This isn't a laptop, but a high-end gaming desktop PC that happens to fold in two.
Acer Predator 21 X
"Thin and light" isn't compatible with a laptop that features a curved 21-inch display, dual GeForce GTX 1080 GPUs, and room for five storage drives.
Yeah, try cramming that into a MacBook chassis.
Acer used CES 2017 to unveil a crazy new gaming laptop aimed at people with deep pockets and strong backs to carry the laptop.
The Predator 21 X takes what is essentially a gaming desktop and crams it into a folding laptop-type shape. It starts with a 21-inch 2560 x 1080 resolution curved IPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate.
But this is just the beginning.
Powering this monstrous display is Intel's 3.9GHz seventh-generation Intel Core i7-7820HK silicon powerhouse, dual GeForce GTX 1080 X graphics cards, four DDR4 slots that can hold a maximum of 64GB of RAM, up to four 512GB solid-state drives (two of which can be NVMe PCIe SSDs which are five times faster than SATA SSDs), and a single hard drive bay which is home to a 1TB unit.
But that's not all. There's a full-sized mechanical keyboard featuring Cherry MX Brown key switches with customizable backlight options, a numeric keypad that flips over to reveal a precision touchpad, four speakers and two subwoofers, two power supplies, five AeroBlade cooling fans, and nine heat pipes.
All this is packed into a black shell that looks like it's been hacked out of granite or marble, which brings the total weight of the package to 19.4 pounds.
All you need is a spare $8,999 and this beast can be yours. The system is built to order and available in February.
Huawei starts off the new year with the 5X successor, the Honor 6X, that brings a dual camera experience with a long battery life and sleek all-aluminum form factor to the US market.
Huawei is bringing the Honor 6X to the US with some important upgrades while keeping the price low at just $249.99.
Huawei announced the Honor 6X in China on 18 October 2016 and today made the US release announcement at CES in Las Vegas. The Honor 6X packs in a lot of smartphone at an affordable price and I've spent the last 10 days testing one out.
HARDWARE
In 2016, my favorite smartphone hardware maker was Huawei. There's something about 2.5D glass, beveled metal edges, an extremely fast rear fingerprint scanner, and solid performing camera. The Honor 8 is an incredible device that can be found for just around $300 with near-flagship specifications. The Honor 6X is a bigger phone and competes in the large display market with specs that are near flagship level.
Rather than having a rear beveled edge on the back of the Honor 6X, we see that Huawei took the sides and curved it into the back panel so the phone fits well in your hand. The dual cameras are positioned on top of each other, like the Mate 9, and also have a bump that sticks out the back. The fingerprint sensor is centered below the cameras.
The SIM/microSD card slot tray is on the left with the volume and power buttons on the right. The mono speaker and microUSB port are found on the bottom. An IR port and the 3.5mm headset jack are on top.
Specifications of the Honor 6X include:
Processor:HiSilicon Kirin 655 octa-core
Display: 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution IPS LCD, 403 ppi
Operating system: Emotion UI 4.1 built on Android 6.0 Marshmallow
RAM:3 GB
Storage:32 GB internal storage with microSD storage card
Cameras:12 megapixel and 2 megapixel dual rear cameras. 8 megapixel front facing camera
Wireless technology:FM radio, NFC, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1
Battery:3,340 mAh battery with fast charging technology
Dimensions:150.9 x 76.2 x 8.2 mm and 162 grams
The Honor 8 has an USB Type-C port, but the Honor 6X still has a microUSB port on the bottom for charging up the device. You will still find a 3.5mm headset jack, as well as a FM radio.
The camera performs well and may be one of the best I've ever used at this price point. I included inside, exterior, outside sunset, and wide aperture photos from the Huawei Mate 9 and Honor 6X in my image gallery below. The Honor 6X will likely satisfy most folks, especially if photos are just shared on social networks.
SOFTWARE
The Honor 6X runs Emotion UI 4.1 and Honor stated it will be upgraded to version 5.0 in the future. While some people have issues with EMUI, I find it to be a functional UI that adds to Android without being overly complicated or obtrusive.
There is no app drawer in EMUI 4.1, but you can always install something like the Google Now Launcher and be satisfied with the home screen experience. The software performs the same as the Honor 8 so check out that review if you are interested in EMUI 4.1.
One aspect of the dual camera Huawei devices like the P9, Mate 9, and Honor 8 is the advanced camera software. While the iPhone and Google Pixel devices have a very basic camera user interface, Honor brings an advanced experience similar to what we see on Samsung and LG phones. You will find wide aperture mode, professional mode, food mode, perfect selfie, beauty mode, makeup mode for the front camera, panorama, HDR, watermark, audio note, ultra snapshot, best photo, smile snapshot, audio control, timer function, touch to capture, and time-lapse mode.
Honor is a brand that targets millennials and believes that providing slick camera functions is better than a simple automatic interface. I personally enjoy using some of these modes and get more comments from people when I take unique shots using these modes.
INITIAL EXPERIENCES
I've had the Honor 6X in hand for about 10 days and if I wasn't such a flagship-loving smartphone user I could easily get by with a device like the Honor 6X. People who are looking for great value and solid specifications may want to consider the 6X. It's nice to have a smartphone that lasts a couple of days and helps you be creative with photography.
The Honor 6X has dual cameras for faster focus and wide aperture tricks. The main rear camera is a 12 megapixel shooter, but the second one is only 2 megapixels. It is not a monochrome lens like the Huawei P9 and Mate 9, but is a color one that is used to improve focus times and provide wide aperture effects.
Huawei has some fantastic hardware design language and the Honor 6X continues that trend. It definitely does not feel like a low price Android smartphone and thankfully it also performs better than you would expect for a mid-level device.
People looking for a big screen phone at a very affordable price will appreciate the Honor 6X. It will be available on Amazon, Newegg, ebay, and other online retailers with in-store available in Best Buy, Costco, and others. You will be able to purchase the Honor 6X for $249.99 in gray, gold, and silver.
Security systems can be expensive, so this relatively low-cost modular offering from Blinkcould fit the bill for some businesses. When I met up with the company, representatives noted that while the system is primarily marketed for home use, it could equally suit a small office.
The price is certainly compelling: a one camera setup costs £109.99 (inc. VAT, or $99 in the US). There are also two-camera (£189.99/$169) and three-camera bundles (£259.99/$229). Additional cameras can be added as required for £89.99, or $75 in the US.
The AA-powered Blink security camera (top) and mains-powered Sync Module (bottom).
Image: Sandra Vogel/ZDNet
A setup involves one or more cameras, each powered by a pair of AA batteries that should last at least two years, and a mains-powered Sync Module that provides the internet connection. Both cameras and Sync Module are configured through, and provide information to, an Android or iPhone app.
The app can act as the control centre for more than one setup, each with its own Sync Module. So someone could cover their home, another home (say an elderly relative), a holiday home (don't we all have one of those?) and work premises, all from one app. You can buy additional Sync Modules for $50 in the US, but these are not currently available separately on the UK website.
Blink gave me a two-camera system for review, which I tested at home.
Setup is straightforward, with the app (Android in my case) walking you through the configuration process step by step. This involves entering the Sync Module's unique serial number into the app or scanning its QR code and then connecting to the module via wi-fi. This disconnects normal wi-fi, but reconnection is built into the configuration process, and if the wi-fi password is to hand the process takes literally just a couple of minutes. The Sync Module can be connected to wi-fi by Ethernet if you prefer, but as it needs access to mains power this may not be convenient.
Cameras are added individually via their unique serial numbers, and again the process is fast and straightforward. My two-camera system was ready for action in about 15 minutes.
More time consuming is locating the cameras to get the best possible view of an area, and configuring them through the app. Getting the right location can involve a bit of fiddling with positioning, although the camera's wide field of view is helpful. Each camera comes with a hinged mount to help you get the perfect positioning -- if you don't mind making a permanent fixing.
Video capture starts as soon as motion is detected. Clips are saved on a server and Blink says there's no limit on storage. It's up to the user to manage old clips, deleting those that are no longer wanted, saving any that are needed away from the server. Blink makes no ongoing charge for server storage.
Blink's functionality is fairly basic, with recorded video clips currently limited to just 10 seconds.
Image: Sandra Vogel/ZDNet
An alert is sent to the app every time a clip is saved, so it's possible to view a clip within a few minutes of it being taken. Sound is recorded as well, although I found that volume could be quite low. Video quality is captured at 720p and provides enough definition to see what's going on.
To avoid getting masses of clips of yourself as you wander through the camera's field of view, you can arm and disarm individual cameras. This is easily done either by using an on/off slider or by setting up timers for each camera. If you know nobody is in between certain hours of the day, then that's the time frame within which to arm the camera. There's no Netatmo Welcome-style face recognition here.
Be aware of pets. I got multiple cat-movement alerts, and there are only so many times I want to watch one of my feline friends wandering around the front room.
You can also use the app to take a still shot from any camera and to see a live feed. Unfortunately you can't shoot video while watching a feed, so if there's an intruder while you're doing a virtual tour you'll have to turn the feed off and hope they move into shot again.
There are some other issues too. Clips are limited to 10 seconds at present, although I was told the limit will soon be raised to a minute. There's a lag between one clip finishing and another starting, and it's long enough for someone to leave the monitored space and/or do something the camera can't record.
Perhaps the biggest issue is camera lights. A small blue LED comes on when a clip is being shot, and in low light the light the camera turns on an LED that, at the user-set lowest intensity, is bright enough to draw attention. Both lights are a massive 'hello' to anyone lurking about who doesn't want to be caught snooping.
In the end Blink might not offer what you need for a home security system at the present time. It's easy to set up and easy to control from afar, but there are some issues and these do compromise its effectiveness.
Still, it's early days, and Blink seems keen to add new features and clearly has a roadmap for development. If the company takes comments on-board, this could be one to watch.
LG's newest stick vac looks to bring an extra dose of power to mobile cleaning. With a motor that supposedly turns 16 times faster than an airplane engine, the LG CordZero Stick Vacuum also packs in two removable batteries and a telescoping handle to help you reach corners.
On display at CES in Las Vegas this week, the CordZero stick has lots of other impressive-sounding features:
Five-step HEPA filtration system
140 AW of suction
Axial Turbo Cyclone to capture fine dust
Anti-tangle brush roll
All of that certainly sounds fancy, and supposedly the battery lasts a full 80 minutes. If LG's new stick can genuinely clean like an upright and run for that long, it'll be a nice buy indeed. The feature list doesn't convince me, though. I'll want to test these stick vacs myself when they come out this year to see if they measure up to another powerful brand that uses cyclone filtration -- Dyson.
LG also announced the upcoming US availability of its CordZero Canister Vacuum that follows you around. We got a first look at that vac last year, and I'm glad a release date is becoming more concrete: It'll supposedly go on sale this summer.
LG hasn't announced pricing for either the stick vac or the canister. Check back for more information throughout the week.
It's the time of year when we hit the slopes, wade into the rivers, and hike through the white stuff. Thanks to LifeProof's newest Fre cases, you can rest assured your iPhone 7 Plus and Google Pixel XL will remain safe and sound.
One of reasons I hesitated in purchasing a Google Pixel XL was the lack of water and dust resistance while being priced the same as the iPhone 7 Plus. I enjoy capturing photos while I am in the rivers fly fishing, cycling the trails in the rain, running through the woods, and making snowmen at the base of Mt Rainier.
For the last couple of months I've been using my iPhone 7 Plus in those environments since it has an IP67 dust and water resistant rating. However, did you know that water damage is actually not covered by the default warranty so while the device is water resistant, you really should avoid ever subjecting it to water unless you paid for the Apple Care+ Protection plan. I didn't, so I had to look elsewhere for serious protection.
The latest LifeProof Fre cases solve my problem with the Google Pixel XL and also make sure my iPhone 7 Plus is safe from water damage. Let's take a closer look at these two cases.
LIFEPROOF FRE FOR THE GOOGLE PIXEL XL
The new LifeProof Fre for the Google Pixel XL was recently released and as a previous owner of LifeProof cases it was the one I have been waiting to test out before risking my Pixel XL in outside environments. It is available now in one color, asphalt black, for $89.99.
The LifeProof Fre for the Google Pixel XL is waterproof, dirt proof, snow proof, and drop proof. It is designed to survive submersion in up to two meters of water for one hour (IP68 rated) and drop from up to two meters in height. It has an integrated screen protector on the front, as well as clear covers for the camera, flash, fingerprint scanner, and other openings.
The case comes in two pieces that snap together with applied pressure. While I always looked for coins in the past to pry open these types of cases, LifeProof now includes a case key to help you remove your device from the case.
You are directed to first test out the seals of the case prior to actually using it with your expensive phone. While the directions show you how to carry out this test, I also like to throw in a Kleenex tissue to help me see if any water leaked through during the test.
I snapped on the case last weekend when I went fly fishing, which also happened to be in an area of snow, so I was able to test out the case in a couple actual environments. It performed well with the rear fingerprint scanner functioning as if it wasn't in the case. The buttons were easy to press and the display looked and functioned well too. There is a bit of texture/graininess to the display when certain color backgrounds are present, but for the protection I am willing to give up a bit of clarity in the outdoors.
At first, the camera kept experiencing focus issues so I was having trouble capturing good quality photos. I removed the phone, wiped off the entire back again and made sure the case was pressed tightly against the camera lens so then after that the camera worked well. You may need to check the rear panel over the camera lens if you experience focusing issues since it seems the clear plastic cover could impact the ability for autofocus.
One aspect I particularly like about the LifeProof Fre case is that it is not that bulky so my phone still fits into my coat pockets and gear bag. It weighs in at only 49.9 grams with dimensions of 170 x 90 x 15 mm.
The Google Pixel XL still has a headphone jack up top so there is a screw-in port cover. You also get one of these 3.5mm headset jack adapters, but I just skip that and use Bluetooth headphones with the case as that offers more protection as well. There is a large door on the bottom for the USB Type-C port so you can still charge up with virtually any of your cables.
LIFEPROOF FRE FOR THE IPHONE 7 PLUS
The Apple iPhone 7 Plus has the new dual camera setup on the rear so LifeProof had to release a new case to support this design. The LifeProof Fre for the iPhone 7 Plus is also priced at $89.99, but comes in five color options as well.
It's design is similar to the Google Pixel XL with full 360 protection provided by clear plastic protectors, port covers, and raised buttons. The front fingerprint scanner worked every time for me so far. The only adjustment I've had to make with this new iPhone case is that I need to speak a bit louder for Siri to "hear" my commands.
There is a vanity clear window on the back for the Apple logo, which is a nice touch. There is no headset jack on the iPhone 7 Plus so there is no adapter in the box either. The Lightning port opening is large enough for virtually all Lightning cables too.
Fitbit is the leader in daily activity tracking, but the new Huawei Fit offers plenty to rival the Fitbit Blaze at half the cost. Long battery life is key to keeping a tracker on your body and the Huawei Fit exceeds the advertised battery life.
Huawei makes fantastic, high quality smartphones, tablets, and smart watches. The TalkBand products were an interesting combination of activity tracker and Bluetooth headset, but I was not impressed with the quality of those devices. Thankfully, the Huawei Fit matches the quality of Huawei smartphones.
I've been wearing the Huawei Fit for more than a week and it is one of the best activity trackers I have ever tested with a lightweight, superb design, long battery life, automatic sleep tracking, and ability to sync the data it captures with various third party services.
HARDWARE
The Huawei Fit has a simplistic design with no buttons on it at all. All interaction is carried out via the touchscreen and for the most part that works well. There are times when touches don't seem to register as fast as you would like, but overall the swiping up, down, left, and right works well at getting around the rather simplistic interface.The Huawei Fit is constructed of aluminum with a beveled edge around the round bezel. It is extremely light weight at just about 35 grams and when I wear it I can hardly tell it is even present on my wrist. The comfortable TPU band can easily be removed and replaced with other bands too.
There is an optical heart rate monitor on the back that regularly tracks your resting heart rate.
GPS and WiFi are not present so all syncing is carried out via Bluetooth. There is no onboard storage for streaming music either, but for $100 that is not to be expected.
Battery: 80 mAh battery with charging dock, six days rated battery life
Dimensions: 39.5 mm diameter by 9.9 mm thick and 35 grams
SOFTWARE
There is no advertised wearable operating system and you won't be loading up apps on the Huawei Fit. The user interface on the Huawei Fit includes watch face options, notifications, training plan, heart rate, step tracking, and workout tracking.
You swipe up and down to switch between these different modes and then when you get to where you want you can tap to dive deeper into the data on the watch. Swiping left and right shows you more information and takes you back out to the main interface.
Your heart rate is measured on a regular basis, but you can also initiate a manual reading if you desire. Sports (running, walking, cycling, treadmill, and swimming) can be tracked with the Huawei Fit. This does not include GPS, but your movement is tracked.
If you are planning to run a race in the future, you can use the Huawei Fit to create a training plan that will appear on your phone or the watch to help you prepare.
Sleep monitoring is measured automatically and in my experiences seemed to be the most accurate measurement taken by the Huawei Fit.
There is an Huawei Wear application for both iOS and Android so you can view more details of your data on your connected smartphone. You can also sync the data captured by the Huawei Fit to Google Fit, Apple Health, Jawbone UP, and MyFitnessPal. This is one area where the Huawei Fit beats Fitbit since Fitbit data is kept within the Fitbit ecosystem and cannot be shared easily with other services.
You can also use the smartphone application to initiate a workout and create your training plan. There is no ability to share your results or challenge others within the Huawei Wear application.
You can enable notifications on the Huawei Fit, but I have only found the incoming call notification to be useful. Message notifications are limited so don't look to the Huawei Fit for smartwatch functionality.
DAILY USAGE AND EXPERIENCES
After being unimpressed by the Huawei TalkBand, I didn't expect much from the Huawei Fit. It is extremely comfortable and while the advertised battery life is six days, I've been seeing 10 percent usage each day so am able to go for more than a week between charges. It only takes two hours on the charging dock to charge up the Huawei Fit as well.
Sleep tracking is automatic and has been very accurate. You can also set silent alarms that will initiate within 10 minutes of your selected time when your sleep is lightest, if possible.
Heart rate tracking has also been accurate with results that match other devices I have tested, in both resting and workout situations.
I have a fairly standard 0.8 mile route to and from the office each day, but I found that the Huawei Fit seems to count more steps than every other device I have used for tracking. I also discovered excessive step counting during a short 3.2 mile run that was registered as a 4.28 mile run. This is disappointing as the device is so good at other functions and is priced at Amazon for just $99.99. If you care more about the trends in step counting rather than the raw data then you may not be as bothered by the accuracy as I am.
What happens when an iconic audio electronics company completes 70 years? They introduce an anniversary edition of noise cancelling wireless headphones called the JBL Everest Elite 700 Platinum Edition. While these are yet to come to India, we got our hands on the headphones (exclusively) to know more about them, first hand.
Right out of the box we did find these (wireless) noise cancelling headphones to be quite modern. The JBL Everest Elite 700 Platinum Edition is not your usual noise cancelling headphones with simple ear cups connected to the headband. These are designed for extreme comfort with the ear cups sitting on a swinging arm on the headband for the best ear and around the ear flexibility.
The audio drivers have good cushioning around them, however once worn they were a bit firm for our liking. They are also slightly heavy. That said, however, this is the case with all headphones that are wireless. Since wireless headphones carry the additional weight of a battery, lots of buttons et al, ultimately the burden falls on the wearers head and neck. Setting up and connecting these bad boys to your Android or iOS smartphone is child's play. Charge the JBL Everest Elite 700 Platinum Edition headphones with the help of the supplied charging cable, power up the headphones, turn on Bluetooth on the smartphone and simply connect.
As soon as we connected them to play some of our favourite HD quality tunes, the JBL Everest Elite 700 Platinum Edition just blew usaway. They are mind numbingly loud, at the same time filled with bass and clarity one expects from a high-end noise cancelling headphone. JBL has also added a microphone to the mix so that the users can take voice calls wirelessly. The clarity here is superb, as well.
We could manage volume, power and other functions of the headphone with the easy to reach buttons on the head band. The battery charged quickly and we squeezed almost 14 hours of playback time from the JBL Everest Elite 700 Platinum Edition. In case the user runs out of battery juice, these headphones do support auxiliary cable so that one can enjoy seamless music or take calls with it.
A nice cloth case comes in the box, in which the users can carry the headphones as well as the supplied cables. This is nice but not as nice as the hard box that comes with the Bose Quite comfort.
The JBL Everest Elite 700 Platinum Edition headphones, carries a USD price tag of $299 and is expected to come to India very soon. If they launch these around the same price category (roughly Rs 19,000 to 21,000) these would be a force to reckon with in the segment.
MIL-STD 810G/IP67 ruggednessFewer apps avaible that on
Windows Continuum supportLeading mobile platforms
Desk Dock and Lap Dock options
Excellent battery life
Good security and manageability features
HP has come up with what may be the most compelling Windows 10 Mobile phone yet -- the Elite x3. According to the company, this phablet-sized handset is "the one device that's every device". Deconstructed, that means the Elite x3 is part of a suite of kit that stretches its capabilities well beyond its 5.96-inch display and on-screen keyboard.
To that end, HP is selling the Elite x3 in bundles that include a Desk Dock (providing a range of connectors), and a Lap Dock (a 12.5-inch 'dumb' laptop), along with a flexible computing experience centred around HP Workspace and Windows Continuum.
We waited (and waited) for HP to deliver us a Lap Dock to review, but in the end our patience wore thin, and so we're reviewing the Elite x3 and Desk Dock, a bundle that costs £673.20 (inc. VAT, or £561 ex. VAT) in the UK ($799 in the US). Expect an update when the Lap Dock -- which costs $599 in the US -- finally shows up.
The 5.96-inch Elite x3 Windows 10 Mobile phablet can be attached to a desktop monitor via the Desk Dock, or used in conjunction with the laptop-format Lap Dock.
Images: HP Inc.
Some are saying that the Elite x3 and HP's hardware/software ecosystem approach is the last chance for Windows 10 Mobile to prove itself. Be that as it may, what the Elite x3 must do is hold its own compared the high-end smartphone competition. Comparable flagship phablets -- all with 5.5-inch screens -- include the iPhone 7 Plus at £719, Google Pixel XL at £719 and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge at £629.99.
Design and build quality are very important at this end of the market, and fortunately HP has put in a lot of effort here. Not only does it look smart, the Elite x3 is also tough, meeting both the MIL-STD 810G and IP67 standards. The former covers a range of environmental conditions, while an IP67 rating signifies that the handset is 'dust tight' and can withstand submersion in up to 1m of water for up to 30 minutes.
A slightly rubbery finish to the back and sides makes the Elite x3 nicely grippy, which is important for such a big phone. The phablet-sized 5.96-inch screen means an overall footprint of 83.5mm wide by 161.8 mm deep, and 7.8mm thick. This I found too large for the pockets that normally accommodate my everyday phone; it was also a little unwieldy in the hand -- I couldn't reach right across the screen for one-handed use, for example.
Of course, the Elite x3's size also makes for a heavier than average handset. It tips the scales at 194g, compared to 188g for the iPhone 7 Plus, 168g for the Google Pixel XL and 157g for Samsung's Galaxy S7 Edge.
The AMOLED screen's resolution of 1,440 by 2,560 pixels delivers extremely sharp content with a pixel density of 494ppi (ahead of the iPhone 7 Plus's 401ppi, but behind the Google Pixel XL's 531ppi and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge's 537ppi). Text is a pleasure to read, and graphics look sharp and bright. Email, websites, e-books and work documents all display well on this screen, which offers a maximum brightness of 350 nits.
The Elite x3 may be great for information consumption, but it's not great for document creation. No on-screen keypad is anywhere near as efficient as a physical keyboard, especially for protracted periods of use. That, of course, is why HP has provided a supporting hardware/software ecosystem around the Elite x3 phablet.
The speaker sits on the front of the device below the screen, behind a grille with a B&O logo, adding about 8mm to the phone's overall height. Streamed YouTube video is loud enough, although audio quality could be better: as so often with smartphone speakers, there's a lack of solid bass tones and a bit too much treble.
The main camera is a 16-megapixel unit with an f/2.2 lens and 1.31-micron pixels. It will shoot 4K (and full-HD) video at 30 frames per second (fps). You get a panorama mode, but otherwise there are few of the photographer's tricks and tweaks that are commonly offered on other flagship smartphones. There's a fair bit of choice in the app store if you want to augment the camera's abilities, though. The 8MP front camera also has an f/2.2 lens but smaller 1.12-micron pixels, and will shoot full-HD video at 30fps.
The Elite x3 runs on a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996 processor supported by 4GB of RAM. Of the 64GB of internal storage, 58.2GB is available to the user -- and of this, just 4.73GB was used out of the box. Fifty-plus gigabytes is a decent amount of free storage space for a smartphone, but it's important to note that, because the Elite x3 is billed as the only computing device a worker needs, this falls far short of the local storage available on your average business laptop.
If it becomes necessary to boost the internal storage via a microSD card, then one of the Elite x3's two Nano-SIM slots will have to be sacrificed. This shared slot system, which forces you to choose between either two SIMs or one SIM and a microSD card, is not one I'm particularly fond of, but it is increasingly widely used.
HP includes an array of apps in addition to the Windows 10 staples, including HP Workspace, HP Device Hub, HP All-in-One Remote and HP Touchpoint Manager. Other additions include Salesforce universal app and Winzip Universal.
HP Workspace is an app catalogue that authenticates to Active Directory, pulling up a tile for each of the apps to which the user has access. When the Elite x3 is docked, clicking on an app tile initiates a VPN session to the data centre, bringing up the virtualised desktop app on an attached monitor or Lap Dock. A per-seat environment, HP Workspace is charged on a range of scales depending on usage requirements.
Battery life is absolutely critical for a device that's intended to function as "the one device that's every device". HP has squeezed a 4,150mAh battery into the Elite x3, which if my anecdotal experience is anything to go by, should get most users through a working day. I managed a full weekend without recourse to mains power, although this was working in my usual smartphone mode, rather than using the Elite x3 with a Lap Dock for all my computing activity.
The battery is charged via a USB-C Cable, fast charging is supported, and a (Qi) wireless charger is available as an add-on purchase (£46.80 inc. VAT, or $49 in the US).
Security is vital for mobile professionals, and device security on the Elite x3 is managed via a front-mounted iris scanner and a fingerprint reader on the back. Windows 10 Mobile incorporates 128-key Bitlocker encryption and enterprise-grade VPN technology.
As noted earlier, two vital accessories turn the HP Elite x3 into more than just another smartphone: the Desk Dock and the Lap Dock.
The Desk Dock supports fast charging, and connects to an external monitor via a DisplayPort connector. USB 3.0, USB-C and Ethernet ports are also provided.
Images: HP Inc.
The Desk Dock is a desktop stand for the Elite x3 that includes fast-charging support, an RJ-45 Ethernet port, a DisplayPort, two full-size USB 3.0 ports and a USB-C connector.
The Desk Dock is robustly made, but quite heavy, and if you work in multiple environments you may need a Desk Dock in more than one location. This might necessitate either carrying it around or having several Desk Docks. At the time of writing I was unable to find a price for individually purchased Desk Docks.
The Lap Dock connects wirelessly or via USB-C to the Elite x3, providing a 12.5-inch FHD screen and a full-size keyboard, along with additional connectors.
Image: HP Inc.
The Lap Dock looks like a standard laptop, but has no local processing or storage capability, and only functions when used in conjunction with the Elite x3 phablet. Weighing around a kilogram (2.3lbs), the Lap Dock has a 12.5-inch FHD (1,920-by-1,080-pixel) screen and a full-size keyboard, providing a working environment for tasks that can't be completed with the Elite x3 handset alone. It also features three USB-C ports, a Micro-HDMI connector, B&O stereo speakers, a pair of noise cancelling microphones, a stereo headphone jack and a 4-cell, 46.5Wh battery.
As noted earlier, it's unfortunate that HP has not been able to provide a Lap Dock to review at this time. We hope to be able to evaluate it working alongside the Elite x3 in due course.
Conclusions:
HP is positioning the Elite x3 as a phablet that, in combination with the Desk Dock and the Lap Dock, can satisfy the computing requirements of mobile professionals in sectors like healthcare, field service, retail and logistics.
This only really makes sense if organisations buy into the full package, which includes seats on HP Workspace as well as the hardware combination of phablet, docking station and dumb laptop.
In the UK, that hardware trio costs £1,099 (inc. VAT, £915.83 ex. VAT) per user (or $1,318 in the US). This can only be a viable spend where organizations can access all the apps they require and are convinced they don't need any additional computing facilities that a traditional laptop might offer.
I have spent a week testing the new Meizu M3 Max and, apart from a few niggles, I have been blown away with its performance.
The phone looks sleek and smooth. Meizu says that this phone is manufactured using double CNC (computer controlled cutting) highlighting and nano-injection molding.
Its dimensions are 163.4mm (6.42 inches) x 81.6mm (3.21 inches) x 7.9mm (0.31 inches). It weighs 189g (6.67 ounces).
Installation was a pleasure. I turned the phone on, and what seemed like only seconds later I had a usable phone, connected to the internet with a 4G cellphone signal.
There was minimal setup to do. I chose my language and that was just about it. The settings icon on the home screen enabled me to change the time zone, date and adjust for the 24 hour clock.
The M3 Max display has IPS (In-Plane Switching, which was designed to correct poor viewing angles and colour reproduction) technology which gives the 6-inch HD display a sharp look. Resolution is good at 1,920 x 1,080 pixels.
The phone has a MediaTek Helio P10 octa-core processor with four ARM Cortex-A53 cores running at 1.8GHz and the remaining four running at 1.0GHz. This reduces power consumption, enabling the 4100mAh battery to get you through the whole day without recharging.
I was blown away with how fast the phone charged. The M3 Max supports the mCharge fast charging technology for speedy charging without decreasing the battery lifespan.
The battery can be charged up to 45 percent in about 30 minutes -- essential to keep you going during a long day.
The M3 Max has 3GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, expandable to 128GB via the handset's MicroSD card slot. There are two cameras: a 13-megeapixel rear camera with a SONY CMOS sensor, a wide f/2.2 aperture and a dual-LED flash; and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with a four-element lens and f/2.0 aperture.
There are plenty of picture-taking options for the camera; panorama, slow-mo mode, barcode scan feature, macro, Gif creation and 'beauty'. You can take pictures using voice control by using the Chinese commands 'Paizhao' or Qiezl'
The beauty features include icons to enhance the eyes, slim the face, smooth out wrinkles and bags under the eyes, and an icon for 'whitening'. Whitening lightens the facial tones and fades redness. The whitening feature can also be used on the final image to edit.
The phone has a useful, but perhaps illegal feature in some countries: when in a call, there is an option to record the phone conversation, which is saved with the contact details.
For added security, an mTouch fingerprint sensor unlocks the phone using up to five fingerprints.
The phone has a password-protected guest mode to allow guests to make outgoing calls and send SMS messages, or install apps.
I loved the performance and responsiveness of the Meizu M3 Max, and the intuituveness of the Android-based Flyme OS. I like extra features like the SmartTouch option, which overlays a customisable on-screen soft button.
I can configure gestures to get back to the home screen, end the process, or unfold the notification bar amongst other features. I like the ability to increase the size of the icons and change the look of the icon screen.
Other features of the phone drove me crazy, though. For example, the default weather app showed me the weather at my location in Chinese. This was not customisable, even though I selected English as my default language.
There is no predictive text, or spell-checking option. Texting, or responding to emails were annoying as I had to insert apostrophes and commas, and correct my spelling as I went along. I could not find any option to add spell check to the default options.
I also received notifications in Chinese for default apps that I could not switch off such as the default news app, the Life app, or the Flyme app store. These all defaulted to Chinese.
I could not uninstall them, nor change their default language. The smart voice app only responded to Chinese instructions.
Other apps, such as Weibo, Taobao, Tencent, Dianping and Qunar travel could be uninstalled.
Meizu said that the sample I tested had an early version of the firmware. All international shipments, including US and Europe, will come with an English OS, instructions and local adapter.
With this in mind, I have ignored the niggles with this early version of the phone and focused on the positives. This is a very nice, highly responsive phone with a sleek look. It's certainly a phone I would be happy to own
