❌

Normal view

There are new articles available, click to refresh the page.
Before yesterdayMain stream

Nvidia and MediaTek could be teaming up on gaming handheld chip

Wallpaper of logo of Nvidia

Nvidia and MediaTek are reportedly working together to produce a new chip that could power the handheld gaming PCs of tomorrow.

It all starts with an X (formerly Twitter) post from analyst Dan Nystedt, which reveals an industry rumour that the two chip giants are co-developing an Arm-based AI processor for PCs. Apparently, the design will apparently be finalised in the third quarter of 2024, and verified in the fourth quarter.

Manufacturing is said to be set for the first half of 2025 on TSMC’s 3nm process, and we could hear official news on the chip from MediaTek at Computex Taipei 2024 in June. With a price said to be around the $300 mark, this will be one premium PC chip.

Yep and Mediatek is also working on gaming handled SoC with Nvidia GPU as Jensen is frustrated by Nintendo and he sees a good market potential.
PS: its different than the new NV semi-custom div that tries to reenter the console market (some CN clients are already interested) https://t.co/sBuYVLJILc

— AGF (@XpeaGPU) May 15, 2024

Leaker XpeaGPU followed this up by confirming the rumour, as well as claiming that Mediatek was also producing a gaming handled SoC, with Nvidia providing the GPU.

With Nvidia already tipped to be supplying Nintendo with a custom Tegra chip for the Switch 2 next year, 2025 could be a big year for handheld gaming machines.

Indeed, the suggestion here is that Nintendo’s habit of using mature technology (which is both proven and cheap) is causing some frustration at Nvidia HQ – the ‘Jensen’ being mentioned here a reference to Jensen Huang, co-founder and CEO of Nvidia. The Taiwanese company apparently sees a great deal of potential in the handheld gaming SoC space, and seems eager to press forward with a more advanced solution.

The post Nvidia and MediaTek could be teaming up on gaming handheld chip appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Canon will launch its flagship EOS R1 camera this year

Canon EOS R1

Canon has revealed that its first flagship EOS R System camera, the Canon EOS R1, will arrive later this year. 

According to Canon, the EOS R1 will be marketed toward professionals looking for top-class performance, strong durability and cutting-edge technology. This includes those working in sports, news reporting, and video production. 

The camera will also offer improved performance when shooting both stills and video compared to the brand’s current top-of-the-line camera, the Canon EOS R3. 

Many of the EOS R1’s improvements will come down to a fresh image processing system compromised of Canon’s newly developed image processor Digic Accelerator combined with the existing Digic X and a new CMOS sensor. 

This combo will enable the flagship to process large volumes of data at high speeds and deliver new advancements in autofocus, including improved subject recognition, and subject tracking. Canon uses the example of a team sporting event where the camera will lock onto its target and retain focus on that person even when other players pass in front of them. 

The camera will also feature an Action Priority mode which analyses the scene to determine which player is performing an action – such as shooting the ball – automatically shifting the focus to that person. 

You can also expect to see improvements in image quality thanks to the image noise reduction function which will now be available in-camera. 

This isn’t the first we’d heard of the Canon EOS R1. The mirrorless camera has been slated as Canon’s replacement for its flagship DLSR, the EOS-1D X Mark III, since 2021. The camera was also basically confirmed by Canon exec Go Tokura in an interview with Photo Trend last year. 

However, this is the first official announcement we’ve received from Canon regarding the EOS R1. Even better, it gives us a time frame to look forward to as the company aims for a 2024 launch.

The post Canon will launch its flagship EOS R1 camera this year appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

The Sony Xperia 1 VI is official, and it's lost its signature feature

Sony has officially announced its new flagship phone, the Xperia 1 VI, and it’s lost arguably the most unique thing about the series.

The company’s flagship smartphone range has never been a huge seller, but it has always gone above and beyond on the spec front. Most notably, at least from a back-of-the-box vantage point, the Xperia 1 range has always had a 4K display, including with last year’s Sony Xperia 1 V.

That’s finally changed with the Sony Xperia 1 VI, which has switched to a 6.5-inch FHD+ OLED display, skipping the QHD+ and even so-called 1.5K resolutions altogether.

Admittedly, 4K has always felt like overkill in a smartphone form factor, but it made sense with Sony’s media heavyweight branding. The Xperia 1 VI was the niche phone for cinema buffs, and we kind of always liked that.

There’s been another step away from Sony’s cinema-first focus with the Xperia 1 VI ditching the signature tall and thin 21:9 aspect in favour of a more ‘normal’ 19.5:9. It means that the latest film releases will no longer fill the screen, though it will likely be better at handling day to day tasks like web browsing.

Sony is still pushing this display as a film buff’s dream, highlighting its ‘Powered by Bravia’ AI image adjustment technology, which apparently reproduces the image quality of Sony’s TV sets. It’s also the brand’s first LTPO screen, which means it’ll be far more energy efficient, while Sony has cranked the maximum brightness up 50%.

Sony Xperia 1 VI in khaki green

The stereo speakers, too, have apparently received a buff, while adding a Premium Audio Circuit to the 3.5mm wired headphone jack is a reassuringly Sony touch.

Elsewhere, the Sony Xperia 1 VI is all upgrades. The other signature element of this range has been its steady drip of camera innovations, and the Xperia 1 VI brings a new and improved telephoto camera to the table. We’re talking a 12MP optical telephoto lens with a superior zoom range of between 3.5x and 7.1x – or a focal length of between 85mm and 170mm.

The main 52MP Exmor T sensor is the same as before, though it remains unique to Sony. The company has applied its own AI magic this time, this time to improve its already class-leading autofocus and subject tracking.

Sony’s camera hardware has never been an issue, of course. While its camera UI has always been extremely powerful, it’s hardly been intuitive, spread across several separate apps. The company is supplying a “significant update” to the app with the Xperia 1 VI, with a more user-friendly interface, and all functionality rounded up into the main app.

There’s a 5,000 mAh battery, which Sony claims can support double the video playback (probably down to that new display), as well as support for Wi-Fi 7. It’s all powered by the latest flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor too, as you might expect, this time backed by vapour chamber cooling. Previous Xperia 1 phones could run a little hot.

The design looks very similar to previous Xperia 1 phones, with the same ridged industrial look, lozenge-shaped camera module, and textured rear that we’ve seen before.

The Sony Xperia 1 VI launches in Black, Platinum Silver, and Khaki Green this June, with preorders starting on Sony’s website today. If you were expecting that climb down from 4K to produce a cheaper phone, you’d be mistaken – it’ll still cost £1299 / €1399.

The post The Sony Xperia 1 VI is official, and it's lost its signature feature appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Panasonic's 2024 TVs are simpler, more accessible, and smarter

Panasonic tv-2024-Z93A

Another week and another TV launch, as Panasonic unfurled its banners and presented a preview of its 2024 range.

And despite rumours circulating that perhaps Panasonic wasn’t as interested in the TV market as it has been in the past, it brought out its entire range of models for the UK and Europe at a preview event in Dusseldorf, including its flagship Z95A OLED TV all the way down to its HD Ready 24-inch model.

As has been previously announced, Panasonic has teamed up with Amazon to provide Fire TV across its premium TVs, which means its My Home Screen interface has been quitetly shuffled off to a peaceful sleep, especially as the remainder of Panasonic’s TVs will take up either Google TV or TiVO depending on where you’re based.

Both the Z95A and Z93A will feature Panasonic’s HCX Pro AI Processor MKII, which appears to be a big enough jump to allow each model to support Dolby Vision IQ with Precision Detail; a feature that until now only certain LG OLEDs were powerful enough to support.

There’s also the 360 Soundscape Pro, which has been tuned by the expertes over at Technics to ensure “immersive 3D surround sound” from a flatscreen TV.

Panasonic TV range 2024
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

More OLEDs appear (five in total) with the Z90A, Z85A, and Z80A. The first model includes the Master OLED Pro panel and the same processing that’s found in the flagship mode. The Z85A comes with 120Hz refresh rate, and the advanced MkII HCX Pro AI processor.

The step down Z80A is, we believe, more of a standard WRGB OLED TV, and gets the less powerful HCX Processor. While prices haven’t announced yet, we’d expect this model to hit a fairly affordable price for an OLED.

Next up are the LED models, of which the W95A tops the range. This is effectively replacing the MX950 from 2023 with its Mini LED panel for a brighter image, and better processing with the MkII processor onboard. Like with the OLEDs the Fire TV interface is built-in, enabling Alexa voice control, and you get premium game features too, with the 144Hz Game Mode Extreme (for PC gamers) and the colour accurate True Game mode.

Panasonic 2024 new TiVo screen
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)

The W90A is a Full Array Local Dimming (FALD) model, keeping the same processor and gaming features as the model above.

We swiftly move onto the W80 and W60, the former supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+ formats, as well as the colour accurate Filmmaker mode; with Fire TV build into this model to offer a wide range of streaming options. The W60 is powered by TiVo, and will offer just as wide a streaming experience with its comprehensive line-up of content.

Lastly, there’s the HD models in the S55/S50, S45/S40 and N30. The top S-series models come with Fire TV built-in, with the step down models get TiVo. If you choose to get the N40, this is primarily a TV to watch TV on and doesn’t come with smart features.

Pricing and availability haven’t been revealed yet, but we’d imagine Panasonic’s latest line-up will launch towards the summer months as has been the case for the last several years.

The post Panasonic's 2024 TVs are simpler, more accessible, and smarter appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Samsung might not release a cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 6 foldable after all

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 folded on a table

Samsung is reportedly having second thoughts about releasing a more affordable Galaxy Z Fold 6 foldable.

Back in January we reported on industry tittle tattle suggesting that Samsung was looking to introduce a new cheaper variant of its full-sized foldable smartphone in 2024.

This was followed in February by claims that the manufacturer was actually looking to go in completely the opposite direction, and release an ‘Ultra’ model of the Galaxy Z Fold 6.

If you’re sensing some indecision on Samsung’s part, then a new report from South Korean website The Elec would seem to support that. According to this fresh report, Samsung has now fully reconsidered its 2024 foldable plans, and has ditched – or at least delayed – its plans to launch a cheaper foldable.

Kindle Paperwhite Summertime discount

Kindle Paperwhite Summertime discount

Amazon’s super-light Kindle Paperwhite has just become even more of a bargain

  • John Lewis
  • Save £30
  • £119.99
View Deal

Apparently, the manufacturer has been unable to make its cheaper foldable prototype as thin as rival efforts from Huawei. It was thought that by omitting the technology needed for S Pen support, Samsung would be able to create a device that was lighter on your pocket in every sense, but that hasn’t borne fruit as yes.

Besides this lack of a crucial differentiating factor (aside from the price), the report cites general industry uncertainty as a reason for Samsung’s hesitancy.

There’s no mention of the Ultra model at all, though claims that the company will only release two foldables in 2024 – a Galaxy Z Fold 6 and a Galaxy Z Flip 6 – would suggest that this rumour too won’t be coming to pass. At least not in 2024.

The post Samsung might not release a cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 6 foldable after all appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Pixel 9 range photos leak on eve of Google I/O

Pixel 8 Pro home
Pixel 8 Pro home

The first live images of the Pixel 9 range have seemingly appeared online in a live photo leak just ahead of Google I/O.

Less than a day ahead of the big Google I/O event, photos of the company’s next flagship smartphone range have seemingly leaked online.

The images, from Russian-language website Rozetked (via Android Police), appear to show the three-strong Pixel 9 series. This includes the Pixel 9 itself, as well as the Pixel 9 Pro and the provisionally titled Pixel 9 Pro XL.

Said images serve to confirm Google’s forthcoming design language overhaul, which involves dropping the curves of the Pixel 8 series in favour of a more angular, flat-edged look. Meanwhile, the iconic camera visor no longer melds into the side frame, but stands apart as a distinct lozenge, rather like the Pixel Fold.

The Pro models seemingly got with a matte back and glossy sides, while the regular Pixel 9 goes with a matte frame and glossy back. The corners seem rounder than before.

Google Pixel 9 range photo leak
Image: Rozetked

We’ve heard previously that Google would be splitting its Pro range between smaller and larger models. It might sound like the Pixel 9 Pro XL is the new device here, but really it’s that smaller Pixel 9 Pro, which crams many of the same Pro features into a body the size of the Pixel 9.

Kindle Paperwhite Summertime discount

Kindle Paperwhite Summertime discount

Amazon’s super-light Kindle Paperwhite has just become even more of a bargain

  • John Lewis
  • Save £30
  • £119.99
View Deal

It seems the Pixel 9 has a 6.2-inch display, while the Pixel 9 Pro has a 6.3-inch and the Pixel 9 Pro XL a 6.7-inch screen, all with 120Hz refresh rates. The Pixel 9 Pro apparently offsets that slightly bigger display with smaller bezels compared to the Pixel 9.

The Pixel 9 Pro duo will apparently have three 50MP cameras, with the telephoto capable of a 5x zoom. The Pixel 9 will have a dual camera set-up, like previous non-Pro Pixels.

Products routinely leak in the days leading up to their launch, of course, but here’s the thing: the Pixel 9 series likely won’t be announced until November. With the Pixel 8a already out there, and the Pixel Fold 2 rumoured to now be part of the Pixel 9 line-up, Google may not have any Pixel phone hardware on show at tonight’s Google I/O keynote.

The post Pixel 9 range photos leak on eve of Google I/O appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Dyson WashG1 is the company's first dedicated cordless hard floor cleaner

Dyson WashG1 in use

Given the prevalence of hard flooring, it’s a little surprising that it’s taken Dyson so long to launch a dedicated hard floor cleaner, with the Dyson WashG1. Still, the wait looks like it’s worth it, with the product having a few features that make it stand out from the competition.

Dyson first entered the hard floor cleaning market with the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine, which added a floor cleaning attachment to the V15 vacuum cleaner. Although that product was good, it had a limited cleaning range and required vacuuming most solids before cleaning.

Vacuuming and mopping in one

With the WashG1, you have one device that can mop and collect larger debris simultaneously, saving time on daily cleaning. As with most hard floor cleaners, Dyson’s uses a combination of water and soft rollers.

There’s a 1-litre clean-water tank, which can be used with detergent, provided it’s mixed at the correct ratio. Water is automatically dispensed onto the dual microfibre rollers using 26 hydration points located along the rollers’ length.

Three water modes are available (low, medium, and high), with higher modes suitable for deeper stains. There’s also a boost mode button, which uses the maximum amount of hydration for the most stubborn stains. A single tank of water can cover up to 290m² of flooring, which should be enough for the average home.

Dyson WashG1 screen

As the modes only affect the hydration level, not the rollers’ spin speed, battery life remains consistent at 35 minutes. Similar to the company’s vacuum cleaners, the remaining battery life is shown in minutes on the cleaner’s LCD screen.

The rollers counter-rotate, cleaning in either direction. Dyson engineers tuned the rollers to move at a consistent speed, letting the machine glide across the floor. That’s similar to how the Dyson Omni-glide works, and having tried the WashG1, I can say that it’s incredibly nimble and light to move.

As well as removing stains and liquids from the floor, the rollers can also pick up solids, so the WashG1 cleans the floor and clears up larger particles, so there’s no need to vacuum before you mop.

Dirt separation

Rather than dumping everything into one tank, the floor head has a debris tray. This tray has a 500-micron mesh that separates dirty water from large debris. The tray can be removed and cleaned, and solids can be tipped into a bin.

Dyson WashG1 emptying solids

Dirty water alone is deposited in the 0.8-litre dirty tank. Given that some water will remain on the floor, one full clean tank will give you roughly one full dirty tank.

At the end of a clean, the WashG1 has an automated washing routine, that cleans the rollers with fresh water. There’s no hot-air drying on this machine, so the rollers should be removed and left to dry naturally.

There’s no filter to clean, removing one maintenance job, and the water tanks have been designed with smooth interiors and large openings that makes them easy to empty and wash out.

Dyson WashG1 dirty water tank

Price and availability

The Dyson WashG1 will be available soon, and will cost £599.99. We’ll have a full review once review samples are available.

The post Dyson WashG1 is the company's first dedicated cordless hard floor cleaner appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Apple and Google release shared stalking protection for item trackers

Apple-Google-partner-tracking-detection-hero

Apple and Google have finally settled on the industry standard for alerting iPhone and Android users when a Bluetooth tracker like an AirTag is moving with them.

The standard, which goes live today within iOS 17.5 will see users on both platforms get an “[Item] Found Moving With You” notification, regardless of whether that device has been paired with and Android or iPhone handset. It’s available on all phones running Android 6.0 and up from today too, Google says.

iPhone 13 £19 upfront and 100GB of data for £22.99

iPhone 13 £19 upfront and 100GB of data for £22.99

Mobiles UK is selling an iPhone 13 for £19 up front. You’ll get 100GB of monthly data for just £22.99 thereafter.

  • Mobiles UK
  • £19 upfront
  • £22.99 a month
View Deal

That closes a major security loophole in the fight against these super-useful trackers being used for nefarious means – namely to stalk unsuspecting people, as has been documented.

“Apple and Google have worked together to create an industry specification — Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers — for Bluetooth tracking devices that makes it possible to alert users across both iOS and Android if such a device is unknowingly being used to track them,” Apple says in a Newsroom post. “This will help mitigate the misuse of devices designed to help keep track of belongings.”

The company goes on to explain how iPhone users will be able to view the tracker’s identifier, have it play a sound, and then set about disabling it. This will work for Bluetooth trackers made by the likes of Chipolo, eufy, Jio, Motorola, and Pebblebee, the post says.

Conspicuous by its absence in the post is the field’s pioneer Tile, with the company said to be considering its own overriding network powered by satellite.

Google announced the Find My Device network was finally going live last month, following its announcement at Google I/O last year.

The release was delayed until Google and Apple could agree on a shared standard to ensure users were protected regardless of the platform they’re using. Now Apple has finally got its ducks in a row with iOS 17.5, the protections have arrived.

The post Apple and Google release shared stalking protection for item trackers appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Mindblowing ChatGPT-4o real-time translation should terrify Google

ChatGPT 4o

With Google I/O set to focus on the increasing talents of the Gemini AI app tomorrow, OpenAI is getting in there first by launching the latest version of Chat-GPT – ChatGPT-4o.

The new Chat GPT-4o – the ‘o’ stands for ‘omni’ because of its ability to handle audio, images, video and text – is partly headlined by the speed of real-time translation.

OnePlus 10T down to £367.71

OnePlus 10T down to £367.71

The OnePlus 10T is an excellent Android flagship, which has come of age for a MAJOR price cut. Now available at Amazon for just £367.71

  • Amazon
  • Once £729
  • Now £367.71
View Deal

For the iteration of ChatGPT-4 the company says it “trained a single new model end-to-end across text, vision, and audio, meaning that all inputs and outputs are processed by the same neural network. Because GPT-4o is our first model combining all of these modalities, we are still just scratching the surface of exploring what the model can do and its limitations.”

For people speaking different languages, this system could reap incredible rewards. It acts as a real-time go between with very little latency between hearing repeating the utterances back in the intended language.

If the demonstration showcased during OpenAI’s presentation today is the experience users get, it throws down the gauntlet to Google – the long time kings of mobile language translation through its powerful and brilliant Translate app.

One of the videos below video (there are other examples too) shows a man asking ChatGPT to act as a translator.

The man asks the AI to translate everything it hears in English into Italian, and then the other way around. Then, the OpenAI CTO Mira Murati speaks in Italian and the English response comes very rapidly, with an impressively conversational tone.

Real-time speech translation, acting as a Universal Translator from StarTrek

Quite fast. Hear @miramurati speaking Italian. #openai's new ChatGPT app https://t.co/CpvCkjI0iA pic.twitter.com/tVlAcy2kj0

— Andrew Gao (@itsandrewgao) May 13, 2024

Interestignly, the AI refers to the speaker of the original language in the third person (“she said that…”) rather than simply translating the utterance. It is informed by the nuances in the user’s voice and can generate voices in “a range of different emotive styles”. OpenAI says it outperforms rivals like Google and Meta in terms of speed too.

Elsewhere videos published by the company shows users being able to interject and correct the AI and have it quickly shift course and respond in kind. Check out the faster counting video below, for example. The company also showcased the ability the incredibly lifelike conversational tone of voice and the ability to recognise its surroundings.

Fast counting with GPT-4o pic.twitter.com/3KfVbaAM6c

— OpenAI (@OpenAI) May 13, 2024

Say hello to GPT-4o, our new flagship model which can reason across audio, vision, and text in real time: https://t.co/MYHZB79UqN

Text and image input rolling out today in API and ChatGPT with voice and video in the coming weeks. pic.twitter.com/uuthKZyzYx

— OpenAI (@OpenAI) May 13, 2024

OpenAI says text and image input for GPT-4o is coming today, while the voice and video input will be added to the API in the coming weeks.

The post Mindblowing ChatGPT-4o real-time translation should terrify Google appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Google I/O Preview: 5 Things to expect and how to watch

Google I/O 2024

Google I/IO takes place on Tuesday May 14, with Brits able to tune-in after work. We’re expecting Android 15, loads of Google Gemini AI advancements, and perhaps even a little hardware sprinkled in.

Google fans will have had May 14 circled on the calendar for weeks now, as the search and mobile giant preares to put its best foot forward for the rest of the year.

Google I/O is traditionally where the company reveals its latest software advancements, sprinkles in a bit of hardware, and adds loads of the old Google magic to its products to make life that little bit easier for users.

Kindle Paperwhite Summertime discount

Kindle Paperwhite Summertime discount

Amazon’s super-light Kindle Paperwhite has just become even more of a bargain

  • John Lewis
  • Save £30
  • £119.99
View Deal

How to watch Google I/O 2024

You can tune into the Google I/O keynote address from 10am local time on Tuesday May 14. That’s 6pm UK time. As usual, the event is being live streamed on YouTube.

Bookmark this page as you’ll be able to watch in the embedded video below.

Gemini everywhere

It’s been a long, long 12 months in AI. Last year’s Google I/O might as well have been called Google A/I and we expect that trend to intensify on May 14. Google’s Gemini LLM (fka Bard) is ready to replace the Google Assistant for those opting in.

We’re also likely to hear how Gemini is going to benefit a host of core Google services like Search, Maps, YouTube, Gmail, Photos, as well as its productivity apps like Docs and Sheets.

It may not be just Android users who benefit either, with persistent rumours Apple has struck a deal with Google to bring Gemini to iPhone users in iOS 18. We’re liable to hear all about that at WWDC though, rather than at Google I/O.

Android 15

The new version of Android is usually the Google I/O headliner, but Android 15 is likely to be overshadowed by the masses of new Google Gemini enhancements the company will be infusing into its entire product line, regardless of the version of Android.

However, Android 15 is likely to be a key reason for the masses to tune into the keynote. The beta is already out in the wild, but Google I/O is likely to be where the company puts some meat on them bones.

Recent indications suggest Google is planning to offer satellite messaging, new Bluetooth features, a display mode designed to reduce eye-strain further, while there’ll be improved video stabilisation judging by recent dives into the Android 15 beta back-end code.

Android 15 is highly likely to launch on the Pixel 9 series this autumn, and be available on day one to existing Pixel owners.

Pixel Fold 2

With the Pixel 8a release pre-dating Google I/O this year the hardware charge might be led by the oft-leaked Pixel Fold 2 handset, which is potentially a significant update on last year’s model with a lighter design, a larger cover screen, thinner bezels, and a new camera array that eschews the Pixel series’ camera bar in favour of a square camera bump. It’s also possible Google might debut the Tensor G4 processor within the Pixel Fold 2 rather than wait for the Pixel 9.

It’s also possible the Pixel Fold 2 will be a Pixel 9 Pro device that won’t be announced until later this year.

New Chromecast with Google TV

Hardware announcements are unlikely to be plentiful at Google I/O this year, but it’s rumoured Google could launch a new version of the Chromecast with Google TV device with 4K capabilities. It’s been four years since Google announced the original.

Wear OS 5

As well as Android 15, Google could renew its wearable operating system with a fresh version of Wear OS, which powers the Pixel Watch series as well as the Samsung Galaxy Watch and others from the TicWatch series. Google revealed Wear OS 4 at the event last year, so it’s possible the next update drops here.

The post Google I/O Preview: 5 Things to expect and how to watch appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Android 15 looks to improve video stabilization on third-party apps

A peek into Android 15 code has revealed new video stabilization tech: Eyes Free.

Mishaal Rahman of Android Authority has spotted something in Android 15 code that suggests new video stabilization tech is on the way, called Eyes Free, which looks like it’ll work with a variety of third-party camera apps on Android.

According to Rahman, every Android camera app is built around the Camera2 API, and as of Android 14, the Camera 2 API supports five extension types: Auto, Bokeh, Face retouch, HDR, and Night. However, Rahman has found a sixth extension type within the Android 15 code, Eyes Free.

Reportedly, Eyes Free is set to be Camera2’s first video capture extension, and it’s meant to “lock and stabilize a given region or object of interest” — says a description. That’s what folks in the videography business call video stabilization.

In simple terms, video stabilization tries to remove unwanted camera movement that might result from, for example, an unsteady hand holding a phone. Eyes Free looks to be video stabilization in the form of a new Camera2 API extension.

As mentioned above, the Camera2 API is the foundation which every Android camera app is built off of, so a new extension could be incorporated into tons of third-party apps, instead of being limited to a particular application.

Rahman notes that such an extension would merely be something that manufacturers could implement, but he goes on to speculate that it may be possible to add Eyes Free support entirely through software, likely by way of a toggle in Android settings. Of course, we’ll have to wait and see.

At the moment, it’s not confirmed if Eyes Free will be a part of Android 15, and even if so whether it will be incorporated into camera apps, but the future definitely looks bright for Android users hoping for better video stabilization tech.

The post Android 15 looks to improve video stabilization on third-party apps appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Apple M4 benchmarks suggest it's the king of single-core performance

Apple’s M4 CPU is beating out Intel i9-14900K chips in benchmarks.

Apple recently announced its M4 chip, and now, benchmarks of the new chip are starting to pop up on the Geekbench benchmark site. Impressively, the M4 is beating Intel’s premium i9-14900K in single-core performance.

M4 scores are cresting 3800 points, while i9-14900K scores hover around 3600 points when it comes to single-core performance. Perhaps the most impressive thing about all this is the power consumption at hand. Traditionally, the more power a chip draws, cooling requirements go up and so does performance.

With Apple’s M4 chip, though, Apple claims “compared with the latest PC chip in a thin and light laptop, M4 can deliver the same performance using just a fourth of the power.” Intel’s i9-14900K, on the other hand, is a power-hungry chip that can draw up to a maximum of 253W at its max boost clocks. 

iPads, where you’ll see the first M4 chips popping up, require far less power, thanks to how thin and light they are and their inability to rely on any sort of powerful cooling system. So, the M4 scores are all the more impressive considering how far Apple’s been able to push mobile kit.

Not only is Apple’s continued chip development impressive, but so is its pace. The M3 chip was unveiled not even a year ago in October 2023, so to see the next-generation arrive so soon is another feather in Apple’s CPU-maker cap.

All that being said, a chip like the i9-14900K significantly outcompetes an M4 in multicore performance, and you can’t (and likely wouldn’t want to) just slot an M4 into your next gaming PC, so these benchmarks are more of a testament to the power of the M4 rather than Apple trying to take Intel down.

Nonetheless, if you’re looking for a powerful tablet, it only makes sense to check out Apple’s latest iPads with the brand’s M4 chip, like the new iPad Pro.

The post Apple M4 benchmarks suggest it's the king of single-core performance appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

OpenAI reportedly announcing Google Search competitor on Monday

OpenAI

OpenAI to announce Google Search competitor this coming Monday.

Via a report from Reuters, OpenAI plans to launch an AI-powered search platform this Monday, May 13th, to compete directly with Google Search.

Though this particular date is subject to change, according to the report, it has been previously reported that OpenAI is working on an AI-powered search platform intended to go toe-to-toe with big names in the space. This includes not just giants like Google but others such as Perplexity, too.

OpenAI posted on May 10th that the company would be streaming on Monday to “demo some ChatGPT and GPT-4 updates.” Though, CEO Sam Altman went on to clarify in an X post of his own: “not gpt-5, not a search engine, but we’ve been hard at work on some new stuff we think people will love! feels like magic to me.”

Whether or not an AI-powered search platform is announced at this upcoming event, it certainly seems timed to happen before Google’s I/O conference begins on Tuesday, May 14th, where the company is expected to reveal new AI products.

With Reuters’ sources “familiar with the matter” and sources telling TheVerge “that [OpenAI] is aggressively trying to poach Google employees to work on its own search offering”, it certainly seems like OpenAI is working on search.

At the time of writing, it’s unclear whether CEO Sam Altman’s words suggest that an OpenAI search platform will be coming, just not on Monday, or if perhaps something related to search, just not a full-scale Google Search competitor, will be announced on Monday. Naturally, we’re not likely to learn more until then.

Either way, Monday is just a few days away, so you won’t have to wait long to find out what OpenAI has to announce. Tune in to the OpenAI site at 10am PT / 1pm EST / 6pm BST to find out more, or check back here for our reporting.

The post OpenAI reportedly announcing Google Search competitor on Monday appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Loewe presents Kylian Mbappé themed We. HEAR pro Bluetooth speaker

WE_HEAR Pro speaker

Loewer has partnered with superstar French footballer Kylian Mbappé to launch its latest range of Bluetooth wireless speakers.

This is a limited edition wireless speaker, with this speaker marking the first product collaboration in a new partnership with the PSG frontman.

The We. Hear Pro x Kylian Mbappé features 100W of power (Class-D amplifier), and an array of drivers and passive bass radiators to produce what Loewe claims is a “deeply immersive listening experience”, outputting a sound described as both powerful and pristine.

The sound output has been optimised for horizontal placement, and you can customise the sound to have it the way you want it.

WE.HEAR PRO_horizontal denim

Though fairly big for a portable speaker, it does come with an adjustable shoulder strap for carrying about; and when used outside it’ll be able to repel splashes of water and dust with its IPX6 certification. Battery life is up to 24 hours, and fast-charging functionality can top the speaker up in just two hours. If you find other devices are short of battery life, you could plug them into the speaker and have it doubled up as a power bank.

Also onbaord is Loewe’s true wireless multi-pairing functionality that allows the user to sync up to 14 speakers (if you have that many!) all at once to create a big, enveloping sound. If you get a call when your smartphone is connected to the speaker, the built-in microphone allows you to take it hands-free.

Available in denim, neon, and black finishes, the Loewe We. HEAR pro x Kylian Mbappé goes on sale in May 2024, priced at £255.

The post Loewe presents Kylian Mbappé themed We. HEAR pro Bluetooth speaker appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Xbox Game Pass price hike could be sweetened by Call of Duty

Microsoft Xbox logo

Microsoft could be considering another price hike for its Xbox Game Pass subscription service, which might be sweetened by the inclusion of future Call of Duty games.

The company’s beleaguered gaming division has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons of late, with its underperformance underlined by the recent shuttering of a couple of highly regarded internal studios.

In a recent piece examining Microsoft’s Xbox troubles, The Verge journalist Tom Warren has made a couple of noteworthy claims about potential solutions being discussed at MS HQ.

One of those solutions is apparently a straight up price hike for the company’s prestigious Xbox Game Pass game subscription service. Given that we’ve not long received such an increase, it might not go down too well with customers – especially in light of those developer closures. Why pay more for a service that has technically just gotten worse?

Perhaps the second solution being discussed can help out here. According to the report, Microsoft has been discussing adding future Call of Duty games to the Xbox Game Pass roster. Apparently, such discussions have been taking place internally for quite some time now.

It’s easy to see why this would be appealing, given that Call of Duty is one of the biggest properties in gaming, and one that’s almost synonymous with online play.

However, there are clear misgivings about the lost revenue this would incur on Activision Blizzard. Call of Duty is a juggernaut of a money maker as things stand, and the idea of giving its £70 games away for ‘free’ seems counterintuitive, if not downright perverse.

We’re sure Sony would have something to say about such a move, too.

The post Xbox Game Pass price hike could be sweetened by Call of Duty appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Nintendo Switch 2 spec leak points to major hardware upgrade

Switch OLED Joy-Cons

Fresh hardware specs for the Nintendo Switch 2 have leaked online, pointing to a significant hardware upgrade and a new microphone.

No sooner has Nintendo officially confirmed that the Switch 2 is a real thing (they can be remarkably coy about such things), then some solid hardware spec leaks have begun to flow forth.

Established Pokémon tipster CentroLeaks has taken to X (formerly Twitter) with a batch of convincing-looking details, apparently taken straight from the Switch 2 manufacturing line.

Nintendo Switch 2 new leaks. It appears information from manufacturing is starting to leak out.

– 12 GB RAM (two 6 GB 7500 MT/s LPDDR5 modules)
– 256 GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage
– Seems like both the console will include a built-in microphone (and thus maybe controllers too?)

— Centro LEAKS (@CentroLeaks) May 9, 2024

According to this leak, the Nintendo Switch 2 will ship with 12GB of RAM, with the extra elaboration that it will come in the form of “two 6 GB 7500 MT/s LPDDR5 modules”. It’s such minor details that add extra credibility to such supply chain rumours.

By way of a comparison, the original Nintendo Switch ships with 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM, so this is a hefty upgrade, and points to serious ramping up of processing power and a scaling up of resolution output.

While 256 GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage might not sound like a huge amount for a portable device, meanwhile, it’s a massive ramping up compared to the original Switch’s 32GB. This points to a significant scaling up in game file size, again pointing to a significant increase in resolution.

Perhaps the most interesting tidbit here is that the Switch 2 could feature a built-in microphone, whether that’s in the body of the console or the controller. It’s not a quirky feature on a par with the 3DS’s 3D display or the Wii’s motion-controllers, but it might suggest that online social play is a focus for Nintendo’s next console.

The post Nintendo Switch 2 spec leak points to major hardware upgrade appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Google Find My Device can find a Pixel several hours after powering down

Google Find My device

Google has revealed that its new Find My Device network can help you locate a Pixel phone even several hours after it has powered down.

The company launched its updated tool for locating lost or stolen phones in North America last month, leveraging the vast number of Android devices out there to pinpoint where a registered phone is.

We knew at the time that Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro owners would get a bonus feature – the ability to locate your phone even when it’s offline or powered down. All we got by way of an explanation at the time was that this was thanks to “specialised Pixel hardware” that Google is working to bring to other manufacturers.

Now this feature has begun cropping up on Pixel 8-family devices, including the brand new Pixel 8a, along with a little more explanation.

As spotted by 9to5Google, the company has begun sending notifications to Pixel 8 phones that are signed up through the Find My Device app, revealing that the phone can be located for “several hours” after it has powered down.

In a related support page, Google explains that you’ll need to have your Pixel 8 device set to ‘With network in high-traffic areas only’ or ‘With network in all areas’ in the Find My Device app, and that you’ll need to have both Bluetooth and Location turned on.

Any device within the Find My Device network will use Bluetooth to scan for other nearby devices, and will then send secure location information where detected. The aforementioned “specialised Pixel hardware” in the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, and now Pixel 8a can evidently keep this function going for a while after the handset has been powered down or run out of battery.

This expanded Find My Device feature only seems to be operating in the US and Canada at present, but the UK appears to be next up to gain support. Keep those eyes peeled, British Pixel 8 users.

The post Google Find My Device can find a Pixel several hours after powering down appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

New Asus ROG Ally handheld gaming PC set to be announced later today

Asus ROG Ally

Asus will announced a new ROG Ally handheld gaming PC later today, it’s been confirmed.

The company has posted a YouTube premiere video that’s set to go live at 8PM tonight, GMT. Its title is a fairly unambiguous “The next ROG Ally is coming…”.

Given that it’s been only a year since the launch of the original Asus ROG Ally – an expensive (£699), technically advanced gaming handheld – it seems unlikely this is going to be a full-blown ROG Ally 2 follow-up.

Rather, we’re expecting a relatively subtle refresh. Indeed, such a minor overhaul was predicted in a Videocardz report earlier this week. The website called this new handheld the ‘Asus ROG Ally 2024’ in reference to its “mid-product refresh” status.

That report claimed that the new ROG Ally would pack much the same hardware set-up as the first generation model, including the exact same Ryzen Z1 chip. On the improvement front, it may feature a larger battery, and should also fix the widely reported SD card reader issue that has plagued some units.

The Apple Pencil (USB-C) is now almost half the price of the new Apple Pencil Pro

The Apple Pencil (USB-C) is now almost half the price of the new Apple Pencil Pro

Whether you’re considering investing in one of the upcoming new iPads or just want to upgrade your current iPad experience, you can get an Apple Pencil (USB-C) for just £69 on Amazon.

  • Amazon
  • Was £79
  • Now £69
View Deal

We gave the original Asus ROG Ally a positive 4-star review, praising it as “a more powerful alternative to the Steam Deck”. We particularly appreciated its streamlined design and its Full HD display.

On the negative side, there are obvious issues with the ROG Ally’s battery life, so rumours of a model with a larger capacity cell would make a certain amount of sense.

The post New Asus ROG Ally handheld gaming PC set to be announced later today appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

Audio-Technica shows off limited edition wood headphone at Munich High End

Audio Technica ATH-WB LTD_A2DC

Audio-Technica affair with wooden headphones continues with the ATH-WBLTD, which builds upon the success of the ATH-WB2022.

Only 300 pairs are to be made available for this pair of portable (yes, portable) headphones when they go on sale.

The headphones have been tuned specifically for analogue connections, its new 45mm HD drivers are intended to help create a “responsive and expressive soundscape”. The integration of a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coated diaphragm is claimed to be able to reveal the “subtlest tones in audio from the “lowest frequencies to the highest”.

The earcup housings are made from three layers of solid flame maple, walnut, and mahogany; which have been chosen to produce a beautiful grain finish and “superior acoustic and vibration-damping properties”. The hosuings have been hand polished by the artisans at Fujigen Inc., a leading manaufacturer in Japane of guitars.

The stitched earpads and headband are made from smooth, highly durable sheepskin to help keep comfort levels high, while the mageniusm alloy headphone arm is angled to provide the best fit when worn.

While the headphones can’t be folded inwards, they can be folded flat to slip inside the carry case, while accessories include two detachable 1.2m cables with A2DC (Audio Designed Detachable Coaxial) connectors, one with a dual-sided balanced cable with 4.4mm 5-pole plugs, and the other with a 3.5mm stereo mini plus. A 6.3mm adapter is also included for connecting to other audio sources.

You may want to take a sharp intake of breath once you hear the price, however, with the Audio-Technica ATH-WBLTD priced at £1599 / €1799. They’re on sale right now, so if you don want to get this limited edition pair of headphones, stop reading this article and head to the Audio-Technica website now.

The post Audio-Technica shows off limited edition wood headphone at Munich High End appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

❌
❌