Launch

Meizu has just announced a new smartwatch powered by the latest Snapdragon Wear 4100 platform for wearables. The OEM has packed it with a raft of health-monitoring features, heart-rate and blood-oxygen measurements included, not to mention 4G/LTE support. It can be pre-ordered from tomorrow (June 1, 2021) at a price equivalent to US$235.

Xiaomi has just showcased its latest standard for mobile-device charging, consisting of a power brick rated to charge at up to 200W. The OEM claims that it can power a compatible smartphone with a 4,000mAh battery from 0 to 100% in just 8 minutes. It has not stopped there, though, having also revealed its latest wireless charger that can apparently go at a blazing-fast 120W.

Intel had added the Core i7-1195G7 and the Core i5-1155G7 SKUs to its 11th gen Tiger Lake-UP3 lineup. The new SKUs offer increased CPU and GPU boost clock with the Core i7-1195G7 being the first U-series processor to hit the 5 GHz single-core boost mark. Intel also introduced the Intel 5G Solution 5000, which is an M.2 5G solution built in collaboration with MediaTek.

Ulefone has announced the Armor 11T as a ruggedized smartphone with the special feature of a thermal imaging camera which, as the OEM claims, is co-engineered with FLIR. The smartphone is also slated to ship with Android 11, which will run on the MediaTek Dimensity 800 5G processor.

Acer has launched an upgraded version the Predator X38 that was originally announced during CES 2020. The new Predator X38 S is now VESA DisplayHDR 600-certified and comes with a built-in NVIDIA Reflex Latency Analyzer. The rest of the features including the 2300R UWQHD+ panel are similar to the previous version.

The Intel Core i9-11900KB, Core i7-11700B, Core i5-11500B, and Core i3-11100B are now official. All four desktop processors are based on the 10nm Tiger Lake architecture. They are custom-made for small form-factor machines and may not be available to the general public.

The Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is a new Samsung tablet that definitely falls into the budget category. Despite this, it has both Wi-Fi and 4G/LTE-enabled variants. It will be available in certain European markets from June 2021 with an 8.7-inch HD+ TFT display, a 5,100mAh battery and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

By opting for Intel 10th gen Ice Lake instead of 11th gen Tiger Lake, Infinix will be able to keep costs lower without needing to sacrifice too much performance in the process.

Nubia's premium Android gaming brand has launched a new variant for its 2021 smartphone series. This 6R has frankly near-mid-tier looks, yet still manages to pack the Snapdragon 888 processor and up to 12GB of RAM. It starts at ~US$425, although its top-end Buddha IP Limited Edition is closer to $630.

The Enco Free series are the more affordable of OPPO's TWS earbuds; nevertheless, the latest generation boasts active noise cancellation (ANC) for just under US$100. They also feature an IP54 ingress-protection, up to 30 hours of the future and input from the OEM's high-end audio partner Dynaudio.

In a celebratory livestream for Dragon Quest's 35th anniversary, Square Enix announced four new Dragon Quest games, including Dragon Quest 12, the first mainline game in four years. Other titles include an HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest 3, a Dragon Quest 11 spinoff, and a Dragon Quest-themed puzzle game for smartphones.

Acer has upgraded its TravelMate lineup with the TravelMate P6 and the TravelMate Spin P6 convertible. Both the new TravelMate devices are based on the Intel 11th gen Core vPro platform and offer 14-inch FHD displays with 100% sRGB coverage along with optional 5G and NFC connectivity.

Today (May 27, 2021), OPPO has launched the Reno6 series of premium mid-range smartphones. It largely consists of refreshes for their immediate predecessors; then again, the OEM has introduced the new Dimensity 900 processor in the base 6. This phone also follows the emerging flat-edge trend among Android phones and starts at about US$440.

Acer is offering ConceptD 5 and ConceptD 5 Pro content creator laptops with Intel Tiger Lake-H processors and NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ampere Laptop GPUs. The ConceptD 5 Pro variant offers NVIDIA's professional Ampere RTX A3000 and RTX A5000 options as well. Both the ConceptD 5 and ConceptD 5 Pro feature 16:10 Pantone-validated displays, Acer Vortex Flow cooling, and Corning Gorilla Glass touchpads.

Acer has launched Chromebook 317 and 314 with some interesting specs. The Chromebook 317 comes with a 17-inch screen and Intel processors, while the Chromebook 314 has a 14-inch screen and a MediaTek processor. Prices start at US$379 for the 317 and US$269 for the 314.

Acer's top-of-the-line Predator Helios 500 gaming notebook has received a significant upgrade. It now ships with an Intel Core i9-11980HK processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card with 16GB VRAM, and a 17.2-inch 4K 120Hz mini-LED screen. It will be available for purchase sometime in Q3 2021, starting at EUR 2,499 (US$3,042).

Acer has refreshed its Predator Orion 300 (P03-630) gaming desktop with current-generation hardware, including an Intel Core i7-11700 processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 graphics card. Gamers can buy the entry-level SKU in June 2021 for EUR 1,099 (US$1,337).

Acer has updated the hardware on its Nitro 50 desktop. One can now pick between 11th-generation Intel Rocket Lake and the AMD Ryzen 5000 series of processors. GPU options max out at the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. Its entry-level model costs EUR 999 (US$1,216).

Acer has introduced the Aspire Vero, an Intel Tiger Lake-powered laptop built to conform to the company's Earthion sustainability principles. Acer said that the Aspire Vero and its packaging are made from paper and recyclable plastic. The company also announced that it is now part of the RE100 initiative with a target of using 100% renewable energy by 2035.

Acer has introduced a new member to the Swift series, the Swift X. The Swift X offers AMD Ryzen 5000 APUs options along with the NVIDIA RTX 3050 Ti Laptop GPU in a thin, lightweight design that weighs 1.39 kg and is just 0.7 inches thick. Acer also claims a 17-hour battery life for content creation on the go.

Acer has announced the Predator Triton 500 SE powered by the latest Intel Tiger Lake-H45 processors and up to an NVIDIA RTX 3080 Laptop GPU. The Triton 500 SE also offers two high-refresh rate display options and Killer networking for low-latency online gaming.

Redmi's new AirDots 3 Pro are rated for a kind of noise-cancelling that apparently adapts to the ambient condition by themselves, using AI. The Bluetooth 5.2 accessories are rated for up to 28 hours of play-time with their new case, which is also capable of wireless charging. They start for under US$50 in China at present, although this price might increase after their initial promotional window.

Panasonic has just introduced the "evolved", Mark II form of the Micro Four Thirds GH5 camera. The new up-to-4K/60fps/10-bit unit improves on its immediate forebear in a number of ways, an upgrade to USB type-C charging at a reduced starting price compared to the Mark I included. Then again, the OEM projects that the flagship GH6 will also be there to hold out for before the end of 2021.

Four new Ryzen 5000 laptops have just been released courtesy of Xiaomi’s subsidiary Redmi. The RedmiBook Pro 14 Ryzen Edition laptop offers buyers the choice between two Zen 2 Lucienne parts while purchasers of the RedmiBook Pro 15 Ryzen Edition laptop can look forward to getting to grips with one of two Zen 3 Cezanne APUs.

Motorola has introduced the Moto G30 on the US market, by way of Amazon.com. This version of the phone comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, as well as the 6.5-inch 90Hz display found in units from other regions. It is priced at US$300, but will not ship until July 2021.

Razer's latest keyboard is the Blackwidow V3 Mini HyperSpeed. It has a 65% form-factor, which translates to a 60% form-factor that retains arrow keys. The new board also features the OEM's HyperSpeed Wireless Technology, an aluminium frame and a choice of 2 switch types.

Lenovo has the Yoga Pad Pro tablet in China for CNY 3,300 (US$515). Some of its key specs include a 13-inch LCD panel, a Snapdragon 870 SoC, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage, and a 10,000mAh battery. One can use the tablet as an external monitor, too, via the included micro-HDMI port.

Qualcomm has refreshed its Snapdragon 7c platform aimed at entry-level Windows 10 on ARM PCs and Chromebooks to the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2. The 7c Gen 2 is essentially the same SoC as the original 7c but with faster Cortex-A76 cores. Qualcomm said that the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 can cater well to the needs of K-12 students, front-line workers, and casual users with decent performance, multi-day battery life, and always on LTE connectivity.

Samsung has launched the Galaxy Tab S7 FE 5G tablet in Germany. Some of its key specs include a 12.4-inch WXQGA (2,560 x 1,600) LCD panel, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, and a 10,900mAh battery that supports 45W fast charging. Its price is set at EUR 649 (US$792).

OnePlus has expanded its affordable Y-series Android TV portfolio with the introduction of the OnePlus TV 40Y1. The TV 40Y1 features the same specifications as the TV 43Y1 with the exception of screen size. The OnePlus TV 40Y1 will go on sale from May 26 on Flipkart for an introductory price of ₹21,999.

DOOGEE has launched the DG Band, a wearable of the traditional fitness tracker form-factor. It has a 1.05-inch LCD display, which can display data from its sensors for heart-rate, stress and blood-oxygen. It is also rated to track 14 different exercise types, and to last for up to 10 days between charges.

The SOUNDFORM Connect is a new Belkin audio adapter designed to bring any powered speaker with a 3.5mm or optical input into an Apple-heavy smart home set-up. The user can then control it via AirPlay 2 on their iPhone, iPad or TV. Therefore, a traditional speaker can become as responsive to voice-control and automation as shiny new high-tech models.

The Realme Watch 2 Pro is a new smartwatch with a blood-oxygen sensor, 90 sports modes and sleep-tracking - as does its vanilla sibling. However, it has a bigger 1.75-inch display, as well as the in-built GPS the plain Watch 2 lacks. It also has exclusive new watch-faces, as well as a larger battery rated for up to 14 days of use between charges.

Nubia's Z30 Pro is a new Snapdragon 888-powered flagship smartphone with a generous amount of high-end specs, including a 144Hz 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, quad rear cameras and 120W ultra-fast charging. Then again, it has also launched with a punch-hole selfie shooter, rather than the next-gen under-display alternative hinted at in earlier leaks.

CTL, a company that normally caters to the needs of modern offices or schools in its devices, has announced a pair of monitors touted to match up to this reputation. The 24-inch FHD IP2381 has a VA IPS panel, whereas the IP2781 is an ADS QHD 27-inch display. They both have the same new minimalist stand and bezels, however.

HP has upgraded the hardware on its Omen 16 and Omen 17 gaming laptops. One can configure the latter with an Intel Core i9-11900H processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080, while the former is restricted to an Intel Core 17-11800H/AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX and a GeForce RTX 3070.

HP has announced a new sub-brand of gaming laptops to complement the Omen lineup. Victus by HP 16 will be available in both Intel and AMD options and offers display options up to QHD 165 Hz. Victus by HP 16 is designed to cater to those who want capable hardware without having to splurge too much on a high-end gaming laptop.

Opera asserts that it has been inundated with requests for a mobile version of its gaming-focused browser since launching the PC-compatible original. Now, it has delivered with the launch of GX Mobile. It shares many features with the desktop variant, its customized navigation controls and esthetics included.

Unihertz has announced the Titan Pocket, the OEM's latest in its line of QWERTY smartphones. With a display of just 3.1 inches in diagonal length, it is the most compact member of its series yet. Nevertheless, it runs Android 11, has NFC, Bluetooth, an infrared (IR) port and a campaign on Kickstarter that has already smashed its funding goal.

Apple has outlined plans for new dimensions of accessibility in its mobile devices, including a new SignTime service that allows people who use certain sign languages to better use the OEM's online support system. The updates also include a new way of using the Apple Watch with just one hand.

Google has announced that the first non-development beta of Android 12 is available for Pixel phones, as of the new OS upgrade's introduction at I/O 2021. The OEM has also unveiled various new features now found in its own-brand phones' UI. It is now called Material You, and incorporates new privacy, performance and navigational tweaks.

Google I/O 2021 has kicked off with what the OEM calls "the biggest update to Wear OS" in this software's history. It has collaborated with Samsung and Fitbit to bake the better features of their wearable platforms into this upcoming version. It will be available to the next generations of both OEMs' watches, as well as those of other Android manufacturers.

The Trust GXT 258W Fyru mic has a USB interface, thus making it compatible with PCs, Macs and other devices. However, given its styling, not to mention its LEDs for RGB, it is clearly intended to pair with the PS5, especially its white SKU. Then again, with its 4 choices of recording mode and decent sampling rate, the OEM asserts it is also ideal for streaming or collaboration.

Apple Music subscribers are in for a treat, as the platform will soon support Dolby Atmos, Spatial Audio and lossless music. Existing subscribers will automatically gain access to the entire lossless music catalogue. Apple aims to offer its entire library of 75 million tracks in a lossless format.

Casio's newest watch belongs to its iconic G-SHOCK line-up, combining analog and digital components into one fitness-focused accessory. However, it also has Bluetooth so as to transfer workout progress to a paired smartwatch via the series' Move app. It displays steps, running distance and other metrics tracked by the watch.

The DualSense controller for the PlayStation 5 is now available in two new colourways, Midnight Black and Cosmic Red. Both variants will be available for purchase starting next month.

Framework has announced that it is now taking pre-orders in batches for its modular 13.5-inch laptops based on Intel Tiger Lake-U. The Framework laptop is available in both barebones DIY Edition and pre-configured options. The pre-configured variants start from US$999 and can be pre-ordered now for US$100. They will be available in the US first followed by Canada, Europe, and Asia.

MediaTek's newest Dimensity 900 SoC is now official with an integrated 5G modem that supports sub-6GHz networks, two ARM Cortex-A78 cores, six Cortex-A55 cores, a Mali-G68 MC4 GPU, support for LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.

The latest model introduces a slightly smaller curved AMOLED touchscreen than on last year's Axon 20 Ultra, but its faster refresh rate, larger battery, and upgraded cameras aim to outweigh the smaller size.

Xiaomi has launched the Redmi Note 10S and Redmi Watch in the Indian market. The Redmi Note 10S is powered by the MediaTek Helio G95 SoC and is the first Xiaomi device to run MIUI 12.5 out-of-the-box. The Redmi Watch is essentially the Mi Watch Lite but with a brighter display. Unlike the competition, the Redmi Watch lacks an SpO2 sensor citing accuracy reasons.