Non-military drones are still a new technology for it to be considered as a conventional commercial product. No matter how hard some big companies try to present it as a viable technology of today, it still is far fetched. The drone technology available at the moment ends up choking on its own limitations, i.e. power source.
Most Consumer friendly drones offer a very limited flight time, which generally falls between 10 to 30 minutes. While it can usually be solved by using a larger battery source but it results in increased weight to be carried by the drone itself, which means you need a higher power to keep the drone hovering in the sky and you fall back where you started. It’s this dilemma that inspired one researcher to develop a prototype that can indefinitely maintain its flight without having to rely on the local power source.
Dr. Samer Aldhaher from Imperial College London designed a lightweight drone that can draw power from a wireless transmitter below it. The simple version is that this squad has had its battery removed and has been outfitted with a coil of copper foil tape. This acts as a receiver for the electromagnetic waves that are being put out by the plate that the drone is flying over. It’s not that different from the wireless tech some phones use to charge, except the drone is flying.
It is a very cool prototype which opens a window to think about a new world of wirelessly powered devices but presently, it is not entirely practical. here’s a lot of limitations at this point, of course, such as the need for the drone to only hover five inches above the transmitter with minimal sideways movement.
Current technology can make wireless power to only work reliably over a very small distance. If, however, you intend to fly it from point A to point B, you’d have to lay down a stripe of power-transmitting material and make sure that there are no obstructions between the path as it can only hover a few inches of that stripe.
It would be interesting to see whether we could solve the power issues in the near future until then this prototype is as good as a power consuming ornament for your desk.
New technology is being discovered more frequently as we slowly glide to the future. It would be no surprise if we attribute technology making us independent uncannily. In the meanwhile, why don’t you entertain yourself by building a Lego drone?
Just when we thought Turing Phone Cadenza has specs so insane that it is going to be hard to sink in, the company announced yet another phone to ridicule us. One thing is sure, we didn’t even put a thought that we could have a smartphone with these specifications in the near future. Promising something so bizarre is often tied with the disruption of the industry if it comes out to be true. If Turing Robotics Industries (TRI) succeed with the production of these smartphones at an affordable retail price, they sure will be responsible for “bringing the Turing Phone from the future to the present.”
The company believes that their Artificial Intelligence would benefit from the buffed up hardware resources that these phones have to provide as they assert it to be more intelligent and deeply linked to your device. The Turing Monolith Chaconne is projected to be released sometime in 2018 with unbelievable specifications. Last week Turing phone Cadenza was announced with the expected release time of 2017. It is weird that the company has already planned everything, including outlines of design and specs for next 2 years.
This imaginative next-generation phone is not only the successor to the yet to launch Cadenza, it is even more far-fetched. Steve Chao, CEO of TRI sent another newsletter, announcing the sneak peek into the features and specifications of their yet another beast. This time, he spared us with some insight information about the setup of dual CPU and how it will actually work.
“TRI plans on connecting multiple CPUs via WiGig by implementing an ad-hoc driver to the 60GHz channel via on-board USB3.0. This complicated computing process stores a transient matrix in SSD of CPU(1), then it recomputes and shares the transient matrix with the other SSD of CPU(2) simultaneously. This results in the CPUs sharing their computing power in parallel. Such proprietary technology enables TRI to achieve never-seen-before computing power on a mobile device. So what exactly is this technology intended for? The answer is – Computational Intelligence (CI).”
To wow the internet, the Turing Monolith Chaconne will have three (yes 3x) Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 Chipsets. The company has kept the same optics with a 60 MP and a 20 MP combination, made the display larger at 6.4 inches on a 4K 3840 x 2160 px resolution, and the RAM and Storage both get a memory boost. 18 GB of RAM and up to 1.2 TB of onboard using a mix of 2 NAND flash chips and 2 memory card slots.
The hydrogen fuel cell-equipped battery gets a boost of 20Wh to 120Wh. Specs carried over from the Cadenza include Swordfish OS, the graphene oxide composite construction, the 60MP quad rear-facing camera, the 20MP dual front-facing camera, and quad nanoSIM capability. Food for thought: the 4K display is the least impressive spec on this sheet.
Additionally, the company announced that there will be some unique and mysterious feature on the phone which has been given an acronym of A.L.A.N. that will be revealed later on. There will be a sliding keyboard which looks rather spectacular in those concept images. However, the thing that concerns me since the first newsletter announcement is the thickness of the smartphone and the ability to keep the temperature down while operating the phone equipped with these specifications. What do you guys think?
The Internet is full of lies, even so, to believe when we get deceived by pretentious fanboys who don’t hesitate to confidently pull out some unbelievable facts or information for us to digest. If it wasn’t the official statement from the Turing Robotic Industries (TRI), we could never have believed that someone is actually working on the specifications this insane.
A couple of news websites shared the same bafflement when they heard that Turing is working on a new smartphone with specifications so unrealistic to believe. The TRI CEO & Chief Architect, Steve YL Chao, sent a newsletter email highlighting the ‘blueprint program’ for their next Turing phone “Cadenza” after finishing up the development and delivery of world’s first liquid metal mobile phone.
TRI is embarking on another challenge to build the unimaginable. – CEO
If the company actually succeed to pull this off, it will undoubtedly become the best smartphone in the world. Needless to say, it has the potential to disrupt the mobile industry. So, what is it that everyone lost their mind to? Well, it has to do something with their claim to carve unimaginable into reality; and in their own words, “bringing the Turing Phone Cadenza from the future to the present.”
For instance, how do 60MP camera and 2x256GB internal storage with 2x256GB microSD (Total 1TB Storage) slot sound to you? and, What about 12GB (2x6GB) LPDDR4 RAM? If that’s not all, the smartphone is promised to ship with two Snapdragon 830 that has 16 beautiful Kyro cores, which is not actually on the market yet.
If you are starting to ache from all these specs, then what’s next will push you towards borderline insanity. The camera setup comprises a total of 60 MP using a quad sensor array for the rear, and the front camera will have a dual 10MP sensor setup to deliver a 20 MP front camera experience.
The company wants to power this with a 2400 Graphene power cell battery mated with a 1600 mAh li-on battery and a Hydrogen Fuel Cell (umm … Yeah!). The battery setup will deliver a total of 100wh of juice. The phone will also offer a dual-dual SIM card slot setup, which means you can use four SIM cards at the same time. TRI has not confirmed that you can make four calls simultaneously, but you probably can.
It would be interesting to see how they manage to lower down the total weight of the actual final device with all these extra dual setup modules; I bet it’ll weigh more than 250g. The company is aiming to release this mind-boggling smartphone in 2017. So, we will find out pretty soon if it is actually possible to pull out something like this.
We’ll admit, it’s honestly like someone at TRI just put together a spreadsheet of buzz words and the Ridiculous collection of specs just to see what they can play with. If this was faked, then it was very well-executed.
Logitech K230 is a clever little wireless keyboard that boasts some very interesting features. As we all know these products don’t always afford to deliver what they advertise as a prime feature. It will be great to see how this keyboard stands for its remarks, especially when it claims to offer some crucial proficiency, such as whisper-quiet keys, long battery life and being compact without compromise.
The Good
The Bad
Plug and play
No Caps/Num lock indicator
Long battery life
Up/down key is small
Compact design
Some Function (Fn) shortcut keys are missing
128-bit AES Encryption
Not as quiet as advertised
Design & Impression:
Having a curious mind is a bless and curse at the same time as I can’t afford to be patient for anything. My mind always looks out for answers to my question crafted by my unstable brain. So, while the shipment was still on the way, I couldn’t resist going through all the websites where users have shared their views and experience with the keyboard. I had so many questions, viz., Is it compact enough? Can I use it while lying on my bed without interference? Will it work with my Logitech M235 Wireless mouse via Unifying connector? The top row of the keyboard seems so small in pictures, how will it affect my usage? Battery Will really last 18 months? and so on.
I couldn’t wait to unwrap and test the keyboard when it finally arrived. I took it out from the box relentlessly and downloaded Logitech Unifying software, paired my keyboard and Mouse with single USB receiver and it worked; even so flawlessly. In fact, every single keystroke made to express my thoughts about this gadget is an input from it.
I am delighted to have this keyboard as my daily driver, as it does what I intend to do without it placing itself as an obstruction. The compact design allows me to carry it in my backpack (yes, I have actually tested it) along with my mouse, power cords, the laptop and few clothes if I have to leave for more than a day.
Logitech has added a little personalization option as three swappable battery slot covers. These plastic covers are shipped in three colors; blue, pink and light gray, which can be switched according to the interior of the house or most preferably, your mood.
It actually ingeniously hides the battery slot situated at the front left of the keyboard, which otherwise could be very plain-looking. There are two pre-bundled AAA sized batteries to power the device, which according to Logitech will be sufficient for 24 months of usage or 4 million keystrokes. My previous keyboard from Microsoft couldn’t even manage to run for 6 months, while they actively advertised it to be capable of providing 15 months of battery life. Whether or not Logitech holds true for its claim is yet to be seen, but I will still categorize it as an added bonus if it manages to give half of the juice it claims.
The body of the keyboard is made up of plastic, however, it doesn’t feel cheap. I do admit that it isn’t one of the sleekest devices out there but the infusion of chicklet and the standard layout is wonderful. This keyboard is designed differently, yet it manages to intrigue me every day. There are thin bezels on the top and right side and battery cover on the left, while the bottom of the keyboard has it all bare, unprotected; living a very dangerous life (if you know what I mean). I took few days to get used it, maybe because my previous keyboard had a really thick bezel around it.
However, when I finally realized how amazing it is to type with this gadget and ditching the bezel at the bottom might be the best thing they did with the design because it makes unbelievably easy to clean the keyboard; Just shake and tap the keyboard while holding it vertically and you’re good to go.
The keys on this compact device are not as silent as the company would tell you on their list of product’s features. The built-in AES 128-bit encryption makes sure that your data is safe and nobody can intercept the keystrokes that you send to your computer wirelessly, which is a welcome quirk. The top row (function keys) is very narrow and sometimes can be a little nuisance. It also lacks many anticipated keys that you’d expect on a wireless keyboard (including display brightness adjustment and wifi switcher etc.), more so if you’re using it for your laptop.
Additionally, there is no LED indicator for Caps/Num lock buttons, which is preferred by many people to be included for convenience. It wasn’t a deal breaker for me, but I can understand if you’d want to look somewhere else for that matter.
What do we think?
Logitech K230 Wireless Keyboard (PN 920-003357) may not be the best keyboard you can have in the same price range, but I am sure it can make its way to the top 5 in the list. Comparing it with the premium keyboards that cost 2-3 times more would be unethical. There is some downside to it, however, the overall feature and quality you’ll receive for the money invested will be 100% justified.
It is the age of gadgets, and one thing’s for sure – with the ultimate power of the internet to accompany them, we’ve never been more plugged in than we’re today. To stay connected, one need power, and in order to store power in those traditional rechargeable batteries, you’d have to experience an inconsistency in your work, especially, when you are traveling. So, what is the solution? A portable consistent power source, which can be easily carried around and has enough juice to recharge the gadget at least twice. This is where a power bank comes to the rescue!
Well, there is a huge list of companies that sell power banks, each varying just a little on specifications. In this case, it is really difficult to figure out which one can be a right investment. Fortunately, we were able to add one more power bank to our list of reviewed item. Tech Armor may be a stranger to most of you, especially if you’re at the European or Asian Continents, and you’d be right about that. It is actually a company that sells the mobile protective case, power banks and other mobile accessories.
Unboxing
Inside the box, you’ll find a 12,000 mAh Power Bank, a white USB cable, some manual and user guide. Nothing fancy, just usual stuff here. The packaging was alright. Guys at Tech Armor were kind enough to send me extra lightning cable along with the power bank in case I had an iPhone instead of a device with the microUSB port. I am pretty sure you’ll have to buy the lightning port separately if you do not have one. The box only ships with microUSB port.
Build Quality & Design
The best thing about Tech Armor PowerBank is its Build Quality and design. The velvety finish on top, good quality plastic case and rounded body look and feel really good in person. It is actually smaller in size than it appear in the picture, which is another advantage over other PowerBanks.
There are two USB ports, ideally, one is for Smartphones and another is to charge gadgets with higher capacity batteries such as Tablets. My Samsung Galaxy S6 didn’t appear to charge as quickly as it would with bundled charger. I ended up using Tablet port on the power bank for a faster charge, only to find out that it didn’t dramatically speed up charging process. It clearly indicates that these two ports have a different power supply, but no fast charge capabilities. This is where things started to move downwards.
There is a power button on the side, which is the only physical button you’ll find on the device. Holding the button for few seconds will trigger the ‘torch’ located at the top of the microUSB port. The power indicator on top has 4 LED lights, indicating the percentage of juice left on the PowerBank.
Performance & Ease of use
The TechArmor PowerBank doesn’t appear to deliver the backup it promises. The 12,000 mAh capacity should be able to charge my Huawei Honor 6 Plus at least 2.5 times. However, during my test, I found that it would hardly go up to 1.8 times, which mean, the PowerBank itself would require me to charge before filling up my phones battery twice. It is a serious red flag right there.
Additionally, the PowerBank takes too long to recharge itself. It took 5-6 hours to charge up to 100%. Frequent travellers would really want to stay away from this as it is highly unreliable.
What do we think?
Tech Armor ActivePower 12000mAh External Battery Portable Dual USB Power Bank has great build quality and design. The small case is easier to hold in hands and carry around. However, the device has many drawbacks, given it is not cheap. The few minor bugs would’ve been acceptable if the device was made available at lower price. The Tech Armor PowerBank targets mid-market segment as it is available at $49.99 on their Official Website. When recognized players such as Huawei (AP007 Review), Xiaomi, Lenovo, and OnePlus has already settled with PowerBanks Prices around $20, I don’t see a point going for this overpriced device.
If your priority is design, look and feel over the performance and reliability, you’re in good hands. However, we would strongly suggest you look elsewhere.
We had a tremendous response on our previous giveaway, following the success a new US based company sent us a very compact gadget to expose it to our readers. It is our pleasure to provide a platform to host these giveaways for DigitFreak readers.
The 1byOne Ultra-Compact Tri-Folding Wireless Keyboard is an ultra slim portable gadget, precisely built to accompany you when you are away from the luxury of a standard keyboard. You can simply type long documents and respond to tedious emails on the go with this super compact keyboard on your smartphone/Tablets. Heck, it even works on smart TV or any other gadget that supports Bluetooth connectivity. Yet, we couldn’t recommend it as a viable option to our readers. Find out why on our full review.
This international giveaway is powered by DigitFreak, co-sponsored by our gadget partner 1byOne US.
Want to win the 1byOne Wireless Keyboard? Jump to the widget at the end of the post to participate in the giveaway. Normal contest rules apply here. One entry per method per person. This one’s open to all folks everywhere such contests are legal, but we can’t guarantee the phone/gadget will work on your network/country. (You know how these things go). We’ll announce the winner here on DigitFreak, once they send us their Image with the gadget upon receiving it.
The giveaway is an international giveaway (Except when we can not ship to your Country.)
If we can not ship to your country, you will be compensated with an online gift card of equal MSRP value to the prize.
We are not responsible for lost shipments.
You must be the age of majority in your Country of residence.
We are not responsible for any duties, import taxes that you may incur.
Only 1 entry per person. Do not enter multiple email addresses. We will verify all winners and if we detect multiple email addresses by the same person you will not be eligible to win.
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The prize will ship when it is available to purchase.
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