Accessory

It's not exactly cheap at $41.99 USD, but it gets the job done and it should hopefully last a little longer than most cheaper USB-C cables. We'll be using this cable for many of our reviews moving forward.

Samsung is expected to launch a fitness tracker alongside a number of other products at its impending Galaxy Unpacked event. A new leak appears to set its status as a second-gen Galaxy Fit series in stone. It may be the first reported listing for the device that uses a corresponding product name.

Xiaomi has announced a special event coming up soon, and a tip from a noted leaker has suggested that the popular Chinese OEM will use the moment as an opportunity to reveal some new smartphones. The Xiaomi Mi Pro+ (Super Cup) is a likely candidate, and the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2020 has also been put forward for a potential reveal.

Apricorn’s Aegis Secure Key 3NXC is reportedly the world’s first USB Type-C pen drive featuring hardware encryption. With a number of laptops and Android smartphones now leveraging USB Type-C, the 3NXC is increasingly relevant. The 4GB based model cost just US$59, but users will have to pay more for higher storage variants.

Hisense has revealed its new Hardcore Gaming Monitor series at a trade show in China. The external monitor comes with a gaming-friendly 240 Hz refresh rate and features a curved display for increased immersion during intense gaming sessions. The Hisense Hardcore Gaming Monitor’s price hasn’t been announced yet.

Xiaomi's Mi-series of truly wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds is a rapidly-growing line of accessories. However, none of them have featured active noise cancellation (ANC) before. A new addition to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) strongly suggests this is about to change.

Noctua’s latest roadmap, released in late July 2020, shows many of their upcoming products have been pushed out into 2021. These include black versions of popular heatsinks, black covers for existing silver heatsinks, white fans, and their sizeable passive CPU heatsink.

A promo video for the upcoming Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless noise-cancelling headphones has been leaked online, and it reveals quite a few details about the successor to the well-received WH-1000XM3 headphones. Users will be treated to features such as wear detection, Speak-to-Chat mode, DSEE Extreme, and location-based favorite presets.

The PowerBuds are sports-themed TWS earbuds from Huami's brand Amazfit. They are unique in that they have a sensor for heart-rate tracking, a feature normally reserved for smartwatches. Their OEM has finally announced that they will launch on Amazon India in August 2020.

Earlier reports have pointed to a new health-tracking spec for the Apple Watch 5's successor: blood oxygen tracking. A new tip may give this idea further weight. It also backs up other claims of sleep-tracking and even more advanced cardiovascular monitoring in the upcoming wearable.

Nubia has just introduced the late-2020 refresh of its RedMagic 5G gaming smartphone. However, it also debuted a successor to the interesting Alpha flexible-display wearable alongside it. This product, simply called the Watch, has a similar form-factor but may be more durable and user-friendly this time around.

The Huami Amazfit Band 6 has been confirmed thanks to a combination of some code digging and the fitness tracker appearing in all its glory on a retailer site. The Amazfit Band 6 comes with Amazon Alexa, blood oxygen monitoring, heart-rate tracker, menstrual cycle tracker, and stress detection. The “York” codename was previously thought to belong to a global version of the Xiaomi Mi Band 5.

The Zephyr Gaming Mouse resembles many other gaming mice with its RGB lighting and over the top design. However, it also includes a built-in fan that Zephyr Gaming claims can cool your hand. We have been using a prototype for over a week now, but is it worth its US$89 early bird price?

Images and specs for the Redmi K30 Ultra have been shared online, with the upcoming device featuring a MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ chip and up to 12 GB RAM. Apparently, Redmi will also be launching its first smartwatch soon, possibly in August, with some speculating that it will simply be a scaled-down version of the Xiaomi Mi Watch.

Nubia announced the new RedMagic 5S gaming smartphone at the ChinaJoy event earlier this week. The RedMagic 5S sports identical hardware as the RedMagic 5G but comes with a few enhancements such as a slightly higher sampling rate for the shoulder triggers and a dedication optional Ice Dock accessory. The phone will be available in China from August 1 with a global launch planned sometime in September.

Our pink noise test shows balanced audio reproduction at most frequencies, but the smaller design may not fit comfortably around larger ears. If you travel a lot, however, then the LCD-1 should prove useful.

Razer's latest gaming headset is the BlackShark V2. Its 50 millimeter (mm) drivers feature the OEM's TriForce Titanium coating, as well as its SpeedFlex cable. It features THX Spatial Audio for an immersive experience and a removable cardioid mic with a USB sound card.

Sony is finally getting around to releasing the WH-1000XM4, some eight months after the headphones leaked. Reportedly, the WH-1000XM4 will retail for €379.90 in the Eurozone and US$349.00 in the US. It could be upwards of a month before the up-market headphones start shipping, though.

Huawei has officially launched its new TalkBand B6 fitness tracker and Bluetooth headset combination wearable. Three editions of the Huawei TalkBand B6 have been released, with prices starting at 999 yuan (US$143). The versatile gadget comes with a blood oxygen monitor, Kirin A1 chip, Bluetooth 5.2, and heart-rate monitor.

Samsung is one of a minority of Android OEMs that bake its own in-house personal assistant into its mobile UI. However, some parties might prefer it did otherwise, not the least of which is Google. That company is reportedly offering the Korean giant a better deal to discontinue Bixby.

Xiaomi's official Twitter handle has put out a teaser, which hints that the Mi TV Stick will be released in India on August 5. It comes with a dedicated remote and will likely come with the Mi TV's Patchwall software. It is expected to cost between INR 2,000 (US$27) and INR 2,500 (US$34).

LG will soon be releasing a gigantic 163-inch 4K microLED TV. The huge device is already listed in the South Korean company’s business solutions under the model number LSAB009 (P0.9). Apparently, the 163-inch LG 4K microLED TV will be ideal for business premises and even those who consider themselves living in an ultra-premium abode.

The latest portable monitor from Lepow has an FHD resolution and a USB type C input, as does its predecessor. However, this generation covers 100% of the sRGB color gamut and an improved brightness level. It also has dual stereo speakers and is sold via Amazon from now.

Sony has finally launched the successor to the a7S II. It comes with a new BIONZ XR image processor, a new CMOS sensor with an effective resolution of 12.1MP and a new thermal management system that may improve 4K 60p 10-bit 4:2:2 record times. Sony has also debuted the new CFexpress Type A storage format.

Eve Devices touts its new Spectrum product as a gaming monitor with a crowd-source, and thus potentially idealized, design. Now, it is looking for more consumer input on the accessories that might be sold alongside this upcoming release. They include USB type C hubs, RGB lighting kits and VESA mounts.

Xiaomi has a new “hot launch” in its product pages with the Mi Charger 33 W accessory. The charger can be used with smartphones like the Xiaomi Mi 10, Redmi K30 Pro, and Redmi 10X Pro, and it can be used with iPads and MacBooks. The Xiaomi Mi Charger 33 W is currently priced at 69 yuan (US$10).

Following the Sharkoon Light² 200, the German hardware manufacturer Sharkoon is now bringing the more affordable Sharkoon Light² 100 to the market. While the 200-model still attracted attention with a honeycomb mouse body, the Light² 100 has a normal housing. Nevertheless, it is also light as a feather and weighs only 78 grams without cables.

The Huawei TalkBand B6 wearable has become the chief suspect for a teased product launch by the popular Chinese OEM. Although the promo image doesn’t specify what device is being marketed, the curved display certainly points to the TalkBand B6 fitness tracker and Bluetooth headset. A launch date of July 30 is also mentioned.

Following a cascade of leaks and renders for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3, a YouTuber recently unboxed the Mystic Bronze variant of the upcoming smartwatch a week ahead of its official unveiling at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked on August 5th.

A new Gionee smartphone was listed recently on TENAA and features what appears to be a gigantic 10000 mAh battery. This is one of the highest battery capacities we’ve seen on a smartphone and indicates that the device might double as a power bank. But what compromises have been made to accommodate the battery?

The manufacturer offers a wide range of computer accessories and docking stations that might come in handy especially for ultra-thin laptops where port options are becoming increasingly limited.

Amazfit claims that its ZenBuds TWS earbuds are so light and comfortable that they can be worn in bed all night. In fact, this is part of their use-case: to emit custom-designed audio that helps improve the user's sleep pattern. The brand has launched this product via Indiegogo, where they have now attracted just over US$1 million in backing.

The entry-level model in the Sony Bravia A9 Master series is now orderable. Called the Bravia KD-48A9, the 48-inch TV has a 4K OLED panel and supports HDR content. The Bravia KD-48A9 runs Android TV and supports X-Motion Clarity for OLED for optimum image quality when gaming or watching sports.

A white version of the Xbox Series X controller has been posted online, and it does not appear to have been faked. Supposedly paired to a "squarish" console, could this be the first reference to the rumoured Xbox Series S?

The Samsung Galaxy Watch is finally getting a successor, according to some leaks. The latest of these reiterates several details currently linked to this accessory, and also claims that the rotating bezel that was so particular to its first generation is back. It is also now said to have stainless steel and a blood-pressure monitor in its hardware make-up.

Sony has recently confirmed that it will finally update its a7S series of cameras this year. The latest leaks surrounding this impending E-mount unit will have a rear screen like that of the ZV-1. It is also said to have some advantages over Canon's high-end EOS R5, its electronic view-finder (EVF) included.

Xiaomi could be contemplating producing a smartphone, possibly as part of the innovative Mi Mix line, which actually integrates wireless earbuds into the top edge. It’s an intriguing concept along the lines of how Samsung Galaxy Note devices house the S Pen stylus. However, whether Xiaomi will take the wireless headset-holding smartphone into production remains to be seen.

Xiaomi is preparing another flash sale for the giant 98-inch Redmi Smart TV Max while also celebrating the news that the company shipped more TVs in China in the first half of 2020 than any other company. The Xiaomi Mi TV range is immensely popular, and with a price tag of 19,999 yuan (US$2,856), the Redmi Max 98 has also been selling well.

The smartphone OEM Nubia has announced a new launch event for devices to be sold under its 'gaming' brand Red Magic. They include the rumored overclockable phone the 5S. However, they also apparently include less typical debuts for a Wi-Fi 6 router and a portable fan with inbuilt retro gaming.

Samsung has announced new headphones branded and optimized by AKG. The Y600NCs are the more premium of the two, and come with active noise cancellation (ANC) and an innovative rotating ear-cup for volume control. The Y400s, on the other hand, are smaller on-ears that come in a fresh range of colors.

A new Xiaomi product has appeared on the OEM’s crowdfunding site Youpin in the form of the Bcase ring light, which is an all-in-one photography accessory with an adjustable stand. The portable Xiaomi ring light comes with LED lighting that offers three shade levels and 10 levels of brightness. The Bcase ring light is priced at 159 yuan (US$23).

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 3 looks like it will pack a few new tricks up its sleeve. Based on an examination of the new plugin software users will be able to use new gestures and movements to answer and reject phones.

A Xiaomi product labeled as the Mi EBook Reader has been spotted on Bluetooth certification leading to speculation that the Chinese OEM could be preparing its current MiReader device for a wider market. If the Xiaomi Mi EBook Reader and the MiReader are the same, then global users can expect an e-reader with 16 GB storage and a 24-level reading light.

Some new images of the Huawei TalkBand B6 have been leaked, with the upcoming wearable shown off in four different color variants. The fitness tracker/Bluetooth headset looks particularly elegant in stainless steel. The TalkBand B6 is expected to feature a Kirin A1 chipset for smart operations and a blood oxygen monitor.

WinFuture's Roland Quandt was the first tipster to assert that Samsung had developed a new, kidney-bean-like form-factor for its next-gen TWS earbuds. Now, this seems to have been borne out in increasingly convincing leaks since. Now, the same blogger is back with a more complete gamut of specs for these Galaxy Buds Live.

Oppo has released an animated trailer for a Wear OS device that will reportedly launch worldwide on July 31, 2020. It is most likely for its first-gen smartwatch, which has been released in China but runs a variant of ColorOS in that region. This device is Apple-esque in its design and has a Qualcomm processor for wearables.

Razer has refreshed its Cynosa series RGB gaming keyboard. Built for those on a budget, the Cynosa V2 has individually backlit keys, supports macros and has media controls.

The Huawei TalkBand B6 wearable fitness tracker and Bluetooth headset combination has leaked in some live images and short video clips. The dual-function accessory looks to be a step up from the previous generation, with the TalkBand B6 bearing a larger display and utilizing a Kirin A1 processor.

The launch of the new OnePlus Buds means Xiaomi has to up its game in the TWS segment and it's done so spectacularly with the Haylou T16 TWS earbuds that offer active noise cancellation, 6 hours of playback, and wireless charging just for US$40.