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Monday, December 31, 2018

12/31/2018 10:48:00 PM

From Nexus to Android One: a brief history of purist Android phones

The quest for unadulterated Android


Android has been around for so long, and in so many forms, that the open-source operating system has evolved on multiple fronts thanks to the frantic competition among the many vendors using the platform.

For all the bells and whistles of Samsung, LG, and HTC, there’s always been a market for something a little purer – a 'stock' OS that strips away all the third-party bloat for an experience that’s as close to Google’s vision of Android as it’s possible to get.

From the evolution of Google's Nexus smartphone range (and their successors, the improving Google Pixel phones) to the simultaneous innovation of Android One, pure Android devices have carved out more than one niche for themselves. It’s been quite the journey, and the story isn’t over yet...

The Nexus Genesis

The 'pure Android' project began in 2009 when Google confirmed it had begun internal testing on a new device it envisioned as offering a true Android experience. Soon after, Google revealed a partnership with HTC. The product of that union? The Nexus One.

With a handful of litigation lawsuits to contend with off the bat (one for hardware specs filed by Apple and the other, of all sources, came from the estate of the late sci-fi author Philip K Dick), the Nexus One launched on January 5 2010, and set a blueprint for Google’s streamlined approach to both its own OS and software features.



Google Nexus One

However, despite a handful of attractive utilities, such as voice-to-text transcription, it didn’t offer enough hardware innovations to match the stylized form factor that had given the iPhone such a considerable fan base.

Never a company to be accused of twiddling its fingers, Google followed it up by the end of that year with the Nexus S.

Trading HTC for Samsung (the carousel of hardware partners would become a calling card for the range), this new handset boasted an architecture similar to that used in the Galaxy S range, and was the first device to run Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

The Nexus S was a step forward in terms of hardware innovation, featuring the earliest Android use of NFC technology, sowing the seeds for Android Pay and Apple Pay in the process. It was also, oddly enough, the first commercial handset to be certified for use in missions by NASA.

In 2011, the third entry in the range, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, continued the partnership with the Korean giant with a dual-core processor, the ability to shoot video in 1080p and the very first use of Google Wallet.



Google Nexus 4

In 2012, Google parted ways with Samsung on its mobile front and joined forces with LG to produce the Nexus 4.

Like the Nexus S, this next entry in the series was well received by critics, offering relatively high-end specs – such as a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and an 8-megapixel rear camera – at an affordable price point. It proved to be one of the most popular entries in the range.

The end for Nexus, and the birth of Android One

The following year, Google kept its partnership with LG going to produce the next iteration in the Nexus line: the Nexus 5.

As one of the first handsets to ship with Android 4.4 KitKat (this was also the first time Android had used a piece of branded confectionery to name its OS iterations), the Nexus 5 saw Google attempting to revert to the pure ideology of its earlier models with the inclusion of the Google Now Launcher, offering easier access to its smart assistant.

Like all of the Nexus devices before it, it wasn’t perfect – shortcomings included a dim screen and a camera that didn’t match up to the power of other ‘less pure’ Android phones – but it was still a traditional Android user’s ideal handset.


Having fulfilled its two-device commitment with LG, in 2014 Google decided to work with Motorola (which it had recently sold to Lenovo) for the next handset in its stock range: the Nexus 6.

Phablets were new in thing, with big screens becoming hugely popular, so Google went all-in with a 2560 x 1440 AMOLED display, one of the earliest examples of this high-end screen spec.

Based largely on the Moto X, Google used the Nexus 6 as the first handset to support Project Fi, the firm’s own mobile operator service.

It was also in 2014 that a new approach to the stock Android experience was born: Android One. The brainchild of Sundar Pichai, product chief and designated CEO of Google, it was designed as a streamlined and unmodified version of Android, specifically for affordable entry-level devices in emerging markets.

India served as the testbed for this OS variant, and in the four years since its launch, Android One has helped shape the development of Android in Google’s own devices. The ethos of a cleaner UI, with high security and faster updates, can be seen in the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL today.

2015 marked the final year for the Nexus line, and while Google would eventually begin work on what would become the first Pixel handset, it went all out for its Nexus swansong.


With Motorola now sold on, Google broke its usual pattern on multiple fronts by returning to LG for the Nexus 5X and Chinese manufacturer Huawei for the Nexus 6P. Needlessly confusing naming conventions aside, these two devices were testbeds for some of Android’s latest features.

The Android Sensor Hub (for detecting when the phone has been picked up) and Google Now on Tap helped the 5X stand apart, while the 6P saw the Nexus range out in style as arguably its best entry, with a thinner aluminum body, an octa-core Snapdragon 810 chip and more.

Pixel perfect

In October 2016, Google's decision to leave the Nexus range behind, but build on its legacy with a new range of stock-focused handsets, saw the arrival of the Google Pixel and Pixel XL.

The even-thinner aluminum chassis and glass rear panel represented a move towards a more premium build quality than the Nexus phones, but it was the new Android features that really made the Pixel stand apart.

Google Assistant was originally exclusive to the first generation of Pixels, while access to unlimited, full-resolution Google Photos backup really sold the exclusivity of the Android 7.1 Nougat update that came with this phone.

It wasn’t perfect – the lack of waterproofing and a litany of hardware issues butted heads with the higher price point – but as the first genuine pure-Android phone designed, developed and marketed mostly by Google (HTC was technically involved), it was sending a clear message to Samsung and Apple.

For the launch of the Pixel 2 in 2017, Google worked with both HTC and LG to produce its regular and XL handsets but made a point of announcing that there wouldn’t be a ‘cheaper’ version to match some brands' 'lite' models.

These were more premium handsets, and their cameras were the centerpiece of the design. Finally living up the Pixel branding, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL featured a stunning 12.2-megapixel rear camera that could capture Full HD video and HDR+ processing.

The Pixel 2 XL boasted more premium features and did make the regular version look a little cheap by comparison, but Google was clearly getting closer to finding its ‘perfect’ pure Android model.

Pixel present – and future?

So we come to the most recent chapter in Google’s pure Android journey: the Pixel 3. While not a vast improvement on the previous generation of phones, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL sum up Google’s homegrown approach to phone development.

They tick just enough boxes on the hardware front – another impressive suite of cameras and an overall design that’s easier on the eye – while placing an emphasis on the strength of Android operating at its cleanest.

Debuting in 2018 with Android Pie via the Pixel Launcher, the Pixel 3 phones offer the best way yet to experience Android in its pure form.

A clean UI, the use of Duplex AI to answer spam calls, and the Digital Wellbeing tool have proved that, while Google is still working out the kinks in terms of hardware, it’s showing the direction in which Google hopes to take its OS innovation.



SOURCE:
12/31/2018 09:45:00 PM

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation release date, news, and rumors

AMD’s next HEDT chips


Now that AMD is on the verge of revealing its 7nm next-generation processors, what will the future look like for Threadripper 3rd Generation – its next line of HEDT processors?

Now that AMD Ryzen is nearly two years old at this point, and we’ve seen Team Red come out with winning CPU after winning CPU, we’ve been asking ourselves where things go from here.

AMD is on the verge of launching its 7nm Zen 2 architecture, according to its own roadmap and CES 2019 plans, which should drastically improve both performance and efficiency and deliver some of the best processors we’ve seen yet. And, while this is definitely exciting news for users looking for the Ryzen 3rd Generation processors, we’re more interested in the next line of Threadripper chips.

With chips like the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX, AMD blew the lid off of what to expect from HEDT – or high-end desktop – processors. With AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation, we’re expecting to see even more cores, performance and value.

Cut to the chase


  • What is it? AMD’s next line of HEDT processors 
  • When is it out? Likely Summer 2019
  • What will it cost? TBD


AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation release date

While AMD hasn’t come out and announced the release date for its next Threadripper chips, the last two Threadripper generations have been pretty consistent, so we have a basis for speculation.

Both the original Threadripper and Threadripper 2nd Generation launched in August of 2017 and 2018, respectively. We’re fairly sure that AMD is going to follow the same general release schedule this time around, but, obviously, we don’t know that for sure.

AMD’s latest roadmap shows its Zen 2 architecture launching in 2019 – with a likely reveal at CES 2019. If AMD does reveal Zen 2, along with Ryzen 3rd Generation at CES, it’s likely that we’ll see Threadripper 3rd Generation at Computex 2019, with a release date following in the following months.

We’ll update this article as soon as we hear more substantial rumors about the release date.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation

Now, so far ahead of AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation’s launch, we don’t have any official pricing information, but we can look at past generations to get an idea of what AMD’s next HEDT chips will cost.

The original lineup of Threadripper topped out with the $999 (£999, AU$1,439) AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X, but the second generation introduced surprisingly lower priced replacements. There were also two higher specced – and higher priced – additions. We believe Threadripper 3rd Generation will follow the latter model.

The prices of AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation chips are as follows: 


  • Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX: $1,799 (£1,639, AU$2,679)
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX: $1,299 (£1,159, AU$2,039)
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2950X: $899 (£809, AU$1,415)
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2920X: $649 (£583, AU$1,019)


AMD could very well surprise us and introduce an even higher-end SKU, but we don’t think that’s likely. Stay tuned, and we’ll update this page as soon as we hear any Threadripper 3rd Generation price information.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation specs


With AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation, we expect to see a huge bump in core counts, efficiency and per-core performance with Threadripper 3rd Generation. If you need a refresher on last year’s Threadripper lineup’s specs they’re as follows:


  • Ryzen Threadripper 2920X: 12-cores, 24-threads, clocked at 3.5GHz to 4.3GHz
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2950X: 16-cores, 32-threads, clocked at 3.5GHz to 4.4GHz
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX: 24-cores, 48-threads, clocked at 3.0GHz to 4.2GHz
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX: 32-cores, 64-threads, clocked at 3.0GHz to 4.2GHz


We’re sure that with the move to 7nm, AMD is going to massively improve specs. But, with Threadripper 3rd Generation, or Castle Peak, rumors are thin on the ground. However, there is plenty of buzz about the AMD Ryzen 3000 series, not to mention the 64-core AMD Epyc server CPU.

There is already speculation that suggests there will be a 16-core, 32-thread Ryzen 3000 CPU, with higher instructions per clock (IPC) than previous processors. That’s double what the Ryzen 7 2700X features, and if AMD is able to do the same with Threadripper – we could see a 64-core HEDT chip.

It wouldn’t even be the first 64-core processor in AMD’s lineup. AMD recently showed off its latest Epyc processors, based off its Rome microarchitecture, with up to 64-cores.

If AMD is able to bring those high core counts to Castle Peak HEDT processors, we could see AMD absolutely dominate Intel’s Basin Falls Refresh. And, if Intel can’t answer with anything but 14nm silicon, AMD might claim the HEDT throne like it did when it topped Intel’s mainstream sales.



SOURCE:
12/31/2018 07:30:00 PM

How to save on used tech to help you avoid the New Year sales

Pick up a bargain on previously used gadgets


Around Christmas, there's a lot of present buying, but also a lot of gadget selling – particularly after Christmas Day as people try and unload the phones, tablets, laptops and other gear that they've just been able to replace thanks to a visit from Santa Claus.

While many will be heading to the nearest mall or shopping center for the New Year sales, finding the product you're looking for can be pretty hellish when you're up against hundreds of other shoppers.

So, whether you're buying a post-holiday gift for a friend or you want to pick up a bargain for yourself, you can get some great value deals on gadgets that aren't brand new after the holidays– but you do need to know where to go and what you're looking for, and that's where our guide can help.

The benefits of used tech


First of all, you need to go in with your eyes open when it comes to knowing what you're getting from used tech – gadgets that have had one or more previous owners come in a whole range of conditions and you can expect to pay accordingly. If these gadgets were just as good as brand new ones, they'd be at the same price.

You've got everything from the broken, six-year-old Samsung Galaxy phone someone is trying to flog on eBay, to a refurbished MacBook direct from Apple that comes with a warranty: the more money you save the more of a risk you're taking. It's important to check and then double-check the condition of the item as well as any included extras.

If you get it right though – and we're here to help you do just that – the savings can be considerable and the difference between new and used can be pretty negligible. Even if you're a complete newcomer to the idea of buying second-hand gadgets, you should soon find yourself learning the ropes and picking up a few tricks of the trade.

Of course, if you want factory fresh, shiny new gadgets that have never before been touched by human hands, then buying brand new is the way to go. But if you're more budget conscious and fancy making some significant savings then previously owned hardware could be a brilliant way of getting your hands on some great products.

Do your research


When it comes to used tech, you've got a range of options: refurbished items direct from the manufacturer, official second-hand tech sellers like Cex, and random members of the public through portals like Gumtree and eBay. It's those last two where you can perhaps make the biggest savings, but it's worth noting that you're also getting less of a guarantee that everything is going to work as advertised.

Whichever one of those options you take, do your research. Check the specs and model name of the device listed – make sure it's actually the model you want and not one that's similar, or similarly named. If in doubt, look up the model on a different site, and check out as many reviews as you can (we've got a few to get you started).

To get an idea of the price you should be paying, check out how much the device is selling for as new. You can also run a search on eBay and tick the box on the left-hand side labeled "Completed listings" to see how much other people are paying – just remember to take into account the condition of the item, because this will vary between listings (and can have a significant impact on the price).

Speaking of condition, make sure you check this too, especially on eBay and other similar sites. Read through the small print so you're aware of any damage, scratches or marks, and weigh up any extras that are included, like a warranty – this is usually worth looking out for, even it's only for 12 months, as it protects you against damaged goods.

Get the timing right


When it comes to getting the lowest prices on the best of the used tech out there, timing can be more important than you think. Is a new model of the device you're weighing up about to come out? When did the gadget first go on sale? How popular is it? The answers to all of these questions can all have an impact on how much you can expect to pay.

For example, iPhones come out like clockwork every September – if you're wanting to pick up a used iPhone as cheaply as possible, you're better off trying your luck when a new model has just arrived and a bunch of used iPhones are being offloaded. Actually, iPhones hold their value very well, which is good news if you're wanting to sell one but not so good if you're trying to get one at a discount.

Not every gadget has such a regular launch schedule as the iPhone of course, but a lot of other flagship phones are updated once a year as well. At the very least you can check up on when the device you're interested in was first launched – it's then just a question of getting the balance right between price and age. You want to pick up a bargain of course, but you don't want something that's going to be obsolete soon after you've bought it.

It's not an exact science but the more time and effort you put into your research, the better your chances of picking up a winning deal on a phone, a camera, or whatever it is you're shopping for. The very worst time to take the plunge on some used tech is right before a new model of the same device comes out, as the asking price is likely to plunge quite significantly as soon as that happens.

Always be patient


If there's one bit of advice we'd want you to take away from this article it would be this: be patient. One of the benefits of shopping for used tech is that there are always new deals turning up, so if you miss out on one, another one will be along very quickly. Don't rush into paying over the odds because you're desperate to pick up something quickly.

Of course, your hands might be tied a little bit if you're shopping for someone for Christmas or a birthday, but if you're not on a fixed schedule then take your time. Wait for an item to come along that has the specs, the condition, and the price that you want – or something very close to it.

Remember that as soon as a new gadget hits the market, its price immediately starts going down – so whatever type of device you're shopping for, you're never going to run out of options as new hardware arrives and old hardware gets replaced. The longer you wait, the better the device you're going to end up with, usually.

Fire up as many tabs as your browser can take, weigh up a variety of different models and specs from a variety of different sources, and don't rush into anything. The longer you take over your purchase, the better you'll be able to see the long-term fluctuations in used prices on whatever it is you're shopping for.



SOURCE:
12/31/2018 04:24:00 PM

Google: 9 things Google Assistant can do that you may not know about

Get your Assistant working smarter for you


While Apple has Siri and Amazon has Alexa, there’s a third big player in the voice-assistant game: Google's very own voice-activated effort, Google Assistant.

It might not have captured the public's imagination in the same way as its counterparts, and Alexa in particular, but it’s no less useful. In fact, there are some things this handy little tool can do that most users don’t even know it’s capable of.

So to make sure you’re making the most of your trusty voice-activated partner, we’ve gathered together nine handies but not necessarily obvious Google Assistant features that will help to make it genuinely useful in loads of situations you might not have expected.

Find your way home (and check for traffic updates)

Drawing on the sheer breadth of information at Google’s search engine fingertips, it’s safe to say Google Assistant has a lot of potential uses, including the ability to find the best route to a certain location.

Just say “Get me home” and it will draw information from Google Maps to show you (or tell you) the best route based on your current location.

You can also use the voice-activated element to check traffic updates and get the latest information on diversions and closures. This feature is especially useful if you primarily use Google Assistant on the move.

Make a shopping list… with your voice


Google Assistant has been designed to assist you, after all, so it makes sense that something as mundane (yet important) as making a shopping list can be done with your voice.

No more scrabbling for a piece of paper (only to lose it) or typing one out in your drafts – you just need to say “Add [item] to my shopping list.”

Not only does Google Assistant collate all those items into one place, but it will also even read back what’s on your currently saved list to ensure you haven't left anything out, enabling you to go about your day with one less thing to worry about.

Listen to the latest news headlines


Most of us are so busy these days that even taking the time to browse the latest stories on Twitter or your chosen RSS feed can feel like a drag on your time.

So why not use Google Assistant to read them out for you? It’s not an obvious feature, but if you say “Play the news” Assistant will start reading out stories from your preferred news sources.

You can ask it to stop, pause and play at any time, and you can even ask it to read stories from a specific source or specialist media site. If you’re running around the house trying to find your keys while grabbing a piece of toast before work, it’s a great way to keep up to date.

Control your smart home


If you’re like us and you’ve started to slowly add more and smarter devices to your home – be they thermostats, light bulbs or ovens that preheat themselves – then you can use Google Assistant to connect you to them via a single voice-controlled hub.

Open Google Assistant, press the menu icon in the upper-right corner of the screen and select Settings. From there you can add any compatible smart devices (and many devices are compatible) that are currently active in your home.

From Philips Hue lightbulbs to Honeywell thermostats, plenty of gadgets will respond to your voice-activated commands.

Convert money, measurements and more


Whether you’re looking to check how many dollars you can get to the pound or wondering how many inches there are in a kilometer, you can rely on your voice-activated servant to do the math for you.

Google Assistant can perform almost any conversion calculation, and it will read out the answer.

The same goes for translations. If you’re wondering what the word for ‘Hello’ is in Swedish, you just have to say “What’s the Swedish word for ‘hello’?” and Assistant will instantly respond with the correct answer: “Hej!”

Screen your phone calls


Tired of getting dogged with cold calls from automated messages and companies trying to sell you a dodgy service? Well, Google Assistant can help with that, too.

If you happen to own a Google Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL, the voice-activated service includes a feature that will answer certain calls on your behalf.

It’s one of the many ways Google is evolving Assistant, with the Call Screen feature enabling you to leave Assistant to answer the call and even record a transcript of the conversation so you can review it later. Telemarketers, beware...

Queue up your favorite shows on Netflix


Netflix has made its way onto most our smart devices, and whether you’re still mourning the cancellation of Daredevil or looking for a belly laugh or two with Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Google Assistant can help connect you to your favorite TV shows and films, all with voice commands.

Simply say, for example, “Play Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle on Netflix” and – as long as Netflix is set up on your Android device, you’re signed into the app and you've connected it up – Google Assistant will queue up the show/film and start playing it in a matter of seconds.

This is handier on a TV with Google Assistant built in than on some other devices, but it’s a simple way to call up a movie to watch on your phone too.

Check appointments and emails


If you're using Google Assistant there’s a good chance that you use some of Google’s other services, including Gmail and Google Drive, so why not use Assistant to connect to some of these apps?

If you use Gmail as your work account, you can ask the utility to check through your emails for certain keywords or bring up an appointment that’s been added to your Calendar app.

You can even use Google Assistant to take notes with Google Keep, should you need to jot down a quick thought or idea while you’re busy with other tasks. This feature is especially useful if you need to catch up any new emails you’ve yet to read or respond to.

Let Assistant entertain you


Struggling to find someone to enjoy a quick game with? Want to test your grey matter while you have a few minutes to spare? Well, Google Assistant can help on both accounts by challenging you to a game of solitaire or naughts and crosses/tic-tac-toe.

It can also tell you some awful jokes or puns, and even read out an inspirational quote or message if you need of a little motivation – you can even ask Assistant to find something funny for you to watch by checking currently trending videos on YouTube.



SOURCE:

Sunday, December 30, 2018

12/30/2018 10:16:00 PM

Storage: The biggest storage trends of 2018

The storage industry is evolving faster than ever before in the 40 years I've been following it. While I tend to focus on the cutting edge, this is a good time to look back on the two biggest trends of the year.


There are many trends and currents in the storage market, so it's not easy to choose two. But these stood out in the past year.

FLASH AND DRAM PRICE DROP

Given the dominance of flash storage for phones, notebooks, and, increasingly, desktops, the drop in solid-state storage prices is the biggest story of the year. While flash is the bigger piece of the storage landscape, there was an equally large drop in DRAM prices as well.

On January 2nd, 2018, a 64Gb MLC flash chip was $4.05. This week, that same chip is only $2.73, a drop of a hair under a third.

Likewise, an 8Gb DDR4 DRAM chip was $9.59. On Dec 23rd, 2018, that same chip is $6.38, a drop of just over a third. Wow!

The basic driver of these price drops is the supply side of the equation: semiconductor plants are multi-billion dollar investments, and, once in production, vendors have no choice but to run them at full capacity until the bonds are paid off. Some big plants came online in late 17 and this year, thus the severe drops. If the "easily won" trade war takes off though, all bets are off. Vendors may mothball older plants, so prices could spike in 2019. Now is a good time to buy!

NVME ADOPTION

The NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory express) standard has been a staple of industry shows for several years. NVMe offers higher bandwidth and, more importantly, much lower latency than current SATA and SAS interfaces.

But 2018 was the year that NVMe entered the mainstream, according to G2M research. They found that NVMe sales doubled in 2018, to some $25B. But that's not all: G2M expects NVMe adoption to accelerate in 2019. More on that in my predictions for 2019.

THE STORAGE BITS TAKE

I chose these two stories because they have the greatest impact on how we use storage, and how much it costs. For example, the drop in SSD prices will affect how cloud providers configure servers, which, in turn, will have a significant impact on the disk business.

NVMe has been gestating since 2007 and is only now making major inroads beyond early adopters such as Apple. It takes a long time to become an overnight success!

 My next post will cover some predictions for 2019. One hint: NVMe is going to get a lot better.

<strong>Courteous comments welcome, of course.</strong> 



SOURCE:
12/30/2018 07:28:00 PM

Mobile Phones: A 48MP future: what the latest smartphone camera developments mean for you

Camera phones are about to get even better


It has been a few years since the conclusion of the smartphone megapixel wars. Back then, manufacturers from across the industry sought to undo one another, cramming as many pixels as possible into each smartphone iteration released.

This mostly stopped by 2016, with manufacturers moving onto what was the next marketing speak craze of the moment, wider apertures.

In 2018 however, with the release of the Huawei P20 Pro, the Chinese behemoth fired the starting shot in the next phase of this war with its combined 92MP across four cameras. Though none as of yet have answered the challenge, 2019 is set to bring an onslaught.

The main weapon in this next phase will be the latest smartphone camera sensor developed by imaging giant Sony - the IMX586.

Behind the generic name lies a whopping 48 million pixels, grouped together, each with a 'compact' size of 0.8 microns.

With Xiaomi, Huawei and Honor (with the View 20) reportedly among the first buyers, and Sony and Samsung rumored to be working on using a similar megapixel count in future devices, it seems the 48MP smartphone onslaught is about to explode onto the scene.

What does this mean for you?

A lot has been done to deride the notion of stuffing megapixels into a smartphone camera, with the common assumption being that image quality is actually harmed through an abundance of them.

Historically, this has been true. Mainly, however, keen to differentiate themselves, marketing teams for smartphone manufacturers have used megapixels counts as absolute measures of image quality.

They are most certainly not this, and in the past having a few too many on a small sensor impaired low-light capabilities, but times have changed and technology has advanced.

The main advantage of more megapixels is greater detail representation. More megapixels means more image data making it to the processor, which means larger files, which means more versatility.

Famously, the Nokia Lumia 1020 had up to 4x lossless digital zoom thanks to its 41MP snapper. Those purchasing 48MP monsters in 2019 will be able to zoom in closer to their subjects than ever before, and all with little to no degradation in quality.


The Nokia Lumia 1020 boasted a 41MP camera when it launched in 2013

Secondly, there is the matter of low-light capability to consider. Typically, in the past, in order to achieve excellent low-light performance, three ingredients have been necessary: optical image stabilization (OIS), a wide aperture and a relatively restrained sensor resolution.

The first allows for the shutter to be held open for longer, allowing more light in, while the second performs roughly the same function, though in a different manner.

As for the last point, if we think of a smartphone sensor as a rectangle (as they are), pixels are 'windows' crammed into this rectangle. One megapixel is shorthand for one million pixels, and the more megapixels crammed into the sensor, the smaller each individual pixel needs to be (to squeeze them all in).

These 'windows' let light in, and what allows the processor to recreate the scene in front of it. The fewer pixel 'windows' there are, the larger each individual pixel can be. And the larger the pixel, the more light is let in.

A clever trick is used by this new sensor to get past this old limitation however, which effectively combines information from groups of four pixels creating 'super' pixels.

This brings the light gathering power up by a factor of four, making it roughly equivalent to a 12MP sensor of the same size.

Sony says this should improve the dynamic range available by up to four times the average possible for the sensor, allowing it to really push the limits of what is achievable.

The power within

A large part of what makes all of this possible is the raw computing power now available in the average smartphone.

The 41MP-toting smartphone beasts from the past weren't known for being powerhouses. Though it was capable, 2012's Nokia 808 Pureview ran Symbian and had a single core processor, and while it had a dedicated imaging co-processor to handle the large file sizes produced, it couldn't keep with the best of them at the time.


The Nokia 808 Pureview changed perceptions of what was possible from camera phones in 2012

As for the Lumia 1020, though it produced lovely images, the shot to shot time was yawn-inducing, with the average wait sometimes in excess of 8 seconds.

With the latest chipsets capable of easily plowing through the likes of PUBG and Fortnite on our mobiles, it's unlikely that a few chunky image files are going to hold things back.

Not just that, but the advanced post-processing of current and future smartphones will make the situation even more interesting.

Night modes with crazy motion adjusted long-exposures are commonplace, as is advanced auto-HDR. Combined with more exotic camera hardware such as the Sony IMX586, this promises to produce some game-changing results.

Samsung has its own version of the chip, the ISOCELL Bright GM1, offering much the same capability but for likely a lower price. There is no word as of yet as to whether rival manufacturer Omnivision will also jump on board, however, it's likely with time.

With warfare comes competition, with competition between manufacturers comes innovation, and with innovation comes benefit to the consumer.

2019 promises to be highly interesting for smartphone cameras, whether due to increased megapixel counts or otherwise, and everyone stands to benefit.



SOURCE:
12/30/2018 04:37:00 PM

Motorola P40 specifications and design leaked

Mole in the house


There’s a mole in the house: only a few days after the leaks about the Moto G7 series, a new set of leaked renders now show the so-called Motorola P40 smartphone. It is said to be the successor to the Motorola P30, and we’ve got some specs as well as some photos via 91mobiles.

The renders indicate a new direction in Motorola’s design aesthetic, as the company adopts the display hole front camera feature. We’ve seen that on several recent devices from brands like Samsung, Honor, and Huawei, and it looks like Motorola might be going the same way.

The pictures have the selfie camera like a hole on the top left of the 6.2-inch display; camera details are currently unavailable. The display has uniform bezels on the sides and the top, and is relatively thicker at the bottom.


The back panel is highly reflective in the renders, indicating that it might be made of glass. It features a slightly protruding dual camera setup- one sensor is reportedly 48MP, while the other one is still unknown. Below the rear camera is a dual LED flash, and the fingerprint scanner appears built into the Motorola logo at the center.

The Android One logo can also be seen at the back of the P40, near the bottom. Ergo, the phone is part of the Android One programme, and will, therefore, receive security and software updates in a timely manner.


The renders show the SIM tray to be on the left, the power and volume buttons on the right, and a USB Type-C port at the bottom of the phone, along with a microphone hole and a speaker grille. The device also has the traditional 3.5mm headphone jack at the top. The phone’s dimensions, according to the report, are 160.1x71.2x8.7mm.



SOURCE TechRadar:

Saturday, December 29, 2018

12/29/2018 11:33:00 PM

Instagram's brief horizontal scrolling test causes an uproar among confused users

The change was quickly rolled back


Instagram had its users in a muddle over the holiday week as it accidentally rolled out a huge change to the mechanics of its photo feed – a change that meant users had to tap on images to advance through the feed, rather than using the traditional scrolling method.

In other words, you could browse the photo feed in the same way you browse Instagram Stories, by tapping to progress, and with new items shuffling in horizontally. Instagram says the experiment shouldn't have appeared for all users, and the update was quickly rolled back within an hour after attracting a whole lot of anger online.

If you want to see some of the disgruntled takes on this potential change to the feed, take a look at #InstagramUpdate on Twitter. Based on those responses we'd say it's going to be a long time before Instagram thinks about applying this tweak again.

Instagram boss Adam Mosseri was quick to downplay the slip on Twitter, saying that the experiment should only have appeared for a very small group of users. If you're still seeing the horizontal feed in the app, try restarting it, Mosseri says.

Just like every other app out there, Instagram is continually testing new features and options with a limited number of people – profile redesigns and video tagging are just two such experiments we've seen in recent months – but it appears in this case the limited number of people ended up being just about everyone.

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It's not clear what benefits Instagram thinks this "new way to move through posts" might bring for users, but if you're a fan of the new style you might be out of luck – there's no indication this is going to be available again in the near future.



SOURCE TechRadar:
12/29/2018 09:28:00 PM

Qualcomm: Wi-Fi 6 and Mesh Networks driving 'revival' in home networking

Qualcomm head of networking discusses the future of the intelligent network


Amid all the talk of 5G and full fiber networks, it’s perhaps unsurprising that local wireless connectivity has been lost in the shuffle. But Wi-Fi’s role in allowing end users to access the applications that next-generation networks will enable should not be underestimated.

Earlier this year, the Wi-Fi Alliance decided to adopt a more consumer-friendly nomenclature, ditching technical standards like ‘Wi-Fi 802.11ac’ for a more generational approach. This means that the next major iteration of the technology – Wi-Fi 802.11ax – will be known as ‘Wi-Fi’ 6.

At Broadband World Forum (BBWF), Rahul Patel, the head of Qualcomm’s Connectivity & Networking business unit, was keen to stress the role of Wi-Fi in powering connected devices around the home and declared there had been a “revival” in home network innovation.

Wi-Fi revival

He noted that in 2008 only a third of mobile phones had Wi-Fi, while the technological shift from 802.11b to 802.11n was just starting to occur. Back then, Wi-Fi was still considered a luxury and routers and modems were often sold separately.

Today even cheap feature phones have access to Wi-Fi and it is thought that by 2020, there will be an average of 24 devices in every home. But despite this explosion in demand, wireless connectivity hasn’t advanced at the same rate.

“A decade later and a lot has changed within the home,” he said. “TVs use Wi-Fi while Netflix and Amazon Prime are mainstays. There are a lot of IoT devices such as smart speakers – even smart vacuums!”

“Most of the Wi-Fi sourced today is routed through 802.11an. We’ve come a long way in terms of consumption, but Wi-Fi is the same as it was. Today, consumers think cellular is faster than W-Fi and that’s why people don’t turn on Wi-Fi.

“Overall, satisfaction is pretty low. When people start to do more things, connection speeds come down.”

Patel claimed that a third of people think 4G is faster than Wi-Fi but in reality, wireless speeds are often three times faster. The gap between Wi-Fi and cellular is narrowing, however.

A recent study by OpenSignal found that advances in mobile networks meant some countries had faster 4G speeds than Wi-Fi, but the reality is but the reality is that Wi-Fi is a key technology thanks to its low cost and quality indoor coverage.

Technological advances

Patel says it’s not that Wi-Fi technology hasn’t kept up. He believes that Wi-Fi 6 and mesh Wi-Fi can make a real difference. And as more devices are added to the network, such as smart speakers, the stronger these mesh networks become.

“It’s not that Wi-Fi technology hasn’t kept up,” he said. “Wi-Fi is about two or three generations away from what it was ten years ago. Wi-Fi is using now new spectrum in the 60GHz mmWave band and Wi-Fi in the home has moved away from being a single router to a meshed network called mesh Wi-Fi.

 “Mesh networking is foundational for smart home connectivity. In the US today, 50 per cent of router purchases are for mesh networking. It is one of the only categories in consumer electronics where [Average Selling Price (ASP)] has gone up. This shows the importance of Wi-Fi as consumers are not willing to compromise.”

When it comes to the Internet of Things (IoT), Patel is adamant that Wi-Fi is just one part of the connectivity story. He said that it is up to carriers and manufacturers to pick the best type of connectivity for each application, whether this is Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee or cellular.

 “You call it IoT, but it comes in different flavors,” he said. “The consumer must not be burdened with picking which connectivity as devices can be connected by any of these [standards].”

Intelligent networks

But the most revolutionary element of Wi-Fi could be its future intelligence. Self-Optimising Networking technology is already employed by mobile operators, but Patel believes smart home networks will use the various elements connected to them to make decisions.

“We also believe that smart home networks have to evolve to become cognitive,” he said. That’s not just a network that is smart but is going to learn and make decisions. Some examples have already started to emerge: voice and networks are coming together in a nice way.”

Networks could also start to become physically aware.


“Networks are going to sense,” Patel continued. “There are certain RF characteristics that the body presents. Over time, the networks will learn this and provide a level of decision making about what will go on the network.

“Networks will be able to recognize who is walking into a particular room, whether it’s a pet or a human being, or if someone falls. The mesh network will be able to send for help or detect whether a door is open [and alert the police]. This is way more than the smart home today.



SOURCE:
12/29/2018 07:45:00 PM

10 smartphones launch to look out for in 2019

The big phone launches you'll want to keep an eye on


2018 was a great year for phones. We saw huge leaps in the power of computational photography, cheap phones that look and feel like they could pass for a model three times the price, and glass designs as far as the eye can see.

Will 2019 top it? Judging by what's coming, quite possibly.

Next year we'll get 5G phones, the first true folding screen model from one of the big names, still more CPU power. And, with any luck, even more progress in phone cameras.

Here are the launches you need to watch out for in 2019 that will bring these goodies.

The best smartphones of 2018: US | UK | AU | AE

Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus


The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus will be among the first flagships to launch in 2019

When? March 2019

Sure, by the end of 2019 we may end up recommending you buy a Galaxy Note 10 rather than the Galaxy S10. However, it's the Galaxy S10 we'll see first, and it will set the tone for Samsung's 2019 phones.

The big feature here is the follow-up to the notch. Instead of a lip on the top, screens will look as though they've been attacked with a hole punch. While you may be able to make fingerprint scanners that sit behind screens, standard camera sensors aren't designed to deal with that hurdle. That hole is needed.

It looks a bit odd at first glance. But hopefully once your eyes have adjusted it'll stop looking like someone has stolen a tiny portion of your OLED.

The story so far: Samsung Galaxy S10 | Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus

Sony Xperia XZ4


Sony still felt a step behind the competition in 2018. Can it move ahead in 2019?

When? March 2019

Sony has had a bit of a struggle in staying relevant as a maker of top-end phones. In 2018 it did a pretty good job, though, with an OLED screen and a price far lower than some of the direct competition, in the Sony Xperia XZ3.

The Sony Xperia XZ4 may go bold with its screen tech once more, and use a 21:9 aspect display without a notch. This would make the phone arguably the most "cinematic" to date, as it is close to the 2.39:1 anamorphic standard.

Sony reportedly designed a 21:9 phone in 2017, the Xperia X Ultra, but it was never released.

Read our in-depth Sony Xperia XZ3 review

Huawei P30 Pro


The Huawei P20 Pro was great, but we want even more from the P30 Pro

When? March/April 2019

If you're not impressed by Huawei's phones these days, you should be. After the amazing P20 Pro and Mate 20 Pro in 2018, the Huawei P30 Pro is right near the top of our 'most wanted of 2019' list.

The big question is where Huawei can go next with its camera technology. Early reports suggest it will use a 38-megapixel main camera sensor, the Sony IMX607. However, it will be tough to improve the already-great low-light image quality of the P20 Pro.

From a user experience point of view, though, perhaps speed rather than a drastic image quality change is what Huawei wants. The P20 Pro can take up to 6-7 seconds to shoot a low-light photo. If it can bring that down to a second or two, the P30 Pro will be even more fun to use.

Huawei P30/P30 Pro: what we want to see

Motorola Moto G7 and G7 Plus


The Moto G6 is the best budget phone of 2018 so the Moto G7 will have its work cut out

When? March/April 2019

We're in the recommendations game. As much as we love new and exciting tech, telling you which phone, laptop, speaker or graphics card to buy is perhaps our most important job. And that's why the Moto G7 and Moto G7 Plus are so important.

Motorola's G-series phones may not be the flashiest around, but each year since 2013 they've offered some of the best value choices for those after a phone that works well and doesn't cost too much.

The Moto G7 is expected to have a small teardrop notch, to fit more display onto its front, and have at least two cameras on its back.

All the latest news and rumors: Moto G7 | Moto G7 Plus

LG G8 ThinQ


The G7 ThinQ was a solid smartphone but lacked head-turning features. The G8 needs to step things up

When? May 2019

LG's early 2018 flagship the LG G7 ThinQ stood out because it had an ultra-wide rear camera instead of the more popular zoomed kind. But nowadays several phones have both a zoom and a wide. Including LG's own five-camera LG V40 ThinQ.

What LG will do next to stay relevant is a head-scratcher. We've written an entire article on what we want from the LG G8 ThinQ.

Right now the price seems the most important part to get right. Sorry LG, but you might struggle if you try to go dollar for dollar against the Samsung Galaxy S10.

LG G8: what we want to see

Samsung Galaxy X


The foldable Samsung Galaxy X could be the most exciting phone of the year

When? Mid-2019, TBC

The top candidate for strangest phone of 2019 is an easy one to call. It's the Samsung Galaxy X, the foldable phone rumored for half a decade. And it is almost here.

A prototype version of what is presumed to be this foldable monster was seen in 2018 at the Samsung Developer Conference.

It's effectively a vehicle for Samsung's Infinity Flex display technology, the OLED panel and folding mechanism and makes such a futuristic-looking design possible. OK, so it's "2002-era futuristic", but we still want to give it a try.

You effectively get a phone-shaped handset with a screen on the outside that can open up to reveal a tablet-sized display. It's one way to let a phone take on the serious jobs you might otherwise use a laptop for. One snag: it's likely to be hugely expensive, enough to make the Galaxy S10 look cheap.

Samsung Galaxy X: everything we know so far

OnePlus 7


The OnePlus 6T added an in-display fingerprint scanner and a smaller notch

When? Before the end of May 2019

OnePlus thrives on "leaks" and teasers rather than carefully keeping them to a tight pre-release schedule. And we already know the next OnePlus phone, which may be called the OnePlus 7, will have 5G mobile internet.

It will make it one of the first to offer 5G mobile internet. And unless you live in a country with some of the best mobile network infrastructures in the world, it also likely means that extra speed won't be meaningful for a while.

Still, shiny new things still shine. OnePlus let this tease out at Qualcomm's Snapdragon conference in December 2018, suggesting the phone will use the Snapdragon 855 CPU. You can expect existing OnePlus goodies too, like an on-screen fingerprint scanner and, probably, largely glass build.

The one snag is the price. OnePlus has suggested the 5G version of the OnePlus 7 will be $300 more than the norm, so let's hope there's a 4G version for us mere mortals too.

OnePlus 7 release date, price, news, and leaks

iPhone 11 and 11 Max


The iPhone XS and XS Max were incremental upgrades, so we're hoping for big things from the iPhone 11

When? September

As ever, it'll be months before we see anything vaguely reliable leaked about the next iPhone. Apple likes to keep its surprises fresh for the big day, and that big day isn't until (most likely) September.

The roll call of current spurious suggestions about what the iPhone 11 will be like include a pop-up camera module, a TouchBar display on its side and an iPad Pro-like stylus.

We don't believe a word of it, but we're happy to be proved wrong.

iPhone 11 release date, price, news, and leaks

Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL


The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL have some of the best cameras on a phone - how will the Pixel 4 improve?

When? October

It's too early for any major Pixel 4 leaks. But some references to 2019's upcoming 'first-party' Android have already appeared. Product codenames were spotted in the ARCore developer kit. This is what developers use to make Android AR apps.

"Bonito and Sargo" may be the behind-the-scenes names for the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. This also suggests they may have next-generation augmented reality abilities.

Such a feature would work in Google's favor, as it may well mean they have something rivals around at the same time lack.

Read our in-depth reviews: Google Pixel 3 | Google Pixel 3 XL

Xiaomi Mi 9


The flagship Mi 8 Pro is a feature-packed, yet a safe option. We want Xiaomi to surprise us in 2019

When? TBC

This is a very important time for Chinese phone maker Xiaomi. After racking-up massive sales in China and India, the brand is moving further west. It finally made its official UK debut in 2018.

And while the US may be a tougher proposition thanks to the continuing friction between the US government and Chinese giants Huawei and ZTE, Xiaomi's intentions are clear.

The company has many phone series, but the Xiaomi Mi 9 will be one of its key 2019 flagships. You can expect a large screen, in-screen fingerprint scanner and, most important for many buyers, a lower price than those of Samsung and Apple, for a comparable phone.



SOURCE: