 2018 12:42

Chrome 70 now available with the ability to control browser sign-in

The latest Google Chrome browser comes with a new setting that allows its users to have a better control over the sign-in and sync features, the AV1 video streaming codec, as well as a rather large number of minor tweaks, fixes, and improvements. Chrome 70 is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Codrut Nistor, 17 Oct 2018 10:55

Winamp 2 default interface, Winamp 6 coming in 2019

Winamp is rising from the dead, version 6 coming in 2019

If everything works as planned, Winamp 5.8 will arrive tomorrow with a bunch of fixes in tow and — the best part of it all — without the paid options previously reserved to the users of the Pro version. However, this iconic piece of code should get a major update and mobile versions for iOS and Android devices in 2019.

Codrut Nistor, 17 Oct 2018 10:15

Latest Core i7-8706G Kaby Lake-G processor is almost as fast as the Core i5-8300H (Image source: Intel)

Rare Intel Core i7-8706G Kaby Lake-G processor is almost as fast as the Core i5-8300H

CineBench benchmarks show the quad-core Core i7-8706G to be just 9 percent behind the Core i5-8300H in the latest XPS 15 9570. This processor is currently not available on any mass market consumer laptop and can only be found on the Precision 5530 2-in-1 workstation for now.

Allen Ngo, 16 Oct 2018 23:05

The two color SKUs of the Huawei Mate 20 X. (Source: Huawei)

The Mate 20 X: Huawei's own 'one more thing' is a massive game-focused phone

The Huawei Mate 20 X is another variant of the Chinese OEM's late-2018 flagship device. Like the Mate 20 and 20 Pro, it runs the Kirin 980 chipset and rocks the Leica-branded triple camera. However, it pushes even the definition of 'phablet' with a 7.2-inch screen.

Deirdre O Donnell, 16 Oct 2018 21:36

If you're a bit short of cash, consider the regular-sized XS for US$74,995. (Source: Brikk)

Own a solid gold Apple iPhone XS Max for just under US$100,000

A luxury customization company called Brikk has created a solid gold Apple iPhone XS Max that costs US$94,995. The device features 313 g (11.08 oz) of 22K gold and is appropriately part of the firm's Ingot Collection. Brikk has also developed a gold DualShock 4 controller, featuring diamond-studded buttons, available for US$13,995. A rather opulent set of AirPods with a whole carat of diamonds on each bud can be snapped up for US$9,995.

Daniel R Deakin, 16 Oct 2018 21:36

LG and Lenovo allegedly working on 13-inch foldable slate

It is no secret that the race for the foldable phone is on, and now it seems that LG and Lenovo are working together to take the whole deal to the next level: the foldable tablet. However, the source of the news is not official, so it might take a while until we get a confirmation from LG or Lenovo.

Codrut Nistor, 16 Oct 2018 20:30

The all-new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is IPX8-rated for waterproofing. (Source: Amazon)

Amazon announces all-new waterproof Kindle Paperwhite

Amazon has revealed the full details of the all-new Kindle Paperwhite e-reader, which offers IPX8-rated waterproof protection. According to the promotional text for the device, it can manage up to 60 minutes of being submerged in fresh water no deeper than two meters. The e-reader is also thinner, lighter, and the base variant comes with twice the storage of its predecessor.

Daniel R Deakin, 16 Oct 2018 20:10

The RTX 2070 factory overclocked models are indeed faster than the GTX 1080, but the price difference is not really worth it. (Source: HardOCP)

Nvidia RTX 2070 complete review leaks before NDA lift

HardOCP released the RTX 2070 review 2 full days before the NDA lift and it looks like last week's leaks are now confirmed. The factory overclocked RTX 2070 models are slightly faster than the GTX 1080, with the stock RTX 2070 most likely on par with the previous gen Pascal GPUs. On the other hand, the price for the overclocked RTX 2070 models might be a bit too spicy.

Bogdan Solca, 16 Oct 2018 19:58

QNAP TS-351 home NAS (Source: QNAP Systems)

QNAP intros the TS-351 home NAS with dual NVMe M.2 slots

Powered by the Intel Celeron J1800 processor, the QNAP TS-351 NAS targets home users with features like media streaming and real-time transcoding, two M.2 slots with support for M.2 PCIe NVMe SSDs with the 2280 form factor, 2 or 4 GB of memory (upgradeable to 8 GB), 3 hot-swappable bays, and more.

Codrut Nistor, 16 Oct 2018 19:10

The i5-9600K looks like a good alternative for AMD's Ryzen 5 2600X, even though it lacks 6 threads. (Source: Intel)

Intel Core i5-9600K pushed to 5.2 GHz on air with benchmarks

Thanks to the new STIM material, the i5-9600K offers excellent overclocking potential, reaching 5.2 GHz on all cores using a high-end air cooler. The temperatures were a bit over 90C, so a water-cooling solution might be more appropriate, still it is quite impressive how the STIM material helps with the overclocking procedure. The OC-ed processor performed similar to a stock i7-8700.

Bogdan Solca, 16 Oct 2018 19:04

The new Corsair Force Series™ MP510 SSD.

Corsair's newest NVMe SSD breaks 3GB read-speed barrier for under US$70

The Force Series™ MP510 is Corsair's latest NVMe M.2 SSD with 3rd-generation x4 PCIe. Even its lowest storage configuration achieves over 3,000 MB in sequential read. Its 960GB model also has this level of write speed. The MP150 line may also start at about US$66.

Deirdre O Donnell, 16 Oct 2018 18:49

Microsoft Surface Pro 6 and Surface Laptop 2 are now shipping

Get ready to pony up at least $900 or $1000 USD for the latest Surface portables. Both the Surface Laptop 2 and Surface Pro 6 are launching in four different colors with many of them being exclusive to higher-end configurations. Unfortunately, the Surface Pro Type Cover must still be purchased separately at $130 USD a piece.

Allen Ngo, 16 Oct 2018 18:28

Huawei Honor 8X Android phablet now available in India mid-October 2018

India finally gets the Honor 8X

The HiSilicon 710-powered Honor 8X is now ready to take on the Indian market, where those interested will be able to get it for the equivalent of US$203 (4/64 GB variant), US$231 (6/64 GB version), or US$258 (6/128 GB). Amazon.in and the official Honor India store will sell this handset starting next week.

Codrut Nistor, 16 Oct 2018 14:45

Google Pixel 3 XL Android phablet leading the DisplayMate ratings

DisplayMate finally welcomes a non-Samsung king, namely the Google Pixel 3 XL

After many Samsung Galaxy flagships succeeded in grabbing the top rating on DisplayMate, a welcome and unexpected change arrived. The new leader of DisplayMate's leaderboard is the Google Pixel 3 XL, which stands out thanks to its impressive color accuracy and excellent performance in high ambient light.

Codrut Nistor, 16 Oct 2018 13:51

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Android phablet hits 1 million units sold in South Korea (Source: Samsung)

Samsung has sold one million Galaxy Note 9 units in South Korea in less than two months

Although it took longer than its predecessor needed — 54 days instead of just 48 — the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has managed to reach the one million units sold milestone in its home market. However, this is better than the performance achieved by the Galaxy S9, which needed 60 days to hit the aforementioned target.

Codrut Nistor, 16 Oct 2018 12:50

Samsung's new Auto brands (Source: Samsung Global Newsroom)

Samsung introduces the Exynos Auto and ISOCELL Auto brands for automotive applications

Although Samsung has been providing solutions for the automotive industry for a while, it had no dedicated brand for this market. The new Exynos Auto and ISOCELL Auto come to fill in the gap and "to bring cutting-edge application processor and image sensor technology solutions to the road."

Codrut Nistor, 16 Oct 2018 11:15

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