2 min read Last Updated : Jun 24 2024 | 5:01 PM IST
Samsung has launched the Music Frame wireless Bluetooth speaker, which doubles up as a picture frame, in India. Designed for homes, the speaker has a minimal wall-mountable design. Moreover, it looks like a real frame supported by an option to display photos. The Samsung Music Frame will be available on Samsung India website and Amazon.
Samsung Music Frame: Price and availability
Priced at Rs 23,990, the Samsung Music Frame is now available for purchase on Samsung India’s official website, e-commerce platform Amazon India, and at select offline stores.
Samsung Music Frame: Details
The Samsung Music Frame leverages its support for Dolby Atmos surround sound to elevate the audio listening experience. Samsung said that the wireless speaker creates a three-dimensional audio experience, creating a lifelike soundscape. Samsung also stated that the Music Frame maintains a balanced and consistent audio quality by eliminating uneven sound distribution.
The speaker features “Adaptive Audio” technology, which it said allows the speaker to self-adapt the audio output in-line with the content in real-time, offering an optimised audio listening experience. It also features Samsung’s SpaceFit Sound Pro technology that analyses the acoustics of the room and adjusts the sound output accordingly. Utilising compatibility with Samsung SmartThings app, users can further customise the audio with different equaliser settings. The Music Frame also offers Samsung’s Q-symphony feature that allows stereo speaker experience when using two Music Frame devices.
For hands free usage, the Samsung Music Framer comes with built-in voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. Utilising the voice assistant of choice, users can vocally command the device to perform actions such as playing and pausing the track, volume adjustments, and more.
After experimenting with devices based on the foldable form factor, Vivo finally launched its maiden foldable in India in 2024. Named the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro, the smartphone capitalises on the late-mover advantage by addressing some common limitations associated with this form factor. According to the company, these issues, such as a heavy and bulky design, non-flagship camera system, unoptimised user interface (especially for the larger display), and durability, have been resolved. Moreover, to stay competitive, the smartphone from the Chinese manufacturer features artificial intelligence integrated into the operating system. All of this comes at a price of Rs 159,999. Is it expensive, or does the experience justify the premium price tag? Let us find out:
Design
The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro exhibits a degree of thickness (Unfolded: 11.2mm | Folded: 5.2mm) and weight (236g) that is on par with traditional bar-shaped smartphones, especially when compared to the top-end pro and ultra models. However, the thickness is impacted by the rear-camera bulge, which is as thick as the frame. Though the rear-camera module is centre aligned, it hinders the in-hand experience by obstructing hand and finger movements. In the folded state, the camera module elevates the phone at an angle but does not cause the phone to wobble on flat surfaces. However, when unfolded, it renders the phone nearly unusable on flat surfaces due to excessive play on all sides.
Another design challenge is posed by the alert slider, which is placed a little upwards on the top half of the frame. Therefore, you need to stretch your fingers a little more to operate the alert slider in a folded state. In an unfolded state, which requires both hands on deck, operating the alert slider is not an issue.
Hinge
The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro has a smooth hinge movement, which enables easy folding and unfolding experience. Importantly, the hinge offers full fold experience and does not leave any visible gaps between the two halves of the device, thus minimising the risk of dust and debris entering the main display. The device is IPX8 rated, offering water resistance but no dust protection. The hinge also effectively conceals the display crease, which, while present, is not as prominently visible as on other foldable devices.
Displays
The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro boasts two equally capable displays—an inward-bending main display and a cover display. The cover display is a 6.53-inch fullHD+ AMOLED panel with LTPO 8T technology for adaptive refresh rate that goes all the way up to 120Hz. The bendable display is an 8.03-inch 2K+ AMOLED panel with the same adaptive refresh rate capabilities (up to 120Hz). Both displays are exceptionally bright and support Dolby Vision.
Notably, both the cover display and bendable display support in-display fingerprint recognition for phone unlock. This is a thoughtful addition to enable direct use of a larger bendable display without necessitating device unlock from cover display first. Likewise, the face unlock mechanism works with cameras on both the cover display and bendable display.
Starting with the cover display, it is tall (21:9 aspect ratio), pixel-rich, and bright. However, the tall aspect ratio results in narrow width space and that leaves limited space for on-screen keyboard layout. Therefore, you may end up correcting text more often in the first few days of use – until you get used to using it. Apart from this, the cover display does not exhibit any issue that could potentially hinder the use. It is good for watching videos, scrolling through social media timelines, and for general everyday use.
Coming to the bendable display, it is as capable as the cover display but with a large canvas stretched in almost square aspect ratio. This display mirrors the interface of the cover display, but optimised to handle multiple windows and apps more effectively – there is support for split screen and floating windows. Moreover, there is an omnipresent taskbar that can be hidden, if required, using a simple double tap gesture anywhere on the taskbar.
Vivo has optimised its own and selected third-party apps to provide an intuitive experience on the large display. For instance, apps such as Outlook, Instagram, and WhatsApp have different interfaces for the main display and cover display. This design facilitates multitasking, efficient app switching, and drag-and-drop functionality in supported apps.
Camera
The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro sports a total of five camera sensors—three on the rear, one on the cover display, and one on the bendable display. The rear camera setup comprises a 50-megapixel autofocus sensor with optical image stabilisation, a 50MP ultra-wide-angle sensor with autofocus, and a 64MP 3x telephoto with OIS and autofocus. The cover display houses a 32MP fixed-focus sensor, and the bendable display sports a 32MP fixed-focus camera sensor. Like its premium bar-shaped smartphones, the camera system is powered by a dedicated V3 chip for improved imaging experience, especially with regard to high resolution videos. Moreover, there are add-on features co-engineered with German optics entity Zeiss.
The flagship-grade camera system is the headline feature of the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro. It is versatile, easy to use, and packed with several value-added features for one to explore and experiment with. Starting with the main camera sensor, it stands out with consistent performance in various lighting conditions. It offers natural shallow depth-of-field, enhancing the quality of shots and ensuring accurate focus most of the time.
The ultra-wide-angle camera performs well in daylight conditions but struggles in low-light environments, exhibiting noise and difficulty capturing essential details like shadows, highlights, and contrast. Not that the output from the ultra-wide-angle camera is bad, but the other two cameras on the rear are better equipped in comparison. Nevertheless, the UW sensor supports autofocus that enables close-up shots, but these are best taken in good lighting conditions.
The 3x telephoto lens is good, too, excelling in daylight conditions. Tuned for portraits, the telephoto is also capable of macro photography. Essentially, it allows you to utilise telephoto sensors for close-up shots, eliminating the need for close proximity to the subject.
The 32MP camera sensor on the cover display is good, placed in the centre of the top side. However, the 32MP camera sensor on the main display is positioned at the top-right corner in horizontal orientation, requiring users to adjust the frame and look directly at the camera for natural-looking photos. Despite this inconvenience, the camera compensates with impressive image quality, surpassing the under-display camera found in other foldable devices.
As for the value-added features, the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro excels in portraits at different focal lengths, mimicking the Zeiss lens effects. The main camera on the rear can record videos in up to 8K resolution at 30fps. Option to record 4K at 60fps is available across the rear camera system, and you can switch between the available sensors while recording. There is a dedicated cinematic portrait mode, powered by the V3 chip, which can record videos with enhanced background blur and strong focus on subject. Surprisingly, it records in 4K at 30fps.
Performance
Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, paired with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro delivers a smooth experience with no lag or slow down even during extended use. Core features such as multitasking on the large bendable display, cinematic portrait video recording in 4K at 30fps, and drag-and-drop function work without a hiccup. Gaming experience is good, too, but not all games are optimised for the large display.
Software and AI
Based on Android 14, the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro boots Funtouch OS 14 that is optimised for foldable form factor. But most importantly, there are AI features incorporated in partnership with Google. The AI features are not limited to imaging, but extends to productivity. For example, the built-in notes app from Vivo supports AI-generated summaries. It works as intended and simplifies the job of note taking to a larger extent. Likewise, there is a new voice recording powered by AI to offer editable transcriptions. These features are linked to the Vivo account and cannot be used until you register and sign-in.
Battery
The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro excels in battery performance, providing an impressive screen-on time of approximately eight hours in mixed usage. This translates to a foldable device that can confidently last a full day before requiring a recharge. Speaking of charging, the device supports 100W fast wired charging, which takes just about an hour to fully recharge the 5,700 mAh battery. The device also supports 50W wireless charging, but with a specified charger from Vivo only.
Verdict
The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro is a noteworthy foldable smartphone excelling in various aspects. It boasts high-quality displays, a flagship-grade imaging system, and AI features, making it a versatile device suitable for diverse users. Additionally, its compact design, sturdy construction, and water ingress protection position it as a strong contender in the foldable device market.
Representative Image: Action Button on the iPhone 15 Pro
2 min read Last Updated : Jun 24 2024 | 3:45 PM IST
Apple Intelligence is the talk of the town after WWDC 2024, but all eyes are now on the next-generation iPhones that are slated for launch in September – going by Apple’s iPhone launch cycle tradition. Anticipated to be called the iPhone 16 series, the lineup would comprise four models – two in baseline and two in Pro line. All four models in the lineup are expected to bring major design changes. Moreover, all the models in the series are expected to get a new capacitive button, backed by Apple Haptic engine, in addition to the Action Button.
iPhone 16 series design: What to expect
The biggest change on the iPhone 16 in terms of design is expected to be on the rear camera module. Unlike the squared-off bump with diagonally aligned dual-camera set-up on the current generation model, Apple is reportedly reducing the surface area of the bump with vertically aligned dual cameras on a pill shaped rear bump reminiscent of the iPhone X. The rear flash which currently sits on top of the camera island would likely move on the side of the bump.
The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus models are also anticipated to feature the “Action Button”, which debuted on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models. The customisable Action Button will replace the mute switch and bring more functionality with options for more actions apart from muting the device.
Another major change would likely be the addition of a dedicated camera button, which the company may call the “Capture Button”. The Capture Button is expected to be available across the iPhone 16 series and would likely be haptic in nature rather than mechanical. The haptic engine on the Capture Button would reportedly allow users to take camera actions with customisable gestures such as single tap to focus, double tap to click a picture and more.
Apart from the design change, the camera system on the base variants of the iPhone 16 series are also anticipated to get the ability to click spatial photos and videos which can be viewed on Apple’s Vision Pro mixed-reality headset.
2 min read Last Updated : Jun 24 2024 | 2:36 PM IST
OnePlus is set to launch the Nord CE4 Lite 5G on June 24. The baseline model in the Nord line-up will be launched at a digital event, which will kick off at 7:00 pm (IST). The event will be livestream on the company’s official website and YouTube channel. You can watch the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite 5G event live stream on the video embedded towards the end of the article.
OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite 5G: What to expect
In a run up to the launch, OnePlus has confirmed that the Nord CE4 Lite 5G will boast an AMOLED display, 50MP main camera (Sony LYT-600) with optical image stabilisation (OIS), 5,500 mAh battery with support for 80W fast wired charging. Moreover, the company confirmed that the phone will support reverse charging that will allow it to double as a power bank to charge supported accessories using its built-in battery capacity.
While OnePlus has not detailed the specifications, the Nord CE4 Lite 5G is expected to sport an AMOLED display of 120Hz refresh rate. The smartphone is expected to boast a dual-speaker system for audio, powered by Dirac. It is expected to be offered in up to 8GB RAM and 256GB on-board storage.
Neuralink’s first patient, Noland Arbaugh, mentioned that a hacker could potentially access his texts and emails if he is connected to his computer (Screengrab)
2 min read Last Updated : Jun 24 2024 | 2:12 PM IST
Neuralink’s groundbreaking brain chip, which debuted with promising results for its first recipient, Noland Arbaugh, in January, has sparked intriguing discussions about its potential vulnerabilities, including the possibility of hacking.
But is it possible that the Neuralink chip could be hacked?
“The short answer is yes,” Arbaugh affirmed during a recent podcast interview with Joe Rogan, shedding light on the cybersecurity implications of his brain implant.
While Rogan playfully mused about the prospect of humans being “hijacked” into becoming cyborgs, Arbaugh pragmatically discussed the limited risks of current hacking attempts.
“You might be able to see some of the brain signals,” Arbaugh said, adding, “You might be able to see some of the data that Neuralink’s collecting.”
The specifics of such data remain unclear. The Neuralink chip, roughly the size of a coin and equipped with thousands of electrodes, monitors and stimulates brain activity, transmitting vital information digitally to researchers.
Arbaugh, a 29-year-old quadriplegic, has previously shared how the brain chip has enhanced his independence and social connectivity, allowing him to control a computer cursor solely with his thoughts.
“I’ve been using it to message people on X, use Instagram, reply to emails, play fantasy sports, read comics online, and access a site I use to learn Japanese,” he said. “I also used it to book a hotel for when I visited Neuralink’s headquarters.”
Discussing potential vulnerabilities, Arbaugh noted that if his computer were compromised during use, someone could control his mouse cursor or access messages and emails.
Despite these risks, Arbaugh acknowledged that concerns about hacking were addressed before he began the study and remains unfazed.
“It is what it is. If it happens, it happens,” Arbaugh said.
Currently, Neuralink primarily focuses on medical applications. Founder Elon Musk envisions future capabilities extending to treating conditions such as autism and schizophrenia, though some neuroscientists question the chip’s ability to alter the brain’s developmental structure in these cases. For patients like Arbaugh, however, the technology offers hope for improved mobility.
Looking ahead, Musk further aims to mainstream Neuralink chips, envisioning them as a “Fitbit in your skull.” Should this vision materialise, cybersecurity concerns may become more urgent.
2 min read Last Updated : Jun 24 2024 | 1:34 PM IST
Apple is reportedly working on an affordable version of the Vision Pro mixed-reality headset that would work like an accessory for Mac and iPhone. According to a Bloomberg report, Apple is considering making a new version of the Vision Pro that would be reliant on a tethered Mac or iPhone. Additionally, the company might cut down on some display specifications as well to reduce the cost of the headset.
According to the report, Apple’s Vision Product Group, the division in charge of the company’s mixed-reality headset, is focusing on a cheaper version of the Vision Pro that has been codenamed N107. The report stated that to cut-down on the cost of the device, Apple could strip out the EyeSight display, the external display that shows a user’s eyes on the outside. The company is also likely to lower the display resolution of the internal screens with narrower field of view.
While these might cut down the cost of the device to some extent, Apple is reportedly focused on making the Vision Pro more of a mainstream product. To do this the Cupertino-based technology giant might resort to reducing the processing power of the device by integrating a less powerful chip. The report stated that Apple could also completely remove the components needed to make the cheaper Vision Pro a standalone product to reduce the cost even further.
While a more affordable mixed reality headset might be the primary focus of Apple currently, the company is also reportedly working on the second-generation Vision Pro headset. Contradicting previous media reports that stated that Apple might not bring a second generation model of the high-end Vision Pro headset, Bloomberg reported that the company has no plans to abandon the high end of the headset market.
The report stated that the company is working on a model that has been named N109 internally and appears to be similar to the current generation Apple Vision Pro headset. However, the device is expected to get a faster processor and an improved external camera system along with reduced overall weight.
