After the game manufacturer Epic Games announced the plans for a new company headquarters yesterday, the company’s expansion seems to be in full swing. For this reason, Epic announced the takeover of the development studio Rad Game Tools. The studio is primarily famous for its Blink middleware or the Miles Sound System. Epic would like to integrate these technologies in its Unreal Engine in the future. It is still unclear how high the costs of the takeover were.
If you believe the statements made by Rad Game Tools, around 25. 000 Games the products of the American developers. In addition to titles such as Diablo, these include Doom, Forza or Gears of War and Hitman. The middleware from Rad Game Tools is also used in Unreal Tournament.
In addition, said technology can be found in the Epic Battle Royal Shooter Fortnite. Thus, Epic Games is very familiar with the products of Rad Game Tools. Furthermore, the acquired company should not be exclusively responsible for the Unreal Engine in the future. Existing customers will continue to be served even after the takeover. Epic also intends to convince other game developers to use the Rad-Game-Tools-Middleware and to scale the company.
The development studio has been on the market since 1988 and opened 2008 a location in Japan.
The South Korean manufacturer presents the largest system update for smart TV since the launch of the webOS platform in 2014. The new edition – webOS 6.0 is primarily a new user interface, the Next Pics function based on the analysis of user preferences and Magic Explorer, i.e. a development of the previously used Magic Link. It is interesting, however, that the company does not declare whether the upgrade, apart from the new models for the year 2021, will also appear on older televisions. Nevertheless, it is worth getting to know the new products that have hit the webOS software, although in addition to software issues, LG has prepared a new Magic remote control with NFC support for customers, which works with smartphones. LG webOS 6.0 officially. The TV manufacturer announces a new edition of the system for OLED TV, QNED Mini LED, NanoCell and UHD, which will appear on the market in 2021. What about older devices?
LG preparing 48 – inch TV with a flexible OLED screen and a function that allows you to emit sound without speakers
For the moment it is uncertain whether webOS 6.0 will hit older LG devices in the form of an update. Perhaps this is what will happen, but we have to wait for the official position of the manufacturer. The platform has been prepared for OLED, QNED Mini LED, NanoCell and UHD TV sets with 2021 that work in 4K and 8K resolutions. The new layout of applications sorted in tiles presented via the interface will be a significant refreshment compared to the previous version of webOS and may be liked. Here we also find a refreshed ThinQ AI that supports voice commands for Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant.
LG Gram 2021 – presentation of refreshed laptops with Intel Tiger Lake. All models with screen aspect ratio 16: 10
LG Magic Remote will be equipped with Magic Tap function, which will allow you to share content from an NFC-compatible smartphone straight to your TV. Of course, the remote will also receive buttons dedicated to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney +. The Next Pics technology is also noteworthy, as it analyzes the user’s activities in order to provide him with accurate suggestions of materials and applications that are worth reading. On the other hand, Magic Explorer (improved Magic Link) will allow the viewer to get to know the details of the actors or objects appearing on the screen.
CES 2021 in Las Vegas will start in a few days. This year, the Consumer Technology Association decided to abandon the traditional formula, which, due to the pandemic, has been replaced by a series of online conferences where industry giants and smaller entities will present their new products. On the occasion of the event, the organizer announced the winners receiving the CES 2021 Innovation Awards. Devices, services and technologies are grouped into 28 categories. Let’s focus on smartphones, namely eight models that have been appreciated by a panel of industry experts consisting of 89 people. An interesting fact is that the list includes not only flagship models, although they are undoubtedly the most important items in the entire list.
We know the list of eight smartphones received from the Consumer association Technology Association award CES 2021 Innovation Awards. The list is full of LG, Samsung and ASUS devices.
CES 2021: What do we expect from the next online consumer electronics fair in Las Vegas?
The first device appreciated by the jury is the ASUS ROG Phone 3, which was praised for heat dissipation, excellent sound and a typical gaming design. The LG Wing, which is part of the Explorer project, is an unusual device with an additional rotating screen, which stands out from classic smartphones. Another model of the manufacturer to receive the award is LG Velvet. In this case, the focus was on a visually appealing exterior. TCL 10 5G UW was right behind the Korean technical thought, in which the pleasant backs and NXTVISION technology were appreciated.
ASUS ROG Phone 3 – test of a hellishly fast smartphone for gamers
In the case of Samsung, awards were given to the foldable Galaxy Z Flip 5G, the flagship of the Galaxy Note series 10 5G and Galaxy A 51 5G. While the presence of the first two models on the list of distinctions is not surprising, the mid-range Galaxy A 51 5G also appeared in the list. How did it win the recognition of experts? Among other things, the presence of a 5G modem, elegant design and fast charging. OnePlus 8 Pro closes the list of awards. Below you will find a full list of eight devices with links to tests, if we had the opportunity to do them.
Asus ROG Phone 3
LG Wing
LG Velvet
TCL 10 5G UW
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G / Note 20 Ultra 5G
Samsung Galaxy A 51 5G
OnePlus 8 Pro
Source: GSMArena, Consumer Electronics Association
Panasonic has just announced its flagship TV for 2021 – the JZ2000. Available in 55-inch and 65-inch variants, the JZ2000 is the successor to 2020’s HZ2000, which was itself preceded by the GZ2000.
This 2000-series has always stood out from the rest of Panasonic’s OLEDs by featuring a custom OLED panel and a Dolby Atmos-capable speaker system with dedicated upward-firing speakers, and while the panel technology seemingly hasn’t changed, Panasonic is this year boosting picture performance through AI and sound performance through the addition of yet more drivers.
(Image credit: Panasonic)
At the heart of the JZ2000 is the brand new HCX Pro AI Processor, which analyses the content being played and adjusts picture and sound accordingly. You can still tweak the settings if you wish, but if you leave the TV in its Auto AI mode it will work to automatically get the best out of everything you watch, from movies to sports and games.
Speaking of games, Panasonic is finally catching up to the pack by offering input lag that it says is “amongst the very lowest in the industry” (Panasonic’s own live demo produced an input lag measurement of 14.4ms, which is indeed very low), as well as adding HDMI 2.1 specs such as HFR (aka 4K@120Hz) and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) on top of the ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) that its sets already have.
Panasonic has long supported both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, and this year it’s adding HDR10+ Adaptive. Like Dolby Vision IQ (which Panasonic has supported since 2020), this new format adjusts HDR10+ picture characteristics in accordance with ambient lighting conditions. If it works as anticipated, it should result in better dark detail when viewing in a well-lit room. This is the first TV to be announced with both Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive on board.
(Image credit: Panasonic)
Previous 2000-series TVs have featured speaker systems with dedicated front-firing and upward-firing drivers, as well as a rear-mounted subwoofer. For the JZ2000, Panasonic has added a pair of side-firing speakers with the intention of making the sound even wider and more room-filling. This sound setup, which Panasonic is calling ‘360° Soundscape Pro’, has once again been developed with the help of the company’s Technics engineers.
The JZ2000 also brings with it a new version of Panasonic’s super-simple My Home Screen. On top of a revised layout and fully integrated voice services, My Home Screen 6.0 introduces ‘my Scenery’, which appears similar to Samsung’s Ambient mode but apparently with a focus on “restful” images and videos.
What we don’t yet know about the JZ2000 is when it will arrive in shops or how much it will cost. That said, last year’s HZ2000 appeared around the end of May with a price of £3295 for the 55-inch version, and there’s no reason to think its successor will differ greatly on either count.
And what about Panasonic’s other 2021 TVs? We expect those to be announced in February, as is the company’s usual approach.
MORE:
Check out our round-up of the best TVs you can buy
Here’s everything you need to know about Dolby Vision IQ
CES 2021: all the news from the first all-digital CES
Sony has announced an expansion of its 360 Reality Audio platform, bringing the 360-degree music format to more devices and media as well as offering new creation tools. 360 Reality Audio uses object-based spatial audio technology to place instruments or vocals around the listener’s head in a virtual sound field.
Now, Sony is expanding the audio tech into video. The company says it’s working with record labels and service providers to start streaming video content with 360 Reality Audio later this year, and the first example will be a live performance from Sony-signed artist Zara Larsson next week. You’ll be able to watch through Sony’s Artist Connection mobile app at 5pm ET on January 11th.
Sony is releasing two new 360 Reality Audio-compatible speakers this spring, the SRS-RA5000 and SRS-RA3000, although there isn’t much detail on either beyond support for Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant. Sony has also developed a new 3D audio plugin called the 360 Reality Audio Creative Suite, which is compatible with DAWs like Pro Tools and will be released at the end of this month.
There are currently around 4,000 songs available in 360 Reality Audio across services like Tidal and Deezer, Sony says. The format works with most regular headphones or compatible speakers like Amazon’s Echo Studio.
In the run-up to the CES, Sony announced its own video streaming service called “Bravia Core” for televisions in its Bravia series, which will apparently deliver films from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment exclusively to the manufacturer’s TVs. According to Sony “all titles are offered in the best available format”, including Standard Definition, High Definition, 4K, 4K HDR or 4K in “IMAX Enhanced” format with enhanced contrast and DTS sound.
Surprising are the data rates specified by Sony, which are used by 30 Mbit / s to 80 Mbit / s range. The maximum would be around twice as high as that of the previous front-runner Apple TV + – and with 4K / HDR it would be up to five times as high as other video streaming services.
To access the ” Pure Stream “called connection with constant 30 MBit / s, users must have an Internet speed of at least 43 Mbit / s for access in the highest available quality with 80 MBit / s over an internet speed of at least 115 Mbit / s. You can stream on up to four eligible televisions per Bravia Core account at the same time.
Single purchase and subscription service Buyers of the upcoming TV models Z9J, A 90 J, A 80YES / YES84 J, X 95 J, X 90 J, X 92 J, X 93 J and X 94 J receive, depending on the model, 5 or so-called “film credits”, which they can exchange them for one film each. According to Sony, 300 titles will be available that extend up to 23. February 2026.
Transactions in Bravia Core should only run via in-app credits. However, it is not possible “to carry out monetary transactions within Bravia Core or to acquire additional credits”. In this respect, it seems that Bravia Core is more of a demo channel for TVs than a real streaming offer.
Sony also speaks of a “video” -on-demand subscription “, the buyer of the devices 12 or 24 months from the time you registered your Bravia Core account. Access to the video-on-demand content ends at the end of the subscription period. Sony has not yet commented on whether and how the subscription can be extended. All that is known is that the service on televisions with the Android TV operating system is implemented via an app that can be downloaded from the Google Play Store. (nij)
Interesting news for Sony at CES 2021: the OLED panels are squeezed to the maximum and gain luminance and color volume, while the intelligence artificial optimizes images using technologies such as Face Detection
by Roberto Colombo published 07 January 2021 , at 19: 01 in the Audio Video channel Sony 8K 4K
No revolution at home Sony as far as concerns the TV gamma 2021 , but several updates that promise to squeeze the most current technologies , with interesting news also on the front OLED . Bravia XR is the new brand that will characterize the top of the range products and which takes its name from the new processor Sony XR , consistent evolution of the previous X1 and its various declinations (Extreme and Ultimate).
The evolutionary step is the use of Artificial Intelligence , in particular declined to add a new one to the capabilities of the TV Cognitive Intelligence which analyzes images and sounds from the human perspective to enhance the viewing experience. At the base of the new cognitive intelligence we find technologies that Sony has also developed for other sectors, in particular that of photography. Image enhancements will be based on ‘ Focal Points ‘, focal points on which it focuses human attention : if a person appears on the screen , our eye runs there, and if a face appears even more.
As cameras recognize figures and subjects, so TVs will be able to highlight people on the screen, also using the Face Detection to highlight faces even more and improve the image where our eye goes to look. The new XR processor uses artificial intelligence algorithms in a more advanced way even for the 4K and 8K upscaling phases of lower resolution content, now with a database dedicated to improving the yield of textures , in addition to the previous Object Based database.
Sony technicians have worked hard for fully squeeze the OLED panel of the new Sony Bravia A 83 J , which allows to reach brightness peaks higher than previous generations. Sony has not released peak and average brightness data (“ Those you can measure “the Sony technician literally said to us journalists of the specialized press during the presentation), but he revealed the innovation behind the scenes of the new values. If until now it was the white pixels of the W-OLED panel to have in charge the light emission in the luminance peaks, now the RGB colored pixels are also used to increase the luminance . The renewed panel management also promises an increase in color volume and longer luminance peaks, thanks to the aluminum radiant panel mounted behind the main panel. This is an innovation that we are curious to see live, to get an idea of how much ‘juice’ Sony technicians have managed to extract from the OLED panel.
Still talking about OLED panels, Sony has worked a lot also on sound, renewing the actuators that make the panel vibrate and make the sound come directly from the images: the technology Acoustic Surface + can now rely on larger and two-way actuators. In addition, the rear subwoofer (plus) also plays a new role: not only emits towards the rear, but thanks a particular acoustically transparent grille transmits vibrations also towards the front . OLED A 90 J now expands to the colossal dimension of 83 inches, in addition to sizes from 55″ is 65 “.
On the front LCD Sony applies the same concepts and exploits the power of the new processor with a finer adjustment of the backlight zones ( here too no technical data unfortunately), but also on the audio front where Sony has added several frame tweeter , actuators that make the TV frame vibrate directly. Now the tweeter frames are also placed in the upper frame , to take advantage of the up-firing direction and give more space to the sound, taking advantage of the bounce on the ceiling. In addition, Sony has significantly expanded the size of the acoustic chambers of traditional speakers , continuing on the road traced the Last year.
Sony Bravia Z9J , in denominations of 85 is 75 inches, it will be the top of the range 8K proposal that takes advantage of all the news.
TVs will integrate HDMI 1 ports. 20 with 4K support 120 p VRR and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) which if not available at the debut will be brought to TVs with a subsequent firmware update. All new TVs will carry the new operating system Google TV , which takes the place of Android TV and which will offer more possibilities for customizing the interface . Also on top models Z9J, A 90 J and X 95 J there will be the possibility to use the hands-free voice commands, without going through the remote control .
Big news is Bravia Core , a streaming service dedicated to Sony Bravia users , which will bring a variable number of Sony films Pictures in preview (from 5 to 10) with viewing window immediately following the release in theaters and with an unlimited streaming plan of contents including 4K HDR and IMAX, with bitrate up to 80 Mbit . The service will be free for a number of months (12 or 20 months), depending on the coat of arms of the purchased model.
The service will also land in Europe, but at the presentation there was a small asterisk with the reference “Italy excluded “. There are some fiscal issues that could slow down the landing of the service in our country, but Sony is working to be able to not exclude Italy from the service.
The line- complete up of the new Sony TVs will therefore be composed as follows:
Z9J 8K Master Series Full Array LED in formats 85″ is 75 “
TO90 J OLED Master Series in formats 83″, 65″ is 55 “
TO 80 J OLED in formats 77 “, 65” is 55 “
X 95 J Full Array LED in formats 85″, 75″ is 65 “
X 90 J Full Array LED in formats 75 “, 65 “, 55” is 50 “
Short tests: Smart LED light strip, NAS hard drive and USB table microphone LED light strips Eve Light Strip Toshiba N 300 NAS hard drive with 16 TByte Mini table microphone Mikme Connect A new firmware update provides the Eve Light Strip with the HomeKit function “Adaptive Light”, with which the LED light strip should automatically adjust the color temperature to the time of day,
Toshiba’s NAS hard drive from the N 300 – Series is now available with 16 TByte storage space. Thanks to conventional recording technology, the drive is pleasantly fast.
The Mikme Connect microphone box promises good results Voice recording quality for video conferences with little effort.
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Bash is a full-fledged programming language with which you can easily automate everyday tasks. Take a minesweeper game as an example.
(Image: Thorsten Hübner)
Introduction to Bash Programming: Developing Minesweeper in the Linux Shell Quick start Two loops Distribution by chance Endless fun Leadership skills Damage Control Article in c’t 2 / 2021 read Shell programming is one of the basic skills of Linux admins, but it is also useful for everyday users because it can easily automate complex tasks. Using a minesweeper game, we will show you how to use the possibilities of bash without in-depth programming knowledge.
Shell scripts are often underestimated, after all they were originally little more than a list of commands that you had previously entered manually. That is why many shell scripts, or rather shell programs, are still created today, in which the last commands entered are saved in a file.
Quick start The file extension “.sh “You can also omit, it only serves as an indication to the operator that this is a shell script that can be read as plain text and not a binary program. And that is exactly what characterizes scripts in general: you can simply open and edit them in a text editor. It is crucial for the execution of a script that the interpreter with which the script is executed is named in the first line after the so-called She-Bang. Bash scripts therefore always begin with the line:
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It’s not every year that Sony launches a brand new TV processor to run throughout its range, so we have high hopes for the Sony 2021 TV line-up. It’s headlined by the Cognitive Processor XR chip, which adds an extra layer of cognitive intelligence analysis to the already excellent Sony AI Processing and should therefore, hopefully, produce even better pictures and sound.
The Sony 2021 TV range has no huge surprises in terms of models and panel sizes compared to last year’s launch, with all sets designed to replace predecessors. With three TV gongs in our most recent What Hi-Fi? Awards, that’s no bad thing.
There are two Master Series models (an 8K LCD and a 4K OLED), a slightly lower specced OLED model and then two more full array LED series, all featuring the Cognitive Processor XR. There are more budget, edge-lit, non-XR models in the new range, too.
All the sets in the Sony 2021 TV range feature Sony’s Ambient Optimization technology, Dolby Vision HDR and are AirPlay 2-enabled. Bluetooth with A2DP is also standard across all the Sony Bravia XR sets too.
The big addition on the usability side is the switch from Android TV to the new Google TV platform. That brings the same excellent and intuitive look and feel as found in the Chromecast with Google TV media streamer.
As Google’s launch partner for Google TV, these Sony’s are the first sets you’ll find with the operating system already build in. It’s from here that you’ll also be able to access all of Sony’s usual picture, sound and other TV settings, as well as customise your home screen by adding your most frequently used apps. All the TVs use the YouView tuner in the UK and come with support for both Alexa and Google Assistant.
Sony continues with Netflix Calibrated Mode in the majority of its models and has IMAX Enhanced certifications with the upper ranges, too. Most sets are also ready to work with the Calman calibration software, should that be of interest.
Sony has added various driver upgrades to its excellent Acoustic Multi-Audio (LCD) and Acoustic Surface Audio+ (OLED) sound-from-picture speaker design, which runs through all of the XR models. These include increased numbers of actuators and tweeters as well as improved enclosure size and shape. Look out for the all-new 3D Surround Upscaling tech, too.
Gamers will be pleased to note that all of the TVs on this page, apart from the W800, have ports with HDMI 2.1 features. These include the ability to run 4K resolution content at up to 120Hz frame rates and technologies such as ALLM and eARC. They are also Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) compatible but will require a firmware update to make that possible.
Let’s take a closer look at some of these new features before we give you a full run-down of each of the Sony Bravia TV series for 2021.
Cognitive Processor XR
(Image credit: Sony)
The Sony Bravia Cognitive Processor XR marries the AI abilities of its X1 predecessor with a system that Sony calls cognitive intelligence. While AI analyses picture and sound signals and uses data based on machine learning, cognitive intelligence aims to add a more human perspective to identify and enhance AV performance and deliver an experience in line with how humans see and hear the world.
This world first TV picture processing, according to Sony, begins with a scene detection stage to identify and enhance the main focal points and, ultimately, adds a greater sense of depth to the image.
The XR processor looks at multiple zones and other elements (colour, contrast, texture, depth, detail, etc) of each frame and performs a cross analysis to work out the most important areas.
The Bravia XR sets come with a host of XR processing modes, many of which replace the similar-sounding systems found in the previous X1-based TVs – XR Motion Clarity and XR Smoothing, for example, with the most significant seemingly XR Contrast Booster.
The Contrast Booster is designed to boost peak brightness while maintaining well exposed whites and blacks in the image, and comes in good/better/best levels for the LCD TVs: the Master Series Sony Z9J has the XR Contrast Booster 15 while lower TVs go down to either the XR Contrast Booster 10 or XR Contrast Booster 5.
For the A90J and A80J OLEDs, the technology comes in the form of XR OLED Contrast Pro and XR OLED Contrast, respectively. Again, they offer improvements to peak brightness, overall brightness and an expansion of the colour volume as well which should help to bring a more accurate and true to life palette.
Lastly on picture, it’s also worth noting that the XR Upscaler includes a texture reproduction database which its predecessor did not. That sits alongside the object-based super resolution technology from the X1 TVs and will hopefully make lower resolution content better than ever on Bravia TVs – potentially very useful for the Z9J while we wait for a wealth of 8K source material.
XR Sound with 3D Surround Upscaling
(Image credit: Sony)
The Bravia XR TVs have cognitive intelligence for TV sound too. Along with improvements to the speaker hardware, features such as XR Sound Position aim to analyse the signal and make sure that the sound is coming from the correct parts of the picture with both Acoustic Surface Audio+ (OLED) and Acoustic Multi-Audio (LCD) technologies.
The big new addition for audio, though, is XR Surround with 3D Surround Upscaling. This takes a 2ch or 5.1ch audio signal and creates a virtual 5.1.2ch experience with the aim of enveloping the viewer in sound in all dimensions.
Bravia CORE streaming service
Sony is taking the huge step of launching its own high-bitrate streaming service which, for the short-term at least, will be exclusive to Sony Bravia XR 2021 TVs.
Called Bravia CORE (Centre of Real Entertainment), this new streaming service effectively has two elements. On the one hand it will host hundreds of titles from the Sony Picture Entertainment back catalogue, all of which can be freely streamed for either 12 or 24 months, depending on which TV you’ve purchased. On the other, it will also allow pay-as-you-go streaming of fresh-from-the-cinema movies, with owners of the new XR TVs given a number of free credits (five or ten, again depending on the model you’ve bought) that can be used as ‘payment’.
Much of the content will be at 4K HDR levels, but what takes it beyond what other services, such as Apple TV and Rakuten, is that it will host a large number of IMAX Enhanced movies and that data rates will be much higher, resulting in better picture quality. Sony says streams will be at up to 80Mbps, which it claims is beyond the rates of many UHD Blu-ray discs. We’re fascinated to find out whether Bravia CORE streams really can outperform disc-based movies, and what happens when users connect via a slower connection.
Sony is also uncertain about whether Bravia CORE will continue beyond the 24-month timeframe or whether it will be opened up further in the future. For the time being, it certainly makes an interesting and welcome toe in the water for all concerned.
Best 8K TVs: the ultimate 8K resolution televisions
Sony Z9J 8K LED TV
(Image credit: Sony)
At the top of the 2021 TV tree is the Sony Z9J Master Series LCD TV. It’s an 8K LED TV, positioned to replace the ZH8 from 2020. It continues with the attractive Immersive Edge design, which includes a titanium silver bezel and a three-position stand that allows for wide and central feet as well, as a third setting to allow space for a soundbar.
As the flagship Sony TV for the year, it’s fitted with all the spoils that Sony has to offer right now. These include a full array LED panel (available in two sizes), the best XR Contrast Booster level and three 48Gbps ports with HDMI 2.1 features, specced at 120Hz rates for 4K material.
The panel itself has Sony’s X-Wide Angle technology, to maximise picture consistency when viewing off-axis, as well as X-Anti Reflection glass to minimise unwanted glare from light sources in your space.
It comes with an aluminium, back-lit voice remote and there’s a colour sensor as well as a light sensor so that Ambient Optimisation mode can automatically adjust chromatically as well as for brightness, according to your viewing environment.
Sony has increased the number of frame tweeters to four by adding two on the top edge for improved high frequency performance. The front facing subwoofers and midrange speakers on the bottom edge are larger too.
Sony Z9J 8K TV specs
Sizes: 75in (KD-75Z9J), 85in (KD-85Z9J)
Screen type: Full Array LED, X-Wide Angle, X-Anti Reflection
Sound: Acoustic Multi Audio, Dolby Atmos, 3D Surround upscaling
Design: 3-way stand
Sony Z9J 8K TV pricing
Sony KD-75Z9J – TBC
Sony KD-85Z9J – TBC
Sony A90J 4K OLED TV
(Image credit: Sony)
The Sony A90J Master Series is Sony’s top OLED for 2021. It’s not 8K, but there is an interesting and big screen 83-inch version alongside the usual 55in and 65in models.
The A90J replaces the AG9 and keeps the Seamless Edge Bezel design with a frame of just 0.7mm for the 55in and 65in models. The 83in has the slightly more robust Flush Surface Bezel look and feel but should be premium nonetheless. It also benefits from the same three-way stand as the Z9J while the smaller panels maintain the choice of wide or soundbar formations but don’t get the central stand positioning.
As a Master Series TV, it comes with a premium, back-lit, aluminium voice remote control as well as both light and colour sensors to use for the Ambient Optimisation mode.
Acoustic Surface Audio+ is the sound tech for OLEDs. It’s planned that the cognitive intelligence processing will offer superior bass. The actuators have been redesigned into a circular shape with an inner circle responsible for creating the higher frequency sounds. The aim is for better sound positioning and quality.
As with the Z9J, it comes with 24 months access to the Bravia CORE streaming service and 10 film credits.
Sound: Acoustic Surface Audio+, Dolby Atmos, 3D Surround Upscaling
Design: 3-way stand (83in), 2-way stand (55/65in)
Sony A90J 4K OLED TV pricing
Sony KD-55A90J – TBC
Sony KD-65A90J – TBC
Sony KD-83A90J – TBC
Sony A80J 4K OLED TV
(Image credit: Sony)
If a Master Series OLED feels like a bit of a stretch, then the Sony A80J 4K OLED TVs are the next best thing. They lose one facet of picture and of design but should still perform well if last year’s A8 OLEDs are anything to go by.
On the physical front, they get a more standard voice remote control and the Flush Surface Bezel design, which is not quite as super-thin at the frame. The three-way stand is still present, though, as is Acoustic Surface Audio+, which includes perforations on the rear of the TV to help with bass production.
There’s no colour sensor to sit alongside the light sensor during Ambient Optimisation, and picture performance is likely to drop a little with the ‘Pro’ removed from its flavour of XR OLED Contrast intelligent processing. It’s otherwise very much as above.
Sound: Acoustic Surface Audio+, Dolby Atmos, 3D Surround Upscaling
Design: 3-way stand
Sony A80J 4K OLED TV pricing
Sony KD-55A80J – TBC
Sony KD-65A80J – TBC
Sony KD-77A80J – TBC
Sony X95J 4K LED TV
(Image credit: Sony)
It’s back to the LCDs with the Sony X95J 4K LED series. The main difference for performance comes with the drop in XR Contrast to the medium level Contrast Booster 10 processing. These full array TVs are still IMAX Enhanced-certified and feature both the X-Wide Angle and X-Anti-Reflection technologies. (No Anti-Reflection on the 85in.)
These sets do also retain some of the premium look and feel of the Master Series. They include the aluminium, backlit, voice remote as well as the super-skinny Seamless Edge Bezel design. There’s the 3-way stand on the two bigger panel sizes with a central position not required for the smaller 65in variant.
Sound: Acoustic Multi Audio, Dolby Atmos, 3D Surround upscaling
Design: 3-way stand (75/85in), 2-way stand without centre positioning (65in)
Sony X95J 4K TV pricing
Sony KD-85X95J – TBC
Sony KD-75X95J – TBC
Sony KD-65X95J – TBC
Sony X90J 4K TV
(Image credit: Sony)
The Sony X90J LED TVs replace the Award-winning XH90s from 2020. There are four panel sizes between 50-75in with the Flush Surface Bezel design and higher raised Slim Blade feet with two-position options. There’s already enough height in the design to allow room for a soundbar.
Again, the voice remote is the standard, black variety and, on the performance front, XR Contrast drops down to Contrast Booster 5. There are no X-Wide Angle or anti-reflection benefits either.
Otherwise, Acoustic Multi Audio, Google TV, the HDMI 2.1 features and most everything else is present and correct, including IMAX Enhanced certification.
Sound: Acoustic Multi Audio, Dolby Atmos, 3D Surround upscaling
Design: 2-way Slim Blade stand (55in and above)
Sony X90J TV prices
Sony KD-50X90J – TBC
Sony KD-55X90J – TBC
Sony KD-65X90J – TBC
Sony KD-75X90J – TBC
Sony KD-49XH9505 review
Sony X85J 4K TV
(Image credit: Sony)
From the Sony X85J downwards, the 2021 Sony TVs lose the new Cognitive Processor XR and make do with the very able Processor X1 from the 2020 range. That means no XR Contrast Booster or 3D Sound Upscaling either.
They also drop from full array LED panels to edge-lit models too, so expect losses in local dimming abilities. Gone too are Netflix Calibrated and IMAX Enhanced certifications, along with Acoustic Multi Audio which is instead replaced by Sony’s X-Balanced speaker system.
All the HDR compatibility is still there and the handy Google TV operating system too.
The X85J maintains the Flush Surface Bezel frame design and the two-position Slim Blade stand which is available for the 55in model and above. It’s the biggest of the 2021 series, in terms of panel size options, and each has a native 100Hz refresh rate with 800Hz Motionflow processing.
The Sony X80J is the entry level Bravia series for 2021. It’s almost the same as the X85Js above but with a few reductions.
The design drops down to the slightly more meat and potatoes Narrow Bezel style and the LED panel has a native 50Hz refresh rate with 200Hz Motionflow processing.
The range of panel sizes is a little smaller but will cover the needs of most at this end of the market. The biggest of all is named the Sony X81J which comes in at 75in on the diagonal.
Last of all, Sony hasn’t forgotten about those who just need something small for the bedroom. The Sony W800 an HD resolution LED TV that comes in a 32in size only. It’s run by the older Bravia Engine and uses Android TV as the OS, so you’ll still get all the major app offerings that one would expect.
Sony W800 32in HD LED TV price
Sony KD-W800 – TBC
MORE:
Samsung 2021 TV lineup: everything you need to know
Sony has unveiled its 2021 TV range at this year’s virtual CES event and, with it, an all-new picture processor to power its Sony Bravia XR TVs, called the Cognitive Processor XR.
Replacing the Picture Processor X1 series of chips, the Cognitive Processor XR adds a layer of cognitive intelligence on top of Sony’s well-seasoned artificial intelligence algorithms. The aim is for these sets to understand their source material in a more human way and create more effective picture and sound enhancements.
Launching with the Cognitive Processor XR is a fleet of Bravia XR TVs, led by the 8K Master Series Sony Z9J LCD TV, available in 75in and 85in sizes. There are then two series of OLEDs – the Sony A90J Master Series, which comes in an all-new 83in panel as well as 55in and 65in, and the Sony A80J OLEDs in 55, 65 and 75 inches.
The Sony X95J is the premium 4K LED model which benefits from many of the features of the Z9J and lastly for the Bravia XRs are the Sony X90J TVs, aimed at a more mid-ranged market. You can find full details of on our full Sony 2021 TV line-up guide.
Sony has largely stuck with its single slate design and many of the TVs include a three-way stand allowing for both central and wide positioned feet as well as a soundbar formation which leaves more room at the foot of the panel for an external speaker.
The basic Android TV experience from 2020 and before has been given a big lift with the addition of the Google TV UI. It’s the same intuitive interface used on the most recent Chromecast device. As Google’s launch partner, these Sony’s TV will be the first third-party manufacturers to feature it.
(Image credit: Sony)
Sony might not be hitting the headlines with brand new panel tech like the Mini LED TVs of LG and Samsung but there are plenty of reasons to expect a big boost in performance with a brand new processor at the helm.
For picture, the cognitive intelligence is designed to detect and enhance the focal point of the action by examining elements such as colour, contrast, texture, depth and detail in multiple zones and then cross-analysing that information within and between frames in a way that is supposedly similar to the brain. The main desired effect is for it to increase brightness in the right areas of the picture and boost contrast across the screen.
Sony’s Bravia XR Sound brings a new dimension to the TV audio to sit alongside its already excellent sound-from-picture design. The 3D Surround Upscaling tech uses the new actuators and frame tweeters on the tops of the panels to help creative a virtual 5.1.2ch experience from any 5.1ch or 2ch audio signal.
Speaker sizes have been increased and the OLED TV’s actuators themselves redesigned to help improve performance too and, with any luck, create a more enveloping soundstage for Bravia TVs than before.
Should all of this be out of budget, then you’ll still find two ranges of LED TVs powered by the older Picture Processor X1. The X85J and X80J TVs come in a large range of panel sizes, boast the Google TV platform and still benefit from the low-lag HDMI 2.1 features that next-generation gamers will be looking for.
Lastly, but far from a footnote, is the high-bitrate Bravia CORE video streaming service that will come pre-loaded and be exclusive to the Bravia XR TVs. It will host the latest box office films from Sony Pictures Entertainment and hundreds of classics too, which can all be viewed at 4K Blu-ray-like quality. Read here for more information on Bravia CORE.
MORE:
Samsung 2021 TV lineup: everything you need to know
When it comes to wireless earbuds, Sony and Bose are two of the best brands out there. Here we’re comparing the two premium models: the Sony WF-1000XM3 and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds.
They’re both completely wireless, both boast superb sound and both offer noise-cancelling technology. But which is more worthy of your hard-earned money? Let’s run down the main features and specs and see which is the right pair of wireless, noise-cancelling earbuds for you.
These are the best headphones for all styles and budgets
Sony WF-1000XM3 vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds: price
The Sony WF-1000XM3 are much older than the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, and while their launch prices weren’t that different, the Sonys can be picked up much cheaper now.
The Sonys launched at £220 ($230), but now sell for around £70 ($80) less than that. The QuietComfort Earbuds launched at £249 ($280, AU$399), and while they too are available at a discount, it’s a much smaller price cut than the Sonys.
Sony WF-1000XM3 vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds: battery life
(Image credit: Sony)
Battery life is a key consideration when buying a pair of wireless earbuds. After all, even the sweetest-sounding pair won’t be much good if they conk out after five minutes.
Sony’s pair manage six hours of run time from the earbuds themselves, plus an additional three charges from the supplied carry case. That gives you a total of 24 hours of juice before you need to find a plug.
Turn off noise cancelling, and these numbers grow even more impressive: the battery life jumps to eight hours, with the case bumping it up to an impressive total of 32 hours. In a rush? Just 10 minutes of charging time is enough to breathe 90 minutes of life into them.
The QuietComfort Earbuds can’t match this. They give you six hours from a single charge, with the charging case supplying an extra two charges, making 18 hours in total. That’s decent, but no match for the Sonys.
A 15-minute quick-charge should give you a couple of hours if you’re caught short. Which is very similar to what the Sonys offer.
**Winner** Sony WF-1000XM3
Sony WF-1000XM3 vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds: design and comfort
(Image credit: Bose)
The Sonys look pretty unobtrusive, but they hide some pretty neat tech. The outer section of each earpiece is smooth plastic with a small, glossy, circular patch on the surface of both left and right buds. These patches are actually touch sensitive control pads; the functions vary depending on the earpiece.
Sony has implemented a ‘Tri-hold structure’ for the WF-1000XM3, which focuses on three key points in your ear to give the headphones better support. There is even a special high-friction rubber on the surface of the main chamber to help with stability.
Sony provides seven different sizes of earbud; four ‘hybrid silicone’ buds and three ‘triple-comfort’ buds, which feel slightly thicker than the standard ones. It’s a good selection, and more than you get with many rivals. The headphones enter the ear at a slight downward angle, you then have to twist them up to lock them in place. The intrusion is kept to a minimum, but you still feel nicely isolated from outside noise.
Overall, they’re a comfortable, balanced fit – snug without being too intrusive. They’re not designed specifically to be sports earbuds, though the locked-in-place fit does help make them an option.
And what of the QuietComfort Earbuds? Bose’s buds are its first to combine both noise-cancelling and true wireless technologies. As such, there’s a lot to pack in, which makes them a bit on the chunky side. Still, they feel nice and premium, and the winged eartips boast a smooth, matte finish, too, helping heighten the impression of quality.
There’s a choice of small, medium and large tips – this seems a little stingy, but the edges of the tips are so generous in size, it makes it easy to get a good seal. You don’t need to drive them in like tent pegs to feel the isolation, which is great for comfort levels. We’re also fans of how simple it is to swap the tips around. Just slide them on and off the earbuds and you can have a new pair fitted in seconds.
The Bose earbuds feel lightweight and we have no issues listening for a few hours at a time. For the average commute or exercise session (the QuietComforts are both sweat and weather-resistant) they do the job very well indeed.
**Winner** Draw
Sony WF-1000XM3 vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds: features
(Image credit: Sony)
Like the Bose pair, the Sonys feature noise cancellation tech to block out unwanted sounds. And like other true wireless earbuds, the Sony WF-1000XM3 come with their own charging case. This doesn’t feature a battery indicator, but the red LED light on the front blinks rapidly if it doesn’t have enough juice to fully charge the headphones.
Want to see the exact battery level? You’ll need the Sony Headphones Connect app on your smartphone. This also lets you alter the built-in equalizer, enable Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant support and flip the functions of the touch controls – useful for any left-handers who feel more comfortable this way.
Speaking of touch controls, the XM3’s are very good indeed. The left control pad is for turning noise cancelling on or off (it’s on by default) and engaging the Ambient Sound mode, which allows in a bit more outside noise. And the right pad is for playback controls. Remove an earpiece and it’ll automatically pause what’s playing. Place it back in your ear and you’ll pick up where you left off.
The controls take a little time to get used to, particularly as there’s a small target for your fingers to aim for, but they are a lot better than some. Especially since the firmware update that adds volume controls.
Bose’s charging case is a chunky affair, but it feels solid and built to last. You need to press a button on the front to gain entry, which is unusual for a pair of wireless earbuds, as most just tend to settle for a magnetic lid. A row of LEDs on the front of the case shows you how much battery life is left inside.
When first using the QuietComfort Earbuds, open the case and have the Bose Music app (for Android and iOS) to hand. You’ll be prompted to pair and guided through all the key features.
By default, you touch and hold your finger on the touchpad of the right earbud to access voice assistants or decline a call. Double-tap to play/pause and answer. Touch and hold your finger on the left earbud to skip a track or check the battery level.
You can customise some features and controls based on what you use the most often, and – just like the Sonys – you can control volume from the buds themselves.
Noise cancelling is Bose’s forte, so it’s no surprise to hear that here the function is more advanced than most. The Bose music app gives you a noise-cancelling sliding scale which ranges from zero (no noise-cancelling) to 10 (maximum noise-cancelling). Through the app you can assign three different positions – say 0, 5 and 10 – as ‘Favourites’ and cycle through them by double tapping the left earpiece. Very handy.
The QuietComfort Earbuds more than live up to their billing, cutting out huge swathes of background noise on the maximum setting. And if you want more of the outside world to seep in, the headphones adapt perfectly. Take an earbud out to have a conversation and the Bose buds don’t just pause playback, they automatically cut the noise-cancelling in the earbud left in your ear so you can hear more clearly.
**Winner** Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
Sony WF-1000XM3 vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds: sound quality
(Image credit: Bose)
The Sony WF-1000XM3 produce a wonderfully musical sound. They have subtlety in spades, and deliver bass notes with power and poise. This kind of dynamic dexterity is hard to communicate in big on-ear headphones, never mind small in-ear designs.
They also show an impressive turn of pace. Bass is weighty and wholesome, but punchy and agile too. Vocals are prominent, but don’t over power. There’s a real sense of musicality and balance.
The level of transparency is very well judged too – poor recordings aren’t dressed up, but better-than-average tracks really sing.
Part of the credit has to go the noise cancelling. They can’t match a pair of over-ear noise-cancelling headphones but it’s difficult not to be impressed with what Sony has managed to do with such small earbuds.
So how do the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds stack up? Very well, we’re happy to report. Their excellent noise-cancelling skills allow their superb sound quality to shine through untarnished.
Their sense of enthusiasm and excitement is infectious – there’s power, poise and a fantastic sense of dynamism. Bass notes sound full-bodied, go deep and the QuietComfort Earbuds squeeze out lots of detail.
We would describe the Bose sound as one full of natural warmth and richness, but the music never sounds smothered – even with the noise-cancelling on its highest setting. An impressive performance from Bose’s first true wireless, noise cancelling pair.
**Winner** Draw
Sony WF-1000XM3 vs Bose QuietComfort Earbuds: verdict
Two pairs of wireless earbuds, two fantastic listening experiences. So which should you buy?
It really depends on your priorities. The Sonys offer superb value, better battery life, a lean, crisp sound and more sizes of ear tips, while the QuietComfort Earbuds have more advanced noise-cancellation and a fuller, richer sound.
Overall, thank in no small part to the price drop, we think the Sony WF-1000XM3 represent the best performance-per-pound value but the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are undoubtedly an excellent alternative.
**Winner** Sony WF-1000XM3
MORE:
Read the full Sony WF-1000XM3 review
Read the full Bose QuietComfort Earbuds review
Here’s our guide to the best wireless in-ear headphones
And here’s what’s next: Sony WF-1000XM4: what to expect
There are product lines in consumer electronics that have consistently impressed, time and time again and without fail – and JBL’s Charge Bluetooth speaker range is one of them. So the fact it’s now entering its fifth generation is big news to anyone looking for excellent on-the-go sound from a compact wireless speaker.
The successor to the Charge 4 (which we called “a fun and bubbly Bluetooth speaker with a serious sound”), the all-new JBL Charge 5 is, the US audio brand claims, even more rugged and better sounding than the four Charges that have come before it.
While the Charge 4 has an IPX7 rating, meaning it can handle being submerged in water to a depth of 1.5m, the IP67-rated Charge 5 builds on that by also being fully dustproof.
There’s now a racetrack-shaped driver, separate tweeter and dual passive radiators to deliver the sonic goods, too, while the iconic aesthetic (available in black, blue, red, teal and more) has been ever so slightly tweaked to introduce a bolder JBL logo.
(Image credit: JBL)
The same 7500mAh battery offers the same 20 hours of playback from a single charge, and there’s still the option to use the speaker’s USB output to charge your phone or tablet. JBL’s PartyBoost feature, which allows owners to connect the Charge 5 to other compatible JBL portable speakers for a bigger sound, is naturally present and correct, too. Last but not least, the latest Bluetooth 5.1 standard promises the quickest, most efficient connectivity available.
The JBL Charge 5 will be available from March for £160, and if the line’s track record is anything to go by it might just be worth every penny. We hope to find that out very soon.
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Best Bluetooth speakers 2021: portable speakers for every budget
JBL always has plenty of products launching around CES time and we’ve got another brand new series of wireless noise-cancelling headphones to bring you, on top of the recent additions to its Live range.
The new Tour series has, in JBL’s own words, been “designed for business professionals” and consists of two models, the JBL Tour One and JBL Tour Pro+. The former are wireless, noise-cancelling headphones, while the latter take the form of true wireless earbuds, both of which can access virtual voice assistants from Amazon and Google.
The Tour One use 40mm drivers and feature JBL’s True Adaptive Noise Cancelling technology, which monitors your environment in real-time and alters the level of noie-cancelling automatically. You’ve also got Adaptive Ambient Aware and TalkThru features plus a four-mic array for taking phone calls.
Battery life is 25 hours with Bluetooth and noise-cancelling switched on and around 50 hours using just Bluetooth. Thanks to Speed Charging, a quick 10 minute stint at the power socket (the headphones charge via USB-C) should be enough for two hours of playback.
One particularly interesting feature is JBL’s new Smart Audio Mode, which allows you to optimise the Bluetooth connection for normal listening, switch up the quality in “music mode” or switch to the low latency “video mode” to get your picture and sound in perfect sync ( although we’re not sure why you can’t watch videos and listen in the best quality). You can flick between the different settings using a dedicated Smart Switch on the headphones.
(Image credit: JBL)
The JBL Tour Pro+ wireless earbuds also feature Adaptive Noise Cancelling and use 6.8mm drivers. They boast around six hours battery life per charge with Bluetooth and noise-cancelling both switched on, and around eight hours using just Bluetooth. A Speed Charge of ten minutes should be good for one hour of playback.
These AirPods rivals are also IPX4 sweatproof and include a fit customization feature which can be accessed through the JBL Headphones app to help ensure you get the best fit possible.
Keen to get your hands on a pair? You’ve got quite a wait, as the JBL Tour series only launches in May 2021, with the JBL Tour One set to cost £279.99 (€299, $299.95) and the JBL Tour Pro+ priced at £179.99 (€199, $199.95).
MORE:
Our pick of the best wireless noise-cancelling headphones
The list of companies and agencies discovering that they’ve been affected by the SolarWinds hack is still growing, and they’re working with a big unknown: how far the hackers got into their systems. The federal judiciary system is likely now one of them (via TheWall Street Journal), and it isn’t taking any chances. It’s worried enough that court workers will now have to physically deliver sensitive documents, despite the ongoing pandemic.
The judiciary’s new procedures sound rather intense:
Under the new procedures announced today, highly sensitive court documents (HSDs) filed with federal courts will be accepted for filing in paper form or via a secure electronic device, such as a thumb drive, and stored in a secure stand-alone computer system. These sealed HSDs will not be uploaded to CM/ECF.
The message here is clear: the judiciary does not want its most sensitive documents on the system until it figures out what the hackers have done to it, and it’s willing to add quite a bit of friction to the process of filing the documents. They can no longer just send them through the internet; they’ll have to hand-deliver actual paper or USB sticks.
We fully appreciate the practical implications of taking these steps and the administrative burden they will place on courts, yet any such burdens are outweighed by the need to preserve the confidentiality of sealed filings that are at risk of compromise.
The documents in question are not necessarily the regular sealed records of everyday court proceedings. TheWall Street Journal article points out that the HSDs could contain detailed explanations of how investigators work a case, as well as information on people who could currently be under surveillance. Knowing this information could help someone avoid detection or investigation, which is why it’s so important to keep it secure.
While the measures show that the judiciary feels it can’t trust its existing networks, the public’s access to court records won’t be changing. Any records that would’ve been publicly available will still be uploaded to the Case Management and Electronic Case Files system.
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