Ahead of IFA later this month, Lenovo has just released a new teaser video for its upcoming product announcements. This new teaser looks back at some of the previous tech Lenovo has released at IFA such as its Yoga Windows laptops, tablets, and even give us another look at those crazy flexible phones and tablets from Tech World earlier this year.
Next up at the IFA trade show in Berlin is Sony’s press conference scheduled to kick off at 10am ET/ 3:00pm BST. And the good news is we’ll be able to watch the whole thing as it unfolds as Sony’s plans to stream the event live on its website.
What can we expect from Sony today? Judging by past leaks, some of the announcements we’d expect include the new Sony Xperia Z5 family including a Compact and Premium model alongside a refreshed design for the flagship lineup and camera improvements. Based on recent leaks, we’re expecting to see a 5.2-inch Xperia Z5, along with the larger Xperia Z5 Premium with a large 5.5-inch QHD or 4K display and the smaller Z5 Compact with a 720p, 4.6-inch display.
We’ll of course be following along and offering up coverage on the big announcements from the event. But you can check out the full live stream of the event for yourself through Sony’s website here.
Just one day before it’s due to unveil its next smartphone and give us a refreshed look at its smartwatch, Huawei’s next Ascend Mate has shown up in form of leaked photos and press renders. Previous leaks showed us pre-release versions of the device and suggested it would be an all-metal device, similar to the Ascend Mate 7. Taking design cues from the HTC One series, it has the familiar antenna bands on the top and bottom as well as a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.
Rumored specifications suggest this isn’t a flagship phone. The supposed 5.7-inch display on the front has a resolution of 1080×1920, and it’s powered by a Kirin 935 processor with 3GB RAM. One interesting feature mentioned by Steve Hemmerstoffer is that the device could feature Force Touch-like technology, similar to the pressure sensitive touch screen tech found on modern MacBooks and the Apple Watch. The camera on the back is expected to pack in a 20MP sensor while the front camera will allegedly be 8MP.
Evan Blass had his say on the device today too, with what looks to be the official press render of Huawei’s Ascend Mate S. If accurate (which his leaks almost always are) we can expect the device to ship in black, white and gold hues.
It wasn’t long ago that Huawei started sending out invites to its IFA event. The invites themselves strongly hinted at the ‘S’ in the device name, a rumor which is seemingly confirmed on the screen of the leaked device. Sadly, for those who like a pure Android experience, it looks as though these devices will ship with the opinion-dividing EMUI custom skin. Still, it won’t be long until we finally see how a Huawei smartphone runs on stock Android. The Chinese manufacturer is expected to be one of Google’s partners for the two rumored Nexus phones due to land later this year.
Samsung has — notably 4 days before IFA 2015 is set to kick off in Berlin — announced its round Gear S2 smartwatch by way of a press release. The device, which is absent of any hint of Google’s Android Wear smartwatch operating system, has a circular 1.2-inch screen, sports Tizen-based software, has 4 GB of onboard storage, and packs fitness features like S Health and Nike+ Running. Also, there’s a 3G model…
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The Moto 360 is set to get a complete refresh at IFA later this week, and up to this point we’ve only seen what look to be two variants of the device. There’s apparently a smaller watch and a larger watch (reportedly called Moto 360S and Moto 360L, respectively). Now, well-known leakster Upleaks is giving us a look at a “Sport” variant of the smartwatch, featuring bright colors and some kind of fitness tracking software on board…
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XperiaBlog.net is reporting that official Sony Mobile accounts across social media channels today inadvertently published press pictures of the yet-unannounced flagship Xperia Z5 smartphone. Note that we ourselves weren’t able to verify this.
Sony itself teased earlier this week the unveiling of a smartphone “with greater focus,” and that all would become clear on the 2nd of September. That date, of course, falls during IFA Berlin, the annual technology trade show where Sony will be present and has been known to unveil new hardware. The images seem to show the phone packing another one of Sony’s Exmor RS pixel-stacked image sensors, although XperiaBlog.net states that the images confirm this one is a 23MP sensor — Sony doesn’t publicly list a 1/2″ 23MP sensor on its sales site, so it would have to be one they haven’t announced yet.
Aside from that, the images show the phone in gold, white and dark turquoise colors, as well as an “Xperia” logo engraved on one side, which we haven’t seen on previous models. We predicted earlier this week that this new phone could come with Sony’s hybrid autofocus technology, which Sony says combines two technologies — Phase detection AF for quick response and Contrast detection AF for added precision — to allow “fast, accurate focusing in all situations, even if your subject is moving.” Sony’s software is widely panned for softening up images and doing other things to negatively degrade them.
In what is probably one of the lesser surprising reports to come out this year, CNET this morning claims that four handset manufacturers — namely, LG, Motorola, Huawei, and ASUS — are all planning to launch new Android Wear smartwatches at the IFA consumer electronics show kicking off late next week. Much-rumored and long-awaited (and highly-leaked?) second generation Moto 360, anyone?
We’ve been seeing leaks of the new Moto 360 for a while now, and ASUS already made its ZenWatch 2 public earlier this year (albeit with very little fanfare). Huawei showed off the Huawei Watch a long time ago, and has yet to deliver, so that company will probably take the stage at IFA to actually announce pricing and availability details. LG is mostly a mystery right now (mostly), but we’ll see what’s up their sleeves soon enough.
We’ll be on the ground at IFA to keep you in the loop, and until then, feel free to read up on the latest on the Moto 360, and check out our Android Wear smartwatch comparison page.
Right near the end of its recent Unpacked announcement, Samsung gave us a very brief glimpse at its upcoming wearable. The Gear S2 will be unveiled fully at IFA, Berlin in a few weeks’ time. And now Samsung has published a new teaser video to its YouTube channel.
Huawei has started sending out invitations to an event on September 2nd in Berlin, Germany. The invites fit in perfectly with previous speculation that the Chinese manufacturer would use IFA as its platform to launch a new smartphone. What’s interesting about these invites is that they seemingly hint at the name of the upcoming device.
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With Samsung pulling out of IFA this year and opting for hosting its own event, you may be left wondering if there’s anything worth looking forward to at this year’s tech show in Berlin. Thankfully, it looks as though Huawei is preparing to show off one of its own new devices. Two leaks have shown up on Twitter today, one press render from Evan Blass and another picture of a pre-release device running AnTuTu benchmark tests from Steve Hemmerstoffer.
According to Evan Blass, better known as @evleaks, the device is going to be announced on September 2nd, at an event during IFA. Although he doesn’t know what the device’s name will be, he does state that it will feature ‘Force Touch’. If true, this will make it one of the first smartphones announced with a built in sensor to detect pressure on the touchscreen. Of course, Apple is expected to implement the technology in to its upcoming smartphones, but Cupertino isn’t likely to announce anything new until September 9.
Launching at IFA on 9/2. Features force touch. Branding currently unknown (D-series?). pic.twitter.com/5w2t7m7Nsx
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) August 8, 2015
Add that to the images of what is almost certainly a prototype, or pre-release test unit, and we start to get a clearer picture of the device. Looking at the information on screen from the benchmark tests suggests we’ll see a 1080p display, with an octa-core 64-bit processor. If you were to look at design alone, you might think this is perhaps the next generation Huawei Ascend Mate device. However, look closely and you’ll realize that can’t be the case.
You’ll also see that it has a 13MP camera and runs Android 5.1.1. But what’s really interesting to me is the claimed DPI count (better known as PPI or pixels per inch). The benchmark states that it has a pixel density of 480ppi. If so, using a pixel density calculator, it can’t possibly be a follow-up to the 6-inch Mate7. 1080×1920 over 6-inches is 367ppi. So this could perhaps be the mini version of Huawei’s Ascend Mate 7, with a screen measuring 4.6-inches diagonally. That’s not forgetting, the Mate 7 was only announced in March this year.
Of course, this is all just speculation for now. We’ll find out all about this device once it has been announced. It’ll be intriguing to see where in the market this supposed device will sit alongside the Huawei P8 and P8 Lite and if it’ll be restricted to just specific markets, or available globally. It’s unlikely that this is the long-rumored Huawei Nexus phone, if it is being announced at IFA.
By now we’ve heard multiple rumors and reports on Samsung’s next generation phablet. In today’s latest report from SamMobile, the publication claims that it knows when the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ will be unveiled and released to the public. Citing its “insiders”, the report states that the Galaxy Note 5 will be announced on August 12th and be available to buy shortly afterwards on August 21th.
The existing Galaxy Note 4
Samsung is planning to bring forward the launch of the Galaxy Note 5 from September to August, according to the WSJ. It’s believed the change in schedule is designed to get the device on sale ahead of Apple’s anticipated September launch of the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, which is likely to dominate tech media coverage that month.
Samsung has always previously launched its Note models on the eve of the IFA conference, which takes place in Berlin in September. The WSJ cites only a single source for the claim, but it’s not the first time we’ve heard suggestions that the company may bring forward the launch this year …
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Ahead of IFA in Berlin this September—the event where Samsung, Sony, and just about every other Android device maker unveils their latest products each year—a select group of companies have been giving a taste of what’s to come for the last 5 days at IFA’s Global Press Conference.
So what can you expect? Android-powered TV sets, app connected appliances, and drones are just a few product categories you can expect to see grow at this year’s show.
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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MceLc7-w1lQ]
Logitech today announced a new Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard (K480) that doesn’t just make switching between devices easy, it also doubles as a stand for your smartphone or tablet. While Logitech has made similar keyboards previously that let you switch between connected devices, the new keyboard adds a “Easy-Switch dial” that makes it super easy to switch between three devices on the fly:
Now you can type a report on your computer and, with the flick of the Easy-Switch™ dial, respond to a message on your smartphone and type a tweet on your tablet. The universal keyboard can connect to three different Bluetooth wireless devices at once, whether you are using a Windows®, Mac® or Chrome OS™ computer, or an Android™ or iOS tablet or smartphone.
The keyboard is available now in the US and Europe for $50 in two color schemes (white & black). You can images of the two colors below and see more specs and order the keyboard now on Logitech’s site.
ASUS has officially launched its much-teased ZenWatch at IFA in Berlin, revealing that the rectangular smartwatch has a curved face, a brushed stainless steel body and a leather strap – but is pricier than expected.
Specs are pretty much as expected and in line with the Samsung Gear Live and LG G Watch: an Android Wear device with 1.63-inch 320×320 AMOLED display, 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 chip, 512MB RAM, 4GB storage and a fitness functions. The watch is waterproofed to a relatively weak IP55 standard, defined as resistant to water jets but not full immersion …
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Sony is about to announce a new product in its QX camera accessory lineup that will make your smartphone compatible with any of its E-Mount lenses usually reserved for its line of NEX camcorders and mirrorless shooters. The report comes from the often reliable SonyAlphaRumors blog, which also shared the image above and below:
These are the first pictures of the ILCE-QX1 E-mount camera. The third QX camera after the QX10 and QX100 (here one Bay). But unlike the other two this hasn’t a fixed lens but is an E-mount module. It has an APS-C sensor (not sure yet but should have the same great A6000 24MP sensor with fast af), built-in flash
When Sony introduced its QX accessory for smartphones last year, there were mixed reviews on whether or not the lens-style camera attachment would catch on with consumers, but many praised the product despite not loving its original $300-$500 price point (which has since come down). More than just a lens attachment for your Android device or iPhone, the lens built in NFC, WiFi, battery, memory and a back-illuminated 18MP 1/2.3” Exmor R® CMOS sensor. This time around Sony is going ditch the fixed lens and let the accessory play nice with any of its E-Mount lenses, which could be a big draw for users that are already invested in the ecosystem.
Sony is expected to unveil the device during its IFA event in Berlin tomorrow on September 3. The new QX accessory will reportedly sell for 300 Euro for the body only and 450 Euro with a 16-50mm lens. The two current models are now selling for around $135 and $335 for the higher end model on Amazon. Update: Current model is now on sale for $84 shipped.
We’ve previously seen AutoCAD models, but Ausdroid has obtained what it says are two press shots of the Sony Xperia Z3 due to be launched at IFA in Berlin on Thursday. It has also listed specs which tally with those we posted this weekend: a 4.7-inch display 720×1280 display, a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 and 3GB of RAM.
The photos show four colors: black, white, a kind of mint green and a fourth color that looks more like orange in one shot and red in another (below) …
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As we’ve previously reported, Sony will be launching an Android Wear powered SmartWatch 3 and a new SmartBand Talk during IFA 2014 in Berlin. Don’t worry, that’s not all the Japanese company is announcing at the show. We’ve been informed by sources close to the matter that Sony will be launching three new smartphones and a thin waterproof tablet as well. Here’s what you can expect to see at IFA 2014…
IFA 2014 is almost here and we’ll be out in Berlin bringing you full coverage of the show. If you’ve never heard of IFA, it’s a Berlin based trade show that’s similar to CES. IFA is up there as one of the largest trade shows of the year which normally brings a handful of exciting announcements in all areas of technology. While September may be a fruit company’s only time to shine, the rest of the major tech giants are busy finishing out the year with a bang…
A lot changed at Sprint over the past few weeks, a new CEO, new service plans and phones from new hardware partners. It looks like that last item might continue being a trend going forward, as Reuters reports that the SoftBank-owned US wireless carrier is preparing to carry its first smartphone from Sony. The device in question is a “soon-to-be launched Xperia flagship,” which immediately makes us think of the rumored Z3.
Huawei is set to unveil its new Ascend Mate 7 next week during IFA in Berlin, however the unreleased phone appears to have been spotted in the wild prior to its big showing. A device referred to as the Chinese phone maker’s next handset recently made a cameo appearance on the Asian microblogging site Weibo, revealing a phone that is somewhat reminiscent of the HTC One Max.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kajjMuZx8nY]
It’s no great surprise that Sony is now teasing three new Xperia 3 devices in a short video on its YouTube channel, pointing to their official announcement at the IFA next week …
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LG is going to announce a round smartwatch next week during IFA in Berlin and to keep its hype train chugging along, the company has shared a new teaser image of its next timepiece on its Facebook page. Captioned with the tagline “smart comes full circle,” the photo shows a shadowy image of what looks like a round watch face that almost looks metallic.
ASUS recently teased its new smartwatch by showing off some renders and today the company is turning things up a notch by releasing a brief preview video of its new timepiece. At just over a half a minute long, the quickie trailer doesn’t show much, but it does reveal that the watch will be called the ZenWatch, completely removing our Transformer theory out of the equation.
