Google Home Mini launching in new Aqua color on October 29
The speaker costs the same $49 like usual.
In exactly one week, Google will be hosting an event in New York City to unveil its all-new Pixel 3 and 3 XL smartphones. Just ahead of that, the company’s announced a new color option for its Home Mini smart speaker.
Joining the Charcoal, Chalk, and Coral colors that have been available since the Home Mini’s launch last fall, the latest addition is Aqua — a cool, minty color that offers a great contrast to the warm, red-toned Coral.
Commenting on the new color, Google says that Aqua is “soothing yet bright and fresh allowing it to either contrast or blend into each unique home.”
You’ll be able to purchase the Aqua Google Home Mini starting October 29 for the usual $49 asking price.
Announcing a new color like this probably means we won’t see a new Home Mini announced alongside the Pixel 3 next week, but seeing as how we’re also expecting a new Chromecast, Home Hub, and Pixelbook 2, Google’s already got its hands plenty full.
Google Home Mini review, 6 months later: The smart speaker that should be in everybody’s home
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UK Daily Deals: Casper mattresses, LEGO advent calendars, and more
Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.
We found plenty of great deals today on Casper mattresses, LEGO Star Wars and LEGO City advent calendars, Tile Bluetooth trackers, portable SSDs and much more!
View the rest of the deals
Each day, the Thrifter UK team scouts out and shares amazing deals on products you know and love, helping you find the best prices on the ‘net.
For more UK deals coverage, be sure to keep an eye on Thrifter UK and follow the team on Twitter for the most up-to-the-minute coverage.
Honor 8X now available around the globe
The phone has a 6.5-inch screen and Kirin 710 processor.
In early September, Honor announced the Honor 8X and 8X Max as its new latest smartphones for the Chinese market. Now, just about a month later, the company’s bringing the former of those two handsets to other regions around the globe.
The Honor 8X boasts a large 6.5-inch FullView display with a notch at the top and a 91% screen-to-body ratio. The screen resolution is 1080 x 2340 and the display’s form factor is 19.5:9. The phone’s made out of 2.5D “double texture aurora glass”, and around back is a subtle two-tone design that looks rather striking.
Powering the 8X is the Kirin 710 processor, 4 or 6GB of RAM, 64 or 128GB of internal storage, and a 3.750 mAh battery. You’ll find dual 20MP cameras on the back, and similar to just about every phone that’s been released this year, Honor says that the camera setup is powered by AI. Other features include a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, face unlock, and NFC.
Exact pricing and availability info is still up in the air, but if the phone’s price tag in China is anything to go by, it should sell for around $200 – $300.
Honor 10 review: Iridescent, incredible, imperfect
The $249 Bose Soundwear Companion is a wireless speaker you wear
Immersive, powerful, and convenient.
The Bose Soundwear Companion wearable wireless speaker is down to $249 on Amazon. That’s $50 off its regular price and the only discount we’ve ever seen on Amazon. Like most Bose gear, the Soundwear Companion does not go on sale very often. If you’ve ever been interested in this wearable speaker, now’s your chance.
This speaker gives you a way to listen to music and take calls without losing connection to the world around you. Its patented technology sends sound waves your way for an immersive experience that won’t disrupt people around you. You’ll also be able to use it to talk to Siri and Google Assistant. The rechargeable battery lasts up to 12 hours, and the speaker has a Bluetooth range of about 30 feet. It is sweat and weather resistant and uses a micro USB port.
See on Amazon
Sony Xperia XA3 renders showcase slim bezels and dual cameras
This will be the first mid-range Sony phone with an 18:9 display.
Following up on the Xperia XA2 mid-range phone from earlier this year year, new renders have surfaced to give us an early look at its successor — the Xperia XA3. These renders come by way of MySmartPrice, and should they turn out to be legit, we could be looking at Sony’s most exciting mid-ranger yet.
One of the biggest things to take note of is that the XA3 will be the first mid-range Sony Xperia phone to have an 18:9 display. This makes it a lot narrower compared to the XA2 and the bezels surrounding the screen have been shrunk down substantially.
Also present on the XA3 are dual rear cameras. While the specs of the sensors are still unknown, expect them to be fairly high as the single rear shooter on the XA2 came in at 23MP. Other goodies include a 3.5mm headphone jack, side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Snapdragon 660 processor, and as much as 6GB RAM with 64GB of internal storage.
The Sony Xperia XA3 will likely be announced either later this year or at CES next January, so be sure to stay tuned for more info in the coming months.
Sony Xperia XZ3 hands-on: Damn fine hardware, with potential pain points lurking
Diagnose your car troubles with these OBD II scanners!
Car repair can be costly (duh!) and that Check Engine light could mean myriad issues with your car. Or it could be a simple fix that you could do yourself — so why take it to your dealer or mechanic without knowing the problem first? Some places will charge you $100 or more just for the scan. Grab a home scanner, download an app, and become your own second opinion.
Best reviewed
BAFX Products Bluetooth scanner
The BAFX Products 34t5 claims to work on all vehicles in the U.S. from 1996 or later, so chances are that if you’re driving, this will work with your vehicle. All you need is a third-party app (which range from free to rather expensive paid apps), and you can connect the 34t5 to your Android phone or tablet to read out diagnostic information.
$22 at Amazon
Best value
Panlong Bluetooth OBD2 car reader
Panlong’s small OBD II scanner is perfect for the do-it-yourselfer on a budget. This reader will work on any car sold in the U.S. from 1996 or later – it just might not work with some hybrids. All you need is a third-party app, like Torque or DashCommand and you’ll be able to read and clear trouble codes, while receiving real-time data readings – and you’ll be able to turn off that damn Check Engine light!
$11 at Amazon
Professional grade
ScanTool OBDLink LX
The ScanTool OBDLink LX is a professional-grade OBD II reader that features its own app, which allows you to scan, read, and clear trouble codes in all cars sold in the U.S. since 1996 (except hybrid or electric vehicles). Being a professional tool, the OBDLink LX claims to service a wider range of vehicles, given more complex algorithms, and the Amazon reviews seem to agree.
$50 at Amazon
Great value
iSaddle Super Mini Bluetooth OBD2 scanner
The iSaddle Super Mini supports all OBD II protocols and works on just about every car sold in the U.S. since 1996 (except hybrid and electric), and it works exclusively with the Torque app. All of the diagnostic information is fed to you via Bluetooth, so if you’re not sure if it’s worth a trip to the shop, you can check first for yourself.
$12 at Amazon
Industry favorite
BlueDriver Professional-grade OBD2 reader
For $100, you’d hope this scanner would be professional-grade, and it certainly makes the cut, as one that’s even used by mechanics. This one does a lot more than the average scanner, showing you recall information, dynamic data, and it even offers repair suggestions in its companion Android app. As Tom’s Guide puts it, “BlueDriver is as close to a repair-shop diagnostic scanner as you can get for under $100.”
$100 at Amazon
Cellular option
Automatic PRO AUT-350 3G OBD2 car reader
The Automatic PRO tracks your car in real time, is Alexa-, Nest-, and IFTTT-compatible, and uses a 3G connection. You get an unlimited, 5-year 3G subscription from Automatic, and this thing will even detect serious crashes and automatically alert emergency services. It’s basically a total car monitor (yeah, it also diagnoses your check engine light problems).
$130 at Amazon
Best app
Carista OBD2 scanner
The Carista scanner does what you’d expect, but the OBD2 Pro app is what really makes it shine, showing you airbag information, ABS data, and even showing you specialty codes for eight car makers. The upgraded app also integrates with your key fob, allowing you to remotely control your power windows and other instruments. Many of these features only work with specific car models, which you can check on Carista’s site.
$20 at Amazon
Taking your car into the shop for a simple Check Engine light can wind up costing much more than may have been necessary. These easy-to-use Bluetooth readers can give you a picture of your car’s overall “health” and put you in control of diagnosing your vehicle’s issues.
Updated September 2018: These are still the absolute best OBD2 car readers around for Android. Plus, Carista’s once $40 app is now free!
Camera-specificaties Samsung Galaxy S10 komen in beeld
Er is een lijstje opgedoken van de mogelijke specificaties van de camera op de Galaxy S10. Het zou gaan om een variant van de S10 met achterop 3 verschillende camera’s. Hiermee zou Samsung de concurrentie vanuit China willen bijbenen.
Het gaat volgens een bericht op SamMobile om 3 camera’s bestaande uit een 16, 13 en 12 megapixel sensor. De eerste krijgt een 123 graden groothoeklens van maximaal f/1.9 mee voor het fotograferen van weidse landschappen en moet het zonder optische beeldstabilisatie stellen. De 13 megapixel camera op de S10 lijkt bedoeld om mee te kunnen zoomen en diepte te kunnen waarnemen. Hij krijgt namelijk een aperture van f/2.4 mee. Het meest interessant van het trio is de 12 megapixel schieter. Die beschikt namelijk over een lens met variabele aperture van f/1.5 en f/2.4; hetzelfde als de huidige S9 en S9+.
Vermeende specs van de S10 camera
Nu is bovenstaand lijstje wel erg mager om als bewijs aan te voeren. Toch gaan er al langer geruchten dat Samsung een variant van de Galaxy S10 of mogelijk Galaxy S10+ wil aankondigen met triple camera. Huawei heeft al een dergelijk toestel in het assortiment met de P20 Pro en ook Samsung kondigde onlangs met de A7 (2018) haar eerste dergelijke telefoon aan. De concurrentie zit niet stil en LG komt binnenkort met de V40 ThinQ op de proppen. En wie denkt dat het bij drie ophoudt heeft het mis, Lenovo werkt mogelijk aan een toestel met achterop 4 camera’s en Nokia zou zelfs werken aan een variant met 5.
Ontvang een e-mail wanneer de Galaxy S10 verkrijgbaar is
Meer is beter?
Overigens zijn er ook merken die helemaal geen dubbele, driedubbele of vier camera’s nodig hebben om goede foto’s te schieten. Google lijkt het voorlopig bij één te houden achterop de aankomende Pixel 3 en Pixel 3 XL. En als die dezelfde kwaliteit levert als op de Pixel 2 dan komt deze ontwikkeling over als een enorme overkill.
Apple Business Chat Now Available in UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, and Many Other Countries
Apple Business Chat, a platform for businesses to provide customer service through iMessage, is now available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, Japan, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The feature launched in the United States earlier this year.
The worldwide expansion coincides with many additional brands adopting Business Chat, including automotive retailer Lithia Motors in the U.S., carrier Vodafone in Germany, retailer Harvey Norman in Australia, investment bank Credit Suisse in Hong Kong and Singapore, carrier KDDI in Japan, and others.
Luxury fashion retailer Burberry and hotel chain NH Hotels are also rolling out customer service through Apple Business Chat in multiple countries.
Apple Business Chat launched in iOS 11.3 in March, enabling iPhone and iPad users to ask for information, schedule appointments, make purchases, and complete other customer service tasks directly in the Messages app.
Business Chats must be initiated on an iPhone or iPad, but they can be continued on any other iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch signed into the same Apple ID. You can start a conversation by searching for a business in Maps, Safari, Siri, or Search and tapping on the Messages bubble where available.
Other brands using Business Chat include Apple itself, DISH, Aramark, Four Seasons, Harry & David, American Express, Discover, Hilton, The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Marriott, Newegg, T-Mobile, Ameritrade, Wells Fargo, and 1-800-Flowers.
Business Chat requires iOS 11.3 or later. Also note that while the feature has expanded to additional countries, availability varies by brand. For example, when we tried to message Apple through Business Chat in Canada, an automatic reply indicated that the feature remains unavailable in that country.
Tags: iMessage, Business Chat
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HTC U11+ review
Groter is beter moeten ze bij HTC gedacht hebben en dus brachten ze een grotere versie van hun vorige topmodel de U11 uit. Wij vragen ons echter hardop af wat de U11+ toevoegt aan het al bestaande assortiment en of hij de moeite waard is om te overwegen.
Dit toestel luistert naar de naam U11+ en de Plus van dit toestel ten opzichte van de gewone U11 zit hem in het grotere scherm. Het betreft hier een 6.0 inch exemplaar met een beeldverhouding van 18:9. Verder heeft het toestel dezelfde Snapdragon 835-processor en 12 megapixel camera als zijn kleinere broertje.
Inhoud van de doosQuick Charge 3.0 snelladerUSB-C kabelHTC USonic In-ear oordopjesUSB-C naar 3.5mm audio jack-converterDoorzichtige back-coverSIM eject-toolSnelstartgids & garantiekaart
Als we kijken naar toestellen met een scherm van 6 inch of groter dan kun je bij behoorlijk wat fabrikanten terecht en dat zijn voor het merendeel bepaald geen sjacheraars. Zo is daar de Samsung Galaxy S8+, LG V30 en Huawei Mate 10 Pro. Gelet op z’n prijskaartje zou je ook de Apple iPhone 8 Plus als concurrent kunnen rekenen. Net als vele andere recente HTC’s ontbreekt ook hier een reguliere koptelefoonaansluiting. In plaats daarvan levert HTC haar eigen USonic-dopjes mee die bovendien gepersonaliseerd ingesteld kunnen worden. Hoe dat werkt, net als alle andere aspecten van het toestel worden in deze review behandeld.
– De tekst gaat verder onder de prijsvergelijker –
Nokia 8 review
Nokia bracht vorig jaar in vrijwel elk segment een toestel uit en het topmodel is de Nokia 8. Inmiddels is hij voor minder dan 500 Euro te krijgen en lijkt hij behoorlijk wat waar voor je geld te bieden. Hoog tijd om dat uit te zoeken.
De Nokia 8 heeft een 5,3 inch beeldscherm met Quad HD-resolutie. Nokia bracht nog niet eerder een telefoon uit met een dergelijk hoge schermresolutie. In totaal heeft de Nokia 8 drie camera’s met elk een 13 megapixel sensor. Verder is het toestel uitgerust met een Snapdragon 835-processor en 4 GB werkgeheugen.
Inhoud van de doosSnellader (FC0300)USB-A naar USB-C kabelIn-ear headsetSIM-prikkerStartgids & productinformatie
Een merk dat qua prijs en specificaties voor een vergelijkbare benadering kiest als de Nokia 8 is OnePlus met de 5T. Daarnaast zijn er ook nog de LG G6, Samsung Galaxy S8 en Huawei P10. Deze hebben allemaal wel een flink aangepast uiterlijk van Android en dat houdt Nokia nou juist zo puur mogelijk.
– De tekst gaat verder onder de prijsvergelijker –
