Business Articles

The Xiaomi Mi 9 SE will have a global version; the Redmi Note 7 Pro will not

The Mi 9 SE has been spotted on Xiaomi's Global Compliance page, which alludes heavily to the device being set for a global launch. On the flip side, Redmi has confirmed that the Redmi Note 7 Pro will not join the regular Redmi No...

Ricci Rox, 26 Mar 2019 13:08

Marvel's Iron Man VR is currently in development. (Source: IGN)

Sony announces 4.2 million PlayStation VR headset sales; Iron Man VR should help sell some more

Sony has revealed in a PlayStation blog post that 4.2 million PlayStation VR headsets have been sold worldwide up to March 3. The PlayStation VR device was released in October 2016 and had passed one million sales by June 2017. A ...

Daniel R Deakin, 26 Mar 2019 10:43

Apple Arcade: the world's first gaming subscription service for mobile, desktop and the living room

Apple's latest release event debuted Arcade, a new elaboration on the App Store's gaming experience. The company claims that over 100 new and original games have been developed for this new subscription-based service. It is also a...

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Mar 2019 23:29

Gigabyte Aero 15-X9 vs. Aero 15-Y9: you may want to reconsider the RTX 2080 Max-Q SKU

The Aero 15-Y9 is over $1000 more expensive than the Aero 15-X9 and yet both configurations perform about the same in all of our tests. Is there really a reason to get the pricier version? Based on our numbers, the less expensive ...

Allen Ngo, 25 Mar 2019 22:18

Titanium Apple Card for shopping at locations without Apple Pay support

Apple Card coming to the US this summer to help you "lead a healthier financial life"

Apple Card brings together hardware, software, and services to deliver a complete financial management and payment experience focused on providing "a healthier financial life" to its customers. This solution comes with a rewards p...

Codrut Nistor, 25 Mar 2019 21:39

Apple unveiled its own streaming competitor at its latest event. (Source: Apple)

The new Apple TV services are here

The Cupertino giant has unveiled the next generation of its TV arm. However, it is not a device; rather, it is a software- and content-based upgrade. The new Apple TV app allows users to cherry-pick channels or streaming providers...

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Mar 2019 20:22

Apple unveils its magazine reading service News+, don't expect anything revolutionary

Apple News just got a spinoff that includes 300 magazine subscriptions and is simply called News+. Available for US$9.99 a month (the first month is free), this service is also rolling out in Canada in both French and English. Aus...

Codrut Nistor, 25 Mar 2019 18:55

The connected living room is a billion-dollar marketplace these days. (Source: Amazon)

The "connected living room" is a concept that may make a US$900+ billion market in 5 years

Transparency Market Research's latest report is based on the observation that the demand for a 'smart' or 'connected' living room is growing steadily these days. It may consist of entertainment or media hardware that works seamles...

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Mar 2019 18:24

Smartphone sales have been in steady decline in the US. (Source: YouTube)

The US market has seen 14 consecutive months of falling smartphone sales

The months of December 2017 through to January 2019 have been associated with declining smartphone sale numbers in the United States on a year-on-year basis. Counterpoint, a market analysis firm, cited the lack of deals on flagshi...

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Mar 2019 17:04

Vivo will sponsor the PUBG Mobile Club Open 2019. (Source: Tencent)

Vivo will sponsor the 2019 PUBG Mobile Club Open

Vivo has announced that it will partner with Tencent Games in order to sponsor the annual PUBG Mobile Club Open 2019. This involves competitive battles of the game in question in 10 regions worldwide for an ultimate prize of US$2....

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Mar 2019 14:24

Undervolting your Dell notebook might void the warranty.

Undervolting your Dell laptop can void the warranty

Dell Support has informed a customer that any non-factory settings to the processor, such as undervolting, are not covered under warranty. This seems a bit contrary on their own policy, which clearly mentions that the warranty bec...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 25 Mar 2019 12:33

It's long been rumored that EA Access was coming to a new platform. (Source: Game Spew)

Brazilian PlayStation Store may have just leaked upcoming EA Access service

A screenshot posted on Reddit has been stirring up some excitement among PlayStation 4 owners. The image shows a page from the Brazilian PlayStation Store, and there is a small window advert for EA Access. The EA Access service of...

Daniel R Deakin, 25 Mar 2019 05:48

iPhones may act as charging pads in 2019. Source: MacOtakara

2019 iPhones may come with 18W charging as standard and reverse wireless charging

Apple has developed a habit of disappointing its fans by including power bricks that charge at only 5W with its iPhones. However, a new leak has predicted that the company will put an end to this in 2019. It also projects that the...

Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Mar 2019 23:53

Esports Arena is bringing its gaming services inside Walmart stores. (Source: Variety)

Walmart could be the next major corporation to join the race for game-streaming supremacy

It has been reported that Walmart has been meeting with a number of game developers and publishers to discuss a potential video-game streaming service. With Google just revealing its Stadia service and Nvidia’s GeForce Now platfor...

Daniel R Deakin, 24 Mar 2019 11:00

Bitwise's report was submitted to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. (Source: The Daily Reckoning)

Study declares 95% of reported bitcoin trading is fake

A comprehensive study carried out by Bitwise Asset Management has come to the conclusion that the majority of reported volume in bitcoin trading is faked. Some unethical bitcoin traders are deliberately manipulating the volume to ...

Daniel R Deakin, 24 Mar 2019 08:57

Apple is reportedly losing traction in China. (Source: Apple)

Apple is losing its majority in the Chinese smartphone market

Apple's market share in China has reportedly fallen by 26.6% in 2018. Unsurprisingly, the culprits are more 'local' OEMs such as Huawei and Xiaomi, who offer more innovative features in premium handsets that go for less than those...

Deirdre O Donnell, 23 Mar 2019 19:57

Huawei may release its 1st smart TV soon. (Source: TechnoBlitz)

The first-generation Huawei TV may launch next month

Last year, we reported on rumors that Huawei was working on its first smart TV. Now, a Chinese news outlet claims that its sources have told it these products are nearly ready for release. These products are apparently to be relea...

Deirdre O Donnell, 23 Mar 2019 18:16

Tencent games may run better on Razer Phones/controllers in the future. (Source: Razer)

Razer and Tencent announce mobile-gaming collaboration

Tencent, which publishes games such as PUBG, has set up a collaboration with Razer in order to improve said apps' function on the gaming hardware giant's Android phones. This involves optimizing Tencent titles for the Razer Phones...

Deirdre O Donnell, 23 Mar 2019 15:30

The Powerbeats are Beats' take on the wireless earphone. (Source: Amazon)

Next-generation Powerbeats could come in true-wireless form and with the new Apple AirPods' features

Beats by Dr. Dre has been an Apple subsidiary for some time now. The brand's next product may be a pair of truly-wireless earbuds. According to a CNET report, they may run on the new Apple H1 chip, which is also found in the newly...

Deirdre O Donnell, 23 Mar 2019 14:56

"Great device. Would be a shame if we siphoned your data from it without your permission." (Source: MySmartPrice)

Nokia's official response on the case of user data violations

HMD Global has come up with an official response on the issue of its devices sending sensitive user data to Chinese servers. While the company's reasoning appears sound, it's still a tad appalling that something of this sort is as...

Ricci Rox, 23 Mar 2019 08:30

The new Huntkey 90W charging brick looks deceptively much like any other. (Source: Huntkey)

A power brick maker will release a 90W wall charger later this year

Huntkey, a company based in Shenzhen, has announced that it is currently producing a 90-watt wall-wart intended for mobile devices. This next-gen power-brick also has a USB type-C output, rather than type-A as normal. It supports ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 22 Mar 2019 18:46

The Apple AirPower's release may be on the cards (again). (Source: Apple)

The Apple AirPower charging mat may launch soon: new leak

DigiTimes has cited sources at a components supplier in a new report that alleges the AirPower accessory is finally going to be released soon. This article also asserts that the long-awaited wireless charging pad will work with at...

Deirdre O Donnell, 22 Mar 2019 17:51

Razer did well for itself last year. (Source: The Drum)

Razer made nearly US$80 million in gross profit last year: new report

Razer has released its financial report for 2018. It shows that the gaming company's revenues are now stands at US$274.2 million. The firm made $79.5 million in terms of gross profit last year, and also cut its losses by 4.3% comp...

Deirdre O Donnell, 22 Mar 2019 15:17

The transparent Mi 9 alongside an 'opaque' sibling. (Source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi releases cheaper 8GB version of the Mi 9 Transparent Edition

The transparent variant of the Xiaomi Mi 9 seems to be doing very well this year. Chinese blogs have reported that the OEM cannot keep it on shelves, despite its relatively high price tag. Perhaps this is why a new, cheaper varian...

Deirdre O Donnell, 22 Mar 2019 14:43

AMD's EPYC 2 server chips are expected to be released in the second half of 2019. (Source: ServeTheHome)

Google could be planning on adopting AMD's Zen 2-based EPYC 2 "Rome" server chips

A market analyst for financial services company Cowen has predicted that Google will utilize AMD’s upcoming EPYC 2 server CPUs, codenamed “Rome”, for its own services. This would be a huge deal for AMD, which has already been sele...

Daniel R Deakin, 22 Mar 2019 10:39

The Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus. (Source: Samsung)

Samsung hopes to win back the Chinese market with the Galaxy S10 phones

Samsung released the S10 phones a few weeks ago and is hoping to use the devices as a tool in a bid to claw back its lost market share in China. It appears to be working, too, with sales said to be already twice that of the Galaxy...

Ricci Rox, 22 Mar 2019 08:36

One of the "official" Huawei P30 and P30 Pro images. (Source: SlashLeaks)

Alleged Huawei P30 and P30 Pro marketing material shows up online ahead of launch

The next Huawei flagships are due to launch on March 26, 2019. However, a leaker claims to have gotten hold of genuine promotional images for the two phones ahead of this event. These posters are for the French market, and show wh...

Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Mar 2019 23:36

Can this new 'free phone' concept work? (Source: Volk Fi)

A phone with free calls, texts and data? This is what the Volk One offers, apparently

Could a phone establish data connections and load webpages independent of either WiFi or a SIM card? Volk Fi apparently thinks so. This company is currently advertising its first smartphone, the Volk One, which can apparently form...

Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Mar 2019 19:01

The Redmi 7 is now available in Ukraine. (Source: Redmi)

The Redmi 7 makes it to its first Western market: Ukraine

Xiaomi has a thriving presence in Ukraine, with numerous physical stores and online sales through partner websites. This now extends to the new Redmi 7, the second device line to be sold under the OEM's latest sub-brand. Its avail...

Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Mar 2019 18:21

Google will give EU Android users a choice of search and browser apps in the future. (Source: Campaign)

Google will ask European Android users which browser and search engine they want in the future

Reports have just emerged that the European Commission has disciplined Google for anti-trust-related business practices. Coincidentally, the company has issued a new blog post outlining its new measures to ensure that there is "ch...

Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Mar 2019 16:30

As is becoming tradition, purchases come with a Huawei Watch. (Source: Tek.no)

Norwegian retailer leaks the Huawei P30 Pro in full

The Huawei P30 phones are billed to be launched on March 26, next week, but a Norwegian retailer has revealed all we could hope to know about the P30 Pro. Notable features include a triple rear camera setup and a ToF sensor, a 420...

Ricci Rox, 21 Mar 2019 09:12

Phil Spencer is preparing something big for Xbox at E3. (Source: Game Rant)

Microsoft's response to Google's Stadia: Going big at E3 with possible xCloud or Xbox announcements

A leaked email allegedly from Phil Spencer, the Xbox head executive, has given some ambiguous details about how Microsoft and Xbox will challenge Google’s recent massive announcement about its Stadia game-streaming service. It see...

Daniel R Deakin, 21 Mar 2019 08:36

The Spartan demigod Kratos is the main character in God of War. (Source: Mashable)

God of War wins the Game Developers Choice Award for Game of the Year

God of War has won another “Game of the Year” title to add to its growing collection. This time, it was the Game Developers Choice Award for Game of the Year that was given to the acclaimed action-adventure game. God of War, which...

Daniel R Deakin, 21 Mar 2019 07:10

Margrethe Vestager: The European Commissioner for Competition who today announced Google's third fine in under two years for antitrust violations (Image source: WIC News)

Google fined €1.49 billion by the EU for yet another antitrust breach

Today, the European Commission has fined Google €1.49 billion for abusing its market dominance of online search adverts. The company has now been fined over €8.25 billion by the Commission in less than two years for illegal practi...

Alex Alderson, 20 Mar 2019 19:30

Lenovo ThinkPad T490s using the same motherboard as smaller X390 may explain feature loss

As the release of Lenovo's newest business laptops of the well known ThinkPad brand comes closer, we discovered an interesting fact in the support documentation of the ThinkPad T490s and the smaller ThinkPad X390: Both use the sam...

Benjamin Herzig, 20 Mar 2019 19:29

The purported Xperia 4 compared to the Z5 Compact and XZ2 Compact. (Source: SumahoInfo)

The Sony Xperia 4 could be a disappointing successor to the Xperia Compact flagships

Sony is set to launch a new Xperia device, the Xperia 4, in the coming months. The Xperia 4 is said to be a replacement for the Xperia Compact flagship line, but it's looking more and more like a poor one.

Ricci Rox, 20 Mar 2019 14:26

OWC offers memory kits for the new 27-inch iMac. (Source: OWC)

OWC has prepared RAM upgrades for the 27-inch 2019 iMac already

OWC is a company that caters to iMac fans who want to upgrade their new Apple all-in-ones. It has announced its new Memory Kits for the 2019 27-inch iMac (the 5K model). As this new 2019 variant has 4 user-accessible slots, OWC is...

Deirdre O Donnell, 20 Mar 2019 14:25

The LumiCharge is back with wireless charging this time. (Source: Lumicharge)

LumiCharge II: The teched-out desk lamp returns with a wireless-charging upgrade

LumiCharge made a good impression among tech correspondents with its first-gen desk lamp. This product had an LED clock, not to mention ways to charge iOS and Android smartphones with built-in wired connections. Now, the company i...

Deirdre O Donnell, 20 Mar 2019 13:15

Q4 2018: Xiaomi's smartphone division sees 28% drop in revenue

A new report has detailed Xiaomi's sales numbers for the fourth quarter of 2018. The company managed to beat its profit estimates for the quarter but also suffered from a heavy quarter-on-quarter drop in revenue from smartphone sa...

Ricci Rox, 20 Mar 2019 11:55

The Alienware Alpha R2 PC/console hybrid could be fitted with a GPU from Nvidia or AMD. (Source: Dell)

Dell's Frank Azor says no to Alienware gaming phones and more consoles

During a visit to India where he has been discussing newly launched Dell and Alienware laptops for the Indian market, Dell executive Frank Azor had time to make a few interesting comments about what direction Alienware won’t be ta...

Daniel R Deakin, 20 Mar 2019 10:31

Dell's G7 15 gaming laptop has a 15.6-inch FHD (1920x1080) IPS 144 Hz display. (Source: Dell India)

Dell launches G7 15, Alienware m15, and Alienware Area-51m gaming laptops in India

Dell has announced that the G7 15 gaming laptop, the Alienware m15 notebook, and the powerful Alienware Area-51m computer are now available to customers in India. The devices can currently be ordered from the website for Dell Indi...

Daniel R Deakin, 20 Mar 2019 09:40

New iMacs are now available. (Source: Apple)

Apple has updated its iMac line-up for 2019

In a move that aligns with relevant rumors from days ago, Apple has upgraded its take on the all-in-one (AIO) PC. However, these new desktops are iMacs, not iMac Pros. Nevertheless, they now come with 8th- or 9th-gen Intel process...

Deirdre O Donnell, 19 Mar 2019 19:50

Xiaomi Mi Pay hits India (Source: Android Authority)

Xiaomi finally launches its mobile payments service in India

Already available in China, the Xiaomi Mi Pay mobile payments service has been tested in India in the second half of 2018. In the meantime, the Chinese company obtained the approval of the Reserve Bank of India, and Mi Pay is now ...

Codrut Nistor, 19 Mar 2019 18:08

Upcoming HP ProBook 445R G6 and 455R G6 will carry AMD Ryzen Zen+ processors

The ProBook 445 and 455 are barely three months old and they will soon be updated with faster models come this summer. Much like the upcoming Lenovo IdeaPad C340 series, the newer SKUs will have second generation AMD Zen APUs for ...

Allen Ngo, 19 Mar 2019 16:00

The developer kit version of the Nvidia Jetson Nano costs just US$99. (Source: Nvidia)

Machine learning from US$99: Nvidia unveils tiny Jetson Nano AI computer

Nvidia has launched the Jetson Nano, a small computer that offers machine-learning capabilities at an entry-level price. The developer kit costs US$99 while a production-ready module will cost US$129. The Jetson Nano module offers...

Daniel R Deakin, 19 Mar 2019 05:50

The latest LG OLED TVs will be available for purchase soon. (Source: LG USA)

LG announces US availability of 2019 OLED TVs - and that they will be super expensive

LG has stated its US dollar prices for its new OLED TVs. These state-of-the-art panels were previewed at CES 2019, and come with Dolby Vision, ThinQ AI and inbuilt Google Assistant. They start at US$2,499 - and work their way up t...

Deirdre O Donnell, 19 Mar 2019 00:34

Kingston introduces DC500R and DC500M, two new SATA SSDs aimed at the enterprise market

Kingston has just announced two new lines of enterprise-grade SATA SSDs. The drives offer similar features of other enterprise-level flash storage solutions, including ECC, onboard power loss protection, and more. Compared to othe...

Sam Medley, 18 Mar 2019 21:35

The Black Shark 2 has been released. (Source: GizmoChina)

The Xiaomi Black Shark 2 is now available: SD 855 and Pixelworks HDR for US$477

The Xiaomi Black Shark 2 has been launched today (March 18, 2019) in China. As expected, it is powered by the Snapdragon 855 processor, has a 6GB RAM base model and has a 6.39-inch FHD+ AMOLED display. This panel has some interest...

Deirdre O Donnell, 18 Mar 2019 19:26