Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations

Remember to switch off Intel Display Power Saving Technology for maximum display brightness (Source: Own)

Disable Intel Display Power Saving Technology to increase maximum display brightness

Most Windows laptops prioritize battery life at the cost of a dimmer display. If you frequently find yourself squinting at washed out content when using your glossy laptop or Windows tablet outdoors, then disabling this automatic feature can make things a little easier.

Allen Ngo, 25 Jun 2018 05:44

Adobe Project Rush enables cross-platform video editing and sharing. (Source: Adobe)

Adobe's Project Rush helps novices create professional videos on the go

Adobe announced a new cross-platform video editing app codenamed Project Rush. Project Rush brings the best features of industry leading software such as Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Audition along with access to Adobe Stock into one seamless interface.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 20 Jun 2018 08:34

Gearbest is offering the KNote5 bundled with the all-in-one keyboard for a great price. (Source: Gearbest)

Celeron N4100 KNote 5 Windows 10 tablet launched by AlldoCube

The KNote5 is probably the most affordable tablet powered by the Celeron N4100 CPU on the market right now. It also comes with 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, plus the integrated UHD Graphics 600 GPU.What really makes this a great deal is the all-in-one keyboard offered together with the tablet, while the 4,000 mAh battery provides enough juice for 10 hours of use.

Bogdan Solca, 18 Jun 2018 21:10

The new LPDDR5 chips should bring a 10% performance boost over the current standard. (Source: Flickr)

Samsung will begin LPDDR5 and UFS 3.0 production in 2H 2018

Judging by the latest leaks, Samsung is most likely preparing major overhauls for next year's Galaxy S10 / Note 10 high-end devices. Apparently, Samsung is planning to begin production on the LPDDR5 and UFS 3.0 chips later this summer and this could significantly boost the overall performance for the 2019 models. Moreover, it looks like the Galaxy S10 could finally get 4K video recording.

Bogdan Solca, 15 Jun 2018 19:43

The new Galaxy Tab S4 will be getting a 10.5-inch 16:10 screen. (Source: Teltarif)

New Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 model to include iris scanner and thinner bezels

The upcoming Galaxy Tab S4 is supposed to compete with Apple's new iPad Pro model. According to the latest Chinese leaks, the Tab S4 will get a larger 10.5-inch screen with 16:10 ratio and thin bezels, plus an iris scanner and extended DeX support that can turn the tablet into a desktop computer together with a new Book Cover Keyboard.

Bogdan Solca, 14 Jun 2018 20:22

The MediaPad M5. (Source: Trusted Reviews)

Huawei finally brings the MediaPad M5 tablets to the US

Huawei has officially launched its new MediaPad M5 tablets for the US market. The devices come in three variants and bring some much-needed life back to a dying tablet scene. Prices begin at just over US$300.

Ricci Rox, 12 Jun 2018 15:03

Microsoft Surface lineup to get a new affordable slate in 2018, currently known as the Surface Lex

A budget Microsoft Surface tablet codenamed Lex might launch this fall

The Microsoft Surface Lex, also known as the Surface L, is rumored to arrive with type covers currently codenamed "Gibs" while its list of specs and features apparently includes USB Type-C and LTE connectivity. Compared to the Surface slates currently available and the type covers for them, the Surface Lex and its keyboard attachment will both be more affordable.

Codrut Nistor, 12 Jun 2018 10:55

Computex 2018 | Qualcomm announces Snapdragon 850 for Windows PCs

30% more performance, 20% longer battery life and 20% faster Gigabit LTE speeds are the main features compared to the existing Snapdragon 835 SoC.

Klaus Hinum, 05 Jun 2018 06:13

The rumored Z5 device would have been the successor to 2015's Xperia Z4. (Source: Sony)

Rumored Sony tablets may have been cancelled

There were recent rumors that Sony had been working on new Android-powered tablets that were known as the Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5C. However, apparently the Japanese tech giant has now decided to shelve the idea of releasing new tablets onto the market because of the lackluster sales for premium products such as the Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact.

Daniel R Deakin, 04 Jun 2018 23:20

Update: The "Tablets" tab is back | Google silently exits the tablet market

Google silently removed the Tablets heading on the Android website, indicating that the tech behemoth may no longer push development for tablet features. This could be another sign that Google is planning on merging ChromeOS and Android, eliminating the need for tablets altogether.

Sam Medley, 02 Jun 2018 21:43

The new Cortex-A76 is supposed to bring laptop-like performance to handheld devices. (Source: Anandtech)

ARM unveils "laptop-class" Cortex-A76 7 nm CPU

Using the 7 nm manufacturing process, the new ARM Cortex-A76 CPU will bring "laptop-class" performance to handheld devices. The new CPU features a totally new architecture that delivers 35% increased performance, 40% improved power efficiency and 4 times increased machine learning workloads for the upcoming "always connected" Windows on ARM PCs.

Bogdan Solca, 01 Jun 2018 21:22

Tencent is determined to help bolster the Chinese chip-making capacities. (Source: KrAsia)

Tencent to support the Chinese chip industry

The foreign import bans imposed on ZTE are bound to shake things up in China, at least in a positive way. Tencent - one of the biggest video game company in China - is willing to take constructive actions in order to increase China's chip-making capacity and reduce the reliance on foreign component imports.

Bogdan Solca, 29 May 2018 22:10

PC and tablet markets to decline by 2.1 percent by end of 2018 (source: Canalys)

Gaming laptops, Chromebooks, and convertibles are keeping the PC market afloat

Laptops, smartphones, and convertibles are slowly eating into the shrinking tablet market. The biggest bright spot is perhaps the convertible notebook market with the only positive compound annual growth rate of 8.8 percent until 2022. Sales of traditional laptops aren't as steep as previous years due in part to the increasing sales of gaming PCs and inexpensive Chromebooks.

Allen Ngo, 27 May 2018 05:17

The 3 nm fabrication process will replace the current FinFET semiconductors with the next gen MCBFET ones. (Source: Fudzilla)

Samsung releases roadmap to 3 nm fabrication process

Samsung wanted to prove that it is in no way behind TSMC when it comes to manufacturing process milestones. Even though TSMC is already rolling out a good chunk of 7 nm chips for various companies, it still does not use the EUV tech. Samsung will make full use of the EUV lithography by mid-2018, and then it plans to release 5 nm, 4 nm and 3 nm chips by 2022.

Bogdan Solca, 24 May 2018 20:36

The Kaby Lake-G features AMD's Radeon RX Vega M GPU integrated in the chip die. (Source: TheNerdMag)

Kaby Lake-G Chromebook codenamed "Kidd" in the works?

Chromebooks could soon get a substantial performance boost, as the Chrome OS developers are planning to support Intel's Kaby Lake-G CPUs that come with the dedicated AMD Radeon RX Vega M GPU. The first Chromebook that would include such specs is codenamed "Kidd" and it was discovered mentioned in the Chromium code commit repository.

Bogdan Solca, 24 May 2018 19:58

ChromeBook Tab 10 will be the world's first Chromebook tablet (Image source: Own)

NextAtAcer | ChromeBook Tab 10 is the world's first Chromebook tablet

Acer's ChromeBook Tab 10 has been available since March, but Acer had one on display for us to take a quick look. It continues to be the first slate tablet in the market running Chrome OS. Convertible notebooks running Chrome OS already exist such as on the Lenovo ThinkPad 11e or HP ChromeBook x360 11. Like most newer Chromebooks, the 9.7-inch ChromeBook Tab 10 supports the Android Play Store.

Allen Ngo, 24 May 2018 07:12

Samsung SM-T835/Galaxy Tab S4 updated specs (Source: GFXBench)

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 hits GFXBench with Android 8.1 onboard, unknown Snapdragon processor

Less than a month since it surfaced with Android 8.0 Oreo onboard, the upcoming Samsung SM-T835 tablet hits the GFXBench database with Android 8.1. The graphics performance is slightly lower with the new software version, so it might take a while before they launch this 10.5-inch slate.

Codrut Nistor, 23 May 2018 19:35

The X50 5G modem could be integrated in mobile devices as well as desktop PCs. (Source: XDA Developers)

Qualcomm could allow OEMs to release several 5G smartphones this year

Major cities in the US and across the globe are testing 5G services throughout this year, and some areas might even get limited 5G connectivity in the second half of 2018. Tis has prompted some OEMs to pressure Qualcomm into allowing them to integrate the X50 5G modem and maybe even the upcoming Snapdragon 855 SoC in several smartphones that could launch by the end of 2018.

Bogdan Solca, 21 May 2018 20:16

Netflix HDR now supports 11 smartphones and a tablet

Netflix HDR support now available for the Sony Xperia XZ2, Huawei's Mate 10 Pro, and the P20 family

The list of mobile devices with Netflix HDR support now consists of 11 smartphones and one tablet — namely the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 — and the last ones to be added are the Huawei P20, P20 Pro, Mate 10 Pro, as well as the Sony Xperia XZ2. The only plan with UHD content streaming support is Netflix Premium, priced at US$13.99 per month.

Codrut Nistor, 18 May 2018 23:08

It is possible a potential successor to Samsung's Galaxy Tab A 10.1 will also feature S-Pen support. (Source: Samsung)

Samsung Galaxy Tab Advanced2 device appears in Bluetooth listing

A device labeled as the “Galaxy Tab Advanced2” has been spotted in a Bluetooth declaration. The model number given in the details is SM-T583, which just happens to be the same model number currently cropping up on a Samsung support page. The device has also appeared in a listing on the website for the Wi-Fi Alliance.

Daniel R Deakin, 18 May 2018 22:55

Acer Iconia One 10 Android tablet hits FCC with MediaTek processor in tow (Source: Tabletmonkeys)

The Acer Iconia One 10 tablet shows up at FCC

Just as its name suggests, the upcoming Acer Iconia One 10 tablet has a 10.1-inch full HD display. Its list of specs also includes the MediaTek MT8167A quad-core processor, 2 GB of memory, 32 GB internal storage, as well as a generous 6,000 mAh battery. This slate runs Android 8.0 and has no official launch date yet.

Codrut Nistor, 17 May 2018 13:20

Microsoft rumored to soon make low-cost Surface tablets with USB Type-C to rival the iPad

Rumors are flying concerning Microsoft's Surface line, speculating that the Redmond regent may soon produce another low-cost Surface tablet to compete directly against Apple's iPad. If true, the budget Surface will feature a 10-inch screen, rounded corners, and USB Type-C.

Sam Medley, 16 May 2018 23:55

HP claims that the Elite x2 1013 G3 is the world's smallest business detachable. (Source: HP)

HP intros the Elite x2 1013 G3: a Surface Pro clone for business with thin bezels

Alongside many of its premium reveals, HP has also introduced the Elite x2 1013 G2. The Elite x2 is being billed as the world's smallest business detachable and comes with upgraded internals, ultra-thin bezels, and two high resolution display options.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 16 May 2018 11:57

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 featured a Snapdragon 820 SoC. (Source: Samsung)

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 confirmed in Bluetooth certification

A Bluetooth certification listing for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 has been spotted by SamMobile. The declaration details seem to confirm the existence of the device, which should offer Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. The last tablet in the Galaxy Tab series was the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3, which was released in the US and Canada on March 24, 2017.

Daniel R Deakin, 15 May 2018 23:30

The HP Chromebook x2 will ship on June 7. (Source: Best Buy)

HP Chromebook x2 up for pre-order at Best Buy

HP's premium Chromebook X2 is up for pre-order at Best Buy. The x2, which is expected to ship June 7, is one of the first true 2-in-1 Chromebooks on the market that offers a detachable display allowing it to be used as a standalone tablet.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 12 May 2018 10:59

Microsoft quietly acknowledges Surface Pro 4 screen flicker, offers free replacements

The Redmond company is finally caving in to the user complaints. The replacement program promises refurbished models for any Surface Pro 4 owner who can prove that they are suffering from the problem, have not damaged the unit, and have not broken warranty. There is currently no end date to the program.

Allen Ngo, 12 May 2018 08:50

The numbers 106, 116, and 126 point to where the hinge screen would be located. (Source: Free Patents Online)

Microsoft patent shows device with three displays

A recently published patent assigned to Microsoft appears to show a device with three screens. The illustrated foldable tablet has two seemingly regular-sized screens, and there is a third screen located on the hinge that separates the two main display regions. The patent for this interesting innovation was filed in November 2016.

Daniel R Deakin, 11 May 2018 22:32

Motorola patent concept for a foldable smartphone. (Source: LetsGoDigital)

Motorola patents a foldable smartphone / tablet concept with clever integrated cover

Motorola has been granted a patent for a foldable smartphone that unfolds into a tablet. While it is not the first patent for a foldable smartphone that has surfaced in recent times, it is the first to show how a foldable smartphone could work with a smart case design to give it even more potential usage scenarios.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 10 May 2018 12:11

Samsung falls flat in latest quarterly tablet shipments (Image source: Apple)

Samsung and Amazon fall flat in latest quarterly tablet shipments

The slate tablet continues to sink while detachables steadily grow to take its place. Apple, Samsung, and Huawei were collectively responsible for over 55 percent of all tablets sold worldwide during the first quarter of 2018. Convertible notebooks, or systems that can twist, flip, or spin, have not been included in the data. The news comes just days after rumors of Q2 2018 being yet another low for the tablet market.

Allen Ngo, 04 May 2018 18:54

A special price of US$899.10 for the 8 GB model is available to eligible shoppers. (Source: Microsoft)

Microsoft offers new Surface Pro configuration

Microsoft has recently updated its store with a new configuration of the Surface Pro. It is now possible to buy an Intel Core i5-powered Surface Pro with 128 GB SSD and 8 GB RAM for US$999. Previously, Microsoft offered the 4 GB RAM version of the device at this price, but this model is now being advertised for US$799.

Daniel R Deakin, 03 May 2018 21:15

Lenovo Tab 4 Android tablet, global market hits new low in Q2 2018

Tablet shipments to hit a new low in Q2 2018

Global tablet shipments are expected to drop to a little more than 31 million units in the second quarter of this year, reveals DigiTimes. This all-time low comes one year after the market bottomed at 33 million units (in the first quarter of 2017). However, the market is expected to bounce back a bit later this year thanks to the introduction of the new Apple iPad Pro and the Amazon Prime Day.

Codrut Nistor, 01 May 2018 16:57

A concept design of what the Surface Phone / Andromeda PC could look like. (Source: Windows Central)

Fresh MS Surface Phone / Andromeda patent surfaces, features display curve correction

A previously unseen series of patent applications and associated imagery for the rumored Surface Phone / Andromeda PC have emerged. They show that Microsoft is mulling a range of solutions for making the device responsive to how it is being held or used at any time.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 28 Apr 2018 02:50

Alcatel A3 10 Android tablet with MediaTek processor available for less than US$150 (Source: Digit)

The updated Alcatel A3 Android tablet coming to India next month

The new Alcatel A3 10 Android tablet has the same US$149 price tag of last year's model and features an IPS display, 4G LTE, a quad-core MediaTek processor, 3 GB RAM and 16 GB internal storage, as well as a 4,600 mAh battery. Sadly, this slate will ship with Android 7.0 Nougat onboard and there is little hope for an Oreo update.

Codrut Nistor, 27 Apr 2018 09:56

Xiaomi Mi Pad 3 Android tablet successor in the works, to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor

Xiaomi Mi Pad 4 might feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor

The successor of the Xiaomi Mi Pad 3 tablet is expected to become the first slate of this popular Chinese brand to use a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, although it might take a while for it to finally reach the market. According to XDA Developers, the Snapdragon 660 is the chip that will power the Mi Pad 4.

Codrut Nistor, 26 Apr 2018 23:00

Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1 rugged Windows tablet with Intel RealSense 3D camera (Source: NotebookCheck)

Panasonic intros the Toughpad FZ-M1 rugged tablet with Intel RealSense 3D camera

Unveiled back at MWC 2018, the Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1 is now available in Europe starting at the equivalent of over US$2,500 (without taxes). The highlights of this rugged Windows 10 Pro tablet with a fanless design include a sunlight readable display, FLIR and 3D imaging, and many hardware options to choose from.

Codrut Nistor, 24 Apr 2018 21:50

The Microsoft Surface Dial is most useful when used on-screen with supported applications. (Source: Microsoft)

Firmware update finally brings on-screen Surface Dial support to the Surface Pro 4

Artists, designers, and editors with Surface Pro 4's can now enjoy full on-screen controls when using a Surface Dial on their Surface device. The Surface Dial provides basic functionality for all Bluetooth 4.0 LE equipped Windows 10 devices, but only the Surface Studio, Surface Book 2, Surface Pro 2017, and Surface Pro 4 provide the full experience.

Craig Ward, 13 Apr 2018 18:56

Opinion | Windows 10 on ARM: DOA?

With the promise of all-day battery life, always-on LTE, and smartphone-like standby and resume, the first Windows 10 on ARM devices are here. Windows 10 on ARM may be great feat of engineering, but it does come with limitations unique to it, impacting what one can and cannot get out of an ARM-powered PC. Windows 10 on ARM is still in its infancy and, in its current manifestation, is better worth skipping for future refinements.

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam & Douglas Black, 12 Apr 2018 05:01

Over one-quarter of all tablets shipped are Apple iPads

Analysts are skeptical that the new 2018 9.7-inch iPad with A10 Fusion SoC will be as successful as the last generation iPads. Apple is predicted to lose 0.8 percent of the tablet market YoY while Amazon and Huawei can gain as much as 0.7 percent and 1 percent, respectively. Even so, Apple will still lead its closest competitor Samsung by almost 2x in market share.

Allen Ngo, 04 Apr 2018 22:11

Lenovo Tab 4 Plus 10-inch Android tablet

Lenovo tablet with Dolby Atmos audio shows up at FCC

Since the Lenovo Tab 4 has been around for a while, the time seems right for a new Android slate from the Chinese brand. Sadly, the FCC arrival of the Dolby Atmos-certified Lenovo TB-8304F1 does not reveal anything else than its audio certification and the power input of just 5 V and 1 A, but many expect it to hit the market as the Lenovo Tab 5.

Codrut Nistor, 31 Mar 2018 22:50

The diagrams in the patent show a smartphone device in folded and unfolded forms. (Source: LetsGoDigital)

Patent for Huawei foldable smartphone discovered

Dutch website LetsGoDigital has uncovered a patent for a foldable phone filed by Huawei in September 2017. The Chinese technology company seems to have developed a tablet-sized device which when folded would be the size of a regular smartphone. The central “gap” problem, created when a foldable dual-screen smartphone is opened up, has been addressed by making the device bendable.

Daniel R Deakin, 30 Mar 2018 01:07

The Voyo Vbook i5 features a fully laminated 3K 12.6-inch IPS display with touch capabilities. (Source: BangGood)

Voyo announces Surface-like Vbook i5 tablet

The latest Voyo Vbook i5 is almost as fast as a Surface pro, but comes at nearly half the price. Apart from the slower CPU that comes in the form of an Intel Pentium 4415U, the Vbook i5 integrates 8 GB of DDR3, a 128 GB SATA3 SSD, all the usual connectors and a 12.6-inch 3K IPS touchscreen that seem on par with what Surface Pro has to offer.

Bogdan Solca, 29 Mar 2018 14:55

The 2015 10.1-inch Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 and has 3 GB RAM. (Source: Sony)

Sony may be working on a new Android tablet

There is a rumor that Sony may be working on a new Android tablet. The rumor started after certain lines of code from a teardown of the camera app on the new Xperia XZ2 smartphone appeared on a blog called Sumahoinfo. The code features the words “Tablet_8inch” and “Tablet_10inch,” and it also contains some simple concept images of devices that could hint at future Sony tablets.

Daniel R Deakin, 29 Mar 2018 08:14

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