Notebookcheck Logo

Latest Tech News

Breaking news, developing stories, insightful articles, and thought-provoking columns about laptops, smartphones, gaming, CPUs, GPUs, and anything related to tech. The latest tech news is also available via Notebookcheck's RSS feed.

    settings restrict
Page Type
Restrict articles to display by Page Type. Each article only falls under one Page Type category.
, , , , , , ,
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,    
Tags
Restrict articles to display by their associated tags. Articles can have multiple tags and can be further restricted with the "and" or search relation.
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,    
Search
Search by article title: 
additional restrictions: News, Columns
Jan 27, 2017
LG Q4 2016 financial results show a weakening smartphone business

LG Q4 2016 financial results show a weakening smartphone business

LG smartphone revenue increased by 15 percent QoQ due to strong sales of the V20, but YoY results have fallen dramatically. Sales of OLED and UHD TVs, however, have been keeping the company afloat.
Allen Ngo, 27 Jan 2017 05:51
Toshiba X20W-D convertible coming this February

Toshiba X20W-D convertible coming this February for over 2000 Euros

The 1.1 kg 2-in-1 notebook will come with a hefty starting price. Configurable options include up to the Kaby Lake Core i7-7600U with 512 GB of SSD storage.
Allen Ngo, 27 Jan 2017 05:19
Apple CEO Tim Cook previously met with Indian PM Narendra Modi in 2016 to discussion manufacturing. (Source: India Express)

Apple mulls expansion of manufacturing to India

Apple has been in talk with the Indian government regarding moving manufacturing to the populous South-Asian country. Apple is reported asking for a number of tax exceptions and concessions from the government to seal the deal, but it's not clear how far the government is willing to bend.
Douglas Black, 27 Jan 2017 04:33
Acer's gaming products sold exceptionally well in 2016 among a growing enthusiast market. (Source: CNET)

Acer has an array of niche laptops planned for 2017

From the monstrous Predator 21 X gaming notebook to the Chromebook 11 N7, Acer has a wide range of laptops coming this year looking to capitalize on a few specific markets that have become the primary drivers of the PC market as consumer demand slows.
Isaac Brown, 27 Jan 2017 04:06
Jan 26, 2017
The KDE Slimbook can be configured with an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor and will run KDE's flavor of Linux. (Source: Slimbook)

Slimbook releases notebook running KDE Linux

KDE and Slimbook have partnered to released the KDE Slimbook, a thin-and-light notebook running either the KDE Neon or KED Plasma distro of Linux.
Sam Medley, 26 Jan 2017 22:18
Wine 2.0 stable is now available for download. (Source: Wine)

Wine 2.0 open-source compatibility layer now available

Wine 2.0 is the first in a line of annual releases. The compatibility layer includes support for Microsoft Office 2013 and 64-bit Windows apps to be run in Mac OS X, among other features.
Sam Medley, 26 Jan 2017 20:27
Netflix corporate logo, Netflix app gets microSD download support

Netflix app now supports downloading to microSD

A few months after allowing its users to download videos for offline viewing, Netflix takes things one step further. The latest update to the Netflix app for Android allows users to save videos directly to the microSD card.
Codrut Nistor, 26 Jan 2017 18:10
Once one of China's high-flying startups, Xiaomi is now struggling in the face of stiff domestic competition. (Source: TechCrunch)

Xiaomi won't be at MWC this year

Not long after VP Hugo Barra jumped ship for Facebook, a Xiaomi spokesperson revealed that the Chinese company would not be attending the event. It seems that rumors that Xiaomi would launch the Mi 6 flagship smartphone at around this time were inaccurate.
Isaac Brown, 26 Jan 2017 17:30
Japan Display flexible LCD display now available in 5.5-inch size

Japan Display unveils 5.5-inch flexible LCD display

A cheaper flexible touchscreen display has just been introduced by Japan Display, who decided to use the older (and cheaper) LCD panel instead of the more expensive OLED technology.
Codrut Nistor, 26 Jan 2017 14:55
Days after announcing his departure from Xiaomi, Barra announced his appointment as head of Facebook's Oculus team. (Source: Facebook)

Hugo Barra to join Facebook as head of Oculus team

Ex-Xiaomi exec Hugo Barra formally announced his departure from the Chinese company a few days ago, but he's already found a new position at Facebook as head of the Oculus team.
Douglas Black, 26 Jan 2017 12:54
Huawei P8 Lite (2017) Android smartphone now available in the UK

Huawei P8 Lite (2017) hits the UK

The successor of the first P8 Lite handset, simply known as P8 Lite (2017), is expected to debut in the UK next Wednesday. Priced at almost $235 USD without a contract, this smartphone will also be available with a contract.
Codrut Nistor, 26 Jan 2017 10:55
High-end laptops, like this Aorus X3, have seen high growth in Western Europe and North America. (Source: Gigabyte/Aorus)

A growing Asia Pacific market helps drive PC gaming high-water mark

A growing Asia-Pacific market and strong sales of high-end notebooks in North America and Western Europe together have driven the PC market's stellar performance.
Douglas Black, 26 Jan 2017 02:00
A purported leaked rendering of the S8's final design. (Source: Business Insider)

Samsung gets first dibs on Snapdragon 835 production, others wait until April

Industry sources that Samsung is hording the majority of the Snapdragon 835 SoCs to itself, causing other companies to have to use older, less desirable chipsets. The 835 is Qualcomm's design, but is being made using Samsung's 10nm manufacturing technology.
Douglas Black, 26 Jan 2017 01:17
Jan 25, 2017
The Toshiba Portégé X30 and Tecra X40 are new thin-and-light business notebooks coming soon from Toshiba. (Source: Toshiba)

Toshiba introduces new Portégé X30 and Tecra X40

The new devices are targeting business consumers looking for a durable thin-and-light notebook.
Sam Medley, 25 Jan 2017 23:18
HP: Renewed Recall of laptop batteries (Picture source: HP)

HP: Renewed recall of laptop batteries

The PC manufacturer is recalling laptop batteries once again. This time, the Palo Alto based company recalls 101,000 batteries, the recall from last summer included less then half of that amount.
Benjamin Herzig, 25 Jan 2017 21:55
MWC 2015 trade show, Google I/O 2017 schedule now public

Google I/O 2017 will take place in May

The coming months are full of interesting events - MWC 2017 kicks off in about a month, followed by Google's annual developer conference that is scheduled to take place take place in California from May 17-19.
Codrut Nistor, 25 Jan 2017 21:23
LG G6 could be stuck with the Snapdragon 821 because of Samsung

LG G6 could be stuck with the Snapdragon 821 because of Samsung

Samsung may have struck a limited time exclusivity deal with Qualcomm to prevent smartphones other than the Galaxy series from utilizing the upcoming flagship Snapdragon 835 SoC.
Allen Ngo, 25 Jan 2017 20:31
PC gaming market surpasses $30 billion USD for the first time (Source: iBuyPower)

PC gaming market surpasses $30 billion USD for the first time

Market is expected to grow by as much as 6 percent compound annual growth rate through 2019.
Allen Ngo, 25 Jan 2017 20:26
HTC U Ultra Android flagship Sapphire edition up for pre-order in Taiwan

HTC U Ultra Sapphire now up for pre-order in Taiwan

The HTC U Ultra Sapphire edition with 128 GB will hit Taiwan for around $922 USD, and shipments are expected to begin by the end of February. The regular U Ultra with 64 GB of storage, on the other hand, would carry a price tag of almost $750 USD.
Codrut Nistor, 25 Jan 2017 18:15
Asus ZenPad 3S 10 LTE Android tablet with Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor

Asus ZenPad 3S 10 LTE now official

This 9.7-inch slate has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor inside, next to 4 GB RAM and 32 GB internal storage. Thanks to its 2K display and surround sound, it provides an excellent multimedia experience.
Codrut Nistor, 25 Jan 2017 16:35
Cisco office building, Cisco acquires AppDynamics

Cisco to buy AppDynamics

This deal is valued at no less than $3.7 billion and aims to give Cisco a broader reach in analytics, as well as an increased impact on the software market. In the future, Cisco plans to provide a comprehensive suite of monitoring tools thanks to the technology that comes with AppDynamics.
Codrut Nistor, 25 Jan 2017 13:35
Acer Chromebook Spin 11 (R751T) rugged convertible for educational use

Acer debuts Chromebook Spin 11 for educational use

This new convertible comes with military-grade durability and extra features that make it a perfect classroom companion, such as the Wacom EMR technology and stylus that provide an easy way to write and draw directly on the screen.
Codrut Nistor, 25 Jan 2017 11:25
Vertu Constellation luxury smartphone, 2017 edition, coming in February

Vertu unveils a new Constellation handset

This new high-performance, luxury handset promises to hit the stores in less than a month, offering dual-SIM with support for 34 international bands and protocols, a 5.5-inch WQHD AMOLED display with sixth generation sapphire crystal protection, and more.
Codrut Nistor, 25 Jan 2017 10:10
 

China cracks down on "unauthorized" VPNs

The Communist Party of China has decided to crack down further on their control of the internet, targeting VPNs. The new law would make "unauthorized" VPNs illegal, and would require the companies to obtain government approval in order to operate. It is unclear what is involved in the "approval" process.
Douglas Black, 25 Jan 2017 10:10
Unlike the pictured Galaxy S7, the S8 will have a fingerprint scanner on the rear instead. (Source: The Guardian)

Samsung Galaxy S8 may be available for purchase around April 21st

Say goodbye to your bezels. Users are finally getting a potential date on which they may purchase a Galaxy S8, which will have a number of interesting features including the curved “infinity” display from the S7 Edge, a new assistant, and USB Type-C port.
Isaac Brown, 25 Jan 2017 03:05
Jan 24, 2017
Toshiba's Portege X20W will be available with a Kaby Lake processor next month. (Source: Toshiba)

Toshiba updates Portégé and Tecra lines with Kaby Lake processors

Several business devices are getting bumped to Kaby Lake over the next month.
Sam Medley, 24 Jan 2017 23:36
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge pink line display problem reported by more users

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge facing display problems

The problem that first appeared back in March 2016 seems to have surfaced again, but Samsung still does not recognize it as a widespread issue. Even worse, when taken for repair, handsets with such problems might not be covered by warranty.
Codrut Nistor, 24 Jan 2017 22:14
Samsung Z3 with Tizen 3.0 smartphone

Samsung Pride with Tizen 3.0 in the works

The handset also known as SM-Z250F is expected to become the first smartphone to run Tizen 3.0 out of the box and is known internally as Pride. It is anticipated to launch in the same areas as the Samsung Z2.
Codrut Nistor, 24 Jan 2017 21:25
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is acquiring AI startup Meta. (Source: Facebook)

Chan Zucerkberg Initiative to purchase AI startup Meta

The purchase will help bolster the startup, whose AI technology is focused on analyzing medical research to pinpoint helpful information for healthcare professionals.
Sam Medley, 24 Jan 2017 21:21
The Google Pixel was the first smartphone that featured Google's aptly-named personal assistant, Google Assistant. (Source: Bloomberg)

Smartphone vendors are focusing on artificial intelligence in 2017

Industry leaders across the board seem to be in agreement that the war for dominance of the smartphone market this year will be in large part decided by the smartphone with the best AI assistant. Who will win the clash between Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant and the upcoming Bixby?
Isaac Brown, 24 Jan 2017 21:15
Alleged Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus renders show 3.5 mm audio jack

Alleged Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus renders surface online

The larger sibling of the upcoming Galaxy S8 flagship will apparently keep the old 3.5 mm audio jack that most top-tier handsets seem to drop in favor of the new USB Type-C connector these days.
Codrut Nistor, 24 Jan 2017 20:25
10 nm chips wafer, 7 nm allegedly coming in 2018

Samsung to begin production of 7 nm chips in early 2018

An unconfirmed report from South Korea claims that Samsung plans to begin producing 7 nm chipsets in early 2018, but until then the company has to work on stabilizing the 14 nm production process as well.
Codrut Nistor, 24 Jan 2017 19:25
Samsung posted year-over-year growth of about 50% for Q4 2016. (Source: Samsung)

Samsung posts major revenue and profit growth for Q4 and full-year 2016

One phone does not make a company. Despite setback with the Galaxy Note 7, Samsung recorded a massive jump in profits for FY 2016.
Sam Medley, 24 Jan 2017 17:03
Toshiba N300 6 TB high-reliability hard drive for NAS

Toshiba unveils 4 TB and 6 TB N300 hard drives

The N300 high-reliability hard drives feature a generous 128 MB data buffer, offering a sustained data transfer rate of more than 200 MB/s. The 6 TB model has a 4 TB sibling as well.
Codrut Nistor, 24 Jan 2017 16:21
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 sales impressive - 250,000 units in 10 minutes

Xiaomi sells 250,000 Redmi Note 4 units in just 10 minutes

The first flash sale offering the new Xiaomi handset to Indian customers turned out to be a major success, the whole stock of 250,000 units vanishing in just 10 minutes. The second batch arrives next week.
Codrut Nistor, 24 Jan 2017 15:42
Some older Chromebooks, such as the Pixel 2, will still have Android app compatibility. (Source: OMGChrome)

All Cromebooks from 2017 on will be compatible with Android apps

Google has announced that in addition to certain legacy models, all Chromebooks released in 2017 onward will have full Android app support.
Douglas Black, 24 Jan 2017 14:48
Huawei P10 Lite Android smartphone hits TENAA with

Huawei P10 Lite surfaces on TENAA

This upcoming handset is apparently another Huawei P10 variant, offering dual-SIM capabilities and the usual LTE connectivity options. Sadly, there are no other details to mention at this stage.
Codrut Nistor, 24 Jan 2017 12:46
iOS 10 lock screen vulnerability now fixed with update 10.2.1

Apple releases iOS 10.2.1

While this new update does not come with any new features, iOS 10.2.1 is not a minor refresh, either. Apple's latest update of its mobile operating system protects against a few severe vulnerabilities, and it is highly recommended to install it as soon as possible.
Codrut Nistor, 24 Jan 2017 11:50
Huawei Honor V9 Android phablet hits TENAA

Huawei Honor V9 hits TENAA

This Honor V9 successor comes with a HiSilicon Kirin 960 processor, 6 GB RAM, a generous 5.7-inch QHD screen, no less than 128 GB internal storage, as well as a 3,900 mAh battery.
Codrut Nistor, 24 Jan 2017 10:50
Jay Z's Tidal music streaming service now 33 percent owned by Sprint

Sprint buys 33 percent of Tidal

As a result of this deal, the music streaming service now reaches Sprint's 45 million prepaid and post-paid customers, while the Marcelo Claure, Sprint's CEO, joins Tidal's board of directors.
Codrut Nistor, 24 Jan 2017 09:50
The droplets in the image suggest the larger Yoga Book may be water/splash proof. (Source: Lenovo)

New 12.1-inch Lenovo Yoga Book spotted on Amazon

Despite no official announcement from Lenovo, a 12.1-inch Yoga Book has popped up on Amazon.com. The new model is larger, cheaper, and seems to be at least water-resistant. However, it has even lower specs than the original Yoga Book.
Douglas Black, 24 Jan 2017 07:42
The ill-fated Galaxy Note 7, shortly before its untimely recall. (Source: GSMArena)

Samsung is not pulling the plug on the Galaxy Note lineup

Samsung is banking on the hope that consumers will forgive them for the unfortunate battery design flaw in the Note 7 that cost the company dearly. The Galaxy Note 8 has a tough job ahead as it aims to win consumers back after a troubling misstep.
Isaac Brown, 24 Jan 2017 04:20
A render of how the Galaxy S8 is expected to look based on multiple design leaks. (Source: Forbes)

Samsung plans "record-breaking marketing campaign" for rumored Galaxy S8 announcement on March 29

Reuters says safety concerns following the review of the Samsung Note 7 may have pushed back the Galaxy S8 launch date from its intended release at Mobile World Congress. Samsung is ramping up marketing efforts to new heights, possibly in a move to compensate for negative perception of the company after the Note 7 recall.
Isaac Brown, 24 Jan 2017 03:33
There are not many notebooks in the under-300 price range that bundle a fingerprint scanner. (Source: Onda)

Onda announces cheap 12-inch ultraportable with fingerprint sensor

Chinese manufacturer Onda has announced a 12.5-inch budget laptop that packs an Apollo Lake Celeron processor and a fingerprint sensor.
Douglas Black, 24 Jan 2017 02:00
Jan 23, 2017
Acer announces TravelMate Spin B1 convertible

Acer announces TravelMate Spin B1 convertible

Acer's TravelMate line gains a new member: the Spin B1 is a convertible notebook with a 360-degree hinge. Targeted at education markets, the Spin B1 promises long battery life and a durable design.
Sam Medley, 23 Jan 2017 23:10
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 Android tablet with Exynos processor

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 specs leak online

The specs of the upcoming Tab S3 tablet with model numbers SM-T820 and SM-T825 have recently surfaced on Weibo. These specs include the Exynos 7420 processor, next to 4 GB RAM and UFS 2.0 internal storage.
Codrut Nistor, 23 Jan 2017 22:25
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 investigation complete, faulty batteries cause the problems

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 investigation results are now public

The whole Galaxy Note 7 saga seems to have reached its final page - the results of the official investigation are now public and they hold no surprise - the fires were caused by faulty batteries coming from two different suppliers.
Codrut Nistor, 23 Jan 2017 20:50
A long overdue update to Google Voice will be rolling out to Android, iOS, and web platforms over the coming weeks. (Source: Google)

Introducing the new Google Voice, 5 years in the making

Google Voice, a VoIP calling service that aggregates multiple phone numbers into one, has received its first update in 5 years. While the service was rumored to be killed off soon, Google has stated this is the first of many updates to come.
Sam Medley, 23 Jan 2017 20:12
WinkPax G1 Android tablet for gamers with MediaTek MT7873 processor

WinkPax G1 Nintendo Switch alternative is already up for sale

This 8-inch "3 in 1 phablet" comes only with Android 5.1, but offers 4G connectivity via a micro SIM card, HDMI output, and has a foldable/detachable/adaptable controller with two joysticks, one D-pad, and four action buttons.
Codrut Nistor, 23 Jan 2017 19:40
Oracle office building, Oracle lays off over 1,000 Solaris- and SPARC-related employees

Oracle lays off over 1,000 employees

Due to the refocus of its Hardware Systems business, Oracle is now laying off employees who mainly work in the SPARC department, most of them as software and hardware developers.
Codrut Nistor, 23 Jan 2017 16:20

All news articles from Sept. 2010 on are located in our News Archive.

Google LogoAdd as a preferred source on Google
Mail Logo
Notebookcheck, 2021-10-10 (Update: 2026-09- 9)