Asus Transformer Book Chi T300, T100 now available for pre-order
The Asus Transformer Book Chi series of super-thin Windows tablets are now available for pre-order. The family of products were announced back at CES 2015 but you’re now able to take steps to almost be within reach of the company’s latest tablets. The new T100 Chi base model starts at $399, while the more advanced T300 Chi kicks off at $699.
Details leak about Qualcomm’s Next-Gen Processor, the Snapdragon 815
While the current generation of smartphones, with the exception of Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, are using the Snapdragon 810 processor in their flagship devices, that doesn’t mean that Qualcomm are standing on their laurels. Instead, the chip maker is already concentrating on its next top end CPU, the Snapdragon 815 according to an unnamed source.
What we know about the Snapdragon 815:
- Quad Cortex A72 + Quad Cortex A53 (Cores may be tweaked by Qualcomm)
- Next Gen Qualcomm Adreno GPU
- FinFet Manufacturing process
So the Snapdragon 815 will use the big.LITTLE configuration as seen on the Snapdragon 620 chip and may be manufactured using the new 16nm FinFet* process. According GizmoChina’s unnamed source, Qualcomm are delaying the release of the Snapdragon 815 so it doesn’t adversely impact on the recently released flagships powered by the current 810 chip. The way that these releases go, one would expect the Snapdragon 815 in the second half of 2015.
*FinFet is a type of 3D transistor used in the design of modern processors using a conducting channel that rises above the level of the insulator to create a thin silicon structure called a gate electrode. This gate electrode is shaped like a fin, hence the FinFet name.
Source: GizmoChina
Come comment on this article: Details leak about Qualcomm’s Next-Gen Processor, the Snapdragon 815
Qnovo adaptive charging promises fast charging and long battery life
With mobile battery capacity still left in the dark ages, developers have had to come up with new ways to keep our smartphone batteries topped up. Quick charging is proving the most promising, allowing our phones to sprint back into action from empty in under an hour.
Qnovo has its own take on the fast charging formula, which is designed not only to speed up battery charging times but also to smartly manage charging currents in order maximise the lifespan of our precious batteries. Let’s take a look at how it works and what benefits it may bring to the table.
How it works
First, a little background. Smartphone battery charging is split into two phases – when the battery charge is very low, a constant current is provided as the battery’s voltage is stabilized, after which the charging current is gradually decreased until the battery is full. This technique is known as Constant-Current, Constant Voltage charging (CCCV).
Fast charging takes places in the constant current phase, as this is where the most current and power is passed to the battery. This also explains why it can take longer to charge the last 10 percent of your battery than the first 10 percent.
The charge and discharge current of a battery is measured in C-rate, which explains the relationship between the battery’s capacity and its charge or discharge time. For example, a 1000mAh battery charged from a 1000mAh source has a C-rate of 1, while a 2000mAh battery using the same source would have a C-rate of 0.5 and would take longer to charge fully
Higher C-rates speed up the charging time as it pushes more current to the battery in the early CCCV stage, but at the cost of the total cycles available before the battery’s maximum storage capacity decreases. This decline in capacity is caused by deterioration in the battery’s electrodes, which happens gradually over time. Forcing more current through speeds up this decline and reduces the number of lithium ions available to pass from cathode to anode and back.
A C-rate of around 0.5 to 0.7 is typical for smartphone chargers, as it provides good balance between charge speed and total life span. Higher values, in excess of 1C can shorten the battery’s total charge cycle limit and most manufacturers recommend a rate lower than 1C. However Qnovo’s technology claims to allow for a C-rate of up to 1.5 whilst still allowing for at least 800 cycles before battery depletion. Typically, Li-ion batteries will last in the region of 1000 cycles when subjected to standard charging regimes.
Typically, higher C-rates will cause battery capacity to decline rather quickly, shortening the life-cycle of your battery. Source: Battery University
Qnovo says it’s technology accomplishes this by measuring real-time charging data and damage and using algorithms to adjusting the rate of charge via a feedback loop. The system aims to maximize the amount of charging current that the battery can sustain at any point in the charge cycle without causing additional damage to the battery. Rather than a set early constant current state, Qnovo can adjust the current from 0.7C to 1.5C depending on the battery’s state and condition at any given time.
Qualcomm’s Quick Charge circuitry similarly regulates the charge current to a suitable rate for the handset’s battery during the faster constant current phase, but it’s not clear how actively the current is monitored and adjusted when compared with Qnovo’s technology.
Qnovo claims that its technology, running at 1.5C, can charge an unspecified battery up to 50 percent capacity in just 20 minutes and it can reach 80 percent in 35 minutes. For comparison, an older standard 0.5C charger may take somewhere in the region of an hour to reach 50 percent using the same charger and battery. However, in real-testing the charge is unlikely to be held at 1.5C for the entire constant current cycle.
We already know that Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 can juice up a Nexus 6 battery to 50 percent in 40 minutes and OPPO’s VOOC Flash Charge claims to charge the Find 7 to 75 percent in just 30 minutes. Qnovo has tested its technology with a Quick Charge 2.0 adaptor and found that it can charge a smaller 2,100mAh battery to 55 percent in just 20 minutes, 73 percent in 30 minutes and 85 percent in 40 minutes.
That’s pretty fast, but we’d like to see a more direct comparison with a similar sized battery before we can definitively state if this is faster than the competition.
Implementations
Clearly then, some part of Qnovo’s solution is based in software and the company’s QNS algorithms can apparently be used to increase the charge rate on existing devices. The company claims that it can provide at least 800 charge cycles at a rate of 0.7C to 1.2C with software alone.
However, if we want to maximise charging based on this technology we’re going to need compatible hardware too. Qnovo’s QN200 silicon chip supports fast charging at charge rates up to 1.5C and a cycle life of 800 charges. The chip can sit alongside existing processor and charging circuit designs, such as those used by Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 technology, to monitor and maximise the amount of current passed to the battery.
Qnovo states that it won’t be making its software available as a downloadable application for safety reasons, which actually doesn’t sound that reassuring. Instead, the company says it is working with mobile product manufacturers to integrate its software and hardware into upcoming products, although no dates or products have been announced yet.
E-Scooters with swappable batteries will land in Taipei this summer
Scooters don’t normally generate much buzz without some kind of gimmick — unless they’re, say, connected to a well-known company and feature a crazy business model. The all-electric Gogoro Smartscooter fits that description perfectly, as it was created by former HTC executives and relies on a network of swappable batteries. After debuting just a few months ago at CES, it will launch commercially this summer in greater Tapei following a pilot program. The centerpiece is the Gogoro Experience Center, a retail outlet that’ll show off the Smartscooter EV’s design and options. It’ll also teach consumers about the GoStation, a removable battery vending machine that’s part of the company’s Gogoro Energy Network.
In fact, riders can’t even charge the Smartscooters themselves — the only way to juice up is to subscribe to the network and swap the encrypted, Panasonic-built batteries (below) at kiosks around the city. You’ll also get an app that tells you when you need to swap the batteries and where to find a kiosk, among other functions.
While Smartscooters will cost about the same as regular scooters, riders won’t be able to use them without a subscription that may cost more than gas — similar to how printer companies make their money off of ink. There’s no word on exact pricing yet, but Gogoro will test the program with 100 riders ahead of the summer launch to work out any bugs. They may also appear elsewhere around the world later this year, though we’d guess that everything depends on a successful trial in Taiwan.
Filed under: Transportation, HTC
Source: Gogoro
Monitor your data usage with the native data monitor function in BlackBerry 10.3.1
The latest BlackBerry 10 OS update to 10.3.1 brought many new features and imnprovements. One new feature is the addtion of data monitoring. Before BlackBerry 10.3.1 you had to make use of apps in order to track your data usage, while those apps still exist, you now have a native option. Most will say it now renders those apps obsolete but it really depends on the features and choice is always good.
Lumia 640, Lumia 640 XL and entry-level Lumia 430 launched in Thailand
Microsoft has launched the Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL in Thailand, with the latter device available for sale in the country right now for 7,990 Baht ($245).
One E9+ launched in China: 5.5-inch Quad HD, MediaTek processor, plastic body
A steady stream of leaks revealed most of the key details of HTC’s newest flagship phones, but, over the weekend, HTC quietly finished the job by publishing an official page for the One E9+.
Like the E8 last year, the E9+ looks like a cross between the One M# series and the Desire series, featuring a two-tone plastic body, the distinctive BoomSound speaker setup on the front, and a large camera positioned up top on the back. Continuing the hybrid theme, the frame of the device is actually metallic with chamfered edges. The three color options are “Meteor Grey,” “Classic Rose Gold,” and “Gold Sepia.”
According to the HTC product page, the One E9+ will feature a 5.5-inch Quad HD LCD display (2560 x 1440 pixels) for a pixel density of 534 ppi. This is the first HTC device to make the jump from Full HD, with HTC sticking with the smaller resolution for the range-leader 5-inch M9.
HTC swapped the Qualcomm processor it usually prefers for higher-end devices with an octa-core chip from MediaTek, MT6795M. Like the troubled Snapdragon 810 inside the One M9, this is a 64-bit chip combining four Cortex A53 cores with four Cortex A57 cores, set up in a big.LITTLE arrangement. Other key features are 3GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage (expandable), a 2800-mAh battery, a 20MP camera on the rear, and a 4MP UltraPixel camera up front. The device is running Lollipop with Sense 7.
There’s some confusion regarding these specifications, with the E9+’s spec sheet listing some lesser configurations, though, as Engadget points out, that’s likely an error on HTC’s side.
The lesser specs (1080p screen, 16MP camera, 2GB of RAM) could actually belong to the One E9, which hasn’t been officially confirmed yet. The E9 appears to be very similar to the larger E9+, save for the absence of the metallic frame and a smaller camera on the back. Here are some press shots of the E9 shared yesterday by @upleaks.
Both the E9 and the E9+ are likely to be primarily targeted at East Asian markets; so far, there’s no official info on price or availability, but we’ll keep you posted if HTC makes any announcement.
Fraudster’s phoney email tricked prison into releasing him
In the movies, a daring prison escape usually involves a carefully orchestrated plan filled with intricate tunnels, ingenious bribes and chaotic distractions. But for Neil Moore, performing a similar breakout in the real world was so much simpler. With the aid of a smuggled mobile phone, he was able to set up an email address with a domain that closely resembled Her Majesty’s Court Service. He then sent a forged letter approving his release to the prison, hoping they wouldn’t inspect the document or sender’s credentials too closely. Low and behold, the wardens were convinced of its authenticity (despite misspelling “Southwark” Crown Court) and Moore walked free in March 2014.
The prison only realised its mistake three days later, when solicitors showed up for a scheduled interview with Moore. Luckily for them, the techno-trickster had already experienced a “change of heart” and handed himself in a few days later. The 28-year-old had previously been charged with committing fraud worth over £1.8 million. Moore had successfully posed as staff from Barclays, Lloyds and Santander banks, convincing firms such as the Thomas Global Exchange to transfer huge sums of money.
Now that Moore is back behind bars, his prison break exploits are finally being heard by London courts. The BBC reports that he pleaded guilty to eight counts of fraud and one count of escape from lawful custody last Friday, and faces sentencing next month.
[Image Credit: Anthony Devlin/PA WIRE]
Filed under: Misc
Source: The BBC
Reminder Now updates to version 4 – Integrates BlackBerry Maps plus more
Users of the native BlackBerry 10 app ‘Reminder Now’ will be happy to see an update hitting BlackBerry World today. Version 4 brings a selection of enhancements and fixes, including BlackBerry Maps integration for location reminders.
HTC One M7 receiving Lollipop update in several Asian markets
The 775MB OTA update is now rolling out to several countries in Asia, including India, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.
AIVAnet 