If you’re looking to buy a new tablet, but don’t want to break the bank, it’s always worth looking at previous generation models, which often come cheaper than their flagship counterparts.
Take the Amazon Fire HD 10 (2017), for example. While a new version was recently announced, the 2017 model has been given a brilliant discount by the online retailer, slashing the price by £50 – more than enough to get yourself a snazzy case to go with it.
It may not have USB-C charging – as the new Fire HD 10 does – and it doesn’t come with the improved battery life the latest model sports, but it’s still a consistently good tablet with a full HD display.
Dolby Atmos audio means it sounds as good as it looks, while 32 or 64 GB of internal storage and a microSD slot for up to 256 GB of expandable storage means you have plenty of space for your photos, movies, and files.
The 32GB model has been reduced from £149.99 to £99.99, and the 64GB model has been reduced from £179.99 to £129.99 – so whatever storage option you go for, you’re getting a great discount ahead of the Black Friday sales.
You’ll need to be quick though, as this deal ends at midnight, November 4 (today at the time of writing).
Don’t forget, you can expect to see more Amazon deals in the next couple of months ahead of the actual Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday deals that are set to start at the end of November – however, this is such a good deal that we would recommend snapping it up now.
You probably know TikTok as a social media app that only really young people understand, but you might soon know TikTok as a smartphone manufacturer too, as it’s making plays at the market, having just unveiled its first ever smartphone.
This smartphone is called the Smartisan Nut Pro 3 – yes, that’s a pretty strange name for a debut smartphone, but there’s a reason.
TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, acquired Chinese smartphone company Smartisan, with the aims of releasing TikTok smartphones. The Nut Pro 3 is the first (despite not actually having the TikTok name), but likely not the last, as the phone’s specs reveal it to be a premium-looking device that could be pretty popular.
What’s so good about TikTok’s new phone?
The Smartisan Nut Pro 3 – or, as we’ll call it, TikTok’s new phone – has four rear cameras, one more than the iPhone 11 Pro Max, and it’s certainly not priced that high.
These consist of a 48MP main camera, a 13MP ultra-wide snapper, an 8MP telephoto for zoomed-in shots, and a 5MP macro camera for super-close-up pictures. On the front there’s a 20MP selfie camera, which is pretty high quality too.
These cameras are backed up by a suite of post-processing algorithms and tricks, according to TikTok, including one that automatically fixes distortion in the ultra-wide camera – that should fix a common gripe with smartphone snappers.
Obviously we can’t say for sure until we’ve tested it, but those are some high-end specs, so TikTok’s new phone could be an incredible device for photography.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max only has three rear cameras
(Image credit: Future)
The TikTok phone has a 6.39-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, which is pretty high-end as smartphone screens go, and this has an in-screen fingerprint scanner which, again, is a premium feature.
Inside the handset there’s a Snapdragon 855 Plus processor, the highest-end chipset in phones right now, and the phone comes with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM, so it’s going to have heaps of processing power. These configurations also come with either 128GB or 256GB of storage.
Finally, there’s a 4,000mAh battery – that’s a decent size, big enough to keep all those other high-end features running. We don’t know much about the software of the device, but if there’s one thing that’s almost certain, it’s that it will have the TikTok app pre-installed.
In terms of price, the Nut Pro 3 is on Smartisan’s Chinese website for 2,899CNH (roughly $410, £320, AU$600) for 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and 3,199CNH (around $460, £350, AU$660) to bump that up to 256GB of storage, but there’s no availability on 12GB of RAM yet.
Now, for the bad news – there might not be a TikTok phone in the west, at least for a long while. Smartisan is a Chinese brand, and while TikTok is a global name, the smartphone may stick to China, at least for the time being.
TechRadar has asked TikTok for confirmation as to if or when the Smartisan Nut Pro 3 will be available in the UK, US, Australia or anywhere else, and we’ll update this article when we hear anything.
Dark mode for WhatsApp has been a long time coming, but evidence in the latest iPhone beta release suggests that when it eventually arrives, there will be two different options to choose from.
Most of the world’s most popular social apps already have dark modes, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, but until now WhatsApp has been a noticeable holdout, sticking with its white and gray design despite the release of iOS 13 and Android 10, both of which have their own system-wide dark modes.
According to WABetaInfo, the most recent WhatsApp beta for iOS contains evidence of a dark theme with two possible configurations.
The first of these uses very dark colors, with a black background. It’s possible that this design is intended specifically for phones with AMOLED screens, as black pixels on these screens are turned off and therefore use less power (at least in theory).
Both WhatsApp dark modes appear to use the same text bubbles
(Image credit: WhatsApp)
The second dark mode uses slightly lighter shades of gray, but the two look otherwise very similar. Both use the dark blue/green and gray text bubbles we’ve already seen tucked away in earlier beta releases.
When’s it coming?
Even if you install the new WhatsApp beta, you won’t be able to access the new options (so far they’re only visible as assets tucked away in the app’s installation package) and there’s no indication of when the themes might become available.
The fact that the developers still seem to be experimenting with different options suggests the release might still be a few months away, but we’ll keep you updated once the dark modes are available for beta testing.
It has been looking likely for a while now that the Samsung Galaxy S11 will have a 108MP camera, as Samsung has announced just such a lens and it has been rumored for inclusion on the phone, but a new rumor suggests Samsung will actually use a different, currently unknown 108MP lens.
That’s according to @UniverseIce (a reliable leaker) who wrote on Twitter that there’s a high probability Samsung will use a ‘new’ 108MP sensor. While it’s not clear exactly what lens this would be, it’s likely to be a second-gen version of the one Samsung has already announced.
Highlights of that lens include the ability to take in lots of light (for strong low-light performance), and lossless 6K video. It already sounds impressive, so an improved version could be a real winner, though we’re not sure in what ways Samsung would improve it.
The Galaxy S11 has a high probability of using a new 108MP sensor.November 4, 2019
That Samsung will use a 108MP lens at all for the Galaxy S11, let alone a new, unannounced one, is of course just rumor for now, but it would make sense. Smartphone cameras are one of the key areas of competition at the moment, and a high-quality 108MP lens could certainly wow potential buyers.
Opting for a second-gen version of Samsung’s 108MP lens would also make sense, since the original version is set to land on a Xiaomi handset first, so it won’t be a totally new thing by the time the Samsung Galaxy S11 launches.
So we’d say this rumor is likely to be accurate, but we’re sure to hear plenty more about the Samsung Galaxy S11 ahead of its launch early next year, so stay tuned for updates.
Wear OS has struggled to make any kind of discernible dent in the smartwatch market with Apple dominating the space along with Samsung offering a better all-round smartwatch experience.
Google has been trying to make it work for years and with the Apple Watch showing how lucrative this market can be now, it’s decided to acquire a company that does know how to make a good smartwatch.
After making waves with its fitness trackers, Fitbit decided to enter the smartwatch fray in 2017 with the Ionic. Then followed the Versa, Versa Lite Edition and the Versa 2. But in more recent months it’s found it tough going as Apple’s share of the market grows and Fitbit’s stutters.
A deal between the two feels like a good thing for both parties. So what will Google be snapping up when the deal is finalized in 2020? Actually, quite a lot that could be the saving grace for Google’s ambitions to finally make smartwatches and wearables work.
To finally build a Pixel Watch
The most obvious reason Google is paying out the big bucks is for hardware and that could well lead us to finally seeing it building its own smartwatch.
Google decided to focus on software instead of building the hardware to house its smartwatch operating system, initially working with the likes of Samsung, LG and Motorola to showcase what the OS formerly known as Android Wear was capable of.
Those hardware partners have in more recent years evolved to become more diverse with the likes of Fossil, Louis Vuitton and Mont Blanc leaning on Google to build their own smartwatches.
But there’s always been the opinion that Google has needed its own hero watch to be pitted against its rivals. This acquisition more than any feels like that’s now possible. While Fitbit’s Ionic was a divisive debut, the Versa struck a chord with those who wanted a smartwatch, but didn’t want to spend a lot of money on one.
It housed the best of what Fitbit had to offer and packaged it in a customizable body that could be as sporty or dressy as you wanted it to be. Fitbit has some very talented people on its design team and Google may well feel now that it has the right sort of expertise to tackle hardware in the same way it has done with its Chromebook laptops and Pixel smartphones.
Those Pebble smarts
The Pebble 2 range
(Image credit: Pebble)
Wear OS needs work – there’s no two ways about it. Yes, Google has made much-needed improvements to the UI, made it play nicer with iPhones and given Google Fit a much needed makeover. But it still doesn’t feel like it offers a smartwatch experience that is on par with its competitors.
Fitbit’s OS isn’t perfect either. Whether they’re important or not, app support is on the small side and features like music support and smartwatch staples like notification support still need refining.
There are strengths and weaknesses in both Google and Fitbit’s smartwatch platforms, but if they can marry the two they could have something really special here. Google also has the luxury of tapping into the software and engineer brains of former Pebble employees that Fitbit will have absorbed when it acquired the crowdfunding hit in 2016.
The Pebble influence on Fitbit’s smartwatch OS is mostly evident through the enthusiasm from developers to build watch faces for Fitbit’s smartwatches, and there is the crux of a good operating system that Google would be silly not to take full advantage of.
Proper fitness tracking features
Fitbit made itself known to the world through its fitness trackers. It got people thinking about hitting step goals and obsessing about hitting that dream 8 hours of sleep. It’s placed sensors in its wearables and created algorithms that can generate insightful information about your current state of fitness and even help you get a better night’s sleep.
It’s also created one of the best fitness tracking companion apps that doesn’t make poring over your data feel like an overwhelming experience. It just works and works well.
Google does already have Google Fit and over the last year it has sought to better integrate it and simplify how it works on a smartwatch. But even now in its latest iteration it’s still a largely underwhelming and clunky way to keep tabs on your health and fitness.
It pales in comparison to what Apple and Garmin have to offer in the way of fitness tracking smarts from the wrist. If Google can take the core elements of Fit and match it with the more intuitive feel of Fitbit’s fitness tracking features, it could provide a much better rival for Apple’s Activity Rings and the motivational features that Garmin currently serves up.
Bigger battery life
Battery life on proper full-fat smartwatches in general suck. The Apple Watch still only promises up to 18 hours, the latest Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 will get you a couple of days and the majority it not all Wear OS smartwatches will get you ‘all-day’ battery life.
Even with the new battery modes that Qualcomm introduced with its Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor that sits insides Fossil’s latest watches among others, haven’t really delivered the kind of battery improvements we yearn for from watches running on Google’s Wear OS.
Fitbit is one of the few companies though, that has managed to go beyond that battery norm. On the Ionic and the Versa watches that followed it, Fitbit has managed to deliver 4-5 days all while still including a super bright AMOLED display.
Now imagine a Google branded smartwatch that was capable of delivering comfortably more battery life than its rivals including Apple? It certainly would make it a more appealing prospect
Lots of data
Last and by no means least, Google is getting a hold of a lot of data. Fitbit currently has 28 million active users who have logged steps, sleep, meals and more inside of Fitbit’s companion smartphone app. That is potentially a very powerful amount of personal data that Google will potentially have access to.
How it uses that data will be open for debate up until the completion of the acquisition. Fitbit has stated that the same privacy policy still applies for users and that means you are still in control of your data. Google echoed the same sentiments in its own announcement post and stated that health wellness data wouldn’t be used for ads.
That data could be used to shape a more personalized experience through any new wearable device. It could (with consent from users) analyse that data to identify trends like it did for the major sleep study it conducted last year.
It may also gain access to data that has been shared through the employer and health programs that Fitbit has been conducted over the years and it has looked to ramp up its serious health monitoring credentials.
Imagine the best headphones you’ve ever heard. They’d deliver incredible, natural sounding audio with precision, punch and power.
They’d silence the outside world so you could hear even the most delicate details. And they’d take you from wherever you are and put you right in the middle of your favourite music.
That’s what PSB’s award-winning HD headphones deliver. They could well be the audio world’s best-kept secret.
Power and passion
PSB headphones are the result of a passion for music that goes back more than forty years. As a boy, Paul Barton designed hi-fi speakers that he built in the garage with his dad; as an adult, he founded a business based on delivering the most natural, open sound it’s possible to get.
By combining precision engineering, cutting-edge technology and psychoacoustic research PSB has continually pushed the limits of high-end audio.
It’s garnered PSB tons of awards and a worldwide following, and the same passion, innovation and expertise is in every pair of PSB’s innovative wireless headphones.
The flagship of the PSB range is the incredible M4U 8. It delivers something no other headphones can offer: RoomFeel. RoomFeel is a clever mix of smart software and hardware adaptations that makes you feel like you’re listening to full-size speakers in an acoustically optimised room.
(Image credit: PSB)
That’s important because most music is mixed and optimised for in-room listening, not headphone listening. The results are jaw-dropping, with space and dynamics and a natural feel that you simply don’t get from lesser headphones.
One of the most important things about RoomFeel is that it doesn’t change the original audio signal. It uses what’s known as “room gain”, which is the energy and warmth that a room adds when you’re listening to music on high-quality speakers, subtly enhancing the sound without ever adding unwanted artefacts or effects.
In the M4U 8 headphones, RoomFeel is made even better by PSB’s noise cancelling circuitry. It uses four adaptive microphones – other brands use two – and one of the best noise cancelling chipsets ever created.
That’s teamed up with hi-res AptX HD Bluetooth delivering 24-bit wireless audio. Together they make the outside world simply disappear so you can enjoy your music in incredible detail.
(Image credit: PSB)
A design for life
At PBS, convenience and flexibility is almost as important as delivering incredible sound quality.
That’s why the M4U 8 headphones give you easy NFC pairing, conveniently located controls on the headphone frame and some useful little touches such as the included cable for connecting to in-flight entertainment, a cable that you can connect to either ear cup so you don’t have to run it across your body.
The headphones can be used in three modes: noise cancelling mode with RoomFeel when there’s ambient noise, active mode with RoomFeel when there isn’t any background sound to worry about, and passive mode if your flight is delayed so long you run out of charge. They’re very comfortable too, with adaptive plush ear pads and ergonomic design that makes them so comfortable you won’t want to take them off.
It’s all about substance, not just style. Every single design decision is based on delivering the most natural sound possible in the best possible way. There are no gimmicks, no unnecessary bells or whistles. Just the features you need to experience and enjoy your music just like the creators intended.
From the magical M4U 8 to the gym- and bike-friendly M4U TW1, PBS headphones deliver incredible sound quality wherever life takes you.
Find out more about RoomFeel and discover how you can experience the most natural sound you’ve ever heard from headphones.
The Xiaomi Redmi K30 will be its next affordable flagship. It is already confirmed to be 5G capable, but a new report states that it will be powered by a MediaTek chipset.
Back in November, Xiaomi held a small conference in China where the GM Lu Weibing confirmed that the device will be 5G-enabled. He even shared a teaser image of the front which showed very slim bezels and a punch-hole notch with two selfie cameras. As we approach its early-2020 launch date, more details have surfaced, giving us a better idea at what to expect from the Redmi K30.
(Image credit: Xiaomi)
A new post on Weibo states that the Redmi K30 5G will be powered by a MediaTek chipset and not a Snapdragon, one which the previous leaks pointed at. Earlier this year, MediaTek did confirm that it has a 5G chipset in development and should be available at scale in early 2020, matching the Redmi K30’s launch time frame. Very little is known about this chipset, including its name, but the company has mentioned that this will be its flagship SoC when it launches. It will be built on a 7nm manufacturing process and will be considerably cheaper than the competition.
European countries, as well as China, will be in the first phase to receive the 5G MediaTek chipset. In contrast, India will be a part of the second phase, and could see a non-5G variant of the chipset being implemented which could also bring the costs lower.
(Image credit: MediaTek)
Back at IFA 2019, Qualcomm also announced that it would be bringing 5G to the Snapdragon 600, 700, and 800 series chipsets. But it seems like this time, MediaTek will take the crown. If the rumor is to be believed, this will be the second time Xiaomi has opted to go for a MediaTek chipset for its popular smartphones, following the Redmi Note 8 Pro, which was powered by the MediaTek Helio G90T gaming chipset.
The Redmi K20 was an excellent device that brought a lot of industry firsts to a never-before-seen price point. It seems like Xiaomi wants to continue that trend with the Redmi K30 series by making them the cheapest 5G smartphones around. We should hear more about these devices in the coming months as the launch is not too far.
