LeEco LePro 3 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
The LeEco LePro 3.
James Martin/CNET
Chinese company LeEco launched a slew of products and services today here in San Francisco, including a video streaming platform, four TVs and an electric car. It also unveiled two phones, the LePro 3 and the Le S3.
The more powerful device, the 5.5-inch Le Pro 3, features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. It has a 16-megapixel camera, a fingerprint reader and a USB Type-C port. (In 2015, LeEco was one of the first companies to integrate Type-C in its phones, starting with the Le 1 Pro Superphone.) The Le Pro 3 also boasts a massive 4,070 mAh battery — and with Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 technology, it’s supposed to charge up to 33 percent in 20 minutes.
Perhaps its most compelling feature is its price. It costs $399, significantly less than other flagships that run upward from $700 or more. (UK and Australian details have yet to be announced but that converts to around £325 or AU$520.) But it’s not the only inexpensive high-end handset. The OnePlus 3, from another scrappy startup based in China, costs $399 too. It has a Snapdragon 820 processor, similar camera specs, 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal memory. It has a lower battery capacity, however, at 3,000 mAh.
LeEco’s second device is the Le S3. Though it also has a 5.5-inch screen, its specs are scaled back. It’s equipped with a Snapdragon 652 chipset, a 16-megapixel camera that can record 4K video and 32GB of internal memory. It will cost $229 (about £185 or AU$300).
This is a developing story. Check back soon for more hands-on photos, video and analysis.
Google rumor hints at ‘Unplugged’ streaming TV service
Since rumors about Apple’s TV attempts are in their ebb phase, now it’s time for Google to take the stage. In a pattern that seems very familiar, sources tell the Wall Street Journal, Reuters and CNBC that Google has cut a deal with CBS to include its channels in a streaming “skinny bundle.” The rumored service is apparently planned for launch in 2017 under the name “Unplugged.” While Apple’s long-rumored service has yet to appear, we have seen similar efforts appear in the form of Dish Network’s Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, and the upcoming DirecTV Now.
The unnamed media executives that have apparently heard the pitch say Google wants to offer a bundle priced between $25 and $40 per month, that’s separate from YouTube, although execs from that company are overseeing the project. Fox and Disney/ABC are said to be in negotiations as well, while the WSJ report mentions that one sticking point has been YouTube’s desire to add data overlays (like sports stats) to the channels it’s streaming.
Of course, negotiations between tech companies and the entertainment industry can be difficult, and the latest Apple rumors suggest it will go in a different direction entirely. If the service is meant to launch in the first quarter, then maybe we’ll hear more about it at CES in January.That could be particularly poetic, since at CES 2006, CBS exec Les Moonves joined Larry Page — Google co-founder and current CEO of its parent company Alphabet — to announce a content partnership for Google Video.
Source: Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC
What to look for when buying USB-C cables and adapters
Buying a cable shouldn’t be difficult. It doesn’t have to be if you follow these simple tips.
USB standards have a long history, and they’ve gone through plenty of changes since first implemented in 1996. The premise behind it all is providing a way to standardize cables, connectors, communication, and power transfer between electronic devices. Some of the first equipment to use USB were the really old, brightly colored iMac and speakers. USB was designed to be the one standard that does it all, and that’s pretty much how it all worked out.
You can think of USB-C as a set of rules to make smarter USB plugs, cables, and connectors.
The USB-C specification is one of those USB standards. Released in August 2014, it’s a set of rules for a small 24-pin reversible plug connector to use with existing USB system. Some of the connections inside are used to tell which way a cable is plugged in; others are used to transfer data or power; and some are used as a dedicated connection to allow both sides to talk to each other, and make sure the right amount of electrical current is being sent to safely charge or power one device from the other. Though it was released in tandem with the USB 3.1 specification, USB Type-C rules are only for the physical connections — data speeds are covered by other rules. You can think of USB-C as a set of rules to make smarter USB plugs, cables, and connectors.
More: Getting to know USB-C infographic
The best parts of the USB-C specification are also the parts that make buying the right cable or adapter important. With USB-C, all connected devices can send power out as well as receive power in. You can charge a phone or set of headphones or anything else that uses the USB-C spec with another phone that uses the USB-C specs. You could (in theory) build a cable that can pull power from several Lumia 950s or Nexus 6Ps and charge the battery in a MacBook if you wanted to.
Buying the right cable is a must or you risk damaging the things you’re plugging in, or even starting a fire.
USB-C also includes a native way to “fast-charge” one USB-C certified device from another safely using that dedicated connection channel mentioned above. It’s also an open specification that anyone can use and alter to better suit their needs, and companies making phones have done just that. This means buying the right cable is a must or you can risk damaging the things you’re plugging in or even starting a fire.
More: This USB-C problem isn’t going away anytime soon
But don’t fret. You don’t need to know all the rules in the USB-C spec or how it can tell which way it’s plugged in or any of the other geeky details to make the right choice if you follow a few easy tips when you’re buying a cable or connector. These three tips will help you get exactly what you need.
Buy a reputable brand
We’ve all seen ultra-cheap USB cables online or at the drug store and were tempted to buy them. While still not the best idea in the world, most of the time that was fine with the older USB Type-B micro standard used on most phones and other gadgets. Low voltage and low current were sent on the same pins every time, and the cable only went in one direction. That’s changed, even for the older Micro-USB “standards” because of the need for faster charging.
Don’t buy a USB-C cable just because it’s cheap.
When you’re buying a USB-C cable or a connector, look for a well-known brand. This is the best way to make sure the cable is using the appropriate size wires inside, the connector is properly constructed and the right resistance is being used. All three of these things are important when you’re sending more current over tiny wires, and cheaply-made cables that aren’t using the right components can be dangerous.
Cables and adapters from reputable companies often go on sale and for just a few dollars you’ll have something a lot safer than you might get if you buy cheap generic-packaged cables. The best part is that we want to save money on good cables, too, and when we find a great deal we’ll share it right on our homepage and on social media.
Know what you need
Remember when we said the USB-C spec was an open standard that companies can change to better suit their needs? Phone manufacturers are doing that, and sometimes the cables and chargers they sell and use aren’t compatible with all the rules. Qualcomm’s Quick Charge is really popular, and they can use a USB-C connector sometimes that isn’t fully compatible with the standards. Other companies have their own proprietary fast charging methods, and they, too, may not be fully compliant.
Not everyone is using USB-C in a standards compliant way, so be mindful of “quick charge” methods.
If your phone has a USB-C port you can look at the papers it came with or online to see if it uses the port in a non-compliant way. Terms like “Quick Charge” or “Turbo Charge” or any other trademarked fast charging method are a dead giveaway. The list of devices doing this is always changing but at the time of this writing phones from OnePlus, HTC, LG, and Samsung that have a USB-C connector aren’t fully compliant, and you shouldn’t use the charger, cable, or any adapter that came with them for any other piece of equipment that has a USB-C port. A third-party high-quality cable that follows the specifications can be safely used for these phones, just don’t go the other way and order extra cables from one of these companies to use with other equipment.
Your best bet here is to use the charger, cable, and any adapters that came with the phone itself. When you need a replacement, check the manufacturer’s website or hit them on Facebook or Twitter to find out which cable they recommend.
So far, phones, tablets, and laptops from Google, Apple, and Microsoft have all been fully USB-C compliant. A quality third-party cable or adapter that’s built correctly (that’s what these three things tell you) will work fine for any of these devices. Just don’t use something from HTC or OnePlus or any other company that may be using the connector differently.
Meet Benson Leung
Benson Leung is a software engineer at Google. He’s also the best friend we could ask for when it comes to buying quality USB-C compliant cables and adapters because he tests them in his spare time. Thanks, Benson.
This is important because there are a lot of cables that have a USB-C plug on one end and a “regular” USB plug on the other that are non-compliant in a dangerous way. Besides using the appropriately sized wire and properly shielding the cable and connector ends, a “regular” USB to USB-C cable requires a 56k Ohm resistor to act as what’s called a “pullup” on the VBUS (pins 2 and 17 if you’re curious) power channel. This is one of the things you need so a USB-C device can let a power source know how much current to send and when to stop sending it. Using a cable with the wrong size wire will damage the wire. Using a cable with the wrong size resistor can damage the things plugged into each end, which costs a lot of money and could possibly start a fire.
You can test the resistance of a cable yourself, or you can see what Benson says. Thanks, Benson!
This isn’t just a problem with bargain-bin cables, either. Some very high-profile companies have had (or still have) issues with their cables. If you’re the type who has fun doing things like testing continuity and resistance of USB cables, that’s awesome and you should test everything you buy then share your results. If you’re not, you can check to see if a cable is “Benson Leung approved.”
Thanks to the magic of Amazon, this is easy. Leung makes a habit of leaving feedback for all the cables he tests at Amazon. You can check to see if he’s in the comments and reviews section and if so, see if he says the cable or adapter is safe to use. This is a no-brainer. Before you buy a USB-C cable, check to see if it passes the test. We’ll make it easy — just check out the list below.
See at Amazon
USB-C isn’t dangerous. It’s capable of safely delivering relatively high current as long as the proper equipment is used, and offers a lot of benefits because of the way it can communicate with other compliant devices. What started out by powering small speakers in the late twentieth century is now robust enough to talk with the instruments used to make music and the bus the band drives to concerts. It’s important to use the proper cables and adapters, though.
Just follow these tips and you’ll be fine.
Google Pixel + Pixel XL
- Google Pixel and Pixel XL review
- Google Pixel XL review: A U.S. perspective
- Google Pixel FAQ: Should you upgrade?
- Pixel + Pixel XL specs
- Understanding Android 7.1 Nougat
- Join the discussion in the forums!
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Verizon
LG V20 available online at Verizon October 20 at a pretty reasonable price
The pricing saga of the LG V20 continues. After hearing from AT&T and T-Mobile on pricing ($830 and $769, respectively) and then from various retailers on the unlocked availability ($799), we now have Verizon’s offer, which is not only more reasonable, but available a week earlier than the rest of the country.
Starting October 20, the V20 will be sold on Verizon.com for $28 per month on a payment plan, or $672 retail, and even at that considerably more reasonable price Big Red is offering some promotions. It will be available in stores a week later, October 27, a day before its carrier rivals. In Verizon’s words:
- For a limited time only, get up to $300 back when you buy the LG V20 on device payment and trade in select smartphones.
- Get a free pair of premium H3 earphones by B&O Play ($149 value) when you purchase a new LG V20 on device payment plan.
- Starting October 20, if you buy an LG V20 on device payment you can get an LG Stylo 2 V for $1 a month for 24 months on device payment.
The B&O H3 headphones are included with all carrier models so far, and the cash back is a Verizon mainstay, so those deals aren’t particularly tantalizing, but they’re nice to haves. The carrier is also announcing, as seen above, that the LG Stylo 2 V, a 5.7-inch midrange device with an included passive stylus, will be very inexpensive when purchased alongside the V20.
It’s also worth pointing out that all Verizon phones come SIM-unlocked, and have the correct bands to work with T-Mobile and AT&T.
So, is Verizon the right carrier to get the V20 from, or is it worth it to spend the extra $100 or so on the unlocked model? Let us know in the comments!
LG V20
- LG V20 preview
- LG unveils the V20
- LG V20 specs
- LG V20 vs. Galaxy Note 7
- Discuss the V20 in the forums!
LeEco launching latest phones, TVs in the U.S. via its own LeMall online store on Nov 2
A new player is launching in the U.S. in a big way.
Though it’s a huge company, LeEco is a relatively unknown quantity in North America. Taking to a launch event in San Francisco, it aimed to change that with the announcement of its LeMall e-commerce store and several products in the U.S. today. To kick things off, we’re getting access to the latest flagship and mid-range offerings from LeEco: the Le Pro3 and Le S3.
The Le Pro3 is its latest high-end phone at a mid-range price of just $399. It’s a 5.5-inch (1080p) all-metal phone powered by a Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and a rather huge 4,070 mAh battery. The Le S3 looks near-identical, but runs a Snapdragon 652 processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage with a 3,000 mAh battery instead, for a very reasonable $249.
The big selling point on these phones comes down to getting high-end hardware for a lower price, along with the full ecosystem play from LeEco’s EUI software and how it ties into its cloud services.
Part of that ecosystem play is LeEco’s range of high-end smart TVs, which follow the same model of giving you the most for your money. The Super4 X range starts at 43″ for $649 and goes up to the top-of-the-line uMax85 85″ screen for $4999. They feature a consistent EUI software experience, though the underlying system is still Android TV. They have higher-end hardware more in line with the latest Android TV set top boxes than a traditional TV, with quad-core processors, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. They of course have the latest display specs as well, and include Harman-Kardon sound.
Another huge Chinese brand is pushing its way into North America.
The LeMall store, which LeEco uses to sell directly to consumers, is now available in the U.S. at lemall.com and will officially launch the products for sale on November 2. Similar to the strategy of other companies like Xiaomi, LeEco follows the “flash sale” model of opening up sales at a specific time for registered users to come buy a limited stock of devices. The first LeEco LeMall flash sale will kick off at 10 a.m. on November 2, but is already up and running today for customers to register for the sale.
To sweeten the deal and play into the flash sale idea, LeMall is launching its LeRewards system in the U.S. as well, which gives you instant rebate discounts for buying devices early. For example if you register and buy the Le Pro3 in the first flash sale, you’ll instantly save $100 off the purchase price.
We have plenty more coverage of LeEco and its first U.S. products coming soon, so stay tuned!
More: Here’s what you need to know about LeEco, the Chinese brand that just acquired Vizio
LeEco US launch: What is LeEco, what did it announce, and can you watch the event again?
LeEco has officially landed in the US.
The Chinese company has finished holding its US launch event in San Francisco, where it unveiled a range of new products for American consumers. Here’s everything you need to know about the company and its live-streamed event, as well as all the new stuff it unveiled.
What is LeEco?
LeEco (short for “Le Ecosystem”) is the Beijing-based company that bought TV maker Vizio in 2016 for $2 billion. The Chinese tech giant, which actually started as a web video streaming company called LeTV in 2004, went public on the Shenzhen Stock exchange in 2010, renamed itself last year, and has been hyping its official launch in the US for about a month. Some of its products will be available in the US shortly.
LeEco makes and sells connected TVs, smartphones, electric bicycles, dash cameras, headphones, VR headsets, and more. They all run Google’s Android OS and usually cost in the mid-to-low range. The company has also invested in autonomous cars and recently unveiled an electric car concept called LeSee. According to the LA Times, LeEco even has a 70 percent stake in Chinese car-hailing company Yidao Yongche.
LeEco has been moving into Silicon Valley ahead of its US launch. It bought a massive office complex in Santa Clara and plans to hire 12,000 people in the Bay Area, although it currently has around 500 employees in San Jose. LeEco also recently acquihired Adam Goodman, the former president of Paramount Film Group. He is overseeing the US original content division for LeVision, LeEco’s entertainment business.
Little is known about LeEco’s plans for the US. It might try to be a Xiaomi, which sells everything from hoverboards to laptops, or it could be like Huawei, which tries to sell premium devices at an affordable price. But, right now, it’s lacking brand recognition, so it’ll be interesting to see what the company unveils on 19 October and whether it can leverage Vizio’s retail partnerships to sell products in places like Walmart.
When was LeEco’s US launch?
LeEco live streamed its US launch on 19 October at 10 am PST. You could join the livestream at http://www.leeco.com, http://www.lemall.com, on LeEco social channels, and through the PlutoTV App on Vizio SmartCast and Vizio VIA+ TVs. We’ve embedded the live-stream video above.
What did LeEco announce?
LeEco
LeEco uMax85 and Super4 4K TVs
LeEco unveiled a lineup of TVs sets for the US market. These aren’t Vizio TVs but rather from a separate LeEco-branded TV division.
There are four new TVs in total, and they all run Android TV. The most notable one is the uMax85. It’s an 85-inch 4K TV that features HDR (both HDR10 and Dolby Vision), Harman Kardon speakers, Dolby Digital Plus, 4GB of RAM, 64GB SSD storage, and a quad-core ARM GPU and CPUs.
The other three TVs are different versions of its Super4 TV line in the US: the X43 Pro, X55, the X65, all of which will come with support for 4K and HDR, as well as Harman Kardon speakers, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of SSD storage, and quad-core ARM GPUs and CPUs.
The uMax85 will cost $4,999 when it’s released, while the Super4 X43 Pro will cost $649, and the X55 and X65 will cost $899 and $1,399, respectively. All four TVs will be available from 2 November on Lemall.com and come with user-feedback rebate specials.
LeTV Box U4 4K set-top box
LeEco
LeEco is also bringing the LeTV Box U4 set-top box to the US. It features 4K playback, a quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 8GB of local storage, and the ability to access both Chinese and international entertainment apps. The LeTV Box U4 will cost $79 when it launches in November.
Le Pro 3 flagship phone
LeEco
LeEco announced that its first smartphone in the US will be the Le Pro3, a flagship phone that first launched internationally in September. It runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow and features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, 5.5-inch display, and a 16-megapixel camera. Like iPhone, it ditched the 3.5mm headphone jack. It will cost $399 when it launches in the US on 2 November.
Le S3 mid-tier phone
LeEco
LeEco also announced the mid-tier Le S3. It’s an Android phone that features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor, 32GB of storage, 3GB of RAM, USB-C, a 3,000mAh battery, 5.5-inch Full HD display, Quick Charge 3.0, 16-megapixel rear camera, 8-megapixel front-facing camera, and fingerprint scanner. It will cost $249 from 2 November and can be purchased in grey, rose gold, or gold.
LeEco Super Bike
LeEco
LeEco will bring its Android-enabled “Super Bike” to the US. The bike features a 30-speed shift, on-board lighting, a fingerprint-scanner, built-in alarm and location tracker, and a 4-inch display touchscreen between the handlebars. The company hasn’t said when the bike will be for sale in the US, nor how much it will cost, but the Chinese version currently retails between $800 to $6,000.
LeEco ExploreVR headset
LeEco
LeEco showed off a mobile VR headset called ExploreVR. It draws power from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 inside LeEco’s Le Pro 3. It features a “premium memory foam lining”, high precision aspheric lenses, a proximity sensor that auto-pauses playback when you take it off, and a 10,000Hz IMU sensor that reduces head-tracking latency. It’ll launch on 2 November with an unknown price point.
Is that it?
Nope.
Video-streaming service
LeEco is also launching a new video-streaming service in the US. It will launch with content from Showtime, Lionsgate, MGM, Sling, Vice, The Travel Channel, Awesomeness TV, Machinima, Mitú, Magnolia Pictures, and others. We don’t yet know how the service will work, what devices it will be available, when it will launch, or how much it will cost. We expect to hear more in the coming months.
Self-driving LeSee Pro car
LeSEE Pro, LeEco’s self-driving, electric concept car, was supposed to debut at the event, but Transformers director Michael Bay, who is using the car in his upcoming Transformers 5 film, couldn’t make his scheduled appearance, according to LeEco chairman Jia Yueting. The company did’t say anything more the car, including how much it costs or when it would be available for public use.
Want to know more?
Check out Pocket-lint’s LeEco hub for other news.
Apple sends out invites to 27 October event likely for new MacBook Pro
It’s official: Apple is holding another event this autumn.
Nearly two months after unveiling the latest iPhone models, the Cupertino, CA-based company has invited the media to an event on 27 October. The tagline on the invite, “hello again,” is an obvious nod to the Mac, as Apple originally introduced the product with the word “hello” in 1984. Several reports have also previously claimed that Apple plans to introduce a new MacBook Pro soon.
The laptop line hasn’t been given a significant upgrade since 2012. In recent years, it’s only added a Retina display, Force Touch trackpad, and some improved specs. An entire overhaul has been rumoured for some time. The new MacBook Pro is rumoured to be slimmer with a flatter keyboard featuring an OLED strip. This strip, which replaces the standard function keys, will reportedly be dubbed the “Dynamic Function Row”.
You can read more about this upcoming MacBook Pro update in Pocket-lint’s rumour round-up here. Keep in mind Bloomberg claimed in August that Apple is also readying a iMac desktop, new MacBook Air, and new standalone 5K display. Also, the last event Apple held in October was in 2014, when the company revealed the iPad Air 2, the latest iMac, and shared details on the OS X Yosemite.
Apple will live-stream its event at 10 am PST on 27 October. Stay tuned to Pocket-lint’s Apple hub for the latest news.
LeEco jumps into the US market with TVs, phones, car and bike
After proclaiming earlier its plans earlier this week, LeEco unveiled a suite of new phones and televisions for the US market. The China-based company wants to make a big splash in the United States and today’s event is apparently just the beginning. The company’s North American chief revenue officer also introduced the UP2U user-first philosophy.
“Instead of making products and services for you, we make products and services with you,” said LeEco North American president Richard Ren.
At San Francisco’s Innovation Hanger, Rob Chandhok, chief R&D officer showed off the new $400 LePro S3 Android phone. A rewards program will bring the price of the phone down to $300. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. It has a 5.5-inch screen, dual speakers with Dolby Atmos support, 16MP camera and will be available in grey or gold brushed metal.
Chandhok also introduced the Le S3 phone with a Snapdragon 652 and 32GB of storage. It’ll be available in grey, rose gold, gold and black.
To make sure it keeps more screens on is ecosystem, LeEco also introduced four new TVs under the LeEco brand instead of more established Vizio brand it acquired in July for $2 billion. The flagship $5,000 (but the company is offering a LeRewards for $1,000 off) uMAx 85 has a seven-foot (85-inche) screen that supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10. It has 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and a Harmon Kardon audio system. The company also introduced a line of “Super 4” TVs with 4K and Harmon Kardon audio, the X43 Pro, a X55, X65. It also briefly dropped information about its VR headset and Android-powered sports bicycle with a few guys riding them onstage.
The company continued to hammer home that all of these products are meant to work together to offer up content on any of its devices. TVs aren’t much of a surprise. In a blog post on October 17th , CEO YT Jia said, “effectively, we are making it possible to seamlessly deliver content to any screen at any time. This is the future of a truly connected lifestyle.” On stage Jeff Briller, North American content general manager announced launch partners for the companies upcoming EUI ecosystem for video. The list includes Lionsgate, MGM, Showtime, A&E and a host of others.
The TVs and phones come with additional LeEco benefits including 5TB of cloud storage for free and unlimited Photo and video storage.
The service and hardware will launch during a sale on LeMall on November 2nd at 10am PT.The company calls the online retail destination the center of the its ecosystem. “LeMall will provide a superior shopping experience,” according to Bianca Yang, GM of LeMall North America. Yang noted the LeRewards discounts are the way the company thanks its customers.
LeEco shows off its LeSee Pro autonomous vehicle in San Francisco
While most of the news coming from LeEco’s event in San Francisco was about new TVs and phones, the company’s CEO, YT Jia made a point to show off his company’s desire to become not just a consumer electronics brand but also an automaker. Unfortunately, the car couldn’t make it onto the stage. The LeSee was in an accident on its way from LA and the LeSee Pro was delayed on its way back from London where it was being used by Michael Bay (Yeah, that Michael Bay) as part of the new Transformers movie.
The car has no set price and no one knows when it will launch. But Jia noted onstage though that he has a very personal reason for building the car. He wants to clear up the smog problem in China and has a “strong desire to bring back our blue skies.” The car eventually made it to the event location but not in time to make it onstage.
To help ease the pain of not seeing the car under a bunch of flashing lights, Jia dropped some news about its partner Faraday Futures. the automaker would be introducing it’s first production car at next year’s CES.
Meanwhile, the company kept pushing its ecosystem offerings that’ll land in the car in addition to the company’s phones, VR headset and TVs. “LeSee is not only a car, LeSee is an ecosystem for mobile connectivity,” said Lei Ding, co-founder and global vice chairman of the LeEco SEE Plan.
But more important than being able to watch Vice in your car, the LeSee Pro also has some unique features like an external display that changes to inform pedestrians and other drivers if the car is in autonomous mode, being driven or is car-share ready.
It also has a magnetic charging system that doesn’t use the traditional level 2 port most other EV’s have. Instead owners can attach the cable to the area forward of the drvier or passenger side door.
Plus when the car is placed in autonomous mode, the steering wheel folds up and retreats into the dashboard.
With the automotive market becoming more crowded every day and established tech companies like Apple struggling to break into the market it’ll be interesting to see how LeEco fares even with partners Aston Martin and Faraday Futures.
Developing.
The ESA’s ExoMars mission looks like a success so far
After a seven-month trip, the European Space Agency announced on Wednesday that its Schiaparelli module, ExoMars mission’s landing craft, has deployed to the surface of Mars. The module jettisoned itself from its partner craft, the Trace Gas Orbiter, at approximately 10am ET and set down to the planet shortly thereafter. ESA Operations has not, however, yet confirmed that the lander survived its drop to the surface.
ACQUISITION OF ORBITER SIGNAL! #ESOC hears @ESA_TGO’s signal loud & clear after it emerges from behind #Mars #ExoMars pic.twitter.com/w85fAFwOvD
— ESA Operations (@esaoperations) October 19, 2016
Upon landing, the module immediately began transmitting data on Mar’s electrical fields, which influence the planet’s dust storms and weather patterns. That data was first uploaded to the TraceGas Orbiter and then bounced back to Earth, which takes about ten minutes, where it was received by the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT). As the data began arriving at ESA Operations, it had to be interpreted and analyzed, another 30-plus minute process. Unfortunately, the initial analysis could not conclusively say whether the lander was intact. Further analysis will require another couple of hours. The ESA expects to post its next update by 4am EST tomorrow.
The ESA did confirm that the lander had achieved its goal. The TGO began transmitting its own data at 12:35pm ET and, by 2:40pm ET, the ESA confirmed that the TGO had successfully inserted itself into a stable orbit around the planet.
Should it have survived, the landing module won’t last very long given its small power reserves, however the orbiter will remain at least partially operational until at least 2022 and continue to seek trace evidence of life on the planet. The insights gained from this mission are expected to help govern the ESA’s next trip to Mars, a drilling expedition with Russia’s space agency scheduled for 2020.
Via: ESA Operations (Twitter)
Source: ESA
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