Apple recently announced the dates for their developer conference WWDC on June 13, where most of Apple's Mac lineup is updated but Apple has jumped the boots by announcing updated MacBooks and bumping MacBook Air 13 base config RAM from 4GB to 8GB.
Showing posts with label Intel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Intel. Show all posts
Asus announces Zenfone 2 Deluxe Special Edition with Intel Z3590 chip for Global Market
Asus has put the official global page for Zenfone 2 Deluxe Special Edition, which was earlier announced in Brazil. This time around the processor used is Intel Atom Z3590 which a Quad-core CPU clocked at 2.5Ghz from Intel instead of an overclocked Z3580. The other big feature is the huge 256GB internal storage (internal 128GB eMMC and bundled 128GB MicroSD card) and 4GB of RAM. It also features two new new design patterns,Silver Polygon and Carbon Night.
Mi Pad 2 and Redmi Note 3 now officially launched
Xiaomi has officially taken the wraps off the tablet Mi Pad 2 and the smartphone Redmi Note 3, both with new build, materials and specs. The Mi Pad 2 is the most notable as it now has a version featuring Microsoft Windows 10. A variant with Android is also available. This proves Windows 10 has been successful product for Microsoft.
Xiaomi going to release Mi 5, Redmi Note 2 Pro and Mi Pad 2 on Nov 24th
Xiaomi is prepping up for the launch of their next line-up of smartphones and tabet the Mi 5, Redmi Note 2 Pro and Mi Pad 2 on November 23. The Redmi Note 2 Pro has been teased by Xiaomi's President Lin Bin. He has posted an image on Weibo showing the rear of the device with fingerprint scanner and metal finished body.
Dell announces updated XPS 12, XPS 13 and XPS 15 with Infinity Displays
Microsoft announces Surface Book, Surface Pro 4 and Windows 10 Mobile
Microsoft has announced the launch of the Windows 10 mobile and along with it the flagship devices Lumia 950 and 950 XL. They also unveiled the Surface Pro 4 and for the first time announced a full sized (well sort of!) laptop the Surface Book.
Intel Compute Stick now available for purchase in India
The Intel Compute Stick, which was announced back in January this year and went on sale in the US in the month of April, is now available for purchase in India.Online retailer Flipkart is selling the compact computer-on-a-stick for INR 9,999 ($155). This compares to the $150 price tag that it carries in the US.
Asus ZenPad press renders leaked ahead of official unveiling
Asus is going to unveil the new ZenPad-series of tablets at the upcoming Computex trade fair. While we don’t know much about these tablets, the first official-looking render of the Asus ZenPad (8-inch model likely) has been leaked online.
Published by Ausdroid, this render shows that that Asus is going with 4:3 display aspect ratio, at least in the 8-inch model, similar to what Samsung did in the recently launched Galaxy Tab A tablets.
In addition, the company is using a unique looking design pattern on the back. Seems like there are two layers, but it could be something else, and Asus is going with soft-touch plastic on one layer and faux-leather on the second. The design pattern also appeared in an Asus teaser recently.
You can also spot the two speakers on the front, microSD card slot on one edge, power button, volume rocker, Intel logo (suggesting an Atom processor) and the front/ rear cameras.
The specifications of the 8-inch ZenPad are unknown at this point, but the 7-inch model is expected to sport a 1024x600p display, Intel Atom X3 quad-core processor, 2MP primary camera, VGA secondary shooter, 3950 mAh battery, 1GB of RAM, 8/16GB of internal storage, microSD card slot and Android 5.0.
Samsung tablet with Intel Atom x5 chip, 4GB RAM spotted in benchmark
A Geekbench listing of a mysterious Samsung tablet codenamed CHOPIN-LTE made the rounds online. The slate houses a 64-bit Intel Atom x5-8500 chipset with 2.24 GHz quad-core CPU codenamed “Cherry Trail.” The silicon will utilize 14nm architecture.
The upcoming tablet features an Intel XMM 726x LTE modem alongside the Atom x5-Z8500 mobile chipset clocked at 2.24GHz and can drop to 1.44GHz . It packs a whopping 4GB of RAM and boots Android 5.1 Lollipop.For the record, intel Atom x5 Z8500 packs Intel Gen 8 graphics with 12EUs (Broadwell Gen),the GPU clocks from 200MHz to 600MHz.
Although the benchmark score seem low,the final hardware may be much higher in perfomance.
Samsung introduced high-end Galaxy tablets with its own Exynos chipsets last year, though, this time around, the Korean giant appears to have other plans. We will keep an eye out for more details on the slate going forward.
The upcoming tablet features an Intel XMM 726x LTE modem alongside the Atom x5-Z8500 mobile chipset clocked at 2.24GHz and can drop to 1.44GHz . It packs a whopping 4GB of RAM and boots Android 5.1 Lollipop.For the record, intel Atom x5 Z8500 packs Intel Gen 8 graphics with 12EUs (Broadwell Gen),the GPU clocks from 200MHz to 600MHz.
Although the benchmark score seem low,the final hardware may be much higher in perfomance.
Samsung introduced high-end Galaxy tablets with its own Exynos chipsets last year, though, this time around, the Korean giant appears to have other plans. We will keep an eye out for more details on the slate going forward.
YU Yuphoria Amazon page, teaser videos go live
An Amazon page [Update:page is now down] and a duo of video teasers for the upcoming YU Yuphoria smartphone went live. The Micromax subsidiary will unveil the smartphone in a couple of days, on May 12. The Amazon page allows interested users to sign up for updates on the availability of the smartphone. YU Yuphoria will be exclusively sold by the online retail giant Amazon when it becomes available.
Previously known as Project Caesar, YU Yuphoria will pack 64-bit SoC, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of built-in memory. The handset will boot Android Lollipop customized by Cyanogen.
The video teasers on the other hand, suggest that the YU Yuphoria will feature solid build quality, as well as a powerful loudspeaker (stereo speakers will not be a surprise either). See them below:
AMD Announces 6th Generation A-Series APU Branding using Carrizo,Due This Quarter
Along with AMD’s roadmap announcements today at financial analyst day, AMD has also offered a brief update on the state of Carrizo, the company’s forthcoming next-generation mobile APU. Due for launch this year, AMD has just confirmed that Carrizo is ramping well and will be launching this quarter, though SKU details are not being provided at this time.
Meanwhile, AMD is also using the opportunity to announce their intended branding for Carrizo notebooks. These products will now be known as the 6th generation A-series, and will be featuring revised AMD badges to indicate this. AMD will be retaining the current FX/A10/A8 branding, with the only real change being the inclusion of the “6th generation” branding on the badges.
Badging aside, AMD still will have to face the fact that they’re launching a 28nm notebook APU versus Intel’s 14nm notebook CPUs, the company is once again banking on their strong GPU performance to help drive sales. Coupled with the combination of low power optimizations in Carrizo and full fixed-function hardware decoding of HEVC, and AMD will be relying on Carrizo to carry them through to 2016 and Zen.
Finally, though it will come a bit later in the year, AMD’s FAD update has also briefly mentioned their plans for their AMD Pro lineup and how Carrizo will impact it. In short, AMD will be leaning on a combination of Carrizo’s power gains, and their own security technology as found in the Pro APUs.
Updates:Samsung and Dell push out software updates
Samsung has pushed out new update to Samsung Galaxy S6.The OTA has an Android version 5.0.2, which the device already received last month, but now comes with noticeable improvement to the phone's performance.
As some of you might remember, a lot of Galaxy S6 users have been reporting some severe memory issues and drops in performance. Samsung recognized the problem and promised to remedy it in future micro updates. Judging from the improved stability and speed of the unit, we can fairly safely state that the memory leak was handled after the update.
The package itself has a build number of G920FXXU1AODG and weighs precisely 138.32 MB. Its change log is quite vague, so we can't say for sure what improvements and fixes it brings, but, like we said, the Galaxy S6 is now a lot snappier.If you have any more info on the OTA in question and the alleged S6 memory leak, be sure to let us know in the comment section.
Dell pushes out Android 5.0.2 update for Venue 8:
Dell has started pushing out the Android 5.0.2 Lollipop update for the Dell Venue 8 7840. You can check if the update is available for download from the Settings app.
Like the KitKat version before it, Lollipop on the Venue 8 seems to be unadulterated and close to stock Android. According to Android Police, it does enable encryption by default, which we have seen in the past causes some drop in performance, but it remains to be seen if that holds true for the Venue 8 as well.If you have the device, check if the update is available.
Alleged photos of Samsung Z2 with Tizen OS leak out
Purported live photos of an upcoming Samsung Z2 smartphone with Tizen OS made the rounds online. The entry-level handset is expected to debut at some point over the next couple of months.
As you can see above, the upcoming device looks like a blend between Samsung Galaxy S III and Galaxy Grand. Samsung Z2 is all but certain to be offered mostly in emerging markets.
Purported specs of the Samsung Z2 include 32-bit quad-core CPU, a gig of RAM, 2,000mAh battery, and Tizen 3.0 UI. In line with past rumors, the device is said to pack a qHD TFT-LCD display.
A successor of Samsung Z1 should hardly catch anyone by surprise - the affordable smartphone has done quite well since its launch in India and Bangladesh.
TAG Heuer Smartwatch will cost around $1400, launch by November
Bloomberg is reporting that TAG Heuer’s first smartwatch will be arriving in October-November this year and will cost around $1400. While none of these details are official, they are said to be coming from TAG Heuer CEO Jean-Claude Biver.
Biver told Bloomberg that TAG Heuer’s smartwatch battery will last about 40 hours, which is slightly more than most smartwatches as they last less than 24 hours. He did not share any other details about the device, but we already know that the TAG Heuer smartwatch runs on Android Wear and will be powered by an Intel chip. The company is expected to officially detail the smartwatch in the coming months.
TAG Heuer had announced the smartwatch in March at the Baselworld 2015 as a part of its collaboration with Google and Intel. It will be the first luxury Android Wear smartwatch when it hits the stores later this year.
Asus anounces ZenBook Pro UX501
Today Asus announced their new ZenBook Pro UX501. The ZenBook Pro UX501 sits above all the other ZenBooks as a flagship laptop for people who need serious processing power when they're on the go. It could be called a workstation laptop or a desktop replacement, but whatever the case may be it certainly packs some potent hardware. I've organized its specifications in the chart below.
| ASUS ZenBook Pro UX501 | ||
| Size | 15.1 x 10.0 x 0.8” 38.4 x 25.4 x 2.03cm | |
| Mass | 5 lbs - 2.27 kg | |
| Display | 15.6" 1920x1080 IPS LCD or 15.6" 3840x2160 multi-touch IPS w/ 100% sRGB | |
| Battery | 60/96Wh battery rated for 6 hours of usage | |
| Storage/DRAM | 1TB 5400RPM HDD or 128/256GB SATA3 SSD or 512GB PCIe x4 SSD 16GB DDR3 | |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-4720HQ (2.6GHz base, 3.6GHz turbo) | |
| GPU | NVIDIA GTX 960M | |
| Wireless | 2x2 802.11ac + BT 4.0 | |
| Ports | 3 x USB 3.0, 1 x Thunderbolt 2.0/mDP, HDMI, SDXC, 3.5mm Headset Jack | |
| Front Camera | HD 720p | |
| Operating System | Windows 8.1 64-bit | |
| Warranty | 1-year limited | |
| Price | $1799 for UHD + 512GB SSD model | |
Starting with its appearance, we see that the UX501 features an aluminum chassis with the same spun metal finish that ASUS has put on most of their products. At 2.03cm thick at its thickest point and a mass of 2.27kg, it's definitely not an ultra portable laptop. The aluminum build and high end specs will inevitably draw comparison to the MacBook Pro, and the name ASUS has chosen certainly gives the impression that they're taking on Apple's flagship laptop as well. That being said, in my view the UX501 is distinctly an ASUS product with its slightly tapered chassis and brushed metal lid.
Just looking at the specs, it's clear that the UX501 is what one might call a desktop replacement laptop. The most notable point may be its display, which is a 15.6" 3840x2160 IPS panel. At 282ppi it's an extremely high resolution display, although I don't think anyone was unhappy with 3200x1800 panels and the lower power consumption that comes with them. ASUS is also reporting full sRGB gamut coverage, and hopefully high color accuracy is bundled with that gamut. The rest of the specs are equally impressive, with a 2.6GHz quad core Intel Core i7 CPU, and NVIDIA's GTX 960M GPU.
In terms of storage, ASUS is offering several options with the UX501. Buyers can opt for a 1TB 5400RPM HDD, a 128GB or 256GB SATA III SSD, or a 512GB PCIe x4 SSD. The PCIe SSD is definitely the most interesting option, with ASUS quoting maximum read/write speeds of 1400Mbps.
Battery life on the UX501 is a bit low, but hardly unexpected for a laptop with these specifications. With no Broadwell quad core i7 parts available, companies making desktop replacements are stuck using Intel's 22nm Haswell parts. The display is undoubtably the biggest consumer of power, and one can debate the merits of moving to 4K from QHD+ or other resolutions. With a 96Wh battery in the UHD model, ASUS is also pushing up against travel regulations that do not permit battery packs above 100Wh on airplanes. Regardless, any users interested in a desktop replacement should always be ready to keep their charger with them.
The I/O ports on the UX501 are fairly standard for a laptop of this class, but there's one port that is fairly unique among Windows laptops. ASUS has included a single Thunderbolt 2 port on the UHD model of the UX501. Thunderbolt never really took off like many had hoped, but it seems that there's enough adoption of it in the professional space to warrant ASUS putting it on their flagship laptop. The 1080p models will feature a Mini-DisplayPort output rather than the Thunderbolt 2 port.
The ASUS ZenBook UX501 is available now in the United States from the ASUS Online Store as well as from various retailers. The fully featured model with the UHD display and 512GB PCIe SSD will be $1799 USD
Nokia to make Android phones in 2016, R&D moves to China
Recently we heard rumors about alleged Nokia plans for re-entering the phone market in 2016. We are happy to report those plans are indeed true and Nokia will be marking its return next year with an Android smartphone.
Nokia sold its device business to Microsoft a year ago and it signed a non-compete clause preventing the company from producing smartphones under the Nokia brand until December 31, 2015 and feature phones under the Nokia brand for a decade.
Nokia sold its device business to Microsoft a year ago and it signed a non-compete clause preventing the company from producing smartphones under the Nokia brand until December 31, 2015 and feature phones under the Nokia brand for a decade.
The President of Nokia China confirmed Nokia is working on Android powered smartphones, which will be probably manufactured in factories in Sichuan, China (after further assessment) and will be launched in 2016. He also sheds some light on company's future - the Nokia's R&D center will permanently relocate to Sichuan, China.
Looking forward to Nokia's next phone chapter? We certainly are.
Acer Adds New Tablets, Features To Iconia 10 And Iconia 8 Series
There are seven different tablet series from Acer, each with its own number of models. Today the company announced two more devices; another model of the Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30, and the Iconia One 8 B1-820.
The new A3-A30, which uses Android 5.0 Lollipop, is considered to be the high-end 10-inch model for the series. However, Acer built it exclusively for educational purposes, so unless you're a student you won't be able to get your hands on it. It still has the same 1920 x 1200 resolution and IPS screen as the previous high-end model, the A3-A20FHD-K0CQ.
This new model also features a Gorilla Glass 4 screen, and it runs on an Intel Atom Z3735F quad-core processor (1.83 GHz). It has 2 GB of RAM, and there's a 2 MP camera on the front and a 5 MP camera on the rear. Storage starts at 16 GB of eMMC, but it can be upgraded to 32 or 64 GB. The tablet's battery is expected to last up to 7.5 hours.
On the other hand, the new 8-inch Iconia One 8 B1-820 is more of a mid-tier model within the Iconia One 8 series. Running Android 5.0 Lollipop, the tablet also has an IPS display.It uses an Intel Atom Z3735G quad-core processor (1.83 GHz) and has 1 GB of RAM. Like the A3-A30, it also has two cameras, but the front camera is only 0.3 MP, while the rear camera is 5 MP. Storage starts at 16 GB of eMMC with the option to upgrade to 32 GB. Battery life is slightly longer on the B1-820 at 8.5 hours.
Both tablets also includes what Acer calls Precision Plus technology, which supposedly provides a "highly accurate touch experience." This is because the touch panel for both tablets has a higher density of touch sensors. According to Acer, most styluses (stylii?) today detect tips as thin as 5.5 mm. Precision Plus technology goes even lower, allowing tips as thin as 2 mm.
I saw a quick demo of this with a stylus provided by Acer on two tablets – one with Precision Plus and one without it. The stylus worked on the former, while it wasn't even detected on the tablet without Precision Plus. An Acer rep told me that Precision Plus will eventually become the standard for its tablet lineup (although not for its low-end devices).
Acer also showed off another feature on both tablets, a special coating that prevent smudges. I was shown another demo comparing the new coating to the old version, where a red marker was used to draw on both screens. The older version had a clear smudge of the marker, but with the new coating, it only appeared a small dots. It might not exactly be smudge-free, but at least it'll be easier to clean.
Of the two new tablets, the A3-A30 will arrive first, in May, and will cost $299.99. The B1-820 will come in July for $149.99. With these new devices, Acer expands its lineup across different price points. The Iconia Tab 10 series now has tablets from $199.99 to $299.99, while the Iconia One 8 models range from $129.99 to $159.99.
The variety of tablets means that customers can easily find a tablet that matches performance to budget, and with Precision Plus and the new anti-smudge coating, these new tablets will not only work with more writing utensils, but will also be (more) free of those annoying finger smudges.
Asustek Introduces Ultimate 6” Smartphone with Full-HD Display,Stylus
Asustek Computer has introduced its new hybrid “phablet” that can serve as a phone and as a tablet. The device combines high-definition display, powerful Intel system-on-chip and a number of other innovations. The product will likely become a strong rival for Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Note III and similar hybrid products.
Asus Fonepad Note FHD 6 is based on Intel Atom Z2560 (1.60GHz) dual-core processor and comes with 1920*1080 Super IPS+ 6” display. Just like phablets from Samsung, the Fonepad Note FHD 6 also includes a stylus for quick and accurate handwritten input. The device is powered by Google Android operating system and is compatible with over 700 thousand of apps. What is unclear is whether Asustek also altered Android operating system for its phablet to provide exclusive functionality, like Samsung does with its Galaxy Note-series products.
In addition to powerful capabilities for business users, FonePad Note also features advanced multimedia functionality. With a display brightness of 450 nits, Asus Fonepad Note FHD 6 can be used outdoors in bright sunshine, while front-facing stereo speakers with Asus SonicMaster technology ensure high-quality high-definition audio.
Since the phablet was only formally unveiled at Computex Taipei trade-show, information like pricing and availability dates was not touched upon.
Lenovo K900 benchmark scores surface, competes with Samsung Galaxy S4
Lenovo K900 benchmark scores surface, competes with Samsung Galaxy S4
Lenovo K900, the 5.5″ phablet with dual core Intel processor, was launched at CES 2013 and has been the talk of the town among tech enthusiasts for its impressive hardware specifications. The first benchmark score of the latest flagship smartphone from Lenovo has surfaced and surprisingly, the device rubs its shoulders with the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S4.
Before we get to the benchmark scores, Lenovo K900 comes with a 1080 x 1920 resolution with a pixel density of 400 ppi. The smartphone packs a punch with the latest Intel Atom Clover Trail+ processor, which has its two cores clocked at 2 GHz. The device also features 2 GB of RAM, 13 megapixel Sony Exmor BSI camera at the back and a 2 megapixel shooter at the front.
The benchmark test of the Lenovo K900 reveals that the smartphone is a touch ahead of Samsung Galaxy S4 and the K900 is surely one of the fastest smartphone in the current market. The benchmark test also confirms that the smartphone will feature a 2GHz Quad-Core processor and not a dual-core processor as rumored before.
Here are the images of the Lenovo K900:
Meanwhile, the guys from Hi-Tech Mail have managed to get their hands on the latest flagship smartphone from Lenovo. Check out the source link below for a detailed preview of the device.
Asus announces Intel powered Fonepad with SIM calling
The 7 inch Android tablet runs on Android 4.1 and offers 1 GB RAM, 8 GB ROM and 3G connectivity with voice calling support.
Asus has announced Fonepad, a 7 inch Android 4.1 Jelly Bean based tablet powered by Atom Z2420 processor. The tablet has all the features of a smartphone including voice call and 3Gsupport.
The tablet 7 inch display is an IPS panel with HD 1280 x 800 resolution. Fonepad has 1 GB of RAM and comes in 8 GB and 16GB inbuilt storage variants. It also has a micro SD card slot for up to 32 GB of additional storage.
The Asus Fonepad also comes with a front 1.2 megapixel camera and a 3 megapixel autofocus rear camera with 720p HD video recording capability. The tablet can also be used for voice calls using the built-in noise-cancelling digital microphone or a Bluetooth headset.
The tablet will be available in Europe and USA by March at retail price close to $249 (Rs 13500), given that Intel is focused on markets like India and China and Asus Fonepad is an affordable offering we believe the tablet will be launched in India soon. Asus is launching its Memo pad tablet in India tomorrow.