BRAIN-MACHINE DEVICES 2016

Imagine a paralysed person getting up from a wheelchair. Walking, shopping with his family. Imagine him going to see an Arsenal match in the Champions League and have a beer with his mates, once again.

The mind-machine-interface expert Miguel Nicolelis, a professor at Duke University, was one of the first to explore this field. Control “the machine” with your mind.

With $15 million grant from Brazil’s government, Nicolelis, and his team built an exoskeleton propelled by the wearer’s thoughts. The wearer was expected to stand up and hit the opening ball at World Cup 2014.

On paper, the idea is quite straightforward. Collect the brain signals with an EEG cap, translate them and send them to the machine for processing. However, the signals produced – that way, at that time – were not able to control the exoskeleton.

Some say that Nicolelis failed in his task. He, on the opposite, declared that “those 17 months of hard work” were a success. The truth is that rather than seeing a man rising from a wheelchair and walking, the exoskeleton achieved the task of moving one foot forward to hit the ball.

Two years later and we are in 2016. We know much more about the Brain-Machine interfaces. We understand the human brain better to a point where we want to try telepathy. 2016 is the year when the first functional brain-controlled exoskeleton is “for real.”

I’d say that success in “new technology” means that your device, your gadget or your product can solve a problem. However, “the right time” plays a big part in the success of your idea. It might not be now. It might not be tomorrow. But still, you’ll be successful one day, just don’t give up. Good luck.

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GOOGLE GLASS 2016

It was back in 2012 when Google introduced the world to “the Glass.” A smart pair of glasses that can show you maps, places and how to get there. The glasses that lets you check your e-mails, take pics and also record videos. It was a wonderful gadget.

Geeks all over the world fell in love with it. It became the “must have” gadget if you were a geek. If you saw yourself as a forward thinker. A futurist. A dreamer.

However, by the end of the year, the expectations that the $1.500 wearable PC would be a consumer hit had been shattered. The reason? It just disturbed people. You would be quite right to say that it was not the “right time” again.

Developers stopped working on apps for Glass, and the consumer launch was postponed. Even Google co-founder Sergey Brin, the Glass visionary, was no longer wearing the device.

However, the glass geeks are still there. Even better, the time is right now. We are in 2016. It is the year of Google Glass. Expect a better, polished version this time. In fact, we expect two versions here at WT VOX.

The industrial version of Glass is going to be a success. There’s no doubt about it. Think niche applications. You’ll see the new Glass in the Army. You’ll see the new Glass in the hospitals. You’ll see it in constructions. Google Glass is back and here to stay this time.

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Nike Mag Power Lacing, Back To The Future Boots Launching In 2016

Its been a long time coming but this week to celebrate Back to the Future day Nike has announced and unveiled a pair of Nike Mag power lacing Back to the Future boots, as first seen in Back to the Future Part II.

One of the first pairs of the Nike Mag boots has been sent as a gift to Michael J. Fox’s who’s character Marty McFly within the film got to wear the original, check out the video below to see his reaction.

The 2015 Nike Mag self lacing boot is a limited edition release ad will only be available via auction, with all proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. The specific details on the auctions will be posted to Nike News and via Twitter @Nike in spring 2016. Nike explains more

Almost 30 years ago, Nike was asked to collaborate on a movie that would feature scenes set in the futuristic world of 2015. The brand was challenged to imagine sneakers that would suit the inhabitants of the advanced era. The innovation team, which regularly looks into a crystal ball of athlete insight and technology to project the future of sport, took that task further.

 The resulting Nike Mag reinvented the conventional lacing system, integrating it into an inimitable design that became an enduring beacon of popular culture. As Nike, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Parker put it, “We started creating something for fiction and we turned it into fact, inventing a new technology that will benefit all athletes.”

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Will the Latest Gadget from Apple Sink or Swim?

The Apple Watch has had a good week, beating almost all pre- and post-launchpredictions. However, now that the so-called “need it now” people have purchased the iWatch, will sales and popularity continue to grow?Will it evolve from being just a neat-looking gadget into a really useful, must-have accessory? This is a question that has even Apple executives worried, despite the company making its first significant foray into the wearable technology industry.

Form or Function?

When is a watch not a watch? when it’s the Apple iWatch. Well, not really. Though the 42mm Stainless Steel Case version with a bright blue leather band certainly looks beautiful, it’s not really useful as yet. At times I’ve simply marveled at how the hardware has been surgically designed and constructed, or how the material used is such premium quality. It’s a device that really tries hard to make that much-needed emotional connection with the wearer, which it does in my case, but that’s where the charm really ends.

The big issue right now with the iWatch (all versions of it) is the bugs. While some may attribute this to early-version software issues, I personally think it’s also lacking in functionality. The Uber app refuses to load, the Twitter app is too confusing, and the app I installed for Starwood hotels just froze my iWatch completely. Plus the iWatch is useless until you’ve invested in the Apple ecosystem, which means that you need to have an iPhone 5 or 6 at the very least.

real need for the iWatch.

Most people point to the fitness monitoring aspect of the iWatch as being a so-called killer function but in my experience, as well as that of other early adopters, it has a very long way to go. Though the fitness capabilities may mature into a juggernaut ina few years, today they just don’t work beyond showing your heart rate and calorie burn.

But there is potential and we’d certainly like to see the apps on the iWatch work independently of the iPhone; after all, what’s the point of having a wearable computer when you have to rely on your cell phone for everything other than checking notifications?

The price for the Apple Watch starts at $350, and goes all the way up to a whopping $17,000. This is a lot for a gadget which at present offers sub-par battery life, a buggy experience and has difficulty working independently of Apple’s ecosystem. However, on the flip side,Apple has managed to bring much-needed visibility to the wearables market, and this will eventually benefit everyone owing to increased consumer traction.

We will soon see Samsung and other manufacturers introducing their versions of wearable computers. But for now the current first-generation iWatch is a sure sinker. It’s best suited for someone who has a few hundred dollars extra which they don’t mind using to explore the new iWatch’s beauty and marvel at its engineering.

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Is the Graava Camera a Gimmick or Does it Really Work as Advertised?

Cyclist Bruno Gregory nearly died on camera when he and a friend were recording their trip through Berkeley Hills. The duo were the victims of a hit and run, but lucky for them the camera caught the driver’s license plate number. As a token of appreciation for his camera the Brazilian entrepreneur left it mounted on his bike but said he didn’t bother to turn it on because editing the videos would be a chore. It would even be a chore for him to watch his own videos unedited, and this is where the inspiration for Graava Camera kicked in.

Most of us who are serious about documenting and sharing important moments in our lives have a decent GoPro rig. But editing hours of footage just to make things interesting enough for others to watch can be a chore. Graava promises not just to record images, but also to take the hefty burden of editing off your shoulders.

The action camera uses an array of sensors like an accelerometer, microphone and GPS to detect various highlights in the footage. So, in theory, all you need to do is to choose how long you want the highlights to be and the editing app simply puts together all the best parts and matches it to a song of your choice,which can then be shared across almost every medium. But does it really work as advertised?

The Specifications

We weren’t too impressed with the 8-megapixel photo camera, which also doubled as a 1080p 30 fps video camera with three hours of continuous shooting capabilities. Though the launch is scheduled for February 2016, the specifications and the demos we saw online didn’t impress. So, the USP of the setup, and perhaps its saving grace, is the automated software editor.

If it can reliably pull out and piece together the best moments, it would be something totally unexpected from a $750,000 start-up. With the ability to easily share the highlights across social networks like Twitter and YouTube, the Graava could possibly generate acquisition interest.

Does this mean no more editing in 2016?

Graava is a camera that becomes part of the solution and not the problem after you’ve recorded your video. The sensors built into the camera will detect major visual changes like acceleration, audio cues and even moving objects to determine which moment is important. The demo we were treated to showed the software automatically editing what may have been eight hours of footage recorded from a camera mounted on a running motorcycle.

The software sorted everything into clips of the riders coming from over the hills and those of beautiful views, footage of riders giving each other a satisfied nod were also pasted into the highlight reel. The camera cleverly snipped off parts where the riders were stuck in traffic, wrestling with a busted tire or just endlessly following each other in formation.

However, there’s a difference between editing the footage of a couple of riders and that of your kids or perhaps wildlife. When you have fast-movingfootage how will the camera distinguish from perhaps thousands of scene shifts every 30 minutes? It’s reasonable to assume, based on the demo, that the editing software will only work with the type of footage that runs continuously and seldom varies enough to be noticed by the software. Perhaps there may be certain tweaks that may make editing easier, but it’s certainly not something that can be handled on the fly for every type of footage.  How much time the camera and its software will save is anyone’s guess at this point.

The Bottom Line

Though we are still sceptical about it, the proof of the pudding is in the eating; if the software really works it will attract a whole new generation of people who never wanted to buy a GoPro for obvious reasons. And the $249 price tag is pretty attractive, even if you don’t record a lot of video on a regular basis.

One of the biggest drawbacks is that there is no 4k mode, and you need to buy an SD card of your own. The setup can eventually end up costing you a good $400, butyou’ll get twice the battery life of the GoPro. At the end of the day the Graava will only sell if the editing software is as smart as advertised.

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SG iOS Bluetooth Keyboard

Yes, Bluetooth keyboards are at present flooding the market, butmost of them are still not perfected for use with your iOS device. Many are designed for multiple operating systems and so they fail to shine when it comes to making it easier to type or access specific files. However, Stunning Gadget’s bluetooth keyboard has been designed and built with the iOS in mind. Though it can be hooked up to other Bluetooth-enabled devices, its short cut keys are best with Apple systems, and it’s very easy to type lengthy pieces of text on your tablet.

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Lantronix Zano Quadcopter

While small ‘copters and quadcopters are nothing new, what really makes the Lantronix Zano stand out is its tiny size and the fact that it can be controlled by an app. The quadcopter uses sensors which allow it to hover and avoid obstacles. Though a price has not been mentioned, its safe to say its going to be over $500. An expensive toy for techies.

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Stunning Gadgets Solar Battery Charger

Not your ordinary solar battery charger, is the first impression we got. Stunning Gadgets sells new technology which is designed to be rugged, which is why they have no problem backing their products up with a lifetime guarantee. The Solar Battery Charger sports a built-in 5000mAh Battey, two charging ports and highly efficient solar cells. The tough design makes it an excellent companion for hiking and camping trips, and it can prove to be invaluable when the national grid goes down. A must-have in today’s gadget-centric universe.

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This Drone Wants to Replace Your Selfie Stick

Taking selfies using a selfie stick is so 2015. One company at this year’s CES has a whole new approach to the problem: A drone. Called Lily, the gadget walked away with one of show’s Best of Innovations awards in Unmanned Systems and Accessories for its “throw-and-shoot,” a technology designed to catch video of you without the need for any controls.

The way Lily works is simple: just throw the drone in the air and start moving. Lily has 20 minutes of flight time and will follow you down the slopes, out on the water on your jet ski or even on a run around the block. The possibilities are endless. While it is up in the air, documenting your every move, the device can capture 12-megapixel stills as well as 1080p video at 60 frames per second (fps), or fast-motion video at 720p and 120fps. And it will make sure you never leave the shot, something even the most skilled cameraman will have trouble with when it comes to sports videography.

The drone is able to track you thanks to a small receiver you need to keep in a pocket or attach to you in some way. Audio is also recorded using that receiver that can later be synced with your video.

Several pre-programmed flight paths allow you to dictate exactly how you want the drone to follow you. For instance, you might set it to catch video of you from the front, or decide you’d rather have it trailing behind or beside you. Lily can hover in place over a stationary activity, or follow you at a speed of up to 25 mph. It can hover at a maximum of 50 feet above you and a minimum of five feet above your head, ensuring it stays close while not so close it might hit you. Lily is also waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about it getting too close to the lake or getting damaged in a light rainstorm.

After you’re done flying, simply summon Lily back to you using the tracking device, and the drone will land in your hand, ready to head out on your next adventure.

The 2.8-pound device is the brainchild of co-founders Henry Bradlow and Antoine Baresque. The two met while studying at UC Berkeley and working in the UC Berkeley Robotics Laboratory. The company was founded in 2013, and has raised $16 million from High Line Venture Partners, SV Angel and Upside Partnership, among others.

Lily is expected to ship next month, and is currently available for preorder for $799. The price will eventually rise to $999

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Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator

Our kitchens are getting smarter by the year. This year Samsung introduced its new Family Hub Refrigerator designed to do a whole lot more than just store your food. On the outside of the fridge is a 21.5-inch Android tablet that can display your family’s calendar as well as things like notes and photos. A camera inside the fridge snaps a picture each time you close it, recording what’s inside so you can check in from anywhere and see if you’re out of something. (So, when you do use that last bit of salad dressing, you can also order groceries right from the refrigerator door and have them delivered to your home.) Other features include music streaming through its built-in speakers and the ability to watch TV through screen mirroring with a Samsung Smart TV. Pricing and release date info for the fridge has yet to be announced.

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Fitbit Blaze

Smartwatches are all the rage these days, and Fitbit is getting in on the game with its new Fitbit Blaze. Like other wearables, the $199 Blaze can track your movement, heart rate and sleep. Even better, it can figure out what activities you’re participating in on its own, with no need to enter an “exercise” mode when you hop on the elliptical. Also built into the wearable is the ability to get notifications for things like text messages, calendar entries and phone calls from your smartphone.

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Oculus Rift

The consumer version of Oculus Rift is finally headed our way. Facebook used CES as an opportunity to announce consumer availability and pricing for the VR headset. Unlike some other virtual reality devices on the market that use smartphones for the display, Rift has its own built-in display designed specifically for VR. The Facebook-owned device has a high refresh rate, allowing users to become fully immersed in the virtual world.  Available now for $599, the headset ships with a sensor for motion tracing as well as an Xbox One controller.

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Chevy Bolt EV

Finally, there’s an electric car that’s affordable for the average consumer. Chevrolet’s new 2017 Bolt EV has a 200-mile range, more than doubling the range of other consumer models out there. Set to launch later this year, the car also has a number of built-in tech features including Bluetooth low energy, which will automatically set the vehicle’s seat, temperature and other personalized TK to the driver's personal settings as he or she approaches the vehicle to drive. The car is priced at $37,500 ($30,000 after tax credits), making it within reach of everyday consumers.

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EHang 184

Forget flying a drone. What if you could be flown by a drone? EHang’s 184 drone is a quadcopter with one unique feature: it can carry a person. Once someone climbs inside she just tells the drone where to go, and it navigates her there with no need for any pilot skills. The drone can fly at a maximum altitude of 11,000 feet, has a top speed of 60 mph and has 23 minutes airtime.  It’s not going to be a replacement for an airplane, but it could ultimately be something you use to make that morning commute a little easier, that is if the FAA approves use of the gadget. No release date is available but when it does hit the market, the estimated starting price will be $300,000.

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IPhone 7 preorders could start September 9

Consumers eyeing the iPhone 7 may be able to preorder it starting Friday, September 9.

No, Apple hasn't announced anything. Rather, the purported preorder date was leaked in a tweet Wednesday night from generally reliable leaker Evan Blass, aka @evleaks. Blass' tweetsaid simply: "Confirmed: Pre-orders start on the 9th. You can extrapolate the launch event date from there."

Blass didn't reveal where he got the information, but September 9 is around the same date last year when preorders for the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus started, namely September 12. Blass' suggestion to "extrapolate the launch event date from there" is easy enough since iPhone sales typically kick off a week after preorders start. On Saturday, Blass already offered a tip via Twitter that the iPhone 7 will launch Friday, September 16.

Analysts and other Apple watchers will be paying close attention to preorder and launch weekend numbers for the iPhone 7. Apple's smartphone sales have declined the past two quarters, leaving the company stuck trying to find a way to boost demand. Many reports say this year's model will offer only modest changes and that Apple is saving major enhancements for next year's edition, but that is all speculation based on limited knowledge.

The rumored new features include stereo speakers, a larger camera lens and dual camera lenses for the iPhone 7 Plus. But another new report suggests Apple may have something up its sleeve for the iPhone 7's home button.

The home button for the new phone will be flat, flush with the surface of the screen, according to Japanese blog site Makotakara. Rather than being the traditional physical button of iPhones past that gives when you press it, the new button would simply respond with a vibration when touched. That could open the door for a 3D Touch-type feature to make its way to the home button.

A September 9 preorder date would mean that Apple's launch event for the iPhone 7 would likely take place the week of September 5. Last year's launch event occurred September 9, a few days before preorders began. September 5 is Labor Day, so that wouldn't work. And unless Apple holds the iPhone 7 event earlier in the month, it will probably take place September 6 or 7.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 7: Release date, news, specs, rumours, images and price

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 7

Update: (29 July 2016): The latest leak suggests that the Galaxy Note 7 will be released on August 16, in Amsterdam anyway. That's exactly two weeks after the official unveiling, currently scheduled for August 2.

Phablet fans rejoice, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is coming. And it’s coming soon. Samsung has confirmed the Galaxy Note 7 release date for August 2, with a launch taking place in New York City along with an extra event in London, England. This will kick off at 16:00 (BST) and we’ll be there live.

If you’re eager to find out everything about Sammy’s latest phablet then you’ve come to the right place. Here’s all the features, specs and pricing information you need to know.

The Note line is often seen as the top phone in Samsung’s line-up. It’s not as mass-market friendly as the Galaxy S series, but it often pushes things further with better specs. Likely features this year include a 5.7-inch Quad-HD Super AMOLED display, 12-megapixel Dualpixel camera and a water-resistant body, but you should also be expecting a price of around £725.

You might now be wondering what happened to the Galaxy Note 6. Did you accidentally oversleep and skip a whole generation of Samsung phablets? Fear not: it looks like Samsung has decided to ignore the Note 6 name completely. Apparently (and this is definitely an 'apparently', not confirmed), Samsung is keen to bring the Note branding in line with Galaxy S-series. And the iPhone. Both of which are on '7' in 2016. It makes sense...sort of.

We've also seen the first official TV ad for the Note 7 from Samsung Mobile Korea, which hints at a bunch of things, including a fingerprint scanner, an iris scanner, waterproofing, a stylus, and the 'Note 7' name. Check it out:

Read more at http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/samsung-galaxy-note-7-release-date-news-specs-rumours-images-price-uk#GS6hyGATIjcbR9BF.99

LATEST GALAXY NOTE 7 NEWS:

When does the Galaxy Note 7 come out? August 2, 2016

What’s new about the Galaxy Note 7? QHD screen, 256GB storage, Android N, Always-on screen

How much will the Galaxy Note 7 cost? £600-725

Watch Now: Everything you need to know about the Galaxy Note 7

Read more at http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/samsung-galaxy-note-7-release-date-news-specs-rumours-images-price-uk#GS6hyGATIjcbR9BF.99

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 7 RELEASE DATE UK & US – WHEN WILL THE NEW GALAXY NOTE 7 COME OUT?

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 release date is August 2, 2016. That’s not strictly confirmed, but it’s as good as.

Samsung is hosting a dedicated Samsung Unpacked event here in London, with proceedings kicking off at 16:00 (BST). On the invitation, Samsung included a stylus graphic captioned with the text ‘7 UNPACKED 2016’. If that isn’t confirmation, we don’t know what is.

Perhaps the more pertinent question is when the phone will actually be released. Samsung’s previous Note release dates have been mixed:

• Galaxy Note 5 – August
• Galaxy Note 4 – October
• Galaxy Note 3 – September

As such, it’s hard to pin down an exact release date. However, rumour has it that the Galaxy Note 7 will go on sale the same day as the announcement. That doesn’t fit with Samsung’s traditional launch style, but anything is possible. We’ll find out for sure on August 2.

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 7 DESIGN – WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE?

Rumour has it that Samsung is expected to use a metal-and-glass design for the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. That’s not a big surprise; the company has long since ditched its plasticky aesthetic.

We’re still not clear on exact dimensions. Depending on who you listen to, it’s either going to be 153 x 74.5 x 7.8mm or 1535 x 73.9 x 7.9mm. Neither are hugely different, and they’re both fairly svelte.

Perhaps the biggest design change is the screen. Samsung is reportedly planning to offer the Galaxy Note 7 with a curved dual-edge display, just like the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. Importantly, it’s expected that there won’t be a traditional flat display variant at all. This isn’t confirmed of course, but worth noting.

And finally, we’re expecting Samsung Galaxy Note 7 colours to include black, silver, and blue.

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 7 SCREEN

Many suspected that Samsung would finally make the leap to a 4K/Ultra HD display with the Galaxy Note 7. Unfortunately, it seems like Samsung will instead stick with a QHD panel.

The best evidence we have so far is a tweet posted by prolific tipster and journalist Evan Blass, who has a reliable track record for leaks. According to Blass, the handset will feature a 5.7-inch QHD (2,560 x 1,440 pixels) Super AMOLED display.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 5 shipped with a 5.7-inch display with a QHD resolution, which worked out at a 518-ppi pixel density. The screen went down well with consumers, so we see no immediate reason why Samsung should switch up its strategy.

Perhaps the only real incentive for Samsung to finally adopt a 4K panel would be for virtual reality. Samsung has already shown its interest in the sector with Gear VR, and it’s widely accepted that higher-density displays are far better for virtual reality, mainly due to the proximity of your eyes to the display when a phone is docked in a headset.

It’s also worth noting that the Snapdragon 820, the processor the powers a healthy chunk of Samsung Galaxy S7 devices, already supports native 4K displays running at 60fps. The Galaxy Note 7 will be using an equivalent – or maybe even newer – processor, so there’s no risk of the chip not supporting a 4K screen.

We're also expecting to see the Always-on display plucked from the Galaxy S7, so you'll be able to spot your notifications directly from the lock-screen with touching any buttons.

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 7 SPECS

Full spec list: An article published by 9to5google revealed the entire Note 7 spec list, and says the details have been "independently confirmed". Here's the spec sheet, as told by the Google fan blog:

• 5.7-inch QHD AMOLED
• Gorilla Glass 5
• 12MP rear camera
• 5MP front-facing camera
• IP68 water and dust resistance
• 3,500 mAh battery
• Iris scanner, fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity
• USB Type-C
• Android 6.0.1
• Bluetooth/WiFi B/G/N/AC
• NFC
• Onyx, silver titanium, blue coral

Processor: Samsung has recently adopted the strategy of using different chips in different markets. It’s rumoured that the Galaxy Note 7 will continue that trend.

Nothing is confirmed, but we’re expecting that Galaxy Note 7 handsets sold in East Asia will feature the Exynos 8890, a custom-built chip manufactured by Samsung. In western markets, meanwhile, the Galaxy Note 7 is instead tipped to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820. Both chips are about as good as each other, so put the pitchforks down folks.

Interestingly, Qualcomm recently unveiled the Snapdragon 821, which is marginally faster (by about 10%) than the Snapdragon 820. We don’t have a definitive launch date for the chip (Qualcomm says the second half of 2016), but it’s already been confirmed for use in the Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe.

Could it feature in the Galaxy Note 7? Absolutely. Although the chip has only just been announced, it’s likely that manufacturers have been, at the very least, savvy to its existence. We certainly wouldn’t be surprised to see it featured in the Galaxy Note 7.

RAM: After the OnePlus 3 launched with an impressive 6GB of RAM on board, speculation that the Galaxy Note 7 would match the offer soon followed.

Earlier this year, Samsung unveiled a 10nm 6GB RAM chip, which many assumed would make its way to the Galaxy Note 7. That said, the case for having a 6GB RAM module in a smartphone isn’t great. It’s arguably more of a future-proofing feature than a necessity, at least by 2016’s standards.

We’d expect to see 4GB or 6GB. Unfortunately, we can’t pin down which one just yet.

Storage: The main storage rumour is that Samsung will load an incredible 256GB of memory into the Galaxy Note 7, with a base option 64GB for more frugal users.

But wait, it gets better. It’s also been widely reported that the phone will feature UFS 2.0 (Universal Flash Storage), which is an ultra-fast embedded memory standard. It’s reportedly 2.7x faster at reading files than eMMC 5.0 you find in most smartphones, and consumes about 50% less energy

We already know that Samsung is capable of manufacturing this sort of module. In fact, the company recently released a 256GB UFS 2.0 card that looks set to trample all over MicroSD as the mobile memory standard. The good thing is that old MicroSD cards should still work.

In other storage news, a report from Sammobile published in July claims that Samsung is doubling the amount of built-in storage from 32GB to 64GB. The site obtained an image showing model listings from mobile network giant South Korean Telecom, seemingly revealing a newly lofty base storage. However, it's not yet clear if this would be true across all launch regions.

USB-C: Pretty much every phone launched in the last year has been rumoured to carry the new USB Type-C standard. And yet most flagships still aren’t using it. Samsung failed to adopt the technology with the Galaxy S7, so the Note 7 is the next likely candidate.

But what is USB-C? It’s just a new physical connection, intended as a replacement for older systems like Micro USB. It’s reversible like Apple’s Lightning cable, and has the potential to offer faster charging, faster file transfers, and generally greater utility than alternatives.

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 7 CAMERA

One of the best Samsung Galaxy S7 features was its 12-megapixel DualPixel camera. This exceptional snapper has consistently been ranked as the best smartphone camera that money can buy right now. We’d be very, very, very surprised if Samsung didn’t use the same camera in the Galaxy Note 7.

It’s also been rumoured that the Galaxy Note 7 will offer a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.

Earlier this year, reports out of Taiwan suggested that the Galaxy Note 7 would feature a dual-lens camera, as cited by China’s ZOL industry news site.

Samsung has already designed its own dual-lens camera under Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., a part of Samsung Group. When the news broke back in March, the company reportedly had plans to begin mass-manufacturing of the dual-lens module as soon as July this year.

This move wouldn’t be a surprise. After all, Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus – also rumoured for launch this year – has been tipped to feature a dual-lens camera. Both LG and Huawei recently debuted the technology on the LG G5 and Huawei P9 smartphones.

Dual-lens cameras offer a number of benefits compared to conventional single-lens arrangements. These potential improvements include wider-angle image capture, better zoom, adjustable post-capture focusing, and improved lightin

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Camera Rumors 2016: the biggest and best camera rumors around

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Canon's capable all-rounder looks set to get 4K video recording and be more sport-friendly

Predicted specs: Full-frame 24-36Mp sensor | 4K video capability | 8fps continuous shooting

Following the arrival of the 50Mp Canon EOS 5DS and 5DS R, the pressure is somewhat off the 5D Mark IV in the pixel count stakes. However, we expect to see a slight jump for the next model, with a 24Mp full-frame sensor seeming probable, although Canon may decide to take things a little higher.

We expect this camera to continue to be Canon's most video-centric full-frame stills camera, and 4K capability is a logical addition to the feature set, along with greater control over contrast in the guise of a dynamic range-expanding C-Log gamma option. The ability to shoot full HD at 120fps would also be popular with slow-mo lovers.

It would also mean that we might see dual CFast 2.0 and SDXC UHS-II card slots, especially for internal 4K capture, while we should also see the latest DIGIC 6+ processors featured.

While the 5DS and 5DS R have very capable autofocusing systems, the lower resolution of the 5D Mark IV makes it a more sensible choice for shooting sport. We expect an improved AF system, possibly with the same 61-point AF system found in the flagship EOS-1D X Mark II, along with a maximum continuous shooting rate of at least 8fps.

We're 99% certain that the 150,000-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor with 252 zones and Intelligent Scene Analysis, and the Intelligent Viewfinder II, both of which are found in the 5DS/R, will also be in the new camera.

Canon EOS 6D Mark II

Canon needs to up its game to maintain the interest of enthusiast photographers

Predicted specs: At least 24Mp full-frame sensor | 6fps continuous shooting | Vari-angle touchscreen

We loved the EOS 6D when it first came out, but at almost four years old, it's looking quite tired now and its specs don't compare that well with the Nikon D750's. As Canon's 'entry-level' full-frame camera it occupies an important position in the EOS lineup, making it a shoe-in for a refresh.

Until the 5DS and 5DS R came along Canon was quite conservative about pixel count. Jumping from 20 to 24Mp would be enough for many photographers, but some may expect closer to 36 million. A relatively high pixel count would make the 6D Mark II much more attractive to existing Mark I owners.

With just 11 points, the 6D's AF system is rather lacklustre, and we think the new model will see a big jump in this area, perhaps up to 61 to match the 5D Mark III. Low light and continuous shooting performance also needs to improve, and a maximum sensitivity of ISO 204,800 seems likely along with 6fps shooting. Wi-Fi, NFC and GPS technology also seem likely, and we're hoping there will be a vari-angle touchscreen as well, as on the APS-C format EOS 80D, to make the camera more user-friendly.

Canon EOS M4

Could 2016 be the year that Canon shows it's serious about the mirrorless market?

Predicted specs: Built-in viewfinder | Improved AF system | Extended lens range

While Canon's CSC range, dubbed EOS M, has proved capable of producing high-quality images, the cameras have been let down by under-performing autofocus systems and a lack of commitment from the manufacturer – there's still a very limited lens lineup.

Canon makes some fantastic SLRs, but many users prefer the more modern design of a mirrorless camera and the advantages of a full-time live view. Other companies, like Fuji, Olympus, Panasonic and Sony have managed to produce fast and accurate AF systems for their CSCs, so it surely can't be beyond Canon if it puts some effort into it. Add a few more lenses and a built-in viewfinder and the M4 could be a big success

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