Apple iPod Touch powered by A10 Fusion chip launched in India starting at Rs 18,900

Apple has revived one of my favourite products - the iPod Touch. The iPod touch has been updated with an A10 Fusion chip. For those unaware, the A10 Fusion Chip is a 64-bit ARM based SoC that debuted in the 10.5-inch iPad Pro. It was also used in the second generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro. The chip is made by TSMC on their 10 nm FinFET process. Apple’s current-gen iPhones and iPadas are rocking the A12 chip, so the A10, though old, isn’t that old. 

The updated iPod touch will bring with it features like augmented reality experiences, Group FaceTime, and more. The new iPod touch will be available in stores later this week.

“We’re making the most affordable iOS device even better with performance that is twice as fast as before, Group FaceTime and augmented reality starting at just $199,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Product Marketing. “The ultra-thin and lightweight design of iPod touch has always made it ideal for enjoying games, music and so much more wherever you go.” 

The new iPod touch is priced at Rs 18,900 for the 32GB variant, Rs 28,900 for the 128GB variant and Rs 38,900 for the 256GB variant. The portable music device will be available through Apple Authorised Resellers in India.

Speaking of the specifications of the new iPod Touch, the device will be available in 6 colours - Space Grey, Gold, Silver, Pink, Blue and Red. As mentioned above, it will be available in three storage options - 32GB, 128GB and 256GB. The device weighs a mere 88 grams. The display is the same 4-inch Multi-Touch IPS display with a resolution of 1136x640 pixels giving the display a 326 PPI. The device also houses an 8MP camera at the back, with a ƒ/2.4 aperture and can record videos in 1080p at 30FPS. The front has a 1.2MP ƒ/2.2 aperture FaceTime camera with the ability to record video in 720p. The device supports WiFi and Bluetooth as well. 

It’s nice to see the iPod updated with newer internals than before, but we wish the device was a little taller as a 4-inch device today will feel small in an age dominated by 6-inch displays. 

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2EG1Mlb

Australia Sues Sony for Refusing Refunds on Faulty PlayStation Games

Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe broke Australian consumer law by telling customers they could not get a refund for faulty PlayStation games, Australia's consumer watchdog said in a lawsuit.

from RSS Feeds | GAMES - RSS Feed - NDTV Gadgets360.com http://bit.ly/2QATMGU

Computex 2019: HP Envy range now comes with wood paneling, new Elite, ZBook series announced

Comptex 2019 is in full swing with many companies announcing new and refreshed offerings. HP has also introduced a new range of Envy, Elite, and ZBook series of laptops. One notable new announcement is the company’s new Envy Wood series of laptops, which, as the name suggests forgoes metal or even leather to feature wood. There are three laptops under the Wood series that feature different kinds of materials. Alongside the new Envy series of laptops, the company has launched new EliteBook and EliteDesk computers, new ZBook mobile and desktop devices and a slew of new accessories. 

HP Envy series

As mentioned earlier, the new HP Envy series of computers employ wood panelling in their build and the range consists of three devices. The HP Envy 13, Envy x360 13, ENVY x360 15 and the HP Envy 17 Wood Series. One will have the choice to buy these new laptops either with the option of the latest Intel Core processors or with 2nd Generation AMD Ryzen Mobile Processors + Radeon Vega Graphics. These laptops feature accented wood inlays in three combinations; Nightfall Black with Natural Walnut, Natural Silver with Pale Birch, or Ceramic White with White Birch.

The new Envy range of computers offer Amazon’s Alexa Service, Modern Standby functionality, along with Wake on Voice, Wake on Fingerprint reader, HP Sure View, and HP Webcam Kill Switch solution. In addition, the company has announced new accessories for the Envy series laptops like the HP Envy Uptown Tote, Backpack and Convertible Backpack. To connect the devices with dual 4K monitors, the company has launched the HP Thunderbolt Dock G2 with HDMI Adapter that works across HP and other non-HP laptops via a USB-C cable connection. 

The new HP Envy laptops are expected to be made available this fall. Pricing is expected to be announced around availability. The HP Envy Uptown Tote, Backpack and Convertible Backpack are expected to be available later this summer for $169.99-$179.99 (Rs 11,800 to Rs 12,500 approx). The HP Thunderbolt Dock G2 with HDMI Adapter is slated to hit the shelves later this summer at a starting price of $249 (Rs 17,300 approx).

HP Elite range 

HP is making notable additions to its Elite range of computers with the HP Sure Sense that is co-engineered with Deep Instinct. HP Sure Sense offers PCs with deep learning malware protection built-in. The company also says that its new HP EliteBook 1000 series, which includes the HP EliteBook x360 1040 G6, offers up to 24 hours of battery life. HP introduced the new Elite x2 G4 laptop that features a detachable leather keyboard folio along with a dual camera privacy shutter. HP Elite x2 G4 is expected to be available in August at a starting price of $1,499 (Rs 1,04,000). 

There’s also the EliteBook x360 1030 G4, and EliteBook x360 1040 G6 laptops. The former is claimed to be the world’s smallest and lightest business convertible with connectivity options like Wi-Fi 6, Gigabit Class 4G LTE, and Bluetooth v5. While the latter, as mentioned earlier, is touted to deliver world’s longest battery life of up to 24 hours in a 14-inch business convertible laptop that weighs under three pounds. The HP EliteBook x360 1030 G4 is slated to go up for sale in July for a starting price of $1,449 (Rs 1,01,053 approx). The HP EliteBook x360 1040 G6 is expected to be available in July for a starting price of $1,499.

The HP Rechargeable Active Pen G3 has also been announced that works with the company’s entire line of convertibles and the HP Elite x2. The device is touted to deliver lowest starting pressure ever in a PC active pen. There’s also the HP Mini-In-One 24, which is a modular AIO with a fully enclosing display. It also pairs with a Mini-In-One display with the new HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Desktop Mini PC. The company also announced the HP EliteDisplay E223d and the HP EliteDisplay E273d docking monitors, along with HP USB-C Dock G5 and the HP USB-C/A Universal Dock G2. The HP Active Pen G3 is expected to be available later this summer for a starting price of $99 (Rs 6,800 approx).

HP ZBook series

HP has unveiled new HP ZBook 15 G6 and HP ZBook 17 G6 laptops in its ZBook series range. HP claims its ZBook series of laptops can deliver desktop-level performance and come with the choice of 9th Gen Intel Core and Intel Xeon processors, and next-gen NVIDIA Quadro RTX graphics. HP has also announced new workstations in the same series like the HP Z1 Entry Tower G5, HP Z2 Mini G4, HP Z2 Small Form Factor G4, and HP Z2 Tower G4. The HP VR Backpack has also received an update and is now available with 8th Gen Intel Core i7 and Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080. The VR Backpack is said to deliver 30 percent more performance over its predecessor. 

The HP Z1 Desktop Entry Tower is slated to hit the shelves in July, while the HP Z2 Desktop portfolio is expected to be made available in August. The HP VR Backpack is expected to be available this summer for a starting price of $3,299 (Rs 229,700 approx). 

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2YO2pk6

iOS 13 Dark Mode leaks in images, Reminders app gets major redesign

Reports about Apple bringing a system-wide Dark Mode in iOS 13 are already making the rounds on the internet. Folks over at 9to5mac now claim to have gotten their hands on screenshots of the much-talked about feature. The media platform says that Dark Mode on iOS 13 can be enabled in the Settings app or by switching the toggle in the Control Center. It’s not clear whether one needs to add the option in the Control Center or it’ll already be available in the OS update.

Once the Dark Mode is enabled, users could see noticeable changes on the Home screen itself. The Dock adopts a dark background, and it is possible that Apple may include new wallpapers that work better with the mode, the report said. Apps will also wear a new look. For example, the Apple Music app is seen with a black background and white text on top. The tab bar at the bottom also switches from transparent white to transparent black.

Another place that users will see a change is in the interface that appears just after taking a screenshot. Earlier the UI had a gray background, but now it shows a blurred wallpaper with small markup tools at the bottom. Reportedly, the same interface has also been redesigned for iPads. 9to5mac says that Apple might use a true black background, which is likely to positively affect the battery life of iPhones with an OLED display.

The report also mentions the Reminders app getting a major redesign with iOS 13. The redesign is reportedly coming to macOS 10.15 as well. According to a shared image, the new Reminders app has a large sidebar with separate boxes for “Today”, “Scheduled”, “Flagged” and “All” on iPad. The app also uses the SF UI Rounded font introduced to iOS with Wallet on iOS 12.2, the report said.

Apple is expected to announce these updates in iOS 13 at the WorldWide Developers Conference 2019 (WWDC 2019) that will be hosted from June 3 to June 7 this year. The company is expected to make a bunch of announcements at the event like the next iteration of watchOS, macOS, tvOS and more. You can visit this link to read what Apple could announce at the annual conference.

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2HHLtWM

Fortnite Finally Available for Download on Xbox One in India

Fortnite for Xbox One is now available through the India Microsoft Store.

from RSS Feeds | GAMES - RSS Feed - NDTV Gadgets360.com http://bit.ly/2JGoUnz

Asus ZenBook Duo, Pro Duo First Impressions: More of the same

Before I get into what the ZenBook Duo and ZenBook Pro Duo are like, here’s a bit of backstory. A couple of days before Computex 2019, Asus invited me and a large company of journalists from India for a sneak peek at its new product launches for this year. As we made our way to Hotel Amba in Taipei in a private double-decker bus that Asus had hired for us, I heard some relevant questions going around. Curious, I listened on.

“Do you think Asus will show yet another laptop with a ScreenPad this time around?” said a journalist, referring—of course—to the ZenBook Pro 15 from last year. You'll remember that it was the first to come with Asus’ ScreenPad innovation. In other words, it had a touchscreen display within the touchpad for extra viewing space and added functionality. “We should ask if Asus has added any new features to it,” said another. I for one believed it was the end of that little project.

What Asus had in mind for the ScreenPad became clear to all of us right after the presentation. It turns out that Asus not only incorporated a “ScreenPad 2.0” in its ZenBook and VivoBook series, but it also created a larger version of it called ScreenPad Plus for two flagship ZenBook models. It’s clear that Asus is betting big on this new innovation. It’s safe to say that if having a touchscreen display in the touchpad is what boosts productivity in everyday computing, Asus has the early lead.

ScreenPad Plus: The original ScreenPad has grown up

While the ZenBook Duo is a 14-inch model, the ZenBook Pro Duo is a 15.6-inch model. Both laptops essentially have a regular display on the top fold (as you’d see on any other laptop, really) but the bottom half is where you see the twist. There’s an ultra-wide display in the place of the keyboard and it spans the entire width of the base panel. Below that wide display is where you find the keyboard, and to its right is the touchpad, mounted in portrait orientation.

Both models come with Intel 9th Gen Core series CPUs and NVIDIA-powered graphics. More specifically, the ZenBook Duo is powered by an Intel 9th Gen Core i7 CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce MX250 graphics card. The primary display on it is a 14-inch Full HD unit, while the ScreenPad Plus is an ultra-wide 12.6-inch touchscreen display with Full HD resolution. The ZenBook Pro Duo, on the other hand, is powered by an Intel 9th Gen Core i9 CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card with 6GB of video RAM. The primary display on it is a 15.6-inch 4K touchscreen unit, while the ScreenPad Plus is an ultra-wide 14-inch touchscreen display with 4K resolution.

While the ZenBook Duo supports a maximum of 16GB of RAM, the larger (and imaginably more expensive) ZenBook Pro Duo supports a maximum of 32GB of RAM. Both models come with up to 1TB of internal storage space courtesy of four PCIe NVMe solid-state drives. According to Asus, the ScreenPad Plus on both models comes with suitable proprietary software to boost productivity and help snap fit windows into place. Apart from providing access to common utilities, the bundled ScreenXpert tool helps users place up to three windows in a row on the ScreenPad Plus. This should minimise distractions caused by small windows, like Spotify or WhatsApp for PC. The ZenBook Pro Duo even comes with a bundled active stylus.

First Impressions: A bit glitchy

At first glance, the ZenBook Pro Duo looked like an ROG Zephyrus model whose Republic of Gamers logo had been replaced with a wide display. But it was more than that. The sides of  the laptop had a distinct silver finish and the exhaust vents looked uncharacteristically sharper. While the ZenBook Pro Duo was great to look at, it was difficult to handle it. Because its keyboard sat at the very edge there was no place to grip the base panel without hitting a key or two. It was the same case with the smaller ZenBook Duo. The only consolation was that the ZenBook Duo was noticeably lighter.

Recognised by Windows 10 as a second display, the ScreenPad Plus seemed a bit glitchy during  operation. While it felt comfortable showing a couple of windows side by side, getting it to do that was a chore. Windows had to be dragged manually to the ScreenPad Plus, and that did not always happen as anticipated. Windows would sometimes be maximised in the primary display or not sit in one side properly. Hitting the dedicated ScreenPad Plus enable/disable button would often cause Windows 10 to freeze completely.

Typing with the device on the lap seemed like the biggest challenge with the ZenBook Duo and ZenBook Pro Duo. Because the ScreenPad Plus ate up the space that’s typically reserved for the keyboard and touchpad, there was a shortage of space on the laptop’s base panel. Asus therefore had no choice but to axe the palm rest and offer it as a detachable accessory along with the ZenBook Pro Duo. The workaround may be effective when the laptop is placed on a table but not when it’s placed on the lap. Though it's still too early to tell, the new ScreenPad Plus didn’t seem to offer much in its newest avatar on the ZenBook Duo and ZenBook Pro Duo except for more screen space. Let’s find out if that’s true when Asus starts selling the two ZenBook models later this year in the third quarter.

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2VSLnzz

Dell XPS 15 2019 first impressions: OLED is the way to go

The XPS line of laptops originally began as a gamer-centric series at Dell. Once the company acquired Alienware, XPS had to go through a revamp of what the line stood for. Over the last few years, Dell has been trying to market the XPS laptops as a more modern, work-play kind of machine. This year at Computex, the new refresh of the XPS 15 cements Dell’s position that the XPS is not for gamers. IT is now a laptop for creators on the go, who want power and performance at the drop of a hat. We had some time with the new XPS 15 at Dell’s experience zone at Computex and here’s what we thought about the refresh.

Build and Design

Its incredible how much the look of the XPS 15 has NOT changed. Dell has maintained the same chassis, right down from the dimensions to the weight. The silver coloured exterior and the carbon fiber weave interior also continue to be the same. Suffice to say, you could put the new XPS 15 next to the previous generation (XPS 15-9570) and you’d be hard pressed to tell them apart. The only notable difference here would be the placement of the webcam, which is now once again at the top of the display.

The Dell XPS 15 sees the webcam come back to its rightful spot, at the top of the display

OLED on an XPS

Dell today announced that the XPS 15 would offer users a 4K UHD OLED panel, a first on an XPS laptop. Looking at an OLED equipped right next to an IPS LCD counterpart, the difference between the two was very apparent. The OLED was noticeably more vibrant, with better handling of the blacks. The IPS :CD panel wasn’t shoddy by any means, but just couldn’t match the explosion of colours that was the OLED. Suffice to say, Dell may have a winner on its hands, depending on how they price the OLED variant. The OLED panel will sport a refresh rate of 60Hz.

The Intel Refresh

Just like every year, the Dell XPS 15 has also been updated to the latest 9th generation processors from Intel, with the highest end SKU being available with the Intel Core i9-9980HK. The machine we got to try out was equipped with an Intel Core i9-9980HK along with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of NVMe storage. The RAM on the XPS 15 is no longer user upgradable, but you can choose up to 64GB of RAM. We fully expect the i9 variant of the XPS 15 to experience thermal throttling just like last year, but it remains to be seen how far it would go before dropping its performance. Dell executives tell us that the internal cooling system is identical between the various SKUs of the XPS 15.

The Dell XPS 15 will come with up to an Intel Core i9 processor, 64GB RAM and 2TB NVMe storage

The GPU

The one thing that helps seal the XPS 15’s identity as a non-gaming machine is the choice to go with Nvidia’s lowest end graphics c15hip, the GTX 1650. We asked Dell executives as to why not something more powerful, and the unanimous answer was “thermals.” We were told that even a 1660Ti would generate more heat than what the current chassis was built to handle effectively, and the one thing that makes the XPS stand out, is its sleek form-factor. The company wanted to retain the slimness of it all, and hence, had to stick to the least powerful of Nvidia’s current generation graphics chips.

First Impressions

The Dell XPS 15 continues to be an impressive laptop for the components it packs, but it definitely begs the question of whether the system will face a performance bottleneck. Pairing an Intel Core i9 processor with a Nvidia GTX 1650 doesn’t seem like the most optimum setup, but this is something we’re eager to put to the test whenever the machine comes in for review. For now, what is promising is to see a Dell XPS 15 with an OLED display, which makes content consumption an absolute treat. It is also nice that the machine hasn’t become any bigger or heavier with times. We do wish that Dell had made some cosmetic changes to the XPS 15, since it’s been pretty much the same since this deign was launched 3 years ago.

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2W6TLjX