Samsung’s Smart Monitor range is expanding. The company’s line of Tizen-powered smart computer displays now includes a 43-inch 4K M7 model as well as a 24-inch 1080p M5, marking the biggest and smallest Smart Monitors to be made available to date.
Samsung introduced the Smart Monitor last year and describes it as a “do-it-all” display designed for both work and entertainment. The screens have built-in speakers and smart TV functionality through Samsung’s Tizen platform, meaning you can run video apps like Netflix directly on the device, as well as remote desktop access and productivity software like Office 365. The Smart Monitors have a remote control that works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Bixby, and there’s also wireless support for DeX, Samsung’s desktop-style environment that runs on Galaxy smartphones.
The M7 series now includes 43-inch and 32-inch 4K options. The M5 series uses 1080p panels and comes in 24-inch, 27-inch, and 32-inch sizes. Samsung is also introducing a white version of the 27-inch and 32-inch M5 Smart Monitor.
Samsung hasn’t announced pricing yet for the new models, but for context, the 32-inch M7 was released at $399.99 while the 27-inch M5 was $229.99, so you can probably expect prices slightly above and below those two extremes.
A social media campaign by pro-Palestine activists has pushed down the ranking for Facebook’s app in Apple and Google’s app stores, NBC News reported. The activists are seeking to protest Facebook’s alleged censorship of Palestinian accounts on its platform, and are instructing people to leave Facebook’s app a one-star review.
According to NBC News, Facebook is treating the situation as a high-priority issue internally; one software engineer wrote in a post on an internal Facebook message board that “users are upset with our handling of the situation,” adding that the users “have started protesting by leaving 1-star reviews.” Facebook has reached out to have the reviews removed, but so far, Apple has declined the request to remove the reviews. It’s not clear how or if Google responded to the request.
The rating for Facebook’s iOS app on the App Store as of Sunday afternoon was 2.3 stars out of 5, with 1-star ratings far outpacing others. In the Google Play store the situation was similar; the Android Facebook app had a slightly higher 2.4 rating, with the majority of the reviews 1-star.
Apple and Google did not immediately reply to requests for comment Sunday.
Facebook did not reply to a request for comment from The Verge, but a spokesperson said in a statement to NBC that the company does not censor it users, but applies its policies equally “regardless of who is posting or their personal beliefs.” The spokesperson added that the company has a dedicated team that includes Arabic and Hebrew speakers who are “closely monitoring the situation on the ground, who are focused on making sure we’re removing harmful content, while addressing any enforcement errors as quickly as possible.”
Earlier this month, we got our first sneak peek at some of the design changes Google is implementing for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro smartphones. Now, more reputable leakers are sharing what they know, giving us an even better idea of what to expect from Google’s next flagship.
The original leak came from Jon Prosser, who used early images of Google’s next two phones to create professional looking renders. Now, OnLeaks and 91Mobiles have done the same, although the design is already looking a little different, revealing a flat screen design with no tapered edges:
According to this new leak, the Pixel 6 will come with a 6.4-inch display with flat edges, while the Pixel 6 Pro will have a larger 6.7-inch display with curved edges. Both devices will utilise wireless charging technology, include a fingerprint sensor under the display and bottom-firing stereo speakers.
The new Pixel devices were not announced at Google I/O earlier this week, but we will likely see a separate event for these devices towards the end of Q3 or in early Q4 2021.
KitGuru Says: There is still a lot to learn about the internal hardware and other technical specifications of the Pixel 6. What do you think of Google’s design changes so far?
In a new support document on its website, Apple dives a little deeper into the details around the upcoming launch of lossless audio on Apple Music.
Apple now says that both the HomePod and HomePod Mini will support lossless audio after a future software update. That’ll be good news to people who’ve invested in one or a pair of Apple’s smart speakers. Two HomePods grouped in stereo playing a lossless source? Yeah, that’s going to sound wonderful. Apple isn’t yet giving any timetable for when this software update will be released, however.
The document also clarifies that the Apple TV 4K will only support standard lossless audio when the ALAC files become available in June. Apple has said that in most cases, the “Hi-Res Lossless” tier will require external devices like a USB DAC.
Apple uses the document to tout its “commitment” to providing customers with the best possible listening experience. It talks up both AAC — claiming that the format has become “virtually indistinguishable from the original studio recording” as encoding methods have evolved — and its Apple Digital Masters initiative. I continue to think that Apple is much more excited about spatial audio and Dolby Atmos mixes coming to Apple Music than anything to do with lossless itself.
The document also reiterates what Apple told The Verge earlier this week in regards to the AirPods Max: when listening to audio via the Lightning-to-3.5mm cable, the company says it’ll sound fantastic, but it won’t technically be “lossless” due to an analog to digital conversion that occurs in the cable. Apple again confirms that lossless quality will be exclusive to Apple Music:
Can I redownload my iTunes purchases in lossless?
If you subscribe to Apple Music, you can redownload music in lossless only from the Apple Music catalog.
The straightforward answer to the question as written is really a flat “no,” but obviously Apple wants to nudge people towards its subscription service. Apple Music will offer over 20 million songs in lossless quality at launch in June, and that total will reach over 75 million by the end of 2021.
Shopping for a laptop can be stressful — doubly stressful if you or your children will be learning online for the first time. Kids of different ages have a range of different laptop use cases and different needs. And as the choices for best laptop and best Chromebook evolve, so do students’ needs. So I spoke to some experts on the subject: students themselves.
My recommendations here are meant to accommodate a variety of preferences and price ranges. But they’re a jumping-off point rather than an exhaustive list: every student is different. Before making a decision, you’ll want to make sure you read reviews and try out devices yourself if you can. I’ll do my best to keep this article up to date with items that are in stock.
Best laptop for students
Google’s Pixelbook Go has solid battery life and a rippled base that’s easy to grip, making it a good choice for kids.Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Best laptop for elementary school
For younger students, a touchscreen device is easier to use than a keyboard and touchpad, says Michelle Glogovac. Glogovac’s five-year-old son uses an iPad for Webex meetings with his kindergarten class. He’s gotten the hang of it; Glogovac says he’s already learned how to mute and unmute himself, “a skill that many adults aren’t familiar with.”
That said, it may be worth investing in a keyboard case if you go the tablet route. Glogovac has to type her son’s meeting codes and passwords for him, which can be cumbersome on the iPad’s flat screen.
As kids get older, their best laptop choice will vary depending on their needs. As a parent, it’s important that you and your child are in sync about how they intend to use it and the size of the programs they want.
Kristin Wallace purchased a budget HP laptop for her daughter, Bella, but didn’t realize how quickly the nine-year-old would fill up 32GB of storage. “It is really slow and has no space for games. I need a computer with more storage space,” said Bella, who uses the laptop to Zoom with friends and take virtual guitar lessons and math enrichment classes. Wallace plans to buy Bella a better device in the next few weeks.
Audio quality is an important consideration for kids’ laptops. Lisa Mitchell, an elementary library media specialist, says her students use their devices to watch YouTube videos in addition to their online classes. Battery life is also a plus, even for distance learners who may not be far from a wall outlet. Bella likes to use her laptop all around the house and doesn’t want to bring the cord with her.
Durability is also worth paying for, according to Mitchell. If you’re using a tablet, get a protective case. “If a reasonably-priced insurance or replacement policy is available, it’s usually worth the extra expense.”
Check out:
Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition ($199): a colorful, fast tablet with kid-friendly content
Lenovo Chromebook Duet ($279): a tiny 10-inch Chromebook with a detachable keyboard
Apple 10.2-inch iPad ($329): a great budget tablet that supports the Apple Pencil
Microsoft Surface Go 2 ($399): a solid Windows tablet with a built-in kickstand
Google Pixelbook Go ($649): a sturdy touchscreen Chromebook
Lenovo’s Chromebook Duet is just $289, but it can run plenty of tabs and apps with no problem.Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
Best laptop for middle school
The middle school students I spoke to don’t use their laptops for much more than web-based schoolwork and browsing. Don’t be too concerned about power — prioritize a machine that’s comfortable and easy for your child to use.
“We just got the most basic Chromebook and it is totally perfect,” says Gabrielle Hartley, an attorney and mother of three children who take a mix of in-person and online classes. “The most basic Chromebook serves all the needs of the basic middle schooler.”
Chromebooks, like this one from Acer, are a good choice for students who use Google Classroom.Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
Hartley’s son Max, who is in eighth grade, agrees. “I would really like a gaming PC or gaming laptop that can plug into a monitor and run video games with 120fps, but I really don’t need that,” Max says. “Most eighth graders aren’t going to be running any video games on their laptops or any software that requires a lot of power.”
Max mostly uses his laptop for Google Classroom applications, including Gmail, Slides, Google Docs, and Google Sheets. They’re very easy to use on his device, which he describes as “a run-of-the-mill Samsung Chromebook.” That said, if your child is starting middle school this year, it could be worth checking with their teachers to see what operating system is most compatible with their workflow. Caspian Fischer Odén, a ninth grader from Sweden, told me he has trouble with his Chromebook because his school has blocked downloading apps from the Google Play Store.
Even kids with more demanding hobbies think a budget device can get the job done. Sam Hickman, an eighth grader from the UK who uses his laptop for photo and video editing, says, “For most middle schoolers, any processor developed within the last two years will be able to handle any tasks they can throw at it.”
So, what is worth paying for? A comfortable keyboard, several students told me. Many middle school kids aren’t used to typing for long periods of time. You should also look for a device that’s compact and easy for them to carry around, particularly if they’re preparing for in-person school. Shoot for an 11- to 13-inch model — certainly nothing larger than 15 inches.
Check out:
HP Chromebook x360 ($279): an affordable Chromebook with great battery life
Lenovo Flex 3 Chromebook ($350): a small but sturdy laptop made for students
Lenovo 300e ($378): a durable 2-in-1 with a stylus
Acer Aspire 5 ($466): a portable option for kids who need a 15-inch screen
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go ($549): an attractive, light Windows laptop
The Surface Laptop 4 is a capable, no-nonsense laptop — just what many high schoolers want.Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
Best laptop for high school
High schoolers’ laptop needs can vary based on their interests, but most don’t need powerful machines with lots of bells and whistles — especially if they come with glitches or serious downsides that could interfere with schoolwork. Miles Riehle, a student at Laguna Beach High School, has a high-end Surface Pro 7 but finds it overwhelming. “There is so much other stuff that I don’t use very often,” he said. “Something simpler might be a little more straightforward.”
The best operating system may depend on what your child is used to. Aryan Nambiar, a student at Barrington High School in Illinois, has an iMac at home and enjoys using an iPad for his schoolwork. Riehle says he would prefer a Chromebook because he has an Android phone and often uses Google services.
But almost every student I spoke to agreed that the most important feature of a high school laptop is portability. Kids attending in-person classes may be carrying their device around for much of the day with a stack of other books. Look for a 13- or 14-inch screen, or a lighter 15- to 17-inch model.
Students also recommend something sturdy. “Most high schoolers I’ve seen will throw their laptop in their bag without too much care,” says Moses Buckwalter, a student at Penn Manor High School. Backpacks can be jostled in the hallway as well. Distance learners can still run into trouble at home. “Anything can happen,” says Aadit Agrawal, a high school student from India. “My own brother scratched my laptop with his nails.”
Battery life is another key feature. “It can be a real struggle to find a place to charge while in class,” says Cas Heemskerk, a sophomore from the Netherlands. Unlike college students, many high schoolers don’t have frequent breaks to juice up their devices, so try to find something that can last a full day.
Many students recommend a touchscreen with stylus support. Nambiar uses the feature for his biology class, where he does a lot of visual modeling. “The touchscreen is always a bonus for drawing diagrams, whereas if you’re using a laptop it’d be a whole process to submit a diagram you drew,” Nambiar says. Riehle uses a Surface Pen to fill out school forms and annotate PDFs. Agrawal finds it useful to take notes on the same screen as his online lessons.
Depending on the broadband situation in your area, you may also want a laptop with multiple connectivity options. Agrawal’s online classes are sometimes interrupted by powercuts, so he recommends an LTE model. Matej Plavevski, a junior at Yahya Kemal College in North Macedonia, recommends looking for an Ethernet port in case slower connections disrupt meetings. That’s hard to find on smaller laptops, but there’s a slew of affordable dongles and docks to consider.
Check out:
Acer Chromebook Spin 513 ($349): a convertible Chromebook with all-day battery
Apple iPad Air ($599): a powerful tablet with a great screen
Acer Chromebook Spin 713 ($629): a fantastic Chromebook that’s not too pricey
Dell XPS 13 ($931): a solid clamshell Windows laptop
Surface Laptop 4 ($999): an excellent, light laptop that’s comfortable to use
For college students seeking an affordable laptop, HP’s Envy x360 performs just as well as some expensive competitors.Photography by Monica Chin / The Verge
Best laptop for college
College kids are justified in spending a bit more money than other age groups. Some (especially in STEM courses) can expect to do some fairly demanding work. Assad Abid, an electrical engineering undergrad from Pakistan, needs to run simulation software for his assignments. Aakash Chandra, a student at New Horizon College of Engineering in India, does a lot of coding, in addition to creative work in Premiere Pro and Photoshop, and gaming. Students also noted that it’s worthwhile to pay for a laptop that will last for a few years after graduation. That means you won’t have to worry about finding and financing your next device until you’re (hopefully) settled into a job.
But among high-end, capable devices there’s still a wide range of options. Students stressed that a college laptop should be light. Expect to bring it between classes, meals, meetings, the library, and other locations on campus. “It’s a boon that I can carry my laptop as well as some notebooks without feeling like I’m carrying too much for six hours a day,” says Haseeb Waseem, a senior at Villanova University.
The Dell XPS 13 has a variety of configurations. Students with light workloads may prefer the base model, while gamers and creatives can add a GPU.Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
Another universally-lauded feature: battery life. Waseem, who uses an HP Spectre, says the all-day juice gives him “the flexibility to study in a bunch of different locations, and even outside.”
Speakers and webcams are often overlooked, even in top-end devices. But students say it’s worth looking for good ones if you’re starting college this year. Zoom will be a large part of university life this semester: many kids will be attending virtual classes, while others will still be meeting with clubs, study groups, and professors as well as hanging out with friends online. Waseem isn’t satisfied with his laptop’s audio and picture quality, which he says has made it difficult to pay attention in class and to engage with other students.
Many students will need to invest more in areas tailored to their interests and schoolwork needs. Chandra’s dream laptop would include a stylus and touchscreen for his creative work as well as a high-end GPU. Waseem, who uses his laptop for a hodgepodge of activities, including streaming, coding, social media, video chatting, and Microsoft Office work, would prefer to prioritize a large screen to keep track of his multitasking.
Check out:
Acer Swift 3 ($613): a super light laptop that performs well
HP Envy x360 13 ($689): a fast and stylish 2-in-1
Dell XPS 13 ($930): a solid clamshell Windows laptop
Surface Laptop 4 ($999): an excellent, light laptop that’s comfortable to use
HP Spectre x360 14 ($1,269): a premium convertible with standout battery life
Apple might have discontinued the original, full-size HomePod smart speaker, but the company is continuing to add new functionality to it. The latest one relies on you also buying the new, second-generation Apple TV 4K, however. If you own both products, there’s now built-in support for HDMI ARC and eARC, which lets the HomePod play audio from other devices plugged into your TV — not just an Apple TV streaming box. Gaming consoles should work; same goes for Blu-ray players or even another streaming gadget.
The feature can be enabled in the “video and audio” area of the Apple TV settings menu. There you’ll see a field labeled “Audio Return Channel (beta),” where you can tell the Apple TV to route all television audio through HomePod speakers.
I haven’t tested this yet, so I can’t speak to any latency issues that could negate its appeal for gaming, but it’s nice to see the HomePod gaining new tricks even after Apple has officially brought an end to sales of the product. (You can still find them at retailers including Apple itself.)
This continued evolution of home theater features is also a hint that Apple could have more speakers in the pipeline. Bloomberg reported last month that the company is in the early stages of development on a product that combines an Apple TV, speaker, and camera. For now, the $99 HomePod Mini stands as the lone smart speaker that Apple is actively marketing. Unfortunately, that device does not support the new audio return channel feature described above.
Google’s Pixel range of smartphones looks set for a major refresh. Not only will Google bring back a high-end model missing from last year’s line-up (instead of ‘XL’ it should be called the Pixel 6 Pro), it’s also giving it a curved OLED screen.
That’s according to new renders that come courtesy of reliable leaker OnLeaks (via digit.in). They show the Pixel 6 Pro sporting a curved, 6.67in OLED screen, along with the first triple camera array in Pixel history. There’s no word on what refresh rate the OLED panel will have, but this being a high-end model, we would expect 90Hz or 120Hz.
The cameras include a wide-angle snapper, a periscope telephoto camera and one unknown camera, all arranged next to an LED flash. They are lined up horizontally across the upper rear of the Pixel 6, which is another change for the range. The colour strip across the top is also a new design element.
Top and bottom speakers should provide stereo sound when watching in landscape, while wireless charging should come as standard, as it did on the Pixel 5. And the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro could be the first phones powered by Google’s own chips – the search giant is rumoured to be working on an SoC (system on a chip) codenamed Whitechapel. Controlling both the hardware and Android software on the phone would ape Apple’s approach to its iPhones, and give Google greater control, which could lead to gains in performance and battery life.
Other renders from OnLeaks and @91Mobiles show the Pixel 6 looking like a smaller version of the 6 Pro, but with a flat screen instead of curved.
(Image credit: OnLeaks/@91Mobiles)
The Pixel 6 will have a dual camera set-up instead of a triple, and its screen is smaller – 6.4in to the Pro’s 6.67in. But it has the same wireless charging and in-display fingerprint scanner. This squares with previous Pixel 6 renders, which suggests this latest leak is on the money.
We’re expecting an official announcement sometime in the autumn/fall, but we’ll keep you up to date with all the latest Pixel 6 news, leaks and rumours as they emerge over the coming weeks.
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Microsoft is outlining its vision for the future of meetings today. After a year that’s seen more people dialing into the office remotely, the company is once again banging the drum for hybrid work: a model that combines remote access with in-person work.
While the company has been teasing new concepts for Microsoft Teams in recent months, it’s now starting to bring to life an updated interface for the communications software that will help blend remote colleagues into physical meeting rooms.
A new video details Microsoft’s plans, which include larger screens that help facilitate face-to-face meetings with life-sized remote colleagues. Microsoft imagines meeting rooms where cameras are placed at eye level to improve eye contact, and spatial audio that will help you hear colleagues’ voices when they’re dialed in. This spatial audio will also supposedly make it feel like a remote colleague is more present in a room.
A new Microsoft Teams interface for remote meetings.Image: Microsoft
This meeting room of the future looks like it’ll require a lot of hardware, though. Customers will need new intelligent video cameras that can detect who’s talking and bring them into view, speakers capable of spatial audio, and even microphones embedded into the ceilings. Microsoft itself might deliver some of this hardware: the company started selling Intelligent Speakers for Teams recently, which will help bring this future meeting room scenario to life.
This meeting room of the future is all part of a broader push by Microsoft to get ready for what it sees as a hybrid approach to work, where more employees will be working remotely or dipping in and out of the office.
“Hybrid work represents the biggest shift to how we work in our generation,” says Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, in a LinkedIn post outlining the company’s approach. “And it will require a new operating model, spanning people, places, and processes.” Microsoft is releasing a playbook for businesses looking to adopt a hybrid model, with data and research it has conducted during the pandemic.
Microsoft has been gradually opening up its campus in Redmond, Washington in recent months, and remote meetings have become a big focus point. “In fact, at Microsoft, meeting recordings are the fastest-growing content type,” reveals Nadella. “Employees now expect all meeting information — whether that’s recordings, transcripts, or highlights — to be available on demand, and on double speed, at a time that works for them.”
Microsoft’s meeting rooms of the future will require more hardware.
The push toward hybrid work also opens up security challenges for organizations. Microsoft is embracing this new era by removing its own employees from corporate networks and taking an internet-first approach instead. That means ditching the old era of corporate domains and intranets you need VPNs for and having all data in the cloud. Of course, Microsoft also happens to own Azure, so that makes it both easier for the company to switch and an incentive to promote its cloud business. For other businesses, it’s not always an easy task to embrace the cloud fully.
Microsoft is also asking its own employees who work from home to “run a test of their home networks to ensure they are secure,” and requiring that every mobile device that accesses corporate information is managed. We’ve seen a variety of ransomware attacks and increases in phishing attempts during the pandemic, and Microsoft says the threats keep on increasing.
“The threat landscape has never been more complex or challenging, and security has never been more critical,” explains Nadella. “We intercepted and thwarted a record 30 billion email threats last year and are currently tracking 40-plus active nation-state actors and over 140 threat groups.”
Remember the Google Chromecast Audio? It was a little dongle that made any speakers smart – just plug it in, and it would add wi-fi to the party, letting you stream online music through your phone, tablet or computer to your speakers.
Now Belkin has launched a similar device but with Apple AirPlay 2 wireless tech onboard. That means you can stream music from an Apple device to your old speakers that don’t have wireless streaming built-in.
The Belkin Soundform Connect plugs into your speakers using an optical or 3.5mm connection. Then you simply tap the AirPlay icon on your Apple device and your track will start playing from your speaker as if by magic.
AirPlay 2 is adept at multi-room audio, too. So plug Soundform Connect devices into speakers in different rooms and you can fill your house with sweet music. Use Apple’s HomeKit, and you can assign different speakers to different rooms, and create scenes and automations using the Home app.
You can also control playback using Siri voice control, so you can ask what’s playing in each room, adjust the volume, play, pause and more.
To use it, you’ll need an iPhone running iOS 11.4 or later, an iPad with iPadOS 11.4 or later, a Mac running macOS Catalina or later, or an Apple TV running tvOS 11.4 or later.
The Soundform Connect is small enough to fit in a pocket, so you can easily take it with you wherever you go. And it won’t break the bank, with a price tag of £89 ($99).
MORE:
These are the best AirPlay speakers around right now
Find out: What is Google Chromecast? Which speakers and TVs are supported?
Another AirPlay rival: DTS Play-Fi: what is it? What speakers and devices support it?
Yesterday OnLeaks released CAD renders of what is supposedly Google’s next flagship phone, the Pixel 6 Pro, and now the noted leaker has followed up with details and images of the smaller model, posted at 91Mobiles. The so-called Pixel 6 looks like it’ll adopt the same distinctive design as the Pro, with one colorway featuring orange and white sections broken up by a glossy black bar that houses the camera bump.
You’ll find one fewer camera in that bump, according to the leak — it’s said to be a dual-camera setup, presumably a regular wide and an ultrawide. The 6 Pro, on the other hand, appears to include a periscope telephoto lens. Both phones are depicted with a single centrally aligned hole-punch selfie camera.
91Mobiles says that the Pixel 6 has a 6.4-inch display with flat edges, unlike the curved 6.67-inch panel used in the 6 Pro. The 6 reportedly also has wireless charging, an in-display fingerprint sensor, and bottom-firing stereo speakers, with dimensions of 158.6mm x 74.8mm x 8.9mm. The OnLeaks renders match up with designs shown off by Front Page Tech’s Jon Prosser last week.
There’s no word on exactly when the Pixel 6 will launch, but Pixel phones do have a habit of leaking (or even being announced by Google) well before their eventual release date, so we could well be waiting until fall. At this point, it’s almost a surprise that leakers managed to beat Google to the punch.
Google has also said it’s planning to release a Pixel 5A phone later this year.
Belkin’s new SoundForm Connect Audio is a $99 dongle that lets you turn any pair of speakers with either a 3.5mm or optical port into an AirPlay 2-compatible setup. In other words, it’s effectively an Apple version of the (now-defunct) Chromecast Audio.
As someone who actually likes AirPlay 2, it’s a very interesting concept, especially if you have older speakers or an audio setup that you’d like to get wired into the rest of an AirPlay system.
Setup is simple: just plug in the SoundForm Connect Audio to power (over USB-C, thankfully), and then plug in a 3.5mm headphone jack or optical cable from your speaker system’s input port.
Image: Belkin
Unfortunately, the SoundForm Connect Audio does come with a pretty hefty price tag for what it does. The Chromecast Audio used to cost $35, which made it a pretty nice option for hooking up an old speaker to your multiroom audio setup. An Echo Dot (which is also a full-fledged smart speaker) can be hooked up to anything with a headphone jack to use with Alexa and costs $40 to $50 — not counting Amazon’s frequent sale.
But the SoundForm Connect Audio costs $99 just to add a speaker to an AirPlay 2 setup. That’s between two to three times as much, or as much as Ikea’s entry-level Symfonisk bookshelf speaker (which also offers AirPlay 2 support).
Still, given that there hasn’t really been a solution for this kind of setup since Apple discontinued the AirPort Express (which offered similar functionality for the original AirPlay standard), the SoundForm Connect Audio is better than nothing. But the relatively high price means it’ll likely only be useful for owners of more expensive speaker setups.
The SoundForm Connect Audio is available to preorder now from Belkin’s website, with orders shipping later in June.
XGIMI is a bit of an upstart to the projector world, so much so that the company’s first projector is barely 7 years old. Since then, it has diversified the product lineup to offer a variety of portable offerings and recently launched its first 4K projector as part of a next-gen lineup. Before we get there, it only seemed prudent to set up a base using currently available products. As such, knowing that projectors are not necessarily our forte yet, we sought to do it differently when the company approached us by having two reviewers with differing backgrounds and opinions cover a projector each. The first came in the form of the MoGo Pro+, where the main issue seemed to be the low maximum luminance. Today, we take a look at the XGIMI Halo, and thanks again to the company for sending review samples to TechPowerUp!
The XGIMI Halo builds upon the MoGo/MoGo Pro/MoGo Pro+ projectors in taking things up a notch throughout. It is the current portable flagship from the brand, at least until the newer Horizon and Horizon Pro come out, and aims to address the maximum brightness issue that my colleague had with the MoGo Pro+. This is a DLP projector maxing out at 1080p as well, but with bigger speakers, a bigger battery, and of course a much brighter lamp. So let’s see how the XGIMI Halo fares as we begin with a look at the specifications in the table below.
Specifications
XGIMI Halo Smart Portable Projector
Display:
DLP, 0.33″ DMD
Luminance:
600–800 ANSI lumens
Resolution:
1920×1080 (standard) / 2K/4K (compatible)
Projection Ratio:
1.2:1 (76″@2 m)
Keystone Correction:
Vertical: +/- 40°; Horizontal: +/- 40° (2D)
Projection Method:
Forward, Backward, and Hang-Ceiling
CPU:
Amlogic T950X2
GPU:
Mali-G31
RAM/Storage:
2 GB/16 GB
System:
Android 9.0 with Chromecast mirroring
Ports:
Input: DC power, HDMI, USB 2.0; Output: headphone jack
Wireless Connectivity:
WiFi: 802.11A/B/G/N on dual-band 2.4/5.0 GHz / Bluetooth: 4.2/5.0
Snap’s new Spectacles glasses are its most ambitious yet. But there’s a big catch: you can’t buy them.
On Thursday, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel unveiled the company’s first true augmented reality glasses, technology that he and rivals like Facebook think will one day be as ubiquitous as mobile phones. A demo showed virtual butterflies fluttering over colorful plants and landing in Spiegel’s extended hand.
The new Spectacles have dual waveguide displays capable of superimposing AR effects made with Snapchat’s software tools. The frame features four built-in microphones, two stereo speakers, and a built-in touchpad. Front-facing cameras help the glasses detect objects and surfaces you’re looking at so that graphics more naturally interact with the world around you.
These Spectacles, however, aren’t ready for the mass market. Unlike past models, Snap isn’t selling them. Instead, it’s giving them directly to an undisclosed number of AR effects creators through an application program online. (Another indication they aren’t ready for everyday use: the battery only lasts 30 minutes.)
The idea is to encourage a small portion of the 200,000 people who already make AR effects in Snapchat to experiment with creating experiences for the new Spectacles, according to Spiegel. Like the bright yellow vending machines Snap used to sell the first version of Spectacles several years ago, the approach could end up being a clever way to build buzz for the glasses ahead of their wide release. Spiegel has said that AR glasses will take roughly a decade to reach mainstream adoption.
“I don’t believe the phone is going away,” he told The Verge in an interview this week. “I just think that the next generation of Spectacles can help unlock a new way to use AR hands-free, and the ability to really roam around with your eyes looking up at the horizon, out at the world.”
The first two generations of Spectacles, released in 2016 and 2018, looked like sunglasses with a single camera in the corner of the frame. They let you snap videos (and later photos) in a unique, spherical format that could then be transferred to your phone and posted to Snapchat or another social network.
Above: Snap’s new fourth-generation Spectacles. Lower: the Spectacles in their case, and a side-view showing their touch panel. Images: Snap
Snap, which calls itself a camera company, started moving more toward AR in 2019 with the launch of its third-generation Spectacles. That model added a second camera to detect depth in videos, allowing for more advanced effects to be applied afterward. But they lacked displays. You had to shoot a video, import it to Snapchat, and then apply AR effects — which Snap calls Lenses — later.
The new fourth generation of Spectacles come from a secretive hardware division of the company called Snap Lab, which is also working on a camera drone. They weigh 134 grams, more than double the weight of the previous version but far less than Microsoft’s Hololens AR headset. They’re designed to be worn indoors or outdoors with up to 2,000 nits of display brightness, a tradeoff the company clearly made to favor display richness at the expense of battery life.
Two front-facing cameras use the software Snap built for its mobile phone Lenses to automatically detect physical surfaces and place effects in a way that doesn’t obstruct the real world. Two stereo speakers capture audio and allow for the wearer to control them by voice. A touchpad on the side of the frame operates an interface in the displays that Snap calls the Lens Carousel, allowing the wearer to switch AR effects they’re seeing.
Above: two images show AR effects as seen through the new glasses. Lower: the lens carousel interface lets you select different AR effects. Images: Snap
The new Spectacles were announced Thursday at Snap’s virtual Partner Summit for developers, where the company previewed a number of new augmented reality features for Snapchat. Its AR clothing try-on tech can now handle watches and glasses, and businesses will be able to more easily add AR versions of their online catalogs for Snapchat’s 500 million monthly users to try and purchase.
A new feature, called Connected Lenses, allows multiple people to see and interact with the same scene in AR. Snap is also launching an AR “innovation lab” called Ghost and is committing $3.5 million to support creators making effects, with another $1 million in funding with Verizon to fund AR experiences used over 5G.
While Snap is known primarily for the Snapchat app now, these Spectacles indicate how the company’s ambition is to be a major player in the race to build AR glasses. Facebook, Apple, and other tech giants are currently working on their competing devices. Facebook plans to debut its own pair of smart glasses in partnership with RayBan later this year, though they won’t feature AR displays.
According to Spiegel, head-worn devices like these new Spectacles will create a big shift in how we interact with computers. While Snap is betting that millions of people will eventually want to wear Spectacles, the company is content for now to build in public alongside its creators.
“You have to invent a whole new way of interacting with computing when it’s volumetric and integrated with the space around you,” Spiegel said. “So I don’t see Snapchat transitioning to wearables that directly, but one of the things that’s really fun is to think about what the new interaction paradigms can look like.”
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Yep, this is a Swift. It has all the features that characterize Acer’s Swift line: a thin body, a lustrous Acer logo, a chassis so light it’s hard to believe you’re holding a laptop and not an empty shell. But the 3X is targeting a slightly different market from the Swift 3 and Swift 5 for one reason alone: it has a discrete GPU.
Intel’s new Iris Xe Max, the company’s new discrete graphics card, is making its first appearance in an Acer laptop. With a starting price of $899.99, the Swift 3X is both one of the lightest and one of the most affordable systems you can buy with discrete graphics. It’s not a system meant for intense gaming, though — the target audience is closer to amateur creators and students who work with photo and video for class. For this specific demographic, the Swift 3X makes sense. For anyone else, the 3X is a bit below its price point in enough other areas that there are likely better options.
That’s kinda blue, right?
The first thing you might notice about the Swift 3X is its interesting color scheme. The model I tested comes in a new “steam blue” color, which is a nice change from the sea of black and gray laptops that you’ll see in any public setting. There’s a bright blue hinge on the back with “Swift” printed across it as well, which will certainly make the device stand out.
Weight, though, is the standout feature. The 3X weighs just 3.02 pounds and is 0.71 inches thick. As devices with discrete GPUs go, it’s an unusually portable machine. I brought the 3X on a weekend trip and could slip it into a packed backpack with no problem. It didn’t weigh me down at all. In terms of ports, you get a USB 3.2 Type-C Gen 2 with Thunderbolt 4 and DisplayPort, two USB 3.2 Gen 1, and an HDMI 2.0, as well as a combination audio jack. There’s a fingerprint reader below the arrow keys on the chassis, which worked well.
The display is another standout feature. It looks great, with excellent colors and sharp details. What’s nice is that its matte finish, combined with Acer’s ComfyView technology, does a really excellent job of eliminating glare. Using the 3X outdoors was a mixed bag, though — I didn’t see my reflection, but the screen still wasn’t quite bright enough to comfortably use. (It maxed out at 274 nits in our testing — you want at least 300 nits to use a device in very bright settings.)
That said, build quality is one area where the Swift 3X doesn’t quite measure up to competitors. Most of the chassis is aluminum, but it has a bit of a flimsy and plasticky feel. There’s noticeable flex in the keyboard and screen, which I don’t love to see in laptops over $1,000. And it’ll look like a bit of a clunker next to more expensive fare like Acer’s own Swift 5 — a big reason is that the bezels aren’t tiny (Acer claims an 84 percent screen-to-body ratio) and are visibly plastic. It also feels like a step down from some similarly priced devices like the Asus Zenbook 14.
The keyboard and touchpad are functional but not my favorites. They’re a bit shallower and stiffer, respectively, than the best input devices you can find at this price. The touchpad is spacious enough but had significant trouble with palm rejection — my cursor bounced all over the place often while my palm was on the pad, and it sometimes interfered with my typing.
Finally, this isn’t a machine I’d recommend for peripheral-free videoconferencing. While the microphones didn’t have any trouble picking my voice up, the webcam and speakers leave a lot to be desired. The 720p webcam is grainy and didn’t do well in low-light settings. (It doesn’t support Windows Hello facial login, either, though that’s not a crime at this price.) The audio is adequate for Zoom meetings, but I heard some distortion at maximum volume and had to turn the thing down. And I’d recommend an external speaker for anything more. When a friend and I tried to watch a YouTube video on the device, we had to lean in to hear the words clearly. Music has clear vocals, but bass is weak.
The Swift comes loaded with DTS Audio Processing, which allows you to swap between presets for music, movies, and games, but there’s no preset for videoconferencing. I actually preferred listening to music on the movie preset, which seemed to have the best balance overall.
Backlit keyboard and a precision touchpad.
These are all compromises you’re making for the Swift 3X’s main attraction, which is its performance. In addition to the Intel graphics, my review unit is powered by Intel’s Core i7-1165G7. This quad-core chip powers many of the best ultraportable laptops on the market and should be capable of doing whatever general office tasks you need to do. It also enables a number of modern amenities, including support for dual-band Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, and Thunderbolt 4.
My test configuration, which also includes 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, costs $1,199.99. The $899.99 base model has a Core i5-1135G7, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. I imagine that most people in the Swift 3X’s target audience will want the more expensive model (for the extra storage if nothing else) unless they’re on quite a tight budget. But note here that you’re paying a premium for the GPU — an Acer Swift 3 with identical specs to my test model (which is basically this machine without the GPU) costs $999.99, while an Acer Swift 5 (with no GPU, but a step up in build quality and a chassis that’s over half a pound lighter) is just $100 more at $1,299.
The system does deliver, though. I used the Swift 3X to edit a number of photos with multiple other apps and tasks running in the background, and the device breezed through it without any slowdown or lag.
I never felt much heat, even when I was bouncing between over two dozen Chrome tabs — the bottom of the chassis got slightly warm, but that was the extent of it. I only occasionally heard the fans spin up during my daily work. The fold-under hinge creates some extra ventilation space, as do the dual copper heat pipes. You can swap to Performance and Silent fan profiles as well, though I didn’t find the Silent profile necessary given how quiet the Swift was on default settings. I did hear some annoying coil whine on Silent once or twice.
The Iris Xe Max GPU delivers entry-level graphic performance. The Swift 3X scored a 313 on PugetBench for Premiere Pro, which measures a device’s performance on a number of Premiere Pro tasks. That means it’s a step above integrated graphics — it beats the LG Gram 17 and the XPS 13, with the same RAM and processor, and it trounces both the AMD-powered and Intel-powered Surface Laptop 4. But it doesn’t beat the M1 integrated graphics in Apple’s MacBook Air, and it’s still a step down from midrange Nvidia graphics cards: the Dell XPS 15 with a GTX 1650 Ti scored well above a 400.
Intel’s Deep Link technology provides better AI performance, per the company.
To get an idea of how these numbers translate to real-world tasks, we ran a five-minute, 33-second 4K video export. When comparing this machine to good ultraportables with Intel integrated graphics, you’re looking at a two- to three-minute improvement in export time with the Xe Max. The Swift 3X completed the task in eight minutes flat; the Gram 17 and the XPS 13 both took over 10 and a half minutes, while the AMD Surface Laptop 4 took 16:33. The Swift 3X was even 15 seconds faster than the MacBook Air, though the MacBook Pro finished the task in 7:39. Again, though, the Swift 3X is closer in performance to all of the Intel machines than to anything with a decent GPU — the XPS 15 took just 4:23.
Battery life was also a pleasant surprise, given the discrete GPU. I averaged seven hours and 51 minutes of continuous multitasking at around 200 nits of brightness. That’s comparable to the life span I got from the Swift with the same workload and better than what I got from the cheaper Swift 3. An unfortunately large amount of bloatware also comes preloaded onto this device (ExpressVPN, Norton Security Ultra, other various promotional stuff) so you may see better battery life if you take a few minutes to clean all that out.
Buy it for the GPU.
The Acer Swift 3X offers more powerful specs than most laptops you’ll be able to find at its price point, with a standout display and battery life, and it manages to do so while being quite light and portable. It’s a step above machines with Intel’s integrated graphics, and a step below anything with a half-decent Nvidia GPU. That’s the clearest case in its favor — and if that sort of laptop is what you’re looking for, you may be uniquely suited to the 3X. The major competitor at this weight and price point I can think of is the Asus ZenBook 14, which can come with an entry-level Nvidia GPU, but the chips in it are a generation old now, so we wouldn’t expect the same performance.
With that said, most other aspects of the chassis (the touchpad, the keyboard, the webcam, the speakers, the general build) aren’t quite up to par with other devices you can find at the $1,199 price point. I think you have to really want the GPU. If you don’t, but you’re shopping at this price point and are a fan of the Swift line, the Swift 5 offers better build quality, a thinner and lighter chassis, and a better keyboard and touchpad for just $100 more, with integrated graphics that are still pretty dang good.
(Pocket-lint) – Your computer’s internal speakers aren’t really supposed to perform very well. They’re the thing that always gets pushed aside to make way for better processors, more efficient fans, and sleeker designs. So if you’re often watching videos or listening to music on your computer, it’s a great idea to go for some external speakers.
The sound will be so much bigger so you’ll actually be able to understand what people are saying. No, people really don’t sound so tinny in real life.
As with most other speaker systems, there’s a wide variety to choose from in terms of cost and design. You can get the classic two speaker pod design that fits nicely on either side of your computer. Then there’s the soundbar design that works well with desktops unless you have an alternative space for them around your laptop. For that full bass sound, you can go for a subwoofer too.
Our guide to the best computer speakers to buy today
Creative
Creative Pebble 2.0 USB-Powered Desktop Speakers
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We really like the subtle styling of the Creative Pebble 2.0 USB-Powered Desktop Speakers. The black rounded casing and exposed copper driver make a nice distinction from the standard rectangle and mesh speakers you so often get.
It’s USB-powered, so no long cables looking for a wall socket needed. And it’s simple. You just have a volume knob and no complicated adjustments to get good sound.
ELEGIANT
ELEGIANT 10W RGB Desktop Speakers
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Computers can be quite drab, so for those that want to brighten up their desks, the ELEGIANT 10W RGB Desktop Speakers can provide that colour.
It’s got both wired and Bluetooth compatibility, and two 5W drivers pushing out a peak of 200W. That makes for a decent sound for sure. There’s a focus on bringing through both the highs and lows, so you get a nice, deep bass rumble.
Razer
Razer Nommo Chroma Computer Speakers
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These are such cool looking speakers that pack way more of a punch than you’d expect. The Razer Nommo Chroma Computer Speakers are made to bring out the clarity and breadth of the sound of games and movies.
The Custom 3-inch Woven Glass Fiber Drivers and rear-facing bass ports are the sources of all that great sound. And they even have LED lights under their bases for that dash of colour.
Cyber Acoustics
Cyber Acoustics CA-3602FFP 2.1 Speaker Sound System
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Sometimes you just need to feel that bass rumble at your feet, you know? And nothing will deliver that like a dedicated subwoofer. So bring back the noughties, because this three-piece Cyber Acoustics CA-3602FFP 2.1 Speaker Sound System hits hard.
Each speaker has two 2-inch drivers and combined with the 5.25-inch subwoofer, you get 62 watts peak power and 30 watts RMS. And there’s a neat Desktop Control Pod with the controls and a couple of extra AUX inputs.
Sanyun
Sanyun SW102 Computer Speakers
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For a small, unintrusive speaker set, check out the Sanyun SW102 Computer Speakers.
Two 5W drivers power these little cones, and they’re positioned to deliver 3D sound, so don’t worry about which direction they’re pointed.
You’re going to have to like blue lights though because they don’t change colour.
BeBom
BeBomBasics SP20 USB Powered Multimedia Small Desktop Speaker
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The BeBomBasics SP20 USB Powered Multimedia Small Desktop Speakers are something you don’t need to feel precious about.
There are plenty of other super fancy speakers out there that need all the attention just to work properly. but these cheap and cheerful little speakers are a plug-and-play item that requires no thought to use.
TaoTronics
TaoTronics Computer Speakers
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If you don’t want to mess about with individual speakers, then a soundbar design is perfect for you. The TaoTronics Computer Speakers comes in at a very attractive price.
It’s USB powered and has the obligatory AUX headphone jacks, so if you need to stick your headphones on for a while, it’s easy.
The large knob on the side is convenient too – you won’t be searching for it, that’s for sure.
Maboo
Maboo 3.5mm Jack PC Speakers Wired with Subwoofer
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The Maboo 3.5mm Jack PC Speakers Wired with Subwoofer presents a 2.1 speaker system at a very reasonable price. There are two 3W speakers combined with a 2.5W subwoofer to make sure the bass keeps pace.
It’s a straightforward design, and we like the white on black contrast. They’re not large either, so won’t be taking up all the space on your desk.
ZETIY
ZETIY USB Computer Speaker
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The ZETIY USB Computer Speaker is as basic as you get. And that’s a good thing.
It’s USB powered, so no extra cables going into the wall. The USB even takes place of the aux cable too.
And the single speaker means less fuss and space taken up. You can take it wherever you go because it’s small and there’s no worry about cables getting tangled.
Logitech
Logitech Z200 PC Speakers
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We like brands who always deliver the goods while keeping the price in check. Logitech is just one of those brands, and their Z200 PC Speakers are exactly one of those products.
They’re small, but pack a punch, perfect if you don’t have much desk space but want to increase your computer’s audio. Their no-nonsense design is refreshing too.
Writing by Claudio Rebuzzi. Editing by Dan Grabham.
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