Accessory

MyDrivers has reported that Xiaomi intends to announce a crowdfunding project for a new product: a smart sports watch. This device will apparently support real-time GPS tracking, so that a user can generate and maintain maps of their fitness-related activities (e.g. runing routes and so on).

Apple does not quite match up to some other major software companies in terms of smart-home products. It has only one product dedicated to this market: the HomePod. The company may by trying to change this by hiring Sam Jadallah, an ex-Microsoft executive with experience in the smart-home space.

A report from CNET mentions that TCL Corporation could be busy working on up to five different foldable devices. It seems two of the devices are tablets, two are smartphones, and one appears to be a combination of a smartphone, smartwatch, and bracelet. The Chinese company is apparently planning to release a foldable device in 2020.

Canon has launched a new full-frame mirrorless camera, the EOS RP. Unlike other DSLRs, even those with APS-C, these devices use a sensor equivalent to traditional film (i.e. they measure 36x24mm in total). This confers advantages such as improved depth-of-field and general image quality.

A new report from the NBD Group shows that smartwatch sales in the US increased by 51% from November 2017 to November 2018. Wear OS only accounted for a maximum of 12% of all of these wearables sold. The rest of the sales were those from the top 3 in this market: Apple, Fitbit and Samsung.

The Surface Pen is Microsoft's answer to the Apple Pencil. It has been described as an effective stylus, albeit one that could produce more accurate digital writing. A new patent may help improve on this with changes to both the Pen and the screen used.

Released a few months ago, the LiteOS-driven Huawei Watch GT is now finally available for purchase in the US. Listed by Amazon for a regular price of US$199.99, this smart wearable will start shipping on February 19. Its specs and features include continuous heart rate monitoring, built-in GPS, sleep tracking, and more.

The Xiaomi M365 electric scooters is popular with ride-sharing companies such as Bird in the US. They can hire out such vehicles online thanks to the ability to remotely lock rental units as and when they need to. The research group Zimperium has claimed to be able to hi-jack this mechanism due to vulnerabilities found in Xiaomi's Bluetooth authentication procedure for the M365.

A new post on the Greek Apple leaks site iPhoneHellas alleges that the second-generation AirPods will launch in March. However, a second tipster, OnLeaks, has also asserted that his sources say they will be released 'in the fall'. Both reports contain different details on what their maker may release alongside or in conjunction with these wireless earbuds.

Dell has had to recall certain versions of its portable charging device, the Hybrid Adapter + Power Bank, because of the risk of electric shock. Apparently, the casing of the black adapter part of the accessory can break, which in turn exposes metal components that could pose a hazard. Dell has already received 11 reports of this occurring.

The next Oculus VR headset to be released is rumored to be called the Rift S. The latest leaks on this device suggests that it will come with its own onboard tracking cameras, rather than rely on USB-connected sensors. It may also fix the original Rift's problems with the appearance of 'god rays' on the lenses, and adjust for room lighting with 50-to-60Hz modes.

A new set of leaks concerning the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S10 has appeared, including information and a picture of a brand-new product. There are some live photos of two different Galaxy S10 devices in the hand, and there is an image of a pair of wireless earbuds in their case that look like they are being reverse wirelessly charged by an S10+.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9's S Pen gained interesting new Bluetooth capabilities over previous versions of the same stylus last year. Now, the OEM has obtained a patent to pack a whole camera into a version of the same component. This camera has a tiny lens, but also has optical zoom and a battery to power it.

The Samsung Gear Sport may get a successor soon, which is likely to be called the Galaxy Sport. This smartwatch will be the first product to feature Bixby Reminders. A new leak allegedly associated with this wearable shows that it may ditch the rotating bezel that has become a hallmark of Tizen devices.

Anker now has a USB type C-to-Lightning cable with MFi certifcation available for pre-order on its website. This cable is 3 feet in length and has TPE shielding for durability and longevity. Anker claims that it can charge an iPhone (8 or later) by as much as 50% in 30 minutes, so long as a USB-PD brick is used.

TechnoBuffalo has posted a range of images showing a device with Fitbit design language, but in colors previously unknown to this brand. They are apparently called Cyan Blue, Silver, Rose Pink and Purple. The renders have led to speculation that they are for the Fitbit Versa 2, but are more likely to simply be new color options for the pre-existing Versa.

Microsoft has been receiving praise for the Xbox Adaptive Controller commercial that was shown this Super Bowl Sunday. The clip, which was called “We All Win,” gives some children with disabilities the opportunity to speak about their love of video gaming. The Microsoft device helps users create customized controllers, giving the kids an opportunity to “crush my friends” as one pleased young gamer admits.

RetailMeNot, a company that collates online deals for consumers, has released a report indicating that this month is a good time to buy a new TV, along with some other appliances - second only to the Black Friday weekend, in fact. This mainly applies to the US, as it cites factors such as President's Day sales and Super Bowl promotional events.

The Austrian company Noctua has issued a press release to announce the introduction of the new NT-H2 thermal compound. The award-winning cooler manufacturer claims the second generation of its “enthusiast-grade” paste managed to deliver up to 2 °C lower temperatures in the firm’s tests than the predecessor NT-H1. The thermal paste will be available in 3.5 g and 10 g packages.

While most people around the world are still waiting to get 5G access, T-Mobile and Metro are back with an accessory for their 600 MHz LTE network. The Coolpad Surf hotspot is capable of connecting up to 15 devices simultaneously and its 2,150 mAh battery can last for up to 5.3 hours of continuous use or 48 hours on standby.

Samsung has announced in a press release its intentions to become considerably more environmentally friendly. The company will ditch product plastic packaging and replace it with various alternatives, including paper, pulp, and other recycled materials. The smartphone manufacturer’s revised policy also means that phone chargers will lose their glossy finish.

Will there finally be a Rose Gold or bright pink Razer Blade laptop? The OEM has been teasing pink mice, keyboards, and headphones for weeks and a pink gaming laptop would essentially complete the collection.

A new report by ResearchAndMarkets.com indicates that the wireless headphone market will continue to show healthy growth into the year 2024. At that point, it could be worth as much as US$34 billion. The report indicates that this could be driven by increasing sophistication in wireless audio features and technology.

Our last report on the Apple AirPods 2 covered rumors that they could have been released by now, at least. However, their maker failed to live up to this leak, and the 2nd generation of these wireless earbuds has yet to appear. A newer article in DigiTimes alleges that these wearables will be here by July 2019.

Codenamed Pulse, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Sport smartwatch is expected to feature Bixby support and Bixby Reminders. Since it has just received its FCC certification, it would not be surprising to see the new Tizen-driven smart wearable being unveiled alongside the Galaxy S10 lineup on February 20.

The new Intel RealSense Tracking Camera T265 was designed for applications such as robotics, drones, and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR). This US$199 piece of hardware uses proprietary visual inertial odometry simultaneous localization and mapping, can be already pre-ordered, and shipments will begin at the end of February.

The professional DK30C2HAGPD and DK30C2DAGPD docks are able to make the most of USB Type-C Gen. 1 by switching between two different modes depending on user application.

Although the 20 MP resolution is no longer a high-end specification for a modern single-sensor smartphone camera, the ISOCELL Slim 3T2 by Samsung focuses on other attributes instead. Advertised by Samsung as the industry's most compact image sensor, this piece of hardware was designed with full-screen display smartphones in mind.

Spotify, the popular music and podcast streaming service, is planning on releasing its own hardware. The Financial Times reports that the device will be an in-car music player and could cost US$100.

The latest software update for the Samsung Gear S3 smartwatch pushes the Tizen version up to 4.0.0.2, weighs around 300 MB, and comes with sleep stages info support for the Health widget, more indoor workouts and back-to-back workout for Samsung Health, improved Quick Panel UI, and more. Sadly, it is only available in the US for now.

A new report on the worldwide wearable device market by Allied Market Research indicates that its value could grow to US$31 billion in the next 6 years. This is likely to be driven by the increasing uptake of its products in the healthcare and educational sectors. Apple had the greatest share of the smartwatch-specific market in 2017

Drone maker DJI has discovered an internal racket that has defrauded the company of at least US$150 million. The theft is said to have involved multiple staff and led to their dismissal although the company is still investing the case, which it says is “extensive.”

What started one year ago as a (now canceled) slide-out keyboard mod for the Moto Z lineup turned into a smartphone with a QWERTY keyboard that is expected to hit the market in Q1 2019. The Android Pie-driven F(x) handset will come with curved sides and a 6-inch AMOLED display, but the other specs are not public yet.

The alpha A6400 is Sony's most recent mirrorless offering. This camera boasts a 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor, as well as "the world's fastest autofocus" of 0.02 seconds. The A6400 also features a state-of-the-art BIONZ X image processor. However, its most outstanding feature may be the LCD touchscreen, which is adjustable through 180 degrees.

The worldwide market for wireless charging products was worth just over US$2 billion in 2017. However, this figure is projected to grow by about $19 billion in the next 4 years. The market research group BIS Research concludes that this is due to the increased uptake of global standards (e.g. Qi) and the integration of wireless chargers into everyday objects such as cars.

Project Ara had once been hotly anticipated as the future of mobile devices with enhanced future-proofing and general upgradeability. The prototype produced through this Google initiative was a basic frame to which various interchangeable modules could be attached. The project's public profile had dwindled since; however, it seems its makers haven't forgotten about it yet.

Fossil Group has issued a press release to announce a US$40 million deal with Google. The search engine giant will be purchasing intellectual property (IP) from the well-known American designer label in regard to smartwatch technology. There has been speculation that Google is preparing to mount a challenge to Apple’s current dominance of the smartwatch market.

Apple has posted sales pages for new Smart Battery Cases. These products have been designed for the iPhone XS, XS Max or XR, and are available in white or black. Apple claims that they can deliver up to 9 hours of additional active screen use.

Apple has not refreshed or updated the iPod Touch since 2015. That year saw the 6th generation of the device, which was not heard of much since. However, that fact did not stop a Japanese outlet posting claims that a supplier had told it that this product would indeed make a come-back, one equipped with USB type C no less.

HyperX has announced its Cloud MIX headphones, a wired gaming headset that also doubles as a set of lightweight and portable Bluetooth headphones. The Cloud MIX has an understated design, 20 hours of battery life over Bluetooth and supports Hi-Res Audio.

Apple has been teasing the release of the AirPower since 2017. However, the company has let numerous subsequent relevant launches go by without mentioning it again. Nevertheless, a credible source now claims that a known supplier to the OEM has started to manufacture these products.

Google has officially confirmed the discontinuation of the Chromecast Audio device. A quick glance at Google’s online store lists the music-streaming gadget as out of stock, after recently receiving a heavy price cut from US$35 to just US$15. It may be possible to buy the device in some outlets while they still have stock remaining.

The Lexar Professional 633x SD card, announced at CES earlier today, is the largest capacity SD card available to date at a whopping 1 TB. Despite its large size, the card is somewhat disappointing in performance; the 633x is rated at 95 MB/s write and 70 MB/s read. It also supports VSC Class 30, which means it should hit at least 30 MB/s when recording video. This should be adequate for 4K footage, but higher bitrates and higher resolutions may suffer.

Seagate and LaCie have launched new drives that will appeal to both mobile and power users including gamers. The new drives will come in a range of capacities and sizes as well as a mix of spinning platter and SSDs.

The smart TV market was worth US$143 billion by the end of 2017. However, a new report has indicated that this value will grow by $110 billion in the next four years. This rate will be driven by a sustained downward trend in smart TV prices and the increased uptake of 4K, according to a new report.

Although the TicWatch E2 was unveiled a few months ago, it still has to reach the market. However, Mobvoi is showing it off at CES next to the TicWatch S2, and both should become available for purchase in the future. Sadly, there are no official launch dates or prices to talk about yet.

Omnicharge has managed to secure funding of over US$1 million on Indiegogo for its Omni Ultimate battery-charging solution. The device offers a colossal 40,300 mAh (145 Wh) battery capacity but is considerably more portable than some of its rivals. It comes with a plethora of features to help it stand out of the small crowd of mega-chargers, including the ability to replace depleted batteries on the go.

Lenovo has announced the transformable Yoga Mouse with laser presenter. This sleek-looking peripheral has the ability to turn from a V-shaped mouse into a flat laser presenter with just a simple twist of a hinge. Up to 1600 DPI tracking promises accurate mouse movement, and the four-button device weighs in at just 0.14 lbs (63 g).

Lenovo has unveiled the 2-in-1 Smart Tab P10 tablet and Smart Dock. The versatile P10 device offers typical usage scenarios in Tablet Mode, but when it is added to the Smart Dock it switches to Show Mode and incorporates Amazon’s Alexa virtual assistant for hands-free interaction. It’s then simple enough to use the smart screen to watch videos or listen to music.