Richard Lai

8BitDo turns the NES gamepad into a mouse

Many moons ago, Swedish designer Daniel Jansson brought us a cute concept mouse that took cues from the classic NES console, featuring its iconic red circular buttons, black D-pad and grey body. There was nothing ergonomic about this peripheral, but that obviously wasn't the point. 11 years later, it was accessory maker 8BitDo who finally took up the challenge to turn this foam model into a functioning wireless mouse, and you can already pick one up for $24.99.

8BitDo N30 Wireless Mouse hands-on

The world's smallest 8K 360 camera can fit in your pocket

When it comes to pocket 360 cameras these days, we tend to look to the likes of Insta360, GoPro and Ricoh. The adventurous folks may also tap into the lesser-known KanDao, which has today released its second pocket 360 camera, the QooCam 8K. As the name implies, this $589 device packs the highest video resolution in its class, beating the 5.7K Insta360 One X and the 5.6K GoPro Max. It even does real-time stitching, and afterwards, you can do "8K express edits" on your phone by way of smaller 4K proxy files. It's a cunning way to maximize the user's mobility without sacrificing output quality.

Xiaomi Mi Watch hands-on

Xiaomi CC9 Pro sample shots

Xiaomi CC9 Pro hands-on

Volocopter's massive utility drone can carry up to 440 pounds

While Volocopter's been busy working on its air taxis, it's also preparing to enter the utility drone market using a similar design. Much like the company's experimental 2X and upcoming VoloCity, the aptly-named VoloDrone announced today is yet another 18-rotor electric aircraft, which can be remote-controlled or set to a pre-planned route in autonomous mode. But instead of carrying passengers, the VoloDrone is designed to fit various types of cargo and equipment under its belly -- be it a box, an agricultural sprayer, a sling or disaster relief tools.

Oppo made a Gundam edition of its fast-charging Reno Ace phone

As teased last month, Oppo's latest flagship phone, the Reno Ace, is unveiled today. We already knew about the device's 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 feature which charges its 4,000mAh battery in just 30 minutes, thus setting an impressive record in the industry. What's surprising is perhaps the Gundam 40th anniversary edition Reno Ace: only 30,000 of these special units will be available, and both the phone and packaging come in matching designs that pay homage to the RX-78-2. I mean, just look at that cute protection case.

Add eye tracking to your HTC Vive headset for $149

<p>VR companies have been hyping up eye tracking <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2015/05/19/fove-eye-tracking-vr-kickstarter/">for years</a>, yet even today, options are limited when it comes to VR headsets with integrated eye-tracking -- namely the <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/01/08/htc-vive-pro-eye-hands-on-gaze-tracking-ces-2019/">HTC Vive Pro Eye</a> we first saw back at CES. Thankfully, a Chinese company dubbed 7invensun is soon offering a $149 upgrade kit that will let existing HTC headsets gain the same feature. Not bad considering the Vive Pro Eye costs <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/06/07/htc-vive-pro-eye-out-in-north-america/">$1,599</a>. Pre-orders will commence in mid-November, followed by shipment in December.</p>

Xiaomi Mi Mix Alpha eyes-on photos

Oppo's next phone can be fully charged in just 30 minutes

<p>While a handful of recent flagship phones -- namely <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/08/22/samsung-galaxy-note-10-plus-review-s-pen/">Samsung's Note 10+</a> (with the optional 45W adapter) and <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/09/16/vivos-nex-3-64-megapixel-camera-hands-on/">Vivo's NEX 3 5G</a> -- can be fully charged in a little over an hour, Oppo's upcoming tech will soon render such "fast" charging speeds obsolete. We're talking about juicing up a 4,000mAh battery in just 30 minutes! That's the claim for Oppo's 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 feature, which will debut on the gaming-centric <a href="https://chinese.engadget.com/2019/09/16/oppo-reno-ace-65-watt-charging/">Reno Ace</a> due October 10th, according to the company's Shenzhen event yesterday.</p>

Vivo's NEX 3 is a bezel-less 5G phone with a 64-megapixel camera

<!-- TAG START { player: "Eng: Sideview, autoplay, muted", owner: "Engadget AOL", for: "Engadget AOL" } --> <iframe src='https://delivery.vidible.tv/htmlembed/pid=5977b96f955a317becf45788/5977b7a758415c179641bb35.html?vid=5d7fe168791cad06e5bf886d&m.playback=click&m.disable_moat=1' width='640' height='380'></iframe> <!-- TAG END { date: 09/16/19 } --> <p>Whether you <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/08/26/samsung-galaxy-s10-5g-vs-s10-4g-uk-vodafone/">like it or not</a>, 5G is coming, and a handful of brands are already offering compatible devices in select markets. The latest to jump on the 5G bandwagon is Vivo with its NEX 3 5G, which is a flagship smartphone that doesn't look too bad. It comes with Qualcomm's top-tier <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/07/15/qualcomm-snapdragon-855-plus/">Snapdragon 855+</a> chipset, along with a "Waterfall FullView" curved display, a triple set of rear cameras (including a 64-megapixel one), a faster pop-up front camera and a few other bonuses. The Chinese company is already in talks to bring this device to Europe, and if all goes well, there's a small chance that this may even land in the US.</p> <p><core-slideshow data-slideshowid="ab16e9fb-3314-312f-83b7-134aaacc08d0"/></p>

Vivo NEX 3 5G hands-on

Insta360’s tiny wearable sports cam has video stabilization

<p>Insta360 -- as the name implies -- is usually known for its <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/03/13/insta360-evo-180-3d-360-camera/">360-degree cameras</a>, but this time, it's braving sports cam territory with a little surprise, literally. The Insta360 Go is apparently the "world's smallest stabilized camera" -- so small that you can almost hide it behind your thumb, and it also only weighs 18.3 grams. Better yet, the device has a magnetic backside, which lets you snap it onto one of the bundled accessories. Those include a pendant for wearing the camera on your chest, an "easy clip" for your headband, or a pivot stand which can be screwed onto a sticky base or any selfie stick. When done, just throw the Go back into its charging case, then you can plug the assembly into either an iPhone or Android device for file transfer.</p> <p></p>

Insta360 Go

Huawei reveals HarmonyOS, its alternative to Android

<p>Huawei's long-rumored Android alternative, Hongmeng, is finally official. At today's Huawei Developer Conference, the company's Consumer Business Group CEO Richard Yu surprised the audience by unveiling "HarmonyOS," which he says is faster and safer than Android. That said, the software is primarily aimed at IoT products (such as smart displays, wearables, smart speakers and in-car devices) <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/07/19/huawei-mobile-os-hongmeng-android/">instead of smartphones</a>. Yu says that when Huawei can no longer access Google's Android ecosystem, the company can deploy HarmonyOS "at any time." Until then, Huawei will continue to support Android.</p>

HTC's standalone VR kit will stream PC content via WiFi

<p>We're still some way away from getting compact VR headsets that tap into <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2017/09/19/htc-vive-china-cloud-vr-service/">cloud VR</a> services <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2018/06/28/htc-5g-initiative-china-vive-focus-vr/">via 5G</a>, but for now, HTC has cooked up something that will let standalone 6DoF kits take advantage of a PC's processing power. In early Q4 this year, the <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/02/26/htc-vive-focus-plus-controller-hands-on/">Vive Focus Plus</a> will gain a new feature dubbed Viveport Streaming, which gives it access to all Viveport content on a PC over a 5GHz WiFi connection. This means with that free update, the Vive Focus Plus will effectively double as a wireless headset for any VR-ready PC. The catch? You'll need to be a <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/03/14/htc-viveport-infinity-launches-april-2/">Viveport Infinity</a> subscriber to enjoy such convenience.</p>

Oppo eliminates side bezels with its 'waterfall screen'

<!-- TAG START { player: "Eng: Sideview, autoplay, muted", owner: "Engadget AOL", for: "Engadget AOL" } --> <iframe src='https://delivery.vidible.tv/htmlembed/pid=5977b96f955a317becf45788/5977b7a758415c179641bb35.html?vid=5d409e9227f25f6902372c76&m.playback=click&m.disable_moat=1' width='800' height='600'></iframe> <!-- TAG END { date: 07/30/19 } --> <p>It's only been a year since <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2018/06/12/vivo-nex-all-screen-phone-pop-out-camera/">Vivo</a> and <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2018/06/19/oppo-find-x-sliding-motor-selfie-camera/">Oppo</a> kicked off the all-screen, notch-less smartphone race, and now, the latter is literally pushing the boundaries with a new type of curved display. Earlier today, Oppo showed off a prototype device packing a "waterfall screen," which features an aggressive 88-degree fold on both the left and right sides. When viewed directly from the front, the bezels are practically invisible, which gives the device an even more premium look than today's curved-screen phones -- namely Oppo's very own Find X.</p> <p></p>

Oppo 'waterfall screen' prototype

ASUS' ROG Phone II combines high-spec power with accessory spectacle (updated)

<!-- TAG START { player: "Eng: Sideview, autoplay, muted", owner: "Engadget AOL", for: "Engadget AOL" } --> <iframe src='https://delivery.vidible.tv/htmlembed/pid=5977b96f955a317becf45788/5977b7a758415c179641bb35.html?vid=5d30f6c96fbab1378f5b039c&m.playback=click&m.disable_moat=1' width='640' height='380'></iframe> <!-- TAG END { date: 07/22/19 } --> <p>Gaming phones are a <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2018/06/09/a-brief-and-depressing-history-of-gaming-phones/">rare breed</a>, and the nascent category has already proved to be too much of a challenge <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/03/26/razer-phone-3-min-liang-tan-tencent-5g/">for Razer</a>. Some companies still see it as an opportunity to tap into the ever-growing esports market, however. Devices land with gimmicks like detachable controllers on Xiaomi's <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/03/18/xiaomi-black-shark-2-display/">Black Shark 2</a>, or a built-in cooling fan on the <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/04/28/nubia-red-magic-3-gaming-phone-cooling-fan-8k-video/">Nubia Red Magic 3</a>. Neither could top last year's <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2018/06/04/asus-rog-gaming-phone-hands-on/">ASUS ROG Phone</a> though when it comes to accessories: It offered a clip-on fan, a WiGig screen-casting dock, a clamp-on controller pad, a mobile desktop dock and a bizarre dual-screen dock.</p> <p>ASUS never shared sales figures for the ROG Phone, but it must have done well enough to warrant a sequel packed with many upgrades. The ROG Phone II is the world's first smartphone with a 120Hz AMOLED display, and it's also the first to feature the more powerful <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/07/15/qualcomm-snapdragon-855-plus/">Snapdragon 855 Plus</a> chipset. Another first here is the integration of <em>two</em> vibration motors, just, it hopes. to make gaming a tad more immersive.</p> <p><core-slideshow data-slideshowid="44738e87-d41c-3db2-a460-7ed25ea1ae00"/></p>

ASUS ROG Phone II hands-on

Oppo's under-screen camera is real and taking photos in Shanghai

<p>Earlier this month, Oppo <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/06/03/oppo-under-screen-selfie-camera-demo/">teased</a> its upcoming under-screen camera tech with a quick and dirty video, and Xiaomi was quick to announce that it was working on something similar. Neither company explained how the tech worked back then, but today, our colleagues over at <a href="https://chinese.engadget.com/2019/06/26/oppo-under-screen-camera-meshtalk/"><em>Engadget Chinese</em></a> were able to give this new feature a spin at MWC Shanghai, and Oppo was also willing to shed some light on the how.</p>

Oppo and Xiaomi show off their under-display selfie cameras (updated)

<p>We've seen phone makers coming up with creative ways to avoid the front-camera notch or <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/02/09/honor-view-20-review/">hole</a>, with the <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/04/24/oppo-reno-5g-10x-zoom-camera-interview/">pop-up camera</a> being an increasingly common option amongst Chinese phones, along with the flip-up camera on the more recent <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/05/16/asus-zenfone-6-flip-camera-hands-on-release-date-price/">ASUS ZenFone 6</a>. <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2018/12/11/vivo-nex-dual-display-edition/">Vivo</a> and <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2018/10/31/nubia-x-dual-screen-smartphone/">Nubia</a> even just went with a secondary display on the back at one point. But now, it appears that Oppo has found a non-mechanical solution -- an under-display selfie camera.</p>

Pushing a 28-core CPU to its limits: 6GHz and beyond

<!-- TAG START { player: "Eng: Sideview, autoplay, muted", owner: "Engadget AOL", for: "Engadget AOL" } --> <iframe src='https://delivery.vidible.tv/htmlembed/pid=5977b96f955a317becf45788/5977b7a758415c179641bb35.html?vid=5cefa5ebe98ab507048e5d64&m.playback=click&m.disable_moat=1' width='800' height='600'></iframe> <!-- TAG END { date: 05/30/19 } --> <p>I'm mesmerized by the way liquid-nitrogen vapor flows across the motherboard. There's something oddly therapeutic about extreme overclocking, especially when the cold air gently touches my skin, making even the tiniest bumps in clock speed the more worthwhile. There's probably no better place to see it in action than <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/05/31/computex-2019-biggest-news-wrap-up/">Taipei's Computex</a>, where gaming PC memory maker G.Skill gathers the world's best overclockers for its OC World Cup event (with a $10,000 top cash prize).</p> <p>Our <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2018/06/27/overclocking-robot-roboclocker/">previous attempt</a> to tame the 18-core Intel Core i9-7980XE was already rather ambitious, but this year, we decided to go all the way with the massive 28-core, 255W <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2018/10/08/intel-28-core-xeon-cpu/">Intel Xeon W-3175X</a>, a rare CPU gem that costs at least $3,000 -- if you can even find one. Our goal was to break the chip's records at the time: pushing it from its 3.1GHz base frequency to beyond 5.68GHz on Cinebench R15, or at least beyond 6.5GHz via the more lightweight CPU-Z validation. With this many cores, it posed a much bigger cooling challenge to run at higher speeds, especially compared to the quad-core i7-7700K I tinkered with <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2017/06/04/gskill-hwbot-overclocking-workshop-7ghz-computex/">the year before</a>.</p>

Chassepot C1000 keyboard hands-on