Dell’s new XPS 13 is a stylish MacBook rival running Windows

Last week, when Dell announced the Venue 8 7000 at CES in Las Vegas I dubbed it the best Android tablet currently on the market. They also subtly announced the new XPS 13 – an Ultrabook - and it has thankfully followed suit of the Venue 8.

With a price point of around £1100 and a 13-inch display, Dell is marketing the XPS 13 as the ‘smallest’ Ultrabook currently available. The Ultrabook is undoubtedly a direct rival to the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro. What separates this computer from the MacBook though is its Full-HD touchscreen – something which Mac enthusiasts have been lusting after for several years now.

The touchscreen isn’t the only feature which makes this computer stand out. It has the same ridiculously thin bezel around the screen, as seen in the Venue 8 7000 tablet, which Dell has coined ‘infinity’ display. Also, the glass touchpad is being called one of the best on the market with no lag at all.

The XPS 13 is currently boasting a 15-hour battery life however it is unlikely that that will be achievable in reality. But for when the battery is running low, Dell sells a compatible USB external battery which can be plugged in for working on the go.

Other than that, the Dell XPS 13 could easily be confused with a MacBook Pro. They share the same backlit keyboard, crisp screen, and appearance. Bottom line, this is a stunning MacBook Pro but running Windows 8.1.

If you are looking for a powerful, stylish Windows Ultra-book with a touchscreen, this the best thing on the market at the moment - and probably will continue to be for the rest of 2015.

My 2015 Technology Predictions

Apple

• Spring Launch of the Apple Watch. It will cost a fortune.
• iPhone 6S with a faster processor and better battery life (as per usual). It will also have... well... what else can they improve on?
• Apple to finally radically improve the Apple TV.
• iTunes to be available from iCloud on the web so your music library is in the cloud.

Google

• Android M is launched - (Marshmallow maybe?)
• First Android Auto vehicles get unveiled.
• Android TV.
• An explosion in Android Wear devices.

Microsoft

• Another Microsoft Surface - maybe with no kickstand at all
• Touch-friendly versions of Microsoft Office (similar to what is available for iPad) developed for Windows 8/Windows 10 devices.
• New, faster, more functional Internet browser.
• Cortana to be pushed out to more Internet devices. 
• Microsoft to make a smartwatch. Live tiles on your wrist - maybe also a kickstand if it is branded with 'Surface'.
• Little updates to Windows Phone 8 (if any). Focus to be moved onto Windows Phone 10.
• Pricing structure for Microsoft Office is sorted out (it is currently free on iPad however £60 on PCs)

Microsoft to ditch Internet Explorer in Windows 10 for a faster, more powerful Internet browser

For the last few months, there have been rumours that Microsoft has been working on an Internet browser for Windows 10 that isn’t Internet Explorer. Latest rumours circulating suggest that the replacement browser is currently code named ‘Spartan’ and will be more like Chrome and Firefox.

What the Internet browser on Windows 10 will allegedly look like

Over the last few years, Internet explorer has gathered a reputation for being slow and lacking functionality. But that might all be about to change with this new ‘lightweight’ browser that Microsoft is apparently developing. ‘Spartan’ is rumoured to have Microsoft’s digital assistant Cortana built in so when you need information, such as your personal flight times or package tracking, you just enter that in the browser’s address bar and Cortana will return with the results you need. Cortana’s integration would also mean that you could use your voice to ask questions and perform searches.

A second new feature allows users to draw on top of web pages using their stylus and then share the notes/doodles that they have overlaid – probably a feature built with the Microsoft Surface in mind (a device that comes with a stylus).

Like Safari, Chrome and Firefox, ‘Spartan’ will sync across devices so the desktop version will always be up-to-date with the tablet version and the phone version.

Even when Windows 10 has launched, updates will continue to be pushed out as ‘Spartan’ will be a Windows Store app – unlike Internet Explorer which changes only when a new version of Windows is released.

‘Spartan’ is being described as a really basic version of Google Chrome at the moment. The program is currently in early development and only has a few features however it is a step in the right direction and I think it will be good for Microsoft to finally replace Internet Explorer – well sort of… Although Internet Explorer will not be the primary browser, there are claims that it will remain on Windows 10 for backward compatibility reasons.

We are going to have to wait until Microsoft’s Windows 10 event on January 21st to find out more information.

Dell announces the thinnest - and one of the best - tablets in the world

The best tablet announced at CES 2015 was definitely the Dell Venue 8 7000. At 6mm thin, it is the slimmest tablet to date but it hasn’t made any sacrifices. The Venue features an 8.4-inch edge-to-edge OLED display which Dell is calling an “infinity display” meaning that the bezel is almost invisible. The screen is also crisp and sharp, with a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600.

The tablet is also one of the first to include Intel’s Real Sense 3D camera which allows users to take 8MP images and then refocus them – a technology popularised by trendy camera manufacture Lytro. There are two an additional 720p stereoscopic sensors to make the depth camera possible.

A large speaker and a 2MP camera for video calls and #selfies foot the screen on the front of the device.

The Venue has 16GB storage (plus a MicroSD card slot for additional storage), 2GB RAM and currently runs Android KitKat however Dell promises that there will be a Lollipop upgrade in the near future.

For $399 you can buy the Venue 8 7000 today in the US – it unfortunately isn’t available anywhere else yet. Dell says it will be coming to other markets in “early 2015” and in my eyes, it will be worth the wait. The only drawback I can see is the fact that this is a tiny tablet; with a screen size of 8.4-inches it is neither a tablet nor a phablet. It is somewhere in the middle. I can imagine most people wishing this tablet was a few inches bigger.

Impossibly thin: The Dell Venue 8 7000 is 6mm thick

Blocks Wearables plan to launch a modular smartwatch by the end of 2015!

Remember Phonebloks, the company that teased and tantalised you with a video of a modular smartphone where you could easily interchange panels on the back for a better camera, improved battery life or additional storage. Well, another company, Blocks Wearables talked about a modular smartwatch at CES and unlike the modular smartphone by Phonebloks, the smartwatch might actually be launched!

Of course, the essential central block in the modular smartwatch will be the watch face. This will contain a screen and other basic hardware which is necessary for the watch to function. But then the strap, comprised of 6 blocks, will be interchangeable and each one will have different capabilities. You will be able to add links which extend battery, monitor heart rate, allow the user to make contactless payments, and much more.



This smartwatch will be dead in the water unless it gathers funding. Blocks Wearables anticipates to do this in June on Kickstarter.com; a crowd-sourcing website ideal for raising money for projects such as this one.

The concept of this watch is great, however I’m unconvinced it will be a success (if it even gets funding that is). Smartwatches were almost non-existent this time last year and I think it might be too soon for a modular smartwatch to be made; manufactures still haven’t managed to make an perfect regular smartwatch yet (although the LG G Watch and the Pebble Steel come close). The reason the Phonebloks modular smartphone was never made was because it was too complex and I feat that might also be an issue that Blocks Wearables might run in to.

Ex-Google engineers reveal the Remix tablet - a Microsoft Surface look-alike running a forked version of Android

Not a Microsoft Surface: The $349 Remix Tablet

Three former Google engineers responsible for products such as Maps and Search have recently announced the result of a new project they started after leaving Google. It is called Remix.

The Remix tablet, dubbed the world’s first ultra-tablet, is unapologetically a clone of the Microsoft Surface. It has a kickstand (which supports 40º and 80º angles), interchangeable keyboard covers and even a shell that mimics Microsoft’s design.

Inside, the Remix tablet is running a modified version of Android called Remix OS and it is apparently a blend of the best things from current devices. On the company’s website they say “We can't stand the drawbacks of the tablets and laptops on the market today and we wanted to do something about it.”

Remix OS looks like what Windows 8 would have looked like if it was made by Google. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Windows Mail app has clearly been ripped off here, they haven’t even bothered changing the blue background colour. However, there is something neater and cleaner about the apps on Remix OS compared to Windows 8 which makes this tablet very desirable.

File manager on Remix OS

Apps can be downloaded onto the Remix tablet via the Google Play store and there is a ‘phone mode’ so the apps run like they would if they were on a smartphone. This means that multiple apps can be open at once utilising all the space on the 11-inch touchscreen.

To switch between apps there is a task manager at the bottom which looks like it has also been lifted straight from Window and the file manager too look like what the Windows 8 file manager should have been. The file manager on Remix OS is intuitive, powerful, and a delight to use with a touchscreen – unlike the one on Windows 8 which is made primarily for mouse and keyboard use.

Spot the different: The e-mail client on Remix OS Vs the e-mail client on Windows 8

Here are some of the specifications:
· NVIDIA 4+1 processor
· 2GB of RAM
· 5MP rear and front-facing cameras
· 11.6" 1080p IPS display
· microSD card slot
· Headphone jack
· Stereo speakers

There is also a microUSB port with an included OTG adaptor so you have a full sized USB port.

The makers of the Remix tablet hope that it will launch in the US later this year at $349 for the 16GB model however it’s likely that Microsoft will soon slap them with a copyright lawsuit which will stop them in their tracks.

LG made a WebOS smartwatch (being used by Audi)

The former mobile operating system, webOS, has resurfaced recently as a smartwatch operating system being used by LG. Say hello to the LG webOS smartwatch (pictured right).

The new LG webOS smartwatch, discovered CES 2015, closely resembles the LG G Watch R and includes an NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a handful of native webOS apps including a calendar, music controller and a phone dialler. Unlike most Android Wear devices and the future Apple Watch, the LG webOS smartwatch has a cellular data connection which means that the smartwatch doesn’t need to be paired with a smartphone for full capabilities. Instead, the smartwatch can operate alone with built in text messaging, calling and Internet access.

It is clear that this version of webOS is built primarily for circular watch faces – unlike Android Wear which is more at home on square screens. The icons are circular and you slide between them in a seemingly never-ending spiral which fits on the screen perfectly. There is also a quick-settings screen which also utilises the screen in the way a smartwatch should.

Similarly to Android Wear, there is the ability to control the smartwatch via the user’s voice. How powerful this tool will be on webOS is still a mystery – just like most of the features on this watch actually.

Audi was spotted using the LG webOS smartwatch at their booth at CES 2015. They were using a unique watch face which they had developed themselves and the NFC chip on the inside to unlock the doors on the latest cars.

Neither the LG webOS smartwatch or even the smartwatch optimised version of webOS have been officially announced yet so it is unknown what smartphones the watch will be compatible with – if any, how much the LG webOS smartwatch will cost, or even if any other technology manufactures plan to use a similar version of webOS in the future

Lamborghini announces $6000 smartphone

Supercar manufacture Lamborghini have announced a $6000 Android smartphone. The ‘88 Tauri’ is wrapped in blue leather, stitched at the back, and has gold metal plates running down the side edges of the phone. It looks tacky but hidden beneath the pretentious gold plates lies all of the phone’s ports; to get to them one must open the wing like covers.

Inside, there’s 3GB of RAM, a 2.3 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, and 32GB of storage to complement the 1920 x 1080p, 5-inch display. On the back sits a 20-megapixel camera and on the front sits an 8-megapixel camera for taking selfies. (You could even add the Lenovo VibeXtension Selfie Flash for flawless selfies).

The premium price tag is probably due to this phone being, unsurprisingly, a limited edition; just under 2000 of them are estimated to be produced which makes this phone perfect for filthy-rich car enthusiasts who want to show off.

The new Sony Walkman

Sony is nostalgically trying to revive the popularity which the Walkman once possessed with the announcement of the ZX2 High-Resolution Walkman at CES 2015.

What makes the new Sony Walkman unique is the ‘High-Res Audio’ sticker it boasts which means that music sounds just as it should… And if it doesn’t, there are plenty of settings the user can toggle with, so favourite tracks sound outstanding.

Considering this is a premium media device, the design is nothing special. There is a large bezel at the top and bottom; plus the device is very thick - probably due to the 128GB internal storage which has been packed inside. The iconic gold ring around the headphone jack consequently makes an ugly bump at the bottom of the device and as for the rear of the device, it is leather and uneven. The design isn’t all bad though, if you hold the Walkman with your left hand, the playback and volume controls are perfectly placed so you can operate them easily.

Although the ZX2 runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, this device wasn’t built to compete with high-end smartphones… It built primarily for listening to music and maybe watching movies – but nothing else.

So, for an ugly, uneven body on a device which only has one purpose, you wouldn’t expect to need to fork out much? Wrong. The Sony ZX2 High-Resolution Walkman will set you back £949. With a price tag that high, the Walkman seems to be exclusively for premium clarity audio fanatics and nobody else.

Three absurd gadgets from CES 2015

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is home to some pretty amazing technology including 5K computer monitors, curved smartphones, and even an electric scooter or two. It is also home to some really weird stuff. Here are three completely unexpected pieces of technology nobody expected to be announced at CES 2015:

The Vibe Xtension Selfie Flash

Lenovo Vibe Xtension Selfie Flash
This device does exactly what it says on the tin. For $29, you plug this funky looking metalic doughnut into your smartphone’s headphone jack, it emits a bright glow so you can compose your shot, and BOOM… You’re done… You can now take selfies in the dark. As ridiculous as this sounds, there might actually be a market for it; I can’t currently think of any smartphones on the market which offer a front facing flash.
(IT IS NOT OK TO OWN ONE OF THESE IF YOU ARE OVER 30-YEARS-OLD)

LG Twin Wash
The LG Twin Wash is a thin(ish) washing machine which is designed to hide under your current washing machine so you can get two loads done at once. LG says it is "perfect for delicate items that require special attention or unique wash settings." You’ll be pleased to know that this add-on is back-compatible with many old LG washing machines and not just the current ones.

myBrain Melomind
myBrain have created a new wearable gadget which connects to your smartphone, called the Melomind. For only $299, you get device which looks like it has been plucked straight from the set of Star Trek. It monitors your EEG, then plays music accordingly to decrease detected stress levels… Because who wouldn’t be stressed with something that is scanning their brain sat on top of their head?