Sony Xperia XA Ultra wants to be the ultimate selfie phone

Sony has announced another addition to its Xperia X family, in the form of the 6-inch XA Ultra.

The Xperia X family was announced at MWC 2016, bringing a range of refreshed designs into the mid-range of Sony’s phones. The Xperia XA Ultra moves big, however, keeping the edge-to-edge display of the XA, but bumping it up to 6 inches. 

As this is a mid-range handset it hangs on to 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, with Sony still avoiding the more common Quad HD resolution offered by many rivals.

But the story surrounding the Xperia XA Ultra is really one about the cameras and the front camera in particular. The Sony Xperia XA Ultra has a 16-megapixel front-facing camera, which it claims is ideal for low-light selfies.

The front camera offers optical image stabilisation and a flash, as well as offering autofocus and HDR. There’s been increasing competition on front cameras recently, with HTC also offering OIS and AF on the HTC 10. 

But the camera story doesn’t stop there, as the Sony Xperia XA Ultra also has a 21.5-megapixel rear camera. 

Where the Xperia XA Ultra reveals its mid-range credentials, however, is with the MediaTek MT6755 chipset. This is supported by 3GB of RAM, with 16GB of internal storage, as well as support for microSD cards. 

There’s a 2700mAh battery which Sony claims will give you 2 days of life, although it sounds a little small for a 6-inch device. This phone does support fast charging however, claiming 5.5 hours of use from 10 minutes on the (optional) fast charger.

The Sony Xperia XA Ultra will be available from July 2016, in black, white or “Lime Gold”, along with a range of matching accessories.

New Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus official: Specs revealed for pretty Android pair

Lenovo took to the stage today in India to launch the long-awaited update to the Moto G family. The new Moto G and the Moto G Plus are similar handsets, with a few additional upgrades on the Plus model. They have been dubbed the G4, as this is the fourth-gen Moto G.

The Moto G4 and G4 Plus will both come with a 5.5-inch display offering a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, 400ppi, topped with Gorilla Glass 3.

Sitting below the display is a fingerprint scanner for security on the G4 Plus, which is what really stands these phones apart. Moto says this unlocks the phone in less than 750 milliseconds.

It will be powered by a 1.5GHz octo-core processor with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, so it isn’t the most powerful handset around, but that matches its affordable position.

There’s a 3000mAh battery, which sounds pretty generous given the hardware setup, so we’d expect long battery life. It also supports TurboPower charging, giving you 6 hours of use from 15 minutes of charge.

When it comes to the cameras, there’s a 16-megapixel rear camera offering phase detection autofocus and laser focus, paired with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera on the Moto G4 Plus. The Moto G4 offers a 13-megapixel rear camera.

The new Moto G will be available in the UK from early June for a price of £169. The Moto G Plus will be available for £199 and will be an Amazon exclusive.

Lenovo K5 comes to the UK with octa-core processor for less than £130

Alongside the launch of two new handsets in the Moto G4 and G4 Plus, Motorola-owner Lenovo has confirmed that it is bringing another budget smartphone to the UK.

The Lenovo K5 will retail for just £129 yet is HD and comes with a Qualcomm octa-core processor running the show, so belies its bargain bucket pricing in the specs stakes.

Its HD screen is 5-inches and there’s a 13-megapixel camera on the rear. There’s also a 5-megapixel camera on the front for selfies and the like.

It has 16GB of built-in storage, with a microSD card slot that allows for expansion by up to 32GB more (quoted as up to 48GB of available storage by Lenovo). There’s also Dolby Atmos-enabled tech driving the dual stereo speakers.

The phone will be available from a number of UK retailers, including Carphone Warehouse, Amazon and Tesco. It will be stocked from June.

Considering that the also announced fourth generation Moto G will retail for £169 and the Moto G Plus will be £199, the company really has something for all budgets at that end of the market.

Those devices will also be available from the same retailers in June. Argos will be carrying the Moto handsets too.

READ: New Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus official: Specs revealed for pretty Android pair

Onkyo H500BT headphones review: Punchy meets plasticky

Despite being established since 1946, Onkyo headphones are a rare sighting out on the streets. And with on- and over-ear headphones dominating the daily commute these days, now is the perfect opportunity for Onkyo’s latest Bluetooth H500BT cans to make their statement.

Dressed in white, these dinky on-ears cut a distinctive stance, but do they cut through the other wireless contenders available at this £170 price point? We’ve been using the H500BT headphones for a number of weeks now to make-up our minds.

Onkyo H500BT headphones review: Design

You’ve probably spotted plenty of giant on-ear headphones lately, but the H500BT avoid falling into the super-massive category; they’re not tiny small, though, as when perched on the ears they protrude outwards and kind of make your head feel extra large (and not necessarily in an ego way).

In terms of materials Onkyo has opted to use a mixture in the H500BT. Initial feelings are “oh, these are plastic”, with a selection of faux brushed-metal-style platic sections and dotted transparencies to add texture and interest to the otherwise monochrome white design (they’re also available in black). The only glimmer of colour is the red strip around the metal “pillar” which injects into the right earcup, indicating it’s the right-hand side.

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Just because plastic is prominent, doesn’t mean it’s the only material used. Those metal pillars add some needed sheen and solidity, while the subframe to the headband is also metal lined for stability – you’ll see that when adjusting the headphones for fit, which is easy to do by tugging individual earcups downward, accompanied by reassuring clicks between sizes, of which there are many.

The 3.5mm cable included is an interesting entwined cable, which clicks into place at both headphones and receiving device ends – which we found handy to use as a separate 3.5mm cable once or twice when inputting into a speaker – or you can ditch it altogether for wireless Bluetooth (if the on-board battery is charged).

Comfort is a subjective thing, of course, but we’ve found the H500BT headphones a bit of a mixed bag in this department. The squishy foam padding of both earcups and stitched-on headband provide ample softness, but as these are on-ears there’s the apparent feeling of them resting on your lobes. They’re far from a proper lobster-pinch by any means, quite the opposite in fact: their lightweight build rests gently on the noggin.

The main issue we’ve found is not comfort, but positioning for the most pertinent listening experience.

Onkyo H500BT review: Sound quality

Onkyo is going big when it comes to high-resolution audio, meaning you can squeeze a little extra out of various HD formats from the H500BT (when using a wired connection only). Although you might struggle to notice when out and about, as the isolation of these cans isn’t especially good.

That’s the biggest issue we’ve had with these headphones really: positioning them for an optimum listen. Because the 7Hz to 40kHz frequency response range from the 40mm drivers is massive, encompassing punchy bass through to twinkly highs. But a lot of that bass can be lost if the earcups don’t ensconce your ears entirely, despite their closed acoustic design. Plus 7Hz seems like an oversell: because sub-bass is around 20Hz and that’s barely audible anyway.

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When stomping along on a commute, however, we’ve not felt any kick-back resonant vibrations like you can experience in some bass Bang & Olufsen offerings, for example. It’s a clean listen in that regard.

Whether you choose to go wired or wireless, we’ve found the Bluetooth connectivity to be solid and easy to sync with a relevant device. There’s lots of volume too, unlike some brands that can’t deliver as loud sonic levels without the wires, and the battery life has lasted us for days at a time without issue. Plus when it depletes you can still use these headphones passively with a wire.

Oh, and if you’re wired-up to a phone then incoming calls can be received instantly, plus there’s a built-in mic on the headphones themselves. Perhaps not the number one reason to buy, but a decent feature nonetheless.

Verdict

Overall we rather like aspects of the Onkyo H500BT on-ear headphones. They’re small and light, yet deliver decent audio whether using them wired or wirelessly via Bluetooth. The caveat, in our experience, is that potentially poor positioning will lose you bass and overall impact due to external noise.

What we also don’t like so much is the £170 price tag, as there are plenty of competitors out there capable of offering just as much or more for that money. And many of those competitors aren’t necessarily as plasticky, can be positioned better for a more direct-to-the-brain listen, or are over-ear derivatives.

Cyberbullying facts: 5 things to spot and how to help your child online

The internet can be an incredible resource for adults and children, for both entertainment and learning, but it can also be a scary place at times. This is especially true for kids who spend a lot of time interacting with each other online.

As with all forms of communication, there is always a small minority who seek to exploit the wonderful, open medium without thought for others. It’s rare, but is something to be aware of when allowing a child to chat over the internet.

Parents need to understand how their sons or daughters are interacting with other children both at home and elsewhere. Sufficient knowledge can ensure youngsters have the support and protection they need.

Online cruelty between children is one area to be particularly vigilant about. While we can understand the challenges in the school playground or with siblings, it can be harder to track or notice similar challenges on the internet. These interactions happen in the virtual world, which far from reducing their impact can in fact be harder to escape.

This is sometimes called cyberbullying and if you are worried that your child might be targeted by online bullies, there are some telling signs to spot.

5 possible signs of cyberbullying

1. Avoidance

If your child suddenly starts avoiding their electronic devices, or possibly even loses them, this can be a sign that they are unhappy in this virtual space.

2. Distraction

If your child changes the way they use their devices, possibly gaming or texting instead of accessing their usual social networks this can be another sign to watch out for.

3. Behaviour

Notice the mood of your child after using social media or checking emails. If they appear upset, angry or unresponsive this may be a sign that the interactions there have taken a nose dive.

Also, if your child is not keen to go out of the house to social events or withdraws from other friendly settings this can be a sign of their efforts to cope with bullying in other areas.

4. Secretive

If your child starts going to another room to use their computer or smartphone, or wants to make calls in private, this can be a sign that they are trying to hide conflict in these interactions.

Also, if you notice your child adding passwords to their smartphone or deleting messages this is a good sign that they are worried about the content of these interactions.

5. Mood

There are also other general mood indicators of bullying that apply in any situation. If your child appears upset, downcast, frustrated, angry or impatient this can be a sign of trouble.

Also, if they fall behind at school or are reluctant to appear at family meal times or to eat well this can be another indicator.

Cyberbullying: What to do about it

There are a number of support charities and networks that can help if you think you have a trouble (referenced below). Opening lines of communication about any issues is a good first port of call.

With technology in particular, keeping games and tablets mainly in the shared family spaces helps avoid some of the issues as well as making the above signs easier to spot. Also, having a place downstairs to put technology in the evening to charge can be a simple way to avoid devices migrating out of sight to bedrooms.

Setting up privacy and security options on your devices can avoid problems around image sharing. Conversations about appropriate behaviour online is also a big positive, and enables parents to highlight how public the internet is and the inability to delete images after they are shared.

Cyberbullying: Further advice

• Internet Matters
• NSPCC
• Safer Internet

At internetmatters.org parents can find all the advice they will need to keep their children safe online. Designed specifically for parents, the site offers a wealth of up-to-date, unbiased information and advice about how to deal with online safety. Parents can learn about the latest issues and technologies, get great tips on how to talk about online safety with their children and get the best advice on dealing with issues and taking action. Created with experts, Internet Matters provides detailed information, but also signposts to best-in-class resources from individual expert organisations. Our goal is to ensure parents can always access the information that they need, in a format that is clear and concise.

Motorola Moto G4 vs Moto G4 Plus vs Moto G3: What’s the difference?

The king of budget smartphones – the Moto G – has been updated, again. There isn’t just one model marking the fourth generation of the handset though, instead Lenovo-owned Motorola announced two – the Moto G4 and the Moto G4 Plus.

The Moto G has come a long way since it originally launched at the end of 2013 in terms of design, but each succeeding model has continued to offer excellent value for money.

The question is, will the new Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus also do this and what do they bring to the Moto G table? We have put the new 2016 Moto G models up against the third generation of Moto G from 2015 to see what the differences and similarities are. Here’s how they compare.

Motorola Moto G4 vs Moto G4 Plus vs Moto G3: Design

The Motorola Moto G (2015) measures 142.1 x 72.4 x 11.6mm and weighs 155g. It features a plastic interchangeable rear with a camera lens and the signature indented “M” symbol centralised and joined together with a metal bar.

The front has speakers above and below the display, both of which have metal detailing. The Moto G third generation is also IPX7 certified meaning water resistance up to one metre for 30 minutes.

The measurements and weight for the Moto G4 have yet to be detailed, but the Moto G4 Plus measures 153 x 76.6mm with a curve from 7.9 to 9.8mm so the G4 is likely to be the same or very similar. The G4 Plus weighs 155g, like the third generation so we’d expect the same for the G4.

The new models also see more refinements in design with the rear metal bar on the rear reduced to just house the camera lens and flash, while the signature “M” sitting below. On the front, you’ll find just one speaker at the top of the display. The Moto G4 Plus features a fingerprint sensor within a square button below the display, while the standard Moto G4 offers capacitive buttons only below the display.

Motorola Moto G4 vs Moto G4 Plus vs Moto G3: Display

The Motorola Moto G third generation has a 5-inch LCD display offering a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution for a pixel density of 294pp. It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

The Motorola Moto G4 and G4 Plus both increase the display size to 5.5-inches so you get an extra half an inch of screen on the two new models. The original Moto G was 4.5-inches so the fourth generation variants see a big step up in comparison to the 2013 model.

They also both increase the resolution to Full HD, meaning a pixel density of 400ppi, which should mean sharper and crisper images on the new models. The 2015 Moto G didn’t have the best display so hopefully the new models will offer an improved experience.

Both the Moto G4 and the Moto G4 Plus are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 like their predecessor.

Motorola Moto G4 vs Moto G4 Plus vs Moto G3: Camera

The Motorola Moto G (2015) features a 13-megapixel rear camera with an aperture of f/2.0, autofocus and a dual-LED flash. The front camera sits at 5-megapixels with an aperture of f/2.2. There was some image noise in low-light shots but the third-generation of Moto G significantly improved its camera offering compared to previous models.

The Motorola Moto G4 also has a 13-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera. It isn’t currently clear whether it is the same as the third generation. The Motorola Moto G4 Plus ups the resolution to 16-megapixels on the rear, but sticks with 5-megapixel front snapper.

The G4 Plus offers both phase detection autofocus and laser focus though so you get a few extra features with the G4 Plus in comparison to both the G4 and the third generation Moto G.

Motorola Moto G4 vs Moto G4 Plus vs Moto G3: Hardware

The Motorola Moto G third generation has a 1.4GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor under its hood with Adreno 306 graphics and it is a pretty smooth performer based on our experience.

The base level Moto G offers 8GB of internal storage with 1GB of RAM but there is a 16GB model with 2GB of RAM available too, for £50 extra. Both offer microSD support for storage expansion. In terms of battery, the Moto G third generation features a 2470mAh capacity, which saw us through the day without any complaints.

The Motorola Moto G4 and the Moto G4 Plus both have a 1.5GHz octo-core processor and they come in 16GB or 32GB models, with 2GB or 3GB of RAM. MicroSD is also on board again, this time with storage expansion up to 128GB compared to 32GB.

Both new models of Moto G also come with a 3000mAh battery, which is a nice bump from their predecessor. They also both have TurboPower charging on board, which will give you six hours use from 15-minutes of charge.

Motorola Moto G4 vs Moto G4 Plus vs Moto G3: Software

The Motorola Moto G third generation arrived on Android Lollipop as this was the latest Android software at the time of launch. It has since been updated to Android Marshmallow, which is what the G4 and G4 Plus launch on.

Motorola devices offer a close to vanilla Android experience, with only a few additional apps rather than a complete software overlay like Samsung and LG devices have. The Moto G4 and G4 Plus will follow this path so expect a close to stock Marshmallow experience.

Motorola Moto G4 vs Moto G4 Plus vs Moto G3: Price

The Motorola Moto G third generation hit the shelves with a starting price of £159. The model offering 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage had a slightly higher price tag of £209, as we mentioned.

The Motorola Moto G4 will start at £169, while the Moto G Plus will start at £199 and be available exclusively through Amazon.

Motorola Moto G4 vs Moto G4 Plus vs Moto G3: Conclusion

The Motorola Moto G third generation is a great device that is brilliantly refined compared to its predecessors. Based on the numbers though, it looks like the Moto G4 and especially the Moto G4 Plus, will be just as good if not better.

As you would expect, the Moto G4 and G4 Plus improve on performance, battery capacity, display size and resolution, as well as design. The G4 Plus also offers a fingerprint sensor and a higher resolution camera.

The price does go up for the Moto G4 and G4 Plus, especially the latter, in comparison to the third generation of Moto G, but you still get quite a few improvements for the extra cash. It depends on what your budget allows for, but if you can stretch to the £200, the Moto G4 Plus wins on the numbers compared to the Moto G4 and Moto G third generation.

3D printer uses lasers to create metallic objects in midair

This Harvard-made 3D printer can create complex metallic objects other printers can’t. See, instead of spitting out one layer over another, the machine was designed to ooze out metal that immediately freezes solid. That allows it to print free-form patterns that look like they’re suspended in air, like coils. Created by the university’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), the printer uses “ink” composed of silver nanoparticles. A focused laser then heats the material and solidifies it as it comes out.

According to Mark Skylar-Scott, one of the researchers, the hardest part was perfecting that technique. If the laser gets too close, it would harden the nanoparticles inside the nozzle and clog it. Plus, the structure could collapse if the system doesn’t have perfect timing. Since they did manage to make it work, the method could be used to print out flexible and customized materials for wearables, sensors and medical devices in the future.

Wyss Institute Director Donald Ingber believes “This sophisticated use of laser technology to enhance 3-D printing capabilities not only inspires new kinds of products, it moves the frontier of solid free-form fabrication into an exciting new realm, demonstrating once again that previously accepted design limitations can be overcome by innovation.” You can see the technique in action in the video below, but you can also read the team’s study in detail on PNAS.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Harvard