Intel has begun enabling Linux support for on-package HBM2E memory for its CPUs, marking a shift to infusing processors with fast memory onboard. This new development comes on the heels of previous Linux patch submissions to enable support for HBM with its upcoming fourth-gen Xeon Scalable ‘Sapphire Rapids’ processors, meaning that some of the company’s new CPUs will look almost like today’s high-end GPUs with beefy slabs of fast memory onboard. The new patches also confirm that Intel’s HBM2E controller has the same architecture as its DDR5 memory controller.
“A future Xeon processor will include in-package HBM (high bandwidth memory),” a description of one of the patches reads. “The in-package HBM memory controller shares the same architecture with the regular DDR memory controller. Add the HBM memory controller devices for EDAC support.”
Intel has an i20nm EDAC Linux driver that’s used for error detection and correction reporting. As of June 11, this driver now supports Intel’s Xeon Scalable processors with on-package HBM2E memory, reports Phoronix. This enables Linux systems with the latest patches installed to properly use Intel’s Sapphire Rapids processors with HBM2E (which is important for those who have samples now).
Intel enabled support for memory error codes for on-package HBM2E memory late last year. The recent inclusion of full HBM2E support may indicate that Intel is sending samples of such CPUs to various third parties.
Intel’s Sapphire Rapids processors will feature eight DDR5 memory channels. Based on unofficial information, the new Xeon Scalable CPUs will support DDR5-4800 memory and one module per channel (thus offering 307.2 GB/s of bandwidth per socket). Using Samsung’s recently introduced 512GB RDIMM modules, Sapphire Rapids’ eight channels will support 4TB of memory. Unfortunately, details about HBM2E capacity are currently unclear.
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If you’re looking for a 5G Android phone and want to spend as little as possible, you can stop right here. At $279, the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G is your best bet right now, especially if you’re in the US where such options are scarce. It offers good 5G support (including the all-important C-band!), a huge battery, and four years of security updates. That’s a compelling package for under $300.
That’s not to say it’s perfect. The A32 5G’s screen isn’t great, performance is a little laggy, and though capable, its camera is limited. If you can spend just a bit more, you can get a phone that does better in at least one of these areas. And if you can hold off on your phone purchase for even a few more months, we should see many more very affordable 5G phones on the market to choose from, like the OnePlus N200. But if you don’t have time to wait and can’t spare the extra cash, I can’t find a good reason to talk you out of the A32 5G.
The A32 5G is a big device, housing a 6.5-inch screen and a large 5,000mAh battery.
Samsung Galaxy A32 5G screen, performance, and design
The A32 5G features a big 6.5-inch 720p LCD panel that’s best described as nothing special. Colors look a little flat and washed out, and though it gets bright enough to see in direct sunlight, the screen’s reflective plastic protective panel makes it challenging. It’s also a low resolution to be stretched across such a large screen, so you’ll see a little pixelization if you look close.
The phone uses a MediaTek Dimensity 720 5G processor that compares well with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 690 5G chipset for budget 5G phones, used by OnePlus Nord N10 5G. The Galaxy A32 5G combines the MediaTek processor with 4GB of RAM (decent) and 64GB of storage (skimpy but just enough to get by, and you can throw in a microSD card to expand it), and it performs well enough for its class.
There’s noticeable hiccuping with media-dense pages, brief pauses when diving into a demanding task like starting Google Maps navigation, and noticeable camera shutter lag. For the most part, though, I just didn’t notice slowdowns as I jumped between apps, scrolled through Instagram, and just generally went about using the phone normally. That’s about all I’d ask for from a sub-$300 phone.
The phone’s headline feature, 5G, still isn’t something we’d recommend you run out and buy a new phone to get. But the A32 5G has a couple of features that make it worth your time, even considering that good 5G is still a year or two away in the US. Crucially, the A32 5G has been cleared by the Federal Communications Commission to use C-band frequencies that Verizon and AT&T, in particular, will be utilizing for 5G in the coming years. Not all 5G phones can use C-band, so that’s a big ol’ checkmark in the A32 5G’s favor. There’s no mmWave support here, which is the fastest and scarcest flavor of 5G, but that’s no great loss.
The second factor here is that you can reasonably expect to keep using this phone for enough years to actually see 5G that’s meaningfully better than LTE because Samsung will keep offering security updates for four years. Many budget devices only get about two years of security update support, but the A32 5G’s lengthy lifespan should see it through to the actual 5G age in a few years.
Battery life is one of the A32 5G’s strengths. Its 5,000mAh capacity battery is big indeed, and I had no trouble getting two full days of moderate use out of it. My usage was more battery-friendly than someone else’s might be, with battery optimization on and the bulk of my time spent on Wi-Fi, but even the most power-hungry user would be able to get a full day — if not more — out of the A32 5G.
With a 6.5-inch screen, the A32 5G is a big phone for sure. It’s a little too bulky and awkward-feeling in my hand. What I dislike even more is that it feels slippery to me — the back panel plastic feels hard to get a decent grip on. On one occasion, I set the phone down on a softcover book, and it somehow shimmied itself across the cover and off of a side table when I wasn’t looking. (There’s a happy ending, though: it only fell about a foot into a box filled with hand-me-down baby clothes waiting to be put away, so there’s a good argument for keeping clutter around your house.) Anyway, get a case for it if you buy this phone, and know that if your hands are small, it won’t be very comfortable to use.
There’s a decent-quality 48-megapixel main camera on the A32 5G’s rear panel.
Samsung Galaxy A32 5G camera
There are two cameras of consequence on the A32 5G’s rear panel: a 48-megapixel standard wide and an 8-megapixel ultrawide. There’s a 5-megapixel macro camera that’s not very good and a 2-megapixel depth sensor that may or may not help with portrait mode photos. There’s also a 13-megapixel selfie camera around front.
Taken with ultrawide
Taken with ultrawide
Considering the phone’s price, the A32 5G’s main camera performs well enough. Like most any other phone, it takes very nice pictures in good lighting. That’s no surprise, even for a budget phone. But it reaches its limits quickly in less-good lighting, like interiors. That’s where optical stabilization or more sophisticated image processing would come in handy, neither of which the A32 5G offers. Instead, you may find some of your photos indoors are a little blurry, and you’ll be very challenged to get a sharp photo of a moving subject in anything less than bright daylight.
The ultrawide camera shows its shortcomings if you look close — there’s some distracting flare in direct sunlight, and some noise visible in shadows of high-contrast scenes. There’s no telephoto lens here, with shortcuts in the camera app to jump to 2x (acceptable), 4x (eh), and 10x (don’t use it) digital zoom.
The Galaxy A32 5G’s generous security support timeline means it’s a phone you can plan to use for the next few years.
It’s tough to say how the Galaxy A32 5G compares to the competition because it doesn’t have much yet. It’s among the least expensive 5G phones you’ll find anywhere. Its closest competition at the moment is the OnePlus Nord N10 5G, which is a little more expensive at $299 but offers some worthwhile hardware upgrades, like a nicer screen, a bit better camera performance, and faster charging. It’s a nicer phone in a lot of ways, but it’s only slated for two years of security updates.
Of course, if you only plan to hold on to your phone for a couple of years, then the N10 5G is worth strongly considering. If that’s the case, then 5G becomes a less important feature, too. If there’s room in your budget, consider the $349 Google Pixel 4A, which will get you a much better camera, cleaner software, and timely updates over the next couple of years, albeit without support for 5G at all. It’s a much smaller device, though. So if a big screen is part of the A32 5G’s appeal, you might want to look at something like the $279 Motorola Moto G Stylus.
If you’d like to avoid the hassle of phone shopping again in two years and you want a future-proof choice that’s easy on the budget, then the Samsung A32 5G will do the trick.
(Image credit: Future / Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Xbox Game Studios)
LG’s premium OLED TVs now come with a five-year warranty, so any defects within that time period will be fixed free of charge.
It applies to the LG OLED G1 (above), which comes in 55-, 65- and 75-inch sizes, and the OLED Z1 8K set, which comes in 77- and 88-inch sizes.
The warranty starts from the date you buy the TV. It covers parts and labour for the first year after purchase, and a free panel service for the five-year period.
The 65-inch version of the G1 bowled us over, earning five stars in our review. It boasts a beautiful, punchy, sharp picture with tons of detail and a better remote control. About the only downside we could find was the lack of feet or stand in the box, and the slightly underwhelming audio performance. But that can always be righted by adding a soundbar or surround sound system.
It’s interesting that the C1 OLED, which sits just below the G1 in LG’s 2021 OLED range, doesn’t get the same warranty. Could this be another way in which LG is attempting to encourage purchasers to step up to the next model?
We haven’t tested the Z1. But considering it’s an 8K monster, it’s sure to deliver tons of fun.
Th G1 range starts at £2000, while the Z1 will set you back a cool £20,000 for the 77 incher, and £30,000 for the 88-inch model. For that money, we’d certainly want any problems fixed by our own personal batman.
MORE:
Look at the best TVs around
Ready for a deep dive? LG 2021 TV lineup: everything you need to know
Compare that with the full Samsung 2021 TV line-up
(Image credit: The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games)
NBCUniversal will air live coverage of the Tokyo Olympics in 4K HDR, a first for a US broadcaster. The NBC Olympics coverage will also be accompanied by Dolby Atmos surround sound.
Events that will be featured in 4K HDR during the rearranged Tokyo ‘2020’ games include track and field, swimming, diving, tennis, beach volleyball, golf, gymnastics and more.
NBCU has yet to announce the schedule, but with the Olympics said to be “100% happening” and the opening ceremony expected to get underway at 12pm BST on Friday 23rd July, the clock is very much ticking.
Accessing high-quality coverage of the world’s best sprinters and swimmers might not be as easy as it sounds, though. NBCUniversal notes that while it will distribute 4K HDR coverage to its partners (i.e. cable and satellite TV networks), it will be up to those partners to decide whether to broadcast the coverage in 4K HDR or step down to a lower quality.
Not a cable subscriber anyway? NBC has confirmed it will stream live coverage of “selected” Olympic events though its Peacock streaming platform, but hasn’t yet said whether any of those streams will be in the 4K HDR format. The Peacock app is available on a long list of devices that now includes most Samsung smart TVs.
Still, with Japan’s borders closed to foreigners, and lingering uncertainty as to the level of athlete participation this year, NBCUniversal’s 4K HDR Atmos coverage could prove to be the best seat in house.
The BBC has the rights to broadcast the Olympics in the UK and has the capability to stream in 4K and HDR via the iPlayer app. Whether it will offer both for live events is yet to be confirmed, and the broadcaster has never offered Dolby Atmos before. There’s a first time for everything, though.
In need of a smarter set for Tokyo 2020? Here’s our guide to the best TVs and the best media streamers on the market. Live in Europe? BBC iPlayer and Eurosport 4K are expected to broadcast coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 4K HDR.
MORE:
Our pick of the best streaming services for TV and movies
Hynix has been one of the “big three” memory manufacturers for decades. Together with Samsung and Micron they have been dominating the memory market and are producing a substantial percentage of the world’s DRAM and NAND memory. A few years ago the company “Hynix”, which was originally founded as “Hyundai Electronics Industrial Co” in 1983, was sold to “SK Group”—a large Korean conglomerate, hence the name “SK Hynix”. Just last year, Hynix decided to purchase Intel’s NAND business for $9 billion.
The SK Hynix Gold P31 SSD was announced in October last year and has since been receiving attention from enthusiasts. Today we finally bring you our review of the Hynix Gold P31, which is built with only Hynix components—an ability that only Samsung had in the past. The controller is an in-house design by Hynix, called ACNT038 or “Cepheus”. The flash chips are modern 128-layer 3D TLC. A LPDDR4-3733 DRAM chip provides 1 GB of memory for the mapping tables of the SSD.
The Hynix Gold P31 comes in capacities of 512 GB ($75) and 1 TB ($135). Endurance for these models is set to 500 TBW and 750 TBW respectively. Hynix includes a five-year warranty with the Gold P31.
Virtual private networks (VPNs) can offer an additional layer of security and privacy for your online activity. Whether you’re working on a public Wi-Fi network and want to escape prying eyes, or you’re worried about privacy in general, a VPN can offer a lot of benefits.
In a nutshell, a VPN establishes a secure, encrypted connection between your device and a private server, hiding your traffic from being seen by others. Of course, the VPN itself can still see your traffic, which is why you should choose a VPN from a company you trust. (A good rule of thumb is to avoid free VPNs, because if they’re not charging you a fee, they may be monetizing in some less desirable way.) In addition, law enforcement can get its hands on your information through the VPN company. However, for the most part, a VPN offers you a way to hide your online activity from others.
Note that getting a VPN is only one of the measures you can take to make your web browsing more secure. Others include enabling two-factor authentication and using a password manager.
In addition to their security benefits, VPNs can be handy when you’re trying to access sensitive information, or if you’re traveling in Europe and want to stream Netflix or Amazon Prime titles only allowed in the US. Some even claim they can allow you to jump firewalls in heavily regulated countries such as China.
At home, you can set up your VPN through your router, which takes a few more steps, but then any devices connected to your router won’t need to be configured individually; this can also slow down all traffic that goes through. However, for this article, we’re going to concentrate on VPN apps that you can load on your laptop or phone so you can use the internet safely while away from your home base.
Most VPN apps these days support the OpenVPN protocol, making setup a simple matter of allowing the app access to configure the settings for you. But whether your device uses macOS, Chrome OS, Windows 10, iOS, or Android, if you’d like a quick overview of what’s involved before selecting a service, or if you prefer to do a manual setup, we’ve broken down the steps into straightforward instructions for you.
Setting up a VPN in Windows 10
The first step is to create a VPN profile, which you’ll fill out with details from your particular VPN service.
Add a VPN profile in Windows 10.
Click on the Windows button, then head into “Settings” > “Network & Internet” > “VPN.” Click on “Add a VPN connection.”
In the fields on the menu, select “Windows (built-in)” for your VPN provider. Give your VPN a name under “Connection name.” Enter the server name or address, the VPN type, and the type of sign-in info, such as a username and password.
Click “Save.”
To connect to your VPN, go back to “Settings” > “Network & Internet” > “VPN.” Click on your VPN name.
If you want, you can select “Advanced Options” to edit the connection properties, clear your sign-in info, or set up a VPN proxy. You can also add a username and password in this section for extra security (optional, but recommended).
Select “Connect” and enter a password if you’ve set one.
Setting up a VPN in Chrome OS
While using a VPN with a Chromebook used to be a problem, these days, there are several (like ExpressVPN or NordVPN) that have versions specifically for Chrome OS. To get started, you can head to the Google Play store and get the VPN app from there, or download one from the VPN’s website. No matter which you choose, after opening your VPN app, it should prompt you with instructions on how to fully set it up.
If you need to do it manually, you can. Chrome has native support for L2TP / IPsec and OpenVPN. To install a VPN that works with one of these formats:
Chrome OS has native support for L2TP / IPsec.
Click on the time in the lower-right corner of your screen, then click on “Settings.”
Click on “Add connection” and then on “OpenVPN / L2TP.” (You may also find the name of your VPN in the “Add connection” list, which will make things easier.)
Add all of the necessary information, which may include server hostname, service name, provider type, pre-shared key, username, and password. You can save your identity and password if you like. When finished, click on “Connect.”
Some VPNs, especially those issued from a workplace, demand a certificate, which you will need to import first. If that’s required:
Enter chrome://settings/certificates into the address bar.
Go to the “Authorities” tab. Find the correct certificate in the list and click “Import.”
Then follow the instructions above for setting up the VPN.
Setting up a VPN in macOS
As with the other formats here, there are apps that automatically guide you through the setup process, but you can also do it yourself manually.
Open the drop-down menu and choose “VPN” so you can enter your VPN’s details.
To start, head into “System Preferences” and then choose “Network.”
From there, the process is straightforward. Click the Plus-symbol button on the bottom left, and use the Interface drop-down menu to choose your VPN. You’ll need the details from your VPN of choice to fill out “VPN Type” and “Service Name.”
Click on “Create.” Fill out the server address, remote ID, and local ID in the appropriate fields. Then click on “Authentication Settings.”
Enter the username and password for your VPN, which you can set through your VPN app.
Click “OK” and then “Connect.”
Setting up a VPN in iOS
Setting up a VPN on an iOS device is fairly simple. Again, if you download an app from the App Store, select it and it should guide you through configuration. Here’s how to do it manually, though:
Just head into “Settings” and tap on “General.”
Scroll down to select “VPN.” (The iPhone will indicate whether you are currently connected to one or not.)
Tap on “Add VPN Configuration” and then on “Type” to select a security protocol. (Follow the instructions provided by your chosen app.)
Go back to the “Add Configuration” screen, where you will add the VPN’s description, server, remote ID, and local ID.
Enter your username and password. You can also use a proxy if you like.
Tap “Done.” You will then be brought back to the VPN screen. Toggle the “Status” switch to on.
Setting up a VPN in Android
As with iOS, setting up a VPN on an Android device shouldn’t be too difficult. Here’s the manual process if you’re not letting an app automatically configure things for you. (Keep in mind that, because some vendors like Samsung tweak their Android versions, your process may vary slightly.)
Head into “Settings” > “Network & Internet” > “Advanced” > “VPN.” If you don’t see “Network & Internet” in the Settings menu (which may depend on your Android overlay), then do a search within Settings for VPN. Press the “Add” button.
If you happen to be setting this up on a new phone, or if you haven’t yet set a screen lock or password, Google will prompt you to set one for your phone first. Do so.
Now create your VPN profile. Add the VPN name, type, and server address. Click on “Save.”
You’ll be taken back to the VPN screen, where you should now see the name of your VPN. Tap on it, and put in your name and password for the VPN. You can also choose to save your account information, and you can optionally set the VPN to be always on. When finished, tap “Connect.”
Enter the VPN name, type, server address, username, and password.
Then tap “save.” You’re done!
Once you’ve got your VPN up and running, you might notice that web browsing isn’t as fast as it used to be, especially if you’ve configured traffic to go through another country. Stronger encryption, or more users connected to one VPN, can also slow down your internet speeds. Downloads might slow to snail speed, and your League of Legends screen lag might be absurd. But those aren’t big problems compared to the security that you’ve added.
And anyway, now that you know how to set up a VPN, toggling it off is easy in comparison. You just have to remember to do it.
Update June 1st, 2021, 10:20AM ET: This article was originally published on March 1st, 2019, and now features a few updates related to changes in the Windows 10 interface.
Samsung has announced a new image sensor for smartphone cameras that it says has the smallest pixels in the industry. The ISOCELL JN1 is a 50-megapixel sensor with a relatively tiny 1/2.76-inch format, meaning its pixels are just 0.64μm in size. For comparison, Samsung already broke records in 2019 with the slightly larger ISOCELL Slim GH1, another 50-megapixel sensor with 0.7μm pixels.
Conventional camera wisdom says that smaller pixels usually result in worse image quality with higher noise, so why is Samsung doing this? According to the company, it’s about form factor versatility. The sensor’s smaller size means it can be used in ultrawide or telephoto camera modules — which are challenging to design when size is at a premium — or as a way to reduce the height of the primary camera bump.
As with other high-resolution camera sensors, the JN1 will make use of pixel-binning technology that combines multiple pixels into one for higher light sensitivity. In this case, Samsung says the sensor will capture 12.5-megapixel photos with the equivalent of 1.28μm pixels, and the company is also claiming a 16 percent boost to light sensitivity with its ISOCELL 2.0 tech.
Unusually, Samsung even held a full-on live-streamed launch event for this sensor, which you can watch here:
Samsung says the JN1 is currently in mass production, so it’s likely to show up in smartphones before too long.
Just when you thought things were as bad in the GPU market as they could be, something new pops up. Demand for gaming graphics cards, game consoles, and GPUs used for mining cryptocurrencies have driven prices of graphics cards and graphics memory to new heights in recent months, but according to TrendForce, that’s about to get even worse. Contract prices of GDDR memory are expected to grow another 8% – 13% later this year due to numerous factors. The only question is how badly the price of graphics memory will affect the prices of actual graphics cards, too.
Graphics DRAM represents a relatively small fraction of the overall memory market, which is largely dominated by LPDDR memory for smartphones, mainstream DRAM for PCs, and server DRAM for datacenters. To that end, GDDR always has to fight for limited DRAM production capacities with other types of memory. Due to relatively low graphics memory volumes and superior performance characteristics, these chips are usually fairly expensive. But that’s a liability in a severe under-supply situation — the price of GDDR6/GDDR6X DRAM has increased significantly.
Memory makers traditionally serve large contract customers first. In the case of GDDR6 and GDDR6X DRAMs, the largest consumers are Nvidia (which bundles memory with some of its GPUs), contract manufacturers that produce game consoles for Microsoft and Sony (Flextronics, Foxconn), and several GPU makers (Asus, Colorful, Palit, etc.). As a result of this prioritization, smaller clients are struggling to get graphics memory.
TrendForce says that GDDR fulfillment rates for some medium- and small-size customers have been around 30% for some time, which is why spot prices of graphics memory sometimes exceeded contract prices by up to 200%. To some degree, GDDR6 spot prices were affected by increasing crypto pricing (particularly Ethereum), so a drop in the coin’s value also reduced GDDR6 spot pricing.
In contrast, GDDR5 hasn’t fluctuated significantly. That’s mostly because it’s really only used for GeForce GTX 1650/1660 and some OEM-oriented graphics boards.
(Image credit: TrendForce)
There are several factors that will affect graphics memory pricing in the coming months:
Demand for gaming PCs remains at high levels, so GPU makers will require more GDDR6 and GDDR6X SGRAM chips.
The latest game consoles from Microsoft and Sony use 16Gb GDDR6 memory chips, whereas graphics cards use 8Gb GDDR6 devices, so makers of graphics memory are not exactly flexible.
Since Nvidia, contract manufacturers, and select makers of graphics cards will remain the top consumers of GDDR6 and GDDR6X memory, other players will still be severely supply-constrained.
As demand for servers and mainstream PCs is increasing, graphics memory has to fight for production capacity, affecting its pricing.
Since GDDR6 and GDDR6X pricing is set to increase, the bill-of-materials (BOM) costs for GPUs will also increase. Since there are supply constraints of other components and logistics problems in place, it is unlikely anything could offset the BOM increase in the third quarter. And with that, it will get more expensive for manufacturers to build GPUs.
Meanwhile, GPU pricing is inflated because of demand from gamers and miners. Therefore, if AMD and Nvidia increase their GPU supply in Q3 and demand from miners receeds because of lower Ethereum value, then GPU pricing could actually decrease. Unfortunately, we don’t know exactly what will happen, so the future is hard to predict.
Samsung introduced the first mass-produced 3D NAND memory, dubbed V-NAND, in 2013, well ahead of its rivals. Samsung started with 24-layer V-NAND chips back then, and now having gained plenty of experience with multi-layer flash memory, it is on track to introduce 176-Layer V-NAND devices. But that’s only the beginning —Samsung says it envisions V-NAND chips with more than 1,000 layers in the future.
176-Layer V NAND on Track for This Year, PCIe 5.0 Coming
Samsung intends to begin producing consumer SSDs powered by its seventh-gen V-NAND memory that features 176 layers and, according to the company, the industry’s smallest NAND memory cells. This new flash’s interface boasts a 2000 MT/s data transfer rate, allowing Samsung to build ultra-fast SSDs with PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 5.0 interfaces. The drives will use an all-new controller ‘optimized for multitasking huge workloads,’ so expect a 980 Pro successor that demonstrates strong performance in workstation applications.
Over time, Samsung will introduce data center-grade SSDs based on its 176-Layer V-NAND memory. It’s logical to expect the new drives to feature enhanced performance and higher capacities.
While 176-layer V-NAND chips are nearing mass production, Samsung has already built the first samples of its eighth-gen V-NAND with over 200 layers. Samsung says that it will begin producing this new memory based on market demand. Companies typically introduce new types of NAND devices every 12 to 18 months, so you could make more or less educated guesses about Samsung’s planned timeline for 200+ layer V-NAND.
There are several challenges that Samsung and other NAND makers face in their pursuit to increase the number of layers. Making NAND cells small (and layers thinner) requires using new materials to store charges reliably, and etching hundreds of layers is also challenging. Since it isn’t feasible or economical to etch hundreds of layers (i.e., building a 1,000-layer 3D NAND wafer in a single pass), manufacturers use techniques like string stacking, which is also quite difficult to manufacture in high volume.
Finally, flash makers need to ensure that their 3D NAND stacks are thin enough to fit into smartphones and PCs. As a result, they can’t simply increase the number of layers forever, but Samsung believes that 1,000+ layer chips are feasible.
Big Plans for V-NAND
Earlier this year SK Hynix said that it envisioned 3D NAND with over 600 layers, so Samsung is certainly not alone with its big plans for 3D NAND.
It is impossible to say when Samsung develops 1,000-layer V-NAND and SK Hynix launches its 600-layer flash memory. Keeping in mind that manufacturers no longer aim to double the number of layers every year, it is likely that large makers have 3D NAND roadmaps that stretch at least five to ten years out.
Motorola has announced the Moto G Stylus 5G, a new version of its very good, non-5G budget-friendly stylus phone. It offers broadly similar hardware to the 4G version, with notable exceptions in the new Snapdragon 480 5G chipset with sub-6GHz 5G connectivity and a bigger 5,000mAh battery. Priced at $399, it’s at the higher end of the budget range and will go on sale June 14th.
Like its 4G peer, the G Stylus 5G features a large 6.8-inch 1080p screen, ready for your notes and doodles courtesy of a built-in stylus. It includes 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and ships with Android 11. There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a charging brick is included in the box. The Stylus 5G is a little bigger and heavier than the 4G version, but not by much — it’s about four grams heavier and 0.3mm thicker.
The G Stylus 5G offers a rear triple-camera array that’s very similar to the 4G G Stylus’, with a 48-megapixel f/1.7 standard wide, 8-megapixel ultrawide, and 5-megapixel macro, plus a 2-megapixel depth sensor. Around front, there’s a 16-megapixel selfie camera.
The G Stylus 5G isn’t the most aggressively priced 5G phone in the budget market. OnePlus says its upcoming N200 5G will cost less than $250, and Samsung’s Galaxy A32 5G is currently selling for $279. It’s also surprising to see the Snapdragon 480 5G chipset used here, since it’s intended for more affordable 5G devices well under the Stylus 5G’s $400 price.
On the other hand, the G Stylus 5G is quite a bit cheaper than the other prominent 5G phone with a built-in stylus, the $999 Galaxy Note 20, if you want to look at things that way.
We now have evidence that staying home to game or stream and chill during the pandemic was pretty much a first-world problem (or privilege, depending on how you look at it). The proof is in a new report published today by the United Nations University and UN Institute for Training and Research that looks at where drops in electronics sales and associated e-waste took place.
The report looked at electronics consumption in the first few quarters of 2020, and then used that to estimate future e-waste. It projects that worldwide, we’ll have discovered that 4.9 million fewer metric tons of e-waste were generated compared to a “business as usual” scenario without the pandemic. But that drop was uneven across the globe, the authors found. Electronics sales are estimated to have fallen 30 percent in low and middle-income countries, compared to just 5 percent in richer nations.
“The so-called digital divide is increasing,” report co-author Ruediger Kuehr said in a statement. “The ability to adapt to digitisation and earn a living or simply to own and benefit from electronics is decreasing in some parts of the world.” Countries in Northern Africa, Western Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Central Asia will be the hardest hit, according to the report.
On the other hand, high-income countries are projected to be solely responsible for a slight global uptick in game console, cell phone, laptop, and electrical oven purchases last year. In those countries, it seems people did indeed turn to screens (and maybe baking?) to while away their time during pandemic lockdowns.
Tech companies still managed to profit during the hellscape of 2020. Microsoft and Apple raked in the dough from gaming and computers. Samsung made more money last year than it did the year before. Amazon doubled its profit near the onset of the pandemic. And the 2020 lull in tech spending among low and middle-income countries is expected to be temporary.
As more people buy more gadgets, e-waste piles up, and can leach harmful materials like mercury into the environment. E-waste reached a record high in 2019, and just 17 percent was recycled. A lot more can still be done to prolong each gadget’s lifespan, increase recycling, and make companies responsible for collecting the products they generate so that e-waste doesn’t trash the environment, advocates say.
Google may have shied away from a Pixel Watch, but a Pixel Fold still very much seems to be on the way — following a leak last August that revealed the company was planning to release its first folding Pixel phone in late 2021, Korean industry site TheElec is now reporting that Samsung will begin production of folding OLED panels this October for Google, Vivo and Xiaomi’s upcoming folding phones, all of which will reportedly be revealed late this year.
Google hasn’t exactly kept its folding phone ambitions a secret; in 2019, it published patent applications for its own folding screens and admitted it had been prototyping them for quite some time, telling CNET that it didn’t have “a clear use case yet.” But now, it appears Google has a foldable, codename “Passport,” that could be nearly ready to announce. 9to5Google even spotted a new reference to it last month in Android 12’s code, alongside other codenames believed to be the upcoming Pixel 6 and Pixel 5a 5G. TheElec says it’ll have a single 7.6-inch panel that folds inward, while Vivo’s upcoming phone will have a 8-inch main screen and a 6.5-inch outer display. It didn’t mention the size of the new Xiaomi phone’s screen.
It’s not clear whether a Pixel Fold would actually come with a display designed by Google itself, though it’s possible; Samsung acts as a contract manufacturer for many other companies, producing some of Apple’s homegrown processors. Either way, one portion of the screen’s sandwich may still largely belong to Samsung itself: ETNews reports that Samsung will supply its proprietary ultra-thin cover glass (which is technically made by German manufacturer Schott) to other smartphone manufacturers, and Google is expected to use it.
Xiaomi already announced a folding phone earlier this year, the Mi Mix Fold, but it sounds like it’ll have a second one. TheElec also reports Oppo will be delaying a new foldable phone to 2022, with a 7.1-inch main screen and a smaller one between 1.5 and 2 inches diagonally.
After a few weeks of leaks, Sony has today formally announced its latest flagship true wireless earbuds. The new WF-1000XM4 earbuds cost $279.99, and the previous WF-1000XM3s, released in 2019, will remain in the company’s lineup at $229.99. The new headphones will be available in either black or light gray — both with gold accenting. They’re available starting today from retailers including Amazon and Best Buy.
Featuring a completely revamped design that’s 10 percent smaller than their predecessors, the 1000XM4 buds also have a new processing chip that results in improved noise cancellation “at all frequencies,” according to Sony.
Image: Sony
Battery life has been upped to eight hours of continuous playback when NC is enabled, which soundly beats competitors like the Apple AirPods Pro, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, and Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro. The charging case has been significantly downsized and is 40 percent smaller than before. Aside from plugging in over USB-C, it also supports Qi wireless charging.
Sony has also addressed a disappointing omission from the 1000XM3s: these new earbuds are rated IPX4 for water and sweat resistance. The 1000XM4s also have an updated voice call system that uses both beamforming mics and bone conduction sensors to improve performance. But here’s the one standout disappointment: there’s still no support for multipoint Bluetooth connections.
If you’re wondering how all of this shakes out, I’ve been using Sony’s new premium buds for several days. You can read my full review of them right now.
Siri is finally coming to third-party devices. Apple announced at its WWDC keynote that HomeKit accessory makers will be able to integrate Siri voice control into their products starting later this year. The voice assistant will be routed through a HomePod if the devices are connected to your network.
Apple hasn’t released a comprehensive list of devices and brands that will support Siri. The company demoed it on an Ecobee thermostat during its WWDC keynote presentation. It also announced support for Matter — a new interoperability standard that has big players like Amazon, Google, and Samsung on board — will come with iOS 15.
Apple also revealed a number of smaller smart home features. Home Keys, which allow you to remotely lock and unlock doors by tapping your iPhone or Apple Watch, are coming to Wallet app, as are work keys and hotel keys.
Image: Apple
The HomePod Mini will support lossless audio in Apple Music later this year and will be able to function as a speaker for the Apple TV 4K (as does the discontinued full-size HomePod). Apple also announced that the HomePod Mini will ship to more countries this month — including Austria, Ireland, and New Zealand — as well as Italy by the end of the year.
HomePods also now support commands for the Apple TV (so you can ask Siri to play shows), and SharePlay now works with Apple TV, which will enable you to watch shows synchronously with friends over FaceTime.
Speaking of Apple TV, tvOS now includes a “Share with You” row, where friends can share shows with each other via text messages. Another new row called “For All Of You” is intended to help families find shows to watch together — it will curate suggestions that combine every user’s viewing history.
Apple
And the Apple Watch now supports the HomePod’s intercom feature, which will allow you to talk to HomeKit-enabled doorbells and access package detection from your wrist. You’ll be able to control nearby HomeKit accessories in camera view.
Apple has announced a new feature called Live Text, which will digitize the text in all your photos. This unlocks a slew of handy functions, from turning handwritten notes into emails and messages to searching your camera roll for receipts or recipes you’ve photographed.
This is certainly not a new feature for smartphones, and we’ve seen companies like Samsung and Google offer similar tools in the past. But Apple’s implementation does look typically smooth. With Live Text, for example, you can tap on the text in any photo in your camera roll or viewfinder and immediately take action from it. You can copy and paste that text, search for it on the web, or — if it’s a phone number — call that number.
Apple says the feature is enabled using “deep neural networks” and “on-device intelligence,” with the latter being the company’s preferred phrasing for machine learning. (It stresses Apple’s privacy-heavy approach to AI, which focuses on processing data on-device rather than sending it to the cloud.)
Live Text works across iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers and supports seven languages.
In addition to extracting text from photos, iOS 15 will also allow users to search visually — a feature that sounds exactly the same as Google Lens.
Apple didn’t go into much detail about this feature during its presentation at WWDC, but said the new tool would recognize “art, books, nature, pets, and landmarks” in photos. We’ll have to test it out in person to see exactly how well it performs, but it sounds like Apple is doing much more to apply AI to users’ photos and make that information useful.
Developing… we’re adding more to this post, but you can follow along with our WWDC 2021 live blog to get the news even faster.
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