US$329 入手最新 B&W Px7 S2 頭戴式降噪耳機

Bowers & Wilkins（B&W）於年中推出了 Px7 S2，以精良設計及用料得到不少好評，音質和主動降噪表現亦較上代有加強，在美區 Amazon 上它終於推出了首次折扣，只需要跟隨我們的代運攻略，即可輕鬆入手。另外同品牌的 PI5 依然正在減價，有興趣的讀者可以選購。…

Apple’s 11-inch iPad Pro M2 drops to a new all-time low of $699

The new 11-inch iPad Pro has hit its lowest price ever at Amazon, which means you can grab the base version of Apple’s premium tablet for just $699. That’s $100 off the list price and $40 less than it was before Black Friday. It won’t arrive in time fo…

Apple’s 2022 MacBook Air is down to $999, plus the rest of this week’s best tech deals

The cut-off dates for holiday shopping have mostly passed, but that doesn’t mean the deals have disappeared. We’re seeing prices that match Black Friday, like the Beats Fit Pro for just $160 and Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds II for $249. Some items have …

Nothing Phone 1 is coming to America in Android 13 ‘testing program’

The Nothing Phone 1 is heading to the US, although not yet to the entire public. Founder Carl Pei tweeted this morning that the US will be part of a “testing program” for Nothing OS 1.5 Beta, the handset maker’s custom Android 13 software.

It’s Pei’s second public statement this month teasing a US phone release. Earlier this month, he said his company was “in discussions with some carriers in the US to potentially launch a future product there,” citing US wireless companies’ “unique customizations” for initially skipping it. Earlier this year, the company said the phone wouldn’t be coming to North America, and it isn’t clear if that changed or if he’s targeting an unannounced smartphone for the US market. With Nothing saying it’s sold 500,000 phones without stateside availability, it may be in a stronger position than it was a year ago to negotiate with Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T.

While US residents wait for more news about the program, those who already own the Phone 1 can sign up for the beta today, which includes Android 13 features like finer privacy controls and new Material You themes. Nothing says its beta software can load apps up to 50 percent faster.

The Nothing Phone 1 was launched earlier this year in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. In Engadget’s review, Mat Smith praised its unique design, Glyph interface and solid specs for a mid-range price. The Phone 1 costs £399, which currently translates to $487.

The best smartwatches for 2023

Just a few years ago, the case for buying a smartwatch was unclear. The market wasn’t as saturated as it is today, and features were more limited. Today, the wearable world is filled with various high-quality options, and a few key players, like the Ap…

Oppo says its Find N2 is the ‘lightest horizontally folding phone’

Back in August, Xiaomi showed us how to make a thinner horizontal folding phone with its Mix Fold 2, but now it’s Oppo’s turn to demonstrate how to make them lighter. The new Find N2 shares a similar landscape screen design with its predecessor, yet it weighs as little as 233 grams. That’s 42 grams lighter than before, around 30 grams lighter than the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 and even a few grams lighter than an iPhone 14 Pro Max. Oppo therefore claims the new device is the “industry’s lightest horizontally folding phone.” Both the green and white versions of the Find N2 weigh an extra 4 grams due to their glass back, but still come in lighter than the competition.

Oppo uses a smaller second-generation flexion hinge, as well as its carbon fiber underframe (instead of aluminum) for its flexible screen. According to TÜV Rheinland’s certification, the Find N2 can apparently withstand over 400,000 folds under normal conditions (doubling Find N’s record), and over 100,000 folds at 50°C (122°F ) or down to -20°C (-4°F). The same company also gave a green tick to the phone’s 1.2-meter drop test. The battery is about the same size as before, bumping slightly up to 4,520mAh, but now supports faster 67W SuperVOOC charging, which takes 10 minutes to go from zero to 37 percent, or 42 minutes for a full charge.

This Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1-powered foldable phone has a slightly larger 5.54-inch external display, and while its 7.1-inch flexible screen has kept the same 9:8.4 “golden” aspect ratio (1,792 x 1,920), it apparently has a less visible crease along with improved visibility. To make full use of this big landscape screen, the company is also releasing the Oppo Pen, which supports 4,096 levels of pressure and has a battery life of 11 hours. You can also use the pen’s button as a camera remote, which comes in handy when you prop up the camera for “FlexForm Capture.”

Speaking of, the Find N2 has a new set of cameras that have benefitted from some extra help from Hasselblad. You’ll find a 50-megapixel f/1.8 main camera (24mm equivalent) with optical stabilization, a 48-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide camera (14mm equivalent) and a 32-megapixel f/2.2 telephoto camera (47mm equivalent) on the back. There’s also a 32-megapixel f/2.4 front-facing camera tucked into the top-left corner of the foldable screen. With Oppo’s very own MariSilicon X imaging neural processor, the Find N2 can also capture 4K ultra night video and 4K ultra HDR video.

Oppo also unveiled the Find N2 Flip which, as you can tell from the name, is a direct competitor of Samsung’s pocket-sized Galaxy Z Flip 4. The 3.26-inch external display here is apparently the “largest cover screen in any flip” device, which is handy for taking selfies, checking calendars and previewing messages. This device also packs the “biggest” battery in this form factor — 4,300mAh as opposed to Samsung’s 3,700mAh, along with 44W fast charging support. Chief Product Officer Pete Lau added that the Find N2 Flip supports dual SIM dual 5G standby, which is apparently also a first for a small foldable phone, thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ processor. Like the Find N2, the 50-megapixel f/1.8 main camera, 8-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide camera and 32-megapixel f/2.4 front-facing camera all get the Hasselblad treatment.

The Find N2 comes in two price tiers: the 12GB RAM with 256GB storage model is asking for 7,999 yuan (around $1,150), and the more advanced 16GB RAM with 512GB storage version costs 8,999 yuan (around $1,290). As for the Find N2 Flip, it starts at 5,999 yuan ($860) with the 8GB RAM plus 256GB storage version, and it maxes out at 6,999 yuan ($1,000) with the 16GB RAM plus 512GB storage variant.

Both phones are available for pre-order in China today, ahead of the December 23rd launch for the Find N2 and then the December 30th launch for the Find N2 Flip. Oppo reps also told Engadget that the Flip will launch in international markets, but they are still evaluating whether to do the same with the bigger Find N2.

Apple is reportedly preparing to allow third-party app stores on iOS

Apple is reportedly preparing to open iOS to competing app stores. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the company’s software and services teams are redesigning the platform to “open up key elements.” That effort is likely to end in Apple giving iPhone and iPad users the option to download third-party apps without going through the App Store. In turn, that would allow developers to avoid the company’s infamous 30 and 15 percent commissions on payments. Gurman reports the forthcoming charges are primarily designed to placate European Union lawmakers, who recently passed the bloc’s sweeping Digital Markets and Services Act, and will be initially implemented on the continent before potentially rolling out to other regions.     

Apple did not immediately respond to Engadget’s comment request.  

According to Gurman, Apple plans to have the changes ready to release alongside iOS 17 next year. Companies have until 2024 to be in full compliance with the Digital Markets Act. The legislation is particularly problematic for Apple, as it outlaws many of the speedbumps the company has relied on to make it difficult for consumers to leave iOS. For instance, the act calls for interoperability between different messaging platforms and equal access for outside developers to core operating system features. Critically, it also mandates that platform holders allow for sideloading. 

Apple has consistently lobbied against sideloading, calling it a security and privacy risk. Gurman reports the company is considering whether it should enforce certain security requirements on software distributed outside the App Store. “Such apps also may need to be verified by Apple — a process that could carry a fee,” he suggests.  

There are other major changes that could come to iOS as a direct result of the Digital Markets Act. Apple could open up major APIs and features, including those that control the iPhone’s NFC and camera technologies, to outside developers. Historically, only the company’s Wallet app and Apple Pay service have had access to the iPhone’s NFC chip. What’s more, the company is considering whether to drop its longstanding requirement that third-party browsers must use its WebKit framework. Apple may also further open up its Find My Network to competitors like Tile.

At the same time, it appears there are some golden eggs the tech giant may be much more reluctant to give away. Specifically, Gurman reports RCS integration within iMessage is currently not on the table. Google has pushed the messaging protocol for years, going so far as to criticize Apple publically for not adopting it. How likely Apple is to make those same concessions in the US is hard to tell. Gurman notes the work the company is undertaking could “lay the groundwork” for similar changes in other markets. However, while American lawmakers are considering similar legislation to the Digital Markets Act, their version, the Open App Markets Act, has yet to pass.