keyword: Sensor

dyson-v15-absolute-detect-review:-living-in-laser-dreams

Dyson V15 Absolute Detect review: Living in laser dreams

(Pocket-lint) – The Dyson V15 Detect Absolute Detect is the follow-up to 2019’s superb V11 Absolute and sits at the top of Dyson’s cordless vacuum range. It comes with a triple-header of new key features to warrant its place – and its price.

Firstly, a piezo sensor measures microscopic dust and displays real-time information about the dirt on the vac’s display (it will still increase suction power when it comes to tough dirt or different floor surfaces). Secondly, there’s a green laser in one of the supplied heads so you can visually see dust, especially in hard-to-see corners. Thirdly, there’s a new anti-tangle head for picking up hair.

Dyson’s range has plenty of options for different budgets and situations, including the Outsize (an even larger variant of the V11 for those who wanted more capacity), while smaller cleaners are available too. With all that in mind, does the V15 Detect Absolute Detect deliver the latest and greatest to make it the one worth buying?

Design and heads

  • Dimensions: 126cm (L) x 25cm (W) / Weight: 3kg
  • Includes multiple tools and heads
  • Root Cyclone technology
  • Bin capacity: 0.75 litre
  • Colour: Nickel

The core design of the V15 Detect is extremely similar to the V11 range. The filter sits on the very back, while there’s a large capacity easy-to-empty bin, along with Dyson’s well-known Root Cyclone tech – but with improved suction and battery life this time around.

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The accessories for these models are interchangeable – as they are with other older large ‘stick’ Dyson models. What has changed this time around is the heads, that have specifically improved for various use-cases.

Dyson’s Absolute range comes with the best selection of accessories and that’s more true here than ever before – differentiating this top-end Dyson from other manufacturers’ cleaners that continue to ape Dyson technology. Here’s a full list of what’s included:

  • High-torque cleaner head with an anti-tangle comb
  • Mini soft dusting brush
  • Laser slim fluffy head
  • Stubborn dirt brush
  • Combination tool
  • Hair screw tool
  • Crevice tool
  • Wand clip

The laser slim fluffy head is a compact roller for hard floors – the laser wouldn’t be much use on a carpet – and there’s a toggle on top so you can turn the laser on and off. The laser is positioned at 1.5-degree angle which Dyson says provides the best contrast between dust and the floor. 

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As always, you can either use the tube or not depending on what you need – the attachments all connect to the main unit or the end of the tube. 

A wall-mount is still supplied, too, along with the necessary screws – although a warning that you will need some decent anchors if putting onto a plasterboard partition wall. 

Display and modes

  • LCD display shows count/size of particles collected
  • Display shows cleaning time remaining
  • Modes: Eco, Medium and Boost

The V15’s built-in display is a colour panel that shows you how much cleaning time is left (which varies drastically depending on the mode used) as well as the type/size and amount of dust the V15 is detecting. Yes, it really does this.  

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The piezo sensor ‘listens’ to the vibrations of dust hitting the cyclones 15,000 times per second and automatically adjusts the suction. The machine rates the dust by size and displays this information on the screen as a bar chart.

This is interesting and might be useful to people depending on how sensitive they are to dust or how particular they are about getting a deep clean. Indeed, it’s this latter point that Dyson seems to have in mind when it comes to potential purchasers, pitching them with the V15 Detect as giving a “scientific proof of a deep clean”.

While it’s nice to know the machine is capable of such accuracy, we found you’ll quickly get over looking at what’s on the display.

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Once again there are Eco, Medium and Boost modes that you can either select manually using the button under the display or just leave the cleaner to decide itself, as it will adjust when necessary. 

Because of the bar chart display, it’s not always easy to see what cleaning mode you’re in, although the cleaning time remaining is clear and does change colour accordingly. 

Performance and battery life

  • DLS tech inside High Torque head measures resistance to adapt to different floor types
  • Battery (over 60 minutes in Eco) is replaceable/clicks into place, 4.5 hours charge time
  • 56 polycarbonate teeth prevent tangling
  • Motor: Hyperdymium 125,000rpm

The V15 Detect has even more suction than the V11 (230 vs 185 air watts) and while you might not feel much difference between the V11 and V15, you will feel the difference compared to other comparable (though cheaper) cleaners.



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Battery life is at least as good as the V11 – which is decent when you consider the V15’s increased suction. We were getting around 45 minutes on Medium, but the Eco time is over an hour – the display started off at around 70 minutes. Boost time is always a surprise because it’s so low compared to the other modes – you’re talking around 12 minutes.

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So what do we think of the laser dust detection? Initially, we were pretty unimpressed. The laser doesn’t make much sense in a decently lit space. But it comes into its own in other situations, as we noticed when cleaning around the whole house.

That’s because not everywhere is well lit: under the edge of your kitchen cupboards; between drawers and your bed; round the back of the toilet. Unless you’re shining light that way, it’s actually quite hard to see what’s there, stuff that you just wouldn’t usually see. The laser does do a good job here.

An issue is that the laser head – although less bulky than a standard roller head – is still wide. And many places you need the laser light are inevitably smaller spaces where a narrower head would be much better. 

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We actually found the narrow hair screw head more impressive than the laser one – hair is a problem in many homes and ours is no exception. We were genuinely surprised that the V15 Detect heads didn’t get bunged up when vacuuming bedroom carpets – this was a problem with previous heads with earlier Dyson models, other cleaners (as well as our Neato robot vac), where we regularly have to clean hair off the brush bar.

The Dyson hair screw works by basically spinning the hair off the end of the brush bar (it isn’t attached to the body at one end). The anti-tangle high torque cleaner head is a little different because it works by having more teeth that clears hair as you clean so it doesn’t get tangled. 

Verdict

Once again Dyson has come with a range-topping cordless cleaner that lays down the gauntlet for the not-inconsiderable number of rivals. It’s the V15 Detect’s new cleaning heads really do offer something different. 

Of course, you pay dearly for all this technology. A high-end Dyson cleaner is no longer $500/£500 but considerably more than that. The key thing is that you need to decide how much you want the new bells and whistles, primarily because of the competition from within the company’s own range – the V11 really isn’t that far behind, so if you’re not too fussed about the new features (particularly Laser Detect) then that’s one money-saving tactic.

However, the V15 Detect is a huge step-up from older models like the V7 and V8. So if you have a Dyson from pre-2018 then you will definitely feel and see the difference. The larger capacity, better battery life, and more effective filters and suction is what will make all the difference.

Also consider

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Dyson V11 Absolute

The V11 is a fine choice if you’re not fussed about the new features of the V15 Detect Absolute, namely Laser Detect, the detailed particle cleaning info, or the hair screw. Expect it to be discounted over the coming months and, as such, it could be a more affordable bet.

  • Read our review

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Vax

Vax Blade 4

The best that rival Vax currently has to offer and a key rival to Dyson’s range. It’s light at 3.1kg and boasts around 45 minutes cleaning time at peak performance, which again is comparable with the V11 and V15.

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Writing by Dan Grabham.

smaller-pixel-6-leaks-with-flat-screen-and-fewer-cameras

Smaller Pixel 6 leaks with flat screen and fewer cameras

Yesterday OnLeaks released CAD renders of what is supposedly Google’s next flagship phone, the Pixel 6 Pro, and now the noted leaker has followed up with details and images of the smaller model, posted at 91Mobiles. The so-called Pixel 6 looks like it’ll adopt the same distinctive design as the Pro, with one colorway featuring orange and white sections broken up by a glossy black bar that houses the camera bump.

You’ll find one fewer camera in that bump, according to the leak — it’s said to be a dual-camera setup, presumably a regular wide and an ultrawide. The 6 Pro, on the other hand, appears to include a periscope telephoto lens. Both phones are depicted with a single centrally aligned hole-punch selfie camera.

91Mobiles says that the Pixel 6 has a 6.4-inch display with flat edges, unlike the curved 6.67-inch panel used in the 6 Pro. The 6 reportedly also has wireless charging, an in-display fingerprint sensor, and bottom-firing stereo speakers, with dimensions of 158.6mm x 74.8mm x 8.9mm. The OnLeaks renders match up with designs shown off by Front Page Tech’s Jon Prosser last week.

There’s no word on exactly when the Pixel 6 will launch, but Pixel phones do have a habit of leaking (or even being announced by Google) well before their eventual release date, so we could well be waiting until fall. At this point, it’s almost a surprise that leakers managed to beat Google to the punch.

Google has also said it’s planning to release a Pixel 5A phone later this year.

xtrfy-mz1-review-–-zy’s-rail

Xtrfy MZ1 Review – Zy’s Rail

Introduction

Established in 2011, Xtrfy is a peripherals company based in Sweden. What sets the MZ1 apart from other mice is the shape. Designed from the ground up by long-time YouTube mouse reviewer Zy “Rocket Jump Ninja” Rykoa, the MZ1 has a rather unusual shape. While it may look like an ambidextrous design at first glance, it is right-handed ergonomic, having the left side curve inwards more than the right one. The low-sitting front results in low button height, whereas the hump is positioned more towards the back to provide palm support. Its small size makes it most suited for fingertip grip, which is Zy’s grip style of choice. At 59 g, the MZ1 is exceptionally light, and comes with a new and improved cable. Kailh GM 8.0 switches are used for the main buttons, and PixArt’s PMW3389 capable of 16,000 CPI is the sensor. Much like the M4 and M42, the MZ1 doesn’t come with software, but rather allows for extensive on-device configuration, including of the rich RGB lighting.

Specifications

Xtrfy MZ1
Size: 111 mm x 52.5 mm x 36.5 mm
Size (inches): 4.37″ x 2.07″ x 1.44″
Ambidextrous: No
Weight: 59 g
Number of Buttons: 6 (including wheel click)
Main Switches: Kailh GM 8.0
Wheel Encoder: Mechanical
Sensor: PixArt PMW3389
Resolution: 400/800/1200/1600/3200/4000/7200/16,000 CPI
Polling Rate: 125/500/1000 Hz
Cable: 1.80 m, braided
Software: No
Price: $79.00
Warranty: 2/1/1 years (EU/US/APAC)
oneplus-8-pro-vs-samsung-galaxy-s20+-vs-galaxy-s20-ultra:-what’s-the-difference?

OnePlus 8 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S20+ vs Galaxy S20 Ultra: What’s the difference?

(Pocket-lint) – The OnePlus 8 Pro was one of 2020’s best phones, offering flagship specs and premium design at cheaper price than the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy S20 range. 

While both series of phones are a little older now, they still make great purchase options purely because you can now get them cheaper than they were at launch. 

So how does the OnePlus 8 Pro compare to Samsung’s top-of-the-range Galaxy S20 Ultra and Galaxy S20+? Here are the specifications up against each other.

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Design

  • OnePlus 8 Pro: 165.3 x 74.4 x 8.5mm, 199g
  • Samsung S20+: 161.9 x 73.7 x 7.8mm, 186g
  • Samsung S20 Ultra: 166.9 x 76 x 8.8mm, 220g

The OnePlus 8 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S20+ and Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra all offer premium designs with metal cores and glass rears, though OnePlus offers matte options, while Samsung offers gloss only. The frosted glass is both lovely to look at, and does a better job of resisting smudges from fingerprint grease. 

The Samsung S20+ and S20 Ultra both have punch hole cameras centralised at the top of their displays, while the OnePlus 8 Pro has a punch hole camera positioned in the top left corner of its display.

On the back, the OnePlus 8 Pro has a slightly neater design with a pill-shaped vertical camera housing positioned in the middle, while the Samsung Galaxy S20+ and S20 Ultra both have more prominent rectangular camera housings in the top left corner of their rears.

Size wise, the OnePlus sits right in the middle of the two Samsung phones. It’s a little wider and thicker than the S20+, but narrower and thinner than the S20 Ultra. That means, in the hand, the S20+ is slightly more comfortable, but in truth all phones are pretty big. 

All devices being compared here offer IP68 water and dust resistance and they all have in-display fingerprint sensors. So there’s a lot of parity here. In terms of build and looks, you’re not getting a less premium device by going with OnePlus. 

Display

  • OnePlus 8 Pro: 6.78-inch, Quad HD+, 120Hz
  • Samsung S20+: 6.7-inch, Quad HD+, 120Hz
  • Samsung S20 Ultra: 6.9-inch, Quad HD+, 120Hz

The OnePlus 8 Pro has a 6.78-inch display with a Quad HD+ resolution offering a pixel density of 513ppi. It offers an aspect ratio of 19.8:9 and a refresh rate of 120Hz.

The Samsung Galaxy S20+ has a 6.7-inch display with a Quad HD+ resolution and 525ppi, putting it at a similar size to the OnePlus 8 Pro, while the Ultra is larger at 6.9-inches. It too has a Quad HD+ resolution though, with a pixel density of 511ppi. 

While both Galaxy devices have 120Hz refresh rate displays – just like OnePlus – Samsung currently only allows you to have it switched on if the resolution is set to full HD+. That means you have to choose between sharpness, and fast animations. OnePlus allows you to have both switched on at the same time, without compromise. 

Still, despite this, all three displays are truly excellent and easily the best currently available on any smartphone. They’re sharp, vibrant and responsive. 

All devices being compared in this feature have a AMOLED panel and offer HDR10+ support.

Cameras

  • OnePlus 8 Pro: 48MP main, 8MP telephoto, 48MP ultra wide, 5MP colour filter
  • Samsung S20+: 12MP main, 64MP telephoto, 12MP ultra wide, DepthVision
  • Samsung S20 Ultra: 108MP main, 48MP telephoto, 12MP ultra wide, DepthVision

The camera department is perhaps the area these devices differ the most.

The OnePlus 8 Pro has a quad rear camera, made up of a 48-megapixel main sensor, 8-megapixel telephoto sensor, 48-megapixel ultra-wide angle sensor and a 5-megapixel colour filter sensor. There’s a dual LED flash and a range of features including Video HDR, Smart Pet Capture mode and 3x hybrid zoom.

The Samsung Galaxy S20+ has a quad rear camera too, made up of a 12-megapixel main sensor, 64-megapixel telephoto sensor, 12-megapixel ultra wide sensor and a Depth Vision time of flight sensor.

The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra meanwhile, has a 108-megapixel main sensor, 48-megapixel telephoto sensor, which is a 10x hybrid optic periscope lens, 12-megapixel ultra wide sensor and a DepthVision sensor. 

Despite having the impressive-sounding 100x Space Zoom, in our testing, we had a few issues with the S20 Ultra’s camera. Apart from that ultra-zoom being not much more than a gimmick at its extreme focal lengths, there were other problems with focussing on items up close. The S20+ may have the less jaw-dropping spec sheet here, but it gave us fewer issues overall and performs well. As does OnePlus. 

The 8 Pro’s primary and ultra-wide cameras are excellent, and the zoom is useful, even if the colours and detail don’t quite match up with the other two main cameras. As for that colour filter camera, that’s a little weird and lets you be creative, but doesn’t offer anything distinctly wortwhile. 

Hardware and specifications

  • OnePlus 8 Pro: Qualcomm SD865, 8/12GB RAM, 128/256GB storage, 4510mAh battery
  • Samsung S20+: Qualcomm SD865/Exynos 990, 12GB RAM, 128/256/512GB storage, 4500mAh battery
  • Samsung S20 Ultra: Qualcomm SD865/Exynos 990, 12/16GB RAM, 128/256/512GB storage, 5000mAh battery

The OnePlus 8 Pro runs on the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor with a choice of 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage or 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. There is no microSD support for further storage expansion. 

The Samsung Galaxy S20+ and S20 Ultra both run on either the Exynos 990 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, depending on the region. Both have 12GB of RAM as standard but the Ultra also comes in a 16GB option. There are various storage options, with 128GB, 256GB and 512GB models available, all of which offer microSD storage expansion up to 1TB.

In terms of everyday speed and performance, the OnePlus and Samsung phones will all offer you a speedy, responsive experience. We didn’t notice any significant difference between the three. It’s no surprise really given the similar specifications and power available in all of them. 

In terms of battery capacities, the OnePlus 8 Pro has a 4510mAh battery, the Samsung Galaxy S20+ has a 4500mAh battery and the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra has a 5000mAh battery. IN testing, the OnePlus was the one that’s likely to last a little bit longer, but again, there’s not a huge amount in it. Samsung has really upped its battery longevity game this year. 

The one place you will notice a difference is in charging speeds. With its 30W wireless charging, OnePlus will refill much quicker on its charging stand than either of the Samsung phones will while wireless charging. 

All three also offer reverse wireless charging too, so you can top up your wireless charging compatible earphones or smartwatch from any of the phones. 

All three devices being compared here are 5G enabled. 

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Conclusion

The OnePlus 8 Pro sits in the middle of both the Samsung Galaxy S20+ and the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra but it is quite a bit cheaper than both models, coming in around the same price as the standard Galaxy S20 instead.

There’s plenty of similarities between the three devices too, despite the price difference. All have large displays, premium designs, powerful hardware and good software experiences, albeit different. 

You get microSD support on the Samsung devices, along with some interesting camera functionality, especially on the S20 Ultra, but you pay more for these attributes – a lot more in the case of the Ultra – so the decision between these handsets will come down to your budget and what features matter to you most.

On the whole, we don’t think you’ll be losing a whole lot at all in real daily performance and capabilities by going with the OnePlus 8 Pro instead of either of these two Samsung phones. 

Writing by Britta O’Boyle. Editing by Cam Bunton.

sphero’s-cute-car-shaped-robot-is-driven-to-teach-kids-about-programming

Sphero’s cute car-shaped robot is driven to teach kids about programming

Sphero, a long-time maker of robotic toys, has announced a robotic toy car that’s designed to teach young children about the fundamentals of programming (via Gizmodo). It’s called the Sphero indi, and kids can use different-colored silicone tiles to give the car instructions, letting them create courses and mazes (and hopefully learn how to logically solve problems while doing so).

The indi uses a color-sensor to check which tile it’s driving over, with green tiles telling it to speed up, pink tiles telling it to turn left, purple tiles telling it to stop and celebrate, and so on. To teach kids how to create instructions to get indi from point A to point B, the toy comes with challenge cards that include patterns with missing tiles, so they’ll have to figure out which color tile will help the car reach its goal.

The indi can follow the tiles’ instructions without any sort of connection to a phone or computer, but if your kids are ready for a bit more control, the Sphero Edu Jr app will let them use a block-based language to customize the car’s behavior.

The app lets kids change how indi reacts to the colors.
Image: Sphero

As someone who’s actually taught children programming essentials, block-based coding and having kids design paths for a character to follow all sounds very familiar: MIT’s Scratch programming language gives students a playground to figure out how computers use logic, with many exercises involving solving puzzles and mazes with code. However, I also know that watching a character move on screen isn’t as exciting to kids as watching a real-life toy move through the house. Plus, a sprite bumping into a virtual wall isn’t nearly as funny as watching a toy crash into something or roll off a kitchen table.

A cool look at the indi’s insides, and hopefully not what you’ll see after it takes a fall.
Image: Sphero

The indi is currently available for pre-order, with Sphero estimating that shipping will start in September. An individual student kit, which includes the car, a case, 20 tiles, and 15 challenge cards, costs $125, while a class set that includes materials for eight students and includes a bulk charging case costs $1,200.

Robotic toys for educational purposes are nothing new: the Cozmo robot, formerly made by Anki, and now being iterated on by Digital Dream Labs, used a Scratch-based programming language to put kids in control of a little tractor-like robot, Lego has its Boost and Mindstorms robot kits, and Fisher-Price has a somewhat terrifying Code-a-pillar which has kids add and remove segments from a bug to give it instructions. Sphero itself even has its Mini robot, which has more play-style options, at just $50.

However, like most of the other toys, the Sphero Mini (and its bigger brother the Bolt) requires the use of a tablet, phone, or computer, which the indi doesn’t. For parents looking to get their kids away from the iPad for a bit, the indi could be a way to do that, while still giving them a learning experience.

11-things-we-know-about-the-new-smartwatch-os-from-google-and-samsung-—-and-some-we-don’t

11 things we know about the new smartwatch OS from Google and Samsung — and some we don’t

Yesterday brought the momentous news that Google and Samsung will merge together their Wear OS and Tizen-based smartwatch platforms into a single operating system. The new software is currently being referred to as Wear, but that name could change as we get closer to the first devices that will ship with it.

The unified platform is intended to give Android smartwatches a huge boost and much simpler strategy. It will also allow developers to create apps and widgets for a single OS instead of splitting their efforts between Wear OS and Tizen. A lot of this is spelled out in more detail in the below video, but let’s also focus on the big highlights.

It’s going to be faster than Wear OS

Speed and responsiveness were one of the major talking points when Google and Samsung made this announcement during the I/O 2021 keynote. The companies are claiming that apps open up to 30 percent faster than they currently do on Wear OS. Google also promises “smooth user interface animations and motion,” which hasn’t always been a strength of Wear OS.

Battery life will be a step up, too

Samsung’s smartwatches were already routinely outlasting Wear OS products, so this doesn’t come as a surprise. The company is lending Google some hardware expertise to ensure better stamina. “Samsung implemented our best technology to provide optimized performances, and advanced sensor batching and low power display technology to ensure an efficient and long-lasting battery,” Samsung’s Janghyun Yoon wrote after Tuesday’s news. Google’s Bjorn Kilburn said customers can expect “handy optimizations like the ability to run the heart rate sensor continuously during the day, track your sleep overnight and still have battery for the next day.”

The next Samsung Galaxy Watch will run Wear

Samsung has confirmed that its next smartwatch — and all others in the pipeline — will run the unified Wear platform. But the company made sure to note that it will bring over some of its popular hardware elements, like the rotating bezel mechanism.

A standalone Google Maps app will do turn-by-turn directions

In a report from Wired, we learned that there are plans for a Google Maps app on Wear that features “a new user interface that will also work even if your phone is not with you.” That hints at cellular data support on the new unified platform.

Spotify and YouTube Music apps will support offline downloads

Spotify already allows owners of Samsung smartwatches to download songs for offline listening, and now that same convenience will be extended to Wear. That’s one thing Spotify for the Apple Watch still doesn’t do.

Google also confirmed that YouTube Music will be available on Wear. Like Spotify, it’ll include full support for offline listening.

Fitbit activity tracking will be built into the platform

Having completed its acquisition of Fitbit at the start of this year, Google will now integrate some of the brand’s health and activity tracking features into Wear. Future premium Fitbit wearables will also run the unified platform.

Device makers will be able to customize the look and feel

Google tried to emphasize on Tuesday that this platform isn’t just intended for itself and Samsung. “All device makers will be able to add a customized user experience on top of the platform,” Kilburn said. That’s going to prove important if Google wants to keep companies like Garmin on board with the new platform. And we can’t forget about the many traditional watchmakers — Fossil, Citizen, TAG Heuer, and others — that have gotten behind Wear OS in recent years in the absence of a flagship smartwatch from Google.

Apps should be faster and easier to develop with new APIs

Wear’s apps will use the latest Android development techniques like Jetpack and Kotlin to help reach the best possible performance. Google is also promising to make life easier for app makers with new APIs that cover Tiles, health services, watchfaces, complications, and more. And an activity indicator will show when certain functions are running in the background.

Some Wear OS smartwatches might get upgraded to Wear

There aren’t any firm promises yet, but Google at least didn’t outright say existing products won’t be updated to the new OS. The company told 9to5Google, “we will have more updates to share on timelines once the new version launches later this year.”

Samsung will not update Galaxy Watch models to Wear

Samsung will not be updating its Galaxy Watch line to Wear, but says it has no intention of leaving its current customers in the dust once it starts releasing Wear hardware. “For customers who already own the Tizen OS based Galaxy smartwatches, we are continuing to provide at least three years of software support after the product launch,” the company said Tuesday. However, it seems plausible there will be more than a few features and new Wear tricks that will never make their way to older Galaxy smartwatches.

Samsung will bring over its watchface designer tool

Some people out there really care about having a good watchface selection on a pricey smartwatch. Google and Samsung are promising a wide mix of styles, and Samsung told Wired its design tool — and many of the company’s own signature watchfaces — will be available on Wear.

The unknowns

Google and Samsung shared a decent chunk of information on day one, but we’re still left without answers to a few important questions. We should learn more details over the summer as we head into fall hardware season.

  • When will the first Wear smartwatch be available?
  • Is the underlying operating system closer to Wear OS or closer to Tizen? (Considering that developers will be using Android tools to build apps, it seems like the former.)
  • Will there be required helper apps like some of Samsung’s watches have needed?
  • Is Wear going to continue offering some semblance of iOS support?
  • What’s going to happen to Samsung Pay and Bixby? Are they both goners on the wrist?
apple-ipad-pro-12.9-inch-(2021)-review:-can-it-finally-replace-the-laptop?

Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2021) review: Can it finally replace the laptop?

(Pocket-lint) – A lot has happened in the world since the launch of the iPad Pro 12.9-inch in 2020, yet the need for us to work on the go is still an key factor for many people.

Apple’s 2021 iPad Pro looks to up the ante once again, bringing a new processor, a new screen, 5G connectivity, as well as improvements to the camera and elsewhere.

So, is this the year that the Apple iPad Pro will finally – yes finally – let you ditch the laptop altogether? We’ve been using the iPad Pro 2021 with M1 processor to find out.

Design gets heavier

  • Same design as 2020 model
  • Finishes: Silver or Space Grey
  • Dimensions: 281 x 215 x 6.4mm
  • Weight: 682g (Wi-Fi), 685g (5G)

Having launched previously with a much squarer design, which has since been adopted by the iPhone, the iPad Pro keeps an almost identical design to its previous offering.

For 2021 the 12.9-inch model is ever so slightly thicker than previous versions, thanks to new Mini LED screen technology, but it will still fit your previous cases (albeit snugly), including the Apple Magic Keyboard that launched in 2020.

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That extra thickness also means it’s a bit heavier, with around 40g extra. While that’s not hugely noticeable over the previous version, it does mean that the Pro is getting heavier and heavier – which is something to bear in mind.

To put it in perspective, though, the 2021 Pro is actually the same weight as the original iPad from way back in 2010. And while no one will begrudge that this iPad is considerably more powerful, it’s interesting that all that tech, and batteries to power it, means that the days of a thin-and-light iPad have come to an end – well, certainly at the top-end of this market.

Why’s that important? Because it is no longer a slip-in-your-bag-and-not-notice-it device any more. Add in the Magic Keyboard – which is another 710g – and you’ve got a device that’s 1.395kg. That’s roughly the same as the company’s M1 13-inch MacBook Pro or many other Windows-based laptops – indeed it’s actually not too difficult to find sub-1kg laptops.

Display gets brighter

  • 12.9-inch ‘Liquid Retina XDR’ Mini LED display
  • 2732 x 2048 resolution (264ppi)
  • 1600-nit peak brightness
  • 120Hz refresh rate

The 2021 iPad Pro gets an updated display technology – called Mini LED – which makes it considerably brighter than older models. It’s a relatively new panel technology that’s only just making its way into the latest TVs.

  • What is Mini LED? The display technology explained

In the case of this 12.9-inch model that means over 10,000 LEDs are positioned behind the screen to create, at times, a much brighter display that is also more nuanced to what is happening on the screen.

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The enhanced technology is instantly noticeable. The screen is physically brighter for starters, and has the ability to increase that brightness further depending on what is required. Previously the peak brightness was 600 nits, now that can go up to 1600 nits for those high dynamic range (HDR) moments.

While the average user will benefit from watching high-resolution content from their favourite streaming service – even the end credits of a movie look stunning – creatives will certainly enjoy the ability to see all that extra detail in their images or video, especially if they are working within the realms of HDR or Dolby Vision.

Combine that with the Pro’s usual array of screen tech – such as P3 wide colour gamut, ProMotion (120Hz refresh rate), and True Tone – and you won’t find much to complain about when it comes to the screen.

  • What is Apple’s True Tone display?

Front-facing camera gets more intelligent

  • Improved front-facing camera: 12-megapixel, 122-degree field of view
  • New ‘Center Stage’ technology (for subject tracking)

If you’re like us, you’ll have spent a lot of time in 2020 on video calls talking to colleagues, friends, and family. So for 2021, the iPad Pro celebrates video calling by adding a new front-facing TrueDepth Camera.

It’s unique to the iPad (at launch anyway – we suspect that will change in the future) and for the most part you won’t notice that it’s ultra-wide. That’s because of a new feature Apple has introduced specifically for the iPad Pro: Center Stage.

Pocket-lint

No doubt inspired by devices like the Facebook Portal and Amazon Echo Show 10, the idea is that the front-facing camera can now follow you as you move about so you’re always “centre stage”.

By cropping into the captured image to deliver the same image crop iPad users are used to, nothing physically moves within the iPad itself. Instead Applehas opted to emulate that movement by digitally cropping in on the image as it follows you.

The feature, which works just as well in Apple FaceTime as it does in Zoom and other video calling apps, can be fun, but it can become jarring.

Anything with a head and shoulders is automatically picked up and the frame will resize to fit them in. Add more people and the feature zooms out to make sure everyone is in the frame. That’s fantastic for a family catch-ups with the kids trying to jostle around the iPad Pro screen, or for ensuring you’re fully in the shot.

The 122-degree viewpoint is wide enough to catch most of you, wide enough to track you around the room, and wide enough to still move if you’ve stepped some distance from the camera (we got to around 5 metres away). 

Where things get tricky is if you move around when using it and the iPad Pro is stationary on the desk. Not because it doesn’t follow you, but because of the fluidity to the follow. You move and the camera slowly moves with you.

Pocket-lint

The resulting affect is as if Apple has applied a Ken Burns effect to dramatise your video call. Or, as we found when being fairly close to the camera, it looks a bit like being on a boat and bobbing up and down with the tide. It can, at times, be very nauseating.



Best tablet 2021: Top tablets to buy today


By Britta O’Boyle
·

However, go hands-free and the technology helps stabilise your movement – making it a much better experience as the tracking is kept to a minimum and less pronounced.

It’s probably why business calls from our desk garnered plenty of complaints, but family calls resulted in much more positive feedback with the grandparents in awe of the technology in action, and a chance to see everyone for the first time without us having to stand miles away from the screen.

Performance: Everything is faster

  • Apple M1 processor, 8GB/16GB RAM
  • Options for 128GB to 2TB storage
  • Apple Pencil support (2nd Gen)
  • LiDAR sensor on back
  • Thunderbolt / USB4

With every iteration the iPad Pro gets a faster processor, normally on par with the iPhone. This year, rather than trying to keep pace with the iPhone, the iPad keeps pace with the Mac.

Pocket-lint

Because now you’ll find Apple’s new M1 processor instead of an upgraded iPhone processor powering the pro tablet. Yes, the same chip that powers the MacBook Air or iMac or MacBook Pro now powers the 2021 iPad Pro. We’ll let that sink in for a moment.

According to Apple that results in a 50 per cent boost in performance without compromising the battery – so you’ll still get around 10 hours per charge. Although, just like a Mac, the battery life widely varies in performance depending on what you do and how bright that screen is.

Also just like a Mac, there are now RAM options for the first time on the iPad Pro, all the way up to 16GB – although that option is restricted to the 1TB or 2TB storage options (you guessed it, that means pricey pricey), whereas it’s 8GB RAM for the 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage capacities (and more reasonable price points).

Pocket-lint

The M1 processing power means the iPad Pro whizzes along with any various tasks that you’ll throw at it, just in the same way we find apps on the M1 MacBook Pro perform.

Whether that’s photo editing in Adobe Lightroom, drawing in Procreate, or designing in Affinity Designer, we had no problem loading, importing, editing, or saving large files on any of the ‘pro’ apps we use.

Working with large sound and video files proved little stress to the new 2021 iPad Pro either, while power hungry games like Asphalt 9, Call of Duty, or NBA2K21 loaded almost instantly – and, yes, noticeably faster than on previous iPad Pro models.

And if the M1 isn’t enough to keep that workflow process happy, the iPad Pro 12.9-inch now also comes in a 5G flavour for those who want speedy connectivity on the go. An afternoon hot-spotting via an EE SIM proved just as productive as being on the Wi-Fi in the home office.

Pocket-lint

Elsewhere there’s an improved Thunderbolt / USB4 port for transferring files to and from the device even faster – it’s up to 40Gbps, whereas previously it was USB-C and therefore 10Gbps.

You still get the dual camera and LiDAR sensor setup on the back for taking pictures, video, or playing with AR too. It’s the same 12-megapixel main and 10-megapixel wider-angle as on the previous generation. 

iPadOS needs to offer more

  • Software: iPadOS 14.5

Given that the iPad Pro has the same technical power of a MacBook Air but running iPadOS, it can at times feel a little underwhelming in terms of what you can do – especially given the sheer power under the hood.

Apple broke iPadOS away from iOS a number of years ago to be able to offer things like file transfer and track support. But now with the more powerful innards it feels like it needs to do more than just offer a series of app icons on the Home Screen.

Pocket-lint

Of course Apple watchers will know that we’re due an announcement for iPadOS 15 at WWDC in June 2021, so we’re hoping that a greater emphasis on multi-tasking, a more useful Home Screen option, and other features will come to the experience later this year. That could be a game-changer.

It’s not that the iPad Pro 2021 isn’t capable – far from it – it’s just at we can feel that there’s something much bigger coming that’s just around the corner to help capitalise on that new found power within.

Verdict

When Steve Jobs first revealed the iPad back in 2010 it was all about casual reading and surfing from the sofa, about access to apps to empower, entertain, and educate us.

More than a decade on and the 2021 iPad Pro still embraces those principles. But for today’s creative types who want more than just basic typing and surfing it’s a more empowering experience – largely thanks to the M1 processor – bringing greater opportunity for both work and play.

For all intents and purposes the 2021 iPad Pro 12.9-inch is like a touchscreen-enabled MacBook Pro with 5G connectivity that runs iPadOS instead of macOS. It’s the closest to a laptop-replacement that Apple has ever taken the iPad.

Yet the iPad Pro is still in transition. It doesn’t completely replace the laptop just yet, because Apple hasn’t quite cracked the software. So if that’s what you’re after then let’s hope iPadOS 15 changes that later in 2021.

Also consider

Pocket-lint

iPad Air (2020)

The ‘non-pro’ iPad will be good enough for many. So unless you want the higher storage, ProMotion higher refresh rate, or dual cameras, you’re just as well getting the iPad Air as the iPad Pro 11.

  • Read our review

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Writing by Stuart Miles. Editing by Mike Lowe.

hp-elite-folio-review:-pleather-for-the-pros

HP Elite Folio Review: Pleather for the Pros

Our Verdict

The HP Elite Folio is a long-lasting, quiet laptop/tablet combo, but it offers a middling performance for a high price.

For

  • + Versatile design
  • + Runs very cool and quiet
  • + 3:2 Display
  • + Full-sized stylus charges in keyboard
  • + Long battery life

Against

  • – Display could be brighter
  • – Windows on Arm has app compatibility issues
  • – Middling performance
  • – Few ports
  • – Pricey

There are a few laptops that fall into what I call an “executive notebook.” These are high-end, sometimes overly designed business laptops that you rarely see the rank-and-file office worker use. The new HP Elite Folio ($1,747.20 to start, $2,063.36 as tested) seems destined, with its vegan leather exterior and high price tag, for the C-suite.

HP has gone with Windows on Arm here, which means that the laptop runs quiet and has excellent battery life. But even as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors get more powerful and Windows on Arm slowly improves, there are still compatibility and performance sacrifices, so it’s not always fitting for the

best ultrabooks

.

But for those who rely on a stylus for writing on-screen or want a versatile form factor for various situations, you may be able to overlook that as long as you don’t use compute-heavy software. And if you value style, of course. 

Design of  HP Elite Folio  

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HP’s new Folio means business. Or at least, it looks like it. The HP Elite Folio is a new, more professional take

on a previous design

. This laptop isn’t clad in metal, but rather polyurethane vinyl — or, as you might call it, vegan leather. Or as I call it, “

pleather

.” Unlike the old

Spectre x360 13

, which used real leather and came in brown, this is a more subdued black.

The result is a notebook that looks a bit like a briefcase, minus the handle, of course. If it didn’t have an HP logo on the lid under some stitching, I’d expect to see an intern carrying their resume in it. There’s no place to put your thumb to easily open the laptop, so I typically found myself requiring two hands to do so, which was a pain.

With the laptop open, it looks more traditional. There’s a 13.5-inch, 1920 x 1280 display in a 3:2 aspect ratio with a surprisingly thick bezel on the top. The deck features a backlit keyboard and also includes a spot to store and charge the included HP Slim Pen. This is a page straight out of the playbook Microsoft used with the

Surface Pro X

.

But the Surface Pro X is a true 2-in-1 detachable, and the Elite Folio has a different trick up its sleeve. The screen is on a hinge, and it can be brought forward into an easel mode that covers the keyboard but leaves the touchpad clear. You can also slide it further forward to be a tablet. (You could, if you wanted, also flip the screen upside down on the back of the device and use the display to watch videos or give presentations. This isn’t listed among HP’s options, but it works.)

The laptop looks like leather, but it doesn’t feel like it. It’s soft to the touch but definitely has a plasticky feel. For those wondering, yes, I did smell the laptop. While it pulls off a leather look, it can’t match the real thing’s fragrance.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

I can’t speak to how well this will hold up over months and years of use. In the immediate sense, it did manage to pick up minor scuffs or schmutz on my desk, but I could wipe it off with a damp cloth.

Port selection is extremely minimal, with a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port on either side of the laptop and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the right side.

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HP’s notebook is 2.92 pounds and measures 11.75 x 9.03 x 0.63 inches. That’s similar to the Lenovo Flex 5G (2.9 pounds, 12.7 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches), a convertible 2-in-1. The Microsoft Surface Pro X is 2.4 pounds (with the keyboard attached) and 11.3 x 8.2 x 0.3 inches. An Intel-based clamshell, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano, is 2 pounds and 12.7 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches.

HP Elite Folio Specifications

CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2
Graphics Qualcomm Adreno 690 (integrated)
Memory 16GB LPDDR4-4266 SDRAM
Storage 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD
Display 13.5-inch, 1920 x 1280 touchscreen
Networking Qualcomm QCA639X Wi-Fi 6 Dual Band and Bluetooth 5, Qualcomm Snapdragon X20 LTE Cat 16
Ports 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, nano SIM card slot
Camera 720p IR
Battery 46 WHr
Power Adapter 65 W
Operating System Windows 10 Pro
Dimensions(WxDxH) 11.75 x 9.03 x 0.63 inches / 298.45 x 229.36 x 16 mm
Weight 2.92 pounds / 1.32 kg
Price (as configured) $1,998.72

Windows 10 on Arm 

The HP Elite Folio uses the latest Windows on Arm platform, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2. That comes with its benefits (long battery life, quiet), but in terms of performance and app compatibility, it’s certainly lacking. 

To be clear, that’s the case on all Windows on Arm laptops at the moment. Apple has used Arm too on its most recent laptops with its

M1

chips, with far greater success.

Windows on Arm can run 32-bit apps, but not 64-bit apps. That functionality is coming but is currently limited to Windows Insider builds, which you’re unlikely to see in a business environment. An increasing number of apps are running natively on Windows on Arm, including Office, browsers like Edge and Firefox, and some of Adobe’s, but the rest require emulation. Others that run natively include the popular media player VLC, Netflix, Twitter, Skype, and Windows Terminal.

Perhaps the most reliable place to get apps that work on the processor, native or not, is through the Windows store, which largely filters apps that don’t work with Arm. 

Productivity Performance of HP Elite Folio 

Here, we’re comparing the Folio, which has an 8cx Gen 2, with two other Arm laptops, the Lenovo Flex 5G with the last-gen Snapdragon, and the Microsoft Surface Pro X with SQ1, Microsoft’s entry-level offering. We also tossed the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano in the mix for a business notebook using an x86 platform, namely Intel’s 11th Gen processors. 

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On Geekbench 5, which measures overall system performance, the HP Elite Folio notched a single-core score of 792 and a dual-core score of 3,115. The Lenovo Flex 5G’s  729/2,923 suggest the newer chip has its advantage in multi-core workloads, though this test is run through emulation, which has to be kept in mind. The Surface Pro X isn’t in this test, as we were still running Geekbench 4 when we tested it. The ThinkPad X1 Nano’s scores were 1,473/5,155, with the test running natively.

The Elite Folio transferred 25GB of files at 666.5 MBps, faster than both the Flex 5G and ThinkPad X1 Nano. The Surface Pro X was run on an older, 5GB version of the test, and that was the slowest of the batch.

Our Handbrake test currently doesn’t run on Arm chips, though it is starting to be included in early “nightly” builds. Our Cinebench R23 stress test is also incompatible with Arm. These will change when 64-bit support becomes a finalized part of Windows 10. 

Display on HP Elite Folio

I’m glad that HP went with a 3:2 display on the Elite Folio. Simply put, 3:2 is the best aspect ratio for productivity laptop displays because the extra height lets you see more content on your screen at once. This 13.5-inch touchscreen has a resolution of 1920 x 1280.  

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

I found the laptop to be bright enough for productivity, but when you switch to multimedia, it’s a mixed bag. In the trailer for Shang-Chi and the Legend of  the Ten Rings, the color red popped in car paint, lights and a number of outfits. But a series of dim scenes in a montage made me wish I could turn up the brightness (though the dimness made for great contrast in a scene with purple backlighting).

HP’s screen covers 70.7% of the

DCI-P3

color gamut, which is just about in line with the Surface Pro X and ThinkPad X1 Nano. The Lenovo Flex 5G was more vivid at 81.4%

The Folio was the dimmest of the bunch with an average of 390 nits. The Surface Pro X was the brightest, measuring 448 nits.

Keyboard, Touchpad and Stylus on HP Elite Folio

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HP has implemented a keyboard with 1.3mm of travel into this small device. I didn’t have any issues with travel, but when I typed, I felt that the keys were a bit too stiff. It didn’t stop me from typing quickly; I hit 110 words per minute on the 10fastfingers.com typing test. But accuracy suffered slightly.

The 4.2 x 2.6-inch touchpad uses Windows precision drivers, and with a smooth, metal surface, I found it responsive and easy to glide my fingers against. Simple navigation and more complex gestures worked on the first try. It clicks a bit louder than some other touchpads, but I can get over that.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

HP’s Slim Pen lives in a dock above the keyboard, which also keeps it charged. It’s long and flat, more like a carpenter’s pencil than your standard writing instrument. It has a rocker on the side, which can be unwieldy because of how thin the buttons are. The button on the top, however, is easy to access. That comes at the expense of using it as an eraser like the Surface Pen, however.

I found that the Elite Folio’s screen offered solid palm rejection. The Pen uses Wacom drivers and offers 4,096 degrees of pressure sensitivity. HP claims it fast charges in 30 minutes, though in my use, it’s home in the laptop meant it was always topped off.

Audio on HP Elite Folio

HP’s partnership with Bang & Olufsen on its speakers continues to bear fruit. While there’s no software to tune the speakers yourself, they sound decent considering how thin this device is.

For instance, when I listened to Chvrches’ “He Said She Said,” the crashing drums, synths melodies and vocals were loud, clear and crisp. There was, however, a distinct lack of bass, which is a problem on many laptops.

One downside, however, is that the speakers vibrate a lot, and I could feel it under my hands on the touchpad and keyboard. While this isn’t unique to this laptop, it was far more distracting on the Folio than other devices.

Upgradeability of  HP Elite Folio 

In theory, the HP Elite Folio is upgradeable. HP has a video showing the process:

This is aimed at service technicians, and for good reason. The design means you have to do things in a weird order, like removing the pen slot from the keyboard before opening the

chassis

.

The RAM is soldered to the motherboard, but the SSD is upgradeable. The only rub there is that to actually change out the storage, you have to remove the entire thermal system. Some enthusiasts may be comfortable with that, but for most people, that’s a step too far.

Battery Life 

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The Elite Folio’s Arm processor excels in the one place you would expect it: battery life. On our test, which involves browsing the web, running OpenGL tests and streaming video over Wi-Fi, all at 150 nits, the Folio lasted for 15 hours and 21 minutes. It was outclassed only by the Lenovo Flex 5G, using a last-gen Snapdragon processor, which ran for 17:30.

Microsoft’s Surface Pro X with the SQ1 ran for 9:30, while the Intel-based ThinkPad X1 Nano lasted for 12 hours flat.

Heat on  HP Elite Folio 

Because we couldn’t run our Cinebench R23 workload due to compatibility issues, we took the HP Elite Folio’s skin temperatures following 15 minutes of streaming video from YouTube. The fanless system was quiet and kept very cool.

The center of the keyboard, between the G and H keys, measured 27.8 degrees Celsius (82.04 degrees Fahrenheit). The touchpad was cooler at 26 degrees Celsius (78.8 degrees Fahrenheit).

The hottest point on the bottom of the laptop measured 30.3 degrees Celsius.  

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A

720p

webcam in an executive notebook after more than a year of white-collar workers have been doing their jobs from home? Excuse me?

Stills and trial video from my desk, even in good lighting, were grainy. And colors, like a blue shirt I was wearing, were overly dark.

There is a physical webcam privacy switch, which covers the camera but doesn’t cut power to the hardware like some other HP laptops. It’s very small, and you need to use your fingernail to move it in either direction.

There are also IR sensors to log in to Windows 10 with facial recognition. This worked well, with the exception that you need both the cameras and the IR sensor for this to work. If you close the privacy cover, you can’t use it to log in. That’s a choice you have to make between privacy and convenience.

HP has limited the amount of software it includes on this laptop, which is a benefit, especially on an enterprise laptop. There are no crappy antivirus software trials or ports of phone games.

The two big pieces of software are HP Pen Settings, which lets you pair the included stylus and customize its functionality; and HP QuickDrop, which lets you send files and photos across your laptop and smartphone.

HP Pen Settings has a number of clever options, including assigning commands that would be useful to go through slides or play media while giving presentations. There’s also a way to get a virtual dial on the screen when holding a button down.

While this laptop has Microsoft Office preinstalled, at least it doesn’t include links to sponsored Microsoft Store applications. 

HP sells the Elite Folio with a 1-year warranty. It can be boosted to three years for an extra $75.

As of this writing, HP is selling the Elite Folio in both a ready-to-ship configuration and customizable configurations.

The quick-ship one is $1,889 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2, 16GB of RAM and 256GB SSD, as well as an LTE modem.

We reviewed it with 16GB of RAM, a 512GB storage and an LTE modem. That runs for $2,063.36.

If you want a 1,000-nit display with HP’s Sure View privacy, that’s an extra $169. A 4G modem is $201, while a 5G modem is $444.

The base model, with Windows 10 Home instead of Pro, 8GB of RAM, 128GB SSD and no mobile connection is $1,747.20.

Prices on the Folio seem to be fluctuating on HP’s website, so they may vary after this article was published. 

Bottom Line

 The HP Elite Folio review has a versatile design and, if you’re into the office chair aesthetic, a fake leather exterior that fits in any office.

HP’s Slim Pen is nice, and the fact that it is full-sized and can still charge by sitting in the system is a big plus for anyone who does a lot of writing on screen. The different screen modes will also be helpful for people who use touch screens a lot.

But while relying on the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 means long battery life and quiet operation, there are a series of small sacrifices that are made, largely based on Windows on Arm and app compatibility. Some apps work, some are emulated and 64-bit apps, while coming, aren’t ready for prime time right now, without downloading a beta version of the OS. These aren’t problems unique to the Elite Folio — they’re the same on the Lenovo Flex 5G and the Microsoft Surface Pro X.

If the chassis, touch screen and functionality allowed by the display-on-a-hinge design will make your job easier, this is worth considering. But for many, an x86 business notebook, like the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano with an Intel processor, can run more software, do it faster, and is cheaper in some configurations.