In a dedicated blog post, Qualcomm announced that the upcoming Snapdragon 820 chipset will be up to twice as powerful and energy efficient as its predecessor, Snapdragon 810. The San Diego-based chipmaker has developed the SoC specifically with high-end, ultra-thin devices in mind.

Snapdragon 820 has its cores designed for heterogenous computing. The process allows the chipset combine various cores such as CPU, GPU, and DSP to perform a task, instead of using a single core for it.

The quad-core Kryo CPU with 64-bit architecture found in the Snapdragon 820 has been integrated tightly with the Adreno 530 GPU and the Hexagon 680 DSP of the chipset. The Kryo processor has been manufactured via 14nm FinFET process, so it promises to go easy on the battery as well.

In short, Snapdragon 820 promises to be a much more stellar proposition than its controversial predecessor. Qualcomm has been quite keen on stirring up hype around the component, so expectations towards it will surely be high when it debuts in a device.

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Lenovo has unveiled the Vibe S1 smartphone at the ongoing IFA event in Berlin. The main feature of the device is that it comes with two front cameras, something which the company says allows users to give their selfies “a creative twist.”

There’s an 8MP primary front camera which takes selfies, and a 2MP secondary front unit which analyzes depth of field information to replicate human binocular vision.

To help you give your selfie a creative touch, there are several built-in photo editing tools. For example, “blur allows refocusing anywhere on the seflie (up to 3 focal plains) or adding a bokeh photo effect to the background to stylize a selfie or simply to get rid of a photo bomber,” the company explained in its press release.

There’s also a tool called Cut Out which lets you crop people out of a selfie and place them on any other image.

Specs-wise, the handset is powered by a 64-bit MediaTek Octa-Core processor, and sports a 5″ Full HD display. It comes with 3GB RAM and 32GB expandable internal memory, and packs in a 2500 mAh battery. In terms of camera, aside from the already-mentioned two front shooters, there’s also a 13MP rear unit. The device offers LTE connectivity and runs Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box.

The Vibe S1 will go on sale starting November, and will be available in markets where Lenovo smartphones are sold. Pricing begins at $299, and the device will be available in Pearl White and Midnight Blue color options.

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The Chinese manufacturer Lenovo took the wraps off three entertainment-centric Yoga Tab 3 tablets with Android on board. The trio of slates includes two affordable Yoga Tab 3 offering, as well as a high-end Yoga Tab 3 tablet with built-in projector.

Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro 10 is the flagship entry in the bunch, packing a 10.1″ display with 2560 x 1600 pixels and 70″ projector screen. The slate also features sound bar with four speakers, tuned by Wolfson and capable of offering Dolby Atmos experience.

Hardware-wise, the Tab 3 Pro 10 features Intel Atom x5-Z8500 SoC with 2.24GHz quad-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, and 32/64GB of expandable memory, and massive 10,200mAh battery. The tablet’s main camera is a 13MP unit, coupled with a 5MP front-facing solution.

Full connectivity suite including optional 3G and LTE network support is also on board. The Yoga Tab 3 Pro boots customized Android 5.1 Lollipop.

The Yoga Tab 3 duo on the other hand includes an 8″ model and a 10″ variant with 1280 x 800 pixels each. Both devices also feature front-facing speakers with Dolby Atmos.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 chipset powers both Yoga Tab 3 variants, coupled with 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of expandable memory.A rotating 8MP camera and 6,200mAh battery are also on board.

Just like in the Pro model, the cheaper Yoga Tab 3 tablets include optional LTE and 3G connectivity. The Tab 3 duo runs customized Android 5.1 Lollipop.

The 8″ Lenovo Tab 3 will hit the shelves on October 1 with $169 price tag, with the 10″ model due to arrive on November 1 for $199. Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro will be available later in November for…

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After a feisty discussion about cameraphones, a friend recently asked me: “Who shoots in 4:3 aspect anymore? Your phone’s screen has a 16:9 aspect ratio, your computer’s screen is 16:9, even your HDTV is 16:9. So what’s the point?” Smartphone makers don’t exactly encourage shooting in 4:3 either and many phones default to a 16:9 aspect ratio out of the box. But there is one little detail – cameraphone sensors, for the most part, are still manufactured in a native 4:3 aspect ratio. So if you’re shooting in 16:9 mode, you’re wasting precious megapixels.

We accidentally discovered that Sony has turned to an old solution to this problem – they use a 25MP multi-aspect sensor inside their latest Z-series phones. They market it as a 23MP camera as this is as high as the 4:3 aspect mode goes, but the real hidden gem is the extra high-res 16:9 aspect mode.

While we were shooting the camera samples for our Sony Z-series hands-on article, we noticed a discrepancy between the horizontal and vertical size of the images produced in 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratio. We dug in a little and we came to the obvious conclusion that the camera utilizes what’s become known as a 25MP multi-aspect sensor even though they are not advertising it.

Photos shot in 4:3 aspect come out at the headline 23MP resolution, or 5,520 x 4,140 pixels (22.85MP, but who’s counting).

Meanwhile, the 16:9 aspect ratio mode yields images measuring 5,984 x 3,366 pixels (20.14MP). What you’ll notice, is that the 16:9 shots have a wider field of view than the 4:3 ones, hence they’re not cropped from 4:3 as usual, but instead use a different part of a larger sensor.

Samples shot in 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios

If you were to extract a 16:9 aspect photo from a supposed native 23MP 4:3 sensor (5,520 x 4,140px) by cropping, you’d be left with 5,520 x 3,105 pixels, or only 17.14MP.

So the only way that the math works out in this case is if Sony is using an imager with an effective area of at least 5,984 x 4,140 pixels, or 24.77MP in other words. The concept allows for optimum utilization of the image circle projected by the lens, but also means you get comparable resolution in both ratios.

It’s not a new concept by all means. Nokia first made it popular with its innovative 8.7MP camera sensor used as far back as the Nokia N9 (that was 2011 for the younger among you).

With the custom 25MP multi-aspect sensor implemented by Sony the 16:9 shooting mode benefits from capturing 3MP higher resolution while still having the same diagonal field of view, though with obviously wider horizontal coverage.

Sony, naturally, went the obvious route and branded the camera as 23MP, choosing go keep the nitty-gritties to itself. If it were to announce a 25MP camera where users could only select a 23MP maximum resolution, we reckon marketing will have a lot to explain. Ok, not a lot more than the above.

While it may be way too technical for pitching in press releases, delivering 21MP 16:9 photos is just one of the surprising hardware advances we’re witnessing in the new Z5 series. Indeed, with such high resolution shots, who would shoot 4:3…

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Sony has been persistent in using the same 20.7MP sensor for its flagship camera setup since the Xperia Z1. That makes for four generations of regular-sized Z-series members and two Compacts, so it’s fair to say that the imager was due for a replacement.

That’s precisely what Sony did and it’s now introduced a brand new custom sensor, exclusive to the company’s own device portfolio. Sources from Japan call it IMX300, but we couldn’t verify that. The chip debuts on the just announced Xperia Z5 lineup and is paired with an f/2.0 24mm-equivalent wide-angle lens.

The smartphone camera is being advertised as 23MP, and that’s what’s engraved on the backs of all three models, but that number only tells part of the story.

While we were shooting our camera samples with the pre-production models we have at the office, we noticed a discrepancy between the dimensions of 16:9 and 4:3 shots. That led us to dig in a little and we discovered that the camera utilizes what’s become known as a multi-aspect sensor.

Samples shot in 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios

Photos shot in 4:3 aspect come out at the headline 23MP resolution, or 5,520 x 4,140 pixels (22.85MP, but who’s counting). Meanwhile, the 16:9 aspect yields images, measuring 5,984 x 3,366 pixels (20.14MP). What you’ll notice, is that the 16:9 shots are wider than the 4:3 ones, hence they’re not cropped from 4:3, but instead use a different part of a larger sensor.

Basically, the effective area of the imager is at least (or exactly, we have no way of knowing) 5,984 x 4,140 pixels, totaling 24.77MP. The concept allows for optimum utilization of the image circle, projected by the lens, but also means you get comparable resolution in both ratios.

For example, if you were to extract a 16:9 aspect photo from a supposed 5,520 x 4,140 native 4:3 sensor, you’d be left with 5,520 x 3,105 pixels, or only 17.14MP. Additionally, your field of view (measured diagonally) would be narrower. With the multi-aspect sensor you get 3MP more and the same diagonal field of view, though obviously wider horizontal coverage. All that comes at the expense of wasting the extreme corners of the sensor, which we’re inclined to agree is a minor trade-off.

Sony, naturally, went the obvious route and branded the camera as 23MP, choosing go keep the nitty-gritties to itself. If it were to announce a 25MP camera, but users could only select a 23MP maximum resolution, we reckon marketing will have a lot to explain. More or less, the…

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Hulu is finally going to let you watch stuff without being pestered by ads. The streaming service announced a new paid plan today, and this will give you the freedom of watching your favorite content without it being interrupted by ads.

The catch is that it’s more expensive than Hulu’s other paid plan, which for $7.99 per month brings you “limited commercials”. If even those are too much for you to bear, then you can now opt for the “no commercials” variant, yours for $11.99 per month.

However, “due to streaming rights”, certain shows “will play with a short commercial before and after each episode”. Thankfully though there won’t be any interruptions while you’re watching.

The $7.99 plan isn’t going anywhere, so if you’re on that but don’t want to pay more you can just keep it. Hulu says this will continue to provide “a seamless and relevant ad experience by connecting viewers with the right advertisers”.

This year, the company has grown to 9 million US subscribers, up 50% from 2014.

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A year after the first generation took the smartwatch world by storm with its timeless looks, it is time for the new Moto 360 to step up to the plate. The new iteration of Motorola’s acclaimed Android Wear device arrives on the market with revamped design, highly customizable body in two sizes, a version designed for ladies, and a brand new Sport model.

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Today Motorola announced two new smartwatches – the Moto 360 2nd Gen and the Moto 360 Sport. Both will launch until the end of this year.

Moto 360 2nd Gen

The new Moto 360, as Motorola likes to call it, comes with improved design and battery life, enhanced fitness tracking and it’s highly customizable. Motorola stuck to the “flat tire” display for the new generation Moto 360, as they claim this was the only way for them to keep the bezels so thing and achieve the 71.7% screen-to-body ratio.

The new design moves the crown at 2 o’clock, keeps the round shape, but introduces lugs for hassle-free strap exchange. It also comes in two sizes – 42mm and 46mm. The available straps are made from either steel or leather.

The Moto 360 2nd Gen will be available within the Moto Maker website and will be highly customizable – you will be able to choose between various materials, additional bezels, colors, band colors and materials.

There is no official information on the chip inside the new Moto 360, but it does sport a heart-rate sensor, Wi-Fi connectivity allowing you to keep connection to your phone even when you are out of the Bluetooth range, wireless charging support and a battery capable of lasting 2 full days. Unofficial sources suggest the 42mm model is powered by a 275mAh unit, while the 46mm has a 375mAh battery.

Moto 360 2nd Gen runs on the latest Android Wear, enhanced with Motorola’s custom watch faces and Live Dials – those are shortcuts available on the watch faces.

The new 360 watch will launch worldwide very soon. As of tomorrow it will be available on pre-order in the USA via Motorola.com, Google Play Store and Best Buy. By the end of September Nordstrom and Verizon will be offering it as well. The retail price begins at $299.99 up to $429.99, depending on your configuration.

Moto 360 Sport

The Moto 360 Sport is a new take on the 360 smartwatch with the fitness fans in mind. It has everything the second generation Moto 360 offers, but comes with a better AnyLight Hybrid display with higher sunlight legibility, integrated GPS and option to work without your phone, plus it can store your music for offline listening while you are training.

The Moto 360 Sport, just like the regular Moto 360, is IP67 certified for dust and water resistance, though it isn’t water proof and is not meant for swimming or diving. It has strong silicone bands with UV coating so they can last longer and endure when subjected to moisture, water and dust.

Motorola is yet to detail the pricing and availability of the Moto 360 Sport, but we should be getting it in time for the holiday season or sooner. We can confirm the Sport model will come in just one…

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According to a new report citing the ever-present “people familiar with the company’s plans”, Google will hold a special Nexus-themed event on September 29 in San Francisco.

On this occasion the newly-rebranded search giant will introduce us to the new LG Nexus and the Huawei Nexus (purportedly pictured below). These devices have been leaking a lot lately, which you’ve probably noticed.

LG’s offering has been said to be the successor to the same company’s Nexus 5 from 2013, while the Huawei Nexus should be a more bearable (read: smaller) interpretation of last year’s Nexus 6 phablet by Motorola.

This will be the first Nexus phone for Huawei, a company that clearly wants to use it as a way to gain brand recognition and favorable sentiments in developed markets. On the other hand, this will be the third Nexus for LG, by now quite the veteran in this respect. The two Nexus handsets will be released running Android 6.0 Marshmallow of course.

The new report doesn’t say anything about pricing, unfortunately, but it does reiterate this previously rumored unveiling date, serving as one more confirmation that it’s actually going to be the big day. Do keep in mind that Google has declined to comment on this information, so there’s still a slim chance it’s not entirely accurate (and plans can…

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The Huawei G8 isn’t exactly a mystery, having been first made official a few weeks back, but today we got confirmation that it will launch in Europe in the future. Not only that, we also know how much it will cost: €399 SIM-free and unlocked.

Huawei may choose to sell it through its own European online store, which opened recently with the launch of the Honor 7. That said, it’s still unclear when European customers will be able to nab a G8.

The G8 is part of what can best be described as Huawei’s most-premium mid-range line of smartphones, if that makes any sense. It’s not high-end (there’s the Mate S for that), but it could come with just enough power for most.

The Huawei G8 has a 5.5-inch 1080p touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera with dual-LED flash, a 5 MP selfie shooter, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC running things (with a 1.7 GHz octa-core Cortex-A53 CPU), dual-SIM functionality, 4G LTE support, and a 3,000 mAh battery.

In Europe we’ll see only the version with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of built-in storage (which is expandable). It will be offered in three color variations – dark silver, white, and gold. It runs Android 5.1 Lollipop with Emotion UI 3.1 on top.

The phone’s screen is a 2.5D curved affair, and on its back there’s a fingerprint scanner with support for scrolling, zooming, and other gestures. The G8 has an all-metal…

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