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Friday, August 31, 2018

8/31/2018 11:19:00 PM

The 3D 'micro batteries' that could power ultra-low energy wearables

Image a battery that can be charged in seconds


Main image: The future of wearables and IoT sensors depends on better batteries. Credit: CC0 Creative Commons

Fitness trackers, smartwatches, clever earpieces and other incredible wearables are the first wave in a new era in electronics. Most are hamstrung by limited battery power, so the next wave – an army of tiny sensors that autonomously transfer data to other devices, better known as the Internet of Things (IoT) – will rely on a revolution in battery technology. Cue 3D microbatteries. 

How do batteries work? 

Batteries have a negative (cathode), and a positive (anode) electrode made from metal, with a non-conducting electrolyte in between that supports electrically charged atoms, typically lithium ions, traveling between one and the other. When all those atoms are on the positive side, the battery needs recharging, after which the atoms (now with a supply of electrons) then travel the other way.

Given the size limitations of the standard lithium-ion batteries found in almost all portable electronics, from phones and cameras to Bluetooth earphones and wearables, scientists are constantly on the hunt for smaller and more efficient designs. 

What is a 3D battery?

A 3D battery is a complete redesign of how existing batteries are constructed, in order to make them either more powerful, or smaller. Instead of a layer of the anode, the electrolyte, then a layer of the cathode, a 3D battery has 3D-shaped anode and cathode that are more like puzzle pieces. Such a design increases the surface area of the cathode and anode and can either hold more lithium ions, and so offer more power, or be many times smaller than a traditional battery. Effectively, 3D designs increase the energy density of batteries. 

What has UCLA done?

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have created a powerful 3D lithium-ion battery no bigger than 100 grains of salt. In their paper High Areal Energy Density 3D Lithium-Ion Microbatteries published in Joule in May of this year, they outlined not only a 3D battery, but a new way of constructing it using the same techniques used to manufacture electronic circuits – that's key, because although better in theory, 3D batteries have so far proved difficult to construct.


Instead of layers, the UCLA team's ‘concentric-tube’ design uses 3D anode posts covered by a thin layer of a photo-patternable polymer electrolyte, with the region between the posts filled by the cathode material. The end result had an energy density of 5.2 milliwatt-hours per square centimeter, which is pretty good for a 3D battery. However, even more, important for use in tiny devices was its small size: just 0.09 square centimeters. Wow. 

                                  3D batteries are a new type of battery architecture. Credit:  Hur et al/Joule

More work is needed on components, assembly, and packaging, but it could mean 3D micro batteries for IoT applications are easier to manufacture. "For small sensors, you need to re-design the battery to be like a skyscraper in New York instead of a ranch house in California," said Bruce Dunn, professor of materials science and engineering at UCLA and senior author of the report, about the team’s use of cathode posts.

"That's what a 3D battery does, and we can use semiconductor processing and a conformal electrolyte to make one that is compatible with the demands of small internet-connected devices."


The IoT will require instantly rechargeable, flexible batteries. Credit: CC0 Creative Commons

The amount of power a battery can store becomes less important if it can be recharged very quickly. Think about Apple AirPods and other 'true wireless' earphones; if they could be recharged in under a minute, would anyone care how long the battery actually lasted? And what if those batteries could be recharged in less than a second?

What has Cornell University done? 

There are other ways of making 3D batteries that could mean wearables and IoT devices could be recharged almost instantly, as proven by a team at Cornell University, which sought to intertwine the components inside a battery. In place of the standard cathode-electrolyte-anode design, they designed a 3D gyroidal structure with thousands of nanoscale pores filled with all the battery's usual components.

"This is truly a revolutionary battery architecture,” said Ulrich Wiesner, professor of engineering in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. “This three-dimensional architecture basically eliminates all losses from the dead volume in your device.” He also pointed out that by shrinking everything to the nanoscale, you get orders of magnitude higher power density. "So you can access the energy in much shorter times than what’s usually done with conventional battery architectures."

So how fast will its 3D battery recharge? "By the time you put your cable into the socket, in seconds, perhaps even faster, the battery would be charged," said Wiesner. The team's paper Block Copolymer Derived 3-D Interpenetrating Multifunctional Gyroidal Nanohybrid for Electrical Energy Storage was published in Energy and Environmental Science in May 2018. 

The flexible battery for wearables

Both of these 3D batteries are an attempt to breathe new life into the lithium-ion battery, but some think a whole new kind of battery is needed for flexible (and even stretchable) wearable devices – think smart clothes for fitness pursuits that constantly collect and send data on all kinds of body metrics.

Wearables for the fitness market could eventually have 'mechanical flexibility'. Credit: Garmin
Lithium-sulfur (Li–S) batteries are one option that's been explored by a team of researchers in Korea, in a paper published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry. The team demonstrated a new class of battery that uses an all-fibrous cathode–separator and carbon nanotubes to create a metallic foil form factor. As well as exceptional improvements in energy density, that mechanical deformability means the batteries can be crumpled without being affected. 

With the IoT growing at an exponential rate, and with the wearable fitness tracker market alone reckoned to be worth $48.2 billion by 2023, there's going to be a massive and growing demand for tiny batteries that boast higher capacity, can be recharged quickly, and can even bend and flex – and more power to whoever can make them commercially viable first.



8/31/2018 09:34:00 PM

Royole's flexible displays promise a future of foldable phones and smart hats

Bend me, shape me


Ever fancied a phone that you could wrap around your wrist, or build into your clothes? At IFA 2018, Chinese company Royole has shown off its range of fully-flexible displays, including panels built into a ski jacket – and a top hat.

A bendy screen is just one of the components necessary to make a foldable phone or smart coat, and Royole also makes a range of flexible sensors, circuits and other electronic systems to make these products possible.

The shape of the future

“While curved displays have been the talk of the tech world this summer, Royole has developed and is now mass-producing the next generation of fully flexible displays,” said Dr Bill Liu, founder and CEO of Royole.

"Our  engineers  are  currently  working  with  over  220  partners  worldwide  to  change  the  way  people  interact  with  technology  in  their  personal  environments."

Royole might not be a household name outside of China, but with flexible devices like Samsung's long-awaited foldable phone on the horizon, its tech could soon be in high demand.

IFA 2018 is Europe's biggest tech show. The TechRadar team is in Berlin to bring you all the breaking news and hands-on first impressions of new phones, watches and another tech as they're announced.
How far are we from the perfect smartphone?



8/31/2018 07:19:00 PM

Asus shows off compact ZenBook laptops with clever LED touchpads at IFA

New ZenBook and ZenBook Flip models boast productivity-boosting features and military-grade construction.



Asus has introduced six new ZenBooks at IFA in Berlin. The new laptops feature compact, lightweight designs and what the company described as "productivity-enhancing features" for business and personal users, including a new dual-function touchpad.

ZenBook 13, 14 and 15

The Asus ZenBook 14, showing the LED number pad on the touchpad.

The ZenBook 13 (UX333), ZenBook 14 (UX433) and ZenBook 15 (UX533) run on 8th-generation Core i5 or i7 processors with up to 16GB of RAM, 1TB of PCIe SSD storage and discrete Nvidia GeForce graphics (MX 150 on the 13- and 14-inch models, GTX 1050 Max-Q on the ZenBook 15). All three laptops come with a 3D infrared camera that allows rapid face login via Windows Hello. The new design also features ultra-slim NanoEdge bezels, giving screen-to-body ratios of up to 95 percent.

The 13-inch and 14-inch models make up for the lack of a number pad on the keyboard by incorporating a LED-illuminated NumberPad into the touchpad. The ZenBook 15, meanwhile, is big enough to accommodate a number pad in its traditional location.

The new ZenBook laptops are built to military-grade (MIL-STD-810G) standard and deliver claimed battery life of between 14 hours (ZenBook 13 and 14, 50Wh battery) and 16 hours (ZenBook 15, 73Wh battery).

The new ZenBooks currently don't have a release date beyond 'Q4', while Asus says that prices will be confirmed 'shortly'.

ZenBook Flip 13 and 15

Asus ZenBook Flip 13 and 15: 360-degree convertibles.

The Asus ZenBook Flip 13 (UX362) and Flip 15 (UX562) are 360-degree convertible touch-screen laptops that can also be used as tablets.

Like the ZenBooks described above, the new Flip models feature NanoEdge displays that make for a more compact chassis with a ten percent smaller footprint than previous models.

The Flip 13 and 15 are powered by 8th-generation Core i5 and i7 processors with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. The 15-inch model can also accommodate a 2TB hard drive. While the Flip 13 is limited to an integrated GPU, the Flip 15 has a discrete Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q chipset, plus the option for a PANTONE validated 4K UHD display -- features that make this model suitable for graphics professionals.

The Flip 13 has the dual-function touchpad with built-in LED-illuminated NumberPad, both models have the infrared Windows Hello camera, and there's an optional Full-HD 'world-facing' camera designed for use with Windows 10's Mixed Reality Viewer. Like the ZenBooks, the new Flip models are MIL-STD-810G compliant.

Asus ZenBook Flip 13 and Flip 15 will be available from mid Q4. Pricing has not been confirmed yet.

ZenBook Pro 14

Asus ZenBook Pro with ScreenPad.

Asus also took the opportunity to show off the ZenBook Pro 14, announced earlier this year, at IFA. This 14-inch laptop is designed for "highly mobile artists, designers, programmers" and other "high-performance professionals".

The ZenBook Pro 14 features 8th-generation Core i5 and i7 processors, up to 16GB of RAM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q graphics, a 1TB PCIe x4 SSD and Intel Optane memory -- a platform that allows this laptop to handle demanding tasks.

The key feature on the ZenPad Pro 14 is the ScreenPad, which combines the touchpad with a high-resolution secondary 5.5-inch touchscreen. Selected desktop apps -- including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint -- offer close integration with ScreenPad in order to boost productivity; ScreenPad apps can also be downloaded from the Windows Store.

The Asus ZenBook Pro 14 (UX480) will be available from late October, with pricing to be confirmed.

New Apps for ScreenPad

In addition to new hardware, Asus also announced new apps for the ScreenPad, allowing users to use new functions and features. New apps include Adobe Sign, Handwriting and SpeechTyper.



8/31/2018 04:13:00 PM

Garmin introduces Vivosmart 4: Slim activity tracker with advanced sleep tracking through pulse oxygen sensor -

Garmin has been making serious strides to provide more details on sleep quality and this latest activity tracker includes four sleep stages along with blood oxygen saturation gauging.



A couple of months ago, Garmin rolled out support for advanced sleep monitoring that includes awake time, light sleep, deep sleep, and REM stage. While my new high-end Garmin Fenix 5 Plus supports this functionality, it is great to see Garmin launch the affordable Vivosmart 4 for the masses.

The only other Garmin device currently with the Pulse Ox sensor to measure blood oxygen saturation is the highest end Fenix 5X Plus. The new Vivosmart 4 has this sensor, but rather than focusing on high altitude training monitoring, the sensor is being used to help Garmin better define sleep quality.

The Vivosmart 4 is available in multiple colors with metal trim accents in silver, gold, and rose gold. It is safe for the pool and shower with a battery life of up to seven days.

It has a redesigned Elevate heart-rate sensor, abnormal heart rate alerts, VO2 max support, all-day stress tracking with relax reminders, and more. Basic smartwatch notifications are provided and you can even reply with preset messages if you are connected to an Android phone.

Dan Bartel, Garmin VP of global consumer sales, stated:

Sleep quality plays a critical role in your overall physical health. Poor sleep quality may contribute to the development of significant chronic conditions. With its slim design, the vívosmart 4 is comfortable to wear at night and pulse ox provides customers with information they can use to improve their health.

A new function called Body Battery is being introduced on the Vivosmart 4. The Vivosmart 4 uses a combination of stress, HRV, sleep, and activity to assign a Body Battery number throughout the day. A higher number means it is a good time to exercise while a lower number may mean you need to rest up. It is an interesting metric and I am now curious if this will come to other Garmin wearables.

The Garmin Vivosmart 4 will launch for $129.99. Colors include berry with a gold bezel, powder grey with a rose gold bezel, black with a slate bezel, and azure blue with a silver bezel.

Garmin also announced five new colors of the Vivomove HR and a Vivoactive 3 Music wearable in granite blue and rose gold.



8/31/2018 12:30:00 AM

Best Cloud Computing Services Of 2018

Fly your business to the cloud with these top-notch providers


BEST CLOUD COMPUTING SERVICES
1. Rackspace Cloud

2. IBM Cloud

3. Amazon Web Services

4. Microsoft Azure

5. Google Cloud

Read on for our detailed analysis of each service

The advent of cloud computing has spawned a huge number of companies offering a slice of their data centers’ processing power for a fee. This is a huge step forward for small business owners: while previously organizations had to buy and maintain their own physical servers, cloud computing now means that you can get started far more quickly and inexpensively. Processing data in the cloud also means that as your business grows, you can keep up with increased traffic to your server. 

In this guide, you’ll discover some of the very best cloud computing providers on the market today.

We've also highlighted the best cloud web hosting services in this roundup

1. Rackspace Cloud



Big cloud platform with a personal touch

  • Public and private cloud platforms
  • Excellent customer support
  • Little documentation


Rackspace Cloud is a set of cloud-computing products from the US company Rackspace. Rackspace was founded in 2006. The solution offers web application hosting, platform as services and cloud services amongst others.

Rackspace allows you to choose a cloud provider with which you can then interact via Rackspace’s platform. The service has partnered with major cloud providers such as Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services and WMware. The advantage of this system is that you have the scalability of some of the biggest cloud providers around but with the customer support of a smaller company.

Rackspace offers a wide range of cloud services. These include public cloud, private cloud, hybrid cloud and multi-cloud. When it comes to their IaaS solution, Rackspace now builds entirely on open source system. This is because it uses the cloud operating system OpenStack.

The public cloud option provides quick and easy access to the IT resources you need. This reduces the cost of data center management. This multi-tenant service offers ‘pay as you go’ scalability which is ideal for users that have heavy or unpredictable traffic.

The private cloud option offers the option of a single tenant environment. This means that servers can run faster due to eliminating the ‘noisy neighbor’ effect. The private cloud offers dedicated servers for maximum security in and out of your data center. With a private server, the user has greater control. These can be hosted on-site or at a service provider’s data center.

Rackspace has also created a hybrid cloud which gives access to a combination of both the private and public clouds. 

You can sign up to Rackspace for free which includes a technical account manager, security guidance and free server monitoring and reporting. Rackspace has an in-depth guide into their prices. This way you can pick the package that best suits your needs.

Users have mentioned issues with documentation but this is balanced out by excellent service support.


2. IBM Cloud


Reasonably priced cloud services from one of the tech masters

  • Pre-configured tools 
  • fully customizable
  • Some loading issues


IBM Cloud is a set of cloud computing services offered by the eponymous tech giant IBM. The solution offers a platform as a service, software as a service and infrastructure as a service.

IBM Cloud offers a wide range of services. Not all of them are cloud-based: it covers both virtual and hardware-based servers, composed of public, private and management networks.

As hardware and virtual-based servers are combined into one on demand cloud-platform, you have complete infrastructure control. IBM refers to their hardware servers as ‘bare metal’. These provide clients with sole access to their entire server. This reduces the ‘noisy neighbor’ effect and greatly improves performance.

IBM Cloud is integrated and managed by a single system that can be controlled via web portal, API (Application Programming Interface) or mobile apps. 

IBM Cloud’s Bluemix developing solution has a wide range of cloud SaaS management tools. 

IBM Cloud also offers full server customization. This means that everything that is included in the server is handpicked by you. This way you do not have to pay for features that you might never use.

IBM also offers a ‘Lite’ tier. This has no time limit, will not ask for credit card details and includes 256MB of Cloud Foundry Memory. After this, you have the option of the ‘Pay as you Go’ Tier where you only pay for what you use. The website has a calculator which you can use to estimate costs. If neither of these is suitable, you can contact IBM for a subscription package tailored to suit your needs.

Users have noted a slight delay when loading pages. 


3. Amazon Web Services


Creative cloud computing from one of the big names

  • Highly customizable
  • Free trial


Some customer support issues

AWS was founded in 2006. It provides on-demand cloud computing to individuals and organizations.

Amazon Web Services is a cloud-based program for building business solutions using integrated web services. AWS offers an extensive range of IaaS and PaaS services. These include Elastic Cloud Compute (EC2), Elastic Beanstalk, Simple Storage Service (S3) and Relational Database Service (RDS)

 AWS offers extensive admin controls available via their secure Web client. Users can access a number of features from here including encryption key creation and auditing. 

Aws lets you customize infrastructure requirements. This costs far less than if you were set up in your own premises.

Users can also access EC2 web services. This permits you to run and acquire servers as necessary. 

AWS has three different pricing models; ‘Pay as you Go’, ‘Save when you reserve’ and ‘Payless using more’. For more information about these, users must contact sale directly.

AWS also offers a free 12-month tier. Once your trial period has expired, you must either choose a paid plan or cancel your AWS subscription.

Some online commenters have complained about difficulties with contacting customer support.


4. Microsoft Azure


A wide array of services from a tech giant

  ₹1422.71
  • Windows and Linux compatible
  • 12-months free 
  • expensive


Microsoft Azure was released in 2010.

Users can run any service on the cloud or combine it with any existing applications, data center or infrastructure.

Microsoft Azure provides a wide array of solutions suitable for all types of industry. All your business needs will be taken into consideration. This results in a package better suited for needs.

Azure means there is no need to have physical servers on site. This reduces the usual costs, such as an onsite server support team.

The Azure Migration Centre makes cloud transfers faster and easier. The solution is also compatible with Linux.

Microsoft Azure offers a 12-month free tier which includes access to all popular services, $200 (£153.74) credit and over 25 ‘Always Free’ services. All of Microsoft Azure’s prices and plans are laid out in great detail on their site. The page includes a cost calculator and a ‘Pay as you go’ service. Each plan can be tailored to your specific needs.

Some users have noted that the price can be quite high relative to other services.


5. Google Cloud


Elastic and inexpensive cloud computing from the genii of Google

  • User-friendly
  • 12-month free trial 
  • setup can be tricky


Google Cloud Platform is Google’s cloud service provider. The platform enables users to create business solutions using Google-provided, modular web services. It offers a wide array of services including IaaS and PaaS solutions.

With Google Cloud’s multi-layered secure infrastructure, users can rest assured that anything you build, create, code or store will be protected. This is done through a commitment to transparency and a highly trained team of engineers. 

Google Cloud has a variety of tools to ensure consistent performance and management. These include Compute Engine, App Engine, Container Engine, Cloud Storage and Big Query. Google also offers a smooth migration to virtual machines with flexible pricing.

There is a free 12-month trial, which includes $300 (£230.62) towards all services and products offered by Google Cloud Platform.

Some online commenters have mentioned that setup can be difficult for beginners.





Thursday, August 30, 2018

8/30/2018 10:34:00 PM

Philips New Monitor Range Includes a Massive, Super Wide 49-Inch Screen

A 43-inch Monitor Aimed at Console Gamers Also Emerges


Philips is showing off a large range of monitors at IFA 2018, and while there are plenty of stylish screens on the show, there are also a few that really stand out from the crowd.

For example, the huge Philips 499P9H is a superwide curved screen that measures an immense 49-inches. 


It's 32:9 aspect ratio fills your vision, and it comes with some nifty features, including a USB-C dock, Windows Hello-compatible webcam for logging into Windows 10 using facial recognition, and a ‘Zero Power Switch’ to save electricity.

Philips also showed off its 276C8, 278E9Q, and 328E9F monitors, which are ultra-slim frameless monitors that offer an ‘edgeless’ design that maximizes screen real estate.


A Monitor for Console Gamers

Philips is also offering a closer look at its Philips Momentum 436M6VBPAB monitor. This is the first screen in the Momentum series, which are monitors aimed at console gamers. 

So, it offers the 4K resolution, Quantum Dot technology, Adaptive Sync, 4ms response time and Ambiglow Lighting.

Here's our pick of the best monitor of 2018

It’s also the first display in the world to achieve the VESA DisplayHDR 1000 standard, which offers more lifelike and vibrant images with increased brightness and depth.

Further information about these screens is a bit thin on the ground, but we’ll try to test some of them out while we’re at IFA 2018.



8/30/2018 09:17:00 PM

Logitech's Ultimate Ears Announces Two New Speakers, Streamlined Mobile App

The new speakers are an improvement over the previous generation, both in design and use.


Ultimate Ears (UE) Boom Bluetooth speaker line is getting a new design and a streamlined mobile app. The Boom 3 and Megaboom 3 look similar to previous generations, only better.

Boom 3 and Megaboom 3 have a new fabric exterior, that gives the speakers a more premium feel. You can adjust the volume using the two buttons on the front of the speaker, though I've found them hard to press only because you have to press in the middle of the buttons, and not just anywhere on the overall layout of the plus and minus sign.

UE moved the charging port to the back of the speaker, instead of on the bottom like the previous generation speakers. There's also now support for the Power Up charging stand, a $40 accessory.


The Magic Button on top of a Boom 3 speaker.

Ultimate Ears

On top of the speaker is a new "Magic Button," used for controlling music playback. The new button, when used in tandem with the new UE Boom and Megaboom app that combines controlling the entire Boom speaker line, instead of having one app for Boom and another for Megaboom speakers, gives users the option to begin playing and switch between up to four playlists. Currently, the playlist feature supports Apple Music on iOS and Deezer on Android.

UE sent me a Megaboom 3 and gave me access to the new app ahead of the announcement. The playlist feature is easy to set up, requiring a couple of taps in the app. After selecting four playlists, I can easily switch to the next playlist with a long-press on the Magic Button.

I don't have a Deezer account, so I can't speak to the setup process on Android. UE has told me they plan on adding more services in the future but didn't provide a timeline.

The entire lineup is now rated with IP67 water and dust resistance. The speakers float so you can throw either one in a swimming pool and stream music without worrying about damage or it sinks.

In late 2016, I took a look at UE's PartyUp feature that gives users the option to stream to multiple UE Boom speakers - up to 150, to be exact - from one source. The Boom 3 and Megaboom 3 work with PartyUp, and the feature is backward compatible so you can mix and match old speakers with the latest generation. UE also now claims the Boom 3 series speakers have an extended range of 150 feet, up from 100 feet.

The new speakers are slated to launch in September, with the Boom 3 priced at $150, and the Megaboom 3 priced at $200. The speakers will come in four colors: black, red, blue and purple. Apple will offer its own exclusive colors of cloud blue and denim.



8/30/2018 07:40:00 PM

Honor 7A and Honor 7S, First Take: False economies?

Neither of these budget phones does Honor proud. In particular, the company needs to address the poor performance that's the main drawback of both handsets.


Honor, Huawei's affordable handset brand, often gets credit for coming up with phones that pack in the features at a fraction of the cost of flagship phones -- including those from Huawei itself. I liked this year's top-of-the-range Honor 10, for example: at £399 (inc. VAT), it delivers very good value for money.

Honor currently offers two ultra low-cost handsets: the £129.99 Honor 7A and the £99.99 Honor 7S. Can Honor really deliver a usable smartphone at these price points, or has it cut costs too far, risking damage to its 'value for money' reputation?

Here are the key specifications for the two handsets:


Honor 7A
Honor 7S
Dimensions (WxDxH)
73mm x 152.4mm x 7.8mm
70.9mm x 146.5mm x 8.3mm
Weight
150g
142g
Display
5.7 inches, 1,440 x 720 pixels, 18:9 aspect ratio, 282ppi
5.45 inches, 1,440 x 720 pixels, 18:9 aspect ratio, 295ppi
OS
Android 8.1.0
Android 8.1.0
OS overlay
Chipset
RAM
2GB
2GB
Internal storage
16GB (8.79GB free)
16GB (9.7GB free)
MicroSD expansion
yes
yes
SIM slots
2
2
Rear camera
13MP +2MP
13MP
Front camera
8MP
5MP
Fingerprint sensor
yes
no
NFC
no
no
Battery
3,000mAh
3,020mAh
Price (inc. VAT)
£129.99
£99.99

The main differences are in screen size, processor, cameras and the presence of a fingerprint sensor. Both phones use Micro-USB for charging and both include a 3.5mm audio jack.

One big plus for both handsets is that they are dual SIM and don't sacrifice a SIM slot for a MicroSD card -- the caddies are longer than usual with three bays so that two SIMs plus a memory card are catered for. This is something every handset maker could learn from.


The Honor 7A (left) and 7S (right) can support dual SIMs and a MicroSD card at the same time -- an unusual but welcome feature.


The £99.99 Honor 7S is a relatively small (5.45-inch) handset by current standards, although the screen's 18:9 aspect ratio keeps up with the current trend. The display resolution (295ppi) is moderate, but text is still readable and image quality (including video) perfectly adequate.

The real problem is the entry-level MediaTek MT6739 chipset, which means there's a noticeable wait for web pages to load, and scrolling through them is often jerky. It's the same story when waiting for individual apps to load. Overall, there's too much waiting around for things to happen.

This was an issue right from the start, and I never got used to it. I thought I was mishandling the keyboard when it failed to register letters for setting up my account, but in fact, it was just the processor being very slow indeed. This continued to cause problems with data entry. Texting was particularly painful.

The other key issue with this handset is its 13MP rear camera. This makes a reasonable stab at shots where the lighting is good, but indoors it's almost unusable: without the flash, images are far too dark and grainy, while using the flash produces over-bright images. The 5MP front camera also delivers grainy images. It's all a far cry from what we expect even from affordable handsets these days.

The Honor 7S's saving grace is its 3,020mAh battery, which delivers reasonable longevity -- I was able to get through a day without charging, for example. That said, I did abandon many of the tasks I would normally do on my handset such as regularly checking websites, looking at the video and reading my latest ebook. I even abandoned texting because of the slow responsiveness.

So, does the Honor 7A, which costs £30 more, fare any better?

The short answer is yes, although there are caveats. It is a larger (5.7-inch) handset than the 7S with the same pixel count (1,440 x 720) and aspect ratio (18:9), but slightly lower pixel density (282ppi). Text looks a bit grainy, but that's not the deal-breaker here.

Again the main problem is the phone's generally lethargic response. It's not quite as laggy as the 7S, but there were still notable waits while the screen refreshed as I moved between apps and pauses while web pages loaded. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 430, although aging, is not responsible for this problem alone: this 5.7-inch handset could benefit from more than 2GB of RAM to help it out.

The cameras are also disappointing, with the images I took generally seeming a bit dull in color and lacking in detail. Indoor images tended towards the grainy, but at least the flash did its job close up, and so photos were usable.

The Honor 7A's 3,000mAh battery didn't deliver the longevity we got from the 7S, and I never quite made it through a day on a full charge. That could be because I used this phone more during the day -- I wasn't quite as put off by its performance limitations. Giving this phone more to do than the 7S will have put more stress on the battery.

The addition of a fingerprint reader on the back of the chassis adds appeal, and while I found it a little hit-and-miss at times it did work if I slowed down and took my time. Maybe I was again expecting too much of the processor. If fingerprint unlock proves too painful, there's also the option of face unlock as well as a PIN.

Honor has a couple of youth-oriented features up its sleeve with the 7A: you can connect up to 8 handsets into a speaker array, which could be fun if you can find other owners of this phone; there's also a karaoke mode that prioritizes your voice over a tune when you're wearing the provided earbuds.

I ran the Geekbench 4 benchmark on both the Honor 7S and the 7A, with multi-core results of 1,834 and 2,905 respectively. By contrast, the somewhat more expensive Moto G6 Plus (£269 when I reviewed it in May, now available for nearer £230) delivered a multi-core score of 4,167 and offers a much smoother ride.

Conclusions

Buying an ultra-low-cost smartphone might prove to be a false economy. Frustration with laggy response times, poor cameras or short battery life could deter you from using a handset in the first place, which means missing out on what a smartphone can offer. Alternatively, you might decide to upgrade to something better and consign the inferior phone to the back of a drawer.

Neither of these phones does Honor proud. In particular, the company needs to address the poor performance that's the main drawback of both handsets.