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Dyson to go all cordless with vacuums, starting with the Cyclone V10
Between the DC30 from 2009 and the more recent V8 series, Dyson's handheld vacuum cleaners have barely changed on the outside, so color us surprised when Sir James whipped out a very different-looking machine today. Dubbed the Cyclone V10, this new vacuum resembles an enlarged conventional hair dryer thanks to its repositioned cyclones and bin -- these are now in line with the head attachment and exhaust. Together, these form a linear airflow path from front to end, which ends up boosting suction power while also reducing noise. The new bin also benefits from a larger capacity, along with a more intuitive dirt eject mechanism: just remove the head, point at a trash can and push the eject button. It's literally just point and shoot.
Honor squeezed more screen into its budget View 10 flagship
When Huawei sub-brand Honor revealed its new Honor 7X a few weeks ago, we weren't exactly thrilled. You can only squeeze so many thrills out of a big screen and a mid-range chipset, after all. Thankfully, that wasn't the only device Honor has been working on. Honor's deal has always been about delivering solid performance on a budget, but it's getting a bit more ambitious with the new View 10 (known as the V10 in China). Huawei and Honor are seemingly intent on building a OnePlus-style flagship that won't break the bank, and if a little hands-on time is anything to go on, the View 10 is already shaping up to be a serious contender.
Owners of bricked G4 and V10 phones sue LG
It's been years since LG's G4 and V10 smartphones launched, but the people burned by a flaw that made those devices non-functional haven't forgotten. Four G4 and V10 owners filed a class-action lawsuit against LG earlier this week, alleging that the company "was aware, or reasonably should have been aware" of a hardware flaw that would force those two smartphones into a "boot loop" -- a state of endless rebooting that basically made the devices bricks. The filing (obtained by Ars Technica) goes on to say LG failed to make customers whole again by refusing to perform repairs or offering those customers refurbished units that were as prone to boot loop syndrome as the devices sent in for repair in the first place.
Life with the LG V10 and its oddball second screen
I was initially skeptical of LG's V10. Both the second screen and dual selfie cameras struck me as classic phone gimmicks in the vein of the Samsung Continuum or Kyocera Echo: They seem like good ideas when you're in the store, but you'll forget that they exist in a matter of weeks. But are they really that frivolous? And could the fingerprint reader, tougher body and better video recording controls come in handy, too? There's only one way to find out. I've spent several weeks living with the V10, and I was pleasantly surprised: It's clear that LG's extras can be genuinely useful. This isn't a flawless phone, though, and you'll still want to think carefully before picking one up for yourself.
LG's dual-screen V10 phone reaches AT&T and T-Mobile this week
When LG promised that its unique V10 smartphone would reach the US soon after its Korean launch, it wasn't kidding around. Both AT&T and T-Mobile have announced that you can order the dual screen, dual-selfie cam device this week -- October 27th and 28th, respectively. The AT&T version comes in black or opal blue, and will cost you either $250 on a two-year contract or $29 per month on a similarly lengthy installment plan. You'll get a 200GB microSD card, an extra battery and a charging cradle if you order quickly, too. The T-Mobile model doesn't come with those perks, but it's potentially cheaper at $25 per month (on a two-year payment plan) or $600 outright. Just be prepared to wait a little while if you insist on trying the V10 in-store. T-Mobile won't carry it until October 30th, and you'll be waiting until November 6th to see it at an AT&T shop.
Hands-on with LG's dual-screen, dual-selfie camera V10
If you were wondering how LG might keep up with Samsung's experimentation with extra screen real estate on its Edge phones -- and really, isn't that the first thing we all think about after we wake up, pour a cup of coffee and question the insignificance of our existence -- the V10 is your answer. It's the beginning of a new series of phones for LG, ostensibly replacing the G Pro phablet line. Whereas the company's "G" series remains its flagship, it seems like the "V" line will be where LG experiments a bit (even moreso than its curved Flex models). To that end, the V10 includes a few unique features: A second, tiny screen right above the main 5.7-inch display, and two front-facing cameras for the selfie-afflicted. It's also the company's first phone to include metal (it has steel around the sides), it sports a tough new silicon-based rear cover, and it packs in two Gorilla Glass 4 panels on its display. Clearly, there are a lot of ideas at play here, but how do they come together?
LG's new superphone has two screens and two selfie cameras
LG's renaming its powerful flagship smartphone series, here's the V10 and it marks a new smartphone start, with some notable features all on the front of the thing. The company is literally doubling down on features, with two five-megapixel cameras for selfie sufferers and a curious second screen that's connected to the first one. That extra display is right above the 5.7-inch QHD main display, but works separately. You'll be able to keep it on constantly to show weather, time date and battery status "without impacting battery life", according to LG. Turn on the entire phone however, and you can then use that top display for app shortcuts even when you're in the midst of another app -- or anywhere that's not the home screen. Now about those cameras...
LG teases phone with secondary display ahead of October event
Back in August, a filing at China's FCC counterpart (TENAA) revealed one of LG's upcoming devices: one that apparently features a secondary display on top, next to its camera. Now, the South Korean company has released a video teaser indicating that the device will be officially launched on October 1st, 2015. The video doesn't give out any details about the device, other than giving a model asymmetrical bangs that match the camera-secondary screen combo at the top part of the display. Evleaks called it the LG V10 when the images above were leaked and likened its secondary display to that of the Samsung Note Edge's, which shows app icons and extra details, depending on the open application. We'll know for sure whether it really does resemble the Note Edge's ticker in a few days' time.
LG is making a phone with a secondary ticker display
Every now and then, smartphone makers try building devices with secondary, ticker-like displays in the hopes of reeling you in with more at-a-glance info -- witness Samsung's Continuum or Galaxy Note Edge. And it's LG's turn, apparently. China's TENAA regulator just recently tested the V10, a phone with a ticker display at the top. Notice how the front camera has been moved to the side in the photo you see above? It's not clear exactly how this would work, but you'd likely have a way to activate that ticker without turning on the main screen.
Rumor: LG releasing a phone with a secondary 'ticker' display
LG is launching a phone called the V10 with a small auxiliary "ticker" display above the main screen, according to Evan Blass (@evleaks) and photos from Chinese regulator Tenaa. That might sound bizarre, but it was actually used before on Samsung's Continuum, a 2010 Galaxy S Verizon variant. Still, it's a unusual idea for a modern phone that otherwise looks rather decent. According to Blass, it'll have a 5.7-inch 2,560 x 1,440 screen, Snapdragon 808 CPU, 3GB memory, 16-megapixel rear/5-megapixel front cameras, expandable memory and a back fingerprint scanner.
Lexar intros JumpDrive S70, V10 and bacterial-shielding S50 USB keys
Another day at CES 2011, another release from Lexar Media. This go 'round, the memory outfit is dishing out a three-pack of JumpDrives, with the S70, S50 and V10 all seeing significant redesigns and subtle enhancements to make 'em their own men. The S70 touts a retractable connector design and gives users the ability to create multiple password-protected area (deemed 'Encrypted Vaults'); they'll ship in 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB sizes, but pricing remains a mystery. Moving on, the bacteria-hating S50 ships with a layer of Microban antimicrobial protection, which is said to resist the growth of mold on its 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models. Somewhat gross to ponder, but what else is there to think on when no MSRPs are handed out? Lastly, the V10 boasts a translucent cap and will ship in a variety of colors / sizes. The whole crew should hit retail in Q1 2011, and the release that says as much is after the break.
Panasonic's response on shifting black levels in plasma HDTVs: 'There's nothing to fix'
Owners of Panasonic's recent plasma HDTVs have continued to push for more details on the "automatic control" the company cited as the cause of suddenly elevated black levels and it has revealed a few more details in an email exchange with CNET. Those hoping for some kind of patch or action in response to the changes will likely be disappointed however, as Senior VP Bob Perry put it, "there's nothing to fix." Citing trade secrets and a lack of a standard measure for black level performance, he also was unable to give any specifics about when the changes are designed to happen or by exactly how much. The company is promising technology in its 2010 models will offer a more gradual adjustment thanks to design adjustments, but that doesn't help current model owners left wondering if their set has, or will have in the future, degraded picture quality either by design or some software glitch. He did close by offering the olive branch of the VIERA Concierge Program for dissatisfied customers -- we'll see if a happy resolution for all is still within reach. [Thanks, Chris]
Panasonic cops to rising black levels in its plasma HDTVs, but questions still remain
Over the last several months complaints that Panasonic's plasma HDTVs experience sudden adverse changes in their black levels after a certain number of viewing hours have been piling up in an AVSForum thread, and now that behavior has been confirmed, though not very well explained, in a response the company sent to CNET today: In order to achieve the optimal picture performance throughout the life of the set, Panasonic Viera plasma HDTVs incorporate an automatic control which adjusts an internal driving voltage at predetermined intervals of operational hours. As a result of this automatic voltage adjustment, background brightness will increase from its initial value ... The newest Viera plasma HDTVs incorporate an improved automatic control which applies the voltage adjustments in smaller increments. This results in a more gradual change in the Black Level over time. Especially considering many buyers purchased their televisions specifically for those deep black levels, you can see why a TV suddenly going Sammy Sosa overnight would be upsetting. One of the reigning theories in the thread indicated by poster & calibrator D-Nice has been that this is by design, but a flaw in the settings caused the large jumps (around double the brightness, as measured by several owners light meters) instead of a much more subtle change. So what now for owners or potential buyers? Without more details about what is going on and whether or not anything can be done about it, like CNET's David Katzmeier, it's hard to see how we can continue to recommend these HDTVs for purchase without knowing what they will do months or years down the line. The ball is in Panasonic's court now, a speedy response could do a lot to assuage the concerns of current and potential owners. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Toshiba introduces DisplayLink-enabled Dynadock V10 USB port replicator
Don't call it a docking station. Toshiba's latest Dynadock is classified as a USB port replicator, but what makes this one a wee bit special is the integrated DisplayLink DL-165 chip that enables 1080p content to flow from a USB port and onto a DVI monitor. Put simply, this device acts just like a typical USB docking station, but with minimal bulk; as for inputs, you'll find four USB 2.0 sockets, a single DVI port, mic in, headphone out, a power port and support for resolutions as high as 1,920 x 1,080. It's available now in Europe for an undisclosed amount, but who knows if it'll ever head Stateside.
Panasonic adds 58- and 65-inch models to heralded V10 NeoPDP family
To say that Panasonic's existing lineup of V10 NeoPDP sets were widely adored would be grossly understating things, so it makes sense to see the outfit unleash two new sizes in the family over at IFA. In the midst of mindless bragging about a Full HD 3D system that absolutely no one will be interested in until 3D content delivery is sorted, Panasonic has managed to confess that two new V10 sizes will be produced. If you'll recall, the set was already available in 42- and 50-inch flavors, but if those just felt too small for your palatial den, the new 58- (TX-P58V10E) and 65-inch (TX-P65V10E) models just might fit the bill. Specs wise, everything here will remain the same; a 1080p panel, 600Hz sub-field drive technology, VIERA CAST functionality for pulling in web content, THX certification and a laughable dynamic contrast ratio of over 2,000,000:1. There's no exact mention of a price or release date, but you can bet we'll be hounding the booth attendants for those tidbits as soon as we track 'em down.
Panasonic's TC-P54V10 plasma crowned king, so sayeth the HD Guru
Panasonic's run of critical acclaim for its NeoPDP panels, and the V10 series in particular, just keeps rolling along. Given the positive reception the HD Guru gave Panny's G10-series set, it should come as no surprise that the higher-spec TC-P54V10 model came through its review with flying colors. The Guru blew right past the "sheet of glass" aesthetic and added color spaces that will largely go unused and got right into the good stuff. Sure, the 96Hz mode delivered on its promise of judder-free 4:4 pulldown, but most surprising was the V10's black level performance, which fell below the test equipment's ability to measure -- the review guessed it to be about half as bright as the G10's black level. That's in spitting distance of the Kuro performance, and the V10 managed to pull a little more dark detail as well. Yeah, it's a winner -- so much so that the Guru had to break out a fifth heart in its rating. The Kuro is dead, long live the Kuro.
CNET: TC-P50V10 is "Panasonic's best plasma yet"
As Pansonic's latest plasma HDTVs proceed down the review gauntlet, it appears CNET is the latest to be impressed by the TC-P50V10, between its slick design, smooth handling of 1080p/24 by way of its 96Hz image processing, deep black levels and good color reproduction. The 96Hz features plus more adjustable picture settings are some of the improvements the V10 offers over the G10, but is it enough to satisfy the Kuro faithful, or attract buyers away from LCD? It appears the reviewer was convinced, give it a read and see if you are.
AVForums takes a shine to THX on Panasonic's TX-P50V10 plasma
Panasonic's new plasma TVs packing the NeoPDP panels are compiling a solid reputation across their respective price brackets, and now it's the V10 series' turn to continue that trend at the more expensive end of the spectrum. Stepping up from the G10 series, the 50-inch UK-model TX-P50V10 AVForums had on hand acquitted itself pretty well. The "sheet of glass" thin design looks nice, but it was the THX picture mode that saved the day. Despite the lack of image controls that videophiles love to tweak, the THX preset delivered very good performance right out of the gate; good enough that the reviewer gave it the nod over the G10 series. The review also noted that 24p material was handled correctly, which gives us hope that Panasonic's 96Hz refresh in the US models will finally put 3:2 pulldown artifacts to rest. Hit the link for all the details.[Thanks, Quentin!]
Motorola's V10 for South Korea has a little V9 in it
At the time of their announcement a couple years back, Motorola seemed like it was trying to go for the upper end of the feature phone market with its RAZR 2 V8 and V9 models -- but somehow, that doesn't seem to have translated to the new V10 over in Korea. Visually, there's definitely some new design language here, but the basic concept is the same -- it's a clamshell with a giant secondary touchscreen up front -- and the specs seem mostly un-bumped with a 2 megapixel cam, 2GB cap on microSD expansion, and EV-DO. It'll be on Korean shelves in the next few weeks -- we're just thinking Moto should've come to the table with something a little more technically distinctive to earn a +1 bump in the model designation over the V9, no? [Via Unwired View]
Panasonic 2009 VIERA HDTVs official pricing revealed
Just in case the HDGuru didn't carry enough credibility for you, Panasonic has finally issued a press release with prices and shipping months for most of its 2009 VIERA brand lineup. We've taken a peek, and everything appears to line up with the leaked figures, including that slim wireless HD equipped Z1 and its $5,999 pricetag, while only copping to a summer ship date. The rest of the lineup proceeds downward in pricing and features from there, the wall-busting details are but a mere click of the read link away.
