Category: Hardware News

Latest news from the World of Hardware

Disney is Helping Make ‘Iron Man’ and ‘Star Wars’ Bionic Hands For Kids

Some stories can melt your heart in an instant. Disney has always been something for children and the child in you. So, it pleases one to hear that the mass media and entertainment giant will be helping a UK-based start up in making prosthetic hands for children more appealing. And how will Disney help with that? By doing it the Disney way, of course.

Open Bionics is the name of the UK-based start up that focuses on low-cost 3D-printed prosthetics. The company is also a part of Disney’s Techstars Accelerator program. Disney is giving Open Bionics royalty-free licenses to create prosthetics modeled off of Iron Man, Elsa from Frozen, and a glowing, buzzing ‘lightsaber hand’ familiar to millions of Star Wars fans.

But the fun doesn’t just end with the design. It also does things, too. Take the lightsaber hand, for example. You can turn on a set of LED lights that illuminate the prosthetic which also give off the lightsaber-like buzzing sounds. A button also lets you change the saber’s colour because fans know that characters like Luke Skywalker, Yoda and Darth Vader favour different couloured lightsabers.

Similarly, the Iron Man gauntlet will let the child shoot off “rockets”. Well, not really, but with the LED lights and sounds and a vibrating motor it does give off that feeling. But the prosthetics aren’t just expensive toys. They’re made to help the child and provide physical therapy while having fun. The motor gives a haptic feedback to the child when he non-threateningly fires from the Iron Man gauntlet and also serves to indicate the strength of the grip being exerted by the child. Apart from serving a fun light show, the LED lights also lets parents and doctors understand what signals are being sent to the device.

Open Bionics CEO Joel Gibbard told Independent that, “the power of these prosthetics is that the public perception is completely different. All of a sudden they’re not being asked how they lost their hand, they’re being asked where they got their cool robot hand, how does it feel, and how does it work?”

Earlier this year, Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) himself paid a visit to a seven-year old boy and gave the kid a custom-made Iron Man prosthetic gauntlet. Watch the video below that is sure to bring a smile to your face today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEx5lmbCKtY

Open Bionics is hoping to make a big difference with these prosthetic hands and is aiming to have them available by the end of next year at a reasonable price of around $500.

October 14, 2015
iPhone 6s Tests Confirm ‘Batterygate’ Does Not Mean Trouble For The Device

We recently reported about the the difference in the battery performance of the new iPhones depending on their A9 chips. These chips are provided by two different manufacturers, Samsung and TSMC. When two iPhone 6s’ were put to use under similar conditions, it was observed that the one with the TSMC chip lasted longer, by adding two extra hours to the battery life.

What is now being touted as the ‘Batterygate’ controversy has raised questions about Apple’s newest devices. This also increases pressure on the company to maintain its position in the tech world, already having been through some turbulent waters in the recent past due to security and software issues. The difference in the performance of the two chips raised quality-related questions for Apple and made the position of the new iPhones shakier, already being panned by many for their steep price-tags.

However, Apple-haters would regret to know that ‘Batterygate’ isn’t as mired a situation as it initially seemed to be. Tests have confirmed the controversy is not too big a deal for the difference between the performance of the two chips isn’t too wide. A Samsung chip does not mean hours of battery shortage as compared to TSMC chips. Potential buyers can go ahead and not let the A9 chips be a deterrent in buying the new iPhones.

October 13, 2015
Samsung Galaxy S7 To Come With Three CPU Variants

Over the past few weeks, rumours have been on overdrive regarding Samsung’s next flagship, the Galaxy S7. In our previous post regarding the rumoured S7 launch, we told you that the phone will come in two models, one featuring the new quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and the other having the octa-core Exynos.

There have been rumours in the past suggesting that three S7 devices will be launched instead of two, and that two of them will have the curved display (like the S6 Edge and S6 Edge+) while one will have a flat screen. These rumours, however, have been dismissed as of now. Latest speculation is that Samsung will have only two S7 versions, where one will be the ‘Edge’ version and the other will have a flat display.

However, it looks like the S7 will come in three CPU variants. If rumours are to be believed, the China and US model will receive the new Snapdragon 820 processor. Europe, Japan and South Korea will come with a Samsung Exynos 7990 processor and the final model, rumoured to have an Exynos 7422 will launch in India.

Samsung is looking to get ahead of its competition by having a January announcement and a February launch. The S7 will also likely be the first Android Marshmallow handset for the company. Follow this space for more on the Galaxy S7.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.phonearena.com/news/Report-Samsungs-one-curved-screen-phone-next-year-will-be-a-Galaxy-S7-model_id74620″]Phone Arena[/tw-button]

October 12, 2015
Here’s How You Can Watch the Windows Event Live

Tech year has kept its hand full for a while now with all major brands coming out with their flagship devices and significant updates to their offerings, one after another. Taking a look at the recent past, Apple is an important name which triggered a new season of sorts in the technology circuit just a couple of weeks ago.

Come September and 2015 would see not only Apple, but also the Google Nexus event. We were just done drawing comparisons between these two events when Microsoft has now arrived with its contribution to the events song and dance. Both Apple and Google events offered the latest in technology, showcasing top-drawer devices, updates, software and accessories. Hopes ride high as we sit back to see if Microsoft too will follow the league of its counterparts.

There is much to expect from the company as it comes out with its first high-end smartphones of the year at event today. There are lots of hardware updates in store, along with additions to the Lumia phones category, a new variant of the Microsoft band, and the Surface Pro can be expected to found at the launch among other things. We might also get to see smartphones and tablets compatible with Windows by the end of the event.

Windows will be hosting the event in New York today at 10 AM ET. The event can be watched live here at 7:30pm IST.

October 6, 2015
Logitech’s G410 Mechanical Keyboard is a Gamer’s Delight

Logitech has come out with a new gaming keyboard, the G410 Atlas Spectrum. Logitech says that fans have been asking for a smaller keyboard that did away with keys that were of no use to gaming whatsoever. So the company did just that with the G410, which has a tenkeyless design (i.e no number pad or macro keys).

The tenkeyless keyboard makes the G410 small and light enough to carry around in your bag. The smaller board also makes it easier to identify keys for gaming and allows for a smoother, easier gameplay.

The keyboard is built around the custom-designed Romer-G mechanical switches. This means the keys have a shallow actuation point (1.5 mm of travel) and is designed to have a softer click as well. The company also says that the Romer-G switches register key presses up to 25 percent faster than its competitors.

Users who still prefer the old-school way of having a mechanical keyboard and who enjoy the loud clicks may find softer voice of the G410 a little too subtle. However, newcomers are sure to love the smaller, lighter board and the RGB (Red-Green-Blue) LED keys that light up the board beautifully when your fingers press on a key.

Typing on the G410 will surely bring back your early PC memories. It has everything a gamer could want, and everything else for everyday use. The G410 is easy to type accurately on, with keys that are easy to find by touch and can be pressed with very little force. However, those who prefer the hard clicking sound of the Logitech G310 will perhaps want to stick with the older keyboard.

Companies like Alienware and Razer have already used multi-colours inside their keyboards, but Logitech cleverly uses those lights to bring a sense of joy in typing, gaming, or simply looking at it. See the keyboard light up in the video below.

The Logitech G410 goes on sale in October at a price of $129.99 in the United States and €149 in Europe. No details yet as to when it will reach India. The G310 Atlas Dawn, however, is available in India on Amazon for Rs. 7,291.

September 30, 2015
This is How Much it Costs to Build the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus

Research firm IHS Technology says Apple’s iPhone 6s and 6s Plus costs $211.50 and $236, respectively, in terms of hardware. The most costly feature of the new iPhones is the 3D Touch which is marked at $52.50. This is followed by the A9 processor at $22. The 16 GB NAND flash chip is believed to cost $5.50 approximately, and WLAN module and battery are estimated around $6 and $4.50.

The on board audio hardware, NFC controller, accelerometer/gyroscope, barometer and compass come in together at $18. Other miscellaneous items that include enclosures, circuit boards and connectors roughly add up to $42, along with assembly fees of $4.50 per device.

Now that you have all the required info, why wait till the 16th of October for the launch of the new iPhones? Tinker away and put your own device together. Who knows where a little bit of ambition and optimism might take you?

September 30, 2015
GoPro Introduces Entry-Level Action Camera With Wi-Fi And Bluetooth

If you’ve been looking for a GoPro camera that doesn’t pinch your pocket and yet has some important features such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, then the company has just the thing for you. GoPro has announced an entry-level action camera, the GoPro Hero+ that comes with (you guessed it) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and will be priced at $199.99 (Rs. 13,200 approx). The camera is placed between the base GoPro Hero ($129.99) and the more expensive Hero+ LCD ($299.99).

Earlier, you would have had to pay a lot more if you wanted a GoPro camera that allowed you to transfer videos to your phone. However, with the GoPro Hero+ expected to release worldwide on October 4th, you won’t have to pay that extra $100. The Hero+ Wi-Fi has the best of both worlds. On the outside it pretty much looks exactly like the Hero, while the internal camera equipment borrows from the Hero+ LCD. The Hero+ will allow you to record 1080p videos at 60 fps (up from the Hero’s 30 fps) minus the LCD touchscreen. It also sees a bump in still shooting from 5 to 8 megapixels.

The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity allows you to frame shots, change camera settings, and share the videos you capture, all from your smartphone. The company is also looking to cut the price of the Hero 4 Session action camera from $399 to $299. Before this, the Hero 4 Session had trouble finding takers since it lacked a display which could be found in the Hero 4 Silver for the same price. The price cut is likely to change that.

Click here to watch some amazing videos shot on GoPro.

September 28, 2015
Virtual Reality is Now Affordable Thanks to Samsung’s $99 Gear VR

The Netflix experience is about to get a whole lot better. Samsung announced the newest edition to Gear VR in collaboration with Oculus , along with a slew of new features and apps. The headset will have a redesigned trackpad, a new Xbox-style Gamepad with dual analogue design, and a new, lower price that’ll be available this November in the United States.

The Gear VR is also getting a major media boost with Netflix, Hulu and Twitch among the few new services that will be available for the headset. The Netflix app, for example, creates a virtual living room for the viewer to watch in. The virtual television in front of you will have the Netflix UI on the screen. You simply look to move the cursor and tap the touchpad on the side of the Gear VR to make your selection. Currently the app allows almost no choice for the user in terms of the environmental changes or the distance of the screen.

The Oculus -made Samsung Gear VR will work with the whole 2015 line of Samsung Smartphones including the Note 5, S6, S6 Edge, and S6 Edge+, and will be priced at $99, a $100 less than the previous Gear VR.

“Virtual reality that’s accessible to consumers is still very young and so it was all about developing the ecosystem,” said Jim Willson, director of immersive products and VR at Samsung. “We had to make sure there was enough content, both in terms of video content … and on the gaming side.”

Wilson hinted at a captive audience that an app like Netflix can provide with more number of hours being spent with these media apps. Apart from Netflix, Oculus also announced 20th Century Fox and Lionsgate, as well as Hulu, Twitch, TiVo and Vimeo for VR apps.

Samsung is looking to expand its consumer base and is looking to make the Gear VR not just a device for niche audience. It may take a while before people take to the virtual reality experience, but with PlayStation also working on its VR gaming technology, the future of media technology looks pretty clear. So, for those who want to experience the next season of Daredevil in virtual reality can get their hands on the Gear VR from November.

September 25, 2015
ASUS Launches an Affordable LED Flash Phone Accessory in India

Venturing away from smartphones, ASUS today announced the arrival of interesting accessories in India. They’ve added ‘LolliFlash’ and ‘ZenEars’ to their Indian portfolio, priced at Rs. 899 and Rs. 699 respectively.

Talking about the LolliFlash first, the accessory is a Dual-LED flashlight for smartphones. It slots into a device’s headphone socket and is perfect for adding the much-needed flash light for night time or low light selfies. The LolliFlash provides three brightness levels and a 70 degree beam.

What’s slightly disconcerting about the device is that it requires charging. The company claims that one full charge provides a 3-hour battery life. The accessory works with any device with a 3.5mm headphone jack. The portable device comes with three colour filters as well – white, blue and red.

Next, Asus introduced the ZenEars, which are earphones. The company claims that they fit perfectly into the user’s ears and effectively absorb reflected sound, reducing distortion and restore more music details. It consists of a patented damping system and transmission tube designed to deliver crystal clear and detailed sound.

Both accessories are available starting today.

September 14, 2015
YU YUpix is an Affordable Printer For Your Smartphone

Ahead of its smartphone launch scheduled for 8th September, Yu has announced a unique smartphone printer priced at a mere Rs. 6,999. The device helps you instantly create prints of pictures, directly from your smartphone.

The new printer, which is compatible with both iOS and Android devices, uses a ‘dye sublimation’ printing tech with a 291DPI resolution. The YUpix comes with a 750mAh battery and can print a picture sized 2.1x 3.4 inch; it supports the JPEG format. Connectivity-wise we have the option of using NFC/Wi-fi as well as Wi-fi direct.

The company claims that the smart printer is portable and “smaller than a tablet”. Seems like YU, just like its competitor Xiaomi, is working on a peripheral of products rather than focusing solely on smartphones. The young company co-founded by Rahul Sharma, already has fitness wearables in its portfolio. We’re excited to find out what’s in store next.

The device is available exclusively on Amazon. Click here to buy now:

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September 7, 2015
Along with iPhone 6s, Apple Expected to Reveal New Magic Mouse and Keyboard

With Samsung’s major Unpacked event out of the way, we now have two big events to look forward to in September – IFA Berlin and Apple’s iPhone unveiling. Apple’s annual event, held in September, usually showcases the latest iteration of its flagship smartphone, along with which Apple also throws light on several other peripherals. Last year, along with the iPhone 6, 6 Plus all the attention was grabbed by the Apple Watch.

We’re now hearing that this year we can expect to see the upgrades to Apple’s Magic Mouse and Wireless Keyboard. According to a FCC filing, the two accessories will see a major overhaul in the connectivity department. They will get rid of the Bluetooth 2.1, and jump to the latest, Bluetooth 4.2. This should smoothen the interaction between the main device and the accessory.

Along with this, there is also a mention about the battery used within the two devices. According to the reports, the company may include rechargeable batteries, instead of the swappable kinds that are currently in use. All in all, the AA batteries will be replaced by integrated lithium battery packs.

Source : [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.slashgear.com/new-apple-mouse-keyboard-incoming-with-bluetooth-le-14397335/”]Slash Gear[/tw-button]

August 17, 2015
Engineers Break the Speed Limit for Fiber-Optic Transmissions

Fiber optic networks are already the preferred choice for Internet connections in countries like USA and UK and following the trend, companies like MTNL and Airtel are offering fiber optic services to Indian consumers. Fiber-optics based Internet can usually transmit Internet speed ranging from 15 Mbps upto 100 Mbps in some countries.

Of late, there is a discussion going on among scientists and researchers on what will happen when fiber-optic cables reach their physical limits. In a matter of few years, the physical barrier of 100 TBps could be reached in five years and could easily break if services like 8K streaming and others become the standard.

It may look like that the Internet Apocalypse may soon end our days of trolling and killing time on 9GAG, but thankfully, it will not happen.

Engineers at UC San Diego’s Qualcomm Institute have successfully tested the limit of fiber-optic transmissions by increasing the power of optical signals almost twenty times the base level. To send the data faster, engineers usually increase the speed by adding more power, which can interfere with the data, scramble it and lead to a state where data is not being delivered at all.

Engineers used wideband “frequency combs” that conditioned streams of information before they were sent out, so that any interference that occurred along the way would be predicted. At the receiving end of the fiber, the information was unscrambled and fully restored.

As Nikola Alic of the Qualcomm Institute, a lead author on the paper, under which the experiment was carried out, puts it, “Today’s fiber optic systems are a little like quicksand. With quicksand, the more you struggle, the faster you sink. With fiber optics, after a certain point, the more power you add to the signal, the more distortion you get, in effect preventing a longer reach.” The team’s use of “frequency combs” will not only keep the signal going but will also allow distortion-free signal.

Internet will live on, after all.

June 29, 2015
Samsung’s New Tech Promises Longer Battery Life

Smartphone users across the world face the same problem regardless of which phone they use – the inevitable dying battery in a short period of time. Our phones run multiple tasks while using bluetooth, wi-fi and cellular networks at the same time. For faster workflow, the processors will use more power, thus resulting in battery drain and the headache of finding ways to charge our phones.

It seems Samsung may have found a solution to our power woes.

Scientists at the company have developed lithium-ion battery technology that promises longer-lasting power. The battery uses a silicon anode, which increases the battery capacity and has layers of graphene on top to improve its density and longevity. Thus, the battery is at least 1.5 times denser than the current battery packs. As a result, the phone, which can previously run on 12 hours of battery, can now function for 21 hours, at least theoretically.

Since the project is still in its research stage, the improved battery will not be expected in the next Galaxy series or any new phones in the coming years. Every year, the phones continue to get better and faster and require a larger battery for the same, which results in an increase in size. That is why Samsung’s breakthrough is important since adding a larger battery won’t be a solution in the future. Plus, as this ad by Samsung shows, we shouldn’t hassle with white cords every time our phone dies.

June 29, 2015
Details About Upcoming Apple Products Revealed by El Capitan’s Beta Version

A new beta version of OS X El Capitan has revealed a new line of Apple products. According to a report, the beta version references for future products include a 21.5-inch 4K Retina display and a Bluetooth remote control.

Source: 9To5Mac.com

Apple introduced the 27-inch iMac with 5K Retina display last year. It is only logical that if Apple wants to introduce a smaller version of Retina display with 4K resolution, it would upgrade the 21.5 inch Mac for it. The new beta version references Mac support for Apple-made display panel with a 4096 x 2304 resolution.

A new Intel graphics chipset, Iris Pro 600 was referenced in the El Capitan beta version. Along with that, four new AMD Radeon processors – M380, M390, M395 and M395X – were mentioned. It is possible that these chipsets would power the 4K iMac and the new models.

Source: 9To5Mac

A new file inside El Capitan has revealed the possibility of a Bluetooth Remote Control being developed at Apple. The report says that ” this new piece of hardware integrates a dedicated Bluetooth wireless chip, can connect with devices via an infrared sensor, and includes a Multi-Touch trackpad with inertial scrolling support”. The device also seems to support audio, which means it could be integrated with Siri.

The report suggests that the new remote could be a part of an upcoming revamped Apple TV. However, there is no mention of Apple TV and the file doesn’t exist in public versions of OS X and OS X Yosemite Beta release.

June 26, 2015
You Can Now Buy Sandisk’s Massive (Yet Tiny) 200GB MicroSD for Rs. 15,250

SanDisk’s mammoth 200 GB microSD card, which caused a bit of a stir at MWC in Barcelona this year, is finally up for grabs. Pushing the limits of portable storage, the device has a massive storage capacity of 200GB and is claimed to have a transfer rate of 90MB per sec, or 1,200 photos per minute. As a Class 10 memory card, it is presumably geared towards photographers and filmmakers who need more space than other SD cards can typically provide.

The microSD card is also waterproof, temperature proof, shockproof, X-ray proof, and magnet proof.

Commenting on the launch, Dinesh Bahal, Vice President, Product Marketing, SanDisk, said;

We continue to push technology boundaries to deliver record-breaking solutions that transform the way consumers use their mobile devices. By focusing on achieving new capacity and speed milestones, we are able to deliver trusted mobile memory solutions that give consumers the freedom to never stop capturing, saving, or sharing – with the benefit of fast speeds to transfer it all quickly.

Now, we are aware that many phone manufacturers have limited the size capacity of their devices. For example, the LG G4 can carry up to 2TB of data while the Zenfone 2 can support up to 64GB. Most smartphones only list a maximum of 128GB Micro SD card storage, but there are several which push the limit. That means users who want to add more data storage to devices like the LG G4, HTC One M9+ and HTC One ME (which come with the 2TB of expandable storage option), should be able to use the new 200GB Micro SD card easily.

Imagine the number of movies your smartphone will be able to hold.

For now, the microSD card is up on Amazon for a prize of $240 (Approx. Rs 15,250) and is backed by a ten-year limited warranty. The e-commerce website is shipping to most parts of India.

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June 26, 2015