Tag: Qualcomm

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Summer 2022 Snapdragon 8 Gen1 Performance Round Up!

We’re more than halfway through 2022, and it’s time to take a look at premium phone performance!

The Snapdragon 8 Gen1 has been a controversial chip for expensive Android phones. Qualcomm used ARM reference designs to build a powerful System on Chip. Samsung was responsible for producing the chip on Qualcomm’s designs. Then, manufacturers build phones around those power and thermal specifications.

That thermal conversation has been a challenge to track this year. The Snapdragon 8 Gen1 is a powerful chip, but it’s a finnicky performer if thermals and battery life aren’t handled appropriately.

This SOC arrived at the same time as some significant changes to Android. The way Android 12 handles storage reduces performance for numerous apps and services. Years of my benchmarking results on older phones are no longer directly comparable to current phones with Android 12 and newer.

Phones released in the first half of 2022 are a unique group of devices.

More powerful (but hotter) CPU and GPU, balanced against performance sapping software.

The refreshed Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 is starting to ship in new phones for the second half of the year. ARM is improving the power efficiency, Qualcomm is refining the design, and TSMC is replacing Samsung for the chip fabrication.

It’s a good time to chart how these devices currently compare against each other.

We’ll see where these companies are improving later in the year. We’ll get to see if the 8+ Gen1 runs cooler. We’ll get to see if app developers are taking better advantage of this SOC performance.

Let’s look at some benchmark scores! Continue reading “Summer 2022 Snapdragon 8 Gen1 Performance Round Up!”

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Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Dimensity 9000, and the Problems with POWER

I’m always going to be excited by better competition.

In 2019, the mobile landscape was dominated by Qualcomm and Apple SOCs at the premium tier of phones and tablets. HiSilicon’s Kirin was facing issues due to political pressures placed on Huawei. MediaTek maintained a respectable reputation as a mid-range and entry-level chip provider.

We didn’t have much choice in what powered more expensive gadgets.

Flash forward two years, we’re starting to get some insight on what will power devices in 2022, and this market is a LOT more exciting.

MediaTek took the wraps off a premium tier competitor. We’re about to hear more from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon team. Apple’s A15 is solidly refined over the A14. Google launched their first custom chip with the Pixel 6.

A stale landscape has exploded, and more companies are rumored to be designing their own solutions over the next several years.

When it comes to pocketable portable performance, we just have one small issue…

Power. Continue reading “Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Dimensity 9000, and the Problems with POWER”

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Snapdragon Sound Explained! An interview with Qualcomm about next gen wireless audio!

This video is sponsored by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

What is Snapdragon Sound? I sat down with Sarah McMurray, Sr Mgr, Product Marketing, Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd. to talk about high fidelity, major improvements coming to Bluetooth, and when new headphones will be available. From true wireless to active noise cancellation, Sarah talked us through the next phase of audio certifications from Qualcomm. Plus we answered questions from Snapdragon Insiders around the globe! You want the scoop on next gen audio? We’ve got it!

It’s been great to collaborate with Qualcomm and their new Snapdragon Insiders community, created for tech enthusiasts who deserve something extra. They’re among the first to celebrate, engage with, and experience the latest in what Snapdragon has to offer. This includes news, announcements about Snapdragon-enabled devices, and access to small-group interactions with content creators and Qualcomm experts.

Learn more about Snapdragon Insiders: https://www.qualcomm.com/snapdragoninsiders Continue reading “Snapdragon Sound Explained! An interview with Qualcomm about next gen wireless audio!”

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Is the REAL LG Velvet on T-Mobile? MediaTek vs Qualcomm!

Two phones of the same name!

The T-Mobile version of the Velvet uses a different processor than other 5G versions of the phone, but what does that mean? MediaTek? Qualcomm? Snapdragon? Dimensity? Let’s see how these two phones REALLY compare!

It’s time for a showdown! Continue reading “Is the REAL LG Velvet on T-Mobile? MediaTek vs Qualcomm!”

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Intel Kernel Security: Meltdown, Spectre, Kaiser – What you need to know!

Meltdown! Kaiser! Spectre! How bad are these security threats? How much will they slowdown YOUR PC? We’ve got more info on these issues, and links to press releases and industry analysis. Buckle up folks! 2018 is off to a rocky start for the entire computing industry!

Intel press release acknowledging the issue.
Google press release detailing affected products.
AMD press release explaining why AMD CPU’s aren’t affected the same way.
ARM official response to exploit on mobile processors.
Continue reading “Intel Kernel Security: Meltdown, Spectre, Kaiser – What you need to know!”

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Timex Unveils IRONMAN ONE GPS+ Smartwatch

Timex took the wraps off of their new fitness focused smartwatch.

TW5K88800Built on a partnership with AT&T and Qualcomm, the ONE GPS+ uses the incredible screen from the Toq for low battery usage and direct sunlight view-ability.

In addition to the Mirasol display, the watch also comes with 4GB of storage and Bluetooth for music playback, GPS for location and fitness tracking, and a 3G phone connection for messaging and a pretty neat SOS feature.

For many people, exercising with a phone is becoming a necessity as that’s where all your entertainment and communications capabilities are stored. The idea that you could leave with just a watch, not worry about sweat-soaking your phone, and still have the basics covered is pretty exciting.

The ONE GPS+ is currently in pre-sale on the Timex site for $400 or $450 with a built in heart rate monitor.

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The Problem With Android Wear Watch Screens

Wearable tech will be hot. The smartphone market is maturing and starting to plateau, so manufacturers are pushing into new territories to expand on our relationships with data and services. Google’s Android Wear platform is an excellent step in the right direction to legitimize this new market segment.

It does suffer from one fatal flaw however: Battery life. 

pebble smartwatch review somegadgetguy direct sunlightPlaying with several different solutions for wrist computing, my favorite so far are the watches that can best replicate the experience found on traditional time pieces. Namely a screen that can always be referenced for small pieces of information no matter what orientation it’s worn, not depending on any gestures to activate it. I mentioned as much in my last FFC VLOG.

Of course in technology land, compromises have to be made. If you want crazy new features, you have to accept some new limitations.  Continue reading “The Problem With Android Wear Watch Screens”

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Qualcomm adds Stopwatch to Toq Smartwatch

qualcomm toq activity tracker update smartwatchIt’s a simple update, but it’s nice to see a company committed to improving their product.

Rolled out this afternoon Toq owners found a new little applet which provides a simple stopwatch and lap timer. It’s one of those things which probably should’ve been included from the beginning, but better late than never.

While it’ll never unseat dedicated fitness trackers, the Toq is shaping up to be one of the better smartwatches for active folks, thanks in part to the screen which is visible in direct sunlight, and these most recent software updates.

If you’re rocking a Toq, check out Google Play to see if you’ve got the update yet, and you can see the watch in action below.

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