Sony Xperia Z4 could be world's most powerful smartphone

The Z4 might look like the Z3, but it could be a very different beast on the inside

The Xperia Z3 has only just launched but Sony is already hard at work on the follow-up. It would have to be really, if it's going to launch early next year as expected.

But as the phone exists inevitably details about it have been leaked, including the fact that from 2015 Sony will apparently only release one flagship each year.

That would make a certain amount of sense, given how small the change was between the Xperia Z2 and the Xperia Z3. Having said that it looks like the Sony Xperia Z4 could be quite a substantial improvement.

According to these rumours, which come from Android Origin's "trusted sources", the Xperia Z4 will have a 5.5-inch QHD 1440 x 2560 display, a 64-bit 2.8GHz octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor, 4GB of RAM and an Adreno 430 GPU. So it should be a seriously powerful device.

The source goes on to claim that it will have 32GB of storage, a curved Exmor RS CMOS sensor with a similar resolution to previous Xperia flagships (so around 20.7MP) and that the phone will support Bluetooth 4.1 and LTE Cat.6 connectivity, leaving it equipped to handle LTE-A speeds.

Apparently there will also be a dedicated amp in the Xperia Z4 and a lot of focus on audio quality, while it will keep the OmniBalance design and retain a similar appearance to the Xperia Z3.

So design aside this looks like a big change. Of course this is all just according to one source, so it can hardly be taken as fact, but that one source accurately leaked the Xperia Z3 Compact, so they have a decent track record.

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Epson unveils world's smallest commercial A4 inkjet printer

The Epson WorkForce WF100W

Japanese printer maker Epson has launched what it claims is the smallest and lightest A4 inkjet printer in the world, the Workforce WF-100W.

The printer is aimed at mobile workers looking to print low quantity invoices, designs or other documents on the move.

The device has an integrated Li-Ion battery that can be recharged via a USB port or a bundled AC adaptor.

It is slightly thicker than an A4 reach and is about two-thirds the size; weighing 1.6Kg, it can be comfortably transported as Epson has judiciously chosen for a "brick" form factor.

It has a tiny LCD display that shows the essential characteristics of a printing job and the printer's status.

The printer uses two ink cartridges and pigment ink while the paper tray can hold about 50 pages; in a test print out, I noticed that some minor banding.

You can connect to it directly, via Wi-Fi or as a networked printer; printing can be done via an Epson app and it also boosts Google Cloud Print and Apple AirPrint compatibility.

The printer will go on sale in Europe for 299 Euros (About £240, $390, AU$410)

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Audio-Technica CKR9 and CKR10 claim world's first as push-pull driver earphones

A tug of war in earphone form

Audio-Technica has announced a new range of earphones offering the claimed world's first use of push-pull drivers in an in-ear headphone.

Designed for the new batch of smartphones and mobile devices that boast about their HD audio quality, the Audio-Technica ATH-CKR9 and ATH-CKR10 are the first earphones to use a push-pull driver array.

This is where two drivers face each other and are synchronised out of phase, reducing the harmonic distortion than occurs when dynamic driver is driven quite hard.

The exact drivers used by the Audio-Technica ATH-CKR9 and ATH-CKR10 are 13mm dynamic drivers. In theory the push-pull style could mean we get the finesse of an armature earphone with the power of a dynamic one.

Audio Technica Engineering Manager Hiromichi Ozawa says that the construction of these heapdhones provides sound "similar to larger headphones and much better than a conventional in-ear headphone." But then he would, wouldn't he?

While the two different headphone models look similar, the materials are a little different. The cheaper Audio-Technica ATH-CKR9 have an aluminium frame while the higher-end ATH-CKR10 use titanium.

Neither pair is exactly cheap, though. The Audio-Technica ATH-CKR9 will sell for £170 and the ATH-CKR10 £250.

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HTC invite teases 'world's first' octa-core 64-bit smartphone

HTC leaps into 64-bit (credit: Weibo)

Never mind the fact that Apple lobbed the opening 64-bit smartphone salvo nearly a year ago with the iPhone 5S - HTC plans to stake claim to a first of its own next week with a presumed successor to its Desire line.

HTC revealed plans to introduce what it calls the "world's first" Android smartphone powered by an octa-core, 64-bit processor in Berlin next week.

Judging from an official teaser posted on HTC's Weibo page, the event will take place a day before the annual IFA consumer electronics event kicks off on September 5, where many of the company's rivals are expect to also hold new product launches.

Aside from the September 4 media event and the "world's first" claim, little else is known about the mystery HTC handset, although it's not hard to connect the dots and come to a few logical conclusions about what the smartphone maker could be up to.

In a previous Weibo posting late last week, HTC more or less confirmed plans to introduce a new device codenamed 820, which sounds more than a little like a followup to the company's Desire 816 handset.

The same post confirmed all the requisite 820 specs, including a 1080p display with UltraPixel and Duo Camera 3D technologies on board. The phone could be bound for emerging markets, if the GSM and WiMAX 4G connectivity are any indication.

Needless to say, emerging markets typically nab less expensive, underpowered handsets, so it's a bit of a mystery why HTC would be touting an octa-core 64-bit chipset for a handset like the 820.

We only have a little over a week to ponder what this all means, but HTC's bold claims should be worth paying attention to in the hours leading up to IFA 2014, so check back for all the details on September 4.

Find out what the Sony Xperia T3 has up its sleeve in our full review!Via The Next Web

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