Accessory

Think you know the names of all the buttons on a PlayStation controller? Think again, according to Sony. Are you an X or Cross person?

A couple of images of a Leica full-frame mirrorless camera have been posted on a Japanese website, which claims the subject of the photos is the Leica SL2. The German manufacturer released the SL (Typ 601) in October 2015, which was generally well-received but noted for its high price tag and its cumbersome build.

Xiaomi has launched its fastest wireless charging standard yet: Mi Charge Turbo, which powers a compatible device at 30 watts (W). The OEM claims that it needs only 25 minutes to charge an empty 4000mAh battery to 50%. Furthermore, the company also stated that it is working on a 40W upgrade for this new standard already.

A dedicated modder has managed to create a working portable game console by utilizing the motherboard from a slimline PlayStation 2 in conjunction with the capabilities of a Raspberry Pi 2 single-board computer. Although it has taken a long time to build the device, the end product has been shown offering impressive results in a video shared on YouTube.

Huawei has taken to IFA to unveil new wireless earbuds alongside the Kirin 990 SoC. They are the latest in the Freebuds line of wearables, and are thus AirPod clones (in their looks at least). These 3rd-gen products have a dedicated dual-Bluetooth chipset of their own, "intelligent" noise cancellation and a unique charging case.

A popular Sony digital camera news blog has published what it claims to be the first leaked image of the Japanese manufacturer’s A9II flagship camera. Sony released the full-frame mirrorless A9 camera in 2017 and there are many keenly awaiting its successor. The alleged A9II looks practically identical to its predecessor.

The JBL Pulse 4 is the latest in a series of portable Bluetooth speakers that also light up as they stream audio. This iteration also has an IPX7 rating and an estimated 12 hours of playback. Its LEDs are controlled by a proprietary app, which also allows it to sync with multiple compatible devices from the same brand.

The charging accessory brand Arun has a new travel product that can charge both mobile devices and full notebooks. This "power station" has variants with 22000mAh or 30000mAh capacities, both of which has a full AC outlet, as well as USB type A and C ports. The latter can charge a mobile device at up to 45 watts (W), whereas the former can deliver up to 100W.

The Video Electronics Standards Association (or VESA) is the body that can confer official certifications for state-of-the art quality standards such as DisplayHDR on new screens. Its latest update to the criteria by which they are granted is called version 1.1. It calls for ultra-modern specs such as active dimming, as well as tougher yardsticks for color gamut and luminance.

Acer's new series of XV3 gaming monitors offer modern refresh rates of up to 240Hz and response times of as low as 1 millisecond. They are also G-SYNC ready with the variable refresh rate (VRR) necessary to handle either the RTX or GTX 10-series of graphic cards. These new IPS panels come in either 24.5- or 27-inch variants, and will start at €249 (about US$275).

The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) has finalized the specification for USB4. A few things are different this time around including the way the it named, as well as its support for another standard in the form of Thunderbolt 3.

As always, GoPro will be releasing a new generation of action cameras this month. This year the company will introduce an update to the GoPro Fusion 360 called the GoPro Max, along with the GoPro Hero 8. Photos of both devices have leaked online too having made their way through the FCC.

Motorola's MotoMods were the last reasonably successful attempt to make modular smartphones with hot-swappable features, and now it appears that Huawei plans to introduce something similar. However, while MotoMods communicate via pogo pin connectors, Huawei and Honor's accessories will use Bluetooth, as recent Bluetooth SIG certifications suggest.

The AirDots Pro are Xiaomi devices that conform to the "toothbrush" form factor of truly-wireless earbuds. Chinese social media users have spotted what looks like their packaging, but with a new product name, in a photograph. The box suggests that these wearables have, if anything, become more Apple-esque than their predecessors.

Fitbit has launched its second-generation Versa health and fitness smartwatch. The key upgrades include support for Amazon Alexa voice recognition and the addition of enhanced sleep tracking.

The EOS 90D is Canon's latest APS-C camera that can shoot at 32.5MP with a crop of up to 1.6x. It is powered by a DIGIC 8 image processor and can shoot at up to 11 frames per second continuously. This camera's core unit will go on sale in September 2019, and will cost US$1,199.

Garmin has refreshed its premium Fēnix smartwatch series, with the aptly named Fēnix 6. The series is available in three sizes and two material variants. There is a solar-powered version of the Fēnix 6X too.

The a6600 is the latest premium camera from Sony. It is an APS-C mirrorless unit with a 24.2MP Exmor sensor, Fast Hybrid autofocus (AF) and a 3-inch 180-degree touchscreen. The OEM has also unveiled an entry-level a6000-series camera and new lenses to boot.

LetsGoDigital has unearthed a patent filed by Google for a smartwatch with a twist. Filed over two years ago but dated August 27 2019, the design looks like a run-of-the-mill watch with its circular face, but at its centre is something that could disrupt the smartwatch market.

Amazfit has just launched 2 new wearables, the GTS and Sports Watch 3. They are a follow-up to the Bip (in which this update results in extremely Apple-esque looks) and a round watch with a new type of JDI display respectively. However, the star of this launch was the X, a concept device that is to have a 2-inch curved display.

Samsung may have divulged the existence of a heretofore unreleased phone, the A91. It is included in a list of phones that work with the OEM's new 45W charger, alongside the Galaxy Note 10+. This phone may be an additional variant, or next generation of, the Galaxy A90.

The Liberate Air earphones are made from reclaimed silicone and have a bamboo finish. In addition, they have a charging case described as made from recycled aluminium, wood, cotton and plastic. These new House of Marley products are also reportedly superior in sound quality to the Apple AirPods.

Razer still hasn't broken even yet with Min-Liang Tan pointing his fingers at scaling and new investments as core contributors. The company continues to grow in terms of revenue and is looking at cloud gaming as a potential "fourth pillar" to accompany Razer's existing hardware, software, and services.

The Genki Covert Dock has taken Kickstarter by storm, with it reaching its US$50,000 funding goal in just 40 minutes. The crowdfunding campaign has since received over US$1,000,000 from backers with 23 days to go. The Genki Covert Dock is designed as a portable dock for the Nintendo Switch but will charge other devices too thanks to its USB Type-C PD support. The Genki Covert Dock costs US$59, with the device shipping to backers in December.

In a new research note written for TF International Securities, the tech analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has stated that he now believes that Apple will switch to micro-LED for its sixth-generation Watch. In the meantime, the Series 5 will stick with OLED screens, albeit those from a new supplier. These devices may be launched alongside the iPhone "11" line later this season.

Sony has announced that it has hit a new record for wins at the Expert Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) awards for this year. The company won 7 times at this event, 3 of which were for its innovative, extensive G-series FE lenses. Its advanced Real-time Eye auto-focus (AF) technology was also recognized at this show.

Available for just US$199.99 — down from a full retail price of US$279.99 — for a limited period, the brand-new Misfit Vapor X is an excellent deal. This Wear OS-driven smart wearable is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset and features a standalone GPS, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, advanced fitness tracking capabilities, and more.

Huawei and Honor have gone to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) to register an impressive number of new wireless products. These certifications, which have all been granted today (August 15, 2019) cover obvious candidates such as phones, but also include others that may be the brands' next generations of headsets, earphones and speakers.

Fitbit has been linked to a second generation of its popular Versa smartwatch for some time now. Recently, rumors about it have started up again in light of new leaks. They claim to show the wearable's official packaging, as well as an image from its manual hinting at new smart assistant features.

Casio has released the EDIFICE EQB1000D-1A, a new watch with a case only 8.9 milimeters (mm) thick. It is also one of the brand's connected devices, which means it can connect to a smartphone app. This allows it to keep time accurately in over 300 locations.

The market for accessories such as screen protectors, cases and power banks in the US is now projected to attain a value of US$74.43 billion in 7 years. Headphones took the biggest piece (nearly 25%) of this space last year, and may maintain this share until 2026. However, the VR/AR headset sector is thought to be capable of the greatest growth into the next decade.

The YI Home Camera 3 is an AI-powered security camera. It notifies the user about possible intrusions - however, it solves the problem of potentially indiscriminate, unnecessary messages by using its new software to judge which ones will be important. The new YI camera also has a magnetic stand, so it can be installed anywhere.

Honor has released its latest fitness band to the Indian market, via Flipkart. This new model has a full-color AMOLED display, an estimated 14 days of battery life and 50-meter water resistance. However, it will soon have competition from an upcoming Xiaomi counterpart, which has much the same specs.

The SLAMTEC Mapper M1M1 is a ToF laser scanner with a 20-metre range that can map over 100,000 m². SLAMTEC promises that the device has a 5 cm resolution with a re-localisation accuracy of less than 0.02 m, while its inertial navigation system can compensate for up to 1 m/s of movement. The SLAMTEC Mapper M1M1 is available to order now from Seeedstudio for US$199 with free international shipping.

Huawei's first TV is in fact slated to be released by its sub-brand Honor, and is to be called the Smart Screen. It may be reasonable to assume that this product will run Android for these larger devices. However, the OEM is now rumored to deploy one of its own long-anticipated OSs on the new product.

Samsung claims that its upcoming vertically-stacked NAND (or V-NAND) for SATA-based SSDs confers improved read- and write-speeds on the resulting drives. They are composed of 100 or more layers of stacked flash cells, whereas previous generations had 99 or less. This increased scale is the new 3D memory's main advantage over its predecessors.

2019 has already seen evidence that the SHIELD TV may be getting a new refresh - with the new Tegra X1 processor - soon. Now, a new FCC filing points to a wholly new device with this branding. This putative device has its own code-name and references in NVIDIA's own code and scripts.

Samsung's Galaxy Watch Active 2 smartwatch is powered by the Exynos 9110 SoC and comes in two sizes — 40 and 44 mm — both with a Super AMOLED display with 360 x 360 pixels. Available in LTE and non-LTE versions, this new smart wearable has a wide range of features and it even allows its users to watch YouTube videos.

Nintendo is now offering the Switch Dock as a separate purchase for the first time. The Dock is an Authentic Nintendo product, albeit refurbished, so there is no chance of it bricking your Switch as is the risk with many third-party alternatives.

This year's fifth edition of the Untold festival came with a 5G VR live streaming test conducted by Samsung and Orange Romania. This test has managed to bring 5G connectivity at the disposal of many consumers eager to take the new technology for a spin. Just as expected, the speeds reached exceeded 1 Gbps.

Although Samsung's flagships usually achieve excellent results when visiting DxOMark and taking other mobile photography tests, Huawei's sensors are larger. However, this proves once again that the Chinese tech giant still has to improve its camera software to properly take advantage of its better sensors.

The Viper is the latest mouse from Razer. It is a lightweight peripheral which, as the OEM asserts, is optimized for competitive gaming. It also integrates the 5G Advanced Optical Sensor and Razer Synapse 3.

Sony has invented a product called the Reon Pocket. It is a device that can change a user's personal temperature (or their perception of it, at least) while worn on the body. This unusual product is currently a part of the OEM's crowdfunded First Flight project, by which its chances of manufacture is determined by its ability to attract backers.

Although reverse wireless charging has been around for a while, Xiaomi still has to introduce this feature. The good news is that — at least according to the information discovered in the latest beta MIUI build — the Chinese OEM is working on it and the feature might arrive sooner than expected.

Drone racing is a rapidly emerging trend in applications for civilian aerial robots. DJI has announced plans to improve its support for this new sport with the first-person-view (FPV) goggles and controller set. It allows a given competitor to see and direct a race from their drone's point of view.

GoPro has announced that it will refresh the companion app for its action-cameras. The updates will integrate Quik editing features directly into said app. This will enable the user to apply filters and convert footage into stories. This upgrade should also improve the GoPro app's UI in the future.

A study conducted by Consumers International, in conjunction with the Internet Society has reportedly found that most individuals surveyed find connected devices (mostly IoT or "smart home" products) "creepy". In addition, 53% of this group said that they do not trust these devices with their privacy. Concerns such as these put 28% of a sub-group without these devices off buying one.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 is rumored to be this OEM's next premium tablet. It is already projected to ship with the Snapdragon 855 SoC, 128 or 256 GB in onboard storage and fast charging. A new tweet posted by the renowned leaker may fill in the few blanks left on this putative device.

Some up-to-date renders of the Galaxy Note 10 are depicted as having an unfamiliar finish that appears as a gradient from pale purple to pale green. The latest rumors indicate that this is in fact an official color option, called Aura Glow. It may feature on the upcoming 2019 Galaxy Notes, as it now does on matching Galaxy Buds.

Google Nest - the new name for this company's smart-home arm - has partnered with the Reeve Foundation to help members of the community built around this organization. They are individuals affected by paralysis or movement loss disorders. As many as 100,000 of them will receive a free Home Mini as a result of this collaboration.