CES 2018: ASUS brings high-capacity battery-toting ZenFone Max Plus to North America

If having a smartphone that comes with a high-capacity battery is something that’s high on your list of priorities, Taiwanese company ASUS is giving you that option. The company is bringing the ZenFone Max Plus (M1) to this side of the world. It packs in a 4,130mAh battery, which offers up to 26 days of standby time and can even be used to charge other devices. It sees ASUS joining the 18:9 display aspect ratio for its 5.7-inch screen. ASUS is also introducing Face Unlock technology with this device.

When it comes to the cameras, the front-facing camera comes with either 8-megapixel/16-megapixel shooter with f/2.0 aperture for your brighter selfie needs. It also has a dual-rear setup with a 16-megapixel sensor with f/2.0 aperture and a secondary 8-megapixel shooter with 120-degree wide-angle lens. The Max Plus is said to run on a MediaTek 6750T 64-bit octa-core processor with 3GB of RAM and Android 7.0 layered with ASUS ZenUI. It comes with 32GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 256GB via microSD. It’ll retail for US$229 (around CA$285).

Source: CNET

CES 2018: Pioneer establishes the high end for turntables with Technics SP-10R

Dj's and audiophiles know the Technics SL-1200 is the best turntable ever made and has remained the desired component for nearly 40 years. At CES this year, Pioneer is ushering a new era and a new standard for high end turntables.

Renowned for direct drive technology and superior sound quality, the SP-10R High-End Direct Drive Turntable and SL-1000R Direct Drive Turntable System are designed and engineered for ultimate analog vinyl performance.

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CES 2018: Sony persists in mobile with new Xperia models

Sony has always had a big splash with smartphones at CES, so naturally it isn't much of a surprise to get two new devices from the venerable electronics giant. On display at CES are the Xperia XA2 and Xperia XA2 Ultra – the latest additions to its popular super mid-range line, with Sony camera technology, familiar designs, and improved performance.  
 
"Our super mid-range product strategy started out as an exciting new idea based on bringing bold technologies to this section of the market in the most accessible way possible," said Hideyuki Furumi, EVP, Global Sales & Marketing, at Sony Mobile Communications. "Xperia XA2 and XA2 Ultra are no different, with leading front camera technology first seen in our flagship XZ line. We’re targeting 2018 as a breakthrough year, and look forward to showcasing further innovations across the entire Xperia portfolio over the coming months.”

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CES 2018: ASUS unveils world's largest 65-inch 4K gaming display

Since there is an abundance of gaming focused laptops and desktop PC's, it stands to reason that there should be standalone gaming-focused displays. ASUS is towering over the competition with its 65-inch 4K UHD ROG Swift PG56 which will appeal to serious gamers and eSports players.

ROG Swift PG65 can emit 1000 nits peak brightness that's several times greater than standard displays. Its direct-lit full-array LED backlight is dynamically controlled across all zones, providing very high contrast for richer, more natural-looking dark scenes. Its 178° wide-view panel provides brighter imagery, and its cinema-grade DCI-P3 color gamut provides a color range that is 25% wider than sRGB, resulting in more realistic color reproduction.

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