HTC 10 official launch video just revealed everything early

Barely 24 hours are left to go before HTC unveils its new smartphone, the HTC 10, and the official launch video has leaked.

The leaked video, slipped out via Reddit, shows off the new HTC 10 in a way that reminds us of many launch events gone before. This is most likely the video that will used to wow fans watching the event tomorrow.

If you don’t want spoilers stop reading now.

The video shows the phone being created from a single block of metal – something HTC has taken pride in since its unibody HTC One wowed the world. The shiny metallic edging finish appears to be laser cut with a rougher grip-friendly rear.

Also seen is the single rear camera, USB-C port, drilled speaker, a ribbed power button on the side plus a front-facing home button that should double as a fingerprint reader. The handset is seen running the new version of HTC Sense skinned over Android Marshmallow. 

Other specs leaked include a 5.2-inch QHD display, 12-megapixel UltraPixel camera, Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chip with 4GB of RAM plus a Quick Charge 3.0 compatible battery.

For the full details on the HTC 10, as well as hand-on coverage live from the event tomorrow, check back for a 1PM BST launch on 12 April.

READ: HTC 10: Release date, rumours and everything you need to know

HTC’s next flagship leaks in promotional video

If you had any doubts over what HTC’s new flagship might look like, it’s time to fold them up like a paper airplane and throw them out the window. A promotional video for the new “10” smartphone has leaked online, revealing what it looks like from almost every conceivable angle. Of course, there’s always the possibility that this is a fake, although based on previous leaks we’re pretty confident that it’s legitimate. It shows the phone in three colors — gold, silver and dark grey — with chamfered edges and a USB Type-C port on the bottom. On the back, there’s an ever so slightly protruding camera lens, the HTC logo and two antenna lines.

The back of the device is in keeping with the stylish One (M7), One M8 and One M9. The front is a different story, however, due to the absence of HTC’s trademark dual speaker grills. Instead, there’s a physical button near the bottom, which possibly serves as a home shortcut and a fingerprint scanner. It’s reminiscent of the One A9, a successor to the One M9 which our own Chris Velazco criticized for sporting a “new but derivative look.”

Under the hood, the phone is rumored to run a Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. It’s all speculation for now — while most of the surprises appear to have been leaked, there’s only one way to know if they’re accurate. HTC will be making its announcement at 8am ET/1pm BST tomorrow, so check back here for the full rundown.

Via: The Verge, Mobiflip

Source: Niccolo Roli (YouTube)

4K Blu-rays have arrived in the UK

In what’ll undoubtedly become a rarer event in the future, a brand new physical media format has arrived in the UK today: 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray. Understandably, the selection is relatively slim on day one. There are a total of 12 official launch titles — highlights being Life of Pi, The Lego Movie, Mad Max: Fury Road and Kingsman: The Secret Service — all available from retailers such as Zavvi and HMV for between £20 and £25. 4K Blu-rays aren’t region-locked, though, so a handful of other (imported) flicks, including Chappie and Hancock, are available through third-party retailers on Amazon too.

While we imagine videophiles out there are rubbing their hands together today, Panasonic has just as much cause to celebrate. The company only just released its £600 DMP-UB900 4K Blu-ray player, and it’s the only one you can buy in the UK right now. Samsung’s UBD-K8500 is due to launch any day now, though, and should retail for significantly cheaper if pre-order pricing is any indication.

4K TVs have been around for some time, of course, and various services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Wuaki.tv offer 4K content to stream. With 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays, however, Brits can now watch the newest releases in the bestest quality without worrying about broadband bandwidth.

Fitbit data led doctors to shock a patient’s heart

Doctor’s made a decision to shock a man’s heart back to rhythm based on his Fitbit data, showing that such devices can do far more than just track your exercise. The 42-year old patient arrive at an ER in Camden, New Jersey with an atrial fibrillation (a fast and irregular heartbeat), meaning he needed immediate medical treatment. But which kind? Using a defibrillator could trigger a stroke in some cases, but not using one could also trigger a stroke. Luckily they noticed he was wearing a Fitbit, and its data confirmed his abnormal heart rate happened around the same time he had a seizure.

According to a research paper, “it was noted that he was wearing a wrist activity tracker (Fitbit Charge HR) which was synchronized with an application on the patient’s smartphone, recording his pulse rate as part of a fitness program. [There was] an immediate persistent increase to a range of 140 to 160 bpm at the approximate time of the patient’s seizure.” That meant the arrythmia wasn’t caused by a chronic condition, meaning it was unlikely that the patient had a blot clot that could be dislodged by a defibrillation. Based on that information, the team elected to do an electrical cardioversion, shocking the patient’s hard back to a normal rhythm.

While the case marks the first known time that a patient’s fitness tracker was used in such a direct medical procedure, such devices have already become useful to doctors. Researchers are using Apple’s ResearchKit app in conjunction with the Apple Watch to track patients’ cardiovascular health, for instance. IBM Watson researchers are also using the Apple Watch to see how sleep affects patients medical stats. Using a Fitbit in a direct medical intervention goes well beyond that, however, and one lucky user is probably glad he had it on.

Via: Gizmodo

Source: Annals of Emergency Medicine

‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ digital downloads come to the UK

If you’ve ignored regional loopholes and a plethora of dodgy websites waiting for Star Wars: The Force Awakens to become available in the UK, your patience has finally paid off. The latest instalment in the franchise is now available for digital download from online stores like iTunes, Google Play and Amazon.

Extras vary depending on where you purchase, but both Amazon and Apple are including deleted scenes at the very end of the movie. Craving something more physical? This time around, you’ll need to wait a week as Disney has decided to hold the Blu-ray and DVD releases until April 18th.

Whatever your choice, you’ll at least have something to keep you entertained while you wait Rogue One: A Star Wars Story to hit cinemas in December — especially if you have one of those adorable little BB-8 robots.

Source: Star Wars: The Force Awakens (iTunes), (Google Play), (Amazon)

Apple Reportedly Using Chinese Server Supplier to Migrate iCloud Service

Apple is reportedly working with China-based server vendor Inspur to help transfer its iCloud data services in-house, according to sources out of the China supply chain (via DigiTimes).

Currently Apple is thought to rely heavily on Amazon Web Services (AWS) to host many of its cloud server requirements, but the company’s data center plans suggest it is looking to scale back the money it spends on third-party cloud computing platforms as its data demands increase.

Inspur currently has a share of over 60 percent of China’s internet server market, and has previously agreed partnerships with Microsoft, Intel, IBM, and other technology companies looking to expand their server capacity. Inspur already has facilities close to Apple’s headquarters in California that include an R&D team as well as a production center.

Neither Apple nor Inspur have confirmed the rumor, but sources within the supply chain quoted by Taiwan-based website DigiTimes have proven reliable in the past.

Last month, Apple signed a deal with Google worth between $400 million and $600 million that will see the Google Cloud Platform providing some of the cloud infrastructure for iCloud and other cloud-based Apple services.

Apple has never confirmed the cloud services that power iCloud, but past rumors have pointed towards AWS and Microsoft Azure, suggesting Apple will continue using multiple services to meet its needs until its own data centers are all fully operational.

Apple is currently building new data centers in Ireland, Denmark, Reno, and Arizona, and is expanding its existing data center in Prineville, Oregon.

Tags: digitimes.com, iCloud
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Tesla Model S for 2016, what to expect from the newest electric supercar

Tesla is expected to unveil an upgraded version of its Model S this week.

While the Tesla Model S P90D is still relatively new, the electric car manufacturer is always pushing forward.

The new model is expected to arrive at the same time as the Model X custom order configurator goes live on the Tesla website.

So what can we expect from the latest Tesla Model S?

Tesla Model S 2016: Range and power

While Tesla doesn’t usually use dates to describe its models, we’ve added 2016 to differentiate this car from the rest. That said the specs should do that too.

According to rumours from sources of The Verge the new Model S will come with an upgraded 100kWh battery. Currently even the top end Model S P90D tops out at 90kWh.

That should mean, coupled with the latest software, this new Model S has the greatest range yet. Either that or it will carry more luxurious extras and this larger battery will offset that weight to continue to offer over 300 miles on a charge.

Tesla Model S 2016: Air filtration

One of the big pushes for the Model X was the Bioweapon Defense Mode air filtration system. This, according to rumours, will also be a feature in the new Model S.

Naysayers might point out that luxury brands like Mercedes and Audi have sported these filtration systems for years. But Musk does have a flair for the dramatic, hence the naming, and hefty claims that the car will keep you safe even in a bioweapon attack.

Tesla Model S 2016: Luxury extras

The new Model S may take luxury to the next level. While the current models offer plenty of comforts, plus plenty of performance, there may be more to add.

Rumours suggest the new Model S will feature new LED headlights. It could also feature the same ventilated seats that will launch in the Model X. Again this is something other brands offer already.

The shape of the car may also have a change with tweaks to the nose – suggesting it could be more aerodynamic for greater range. Also there should be a selection of new paint colour options.

Tesla Model S 2016: Release date and price

While Tesla is expected to unveil the new Model S this week, release date and pricing have not even been whispered yet.

As a Model S, it won’t come cheaper than £50,000 and, since the wait list even on current models is until June, we wouldn’t expect this one to arrive soon.

READ: Tesla: Everything you need to know about Model 3, Model S, Model X and more

LeEco Le 2 passes through TENAA with Full HD display, 10-core CPU

LeEco’s upcoming Le 2 has passed through TENAA, giving us a look at the specs on offer. The phone will likely feature a 5.5-inch Full HD display, powered by MediaTek’s Helio X20 SoC with its 10-core CPU. Other specs include 3GB of RAM, 32GB internal storage, 16MP camera at the back, 8MP front shooter, Wi-Fi ac, LTE, and a 3000mAh battery.

As for the design, the TENAA renders (via GSM Arena) suggest that the Le 2 will be modeled after the Le Max Pro, with a fingerprint sensor located at the back.

LeEco is expected to unveil the Le 2 at an event in China on April 20.

Latest Galaxy S7 and S7 edge update makes it even easier to use with only one hand

Samsung is rolling out an update to the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge in some regions. This release implements improvements to touch, further enhancing palm rejection on the display and allowing those on the S7 edge to more effectively use the handset with only one hand. The update was spotted over on SamMobile, which is dubbed build XXU1APD1.

As well as improving the touch screen experience, Samsung has also added a new shape correction feature for photos. This handy new addition will automatically address minor issues with certain objects being out of focus or blurred, with a toggle available in the camera settings to automatically correct such inconsistencies.

The update clocks in at 156MB and should be rolling out to your phone over this coming week. You can check manually by heading into Settings> About this device and hitting “Check for updates”.

Got the update already? Let us know how you’re liking it in the comments!

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge

• Galaxy S7 review
• Galaxy S7 edge review
• Here are all four Galaxy S7 colors
• Details on the Galaxy S7’s camera
• Learn about the Galaxy S7’s SD card slot
• Join our Galaxy S7 forums

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This is the HTC 10 that will launch tomorrow

HTC’s “Power of 10” event takes place tomorrow, 12 April, and we’ll therefore soon see the much-rumoured HTC 10 in the flesh.

Before then though, you can get a glimpse of the flagship phone in a couple of new leaked images that have hit dutch website GSM Helpdesk.

They reportedly show the forthcoming device in black, with the screen on. That’s rare in comparison to the other pictures we’ve seen already.

To be honest, we’ve seen many leaked handset images over the last few weeks, so little about the design is new, but the phone certainly looks a little thinner than previous generations. And the bezel sort-of wraps around the back more.

GSM Helpdesk

It’s been noted too that the speaker grilles have gone, but it is strangely reported that the HTC 10 will feature stereo audio and a new form of BoomSound, even though previous rumours have suggested otherwise.

READ: HTC 10: Release date, rumours and everything you need to know

We already know that the processor is made by Qualcomm and is a Snapdragon, although there’s not yet confirmation of which one. It is speculated that it will be the 64-bit quad-core Snapdragon 820, with 4GB of RAM, but HTC could surprise us yet.

Another leak last week revealed that the front-facing camera will be the first in the world with optical image stabilisation for the best selfies. GSM Helpdesk claims it will be 5-megapixels.

We’ll find out for sure tomorrow. The company is hosting its online-only, livestreamed unveiling from 1pm in the UK, which means it will be 8am in New York and 8pm in Taipei.