SanDisk will now let you upgrade your iOS device with 256GB of storage

Mobile storage expert SanDisk has introduced two new storage options to its current range of flash drives for iOS devices at Mobile World Congress. The iXpand Flash Drive and Connect Wireless Stick can both seamlessly increase the storage of your iPhone or iPad, and are now available with 256GB of space, for storing around 14,000 photos, up to 10 hours of video and music.

• SanDisk Connect Wireless Flash Drive review

The new versions of both drives means you can now match – or in fact better if you include the storage you already have – the top storage option for iPhones and iPads that you can get from Apple.

The iXpand Drive features both Lightning and USB 3.0 connections so you can transfer files from a Mac or PC directly onto the drive and subsequently onto your iPhone or iPad. SanDisk’s iXpand Drive companion app has had a refresh too, and can be used to automatically backup your camera roll and content from social media sites including Facebook and Instagram.

And in case you happen to lose the iXpand Flash Drive, you can rest safe in the knowledge that the app includes encryption software to password-protect files. An update to the app also now means you can cast content from the iXpand Drive to a Chromecast or Amazon Fire device.

The SanDisk Connect Wireless meanwhile can be used to stream any content stored on it to up to three devices at any one time. It’s used with the companion SanDisk Connect app, which lets you easily manage and transfer content between iOS, PC and Mac devices.

• You can fit more than 26,000 RAW files on this 1TB SanDisk SD card
• Mobile World Congress 2017: Nokia, LG, Samsung, Huawei, smartphones and more

Both the SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive and Connect Wireless are available now from Amazon for £175 each.

SanDisk

SanDisk also updated its range of A1 microSD cards, which take advantage of the new A1 specification for super speedy data transfer rates. The company now offers a 256GB Extreme microSDXC memory card for Android smartphones, that can transfer files at rates of up to 100mb/s. 

If your Android smartphone has 6.0 Marshmallow or 7.0 Nougat installed, you’ll be able to install apps directly onto the memory card and have them load up and operate much quicker than before. It will be available from late March for $199.99.

Lenovo Yoga 720 (13-inch) preview: Flexibility at your fingertips

When it comes to flexible, adaptable laptops Lenovo has really got its act together in its Yoga series. We thought the 11-inch Yoga 710 was a great little portable; the newer Yoga 720 ups the scale to a 13-inch sweetspot, while boosting power too. Is it the perfect sub-£1,000 laptop?

Lenovo Yoga 720 review: Design

• Flexible hinge for laptop, tablet, tent and stand positions
• Platinum Silver, Iron Grey and Copper colour options
• Built-in fingerprint scanner

As with all Yoga products, the 720 is all about its flexibility: that hinge means the 13-inch screen can be positioned through 360-degrees as desired, to sit in laptop, tablet, tent and stand positions.

Pocket-lint

It does so without the more jewellery-like watchstrap-like hinge found on some other Lenovo products, going simple instead. So if bling isn’t your thing then this Yoga ought to appeal for its no-nonsense yet quality design.

The 720 is a solid slab of laptop; well constructed it’s the small details that help to sell it: the subtle chamfered edges, the embellished Yoga logo on the front, the light-up power button and soft colour finish (Platinum Silver, Iron Grey and Copper are available, so nothing garish like the old orange shells of Yogas past). Yum.

We think that a 13-inch device is spot on for work and portability too. As much as we loved the 11-inch Yoga, the extra real-estate of this 13-inch model makes it altogether more practical – plus it’s more powerful, with full fan vent to the rear to enable effective use of its 7th Gen Intel Kaby Lake processors (up to i7).

Pocket-lint

Notably, there’s also a built-in fingerprint sensor for secure login. Looks rather nifty.

Lenovo Yoga 720 review: Connectivity

• 14.3mm thin; 1.3kgs
• 1x USB; 1x USB-C; 1x Thunderbolt 3

We’ve seen some slightly thinner and lighter laptops in our time, but the Yoga 720 is approaching as slender as things can get when there’s a full-size USB 3.0 port on the side.

Pocket-lint

Not that the Yoga 720 is ignoring the future: on the opposite side it features a USB-C port (also used for charging; shame there’s not two of them to avoid this issue), next to a Thunderbolt 3 port.

Lenovo Yoga 720 review: Operation

• 13-inch and 15-inch panel options
• Up to 4K resolution IPS display
• Touchscreen control
• Stylus compatible

We’re focusing on the 13-inch Yoga 720 model here, as we think it’s the more attractive of the two models (the 15-inch is a lot larger, as its thicker build is designed to cater for Nvidia GTX graphics cards, not so with the 13-inch).

Pocket-lint

As this is a flexible design, the 720’s screen is obviously touch-sensitive to make the most of its variable positions. What’s new this time around, however, is compatibility with an optional stylus, should you want to input direct to the device (using Windows Ink if you want).

Images look great too: there’s real depth of colour from the panel used here, while resolution will be offered up to 4K (3840 x 2160). At 13-inches in scale, however, we’d suggest opting for the Full HD panel to help benefit battery life. 

The side bezel is nice and trim, too, although we’ve seen narrower from the likes of Dell. What we’re less keen on is the giant lower bezel which sort-of pushes the screen further up within the design. It’s the same on all the Yoga models.

Pocket-lint

We didn’t get to listen to the 720 pump out the audio, but the JBL signal on its front makes clear that it’s got said company’s speakers built in.

Lenovo Yoga 720 review: Price and release date

• 13-inch from €999 (£850)
• April launch

Go to the Lenovo website right now and, at the time of writing, the Yoga 720 isn’t yet available. That’s because you’ll have to wait until April for this mid-size laptop. And part with €999 for the base model – which calculates as approximately £850, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s priced at £999 in the UK too.

The Morning After: Monday, February 27 2017

Welcome to your Monday. The world’s premier mobile show, MWC, kicked off over the weekend, and the biggest launch might have been a 17-year-old dumbphone. Yes, as rumors suggested, Nokia (well, the company that now owns its phone branding) has resurrected the 3310. That was just the start, however.

They say you always remember your first.
Say hello (again) to the Nokia 3310

The Nokia 3310 is back. Courtesy of new brand owner HMD, the phone is returning with a mixture of dumbphone charm and some specification upgrades. The good news: it’s cheap (around $50), it has Snake, those nostalgic ringtones of yesteryear and seems pretty darn indestructible again. It’s an iconic phone, but one that’s over 15 years old. That’s a long time in mobile. A lot of people are going to want one. Do you?

Sony’s bringing its A-game this year.
The Xperia XZ Premium may be the 4K flagship we’ve been waiting for

After a mostly disappointing year of Sony smartphones (ahem, Xperia X and X Performance), the company might have just built its finest yet. Say hello to the Xperia XZ Premium, a high-performance sequel that ticks just about every box on our list when it comes to flagship devices. Sony seems to have gotten enough right that we’re willing to see where the XZ Premium takes us. That includes an incredible 960 frames-per-second super slow-motion mode and a 4K display that does HDR like thousand-dollar TVs.

Samsung’s convertible will also support new S Pen features.
The Galaxy Book crams desktop power in portable body

In addition to its Tab S3, Samsung is showing off two new hybrids that it’s calling the Galaxy Book. They’re ten- and twelve-inch Windows 10 tablets that support new S Pen features, come with keyboards and are light enough to carry around. They’re well-designed and performed quickly during a brief hands-on, and apart from the S Pen support there are a few small features that differentiate the Galaxy Books from rival Windows 10 convertibles.

LG G6 ditches modularity in favor of essentials
In return we get a longer screen, a waterproof design and wireless charging.

LG has taken a more sensible approach with its latest flagship. It’s tougher, more practical and better-looking than its predecessor, and its unusually proportioned display is a much-welcome feature in a market where phones tend to struggle to stand out.

The Lockheed Martin-designed aircraft is one step closer to reality.
NASA starts wind tunnel tests for its quiet supersonic jet

NASA’s plans for a quiet supersonic jet, the QueSST, just became tangible: the agency and Lockheed Martin have started wind tunnel tests for the future X-plane. It’s a scale model at this stage, but it will be subjected to winds as high as Mach 1.6 (950MPH).

The phone formerly known as ‘Mercury’ launches in April for $549
BlackBerry’s KEYone is an exciting return to form

With a global launch in the works and the hopes of diehards at an all-time high, the pressure was on BlackBerry and TCL to deliver on all that Mercury hype. We can’t render an official verdict yet, but my gut tells me they’re onto something. Say hello to the BlackBerry KEYone. Yes, “Mercury” was a better name, and yes, the capitalization is weirding us out too. No matter: Despite the nature of its creation, the KEYone feels like a pretty triumphant return to form for a brand in need of a boost.

But wait, there’s more…

• Huawei’s P10 wraps familiar performance in colorful bodies
• Nokia’s fresh start hinges on these Android phones
• The new Moto G5s trade fun colors for mature looks
• Six Flags’ new VR roller coaster is both breathtaking and broken
• GoPro’s deal with Huawei gives it a foothold in smartphones

HTC’s Vive Tracker and Deluxe Audio Strap cost $100 each

HTC launched a pair of desirable accessories for its Vive VR headset at CES 2017 in Las Vegas last month, and now we know when they’ll arrive and for how much. The Vive Tracker, a 3D tracking device that you can attach to your wrists or any objects you want to use in VR, will cost $100 (£100 in the UK) and arrive to developers only starting on March 27th. The Deluxe Audio Strap, which adds some much-needed comfort to the otherwise fabulous headset, will also cost $100 and £100 in the UK.

These new accessories are pretty important for HTC’s fledgling Vive division. While the Vive has reportedly logged decent sales, possibly better than Oculus, Sony recently revealed that it has sold nearly a million Playstation VR headsets, likely more than HTC and Oculus put together.

The main knock on the Vive headset (besides the whopping $800 price) is the lack of comfort. The Deluxe Audio Strap goes a long way to solving that issue thanks to its adjustable sizing dial, and it has built-in headphones to boot. It might irk some buyers to pay an extra $100 for the strap when they’ve already shelled out $800, though.

As for the Tracker (above), you can attach it to your legs and arms, making jumping, punching, ducking and crouching actions more realistic in fighting games. “You can now comfortably kick objects, see yourself crouching, and even lie prone with one-to-one accuracy in Island 359,” developer Steve Bowler told HTC.

It can also be added to a dummy gun-type device, making simulated in-game weapons work like the real ones. During CES, HTC also fixed one to a fire hose as part of a firefighter training game, showing the potential of the device for military, police and other types of simulations.

The Tracker goes on sale on March 27th for $100, but only for developers and with a vague “later in the year” timeline for end-users. That means it’ll take a while for the product to get into consumers’ hands, as companies must first integrate the device into their games and software. HTC said, however, that the tracker “is a key piece” of its Vive ecosystem and VR strategy, not just for gaming but areas like education, training and health and wellness.

Source: HTC

Huawei’s fancy Porsche Design smartwatch isn’t all that different

Huawei’s Watch 2 is getting a limited edition run, courtesy of Porsche Design. While we’ve already strapped on the company’s basic Android Wear sequel, the VIP version was behind glass in a corner of one of many Huawei booths here at MWC. (This company takes Mobile World Congress very seriously.) While there’s no price, Huawei’s last collaboration with Porsche Design on its Mate 9 smartphone resulted in a limited-run phone that was four times the price of the muggle version, which gives us some idea. (The standard Huawei Watch 2 will hit retail for roughly $350, so multiply that a few times.) However much it does eventually cost, you will get a thick leather strap with red stitching for that outlay, and a specially engraved ceramic chronograph bezel. Other than that, it still looks a whole lot like the original Watch 2, albeit made for Asia’s gui zu [one-percenters]. If Apple can do it, why not?

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

Streamer completes every NES game ever made

In May 2014, Piotr Delgado “The Mexican Runner” Kusielczuk wanted a new challenge. His Super Castlevania IV speed runs were leaving him burned out and he wanted to tackle something different for the entertainment of his Twitch followers. Friends suggested that instead of completing NES games as fast as possible, he should perhaps think about beating every game ever made for the platform. Starting with Whomp ‘Em on May 28th, 2014, Kusielczuk methodically completed all 714 titles, eventually completing the final world in his final game, Super Mario 3, yesterday.

In all, it took Kusielczuk 3,435 hours to finish the 714 games, which included all 679 titles released in North America and 35 PAL exclusives. Some were quickly completed, but for other games that didn’t have a dedicated “ending,” he continued playing until the game began looping or there was simply no other way to progress.

While Kusielczuk achievement will surely inspire copycats, the good news is that it will take other speedrunners and streamers around three years to reach the same milestone. However, the NES community has consistently shown that time is no obstacle, meaning we’ll likely report a new world record in late 2019/early 2020.

Via: Kotaku

Source: The Mexican Runner (Twitch)

MWC 2017: Samsung Focus on New Tablets in Absence of Galaxy S8

With reference to the upcoming Galaxy S8 at this year’s Mobile Wold Congress limited to a March 29 launch date confirmation, Samsung chose to put the focus on two new tablets, the Android-powered Galaxy Tab S3 and the Galaxy Book, which runs Windows 10.

Aiming to compete with the iPad Pro, the Tab S3 comes with a 9.7-inch HDR-ready Super AMOLED display running at 2,048 x 1,536 resolution. On the back is a 13 megapixel camera, while a 5 megapixel camera sits on the front, where a fingerprint sensor lives on the home button.

The new metal and glass-backed design is 6mm thick, and houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage (expandable up to 256GB with a microSD), built-in LTE, and a 6,000 mAh battery with Fast Charging support using the USB-C port. A new Note7-like S Pen stylus is also included.

The Galaxy Book was Samsung’s other big announcement at MWC. The hybrid tablet-laptop, positioned as a Surface Pro competitor, comes in 10.6-inch and 12-inch versions, with 1,920 x 1,280 and 2,160 x 1,440 resolutions, respectively.

The 10.6-inch size features a 2.6GHz Intel Core m3 dual-core processor, 4GB of RAM, up to 128GB of storage, and has a 5 megapixel front-facing camera. The 12-inch Galaxy Book has a 3.1GHz Intel Core i5 dual-core processor, up to 8GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage, with a 13 megapixel camera on the back and a 5 megapixel one on the front.

Samsung has not yet announced any pricing information for the Tab S3 and Galaxy Book. Meanwhile, Apple is expected to launch new 12.9-inch iPads and a new flagship 10.5-inch model in March. The latter is said to have an edge-to-edge display on the same footprint as the current 9.7-inch iPad.

Tags: Samsung, MWC 2017
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Amazon and Netflix Celebrate First Oscar Wins For Streaming Services

Amazon and Netflix yesterday collected the first Academy Awards for streaming services, sharing four gold statuettes between them at this year’s Oscars.

Amazon Studios bagged a Best Actor trophy for Casey Affleck’s portrayal of a grieving man in “Manchester by the Sea”. Bought by Amazon for $10 million at the Sundance film festival, the movie also won Best Original Screenplay. It has earned $46.8 million at domestic theaters, and is set to appear later this year on Amazon’s Prime Video service.

Scene from “Manchester by the Sea”, courtesy K Period Media
Amazon also gained another accolade for Best Foreign Language Film with Iranian drama “The Salesman,” which the company distributed in the United States and Canada.

Netflix won Best Documentary in the short-subject category for 40-minute film “The White Helmets”, which followed volunteer rescue workers in war-torn Syria. The Netflix Original was directed by Orlando von Einsiedel.

According to one former Wall Street analyst, Apple’s first Academy Award is not too far away either. Venture capitalist and tech ponderer Gene Munster predicted on Friday that Apple will win an Oscar in five years.

“We think Apple will win an Oscar in the next five years,” Munster wrote in a research note issued by his company, Loup Ventures. “That’s how long it will take for Apple to scale its original content spend from less than $200 million today to $5-7 billion.”

According to Munster, Apple’s moves towards making original content to drive user engagement with its ecosystem will turn increasingly towards movies and TV series, as it aims to boost revenues to its Services division, which includes Apple Music and iTunes.

Apple has already unveiled plans to launch two unscripted series on Apple Music, “Planet of the Apps”, which shares a format similar to talent-based reality show The Voice and Shark Tank, and “Carpool Karaoke”, based on the popular James Corden segment from The Late Late Show. In addition, Apple is also working on “Vital Signs”, a dark semi-autobiographical drama starring Dr. Dre, which will also be used to promote Apple Music.

Tags: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
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MWC 2017: Nokia Announces Withings Rebrand and Nokia 3310 Reboot

All Withings products will be rebranded under Nokia by the summer, according to Withings CEO Cédric Hutchings. The announcement was made on Sunday during Nokia’s event at Mobile World Congress 2017 in Barcelona, Spain.

Withings makes iOS-compatible smart connected home products as well as a range of health and fitness wearables. Nokia bought the French health tracking company last year for an estimated $192 million. The acquisition saw Withings’ 200 employees integrate into Nokia Technologies when the deal went through in June.

As well as the rebranding, the Withings CEO said the company would release a redesigned Health Mate app later this year that will bring an “improved user experience” and new data sharing features. Nokia is also set to launch a new Patient Care program similar to Apple’s Healthkit that will allow patients to share data medical doctors.

In related news, Nokia also announced a new modern variant of its original 3310 mobile phone, first launched back in September 2000. Made by HMD Global, which bought the right to make Nokia phones last year, the new version retains the same name – and even includes classic game Snake – but runs Nokia’s more advanced Series 30+ software. It also features a 2.4-inch QVGA display, a 2 megapixel camera, and a microSD slot.

The new 3310 supports Bluetooth and comes with Opera Mini installed for basic web surfing. Talk time is said to be 22 hours, but the big draw is likely to be the featurephone’s 31-day standby time.

The Nokia 3310 will be available in a number of candy colors and should arrive later in the spring for the price of $52.

Tags: Withings, Nokia, MWC 2017
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Hands-on: Lenovo’s new Tab 4 Android tablets

Here at MWC 2017 in Barcelona, Lenovo has just introduced their Tab 4 series of Android tablets. Apart from including the standard 8-inch and 10-inch iterations of the Tab 4, the company has also unveiled premium “Plus” editions of the tablets that bring more power, quality, and features to the table. What does the Lenovo Tab 4 series have to offer? Let’s find out!

Both the 8-inch and 10-inch iterations of the regular Tab 4 devices come with IPS LCD displays with a HD resolution, and are powered by quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, backed by 2 GB of RAM. The specs have received an upgrade when compared to their predecessors, but these tablets remain lower-end, and therefore, more affordable. Lenovo doesn’t skimp on features that add to its media-consumption capabilities though, with both coming with dual front-facing speaker setups with support for Dolby ATMOS features.

On the other hand, the Tab 4 Plus series tablets kick things up a notch, not only in terms of specifications and features, but also when it comes to design and build quality. Both the 8-inch and 10-inch Plus editions feature dual glass constructions, and are impressively sleek, with a thickness of 7.15 mm and 8.4 mm respectively.

Under the hood, the tablets come with 2 GHz octa-core processors and 4 GB of RAM, along with 32 GB of internal storage. Media consumption will be a joy on the IPS LCD displays with a Full HD resolution, and like its more affordable siblings, these tablets also feature dual front-facing speakers with Dolby ATMOS features. A fingerprint scanner and a USB Type-C port round out the upgrades that the Plus iterations bring to the table when compared to their lower-end counterparts.

Considering the fact that a tablet is often a device that is used by multiple members of the family, Lenovo has done their best to help in this regard. Users can easily set up separate profiles with their own settings and wallpapers, along with being able to have separate logins for social media apps like Facebook and Instagram, and in the case of the Plus editions, fingerprints can be set up accordingly. Pushing the concept further, Lenovo also has a couple of add-ons on offer to further enhance the “for the family” experience.

A “Kid’s Pack” is available for the Tab 4 series, which includes a shock-resistant bumper, a blue light filter, and a pair of colorful 3M stickers to keep the device safe from scratches. On the software side of things, you can also set up specific accounts for the kids, that features content that is specific to and curated for kids, the ability to set up a whitelist of websites, and even setup usage limits with on-times and down-times.

Keeping young adults and parents in mind, Lenovo has also unveiled a “Productivity Pack,” that is compatible with the 10-inch iterations of the Tab 4 tablets. This is essentially a Bluetooth keyboard that can also function as a protective sleeve or kickstand. On the software side, you get a built-in “productivity interface,” which includes a taskbar, instant app switching, multi-window support, as well as optimizations to allow keyboard and mouse usage.

The Lenovo Tab 4 8-inch and 10-inch will be priced starting at $109 and $149 respectively, with the color options including Slate Black and Polar White. On the other hand, the Plus iterations will be priced starting at $199 and $249 for the 8-inch and 10-inch versions respectively, and will be available in Sparking Black and Aurora White. All four tablets will be available globally from May this year.

What do you think about the latest series of tablets from Lenovo? Let us know in the comments section below, and stay tuned with Android Authority for more about the Lenovo Tab 4 series, as well as for more great coverage from MWC 2017!