The best smartphones of CES 2020: Samsung, TCL, OnePlus, and more
CES is not always a big show for mobile, with many manufacturers waiting until Mobile World Congress to reveal new devices. But for 2020, a variety of companies came with hardware we will be able to buy soon and a collection of interesting concept devices to tease us with. Here are the best smartphones from CES 2020.
I met Samsung’s artificial humans, and they showed me the future of A.I.
Neon burst onto the scene at CES 2020 in a flurry of hype, but not much understanding of what the company wants to eventually achieve. It's a complex vision of the future, where we live alongside digital humans that look like us, move like us, and can think, learn, and remember.
The camera lenses on OnePlus’s concept phone disappear with a zap of electricity
OnePlus publicly showed off a concept phone called the OnePlus Concept One, and it uses electrochromic glass to hide multiple camera lenses on the back until they're needed. Developed with McLaren, the technology has been seen before on the brand's sports cars. This is the first time it has been miniaturized.
Prinker’s awesome tattoo printer inks you instantly, but not forever
Fancy a tattoo but not the commitment? Check out the Prinker S, a temporary tattoo printer for your skin that works so fast, there's no time for regret. Even if you did question what you've done afterwards, all it takes is some soap and water to erase the tattoo, and you can try again. We tried the printer out at CES.
The best smartwatches of CES 2020: Fossil Gen 5, Diesel, and Amazfit
CES 2020 has proved to be a treasure trove of wearables, and we've seen a wide range of exciting and great-looking new smartwatches, some with some very unusual features. With new watches from Fossil, Diesel, Amazfit, and many more, here are the best smartwatches we've seen at CES 2020.
Company uses genetic secrets of your DNA to spur healthier eating, longer life
Can you avoid health problems that are genetic? Using your DNA, it is potentially possible to understand what food and lifestyle choices will minimize the chances of developing those conditions that your body is predisposed to develop. DnaNudge uses a wristband and an app, along with your DNA, to improve your life.
Amazfit’s T-Rex smartwatch is so tough, it would take dino-mite to break it
Amazfit has made a smartwatch designed to withstand some hard treatment, then named it after a massive dinosaur to hammer the point home. The Amazfit T-Rex has military standard toughness, water resistance, and a rugged design (which is very familiar), along with a very competitive price. We've tried it out.
MediaTek heralds ‘new era’ of 5G with high-spec Dimensity 800 chip
MediaTek announced the Dimensity 800 series 5G SoC, which although it says is a midrange chip for reasonably priced smartphones, is decidedly more high-end than you may first expect. Digital Trends spoke to the company about its plan for the Dimensity 800, and how it's part of the firm's push to find success with 5G.
You won’t disappear with Diesel’s fabulous On Fadelite smartwatch on your wrist
Diesel has taken its stunning translucent watch design from its range of traditional watches and applied it to a smartwatch, resulting in the beautiful On Fadelite. This colorful, fashionable, and truly Diesel-looking smartwatch comes in four different versions, and runs Google's WearOS software.
TCL Communication is a sleeping giant about to awaken, and 5G is its alarm clock
At CES, TCL Communication gave us a preview of the new smartphones it will launch at MWC 2020, which will also be sold in North America. The new TCL 10 range includes a sub-$500 5G version, and it turns out that the new network technology is critical not only to TCL's new phones, but also the timing of its global expansion.
Hardcore Suunto 7 smartwatch takes on Apple Watch in its toughest race yet
Hardcore fitness smartwatch brand Suunto has made the Suunto 7, a new watch that continues its sporting tradition but adds in a lifestyle look and some clever battery-saving technology to make it attractive to new fans. This means the company has to compete with winning smartwatches like the Apple Watch.
5 times Apple won the decade, and 5 times it lost
How good has Apple's decade been? Like all of us, it has been full of ups and downs -- good things, and some considerably worse things. The high points are easy to find, but in the interests of fairness, we've collected 5 things the company would rather forget. Here are Apple's top 5 wins and losses over the past 10 years.
Liars, thieves, and exploding phones: 10 tech scandals from the last 10 years
The last ten years has given us a mass of amazing technology, changing the way we live forever. However, some of the people and companies behind these achievements aren't always on their best behavior, and that has generated some pretty nasty scandals during the same amount of time. Here's 10 of the best -- er, worst.
These are the coolest tech souvenirs we found in Tokyo’s famous Electric Town
The time limit was two hours, and in that time we wanted to find the coolest tech-related souvenir in Akihabara, Tokyo's famous Electric Town. It's easier said than done, and it certainly won't be a cheap endeavor. Here's what we found, from phones to robots. Which one would you have brought home?
Galaxy Fold and Google Glass show how our attitudes toward new tech have changed
They couldn't be more different visually, but there are some striking similarities between Google Glass and the Samsung Galaxy Fold, especially at the beginning of their respective lives. However, the end result couldn't be more different, and it shows how out attitudes to expensive, innovative new technology has changed.
Who is Hikari-chan? She is the mind-blowing future of A.I. in your home
It's easy to pass Gatebox off as a anime-themed smart speaker, but it is far from something so mundane. Inside is a carefully crafted digital character, Azuma Hikari, who uses some clever artificial intelligence to become your friend not your servant. Digital Trends spoke to the CEO of the company about it.
Who needs 5G? In Japan, this smart city does what its citizens need, right now
Smart cities are often seen as hives of future tech, only made possible with high speed connections and autonomous cars. In the Japanese city of Fukuoka, messaging app Line is already operating a smart city -- just in a different way than you may expect. Instead of focusing on the future, it concentrates on helping its citizens right now.
iPhone 11 Pro vs. Google Pixel 4 in a portrait mode camera shootout
How good is the portrait mode on the latest flagship smartphones? We took the iPhone 11 Pro and the Google Pixel 4 along to a photo shoot to find out, and threw the Galaxy Fold and the Huawei Mate 30 Pro in the bag too. Here's what happened when we played with portrait mode, and the different modes and lighting effects.
Apple’s latest tech acquisition gives us a hint about its future camera plans
Apple has acquired an imaging technology startup called Spectral Edge, and it may give us a hint about what to expect from future iPhone cameras. The company has patented technology that brings out more color, detail, and clarity in photos by using special image processing techniques and an infrared sensor, rather than filters.
Star Wars Amazfit smartwatch says train you must, because Vader’s watching
Amazfit, makers of reasonably priced smartwatches, have a Star Wars special edition smartwatch coming out in December. The special watch has all the things you expect from a fitness-orientated watch, plus Star Wars-themed watch faces and even special motivational messages on the strap. Take a closer look here.
How Sony’s camera guru is transforming Sony Mobile, starting with the Xperia 5
The man who was responsible for changing the fortunes of Sony Imaging has turned his attention to Sony Mobile, and is utilizing a similar plan to turnaround the struggling phone department. We spoke to members of the team in Tokyo, Japan to understand more, and to find out why it's blending pro-level tech into its new phones.
Apple’s working on a way to not charge more for its redesigned, 2020 5G iPhone
It will cost Apple more to produce its rumored, redesigned 5G iPhone next year, but the good news is the company is working on ways to absorb these costs, and not pass them on to you with a more expensive phone. This may mean the cheapest 5G iPhone will cost around $1,000, the same as you will pay for an iPhone 11 Pro now.
‘Bold and risky’ strategy pushes Samsung to sell a million Galaxy Fold phones
Samsung says it has sold a million Galaxy Fold smartphones, despite a shaky start that saw early units recalled and the public launch delayed. Speaking to a research analyst, Digital Trends learned how a "bold and risky" strategy has paid off for Samsung, and what it means for folding phones in the future.
Samsung Galaxy S11 and clamshell folding phone may launch in February
Samsung may be planning a very exciting event for early 2020. A rumor says the Galaxy S11 and the next Samsung folding smartphone may arrive on February 18 next year, at an event said to be held in San Francisco. The Galaxy S11's arrival may be overshadowed by a Razr-challenging clamshell foldable phone.
Mobvoi’s connected Ticwatch Pro 4G LTE takes on Apple and Samsung in the U.K.
The Mobvoi Ticwatch Pro 4G LTE is one of the few cellular-connected WearOS smartwatches available, and after only being available in the U.S. on Verizon, it has now been released in the U.K. on the Vodafone network. The smartwatch has several unusual features, including a battery-boosting dual-screen feature.
How messaging app Line thrives on a culture of chaos, not cuteness
Messaging app Line may be best known outside Asia for its cute characters and stickers, but there is a massive team of developers working behind the scenes on the innovative platform. We visited Line's Developer Day in Tokyo to speak to the company's CTO, and discovered it's not driven by cuteness, but thrives on chaos.
Oppo steps into augmented reality with its HoloLens-like AR Glass headset
Oppo doesn't only want to be known as a smartphone maker, and is branching out into new product categories, with the new AR Glass headset being one of the more exciting examples of the shift. It appears to take on Microsoft's HoloLens headset, and will provide augmented reality fun and games after launch next year.
Huawei rumored to be developing graphene battery tech for the P40 Pro
A rumor says Huawei is working on some very exciting new tech for the forthcoming P40 Pro: The battery may incorporate graphene technology that increases the capacity without making the cell too large, and enable even faster charging too. The rumor does not come from Huawei, so it should be treated as speculation for now.
You better believe a port-less iPhone is coming in 2021
Rumor has it Apple's 2021 iPhone won't have a Lightning charging port. In fact, it won't have any ports at all, forcing a dramatic shift to wireless chargers, Bluetooth headphones, and -- wait what about syncing? Sound implausible? It's not, Apple has been pushing towards a wireless future for years.
Samsung’s Star Wars edition Galaxy Note 10 Plus is no longer far, far away
Samsung's exciting Star Wars special edition Galaxy Note 10 Plus has arrived earlier than we expected and is now available for pre-order through the company's online store. What do you get? It's a great themed package with a custom phone, case, and even Galaxy Buds true wireless headphones included.
Made from decades-old leather, only 197 of these Apple Watch straps exist
Pad & Quill has made a truly special Apple Watch strap. Based on its Lowry Cuff design, this limited edition is made from decades-old leather, comes individually numbered, and is even signed by the craftsman that makes it. Sure, it's going to cost you a little extra, but for something unique like this, it'll be worth it.
Qualcomm’s working with Apple ‘as fast as it can’ to help launch a 5G iPhone
With lawsuits behind them, Qualcomm says it is working closely with Apple to launch a 5G iPhone "as fast as it can." Qualcomm will supply Apple with crucial modem components, so the next iPhone to be released could be able to connect to high speed 5G networks. The 5G iPhone is rumored for release in late 2020.