Bloomberg: Apple A13 production kicks off, destined for iPhone 11 and the new iPhone XR in the fall - 9to5Mac

Supply chain sources have previously reported that the Apple A13 chip will be built by TSMC on a ‘7nm+’ process. In an article posted today, Bloomberg says that the A13 chip is now in trial production and could ramp up to mass production later in May.

The A13 chip will be used in the next-generation iPhone lineup, the 5.8-inch iPhone 11, 6.5-inch iPhone 11 Max and a successor to the 6.1-inch iPhone XR.

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Apple has forged its own path with GPU and CPU chip silicon to great success, relying on TSMC as its manufacturing partner for its custom designs. Apple’s lead in mobile chip performance means that even previous-generation iPhones rival flagship Android devices in performance benchmarks.

Beefier versions of its iPhone chips ultimately make their way into iPads too. Apple is widely believed to be developing its own chips for future Macs.

It’s unclear when the first Apple-ARM-powered Mac devices will ship, although it is likely to come to a laptop form factor first (like the 12-inch MacBook).

iPhone 11 codenames and other details

In addition to the A13 chip details, Bloomberg says the iPhone XS successor is codenamed ‘D43’ and the new iPhone XR is codenamed ‘N104’. Each model will gain an extra camera with the ‘iPhone 11’ adding an ultra-wide lens. Bloomberg says Apple’s iPhone hardware upgrades will enable more detailed photos and ‘a broader range of zoom’.

Bloomberg says the iPhone 11 chassis will increase in thickness by about 0.5mm to accommodate the triple-camera system. Macotakara previously reported similar measurements. Bloomberg also backs up recent renders that show the new camera bump as a square design.

The site also says that Apple will enable users to charge their wireless-charging AirPods by placing it on the back of an iPhone 11. Bilateral power charging for the iPhone was first detailed by Ming-Chi Kuo, and is already seen in flagship Android devices.

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https://9to5mac.com/2019/05/10/a13-iphone-11-kicks-off/

2019-05-10 14:16:00Z
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The Pixel 3a turned out the most leaked phone in history, was that a buzzkill for you? - Phone Arena

From the complete specs sheet to the final naming scheme, and even lengthy review videos, we've known all about the Pixel 3a and 3a XL phones many months before Google took the stage to introduce them this week.

First, an alleged Pixel 3 Lite turned up in live photos from the confines of the former Soviet Union, complete with a writeup of the current specs - the processor, the RAM amount, the 12MP/8MP camera combo, the 5.56" display - everything was listed about six months before the unveiling. 

The full Pixel 3a and 3a XL design and specs were known almost half a year before their unveiling

Thus, the Pixel 3a and 3a XL had hands-ons, video reviews, camera samples, and comparisons with popular phones two weather seasons before their actual announcement this week, which makes them the most leaked smartphones in history. When Google's CEO Sundar Pichai took the stage on Tuesday, about the only thing left to see were the promo videos and the software trickery that the phones will introduce. 

This is why we wanted to ask you if you still felt excitement when the phones were announced in the flesh or whether all that leaking somewhat took it away despite the excellent value-for-money ratio.

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2019-05-10 12:27:03Z
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HP Spectre 15 x360 2019 review: Carving a niche in a crowded space - Ars Technica

Enlarge / The unusual, gemstone-inspired edges are designed to make this laptop stand out.

Samuel Axon

The HP Spectre 15 x360 is a good laptop, but it seemed we always found one or two things to quibble with.

With the 2017 model, we liked some key design decisions but felt let down by the performance and battery life. We were bigger fans of the 2018 update, which amped up performance while also improving battery life and making the 4K display standard. But we felt the trackpad was awfully small and didn't like that the fingerprint reader and power button were separate.

Now we're working with the 2019 model, and it brings a whole new design along with some faster internals and extras like clever port placement and a hardware webcam kill switch. At its heart, the 2019 HP Spectre 15 x360 still seeks to accomplish the same things as its predecessors. It's an eye-catching (if a bit bulky) convertible packed with most of the features creatives and heavy consumers of media are looking for.

Do the 2019 updates solve some of the quibbles we had in prior years? After some recent testing, we can confidently say the HP Spectre 15 x360 remains a good laptop—but its unusual design could be alienating if you're just looking for something simple.

Specifications

Specs at a glance: HP Spectre x360 15 2018
Model	Worst	Best	As Reviewed
Screen	15.6-inch 3840 × 2160 WLED touchscreen
OS	Windows 10 Home 64
CPU	Intel Core i7-8750H (6-core, 2.2GHz up to 4.1GHz)
RAM	8GB DDR4 RAM	16GB DDR4 RAM	16GB DDR4 RAM
Storage	256GB PCIe SSD	2TB PCIe SSD	1TB PCIe SSD
GPU	Intel UHD Graphics 630 + Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti 4GB
Networking	Intel 802.11b/g/n/ac (2×2) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5 combo (MU-MIMO supported)
Ports	1 USB-C 3.1, 1 USB-A 3.1, 1 HDMI 2.0, 1 Thunderbolt 3, 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD slot
Size	0.76 × 14,22 × 9.84 inches
Weight	4.8 pounds
Battery	6-cell, 84 Wh lithium-ion battery
Warranty	1 year; optional 2- and 3-year protection plans
Price	$1,499	$2,419	$2,049
Other perks	Fingerprint reader, webcam with privacy switch, active pen

The 2019 HP Spectre 15 x360 is a notable bump over its predecessor when it comes to specs. All configurations now include a six-core Intel Core i7-8750H processor with integrated Intel UHD 630 graphics. That's up from four cores in the previous model.

They also include Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1050Ti discrete GPU with 4GB of video memory, which is good enough to edit 4K video and play modern computer games. As stated previously, HP pitches this laptop as an option for creatives, but this isn't a workstation GPU. That distinction would only matter to a select few professionals, though.

Last year, HP made the 4K 15.6-inch WLED touchscreen display standard. That returns here. The screen doesn't appear to have changed, and it's still a good display, albeit a bit dark—we measured the brightness at around 300 nits, which is much lower than you'll see on competing laptops like the Dell XPS 15. That's a perplexing letdown for a laptop made for media creation and consumption. Nevertheless, the display is sharp and the colors look good.

HP doesn't make any claims about P3 or sRGB colorspace coverage—but again, this isn't a professional workstation, it's a personal machine. For that, the screen is good enough. We've just seen better.

The laptop comes with 8GB DDR4 RAM standard, and you can upgrade to 16GB. Either should be sufficient for most use cases for this laptop. There's a wide range of storage options, and given that it's solid state, this is the configuration option that can ramp up the price. Configurations start at 256GB but go as high as 2TB. Our review unit had 1TB, which, while pricy, seems appropriate for a media laptop these days—but most people could likely get by with the 512GB option.

Other specs of note include 802.11b/g/n/ac (2×2) Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5, a front-facing camera, a fingerprint reader, and a six-cell, 84Wh lithium-ion battery.

Design

The first thing you'll notice when unboxing this laptop is its unusual aesthetic. HP calls it a "gem-cut" look—the angles on the edges resemble the clean, geometric corners and sides of a gemstone, supposedly. It has a dramatic effect. It looks "polygonal," for lack of a better term. If you want something eye-catching, it does that well.

The combination of the "gem-cut" appearance and the shiny, attention-grabbing copper or brass accents do give it a certain Vegas-style, over-the-top vibe that won't work for everyone. I find it a bit much, to be frank, but that's purely personal. Many other people are going to love it. I just liked the old look a little better, as I appreciated the accents in last year's models very much and didn't feel more was needed to get the point across.

That said, the materials don't feel cheap at all, which helps. If you're the sort to want your computer to look and feel "premium," this convertible delivers.

The backlit keyboard is similar to last year's model, and it's still solid. It's a chiclet keyboard with 1.5mm of key travel. It has a full numeric keypad, which will appeal to some users but not to others. I feel that squeezing numpads into 15-inch laptops makes the keyboards cramped. But then, I rarely if ever use the numpad even if I have it. For other people, a numpad is essential, and it's clearly a welcome inclusion in that scenario.

• The 2019 HP Spectre 15 x360.

  Samuel Axon

• With the lid open and from the front, it looks like a pretty normal 15-inch laptop...

  Samuel Axon

• But the unusual design is apparent on the edges. In one back corner, for example, we have the power button...

  Samuel Axon

• And on the other back corner, there's a USB-C port—the goal here is to prevent this from interfering with your mouse, though it won't help much if you're left-handed.

  Samuel Axon

• The speakers sit above the keyboard.

  Samuel Axon

• A top view with the lid closed.

  Samuel Axon

The trackpad is similar to the one in 2018's model, and it's fine. It still feels a little cramped to me—that was one of Ars' Valentina Palladino's main criticisms last year—but not everyone likes giant trackpads.

With dimensions of 0.76×14,22×9.84 inches and a weight of 4.8 pounds, this convertible is a bit too bulky to comfortably use as a tablet. Most 15-inch convertibles have this problem, though. I also feel the bezels are rather large—primarily the bottom. HP says they're 11.9-percent narrower overall than last year's Spectre 15 x360, though.

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https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/05/hp-spectre-15-x360-2019-review-carving-a-niche-in-a-crowded-space/

2019-05-10 11:15:00Z
CBMiamh0dHBzOi8vYXJzdGVjaG5pY2EuY29tL2dhZGdldHMvMjAxOS8wNS9ocC1zcGVjdHJlLTE1LXgzNjAtMjAxOS1yZXZpZXctY2FydmluZy1hLW5pY2hlLWluLWEtY3Jvd2RlZC1zcGFjZS_SAXBodHRwczovL2Fyc3RlY2huaWNhLmNvbS9nYWRnZXRzLzIwMTkvMDUvaHAtc3BlY3RyZS0xNS14MzYwLTIwMTktcmV2aWV3LWNhcnZpbmctYS1uaWNoZS1pbi1hLWNyb3dkZWQtc3BhY2UvP2FtcD0x

Pixel 3a vs Galaxy S10e: the better Android for your wallet - SlashGear

For the first time, Google has offered a more affordable version of its flagship smartphone. Of course, it’s somewhat late to that trend. Last year, Apple launched the iPhone XR and just a few months ago Samsung did a similar thing with the Galaxy S10e. Naturally, the Google Pixel 3a is being compared with the Galaxy S10e but which “cheaper” flagship should Android users gravitate towards? Here’s a short guide to help you make that decision.

Price

OK, it’s probably a bit unfair to compare these two phones just on price or specs alone. The Samsung Galaxy S10e would be insulted to be called a mid-range phone and the Google Pixel 3a has an unfair advantage when it comes to the price tag. It would be better to see this as a face-off between two “more affordable” versions of each company’s premium flagships.

As mentioned, the Pixel 3a immediately has an advantage. A $400 phone is clearly more accessible than a $750 one, even if that’s the cheapest flagship Samsung can offer. But this isn’t like an Essential PH-1 or OnePlus versus some flagship. The Pixel 3a, as will be seen later, is a mid-range device in hardware and design.

Those price savings don’t come for free. You will be missing out on quite a few features in the name of saving hundreds of dollars. That’s not a total loss, however, because what some might find to be a deal breaker might be of no consequence to others. It’s really a matter of balancing and keeping expectations in check.

Specs

You’d think that the Galaxy S10e wins when it comes to the specs race. That wouldn’t be far from the truth. The Galaxy S10e, after all, is the Galaxy S10 with just a few features removed. Inside, it’s pretty much the same monster.

• Operating System: Android 9.0 Pie with Samsung One UI
• CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 or Samsung Exynos 9820
• RAM: 6 or 8 GB
• Storage: 128 or 256 GB
• Display: 5.8-inch 2280×1080
• Main Camera: 12 MP Dual Pixel PDAF, 16 MP
• Secondary Camera: 10 MP Dual Pixel PDAF
• Battery: 3,100 mAh

In contrast, the Pixel 3a only have a few details similar to the Pixel 3. Amusingly, the Pixel 3a isn’t worse than the Pixel 3 in some respects. Sure, it has a slower Snapdragon 670 but they’re basically equal in memory. The Pixel 3a also has the larger battery and doesn’t skip the 3.5 mm headphone jack.

• Operating System: Android 9.0 Pie (Pure)
• CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 670
• RAM: 4 GB
• Storage: 64 GB
• Display: 5.6-inch 2220×1080
• Main Camera: 12.2 MP
• Secondary Camera: 8 MP
• Battery: 3,000 mAh

All things considered, some users might actually feel that the two are almost head to head in the race. Why? Because their pros and cons almost balance each other out. Samsung has the beefier hardware but all its software makes it perform less efficiently than ideal. Google opted for lower specs but also maximizes them through software. All but the most resource intensive game and apps will push the Snapdragon 670 beyond its limits. In most cases, it would suffice and even offer better energy efficiency. At least in theory.

In practice, you will be sacrificing a lot in the Pixel 3a but, as mentioned, it depends on the user as well. The lack of wireless charging might be forgettable but having no waterproofing might worry some. Admittedly, the Pixel 3a will hurt the most when it comes to RAM and fixed data storage.

Design

Design is where the two diverge greatly again, though you might not be able to tell at first glance. Both inherit the design cues of their more expensive siblings but only one of them use almost the same materials. It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone by now but the Pixel 3a embraces old-school polycarbonate like it’s still the fad.

Ironically, it might actually work more in the Pixel 3a’s favor. Plastic is more durable than glass, even if it’s also more scratch-prone. iFixit has also shown that the Pixel 3a’s design lends itself more easily to being opened up and repaired. You are also less likely to fret over a $400 phone over a $750 one. Presuming you’ve had all your important data backed up to Google’s cloud, of course.

Camera

These days, the smartphone competition revolves mostly around cameras. Quite appropriately, this is also where the second biggest battle between these two will take place. It might also be the second biggest reason buyers will decide to buy one or the other.

You might have heard of reviews of the Galaxy S10 5G’s camera and how it only fares second to the Huawei P30 Pro. You might jump to the conclusion that, since it shares at least two cameras with the rest of the Galaxy S10 brood, it would have roughly the same performance. That, however, presumes that the other two sensors don’t have anything to do with that remarkable camera performance. That also presumes that Samsung’s camera software for the Galaxy S10e even works the same way as the others or will get the same attention in future updates.

The advantage of the Pixel 3a is that has only one camera and it’s the exact same camera that Google uses in the Pixel 3. More than that, Google is more likely to give the Pixel 3a the exact same powerful software and AI features that it gives the more expensive Pixels. Of course, we’re talking about Google here so the guarantee of future updates is, well, guaranteed.

In practice, the Pixel 3a’s early camera output looks already promising. It definitely leaves any of the Galaxy S10 in the dust of its Night Sight feature. It is truly remarkable how Google is able to pull off so many tricks with only a single, low-megapixel camera and lots of AI.

Software

You might think that the camera will be the biggest point of contention between these two phones. It’s actually only secondary. The real deciding factor will actually be the version of Android that runs on them.

Let’s face it. Take away that camera and the Pixels might seem almost sub-par compared to other Android flagships. What truly makes it different is the lack of superfluous features and the steady flow of software updates directly from Google. That will be the same unadulterated and pristine experience that the Pixel 3a will offer to users. It is, truly, the Pixel 3 in a more affordable package.

That said, the pure Android life isn’t for everyone. Some tend to feel suffocated by a vanilla experience and find the additional features of OEMs actually desirable. Granted, Samsung’s One UI experience (formerly TouchWiz) is considered to be one of the heaviest and most heavily customized but some to find value in it.

Wrap-up

You might think there’s no clear winner between the two and if you consider the different needs of different users, you are partly correct. But if you consider what the best Android phone would be on a tighter budget, you won’t go wrong with a Google Pixel 3a.

Yes, it won’t have all the raw power that the Galaxy S10e would have nor the premium materials but it trumps Samsung’s “budget” option in almost every other way. The camera is and will be amazing, thanks to continuous software updates. It will be easier and less expensive to repair when, not if, accidents do happen. It also offers the best Android software experience for those who want to hold on to their phones for years, not months.

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https://www.slashgear.com/pixel-3a-vs-galaxy-s10e-the-better-android-for-your-wallet-10576148/

2019-05-10 10:19:00Z
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Nintendo will let you play 'Tetris 99' offline for $10 - Engadget

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Nintendo

Releasing Tetris 99 as a free-to-play Switch game was a canny move by Nintendo, as the popular online-only title motivated users to get a Switch Online membership. Now, Nintendo is introducing a paid component with the new $10 Big Block DLC. You get two new modes: "CPU Battle" lets you play 98 virtual opponents offline, while "Marathon" is just classic line-clearing action. Both are available offline, meaning you'll no longer need Switch Online to play it.

The #Tetris99 Big Block DLC is available on Nintendo eShop for $9.99 and adds offline modes! Battle 98 bots in CPU Battle, and survive in Marathon mode to clear the most lines possible! Stay tuned for more on additional upcoming game modes. https://t.co/t6cp0KnJLT pic.twitter.com/VKvai3xRCe

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) May 10, 2019

With the original release of Tetris 99 earlier this year, Nintendo brought an exciting hook to the classic game with a Battle Royale mode. It not only lets you fight against 98 opponents, but your success in clearing lines and gaining badges can hasten your rival's defeat. 98 players get whittled down to 50, then 10, leading to the eventual winner.

The offline CPU Battle mode works in much the same way, but against computer opponents rather than live players. That will let you hone your skills before facing off against human players. If you get good enough, Nintendo also announced the Tetris 99 3rd Maximus Cup running from May 17-19 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the game. Participate who earn at least 100 event points will unlock an in-game theme inspired by Nintendo's original Game Boy Tetris version.

Source: Nintendo

In this article: av, BigBlockDLC, CPUBattle, gaming, Marathon, nintendo, Offline, Tetris, Tetris99

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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https://www.engadget.com/2019/05/10/nintendo-tetris-99-big-block-dlc-offline/

2019-05-10 09:05:56Z
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Google creates 53 gender-neutral emojis - Android Police

As part of Android Q Beta 3, Google has created 230 new emojis, including 53 that are gender-neutral. What this means is the icon can represent both a man and a woman, without identifying to a particular gender. In order to achieve this, Google has focused on designing a hairstyle that can be worn by both women and men.

The company has also worked on other details to make the emojis gender-fluid like choosing a more neutral color for clothing or getting rid of accessories such as ties or bras. Interestingly, I feel like the result works well for most emojis, but some of them are confusing, which is probably the whole point anyway.

These new emojis will initially be available on Pixels in the coming days, before expanding to all Android devices. In the meantime, if you try to send one of them to a device that doesn't support gender-neutral emojis yet, it will simply pick a gender-specific one.

Google is known for being an inclusive company, and being one of the first to release a set of such emojis highlights this. Hopefully, other firms like Apple and Facebook will design theirs, so such an initiative can become more widespread.

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https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/05/09/google-creates-53-gender-neutral-emojis/

2019-05-10 06:12:00Z
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Full gesture nav in Android Q beta 3 can leave you stranded in screen pinning mode - Android Police

Google added screen pinning several years back, but the feature never got much attention. Screen pinning locks your phone to a single app, which is handy when you need to hand your phone to someone else and would prefer they didn't go snooping. There's a frustrating bug in Android Q beta 3 that completely breaks this feature when the new gesture navigation is enabled.

The Android Q full gesture nav option replaces the home and back button with an iPhone-like swipe zone. You probably know where this is going; you need those buttons to exit screen pinning. So, gesture mode traps you in screen pinning mode.

Since this is a beta, things can get a bit weird and inconsistent when you run into a bug like this. Sometimes, the phone lets you get back to the home screen from the pinned app, but you won't be able to access the settings or status bar. Attempting to launch other apps also fails. Other times, you're stuck in the pinned app and can't even get home. It will be interesting to see how Google addresses this incompatibility in future releases.

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https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/05/09/full-gesture-nav-in-android-q-beta-3-can-leave-you-stranded-in-screen-pinning-mode/

2019-05-09 15:45:00Z
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