Samsung may have had an amazing launch last month. However, the company may have begun its Apple-like casualties with its latest iteration, the Samsung Galaxy S10.
In a video posted by the tech-teardown YouTuber, JerryRigEverything, it seems like Samsung has made sure that self-repairing the Samsung Galaxy S10 is as hard it gets. In a video detailing the teardown of the Samsung Galaxy S10, it was revealed that Samsung has opted out of the modular Type-C charging port on the Samsung Galaxy S10. Instead, the charging port on the Galaxy S10 has sadly been soldered onto the mainboard of the device, essentially bricking the device if you feel brave enough to repair it.
However, where it gets off the hooks is when we realized how bad the repair would be. Not only would you not be able to replace the charging port modularly, but if you do plan to replace it once its out of warranty, the entire board goes with it, including the SoC, RAM and internal storage unless they’re de-soldered.
Furthermore, several other anti-consumer practices were revealed upon the teardown of the device. And while normal consumers may not be the folks who teardown their devices everyday, it certainly poisons the idea of suspecting a complete replacement once the Galaxy S10 goes out of warranty since repairing the device would most likely be much more expensive given that the board goes along with it.
And given that the Galaxy S10 Plus shares a similar design with the Galaxy S10 suggests that it would most likely feature a similar structure on the inside, it’s likely that the issue is present in the S10 Plus as well. What we’re left with now is whether Samsung has adapted the same practices on the Galaxy S10E as well.
Meizu has announced yet another iteration of their Note series of devices, the Note 9. Launched minutes ago, the Meziu Note 9 seems to be an enticing device that you may not want to overlook.
The Meizu Note 9 features the latest and greatest Snapdragon 675 SoC, 4/6GB RAM, and a 4000mAh battery under the hood. Furthermore, the device comes with a number of features that rivals Xiaomi’s recently released Redmi Note 7 lineup thanks to its large battery and crazy fast Snapdragon 675 SoC. Other specifications of the device include a 6.2-inch FHD+ 1080p display, an under-display fingerprint sensor and more. The device is also said to pack support for 18W fast-charging out of the box with no support for wireless charging to be seen.
Regarding cameras, Meizu has so far revealed that the Meizu Note 9 comes with a 48MP plus 5MP duo camera at its back and a 20MP selfie camera upfront. What’s worth mentioning is that, unlike the Redmi Note 7 Pro, the GM1 sensor in the Meizu Note 9 would actually shoot 12MP stills rather than the usual 48MP stills Meizu is advertising. Like the Redmi Note 7 (non-pro), the Meizu Note 9 would actually combine the pixels, leading to a 12MP final shot.
Regarding pricing and availability, The device is said to come in three variants at launch and would begin hitting shelves by March 11th in China. Variants and options include a 4GB/64GB variant, a 6GB/64GB variant, and a 4GB/128GB variant in case memory capacity isn’t on top of your head. Furthermore, the Meizu Note 9 comes in three colors, namely, White, Magic Black and Starry Blue, starting at just CNY ¥1398 ($210) for the base variant with the latter two variants retailing for about CNY ¥1598 ($240).
The long-running anime One Piece has given its fans many memorable moments over the years. With over 850 anime episodes and still counting, It is one of the biggest anime series anime fans have yet seen. Over the years many game adaptations have come for the series but, not one game comes close to being this good as the latest entry in the series, One Piece World Seeker with its first teaser trailer debuting way back in Dec of 2017.
Published by Bandai Namco Entertainment and developed by Ganbarion in the Unreal Engine 4, Be sure to expect great graphics, movement, mechanics, and a great game overall and don’t worry this won’t turn out like jump force as it is developed by another studio thankfully. As for those of you worrying about the game not doing justice to the anime, don’t worry as the game features the main talent of the One Piece anime, it’s producer Hiroki Kayoma from Toei Animation.
The game has a lot in store for players with beautiful graphics and art style with what seems to be an open world set in Jail Island located in the New World. Players can explore this open world Island with the series main protagonist, Monkey D.Luffy. Play as Luffy from a third-person perspective with all his abilities and powerups, roam around the land at high speeds with his rubber features and techniques like the Gum Gum Rocket and blast away your enemies with his abilities like the Gum Gum Bazooka.
The game should please long fans of the series as the game is shaping out to be very good, unlike the not so good anime adaption game, Jump Force. At first sight, the game looks very good and seems to have good mechanics, storyline, graphics etc. But, only time will tell if this game is a masterpiece loved by fans of the series and newcomers, or if it’s just another Jump Force with only One Piece characters.
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is shaping out to be a good game. Just as the Open Beta has ended, Ubisoft comes out with the Launch Trailer for the game. The trailer is around 2 minutes long and the plot is narrated by some characters of the game.
The game comes out on the 15th, you can play it early by pre-ordering before the 12th and getting the game up to 3 days earlier than standard release. You also get a PC Game by pre-ordering and you get to choose from 3, Far Cry Primal, Watch Dogs 2, and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands. The Open Beta that ran from March 1st – 5th was available for all to play and pretty much is what the final game will look like. I played it too of course, and I have some stuff to stay about the game.
The game plays out really well with its tactical cover-based gameplay. You have allies walking around town fighting the baddies. Take cover and fight to protect your country as the Division Agent. The controls are a bit finicky though and could be refined a bit more, maybe I’m just not used to them. whenever I’d try to get out of taking cover it’s very awkward and I end up taking cover around another wall or object before double tapping the cover button and diving away, let’s not forget that I get shot a dozen times during all this clumsy movement. You have to let the player take cover before brainlessly tapping away on other buttons and doing stuff like aiming and shooting at enemies. This makes for some slower gameplay.
Ubisoft has deducted spot on PC Requirements and I think that every developer should start taking notes on this seemingly irrelevant aspect of a game release. Just take a look at your Rig and the PC Requirements for The Division 2 and you should be set, What the Requirements state for each stage of quality/experience is what you are going to get. Although one thing that has not been mentioned and you as the player should consider is what do you have space on your SSD? or an SSD at all? Because the loading times for the game were very long and you should definitely put this game on a fast drive.
Nevertheless, the game was fun and enjoyable, perhaps turn up the difficulty and you’ll have a though time against the NPC’s giving you a real challenge, maybe compete against real veteran players if you’re looking for an even greater challenge. This years game will fix what the first part lacked in, content. So expect a healthy supply of DLC, Missions, and add-ons down the road by Ubisoft.
Cooler Master well known for their line of gaming products ranging from Computer components like Cases, Cooling, Power supplies to Gaming Peripherals like Mice, Keyboards and doing Audio as well. Cooler Master has just come out new Mechanical Keyboard in it’s Master Keys lineup as per their press release via email. Specifically, the little brother of the MasterKeys MK750, the MK730. The keyboard is priced at RM 479 or roughly US115$ and is availiable right now.
The MK 730 is the tenkeyless variant of the MK750 which can help you save desk space to gain that cleaner look or perhaps to get more space for your mouse. Maybe you like to game on the go and need a smaller, more compact keyboard with all the bells and whistles to fulfill your needs. Whatever it may be, this is one killer keyboard
At the heart of the keyboard reside mechanical Cherry MX switches that can hold up for 50 million keystrokes, so don’t worry and game away to your heart’s content. The keyboard comes in 3 flavors, Cherry MX Blue, Brown, Red switches. Whatever your preference is, Cooler Master has got you covered.
This tenkeyless keyboard also comes with a clean design as can be seen in the pictures, probably the most aesthetically pleasing thing for some users would be the clear switches and floating keycap design as that looks really attractive and really brings the RGB factor of the keyboard one step higher. Below, you can see some of the main features highlighted by Cooler Master themselves.
There is more to this keyboard than just that though, Some other features include Hybrid Key Rollover, 6 key and N-Key Rollover so every keystroke is registered. Standard Key Layout for users wanting to personalize their keyboard even more. You can download their all new software to gain access to more advanced backlighting effects and macros. A Windows key lock options to prevent accidental presses during gameplay. Below is a spec sheet for the keyboard,
Specifications
CM Masterkeys MK730
Switch Type
CHERRY MX Blue, Brown or Red
Material
Plastic / Aluminum / PU Leather
Color
Smoky Gunmetal Aluminum Brush
LED Color
RGB, 16.7 million colors
Multi-media Keys
Through Function (FN) Key
Wrist rest
Removable magnetic with soft PU Leather
Cable
Detachable braided USB Type-C (Included 1.8m cable)
Dimensions
360 x 192 x 41.5 mm
360 x 183.5 x 41.5 mm
(Without Wrist Rest)
Oh boy did Xiaomi begin 2019 with a bang. Earlier this week, Xiaomi not only introduced the Xiaomi Mi 9, but also the Mi 9 Pro and Mi 9 SE. However, with Xiaomi’s new generation of flagships barely starting to make their way to stores internationally, is it worth having a look at the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro? Well… Let’s find out.
01| Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro – Introduction
So, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro we have here today is the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro Transparent Edition. Being the reincarnation of the Mi 8 Explorer Edition for the global market, it features the same transparent back and virtually indistinguishable internal hardware to go along with it.
As mentioned earlier, the unit we have is the Mi 8 Pro Transparent Edition. It features last year’s Snapdragon 845 SoC, 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Furthermore, it shares the 6.21-inch display, cameras and other hardware with the rest of the Mi 8 lineup to keep Xiaomi’s inventory running.
02 | Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro – Design & Build Quality
The Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro Transparent Edition is definitely not your average looking smartphone. Featuring a transparent back, as well as a sporty design, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro is definitely a showstopper. Featuring a transparent back, revealing what seems to be the internals of the phone, at first sight, would catch anyone’s attention.
Apart from the Transparent Edition model that we have here, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro actually comes in a decent set of colors, that is, colors that feature beautiful gradients at their backs. The Mi 8 Pro comes in three colors, Sunset Gold, Black and the skin we have here.
Carrying over a ton of details from the Mi 8, Xiaomi made sure that the Mi 8 Pro remains as enticing to enthusiasts as they could. Soon after the Mi 8 & Mi 8 Explorer Edition were announced, many users were quick to doubt the legitimacy of the back on the Mi 8 Explorer Edition. Enthusiasts had noted the fact that the components displayed on the back of the device do not line up with the usual orientation of the modules. That claim was later confirmed, assuring users that the back of the Mi 8 Explorer Edition was just a prop, covering the actual internals of the device.
Starting with the front of the device, we were excited to be reminded of how good AMOLED panels are. Coming from the Poco F1 (review), the display on the Mi 8 Explorer Edition simply gave us a whole new perspective on media consumption. Up front, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro features a 6.21-inch Full HD AMOLED display, featuring rounded corners on all four sides of the device. Furthermore, the device featured minimal, yet symmetrical bezels across the device, unlike the Poco F1 we have here, a notch, and decent chin at the bottom.
Detailing the notch a bit reveals the dual camera setup, hosting a single selfie camera as well as an IR camera for those who care about the whole Face ID scheme Apple has introduced with the iPhone X. Furthermore, the device also features an earpiece on top as well as the usual sensors for the smartphone such as the proximity sensor and others.
The front and back of the device feature some smooth edges as well the inclusion of the usually curved sides. However, the curved sides seem to be aggressively curved to the point where the device has become slippery and too smooth to hold.
Around the device, Xiaomi has added a few hints of red across the device. The power button, the Type-C charging port, camera trims, as well as the back panel add a bit of taste to the otherwise bland black and white theme of the device.
The volume rocker and power button could be found on the right side of the device while the left side of the device hosts the dual SIM card tray. Taking a look at the bottom, you’ll find the Type-C USB port as well as a single speaker set at the bottom of the device. Sorry, headphone jack activists.
Overall, the device feels a bit hefty, solid and incredible in the hand. The device has a unique look to it and is definitely a showstopper for anyone who cares about technology and cares about experiencing the best of 2018.
03 | Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro – Display & Audio
The Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro features a Full HD+ AMOLED display. The resolution count tops off at 2248 x 1080 and features support for HDR being a device from 2018. Adding to the details, the device does feature large notch up front, leaving a bit of room on both sides of the device as well as a decent chin the bottom of the device to keep the cell reception going. Furthermore, the device features a single bottom-firing speaker at the bottom next to the Type-C port.
The display on the Mi8 Pro is definitely great. Being an AMOLED panel, the Mi8 Pro ticks all of its boxes with ease in the display department. From color reproduction to clarity, from contrast to HDR, it’s incredible. However, during our usage, we did find the 600 nits of brightness on the Mi 8 Pro a bit underwhelming outdoors.
However, being a device powered by Xiaomi’s in-house MIUI ROM, we found the display settings to be a bit underwhelming. Aside from the inclusion of the general display options, Xiaomi’s color-toning options seem to be a bit bland for our taste. In the color options, the only three options you have are contrast-based, with “Automatic Contrast”, being the one set as default by the folks over at Xiaomi. This is one area where Asus reigns king with their Splendid settings and we personally hope Xiaomi could pick up a few ideas from there. Not only would we love to see much more flexible options in the MIUI app that enables us to control hues, saturation, contrast and more.
Regarding sound quality, you might be disappointed to hear the fact that the device pushes its sound out with a single driver at the bottom of the device. While manufacturers have caught onto the idea of using the earpiece as a second speaker to enable stereo audio, that isn’t the case here.
During our testing, we found the sound outputted by the drivers were decent. Not the loudest and not the best either. However, at times they did sound tiny, making it frustrating. Adding salt to the wound, being a single driver, is blocked by our finger, sometimes forcing us to cup our hands instead.
04 | Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro – Performance & UI
Despite featuring the now last-gen SoC, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro remains to be a powerhouse, at least for now. Featuring last year’s Snapdragon 845 SoC, 8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage, the Xiaomi Mi8 Pro does not disappoint in the performance department.
Model
Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro Transparent Edition
Size
6.21″-inch
Display
6.21“-inch 18.5:9 (2248×1080) AMOLED
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
RAM
LPDDR4X 8GB RAM
Storage
UFS 2.1, 128GB
Cameras
Rear | 12MP + 8MP (120° wide-angle), Selfie | 8MP
Charging Tech
Qualcomm Quick Charge 4
Battery
3,000mAh
In our benchmark runs, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro scored 293K on Antutu’s benchmark. Stressing the device with three more runs did show some impractical degradation in performance. Although it may be impractical, it did show a degradation in performance due to the amount of heat that was being produced. By the second test, the device’s score dropped to… 293K. Yes, you read that right. By the second test, we were shocked to see the score unscathed despite all the heat. The trend continued in the third test as well. However, it’s only after that when the phone really got hot and dropped its scored 281K by the fifth run.
Being a last-gen flagship now, the Mi 8 Pro performs amazingly well. It flies through apps and zips through any game with ease. During our usage, the device managed to keep the most recent apps in memory while excluding the larger apps over time. Pretty typical for a smartphone.
Gaming was amazing though. Most demanding games ran well. And if you’re the PUBG Mobile player that wants the best out of their device, the device performs exceptionally well with “Extreme” frame rate selected. The game ran exceptionally well and made it even better given that the device was running it at 60 FPS most of the time. However, if games like Asphalt 9 and Real Racing 3 are your thing, they’re just as good too.
MIUI, being one of the more Android-like hybrid of iOS features a ton in common with Apple’s iOS UI. From rounded icons to the absence of an app drawer, it’s all here. However, unlike Apple’s eco-system, MIUI allows you to take customization to the next level thanks to the large ecosystem of icon packs, launchers, and even themes. The one we have installed is called “Simple Black” that unofficially enables a dark theme for the device.
MIUI ran amazing well though. However, over the years, Xiaomi’s MIUI hasn’t kept me an enthusiastic supporter anymore as it was back in 2014. There’s certainly a lot of room to improve. Recent additions such as the Dark Mode are definitely great to see. However, as of yet, the update hasn’t landed. There’s a lot Xiaomi could add to the MIUI to make it even better.
What we absolutely hated is the fact that Xiaomi is actually delivering ads on the Mi 8 Pro, that too, on the device I have which is the highest-end variant of the Mi 8 Pro lineup. While the Poco F1 has been an exception to the rule, Xiaomi’s claim of delivering ads to their lower-tier devices seemed about fine. What made it worse was the fact that these ads didn’t appear in one area. They’re everywhere. From the app folders on your home screen to the native MIUI apps. It’s horrid!
Xiaomi used to be well-known for their software experience… that is until they begun their huge climb in 2018. Disappointed to see Xiaomi heading in the wrong direction. You could do better Xiaomi.
Being among the first batch of devices to feature an under-display fingerprint sensor, we got over the whole under display fingerprint sensor pretty quickly. While it’s cool and all, it’s nowhere near as fast as a physical fingerprint scanner. Not only did we learn the fact that we had to push harder on the display, but at times, we found ourselves confused when the display failed to recognize several fingerprints.
For those who care about it, NFC, Dual 4G SIM cards slots, Bluetooth 5.0 and others are all present here. But since we are not a huge fan or user of either of these features, we never paid attention to any of the features mentioned above. At least it has them, with the more notable addition being the inclusion of NFC that supports Android Pay.
05 | Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro – Camera
The Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro features a dual rear camera setup consisting of a 12MP and 12MP duo. Up front, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro features a 20MP shooter. However, only one camera out of the two rear cameras features 4-axis image stabilization.
Regarding the more general specs of the cameras and capabilities, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro is capable of recording 4K video at 30FPS and 1080p video at 60FPS. Furthermore, modes such as slo-motion at 960FPS and scene optimizers could be found beside the AI toggles on top of the device.
Regarding image quality, it was a huge step up from the Poco F1’s, that is, when the playing field is limited to the default MIUI camera app. You could have a look at our camera tests comparing the Poco F1 and Note 9 side by side to get a better idea of how Xiaomi was suppressing the camera performance on the Poco F1 to keep the Mi 8 as appealing they could.
Being one of Xiaomi’s higher-end devices, Xiaomi has made sure that the camera on the Mi 8 Pro performs like a flagship. Images taken with the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro look sharp and well expose for most of the part. However, with the whole AI buzz going around, Xiaomi has made enabling the AI a compulsory toggle at all times. Sure, disabling it is certainly a possibility. However, we found that when the AI toggle was disabled, images often came out washed out, whether the device has HDR enabled or disabled.
The color science definitely tended to favor the warmer palette of the color spectrum. Detail was well preserved in indoor and outdoor shots. However, shots took a huge hit when in low-light conditions.
4K/60FPS is absent over here so 4K recording is the only test we could showcase here. While the Mi 8, Poco F1 and MiX 3 had their 4K/60FPS feature enabled via an OTA update, it seems like Xiaomi has forgotten about the Mi 8 Pro in the process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyKr8Grk5xc
Here’s a super-slo-mo video test recorded with the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro
https://youtu.be/05YER6cj6EY
Given the video tests above, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro performed well enough. While they’re nowhere near Galaxy S10 / iPhone X level quality, footage recorded by the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro is definitely more than usable.
Furthermore, as revealed in the 4k video test above, it seems like the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro did have issues focusing on objects. In our tests, in broad daylight, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro took a while to focus on object even though we tried to use touch to focus on the device. Probably an update would be able to fix it.
06 | Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro – Battery Life
The Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro features a 3000mAh battery under its shell. Charging via a Type-C cable and the fact that it features the Snapdragon 845 enable the device to support Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 4 technology.
The Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro features a ton of goodies under its hood. And the fact that Xiaomi included a Quick Charge 3.0 charger out of the box was nice to see. With Quick Charge 3.0, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro gets about 18W worth of juice to fill up its battery. During our time with the device, we found the device filling its tanks within an hour given the small battery it packs.
Coming from the Poco F1’s 4000mAh battery, I was disappointed to see the Mi 8 Pro’s juice emptying after 4-5 hours of web surfing. However, if you do plan to use the phone for much more intensive tasks such as gaming, expect the device to last you 2-3 hours at the time between charges.
It could have been better, but given that the Galaxy Note 9 and Poco F1 came out guns blazing with their larger batteries, eerily gravitates us towards preferring a larger, thicker battery any day of the week.
07 | Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro Pricing, Availability & Conclusion
The Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro is definitely an enticing device. With the launch of the Mi 9 Transparent Edition last month, the Mi 8 Pro Transparent Edition can now officially be called a “last-gen” flagship.
However, the Mi 8 Pro shouldn’t be underestimated. It’s a premium device for the enthusiastic racer who cares about performance. It features a good set of cameras, incredible performance, NFC, a good display and more.
There’s definitely room for improvements too. From the slow fingerprint sensor to the ads Xiaomi has plagued MIUI with. There’s a few points Xiaomi could improve on, especially when it comes to battery life on the Mi 8 Pro. Surely the larger 3300mAh battery may help, but it’s not a whole lot to topple the game. Definitely looking forward to Xiaomi’s plans later this year.
With the device now going for about CNY 2499 (US $372) in China, the Xiaomi Mi8 Pro is more than an enticing device for that price given that the Mi 9 Transparent Edition would most likely hit the $599 price tag. However, it seems like the price cut seems to be limited to the Chinese market for now and there’s no word that the Malaysian market would get the same treatment. So unless you could get the Mi 8 Pro for $370, we’d say that it is longer worth it given that the Mi 9 would set you back $449.
Sony, a brand unknown to nobody has been struggling in the smartphone market despite being one of the earliest players in the game. Despite yearly updates of the Xperia lineup, Sony just seems out of touch and irrelevant of what the users want and what they desire. Kimio Maki, who earlier was the President of Digital Imaging Group has now stepped up to become the CEO of Sony’s Mobile Division.
The CEO has promised great things for the future of Sony’s gameplan towards its Xperia lineup. With the Xperia 1 lineup already showcased, Kimio promises enthusiasts to bring in change never before seen and interpret the Xperia 1 as a breath of fresh air to the Xperia lineup. He stated,
“Sony as a brand is not going to appeal to everybody. We’re not a Samsung, we’re not a Huawei. But what we will appeal to is people who want quality products where they are able to take amazing pictures or a video or do something different.”
Samsung, Huawei and various other manufacturers pursuing different sets of features to rake in revenues are justified but the new CEO believes that Sony isn’t one of the mainstream companies and plans on bringing quality innovation to the already perfect sectors of a smartphone. He believes that to excel one must bring innovation to the bare bones of a smartphone such as its display, camera, battery etc, instead of bringing new gimmicks. Having an under display fingerprint sensor, a bezel less display has never ever proved to be an advantage infact it decreases the durability of the phone. Here Sony believes in stepping up and turning a fresh page.
One of the most interesting topics of the statement was the fact how Sony was basically struggling to keep up with itself. The Alpha division never stepped up to bring in quality improvements to the Xperia’s camera department thinking that it’ll ruin sales for their full fledged cameras. This issue however has been fixed since the merger and would guarantee all the divisions working together, effectively to deliver a quality product.
It truly was surprising to see a company with such calibre and resources struggling in the modern smartphone market despite excelling in various other tech markets. The new initiative was taken by the CEO definitely brings in hope for a better, more creative Xperia. Despite Sony not competing directly with the likes of Samsung, Huawei and Xiaomi we would love to see their take on innovation and what they believe should take place as a feature for upcoming smartphones.
Xiaomi may have initially invested in the startup, BlackShark. However, the company is more than just moving thanks to Xiaomi’s help. As we head deeper into 2019, it seems like it’s about time leaks regarding BlackShark’s next device, the BlackShark 2, starting leaking through the cracks.
According to a report by Chinese publication, MyDrivers, it seems like the BlackShark 2 is going to come with more than a few spec bumps. Based on the report, the BlackShark 2 would come with the latest and greatest Snapdragon 855 SoC paired with 12GB of RAM. The feature set said to be included with the latest BlackShark 2 is said to pack the following features:
Snapdragon 855 SoC
Vapor-chamber liquid cooling
1080p OLED display
5mm chin
Dual stereo speakers
Pressure-based feedback vibrator
An under-display / side-mounted fingerprint sensor
12GB LPDDR4x RAM
27W wired charging support
Regarding pricing, we’re expecting the device to hit the $600 mark given BlackShark’s history of pricing their devices as well as the given spec sheet. Furthermore, it seems like wireless charging may very well be a Xiaomi Mi 9 exclusive as there were no indications suggesting the inclusion of wireless charging according to the post. Although Xiaomi’s newly-introduced 27W wired charging would be present on the device if these leaks turn out to be true.
Whether this year’s BlackShark 2 features RGB lighting is yet to be seen. However, it should be an amazing feature for enthusiasts .
Samsung’s latest addition, the Samsung Galaxy S10 lineup has begun making its way to international market. Following a slew of leaks, even before the Galaxy Note 9 arrived to the scene, Samsung finally unveiled the device at their Unpacked 2019 event in San Francisco days before MWC 2019 began. With the device now out, DisplayMate, a professional display testing publication has rated the Galaxy S10, and it seems like Samsung has yet again defied all odds.
As mentioned previously, DisplayMate has yet again called the display on the Samsung Galaxy S10 as the best display on a smartphone, period. Details from DisplayMate’s testing revealed much-improved color accuracy, saturation, power consumption, brightness, and more. Furthermore, the device is said to the pack the first HDR10+ display along with a 0.4 JNCD and 1215 nits worth of brightness compared to last year’s 0.7 JNCD from the S9 family. Power consumption has also been improved. According to their tests, Samsung hasn’t only improved on the display but has also managed to retain all these features while reducing its power consumption from 1.7W on the Galaxy S9 to 1.54W on this year’s Galaxy S10 lineup.
Not only do these new displays shake up Samsung’s display ratios, but they also introduce some Samsung-only improvements too. With the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy S10 family, Samsung has pushed the resolution of their displays to 3040 x 1440 and has reduced blue light emissions from their displays up to 42%, leading to less eye fatigue.
Given the improvements, Samsung makes not only to their devices, but their displays as well are impressive. Not only has Samsung managed to cement themselves as a leader in TVs but their dominance in the smartphone display market would continue to lure them gigs from its competitors. With this keeping up, we’re expecting Samsung to continue taking the lead in the display department among the competition.
The question is, is Samsung going to let Apple and its competition to continue taking the cake for its display innovations as we move forward?
Apex Legends a brand new title released just last month by EA has to be the most active video game right now. The title managed to provide a unique and fun Battle Royale experience with a more fast paced and action packed theme going on.
The game immediately became a sensation with most of the streamers shifting from Fortnite despite it having a brand new season. With it came a huge player base which keeps on growing. Apex Legends has reportedly crossed over 50 million active players in just a matter of 30 days. One thing pretty weird about the game is the fact how it gained such traction in a Battle Royale genre where competition is pitched in hard. Most the action games have had some sort of Battle Royale mode to entertain players but didn’t quite stick.
The game seems to be a mix of Battlefield and PUBG, in fact, the mechanics seem unreal with a fun run and gun competitive experience. With more and more content constantly added to the title, it seems very achievable for the game to actually fly past Fortnite and PUBG. The game itself seems to gain more traction than any other thanks to all the streamers switching to it. Having someone’s streamer play a certain game changes its preception dramatically and with a title having the caliber of Apex Legends, we could expect it to make it to the international stage.
Meizu may have not been the biggest name in recent years despite their initial success in Asia. However, it seems like the company is still sticking around. Their latest addition, the Meizu Note 9 has just made its way onto Geekbench’s database, revealing what seems to be the internals of the Meizu Note 9.
According to the Geekbench leak, it seems like Meizu would be going with a Snapdragon SoC here, more notably, the Snapdragon 675 rather than their usual Exynos SoCs sourced from Samsung. Additional specs of the device include 6GB of RAM, at least on the variant that has made its way onto Geekbench. Out of the box, the device would run on Android 9 Pie and would carry “ARM implementer 81 architecture 8 variant 13 part 2052 revision 14” as its identifier.
Based on the scores retrieved from the listing, the Meizu Note 9 managed to score 2404 and 6027 in single-core and multi-core tests, respectively. However, compared to other Snapdragon 675-powered devices, it seems like the Meizu Note 9 seems to be in line with other Snapdragon 675-powered devices. However, in multi-core tests, it seems like the Meizu Note 9 did lose a few points compared other devices.
Based on the images shown off so far, the Meizu Note 9 would continue to feature a forehead and chin. However, we’re unsure if the leaks on Geekbench are true given that Geekbench leaks haven’t been the best leaks in the past.
Pricing for the device hasn’t been revealed yet. However, given Meizu’s pricing history, we would expect the device to fall in-line with other mid-range devices.
To stay tuned, Meizu would be revealing the device on March the 6th, which is just around the corner.
Huawei has been phenomenal with its smartphone releases, with the Mate 20 Pro performing as desirably last year and now the introduction of the Mate X. The company has been making rapid progress in international markets from flagship smartphones to budget devices. The Honor brand by Huawei has been gaining a ton of attention by the manufacturer and for good reason. The Honor brand basically targetting a much more budget oriented audiences provides a clean and worthy experience.
New information for the upcoming Honor 20 courtesy of Weibo revealed the internals of the smartphone in detail. As far as hardware is concerned, Honor devices have offered quality hardware proving it difficult for competitors to compete. What seems to be the specifications for another mid-range device by Honor powered by the Kirin 980 chipset. At the back of the device is a setup of 3 cameras all working in harmony to bring in the best quality image. As far as the geometry of the phone is taken into consideration, it seems pretty much like every Honor device but this time a whole lot cleaner. There is an Honor branding at the bottom with and an AI Vision logo beside the camera setup and that is pretty much it.
As for the display of the device, a 6.1 inch OLED display would suffice. Not much is detailed about the display of the phone yet we expect it to directly compete with all the other Chinese budget smartphones. The back having no fingerprint sensor also indicates the fact that the phone would indeed house an under display sensor as the trend continues in 2019. As for the front of the phone, close to nothing is known but considering Honor’s stance we could expect a teardrop notch or even a traditional notch. A punch hole display could also act as a catalyst in pushing sales for the phone. But for now, all we can do is wait and hope for the best.
The battery comes in at 3650 mAh with a 22.5 W quick charge support via a USB-C connector, pretty standard these days. The three cameras at the back are 48MP, 20MP and an 8MP sensor. The front houses a single 32MP camera with AI features. All in all the device does look interesting to say the least. The phone comes with three storage options starting from 6GB/128GB all the way up to 8GB/256GB.
It seems like Samsung has two more phones under development as we speak. Following the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy A30 and A50, leaks have so far suggested the development of three more devices behind the curtains.
Last week, renders of Samsung’s Galaxy A10 emerged, suggesting what the A10 would look like. Fast-forward a week to today, and it seems like Samsung’s Galaxy A60 and A90 are underway, paving the way for a much more expansive array of options from Samsung.
According to the leaks sourced from the Chinese social site Weibo, the Samsung Galaxy A60 would pack a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display, a triple camera setup, 6GB / 8GB RAM, 128GB of internal storage as standard, and a 4500mAh battery. Furthermore, the device is said to pack an SoC from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 6150. At first glance, it did catch us off-guard since Samsung’s Galaxy A-series of devices are typically powered by Samsung’s in-house SoCs. However, reports from WinFuture.de suggest that the Snapdragon 6150 was developed in tandem with Samsung’s team of engineers, hence the option of using the new SoC doesn’t seem as damning.
Just like the Galaxy A50, the Samsung Galaxy A60 is also said to pack an under-display fingerprint sensor and would feature the usual Infinity-U notch up above. Furthermore, the device’s reveal date also smiled for the camera revealing what seems to be its launch date that is said to be on April 19th, 2019.
Whether these leaks are true is yet to be seen. However, given Samsung’s recent launches of the Galaxy A30 and A50, we would’ve speculated similar internals as well. But then again, the leak is a simple picture of a printed paper rather than concrete evidence. But hey, if it does launch, at least the Galaxy A60 would be a compelling device, that is, if Samsung launches the device with a reasonable price tag.
Foldable smartphones are undoubtedly in the spotlight with the worlds top two manufacturers, Samsung and Huawei showcasing their foldable phones just a few days ago. The hype for foldable smartphones has indeed been going on for a while now but the question still remains, are foldable smartphones really the future? For ages, tech enthusiasts have dreamt of a futuristic smartphone having a bending display defying all laws of physics but is it all that effective?
The Idea – Where It All Began!
The idea of a foldable smartphone started off way back with science fiction movies displaying futuristic devices with an array of features one couldn’t even imagine at the time. As time progressed and smartphones became a thing, enthusiasts hoped for a different device apart from a touch display. As display technology progressed and bendable curved displays were finally a thing, geeks for the first time ever could think of the existence of a foldable smartphone. With innovation amongst smartphone manufacturers breaking barriers at a constant steady rate, it won’t be long when almost all the desires would be fulfilled.
More Gimmick Than Innovation – Realtime Features?
Fiction apart and once we snap back to reality things look a little more complex than one would think. Legitimately thinking, having the ability to fold your phone instead of having a plethora of advantages proves to come with more cons than one could possibly imagine. One of the most noticeable compromises for a foldable smartphone boils down to its build and durability.
A foldable phone having a unique mechanism does appeal to the eye but in fact, houses a ton of complex systems working together to achieve what it does. Huawei themselves claimed that the hinge on the Mate X consisted of 100 pieces which further confirms the idea. Having a hinge also means the use of malleable and soft materials which would end up getting roughed up more than average. With most of the companies taking the idea of a foldable smartphone as a gimmick to rake up profits, Samsung might actually make it usable.
The Huawei Mate X, on the other hand, has been a show stopper. Having both smaller bezels and a side hinge, the phone looks and feels more appealing and is already dubbed to be the best foldable smartphone. Don’t get your hopes up just yet though, the phone does come with an insane price tag and an outward bend which in many cases is considered troublesome thanks to the stretched default position.
What Manufacturers Plan For The Future & What To Expect
To keep the smartphone market busy and rolling manufacturers are forced to bring in new innovation to appeal to consumers. First the notch then the punch hole display and now the foldable smartphone gaining above-average exposure. For what the future holds nothing seems certain yet one unique idea which Sony patented a while ago keeps on revolving. A transparent phone along with a foldable phone did appeal the most to the public and thus we believe that Sony might be on to something. For a brand which rarely takes initiative, it is surprising to say the least.
Economic Standpoint – Is It Really Feasible?
Despite the Galaxy Fold having bigger bezels and a notch, the phone seems to be more complete and refined than the Mate X. Samsung does have a reputation and for a device having a new formula, they certainly wouldn’t want to take any chances. Having a minimalistic notch up top the Galaxy Fold did receive a wide array of criticism but given Samsung’s stance in the smartphone department we would expect the phone to perform well.
As far as the market standpoint of these smartphones is considered, it is safe to say that a foldable smartphone just doesn’t wow a wide variety of audiences and just doesn’t possess abilities to be the next big trend. Sure, many enthusiasts would want to get their hands on a foldable smartphone just for its aesthetics but never as a daily driver. As markets become flooded with budget devices, having a premium foldable phone would be a very bold yet foolish move for anyone especially for a more mainstream market. Experiments by manufacturers are definitely credible but looking at the current state of affairs, it is safe to say that the phones are just not ready or refined enough.
As more and more manufacturers lean toward the cause, it wont be long when the internet will be filled with reviews, pro and cons but for now everything remains uncertain. As for now we dont really see anything more than a gimmick in a foldable smartphone but only time will tell.
Samsung has just announced their Samsung Galaxy S10 lineup of devices, among of which, three devices have begun rolling out to international markets. As it rolls out towards international markets, it seems like a lucky few have been able to conduct battery tests of all three variants alongside each another. As it seems, the Samsung Galaxy S10 is dying out before the Galaxy S10E despite packing a larger battery.
According to a battery drain test best a Korean Youtuber, IT 인싸잇, the Samsung Galaxy S10 is the first device to die out. Being a set of devices most probably sourced from Asia, all three of the devices feature Samsung’s latest and greatest Exynos 9820 SoC rather than Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 SoC. Apart from the feature set, the test conducted seemed to be well-standardized with settings identical to each another, downright to the apps installed on them.
Based on the test, the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus lasted the longest by a huge margin, by 12 hours and 26 minutes thanks to its 4000mAh battery. Second place is snatched by the entry-level Galaxy S10E, lasting for 10 hours and 10 minutes with its 3100mAh battery. While the Galaxy S10, with its 3400mAh battery, lasted 9 hours and 55 minutes, just shy of the 10-hour mark.
Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus and S10E Battery Drain Test | Credits IT 인싸잇
As recorded above, it seems like the Samsung Galaxy S10 seemed to be draining its battery way faster than the other two devices for some odd reason.
While the results are great thanks to the 8nm refinements, it certainly shows some sort of loophole in the Galaxy S10 if the tests are indeed true. Reports in the past have showcased Qualcomm-powered Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus flagships to last longer than their Exynos counterparts. And with the introduction of the new 7nm process on Qualcomm’s part, it seems like the Qualcomm variant may very well take the cake again this year.
What the odd issue may be is yet to be seen. However, if these tests are accurate, it could be a good time for Samsung to take notice of the issue anytime now.
Renders of the upcoming OnePlus 7 have just emerged online. Renders leaked by @OnLeaks have emerged online, suggesting some major design shifts with this year’s OnePlus 7.
Based on the renders published by PriceBaba, in collaboration with OnLeaks, it seems like this year’s OnePlus 7 may come with a pop-up camera as well as a triple camera setup at its rear. The source, aside from the inclusion of the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, predicts that the OnePlus 7 may very well come with 6GB of RAM with its base variant, a 6.5-inch AMOLED display and would pack a large 4100mAh battery under its hood.
This means that the OnePlus 7 would most likely, in fact, would definitely rely on a motor to pop the selfie camera out. If true, the reliability factor would definitely be a point to consider if the motor fails at some point a few years down the line. We’re definitely hoping that’s not the case and that the early concept renders of the OnePlus 7 with the sliding design, similar to the Mi MiX 3 become a part of the final device.
With the renders now suggesting a trio of cameras at the back, there’s a good chance that we may see the usual main, telephoto and ultra-wide shooter setup that we’ve been seeing from basically every triple-camera phone since LG’s V40 ThinQ.
For those begging to differ, it seems like the OnePlus 7 may very well carry forward the overall feel of the OnePlus 6T too. Aside from the new additions, the OnePlus 7 renders feature the usual curved back and Mirror Black finish that we’ve come to love from OnePlus. What other colors OnePlus would release alongside the OnePlus 7 is yet to be seen. However, the inclusion of a white OnePlus 7 would complete our inner hearts after OnePlus ditched the color with the OnePlus 6T last year.
Regarding pricing and availability, the OnePlus 7 would most definitely release during the first half of 2019. And by the looks of these renders, we’re pretty confident in saying that the OnePlus 7 may very well be revealed within the next two months. But given OnePlus’s pricing history another revision, we could only predict a price increase closing in towards the US $600 mark. Hopefully, that isn’t the case, especially with Samsung’s Galaxy S10E lurking around with its $750 price tag.
Who knew the GPU’s we so dearly use to satisfy our thirst for gaming could be used for an even greater good, helping the Visually Impaired. Nvidia GPU’s are being used by a company named Aira in their goal to help the Visually Impaired in the day-to-day tasks that may be easy for us but are very hard for these individuals.
A little on Aira’s services.
Aira is a service that aims to help the visually impaired to live independently by assisting them in their daily tasks – tasks that are mundane for us but a huge wall for them to leap over. Aira uses and combines a multitude of components, devices, and technologies to assist visually impaired individuals.
Aira uses your basic everyday Smart Phone with the Aira mobile App, Smart Glasses, Artificial Intelligence in the form of the personal assistant Chloe, and Human Agents for more complex situations that are available on a moments notice who are trained and certified by Aira themselves. Any information or assistance will be relayed via Audio on your Smart Glasses and Smartphone so you can get assistance anytime, anywhere.
With the use of a personal AI assistant, Chloe, who will constantly be available for the user shall they need any assistance. Assistance like identifying images with details that can be read to the individual or giving users audio-guided assistance like helping them deposit money into their bank account. Any complex task that Chloe cannot handle will be handled by Human Agents that are accessible at the tap of a button on either the smart glasses or the smartphone app.
Nvidia’s part in all this.
Nvidia has been chasing AI and Deep learning with their GPU’s ever since they came out with Volta microarchitecture with its TensorCores which surprised everyone. It’s safe to say Nvidia’s GPU’s are leading Deep Learning and AI especially with it’s recent RTX lineup that even tramples the performance of Volta based cards.
One part of Aira’s components is the use of Artificial Intelligence to assist users. As we mentioned earlier, The AI is trained with the use of Nvidia GPU’s. Any complex image recognition and natural language processing tasks will be sent to Aira’s AWS servers running Nvidia GPU’s.
Aira started using Nvidia Titan V GPU’s with Tensor Cores at first and now uses an array of RTX 2080Ti’s with the new Turing GPU Architecture that also includes Tensor cores along with the new RT (RayTracing) cores for training. With the Tensor Cores in these GPU’s This allows them to develop its deep neural networks on massive amounts of data. With this, we can only hope the capabilities of Aira to help the Visually Impaired Individuals will only get better and better.
What’s in it for the gamers?
All of this talk about Deep Learning and Artificial Intelligence is good for us gamers too. Nvidia also introduced Ray Tracing Cores with its RTX lineup of GPU’s. It’s really fancy stuff and deserves a post of its own really. Basically, RayTracing generates realistic lighting by simulating the physical behavior of light. Goes without saying but, to simulate light, you’d need some beefy AI and Deep Learning capable cards, which is what RayTracing is.
With the introduction of the RTX lineup, you can’t exactly play every game at 4K60FPS with RayTracing on, it’s still quite new. But, If Nvidia continues to improve in the AI department, that would mean that we could potentially play games at 4K60fps with realistic lighting powered in the near future. More people benefit in quality of life by the improvement of AI and us gamers get better graphics in our games. A win-win situation for all.
Apple’s iPhone is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable smartphones of the decade. Ever since Apple’s entry into the modern smartphone market, the iPhone has acted as a driving force for the company’s success. With the iPhone XS being the latest and greatest addition to the already great fleet of iPhones, its again that time of the year when new smartphones flood the markets. Apple’s release is timed to perfection having a proper release in the third quarter of the year. As March, 2019 comes to a start it may be appropriate to talk about the next iPhone.
Bigger, Better & Faster Than Ever Before – The New iPhone XI
Although Apple has been very secretive about its lineup of devices that surely doesn’t stop enthusiasts to hope for the best. Last year’s iPhone was the XS, having the “S” badge which according to Apple bring innovation in the same iPhone body as the previous iPhone. While the iPhone XS was definitely better, faster and more refined than the X there were quite a few things left to desire. The upcoming iPhone XI would most certainly comprise of a completely different form factor.
Being Apple we could expect them to house an even bigger better and more efficient chip than the iPhone X. With most smartphone manufacturers leaning towards the new 7nm Snapdragon 855 SoC, rumours suggest Apple be working on a 5nm chipset. Apple’s hardware game has been on point and saying influential would definitely be an understatement. With most the smartphones working past the notch dearly embraced by Apple we could expect Apple to bring in innovation never to be seen before. The company has made a ton of bold moves and the removal of the notch wouldn’t be a surprise. The teardrop notch and punch hole design have gained a ton of exposure and the next iPhone could very well embrace the technology.
Hardware, Geometry & Features – What To Expect?
The iPhone XI is surely going to be a firecracker. Recent reports suggested Apple spending more towards the phone’s software and services than its hardware for the first time in years. Given how smartphone manufacturers have progressed throughout the span of a few years, we could argue that Apple would surely bring in something new to the cause. Last year, Apple was dethroned from the 2nd spot by Huawei in global rankings and for Apple to gain back its former glory they’d most certainly want to load the upcoming iPhone XI with features. From under display fingerprint sensors to a completely bezel-less display, the iPhone would most certainly be a show stopper.
A Variety Of Variants – From The Budget iPhone To The 5G Version
2019 has to be the year of variants. With Samsung standing out tall with four unique looking S10s and various other manufacturers following its footprints. Apple has on a couple of occasions released a budget option for its iPhone lineup despite costing well above $700 the phones gained attention but didn’t exactly fly. Apple’s premium approach for its smartphones seems to be the most successful but we could expect another iPhone XR to compete for the vast market of mid to high range smartphones.
5G, on the other hand, has to be one of the most awaited features of 2019 and with almost every major smartphone manufacturer joining the train, Apple has yet to release a statement. Despite the market for 5G being scarcely populated, most of the major smartphone brands have decided to take a shot at it. Apple would most certainly want a piece of that and having an iOS 5G device is always welcome.
All in all great things are to be expected from the next iPhone while little to no information regarding the phone has leaked yet. One thing we could all agree on is the fact that the iPhone XI will definitely turn a lot of heads. In the meantime all we can do is wait eagerly for more information to spill.
Samsung has had an absolute blast last month following the launch of the Galaxy S10. With the Galaxy S10 lineup now being the lineup to beat, a ton of manufacturers have begun to feel the heat. Following a series of other launches at MWC 2019, Razer has announced a price cut for the Razer Phone 2, and it’s looking good.
Razer has announced a limited-time price drop for their Razer Phone 2. With the price cut in effect, you could now pickup the legendary Razer Phone 2 for just $499 ($300 off) and it may just become your ultimate gaming smartphone.
The Razer Phone 2 features last year’s Snapdragon 845 SoC, 8GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage. However, what makes the Razer Phone 2 unique is its amazing 120Hz display, 4000mAh battery, and its incredible dual front-facing speakers, a ton of features that a ton of manufacturers have begun to opt out of nowadays.
The Razer Phone 2, in our opinion, would be a solid device, regardless of your motives unless you have some specific boxes to tick. For $499, the Razer Phone 2 now trades blows with OnePlus’s 6T and a number of other devices in other regions. However, if you can’t decide to pickup either the OnePlus 6T or the Razer Phone 2, we’d recommend the Razer Phone 2 any day of the week for gaming. However, if gaming isn’t your jam, you must’ve figured your answer by now.
If you’re planning to pickup the phone, do remember that the phone does lack a headphone jack and does come with a ton of other goodies to compensate for it. Compensations include the inclusion of a 24-bit DAC, IP67 water resistance and amazing front-firing speakers. The device comes in two colors, Mirror Black and Satin Black. So choose wisely.
March been an amazing month for Samsung. Following the debut of the new Samsung Galaxy S10 lineup of flagships, Samsung has announced a ton of goodies to go along with their new devices. However, it seems like that excitement may be elevated even further as Netflix has just announced that the new Galaxy S10 lineup of flagships as well as the new budget-oriented Galaxy M10, M20 & M30 are HD and HDR certified.
The newly-introduced Samsung Galaxy S10 lineup features the best display on the market hands down, completely obliterating the competition. Featuring 1200-nits and a 3040 x 1440 display, the Samsung Galaxy S10 needs those certs to take full advantage of those new displays.
From now on Netflix would be delivering HD and HDR content to Samsung’s latest additions as well as “generally” supporting the new media playback features on chipsets such as the Snapdragon 675, 710, and 855. To keep things clear, it seems like HD support is coming to all variants of the Galaxy M10, M20, and M30.
Now that these devices have been certified, you could rest assured that these devices would now be able to playback your favorite content as you desired.
Whether the Snapdragon SoC’s end up certified globally is yet to be seen though given how Xiaomi and OnePlus had to go through the process of enabling their DRMs to get Netflix’s HD content delivered onto their devices. Hopefully, everyone is prepared for these new devices.
Sony’s console market grip has been phenomenal since the release of the PS4. The manufacturer has been exceptional with its consoles by adding constant updates and releasing more and more exclusive content as days past by. One of the most neglected section of Sony’s console fleet is the portable console section. Starting from the PSP which proved to be a pivot point for portable gaming and achieved highly detailed gameplay on the go. The PSP was then rebranded and updated to a PS Vita which gained a lot of traction upon its release and was expected to be the future of portable gaming.
The PS Vita, however, did not succeed as expected and didn’t appeal to the modern player base. Mostly because at its release, smartphone gaming had come a long way and as hardware improved on smartphones, video game development progressed as well. Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Asia has officially ended production of PS Vita in Japan, according to the official Japanese PlayStation website which was pretty much expected for the console. With a pretty limited game library and a set of features most smartphones would come packed with, the PS Vita just didn’t stick.
One of the most intriguing features about the handheld console was its ability to remotely play PS4 titles. This of course came with its set of problems. The fact that you’d need to be connected to the internet and had to have a PS4 was a huge drawback and ended up being a gimmick. Sony did, however, gave complete service support to the PS Vita with its softwares but all in vain. Today when we take a look at modern smartphones providing desktop grade performance at such a small form factor, portable gaming has shifted drastically.
With gaming smartphones like the Razer Phone 2, Xiaomi Black Shark and the Asus ROG phone, things are definitely going their way. Videogame developers also play a key role in this shift of powers by working more to the cause of smartphones. Examples are Fortnite, PUBG Mobile, Hearthstone and many more competitive titles. All in all the future seems bright for portable gaming but we could never forget Sony’s rendered services to the cause and how it shaped up the modern gaming world.
Remember that wacky platformer from the 90s? you played as these two aliens and fought your enemies, the earthlings. Seems like the Alien Duo is making a comeback with the latest entry to the series ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove by Video Game Developer HumanNature Studios. While not technically a ‘remake’ of the original 90s game, this is more like Sonic Mania where the core part of the original games was taken and brought to life with new elements and additions.
Some History
ToeJam & Earl are two best friends from the planet Funkotron. ToeJam is a red three-legged alien. Earl is a jamming fella, orange in color, and fat in appearance, with a very laid-back personality. Oh, and did I forget to mention that he loves to eat?
These alien rapping duos crashed on earth way back in 1991 and fought the ‘earthlings’ to get their spaceship parts back and get it fixed to get away from Earth. The first part was a ‘2.5D’ platformer on the Sega Genesis which was basically a 2D game with an isometric viewpoint.
The sequel to the first game set in the home planet of ToeJam and Earl Funktron, released in 1993, was a side side-scrolling platformer where up to two players could explore the protagonist’s homeworld. You could have a lot of fun with a buddy of your own playing as the two best buds in the game. Jam out the funky beats while cleaning your planet from all pesty earthlings.
Released in 2002 on the Xbox the third addition to the series introduced a new character, Latisha. This time around, the game was 3D Action-Adventure Platformer. You could play with either of the three characters in Single-player or Two-player modes, each character with different abilities and stats. Sitting on a couch playing these types of local coop games with a friend were and still are some of the best fun you can have.
Get Back in the Groove.
The latest entry in the series directed by the original game’s designer, Scott Berfield. The game is similar in gameplay to the very first ToeJam & Earl but with modern elements. You will play the game from a fixed, 2D Isometric viewpoint just as the original. The graphics have also been updated in this cartoon-style visuals that look alright but, It does not quite remind you of the original. The original was in this 90s era 8bit style graphics. In comparison, Sonic Mania has done a better job with reviving the old sonic series look with modern additions, It was on spot.
The gameplay is going to be mostly the same as well, you will search and explore a layer of floating islands to find ship parts hidden through the levels but, instead of just two characters available you have up to 9 characters to play with, each with their own unique stats and abilities, you will have to unlock some them though.
There is a new XP system that lets you level up. With each level up your character’s stats increase and improve giving you even more fuel to destroy your worst enemies – the earthlings. Speaking of earthlings, there are more than 50 pesky roaming earthlings now. New ones for our moderns times like the person can’t stop texting and walks ruthlessly over anyone in his path, the Internet Trolls that have the deadliest weapons – SWEAR WORDS.
Have all the fun by yourself, with a friend locally or online. The game supports local and online multiplayer with up to two players locally and four players online. Either rebuild the rocket ship with your friends or enjoy fun mini-games.
For new players wanting to experience what the 90s were like or old players looking to refresh childhood memories, this game seems to hit all the checkmarks at a quick overview. Combining old core elements with new additions that will keep you busy over the weekend. The game has been released on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and Mac via Steam today.
All platforms do not support cross-play with each other which is a bummer. With games like Rocket League supporting Crossplay across all platforms, more and more games should go down this route so more users on different platforms can play together. There may be hope for cross-platform support if the game does well and the community demands it but, there is no news of cross-play whatsoever at this time.
Apple has been a key contender of the modern smartphone market coming in 3rd at the global rankings. The brand has been a sensation ever since the release of the first iPhone and has been progressing at a steady rate ever since. Apple has been one of the most influential manufacturers starting modern trends for its devices which most the other competitors tend to follow. Having a notch, removing the headphone jack and not to mention the fingerprint sensor is one of the most talked about features which Apple brought to the mainstream market. All this makes us believe that Apple surely is a hardware-oriented company with a ton of devices releasing each year with substantial improvements but that perception is soon to change.
Latest analysis reports by Thinknum media group shows us the latest job listing for the manufacturer. The analysis shows how Apple has been spending most of its budget in the hardware engineering department with over a thousand folks average these past few years. This all however changed starting from Q3 2018 with Apple stepping up its software engineering fleeting overtaking the hardware department with over 1.36k counted.
As of today, the software engineering department is now classified as the “Software and Services” section. Apart from being the most popular field by Apple, the question arises what Apple really has in store for us. The software experience on all of the Apple devices has been far superior to any Android phone period. Despite Android phones giving complete control to the user, Apple’s iOS stacks up extremely well.
With all this fuss going around for a foldable smartphone and a completely bezel less smartphone, one would expect Apple to step up it’s hardware engineering sector but the exact oppsite is true. Having spent more on the software could mean that Apple is planning on expanding its services to other platforms as well. This could also mean that iOS would now be more advanced, more secure and more powerful than ever
It is great to see Apple working for the betterment of their software experience but the question still remains, will Apple step up its hardware? The iPad Pro proved to be a solid tablet but bottlenecked when it came to its software capabilities. The iPad Pro despite having superior power over other tablets was limited thanks to the availability of productive programs. We could very well see a major update from Apple for the iPad Pro which would stack it up against the best tablets on market.
The Galaxy S10 is out and rolling for enthusiasts to grab. The phone is easily the most hyped up device of 2019 with it breaking a ton of innovation barriers. One of the key aspects of any smartphone is its durability score and how it stacks up to regular wear and tear. For a smartphone which costs around a thousand dollars, the question becomes even more significant.
Luckily for us, JerryRigEverything is back with more durability tests and this time, the Galaxy S10 is on the chopping board. Straight off the fingerprint sensor is under the radar where most of the experiments are directed. Samsung claims to have put an ultrasonic sensor to detect the ridges of a finger using echolocation. Once again the S10 showing its class and quality by performing excellently even when the glass surface was scratched to an extent unimaginable. But once you step up a notch and crack the display, the sensor is unable to record or read your finger, pretty interesting!
As we move towards the flame test, 30 seconds into the test, the pixels start to white out and once the flame is removed, everything gets back to normal. As for the chassis of the device, Samsung has opted for an aluminium body instead of a heavier stainless steel body. Unarguably though the device performed exceptionally well when it came to the bend test. Giving off only a minimal bend. Moreover, the Galaxy S10 is build sturdy and ready for anything. The thin bezels and elegant design certainly does not do justice to what the phone is actually capable of.
