For this second half of our commentary, we begin with an introduction of SerDes.
In today’s infotainment systems, it is common for in-vehicle cameras and displays to be connected to the image-processing electronic control unit (ECU) via a SerDes (serializer/deserializer) connection.
Future Prediction
More cameras, more connections, and more sensors with greater accuracy, less weight, and increased safety.
Undoubtedly, there will be a need for an in-vehicle network to seamlessly handle these challenges.
Those in-vehicle networks will need to be tested, they will need to be interoperable, and they will need to be secure.
Today, they are delivered by individual vendors using closed, proprietary standards.
Extending the reach of feature-rich SerDes links can require operating at lower Baud rates and higher order modulations (e.g. PAM-4).
In addition, it will require higher bandwidth Ethernet links as primary interconnects between zones, perhaps with 802.3ch support up to 10 Gbps throughput.
Emerging SerDes standards like mobile industry processor interface (MIPI) A-PHY (MIPI A-PHY is a physical layer specification targeted for ADAS/ADS surround sensor applications and Infotainment display applications in automotive) and Automotive SerDes Alliance (ASA) will be implemented by multiple silicon vendors.
This will create a competitive market that acts to drive down the cost while delivering application specific features.
Tech-U-Can-Use (TUCU): Need a wireless charging stand to charge your iPhone 13 or iPhone 12 so you can continue using the phone while it’s still charging? Guest reviewer Jennifer Lee checks out the 7.5W BoostCharge magnetic wireless charger stand from Belkin for her iPhone 13 Pro Max.
#tech4xmas: This BoostCharge wireless charger stand from Belkinmakes a suitable Christmas present for iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 owners. Photo credit: Jennifer Lee.
The magnetic wireless charger stand is MagSafe compatible for iPhone 13 and iPhone 12.
The wireless charger stand is available in black or white.
With MagSafe, it was easy to place my iPhone 13 Pro Max onto the stand – it snaps into place and there is no worries that the placement is misaligned.
There is an LED safety indicator that comes on when the charging commences.
The magnetic attachment is strong enough to hold the iPhone securely.
The stand is great for zoom calls or FaceTime – it holds the phone upright either in portrait or landscape mode.
A 20W USB-C Power Delivery 3.0 power adapter is included in the box.
In addition, the charge pad is protected by a Belkin Connected Equipment Warranty.
The new Huawei Watch GT 3 is the company’s latest smartwatch and offers a staggering 14 days battery life as well as more accurate measurements of vital statistics to monitor health and fitness, and to instrument sports performance for in-depth analysis and more effective training.
Unboxing the Huawei Watch GT 3 health/fitness/sports smartwatch.
It offers improvements which includes features that had debuted with the flagship Huawei Watch 3 and Watch 3 Pro which was released for APAC in July this year.
The new Huawei Watch GT 3
First unveiled last month in October and launched for Singapore less than two weeks ago, the Huawei Watch GT 3 series will hit the shelves on 18 December, with pre-orders beginning today(until 17 December).
#tech4xmas: This will make an ideal Christmas gift for those keen on fitness and good health.
Major improvements over its predecessor in the sporty GT (Gran Turismo or Grand Tourer) line include an upgrade of the operating system from the Lite OS to HarmonyOS 2.1.0, an Apps grid replacing a scrolling menu, additional sensors, more accuracy in measurements and a rotatable crown.
Compared to the muscular flagship Watch 3 Pro, the new Huawei Watch GT 3 feels lighter and is slightly smaller though both watch faces measure 46mm.
The Watch GT 3 does not have the eSIM & Wi-Fi capabilities of the Watch 3 Pro, but has a much longer 14 days battery life.
Tech-U-Can-Use (TUCU): Need to continue using the iPhone while it’s still charging – without interrupting the charging? Guest reviewer Jennifer Lee checks out the 7.5W BoostCharge magnetic wireless charger pad from Belkin for her iPhone 13 Pro Max.
#tech4xmas: This BoostCharge wireless charger pad from Belkinmakes a suitable Christmas present for iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 owners. Photo credit: Jennifer Lee.
The portable wireless charger pad is MagSafecompatible for iPhone 13 and iPhone 12.
It comprises the magnetic disc pad that attaches to the iPhone, and a 2m cable that plugs into the power supply.
Retailing atS$79, the Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Portable Wireless Charger Pad 7.5W (# WIA005) is available in Best Denki stores, Challenger stores, Challenger.sg, Harvey Norman stores, Harveynorman.com.sg, Lazada, Shopee. Photo credit: Jennifer Lee.
Slim and portable, the wireless charger pad is small enough to tuck in the handbag and perfect on the go.
The pad is 60mm in diameter and 11.5mm thick.
The 2m long cable provides added ease to move around while charging and especially if there are only limited wall sockets in the room.
The magnetic attachment is strong and clips onto the phone right away, no worries about misalignment or loose contacts etc.
I was able to continue using the phone (eg. scrolling, pinching the screen and talking on the phone) without worrying about the charger pad coming loose or misaligned if I accidentally jostle it or the phone vibrates on an incoming call.
tech4xmas 2021: The Q Series Quantum Edition (QE) Pro series are the flagship Android TVs by Singapore brand PRISM+. I tried the Q65-QE Pro and found that it indeed offered excellent value-for-money. Quality that’s almost as good as the flagship of established brands – but at a fraction of the price.
The PRISM+ Q65-QE Pro standing pretty in front of my Samsung 55-inch TV. The image quality isn’t far behind but the price is like half. Super value-for-money.
Appearance-wise, the Q65-QE Pro looks really smart with almost no bezel on three edges – left, right and top sides.
Along the bottom of the TV is a 1-cm bezel as well as the brand logo and LED status light on a thin extension below the centre of that bezel.
PRISM+ Q Series QE Pro TVs
PRISM+ makes three sizes for the Q Series QE Pro 4K UHD Android TVs.
86-inch: S$2,999
65-inch: S$1,199
55-inch: S$999
Apart from their different sizes and price tags, all three TVs share the same specifications.
All are bezel-less Quantum IPS panels with 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) resolution offering 1.07 billion colours, running the latest Android TV OS 10.0 with Google Play Store, and 3 years onsite full warranty.
Features include Active HDR10, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, DTS TruSurround, Digital TV, and in-built Chromecast Google Assistant for hands-free voice control.
The TVs are also bundled with free subscriptions with meWATCH (12 mths) and Viu (3 mths).
Connectivity is excellent with 3 x HDMI 2.0, 2 x USB 2.0, Composite AV, Optical Audio (SPDIF) out, RF in, Bluetooth 5.0, Ethernet LAN, and Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz).
Excluding the stand, the panel measures 1447 x 827 x 85 mm with a weight of 19.9kg
Including the stand which is very stable, the TV measures 1447 x 904 x 290 mm, with a weight of 20.15kg.
The TV can also be mounted on the wall with a mounting measuring 400 x 200mm.
Picture quality-wise, Dolby Vision’s HDR technology provides good natural colours, with better tone definition, contrast management and greater detail.
The IPS panel accords a wide viewing angle (178 degrees), while the Quantum Color backlit technology of the series further enhances overall brightness and contrast, as well as greater colour volume and accuracy than similarly priced TVs.
Compared to its predecessors (Q-series), the Q65-QE definitely offers a wider colour gamut and higher dynamic range.
In fact, I find the image quality quite almost as good as my own Samsung 55” TV, which is priced roughly twice the Q65-QE Pro.
Audio wise, I find the 2 x 10W output adequate – I don’t think an external soundbar is necessary, except perhaps to boost the bass.
Xiaomi 11T, together with the Xiaomi 11T Pro and a refreshed Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE, is the latest addition to the Xiaomi 11 family of flagship smartphones. Overall, you get a mid-range smartphone with flagship-level features at a reasonable price.
The Xiaomi 11T comes in 3 colors: Meteorite Gray, Moonlight White, and Celestial Blue.
The Xiaomi 11T & Xiaomi 11T Pro are the company’s first smartphones to do away with the Mi prefix and branding.
Both phones continue the product line’s focus on creators and content creation.
There are two configurations available for the Xiaomi 11T, both with 8GB RAM:
8GB + 256GB (S$649)
8GB + 128GB (S$629)
With only S$20 separating the two configurations, it’s a no-brainer to go for the version with 256GB storage.
Tech-U-Can-Use (TUCU): Guest reviewer Jennifer Lee just received her new iPhone 13 Pro Max so in order to protect it, she got herself the Belkin SCREENFORCE UltraGlass screen protector and applied it herself to the phone. Here’s her experience.
#tech4xmas: This SCREENFORCE UltraGlass screen protectorfrom Belkinmakes an ideal Christmas present for the iPhone 13 Pro Max owner.
I am amazed at how easy the application was.
No fuss, just follow the very simple step by step visual guide (included) using the Easy Align Tray.
Belkin makes it easy and fuss-free to self-apply the SCREENFORCE UltraGlass screen protector DIY, as the reviewer tried out.
Unlike most screen protectors, the Belkin Ultraglass application was flawless, precise and bubble-free even at the first attempt.
The Ultraglass feels seamless on the screen, without any curves or bends and you won’t realise there is another layer of screen protector on top.
Tech-U-Can-Use (TUCU): My mom’s in-box power supply for her phone died on her, so I got her a replacement wall charger – as a replacement and upgrade.
The Belkin BoostCharge USB-C PD 3.0 PPS Wall Charger 25W is an intelligent charger for those new phones that doesn’t include chargers in the box, as a second charger at the office, or simply as a spare/backup charger.
The main features of Belkin’s BoostCharge 25W wall charger can be gleaned from its lengthy name.
It’s a wall charger, it can charge at up to 25W max power, it uses USB-C, it is PD 3.0 certified, and it is equipped with PPS technology.
An e-reader makes a fantastic Christmas present for an avid reader. I’ve gotten my wife the latest Rakuten Kobo Sage for this year’s X’mas. For those who prefer a slightly smaller form-factor (and lower price-tag), the Kobo Libra 2 is also an excellent e-reader.
The Rakuten Kobo Sage (left) and Kobo Libra 2 are both waterproof to IPX8 rating so you can safely read by the pool and in the bath. In this photo, the new Dark Mode is enabled on the Kobo Sage. Notice that the text is clearly legible even under bright sunlight.
The Kobo Sage (S$399.90) and Kobo Libra 2 (S$289.90) are the two latest e-readers that Rakuten Kobo launched in October.
The Kobo Sage is slightly cheaper than Amazon’s flagship Kindle Oasis, while the Kobo Libra 2 is similarly priced to the latest Kindle Paperwhite.
Christmas prezzies for the wife and son who are avid readers. The 8″ Kobo Sage (left, in Dark Mode) and 7″ Kobo Libra 2 (with an audiobook) in their sleepcovers which protects them and doubles up as a stand.
The 8-inch Kobo Sage is the new flagship of Kobo’s e-reader line-up, taking over the baton from the Kobo Forma (S$349.90) which is still available.
Check out other tech4xmas gift ideas that I’ve curated for this year’s Christmas here.
The 7-inch Kobo Libra 2 is the new version that succeeds the Libra H2O that my wife has been using, with great satisfaction, for the past year – it was her Christmas present for last X’mas.
So what are the key improvements of the two new e-readers?
