Items tagged with 5G
If you are a fan of the Star Wars universe and the popular Mandalorian series on Disney+, boy do we have an app for you. Google and Lucasfilm worked together to bring "Mando" himself into your living room through the power of augmented reality. You can get this app on select 5G phones today and obtain new experiences weekly through October of next year. "The Mandalorian AR Experience" is a way to "Retrace the Mandalorian's steps, find the Child, and harness the Force, all featuring life-sized versions of your favorite characters." As it stands, only the events of Season 1 are brought to life, but that could change over time. Over the course of the next year, we will likely see events from future...
Read more...
Hey, good news everyone, 5G has arrived and every major carrier in the US offers it, to some extent. Pop the champagne, right? Not so fast. Why? Because the 5G we are getting is, by and large, not so fast compared to what has been hyped. That is true even of Verizon's 5G network, despite its collaboration with Apple touting "5G just got real" with the roll out of the iPhone 12 series. 5G will eventually get us to the Promised Land of game-changing connectivity. But as it stands, 5G speeds in many parts of the country are not blowing away what people are already getting on 4G networks. That is because when it comes to 5G, it is all about the spectrum and frequency bands. The fastest 5G speeds...
Read more...
When the OnePlus Nord N10 5G and N100 were announced, they seemed like interesting choices for mid-range shoppers. But in our early review of the Nord N10 5G, we found that there were a number of compromises with respect to build quality, the onboard cameras, and overall performance; which is contrary to the “Never Settle” slogan. Now the Nord lineup is getting another ding after it was discovered that Android updates will stop after Android 11. OxygenOS, OnePlus' flavor of Android, is an excellent skin for Android by some accounts; and frequent updates are always. That is why it was surprising that the Nord series would be launching with OxygenOS based on Android 10, rather...
Read more...
It looks like Qualcomm is getting more competition in the 5G SoC market, and we welcome the additional rivalry. MediaTek today announced the 7nm Dimensity 700 SoC, which will bring 5G connectivity to even cheaper devices. 5G is the latest buzzword in the wireless industry and smartphone OEMs are increasingly embracing the technology at even lower price points. Eventually, 5G availability will become just as commonplace as 4G LTE, and the Dimensity 700 is the latest step in that direction. The Dimensity 700 embraces this drive down-market with two high-performance Arm Cortex-A76 cores clocked at 2.2GHz, and six 2GHz Cortex-A55 efficiency cores. For graphics duties, MediaTek is using a Mali-G57...
Read more...
As we've seen with the excitement surrounding SpaceX's Starlink service, there are a lot of people around the United States that simply don't have access to high-speed broadband. For those that don't have access to cable or fiber connections, they often have to make do with inferior DSL or satellite internet providers. T-Mobile is out to lend a helping hand with its 4G LTE-based Home Internet service, which is continuing to expand to rural areas around the country that are typically underserved by "Big Cable". According to T-Mobile, only 63 percent of households across the rural U.S. have access to high-speed internet connectivity, which is why it decided to start the pilot version...
Read more...
We thought that TCL had hit rock bottom -- at least with regards to pricing -- with its new 10 5G UW smartphone that is exclusive to Verizon Wireless. Not only does the phone support sub-6GHz, but it also supports mmWave 5G for a mere $399. However, LG must have been sitting back and grinning, because it knew that it was about to release a bombshell with its new K92 5G. The K92 5G can be had for as little as $359, which is a new low for 5G-capable smartphones available within the United States. However, to get to that price point, LG is using the entry-level Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 SoC, rather than the brawnier Snapdragon 765G found in the TCL 10 5G UW. That also means that it loses...
Read more...
We could definitely say that 2020 is the year of 5G, as most Android flagships released (rocking the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865) have come with a 5G modem onboard, and many mid-range smartphones also have 5G courtesy of Snapdragon 76x SoCs. With this in mind, many wireless carriers are working to expand the availability across the United States as the 5G hype train picks up steam. T-Mobile has announced that it is boosting 5G speeds for its customers by doubling the availability of mid-band 2.5GHz 5G spectrum. T-Mobile has spent a lot of money to obtain mid-range spectrum (via federal auctions) and is putting it to good use. The wireless carrier claims that its 2.5GHz 5G is already providing customers...
Read more...
At first glance, it may seem like a decoder ring is needed to decipher TCL's new 10 5G UW handset, but the model name actually makes sense (even though it is also a bit goofy). It is the latest in TCL's 10 series, hence the 10, and is a 5G handset that can deliver those delightful ultra-wideband speeds that are a potential game changer. But best of all, it's only $399.99. That makes it the cheapest 5G handset around that I am aware of (if you know of one that costs less, feel free to splash it into the comments section below). It undercuts Motorola's One 5G by $45 (it's priced at $444.49 at Best Buy), and is a few hundred bucks less expensive than Apple's recently launched iPhone 12 mini at $699....
Read more...
Over the summer, OnePlus introduced its rather intriguing Nord smartphone which offered a mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G 5G chipset, a beautiful 90Hz OLED display, and value pricing (around $499). However, OnePlus did not specifically market the smartphone for the U.S. market, which many saw as a mistake that needed to be rectified. Fast forward to today, and the OnePlus Nord N10 5G is being introduced, and yes, it will be available here in the United States. The Nord N10 5G includes a 6.49-inch Full HD+ 90Hz display, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Interestingly for a OnePlus device, it's also expandable to 512GB with a microSD slot. The company has incorporated...
Read more...
One of the major selling points of Apple's new iPhone 12 models is support for 5G connectivity, which is offered on its entire lineup (iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max). But apparently it might come with a pretty big caveat for some people. A supposed internal sales document suggests 5G will not work if using dual SIM cards. It is not uncommon for people to have multiple phone numbers, which allows them to keep their work and personal lines separate from each other, but still use the same handset. Using two SIM card in a single device is simply more convenient than lugging around two smartphones, for those who need to have distinct phone numbers for whatever reason....
Read more...
Samsung has taken the wraps off what it is calling “the most affordable 5G smartphone to date.” The Galaxy A42 5G will pack some of the Samsung features consumers know and love alongside the 5G connectivity. It will launch in the United Kingdom, starting at £349 RRP or around $455. As Samsung puts it, the Galaxy A42 5G strengthens the A-Series lineup. James Kitto, VP of Sales for Samsung U.K. and Ireland, says that, “We’re excited to bring to market our latest 5G smartphone within the A-Series lineup,” and that “it is part of our ongoing commitment to deliver next-generation connectivity to more people.” This budget beast of a phone will come with...
Read more...
Up until now, Google Fi customers who wanted to use a Samsung phone with the service had to purchase an unlocked model elsewhere. And that is certainly still an option. However, Google has now expanded the range of compatible Google Fi phones it sells to customers, to include half a dozen 5G Samsung Galaxy handsets. They include the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G as shown above, along with the Galaxy Note 20 5G, Galaxy S20 5G, Galaxy Note S20+ 5G, Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, and Galaxy A71 5G. In addition, Google added a couple of its own phones to the mix, specifically the recently announced Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G. And of course you can still use any unlocked phone that is compatible with T-Mobile's 5G network,...
Read more...
LG has announced pricing for its "Wing" smartphone, and we're actually pleasantly surprised at the end result. The smartphone will go up for preorder starting October 1st, and will begin shipping from Verizon on October 15th with an asking price of $999. We were fully expecting LG to blow past the psychological $999 pricing barrier for something more in the realm of the Motorola Razr 5G (which is priced at $1,399, or more recently discounted to $1,199) or the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G, which is priced at $1,450. But the $999 price, while still on the high side for mainstream consumers, seems "about right" for this device. The Wing's claim to fame is no doubt its swiveling...
Read more...
While we are still in the early stages, more and more PC manufacturers have jumped aboard the Windows on Arm train. First we had Microsoft's initial offering, the Surface Pro X. Then Samsung joined the fray with the traditional-looking Galaxy Book S, with battery life that lasted for days. Now Lenovo has crashed the party with the Flex 5G, a machine with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8cx 5G system on a chip (SoC) stuffed inside a versatile, a do-it-all convertible 2-in-1 design. Reviewing an Arm-based Windows PC every few months gives us a glimpse into the evolution of the Arm ecosystem. At first, there weren't many production-ready apps—even Microsoft's Edge web browser was in its beta infancy...
Read more...
We have all heard the tantalizing promises of 5G connectivity—faster speeds, lower latency, and a new era of experiences made possible by its benefits over 4G and earlier standards, if you have a 5G phone or other device. The problem is that those benefits do not necessarily reach their full potential indoors. That is where Samsung's new Link Cell technology comes into play. When it comes to 5G connectivity, millimeter Wave (or mmWave) is where it is at, for the fastest performance. It is the high band solution with the best speeds, but it has some downsides. It does not extend as far out from cell towers as mid-band and low-band 5G solutions, and can have issues penetrating buildings and...
Read more...
Having spent some hands-on time with the Surface Pro X, we can say it is an interesting and even a promising device (see our review of the Surface Pro X for an in-depth analysis). There is definitely room for some improvement, though. And improvements are likely coming, according to the latest rumors surrounding a refreshed Surface Pro X. The Surface Pro X is Microsoft's attempt to leverage Arm hardware in its Surface product line. Arm is everywhere these days, from smartphones and tablets, to a wealth of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and everything in between. And more recently, Arm has found its way into some Windows 10 PCs (which importantly should not be confused with Windows RT). According...
Read more...
Since COVID-19 has halted events around the world, Google has had to become creative with the way they are launching new products. On Wednesday, September 30th, Google will be hosting “Launch Night In” to showcase “a new Chromecast, the latest smart speaker, and new Pixel Phones.” Earlier this month, a leak from Vodafone confirmed that both the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a (5G) would launch at the end of September, so an announcement like Google’s comes as no surprise. In the coming days, we should expect Google to hand out more details to the public on this event, but for now, the big topic is the upcoming Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a (5G) which are expected to be announced....
Read more...
If you've had your eyes on the non-nonsense competence and value of the Google Pixel 4a, but want a little bit more power and 5G connectivity, then we've got some good news for you. It looks as though the upcoming Pixel 5 flagship and its cheaper Pixel 4a (5G) counterpart might be launching later this month; slightly earlier than then the October timeframe we were originally expecting. This information comes from wireless carriers Vodafone Germany, which says that both the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a (5G) will launch on September 25th. This date is also 5 days earlier than what gadget leaker Jon Prosser revealed back on August 19th. Vodafone also says that the Pixel 5 and...
Read more...
Apple is on track to announce its new iPhone 12 family sometime this month, or perhaps in early October. Given testing delays that cropped up due to COVID-19, the latest iPhones are launching a few weeks later than previous models. With that being said, one spec that has seemingly been confirmed for all of the upcoming iPhones is 5G support, but a new report is shedding light on to what exactly that will entail. According to sources for Fast Company, only the iPhone 12 Pro Max will have mmWave support. The iPhone 12 Pro Max is the largest of the incoming smartphones, and features a 6.7-inch OLED display (1242 x 2688). Allegedly, only the iPhone 12 Pro Max has enough space inside its chassis...
Read more...
The smartphone world is quickly moving towards 5G, what started as a trickle in 2019 and turned into a steady stream in 2020. And by 2021, there will be a flood of 5G-enabled smartphones entering the market, helped in part by Qualcomm. The company announced today that its entry-level Snapdragon 4-Series SoCs will adopt 5G technology starting in early 2021. Qualcomm has taken a top-down approach with 5G, first supporting the next-generation cellular standard last year with the Snapdragon 855/855+ used in conjunction with the discrete Snapdragon X50 5G modem. This year, the company has further expanded 5G availability, with the complete lineup listed below: Flagship Snapdragon 855/Snapdragon 855+...
Read more...
T-Mobile has been crowing quite a bit about its 5G network, claiming that it’s larger with more consistent speeds than rivals like AT&T and Verizon. More recently, the company has even boasted that it has surpassed AT&T to become the second-largest wireless carrier in the United States (thanks to its acquisition of Sprint, and all of the customers that came with that deal). Today, T-Mobile is beating its chest once again, revealing that it has opened up mid-band 5G spectrum operating at 2.5GHz to nearly 90 new cities and town across the United States. More importantly, T-Mobile isn’t just focusing on major metropolitan areas — as is Verizon’s current...
Read more...
As Samsung states, “Mobile devices and computers have become lifelines.” Connectivity is necessary in the world we live in, and the new 5G capability of the Galaxy Book Flex 5G looks to fill the need. Along with 5G, the Galaxy Book Flex 5G will also have WiFi-6 and an Intel 11th Gen Tiger Lake CPU, making it a versatile yet powerful device for on the go and at home use. The 5G capability is not the only major feature this new device packs, however. Going inside the laptop, the horsepower will come from a new 11th Gen Intel Core processor (up to Core i7) with Iris Xe graphics. This horsepower, combined with the battery power, instant wake feature, and responsiveness of the device make...
Read more...
