Nokia 8 Sirocco starts receiving Android 9.0 Pie update
HMD Global has launched all Nokia smartphones under Google’s Android 9.0 Pie programme, which basically means that all devices will get timely Android updates and security patches till two and three years respectively. But somehow, Nokia 8 Sirocco is one device by the company that didn’t get the update till 2018. And now, with the first thing that the company has started the year by rolling the Android 9.0 update to the Nokia 8 Sirocco smartphone.
It is worth noticing that HMD Global rolled out the Android Pie update to Nokia 8 Sirocco right after it rolled out the update to Nokia 5.1 Plus.
We should mention that the Android Pie update for the smartphone was actually promised for November by the company, but it got delayed. The company’s flagship for 2017 – Nokia 8 – received the Android 9.0 Pie update in December last year.
With Android 9.0 Pie, Nokia 8 Sirocco will be getting features like App Actions, Adaptive Brightness, Adaptive Battery, Digital Wellbeing and new gesture navigation, among others.
Nokia 8 Sirocco was launched in India in 2018 and came at a price tag of Rs 49,999. The smartphone’s front panel is dominated by a curved glass design and the back panel has a thin stainless steel frame. The smartphone comes with a 5.5-inch Quad HD pOLED display that has an aspect ratio of 16:9
As we mentioned earlier, Nokia 8 Sirocco was a part of Google’s Android One programme, but in spite of that, there was a delay in the Android 9.0 Pie update coming to the device.
The stunning looking smartphone never got the attention like other flagship smartphones do because it came with an older Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, which was released in 2017. Considering that it is 2018 flagship device, it should have ideally had the Snapdragon 845 processor. Other than this, the smartphone came with 6GB of RAM, and a dual rear camera setup with 12MP and 13MP Zeiss optics. For selfies and video calls, there is a 5MP front-facing camera on the device.
As far as the software of the smartphone goes, it had the stock Android version of Android 8.1 Oreo operating system.
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CES 2019: Dell Alienware Area-51m gaming laptop launched
CES 2019 saw the launch of Dell Alienware Area-51m, which is a gaming laptop by the company and packs some unique features. Dell Alienware Area-51m gaming laptop is powered by desktop-class Intel CPUs and Nvidia GeForce RTX GPUs and a very key highlight of the device is that both of these can be upgraded. If you buy the laptop, you will be able to swap out the CPU or GPU after using it for a few years. So you wouldn’t have to replace your laptop in order to upgrade your CPU or GPU. Dell Alienware Area-51m can be bought in Lunar Light and Dark Side of the Moon colour variants and will be going on sale on January 29. The laptop will be available at a starting price of $2,549. Other variants that will be available at a lower price will also be launched soon.
The device has been codenamed ‘Legend’ and comes with a magnesium alloy body and has been designed in a way to replace desktops. The laptop has narrow bezels on three sides and weighs 3.87kg. Dell Alienware Area-51m comes with the 5th generation of Tobii Eye Tracking technology and its lighting can be customised.
Now let’s talk about the specifications of the Dell Alienware Area-51m laptop in detail. The laptop is powered by Intel 9th generation CPUs that range from a Core i7-8700 up to a Core i9-9900K. The company has designed the laptop to be upgradable and therefore, it comes with a socketed Intel Z390 motherboard. Till now, Acer is the only other company that has done something similar.
In Dell’s new Alienware laptop, users get four RAM slots that can hold up to 64GB of RAM and single, dual and triple storage configurations from hybrid drives and PCIe M.2 SSDs.
The key highlight of the laptop happens to be its desktop-class Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics cards and customers can choose between a model with GeForce RTX 2060 with 6GB RAM, a variant with GeForce RTX 2070 with 8GB of RAM and a version with GeForce RTX 2080 with 8GB of RAM. It is worth mentioning that the GPU of the laptop can be changed too.
While there is plenty of choice in the RAM department, there isn’t any as far as the display is concerned. The laptop is only available in 17.3-inch FULL HD IPS display and comes with an HD webcam, dual array mics and stereo speakers.
On the connectivity front, Dell Alienware 51m has three USB 3.1 Type-A ports, a Thunderbolt 3 Type-C port, an HDMI 2.0, a Mini-DisplayPort 1.4 and headphone and microphone sockets. A Gigabit Ethernet and an Alienware Graphics Amplifier port are also present on the laptop. Dell Alienware Area-51m laptop houses a 90WHr battery.
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15 cool gadgets that were launched at CES 2019
The ongoing CES 2019 saw a number of exciting gadgets ranging from LG’s rollable TV to Uber’s upcoming flying car and even a literal wall-sized television by Samsung. Here, we list down all the cool gadgets that were launched at the tech show that you should know about:
One among the biggest highlights of CES 2019 is the rollable TV by LG. The much-talked-about OLED rollable TV will be going on sale this year. However, the price of the product has not been announced yet. As the name suggests, the television can be rolled down and be made to disappear when we aren’t watching it. So, if you buy it, you wouldn’t have to look at a big black box in your living room at all times.
CES 2019 also saw what Uber’s flying taxis would look like. The company has partnered with Bell Nexus which showcased the upcoming flying taxis that Uber will be launching. These will be tested in 2020 and before they get launched in various countries. However, as of now, the year of launch is not certain.
Mercedes-Benz made a statement at the CES 2019 with its Vision Urbanetic concept car. A lot of technology has been used to make the car stand out. Mercedes-Benz Vision Urbanetic is autonomous and modular. However, the car is just a concept right now and there is no word on when it will become a reality.
Honor View 20 was unveiled in China last month and is set to be launched globally in Paris on January 22. However, the smartphone also made an appearance at the CES 2019. The key highlight of the device is that it comes with a cutout selfie camera on the top left of its display and provides a full-screen experience to the user. You can read the complete specifications of the smartphone here.
The rollable TV wasn’t the only device by LG that managed to make heads turn at CES 2019. The company also launched the LG 8K OLED TV which does an amazing job at offering the top-notch video quality with the massive images that are projected on the screen. As of now, there is no word on the pricing of the television, but expect it to be quite expensive.
Motorola’s new monitor comes with a 1080p camera can be connected to the side of your baby’s crib or cot. It then hangs over the top, so you don’t really have to be in the same room to keep an eye on your child. The monitor also comes with infrared night vision of up to 10 meters and can project virtual light mobiles. The device can be picked up at $249 and if you also pick the monitoring screen, you will have to spend $299.
Image courtesy: CNET
South Korean technology giant is back with The Wall. If you were impressed with the 146-inch ‘The Wall’ TV that Samsung showcased last year at Consumer Electronics Show, we don’t know how you’ll react when we tell you that the company unveiled a 219-inches television this year. The television is also available in a smaller 75-inches size and has support for Google Assistant as well as Amazon Alexa. The pricing of the device has not as yet been specified yet.
Garmin unveiled its first LTE fitness watch at CES 2019. The smartwatch comes with some safety features that are worth mentioning including a technology similar to Apple Watch 4’s fall detection. You can even download and play music of your choice on the smartwatch. While there is no word on the pricing of the watch year, we are hoping to find out more about it in March
Jabra Elite 85h is a pair of wireless headphones by the company and it rivals some leading models from Bose and Sony. The headphones come with eight microphones, has noise-cancelling technology and supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The expected pricing of the headphones is $300.
HP’s new offering is a 65-inch gaming display that brings gaming-quality performance to the big screen. The display comes with a refresh rate of 144Hz and supports HDR. The gaming display will start shipping in February this year and is priced at $5,000.
Samsung last year announced its 85-inch Q900 8K TV. And at CES 2019, it announced a bigger 98-inch screen variant. So if you are someone who would love to have a home theatre experience, this can be a perfect pick for you. However, there is no word on the price and availability of the device yet.
Matrix Industries’ latest fitness smartwatch, PowerWatch 2 has one speciality – it only runs on solar power and body-generated heat. It can be used to track heart rate, count steps, and is 200-meter water resistant. It can be pre-ordered now at Indiegogo for $200. After it gets launched, it will be available for $499.
Samsung’s Space Monitors are available in two sizes – one comes with a 27-inch display and the other with a 32-inch screen. They can clamp back to the workspace and sit against the wall when you aren’t using them and when you need them, you can pull them down to any level to begin using. While the 27-inch monitor is priced at $400, the 32-inch costs $500. Both the models will be shipped in March.
Asus ZenBook S13 has a 13.9-inch LED display and comes with a reverse notch and thinner bezels that give it an all-screen experience. The device is powered by Nvidia GeForce MX150 GPU and comes with up to 16GB of LPDDR3 RAM and 1TB of SSD storage. The pricing of the laptop has not yet been revealed.
This is the gaming laptop by Samsung and it has an all-metal body and a brand-new heating system. The company has housed top-notch internals in the gaming notebook which will be going on sale in early 2019. However, right now there is no word on the pricing of Samsung Notebook Odyssey.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
[td_smart_list_end]
In This Article
LG Signature OLED TV R
One among the biggest highlights of CES 2019 is the rollable TV by LG. The much-talked-about OLED rollable TV will be going on sale this year. However, the price of the product has not been announced yet. As the name suggests, the television can be rolled down and be made to disappear when we aren’t watching it. So, if you buy it, you wouldn’t have to look at a big black box in your living room at all times.
Bell Nexus – Uber flying car
CES 2019 also saw what Uber’s flying taxis would look like. The company has partnered with Bell Nexus which showcased the upcoming flying taxis that Uber will be launching. These will be tested in 2020 and before they get launched in various countries. However, as of now, the year of launch is not certain.
Mercedes-Benz Vision Urbanetic concept
Mercedes-Benz made a statement at the CES 2019 with its Vision Urbanetic concept car. A lot of technology has been used to make the car stand out. Mercedes-Benz Vision Urbanetic is autonomous and modular. However, the car is just a concept right now and there is no word on when it will become a reality.
Honor View 20
Honor View 20 was unveiled in China last month and is set to be launched globally in Paris on January 22. However, the smartphone also made an appearance at the CES 2019. The key highlight of the device is that it comes with a cutout selfie camera on the top left of its display and provides a full-screen experience to the user. You can read the complete specifications of the smartphone here.
LG 8K OLED TV
The rollable TV wasn’t the only device by LG that managed to make heads turn at CES 2019. The company also launched the LG 8K OLED TV which does an amazing job at offering the top-notch video quality with the massive images that are projected on the screen. As of now, there is no word on the pricing of the television, but expect it to be quite expensive.
Motorola Halo Baby Monitor
Motorola’s new monitor comes with a 1080p camera can be connected to the side of your baby’s crib or cot. It then hangs over the top, so you don’t really have to be in the same room to keep an eye on your child. The monitor also comes with infrared night vision of up to 10 meters and can project virtual light mobiles. The device can be picked up at $249 and if you also pick the monitoring screen, you will have to spend $299.
Image courtesy: CNET
Samsung ‘The Wall’ TV
South Korean technology giant is back with The Wall. If you were impressed with the 146-inch ‘The Wall’ TV that Samsung showcased last year at Consumer Electronics Show, we don’t know how you’ll react when we tell you that the company unveiled a 219-inches television this year. The television is also available in a smaller 75-inches size and has support for Google Assistant as well as Amazon Alexa. The pricing of the device has not as yet been specified yet.
Garmin Vivoactive 3 Verizon
Garmin unveiled its first LTE fitness watch at CES 2019. The smartwatch comes with some safety features that are worth mentioning including a technology similar to Apple Watch 4’s fall detection. You can even download and play music of your choice on the smartwatch. While there is no word on the pricing of the watch year, we are hoping to find out more about it in March
Jabra Elite 85h
Jabra Elite 85h is a pair of wireless headphones by the company and it rivals some leading models from Bose and Sony. The headphones come with eight microphones, has noise-cancelling technology and supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The expected pricing of the headphones is $300.
HP Omen X Emperium 65 big format gaming display
HP’s new offering is a 65-inch gaming display that brings gaming-quality performance to the big screen. The display comes with a refresh rate of 144Hz and supports HDR. The gaming display will start shipping in February this year and is priced at $5,000.
Samsung Q900 8K TV
Samsung last year announced its 85-inch Q900 8K TV. And at CES 2019, it announced a bigger 98-inch screen variant. So if you are someone who would love to have a home theatre experience, this can be a perfect pick for you. However, there is no word on the price and availability of the device yet.
Matrix PowerWatch 2
Matrix Industries’ latest fitness smartwatch, PowerWatch 2 has one speciality – it only runs on solar power and body-generated heat. It can be used to track heart rate, count steps, and is 200-meter water resistant. It can be pre-ordered now at Indiegogo for $200. After it gets launched, it will be available for $499.
Samsung Space Monitor
Samsung’s Space Monitors are available in two sizes – one comes with a 27-inch display and the other with a 32-inch screen. They can clamp back to the workspace and sit against the wall when you aren’t using them and when you need them, you can pull them down to any level to begin using. While the 27-inch monitor is priced at $400, the 32-inch costs $500. Both the models will be shipped in March.
Asus ZenBook S13
Asus ZenBook S13 has a 13.9-inch LED display and comes with a reverse notch and thinner bezels that give it an all-screen experience. The device is powered by Nvidia GeForce MX150 GPU and comes with up to 16GB of LPDDR3 RAM and 1TB of SSD storage. The pricing of the laptop has not yet been revealed.
Samsung Notebook Odyssey
This is the gaming laptop by Samsung and it has an all-metal body and a brand-new heating system. The company has housed top-notch internals in the gaming notebook which will be going on sale in early 2019. However, right now there is no word on the pricing of Samsung Notebook Odyssey.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
[td_smart_list_end] Kingston HyperX Savage EXO external SSD review: Extreme storage performance for gamers
Kingston has been making a lot of great solid state drives that are easy on the pocket and deliver best in class performance. We have been using Kingston’s internal SSDs since a long time now and are quite amazed how they can give the some of the big boys a run for their money. Their drives are great to look at and many gamers and digital artists swear by it. We got another SS drive to review from Kingston, this time not for the inside of a PC or laptop, but for external usage. Called the Kingston HyperX Savage EXO external SSD, we gave it a thorough test and this is what we could make of this nifty little device.
Design
The Kingston HyperX Savage EXO external SSD is built for people and gamers who want extreme performance from their external storage drive. Before we talk about that, let us first talk about the form factor of this SSD. This external storage drive is built like a slim tablet, which is dressed in silverish grey and black colours. One thing to notice here is that there are no screws holding the external panels together. Instead they are locked in with each other.
The design is futuristic and unlike the boring large candy bar block this one looks quite nice at 10.24mm thickness. The twin curved edges on top flatten out midway, adding to the show. On the right side, users will find the USB Type C port along with a white LED light, which turns on when the data is being accessed to or from the Kingston HyperX Savage EXO external SSD. The HyperX branding can be found on the top panel of the SSD with the company code sticker located at the bottom.
In the box users will get two data cables. One is USB Type C to USB Type C that can connect the drive to a MAC and the other is USB Type C to USB Type A, to connect it with PCs and gaming consoles. A neat HyperX sticker is also part of the package in case you want to slap it on to the side of your console or PC. A bit of a show value.
Performance
The Kingston HyperX Savage EXO external SSD is very fast when it comes to performance. It is available in two configuration 480GB 3D TLC NAND and 960GB 3D TLC NAND. We got the 480 gigs version over for the review. This drive supports connectivity ports up to USB 3.1. So, with great excitement we put it to the test, to know how it actually performs.
Our test bench includes an Intel i5 8th Gen CPU, 8GB RAM, 480 GB SSD and of course to test comes with a USB 3.0 USB port. The company claims that the Kingston HyperX Savage EXO external SSD has read speeds of up to 500MBPS and write speeds of up to 480MBPS. So, we ran the tests to understand how true is that statement. On Crystal Disk Mark test bench, we got read speed of 462MBPS and write speed of 440.2 MBPS.
We were able to transfer a 1GB file from our system to the drive in under 2.6 seconds. This drive kept blowing our mind further and further. The Kingston HyperX Savage EXO external SSD is not only quick but super quick. When connected to a console, gamers will find up to 20% boost in game load times, and yes, it is compatible with both Xbox One and Playstation 4.
Verdict
At just 56 grams it is one of the lightest SSDs to arrive on our review table. With 3 years warranty the 480GB Kingston HyperX Savage EXO external SSD can be picked up for around Rs 14,000 from places like Nehru Place in Delhi or Lamington Road in Mumbai. Its original box price is Rs 15,999. Some might find it to be a bit steep, but the best performance does come at a bit of a price. Overall, we loved how this external SSD looks with premium materials used all around it. And when it comes to speed, both read and write, like we said it can give some of the best in the business a run for their money.
Pros: Good Looks
Lightweight and easy to carry
Extreme performance
Cons: Price on the higher side
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In the box users will get two data cables. One is USB Type C to USB Type C that can connect the drive to a MAC and the other is USB Type C to USB Type A, to connect it with PCs and gaming consoles. A neat HyperX sticker is also part of the package in case you want to slap it on to the side of your console or PC. A bit of a show value.
Performance
The Kingston HyperX Savage EXO external SSD is very fast when it comes to performance. It is available in two configuration 480GB 3D TLC NAND and 960GB 3D TLC NAND. We got the 480 gigs version over for the review. This drive supports connectivity ports up to USB 3.1. So, with great excitement we put it to the test, to know how it actually performs.
Our test bench includes an Intel i5 8th Gen CPU, 8GB RAM, 480 GB SSD and of course to test comes with a USB 3.0 USB port. The company claims that the Kingston HyperX Savage EXO external SSD has read speeds of up to 500MBPS and write speeds of up to 480MBPS. So, we ran the tests to understand how true is that statement. On Crystal Disk Mark test bench, we got read speed of 462MBPS and write speed of 440.2 MBPS.
We were able to transfer a 1GB file from our system to the drive in under 2.6 seconds. This drive kept blowing our mind further and further. The Kingston HyperX Savage EXO external SSD is not only quick but super quick. When connected to a console, gamers will find up to 20% boost in game load times, and yes, it is compatible with both Xbox One and Playstation 4.
Verdict
At just 56 grams it is one of the lightest SSDs to arrive on our review table. With 3 years warranty the 480GB Kingston HyperX Savage EXO external SSD can be picked up for around Rs 14,000 from places like Nehru Place in Delhi or Lamington Road in Mumbai. Its original box price is Rs 15,999. Some might find it to be a bit steep, but the best performance does come at a bit of a price. Overall, we loved how this external SSD looks with premium materials used all around it. And when it comes to speed, both read and write, like we said it can give some of the best in the business a run for their money.
Pros: Good Looks
Lightweight and easy to carry
Extreme performance
Cons: Price on the higher side
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. CES 2019: Sony announces Amazon Alexa support for WH-1000XM3, WH-1000XM2, WI-1000X headphones
The CES 2019 has seen a number of new innovations and exciting gadgets starting from LG’s rollable TV to the design of Uber’s upcoming air taxi service. A number of laptops and televisions were launched at the ongoing tech show. And now, Sony has announced an update to its noise cancellation headphone lineup at CES 2019. While the update it a small one, we are sure that many users will find it to be extremely useful.
Sony WH-1000XM3 noise-cancelling headphones, that were announced by the company at IFA 2018 are confirmed to be getting the Amazon Alexa update in the next few weeks. Sony’s on-ear WH-1000XM3 wireless headphones are the successor to the company’s WH-1000XM2 model and come with 40mm drivers, 30 hours of battery life and have noise cancellation modes that can be customised by the users. Sony WH-1000XM3 (review) supports high-resolution audio codecs like aptX HD and LDAC. The headphone’s predecessor – Sony WI-1000X – can be worn around the neck, are wireless and are claimed to offer 10 hours of battery life. Like Sony WH-1000XM3, WI-1000X are also very good at noise cancellation.
While all the three headphones already have support for Google Assistant, they will be getting support for Alexa as a firmware update in Q1 2019. The update will be available to users via Sony’s Headphones Connect App – for both Android and iOS versions. However, it is worth noticing that even though the headphones will have support for both the digital assistants, customers will only be able to use one at a time.
The Sony WH-1000MX3 bears a price tag of Rs 29,990 in India, and its predecessor WH-1000XM2 can be bought at Rs 28,000. Sony WI-1000X headphones cost Rs 21,990, but some online shopping sites are selling them for cheaper.
Apart from these announcements, the company also updated its range of Extra Bass speakers at the tech event. The speakers that have been launched by Sony are SRS-XB12, SRS-XB22, and SRS-XB33, which are successors of Sony’s XB10, XB20, and XB30 speakers respectively. Sony has also announced some 8K and 4K televisions which come Apple AirPlay support at CES 2019.
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CES 2019: Asus Chromebook Flip C434 launched
Taiwanese consumer electronics maker Asus has announced its new Chromebook Flip C434 at CES 2019. Asus Chromebook Flip C434 is the successor of the company’s Flip C302 that we saw in 2017 and it comes with a 360-degree hinge, which means that it can also be used as a tablet. The laptop comes with an aluminium design and is powered by the Intel 8th generation CPUs. Besides this, there are a number of other upgrades in the Chromebook Flip C434.
The Asus Chromebook Flip C434 has a 14-inch NanoEdge display with a full-HD resolution which is outlined by bezels that are 0.5-inch in size. It is worth noticing that NanoEdge display technology is not something new on Asus Zenbook laptops. Coupled with it is a full-sized backlit keyboard on the Asus Chromebook Flip C434 laptop.
There will be three processors that customers will be able to choose from on the new Chromebook Flip C434. The device is powered by Intel Core m3-8100Y, Intel Core i5-8200Y or Intel Core i7-8500Y processor. All the three variants come with up to 3GB of RAM and up to 128GB of eMMc storage.
The connectivity options of the Asus Chromebook Flip C434 laptop include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.0, and three USB 3.1 ports. Among these three, two are USB Type-C and one is a Type-A port. The newly launched device by the Taiwanese giant comes with 48Whr of battery capacity. It also has a microSD card reader and comes with an audio combo jack.
Prior to CES 2019, Asus announced four new Chromebooks, among which is the company’s first Chrome OS-based tablet. The four Chromebooks that were launched by Asus were a part of the company’s new Chromebook Education series laptops. The Asus Chromebook Flip C434 laptop that has been launched at CES 2019, is among the premium offerings by the Taiwanese technology company.
The price of the Asus Chromebook Flip C434 laptop will start at $569, and the company said that it will be available to purchase in the next few months. However, there is no specific date of launch announced at the moment.
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[Video] How to create your own WhatsApp Stickers on Android smartphone for free
![[Video] How to create your own WhatsApp Stickers on Android smartphone for free](https://www.gadgetbridge.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/maxresdefault-6-768x432.jpg "[Video] How to create your own WhatsApp Stickers on Android smartphone for free")
Love sending stickers to your friends on WhatsApp? Here, we tell you how you can create your own stickers to send them on WhatsApp as instant messages. By following the steps in the video you would be able to create stickers out of any picture in your smartphone and then send it to your contacts. All you need to do is download an app and get started. Watch our video to know more…
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This is what Uber’s flying taxi may look like
When Uber was launched, it truly changed the way we hail taxis. The concept of calling to book a cab became absolutely obsolete once the app gained popularity, which it did fairly quickly after its inception. And last year, the company said that it would literally take its business to the skies. There is still time for this to happen, but at the ongoing CES 2019, a Texas-based company Bell showcased a full-scale model of the ride-hailing firm’s upcoming air taxis. While the interiors of the hybrid-electric air taxi by Bell were showcased at last year’s CES, this year the taxi was seen taking off and landing vertically. For those unaware, Bell is into making aircraft for the military as well as commercial usage.
The hybrid-electric air taxi vehicle unveiled by Bell Nexus has six fans and a hybrid propulsion system that covers a large area. You can say that the vehicle is a large and much more advanced version of consumer drones that we have seen till now. However, we should mention that the design that Bell Nexus has showcased at CES 2019 is not a working model.
Uber has said that it plans to launch its Uber Air service in the next four years and the service will be available internationally. However, the company did not specify a timeline for the latter. For its ambitious futuristic air taxi service, Uber is working with a number of companies.
It is also worth noticing that this isn’t the first time that a prototype of Uber’s air taxi vehicle has been unveiled. Prior to this in May last year, the company had revealed its air taxi prototype and said that it will start commercial operations in 2023.
Speaking about Uber’s upcoming air taxi, Mitch Snyder, the president and CEO of Bell said, “As space at the ground level becomes limited, we must solve transportation challenges in the vertical dimension – and that’s where Bell’s on-demand mobility vision takes hold.”
To recall, last year in August Uber has said that India is one among the five countries where it will bring its flying taxi business. The company also said that once its flying taxi business does come to India, it will cut travel time in Mumbai by around 90%.
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Travis Touch Plus translator with support for over 100 languages is coming to India
One of the most major troubles that one can encounter while travelling to a new city is the language barrier. If you don’t know the language of the place you are going to, even doing the most basic of tasks can prove to be challenging. Imagine wanting salt at a restaurant and having to draw out for the waiter to understand! While at most places Google Translate can help, but if you travelling to a place that has censorship on certain Internet-based services like China or an area where there is little or no network, you can find yourself in a major problem.
Dutch-based startup Travis has addressed this problem and launched a product – Travis Touch Plus. The newly launched device can help in translating to and teaching over 100 languages. And the best part, you can do this with just a touch of a button.
The translator uses artificial intelligence and machine learning which has support for voice commands can be charged wirelessly and incorporated a language learning software. The company has emphasized that Travis Touch Plus can not only be used to translate languages, but also to learn them. It even claims that other than Travis Touch Plus, no other human help will be required for anyone who wants to learn a new language which is not his native tongue.
The translator was launched in the United States in December last year and is now set to come to India. As of now, there is no word on whether the device will support any regional languages, but it does sound like a good gadget for anyone who travels a lot around the world or is just simply interested in languages.
Speaking about the product, CEO Lennart Van der Ziel says, “Travis Teacher sets us apart and shows that we are doing more than just translating language, we are breaking language barriers. If we are able to help someone learn a language through our device, we have more than exceeded our goal to make bilingual conversation a frictionless experience.”
While there are a number of apps available that can be used to translate languages, we think it’s cool to have a gadget to learn new languages and be multilingual too!
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CES 2019: Samsung Notebook 9 Pro, Notebook Flash laptops launched
South Korean technology giant Samsung has unveiled this year’s Notebook 9 Pro premium convertible laptop at the ongoing CES 2019. Samsung’s Notebook 9 Pro sports a premium metallic build and is powered by the latest 8th Gen processor that is promised to enhance its performance. The laptop by Samsung comes with an Active Pen that professionals like graphic designers would find useful. The company also announced that the laptop is expected to hit the markets in early 2019. But as of now, there is no word on the pricing of the newly launched device.
Samsung Galaxy Notebook 9 Pro laptop has a 13.3-inch display, comes with thin bezels and supports fast charging. The laptop’s power button is mounted on to the side and it comes with a fingerprint sensor embedded in it. The laptop comes with a 13.3-inch Full HD screen and bezels of 6.7mm outline it on all four sides. The laptop is powered by an 8th gen Intel Core i7-8565U processor that is paired with 8GB of RSM and 256GB of PCI NVMe storage.
As far as the graphics are concerned, Samsung Galaxy Notebook Pro comes with an integrated Intel UHD 620 GPU. A 55Whr battery that has support for fast charging is also present. It has been claimed by the company that the battery of the device can last up to 14 hours. Samsung Galaxy Notebook 9 Pro comes with dual-channel Gigabit Wi-Fi (802.11ac) for connectivity. Ports on the laptop on the laptop include two Thunderbolt 3 ports, one USB Type-C port and a microSD card slot. A 3.5mm headphone jack is also present.
The newly launched Samsung laptop comes with dual 1.5W stereo speakers and comes equipped with Thunder Amp that makes the volume output better than predecessors. The device has a redesigned backlit keyboard and comes with an Active Pen which, according to the company, has more than 4,000 pressure sensitive points.
The South Korean technology company also showcased its Notebook Flash laptop at CES 2019. The laptop has a 13.3-inch full-HD display and is powered by an Intel Celeron N4000 or Pentium Silver N5000 processor. Samsung Notebook Flash laptop has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage onboard. The laptop supports dual-channel Gigabit Wi-Fi connectivity and comes with a fingerprint scanner for more security. The laptop’s battery life is said to last around 10 hours. We do know that it will be available in the market in 2019, but there is no word on the pricing details.
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CES 2019: Lenovo Legion Y740, Legion Y540 gaming laptops showcased
Chinese consumer electronics brand Lenovo has introduced its range of new gaming hardware at CES 2019. The newly launched laptops include the Lenovo Legion Y740 and Lenovo Legion Y540. The company’s Legion T730 and Legion T530 towers and its Legion C730 and Legion C530 cubes have also been upgraded. Lenovo has announced that its Legion Y740 laptop will be going on sale at the beginning of February and on the other hand, Legion Y540 will hit the shelves in May this year. As of now, there is no word on the availability details of the company’s T-Series and C-Series laptops.
In This Article
Lenovo Legion Y740 and Legion Y540 laptops
We’ll start with the specifications of the Lenovo Legion Y740 gaming laptop. The device comes in two variants – a model with a 15-inch screen and a 17-inch screen variant. There is variety also in terms of GPUs and customers will be able to select from GeForce RTX 2060, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, or GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q. On the other hand, Legion Y540 will come with a 15-inch display that will be powered by GeForce RTX 2060 GPU. While both the models of Lenovo Y740 will come with up to eighth-generation Intel Core i7 processors coupled with up to 32GB of RAM and a Corsair iCue RGB backlit keyboard, the Legion Y540 houses Intel Core CPUs and comes with a white coloured keyboard. Windows 10 is the default operating system of both the laptop models. Coming to the pricing, the starting price of the 17-inch Legion Y740 is $1,979.99, while the 15-inch model will cost $1,749.99. The 15-inch variant of Legion Y540 will be available at a price of $929.99.Lenovo Legion desktops: T730, T530, C730, and C530
The Legion T730 and T530 towers, as well as the C730 and C530 cubes, have also been upgraded by Lenovo. It was announced at CES 2019 that new machines will come with the latest Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 GPUs as a part of the upgrade. However, as of now, there is no word on the pricing of the updated models. At the ongoing tech show, the company also showcased gaming accessories including Legion M500 RGB gaming mouse, which is priced at $59.99, Legion K500 RGB mechanical keyboard that costs $99.99, Legion H300 stereo gaming headset which will be available for $59.99 and Legion H500 Pro 7.1 gaming headset that bears a price tag of $99.99. The newly unveiled gaming accessories will be available starting April 2019. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.How to backup your iPhone
Has your device ever been lost or stolen? Were you scrolling through your music playlist or reading a PDF file moments before you found your pocket empty after deboarding the metro? Happens all the time. Luckily, apart from the huge chunk of money which you invested in your phone, your files can be retrieved. And in case you have an iPhone and wondering how to backup your data after anticipating the possibility of losing your device, you have come to the right place.
To begin, there are two ways in which you can backup your data. It can be either through iCloud or through iTunes. If you are backing up your data through iCloud, then you can either do it all at once or partially each day. If you want to backup your data via iCloud all at once, here’s how to do it:
- Once your iPhone is connected to a WiFi network, go to settings and write your name
- Then tap on iCloud
- After this tap on iCloud backup
- Tap on Back Up Now
- Just like above, you need to go to settings> (your name)> iCloud> iCloud Backup
- Sign in to iCloud
- You’ll get 5GB free space to store whatever you can. In case you need more, you can buy it from your iPhone
- First thing’s first, update your iTunes to the latest version
- Connect your iPhone to the computer. There will be a message asking you for a passcode or Trust This Computer. Follow the instructions that come subsequently
- Select your iPhone once it appears on iTunes
- In case you want to save Health and Activity data, ‘Encrypt your backup’. Otherwise, just click on ‘Back Up Now’ and your process will be completed
Lenovo announces the ThinkPad X1 Carbon 7th Gen and the ThinkPad X1 Yoga 4th Gen laptops
Lenovo has added to its line-up of the ThinkPad series with the X1 Carbon 7th Gen and the ThinkPad X1 Yoga 4th Gen laptops. The company has launched these products with the aim to meet consumer’s expectations in terms of look and feel. Also, there are several improvements it has made with this line-up, which the company is confident, will satisfy their clients. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 7th Gen runs on Windows 10 and comes with a 4K Dolby Vision display.
In this display, there is a top cover where the weave is made evident in order to highlight the use of carbon fibre. The 2019 ThinkPad X1 Yoga has a full precision-machined aluminium chassis that comes in an iron grey colour. Despite being made of aluminium, the ThinkPad X1 Yoga is lighter than its predecessor and has achieved a perfect balance of durability and lightness.
Jerry Paradise, vice president, Commercial Product Portfolio said, “Creating the 2019 ThinkPad X1 Yoga required us to completely go back to the drawing board and develop all new approaches. The challenge of reimagining our engineering, design and materials while achieving the reliability, quality, and usability required of a ThinkPad was massive, but the end result will provide a delightful customer experience.”
Speaking about audio and imaging technology, the X1 Carbon and X1 Yoga have been created in collaboration with Dolby. The company says that this would transform the viewing experience with ultra-vivid picture quality. Dolby Atmos Speaker is supposed to create an immersive audio experience over four Dolby custom-designed and tuned PC speakers, and over any pair of headphones/earphones.
The laptops come with a ThinkPad PrivacyGuard that protects the end users screen from unwanted elements. There is a ThinkPad Privacy Alert software on them too that warns users in case anyone is looking at their screen. If such a thing happens then it will turn on the PrivacyGuard. Also, there is ThinkShutter, which is available on both IR and HD webcam models, and a Match-on-Chip fingerprint reader which is more enhanced compared to the earlier version. Both the X1 Carbon and X1 Yoga include Microsoft SecureBio support.
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Jio Browser launched for Android devices starting from Android 5.0 Lollipop
We all know that Reliance JIO will soon launch large screen smartphones in India. Before that, Jio has launched a new browser available via Google Play for Android devices. The app is touted to be a ‘fast and lite’ solution for web browsing. The Jio Browser app’s default language is English. However, there are options for various other Indian languages as well. This is a perfect play by Reliance Jio to attract Indian customers to this app. The languages available are Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu. The app has features such as Incognito and the ability to share stuff with your friends on social media.
Talking of language options, once you change the default language of the browser to your required one, you will not only see a change in the interface elements, but also the content in news articles, social media websites. The home page of the Jio Browser showcases news articles from various news channels, too. The news is available from a wide range of categories, namely entertainment, politics, sports etc.
The default apps in the browser’s homepage include MyJio, BookMyShow, A Jio, Amazon.in, Flipkart, NDTV and many more. There is a videos tab which you can move while watching videos on-the-go. The Jio Browser app, unlike the Opera Mini does not generate cached webpage, because of which the latter provides a faster browsing experience. Just like any other browser, this one has the option to bookmark different URLs.
As mentioned, the Reliance Jio Browser can directly be downloaded from Google Play. Bad luck for the ones who possess Android 4.0 Kitkat OS and below since the app is only available for phones which run on Android 5.0 Lollipop and above. The size of the app is 4.8MB and Google Play has given it a 4.4 rating. This rating was based on 1,546 user reviews that were out today.
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CES 2019: Kingston to showcase upcoming consumer and enterprise SSDs
Kingston Digital, which is the flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology is all set to showcase its upcoming products for consumers as well as businesses at the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show 2019 in Las Vegas. The company has promised to unveil products that will provide great performance, and will be reliable and work efficiently with consistency. Kingston has given an entire list of products that it is set to showcase at CES 2019. They include:
- Next generation NVMe M.2 SSDs that is claimed to provide consumers of all levels of “blazing speeds and high performance.”
- Embedded solutions that will power products that consumers use in their daily lives.
- “High-endurance” microSD cards for devices such as security and dash cameras.
- An 8K video editing station that is powered by the upcoming U.2 NVMe SSD and data centre SATA SSDs in RAID 0.
CES 2019: Sony announces giant sized 8K and 4K TVs
This CES (Consumer Electronics Show), Sony has launched some special TVs. The list includes the Z9G 8K(LCD) and the A9G 4K OLED TV. The former comes in 85-inch and 98-inch models and the latter comes in 55, 65 and 77-inch models. Both TVs have the X1 Ultimate Picture Processor, which according to Sony has a unique algorithm especially meant for 8K TVs. This leads to more details and an enhanced contrast on the screen. The Z9G is the first consumer-bound 8K TV that displays 33 million pixels picture to the viewer.
Speaking of the Z9G, it has a Backlight Master Drive that has ultra-dense LED modules. These modules provide unprecedented contrast with punchy brightness and pitch blacks. The 8K X-tended Dynamic Range PRO feature saved energy to boost the brightness in required areas. This helps in optimizing the backlight system. One vital announcement Sony has made is that it is going to come out with a proprietary algorithm that will enhance 4K content to near-8K quality. Which means your 4K content can be upscaled to 8K.
Being an LCD TV, the Z9G doesn’t have the same sound quality compared to an OLED. In order to compensate for this, Sony has built in four front-facing speakers that are meant to produce the sound effect close to the OLED. If you have a sound system, then the TV will take instructions becoming the centre audio channel because it has got a centre audio mode.
Moving to the Sony OLED TV, the A9G OLED is all about image quality. Apparently, its screen quality is far more advanced than the Z9G. Sony says that mounting the TV on the wall would make you feel like tha it is floating. Both the Sony Z9G as well as the A9G offer Netflix Calibrated Mode, IMAX Enhanced and Dolby Vision/Atmos. Both of them will be running Android TV, too.
Earlier, there have been complaints about OLEDs’ sluggish software performance and Android TV worsens this. However, Sony has said that it will ship models with Android Oreo that is going to solve these problems. Let’s see what happens till the TVs are launched in our side of the globe.
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CES 2019: Intel launches new 9th-Gen processors
American chipmaker Intel has announced its new 9th-Generation processors that range from the Core i3 to the Core i9 at the ongoing CES 2019. We should mention that the company didn’t mention any models or specifications at the tech event. Only the Core i5-9400 has been specified in the official press release that the chipmaker has shared.
However, it is worth noticing that Intel’s website now lists models other than Core i5-9400, namely – Core i9-9900KF, Core i7-9700KF, Core i5-9600KF, Core i5-9400F, and Core i3-9350KF. Last year saw the launch of three 9th-Gen desktop Core CPUs that were aimed at gamers and mainstream users including i9-9900K, Core i7-9700K and the Core i5-9600K.
The new models that the company has just launched are expected to rear the markets soon. However, the company has not specified a particular date when it is likely to happen. There is no word on the pricing of the processors too.
The newly launched processors by the company come with a 14nm process with the Coffee Lake microarchitecture. Some of the models don’t have the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 iGPU and the products which will be powered by these come with the suffix ‘F’.
Since there is no official word on the pricing of the new chipsets, we would have to wait till they hit the market to know if there has been any reduction in price since the chips don’t come with an integrated graphics unit.
Apart from this, the Core i9-990KF, i9-9700KF, and i5-9600KF come with the same core counts, threads, base/boost frequencies, TDPs, and cache allocations that are present in the current ‘non-F’ models.
Speaking of the Core i5-9400 processor, it comes with six cores and threads that run at 2.9 GHz base frequency that is claimed to go up to 4.1 GHz on a single core. The chipset has an integrated UHD Graphics 630, a 65W TDP and since it is a locked processor, there is no possibility of overclocking it.
Coming to Core i3-9350K, it comes with four cores and threads and runs at 4.0 GHz base clock rate and has 4.6 GHz boost speeds at a single core. The Core i3-8100F model also has four cores and threads and comes with 3.6 GHz frequency and 6MB of L3 cache.
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CES 2019: LG’s rollable TV to go on sale this year
Last year at Consumer Electronics Show, LG showcased its 65-inch rollable TV prototype. And this year at CES 2019, the South Korean electronics maker has announced that its flagship 4K OLED TV will be hitting the market this year. LG’s finished Signature OLED TV R is very similar to the prototype that we saw last year, however, the company has added a Dolby Atmos speaker so the final product comes with built-in audio.
If you are one among those who don’t like the idea of owning a television because it occupies too much space in your living room, LG’s rollable TV may be the answer because it can slide down when you don’t want to use it. So it literally goes away when you are not watching anything on it. The television rolls down steadily into its base and can pop back up in 10 seconds with just a push of a button. This means that you don’t have to look at a big, black rectangle at the centre of your room.
The company has also added a mode to the rollable television called the ‘Line Mode’. When you activate this, you can have one-fourth of the screen showing when music controls and various options that can help you control other smart gadgets in your house.
Another key highlight of the device is that it comes with support for Alexa voice controls and has Google Assistant integrated into LG’s webOS software. In order to access Alexa, all you have to do us press the Prime Video button on your remote control. The company has also added Apple’s AirPlay 2 to the television that will enable easy media playback as well as device mirroring.
Even when the television is completely rolled up, users will be able to play music on the Atmos speaker system. This is another very key feature of LG’s rollable TV.
According to the company, the picture quality of its rollable TV is at par with that of any other device.
The product does sound like a great one, and certainly a relief to know that there is a television that can drop out of the view when it’s not in use. However, we should point out that it will be extremely expensive. LG has, in the past, launched a television that came with a price tag of $8,000. Considering that this is more impressive than any of its offerings, it should be costlier too.
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MSI unveils the new GS75 Stealth gaming laptop and more at CES 2019
Today, MSI has debuted a range of gaming products at CES 2019. This includes the GS75 Stealth laptop that comes with the latest NVDIA GeForce RTX GPU. GS75 Stealth has a 17.3-inch screen and comes in a sandblasted metallic black finish with an elegant gold trim. Another product showcased is the MSI GS65 laptop, which has 15.6-inch display, has powerful performance and an ultra-portable design. What improves its credibility is that it has received the CES Innovation Award.
The GS75 is compact with 4-sided thin bezel chassis. The device is equipped with the latest GeForce RTX 2080 graphics card and it weighs 2.2kg. The GS65 on the other hand weighs 2kg. Next up on the line is the GT Titan, the epic-class flagship gaming laptop. The device has RTX GPU too and overclockable Intel Core i9 CPU. It has a 4K UHD display that delivers stunning, lifelike details on the game screen.
That is not it, next in line is MSI GE63 Raider that has RGB lighting on both its cover and keyboard, that in the company’s own words “lights up the battlefield”. Another one launched is the MSI GE75 gaming laptop that has 3D Dragon Spines anodized red diamond-cut finish on it. According to the company, the GE Raider presents the best gaming experience for enthusiast gamers who desire the latest gaming titles. These run on the latest Intel CPU’s and users an choose from a range of RAM and storage options.
Next up in line is the GL series which is comparatively affordable than the others. Being equipped with Dynaudio giant speakers, it can allow gamers to further immerse the sound. It has two size variants—15.6-inches and 17.3-inches, both of which are available with 120Hz display. Lastly, we come to the PS63 Modern. It has a 15.6-inches IPS-level display and has thin bezel framework. It also features a featherweight design and weighs 1.65kgs.
The PS63 Modern can last for 16 hours at a stretch and is powered by Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 technology, which is supposed to provide day long productivity. The laptop has the latest 8th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics that promises powerful performance in terms of multitasking and graphic rendering. What sets this apart from the other devices is that the PS63 has MSI exclusive Cooler Boost 3 that reduces its operating temperature, which in turn decreases the chances of overheating.
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CES 2019: Amazon Alexa will soon be heard in cars
Amazon is planning to establish its voice assistant, Alexa in cars. And so, Alexa is going to become a part of Telenav’s in-car navigation systems. Amazon Alexa Auto VP, Ned Curic said, “Navigation is among the most popular use cases for in-car technology, and we’re excited to be working with Telenav to make it easier for automakers and suppliers to support voice-first navigation through Alexa. Using the Alexa Auto SDK, Telenav is helping make Alexa a truly integrated part of the in-car navigation system, and providing customers with a more useful, consistent experience at home and on the go.”
Previously Amazon made available the Alexa, through the BMW group, to certain cars. It had announced Echo Auto, an in-car accessory that enables customers to install Alexa in their cars by themselves. However, this partnership with Telenav will allow Amazon to install Alexa in cars from the beginning.
Besides the partnership with Telenav, Amazon has also announced a partnership with HERE Technologies in order to bring voice-first-in-vehicle navigation system. With this technology, people can programme their trips in the vehicles and once they start driving, it will automatically navigate the route to their destination. This technology, Amazon is planning to establish in 100 million vehicles that are equipped with the map creator’s ‘HERE’.
Amazon has been on a spree of modifications in the current CES with the help of Alexa. A couple of days ago, search giant, Google and Amazon announced that it is going to bring their respective voice assistants to a range of Samsung smart TVs. As per our knowledge, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa will only be available to the Samsung TVs belonging to the 2019 category and then will trickle down to other TVs from different makers, too.
Bixby, however is going to be the primary voice support for Samsung’s Tizen TV software. Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant can only be used for inputs such as volume control, turning the TV on and off, switch inputs, and launching select apps. Considering Amazon Alexa, it has 100 million usership worldwide. To think that it will soon harbour our cars seems like an icing on the cake.
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Anker launched a new wireless alarm clock, which can even charge your phone
Anker has launched a new alarm clock which is a rather unusual one. You don’t expect alarm clocks to charge your phone, do you? Well, get ready to be baffled because the new Anker Soundcore Wakey does that for you. While you take a good night’s sleep or an afternoon nap before getting ready for office nightshift, this will not only cut short your dream at the right time, but also charge your phone to full capacity for sufficient productivity during working hours.
The Anker Soundcore Wakey has two five-watt speakers, 10 preset alarms and also an FM Radio. Also, there are six white noise sounds which are meant to make you sleep. Though not as versatile as the Amazon Echo Spot speaker considering the range of things it can do for you, in terms of alarm clock functioning, the Anker Soundcore Wakey just might give the Echo Spot a run for its money.
However, the Amazon Echo Spot was launched back in April last year. It has a 2.5-inch circular display and can be used to watch video news briefings. Also, it can run movie trailers from companies such as Amazon Prime Video, Dailymotion, and Vimeo. The Amazon Echo Spot comes with a front camera sensor that enables Alexa-to-Alexa voice-controlled video calls. The front-camera, moreover, can be used to interact with other Echo Spot owners, iOS and Android devices via video messaging.
The speaker comes in two colour options, that is black and white. The Amazon Echo Spot was launched with a price tag of Rs 12,999, though there was a one-day price reduction during August, 2018 for Prime members exclusively. The device has a 1.4-inch driver and measures 104x96x91mm. Coming back to the Anker Soundcore Wakey, it will reportedly start its sale in a few months at 100$ (Rs 7,000 approx). We will also subsequently know when it will be available in India. Stay tuned until then.
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CES 2019: LG showcases an 88-inch 8K OLED screen that can produce sound
The Consumer Electronics Show is going on in Las Vegas with technology companies showcasing their product lineups and innovations for the year. And right after Samsung showed off its 219-inch Wall TV at the ongoing tech event, LG Display announced its innovative and interesting screens too. LG has unveiled an 88-inch 8K OLED display, a 65-inch 8K OLED screen and a 65-inch 4K OLED display. We should mention that although the company has unveiled them, there is no word about these devices’ availability. Here’s a look at the features and specifications of the newly launched panels by LG Electronics:
In This Article
LG 88-inch 8K OLED screen
The 88-inch 8K OLED panel by LG is the company’s most interesting launch at CES 2019. The newly launched OLED screen includes the technology giant’s Crystal Sound screen technology that was unveiled in 2017. We should mention that this is a big upgrade as because of this, the company will be able to embed the sound system directly on to the OLED display. So basically, there will be no speakers required as the screen itself will be able to produce sounds. According to the company, the 88-inch 8K OLED panel will be able to produce 3.2.2-channel Dolby Altmos audio.LG 65-inch 8K and 4K OLED displays
While the 88-inch 8K OLED panel was definitely the most exciting product that LG showcased, the South Korean technology company also introduced two 65-inch displays at the Consumer Electronics Show. The company has not spoken much about the 8K variant of the television, the 4K display will be available with a motion picture response time of 3.5ms, which is supposed to be the fastest in the world. LG has also said that with this, watching action movies and sports would become a great experience. The South Korean company also showcased two other screens that are meant for automotive usage. Among these is a 12.3-inch transparent OLED screen that comes with 45% transparency and a 12.3-inch P-OLED panel. LG has also shown a 27-inch Neo Art concept that can be used in desktop monitors. The company said that smartphones and PCs can be easily connected to it via a USB Type-C port. Another 27-inch screen that comes with Oxide backplane technology and has a 4K resolution has been showcased. The technology company has said that this panel can be used in computer monitors. For laptop screens, LG Display has unveiled a 13.3-inch display panel that has just 2.8W of hourly power consumption. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.CES 2019: Alienware debuts m17, m15 notebooks with 8th generation Intel Core i9K processors
Alienware has launched its m17 and m15 gaming laptops at CES (Consumer Electronics Show). Both are special in the aspect of their thinness. Dell claims that the m17 is the thinnest and lightest gaming laptops. The Alienware m17 is 40% lighter than its predecessor, it weighs 2.62kg even when it has discreet graphic cards inside. The laptop comes in two colour options, that is Epic Silver and Nebula Red. The light weight and strength, which the m17 gets is based on premium materials used such as magnesium alloy and copper.
The Alienware m17 comes with the option of 8th generation Intel Core i9K processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q GPUs. The company is confident that these would provide gamers the ultimate laptop gaming experience. The GeForce RTX 20 Series graphic processors is powered by Turing architecture with real-time ray tracing, artificial intelligence and programme shading.
Just before the m17, the Alienware m15 was launched. The Alienware m15 is custom-designed for, the same quality yet again, lightness and thinness (2.1 kg). The device runs the 8th generation Intel Core i5/i7 processors which allows it to run high-graphic games with ease. Users also have the option to pick up the i9 CPU version that feature dynamic CPU overclocking alongside NVDIA’s GeForce RTX 20 Series graphics. Connectivity option in both the laptop include couple of USB 3.0 ports, WiFi, Bluetooth et al. Integrated webcam and HD audio is also part of the package.
Over that, Dell experienced a great sense of fulfilment when the Alienware m15 and m17 were awarded the 2019 CES Innovation Award. The company said that it would be announcing some “ground breaking new hardware, software and partnership news” soon, in the Dell’s CES launch event. The event is taking place at Sands Showroom at the Venetian. In order to watch the event, one either needs to attend it or watch it livestream on Dell’s official global website.
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CES 2019: Samsung showcases a 219-inch TV which comes with support for voice commands
South Korean technology giant Samsung has showcased its latest television technology at the ongoing CES 2019. The company has unveiled its MicroLED modular panel that is available in both larger and smaller sizes. In fact, if you were impressed by the 146-inch ‘The Wall’ TV that Samsung showcased last year at Consumer Electronics Show, get ready to be impressed again. This year, the tech giant has unveiled a television that is 219-inches in size.
But it’s not just the size of the television that makes it so impressive, it has some very interesting and useful features too. For starters, you would be able to give commands to Samsung’s new panels via Google Assistant as well as Amazon Alexa. However, for doing this you should have a smart speaker that supports either of the two.
With the 219-inch Wall TV, Samsung has put forward what it can achieve in terms of resolution and sizes using its MicroLED technology. The South Korean technology company also unveiled a MicroLED panel which is 75-inches in size and has support for 4K technology. We personally feel that this television would prove to be more practical for a regular buyer. And needless to say, it will be more affordable too. However, Samsung has not as yet given away the pricing of either of the two products. It has only unveiled them and spoken about their features and specifications.
The company also made a surprise move when it joined hands with Apple in order to offer customers iTunes movies and TV shows via its smart TV app. And as we mentioned earlier, the television will also come with support for voice inputs by Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. But then, for doing this, you must have a device that has support for these assistants, like Google Home or Amazon’s speakers.
Nevertheless, it is a great feature. On clubbing the television with Google Home or Amazon Echo-like speaker, you would be able to switch the device on or off, change the channel, control volume levels and do a lot more just using voice commands. And in case you don’t have a smart speaker, you can use Samsung’s digital assistant – Bixby – which will in-built on the new television by the company.
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CES 2019: MediaTek launches its new smart home products
Chipmaker MediaTek has announced a number of new AI smart home products at the ongoing CES 2019 in Las Vegas. The smart home products that have been launched include the latest generation of MediaTek’s TV AI picture quality (PQ) technology, the MT8175 AI vision platform for smart displays and smart cameras, and the new MT8518 AI voice platform for portable smart speakers.
The newly launched solutions by MediaTek are a part of the company’s initiative to bring the latest AI innovations to smart homes, wearables, smartphones, autonomous cars and other connected devices.
Speaking about the launch of these new products, Jerry Yu, Senior Corporate Vice President of MediaTek’s Intelligent Devices business unit said, “AI is reshaping how we interact with technology, from taking pictures on our phones to checking the weather on our voice assistants, streaming content on our TVs and navigating in our cars. MediaTek’s high performance and power efficient solutions are ideally suited to meet the processing needs of AI devices. We have been seeing that AI is moving beyond voice to vision, and from the cloud to the edge, so MediaTek is supporting a wide range of AI capabilities on voice assistant devices (VAD), including smart devices with a display and camera. Our latest AI innovations are bringing consumers a better viewing experience with our TV AI PQ technology, faster and more precise image capturing quality with MT8175 for smart displays and smart cameras, and more seamless processing between cloud and edge in VAD with MT8518, enabling our customers to take advantage of the big opportunity to bring voice assistants to the portable speaker market.”
MediaTek’s TV AI PQ technology comes with various AI enhancements including scene detection and face detection within scenes. With this technology, smart TVs will be able to differentiate between frames that have people with frames that have a landscape or indoors scenes. Once this is done, the smart TVs will adjust the sharpness for enhanced picture quality and fine-tune the appearance of the skin tone of people appearing in the frame.
The chipmaker has said that its TV AI PQ technology works by flagging various types of scenes with AI. This information is then processed with the PQ engine and scene-adaptive PQ settings are then applied.
Yu further said, “Voice assistants integrated with displays and cameras will bring users a more interactive experience and even more useful capabilities thanks to MediaTek’s MT8175 AI vision platform. In addition to enhancing the viewing experience, MT8175 equips devices with the latest image signal processing (ISP) and AI process unit (APU) technologies to make image capturing faster, clearer and with lower power consumption. Our customers are very excited about the edge AI and low power capabilities of MT8518. The low power voice wake-up to extend battery life is a big breakthrough in the portable smart speaker market, along with our PowerAQTM, the powerful acoustic tuning tool which has been adopted by many audio brands for superior audio quality.”
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