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Eargo Neo is a hearing aid you might actually want to wear
Six years ago I faced a choice: Risk facial paralysis, or potentially lose some hearing in my left ear. I opted for the latter, and two surgeries later, my ability to hear high and mid frequencies on one side is notably diminished. I've tried several hearing aids since then, and while some have worked well, for a combination of reasons (my hearing's tolerable without, the batteries run out too fast, comfort and the stigma / general appearance) I rarely stick with them. Enter the Eargo Neo, a hearing aid that, judging by my list of reasons not to wear something, was pretty much made for people like me.
Pico's standalone 6DoF VR headset is compatible with Vive Wave
You might have missed the original Pico Neo VR headset back in April 2016, but the name is popping up again thanks to its re-release. Following the HTC Vive Focus, the new Pico Neo unveiled earlier today is yet another standalone VR headset with six-degree-of-freedom (6DoF) tracking, and thankfully, it looks a lot better than its predecessor. Much like the Vive Focus, what we have here is a dual-camera inside-out tracking system powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 (so it's likely based on the same development kit) with the same three-hour battery life, but it features a narrower 101-degree field of view instead of 110, and it packs a pair of 90 Hz 1,440 x 1,600 LCDs instead of AMOLED.
Sony's 4K game console is called PlayStation 4 Pro
Sony's 4K PlayStation 4 upgrade has been something of an open secret since before E3, but today the company officially unveiled its high end game console. It's called PlayStation 4 Pro -- and it'll be available on November 10th for $399/£349. It boasts an upgraded, x86-64 "Jaguar" AMD CPU with 8 cores, a 4.2 teraflop AMD Radeon GPU, three USB ports, 5GHz WiFi support and a 1TB HDD. Sony say's it's twice as fast as the regular PS4, and, of course, it's designed specifically for UHD TVs and PlayStation VR.
PS4 redesign supposedly pops up in an online listing
Wondering what Sony might have in store at its September 7th PlayStation event? You might be getting a sneak peek. An online classified listing purports to be selling an as yet unreleased "slim line" PS4 that would be thinner, rounder and (let's be honest) decidedly plainer than the original. There's no mention of whether or not this would be the vaunted 4K-capable Neo, but that seems unlikely when Sony said that Neo would be a more expensive complement to the base system -- 500GB looks pretty basic to us.
NuAns raises funds to release its Windows 10 phone worldwide
When we took a closer look at the NuAns NEO in January, the Japanese company wasn't sure if the Windows 10 Mobile phone was ever going to make it outside its home country. Now, it looks like NuAns has decided to attempt a wider release, because it's raising $725,000 on Kickstarter to fund NEO's global debut. According to the team's campaign, they're using the money they'll get to buy the components needed for the device to work anywhere in the world, not just in Japan.
PlayStation didn't need a new console at E3
Sony didn't show a new, more powerful PlayStation because it didn't have to. But it still had the best show at E3. PlayStation repeated its strategy from last year by focusing on the games. The event was filled with exciting trailers, relaunched classics, release dates for highly anticipated titles and a better look at what's going to come to its VR headset, which arrives in mere months. (And it was refreshingly short on small talk.) Sony played a smarter game than Microsoft.
It's never been harder to buy an Xbox One
Yesterday should've been a triumphant day for Microsoft. The Xbox One S is, on paper, a fantastic iteration on what was already a solid console. It's a thin, striking machine with 4K and HDR support and a seriously attractive proposition for those who don't have an Xbox One already. (By all accounts, that's the vast majority of gamers.) But then Microsoft did something crazy: It announced the next next Xbox, code-named Project Scorpio. And now ... why would anyone buy an Xbox One S?
'PS4.5' report: 4K output, will play nice with older console
The PS4.5 rumors have gotten a bit juicier. The "NEO," as it's being referred to internally, features upgraded specs (an 8-core processor running at 2.1 GHz versus the standard model's 1.6GHz, a stronger GPU and faster RAM) and 4K image output, according to documents obtained by Giant Bomb. But from the sounds of it, Sony is adamant that the NEO should not divide the 35 million-plus userbase of the original PlayStation 4. Specifically, that means the console will use the same PlayStation Network store, same user interface and any purchases made on the base system will carry over.
A closer look at NuAns' Neo, the prettiest Windows 10 phone
Windows 10 Mobile is still a work in progress, but a Japanese phone maker just might have made me a Microsoft convert. Maybe. NuAns' NEO is perhaps the first seriously pretty Windows 10 thanks to its unique split-back design, which couldn't be any further from the subdued style of this year's new Lumias. As it stands, there are 64 possible top-and-bottom combinations, a number that leaps when you factor in some of the secret, special edition covers NuAns is making. I don't think I could ever pull off an ostrich-leather-and-snakeskin phone, but I appreciate having the option.
Want a sleek Windows 10 phone? Go to Japan
Just last week, Microsoft began selling the Lumia 950, the first Windows 10 mobile phone, and though the software showed promise, the hardware itself was lacking in charm. Now, Japanese design firm NuAns is set to release the "Neo," a sleek handset that should make for a nice alternative to the Lumia (if you're okay to trade design for customizability). It sports an interchangeable upper and lower half that can be swapped out, with 64 possible combinations available. The phone is set to retail for around $350 with lower-end specs to match, including a 5-inch, 1,280 x 720 display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor and 16GB of storage (expandable via microSD slot). If this handset sounds like something you can't live without, there's one problem: it's exclusive to Japan. So, unless you want to fly over to pick one up, it looks like you'll have to get creative when customizing a smartphone available in your market.[Image credit: NuAns]
Daily Roundup: Galaxy S5, Samsung's new smartwatches, Nokia's Android phones, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Samsung Gear 2 smartwatches coming in April with Tizen OS and better battery life
Even in an industry known for evolving at an impossibly quick pace, it's rare for a product to be replaced in just five months. If you've read our review of Samsung's Galaxy Gear smartwatch, however, it probably makes sense why the manufacturer would want to antiquate it as soon as possible -- while an interesting concept, the wearable was clearly half-baked. This morning, Samsung is starting off Mobile World Congress by announcing the Gear 2 (shown above, right) and the camera-less Gear 2 Neo (above, left), both of which (the company hopes) will address most of its predecessor's pain points when it arrives in stores worldwide this April. The absence of Galaxy branding is no typo, by the way; the new Gear will run on the Tizen operating system, a platform which Samsung has been investing large amounts of money and resources into. It's not the company's first device running that OS -- that honor goes to the NX300M camera -- but regardless, it's hard to know exactly how different the user experience will be on a Tizen-powered smartwatch instead of an Android-based one. According to Samsung, we can expect a battery life of 2-3 days (two to three times better than the first Gear's one-day life), an "enriched application ecosystem" and some sweeping changes to the external design. Check out the gallery below and join us after the break for more details.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo aims to offer S Pen experience without flagship specs
We've seen the Galaxy Note series get larger and larger as time passes, but this is the first time we've seen the Note actually get smaller. The Galaxy Note 3 Neo has now been officially unveiled by Samsung Poland and will come in two flavors -- 3G and "LTE+," and the latter offers connectivity on higher-speed Category 4 networks (up to 150 Mbps down/50 Mbps up). The two share a lot of similarities, but there are a couple key differences as well: As you might expect, the LTE+ model is the more specced-out of the pair and offers a hexa-core processor consisting of two 1.7GHz Cortex-A15 cores and four 1.3GHz Cortex-A7 cores. The 3G (HSPA+ 21 Mbps) version, on the other hand, will enjoy a quad-core 1.6GHz processor of unknown make. So what's important about the new Neos? Both versions of the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean device feature a 5.5-inch 720p Super AMOLED panel with full S Pen capability, which means you'll be able to take advantage of Air Command, S Note, Multi-Window and other pen-related functions; in other words, it'll be a less-expensive version of the Note 3 for those who want the functionality without the absolute top-of-the-line features. It even comes with the same leatherlike back cover as its flagship counterpart (shown below). The 162.5g Neo is 8.6mm thick, is compatible with Samsung's Galaxy Gear smartwatch and comes with a pretty decent array of specs: You're looking at a 3,100mAh battery, 8MP rear camera/2MP front-facing camera, 2GB of RAM, IR, NFC, WiFi 802.11a/ac/b/g/n, 16GB internal storage and microSDXC capacity up to 64GB. Not too shabby for a "Note 3 mini" of sorts, although we're not sure what the price is at present time. Samsung says we should expect a global rollout next month (except the US and the UK, if the company hasn't changed its mind) in our choice of black, white or green.
Samsung leak points to cut-down Galaxy Note 3 'Neo' with six-core CPU
If you like the idea of a big old pen-equipped Samsung handset but don't want to spend a bundle on a Galaxy Note 3, you might soon be in luck. GSM Arena has unearthed a sales document that spells out the specs for an alleged Galaxy Note 3 Neo, which seems to recycle many aspects of last year's Note 2: a 5.55-inch 720p screen, 8-megapixel camera, 2GB of RAM and 3,100mAh battery. However, the new device would also pack an unannounced 1.7GHz dual + 1.3GHz quad "hexa" chip, which could be a new Exynos processor variant. It'll also sport the same design touches as its big brother Note 3, like the slimmer profile, faux leather back and Magazine UX seen on the new Galaxy Note Pro 12.2. That's assuming the document's for real, of course -- we'll believe it when we see the skeumorphic stitching for ourselves.
Neo N003 may deliver a 1080p smartphone for $145, but don't expect miracles
Neo is known for building smartphones with price tags so low that a Nexus 4 would seem like a luxury. If GizChina's contact (and convenient product render) is accurate, that bang-for-the-buck ratio may grow especially wide in the near future. The N003 will supposedly include a 5-inch, 1080p display and a quad-core processor for a target price of ¥899 ($145) in China for a basic Youth version, and ¥1,499 ($241) for a Premium model -- both big deals for the size, we'd reckon. However, there's little doubt that the N003 at those prices would be slower than a truly high-end phone like the HTC Butterfly, especially considering its pedigree. The N002 uses a MediaTek chip and just 4GB of storage, and earlier rumors have the N003 using MediaTek's frugal MT6589 alongside either 8GB or 32GB of space for its respective trim levels. Neo hasn't confirmed the details as of yet, let alone set expectations. Any alignment between the claims and reality could nonetheless see the N003 punching well above its weight, even if most Americans would never feel the impact.
Parrot Minikit Neo helps you focus on driving, making off-handed Matrix references
Like talking on the phone while driving, but hate all of the crashing it sometimes entails? Parrot's bringing its Minikit Neo to the states later this year, bringing a free Android / iPhone app along for the ride that helps you locate your car, set parking meter fill-up reminders, schedule driving breaks and set auto-replies like, "I'm driving and will call you later," for those times when you're driving and will call people later. The sun-visor-clipping car accessory can connect two Bluetooth-enabled devices simultaneously and features a vibration sensor that'll turn it on and off as you enter and exit the vehicle. The Neo will arrive stateside in September for $100.
Xperia arc and neo get the Android 4.0 treatment, Sony makes good on its upgrade plans
Sony's been pretty forthcoming about its Ice Cream Sandwich rollout, informing users of certain instabilities (see: Xperia Play) and mostly abiding by its planned upgrade schedule. In line with its announcement from last week regarding second round refreshes, Xperia arc and neo handsets have now begun to receive that Android 4.0.4 update, no doubt delighting owners and invoking the ire of their Gingerbread-toting friends. It's a rare moment of reversal that should see owners of those two elder devices from a bygone SE-era enjoying a temporary leg up on their faster, better, flashier brethren. Hit up the source below to see if your phone made the cut.
Sony's latest Xperia update brings WebGL support to 2011 smartphone lineup (video)
Why Sony chose to sit on this one, we have no idea, but the company just revealed that its software update for the 2011 lineup of Xperia phones -- which was released last month -- also adds browser support for WebGL. This means that if you're holding an Xperia Arc, Mini, Neo, Play, Ray... or any other of its most recent handsets, then there's a good chance you're wielding one of the first Android phones to support this modern graphics platform. Designed to bring advanced visuals and gaming to the web, the API holds roots in JavaScript and has been used to develop everything from Angry Birds to far-out music videos. Sony Ericsson first previewed its WebGL efforts back in February, and after all these months, its official arrival is a welcome one, indeed. For a quick demo video, be sure to hop the break.
Refresh Roundup: week of August 1, 2011
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android updates Verizon and Motorola have finally begun rolling out the Gingerbread update for the Motorola Droid X2. [via PCMag] Sticking with Verizon, the LG Revolution is in the process of receiving maintenance update VS910ZV6, which consists of a few new features and bug fixes. This is not a major refresh. [via AndroidCentral] The HTC Desire Z has been updated to Gingerbread in the UK. As of now, only those devices without carrier branding are seeing the OTA show up. [via PocketNow] Unofficial Android updates / custom ROMs / misc hackery Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play, Neo, and Arc should soon be added to the CyanogenMod repository. Once approved, we'll likely see nightlies appear in the near future. [via PocketNow] Did somebody say Xperia Play? Yes, we did. It looks like the phone's finally been rooted, and the bootloader's been cracked. [via Droid-Life] The Motorola Photon 4G came out last Sunday, but XDA was able to root it within a couple days. [via SprintFeed] XDA's also the provider of a Froyo update to the Samsung Continuum. [via XDA] Along with an official update for the Droid X2, an SBF is now available for download. [via Droid-Life] Other platforms The Dark Forces Team has released tools to enable custom ROMs to be used on your first-gen Windows Phone device. Currently, the supported phones are: the HTC Mozart, HTC Surround, HTC Trophy (excluding Verizon's version), and the HTC 7 Pro (excluding the HTC Arrive). [via Windows Phone Hacker] Shortly after this, the HTC HD7 also got its first custom ROM courtesy of XDA. The downloadable package consists of a ChevronWP7 unlock, a Mango Beta 2 update, and the ROM. Head over to XDA to grab it. [via Windows Phone Daily]
Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo review
Not every smartphone needs to be a Samsung Galaxy S II. There's plenty of room in the market for a reliable workhorse that delivers smooth productivity and media without maxing out your credit limit. The Xperia Neo aspires to precisely this grounded ambition, selling for £320 ($515) off-contract in the UK (or free on contract from £20 per month), versus £400 ($650) for its bigger-screened sibling, the Xperia Arc. For the money, you'll get a Gingerbread handset with a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 processor, 8 megapixel camera, and a 3.7-inch (854x480) display. The Neo rides a not-so-fine line -- it can be a trusty companion at best, or a cause of daily teeth-grinding at worst. Let's find out why. %Gallery-128197%
