Tag Archives: ces

Qualcomm ex

An effort by Qualcomm’s former CEO to take the company private may actually have a chance.  Paul Jacobs left his role as the company’s chairman last month after Broadcom’s hostile takeover attempt failed. Qualcomm announced that Jacobs was looking at buying out the company his father, Irwin Jacobs, co-founded. At the time, such an offer …

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With Odyssey Z, Samsung takes another shot at gaming laptops

If you didn’t realize — or forgot — that Samsung made gaming laptops, you’re not alone. The company launched the line last year at CES 2017,  but received a somewhat mixed reception; some folks felt it was overpriced for its cheap-feeling body and run-of-the-mill components. Surprising for a company with premium mainstream laptops and phones.  The reboot, the 15-inch Odyssey …

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HTC to launch Vive Pro starter kit with controllers, base stations

In an effort to clear up confusion around the Vive Pro upgrade, HTC announced on Tuesday that it’ll be launching a “Vive Pro Starter Kit” starting Thursday. The bundle pairs the Vive Pro Head Mounted Display, two Vive 1.0 controllers and two 1.0 base stations for $1,099.   The HTC Vive Pro, a hardware update to the PC-connected HTC Vive virtual reality system, was …

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Dell XPS 15 makes play for MacBook Pro fans, starts at $999

Dell already has the smallest 13.3-inch laptop, the new XPS 13. Now it’s given the XPS 15 a similar overhaul to make it the smallest 15.6-inch performance laptop available. And at 4 pounds (1.8 kg) it’s one of the lightest, too. Like the XPS 13, Dell achieved the 15’s smaller size by shaving off millimeters around its display, bringing the …

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Why nits are important for your next TV

If you’ve read any TV reviews lately, or anything about modern TV technology, you’ve likely come across the term “nit.” The short version is that it’s a colloquial term for a unit of brightness. That description might be enough for you. Lots of nits = lots of brightness, which helps the image look better in a bright room or with …

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Why Huawei smartphones are locked out of the US

Heading into this year, Huawei’s prospects for finally gaining a foothold in the US appeared to be brightening. The world’s third-largest smartphone maker had just launched its latest flagship, the Huawei Mate 10 Pro, and it was garnering favorable reviews. Speculation had bubbled up that Huawei was poised to announce a partnership with AT&T, the second-largest carrier in the US …

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Best Buy will stop selling Huawei smartphones

It’s going to get harder for Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei to sell its smartphones in the US. Best Buy, the nation’s largest electronics retailer, has ceased ordering new smartphones from Huawei and will stop selling its products over the next few weeks, according to a person familiar with the situation. The retailer will also stop selling its laptops and smartwatches. …

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Sony’s new A8F OLED TV isn’t any cheaper than the old one

Sony fans holding out for a cheaper OLED TV, prepare for a bit of disappointment.  The new A8F series, first shown off at CES 2018 in January, will cost $2,800 at the 55-inch size and $3,800 at the 65-inch size. Those prices are $300 more than the cost of LG’s 2018 C8 series in the same sizes.  Meanwhile the Sony …

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Samsung QLED TVs take on OLED with style, improved picture

Samsung wants you to forget about OLED and go for the Q instead. The company on Wednesday took the wraps off its 2018 lineup of higher-end QLED TVs, providing more details on new features and specific models that were absent from its CES announcements in January.  The biggest news for video quality fans is the confirmation that the two highest-end …

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HTC Vive Pro: premium VR upgrade costs $799, hits April 5

How much would you pay for high-end VR? HTC is betting $799. (UK and AU prices aren’t available yet, but the equivalent is roughly AU$1,040 or £575 converted.) But there’s a catch: This time, that’s only for part of the package. The HTC Vive Pro, a new PC-connected VR hardware update to the original HTC Vive, was unveiled in January …

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