Google has released a new beta of Android 7.1.2 for a handful of devices, and while this is a bug fix update for the most part, there’s good news for folks still using 2015-era Nexus 6P smartphones. Android 7.1.2 beta 2 build NPG47I brings fingerprint gesture support to that phone. It’s a feature that first […]
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Deals of the Day (3-20-2017)
Solid State Drives are faster, quieter, sturdier, and more energy efficient than spinning hard drives. But they’re also more expensive, which is why most reasonably priced laptops with SSDs have just 128GB or 256GB of storage, while laptops with HDDs often have 500GB or 1TB. Willing to trade some of the benefits of an […]
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Tiny batteries could simultaneously power and cool chips
Flow batteries are rechargeable batteries that use a liquid fuel source. And while they’re typically used in large-scale applications, researchers at IBM and ETH Zurich have found a way to make tiny Redox Flow batteries that can provide power to chips. They can also be stacked in between chips to cool the processors while they’re […]
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Samsung confirms Galaxy S8 will feature Bixby voice assistant
Apple may have kicked off the recent virtual assistant craze with the launch of Siri. But these days Siri has a lot of company: Microsoft Cortana, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant (which might have the least creative name of the bunch). Soon they’ll be joined by Samsung’s Bixby. We’ve known it was coming for a […]
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Amazon (probably) has a mid-range 4K Fire TV on the way
Amazon’s cheapest Fire TV media streamer is just $40, while the company’s top-of-the-line Fire TV sells for $90. But soon there may be a mid-range option that supports some of the key features of the higher-priced model… and even has some that it lacks. AFTV News has spotted evidence that there’s a new 4K-ready Fire […]
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Plugin brings Netflix to Kodi Media Center (unofficially, but without breaking DRM)
There are plenty of ways to stream Netflix to a TV. You can use Netflix apps for media streaming devices from Roku, Apple, Google, Amazon, and others. Or you can run an HDMI cable from a TV to your computer and use the Netflix website or Windows app. But if you’ve already got a home […]
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Qualcomm 205 Mobile Platform is aimed at entry-level 4G phones
Qualcomm is launching a new chip designed for use in entry-level phones for emerging markets. It’s called the Qualcomm 205 Mobile Platform, and it’s a 1.1 GHz dual-core processor with an integrated 4G LTE Cat 4 modem with support for download speeds up to 150 Mbps and upload speeds as high as 50 Mbps. That’s […]
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Intel launches its first Optane SSD with 3D XPoint memory (for enterprise)
Almost two years after Intel and Micron unveiled a new type of solid state storage said to be up to 1,000 times faster than flash, Intel is finally launching a commercial product that uses 3D XPoint technology. It’s called the Intel Optane P4800X, and it’s a solid state drive designed for enterprise applications. It’s also […]
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Swatch is developing its own smartwatch OS, coming in late 2018
Want to launch a new smartphone? Then you’re probably going to want to load it up with Google’s Android operating system. Android dominates the smartphone space, and unless your company’s name is Apple, odds are you’re not going to have a lot of success selling a non-Android phone. But what if you want to launch […]
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Report: LeEco downsizing plans for the US, selling Silicon Valley property
Chinese company LeEco unveiled its first smartphone, smart TVs, and other products for the US market in October. At the time, the company laid out plans to launch a comprehensive ecosystem for its products, including cloud storage, streaming video, and other services that could be used across platforms. Basically, LeEco wanted to emulate the success […]