Dell’s new XPS 27 is an all-in-one with ten speakers and a lot of power

On a good day, the average all-in-one or laptop computer’s built-in speakers are “okay,” at best. Someone at Dell must have grown tired of mediocrity — the company’s new XPS 27 all-in-one refresh takes its audio setup very seriously. In all, the new machine features ten speakers, including four full-range drivers, two tweeters for high notes, a couple of passive radiators for deeper bass and two down-firing speakers for fill-sound. With those audio chops, it’s probably safe to assume the XPS 27 sounds better than your average machine.

That audio will accompany a bright, 17-inch 3,840 x 2,160 display with 100-percent Adobe RGB colorspace, available in both touch and non-touch configurations — and that display will be powered by a 6th generation Intel core i7-6700 or i5-6400 CPU and optional AMD R9 M470X and M485X GRAPHICS. Paired with up to 32GB of RAM and as much as 2TB of HDD storage (or 1TB if you prefer solid state drives), the XPS 27 has plenty of power. It has quite a lot of ports too, including five USB plugs, HDMI out, USB type-C and an ethernet port.

The only thing that seems to be missing from the machine is stylus support — the XPS 27’s articulating arm allows its screen to lay as flat as Microsoft’s Surface Studio, but gives artists now to draw on it. If you can live without that, however, it could be a good Surface competitor. The Dell XPS 27 is available now, and starts at $1,499.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2017.

DJI may have quietly bought (most of) Hasselblad.

Okay, here’s a weird one: Chinese drone manufacturer DJI has reportedly bought a majority stake in famous camera brand Hasselblad. The news comes from TechCrunch and photography website Luminous Landscape, both claiming inside sources have confirmed the as-yet unannounced deal.

Details are beyond sketchy, since neither company has spoken to journalists to confirm or deny the transaction so far. The story, as Luminous Landscape tells it, is that Hasselblad was finally coming out of its death slide with the launch of the new X1D mirrorless compact camera.

But producing the device was too costly for the cash-strapped business, and the venture firm that bought it in 2011 was unwilling to put in more capital. So, executives sought out DJI to buy a minority stake and pump in much-needed money to get the production lines running. The partnership also began working on souped-up photography drones

At some point in the recent past, it’s reported that the venture firm, Ventizz, wanted out of Hasselblad, and so apparently sold its holdings onto DJI. As a consequence, the drone firm gets a brand name that, while tarnished, still carries some weight in the ultra-premium camera market.

DJI also, naturally, gets high-end camera expertise that could prove handy in producing photography drones for the professional market. Hasselblad, meanwhile, gets the money and production know-how it needs to mass produce the gear it needs to sell in order to stay afloat.

Back in the day, Hasselblad was the iconic camera brand that was used to shoot the Apollo moon landings and other NASA missions to space. But a series of bad business decisions around the time digital photography arrived threatened to wreck its survival and it’s remained in limbo ever since. If all of this is true, then hopefully we’ll still be able to aspire towards owning a Hasselblad once we’ve won the Powerball.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Luminous Landscape

ChargePoint’s new stations are built for EVs of the future

It’s quickly becoming more feasible and convenient to own an EV thanks to the steady expansion of recharging infrastructure. ChargePoint knows a little something about that, since it’s built more charging stations than anyone else (over 31,000, in fact). The company isn’t resting on its laurels, though, today announcing a new super-fast, future-proofed shrine to electricity: the ChargePoint Express Plus. It’s capable of pumping out an industry-leading 400 kW per port, which is way more than any EV can handle right now. For perspective, most existing “fast-charging” stations boast an output of 50 kW, though some of Tesla’s Superchargers can reach a peak of 145 kW.

The ChargePoint Express Plus isn’t really about meeting today’s needs, but tomorrow’s. It’ll let owners of the new Chevy Bolt EV, which has a relatively high 80 kW maximum capacity, refuel as fast as possible. The same goes for Tesla’s mass-market Model 3 when it starts hitting the streets, not forgetting all the power-hungry buses, trucks and other electric vehicles of the future. The Express Plus theoretically “adds hundreds of miles of range in under 15 minutes,” and will be available from July this year. It’s around then that you should start seeing these next-gen stations begin to pop up in ChargePoint’s finder app, even if you’re EV simply ain’t ready for 400 kW just yet.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2017.

Via: VentureBeat

Source: ChargePoint (1), (2)

iHeartRadio’s on-demand streaming is now live for all

Last month, the iHeartRadio’s entry to on-demand music streaming finally went live as a beta service on mobile. Today, that service is officially out of beta testing and available for everyone on mobile, desktop and certain compatible devices.

Although iHeartRadio is a little late to the on-demand streaming music party, they’ve brought along Napster’s music library to power the $9.99-per-month iHeartRadio All Access service. The All Access tier offers the ability to save tracks for offline listening and build out a proper music library. There’s also a $4.99 per month iHeartRadio Plus plan that works more like Pandora with unlimited skips and allows users to save songs from the radio, instantly replay radio tracks and jump to any song in the library although you don’t get the same library management features as All Access.

The system also ties in to local radio stations so you can keep up with top checks and playlists curated by radio personalities you already know. So, if you’re having a hard time breaking your terrestrial radio habit, iHeartRadio’s options are enticing, especially if you’re not already plunking down ten bucks a month for a similar service. If you’d like to try it out, iHeartRadio is offering a 30-day trial of both access levels.

Source: iHeartRadio Blog

Intel just announced a perfect way to upgrade smart gadgets

If you really think about it, “smart” devices today can also count as computers. They have processors, memory and other hardware similar to what you’d find in a PC. But the problem with embedding computing hardware in devices like TVs and refrigerators is that they’ll quickly grow obsolete. Simply put: to get a faster TV, you have to buy a whole new TV.

Intel is hoping to change that with Compute Card, a new platform for credit card-sized modular computers that can easily be swapped in and out of smart devices. The idea is that when new Compute Card hardware is available, you should be able to just plug it into your TV or refrigerator. They include Intel SOCs (system on chips), memory, storage and networking capabilities.

“Device makers simply design a standard Intel Compute Card slot into their device and then utilize the best Intel Compute Card for their performance and price needs,” the company wrote. “This reduces the time and resources needed to design and validate the compute block and helps speed up innovation to bring the power of intelligence into an ever wider range of devices.”

Given just how powerful mobile hardware is becoming, and the ongoing problem of smart devices becoming obsolete, it makes sense for Intel to pursue the Compute Card. It’s also teamed up with the likes of Dell, HP, Lenovo and Sharp to develop the platform, and its early hardware partners include Seneca Data, Infocus and others.

Source: Intel

iOS 10 Now Installed on 76% of Active iOS Devices

Nearly four months after iOS 10 was released to the public, the operating system is installed on 76 percent of active iOS devices, according to new numbers posted on Apple’s App Store support page for developers.

iOS installation rates have grown significantly over the holiday period, jumping up 13 percentage points between the end of November and the beginning of January. On November 27, 2016, iOS 10 was installed on 63 percent of devices.

18 percent of devices continue to run iOS 9, and six percent of devices are running iOS 8 or earlier.

iOS 10 adoption rates may have seen a jump thanks to the release of iOS 10.2 on December 12. iOS 10.2 introduced several new features, including a new “TV” app, new emoji, improvements to Live Photos, and a huge list of bug fixes.

Around this time last year, iOS 9 was installed on 75 percent of active devices, so iOS 10 adoption rates have eclipsed iOS 9 adoption rates during the same time frame in 2016.

Apple has been steadily releasing updates to iOS 10, and rumors suggest we will see the first beta of the next major update, iOS 10.3, on January 10.

Related Roundup: iOS 10
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T-Mobile to Simplify Phone Bills With Single Unlimited Data Plan and No Additional Fees

T-Mobile CEO John Legere today hosted a T-Mobile “Un-carrier Next” event at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he announced that T-Mobile is only going to sell its unlimited T-Mobile One plan going forward.

Existing customers will be able to keep their current plans, but new customers will only be able to purchase the $70 T-Mobile One plan, which gives unlimited data access.

T-Mobile will do away with taxes, surcharges, access fees, and other additional charges, including them all in the T-Mobile One Plan fee, which isn’t changing. For a family of four, T-Mobile One will cost $40 per month per person ($70 for the first line, $50 for the second line, and $20 for each additional line). What T-Mobile advertises is what you’ll pay.

There’s some fine print involved. Autopay is required, and the top 3 percent of data users (upwards of 28GB) may notice reduced speeds until next bill cycle. Video streams at 480p, and tethering is limited to Max 3G speeds. Higher quality video streaming will require T-Mobile One Plus, which costs an additional $15.

T-Mobile is also introducing a “KickBack” program, which will give customers a $10 bill credit for each phone line that uses 2GB of data or less starting on January 22.

According to Legere, “new rules are needed for the mobile internet,” which is what has inspired T-Mobile to change its policies. Legere shared the rules T-Mobile will stick to in 2017:

1. Mobile internet shouldn’t be sold by bits and bytes.

2. What you see should be what you pay.

3. Only you have the power to change what you pay.

4. You shouldn’t have to pay for what you don’t use.

All of today’s announcements are accompanied by a “Tax Rebate” promotion. Every customer who switches to T-Mobile from another carrier will receive a $150 gift card, with no trade-in required. The gift card applies to every line that’s transferred to T-Mobile.

T-Mobile also plans to continue building out its LTE network over the course of 2017, and expects to have LTE available to 320 million at the end of the year, putting it on par with Verizon.

Over the last two years, T-Mobile has aimed to disrupt traditional mobile service with its Un-carrier initiatives. T-Mobile began with uncoupling device costs from service costs in 2013, and then went on to offer several additional incentives to encourage customers to switch to the carrier, including paying early termination fees, offering a JUMP! upgrade plan, unlimited texting and 2G data in 100 countries, free streaming music from Spotify, Rdio, iTunes Radio, and Pandora, one week free trials to test the T-Mobile service, Wi-Fi calling, data rollovers, low-cost plans for businesses, free “Binge-On” video and music streaming, freebies on “T-Mobile Tuesdays,” and a $70 unlimited plan.

Tag: T-Mobile
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Alpine Introduces $900 Infotainment System With Wireless CarPlay

While wireless CarPlay implementations have been supported since iOS 9, the functionality has so far been limited to a single BMW model. That will change next month, however, as Alpine has introduced a new aftermarket system with wireless CarPlay that will be available in February for a suggested price of $900.

The wireless support enables drivers to connect an iPhone to CarPlay via Wi-Fi to make and receive calls, access text messages, play music, get directions, check traffic conditions, and more. Previous standard and aftermarket CarPlay configurations have required connecting an iPhone with a Lightning cable.

Alpine’s new iLX-107 in-dash receiver, which debuted at CES 2017 this week, features a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen, LED backlighting, and standard AM/FM radio functionality. Alpine offers five other aftermarket CarPlay systems with screen sizes ranging from 7-9 inches, priced from $900 to $4,000.

While the iLX-107 has a $900 list price, resellers may offer it at cheaper price points as seen with previous Alpine models. Prospective buyers looking for cheaper options should consider aftermarket systems without wireless CarPlay from Alpine, Pioneer, Kenwood, JVC, JBL, Sony, and other manufacturers.

Related Roundup: CarPlay
Tags: CES 2017, Alpine
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CES 2017: Henge Docks Debuts New Horizontal and Vertical Docking Stations for 2016 MacBook Pro

Henge, known for its range of docks for Apple’s line of notebooks and iOS devices, today introduced new docking stations designed for the 2016 MacBook Pro. There are a total of three new docks: the Tethered Docking Station, the Vertical Docking Station, and the Horizontal Docking Station.

The Tethered Docking Station, available in Space Gray, is designed to be an extension of the MacBook Pro, with an 85-watt power supply, three USB Type-A ports, two Mini DisplayPorts, an SD card slot, a Gigabit Ethernet port, an audio port, and support for USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 (there are two models). An angled design allows the MacBook to rest directly on the dock.

The Vertical Docking Station, also available in Space Gray, includes pass-through connections for USB-C or Thunderbolt 3, allowing customers to dock their MacBook Pros and have an instant connection to peripheral devices. Designed to pair with the Tethered Docking Station, the Vertical Docking Station is available for all three MacBook Pro models.

The Horizontal Docking Station is an all-in-one-dock that features 13 ports and the ability to drop your MacBook in place to have immediate access to all of your accessories. It features 85-watt power, support for up to four external displays, multiple USB Type-A ports, an SD card slot, and more. Like the other docks, it is available with either Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C support.

Henge is also announcing a new partnership with Apple, which will see it becoming an Apple Authorized Business Solution Provider. Henge can now sell bundles that include Apple MacBooks and Henge docking stations, and plans to introduce a variety of options that can save customers up to $150.

Bundles will range from the Clique paired with an Apple Magic Trackpad 2 and Apple Magic Keyboard to a new MacBook Pro paired with a Horizontal Docking Station.

“This partnership, coupled with the new products we are launching, allows us to offer our customers a complete workstation setup in one convenient spot, and at a discounted price,” said Matthew Vroom, Henge Docks CEO. “It’s an honor that we were selected for this program after having worked so hard to build products designed to complement and enhance the Apple user experience.”

The Tethered Docking Station will be available in March of 2017 for $199, the Vertical Docking Station will be available in the Spring of 2017 for $149, and the Horizontal Docking Station, also available in the Spring of 2017, will be priced at $499.

Tags: CES 2017, Henge Docks
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Chromebooks are making a huge comeback in 2017

And they both look fabulous.

We’ve seen very high-end Chromebooks before. The HP Chromebook 13 G1 or the Dell Chromebook 13 could be configured with the best hardware available, and we can’t forget the Google Chromebook Pixel. They were really good laptops and using any of them let you know they were premium products. But what we’ve seen from CES 2017 (so far) is what happens when companies get serious and deliver specs that we need for the best experience.

Chrome is a little different that a traditional operating system. Windows and MacOS — both really good “desktop” operating systems that plenty of people are using — have different needs than Chrome. Extras like huge amounts of RAM or super-CPU configurations are wasted on Chrome, while features that make Chrome better and storage space have been mostly ignored. In 2017, ASUS and Samsung seem to get it, and their new offerings look pretty awesome.

Samsung is the undisputed king of adding features to almost everything they make. The things they do with Android phones put them in their own class and really shouldn’t be compared to anything else out there. Their new Chromebook Plus and Chromebook Pro bring one of Samsung’s best features to Chrome — the S Pen.

When you make a Chromebook that folds over on itself and becomes a tablet, you need to consider the different ways people can use it. Software and specific features become more important, and having a stylus that’s integrated into the OS is something people have found useful — just ask anyone who loves their Microsoft Surface. Chrome needed an injection of Samsung here, and that’s what we get.

You have the premium Chromebook hardware that you expect from a pricey model — the Pro comes with a 2.2GHz Intel Core M3 6Y30 and a 12.3-inch 2400×1600 LED touch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio — and software to make it great with the Pen. Notes, spreadsheets and other work “stuff” will benefit from having a better input device and app developers will find new ways to make good use of the hardware and fancy intelligent machine-learning software that drives the Pen. This will be very useful and very cool.

ASUS addresses the biggest issue with every other Chromebook available: they offer 128GB of storage on their new high-end Flip.

The rest of the specs are no slouch — a core M3 or core M7 CPU, 4GB or 8GB of RAM and a 12.5-inch FHD (1920×1080) 60Hz display — but all that means nothing when you run out of space because your expensive Chromebook only came with 16GB of storage. Add Android into the mix (the new Flip runs Android apps out of the box) and storage becomes even more important. In the near future we’ll be saying 128GB isn’t enough, but right now the Chromebook Flip 302 is the champ when you need room for all of your stuff.

One thing both of these products have in common is a price tag that is a good bit higher than most every other Chromebook out there. Neither Samsung or ASUS has offered complete details on pricing at the time this was written, but we know the base configurations start around $450 for Samsung’s lower-tier Chromebook Plus and $499 for the base model ASUS Chromebook Flip 302. When you’re used to seeing Chromebooks cost a few hundred dollars less this can be a bit of a shocker.

One thing both of these new Chromebooks have in common is a big price tag.

We can’t argue. Chrome runs well on a $250 Chromebook Flip and the Acer Chromebook 14 is able to offer that “premium” feel with a price tag under $300. Not everyone needs a $500 Chromebook and even fewer people will want to pay the price that will come with the Chromebook Pro or full-spec Asus Flip 302 (think close to a grand in both cases and you won’t be shocked when you see it). But this hardware is expensive.

The base model of either the ASUS Chromebook Flip 302 or the Samsung Chromebook Plus has a processor that costs $281 per unit when you buy in bulk. That’s about 20 bucks more than the smaller Chromebook Flip C100 costs. Big and beautiful touch-enabled displays aren’t cheap either. Add in the costs to build the aluminum body and special hinges and memory and storage and everything else and you’ll find that the price doesn’t come from an insane markup from the people making them. It’s mostly because the parts being used are just really expensive. People who want or need this kind of hardware won’t find it any cheaper no matter what operating system is running on it.

2017 has just begun and we’ll see more Chromebooks from more companies throughout the year. So far, we like what we see because it means that companies are more serious about selling Chromebooks for people who want to buy one as a luxury purchase or for a better machine to work from.

Chromebooks

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• Acer Chromebook 14 review
• Join our Chromebook forums