Your tech news digest, by way of the DGiT Daily newsletter, for Tuesday, April 21.Â
1. Microsoft’s coming hardware leaks: Surface Book 3, Surface Go 2
The indications are pretty solid that Microsoft has new Surface hardware launching within a month. During May, say the leaks, we’ll see a new Surface Book 3, and a new Surface Go 2.
Reminder:
- The Surface Go was the successor to the original 2-in-1. It was launched in August 2018, and was the cheapest Surface laptop product. It was $399 at launch and is around $350 now at the lowest spec, depending on your retail options.
- The Surface Book 2 (favored by my colleagues, and pictured above) was set up as Microsoft’s high-end spec laptop, packed with performance specs. It came in 13.5-inch and 15-inch options, with dedicated graphics cards, latest Intel processors, and great battery life. The big Surface Book feature was the detachable-screen from the laptop body to offer massive tablet-hybrid.
Now the updated models look to be around the corner per leaks from Windows Central and WinFuture.
Surface Book 3: more power
- Indications are the new Surface Book 3 will feature Intel’s latest 10th Gen processors, up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, plus dedicated GPU.
- There’s even hints that 15-inch higher-end models will include Nvidia’s Quadro graphics chip line.
- Prices reported by WinFuture are not particularly cheap: starting at $1700 for the 13-inch i5 at 8GB/256GB, up to $2700 for 32GB/1TB.
- In the Pro 15-inch model, prices start at $2300 for a 10th-gen i7 chip with 16GB/256GB storage, up to $3400 for max specs.
- It’s not worth worrying about those prices too much given we’re a little way away from launch. We don’t know a huge number of other key specs, and Roland Quandt, the tech journo behind these leaks, notes more variants are swimming around so it’s a touch uncertain.
- The Quadro options will have a lot of professionals looking at this as a key alternative in the space, but Thunderbolt 3 support may be a key feature or key miss, if it’s not included.
Surface Go 2: Tinkering
- Over on the Surface Go 2, Windows Central reckons we’ll see the same size device but with a larger 10.5-inch display, as bezels are thinned, meaning existing accessories will work.
- The specs and pricing leaks are more comprehensive for now, with a $399 price tag for the entry-level model getting you an Intel Pentium GOLD processor, with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, and Wi-Fi 6 support.
- High-spec models will offer an Intel Core M3, with 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, and optional LTE connectivity.
- Microsoft’s other mobility line in the Surface Pro X is playing with ARM-based CPUs for longevity and low-power/low-heat, while also offering thin, light hardware. But reviewers haven’t been delighted with the expense and app compatibility.
- No pricing yet. More to come in this space!
2. Samsung wants to launch 600MP camera sensors. Yup, 600 megapixels. The first 1 gigapixel camera sensor before or after, say, 2023? (Android Authority).
3. Redmi readying one of the cheapest 5G phones yet (Android Authority).
4. Galaxy Fold 2 details leak: A massive improvement on the cards, especially the outside-facing smartphone display which was tiny. Not anymore! (Android Authority).
5. Apple’s new iPad Pro keyboard accessory, the Magic Keyboard, does a good job of turning your iPad into a laptop. But it only gets a 7/10 from The Verge, for being heavy, thick, expensive, and not really helping make the most out of the iPad for its portability. It’s still an iPad, which is great! But not a laptop. Which is also ok, but a key distinction. And the thing is $299 or $349, for a keyboard dock.
6. Google’s head of quantum computing hardware has resigned (Wired).
7. Nvidia’s GeForce Now service says it’s “full steam ahead� with 30 of the top 40 most-played games on Steam available on the service. But Xbox Game Studios, Codemasters, and Warner Bros have left, as more platforms emerge (The Verge).
8. The New Yorker adds co-op to its online crossword puzzles: Solve a crossword with a friend: I tried, it works! You’ll need a free account (The Verge).
9. More people watched the Michael Jordan docuseries The Last Dance than any other ESPN original content since 2004: 6.1M viewers, plus viewers on Netflix around the globe. Here’s how to watch The Last Dance if you’ve missed Episodes 1 and 2, the rest being released each Sunday across the coming weeks (Android Authority).
10. Solar windows are getting closer, per Australian research: “Two square metres of solar window will do the same job as a standard rooftop solar pane� (CSIRO).
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