Buffalo BSCR16UD2, Small Card Reader Whose USB Port Doesn't Need Direction

USB 3.0 ports, like more or less all USB ports really, have one side that always needs to be facing up. It's all because of the way the pins need to be aligned, so the port is designed in a way that prevents accidental mis-plugging.

Buffalo decided its BSCR16UD2 card reader should be above such pedestrian concerns though. To that end, the card reader has a USB port that works just fine whether it is upside-down or not. In the grand scheme of things, this is a minor advantage really. But every little bit helps.

The price of the BSCR16UD2 card reader is $13, which corresponds to €9.79 – 13. The best part is that the little item can read 45 different card formats. You just need to plug whatever cards you have in either of the three small compartments, like you would a card in an ATM.

Buffalo USB card reader
Image credits to Buffalo

Read more »

This is Windows 8.1's Boot to Desktop Option Alongside Other Settings

We all know that Windows 8.1 will allow users to boot to desktop and thus skip the Start screen completely, but here’s a new screenshot that reveals all settings included in the navigation tab.

As you can see, Windows 8.1 will allow users to disable the Charms and the app switcher, while also enabling the desktop wallpaper to be configured as Start screen background. What’s more, the new operating system can display the Apps view automatically when users launch the Start screen, while a dedicated option can list desktop software first in this particular mode.

All these settings will clearly come in handy to many Windows 8.1 adopters, but full details are likely to be unveiled in just a couple of weeks at the BUILD developer conference when the preview version of the OS is set to go live.

Windows 8.1 will allow users to skip Metro
Image credits to windowsbleu.com

Read more »

AMD Quad-Core Athlon X4 760 CPU Up for Pre-Order

The whole point of the Richland series of accelerated processing units was to provide the world with better hybrid processors, which had good integrated graphics processing units.

Some chips come out of the factory defective, but that doesn't mean they need to be thrown away. AMD can just disable the defective parts and sell them as lower-cost processors. The Athlon-branded Richland chips are what happens when the APUs come out with faulty graphics. They end up with the GPU disabled, which means they don't qualify as APUs at all.

Athlon X4 760K is an example of this, with four cores working at 3.8 GHz (400 MHz better than Trinity-based 750K). Turbo Core 3.0 takes things to 4.1 GHz in a pinch. The cache memory is of 4 MB (L2) and the memory controller can handle DDR3-1866 RAM. Online retailers should have the chip selling for $129.75 / £82.95 / €97.58.

AMD reveals quad-core Athlon CPU
Image credits to AMD

Read more »

BBM 10.2.0.12 Leaks with BBM Channels Inside

More and more info on what the next flavor of the BlackBerry 10 OS will bring along can be found online, with the latest details on the matter coming via a leaked BlackBerry Messenger 10.2.0.12, supposedly set to make an official appearance as part of said BlackBerry 10.2 update.

The upcoming platform release will bring along enhancements to BlackBerry Maps, Camera, and Facebook, and it seems that BBM is also set to taste improvements and new features as part of the upcoming release, CrackBerry notes. The leaked BlackBerry Messenger 10.2.0.12 is already available for download for those interested in taking a closer look at it, featuring the recently announced BBM Channels inside.

Those who would like to download and install the software should keep in mind that it is an unofficial release, and that it might also cause issues on their devices.

BlackBerry Messenger 10.2.0.12 leaks online
Image credits to RIM

Read more »

Lemon A4 Official with 5-Inch 1080p Screen and Android 4.2

Today, Lemon Mobiles unveiled a new Android-based smartphone, the first in its series to sport a full HD touchscreen display, namely the Lemon A4, with a price tag of INR 17,999 ($397 / €232) attached to it.

The new 5-inch mobile phone sports a 1.2GHz quad-core processor inside, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal memory, and a microSD memory card slot for expansion purposes. Furthermore, the handset packs a 13-megapixel photo snapper on the back, front camera for video calling, an 1850mAh battery, and Google’s Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS loaded on top.

Lemon A4 also sports Wi-Fi802.11 b/g/n, HSPA+ (42.2Mbps and HSUPA+ 11.5Mbps), and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, and the usual set of sensors. According to AndroidOS, the new Android mobile phone is set to become available for purchase in a matter of days.

Lemon A4
Image credits to AndroidOS

Read more »

Huawei Ascend Mate to Priced Rs. 28,900 ($495 / €372) in India

Mobile phone users in India will be able to purchase a new Android-based device from Huawei in the country, namely the Ascend Mate, which is currently listed on Flipkart’s website with a price tag of Rs. 28,900 ($495 / €372).

Previously, the device was said to be a bit more expensive in the country, but it seems that it won’t be the case, in the end, although the smartphone is currently out of stock at the online retailer. For those out of the loop, we should note that Huawei’s Ascend Mate arrives on shelves with a 6.1-inch 720p display, and that it is powered by a 1.5 GHz quad-core Hi-Silicon K3V2 processor.

Furthermore, the mobile phone features 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory, a 4050 mAh battery, an 8-megapixel photo snapper on the back, as fonearena notes. It runs under Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Huawei Ascend Mate
Image credits to Flipkart

Read more »

Huawei Ascend P6 to Be Priced at 2498 Yuan ($407 / €306)

Next week, Chinese mobile phone maker Huawei is expected to make a new Android-based smartphone official, namely the Ascend P6, expected to prove one of the slimmest such devices in the world, and already confirmed by the company, although not fully detailed.

In addition to providing specific details on the phone’s hardware specifications, the company is also expected to announce the phone’s pricing, which is currently said to have been set at 2498 Yuan ($407 / €306), techkiddy reports. Ascend P6 is also rumored to arrive on shelves with a 1.5Ghz Hass K3V2 quad-core processor inside, while featuring a 4.7-inch touchscreen display capable of delivering a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution.

Furthermore, it should include 2GB of RAM, 8GB internal memory, an 8-megapixel photo snapper on the back, a 2030mAh battery, and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with Huawei’s Emotion UI 1.6 loaded on top.

Huawei Ascend P6
Image credits to Huawei

Read more »

Linksys Powerline HomePlug AV2 Kit

To get Internet, people need either a 3G modem, a Wi-Fi router or an Ethernet cable. Either way, a data carrier needs to be involved.

Home networks don't necessarily need Internet connection though, and they don't really need to rely on LAN cables either. Powerline AV adapters can make for a good substitute. All it takes to set up a network is to plug at least two of them in standard power sockets and voila! Home networking. Linksys has just introduced a Powerline AV kit, called Powerline HomePlug AV2, or PLEK500. It has a speed of 500 Mbps (Internet speed will still be limited by the source though).

The HomePlug AV2 has a Gigabit Ethernet port to connect to whatever Internet grid the neighborhood has.  Linksys.com and major retailers are selling the kit for $129.99 / €99 – 129.99.

Powerline HomePlug AV2
Image credits to Linksys

Read more »

NVIDIA Tegra 4i-Powered Smartphone Emerges

NVIDIA’s Tegra 4i chipset looks set to make an appearance in commercially available smartphones in the not too distant future, as the company has already started to showcase a device powered by the chip, one that comes from a yet unnamed ODM.

Spotted over at AnandTech, the handset sports a large 4.8-inch 720p display and a 13-megapixel photo snapper on the back, while expected to land on shelves sometime in the first quarter of the next year.  Furthermore, the Android 4.2.1-based smartphone is said to pack LTE / HSPA+ connectivity that could be used in a variety of regions, and to land on shelves in 8GB / 16GB / 32GB versions, priced somewhere between $300 - $400 (€226 - €301).

Apparently, other Tegra 4i-based devices are also being developed, even some with prices set lower than what this handset will feature.

Tegra 4i-based smartphone
Images credits to AnandTech

Read more »

TP-LINK Archer C7 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router

Dual-band routers seem to be coming out all the time lately, with enough frequency that we find it hard to bat an eye anymore. Even the companies behind them seem to share some of that view, TP-LINK included.

We say this because the makers of wireless routers have reached the point where only very high performance makes their inventions stand out anymore. Case in point, there used to be a time when 750 Mbps was considered a high throughput for a dual-band router, but now we're getting 1.75 Gbps rates. TP-LINK has introduced the AC1750 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router, otherwise known as Archer C7.  Archer C7 happens to communicate at 450 Mbps over the 2.4 GHz band and 1,300 Mbps over the 5 GHz frequency. The 802.11 ac standard allows for such high limits.

The external antennas (three) and the three internal antennas provide omni-directional coverage, while Dual USB ports allow printers and files from removable storage devices to be shared between all electronics linked to the network. Security isn't forgotten either. TP-LINK implemented Guest Network Access.  "Routers are the hub of the digital home and business. As more smart devices enter the scene, consumers need a smart router solution that can deliver speed and range, ease-of-use, solid security, and enable them to access their data wherever they are," said Lewis Wu, country manager for TP-LINK USA.

The three external 5 dBi antennas are detachable and serve the 5 GHz band. The fact that they are separated from the three 2.4 GHz internal ones helps reduce co-channel interference. In addition to all this, the Archer C7 comes with dual multi-functional USB 2.0 ports and four Gigabit LAN ports. The price of $149.99 corresponds to €113 – 149.99 in Europe. Find more in-depth technical information on the product page.

TP-LINK Archer C7
Image credits to TP-LINK 

Read more »