Sentons wants smartphone makers to get rid of buttons with SDS ButtonBar

Gaming phones are a new category in the Android space and we’ve seen these devices offer some clever tricks. One such device, the ASUS ROG Phone II, featured “AirTriggers” to mimic physical shoulder buttons. Setons is the company behind this technology and they want to get rid of buttons on more devices with SDS ButtonBar.

The company announced today that they are teaming up with Foxconn to create virtual buttons for smartphones. This is possible through technology that Setons calls “software-defined surfaces” (SDS). Like virtual on-screen buttons, virtual physical buttons offer much more flexibility. This is demonstrated with SDS ButtonBar, the company’s latest virtual button software.

SDS ButtonBar can create virtual buttons for things like power and volume control, but it can also be used with gestures. All of this is made possible by 20 submicron-sized ultrasonically modulated discrete sensors distributed within a short 1.9-inch bar. Essentially, the manufacturer can place that 1.9-inch area anywhere on the device, including the traditional location of the edge of the phone.

One concern with virtual buttons is false touches. No one wants to accidentally turn off their screen while holding the phone a certain way. SDS ButtonBar is engineered to identify these false touches and reject them. We’ve seen similar solutions in phones with waterfall displays and they seem to work well. Partnering with Foxconn will allow Setons to deliver this technology at a larger scale.

It’s no secret that manufacturers have been trying to remove components to simplify phone designs. Despite the brief emergence of pop-up cameras and sliders, moving parts in slab smartphones have mostly gone by the wayside. Ports and buttons are common failure points, so it makes sense that manufacturers want to remove them (not to mention production costs). SDS ButtonBar is a solution we may see in the future.

What are your thoughts on virtual buttons? Do you want to see a phone in the future without ports and physical buttons?

The post Sentons wants smartphone makers to get rid of buttons with SDS ButtonBar appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/2wIpPi8
via IFTTT

Google Pixel 4a hands-on video leak shows 6GB RAM, Snapdragon 730, and hole-punch display

The onslaught of Pixel 4a leaks is about to begin. Just like we saw with the Pixel 4 and the Pixel 3a before it, the Pixel 4a has fallen into the hands of a tech blog. A few scarce images of the device have been popping up lately, but now we have our first full-blown hands-on video of the device.

The video comes to us thanks to Cuban technology blog TechnoLike Plus. There’s a lot of new information to be gleaned from the 6-minute+ hands-on. First, the build of the Pixel 4a is similar to the 3a as the back is made of plastic and features a centered fingerprint scanner. The square camera bump is meant to mimic the Pixel 4, but it’s smaller and only features one 12MP camera and a flash.

The front of the device is where things get more interesting. The Pixel 4a is the first Google Pixel phone to feature a hole-punch display. The hole is in the top left corner and it houses the 8MP front-facing camera. The display comes in at 5.81-inches and 1080×2340 resolution with 60Hz refresh rate. The video does not mention any display details for the XL model.

Diving into the device, as we previously reported, it’s powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 SoC, 6GB of RAM, and 64GB of non-expandable storage. The Pixel 4a has a 3,080mAh battery. Some of the other specifications include a USB-C port, dual-SIM support, and a headphone jack. The device does not have the Google logo on the back, which indicates a pre-production model. The wallpaper on the device is purple, so we could see a purple color option again.

Pixel 4a Specifications

• Processor: Snapdragon 730
• GPU: Adreno 618
• RAM: 6GB
• Internal storage : 64GB
• Screen Size: 5.81-inches
• Resolution: 2,340 x 1,080 pixels
• 443 dpi, 60 Hz refresh rate
• Rear camera : 12 Mpx sensor + LED flash + 4K video recording
• Front camera: 8 Mpx with video stabilization
• Connectivity: 4G, Dual SIM, GPS, WiFi 5, Bluetooth, GLONASS
• Other: USB-C
• Rear fingerprint sensor
• Battery : 3,080 mAh
• OS: Android 10

We still don’t know all the details about the Pixel 4a XL, but it should be the same specifications just with a bigger display and battery. What do you think of the Pixel 4a so far?

---

Source: TechnoLike Plus | Via: SlashLeaks

The post Google Pixel 4a hands-on video leak shows 6GB RAM, Snapdragon 730, and hole-punch display appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/2xiTIWv
via IFTTT

Vivo NEX 3S 5G is a spec upgrade for Vivo’s waterfall display flagship

Displays took a drastic turn last year with some flagships and concepts adopting what the industry has casually termed as a “waterfall” display. Waterfall displays are displays that spill over to the sides of the phone, and we saw a few good flagships take on this challenge. Vivo launched the Vivo NEX 3 in September last year, with a waterfall display, 64MP triple rear camera setup, a pop-up front camera, and of course, 5G. Now, the company has followed up with the Vivo NEX 3S 5G.

Vivo NEX 3S 5G: Specifications

Specification	Vivo NEX 3S 5G
Dimensions and Weight	167.44 × 76.14 × 9.4 mm 220g
Display	6.89″ FHD+ AMOLED HDR 10+ Waterfall Display In-Display fingerprint
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 865
RAM and Storage	8GB LPDDR5 + 256GB UFS 3.1 12GB + 256GB
Battery & Charging	4,500 mAh battery 44W fast charging
Rear Camera	Primary: 64MP, f/1.8 Secondary: 13MP, f/2.2, Wide Angle, 120-degree FoV, 2.5cm macro Tertiary: 13MP, f/2.46
Front Camera	16MP, f/2.0
Other Features	3.5mm headphone jack Multi-function NFC Dual-frequency GPS WiFi 6
Android Version	Funtouch OS 10 based on Android 10

The Vivo NEX 3S 5G is a specification upgrade from last year, with the phone largely retaining the same external characteristics. This means you still get a 6.89″ waterfall AMOLED FHD+ display. Thanks to the pop-up front camera, the phone claims to achieve a 99.6% screen-to-body ratio.

Most of the changes are on the inside of the phone. For starters, you get a full upgrade on the SoC, jumping from the Snapdragon 855 Plus with the X50 5G modem last year to the Snapdragon 865 with the X55 5G modem this year. Next up, you get a jump to LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. The battery size remains the same, but you get faster 44W charging. You also get WiFi 6 support, making your phone a bit more future proof. Also surprisingly, the phone retains the 3.5mm headphone jack. Camera specifications remain the same, both on the front and back.

The Vivo NEX 3S 5G will cost CNY 4998 ($720) for the base 8GB + 256GB variant and CNY 5298 ($765) for the 12GB + 256GB variant. The phone will be available in China from March 14. It is currently unknown if the phone will be made available in regions outside of China.

The post Vivo NEX 3S 5G is a spec upgrade for Vivo’s waterfall display flagship appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/2Q2g9pz
via IFTTT

Samsung rolls out Android 10 with One UI 2.0 to the Galaxy M40

The Samsung Galaxy M40 was announced in June of 2019 and it launched with Android Pie. Today, the company started rolling out Android 10 with One UI 2.0 to the device, making it the third Galaxy M phone to receive the update.

Galaxy M40 XDA Forums

As with the other budget phones that received One UI 2.0, this is not the full-fledged version we’ve seen on the Samsung flagship phones. Some of the more intensive features, such as the built-in screen recorder, are not included. The basic Android 10 goodies are all intact, however. The Galaxy M40 gets Google’s new navigation gestures as an option, system-wide Dark Mode, improved privacy controls, smart replies, and much more.

The update weighs in at 1.7GB and comes with version M405FDDU2BTB5. It includes the March 2020 security patches as well. You can head to Settings > Software update to check on your Galaxy M40. While it shouldn’t be a big deal to update a phone that’s not even a year old, budget phones sometimes get left by the wayside, so we’re happy to see Samsung updating another one.

Specification	Samsung Galaxy M40
Display	6.3″ Full HD+ (2340×1080) Samsung Infinity-O LCD panel
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 675
RAM and Storage	6GB LPDDR4X 128GB storage Expandable up to 512GB through a hybrid SIM card slot
Battery	3,500 mAh
USB	USB Type-C
Rear Camera	32MP, f/1.7 5MP, f/2.2 depth sensor 8MP ultra-wide sensor for 123º FOV 4K video recording, 240 fps super slo-mo, hyperlapse
Front Camera	16MP, f/2.0
Android Version	One UI 2.0 based on Android 10

---

Source: SamMobile

The post Samsung rolls out Android 10 with One UI 2.0 to the Galaxy M40 appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/2PZ2Ypg
via IFTTT

Google Maps gets integrated menu scanning from Google Lens

Last year, at Google I/O 2019, the company announced a new menu scanning feature for Google Lens. Users can open Lens and scan physical menus at restaurants to get additional information, such as highlighting popular dishes. This same feature is now being integrated into the Google Maps app.

Google Maps is a great tool for finding restaurants and it already gives you a lot of handy information. One of those handy features is the ability to see photos from other customers, which can sometimes include photos of the physical menus. This is super helpful if the restaurant still doesn’t have menus posted on their website. You can now tap the Google Lens suggestion to “Explore dishes” when viewing these menus in Google Maps.

Google Lens will highlight popular dishes and allow you to highlight text. This can bring up additional information, including photos of the dishes on the menu. You can tap on the dishes to get even more information. There is also a Lens icon in the top right corner when browsing user photos in Google Maps if you’d like to scan the physical menu while you’re at the restaurant.

This is a great example of Google integrating their apps in a useful manner. People already use Google Maps for restaurants, so it makes complete sense to bring this Lens feature over. The Google Lens integration is rolling out now for the Google Maps Android app.

Maps - Navigate & Explore (Free, Google Play) →

---

Source: 9to5Google

The post Google Maps gets integrated menu scanning from Google Lens appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/2v697J2
via IFTTT

Mophie Powerstation Go Hands-on Video

In this new XDA TV video, we go hands-on with the new mobile powerbank from Mophie. The Powerstation Go will let you charge your phone using the USB ports or the wireless charging pad at the top. You can also plug in your full-sized 65W AC devices and even use the battery to jump your car. See the video for the full review.

Get the mophie powerstation go

 

The post Mophie Powerstation Go Hands-on Video appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/39CObsi
via IFTTT

[Update: Available Now] TicWatch Pro 2020 is Mobvoi’s latest Wear OS smartwatch with 1GB RAM and a dual display

Update (3/9/20 @ 12:05 PM ET): The TicWatch Pro 2020 is now available for purchase and 10% off for a limited time.

There are a few companies still dedicated to pumping out Wear OS smartwatches. One of those companies is Mobvoi, who has released some of the best devices the platform has to offer. Mobvoi released the TicWatch Pro in 2018 with premium specifications and some clever tricks. Last year, the company released an LTE version of the TicWatch Pro. Today, Mobvoi is announcing its latest device, the TicWatch Pro 2020.

You may remember that the TicWatch Pro LTE looked essentially the same as the original TicWatch Pro. However, besides LTE support, it did have a few important upgrades. The TicWatch Pro 2020 has the same upgrades as the LTE model, but this is considered an update to the original WiFi-only TicWatch Pro from 2018. It does not have LTE support.

The biggest upgrade from the original TicWatch Pro is RAM. The 2020 model has double the RAM as the original, putting it at 1GB. This is actually a pretty big deal for Wear OS devices. Wear OS is known for being sluggish, and as I stated in my review of the LTE model, the extra RAM makes a big difference. The 2020 model also has 4GB of internal storage and it’s powered by the Snapdragon Wear 2100 chipset (still no 3100).

Another upgrade over the original TicWatch Pro is the MIL-STD-810G durability rating. The original was only IP68 certified, which the 2020 model is as well. The military standard rating means it can withstand temperature shock of between -22°F and 158°F, remain operational between -4°F and 131°F, 57kpa pressure, 111°F solar radiation, 95% humidity, salt fog, sand, dust, and shock.

You can’t talk about the TicWatch Pro without mentioning the dual-layer display. Mobvoi introduced this on the original TicWatch Pro and the 2020 model has the same great feature. The dual-layer display gives you an extra LCD display on top of the AMOLED display. That extra display essentially acts as your “always-on” display, but it requires very little power. You can squeeze up to 30-days of battery life out of the watch if you heavily rely on the extra display.

Design-wise not much has changed from the original TicWatch Pro. In fact, I can’t really find any differences in the design. The LTE model had knurling around the bezel and buttons, but the 2020 model goes back to the smooth finish of the original. There are two color options to choose from: Black and Silver. There are also several leather and silicone bands to choose from.

The TicWatch Pro 2020 will first roll out in the UK with a price of £222.99. It is available now to purchase in the UK from Mobvoi’s official website and Amazon UK. In the US, the watch will be available in early March for $259.99 on Mobvoi’s website and Amazon.

Model	TicWatch Pro 2020
Dimensions (mm)	45.0 x 12.6
Colors	Shadow Black, Liquid Metal Silver
Screen cover glass	Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
Watch case	Polyamide & glass fiber, stainless steel bezel
Watch strap	Genuine leather, silicone (interchangeable), 22mm
Operating system	Wear OS by Google
Phone compatibility	Android, iPhone
Platform	Qualcomm® Snapdragon Wear 2100
Memory	1GB RAM; 4GB ROM
Display	1.39″ AMOLED (400 x 400 px) + FSTN LCD
Connectivity	Bluetooth v4.2 + BLE, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
GPS	GPS + GLONASS + Beidou + Galileo
Sensors	PPG heart rate sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, e-compass, ambient light sensor, low latency off-body sensor
NFC payments	Google Pay via NFC
Battery capacity	415mAh
Military Standard 810G	Withstands temperature shock of between -30 °C and 70 °C; operational between -20 °C and 55 °C; 57kpa pressure; 44 °C solar radiation; 95% humidity; salt fog; sand and dust; shock
Waterproof rating	IP68 water and dust resistance

---

Update: Available Now

The TicWatch Pro 2020 is now available for purchase. The watch can be purchased from Mobvoi’s website and Amazon. It’s available in black and silver and priced at $259.99, but for a limited time, you can get it for 10% off ($233.99). Simply use code “10OFFPRO2020” at checkout from either store to snag the deal.

Buy from Mobvoi | Buy from Amazon

The post [Update: Available Now] TicWatch Pro 2020 is Mobvoi’s latest Wear OS smartwatch with 1GB RAM and a dual display appeared first on xda-developers.

from xda-developers https://ift.tt/2V3sEEG
via IFTTT