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Smartwatches are increasingly popular, but could be more secure. (Source: TechRadar)

Nok Nok Labs claims that its new SDK can make smartwatches more secure and better equipped to take over from phones

The consumer-grade security development group Nok Nok Labs has unveiled its new SDK. It asserts that it is the first such app software capable of conferring FIDO-based authentication on smartwatches. This, then, may help users dep...

Deirdre O Donnell, 27 Oct 2019 14:34

Qualcomm is set to make a sizeable investment in 5G's future. (Source: RTE)

Qualcomm incentivizes 5G development with a new multi-million-dollar fund

Qualcomm's Venture division has announced the implementation of the 5G Ecosystem Fund, a source of investment worth up to US$200 million. As the name suggests, it will help support start-ups involved in new, innovative and potenti...

Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Oct 2019 22:49

The new NVIDIA SHIELD 4K TV streaming stick. (Source: Reddit)

The NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro is likely to launch alongside its new 4K dongle sibling

Recently, Amazon may have accidentally spoiled the launch of the NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro, an upcoming update to the 2017 streaming machine. A new leak indicates that the OEM has indeed prepared a 4K HDR streaming stick as well as the...

Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Oct 2019 21:01

Google Home speakers are left unresponsive after a firmware update. (Image via Reddit user Umagafr3sh.)

Firmware update bricks Google Home and Google Home Mini smart speakers

A firmware update pushed out to Google Home and Google Home Mini smart speakers earlier this month has been bricking devices, leaving them completely unresponsive. Google has acknowledged the problem and promised a resolution in t...

Sam Medley, 24 Oct 2019 16:36

ARM is targeting IP usage in smart devices such as televisions, phones, and consoles. (Image source: ARM)

ARM announces Ethos-N57 and Ethos-N37 NPUs, Mali-G57 GPU, and Mali-D37 DPU

ARM has revealed four new processors that should help enrich consumer tech products aimed at the mainstream market. The new additions to the company’s lineup are the Ethos-N57 and Ethos-N37 Neural Processing Units (NPU), the Mali-...

Daniel R Deakin, 24 Oct 2019 04:52

Older Fitbit devices can now use Spotify. (Source: Fitbit)

Fitbit updates older Versa devices with support for Spotify

Fitbit has expanded access to its Spotify app to the first-generation Versa and Versa Lite. The Ionic fitness watch is also included in this update. It enables these wearables to manage playback and podcasts on the music streaming...

Deirdre O Donnell, 17 Oct 2019 00:23

Nest Wi-Fi is Google's new mesh solution

Google also announced its new Nest Wi-Fi home product at the 2019 Pixel launch event. It consists of scalable router and point units in various muted colors. A single 802.11s router covers up to 2200 square feet of space each, whe...

Deirdre O Donnell, 15 Oct 2019 22:49

Google renews its Home Mini series with a Nest re-brand

The Nest Mini is a new Connected Home devices launched by Google at its latest live event. It is a smart speaker with integrated Assistant functions and touch controls. It is now up for pre-order at a price of US$49.

Deirdre O Donnell, 15 Oct 2019 21:00

The X55 modem will move beyond smartphone integration soon. (Source: Qualcomm)

The Snapdragon X55 modem will power 5G fixed broadband equipment for over 30 OEMs

Qualcomm has announced that over 30 manufacturers have taken the Snapdragon X55 modem up in order to produce their 5G fixed wireless broadband consumer-premises hardware. This means the equipment carriers and ISPs will install in ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 14 Oct 2019 18:59

The LG Tone+ Free truly wireless earbuds. (Source: LG)

LG launches its first true wireless earbuds in South Korea

LG has unveiled new products called the Tone+ Free earbuds in its home country. Unlike the OEM's earlier similar products, these wearables are completely wireless and come in a charging case like the AirPods and other similar devi...

Deirdre O Donnell, 01 Oct 2019 23:47

The next generation of NVIDIA SHIELD TV may be nearly here. (Source: ZoomApps)

A new certification brings the NVIDIA SHIELD TV 2019 closer to launch

The NVIDIA SHIELD TV is due an update soon. The most likely candidate to fit this bill has gone through registration with the FCC, and has also just secured Bluetooth SIG approval. Therefore, there may still be time for it to be r...

Deirdre O Donnell, 30 Sep 2019 23:24

The new Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro earbuds. (Source: Soundcore)

Soundcore claims to have made the world's first "sonically aligned" truly wireless earbud

Soundcore has unveiled its new Liberty 2 Pro truly wireless earbuds. The company claims that they have been designed in a way that produces true "sonic alignment", thus delivering a more accurate soundstage, clear bass and distinc...

Deirdre O Donnell, 28 Sep 2019 19:34

Fingerprint sensors will continue to do well in the future. (Source: Nextgov)

The fingerprint scanner market's value is set to double over the next 5 years

The market for fingerprint readers (from capacitive to thermal, and consumer- to government-grade) is estimated to be worth about US$3.5 billion at present. This worth is thought to grow to as much as $7.1 billion by 2024, however...

Deirdre O Donnell, 27 Sep 2019 18:23

The Xbox One can work with the Assistant now. (Source: Polygon)

The Xbox One gains a beta for Google Assistant integration

Xbox consoles are steadily upgrading in order to use the more popular virtual assistant platforms. The latest of these is Google Assistant. Those who wish to connect the two can join a forum group for a new public beta update and ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 26 Sep 2019 20:52

The Amazon Echo Studio is targeted at the Sonos One and Apple HomePod. (Source: Amazon)

Amazon intros Echo Studio speaker and Echo Buds in-ear Bluetooth headphones with Bose NC tech

Amazon has introduced a new Echo Studio speaker and Echo Buds in-ear wireless headphones. Both feature the latest sound technologies including support for Dobly Atmos in the former and Bose active noise-cancelling circuitry in the...

Sanjiv Sathiah, 26 Sep 2019 11:45

The Xiaomi Mi TV 4S 55-inch runs Android 9.0 Pie and can stream Netflix in 4K. (Image source: Xiaomi)

The Xiaomi Mi Smart TV 4S 55-inch arrives in Europe; 4K Amazon Prime and Netflix streaming with Android 9.0 Pie for €399.99 (~US$439.98)

Xiaomi has quietly brought its Mi LED TV range to Europe, having listed the Mi Smart TV 4S 55-inch on Amazon.de on Monday. The affordable big-screen TV runs Android 9.0 Pie, has 2 GB of RAM, 8 GB of storage on which to install app...

Alex Alderson, 25 Sep 2019 11:35

An LG NeON R ACe Solar Panel. (Source: LG)

LG's awarding-winning solar panels shine at the SPI 2019 event

LG Electronic's solar energy solutions are in show at the 2019 Solar Power International expo. They include the new NeON R ACe Solar Panel, which comes with its own AC micro-inverter so as to be compatible with conventional power ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Sep 2019 20:13

Opinion | One whole year after launch, a host of LG V40 users are still on Android Oreo

LG launched the V40 about a year ago as a Galaxy Note 9 competitor. That sounds good on paper and the hardware does compete, but all of that falls apart when one realizes that a host of V40 users are still on Android Oreo, the sam...

Ricci Rox, 22 Sep 2019 15:10

The new Facebook Portal, Portal Mini and Portal TV are coming soon. (Source: Facebook)

Facebook persisting with Portal, rolls out three new models

Facebook is still persisting with its Portal hardware-based communications platform. The social media company has unveiled three new models including an 8-inch Portal Mini, a 10-inch Portal and a new Xbox Kinect-like Portal TV dev...

Sanjiv Sathiah, 20 Sep 2019 04:02

Huawei's first own-brand TV represents the OEM's Vision of the smart home

Huawei also unveiled a new smart TV at its Mate 30 launch. It is called the Huawei Vision, and will come in 55- to 85-inch variants. The OEM asserts that it can also act as a full smart home control, and has AI-powered user intera...

Deirdre O Donnell, 19 Sep 2019 19:25

Xiaomi launches the new Mi TV 4X series

Today, (September 17, 2019) Xiaomi has unveiled its latest Android TVs in India. The are of the new 4X series, and come in 65-, 55- and 43-inch variants. They include the latest features from their OS, including an in-built Chrome...

Deirdre O Donnell, 17 Sep 2019 18:59

The back of the OnePlus TV will look like this. (Source: Twitter)

OnePlus reveals carbon-fiber backing for its TV, among other specs

A OnePlus executive has been spilling more details on its first-gen smart TV, in order to build hype ahead of its launch. The latest of these hints is that its back panel will be finished in a carbon-fiber effect. It will also sup...

Deirdre O Donnell, 10 Sep 2019 19:40

The NUC 8 Rugged is even smaller than your high-end smartphone. (Source: KoolShare)

Intel plans to release 6 W Chaco Canyon fanless rugged NUCs

No larger than a smartphone, the NUC 8 Rugged is powered by refreshed Apollo Lake CPUs with ultra-low-power TDPs of only 6 W. Gaming on these systems is clearly out of the question, as the HD Graphics 500 iGPU is only aimed at IoT...

Bogdan Solca, 10 Sep 2019 16:05

The Hisense 85-inch QLED XD 8K TV in Berlin. (Source: Hisense)

IFA 2019 | Hisense showcases its new QLED XD and Sonic Laser TVs

Hisense has brought some new and large TVs to show off at this year's IFA. They include an 85-inch QLED XD panel that is also 8K and voice-command responsive. The company also showed off a new Sonic Laser product, which is the fir...

Deirdre O Donnell, 08 Sep 2019 19:25

The Mi TV Pro series should start receiving Android Pie from September. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi is attempting to become the standard-bearer of Android TV with Android Pie updates for several Mi TVs

Starting next month, Xiaomi is bringing Android 9.0 Pie to four Mi TV devices. The TVs, which launched running Android 8.1 Oreo, will be updated in batches with a wider roll-out planned a few months later. Xiaomi also told XDA Dev...

Alex Alderson, 27 Aug 2019 15:08

Redmi teases the Note 8's camera prowess ahead of its launch

The Xiaomi sub-brand Redmi has been previewing the 48MP capabilities of its upcoming smartphone the Note 8. It has posted some attractive shots with a watermark indicating they were taken by the phone. One of its new modes, Super ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 26 Aug 2019 22:59

The Motorola One Zoom may come in 3 colors. (Source: Ishan Agarwal/MySmartPrice)

New Motorola One Zoom renders show quad cameras and Amazon apps

The One Zoom may be a device soon to be released by Motorola. It is projected to be a quad-rear-camera device with Amazon Alexa integration. Some new images, shared by the legendary leaker Ishan Agarwal, may show what this phone w...

Deirdre O Donnell, 26 Aug 2019 20:06

The OnePlus will be released first in India. (Source: OnePlus)

OnePlus TV now officially slated for September 2019 launch; codename and specs leaked

The CEO of OnePlus (Pete Lau) has confirmed that the first-gen TV from this OEM will launch in a month from now (August 2019). It will be released to the Indian market initially. A Twitter tipster claims to have dug its CPU, GPU a...

Deirdre O Donnell, 23 Aug 2019 18:39

A recent leak purporting to show the Redmi Note 8. (Source: XDA)

The 64MP Redmi Note 8 series - and the brand's first 4K TV - will launch soon

Redmi has packed a number of exciting details in its latest official announcement. Firstly, it has confirmed that its promised 64MP camera will debut in the Redmi Note 8 Pro. It will be released alongside the base Note 8 at an eve...

Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Aug 2019 17:21

One of Huawei's newly certified devices may be the Mate 30. (Source: Trusted Reviews)

Honor and Huawei get new TVs approved, along with many more Bluetooth products

Huawei and its sub-brand Honor has attracted attention recently as it has sent what seems to be a whole generation of new smartphones, tablets and assorted wireless accessories to the Bluetooth SIG for certification simultaneously...

Deirdre O Donnell, 17 Aug 2019 13:51

OnePlus sketches out its smart TV ambitions. (Source: OnePlus)

OnePlus TV now slated for late-September 2019 launch, with multiple SKUs in tow

OnePlus has just introduced its first large-screen product as the...well...OnePlus TV. Leaks from other sources have claimed that this new product will be released in the last week or so of September 2019. It is also rumored to co...

Deirdre O Donnell, 14 Aug 2019 18:36

The EMUI 10 beta program will start on September 8 for the P30 and Mate 20 series. (Image source: Huawei)

Huawei EMUI 10 teaser video, beta arriving on September 8 for P30 and Mate 20 series

After Huawei presented EMUI 10 at its Developer Conference last week, more details about features and innovations have appeared online. A teaser video for the upcoming Android Q-based OS and promotional pictures offer an insight i...

Alex Alderson, 12 Aug 2019 18:58

The AI-powered YI Home Camera 3. (Source: YI)

The latest YI home security camera has AI for smarter, more selective user alerts

The YI Home Camera 3 is an AI-powered security camera. It notifies the user about possible intrusions - however, it solves the problem of potentially indiscriminate, unnecessary messages by using its new software to judge which on...

Deirdre O Donnell, 09 Aug 2019 18:57

Huawei's new open-source operating system is now officially HarmonyOS. (Source: Huawei)

Huawei launches Harmony OS

Huawei’s in-house HongMengOS is here and its shipping name is officially HarmonyOS. The idea behind the naming is that is a scalable micro-kernal that can work across internet of things devices right through to TVs, wearables and ...

Sanjiv Sathiah, 09 Aug 2019 12:54

The Honor Smart Screen TV. (Source: Honor)

HongMeng OS could debut on the Honor Smart Screen TV

Huawei's first TV is in fact slated to be released by its sub-brand Honor, and is to be called the Smart Screen. It may be reasonable to assume that this product will run Android for these larger devices. However, the OEM is now r...

Deirdre O Donnell, 08 Aug 2019 16:30

Microsoft security researchers discover new cyber attack through Internet of Things connected devices

A new publication by Microsoft's Threat Intelligence Center points out an increasingly popular avenue used for cyber attacks: the Internet of Things (IoT). The publication states that researchers discovered a new attack that explo...

Sam Medley, 06 Aug 2019 22:01

Touch ID: Gone but not forgotten. (Image source: Apple)

Under-screen Touch ID & Face ID iPhone to enter mass-production by 2021: New report

According to reports from China, Apple will start mass-producing displays with an in-screen Touch ID sensor that will complement Face ID in anticipation of their inclusion in the 2021 iPhone series. The upcoming displays will like...

Alex Alderson, 05 Aug 2019 20:56

A majority of consumers surveyed appear to distrust connected devices. (Source: ERP Insight)

Up to 63% of consumers now find connected devices "creepy"

A study conducted by Consumers International, in conjunction with the Internet Society has reportedly found that most individuals surveyed find connected devices (mostly IoT or "smart home" products) "creepy". In addition, 53% of ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 31 Jul 2019 16:48

Google Nest has partnered with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. (Source: Google)

Google Nest has free smart speakers for those living with paralysis in the US

Google Nest - the new name for this company's smart-home arm - has partnered with the Reeve Foundation to help members of the community built around this organization. They are individuals affected by paralysis or movement loss di...

Deirdre O Donnell, 28 Jul 2019 19:14

Honor wants its smart screen to look a little like the new 9X series. (Source: ProPakistani)

Honor's 'Vision' is a smart TV with a pop-up camera

Honor now plans to release its first smart TV in the near future. This product is to be called the Vision, and will be powered by a newly-announced SoC, the Honghu 818. It will also incorporate a pop-up camera for user authenticat...

Deirdre O Donnell, 27 Jul 2019 18:07

The IP camera market may grow to a multi-billion-dollar worth in the next decade. (Source: Alert Watch)

The IP camera market is now projected to be worth approximately US$20 billion in 6 years

Internet-protocol (or IP) cameras shipments are thought to grow to over 100 million by 2025, or 20% more than there are now. These projections are part of newly-published research on the IP surveillance market. It is thought to be...

Deirdre O Donnell, 18 Jul 2019 23:19

At this stage, some analysts suspect Amazon is unstoppable. (Source: WD Partners)

Early analysis suggests Amazon did very well on Prime Day 2019

Prime Day 2019 is now over, and the stats on it are rolling in. Preliminary analysis published by WD Partners show that the online traffic to the retail site for the event's 1st 24 hours increased 100% compared to the same average...

Deirdre O Donnell, 17 Jul 2019 20:15

Does Google Home eavesdrop? A Belgian news report suggests that it does. (Source: Pocket-lint)

Google Assistant-enabled devices allegedly found to listen in on users

The Belgian news outlet VRT NWS claims to have gained access to audio recordings made as a result of Google Assistant 'listening' to user speech or activity. The recordings were leaked to VRT by a Google subcontractor. This appare...

Deirdre O Donnell, 13 Jul 2019 17:38

Thanks to its dual NPU architecture, the i700 SoC is able to provide advanced A.I.-enabled face recognition and AR features for IoT devices. (Source: MediaTek)

MediaTek announces i700 SoC for A.I. IoT applications

Thanks to its dual-NPU design, the i700 SoC provides 5X increased A.I. acceleration when compared to the already available i500 chip. It also features eight ARM Cortex cores, a PowerVR GM 9446 GPU and supports up to 8 GB of LPDDR4...

Bogdan Solca, 11 Jul 2019 15:04

The Nest Hello doorbell may gain the ability to protect against parcel theft soon. (Source: PCMag.com)

Nest Hello doorbell to get delivery-monitoring update

The Nest Hello device is a smart doorbell with an inbuilt camera. A leak concerning a software update for this product has found that it may gain the ability to detect when a package has been delivered. This code may also allow fo...

Deirdre O Donnell, 10 Jul 2019 20:18

Ticwatch Pro LTE now available, will activate via Verizon

Mobvoi has unveiled a new, LTE-enabled version of the Ticwatch Pro. This wearable has most of the specs of its original variant, including its innovative battery-saving dual display. On the other hand, the LTE model is enhanced wi...

Deirdre O Donnell, 10 Jul 2019 19:06

The Xiaomi Mi TV 4A now has a preliminary update to Android Pie. (Source: Digit)

An early-access build of Android Pie for the Xiaomi Mi TV 4A is now available

Those who own the Mi TV 4A can now apply for a kind of Android Pie beta-test. Xiaomi is working on what it calls an 'early-access build' for this 32- or 43-inch device, and is currently inviting users to install and test it. The 4...

Deirdre O Donnell, 10 Jul 2019 18:28

Amazon keeps a record of tasks carried out using Alexa. (Source: VentureBeat)

Amazon keeps records of users' Alexa interactions - and may not delete them

A United States Senator has obtained a response to a letter sent to Amazon HQ concerning user privacy as it relates to the retail giant's Alexa platform. It advised the public representative that, although a given user can delete ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 08 Jul 2019 19:40

App names trademarked by Huawei, apparently for HongMeng OS (Source: Indiashopps)

Huawei trademarks new apps, most likely to be integrated into HongMeng OS

Although its relationship with the US has improved a lot and last month's troubles seem to be gone, Huawei is working hard on its own operating system. HongMeng OS will replace Android on a wide range of devices and some of its co...

Codrut Nistor, 08 Jul 2019 09:14

The new Sony UBP-X1100ES Blu-ray player. (Source: Sony)

Sony launches its latest flagship Blu-ray player

Sony has unveiled the UBP-X1100ES, its latest 4K/UHD Blu-ray player. This machine supports HDR, Dolby Vision, 4K upscaling and the new BT.2020 color-space standard. Sony also asserts that this new disc player has every kind of con...

Deirdre O Donnell, 02 Jul 2019 20:22