Chinese phone maker Oppo has announced it’s licensing its VOOC fast charging technology for use in automobiles, third-party chargers, and other products. But the company is also demonstrating a new wireless charging technology called Wireless Air Charging that makes it easier to charge gadgets when you place them near a charging mat, and not necessarily in a sweet spot right in top of the center.
The company is also using its recently unveiled Oppo X 2021 rollable concept phone to demonstrate the air charging tech, which makes Oppo’s short demo video look all that much futuristic.
Here’s a roundup of recent tech news from around the web.
- Wireless Air Charging [Oppo]
Oppo Wireless Air Charging technology allows a phone or other device to begin charging as soon as it’s within 10cm (3.9 inches) of a charging mat that can deliver up to 7.5 watts of wireless power. - OPPO Announces Global Partnership to Bring Flash Charging to Everyone, Everywhere [Oppo]
Oppo introduces The Flash Initiative, its program to license its VOOC flash charging to other companies. Initial partners include FAW-Volkswagen, Anker, and NXP Semiconductors. - 5 new Android features [Google]
Google brings new features to Android including letting you know if autofill passwords are compromised, scheduling text messages for later, TalkBack screen reader improvements for using phone without seeing the screen, dark theme for Maps, and more. - Samsung Introduces ISOCELL GN2 [Samsung]
The new Samsung ISOCELL GN2 is a 50MP 1.4μm image sensor for smartphone cameras with improved auto-focus, staggered HDR, and better low-light performance. Power consumption is also up to 24-percent lower than last year’s ISOCELL GN1. - Releasing Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3030.0 to the Beta Channel [Microsoft]
Microsoft releases a new Windows Feature Experience Pack to the Windows Insider beta channel, with improved reliability of handwriting input. - Introducing SSD Commercial Spares for Surface Pro 7+ [Microsoft]
Microsoft is now selling spare SSDs for the new Surface Pro 7+ tablet. Available in 128GB to 1TB sizes, they’re *only* designed to work with the Surface Pro 7+ which uses a custom removable SSD, and they’re only available for purchase by commercial customers. - Introducing the next generation of VR on PlayStation [Sony]
Sony’s 2nd-gen PlayStation VR is coming to the PS5, but it won’t be ready to launch in 2021. It’ll connect to the console with a single cord and come with a new VR controller with improved ergonomics. - Color E Ink is Getting Better But There’s Still a Problem (Video) [The eBook Reader]
Devices with E Ink’s new 7.8″ color displays like the new PocketBook InkPad Color and BigMe S3 have darker colors, a lighter background, and less visible grid lines between the pixels when displaying color content than the previous-gen 6 inch screens. But text is a downgrade from grayscale E Ink screens.
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