This week on The Refresh, Samsung officially ceases production of the Galaxy Note 7, the Sony Xperia X Compact gets reviewed, Microsoft Hololens comes to the UK and what’s the best VR headset? We battle it out in our weekly
Head-to-Head.
Galaxy Note 7 production halted
Samsung announced it will cease production on the Galaxy Note 7 after a spate of the phones have caught fire or even exploded.
It has advised owners to stop using their phones and switch them off immediately.
This is all after a global recall on September 2nd and, despite replacing a large number of phones, it appears that the issue remains as reports of replacement Note 7’s catching fire are still emerging.
Samsung has promised to dispose of the phones safely, that is, as long as you don’t use Royal Mail to return them. The postage service announced they will not carry the fire-prone devices – putting the 10,000 or so UK residents with the phone in limbo.
Best VR Headset? You decide!
It’s the Trusted Reviews Awards season so our virtual reality experts Evan Kypreos and Brett Phipps went head-to-head over which is the best VR Headset.
Evan backed the HTC Vive while Brett got behind PlayStation’s VR headset. No takers for the Google Cardboard?
Sony Xperia X Compact review
Meanwhile, mobile editor Max Parker got to grips with the new Sony Xperia X Compact. A cult bestseller when the line was launched a few years back, but Sony may have made one compromise too many with its latest offering.
Microsoft HoloLens UK launch
Good news for HoloLens fans, Microsoft has finally announced that pre-orders for its augmented reality headset are now available across the pond. That is, of course, if you’ve a spare three grand lying behind your sofa.
It’s not just Europe, viewers in Australia and New Zealand will join France, Ireland, Germany and the UK in being able to get their hands on one by November.
Of course, it’s only a developer version so we will have to wait and see what Microsoft come up with for its final retail model.
Pushing a Pedal-Powered Bike to 90MPH
If your morning commute involves you getting on a packed train, why not try travelling to work using pedal power. Too slow? Try ETA, a bike that tops out at nearly 90 miles per hour.
Toronto-based Aerovelo broke its own world human powered speed challenge record in September at Battle Mountain, Nevada.
Wheels spin three times faster than a normal road bike and have a 93-tooth chainring that powers the lightweight carbon fibre body along at lightning speed.
Related: iPhone 7 Plus Camera Guide – can it match a DSLR?
That’s it for now, stay tuned to TR and join us next week for another episode of the Refresh.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
