Storage

Sony’s PlayStation 5 is finally getting its eagerly awaited update that will bring with it support for its currently dormant M.2 SSD internal drive bay. The update also includes some other goodies with 3D audio support being added for built-in TV speakers and new UX features and customization options.

Canon has launched the EOS R3 as the "most technologically advanced full-frame mirrorless camera" it has ever produced. This is because it integrates the AI-based person- and even eye-detection features that allow the user to direct focus on what they are looking at through the EVF. The R3's CMOS is also rated to pick out and track specific subject types such as eyes and animals.

The Infinix Zero X, X Neo and X Pro have been announced with the 8MP periscope lens rated for powerful hybrid zoom normally reserved for high-end devices. However, with their 4G-only MediaTek silicon, these new products are not among them. Then again, the X and X Pro are also enhanced with display specs not normally associated with their chipset.

Motorola is currently rumored to have 2 new affordable phones in the works: the Moto E20, a name that has now popped up in multiple leaks, and the Moto E30, of which there have been far fewer signs. However, a device of this exact name has now surfaced on a benchmarking site for the first time.

Previous leaks have hinted at an upcoming OPPO smartphone with a new design intended to recall Xiaomi's Mi 11 Ultra in its camera hump. Now, the latest tips assert that this device will indeed launch soon as the K9 Pro. It is slated to arrive with an up-to-date MediaTek Dimensity SoC and an AMOLED display.

The well-known leaker Ishan Agarwal now asserts that a new Samsung device with an AMOLED display of 120Hz in refresh rate and a new, upper-mid-range 5G Snapdragon processor is gearing up for launch in India. However, the tip refers not to the Galaxy A52 or one of its variants, as one might think from reading these specs, but to the rumored M52 instead.

Not only has Facebook made its first ever pair of smart glasses official, it has also made them Ray-Bans thanks to a collaboration with this iconic brand. The new wearable device is equipped with speakers for calls and audio, not to mention the cameras necessary for point-of-view video or photos at will. The Stories spectacles are available in certain markets from now.

TCL has announced the most budget variant of its latest 20 5G smartphone series. The new R model offers a 6.52-inch display driven by a 4,500mAh battery and runs on Android 11. Then again, the OEM has modulated its specs in order to launch it at an attractive price in Europe.

OPPO has announced new pricing and availability data for the Reno6 5G, a phone destined to stand out in the mid-range European market due to its MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC. The device also offers an FHD+ AMOLED display, fast 65W charging and triple rear cameras.

The Redmi K50 range of smartphones is already rumored to arrive in the form of high-quality handsets based on the specs predicted for them thus far. Now, a prominent leaker asserts their OEM will compound them with builds rated for IP68 levels of ingress-protection. The tipster also now supports the prospect of upgraded charging tech in the upcoming devices.

RedMagic has made its 2021 flagship refresh official today (September 6, 2021). The 6S Pro may have the same basic build as its immediate predecessor; nevertheless, the OEM has crammed some new features a gaming-phone fan might enjoy into the updated device. They include an advanced ICE 7.0 cooling system, not to mention some potentially next-gen biometrics.

The RedMagic 6S Pro can be expected to be an iterative upgrade over its immediate predecessor, based on the Snapdragon 888+ platform confirmed by its maker. Now, Chinese regulators may have revealed that this also probably applies to the phone's looks. Meanwhile, the OEM has teased the phone with more impressive claims.

XDO Tech has managed to generate quite a lot of enthusiasm for its Pantera Pico, a mini-PC into which the OEM has managed to cram 4 USB type A ports, active cooling and an HDMI port for a 4K/UHD output. Now, this hype has been converted into the ability to smash the original goal of its Kickstarter campaign nearly 5 times over by now.

Samsung is now projected to launch a successor to the Galaxy M21, thanks to a recent slew of leaks associated with a new model number suggesting this is indeed the case. It looks like the "M22" will turn out looking and performing much like a pre-existing 2021 smartphone; then again, this makes for potentially bargain pricing in the rumored device.

FUJIFILM's 2 latest mirrorless cameras are of 2 different types; however, they have a lot in common. The GFX 50S II and X-T30 II are second generations of their respective series, yet are both based on the same X-Processor 4 image processor. They are also touted as having improved auto-focus (AF), whereas the 50S II is the first of its line to come with in-body image stabilization (IBIS).

The pro-grade videography brand RED has just announced what it calls its "most powerful and advanced cinema camera" yet. The V-Raptor ST incorporates an 8K VV sensor and can shoot at 120fps at its full resolution. It is compatible with third-party storage, and also with a five-figure USD price-tag.

The new drives combine traditional platters with iNAND UFS memory to improve speeds and reliability. These drives are not similar to existing hybrid SSHDs since OptiNAND is not used to store user data. Instead, the NAND memory stores metadata from HDD operations and RRO defects, plus it can improve performance by buffering out more data, and also increase reliability allowing 50x more data to be flushed.

The Fossil Gen 6 smartwatches are the world's first wearables to rock the Plus version of the Snapdragon Wear 4100 platform, and are also the first of their brand to offer blood-oxygen measurements. They come in a variety of styles and materials, some of which are available to order in the US from now.

A Vivo executive is now quoted as saying that this Android OEM's former flagship NEX line is indeed to be brought back from the dead. It will apparently follow an annual product cycle, which will resume from the first half of 2022 onward. Nevertheless, leaks for the upcoming top-end X70 series continue apace.

Motorola is currently said to have a couple of new Moto E-series smartphones in the works. One of them may have found its way onto Geekbench, in a new leak that purports to confirm numerous rumored specs for the device. They include SoC and RAM profiles that are emphatically in the lowest of market tiers, especially for 2021.

One of Samsung India's latest Twitter posts effectively confirm that it will bring "Awesome for Everyone" in India with the Galaxy A52s 5G. A new page on the OEM's official website suggests this launch is definitely on the cards and will be completed in the very near future, although it has yet to say when exactly.

Motorola is now said to have 2 new Moto E-series smartphones in the works. Two well-known leakers indicate that they will continue in the usually cost-effective vein of their predecessors, with modest specs and the Go version of Android 11. Then again, they might stand out with interesting rear-panel finishes and decently large screens.

The combined market share of the two companies threatens Samsung's position as the world's biggest NAND memory producer. Western Digital and Kioxia (Toshiba's memory division) have already been collaborating for 20 years, so the merger does not come as a huge surprise.

Motorola has made good on an interesting round of rumors with the launch of the Moto G50 5G. Unlike the pre-existing phone of the same name, this one has a MediaTek Dimensity-series SoC rather than a Qualcomm platform. It is available to buy from now - albeit only from Lenovo's division in Australia.

Samsung has launched its latest phone for the Indian market as one with quad rear cameras, a 5,000mAh battery and 12-band 5G support. The Galaxy M32 5G is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity processor, has up to 8GB of RAM and has (almost suspiciously) up-to-date mid-range Samsung looks. Its preview page on Amazon.in indicates that it will go live in September 2021.

The iQOO 8 Pro has just launched in China to challenge the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 with its Snapdragon 888+ SoC and brand-new, extremely premium E5 display. Now, the appearance of a new phone from its OEM on the Google Play Console has sparked rumors that it is about to get a global launch. However, it seems not to have the full-fat specs of this new Pro smartphone.

iQOO has launched the flagship 8 series as promised today (August 17, 2021). It offers a new Pro variant with the updated Snapdragon 888+ processor and a new E5 LTPO AMOLED display with a 2K resolution, 10-bit color and a 120Hz refresh rate. These specs also make it the world's latest DisplayMate A+-rated smartphone.

Some new tips suggest that Motorola will launch a new Moto G-series phone with an interesting name soon. The unusual moniker has reportedly appeared in new regulatory material filed by the OEM with several official groups. These leaks also hint that it will be available in several markets, the US and Canada included.

Honor's major product launch of today (August 12, 2021) has introduced a new mid-ranger alongside its flagship Android series for this year. The X20 has charging specs and some display properties in common with the new Magic3 devices, although its SoC is a new mid-range 5G MediaTek chipset.

The Galaxy Z Fold3 has finally become official as the headline act of Samsung's latest Unpacked event. The ultra-premium device has premiered as the first one from this OEM with an under-display camera (UDC) for its main 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x display. It also offers upgrades such as the Snapdragon 888 processor.

Xiaomi has updated its line of smart TVs today (August 10, 2021) with new OLED-enabled models. This comes with an ultra-high contrast ratio, HDR10+ and "True 10-bit" color on the new 6-series. For those in need of even more premium specs, the new Mi TV OLED 77 model has Harman Kardon-tuned speakers, high-wattage speakers and a new spec in common with the Mi Mix 4.

Motorola has just made its Edge 20 smartphones, which stand out among mid-range devices with 108MP main cameras across this new range, official in some markets that include Europe. Now, the OEM has strongly hinted that they are also headed to India some time soon.

GoPro has announced that it has made no less than US$250 million in revenue for the second quarter of 2021 (or 2Q2021). The action-cam company has also reported it has amassed 211% more subscribers compared to 2Q2020. It has also made a net gain for this quarter, as opposed to the sizeable net loss posted for the same quarter of the last year.

Samsung is all but certain to unveil the next-gen Galaxy Z Fold on August 11, 2021. However, new leaks from well-known sources purport to spoil this event with full-scale specs for the ultra-premium device. They purport to outline the Z Fold3 in every detail, from its connectivity options to more specific display and camera resolutions.

Western Digital has been slashing the prices of its WD_BLACK SN850 NVMe SSDs. The SN850 was recently recommended by PlayStation 5 lead architect Mark Cerny as an “awesome option” for PS5 owners looking for a superfast internal SSD. WD has cut prices by as much as US$100 for its highest-capacity drive.

A Western Digital earnings call has revealed the positive effect the Chia cryptocurrency farming trend has had on the company. Chia crypto farming requires proof of space, which is provided by large-capacity hard drives. Naturally, additional sales of WD HDDs that fulfill this requirement have added considerably to the corporation’s coffers.

Honor has launched 2 new products today (August 5, 2021): a new pair of TWS earbuds and a smartphone. The Play 5T Pro has a 6.6-inch display, driven by a MediaTek processor, and a larger battery compared to the existing Play 5. Similarly, the Earbuds 2 Lite are rated for up to 32 hours of use on a single charge, and for active noise cancellation (ANC).

Lenovo is now slated to augment its Tab P-series tablet series with a new variant soon. This "P12 Pro" is painted as a device with a former flagship processor - which is a surprise as its predecessor has a mid-range SoC. It is also depicted as having more RAM and running Android 11.

Xiaomi has launched 2 new laptops for the Indian market, which it calls the RedmiBook 15 Pro and the e-Learning Edition of the same. Both of these machines have the same 19.9mm deep chassis with 15.6-inch FHD displays, finished in polycarbonate for mobility and affordability. However, the two variants have their own choices of 11th-gen Intel chipsets and SSDs.

Realme is slated to launch its first-ever tablet soon. The latest renders depicting this device point to a gold SKU to join the plain gray option hinted at earlier. They also give a better look at what is most likely a silo for an on-board pen. This is the latest possible evidence that the Pad's touchscreen will be compatible with these accessories.

Realme is now tipped to launch a phone called the 8s soon. It is painted as a refresh for the pre-existing 8 5G, albeit with a heretofore-unheard of MediaTek Dimensity 810 processor. Therefore, it might still have up-to-date connectivity with a 90Hz display and a generous 5,000mAh battery.

Mark Cerny, the lead architect behind the development of the PlayStation 5, has shared the internal SSD drive he has plumped for in regard to expanding the storage on his own PS5 console. Cerny had to select a drive that could match or outpace the PS5’s own 5.5 GB/s-capable SSD, so it seems he selected a 7,000 MB/s-capable drive from Western Digital.

Micron has put its latest kind of flash storage for mobile devices into production. It has the OEM's state-of-the-art 176-layer NAND technology, as well as the most up-to-date UFS 3.1 read and write speeds. The brand Honor has lost no time in announcing that its upcoming Magic3 flagship series will debut with this spec.

The 768 GB modules are specifically designed for cloud datacenters, but Samsung plans to include the 24 Gb DDR5 chips in 96 / 192 / 384 GB modules aimed at mainstream servers, as well as 24 GB and 48 GB modules for consumer PCs.

Motorola has unveiled the Edge 20 series' specs and design in full on its website. They are headed by the Snapdragon 870-powered Pro variant, which also features a 144Hz screen, 12GB of RAM and a 108MP main camera sensor. Then again, the 20 and 20 Lite also benefit from this sensor, albeit with varying levels of zoom and additional features.

AMD has now officially introduced the RX 6600 XT. The new RDNA 2-based card has 8GB of GDDR6 128-bit memory, has 32 compute units (CUs) and a clock-speed that can go up to 2.6GHz as standard. Therefore, the OEM aims it squarely at 1080p performance - not to mention potentially reasonable estimated starting prices once it emerges via partners on August 11, 2021.

A new Nokia device has been spotted on a retailer's website, depicted as a 10.4-inch display tablet that will come in at least 1 colorway (blue). It also has 4G/LTE-capable options, although it may not be particularly high-end, having 4GB RAM SKUs. The new slate may launch in the UK and the EU for the equivalent of ~US$265.

Targus has announced a new accessory to connect an Android phone with USB type-C to the peripherals necessary for a desktop-like experience. The OEM has also announced that the Universal USB-C Phone Dock supports Samsung's DeX. Users could have this interface up on a potentially 4K monitor with this new product.

Realme has confirmed that it will launch its first-gen PC soon, widely thought to be a MacBook clone since thanks to numerous leaks on the subject. Now, a new product from the OEM that is almost certainly this probable ultrabook has been approved by the regulator 3C. It suggests that the Book does indeed have a spec to match many of its Apple counterpart.

Kioxia has introduced new EXCERIA-line M.2 2280 SSDs for desktops or laptops. The OEM asserts that the new PRO variant is for enthusiasts, whereas the G2 is more for the mainstream, mainly as they support PCIe Gen 4 and Gen 3 respectively. The 2 new drives also feature the proprietary "BiCS" flash memory and up to 2TB capacities.