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Gaming Trends of 2018: What to Expect

The beginning of 2018 brings a year of exciting opportunities ahead, and for gamers, it means another 12 months of awesome technologies and trends! The new year would not be complete for gaming maniacs without previewing upcoming news in the gaming industry over the next 12 months. Below are highlights of the fascinating gaming trends to be expected in 2018:

4K HDR

2018 will hands down offer phenomenal gaming experiences that take full advantage of HDR technology. In 2017, more games were coming with support for the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X with HDR included. Also, more PC monitors are now HDR supported. This establishes a brand new industrial standard when it comes to graphics and resolution.

Developers are hence given the best opportunity to display their work exactly the way they want it to be seen. As 4K TVs and PC monitors are becoming more popular and affordable, we’re in the perfect position to experience the most stunning visuals ever. Make sure you’re ready for the visual feast!

AR Gaming

Pokemon GO came along and completely changed our definition of gaming. Unlike VR, which constructs an immersive gaming environment within a restricted area, AR (Augmented Reality) creates a gaming experience within the gamer’s existing environment. Games are gradually becoming a physical representation in a digital world where players are allowed to fully explore via a screen. With advancement in AR across the industry as reflected in Acer’s Mixed Reality, Microsoft’s HoloLens and Apple’s ARKit, found in the latest iPhones, we’re expecting even more sensational AR games and further development in the AR technology in 2018.

VR Gaming

The past couple of years have been explosive for VR and in 2018 we’re looking forward to even more VR adoption! It is estimated that by 2025, the VR gaming market will exceed £31.61 billion. Plenty of developments are predicted, such as the introduction of new breeds of VR gaming headsets, innovation in haptic feedback and updates in cloud-based VR gaming.

No matter which we’re introduced to first, there is one thing we are sure about – VR will be bigger than ever in 2018!

Mobile Gaming

Mobile gaming occupies approximately 40% of the current video game market and it is very likely to exceed the halfway mark by 2020. In 2017, games are the most popular type of app on both Google Play and App Store. Rovio, the creator of Angry Birds, achieved 3.7 billion downloads across all its games last year. It seems that the pick-up-and-play nature of mobile gaming is turning what was once the territory of die-hard gamers into a place for casual enthusiasts. We can’t wait to see more intriguing mobile games this year!

Indie Games

While blockbusters continue to catch our attention, indie games are rising like a silently-erupting volcano. Inexpensive and with minimal additional purchases, indie games deliver a longer, more affordable gaming experience. Together with their unrestricted creativity, these games will guarantee to give the big boys a run for their money this year! The fact that gaming platforms are becoming more open to indie developers will certainly encourage more releases of indie games.

Indie games such as The Last Night, Indivisible and Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night are already coming our way and will definitely make a splash in the months ahead. If you’re after a cheaper gaming outlet, keep an eye on indie games!

The gaming trends of 2018 will shape gaming experiences way better than ever, way beyond what we imagined. Looking for your perfect gaming partner? Check out our Gaming Hub!

Stay up to date with more tech news and trends at www.laptopoutletblog.co.uk.

January 27, 2018 0 comment

Tech News

Snapchat spectacles lead to £30m loss, while Apple gears up for upcoming AR headsets

Snapchat spectacles lead to £30m losses

Snapchat reported £30m losses in their third quarter financials after the Snapchat spectacles had lower than expected sales. The company is believed to have sold 150,000 of the Snapchat spectacles and attributed the huge financial loss to “excess inventory” and order cancellations from potential customers.

The Snapchat spectacles have a video recording feature that allows users to post short videos onto their Snapchat. Cool concept but critics said that the eye-wear was priced too high for what it is, and the video recording quality wasn’t up to standards.

You might be wondering what the company is doing with all those unsold spectacles; any potential customers can now try on and purchase the spectacles in Shoreditch, London. They can also be purchased from John Lewis on Oxford Street, Harrods and Selfridges, as well as online on Amazon.

Did Snapchat enter the eye-wear market too soon, or should the spectacles have been more widely available from the start? The concept failed to gain popularity for a number of reasons, but Apple is putting much more thought into the upcoming Apple AR glasses.

Apple AR glasses

Bloomberg reported that Apple Inc is planning the next big thing to succeed the iPhone, in the form of an augmented-reality headset. Apple announced ARkit, the company’s base for AR development, at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2017, but they didn’t say what exactly we can expect.

Currently headsets operate with smartphones, but Apple is planning to go one step ahead with their upcoming headset by having its own display and OS, with an entirely new chip to Apple’s renowned existing devices.

Last month Tim Cook indirectly hit out at the current AR headset market, stating that the quality isn’t there yet for headsets to become a success. He added: “We don’t give a rat’s about being first; we want to be the best, and give people a great experience. But now anything you would see on the market any time soon would not be something any of us would be satisfied with.”

Excited for Apple Inc’s new venture? We can tell the company has something big up their sleeve, as they already own a number of patents related to the AR headset market.

Keep up with more of the latest tech news at laptopoutletblog.co.uk.

November 13, 2017 0 comment

Apple

The iPhone X: The 10th Anniversary Of The iPhone

Apple was very secretive about the 10^th anniversary of the iPhone, while rumours spread like wild fire; suspense only heightened as the launch day finally came. To clear up any confusion, it was a surprise to the masses that Apple actually released three phones; the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X. The iPhone X has stolen the limelight to say the least. So what exactly is it? Well, there were whispers that the iPhone X was the same as the iPhone 8, but was just given a little more attention and a different name to highlight the milestone age of the iPhone turning 10; this evidently isn’t the case. This little stunner of a phone has tongues wagging and jaws dropping, so read on to see what all the excitement is about!

Appearance & No Home Button

(Source: Apple)

The assumption that the home button would be removed had been bouncing around and it was put into motion with the iPhone X, but not the 8 or 8 Plus. Whilst this feature is being heavily praised for improving the aesthetics of the phone, it has indeed been seen before (LG G6) and the Samsung Galaxy range seem to be heading in that direction as pioneers of the curved edges and somewhat infinity screens. Although, we can’t deny this is a rather stunning phone. The removal of the home button enhances the slick and chic look that Apple is ever so loved and famous for. Available in silver and space grey, they’re very easy on the eye to say the least, but we couldn’t help but feel that there’s something missing- the iPhone X in black.

Face ID

Abandoning the infamous home button means ditching the finger print scanner that unlocked previous iPhone models. So Apple is kicking up the fancy tech features a notch and have now introduced face scanner ID. The security feature utilises the front camera (obviously), mapping out facial features and recognising them in order to unlock the phone. However, at Apple’s latest convention in LA when demonstrating the face ID scanner for the first time ever, live and on camera, it unfortunately didn’t work on the first attempt. Perhaps it was nerves, perhaps it was the phone, we’re not sure. Apple don’t really make mistakes, so chances are it was a one off or a little bad luck- but we’ll know for sure when the phone is available to the public. A rather cool feature (quite well presented on their website if you’re interested) is how the facial recognition technology adapts and learns of changing facial features over time, like growing a beard, wearing hats/scarves that may potentially cover your face or recognising different expressions.

Camera

(Source: Apple)

The camera is the same as its predecessor- the iPhone 7. It has a 12MP wide-angle dual camera, plus some extra features. Portrait mode for selfies is a great feature if you’re brave enough to snap your face in high def. The artistically blurred background gives the impression of DSLR quality without the hassle of carrying a clunky camera around. Portrait lighting lets you manipulate photos with ease, no apps, or transfers to your computer to use Photoshop.

Wireless Charging

(Source: Telegraph)

So this feature is pretty cool, there’s no fiddling with wires, you simply place it on the dock. Also the infamous Apple charging cable that always breaks will hopefully be left behind. You can charge your phone, watch and earphones; all at the same time too! We have only one little query, so the charging cable is gone, why keep the Apple port, why not bring the normal earphone jack back? It’s just a little unnecessary now seeing as the port has no purpose other than earphones, that you either buy from Apple, or have to buy an adapter for if you use your own.

AR & Animoji

(Source: The Verge)

The ASUS ZenFone AR was the first phone with built in augmented reality and virtual reality, and it seems Apple have jumped on the bandwagon too. Apple introduced Animoji this year, which is a dynamic cartoon emoji that moves and speaks based on your actual face motions.

Animoji utilises augmented reality to enable you to transfer your facial expressions to your choice of emoji- pretty cool right? TrueDepth camera can decipher and analyse over 50 muscular movements to make an emoji of your choice mimic your expression (choice of 12 emojis)

Price

Now, this is where most people’s draw drop in shock and start to think the iPhone 8 is probably a better purchase. The 64GB model is priced at just £1 short of a grand- £999. The 256GB model is £1149. Smartphones just as good and capable are half the price, but this phone is definitely not for everyone. The premium feel features and of course, price makes this phone more of an accessory and luxury item.

So there you have it, the key features of the 10^th anniversary iPhone X! We hope we’ve given you further insight to some of the phone’s cool features and helped you come to a decision if you were in the midst of contemplating; to buy or not to buy? For more latest tech news and releases, helpful top picks and reviews- visit our blog.

The iPhone X not for you? Check out our range of mobile phones here.

September 14, 2017 0 comment

Android

Android Smartphones: The Latest Releases

On the hunt for a new smartphone? Prefer Android to Apple? Well, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve picked out the latest releases, the crème de la crème of the latest smartphones to hit the market. So lets get started!

Honor 9

Screen: 5.15” honor

RAM: 4GB/6GB

Storage: 64GB/128GB

Camera: Rear- 20MP Dual Lens, Front- 8MP

OS: Android 7 Nougat

Pros:

Sleek and aesthetically pleasing exterior
Affordable price

Cons:

Very mediocre camera for dual lens

With all the high-end features that most popular manufacturers include in their products, we are majorly impressed with the Honor 9. In comparison to manufacturers like Apple and Samsung, Huawei Honor isn’t as established, thus meaning it has a smaller customer pool and less customer loyalty which knocks down the price of the phone when it’s just as efficient and powerful as the Galaxy or iPhone range (good news for you)! The most notable feature is the eye -catching design. Available in sapphire blue and glacier grey with a chic glass exterior, this phone has a luxurious look and feel.

Our Verdict:

Although Honor isn’t as well-known as other manufacturers like Apple or Samsung, the Honor 9 is still in the league as being just as powerful as an iPhone, but more affordable.

Asus ZenFone AR

Screen: 5.7”

RAM: 6GB/8GB

Storage: 64GB/128GB

Camera: Rear- 23MP

Dual Lens, Front- 8MP

OS: Android 7 Nougat

Pros:

First phone with built-in VR & AR
Great screen quality
Impressive camera

Cons:

Very expensive

ASUS has topped the game with the first phone to be certified and come with Daydream and Tango, it’s probably a flagship product in the history of AR and VR products. So with the market for augmented and virtual products growing, this product has us intrigued. It’s more than just gaming- furnishing your new apartment? If only you could try furniture out the same way you try on shoes…Well, you can now! AR & VR is proving to be handy in day-to-day life so if it’s something that appeals to you, this phone comes highly recommended. Asides from that obvious golden feature, the phone itself is great. This phone takes quick charging to a new level, you can gain up to 60% in the charging time of 40 minutes, despite fast charging being a feature on many new smartphones we haven’t come across anything as fast as this. The unusually high 23MP front camera will ensure every snap or Instagram post is of immense clarity and of utmost detail.

Our Verdict:

If you’ve jumped on the newly formed bandwagon of AR and VR, whether it be for gaming or for every day help- take the plunge if you can afford it! It’s the first and only phone to have such innovative features.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Active

Screen: 5.8” 526c6377-3097-4e96-83c6-ef2b7ac800f7

RAM: 4GB

Storage: 64GB

Camera: Rear- 12MP, Front- 8MP

OS: Android 7 Nougat

(Source: DigitalTrends)

Pros:

Great camera quality
Very durable

Cons:

Not the best choice for power & performance, focuses primarily on durability

With durability being this phones key feature, this is an ideal choice for those who are into extreme sports, constantly active or just plain clumsy. With all the powerful features of the well-known S range, this little guy is a little tougher. The S8 Active can survive under water for 30 minutes at a depth of up to 5ft. With a shatter resistant screen, this phone can withstand more than a few harsh tumbles. It is also equipped to handle more extreme climates that lesser devices would not be able to handle. Alongside this, its chip (the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835) has been proven to be up to 25% more efficient than the chip of its predecessor the S7 Active; alongside upping the resolution from 2560 x 1440 to 2960 x 1440.

Our Verdict:

Hands down- a top choice for those who like to live life on the edge. Withstanding water and heavy drops, alongside being shatter-resistant this phone is tailored for those who indulge in extreme sports.

Motorola Moto Z2 Force

Screen: 5.5” 7827fbc8-f4e8-4d9f-b750-3f4ea0544186

RAM: 4GB

Storage: 64GB

Camera: Rear- 12MP dual lens, Front- 5MP

OS: Android 7.1.1

(Source: TechRadar)

Pros:

Can withstand everyday drops and falls with ease
Lengthy battery life
Good camera

Cons:

Plain design
Cannot withstand hard drops, only day-to-day normal tumbles
Not scratch and water proof

Upon first glance, it’s a little tricky to spot the differences between the Z2 and its predecessor but there are some noticeable improvements if you dig a little deeper. It’s 13% thinner and 12% lighter (145g) and Motorola managed to fit a dual-lens camera in- amazing! The new 3500mAh battery can stretch battery life for up to 2 days (depends on use). MotoMods further enhances the excitement surrounding this device, with choices of the Moto 360 camera, JBL speakers, an upcoming game controller, a 10x zoom lens, an attachable projector and the Turbo Power battery pack. Despite not being scratch proof or shock proof, this phone has immense 5 screen layers; effectively getting rid of the common screen crack issue that most people face.

Our Verdict:

If you love to capture high-definition pictures but don’t want the hassle of carrying a DSLR- this is your perfect phone. With the MotoMods to improve picture quality, alongside the included camera being of a high standard- you’re in for vivid photos and true-to-life imagery. It’s also a worthy purchase for those who need a little extra protection when it comes to everyday use.

LG G6

Screen: 5.7” 85c31912-e767-4509-b240-d428e496224b

RAM: 4GB

Storage: 32GB

Camera: Rear- 13MP dual lens, Front- 5MP

OS: Android 7

Pros:

Simple and elegant design
Waterproof

Cons:

Very pricey

With its slick and durable design LG are onto a winner having made their best phone yet. The exterior is a combination of metal and glass, framed with aluminum, with 2 sheets of Gorilla Glass 5 on the back and Gorilla Glass 3 on the front. The platinum shade is by far the most eye-catching, so if you’re looking into buying this phone, see if you can get your hands on this colour. With new features such as IP68 certification of dust and water-resistance, this phone definitely tops the LG G5 with the additional features such as these. The Snapdragon 821 chip ensures smooth-sailing navigation, effectively elevating the phones efficiency and power-consumption, alongside decreasing thermal energy given off by the device earning its place in our top picks of the best Android smartphones released so far this year.

Our Verdict:

This is by far LG’s greatest phone yet, so if you’re a fan of the brand and have the money, this phone would be a great purchase. The luxury design makes this an ideal buy for those who need/want to use their device in a formal or work environment.

So there you have it, the latest and best releases of Android smartphones. If you were on the hunt for a new Android phone, we hope this article has been of some assistance. If you’re still undecided, check out our range of Android smartphones.

For more updates on latest releases, top picks, helpful reviews and other tech news- visit our blog.

August 23, 2017 0 comment