Tablet

Although repairing the dual-display Microsoft Surface Duo can easily turn into a nightmare and it is not an easy task even for experienced people, the good news is that this piece of hardware is quite unlikely to break. According to the JerryRigEverything's torture test, the Surface Duo is surprisingly rugged.

This compact $89 USD power bank can hold a respectable 63 Wh charge to be perfect for hikes or camping trips with multiple people. Recharging the bank itself, however, is almost three times slower than on most laptops.

Earlier, Qualcomm and its 5G research partners reported that it had conducted a data call over mmWave bands over the longest distance yet. Now, this record has been broken again in a new experiment, which took place in Wisconsin.

The Surface Pro X may be one of Microsoft's most stylish products to date, but it did not quite hit the heights as the regular Surface Pro series has. Nonetheless, Microsoft is planning to release a second-generation model, and it will allegedly arrive next month.

Samsung Display has detailed several of the foldable display advances in the new panel found in the Galaxy Z Fold 2. No doubt, the move is aimed at assuring would-be customers that the panel is robust and can withstand everyday rigours in a way that wasn’t guaranteed with the original Fold launched last year.

The A14 Bionic is here, and it is the world's first 5 nm chipset. The new SoC, which debuts in the fourth-generation iPad Air, boasts 11.8 billion transistors, a 16-core Neural Engine, along with new CPU and GPU cores. The A14 Bionic should offer upwards of 40% better CPU and 30% better GPU performance than the A13 Bionic, too.

The iPad Air has been given a much-needed refresh. The fourth-generation model now comes with an A14 Bionic chipset, a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, USB Type-C charging and Touch ID. The redesigned iPad Air starts at US$599 and rises to US$879 for the 256 GB model with LTE.

Apple has unveiled its new entry-level iPad with an A12 Bionic chipset. The 8th generation tablet will be available to pre-order today from US$329 and will ship from Friday.

The gaming headset maker ROCCAT has collaborated with its new parent, Turtle Beach, on its new Elo series. It comes in cross-platform stereo, USB and wireless varieties, all of which are rated for 7.1 surround sound. The Elos also have their brand's AIMO lighting system and self-regulating metal headbands.

A powerful upgrade is on the cards for the entry-level iPad, according to Evan Blass. The current 10.2-inch tablet has the A10 Fusion chipset from 2016's iPhone 7 series, but the 2020 edition could see a jump to the A12X Bionic. Excess stock may be the reason for bringing the former-iPad Pro chipset to the 8th generation iPad, which should be compatible with the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard too.

The 2020 edition of the iPad Air will feature the new Apple A14 Bionic SoC, according to Evan Blass. The 5 nm chipset will apparently be joined by an 11-inch Liquid retina display and a USB Type-C port, but it may cost upwards of US$569-US$599.

LG hid a sneak peak at a possible new extendable or rollable smartphone/tablet hybrid at the conclusion of its LG Wing launch. The new device, outlined in a very subtle silhouette is reminiscent of patents for experimental smartphone designs that we have seen in the past.

2020 may go down as the year of truly everyday video-calling and video-conferencing. Google has decided to facilitate this by adding support for its Meet and Duo apps to Android TVs. Therefore, these smart screens will be able to act as the displays for video-chats and work calls, so long as they have a camera.

Display panels that can fold and unfold regularly without damage will probably play a growing role in the electronics of the future. BOE is one company involved in their development and production. Its latest milestone in this endeavor is a panel type it has been working on that can bend with a radius of as little as 5 millimeters (mm), which can now reportedly be made in bulk.

The VAVA Portable SSD Touch is a new product launched via Indiegogo recently. It is a stick-like drive with a hardware-based fingerprint scanner on the top of its aluminium, supposedly shock-proof casing. It also apparently packs AES 256-bit encryption on top of that and USB 3.1 Gen 2 speeds into its compact form-factor.

Aukey has launched a new member of its Omnia series of chargers. It is rated for the Power Delivery (USB-PD) standard; however, unlike some of its high-powered type-C siblings, this Nano goes at 20 watts (W). The OEM hints that this ultra-compact accessory would be ideal for Apple's upcoming iPhone 12 line.

1More launched its first pair of true-wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC) in late 2019. Now, it has revealed that the same accessories have attained a certification from the audio authority THX. This is attributed to the brand's QuietMax technology and hybrid ANC techniques.

The Semiconductor Manufacturing Internal Corporation (SMIC) is in the same business as TSMC, if not quite at the same level of complexity or noteriety. The US administration has reportedly threatened it with a blacklisting along the same lines as the one handed to Huawei. This is reportedly linked to the company's alleged connections to the Chinese national military.

Huawei's mobile platforms have been notable by their absence from IFA 2020. It transpires that the OEM has decided to delay the launch of its Kirin 1000 platform (which is to be the first of its series to be based on a 5 nanometer (nm) architecture), in order to focus on taking delivery of as much of the silicon it is based on before it is blocked from doing so by US restrictions.

Skullcandy has announced the latest addition to the Crusher series of personal audio products. The Evo headphones are equipped with Haptic Bass, which reinforces this range with physical feedback. They also offer the option of building an Audiododo personalized audio profile, which may tailor the headphones' sound delivery to each individual user.

The TCL 10 TABMAX and 10 TABMID are 2 new slates launched at IFA this year. They feature their brand's in-house NXTVISION technology for "the most vibrant colors and rich details", as well as reduced blue-light emission. They may also go well with the OEM's new MOVEAUDIO S200 TWS earbuds.

TCL has unveiled its latest form of display technology as part of its IFA Special Edition 2020 presentation. NXTPAPER is an alternative to e-ink that, as its maker claims, "repurposes natural light" to prevent eye-strain while still producing a convincing range of colors. These panels are also touted to improve on contrast, power-efficiency and thickness compared to more conventional screen materials.

With the HiPad X, Chuwi has created a new tablet aimed at Android fans. The 10.1-inch device runs Android 10, supports pen input, has a detachable keyboard and includes an LTE modem. Chuwi will launch the HiPad X on September 15, but it is already available to order on AliExpress.

The fourth-generation iPad Air has been linked to a new design that would leave it looking more like its Pro sibling. SvetApple has posted new renders based on its latest leaks. They include support for Touch ID, which is found embedded in the slate's power button. The images also depict a sizeable camera hump despite the presence of just one lens, as well as a USB type C port.

Active noise cancellation (ANC) has been found to be of interest for 71% of consumers planning to buy true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds. However, the feature does require physical seals and a fit that some users may find less tolerable over time. Qualcomm claims that its new Adaptive ANC solves these problems.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 (2020) is almost here, and will be available in at least two colours. The budget tablet is thought to be based on the Snapdragon 662, which will power a 10.4-inch display. The mid-range SoC will be complemented by 3 GB of RAM and up to 64 GB of storage.

mmWave is a sub-type of 5G associated with the potential for ultra-high speeds. However, it is also lumbered with a perception of being unreliable due to weak reception. Qualcomm, Ericsson and Casa Systems seek to change that with its latest claim of a data call using these bands conducted over a distance of nearly 4 kilometers (km).

Lenovo announced two new Android tablets today. The Tab M11 Pro features a high-resolution screen and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 730G SoC. The Tab M10 HD Gen 2 is an Android 10-powered tablet aimed at students and families, primarily thanks to the inclusion of Google's Kids Space software.

Square Enix has announced that the remastered Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles title has gone live. It has PS4, Nintendo Switch, Android and iOS versions, across which gamers can form teams and explore all the dungeons. It also has a Lite (or free) version and a Mimic Mode for those who want to play as original characters.

HyperAccessory is a start-up that purports to pack the advantages of on-the-go storage with top-end data transfers into a form-factor with the footprint of the average bank-card. This skyBOX also features Wi-Fi 6, alongside capacities of up to 4TB. It has already well exceeded its crowdfunding goal on its ongoing Indiegogo campaign.

D-Link has released its latest AX5400 mesh router on Amazon. This device is rated for up to 6 continuous 4K content streams. Its maker claims that its speeds and bandwidth is due to its "prosumer" build and 160MHz channel.

E Ink has partnered with industrial PC manufacturer Avalue to create the Digital Paper tablet, a letter-sized tablet with an E Ink touch display. The new device is aimed at the industrial and education markets. Pricing and availability have yet to be announced.

It seems that a new iPad is almost upon us, as Apple has certified seven new model numbers with the EEC. While the time is ripe for an eighth-generation iPad, an alleged manual suggests that a fourth-generation iPad Air could be arriving soon too.

GeForce NOW is NVIDIA's solution for online cloud gaming. It famously adds titles every Thursday, for the benefit of players who own them already but do not have a high-powered PC to hand. Today, this list includes Control, as well as games that have also become free on the Epic Games Store today.

The Taiwanese foundries are already building a new R&D center for 2 nm technologies and beyond in Hsinchu, which should be ready some time in 2021. The exact timeline for the 2 nm volume production is not yet known, but TSMC reports that it has been collaborating with some of its customers on the development of this advanced node. Market analysts claim that Apple will be first to launch 2 nm SoCs thanks to a five-year production deal with TSMC.

Owners of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (Snapdragon variant), Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, and Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ have been taking to online forums to report the well-known green tint display issues that many flagship devices have suffered from in the past. The same green tint problem recently affected Galaxy S20 Ultra smartphones too but was fixed with a software update.

The anniversary of the release of the Surface Pro 7 is approaching, which should signal the arrival of a successor. Probably called the Surface Pro 8, the device remains an unknown quantity for the time being. Nonetheless, Concept Creator and LetsGoDigital have teamed up to offer a glimpse at what the Surface Pro 8 could hold for us when it launches later this year.

The Surface Book series comprise innovative 2-in-1s that can run the buyer a pretty penny. Its support and user forums have exhibited a pattern of complaints that these devices develop cracks in their screens (often "overnight"). These defects reportedly appear as a result of doing no more than closing their lids in notebook mode.

The US government has just increased the number of companies associated with the OEM Huawei on its economic blacklist to 152. This has reportedly been done in order to ensure the electronics giant cannot use American technology or IP to source new chipsets. The Semiconductor Industry Association has reportedly expressed opposition to this uptick in the existing trend of restrictions.

Chargeasap, the maker of the Indiegogo hit the Flash power bank, is back on crowdfunding with another potentially groundbreaking power accessory. This Omega wall-wart has 2 versions: one that rated to charge at up to 100 watts (W), and one at 200W. It had a goal of US$10,000 on Kickstarter, but left this threshold behind a long time ago.

The Galaxy Z Fold2 is Samsung's second-generation book-form flexible tablet. It is slated to launch in the US on September 1, 2020, followed by a debut in China eight days later. The device has appeared on the database of the regulator TENAA ahead of this event.

In addition to the update of the Fire HD 8, Amazon is also bringing a Plus version of the affordable Android tablet to the market. However, the low price difference leads us to the question: why?

The popular messaging app Telegram marks its seventh year of business today (August 14, 2020). It has ushered this anniversary in along with a new feature: video calling. It now exists in alpha form, boasting picture-in-picture and end-to-end encryption, but only for its Android app thus far.

Following Microsoft’s official launch of the Surface Duo, the company has updated its product page with its specification details. For a device starting from US$1,399 it has certainly got the blogosphere abuzz with what it has and doesn’t have at the price.

Contrary to previous rumours, leakers are now claiming that Apple will not be releasing the fourth-generation iPad Air until 2021. The 11-inch device will adopt the design of the iPad Pro though, along with an A14 Bionic SoC and up to 512 GB of storage. The iPad Air will be compatible with the Apple Pencil 2 also and will start at US$649, up from US$499 for the current model.