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Hardware

Xbox Series X unleashed: Our unrestricted preview

posted onOctober 18, 2020
by l33tdawg
Credit: EBGames

If you'd like to estimate Microsoft's confidence in its upcoming Xbox Series X console, start with the fact that the company gave us a console three weeks ago... and didn't hang around to see what we'd do with it.

Surface Duo review—Orphaned Windows hardware makes a poor Android device

posted onOctober 18, 2020
by l33tdawg
Credit: Arstechnica

After one of the strangest run-ups to launch in smartphone history, the Microsoft Surface Duo is here. Microsoft's first-ever Android phone (sorry, we're not counting the Nokia X) was announced and demoed an entire year before its release, hinting at what a long and winding road the Surface Duo took from inception to shipping. The hardware apparently dates back to plans to revitalize Windows for phones, but after that plan fell through, the hardware was upcycled into the most head-scratching Android phone of the year.

The first PlayStation 5 teardown reveals some hardware secrets

posted onOctober 7, 2020
by l33tdawg
Credit: Arstechnica

We're still a bit over a month away from the official launch of the PlayStation 5, but we've already got the first public teardown of the console hardware courtesy of Sony itself.

The Japanese video (with English subtitles) Sony posted Wednesday morning answers quite a few nagging questions left from previous announcements and recent hands-on time from some Japanese press.

PlayStation 5 event: $499 with a disc drive, $399 without, on Nov. 12

posted onSeptember 16, 2020
by l33tdawg
Credit: Arstechnica

As part of a PlayStation 5 showcase today, Sony finally revealed the launch pricing for the PlayStation 5: $499.99 for the standard edition (€499.99, £449.99, ¥49,980) or $399 for the "All-Digital" version without a disc drive (or €399.99, £359.99, ¥39,980).

Leaker details supposed iPad Air, iPad specs ahead of 'Time Flies' event

posted onSeptember 14, 2020
by l33tdawg
Credit: Apple Insider

Leaker Evan Blass predicts that Apple will release both an iPad Air and an 8th-generation iPad at its Sept. 15 event, alongside an "Apple Watch Series 6" and "Apple Watch SE."

In a tweet Monday, Blass forecast that Apple will release a successor to both its iPad Air 3 and the seventh-generation iPad at a special event on Tuesday. Consensus has been that Apple plans to release either an iPad successor or iPad Air successor, not both.  

All Your Questions on Apple’s Move Away from Intel, Answered

posted onSeptember 7, 2020
by l33tdawg
Credit: Wired

Back in June, Apple announced a major change to its Macs: Starting in late 2020, its new laptops and desktop computers will move away from Intel and use processors built by Apple using the same ARM architecture it uses on phones and tablets. It’s a seismic shift that won’t happen all at once (especially since Apple just updated the Intel-based iMac), but it leaves consumers with an important choice to make. Should you buy an Intel-based Mac now, or wait for one with Apple’s new custom silicon?

ZTE announces the world’s first phone with a behind-the-screen camera

posted onSeptember 2, 2020
by l33tdawg
Credit: Gizmochina

ZTE has officially announced the world's first commercial phone with a behind-the-screen camera: the ZTE Axon 20 5G. Shrinking phone bezels have made locating the front camera a major design point of phones for the past few years. We've seen big camera notches, small camera notches, round camera cutouts, and pop-up cameras. Rather than any of those compromises, the under-display camera lets you just put the camera under the display, and by peering through the pixels, you can still take a picture. It's the holy grail of front-camera design.

August and Yale locks pick up remote biometric verification

posted onAugust 25, 2020
by l33tdawg
Credit: Flickr

August and Yale smart locks are picking up a new feature that should make remote access just a little bit more secure. The opt-in change allows for remote biometric authentication before locking or unlocking your home's smart lock remotely. Further enhancing on-device security, there's a new Hide Entry Codes feature that — you guessed it — makes it so your entry codes can only be viewed for a short time.

Sony could detect PlayStation users based on how they hold a controller

posted onAugust 25, 2020
by l33tdawg
Credit: Arstechnica

A recent Sony patent application identifies a problem many console gamers may be able to identify with when moving between consoles: "To log in to their account a user is often required to enter a password, which may be seen by other users. Moreover, once a user has entered their password, a situation arises where the user remains logged into their account unless the user subsequently performs a log out operation, which can result in other user's [sic] potentially obtaining access to the user's profile."