https://www.scmp.com/rss/506044/feed Reviewing the latest tech, from dual screen smartphones, action cameras to the latest drones from DJI and more. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com The Mi 10 Pro is Xiaomi’s most expensive Mi phone to date and the company’s latest flagship smartphone. The €999 (US$1,125) price tag gets you pretty much what you’d expect from a high-end mobile device in 2020. It’s all there: A Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset, a large 4,500mAh battery, a 108-megapixel camera that shoots 8K video, and a high-refresh display -- albeit at 90Hz instead of 120Hz, as has become increasingly common. But is all of this worth a price that approaches premium brands... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3089679/mi-10-pro-xiaomis-most-powerful-flagship-yet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3089679/mi-10-pro-xiaomis-most-powerful-flagship-yet?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jun 2020 21:00:21 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS When Samsung started touting the 100x zoom on the new Galaxy S20 Ultra, it probably sounded like an amazing feature to a lot of people. But the reality is quite different. The S20 Ultra only has an optical zoom lens up to 4x. Anything more than that results in degraded image quality. The camera app still offers other preset zoom options, though, including 10x and 30x. How do these compare to the 100x zoom, and is there any reason to use these... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3085209/zooming-100x-samsung-galaxy-s20-ultra-isnt-cool-it-sounds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3085209/zooming-100x-samsung-galaxy-s20-ultra-isnt-cool-it-sounds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2020 04:11:26 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Samsung is back with a new foldable phone: The Galaxy Z Flip. And unlike the Galaxy Fold, Samsung’s first foldable that we reviewed nearly six months ago, the Z Flip isn’t a foldable tablet. Instead, this smaller phone folds down like the new Motorola Razr. After getting to use this phone for a while, I can say that this is Samsung’s best foldable phone. But it’s still not worth the money. FOLDING THE Z FLIP Folding and unfolding the Galaxy Z Flip is... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3082554/samsungs-galaxy-z-flip-best-foldable-phone-you-shouldnt-buy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3082554/samsungs-galaxy-z-flip-best-foldable-phone-you-shouldnt-buy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2020 21:00:20 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS The new iPhone SE is finally here. It’s been four years since the original was released in 2016 sporting the design of the iPhone 5s. Now it’s getting a significant update using the design of the iPhone 8, starting at just US$399 for the 64GB model. This is Apple’s most affordable iPhone to date. And more importantly, there’s no compromise on power. After trying it out for 12 hours, I’m completely sold on upgrading from my old iPhone SE. If you’re like... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3081522/iphone-se-everything-you-need-phone-us400?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3081522/iphone-se-everything-you-need-phone-us400?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2020 21:00:17 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is a spec monster. Samsung’s newest foldable phone runs the latest Snapdragon 865 processor, supports 5G, offers up to 16GB of RAM, includes a huge 6.9-inch 120Hz screen, and has an ample 5,000mAh battery. Even the cameras look great on paper: It has a 108-megapixel sensor, 100x zoom and 8K video recording. The beefy specs and new camera tech make the S20 Ultra look very impressive. But if you’re considering spending the... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3080626/galaxy-s20-ultra-has-lots-features-look-better-paper?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3080626/galaxy-s20-ultra-has-lots-features-look-better-paper?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2020 00:00:22 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS When it comes to choosing a mid-range phone, there are three necessities everyone should look for. First, the phone should have good specs for the price. Second, the camera should have a good selection of features without a huge difference in quality with flagship phones. Third, it should have solid build quality. Fortunately for Oppo, the Reno 3 Pro satisfies all three. SIZE AND WEIGHT For a phone that costs less than US$500, I’m amazed at how light... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3075473/oppo-reno-3-pro-feature-rich-mid-range-phone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3075473/oppo-reno-3-pro-feature-rich-mid-range-phone?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2020 21:00:18 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS By the looks of it, you might mistake Snail Mobile’s MOQI i7s for a PS Vita knock-off. But it’s actually a fully functioning Android gaming phone that tries to rival the likes of the Asus ROG Phone 2 and the Razer Phone 2 at a lower price. While it’s a competent gaming device, working well with a wide range of mobile games and emulators, the MOQI i7s is also extremely inconvenient as a phone given its form factor with a built-in controller on each... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3049250/moqi-i7s-ps-vita-gaming-phone-niche-audience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3049250/moqi-i7s-ps-vita-gaming-phone-niche-audience?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2020 21:00:12 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Imagine yourself as Iron Man beaming repulsor rays at your enemies while the Hulk holds off the assault. That’s an experience you can finally have in a MOBA game thanks to NetEase’s new Marvel Super War. The free-to-play game has so far launched in six countries in Southeast Asia and is also available in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. While the game might seem like just yet another reskin of a typical MOBA game, NetEase has really succeeded in applying... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3047841/neteases-marvel-super-war-moba-game-people-who-love-superheroes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3047841/neteases-marvel-super-war-moba-game-people-who-love-superheroes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Jan 2020 21:00:14 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS I was infatuated with Samsung’s Galaxy Fold when I first tried it out briefly in September. But now that I finally got a chance to use the US$2,000 phone for a full week and see how it performs in the real world, I have some new revelations.  While I still think the form factor looks incredibly cool, there are some drawbacks that really got on my nerves once I started using it every day. So here are three things I like about the Galaxy Fold and three... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3041184/samsung-galaxy-fold-has-lot-love-and-lot-hate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3041184/samsung-galaxy-fold-has-lot-love-and-lot-hate?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Dec 2019 02:00:20 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Mobile gaming has become more compelling in recent years thanks to powerful smartphones. But there are still some comforts offered by dedicated consoles that are difficult to replicate.  That hasn't stopped Razer from giving it a shot with its Junglecat controller, which has turned out to be a decent alternative to a Nintendo Switch. The Junglecat is a detachable Bluetooth controller with two halves that can attach to the sides of compatible cases, much... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3039680/switch-controller-makes-razer-phone-2-compelling-gaming-device?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3039680/switch-controller-makes-razer-phone-2-compelling-gaming-device?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Nov 2019 02:00:10 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Relying on beloved characters from a blockbuster animated film isn’t enough to make a great video game when the gameplay feels like an afterthought. Sadly, this was my main takeaway from my time playing Monkey King: Hero is Back, which is Sony’s first marquee video game for the PlayStation 4 in China. The game is based on what was once the country’s most popular animated film (a title that now belongs to Nezha). The problems in this game are many: An... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3034804/monkey-king-hero-back-not-groundbreaking-experience-it-could-have?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3034804/monkey-king-hero-back-not-groundbreaking-experience-it-could-have?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Oct 2019 10:46:48 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS By now you’ve probably had time to comb through plenty of reviews of the OnePlus 7 Pro and decide if it’s really the smartphone for you. But what if what you’re really interested in that triple-camera set-up or the pop-up selfie camera? Those are things flagships like Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Pixel don’t offer, but that doesn’t mean it’s worth making the switch. So I spent three days shooting pictures and 4K video around Hong Kong with the OnePlus 7... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029513/oneplus-7-pro-camera-better-you-expect?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029513/oneplus-7-pro-camera-better-you-expect?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Aug 2019 02:44:17 +0000 The DJI Osmo Action is a rugged 4K action camera designed with vloggers in mind. The front-facing screen makes it unique among action cameras, and it stands up well against the competition.  I’ve spent the past several weeks using the Osmo Action, using it to shoot outdoor summer activities like diving and boat canoeing. This review will cover what I love about the device and its downsides, but I recommend you first check out the video above. Words can only do an action camera so much... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3019164/best-action-camera-vlogging-and-selfies-our-dji-osmo-action-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3019164/best-action-camera-vlogging-and-selfies-our-dji-osmo-action-review?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jul 2019 23:00:13 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS The idea of “tiger parenting,” based on ideas of strict Chinese parenting, has drawn a lot of attention over the last several years. But what is it actually like to grow up with tiger parents in China? If you ever wanted to know, now you can experience it in the simulation game Chinese Parents.  This indie title is now accessible to an international audience, with an English version of the game that has already sold hundreds of thousands of copies in... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029452/hit-game-chinese-parents-funny-and-insightful-look-growing-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029452/hit-game-chinese-parents-funny-and-insightful-look-growing-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jul 2019 11:40:28 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Take a cyberpunk world, paint it in the style of exquisitely crafted pixel art, then throw in some neo-noir detective motifs and you get Tales of the Neon Sea. The new detective puzzle game from Chinese developer Palm Pioneer has almost all the right ingredients for an arresting experience. All the game really needs now is an engrossing story. While playing Neon Sea, I often found myself trudging through tedious puzzles, not knowing where they would... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029334/tales-neon-sea-beautiful-slow-cyberpunk-puzzle-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029334/tales-neon-sea-beautiful-slow-cyberpunk-puzzle-game?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 May 2019 13:07:27 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS What if all that was left of a crime scene were audio tapes of every relevant conversation? That is the peculiar scenario presented in the detective game Unheard. In this new PC title co-developed by Tencent’s Next Studios and Bilibiili, you’re tasked with a few crime cases in which you have to identify witnesses and determine the perpetrators by listening to their conversations. Sometimes the hints are obvious, but not always. As the premise suggests,... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029272/unheard-rare-gem-merges-detective-game-audio-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029272/unheard-rare-gem-merges-detective-game-audio-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Apr 2019 14:19:32 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Sometimes we just wish things would happen at the right time and in the right order. Side-scrolling puzzle game Clocker lets you do just that. It’s a clever Chinese indie game where you pause time and rearrange the order of events to reunite a father and daughter. Launched on Steam after 2.5 years of crowdfunding, Clocker is full of time-bending puzzles that force you to ponder how one event leads to another, and how things -- in game or in real life --... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029201/clocker-exhausting-puzzle-game-explores-time-and-love?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029201/clocker-exhausting-puzzle-game-explores-time-and-love?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Mar 2019 11:09:20 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS You can buy a lot of things with US$1,999 -- a fancy camera drone, flights for two from Boston to Bangkok, a Samsung foldable phone, or Xiaomi’s short-throw laser projector. The device, sold in the US, can project a 150-inch image when placed just 20 inches away from the wall. It’s one of Xiaomi’s most expensive products (though not the most expensive -- that honor goes to a 25-piece furniture set). So here’s our biggest question: Is it actually worth... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029198/xiaomis-150-inch-laser-projector-has-amazing-sound-it-will-burn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029198/xiaomis-150-inch-laser-projector-has-amazing-sound-it-will-burn?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Mar 2019 11:56:22 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS The new Peppa Pig movie is 81 minutes long. And Peppa is only in it for around 30 minutes. That’s not even the weirdest thing about Alibaba’s new Peppa Pig movie, which isn’t a cartoon. it’s a live-action movie about a Chinese family coming together for Lunar New Year… except it’s got short Peppa Pig episodes sprinkled through the story. (Abacus is a unit of the South China Morning Post, which is owned by Alibaba.) It’s not a great combination. I... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029153/alibabas-peppa-pig-movie-doesnt-have-much-peppa-pig-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029153/alibabas-peppa-pig-movie-doesnt-have-much-peppa-pig-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Feb 2019 12:55:48 +0000 Some games have complicated, high-concept pitches. The Hong Kong Massacre is not one of those games. It’s the video game version of a John Woo film, taking all the slow motion dual-pistol acrobatics of Hard Boiled, and combining it with the indie gaming classic Hotline Miami. It’s a great combination, adding a heavy dose of cinematic style to Hotline Miami’s fast-paced ultraviolence. To be honest, it’s hard not to continually compare the two games, because they share so much in common. The... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029152/review-hong-kong-massacre-bloody-good-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029152/review-hong-kong-massacre-bloody-good-time?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Feb 2019 14:15:31 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS What if your shadow was alive? What if you could become your shadow? If you’ve watched Naruto, you’ve seen Shikamaru’s shadow jutsu. And if you’re more of a  Game of Thrones person, you’ve seen Melisandre’s terrifying shadow assassin. Well, now you can experience what it’s like to be a shadow in Iris.Fall, a new puzzle game from Tencent's in-house developer Next Studios. You play as a little girl, Iris, who ventures into a dilapidated theatre -- much in... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029125/puzzle-game-irisfall-gorgeous-very-tedious?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029125/puzzle-game-irisfall-gorgeous-very-tedious?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jan 2019 13:42:01 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS What if Romeo and Juliet were meant to be together in a previous life? That’s the core of the first Chinese animated movie from Warner Bros., White Snake. But don’t judge this film by looks alone and mistake it for a family-friendly Pixar film: White Snake feels more like a kung fu and romance film for an older audience, with a salacious opening and a steamy sex sequence. White Snake is a prequel to Legend of the White Snake, China’s most famous... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029113/white-snake-review-frozen-sex-one-whole-family-avoid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029113/white-snake-review-frozen-sex-one-whole-family-avoid?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jan 2019 13:59:08 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS I usually shoot videos on mirrorless cameras -- the Sony a7R III, Panasonic GH5 and Olympus E-M1 Mark II. All three have 5-axis image stabilization for steady handheld video. But all three are, well, bulky. They're not huge, of course, but they're big enough that I wouldn't carry them all the time. I'd love for something smaller, that fits into my jacket, but still capable of shooting steady 4K footage while I walk around. DJI's Osmo Pocket is the... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029098/osmo-pocket-review-tiny-capable-camera?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029098/osmo-pocket-review-tiny-capable-camera?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jan 2019 14:33:55 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS With characters painted in calligraphic strokes and combat filled with splashes of ink, Bladed Fury’s watercolor-painting art style immediately drew me in. Bladed Fury is an action-adventure game, the third title from Tencent's NEXT Studios to be published on Steam. The game follows the story of an exiled Chinese princess in the Warring States period who sets out to uncover the truth after she was framed for killing her father. During her journey, she... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029085/bladed-fury-basic-stylish-action-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3029085/bladed-fury-basic-stylish-action-game?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jan 2019 13:09:52 +0000 I know big phones are all the rage. But I don’t like them. Look, that’s not to say I use a tiny handset, like the iPhone SE. I totally get the value of a big screen. I just prefer a phone I can use with one hand. The iPhone XS Max is the first big phone I’ve ever really liked. GANG OF THREE There are three new iPhones this year: The iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max. The two XS models are the successors to the iPhone X. They retain much of the same design and features, with the main upgrades being the... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028982/iphone-xs-max-review-bigger-better?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028982/iphone-xs-max-review-bigger-better?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Nov 2018 12:15:45 +0000 The Mavic 2 Pro improves on the original in almost every way, an impressive feat given how beloved the original Mavic Pro was. The Mavic Pro was one of DJI’s biggest hits. It took everything great about their original breakout drone, the Phantom, and stuffed it into a super portable package. For the first time, you didn’t have to carry a huge bag whenever you wanted to fly a drone; you can carry it with you. The story of drone pioneer DJI The Mavic 2 Pro keeps the foldable form of the original,... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028876/best-drone-just-got-better-mavic-2-pro-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028876/best-drone-just-got-better-mavic-2-pro-review?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Oct 2018 12:15:00 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS The Mavic 2 Pro improves on the original in almost every way, an impressive feat given how beloved the original Mavic Pro was. It keeps the foldable form of the original, and adds a whole bunch of new features. The biggest? The 1-inch Hasselblad camera sensor, which allows for some gorgeous photos and video. I was blown away with night-time shots. Dark areas are devoid of noise or grain, allowing the light and color to really pop. Hong Kong is a... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028871/mavic-2-pro-60-seconds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028871/mavic-2-pro-60-seconds?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2018 12:45:30 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Next Gen isn’t an American film. But you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s American. It’s from China, based on a comic from a Chinese forum, produced by Alibaba Pictures and Wanda Media. And yet… it doesn’t quite feel like a Chinese film. It looks like something out of Pixar. It features a bunch of well-known American actors like John Krasinski and Michael Pena. Its main character has a Chinese name... but it’s pronounced wrong. The film is even debuting... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028828/netflixs-next-gen-paints-americanized-vision-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028828/netflixs-next-gen-paints-americanized-vision-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Sep 2018 13:15:15 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS We took a look at Oppo's Find X, a smartphone with super-thin bezels -- because the entire camera system, both front and back, is mounted on a module that automatically slides out of the phone when needed. It's not the first time we've seen something like it. The Vivo NEX also did sometime similar, but only put the selfie camera on a small pop-up module. The Find X also has a 3D face scanning system like the iPhone X, a curved screen like the Samsung... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028761/oppo-find-x-60-seconds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028761/oppo-find-x-60-seconds?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Aug 2018 04:45:00 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS There are people in the world who enjoy looking stylish, even at the expense of basic practicality or functionality. This is why tiny two-seater sports cars exist, or why hipsters like skinny jeans when relaxed fit pants are so much more comfortable. The Oppo Find X is for people like that. It is a smartphone that manages to stand out in a crowded market lacking in innovation. It’s a collection of ingenious ideas and state-of-the-art tech, combined into... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028758/pop-camera-phone-beautiful-hassle-oppo-find-x-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028758/pop-camera-phone-beautiful-hassle-oppo-find-x-review?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Aug 2018 11:43:01 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Ever since it burst onto the Android scene in 2014 with a phone that offered similar specs to top Samsung phones for less than half the price, Shenzhen-based OnePlus has proudly flaunted its company motto: “Never Settle.” Those two words can be found sprinkled all over OnePlus handsets, from promotional material to the device's default wallpaper. But truth be told, that slogan has always been marketing hyperbole. The reality is that OnePlus, in order to... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028570/oneplus-6-review-dollar-dollar-best-value-smartphones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028570/oneplus-6-review-dollar-dollar-best-value-smartphones?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Jun 2018 07:00:30 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Android fans had a ball last autumn poking fun at the iPhone X’s notch. Well, the jokes on them -- or rather, us, because I was one of them -- because 2018 is the year of smartphone notches. Virtually every significant new phone hitting the market this year, other than Samsung’s Galaxy S9 and the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2S, will have a little chunk of screen missing at the top to accommodate the selfie camera, earpiece and proximity sensor. Huawei’s doing it with... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028465/vivo-v9-review-iphone-x-lookalike-delivers-good-value?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028465/vivo-v9-review-iphone-x-lookalike-delivers-good-value?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Apr 2018 13:15:15 +0000 Consumer drones have steadily become smaller, cheaper, and easier to use over the last few years -- thanks primarily to DJI. The Chinese company essentially created the consumer drone with the Phantom. In 2016, they introduced the Mavic Pro -- their first foldable drone -- bringing high-end features in a more portable package. And last year’s Spark was even smaller still. But if you wanted to buy a drone for the first time, DJI’s lineup left you with a dilemma. At under $500, the Spark was cheap... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028344/best-drone-newcomers-dji-mavic-air-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028344/best-drone-newcomers-dji-mavic-air-review?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Feb 2018 18:00:30 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Once upon a time mobile phones came in all shapes and sizes, with clamshells being a particularly popular form factor. Then along came the iPhone in 2007, and everything changed. In the last decade we’ve seen a smartphone boom with hundreds (if not thousands) of handsets, all following the basic form of that revolutionary Apple device: A flat rectangular slab with a touchscreen. It’s funny how things come full circle, because ZTE is trying to jumpstart... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028339/dual-screen-smartphone-zte-axon-m-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028339/dual-screen-smartphone-zte-axon-m-review?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Feb 2018 11:45:30 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS I’ve always found it a bit tricky to review OnePlus phones. Their handsets tend to have the newest and most powerful CPUs available, so I always fall into the habit of stacking them up against flagship models from Samsung or Apple -- competition that they just can’t live up to. But then I’ll remember that the Shenzhen-based company has always priced its handsets at half (or less) the cost of an iPhone or Galaxy. And once you factor that in, it becomes... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028313/oneplus-5t-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028313/oneplus-5t-review?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Feb 2018 00:00:45 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS When Apple introduced the iPad Pro in late 2015, it tried to convince consumers that their  tablet can replace your work computer. That was for the most part, misleading, as iOS 9 was ultimately a mobile-first operating system. It lacked basic features like a dedicated file system for storage and organisation, and while you could run two apps at the same time, it was an extremely limited feature. It took Apple almost two years, but iOS 11, released with... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028303/apple-ipad-pro-105-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028303/apple-ipad-pro-105-review?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Feb 2018 12:30:00 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS Before Huawei rose to prominence in 2017 as a viable challenger to the Apple-Samsung smartphone duopoly, LG -- South Korea’s other tech giant -- was the main challenger to the big two. LG’s phones were never as polished as the iPhone or Samsung’s Galaxy, but they often had superior technology and more practical features. But recently the company has struggled, thanks to a relatively small marketing budget and one bad gamble in 2016 (in the form of a... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028304/lg-v30-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028304/lg-v30-review?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Feb 2018 12:30:00 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS There are two types of smartphone users: Those who love the stylus and those who hate it. The former (a camp which famous includes Steve Jobs) believe the stylus to be outdated and redundant; a relic of the Palm Pilot days. The latter swear by their pen-based note-taking and doodling to a fanatical degree. There appears to be no in-between. This makes the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 purchase decision simple. If you want a stylus, the Note 8 is the only... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028301/samsung-galaxy-note-8-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028301/samsung-galaxy-note-8-review?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jan 2018 05:45:00 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS For the past couple of years Huawei has slowly chipped away at the (not undeserved) stigma that Chinese products are usually inferior knockoffs. With the Mate 10 Pro, the Shenzhen-based tech giant has made its best argument yet. It’s a gorgeous and powerful handset that has received critical acclaim from the tech press, and were it not for a paranoid American government, would have been the first Huawei device to reach the mainstream US market. Even... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028294/huawei-mate-10-pro-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028294/huawei-mate-10-pro-review?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jan 2018 12:15:30 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS There’s a saying within consumer electronic circles that Apple, contrary to popular belief, is never the first to introduce something -- but when it does, it gets it just right. That’s the iPhone X in a nutshell. Almost all of the new features in this handset are old news for smartphones. That bezel-less, almost all-screen face? Xiaomi did that in late 2016. Wireless charging and an OLED display panel with richer colours and deeper blacks than the LCD... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028293/apple-iphone-x-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/reviewed/article/3028293/apple-iphone-x-review?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jan 2018 12:15:15 +0000