https://www.scmp.com/rss/284929/feed Ben is an independent tech writer covering the latest gadgets - as well as reviewing the occasional film - for the South China Morning Post. Prior to this, he spent five years with the company, first as a culture writer, then as a sub-editor. He's also held staff writing positions with the Village Voice and Sports Illustrated in New York, and has been published in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Apple’s new iPhone 16 series brings the expected upgrades in silicon and camera performance, but the big selling point this year is “Apple Intelligence”, the Cupertino tech giant’s take on generative AI features that are already available on Samsung and Google devices. However, Apple Intelligence will not quite be ready when these new iPhones hit store shelves this week. Instead, consumers will have to wait until October for the 18.1 software update. Still, I’ve been testing an iPhone 16 Pro Max... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3278962/apple-iphone-16-pro-max-review-impressive-video-pending-ai-features-nothing-special?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3278962/apple-iphone-16-pro-max-review-impressive-video-pending-ai-features-nothing-special?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Sep 2024 13:00:10 +0000 Xiaomi’s newest release, the Mix Fold 4, signals an end to the days of thick and bulky feeling foldable phones. Measuring a jaw-droppingly slim 4.6mm in its default tablet form, and only 9.5mm when closed, the Mix Fold 4 is barely thicker than an iPhone 15 Pro Max or conventional flagship Android phone in its closed state. It would be easy to mistake the Mix Fold 4 for a standard slab phone because the device is that thin and light. But despite the sleekness, the Mix Fold 4 is not lacking in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3273406/xiaomi-mix-fold-4-review-price-specs-new-thinnest-foldable-phone-still-packs-punch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3273406/xiaomi-mix-fold-4-review-price-specs-new-thinnest-foldable-phone-still-packs-punch?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Aug 2024 09:15:08 +0000 Samsung has just launched a pair of new foldable phones: the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6. While there are subtle hardware improvements, the South Korean tech giant is once again betting on its software and good relationship with Google to combat the slew of more powerful Chinese foldables coming to market. The Z Fold 6 is a large, book-like foldable that is lighter and slimmer than its previous generation, weighing 239g (10oz) and measuring 12.1mm (0.5in) thick when in folded form. This is a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3269895/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-6-and-flip-6-first-look-big-software-boost-us100-price-rise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3269895/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-6-and-flip-6-first-look-big-software-boost-us100-price-rise?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Jul 2024 13:00:11 +0000 The Apple Vision Pro has recently gone on sale in a number of countries outside the US, including China (both on the mainland and in Hong Kong), Japan and Singapore in Asia. We asked a Gen Z casual gamer and an older gadget geek to give us their take on the groundbreaking headset. The Gen Z casual gamer I have only worn mixed-reality headsets in specialised game centres. When I tried the Apple Vision Pro for the first time at a demo session, I was transported to a crystal-clear panoramic... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3268797/apples-vision-pro-hits-hong-kong-and-mainland-china-gen-z-gamer-and-older-geeks-takes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3268797/apples-vision-pro-hits-hong-kong-and-mainland-china-gen-z-gamer-and-older-geeks-takes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jul 2024 03:15:09 +0000 When Chinese smartphones started appearing on the market in the mid-2010s, they had unoriginal hardware designs lifted wholesale from Apple. But they offered more specs and features for the dollar, so as long as you were OK with the unoriginal design, they were excellent devices. It appears the nascent mixed reality (MR) headset market is going the same route. Shanghai-based Play For Dream recently launched its first MR headset in Singapore, and it is significantly cheaper than Apple’s Vision... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3268063/china-made-play-dreams-headset-cheaper-higher-resolution-apple-vision-pro-clone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3268063/china-made-play-dreams-headset-cheaper-higher-resolution-apple-vision-pro-clone?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Jun 2024 04:53:09 +0000 Chinese smartphone brands have always aggressively chased gaudy numbers on spec sheets. Whether it is screen resolution, amount of RAM, number of cameras or megapixel count, you can always count on them to outdo Apple or Samsung. These higher numbers are sometimes meaningless, however. No one really needs more than 16GB of RAM or 4K resolution on a phone. But the recent trend to go after larger camera sensors does indeed matter. Vivo’s new premium flagship phone, the X100 Ultra, brings a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3265562/vivo-x100-ultra-smartphone-review-best-camera-phone-amazing-zoom-lens-huge-sensors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3265562/vivo-x100-ultra-smartphone-review-best-camera-phone-amazing-zoom-lens-huge-sensors?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Jun 2024 03:15:09 +0000 The new Apple iPad Pro has been touted by the US tech giant as the biggest upgrade to the iPad series in its history. While I would say the 2018 iPad redesign was still the more groundbreaking update, the 2024 iPad Pro, along with accessories that are increasingly becoming not optional, do bring significant improvements across the board. The new iPad Pro is easily the most powerful and capable tablet on the market, and the line between Apple’s tablets and laptops continues to blur. Design and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3262458/apple-ipad-pro-2024-m4-13-inch-review-thinner-faster-best-tablet-battery-life-high-price-tag?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3262458/apple-ipad-pro-2024-m4-13-inch-review-thinner-faster-best-tablet-battery-life-high-price-tag?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 May 2024 21:00:15 +0000 Huawei’s P series smartphones are known for being pioneers of mobile camera technology. The P9, released in 2016, was the first smartphone to launch with more than one rear-facing camera; two years later the P20 introduced the computational photography trick “night mode” before Google or Apple; and 2019’s P30 Pro was the first smartphone with a Periscope zoom lens. Innovations slowed for a few years as the Chinese tech giant faced hardware and software sanctions from the US government, with the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3261296/huawei-pura-70-ultra-review-no-google-apps-cutting-edge-cameras-battery-see-chinese-phone-giant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3261296/huawei-pura-70-ultra-review-no-google-apps-cutting-edge-cameras-battery-see-chinese-phone-giant?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 May 2024 09:15:19 +0000 Eight months ago Apple introduced a 15-inch screen MacBook Air that became an immediate hit, particularly with the digital nomad and remote work community because of its “happy medium” screen size. The 13-inch model that had been the standard of the Air series since its 2008 debut, while still an option for consumers, felt cramped. Now that M2-powered 15-inch MacBook Air is to give way to an upgraded edition with the latest Apple silicon, the M3. This model is a so-called spec bump in every... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3254920/m3-macbook-air-review-apples-remote-work-icon-made-faster-and-more-efficient-and-most-powerful?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3254920/m3-macbook-air-review-apples-remote-work-icon-made-faster-and-more-efficient-and-most-powerful?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Mar 2024 20:15:16 +0000 Samsung’s new flagship slab phone series has just been unveiled in California, and like other consumer tech in 2024, it’s going all in on generative AI – artificial intelligence that can produce original text and pixels. Google’s Pixel 8 phones got the ball rolling last autumn, and these new Galaxy S24 phones are the second line to offer generative AI entirely on device without the need of the internet. While the AI features seem quite useful from my brief testing, the three S24 phones offer... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3248769/samsung-galaxy-s24-series-smartphones-first-impressions-real-time-generative-ai-written-and-spoken?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3248769/samsung-galaxy-s24-series-smartphones-first-impressions-real-time-generative-ai-written-and-spoken?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Jan 2024 18:00:13 +0000 Huawei launched it in 2019, and Samsung is better known for it worldwide. Yet the periscope zoom lens – an L-shaped camera placed sideways inside a phone’s casing to allow more room for light to travel – is, in fact, an Oppo innovation. The company, headquartered in Dongguan, southern China, first teased the technology with a prototype back in 2017, more than two years before Huawei and Samsung launched phones with periscope zoom cameras. Fast forward to today, and the periscope zoom lens is a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3247947/oppo-find-x7-ultra-review-first-phone-2-periscope-lenses-takes-zoom-photos-leave-iphone-15-pro-max?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3247947/oppo-find-x7-ultra-review-first-phone-2-periscope-lenses-takes-zoom-photos-leave-iphone-15-pro-max?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jan 2024 08:15:11 +0000 To the casual consumer, 2023 may appear to have been a typical year for mobile phones. There was a new iPhone, a new Samsung foldable, and the usual Chinese handset roll-outs. But for those who follow mobile phone developments closely, it was an exciting year that saw significantly improved zoom cameras on multiple devices, the first signs of generative AI on handsets, and the end of Samsung’s near monopoly on foldable phones in the West. I have tested every single flagship smartphone released... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3246457/ranked-top-5-smartphones-2023-iphone-15-pro-max-and-google-pixel-8-pro-two-foldable-phones-and-best?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3246457/ranked-top-5-smartphones-2023-iphone-15-pro-max-and-google-pixel-8-pro-two-foldable-phones-and-best?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Dec 2023 10:15:07 +0000 Barely a year after the launch of the M2 Max MacBook Pro, which surpassed rival laptops in power and efficiency, Apple is back with an updated version, the M3 Max, launched alongside machines with lower-tier M3 and M3 Pro chips. It’s an unusual move for the US tech giant, whose products usually have a longer life cycle than just 10 months, but nonetheless the M2 Max is old news. The M3 Max brings a new 3-nanometre silicon architecture and four more performance cores (a total of 12) over its... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3241746/m3-max-macbook-pro-review-world-beating-laptop-gets-even-better-more-processing-power-2022s-apple-m2?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3241746/m3-max-macbook-pro-review-world-beating-laptop-gets-even-better-more-processing-power-2022s-apple-m2?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Nov 2023 10:15:09 +0000 Xiaomi’s 14 Pro is the first phone to be powered by Qualcomm’s just-announced Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and the Chinese tech giant’s new HyperOS software, designed to run across Xiaomi’s entire portfolio of products like Huawei’s HarmonyOS. Arriving earlier in the release cycle than usual, the phone has very polished and premium hardware and a Leica-backed camera system that is among the best in the industry. The phone is officially available only in China for now, with a global roll-out likely in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3240877/xiaomi-14-pro-review-premium-energy-efficient-smartphone-powerful-chip-flawless-screen-and-capable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3240877/xiaomi-14-pro-review-premium-energy-efficient-smartphone-powerful-chip-flawless-screen-and-capable?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Nov 2023 10:15:08 +0000 Chinese smartphone brand Oppo has launched the third edition of its Find N foldable phone and, like the first two models, it features hardware that outshines devices from market leader Samsung and is arguably best in class. What makes this release noteworthy, and also a bit confusing, is Oppo’s decision to launch the device globally – including in the United States, a market most Chinese phones makers have stayed away from – and under a different name. In China and throughout most of Asia, the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3239083/oneplus-open/oppo-find-n3-best-foldable-phone-you-can-buy-outside-china-light-slim-innovative?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3239083/oneplus-open/oppo-find-n3-best-foldable-phone-you-can-buy-outside-china-light-slim-innovative?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Oct 2023 10:15:12 +0000 The Apple Watch Series 9 at first glance looks like not much of an upgrade. Its outer appearance is virtually identical to the last two generations, and the most tangible new feature – the ability for the watch to detect your thumb and index fingers tapping together – won’t be ready until October, when it will become available via a software update. But after wearing the new watch over multiple days in Chiang Mai, Thailand, we are reminded again why this product is so dominant in its class – it... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3235308/apple-watch-series-9-review-first-chip-upgrade-years-finger-thumb-tap-feature-and-enhanced-iphone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3235308/apple-watch-series-9-review-first-chip-upgrade-years-finger-thumb-tap-feature-and-enhanced-iphone?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Sep 2023 09:15:12 +0000 Apple introduced four new iPhones on Wednesday, featuring new cameras, chips and, for the first time in over a decade, a new charging solution. While Apple fans are going to find plenty to like with any of the four new models, a pickier phone enthusiast will be more drawn to the largest Pro Max model, as that is the device that saw the most upgrades. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max have screens that are the same size as last year’s models (6.1 inches and 6.7 inches respectively), but each device... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3234339/apple-iphone-15-series-first-impressions-new-charging-port-zoom-camera-upgrade-pro-max-model-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3234339/apple-iphone-15-series-first-impressions-new-charging-port-zoom-camera-upgrade-pro-max-model-rivals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Sep 2023 04:45:09 +0000 It would not be an overstatement to call the new Huawei Mate 60 series of smartphones – comprising the Mate 60 Pro and the coming Mate 60 Pro+ – the most controversial, and perhaps important of the year. Launched last week in China without advance notice or marketing, the Mate 60 Pro is the first Huawei handset in three years to run on the tech firm’s self-designed silicon. The three-year hiatus was the result of sanctions imposed by the United States that deny Huawei access to advanced silicon... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3234080/huawei-mate-60-pro-smartphone-first-impressions-world-beating-camera-good-enough-chip-no-google-apps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3234080/huawei-mate-60-pro-smartphone-first-impressions-world-beating-camera-good-enough-chip-no-google-apps?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Sep 2023 04:44:00 +0000 While traditionally holding product launches in the US and occasionally Europe, Samsung took its flagship show home for the first time this year. Titled “Unpacked”, the event in South Korea’s capital Seoul saw the unveiling of two new foldable phones, a trio of tablets, and two new smartwatches. As the show’s slogan – “Join the flip side” – clearly suggested, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 was the star. The outside cover screen of the clamshell foldable got a significant bump to 3.7 inches – three times... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3228833/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-5-and-z-fold-5-phones-unveiled-plus-galaxy-tab-s9-and-tab-s9-ultra-and-galaxy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3228833/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-5-and-z-fold-5-phones-unveiled-plus-galaxy-tab-s9-and-tab-s9-ultra-and-galaxy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Jul 2023 11:00:13 +0000 At its recent developer trade show Apple introduced an augmented reality headset that it insists on calling a “spatial computer”. But before a future with everyone wearing a computer on their heads materialises, the US tech giant is doubling down on its original claim to fame: the desk-bound computer. The 2023 Mac Studio is a small metal box that comes configured with either Apple’s existing M2 Max chip or the just launched M2 Ultra that is literally two M2 Max chips stitched together, so twice... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3224131/apples-mac-studio-outperforms-any-other-computer-ive-tested-lightning-fast-its-dream-machine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3224131/apples-mac-studio-outperforms-any-other-computer-ive-tested-lightning-fast-its-dream-machine?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jun 2023 20:15:15 +0000 Fifteen years ago, Apple introduced the iPhone and changed the world’s idea of what a mobile phone could be. This week, Apple introduced its long-rumoured augmented reality (AR) headset that could perhaps do the same for a product category that has struggled to get off the ground, despite years of attempts by other tech giants such as Microsoft, Google and Meta. I was sceptical about the practicality or functionality of Apple’s AR headset, named the Vision Pro, but after trying a demo unit in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3223224/apples-vision-pro-best-ar-and-vr-mixed-reality-headset-market-and-represents-future-computing-even?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3223224/apples-vision-pro-best-ar-and-vr-mixed-reality-headset-market-and-represents-future-computing-even?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jun 2023 05:45:11 +0000 Last year’s Xiaomi 12S Ultra had, by consensus, the best smartphone camera hardware of 2022, thanks to its relatively huge 1-inch Sony IMX989 image sensor and Leica optics. This year, the Chinese phone maker uses the same Sony sensor and Leica glass, but adds a new variable aperture and an optional camera grip accessory that further pushes the device toward something resembling a conventional shooter more than a phone. The rest of the package, including the display, chipset and other cameras,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3218117/xiaomi-13-ultra-review-best-smartphone-camera-market-right-now-large-battery-reasonable-price?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3218117/xiaomi-13-ultra-review-best-smartphone-camera-market-right-now-large-battery-reasonable-price?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Apr 2023 09:15:09 +0000 The annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) trade show returned to Barcelona, Spain, this week in full swing, after being severely affected by measures to curb the Covid-19 pandemic for the past three years. A slew of new electronic products were announced. MWC was originally intended to be a showcase of the best mobile technology from around the world, but with Apple and Google mostly shunning the show, and the continuing decline of Japanese and European brands, it has become a battleground for... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3211945/mobile-world-congress-2023-4-most-exciting-reveals-xiaomi-ar-smart-glasses-worlds-fastest-charging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3211945/mobile-world-congress-2023-4-most-exciting-reveals-xiaomi-ar-smart-glasses-worlds-fastest-charging?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Mar 2023 20:15:09 +0000 When Apple announced in 2020 that it was ditching Intel in favour of its own chips for laptops, the personal computer industry raised its eyebrows. Then came the M1 MacBook (2022), which proved not only to be as powerful as Intel’s best machines, but much more energy-efficient. That same astonishing combination of raw power and energy efficiency is taken up a notch in the new 16-inch MacBook Pro, which runs Apple’s latest M2 Max chip. I’ve been using the laptop for the past two weeks on business... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3210852/apple-m2-max-macbook-pro-2023-16-inch-review-all-powerful-machine-creatives-who-want-take-their?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3210852/apple-m2-max-macbook-pro-2023-16-inch-review-all-powerful-machine-creatives-who-want-take-their?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Feb 2023 20:15:15 +0000 Samsung’s monopoly on the global foldable phone market finally ended with the official international launch of the Oppo Find N2 Flip, a clamshell-style smartphone, that went on sale in the UK this week. The Chinese-made phone will begin rolling out across Europe later this month and Asia in early March. The mere presence of another option is big news for fans of foldable handsets, but how does Oppo’s new flip phone stack up against Samsung’s latest model, the Galaxy Z Flip 4? Design and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3210528/oppo-find-n2-flip-vs-samsung-galaxy-z-flip-4-which-folding-phone-better?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3210528/oppo-find-n2-flip-vs-samsung-galaxy-z-flip-4-which-folding-phone-better?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Feb 2023 09:15:09 +0000 The race to make the smartphone camera with the highest megapixel count is back on. A few months after Apple upgraded the high-end iPhone’s long-standing 12-megapixel camera to a 48-megapixel shooter, Samsung’s newest flagship phone, the Galaxy S23 Ultra, has a whopping 200-megapixel camera. It’s not the first, Motorola having launched the X30 Pro with a 200-megapixel sensor – from Samsung – in August 2022, but the South Korean firm is the dominant player in the Android phone market and the S23... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3209987/samsung-galaxy-s23-ultra-review-200-megapixel-camera-it-worth-u1199-what-phone-does-sets-it-apart?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3209987/samsung-galaxy-s23-ultra-review-200-megapixel-camera-it-worth-u1199-what-phone-does-sets-it-apart?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Feb 2023 10:15:08 +0000 Once manufacturers figured out a way to bend a display panel, the technology was quickly adopted for use in smartphones. But arguably, a large screen that can effectively be halved in size by folding makes more sense for a laptop. Who doesn’t want a bigger screen while on the go? Lenovo tried this idea two years ago with a product that had a lot of promise but was very rough around the edges; a supposedly improved sequel is set to launch this year, but Taiwanese electronics maker Asus has beaten... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3208152/asus-zenbook-17-fold-oled-review-super-cool-folding-laptop-ideal-digital-nomads-us3500-spare-battery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3208152/asus-zenbook-17-fold-oled-review-super-cool-folding-laptop-ideal-digital-nomads-us3500-spare-battery?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Jan 2023 10:15:09 +0000 This year didn’t bring any one headline-grabbing innovation in consumer technology. Instead, we got a lot of excellent products that were more efficient, portable, and affordable than their predecessors. With the world continuing to open up after the Covid-19 pandemic, gadgets that are portable and powerful are proving increasingly useful. These are my top seven of 2022. Insta360 X3 If you follow travel vloggers, action-sports people or adventurers on Instagram, there’s a chance you have seen... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3204564/best-tech-products-2022-insta360-x3-action-camera-nreal-air-portable-display-m2-macbook-air-apple?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3204564/best-tech-products-2022-insta360-x3-action-camera-nreal-air-portable-display-m2-macbook-air-apple?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Dec 2022 10:15:09 +0000 The hotly contested foldable phone market in China got even more crowded last week when Oppo launched two handsets there. Following Samsung’s strategy, Oppo has developed a larger, book-like folding device and a smaller, flip-phone-style foldable. We got our hands on the former, and it’s a solid and compact alternative not just to Samsung’s Galaxy Fold 4 but to the half-dozen other competitors in China. Design and hardware Named the Find N2, the Oppo handset is a direct successor to last year’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3203805/oppo-find-n2-foldable-phone-light-sturdy-compact-competitor-samsung-galaxy-fold-4-and-other-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3203805/oppo-find-n2-foldable-phone-light-sturdy-compact-competitor-samsung-galaxy-fold-4-and-other-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Dec 2022 03:15:10 +0000 If the first set of wireless earbuds from Nothing, Ear 1 released in 2021, was meant to be an alternative to Apple’s AirPods Pro, then the UK-based start-up’s latest buds, the Ear Stick, are aimed at the non-Pro AirPods. Design and hardware The Nothing Ear Stick features an attention-grabbing transparent design that’s been a signature look for the company headed by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei. The case has a revolving-door-like covering that can be twisted open. The twisting action offers... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3198135/nothing-ear-stick-wireless-earbuds-review-comfortable-open-ear-design-produces-crisp-mids-and-highs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3198135/nothing-ear-stick-wireless-earbuds-review-comfortable-open-ear-design-produces-crisp-mids-and-highs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Nov 2022 03:15:15 +0000 Samsung has a monopoly on the foldable phone market in most parts of the world, including Hong Kong, as competition from Motorola remains largely negligible and Chinese foldables have so far been for domestic release only. This is set to change in 2023, as major Chinese brands such as Honor and OnePlus have either hinted at or confirmed foldable releases for the global market – which means there’s about to be a challenge to Samsung’s hegemony. But managing director of Samsung Hong Kong Yiyin... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3197988/will-samsungs-foldable-phone-monopoly-hong-kong-be-threatened-new-chinese-releases-probably-not?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3197988/will-samsungs-foldable-phone-monopoly-hong-kong-be-threatened-new-chinese-releases-probably-not?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Nov 2022 23:15:10 +0000 The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is an excellent foldable phone that continues the momentum created by last year’s Z Flip 3. This year though, the Flip 4 has competition – at least in mainland China – because Motorola has launched an update to its Razr clamshell series. Which model comes out on top in a side-by-side comparison? Design and hardware Each phone is an Android with a 6.7-inch (170mm) screen that folds in half horizontally, in a way reminiscent of clamshell mobile phones from the early... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3192963/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-4-vs-motorola-razr-foldable-smartphones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3192963/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-4-vs-motorola-razr-foldable-smartphones?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Sep 2022 08:15:08 +0000 The often-mocked iPhone notch – that black indentation above the display that has housed the top speaker, camera and facial recognition technology in recent models – is dead, at least in the top-end iPhones. Released on September 16, 2022, in Hong Kong and around the world, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max introduce a new way to house Apple’s TrueDepth facial scanning system. At first glance, it’s just a longer version of the hole-punch cut-out seen in virtually every Android phone, but while... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3192732/apple-iphone-14-pro-and-pro-max-first-look-dynamic-island-48?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3192732/apple-iphone-14-pro-and-pro-max-first-look-dynamic-island-48?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Sep 2022 10:15:14 +0000 Xiaomi’s launch of its Mix Fold 2 less than a day after Samsung introduced the Galaxy Z Fold 4 earlier this month shows that competition in the foldable smartphone market is heating up. At first glance, and going purely by its hardware, the Chinese release seems more impressive – but how does it stack up against its rival from the South Korean electronics giant? Design and hardware Both Samsung’s Galaxy Fold 4 and Xiaomi’s Mix Fold 2 are devices that fold like a book, and while Samsung... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3190532/xiaomis-mix-fold-2-vs-samsungs-galaxy-z-fold-4-foldable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3190532/xiaomis-mix-fold-2-vs-samsungs-galaxy-z-fold-4-foldable?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Aug 2022 09:15:24 +0000 It’s often said that Apple is rarely the first to do anything, but when it does do it, it gets it right. This explains why so many long-existing smartphone features – from the ultra-wide camera to wireless charging and the all-screen design – only became popular after the iPhone began offering them. It will probably be said again this autumn when the Apple Watch finally gains the ability to track sleep in a proactive manner, which other wearables from the likes of Fitbit and Samsung have been... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3189187/watchos-9-update-apple-watch-tracks-sleep-cycle-stages-and-gives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3189187/watchos-9-update-apple-watch-tracks-sleep-cycle-stages-and-gives?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Aug 2022 01:45:14 +0000 The much hyped first smartphone from Nothing, a UK-based start-up founded by Carl Pei – who co-founded the Chinese phone maker OnePlus – is here. Pei has been teasingly hinting at the phone’s existence for months, and suggested the device would zig where everyone else zags. The final result, sadly, isn’t as ambitious as expected. Design and hardware Were it not for the transparent back design and lack of a notch in the display, the Nothing Phone 1 could easily be mistaken for a recent iPhone.... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3185368/nothing-phone-1-review-iphone-lookalike-good-mid-range-smartphone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3185368/nothing-phone-1-review-iphone-lookalike-good-mid-range-smartphone?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Jul 2022 09:15:26 +0000 Xiaomi smartphones have seen a rapid improvement in recent years and the Chinese company’s latest super flagship handset, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, has the most impressive camera hardware yet seen in a smartphone. Design and hardware The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is grabbing all the consumer tech site headlines for its main camera: a brand new, 50-megapixel sensor custom built by Sony for Xiaomi (Xiaomi contributed US$15 million to the development process). This camera features a 1-inch camera sensor, which... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3184541/xiaomi-12s-ultra-review-best-2022-phone-its-leica-camera-makes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3184541/xiaomi-12s-ultra-review-best-2022-phone-its-leica-camera-makes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Jul 2022 03:15:13 +0000 Two years ago, Apple flipped the computing industry upside down when it launched the M1 chip, a tiny streamlined silicon chip similar to the those powering smartphones that somehow was able to provide enough processing power for all of Apple’s computers large and small. Now the M2 is here, debuting in Apple’s new 13-inch MacBook Pro that goes on sale next week. I’ve been testing this machine heavily for the past week, and it’s an excellent computer for digital nomads and entry- to mid-level... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3182603/apple-m2-macbook-pro-2022-13-inch-review-new-chip-thats-super?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3182603/apple-m2-macbook-pro-2022-13-inch-review-new-chip-thats-super?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jun 2022 13:00:17 +0000 Samsung’s wide-ranging consumer product portfolio expanded this January with the introduction of the company’s first portable projector. Despite its clunky name, Samsung The Freestyle – with “The” as an official part of the name – is ultra-portable and packed with smart features. It’s not cheap at US$899,, but its ease of use and intuitive software should satisfy those looking for an on-the-go movie machine. Design and hardware The Freestyle aims to break the mould of traditional projectors, as... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3174219/samsung-freestyle-review-portable-projector-has-smart-features?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3174219/samsung-freestyle-review-portable-projector-has-smart-features?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Apr 2022 03:15:16 +0000 In the Apple iPad hierarchy, the Pro is the most powerful but it’s also pricey and relatively large. Further down are the Mini and standard iPad, which are more affordable and lightweight, but perhaps too small to get real work done. The iPad Air is the happy medium: the one machine that truly excels at both work and play. The 2022 update should further cement it as the default iPad option for most – as well as almost make one of the Pro models redundant. Hardware and design The iPad Air 2022 is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3170498/apple-ipad-air-2022-review-decent-price-new-colours-while-m1-chip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3170498/apple-ipad-air-2022-review-decent-price-new-colours-while-m1-chip?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Mar 2022 13:00:17 +0000 Samsung is widely credited for starting the trend of large-screen phones a decade ago. Now it’s attempting to do the same with tablets. The Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, which goes on sale in the United States on February 25 and in Hong Kong on March 4, packs a 14.6-inch screen, making it the largest tablet ever released. In fact, it has a larger screen than most laptops today. Design and hardware Other than its unusually large size – 326.4mm wide and 208.6mm high – the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra resembles most... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3168079/samsung-galaxy-tab-s8-ultra-review-146-inch-120hz-display?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3168079/samsung-galaxy-tab-s8-ultra-review-146-inch-120hz-display?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Feb 2022 08:15:16 +0000 For a decade, Samsung’s mobile division launched two major smartphones a year: the casual, all-rounder Galaxy S series in spring, and the business-driven, stylus-included Galaxy Note series in summer. This strategy stopped in 2021 when Samsung did not release a Note device, instead giving its summer release slot to the company’s foldable Z series. Many assumed we had seen the last of the Galaxy Note. Wednesday’s announcement of the Galaxy S22 series showed that isn’t quite the case: the S22... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3166386/samsung-galaxy-s22-ultra-first-look-s-pen-best-zoom-lens-better?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3166386/samsung-galaxy-s22-ultra-first-look-s-pen-best-zoom-lens-better?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Feb 2022 15:00:24 +0000 In the first year of the foldable phone era, 2019, there were questions about which form was superior: Samsung’s Galaxy Fold closed inward towards the user like a book, while Huawei and Royole’s foldables – the Mate X and FlexPai – folded outwards away from the user. Xiaomi teased a tri-fold device that stacked itself in thirds like a business letter. It would appear that Samsung’s idea has won, because since then Huawei and Xiaomi have both followed the Galaxy Fold’s form. Now another Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3161225/foldable-phone-face-oppo-find-n-vs-samsung-galaxy-z-fold-3-we-put?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3161225/foldable-phone-face-oppo-find-n-vs-samsung-galaxy-z-fold-3-we-put?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Dec 2021 08:15:17 +0000 While the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is still wreaking havoc on many industries, consumer tech did not slow down in 2021. This year we saw Google parent Alphabet build its own silicon, Apple dealing another blow to Intel, which once had a stranglehold on the computer industry, by launching its own chips, and further advancements in foldable handsets that should open the door for the category to go mainstream in 2022. Here are six product hits and misses from 2021. 1. Custom silicon Almost... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3160830/six-biggest-tech-hits-and-misses-2021-google-chinas-oppo-vivo-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3160830/six-biggest-tech-hits-and-misses-2021-google-chinas-oppo-vivo-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Dec 2021 08:15:22 +0000 When Apple announced a year and half ago it would release computers using self-developed silicon based on ARM architecture instead of Intel’s ubiquitous processors, industry insiders didn’t know how to react. It wasn’t that people doubted Apple’s ability to make efficient ARM-based chips – iPhones run perfectly fine on them – it was more the long-held industry consensus that ARM-based chips, which are designed to be energy efficient, can’t quite power a real computer the way Intel’s more complex... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3153555/apple-macbook-pro-review-super-powerful-and-efficient-new-chip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3153555/apple-macbook-pro-review-super-powerful-and-efficient-new-chip?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Oct 2021 13:00:10 +0000 Apple’s new iPhone 13s are here and I’ve been testing all four models for the past week. How do they stack up against last year’s iPhones – and the Android competition? Design and hardware From the outside, the iPhone 13 series looks very similar to the iPhone 12 series. The four phones come in three sizes: 6.7 inch (13 Pro Max), 6.1 inch (13 Pro and 13) and 5.4 inch (13 Mini). The Pro phones have an extra zoom camera that the non-Pro models lack. The only noticeable physical changes from last... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3149510/iphone-13-smartphones-review-apple-raises-bar-shooting-video?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3149510/iphone-13-smartphones-review-apple-raises-bar-shooting-video?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Sep 2021 13:00:21 +0000 Since its debut six years ago, the Apple Watch has dominated the smartwatch market. Sales may fluctuate every quarter, but industry numbers show Apple’s smartwatch generally grabs 30 to 40 per cent of the global smartwatch market share, while all other brands are in single digits. So when Google announced at its developer conference in May that it had partnered with Samsung to jointly develop the former’s Wear OS platform for the latter’s wearables, many saw it as a necessary move: two rivals... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3148090/smartwatch-showdown-apple-watch-series-6-vs-samsung-galaxy-watch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3148090/smartwatch-showdown-apple-watch-series-6-vs-samsung-galaxy-watch?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Sep 2021 02:45:09 +0000 Smartphone makers have been working on the bezel-free, all-screen design for years. In doing so, they have had to come up with ways to either shrink, eliminate, or relocate components that take up space on a handset’s face, such as the home button, proximity sensor, fingerprint scanner, earpiece and selfie camera. The biggest challenge of that mission so far has been the selfie camera. It is a major reason the iPhone has that infamous notch and the sole reason recent Android phone screens had a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3146135/xiaomi-mix-4-review-first-functional-under-screen-selfie-camera?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3146135/xiaomi-mix-4-review-first-functional-under-screen-selfie-camera?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Aug 2021 09:15:53 +0000 After months of delays due to US sanction-related uncertainties, Huawei’s P50 smartphone series has seen the light of day. While the new phones will once again have limited appeal outside mainland China because they lack Google Mobile Services, there’s a lot to like for smartphone enthusiasts interested in the latest breakthrough in digital imaging – particularly the higher-end Pro model I tested. Hardware and design The P50 Pro has an eye-catching design, with two giant circular camera modules... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3145568/huawei-p50-pro-smartphone-review-no-google-services-it-takes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3145568/huawei-p50-pro-smartphone-review-no-google-services-it-takes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Aug 2021 02:45:14 +0000 Samsung’s first-generation foldable devices – the Galaxy Fold in 2019 and Galaxy Z Flip in 2020 – were groundbreaking, bleeding-edge devices. Like most consumer technology released to test the market, they were also a bit rough around the edges. The Galaxy Fold’s successor in 2020 brought a significantly improved product that fixed most of the original’s flaws. Now, with what it is calling its “third generation” of foldable devices, the newly unveiled Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 (there was no... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3144674/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-3-and-flip-3-foldable-phones-first?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3144674/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-3-and-flip-3-foldable-phones-first?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Aug 2021 15:00:15 +0000