Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations

Apple Music is getting new features. (Source: Apple)

Apple Music upgrades to a dark theme and Chromecast support

Music is a rather unique Apple app in that it is cross-platform (or, in other words, has an Android version). Its latest updates also make it compatible with Google's Chromecast. It has also acquired a dark mode, presumably to align with iOS' new system-wide option.

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Sep 2019 20:14

The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 might not be launched until 2020. (Image source: Microsoft)

New Microsoft Surface Pro 7 leak: Still no 32 GB RAM but at least a powerful 10nm processor is present

A 3DMark entry for an apparent Microsoft Surface 7 Pro device has been spotted, with the benchmark record providing various details about the specifications of the upcoming 2-in-1 detachable. The unit was tested on the Sky Diver 1.0 benchmark, which listed the presence of a 10nm Ice Lake processor from Intel but only 16 GB RAM.

Daniel R Deakin, 25 Sep 2019 03:45

The Google Assistant may get harder to activate in the future. (Source: XDA)

Google plans to make the Assistant's attention more selective in the future

Google has announced that future updates will make it more difficult to activate the Assistant by mistake. The company has also taken pains to reassure users that their audio data will not be collected by default in the same release. A specific opt-in determines whether the same will be analysed by humans or not.

Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Sep 2019 19:13

The Samsung Galaxy Fold is coming to the US soon. (Source: Samsung)

The Samsung Galaxy Fold US release is slated to be 100% offline

Samsung has announced that it will release the Galaxy Fold to the US market once and for all on September 27, 2019. However, the devices are only to be made available in various physical locations run by certain businesses and chains. They are AT&T, Best Buy and Samsung Experience stores.

Deirdre O Donnell, 23 Sep 2019 19:28

Chrome OS Canary has a new trick. (Source: Google)

Chrome OS may get lockscreen media controls soon

An XDA contributor has observed that it is now possible to control media on their Chrome OS device even though the screen is locked. The feature has not been part of this system by default in the past, but is reportedly there in its 79 Canary (or 'advance') version. It has been shown working for YouTube content.

Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Sep 2019 20:20

A smart material reacts to a magnetic field. (Source: Physics Open Lab)

The smart materials market is now projected to reach a US$100+ billion valuation by 2026

Smart materials may prove to be the basis of the electronic components of the future. Their market's value was estimated at US$36 billion in 2017. That figure is now thought to grow until it hits $127 billion in 7 years from now.

Deirdre O Donnell, 20 Sep 2019 19:32

The iPhone 11 smartphones feature two or three camera sensors inside square-shaped housings. (Image source: Apple)

If you hate the square camera design for the Apple iPhone 11 then you're going to loathe the next-gen iPad Pro

An image of an apparent final design mockup of the next-generation Apple iPad Pro has found its way online, and if you are not a fan of Apple’s choice for the main camera design on the iPhone 11 series then there’s a good chance you’re not going to be keen on the decision made for the high-end tablet, either.

Daniel R Deakin, 18 Sep 2019 23:33

Google Maps may gain this new setting soon. (Source: Twitter)

Incognito Mode is coming to Google Maps on phones

Google's I/O 2019 event saw announcements for plans to bring Chrome's Incognito Mode to mobile services such as Search. This is now reportedly in testing for Maps. It is accessed by tapping the avatar associated with a Google account within this app.

Deirdre O Donnell, 18 Sep 2019 23:18

The C433 is a more affordable version of the recently released C434. (Source: Asus)

Asus to release Chromebook Flip C433 this October

The latest member of the C400-series of Chromebooks from Asus is a slightly more affordable version of the existing C434 model. Its specs are very similar, except it is missing the i7-8500Y CPU option and the 14-inch IPS FHD touchscreen has color gamut limited to 45%. On the plus side, the stereo speakers get a more ergonomic placement on the right and left chassis edges.

Bogdan Solca, 18 Sep 2019 16:58

More users may be able to apply this theme soon. (Source: Android Police)

The Google Assistant and App is seeing a roll-out of dark theme again

Google Assistant had been reported to gain a dark theme at the start of 2019. However, this update did not get to all users at once. Now, it appears that the Mountain View giant is pushing this change again. This new roll-out, which also affects the Google App, has been observed in a small number of countries thus far.

Deirdre O Donnell, 15 Sep 2019 20:08

A wall outlet for the future. (Source: Leviton)

A new power socket with USB type C Power Delivery ports has modern devices in mind

Leviton's new duplex wall socket also has in-built USB outputs. These welcome and increasingly welcome upgrades to electrical fittings are type-C ports with the Power Delivery (USB-PD) standard. This means they are rated to charge compatible devices at up to 30 watts.

Deirdre O Donnell, 14 Sep 2019 17:44

Opera GX has been downloaded over 1 million times by now. (Source: Opera)

The Opera GX browser attracts over 1 million downloads

GX is a version of the Opera browser specificially designed with gaming in mind. It has been available as an early-access build since June 2019, and has proved so popular that it has accrued over 1 million downloads to date. Opera GX offers Twitch support, a section for new releases and a network limiter.

Deirdre O Donnell, 14 Sep 2019 14:47

The LG G Pad 5. (Source: XDA-Developers)

Rather surprisingly, LG's upcoming G Pad 5 tablet will be powered by the three-year-old Snapdragon 821

Android tablets are a dying breed and LG is doing its best to beat that fact into our heads. The South Korean company is apparently set to release a new tablet, the G Pad 5. It will feature a 10.1-inch display, LTE support, and rather bizarrely, a Snapdragon 821.

Ricci Rox, 14 Sep 2019 10:19

The Surface Pro 6 was released in October 2018. (Image source: Microsoft)

Configuration details for Microsoft Surface Pro 7 leak out

Some details of Microsoft’s upcoming Surface Pro 7 have apparently been leaked with five different configurations being mentioned. It seems the entry-level Surface Pro 7 will feature an Intel Core i3 processor while the top-end device will sport an Intel Core i7. RAM options will reach from a lowly 4 GB up to a stately 16 GB.

Daniel R Deakin, 13 Sep 2019 23:42

The new Chuwi UBook Pro is getting a larger 12.3-inch screen. (Source: Chuwi)

Chuwi to refresh its UBook 2-in-1 tablet with Intel Amber Lake CPUs

Users who pre-ordered the UBook launched in early 2019 were not really impressed with the outdated CPU and have been requesting an upgrade to a newer model. Chewi listened and is now preparing to launch the UBook Pro powered by the Amber Lake m3-8100Y dual-core CPU from Intel. It still packs 8 GB of LPDDR3 RAM, but upped the default storage to 256 GB, and also comes with a larger 12.3-inch screen.

Bogdan Solca, 12 Sep 2019 16:46

The seventh-generation 2019 iPad costs from US$329. (Image source: Apple)

Apple's 2019 iPad: The seventh-generation tablet goes large

Apple has now unveiled the latest addition to its iPad lineup in the shape of the seventh-generation iPad. The new tablet has increased in size from its 2018 predecessor, growing from 9.7 inches to 10.2 inches. The device is currently available to pre-order and will start shipping on September 30. The cheapest model costs US$329.

Daniel R Deakin, 12 Sep 2019 00:48

Apple Arcade goes live on November 1, 2019. (Source: Apple)

Apple's TV+ and Arcade titles, formats and pricing structures are outlined in full

The latest Apple keynote introduced the new iPhones and iPad, yet did not stop there. It also outlined the company's new gaming- and TV-streaming services in detail. They will both go live in November 2019, cost US$4.99 per month and have content ready to go.

Deirdre O Donnell, 11 Sep 2019 21:13

Fastest mobile SoC? We'll find out in a few days. (Source: The Verge)

A closer look at the A13 Bionic SoC powering Apple's new iPhone 11 models

The new A13 Bionic is still a hexa-core CPU chip, but, thanks to TSMC's latest 7 nm EUV manufacturing process, this SoC now integrates 8.5 billion transistors. It also features a new quad-core GPU plus an octa-core NPU, and all of its components are on average 20% faster and 30% less power-demanding compared to the previous version.

Bogdan Solca, 11 Sep 2019 16:30

The Surface Pro 7 is expected to introduce new design elements. (Source: Microsoft)

Microsoft's upcoming Ice-Lake-powered Surface device allegedly spotted on Geekbench

It looks like the first next gen Surface model was already tested back in June, but the results were spotted only recently. According to the Geekbench report, the upcoming Surface is powered by an Intel Ice Lake i5-1035G1 quad-core CPU with UHD Graphics iGPU coupled with 8 GB of RAM, and the scores appear to be similar to devices powered by equivalent Ryzen 3 ULV CPUs.

Bogdan Solca, 11 Sep 2019 15:54

Apple claims its new products are 'all-new' -- they aren't. (Source: Apple)

Opinion: Sorry Apple, your 'new' products are not 'all-new'

Apple and its market machine is in full spin mode following the launch of the iPhone 11 range along with the Watch Series 5 and 10.2-inch iPad. Yes, it is true these devices are new. However, I take exception to Apple labeling them as ‘all-new’ on its website. Not one of its new products is ‘all-new.’

Sanjiv Sathiah, 11 Sep 2019 13:58

The Pantone-validated 4K touchscreen works with Wacom's magnetic rechargeable stylus. (Source: Acer)

IFA 2019 | Acer showcases ConceptD 9 Pro convertible workstation

The ConceptD 9 Pro is using the same chassis as the Predator Triton 900, but comes tailor-made for demanding CG artists with Nvidia's RTX Quadro 5000 GPUs and a Wacom ERM stylus. It also packs gen 9 i9 octa-core CPUs coupled with 32 GB of RAM and dual-NVMe SSD storage in RAID 1, plus the usual host of connectors including Thunderbolt 3, DisplayPort and HDMI.

Bogdan Solca, 10 Sep 2019 16:41

The Galaxy Fold is highly sought after by tech early adopters. (Source: Samsung)

Galaxy Fold sells out in Korea 24 hours after going on sale

Samsung’s Galaxy Fold has already sold out in its home market of Korea just a day after its launch. Admittedly, only around 2,500 units were on sale of the bleeding edge device but it shows that early adopters are keen to try out the latest technology from the Korean tech behemoth.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 08 Sep 2019 05:43

The GPD handheld comes with two detachable controllers. (Image source: Baidu)

GPD channels Nintendo for unnamed console that borrows heavily from the Switch

Some images of a potential GPD prototype device have been leaked onto Baidu, showing something that is not entirely dissimilar to the Nintendo Switch. GPD has become renowned for its innovation in the gaming device field, and it could be possible that the Chinese company wants to take a bigger bite out of the hybrid console market.

Daniel R Deakin, 07 Sep 2019 02:59

The new JBL Pulse 4 in action. (Source: JBL)

IFA 2019 | JBL introduces the Pulse 4, a 20W portable LED speaker

The JBL Pulse 4 is the latest in a series of portable Bluetooth speakers that also light up as they stream audio. This iteration also has an IPX7 rating and an estimated 12 hours of playback. Its LEDs are controlled by a proprietary app, which also allows it to sync with multiple compatible devices from the same brand.

Deirdre O Donnell, 07 Sep 2019 00:05

The new Arun power station. (Source: IFA International)

IFA 2019 | The new Arun power station has both USB and AC outputs to charge a laptop at up to 100W

The charging accessory brand Arun has a new travel product that can charge both mobile devices and full notebooks. This "power station" has variants with 22000mAh or 30000mAh capacities, both of which has a full AC outlet, as well as USB type A and C ports. The latter can charge a mobile device at up to 45 watts (W), whereas the former can deliver up to 100W.

Deirdre O Donnell, 06 Sep 2019 20:23

The QTM527 mmWave antenna module. (Source: Qualcomm)

IFA 2019 | Qualcomm unveils the new QTM527 mmWave antenna module for the Snapdragon X55 modem

Qualcomm has introduced its latest "add-on" for its 2nd-generation 5G modem, the Snapdragon X55. The QTM527 is an antenna that confers mmWave reception on the chipset. It is intended to enable the X55 to handle fiber-level connections for homes and businesses, regardless of their location.

Deirdre O Donnell, 06 Sep 2019 18:38

The long-awaited Samsung Galaxy Fold has officially been re-launched and will be in user hands by the end of the week. (Source: Samsung)

Samsung Galaxy Fold officially launches in Korea, due this Friday

The wait is over. Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy Fold in its home market of Korea. Locals will get the Fold in a 5G variant with 512 GB of storage on board while other markets will also get the 5G option or a 4G LTE version.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 05 Sep 2019 11:23

Huawei may increase its share of the Chinese market to 50% in 2020. (Source: CNBC)

Huawei is now projected to gain as much as half the Chinese mobile device market in 2020

The respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo now estimates that Huawei could seize up to 50% of its domestic market next year. However, he also believes that the OEM will now miss a previous projection of 260 million units shipped this year. This company is also planning to grow stronger based on further investment into research.

Deirdre O Donnell, 04 Sep 2019 23:39

The reversible Type-C connector will be used for the new USB4 standard. (Source: Notebookcheck)

USB4 spec finalized, brings Thunderbolt 3 compatibility and speeds up to 40 Gbps

The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) has finalized the specification for USB4. A few things are different this time around including the way the it named, as well as its support for another standard in the form of Thunderbolt 3.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 04 Sep 2019 13:35

Facebook may be experimenting with like-hiding. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Facebook may have a like-hiding feature in the works

Instagram recently rolled out a new option in which the like (or reaction) count of a given post could be concealed from any user but the creator in question. Now, an analysis of new code in the Facebook app for Android indicates that this site will do the same. The feature is said to have been instituted for a number of reasons, some of which are related to mental health online.

Deirdre O Donnell, 03 Sep 2019 19:22

The 11-inch Lenovo Chromebook S340. (Source: Lenovo)

IFA 2019: Lenovo rolls out new C340 Chromebook in an 11-inch and 15-inch variants

As part of Lenovo’s pre-IFA 2019 Berlin announcements includes a new Chromebook S340. The device comes in two variants, a compact 11-inch version and a larger 15-inch model

Sanjiv Sathiah, 31 Aug 2019 06:51

A render that may correspond to this upcoming tablet. (Source: BGR India)

A new mid-range Samsung tablet gains Wi-Fi Alliance certification

Samsung has sent a new device to the Wi-Fi Alliance for certification. However, this document does not confirm much about this device, save that it is a tablet with the model number SM-T545. The same number has cropped up in a Geekbench leak recently that pegged it as a Snapdragon 710-powered device with 4GB of RAM.

Deirdre O Donnell, 30 Aug 2019 23:53

The new Surface Pro 7 may feature LTE as standard. (Image source: Microsoft)

Surface Pro 7: All variants to come with LTE as standard?

LTE as standard across all Surface Pro 7 SKUs? That is the latest rumour, with Intel and Qualcomm variants apparently being "always connected". The Surface Pro 7 looks set to disappoint those who were hoping that Thunderbolt 3 would being making its way to Microsoft's new 2-in-1. Read on to find out everything we know about the next Surface Pro.

Alex Alderson, 30 Aug 2019 17:06

Microsoft's October 2 press event teaser. (Source: Microsoft)

New Surface hardware to be unveiled October 2

Microsoft is set to unveil the latest version of its Surface device line up on October 2 in NYC. Among the devices likely to make an appearance are a Surface Laptop 3, Surface Pro 7, Surface Book 3 and potential updates to the Surface Studio and Surface Go. There might even be a surprise on the cards this time around too!

Sanjiv Sathiah, 28 Aug 2019 08:26

You can pick up four months of YouTube Premium with your Tab S6 pre-order. (Source: Samsung)

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 goes up for pre-order with free 4 month YouTube Premium sub

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S6 Android tablet is up for pre-order in the US with some pre-order bonuses. These include four months of YouTube Premium as well as 50 percent off the keyboard cover if purchased at the same time.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 26 Aug 2019 10:39

Google Pay has gone dark. (Source: Google)

Google Pay gets dark mode in new update

Google's Pay app has a new update with a dark mode. This means it joins a group of additional Android services that have this new feature. The trend is being adopted in preparation for the next major upgrade for this mobile OS.

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Aug 2019 17:50

Password Leak Detection is a feature of Chrome 78. (Source: Google)

Chrome may soon be able to alert the user if their passwords have been stolen

Password Leak Detection is an experimental feature in Chrome 78. It checks a given password against public databases of data breaches, in case of its use in a known security incident. Should this test prove positive, Chrome then offers a pop-up advising the user to change the password for the site or service in question.

Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Aug 2019 19:36

This Redmi poster is also speculated to be a MIUI 11 teaser. (Source: Redmi)

Xiaomi may switch to MIUI 11 betas at end of August 2019

International betas of MIUI may have been terminated, but they are still going for Chinese users. Xiaomi has informed them that the last such preview build based on Android Pie (9.0) will be released on August 30, 2019. This suggests that the next beta thereafter will transition to an upcoming major software upgrade.

Deirdre O Donnell, 23 Aug 2019 23:39

Qualcomm partners with OEMs for mobile data solutions. (Source: Qualcomm)

Qualcomm forges a new 3G/4G/5G patent license agreement with LG

LG Electronics (LGE) has formulated a new worldwide patent license to make single- or multi-mode devices that use 3G, 4G/LTE, 5G or all of these. Under this new agreement, LG can now develop and sell these components based on the chipmaker's technology. Qualcomm has also recently achieves a 5G milestone in Japan in conjunction with Fujitsu.

Deirdre O Donnell, 22 Aug 2019 20:18

This is Android Q's official name. (Source: Google)

No sweets for Q: Google announces new naming scheme for future Android upgrades

Google has announced that the next major update for its mobile OS will be...Android 10. Simply Android 10. The "dessert" theme that has been in effect for the last decade is, therefore, no more, as the brand's styling goes in a different direction.

Deirdre O Donnell, 22 Aug 2019 17:05

Waze adds YouTube Music integration to its Android/iOS app

The popular navigation aid Waze has had the ability to control the audio from several music streaming apps for some time. YouTube Music is the latest example of these. Users who subscribe to the Premium version of this service can take advantage of this new feature.

Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Aug 2019 22:49

Apple accidentally rolls back security patch in iOS 12.4 update, making jailbreaking possible

An oversight by Apple caused an old security bug to be reintroduced with iOS 12.4. While the bug had been patched in iOS 12.3, the exploit is present in the latest operating system from Apple and can be used for jailbreaking on compatible devices. On the flip side, the security hole presents new risks; the bug can be used by malicious parties to hack into an iPhone or iPad running 12.4.

Sam Medley, 20 Aug 2019 22:46

The GST Gemini is basically a combo of two tablets that attach magnetically one to another. (Source: GST)

GST crowdfunds Gemini dual-touchscreen notebook

The GST Gemini is currently in production and is scheduled to ship into Indiegogo backers in March 2020. There are regular, as well as Pro versions with 13 and 15-inch sizes. The regular versions are powered by Intel's Core i5-8350U CPUs coupled with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB SSD storage, while the Pro versions integrate the Core i7-8550U CPUs along with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB SSD storage.

Bogdan Solca, 20 Aug 2019 14:49

Tiger Lake will be Intel's first 10 nm U series processors. (Image source: FrAndroid)

Intel Tiger Lake U processor annihilates the Core i7-8665U and Ryzen 7 3700U in UserBenchmark, scores up to 13% more than the Core i9-9980HK in the process

Tiger Lake U is not expected to arrive until Q2 2021 at the earliest, but two listings have already appeared on UserBenchmark, and they put the current crop of mobile processors to shame. Tiger Lake U is likely to be Intel's first 15 W chips to be built on a 10 nm FinFET process and will feature Gen12 Intel UHD Graphics too.

Alex Alderson, 20 Aug 2019 13:06

Google Play Books now has Beta Features. (Source: Google)

Google Play Books' first beta includes a Custom Shelf setting

For the first time in history, Google has prepared a beta for Play Books. One of its first additions is the option to create Custom Shelves. This, according to lead engineer Dan Kimberg, is a hotly-requested feature for this app.

Deirdre O Donnell, 17 Aug 2019 18:56

Microsoft's Surface Pro 6 and Surface Book 2 devices are suffering from severe CPU throttling. (Source: Microsoft)

Microsoft aware of severe throttling issue affecting Surface Pro 6 and Surface Book 2 that leaves devices locked at just 400 MHz

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 6 and Surface Book 2 models are suffering from severe throttling problems. The company is said to be aware of the issue and is preparing a firmware update to address the problem.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 16 Aug 2019 12:42

These products also include new Huawei or Honor speakers. (Source: Huawei)

Huawei and Honor certify a bumper crop of new devices and accessories

Huawei and Honor have gone to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) to register an impressive number of new wireless products. These certifications, which have all been granted today (August 15, 2019) cover obvious candidates such as phones, but also include others that may be the brands' next generations of headsets, earphones and speakers.

Deirdre O Donnell, 15 Aug 2019 19:08

The kickstand doubles as a handle for easy transportation. (Source: CutiePi.io)

CutiePi Raspberry Pi tablet to launch in late 2019

The tablet integrates an 8-inch touchscreen and is powered by a Compute Model 3 Lite carrier board coupled with 1 GB of RAM. It runs on a version of Raspbian specifically customized for touchscreen use and supports PIXEL apps through XWayland. There is support for USB-A and HDMI ports, as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.

Bogdan Solca, 15 Aug 2019 15:35

Tumblr is to be sold to the makers of WordPress

Tumblr is a blogging platform that has been part of Yahoo (or Oath, as it is now) since 2013. However, the parent company in this case - Verizon - has reportedly been trying to palm it off for some time. It has now successfully found a buyer: Automattic Inc, the same company behind WordPress.

Deirdre O Donnell, 14 Aug 2019 19:08

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