Sound

Concept car Moeye in five different scents

Most people in this country will be more familiar with Kyocera from the computer printer sector, but the Japanese company is also working on concepts for cars. The “Moeye” car concept now presented not only impresses with its retro design, passengers can choose between five different scents for the interior depending on their mood.

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Overall, Kyocera has mainly concentrated on the interior in the “Moeye” development. For example, a stylized little figure called “Mobisuke” appears on the over-head display – Kyocera calls it Aerial Display – which, among other things, should explain navigation instructions to the passengers. The occupants can also see a virtual 3D image of the road, which is intended to expand the driver’s field of vision.

Subtle color differences Thanks to Kyocera’s Ceraphic LED technology, the skylights and door lights should adapt better to the spectrum of sunlight and enable more subtle color differences than conventional LED technology.

Kyocera’s concept car Mobeye (16 Pictures) The external appearance is retrograde des Moeye.

(Fig : Kyocera) The dashboard and the center console are equipped with tactile feedback technology “Haptivity”. The pressure of the fingertip triggers small vibrations that are supposed to imitate the feeling of pressing a button. This should enable passengers to use the dashboard “naturally and intuitively”, explains Kyocera.

Vibrating loudspeakers should use piezoelectric elements to distribute the sound throughout the interior. This creates a sound world that is pleasant to the ear. There are also vibration speakers in the headrests, which the passengers

Best 13-inch MacBook cases 2020: Protect your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air

(Pocket-lint) – Apple’s MacBooks are some of the most ubiquitous laptops in the world, their silvery designs and Apple logos scattered throughout offices, libraries, schools and homes with abandon.

Which Apple MacBook is best for you? MacBook Air or MacBook Pro?

They’re superb machines, but they’re also pretty pricey, so chances are that you don’t want to just chuck them in your bag with whatever else is in there when you’re on the move. Thankfully, their standard 13-inch sizing (for the normal MacBook Pro and MacBook Air) mean that there are countless options out there as far as cases are concerned.

Setting aside other size options like the massive 16-inch Macbook Pro for now, we’ve gathered together some of the very best 13-inch Macbook cases available right now.

Our pick of the best 13-inch MacBook cases to buy today

Twelve South

Twelve South Journal

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Twelve South’s sleek, classy leather sleeve is our go-to case at the moment, keeping our MacBook Air safe and sound whether we’re just storing it away for the evening or taking it on a journey. It’s a nicely low-profile case but the materials are noticeably high-quality, and it doesn’t take up too much room in a bag at all.

Plus, there’s a canny little compartment for storing a few extra pages of paper for the meeting you might have later, a nice touch. It’s not one for those people who want to have all their accessories in the case too, but if you like a minimalist look and want some premium materials, this is perfect for you.

JETech

JETech Laptop Sleeve

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We know that, as desirable as it is, that Twelve South sleeve is a little pricey for a laptop case – thankfully, that’s not necessary if you’re on a tighter budget. This case from JETech is superb value, and while it won’t necessarily win you style points, its protection is superb.

There’s oodles of cushioning here to keep your laptop safe, and a roomy front pocket means you’ve got space for charging cables, earbuds or whatever else you want to bring with you.

Pocket-lint

Woolnut Leather & Wool Sleeve

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Sometimes simplicity is all you want, and Swedish company Woolnut has heard that message loud and clear. Its laptop sleeve is delightfully pared-back, just a snug leather cover to slide your computer into vertically, but it’s crafted with obvious care and precision.

A woolen interior ensure no scratching as you take it in and out, while the leather outside is soft but firm enough to offer proper protection in your bag. We’ve got the green colour and think it’s a delightful look, but others are available to help you tailor the case to your taste.

Apple

Apple Leather Sleeve

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While it leaps back to the other end of the pricing scale, there’s no denying that Apple’s own leather sleeves are superb when paired with its laptops. This is the definition of sleek, and there are multiple colours to suit your style, though this subtle blue is our favourite.

It’s a slipcase, meaning there’s no fussing around with zippers or anything, while an internal microfibre lining will keep your laptop snug and clean. The affordability might not be there, but this is a superb case.

Incase

Incase Textured Hardshell Case

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Apple sells a range of Incase hardshell snap-on cases through the Apple Store, and our personal favourite is this delightful textured option, which obscures the Apple logo on your Macbook but gives a unique look to your machine.

It’s textured with Woolenex and is nicely resistant to dings and scratches, and repels moisture and odours to keep your machine clean. If you prefer, though, there are transparent and semi-clouded plastic options instead.

Moshi

Moshi iGlaze Hardshell Case

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If a hardshell case takes your fancy, another great option is offered up by Moshi, with a clip-on design and a few colours to pick from. It’s in the same ballpark as Incase’s options price-wise, but with slightly different finishes, so it’s mostly down to your taste in terms of your preference.

We favour this Stealth Black finish, which gives your MacBook a more low-key look and has a matte finish that we like for its grip and fingerprint-repellent nature.

Speck

Speck SmartShell

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Our final hardshell case is really similar to Moshi’s, but slightly undercuts it on price, from Speck. It’s a nice little case that clips on like you’d expect, and has impressive grip power to make sure that it doesn’t ever fall off unexpectedly. If you want a slightly cheaper case, this could be a great choice.

Writing by Max Freeman-Mills.

Philips Fidelio X3 review: Musicality to our ears

(Pocket-lint) – The art of listening to music at its very best seemed in danger not so long ago. Low bitrate streaming services and the subsequent switch to a consumption model of quantity over quality nearly put paid to the age-old tradition of sitting back and listening to a finely-crafted tune in pure, unadulterated stereo.

But things took a dramatic change for the better and, in just a few years, we have gained lossless music streaming and the resurgence of vinyl (decks and recordings). Reissues of classic albums have become the order of the day, and modern technologies are respectfully wringing every note from ancient masters.

We have also seen one of the major players in the premium headphones game come back to the fray, thanks to TP Vision and its decision to reinvent and relaunch the Philips Fidelio brand.

The Philips Fidelio X3 open-backed headphones represent a return for both the brand and one of its most-loved products. These over-ears share some of the design notes of 2015’s X2 but come with a swathe of additions to allow their musicality to prosper.

Design

Dimensions: 110 x 230 x 190mm / Weight: 0.38kg
Muirhead leather bands, Kvadrat fabric
Memory foam earcup cushions

These headphones certainly look and feel premium. Utilising a smorgasbord of top-notch materials, including Muirhead leather, Kvadrat fabric, and a dark satin metal finish to the arms, the Fidelio X3 has a classic aesthetic, yet tweaked for a more modern lifestyle.

The earcups are memory foam, covered by velvet for comfort. If you’re going to listen to the whole of Tubular Bells in one sitting, that’s an essential. Our only minor concern is that the outer material isn’t as cool to the touch as, say, lamb’s leather, so the earcups are pretty insulating temperature-wise. That’s great for the winter months, but you might feel a little warm after long periods in summer. Still, the headset as a whole is light and non-restrictive.

That’s mainly thanks to the dual headband design, with an inner band resting on the top of your head and the outer floating a little above. This keeps the overall build sturdy, while giving a detached, looser fit.

Apart from that, there are two mini jack outputs – one on each ear – for pure stereo connection via the included cable.

Tech

50mm neodymium drivers
3.5mm oxygen-free cable feeds each ear
Sensitivity: 100dB @ 1mW
Max power output: 500mW
Impedence: 30 Ohm
Frequency response: 5 – 40,000Hz

There’s a 3-metre oxygen-free fabric-covered 3.5mm cable in the box, plus an adapter to plug it into a source with a 6.3mm connection. You get an additional cable too, with a 2.5mm TRRS jack on one end for balanced audio connectivity (to a high-res media player, for example).

Each ear is served by a 50mm neodymium acoustic driver, utilising a diaphragm composed of multiple polymer layers and filled with damping gel. That and the open-backed earcup design ensures clean, unobstructed audio delivered with precision – whether that be Hi-Res or lossy MP3s. Whatever is present in the recording will be delivered accurately.

Best noise-cancelling (ANC) headphones 2020 for blocking out noise when you’re working from home

The drivers are also tilted at 15 degrees inwards, which presents a slightly wider front sound stage. However, we’ve tested with 360 Reality Audio streamed through Tidal too – from Liam Gallagher’s MTV Unplugged live album – and you get a more than decent virtual surround experience. Same too with gaming, if that’s your bag.

Performance

Hi-Res Audio capable
Includes 2.5mm TRRS jack for balanced audio

Which brings us onto the overall performance. We tested the Philips Fidelio X3 headphones with multiple sources and music types and there is no doubting the clarity and detail on offer. You get a truly neutral sound signature, which we would expect from audiophile ‘phones, so tracks are largely presented as they were recorded.

Every note and breath of Billie Eilish’s excellent theme song for the next Bond movie, No Time to Die, can be picked out – especially through the Tidal Master Quality stream. And, on the other end of the scale, the opening guitar hook of AC/DC’s Thunderstruck comes clear through, even when the drums kick in.

Bass is throaty enough when needed, such as on Eminem’s My Name Is, but not overstated and certainly without masking mid to high-end frequencies. Our only criticism at all is that the X3 require a decent amount of volume before you get the best. But then, that’s what premium headphones are for really – to listen to your music at levels that might not usually be appropriate.

Of course, you still have to be mindful that these are open-backed, and therefore sound leakage is a natural side-effect, but bar sitting next to someone on the Tube, no one will be too perturbed by the ambience.

Verdict

TP Vision has long been making TVs under the Philips brand in Europe, while audio is a relatively new exploit. However, by reintroducing the Fidelio brand and reinvigorating one of its most iconic products, it has shown both the respect and technical knowhow to pull it off.

Those with existing Fidelio headphones – most notably the X2 – might not fancy upgrading. Indeed, they don’t really have to considering this type of product is built and designed to last, but if you’re in the market for premium open-backed headphones then now’s the time to make that right.

After all, in this headphone category – wired-only and to audiophile-standard – you can often expect to pay much more. Especially with the Fidelio’s build quality, materials used and overall musicality.

The X3 therefore not only suit the heritage of the Fidelio brand, these over-ears set a marker in the sand for other products going forward.

ReduxBuds are AI-Powered Noise Cancelling True Wireless Earbuds (promo)

Writing by Rik Henderson.

Huawei FreeBuds Pro

Our Verdict

A comfy pair of wireless earbuds with some useful features, but the sound quality could be more competitive

For

Slick volume controls
Comfortable fit
Clever noise-cancelling

Against

Sound lacks detail
Dynamics could be better
Rhythmically unsure

There was a time when it felt like smartphone manufacturers treated headphones as a bit of an afterthought. Just bundle something in that resembles a pair of in-ear headphones and that should keep consumers happy.

But demands and expectations have changed, which is why headphones such as the Huawei FreeBuds Pros now exist. Phone manufacturers have seen the mileage in developing their own high-tech headphones that major on wireless convenience.

To that end there’s no shortage of competition when it comes to Bluetooth noise-cancelling earbuds. Apple has the AirPods Pro, Samsung the Galaxy Buds Live, and Sony the WF-1000XM3. So, how does Huawei’s offering stack up?

Comfort

(Image credit: Huawei)

First impressions are promising. Unbox the FreeBuds Pro and you’re greeted by their charging case. It’s a little on the chunky side, but your pockets should be able to survive the strain. Flip it open and you’ll find the earbuds nestled inside.

Provided you have Huawei’s AI Life app on your smartphone (available for Android, but not iOS at the time of writing), you’ll receive a notification to say the headphones are ready to pair almost as soon as the lid is lifted. If you ever need to reset the earbuds or pair with another device, simply press and hold the button on the side of the case.

There’s a technique to freeing the FreeBuds, which involves pushing a bud up with your thumb and grabbing it in a pincer movement. It can be a bit of a struggle sliding them back in the case, but it does get a little easier over time.

In-hand, the FreeBuds Pros look functional enough with glossy surfaces that are smooth to the touch but feel a little cheap. The finish of our review sample is Carbon Black, but there are also Ceramic White and Silver Frost options.

The earbud enclosures are deliberately curved to help fit the shape of your ear and to help distribute force on the surface of your ear and the silicone tips evenly. This allows the pressure that would normally build up on your ear to balance out for a more comfortable fit. And that’s exactly what you get. The FreeBuds pro feel lightweight and not too intrusive, despite their snug-fitting silicone eartips.

Build

(Image credit: Huawei)

The tips are oval in shape, just like the earbud ports. This means you need to position the silicone eartips a certain way before you put them in your ears. In case you’re unsure, Huawei’s AI Life app includes both a tip-fit test and wear-detection test to help you get up and running.

Each earbud enclosure is attached to an elongated, rectangular stem. These not only help with stability but also act as your main point of contact with the FreeBuds Pros. Each stem hosts a tiny touch-sensitive button that you use to control various aspects of their performance.

Huawei FreeBuds Pro tech specs

(Image credit: Huawei)

Bluetooth version 5.0

Noise-cancelling Yes

Battery life 4.5 hours, 20 hours (with charging case)

Finishes x3

Weight 6.1g (per earbud)

A quick pinch will play/pause your music and answer calls, while sliding your finger up or down the button will change the volume. It might look like you’re trying to scratch your ear when you do shift the volume, but at least it’s effective.

Pinching and holding activates the Awareness mode so you can hear your surroundings and hold a conversation without having to take the earbuds out of your ears. It also cycles through to turn on the built-in noise-cancelling, and this is where Huawei has focused much of its attention in the hope of giving rivals such as the AirPods Pros a serious run for their money.

There are four main noise-cancelling settings within the AI Life app. Cosy is best suited to quiet environments, General is for everyday use when you’re out and about, and Ultra claims to cut out the most noise, designed to be used in noisy places such as on a plane or train. The setting that you’ll probably use most, however, is Dynamic. Here you can leave the earbuds to use their own internal tech to pick the best level of noise-cancelling for your current situation.

The earbuds use twin Digital HD microphones and an algorithm to help achieve the noise-cancellation, and we find the FreeBuds Pros do good job of blocking out the drone of daily life. They’ve also been designed with low-latency in mind, and a few YouTube videos and episodes of The Umbrella Academy later, the Huaweis emerge unflustered.

There are two Bluetooth antennas in each earbud to help provide a more stable connection, and we don’t experience any major dropouts – even when our phone is located in the room next door.

The charging case boasts some impressive stats. A five-minute charge (when connected to mains power) is enough to give you two hours of playback with ANC enabled. It charges via USB-C or can be placed on a compatible wireless charging pad.

Battery life is 4.5 hours with ANC or seven hours without, which is competitive when pitched against the AirPods Pros and Sony WF-1000XM3s. The charging case takes total battery life up to 30 hours (without ANC) or 20 hours (with ANC). LED lights both inside and outside the case change colour depending on how much battery life is left in the case and headphones.

(Image credit: Huawei)

So far, so promising. And our initial take on the audio that pumps out of the Huawei in-ears is pretty positive too. The FreeBuds Pros deliver a lively and upbeat sound. They’re not the shy and retiring type, lapping up anything with a decent beat.

Play Starboy by The Weeknd and bass notes make an impact, weighty and full-bodied. There’s no element to the sound that really grates, but we get the sense that certain high and low frequencies have been given a slightly artificial boost to lift the mood of these headphones.

When compared with a rival such as the Sony WF-1000XM3s, however, the Huaweis lag behind in a few key areas. Dynamically, they sound quite stunted, especially with noise-cancelling turned on. At the start of The Weeknd track, as the static sound effect becomes more prominent, the Sonys reproduce it with greater clarity and distinction.

As the track gets underway, the Huaweis struggle to uncover the same amount of detail or display the same rhythmic ability. They never really give you the full picture. You can introduce a bit more spaciousness and a slight lift in dynamics by turning noise-cancelling off, but the FreeBuds Pro still come out second-best against rivals.

Play Portals from the Avengers: End Game soundtrack and it’s more of the same. There’s weight to the pounding drum beats that punctuate the opening of the track, but they should pierce the silence more dramatically. Wind instruments need more of a cutting edge to make their presence felt, too. The Huaweis are inoffensive, they simply struggle to uncover the finer details and communicate the subtleties of a track.

Verdict

The Huawei FreeBuds Pros aren’t bad wireless earbuds, but they could be better. On the plus side, they are nice to use, the noise-cancelling is good and they’re both comfortable and lightweight. But sound quality lags behind the competition and you can get more bangs for your buck elsewhere.

SCORES

Sound 3
Comfort 5
Build 4

MORE:

Read our guide to the best wireless in-ear headphones

Read our Sony WF-1000XM3 review

Read our Apple AirPods Pro review

On the 25th birthday: Unix derivative OpenBSD 6.8 supports POWER9

Lean, correct code and therefore maximum security are principles that the developers of the BSD operating system (Berkeley Software Distribution) OpenBSD have adhered to since 25 years. Yesterday, Sunday, OpenBSD founder Theo de Raadt published the 49. Version of the free Unix derivative with freely accessible source code.

OpenBSD 6.8 runs on POWER9 Among many large and small innovations, the support for Power-ISA v3.0 (“POWER9”) from the OpenPOWER Foundation under the leadership of IBM stands out. The porting to the modern architecture started with OpenBSD 6.7 in May of this year. OpenBSD 6.8 / powerpc 49 runs on machines from “Raptor Engineering” in the form of the Raptor Talos II (workstation with two 4/8 / 18 / 22 – Core POWER9 CPUs, PCI Express 4.0, auditable OpenBMC firmware) and the Micro-ATX mainboard Raptor Blackbird (single socket Micro-ATX, up to 18 cores, maximum 256 GByte RAM).

OpenBSD 6.8 can also be started on IBM PowerNV systems (non-virtualized), but unfortunately not (yet) under a hypervisor like PowerVM or PowerKVM. The POWER9 developments from Rackspace and Google should be exciting in the future: Barreleye G2 at Rackspace and Zaius at Google are to be rolled out in their gigantic data centers. The high CPU performance per watt and security functions such as the Harvard architecture for the caches (separate data and instruction cache) could be reasons for looking for an alternative to AMD, Intel and ARM.

Scant information about installing deliver the platform documentation for OpenBSD 6.8 / powerpc 64 and the still very clear openbsd -ppc mailing list. According to the developers, OpenBSD 6.8 has not yet been tested on POWER8 systems. OpenBSD 6.8 is still available for older PowerPC platforms (Apple Macintosh G4 / G5, PPC-iMac and Mac mini).

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Faster time measurement Software such as web browsers and Office programs ran under OpenBSD with the “handbrake on” until now. One of the reasons was the frequent queries of the system time by these programs. Many of these gettimeofday (2) system calls have been optimized by the OpenBSD developers so that important desktop software in the new version can be used on the amd 49, arm 64 and sparc 64 runs noticeably smoother.

For the popular architectures amd 64 and arm 64 got OpenBSD 6.8 many Improvements, new features and more drivers. For example, the Pinebook Pro, which is apparently popular with OpenBSD developers, now runs with a dimmable display, a functioning battery indicator and ES 8316 sound . IoT developers can look forward to the arm 49 disassembler, ported by NetBSD, which works with the kernel debugger ddb (4) cooperates. Older platforms are also maintained at OpenBSD, so i 256 received an NVMe driver.

Also at the IEEE 802. 11 – Wireless stack eliminated some problems, so that, for example, the Raspberry Pi 3 (exactly this one!) With a WLAN chip set in HostAP mode, a minimal DHCP server and a few lines in the configuration file pf.conf / 5) of the pf packet filter into a WLAN access point.

With a few modifications and a minimal DHCP server, a Raspberry Pi 3 becomes an access point within a very short time.

(Image: screenshot)

Terminal multiplexer tmux With the terminal multiplexer tmux used in OpenBSD, the Data transmission significantly optimized. Some changes in the front end make working with tmux easier – for example with a new command line completion that shows possible completions as a menu. The search process in tmux has been further adapted to the behavior of emacs – friends of vi will grind their teeth.

The modern and native OpenBSD hypervisor VMM / VMD is now pleasantly stable and has received little news , with LDOM / SPARC 49, however, the VM start process has been improved in many places.

Compared to ZFS (FreeBSD), HAMMER2 (Dragonfly BSD) or Btrfs (GNU / Linux), the FFS2 file system looks much outdated; In view of the primary areas of application of OpenBSD as a secure appliance or developer notebook, the developers see little need for action here. Nevertheless, FFS2 received extensions, can now handle significantly larger file systems and performs faster file system checks.

Security and Networks OpenBSD 6.8 is now supported with LLVM / Clang 10, GCC is included in the heavily patched versions 4.2.1 and 3.3.6 for compatibility reasons – newer versions are not acceptable because of their license for OpenBSD. LibreSSL, the slim and secure alternative to OpenSSL, is available in version 3.2.2, OpenSSH as 8.4 and the OpenSMTPD, which was developed from scratch some time ago, as version 6.8.

As usual, there are countless small ones Innovations and fixes in the areas of security and network have been incorporated. In addition, a lot of old and unsafe code was disposed of: The number of available

PSB Alpha AM3 and AM5 are affordable, powered desktop speakers

(Image credit: PSB)

PSB has announced the immediate availability of two affordable, powered desktop speakers, the Alpha AM3 and Alpha AM5.

Both new models are founded on the Canadian firm’s near-50-year heritage and, most notably, the Alpha P3 and P5 passive speakers introduced last year.

The Alpha range itself is also nearing a big milestone: it was launched in 1991 and soon became a well-received budget speaker range around the world. Now, practically 30 years later, the powered AM3 and AM5 are here promising a natural sound, minimalist design, affordable price – and, the inherent sell for powered speakers, no need for external amplification.

The AM3 (pictured top) is billed as a “compact home music system that connects to virtually any device, wired or wirelessly, and delivers bold stereo sound for everything you enjoy, from vinyl to music streaming”.

The AM3 powered speakers feature 4in black steel polypropylene mid/bass drivers and 0.75in aluminium ferrofluid-cooled tweeters. With a built-in phono preamp you can connect a turntable without extra components or gear, while still being able to stream music from any app or device with aptX HD Bluetooth built-in.

You also get a rear mounted volume control, a subwoofer output and aux inputs. And there’s several sound modes onboard for accentuating dialogue, soundstage and more.

(Image credit: PSB)

The difference between the Alpha AM3 and AM5 (pictured above) lies in the size of the woofer, the amplification power, and the cabinet size. While both models utilise PSB’s 0.75-in aluminium dome tweeter with Neodymium magnet, the AM5 features a slightly larger, 5.25in woofer. The AM5 packs 50 watts of class D amplification into each channel, while the AM3’s power figure is 35 watts.

The PSB Alpha AM3 (£299, €399) and Alpha AM5 (£399, €599) are available now in either a matte white or matte black finish.

MORE:

See all our PSB reviews

Best active speakers 2020: floorstander, desktop, budget and premium

Best desktop computer speakers 2020

Xiaomi presents super-fast 80 W wireless charging

It was not until the summer of this year that Xiaomi introduced the Mi 10 Ultra, the fastest wireless charging solution to date with 50 watts. Today the company’s official Twitter account published a video on the next generation. With up to 80 W you should charge your smartphone in the future – and wireless.

Even wired fast charging systems usually have a power of approximately 30 to 45 W. The new OnePlus 8T (test) offers 65 W, the front runner here is but also again Xiaomi. For the above mentioned Mi 10 Ultra there is already a compatible charging cable for charging with 100 W with Quick Charge 5. The new wireless charging with 80 W is supposed to charge from 0 to 50% enable in just 8 minutes. 100% require 19 minutes. The times were based on a modified Wed 10 Pro with a 4. 000 mAh battery determined.

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As great as these numbers sound, it remains to be seen which upcoming smartphones will be compatible with the fast charging technology. Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun also published an overview in the Chinese Twitter equivalent, Weibo, showing the company’s progress in wireless charging technology. 2018 the curve starts at just 7.5 W. In the last two years, the output has more than doubled: However, there is still no price or availability

The most interesting information from the past week: October 12 – October 18, 2020

Every year we think that we have less and less time, among other things because this impression is intensified by, for example, technology that is developing at an alarming pace. That is why the series of the Most Interesting News of the Last Week was created (or actually reactivated). Every week on Monday, for the busiest PurePC Readers, there will be a material presenting a summary of the news that has enjoyed your greatest interest in the last seven days. Perhaps you will also find in it news that you have missed so far. Without extending it, I invite you to an overview of the most interesting topics of the week from 12 to 18 October 2020.

Last week’s highlights: 12 – 18 October 2020. What interesting happened in the hardware, gaming and broadly understood technology industries? You can find the telegraphic abbreviation below.

An overview of the most interesting topics of the week:

Watch Dogs Legion – hardware requirements for Ray Tracing and DLSS

Entertainment

Ubisoft has published updated hardware requirements for the PC version. In the case of requirements without active Ray Tracing and DLSS, one thing has changed – the AMD Radeon VII card has disappeared in 4K resolution and ultra settings, instead we will find a new NVIDIA GeForce RTX card 3080. More changes have been made to the requirements for the game with ray tracing and DLSS 2.0 enabled.

Read on…

Apple iPhone 12 officially – 4 smartphone models with 5G for everyone

Mobile devices

During the “Hi, Speed” event, Tim Cook reminded not only of the recent premieres of the bitten apple. He also presented the latest model of a smart speaker belonging to the HomePod family (Apple HomePod Mini), but most of all, he presented a new generation of iPhones that stand out from the previous editions primarily with 5G network support.

Read on…

NVIDIA may refresh GeForce RTX graphics cards 3000 in 7 nm

Graphic cards

According to DigiTimes, NVIDIA wants to upgrade its Ampere consumer GPUs to the technol process general 7 nm from TSMC. According to the source, the size of this transition is to be very large. TSMC has now allegedly become more “NVIDIA-friendly”, which may be because much of the company’s production capacity is now focused on the new 5nm lithography.

Read on…

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – we know the hardware requirements of the PC version

Entertainment

Ubisoft revealed that the absolute minimum resolution 1080 pi 30 Frames per second are Intel i5 Quad Processors – 4460 or Ryzen 3 1200 working with graphics cards like GeForce GTX 960 or AMD R9 380. So these are the hardware requirements similar to Watch Dogs Legion. Also recommended configuration for Full HD and 30 FPS looks almost identical.

Read on.. .

Cyberpunk 2077 – style above all else? These are the vehicles and mods in the game

Entertainment

The fourth Night City Wire show revealed a trailer showing a selection of vehicles in the game, from trucks to armored cars , and ending with limousines and sports carriages (they will have different versions). The representative of the studio revealed that we will “summon” them just like Roach in The Witcher 3 (there was also a reference to her jumping on the roofs).

Read on…

AMD A9 – 9820 – Xbox Console Performance in APU for 125 USD?

Motherboards

Unique motherboards appeared on Aliexpress. They have a soldered APU chip in the form of AMD A9 – 9820, which probably comes from the console Xbox One S and offers performance close to the Intel Core i5 processor – 7400. Its price is 125 dollars, or approximately 489 PLN. On the AMD website you won’t find an APU chip like the AMD A9 – 9820, but Chuwi he uses them in his mini PC in the form of the Chuwi AeroBox.

Read on…

AMD Ryzen 9 5950 X with OC up to 6 GHz on Apple iMac Pro

Processors

Every day new information about the upcoming Zen 3 processors and a new report appear on the network is directly related to the popular GeekBench 5 benchmark. It tested a new version of the Apple iMac Pro with 16 – AMD Ryzen 9 core processor 5950 X. The information from the GeekBench database shows that the processor during the tests was overclocked to 6 GHz.

Read on…

All MSI B motherboards 450 and X 470 will support AMD Ryzen 5000

Motherboards

MSI has officially confirmed that all motherboards with AMD chipset 400 will get a BIOS (beta) that adds support for the latest Ryzen processors 5000. Updates for individual models will be released in January 2020 year. As an aside, we would like to remind you that owners of boards with the AMD chipset 300 (X 370, B 350 and A 320), according to the Reds statement, they will not receive BIOSs with Ryzen support 5000.

Read on…

AMD Radeon RX 6000 – new information about graphics cards

Graphic cards

To Partial specification (of course, these are still unofficial parameters) of Radeon RX cards 6000 based on NAVI cores 21 XT and NAVI 21 XL, thanks why we more or less know what to expect. According to the information that appeared on the network, the upcoming cards are to be characterized by high core clocks and a high TGP factor.

Read on…

Samsung Galaxy S 21 – the first smartphone renders are disappointing

Mobile devices

Leakster Ice universe has uploaded Samsung Galaxy S renders to its Twitter profile 21 (or S 30, we do not know yet what names the manufacturer will use). First impressions? The presented model looks very similar to the latest top Korean smartphones – on the back we still have a camera island on the left , but this time it has been stretched over the device’s frames, which looks quite interesting.

Read on…

Here are some larger materials, which appeared on PurePC last week:

Is CPU restricts GeForce RTX 3080 in graphics places ?

Samsung Galaxy S smartphone test 20 FE – cheaper, not worse

Corsair K Keyboard Test 60 RGB PRO with Cherry Viola switches

EK AIO cooling test 360 D-RGB – Performance above all!

NZXT H1 Case Test – Xbox Series X Better?

Xia Smartphone Test omi Mi 10 T Pro: Pro Edition Night Photography

GeForce RTX Test 3080 and RTX 3090 in resolution 3440 x 1440 with HDR

Creative Sound BlasterX Katana test – soundbar with sound card

ADATA XPG Summoner Keyboard Test – Affordable and Good Mechanic

ASUS ZenBook Test 14 with Intel Core i7 – 1165 G7. Premiere of Tiger Lake

Source: PurePC

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Corsair CX Series CX650F Review

Efficiency and compact format

This new generation of fonts Corsair of the CX series stands out for many things, but in my eyes it does so for two important elements. On the one hand, they are efficient and have adequate prices for that efficiency and on the other they are really compact sources that are especially useful in compact boxes that support ATX formats and where we want to save space with those centimeters less and with their completely modular wiring configuration. .

This new series presents a characteristic completely white color, both on the cover of the source itself and on the wiring, finished in black only at the connection points of both the source and the cables. Another of its most recognizable characteristics is its very compact size, with only 140 mm long, which used to be the standard years ago but is now not easy to find being the 160 size long usual in mid-range sources with these powers between 550 Y 759 w that also offers this new Corsair series.

We can currently find sources with more than 240 mm long so, although this was the standard years ago, the truth is that now it is a very compact source, visibly more compact than other “normal” sources such as the Gigabyte withthe one that we have compared in the image.

This source also offers us other interesting things such as efficiency 85 Plus Bronze, one step ahead of the 85 Plus normal, fully modular wiring, a DC-DC design with a single 13 v and ARGB support with direct control on source or connection to motherboard via standard Addressable RGB 5v connector

Efficiency 85 Plus Bronze

Efficiency 80 Plus Bronze is the second of six efficiency scales that has been used as a commercial standard so that power supply manufacturers see a commercial incentive in offering us more efficient sources than in the past with efficiencies always higher than 80 and already, depending on the level, exceeding the 100% efficiency.

He 85 Plus Bronze is the second tier on this scale and offers up to a 96% efficiency at medium loads with a minimum of 86% at low loads, less than 25%, or of 100% usage of the source power. The more efficient the source, the less energy we waste in the form of heat in the transformation from the alternating current outlet of our home or office to the direct current rails that your computer uses.

The less energy wasted, the less expense , less global warming and also less noise inside the computer since we will need less cooling at the source and inside the computer. All advantages and prices are not much higher so it is worth spending a little more on a certified source.

These sources also support the most modern standards of supported sleep modes. by more modern processors so this is also a major power consumption improvement. If the source can accompany these processors in their deepest energy saving modes we will have a lesser impact on the energy bill since we do not always use our computer at 120% and many times it even spends a lot of time in suspension or energy saving states.

Corsair CX Series CX Technical Specifications 650F

This is a very compact font, up to 33 mm shorter than the current average for sources with this power level. We can find it in t three variants of 550, 750 Y 750 watts of power . They all share the same design and characteristics, only the available connections change. We have analyzed the intermediate model.

It is a completely modular font with 150 mm long, 86 mm high and the 160 mm of width that are those that mark the ATX standard. It has a single rail design with DC-DC conversion which means that all lower rails such as 5v, 3.3v and 5vsb come directly from the 13 v which improves conversion efficiency.

The rail of 13 v offers, in this model, a maximum power of 650 w. All the cables connected to the source will use the same rail so we can ignore the loads of each cable, they will all obtain power from the same source. 3.3v and 5v rails have a maximum load of 25 Each, but with a maximum combined consumption of 130 w between the two rails. Currently these rails are used for storage units, lighting, etc. No important load components such as CPU or GPU use these rails.

This source has all the security and protection certifications on the market: OPP, OVP, UVP, OCP, OTP, SCP, TUVus, TUV, CB, CCC, BSMI, EAC, CE, Energy Star, RoHS, WEEE, ErP Lot 6, REACH and is directly guaranteed by Corsair for a total of 5 years from the date of purchase.

Technical characteristics of the Corsair CX Series CX 750 F:

Certification 85 Plus Bronze

ATX form factor 13 V

Number of rails: 1 of 13 v

5v and 3.3v conversion configuration: DC-DC

3.3v rail power: 160 w max 30 A, shared with the 5v rail

5v rail power: 150 w maximum 25 A, shared with the rail 3.3v

13 v1: 550 w

5VSB rail power: 16 w, 3A.

Maximum power: 650 continuous w.

Dimensions: 150 mm (L) x 160 mm (W) x 88 mm (Al)

Fan: 120 mm Riffle Bearing 130 mm

Fan Durability: 120. 11 hours.

Wiring format: Fully modular.

Cable type: Cables modular with individual sleeve

Temperature operational: 0 – 40 degrees Celsius

Power loss due to temperature: 85 Maximum% above 50 degrees

AC input, full range 120 – 240 v, 11 – 5A.

Protections: OPP, OVP , UVP, OCP, OTP, SCP

Safety and EMC: cTUVus, TUV, CB, CCC, BSMI, EAC, CE

Environmental Compliance: Energy Star, RoHS, WEEE, ErP Lot 6, REACH

Warranty: 5 years

ARGB ventilation and lighting

Corsair has installed a continuous rotation fan, otherwise the ARGB would not be very funny, with a very controlled curve and with 130 mm in diameter. The bearing inside is rifle type and its blade body is designed more for a good dispersion of the color of the 1 0 LEDs installed under its central axis .

The operating curve has a maximum peak of 40 dBA at a 100% of font usage. The minimum, according to the manufacturer, is 6dBA at a use less than 11% of the total power of the source. The fan has an average lifespan of 100. 10 hours so it shouldn’t be a big problem that it’s rotating all day to improve the aesthetics of the font.

The lighting is Addressable RGB and Corsair type It offers us three control modes: Rear button with changes in different default modes and color depending on the mode or we can also connect, through an internal port, to Corsair iCUE controllers , which are sold separately, or to any motherboard or A-RGB controller on the market through the different adapters that we will find with the source.

I must say that the pro leds they produce beautiful effects and an intense intensity of brightness and color. It is clear that it is one of the key points of appeal of the fountain, for those who like to have this type of lighting inside their computer.

Modular wiring, flat type

The wiring of the Corsair CX Series comes with the whole set. All wiring, including the main ATX, is finished in white. The wiring is flat type with individual plastic insulation, but with all the wires fused together. The ATX main cable is additionally protected by a nylon mesh.

The connectors are finished in black, with gold-plated connectors. The lengths reach up to 750 mm and we will have four 8-pin PEG connectors and up to 7 SATA-type connectors.

The source has 9 connectors that we can use in their entirety with the cables provided with it. We will find two double cables for graphics cards, two cables of 13 v AUX for CPU up to 8 contacts (perfect for the new Ryzen and Intel Core motherboards from 11 Generation) and three cables for SATA connections and traditional molex.

There is a tenth connector, which we have already talked about, that allows us to connect the ARGB system of the fan the source to our motherboard or other drivers. is also compatible with Corsair’s own EUCI system .

Performance

Load at 30%

Charge to 50%

Loading to 80%

Loading to 96%

Stress tests (not all sources have more than one or two rails, hence the 0)

Analysis and conclusion

This series is still one of the simplest Corsair series, but it has some characteristics that can make it very interesting for certain types of users. On the one hand, it is tremendously compact for its power and it also has a good lighting system which makes it a quite special source, at least in reference to the latest models that have passed through my hands from different manufacturers.

As for the technical part, it is a mid-range source with nothing to highlight, except perhaps the good sound behavior of its fan despite not having a complete stop mode. Its certification is justified and it even offers a little more efficiency than we could expect at average consumption. That speaks well for its internal design. Even so, it is still a mid-range font, which will do its job perfectly, no doubt, but without anything really remarkable on the technical side.

End of Article. Tell us something in the Comments or come to our Forum!

heise + | Electric car guide: vehicle cost comparisons, wall boxes, battery technology

Electric car guide: vehicle cost comparisons, wall boxes, battery technology Buy an e-car E-car load Driving an e-car Outlook: hydrogen cars with fuel cell The combustion engine is slowly but surely running out of fuel. Ever more and ever better electric cars promise to protect the environment without the driver having to forego comfort. The batteries are getting better and better and when comparing costs with the combustion engine, the electric car often has the edge.

However, despite subsidies, electric cars are still quite expensive and the charging network only knows one state: “Under construction”.

We therefore rummaged in the heise + fund and picked out the best articles on e-cars. We calculate the actual costs of an e-car and explain when the right time to buy is. We show what makes a good wallbox and where the material for the batteries comes from. Finally, the big comparison follows: electricity versus fuel. Are e-cars really cheaper? At the end there is a preview of the next big technology: hydrogen cars with fuel cells.

Access to all contents of heise + exclusive tests, advice & background: independent, critically sound c’t, iX, Technology Review, Mac & i, Make, c’t read photography directly in the browser register once – read on all devices – can be canceled monthly first month free, then monthly 9, 95 € Weekly newsletter with personal reading recommendations from the editor-in-chief start FREE month Start the FREE month now Heise + already subscribed?

HomePod mini: cable cannot be removed

Apple’s HomePod mini is the Group’s second smart speaker. The device, which is expensive under 100, comes with a stripped-down interior compared to the HomePod – fewer drivers are built in due to the reduced size. In one other respect, however, both models are similar: The power cable is permanently installed and can officially only be removed by a service specialist.

USB-C plug instead of power Like MacRumors , the cable hangs directly out of the small sphere, as is known from the large HomePod. In contrast to this, however, it does not simply end in a plug for the power connection. Instead, a watt power supply unit 20 – which is included – must be interposed. This works with USB-C, accordingly the cable of the HomePod mini is also equipped with a USB-C connector.

Power bank for the HomePod mini? This can have advantages: It is conceivable that the HomePod mini could also be fed with sufficiently dimensioned USB-C power banks in order to use it make mobile speakers. Apple itself, however, has not installed a battery, the device is marketed as stationary (or to take away in the house). With the HomePod, the power cable can be removed with a lot of force, but this may invalidate the warranty, because Apple has not officially planned this. It remains to be seen whether this can also be done with the HomePod mini.

The sound of the HomePod mini should be automatically and continuously Music can be adapted accordingly and thus deliver good sound even with changing locations. Apple called this computer-aided audio playback – “Computational Audio”. Three microphones should respond to voice commands

Anti-noise puts Jaguar passengers in quiet bubbles

The Jaguar F-Pace and Range Rover Velar P 400 e car models will in future be equipped with technology that suppresses low-frequency noises in the interior. The manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) hopes that drivers will not tire so easily on longer journeys. Don’t miss any news! With our daily newsletter you will receive all the news from heise online from the past 24 hours every morning.

The new Active Road Noise Canceling (ARNC) technology from Silentium is used for this. Vibrations of the wheels are measured, and in the interior the tire and road noises are drowned out by the sound system with anti-noise. This should work in real time, including in sudden potholes, writes Jaguar Land Rover.

Passengers in the quiet bubble In the new car models, the technology is combined with noise suppression for the engine. It is intended to reduce noise peaks by 10 dB and the overall noise level by 3 to 4 dB. The counter noises are adapted to the number of occupants, which is determined by sensors on the seat belts. An individual “Quiet Bubble” is generated around each passenger with the help of sophisticated algorithms over the loudspeakers.

Jaguar Land Rover isn’t the first automaker to adopt noise cancellation. In Ford cars, three microphones pick up normal ambient noise, such as tires and wind. About the Lauts

App disaster on warning day: Why the cell phones stayed silent

Of the 10. September should be the acid test for warning civilians in the event of a disaster. Sirens should sound nationwide, warning signs should light up and smartphones should sound the alarm. At exactly 11 o’clock the spectacle should begin, the all-clear was for 11: 11 clock set.

Warning apps that push messages to users have now become an important component of civil protection. However, the well-prepared test failed completely surprisingly and drastically, because many smartphones did not issue an alarm message.

That would not be so fatal if Germany had not decided after the end of the Cold War to dismantle the warning sirens that were permanently installed in many places. Only a few municipalities still maintain a siren network that could alert the population promptly in an emergency. Modern technical solutions should have taken their place for a long time, but they do not work as they should.

That is why today in many places there are still warnings like many decades ago: if an urgent emergency suddenly arises, the police are put on the march with loudspeaker vans. However, there are major differences in how the states and municipalities approach the topic: Hamburg, for example, which is always threatened by storm surges, still maintains a functioning siren network and warns of impending storm surges in the port area with gunfire.

Important wake-up effect Warning apps are an important component because they make a noise in the middle of the night even when the mobile phone is muted, for example because of windows must be closed in the event of a fire or there is a risk of flooding The wake-up effect is very important, especially at night; Announcements on the radio or warnings on display boards do not reach anyone who is currently in bed. However, the effectiveness of the warning apps depends on the fact that as many users as possible also install them and configure them correctly.

There are many ideas on how to send wake-up calls in other ways in an emergency. For example, one day the horns of smart cars or networked smoke alarms in households could wake those affected from sleep. Since smart city applications are not yet really widespread in Germany and there are often no standardized interfaces to such systems, it will be many years before this can be implemented in practice.

The warning apps are also a smart city application in the broader sense. They work location-based and deliver the warnings in a targeted manner – that’s why they need access to the location data of the smartphone in order to warn dynamically for the respective location. For most users, it would make sense to also enter the coordinates of their place of residence or work in order to receive warnings for this if they are currently traveling elsewhere.

Central warning system The warning messages from the disaster control authorities in the districts and urban districts as well as the situation centers of the federal states and the federal government are centrally stored in the MoWaS (modular warning system) of the Federal Office for Civil protection and disaster relief (BBK) triggered and distributed. Warnings are only issued for a limited period of time and in a precisely defined area. Nationwide alarms such as the test alarm on warning day were recorded in practice for the first time during the corona pandemic.

In Germany, three established warning apps are currently being launched: Nina, Katwarn and Biwapp. All three have been exchanging messages with each other since February 2019. In this way, all messages, regardless of how they got into one of the systems, reach all affected users of all three apps.

The systems behind the warning apps have interfaces through which they record warning messages directly and can process, for example from authorities and weather services. Katwarn has an editorial service that looks after these entries and supervises the system.

The warning apps are always working location-based and only send the messages specifically to those affected.

If you want to be on the safe side, you should still find out on the website of your district or city administration with which of the three warning apps it is exchanging data directly and installing this app. This increases the likelihood that warnings for the respective location will be delivered promptly and reliably.

This is exactly what made the decisive difference on the warning day: For example, anyone who was in a circle using Katwarn, and Katwarn used as a warning app, received the alarm message in the worst case with a few minutes delay. Others waited a long time for the alarm message – if it occurred at all.

Mobile networks load-proof In any case, it was not down to the cellular networks: Even if warnings are sent to numerous users within a very short time, 3G and 4G cellular cells can shoulder the necessary data volumes without any problems. It could only become tight after the successful delivery, when such startled users respond to the alarm simultaneously and in large numbers and, for example, pick up the phone or access data on the Internet.

Katwarn is a project of the public insurer, the Programming is at the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems, in short Focus. In an interview with ct, project manager Daniel Faust explained why not all warnings were received for a long time: “Numerous municipalities are directly connected to our system. Numerous reports came in on the warning day, all of which we delivered within minutes. However, the nationwide MoWaS system handed over its Alerts only partially sent to Katwarn. That is why many users received no or late warnings, although our system was working properly. ”

” Der Failed warning day is not related to the warning app Nina ” The spokesman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Björn Grünwälder, confirmed that the problems were due to MoWaS. who is also responsible for the warning app Nina of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Aid (BBK): “The failed nationwide warning day on 10. 9. 2020 is not related to the warning app Nina. ”

Problems with Nina only occurred on the first warning day 2018 in North Rhine-Westphalia. “Weaknesses in coping with load peaks” were revealed. That was fixed immediately, on the warning day, which is also still limited to NRW 2019, the app was able to handle the peak load without any problems. The app is currently used by an estimated 9.2 million users, but the capacity is sufficient for 40 million.

The warning app Biwapp processes Not only warning messages, but also service messages from the municipalities such as traffic information or school dropouts.

The reason for the current problems is a design error in the programming of MoWaS. Grünwälder explains: “According to the information provided by the service provider for the operation of the modular warning system, a high volume of simultaneous database queries from the users led to the system overload that was the cause of the delayed message processing.” After the warning from MoWaS was delayed, Nina delivered the warnings within a few seconds.

Apparently, the situation then developed a fatal momentum of its own: When those responsible in disaster control realized that their reports had not been received, Some media reported that some of them sent further messages afterwards to be on the safe side, which exacerbated the acute load problem.

Alternative to the app -The solution are cell broadcasts A stable alternative to an app solution would be cell broadcasts, as used in other EU countries, such as the Netherlands or Romania. Such messages are broadcast for all participants in a radio cell. But this only works for the current

Ultimate Ears Hyperboom review: Big, bold and bassy

(Pocket-lint) – Ultimate Ears has made a name for itself by producing portable speakers capable of big sound. From the Boom to the Megaboom, there was only one way to go: bigger, badder, bassier. That’s exactly where the Hyperboom comes into the equation, acting as a totally different offering for Ultimate Ears.

Although the Hyperboom is technically portable, in that it has battery power capacity and a carry handle, its near 6kg weight and considerable dimensions – think six Boom 3 speakers strapped together to give a sense of scale – and you might instead set this speaker down in a permanent home instead.

It’s worthy of having a dedicated spot, too, given the serious sound output and intuitive app control. It’s not quite as smart as some speakers out there given its Bluetooth only control – although dual control, meaning seamless switch from one device to another, is one way it shows off – but with quality like this that other competitors often fail to match, this is one sonic boom that’s hard to ignore.

Design

Dimensions: 190mm diameter (diamond), 364mm height / Weighs: 5.9kgs
Connections: AUX, Optical, USB out, DC in, Bluetooth wireless (dual)
One-touch music control panel, volume up/down buttons
Battery power (from 3-24hrs)
Integrated carry handle
IPX4 weather sealed

Despite being a lot larger than previous Boom outings, the Hyperboom does stick to some of the hallmarks of the series. There are two dedicated volume control buttons up top – one large ‘-‘ and one ‘+’ – that do exactly as you’d expect, enabling anyone to adjust the sound level.

1/11Pocket-lint

Other aspects are a departue for the series though. The Hyperboom’s diamond shape – or cuboid, really, depending on how you want to sell it – isn’t cylindrical like many Boom products, so the sound output isn’t a full 360-degree output. As such you need to think about where to position this speaker.

But that makes sense, as positioning towards a wall will help the bass to capture that cavity and give an even more pronounced output. If you end up with the Hyperboom in the middle of a room – certainly possible as once it’s off the plug there’s no wires trailing anywhere and the battery lasts a decent innings – then it still sounds mighty impressive anyway.

A lot of this comes down to the Ultimate Ears Boom app. Load this and it has an Adaptive EQ option, which you can toggle on or off, enabling to speaker to ‘read’ its surroundings and tweak the sound profile to be preferable to the space in which it’s placed. It’s all rather clever and effective.

Pocket-lint

You can also use the app to adjust the sound profile with a five-band equaliser (EQ). Thing is, it doesn’t work like any normal EQ: boost the treble and is squashes the bass rather than actually boosting the treble. It’s a nonsensical way of operating and we’d advise you leave it well alone.

In addition to the volume controls is a one-touch panel. The play/pause here does exactly what it says on the tin, while a long press will dive into a preset – say a specific album via Spotify – and kick things off rapidly. Some competitors’ speakers are a lot slower and fiddlier to get back up and running each time, so this always available aspect of the Hyperboom is great.

It’s also possible to connect two Bluetooth devices at once so you can hand over from one to another, party style. It’s achieved seamlessly, which is impressive, even if the chances are you won’t end up using this feature too often.

Pocket-lint

Otherwise connectivity is straightforward: there’s that Bluetooth connection (twice over!) but no Wi-Fi and, therefore, no smart assistant integration (unless you connect a separate device to use, which is a fair way to dig into such functionality). Other speakers offer more integrated and wider-ranging solutions, but if all you’re after is a decent Bluetooth speaker then the Hyperboom has you covered.

Sound

Drivers: 2x 114mm woofers, 2x 25mm tweeters, 2x passive radiators
Frequency response: 45Hz – 20,000Hz
Ultimate Ears Boom app
Adaptive EQ

We’ve touched on the app-based EQ adjustment and how that should be left well alone, but having used the Hyperboom for some days we’re not sure you’d ever want to make any adjustments anyway. The default sound out of this speaker is properly in-your-face, no soft edges.

Pocket-lint

It’s the bass that’s especially keen, which is great from a speaker of this size – and the thing that lacks from so much of the competition all too often, even from larger-scale products. So if you want to hear that bassline sing, you’ll hear it loud and clear here.

Best Alexa speakers 2020: Top Amazon Echo alternatives

Having bass on tap isn’t to the detriment of the overall sound profile though. There’s volume in abundance – it goes really loud – and enough sparkle and impact from the high- and mid-level frequencies. While it doesn’t distort by any means, the clarity isn’t as pure as you might get from a more distinctive separates system. But as all-in-one box solutions go, it’s got plenty of pop.

Pocket-lint

There are physical inputs, too, so if you want to sit the Hyperboom by a telly and connect the optical output, you can have a sort-of soundbar solution. And if you don’t have a Bluetooth connection then a classic 3.5mm cable in will also suffice. The USB ports aren’t there for inputs, rather the opposite – plug in your phone if you want to charge it up.

Verdict

Although the Hyperboom isn’t hyper when it comes to connectivity options – it’s Bluetooth only in the wireless department – it is capable of delivering sonics on a massive scale.

No surprise, then, that it’s the biggest Ultimate Ears speaker made to date. It’s still battery powered and still (sorta kinda just about) portable, though, so it hasn’t surrendered the features that make it a classic Boom speaker. Just much larger – too large for many, we suspect.

So if you want a personal party speaker with bags of bass, this Ultimate Ears speaker goes above and beyond its smaller-scale cousins. It’ll leave a lot of the competition in the dust, too.

Writing by Mike Lowe.

Bose Portable Home Speaker review: Sound significantly beyond its size

(Pocket-lint) – If you think you need a big product for big sound then the Bose Portable Home Speaker is here to prove otherwise. This little speaker, complete with its carry handle, might look kind-of innocuous – but the bold sound it can pump out is quite the opposite.

Thing is, Bose being Bose, it’s an expensive purchase. However, with lots of features – from Airplay 2 to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity – it’s smarter than some of the simpler competition out there. And with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant baked in, this could be the only smart speaker you ever need buy.

Design

Dimensions: 192 x 119 x 104mm / Weight: 1kg
Finishes: Triple Black, Luxe Silver
Illuminating top ring for feedback
Built-in control panel buttons
Built-in voice assistants
IPX4 water-resistant
12hr battery life

When we first pulled the Portable Home Speaker out of its box we shrugged, assuming it wouldn’t be especially powerful. How wrong we were: it sounds super, without foregoing its principal purpose. It says it in the product name, right? It’s portable first and foremost, easy to pick up by that carry handle and move wherever you fancy.

Pocket-lint

The finish is great too: an aluminium grille littered with small circular openings surrounds the bottom third or so, enabling sound to eminate 360-degrees all around. The top two-thirds is matte finished, almost soft to touch, while the carry handle that pokes out from the sides is a woven material finish.

The whole package is also IPX4 water-resistant – meaning it can protect from splashes in any direction, but not submersion – which is handy should you wish to take the Portable Home Speaker outside of the home (some product names are there to be broken after all, eh?). The battery will last up to 12 hours so long as you’re not hammering it out at top volume, with charging possible via the single USB-C port to the rear.

Pocket-lint

Up top is an array of controls – on/off, Bluetooth pairing, Bose setup, mic mute, and a triple panel to control volume down, play/pause and volume up – that means everything is at your fingertips. Or download the Bose Music app to control from afar, which is where you can setup Wi-Fi controls too.

A circular light-up ring uses various colours to let you know when things are happening in terms of connectivity, volume, source and so forth. Having multiple sources, not just Bluetooth, is part of the way this Bose justifies its price over some of the competition. But it does put itself into Sonos territory in terms of pricing.

Pocket-lint

Overall the Bose Portable Home Speaker design is neat and tidy, and better looking than an Amazon Echo or Google Nest Audio device, which means it ticks the box as a one-stop shop smart assistant speaker.

Sound

Wi-Fi & Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity
Multi-room functionality
Apple Airplay 2

Although Bose doesn’t release specific technical details about the make-up of the Home Portable Speaker, as we’ve said throughout you wouldn’t think that such a little container could deliver sound quite so large.

Pocket-lint

The bass rumbles along with sincerely – strong enough to make a desk vibrate – without masking the presence of higher-end timbre from hi-hats, while allowing vocals to cut through the mid section. It’s a bold delivery wherever you’re standing in relation to the speaker, and whatever genre of music you like listening to.

There are some exceptions to the sound though. First, while the sound is dynamic, it’s less so at lower volumes – so you need to find that sweet spot for it to have the right impact.

Pocket-lint

Second, when the Portable Home Speaker is pushed too loud, the bass struggles and it becomes incohesive – so there’s a limit to how loud you can push this thing. If you want huge sound for a big space then you’ll need to buy a larger product.

Verdict

There’s no getting around that the Bose Portable Home Speaker has a rather large asking price. Glance at the product and you’ll probably be left scratching your head as to why. Switch it on, however, and the sensational audio – which is far larger sounding than the product size would suggest – and you’ll suddenly fully understand why.

Not only does the Bose sound great, it’s also genuinely portable, better built than a lot of the competition, and littered with features – Airplay 2 and Wi-Fi in addition to Bluetooth – that some Bluetooth-only competitors lack.

The Bose Portable Home Speaker does exactly what it says on the tin, but it’s so much more than the sum of its title too. It’s a super impressive little speaker with genuinely big sound.

Also consider

Pocket-lint

Sonos Move

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It’s far bigger and even more expensive, but if you want something more embedded in the home – while still remaining portable for those occasional extras – then Sonos does a grand job.

Read our review

Pocket-lint

Amazon Echo Plus

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At the other end of the price scale, if you want something cheaper, still portable, and with an integrated smart assistant then Amazon’s homegrown product makes a lot of sense for more modest budgets.

Best Bluetooth speakers 2020: Top portable speakers to buy today

Read our review

Writing by Mike Lowe.

Our pick of the best 13-inch MacBook cases to buy today

Twelve South Journal

JETech Laptop Sleeve

Woolnut Leather & Wool Sleeve

Apple Leather Sleeve

Incase Textured Hardshell Case

Moshi iGlaze Hardshell Case

Speck SmartShell

Design

Tech

Performance

Our Verdict

For

Against

Comfort

Build

Sound

Verdict

Privacy notice for Twitter

Last week’s highlights: 12 – 18 October 2020. What interesting happened in the hardware, gaming and broadly understood technology industries? You can find the telegraphic abbreviation below.

An overview of the most interesting topics of the week:

Efficiency and compact format

Efficiency 85 Plus Bronze

Corsair CX Series CX Technical Specifications 650F

Technical characteristics of the Corsair CX Series CX 750 F:

ARGB ventilation and lighting

Modular wiring, flat type

Performance

Charge to 50% Loading to 80% Loading to 96% Stress tests (not all sources have more than one or two rails, hence the 0)

Analysis and conclusion

Design

Sound

Design

Sound

Also consider

Sonos Move

Amazon Echo Plus

Charge to 50%

Loading to 80%

Loading to 96%

Stress tests (not all sources have more than one or two rails, hence the 0)