What happened?

Race and brawl announcements

2010 Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit remaster announced. The race will be released on November 6, 2020 on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and on November 13 on Switch. The set includes all the DLC and, of course, the graphic lift up to 4K resolution and 60 fps. Funny preview video:

Also presented are Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate and Kombat Pack 2. Coming November 17 on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and even Stadia. Ultimate is a complete fighting game with all the DLC plus cross-play, but only between PlayStation and Xbox. Kombat Pack 2 is a new character pack that includes Rain, Milina and Rambo. Yes, yes, screaming Sylvester Stallone with a machine gun. Here it is, in the trailer:

Well, very briefly: Cyberpunk 2077 and Spider-Man: Miles Morales went gold. This means that they will definitely come out on time. HOORAY!

PlayStation internals and backward compatibility

Sony decided not to hide anything from the players and released a video where an employee of the company dismantles the Sony PlayStation 5. Naturally, he dismantles it into parts with a screwdriver. Nothing fancy really, but now we know what the panels will be and where to insert the additional SSD. The console in Russia is released on November 19 at a price of 37,999 for the version without a floppy drive and 45,999 with a floppy drive. Well, we have released a video with comments by Valentin Wylsacom:

The company also clarified about backward compatibility and named 10 games that will not work on PS5. Attention, here they are: DWVR, Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma Volume One, TT Isle of Man – Ride on the Edge 2, Just Deal With It !, Shadow Complex Remastered, Robinson: The Journey, We Sing, Hitman Go: Definitive Edition, Shadwen and Joe’s Diner. We hope you can cope with this loss. In return, for example, Ghost of Tsushima will receive a 60 fps improvement on the PS5. We are waiting for the same for other PS4 exclusives on PS5.

Pieces of iron for games

AMD held a small presentation at which they presented the processors of the new Zen 3 architecture: Ryzen 9 5900X, Ryzen 7 5800X, Ryzen 5 5600X and the most powerful Ryzen 9 5950X. In very simple terms, the main difference from the previous generation is a single cache for all cores, which speeds up the processor. If it’s even simpler, then look at the picture:

The start of sales is scheduled for November 5, 2020. Prices range from $ 299 for the 5600X to $ 799 for the 5950X. And on October 28, they will also talk about the Radeon RX 6000 video cards.

But NVIDIA with their native video cards is in some trouble. The start of sales of the RTX 3080 and 3090 in the Russian Federation was supposed to take place on October 6, and as a result, it was postponed indefinitely. “You can consider buying a 3000 series video card from other manufacturers,” NVIDIA said, hinting at the MSI or Gigabyte versions, only they are more expensive and they are not on sale either. Everything was sold out. NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang says they expected high demand, but it turned out to be too high, so this situation will last until 2021. And then the question arises: if the 3080 and 3090 were not released in the Russian Federation, then what will happen to the RTX 3070, which is cheaper and should appear on October 29? Oh, NVIDIA, what are you doing with us.

What else did they show?

Watch Dogs: Legion Story Trailer:

Call of Duty: Cold War beta test trailer:

A slightly insane Xbox Series commercial:

Trailer of the film “The main character”. Yes, this is not a game, but this is a film about the character of the game, and even with Ryan Reynolds:

What to play?

Interesting releases next week. Unfortunately, only on PC.

First of all, on weekends and until October 13, the Festival of Demo versions is held on Steam. A great option to play new games and put something on your wishlist.

13 october

Second Extinction (early PC access). You and a company of the same crazy people land on the planet, try to survive, gather resources and relishly shoot dinosaurs. Don’t even ask what is happening here, but the process looks very exciting.

October 14

Partisans 1941 (PC) is a tactical RPG from a Moscow studio where you control a group of partisans (logical). World War II, ambushes, tactics, grandfather with a double-barreled gun, and that’s all.

15 october

Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition (PC) – remaster of the cult RTS. In addition to the main game and all DLC, the kit will include two new civilizations: the Swedes and the Incas.

That’s all, until next week!

. (tagsToTranslate) articles (t) game week (t) games (t) news about games

Chief editor of the blog – Erika J. Wells .

In 2016, Apple killed the MagSafe brand. So the company called the proprietary charger for MacBooks, which was magnetised to the computer:

How MagSafe works. Source: Wylsacom Media

I am writing this text on a 15-inch MacBook Pro in 2015 and I look at charging with delight: the connector was very reliable, and although USB Type-C seemed then a universal solution, it still has not become one.

And then there were rumors that Apple decided to revive this brand. Only now it will mean charging not for MacBooks, but for iPhones.

According to insider Kahn, who published accurate information about the upcoming iPad Air in September, Apple will launch three products at once called MagSafe.

The first is the MagSafe case. This is probably a whole system of magnets built into the case. A similar thing is in the PITAKA cases. Built-in magnets are needed to keep the smartphone on car wireless charging – a top-end, but rather expensive solution.

Probably, a photo of just such a case with MagSafe was published in August by the well-known insider EveryApplePro:

Yup. Official iPhone 12 cases will also have this magnet system built in. Likely for perfect alignment with Apple's wireless chargers. pic.twitter.com/eDEQ474NIX

– EverythingApplePro (@EveryApplePro) August 5, 2020

Most likely, Apple will release similar cases for all iPhones with wireless charging. It would be very cool.

The magnets will perform a similar function – they will align the iPhone on wireless charging. And here's the fun part: MagSafe Charger and MagSafe Duo Charger will be released under this brand. These are mats for wireless charging iPhones, one of the versions of which was photographed a month ago:

news

Perhaps this is what the AirPower mini will look like

Kostya Baranov

18 September 2020

The charging comes out very compact. And because of its size, it becomes clear why Apple decided to use magnets in this system.

Both versions of MagSafe Charger differ, as the name implies, in the number of ports. The first is designed for one iPhone, the second – for two at once. The power will be 15 W, but it is not yet clear which type of charging.

Yes, Apple will finally have its own wireless charger this year! Less than three years later. True, we were waiting for AirPower, but, apparently, the technology turned out to be so complicated that the project had to be killed.

But not all users love cases! Is it like putting on one of them every time before charging? Probably not, since it became known earlier that this very magnetic system will be directly in the case of all iPhone 12 models:

news

Rumor: iPhone 12 will receive magnetic wireless charging

Ilya Kichaev

5 August 2020

The presentation of the iPhone 12 will take place next Tuesday, October 13.

. (tagsToTranslate) news (t) iphone 12

Chief editor of the blog – Erika J. Wells .

Yesterday, October 6, Apple invited everyone to the event:

news

Apple announced the date of the presentation of the iPhone 12

Ilya Kichaev

6 October 2020

We will release our assumptions that will be shown at this presentation a little later. But already now you can be almost 100% sure that the iPhone 12 family will be the main event.

2020 has been a very unusual year for Apple. If until that time the company produced no more than three phones a year, then this year there will be a total of five new iPhones, including the iPhone SE. The lineup, which Apple will present next Tuesday, will consist of four new models: iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max:

We have combined all the rumors into one and specially for you have drawn renders of future iPhones.

We don't yet know what colors Apple will choose for the iPhone 12 and 12 mini, so in our renders they are painted in the colors of the iPhone 11:

By the way, the greatest interest among the audience is the iPhone 12 mini. We assume that this will be the smallest iPhone in the last two years. Its size will be somewhere in between the iPhone SE of both generations.

So after the Apple presentation, we are waiting for small Android smartphones!

But with the successors 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, there will be such a story: apparently, LiDAR will be added to the camera unit that has become familiar over the year, similar to that installed in the iPad Pro (2020).

By the way, this year, most likely, Apple will finally release an "adult" iPhone in a deep dark blue color. The new Apple Watch Series 6 has a similar one.

Both models will receive larger displays: 6.1 and 6.7 inches, respectively, with dimensions similar to the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max! This can be achieved due to the reduced frames and flat edges of the smartphone, like those of the iPhone 4/5 / SE:

Apparently, the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro will be the same size. And both models will receive OLED displays:

And we will find out about other chips already next week!

How do you like the iPhone 12 family?

. (tagsToTranslate) news

Chief editor of the blog – Erika J. Wells .

A little over a decade ago, the photography world began to change dramatically. Then smartphones entered the race for image quality. And if at the beginning of the tenth it looked rather strange, then by today most people will not even think about whether they need a camera. Of course not – they have iPhone / Xiaomi / Samsung / Huawei / Pixel and so on.

The smartphone has become the center of our life, killing, in fact, many different things and products. Starting with mp3-players and iPods, continuing with some plastic cards, as well as those same cameras. Of course, we are primarily talking about "soap dishes" or, as they are correctly called, about compact cameras.

Photo via Fujifilm X100V. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

If in some 2008, going into any electronics store, you saw a thousand and one "soap dish" conventional Nikon, now there is practically no trace of them. All compact models sold by this particular company were announced no later than 2017. And in terms of photo quality, they are often inferior to smartphones.

However, there are companies that still make "compacts". One of the main models that you remember first is the Sony RX100 Mark VII. But just what a thing: very few people perceive this camera as a camera. The RX100 is taken by video bloggers traveling around the world. It provides the owner with a great image that is enough for YouTube.

The situation is similar with the recently unveiled Sony ZV-1 – a camera designed specifically for travel bloggers. It doesn't have such a crazy optical zoom, but it has become even more convenient for travelers: a top-end, compact and at the same time not the most expensive solution.

news

Sony ZV-1 introduced – a simplified version of the best camera for travel bloggers

Ilya Kichaev

27 May 2020

In general, with an eye on this situation and my love for photography, I decided to find out if there is a place for compacts at the time when smartphones began to take photos that no one could even dream of in 2010. So, our today's hero is Fujifilm X100V:

Fujifilm X100V
Format
Mirrorless, APS-C
Matrix
23.5 x 15.6 mm CMOS sensor (1.11 inches diagonal) with a resolution of 26.1 megapixels and a pixel size of 3.74 µm per pixel
Crop factor
1.53
Lens
f = 23 mm (35 mm equivalent), fixed, non-removable
Diaphragm
f / 2 – f / 16 (f / 3.1 – f / 24.5)
ISO
160 – 12 800 (expandable to 80 – 51 200)
Exposure compensation
± 5 in 1/3 EV steps
Excerpt
1 / 32,000 – 30 seconds
Viewfinder
3.69M-dot OLED Hybrid Viewfinder
Screen
3 inches, IPS with a resolution of 1.62 million points
Memory cards
One SD slot (up to 2 GB), SDHC (up to 32 GB) or
SDXC (up to 512GB)
Dimensions, weight
128 x 74.8 x 53.3mm @ 478g

We got this camera in early March. And I immediately grabbed it for myself before quarantine.

Bottom X100F, top – X100V. Photo on Google Pixel 3. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

I took it to myself for two reasons. First, I needed a camera to work from home. And with the last generation, X100F (F stands for "Fourth" – "fourth"), I have pleasant memories of a trip to Vietnam, where I took it with me. There I took photographs, from viewing which my heart is now breaking, because you cannot travel.

All photos from this slider were taken by me on Fujifilm X100F with minimal processing before publication.

As a result, the fifth generation, designated by the letter V (V is the Roman numeral 5), I have been waiting for from the moment when rumors appeared that Fuji was preparing it for release.

Klipsch T5. Photo via Fujifilm X100V. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

The very first question that my friends asked when they saw this camera: "Is it a film?" Yes, the aesthetics of the Fujifilm X100V unveiled in February 2020 is really a lot from vintage cameras. And in this there is a kind of hipster thrill (someone else, besides Boyarsky, uses this word?). This thrill I get when looking at vinyl, certain models of guitars or, for example, a good coat.

Left X100V, right X100F. Photo on Google Pixel 3. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

At the same time "Fujik" is not some kind of toy. It is quite a mature device, capable of taking many decent pictures. As in the case of "soap boxes", there is a fixed lens. Its equivalent focal length is 35mm. This means that in direct comparison of a photo from the main camera of your smartphone and this "Fuji", fewer objects will fit into the frame of the latter, and the proportions of the objects being photographed will differ:

Photo via Fujifilm X100V. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom MediaPhoto on iPhone 11/11 Pro. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom MediaPhoto on Google Pixel 3. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom MediaPhoto by Huawei P40. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

You can look at the originals of these photos with all EXIF ​​on Google Drive.

The Fujifilm X100V lens inspires me to be creative. Although 35 mm is not considered a classic portrait portrait, I adore photographs of people taken with it:

Photo: Ilya Kichaev

But due to the small focal length for portrait photographers, this camera is quite well suited for street photography:

Photo: Ilya Kichaev

Compared to the previous generation, the lens is much better. It no longer has the same chromatic aberration that the X100F suffered from.

Control

Compared to the fourth generation, Fuji has redesigned the controls, making the screen tilt and touch.

Photo via Fujifilm X100F. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

Someone may not like both of these facts, because, for example, the screen will one day fall off, and in the cold it will be difficult to control the shooting with gloves. However, this is not a hindrance for me. Firstly, it will not fall off (unless, of course, you try to tear it off), and secondly, I only used the touchscreen for quick and accurate adjustment of the focus area. And even for these needs I often used a small joystick on the back of the camera.

By the way, when you open the settings, the touch screen turns off and here you need to select items the old fashioned way. This is a great solution – you won't accidentally change anything, and the settings for the touchscreen are pretty small.

Photo via Fujifilm X100F. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

By the way, the menu here, in my opinion, is very clear. This is, of course, not Sony.

Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

But the physical buttons on the back of the camera could have been larger – they are not large enough to be found by touch. On the other hand, the sheer number of buttons kills that same film aesthetic. For example, the last generation, X100F, does not look very interesting in comparison with the five:

X100F on the left, X100V on the right. Photo on Google Pixel 3. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

By the way, all buttons, except for viewing captured images and menus, are customizable. Even if there are some inscriptions on them.

Photo via Fujifilm X100F. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

For example, you can assign Quick Menu Q to one of the buttons on the front of the camera. You can even change the function of the focus wheel if you use autofocus, and set, for example, the change of the simulated film, which I will discuss below.

Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

Filming

The Q button provides access to the quick menu where you can select shooting modes, autofocus, different degrees of dynamic range, white balance, quality, and more:

Photo via Fujifilm X100F. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

An interesting thing that Fujifilm promotes in all of its cameras is "film simulation." Here you can adjust the picture as if you took this photo on a film camera. There are 18 different presets in total, each of which vaguely resembles one here or another tape. When activated, the colors, white balance, contrast and other parameters of the image change.

In case you shoot in RAW, Lightroom knows these color film presets, so you can choose one of them right in the photo import. At the same time in "Lightroom" you can distinguish by the names of the film itself, produced by "Fuji" – Astia, Velvia, Acros and others:

The aforementioned "shooting mode", available in the quick menu by pressing the Q button, changes only the basic image presets.

The usual change of modes such as "Aperture Priority", "Shutter Priority" or "Manual" is not here. But all this can be customized. For example, you can set everything to auto and open the aperture to f / 2.8. And that will be aperture priority. The shutter priority is set in a similar way – turn the wheel to the desired duration, the aperture on the car and fly!

Photo via Fujifilm X100F. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

I did almost all the photographs this way: I opened the aperture at f / 2 – f / 4 and took pictures. Exposure – auto, ISO – auto with a threshold value of 3200. From time to time I had to adjust the exposure, reducing the brightness of the picture. That is, the control seems to be there, but minimal.

This decision, in my opinion, is correct: no one uses a variety of modes, photographers often choose between manual and aperture priority. Why then, for the sake of something stupid, give so much usable space on the camera body?

Photo on Google Pixel 3. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

You can also choose from burst shooting, HDR shooting (new to the fifth generation X100), multiple exposure and other shooting options.

You can shoot using the screen or the hybrid viewfinder. Its field of view is much larger than the lens actually sees, but all the information necessary for shooting does not interfere with the search for the frame, which is highlighted by a rectangle:

Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

Video

The fifth generation of the camera has received the possibility of video recording in 4K 10-bit 4: 2: 2 30 fps. But this was done, it seems, purely for the sake of it.

Firstly, autofocus is constantly jumping. This happened due to the fact that the camera does not have any optical stabilization, and the autofocus speed when shooting video is slowed down. And so it seems that you can either put the X100V on a tripod, or hang it on the stabilizer. But the stabilizer did not help me – the camera constantly loses focus and cannot decide what to shoot.

There is eye tracking, but how do you like this: once the camera found eyes in the fold of skin between the thumb and forefinger.

The second reason is the sound with which the lens adjusts autofocus. It is very loud and audible on audio. Of course, the problem can be solved by connecting a third-party microphone. Fortunately, there is a 2.5 mm jack for this.

In theory, the problem of floating autofocus can be dealt with by setting manual focus adjustment, since there is such an opportunity:

Letters stand for Manual, Custom, where you choose the approximate focusing location, and Standard — entirely up to the camera's choice. Photo via Fujifilm X100F. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

However, considering how Fuji hid the video mode, it is purely nominal here. But for example, I will show a video recorded as a demonstration of the capabilities of the AKG Lyra microphone:

application

Any modern Fujifilm camera connects to a smartphone without any problems. This is done using the Camera Remote application. Judging by the comments, many users are puzzled by the fact that when synchronized with a smartphone, the camera throws photos in 3 megapixels onto it. I also wondered: where are my honest 24 megapixels?

It turns out that it was necessary to rummage through the camera settings. To do this, go to the item with a wrench → "Connection settings" → "General settings" → "Change the image size (CM) 3 Mp". Turn off this thing and copy your photos to your health in their original resolution. But they will be copied only in JPEG.

The application allows you to copy photos to your smartphone relatively quickly (actually slowly, extremely slowly), as well as use your smartphone as a viewfinder if you suddenly want to take a picture of yourself:

The photo was taken on Fujifilm X100V using a smartphone. Photo: Ilya Kichaev

However, the image in the viewfinder mode is displayed at a frame rate of 15 seconds, constantly disappears, and focusing on the tap of the smartphone screen works every other time. And the connection doesn't always work. And this is the story with both the X100F and the X100V. Fujifilm, do something with the app, please. Leica has a pretty good application, which, however, only allows you to copy photos.

Output

This camera, for me personally, has four drawbacks. The first is the pain of the application. I am lazy, I do not like to edit photos on the computer. I throw them onto my smartphone or iPad and edit in Snapseed and Lightroom. And the application is good, it is not buggy, but the camera-smartphone connection works very badly.

Photo: Ilya Kichaev

The second drawback is that the video is purely nominal. Of course, this camera can take amazing pictures too. But only in static and only with manual focus.

The third drawback is the small buttons on the back. Although this is a matter of taste.

And the most important drawback. Price. This is what breaks my heart: 120 thousand rubles from the officials and 100 thousand from the "gray" dealers. It is very, very expensive. Not for a specific camera, but in general.

Smoking is harmful! Photo: Ilya Kichaev

But here's the thing: during the six months that I've been using this camera, I've come to love it. More precisely, like this: I fell in love with Fujifilm. I liked the huge GFX100 for a million rubles, I still like the X100F, and I really want to try the X-T4. The last camera is very similar in filling to the X100V, which became the hero of this operating experience, but only it has a matrix stub and interchangeable lenses:

news

Thing of the day: Fujifilm unveils X-T4 with sensor stabilization and HDR

Ilya Kichaev

27 February 2020

It seems to me that the X100V is not meant for the photographer. This does not mean that the shots taken on her do not suit me in some way, no. Here the question is more likely to fix 35 mm. But for amateurs – just right.

Redmi Note 9 Pro. Photo via Fujifilm X100V. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

It is as an amateur that I show pictures taken with the X100V in this text. It is as an amateur that I have used this camera to capture the subject of most of my text reviews published on this site over the past six months.

Photo: Igor Yasakov / Wylsacom Media

This camera will take great travel shots. Or at the birthday party of one of your friends, you will catch wonderful emotions. Or just take some photos to remember a particular day. Or take an incredible portrait of someone you love. Or take off your smartphone to review it. Or take a cool photo on the street, which turns out to be quite worthy of some reporter's spread. Did I say this is a photography for amateurs? Why?

Photo: Ilya Kichaev

Smartphone or camera?

Most of you don't need this camera or any other. Because you have a conditional iPhone / Xiaomi / Samsung / Huawei / Pixel.

Most of you, if you suddenly buy this or any other camera, will forget about it after a couple of days: you have to take it with you, and this, by the way, is 500 grams of weight with a strap!

JBL Pulse 4. Photo on Fujifilm X100V. Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

Smartphones will give many more options than this "Fuji", because even they have several lenses, as well as the main thing that street photographers appreciate: stealth. Fujifilm X100V is noticeable. She draws attention to herself.

However, this camera provides a quality incomparably better than any of the smartphone cameras. It doesn't matter how many megapixels your iPhone / Xiaomi / Samsung / Huawei / Pixel has. Bokeh when shooting portraits on smartphones constantly messes up, but here – no. The texture of the skin is not drawn in the same way, sorry for the pun, textured, as does Fuji:

Photo: Ilya Kichaev

For some reason, smartphones do not know how to display age-related or emotional wrinkles with dignity. And this camera can.

He also knows how to take great photos right after turning on the camera. And this is something that cameras really lacked, but smartphones had.

Photo: Ilya Kichaev / Wylsacom Media

Is it worth 120 thousand rubles? Everyone will decide for himself, depending on the love of cameras. But now I have to return this camera to the Russian representative office of Fujifilm, which makes me incredibly sad. Thank you for these six months. This camera has shown itself to be excellent. In the meantime, I will probably return to the X100F.

Photos of the two cameras were taken simultaneously with the Google Pixel 3, as it is the only camera on hand that can shoot RAW right out of the box – due to the metal body there were a lot of highlights that could only be dealt with this way.

. (tagsToTranslate) reviews

Chief editor of the blog – Erika J. Wells .

We summarize the results of the outgoing week with a selection of interesting news that did not make it into the main agenda.

News in one paragraph

iPad Air 4 lit up on Geekbench

Apple's new A14 processor scored 1,583 points in a single-core test and 4198 points in a multi-core test. For comparison, the iPhone 11 with the A13 processor scores 1327 and 3286 points, respectively, and the previous generation iPad Air – 1112 and 2832 points.

Google ends support for Daydream

It became known about the closure of the VR project last October, and the other day Google announced that it would not optimize the Daydream VR application for Android 11. The company promised that they would not remove third-party applications and would leave it possible to use the Daydream View helmet to view the corresponding content.

New patent: foldable iPhone with self-healing display

The patent describes a device with a foldable display that can be restored – you won't notice any scratches or dents. The display will be covered with a layer of elastomer: the material has highly elastic properties and viscosity, that is, it will not lose its regenerating shape to protect the screen. Looking forward to a foldable iPhone?

Stone Island x Persol glasses go on sale

The aviator sunglasses went on sale on September 29th via Stone Island's official website and partner stores. We chose an archival model from the 70s and improved it: they added noticeable screws in the metal bridge, the frame became the color of cannon bronze, the temples were made using Meflecto technology, and also added blue polarized lenses.

Trailers of the week

"Borat 2"

The sequel to the cult comedy is out on Amazon Prime on October 23 – the day before the US presidential election:

"Cyberslav"

The animated series announced in 2018 about the half-blood hero of the times of Ancient Russia with modern technologies received the sponsorship of Yandex and will become the exclusive KinoPoisk HD. Released January 2021:

"Deeper!"

A comedy about a young director who is forced to shoot porn due to lack of money for living. But he also approaches this business creatively. Premiere in theaters October 22:

If you missed the videos on the Wylsacom channel

The week began with the unpacking of the new branch of Sberbank:

We tell you about our cinema in the studio for only 1 million rubles:

Valya Wylsacom with Ivan Urgant held a presentation of the Audi e-tron:

We visited the museum of Soviet slot machines and tell you about the most powerful machine in the world for 500 thousand rubles:

Apple AirPods or Samsung Galaxy Buds Live – found out which wireless headphones to choose:

What do you remember about the outgoing week?

. (tagsToTranslate) articles (t) a14 (t) google (t) iphone (t) about everything interesting (t) folding display

Chief editor of the blog – Erika J. Wells .

Xiaomi has presented three new products from the Mi 10T series at once: regular, Pro and Lite versions.

Design

The appearance of smartphones is made according to the latest peep. Look at the back cover: only vivo X50 and X50 Pro have the same!

Only Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro got this look. Both smartphones are outwardly identical. They have 6.67-inch IPS displays with 144Hz refresh rate. Due to the type of display, there is a small chin.

In general, these are rather big smartphones: 165.1 × 76.4 × 9.33 mm. They weigh 218 grams. The back wall is protected by three layers of tempered glass Corning Gorilla Glass 5, the front is also it, but also covered with an antibacterial layer.

The fingerprint scanner is hidden in the power button, there is no 3.5 mm headphone jack, but there is an infrared port for controlling equipment.

Mi 10T Pro will have an exclusive color:

That, in fact, is all that can be said about the appearance.

Iron

Both smartphones received a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor with a subsequent 5G modem. But in Russia everything is bad with fifth generation networks, so this fact is not very interesting to us.

And so the main differences between the regular and Pro versions begin. This is the amount of RAM and internal memory:

Mi 10T:

6/128 GB;
8/128 GB.

Mi 10T Pro:

8/128 GB;
8/256 GB.

RAM type LPDDR5, built-in UFS 3.1.

The large thickness of the smartphone is due to the large battery. Its conventional capacity is 5000 mAh.

In the box, buyers will find a 33W PSU. At the same time, the smartphone supports 65W charging, but it must be purchased separately. And how convenient: Xiaomi has presented a GaN adapter of this power for only 30 €!

Smartphones received stereo speakers, a new vibration motor, support for Wi-Fi 6, NFC and all the other joys in life.

Cameras

Another difference between the regular and the Pro version is in cameras. More precisely, in the main sensor.

Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro received a 108 megapixel main sensor. Source: Xiaomi

The regular version has a 64MP camera with an f / 1.89 aperture. This is a fairly large 1 / 1.7-inch sensor for a smartphone. The Pro version boasts a huge 1 / 1.33-inch 108MP sensor. Apparently, the same was received by Mi Note 10 and Mi 10. The aperture of this sensor is larger – f / 1.69.

By the way, apparently, only the Pro version has optical stabilization! And if vivo X50 / X50 Pro has optical matrix stabilization, then Xiaomi cannot boast of such. That is, there is design for the sake of design.

The other modules are identical:

The ultra-wide-angle camera takes pictures at a resolution of 13 megapixels. The pixel size is 1.12 µm and the lens aperture is f / 2.4. The angle of view of this camera is 123 °;
The macro camera takes pictures in 5 megapixel resolution. Each pixel is 1.12 µm in size. Aperture – f / 2.4;
Front camera of 20 megapixels with a pixel size of 0.8 µm. Aperture – f / 2.2.

Smartphones can record video in 8K, can simultaneously shoot on two cameras, and also received many different artistic functions.

Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite

Another model, which for some reason was included in the Mi 10T line. The smartphone is radically different in appearance from its "brothers":

Apparently, the unification was the display diagonal – 6.67 inches. It's also IPS, which is why the fingerprint scanner has gone into the power button. True, the image refresh rate reaches not 144, but 120 Hz. But the tempered glass Corning Gorilla Glass 5 was left!

In general, the appearance is very similar to the Poco X3:

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There are even more cameras than the regular and Pro versions! True, bigger doesn't mean better. The main camera, according to the numbers, is the same as that of the Mi 10T: 64 Mp, f / 1.89 aperture.

And then it gets worse: the ultra-wider takes pictures at a resolution of 8 megapixels, the aperture is open more strongly – f / 2.4, and the lens itself captures 120 °. The macro camera and depth sensor are just gags for quantity: each of these sensors has a resolution of 2 megapixels with an aperture of f / 2.4. The front camera takes 16-megapixel shots with an f / 2.45 aperture.

By the way, a nice addition: the smartphone received a 3.5-mm "jack" for headphones in addition to stereo speakers. For lovers of wired sound (or those who do not like charging headphones), right on top!

Mi 10T Lite, as the name implies, is not a flagship device. Here is the recently shown Snapdragon 750G with a 5G modem. The smartphone comes in two versions: 6/64 and 6/128 GB. RAM type LPDDR4X, built-in UFS 2.1.

The battery is smaller than its older counterparts – 4820 mAh. But in the box, buyers will find the same 33-watt charger.

For fans of Wi-Fi 6: nothing is said about its support. Apparently, like the Poco X3 NFC, the Mi 10T Lite doesn't work on those networks. Although, who cares so much?

Prices

So far, Russian prices have not been announced, but with the current ruble exchange rate it is easier to focus on the euro:

Mi 10T:

6/128 GB: 499 €;
8/128 GB: 549 €.

Mi 10T Pro:

8/128 GB: 599 €;
8/256 GB: 649 €.

Both models will go on sale in Europe on October 1st.

Mi 10T Lite will be available from October 14th at the following prices:

6/64 GB: 279 €;
6/128 GB: 329 €.

And I will say that the prices look very interesting. It seems that Xiaomi realized that it cannot play the A-brand: the company's smartphones in the eyes of buyers cannot yet cost as much as, for example, Xiaomi Mi 10. On the other hand, in Russia it will still be overwhelming. since the ruble is now very weak: how do you like the Xiaomi Mi 10 T for 44,990 rubles? And it's not a fact that today's course is a bottom.

Xiaomi Mi Watch

In addition to three smartphones, the company also presented the smart watch Mi Watch. They received a 1.39-inch AMOLED display and support 117 different sports activities at once. They also transmit all notifications, track sleep and are able to remotely control the smartphone camera.

The watch is capable of determining heart rate, blood oxygen level, ambient pressure, and location using the built-in GPS module.

Xiaomi Mi Watch weighs only 32 grams and is able to work for 16 days without recharging (nothing is said about how often GPS is turned on). Price – 99 €.

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Chief editor of the blog – Erika J. Wells .

We are glad to share our impressions after meeting the new vivo Y20. The smartphone is one of the mainstream and affordable models: it is not a super-simple phone, but not a fancy "average", but a balanced economical option.

Large screen with a cutout

The front camera is located exactly in the center, there is a small cutout for it. If in the top vivo models this design idea has already been abandoned, then in more affordable smartphones the old trend is still found.

The display has a good margin of brightness – so far it is sunny outside and even in the last days of September it is hot in Moscow. Therefore, we managed to test the behavior of the phone under the sun: everything is in order.

A factory film is glued on top of the screen. It will not save you from drops and bumps, but it will protect you from small scratches that appear after the phone is in the same pocket with the keys. You can also use the complete case to protect your phone. If you drop it with the screen down, then the protruding sides of the silicone case will be the first to hit.

6.51 inches diagonal is a lot, the phone is large. But where to find a small phone? That's right, there are no such ones left and vivo Y20 simply follows the general trend.

The screen resolution is not high, 720 × 1600 pixels, the grain is noticeable without much effort if you bring the phone close to your eyes. At the same time, this is an entry-level device, who needs a better picture, can pay extra and take the famous vivo X50.

Large battery in a large case

The body is completely plastic, its bright, but easily soiled back surface is distinguished by an elegant gradient color. In addition to the blue version, there will also be a black phone.

The phone is quite large and moderately well-fed, but there is a logical explanation for this: vivo Y20 received a battery of increased capacity, and this is a definite plus.

In the smartphone, the fingerprint scanner is located on the right side, it is inscribed in the power button. The response speed is excellent, there are no errors, the sensor responds very quickly. I am right-handed, it was convenient for me to use the phone, but left-handed people should try before buying. Although in any case, you can activate face unlock through the front camera, although this is not the safest way.

Effortless Longevity

You won't have to charge the phone every day, it can easily withstand a couple of days of active use, or even until the evening of the third day in a row it can survive. The battery has a solid 5000 mAh and comes with a 10W charger. There is no fast charging, and it takes three hours to fully recharge from 0 to 100%. Under load like mobile "tanks" the phone sits down by 8-10% in an hour, while the screen brightness is at the level of 70%.

For me personally, using the micro-USB connector in phones at the end of 2020 is a real pain. At the same time, for buyers, judging by communication with friends, this is not a particular problem, on the contrary, in the comments on the Internet it is said that not everyone needs Type-C.

Triple camera

For some reason, buyers don't like phones with one camera, and if so, manufacturers are trying to add as many modules as possible. So the new vivo Y20 received a triple system.

It has a 13 megapixel main camera and a couple of 2 megapixel auxiliary cameras: one for measuring the depth of the frame when shooting portraits, the other for macro. As for me, all these operations can be performed by a single camera using software, but we will proceed from what is.

The macro turns out something like this:

The front camera is 8 megapixels, it records video at 1080p and 30 frames per second, and also knows how to blur the background when shooting portraits. This is a regular selfie without a portrait effect:

Snapshot with the main camera indoors:

And on the street in cloudy weather:

Additional options for the main camera include support for HDR and portrait shooting, manual mode with histogram output, time-lapse and slow-motion shooting, as well as “live photo” – an analogue of GIF animation.

There is no point in commenting on the quality of the pictures: since the smartphone is simple, then the frames are best obtained in bright light.

There are no special features for video recording, by which I mean the presence of stabilization. There is neither optical nor digital, so it is better to hold the phone confidently and avoid shaking.

New filling

The phone belongs to the line of simple smartphones, so the vivo Y20 received a Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 processor, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory. It has a separate memory card tray, and two SIM card slots are located side by side.

The processor is one of the fresh developments of Qualcomm processors, it was presented in early 2020, but then the coronavirus disaster began. Deliveries of chips were delayed, but by the fall the situation improved, new items are on sale. Here vivo Y20 is just one of these smartphones.

If we run synthetic tests, we get the results that are usual for an inexpensive smartphone. For example, in AnTuTu vivo Y20 knocks out almost 150 thousand points, a common figure. If you run several cycles of throttling tests, you notice how the processor sags, the indicators drop by 20%.

At the same time, you need to understand that this is a simple smartphone, and not a fancy gaming mega-device and excessive requirements are simply inappropriate. But the novelty on first impressions is well optimized, the FunTouchOS 10.5 interface works smoothly and without twitching, there are no annoying delays when switching between applications.

The phone has a mono speaker, but as is usually the case, it is easy to block it with your palm when you hold your smartphone in front of you and watch a video on it. The jack for the usual wired headphones with a 3.5 mm "jack" is located at the bottom, there is no headset in the kit.

In terms of communications, everything is in order: Wi-Fi with support for 2.4 and 5 GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC for contactless payments, a full package.

Equipment

SIM eject clip, transparent silicone case, quick start guide, power supply and cable.

Price

If you manage to buy a smartphone for a promotion, then in this case, keep within 12,490 rubles. Is it a lot or a little? For comparison, the Redmi 9 costs 13,990 rubles, but it can also be found cheaper at discounts.

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Conclusion

The mainstream smartphone is an affordable smartphone, and the new vivo Y20 is just that. It has a fresh processor, enough memory and NFC support, it works for a long time and looks good. There are many competitors in the phones, but, perhaps, it is the vivo Y20's sparkling gloss case that will make the most lasting impression.

Specifications vivo Y20

Display: 6.51 ″, 720 × 1600, IPS;
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 460;
OS: Android 10, FunTouch OS 10.5;
Memory: 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of built-in, microSD slot;
Main camera: 13 MP (f / 2.2), 2 MP (f / 2.4) and 2 MP (f / 2.4);
Front camera: 8 MP (f / 1.8);
Communications: Wi-Fi 802.11 2.4 and 5 GHz, Bluetoth 5.0, micro-USB, NFC, FM radio;
Battery: 5000mAh;
Dimensions: 164.4 x 76.3 x 8.4mm;
Weight: 192 g.
. (tagsToTranslate) reviews (t) obzory (t) vivo y20 (t) review (t) smartphone

Chief editor of the blog – Erika J. Wells .

Apple has several large tablets, all of them are united by iPadOS, but the devices cost differently. The coolest and most sophisticated series is the iPad Pro, then comes the iPad Air line, and the iPad is considered the simplest. For the minimum money by Apple's standards, we get a high-quality device with a long term of use: updates are released regularly for several years.

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Everything you need to know about Apple iPad (2020)

Alexander Pobyvanets

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Equipment

After removing the protective film from the box in the package, you can find a small manual, a couple of branded stickers, as well as a new 20W charger and USB Type-C to Lightning cable.

Appearance

The new iPad looks like the old iPad, which in turn follows the design of the older iPad. The appearance of the base Apple tablet has not been updated for several generations, except for the increase in screen size, everything has remained the same. Aluminum body, wide-bezel and air-spaced display, permanent Home button with fingerprint reader.

You still need to choose from the three colors that have become classic: silver, dark gray and gold. It's a shame they didn't add some fun new colors like the iPad Air, but that's Apple's will.

It only remains to add that the dimensions of the relatively old generation have changed slightly, but these are such trifles that only a gadget expert will notice.

Display

On my iPad Pro, the oleophobic coating has peeled off for a long time, and when I picked up the 8th generation iPad, I again felt this indescribably pleasant sensation when my finger glides so smoothly over the surface.

If we talk about screen characteristics, the iPad (2020) uses a 10.2-inch screen with a good margin of brightness, high-quality picture and excellent sensitivity. Unlike more expensive Apple tablets, there is an air gap between the matrix and the protective glass – a feature of the simplest iPad model.

There are no bells and whistles like the True Tone mode or 120 Hz support, there are minimum options, but you don't have to overpay.

Safety

With iOS 14, Apple has given special attention to data privacy by showing which apps and sites want to know more about you.

The fingerprint scanner under the screen, tested for years, is responsible for the safety of information in the tablet. Works perfect, fast and smooth. It may not be as technologically advanced as the Face ID system, but to be honest, life is not much worse without face unlocking.

Performance

The new iPad (2020) has an Apple A12 processor, the same processor used in the iPhone XS, iPhone XR and iPad Air 3. The tablet easily copes with any task, you can play demanding games or work simultaneously with several applications on the same screen – there will be no problems … Against the background of the old generation, where there was no special power reserve and it was difficult to play with high graphics settings in top shooters, unequivocal progress.

I don't really like shooters like PUBG, but it's always nice to play your favorite strategy – Company of Heroes is going great, I told about it earlier:

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How long Apple will update devices with such a processor, I will not say for sure, but given how long the company's phones and tablets receive fresh versions of iOS, we can safely count on a period of 3-4 years.

The amount of memory has not changed: the iPad still gets a modest 32 GB of memory in the standard version, and if you pay extra, it will already be 128 GB. In my opinion, you can live with 32 GB if you do not play on a tablet, because toys are frantically devouring memory. Call of Duty requires 2.78 GB, Company of Heroes – 4.45 GB, GRID – 4 GB, I took "heavy" games as an example, but there are a lot of games in the App Store that eat up about 500 MB, but it's better to have it in mind.

If you store data in the cloud, use streaming music services, watch videos and work with documents in the same way, then you will not suffer much. In the same case, if you are choosing a tablet for games for yourself or for a child, then it is better not to save money and pay extra for extra space.

Sound

The tablet retained a 3.5 mm jack, there is no headset included, but if necessary, you can connect your favorite wired headphones. Although, most likely, in 2020 you already use Bluetooth-headphones and the "mini-jack" already seems to be something old-fashioned.

The tablet has two speakers, they are located on the bottom end – in the same place as the Lightning connector. The speakers are loud, they play well – but because they are on one side, there will be no volumetric effect, as on Pro-tablets. However, considering the price of the iPad, this is forgivable.

Accessories

A Smart Connector is located on the side, with its help a cover with a keyboard is connected, then the tablet turns into a mini-laptop. I have been using Smart Keyboard for a long time, I type a lot, so the accessory is simply irreplaceable, convenience compared to touch input is on a completely different level.

You can also shell out and buy a first-generation Apple Pencil for drawing or taking handwritten notes. There are tons of different stress coloring pages on iOS, not to mention advanced illustration apps. Let not everyone have the talents of an artist, but the very possibility of using a separate accessory pleases – you can even slide your finger across the screen, but it is still more pleasant to work with a pencil.

It is convenient to view photos on iPad, edit them before publishing them on social networks. An adapter for an SD card will be an indispensable piece, I recommend it to everyone who is fond of processing.

Communication

The tablet is still sold in two versions: with and without a physical SIM card. The surcharge for the ability to use a SIM card is decent, more than ten thousand rubles, and this is a third of the tablet, for a minute.

Considering that, if necessary, the Internet can be distributed from the phone by connecting the iPad to it for a while, the issue is solved simply. But if you often use your tablet outside the Wi-Fi zone or plan to load it with navigation, then you need to take the version with a SIM card.

Cameras

The coronavirus year 2020 has shown that the front camera in the device is a very useful thing during calls. Alas, the iPad (2020) cannot boast of the picture quality: the front camera is just antediluvian at a modest 1.2 megapixel.

The main camera for the tablet is a secondary thing, the iPad takes pictures well. Here are some examples:

IPad video writes only in 1080p, alas, 4K is not supported. While you’re unlikely to worry too much about this, this feature is rather optional.

Working hours

It's nice that the new iPad has a new charger included. Now the tablet is sold with a 20 W power supply instead of 12 W, and with it we also get a USB Type-C cable, and not with Lightning, as it was before. Considering that Apple is rarely generous with such things, this is a very welcome innovation.

How often you have to charge the tablet depends on your work scenario, with me, with a moderately active mode, it lives on one charge for about three days. This is with games, YouTube videos, browsing sites through Safari. If in the evenings you only read on the tablet for an hour before bedtime, then the charge is enough for a week, and there will even be a reserve.

IPad tablets have always been a great example of well-optimized devices, this generation was no exception, the new product has been working for a long time.

Budget issue

Against the background of last year's iPad (2019), which was sold for 27,990 rubles, you can see an increase in price. Now iPad (2020) for 32 GB is on sale for a couple of thousand more, the price in Europe has not changed. But here the fluctuation of the exchange rate is already to blame, it is useless to blame Apple for this.

The official prices for iPad (2020) in Russia are as follows:

iPad 32 GB – 29,990 rubles;
iPad 32 GB Cellular – 41,990 rubles;
iPad 128 GB – 38,990 rubles;
iPad 128 GB Cellular – 50,990 rubles.

The world of tablets has become small: in addition to Apple, interesting tablets are offered by Huawei and Samsung. Once top-end tablets were produced by Sony, but it did not manage to consolidate its success, and ASUS also curtailed everything. As a result, the choice remains between the iOS or Android ecosystems, and here everything comes down to money.

In terms of value for money, the simple but practical Apple iPad was and will be the best deal. It is simpler than the older models in terms of characteristics, it does not have such a cool sound, the design is boring, but why pay more if the iPad is mainly used to surf the Internet? Moreover, the latest iPad generations are becoming more interesting every year.

Better performance, you can connect Apple Pencil and keyboard, and if you want something more, then there is the adorable iPad Air and the top-end iPad Pro. Everyone has their own use case, but the basic iPad has excellent iPadOS capabilities, it is interesting and convenient to work with the system, and the software updates are exactly the same as for older models.

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Chief editor of the blog – Erika J. Wells .