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Sony MDR-XB950B1 Extra Bass Wireless Bluetooth Headphones Review

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

Sony MDR-XB950B1 Extra Bass Wireless Bluetooth Headphones Review

At CES 2017, Sony announced four new pairs of headphones in its Extra Bass line – including the wireless MDR-XB950B1. This NFC-enabled Bluetooth headset promises a bass-led sound, with aptX for clearer wireless audio, and a companion app that lets you choose between different EQ settings to personalise the sound.

At the time, Sony also released the MDR-XB950N1, which is pretty much the same thing, but with one additional feature: active noise cancellation. Unfortunately, we haven’t had a chance to get our hands on those cans yet, but we did get to try out the XB950B1, and used it for just under a week. According to the packaging, this headset is designed to be used with smartphones, and that’s how we used it the most, paired wirelessly.

The headset is bulky, but fairly comfortable, and the first impression it made was that the bass was overpowering everything else – which is something that more than a few cans in the XB family are guilty – or proud, depending on your perspective – of. We used it for a couple of days, finding the sweet spot, and after some time, we’ve formed a detailed impression of it. Read on to know more about whether or not the Sony MDR-XB950B1 is worth your time and money.

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Sony MDR-XB950B1 design and features
As we stated above, this headset is pretty big and bulky. The MDR-XB line has some models that can be folded into a fairly small size, while others can only be laid flat. This one falls into the latter category. The earcups are huge and heavily padded, with a rubbery finish that looks like it could get really sweaty. However, the headset is actually fairly comfortable to wear when in use.

Wearing it around your neck while on the move is hugely uncomfortable though – either put it on, or slip it into your bag, if you know what’s good for you.

The rest of the design is very typical of Sony’s XB family, with the power and bass effect buttons on the left cup (along with the Micro-USB charging port and 3.5mm input), while volume and playback controls are on the right cup. There’s also a mic on the left cup for hands-free calls, if you want.

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The Sony MDR-XB950B1 promises 18 hours of runtime after a 4-hour charge. There’s also an included audio cable that you can use if the battery runs out. Each driver is 40mm in size, and the frequency range is rated at 3Hz to 28,000Hz. Weighing in at 281g, this isn’t the lightest pair of headphones, but as we stated above, it feels comfortable enough. How it sounds is, well, a little more complicated.

Sony MDR-XB950B1 performance
Our first impression was that there’s way too much bass, and the sound isn’t very clear either. If you’re listening to pop tracks that have some amount of bass – think something by Arctic Monkeys, for example – then you’re definitely going to agree. Vocal-led tracks, such as songs by the Beatles, suffered greatly as well. But when we switched to hip-hop, things started to get better. We listened to a few Ludacris songs, and enjoyed the percussion, though other low notes were not very satisfying. Kanye West’s Black Skinhead on the other hand sounded great, which was unexpected.

The MDR-XB950B1 has a very specific sound. After listening to more Kanye and then some electronic music, we started to find a groove that works. We tend to overuse the phrase “it’s not for everyone,” but this is one place where it really applies. You get a ridiculous amount of bass, especially after you press the Bass Effect button, but although that’s important, you really do need to use your smartphone to drive these headphones, as we soon discovered.

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You see, the secret is the companion app, with its equaliser, which gives you a chance to actually make the MDR-XB950B1 sound good. You can set the amount of bass boost, and it’s a control you’ll be playing around with a lot to find the sweet spot for the songs you’re listening to. Surround sound settings can be tweaked as well. If there had been at least a few presets that you could change directly from the headphones it would have made this product a lot more versatile, but this is better than nothing, we guess.
With a little tweaking, the rest of the frequency sounds… fine. It’s not a sound that will blow you away, but the MDR-XB950B1 will not be a big letdown either. You definitely won’t see it used anywhere as a pair of reference headphones, but if you want a really specific sound for specific kinds of music, then it could be fun to own.

Surround sound is something this headset is pretty good at, by the way. Perhaps thanks to all that extra bass, spatial awareness is really good. The barbershop 3D sound demo was excellent. Isolation is also pretty decent, as expected thanks to the large earcups.

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Overall, we feel that the MDR XB-800 offers a much better tuned sound out of the box, but if you’re willing to play around with the app, the MDR-XB950B1 doesn’t disappoint either.

As for calls, that side of things actually worked really well. We had some doubts about the microphone’s positioning, but it picked up audio clearly. With respect to the Bluetooth range, the headphones worked reliably even at distances of up to 10 feet – the distance you’d get while walking around in your bedroom or living room, for instance. However, there’s one catch – the mic only works in Bluetooth mode, so if your battery is down, you can’t use this as a hands-free headset.

Verdict
The XB family has been around for a while, and the MDR-XB950B1 looks a little dated. It’s also somewhat expensive for what you’re getting – but it’s definitely fun to listen to the right music with. It’s hard to say that this is a great pair of headphones. The audio isn’t perfect, the signature is definitely weird, and you’ll have to spend time tweaking the EQ. However, if you love trying out new headphones and want something that really stands out aurally, then this is certainly an interesting option.

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On the other hand, if you’re investing in your first pair of earphones outside the entry level, then this isn’t the all-rounder you need to buy right now.

Price (MRP): Rs. 13,990

Pros

Comfortable and sturdy
Stands out, aurally
EQ is actually useful
Cons

Requires the EQ a lot
Expensive
Bulky, doesn’t fold
Ratings (Out of 5)

Design: 3
Performance: 3
Value for Money: 2.5
Overall: 3

 

 

[“source-gadgets.ndtv”]

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Smart homes: security flaws of wireless routers, home hubs, Bluetooth toys and more exposed

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

A range of popular ‘smart’ devices found in homes like the Amazon Echo and CloudPets have big security flaws.

Hackers could access your home network and connected appliances through a range of ‘smart’ devices, new research reveals.

Consumer site Which? created a ‘hackable home’ to test the security of a range of innovative products and systems we increasingly use to make our lives simpler.

It set up 15 popular smart gadgets and appliances typically found in homes today from a wireless router to a children’s Bluetooth toy and got ethical security researchers Sure Cloud to hack them.

As well as gaining access to the home network and connected appliances, Sure Cloud researchers targeted the homeowner with surveillance and phishing attacks to gather information.

All this allowed the researchers to breach their security in as little as four days.

Check if hackers have stolen your identity with your credit report

Hackable smart gadgets

The test found eight of the 15 products were found to have at least one security flaw.

Sure Cloud was able to easily access the Virgin Media Super Hub 2 internet router.

The gadget is issued with a simple password that many people typically don’t bother to change so it was easy to infiltrate in the experiment and acted as a gateway to all connected devices within the home.

The smart toy CloudPets, which enables family and friends to send voice messages to a child via Bluetooth was also easy to hack.

Sure Cloud researchers were able to make the product play voice messages that was able to trick the Amazon Echo.

Amazon Echo, which responds to voice commands to perform certain tasks was harder to infiltrate according to researchers but, as this video shows, it still has some vulnerability when it comes to voice purchasing features.

Voice purchasing is enabled by default on the Amazon Echo, so if you don’t change or add some security to this setting someone can easily order products from your Amazon Prime account and intercept the package when it arrives.

Wireless CCTV was also worryingly simple to takeover. The home CCTV camera system from Fred Megapix operates over the internet using a default administrator and without a password, but thousands of similar cameras also had this flaw.

Which? says this is a real privacy concern as anyone could potentially watch a live feed over the internet, with hackers even able to pan and tilt the cameras to monitor activity in a house.

Other items that had potential security risks include the TP-LINK HS100 SMART PLUG, which hackers were able to control to turn off appliances; the Logitech Harmony Hub, which doesn’t require a login so can be easily taken over and used as a gateway to other devices; the Nokē Smart Padlock, which instead of a key uses Bluetooth to keep valuables safe; and the Smarter Coffee Machine, which creates an unprotected open wireless network that anyone in range can connect to.

What’s being done about the flaws?

Which? says whenever it identifies a vulnerability with a product it tests it contacts the manufacturers involved first, so all of the flaws it found in its experiment have been reported.

This has resulted in the majority taking action to update their software and security.

Virgin Media, for example, is contacting 800,000 customers and telling them to update their passwords and is also upgrading many to its more secure Super Hub 3.

A Virgin Media spokesperson said: “The security of our network and of our customers is of paramount importance to us. We continually upgrade our systems and equipment to ensure that we meet all current industry standards.

“To the extent that technology allows this to be done, we regularly support our customers through advice, firmware and software updates and offer them the chance to upgrade to a Hub 3.0 which contains additional security provisions.”

An Amazon Echo spokesperson told Which?: “You can manage your shopping settings in the Alexa app, such as turning off voice purchasing or requiring a confirmation code before every order.

“Additionally, orders placed with Alexa for physical products are eligible for free return.”

Improving safety

Which? says more action needs to be taken to close security loopholes by manufacturers. It’s calling for devices to require a unique password, use two-factor authentication, and for them to get regular security updates for software.

Alex Neill, Which? Managing Director of Home Products and Services, said: “There is no denying the huge benefits that smart-home gadgets and devices bring to our daily lives.

“However, as our investigation clearly shows, consumers should be aware that some of these appliances are vulnerable and offer little or no security.

“There are a number of steps people can take to better protect their home, but hackers are growing increasingly more sophisticated. Manufacturers need to ensure that any smart product sold is secure by design.”

How to guard against hackers

Here some simple steps to follow to safeguard your devices from hackers.

Set strong passwords – many smart devices come with generic default passwords that are easy for hackers to guess.

Update your software – keeping software or firmware updated means that the latest security is installed on the device.

Complete the set-up – all smart devices should be connected to a secure wi-fi network. Many use their own wi-fi during the set-up process which, if left unsecured, is an easy target for attackers.

Location, location – be mindful of where devices are positioned in your home. Those close to windows or behind thin doors can be more easily accessed from outside.

Check if hackers have stolen your identity with your credit report

Keep safe with loveMONEY:

[“Source-lovemoney”]

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Internet

From wireless to Skype: 92-year-old wins internet user award

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

Doreen Thew, a 92-year-old from Maynooth, Co Kildare, who is overall winner of the 2017 open eir Silver Surfer Awards, pictured with her son Peter Thew at the awards ceremony in Dublin. Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times

Doreen Thew, a 92-year-old from Maynooth, Co Kildare, who is overall winner of the 2017 open eir Silver Surfer Awards, pictured with her son Peter Thew at the awards ceremony in Dublin. Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times

Doreen Thew is no stranger to technology. During the second World War she worked as a wireless operator in London and now, seven decades later, the 92-year-old spends her days chatting with family through Skype and Snapchat.

Her knowledge of Google enables her to identify the numerous birds that perch outside her bedroom window at the nursing home where she lives in Maynooth.

Ms Thew is so attached to her iPad, which she also uses for online shopping and banking, that the nursing home had to install a wifi booster on her arrival to ensure they met the requirements of this internet enthusiast.

On Tuesday, Ms Thew was named the overall winner of the 2017 open eir Silver Surfer awards, which celebrates the achievements of older people using technology and promotes the benefits of internet usage among older people who might be at risk of isolation.

Less than 25 per cent of people over the age of 65 use the internet, while poor broadband in some areas plays a role in the rural isolation of the elderly, according to Age Action.

However, Justin Moran from the charity says many older people surprise themselves once they sign up to classes in computer and internet use.

“We find they pick it up very quickly once they start, and Facebook and Skype are extremely popular. What we’re trying to do is get across that reluctance to take a class because once you start, a whole new world opens up to you.”

Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People Helen McEntee underlined the role of the internet in reducing social isolation.

“Our later years can be a time of continued learning, of new experiences and adventures, of challenging ourselves to gain new skills and follow new pursuits,” said Ms McEntee. “We all need to break down those stereotypes of older people as vulnerable, sick, and dependent.”

Older aficionados

Tuesday’s event, which was attended by older internet aficionados from across the country, included five categories of awards including IT Tutor of the Year which went to Frank Brady from Malahide and the Hobbies on the Net award which went to Betty Smith from Bandon in Co Cork for her marmalade business.

Brendan Crean from Kilbarrack in Dublin, an avid user of social media, received the New to IT award. Mr Crean, who has cerebral palsy, writes a weekly blog and uses his Facebook and Twitter accounts to lobby TDs and local councillors on behalf of people with disabilities.

Retired Wexford Garda John Hayes, who taught himself to read and write aged 20 so he could join the Garda, received the Golden IT Award for his frequent and wide-ranging internet use.

Presenter of Tuesday’s Silver Surfer awards, TV and radio presenter Baz Ashmawy, was joined on stage by his mother Nancy Ashmawy, who he praised for her courage and sense of adventure. Ms Ashmawy co-starred with her son in the adventure reality show 50 Ways to kill Your Mammy, featuring the duo’s travels around the world trying out extreme sporting activities.

Mr Ashmawy said his mother’s participation in the show underlined that pensioners were still capable “of pretty much doing anything”.

[“Source-irishtimes”]

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Wired vs. Wireless: Choosing the Best Broadband Network for Your Business

by admin
written by admin

Image result for Wireless,Broadband,Technologies,on,Education

No matter the size of your enterprise, the Internet offers tangible benefits that will help you make more money and produce the results your customers demand. Being able to go online affirms your company’s ability and willingness not only to improve your internal processes but also to provide the best customer experience to your clients. Additionally, the Internet also allows your business to explore novel opportunities afforded by the new digital economy.

Indeed, it is no longer a debate of whether an enterprise should have online connectivity. Nowadays, the discussion has shifted into what type of network best serves one’s business. Should you choose wired or wireless connection for your enterprise? In this article, we break down the advantages and disadvantages of each type of broadband solution.

Wireless: Convenience is Key

In a wireless network, data is sent and received using radio waves, eliminating the need for Ethernet cables. It allows flexibility to connect your computers or any gadget to the network using a wireless network adapter. The main advantage of having a wireless connection is the ease and accessibility it provides users to move around and use their laptops and other handheld devices. It also saves a considerable amount of time and expense by ridding the company of the need to constantly set up and reposition cables around the office.

A reliable wireless broadband network is also capable of handling a larger amount of users, especially within a big company, because it is not limited by a specific number of connection ports. If your business is in the hospitality and F&B sector—be it a restaurant, a hotel, or a café—you’d know that clients tend to appreciate complimentary Wi-Fi access. The network’s ability to accommodate transient users is a definite positive for these types of businesses. A wireless network is also far less complicated, disruptive, and messy as it frees the establishment from those unsightly cables.

While a wireless connection is generally preferred by most users because of the ease and freedom it provides, it also poses a few problems for the enterprise. Connection speed is usually slower because signals can be affected by external influences such as the presence of walls and floors, or interference from electronic and electrical items. And with valuable corporate data flying across the airwaves, wireless networks also become more open to data theft and other security threats. The enterprise tends to have less control with security, especially with employees bringing in their own gadgets and connecting to the company’s network. As such, it is important for businesses to implement measures that will prevent unauthorized access to their network through such devices.

Wired: A Matter of Security

A wired connection uses Ethernet cables to connect the computers and other handheld devices to the network router. They generally maintain a faster Internet speed and are considered more secure. Most traditional businesses prefer having a wired network infrastructure because of the level of control that it provides. Theoretically, wired networks are much harder to infiltrate, and as long as the network’s perimeter is not breached, the enterprise is in full control of who and what gets online.

But while a wired broadband network is highly valued because of its speed and security, it also presents a physical challenge for most companies. As an enterprise’s workforce increases, all new employees will need connection to their workstations. These connections involve wires and cables running throughout the building, opening up the company to additional remodeling and maintenance expenses.  A worker’s productivity can also be hampered because the only way he can be connected to the network is when he’s at his desk and working on his computer. Wired networks also limit an enterprise when it comes to sharing free Internet to its customers who bring their own laptops or handheld devices. This may eventually result in lowered patronage and decrease in income.

The Bottomline

Both wired and wireless connections offer advantages and disadvantages to an enterprise. Wired networks are valued for their speed and security, while wireless networks are favored because of the convenience and accessibility it provides. Wired connection can be limiting and expensive in the long run, while some wireless connection can pose a security threat to a company.

Despite this, more people these days are now considering Wi-Fi as a necessity rather than a luxury. Going wireless seem like a wise move for most businesses, especially those that are customer service oriented. In any case, as long as a business sets up the necessary security tools and protocols, a wireless network can be virtually as safe as wired networks. Keeping this in mind will allow you to make the most out of your wireless broadband experience.

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AT&T Wants to Make Every Telephone Pole an Ultra-Fast Wireless Hotspot

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

AT&T Wants to Make Every Telephone Pole an Ultra-Fast Wireless Hotspot

AT&T says it plans to start testing a technology next year that could ultimately blanket the country in ultra-fast wireless Internet – without the need for expensive cell towers.

The project, known as AirGig, promises speeds that are many hundreds of times faster than what consumers currently get with their mobile data connections. And it stands to be a lot cheaper to deploy, because AT&T’s new solution piggybacks on infrastructure that’s decades old: Electricity lines.

AirGig doesn’t transmit Internet signals through the power cables themselves. But by placing small, inexpensive antennas on top of utility poles, AT&T can create a string of access points. This new kind of Internet “cable” follows the path of the electricity lines as they wind their way through dense urban areas and hard-to-reach rural regions alike.

Building out Internet networks today is pricey. It often involves digging up streets to lay down cabling, or stringing the wires along utility poles. But as we’ve written before, advances in wireless technology are making it possible to do with airwaves what you could previously only accomplish with expensive fiber optic lines.

 To make AirGig a reality, AT&T would still need to make deals with utility companies to let the wireless carrier install its antennas on their poles. But AT&T seems confident utilities would find the technology attractive, too. It says the AirGig antennas may make their power networks smarter, giving utility operators more information about the health of their infrastructure and alerting them to problems like downed lines or fallen trees.
[Source:- gadgets. ndtv]
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With New High-Speed Wireless Ventures, Facebook Stakes Claim On Another Corner Of The Internet

by Rajdeep
written by Rajdeep

While the average consumer might just think of Facebook as just a place to post photos, ignore high school friends’ (and distant uncles’) politically charged rants, and catch up on the news, the reality is that Facebook has been quietly building a behind-the-scenes empire that covers everything from advertising to virtual reality to artificial intelligence. And the company’s latest venture makes it clear that Facebook is intent on being a lot more than a social media platform.

It’s been a big week of announcements from Facebook, unveiling new features, like simplified sign-in, in-app ticket-buying and file-sharing through Messenger.

These are all big updates to the social side of Facebook, but it was another, less-heralded announcement — one involving satellites, giant antennas, and functionally city-sized signal-repeaters — that highlights the vast scope of the company’s operations.

These projects are called Terragraph and Project ARIES, and each is designed to solve an internet access problem.

Terragraph is designed for dense urban areas and uses a part of the electromagnetic spectrum that is still unlicensed in many countries (including the U.S.), but supports very high data-transmission speeds — at a very short range.

So Terragraph is basically designed as a series of street-level nodes, fairly close together, that function more-or-less like signal-repeaters that can strengthen and carry wireless communications without being hampered by pesky features of the urban landscape, like “buildings” or “people.”

Where Terragraph is designed for the world’s billions of urban would-be internet users, Project ARIES is for their country cousins.

The idea behind the ARIES antenna array is to significantly boost the capacity of wireless networks serving rural, underserved areas without needing to build out more extensive (expensive) network infrastructure or crowd more spectrum. In short, it basically is able to blast out a lot more signal at once than existing, traditional antennas can do.

Terragraph and ARIES are just the latest in a growing number of internet and tech ventures that Facebook has started or acquired in recent years. Some of these projects have a more direct connection to the Facebook social media platform than others.

Here’s a brief overview of some of the many industries Facebook has a hand in right now:

  • Advertising: Facebook generates more than $5 billion per quarter in revenue, and this is where more than 96% of it comes from. Facebook not only sells advertising space on their own service(s) to more than 2.5 million businesses, but also through their Atlas service, help businesses use Facebook data to place more effective ads — and track their performance — on other platforms.
  • Artificial intelligence: Facebook’s banking big on AI. For now they’re trying to harness AI for tasks as comparatively simple as basic chatbots or automated audio captions of photos, for blind and visually impaired Facebook users. However, AI and machine learning are a major cornerstone of the company’s ten-year plan (see top image) at this point.
  • Commerce and payments: Not only can businesses put a “buy” button on their Facebook posts, but you can send money through Messenger, and now you can buy goods and services directly through the platform, too. There’s money to be made in being the middleman, and in rendering everyone else’s independent apps and website obsolete in the name of simplicity.
  • Content aggregation: Facebook just announced a “save to Facebook” plugin that works basically just like any other social bookmark or “save for later” tool, like Instapaper or Pocket. Only, y’know, saved to Facebook.
  • Content hosting: Facebook’s Instant Articles, designed to optimize news links for mobile connections, effectively keeps media organizations’ content hosted inside Facebook for all mobile readers — which is a huge percentage of the audience, these days. Facebook also revamped its ‘Notes’ feature last year to basically make it a modern blogging platform (think more like Medium) so any individual who wants to create, host, and share web content in that way can also do it without having their readers step foot off of Facebook.
  • Direct communication: WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, Facebook’s two direct communication tools, have roughly one billion users each. One app at a time, Facebook is stepping into basically every kind of personal communication function — text, voice, and video — your phone can do, and integrating them under its own umbrella.
  • Internet access: Through the non-profit Internet.org and its Free Basicsservice, Facebook provides zero-cost, zero-rated, low-bandwidth data plans to about 25 million users in 37 developing nations. The service, of course, provides all of those users with Facebook access, as well as some other sites and programs that vary locally.
  • Internet infrastructure: Free Basics works through partnerships with local telecom companies, but Terragraph and Project Aries are all Facebook’s.
  • Photo and video hosting: The last time Facebook published stats on it, users were uploading more than 350 million new photos daily — but that was two years ago. Meanwhile Instagram users post more than 80 million new photos daily, and Facebook users stream over 100 million hours of video. Again: that’sper day. With live streaming video now available to all users, not just celebrities and media accounts, those numbers are only going to keep skyrocketing.
  • Social networking: Obviously, this one is the elephant in the room. There are 1.6 billion people, give or take — about 22% of the entire world’s population — on Facebook, sharing photos and status updates and articles and videos and whatever else they want.
  • Virtual reality: Facebook spent $2 billion to buy Oculus back in 2014, and the product just finally launched at the end of March. Facebook is all in on VR, as their ten-year plan and recent developer conference highlight, although we can’t say yet how quickly consumers will follow along.

       [Source:- Consumeris]

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Apple’s AirPower Wireless Charger Said to Be Delayed for These Reasons

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

Apple's AirPower Wireless Charger Said to Be Delayed for These Reasons

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Engineers hope to launch the charger by June 2018
  • Aim now is to put AirPower on sale before or in September
  • Apple engineers have ramped up testing of the device in recent months

When Apple introduced AirPods earbuds in 2016, chief designer Jony Ive hailed the beginning of a new “wireless future.” The company’s devices would connect and charge without fiddly white cords and unsightly plugs and sockets.

The next step was wireless charging for the iPhone, the ability to drop Apple’s flagship product on a charging mat and juice it up via a process known as induction. This accessory is taking longer to make due to a series of technical hurdles, slowing the company’s wireless strategy and highlighting supply-chain challenges that have hampered product launches in recent years.

Apple said in September that the iPhone X and iPhone 8 could be charged wirelessly. It recommended charging hubs from Mophie and Belkin, an unusual move for the consumer-hardware specialist. Apple also announced its own AirPower charger, but said it wouldn’t be released until 2018.

Since then, AirPower hasn’t been publicly discussed by Apple. Company engineers have been toiling away to address problems. One challenge is making sure the charger doesn’t overheat. Another is the complexity of the circuitry, according to people familiar with the device’s development.

An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment.

Unlike wireless chargers on the market today, the AirPower is designed to charge three devices simultaneously: an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods with a still-to-be-released wireless charging case.

Apple also wants users to be able to place any of their devices anywhere on the charging mat to begin a charge. That ambitious goal requires the company to pack the AirPower with multiple charging sensors, a process that has proven difficult, the people said. The charger is based on custom charging technology, which it intends to integrate with the Qi charging standard, the company said last year.

An executive at an Apple partner that manufactures third-party wireless chargers for iPhones, who asked not to be identified, said that the multi-device charging mechanism is challenging to build because it likely requires different sized charging components for the three types of devices, which would all overlap across the mat.

The AirPower charger is also more advanced than the current competition because it includes a custom Apple chip running a stripped down version of the iOS mobile operating system to conduct on-device power management and pairing with devices. Apple engineers have also been working to squash bugs related to the on-board firmware, according to the people familiar. They asked not to be identified discussing a product that hasn’t been released yet.

The company plans to produce the charger with Pegatron Corp., which also builds some iPhones, according to a person familiar with the arrangement.

Apple didn’t say when in 2018 it would release AirPower, but engineers hoped to launch the charger by June. The aim now is to put it on sale before or in September, according to one of the people. In recent months, some Apple engineers have ramped up testing of the device by using it as their charger at the office, another person said.

“Hopefully, Apple learns a lesson to only announce products that are for sure shipping soon or immediately after announcing,” said Ben Bajarin, an analyst at research firm Creative Strategies. Still, he sees little impact in the long-term because the AirPower product is part of a much larger strategy that will develop over years, not months or quarters.

Apple designers eventually hope to remove most of the external ports and buttons on the iPhone, including the charger, according to people familiar with the company’s work. During the development of the iPhone X, Apple weighed removing the wired charging system entirely. That wasn’t feasible at the time because wireless charging was still slower than traditional methods. Including a wireless charger with new iPhones would also significantly raise the price of the phones.

Wireless accessories have become a key way for Apple to differentiate its products. The wireless synchronisation of AirPods and the Watch with Apple’s other devices are compelling features. And the pricey accessories are only truly compatible with Apple devices, giving consumers more reasons to stick with iPhones and iPads over competing smartphones and tablets.

All of these accessories are part of Apple’s Other Products business, which has been growing rapidly.

The AirPower charger should bolster this business – when it finally arrives. The wait is another indication that Apple continues to struggle with last-minute engineering and manufacturing issues, particularly for first-generation accessories.

Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook has overseen the shipment of hundreds of millions of major devices since taking over as Apple’s top executive in 2011 – and for many years prior as chief operating officer. But nearly every significant new Apple accessory has faced delays in recent years.

The first major new accessory to the iPhone launched under Cook was the Apple Watch. Announced in 2014, it was marketed to go on sale in early 2015. It ended up initially going on sale at the end of April in limited quantities, with more models being subsequently released in stores in May and June. When the wireless Apple Pencil came out in 2015, it was difficult to find in retail stores for several weeks.

In 2016, when Apple launched AirPods, the company planned to release the accessory in October. The earbuds came out close to the December holiday season.

A year later, the HomePod was announced in June 2017 for release in December of that year. It ended up going on sale this February.

[“Source-gadgets.ndtv”]

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‘OnePlus Bullets Wireless’ Earphones Unveiling Likely at OnePlus 6 Launch Event

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

'OnePlus Bullets Wireless' Earphones Unveiling Likely at OnePlus 6 Launch Event

OnePlus 6 is the next big smartphone coming our way, with the launch confirmed to be in second quarter, though the official unveiling may be as early as April-end. However, it seems the OnePlus 6 won’t be the only product the company will showcase at the event, as it is apparently working on a paid of wireless earphones as well, named OnePlus Bullets Wireless. This new development is likely to sit alongside the OnePlus Bullets (V2) that were launched in August 2016. OnePlus 6 has been confirmed to come with a notch design and Snapdragon 845 SoC, and will have a 256GB storage variant.

As per a Bluetooth certification listing, the new OnePlus Bullets Wireless earphones are based on Bluetooth v4.1 and include a Qualcomm chip. The earphones carry model number BT31B and are listed since April 4, suggesting them as a part of the ongoing developments by the Chinese company. Moreover, the fresh listing suggests that the company may announce the new product alongside launching the OnePlus 6. Folks at Nashville Chatter spotted the listing soon after it became live.

The prime use case of wireless earphones is certainly to give a wire-free music playback experience to users. However, companies including Apple and Google recently brought there in-house wireless earphones in the form of AirPods and Pixel Buds, respectively, to give users an advanced alternative to traditional wired headsets. Both companies specifically also preferred to ditch the 3.5mm audio jack from their smartphone models. This again makes some sense for launching native wireless earphones. Having said that, OnePlus has confirmed the OnePlus 6 will retain the 3.5mm headphone jack. Thus, the company may be looking to provide an official wireless headphone alternative to its users.

In the past, OnePlus brought its Bullet series earphones at affordable prices – as low as $20 in the US (approximately Rs. 1,300) for the OnePlus Bullets V2. This suggests that the new wireless earphones will also be a pocket-friendly offering. We can also presume that the new earphones will work with Google Assistant and come with premium drivers.

It is unclear that when OnePlus will launch its Bullets Wireless earphones. However, the OnePlus 6 is likely to be launched sometime around the release of the Avengers: Infinity War movie that is set in India for April 27.

 

 

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Mi MIX 2S Leaked Specifications Show 4400mAh Battery, Mi 7 Said to Support Wireless Charging

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

Mi MIX 2S Leaked Specifications Show 4400mAh Battery, Mi 7 Said to Support Wireless Charging

Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S has been a part of rumours for a long time. But earlier this week the company confirmed that the handset with a Snapdragon 845 SoC will debut on March 27. And now, it’s time for a screenshot that reveals the new Mi MIX variant’s bezel-less design – without any notch or space for a front-facing camera sensor. The leaked screenshot also features some of the key specifications of the upcoming smartphone that match with the previous reports. In another piece of news, Xiaomi is said to be developing the Mi 7 with a similar wireless charging technology that was adopted by Apple for the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus.

Mi MIX 2S specifications leaked

The alleged Mi MIX 2S screenshot, which has surfaced on Weibo, displays the MIUI About screen, showing the presence of a Snapdragon 845 SoC, a 4400mAh battery, a 16-megapixel primary camera sensor, a 6.01-inch full-HD+ (1080×2160 pixels) display, and 8GB of RAM. The screenshot in question also highlights 256GB of onboard storage on the smartphone that is rumoured as the Mi MIX 2S. All these aren’t any new specifications and are the ones that were leaked through some other sources in the past.

Having said that, the screenshot comes with rounded corners, suggesting a symmetrical display panel of the Mi MIX 2S. This is unlike the lately released render that showed a selfie camera on the top-right corner of the device. Notably, the Mi MIX 2 arrived with a similar symmetrical display panel, though it had a front-facing camera sensor on the bottom, which didn’t impress some users, and the company even recommended to hold the smartphone in landscape mode to capture selfies.

xiaomi mi mix 2s screenshot weibo Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S

Photo Credit: Weibo

While Apple brought the trend of using a notch for the front camera module, some companies are exploring other opportunities as well. Vivo, for instance, at MWC 2018 showcased its APEX concept phone with an elevating selfie camera that rises and retracts from the top to give space to the ultra-thin display bezels.

We need to wait for some more weeks, until the launch date of the Mi MIX 2S, to see how Xiaomi will position the front camera sensor. Meanwhile, we can certainly expect some more rumours and leaks of the device.

Alongside the Mi MIX 2S, the Xiaomi Mi 7 is also a part of the rumour mill nowadays. The smartphone was already expected to come with a Snapdragon 845 SoC and is now rumoured to support wireless charging with 7.5W power, matching the wireless charging support of the latest iPhone models. China’s Chongdiantou reports that Xiaomi has started testing the new support.

Xiaomi joined the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) in September last year to start offering Qi standard-based wireless charging technology on its devices. That development is likely to be leveraged to make the Mi 7 a competitive offering against the iPhone X and its siblings. The handset is rumoured to use the same Broadcom chip and NXP transmitter that Apple used last year to deliver 7.5W wireless charging. It is expected to be based on the Qi Specification Version 1.1.

The Mi 7 is rumoured to feature a 6.01-inch display with 18:9 aspect ratio, 6GB or 8GB RAM options, and dual 16-megapixel rear camera sensors. A Weibo post suggests that the handset could come with an under-display fingerprint sensor, much like the Vivo X20 Plus UD that was launched last month.

 

 

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iOS 11.2 Said to Bring Faster Wireless Charging to iPhone X, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus

by Loknath Das
written by Loknath Das

iOS 11.2 Said to Bring Faster Wireless Charging to iPhone X, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus

Apple appears all set to enable faster wireless charging on the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and the iPhone 8 Plus with the upcoming iOS 11.2. The new experience is reported to be 50 percent faster than the present wireless charging feature that delivers 5W of power.

With the iOS 11.2 update, which is presently available in a developer beta version, Apple looks set to enable 7.5W wireless charging support on the new iPhone models. Folks at MacRumors have tested the addition in the iOS 11.2 developer beta following a tip received from accessory maker RAVpower and found that the iPhone X was charged from 46 to 66 percent within thirty minutes, using the Belkin charger that Apple sells with 7.5W support.

It is worth noting here that Apple is not about to deliver the industry’s fastest wireless charging experience by enabling 7.5W support. Many Qi standard-based devices, including the latest Samsung Galaxy flagships, are supporting up to 15W of wireless charging. Having said that, the latest attempt by the Cupertino company is even speedier than what iPhone users receive through the standard wired 5W power adapter.

The list of supported wireless chargers to enable the faster experience includes the affordable Belkin BoostUp Wireless Charging Pad that was launched in India earlier this month. Additionally, the Mophie Wireless Charging Base that is available from Apple store is also well-equipped to work with the latest change.

Alongside the faster wireless charging, iOS 11.2 is anticipated with Apple Pay Cash that enables person-to-person payments directly through an iMessage. The new iOS version is also hinted to bring a special pricing feature called “introductory pricing” for auto-renewable subscription apps.

Apple is currently testing iOS 11.2 by offering developer releases. However, since the third beta version of the new iOS platform is already out, the general update can be expected to debut in the coming weeks.

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