News
The Essential Phone is semi-modular, fast, and pricey

It’s such a weird name, but I guess we really have to call it the Essential Phone.
The Verge broke the news earlier today that Android founder Andy Rubin revealed the phone he’s been hyping since March. Again, it’s called the Essential Phone, and it unsurprisingly runs on Google’s Android operating system.
There are five things you must know.
One: It’s a high-end smartphone designed to compete against the iPhone and Pixel. A top-shelf Snapdragon 835 processor, a combination of ceramic and titanium materials, and a Mi Mix-like bezel-hating face do that. It also costs $699, which puts it above the cheapest Pixel and iPhone, but below the Galaxy S8.
Two: The Essential Phone (ugh) is semi-modular, meaning you can attach accessories like a 360-degree camera on the back for added functionality. It’s an implementation similar to what Lenovo has been doing with its Moto Z series. How practical it’ll be in real-world usage is still questionable.
Three: There’s an awkwardly placed front-facing camera at the top of the phone, and it splits the notification bar in half. The company explains that the top-center of your phone is rarely filled up, making it non-essential (haha) in the first place.
Four: There’s no headphone port. Shucks. It’ll ship with a dongle (yay), though.
Five: The smartphone (I refuse to write its name again) makes use of a dual-camera setup similar to Huawei’s implementation with the P10; one image sensor is monochrome, while the other has every other color. This leads to richer photos with greater focus on details.
No demo, release date, or hands-on videos have been published yet. All we know is it’ll be shipping in the US first, and it’s expensive for a newcomer.
SEE ALSO: Mystery phone might upstage Samsung Galaxy S8
[irp posts=”11714″ name=”Mystery phone might upstage Samsung Galaxy S8″]

Accessories
Philips launches Professional Soundbar dedicated for hotel rooms
Designed for MediaSuite TVs

Philips has ventured into the soundbar business with the global launch of the Philips Professional Soundbar (HAL5023) that brings powerful cinematic audio experiences in hotel rooms.
The two-in-one soundbar comes with a built-in subwoofer that has been designed and configured exclusively to suit Philips’ MediaSuite TVs, delivering a better and more immersive entertainment experience.
The device was built in collaboration with TP Vision’s Philips sound team; it features a professional 2.1 channel setup. It is designed to be installed effortlessly as either a freestanding or wall-mountable soundbar.
Afterwards, users may easily configure the soundbar’s settings using the professional setup menu on the Philips MediaSuite TV.
All other related settings can be quickly copied and transferred to the entire TV fleet remotely through cloning via PPDS CMND.
Control your experience
The newly-released soundbar can be controlled using the standard MediaSuite TV remote, eliminating the need for another controller.
It can also double as a high-end speaker for guests wishing to play any song, podcast, video, or audio file out loud on their personal devices, via Bluetooth or the built-in Chromecast technology on the MediaSuite TV.
The soundbar also comes with a power adapter so that only one power outlet is used, along with the TV.

Acer unveiled the new Nitro V 15 gaming laptop which is a reliable device for gaming, content creation, video-editing and multi-tasking on the go.
The Acer Nitro V 15 is equipped with up to the latest 13th Intel Core i7 processors. It’s designed with the most advanced hybrid architecture yet. It has up to a GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, up to 32GB of DDR5 RAM. There’s also up to 2TB of PCIe storage.
The laptop has a 15.6-inch full HD display. You get up to a 165Hz refresh rate, 3ms response time, and a 16:9 aspect ratio.
This is paired with DTS X: Ultra for enhanced sound placement, acoustics. You get a more fine-tuned sound that fits the game genre of choice.
The device also features dual rotating fans and a dual-intake cooling system. It has strategically-placed vents to keep its internals battle ready for prolonged periods.
Users may also download the NitroSense utility app to customize game settings conveniently at their fingertips.
For those opting to work with the Nitro V 15, there are AI solutions like Acer Purified View and Purified Voice technology for higher-quality video calls.
Connectivity-wise, the laptop supports Wi-Fi 6 while its I/O ports include a Thunderbolt 4 for charging, data transfer, video displays, and more.
Price and availability
Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region. Customers are encouraged to contact their local Acer office via www.acer.com.
The Acer Nitro V 15 comes with one month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

YouTube has unveiled a new video-editing app that leverages the power of AI technology to help creators. The beta version of YouTube Create is now available on Android in select markets.
The app is free of charge and is designed to make video production for Shorts or even lengthier content much more simple and easier.
Among the app’s tools are:
- precision editing and trimming
- automatic captioning
- voiceover capabilities
- access to a library of filters, effects, and transitions
- royalty-free music with beat matching technology
More services on the YouTube Create app utilize AI technology like the assistive search on Creator Music and automatic dubbing with Aloud.
Meanwhile, users will be able to test Dream Screen on Shorts later in the year.
Dream Screen will be an experimental feature that allows anyone to create an AI-generated video or image background by simply typing an idea into a prompt, to complement their Shorts.
In the future, YouTube is also looking at users being able to mix existing videos or content with this feature.
-
Reviews1 week ago
OPPO A98 5G review: A+ for all-around experience
-
News2 weeks ago
vivo V27 5G, Y36 5G now on Smart Signature Plans
-
Gaming1 week ago
What to expect at Tokyo Game Show 2023
-
Automotive2 weeks ago
Meet the All-New Honda CR-V
-
Accessories2 weeks ago
Apple is already selling expensive USB-C cables, adapters
-
Automotive2 weeks ago
Honda Oh-BER-load: Free check-up, discounts, deals
-
Reviews5 days ago
Redmi 12 review: Just the basics
-
News7 days ago
HONOR CEO calls the iPhone 15 disappointing