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The refreshed Audi A7 hits all the right luxury marks
Driving fatigue can set in after just a few hours behind the wheel. Even when you're behind the wheel of some of the most luxurious vehicles in the world, you're going to want to pull over, stretch your legs and give your backside a rest. The same is true for the Audi A7. But while driving it, those rest stops were few and far between.
Audi bets you’ll pay extra for the A7's design and tech upgrades
Logically, you should buy the lower-cost Audi A6. I made an argument that when it comes to the A6 and A7. They share the same powertrain. They handle nearly identically. The problem is, we don't buy cars based on logic. Which is good news for the wonderful looking A7.
Audi’s latest infotainment system is a smarter driving companion
"Does the glass move or is the haptic feedback tricking my brain?" Sometimes you have to ask dumb questions. I was 99 percent sure Audi's updated MMI infotainment system was creating the illusion that the display moved when I pressed it. But, you have to ask questions just in case. I was informed that the glass does not move.
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.
Sony's A7S II is a 4K shooter for your darkest moments
We already got a lovely, refreshed A7R II just a few months ago, and Sony's eager to keep the upgrade train a-rollin'. The company unveiled the A7S II just a few days back, and despite a spec sheet that reads a lot like its predecessor's, this thing seems poised to nab the low-light shooting crown. If you've seen the original A7S in action, you'll know that's no small feat -- let's explore together, shall we?
Audi's self-driving car is traveling 550 miles to Las Vegas
Audi is confident that its self-driving car technology is ready for prime time -- so confident, in fact, that it's about to give the platform a very public long-distance test. An A7 Sportback with the mostly autonomous hardware is traveling 550 miles from Stanford, California, to CES in Las Vegas, with trained members of the press taking turns behind the wheel. Not that they'll be doing much. The A7's cameras, lasers and radar will let it control highway driving so long as it's under 70MPH, and it'll only hand over the reins in "city environments" and other situations where it reaches its limits. This is a marketing stunt, to be sure, but it could show that autopilot systems are capable of taking over during long, monotonous trips.
Engadget Daily: Sony's Alpha A7s, WP8 gets home automation app, 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.
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.
Sony A7 and A7R firmware update brings boosted performance, improved image quality
Sony's flagship duo of mirrorless cameras scored a few improvements today. After updating to firmware version 1.2, A7 and A7R owners will be able to take advantage of boosted image quality, new applications and faster start-up times when the camera is turned on immediately after being powered off. On the IQ front, Sony's managed to reduce color noise in speed priority continuous mode. You may also notice reduced color artifacts at object edges in bright scenes while shooting video. As for the Play Memories Camera apps, firmware 1.2 adds in new Live-view Grading and Smooth Reflection tools. There's also better AE tracking in the Timelapse app. Finally, the update enables compatibility with the new 70-200mm full-frame lens.
Apple explains how the iPhone's fingerprint sensor keeps your info secure
If you've ever wanted to know how the iPhone 5s' Touch ID fingerprint security works beyond a basic overview, you'll be glad to hear Apple has just delivered a motherlode of new details. An updated version of its iOS Security white paper (PDF) explains much of what happens to your finger data after you touch the sensor. In short, your information may be more hack-resistant than it seems at first glance. Each A7 chip has a unique secure space that neither the A7 nor Apple can read, and every authentication session is encrypted end-to-end. The company is also offering a deeper explanation of what it does with your fingerprint image, noting that the print only lasts in memory until it's turned into a decryption key. As we've known for a while, there are safeguards that wipe out that key after 48 hours of inactivity, a reboot or five failed login attempts. While the new insights will only have so much usefulness when developers can't use Touch ID for their own apps, they suggest that there's little to no chance of fingerprint theft or a large-scale data breach.
Early benchmarks suggest NVIDIA's new Tegra chip outperforms Apple and Qualcomm
The graph above comes courtesy of Tom's Hardware and, whichever way you look it, it suggests NVIDIA is onto a good thing. The company's recently announced Tegra K1 processor combines a handful of ARM Cortex-A15 CPUs with a GPU based on the same successful Kepler graphics architecture found in desktops and laptops. The result seems to be a minimum 25 percent lead over the current generation of flagship chips, including Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 and Apple's 64-bit A7, as measured with 3DMark -- although this may not be an especially fair comparison since we don't know the precise wattage of the Thinkvision's processor (if it's more than a few watts, it shouldn't really be compared to the chip in a smartphone). You'll find a roughly similar pattern in other tests over at the source link, but before you disappear into a new tab here's a couple more disclaimers: Firstly, these scores are based on a Lenovo Thinkvision 28 Android all-in-one (with a lovely 4K panel), which Tom's Hardware was led to believe (but not officially told) contains a K1. Secondly, assuming this is a K1, it's definitely not the 64-bit version; it's not running at NVIDIA's claimed max clock speed of 2.3GHz, and it's almost certainly not using market-ready drivers -- all of which suggests that 2014's crop of Tegra K1-powered tablets could be even more powerful than what we're seeing right now. Update: More benchmark scores are spilling out. They still only relate to graphics, and they rely on a pre-release version of GFXBench, but these numbers would suggest that a Tegra K1 reference tablet can match or even beat the 3D performance of an Intel Haswell laptop with integrated graphics, despite the latter presumably burning many more watts.
Bigger is definitely better: shooting with Sony's Alpha 7 and 7R full-frame mirrorless cameras
See those gorgeous twins up there? The ones with retro-styled magnesium bodies and massively megapixeled sensors? Known as the Alpha 7 and Alpha 7R, they're the latest objects of desire from Sony's imaging wizards, and I got to spend a few days shooting with both of them. Sony's betting big on its mirrorless camera business. The company helped to grow the market for these compact Interchangeable Lens Cameras (ILCs), releasing regular (and significant) NEX updates since their introduction a few years back. To date, those compact models have been limited to APS-C sensors -- image quality was quite good, but the camera maker recently began pushing the limits, sprinkling much bigger, full-frame sensors elsewhere into its lineup. Now, it's finally time to meet Sony's new full-frame ILCs. But are they worthy of our affection, particularly when you consider that the 24.3-megapixel A7 will cost $1,700 and the 36.4-megapixel 7R will go for $2,300 (both prices for the bodies only) when they hit stores next month? Read on to find out.
Retina iPad mini teardown uncovers giant battery, iPhone-class A7 chip
Many were no doubt caught off-guard by Apple's not-quite-surprise release of the iPad mini with Retina Display, but iFixit was clearly prepared -- it has already torn down the tiny tablet. The device isn't just a shrunken iPad Air, according to the repair shop. It now includes a (relatively) massive 24.3Whr, dual-cell battery that represents a huge upgrade over the 16.3Whr unit of the original mini. The A7 processor is also the low-power version from the iPhone 5s rather than the souped-up chip found in the Air. iFixit isn't a fan of the Retina iPad mini from a repair standpoint, scoring it two out of 10; there's still gobs of adhesive that would complicate most fixes, the company says. It's unlikely that you'll replace any parts yourself, then, but there's still plenty of juicy details available at the source link.
Hasselblad slaps some wood, $10,000 price tag on Sony's new A7
Let's imagine you've already crashed a Rolls Royce into a pool, flown to the moon and bought that "I Am Rich" iPhone app. What else are you meant to do with your cash? Well, thankfully, Hasselblad is willing to take around $10,000 off your hand in exchange for the Hasselblad Solar. In every other respect, this camera is just a re-badged Sony A7, currently priced at $1,700, albeit clad in a fancy wooden body. Bargain, wouldn't you say?
Sony's full-frame A7 cameras pose for clearer leaked shots
We caught a glimpse of Sony's A7 camera series just a day ago, but the low-resolution image didn't exactly show much. Thankfully, Digicam Info has just posted two leaked press shots that reveal considerably more of the full-frame mirrorless shooters. The images support rumors of a built-in viewfinder and point to options of both a Zeiss-branded 35mm f/2.8 prime lens (above) and a 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 standard zoom (after the break). Unfortunately, there's no photos from other angles to provide further clues. However, Sony Alpha Rumors now claims that the A7r's 36-megapixel sensor will omit the usual antialiasing filter for the sake of preserving detail, much like the Nikon D800E. If you still crave more info, you may not have long to wait -- Sony Japan has been teasing a camera launch on October 16th, which suggests that we could get the full scoop on the A7 in a matter of hours.
Sony A7 reportedly pictured in blurry screengrab, teases viewfinder
Remember that full-frame mirrorless shooter Sony's expected to release? Sony Alpha Rumors claims to have found an (admittedly low resolution) image of the fabled camera. The blurry shot shows a little more than half of the rumored camera's face, teasing undefined outlines of the device's control wheels, as well as a protruding bump that could hide an traditional viewfinder. The rig looks a bit like a mash up between Sony's A900 and the mirrorless NEX-7, borrowing elements from both designs. The camera is rumored to launch later this month, and is expected to come in 24- and 36-megapixel variants (respectively called the A7 and A7r). Check out the source link below for more rumors and speculation.
Qualcomm calls its 'marketing gimmick' comments about the A7 'inaccurate'
Last week Qualcomm's Chief Marketing Officer Anand Chandrasekher caused a bit of a stir when he called Apple's new 64-bit A7 processor a "marketing gimmick" in an interview with IDG news service. Specifically, his words were: "I know there's a lot of noise because Apple did [64-bit] on their A7. I think they are doing a marketing gimmick. There's zero benefit a consumer gets from that. Predominantly ... you need it for memory addressability beyond 4GB [the iPhone 5s only has 1 GB of RAM]. That's it. You don't really need it for performance, and the kinds of applications that 64-bit get used in mostly are large, server-class applications." Chandrasekher's comments, who previously ran Intel's mobile platforms group, were quite shocking in that not only are they highly debatable, but that Qualcomm has a long history with Apple and supplies the modems used in the company's iPhones and iPads. Perhaps unsurprisingly then, that's why Qualcomm issued this statement to Macworld yesterday: "The comments made by Anand Chandrasekher, Qualcomm CMO, about 64-bit computing were inaccurate. The mobile hardware and software ecosystem is already moving in the direction of 64-bit; and, the evolution to 64-bit brings desktop class capabilities and user experiences to mobile, as well as enabling mobile processors and software to run new classes of computing devices." Qualcomm did not provide further comment to Macworld and Apple has yet to issue any comments on the matter.
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.
Chipworks analysis of iPhone 5s A7 and M7 chips highlights Apple's design evolution
iFixit tore down the iPhone 5s last week and gave us a peek at the innards of Apple's new phone. Chipworks has taken that analysis a step further with a detailed look at the chips that power the device. Starting with the A7, Chipworks has confirmed that the A7 is manufactured by Samsung using the same 28nm High-K Metal Gate (HKMG) process the Korean company uses for its new Exynos 5410 processor. It's slightly smaller than the A6 (77 percent the size), but provides the equivalent functionality of the previous-generation chip. The M7 turns out to be an interesting component with a three-axis accelerometer, a three-axis gyroscope and a three-axis electronic compass IC. It's manufactured by NXP and sports a Cortex-M3 microcontroller. The part number for the component (LPC18A1) didn't match any on NXP's website, which leads Chipworks to believe the M7 is likely a custom chip built by NXP to Apple's specifications. Other hardware includes a WiFi module with IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 + HS and an integrated FM radio receiver. Rather than go with a newer Broadcom chip that offers 802.11ac, Apple opted use a WiFi module that is similar to the one in the iPhone 5. There's also a Qualcomm 4G LTE modem with a Samsung LTE baseband processor and some Samsung DRAM to store the carrier information. The eight-megapixel camera module has been tentatively identified as a Sony Exmor-RS sensor, but the exact details are not yet known. [Via Electronista and MacRumors]
