Gadget

According to a report, Apple is considering refreshing the AirPods Max, as it did with the iPhone 12 mini. A new model is not forthcoming though, for one reason or another.

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.

Sony is yet to launch the WF-1000XM4, but a launch commercial detailing the upcoming earbuds has already leaked. A potential launch date has been revealed too, which would put the WF-1000XM4 just over two weeks away from being announced.

Smartwatch company VIITA has launched a Kickstarter campaign for the first Bugatti smartwatch. Three bezels are on offer for the Bugatti Ceramique Edition One, which are inspired by vehicles from the world-famous car manufacturer. The beautiful Bugatti watch is jam-packed full of features but unsurprisingly comes at a high price.

The medical-grade wearables company AliveCor has decided to push for an anti-trust suit against Apple over the manner in which the Cupertino giant has taken over the market for smart watches or bands that support on-device electroechocardiography (ECG). It follows allegations that Apple Watches with this technology infringes on AliveCor's patents.

The PowerVision S1 will add to the increasingly popular trend of automatic, motorized magnetic gimbal accessories on its impending launch via Indiegogo. However, this one also incorporates its own power bank for pass-through wireless charging on the go. It also has a tripod folds down to fit in pockets or bags easily.

A new expansion board by the Raspberry Pi Foundation brings added versatility to its popular single-board computer ecosystem. The PoE+ HAT can provide power via Ethernet, apparently up to 25.5 W.

Radxa has upgraded the Rock Pi 4, bringing a new SoC to the single-board computer. Now called the Rock Pi 4 Plus, the device will be available in Model A and Model B variants.

USB-C cables will soon be able to deliver up to 240 Watts of power, a big bump from the current standard of 100 Watts. However, the improved power delivery mandates a new USB specification, which means new cables and a new logo to designate 240 W-capable USB-C cables.

According to reports, Apple will be announcing a new iPod Touch in a few months. Renders show that Apple has tweaked the iPod Touch's looks too, giving making it resemble an iPhone SE with the iPhone 12's design language.

OnePlus is all set to launch a Cyberpunk 2077-themed OnePlus Watch in China. Much like the limited-edition OnePlus 8T, the wearable will use UI elements from the game, such as a black and yellow colour scheme, font, and more. There is no word about its global launch just yet.

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.

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.

A new leak from Jon Prosser shows the Apple Watch 7 in an entirely new light. According to the leaker, the upcoming Apple wearables could follow the M1 iMacs and ship in multiple colour variants, including Black, White, Red, Blue and Green. It will also ship with a more square, rounded-off display.

The Firefly ROC-RK3566-PC is a single-board computer that supports Android 11 and Ubuntu, among other OSes. The SBC is available in two configurations and supports M.2 2242 SSDs.

Apple has added images for the Beats Studio Buds to iOS and tvOS betas. The TWS earbuds have a compact design and have been shown in three colours.

A noted tech leaker has made a social media post about Sony and Wena that has led to some speculation about a potential Sony Xperia smartwatch being in the works. Others believe there might be a Smartwatch 4 coming, over six years after the launch of the Sony SmartWatch 3. Unfortunately, machine translation has caused some ambiguity here.

Lenovo has announced its new Go series of peripherals and accessories designed for the modern professional who needs the right kit for their remote-working set-up. The first two products from this new line are a multi-device mouse and a dual-USB type C power bank compatible with 65W ultrabooks.

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.

New Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch Active 4 details have been shared online that will likely be greeted with mixed responses. The good news is that it seems the smartwatches, sometimes stylized as the Galaxy Watch4 and Watch Active4, could be released soon. However, there is bad news for those hoping for the presence of Tizen or a non-invasive blood sugar monitor.

The Nanote P8 is a tiny 7-inch mini-laptop coming to Japan. While the machine uses older hardware, it's relatively cheap (compared to other mini laptops) at only US$300.

According to a new leak, Sony plans to release the WF-1000XM4 in two colours. Both colours appear to have a matte finish and memory foam ear tips, both upgrades over the WF-1000XM3. The WF-1000XM4's charging case is a lot smaller than its predecessor's, too.

A German security researcher who goes by the alias "stacksmashing" posted a YouTube video detailing how he was able to dump the firmware of an Apple AirTag. Furthermore, he was able to inject a custom firmware that changed the AirTag's "Lost Mode" function. This could open the door to more malicious jailbreaks of AirTags in the future.

Mini doesn't mean watered-down - the smallest smartwatch from Huami's Amazfit GT family made that clear in our review. Especially in comparison with the Amazfit GTS 2e, which we also reviewed, it was definitely able to stand out with its own distinctive features.

The Sony WF-1000XM4 is well on its way and may arrive sooner than expected. The upcoming pair of TWS earbuds will feature a revised design, improved functionality and possibly even a charging case that can be recharged wirelessly.

The Amazfit GTS 2e is the square-shaped counterpart to the round Amazfit GTR 2e. In our review, the Huami smartwatch scored points with dual-frequency GPS and good software - both on the wrist and on the smartphone.

Sennheiser has found a buyer for its consumer audio business, which it has been trying to sell since February. Sonova Holding AG will continue to develop and sell products under the Sennheiser brand, though.

Apple's AirTags might be the latest thing in personal possession-tracking, although customers might find it hard to actually secure said things with the little monolithic smart pucks out of the box. However, Spigen has stepped up to offer new holders with the keyrings and clips necessary to take such a tag anywhere.

GoPro has reported that it made a total of US$204 million in revenue for the first quarter of 2021 (1Q2021), or 71% more than it did in 1Q2020. Of this, 40% (or $82 million) came from its website's sales, a 224% increase year-on-year (YoY). The action-cam company also celebrated selling its first millionth subscription in this quarter.

Sony has just added new variants of its Mobile Elevated Standard (ES) audio equipment for cars. They consist of 4 kinds of speaker and 1 subwoofer equipped with the latest generation of the OEM's MRC-reinforced diaphragms, combined with Separated Notch Edge Surround technology for increased clarity and an "audiophile-grade crossover" in certain units. They are available to pre-order from now.

Apple’s new AirTag has been a hit with Apple fans keen to use it to keep track of their belongings. However, it is a little too thick to be comfortably fitted into the average wallet. Naturally, that hasn’t stopped someone from deconstructing an AirTag and repurposing it to fit into a card that slides into a wallet much more easily.

Sony and Nike have teamed up with basketball player Paul George and PS5 designer Yujin Morsawa on the PG 5, a pair of PlayStation 5 sneakers. Unsurprisingly, the PG 5 has a PlayStation 5-inspired colour scheme and incorporates many design elements from Sony's latest console. The Nike PG 5 will sell for US$120.

Huawei has reportedly patented an in-house controller for virtual reality (VR) applications such as gaming. It is depicted as having a fairly standard form-factor, and possibly as coming in blue or black, in its new CNIPA documentation. Therefore, the OEM might be about to unveil products for this market.

Google has revealed the Pixel Buds A, although seemingly ahead of schedule. The budget earbuds will support Bluetooth Fast Pair and retain the Pixel Buds' design. The Pixel Buds A will be available in multiple colours, too.

A new Apple AirTag teardown video reveals that each one is packed with drivers, coils and (of course) button batteries. However, and possibly more importantly, it may also show that their clearly keenly developed appearance might degrade quickly over time with use. On the other hand, they can theoretically be torn down for repair (should the user want to do so) at least.

A YouTube content creator successfully managed to install an entire Royal Kludge RK61 mechanical keyboard into a 2008 MacBook Pro. While the keyboard and MacBook Pro work without any issues, it is impossible to close the lid given the keyboard's size.

Apple’s AirTag location trackers have been a long time coming but their launch isn’t going as smoothly as the company would like. Australian retailer Officeworks has pulled the product from its store shelves over child safety concerns that its user replaceable battery could be too easily removed.

An anonymous user submitted a GPU-Z validation report for what seems to be a Clevo laptop sporting the as-yet unannounced Ampere NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti. The GPU report offers details about the mobile GPU, including that it'll have 2560 CUDA core count and a boost clock of over 1485 MHz.

A filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has led to some speculation that a future Apple wearable, possibly even the expected Apple Watch Series 7, could be fitted with a non-invasive glucose indicator. On top of that, an Apple Watch 7 may even sport an alcohol monitor, thanks to Rockley Photonics’ expertise.

Apple has yet to update the vanilla iPad, not to mention its Mini variant, despite having been repeatedly rumored to do so in 2021. Now, new registrations with the EEC authority may point to a launch for these tablets soon. In less expected news, they have been joined on this database by what look like a new accessory for the AirPort Time Capsule, Extreme and Express.

The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 Global Edition fitness tracker is now officially available. The latest wearable in the popular Mi Band range comes with a new SpO2 sensor, 30 fitness modes, a full-screen AMOLED display, and it can offer up to 14 days of battery life. The affordable Mi Smart Band 6 can be ordered for under US$60.

Xiaomi has introduced its most premium offering, the Mi QLED TV 75 smart TV in India recently. The QLED TV 75 offers the Android 10 smart TV platform with Google Assistant, Chromecast, and Alexa support. The TV also features wide color gamut support, a MediaTek MT9611 SoC, and the company's PatchWall content aggregation service that connects to more than 25 streaming services.

Programmer 8-bit Show And Tell managed to mod his 1 MHz Commodore 64 to mine Bitcoin. This is a remarkable feat for hardware that's close to 40 years old. However, at 0.3 H/s, the system will take nearly a billion years, just to turn a profit of US$10.