HP Envy x2 hands-on: A Snapdragon-powered, always-on PC

For its first “Always Connected” PC, HP made a pragmatic choice: It stuffed a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor into its latest Surface clone, the Envy x2. The result is compelling: A thin and light laptop with 20 hours of battery life, and built-in LTE connectivity. It’s precisely the sort of machine that Microsoft envisioned when it revealed its vision of always connected devices at Computex.

At first glance, the Envy X2 doesn’t seem that different than a typical hybrid PC. It’s slightly thinner than an iPad Pro, at 6.9 millimeters thick, and it weighs just 1.54 pounds. Thanks to its aluminum case, it feels like a premium device. The bundled keyboard case, which wraps around the entire tablet, also houses its kickstand. You won’t notice anything out of the ordinary until you take a look at the “System” menu to see that it’s powered by a Snapdragon process. Which, of course, is exactly what HP wants.

Based on my short time with the x2, it felt a lot like HP’s recent Spectre x2 hybrid. The keyboard was comfortable to use and sturdy enough to handle my heavy typing style. Every key also had a satisfying amount of travel, something we don’t see too often on hybrid machines (aside from the Surface devices). Its case is a bit awkward though — while it offers a decent amount of protection, a built-in kickstand would be more convenient for using the x2 for things like viewing video in bed. Since it runs Windows 10 S out of the box, it can only run apps from the Windows Store. But, just like the Surface Laptop, you can also upgrade to Windows 10 Pro for free down the line.

Performance-wise, the x2 kept up with me as I opened several Office apps, Paint 3D, and Edge windows and tabs. There weren’t any games to play, and I didn’t have a chance to test out extreme multi-tasking scenarios, unfortunately. But, for the most part, it seems like the x2 can handle basic productivity tasks, despite its mobile CPU. Another potential limiting factor is its 4GB of RAM, something that could easily get filled up if you’re addicted to opening dozens of browser tabs at once.

On paper, the Envy x2 sounds like the notebook I’ve always dreamed of. Who wouldn’t want a $599 machine that’s always online, with tons of battery life? Still, I’d expect to see some compromises when I have more time to use the x2. Even though mobile processors like the Snapdragon 835 are capable enough to power high-end smartphones, it’s unclear how they’d handle desktop- multitasking. And it remains to be seen just how well Microsoft translated Windows 10 to ARM processors. At this point, the Envy x2 is just a glimpse at the promise of always connected PCs — but it’s an intriguing one.

AMD and Qualcomm join forces to power higher-end connected PCs

Qualcomm may have found a worthy ally in its quest to take on the PC market. After unveiling a new stable of Snapdragon 835-powered “Always Connected” PCs from HP and ASUS, the chip-maker revealed a surprise partner: AMD. The two companies are teaming up to make Always Connected PCs on AMD’s “Ryzen” mobile platform while using Snapdragon LTE modems to enable gigabit connection speeds. On gigabit LTE, you could potentially download a feature-length movie over cellular data in less than 30 seconds.

AMD unveiled its Ryzen mobile chips, which feature integrated Radeon Vega graphics, in October. Ryzen CPUs were designed to provide desktop-class performance while still allowing for a small enough footprint for thin-and-lights. The company has revealed two Ryzen mobile processors so far, both of them quad-core chips with eight threads — a similar architecture to Intel’s eighth-generation laptop chipsets.

The higher-end Ryzen has 10 Vega graphics cores, helping it blow away Intel’s integrated graphics on benchmarks that AMD ran. For gamers on the go, the Ryzen chipsets can provide decent frame rates for midrange games like League of Legends or Overwatch. Intel’s chipsets can go up to 4.2GHz, though, while the higher-end model can only reach 3.8GHz, so AMD’s chips may not be as fast in bursts.

Marrying this performance with Snapdragon’s X16 LTE modems means that laptops borne from this union could be powerful enough for online gaming over cellular connections. AMD’s director of product management, David McAfee, described some of the “unprecedented” possibilities to Engadget. You could, for instance, play an esports game or an MMO title while you’re on the road over LTE, thanks to low latency and high bandwidth over today’s LTE connections.

McAfee also expects AMD and Qualcomm’s collaboration to facilitate “fundamentally transformational user experiences” for business travelers, thanks also to technologies like eSIM, and the ability to switch between carriers or buy packs of data around the world. These are all concepts that were discussed when Microsoft and Qualcomm announced Always Connected PCs at WinHEC last year.

Today, we finally saw actual devices designed for Windows on Snapdragon. ASUS’s NovaGo and HP’s Envy x2 are laptops that pack Snapdragon 835 processors and can run full Windows 10 (although they’ll ship with Windows 10S), complete with x86 app compatibility and support for Windows Ink, Hello and Cortana. They both tout 20-hour battery lives, far more than traditional notebooks, and support Gigabit LTE where available.

But even though the Snapdragon 835 chipset is a capable processor for smartphones, it’s not going to help Qualcomm compete with Intel, the other chip maker working on Always Connected PCs. In May, Intel announced it would support eSIM in all its existing and upcoming modems, making itself compatible with the Always Connected PC ecosystem.

A 14nm chip (left) versus the 10nm Snapdragon 835 (right)

With AMD’s participation, Qualcomm now has the means to provide more power for laptops that can handle more intensive multitasking beyond the limits of a chip designed for smartphones.

But because no actual product has been unveiled, it’s hard to know exactly what to expect. McAfee said AMD’s part in this collaboration “is to engineer the experience with Qualcomm so all the parts about stability and software stacks are second to none.” That means it’ll spend days in labs, testing the mainboards it created with Qualcomm’s radios to make sure the parts play nice with each other and work well with the Windows software.

It’s been an interesting year for AMD, which seems to be emerging from Intel’s shadow. Its Ryzen desktop and mobile processors launched in February and October to positive reception in the industry. Even Intel, AMD’s archrival, is now asking for occasional help. A few weeks ago, Intel unveiled a series of enthusiast chipsets that combine its CPU with semi-custom AMD GPUs for stronger graphics performance.

Neither AMD nor Qualcomm has revealed many details beyond confirming their partnership. They’ve been working together for years. Since 2011, Qualcomm has provided the wireless WAN components for AMD’s platform. McAfee said this is meant to be an evolving collaboration that will “play out over generations.” In other words, in years to come we might even see them make a chip together. “Maybe that’s in the cards in the future,” McAfee said.

Still, as it stands, this is intriguing news for the Always Connected PC ecosystem, since it means that future laptops built with Qualcomm radios won’t be restricted to smartphone-level performance. At the very least, this gives Intel some competition in this space, and that’s good news for consumers.

Dish CEO steps down to focus on wireless network ambitions

Dish hasn’t been shy about pursuing its wireless dreams over the years, and now that’s leading to a shakeup of its core leadership. Longstanding CEO Charlie Ergen is stepping down from the top spot (though not as chairman) to “devote more attention” to the wireless business. Current operating chief Erik Carlson is taking the reins. In turn, Dish is taking on a “group structure” that should more effectively support wireless, conventional satellite TV and Sling TV streaming.

There’s a good reason why Ergen would want to pick up the pace: the FCC has a use-it-or-lose-it requirement that would force Dish to launch a service on its spectrum by 2020. He needs a concrete wireless strategy in short order, and dedicating more of his time to that strategy is bound to help.

The shuffle might come at an appropriate time. Ergen talked about there being a “few more options on the table” for partnerships now that Sprint and T-Mobile have called off merger talks. This doesn’t mean that Dish will merge with a carrier, but it could start wireless service with the help of a network or license out its airwaves to a provider that wants them for 5G data. No matter what, you can expect Dish to do something — if just to make those frequency purchases worthwhile.

Via: Bloomberg

Source: Dish

Android 8.1 starts rolling out to Nexus and Pixel devices

As promised, Android 8.1 is ready to reach the masses. Google has started pushing the new mobile operating system to Nexus and Pixel devices, and expects to complete the rollout over the next week. Naturally, it’s also posting the source code. The biggest tangible improvement should be for low-cost Android Go phones aimed at developing markets, but there are plenty of important improvements — particularly if you have a Pixel 2.

If you have one of Google’s latest handsets, 8.1 unlocks the Pixel Visual Core chip so that third-party apps can take advantage of the Pixel 2’s AI-powered photography. In theory, any app that uses the standard Android camera platform can take richer photos and spare you from having to switch apps.

You don’t need one of the newer phones to see the other benefits. Android 8.1 includes a neural network toolkit that lets apps run TensorFlow Lite and other AI frameworks on-device, instead of leaning on a distant server. Apps can make better use of autofill forms, and there’s an obligatory round of bug fixes.

When other devices get Android 8.1 is up in the air. Many major Android phone makers are only just testing 8.0 updates, and they might not want to delay things further by evaluating 8.1. In some cases, you may stand a better chance of getting 8.1 through a brand new device.

Source: Android Developers Blog

Emoji authorities get rid of the sad poop face

It’s been a while since the Unicode Emoji Consortium released its sixth set of proposed emojis last June, with a follow up in August (which offered up a drunken face and unhappy poo, oddly enough). Now the consortium has given developers the first Emoji 11 beta, which contains 130 draft emojis, including a female superhero, a lobster and a party face. There’s no trace of the sad poo and that makes us, well, sad.

The changes in this new beta list of emojis includes making superhero and supervillain smiley faces into human-form emoji. New emoji sequences, which are used for variations on a single emoji (like the skin tone variations), were added as well, giving the superhero and supervillain two gender options, skin tone options for leg and foot and 48 new sequences for man and woman, which include skin tone variations and hair style options. There are also new icons for swan, badger, pirate flag and infinity symbol. Question-mark face, ok face and sad pile of poo have been removed, with a review planned for January to see if they should be added as sequences.

The list of emoji characters was renamed to Emoji 11 instead of 6 to connect it to further versions of the entire Unicode standard. It is still not final; changes can include both additions or removals from the list. The final list will be confirmed in the first quarter of next year, with a decision in January and an announcement in March.

Via: Emojipedia

Source: Unicode

Hyperloop One co-founder steps down amid sexual harassment claims

Silicon Valley’s sexual harassment problem just keeps going. Forbes reports that Shervin Pishevar, founder of Sherpa Capital and Hyperloop (and an early Uber investor), is taking a leave of absence from both companies, just a few days after allegations of sexual harassment from five women were reported by Bloomberg.

According to Forbes, Pishevar was arrested for rape in London this past November, an allegation he vehemently denied and was never charged for. His statement explaining his leave of absence makes no reference to current allegations from five women claiming sexual harrassment (as reported by Bloomberg), only focusing on the earlier lawsuit. Forbes notes that Sherpa Capital asserts it has not recieved any reports of inappropriate conduct about Pishevar.

“Therefore, I have decided to take an immediate leave of absence from my duties at Sherpa Capital and Virgin Hyperloop One, as well as my portfolio company board responsibilities, so that I can pursue the prosecution of my lawsuit, where I am confident I will be vindicated,” Pishevar said in a statement reported by Forbes. “Through the discovery process, I hope to unearth who fabricated the fraudulent London “police report,” and who is responsible for spreading false rumors about me.”

Numerous powerful men in the tech sector have had to step down from their positions due to allegations of inappropriate and assaultive behavior have surfaced. Andy Rubin reportedly left Google after an “improper” behavior with a female subordinate and Amazon’s Roy Price was suspended after Isa Dick Hackett claimed that he made lewd propositions to her. Don’t even get us started on Uber’s track record, which the company is still trying to repair.

Source: Forbes

Google’s expanded search snippets display even more related info

There are many times where you’re not just searching the web for one thing — you may want to learn everything there is to know about a movie, or look for other players on a sports team. Google wants to address that. It’s trotting out a slew of search updates that deliver more of the related info you may want. Both its Featured Snippets (the box that automatically highlights relevant answers) and the Knowledge Panel (the cards on the side) now include more images and related searches. Look for skiing, for instance, and you’ll see searches for winter sports like snowboarding.

The search engine is also smarter in those moments when you’re looking for multiple connected topics in short succession. You’ll now get suggestions for related topics if there’s a common thread. Look for a couple of football players and you’ll see recommendations for other players pop up the next time around.

Google’s tweaks get to its core mission of providing answers to your questions, but they’re also helpful to its bottom line by keeping you on Google’s site (and thus seeing more ads). Not that there’s much cause for complaint. It’s a hassle to type out multiple queries when you know what you want, and this might encourage you to explore a topic that you hadn’t given much thought.

Source: Google

Cinemark launches a monthly movie program to rival MoviePass

MoviePass, the $10-per-month movie theater subscription service, was so unexpectedly popular when it launched last August that the company struggled to meet demand. Its success hasn’t gone unnoticed, especially by the competition. Theater chain Cinemark is creating its own service, Movie Club, but with far less generous perks. For a $9 monthly subscription, it grants a single ticket (instead of one every day) but also gives 20 percent off concessions and cheaper bulk ticket rates.

In short, it’s a compromise coming from within the movie theater establishment. Movie Club’s lone included ticket is only for 2D films (like MoviePass), the concession discount can be shared with friends and subscribers can buy additional tickets for a discounted $9 each. If you don’t see a film one month, that credit rolls over to the next. Plus, online buying fees are waived. And like MoviePass, there’s no contract, so you can cancel any time.

You’ll still be limited to Cinemark’s 350 theaters, while MoviePass boasts over 4,000 participating cinemas. But if you’re an industry loyalist or just want to build up sweet loyalty points, Movie Club could be for you.

Via: Variety

Source: Cinemark Movie Club

Lyft expands its non-emergency medical transportation services

Lyft has teamed up with Circulation to provide on-demand non-emergency medical transportation to over 1,000 healthcare facilities across the country. Circulation launched last year and it allows hospitals and other medical facilities to schedule one-time or recurring non-emergency transportation for their patients. It lets healthcare providers and patients request rides with options like wheelchair assistance, help getting into or out of the vehicle and whether a caregiver will need a ride as well. And depending when, where and what kind of ride is needed, Circulation matches patients with the best transportation option, which will now include Lyft.

Circulation says that around 3.6 million patients miss medical appointments every year in the US due to lack of adequate transportation but that with its service, appointment no-shows are reduced from 20-25 percent down to eight percent. Uber is also one of the transport options available through Circulation and at launch, Circulation was Uber’s preferred healthcare platform partner. The new partnership with Lyft will give patients even more ride options going forward.

Lyft has previously partnered with CareMore Health System and American Medical Response to provide non-emergency medical transportation. “Circulation seamlessly connects to Lyft’s API, making it easy for health facilities to request a Lyft ride when they need one,” Lyft Business VP Gyre Renwick said in a statement. “Together, we’re working to remove transportation barriers that previously stood in the way of getting people the care they need.”

Image: Circulation

Source: Circulation (1), (2)

Nissan will test its self-driving taxi service in Japan next year

Nissan wants to have its fully-automated ride service on the road in Japan by the early 2020s. The plan is to start with a “public field test” for the Easy Ride service in Yokohama. Nissan has partnered with technology company DeNa for the venture, and the hope is to have everything from pick-up to payment and drop-off handled via mobile app. If you’d rather take the scenic route to your destination, options will be available for that as well.

With the Tokyo Olympics looming in 2020, Nissan likely wants to have the kinks worked out by then. The autonomous Leaf EVs have been tested in Britain already, but Japan’s roads might prove a bit more difficult than the various roundabouts we encountered during a drive in March. Sign-ups for the test are live now through January 15th.

Via: BBC

Source: Nissan, Easy Ride