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Nubia’s affordable Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 rival gets an imminent global launch date

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ZTE subsidiary Nubia (aka the name behind some of the best gaming phones) debuted its budget-friendly foldable, the Nubia Flip 5G, at MWC 2024, and now we’ve got a better idea of where (and when) the upcoming phone will launch. 

Nubia itself has confirmed that the Flip 5G – which is known in selected regions as the ZTE Libero Flip – will officially launch in Europe on April 9 as part of a global reveal event. Set to kick off at 7am ET / 4am PT / 12pm BST, this event will presumably play host to a pricing and release date announcement, since we’ve already handled the Flip 5G in-person.

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‘Wean itself off Nvidia’: Samsung signs $750 million agreement with South Korea’s largest online platform — Naver wants to replace Nvidia’s super expensive AI GPU with the more affordable Mach-1 chip

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In a move to cut its dependency on Nvidia‘s high-cost AI chips, Naver, the South Korean equivalent of Google, has signed a 1 trillion won ($750 million) agreement with Samsung. 

The deal will see the tech giant supply its more affordable Mach-1 chips to Naver, by the end of 2024.

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Qualcomm’s new audio chips make affordable earphones sound better

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Qualcomm has announced two new audio chips for wireless earphones and headphones: S3 Gen 3 and S5 Gen 3. Both these audio chips claim to make more affordable wireless earphones sound better through advanced connectivity features and AI-powered audio technologies.

Qualcomm S3 Gen 3 and S5 audio chips bring Bluetooth 5.4 LE and Auracast support

Qualcomm’s S3 Gen 3 and S5 Gen 3 chips bring audiophile-grade audio quality, high-quality audio codecs, more effective Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), improved call quality, and longer battery life to wireless earbuds and headphones. These audio chips sit below Qualcomm’s flagship audio chips: S7 and S7 Pro.

Qualcomm S3 Gen 3 S5 Sound Audio Chips Features

Qualcomm S3 Gen 3

The S3 Gen 3 is an audio chip for mid-tier earbuds, mid-tier headphones, and wireless speakers. It has all the essential features, including support for ANC, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless (24-bit 48kHz), Bluetooth 5.4 with LE Audio, Bluetooth Auracast, and Spatial Audio. It also features an improved Digital-To-Analog (DAC) converter for improved audio quality and lower noise (hissing sound at low volumes).

Qualcomm S3 Gen 3 Audio Chip Features

It supports Alexa and Google Assistant with wake word activation. It also supports Google Fast Pair for faster pairing. Thanks to the support of up to three microphones on each earbud (left and right), voice calls should be clearer.

Qualcomm S5 Gen 3

The S5 Gen 3 has more features than the S3 Gen 3. It is for premium earbuds/headphones (one step below flagship) and wireless speakers. Qualcomm says this new chip has 50% more memory and significantly more DSP processing power than the S5 Gen 2, bringing improved audio quality while gaming and listening to music. It also features improved ANC and echo cancellation.

Qualcomm S5 Gen 3 Audio Chip Features

This chip supports Bluetooth 5.4 with LE Audio, Bluetooth Auracast, and Spatial Audio. It features aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless (24-bit 48kHz) audio codecs for higher audio quality. Adaptive ANC and Adaptive Transparency features are also supported.

Watch our review of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro in the video below.

The S3 Gen 3 and S5 Gen 3 audio chips will soon be available to earphone makers, and we can expect earbuds featuring these chips to hit the market later this year or early next year. Samsung uses Qualcomm’s chips in some of its wireless earbuds, but there is no confirmation if it will use the S3 Gen 3 or S5 Gen 3 in its future Galaxy Buds.

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Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chip brings on-device AI for affordable high-end phones

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Qualcomm has unveiled a new processor—Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3—for higher mid-range phones and flagship killer devices. It’s the first Snapdragon 7 series mobile processor to feature on-device AI processing, Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, and a Cortex-X4 CPU core.

OnePlus, Realme, and Sharp will be among the first smartphone brands to launch devices with the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3.

Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 is a higher mid-range processor for smartphones

The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 (SM7675) is fabricated on TSMC’s 4nm (N4P) process node. It is the most affordable processor from Qualcomm to feature a Cortex-X4 CPU core.

CPU

It has one Cortex-X4 CPU core clocked at 2.8GHz, four Cortex-A720 CPU cores clocked at 2.6GHz, and three Cortex-A520 CPU cores clocked at 1.9GHz. Looking at its CPU cores and their clock speeds, it is clear that the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 is a trimmed-down version of the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, which was launched last week.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 Features

GPU

The GPU inside the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 is the Adreno 732. It can drive 4K 60Hz or QHD+ 120Hz screens. It supports Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10+, and HLG. It supports variable refresh rates from 1Hz to 240Hz at Full HD+ resolution, and it can support a resolution of up to 8K with a 30Hz refresh rate. HDR gaming and Adreno Frame Motion Engine 2.0 are supported, but the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 doesn’t support ray-tracing.

AI, RAM, Storage

Qualcomm is promising a performance uplift of 15% in CPU, 45% in GPU, and 5% in power efficiency. The chip supports up to 24GB LPDDR5x RAM (quad-channel) and UFS 4.0 storage. The built-in Qualcomm Hexagon NPU can run many Large Language Models (LLMs) and Large Vision Models (LVMs) natively.

Cameras

The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 has the built-in Qualcomm Spectra Cognitive ISP (triple 18-bit) that supports up to 200MP camera sensors. It can stream visuals from three 36MP camera sensors, a 64MP+36MP dual-camera setup, or one 108MP camera sensor simultaneously with zero shutter lag. It allows phones to record up to 4K 60fps HDR videos or 1080p 240fps slow-motion videos. Supported HDR formats include Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10+, HLG, and Ultra HDR.

Advanced camera features, including Computational HDR, Multi Frame Noise Reduction, AI-based autofocus and auto-exposure, AI-based face detection, Real-Time Semantic Segmentation, and Video Super Resolution, are supported as well.

Connectivity

The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 uses the Snapdragon X63 5G modem that supports mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G networks (with SA and NSA). It supports peak download speeds of up to 4.2Gbps and peak upload speeds of up to 3.5Gbps. It also supports 5G+5G Dual-SIM Dual Active connections.

Thanks to FastConnect 7800, the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 is the first Snapdragon 7 series chip to support Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 (with LE Audio and Auracast). Support for dual-frequency satellite-based navigation is present, and it supports Beidou, Galileo, GLONASS, GPS, NavIC, and QZSS. It supports lane-level accuracy for cars and sidewalk-level accuracy while walking.

NFC and USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C are supported as well.

Fast charging and fingerprint

It supports up to Qualcomm 3D Sonic Max fingerprint reader and Quick Charge 5 (based on USB PD) for up to 100W fast charging.

Qualcomm expects the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 processor to be used in phones priced in the $400-$600 price segment. Although, most phones powered by this chipset are expected to be launched only in China, India, and other Southeast Asian countries.

Author’s Note: The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 processor is an improvement over last year’s Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2. It brings notable improvements in CPU and GPU performance but lacks ray-tracing support for games. To get that feature, consumers would have to opt for slightly higher-priced phones that use at least the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor that was launched a few days ago.

This chipset would be good enough in terms of camera performance for most users. However, enthusiasts who want features like 8K video recording would have to upgrade to phones with the Snapdragon 8 series processors. This chipset would be a great fit for phones like the Galaxy S24 FE or Galaxy S25 FE, but knowing Samsung, it might not use this processor in its phones.

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This popular gaming PC vendor believes it can make AI training much more affordable for small businesses — Maingear partners with Phison to deliver a quad-GPU system using Nvidia’s RTX 6000 Ada

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The surge in demand for large-scale generative AI models has led to a significant increase in hardware requirements, making model training costly and inaccessible for many SMBs and educational establishments.

High-performance custom PC builder Maingear has partnered with storage giant Phison on a new range of Maingear Pro AI workstations that boast powerful Intel Xeon W7-3455 CPUs. 

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We may have our first look at the more affordable Meta Quest 3 Lite

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Open up our Meta Quest 3 review and you’ll see the virtual reality headset has a not-unreasonable starting price of $499.99 / £479.99 / AU$799.99 – certainly way below the $3,499 (or higher) you’ll pay for the Apple Vision Pro. However, it seems an even more affordable Meta headset is on the way.

After teasing what’s being called the Meta Quest 3 Lite earlier this month, VR Panda (via Android Authority) has posted a picture of the rumored device on social media. As you might have expected, it looks a lot like the Meta Quest 3.



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Samsung Galaxy F15 5G is first affordable phone to run One UI 6.1 out of the box

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The Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra were the first Samsung phones to run One UI 6.1 out of the box. The newest version of One UI is expected to be released to existing devices in Q2 2024. Yesterday, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy A35 and Galaxy A55, but they aren’t the first mid-rangers to run One UI 6.1 out of the box.

Galaxy F15 5G is cheapest Samsung phone to come with One UI 6.1 pre-installed

As you can see in the image below, the Galaxy F15 5G appears to be the first affordable Galaxy phone to run Android 14-based One UI 6.1 out of the box. The device was released in India a few days ago and is already available for purchase. It will get four major Android OS updates, similar to the Galaxy A35, Galaxy A55, Galaxy S23, and the Galaxy Z Flip 5/Fold 5.

Samsung Galaxy F15 5G One UI 6.1 Android 14

It isn’t clear if all the non-AI features debuted with One UI 6.1 on the Galaxy S24 series are available on the Galaxy F15 5G. However, it comes with the new Quick Share, search engine selection for Chrome (and default search engine), Secure Folder, Samsung Knox, Samsung Wallet, Smart Hotspot, and Voice Focus.

Galaxy F15 5G pricing and features

The phone is priced at INR 12,999 ($157) in India and comes with 4GB/6GB RAM and 64GB/128GB storage options. It has a 6.5-inch Infinity-U Super AMOLED screen with Full HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. It uses the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ processor, a microSD card slot, a 6,000mAh battery, 25W fast charging, a fingerprint reader, and a 3.5mm headphone port.

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Garmin Forerunner 165 affordable runners smartwatch features

Garmin Forerunner 165 affordable runner and sports watch features explored

The recently launched Forerunner 165 runners smartwatch has been specifically designed to enhance your training without breaking the bank Offering a dedicated companion for runners and sports enthusiasts who are serious about tracking their performance. With a price tag that’s easy on the wallet, the Forerunner 165 offers a suite of features that can rival its more expensive counterparts. Let’s delve into what makes this watch a noteworthy contender in the world of fitness technology.

The Garmin Forerunner 165 is available in two versions: the base model at $249 and the music edition at $299. What sets this watch apart is its AMOLED color touchscreen display, a luxury usually found on pricier models. The display is not only a pleasure to look at with its vivid colors and sharp visuals, but it also enhances the user experience, making interactions with the watch a breeze.

Garmin Forerunner 165 runners watch

When it comes to battery life, the Forerunner 165 impresses with an estimated four days of use, even with the always-on display feature activated. This means less time tethered to a charger and more time out on the track or in the gym. The GPS system is built on Garmin’s robust satellite tracking technology, ensuring accuracy in most conditions. However, it’s worth noting that it doesn’t have the multiband support that some of the high-end models boast. The Garmin Forerunner 165 is a budget-friendly smartwatch designed primarily for runners but suitable for various athletic activities.

Garmin Forerunner 165 runners smartwatch features

Health and fitness tracking is where the Forerunner 165 really shines. It includes comprehensive sleep tracking, heart rate variability (HRV) status, and even monitors your naps. The body battery feature is particularly intriguing, as it monitors your energy levels throughout the day, advising you on the best times to exert yourself or take a rest. For those who like to have their music on the go, the music edition allows you to store playlists and podcasts, providing that extra motivation while you’re working up a sweat. The watch also suggests daily workouts and includes a race calendar, which is perfect for keeping your training on track.

Runners will appreciate the Forerunner 165’s ability to measure running power and dynamics directly from the wrist, giving insights into form and efficiency. While it doesn’t support a multisport mode or power meter sensors, it does offer post-exercise metrics like training effect and recovery time. These features help you understand the impact of your workouts and how much rest you need before the next one. The data from your sessions syncs seamlessly with Garmin Connect and can be shared with platforms like Strava, allowing you to connect with a community of athletes and gain deeper insights into your performance.

Garmin Connect

Garmin Forerunner 165 Feature List:

Key Specifications:

  • Price: $249 for the base edition and $299 for the music edition.
  • Display: AMOLED color touchscreen display, a first for the Forerunner series at this price point.
  • Battery Life: Up to 4 days with always-on display mode, based on real-world usage including 1-2 hours of GPS workouts per day.
  • GPS: Features all-systems GPS, but lacks the multi-band/dual-frequency GPS found in higher-end models.
  • Music Storage: Available in the music edition, supporting Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, MP3 files, and podcasts.
  • Garmin Pay: Contactless payment feature available on both editions.
  • Design: Incorporates buttons for navigation, contrasting with the Vivoactive 5’s limited two-button design.
  • Fitness Tracking: Offers detailed running-focused features, sleep tracking, HRV status, recovery time, and VO2 Max predictions.
  • Customization: Supports customizable watch faces and widgets through Garmin Connect IQ.
  • Sensor Compatibility: Supports heart rate straps, cycling radar, cadence, and speed sensors, among others, but lacks support for cycling power meters.

Pros:

  • Affordability: Positioned as a budget-friendly option with high-end features like an AMOLED display.
  • Focused on Runners: Tailored features for runners, including advanced workout suggestions and running dynamics.
  • Music and Payment Features: The music edition and Garmin Pay add convenience for on-the-go athletes.
  • Battery Life: Offers solid battery performance, especially considering the always-on display functionality.
  • Customizable: High degree of customization available for data fields, screens, and appearance.
  • Sleep and Recovery Tracking: Includes comprehensive sleep tracking and insights into recovery and HRV status.

Cons:

  • Lacks Multi-Band GPS: While the GPS is competent, it does not have the advanced multi-band support found in more expensive models, potentially affecting accuracy in challenging environments.
  • No Cycling Power Meter Support: Cyclists with power meters cannot use this watch to track their power data.
  • Complex Product Lineup: Garmin’s extensive range of models around this price point can make choosing the right watch confusing.
  • Limited High-End Features: Missing features like training readiness and more advanced metrics found in higher-end Forerunner models.

In terms of accuracy, the Forerunner 165’s GPS and heart rate sensors perform very well. They provide dependable data that you can trust to reflect your true training efforts. While the watch may not have every feature that the top-tier models do—such as training readiness—it still delivers many of the most desired functionalities at a more accessible price point.

The Garmin Forerunner 165 positions itself as an attractive option for athletes, especially runners, who are looking for a reliable training tool without spending a fortune. The standout AMOLED display, accurate sensors, and a variety of customizable features make it a competitive choice in the budget smartwatch segment. It’s true that it doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles of the more expensive Garmin models, but it offers enough to satisfy the needs of both beginners and seasoned athletes.

Choosing the right Garmin watch is all about understanding your specific needs and matching them with the features that each model offers. The Forerunner 165, with its balance of functionality and affordability, could very well be the perfect fit for those who want to take their training to the next level without overspending. Whether you’re preparing for a marathon or just looking to stay active, this watch is designed to be by your side every step of the way, providing the data and motivation you need to reach your fitness goals.

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IBM LinuxONE 4 affordable AI and hybrid cloud platform unveiled

IBM LinuxONE 4 affordable AI and hybrid cloud platform

IBM has recently introduced the LinuxONE 4 Express, a cutting-edge platform tailored to boost the computing prowess of small and medium-sized businesses. This innovative solution is set to elevate performance, fortify security measures, and expand artificial intelligence capabilities across a variety of data center settings.

The LinuxONE 4 Express, a pre-configured, rack-mounted system, is designed to cut costs and streamline the management of diverse workloads, from managing digital assets to enhancing medical imaging with AI, and consolidating multiple tasks into one system.

At the heart of the LinuxONE 4 Express lies the IBM Telum processor, which is celebrated for its high availability, energy efficiency, and robust security features. The system promises an impressive up to 99.999999% availability, positioning it as a reliable choice for businesses that cannot afford downtime. Additionally, it supports confidential computing, which is essential for safeguarding sensitive data.

IBM LinuxONE 4

One of the key advantages of the LinuxONE 4 Express is its support for hybrid cloud strategies. It addresses the challenges of isolated stacks and seamlessly integrates AI into cloud environments. This makes it an ideal option for businesses looking to benefit from both private and public cloud services.

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Educational institutions, such as University College London, are planning to deploy the LinuxONE 4 Express for computational research and digital scholarship. They aim to utilize its high performance and scalability for complex tasks like Next Generation Sequencing and AI-powered analysis of medical data.

The LinuxONE 4 Express shines in several applications:

  • It offers advanced security for digital assets, including confidential computing capabilities, to safeguard sensitive data.
  • The IBM Telum processor’s on-chip AI inferencing allows for real-time data analysis in medical imaging, which is vital for AI-assisted diagnostics.
  • In terms of workload consolidation, the system can lead to significant cost savings, with a potential 52% reduction in total cost of ownership over five years when compared to traditional x86 servers.

IBM is not only delivering a powerful system but is also investing in the development of an ecosystem by partnering with companies like AquaSecurity and Clari5. These partnerships are focused on tackling sustainability and cybersecurity challenges, enhancing the system’s features, and ensuring it meets the evolving needs of businesses.

Clients, including Saudi Business Machines (SBM), have praised the LinuxONE 4 Express for its superior performance and user-friendliness compared to x86 servers. Such endorsements underscore the system’s ability to transform business computing.

The IBM LinuxONE 4 Express will be available for purchase starting February 20, 2024, with prices beginning at $135,000. IBM is also planning to host an educational webinar on the release date to offer deeper insights into the system and discuss current industry trends. This event is a chance for businesses to learn more about the LinuxONE 4 Express and understand how it can support their computing requirements.

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Monitoring freshwater ecosystems with affordable new biosensor

Monitoring freshwater ecosystems with affordable new biosensor

The health of freshwater ecosystems is of paramount importance in maintaining the balance of our environment. However, their preservation is threatened by the release of biodegradable waste from plant and animal sources. Despite the gravity of this issue, the current methods for assessing water quality are often impractical due to their complexity and high costs. In a remarkable breakthrough, researchers from Ritsumeikan University in Japan have developed an affordable and self-sustaining biosensor that can efficiently monitor water quality in freshwater lakes and rivers.

This innovative biosensor is designed to detect organic effluents, or biodegradable waste materials from plants and animals, which are a significant environmental concern. The team behind this invention used inexpensive carbon-based materials to construct the biosensor, making it not only cost-effective but also accessible for widespread use.

Affordable and self-sustaining biosensor

The biosensor operates based on a microbial fuel cell (MFC), a technology that generates electricity through the biological metabolism of electrogenic bacteria. This fascinating process involves the bacteria consuming the organic waste and converting the stored chemical energy into electricity. The amount of electricity produced is proportional to the concentration of organic waste consumed by the bacteria, making it a reliable indicator of the level of organic waste present in the water.

Inside the anode of the MFC, the researchers placed soil containing electrogenic bacteria. As these bacteria decomposed the organic matter in the water, they converted the stored chemical energy into electricity. This electrical output served as a measure of the organic waste present in the water, providing a direct and efficient method of monitoring water quality.

Monitoring freshwater pollution

To enhance the practicality of this biosensor for monitoring freshwater ecosystems, the team added a light-emitting diode (LED) that visually indicated the level of organic contamination in the water samples. The LED began flashing when the chemical oxygen demand (COD), a parameter used to measure the level of organic contaminants in water, exceeded a threshold value of 60 mg/L. This visual cue provides a simple yet effective way for anyone to understand the level of contamination in the water, without the need for complex analysis.

Notably, the biosensor requires no external power supply, making it a self-sustaining solution for monitoring water quality. This feature makes it particularly useful in early detection systems that monitor influxes of organic wastewater in freshwater bodies, providing a timely warning to prevent potential environmental disasters.

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Monitoring freshwater ecosystems

The details of this study were published in the Biochemical Engineering Journal in November 2023, marking a significant milestone in the field of environmental conservation. This affordable new biosensor offers a practical and cost-effective solution to monitor freshwater ecosystems, paving the way for improved water quality management worldwide.

Monitoring freshwater ecosystems with affordable new biosensor represents a significant leap forward in our ability to protect and preserve our precious water resources. This development highlights the importance of innovative and accessible technology in addressing environmental challenges and ensures that we can continue to enjoy the benefits of healthy freshwater ecosystems for generations to come. For more information read the official paper explaining the biosensor in more detail.

Ritsumeikan University, Japan

Ritsumeikan University is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan. Its main campus is in Kyoto, where inspiring settings await researchers. With an unwavering objective to generate social symbiotic values and emergent talents, it aims to emerge as a next-generation research university.

It will enhance researcher potential by providing support best suited to the needs of young and leading researchers, according to their career stage. Ritsumeikan University also endeavors to build a global research network as a “knowledge node” and disseminate achievements internationally, thereby contributing to the resolution of social/humanistic issues through interdisciplinary research and social implementation.

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