It seems like we’ve been talking about it forever, but 5G is finally picking up steam and being rolled out on a massive scale. The true test of any new connectivity feature, whether it is wifi, Bluetooth, NFC, or 5G, is when it leaps from flagship feature to everyday option, and Qualcomm is taking 5G much closer with their new Snapdragon 690.
If there’s one thing the COVID-19 lockdown has taught us (besides washing your hands, not breathing close to others, and listening to science), it’s that connectivity matters now more than ever. The new reality of working outside the office regularly couldn’t have happened 15 years ago. Lenovo and Verizon are taking that connectivity to the next level with their Lenovo Flex 5G PC.
Linux may not be the first operating system that springs to mind for the average user, but it has plenty of ardent fans. According to Lenovo’s citations, 2.87% of computer users are opting for Linux, which may not sound like much, but imagine if the entire population of Washington State switched to Linux en masse. Yea, there’s a market there, and Lenovo doesn’t want it left behind.
The Lenovo Smart Frame was one of my favorites new products announced at CES this year. Styled like a professionally matted portrait, the 21.5″ Smart Frame uses AI to curate your photo collection and build custom digital collages. A smartphone app will be available with hundreds of artworks that can be displayed on your Smart Frame, but you can also load your own photos. You can use hand gestures to play, pause, or continue the displayed photos or videos.
Back in the day when 4G was just becoming a thing, the initial phones that were released all had a major flaw —the battery would drain almost as soon as the phones came off the charger. MediaTek knows that those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it, and so energy efficiency plus power and affordability are all on the menu with the new MediaTek Dimensity 820 chip.
Do you know what kind of engine is in your car? It’s ok if you don’t; most people don’t pay attention to what makes their car run, they’re just glad it does. The same goes for your smartphone’s internal processor. The phone does its thing, and you’re happy. Just know that MediaTek is on it with constantly improving processors, including the new Helio G85.
Star Wars fans feeling saddened that the Clone Wars series finale arrives on May 4th are getting an early surprise: Disney+ will be launching The Rise of Skywalker that very same day!
We’re all going through the pandemic together, yet in many ways, many of us have never felt more alone. Money worries, employment woes, health fears, cabin fever, and anger at this situation, in general, can result in irrational arguments with your partner or other quarantine-mates, angst, malaise, a general sense of depression, and anxiety attacks. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Rootd wants to help.
If you’re looking for ways to keep yourself and your quarantine-mates entertained while waiting out the pandemic, and if you live in an area with Comcast Xfinity services, you should check out the Easter eggs they’ve hidden that you can access right now with the Xfinity Voice Remote.
If you have a pair of Airpod Pros, you know that white case can get dinged up in your pocket or bag easily. So why not protect your $250 investment with a case from one of the most reputable case makers today, Nomad?
These are some strange and trying times that we all find ourselves in, and the last thing we should be worrying about right now is paying for signs that might help make things clearer for others who show up at our homes or essential businesses. Plum Grove is making all of its coronavirus COVID-19 poster art files free to download for print and distribution.
More than two years ago, I wrote about the new service called Reelgood that had launched to help you track shows and movies across a wide array of streaming services. Since that time Reelgood has quietly gotten better, providing notifications of new episodes of your tracked shows, adding new services, and just refining the experience in general.
Vivint products have made my home much smarter and more secure. The company keeps innovating, recently announcing the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro. “Customers want us to do more than just record and report crime—they expect us to help prevent it,” said Matt Mahar, vice president of cameras at Vivint Smart Home.
Fender announced the American Acoustasonic Telecaster which sold out at launch in January 2019. They have now added a Stratocaster model to the lineup. It takes what was so popular with the initial model and mixes it with the original Stratocaster electric bringing a new genre-blending tool.
Virtual reality has gone from sci-fi to living rooms, though sadly we aren’t yet at Holodecks. However, we’re getting closer, thanks to the innovations of companies like Qualcomm, which is rolling out the Snapdragon XR2 Platform. It may not sound exciting, but don’t let the dry name fool you — it’s a reference design for eXtended Reality, aka better virtual reality!
You probably don’t give much thought to the chips powering your devices, beyond whether everything runs quickly and smoothly. The reality is that a tiny piece of silicon and circuitry is what determines if your camera launches quickly, if you can watch Netflix smoothly, and of course, your ability to catch ’em all in Pokemon Go.
Everything we own these days needs to be charged. Phones, computers, earbuds, toothbrushes, watches, hats…if it’s an item you carry, it probably has a charging cable. Which means you need lots of power bricks. Aukey wants to help, and their new Omnia Series will make your life at least a little easier, even if you need to charge your shoes.
Buying skin concealer is big business, but it also can be extremely complicated. There are different shades, different consistencies, and sometimes you just want to cover a particular area but then have to deal with blending the coverage. Opte thinks they have a solution with a special wand and serum that helps to blend and target problem areas.
If you’ve never had to use a hairdryer, you haven’t given much thought to how time-consuming the process can be. You hold a device blowing air on your head until your hair behaves or you give up and find a hair tie. While Tineco can’t make your hair behave, their Moda One S hairdryer makes the process more intelligent!
The phrase “Doing ____ is like reinventing the wheel” isn’t something I say often, but when it comes to something as simple as a mirror, you’d never think they could truly evolve. But here we are in 2020, and Capstone Connected, a designer of consumer products that attempt to bring tech to everyday necessities managed to do that with their Smart Mirror.
The light in my laundry room doesn’t work properly. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it flashes so rapidly I’ve had friends joke it’s like a strobe light. One thing I learned from this is that there’s no really great solution for lighting in odd spaces, which is why Luminook has me so excited! See, Luminook is exactly what I’m looking for to deal with my laundry room that thinks it doubles as a bad club. It’s a powerful strip of LEDs that can be placed around a doorway in a closet or other poorly lit space that aim outwards to…
