clubtech

[clubtech]

Xbox Scorpio games will run at native 4K (so long as they're made by Microsoft)

While Sony sends out mixed-messaging around its PS4 Pro console's 4K abilities, Microsoft has come out fighting, reaffirming that its Xbox Scorpio games will run natively at 4K.

Well, at least those developed internally by Microsoft's studios, that is.

Speaking to USA Today, Microsoft Studios publishing general manager Shannon Loftis stated that "any games we're making that we're launching in the Scorpio time frame, we're making sure they can natively render at 4K."

Upscaling vs native 4K

With six teraflops of performance power, Microsoft is claiming that its console will be the most powerful ever built by the time it launches in time for Christmas 2017. With Microsoft stating its machine is 40 per cent more powerful than the PS4 Pro, native 4K content is a top selling point, usually the reserve of PC gamers.

However, after a press conference which leaned heavily on the term 4K, it now appears that not as many PS4 Pro games run at native 4K as expected.

Speaking to Digital Spy, PlayStation president Andrew House said of the PS4 Pro's games that "I would say the majority will be upscaled - at least based on the game portfolio I have seen to date."

When pressed that the 4K buzz around the console may be misleading, House added:

"I think that whatever the term is, it's a question of whether people see a demonstrable difference in the game experience or not, rather than the term we use to apply to it. I think that's what people are looking for and they'll make their judgement as to whether that's working for them or not."

Whether Microsoft's third-party Xbox developers are able to match the first party push towards 4K will remain to be seen, but for the time being Sony's lack of consistent messaging on the subject will damage the console's prospects.

[clubtech]

Android-x86 let you run Android Marshmallow on your PC

As you, all know about the fact that Android is one of the most used smartphone operating system around the world. Keeping in view its enormous popularity and the profusion of all kinds of the apps available on the play store, Numerous Android developers have been working on Android for the enhancement of Android to the Pc. Presently, Android-x86 is the first durable release, specially designed for Android Marshmallow is released and has been making the process more smooth than it was.

Android-x86

Android-x86 is an open source project, a project whose codes are available on the internet, to place Android over to the x86 platform. This project has been initiated by the group of missionary developers who have been working together to port Android to hardware that works on AMD and Intel processors.

Usually, Android smartphones have been operating in ARM chips, for which Android was formally created for so it takes a lot more effort to make it operate on other chips.

Latest Features:

The kernel has been updated to 4.4.20 with more patches from AOSP

Updated Mesa to 12.0.2

Added HDMI audio support

Added F2FS support

Changed trackpad cursor from circle to normal mouse pointer

Improved suspend/resume issues caused by wifi drivers

The latest release of Android-x86 means that there is an easy and smoother way to run Marshmallow (Android 6.0) on your PC.

This operating system supports both BIOS and UEFI firmware and can also be used to generate a bootable USB-stick.

There are also many other ways to operate Android operating systems on your PC just like BlueStacks and Remix OS, an operating system which itself based on the work of the Android-x86.

[clubtech]

Microsoft may call it quits on fitness wearables

ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley reports that Microsoft has no plans to release a new Band fitness tracker this year. What’s more, the company has supposedly dissolved a team of engineers tasked to getting Windows 10 running on the existing Microsoft Band and Band 2.

Meanwhile, on the surface, Microsoft instated a deep discount on September 2, bringing down the price of the Band 2 to $175 (about £130, AU$230) from its original retail price of $249 (£199, AU$379). Typically, price cuts happen to clear out inventory for next generation devices or an ultimately discontinued device, so it could still go either way.

However, given the difficulty Microsoft has been running into with devices that split completely or tear apart at the seams, the company has enough reason to step out of the wearable world.

Microsoft has only officially stated that it will “continue to sell Microsoft Band 2 and remain deeply committed to supporting our customers and exploring the wearables space.”

Instead of producing the next Band 3, Microsoft might be focusing on improving its software as it has also stated “we continue to invest and innovate in the Microsoft Health platform, which is open to all hardware and apps partners across Windows, iOS, and Android devices.”

[clubtech]

Hands on: iPhone 7 review

What's new with the iPhone 7? Either a lot and very little, depending on what matters to you in a phone.

On the one hand, it's now imbued with far superior sonic performance, a much better camera and a more pleasant-to-use screen – and now has no port to plug your headphones into.

On the other hand, barring some slippage of the antenna bands on the rear of the phone, this looks remarkably similar to the iPhone 6 and 6S that preceded it.

So, again, we're in the position of having to work out whether the upgrades to the new iPhone are worth the money, or whether you can save some cash and stick with the iPhone 6S – after all, for a lot of people there's a certain status to owning a new iPhone, and without a radical shape change, the iPhone 7 doesn't offer that upgrade.

iPhone 7 price and release date

Coming in 32GB, 128GB and 256GB flavors Prices start at $649 (£539, AU$1,079) On sale September 16 The iPhone 7 price is pretty typical, with just three choices once more. These are the 32GB model (thankfully the 16GB option, which was just too small to store today's glut of large apps, is gone), a 128GB option and the top-of-the-range 256GB choice – which is pretty meaty, and unlikely to be filled by even the most ardent media-hoarder.

The 32GB model will cost 32GB $649 (£539, AU$1,079), the 128GB $749 (£619, AU$1,229) and the high-end 256GB $849 (£699, AU$1,379)… but in fairness to Apple, this has matched the price ranges of previous iPhone launches, so the extra memory isn't costing more money, and starts to put the debate over whether Apple should allow for expandable memory to bed, as internal storage is far more stable day to day.

In the UK, the price has been set at the 'normal' amount for the iPhone 7 - for instance, the 32GB version with 5GB of data will cost you around £40-£45 per month with up to £100 upfront cost, and that scales up as you add in more capacity.

As you can see... it's certainly not cheap.

Whichever storage size you go for, the iPhone 7 release date has been predictably set for the week after the announcement, meaning you'll be able to get your hands on one from September 17, with pre-orders starting September 9. If you're thinking of queuing all night, take a blanket, okay? We don't want you catching a cold.

Design

Headphone jack removed Water-resistant Dual speakers When it comes to the look of the new phone, it might seem like Apple's done very little to change the iPhone 7 design, and that's true to a degree.

The iPhone 7, like the 4, 5 and 6 before it, was supposed to radically change the way the iPhone looks; however, the dimensions and screen size are nearly identical to last year's model, meaning that if you plop a case on this phone you'll struggle to tell the difference between phones from 2014 and 2016.

There are some big changes here, though, and let's start with the biggest one: the loss of the headphone jack.

There are multiple theories as to why Apple has done this, ranging from the conspiracy-based (the company is just doing it to make money from the license fee manufacturers have to pay to create Lightning port headphones) to the helpful (the space taken up by the headphone jack means a thinner phone, and more space for battery).

Apple claimed in its keynote that it had taken "courage" to get rid of the "ancient" port – whether that's good enough remains to be seen.

Either way, it's gone, and that's going to irritate a lot of people who haven't prepared themselves for this moment, watching as Motorola's Moto Z handset performed the same trick earlier in the year and didn't seem to take too much flak as a result.

The good news is that the iPhone 7 will come with a Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack in the box (ha, jack-in-the-box, just got that one) to help users make the transition – many of us have spent good money on decent headphones and don't want to suddenly have to convert them to Lightning cables, and this will help smooth the process.

There's also a pair of Lightning-powered Earpods, so you'll at least not have to use the connector all the time, especially if you're a fan of basic audio.

The look and feel of the phone is similar to iPhones of the past three years, with the edges nicely rounded and feeling smooth in the hand – there's a good argument here for 'if it ain't broke...', as Apple already had one of the best-looking phones on the market.

The Jet Black model we tried initially was shiny and had an almost plastic feel to it, although the other colors are more matte and traditional.

The movement of the antenna bands on the back is a nice touch though – there's something pleasing about the way the back isn't as broken-up any more, with a solid plate of color looking back at you... you almost wonder why this wasn't done originally when the iPhone 6 emerged, but there are a lot of engineering feats that go on under the surface of smartphones that probably explain that pretty easily.

Talking of colors, it's nice to see the iPhone 7 now coming in Jet Black and just... Black, adding a new shade into the mix – and it's probably the nicest of the lot. Sadly, this means Space Gray is now dead, so you're still slightly limited in your choices

And the other big change: this thing is now water-resistant, with its IP67 rating meaning you can't take it swimming, but you can fall in the pool and take it into the shower... if that's your thing.

New home button

Home button no longer physically clicks Uses haptic feedback to simulate clicks

Apple hasn't done away with the home button as some people predicted, but it has done something odd: made the button haptic, so that it vibrates under your finger, rather than clicking all the way in.

It still houses the fingerprint scanner, but this doesn't function in the same way as before.

When you consider how iOS 10 works, with just picking up the phone firing the screen (so you can see your notifications) that makes sense here, but the lack of a tactile click is a tough one to deal with – you'll get used to it, but there's no doubt that it's nicer to feel a comforting press.

It's a hard sensation to get your mind around actually - the idea you have to press harder on this part of the phone without a reason. Yes, the haptic feedback lets you know when you've achieved the right pressure, but it's not the same as a click.

There's also the issue of Siri sometimes firing up when you're pushing too hard - we're sure it'll come with time, but it didn't feel as intuitive as it could have.

Screen

Screen 25% brighter No sharpness upgrades

Apple has been behind the curve when it comes to screen resolution for a number of years – and it clearly doesn't care. The near-720p screen feels like a dinosaur in 2016, being seen on phones as far back as the early 2010s – but the sharpness doesn't tell the whole story.

Apple's use of LCD technology, the way the screen is bonded to the glass above, and the overall color reproduction are still excellent, and greatly offset the lack of sharpness – which can be seen in side-by-side comparisons with phones like the Galaxy S7.

It once again shows that Apple isn't thinking about adding virtual reality into the mix for at least another 12 months, as the amount of pixels on the screen right now just can't handle it.

But, as mentioned, the iPhone 7 screen isn't about the resolution, it's about the quality, and bringing in the high color gamut that really is designed to make things pop off the screen.

However, in practice it's hard to say that it really looks that different – the contrast ratios look better, sure, but it's nothing mind-blowing.

It still feels somehow cheap that there's no upgrade to 1080p resolution, or a larger screen than the 4.7 inches we've seen the past few years; Samsung is easily showing the way here with QHD resolution, and it undoubtedly looks better.

There are arguments to be made for increased battery life through having fewer pixels to drive, but Apple should have improved things here, and solved that problem in the same way its peers have. That's not saying 'we want a higher spec for the sake of it' – it would be a real improvement.

Music

Front-facing speakers OK - not amazing

AirPods offered to allow instant wireless streaming

Some HI-Res Audio file support still missing

Good audio output over headphones

When we were guessing what Apple would make the central point of the iPhone 7, music was high on the list – after all, why would you get rid of the headphone jack if you weren't going to offer an improvement in the sonic quality?

The Lightning port can carry a tremendous amount of data across to your headphones, and Apple has boosted the iPhone 7's audio capabilities to match.

Let's start on the outside first though: the new iPhone has dual speakers, rather than the single mono output at the bottom of the phone. These are positioned top and bottom to create decent stereo sound, and the different angles make listening to tunes or watching films a real treat.

When it comes to the internal sound quality, we didn't get long to play with the iPhone 7 and properly assess its audio quality – that's something we're looking forward to doing in our full iPhone 7 review.

However, in terms of the abilities of the iPhone 7, we're expecting some big tweaks inside to improve the quality of the output – and with a bit more research, find out if Apple has added in support for Hi-Res audio files.

That's a big deal, given that the Lightning port can now handle the data transmitted from the better audio quality, and Apple has made a big deal about how this is a great way to get sound out of your phone into your ears. It didn't convince us that it was any better though, beyond freeing up some space for the Taptic engine behind the home button.

Apple has also unveiled another big change: its own proprietary wireless standard. This isn't like the Bluetooth you know, a fact that's illustrated by the new AirPods, which you connect just by placing them by your phone.

They're wireless, but in all other ways they're very similar to the current earpods, apart from their infrared sensors, which can tell when they're in your ears.

It would be a surprise if Apple has decided not to include Hi-Res audio support – while it's beefed up the sound output of the iPhone 7, there's currently no sign of the ability to play back the better-quality files that would really make use of the Lightning port in terms of clear audio quality.

Camera

Better low light performance with f/1.8 aperture Improved color capture 4-color LED flash

Apple hasn't really done a huge amount to the camera on the iPhone 7, although there are a few tweaks that will make a difference when compared to the iPhone 6S.

The first of these is cosmetic (for a good reason): the camera bump is now more pronounced than ever, which will irritate those who like to place their phone down on a table without a wobble. (Although let's hope nobody goes as far as grinding off the protrusion to ensure a flush fit this time around).

The snapper on the back of the iPhone 7 is still a 12MP affair, designed to take the best quality pictures without overburdening the phone's engines. That upgrade, along with the larger sensor that's resulted in the camera bump, means you'll get improved low-light pictures, richer snaps in day to day photography and faster shutter speeds too.

The big change here is to the improved color reproduction - it looks OK on the screen when a picture is taken, but it didn't feel startlingly better. Perhaps the monochrome demo area wasn't the best place to try it out, but it seemed that it could be a little brighter.

Live photos are obviously back, needed to make the automatic highlight reels that iOS 10 is offering up look more exciting.

However, unlike the dual-camera setup on the rear of the iPhone 7 Plus, there's not a lot more to talk about here – pictures are a bit better than from last year's iPhone, but without the dual-camera array the iPhone 7 feels a little less exciting than its larger phablet sibling.

The front-facing camera has been boosted to 7MP, with some of the light-enhancing smarts from last year's iPhone 6S rear camera too, to enhance the ability to take selfies.

Battery

Battery size found to be 1950mAh - upgrade on 6S

New A10 Fusion chip said to be kinder on battery life for smaller tasks

Apple has increased the battery life of the iPhone 7 compared to its predecessor, which is the least you'd hope for given that the shape hasn't changed much. However, there was actually a slight battery life drop from the iPhone 6 to 6S (to allow for the 3D Touch screen), so there's no certainty that the new iPhone will extend battery life.

Apple is claiming the iPhone 7 can now last up to two hours longer in 'day to day use' mode than the iPhone 6, and an hour longer than the iPhone 6S, with a lot of these enhancements down to the new A10 Fusion chip, which also allows for low-power efficiency now that it's been boosted to four cores – two for heavy lifting, and two for more menial tasks.

Apparently the iPhone 7 has a 1960mAh battery, which is up from 1715mAh on the iPhone 6S - but whether that will lead to an increase in battery life, with the new haptic feedback requiring more power, remains to be seen.

Early verdict

We'll be honest: this is an odd choice from Apple, keeping the same chassis shape as before. Yes, the iPhone 6S was a well-designed phone, and there's no law that says Apple has to reimagine its handsets just for the sake of it.

Apple prefers to let how well its phones actually work day to day sell them, rather than just busting out new specs left, right and center. However, after the recent dip in iPhone sales we expected Apple to come out with something big and new, the great hope for its phone division that re-inspired the buying masses to go for the latest model.

A phone is far more than its cosmetic appearance – and for many, the lack of changes in terms of the way it looks won't matter, as the range of upgrades internally will be enough to satisfy. Its water-resistance is a new feature that will help a lot, and the screen upgrades do improve the quality.

But losing the headphone jack is going to be a tough sell to those not wedded to the iPhone ecosystem, and while Apple has limited the damage by including a converter in the box, it will still give pause to potential buyers.

The iPhone 7 feels iterative AGAIN, which is an odd move at this inflexion point in the company's history. Is this because Apple knows there's not a lot of scope left for innovation in terms of smartphone design? Or is there a big change coming further down the line – could we see the iPhone 8 next year, with all the changes we thought we might see here?

For now, though, the iPhone 7 is exactly what you'd expect from Apple: a glossy, powerful and smooth device with the requisite upgrades in the key areas... whether that's enough, however, is a discussion topic for our full iPhone 7 review.

[clubtech]

Iphone 7 Launched : 

At a special event in San Francisco on Wednesday, Apple unveiled the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus smartphones. The new iPhone models will launch in India on October 7, with the iPhone 7 base model starting at Rs. 60,000, with no word yet on India price of other models.

In the US, the iPhone 7 starts at $649 (approximately Rs. 43,000) for the new 32GB entry-level variant, doing away with the 16GB model, while the iPhone 7 Plus start at $769 (approximately Rs. 51,000) for same 32GB storage. Apple has also doubled the storage variant on other models, with 128GB and 256GB models now rounding up the lineup. Pre-orders open this Friday in select countries shown in the image below and the new iPhone models will ship in these regions on September 13.

The latest iPhone models comes with a new design, doing away with the antenna lines at the back, and they will be available in two new colours: (matte) black, jet (glossy) black, in addition to gold, silver, and rose gold, seen earlier. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus also feature a redesigned home button which is now solid-state and force-sensitive. It uses Taptic vibrations instead of a physical click, just like the trackpad on the latest MacBook and MacBook Pro models. Apple has also added IP67 water and dust resistance, a first for the iPhone series.

There are camera improvements, with the iPhone 7 also getting optical image stabilisation (OIS). There's a new 6-element f/1.8 aperture lens with 12-megapixel sensor and quad-LED with True Tone Flash. A new 7-megapixel front camera is included as well. The newest iPhone models come with a new image processing engine, which, Apple claims, delivers better, faster pictures.

The iPhone 7 Plus packs in the widely rumoured dual rear camera setup - one 56mm telephoto lens and the other wide-angle lens. The bigger iPhone is also capable of 2x optical zoom, with total zoom up to 10x.

The new iPhone models comes with a 25 percent brighter display with a wider colour gamut and improved colour management. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are powered by a new A10 Fusion 64-bit quad core chip, which is 40 percent faster than the A9, and more power efficient, which means the new models have the "best battery life ever" on an iPhone.

The speakers in iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are stereo - one at the bottom, and one at the top, and twice as loud as their predecessors.

As expected, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus also ditch the headphone jack. Apple will use the Lightning port for audio. Each new iPhone model will come with bundled Lightning EarPods, and a Lightning-to-3.5mm audio adapter, so you can use your old headphones.

Apple also introduced new AirPods for wireless audio experience, which will not be bundled with the iPhone models. They pair easily with your Apple devices, thanks to the W1 chip inside new Apple devices that's used for wireless communication. They are rated to delivery 5 hours of battery life, up to 24 hours with the included charging case that is also used for carrying them around.

[clubtech]

Meet the one phone created exclusively for millennials

Want to know how typical brands make smartphones for millennials? They build a phone that's good for everyone, and then tell millennials to buy it. That's it. Nothing special.    

But the major flaw in that philosophy is that it ignores the one thing that millennials hold most dear: Individuality.    

Millennials don't want some one-size-fits-all, good-enough-for-anyone kind of phone. Instead, they want something that represents who they are and fits their lifestyle.  

Making a phone for the digital generation isn't about hyping-up random improvements that anyone would love — it's about listening to what millennials actually want, paying attention to the role their phones play in their lives and delivering tailored features that create real value.  

Well, at long last, adventurous, super-sharing millennials have a phone they can truly call their own.    

Introducing: The Honor 8.

Unlike anything you've ever seen

Inspired by Honor's mantra, "For the brave," the new, millennial-minded smartphone provides the necessary components for a life spent exploring.    

Camera: The main event is a 12-megapixel dual-lens camera that's perfect for the photo-happy adventurer and social media influencer. The innovative dual-lens design affords even casual photographers the ability to produce pro-grade shots. Using dynamic focus technology, the Honor 8 takes photos with more depth, clarity and chromatic range, resulting in eye-catching stills.  

And for the more visually gifted, the Honor 8 comes packed with professional shooting and editing modes that can increase the quality of the shots you take — and allow you to tease-out the perfect moment after the fact. Taking advantage of the Dual ISP and Hybrid Autofocus features, photos taken with the Honor 8 can be refocused while editing, so the ideal depth is always achieved.    

All in all, sharing photos will never be the same after you've experienced the dual-lens difference on the Honor 8.    

Design: Millennials don't follow the crowd — they challenge the status quo, and seek out things that can make them different. That's why the Honor 8's design is a huge departure from the norm, featuring an all-glass body that's smooth to the touch and a far cry from the aluminum standard in the smartphone world. Aesthetics alone are enough to distinguish the Honor 8 from the crowd, but the new phone is purpose-built as well.    

The Honor 8 boasts an ultra-fast fingerprint reader for easy unlocking, and comes equipped with NFC functionality for speedy, on-the-go transactions and data transfers. What's more, the phone was constructed with the environment in mind, notching platinum rating for sustainability. Taken together, these features provide a level of usability and social consciousness that are a perfect fit for millennial values.    

Battery: The connected generation is plagued by battery limitations. Whereas the millennial dream involves untethered globe-trotting and unlimited cultural consumption, the reality has more defined boundaries — chaining our romantic adventurers to power outlet until they receive the requisite power to proceed.    

The Honor 8 packs a 3,000 mAh battery, capable of 10 hours of offline video streaming, or 1.77 days of normal usage. In addition, the phone offers quick-charging, which can give users 47 percent battery life in just 30 minutes on the cord.    

The Honor 8's battery provides millennials with a full day of non-stop adventure.    

Performance: When the rubber finally meets the road, millennials need a phone that can keep up with their digital lives. The internet needs to be browsed, messages need to be sent, updates need to be posted, and any hiccups in the process cannot be tolerated.    

The Honor 8 excels when it comes to daily performance, placing emphasis on the activities that millennials value the most. At the heart of the phone is a 2.3 GHz octa-core processor that keeps apps running smoothly, even when several are operating at once — and all of that activity is then brilliantly displayed on the phone's awe-inspiring, 5.2-inch 1080P FHD screen.

Add-in dynamic noise cancelling technology for crisp call clarity, as well as an integrated speaker system for high-quality music playback, and it's easy to see that the Honor 8 can hang with even the most demanding millennial lifestyles.    

How to stop settling for an "everyone" phone  

The Honor 8 isn't just a phone that millennials can enjoy — it's a phone that was wholeheartedly built to give millennials exactly what they need in a smartphone. Combining best-in-class performance, gorgeous design, all-day battery life and an innovative dual-lens camera system, the Honor 8 is a true partner for adventurers everywhere.

[clubtech]

Get ready for new Sony PlayStation 4K

The mighty Sony may not have officially announced a new console to tackle Microsoft’s latest machines, but that’s about to change. We could see not one but two new PlayStation consoles revealed as soon as next month.

According to sources of the Wall Street Journal, Sony will unveil two new consoles at an event it’s holding on 7 September.

The two new gaming machines are intended to succeed the current best-selling console, the PS4. One will be a replacement for the standard PS4 while the other will be a high-end version. Sound similar? Yup, it seems Sony will be competing directly with Microsoft’s upgraded Xbox One S and its top end Project Scorpio.

Sony has already said publicly that it will introduce a more high-end machine with better graphical capabilities.

Sony officially confirms 4K PlayStation Neo If Sony plans to move like Microsoft we can expect a PS4 that’s now capable of 4K video playback with HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2, plus a high-end console capable of 4K gaming too.

Sony’s PS VR headset is due out in October so perhaps this will be launched alongside a new console with more graphical power that’s able to run virtual reality most effectively.

Sources of the WSJ also say one console will be slimmer and less expensive than the current PS4 at $350 - yup right alongside the Xbox One S then.

Sony’s own e-commerce site shows the PS4 out of stock and production has allegedly begun to slow - suggesting this upgraded console will be out soon after the announcement.

Sony’s expected announcement is due to take place at a press conference it is holding on 7 September in New York.

[clubtech]

Garmin Fenix 3 Titanium Sapphire GPS Watch

An uncompromising sport watch designed for demanding athletes and outdoor adventurers" is how the bombastic Garmin Fenix 3 Titanium Sapphire is marketed and, looking at the build quality and feature list, it's hard to argue with that.

The GPS/GLONASS-enabled watch comes with a super tough domed sapphire lens, titanium strap, steel antenna and 31mm diameter display. In addition, it is waterproof up to a depth of 100 metres, features a compass, barometer and altimeter, as well as delivering a stupidly long list of fitness-related tracking tech (distance, time, pace, laps and swim strokes to name but a few

[clubtech]

Huawei smartphones to come pre-loaded with Truecaller app

Mobile communication application Truecaller announced a global partnership with Chinese smartphone maker Huawei where the Truecaller app will now come pre-loaded in devices starting with Honor 8. Truecaller migrated its social calling app Truedialler into its main app in March.

The company revealed on Friday that its users have made more than half a billion calls till date and India is its biggest market.

“We were planning the launch of our flagship device Honor 8 and Truecaller was an obvious choice to help improve the native calling functions. They provide an indispensable service for millions of users each day,” George Zhao, president, Honor, said in a statement.

In addition to making calls, the app will allow users to search for numbers, block spam calls, check availability and call duration — features that basic dialers do not have.

“Our partnership with Huawei is the first of its kind that has only scratched the surface of the immense potential that is yet to be discovered with Truecaller,” said Nami Zarringhalam, co-founder, Truecaller. Huawei shipped 100 million smartphones last year, a figure that was up 33% on 2014.

[clubtech]

New tracking method

Lost your car and can’t remember where you parked? It happens to the best of us: wandering aimlessly through parking lots, clicking the panic button on your key chain to get your headlights to illuminate.

You don’t need some spendy radio transponder to keep tabs on your car. Uplinking your wheels to the great eye in the sky without breaking the bank is easier than you think.The good news is that some of life’s biggest problems seem to be disappearing because of new technology.. If you frequently forget where you parked your car, there is a tiny gadget and app that could be what you’re looking for.It will take less than five minutes to put it to work. You simply have to pair it with your smartphone and download the free application which will allow you to locate it anytime.

[clubtech]

Volkswagen’s 2019 electric car

This year’s Paris motor show will host the unveiling of Volkswagen’s first all-electric car, according to an interview with company chairman Herbert Diess in German magazine WirstschaftWoche. The car will be roughly Golf-sized, according to the chairman, but will feel as roomy as a Passat on the inside, thanks to space saved via lighter frame construction and use of the electric drivetrain. It’s on track for a launch in late 2018 or early 2019, which is in keeping with their earlier stated goal of delivering a range of EVs by 2020.

The highlight feature of this car might be the charging speed, however, which Autocar says will give it 300 miles of travel on just one, 15-minute charge. Even for electric vehicles with big batteries and lots of range, recharging time has been the key sticking point – Tesla’s supercharger stations will achieve an 80 percent charge in around 45 minutes, for instance.

A 15-minute time for 300 miles of range would be very impressive in a production vehicle. VW-owned Porsche claimed an 80 percent charge in 15 minutes for its Mission E Concept, unveiled last year, with a max range on a full charge of 310 miles. That speed requires an 800 volt charging rate, which is something Porsche is actively looking to build into charging infrastructure.

It’s unlikely that a 2019 VW all-electric will be able to take advantage of this kind of charging tech widely, given the charging infrastructure changed required, but it would still be a big statement from the car-maker to offer the spec in a shipping car. And since the Volkswagen group is still reeling from its emission scandal, any sizeable steps it can take in the EV market will ultimately do a lot to hep it recover its reputation.

In addition to the speedy charging capability, VW also says they’re aiming to field a vehicle that actually costs less than traditional fuel-burning cars. Volkswagen has electric versions of the Golf and Up, but this forthcoming car will be its first dedicated electric model.

[clubtech]

Samsung Note 7

Samsung is back with the Galaxy Note 7, the sixth version of its flagship Galaxy Note handset. Wait—did Samsung forget how to count? The Note series skipped a number this year, apparently so that the Note 7 would look more like a sibling to the already-released Galaxy S7. The unified branding feels appropriate since—despite five months of development time between them—the Note 7 is more like the Galaxy S line than ever. You're getting the same Snapdragon 820 SoC, the same 4GB of RAM, and the same camera.