Nikon's 180-400mm F4E TC1.4 FL ED VR lens features built-in teleconverte

Nikon has announced a new full-frame lens with one of the longest names we've ever seen: the AF-S Nikkor 180-400mm F4E TC1.4 FL ED VR.

Besides its impressive range, the highlight of this hulking lens is its built-in 1.4x teleconverter. Taking a leaf out of Canon's book, the built-in converter boosts the focal range to 252-560mm with a corresponding 1-stop reduction in maximum aperture. If you're using this $12,000+ lens on an APS-C body, the equivalent focal range becomes 270-600mm without the TC and 378-840mm with it.

The lens features 1 fluorite and 8 extra-low-dispersion elements plus fluorine, Nano Crystal and Super Integrated coatings. It has 9 rounded aperture blades, a Vibration Reduction system that reduces shake by up to 4 stops and a minimum focus distance of 2 meters. As you'd expect, this magnesium alloy lens (that weighs almost 8 pounds / 3500 grams) is weather-sealed. Drop-in 40.5mm filters are supported.

As an added bonus, if you're using a camera with a 153-point AF system (D5, D500, D850) the outer row of AF points become cross-type sensors for improved coverage. A firmware update will be required in order for cameras to take advantage of this feature.

The AF-S Nikkor 180-400mm F4E TC1.4 FL ED VR will be available in March for a whopping (but unsurprising) MSRP of $12,399.

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ViewSonic XG2703-GS 27-Inch WQHD Gaming Monitor With 165Hz Refresh Rate

ViewSonic is gearing up to launch their newest 27-inch WQHD gaming monitor, the XG2703-GS. Adopting the ‘NVIDIA G-SYNC’ technology for seamless visuals and smooth gameplay, this new 27-inch IPS LED-backlight monitor supports a native resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and provides 165Hz refresh rate, 1000:1 contrast ratio (DCR 120,000,000:1), 350 cd/m2 brightness, 4ms (GTG) response time and 178/178 degree viewing angles.

Not to mention, the monitor also utilizes the ‘Flicker-Free’ technology and the ‘Blue Light Reduction’ function for enhanced viewing comfort. Equipped with built-in stereo speakers (2Wx2), the XG2703-GS provides 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, 1x 3.5mm audio jack and 4-port USB hub (2x USB 3.0 / 2x USB 2.0).

The ViewSonic XG2703-GS will hit the market from mid-February for unannounced price $709.99 & FREE Shipping. [Product Page]

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Check Out This Affordable Lenovo Flex 4 1130 2-In-1 11.6-Inch Touchscreen Laptop

Support your mobile computing needs with this affordable 2-in-1 11.6-inch touchscreen laptop ‘Flex 4 1130’ from Lenovo. Featuring a 360-degree flip-and-fold design, this travel-friendly laptop sports an 11.6-inch 1366 x 768 HD LED-backlight touchscreen display, a 1.1GHz Intel Celeron N3350 processor, an Intel HD Graphics 500, a 2GB DDR3 RAM and a 64GB eMMC flash memory.

Not just that, the system also packs a built-in HD webcam w/ microphone, a media card reader, 1x USB 3.0 port, 2x USB 2.0 ports, 1x HDMI output port, a 2-cell lithium-polymer battery and built-in stereo speakers.

Running on Windows 10 OS, the Flex 4 1130 provides WiFi 802.11ac and Bluetooth for connectivity. The Lenovo Flex 4 1130 will set you back just $239.99. [Product Page]

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LG 38UC99-W 37.5-Inch Curved LCD Monitor

LG is about to launch their newest 37.5-inch curved LCD monitor, the 38UC99-W. Utilizing the AMD FreeSync technology to eliminate tearing, stuttering and input lag, this ultra-wide 37.5-inch IPS LED-backlight monitor supports a native resolution of 3840 x 1600 pixels and provides 21:9 aspect ratio, 1000:1 contrast ratio (DCR 5,000,000:1), 300 cd/m2 brightness, 5ms (GTG) response time and 178/178 degree viewing angles.

Equipped with built-in high-output stereo speakers (10Wx2), the 38UC99-W provides 1x USB Type-C port, 1x DisplayPort, 2x HDMI ports and 2x USB 3.0 ports. The LG 38UC99-W will begin shipping from February [Product Page]

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Fujifilm X-T20 Mirrorless Digital Camera For Multimedia Shooters

Fujifilm has recently released a new mirrorless digital camera namely the X-T20. Designed for multimedia shooters, this interchangeable lens camera sports a 24.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS III Sensor, a 2.36m-dot electronic viewfinder, a 3.0″ 1.04m-dot tilting touchscreen LCD, an SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot, a micro-HDMI output port and built-in WiFi connectivity.

Other highlights include Extended ISO 51200, Shooting to 14fps, 91-Point AF with Custom AF-C Settings and Film Simulation for Photos & Videos. Powered by Fujifilm’s X-Processor Pro Image Processor, the X-T20 can record 4K UHD video @ 30fps. The Fujifilm X-T20 is currently available for pre-order for $899 (Body Only). [Product Page]

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Samsung's Galaxy S8 won't appear at Mobile World Congress

Clearly, Samsung is still reeling from its Note 7 disaster. In an interview with Reuters, Samsung mobile chief Koh Dong-jin has confirmed that the Galaxy S8 won't be unveiled next month at Mobile World Congress. That's a big departure from the company's usual release schedule, which revolves around a big "S" launch in the Spring and a new "Note" in the fall. The delay isn't a shock, however. Back in November, the Wall Street Journalreported that Samsung's leadership team was considering a later reveal date. It could come "as late as April," the newspaper said at the time.

The push back should have an impact on Samsung's total smartphone shipments. With the Note 7 gone, the company is relying on the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge -- excellent phones, but old by flagship standards -- to compete with Google's Pixel, the iPhone 7 and other high-end handsets. Last October the company released some dismal third quarter earnings, impacted undoubtedly by the Note 7 recall. Operating profit dropped to $4.6 billion, with its mobile arm contributing just $87 million -- the lowest reported since 2008. With no Galaxy S8 in sight, Samsung could find it even tougher to fend off this season's batch of Android flagships.

There's no doubt that Samsung has a new phone in the works. For now, however, it has to focus on shaking its Note 7 shadow. After months of speculation, the company has published the results of its internal investigation into the phone. The problem, unsurprisingly, was the battery. According to Samsung, the casings were too small to safely secure an electrode assembly inside. In its haste to fix the problem, Samsung switched to a different battery that featured welding defects. That meant supposedly fine phones were also prone to short-circuiting. Eesh.

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ASUS ROG SWIFT PG27UQ 27-Inch 4K Gaming Monitor With 144Hz Refresh Rate

ASUS has listed another 27-inch 4K gaming monitor ‘ROG SWIFT PG27UQ’ on its product page. Adopting the ‘NVIDIA G-SYNC’ technology for seamless visuals and smooth gameplay, this new 27-inch IPS LED-backlight monitor supports a native resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels and provides ultra-fast 144Hz refresh rate for super-smooth gaming visuals, 1000 cd/m2 brightness and 178/178 degree viewing angles.

Not to mention, the monitor also utilizes the ‘High Dynamic Range’ technology – offers a range of luminance that is closer to what the human eye can experience, and the ‘Quantum Dot’ technology – provides brighter images and supports the cinema-standard DCI-P3 color gamut.

For input ports, the ROG SWIFT PG27UQ provides 1x HDMI and 2x DisplayPort 1.4. Unfortunately, there’s no word on pricing and release date yet. [Product Page]

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South Korea plans to develop mega high speed ‘train-like’ transport capable of achieving an astounding 621 mph

South Korea is looking to develop a new kind of public transport – supposedly ‘train-like’ and capable of hitting an unbelievable 621 mph. Once developed, this super-fast train will travel inside a high-tech low-pressure tube at almost the speed of sound. This valiant initiative by South Korea is a stepping stone towards the country securing a well-deserved place among other countries contending in the ‘futuristic technology’ domain.

A state-run institute will collaborate with Hanyang University and other research groups to develop this new ground transport in the next three years. Once complete, this would help cover the journey from Seoul to Busan in flat 30 minutes, a sharp contrast to the current three-hour trip.
An official stated that this transport system will be based on ‘Hyper-tube technology’, a mode of passenger and freight transport that propels floating vehicles akin to pods, via tubes below a partial vacuum, at speeds up to 800 mph. This technology was first proposed by Elon Musk, Tesla Motors’ CEO.

These hyper-tubes are suspended off the ground to safeguard from earthquakes and other weather-related problems. Passengers can sit in individual or group pods, which would be accelerated with magnets. Tickets would be priced at approximately USD 20 each way, and the capsules housing around six to eight people would leave at half minute intervals. It has been estimated that building a line from LA to San Francisco would work out to around USD 16 billion. However, critics opine that it could cost close to USD 100 billion.

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Apple iPhone 7 Plus

The Apple iPhone 7 Plus is powered by quad-core Apple A10 Fusion processor and it comes with 3GB of RAM. The phone packs 32GB of internal storage cannot be expanded. As far as the cameras are concerned, the Apple iPhone 7 Plus packs a 12-megapixel primary camera on the rear and a 7-megapixel front shooter for selfies.

The Apple iPhone 7 Plus runs iOS 10 and is powered by a 2900mAh non removable battery. It measures 158.20 x 77.90 x 7.30 (height x width x thickness) and weighs 188.00 grams.

The Apple iPhone 7 Plus is a single SIM (GSM) smartphone that accepts a Nano-SIM. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, 3G and 4G (with support for Band 40 used by some LTE networks in India). Sensors on the phone include Compass Magnetometer, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Gyroscope and Barometer. [Product Page]

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Canon’s New VIXIA HF R80 Full HD Camcorder With 16GB Internal Flash Memory

Here we have another newly released Full HD camcorder ‘VIXIA HF R80’ from Canon. Specs-wise, this travel-friendly camcorder boasts a 3.28MP 1/4.85″ CMOS sensor, a 57x Advanced Optical zoom lens, a 3.0-inch 230k-dot capacitive touchscreen display, a 16GB of internal flash memory, an SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot, a mini-HDMI output port and built-in WiFi & NFC connectivity.

Other notable features include Slow & Fast Motion Recording, Highlight Priority Mode, Backlight Compensation and Live Streaming to iOS & Android Devices. Powered by Canon’s DIGIC DV 4 Image Processor, the VIXIA HF R80 can capture 1080p Full HD video @ 60fps (35 Mbps) in MP4 format.

The Canon VIXIA HF R80 is currently available for pre-order for $399.99. [Product Page]

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