Accessory

Honor has already confirmed that the Magic sub-brand will be updated with a flagship Android phone soon. A new leak suggests that the OEM also has a foldable phablet and clamshell in the works that will also launch under this name, not to mention new laptops, a router and accessories that might include a stylus.

The Lenovo Go series of remote-work-focused accessories is expanding at MWC 2021 to include new and arguably thoughtful peripherals for those who have come to rely on PCs such as ultrabooks in professional capacities. They include new wireless mice, one of which is of the upright variety, and a handy cable-free numberpad. The OEM has also launched audio equipment under this new sub-brand.

Lenovo has expanded its Go series of remote-working tools with new power accessories, directed at use with freshly-launched ThinkPads in particular. They include a Wireless Charging Kit, designed to combine a laptop stand with up to 65 watts (W) of USB type-C power. There is also a new 10,000mAh power bank with Qi wireless charging from this line.

Lenovo is at the (virtual) 2021 Mobile World Congress with the latest additions to its enterprise-grade lines of devices. They include new ThinkVision monitors, which come in new, 15.6 portable and 23.8-inch fixed versions. The former is pitched as a portable extension for a new ThinkPad, whereas the latter might also go with Lenovo's new dedicated web-cam.

Microsoft has announced some new “Designed for Xbox” monitors that have been created with the Xbox Series X|S consoles in mind. The Asus Strix Xbox Edition Gaming Monitor XG43UQ and Acer Xbox Edition Gaming Monitor XV282K KV come with plenty of bells and whistles, but they are also quite pricey.

The 75 percent Vissles keyboard is one of the better small form factor keyboards we've tried and it comes with plenty of features to justify the $89 to $99 price tag. However, a specific design choice prevents it from being an instant favorite.

Carl Pei's latest start-up Nothing has announced that it will release its first products, the "innovative" ear (1) TWS earbuds, in the summer of 2021. Now, it has also revealed that it has secured a partnership with the high-end department store Selfridges to do so via this chain's flagship London store in the UK.

With more than two weeks left, the AZIO IZO Collection has already raised more than six times the US$10,000 goal of the Kickstarter campaign that kicked off on June 8. Early backers can get the keyboard for US$70 and the entire set (keyboard, palm rest, numeric pad/standalone calculator, mouse) for US$145.

OnePlus' co-founder Carl Pei has followed the launch of his new start-up Nothing with an announcement for that of its inaugural product, the ear (1) true-wireless stereo (TWS) devices, in June 2021. However, it seems the buds will now fail to make this vague deadline and will debut later in the same year instead.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Thunderbolt 4 Workstation Dock is now official. It comes with a wide selection of ports, including HDMI 2.1, DP 1.4, USB Type-C and more. Users can buy the dock for US$419 in Q4 2021.

The DJI Mini SE has allegedly been spotted on a Walmart shelf, despite the fact the OEM has not even come close to announcing this new drone yet. According to its possible accidental release, it is a particularly light, compact UAV that may be a budget variant of the Mavic Mini. This is indicated mostly through its 2.7K camera spec.

The tiny GaN USB-C adapter can charge your MacBook, Razer Blade, smartphone, and Nintendo Switch all at the same time when it becomes available worldwide this July.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved 2 new Samsung devices, the SM-R880 and SM-R885, for sale. As they are thought to be 2 versions of the upcoming Galaxy Watch 4, this may put the flagship wearables closer to launch than ever. Furthermore, the regulator has confirmed that one of these products has 4G/LTE connectivity.

Xiaomi has announced that it will release a new smartwatch to the Indian market soon. This new wearable is called the Active version of the Mi Watch Revolve, and does not appear hugely different from that pre-existing smartwatch. Then again, it may have an updated UI, driven by a new "Watchful Living" philosophy.

Wacom has announced that the entry-level, non-wireless version of its Intuos drawing tablet has joined the Works With Chromebook program. This means the device is certified to integrate "seamlessly" with Chrome OS PCs via USB type A. This might represent a useful new prospect for beginner artists and creators, not to mention remote educators.

Razer has launched the new Opus X headphones via its own website. These new wireless accessories have emerged as a new mid-range variant of their series, compared to the original Opus cans. They support active noise cancellation (ANC) and a low-latency connection, yet lack the THX certification of their predecessors, not to mention a 3.5mm port for a wired mode.

OtterBox has unveiled a new product aimed at the problem of controller drain while gaming on the Xbox Series X, S or One. It consists of the new Power Swap Controller Batteries, along with a charging cradle for the same. The OEM asserts that it is optimally designed to enable one-handed battery reloads without a break in play.

Sony has finally made professional-grade drones for cameras like the Alpha 1 in-house for the first time. However, all the seamless compatibility, enhanced connectivity, speed and control over aerial footage implied with the launch of the Airpeak S1 comes at a near-five-figure cost. Furthermore, the new gimbal designed for the UAV does not even come in the box with it.

Samsung is thought to introduce the Galaxy Watch 4 and Active 4 lines of smartwatches during its next major product event. Now, another domino in this rumored sequence might have fallen, in the form of 3C certification for new wearables from this OEM. It may confirm earlier leaks pointing to nearly unchanged charging specs for one new Active SKU.

The current silicon crisis is often perceived as bad news for CPU and GPU supplies worldwide. However, a new report highlights the point that its ramifications might be more widespread than that. It indicates that disrupted sales of a controller chip necessary for working USB 4/Thunderbolt 4 might lead to a lack of PCs with 11th-gen Intel processors next, or to OEMs resorting to releasing the same machines without this spec.

Samsung has reportedly certified a new battery with the group SGS Fimko, listed as intended for what looks like 2 variants of the same upcoming smartwatch. Their model numbers have become linked to the next-gen Galaxy Watch Active in earlier leaks. This latest one suggests that this model will get an upgrade in these terms, albeit not much of one.

Have you ever wanted to carry your HomePod Mini around with its audio still playing in the process? Now you might be able to, should Mission Accessories get its new Kickstarter campaign funded. It claims that its new Battery Base converts the little Apple smart speaker into a portable audio accessory. It is rated for up to 9 hours of use between charges, which it does via USB type-C.

Optoma has announced the FHDS130 SOLO LED Display as its latest addition to its line of large-scale products in the "pro-AV" category. The 130-inch screen is calibrated by the OEM out of the box, and is rated for clarity, brightness and sharpness. It also has a single-cable solution that might reduce installation time and complexity by a considerable margin.

Counterpoint has produced a bill of materials (BoM) analysis for the Apple Watch Series 6 and has estimated that the cost is just over a third of the official price of the popular smartwatch. The most expensive parts of the 2020 Apple Watch are the processor and memory, with Cupertino cutting costs by removing Force Touch.

The Eyesafe display specialists have confirmed that Gigabyte monitors have achieved its TÜV Rheinland certification for user health and comfort. Four of these Aorus-brand models are on the market, whereas one still awaits a launch. Therefore, the OEM can say the displays are as low on blue-light emissions as they are high on gaming performance.

Google has formally launched its latest TWS earbuds, albeit as effectively cut-down versions of its original Pixel Buds for $100 less than their original price. Therefore, the new A variants' design is much unchanged from their predecessors. They also retain features such as noise reduction and touch controls, but lose others, wireless charging included.

A Twitter-based leaker claims that Samsung has a new, AirPower-like wireless charger in the works. This pad is apparently thinner than its closest pre-existing counterpart, thanks to slimmer coil and thermal-management technology. The putative accessory is touted to power compatible devices at up to 25W.

According to a new leak, OnePlus is about to join the growing number of smartphone OEMs with its own smart tag. The report asserts that the company has registered a relevant trademark, alongside others for pre-existing products. Therefore, a product to go with that name might launch soon.

The small projector is big on ease-of-use and portability, but it's also big on noise and some inconveniences. But for the price, it's a quick way to get a huge screen in just a couple of minutes.

Zepp Health has announced that its increasingly popular brands Amazfit and Zepp broke into the top 4 of names in the smartwatch market in terms of shipments for the first quarter of 2021 (1Q2021). They sold nearly 69% more units compared to 1Q2020. Zepp Health brands were also #1 in several countries for the quarter.

Huawei describes its latest FreeBuds 4 as high-sound-quality TWS earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC). They are also pitched as particularly comfortable earphones, due to their light build and design. They are rated for up to 22 hours of battery life, counting their wireless-charging-enabled case.

Huawei has launched its latest smartwatches alongside its new MatePads. The 3 and 3 Pro have eSIM functions in addition to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and NFC. The OEM also claims 24/7 heart-rate and blood-oxygen tracking, as well as long battery life, for the new HarmonyOS-powered wearables.

The Redmi AirDots 3 Pro have just launched on the Chinese market as its brand's latest ANC TWS earbuds; now, they seem poised to hit the global market, albeit under a different name - possibly even a different brand. They have been registered with the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) with not 1 but 2 alter egos, suggesting that they might be destined for different regions under one or both of them.

Huawei has reportedly hung physical posters teasing its second-gen MatePad Pro up around its domestic market ahead of its imminent launch. They depict a high-end slate with slim enough bezels, not to mention screen contents seemingly lining up with those from earlier HarmonyOS-related leaks. The device might also sell alongside a new keyboard dock and a compatible stylus.

Apple's Podcasts app will soon spawn a new wave of titles, to be published by new partner brands such as the Washington Post and Sony Music and also by independent creators. These new streams will require monthly or yearly fees, for which bonus or early-access content, as well as an ad-free experience, are thrown in. The new subscriptions are to be available in 170 countries from May 2021.

ViewSonic's ColorPro VP2768a has won one of the Technical Image Press Association's (TIPA) World Awards for 2021, in recognition of specs and features prized by photography experts. The monitor also already boasts Pantone validation and TÜV SÜD-certified color-blindness simulations; therefore, the OEM might now tout its performance yet further with this new title.

Meizu has just announced a new smartwatch powered by the latest Snapdragon Wear 4100 platform for wearables. The OEM has packed it with a raft of health-monitoring features, heart-rate and blood-oxygen measurements included, not to mention 4G/LTE support. It can be pre-ordered from tomorrow (June 1, 2021) at a price equivalent to US$235.

Xiaomi has just showcased its latest standard for mobile-device charging, consisting of a power brick rated to charge at up to 200W. The OEM claims that it can power a compatible smartphone with a 4,000mAh battery from 0 to 100% in just 8 minutes. It has not stopped there, though, having also revealed its latest wireless charger that can apparently go at a blazing-fast 120W.

The affordable gaming headphones retail for just under $70 USD with 50 mm drivers, a steel headband and lots of adjustment options. Its stiff microphone arm and volume adjuster, however, could use some more work.

Marvell has announced that its latest line of SSD controllers has upgraded to PCIe 5.0 and NVMe 1.4b support. These specs render the Bravera SC5 series compatible with up-to-date cloud-related demands, or so the OEM asserts. They are also rated to offer advanced security and response-time features.

Samsung is rumored to launch next-gen wearables called the Galaxy Buds 2 at its next product event. Now, the OEM has submitted a pair of TWS earbuds that might match up with this leak with the FCC. They look a lot like their immediate predecessors and support Bluetooth Low Energy (LE).

The OPPO Watch is probably one of the most Apple-like smartwatches with Wear OS out there. Now, some leaks hint strongly at a second generation powered by Qualcomm's most up-to-date platforms for wearables. Meanwhile, the company Ambiq seems to have already gone ahead and confirmed that it has provided a back-up SoC that conserves battery life on this device.

Smartwatch company VIITA has launched a Kickstarter campaign for the first Bugatti smartwatch. Three bezels are on offer for the Bugatti Ceramique Edition One, which are inspired by vehicles from the world-famous car manufacturer. The beautiful Bugatti watch is jam-packed full of features but unsurprisingly comes at a high price.