Brie Larson is Badass in IMAX’s Exclusive Captain Marvel Artwork

Chris Hare

-

Jan 8, 2019

Brie Larson is Badass in IMAX’s Exclusive Captain Marvel Artwork

IMAX has unveiled exclusive artwork for the first female-led superhero film in the MCU and it reinforces how visually breathtaking (and badass) “Captain Marvel” will be in IMAX cinemas!

If moviegoers want to feel like they are right there with Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel herself, throughout her intergalactic adventure, they must see it in IMAX because the presentation of “Captain Marvel” will be specially formatted for IMAX cinemas which means key sequences will be presented with up to 26% more picture on the biggest screen (vs. the standard picture in standard cinemas).

The IMAX release of “Captain Marvel” will also be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience with proprietary IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX’s customised cinema geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

Sennheiser’s AMBEO Soundbar will be available from May

Chris Hare

-

Jan 7, 2019

0

Sennheiser’s AMBEO Soundbar will be available from May

Immersive 5.1.4 sound and deep bass that has to be heard to be believed: Sennheiser’s new AMBEO Soundbar will be available from May.Created by the audio specialist to be one of the world’s best soundbars, it places you inside the sound experience with incredible realism, delivering 3D sound that blurs the line between playback and reality from a sleek all-in-one device.

Experience “as-if-there” sound
Featuring 13 drivers and the latest virtualization technology which was jointly developed with Fraunhofer IIS, the AMBEO Soundbar delivers the “as if there” feeling of a 5.1.4 speaker installation and powerful bass, without the need for a subwoofer.

In the centre of the action
An automated room calibration precisely tailors the sound to your room and preferred seating position. This ensures a perfect sense of reality and immersion, whether you are watching a movie, listening to music or enjoying a game of your favourite football team.The sound to suit your content
As well as supporting Dolby Atmos, MPEG-H and DTS:X, the soundbar’s Upmix Technology recreates stereo and 5.1 content as a thrilling 3D sound experience. Five presets perfectly tailor the frequencies and 3D sound characteristics according to your content.

A smart, connected experience
The AMBEO Soundbar features advanced connectivity via-built in Google ChromeCast, Bluetooth and HDMI eARC/CEC, while the Sennheiser Smart Control app for iOS and Android allows for effortless control and customization via your smart device.

The AMBEO Soundbar will be available from May 2019 for around 2,499 GBP (RRP).

Garmin announce new sat-nav & further latest innovations at CES

Chris Hare

-

Jan 7, 2019

0

Garmin announce new sat-nav & further latest innovations at CES

Garmin has today announced a pivotal upgrade to the Garmin Drive product line with a new wave of portable navigation devices (PNDs) designed to simplify the driving experience for road trips and daily commutes alike.

The revamped sat-navs include easy-to-use models with 5.0, 5.5, or 6.95-inch display sizes. By focusing on features that matter most, Garmin Drive customers can benefit from high-resolution edge-to-edge displays, easy-to-follow maps with 3D buildings and terrain, and valuable travel information to assist on road trips. The 2019 Garmin Drive series is being showcased in the Garmin booth at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Jan. 8-11.

“We are particularly proud of our Garmin DriveSmart 55 with a high resolution, 5.5”, edge-to-edge display that offers our customers a bigger display view in a compact design” said Dan Bartel, Garmin worldwide vice president of consumer sales. “In combination with faster route calculation times, an intuitive user interface and 3D landmarks for easy orientation, it is the perfect companion for any road trip”.

The new Garmin Drive product line now includes Galileo in addition to GPS to improve overall navigation experience in more challenging environments. This is particularly helpful when driving in places without a clear view of the sky, as in dense urban environments.

The new sat-navs are complemented with intuitive menus that feature voice-activated navigation to help drivers keep their hands on the steering wheel and built-in Wi-Fi^Ò that allows select models to perform simple map and software updates without relying on a computer. Helpful driver alerts, like school zone or sharp curves warnings, can potentially increase situational awareness and encourage safer driving. Plus, all Garmin Drive 52 and Garmin DriveSmart 55/65 come with Live Traffic, either via smartphone or via Digital Traffic, to show easy-to-understand, time-saving detours on the map.

With Garmin Real Directions, users can focus on the drive without the stress as the sat-nav easily guides them using recognisable landmarks, buildings and traffic lights. TripAdvisor traveller ratings are also available to help drivers discover highly-rated places offering the most convenient accommodation or favourite local restaurants, and Foursquare provides access to millions of new and popular points of interest. Additionally, all of the Garmin Drive models are equipped with map updates.

Furthermore, the Garmin DriveSmart 55 and 65 are compatible with the new Garmin Drive app, and the Garmin Drive 52 is compatible with the Smartphone Link app. Once the respective app is downloaded, the sat-nav can wirelessly connect with the driver’s smartphone via Bluetooth to help simplify the drive. Drivers will benefit from smart notifications, live traffic, live parking details, real-time safety camera information and weather conditions.

The new 2019 Garmin Drive lineup includes the Garmin Drive 52, the Garmin DriveSmart 55 and the Garmin DriveSmart 65. The sat-navs are expected to be available this month with suggested retail prices ranging from £119.99 to £249.99 (€139.99 to €289.99).

Tile Integrates with Leading BLE Chip Companies

News

Chris Hare

-

Jan 7, 2019

0

Tile has today announced partnerships and strategic collaborations with major BLE chip companies to enable integration of Tile technology onto the chip. With this exciting new development, product manufacturers interested in activating Tile’s “finding power” for their products will be able to select the feature during production, passing the unique value of Tile as a service on to their customers with little-to-no engineering effort.

“Through BLE chip partnerships, Tile will quickly become a foundational building block for BLE-enabled product manufacturers in a variety of verticals, from audio and cameras, to laptops and wearables,” said CJ Prober, CEO of Tile. “With over 20 billion BLE devices forecasted to ship in the next four years, ‘Find with Tile’ will soon be a key everyday feature in consumer products.”

Tile is collaborating closely with leading BLE chip companies, including Qualcomm, Dialog Semiconductor, Silicon Labs, and Toshiba; the agreements will see integrated Tile reference designs and increased platform compatibilities. As part of the strategic collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd. Tile will be a part of the Extension Program for Voice and Music. Ultimately, product manufacturers will be able to seamlessly enable products with Tile technology via BLE chips and offer “Find with Tile” features to their customers.

“As the consumer demand for products like truly wireless earbuds increases, and those earbuds shrink in size thanks to highly-integrated Bluetooth audio SOC’s like the QCC5100 series, keeping track of high-value audio devices becomes ever more important for the consumer, a problem which Tile looks to elegantly solve,” said Chris Havell, senior director, product marketing, Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd.

The company is also announcing new collaborations with Sennheiser, Sol Republic, Plantronics and Soundcore by Anker. All four companies will release Tile-enabled products in the coming months; these releases, along with existing integrations with Bose SoundSport Wireless headphones and Skullcandy Venue headphones solidify Tile’s pervasiveness in the audio vertical.

“The ability to offer new benefits, like Tile’s tracking and smart location services, to our customers differentiates us in the marketplace,” said Jason Hodell, CEO at Skullcandy, which integrated Tile into its Venue headphones last summer. “Knowing Tile’s finding technology will be available for activation at the production phase makes integration fast and seamless, and opens new ideas for how we can use it from product conception.”

Tile is continually improving its offerings to make “lost and found” as painless as possible. The company recently teamed up with Comcast as a major Platform partner and strategic investor in the fall, while also releasing new hardware products Tile Pro and Tile Mate (both with replaceable batteries), and Tile Premium, a suite of app-based services that brings, even more, finding power and peace of mind to customers. For more information, visit Tile.com.

D-Link showcase its latest family of smart mesh Wi-Fi routers and more at CES 2019

News
Tech

Chris Hare

-

Jan 7, 2019

0

D-Link will be showing off its latest range of wireless networking and smart home devices at CES 2019, Las Vegas. This will include a new generation of smart mesh Wi-Fi routers, a number of new mydlink cameras that work with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant, as well as exciting new features to the mydlink app.

The latest D-Link Exo Series, with McAfee Protection, will be showcased for the first time, and will include mesh-enabled, smart Wi-Fi routers and extenders. The Exo Series provides value-added, premium features which make this range of devices superior to other household networking solutions.

D-Link’s new DCS-8600LH Full HD Outdoor Wi-Fi Camera and DCS-8515LH HD Pan & Tilt Wi-Fi Camera also join D-Link’s family of best-in-class surveillance cameras. Both cameras have been designed to meet the requirements of the modern smart home, including innovative voice control features and compatibility with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant.

“Secure, seamless wireless connectivity both in the home and the office is not only needed, it is now expected. Our new Exo Series with McAfee Protection aims to prevent, detect and combat cyber threats, whilst ensuring first class Wi-Fi service,” said Kevin Wen, President at D-Link Europe.

“We are continuing to see consumers grow more comfortable with using smart home devices via voice assistant features, and there are no signs of this slowing down. As we continue to innovate, compatibility with Amazon Alexa and Google Alexa are a priority for us, and we are thrilled to showcase a number of new products at CES which utilise this” continued Wen.

Updates to the mydlink app will also be presented. The app now includes two new features; Rich Notifications and Smart Recaps, giving consumers increased control of their homes/offices at the touch of their fingertips. Users will receive instant screenshots when a motion event is detected, can call an emergency contact when a notification is received, are able to create a short time-lapse video of footage captured and can filter existing recorded videos by type of event detected.

“Our customers are increasingly looking for instant, convenient ways to keep their homes and offices more secure. The updates to our mydlink app have been developed to allow our users to make the make the most of their D-Link devices through a single, simple interface” said Kevin Wen, President of D-Link Europe.

Throughout CES 2019 D-Link will be showcasing its new 5G NR (New Radio) enhanced gateway, which was named a CES 2019 Innovation Awards Honouree, and its latest HD Wi-Fi camera with built-in smart home hub together with Zigbee-enabled sensors and smart plug.

The D-Link Exo Series, with McAfee Protection, includes mesh-enabled, smart Wi-Fi routers, providing value-added, premium features that make this range of solutions superior to other household networking devices. The series features D-Link’s Wi-Fi Mesh technology, allowing users to mix-and-match compatible routers and extenders to create networks that meet home/office networking needs. D-Link’s Wi-Fi Mesh creates one network throughout the entire home/office, so as you move around, you’re automatically connected to the strongest signal.

D-Link’s Exo Series routers are equipped with end-to-end protection for every device connected to the network. The McAfee Secure Home Platform automatically protects all devices connected to the network, and emerging threats are identified and blocked thanks to McAfee’s Global Threat Intelligence. Advanced parental controls ensure the safety of kids so that parents can rest easy. McAfee LiveSafe provides on-the-go protection when users are away from home.

The routers available in the first half of 2019 will include:

Exo Routers:

DIR-3060 AC3000 Smart Mesh Wi-Fi Router
DIR-2660 AC2600 Smart Mesh Wi-Fi Router
DIR-1960 AC1900 Smart Mesh Wi-Fi Router

Additional features include:

Voice control support with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa enabled devices
Powerful 880 MHz dual-core processor to handle intensive network activity, allowing users can enjoy buffer-free video streaming, lag-free gaming and lightning-fast surfing
Integrated Speedtest by Ookla for testing the speed of internet connection
Automatic firmware updates to ensure the best protection and latest features

DCS-8600LH Full HD Outdoor Wi-Fi Camera

D-Link’s DCS-8600LH Full HD Outdoor Wi-Fi camera is perfect for monitoring any space in any climate, with 135 degrees wide-angle field of view, IP65 waterproof housing, 7 metres of IP65 cabling and the ability to operate at temperatures from -25°C to 45 °C. The DCS-8600LH also features up to 7-metre night vision, two-way audio through an in-built microphone and speaker, motion detection, cloud recording and compatibility with the Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and IFTTT.

DCS-8515LH HD Pan & Tilt Wi-Fi Camera

D-Link’s DCS-8515LH HD Pan & Tilt Wi-Fi camera provides users with whole room monitoring with its 120-degree wide-angle field of view, and 340/105-degree pan/tilt range. Intelligent auto-tracking pan and tilt automatically track objects as they move across the room, whilst night vision support allows the camera to see up to 5 metres in complete darkness. Similarly, this camera also enables two-way audio through its built-in microphone and speaker, cloud recording, motion detection and compatibility with the Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and IFTTT.

With price and availability will be announced very soon.

Jabra launches Elite 85h headphones with SmartSound: exclusive AI technology for intelligent adaptive audio

Chris Hare

-

Jan 7, 2019

0

Jabra launches Elite 85h headphones with SmartSound: exclusive AI technology for intelligent adaptive audio

Jabra takes challengers to task at CES 2019, with the launch of the newest addition to their Elite range of headsets: the Elite 85h headphones. The new headphones are engineered with Jabra SmartSound, based on audEERING context intelligence technology and include Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Jabra’s HearThrough technology, which enables users to decide how much of the outside world penetrates through to the listener. Whether you are commuting, need to concentrate or are in a crowded place, SmartSound ensures the audio of the Elite 85h automatically adjusts to your surroundings to offer the best calls and music experience.

The Elite 85h headphones set new standards across the board, with 32-hour battery life (with ANC activated), crystal-clear sound with advanced 6-microphone call technology, 40mm custom-engineered speakers for top-quality acoustic experience and industry-leading durability. Together with SmartSound and totally hands-free Voice Assistant Control – allowing for faster and easier voice assistant access on-the-go – the Elite 85h are the smartest ANC headphones on the market.

Like every Jabra device, the Elite 85h has been engineered to meet the challenges that users face in the real world. In today’s digitally-connected society, noise overload is considered one of the key factors affecting personal wellbeing. Jabra’s SmartSound technology tackles noise pollution in a way like never before. Jabra has an exclusive part ownership of intelligent audio analysis company audEERING, the world leader in audio AI technology. The relationship allows Jabra to include environmental adaptation into the new Elite 85h headphones, creating a personalised audio experience that goes beyond current Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) solutions available in the market.

SmartSound, driven by AI technology

Jabra SmartSound is based on audEERING’s context intelligence technology, which uses real-time acoustic scene analysis of environmental sounds. The technology can detect more than 6,000 unique sound characteristics and uses this to adapt audio output to each specific context. This means that when moving from a noisy train station into a quiet train carriage, the context intelligence technology will take notice and will automatically adjust the audio to the changed surroundings. It will select one of the three moments: ‘Commute’, ‘In Public’ or ‘In Private’ to guarantee a consistent quality for your audio experience. Users can personalise their calls and music settings even further through Jabra’s Sound+ app, which will remember your preferred settings within the mode for future similar situations.

Dagmar Schuller, CEO at audEERING said: “audEERING’s AI based audio context intelligence technology empowers the new Elite 85h headphones by Jabra to deliver the best call and music experience on the market. Users can be sure to get the most sophisticated product there is with reliable and innovative AI technology made in Germany.”

100 per cent hands-free with Alexa

The microphone solution combined with the Jabra Sound+ app creates a 100 per cent hands-free Voice Assistant access experience. Users no longer need to touch a button on the headphones to interact with Alexa, Siri® or Google Assistant™ – all you need to do is speak, to be connected immediately. Jabra is the among the first to feature this capability, allowing users to access Alexa by invoking the wake word.

René Svendsen-Tune, CEO at Jabra said: “One of the biggest challenges for people on-the-go is consistency in voice, call and audio quality in every environment, whilst ensuring the best voice interaction and connectivity that allows for either total concentration or relaxation. Our Elite range represents the best-in-class products for calls and music. We developed SmartSound, to ensure we can continue to deliver quality calls and music experience wherever you are. The Elite 85h is a revolutionary headset that will change the way we experience sound and cope with noise in the future.”

Key features of the Jabra Elite 85h:

SmartSound: Audio that automatically adapts to your surroundings
100 per cent hands-free: Voice Assistant access without pushing a button
Four colour variations: Black, Titanium Black, Gold Beige and Navy
Battery: Up to 32-hour battery with ANC activated and 35 hours without ANC
Microphones: 8 microphones in total. 6 dedicated for calls, 4 for ANC and 2 hybrid mics for both calls and ANC.
Speakers: 40 mm custom-engineered speakers
Durability: Unique IP52 dust and rain resistance, backed by a 2-year warranty against water and dust
Personalize: Jabra Sound+ app for SmartSound features, including customized settings

Availability & pricing

The headset will be available in four colours (Black, Titanium Black, Gold Beige and Navy), incl. one exclusive to BestBuy in US & Canada (Black). Available from April 2019 at selected retailers at £279.99.

Find out more about the Jabra Elite 85h and SmartSound at www.jabra.co.uk/elite85h.

Jabra Move receives stylish facelift and under £90

Chris Hare

-

Jan 7, 2019

0

Jabra Move receives stylish facelift and under £90

One of the leading wireless headphones in the below $100 category just got better. At CES 2019, Jabra is launching the new Jabra Move Style Edition – an upgraded version of the acclaimed on-ear wireless headphones, Jabra Move.

Engineered for wireless music on-the-move, the Move Style Edition offers an improved battery life of up to 14 hours, whilst offering the same great sound, comfort and light weight. It comes in three new stylish colours: Titanium Black, Gold Beige and Navy.

Since the introduction of the Jabra Move, the headphones have been widely recognized in its category for their superior wireless sound and high-quality music experience. The Move allows users to control calls directly from the headphones. The comfortable and lightweight headband combined with soft on-ear cups is angled for great fit and immersive sound. And when you are out of battery or can’t connect wirelessly, the optional 3.5 mm cable has you covered.

“The Jabra Move is one of the most popular on-ear wireless headphones because it offers a great wireless experience for calls and music on-the-move at an affordable price. It has long been a customer favourite and by adding improved battery life and three new colour options to the existing great features, we expect the Move Style Edition to become must-have Bluetooth headphones,” said Calum MacDougall, SVP Marketing, at Jabra.

Key features of the Jabra Move Style Edition:
• Sound: Superior wireless sound with music control
• Battery life: Enjoy up to 14 hours of play
• Design: Ultra-light headband tested to withstand life on the go
• Stylish: New colour shades – Titanium Black, Gold Beige and Navy

Availability & pricing
Find out more about the Jabra Move Style Edition at: http://www.jabra.co.uk. The headset will be available from mid-January, 2019 at selected retailers, £89.99.

Hive Link earns CES 2019 Innovation Awards

Chris Hare

-

Jan 7, 2019

0

Centrica Hive, has today announced that it has been named a CES 2019 Innovation Awards Honoree for Hive Link, a new groundbreaking innovation for the connected care market.

Debuting at CES 2019, Hive Link is a new smart home service designed to allow caregivers to check their loved one is getting on with their day as usual, while giving a loved one reassurance someone is there if needed.

Developed in partnership with Carers UK, Hive Link is powered by an ever-learning Hive designed algorithm, continually interpreting data captured by Hive smart home devices carefully placed around the home, learning a loved one’s routine. This information is shown through an intuitive, easy to use activity log within the Hive app, allowing caregivers to check in regularly. If the loved one deviates from a usual routine in the morning or at night, or leaves a front door open, the caregiver is quickly sent a notification, allowing for an immediate and appropriate response, such as a phone call or drop in for a visit.

As an added benefit, Hive Link features a sharing Circle that allows other family members and friends to share the caring responsibilities and help look out for a loved one. By keeping people better informed, Hive Link can give peace of mind, meaning caregivers and loved ones can be free to enjoy conversations that matter most, being less about checking up—and more about having a chat.
Claire Miles, Centrica Hive Managing Director, says: “Empowering caregivers is a real passion for us at Centrica Hive and we firmly believe smart home technology will provide extra reassurance for families and their loved ones. Our research with Carers UK clearly shows elderly people want to live in their home and remain independent, but have someone on hand to help if needed. Hive Link was created with this insight at its heart. Designed to be invisible within the home, but always there to give invaluable peace of mind and let everyone enjoy their lives.”

The coveted award celebrates the best in product design and engineering for new consumer technology products. An esteemed panel of judges, including designers, engineers and members of the tech media, reviews submissions based on design, functionality, consumer appeal, engineering and how the products compare with competition.

Review of the new Honor 10 Lite

Chris Hare

-

Jan 7, 2019

0

Here is the review of the newly announced Honor 10 Lite priced at £199.99 available from HiHonor UK and at selected retailers.

Honor 10 lite is no exception but the 3D glare gradient design on the back, Running on Kirin 710 with its own GPU Turbo 2.0 is also sufficient to provide users with a smooth experience.

The Honor 10 Lite comes in three colours of Sky Blue, Sapphire Blue and Midnight Black. The back uses a high-precision 3D lithography. The Honor 10 Lite uses a 6.21-inch pearl screen, which accounts for 90% of the front panel. It has added Eye Protection Mode 2.0 to effectively filter blue light.

In the drop area, the Honor 10 Lite has a number of components and sensors. But what’s more interesting, is that the brand has managed to put a 24MP camera there. The chin uses COF packaging process, which is mainly seen in the flagship models. That’s why the chin is narrow enough.

sim tool, micro USB lead and charger and a clear case for the phone comes in the phone box

Specs

DESIGN Dewdrop FullView screen 3D curved design 8-layer craftmanship on the back Vibrant gradient colour

COLOURS Sky Blue, Sapphire Blue, Midnight Black

PROCESSOR AND MEMORY Huawei Kirin 710/F, octa-core (4 x Cortex A73 2.2 GHz + 4 x Cortex A53 1.7 GHz) RAM: 3GB/4GB/6GB ROM: 32GB/64GB GPU Turbo 2.0 SOFTWARE EMUI 9.0 (based on android 9)

DISPLAY 6.21-inch 2340 x 1080p FHD display Over 90% screen-to-body ratio 19.5:9 bezel-less display Multi touch-sensitive screen

FRONT CAMERA 24MP AI front camera ▪ F/2.0 aperture ▪ AI recognition of 8 scenarios ▪ 4-in-1 light fusion technology exposure compensation technology

▪ 3D Portrait lighting with multiple lighting options ▪ Soft Lighting ▪ Butterfly Lighting ▪ Split Lighting ▪ Classic Lighting ▪ Stage Lighting

REAR CAMERA 13MP + 2MP rear camera ▪ F/1.8 + F/2.4 aperture ▪ Handheld night photography enabled by AI-powered image stabilisation(“AIS”) ▪ AI portrait mode

CAMERA SMART FEATURES AI Translation AI Identify

SIZE AND WEIGHT 154.8 mm (H) 73.64 mm (W)* 7.95 mm (D) Approx. 162g (including the battery)

BATTERY# 3400mAh (typical value) Number of charging time: approx.150 mins (theoretical) 3G call: Up to 19 hours Standby time: Up to 612 hours

INTERFACES Headset type: 3.5mm Micro USB Nano-SIM or microSD card slot

SENSORS Fingerprint sensor Proximity sensor Ambient light sensor Digital compass Gravity sensor

CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4G/5G Bluetooth BT4.2+BLE USB 2.0 GPS/GLONASS/BeiDou Navigation System/AGPS

FREQUENCY BAND 4G LTE FDD: B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B20/B28 4G LTE TDD: B38/B40/B41 3G UMTS: B1/2/4/5/8 2G GSM: B2/3/5/8

This notch on this is known as U-Notch display which is first used by Essential Phone a year back.

At the bottom of the fuselage, there are speakers, a micro-USB interface, a microphone, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Starting way back from Honor 8 this line is considered to be great among others. The Honor 10 Lite is the qualified successor of this series. Actually, it has a number of advantages that can’t be ignored.

With this good specs and design plus camera, this will be the first budget phone of 2019.

Camera Samples

With battery life on the Honor 10 Lite is amazing that will keep you going for a whole working day and still have more all because of the 3400mAh. Good cameras on both front and back and with a read fingerprint sensor as well. It may be Lite in name but not Lite in features. With games like PUBG that can be played on the Honor 10 Lite with good framerates but sadly not Fortnite just yet maybe soon.

Verdict

Pros

Good camera with plenty of features
Competitive price
Solid performance and battery life

Cons

Still using micro USB in 2019

Welcome to the Honor 10 Lite with a 90% screen to body ratio for under £200

Chris Hare

-

Jan 7, 2019

1

Welcome to the Honor 10 Lite with a 90% screen to body ratio for under £200

Today HONOR has unveiled the HONOR 10 Lite today in the UK. Complete with an AI-powered 24MP camera, flagship-grade configurations and powered by EMUI 9.0 and Android 9, the HONOR 10 Lite offers impressive performance for an unbeatable price point £199.99.

The HONOR 10 Lite packs all its features into a compact handset, with a slim dewdrop notch and sleek colour gradient.

The HONOR 10 Lite comes with a 6.21” FullView HD screen display and a dewdrop notch design that pushes the screen-to-body ratio beyond 90%.

Additionally, the HONOR 10 Lite rear design is constructed from eight layers of shimmering material for a dazzling visual effect. The vibrant gradient colour choices include the newly introduced Sky Blue, and the classic Sapphire Blue and Midnight Black.

Full Specs

DESIGN Dewdrop FullView screen 3D curved design 8-layer craftmanship on the back Vibrant gradient colour

COLOURS Sky Blue, Sapphire Blue, Midnight Black

PROCESSOR AND MEMORY Huawei Kirin 710/F, octa-core (4 x Cortex A73 2.2 GHz + 4 x Cortex A53 1.7 GHz) RAM: 3GB/4GB/6GB ROM: 32GB/64GB GPU Turbo 2.0 SOFTWARE EMUI 9.0 (based on android 9)

DISPLAY 6.21-inch 2340 x 1080p FHD display Over 90% screen-to-body ratio 19.5:9 bezel-less display Multi touch-sensitive screen

FRONT CAMERA 24MP AI front camera ▪ F/2.0 aperture ▪ AI recognition of 8 scenarios ▪ 4-in-1 light fusion technology exposure compensation technology

▪ 3D Portrait lighting with multiple lighting options ▪ Soft Lighting ▪ Butterfly Lighting ▪ Split Lighting ▪ Classic Lighting ▪ Stage Lighting

REAR CAMERA 13MP + 2MP rear camera ▪ F/1.8 + F/2.4 aperture ▪ Handheld night photography enabled by AI-powered image stabilisation(“AIS”) ▪ AI portrait mode

CAMERA SMART FEATURES AI Translation AI Identify

SIZE AND WEIGHT 154.8 mm (H) 73.64 mm (W)* 7.95 mm (D) Approx. 162g (including the battery)

BATTERY# 3400mAh (typical value) Number of charging time: approx.150 mins (theoretical) 3G call: Up to 19 hours Standby time: Up to 612 hours

INTERFACES Headset type: 3.5mm Micro USB Nano-SIM or microSD card slot

SENSORS Fingerprint sensor Proximity sensor Ambient light sensor Digital compass Gravity sensor

CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4G/5G Bluetooth BT4.2+BLE USB 2.0 GPS/GLONASS/BeiDou Navigation System/AGPS

FREQUENCY BAND 4G LTE FDD: B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B20/B28 4G LTE TDD: B38/B40/B41 3G UMTS: B1/2/4/5/8 2G GSM: B2/3/5/8

“The HONOR 10 Lite fuses AI photography with exceptional design, offering an unrivalled selfie device for smartphone users around the world,” said Michael Pan, President of HONOR Western Europe. “This device, and its features, marks another step of the HONOR journey to bring industry-defining products to a dedicated global fanbase.”

Priced at £199.99, the HONOR 10 Lite will be available in Midnight Sapphire Blue, Sky Blue and Midnight Black, from today the (7^th January 2019) on https://www.hihonor.com/uk/ and at selected retailers

Hitman: Blood Money and Hitman: Absolution Remastered in 4K for the First Time

Gaming
News

Chris Hare

-

Jan 4, 2019

0

Hitman: Blood Money and Hitman: Absolution Remastered in 4K for the First Time

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and IO Interactive today announced Hitman HD Enhanced Collection, a compilation of two classic Hitman titles remastered in 4K resolution: Hitman: Blood Money and Hitman: Absolution.

Both games can be played in 4K resolution and 60 fps, including many other improvements that bring these two classic titles into 2019 with the attention and love that they deserve. Hitman HD Enhanced Collection will be available digitally Jan. 11, 2019, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Pro and the Xbox One/Xbox One X.

“We’re very happy with this collection and how we were able to update and remaster two of our classic Hitman titles for modern consoles,” said Hakan Abrak, CEO, IO Interactive. “Hitman: Blood Money and Hitman: Absolution have helped us on our journey to where we are today, and we’re looking forward to players enjoying them in 4K and 60 fps.”

Hitman HD Enhanced Collection will feature 4K visuals at 60 frames per second (fps), along with increased texture resolution, upgraded texture formats, super-sampling, upscale support, heightened shadow map and mirror resolutions, improved lighting and updated controls for a more fluid experience.

Relive some of Agent 47’s most iconic hits in Hitman: Blood Money and experience a globe-trotting adventure from the vineyards of Chile, to the Paris Opera House and even the White House itself in a face-off against a group of assassins known as “The Franchise.”

Rediscover the cinematic story of Hitman: Absolution and experience the deep and personal story of Agent 47 as he pursues redemption across 20 intense missions. Enjoy a distinctive art style that combines with rich dialogue and performances by an impressive Hollywood cast to create a unique gameplay experience.

Hitman HD Enhanced Collection will be available digitally only £44.99.

Win a LittleBits Base Inventor Kit

Andrew Edney

-

Jan 4, 2019

0

It’s time for another giveaway – this time you could win the LittleBits Base Inventor Kit.

The introductory kit includes everything creative kids need to turn their ideas into inventions! With a range of Bits that move, light up, and make noise, kids gain STEAM skills by learning how technology is built and functions.

Build a circuit with light, sound, sensing and buttons without wiring, soldering or programming
Includes 10 modules such as a DC motor, light sensor and more
Includes instruction book with eight projects and hundreds more online
Mistake-proof building of over 150,000 possible circuit combinations
Compatible with all other littleBits modules and kit

How to enter to win

We have a LittleBits Base Inventor Kit to give away.

For your chance to win simply enter below:

Win a LittleBits Base Inventor Kit

The closing date is 11.59pm on 19th January 2019.

This contest is only open to those in the UK – sorry!

You can learn more from the LittleBits website.

Youth Concern receives £1,000 award from Vodafone UK

News

Chris Hare

-

Jan 3, 2019

0

Youth Concern receives £1,000 award from Vodafone UK

Youth Concern has been awarded a £1,000 donation from Vodafone U.K. The charity collected the Vodafone Community Connection Award this week after the store team in Aylesbury chose the deserving cause.

Launched in 2014, Vodafone’s Community Connection Awards have already made a difference to more than 170 local communities across the UK. Selected by local Vodafone staff and aimed at supporting local causes with a £1,000 donation, the awards have been used to help fund everything from new equipment for soup kitchens and day centres for the elderly to helping people with disabilities to take part in sporting activities.

Youth Concern offers guidance and counselling for vulnerable people aged 13-25. This support covers a range of issues from education and employment to housing and mental health. The charity also runs the Aylesbury Nightstop Programme which provides emergency accommodation – for up to 7 nights – for young people facing homelessness.

The Vodafone Community Connection Award will help fund a new project called ‘The Next Step’ which will provide those in need with alternative accommodation for up to a year as well as bespoke support packages to help people living independently.

Fran Borg-Wheeler, CEO at Youth Concern said, “We’re really grateful to have been selected for a Vodafone Community Connection Award it will help to make “The Next Step’ project a reality. We believe that every young person needs a safe home and this award will be a big step to making that possible in Aylesbury.”

Wayne Brown, Vodafone Store Manager in Aylesbury said, “We are absolutely delighted to donate £1,000 to Youth Concern. After hearing about ‘The Next Step’ project I knew we had made a terrific decision selecting them as our award winner. The donation will go towards an amazing development that will have a lasting impact for young people in our community.”

Review: Google 3 XL is it the King in Photo’s?

Chris Hare

-

Jan 3, 2019

1

Review: Google 3 XL is it the King in Photo’s?

When Google launched the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL a few months ago come with the latest from the Android world, upgraded hardware specifications, and more importantly, lots of machine learning.

Let’s take a closer look at the latest Google flagship phone, Pixel 3 XL.

Google Pixel 3 XL runs on Android 9 Pie, the latest Android OS iteration.

The new mobile OS itself is a big leap forward from the previous versions of Android, especially in terms of display and battery optimisation. The software also brings a set of Pixel-exclusive features.

Fast charger, USB type C cable, headphone jack apadter, usb type C headphones

Pixel 3 XL features Apple iPhone X-like gestures with a small pill at the bottom. The gestures are simple with a small swipe up to pull recent apps and a long one for the menu. It does take some time to get a hang of the gestures but soon enough you’ll find it more intuitive.

Pixel 3 XL also comes with Android Pie’s ‘Adaptive Battery’, one of the most important features of the OS. This AI-based feature studies your phone’s usage and accordingly limits battery usage for apps used seldom.

You’re also notified about the battery’s usage pattern and when the juice will possibly run out. When it comes to battery life, Pixel 3 XL runs for an entire day starting with 100%.

Pixel 3 XL
Key specs:

6.3-inch OLED notched display with QHD+ resolution

Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor

4GB of RAM,64/128GB storage

3,430mAh battery

Price starting from £869 for 64GB Storage (Price is £769 at the time of writing for a new year special discount from Google Store) but still available from Vodafone UK on pay monthly deals.

If the phone is put through excessive use, the battery does trickle down faster and heats up a little too. For example, when I was using the Pixel 3 XL as a Wi-Fi hotspot for almost an hour the phone started to heat. It isn’t alarming though.

Delving further into its performance, the Pixel 3 XL runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 processor. As expected from a flagship smartphone, the Pixel 3 XL runs smooth across regular apps like WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook. Also with a RAM size of 4GB, Pixel 3 XL still offers solid performance.

We also played the most popular smartphone game, PUBG Mobile, on the Pixel 3 XL. PUBG Mobile is optimised for phones with low specs and the opposite. We played PUBG Mobile with the highest graphics and frame rate option. The game runs effortlessly smooth on the Pixel 3 XL and never stutters even though it heats up a little bit, and yes it plays Foritnite with no problems at all.

We got some consistently good results in the game proving that the Pixel 3 XL can be of a big advantage when it comes to smartphone gaming.

The Pixel 3’s dual front speakers are very impressive and were a delight when streaming videos and shows.

With the Pixel 3 XL’s camera performance where software does most of the magic. A small recap – Google Pixel 3 XL features a 12-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, dual pixel phase detection, OIS and EIS, and f/1.8 aperture. On the front, it features dual 8-megapixel cameras (wide-angle and normal sensors). Google Pixel 3 XL delivers impressive results in daylight. But there’s more to the camera.

A little while ago the Google Pixel 3 XL added a feature called ‘Night Sight’ feature, the mode amplifies the quality of images taken in low-light.

The Night Sight mode on the Pixel 3 XL essentially brightens up your photos taken in low-light. We tried this feature in the darkest background we could find and the result was amazing. Not only does it brighten up the photo, it doesn’t miss details either. You can refer to the camera samples shot in normal mode, with flash and with Night Sight on.

Speaking about aesthetics, the only issue with the Pixel 3 XL is its weird looking notch. We’ve all made peace with the notch which wasn’t that big of a deal to begin with. But the notch on the Pixel 3 XL is just not right. In fact, the dual camera sensors along with the speaker look like a bad smiley face. Unlike most smartphones, this one doesn’t have an option to hide the notch. There is a workaround to it though.

Google continues with the subtle two-tone colour design on the Pixel 3 series.

Camera Samples