Jabra Elite 85h with water-resistant headphones with ANC, SmartSound AI technology announced

At the CES Jabra has introduced new Elite 85h headphones with Jabra's HearThrough technology and include Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and SmartSound that promises best calls and music experience by automatically adjusting to your surroundings, advanced six-microphone call technology and 40mm custom-engineered speakers. It promises up to 32 hours of battery life with ANC activated and completely hands-free Voice Assistant Control to interact with Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. The Jabra SmartSound based on audEERING's context intelligence technology uses real-time acoustic scene analysis of environmental sounds to detect more than 6,000 unique sound characteristics and uses this to adapt audio output to each specific context.  It will select one of the three moments: 'Commute,' 'In Public' or 'In Private' to guarantee a consistent quality for your audio experience and can also be customized using the Sound+ app, said the company. Key features of the Jabra Elite 85h: SmartSound: Audio that automatically adapts to your surroundings 100 percent hands-free: Voice Assistant access without pushing a button Microphones: Eight microphones in total. Six dedicated for calls, four for ANC and two hybrid mics for both calls and ANC. Speakers: 40mm custom-engineered speakers Durability: Dust and rain resistance (IP52), backed by a two-year warranty against water and ...

PNY introduces 512GB PRO Elite microSD Card, 1TB PRO Elite USB 3.1 USB Flash Drive and more

PNY Technologies has introduced new  512GB PRO Elite microSD Card, 1TB PRO Elite USB 3.0/3.1 USB Flash Drive as well as new 256GB Elite-X Fit and Elite Type-C USB 3.1 Flash Drives.  The PNY 512GB PRO Elite microSD Card offers U3 support and offers improved Read speeds up to 100MB/s. The 1TB PNY PRO Elite USB Drive has a gunmetal plated design, offers up to 400MB/s Read and 250MB/s Write speeds. The Elite-X Fit USB 3.0 lineup offers an additional 256GB of storage for ultrabooks and laptops. It offers up to 200MB/s (Read) speed.  The PNY Elite Type-C USB 3.1 Gen 1 has push/pull bi-directional Type-C connector and ranges from 64GB to 512GB capacities. Highlights of 512GB PNY microSD PRO Elite Capacity = 512GB Speed: up to 100MB/s Read and up to 90MB/s Write Bus speed: U3, Best for 4K video recording App performance: A2 (4,000 Read IOPS, 2,000 Write IOPS) Speed Class: Class 10 Interface: UHS-I Highlights of PNY 1TB USB PRO Elite Capacity = 1TB Speed: up to 400MB/s Read and 250MB/s Write Interface: USB 3.0/3.1 Design: premium gunmetal plated, metal housing Size: Compact, sleek PNY said that these prodcuts will be available starting January 2019 at leading retail and etail partners. Source

Google silently acquired Q&A startup Superpod for $60 million

Google has acquired Superpod which is a startup that had built a question-and-answer mobile app, according to reports. Google said to have paid the firm less than $60 million to acquire founders and purchase some of Superpod's assets. Google hasn't backed out in showing off its ambitions for Assistant; its voice-assistant that debuted in 2016. Superpod which lets users ask questions and receive answers from experts could help Google boost its virtual assistant’s ability to answer users’ questions. A Google spokesperson confirmed that Superpod’s founders have joined the company. However, declined to comment further about the deal. Superpod shut down its app in September. Superpod.io which is formerly known as Sparks was founded by ex-Google employees Sophia Yang and William Li in 2016. The firm has raised an undisclosed amount of seed funding from Precursor Ventures, Charlie Cheever, Social Capital, and the House Fund. Source

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 One UI based Android 9.0 Pie stable update starts rolling out

Samsung has started rolling out the stable Galaxy Note 9 Android Pie update. The update is currently rolling out in Germany but should make it to other markets where the beta was made available. For those who are already on the Note 9 Pie beta, the stable update is just a 95 MB download, which suggests that the last beta was more or less the final version. The Galaxy Note 9 Pie update should also be available for those on Android Oreo since the stable Galaxy S9 update was also released for non-beta users.  However, at the moment, it needs to be seen just how widespread the update will be since the Galaxy S9 Pie update is still available only in a few countries. Samsung did announce that the Android Pie for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 9 would be out in January, so it’s possible the official rollout may begin in the next few days. The software version for the stable Pie update is N960FXXU2CRLT and it includes the January 2018 security patch. To get Android 9.0 Pie, tap the Download and install option in the Software update section of the settings app. Do let us know if you are seeing the Android Pie update on your Galaxy Note ...

Samsung foldable phone might come with new Sony IMX374 Sensor

Samsung is working on the foldable display for years now and the company at the Developer Conference in 2018, finally showed off the prototype of this device with its new OLED panel; the Infinity Flex display. The company back then didn't reveal many details regarding the specifications except for the display size. However, digging deep inside the firmware teardown of the Verizon 5G device codenamed “Bolt,” there were references to a new Sony camera sensor that Samsung will use in their foldable phone. “Winner” is the codename Samsung is using for the foldable phone. These files are library files that represent drivers for the device. This camera driver is for the unannounced Sony IMX374 sensor for the device code-named “winner”. However, there is no information regarding the sensor itself. With the launch of the Galaxy S10 inching closer, there is no news regarding the camera sensors and it is rumored that the company will be announcing more information in February right before Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The Sony IMX374 sensor could be announced at CES or may lead up to MWC.  Samsung isn't planning on launching the "Winner" foldable phone until after Q1 of 2019, so don’t expect much launch information just yet. Source

Samsung said to be working on new IconX earbuds

Samsung is said to be working on the newer version of the Gear IconX earbuds along with the Gear Sport and Gear Fit 2 successor. The latest IconX earbuds come with model number SM-R170 and will be available in black, white, and yellow colors. The earbuds will come with 8GB of internal storage which is the highest on any Gear-branded product for Samsung. However, that's where all the good things end. Much like the Galaxy Watch, there is a possibility that the new IconX might feature the Galaxy branding. This may be a good move as it brings uniformity across products. Samsung is also said to be launching the Bixby-powered Galaxy Home with AKG speakers this year. The company might offer better battery life on the new IconX and this might not be a significant improvement as the current Gear IconX (2018) already brings in a significant improvement in endurance over the first iteration of the earbuds. Instead, Samsung might increase the battery capacity of the charging case, but we can’t say anything for certain at the moment. Source

Xiaomi introduces 20000mAh Mi Power Bank 3 with USB Type-C 45W two-way ultra fast charging that can also charge laptops

Xiaomi has annnounced its new 20000mAh Mi Power Bank 3 in China with support for maximum 45W (15V-3A) USB Type-C output offering ultra fast charging so that it can even charge MacBooks, Mi Notebook and other laptops with support for USB Type-C PD charging. The power bank can also be charged in just 4.5 hours with a 45W charger. It has two USB Type-A ports with a maximum 18W output, features one-piece shell with UV coating on the top, while the top and bottom has undergone ceramic high-gloss process for more durabilitiy. It has four LED charge indicators as well as a button on the side, similar to previous  20000mAh Mi Power Bank model. Xiaomi 20000mAh Mi Power Bank 3 specifications 20000mAh, 3.7V, 74Wh battery 2 x USB Type-A Output -  5V-2.4A / 9V-2A / 12V-1.5A USB Type-C Input / Output - 5V-3A / 9V-3A / 12V-3A / 15V-3A / 20V-2A Protection from over current, over-power, short circuit Dimensions: 153.5×73.5×27.5mm Charging time: 4.5 hours (45W charger); 6.5 hours (18W charger); 11 hours (5V/2A charger) The Xiaomi 20000mAh Mi Power Bank 3 comes in Black color, is priced at 199 yuan (US$ 29 / Rs. 2,015 approx.) and will go on sale in China through mi.com from January 11th.

Xiaomi Redmi smartphone with 6.3-inch waterdrop notch display, 48MP camera, 4000mAh battery gets certified

Xiaomi recently scheduled an event to introduce a new Redmi smartphone with a 48-megapixel rear camera on January 10th. Today the smartphone has been certified by TENAA in China with model numbers M1901F7C, M1901F7T and M1901F7E revealing some specifications and the design. This reveals a 6.3-inch waterdrop notch screen with minimal bezels, rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and a gradient design. There is a Redmi by Xiaomi branding on the back, as Xiaomi said that Redmi will be a separate sub-brand like POCO. It has dual rear cameras, one of which will feature a 48-megapixel sensor. The phone's dimensions is 159.21×75.21×8.1mm and it will come with a 4000mAh (3900mAh minimum) battery. The phone is rumored to come with a Sony IMX586 1/2-type (8.0 mm diagonal) sensor and powered by Snapdragon 675 11nm Mobile Platform since Xiaomi has already confirmed that it will launch Snapdragon 675-powered smartphone this year. The phone could be introduced as Redmi 7. We should know the complete specifications of the phone in a few days. Source 1, 2, 3

Xolo Era 4X with 5.45-inch 18:9 display, face unlock, Dual 4G VoLTE launched starting at Rs. 4444

After a year-long hiatus, Xolo is back with a new budget smartphone, Era 4X. According to a teaser on Amazon, the phone will come with a 5.45-inch HD+ screen with a 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass protection, run Android 8.1 (Oreo), feature an 8-megapixel rear and a 5-megapixel front camera, both with LED flash, Dual 4G VoLTE and a 3000mAh battery. It doesn't have a fingerprint sensor, but comes with face unlock. Xolo Era 4X specifications 5.45-inch HD+ 18:9 FullView 2.5D curved glass display with Corning Gorilla Glass protection Android 8.1 (Oreo) Dual SIM 8MP rear camera with LED flash 5MP front-facing camera with LED flash Face unlock 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS 3000mAh built-in battery The Xolo Era 4X will start at Rs. 4444 and will go on sale exclusively on Amazon.in starting from January 9th. We should know the SoC, RAM and storage variants of the smartphone soon.

Apple App Store recorded $1.22 billion revenue during holiday week

Apple has announced that App Store customers worldwide set new spending records over the holidays. The company says that the App Store spending topped with a record $1.22 billion between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Apple users also spent over $322 million on New Year’s Day 2019 alone, setting a new single-day record. Apple said that the App Store helped drive Services revenue to an all-time record in the holiday quarter. Apple services set new all-time records in multiple categories, including the App Store, Apple Music, Cloud Services, Apple Pay and the App Store’s search ad business. Gaming and self-care were the most popular categories of app downloads and subscriptions during the holidays. Globally, multiplayer games including Fortnite and PUBG were among the top downloaded games over the holidays, along with Brawl Stars, Asphalt 9 and Monster Strike. Productivity, Health & Fitness and Education apps are already capturing the attention of customers in the first few days of the year with 1Password, Sweat and Lumosity charting in their respective categories. Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing said: The App Store had a record-breaking holiday week and New Year's Day. The holiday week was our biggest week ever with more than ...