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Philips Afterglow promises a whole new generation of Ambilight TVs
Philips has been hawking Ambilight HDTVs with a series of customizable LEDs that let the picture "bleed" onto the wall behind for a decade now. At the company's annual IFA press conference, however, the company closed the show with a concept video called Afterglow, which, if it becomes a reality, might make TV viewing significantly more immersive. In a demonstration, action shots were recreated in detail beyond the bezel, as if some short-throw mini projectors have been welded to the underside of the TV. After asking around, it transpires that the tech isn't a concept as much as a very early prototype, and the technology won't be arriving until 2016 at the earliest. In terms of how the company has made the images, it won't say beyond that it's a "new" process, but since it hasn't been patented, no one's prepared to talk details. Still, given that Microsoft's Illumiroom isn't likely to become available to the mainstream, perhaps Philips' slightly more modest version might be the way forward.
A closer look at LG's circular G Watch R (hands-on)
LG was one of the first out of the gate with an Android Wear smartwatch and, well, let's just say there was room for improvement. The original G Watch suffered from short battery life, a high price and a homely design. Now, just a few months later, LG is back with the G Watch R, the first smartwatch with a completely circular screen (read: no black strip at the bottom, like on the Moto 360). Unfortunately, the G Watch R doesn't correct all of the original's shortcomings -- it has a similar-sized battery, rated for up to two days, and an LG rep told us it will be more expensive.
How Samsung's VR headset convinced John Carmack to join Oculus VR
John Carmack's name isn't synonymous with virtual reality just yet. He's still "the guy who led programming on Doom and Wolfenstein" to most folks; the co-founder of acclaimed development studio id Software. And that's exactly why it was such a big deal when he suddenly left id Software last year to join Oculus VR as chief technical officer. Though Palmer Luckey and co. helped sway him with their own Rift headset, Carmack was eventually sold on the gig by Samsung's mobile VR concept: Gear VR. "That was really the prime thing that motivated me to decide: No, I'm gonna devote 100 percent of my attention and focus to Oculus," he told Engadget in an interview this week.
Huawei's new phablet gets an iPhone 5s-like fingerprint reader
As you probably know, Huawei is one of the many Asian mobile companies that are obsessed with phablets due to local demand. As such, it's no surprise that there's a follow-up model to the 6.1-inch Ascend Mate 2. Announced at IFA just now is the slightly smaller 6-inch Ascend Mate 7 (yes, somehow it skipped four model numbers), which, as you've probably already seen in the leaks, features a fingerprint reader on the back. As it turns out, unlike the traditional swipe-style scanner on, say, the similar-looking HTC One Max, the Mate 7 uses a more convenient one-touch sensor similar to that of the iPhone 5s.
Lenovo's ThinkPad Helix returns with a thinner design and longer battery life
Lenovo's ThinkPad Helix Windows convertible was always a promising device. Here was a tablet that could fit into its keyboard dock with the screen facing forward or backward. It had a full HD display and an active digitizer for pressure-sensitive pen input. Best of all, it used proper laptop-grade processors, ensuring you'd get performance more in line with an Ultrabook than a standalone tablet. Sure, its weird cooling flap and pointy dock-guides made it cumbersome to use, but in spirit, at least, we were on board. We hoped Lenovo would try again with a refreshed design. At last, the company has done just that -- more than a year after the original first went on sale. The new Helix arrives later this fall with a thinner, fanless design, not to mention slightly longer battery life.
Lenovo reveals the Vibe Z2, its very first 64-bit smartphone
Lenovo might not be known for its smartphones around these parts (Motorola's new wares should change that soon), but it's definitely no slouch where the rest of the world is concerned. To no one's surprise, the Chinese juggernaut's family of phones just got a little bigger today at IFA: The company just pulled back the curtain on a pair of devices called the Vibe Z2 (pictured above) and Vibe X2.
Wacom's new iPad styli are a (pressure) sensitive bunch
If you're tired of poking at your tablet screen with a dirty twig, perhaps it's time to invest in a proper stylus, eh? Digital doodling specialist Wacom is knowledgeable about these kinds of things, and at IFA this year, it's introducing a new range of styli that might be just the ticket. The simplest of the bunch is the third-generation of Bamboo Stylus, a fairly standard model with a slight difference: The rubber tip is coated in carbon fiber, meaning there's basically zero friction when you're moving it around on tablet glass. There are two variants, as well -- one that's just the stylus (the solo) and another with a ballpoint pen on the opposite end (the duo). It comes in a choice of colors, from the more understated silver or gray, to the shoutier blue, green, orange and pink.
Garmin's Vivosmart is part fitness band, part smartwatch
Considering how many damn smartwatches and fitness bands we've seen, it's incredible how few of them manage to combine aspects of both. Sure, there was the Fitbit Force, which was designed to show incoming calls for iPhones, but that was discontinued after a recall. The Samsung Gear Fit and Gear 2 have some fitness features, but you need a Samsung phone to use them, and besides, the step and heart-rate tracking aren't very accurate anyway. You might even remember the Razer Nabu, which won our People's Choice Awards at CES, and promised to display notifications for emails, among other things. But since that still hasn't come out, it's basically a moot point. All of this is to say: There's a wide-open market for fitness trackers that can also do the core job of smartwatches. Enter Garmin. The company just announced the $170 Vivosmart band, a fitness tracker that shows texts, emails, calls, calendar appointments, game notifications and music playback controls. For the time being, at least, it might be the most versatile fitness device you're going to find.
Samsung's latest 105-inch UHD TV isn't just curved: It bends too!
Perhaps 85 inches isn't enough? Samsung's just introduced a 105-inch curved, bendable UHD TV (21:9 aspect ratio) at its IFA 2014 press conference. That means not only is it a massive, Ultra High-Definition screen, but also that it transforms "from flat to curved" at the touch of a button. If all that sounds expensive to you, that's because it is: the non-bendable version is around $120K, so we can only imagine how much this one'll cost (Samsung didn't offer a price this morning, sadly). If nothing else, it's quite pretty! Head past the break for a closer look.
Boot content to any TV wirelessly with Screen Sharing for Lumia
In addition to a pair of smartphones, Microsoft announced a new screen-sharing tool for Lumia devices at the company's Berlin press event today. Screen Sharing for Lumia is compatible with any television or other display with an HDMI port. The compact $79/€79 box, which is powered by micro-USB and supports 1080p output, lets you mirror your Windows Phone's screen. It ships with an NFC "coaster" that lets you pair your handset without walking over to the box itself. The device will work with Lumias that support screen projection, along with WiFi Miracast products. It's expected to ship later this month.
Microsoft introduces the Lumia 730, aka the 'selfie phone'
Having recently refreshed the top and bottom ends of its lineup, it only makes sense for Microsoft Devices (formerly Nokia's phone division) to renew its efforts on the devices that fall squarely in the middle. One such device is the Lumia 730, which now replaces the aging 720. The dual-SIM 730, along with its LTE twin known as the 735, are being billed as "the selfie phone." It's got a 5MP camera on the front, which is not necessarily the highest resolution in a device, but Microsoft is boasting a wide-angle lens that beats out a lot of flagship offerings.
Microsoft's Lumia 830 offers PureView imaging at a lower cost
Microsoft Devices, formerly known as Nokia's phone division, is no slouch when it comes to its device lineup. Lately, it's been focused on refining the top and bottom of its Lumia Windows Phone lineup, but the phone maker came to IFA in Berlin with a couple of devices to freshen up the middle of the pack. The company's strategy: Bring the PureView brand, which has typically been associated with Nokia's premium phones, to a more affordable price point on the Lumia 830. In fact, Microsoft bills the 830 as "the affordable flagship." The device looks a lot like the Lumia 930 because it comes with the aluminum frame and subtly curved polycarbonate back. While it uses the PureView name, the rear camera's 10MP resolution isn't quite as good number-wise as the 930 or 1020, but it's understandable given the lower price point. Still, the device will come with plenty of extra software enhancements to improve the experience.
CAT's next phone is so rugged we're surprised it doesn't have a beard
We'd hate to admit it, but you could never really mistake your humble narrator for a manly man, breaking cinder blocks with his pectoral muscles and hanging out at monster truck rallies. That doesn't mean, however, that we can't appreciate the engineering and effort that went into CAT's newest rugged smartphone, the S50. We're told that it's designed "for the outdoors," that terrifying world where there's no WiFi and comfortable furniture we see only in our nightmares. The 4.7-inch handset is coated in a liberal helping of Gorilla Glass 3, but the first time we asked about resolution -- which we later learned is 1,280 x 720 -- the device just glowered at us as if we'd challenged its masculinity.
HTC's Desire 820 is a mid-range flagship phone with 64-bit support
When it's not producing flagship phones like the One (M8) or the Butterfly 2, HTC is flooding the rest of the market with several Desire models. These devices vary anywhere from mid-range (like the Desire 816, released in February) to low-end (the Desire 210), and everywhere in between. This week, the company is launching another model, called the Desire 820, which is geared toward the former group -- in fact, HTC says this is meant to replace the six-month-old 816. But with a few better specs and an octa-core chipset with 64-bit compatibility, it's hard to blame Peter Chou and his army of design-oriented individuals for coming out with another one so soon.
Sony tries to stay relevant in the wearables game with its new watch and fitness band
At today's conference in Berlin, Sony quickly announced two smart devices that happen to fit on your wrist. Both wearables are follow-ups to previous versions: The 229-euro SmartWatch 3, which is a plainly named Android Wear sequel, and the 159-euro SmartBand Talk, which takes last year's fitness band and adds an e-paper display, mics and speakers. Each device got some face time during Sony's presser, but they were overshadowed by the rest of the company's mobile lineup, so I spent a little extra time with them both after the show.
Panasonic's bringing Technics back with a pair of high-end amps
Technics, Panasonic's high-end audio brand, may never have actually gone away, but it certainly fell out of the gaze of the mainstream. Now, however, the company feels that it's the time for the name to make a comeback with a pair of speaker-and-amp combinations that'll appeal to audiophiles everywhere. At the top end is a "Reference Series" R1, which comprises of a stereo amp, network audio control player and a pair of speakers. If your cash won't stretch that far, however, then you'll be able to shift down a gear with the "Premium Series" C700 range, which offers an amp, speakers, network audio player as well as - wait for it - a compact disc player. There's no word on what the company is going to be pricing this hardware at, but we'd assume that Technics won't sully its name with some budget devices. Still, it won't be long until we find out, since both ranges will land in Europe in December, with global sales coming in early 2015.
Amazon's Fire TV finally comes to Europe, UK and Germany get first dibs
Americans have been able to get their fill of Amazon's set-top box for a few months. Now it's Europe's turn! The internet giant is bringing the Fire TV to the old world, and it'll be up for pre-order tonight. Customers in Germany will get first crack at it, when it ships on September 25th for €99. If you're an existing Prime subscriber, Amazon will cut that figure in half to just €49. The UK will get its chance on October 23rd. There you'll get the same discounted price of £49 for being a prime member, but it'll only cost £79 if you haven't already pledged yourself to the Amazon ecosystem. If you haven't already bought a Roku, Chromecast or Apple TV, perhaps this is the streaming box you've been waiting for. If it isn't... well then, you're running out of options. Update: If you want to cash in on those discounts you better move quick. The deal is only good for the next five days.
Sony's new tablet lets you play PS4 games and call your mother
There's a French phrase, un beau affreux, which means that something is ugly and beautiful at the same time. As soon as we got our hands on Sony's Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact, we wished the French had also come up with a phrase that means simultaneously colossal and small. That's the paradox at the heart of the company's tablet, which packs an 8-inch display, but thanks to its 6.4mm thickness and 0.6-pound weight, feels almost insubstantial, as if you'd still try to fit this into a pocket. That's not a criticism, either, because if you found the Galaxy Note to be a bit too small for your needs, this could replace it in your affections.
A closer look at Sony's Xperia Z3 flagship
The Xperia Z2 is just over six months old, but Sony's intent on staying ahead of the curve with the new Xperia Z3, announced today. With a 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, a whopping three gigs of RAM and various other high-end components, like a 20.7-megapixel camera, we're talking about serious future-proofing, even if it's still a relatively incremental upgrade over its predecessor. Sporting more or less the same omnibalance design with aluminum detailing round the perimeter, you're going to need to be a fan Sony's previous work to appreciate the Z3. Anyone who may've found the Z2 unwieldy, however, might see the more refined, newer flagship as a viable option.
Sony's Xperia Z3 Compact represents what all 'mini' phones should be like
Miniature. Every phone maker is trying out the Mini Me approach these days, but most of them don't do it very well. Sony's one of the exceptions: Last year the manufacturer came out with the Xperia Z1 Compact, which was a smaller version of the flagship phone with almost the same specs. This is a big deal, because more often than not, "mini" models don't get the same stellar treatment as their bigger siblings. Fortunately, the first Compact must have done well enough for Sony to give the concept a second walk around the block; enter the Xperia Z3 Compact, which debuted today at IFA 2014 in Berlin.
