TSMC said to make 7nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC starting from 2018-end

Snapdragon 845 10nm SoC manufactured on second generation 10LPP process from Samsung was introduced back in December last year. Earlier reports said that TSMC will be making the 7nm (FinFET) chips for the Snapdragon 855 SoC, now new report corroborates this, and also says that the production will start by the end of 2018 or early 2019. MediaTek's latest Helio M70 5G Modem is also based on TSMC's 7nm FinFET tech.  Earlier this year Qualcomm introduced Snapdragon X24 as the world’s first 7nm LTE modem with up to 2Gbps download speeds as the successor of the Snapdragon X20. The Snapdragon 855 SoC will likely use this modem. Earlier report said that Qualcomm is going with TSMC since the fab uses normal steppers while Samsung is going with 7nm EUV lithography tech which is riskier, and might not be ready on time. Samsung recently announced that is working on 7LPP (Low Power Plus) with EUV (extreme ultra violet) lithography technology for smartphones that is targeted for initial production in the second half of 2018, but it will be risk production, and it might take up to one year to transition to full volume production. This is probably the reason Qualcomm decided to go with TSMC's FinFET tech over Samsung's EUV tech. The Snapdragon 855 SoC is expected to be introduced by the ...

Facebook Messenger will now automatically translate Spanish messages to English

Facebook Messenger can now translate Spanish messages to English (and vice versa). Facebook debuted the feature called M's translation suggestions at F8 in May, but that was Facebook's new tools for businesses and used to only work for chats between buyers and sellers in Marketplace. Starting today, you will see "Translate to English/Spanish" module pop up when someone messages you in either language.  The first time you tap on the module, M will ask if you'd like to auto-translate all the messages you receive from friends in the future. Meaning that it will be an opt-in for the auto-translation for every conversation, but you can also opt out anytime. However, the feature is pretty limited, Facebook also said that it would expand its capabilities so that it can also translate other languages and will also roll out in other countries. This feature will eliminate the need for switching between Messenger and translator app to know the actual meaning of the message received. Source

BlackBerry partners with Bullitt Group to protect Cat and Land Rover rugged smartphones with BlackBerry Secure

BlackBerry today announced it has entered into a partnership with Bullitt Group, a British smartphone and consumer electronics maker, to develop new highly-secure connected devices that are certified as “BlackBerry Secure.” Bullitt will use BlackBerry cybersecurity technology in its rugged Cat (Caterpillar Inc.) and Land Rover branded products offering better security for the enterprise customers buying the rugged phones. These devices are used by customers in over 100 countries, with a strong focus in EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa), North America, and Latin America.  BlackBerry Secure secure software platform provides product manufacturers with a deeply embedded security solution that comprises BlackBerry's proprietary software and applications that helps safeguard end-user privacy and protects enterprises from attackers looking to exploit device vulnerabilities. Commenting on the new partnership,  Alex Thurber, SVP and GM of Mobility Solutions, BlackBerry, said: This new deal will allow us to expand our BlackBerry Secure footprint into the more than 100 markets that Bullitt Group currently distributes its products, especially in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.Bullitt Group’s customers, from farmers and construction workers to outdoor enthusiasts, will now be able to have rugged products that aren’t just durable on the outside, but also strong on security on the inside. James Shannon, ...

Google Photos v3.23 hints at adjustable bokeh effect, lower saved photo quality, and more

Google is rolling out a new update to the Photos app which brings the version to V3.23 and there are no immediate changes right off the bat, but there are many features lying behind the screen one among which is the ability to apply smooth bokeh effects of portrait mode, and we can even control the intensity of the blur. It also includes a new option to downgrade your already backed-up photos to high quality so you can get back some of that cloud storage. The custom adjustments for portrait mode lets users control how much defocus is applied to the background. There will be two sliders; one for setting the blur intensity and one for defining how shallow the depth of field will be. However, it is unclear if the feature will be applicable to regular shots after they were taken. Google Photos offers unlimited photo storage, however, once you reach the point of filling the storage, Google suggests you buy more, but that's about to change. Google is adding a feature to Photos that will make it possible to downgrade images from original to high quality, so you can now reclaim the storage space. Google at the I/O 2018 announced AI-based color pop suggestions that will automatically ...

Panasonic Toughbook FZ-T1 rugged handheld with Android 8.1 announced

Panasonic has announced Toughbook FZ-T1, the company's latest rugged handheld targeted at enterprise customers  including retail and hospitality, manufacturing, transportation and logistics. It hasintegrated barcode scanner with two trigger buttons, either side of the device, and will also get a separate long and short range barcode scanning accessory for inventory management such as scanning from forklifts, shelf stocking, assisted sales or order taking and queue busting. It weighs 240 grams and is designed for military standard 810G, dust and water resistant to IP68, tumble tested and capable of withstanding drops of up to 1.5m, and operating within a temperature range of -10 to +50C. Panasonic Toughbook FZ-T1 specifications 5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels), anti-reflective, daylight viewable, 10 point multi touch capacitive touchscreen supporting glove and rain mode 1.1 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 (APQ8009) Mobile Platform with Adreno 304 GPU 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, expandable memory with microSD Android 8.1 (Oreo) 8MP rear camera with LED flash Dimensions: 75 x 154 x 13.1~17.5mm; Weight: 240g 3 Microphones (x2 front, x1 rear), speaker (up to 90 dB) 1D/2D Barcode Reader, Two user configurable scan buttons for left and right handed users Enterprise level security and manageability (COMPASS) Security: FIPS140-2 level-1 compliant, Built-in ARM TrustZone MIL-STD-810G certified,  ...

Vivo Y81 with 6.22-inch 19:9 FullView display, Helio P22 Octa-Core 12nm SoC, Android 8.1 announced

Vivo has announced Y81, the company’s latest mid-range smartphone in the ‘Y Series’, soon after the Y83, which was launched in India earlier this month. It has similar specifications, including a 6.22-inch HD+ screen with 19:9 aspect ratio, 2.15mm narrow bezels and 88% screen-to-body ratio,  MediaTek’s latest Helio P22 Octa-Core 12nm SoC, 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, portrait mode, but this comes with a 5-megapixel front camera and 3GB of RAM, compared to 8-megapixel camera and 4GB of RAM in the Y83. It runs Android 8.1 (Oreo) with Funtouch OS 4, but it doesn't have a glossy mirror back on the Y83. It omes with dedicated dual SIM and microSD slots and packs a 3260mAh battery, but it doesn't have a fingerprint sensor. Vivo Y81 specifications 6.22-inch (1520×720 pixels) HD+ 19:9 IPS 2.5D curved glass display 2GHz Octa-Core MediaTek Helio P22 (MT6762) 12nm processor with 650MHz IMG PowerVR GE8320 GPU 3GB RAM, 32GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD Dual SIM Funtouch OS 4.0 based on Android 8.1 (Oreo) 13MP rear camera with LED flash, f/2.2 aperture 5MP front-facing camera, f/2.2 aperture Dimensions: 155.21x 75.24 x 7.7mm ; Weight: 146g 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz / 5GHz), Bluetooth 5, GPS 3260mAh battery The Vivo ...

Apple, Audi, BMW, LG, Samsung and others collaborate on Digital Key standard to eliminate physical keys for cars

Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), which is a mix of major smartphone and automotive brands has announced the Digital Key Release 1.0 standard that will let you download a virtual key that can unlock your vehicle, start the engine and even share access with other drivers. Good thing is that this technology keeps its primary focus on security more than anything else. The Digital Key specification can create a robust ecosystem around interoperable digital key use cases, including allowing drivers to lock, unlock, start the engine, and share access to their car directly from their smartphones. This Release 1.0 provides a generalized deployment method that allows vehicle OEMs to securely transfer a digital key implementation to a smart device, using an existing Trusted Service Manager (TSM) infrastructure. CCC has also mentioned that it started its work on the Digital Key Release 2.0 specification. This specification is under development in collaboration between CCC’s charter member companies including Apple, Audi, BMW, General Motors, HYUNDAI, LG Electronics, Panasonic, Samsung, and Volkswagen, and core members including ALPS ELECTRIC, Continental Automotive GmbH, DENSO, Gemalto, NXP, and Qualcomm Incorporated. The Release 2.0 is targetting to complete the work by Q1 2019 and it will provide a standardized authentication protocol between the vehicle and ...

Jabra Elite 65e neckband wireless headphones and Elite Active 65t wireless earbuds launched in India

Jabra has launched new Elite 65e  wireless headphones with  both active and passive noise cancellation, and Elite Active 65t wireless earbuds, expanding its Elite series of headphones. The Elite 65e has a neckband design and comes with three-microphone technology that creates a noise-blocking zone – making sure the voice is conveyed with crystal-clear clarity. The oval earbuds offer a better fit in the ear canal – in combination with the eargels for a perfect grip, provide an optimal seal for the passive noise cancellation of ambient sounds. The Active Noise Cancellation digitally removes additional noise levels. It promise 8 hours of battery life when using ANC, and an 13 hours with ANC tuned off. Highlights of Jabra Elite 65e 3-microphone call technology creates a noise-blocking zone for crystal-clear voice on calls Business-quality background noise reduction, achieved with powerful hybrid active noise cancellation and sound-isolating earbuds Up to 8 hours battery using active noise cancellation and an incredible 13 hours with ANC turned off IP54 rated, with 2-year warranty against damage from water and dust (registration required on Jabra Sound+ App) One-touch access to Amazon Alexa Siri and Google assistant Listen to your music the way you want to hear it, by personalizing your sound with a customizable ...

Apple files lawsuit against Qualcomm over four patent infringement

Apple is not stopping its legal battle against Qualcomm as the company has filed petitions with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to challenge four of Qualcomm’s patents. The main goal of Apple is to have the patent office cancel the four Qualcomm patents in question. Interestingly, all four are involved in the patent infringement lawsuit Qualcomm levied against Apple last year. Apple says that it wants the patent office to cancel four Qualcomm patents, saying they don’t cover new ideas. The patents include ways to automatically focus a digital camera; a device that functions as both a phone and personal digital assistant; touch-sensitive displays; and circuit memory. However, the patent office is easy to work than courts; it regularly invalidates patents involved in patent infringement cases. The next step in the process is for the Patent Trial and Appeal Board to review the petitions from Apple and give Qualcomm the opportunity to make its case. Post the review; the board will then make a “preliminary” decision. Surprisingly this move comes after the International Trade Commission found Apple guiltily of infringing at least one of Qualcomm’s patents. Source

Apple AirPower multi-device wireless charger said to launch in September

Anyone who looks closely Apple is slowly yet steadily moving towards wireless era, be it the removal of 3.5mm audio jack or the introduction of wireless charging supports in the iPhone 8 and iPhone X phones. This feature brings the ability to drop the iPhones on a charging mat and juice it up via a process known as induction. Apple introduced an accessory of its own for this; the AirPower but said that it wouldn't be available until 2018.  However, Apple hasn't publicly discussed the accessory and the company engineers have been toiling away to address problems. One such challenge is making sure that it doesn't overheat, while another is the complexity of the circuitry, according to people familiar with the device’s development. Unlike the most wireless chargers these days, Apple's accessory; AirPower is designed to charge three devices simultaneously. Apple also wants to give the ability to users to place any of their devices anywhere on the charging mat to begin a charge and this ambitious goal requires multiple charging sensors. This process has been proven difficult, said the sources. An executive at an Apple partner that manufactures third-party wireless chargers for iPhones said that the multi-device charging mechanism is challenging to build because it likely requires ...