Storage

MediaTek has announced the Helio G70 and G70T, a pair of processors that, like the G90s before them, are aimed at gaming-phone OEMs. However, the new chipsets are also intended for a lower tier of that market compared to their predecessors. They have 8 cores made of ARM Cortex-A75 and A55 cores, 4G connectivity and "HyperEngine game" technology.

The Doogee S95 Pro is a new phone with 8GB of RAM, a triple rear camera, an IP68 certification and a 5150mAh battery. This capacity can be extended with a 3500mAh power-pack for the device that fits onto its back via a magnetic interface. There is also a detachable speaker for this phone that works along the same lines.

Some new tips concerning Xiaomi's next flagship phone suggest that it could launch before the 2020 Galaxy Unpacked event. That would make it the first Snapdragon 865 device to be announced this year. In addition, there may be a Mi 10 Pro variant in the offing.

Surprisingly enough, Samsung was not among the first companies to introduce the PCIe 4.0 standard for its popular 900-series NVMe SSDs last year. However, this year, with the announcement of the 980 Pro models, the South Korean giant finally acknowledges the real market demand for speedier storage solutions.

If current top-of-the-line PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSDs reach peak sequential read/write speeds of around 3,500 MB/s do not cut it for you, maybe save up for the upcoming XPG Sage from Adata that promises to deliver double the performance, at least for read speeds. The included Innogrit Rainier controller is also the first to break the 1 million mark for sequential write IOPs.

Zendure has put its latest product, the MIX GO, up for crowdfunding on Indiegogo. It is a 5000mAh power bank that can also plug into the wall to power devices compatible with 45 watt (W) charging. Not a brand new concept, admittedly, but this version is also equipped with state-of-the-art gallium nitride (GaN) technology.

The impressive ultraportable 8 TB external SSD is in prototype phase and will become available in 1-2 years. In contrast, the SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Luxe USB-C 1 TB stick and the new WD_BLACK external drives for gamers are expected to hit the market this quarter, but pricing info is still unknown.

Realme has unveiled its first 5G phone today (January 7, 2020), as expected. However, the OEM did have more of a surprise to drop on the audience at the X50's launch: it is also the first phone to ship with Realme UI. This is a new software skin, although it is still based on ColorOS 7/Android 10.

The Platinum P31 will be one of the first consumer SSDs with 128-layer 4D NAND flash to offer sequential read and write rates of 3500 MB/s and 3200 MB/s, respectively.

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus joins a growing list of productivity-focused notebooks with dual or secondary screens. This version has a unique twist in that the added display is an e-ink panel found on the PC's cover. The OEM asserts this will enhance productivity and work-flow for today's multi-tasking professionals.

Reports have been warning about possible NAND memory price hikes ever since late 2018, but the actual increases could happen this year. DigiTimes reports that a minor power failure problem has set back NAND memory production by 3 days at Samsung's Hwaseong facility last week and the effect of this supply shortage could ripple throughout 2020.

Lenovo has brought its first-gen eGPU to CES 2020. The BoostStation is part of the Legion line-up, and accomodates cards such as those of the NVIDIA GeForce 20-series and Radeon RXs. It also supports Thunderbolt 3 and 100-watt (W) power delivery for a connected PC.

At just 0.58 inches (14.9mm) in depth, the Lenovo Legion Y740S is a strikingly skinny 15.6-inch laptop. However, the OEM asserts it is rated for up to 8 hours of battery life. It can be configured with up to 10th-gen core i9 processors, supports eGPUs and has 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports.

Vivo has already released 5G smartphones; now, it seems they are going for a third. A device called the "vivo V1963A" has appeared on Geekbench. Aspects of its processor match those found in a similar leak that may pertain to the Realme X50 5G, which will launch with the Snapdragon 765G processor.

The Realme X50 already stands out due to its dual-band 5G status. However, a recent registration with the Chinese telecomms body TENAA may show that it will add quad rear cameras to this spec, the main sensor of which is 64MP. There may also have a 12GB RAM option and a 4100mAh battery.

Realme is now touted to launch a new phone called the 5i in Vietnam in 2020. A Geekbench listing that might correspond to this phone shows that it runs Android 9.0 on 4GB of RAM and the Snapdragon 665 processor. Therefore, this device might be the brand's first budget offering of the year.

The Realme X50 is one of the first phones that will launch with the new, 5G-capable Snapdragon 765G processor. A new Geekbench leak may have spilled more of this phone's specs. It seems that it will have 8GB of RAM and probably feature the latest ColorOS Android skin.

The Chinese telecomms regulator 3C has just cleared a phone called the Samsung SM-G9880. This phone is currently thought to be the Galaxy S11+, a potential 2020 ultra-flagship phone. If so, it will ship with a 25W charger and support 5G.

Currently, there is a limit to the size of an MP4 file that can be saved on non-Apple phones, and it is typically 4GB. However, further development on this issue may have resulted in the ability to multiply this by up to 4X. It may take effect in an upcoming version of this OS, such as Android 11.

OPPO has launched its Reno3 series. It consists of 2 phones, both of which have 12GB RAM SKUs and 1 of which is a Pro version. This device is now officially the first to rock the Snapdragon 765G processor, a vital boast as this chipset represents the debut of mid-range 5G in Qualcomm SoCs.

A phone called the Samsung SM-M315F has appeared on Geekbench. It may be a successor to the Galaxy M30, although it seems to have the same chipset as the M30s and A51. Should this be the case, there may be little to differentiate it from the new mid-ranger.

The Realme X50 is slated to be this OEM's first 5G device, powered by the Snapdragon 765G processor. The company has just announced that it will be unveiled in full on January 7, 2020. It will apparently do so alongside a second variant.

The Galaxy Note 10 Lite is an upcoming device that might put the premium in premium mid-range for Samsung. Its latest leak asserts that it will come with a 4500mAh battery, which would exceed that of the flagship Note 10+ in terms of capacity. The new phone is also now believed to have a 6.7-inch screen and 3 12MP rear cameras.

OWC has unveiled its 64 or 128GB RAM stick kits for the new Mac Pro. They come in 768GB to 1.5TB SKUs, meaning a user can match Apple's factory maximum with this third-party memory. However, this option may also enable some savings.

A new and comprehensive Galaxy S10 Lite purports to spill many more details on this upcoming launch. It asserts that it will be a Snapdragon 855 device, and will support the TiltOIS camera feature debuted in the Galaxy A90. The S10 Lite is also now touted as a triple-camera phone.

Vivo has launched the X30 series, its first pair of smartphones to come with dual-mode 5G as standard. Its unveiling has confirmed a slew of rumors and leaks, including that the Pro variant has quad rear cameras containing a 64MP sensor, a 50mm portrait lens and a periscope lens. The X30s can now be pre-ordered in China.

OnePlus' next upcoming series of smartphones has been subject to rumors that suggest it will have specs such as the Snapdragon 865 SoC, 5G and LPDDR5 RAM. Now, it is linked to a next-gen charging standard apparently called "Super Warp". The 8 Lite's processor is also mentioned in this leak.

The latest firmware update for Nikon Z-series cameras allows them to use CFexpress, a new memory-card format associated with faster transfers compared to XQD. This new software also allows the Z 6 or Z 7 to record 4K UHD or full-HD video in RAW. However, this can only be done with Atomos recorders and may not be available for free.

ZTE has unveiled the Axon 10s Pro, a new version of its flagship with an updated processor, Wi-Fi standard and connectivity level. It supports dual-mode 5G, thanks to its X55 modem connected to its next-gen premium SoC. The 10s Pro will also pack LPDDR5 RAM and UFS3.0 flash storage.

AT&T has announced that its 5G service is now live in 10 different American cities, Los Angeles and New York included. In fact, it claims to have 2 (authentic) flavors of this connectivity: 5G and 5G+, which are based on low-band and high-band forms of the new radios. They are available to personal and business customers.

The OPPO Reno3 series has been teased again in even more detail by its OEM ahead of these phones' late December 2019 launch. This time, the company has let the base model's processor name slip. It seems this device will be powered by the heretofore-unannounced MediaTek 1000L chipset.

A promotional poster showing a number of new and new-ish devices made by OPPO has just leaked. It suggests that its upcoming 5G device will launch alongside the OEM's first-ever truly-wireless (or TWS) earbuds. This material also shows the Reno3's full series in all its color options, as well as 2 heretofore-unknown new phones.

The Vivo X30 will be the first phone to launch with the Exynos 980, a processor that supports dual-mode 5G. It is also thought to have a 60x zoom in its main camera array and a Pro variant. The OEM has revealed that this event will take place on December 16, 2019.

Get ready for what could be the most expensive cheesegrater in your life: the new Mac Pro is here. It is now available to pre-order from Apple.com and retailers such as B&H. This new PC has configurations that go from 4- to 6-figure USD prices.

AZIO has a new RGB mechanical keyboard up for crowdfunding on Indiegogo. This one has a less retro appearance, yet is still touted to be high-end in terms of its materials and build quality. It also has the OEM's new FOKAL spinning control, which can be used for a variety of sliding-value options and also acts as a 360-degree joystick.

NVMe drives are expected to account for more than 75 percent of all new PCs by 2021 according to SSD Insights. More affordable NVMe drives like those in the WD Blue series will allow the technology to become more commonplace on cheaper laptops and tablets.

Two new devices, apparently made by OPPO, have shown up on the Geekbench 4 website. Given the similarities in their specs and model numbers, they may be 2 variants of the same phone. Oddly, however, they are listed with the MediaTek Helio P70 SoC, as are some of this OEM's existing phones.

Nokia has launched a 2nd generation of its ultra-cheap 2.2 smartphone. This iteration has a novel "Nano-Textured" polymer rear panel, AI for battery conservation and the certainty of Android updates for 2 years. The new 2.3 has been launched at €109 (about $121).

Samsung has registered a phone called the SM-G9810 with the 3C telecomms authority in China. This device may turn out to be the rumored Galaxy S11e. If so, it will ship with a 25-watt fast charger and have a 5G variant.

Garmin has launched its Venu wearable in the Indian market. It has a smartwatch form factor, with a round 1.2-inch AMOLED display, but also has modes to track over 20 fitness-related activities and an inbuilt coaching interface for workouts. It will go for 37490 INR (or about US$525) when it is released to Amazon.in on December 15, 2019.

Android 10 for Nokia's most premium phone has been on the cards since the leak of an internal test build for this OS was detected back in November 2019. Now, the OEM is pushing a major upgrade of the same out to users worldwide. It contains new features such as a dark theme, smart responses for messaging and the latest style of navigation.

The Galaxy A11 is currently believed to be one of Samsung's phones up for release in the new year. A device with what may be its model number has appeared on Geekbench 4. This new leak points to 2GB of RAM, a rather elderly Snapdragon SoC and Android 10.

The Huawei Nova 6 is a device that has been anticipated for a long time. Now, it has finally been launched, alongside a 5G and SE variant. The first 2 of these are powered by the Kirin 990, whereas the last has the Kirin 810 instead. The new line also features high-res cameras, Android 10 and 8GB of RAM.

iQOO has finally unveiled its refresh of the original Neo smartphone. This new variant is based on the Snapdragon 855 processor, rather than the 845 of its predecessor. There is also a second option: a “Racing” edition that upgrades further to the 855 Plus SoC.

Google Photos is probably one of the biggest platforms for personal image management. However, sharing via the same app has always been of a public nature. Now, the app is to gain a new update in which this content can apparently be sent directly to those known to the user in a more one-to-one manner.

T-Mobile has unveiled its branded version of the highest-end Galaxy Note 10+. This device has Qualcomm's 2nd-gen 5G modem, which makes it compatible with the US carrier's new sub-6GHz network. It is also Samsung's first phone to ship with One UI 2.0 out of the box.

Some images of a new Motorola phone with the legend "64MP Quad Pixel" embossed on its main camera module have emerged. Rumored to be called the One Hyper, this device also has a single pop-up selfie shooter that leaves its front panel with a minimal chin and bezels on 3 sides. It is also thought to be powered by the Snapdragon 675 SoC.

The Samsung Galaxy A91 is thought to be one of this OEM's new phones in 2020. OnLeaks has released new renders for this device, showing that it may look somewhat like the Note 10 of this year. This design is also thought to apply to the upcoming Galaxy S11 flagship series.

The Chinese OEM ZTE has revealed that it has a version of Android 10 ready to go. This MiFavor 10 OS is slated to confer numerous UI and system improvements on the devices that will update to it. They include a dark mode, an AI engine upgrade and new dynamic wallpapers.