Leica expands its product line to include the Cine 1

Leica is a brand known for high-end cameras. The brand has been around for ages and the consensus for some is that Leica makes cameras with exquisite designs and impressive build quality, and it still takes excellent photos. So what happens when a brand like that branches out? Well, Leica did just that, announcing its first-ever home cinema product, the Leica Cine 1.

Perhaps the first thing that draws your attention to the Cine 1 is its design. The aluminum case looks modern, exuding a refined look and offering just a hint of elegance. The perforations around the case aren’t just for looks and actually aid in delivering clear and crisp audio. To add a bit of sophistication, the device has an automatic dust cover for the lens, which keeps the lens clean but is also so that the projector can provide the best image quality possible. Although it looks pretty good, what about the technology being the Cine 1?

The Cine 1 is an ultra-short projector that is paired with a Leica Summicron lens. The unit utilizes a triple RGB laser setup common on ultra-short throws, giving the projector a wider color gamut thanks to discrete red, blue, and green lasers. The Leica will provide crisp 4K visuals using significantly less power than most OLED TVs. The projector has an expected lifetime of over 25,000 hours. Just for reference, if you had this projector on for eight hours a day, every day, it could last a little over eight and a half years. As mentioned before, the projector does have built-in sound, produced by Dolby Atmos speakers.

In addition to the usual inputs like HDMI and USB, Leica includes a TV tuner and a CI slot that can be used for paid TV service. The projector will also have its own software, allowing a connection to popular video streaming services. The Leica Cine 1 will be available globally starting in the second quarter of 2023. Leica has not officially announced a price, but there will be two models when released, an 80-inch and 100-inch model.

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Source: Leica

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Android Beam will be removed permanently with the release of Android 14

After making its debut a little over a decade ago, Android Beam may finally be laid to rest with the release of Android 14. It was only a matter of time before the feature would be removed, as it had already been deprecated with Android 10. While this might not be a big deal, there are underlying issues with this move, mainly having to do with Google and its relationship with Android.

For those unfamiliar, Android Beam allowed users to connect two devices to start a data transfer easily. The feature would be initiated by touching two devices that had both NFC and Android 4.0. Once the process was initialized, files could be transferred over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. This process could also be used to transfer smaller items like browser pages, contact information, map information, and more. The best part of this feature was that you did not have to set up a connection in advance. As long as you had NFC and Android Beam enabled, the process would work seamlessly with supported devices.

With data transfers still in their infancy when Android Beam was introduced, this was a simple and elegant solution when wanting to share files or data with someone. But it didn’t really catch any traction and as time passed, better technologies emerged that made it easier to send files and data to other devices, making Android Beam obsolete.

So how could this relic from the past affect those in the present? For starters, removing this feature isn’t too much of an issue because there are alternatives in many forms, with Google’s Nearby Share getting the traction that Android Beam never received. But with its removal, Google has taken something away from the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and “replaced” it with a closed source proprietary alternative.

Android has and most likely always will be open source. But over time, Google has slowly created an ecosystem on top of AOSP with its Google Mobile Services (GMS) and Google Play Services. Unfortunately, these have become necessities for most, and it is proprietary, with nearly all manufacturers complying with Google’s terms to have these services available on their products. So while Android is an open source project, it seems even more closed off than ever as we inch towards newer versions of Android.

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Source: Mishaal Rahman (Twitter)

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Android Beam will be removed permanently with the release of Android 14

After making its debut a little over a decade ago, Android Beam may finally be laid to rest with the release of Android 14. It was only a matter of time before the feature would be removed, as it had already been deprecated with Android 10. While this might not be a big deal, there are underlying issues with this move, mainly having to do with Google and its relationship with Android.

For those unfamiliar, Android Beam allowed users to connect two devices to start a data transfer easily. The feature would be initiated by touching two devices that had both NFC and Android 4.0. Once the process was initialized, files could be transferred over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. This process could also be used to transfer smaller items like browser pages, contact information, map information, and more. The best part of this feature was that you did not have to set up a connection in advance. As long as you had NFC and Android Beam enabled, the process would work seamlessly with supported devices.

With data transfers still in their infancy when Android Beam was introduced, this was a simple and elegant solution when wanting to share files or data with someone. But it didn’t really catch any traction and as time passed, better technologies emerged that made it easier to send files and data to other devices, making Android Beam obsolete.

So how could this relic from the past affect those in the present? For starters, removing this feature isn’t too much of an issue because there are alternatives in many forms, with Google’s Nearby Share getting the traction that Android Beam never received. But with its removal, Google has taken something away from the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and “replaced” it with a closed source proprietary alternative.

Android has and most likely always will be open source. But over time, Google has slowly created an ecosystem on top of AOSP with its Google Mobile Services (GMS) and Google Play Services. Unfortunately, these have become necessities for most, and it is proprietary, with nearly all manufacturers complying with Google’s terms to have these services available on their products. So while Android is an open source project, it seems even more closed off than ever as we inch towards newer versions of Android.

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Source: Mishaal Rahman (Twitter)

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Bose will use Qualcomm’s S5 Audio SoCs on future wireless audio devices

Bose is gearing up to launch new TWS earbuds as part of its QuietComfort Earbuds range. While the company hasn’t made any official announcements, we recently got our first look at the upcoming QuietComfort Earbuds II. Shortly after we covered the leak, Bose sent out invites for a September 7 launch event. We suspect that the company could unveil the QuietComfort Earbuds II at the event, and it could pack Qualcomm’s S5 Audio SoC.

At the ongoing IFA trade show in Berlin, Qualcomm’s CEO Cristiano Amon announced that future wireless audio devices from Bose will pack the chipmaker’s S5 Audio SoCs. Although Amon didn’t specifically name the QuietComfort Earbuds II, the timing leads us to believe that the upcoming TWS earbuds could be the first to launch with the S5 Audio SoC. It makes sense for Bose to adopt the platform for its next-gen TWS earbuds, as it has an ultra-small form factor and offers extremely low-power performance with a wide range of features.

The Qualcomm S5 Audio chip features a quad-core processor with a dual-core 32-bit processor application subsystem and a dual-core 240MHz programmable DSP audio subsystem. The chip packs a Bluetooth 5.3 radio with Bluetooth LE Audio, Google Fast Pair support, wake-word and button activation for digital assistants, and Qualcomm Adaptive ANC for an enhanced noise canceling experience. In addition, the chipset features support for three microphones with Qualcomm’s clear voice capture (cVc) technology. It even supports Qualcomm’s aptX Audio, aptX Voice, aptX Lossless, and aptX Adaptive technologies.

It’s a perfect fit for the QuietComfort Earbuds II, which will reportedly offer some of these features. However, we’ll have to wait a few days for Bose’s launch event to confirm whether it comes with the Qualcomm S5 Audio chip or not.

Are you looking forward to the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II? What features do you expect to see on the TWS earbuds? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Bose will use Qualcomm’s S5 Audio SoCs on future wireless audio devices

Bose is gearing up to launch new TWS earbuds as part of its QuietComfort Earbuds range. While the company hasn’t made any official announcements, we recently got our first look at the upcoming QuietComfort Earbuds II. Shortly after we covered the leak, Bose sent out invites for a September 7 launch event. We suspect that the company could unveil the QuietComfort Earbuds II at the event, and it could pack Qualcomm’s S5 Audio SoC.

At the ongoing IFA trade show in Berlin, Qualcomm’s CEO Cristiano Amon announced that future wireless audio devices from Bose will pack the chipmaker’s S5 Audio SoCs. Although Amon didn’t specifically name the QuietComfort Earbuds II, the timing leads us to believe that the upcoming TWS earbuds could be the first to launch with the S5 Audio SoC. It makes sense for Bose to adopt the platform for its next-gen TWS earbuds, as it has an ultra-small form factor and offers extremely low-power performance with a wide range of features.

The Qualcomm S5 Audio chip features a quad-core processor with a dual-core 32-bit processor application subsystem and a dual-core 240MHz programmable DSP audio subsystem. The chip packs a Bluetooth 5.3 radio with Bluetooth LE Audio, Google Fast Pair support, wake-word and button activation for digital assistants, and Qualcomm Adaptive ANC for an enhanced noise canceling experience. In addition, the chipset features support for three microphones with Qualcomm’s clear voice capture (cVc) technology. It even supports Qualcomm’s aptX Audio, aptX Voice, aptX Lossless, and aptX Adaptive technologies.

It’s a perfect fit for the QuietComfort Earbuds II, which will reportedly offer some of these features. However, we’ll have to wait a few days for Bose’s launch event to confirm whether it comes with the Qualcomm S5 Audio chip or not.

Are you looking forward to the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II? What features do you expect to see on the TWS earbuds? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Xbox Game Pass Friends and Family plan goes live in Colombia and Ireland

Microsoft recently began testing a service tier, allowing users to share the benefits of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with friends and family members. While the test was only made available to Xbox Insiders, Microsoft has now made the program available to those that are currently living in Colombia or Ireland.

So what are the details? The Xbox Friends and Family plan can be shared with up to four people. For now, the only criteria seems to be that the primary account holder and those that share the account must reside in the same region. This isn’t a significant restriction, and things could change as more regions become eligible for the shared plan. Users participating in the shared plan will get their own separate accounts and Xbox profiles. That means each individual in the plan can access their own stats, achievements, game saves, and more. Also, sharing an account doesn’t mean you always have to play together, with each user being able to play when they want and how they want.  This means users aren’t restricted to just playing on a console and can also connect to the service using a PC, a compatible mobile device, or through the web.

Xbox Game Pass Friends and Family members will have access to all perks associated with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate account like having access to hundreds of games, guaranteed day one access to Xbox Game Studios titles, membership discounts, and free access to EA Play. Current Xbox Game Pass Ultimate account holders that are interested can head to the online Microsoft Store to join the Friends & Family program. The program is currently part of a pilot and is only available to those in Colombia and Ireland. In Colombia, the monthly price will be 49,900 Colombian pesos (roughly $11.20 with conversion), and in Ireland, it will cost €21.99 (roughly $21.90 with conversion).

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Source: Xbox Ireland, Xbox Colombia 
Via: Brads Sams (Twitter)

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Xbox Game Pass Friends and Family plan goes live in Colombia and Ireland

Microsoft recently began testing a service tier, allowing users to share the benefits of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with friends and family members. While the test was only made available to Xbox Insiders, Microsoft has now made the program available to those that are currently living in Colombia or Ireland.

So what are the details? The Xbox Friends and Family plan can be shared with up to four people. For now, the only criteria seems to be that the primary account holder and those that share the account must reside in the same region. This isn’t a significant restriction, and things could change as more regions become eligible for the shared plan. Users participating in the shared plan will get their own separate accounts and Xbox profiles. That means each individual in the plan can access their own stats, achievements, game saves, and more. Also, sharing an account doesn’t mean you always have to play together, with each user being able to play when they want and how they want.  This means users aren’t restricted to just playing on a console and can also connect to the service using a PC, a compatible mobile device, or through the web.

Xbox Game Pass Friends and Family members will have access to all perks associated with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate account like having access to hundreds of games, guaranteed day one access to Xbox Game Studios titles, membership discounts, and free access to EA Play. Current Xbox Game Pass Ultimate account holders that are interested can head to the online Microsoft Store to join the Friends & Family program. The program is currently part of a pilot and is only available to those in Colombia and Ireland. In Colombia, the monthly price will be 49,900 Colombian pesos (roughly $11.20 with conversion), and in Ireland, it will cost €21.99 (roughly $21.90 with conversion).

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Source: Xbox Ireland, Xbox Colombia 
Via: Brads Sams (Twitter)

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