Accessory

The wait is over for the long sought after trackpad support for Apple’s iPad range. The launch of the new iPad Pro also brings with it an all-new keyboard that drops the infamous butterfly mechanism in favor of Apple’s revised Magic Keyboard scissor switch.

Existing ZenScreen owners can celebrate an ongoing raffle with Asus from now until April 5th for a chance to win a ZenBeam S2 portable projector.

The extremely versatile Raspberry Pi can also serve as the basis for an inexpensive VR headset. The project actually put antiquated technology to good use, too.

Renowned for being "the gold standard" of controllers, the Xbox controller has gotten even better. Now Microsoft has unveiled the Xbox Series X controller and has detailed what changes it has made to improve your gaming experience.

The CineBeam projectors support 4K UHD content and LG's ThinQ AI. Now, they also support Amazon Alexa thanks to a new software update. This applies to the HU70LA and HU85LA variants of this series.

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has confirmed the existence of an impending Lite variant of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Tab. Now, the FCC has added a tablet with its model number to its database of verified devices. This suggests that the new product has a US launch coming up.

Huami is a wearables OEM that has recently made a name for its own brand, Amazfit. Besides this, it also has a role as an ODM to other brands such as Xiaomi to make their smart accessories. The company has reported a year-on-year (YoY) growth of no less than 72.4% in terms of shipments for 2019.

Asurion has published the results of research that show US residents may have checked their phones as often as every 10 minutes in 2019. Furthermore, over 40% of the study's respondents admitted to taking their mobile devices out in public places, bathrooms included. Findings such as these may remind us all to disinfect our electronics more often.

Swiss luxury watch maker Tag Heuer has launched its third-generation Connected smartwatch. The most notable change, in addition to a more refined design, is a switch from an Intel chipset to Qualcomm’s 2018 Snapdragon Wear 3100 SoC.

The Raspberry Pi Camera Module is a popular accessory not only for the Raspberry Pi, but also for other single-board computers (SBCs). While the IMX219 is only capable of up to 8 MP, one person has found a way to use it to shoot in up to 1,000 FPS.

Some code allegedly derived from an as-yet unreleased version of iOS also reportedly offers insight into watchOS 7, software that may debut with the next Apple Watch. It hints at additions such as sleep tracking and a new mode for its Infograph watch-face. On that note, new custom faces may be possible in this version.

Luxury goods maker Montblanc has launched its latest smartwatch alongside its first pair of premium wireless headphones. The new Summit 2+ builds on the same platform as its predecessor but is now larger while its new luxury Smart Headphones will appeal to well-heeled travelers.

Vecnos, a spin-off from Ricoh, has announced that it will release its first product soon. It will be a 360-degree camera that may compete with similar devices from GoPro or Insta360. However, this one may come in a much more portable form-factor.

Xiaomi showed quite some ambition when it opened its own Apple Store-esque outlet in Shepherd's Bush, London. However, reports that this brick-and-mortar establishment has shut down have recently emerged. UK customers can still buy products from this OEM online, though.

The latest SSD from Buffalo is tiny, with dimensions akin to a USB stick and a weight of just 15 g. The fast USB Type-C SSD is robust too and is the perfect choice for those who prefer to travel light.

The Optoma UHD50X is a new projector rated for images of a 4K UHD resolution and a refresh rate of up to 240 hertz (Hz). It also has a brightness of 3400 ANSI lumens and is HDR10- and HLG-compatible. This new projector also has a "gaming" mode with an input lag of as little as 16 milliseconds (ms).

The WH-1000XM4 has been a long time coming, with it being almost eighteen months since Sony announced the WH-1000XM3. The WH-1000XM4 was expected to be unveiled at CES 2020 and now a listing for the ANC headphones has appeared on Anatel Certification, the Brazilian version of the FCC. The listing not only offers the first sighting of the WH-1000XM4, but also specifications for Sony's next-generation headphones. Sadly, it seems that there is no room for the aptX or aptX HD Bluetooth codecs.

Early on in the product life cycle of the Apple Watch, Apple realized that it was on to a winner with its health tracking features. This is an aspect of the device that it has continued to refine with each iteration. It looks set to continue to this push by offering blood oxygen level sensing in a future model.

Casio has released analog watches that can use Bluetooth before. However, it claims that the most recent models with this feature are updated in that they stay connected to a phone on a more consistent basis. These new EDIFICE variants do so in order to maintain their accuracy regardless of where they are.

The Raspberry Pi 4 is pretty powerful by single-board computer (SBC) standards, but what if you could combine up to four of them into one super SBC? Well, IPTerra seems to think that is a good idea and has created the CloverPI for that purpose. Theoretically, the CloverPI is compatible with any SBC that has a 40-pin GPIO.

Rumoured to be called the AirPods Pro Lite by Taiwanese media outlet DigiTimes, the entry-level answer to the AirPods Pro could be entering mass production this month. Expected to be released in mid-2020, it remains unclear what these TWS earbuds will offer over the regular AirPods.

OPPO finally introduced its long-awaited Find X2 series today (March 6, 2020). However, it also had a "one more thing" moment: a new mobile-broadband device that could bring 5G speeds to the home or office. It is based on the Snapdragon X55 modem, and can deliver both mmWave and sub-6GHz reception.

A new listing for "Mi True Wireless Earphones 2S" has appeared on the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) website. Based on this name, it seems that Xiaomi has a new TWS product on the way. However, the image that goes with their new apparent certification looks like one that is already on the market.

SQFMI has launched a new smartwatch. Called the Watchy, the device is equipped with an E-ink display, four buttons and has a vibration motor. An accelerometer and a real-time clock are onboard too, along with Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi support.

The constantly growing smartwatch market is getting another competitor, Timex. With the Ironman R300, the company has created a cheap smartwatch that supports GPS and multiple fitness tracking options. Timex promises that the Ironman R300 should last an impressive 25 days between charges, too.

The Dongii is a new kind of charger with USB type A and C ports - as well as an HDMI port to connect a Nintendo Switch to the nearest TV. It is described as equipped with up-to-date GaN technology and capable of up to 65 watt (W) charging. It has been launched on Kickstarter, where it is available as a reward.

The Sony WF-1000XM3s are widely regarded as some of the best TWS earbuds out there. However, they do have some discrepancies, one of which is the absence of Qualcomm's aptX HD Bluetooth codec. A new leak suggests that this is to be addressed soon.

The Pimoroni Picade Console turns the Raspberry Pi into a particularly convincing retro console. The assembly should be particularly easy and is pretty inexpensive, too.

The TV and mobile-device OEM OnePlus has hinted at a "special project" with an intriguing trailer via its UK division's Twitter account. However, like the Concept One, it is not a product that will go on sale soon, although the company still wants public feedback for it. It is to be revealed on March 3, 2020 (or tomorrow, in other words).

IDC India has released its report on the wearables market in this country for the last quarter of 2019 (4Q2019). It reveals that the 'audio' category of these electronics had the highest share for that period, overtaking band-type devices compared to 4Q2018. Xiaomi had the greatest share in the latter sector, whereas Apple's AirPods clearly dominated their own sub-segment.

Casio has announced the release of titanium-cased versions of its PRO TREK outdoor watch line-up. They are also Bluetooth devices that feature Smartphone Link, which allows them to connect to the wearer's mobile device. This allows the user to view information such as steps taken, route logs or altitude.

Realme has been connected with an inaugural wearable for a while. This product is, as it turns out, of the fitness-tracker variety. It is set to launch on March 5, 2020 in the Indian market. Accordingly, this smart device has 9 "sports modes", one of which is for cricket.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation has decided to permanently drop the price of the 2 GB RAM version of the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B single-board computer to US$35. This means the board is now the same price as the 1 GB RAM variant, while the Raspberry Pi with 4 GB RAM costs US$55. The permanent price cut is apparently part of a birthday celebration.

Wireless charging is mainly relevant to smartphones and other similar portable electronics at present. However, a new analysis indicates that its market will benefit more and more from its application to electric vehicles. This may drive its value up to as much as US$71.21 billion by 2025.

OPPO has already let it be known that it will launch its first ever smartwatch soon, and that it has taken profound design cues from Apple. However, the OEM has yet to mention anything about the new wearable's software. A well-known Weibo tipster purports to spoil this by posting a new image of what looks like the device running Google's Wear OS.

The Amps Air + are the latest TWS earbuds from SOL REPUBLIC. They are the brand's first such product with active noise cancellation (ANC). These new Amps also now feature a slimmer case with USB type C charging, which can deliver 2 hours of play-time in exchange for 15 minutes of being plugged in.

Kami - YI Technology's new home-security brand - has released its new Wire-Free Outdoor Camera. As it lacks the need for connectivity hubs and has batteries that can be recharged in a USB-powered holder, it can be installed anywhere the user wants. It has a 165-degree wide-angle camera that supports FHD video at 20 frames per second (fps).

EINK-DISP-103 is a new E-ink display that is not only suitable for single-board computers like the Raspberry Pi or NVIDIA Jetson Nano but also general computers too. The 10.3-inch display can be used in a variety of projects and is ideal for reading long texts with minimal eye fatigue.

The Odyssey X86 is a new single-board computer (SBC) that supports Windows 10 and is compatible with Grove. The SBC even accepts M.2 drives.

Compatible with several version of the Raspberry Pi, a project can transform the versatile single-board computer (SBC) into a 3D laser scanner. Better still, the project is fairly cheap to build.

Qualcomm has launched the Snapdragon XR2 Reference Design headset, the first such XR (as in, virtual, mixed or augmented reality) device that supports 5G. It does so via its in-built X55 modem, which is part of its latest hardware platform for this category of media. Therefore, OEMs may now start building their own headsets based on this new "boundless" artificial-reality tech.

NVIDIA has issued its TV devices with a new update. This version of SHIELD Experience (8.1.1) includes a host of new features and bug-fixes. The most prominent of these may be the limited-time opportunity to upgrade the free GeForce Now subscription to a Founder's membership instead. The upgrade also adds XBOX Elite 2 controller support, as well as improved multiple Bluetooth device connections.

The latest headphone and earphone market research projects that this compound device category will "generate revenues of over US$45 Billion" between now and 2025. This growth is thought to be driven by several factors, which include the rise of the TWS earbud, the demand for "smart" features, as well as noise isolation, in this category.

More rumors have cropped up in regard to when the PS5 reveal date could be, although some of the sources being used are certainly less reliable than others. However, those eager for news about the upcoming next-gen PlayStation console will be interested to learn about a patent for the DualShock 5 controller that involves measuring a user’s biological reactions while gaming.

With the Pimoroni Pirate Audio, you can now transform a Raspberry Pi into a media player with Spotify integration. The Pirate Audio integrates a headphone amplifier, a DAC, a 3.5 mm jack, a 1.3-inch IPS colour display and four physical buttons.

Huawei unveiled its vision for a complete, connected ecosystem of devices at its latest product launch. This involves the new AX3 series of routers, which is powered by this OEM's Gigahome SoCs for Wi-Fi 6 support (and more besides). The company also unveiled second-gen "Pro" 5G consumer premises equipment (CPE).

Honor announced the Magic Earbuds at its MWC substitute event in Barcelona today. The Magic Earbuds look strikingly similar to the Apple AirPods Pro and feature 10mm drivers, hybrid feed-forward/feedback noise cancelation, and a 3.5 hour-uptime for continuous music playback.