Business Articles

DISH, a source of paid TV that also integrates apps such as Netflix, has announced that some Google Nest products can now co-ordinate with its "Hopper" or "Wally" receivers. As a result, users of both products will gain the abilty to see video from their Nest doorbells on their big screen. This update should be available from now.

50 carriers in 27 different locations had set up 5G networks by October 2019, whereas over 300 others in about 109 additional markets may be preparing to do so. This is in accordance with some of the latest research on 5G deployment, which is found in a new whitepaper by OPPO and IHS Markit.

Physicality Games is a new retailer setting itself up as a platform for games in physical form. Its creators assert that its listings will not be "limited", as with some sellers in this market. It also intends to sell merchandise, gaming accessories and collectibles.

GoPro has released a new product that is compatible with its pre-existing mounts. However, it is not an action-cam: it is instead a mini LED floodlight intended to be used with one of them, the HERO8 Black. It can also clip onto this device, although it needs a 2nd accessory to do so.

AMD recently joined the Blockchain Gaming Alliance, the first hardware manufacturer to do so. They aim to provide members with computing platforms to power new, blockchain-based gaming functionality. What are the implications for gamers?

OWC has unveiled its 64 or 128GB RAM stick kits for the new Mac Pro. They come in 768GB to 1.5TB SKUs, meaning a user can match Apple's factory maximum with this third-party memory. However, this option may also enable some savings.

Third quarter financial results show that Apple continues to reign supreme in the smartphone space. Reports indicate that Apple secured over half of the industry's profits and one-third of its revenue.

Google announced yesterday that it has acquired Typhoon, an independent game developer. Typhoon's first game, Journey to the Savage Planet, is due out January 28, 2020. While Google has not given much detail surrounding the acquisition, it's likely the search giant bought the studio to develop games for its ailing Stadia game streaming service.

Motorola had planned to open Razr 2019 pre-orders in the United States on December 26, 2019. However, the OEM has now pushed this event, as well as its subsequent launch, back to an unspecified date. This is said to be due to unexpected levels of interest in buying the foldable phone.

The OnePlus Security Response Center (or OneSRC) is this OEM's first bug-bounty initiative. It offers cash incentives (in USD) to report deficiencies in its own software. They start from US$50, but go into 3 to 4 figures for the more severe vulnerabilities.

There is no need for a Surface Connect port now that Thunderbolt 3 is becoming ubiquitous amongst mid-range to high-end laptops and tablets. There is nothing that Microsoft can't do with the more universal Thunderbolt 3 port that they are already doing with the expensive proprietary Surface Connect port.

PoE Texas has announced the GBT-NUC, a new type of lid for certain Intel mini PCs that enables them to access power and data through just 1 Ethernet cable. Therefore, the devices can function independently of a conventional wall-plug, and may make them into more versatile office computers, display controllers or media-centers.

Samsung has reportedly put a device called the SM-G715FN/DS through FCC testing, suggesting that it will be released soon. Some leaks allege that this phone will be marketed as the XCover Pro, thus resurrecting the OEM's line of these toughphones. Its new addition will have Bluetooth 5.0 and a display of about 6.3 inches in size.

Facebook announced today that it has acquired cloud gaming startup PlayGiga. The startup, which is based in Madrid, has experience working with telecoms to build gaming-as-a-service platforms that rely on 5G networks. This is yet another step in Facebook's journey of snatching up gaming-oriented companies.

The latest firmware update for Nikon Z-series cameras allows them to use CFexpress, a new memory-card format associated with faster transfers compared to XQD. This new software also allows the Z 6 or Z 7 to record 4K UHD or full-HD video in RAW. However, this can only be done with Atomos recorders and may not be available for free.

Netflix is reportedly testing some new plans in the Indian market. It will let users avail discounts on the company's Premium subscription by paying for three, six or twelve months of service in advance. Since they are a part of Netflix's pilot program, the plans are not available to everyone just yet.

The redundantly named ProArt StudioBook Pro will have some of the highest specifications in the ultra-thin mobile workstation space. Expect to pay at least $4000 USD for this professionally-tuned system.

Corsair recently acquired Scuf, a manufacturer of customizable console and PC game controllers. This purchase is yet another move by Corsair to branch out into other market sectors. Corsair purchased Elgato, which makes video streaming and capture equipment, and boutique PC seller Origin last year and this past summer, respectively.

SuperData recently announced its XR Dimensions market intelligence platform. XR Dimensions focuses on trends in the AR and VR industries. Initial XR Dimensions reports make bold claims: VR is thriving and AR is already mainstream. But does the evidence hold up?

LG has announced that the next generation of Signature OLED and NanoCell TVs have "exceeded" the requirements for the 8K Ultra HD designation. This new spec has been developed by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) in order to define the next-gen resolution standard. Therefore, the Korean giant may be the first to use buzzwords such as "Real 8K" when marketing new products.

Razer has opened its first shop in Europe, giving fans the chance to experience all its laptops, peripherals and clothing in one place. Located in London's West End, the store covers over 3,700 square feet split across two floors. The store not only showcases the company's products, but also gives gamers the chance to play games like Fortnite to their heart's content.

AT&T has announced that its 5G service is now live in 10 different American cities, Los Angeles and New York included. In fact, it claims to have 2 (authentic) flavors of this connectivity: 5G and 5G+, which are based on low-band and high-band forms of the new radios. They are available to personal and business customers.

Google unveiled an updated Assistant with new features at its I/O event this year. It has only been available to the US market since then; now, however, it is being applied to others such as Ireland and Canada. Then again, it remains restricted to Pixel devices in these regions.

The Pixel 3a phones are widely regarded as being some of the most recommendable devices in the market right now, especially in the US. The 3a and 3a XL have MSRPs of US$399 and US$479 respectively, but can now be had with a massive US$120 off those prices—US$279 and US$359

Samsung Electronics' President Young Sohn, a few days ago, announced that the company had sold a million units of its US$2000 Galaxy Fold. Apparently, the Samsung executive was wrong. The company did not, in fact, sell a million units of the foldable phone.

Opera released a variant of its browser optimized for gaming earlier this year. Now, it has announced that the same app, known as GX, is compatible with macOS as well as Windows. Therefore, those using such systems can now use features such as Twitch support and network limiters in their browser.

Visible light communication is a form of wireless technology that uses radiation in the visible to infra-red light spectrum to transmit data. It is seen as an increasingly robust and reliable way of doing so, and needs not much more than conventional, low-power LEDs to work. Its market is now thought to be capable of being worth US$101.3 billion by the end of 2024.

2020 will mark the first year that OnePlus will take part in CES, the traditional January Las Vegas tech fest. The OEM has just sent out teaser images for a "special event" that will run through the relevant dates in that location. This has led to speculation that it will unveil the rumored 8 Lite smartphone.

Huami is a wearables OEM that has made a name for itself largely through its Amazfit brand of smartwatches. However, it has revealed that it intends to push into additional product categories next year. The company has secured a CES 2020 booth, at which its new products may be revealed.

Myonaz is a start-up with a new kind of ceramic personal space heater. Not only does its main function initialize in an estimated 3 seconds, it can also act as a warm- or cool-air fan. It also incorporates a reading light and a USB type A port to charge a phone.

The iPhone may be doing well in Western markets, but the handset saw a massive 35% year-over-year drop in shipments in China last month. This news from Credit Suisse analysts flies in the face of prior predictions from Apple and others that claimed the iPhone 11 would do well in Chinese markets due to high demand. The most likely cause for the drop in sales lies at the feet of policy; the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China has driven iPhone prices up in the mainland, likely killing demand in the process.

At least 60% or more of US consumers aged 55 years or more favor Fitbit when buying a wearable. This is due to the demand for smartwatches and fitness trackers in the relevant age ranges. However, Apple is more popular among those aged 18 to 24.

As surprising as this might be for many of us, "iPhone 11" was the only tech-related search in the global top 10 queries that people entered on Google Search this year. Ranked fifth globally, Apple's handset only managed to grab the ninth spot in the most popular Google Search topics stateside.

When you're spending $1000 or more on a gaming laptop, you're going to want to know exactly what's inside. Official specs from manufacturers will often be so truncated that certain performance details regarding the GPU may be omitted.

Gimdow claims that its new smart lock is one that doesn't require the user to replace the existing one (or even parts of it). This may be ideal for those who want this kind of Bluetooth-enabled security, but can't risk damage to fittings while installing it. The new product has just launched as part of a crowdfunding campaign.

Apple is suing Gerard Williams III, one of the founders of Nuvia, for breaching an intellectual property contract and soliciting Apple employees to leave Apple and work at Nuvia. Williams denies that he actively recruited Apple employees and claims that Apple intruded on his privacy by reading through his personal text messages.

Magewell is a company that makes the components that connect video and audio output with the applicable software. Its latest M.2 video capture card is of its 'Eco' line-up, and is capable of single-channel operation at up to 4096x2160 at 60 frames per second over 12G-SDI. It will be launched in 2020 at the ISE exhibition.

According to a lawsuit filed by Amazon, Donald Trump's "personal vendetta" against the company and Jeff Bezos may have resulted in it losing out on a $10 billion US military contract. While Amazon faces an "uphill battle" to prove its case, this might be another case of "improper activity" by the US president.

According to analyst Jun Zhang of Rosenblatt Securities, Apple may cut its production of the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max by as much as 25% in both December and March due to a market shift toward 5G smartphones. However, Zhang's predictions are at odds with other analysts, who claim that the iPhone 11 family is selling quite well.

The eSIM market is thought to be capable of growing rapidly in terms of shipment volumes until 2025. New research on the same subject now shows that its value will exceed US$700 million by the end of the year. This may be driven by their use in consumer-grade devices, as well as in newer cars and in the internet-of-things (IoT).

The panel-maker Vizio has reported that it "exceeded expectations" over the Black Friday/Cyber Monday period just gone, having sold 500,000 or more units of its smart TVs between these days in 2019. For example, it sold 87% more premium 4K UHD big-screens year-on-year (YoY) compared to the same event in 2018.

Many may have casually wondered how the speed of the Android 10 rollout compares to those of older versions of the OS. It almost feels like OEMs are sending out the OS update faster this time around. Does hard data agree with that notion? Yes, yes, it does.

The third-generation Reno flagship is currently projected to come in 5G flavor. This is due to leaks hinting at a next-generation Snapdragon processor that has this connectivity on-chip. Furthermore, it may be joined in its series by at least 1 more phone with an equally 5G MediaTek SoC.

Windows on ARM is the popular Microsoft OS running on Snapdragon processors. As a relatively new platform, it does not have every feature of its "full" normal PC equivalent yet. However, this may be addressed when it gains the ability to run Project xCloud, as well as Microsoft Zoom Video, soon.

MSI G series laptops are generally easy to service and yet most of them have Factory Seal stickers on the bottom to discourage end-user upgrades. We think putting the sticker directly on parts of the motherboard instead would be a more user-friendly approach for gamers who like to tinker and upgrade.

Historically, Canon and Nikon have dominated the digital camera market. That duopoly changes now, as Sony has sold more cameras than Nikon this year, leapfrogging its competitor into second place.

Steam’s hardware and software survey has revealed an astonishing month for Nvidia in terms of video card usage (monthly change). No less than 16 out of the top 20 products come from Team Green, with three AMD GPUs and a single Intel solution filling in the gaps. Cards from the RTX series and the new SUPER lineup have helped Nvidia consolidate its strong position.

iQOO has finally unveiled its refresh of the original Neo smartphone. This new variant is based on the Snapdragon 855 processor, rather than the 845 of its predecessor. There is also a second option: a “Racing” edition that upgrades further to the 855 Plus SoC.

MSI G series laptops are generally easy to service and yet most of them have Factory Seal stickers on the bottom to discourage end-user upgrades. We think putting the sticker directly on parts of the motherboard instead would be a more user-friendly approach for gamers who like to tinker and upgrade.