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Sep 24, 2018
A concept render of the forthcoming Galaxy A9 Star/Pro. (Source: All About Samsung)

Galaxy A9 Star Pro looks set to sport four rear cameras

Samsung has said it is targeting new features for its mid-range smartphones to help boost flagging sales. The latest example of this is the forthcoming Galaxy A9 Star Pro that is said to sport four rear cameras, twice as many as its current flagship devices.
Sanjiv Sathiah, 24 Sep 2018 10:58
HTC Dream aka T-Mobile G1 - the first Android smartphone announced on September 23, 2008

Time to celebrate: Google Android is now 10 years old

Although Android Inc. was founded back in October 2003, it took a while for the eponymous operating system to finally hit the market. This event took place on September 23, 2008, when the HTC Dream — also known as the T-Mobile G1 — was introduced as the first commercially available Android-powered smartphone.
Codrut Nistor, 24 Sep 2018 10:45
The recent tariffs may increase RTX 20-series AIB prices. (Source: eBay)

NVIDIA AIB-partner sources offer clearer picture of how tariffs will affect their prices

The tech blog WCCFTech has published exclusive leaks from sources they claim are associated with AIB NVIDIA partners. It includes more detailed information on how the US tariffs on Chinese exports will affect prices for products that integrate the GeForce RTX 20-series of graphics cards.
Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Sep 2018 00:36
Sep 23, 2018
The weekly roundup - GeForce RTX prices going up and more Pixel 3 rumors (Image source: Nvidia)

The weekly roundup - GeForce RTX prices going up and more Pixel 3 rumors

Aside from a couple of Samsung smartphones catching fire, the week has been slow in terms of rumors and releases. Just a couple of noteworthy new laptops are launching while everyone else is left wondering what new smartphones Google and Huawei may be brewing up for Christmas
Allen Ngo, 23 Sep 2018 22:45
The burnt husk of the S7 Edge. (Source: /u/rokhana)

Man's Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge explodes, Samsung replies

Only a week after a woman in New York claimed her new Samsung Galaxy Note 9 went up in flames, a Redditor's S7 Edge has also exploded, and this time the user has substantial proof.
Ricci Rox, 23 Sep 2018 14:40
The Meizu 16X may just be the ideal sub-premium smartphone

The Meizu 16X may just be the ideal sub-premium smartphone

Meizu finally released its latest device, the Meizu 16X, earlier this week. The device features a 6-inch notch-less FHD+ Super AMOLED display, dual rear cameras, a Snapdragon 710, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Ricci Rox, 23 Sep 2018 14:35
CAD renders of the Nokia 7.1 Plus. (Source: Mysmartprice)

The Nokia 7.1 Plus may be coming on October 4

HMD has reportedly postponed the launch of the flagship Nokia 9 so the company's teased event on October 4 will likely see the launch of the Snapdragon 710-powered Nokia 7.1 Plus.
Ricci Rox, 23 Sep 2018 14:34
The LG V30. (Source: The Android Guys)

The LG V40 launches on October 3, five cameras in tow

LG officially announced a while ago that its next flagship, the LG V40, will be launched on October 3 at an event in New York.
Ricci Rox, 23 Sep 2018 14:31
Razer pushes style over substance with the $99 Ifrit gaming headset

Razer pushes style over substance with the $99 Ifrit gaming headset

Razer's new Ifrit headset is designed to be an unobtrusive audio solution for game streamers. While the headset looks sleek, there's little word on the actual quality of its earbuds and microphone. The Ifrit is on sale now for $99.
Sam Medley, 23 Sep 2018 05:44
Asus will have three trims of the GeForce RTX 2070 coming next month (Source: Asus)

Asus will have three trims of the GeForce RTX 2070 coming next month

The Turbo RTX 2070, Dual RTX 2070, and Strix RTX 2070 will all boast IP5X dust resistance while the higher-end model will support the new VirtualLink standard for simplifying VR setups and have a host of auxiliary features. Asus is promising a completely silent GPU should the core temperature be below 55 C. No prices have been announced.
Allen Ngo, 23 Sep 2018 00:07
Sep 22, 2018
Ajit Pai has been criticized for his repeal on Net Neutrality and his close ties with the broadband industry. (Source: Mashable)

The New York Times has sued the FCC over allegations of hiding evidence of Russian interference in Net Neutrality repeal

In June 2017, the New York Times's request to view server information related to public comments on the repeal of Net Neutrality was denied on the grounds that it would reveal private information. Now, after months of back and forth attempts to retrieve at least some information, the NYT has finally decided to sue.
Matthew Connatser, 22 Sep 2018 23:18
Evan Blass' renders as posted on Twitter. (Source: @evleaks via Twitter)

Evan Blass appears to leak the Pixel 3 and 3 XL - and to confirm every other leak out there

The popular and consistently accurate leaker evleaks has tweeted a set of renders that match what many people now think of as the Pixel 3 and 3 XL exactly. The larger of the two phones persists in exhibiting an honestly colossal-looking notch. It appears Google is conclusively out of surprises for its next smartphone launch event.
Deirdre O Donnell, 22 Sep 2018 23:14
Alienware Aurora desktop with RTX 2080 graphics (Source: Frank Azor)

The Alienware Aurora desktop PC gets NVIDIA RTX 2080 graphics

The barely released NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 has already found its way to the innards of the Alienware Aurora desktop PC for gamers. Those interested — and with a generous budget — can get the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 OC-powered Aurora for US$2,155.99. This machine also comes with 16 GB of memory, Intel Core i7-8700K processor, and 256 GB SSD + 2 TB HDD storage.
Codrut Nistor, 22 Sep 2018 09:52
A few major Telltale Games titles (Source: Wccftech)

Another one bites the dust: Telltale Games is shutting down

Less than two years ago, Telltale Games was hiring new staff and getting ready to launch quite a few Nintendo Switch titles. Unfortunately, the studio seems to no longer have a future, as around 250 employees have just been laid off and the small team of 25 that remains will complete a few ongoing projects before Telltale Games becomes history.
Codrut Nistor, 22 Sep 2018 08:20
Alienware flagship store in Chengdu, China (Source: Retail Design Blog)

Alienware opening a new flagship store in China this weekend

Back in 2009, Alienware opened up the gates of its first retail store in the US. In the meantime, the brand's network of brick-and-mortar locations expanded all over the world and even got to China. Now, the time has come for a new Alienware flagship store and Frank Azor is flying there for the grand opening.
Codrut Nistor, 22 Sep 2018 07:32
Image: Canonical

Canonical extends security support for Ubuntu 14.04 LTS

Ubuntu 14.04 LTS, which is the basis for many cloud and enterprise services, is coming up on its end of life this April. Canonical will begin offering an Extended Security Maintenance service in April that will continue rolling out security patches. However, the service is designed primarily for enterprise customers.
Sam Medley, 22 Sep 2018 05:43
The iPhone XS (right) has a single battery. Notice the slightly smaller width along the top right edge. (Image source: FixjeiPhone)

The iPhone XS has a smaller battery capacity than the iPhone X

According to TENAA, the iPhone XS has a 2658 mAh battery, a small downgrade from the iPhone X's 2716 mAh battery. Considering that the iPhone X was criticized for its mediocre battery life last year, this could be a sticking point for the XS.
Sam Medley, 22 Sep 2018 03:52
Samsung's RAM is used in everything, from desktops to laptops to phones. This supply decrease may affect more than DIY PC parts. (Source: GameRevolution)

Samsung plans to lower memory supply in order to keep prices high

While DRAM prices have been dropping since January of this year, the price of DDR4 memory is still significantly higher than it was in 2016. Now, during a time of reduced demand, Samsung may be planning to cut down on supply in order to keep today's prices.
Matthew Connatser, 22 Sep 2018 02:05
Sep 21, 2018
The Turing architecture found in the newest GF RTX cards. (Source: NVIDIA)

NVIDIA's share price suffers after "disappointing" Morgan Stanley with the RTX 20-series

NVIDIA's target stock price has been downgraded to US$273, and has had its market value suffer, after Morgan Stanley took the relatively restrained improvements of the new GeForce RTX 2080 over older cards. However, a WCCFTech analyst has hit back, asserting that the financial giant does not grasp what the new Turing architecture brings to gaming.
Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Sep 2018 23:47
A recent leak claims that Intel are releasing 22nm versions of new chips. (Source: Intel)

Is the Intel 'chip shortage' starting to bite? AMD's stock price reportedly gains ground

Reports have claimed that Intel will be short of processors for the upcoming 2018 holiday season. They are based on an interview with a JP Morgan analyst, and on a report from a Chinese source claims that the company is reverting from 14nm to 22nm chip production processes. There may be something to them, as AMD's stock is now reported to be rising steadily.
Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Sep 2018 23:46
Twitch is now banned in China

Twitch is now banned in China

Over the past week, fewer and fewer Chinese users have been able to access Twitch. As of September 20th, Twitch's site and official iOS App were shut down in China, rendering them inaccessible within the nation. While the reason for the ban is unknown, it is not unlike other censorship measures exercised by China.
Sam Medley, 21 Sep 2018 22:52
The new leaked renders suggest that there might be two versions of the Pixelbook 2. (Source: T3)

Google Pixelbook codename Nocturne gets leaked renders

The latest leaked renders of the next gen Pixelbook tablet reveal a 2-in-1 design with a detachable keyboard. The tablet itself appears to feature at least one USB-C connector, thin speakers on each side of the display, a fingerprint sensor and acoustic cancellation microphone array around the edges.
Bogdan Solca, 21 Sep 2018 21:03
Buy a Razer Blade laptop and get Shadow of the Tomb Raider free (Source: Razer)

Buy a Razer Blade laptop and get Shadow of the Tomb Raider free

For this week only, Razer will be throwing in one free PC game of your choice from a select few. The promotion applies to all new purchases of three specific Blade models including the Blade 15 and Blade Pro 17. The timing of the deal coincides with the recent availability of GeForce RTX graphics cards for desktops.
Allen Ngo, 21 Sep 2018 20:30
OPPO CEO Malhav Sheth presenting the new Realme 2 Pro (Source: Technical Guruji on YouTube)

OPPO Realme 2 Pro pops up on Geekbench

The Realme 2 Pro mid-range smartphone will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 660 SoC coupled with 8 GB RAM and will integrate a dual-cam plus fingerprint sensor on the back. Performance-wise, the Realme 2 Pro is in-line with other Snapdragon-660-powered devices. Full specs and pricing info will be revealed on September 27.
Bogdan Solca, 21 Sep 2018 20:18
Facebook Dating public testing now live in Columbia, only inside the Facebook app

Facebook Dating goes live, but only for a limited test run

Facebook Dating is a Tinder alternative that does not come with left/right swiping but relies on shared Facebook connections instead. This service uses the data in one's Facebook profile, friends, Group memberships, and so on. The browser version is not available yet, and the mobile apps only work in Columbia for now.
Codrut Nistor, 21 Sep 2018 19:55
A new reports estimates the worth of the smart home market in 2025. (Source: medium.com)

Smart home market to exceed US$90 billion by 2025: new report

Smart home technology has definitely caught on by now, with many people automating or controlling their living spaces with new products designed to be integrated into them. A new market research report suggests that the market built up around this trend is worth billions now and will be worth even more in the future.
Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Sep 2018 19:14
OnePlus have released OOS 9.0, which is based on Android Pie, for the 6. (Source: imgur)

OnePlus 6 gets official Pie-based Oxygen OS

The first official stock release of Oxygen OS (OOS) based on Android Pie (9.0) is now available for Oneplus' latest flagship, the 6. As expected, the ROM contains Pie-compatible navigation and UI features, accent color change support and refreshed DND settings.
Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Sep 2018 19:12
Microsoft Skype logo, Skype calling coming to Alexa devices by the end of 2018

Amazon Alexa devices to get Skype calling later this year

Cortana's future is uncertain nowadays because Amazon and Microsoft are now working together on bringing Skype calling to the ever-increasing crowd of devices that feature Amazon Alexa support. According to Microsoft officials, Skype calling support will be available on Alexa-driven devices before the end of the year.
Codrut Nistor, 21 Sep 2018 17:45
Adobe corporate logo, Adobe buys Marketo for US$4.75 billion

Adobe buys Marketo for almost US$5 billion

At US$4.75 billion, Marketo's acquisition is Adobe's largest corporate acquisition to date. This company comes with more than 500 partners and a marketing community with more than 65,000 members. Marketo's team will become a part of Adobe's Digital Experience business and its CEO will join Adobe's senior leadership team.
Codrut Nistor, 21 Sep 2018 15:25
The new Amazon Echo Show features a large 10-inch display. (Source: Amazon)

Amazon launches a slew of new Alexa-powered products

Amazon has released a stunning array of new Alexa-powered devices that spans traditional products like its Echo range, through to a new car product and even an Alexa-enabled microwave oven. The new devices highlight the increasing popularity of its digital personal assistant and the company’s plans to make the platform ubiquitous.
Sanjiv Sathiah, 21 Sep 2018 12:24
Image source: 9to5Mac

Code buried in iOS 12.1 heavily implies that new iPads are coming this year

Code discovered in the Setup app for iOS 12.1 references a device called "iPad2018Fall," This, combined with other rumors of upcoming features that make sense for an iPad, all but confirm that new Apple tablets are coming in the next couple of months. This would coincide with Apple's typical release schedule.
Sam Medley, 21 Sep 2018 05:07
Sep 20, 2018
Image source: South Park (w/ edits)

You can now play your own NES ROMs on Nintendo Switch Online thanks to a new hack

Less than 24 hours after its launch, Nintendo's Switch Online service has already been hacked to allow gamers to load their own custom NES ROMs in to the NES library. The process, which seems to be simple, is possible because of Nintendo's use of common .nes ROM files, the same filetype used by ROM sites online.
Sam Medley, 20 Sep 2018 23:13
3DMark introduces new benchmark built for GeForce RTX ray tracing (Source: UL)

3DMark is readying new benchmark built for GeForce RTX ray tracing

GeForce RTX owners will soon have an objective 3DMark benchmark made specifically for testing their ray tracing capabilities. On the other end of the spectrum, a second entry-level benchmark will be coming next month for testing low-power DirectX 12 devices.
Allen Ngo, 20 Sep 2018 22:41
KINGPIN managed to boost the GPU core to 2.41 GHz from the default 1.54 GHz with the aid of liquid nitrogen. (Source: PCFiend)

Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti overclocked to 2.4 GHz on LN2, ends Titan V hegemony in 3DMark

The default clocks on the RTX 2080 Ti might not deliver the performance we deserved, but at least the overclocking potential is there. Professional overclocker KINGPIN managed to push the GPU clock to 2.41 GHz and GDDR6 VRAM frequencies to 8.63 GHz, breaking all the records in 3DMark and effectively ending the Titan V supremacy.
Bogdan Solca, 20 Sep 2018 21:34
The Canon PowerShot SX70 HS. (Source: Canon)

Canon's newest PowerShot digital camera adds 65x optical zoom and e-viewfinder

Canon has released the PowerShot SX70 HS compact camera. This new, 4K point-and-shoot has a 20.3MP sensor, an optical zoom of up to 65x and extensive image stabilisation. It also has an electronic viewfinder, which is an OLED panel made up of 2.36 million dots. It is also compatible with RAW recording.
Deirdre O Donnell, 20 Sep 2018 21:06
The PlayStation Classic is 45% smaller than the original console. (Source: Sony)

Sony announces PlayStation Classic mini console, available December 3 with 20 preloaded games

The PlayStation brand is celebrating 25 years of existence on December 3 this year, and Sony is launching the PlayStation Classic mini console to mark the special anniversary. Sony will preload the PlayStation Classic with 20 iconic games like Final Fantasy VII, TEKKEN 3 and R4: Ridge Racer Type 4. Also included in the bundle are two controllers for local split-screen multiplayer sessions.
Bogdan Solca, 20 Sep 2018 19:51
This image makes the purported Huawei Freebuds 2 Pro look quite like Apple Airpods. (Source: WinFuture)

Huawei may wow the wireless audio market with earbuds that charge off a phone

Huawei are now rumored to have updated their Freebuds wireless earphones. The new models, which look oddly familiar, are purported to be capable of charging via Qi charging or a USB cable. They may also be capable of charging from a smartphone such as the upcoming Mate 20.
Deirdre O Donnell, 20 Sep 2018 19:04
Dell XPS 15 9570 performance notebook will not get a numeric keypad anytime soon (Source: Dell)

Numeric keypads not coming to the Dell XPS 15 notebook

Although the XPS 15 will not get any updates this year, Dell's performance laptop will probably be refreshed in 2019. Although the launch date of the updated XPS 15 remains a secret, Frank Azor has just confirmed that — when talking about possible design changes — a numeric keypad is not in the cards yet.
Codrut Nistor, 20 Sep 2018 13:55
The Moto G6 Plus. (Source: Android Headlines)

Motorola will only release two Moto G devices next year

Motorola has taken to releasing a trio of Moto G-series devices in the recent past but the company is reportedly said to be set to trim the line down to a duo next year.
Ricci Rox, 20 Sep 2018 13:40
Renders of the Nokia 9. (Source: WCCFTech)

HMD reportedly kills plans for a Nokia 9 release this year

HMD has failed to release a true flagship this year, the Nokia 8 Sirocco that was launched at MWC receiving a mostly lukewarm reception. The Nokia 9 was slated to be the flagship for the year but we may not be getting it this year at all.
Ricci Rox, 20 Sep 2018 13:40
The Mate 10 Pro also eschewed the headphone jack. (Source: AnandTech)

Huawei Mate 20 Pro to ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack

Just like we saw last year, the more expensive Mate 20 Pro will ignore the 3.5mm headphone jack. The cheaper Mate 20 will sport the much-appreciated port, though.
Ricci Rox, 20 Sep 2018 13:38
The Honor Magic. (Source: The Android Soul)

Honor Magic 2 touted to feature an AMOLED display and a yet unmatched screen-to-body ratio

Huawei is set to release the Honor Magic 2 before the end of the year, with the device touted to feature a Kirin 970, a mechanical slider, and, possibly, a 40W fast-charging system.
Ricci Rox, 20 Sep 2018 13:37
Samsung Odyssey Z is now shipping for $1800 USD in the U.S. (Source: Samsung)

The very ugly Samsung Odyssey Z is now shipping for $1800 to compete against the Razer Blade 15

Samsung is banking on its striking chassis design to draw in gamers looking for an ultra-thin notebook akin to the MSI GS65, Asus Zephyrus GX501, or Razer Blade 15. The Odyssey Z was available first in Asia before finally making its way to North America for quite the hefty asking price.
Allen Ngo, 20 Sep 2018 05:54
Sep 19, 2018
Image source: Nokia India Twitter

Nokia may be planning a gaming-centered smartphone

A now-deleted tweet on Nokia's Indian Twitter account teased a gaming-centered smartphone. The post, which was hastily taken down, said that we should "stay tuned for a phone you can #GameOn," heavily implying that Nokia may have plans for a gaming smartphone. Given the recent rise in mobile gaming, this wouldn't be unwarranted.
Sam Medley, 19 Sep 2018 23:37
Apparently, Samsung is trying out new marketing schemes with the inclusion of its first triple-camera setup on a mid-range smartphone. (Source: Belsimpel.nl)

Galaxy A7 (2018) is Samsung's first triple-rear-cam phone

Currently integrated only in high-end smartphones, the triple-camera setup on the back of the Galaxy A7 (2018) may suggest that Samsung is willing to make it a mid-range feature. The Galaxy S10 is rumored to include three rear cams, as well, but it seems like Samsung want to release this feature as soon as possible with the mid-ranger rather than the usual high-end models.
Bogdan Solca, 19 Sep 2018 21:47
The new PJ-3280 budget NVMe SSD from Kingmax is around 3 times faster than the top SATA III SSDs. (Source: Kingmax)

Kingmax releases PJ-3280 budget NVMe SSD

The PJ-3280 NVMe SSD is designed to boost the performance of desktops or laptops without breaking the bank. It comes in 128, 256 and 512 GB capacities and, thanks to the PCIe Gen 3 X2 interface, it can reach sequential reading speeds of up to 1,600 MB/s plus writing speeds of up to 950 MB/s, making it 3 times faster than SATA III SSDs.
Bogdan Solca, 19 Sep 2018 20:52
The new RTX 2080Ti features a new cooling solution, more CUDA cores than ever, and RTX technology. (Source: Gamers Nexus)

RTX 2000 series has a mixed reception from reviewers

While claiming the title of fastest gaming GPU in the world (again), Nvidia has seen equal parts praise and criticism from reviewers. The price and lack of RTX usability at launch has been a major reason why.
Matthew Connatser, 19 Sep 2018 20:25
A mockup showing the 6 and '6T' side by side. (Source: WinFuture)

OnePlus 6T: latest leak suggests the update is more incremental than previously thought

It is expected that the next device released by the OEM OnePlus will be called the 6T, and will drop about a month from now. The latest image claimed as a leak relating to this event shows a back panel not hugely different from the existing OnePlus 6 model. Like the 6, it displays dual cameras and a simple form factor.
Deirdre O Donnell, 19 Sep 2018 20:01
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti is the new king of the hill. (Source: NVIDIA)

NVIDIA GeForce RTX benchmarks — RTX 2080 is a tough sell but RTX 2080 Ti absolutely annihilates everything

The first benchmarks of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 and the RTX 2080 Ti are here and seem to reflect what we've been expecting so far. While the RTX 2080 Ti posts some impressive performance numbers and is easily the most powerful GPU in this generation, the RTX 2080 is on par with the GTX 1080 Ti in performance while still costing US$200 dearer. While these numbers reflect non-RTX performance, it will still be sometime before the worth of these cards can be estimated on actual RTX-enabled games.
Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 19 Sep 2018 15:35
War Thunder 1.81 "The Walkyries" update now available September 2018, attack helicopters included

Update 1.81 "The Walkyries" brings helicopters to War Thunder

The most comprehensive War Thunder update to launch this month — 1.81 "The Walkyries" — introduces a few new ground vehicles, locations, and a new aircraft. However, the most important change involves the attack helicopters that have been added to the US and Russian branches of vehicles. Sadly, they are not available for everyone yet.
Codrut Nistor, 19 Sep 2018 15:05

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Notebookcheck, 2021-10-10 (Update: 2026-09- 9)