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Sikur launches high-security phones based on Sony hardware
Sikur garnered attention with its reportedly hack-resistant GranitePhone back in 2015, but the follow-up has been a long time in coming -- it only just announced a follow-up in February. The sequels are here, however, and they'll look more than a little familiar. The company has started shipping the SIKURPhone XZ1 and SIKURPhone XA2, both of which run SikurOS (a hardened version of Android) on top of existing Sony hardware. Either device promises "several layers" of security, including a carefully-vetted app store (due to launch by the end of 2018) and a cryptocurrency wallet -- it's just running on branded third-party hardware.
Sony explains why Android updates take so long
If you're like many smartphone owners using non-stock versions of Android, you're probably twiddling your thumbs waiting for your device maker to release an upgrade to Android 9 Pie. But have you wondered why you're waiting so long when your Pixel- and Essential-toting friends already have their upgrades? Sony can explain. In a blog post promising Pie updates for recent Xperia phones (the XZ Premium, XZ1 family and XZ2 series) in November, the company also provided an infographic outlining the steps between Google's OS release and seeing the new software on your handset. It's a simplified take on what's happening, but it does provide a good summary of what's involved.
Sony Xperia XZ1's scanner comes with a 3D printing service
When Sony introduced the Xperia XZ1 at IFA, the Japanese tech giant said it was seeking partnerships with 3D printing services to go with its pre-loaded 3D scanning app. Now, Sony and Sculpteo have revealed that they've teamed up to give people the power to 3D print anything anytime they want to, using only the XZ1. You don't need to fire up your computer during any part of the process at all.
Galaxy Note 8 and Xperia XZ1 are the latest to support Netflix HDR
The incredibly short list of mobile devices that can play Netflix in HDR has grown just a bit longer. If you tend to watch shows on the service while on the go and want to see the best possible pictures on screen, you can now add Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 and Sony's Xperia XZ1 to your choices. Android Police has spotted the two newly launched phones' names in the company's FAQs, along with the first three devices that got the capability: the LG G6, the LG V30 and the Sony Xperia XZ Premium.
Sony Xperia XZ1 hands-on: Pricey camera tricks
I blew my mind earlier this year when I watched my extremely slowed-down footage of a bird in mid-flight. I was testing the Sony Xperia XZ Premium's camera, which can record video at up to 960 fps -- four times as slow as the iPhone's 240 fps. I was mesmerized by the videos, but they still didn't justify the whopping $800 that Sony is charging for that handset. So when I heard that the company was bringing the same camera features to the more affordable Xperia XZ1, I was intrigued. Unfortunately, when Sony revealed the XZ1's price to be $700, most of that enthusiasm evaporated.
