Sachin Bahal

Square Enix teams up with Marvel

Marvel and Square Enix have announced a multi-game partnership. The first game in the partnership will be one about The Avengers. (more…)

Hugo Barra is joining Facebook, as their VP of VR

Just days after Hugo Barra announced that he was leaving Xiaomi after almost four years, we now know where Barra is headed next. In a Facebook post, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Hugo Barra would be joining Facebook to help lead their virtual reality efforts, including the Oculus team. (more…)

Star Wars: Episode VIII will be called The Last Jedi

Disney and Lucasfilm have officially revealed the title for Episode VIII, it will be called Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Spoiler Alert: Caution there will be spoilers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens in this post.  (more…)

Skagen Hagen Connected Smartwatch Review

Smartwatches haven’t been around for that long, most of the one you see on the market have touchscreen displays like on the Asus ZenWatch 3 or Apple Watch but some do not, such as Pebble’s lineup of smartwatches. But Skagen (along with other brands in the Fossil group), a brand that focuses on Danish design is looking to change that with the introduction of something called a hybrid smartwatch.…

Nintendo also announced that the new console will not be region locked and all games and software would work on any console, no matter the country.

Nintendo says the Switch will “inherit all of Nintendo’s console DNA” including motion controls (via the Joy Con controllers) and the main console will have a capacitive touchscreen.

In terms of battery life, when you bring your Switch on the go, it should last about 3 to 6 hours, depending on the game. The console charges with USB Type-C (that means you should be able to charge your Switch via a battery back while on the go) and has built-in Wi-Fi and up to eight Switch consoles can be connected for local wireless multiplayer gaming.

The Switch offers a few different play styles including: Play Mode, which allows users to use the system while docked and connected to a TV; Tabletop Mode, which allows players to use the Joy-Con controllers wirelessly with the Switch console on its kickstand and Handheld Mode, which will allow players to take the Switch on the go either with the Joy Con controllers attached to the console or wirelessly.

The Joy Con controllers feature accelerometers and gyroscopes for motion controls and there is a dedicated share to social media button. And each Joy Con controller has still has the usual L and R buttons (just much smaller in addition to a standard L or R button) and can be used independently for multiplayer games. The Joy Con controller also have NFC for scanning of Amiibo figures.

The new controllers will be available in Neon Blue and Neon Red in addition to the standard grey ones that come with the Switch which also includes wrist straps.

Nintendo says that the Joy Con controllers will have something they call HD rumble which can emulate the “sensation of ice cubes in a glass, as well as water being poured.”

Nintendo also said that their will be a paid online service (similar to Xbox Live or PlayStation Network) and there will be a free trial up until the paid service launches sometime this fall.

For games, Nintendo Switch off a new game called 1 2 Switch which takes advantage of new ways to play on the Switch. It is based on face-to-face interaction where players don’t need to look at the system’s screen.

The other game that Nintendo announced for the Switch is called Arms which is a fighting sports game where each player holds a Joy Con controller in each hand and the controllers will sense the player’s motions. Players will be able to play alone against computer players or friends, either online or locally.

Nintendo also announced that Splatoon 2 is coming to the Switch which is a third-person game that focuses on the player painting their play space. The first Splatoon game was released on Wii U and it’s sequel will be coming this summer.

For you Mario fans out there, don’t worry Nintendo hasn’t forgotten about you either, they announced Super Mario Odyssey which will be coming this holiday.

Other titles for the Switch include, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, a new Fire Emblem game, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, EA games such as FIFA and there are over 80 games in development for the console. Mario Kart will also be coming to the Switch in the form of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on April 28th 2017. While The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild will be a day one launch title for the Switch (and will also come out for the Wii U).

In the box, you’ll receive the Nintendo Switch console, the Switch Dock, a Left and Right Joy Con, Joy Con wrist straps, the Joy Con grip, a HDMI cable, an AC adapter.

The Switch Pro controller will be available separately but Nintendo didn’t announce pricing. You’ll be able to purchase a Nintendo Switch with one Neon Red and one Neon Blue Joy Con or just the standard grey Joy Con controllers and both will retail for $399 CAD ($299 USD/ 29,980 Japanese Yen and price will vary by retail and country in Europe).

Source: Nintendo

The original iPhone turns 10

Today, marks the 10th anniversary of the day that Steve Jobs introduced the world to the iPhone. (more…)

CES 2017 Day Two: Everything you need to know

Today (January 6th, 2016) is the second official day of CES 2016 and there were still a few announcements that were made but not as many as the past few days. (more…)

But these types of devices didn’t become more mainstream until late 2013 when more came on to the market. All the computer OEMs have tried to emulate the success that Microsoft has seen with their Surface lineup and the Asus Transformer 3 Pro is the best alternative for those looking at the Microsoft Surface Pro 4.

I’ve been using the Transformer 3 Pro for a few weeks now and it’s one of my favourite 2-1 Windows machines to use.

Normally in my product reviews, I would cover design & hardware, software and camera but for this Transformer 3 Pro review, I won’t be covering the camera as much because let’s face it, cameras on tablets aren’t as great as a smartphone camera or a dedicated camera like a DSLR.

Design & Hardware

The most prominent feature of the Transformer 3 Pro is its display. It has a 12.6-inch touch screen with a resolution of 2880 x 1920 (3K) and a 3:2 aspect ratio and a 178-degree viewing angle.

The display looks great from all angles, no matter how you look at it. Videos looks especially great but you shouldn’t stare at a screen for too long (your eyes will eventually get sore).

The Transformer 3 Pro has an all-metal premium design with a fully adjustable rear kickstand but since it’s so large, you’ll need to use two hands. The included keyboard is not as premium as the computer itself but still feels nice. The keyboard also doubles as the cover and is backlit.

    When looking head-on at the tablet, there’s one button the top for the power-lock button, the left side has a volume rocker as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microSD card reader. On the right of the device, you’ll find a USB Type-A port, a full sized HDMI port and a USB-C Thunderbolt 3 port which is how the device charges.

The device with the keyboard weighs just under 2 lbs and that’s pretty light considering what it’s packing. The Transformer 3 Pro also includes the Asus Pen stylus that is capable of sensing 1024 different levels of pressure, in addition to the keyboard cover.

Inside the Transformer 3 Pro, you’ll find up to a 6th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with integrated Intel HD Graphics 520, up to a 512GB SSD with up to 16GB of RAM. The device does have two camera, the front camera is 8 megapixels and has support for Windows Hello which uses facial recognition to login users in. The rear camera is 13-megapixels but I wouldn’t use it for any serious photography.

The battery is 39w Hrs and Asus claims you get get all-day battery life, I was able to get 6-8 hours on a single charge. And the battery has good standby time and it also charges to 60% in under an hour.

The detachable keyboard cover for the Transformer 3 Pro is great and has a good amount of travel with the keys but the trackpad is kind of hit or miss at times but it gets the job done. The device can be changed to a few different angles, thanks to its 155-degree stepless, it can go up to 170-degrees and is great for drawing on the device with the included stylus.

The Transformer 3 Pro starts at $1499 CAD that will get your the Core i5 and 8GB of RAM model, not the Core i7 with 16GB of RAM. The Transformer 3 Pro comes in two colours, Titanium Gray and Icicle Gold and the keyboard cover is also available in four colours.

Software

The Transformer 3 Pro is running Windows 10, which Microsoft says it the best version of Windows yet. Which I do agree with Microsoft, they have made major improvements to their OS. Windows 10 takes the best of Windows 7 and 8.

Even though the Transformer 3 Pro is running Windows 10 Pro, it should be noted that you shouldn’t be using it for super heavy tasks, that’s where a more beefier Windows laptop or desktop will come in handy. In my testing, when I was using the device, there was a lot of fan noise when even just running the Microsoft Edge browser or while idle.

Just like in Windows 8, Windows 10 can be used with devices with and without touchscreens. And unlike Android, there are lots of Windows 10 apps that work well on a tablet. Sure, there might not be as many apps as on Android or iOS but there are alternatives and you can easily install apps that are not on the Windows store.

  I was able to easily multi-task on the Transformer 3 Pro and the tablet easily kept up. In Windows 10, there’s even a tablet mode which will bring up the “Modern/Metro UI” that was introduced in Windows 8. And you can easily switch between Tablet mode and the traditional Windows 10 desktop with one click.

Most of the other apps you’ll find pre-installed on the Transformer 3 Pro are standard with any Windows 10 PC.

Some of the sketches I made using the stylus on the Transformer 3 Pro.

Camera

The Transformer 3 Pro has two cameras (one front-facing and one rear-facing), the rear is 13-megapixel and the front is 8-megapixels (which also has support for Windows Hello login). The cameras aren’t anything special , they’re nothing compared to the camera on the Google Pixel.

Camera sample of the rear camera on the Transformer 3 Pro

Just like other tablets, cameras on them aren’t that great and shouldn’t be used that often. You don’t want to be that guy who uses their tablet to take photos. Use your smartphone or a dedicated camera instead of using a tablet to take pictures.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for the best alternative to the Surface Pro 4, or you want a great Windows 10 2-in-1 that can also do a bit more, then look no further than the Transformer 3 Pro.

It’s a great device, it’s well design, fairly portable and has all the aspects of a “laptop replacement” that the Surface Pro also has. No device isn’t going to be perfect but Asus’ Transformer 3 Pro offers a great value for those not wanting to shell out for a Surface Pro.

Pros

Beautiful screen

Great battery

Premium design

Keyboard and stylus is included

Cons

Fan Noise

Okay trackpad

SanDisk

The first announcement that SanDisk made at CES 2017 was a new high-performance USB flash drive called the SanDisk Extreme Pro USB 3.1 Solid State Flash Drive which is capable of read speeds up to 420MB/s and write speeds up to 380MB/s.

With those fast speeds, you can transfer a full-length 4K video in less than 15 seconds. The new flash drive connects to computers using the standard USB-A connection and it will come in one storage capacity, 256GB. It will be available later this month for $179.99 USD.

The other announcement that SanDisk made was the SanDisk Ultra MicroSDXC UHS-I card with the SD Association’s SD 5.1 specifications. In addition to fast transfer speeds of up to 95MB/s, the new microSD can help ensure that is can open and run apps smoothly while also providing fast access to media such as photos and videos that are also stored on the card.

The new SanDisk Ultra microSD card with A1 with retail for $199 USD and ship later this month.

Source: SanDisk, (2)

Xiaomi

Xiaomi has a new version of their Mi TV with the Mi TV 4. It is only 4.9mm thin and has a frameless metal body. The Mi TV 4 consists of two parts the 4K display and the Mi TV Bar which has a motherboard and has a sound system that supports Dolby Atmos sound.

The Mi TV 4 will available later this year in China and should be under $2000 USD. There will also be three screen sizes, 49-inches, 55-inches and 65-inches.

Source: Xiaomi (via PR Newswire)

Razer

Razer has been known to show off some wild computer concepts at CES and this year is no different. Razer has unveiled Project Valerie at CES 2017, which is the world’s first concept design to incorporate a portable multi-monitor gaming setup.

The gaming laptop has three built-in monitors that are 17.3-inches each and are 4K IGZO displays with NVIDIA G-SYNC, to help create the smoothest possible framerates and expansive 180-degree NVIDIA Surround View gaming. Gamers can expect 100% Adobe RGB colour accuracy.

Each of the displays slide out from the side of the main display and easily adjusts into place, so it’s quick and easy to set up. The whole laptop is made from a unibody CNC aluminum chassis and is only 1.5-inches thick and weighs less than 12 pounds.

  Project Valerie is also equipped with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080, so it meets the requirements of the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.

“Multi-monitor desktop set-ups are becoming more necessary for professionals, creators, and gamers,” says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO. “For the first time, we’ve engineered a solution that users can take with them. Project Valerie promises all of the functionality of three screens and none of the hassle.”

As of right now, Project Valerie is just a concept and there’s no word on whether or not we’ll see this in an upcoming Razer laptop (but chances are we will). Razer has a habit of showing off these concepts and then eventually incorporating them into their machines.

Razer also announced Project Ariana which is meant to go alongside your existing setup of Razer products. The project uses the company’s Chroma platform to cover your whole room in your favourite games.

The project is meant to provide some ambience for your gaming experience. The project uses a projector with a 155-degree fisheye lens to help wrap your game around you.

In addition, Razer is opening up their Chroma platform to 3rd parties and has announced 9 new partners including Lenovo, NZXT, Antec, Lian Li, Wicked Lasers and Nanoleaf.

Razer is also looking into creating more immersive lighting experiences with a partnership with Philips Lighting.

Source: Razer

NVIDIA

NVIDIA had a few announcements, the first being a new version of their Android TV set top box, the Shield TV. The new model is 40% smaller than the original while the Pro model is the same size as the previous Shield TV but both still have the same Tegra X1 processor inside and 3GB of RAM and running Android 7.0.

Both have standard HDMI with 4K and HDR support, gigabit ethernet, two standard USB 3.0 ports and a microSD card slot.

There is also a newly redesigned controller that has a low polygon look and feel. It also was designed with hands-free voice control in mind. Google is bringing the Assistant to Android TV, so that means you’ll be able to use “Ok Google” to talk to your Shield TV. As of this writing, the Google Assistant for Android TV isn’t ready just yet, it will come later on in a software update later this month.

  Both models of the new Shield TV will come with a remote which will work hands-free as well. The new Shield TV models are available for pre-order now and will ship in Canada, the US and select European regions later this month for $199 USD for the 16GB model and $299 USD for the 500GB Pro model.

The standard 16GB model will come with a controller and remote while the 5ooGB Pro will come with a controller, and a remote with headphone jack.

In addition to the new Shield TV, Nvidia also announced the Shield Spot which is a separate Wi-Fi controller that can talk to connected home stuff such as Nest Thermostat and has microphones so you can talk to the Google Assistant throughout your home. The Shield Spot will sell for $49.99 USD.

Nvidia will also being bringing their GeForce Now game streaming service to standard PCs running Windows and Macs as well. Nvidia is also partnering with Ubisoft to bring some of their titles to the service.

GeForce Now will also have a new pricing structure of $25 USD for 20 hours of play where as before you would have to pay $7.99 per month to access a whole catalog of older games and then pay separately for newer titles.  The new system and expansion to more Windows machines and Macs will happen sometime in March.

Source: Nvidia

Ford & Amazon’s Alexa

Yes, you read that correctly, Ford is partnering with Amazon to bring Alexa to the car. For example, you can open smart garage doors, control the lights in your home, and so forth. General search functionality and navigation queries are also supported via Alexa.

You could ask Alexa to add milk or batteries to your shopping list without ever picking up a pen, all the driver has to do to access Alexa in their car is to press the voice button on the steering wheel.

For Ford plug-in electric vehicle owners, you’ll be able to remotely start/stop the engine, lock/unlock the doors, check fuel levels and more while using your Echo at home.

Ford Focus Electric, Fusion Energi and C-MAX Energi owners will be first to access the new home-to-car capability using MyFord® Mobile technology. Ford is working on adding Alexa home-to-car integration to their other vehicles in the near future.

Source: Ford

Mighty Cast

Montreal-based wearable company, Mighty Cast has announced a second gen version of their modular smart band, the Nex Evolution. The new bands adds a number of new features include “When/Do” platform that is accessible via their Nex app, so a user can set different actions to control their other smart home devices or even just control music playback on their phone.

The Nex Evolution doesn’t have a traditional screen but instead it has things called Mods that have the ability to light up a different colour or indicate a certain notification. The colours of the Mods can be combined to form certain messages via Mighty Cast’s “When/Do” platform.

The new band also has a 3-axis accelerometer and can track things like steps, calories and distance. The battery should last about 3 days and the band is IPX7 water-resistant.

The company is also working with Niantic Labs on a Ingress Mod Band that has patterns that are specific to the game. Ingress players will be able to receive special in-game transmissions and unique perks while using the band.

For those unfamiliar with Ingress, it is similar to Pokemon Go (but has been around for much longer) and relies on players going into the real-world and finding specific locations to earn points.

The Nex Evolution will retail for $79 USD while the Ingress Mod Band’s pricing has yet to be announced but both will be released in February.

Source: Reuters

Nissan & Cortana

Alexa isn’t the only thing being put into cars, Microsoft is partnering with Nissan to bring their voice assistant, Cortana into select Nissan vehicles. Cortana will be built into the car’s software without requiring a mobile device to use it.

Cortana can be used to ask contextual questions like whether she should use the car’s auto-park system or what the traffic is like or even make notes. Cortana can talk to a driver using natural language.

Nissan hasn’t said which of their vehicles will be getting Cortana or even when, as of right now, it seems more as a proof of concept.

Source: Nissan

Huawei

Even though the Huawei Mate 9 was announced back in November for Asia, the Middle East and Europe, Huawei now has details on the Mate 9’s US availability.

The phone will be available on January 6th. The Mate 9 has a 5.9-inch 1080p IPS LCD display with a 4000mAh battery that should last about 2 days on a single charge and can charge fast with Huawei’s SuperCharge technology and you’ll get a full day’s charge within 20 minutes. Inside, you’ll also find Huawei’s Kirin 960 processor with the ARM Cortex-A73/A53 Octa-core CPU and Mali G71 GPU and 4GB of RAM and 64 of internal storage.

For the camera, you’ll find evidence of Huawei’s partnership with Leica which is made up of a 12-megapixel RGB sensor and a 20-megapixel monochrome sensor.

The Mate 9 will be running Android 7.0 Nougat with Huawei’s EMUI 5.0 on top, the US version of the Mate 9 will also have Amazon Alexa integration via a pre-installed app. You’ll be able to ask questions, set alarms, manage to-do and shopping lists, check traffic, play music and control your smart home.

The Mate 9 is already available to purchase now from Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg and B&H for $599 USD and comes in Space Gray and Moonlight Silver.

Source: Huawei (via PR Newswire)

CES 2017 Day Zero: Everything you need to know

CES 2017 doesn’t officially begin until January 5th but today (January 4th) is known as press day or “Day Zero” (because its the day before Day One of the show). (more…)

Lenovo

Lenovo has made a few pre-CES 2017 announcements. The first is the Lenovo Smart Assistant which is Lenovo’s answer to the Amazon Echo (even though both devices are running Amazon’s Alexa voice services.

The Smart Assistant is a similar size and shape to the Echo and it will come in green, light gray and orange. There is two models, the first is $129 USD and has eight 360-degree far-field microphones with noise suppression and acoustic echo cancellation. For $50 more, there will be a version of Smart Assistant with Harmon Kardon (which was acquired by Samsung in late 2016) audio and the same microphone array.

Lenovo Smart Assistant colour options.

Both models of the Smart Assistant will be available in May 2017.

Lenovo also announced a new digital storage solution called Smart Storage. It has a 6TB capacity and is designed for security and P2P (peer-to-peer) access to stored media such as photos, videos, music and documents. The Smart Storage also integrates facial recognition technology to help organize your photos based on faces.

Lenovo Smart Storage

Think of the Smart Storage as like a Apple AirPort Time Capsule, which basically was a storage solution connected to your home network (like your own server). The Lenovo Smart Storage will start at $139 USD and be available in May 2017.

Lenovo also announced their own VR headset at CES that works with Windows Holographic. It weighs just 350 grams (which is lighter than both the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive) and it is more pressed against your forehead than the bridge of your nose to make it more comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

Credit: The Verge

The display for the headset is made up of two 1440×1440 panels, which is higher-res than both the Vive and the Rift. The headset will work with PCs that are VR-ready and are cable of running the Holographic version of Windows 10. The headset will be released later this year for under $400 USD.

Lenovo has also introduced the 5th generation of their ThinkPad X1 family. The updated ThinkPad X1 Carbon weighs under 2.5 pounds (1.14kg) and has a 14-inch IPS display. It also comes with an improved Microsoft Precision Touchpad and the iconic TrackPoint. The battery should last about 15.5 hours and it can be optioned up to a 7th Generation Intel Core i7 Processor, up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB SDD.

As for ports, it has Thunderbolt 3 ports (which uses the USB-C connector), which offers transfer speeds eight times faster than USB 3.0 as well as 4K display connectivity. There is also a few USB 3.0 Type-A ports and a HDMI. In addition to the ports, you’ll find a fingerprint sensor as well as an IR camera for Windows Hello support.

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon will start at $1,349 USD and comes in Black or Silver and available in February 2017.

The ThinkPad X1 Yoga also gets updated specs and a new Silver colour option. The new X1 Yoga also includes a redesigned, rechargeable pen and an improved keyboard as well as Thunderbolt 3 ports. It will also last up to 15 hours of a single charge. It can optioned up to a 7th Generation Intel Core i7 Processor, up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB SDD.

The ThinkPad X1 Yoga will be available in February 2017 and starts at $1,499 USD.

Lenovo also updated their ThinkPad X1 Tablet with better specs and some of the modules for the tablet offers port expansion and up to 5 hours of extra battery life.It can optioned up to a 7th Generation Intel Core i7 Processor, up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB SDD. The ThinkPad X1 Tablet will be available in March 2017, starting at $949 USD.

Lenovo also announced a pair of smart glasses called the New Glass C200. It combines augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI). These smart glasses are aimed at commercial users to help them better perform their jobs, access information faster and connect with remote co-workers easily.

  The New Glass C200 is a monocular smart glass system that can easily identify real-life objects using AI. It’s made up of two components, a Glass Unit and a Pocket Unit to help make a user-friendly experience. The glasses weigh under 60 grams and are running Linux and can also connect to a user’s smartphone.

Lenovo is also launching their own AR software platform called Lenovo NBD Titan which will allow users of any level of developer skill to create and edit AR content quickly and easily. The Lenovo New Glass C200 are set to release in June 2017.

Lenovo also announced the Lenovo 500 Multimedia controller which combines both a mouse and keyboard into one. There isn’t a traditional trackpad on this controller, instead the entire keyboard surface is a trackpad. It’s compatible with Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and it lasts up to 8 months on 2 AAA batteries. It will be available in March 2017 and starts at $54.99 USD.

That’s not all that Lenovo announced, they also announced a new Windows detachable computer called the Lenovo Miix 720. It’s just 0.57 inches in thickness and weighs about 2.4lbs and has a touchpad-enabled keyboard. Inside, you’ll find up to a 7th Generation Intel Core i7 processor.

On the front, you’ll find an integrated infrared (IR) camera for Windows Hello along with a QHD+ display with a resolution of 1920 x 2880. The Miix 720 also comes with the Lenovo Active Pen 2 which has over 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity to help offer a precise drawing experience.

You can expect up to 8 hours of battery life including a USB port that never turns off, so you could charge your other smartphone will your Miix 720 is off. For ports, you’ll find a Thunderbolt 3 port which can handle fast data transfers and 4K video output.

It’s clear that Lenovo is trying to go after Microsoft’s Surface Pro lineup with its new detachable Windows machine. The Miix 720 (with keyboard included) will start at $999 USD and will be available in Champagne Gold and Iron Gray in April 2017. The Active Pen 2 will be sold separately for $59 USD in February 2017.

Lenovo also introduced two new gaming laptops called the Lenovo Legion Y720 and Y520.

Lenovo Legion Y520

The Y520 can be optioned with up to a 7th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeFore GTX 1050 graphics and hybrid storage options such as a HDD and SDD (up to 512GB of SDD and 2TB HDD). It also has two 2W Harman Certified Speakers with Dolby Audio Premium. The laptop as a FullHD 15.6 display and weighs only 5.3lbs (2.4 kg). For ports, you’ll find 1 USB-C port, 2 USB 3.0 ports, 1 USB 2.0 port, 1 HDMI and a headphone jack and a microphone jack.

Lenovo Legion Y520

The Y520 starts at $899 USD and will be available in February 2017.

The Y720 laptop has similar specs to the Y520 such as can be optioned up to a 7th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics and hybrid storage options such as a HDD and SDD (up to 512GB of SDD and 2TB HDD). It can also be optioned with either  15.6 FHD (1080p) display or a 15.6 UHD (4K) display.

Lenovo Legion Y720 with Oculus Rift

There is also Dolby Atmos sound, optimized thermal cooling, built-in Xbox One Wireless controller support and is VR ready. For ports, you’ll find 3 USB 3.0 ports, 1 HDMI, 1 USB-C port, audio jack and microphone jack.

The Y720 starts at $1,399 USD and will be available in April 2017.

Source: Lenovo Newsroom

HP

HP Spectre x360 (15.6)

HP also had a few announcements of their own. The first was the updated 15-inch HP Spectre x360, which is similar to its 13-inch counterpart (both versions have the same convertible form factor) It can be optioned with a 7th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and has a NVIDIA GeFore 940MX chip with 2GB of RAM. The new laptop also has 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and a 15.6-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 3840 x 2160. There is also a USB-C port and the whole thing weighs about 4.4lbs.

It will start at $1,280 USD and start shipping by the end of the month.

That wasn’t the only convertible laptop that HP announced. They also announced the EliteBook x360 which has the same form factor as the Spectre x360 but adds a fingerprint sensor, facial recognition and management features and HP’s self-repairing firmware and the option for mobile internet.

HP Elitebook X360

You’ll also find a USB-C Thunderbolt 3 port and two USB 3.1 ports (that use the traditional USB-A connector) as well as an HDMI. The EliteBook x360 can be optioned with a 7th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. And you can either get a 1080p or 4K 13.2 touch screen with stylus support.

The EliteBook x360 will ship at the end of January.

HP also announced the second generation of their Sprout All-in-one PC called the Sprout Pro. The new computer provides high-precision 3D scanning in addition to faster 2D scanning. You’ll also be able to get a Intel Core i7 processor, 1TB of SSHD storage, up to 16GB of RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 960M graphics and Windows 10 Pro.

The Sprout Pro will be available sometime in March.

HP is also going after Microsoft’s Surface Studio with the Envy Curve AIO 34. As the name implies, it has a wide/curved 34-inch Technicolor Color Certified Ultra WQHD micro-edge display. At the base of the computer, there’s a four speaker sound bar that is tuned by Bang & Olufsen.

HP Envy Curved AIO 34

The Envy Curve can be optioned with a 7th Gen Intel Core i5 or i7 and up to 256GB SDD with a 2TB HDD, and comes with an HP Privacy Camera with IR support for Windows Hello and a microphone that is hidden when not in use. The base of the computer can also wireless charge other devices.

For ports, it has gigabit Ethernet, an SD card reader, HDMI in and out, 4 USB 3.1 ports (that are USB-A connections) and a USB-C Thunderbolt 3 port.

The HP Envy Curved All-in-One 34 will be available from HP’s site starting January 11th from $1729 USD and other retailers will get the computer starting February 26th.

Asus

Asus announced a new Chromebook with the Chromebook Flip C302. It has a convertible 12.5-inch 1080p display. The device is only about 13.7mm thin and can be optioned with a Intel Core m3 or m7 processor, 128GB of storage and up to 8GB of RAM. There is also two USB-c ports, a microSD card slot and a headphone jack.

The Chromebook Flip C302 can get up to 10 hours of battery life and is available in the US for $499 USD.

Source: Asus

Mattel Aristotle

Mattel (yes, the toy company) has introduced a new speaker called Aristotle that is capable of toddler’s (and older) questions and queries. It is also designed for play and with the speaker’s camera, it can recognize other Mattel toys.

“Imagine what happens with Hot Wheels and Thomas the Train when you have this connected hub,” Robb Fujioka, senior vice president, chief products officer at Mattel said in an interview with Fast Company. “Do you hear sound effects? Can you have greater interactions?”

The companion camera will feature 256bit encryption when connecting to Aristotle’s services and the internal data is COPAA and HIPAA compliant, according to Mattel.

Mattel says that they intent to launch the device in June but they also want to build and ecosystem around it. The platform is open to third-party developers and Mattel says that there are over 500 partners already on-board to build toys and apps.

Mattel is set to launch Aristotle for $300 USD

Source: Fast Company

  Samsung

Samsung announced some details about its next major update to it’s refrigerator technology. It’s called Family Hub 2.0 and it will come on ten of Samsung’s 2017 fridges including Samsung’s 3-Door and 4-Door French Door models as well as Samsung’s 4-Door Flex lineup.

Hub 2.0 will be more user-friendly and has improved food management using internal cameras to help you determine which foods need to be replaced. You’ll also be able to take pictures and add items to your shopping list, then be able to order groceries.

The Hub 2.0 also acts as a family communication device, partly thanks to the 21.5-inch LED touchscreen, you can share pictures, bulletin board items, calendar events and write memos.

Hub 2.0 will also have support for voice commands, so users can ask for things like the weather, time and to add items to their shopping lists and even order groceries.

Samsung is also working with partners such as Grubhub, Ring, Spotify and more to help bring their apps and services to Samsung’s Family Hub 2.0 fridges.

Source: Samsung

Dell

Dell also had a few announcements, the first being the Dell Latitude 5285 which is a Surface Pro competitor. It has a 12.3-inch 1080p display with a 3:2 aspect ratio, up to a 1TB SDD and up to 16GB of RAM. It also has the Intel 7th Gen i processor.

For ports, you’ll find two USB-C ports, a USB 3.0 port and a microSD card reader and a microSIM slot. The Latitude will launch on February 28th and starts at $899 USD.

Dell has also announced a convertible version in of their XPS 13. It weighs about 2.7 pounds. There is two display options, a 1920 x 1080 touchscreen or a 3200 x 1800 touchscreen and both options support Dell’s Active Pen. You’ll also find a fingerprint sensor, either a 7th Gen Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB of storage and it lasts up to 15 hours.

The new XPS 13 convertible will be available by the end of the month and start at $999 USD.

Qualcomm

Qualcomm announced details of their next flagship processor, the Snapdragon 835 processor. Users should expect 20% performance uplift over a wide variety of use cases such as app load time, web browsing and VR.

The new processor will also provide 40% decrease in power consumption and a 27% boost in performance. The Snapdragon 835 also has support for Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 4.0 to allow users to charge their devices faster over USB-C using the USB-PD standard.

Expect to see the first devices with the Snapdragon 835 in the next few months (the Galaxy S8 is expected to have it).

Source: Qualcomm

And if you haven’t already checked out my Favourite Apps of 2016.

Google Pixel XL

The Google Pixel quickly became my favourite smartphone this year. It has an awesome camera, great battery life, a more refined version of Android and to top it all of, it was wrapped in a solid metal body with a touch of glass.

Related: Pixel XL Review: The Best of Google

Forza Horizon 3

Forza Horizon 3 Chopper Buggy

The Forza Horizon series is a great breather between the Forza Motorsport releases, it’s a lot more fun and the third entry in the Horizon series is even better than the last one. The game looks gorgeous and is really fun to pick up and play.

Hitman (2016 Reboot)

The new episodic Hitman game that came out this year, is a lot of fun to play and replay. Sure the episodic is a departure from past Hitman games but it’s worth it now to buy the game because you can buy and play the complete first season all at once. And IO Interactive (the game’s developer) is said to be working on multiple seasons.

FIFA 17

EA made their FIFA series even better this year with the addition of The Journey,  which is basically a story mode that will put players will be into the shoes of Premier League prospect, Alex Hunter who is looking to make his mark.

You’ll navigate through new the emotional highs and low of your own story arc, meet new characters and visit new football worlds.

Watch Dogs 2

Watch Dogs 2 is what the first game should have been, the sequel is much more fun and immersive than it’s predecessor. It’s fun to just drive around and cause havoc in the fictionalized version of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Pebble Time Steel

Even with the demise of Pebble, that still didn’t stop me from upgrading my original Pebble (which has some terrible screen tearing issues) to a Pebble Time Steel. It has a much better feel and the colour screen makes it all worth wild.

Star Wars

Even though 2015 was the beginning of the next 5 years or so of Star Wars mania, 2016 was still a great year to be a Star Wars fan, especially with the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which is about the team of Rebels that stole the Death Star plans.

Here are how the next few years are going to look like for Star Wars movies:

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – December 16th 2016 (already out as of this post)

Star Wars Episode VIII – December 15th 2017

Star Wars Anthology: Han Solo – May 25th 2018

Star Wars Episode IX – 2019

Star Wars Anthology: Boba Fett – 2020

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story L to R: (Felicity Jones) & (Diego Luna) Ph: Film Frame ©Lucasfilm LFL

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Donnie Yen) Ph: Film Frame ©Lucasfilm LFL

This post will be focusing on the apps that I used the most this year, so much that I consider them my favourite apps of 2016. Some of these apps might not have come out in 2015 but some have been significantly since last year’s post: Favourite Apps of 2015.

Some of these apps are just available on only one platform (just Android or just iOS) but some of them are multiplatform in which they are on both Android and iOS and have a web app as well.

The links to download these apps will be in the form of “Get on Google Play” or “Get it on the App Store” picture after each app description.

Action Launcher 3

Action Launcher is designed to replace the look of your Android device’s home screen. I use Action Launcher as my main launcher on all my devices. It brings the best of the Google Now Launcher and offers a unique twist on a traditional launcher in the form of the Quick Drawer where all the apps are housed.

Over the past year, since the big 3.0 release back in December 2015, the launcher’s developer, Chris Lacy has continued to make improvements to the launcher including adding features from the Pixel Launcher as found on the Google Pixel phones.

Sync for Reddit (Pro)

Sync is a great reddit app for Android. It is the most fully featured and offers the best value for the money and keeps getting better with each update.

  Android Central

When I’m not writing articles for TheCanadianTechie, I’m usually reading other tech news sites. One of my favourite ones that specifically focuses on Android is Android Central. And their app for Android makes it easy to catch up with the latest Android news and helpful tips.

Pocket Casts

  If you are one of those people who love listening to podcasts (such as myself), here is an awesome app for you. Pocket Casts has a clean design and lots of features including Chromecast support. It is available on Android and iOS, you can even start a podcast on one device and continue listening on another by utilizing the app’s sync feature.

            Pocket Casts is also has a web app, it’s available on their website for a one-time fee of $9.

Pocket Casts Web

Prisma

Prisma will transform your photos and videos into works of art (that are inspired by famous artists such as Van Gogh, Picasso, Levitan) using neural networks and artificial intelligence.

            Google Photos

Ever since Google introduced Google Photos back at Google I/O 2015, it’s been my go to app/service to keep all my photos from all my devices. As soon as I take a photos, it’s automatically uploaded to Google Photos.

Also, there are so many ways that your photos organized. If you want to just view photos of one particular person, you can because of the facial recognition that’s built into Google Photos. You could even just find photos from certain places that you’ve been to.

            Google Photos is also available on the web: Google Photos (Web)

AZ Screen Recorder

This is one of the best screen recorders out there on Google Play. The best part is that all the features are free. The in-app purchases are for features that make the app even better but they aren’t necessary.

      Solid Explorer

Over the past year, Solid Explorer has been my go-to file explorer, it offers the same features as ES Explorer but with a better implementation of material design (and no crapware like the free version of ES Explorer has).

The app is free to download but you only get a 14-day trial then you’ll need to buy the $1.99 in-app purchase to unlock everything permanently.

      Layout from Instagram

When I post some of my sketches or other photos to Instagram, I like to make collages out of them and Instagram’s Layout app is great for that.

            Boomerang from Instagram

Boomerang is an app that will allow you to create mini videos that loop continuously (almost like a gif). How it works, is that when you press the shutter button in the app, it will take a burst of 10 photos and then stitch them together.

makin' it rain 😎

A video posted by Sachin Bahal (@sachinbahal) on Dec 24, 2016 at 3:05pm PST

              Plex

Plex is a great way to organize your media collection. Plex will automatically pull-in metadata so you have more information about your movies, tv shows and music. The mobile apps make it so then you can watch your stuff while on the go or even cast it to a Chromecast or Apple TV.

            Backdrops

Backdrops is one of the best-looking wallpaper apps out there. There are literally hundreds of original wallpapers to choose from.

      Hypocam

Hypocam is the most recent app that I discovered. Basically it’s a great app for black and white photography on your phone.

            Quik Video Editor

Quik allows your to create automatic edits and beautiful videos in a just a few simple taps. GoPro acquired the app back in February 2016 and it’s one of my favourite apps to use when uploading videos to Instagram.

Here’s one of the videos I’ve made using Quik.

Shot on Parrot Bebop 2

A video posted by Sachin Bahal (@sachinbahal) on Nov 26, 2016 at 9:03pm PST

            Google Allo

  Allo is a smart messaging app that allows you to say and do more. Some of the apps features include Smart Reply which allow you to respond to messages without typing a single word. Smart Reply learns over time and suggests responses to text and photos, in your style.

  You can also bring the Google Assistant into your conversations with your friend and family to help find restaurants nearby, share videos to watch, and get answers, right in your conversation with friends or you can talk to the Google Assistant in it’s own dedicated conversation.

            Instapaper

Instapaper is one of favourite apps to use when reading articles. It makes everything so simplified and no intrusions like ads to break up the reading flow. And you can also read articles offline with Instapaper.

Back in August 2016, Instapaper was acquired by Pinterest and in November, Instapaper got rid of their “Premium” subscription and all the “Premium” features are now free to all users.

            There is also a web version of Instapaper, so you can read your articles more clearly.