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Audi A8: An evolution in luxury and tech
Driving the Audi A8 along the gorgeous Northern California coastline near Big Sur is a joy. But no matter how wonderful the car may be, it had the opportunity to be better. Possibly. Instead, Audi originally announced that Traffic Jam Pilot, its level-three autonomous feature, was coming to the luxury sedan. Alas, the company had to scrap those plans. The world wasn't ready for a car that drives itself for a short period of time in select situations.
Audi's flagship A8 has an overwhelming amount of tech
The 2019 Audi A8 is one of the most, if not the most technically advanced cars in the world, so when the company offered a test drive, how could we resist? While we didn't get to see the vaunted Level 3 self-driving, there were still a lot of cutting-edge features on display. If anything, the sheer quantity of technology was a little disconcerting when we drove the A8 through the hills of Valencia, Spain.
Audi takes its self-driving car where others dare not go
The self-driving future has a ratings scale. The classifications begin at zero, where you're constantly in charge of all the car's acceleration, steering and braking. Basically a car without cruise control. It ends with Level 5, where the car that doesn't even need a steering wheel or a driver. Currently, if drivers want semi-autonomous features they're getting a Level 2 experience. Like Tesla's Autopilot or Cadillac's Super Cruise, the car can drive itself in specific situations (usually on the highway) but require the human behind the wheel to pay attention and take over at a moment's notice.
Audi introduces its semi-autonomous A8
After a sneak peak of the vehicle parking itself and appearing in Spider-Man: Homecoming, the Audi A8 luxury sedan is finally being shown off in all its high-tech glory. With level-3 autonomy, active electronic suspension, a mild hybrid engine and brand new infotainment system, it's the future of the German automaker's vehicles.
Audi teases self-parking A8 ahead of launch
Audi will launch its next generation A8, which is expected to have level 3 autonomous, on July 11th. Ahead of that unveiling, the company released a video of the new vehicle parking itself.
Apple TV review (2015): A huge leap forward, unless you want 4K
For years, Apple TV has been like a perpetually ignored child, eclipsed by its overachieving siblings, the iPhone and iPad. Design-wise, it hasn't changed at all since 2010, and it's been shackled with one of the most archaic Apple interfaces around, which harkens back to the iPod days. All the while Roku and even Amazon have stepped up their game considerably. Now, with the fourth-generation Apple TV, the set-top box that's been deemed merely as a "hobby" by its parent has finally come into its own. It has more powerful hardware, a significantly redesigned remote and an operating system that's worthy of an Apple product in 2015. And finally, there's a genuine app store, which turns Apple TV into a legitimate platform for entertainment and gaming in your living room. It isn't quite the "future of television" that Apple is promising, but it's getting there.
Jury rules Apple owes $234 million for University of Wisconsin patents
Apple's loss of a patent infringement case to the University of Wisconsin could turn out to be a costly one, as a jury ruled today that it owes the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation $234 million. The technology at issue is used for A7, A8 and A8X processors (found inside the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 series, iPad Air, iPad Mini 2, Apple TV 4 and other devices), and is supposed to increase efficiency. Apple told Reuters that it plans to appeal the ruling, but had no further comment. It had argued that WARF deserved a total fee of less than the $110 million Intel paid in a settlement over the patents, but the jury decided differently. While it can certainly handle the financial hit ,the trouble may not stop there -- WARF has also filed a lawsuit against Apple for its new A9 CPUs that are inside the new iPhone 6s family and iPad Pro. Update: WARF managing director Carl Gulbrandsen said "The jury recognized the seminal computer processing work that took place on our campus. This decision is great news for the inventors, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and for WARF." [Image credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images[
Apple found liable for using University of Wisconsin's patent
Apple can't win every patent lawsuit it's involved with. Here's a good case in point: the tech giant has been found liable of using technology patented by the University of Wisconsin in 1998 without the proper permission. To be precise, that technology was designed to improve chip efficiency as you can see in this USPTO filing, and it was used in iPhones and iPads. The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) filed a case against Intel back in 2008 for using the same patent, but it was immediately settled out of court. It launched the lawsuit against Cupertino in January last year.
Exclusive: The iPhone 6's A8 chip can play 4K video
The iPhone 6 is an incredible device capable of wonderful feats, like shooting 4K video as long as you have the right app. Sadly you can't watch 4K video on the iPhone 6, right? It turns out that's not actually the case. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus can play 4K video right out of the box thanks to its A8 chip. The discovery was made by the developers of WALTR, a great Mac app that allows users to quickly upload video files to their iPhone which aren't supported by iTunes, such as FLAC and MKV files. While testing the app developers found it is possible to playback 4K videos on the iPhone 6. Even if Apple hasn't announced it, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are ready to play 4K videos. Given the company's recent launch of the Retina 5K iMac it's obvious Apple has its sights on an even more high-definition future. We can't wait to see if Apple plans on unlocking the ability to view 4K footage on the device for users in the future. Although an iPhone 6 with 16GB won't store much 4K video, it's quite possible that a future Apple TV using the A8 chip would handle footage flawlessly. In the mean time the WALTR app just earned itself a big new selling point for video fans. Thanks to contributor Brett Terpstra for the tip. The company has posted a video with proof, which you can view here. You can view a video from WALTR below.
Sorry Samsung, report indicates that Apple's new A8 processor is being manufactured at TSMC
After nearly three years of reports, rumors, and scoops which never panned out, it's been confirmed that Apple's new A8 processor is in fact being manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC). Latest news from @Chipworks: The A8 processor was fabricated at TSMC and uses a 20 nm CMOS manufacturing process. - iFixit (@iFixit) September 19, 2014 The news comes courtesy of Chipworks who deduced as much after tearing the iPhone open and examining all of its internal components. Apple said that it has two billion transistors (twice that of the A7) and is reportedly built on TSMC's 20 nm process. At 89 mm2, it is 13 percent smaller than the A7 (102 mm2), while Apple claims it has an up to 25 percent faster CPU and 50 percent faster graphics. It is up to 50 times faster than the original iPhone's CPU and up to 84 times faster at graphics; all while being 50 percent more energy efficient than the A7, which we hope is a good sign for the batteries on those big ol' displays We can tell you that the contacted gate pitch is ~90 nm, which agrees with our report on the Qualcomm MDM9235, also fabbed by TSMC in their 20 nm process. As anyone who's followed Apple over the years can attest, reports of Apple ditching Samsung and instead relying on TSMC to fabricate their series of A-x processors dates all the way back to 2011 when reports surfaced that TMSC would manufacture the A5. Similar rumors emerged in subsequent years regarding the A6 and the A7. The Chipworks teardown of the iPhone is incredibly in-depth and well worth checking out if you're at all interested in where Apple sources all of the components that make up Apple's new iPhone models.
Apple's new iPhones are 25% faster than last year's thanks to the A8 chip
Ah yes: another year, another new iPhone with another new chip at its heart. This year, there are two iPhones -- a 4.7-incher and a 5.5-inch model -- and they're both powered by what Apple's calling a "next-generation" A8 chip. But what can it do for you? Apple's saying it brings a 25 percent speed boost over the iPhone 5s' A7 chip, with a 13 percent size decrease (assuredly helping to keep the duo of iPhone 6 phones so svelte). As much as we like performance, we also like our phones to last longer than five hours -- what does the A8 offer in energy conservation? A 50 percent increase over last year, apparently.
Apple unveils the 4.7-inch iPhone 6
You were expecting it, and here it is: Apple has unveiled the smaller of its two new super-sized smartphones, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. As the leaks suggested, it centers around a larger (by 0.7 inch) 1,334 x 750 Retina HD display in a body that is decidedly slimmer and curvier than its already svelte 5s predecessor, at 6.9mm thick. It's not all about looks, though. The new handset is also running a beefier A8 chip that's claimed to be about 25 percent faster than the A7 you saw the last time around, even as it's up to 50 percent more efficient -- Apple estimates up to 14 hours of talk time, 11 hours of video and 10 days of standby.
Lenovo's latest budget Android tablets focus on high-quality audio
If Samsung's new Galaxy Tabs aren't your cup of tea, Lenovo may have the budget tablets you're looking for. It just unveiled four entry-level Android slates that expand on the sound quality focus we saw in last year's models. The Tab A7-30, A7-50, A8 and A10 all have Dolby audio that should improve your small-screen movie experience. They also have "responsive" (if unnamed) quad-core processors, too. You're mostly choosing devices based on screen sizes. The A7-30 has a basic 7-inch display and optional cellular support, while the A7-50 jumps to HD and throws in a 2-megapixel front camera; move to the A8 and you'll get an 8-inch panel, while the A10 includes (you guessed it) a 10-inch display. Lenovo plans to ship the new Tab A-series worldwide in the second quarter of the year, with UK prices ranging from a frugal £100 ($166) for an A7-30 to a still quite affordable £170 ($283) for an A10. There's no mention of a US launch for the new A-series so far, but we've reached out for more details. We'll let you know if these starter tablets reach American shores.
Apple to continue using Samsung to produce next-generation chip
Earlier this year, Apple and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) inked a three-year deal for the chip manufacturer to produce A-series processors for iOS devices starting in 2014. While the move was seen as a strategic step away from relying on rival Samsung to produce the chips, it's now appearing that it is strictly a move toward diversifying supply away from a single source. The Verge, citing Korean daily Hankyung, says that production of the next-generation A8 chip will be handled primarily by TSMC with Samsung still grabbing about 30-40 percent of manufacturing. Chipworks found that Samsung is the manufacturer of the A7 chip used in the iPhone 5s at this time, so Apple is still relying on the Korean manufacturer for all of the processors used in the flagship iPhone. For future chips, however, it appears that TSMC is ramping up to take on a larger role in Apple's plans.
Apple rumored to need Samsung for some A8 chip production
There have been rumors that TSMC would handle some of Apple's future chip production, but details of the purported arrangement have been vague. The Korea Economic Daily may have just filled us in, however. It claims that Samsung will make 30 to 40 percent of Apple's A8 processors next year, with TSMC presumably assembling the lion's share. Apple wanted TSMC to be the sole manufacturer, but the challenge of building 20 nanometer-class chips led to a supplementary agreement with Samsung, according to the Daily's tipsters. Neither side has commented on the report, so take it with a large grain of salt. If the story is accurate, though, it suggests that Apple will have only modest success in excluding its arch-rival's technology from next-generation iOS devices. [Thanks, Byungjin]
Audi teases 700HP hybrid Quattro Sport e-Tron Concept, A8 Matrix LED lighting
We're still a few weeks out from this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, but that hasn't stopped Audi from showing off concept sketches of its hybrid supercar, the Quattro Sport E-Tron. According to Autoblog, the car will debut at the show sporting a twin-turbo V8 is similar to what's found in the company's RS6, but it has an electric motor bolted on to help it hit 700HP and a 200MPH-plus top speed. Being that it's a hybrid, you can operate solely on battery power, but for only 21.7 miles at a time -- so, if you're looking for something with a little more range, we have a few practical suggestions. Now for news on a model we might be able to actually afford, the A8. Prior to the 2015 model's unveiling, Audi is teasing a few features ahead of time. The A8's exterior lighting got a massive upgrade with the Matrix LED headlamp system, which can auto-dim or shut the highbeams down entirely thanks to a camera that senses other vehicles. Audi didn't neglect the tail lights, either. The turn signals on the luxury sedan now sports 24 LEDs that illuminate sequentially in the direction of the turn, from the inside out. For more info, you'll have to dive into the press release below or check out the model's coming out party on August 21st, right here.
AMD rolls out Elite desktop APUs with Splashtop game streaming
AMD has already shown what its mobile Richland APUs can do, and it's now ready to reveal their desktop equivalents' potential. The company's new, full-power A6, A8 and A10 Elite processors are more evolutionary bumps than overhauls, but they still have a few clear advantages over last year's Trinity chips. Along with a bump in Turbo Boosted frequencies to between 4.1GHz and 4.4GHz (3.5GHz to 4.1GHz normally), the updates ship with Radeon HD 8000 video and can handle speedier DDR3-2133 memory (on the A10). Wireless is just as important as it is with the firm's newest mobile processors: the desktop Elites improve streaming games to other devices using Splashtop, with relatively little lag when modern AMD processors are on both ends. As for performance? AMD didn't have the luxury of comparing against Intel's Haswell chips at the time it gave us benchmarks, but it did claim big gains over Ivy Bridge in both general-purpose computing and gaming. A 4.1GHz A10-6800K is up to 3.3 times faster in OpenCL than a 3.2GHz Core i5-3470, and games like Bioshock Infinite are playable at 1080p (if barely) where they're unusable with the HD 3000 graphics of Intel's CPU. Performance boosts over Trinity are a more modest eight to 21 percent, however. If you want to know how well the Elite line fares in the real world, it won't take much effort to find out. AMD is shipping its processors this month, at very frugal prices that range from $69 to $142. %Gallery-190368%
AMD outlines Elite Performance laptop APUs with game-ready Wireless Display
AMD isn't focusing all its attention on its entry-level mobile APUs today: it's also providing details for the faster Richland-based models. The new A6, A8, and A10 mobile variants fall under the Elite Performance badge, and theoretically beat Intel to the punch with up to 71 percent faster 3D graphics than the current Core i5 family. They also muster about 7.5 hours of battery life with web use, or about an hour longer than we saw in the previous generation. The roster includes both regular power (35W) and low-voltage (17W to 25W) APUs, in dual- and quad-core editions. We're more interested in how well the chips play with other devices and software, however. Besides the face and motion gesture recognition that we've seen before, AMD touts a new take on Wireless Display with low enough latency for game sessions, support for 1080p60 video and native Miracast sharing. The Richland upgrade also introduces a new DockPort standard that can feed both USB 3.0 and up to three external DisplayPort screens through one cable. If you like what AMD is pitching, you won't have to wait to try it -- Elite Performance APUs have already been shipping with MSI's GX60 and GX70, and other vendors shouldn't be far behind. %Gallery-189172%
Simmtronics' $81 XPad debuts, winning the race to the bottom
The marketplace is flooded with cheap tablets at this point. Some of them quite impressive, others are likely to make your tear your hair out. We think its safe to say that Simmtronics XPad will fall firmly in the latter category but, being a high-end pixel-pushing machine isn't the point. The XPad is a highly customizable Android slate designed to be as affordable as possible. The Indian company took the wraps off the product line in Dubai this week, revealing a 7-inch A8-powered machine that puts Ice Cream Sandwich in the palm of your hand for only AED299, or about $81. The company even claimed it could push prices down to about $40, which would make it even more affordable than the elusive Aakash. The race to the bottom isn't over just yet, but it seems like Simmtronics is now the company to beat.
Skytex announces Gemini and Protos: ICS tablets that sound like X-Men
Last time we saw Skytex, it was serving up a warm slice of Windows 7 on its tablets. Now, it's back with a pair of Androids, one under each arm. The Skypad Protos ($279) is 9.7 inches of Ice Cream Sandwich, while the Skypad Gemini ($179) measures in at just 7. Both slates run on 1.2GHz Cortex A8 silicon, shacked-up with a Mali 400 GPU. Other internals include 8GB storage, and 1GB or RAM, HDMI and a microSD card slot for expansion (up to 32GB). The larger Protos has an IPS screen, and a pair of cameras (5- and 2-megapixels) while the smaller Gemini just has the one (2-megapixel). It's not all about what's inside those box these days, as both also come with 5GB of cloud storage, showing these slates know what's on trend right now. With competition getting intense at the cheaper end of the scale, though, is there enough to get your credit card out when they start shipping this month?
