Gadget

The Creative SXFI AIR is a US$140 pair of over-ear headphones that packs plenty of features. With a Super X-Fi DSP, Bluetooth, line-in, USB Type-C and a microSD card reader, you are spoilt for choice with the SXFI AIR. Average battery life and underwhelming drivers hold the SXFI AIR back, though.

Sony has finally released the WH-1000XM4, almost two years after it released its last edition in the WH-1000XM series. Little has changed from the WH-1000XM3 and WH-1000XM4 save for a few new features. Battery life remains at 30 hours with NC on and the new model has the same 40 mm neodymium drivers. Bluetooth 5.0 is now supported, but aptX and aptX HD have been dropped.

The Rock Pi 4 Model C is available to order from another retailer for the princely sum of US$59.00. Previously, AllNetChina had been the only retailer to offer the single-board computer at that price, but Seeedstudio has now got in on the act.

The release of the WH-1000XM4 is almost upon us, at least according to the publication of more retailer listings and even a video review. Sony appears to have made some minor changes from the headphones that it released two years ago, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Call quality apparently remains unchanged, though.

Hands-on images of the PS5 DualSense controller have been published online, purportedly from the FCC. The images show the DualSense from all angles in its two-tone colour scheme and also offer a look at an unannounced black version. Sony has confirmed that the PS5 DualSense controllers will receive dedicated software updates too, a change from how the company currently delivers updates for the DualShock 4.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 is thought to be arriving on August 6, following a protracted development cycle. The headphones will arrive almost two years on from the release of the WH-1000XM3, but early retail listings have confirmed that the WH-1000XM4 will use the same QN1 Noise Cancelling Processor as its predecessor.

The Sony Bravia X7400H smart TV will be released in India on August 6 via Flipkart for INR 63,990 (US$851). It comes with a 55-inch 4K LCD panel that uses Sony's proprietary Triluminos technology. Other features include support for Android TV, in-build Chromecast functionality, 20W speakers, and more.

Xiaomi has announced a special event coming up soon, and a tip from a noted leaker has suggested that the popular Chinese OEM will use the moment as an opportunity to reveal some new smartphones. The Xiaomi Mi Pro+ (Super Cup) is a likely candidate, and the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2020 has also been put forward for a potential reveal.

A promo video for the upcoming Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless noise-cancelling headphones has been leaked online, and it reveals quite a few details about the successor to the well-received WH-1000XM3 headphones. Users will be treated to features such as wear detection, Speak-to-Chat mode, DSEE Extreme, and location-based favorite presets.

Radxa's new version of the Rock Pi 4, the Model C, is finally orderable. The Rock Pi 4 Model C has an M.2 connector for NVMe storage and is available for as little as US$59. The SBC is available with a hexa-core processor and 4 GB of RAM.

The Huami Amazfit Band 6 has been confirmed thanks to a combination of some code digging and the fitness tracker appearing in all its glory on a retailer site. The Amazfit Band 6 comes with Amazon Alexa, blood oxygen monitoring, heart-rate tracker, menstrual cycle tracker, and stress detection. The “York” codename was previously thought to belong to a global version of the Xiaomi Mi Band 5.

The Zephyr Gaming Mouse resembles many other gaming mice with its RGB lighting and over the top design. However, it also includes a built-in fan that Zephyr Gaming claims can cool your hand. We have been using a prototype for over a week now, but is it worth its US$89 early bird price?

Images and specs for the Redmi K30 Ultra have been shared online, with the upcoming device featuring a MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ chip and up to 12 GB RAM. Apparently, Redmi will also be launching its first smartwatch soon, possibly in August, with some speculating that it will simply be a scaled-down version of the Xiaomi Mi Watch.

Sony is finally getting around to releasing the WH-1000XM4, some eight months after the headphones leaked. Reportedly, the WH-1000XM4 will retail for €379.90 in the Eurozone and US$349.00 in the US. It could be upwards of a month before the up-market headphones start shipping, though.

Huawei has officially launched its new TalkBand B6 fitness tracker and Bluetooth headset combination wearable. Three editions of the Huawei TalkBand B6 have been released, with prices starting at 999 yuan (US$143). The versatile gadget comes with a blood oxygen monitor, Kirin A1 chip, Bluetooth 5.2, and heart-rate monitor.

Sony has announced that a number of its premium TVs are "Ready for PlayStation 5", ahead of the console's release later this year. The list includes the XH90, XH92 and ZH8, which will all support 4K and 120 FPS gaming.

Xiaomi's official Twitter handle has put out a teaser, which hints that the Mi TV Stick will be released in India on August 5. It comes with a dedicated remote and will likely come with the Mi TV's Patchwall software. It is expected to cost between INR 2,000 (US$27) and INR 2,500 (US$34).

Sony has finally launched the successor to the a7S II. It comes with a new BIONZ XR image processor, a new CMOS sensor with an effective resolution of 12.1MP and a new thermal management system that may improve 4K 60p 10-bit 4:2:2 record times. Sony has also debuted the new CFexpress Type A storage format.

Eve Devices touts its new Spectrum product as a gaming monitor with a crowd-source, and thus potentially idealized, design. Now, it is looking for more consumer input on the accessories that might be sold alongside this upcoming release. They include USB type C hubs, RGB lighting kits and VESA mounts.

Xiaomi has a new “hot launch” in its product pages with the Mi Charger 33 W accessory. The charger can be used with smartphones like the Xiaomi Mi 10, Redmi K30 Pro, and Redmi 10X Pro, and it can be used with iPads and MacBooks. The Xiaomi Mi Charger 33 W is currently priced at 69 yuan (US$10).

The Huawei TalkBand B6 wearable has become the chief suspect for a teased product launch by the popular Chinese OEM. Although the promo image doesn’t specify what device is being marketed, the curved display certainly points to the TalkBand B6 fitness tracker and Bluetooth headset. A launch date of July 30 is also mentioned.

The price tag has been set for the Sony WH-1000XM4 in Europe, a new leak has revealed. Additionally, a new release date has been suggested as Sony bears down on the possible launch of the Apple AirPods Studio.

The entry-level model in the Sony Bravia A9 Master series is now orderable. Called the Bravia KD-48A9, the 48-inch TV has a 4K OLED panel and supports HDR content. The Bravia KD-48A9 runs Android TV and supports X-Motion Clarity for OLED for optimum image quality when gaming or watching sports.

The Rock Pi E is the latest single-board computer by Radxa. Based on the Rockchip RK3328, the Rock Pi E is available with up to 2 GB of RAM and features dual Ethernet ports. The Rock Pi E starts at US$24.00.

Sony may finally be ready to unleash the WH-1000XM4, its successor to the almost two-year-old WH-1000XM3. While hopes of a June release fell flat, Sony Brazil has seemingly teased the WH-1000XM4 on its Instagram channel.

Xiaomi could be contemplating producing a smartphone, possibly as part of the innovative Mi Mix line, which actually integrates wireless earbuds into the top edge. It’s an intriguing concept along the lines of how Samsung Galaxy Note devices house the S Pen stylus. However, whether Xiaomi will take the wireless headset-holding smartphone into production remains to be seen.

Xiaomi is preparing another flash sale for the giant 98-inch Redmi Smart TV Max while also celebrating the news that the company shipped more TVs in China in the first half of 2020 than any other company. The Xiaomi Mi TV range is immensely popular, and with a price tag of 19,999 yuan (US$2,856), the Redmi Max 98 has also been selling well.

A new Xiaomi product has appeared on the OEM’s crowdfunding site Youpin in the form of the Bcase ring light, which is an all-in-one photography accessory with an adjustable stand. The portable Xiaomi ring light comes with LED lighting that offers three shade levels and 10 levels of brightness. The Bcase ring light is priced at 159 yuan (US$23).

A Xiaomi product labeled as the Mi EBook Reader has been spotted on Bluetooth certification leading to speculation that the Chinese OEM could be preparing its current MiReader device for a wider market. If the Xiaomi Mi EBook Reader and the MiReader are the same, then global users can expect an e-reader with 16 GB storage and a 24-level reading light.

Some new images of the Huawei TalkBand B6 have been leaked, with the upcoming wearable shown off in four different color variants. The fitness tracker/Bluetooth headset looks particularly elegant in stainless steel. The TalkBand B6 is expected to feature a Kirin A1 chipset for smart operations and a blood oxygen monitor.

The hissing or static issue with the latest Pixel Buds remains, despite the release of a firmware update that supposedly addressed the problem. In fact, the hissing issue is noticeable even on units released after Google claimed to have fixed it.

Razer has refreshed its Cynosa series RGB gaming keyboard. Built for those on a budget, the Cynosa V2 has individually backlit keys, supports macros and has media controls.

The Huawei TalkBand B6 wearable fitness tracker and Bluetooth headset combination has leaked in some live images and short video clips. The dual-function accessory looks to be a step up from the previous generation, with the TalkBand B6 bearing a larger display and utilizing a Kirin A1 processor.

The launch of the new OnePlus Buds means Xiaomi has to up its game in the TWS segment and it's done so spectacularly with the Haylou T16 TWS earbuds that offer active noise cancellation, 6 hours of playback, and wireless charging just for US$40.

Xiaomi has slashed the price of its Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 in India to counter the upcoming threat from the recently launched OnePlus Buds. The Xiaomi earphones are now priced at ₹3,999 (US$53), which should help the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 take on the OnePlus Buds that have an advertised price of ₹4,990 (US$67).

The Surface Headphones 2 offers more features than its predecessor at a lower price. Since Microsoft's latest over-ear headphones support high-resolution Bluetooth connectivity, we decided to purchase a pair to see how they fare.

The Zephyr Gaming Mouse is a wired gaming mouse with a difference. While it features Pixart PMW3389 optical sensor, RGB lighting and OMRON switches, it also features a fan to minimise sweat when gaming. The Zephyr Gaming Mouse is available to order from today on Kickstarter for US$79.00. Zephyr Gaming is selling the mouse in three colours and expects to ship to backers in October 2020.

Xiaomi has revealed that the giant 98-inch Redmi Smart TV Max is now in a pre-sale phase again as clearly stocks had dwindled after the amazing sales successes the Chinese OEM had with the huge device. The Redmi Max 98 is currently priced at 19,999 yuan (US$2,855), which is very reasonable for a 98-inch 4K smart TV with MEMC technology.

AOC has launched its latest monitor, the U32U1. A Red Dot Design Award winner, the 31.5-inch and 4K monitor has been designed in collaboration with Porsche Design.

The front of what may well be the GoPro Hero 9 has leaked, and it could point towards the company's first action camera with a built-in secondary display. The next GoPro will likely launch in early Q4 2020 at between US$399.99 and US$499.99.

Xiaomi has announced two new curved gaming monitors. Available in 29-inch and 34-inch screen sizes, both have a curvature of 1500R and support picture in picture. The larger of the two is a 1440p and 100 Hz panel. Xiaomi has announced a new electric standing desk for gamers, too.

Honor has announced its first Wi-Fi 6 Plus router, the Honor Router 3. The Router 3 features one WAN port, three Gigabit LAN ports and measures 245 x 159.2 x 39.7 mm. The Honor Router 3 is available for €79.90 in the Eurozone and £79.99 in the UK.

The Xiaomi Mi Band 4C has been spotted appearing on Amazon Spain, where the budget fitness tracker can be bought for a very reasonable €19.99 (US$23/£18). While the Chinese OEM is busy releasing wearables in Europe, it looks like Xiaomi might be also planning on adding some new Mi TVs to its range in India.

Xiaomi has announced the new Mijia Projector 2 Pro device, which is priced at 4,599 yuan (US$658). The projector is able to cast a screen of up to a maximum of 200 inches, and it features a brightness level of up to 1,300 ANSI Lumens. HDR10+ support is onboard and the Xiaomi Mijia Projector 2 Pro also implements ToF technology.

Insomniac says that Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales will have a 4K 60 fps mode. However, it will not run in this mode by default, and the additional performance could come at the price of visual fidelity. The game will likely run at 4K 30 fps out of the box.

OnePlus' official Instagram handle has put out a teaser that hints the OnePlus Buds' price. The TWS earbuds will be released alongside the OnePlus Nord on July 21, and promise to deliver up to seven hours of battery life and support charging at 30W.

Xiaomi has announced the new Redmi AirDots 2 earphones, which will be officially launched on July 22. The TWS earphones are currently priced at 79 yuan (US$11) during the crowdfunding stage. The budget earphones offer Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, virtual assistant functionality, and they weigh in at just 4.1 g per earbud.

The 5G era has just about begun; however, Samsung's research division is also looking into the next generation of this kind of connectivity already. The OEM is also projecting the technology that this level of bandwidth could bring to fruition. They include new levels of extended reality and "AI nativity".

The new Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5 fitness tracker is now available on Amazon US and at a reasonable price, too. US shoppers can pick up the Mi Smart Band 5 from US$49.98, which is similar to the price of the wearable in Europe. However, buyers should be aware that this is the non-NFC variant of the smart band.

The PS5 hype train has shown no signs of slowing down as the console and its accessories have taken up seven spots out of the top 15 for the Amazon Most Wished For chart (UK site). Incredibly for Sony, four more places are occupied by PS4 games. PlayStation 5 price predictions appear to be settling at US$499/£449/€499 for the Blu-ray edition.