Accessory

Using Power banks is normal in the world of smartphones, but in the laptop-space they are not seen that often. One of the reasons is that only a few battery packs have enough power to charge a laptop. Hoping to profit from accessory sales, the PC manufacturer Lenovo has now released a power bank made explicitly for its ThinkPad and IdeaPad laptops.

The innovative stacked display design developed by Mobvoi for the upcoming TicWatch Pro should provide a substantial battery life boost. While in standard mode, the battery may last around 2 days, but there is also an Essential mode that completely disconnects the OLED screen and turns off the Wear OS, leaving only the black/white LCD active.

It has been reported that an Amazon Echo device recorded and then sent out a husband and wife’s private conversation without their permission. The Alexa-enabled smart speaker sent the audio file to a random contact who just happened to be an employee of the husband, who then warned them about the surreptitious recording.

Nintendo is now selling a cheaper Switch bundle without a TV dock or AC adapter. By sacrificing these accessories, gamers can save ¥5,000 (~$45). Unfortunately, the bundle is currently exclusive to Japan, and there's little chance Nintendo will release a stand-alone Switch in the West anytime soon.

US customers not happy with the three color choices locally available for the Samsung Galaxy S9 lineup might want to wait for a little longer, because it looks like the Sunrise Gold option might reach them in the coming weeks. Even better, it is rumored that the Burgundy Red Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will land stateside as well.

The Relay secure smartphone for kids by Republic Wireless is so secure that it does not feature a display. This accessory can be considered a basic phone with tracking capabilities for kids, as it features nationwide 4G LTE connectivity, as well as WiFi, Bluetooth, integrated GPS, NFC contact sharing, and even a smart assistant.

Promising to bring a "new attitude" to Europe, Xiaomi is ready to enter the French market. The Chinese brand will open its first Mi Store in Paris on May 22, but more are expected to follow in other French cities over the coming months. Two days later, Xiaomi will also enter the Italian market.

A new quarterly research report has been released that shows Amazon and Google currently leading the pack in terms of global smart speaker shipments and market share. However, although Amazon has shipped twice as many units in Q1 2018 than in Q1 2017, the Seattle-based retailer has seen a notable dip in overall market share.

Already available in smartphones, TVs, air conditioners, washing machines, and refrigerators, the Samsung Bixby virtual assistant will also be added to the company's robot cleaners and ovens by the end of this year. Samsung remains committed to the promise of bringing AI to all its home appliances by 2020.

AsteroidOS, best described as an open source alternative to watchOS and Wear OS, launched its first stable release yesterday. Designed by a small group of developers and open to the public, the OS can run on a few Wear OS-compatible smartwatches, including devices from LG, Asus, and Sony.

Los Angeles will get 5G connectivity from Verizon in the last quarter of 2018, joining Sacramento as a "progressive-minded" city. The carrier still has to announce one to three more cities that will be included in the first wave of commercial 5G deployment. Verizon already tested 5G networks in 11 cities throughout 2017.

Thanks to the recent introduction of six new voice choices, Google Assistant now features a total of eight such options — four female and four male voices. Even more, Sundar Pichai has confirmed at Google I/O that John Legend's voice will also reach the company's virtual assistant by the end of the year.

A patent has been granted to Apple for an “electronic device having display with curved edges.” The patent was filed in January 2016 and features a number of images that could easily be described as potential smartwatch displays. Producing a circular smartwatch would be something of a design departure for the Cupertino-based company.

The WRT32X is relaunching tomorrow with a special WRT32XB edition designed for Xbox gamers. Its software will be tuned out-of-the-box to prioritize Xbox online and streaming traffic while still offering the same high-end features as the WRT32X. Linksys is citing the rapidly growing gaming market for the soft relaunch of its gaming router.

The Mate 10 Pro launched in the United States for $800 three months ago, but it can now be purchased for $150 less through major online retailers like Amazon, Newegg, and B&H. Huawei's mid-range MateBook D laptop will also be $200 cheaper for only this upcoming week. The temporary price cuts aim to bolster sales in the backdrop of U.S. surveillance and suspicion of Chinese-branded telecommunication devices.

The new Samsung Pro Endurance has impressive endurance stats compared to their competitors and read speeds that match non-endurance cards.

The 16 MP ISOCELL Slim 3P9 camera by Samsung is a solution for mid-range devices and, thanks to the Tetracell technology, its 1 μm sensor can act as a 2 μm unit by merging four neighboring pixels. This way, the next-gen front-facing cameras can take better pictures in low light scenarios.

The recent Cambridge Analytica scandal forced Facebook to delay the launch of its first smart speakers, which are now scheduled to arrive in October, loaded with the Facebook M artificial intelligence software solution. These smart home accessories were initially scheduled to arrive in July.

Barclay's analyst Blayne Curtis is predicting that Apple will stop bundling the Lightning to 3.5mm audio adapter with the iPhone released this fall. If this prediction comes true, iPhone users that want wired audio would have to separately purchase the adapter at a small (but annoying) additional cost.

According to an exclusive report that recently surfaced online, the LG Watch Timepiece runs Wear OS and combines a quartz movement watch with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100-powered smart module that features a circular 1.2-inch LCD display with a resolution of 360 x 360 pixels. This wearable could be announced this week and might hit the market in June.

LG has just revealed that the upcoming G7 ThinQ flagship will feature a "Boombox Speaker" that packs a resonance chamber which allows it to provide 6 dB higher base sound levels and twice the amount of bass that the brand's existing flagships can deliver. The G7 ThinQ will also feature a HiFi Quad DAC and DTS:X 3D Surround Sound.

There has been a growing wave of people in the community calling the Exklim eX Core a scam. Some feel that the eX Core fills a new niche, some think that it can't achieve the claimed performance, while others believe it doesn't exist at all. We haven't seen any working products and we don't endorse the eX Core, but we did feel it was important to give Edgar the chance to answer some of the communities questions.

Although the new XPS 15 2-in-1 (9575) was supposed to begin shipping more than a week ago, Frank Azor has just confirmed that many early adopters still have to receive their machines due to a delay that has been caused by "a small bad batch of the Mag lev keyboard." Even more, the i9 processor upgrade for the XPS 15 9570 is not available yet but will be added on May 10.

The second-generation Spectacles camera glasses by Snapchat no longer feature a yellow ring that alerts people and can also shoot images, not just video. Capable of shooting underwater, this new accessory also comes with faster syncing, a slimmer frame and charging case, prescription options, and a price of US$149.99.

Although we recently heard that the upcoming iPhone SE 2 would drop the audio jack, a set of leaked images shows that the refreshed version of Apple's compact handset will keep this traditional jack around. These photos also reveal a design with a glass back, apparently inspired by the classic iPhone 5.

The question “What is Fire TV Cube?” has been posted on a splash page on the Amazon website. Amazon Fire TV is a digital media player and microconsole created by the Seattle-based online shopping giant. Rumors of a cube-shaped device appeared before Amazon released the third-generation “pendant-style” Fire TV, and now it seems the Fire TV Cube is soon going to be a reality.

Unveiled back at MWC 2018, the Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1 is now available in Europe starting at the equivalent of over US$2,500 (without taxes). The highlights of this rugged Windows 10 Pro tablet with a fanless design include a sunlight readable display, FLIR and 3D imaging, and many hardware options to choose from.

Dell has been number one in monitor sales for 17 straight quarters, and they are looking to continue this trend with the announcement of seven new and refreshed monitors. Three of the new models stand out because of their USB-C connections, giving us an indication of future trends as we move towards possible universal usage of USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 replacing various other non-compatible data and display standards.

One of the biggest trends of the past few years in terms of computers is without a doubt the establishment of a completely new kind of storage device - the faster and all-electronic instead of partly-mechanic Solid-State Drives. The popularity of SSDs as well as the variety of models available has vastly increased in the last years. This article is designed to offer you concrete purchase recommendations.

According to a report, Intel is planning on closing down its New Devices Group. This particular division of the chip-making giant was involved in developing wearable projects. One of these projects was called “Superlight” but was better known to the outside world as the Vaunt smart glasses. It seems the state of the smart-glasses market prompted Intel’s withdrawal.

Ultrabook owners stuck with USB Type-C now have more options to expand their existing Thunderbolt 3 ports and support a variety of legacy connections including eSATA and USB Type-A. The pricey adapters support daisy-chaining and will work with both PCs and Macs to utilize the most out of a single Thunderbolt 3 port.

Artists, designers, and editors with Surface Pro 4's can now enjoy full on-screen controls when using a Surface Dial on their Surface device. The Surface Dial provides basic functionality for all Bluetooth 4.0 LE equipped Windows 10 devices, but only the Surface Studio, Surface Book 2, Surface Pro 2017, and Surface Pro 4 provide the full experience.

A report from Bloomberg has stated that Apple has had to cut manufacturing orders with Inventec in regard to the HomePod. Apparently, the smart speaker has not been selling in huge numbers and Apple workers have commented that store inventories are simply piling up with the device. A number of factors are being accused for the HomePod's sluggish sales, including the relatively high price of US$349.

Exklim has launched a kickstarter campaign for their ultra-portable take on external GPU's. Equipped with a GTX 1050 MXM card and running solely on power provided by the Thunderbolt 3 connection removes the need for additional power supplies and makes this a solution that can really be tucked into a laptop bag. The eX Core is still in the kickstarter stage and the marketing material leans towards promising more than the device might be capable of, but nevertheless it is an interesting product that is worth keeping an eye on.

After big names like Amazon, eBay, and Twitter discontinued their apps for Apple Watch, the time has come for Instagram to do the same. The Instagram app for Apple's wearable will no longer provide a standalone experience once users upgrade to version 39 on iOS, and it will be replaced by various notifications.

Although Apple also had some problems with inflated batteries lately, the class action lawsuit involving no less than 63,767 South Korean customers has been filed to seek damages because of the company's intentional CPU throttling on older models to increase their battery life. The amount Apple might pay is the equivalent of almost US$12 million.

Although using an external GPU on a MacBook was possible in the past by booting up Windows on it, macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 finally brings native support for external graphics processors to Apple's operating system. This update also contains multiple minor tweaks and fixes, including a fix for the graphics corruption issues encountered in certain apps on the iMac Pro.

The family of gaming headsets introduced by SteelSeries earlier this month includes the Arctis Pro + GameDAC, which is the first certified Hi-Res Audio headset in the gaming world, and the Arctis Pro Wireless. Their prices are US$249.99 and US$329.99, but those on a tight budget can also pick the Arctis Pro without the USB DAC for US$179.99.

Although Samsung and NextRadio announced earlier this year that all upcoming handsets of the South Korean brand to hit the US and Canada will feature FM radio support, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ came with a bug that disabled it. Now, Samsung has just confirmed that a fix for this problem is on the way, but only mentioned "in the next update" instead of an accurate date.

More than a year since the launch of a new flagship smartwatch, Samsung is on its way to bringing the Gear S4 at IFA. A recent unofficial report reveals that a wearable codenamed "Galileo" and bearing the SM-R800 model number is under development and will be released in the last quarter of this year.

Fitbit’s Versa smartwatch is available for pre-order and offers an interesting alternative to the market-dominating Apple Watch. For a start, there is the price: The Fitbit Versa costs US$199.95 and the Apple Watch Series 3 has prices starting at US$329 (from the Apple Store). Fitbit claims the Versa has a battery life of over four days, which certainly beats out the 18 hours that Apple advertises for its Series 3 (GPS) wearable.

Swiss computer-accessory manufacturer Logitech has announced a couple of new items specifically designed for the just-released sixth-generation iPad. Firstly, there is a stylus called the Logitech Crayon Digital Pencil that offers an eight-hour battery life. Then there is the Logitech Rugged Combo 2 case and keyboard combination, which has been designed to protect the newly revised 9.7-inch iPad from bumps and drops.

Samsung’s wearable, the Gear S2, has received a new software upgrade from the South Korean manufacturer. The user interface has been overhauled, the Samsung Health widget has been enhanced, and the watch can be used in conjunction with the Gear VR headset and PowerPoint presentations. The update can be accessed through the Samsung Gear app.

One year after the introduction of the WSD-F20, Casio unveils the Pro Trek WSD-F20SC "adventure smartwatch" at the ongoing Baselworld 2018 trade show that focuses on wearable technology. Compared to its predecessor, the WSD-F20SC also comes with a sapphire crystal display that can easily handle scratches and bumps, as well as a durable Field Composite band.

Foxconn is set to acquire Belkin, and with it, Linksys and Wemo. The US$866 million deal is, however, subject to review by the US Committee on Foreign Investment.

The Mondaine Helvetica Regular has just been unveiled in Basel and will hit the market by the end of the month for a price of around US$640. Compared to its predecessor, it features a smaller case and can receive notifications. Since it is not a regular smartwatch and has a limited set of features, the battery lasts for about two years.

HTC’s second-generation VR headset, the Vive Pro, is now up for pre-order. Improved in every key area over the original, the company is hoping the addition of wireless support will help to attract new users put off by being tethered as with the original.

Last week, Fitbit started to roll out the firmware version 27.32.4.19 to the Fitbit Ionic smart wearables. This update is based on Fitbit OS 2.0 and includes Fitbit Today, described as "an updated on-device dashboard that keeps you informed about all of your health and fitness data," support for Deezer playlists, a new set of control gestures, various changes to the interface, and more.

Sony has outed its latest pico projector and it is small enough to fit in a pants pocket. The MP-CD1 can boot in just 5 seconds and is listed as coming soon on the company’s US website.