OnePlus 3: What’s the story so far?

OnePlus grabbed headlines when it launched its first smartphone back in 2013 for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the OnePlus One delivered flagship specs for significantly less cash than the devices it was pitched against. Secondly, the Chinese company made the “flagship killer” smartphone desirable by introducing an invite system that consequently made the OnePlus One harder to get hold of than other smartphones.

Since the original OnePlus One, we have seen two more smartphones from OnePlus – the OnePlus 2 and the OnePlus X. Both follow the same lead as the OnePlus One by offering decent specs for a decent price, with the OnePlus 2 aiming at the flagships while the OnePlus X chases the mid-range.

The OnePlus 2 has been kicking around for a while now, launching in July 2015, while the OnePlus X only graced us with its presence in October 2015 but that hasn’t stopped rumours sparking for the next OnePlus device. This feature is all about the OnePlus 3. As usual, we will update this feature as more speculation and rumours appear, but for now, this is everything we have heard so far about the OnePlus 3, mixed in with some extra speculation for good measure.

OnePlus 3 rumours: Release date

Unlike some other manufacturers, such as Apple and Samsung, OnePlus doesn’t have a predictable release cycle. The OnePlus One launched at the end of April 2013, while the OnePlus 2 was announced at the end of July 2014 so there isn’t an immediately obvious pattern.

There have been a couple of tradeshows over the last couple of months, including both CES and MWC but as expected, OnePlus didn’t use either to unveil the OnePlus 3. Those shows did kickstart the new breed of flagship devices for 2016 though so OnePlus will undoubtedly have been keeping a close eye to see what the competition has done.

One of the co-founders of OnePlus, Carl Pei, said we can expect the OnePlus 3 by “the end next quarter”, suggesting around June.

OnePlus 3 rumours: Design

The OnePlus One and the OnePlus 2 were almost identical in measurements, which suggested OnePlus found a form factor it thought worked well.

Sandstone Black was a finish that appeared on both the OnePlus One and the OnePlus 2 but a “new design” will be coming for the OnePlus 3 according to co-founder Carl Pei. He said “the company’s first phone was a more captivating device than its second generation,” adding “he hopes the OnePlus 3 will have ‘at least’ that special feeling cast by the OnePlus One when users first saw it.”

There has been little else to suggest what this new design might offer but we suspect the rumours will start picking up over the next couple of months.

In terms of tech, the OnePlus 2 introduced a fingerprint scanner and USB Type-C so it would make sense to include both of these on the OnePlus 3. A spec leak from Chinese website mobile-dad suggested no fingerprint scanner for the next flagship, which could suggest other methods of identification like iris recognition but for now.

Realistically we can’t see this happening for the OnePlus 3 however as this would more than likely increase the cost, which is something we don’t think OnePlus will want to do. We’d put our money on a fingerprint scanner over iris recognition.

OnePlus 3 rumours: Display

Both the OnePlus One and the OnePlus 2 offer 5.5-inch displays, both of which have a 1920 x 1080 resolution for a pixel density of 441ppi. We’d expect a similar size for the OnePlus 3, certainly not smaller as that would filter into OnePlus X territory.

Whether OnePlus will up the resolution to Quad HD in order to compete with the likes of Samsung and LG is anyone’s guess but we would be inclined to say no for the simple fact of sustaining the low price OnePlus devices are known for.

The leaked specs suggest we will see a Full HD resolution again, which doesn’t come as a huge surprise. You never know though, OnePlus could play the numbers game with the OnePlus 3 and up the resolution but we’d expect this will also up the price.

OnePlus 3 rumours: Camera

The OnePlus 2 offers a 13-megapixel rear camera with a 0.2-second autofocus and optical image stabilisation. The front-facing snapper is 5-megapixels. It didn’t operate as well as the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S6 when we reviewed it but the OnePlus 2’s camera does a sterling job when it comes to image quality, meaning OnePlus is already on the right path with its cameras.

We would expect OnePlus to up the megapixels on the front camera to 8-megapixels for the OnePlus 3 as this is what is found on the OnePlus X and we wouldn’t be surprised to see a few changes to the rear either, although we don’t think it will be anything too drastic. Possibly an increase to 16-megapixels perhaps but as the OnePlus 2 performed well, OnePlus might not deem it necessary to change too much for the OnePlus 3.

OnePlus 3 rumours: Hardware

Hardware is one area that is easier to predict than others if OnePlus follows the same pattern as the OnePlus One and OnePlus 2. Both these devices came with the latest Qualcomm chipset at their time of release, which was the Snapdragon 801 for the OnePlus One and the Snapdragon 810 for the OnePlus 2.

Leaked specs suggest the OnePlus 3 will come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, which makes perfect sense. We’d expect 4GB of RAM for the OnePlus 3 too given the OnePlus 2 offered this as an option and we’d also expect at least a 3300mAh battery capacity like the OnePlus 2, if not slightly larger.

Neither the OnePlus One or the OnePlus 2 offered microSD support for storage expansion, but the latest OnePlus X does so it might be that this extends to the OnePlus 3, especially with the talks of a “new design”. The OnePlus 2 comes in 32GB and 64GB storage options so we would expect the same for the OnePlus 3 and maybe even a larger 128GB if there is no microSD support.

OnePlus 3 rumours: Software

The OnePlus One arrived on the scene with a modified version of Android in the form of Cyanogen Mod, while the OnePlus 2 and the OnePlus X both feature the company’s own OxygenOS, which is again, a customised version of Android.

We would highly expect the OnePlus 3 to arrive with the next update to the OxygenOS, with a few more features. Ultimately, it will be another Android handset like the others are but with a couple of customisation functions. What these will be for the OnePlus 3 remain to be seen but expect the OnePlus 2’s features to cross over.

OnePlus 3 rumours: Price

The OnePlus One cost £230 when it first launched, while the OnePlus 2 starts at £239 and creeps up to £289 for the larger storage capacity.

We would expect the OnePlus 3 to stay within a similar price bracket. We’d be surprised to see it go over the £300 mark but it isn’t going to be any less than £230. We’d guess a starting price of around £250 for the OnePlus 3, give or take a few pounds.

Co-founder Carl Pei said it would be offering a “better buying process” for the OnePlus 3, but he didn’t clarify whether this means abandoning the invite-only system that applied to the previous OnePlus devices when they first launched. They are now both available without an invite.

OnePlus 3 rumours: Conclusion

The rumours and speculation for the OnePlus 3 will pick up over the next couple of months, which will help to draw conclusions as to what will and will not appear.

For now, you can expect the OnePlus 3 to arrive with a new design, although expect the size to be similar to the previous models, along with Qualcomm’s SD820 processor, 4GB of RAM and USB Type-C.

We don’t expect to see a QHD display, nor iris recognition but a larger battery capacity and a slight increase in price from the OnePlus 2 wouldn’t surprise us. In terms of release date, put June time in your diary. We will keep you posted on any findings.

Huawei P9: What’s the story so far?

Huawei has had a busy few months, not only joining the Nexus programme with the excellent Nexus 6P, but also launching the great Huawei Mate S with a pressure sensitive display and more recently boosting its phablet line with the Mate 8.

Of all the mobile companies out there, Huawei is one of the most ambitious, quietly seeking domination, raising its brand profile through sponsorship, like that of Arsenal, as well as releasing some half decent phones. Oh, and making money, which some others are struggling to do.

However its conventional flagship hasn’t been its best phone. The P8 was good, but blighted by software woes. Could the Huawei P9 be the Chinese company’s crowning moment?

Huawei P9 release date

Rumours first suggested Huawei would unveil the P9 at CES 2016. After that didn’t happen, heads turned to MWC, but that didn’t happen either, with the company choosing to launch a 2-in-1 hybrid device instead in the MateBook.

A leak from a China Mobile readmap showed that the Huawei P9 is scheduled to arrive with the network in March, suggesting the P9 will debut in the next couple of weeks.

Evan Blass, writing for VentureBeat, has supported this idea claiming that Huawei will launch several weeks after MWC so we’re expecting to see the P9 sometime in March.

Huawei P9 design

Huawei has been making waves for delivering quality design at a price that’s much more affordable than some rivals like HTC or Samsung. We saw that in the Mate S, and the Mate 8 followed with this all-metal construction, as did the Nexus 6P and the MateBook tablet.

A tweet from @stagueve in October 2015 suggested the design might put a dual lens camera on that rear. That’s not too outrageous a suggestion, as it’s on the Honor 6 Plus, from Huawei’s cheaper sub-brand.

The idea of dual camera lenses has also appeared in an image leak from China’s Weibo, confirmed as accurate by an insider according to VentureBeat. These images also show a fingerprint sensor on the rear, along with a metal design.

Rumours of the P9 run all the way back to early 2015, with reports that the handset, going under the codename IP03 was already in production and that it features a curved back. This was the case for the Mate S and with a rumour this old, there’s every chance some of the rumours were for devices other than the P9 as the image leaks don’t appear to show this.

There are also rumours of a triplicate of handsets, the P9, the P9 Lite and the P9 Max. Evan Blass, writing for VentureBeat, said a fourth, feature-enhanced P9 will offer slightly larger screen, additional RAM and storage, improved camera, with dual lens, dual 12-megapixel cameras. It seems this fourth device could be called the P9 premium.

Weibo

Huawei P9 display

Huawei’s recent launches have been notable for one reason: the Mate S and the Mate 8 have a Full HD display, sporting a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution. The former, the Mate S, has a special edition that’s pressure sensitive and that could well be a feature of the P9 too.

Some rumours have suggested the Huawei P9 will have a Quad HD display, 2560 x 1440 pixels with a 5.2-inch AMOLED panel however. (The P9 Lite is said to be 5 inches, the P9 Max 6.8 inches. Huawei is no a stranger to Quad HD displays, as the Nexus 6P shows, so again, for a new flagship this is entirely plausible.

That said, Evan Blass, writing for VentureBeat, said none of the P9 variants will have Quad HD resolution. Apparently Huawei feels that the slight improvement in image quality is not worth the trade-off in power drain, meaning that the Nexus 6P will likely remain the only Huawei-built phone to offer a 1440 x 2560-pixel screen for some time.

It is thought at the moment the P9 will therefore arrive with a 5.2-inch display offering a Full HD resolution.

Huawei P9 specs and hardware

As for the internal hardware, Huawei likes to keep things in house. A number of rumours have pointed to a Kirin 950 chipset. That’s the same as the Mate 8 features, offering octo-core 64-bit power. It’s entirely likely that it will appear in the P9 too.

Leaked benchmarks have suggested as much, although some rumours have also suggested the Kirin 955 chip will be present. Initially reported as having 4GB of RAM, recent reports have suggested it might have as much as 6GB.

One thing you can be sure of though is a fingerprint sensor on the rear. The last few devices have given a great fingerprint scanner experience, with additional features, something we’d expect to see here and something present in the recently leaked images.

Huawei P9 cameras

Huawei has made a lot of noise about the cameras on its devices, cramming in a lot of features and functions, both on the front and rear. We’ve seen some great results too.

As we’ve seen, there’s a rumour that the P9 is going to feature the dual lens approach. We’ve seen this on the Honor, as well as from HTC and we’re not hugely excited about that proposition, unless it can really bring something exciting to the feature set. 

Rumours say that will be two 13-megapixel rear cameras, while others say two 12-megapixel dual-cameras on both the P9 and P9 Premium. Perhaps that’s justification for the 6GB of RAM.

However, Evan Blass writing on VentureBeat claims that the dual-lens version will be the fourth enhanced model, this time with second-gen dual lenses, improving over the Honor 6 Plus.

The company has also announced a strategic partnership with iconic camera maker Leica, with a plan to “reinvent” smartphone photography. This joining of forces could suggest the P9 might feature Leica lenses and imaging technology but neither company would confirm or deny this so we will have to wait and see for now.

Huawei P9 software

Huawei like its own EMUI skin that sits over Android and we’d expect that to be fully lodged in place on the P9, but sitting over the top of Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

We’re not expecting huge changes to the software in the P9. Huawei changes just about every aspect of Android to put its own twist on things. There are some great additions for power saving, but some of the app additions and changes to icons undo the good work of stock Android.

Want to know more?

We’ll be keeping abreast of all the rumours in this article as they appear, so keep checking back for updates over the next few weeks.

How to Reinvent the Office: 10 gadgets that will make your office better

True techies shouldn’t have an everyday, run-of-the-mill office.

If you consider yourself a computer-savvy individual or even an early adopter, one of the first places you should be exemplifying that is in your home office. Similar to a living room, which typically contains your flashy entertainment setup, your office is the perfect place to create a unique space outfitted with the cool devices and mind-blowing innovations.

From your printer to your computer to your desk, there are several ways you can upgrade your work zone in order to step out of the dark ages and jump into the future. All you need is the latest and greatest productivity tech. To help you figure out what to get, we’ve rounded up 10 gadgets that will reinvent your office and totally make it much better.

Reinvent the Office: Printers

HP

A first-rate office needs a first-rate printer.

No matter how digital we’ve become, it seems there will always be a need for printing, copying, and faxing. Enter HP’s Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdw. It’s super fast, offers two-sided printing, supports wireless printing from your laptop and even your smart device, is capable of scanning documents and sending them to your email, USB, network folders, or the cloud, and of course it includes faxing to boot.

The LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdw is a true multi-functional printer. We’ve used it and are particularly impressed by the lightning-fast duplex printing, maximum paper storage (thanks to two trays), high-quality colour printing, and that nifty touch display that allowed to access menus and settings in no time. Oh, and printing straight from our smartphone only took a few steps.

This $629 machine is definitely built for home office use and would streamline your productivity to a level you’ve yet to even realise.

Reinvent the Office: Desks

Rebel

We’ve actually got two desks to recommend here, based on preference.

If you’re the type who is looking to remain active and get in shape while you work, the Rebel Treadmill and Desk Combination features a height-adjustable desk and a treadmill that goes up to 2 mph. The entire thing weighs 88 pounds and costs $1,400.

Now, for those of you on the other end of the spectrum, there’s the $3,900 Altwork Station. It’s meant to redefine how you sit at your desk, while even letting you recline with continuous comfort, but it supports standing as well. And rather than hunching over to reach your laptop, Altwork will hover your workstation wherever is most comfortable for you with a push of a button.

Reinvent the Office: Routers

Luma

We’ve all bought a single Wi-Fi router, stuck it in our home office, and just hoped it would blanket every inch of our house with connectivity. But that’s hardly the case. Businesses, on the other hand, put several Wi-Fi access points around their buildings to ensure total connectivity. Luma takes what was previously only found at businesses and makes it available in your house.

You can buy multiple Luma routers (sold in a three-pack), place them in your office and throughout your home, and they will work together to form a single network (or “surround Wi-Fi”), but it’s really a mesh network, which is what businesses use. Each Luma has two dual-band radios on 2.4GHz and 5Ghz bands using 802.11ac Wave 2. Now, beyond basic coverage stuff, the Luma is smart in that it can tell you what every device on your network is doing. And in real-time. You’ll also be able to remotely control Luma.

A single router costs $99, while the three-pack is $249.

Reinvent the Office: Displays

Sony

We think every office should have a huge display for showing data, whether that be feeds, channel news, or your own company stats in real-time. Well, instead of buying a massive TV set, consider a 4K Ultra Short Throw Projector, like this $50,000 aluminium one from Sony.

It looks like a long cabinet you’d place up against a wall, but it actually features a modular design integrated into a single unit (two cabinets, two speakers, and one projector). With the 4K Ultra Short Throw projector, you can display anywhere from a 66-inch to a 147-inch image or video onto your wall . Because the cabinet sits near a wall, shadows won’t interfere with the projection.

The projector is equipped with SXRD panels, so it boasts four times the resolution of HD. If that price tag is too much to handle though, Sony makes a portable version for $798 that projects an 1366×768 image up to 80 inches.

Reinvent the Office: Mounts

Loctek

You probably have a monitor and a tablet just sitting on your desk.

If so, get the Loctek D7A+X1 Swivel Monitor Mount in order to elevate them and increase your productivity. It fits a computer monitor from 10 to 27 inches as well as tablets from 7 to 12 inches, allowing you to place both screens side by side (sort of like a dual display), and because this setup has a three-joint movable arm, you can place your screens in the most ergonomic position.

The Loctek costs $199 and includes ports for audio, mic, and USB 3.0.

Reinvent the Office: Security

90Lock

With all this pricey technology stuffed into your home office, you really should get some sort of security or protection to prevent people from breaking into your private space and stealing your goods or even accessing your work data.

The 90K Lock is a $675 smart lock system that detects fingerprints in order to open the door. It also has a built-in mic and wide lens HD camera, so you can have a live video feed of anyone that rings the doorbell and then have a two-way video chat with them directly from your smartphone or tablet. It includes a traditional door handle and is available in gold, black, and nickel colour options.

Reinvent the Office: Tools

IrisPen

We wanted to include a smart pen of some sort, because let’s face it, sometimes recording notes by hand is relaxing and just easier. But we found two distinct offerings that were hard to choose between, so we’ve included both. The IRISPen Air 7 costs 4149 and lets you wirelessly scan text. It connects to your device over Bluetooth and recognises both letters and numbers in over 130 languages in real-time.

You can use it on magazines, newspapers, textbooks, letters, or anything else with text. If you don’t find yourself needing to scan text to often but would rather like a handwritten-to-type-like feature, the $169 Neo smartpen N2 is a writing tool that recognises pen pressure to provide an accurate copy of your written notes on your device. It stores up to 1,000 handwritten pages but also syncs Evernote and Google Drive.

Reinvent the Office: Lights

Sony

Why get an average lamp when you can get a smart lamp?

Sony’s Multifunctional Light uses Toshiba’s LED technology to shine a full spectrum of colourful light. But that’s not what makes it so intriguing. It’s packed with sensors not only for luminance but also built-in motion, temperature, and humidity. It even has a microSD memory slot, infrared controller, speaker, and a microphone. It has everything but the kitchen sink.

And all that tech allows it to connect to your smartphone or any other Wi-Fi enabled device, so you can control it remotely, set it up on a timer, or let it detect you. If the Multifunctional Light sees you enter a room, for instance, it can turn on your stereo or TV, adjust the air con or thermostat, double as a motion-detection alarm system, record and playback messages, etc.

Unfortunately, it’s only coming to Japan sometime during the first six months of this year. No word yet on pricing either. No worries, though: Sony’s Life Space UX arm makes other smart lights – available in the US and UK – that double as Bluetooth speakers.

Reinvent the Office: Assistants

Pocket-lint

The Amazon Echo is not just a speaker you can pair with your device to wirelessly play tunes over Bluetooth.

It’s also packed with a personal assistant that can answer your questions, fetch audibooks and ebooks, create notes and shopping lists, and control smart home accessories – all via voice commands. Alexa is always listening too, so you just have to say her name and she wakes up. The actual device consists of a 9.25-inch tall cylinder speaker with a seven-piece mic array and costs $180.

You’ll also want a $99 Prime membership to get the most out of Echo.

Reinvent the Office: Conferences

Pocket-lint

Virtual reality isn’t limited to gaming.

We’ve used the HTC Vive headset, for instance, to customise a McLaren car, properly demo and shop for kitchen hardware, and even climb mount everest. We recommend picking up one of these headsets because we can imagine virtual conference calls one day being a thing. Imagine being able to strap on the Vive and virtually engage with your coworkers all from the solace of your home office.

This isn’t just a pipe dream. All it takes is one developer to create a simple app. Maybe Microsoft-owned Skype will one day go VR. Better yet, it might go AR and create an experience suited for Microsoft’s HoloLens headset.

This article has been created in partnership with HP.

Next Sony Xperia flagship: What’s the story so far?

It might come as a surprise to Sony Mobile fans, but the company’s next flagship isn’t going to be called the Xperia Z6. Sony announced a new range of smartphones at MWC 2016 called the X Series, as well as confirming in a statement that the “Z line has reached its culmination” and the “X series represents a new chapter”.

We’ve been tracking rumours about Sony’s next flagship handset – formerly known as the Z6 – for some time. Here’s everything we know or think we know about Sony’s future flagship.

Next Sony Xperia flagship release date

Sony is known for releasing a couple of flagships a year. This was rumoured to be changing but 2015 still saw both the Xperia Z3+ and the Xperia Z5 launch, along with the Xperia Z5 Compact and 4K display Xperia Z5 Premium.

The next Sony Xperia flagship has been rumoured to be coming in the second half of 2016, which would make sense if Sony is finally changing things up to launch just one flagship per year.

The company announced the Xperia X Performance as part of the X series line up at MWC. This device features flagship specs including improvements on the Xperia Z5, packaged in a luxurious metal design. It could very easily have been the next Xperia flagship but it is destined for Asia only. 

The X and the XA announced alongside it were the models launched for other territories instead and while these two devices still offer good specs, they aren’t quite flagship meaning a successor to the Z5, even if it won’t be called the Z6, is still on the cards.

The Xperia Z5 was announced at IFA 2015 so we would expect the next Sony Xperia flagship to appear at IFA 2016 in September. The bigger question is: what on earth is it going to be called?

What will Sony’s next Xperia flagship be called?

With Sony confirming, via a rather circuitous route, that the Z family of devices has reached its end, there will be no Z6. Sony maintains that the X series is the future, so it may be that the next Sony flagship is simply the Sony Xperia X Performance, following the device we’ve already seen.

However, Sony’s naming policy has been a bit of a mess recently, with the Z4 launching in some regions and the Z3+ in others, so it’s difficult to guess which direction the company is going to step next.

We’re sure a lot of people will continue to call it the Z6 until a name is found; we imagine that some people will simply call it the X6; it might be the X Performance, or it could be something entirely new. We suspect it will be something entirely new.

Next Sony Xperia flagship design

Just like its release cycles, Sony has been pretty consistent with its design, especially across the Xperia Z1, Xperia Z2, Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3+ devices. Yes, things got a little slimmer and overall a little better looking, but the general scheme of things remained the same.

The Xperia Z5 changed things up a little, moving away from rounded edges to flatter and squarer. A fingerprint sensor was added to the signature side power button that changed shape from circular to a flatter oblong and overall, the Xperia Z design improved significantly.

The newly announced Xperia X series takes the Z5’s design and runs with it. The rear material moves from glass to metal and the result is fabulous. The OmniBalance design remains intact, as does the side fingerprint sensor on both the X and X Performance but the new design gives Xperia a new lease of life.

Where will that leave the next Xperia flagship? Well, we would predict it will look almost identical to the X Performance, perhaps with a few refinements here and there. We’re almost glad the Z line is stopping with the Z5 as the X series has a much better finish so it would have been disappointing to see a Z6 appear without the design changes the X series offers.

Next Sony Xperia flagship display

Display is an area Sony stuck to its guns with when it came to the Z series. While many of its competitors hopped on the Quad HD bandwagon, Sony continued to opt for Full HD for its 5.2-inch Xperia Z5 and previous devices. The only place it changed things up was the Xperia Z5 Premium whereby it skipped 2K altogether and went straight for a 4K resolution.

Will the next Xperia flagship have a 2K display? Well if it does, it would go against everything Sony has been saying for the last couple of years. It’s always said that at that size, you wouldn’t be able to notice the extra pixels per inch and customers don’t want to trade battery life for display resolution, so we suspect a 2K display is unlikely. The X Performance improved on the Z5 in other areas but the display remained at Full HD.

It might be that Sony will need to play the numbers game to stay in the game, in which case a 2K display kind of needs to happen to stay in the same boat as competition from LG and Samsung. That said, the X series launched with Sony focusing on design, camera and battery life so higher resolution displays are not something Sony sees as vitally important features of a smartphone.

The slightly lower-specced XA did launch with an edge-to-edge display though, which was beautiful despite being 720p. To see the next Sony flagship arrive with the same edge-to-edge display but with a Full HD or Quad HD resolution would be amazing.

There were also rumours suggesting Sony will introduce its version of a force touch display, like Apple and Huawei have both done in 2015. Pressure sensitive displays allow users to perform quick actions or various tasks based on how firmly they press the screen. It’s a technology that is becoming more discussed so it wouldn’t be too surprising to see Sony introduce it for its next flagship.

Next Sony Xperia flagship camera

The Sony Xperia Z5 saw the rear camera jump from the 21.7-megapixel sensor, which was introduced on the Xperia Z1 and remained for the succeeding devices, to a 23-megapixel sensor. Sony made slight adjustments to incremental devices, such as a wider angle lens and software updates, but the sensor itself stayed the same until the Z5.

Given that it took a couple of years for the sensor to change, we don’t expect things to change again for the next Xperia flagship, especially as the Xperia X and X Performance both feature this sensor. We’d place our bets on the same 23-megapixel rear sensor but with the addition of the Predictive Hybrid Auto Focus at the very least. This feature tracks and predicts movements in order to ensure moments aren’t missed. It launched on the X series but we expect it to be a feature that will move onto the next flagship too.

The Xperia Z5 comes with a 5-megapixel front snapper but with the X and X Performance both offering 13-megapixel front snappers with ISO 6400 sensitivity, we expect to see the same in the next Xperia flagship, perhaps with a few extra software enhancements.

Next Sony Xperia flagship hardware

Sony is one of Qualcomm’s most loyal fans. From the Xperia Z1, Sony opted for the chip manufacturer’s latest processor each time, even when some of its competition went down their own routes for 2015 following overheating concerns about  the SD810.

Sony followed the same path for the X series, with the top-of-the-range X Performance featuring the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chip. It was suggested by Digitimes that Sony will start producing its own processors for its smartphones like Huawei and Samsung have done in the past but we can’t see that happening. We’d expect at least 4GB of RAM though as this would fall in line with competition.

We suspect there will also be a big focus on battery as that is an area Sony really thrives in and an area the company were keen to promote in the new X series. The X Performance has a 2700mAh capacity but this will probably increase for the next flagship, especially if the display is larger than the X Performance’s 5-inch screen.

We are confident that microSD support will be on board the new flagship too as Sony offers this on all its recent smartphones. Sony has previously offered 16GB and 32GB internal storage capacity options, although as Android 6.0 Marshmallow allows you to combine the internal and microSD storage, the 32GB might not be necessary. We would certainly be surprised to see anything above 32GB if microSD is on board. The X Performance comes in one variant offering 32GB, which indicates the next flagship will do the same.

Next Sony Xperia flagship software

The next Sony Xperia flagship will come with Android Marshmallow and it will more than likely have the company’s bloatware over the top. We’d love for the extra apps to be reduced slightly and perhaps offer it in a less-so-in-your-face way, like Motorola do, but this probably won’t happen.

The X series smartphones on display at MWC didn’t feature final software, suggesting there is an update coming that may change things up slightly. When these devices appear in the summer, we may have a better indication of what to expect software-wise on the next Xperia flagship.

Next Sony Xperia flagship conclusion

So what do we expect from the next Sony Xperia flagship? Well, we’d say an IFA 2016 release date is likely, as is the continuation of the OmniBalance design but with the metal build found on the new X series.

A pressure-sensitive display seems like a reasonable suggestion and we’d place our bets on Full HD over Quad HD. An edge-to-edge display like the one on the Xperia XA would be lovely to see and we will certainly put money on the SD820 processor making an appearance, as well as a side fingerprint sensor.

We don’t expect many hardware changes for the next Xperia flagship’s rear camera, but we do expect to see the 13-megapixel front snapper from the X and X Performance appear along with a few software changes. We will update this feature as more rumours appear so keep checking back for the latest on the speculation surrounding the next Sony Xperia flagship.

Best Galaxy S7 and S7 edge cases: Protect your new Samsung device

Samsung has revealed its latest flagship smartphones in the form of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, both of which were the subject of many rumours in the run up to their official unveiling.

The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge devices offer a similar design to their predecessors, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge. They have lovely metal frames, coupled with glass backs and they are both beautiful. This of course makes it a little bit a shame to put a case on them and cover them up, but without one, those wonderful designs might not stay wonderful for long.

Luckily, there are already plenty of cases out there ready to protect them and some of them are just as nice as the handsets underneath, well almost anyway.

This feature is all about the best Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge cases we have stumbled across so far, but you can expect an update to this feature as and when we come across more so if none of these catch your eye, don’t worry. You can also let us know in the comments if you have found one you think others will love too.

Click here to see the best Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge cases

Master UI and UX design with this 6-course boot camp, now 96 per cent off

Good design can change the conversation, but great design can change the world.

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This is a field that affects all areas of business — prepare to dip your toes into an ocean of new concepts and ideas that will take your ideas to unforeseen heights. For a limited time, Pocket-lint Deals is offering this six-course series for just £27.16 ($39).

The UI & UX Design Bootcamp teaches the fundamentals and industry standard tools of design. You’ll conduct user research, develop wireframes, design visual mockups, and create prototypes for usability testing as you develop projects from start to finish, learn to lead a UX team, and more – equipping you with the skills and knowledge to establish yourself as a high-level professional in your field.

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As you work through the six-course tutorials, you’ll build valuable programming skills with hands-on app building as you master everything from Ionic, AngularJS, Node.js, and other must-know frameworks. Master the principles of Android Material Design—the latest visual language developed by Google, and learn to approach the design process from your users’ standpoint—collecting information on their specific needs, testing designs to see which resonates with them and more, to build a product they truly love.

UX design is a field that’s exploding in popularity. Design practitioners, developers, product managers, usability professionals, and decision-makers can all greatly benefit from this comprehensive bootcamp, now an impressive 96 per cent off from Pocket-lint Deals.

Best smartwatches to look forward to in 2016

To hear watch without the word smart in front of it will soon be indicative of a heirloom description. Even luxury watch brands have embraced smartwatches with some exciting announcements having already been made this year and more set to come.

In 2015, we saw Apple finally take the plunge into the smartwatch market, Pebble hit us with not one but three new smartwatches in one year alone, and LG dive even further into the pool with yet another smarter offering. So what else do we have to look forward to? Well, there are plenty of devices left to keep an eye out for.

It seems 2015 was the year of intelligent wrist adornment and chances are, 2016 will continue the trend, so here are all the best smartwatches to look forward to in 2016. We have included devices that have been announced but are not yet available to buy, as well as a few rumoured timepieces for good measure.

Pocketnow

HTC One smartwatch

Rumours that HTC is making a smartwatch have been circulating for some time now. Last year, it was thought the Taiwanese company would launch the Petra smartwatch at Mobile World Congress, but nothing ever appeared. The rumours then suggested the design was being changed to a round model that would apparently appear in 2016.

Since then, serial leaker Evan Blass has shared on Twitter that the HTC smartwatch “should be out mid-April”, suggesting it might launch with the next flagship – the M10. There aren’t many other details at the moment but perhaps 2016 will be the year HTC hops on the smartwatch bandwagon.

READ MORE The Pocket-lint Guide to smartwatch etiquette 

Pocket-lint

Apple Watch 2

Apple announced the Apple Watch in September of 2014, releasing it for sale in April of 2015 but rumours have already started circulating for a second generation of the iOS-specific smartwatch.

The Apple Watch 2, as we are calling it for now, has been rumoured to be unveiled at an event on 15 March, with suggestions it will go on sale in June 2016, or the second quarter of 2016. It will apparently come with the same design as the original with the same rectangular screen size options, screen resolutions, and body, which might mean current straps might remain compatible.

Word has it new materials might come for the second generation however, and it is thought it will also sport a front-facing video camera (located near the top of the display) that will allow for proper FaceTime calls. Improved wireless capabilities have also been touted.

READ MORE Apple Watch 2: What’s the story so far?

Pocket-lint

Guess Connect (2016)

Guess announced the Guess Connect smartwatch last year at CES. It looked like the traditional Guess Rigor watch but added a notification bar at the bottom of the face, powered by Martian. The company announced there would be several new designs of the Guess Connect appear for 2016, including a leopard print design and a new, smarter option.

In addition to the new colours and styles of the original Guess Connect however, the company is also planning to launch an entirely new model, which will again be powered by Martian. The new watch will focus more on looking like a normal watch, adding just an LED notifier light within the watch housing instead. There are plenty of styles coming with the new model arriving in November.

READ MORE These are the new Guess Connect watches and they are amazing

LG

LG Watch Urbane 2

LG’s second generation of its Watch Urbane offers a full range of wireless connections, including 4G and 3G meaning it will be able to make and receive calls, operating independently of your connected smartphone.

The LG Watch Urbane 2 expands the P-OLED display to 1.38-inches, 348ppi, and is powered by the standard Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset, with 768MB RAM. There’s 4GB of internal storage, should you wish to keep your music offline, and GPS for tracking your runs and so on.

The LG Watch Urbane second edition will be compatible with Android and iOS devices and it will be available in Space Black, Opal Blue, Luxe White and Signature Brown, which refers to the strap colour options.

LG launched the watch before pulling it almost immediately after issues with the display. It has now been confirmed the Watch Urbane 2 hasn’t been cancelled and will make a reappearance in the second half of 2016 so eyes peeled for this one.

READ MORE LG Watch Urbane 2 revealed 

Pocket-lint

Haier Watch

White-good manufacturer Haier announced its move into wearables at Mobile World Congress 2016 with the Haier Watch that sports full-blown Android 6.0 Marshmallow rather than Android Wear.

The Haier Watch comes with multiple watch faces and sports Bluetooth 4.0, 8GB of storage and a 1.4-inch display with a 400 x 400 resolution and no flat tyre. The 42mm casing is built from 316L stainless steel and it features an integrated speaker, as well as the ability to be used as an MP3 player. There is also a microphone on board.

Additionally, the Haier Watch has heart rate tracking, activity tracking and it is IP65 water resistant. It will be available in April and pricing is expected to be around €200.

READ MORE Haier Watch: Full Android 6.0 Marshmallow on your wrist

Sammobile

Samsung SM-R150

It looks like Samsung might be working on its next-generation activity tracker if images revealed by Tizen Cafe and later republished by Sammobile are anything to go by. The device is said to be going by the name of Triathlon internally but known by the model number SM-R150 and it appears to look similar to the Gear S2 with a round face and rotating bezel.

Based on the leaked images, it looks like the SM-R150 will feature a heart-rate sensor, something to count workout repetitions, a way to track water intake and some kind of body fat measurement ability. There also seems to be a way to attach the device to your chest.

Huawei

Huawei Watch Jewel and Elegant

Yes, we know the Huawei Watch has already been announced and is currently available to buy – here we are now referring to a couple of women’s models that were announced at CES 2016. The Chinese manufacturer has teamed up with Swarovski to produce the Huawei Watch Jewel and Huawei Watch Elegant.

The Jewel is all about the bling with crystals surrounding the face, while the Elegant model opts for a knurled pattern instead. Both models have genuine Italian leather straps in pearl white and sapphire blue and they both come with 40 pre-loaded faces like the original model, as well as a heart rate sensor and motion sensors for fitness tracking. You will find 10 exclusive feminine watch faces on the new models however. They will be available in March.

It has also been rumoured that the Chinese company has also started working on a second generation of the watch, which has been scheduled to arrive in the second half of the year. If this is the case, we wouldn’t be surprised to see it launch at IFA. The second-generation is rumoured to possibly offer a cellular version but take that with pinch of salt for now.

READ MORE Huawei Watch Jewel and Elegant make Android Wear sparkle

Pocket-lint

Casio Smart Outdoor Watch WSD-F10

Casio announced its first smartwatch at CES 2016 in the form of the Smart Outdoor Watch WSD-F10. It runs on Android Wear but it is a little more rugged than its competition with water-resistance up to 50 metres and MSL-STD-810 military compliance. 

There is a 1.32-inch screen on board offering a resolution of 320 x 300 and a choice between monochrome and full-colour mode. The Smart Outdoor Watch WSD-F10 comes complete with a pressure sensor, compass and accelerometer, with users able to check altitude, air pressure, tide graphs and activity, among other things.

The Casio Smart Outdoor Watch WSD-F10 comes in black, orange, red and army green colour options, will cost around $500 and will be available un the US in April.

READ MORE Casio Smart Outdoor Watch WSD-F10 first impressions

Pocket-lint

Fossil Q54 Pilot

Fossil announced an addition to its Q range of smartwatches at CES 2016 in the form of the Q54 Pilot. The new device joins the Q Founder and the Q Grant and it has been designed on the original Pilot 54, bringing the case, movement and stainless steel build with it but adding smart technology.

The Q54 Pilot combines Intel Innovation and motion sensors, offering step tracking, calories-burned monitoring and filtered LED colour-coded and vibrations for notifications. A Fossil Q app update means users will be able to choose from three vibration patters to differentiate between notifications and step counting has also been enhanced.

The Fossil Q54 Pilot will be available for between $175 and $215 in the Spring.

READ MORE Fossil Q54 Pilot announced

Pocket-lint

Martian Kindred vip

Martian Watches announced the Kindred vip watch at CES 2016, featuring a 38mm face set in a stainless steel case that comes in a range of colours. There are two collections – CL and SP – with the former designed for smart occasions and the latter for the more athletic-minded apparently.

Both collections have a LED light for notifications and a vibration motor. Through the Martian Smart mVip app, you can set seven lights and various vibration patterns to help you differentiate between notifications. Two batteries are on board, one for the analogue movement and one for the smarts. The Martian Kindred vip launches in August 2016 with a starting price of $195.

READ MORE Martian Kindred vip first impressions 

Movado

Movado Bold Motion

HP has announced a partnership with watchmaker Movado to create their first smartwatch called Bold Motion. Movado is bringing the fashion and analogue design while HP is offering the tech smarts.

Bold Motion will be a 44mm stainless steel device with a black PVD finished bezel that features a round-faced with one button and a crown dial. The watch will be waterproof up to 50 metres, which the black silicone strap will also handle without a problem.

Inside the smartwatch, HP has packed in its own hardware and software and the Bold Motion will work with iOS and Android smartphones for notifications. On top of the usual watch functions such as time and date, there are vibrating notifications for calls, emails, texts and social media updates, as well as calendar appointments. The watch will also automatically adjust to new time zones and act as an activity tracker.

The HP Movado Bold Motion will cost $795 and arrive in time for Christmas.

READ MORE Movado announces Bold Motion

Pocket-lint

Blocks

Blocks, a modular smartwatch, is nearing the final stages of its Kickstarter campaign so we can expect the device to appear in the first half of 2016. Although the design still hasn’t reached final phase, the latest version is far more market ready than previous we have seen.

The company is working with Compal to produce the modular watch, which will feature a sleek round finish and single button. Thanks to reaching two Kickstarter goals, it will be offering Gorilla Glass protection and an AMOLED display rather than TFT.

The clasp has been redesigned, with the final model set to feature a pop and clip clasp that allows it to be resized to fit any wearer’s wrist. There will also be a bespoke OS on board that will launch with around 20 Blocks apps, along with more from partners.

Under the hood, it should offer the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, a 400mAh battery, an accelerometer and gyroscopic sensors for motion detection. Bluetooth LE, Wi-Fi, haptic feedback and voice controls will also be onboard. Unlike other watches, the modules will allow for upgrades to the basic design.

The first Blocks smartwatch units will begin shipping in May 2016. There are options to buy alone or with module units as part of a package and pricing starts at $195 on Kickstarter.

READ MORE Blocks modular smartwatch hands on

Pocket-lint

Sony Wena

Sony announced the the Wena smartwatch in the run up to IFA under its First Flight crowdfunding platform, which is part of the Seed Acceleration Program that features other products such as last-years FES Watch.

The Sony Wena approaches things a little differently to the current smartwatch offering, integrating the smart features into the metal bracelet rather than the watch face. It looks every bit like a traditional analogue watch, but the Sony Wena smartwatch has three functions.

It monitors activity through a range of sensors, delivers notifications through a customisable seven-colour LED light and vibrations, and it can perform e-payments thanks to an NFC chip. The Sony Wena smartwatch will go on sale in Japan in March 2016, but there is currently no confirmation for the rest of the world.

READ MORE Sony Wena hands-on

Vogue

Gucci and will.i.am smartband

Gucci and will.i.am collaborated to announce a fashion smartband at Baselworld 2015, which has been in the making since 2011. The smartband is a standalone device, like will.i.am’s Puls that was announced a few months before and the Gucci offering appears to be a fashionable version of it.

It is 3G enabled, voice controlled and it will come with a front-facing camera, along with a heart rate monitor, temperature sensor and GPS. Battery life wasn’t mentioned but if it follows the same path as the Puls, it might be built into the strap.

The Gucci will.i.am smartband will be able to make and receive calls, texts and emails, as well as store music, maps, calendars and track your activity. No pricing or release date information has been provided yet but we will update this feature when we know more. 

READ MORE Gucci and will.i.am unveil fashion smartband 

Tissot smartwatch

Tissot smartwatch

Tissot used Baselworld 2015 to show off a working prototype of its smartwatch that features Bluetooth and NFC connectivity. The smartwatch was housed inside the head of a T-Touch Solar Expert and it will use Bluetooth to connect to an outdoor weather station that will come with the watch.

The station will measure altitude, barometric pressure, temperature and humidity more accurately that if it was built into the watch says the company. You’ll also be able to attach small sensors to items like phones and keys, which the watch will then be able to connect to and direct you to them using its hands as the navigation pointers.

While the Tissot smartwatch is still in prototype phase at the moment, the company hoped to have it finished before the end of 2015 but it has yet to appear so eyes peeled for now.

READ MORE Tissot unveils smartwatch

Bulgari

Bulgari Diagono Magnesium

The Bulgari Diagono Magnesium concept was revealed at Baselworld 2015 and it is claimed to be a luxury timepiece “completely opposite” from other “so-called” connected watches. The company says it is 100 per cent Swiss and NFC-enabled.

The Diagono Magnesium was described as a self-winding, mechanical watch that apparently works with a protected electronic passport called Luxury Wrist Vault. The passport app is said to have a range of possibilities including making payments, logging in securely to a digital community, opening doors and starting your car engine.

Pricing, specs and a release date have yet to be detailed so whether we will see it this year or not is still to be confirmed.

New Balance

New Balance smartwatch

Athletics company New Balance has created a Digital Sport division that will be focusing on devices and embedded technology. The first product will be an Android Wear smartwatch but details are thin on the ground at the moment.

It has been said that the New Balance smartwatch allow runners to track routes with GPS as well as run with music without needing the help of an accompanying smartphone but that’s pretty much all we know at the moment. New Balance has said the smartwatch will be launching by the end of 2016, so we might be waiting a while.

READ MORE New Balance outlines Android Wear running watch plans

Roku 4 review: Rock-solid streaming, now in 4K

The Roku 4 is the company’s updated flagship set-top box with support for 4K (although, bizarrely, it’s still not available in the UK). With so many big-name competitors now on the market, such Amazon Fire TV 4K, is it worth paying $130 for this particular box?

See the thing that makes Roku stand-out from its rivals is that it’s not trying to sell you its own streaming service. Apple wants you to buy movies or apps from Apple; Amazon’s box is basically hardware for Amazon Prime and Instant Video. Roku, on the other hand, is neutral, at least for the most part.

Roku openly lets you decide where you want to purchase content from – whether that be through Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, or others. So, with Roku, you can get access to not only some of the most popular streaming services out there, including Hulu, but also content from major competitors.

That – combined with support for 4K playback – makes the new Roku 4 worth considering. But there could be other reasons why you might choose this box as your go-to media player, especially when getting ready to waste a weekend binging on your favourite TV shows.

READ: Roku tips and tricks: 14 you likely didn’t know you could do

Roku 4 review: Design

The Roku 4 looks a bit like a frying pan.

Or at least that’s what we’ve been calling it after a friend saw it and laughed about it being so flat and wide that it resembles one. So, the nickname stuck, and now in our house we usually yell: “See if you can rent that movie through the frying pan” or “the frying pan is on input three”.

Pocket-lint

Although its 165mm square footprint and 20mm height looks like what would happen if a semi-truck rolled over Roku 3, the latest model is still very Roku-looking in that it’s made of black plastic, has a little purple cloth tag sticking out of it, and features a large “4” stamped on the top.

READ: Roku 3 review

On the rear, you’ll find an optical audio port, microSD slot, Ethernet, and HDMI connector. The coolest design element of the frying pan, however, is a button on the top: this handy thing makes your remote emit a sharp beeping sound when pressed. That’s right: Roku 4 has a remote finder. Yas!

Roku 4 review: Remote

Speaking of the remote, nothing has changed. It looks just like Roku 3’s remote, meaning you’ll be able to use it to voice search – just like you can with the Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV. Just press the search button, and then speak the name of a movie, director, or actor. But it probably won’t work.

When we reviewed Roku 3, we thought voice search was pretty decent. But somehow it seems like things have gotten worse since then. It definitely had a hard time understanding us. We searched for numerous things, and it hardly got anything right. Either we have bad diction, or Roku voice search is a bit meh.

Pocket-lint

When voice search works, Roku will display results from all the services and channels you have downloaded. It’ll also switch-up the order of results to avoid any bias. Unfortunately, Roku isn’t good at contextual searches like Amazon and Apples’ boxes, so you can’t search for things like “shows with doctors”.

Beyond voice search, the Roku 4 remote offers directional arrows, the usual control buttons, as well as buttons specifically for Netflix, Amazon, Rdio, and Sling. We can’t help but wonder who really uses Rdio that much to need a dedicated button. Roku really should let users program these buttons themselves, but we can see the appeal of quick access ones to the most popular services.

Oh, and of course the remote comes with Roku’s now-iconic headphone jack and bundled earbuds for private listening. We can definitely imagine it coming in handy late at night when you want to watch TV but still let your household sleep in total silence.

Roku 4 review: Software

Roku 4 is a breeze to setup: plug it in, then create or sign into your Roku account, and start browsing channels to download. Simples. Roku hasn’t really changed anything here – despite its new OS 7 software. The interface is still easy to use, and actually seems a bit faster than Roku 3.

The interface is dated though. It has a purple and black theme (you can change it) with left- and right-side panes on the home screen. The left displays every section available – including My Feed, Movie Store, TV Store, Search, Streaming Channels, and Settings – while the right pane shows all your downloaded channels. Channels can be things like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Sling, or whatever you choose.

Pocket-lint

Roku even offers a section that shows you all the 4K content available from major services. But when we checked it there were only like 100 movies and and 50 shows to watch in Ultra-HD from all providers, including Netflix and Amazon. We browsed movie options in the 4K Ultra HD section supplied by M-Go but didn’t find anything too exciting. We also voice-searched for 4K movies, but nada. That goes to show 4K’s standing: it’s progressing, but there’s not a whole bunch of native content just yet.

If you’re not happy with the results from Roku Channels, you can always access external content by inserting a micro-SD card or USDB drive into the side. It’s a solid option for those of you who are torrent hounds (tut tut).

You’ll likely use the home the most to select from your top-downloaded channels (you can rearrange the order of channels), as well as Search and Streaming Channels for when you want to find stuff to watch or download, respectively. You might also find yourself using Roku’s My Feed section.

Under My Feed, you will see all the movies or shows you have “followed” (you will see the option to follow something whenever you conduct a search for it). The purpose of this area is to give you updates when a particular movie/show has appeared or is about to disappear or even be discounted on a service.

So, if Netflix has just added your favourite TV show, you’ll instantly know. But during our short time with this device, we never had a chance to put My Feed to the test. We followed a few things but didn’t get any notices. Plus, we found it really annoying that we couldn’t follow things within channels.

Let’s say you we’re looking at a show in Hulu. You can’t follow it directly from there; you need to search for it and then follow. You can, however, follow things from the iOS or Android apps. These were recently updated with a modern design and the ability to make 4K screensavers.

Pocket-lint

Roku 4 review: Streaming

Roku 4 is wider in build because it’s packed with more goods, including a faster quad-core processor and support for improved Wi-Fi (802.11ac). It can also stream 4K video at 60 frames per second. The Amazon Fire TV maxes out with 4K at 30fps. But you’ll need a 4K TV with a HDCP 2.2-compliant HDMI input to watch 4K from either of those boxes anyway – so be sure to check.

Which was our first stumbling block: we don’t own a 4K telly at home yet, which obviously dictates the implication of Roku 4’s success. However, we got a friend to bring over a compatible TV one Saturday to check out some Ultra High-Definition goodness. And, if you can source the content, it sure does look great.

And finally, Roku 4 can play games! But, again, there’s only a small selection of titles available. It’s an option nonetheless. The remote has motion control, meaning it doubles as a game controller. But if you’re looking to really get some gameplay out of your set-top box, we think Amazon Fire TV or the new Apple TV each have more to offer in that department.

Verdict

When it comes to streaming 4K content, the Roku 4 offers one of the most compelling solutions out there – well, out somewhere, as it’s not available in the UK just yet. But for those in the US it’s an ideal way to watch 4K content, if you have a compatible 4K TV.

As an update to Roku 3 that’s the main take-away difference (well, that and the remote finder to help stop you losing the little devil down the back of the sofa). So if you don’t have a 4K TV then there’s nothing extra here for you for that $130 cover price. Sure there are some tweaks to the new OS 7 operation system – but we think it still looks old and boring, especially when compared to the flashy interface of Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV.

But keep in mind all these competing media boxes are roughly the same. They play well with multiple services, giving you ample opportunity to waste a weekend binging on your favourite TV shows and movies – but we do prefer the Roku’s “equal opportunity” of streaming sources from multiple app locations in the one place – so if you’re locked into Amazon’s ecosystem (or, to some degree, Apple’s), then staying put so that all your kit plays nice might be the easy option until 4K truly kicks off with bags of content. 

Still, for some of the smoothest (Roku 4 operates up to 60fps in 4K, for whenever there’s the content) Ultra-HD video you can watch – if you can find anything to watch, that is, given 4K’s relative infancy – the Roku 4 is a top choice. As a first streaming box purchase or 4K upgrade option it’s a great option.

 

Google DeepMind explained: What is it and how is it tackling AI and health?

Healthcare is about to get a lot smarter.

The same Google company that taught a computer how to master the ancient game of Go has just created a new division completely dedicated to solving healthcare issues, and it’s kicking things off in the UK with at least one mobile app. We’ve detailed everything you need to know below.

Google DeepMind: What is it?

Google bought DeepMind Technologies for $650 million in January 2014.

Prior to Google, DeepMind’s website described the company as a “cutting edge artificial intelligence company”. It had created a neural network capable of learning how to play video games in the same way as humans. Google’s purchase of DeepMind would presumably help it to compete against other companies focused on deep learning, including Facebook, which hired an NYU professor to lead its artificial intelligence lab.

Demis Hassabis, Shane Legg, and Mustafa Suleyman founded DeepMind Technologies in London in 2010. Google only acquired it after Hassabis demonstrated his program with superhuman gaming abilities. That program, according to The New Yorker, combines two forms of brain-inspired machine intelligence: a deep neural network and a reinforcement-learning algorithm.

Google DeepMind: Did it teach a computer to master Go?

Most people heard of Google DeepMind in early 2016, when its AlphaGo program beat a human professional Go player. Google DeepMind taught a computer program the ancient game of Go, and its highly-intelligent computer program, AlphaGo, is capable of winning the game every time – even when pitted against three-time European Go Champion Fan Hui.

The point of Go is to control at least 50 per cent of the board. Needless to say, it’s difficult to do. Now, in order for computers to play, they must be programmed to recognised all the variations. Chess, in comparison, has 10 to the power of 60 possible plays. In fact, chess was mastered by a computer game in 1997, but the first classic game to be mastered by a computer was Noughts and Crosses (also called tic-tac-toe) in 1952.

Interestingly, one day before DeepMind made its announcement, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s CEO, wrote on Facebook that his AI team was getting close to achieving the exact same breakthrough. He even said the researcher who had been working on the project sat “about 20 feet” from his desk: “I love having our AI team right near me so I can learn from what they’re working on.”

Anyway, Google made a lot Go players happy with its achievement. More importantly, its research from the project could affect how computers search for a sequence of actions. And, as Google said, that’s just one more rung on the ladder toward solving artificial intelligence. This type of research, for instance, could further facial-recognition processing and predictive search.

READ MORE: Google just taught a computer to master Go

Google DeepMind: What is DeepMind Health?

DeepMind Health is a division within DeepMind.

While DeepMind is focused on solving computer intelligence, DeepMind Health is focused on healthcare issues. It is collaborating directly with “frontline clinicians to develop technology that helps improve patient care.” The company said is tackling healthcare because it’s an area where DeepMind Health believes it can “make a real difference to people’s lives across the world”.

Google DeepMind: How will DeepMind Health tackle healthcare?

DeepMind Health said it is starting in the UK, with the National Health Service, to ensure that “clinicians get the tools and support they need to continue providing world-class care.” DeepMind Health aims to support clinicians by delivering the “technical expertise needed to build and scale technologies that help them provide the best possible care to their patients.” The initiative thus far relies on smart mobile apps.

Google DeepMind: What are the first DeepMind Health apps?

The first app is called Streams. It can help detect acute kidney injuries that might go unnoticed. DeepMind also plans to integrate technology from a task management app, called Hark, to better spot patients who are at risk of become progressively worse.

This is early-days territory, however. DeepMind Health said Streams is still very early in its development and has only completed two small-scale pilots thus far. But it will continue to work on Streams and aims to do some peer-reviewed research this year. Oddly, artificial intelligence is not part of the early pilots. DeepMind Health said it’s “too early to determine where AI could be applied.”

Nevertheless, the division is “excited” about possibility of using AI in the future.

Google DeepMind: Want to know more?

Watch the video above and check out DeepMind Health’s website.

Apple likely won’t launch iPad Air 3 but rather smaller iPad Pro in March

Apple isn’t introducing an iPad Air 3 at it’s yet-to-be-confirmed March event.

According to 9to5Mac, Apple will unveil a 9.7-inch iPad, but it’ll be branded as iPad Pro rather than iPad Air 3. Sort of how the MacBook Pro line comes in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, the iPad Pro line will come in 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch sizes. Rumours have claimed the iPad will feature four speakers, Apple Pencil support, the same processor, and the same amount of RAM as the iPad Pro.

It therefore makes sense that this next iPad would fall under the iPad Pro line. Also, Apple ditched the “Air” name when it launched the 12-inch MacBook, even though that machined seemed like a direct successor to the MacBook Air. So, maybe Apple just wants to do away with the Air moniker altogether for its devices. Either way, expect a 9.7-inch iPad Pro to debut on 15 March.

The tablet will supposedly begin shipping as soon as 18 March and might even work with a smaller version of Apple’s Smart Keyboard cover attachment that debuted alongside the 12.9-inch iPad. If so, the cover will be ready for March.

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro should be available in the same colours and storage capacities as the larger iPad Pro, but the new device will be closer in price to the existing iPad Air 2 that starts at $799 and goes all the way up to $1,079.