keyword: iPhone 12

oppo-find-x3-neo-review:-can-it-compete?

Oppo Find X3 Neo review: Can it compete?

(Pocket-lint) – There will always be those who clamour for the latest specs, studying all the latest flagships to ensure that when they eventually part with their hard-earned cash it goes on the device that has the top numbers. Those phones will come with the highest resolution screens, the latest processor, and the most cameras on the back. 

But here’s the thing: you don’t necessarily need all of those things. Which, if you’re looking to save a bit of cash, is where the likes of Oppo’s Find X3 Neo comes in. Unlike its predecessor, the Find X2 Neo, Oppo’s second-in-command phone from its Find X series has a previous flagship chip instead of a current mid-range processor. Does that make it the perfect balance of power to price?

Design & Build

  • Dimensions: 159.9 x 72.5 x 7.99mm / Weight: 184 grams
  • Finish options: Galactic Silver / Starlight Black 

In a market filled with big-scale devices, it’s always a relief – specifically for the hands – when a smartphone comes along that’s noticeably more nimble. That’s the Neo through and through.

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The Find X3 Pro was noticeably more comfortable to hold than most of its competitors, and the Neo is smaller and therefore feels even more compact in the palm. 

It’s about 8mm thick, which is technically thicker than an iPhone 12, but its curved edges on the front and the back make it feel sleek and slim when you actually hold it. The camera protrusion on the back is fairly minimal too. Despite featuring four cameras, it retains that compact rectangular design of the phones that came before it, not the more heavily protruding set – like you’ll see in, say, Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Captured in the right kind of light, the Find X3 Neo’s shape and overall design has a minimalist quality about it. The dark blue/black model we were sent for review – that’s where the Starlight Black name comes from – has an unmistakeable glittery quality to it. It also has a soft almost-grippy texture to the glass on the back, but a visual sparkle whenever it catches the light. We have a feeling you’ll either love or hate this. 

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Still, that texture on the back means it’s refreshingly non-slippery. It won’t fall from your hand, it doesn’t randomly slide off flat surfaces and – more crucially – struggles to pick up fingerprints. It’s a great finish, whether or not you’re a fan of the twinkly quality.

Display & Software

  • 6.55-inch FHD+ (1440 x 1080 resolution) AMOLED display
  • 90Hz refresh rate, 120Hz touch sampling rate
  • 1100 nits peak brightness

We’ve seen more than one manufacturer opt to put a Full HD display into its phones in 2021. In fact, where QHD+ resolution used to be the norm for flagships, it now seems having that 1440p panel is reserved for only the ultimate, top tier devices.

That’s the same for Oppo. The Find X3 Pro is the one with the higher resolution, 120Hz high frame-rate display. That means the Neo has the lower Full HD+ resolution and mid-level 90Hz with this one. 

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We find the 90Hz refresh is more than adequate for pretty much everything. In our testing we’ve not seen too much to suggest that 120Hz is an absolute must from any phone. In fact, even those that can push 120 frames every second have recently opted to use adaptive rates as to not waste battery life.

In reality, 90hz means that all your animations – whether they be general interface or during gaming – will be smooth and respond quickly to your gestures on screen. 

As for the display’s visual properties, those a decent too. Granted, you don’t get the same eye-popping brightness and colours as you might from the Pro, but it’s certainly not a dim screen. The Neo’s smaller panel is bright and vivid, with deep blacks lending a hand to make visuals pop. 

If there’s any criticism it’s that it seems to suffer a little with excessive contrast, most notable when the brightness is low. Some colours at these times seem a bit too dark and unnatural. Once you have your favourite show on, or you’re smashing the latest levels of your favourite game, you don’t particularly notice any real issues though.

Software-wise, it’s practically identical to what we saw on the Pro model. Here you’ll find Oppo’s ColorOS 11, based on Google’s Android 11, which means lots of useful and fun features. We like the customisation interface that lets you see your changes in real-time on the home screen as you pick the wallpaper or adjust the shape and design of the icons. 

Other highlights include the completely customisable always-on display. There’s also the Relax app that plays soothing sounds to help you get rest or fall to sleep at night – this includes nature sounds and relaxing music as well as sounds recorded in cities around the world. 

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As well as the same software benefits as per the Pro, the Neo experience similar quirky issues. There’s some inconsistency in the way it handles notifications, in that visual alerts don’t appear everywhere you’d expect. For instance, you might have icons on the always-on display and in the status bar, but not on the lock screen. It made it impossible for us to see what a notification was without opening the app and checking. It’s little irks like this that hold ColorOS back a mite.



Apple’s spring product line-up special – Pocket-lint Podcast 100


By Rik Henderson
·

Performance & Battery

  • Snapdragon 865 processor, 12GB RAM
  • 256GB storage, no microSD
  • 4500mAh battery capacity
  • 65W Super VOOC 2.0 flash charging

As we alluded to at the beginning of this review, this phone isn’t equipped with 2021’s top-tier Qualcomm Snapdragon 888. It’s not got a step-down Snapdragon 700 series chipset either. Instead, Oppo opted for the last-gen top-tier option, the Snapdragon 865.

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By going down this route, Oppo has effectively skipped the ‘almost-flagship’ range and gone with a proper flagship one instead – albeit from 2020. And when you consider the Neo’s screen refresh rate tops out at 90Hz and it’s a Full HD+ resolution, that processor choice is more than enough to make it feel like a properly fast phone. 

As you’d expect, the resulting experience is one that’s quick and responsive. Because, after all, a processor which was the fastest and most powerful just a few months prior to launch hasn’t suddenly just become slow and sluggish over night. 

Settle into your daily routine and there’s just no trouble from the Oppo phone. It loads games and apps without a care in the world. Loading screens transition quickly, graphics start sharp and remain that way while the high refresh touch sampling rate ensures that your gestures on screen result in quick animations from the display. 

It’s a similar situation with battery life. Having a Full HD+ display and a relatively large 4500mAh battery capacity means you can easily get through a full day with the Neo, even on really busy days. Oppo’s battery optimisation is famously quite aggressive – and that means for some moderate/light users that two days on a full charge isn’t out of the question. We’d often get to the end of a day with more than 40 per cent left over. 

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The other plus side to this battery is that it features Super VOOC 2.0 charging, which makes it possible to refill it really quickly. It uses the 65W wired flash charging tech that can completely fill the battery in around 35 minutes. It’s not quite as speedy as the updated OnePlus 9 Warp Charge, but it’s still fast enough to make battery anxiety a thing of the past. 

Cameras

  • Quad rear cameras:
    • Main: 50-megapixel, f/1.8 aperture, optical image stabilisation (OIS)
    • 2x optical zoom: 13MP, f/2.4
    • Wide-angle: 16MP, f/2.2
    • Macro: 2MP
  • 32MP front-facing selfie camera
  • Video: 4K up to 60fps

Like its internals, the camera makeup is of a flagship level too. Or, at least, the primary camera is. It uses the same 50-megapixel sensor as its more expensive sibling, the Find X3 Pro. 

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: Primary lensPrimary lens

That means when you’re taking photos in the ‘1x’ mode you’re going to get great-looking pictures, especially when there’s good light. Shooting outside will get you sharp images with great colour and a lovely natural depth – more pronounced when shooting objects that are close to the camera. 

However, the supporting act cameras just aren’t quite as strong. The ultra-wide camera sometimes left us with pictures that looked a little flatter in terms of colour and depth, and it’s not as strong at focussing on nearby subjects. Similarly, the overall look of those pictures was just a tad rough compared to the main camera. 

As for that 2x optical zoom camera, that’s similar to the ultra-wide – in that it can capture decent enough pictures, but again they lack some of that crispy vibrance you see from pictures from the primary sensor. 

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: 1x Primary1x Primary

Still, while they’re far from perfect, those additional focal lengths do at least mean the camera system is versatile. They add an extra dimension to the photography experience and will let you capture those wide landscapes or zoom in on something a little further away to good effect. 

The one camera that really isn’t up to scratch is the macro sensor. It’s baffling that instead of equipping the system with an ultra-wide camera that can also be used for macro, Oppo utilised a 2-megapixel macro sensor – the kind we’d expect to see in a much cheaper phone. 

Shots from camera’s dedicated macro mode are really quite harsh. Details are lacking, there’s a real lack of decent colour, and the background blur is awful looking.

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: Macro Macro 

In our testing we found it was better just to switch to the main camera in regular photo and get close up to a subject. If you want a tighter shot, simply crop the photo afterwards – as that way you get far better detail, colour and depth. 

Verdict

It’s easy to see the appeal of the Find X3 Neo. It’s a slim and nimble phone with great battery life, flagship speeds, and a very good main camera. The Snapdragon 865 processor inside means it’s not just an over-priced mid-range device.

However, the Oppo’s biggest challenge will likely be competing with other similarly priced phones. The OnePlus 9 is technically more powerful and costs less, while the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is a phone powered by the same chipset but for less money.

For many, we suspect it might come down to the battle of the cameras. And with the Neo’s primary camera sensor delivering great results – not that can be said about its other cameras – it’s in with a shot.

On the whole, the Oppo Find X3 Neo is a refined experience – one that offers an appealing alternative to the much bigger and much more expensive premium devices on the market. 

Also consider

Pocket-lint

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE

It may have a plastic back, but the ‘Fan Edition’ was one of the surprise hits of 2020 – and is still a great buy. It has a fluid and smooth display, IP68 water- and dust-resistance and similar internal hardware to the Oppo. Crucially, it’s also cheaper. 

  • Read our review

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OnePlus 9

If your main aim is getting the top-tier processor for as little money as possible, the OnePlus 9 is a great shout. It’s not quite as nimble and thin as the Oppo, but it’s got a Snapdragon 888 processor, fast charging, and great software. Also at a lower price. 

  • Read our review

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Writing by Cam Bunton. Editing by Mike Lowe.

tesla-model-s-limited-edition-with-matching-iphone-12-pro

Tesla Model S Limited Edition with matching iPhone 12 Pro

Caviar has designed an ultra-luxurious gold Tesla Model S (Plaid) concept car, with two perfectly matching iPhone 12 Pro Limited Edition smartphones.

Caviar Luxury Atelier is known for manufacturing luxury and exclusive smartphones and accessories. The latest Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy models are usually used as a basis for their exclusive creations. This time Caviar has designed two new iPhone 12 Pro Limited Edition models, which are inspired by the Tesla Model S electric car. To further enhance the feeling of luxury and exclusivity, Caviar has also created a golden Tesla Model S concept. It is the first car that the brand redesigns.

To start with the iPhone 12 Pro. The new Caviar collection consists of two models, a black and a gold model. The back of the smartphones are made of hardened titanium, which is used in the aerospace industry. The design is further enriched with a black and gold PVD coating, whereby the contours of the Tesla Model S are clearly reflected in the design.

Naturally, the characteristic Caviar crown has also been incorporated into the design. Both iPhone 12 Pro models come in a limited edition of 99 pieces. The costs for this exclusive smartphone start at $ 6,150 USD, for which you will receive the black iPhone 12 Pro 128GB. For the gold model, prices start at $ 6,600 USD. Customers can also opt for the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Both variants are offered in three memory configurations: 128GB, 256GB and 512GB.

Tesla Model S Limited Edition electric car

Caviar’s specially designed smartphones can already count on a lot of attention, but with the Tesla Model S concept car, the company is taking it a step further. The luxurious high-tech car that Caviar has designed has a black glossy appearance, combined with rich gold accents. It is a particularly striking appearance – a beautiful show car for The Walk boulevard in Dubai Marine.

The radiator grille, elements of the rear and front bumpers, side skirts, discs and rear-view mirrors are covered with 24k gold of the highest standard in the Double Electroplated technique. A striking design detail is the eye-catching Caviar gold crown located on the bonnet and rear bumper. Under the right rear light there is a sign showing the number pieces in the limited edition – 01/99.

The gold Tesla Model S (Plaid) comes in a limited edition of 99 pieces. This uniquely pimped electric car can be ordered for $ 299,000 USD. By comparison, Elon Musk’s model costs about $ 140,000 USD.



Tesla Limited Edition concept car by Caviar

Ilse is a Dutch journalist and joined LetsGoDigital more than 15 years ago. She is highly educated and speaks four languages. Ilse is a true tech-girl and loves to write about the future of consumer electronics. She has a special interest for smartphones, digital cameras, gaming and VR.

ios-14.5-brings-dual-sim-5g-support-to-iphone-12-series

iOS 14.5 brings Dual SIM 5G support to iPhone 12 series

Yesterday Apple released iOS 14.5 alongside iPadOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4 to its users worldwide. One more under the radar feature with the new update for iPhone 12 series users is the ability to have 5G connectivity in Dual SIM mode.


Dual SIM 5G confirmation from Apple

Prior to the update, you would be restricted to 4G LTE when using two SIM cards simultaneously regardless if they were 5G ready. Now, you can only have one line on 5G connectivity and it will only be used for data according to the official changelog released by Apple.

Smart Data Mode can now switch to 4G LTE connectivity when you aren’t using your iPhone to help extend battery life.

Check out all of the new iOS 14.5 additions here.

Source | Via

apple-will-now-let-you-add-virtual-lasers-and-confetti-to-your-clips-videos

Apple will now let you add virtual lasers and confetti to your Clips videos

Apple now lets you add augmented-reality lasers, confetti, and more to your Clips videos, thanks to an update to the short-form video app. The feature, called AR Spaces, will let users with LIDAR-equipped Apple devices (so far, that’s the iPhone 12 Pros and iPad Pros from 2020 or later) add room-filling effects that can interact with walls and floors. (If you watched Apple’s April 20th event, you may have spotted a brief look at the update ahead of today’s release.)

You can get an idea of what this will look like in action with this GIF taken from Apple’s demo video.

The Prism and Dance Floor effects.
Image: Apple

Apple says that the AR Spaces effects should work with the other effects built in to Clips, such as the animated stickers and emoji, if you want to add even more to your videos. The update to the app can be downloaded now from the App Store.

The Clips update is Apple’s latest experiment with AR, in which the company has a keen interest. The company released an AR experience tie-in for its show For All Mankind in February, and CEO Tim Cook discussed some of his thoughts about AR tech in an interview earlier this month. There are also rumors that Apple is working on a full-fledged AR / VR headset.

twitter-is-adding-a-covid-19-vaccine-fact-box-box-to-users’-timelines

Twitter is adding a COVID-19 vaccine fact box box to users’ timelines

Twitter is adding a new prompt to users’ timelines to help promote the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination effort, providing users around the world with the “latest vaccine info” in their particular country.

The new notice appears as a massive unmissable box at the top of users’ Twitter feeds on the iOS and Android apps, prompting users to “make sure you have the most up-to-date information on the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations.” (The prompt is so large that on my iPhone 12 Pro, it obscured all but a single tweet when I opened the app.)

Tapping that link takes you to a new Twitter event page with information about the vaccines, shown as a series of collected tweets from organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least in the US. The guide is broken up into several sections, into details on vaccine efficacy, potential side effects, advice for pregnant people, and more.

As COVID-19 vaccinations become more widely available, we want you to have access to the latest vaccine info in your country.

This week you’ll see a prompt in your timeline that links to sources about vaccine safety, efficacy, and news from public health experts.

— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) April 26, 2021

It’s the latest effort by a major tech company to help promote the COVID-19 vaccines and provide useful and accurate information to users. Facebook has recently added state-by-state vaccination information to its News Feed for US users, for example, while YouTube is running an ad campaign of PSAs to encourage people to get their shots.

ios-14.5-is-out-now-with-new-face-id-mask-features-and-apple’s-app-tracking-transparency

iOS 14.5 is out now with new Face ID mask features and Apple’s App Tracking Transparency

Apple has begun rolling out iOS and iPadOS 14.5. The latest software update includes the new App Tracking Transparency feature, which lets users decide whether to allow apps to track their activity “across other companies’ apps and websites” for advertising purposes. A pop-up will now appear whenever apps are designed to share your activity in this way. Facebook has heavily criticized Apple over App Tracking Transparency, claiming that it presents “a false tradeoff between personalized ads and privacy.” The new option could have a detrimental impact on Facebook’s ad business.

Perhaps more important to day-to-day iPhone usage, iOS 14.5 also includes a very helpful and timely new trick: if you own an Apple Watch, you can set your iPhone to automatically unlock without requiring a Face ID match or passcode as long as Apple’s smartwatch is on your wrist. This is designed to make getting into your phone that much quicker while we’re all still wearing face masks so frequently throughout the day. Installing watchOS 7.4 is necessary for this feature to work; that update is also available as of today.

iOS and iPadOS 14.5 include a ton of new emoji with a focus on inclusivity. The update adds the ability to watch Apple Fitness Plus workouts on a TV with AirPlay 2. Apple’s Podcasts app is getting a new design and optional subscriptions. The latest video game controllers for the PS5 and Xbox Series X / S are now supported on the iPhone and iPad as of this update. And all iPhone 12 models will allow for 5G connectivity in dual-SIM mode in more countries. Starting with the 14.5 update, Apple will no longer default to a female-sounding voice for its Siri assistant. Instead, you’ll be prompted to choose your preferred voice during device setup. Apple has a post up with all of the miscellaneous improvements and additions.

iOS and iPadOS 14.5 is rolling out to iPhone and iPad users now; you can check the “software update” section in settings to begin the update process right away.

apple-tv-4k-(2021)-vs-apple-tv-4k-(2017):-is-it-worth-upgrading?

Apple TV 4K (2021) vs Apple TV 4K (2017): Is it worth upgrading?

(Pocket-lint) – Apple has finally announced a refresh of its flagship streaming box, the Apple TV 4K.

The last model was released in 2017 and was decently specced for its time. The new one is faster and includes some extra bells and whistles, but does that mean you need to upgrade?

We look at the features and specifications of both to help you make that decision.

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What’s the same?

  • Main “puck”-style box design – measuring 3.9 x 3.9 x 1.4mm
  • Access to thousands of TV shows and movies
  • Streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and, of course, Apple TV+
  • Apple Arcade support
  • Apps and games
  • 4K HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos support
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • Available in 32GB and 64GB variants

If you own an Apple TV 4K already, you’ll already know much of what to expect. The box itself is identical in size and shape, for starters.

The 2017 model is 4K (2160p) capable, just like the newer version, and is capable of playing all the same content. Both offer access to a wide variety of streaming services, including Apple’s own TV+, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and BBC iPlayer (in the UK). Movie rentals and purchases can be played equally well through them too. And they each can play the games that come with the Apple Arcade subscription.

Both devices are capable of 4K playback in HDR or Dolby Vision (depending on your TV), and can feed Dolby Atmos surround sound to a compatible AV receiver, TV or sound system.

Bluetooth 5.0 is support for connection to the included remote or other accessories. AirPlay 2 is also support by each of the machines. As too is Apple’s new TV calibration mode, which is available on the latest version of tvOS.

What’s different?

  • A12 Bionic processing
  • HDMI 2.1
  • High Frame Rate (HFR) support – up to 60fps
  • New Siri Remote
  • 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6

While the latest Apple TV 4K model looks the same as its predecessor, there are some differences under the hood, as we detail below. There is also a brand new remote control.

Siri Remote

Perhaps the most obvious generational changes can be found on the included remote. We weren’t huge fans of the touchpanel on the previous version, so are pleased to see that’s been replaced by a new chickwheel.

There are still touch elements to it, to help with cursor use and navigation, but the Siri Remote now has clickable direction buttons on the wheel. It can also be used as a scroll wheel by running your finger around the circular edge.

The new remote comes in recycled aluminium, and the Siri button has been switched to the side – more like an iPhone. There’s a new mute button and a power button at the top that can also be used to turn on/off your TV through IR or HDMI CEC.

As before, the remote is rechargable, with a claimed battery life of “months” on a single charge (in normal use).

A12 Bionic

A new processor (upgraded from the A10X Fusion) means the latest Apple TV 4K should run more quickly than before and is capable of more powerful features – some of which could come down the pipeline at a later date. The A12 Bionic is the same processor used by the Apple iPad mini (4th generation) and 2020 iPad.

High Frame Rate

HFR is supported for the first time, with the new Apple TV 4K able to playback HDR video at upo to 60 frames-per-second. This includes 4K video.

That’s especially great for iPhone 12 Pro users who shoot videos in 60fps. You will be able to stream them to your TV in the higher frame rate over AirPlay 2. You will need an HFR supporting TV as well, of course, but most modern 4K HDR TVs are capable of 60fps playback too (ie. 60Hz and above).

HDMI 2.1

The HDMI output has been upgraded to HDMI 2.1 (from 2.0a) to enable the HFR support. Other benefits might become apparent over time.

Wi-Fi 6

With the Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) wireless standard now supported you will be able to more seamlessly stream higher bandwidth content – including 4K 60fps video.

Conclusion

To be honest, there’s not a load of new changes, even considering the four year gap between models. However, the latest Apple TV 4K will updoubtedly be faster in operation and, therefore, more capable with processing-heavy applications. That will include games on Apple Arcade.

As is the way of such things, you might find some apps and games released in the future will only run effectively on the new model. But then, you might want to hold on from upgrading until then.

The one huge improvement comes in the shape of the new remote. It’s definitely better thought out, in our opinion. But even then, you needn’t upgrade for that alone as it’ll also be available as a optional extra and will work on the 2017 model too.

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There’s a much clearer reason to upgrade if you own the standard 1080p Apple TV, though. If you have one of those and have been holding off to see what happens, now’s a great time to consider taking the plunge.

Most importantly, the pricing remains the same between generations, so if you’ve never owned an Apple TV before, you can expect to get all the new features for the same price.

Writing by Rik Henderson.

bowers-&-wilkins-pi7-initial-review:-b&w-goes-true-wireless-at-last

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 initial review: B&W goes true wireless at last

(Pocket-lint) – Audiophile brand Bowers & Wilkins has always taken its sweet time in adopting new technologies. It told Pocket-lint in the past that this is intentional – it likes to wait until the market matures and its own high audio quality standards can be met.

It was relatively late to market with a Bluetooth speaker and wireless heaphones. And, it only adopted active or adaptive noise-cancellation when it was sure its tech wouldn’t hamper audio performance.

That’s why it is also late to the party with true wireles in-ears. And, do you know what, we don’t mind. The flagship Bowers & Wilkins PI7 in-ear true wireless headphones are proof positive that a softly softly approach can reap dividends.

In many ways, these ‘buds remind us of the excellent Sony WF-1000XM3 earphones. Except smaller, more confortable, and with even more musicality. That’s the benefit of hindsight in effect right there.



The best Lightning headphones 2021 for your iPhone or iPad


By Dan Grabham
·

Top headphones capable of handling lossless 48kHz digital audio from Apple devices.

What you get in the box

When you open the box, you see a tasty-looking, small-scale case. It’s a bit larger than an Apple AirPods equivalent but a lot smaller than many we’ve also had through the Pocket-lint testing bed.

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The case comes with a USB-C port and a couple of buttons, including a Bluetooth pairing button that allows you to connect it to your device without needing to take out the ‘buds.

A USB-C to USB-C cable is included, but you’ll have to provide your own charging plug. That does mean it is capable of being fast charged, though. It can also be charged wirelessly, if you have a Qi mat handy.

The case has a further neat trick up its sleeve too: it can also act as a Bluetooth transmitter. Using an additional included USB-C to 3.5mm mini jack cable, you can plug the case into any source and transmit audio to your PI7s wirelessly.

This feature could be great for listening to in-flight entertainment – rather than buying something such as the RHA Wireless Flight Adapter – for example, or for using with a Nintendo Switch, which doesn’t currently support Bluetooth headphones. The case will also pair with other Bowers & Wilkins wireless headphones – such as the B&W PX7 released in 2020 – so can simultaneously transmit audio to those too.

Design and fit

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 in-ears are beautifully designed. We are testing the white version – they are also available in charcoal.

They are extremely comfortable and light, with a matte finish to the plastic and neat metallic element on the outer tips. It’s meant to be a gold finish but, depending on the light, can look gunmetal grey at times.

The eartips are silicone, with the medium sized tips on the earbuds as default. You get a couple of extra silicone tips in the box, in small and large.

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In our ears, they fit very well indeed and are extremely comfortable. We wouldn’t imagine getting earache from these over long periods, unlike some competitors (although these first impressions are based on having the PI7s for a few days, so a full, in-depth test is yet to follow).

What we will say though, is that as the larger plastic section needs to fit inside the bowl of your ear, some with smaller ears may struggle to place it successfully.

The ‘buds are water- and dust-proof, which is great for indoor workouts. But, we’re not sure they’re secure enough for running outdoors. Very few non-sport TWS in-ears are, to be honest.

There are touch controls on each of the earphones. You can tap to take a call, pause, play and rewind music, and adjust noise-cancelling and activate your chosen voice assistant. There are also wear sensors on each, so when you remove either, the music stops. It plays automatically when you put them back in.

Set-up and battery life

Setting up the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 in-ears is a doddle. For iPhone users, you just need to head to your Bluetooth settings screen and press the button inside the case for a couple of seconds. The headphones should appear in your list for connection.

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It’s even easier on Android devices with Google Fast Pair enabled. Just place the case nearby and open the case lid. Then follow the instructions on your phone.

You also need to download the Bowers & Wilkins Headphones app to control a couple of the features and/or update the PI7s or their case. Once paired via Bluetooth, you can search for your in-ears through the app – this will bring up a dedicated settings section.

The app will also show you the battery status of each earbud and the case. It gives you control over the adaptive noise-cancellation tech (switching it on or off, or choosing whether to have it automatically adjust depending on your surroundings). You can also change the strength of the noise-cancelling effect via a transparency slider.

Battery life is claimed to be up to 4 hours of playback for each ‘bud, with a further 16 hours from the case. We are yet to test that fully.

Audio performance

We’ve been hugely impressed by the audio performance and signature in our listening tests so far.

The B&W PI7 headphones support Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive lossless wireless tech, although we’re yet to give that a thorough workout. We have, though, streamed plenty of Tidal Masters tracks via an iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Naturally, this isn’t the best we could get but it’s close to what we expect most users will acheive.

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Led Zeppelin’s Bring it on Home (remastered) sounded deep, involving, and with excellent separation. As too did The Kink’s Shangri-La (the stereo mix). While it is weird writing about the imperfections in a recording, they are often what makes a certain version so good, and every squeaky guitar slide is picked out by these headphones.

Bass is impressive too. Each earbud has its own amplifier, supporting a custom 9.2mm drive unit. This works greatly across all fequencies, but bass certainly benefits.

Aside from obvious hip-hop examples, the opening bars of the 2019 remix of Come Together by The Beatles are throaty and tangible. All from tiny in-ears with no cable attached. Amazing.

First Impressions

We want to investigate further before we give our full opinion, but so far, it seems like Bowers & Wilkins is onto a winner with the PI7 wireless in-ears.

These earbuds are extremely high quality and look tasty to match. Their musicality is right up there, but then so is the price, so you would expect as much.

That’s probably our only quibble for now – the B&Ws are almost twice the price of Apple’s AirPods Pro equivalents. Indeed, there are few high-end alternatives priced quite so highly.

Bowers & Wilkins does counter that with the less expensive PI5 – released at the same time – but we haven’t heard those yet to give you a decent comparison, and they don’t come with the Hi-Res Audio specifications.

Still, we’d imagine there are plenty willing to pay a premium price for premium performance. We’ll soon follow up with a full review to let you know if it’s justified. So far, so good, however.

Writing by Rik Henderson. Editing by Mike Lowe.

Apple AirTags and purple iPhone 12 are now available for preorder

Apple’s new Tile-like AirTags, long-rumored and finally announced at this week’s Spring Loaded event, are now available for preorder on Apple’s website. The small circular trackers work with Apple’s “Find My” app on iOS and have a built-in speaker, accelerometer, Bluetooth LE, and a replaceable battery. They cost $29 for one set or $99 for a four-pack.

Apple says the AirTags’ battery should be good for a year. They should start delivering between May 3rd and May 5th.

The existence of AirTags first became known nearly two years ago, in copies of the iOS 13 beta. Apple accidentally confirmed the AirTags name in a support video last year that has since been deleted.

Also revealed at Spring Loaded was the new purple iPhone 12. It’s identical to the other colors of the iPhone 12; it’s very fast, has a very nice screen, 5G, and great cameras, according to our review. It’s also available for preorder today on Apple’s website and will be widely available starting April 30th.

The 2021 iMac, new Apple TV 4K, and new iPad Pro models Apple showed off at the Spring Loaded event will be available for preorder starting April 30th.

apple-ipad-11-pro-(2021)-vs-ipad-pro-12.9-(2021)-vs-ipad-air-(2020):-what’s-the-difference?

Apple iPad 11 Pro (2021) vs iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) vs iPad Air (2020): What’s the difference?

(Pocket-lint) – Apple revealed the fifth generation iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) and third generation iPad Pro 11 (2021) at an event in April. The two devices sit above the fourth generation iPad Air (2020), the eighth generation iPad (2020) and the iPad mini.

You can read how all Apple’s iPad’s compare in our separate feature, but here we are looking at how the new iPad Pros compare to the iPad Air to help you work out which is right for you.

Here is how the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) stacks up against the iPad Pro 11 (2021) and iPad Air (2020).

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Design

  • iPad Pro 12.9 (2021): 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4mm, 682g
  • iPad Pro 11 (2021): 247.6 x 178.5 x 5.9mm, 466g
  • iPad Air (2020): 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm, 458g

The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 and Apple iPad Pro 11 share identical designs, though their measurements differ. The iPad Air meanwhile, borrows some of the iPad Pro’s design features, like very narrow bezels around the screen and an aluminium body with square edges but there are some differences elsewhere.

The iPad Pro models have a large square camera housing in the top left corner – like the iPhone 12 models – and they have two camera lenses within that housing. The iPad Air has a singular camera lens in the top left corner so there’s a slight step down in the camera department.

The iPad Pro models feature Face ID at the top of their displays, while the iPad Air has Touch ID built into the power button at the top – both allow for as much screen as possible in the body available though.

All models have a Smart Connector on the back and all are compatible with the second generation Apple Pencil and Magic Folio Keyboard.

The iPad Pro models have Thunderbolt/USB 4 for charging and data transfer, while the iPad Air has USB-C. The iPad Pro models come in Silver and Space Grey colours, but the iPad Air comes in Rose Gold, Green and Sky Blue on top of Silver and Space Grey, making for some more exciting finish options.

In terms of overall size and weight, the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) is the largest and heaviest, while the iPad Pro 11 (2021) and iPad Air are almost identical in size and weight, with the iPad Pro 11 slightly slimmer and the iPad Air slightly lighter.

Display

  • iPad Pro 12.9 (2021): 12.9-inch, Liquid XDR, 2732 x 2048 resolution (264ppi), 1600nits, ProMotion, True Tone
  • iPad Pro 11 (2021): 11-inch, Liquid Retina, 2388 x 1668 resolution (264ppi), 600nits, ProMotion, True Tone
  • iPad Air (2020): 10.9-inch, Liquid Retina, 2360 x 1640 resolution (264ppi), 500nits, True Tone

The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) has a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display, which is the largest and brightest of the three iPads being compared here with a 1600nits peak brightness (HDR). The iPad Pro 11 (2021) and iPad Air have a Liquid Retina display, with the iPad Pro featuring an 11-inch screen and a max brightness of 600nits and the Air offering a 10.9-inch display with a max brightness of 500nits.

All three models have a pixel density of 264ppi and they all have an anti-reflective coating, P3 wide colour display, True Tone technology and a fully laminated display.

The iPad Pro models come with Apple’s ProMotion technology though, offering a 120Hz variable refresh rate, while the iPad Air doesn’t have this on board, marking the biggest distinction between the iPad Pro 11 and iPad Air in terms of display. 

Hardware and specs 

  • iPad Pro 12.9 (2021): Apple M1 chip, 8GB/16GB RAM, up to 2TB storage, 10-hour battery, 5G
  • iPad Pro 11 (2021): Apple M1 chip, 8GB/16GB RAM, up to 2TB storage, 10-hour battery, 5G
  • iPad Air (2020): A14 Bionic, up to 1TB storage, 10-hour battery, 4G

The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) and the iPad Pro 11 (2021) both run on Apple’s M1 chip – which is the same chip that can be found in the new iMac and the latest MacBook Pros so you’re talking about quite a bit of power here. They also both have come with a choice of 8GB or 16GB of RAM and storage options start at 128GB and go up to 2TB. 

The 2021 iPad Pro models come in Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi and Cellular options, with the latter offering 5G connectivity.

The iPad Air (2020) meanwhile, runs on the A14 Bionic chip which although still more than capable and a very powerful processor, isn’t quite as advanced as the M1. There are also no RAM options to choose between and storage only goes up to 1TB.

The iPad Air comes in Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi and Cellular models too but the Wi-Fi and Cellular models are 4G rather than 5G.

All three models have a 10-hour battery life. As mentioned though, the iPad Pro models have Thunderbolt/USB 4, while the iPad Air has USB-C. The iPad Pro models also have four-speaker audio, while the iPad Air has two-speaker audio.

Cameras

  • iPad Pro 12.9 (2021): 12MP (f/1.8) +10MP (f/2.4) rear, 12MP front
  • iPad Pro 11 (2021): 12MP (f/1.8) +10MP (f/2.4) rear, 12MP front
  • iPad Air (2020): 12MP (f/1.8), 7MP front

Both the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) and the iPad Pro 11 (2021) come with a 12-megapixel wide (f/1.8) and 10-megapixel ultra wide (f/2.4) camera on their rear. They also have 2x optical zoom out, 5x digital zoom and a brighter True Tone flash, as well as Smart HDR 3 for photos.

The iPad Air has a single 12-megapixel wide camera on the rear with an f/1.8 aperture. It offers 5x digital zoom and smart HDR 3 for photos.

On the front, the iPad Pro 12.9 and the iPad Pro 11 come with a 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera with ultra wide camera. It offers an f/2.4 aperture with 2x optical zoom out and a number of features including Centre Stage, portrait mode, Portrait Lighting, Animoji and Memoji and extended dynamic range for video up to 30fps. 

The iPad Air meanwhile, has a 7-megapixel FaceTime HD camera with an f/2.2 aperture. It has a Retina Flash, Smart HDR 3 for photos and cinematic video stabilisation like the iPad Pro models, but it doesn’t have the other features mentioned above.

Price

  • iPad Pro 12.9 (2021): From £999
  • iPad Pro 11 (2021): From £749
  • iPad Air (2020): From £579

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There’s quite a big difference in price between the iPad Pro models and the iPad Air. 

The iPad Pro 12.9 starts at £999 in the UK for the Wi-Fi only model, and £1149 for the Wi-Fi and Cellular model. Opt for the top specs and you’re looking at quite a significant amount of money.

The iPad Pro 11 starts at £749 in the UK for the Wi-Fi only model and £899 for the Wi-Fi and Cellular model. Again, if you opt for the 2TB of storage and 16GB of RAM, you’re looking at serious bucks.

The iPad Air starts at £579 in the UK for the Wi-Fi only model, and £709 for the Wi-Fi and Cellular. You of course pay more for the larger storage models, but it is still significantly cheaper than the iPad Pro models.

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Conclusion

The only difference between the iPad Pro 12.9 and the iPad Pro 11, apart from their physical sizes, is the display technology. The 12.9-inch model has an XDR display, while the 11-inch doesn’t. Otherwise their specs are the same, but you of course pay more for the larger model.

The iPad Pro 11 and iPad Air are the same size and they have pretty much the same display size too. The iPad Pro offers an extra camera on the rear, an improved front camera with features like Centre Stage, a more powerful processor, a higher storage option of 2TB, 5G capabilities, Thunderbolt over USB-C, RAM options and ProMotion on the display. The Air does have some more exciting colour options though, and it’s a bit lighter.

Which you choose of these models will likely come down to not only your budget but what features are important to you. The iPad Air (2020) is fantastic and will be more than adequate for many, though the iPad Pro models do obviously offer those extra premium features and speed.

Writing by Britta O’Boyle.

oneplus-9

OnePlus 9

Our Verdict

Flagship features and a big, clear screen make this mid-priced mobile a good option for your pocket

For

  • Good for gaming
  • Detailed picture performance
  • Decent built-in speakers

Against

  • Screen could be subtler
  • Flat audio performance

Alec Baldwin may be the best known, and arguably most talented, of his siblings but as Trey Parker and Matt Stone once wrote: you know what sucks about being a Baldwin? Nothing! Thankfully for Billy, Daniel, Stephen and the OnePlus 9 smartphone, life always has room for a little brother.

With only two members of the OnePlus 9 family, finding a niche as the more affordable smaller sibling should be no problem at all. The OnePlus 9 is still a big phone and its 6.55-inch display means it can bring some serious scale to your portable viewing.

Not only does the OnePlus 9 have an HDR10+-supporting, 120Hz AMOLED screen, it also has a Hasselblad camera set-up on board too. And it charges so quickly that by the time you remember that you plugged it in, it’s probably full and ready to go.

Granted, there are a few nips and tucks to the specs compared with the OnePlus 9 Pro but, with around a quarter off the Pro’s price tag, this Android handset has the tempting promise of a flagship phone at a mid-range price.

Pricing

The OnePlus 9 is priced at £629 for the Astral Black and Arctic Sky versions, which come with 128GB of storage space and 8GB of RAM in the UK and Europe. The Winter Mist OnePlus 9 is £729 and comes with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM.

In the US, only the Astral Black and Winter Mist finishes are available, but both come with 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage. The US OnePlus 9 is priced at $729.

Features

(Image credit: OnePlus)

A phone with a 6.55-inch screen is just about small enough to carry out most of your operations one-handed without fear of dropping it, although swiping from the top and bottom without adjusting your grip makes for some pretty intensive thumb yoga. Laid next to the OnePlus 9 Pro, the standard OnePlus 9 is just 4mm shorter at 160mm long and a little thinner at 8.7mm rather than 9mm, but has the same 74mm width.

Despite its fibreglass polymer frame, the finish still feels premium for a non-metal phone. The three-way sliding switch for the silent, vibrate and ring profiles is a particularly nice touch. Underneath that, there is the power button, on the opposite side is the volume rocker with the USB-C port and SIM tray on the bottom edge. Sadly, there’s no 3.5mm headphone socket.

OnePlus 9 tech specs

(Image credit: OnePlus)

Screen 6.55in AMOLED

Resolution 2400 x 1080 (402ppi)

Rear camera 48MP, 50MP, 2MP

Front camera 16MP

Dolby Atmos Yes

Finishes x3

Dimensions (hwd) 16 x 7.4 x 0.9cm

Weight 192g

For wireless audio, there’s Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX and aptX HD included as well as LDAC technology, which allows hi-res audio streaming over Bluetooth at up to 24-bit/96 kHz.

As for that screen, it’s a 2400 x 1080 AMOLED panel with a fixed 120Hz refresh rate and a pixel density of 402ppi. Compared with the 9 Pro (525ppi), it’s a little less sharp and slightly dimmer too, with a peak brightness of 1100nits rather than the 1300nit display on the Pro. On top is a flat piece of Gorilla Glass, under which is a hidden fingerprint reader, though you can also unlock the phone using face recognition.

Those looking to dive into some on-the-go TV and film watching will appreciate the HDR10+ and HDR10 support with plenty of HDR compatibility to be found on Netflix and others. You can play locally stored MKV, MOV, MP4, H.265 (HEVC), AVI and other video file formats. The display proportions offer a maximum possible 20:9 aspect ratio, but while most content is edged by a pair of black bars, premium gaming titles use the whole screen width.

Game Mode Pro is a handy feature of Oxygen OS – an otherwise light skin on top of Android 11. It shuts off notifications from popping up on your screen, restricts background app use to divert as much processing power to your gaming as possible and prioritises your network use for game data. We also like the way it brings quick access to options such as WhatsApp messaging, Instagram and screen recording with a small, pull-down menu at your thumb.

(Image credit: OnePlus)

The gameplay itself is well handled. The fast refresh rate of the display helps your gaming feel lag-free, both on and off-line. OnePlus has installed its Cool Play vapour cooling system, but even after one round of PUBG Mobile, the handset still feels pretty warm.

Despite that, and the fixed 120Hz rate, the 4500mAh battery takes us well beyond a day of heavy use. Should you need to recharge more regularly, you’ll be pleased to note that the Warp 65T charger included in the box takes just under 30 minutes to fill your phone.

As with the OnePlus 9 Pro, owners of this handset benefit from a Hasselblad-calibrated camera array. Here, it is a three-lens set-up, with a main 48MP camera, a 50MP ultrawide and a monochrome shooter, but no telephoto. There is 12-bit colour depth stills imaging available in Pro Mode for RAW files and you can capture 8K video at 30fps and 4K video at 60fps.

Telephoto aside, the performance of the camera is right up there with that of the 9 Pro’s. The optical image stabilisation works a treat for the handheld tracking shots around our test facilities. The results look almost as if they were shot using a camera dolly and there’s the odd jump only with fast pans. The colours are bright and rich, if not quite as real-world accurate as the best smartphones.

As with its bigger brother, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip orchestrates the action with great aplomb. There’s barely a glitch or stutter in our time with the phone and we’d expect it to stay that way with regular updates and fixes to the OS, the UI and third-party apps.

Screen

(Image credit: OnePlus)

If you’re expecting the performance of the OnePlus 9 to match that of the OnePlus 9 Pro, think again – that extra spend goes on more than just an aluminium frame and some curved glass. But there is a lot to like about the OnePlus 9’s picture performance.

It’s easy to lose ourselves in the story of The Witcher in HDR on Netflix. It’s a bright and engaging image with a decent degree of punch and no wanting for detail in light and dark areas of the screen. The opening shots across the shaded interior of a barn reveal lots of detail in the shadows without doing much damage to the black depth. Even when the frame becomes split between that darkness and the bright daylight on the faces of the young lovers outside the barn, the overall exposure levels remain well pitched.

We’re just as pleased with how the OnePlus 9 handles SDR. The Display P3 mode brings a good blend between the natural look of the Missouri countryside and the exciting colours of sci-fi space as we watch Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 in Full HD. If you’d rather not get your hands dirty in the settings, pull the colour temperature towards ‘cold’ or use the Natural preset.

As with the OnePlus 9 Pro, though, there’s room for improvement. The very best handsets maintain a slightly inkier black depth and add a bit more of a dynamic HDR feel, while some displays are a touch more careful with shading. It’s most apparent when looking at faces – the skin complexion of the lovers in The Witcher episode, for example, are fairly uniform in their production, when colour and lighting could be handled a little better.

But these performance compromises are in line with the 9 Pro, which also favours dark detail over black depth. The 9 Pro is sharper, a little brighter and the colours go a touch further before starting to look artificial but, given the difference in price, this is to be expected. The OnePlus 9 still makes for some worthy big-screen viewing at this point in the market.

Sound

(Image credit: OnePlus)

But while the screen can be classed as ‘good’, the audio performance of the OnePlus 9 is firmly in the average category. It plays your favourite tracks faithfully enough but is never going to thrill you. That doesn’t mean that it’s not without its charms, though.

OnePlus’s ‘Dual stereo speaker’ set-up is fine for listening to music or watching a film without headphones. Dialogue is clear and sound effects are identifiable, while music is balanced and not without a sense of presence. We’d recommend listening without the Dolby Atmos music processing, but both ‘Film’ and ‘Music’ modes come across well.

Listening to Biffy Clyro’s Many Of Horror, the OnePlus 9 conveys that powerful sense of emotion. There’s definition and clarity to the vocals and the squeaky slides up the guitar strings of the intro, even if it’s not the most detailed delivery we’ve heard. The volume on the device doesn’t go particularly high but reaches the top with hardly any distortion.

For headphones listening, it’s best to axe the processing and set the OnePlus 9 to ‘None’ under ‘Style Preference’ in the sound settings. It doesn’t do much to make up for this phone’s underwhelming dynamics but keeps music as rhythmic as possible. We play Blue Monday by New Order and the impact of the electro beats and synth sounds is in line with the OnePlus 9 Pro’s performance. The more expensive model has a better stab at organising the sounds but, paired with a decent set of headphones, there’s still plenty to enjoy here.

But with busier tracks, there’s more of a sense of what could have been, sonically. We hit play on Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden, hoping for a taste of moody grunge. But while all the instruments are there and tonally in balance, Chris Cornell’s voice comes across flat and expressionless. Nor is there a change of gear when the drum fills announce the chorus. Ultimately, this phone plugs the music gap while we’re out and about, but not an awful lot more.

Verdict

There aren’t many smartphones that offer so much screen real estate at this price. The fact that it’s such an involving picture performance is a compelling reason to buy the OnePlus 9.

Our doubts are mostly on the audio side, as some rival phones make music on the go a more exciting affair. If you use a dedicated music player or are looking for a mobile phone primarily for its video performance, then don’t let its sonic drawbacks put you off. Between the high-performing chipset, the lag-free gaming, the Hasselblad camera and the scale and quality of the screen, there are plenty of reasons why the OnePlus 9 is a good idea.

SCORES

  • Screen 4
  • Sound 3
  • Features 5

MORE:

Read our guide to the best smartphones

Read our OnePlus 9 Pro review

Read our Sony Xperia 5 II review

Read our Apple iPhone 12 review