Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 to feature super fast LTE, powerful WiFi and smarter connectivity
You all know how Qualcomm is! They like teasing us by letting information trickle out of their news room drop by drop. The Snapdragon 820 is to be their most high-end chipset and we want to know all about it, but they simply won’t divulge all the details soon enough! First they announced it and told us a bit about the Adreno 530 GPU. This was followed by a taste of the Hexagon 680 DSP and the introduction of the powerful Kryo CPU happened soon afterwards. What’s next?
Qualcomm swears the latest bit of information is the “final piece of the puzzle” (somehow I doubt that). Today’s announcement is all about connectivity, which is likely the most important part about our mobile devices.
LTE speeds
Of course, Qualcomm is not skimping out on its world-class high-end processor. When it comes to data speeds, the Snapdragon 820 is all set to take on the most demanding of tasks. For starters, it supports LTE Cat 12 download speeds of up to 600 Mbps. I am sure I don’t need to tell you that is a lot… but holy molly that’s a lot! That is over half a Gigabit, guys. Pretty crazy stuff. And upload speeds are not bad either, at 150 Mbps (LTE Cat 13).
But what Qualcomm is most excited about is its LTE-U ( LTE in Unlicensed). Qualcomm gives you the whole explanation at their blog, but the general hint is that this process allows network operators to install “small cells” in areas with high data demand. Supported devices can then take advantage of both the network towers and these WiFi router-sized antennas, aggregating the data and using it as a single, faster connection.
WiFi improvements
In addition to improved cellular data speeds, Qualcomm made sure to work hard on bringing better WiFi experiences to your super phones. The Snapdragon 820 supports 802.11ac 2×2 MU-MIMO, which can double or triple speeds in crowded networks. The chip also includes support for 802.11ad WiFi, giving smartphones the ability to handle multi-Gigabit speeds.
Connectivity – not just faster and stronger, but also smarter
Cellular and WiFi data are usually treated differently, but ultimately they serve the same purpose – transferring all those bits between your phone and the internet. The only issue is that sometimes these technologies don’t merge well in everyday usage, an issue Qualcomm is trying to solve with the Snapdragon 820.
This processor adds the ability to have the smart device choose between LTE and WiFi by first determining which offers the best connectivity. Qualcomm mentions this especially helps during WiFi calls, as the device can jump in and out of your home network to offer you the clearest sound possible. The platform also supports native HD video calls, which makes it possible to switch into a video call straight from a regular voice call.
Get ready for the Snapdragon 820!
I may not believe them, but Qualcomm swears today they wrap up their Snapdragon 820 details and have already told us enough. Are you convinced? Surely, the Snapdragon 820 is to be on the best of the best devices to come during the first half of 2016. You can be sure we will be all over those products when they come. For now let’s just sit tight and wait while Qualcomm and its partners do their thing!
Qualcomm announces Quick Charge 3.0, allows 80% recharge in 35 minutes
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();
Many of us are yet to get Quick Charge 2.0 in our devices, but that’s not going to stop Qualcomm from releasing a new version of it to improve their already impressive feature. Qualcomm has just announced Quick Charge 3.0, which it says will allow a device to charge up from 0% to 80% in around 35 mins – for those who love numbers, Qualcomm says that Quick Charge 3.0 is 38% more efficient than Quick Charge 2.0. That’s primarily based on the fact that Quick Charge 3.0 is 27% faster at charging and 45% more efficient when it comes to power dissipation when compared to its predecessor. And if you’re stuck on Quick Charge 1.0, know that Quick Charge 3.0 is approximately twice as fast.
If you’re wondering what processors are going to get Quick Charge 3.0, Qualcomm says you’ll be looking for the Snapdragon 820, 620, 618, 617 or 430 – note that Quick Charge 3.0 is only offered “as an option” on the chipset and manufacturers can choose to disable it – an real-world example of this would be Quick Charge 2.0 being disabled on the OnePlus 2 and its Snapdragon 810. That aside, it looks like those who are looking to buy a new smartphone in 2016 will have quite a lot to look forward to.
What do you think about Quick Charge 3.0? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Qualcomm via Droid-life
The post Qualcomm announces Quick Charge 3.0, allows 80% recharge in 35 minutes appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
So you got your phone wet. Now what?
So you dropped your phone in a toilet, got hit by a rogue wave while running on the beach, or you got pushed into a swimming pool.
Don’t freak out. Getting your phone wet happens more often than you realize and sometimes your device can be saved if you stay calm.
A common myth is that you can surround your device with uncooked rice. Think about it for a second. Rice is usually packaged in paper bags which means, if it were to absorb water, it would naturally bet wet from the moisture in the air. Uncooked rice doesn’t absorb water which is why it needs to be boiled in hot water to cook. Rice doesn’t work and neither does saltine crackers, cat litter, or rolled oats.
Let’s go through a list of steps you can go through to possibly save your phone.
1. Remove your phone from the water source as soon as humanly possible
Water is the mortal enemy of electronic devices. The two simply don’t mix so the sooner you can remove your device the better. Sure, all of your water indicators built into the phone will change colors so your manufacturer knows they aren’t responsible for damage, but there’s still a slight chance your phone can come back to life.
2. Turn it off
Once you pull it from the water source, do not freak out and try to check buttons if they work. Turn it off with the power button, or better yet, if you have a removable battery pull it out as soon as you can.
The more time your device is powered on while in water reduces your chances at revival. Water conducts electricity and will fry your internal components if you try to use it while it is wet. Phones are built incredibly well these days and there is a good chance water didn’t seep into every crevice if your phone was immersed for a few seconds.
3. Wipe it down and absorb all of the water you can
Once your phone is powered down, absorb any water you can with paper towels or soft cloths. Open any panel or slot you can, which means if you can remove the back panel, do it and dry out any visible water. This also includes microSD card slots as well as SIM cards. Memory cards and SIM cards usually survive water immersions and can be just as valuable as the phone itself.
4. Vacuum excess water out of crevices
Get a vacuum and suck any excess water you can from the device. Do it for a long time, up to 30 minutes. Sure it is painstaking and noisy, but it will increase your chances of restarting your device.
5. Get Drierite or Silica and seal it in a bag with your phone
I am a chemist and frequently use Drierite to absorb any excess moisture from new chemicals I synthesize. If you have a friend who works in a lab, they most likely will know what it is and can get you a small stash to use. Drierite is a material designed to absorb water and moisture.
If you want to be prepared and don’t know a scientist, you can get products like BHEESTIE or DryNow which are similar to Drierite where they absorb moisture.
Drop your phone in a bag with the water absorbing material and let it sit for a minimum of eight hours. If it works properly, which it should, it will absorb any excess water your vacuum missed.
6. Blow air through it
Get one of those cans of pressurized air which is used to clean computers and other electronic devices. This step is arguably unnecessary, but you want to make sure ALL of the water is gone. Blow air into every crevice you can and if you see any water come out, repeat steps 4 and 5.
You can use a blow drier to heat your phone slightly, but don’t go crazy. Don’t let your phone get got, just let it get warm. Heat can damage your device as well so do not overdo this step.
7. Turn your device on
After you have done steps 1-6, your phone should be bone-dry. If you’re confident no water remains, go ahead and try to power on your device. If you’re lucky there is a good chance your phone will power back on.
8. If your phone is still dead, give it a few days
Sometimes water can sit in tiny areas where only time can dry it out. After a few days, you can give it one more shot at powering back on. You might get lucky.
If everything fails, you will need to get a new device but you can still sell your water damaged device to certain places like gazelle.com. It won’t be worth a ton of money, but it will still be worth a few bucks.
If you’re reading this article because you have gotten your phone wet, I wish you good luck in getting your device to turn back on and work properly.
The post So you got your phone wet. Now what? appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Qualcomm announces the Snapdragon 430 and 617 to the mid-range lineup
Qualcomm Incorporated announced two new chips today to their mid-range lineup and they sure do look like real performers. The Snapdragon 430 and Snapdragon 617 offer major upgrades in both multimedia and connectivity and are expected to be available no later than Q2 2016.
The Snapdragon 430 features X6 LTE, with downlink speeds of up to 150 Mbps and uplink speeds of up to 75 Mbps. The 430 now supports camera sensors up to 21MP and uses the new Adreno 505 GPU. Both of those features were usually reserved for the top-end processors, but Qualcomm is now blurring the lines between budget devices and flagships. What this means is more money in our pockets at the end of the day.
Better yet, the Snapdragon 617 further improves upon the 430 with downlink speeds up to 300Mbps, and uplink speeds up to 100Mbps and also supports the same camera architecture as the Snapdragon 618 and 620.
Both the 617 and 430 now support Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0, meaning mid-range and budget devices will charge even quicker.
As smartphones and tablets continue to spread to all corners of the globe, we recognize that users are becoming more discerning in what they want,” said Alex Katouzian, senior vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “The introduction of these new processors is a clear indication that we are listening to the needs of our customers who want ever improving cameras, faster connectivity, and better battery life across all available price points.
2016 may be the year we turn to mid-range devices as our daily drivers if other mid-range components see improvements like these Snapdragon chips.
Read the full press release here.
The post Qualcomm announces the Snapdragon 430 and 617 to the mid-range lineup appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Timex’s upcoming fitness watch goes back to analog
Looks like someone’s taking a page out of Withings’ book. At the Qualcomm 3G/LTE Summit today, Timex CTO Thomas Essery took the opportunity to tease an upcoming analog fitness watch, the Metropolitan+. For a company that’s only made digital versions of sports watches in the past, this is quite a bold change; nor is it a bad attempt, either. Alas, little is said about this connected device, but we do know that it has an activity tracking dial plus up to one year of battery life. We’ll keep y’all informed when we hear more.
Filed under:
Wearables
Tags: fitness, fitnesstracker, metropolitan, qualcomm, smartwatch, timex, watch, wearable
Porsche Mission E Concept puts Tesla Model S in its sights
Porsche might not be saying it directly, but anyone taking even a quick glance can see the Germans are taking aim at Tesla with the freshly unveiled Mission E concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show. With over 590 horsepower, this electric sedan doesn’t have quite as much electric grunt as a Model S, but the claimed 310.7 miles of range would outdo even the latest take on Elon Musk’s four-door with a 90 kWh battery. For those keeping track, a Ludicrous Speed-equipped Tesla might still be the ultimate victor in a drag race because the E’s sprint to 62 takes “under 3.5 seconds.”Slideshow-319109
To power the Mission E, Porsche’s engineers use two permanent magnet synchronous motors, and they are similar to what’s found on the company’s 919 Hybrid LMP1 racecar. In a single unit, the devices can both accelerate and recover braking energy. All-wheel drive with torque vectoring and four-wheel steering help the electric sedan lap the Nordschleife in less than eight minutes, the company claims.
Capable of hitting 124 mph in less than 12 seconds, the Mission E is undoubtedly quick, but its speed in charging is especially impressive too. The concept utilizes an 800-volt system that Porsche claims can charge the sedan to 80 percent in just 15 minutes, assuming you can find a source for that much energy. That would be enough to offer about 249 miles of range in less time than getting a cup of coffee at a busy Starbucks. The E could also use a traditional 400-volt charger or power up inductively.
The Mission E’s design looks like a futuristic Panamera as filtered through the style of the 918 and a next-gen Star Wars Stormtrooper helmet. In an especially cool touch, the charging port is hidden in a movable panel ahead of the driver’s door on the front fender. Also, like like lots of four-door concepts in recent memory, the design sports suicide doors with no B-pillars. To keep weight to a minimum, the body mixes aluminum, steel, and carbon-fiber reinforced polymer. Also present are carbon-fiber wheels. Inside, drivers get instruments that track their eyes so that the gauges always remain visible. There’s a video below, but stay tuned for a closer look at the Mission E from the show floor in Frankfurt.
Related Video:
Porsche Mission E: 600 hp, 500 kilometer driving range, 15 minutes charging timeWorld premiere of the first battery-powered four-seat concept car from Porsche
Stuttgart. In presenting the Mission E at the IAA in Frankfurt, Porsche is introducing the first all-electrically powered four-seat sports car in the brand’s history. The concept car combines the unmistakable emotional design of a Porsche with excellent performance and the forward-thinking practicality of the first 800-volt drive system. Key specification data of this fascinating sports car: four doors and four single seats, over 600 hp (440 kW) system power and over 500 km driving range. All-wheel drive and all-wheel steering, zero to 100 km/h acceleration in under 3.5 seconds and a charging time of around 15 minutes to reach an 80 per cent charge of electrical energy. Instruments are intuitively operated by eye-tracking and gesture control, some even via holograms – highly oriented toward the driver by automatically adjusting the displays to the driver’s position.
Drive system: over 600 hp with technologies from endurance racing
The drive system of the Mission E is entirely new, yet it is typical Porsche, i.e. proven in motor racing. Two permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) – similar to those used in this year’s Le Mans victor, the 919 hybrid – accelerate the sports car and recover braking energy. The best proof of a Porsche is 24 hours of top racing performance and a 1-2 finish. Together the two motors produce over 600 hp, and they propel the Mission E to a speed of 100 km/h in less than 3.5 seconds and to 200 km/h in under twelve seconds. In addition to their high efficiency, power density and uniform power development, they offer another advantage: unlike today’s electric drive systems, they can develop their full power even after multiple accelerations at short intervals. The need-based all-wheel drive system with Porsche Torque Vectoring – which automatically distributes torque to the individual wheels – transfers the drive system’s power to the road, and all-wheel steering gives precise, sporty steering in the desired direction. This makes the Mission E fit for the circuit race track; its lap time on the Nürburgring Nordschleife is under the eight-minute mark.Everyday practicality: convenient and quick charging, over 500 km driving range
It is not just passionate sportiness that makes up a Porsche but also a high level of everyday practicality. Accordingly, the Mission E can travel over 500 km on one battery charge, and it can be charged with enough energy for around 400 km more driving range in about fifteen minutes. The reason: Porsche is a front-runner in introducing innovative 800-volt technology for the first time. Doubling the voltage – compared to today’s electric vehicles that operate at 400 volts – offers multiple advantages: shorter charging times and lower weight, because lighter, smaller gage copper cables are sufficient for energy transport. A moveable body segment on the front left wing in front of the driver’s door gives access to the charging port for the innovative “Porsche Turbo Charging” system. Via the 800-volt port, the battery can be charged to approximately 80 per cent of its capacity in around 15 minutes – a record time for electric vehicles. As an alternative, the technology platform can be connected to a conventional 400-volt charging station, or it can be replenished at home in the garage via convenient inductive charging by simply parking over a coil embedded in the floor of the garage from which the energy is transferred without cables to a coil on the car’s underbody.Low centre of gravity for superior driving dynamics
Another feature that is typical of a Porsche sports car is a lightweight concept with optimal weight distribution and a low centre of gravity. The battery mounted in the car’s underbody, which is based on the latest lithium-ion technology, runs the whole length between the front and rear axles. This distributes its weight to the two drive axles uniformly, resulting in exceptionally good balance. In addition, it makes the sports car’s centre of gravity extremely low. Both of these factors significantly boost performance and a sports car feeling. The body as a whole is made up of a functional mix of aluminium, steel and carbon fibre reinforced polymer. The wheels are made of carbon: the Mission E has wide tyres mounted on 21-inch wheels in front and 22-inch wheels at the rear.Design: fascinating sports car with Porsche DNA
Every square inch, every angle, every radius of the Mission E reflects one thing above all else: emotional sportiness in the best tradition of Porsche design. The starting point is the sculpture of a sport saloon with a low height of 130 cm with sports car attributes from Zuffenhausen that embodies visible innovations such as its integrated aerodynamics. Distinctive air inlets and outlets – on the front, sides and at the rear – typify the body’s full flow-through design that enhances efficiency and performance. Integrated air guides improve airflow around the wheels, for instance, and air outlets on the sides reduce overpressure in the wheel wells, thereby reducing lift.The much reduced sculpting of the front end shows a classic Porsche sweepback, and it relates the concept car to the 918 Spyder and Porsche race cars. A new type of matrix LED headlights in the brand’s typical four-point light design captures the viewer’s gaze. Integrated as an element hovering in the airflow of the air inlet, they lend a futuristic character to the front end. The four LED units are grouped around a flat sensor for assistance systems whose border serves as an indicator light. Distinctive front wings and an extremely low-cut bonnet reference 911 design. As in the 911 GT3 RS, a wide characteristic recess extends from the overlapping front luggage compartment lid up and over the roof. The line of the side windows is also similar to that of the 911, however, with one important difference: two counter-opening doors enable convenient entry – without a B-pillar. Another difference: instead of the classic door mirror, inconspicuous cameras are mounted on the sides that contribute to the car’s exceptional aerodynamics.
The rear design underscores the typical sports car architecture. The lean cabin with its accelerated rear windscreen, which draws inward at the rear, creates space for the sculpted shape of the rear wings that only a Porsche can have. A three-dimensional “PORSCHE” badge illuminated from inside hovers beneath an arch of light that extends across the entire width in a black glass element.
Interior: light and open with four single seats
The interior of the Mission E transfers all of the traditional Porsche design principles into the future: openness, purist design, clean architecture, driver orientation and everyday practicality. The all-electric drive concept made it possible to fully reinterpret the interior. The lack of a transmission tunnel, for instance, opens up space and gives a lighter and more airy atmosphere to the entire interior. Race bucket seats served as inspiration for the four single seats. Their lightweight design is weight-saving, and it gives occupants secure lateral support during dynamic driving. Between the front seats, the centre console – elegantly curved like a bridge with open space beneath it – extends up to the dashboard.Display and control concept: intuitive, fast and free of distractions
A new world based on an innovative display and control concept opens up before the driver. It is intuitive, fast and free of distractions – created for the sports car of tomorrow. The filigree driver’s display is curved, low-profile and free-standing. The instrument cluster shows five round instruments – they can be recognized as Porsche, but they are displayed virtually in OLED technology, i.e. by organic light-emitting diodes. The round instruments are organized according to the driver-relevant themes of Connected Car, Performance, Drive, Energy and Sport Chrono. The controls are just as innovative. An eye-tracking system detects, via camera, which instrument the driver is viewing. The driver can then activate the menu of the instrument in focus by pushing a button on the steering wheel and navigate in it – which also involves an interplay of eye-tracking and manual activation. But that is not all: the display follows the seat position and body attitude of the driver in what is known as a parallax effect. If the driver sits lower, higher or leans to one side, the 3D display of the round instruments reacts and moves with the driver. This eliminates situations in which the steering wheel blocks the driver’s view of certain key information, for instance. All relevant information such as vehicle speed is always within the driver’s line of sight.The Mission E can even portray driving fun: a camera mounted in the rear-view mirror recognizes the driver’s good mood and shows it as an emoticon in the round instrument. The fun factor can be saved together with individual information such as the route or speed, and it can be shared with friends via a social media link.
Holographic display with touch-free gesture control
The entire dashboard is chock full of new ideas. Its division into two three-dimensionally structuring layers reinforces the impression of lightness and clarity. The upper layer integrates the driver’s display, and between the levels there is a holographic display that extends far into the passenger’s side. It shows individually selectable apps, which are stacked in virtual space and arranged by priority with a three-dimensional effect. The driver – or passenger – can use these apps to touch-free control primary functions such as media, navigation, climate control, contacts and vehicle. The desired symbol is activated by gestures that are detected by sensors. A grasping gesture means select, while pulling means control. Moreover, driver or passenger can use a touch display on the centre console to control secondary functions such as detailed information menus.The concept vehicle can also be configured externally from a tablet via Porsche Car Connect. Using “Over the Air and Remote Services” the driver can essentially change the functional content of the vehicle overnight. A simple update via the integrated high-speed data module is all it takes to implement the travel guide or additional functions for the chassis, engine or infotainment system. The driver can use a smartphone or tablet to start updates conveniently from the Porsche Connect Store. Furthermore, Porsche Connect enables direct contact to a Porsche Centre for remote diagnostics or to schedule appointments. Another function of integrated Remote Services is the digital key, which can be sent via the Porsche Connect Portal. It not only lets the owner open the doors, but also other persons authorized by the owner such as friends or family. After successful authentication, the key can be used within a specific time frame and defined location.
The virtual exterior mirrors are literally eye-catching. The lower corners of the windscreen show the images of the outside cameras that are mounted in the front wings. The benefits: the driver gets a better view of images and the surroundings, and safety information can also be actively displayed there
Filed under:
Transportation
Source:
Porsche (YouTube), Mission E
Tags: autoblog, ElectricVehicle, EV, Frankfurt2015, official, partner, porsche, porsche mission e, porsche mission e concept, syndicated, video
Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 and 430 processors – performance meets affordability
Qualcomm has weird schedules, and it seems this Monday night was the chosen period of time to announce a bunch of their new goodies. The processor maker just told us about their new Quick Charge 3.0 technology, and now we are all over a couple new processors that were just announced. These would be the Snapdragon 617 and 430.
As you might expect, both are made for mid-end devices. The Snapdragon 430 is for super affordable products, while the Snapdragon 617 starts to get closer to the high end spectrum (but isn’t quite there yet). These new chipsets are unique in their own ways, though, so let’s touch on a bit of information for each.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 617
According to Qualcomm, this will be the first to be released out of the two. We can expect to see smartphones touting this chipset “by the end of 2015”. We are not getting the full set of details just yet, but we do know the processor will support X8 LTE with Cat 7. This means it will support speeds of up to 200 Mbps down and 100 Mbps up.
Its dual-ISPs will allow for taking photos at up to 21 MP. In addition, performance will be enhanced by the Adreno 405 GPU and Hexagon 546 DSP. Not to mentions those 8 cores, which can be clocked up to 1.5 GHz.
Qualcomm Snapdragn 430
It will take a little longer for us to take a look at the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 in retail devices. The manufacturer expects its partners to bring this chip to market “later in 2016”, and they claim it’s totally worth the wait.
The Snapdragon 430 supports X6 LTE with Cat 4 speeds, which are a little slower than those in the Snapdragon 617. But the company does grant this CPU dual-ISPs, an Adreno 505 GPU and the Hexagon 536 DSP. By the way, the Snapdragon 430 will be the first of its series to get the Adreno 505 treatment, so this is a bit special.
Wrapping up
Ready to give these a test? It’s still a while before we see these processors coming around, but we will be ready to put them through the paces here at Android Authority. By the way, Qualcomm doesn’t fail to remind us that both of these support the new Quick Charge 3.0 standard. You are looking at amazing charging speeds if your next phone manages to come with one of these chipsets!
Qualcomm announces Quick Charge 3.0 promising even faster charging
Need a reason not to buy Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 chargers or any of the new flagships out like the Moto X Pure Edition? Well Qualcomm has just given you one. A really good one too.
Qualcomm just announced QC 3.0, the new standard for quick charging. Qualcomm claims that it is twice as fast as QC 1.0 and 38 percent more efficient than QC 2.0.
While Quick Charge 3.0 will be backwards compatible with 1.0 and 2.0, you will need a new charger to utilize 3.0 speeds.
Unfortunately for those who completely bought into Quick Charge 2.0, their chargers will be unable to deliver the 3.0 speeds, but the still will be able to charge the phone at 2.0 speeds which is significantly faster than standard charging. It isn’t a total loss.
These super fast charging speeds are achieved by some “sciencey” stuff that I will quote down below. The gist of it is that your devices with Quick Charge 3.0 will be able to use a wider variety of voltages in order to get more power faster in a safe fashion.
“How does it work? Quick Charge 3.0 employs Intelligent Negotiation for Optimum Voltage (INOV), an algorithm which allows your portable device to determine what power level to request at any point in time, enabling optimum power transfer while maximizing efficiency. It also supports wider voltage options, allowing a mobile device to dynamically adjust to the ideal voltage level supported by that specific device. Specifically, Quick Charge 3.0 offers a more granular range of voltages: 200mV increments, from 3.6V to 20V. That way your phone can target one of dozens of power levels.“
Qualcomm created this nifty video down below to help quickly bring you up to speed on this new standard.
Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 will work now on any phone that uses the following processors
- 820
- 620
- 618
- 617
- 430
The best part is that this will work with any port connector. USB Type-A, USB micro, USB Type-C, or proprietary connectors can all bask in the glory that is Quick Charge 3.0.
If you were on the fence about getting a new phone, this should sway you to the hold off and wait side. I know that this is enough to get me to stick with my Idol 3 5.5″ a little longer and not buy the Moto X Pure Edition like I have been craving to.
I will gladly hold out until I see some smartphone with QC 3.0 in tow before buying a new phone. What about you? Is QC 3.0 enough to make you wait until buying a new phone? Or is there a current flagship out now that is just too good to pass up?
The post Qualcomm announces Quick Charge 3.0 promising even faster charging appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Bugatti’s ‘Gran Turismo’ concept car hints at life beyond the Veyron
Bugatti’s monstrous 1,000HP-plus Veyron supercar may be riding into the sunset, but you won’t have to wait long to get a hint of what the exotic automaker is planning next. The company has taken the wraps off of its own Gran Turismo virtual concept car, the not-so-cleverly-titled Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo. This in-game prototype is a direct hint at both the brand’s “future design language” and the kind of performance it’s aiming for in an ideal world. Not surprisingly, that means something supremely quick. On a simulated Le Mans track, the VGT is powerful enough (thanks largely to its W16 engine) that it can reach 250MPH four times each lap — ultimately, it’s about as fast as the speediest real-world Le Mans prototypes. Slideshow-319084
There’ll be a physical example of the car at the Frankfurt Motor Show (which kicks off September 17th), so you will have a chance to see it in all its carbon fiber glory. Just don’t expect to see it on real streets. The expected production vehicle is the Chiron, a straight-up successor to the Veyron with a beastly 1,480HP output and refinements to both comfort and technology. It’ll be more of an over-the-top road car than a purpose-built racer. Unless you happen to be in Germany very soon, the Gran Turismo concept may be your only way to see the Bugatti VGT in motion, let alone take it for a test drive.
Filed under:
Gaming, Transportation
Via:
Autoblog
Source:
Bugatti
Tags: bugatti, car, chiron, concept, conceptcar, gaming, granturismo, sportscar, supercar, vehicle, veyron, videogames, visiongranturismo
Researchers create a near-perfect sound absorbing system
We’ve come a long way since the days of pouring wax into our ears to block out siren songs. A team of researchers at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have developed a sound-cancelling system that eliminates 99.7 percent of noise, no matter how quiet.
Typically, passive sound deadening technologies have relied on materials that simple absorb sound waves (and usually only along a narrow band of frequencies). But even the most absorbent material tends to scatter some of the sound incoming sound waves. As such, this new system absorbs incoming sounds not once but twice. It uses a pair of “impedance-matched” resonators. These are devices that naturally vibrate at a specific frequency and, in the case of “impedance-matching”, that frequency is equal to that of the the background medium (whatever the resonator is mounted to).
The first resonator eliminates a majority of the incoming sound waves. However at very low energy levels (ie very quiet sounds), even the best resonator tends to scatter a little bit of the sound at its own frequency. That’s where the second resonator comes in — it’s tuned precisely to the first resonator’s frequency, allowing it create destructive interference for any sound the first resonator scatters. This single-layer system builds and improves upon the team’s earlier work, published last year in Nature. That study fit a soft absorbent layer atop a hard reflective one and separated them with a thin layer of air. The idea was that any sound that got through the soft layer would bounce off the reflective layer and cancel out any incoming sound waves.
[Image Credit: AFP/Getty Images]
Filed under:
Science
Via:
Motherboard
Source:
Applied Physics Letters
Tags: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, HongKong, NoiseCancelling, resonator, sounddampening
AIVAnet 