Category: Mobile Computing

Analogue’s Pocket Is A Modern Handheld Console For Your Old Gameboy Games

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Analogue, a company known in creating new consoles based on old systems, has come out with their latest product. Pocket is essentially the Game Boy, designed for this decade.

The Pocket has a black piano finish, with the same size of the Game Boy Color. What makes this handheld amazing however is the support is has out of the box; not only it can play classic Game Boy games, but the cartridge slot can support Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance cartridges. This is a game library of over 2,700 titles, and the display of the handheld is about 10 times of the original Game Boy.

Additionally, Analogue is also creating a dock for the Pocket that can connect to TVs/external displays, so you can play the original Tetris or Pokemon Green on the big screen TV. The built-in display is a 3.5-inch 1600 x 1440 panel with 665ppi. It charges/connects via USB Type C, includes an SD slot, and there is also a built-in synthesizer called Nanoloop.

In the future, Analogue also wants to support other handhelds. Adaptors for other devices such as Game gear, Neo Geo Color Pocket and others are in the works.

Analogue will be selling the Pocket in 2020, for the price of USD 199 (~RM 833), with the dock and adaptors sold separately.

Playstation 5 Is Coming Holiday Season 2020

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Through an exclusive interview in Wired Magazine, Playstation has confirmed that the Playstation 5 will be coming to store shelves in 2020 during the holiday season.

Inside the new Playstation 5, Sony has opted for some very PC-like parts. This includes a custom 7nm AMD Ryzen CPU and Navi-based AMD Radeon GPU, alongside solid state drive and support for 8K resolution. In the Wired interview, several nuggets of information has appeared, to further hype the upcoming new gen console from Sony.

This includes the presence of Ray Tracing, 4K Blu-ray support, 100GB optical disks, new UI for the dashboard, and more. The new Dualshock will also look more or less like the current line of Dualshocks, but with USB Type C, bigger battery and better speakers, alongside new button customization and tweaks.

Holiday 2020 is literally a year away, so we have until that point to break our piggy banks. No news if the Playstation 5 (which is the official name by the way) will have PS4 games backwards compatibility – here hoping this feature will be present in the launch model.

Amazon Introduces Kindle Kids Edition

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Amazon took of the wraps of their latest Kindle model – Kindle Kids Edition. Apart from making the design kid-friendly, Amazon also added several new software features to help kids learn while reading on their new Kindle.

Outside, the Kindle Kids Edition looks similar to the standard Kindle, but parents can now choose from a multitude of colours and design to customise the device for their kids – out of four colourful cases. Otherwise the hardware is similar to the standard Kindle.

With every purchase of the Kindle Kids Edition, Amazon is throwing in a two-year worry-free guarantee and one-year of complimentary access to the company’s FreeTime Unlimited service. The guarantee includes a 1:1 replacement if anything were to happen to the Kindle during the two-year period. Meanwhile under FreeTime Unlimited, Amazon offers over 20,000 kid-friendly books, video and apps with no monthly fee.

Software wise the new device adds a feature called Word Wise, automatically defining any difficult words for the child. As this is based on the recently updated Kindle, there is an adjustable front light for in-the-dark reading experience.

The new Kindle Kids Edition will cost USD109.99 (~RM 460), which includes the two-year replacement guarantee and one-year FreeTIme Unlimited service. The latter can later be added to any Prime subscription for USD 2.99 (~RM 12.54), or USD 4.99 (~RM 20.93) as a standalone sub.

Samsung Galaxy Fold Is Official In Malaysia; Price Starts From RM 8388

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The hotly anticipated device is coming soon to Malaysia – Samsung’s Galaxy Fold will be available for pre-order for consumers (at least those who has the moolah) for a cool RM 8388.

As a recap, the Galaxy Fold was previously announced then retracted its availability due to some production woes and design problems. In particular, the ease of dust and particles to slip in between the display and get lodged in it, harming the display in the process.

The device features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, and the unique dual displays that makes the Galaxy Fold a unique standout. The smaller display is a 4.6” 720p display, located on the ‘outside’ of the fold. Meanwhile the main display is a 7.3″ full rectangle display, with a resolution of 2152 x 1536 pixels.

Video via CNET

Samsung Malaysia confirmed that the Malaysian model will be the one with the 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. Imaging on the Fold is similar to the Galaxy Note 10, with a triple sensor package of 12.0 MP + 16.0 MP + 12.0 MP.

The Samsung Galaxy fold will be priced at RM 8,388 for the Malaysian market, and receive the Galaxy Fold Premier Service package that includes 24/7 Premium Careline, free On-site Pick-Up and Delivery for Service Support within 12 months of purchase.

Microsoft Introduces The Next Stage of Computing: The Surface Neo And Surface Duo

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Previously thought as just vaporware and whisperings of the tech underground, Microsoft shared with the world two new concepts for 2020 at the Surface event – the Surface Neo and the Surface Duo.

Riding on the current obsession of folding devices, the Surface Neo is a two-screened device that runs Windows 10 X, a new Windows fork designed for multi-screen portable devices. The Neo is said to run on Intel’s upcoming Lakefield processor, which one model features the combination of Atom and Sunny Cove CPU cores – essentially a big.LITTLE architecture on x86. The dual screen can be flipped 360 degrees – sort like Lenovo’s YOGA series.

A cool feature is the optional Bluetooth keyboard. The keyboard can be attached magnetically onto the back of the Neo, and then flipped onto one of the screens to turn it into a mini laptop. The Neo also works with Microsoft’s latest Surface Slim Stylus – it magnetically attaches to the top of the Neo, and also charges itself using wireless charging.

The Surfarce Duo meanwhile is the return of Microsoft to the smartphone game. It shares the same design as the Neo – only smaller. It runs Android, and from the teaser video, it is using Microsoft’s Launcher (which is available for any Android device currently). One feature looks to be omitted on the Duo are cameras – the only camera seen is for video calling/selfies.

The two devices are slated to be out by the holiday season…of 2020. Yes, Microsoft announced the devices a year early. This is no doubt to deter any leaks or speculations. Plus it can help spur its partners to create something similar for the ecosystem as well.

Microsoft Surface ProX is the Next Generation Surface Refined

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Apart from the Surface 7 and Laptop 3, Microsoft also announced a new Surface model. The ProX is the company’s slimmest Surface yet, and it runs Windows 10 on ARM.

It shares the general 3:2 display inherited from the Surface 2 formfactor, but it is now light. How light? The tablet itself is only about 750 grams. When you add on the type-cover, it goes up to almost a kilo. Almost.

The new Type-cover for the ProX hides a special gimmick – at the fold, the new slim Surface pen lives and wirelessly charges. The keys on type-cover is the same as the one we love.

Inside of the ProX is Microsoft’s own cipset – the SQ1. It was co-developed with Snapdragon, and may include elements from the Snapdragon 8cx. The 13-inch screen is the same Pixel Sense screen tech as other surfaces, so the display quality will be good.

As it is running on ARM, expect good battery life on the ProX. Plus it is running Windows 10, so productivity will be great for users. Additionally, users can upgrade the storage of the ProX easily through an access panel located under the kickstand. Two USB Type-C completes the package.

The Microsoft Surface ProX will start from USD 999 (~RM 4187) when it ships in mid November.

Microsoft Surface 7 and Laptop 3 Upgrades The Family With USB Type-C

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Microsoft announced the update to the Surface lineup in an event in New York. The new Surface 7 and Surface Laptop 3 sees updates in design and features – but the overall look fo the two devices are generally the same as their predecessors.

First of the bat is the Surface 7. It has the same general size, and look as the previous generation. What is different is mainly underneath the skin. It features the new tenth-generation Intel Core processors, ranging from the i3 to the i7. The biggest difference is the inclusion of a USB Type-C port for high-speed data transfers. You still have the single USB Type-A to complement the new port.

Next, the Surface Laptop 3 now comes in two new sizes. The 13-inch model is a logical upgrade to last year’s model, with newer Intel tenth-generation processors but maintains generally the same as per last year’s model. What is new is the larger 15-inch device. It is the first Surface with AMD Ryzen, a Microsoft Surface edition designed specifically for the 15-inch device. Yes, there will be Vega cores on the chip (9 or 11), so you can game on the Surface Laptop 3.

Better still, the new Laptop 3 15 now comes with a new finish – machined aluminium. Yes, there is more than just Alcantara for the Laptop line.

Both devices will have touchscreens, USB Type-C and larger touchpads for better gestures on the go. The Surface 7, Laptop 3 13 and Laptop 4 15 is now available for preorder in the US and will ship sometime at the end of the month of October.

Logitech New PRO X Mechanical Keyboard Allows Both Switch And Keycap Swap At Will

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Logitech’s new keyboard may interest customizers. The PRO X Mechanical Gaming Keyboard features hot-swappable mechanical switches on the fly, perfect for those who wants multiple switches on their keyboard.

Three different mechanical switches can be purchased – tactile GX Brown, linear Red GX and clicky Blue GX switches. The three switches is said to be similar to its Cherry counterparts in action.

The keyboard itself is a ten-keyless design, with full RGB colour support. As the GX switches are Cherry-MX compatible, users can also swap the keys with Cherry MX switches, or other switches that uses the blade-pin for connection to the keyboard.

The PRO X Mechanical Gaming keyboard is priced at USD 149.99 (~RM628), while a model with permanent Blue switches will be priced at USD 129.99 (~RM 544). Logitech’s replacement keys (92 pieces) sells at USD 50 (~RM 210) a pop. Pricey, but gives you complete customization on how your keyboard feels in game.

Sony Playstation To Receive Possible AI-powered Digital Assistant

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A new patent surfaced online hints that Sony is possibly developing a personal assistant for its Playstation of devices. Called PlayStation Assist, the digital assistant is geared towards gamers on the PSN platform.

First tweeted by Daniel Ahmed (@ZhugeEx), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) patent was granted to Sony recently. Using voice, the digital assistant can help players to get info, details or even specifics on a game with ease. Plus, it can even help set and arrange playtime with friends in the PSN platform.

Better yet, the digital assistant is touted to be usable in-game as well. It is unconfirmed which games will be usable with the digital assistant as of yet, or will it be backwards compatible, but players can ask the assistant for game-specific enquiries such as location of healthpacks or even tips to complete the game.

Additionally, the patent states that there should be a companion app to be used with the assistant, which could be the main screen of interaction for PlayStation Assist. As this is only a patent, no confirmation if it will ever be made into reality – but if it does, it could spell the start of a whole new level of interaction with games.

New Surface Devices Leaked Online

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Our favourite leaker, EvanBlass (@evleaks), has just shared a few new images of the upcoming Surface products from Microsoft. Two tablets and two laptops are set to be launched soon by Microsoft to the world.

The Surface 7 is the headline of the four devices. It retains the classic Surface design, with the infinitely adjustable kickstand and a 3:2 display on the front. An addition that we all have been asking for is finally available on the Surface 7 – a USB Type-C port. It also retains the original USB Type-A port as well as the Surface port for charging and/or dock. No news if the USB Type-C is data only, data + power or data + power + display.

Next are two additions to the Surface laptop lineup. Available in two models – 13 and 15 inches – Microsoft looks have omitted the Alcantara covering. Pictures shown by Evan shows the keyboard, similar in design to the previous device. The only visibly port is the Surface port, so it is unknown what other connectivity the laptops will have for users.

Lastly is the ARM-powered Surface device. This this-and-light device comes with two USB Type-C ports, the Surface connector and a new type-cover is a bit bulkier than the typical Microsoft type-cover. This Surface may sport a Snapdragon chip for processing power. The Microsoft event is set to launch sometime in the next few days, so we should get more info on the devices by then. Meanwhile, feast your eyes on the design of the new Surface devices.