Topps Blog: October 2017

Tuesday 31 October 2017

Apple iPhone X Review Roundup: Really Nice, but It’s Still Early

Early reviews are rolling in for Apple's latest smartphone. After months of hype, how does the iPhone X stack-up?

The post Apple iPhone X Review Roundup: Really Nice, but It’s Still Early appeared first on ExtremeTech.

Organic Memristor Sets Records for Speed and Durability

A new organic memristor design from an international team of scientists could finally make these components commercially viable.

The post Organic Memristor Sets Records for Speed and Durability appeared first on ExtremeTech.

Astronomers Discover Extra-Solar Object Zipping Through the Solar System

Astronomers track asteroids and comets in space near Earth, and some are unfathomably far away in the outer solar system. However, scientists may have spotted the first such object from someplace even more distant--another solar system.

The post Astronomers Discover Extra-Solar Object Zipping Through the Solar System appeared first on ExtremeTech.

Nintendo: Switch Will Beat Wii U Lifetime Sales in Just 1 Year

Nintendo's Switch is blowing the doors off every distributor in town. Nintendo now expects the console to sell more units than the Wii U in its first year of operation.

The post Nintendo: Switch Will Beat Wii U Lifetime Sales in Just 1 Year appeared first on ExtremeTech.

AMD Stock Craters on Morgan-Stanley Report, but Is the Report Accurate?

AMD stock has taken a hammering in recent days, but the justifications provided for it aren't very good.

The post AMD Stock Craters on Morgan-Stanley Report, but Is the Report Accurate? appeared first on ExtremeTech.

GameStop Launches Blockbuster-Era Game Rental Service

GameStop's new PowerPass program gives gamers the option to play as many used games as they want and keep two per year, at $60 per six months ($120 per year).

The post GameStop Launches Blockbuster-Era Game Rental Service appeared first on ExtremeTech.

Monday 30 October 2017

Man Finds USB Drive With Vital Security Information on Heathrow Airport

Keeping systems secure is difficult. It's even harder when you lose USB drives containing all of your critical infrastructure data and you didn't bother to encrypt them in the first place.

The post Man Finds USB Drive With Vital Security Information on Heathrow Airport appeared first on ExtremeTech.

Hubble Discovers Planet with Metallic Snow

NASA has just detected a planet with an entirely new type of weather. On Kepler-13Ab, it snows metal.

The post Hubble Discovers Planet with Metallic Snow appeared first on ExtremeTech.

2018 Audi SQ5 SUV Review: Sporty, Luxurious, and Pricey

Performance, style, comfort, and handling make the the SQ5 and Q5 the most desirable compact SUV you can buy. Too bad some key safety tech is only on the costliest trim line, as an option.

The post 2018 Audi SQ5 SUV Review: Sporty, Luxurious, and Pricey appeared first on ExtremeTech.

Alcatel Idol 5S Specs and Price

Boasting a sleek design, the Alcatel Idol 5S is an affordable smartphone and a more powerful variant of the relatively new Idol 5. The Idol 4S successor comes with a better selfie camera, USB Type-C port, and fast Wi-Fi.

Where to Buy Alcatel Idol 5S

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

Alcatel Idol 5S Key Specs & Features

5.2-inch IPS Display, 1080 x 1920 pixels (423ppi)
Octa-core Mediatek Helio P20 MT6757 CPU with 3GB RAM
Android 7.1 (Nougat)
32GB built-in Storage, up to 256GB memory card
12MP Rear Camera and 8MP Front Camera
4G LTE Data (up to 150Mbps download)
Fingerprint Scanner (Rear)
Dual Front facing Speakers
2850 mAh Li-ion Battery

Design and Display

It will not be a lie to say the Alcatel Idol 5S rocks a design that is great for the price. It looks premium with a construction that features 2.5D curved glass complete with an aluminium frame. At 7.5 mm, this is a slim device that should be a pleasure to hold.

There is no difference between this and the regular Idol 5 in terms of display. Alcatel also settles for a 5.2-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1,080 x 1,920 pixels here. Images should look great on the Alcatel Idol 5S still with a pixel density of about 423 ppi. It boasts a coating that helps deal with oil fingers.

Camera and Storage

The Alcatel Idol 5S packs a lower-res primary camera, compared to the Idol 4S and 5. It uses a 12MP unit with an f/2.0 aperture size, phase detection autofocus and dual tone flash. But the selfie shooter gets a bump to 8 MP for better shot quality.

There is 32GB onboard storage, which is double what the Alcatel Idol 5 offers. You will also be able to expand this by another 256 GB using a microSD card.

Performance and OS

You can expect the Alcatel Idol 5S variant to perform better than the regular offering. It boasts a more powerful MediaTek Helio P20 chipset that runs at speeds up to 2.35 GHz. The octa-core processor gets the backing of an ARM Mali-T880 GPU and 3GB RAM.

A variant uses Snapdragon 625 processor. As for software, the Alcatel Idol 5S ships with Android 7.1 Nougat operating system.

Other Specs and Features

The capacity of the battery in the Alcatel Idol 5S is only slightly higher than that of the Idol 5 at 2,850 mAh. The rating of this is up to 18 hours of talk time. With Pump Express 2.0 in the mix, you can cut down charging time on this one.

You get a fingerprint scanner on the rear. The Alcatel Idol 5S also offers you dual band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and a reversible USB Type-C port.

Pricing and availability

Alcatel Idol 5S is not officially available in Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana. When available, you will be able to buy the Android phone at leading online stores in the countries. Price of the Alcatel Idol 5S starts at $200 in the United States. Alcatel Idol 5S Price in Nigeria is expected to range from 75,500 Naira to 95,000 Naira depending on your location in the country.

Its price in Ghana starts at around GH₵ 890. Alcatel Idol 5S Price in Kenya starts at around 22,200 KSh.

Alcatel Idol 5S Specs

Here are a few specs of the Alcatel Idol 5S:

General Features

Platform: Android 7.1 (Nougat)
Processor: Octa-core Processor: 2.35 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 & 1.65GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 (Mediatek Helio P20 MT6757)
GPU: Mali-T880 MP2
Memory: 3 GB RAM
Colours: Dark Gray
Dimension: 148.6 x 72 x 7.5 mm (5.85 x 2.83 x 0.30 in)
Weight: 147 g (5.19 oz)
SIM Type: Nano-SIM
SIM Count: Single-SIM

Display

Display: 5.2 inches IPS LCD, 16M colors, 1080 x 1920 pixels (424 ppi)
Screen Protection: Oleophobic coating

Camera

Rear Camera: 12 MP Camera, f/2.0,1080p HD Video@30fps
Rear Camera Features: Phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash, 1/2.8″ sensor size, 1.25µm pixel size, geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama
Front Camera: 8 MP Camera, f/2.0

Storage

Built-in Storage: 32 GB
Memory Card Support: Yes, up to 256 GB
Bundled Cloud Storage: –

Network Support

2G GSM: Yes
2G CDMA 1X: –
3G WCDMA: Yes
3G CDMA EVDO: –
4G LTE: Yes, LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 7(2600), 8(900), 20(800), 28(700)

Internet & Connectivity

GPRS: Yes
EDGE: Yes
3G/WCDMA/HSPA: Yes
HSPA+: Yes, up to 42.2/11.5 Mbps
CDMA EVDO: –
4G LTE: Yes, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps
WLAN: Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, WiFi Direct
Wi-Fi Hotspot: Yes
Bluetooth: Yes, 4.2, A2DP, LE
NFC: No
Infrared Blaster: No
USB Port: Yes, 2.0, USB Type-C 1.0 reversible connector, USB On-The-Go

Messaging

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

Entertainment

Music Player: Yes, MP3/AAC+/WAV player
Video Player: Yes, XviD/MP4/H.265 player
FM Radio: Yes
Loudspeaker: Yes
3.5mm Jack: Yes

Navigation

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

Sensors & Control

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

Other Features

Video Streaming: Yes
Active Noise Cancellation: Yes, Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
Wireless Charging: No
Built-in Mobile Payment: No
Water Resistant: No
Dust Resistant: No
Image Editor: Yes
Video Editor: Yes
Document Viewer: Yes
Document Editor: No

Battery

Battery: 2850 mAh Li-Ion Battery (Non Removable)
Talktime: Up to 18 hours (2G), Up to 18 hours (3G)
Standby Time: Up to 500 hours (2G), Up to 500 hours (3G)
Fast Charging: Yes

More on Alcatel

The post Alcatel Idol 5S Specs and Price appeared first on Nigeria Technology Guide.

The Best Xbox One and Xbox One X Accessories

If you've snagged an Xbox One on the cheap, or you're excited about enjoying the Xbox One X in 4K, consider investing in some accessories to improve your experience. From game streaming to online multiplayer to game storage, there's something here to enhance nearly every aspect of your console.

The post The Best Xbox One and Xbox One X Accessories appeared first on ExtremeTech.

Best New Products from PhotoPlus Expo 2017

Cameras, accessories, and software help pro photographers work smarter. (They're already working harder.) Here's the latest and greatest from the biggest North American photo show.

The post Best New Products from PhotoPlus Expo 2017 appeared first on ExtremeTech.

Best Buy Charges Extra $100 for iPhone X, Claims This Benefits Customers

Best Buy is charging its customers $100 more to buy an iPhone and claiming this constitutes a benefit.

The post Best Buy Charges Extra $100 for iPhone X, Claims This Benefits Customers appeared first on ExtremeTech.

iOS Camera Permission Lets Apps Take Photos Without Telling You

According to Krause, the way Apple manages the camera app on iOS opens the door for apps to spy on users and upload footage to the internet.

The post iOS Camera Permission Lets Apps Take Photos Without Telling You appeared first on ExtremeTech.

Saturday 28 October 2017

Alcatel Idol 5 Specs and Price

Parading a sleek design, the Alcatel Idol 5 is a decent phone for users looking for something cool and affordable. It features a sharp Full HD display, respectable RAM, a fingerprint sensor and LTE support.

Where to Buy Alcatel Idol 5

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

Alcatel Idol 5 Key Specs & Features

5.2-inch IPS Display, 1080 x 1920 pixels (423ppi)
1.3GHz quad-core Mediatek MT6753 CPU with 3GB RAM
Android 7.1 (Nougat)
16GB built-in Storage, up to 256GB memory card
13MP Rear Camera and 5MP Front Camera
4G LTE Data (up to 150Mbps download)
Fingerprint Scanner (Rear)
2800 mAh Li-ion Battery

Design and Display

With its all-aluminium body, the Alcatel Idol 5 is an attractive phone. Alcatel Idol 5 has an appealing slim body, coming in at 7.5 millimetres. There are some curves in the right places to enhance the look and feel.

The smartphone packs a 5.2-inch IPS LCD display with Full HD (1080p) resolution. That’s roughly 423ppi pixel density, which makes for sharper images. Alcatel Idol 5 features curved 2.5D glass and oleophobic coating.

Camera and Storage

You get a 13MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture on the rear. This boasts phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and dual-LED, dual tone flash. Alcatel Idol 5 shoots Full HD (1080p) videos.

For selfies, you will find a 5MP snapper with f/2.4 aperture and selfie flash. Internal storage is 16 GB, expandable with a microSD card.

Performance and OS

With the mid-range MediaTek MT6753 processor on the inside, the Alcatel Idol 5 should provide decent performance. The 1.3GHz Cortex-A53 CPU pairs with an ARM Mali-T720 GPU for somewhat fluid gaming. There is 3 GB of DDR3 RAM to keep things responsive. In terms of OS, the phone boots Android 7.1 Nougat – not bad for the price.

Other Specs and Features

The Alcatel Idol 5 supports 4G LTE (Cat. 4) connectivity for theoretical download speeds of up to 150 Mbps. You will find a fingerprint scanner on the rear for keeping personal information away from inquisitive people. A 2800mAh battery supplies power to the device, which Alcatel says takes three and half hours to fully top up.

For your connectivity needs, you also get microUSB 2.0 and USB OTG with the Alcatel Idol 5. Bluetooth 4.2 LE and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n with Wi-Fi Direct and hotspot are part of the package as well. There is GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS for positioning.

Pricing and availability

Alcatel Idol 5 is not officially available in Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana. When available, you will be able to buy the Android phone at leading online stores in the countries. Price of the Alcatel Idol 5 starts at $200 in the United States. Alcatel Idol 5 Price in Nigeria is expected to range from 75,500 Naira to 95,000 Naira depending on your location in the country.

Its price in Ghana starts at around GH₵ 890. Alcatel Idol 5 Price in Kenya starts at around 22,200 KSh.