News
Amazon Echo Dot Max supersizes the tiny speakers
It’s been ages since we got an upgrade for the Amazon Echo. These past years, Amazon focused primarily on the smaller Echo Dot or the versatile Echo Show. Now, it’s time for the regular speakers to get a shot. During a massive launch event, the company launched a refresh to the Echo Studio and the new Echo Dot Max.
First up is the Echo Studio. Launched in 2019, the original Studio came out to appeal to audiophiles. The large speaker was the first in Amazon’s lineup to feature Dolby Atmos and the ability to adapt to any room. Now, the Studio is getting a much-needed sequel.
The new Studio ditches the cylindrical format of long, long ago. Now, the speaker adopts the lineup’s spherical shape. It’s still the largest one in the lineup, but it’s also 60 percent smaller than the original. Despite that, the new Studio now has a built-in “high-excursion” woofer to improve bass and spatial audio.
Speaking of built-in woofers, the new Echo Dot Max has the same “high-excursion woofers.” It also has custom tweeters for the other side of the audio spectrum. Though we haven’t seen an upgrade to the regular Echo, the Dot Max might be good enough to replace the former.
Despite being an upgrade over the smaller Dot, the Dot Max is apparently good enough to encompass an entire room. We mentioned the hardware inside for audio output, but it also has a new AZ3 chip to better detect your voice in a noisy room.
The Echo Dot Max and the Echo Studio will start shipping out on October 29. The Dot Max retails for US$ 99.99 and is available in Graphite, Amethyst, and Glacier White. The Studio sells for US$ 219.99 and is available in Graphite and Glacier White.
News
Apple is reportedly considering a clamshell iPhone
They will likely wait if the first foldable will be popular.
Apple’s current foldable strategy is just one guy going “wouldn’t it be nice if we had a foldable phone” and everyone else nodding along. For years, Apple has constantly teased the development of its own entry into the market but failing to produce anything other than rumors. Now, while we’re still missing the mythical foldable, the company is reportedly considering a second foldable already: a clamshell iPhone.
Currently, all the previous rumors pointed to a traditional book-style foldable phone from Apple. The forecast says that the device might finally launch this year, but they do say that every year. In the meantime, according to Bloomberg, a clamshell version is already “under consideration.”
It hardly needs reminding that “under consideration” doesn’t mean anything other than “it might happen.” In contrast, the traditional foldable is probably in a “we’re just making sure everything is perfect” phase.
According to Bloomberg, Apple is likely evaluating whether there is enough demand for the first foldable. If, as the company predicts, it takes off, the company will want to capitalize on the hype immediately.
There’s a lot of expectations riding on Apple’s mythical foldable. Sometimes, it even feels like the unreleased phone has reached a point where it can’t possibly meet everyone’s standards. But, at the very least, we hope it does launch this year.
SEE ALSO: An analyst has revealed the iPhone Fold’s price, and it’s insane
What comes next after the smartphone? For years, brands hunted for an answer. Apple, for example, placed its bet on the Vision Pro, a wager that hasn’t paid off yet. Samsung, on the other hand, is betting on a different horse: augmented reality.
In a new earnings call (via Seeking Alpha), Samsung’s Seong H. Cho, the brand’s head for mobile marketing, confirmed that they will experiment more with “diverse form factors such as next-generation AR glasses.”
Samsung has been teasing a pair of glasses for a while now. However, with an impressive lineup already in the works (including the brand’s first trifold smartphone), it’s understandable that hype for the teased glasses took a bit of a backseat.
But, with an official word now about the wearable, the game is once again on to create an impressive pair of smart glasses.
The only question here is the “next-generation” part. Since Samsung doesn’t really have a pair out in the market right now, it’s a bit difficult to determine what the next generation might mean.
Of course, it could simply be a marketing term that implies smart glasses are the next generation of technology. If it pertains to what’s already out in the market, it could mean a pair that comes with a camera or even a display. Of note, most smart glasses today (or, at least, those accessible to most users) use only audio for its smart functionalities.
SEE ALSO: Samsung teases anti-shoulder surfing privacy feature
Last year, Nothing offered a worthy alternative to the usual flagship brands. Though the Phone (3) edged closer and closer to flagship-level prices, the smartphone is still a decent performer through and through. This year, however, a Phone (4) is not in the works.
Through a new YouTube video, Nothing’s Carl Pei has confirmed that the brand will not release a Phone (4) this year. The Phone (3) will still be the brand’s flagship option throughout 2026.
Pei did not reveal any explicit reason why they couldn’t make a new flagship this year. However, he does say that he wants every upgrade to be meaningful.
Despite the lack of a flagship, Nothing’s work will continue through the (a) series. The brand will release the new Phone (4a), for which Pei is promising a revolution. He says that there will be significant upgrades which will push the series closer to a flagship-like experience. It will also have new designs.
Unfortunately, the new phone might not come cheap. Along with the phone’s announcement, Pei confirmed that prices might increase this year, as a response to spiking RAM prices. It’s unclear how much it’s changing, though.
At the very least, the (a) series is usually priced competitively. However, if the increases affect the entire lineup, the flagship’s prices might go up to even more concerning levels.
SEE ALSO: Nothing will no longer lock screen ads on the Phone (3a) series
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