Latest News - Page 2757

CES 2015 - After their 2012 launch in Asia, Nuu Mobile have been trying to break into the smartphone market by providing affordable unlocked Android smartphone offerings. In their latest press release, they've announced a release of their two new smartphones, the NU3S and XI, into the US market.

Featuring Android KitKat 4.4 and Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, these phones also contain noise-cancelling technology to help improve phone calls, high-quality front cameras with wide-angle lenses and rear cameras with BSI sensors to assist users in low-light situations.

Being released for $179.99, their NU3S includes the following features:

UPDATE: We have reached out to ASUS and asked if the $199 price was on a two-year contract, which it is. The Zenfone 2 will start from $399, which is still a very, very competitive price. It positions ASUS right up against Samsung and Apple, and beats them in terms of specs, features and most of all: price.

CES 2015 - One of the most exciting things unveiled at ASUS' CES 2015 press conference has to be the new Zenfone 2.

The new Zenfone 2 from ASUS continues the company's 'iconic Zen design' with a 'concentric-circle texture' and 'sleek, brushed metal finish'.

CES 2015 - ASUS started CES 2015 with a bang today, announcing not one, but three new Transformer Book Chi devices. The flagship model, the T300 Chi, has a great spec sheet, with up to 8GB of RAM on offer.

The flagship Chi sports a 12.5-inch display with an option of either a Full HD or WQHD (1920x1080 and 2560x1440, respectively), but it is just 7.6mm thin and weighs only 720g. We have an Intel Core M processor inside, and the option of 4GB or 8GB of RAM which is just crazy in a tablet. We're getting close to Ultrabook specs here, people. On top of that, we have a desktop-class SSD inside.

Speaking of SSDs, the new Transformer Book T300 Chi's SSD is more than capable. When compared to the latest MacBook Air, it is up to 5X faster than Apple's thin laptop. We have sequential write speeds of up to 276MB/sec while reads are at a blistering 436MB/sec.

CES 2015 - Expanding on their already existing Toughpower line, Thermaltake have just announced the addition of an 80 PLUS Platinum range of power supplies, featuring a sleek black and red finish and giving users the ability to save on their power bill through better efficiency.

Available in a wide range of models including 650W, 750W 850W, 1050W and 1200W, this new line of products are being released with a fully modular design. Thanks to the 80 PLUS platinum certification, they're being marketed as the best solution for gamers and tech enthusiasts to assist in powering high-end computers - containing multi-core processors and multi-GPU setups.

There isn't a quoted initial price on Thermaltake's issued press release, nor a release date. However given that these power supplies are already listed on their website, you can expect them to hit the shelves within 30 days time.

CES 2015 - Tracking device company Trackimo officially launched in North America during the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), with the company promoting its small, affordable and feature-rich tracking devices in Las Vegas.

The company is showing off the Trackimo Universal, a compact, lightweight device that measures just 45mm x 18mm x 40mm. The device can be quickly attached to backpacks, bikes, luggage, and similar products - and can be hardwired directly into a vehicle.

"We're very excited to be part of the Trackimo Worldwide team and to be launching Trackimo into the North American market," said Jim Prandine, VP of sales of Trackimo North America. "Trackimo Universal covers dozens of applications in various channels, and our new upcoming products will broaden consumer demand even further."

CES 2015 - At the ASUS CES 2015 press conference today, the company unveiled a slew of interesting new products, starting with the Transformer Book Chi range of 2-in-1 detachable devices.

The three models include the T100 Chi, T300 Chi and T90 Chi.

ASUS was quick to point out that the new Transformer Book Chi range of devices were "Thinner than Air," comparing them to Apple's popular MacBook Air range. The new Chi's are just 1.65cm thick, compared to 1.7cm on the MBA.

CES 2015 - Gaming peripheral company Mad Catz launched its F.R.E.Q. Stereo Gaming Headset, designed for Microsoft Windows PCs and Mac OS X. As part of the company's Tournament Edition range of gaming products, F.R.E.Q. was created with help from professional e-sports gamers.

The padded ear cups support precision 50mm speakers and the microphone is a uni-directional Boom Mic. The headset doesn't require any drivers or complicated software, a welcome decision as many gaming peripherals ship with occasionally complicated software.

"Our Tournament Edition range appeals to the passionate gamer who plays at a professional level," said Darren Richardson, President and CEO of Mad Catz, in a press statement. "By focusing on quality and only the features needed to win at a competitive level, we believe the F.R.E.Q. will prove a common fixture at LAN tournaments and allow us to grow our share in the rapidly growing e-sports arena."

With Oculus Rift and PlayStation's Project Morpheus virtual reality gaming systems looking to hit retail by the end of the year, movie studios such as 20th Century Fox are keen to get a piece of the action too. Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter ahead of Samsung's CES presentation, 20th Century Fox Fox Home Entertainment worldwide president Mike Dunn is looking to embrace the Gear VR platform to release interactive movie experiences that can act both as "a promotional, marketing medium and a product category", complimenting the release of an upcoming film, but also act as a standalone product for sale.

Fox and Samsung will be demonstrating a three minute narrative VR experience based on an upcoming film 'Wild' starring Reese Witherspoon, which will place the viewer in 360-degree environment, utilising the Samsung Gear VR and Galaxy Note 4.

It's been kicking around in limbo for a number of years, but to the surprise of many industry pundits Panasonic have today shown a prototype of the next generation Blu-ray format, dubbed 'Ultra HD Blu-ray' at CES and released key specifications. The full press release has been picked up by Blu-ray.com and confirms that the format will embrace 4K at up to 60 frames per second, the more efficient H.265 codec with bit rates up to 100 mbps, 10-bit gradation, High Dynamic Range and wider colour gamut.

Whilst the press releases does note that 'standards are being formulated by the Blu-ray Disc Association and have not yet been finalised', the company did not shed light on disc capacity or laser and pit groove technology will be employed. Panasonic did show a prototype of the player, but clearly it's in very early shape with the absence of a disc drive. With packaged media on the decline, it remains to be seen how the world will react to another disc based technology, but we might know a little more about the tech later this year.

CES 2015 - Escort Radar introduced the Passport Max2 radar detector and rolled out Escort Live mobile app updates during the 2015 Consumer Electronics show. The new detectors feature English and Spanish language voice alerts, and utilizes a multi-color graphics display that is easier to read.

The Escort Live app now includes Air Patrol alert features so drivers are alerted if they begin traveling through a stretch of roadway that is monitored by air. Also, the "Intelligent Speed Trap" feature automatically provides drivers about user reports of other Escort Radar owners in the area - and can support manually entering data.

"We're thrilled that we can offer known areas of enforcement that have been verified by millions of data points," said Tim Coomer, VP of product development at Escort Radar, in a press statement. "Advanced notification in these high-risk areas can be extremely useful in defending against instant-on radar and the use of laser guns."

CES 2015 - Gaming peripheral company SteelSeries has introduced the Apex M800, a product that the company says is the world's fastest, most customizable mechanical gaming keyboard.

SteelSeries says the keyboard has 25 percent faster actuation than current mechanical gaming keyboards, able to respond to every keystroke from PC gamers. Each key has a surface-mounted LED, and colors can be customized based on each gamer's particular needs.

The SteelSeries Apex M800 has a $199.99 MSRP.

CES 2015 - Braven has announced its Balance Bluetooth speaker, a product designed for consumers with active lifestyles. Ideally, the wireless speaker can be used while exercising and surviving while out in the world.

Balance has an anti-slip exterior and can be used indoors or outdoors, as it has an IPX5 waterproof rating - meaning it should survive splashed water, but don't throw it into the pool. The speaker has an internal 4400mAh battery able to charge mobile devices, along with a hands-free speakerphone featuring a built-in, noise-cancelling microphone.

The speaker will be available in the following colors: Raven, Alpine, Raspberry, Electric, Sunset, and Periwinkle. The Braven Balance will be released during Q2 2015, and will have a $149.99 MSRP.

CES 2015 - Sceptre is celebrating its 30-year anniversary by showing off 4K ultra-high-definition HDTVs during CES 2015.

The company has new 4K UHD TVs that range from 50 to 84-inches, including SRS TruSurround HD technology, HDMI 2.0, HDCP 2.2, and 3840 x 2160 resolution.

Sceptre also introduced new 4K UHD displays with touch features, with screens ranging from 50 to 65-inches. In addition, PC gamers can take the 28-inch 4K UHD monitor for a spin, as 4K monitors drop in price and availability continues to increase.

CES 2015 - Augmented reality display maker Seebright has unveiled the Wave head-mounted display (HMD) system that turns an Apple iPhone or Google Android smartphone into see-through augmented reality displays.

Once live on Kickstarter, Seebright will also include a 9-axis, 3D-visually tracked motion controller, so users are able to easily use AR applications. The platform will hit Kickstarter in February.

During CES, expect to see Seebright showcase its Seebright SDK with WebGL and Unity3D, in an effort to appeal to interested AR developers.

CES 2015 - Logitech has one of the best portable speakers on the market with its UE BOOM, but it has just expanded this range with the announcement of the new UE MEGABOOM.

Logitech's newest portable speaker is IPX7 certified waterproof, featuring a stain-resistant acoustic skin, weighs less than two pounds, features a 20-hour battery life, and 100-foot wireless Bluetooth range. Logitech has a great 'Double Up' feature that allows you to team another UE MEGABOOM (or UE BOOM) for double speaker action, which is really quite impressive when you hear it.

The new UE MEGABOOM will reach the US, and select countries within Europe and Asia sometime this month for a suggested retail price of $299.99.

You've seen it time and time again in reality TV shows and certain movies - the main character is hooked up to a lie detector in a stressful environment and asked specific questions to determine if they're telling the truth. However in the real-world, whether they're telling the truth or not, an experienced examiner only has a 60 percent chance to successful deduce a lie.

Current technology is said to be only slightly better that using nothing at all, with reports claiming that the average person can tell if someone is telling the truth or not 55 percent of the time anyway. To help raise the odds for technology, scientists from the University of Cambridge and Lancaster University in the U.K., and the universities of Utrecht and Enschede in the Netherlands have used a full-body suit.

This suit records the position, velocity and orientation of the wearer through 23 different places on their body. As traditional polygraph lie detectors are only connected to minimal spots on your person, the placement of 23 total nodes is said to help improve accuracy by fetching more data.

CES 2015 - Hardware manufacturer Broadcom has introduced a new Near Field Communications (NFC) chip designed to serve in connected vehicles. If implemented, drivers will be able to pair a smartphone or tablet by tapping it against the vehicle's dashboard, an easier method than trying to navigate device menus.

The BCM89095 chip joins Broadcom's growing number of connected vehicle technology products, which already includes a Bluetooth Smart chip and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Smart combination.

"Today's advanced in-car technologies are driving a dramatic leap forward in automotive entertainment," said Richard Barrett, director of wireless connectivity at Broadcom, in a press statement. "Broadcom's new automotive NFC chip offers an innovative architecture that reduces development time for our customers while providing a simplified tap-to-connect experience for drivers and passengers."

U2 front man Bono is appreciative to see Apple and Spotify stepping up to pay musicians during a turbulent time in music. Digital album and song downloads are sliding, as more listeners turn to streaming music services, and some artists aren't supportive of the current trend.

Bono said Apple is "unique in big tech in trying to get artists paid," at a time when iTunes, Spotify, and other services garner various acceptance from musicians and the music industry.

"We all now understand the Internet is giving us access to information that is mostly flattening an uneven playing field," Bono recently said. "This is all good except when some technologists think that creative content is only valuable in its ability to show off their wares - hard or soft."

Thanks to a new advancement, Google are giving students some much needed assistance in the form of rental textbooks for all Aussie students.

Textbooks are often very expensive, seeing most university courses asking you to put up hundreds of dollars for lengthy books that you sometimes barely use - which is obviously quite hard given you are a student and generally don't have much money to spare.

Thanks to advancements in technology, these digital textbooks are fully searchable, notes can be taken, stored and exported at your will and your own notes can even be stored long after the textbook rental has expired. Also don't worry, if you're not yet a registered student, you can still gain full access to any of these textbooks - simply rent and try them out for yourselves.

Smartwatch manufacturer nevo has announced the nevo solar, the world's first solar powered analog smartwatch for the consumer market. Even with frequent use, nevo partnered with Sunpartner Technologies, utilizing the Wysips solution to help generate electricity through exposure to light.

The nevo solar will be released in August 2015, but no pricing details were made available.

"When we developed nevo we made battery life a top priority," said Sebastien Druven, co-founder and CEO of nevo. "Our standard dual battery system and low-consumption technology freed users from the inconvenience of nightly charging and now we're taking that concept to its ultimate conclusion - solar power. With nevo solar we capture the unlimited power of light. Our users will never have to worry about charging."