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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Dell UltraSharp 32 (UP3218K) 32-Inch Ultra HD 8K Monitor Introduced

Dell has introduced their latest 32-inch Ultra HD 8K monitor ‘UltraSharp 32 (UP3218K)’ at CES 2017. Offering four times more content than Ultra HD 4K resolution and 16 times more content than Full HD, this new 32-inch LED-backlight monitor supports a native resolution of 7680 x 4320 pixels and provides 1300:1 contrast ratio, 400 cd/m2 brightness and 178/178 degree viewing angles.

Providing 100% coverage of the Adobe RGB, 100% of the sRGB and 100% of the Rec. 709, the UltraSharp 32 (UP3218K) comes equipped with an ergonomically-designed stand with tilt, swivel, pivot and height adjustment, and provides 2x DisplayPort 1.3 and 4x USB 3.0 input/output ports.

The Dell UltraSharp 32 (UP3218K) will hit the market from March 23rd for $4,999. [Product Page]

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Take Home The New Lenovo Ideapad 110-17IKB 17.3-Inch Laptop

Speed through tasks with the new Lenovo Ideapad 110-17IKB. Powered by a 2.50GHz Intel Core i5-7200U mobile processor, this mid-range laptop has a 17.3-inch 1600 x 900 HD+ LED-backlight display, an Intel HD Graphics 620, an 8GB DDR4 RAM and a 1TB 5400rpm hard drive.

Apart from that, the system also sports a built-in webcam, a DVD-RW drive, a media card reader, 1x USB 3.0 port, 1x USB 2.0 port, 1x HDMI output port, a 4-cell lithium-ion battery and built-in speakers.

Running on Windows 10 64-bit OS, the Ideapad 110-17IKB provides WiFi 802.11ac and Bluetooth for connectivity. The Lenovo Ideapad 110-17IKB will set you back just $479.99. [Product Page]

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JAPANNEXT’s Upcoming JN-T280UHD-NS 28-Inch 4K LCD Monitor

JAPANNEXT has recently showed off another one of its upcoming 28-inch 4K LCD monitor, the JN-T280UHD-NS. Adopting a TN panel, this new 28-inch LED-backlight monitor supports a native resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels and provides 16:9 aspect ratio, 300 cd/m2 brightness, 5ms response time and 170/160 degree viewing angles.

Equipped with built-in stereo speakers (4Wx2), the JN-T280UHD-NS provides 1x D-sub, 1x dual-link DVI-D, 1x HDMI and 1x DisplayPort input ports. Other notable features include Picture in Picture (PIP) and Picture by Picture (PBP – up to 4 split). The JAPANNEXT JN-T280UHD-NS will begin shipping from January 11th for 44,440 Yen (about $380). [Product Page]

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iiyama Stl-15HP042-i5-HM 15.6-Inch Notebook Released

Here’s the newest member to iiyama’s 15.6-inch notebook line-up, the Stl-15HP042-i5-HM. As part of the STYLE Infinity series, this mid-range notebook packs a 15.6-inch 1366 x 768 HD non-glossy display, a 2.50GHz Intel Core i5-7200U processor, an Intel HD Graphics 620, an 8GB DDR3 RAM and a 500GB hard drive.

Not to mention, the system also has a 100 million pixel webcam, a DVD Super Multi Drive, a media card reader, 2x USB 3.0 ports, 2x USB 2.0 ports and built-in stereo speakers (w/ High Definition Audio subsystem).

Running on Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS, the Stl-15HP042-i5-HM provides WiFi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2 for connectivity. The iiyama Stl-15HP042-i5-HM is available now for 67,980 Yen (about $579). [Product Page]

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Uber self driving car program in San Francisco comes to a halt as DMV revokes registration of cars

Uber Technologies Inc has removed its self-driving cars from San Francisco streets, halting the autonomous program one week after its launch as the company faced a regulatory crackdown. The California Department of Motor Vehicles said on Wednesday it revoked the registration of 16 Uber self-driving cars because they had not been properly permitted. For the last week, the agency was demanding that Uber shut down its program and comply with regulations requiring a permit to test self-driving cars on public roads.

Uber said it was not obligated to have a permit because its vehicles require continuous monitoring by a person in the car. San Francisco was supposed to be Uber’s second testing ground for its self-driving cars. The company unveiled its self-driving cars in September in Pittsburgh.

“We’re now looking at where we can redeploy these cars but remain 100 percent committed to California and will be redoubling our efforts to develop workable statewide rules,” an Uber spokeswoman said in a statement. California defines autonomous vehicles as having the capability to drive “without the active physical control or monitoring of a natural person.”

Uber has argued that the law does not apply to its cars, which cannot stay in autonomous mode continuously. A driver and an engineer are in the front seats to take over frequently in sticky traffic situations such as construction zones or pedestrian crossings. Uber’s defiance was met with threats of legal action from the DMV and the state attorney general.

The DMV told Uber that if it had obtained a permit, the regulator would have given the green light to the self-driving pilot. DMV director Jean Shiomoto said in a letter sent to Uber on Wednesday that she would “personally help to ensure an expedited review and approval process,” which she said can take less than three days.

The permit process is largely seen as a public safety measure, as regulations also require that companies provide the DMV with accident reports. Uber, however, has complained that its home state has favored complex rules over technological innovation.

It is not yet clear whether Uber will apply for the permit or simply bring the self-driving cars to another state. Another 20 companies exploring self-driving cars, including Alphabet’s Google, Tesla Motors and Ford Motor Co, have obtained California DMV permits for 130 cars. Uber opened up the self-driving car program to San Francisco passengers on Dec. 14, but has been testing the cars on city roadways for more than a month.

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ASUS VA326H 31.5-Inch Curved Full HD Gaming Monitor With 144Hz Refresh Rate

ASUS hits back with their new 31.5-inch curved Full HD gaming monitor, the VA326H. Adopting a VA panel, this new 31.5-inch LED-backlight monitor (Curvature 1800R) supports a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and provides 144Hz refresh rate for ultra-smooth action, 3000:1 contrast ratio (100M:1 ASCR), 300 cd/m2 brightness, 4ms (GTG) response time and 178/178 degree viewing angles.

Utilizing ASUS-exclusive GamePlus Technology – provides Crosshair and Timer functions for better gaming experience, and SplendidPlus Video Intelligence Technology – optimizes videos and images by enhancing color brightness, contrast and sharpness, the VA326H provides 1x D-Sub, 1x dual-link DVI-D and 1x HDMI input ports. Unfortunately, there’s no word on pricing yet. [Product Page]

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Acer C740-F34N 11.6-Inch Chromebook For Corporate And Educational Users

Here comes a new 11.6-inch Chromebook from Acer, the C740-F34N. Designed especially for corporate and educational users, this travel-friendly Chromebook is equipped with an 11.6-inch 1366 x 769 HD non-glossy display, a 2.0GHz Intel Core i3-5005U processor, an Intel HD Graphics 5500, a 4GB DDR3 RAM and a 32GB SSD.

The system also has a built-in HD webcam (w/ microphone), an SD card reader, 1x USB 2.0 port, 1x USB 3.0 port, 1x HDMI output port, a 3-cell lithium polymer battery (up to 9 hours of operating time) and built-in stereo speakers.

Running on Chrome OS, the C740-F34N provides WiFi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.0 for connectivity. The Acer C740-F34N is available now. [Acer]

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Sony Xperia M2 Aqua

Sony Mobile Communications presents Xperia M2 Aqua, conveying Waterproof innovation to the center range so it could be inside everybody’s compass. With Sony Xperia M2 Aqua you don’t need to stress any longer over the terrible climate or rain as with the creative fixed packaging outline this enormous sibling of the first Sony Xperia M2 is waterproof and is called M2 Aqua. it can undoubtedly withstand a drop in crisp water for around 30 minutes.

Sony M2 Aqua accompanies a plan that you can trust at an exceptionally charming cost in Pakistan, Featuring a 8MP camera, Sony Xperia Aqua gives you a chance to take photographs submerged up to 1.5 meters, take a plunge now and concoct astonishing submerged symbolism. Sony’s Xperia M2 Aqua is fast to the point that you’ll break every past record of day by day accomplishments, now play recreations while you listen to the music or multitask the way you like.

Sony Xperia’s M2 Aqua is quick as well as backings ultra-quick LTE and 4G innovations so you can stay aware of the considerable number of headways. Huawei Xperia M2’s Aqua Edition has made the Battery Stamina mode run considerably promote with a progressed 2330 mAh long life battery that can furnish you with 8 hours of proceeds with HD recess or 37 hours of music play. Sony Xperia M2 Aqua’s brilliant 4.8-inch qHD show in view of TV innovation brings excitement at your doorstep. Xperia M2 Aqua by sony is a genuine showstopper.

Sony Xperia M2 Aqua Price

PKR  15,990/-
USD $153/-

Sony Xperia M2 Aqua Specs

Dimensions	140 x 72 x 8.6 mm
Weight	149 g
Battery	Talk time Up to 11 hrs 23 min Stand-by Up to 595 hrs, Music play up to 37 hrs 11 min 2300 mAh
OS	Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat)
Memory	8GB built-in 1GB RAM, microSD Card (supports up to 32GB)
Processor	1.2 GHz Quad-Core Cortex-A7, Qualcomm MSM8926-2 Snapdragon 400, GPU:Adreno 305
Connectivity	Bluetooth v4.0, A2DP, apt-X, LE, USB (microUSB v2.0, USB On-the-go, USBHost), WLAN (Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot), GPRS (Up to 107 kbps), EDGE (Up to 296 kbps), 3G (HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps), 4G ( LTE, Cat4, 50 Mbps UL, 150 Mbps DL)
Display Size	540 x 960 pixels, 4.8 inches (approx. 229 ppi pixel density) Sensors:Accelerometer, proximity, compass
Display Colour	IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, Multitouch up to 4 fingers
Operating Frequency / Band	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Band	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100
4G Band	LTE 800 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600
Browser	HTML5
Colors	Black, White
Entertainment	Stereo FM radio with RDS, 3.5mm audio jack, MP4/H.263/H.264 player, MP3/eAAC+/WAV player, SNS integration, Games (built-in + downloadable)
Camera	8MP, 3264 x 2448 pixels, autofocus, LED Flash, Geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection, HDR, panorama, Video 1080p@30fps, HDR, 2ndry VGA, 480p
Other Features	GPS + A-GPS, support, GLONASS, Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic, ANT+ support, Organizer, Document viewer, Voice memo/dial, Predictive text input
Ring Tones	Downloadable, Polyphonic, MP3
Messaging	SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, IM, Push Email

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Meizu PRO 6s 4G LTE-Enabled Android 6.0 Smartphone Launched

Meizu has launched their latest 4G LTE-enabled Android 6.0 smartphone called the PRO 6s. Measuring 7.3mm thick and weighing 163g, this high-end smartphone boasts a 5.2-inch 1920 x 1080 Full HD Super AMOLED display with 3D press and 2.5D glass Gorilla Glass 3 protection, a deca-core MediaTek Helio X25 processor, a Mali-T880 MP4 GPU, a 4GB RAM and a 64GB (eMMC 5.1) of internal storage.

Coming with dual SIM card slots, the handset has a 5MP front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture, a 12MP rear-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture, 6P lens, OIS, laser autofocus, PDAF, dual-tone 10-LED Ring Flash and 4K video recording, a fingerprint sensor embedded into the home button and a 3060mAh battery with fast charging.

Running on Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS with Flyme OS 5.5 on top, the PRO 6s provides 4G VoLTE, dual-band WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS and USB 3.1 Type-C for connectivity. The Meizu PRO 6s is available now for 2,699 Yuan (about $399) in Gold, Silver, Gray and Rose Gold color options. [Product Page]

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Huawei Fit – Fitness Watch With Heart Rate Sensor

Huawei hits back by unveiling their newest fitness watch, the Huawei Fit. Compatible with Android 4.4 or iOS 8.0 devices, this waterproof and dustproof fitness watch is equipped with a 1.04-inch 208 x 208 black and white always-on touchscreen display w/ Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection, a heart rate sensor on the back for real time heart rate measurement, a built-in 80mAh battery (up to 6 days of battery life) and Bluetooth 4.2 LE for connectivity.

Other highlights include Daily Activity Tracking, Sleep Monitoring, Incoming Call Notifications, Shows Messages From Apps and Multi-Sport Tracking (Walking, Running, Cycling, Treadmill and Swimming).

The Huawei Fit will first roll out in France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and the United States. Price itself is set at 149 Euros (about $165). [FoneArena]

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