this week:CES 2014

All Windows Phone 8 devices will get 8.1 update

Windows Phone 8.1 is coming soon to a handset near you

Good news Windows Phone 8 users, your devices should be upgradeable to Windows Phone 8.1 when it launches later this year.
That confirmation came straight from Greg Sullivan, Windows Phone director of public relations at Microsoft, in an interview with Computerworld.
There had been rumours suggesting current Windows Phone 8 smartphones wouldn't get the upgrade to 8.1 - the same way Windows Phone 7 devices were left out of WP 8 - but those fears appear to have been laid to rest.

Future-proof

He even went so far as to say that "we won't run out of head space on Windows Phone 8 any time soon", suggesting that users will likely be able to upgrade their devices to versions of the OS beyond 8.1 too.
The only thing that could stand in the way of an upgrade to 8.1 is your network, as it will need to distribute the update.
Windows Phone 8.1 is expected to land in April and will likely include Siri-like voice interaction, a swipe-down notification centre with access to quick settings and notifications and other tweaks such as separate media and ringtone volumes.Windows Phone 8.1 may also pave the way for on-screen function buttons

ZTE's modular smartphone could make part-swapping a reality within two years

Smartphones with interchangeable parts is the future... or so companies like Motorola and ZTE believe. Both manufacturers are currently working on prototypes of what's known as modular smartphones. Such a device, if it comes to market, will give consumers a few benefits: the chance to customize their phone exactly the way they want, the ability to upgrade specific parts (or modules) of your device without having to upgrade to a completely new version, the option to buy and sell individual modules to others and less electronic waste left over as a result. Neither Motorola or ZTE has exactly kept their efforts a secret, but what we're unsure of is when we can expect to see real hardware show up on the market. Fortunately, ZTE showed off its first concept device (under glass, unfortunately) on the CES floor this week, and reps told us that we should plan on seeing this concept come to fruition within the next two years.
The phone, known as the Eco-Mobius, looks a lot sleeker than what we've seen of Ara so far, and is divided into four separate swappable modules for LCD, core (processors, RAM and ROM), camera and battery. This comes in quite handy for enthusiasts of all kinds who want to take advantage of different modules; if you're into photography, you could theoretically take multiple modules with you, each one with its own strengths and weaknesses -- we'd fancy having a macro lens module for specific shots. Perhaps you want to change the size of your screen, depending on whether you're at the office, at home or a party? No problem. Need a stronger battery? Sure thing. In addition to making this kind of phone a reality, its designers are also putting together a platform in which users can buy, sell and trade modules with each other. Hopefully we'll see more of this concept as things come together, but so far we're very curious about how the final product will look down the road. While we wait for the future to catch up with our dreams.

Archos unveils three smartwatches, the cheapest is $50

Smartwatches are a hot new trend at CES but as with any new tech, they can get pricy quick. Archos brought three models, the cheapest of which (pictured below) starts at just $50 – this could make your introduction to the world of smartwatches pretty painless.
The manufacturer also showed a flagship model with curved, e-ink touchscreen and aluminum casing.This one promises up to a week and a half of battery life thanks to its power efficient screen and Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy. The watch can connect to Android and iOS devices to serve notifications (text, email, social networking updates) and music playback controls.
This model will be priced $130 – cheaper than the original Pebble, which doesn’t have a touchscreen or e-ink. The Pebble (both original and Steel) use e-paper displays, which is a confusing marketing name for memory LCD.

It’s exactly memory LCD that the base Archos smartwatch uses. It’s smaller, 1.55″ in diagonal and only displays black and white. It’s rated for two weeks battery life and will cost $50. This is the model that will launch first.
Archos also showed a smartwatch with a 1.8″ color LCD for $100. The more power-hungry LCD however drops the battery life to around two days. By the looks of it, only this model will have a replaceable wrist strap. This and the e-ink models will launch some time after the base model. Exact launch dates are unknown.

These will be some of the most affordable smartwatches around and seem competitive in terms of functionality. Keep in mind that in Europe the prices are likely to see the dollar sign replaced with pound or euro

BLU updates its Life series with new affordable 5-inchers

BLU Products, the Latin America-owned mobile phone manufacturer based in Miami, Florida, has updated its Life smartphone lineup. The new additions are several affordable smartphones and a tablet.
The new flagship Life One X features a quad-core CPU and a 1080p screen, 2GB of RAM, a 13MP shooter with 5MP front-facer (both capable of 1080p recording), and the usual array of connectivity features like GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, and FM Radio. It'll run for $279 for the 16GB model, and $299 for the 32GB model.


The Life One M also comes with a 5-inch screen, but of 720 resolution, although it does have the same quad-core 1.5GHz processor. 12MP and 5MP shooters make up the photography, while the RAM has been reduced to 1GB and the internal storage to 4GB. It runs for $199.


The Life Play X takes the 720p display down to 4.7-inches, and the primary camera down to 8MP. It does retain the 1.5GHz processor, 5MP front-facer, and 1GB of RAM, but comes with 16GB of internal memory, which is probably why it retails for $20 more that the One M.


The Life Play S is the lowest ranked member of the new Life family, having the same 4.7-inch 720p screen but with a 1.3GHz MediaTek processor rather than a 1.5GHz. It's also the only member of the bunch to rely on a Mali-400 GPU rather than a PowerVR SGX544.


Finally, the BLU Life View Tab is an 8 inch 1024 x 768 tablet running on a quad-core 1.2GHz processor. It features dual 5MP shooters, 16GB of expandable memory, and 1GB of RAM. Powering it all is a 4,500 mAh battery. It's priced fairly cheap at $199, but that SVGA resolution stretched across an 8 inch screen can't be that great.


All of the new Life series products are set to come unlocked for the North American market, with expandable storage and Android 4.2 out of box. Good news is that BLU has promised an Android 4.4 KitKat before the end of Q2 2014.

Razer Nabu SmartBand with dual OLED screens announced, offers notifications from Android and iOS devices

After LG and Sony, Razer has introduced Razer Nabu SmartBand at the International CES. Razer calls it has the world’s smartest wristband. It offers notifications from iPhone or Android smartphones smartphone on tiny OLED screens and also tracks selected personal information. Razer says it’s and open platform so that third-party developers can create applications for personal, physical and geographical data.


Features of Razer Nabu 

• Public Icon Screen (32×32 pixel) OLED to notify  incoming calls, texts, emails and app updates via notification icons
• Private message screen (128 x 32  pixels) OLED for detailed information of texts, emails, bio data and other updates
• Advanced Sensors (Accelerometer, Altimeter and Cylindrical vibration motor to Track Data for Self Analysis such as data tracking, location information, bio data feedback (steps walked, distance traveled, stairs climbed, etc.), sleep data and more
•  Programmable gestures, such as dismissing active notifications with a shake of your wrist, or enabling sleep mode with just a snap of your fingers
• Utility app for Android and iOS devices for notifications, data, and other settings such as option to set permissions for the data to be shared.
• Band-to-band communication allows for social discovery such as finding nearby friends, mutual acquaintances and more based on user-defined settings.
• Rain and splashproof
• Lithium-polymer battery for up to 7 days of usage

The Razer Nabu comes in two sizes and a range of colours. It would go on sale worldwide sometime in late Q1 2014. Developers can sign-up now and get the band at the developer’s price of $49. Retail price would be unveiled later.

Toshiba announces ‘Bright Mode’ CMOS sensor capable of Full HD videos at 240fps

Toshiba is developing a new CMOS image sensor technology named “Bright Mode” that is capable of shooting Full HD videos at 240 frames per second on your smartphones and tablets.

Toshiba’s newest technology manages to secure more than double the normal exposure time by adapting to interlaced video output, so as to record videos at high frame rates.
The “Bright Mode” is also said to double the electrical charge of each pixel, which in turn results in an output that is four times brighter than the images from a normal CMOS sensor. Furthermore, interlace- progressive conversion program from the company allows you to record high quality progressive videos with less deterioration and without any change in the actual frame rate.
Toshiba’s upcoming CMOS sensors bring a new dimension to imaging with its ability to playback high quality video in slow motion at almost one-eighth the standard speed. The first sample Bright Mode sensors will be available in first quarter this year, but there’s no saying when we can see actual products with it.

Get thermal imaging on your iPhone with the FLIR One

Do you love your iPhone 5s or 5, but want it to be more like the Predator? Then FLIR has just the product for you.

The FLIR One is a case for the iPhone that comes with both thermal imaging and visible light cameras. The thermal imaging unit allows for some pretty cool night vision viewing and snapshot opportunities that are currently unavailable on smartphones. FLIR calls their thermal imaging camera technology Lepton.
With the FLIR One’s companion application, users can get temperature readouts and even manipulate the colors that are displayed in the thermal imaging mode.
An official price for the FLIR One hasn’t been announced, but expect the dual-camera case to cost less than $350. Also, it’s not available for sale yet, but you can register on their website and they’ll email you when it becomes available.
There may be a day where all of our smartphones have thermal viewing capabilities built right in. For now, there’s the FLIR One add-on. Anybody here plan on snatching one of these up?

Samsung's Tizen phones to launch as soon as March

If we had a dime for every rumor announcing the release date of Samsung's Tizen OS, we'd have more money than Carl Icahn. Alright, not really. But we do have to say that there have been quite a few false starts when it comes to Sammy's new mobile OS. Let' start in May 2012 when it was rumored that Samsung and HTC would release a Tizen powered handset in the second half of the year. It was August 2012 when we passed along the story that the first Tizen phone would launch in February 2013. In January 2013, Samsung said that "competitive' Tizen devices would be launched in 2013. A couple months later, Samsung said that a high-end Tizen model would be out by August or September 2013. Still, Tizen has yet to be released.
So, you get the idea that whenever we hear about a launch of a Tizen driven phone, we become quite skeptical. A published report out of Japan on Thursday, says that Samsung will make an announcement before next month's MWC that will reveal a release date for its first Tizen driven model. The report states that carriers and manufacturers in Japan, South Korea and China, eagerly want a third platform to compete against the duopoly twins iOS and Android. Those two mobile operating systems control 90% of the global smartphone market.
The announcement prior to MWC will also reveal when a Tizen app store will launch and as early as March, the phones will be made available. Japanese carrier Docomo plans to improve upon the OS and release its own Tizen powered phones by the end of the year. Among the companies involved in the project are Samsung, Intel, Fujitsu and Huawei. Docomo, Vodafone and Orange are among the carriers trying to get Tizen released.
There is a theory that Samsung is working on Tizen as a way to prove that it is responsible for the success of the Samsung Galaxy S series, not Android, and that it eventually plans on dropping Google's open source OS so that it can focus on phones that run on Tizen. This would give Sammy control of both the hardware and software on its phone, something that its chief rival Apple has.

MediaTek announce world's first multimode wireless charging solution, charge wirelessly regardless of equipment and standards

After introducing the world's first true octa-core mobile CPU, Taiwan-based MediaTek is leading the pack again. At CES 2014, the company announced that it has successfully developed multimode receiver technology for inductive and resonant wireless charging. According to the chip-maker, resonance charging offers "significant advantages" in comparison with traditionally used inductive chargers. For example, it lets you place the device anywhere in relation to the charging station, or even in another room, instead of aiming for a precise spot. It also has the ability to charge multiple devices of varying form factors and power consumption from a single charger coil.

The resonance method seems to be what wireless charging was about in the first place - glorious cable-less freedom. But if you were an early adopter of devices with inductive chargers, worry not - MediaTek's invention also allows charging from both existing inductive chargers and upcoming resonance chargers. Apart from a new level of user comfort, the advancement in technology could bring wider adoption of wireless charging, which has been slow due to competing standards. According to analyst Ryan Sanderson at IHS, the number of wireless charging receivers shipped to the market, which was 20 million in 2013, could reach 700 million by 2018.

While it's early to tell whether MediaTek's advancement will make wireless charging a de-facto standard, the technology, at least on paper, has the potential to do so. Who would want the hassle of wall-chargers and battery packs if the device could be left anywhere and literally charged over the air?

Nokia A110 smartphone running Android 4.4.1 appears on AnTuTu

If you've been following the news lately, then you might have come across the rumors about Nokia working on an Android phone of some sort. The Nokia Normandy, as it is being referred to, is believed to be a rather modest handset running a highly modified variant of Google's mobile OS. Also, it might have been already scrapped according to recent reports.

Yet not long ago, the reliable source known as @evleaks suggested that the Nokia Normandy project might actually be still alive and kicking. And he could be on the right track now that we seem to have benchmark data for Nokia's rumored Android device. 

A supposed Nokia phone running Android is benchmarked

The hardware data for a phone labeled as the Nokia A110 appeared on AnTuTu, indicating that the handset has a Snapdragon processor, a 5MP camera, and a screen with a resolution of 854 by 480 pixels. Furthermore, the tested device runs Android 4.4.1, according to the leak. That's all in terms of specs that the screenshots reveal.

Of course, having all this information does not guarantee that this alleged Android phone by Nokia will ever materialize. We could be looking at test data from a scrapped prototype device of some kind. But of course, today's leak also suggests that Nokia is not totally against launching an Android phone of its own. Guess we'll just have to wait and see what's in Nokia's plans, but if the Nokia Normandy is meant to see the light of day, than we might get to see it in the flesh next month at MWC.

Sony Xperia Z1s with 5-inch 1080p display announced exclusively for T-Mobile in the U.S

Sony Mobile has announced that they would bring Xperia Z1S, the US variant of the flagship waterproof, the Xperia Z1 exclusively for  T-Mobile in U.S. It has the same specifications of the Z1, including a 5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Triluminos Display with with X-Reality engine, 2.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor and Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean). It has a 20.7-megapixel rear camera with Sony G lens with a 27mm wide angle f/2.0 aperture custom 1/2.3″ Sony Exmor RS image sensor, BIONZ image processing engine, 1080p video recording and a 2-megapixel 1080p front-facing camera.
It also comes with a unique entertainment offer including 6 movies to download from Video Unlimited, 10 handpicked PlayStation Mobile games, and a 60-day free trial of Music Unlimited.
Sony Xperia Z1s specifications

• 5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Triluminos Display with X-Reality for Mobiles
• 2.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974 (LTE) or MSM8274 (HSPA+)) processor
• Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean)
• 20.7MP Primary Camera with Exmos RS sensor, HDR photos & videos, 1080p video recording.
• 2MP front-facing camera with 1080p video recording
• 8.55mm thick and weighs 162grams
• IP55 / IP58 rating for dust and water resistance
• 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio with RDS
• 2GB RAM, 32GB internal memory, Upto 64GB expandable memory via microSD card
• 4G LTE / 3G HSPA+, WiFi 820.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with APT-X, GPS/ GLONASS, MHL, NFC
• 3000mAh Battery with STAMINA mode

No word on contract pricing yet. T-Mobile users can pre-register to be amongst the first to order the device. Online pre-sale starts on 13th January and it would be available in T-Mobile stores starting 22nd January.

Sony Xperia Z1 compact with 4.3-inch 720p display, 20.7 MP camera announced

At their CES keynote, Sony has just announced a brand new device that brings flagship level features in a much smaller shell. Called the Sony Xperia Z1 compact, the smartphone is practically the same as the Z1 internally but the difference lies in how much smaller it is now.
Sony Xperia Z1 compact Specifications

• 4.3-inch (1280 x 720pixels) Triluminos Display with X-Reality for Mobiles
• 2.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974) processor
• Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean)
• Single Aluminium frame with tempered glass on the front and back
• 20.7MP Primary Camera with Exmos RS sensor, HDR photos & videos, 1080p video recording.
• 2.2 MP front-facing camera with 720p video recording
• 9.4mm thick and weighs 140 grams
• IP55 / IP58 rating for dust and water resistance
• 3.5mm audio jack
• 2GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, Upto 64GB expandable memory via microSD card
• LTE / 3G, WiFi 820.11 a/b/g/n/ac , Bluetooth 4.0 with APT-X, GPS/ GLONASS, MHL, NFC
• 2300mAh Battery with STAMINA mode

The phone has the same 20.7MP camera sensor as well as the 2.2 Ghz quad core Snapdragon 800 processor. You also get connectivity features like LTE, WiFi b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 4.0. Other options include GPS, MHL and NFC.

Amongst the tradeoffs for a smaller device, we see that the battery capacity has been reduced from 3,000 mAh to 2,300 mAh. This coupled with the resolution drop from 1080p to 720p means that the battery should just about last a day of usage. The display however is now of the IPS variety so users should expect to see much better color accuracy and viewing angles. The phone will be available in a range of colors including black, white, lime and pink starting February 2014.

Sony SBH-80 Stereo Bluetooth Wireless headset with NFC announced

Sony has announced their new Stereo Bluetooth headset, SBH-80 at the CES 2014. It has a stylish and splash proof neckband-style design, supports NFC, HD Voice and aptX, and features has controls for music and hands-free call handling.

It has Balanced armature audio drivers and double-layer housings for the best in-ear audio experience, including crystal clear mid to high range sound. The background noise cancelling ear buds seals the ear opening for the best quality music experience. It is HD Voice ready for clear and even calling experience. A vibrating alert  lets you know when a call or notification comes in.

Features of Sony SBH-80 Stereo Bluetooth Wireless headset

• Bluetooth 3.0 with aptX audio enhancement
• NFC
• Multipoint connectivity
• HD Voice
• Noise cancellation
• Weighs 15.8 grams
• Ear coupling: In-ear canal
• Speaker type: 5.8 mm dynamic
• Microphone: Dual MEMS
• Responsive music remote controls and call/music volume controls.
• 115 mAh battery with Talk time of up to 8 hours and Standby time of up to 400 hours

No word on price or availability yet.

ZTE Grand S II with 5.5-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 800 processor announced

ZTE has announced the Grand S II, the successor of the Grand as it promised last week. It has 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) full HD IPS display, powered by a 2.3 GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 800 processor and runs on Android OS. It comes with 13-megapixel rear camera with LED Flash, full HD video recording and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.
Voice control technology for voice unlocking, voice-to-phone self photography and My Drive assistant app with higher voice recognition rate, reducing distraction while driving. It would also have triple-MIC noise reduction for more natural and clearer voice calls. It also has 4G LTE support.

ZTE Grand S II specifications

• 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS display
• 2.3 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with Adreno 330 GPU
• Android OS
• 13MP auto focus camera with LED Flash, 1080p HD video recording
• 2MP front-facing camera
• 2GB RAM, 16GB internal memory
• 4G LTE / 3G HSPA+, Bluetooth, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n (Dual Band), GPS/aGPS
• 3000 mAh battery

ZTE would also unveil BlueWatch, its first Smartwatch and its first phablet with a 5.7-inch HD display at CES this week. We will get you more details about the Grand S II, including hands on soon.

Alcatel One Touch Pop 7, Pop 8 tablets and One Touch Pop C9 smartphone announced

Alcatel One Touch as announced two new tablets, Pop 7 with a 7-inch screen, Pop 8 with a 8-inch HD display and One Touch Pop C9 smartphone with a large 5.5-inch qHD screen. It has also unveiled the global variant of the One Touch Idol X+ that was launched in China last month. The One Touch Pop 7 tablet has a 7-inch (1024 x 600 pixels) display and is powered by a 1.3 GHz dual-core processor. The One Touch Pop 8 tablet has a 8-inch (1280 x 800 pixels) display and is powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor. Both these run on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean).
The One Touch Pop C9 has a 5.5-inch (940 x 540 pixels) qHD display, powered by a  1.3 GHz quad-core processor and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). It has 1GB RAM and 2500 mAh battery.

Alcatel One Touch Pop 7 specifications

• 7-inch (1024 x 600 pixels) display
• 1.3 GHz dual-core MediaTek MT8312 processor with  Mali-400 GPU
• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
• 2MP rear camera
• 0.3MP front-facing camera
• 1GB RAM, 4GB internal memory, expandable up to 32 GB
• 3G,Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS
• 8.9 mm thick and weighs 285 grams
• Optional IR receiver
• 3.5 mm audio jack
• 3240 mAh battery

Alcatel One Touch Pop 8 specifications

• 8-inch (1280 x 800 pixels) HD IPS display
• 1.3 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT8382 processor
• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
• 2MP rear camera
• 0.3MP front-facing camera
• Optional IR receiver
• 1GB RAM, 4GB internal memory, expandable up to 32 GB
• 3G,Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, micro USB, GPS
• 3.5 mm audio jack
• 4100 mAh battery

Alcatel One Touch Pop C9

• 5.5-inch (960 ×540 pixels) IPS display
• 1.3 GHz quad-core processor
• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
• Dual SIM (Optional)
• Dimensions – 150.95 x 77.5 x 9.5mm; Weight: 189 grams
• 8MP rear camera with LED Flash, 1080p video recording
• 2MP front-facing camera
• 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
• 1GB RAM, 4GB of internal memory, expandable memory up to with microSD
• 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth with A2DP, GPS / aGPS
• 2500 mAh battery

The Alcatel One Touch Pop 7 is priced at 149 Euros (~Rs. 12660)and the Pop 8 is priced at  199 Euros (~Rs. 16,900). It would be be available in Europe, the Middle East and Africa in Q1 2014. No word on pricing or availability for the One Touch Pop C9 yet.

MediaTek unveils MT6290 LTE modem, Worldmode SOCs with CDMA2000 and LTE

MediaTek has announced MT6290,  its first LTE modem platform, which is an LTE Release 9 Category 4 modem built on the 28nm process with a wireless baseband processor based on the Coresonic SIMT architecture. It also supports DC-HSPA+, W-CDMA, TD-SCDMA, EDGE and GSM/GPRS. The new LTE modem is fully compatible with MediaTek SOCs, including the new octa-core MT6592, says the company. 
MediaTek has also partnered with VIA Telecom to integrate  CDMA2000 technology into the upcoming Worldmode  mobile platforms with new SOCs. It supports voice and data services across mobile networks globally.
Highlights of MediaTek MT6290 LTE modem platform

• LTE Release 9 Category 4 modem in 28nm process
• Baseband processor based on the Coresonic SIMT architecture
• Proven LTE protocol stack sourced from NTT DoCoMo
• Fully compatible with MediaTek SOCs, including the new octa-core MT6592
• Carrier certifications underway, first commercial devices expected by Q2 2014
• Delivers LTE data rates as high as 150Mbit/s downlink and 50Mbit/s uplink.
• Supports DC-HSPA+, W-CDMA, TD-SCDMA, EDGE and GSM/GPRS radio technologies.

The MT6290 has support for RF chip in the platform, MT6169 which supports up to 8 primary RF inputs (3 high bands, 2 mid bands, 3 low bands), and 8 RF inputs for diversity gains. The MT6290 reference design is already available for OEM partners. First commercial devices with the modem are expected in Q2 2014.
Highlights of CDMA2000 Worldmode SOCs

• Voice and data services across CDMA2000, LTE (TDD and FDD), DC-HSPA+, UMTS, TD-SCDMA and GSM/EDGE networks
• Interoperability between CDMA2000 and LTE modes for the US and China regions, with handover for seamless switching across both networks, depending on coverage.
• Software upgradeable to support VoLTE (Voice over LTE)

MediaTek Worldmode SOCs would be available for OEMs for sampling in Q4 2014. First commercial devices are expected in the first half of 2015.

ZTE Projector Hotspot with Android 4.2, built-in 5000 mAh charger announced

We have already seen projector smartphones, but ZTE has announced Projector Hotspot, the first device with a built-in DLP projector, LTE Hotspot  to connect up to 8 devices and a built-in 5000 mAh battery to charge your devices. This is definitely revolutionary. It also has a range of connectivity options such as HDMI, Headset Jack,  Audio out and features a  4.0-inch (800 x 480 pixels) Capacitive touch screen and runs on Android 4.2.
It has 100 lumens projector that allows users to project  digital media instantly up to 10 feet or 120-inch wide at 1080p resolution. The projector has a contrast ratio of 1000:1.

ZTE Projector Hotspot specifications

• 4.0-inch (800 x 480 pixels) Capacitive touch screen
• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) OS
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n to connect up to 8 devices including WPS support
• HDMI, USB-A, Headset Jack, Bluetooth,  Audio output
• Dimensions: 120mm X 120mm X 28.5mm; Weights 400g
• Projects up to  0 feet or 120-inch wide at 1080p resolution
•  1000:1  Contrast ratio
•  5000mAh internal battery

No word on pricing or availability yet.

D-Link DIR-510L Wi Fi AC750 Portable Router with built-in 4000 mAh charger announced

D-Link today introduced DIR-510L, world’s first portable 11AC router and charger. It lets you turn any connection into a fast 11AC Wi-Fi hotspot to share files, stream media and browse the Internet and also allows users to simultaneously charge mobile devices on-the-go with portable charger. It uses dual band technology (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands) and the mydlink SharePort app for mobile devices lets users upload, download and stream multimedia and documents to and from a USB drive, on the go from anywhere in the world.

Features of D-Link DIR-510L

• Dual-band 802.11ac wireless technology with combined speeds of up to 750 Mbps
• Built-in 4000mAh rechargeable battery to charge mobile devices on the go, including power-hungry devices like iPads
• Input: 5 V DC/1.8 A maximum (standard adapter); Output: 5 V/1 A via USB Type A port or 5 V/0.5 A via USB Type A port
• Dimensions - 140.0 x 59.0 x 16.0 mm; Weight: 154 g
• Two USB Ports for simultaneous file sharing and 3G/4G/LTE modem connection
• Plug in a 3G/4G/LTE USB modem to share an Internet connection
• USB flash drive to stream content to various mobile devices
• Stream content from a connected USB drive to multiple mobile devices using mydlink SharePort app
• Automatically detects connection type – broadband router, mobile router, hotspot
• Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) and Built-in DLNA Server
• Stream media to UPnP/DLNA-capable devices

The D-Link DIR-510L Wi-Fi AC750 Portable Router and Charger is priced at US$99.99 and would be available in January 2014. D-Link would show off the devices at the International CES.

Sony introduces the A5000, dubbed the world’s lightest interchangeable lens APS-C camera

The highly popular NEX lineup of cameras just got a new member. Oh, and they are no longer called NEX cameras, alright? Despite the naming convention change, the Sony A5000 is the pinnacle of what we came to know and love as Sony’s NEX lineup of interchangeable lens cameras.

The new Sony A5000 has a 20MP APS-C sensor, Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity, a flippable 3″ 460K-dot LCD, a built-in pop-up flash as opposed to a pop-on accessory, and a zoom control built into the body to control power zoom lenses. It also weighs merely 269g for the body with a battery, adding for a surprisingly compact and powerful camera package.
NFC connectivity allows for nearly instant pairing to NFC-equipped Android smartphones and tablets – be it for image sharing or for controlling the camera remotely with the smart device.

My only grudge concerns the Sony’s PlayMemories Camera Apps shop where you need to pay to add new features to your camera that should have been there in the first place, such as the Time-lapse app or the automatic Sync to Smartphone app.
The Sony A5000 should ship in March 2014 in black, silver and white with a 16-50mm kit lens for a combined retail price of $600.

Nikon announces the D3300 DSLR and teases the unannounced D4S

Nikon had a slew of announcements at the CES 2014 – first and foremost, it’s the brand new D3300 DSLR, but also the company revealed it would show their yet unannounced D4S DSLR in Las Vegas.

Along with the D3300, Nikon also announced its new collapsible 18-55 VR kit lens and the full-frame version (FX) of the 35mm 1.8G lens, which has so far been available only for APS-C Nikon cameras.
The highlight feature of the 24.2MP Nikon D3300 is the lack of optical low pass filter – much like on Nikon’s more expensive camera gear. The wide ISO range of 100-12,800 (expandable up to 25,600), the 11-point autofocus system, the 5fps continuous shooting mode and the FullHD video capture with full-time autofocus would make it a versatile entry-level camera for aspiring photographers (and why not soccer moms, too). The Nikon D3300 is also Nikon’s first DSLR camera to pack a well overdue Easy Panorama Mode.
The Nikon D3300 is kitted with the new AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II lens, which has a spanking new collapsible design, allowing for a more compact size when not in use. The lens has the same Nikon’s Silent Wave Motor and 3x zoom magnification (27 to 82.5mm), but its VR image stabilization is rated to compensate for up to four stops as opposed to three stops in the previous generation and its retractable design makes for “a camera package nearly 30% smaller and 25% lighter”. It’s some 30mm shorter than the previous generation, it has a 5mm shorter diameter and it’s 70g lighter.
The other new addition to the Nikon portfolio is the AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G lens. It’s a 35mm lens for full-frame cameras (or as Nikon calls them FX format). Of course, owners of APS-C sized DX format cameras can use it too, but they can get the much cheaper AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G for DX cameras.

This lens will focus from as close as 25cm and features Nikon’s Silent Wave motor.
Nikon also used the opportunity to tease its upcoming high-end DSLR model, the Nikon D4S. The camera is still in development and it’s not even officially announced yet, but Nikon will be showcasing it at the CES 2014 showroom floor.
The new Nikon D4S will build upon the highly revered Nikon D4 and will have a new image-processing engine and more advanced autofocusing performance. There are no official press photos of the D4S yet.
Availability and pricing
The Nikon D3300 along with the two new lenses will become available in February 2014. The Nikon D3300 with the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II kit lens will launch in Black, Red and Grey for a suggested retail price of $650/€650. The NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II will also be sold separately for a suggested US retail price of $250 before taxes. The NIKORR 35mm f/1.8G lens will have a suggested retail price of $600/€580. There is currently no pricing or availability info about the Nikon D4S.

Asus Zenphones unveiled, come in 4, 5 and 6 inches

The teaser with the numbers 4, 5 and 6 has manifested into a trio of Intel Atom-powered devices with screens of exactly those sizes. They belong to the new Asus Zenfone line and all run Android 4.3 Jelly Bean (updateable to 4.4) with a new interface customization called ZenUI (what else?). Also, all three Zenfones offer dual-SIM functionality.

Asus Zenfone 5

The Asus Zenfone 5 features a 5" IPS LCD screen with 720p resolution. Its capacitive sensor can be used with gloves and even use regular pens as a stylus. The phone is powered by a dual-core Intel Atom Z2580 clocked at 2.0GHz and there's 1GB of RAM.
It packs an 8MP "PixelMaster" camera with f/2.0 aperture, which promises great low-light shots. Asus' custom camera can also shoot spherical panoramas (PanoSpheres).


On the connectivity side there's dual-SIM (two microSIM cards), 3G with DC-HSPA+ (42Mbps down, 5.76Mbps up), Wi-Fi b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0 and a microUSB. There's 4GB of built-in storage with a microSD card expansion slot.
The Asus Zenfone 5 packs a sealed 2,050mAh Li-Po battery. The phone measures 148.2 x 72.8 x 10.3mm and weighs 140g. Color options are Black, White Red, Blue and Gold.

Asus Zenfone 6

The Asus Zenfone 6 is a 6" phablet version of the Zenfone 5 with some enhancements. The glove and pen touch support of the screen are still enabled, the resolution stayed the same too, 720p.
The Zenfone 6 uses the same Z2580 chipset, but some models will have 2GB RAM (others 1GB) and the storage is either 8GB or 16GB (again, depending on the model and with a microSD card slot).


The camera has also been bumped up to 13MP f/2.0 with the same PixelMaster tech. This one includes SonicMaster audio tech too. The battery has grown (to 3,240mAh capacity) and so has the device itself (166.9 x 84.3 x 9.9mm, 200g).
The connectivity options are the same right down to the dual-SIM functionality. Color options are a tad more limited: Black, White, Red and Gold.

Asus Zenfone 4

The Asus Zenfone 4 is the compact device and the runt of the litter. With its 4" screen it only measures 124.4 x 61.4 x 11.2mm and weighs 115g.
The screen resolution has been dropped to WVGA and instead of IPS you get old TN TFT (viewing angles on this are certainly questionable). The chipset has been demoted to a dual-core Intel Atom Z2520 (clocked at 1.2GHz) with 1GB of RAM.


The camera is a 5MP shooter, but more worryingly the battery has a measly 1,170mAh capacity. At least this one is removeable so you can carry a spare if needed. Connectivity features are exactly the same as on the others and the color include Blue among the other options.

Asus announces PadFone X hybrid for AT&T

The Asus PadFone lineup has so far evaded the USA but today Asus announced a new US-only model to finally take care of that.


The Asus PadFone X is a combo of a 5-inch FullHD smartphone and a 9-inch FullHD tablet. As is customary for the Padfone lineup, when you dock the smartphone on the back of the tablet, it not only makes use of the bigger screen, but also of the large battery embedded into the tablet body. Without the smartphone however, the tablet body is not operational on its own.
The smartphone/tablet duo runs Android KitKat 4.4 and has a brushed metal frame, a soft-touch back cover and dual front speakers although it's not currently clear whether these speakers are on the smartphone or on the smartphone body.


The ASUS PadFone X is powered by Qualcomm's latest chipset and supports LTE-Advanced (with Carrier Aggregation), Voice over LTE (VoLTE) and HD Voice, which are yet to be made available on AT&T's network.
Availability and pricing should be announced soon.

Corning unveils world’s first Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass

Corning Incorporated has announced world’s first Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2014. This is the EPA-registered antimicrobial cover glass that is formulated with an antibacterial agent, ionic silver, which is incorporated into the glass surface that help keep touch surfaces clean of bacteria and microbes. Even though this has a special coating, it has the same toughness and optical clarity of Corning Gorilla Glass, promises the company.

Since you touch your mobile device often, bacteria can exist on the screen of these devices. Corning Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass help address this growing concern, which inhibits the growth of algae, mold, mildew, fungi, and bacteria because of its built-in antimicrobial property. This is effective for the lifetime of a device,  says James R. Steiner, senior vice president and general manager, Corning Specialty Materials.
This glass can installed in electronic devices such as computers, cellular phones, calculators, telephones, and other electronic display panels. Corning would demo this at the International CES this week. We will definitely check it out to bring more info and a demo of the glass. Check out the official demo video below.

Huawei Ascend Mate 2 4G officially unveiled, packs LTE and a 13 MP camera

Huawei has just unveiled the Ascend Mate 2 4G at their CES 2014 press conference today in Las Vegas. The refreshed Ascend Mate, which was one of the first 6 inch devices to enter the world of phablets the same time last year, packs the same 6.1 inch 720p display, with a supposedly better IPS panel and finally incorporated 4G LTE inside. The Ascend Mate 2 4G is also slightly thinner than its predecessor and boasts a 200 MHz increase in clock speed featuring the 1.6 GHz quad-core HiSilicon Kirin 910 processor with Mali 450 GPU. Sporting a new 13 MP BSI sensor on the back, it improves upon the 8 MP one on its predecessor and also comes with a 5 MP front facing camera this time around.

Here are the complete specifications of the Huawei Ascend Mate 2 4G -

• 9.5mm thick
• 6.1-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display
• 1.6 GHz quad-core HiSilicon Kirin 910 processor with Mali 450 GPU
• Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) with Emotion UI 2.0
• 13MP auto focus rear camera with LED flash
• 5MP HD front-facing camera
• 3.5mm audio jack
• 2GB RAM, 16GB of internal memory, expandable memory card slot
• Cat4 LTE connectivity with up to 150 Mbps speeds

The Huawei Ascend Mate 2 is very much an evolutionary upgrade over its predecessor, no doubt about that, but of all the similar specifications mentioned, the Ascend Mate 2 4G can also provide reverse charging functionality for taking advantage of the high capacity 4050 mAH battery, which is rated for 100 hours of music on a single charge if the company’s words are to be believed. The company has not provided solid dates for availability but the Chinese will be getting it by the end of first quarter, according to the company. The price has not been announced, but we bet it will be very close to the Ascend Mate’s mid range price that it currently retails at. We will let you know if we find out more information about the Huawei Ascend Mate 2 4G, stay tuned.

Samsung brings UHD TVs with 4K online video streaming

Samsung’s new line of Ultra HD TVs will offer more than just higher resolution; they will also come with the ability to stream 4K video from various online services.

So far Amazon, Netflix, Comcast/Xfinity, M-Go, and DirecTV are all on board and cooperating with Samsung to allow their high-res content to stream through the Smart Hub app: the built-in software on the Korean manufacturer’s televisions.
If you’re not subscribed to any of these services but still want some Ultra HD goodness on your new TV, you can purchase a UHD Video Pack directly from Samsung. It comes with a bunch of 4K movies and documentaries, as well as the ability to download 50 shows throughout the year.
True, there’s a dearth of 4K content out there right now, but Samsung hopes that by providing Ultra HD content at the inception of their latest TV lineup, they’ll snag some early adopters.

Asus VivoTab Note 8 Windows 8.1 tablet with Wacom Digitizer Stylus announced

Asus has announced the VivoTab Note 8, the company’s latest Windows 8.1 tablet.  Even though this would compete with the Acer Iconia W4, Toshiba Encore, Lenovo Miix 2 with similar specs, this has a Integrated Wacom Digitizer Stylus for better accuracy, speed, responsiveness and palm rejection. It has 1,000 levels of pressure sensitivity for an extremely natural writing or drawing experience.
It has a 8-inch HD (1280 x 800) IPS multi-touch display, powered by a 1.8 GHz quad-core Intel Atom Bay Trail-T Z3740 quad-core processor with Intel HD Graphics and runs on Window 8.1 OS. It is 10.95mm and weighs 380 grams. It  has SonicMaster audio technology and has rear-facing stereo speakers for an enhanced audio experience.
Asus VivoTab Note 8 specifications

• 8-inch HD (1280 x 800) IPS display
• Intel Atom Z3740 processor
• Windows 8.1
• Integrated Professional Wacom Digitizer Stylus
• 5MP rear camera and HD front-facing camera
• 2GB RAM,Up to 64GB internal storage, up to 64GB microSD card slot
• Bundled unlimited ASUS WebStorage (1 year)
• Dimensions : 220.9 x 133.8 x 10.95mm; 380g
• 15.5Whr battery promises up to 8 hours battery life

The Asus VivoTab Note 8 is priced at $299 and is expected to be available in late Q1 or early Q2, 2014.

Samsung announces the 2014 editions of the Samsung Ativ One 7 and the Ativ Book 9

The Ativ One 7 2014 Edition is a sleek All-in-One PC with a 24-inch FullHD screen. The Book 9 2014 Edition is a spectacular ultrabook, which has a 15.6-inch FullHD screen and which yet weighs only 1.85 kg.

The Ativ One 7 2014 Edition can act as a secure personal cloud server, allowing owners of Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets to store on the computer hard drive photos, movies, music and documents via Samsung Link mobile app. These users also have the option of wirelessly streaming music to the Ativ One 7′s Dolby Home Theater certified stereo 7W speakers via Bluetooth even when the computer is off.
The Ativ Book 9 2014 Edition is Samsung’s newest addition to the Ativ notebook lineup. It’s powered by an Intel i5 or i7 ULV Haswell processors with Intel HD Graphics 4400, 8GB of RAM, up to 1024GB SSD, 2xUSB 3.0 ports, 1xUSB 2.0 port, a HDMI port, and a SD card slot. An Ethernet port is only available via a USB adapter. Supposedly, the screen is brighter and with better viewing angles than the previous generation Ativ Book.
The notebook should provide up to 14h of usage on a single charge. The launch schedule and prices have not yet been disclosed, but the Ativ Book 9 2014 Edition should be available worldwide.
The Ativ One 7 2014 Edition supposedly brings a superior screen and speakers compared to the previous model. We cannot attest to that just yet but it certainly stands out visually, when compared to the last year’s crop. There is also more storage on board with room for up to 2x1TB hard drives and a 128GB SSD. Optional touch control is still present, of course. Connectivity-wise, there are 2xUSB 3.0 ports, 2xUSB 2.0 ports, a HDMI in/out port and a built-in 3-in-1 card reader.
The Ativ One 7 2014 Edition will launch in white in S. Korea starting in February 2014 (non-touch model) and April 2014 (touch model). Pricing, of course, will vary depending on the hardware configuration, and now figures have been disclosed so far.
We are looking forward to seeing more of these two babies as we march through the busy CES 2014 floor this week,

HP chooses Android over Chrome OS for new Slate 21 Pro all-in-one

The latest Slate 21 Pro AiO from HP comes with Android out of box, but also has the ability to act as a touchscreen display for a Windows 8 PC.

HP also took advantage of the pre-CES festivities by announcing the ProOne 400 and 205 AiOs, the Pro x2 410 and 350 G1 notebooks, and the HP 200 Microtower.
The most notable of the five new products launched by HP yesterday, the Slate 21 Pro is the first from the company to run Android 4.3 Jelly Bean rather than Windows. The 21.5-inch IPS-toting fullHD all-in-one is powered by a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 4 CPU, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal memory.
There’s also an HDMI port for using the Slate 21 Pro as a touchscreen for any connected computer, alongside three USB ports, a SD card reader, 720p webcam, and wired ethernet alongside WiFi.
Also revealed were the HP ProOne 400 and 205 all-in-ones. The ProOne 400 features a 19.5-inch display with a native resolution of 1600 x 900 available in both touch and non-touch variants. Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 processors can be found inside, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 2TB of storage (SSD, HDD, or hybrid). There’s even the possibility of Blu-ray burner thrown in.

The 205 is targeted at the entry level of the AiO market, with a dual-core AMD processor, up to 8GB of RAM, and a 500MB, 1TB or 2TB HDD. The 18.5-inch non-touch display will be stretched rather thin by the 1366 x 768 pixel resolution, but it does have the full slew of connectivity options including USB 3.0, wired and wireless WiFi, 720p webcam and 7-in-1 memory card reader.
The 2-in-1 HP Pro x2 410 notebook features an 11.6-inch display of 1366 x 768 pixel resolution, alongside either a Core i3 or i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 64, 128, or 256GB SDD. There are included HDMI and ethernet ports, as well as one of three WiFi adapters. The Pro x2 410s detachable touchscreen weighs just over 800 grams, while the keyboard weighs in at 1.5 kg.

Finally, the entry-level HP 350 G1 notebook features a 15.6-inch display of 1366 x 768 pixel resolution. Inside the base model is a dual-core Intel Celeron processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 320GB HDD, but upgrades to the Intel Core family as well as expanded storage options are also available

The Android-powered Slate 21 Pro will start at the incredible $399 price point, which is great for a 21.5-inch device. The HP ProOne 400 and HP 205 AiOs will start at $649 and $449, respectively, while the HP Pro x2 420 and 350 G1 notebooks can be had for as low as $899 and $399, respectively. All devices are available now from HP’s official site.

Samsung Galaxy S5 rumored to use Sharp's 2K display

According to a report by Chinese website Tencent, Samsung has decided not to use a Super AMOLED HD display panel for its Galaxy S5 flagship smartphone. Traditionally, ever since the first Galaxy S smartphone, Samsung has always preferred its own AMOLED displays for its flagships.
However, according to the report based on unconfirmed information, the Galaxy S5 will be an exception, as Samsung has chosen Sharp to provide a 5.25" 2K Ultra HD LTPS display panel. It's going to pack an exceptional pixel density of 560 pixels per inch.

The reason behind Samsung's decision resides in one of its subsidiaries, which has run into production issues with the 2K Ultra HD AMOLED displays. As a result of them, the company can't keep up the production and won't be able to make enough of them to meet the expected Galaxy S5 demand.
Choosing Sharp will also allow Samsung to free up its display factories for the upcoming flexible line-up of AMOLED displays, which it hopes will reach large market availability by 2015. Additionally, if Sharp really turns out to be the manufacturer of Galaxy S5's displays, this will be beneficial to Samsung, which owns 3% stake in the company back in March.
The report confirms earlier evidence of the Galaxy S5's 2K UHD display, which popped up in a leaked benchmark of the device. Other rumors suggest the Galaxy S5 will be launched (or at least shown) as early as Q1 of this year, have a 16 MP snapper with the ISOCELL tech, perhaps without optical image stabilization and possibly with some elements resistance in tow.

Lenovo launches new ThinkPad 8 Windows 8.1 tablet

Lenovo has announced a new 8-inch, Windows 8.1 tablet called the ThinkPad 8. The device is meant to compete with the iPad mini and is targeted at professional users.

The ThinkPad 8 has an 8-inch, 1920×1200 resolution display, although Lenovo does not bundle a stylus with this device. On the back the tablet uses an aluminum body and supports flip cover similar to the iPad’s Smart Cover that magnetically snaps on to the side. One cool feature of the ThinkPad cover, though, is that when it’s folded on to the back, you can fold the top left corner to reveal the camera and this also automatically starts the 8 megapixel camera.
The tablet has microUSB 3.0 port for connecting to your computer or connecting other accessories to it, along with an HDMI out. On the inside, the ThinkPad 8 runs on a quad-core 2.4Ghz Intel Atom processor. It will be available in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities with optional 3G/LTE connectivity.
The Lenovo ThinkPad 8 will go on sale later this month starting at $399.

Nvidia joins 64-bit club: Denver CPU core coming in H2 2014

Nvidia will bring its first 64-bit ARMv8 chip with a custom-designed Denver core in the second half of 2014. Nvidia is planning to bring it as part of a second-generation Tegra K1 run that will come with the same impressive 192-core Kepler SMX graphics, but this time paired with a dual-core 64-bit Denver CPU.
With Denver, Nvidia joins the 64-bit club. The Denver custom core was first unveiled at CES 2011, but it was expected to arrive later, but priorities seem to have changed now and the chip maker is full steam ahead of its own plans.
There is little technical information we know about Nvidia’s Denver, except that it’d run at turbo speed of up to 2.5GHz (no mention of nominal speeds), and that it’d be a very wide architecture, similar to Apple’s Cyclone. Denver will be a 7-wide superscalar ARMv8 chip, and, in comparison, Cortex A15 is only 3 instructions wide. Nvidia’s new CPU core will also come with 128K/64K (instruction/data) L1 cache.
Putting Nvidia's Denver announcement in context, we ought to mention that Apple was the first company to bring 64-bit chips to mobile with its custom built Cyclone core and ARMv8 instruction set. Intel’s Bay Trail tablet-focused chip is also 64-bit, but Windows 8.1 - the platform that it mainly launches with - does not come with support for its 64-bit capabilities.
So all in all, Nvidia will simply use the newly unveiled Tegra K1 name for both its 32-bit (shipping with quad-core Cortex A15 in H1) and 64-bit (shipping with dual-core Denver in H2) chips, and both will come with 192-core CUDA Kepler cores. The company definitely seems to have sped up its transition to 64-bit, and with a release date set for late this year, we should finally start seeing 64-bit Android around then as well.

Nvidia Tegra K1 unveiled with 192-core Kepler GPU, release date set for H1 2014

NVIDIA took to the stage today at CES to announce the next major release in its mobile SoC cycle. Called the Tegra K1, the new chip features some spectacular advancements over its predecessor and promises to bring console quality graphics to the mobile platform.
The big number NVIDIA is touting here with the K1 is the presence of the 192 core GPU. You may remember that the Tegra 4 had a 72-core ULP GeForce GPU, which was pretty impressive on its own but with the K1 NVIDIA turned the dial all the way to 192 and switched over to Kepler architecture, same as the one it uses on its desktop GPU.
As you can expect, the new chip is considerably faster than Tegra 4. NVIDIA claims the K1 is faster than the previous generation consoles, the PS3 and the Xbox 360 and offers the same graphics features as the PS4 and the Xbox One. NVIDIA also claims the K1 is thrice as fast as the Apple A7. It also showed some demos running the Unreal Engine 4 with some amazing lighting and reflection effects that were way beyond what we have currently seen on the mobile platform.
On the CPU side, the K1 will be available in two variants. There will be a 32-bit, quad-core Cortex A15 clocked up to 2.3GHz. Then there will also be a 64-bit, dual-core Denver CPU, a custom designed CPU based on ARM V8 64-bit and is clocked up to 2.5GHz.
NVIDIA also announced another variant of the Tegra K1, called the Tegra K1 VCM or Visual Computing Module. This variant is designed specifically for use inside tomorrow's automobiles. As you may know, there are already cars such as the Tesla Model S that have their in-car system running on Tegra processors. The K1 VCM will make these systems even faster for future cars and their more demanding features.
The Tegra K1 will be available this year, with the Cortex A15 variant being available in the first half and the Denver variant appearing in the second half.

LG announces 77″, 65″ and 55″ 4K OLED TVs at CES 2014

LG has kicked things off at this year’s CES with its latest 4K OLED TVs. Part of the EC9800 series, the company has 55″, 65″ and a 77″ panels for visitors of the show to ogle.

As you’d imagine, the most interesting of the new family is the 77EC9800, which with its huge 77″ screen diagonal and 3840 x 2160 pixel resolution should be a welcome guest in any living room. All of the models also feature a slight curve of their OLED panels, which helps reduce reflections.
While LG is keeping most of the details close to its chest regarding the EC9800 models, it has announced they feature an upgraded LG Motion Remote. Furthermore, the new TV sets have been confirmed to HDMI 2.0 ports as well as HEVC decoding.
Pricing isn’t yet announced, but we wouldn’t bet on affordable. The new TV sets are going to land in the US in late June 2014, which should give potential buyers plenty of time to get their financials in check.

Super tough Cat B100 featurephone goes official

The trend of dust and waterproof phones continues with the latest announcement of Cat B100 ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Just like previous B15 model, the Cat B100 is also designed to withstand a 1.8 meter drop in up to one meter of water for 30 minutes. The phone also has the ability to work in temperatures ranging from -25C to 55C.


Cat's newest rugged addition comes with a 2.2-inch display with QVGA resolution. The featured phone is powered by a MediaTek 6276W processor, which supports 3G networks. There is also a 3 megapixel rear camera and you get 128MB or 64MB of internal memory that can be expanded via the microSD card.
B100 is IP67 certified and packs a 1,150mAh battery that should last for about 10 hours on talk time. The device measures 123 x 56 x 17.5mm and weighs about 136grams.
Cat B100 will go on sale in the European market, starting from today and the rugged device will be available in other markets later this quarter.