Accessory

Advertised by Microsoft as "the first-of-its-kind" console accessory, the brand-new Xbox Adaptive Controller can be already acquired from the Microsoft Stores and GameStop Online for US$99.99. This controller can connect multiple external devices to create a custom experience and was primarily designed for gamers with limited mobility.

devolo's new home networking solution, Magic, is a form of mesh WiFi that also uses Powerline technology. It does so using next-generation G.hn chips and new, AC-adapter mesh points. devolo claims that this combination can drastically increase domestic WiFi speeds.

Three years since it surfaced as a Kickstarter project and over a year since it became available for purchase in Japan, the Sony FES Watch U finally gets an official introduction in Europe. This "fashion watch" will go on sale in the region mid-September starting at 599 EUR.

Polaroid has updated the instant camera for the 21st century in the past. Now, it is continuing in this vein with the new Mint digital camera/printer combo device. For those not in need of a camera, Polaroid also now offers the Mint compact digital photo printer.

Ticwatch is the increasingly familiar smartwatch-related brand of Mobvoi. Its latest model is the Ticwatch Pro, a watch with premium materials. In addition, it has both LCD and AMOLED displays. The company claims that this will help the Pro's battery last longer.

The Tesla Wireless Charger surfaced on the company's official store but was removed after less than a day. This power bank features 5 W wireless charging and USB Type-C wired charging at 5 V and 1.5 A, has a rather modest capacity of 6,000 mAh, but it lives up to the Tesla name and sports a not-so-friendly US$65 price tag.

Harman Kardon have a track record of smart speaker (powered by Alexa or Cortana) sales by now. The company's newest one is to be debuted at IFA 2018. This device, the Citation 500, has some things in common with the Google Home speakers, including the ability to run Google Assistant.

Samsung announced the new CJ79 monitor at IFA 2018 yesterday. The CJ79 is a 34-inch ultra-wide QLED monitor with Thunderbolt 3 connectivity. The display features a VA panel that offers a 3000:1 contrast ratio and comes with support for AMD FreeSync.

Those who buy the new Galaxy Note 9 directly from Samsung will also get a Duo wireless charger and an official cover in the retail package for free. For an additional US$99, the two accessories mentioned above can be accompanied by the IconX earphones — a treat which normally comes for no less than US$200.

DJI has finally released its long-awaited update to the Mavic Pro aerial drone. The device now has not one but two successors. The Mavic 2 Zoom has some advanced optics and videography tricks, whereas the 2 Pro features a Hasselblad camera. Both may offer improved flight times and anti-collision sensors.

The Garmin vivofit jr. 2 is a fitness tracker for kids that comes with Disney Princess-themed bands and a mobile app capable of offering an interactive experience which includes popular characters such as Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Mulan, and Rapunzel. This smart wearable is already available for US$79.99.

Revealed alongside the Galaxy Note 9 earlier this month, the Samsung Galaxy Watch LTE is now available for pre-order. Priced at US$379.99 (42 mm in Rose Gold or Midnight Black) and US$399.99 (Silver), this smartwatch is designed for T-Mobile and will begin shipping in the first week of September.

A number of variations on the same device are specified in a newly-secured approval from the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). The document's repeated references to "watchOS 5" increase the probability that the certification is for the upcoming Apple Watch refresh.

Apple has filed a patent that may contribute to the voice assistant Siri's functionality in the future. It may impart the ability to recognize different voices and attribute them to corresponding users on new versions of the software. This could give the assistant software a much-needed boost in its relevant marketplaces.

Sony has launched its most expensive digital music player and in-ear headphones to date. The new Signature Edition DMP-Z1 and IER-Z1Rs come in at a whopping US$7,900 and US$1,780, but promise an unmatched audio quality.

The event that provided the Galaxy Note 9 with its debut also introduced the Galaxy Watch, Samsung's new smartwatch. This device, like the latest Note, uses Bixby as a virtual assistant. The new Galaxy Home smart speaker also runs Bixby.

Fitbit seems to be preparing the launch of a new smart wearable that is supposedly going to debut at IFA 2018 as the Fitbit Charge 3. The leaked images reveal a few interesting details, such as the replacement of the physical button with a touch area that could bring in the tap actions currently available for the Alta and Alta HR.

Motorola's 2018 flagship, the Moto Z3, will have an optional 5G add-on modem in the form of a Moto Mod that will connect to Verizon's upcoming 5G network. The Z3 uses last year's Snapdragon 835, but this helps to keep costs down.

Logitech and Blue Microphones have both announced the collective agreement for Logitech to purchase Blue and add them to their family of companies. Logitech's wider portfolio already includes Ultimate Ears, Jaybird, and Astro Gaming so Blue's range of microphones will complement existing audio products.

Samsung is bundling both a $200 11.6-inch Chromebook 3 and a $200 256 GB EVO MicroSD card with every new purchase of an unlocked Galaxy S9 or S9 Plus for a limited time.

The latest Bluetooth vulnerability may affect many more devices than last year's BlueBorne, because it can affect smartphones as well as laptops that integrate Apple, Google, Intel, Broadcom or Qualcomm hardware. Due to insufficient encryption validation during the pairing process. Microsoft claims that Windows 10 is not affected, but all the other companies are releasing fixes as soon as possible.

The upcoming OS 12 update for the Apple HomePod is slated to bring a slew of new features to the smart speaker including the ability to make and receive calls when paired with an iPhone and set multiple timers. With the upcoming MacOS Mojave update, the HomePod can also be controlled directly from the Mac.

A Norwegian tech company says its "SiliconX" battery can let you drive over 600 miles or power your smartphone for a week on just a single charge when compared to an equivalent volume of Li-ion cells. Its secret is a proprietary mixture of silicon and graphite that will give up to a five-fold in battery capacity over current Li-ion technology.

Anticipating increased demand for 3D NAND flash storage in the coming year, Samsung is looking to invest an additional US$2.6 billion to expand production capacities of its NAND factories in China and Korea taking the total investment to US$9 billion by 2019. The increased investments are being centered around production of 3D NAND flash, V-NAND flash, and QLC flash memory.

The C43J89 is Samsung's new ultra-wide monitor that boasts a resolution of 3840x1200 in a 120Hz 43-inch VA panel. Coming in both business and gaming variants, the C43J89 supports a host of connectivity options, offers a 99% FOV, and can display two sources simultaneously.

Kensington has announced the availability of the SD7000 dock for the Surface Pro. The SD7000 dock connects to the Surface Pro using the Surface Connector and provides USB ports, Ethernet, USB-C, HDMI, and a DisplayPort converting the tablet into a mini Surface Studio of sorts.

Google is currently offering its Pixel 2 XL models at US$100 off their regular price. The sale also includes other products in its hardware lineup and runs until July 17 while stocks last.

Samsung's next generation smartwatch is likely to skip its 'Gear' branding in favor of new 'Galaxy Watch' branding. The realigned brand is also expected to coincide with a switch in operating system from Samsung's Tizen OS to Google's Wear OS.

At Computex 2018, HDMI showed off some new features of the HDMI 2.1 specification on the Xbox One X. The Xbox One X will be the first device to support HDMI 2.1 features such as Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). These features will be coming in an upcoming firmware update to the console and will require compatible TVs for the same.

Dual-screen support is reportedly coming to Samsung DeX with the release of the Galaxy Tab S4 later this year. DeX has previously allowed the phone's screen to be used as a touchpad for controlling the mouse, but displaying content on the tablet as well as the monitor would improve productivity experiences.

The improved SD Express cards will feature transfer speeds up to 985 MB/s via the PCIe/NVMe interface and 128 TB storage capacities. These improvements target 4K/8K video processing, VR and augmented reality applications, AI-driven vehicles and IoT ramifications. First to get the latest specs will be the SDHC/XC/UC cards scheduled to arrive in 2019.

The ubiquitous and all-pervasive Wi-Fi is receiving its first major update in 14 years with the announcement of the WPA3 authentication protocol by the Wi-Fi Alliance. WPA3 is the successor to WPA2, which was the target of many hackers in the last year and comes with new features that prevent offline dictionary attacks and enable forward secrecy. The protocol is available for implementation in new routers today and is expected to go mainstream by 2019.

Surprising as it may seem, there is every possibility that the QHD monitor that you are using right now might in fact be a 4K panel. Supply shortages mean that OEMs could simply install a 4K panel, which are now almost as expensive or even cheaper than QHD panels and still be able to limit the output resolution via firmware. But how does one know whether the monitor has a native QHD panel or a 4K panel and does it affect regular usage?

Microsoft is working closely with Razer to bring official support for keyboard and mouse input for the Xbox One. Long promised, but never delivered, the new partnership will give hardcore gamers the additional customization options that PC gamers enjoy from an input and control perspective.

The successor of the US$35 Renegade single-board PC by Libre Computer will hit Indiegogo in July and general availability is scheduled for August. This Raspberry Pi alternative uses a Rockchip RK3399 processor and features USB Type-C connectivity, 4 GB DDR4 memory, eMMC 5.x support, Gigabit Ethernet, and more.

After a brief pre-ordering period, Amazon's Fire TV Cube can be acquired for a price of US$119.99 (the player alone) or US199.98 (Fire TV and Cloud Cam package). Later this year, this device should get support for sleep timers, Alexa Calling/Messaging, multi-room music, Bluetooth connections to mobile phones, and more.

In an interview to GamesIndustry.biz, Microsoft's Chief Marketing Officer for Gaming, Mike Nichols, said that there are no immediate plans to bring VR/MR capabilities to the Xbox consoles. Nichols feels that VR/MR is more suited to the PC and the focus currently at Xbox is to enhance the experiences on the TV.

Realtek is almost ready to launch a more affordable all-in-one USB dock for laptops. The latest prototype features a 10 Gb/s USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 main port splits the bandwidth across a great selection of connectors. Even though there is no Thudnerbolt 3 support, all the connector chips are proprietary, so the dock should feature a sub-US$100 price.

Since VR is already quite a mature technology, Microsoft intends to make its mixed reality headset more affordable for the masses. The next gen HoloLens should debut in early 2019, with improved holographic displays, a lighter frame and most likely featuring Qualcomm's latest XR1 chip. MSRP should go down below US$1,000.

The 2.45-inch Android smartphone will carry all the mainstream features of a modern smartphone including NFC, Gorilla Glass, USB Type-C, FM radio, IP68 certification, 4G LTE, Android 8.1 Oreo, Bluetooth 4.2, and even a fingerprint sensor for just $160 USD. The design suggests it to be a spiritual successor to the Unihertz Jelly series.

With the announcement of the ThinkPad P52 a few days ago, Lenovo also announced a crucial accessory, a new dock. But the company didn't release too many details about this dock, besides is name. Thanks to the ThinkPad P52 manuals, we can now take a closer look at this new dock and its specifications.

According to multiple sources familiar with the matter, Apple is currently redesigning the chargers and the charging interface for its next-gen iPhones and iPads. The iPhones expected to arrive next year will probably drop the existing Lightning connector and replace it with USB Type-C, but — unsurprisingly — Apple still has to confirm this.

The first such accessory by Alienware in almost a decade, the AW988 is a wireless 7.1 surround gaming headset with LED lights, active noise canceling, and a frequency response range of 20 to 20,000 Hz. Covered by a two-year manufacturer warranty, the Alienware Wireless Gaming Headset AW988 can be acquired directly from Dell for US$229.99.

Dell has announced two new Alienware peripherals to give you the advantage over your opponents, among the new notebook hardware at Computex 2018. One is a mouse that looks just like the laptops and desktops it complements, and the other is Alienware's first wireless headset and their first new headset in almost a decade.

Microsoft took to the stage at Computex 2018 to demonstrate a new class of meeting room devices. Dubbed Windows Collaboration Displays, these devices are meant for the modern meeting room and come with a full suite of Microsoft 365 collaboration tools and built-in sensors that can interface with Azure IoT spatial intelligence capabilities.

SK Hynix sister concern Klevv has announced the availability of the world's first 'wireless' RGB M.2 NVMe SSD. Called the CRAS X, the SSD has a hollowed out heatsink to let the RGB lighting take center stage. Apart from the CRAS X SSD, Klevv is also introducing CRAS X RAM modules with RGB and support for Intel XMP 2.0.