Topps Blog: August 2017

Thursday 31 August 2017

Essential Phone PH-1 Specs and Price

Featuring a modular design, the Essential Phone PH-1 is an appealing smartphone built to help you do more. It features a brilliant edge-to-edge display, dual rear cameras, flagship Qualcomm processor, and USB-C port.

Where to Buy Essential Phone PH-1

Jumia Nigeria – See Offers | Jumia Kenya – See Offers

Essential Phone PH-1 Key Specs & Features

5.71-inch LPTS Display, 1312 x 2560 pixels (503ppi)
Octa-core 10nm-class chipset (Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Android 7.1.1 (Nougat) with 4GB RAM
128GB Built-in Storage
Dual 13MP Rear Camera (Colour + Mono) and 8MP Front Camera
Fingerprint Sensor (Rear)
LTE Data
3040 mAh Battery with Fast Charging

Design and Display

Anyone who sees the Essential Phone will agree at once that this is a premium device. It has a body made of ceramic and titanium. Essential Phone also flaunts a svelte profile at only 7.8 mm. But, rather sadly, the Essential phone seems not to be water resistant.

There are magnetic pins on the rear, key parts of a modular system. These enable you snap on add-ons for improved capabilities. The 5.7-inch display wraps around the selfie camera, leaving negligible bezels. It has a resolution of 1312 x 2560 pixels. There is Corning Gorilla Glass 5 atop the display.

Camera

The Essential Phone PH-1 offers you dual rear cameras, each of which has a resolution of 13 megapixels. As usual, one of these shoots in colour while the other takes shots in black and white. This setup further enhances low-light images.

The 8 megapixel front camera is set in a position many selfie addicts will like – at the centre. Like the main shooter, this one records 4K videos. There is also a 360-degree camera available as a modular accessory to improve your shot-taking ability.

Hardware and Software

On paper, the Essential Phone is built for flagship level performance. It carries an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor that you will find on popular high-end rivals. This runs at speeds up to 2.4 GHz. Its supporting cast are an Adreno 540 GPU and 4 GB of RAM.

Onboard storage is highly generous at 128 GB. It is not known if you will be able to expand this. The Essential Phone ships with Android 7.1.1 (Nougat) and you get updates for two years.

Other Features

A 3040mAh non-removable battery supplies power to the Essential Phone PH-1. This supports fast charging. You can also use the reversible USB Type-C port at the base for topping up. The device has a fingerprint scanner on the rear. It supports 4G LTE networks. Connectivity options also include NFC, Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi with MIMO.

Pricing and Availability

Essential Phone PH-1 is now available in the United States starting at $746. The Essential Phone is not yet available in Nigeria. Essential Phone price in Nigeria should start at around 280,000 Naira if and when it arrives in the country.

Essential Phone PH-1 Specs

Here are a few specs of the Essential Phone PH-1:

General Features

Platform: Android 7.1.1 (Nougat)
Processor: Octa-core Processor: 2.45GHz quad-core and 1.9GHz quad-core (Qualcomm Snapdragon 835)
GPU: Adreno 540
Memory: 4GB RAM
Colours: Black Moon, Pure White, Stellar Gray, Ocean Depth
Dimension: 141.5 x 71.1 x 7.8 mm
Weight: 185g
SIM Type: Nano-SIM
SIM Count: Single SIM

Display

Display: 5.71-inch LTPS Display, 1440 x 2560 pixels (503 ppi), 500 nits
Screen Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 5

Camera

Rear Camera: Dual 13MP Camera (RGB + Mono), 4K Ultra HD 2160p Video 1080p @60fps, 720p HD Video @120fps
Rear Camera Features: Phase Detection + Laser Autofocus, LED flash, OIS, Auto HDR, Geo-tagging, Touch Focus, Face/Smile Detection, Panorama
Front Camera: 8MP Camera, 4K Video

Storage

Built-in Storage: 128GB
Memory Card Support: –
Bundled Cloud Storage: –

Network Support

2G GSM: Yes, 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
2G CDMA 1X: Yes
3G WCDMA: Yes
3G CDMA EVDO: Yes
4G LTE: Yes, LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 4(1700/2100), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 12(700), 20(800), 28(700), 29(700), 30(2300), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500), 66(1700/2100)

Internet & Connectivity

GPRS: Yes
EDGE: Yes
3G/WCDMA/HSPA: Yes
HSPA+: Yes, up to 42.2 Mbps
CDMA EVDO: No
4G LTE: Yes, up to 600 Mbps
WLAN: Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct
Wi-Fi Hotspot: Yes
Bluetooth: Yes Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE
NFC: Yes
Infrared Blaster: No
USB Port: Yes, USB Type C

Messaging

SMS/MMS: Yes
Instant Messaging: Yes
Push Emails: Yes
Email Protocol: –

Entertainment

Music Player: MP3/WAV/eAAC+/Flac player
Video Player: Xvid/MP4/H.264 player
FM Radio: –
Loudspeaker: Yes
3.5mm Jack: Yes

Navigation

Navigation: Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS
Maps: Yes

Sensors & Control

Digital Compass: Yes
Accelerometer: Yes
Proximity Sensor: Yes
Light Sensor: Yes
Barometer: Yes
SpO2: Yes
Pedometer: No
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Gyroscope: Yes
Fingerprint Scanner: Yes (Rear)
Iris Scanner: Yes
Face Unlock: –
Intelligent Digital Assistant: Yes, Google Now
Motion Sensing / Gesture Control: No
Voice Control: Yes

Other Features

Video Streaming: Yes
Active Noise Cancellation: Yes
Wireless Charging: –
Built-in Mobile Payment: –
Water Resistant: –
Dust Resistant: –
Image Editor: Yes
Video Editor: Yes
Document Viewer: Yes
Document Editor: No

Battery

Battery: 3040 mAh Li-ion Battery (non-removable)
Talktime: –
Standby Time: –
Fast Charging: Yes

Wednesday 30 August 2017

Apple, Bain Swoop in With Last-Minute Bid on Toshiba’s NAND Flash Business

A new offer from Bain Capital and Apple could snap up Toshiba's NAND flash memory business -- and the struggling company badly needs the uplift.

The post Apple, Bain Swoop in With Last-Minute Bid on Toshiba’s NAND Flash Business appeared first on ExtremeTech.

AMD Agrees to Pay $29.5 Million to Settle Fusion APU Litigation

AMD has agreed to settle a lawsuit about the timing and communication of its Llano processor launch by paying $29.5M. The company did not admit wrongdoing.

The post AMD Agrees to Pay $29.5 Million to Settle Fusion APU Litigation appeared first on ExtremeTech.

Intel’s New Xeon W Chips Bring Skylake-SP to Enterprise, Workstation LGA2066 Sockets

Intel has launched a new Xeon W product family to bridge the gap between its multi-socket LGA3647 products and its consumer Core i9 hardware.

The post Intel’s New Xeon W Chips Bring Skylake-SP to Enterprise, Workstation LGA2066 Sockets appeared first on ExtremeTech.

What to Expect From the Xbox One X

New titles like Forza Motorsport 7 are looking superb on this half-step console, and older releases like Rise of the Tomb Raider are being jazzed up as well. Will the Xbox One X be able to deliver on all of our hopes and dreams? Let's dig in.

The post What to Expect From the Xbox One X appeared first on ExtremeTech.

The Movidius Myriad X VPU Packs a Custom Neural Compute Engine

Movidius' new Myriad X packs a specialized deep neural network engine, more of the company's vision processing SHAVE CPU cores, and expanded interconnect support, all while sticking to the Myriad 2's power consumption.

The post The Movidius Myriad X VPU Packs a Custom Neural Compute Engine appeared first on ExtremeTech.

Tuesday 29 August 2017

Google ARCore Brings Augmented Reality to Android, Minus Tango

Google has kicked off a major new push into augmented reality with its ARCore software kit. This new augmented reality engine won't be quite as comprehensive as Project Tango, but it'll support significantly more hardware.

The post Google ARCore Brings Augmented Reality to Android, Minus Tango appeared first on ExtremeTech.

ET deals: Dell UltraSharp U3415W 34-inch curved 3440×1440 IPS monitor for $620

Ready to leave your old 1080p monitor in the dust, and upgrade to a 3440x1440 ultra-wide display? Take a look at Dell's 34-inch UltraSharp U3415W. While this massive monitor is still on the pricey side, today's deal will save you a whopping 38% off the sticker price.

The post ET deals: Dell UltraSharp U3415W 34-inch curved 3440×1440 IPS monitor for $620 appeared first on ExtremeTech.

AMD Replaces Ryzen CPUs for Users Affected By Rare Linux Bug

A rare bug has been causing stability issues for Ryzen 7 under certain heavy compiler workloads while running Linux. AMD is replacing the CPUs of affected customers.

The post AMD Replaces Ryzen CPUs for Users Affected By Rare Linux Bug appeared first on ExtremeTech.

AMD’s Vega 56 Hits Store Shelves, Promptly Vanishes

AMD's Vega officially shipped on Monday, but only for the briefest of instants. Maintaining supply in the face of cryptocurrency demand is shaping up to be a serious problem -- again.

The post AMD’s Vega 56 Hits Store Shelves, Promptly Vanishes appeared first on ExtremeTech.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Active Specs and Price

As you may be able to guess from the name, the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active is a variant of the Galaxy S8 for those who maintain a very active lifestyle. The smartphone parades rugged design, a large Quad HD display, and a flagship Qualcomm processor.

Where to Buy Samsung Galaxy S8 Active

Jumia Nigeria – See Offers | Jumia Kenya – See Offers | Jumia Ghana – See Offers

Samsung Galaxy S8 Active Key Specs & Features

5.8-inch Super AMOLED Display, 1440 x 2560 pixels (506ppi)
Octa-core 10nm-class chipset (Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
Android 7.0 (Nougat) with 4GB RAM
64GB Storage with support for memory card up to 256GB
12MP Rear Camera and 8MP Front Camera
Fingerprint Sensor (Rear), Iris Scan
LTE Data (up to 600 Mbps download)
4000 mAh Battery with Fast Charging

Design and Display

Looking at the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active, you will see a device that is not built to win a beauty contest. But this doesn’t mean it’s shabby – not by any chance. This one is built for a beating. Samsung Galaxy s8 Active has extra durable metal frame and loses the glass on the rear for tough plastic.

The bumper that protects against shock also comes in thicker. You have a device built to military standards and able to survive multiple drops. An IP68 rating means can it stay in 1.5-meter deep water for up to 30 minutes without issues.

The 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display should offer super sharp images with a resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels. The shatter-resistant screen protects against drops from a height of up to five feet.

Camera and Storage

The Samsung Galaxy S8 Active looks ready to deliver image quality comparable to what the S8 and its Plus sibling can offer. On the rear is the 12MP camera with f/1.7 aperture, phase detection autofocus and optical image stabilisation (OIS). It supports simultaneous 4K video and 9MP image recording capability.

The 8MP front facing camera also has an aperture size of f/1.7 and features autofocus. It boasts Auto HDR, dual video call and 2K video recording capability.

Hardware and Software

This is a flagship smartphone. So, it is not surprising to see the Samsung Galaxy s8 Active packing an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. The 64-bit CPU combines with an Adreno 540 graphics solution, a good sign for gaming performance. Onboard storage is 64 GB and is expandable up to 256 GB. The Samsung Galaxy S8 Active boots Android 7.0 Nougat OS with TouchWiz UI.

Other Features

The rugged beast offers solid biometric authentication, with Iris (eye) and fingerprint scanners available. It comes with a humongous 4,000mAh Li-Ion battery rated to last up to 32 hours of talk time on a charge. Samsung Galaxy S8 Active supports Quick Charge 2.0 technology.

The device works on 4G LTE networks. It supports dual band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 5.1.

Pricing and Availability

Samsung Galaxy S8 Active launched on August 11, 2017 for $850 for a limited time exclusivity on AT&T in the United States.

The premium smartphone is not yet available in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya. When available, you can buy the Samsung Galaxy S8 Active at leading online stores in the countries. Samsung Galaxy S8 Active Price in Nigeria is expected to range from 325,000 Naira to 420,000 Naira depending on your location in Nigeria.