At the end of April 2017, Vodafone launched a new LTE CPE called “GigaCube”. Like Vodafone other 4G router, the new router GigaCube also comes from Huawei and the factory model number is B528. The Huawei B528 has a modern LTE modem with CAT6 with support of WLAN hotspot and Gigabit LAN. Today we will show what the router can do and its specifications.
Features and characteristics of Vodafone GigaCube
Manufacturer and type:
Huawei B528s-23a
Chipset:
HiSilicon Balong 722
LTE category:
LTE CAT6 (300 MBit/s)
Download rate up to:
300 MBit
Upload rate up to:
50 MBit
Supported LTE bands
800, 900, 1500, 1800, 2100, 2600 (FDD),
and 2600 MHz(TDD)
Downwards compatible with:
GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, DC-HSPA+
Support for LTE-Advanced:
Yes
MIMO Support:
Yes, 2×2 MIMO
Connection for external antenna:
Yes
Network |LAN & WLAN
LAN Ports:
1 x GBit port
WLAN Standards:
802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz)
5 GHz WLAN Support:
Yes
Encryption:
WPS/WPA/WPA2
WLAN Hotspot Function:
Yes, up to 64 users
Others
Telephony
VOIP via RJ11 port (eg SIP)
Others
WAN port
Yes
IPv6 Dual Stack
Yes
Battery pack:
No
Dimension:
105 x 90 x 181 mm at 366 g
USB:
No
Memory Card Expansion:
No
Release:
April 2017
Price:
From 1 € with Vodafone Cube tariff
available at:
»Vodafone and www.4gltemall.com
Information
Quick start guide:
» Download (PDF)
Detailed manual:
not yet available
LTE CAT 6 modem
The Vodafone GigaCube router, also named Huawei B528s-23a, internally has a modern HiSilicon modem (Balong 722) which supports LTE category 6. In principle, the wireless connection can reach up to 300 MBit/s fast. In the upload, a maximum of 50 MBit/s can be achieved. The chip also supports the most important LTE bands for use in Europe. In detail, the LTE Bands includes band 1, 3, 7, 8, 20 and 32. If the LTE reception is not given, the GigaCube router can also switch to GMS or UMTS/HSDPA. Abroad, Vodafone excludes the use anyway! So you must get the unlocked Vodafone GigaCube if you want to use it abroad.
WLAN function with the GigaCube router
The GigaCube also provide the WLAN module supporting up to WLAN ac, so that wireless LAN with gigabit speed is also possible. The hotspot can bring up to 64 devices on the Internet simultaneously. On this point, the B528 is really powerful than its predecessor Huawei E5180 and E5170.
Other characteristics
Fortunately, there are two antenna ports on the back of the GigaCube router. According to Vodafone, the focus is on use in the stationary and in remote areas. This means you can use the router both at home as a DSL replacement or just traveling as a mobile Internet connection. Mobile use is officially excluded. Thanks to the antenna connections, the reception strength can also be improved in remote areas via external LTE antenna. The B528 also does not have an information display, but only 4 Info-LEDs on the front. These give the user the most important back-ups, such as signal strength.
The only annoyance with the GigaCube router is that it was dispensed with even a battery. Thus, a permanent, stationary power supply is required. Also the GigaCube missed an SD card slot or USB port. Telephone is not possible by the way.
Conclusion
Based on the Huawei B528, Vodafone offers a powerful, modern router for its GigaCube. The model is practical and comes without much fault. Only the missing battery is annoying. We would do the performance test once we get the GigaCube in hand, keep close eye on www.4gltemall.com if you are interested in Vodafone GigaCube or Huawei B528 LTE Cube.
Huawei had released a new 4G LTE Mobile WiFi a few days ago in Suadi Arabia, named Mobile WiFi Pro 2, which is to replace the current Mobile WiFi Pro E5770 on the market. As a 4G pocket router with practical functions, Huawei Mobile WiFi Pro 2 comes too later than that we expected.
Like its predecessor Huawei E5770, the Huawei Mobile WiFi Pro 2 combines the pocket router and power bank function into one device. It can not only provide wireless network through WiFi & Ethernet cable for high-speed internet connection, but also charge other electrical devices.
Appearance
Huawei Mobile WiFi Pro 2 upper surface features a high-definition OLED screen with a 0.96 inch diameter. And it is decorated with artistic patterns and a unique contrast in the used materials, while maintaining a user-friendly operating button. The Mobile WiFi Pro 2 uses a metal frame in the middle and also provides a stylish leather handle that caters to the tastes of users and provides the port for charging smart devices and for Ethernet cable. There is also Micro-SIM card slot and extra slot for Micro SD card of up to 32GB.
LTE Advanced (Cat.6) Support
With Huawei Hisilicon LTE Cat6 chipset, Huawei Mobile WiFi Pro 2 could support LTE-Advanced networks on LTE Category 6, which means it could achieve peak download speed to 300mbps and upload speed to 50Mbps on LTE networks. The speeds are almost double of that of the first generation Huawei Mobile WiFi E5770 on LTE Cat.4 networks. Of course, they are both backward with 3G UMTS/DC-HSPA+ and 2G GSM, which would be available once LTE network is missed.
WLAN Improvement
Huawei also improved the wireless function for Mobile WiFi pro 2 to support maximum up to 32 WiFi-enabled devices, while the Huawei E5770 Mobile WiFi Pro supports only 11 users simultaneously. The WLAN features 802.11a/b/g/n/ac on dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz, but the Huawei E5770 had missed the ac standard and had only single band WiFi.
Large Battery Capacity of 6400mAh
The battery of Huawei Mobile WiFi Pro 2 is 6400mAh, it’s totally a common mobile power bank which can not only keep itself working for long time and also charge other terminals such as smartphones, Pads in case of power off. However, the capacity of 6400mAh may not be the best, because we know Huawei also had one Mobile WiFi named Huawei E5771 Mobile WiFi Plus, which has the large battery to 9600mAh. And other features are very similar to E5770.
Easy Connection without password
By using Huawei Mobile WiFi Pro 2, a connection can be established and devices can be identified using NFC technology or QR code and Huawei’s application HiLink without the need to search for the network and enter password to join the Wi-Fi network.
Here now, the Huawei Mobile WiFi Pro 2 is not yet available on the market, but we are keen to get this new 4G pocket router. We will show the test report once we get it. You can also keep close eye on www.4gltemall.com to get new information about Huawei Mobile WiFi Pro 2 and other 4G mobile broadband.
Huawei E5787 4G+ is a new mobile LTE Hotspot which has been released last year and now it’s available for many network providers in Asia and Europe. This is the successor to the popular Huawei E5786 from the year 2014. As the predecessor, the E5786 modem supports up to 300 MBit/s in the downlink (LTE category 6), technically speaking, not much has changed. The new Huawei E5787 has the large touch screen on the front, with which the hotspot is particularly easy to use. In the test, you will see the detail features of the Huawei E5787 and the specifications.
Huawei E5787
Appearance
The Huawei E5787 4g+ MiFi is available in black and white. The device is slightly smaller than the predecessor Huawei E5786 and works overall quite inconspicuous. The large touchscreen display is visible on the front, but an LED indication is not available. At the top of the hotspot is the power button, there is a micro-USB port as well as two TS-9 antenna connectors. In addition to the power supply and USB charging cable, it also includes a small hand loop in the package, which can be attached to the router.
The first impression is quite good. After inserting the SIM card as well as the battery (nano-SIM cards with adapter on MicroSIM work safely) you have to start the Huawei E5787 over a long press on the power button. If you do not use a completely exotic provider, the LTE Hotspot configures itself completely automatically and after entering the SIM PIN you are already online.
Technical specifications
The Huawei E5787 is sold worldwide in several variants, which support different frequency ranges. The Huawei E5787s-33a is available in Europe and is compatible with all frequency bands that are important in Europe but can also be used on other continents. Unfortunately, with the chipset has not changed in comparison to the predecessor, there is still “only” LTE Cat6 with 300 MBit/s. Many smartphones such as the Huawei P10 or the Samsung Galaxy S8 are already offered at least 600 MBit/s in the downlink with a higher-level chipset, and the Netgear AirCard 810 touch screen hotspot is also providing faster service.
Manufacturer & Model:
Huawei E5787s-33a
Technologies:
LTE / 4G (Cat6) | UMTS / 3G GSM / 2G
Frequency ranges:
* LTE: 800/850/900/1800/2100/2600
* UMTS: 850/900/1900/2100
* GSM: 850/900/1800/1900
Maximum speed:
* LTE: 300Mbps down, 50Mbit/s up
* UMTS: 42.2 Mbit/s down, 5.76 Mbps up (when using DC-HSPA+)
* GSM: 236 kbps (when using EDGE)
WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS
802.11a/b/g/n/ac to 867 Mbps 2 × 2 MIMO | 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz
Software tested:
Firmware version: 21.312.11.00.00
Others:
* 2 x external antenna connector (type TS-9)
* Touchscreen 2.4 inch
* Replaceable battery 3,000 mAh
* MicroUSB connector
Operation & Touchscreen
The E5787 is Huawei’s first mobile WLAN router with touch-screen operation. The display is 2.4 inches in size and provides a color display. The plastic cover over the display reflects quite strongly and the display quality of the display is not comparable to that of current smartphones, but much worse. You can recognize all the contents well, but when you look at the display, it is somewhat brighter. But the response of the screen is good, and usually one seldom uses the display at an LTE Hotspot.
The speed of the software and the response speed of the touchscreen could be convincing. Huawei offers a much better experience in the E5787 hotspot than Netgear AirCard 790 or AirCard 810 Hotspot. Also, the software is quite appealing, without losing the functionality from the eye.
On the start screen, all important functions are displayed by default. This includes a large time display including the date as well as the status bar Information about the reception, WLAN and battery. Access to further functions or the settings is obtained by unlocking the E5787 with a “Swipe” to the left. In the main menu, there are the 6 menu items “Connection Wizard”, “Energy Saving Mode”, “SSID and Password”, “SMS”, “Settings” and “Info”.
In addition to the touchscreen operation, a web interface is also available, which can be accessed via the IP address 192.168.8.1. In addition, the Huawei HiLink app is also available for iOS and Android, with which a configuration is also possible.
LTE up to 300 MBit/s
Theoretically, the Huawei E5787 with its LTE Cat6 modem reaches speeds of up to 300 MBit/s in the downlink. For this purpose, the hotspot bundles two frequency bands by carrier aggregation technology provided that the mobile radio network also makes this technology available. In the test, speed tests were carried out with SIM cards from Vodafone and Telekom, but only in the frequency range around 800 megahertz, in particular, to be able to test the reception and the speed in remote areas. The Huawei E5787 made a good figure here, especially in comparison with various smartphones, reception is often better and the data rates were slightly higher. In case of doubt, an external antenna can also be connected for the purpose of improving the reception; the necessary two TS-9 connectors are hidden under a side cover. If you need the Huawei E5787 external antenna, you may try this one: http://www.4gltemall.com/4g-antenna-two-ts-9-connector.html
WLAN without Extender
Devices can be connected to the Internet either via the USB port or via WLAN. The cable connection worked in the test without problems, but most users will probably use WLAN. The maximum speed over WLAN is 867 Mbps, up to 10 devices can be connected at the same time. The Huawei E5787 supports both the frequency range around 2.4 GHz as well as the 5 GHz, the simultaneous use in the dual-band mode is unfortunately not possible. In the test, there were no problems with the WLAN. It is nice that the WLAN access data are no longer displayed in the display like on some previous Huawei hotspots, but are only displayed on demand, so as the important settings such as WLAN SSID, WLAN password.
A major disadvantage of the Huawei E5787 compared to many other LTE hotspots: a so-called WLAN extender or WLAN repeater is missing. The predecessor E5786 had still integrated the function, with which one can use an existing WLAN network as Internet access, but in the E5787, Huawei disabled the function for unknown reasons. It’s really a pity.
Battery & Other
The battery of the Huawei E5787 has a capacity of 3.000 mAh. The battery can easily be replaced by the user, which is an advantage compared to the predecessor model Huawei E5786. So you can buy a second battery or in the case of a battery defect, quickly replace it even outside the warranty period. In continuous test operation with an average of 3 WLAN devices connected simultaneously to 2.4 GHz, the runtime was around 10 hours.
The E5787 4G Hotspot offers the possibility to also be used as an external battery (“Powerbank”), which can charge an empty smartphone with power off. For a full charge, it should not be enough with most current smartphones, so the Powerbank function is, therefore, more suitable for the emergency.
Conclusion
The Huawei E5787 is a very good LTE hotspot. The touch screen operation was well implemented and the software was designed appealing. The modem performance was good in the test and the maximum speed of 300 MBit/s should be sufficient for most users, but it is disappointing that Huawei “only” installed an LTE Cat6 modem and the E5787 has no great technical improvement. Also some practical functions are missing: the simultaneous spark on 2.4 and 5 Gigahertz is not supported and support of a maximum of 10 devices at the same time in comparison with the competition also somewhat obsolete. Nevertheless: if one can ignore the few criticism points, the Huawei E5787 a very good mobile LTE hotspot to recommend.
A few days ago, Vodafone has officially presented the GigaCube to public with data tariff plan. The Vodafone GigaCube comes from the Chinese manufacturer huawei and the original model is Huawei B528. As the successor to Huawei E5180 Router, the Huawei B528 LTE router follows the design of E5180 cube but different in details. Of course, the technical features are upgraded as the technology develops. Technically, the Huawei B528 can reach speeds of up to 300 Mbps in the downlink (LTE Cat6), but Vodafone limits the GigaCube data rate to 150 MBit/s.
The Huawei B528 has not been sold in Germany; Vodafone is the first network operator to offer the router here. The focus is clearly on the case design in smart white plastic. But technically, the router is quite up-to-date thanks to the LTE Cat6 modem, Gigabit Ethernet and WLAN ac as the following data sheet shows.
IEEE 802.11b / g / n / ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz, 2 x 2 MIMO), up to 867 Mbps
Package Content
Huawei B528, power supply, RJ45 LAN cable, quick start guide
What interesting is that the Web Interface is probably not from Vodafone, but in the original Huawei design. The Voice over IP telephone function with the RJ11 connection should function basically, that user could use the Huawei B528 to call over the LTE network with the Vodafone GigaCube data tariff. For more practical performance, here you should wait for first user reports.
First router for LTE Band 32 (1500MHz)
Very interesting in the data sheet is also the indication that the Huawei B528 supports the LTE band 32. This is the frequency range around 1500 Megaherz. Vodafone had bought the radio spectrum in 2015 in this area and could use the tape in the future as a “supplementary downlink” to increase the capacity in the LTE network. Currently, Band 32 has not been used in Germany and there are also hardly any end-user devices supporting LTE 1500 or Band 32. The same is true for LTE Band 38, also this is so far not used in Vodafone, but is supported by the Huawei B528.
Even if the Huawei B528 router can theoretically achieve download speed up to 300 MBit/s and the Vodafone network offers even up to 500 MBit/s in the downlink in some places: the GigaCube, as customized Huawei B528 LTE router, allows a maximum of 150 MBit/s in the downlink. Actually, Huawei had provided another LTE Cat6 router named Huawei E5186 or Vodafone B4000, which can also reach peak download speed to 300mbps. If you can’t wait the availability of GigaCube B528, you may consider Huawei E5186 OR Vodafone B4000.
Honor today introduced a new smartphone: Honor 8 Pro. The big brother of the Honor 8 is at high price with high expectations of the technology and the design. In principle, the Honor 8 Pro is not an unknown device, the device has been available in China for some weeks under the name Honor V9; in some areas such as Europe, no change was made except the device name.
Equipment and technology
One of the highlights at the Honor 8 Pro is certainly the 5.7 inch display. It resolves with 2560 x 1440 pixels (2K) and thus offers a very sharp display with a high pixel density of 515 ppi. For comparison: the normal Honor 8 has only a 5.2-inch display with 1080p Full-HD resolution. The internal memory of the Honor 8 Pro is 64 GB and expandable via MicroSD memory card, if no second SIM card is used. The memory is 6 GB.
The second highlight is the dual camera on the back of the Honor 8 Pro. It resolves with 12 megapixels and should allow particularly good photos. It should be the same camera as in the Honor 8 or the Huawei P9, also 4K video recordings with 30fps are possible. The front camera offers a maximum of 8 megapixels and can record videos in 1080p Full-HD.
As an operating system Android version 7.0 with the EMUI 5 interface is used. For a good speed, a Kirin 960 chipset is inserted, which has so far only been used in the Huawei Mate 9 and Huawei P10 devices. For wireless network connections, the device provides all important standards, including Dualband WLAN ac, Bluetooth 4.2 and LTE Cat6 at up to 300 Mbps. In addition, the Honor 8 Pro Dual SIM is capable, so you can use two Nano-SIM cards simultaneously.
The battery of the Honor 8 Pro is quite large with 4,000 mAh, the battery should with normal use two full days without recharging. By the way, a quick-charging function is available via the USB Type C connection on the underside of the Honor 8, but wireless charging is not possible.
Design and materials
The Honor 8 Pro will be available in black, blue and gold. The design is quite strongly to that of the Honor 8, the back of this time is made of metal and not like the Honor 8 from glass. Because of the bigger display, the dimensions are also slightly changed compared to the small sister model, the Honor 8 Pro is 157 x 77.5 x 6.97 millimeters tall and weighs a whopping 184 grams.
The display glass is slightly rounded to the sides (2.5D optics), which is not only visually more beautiful, but also leaves the device better in the hand. The fingerprint sensor is located on the back as with almost all Honor and Huawei smartphones.
Mixture of Honor 8 and Huawei Mate 9
The Honor 8 Pro makes a good impression in the first impression. The technology is with 2K display, dual camera and 4,000 mAh rechargeable battery, 6 GB RAM and the Kirin 960 chipset make the device future-proof. Basically, the Honor 8 Pro is a mixture of the Honor 8 and the Huawei Mate 9. Actually, the Huawei Mate 9 is still a good piece better equipped in some points and costs currently not much more on the price, the only poorly equipped Honor 8 price is cheaper, but for some users, it’s budget phone to recommend.
Recently, Alcatel offered a very favorable mobile LTE hotspot with WLAN: LinkZone MW40V. What’s most attracting is the very good price of this new 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot. With a low price, of course you cannot expect top equipment, but for many users, the integrated LTE modem for up to 150 MBit/s should be sufficient in any case. The operating time is up to 6 hours on continuous use based on 1.800 mAh strong battery.
Simple design
The Alcatel LinkZone MW40V Hotspot is made of matt black plastic, with four LEDs on the front(signal strength, WLAN, SMS and battery status), which receive signal from mobile radio reception. On the side there is a micro-USB 2.0 port for charging the battery, but no other interfaces such as connectors for an external antenna, which is very common in Huawei 4G mobile routers such as E5573, E5372, E5786. The SIM card must be in the MicroSIM format and is inserted under the battery. Optionally, a MicroSD memory card can be used in addition to the SIM card.
Software and app
The Alcatel LinkZone MW40V Hotspot works with any WLAN-enabled device, whether it is a smartphone, tablet or notebook. The control is optionally via an app for the smartphone (Android and iOS operating system) or via a web interface directly in the browser of the terminal. There are no buttons for control directly on the device or even an integrated display.
The LTE modem in the Alcatel LinkZone MW40V supports category 4, ie speeds of up to 150 MBit/s in the downlink and up to 50 Mbps in the uplink. All network operators in Germany, Austria and Switzerland have already equipped their networks for LTE Cat4, with a suitable tariff, the 150 MBit/s should be possible in real applications. Of course, the Alcatel MW40V is also downwards compatible with UMTS (3G) and GSM (2G), in the UMTS network up to 42.2 Mbps downlink and up to 5.76 Mbps uplink. According to manufacturer TCL Mobile, all currently relevant frequency ranges are supported for Europe:
* 4G/LTE: 800, 900, 1800, 2100, 2600 Megahertz
* 3G/UMTS: 900, 2100 Megahertz
* 2G/GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 Megahertz
WLAN and battery
The battery of the Alcatel LinkZone MW40V is 1.800 mAh large and can easily be exchanged by the user. The MW40V works exclusively in the frequency range around 2.4 GHz and also supports only the standards 802.11b/g and n, the more modern 802.11ac standard as well as the 5 GHz frequency band is not supported in this hotspot. For the vast majority of users, this should be fine, but in some situations such as at trade fairs or major events, the 2.4 GHz band might have problems.
If you think this Alcatel LinkZone MW40v can’t meet your requirements, you may check other new latest 4G mobile hotspots from other brands, such as Huawei E5787, Netgear Aircard 790, which supports high level LTE standards and of course offer at higher price. If you prefer Alcatel One Touch brand, you may check other models here: http://www.4gltemall.com/4g-brand/alcatel-one-touch.html/ . The Alcatel Link 4G+ Y900 is recommended for LTE-Advanced networks.
Alcatel recently launched a new inexpensive LTE-Stick IK40V on the market. The model is solid, but quite rudimentary equipped. Following other manufactures such as Huawei and ZTE, Alcatel IK40V LTE stick is not of fashion. This is mainly due to the fact that there are hardly any new versions on the market. Every now and then, the new sticks are upgraded with new technology and presented into the shops, so also the Alcatel IK40V (2AALDE1). In this article, we will show you all basic data and features of the IK40V surfsticks.
Windows 7/8 / 8.1 / 10 (32 & 64 bit) / Mac OS X 10.6 to 10.11 (32 & 64 bit)
Info material
Download manual
»Online not available
Availability
www.4gltemall.com
The IK40V has the whole range of mobile radio standards practically, which are relevant for a problem-free operation in city and country. There would be GSM, EDGE (2G), UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, (3G) and, of course, LTE (4G). LTE bands B1/B3/B7/B8 and B20 are supported by the integrated LTE modem, which corresponds to the frequencies at 800, 900, 1800, 2100 and 2600 MHz. It meets the category 4 (CAT4) standard. Users can thus achieve speeds of up to 150 MBit with corresponding LTE data rates.
Other features
The WLAN operation is not possible and ports for additional antennas the stick does not offer unfortunately. If you would like to use the device as a USB stick (2.0), you can upgrade to 32 GB with an SD card (microSD). By the way, the SIM slot for the mobile tariff has the form factor Micro SIM. The IK40V does not have a display for operating status, but relevant operating information is signaled with a few LEDs. A small user manual is included.
Conclusion
As a new LTE stick, the Alcatel IK40V is not at expensive, the price is quite good. The similar models Huawei E3276s-150 and E3372h-607 had been available for many network providers and carriers worldwide, but prices are comparatively expensive. The unlocked Alcatel IK40V is also available at www.4gltemall.com. The unlocked one would work with any network providers in Europe and Asia. It provides more option if you usually travel to other countries or areas.
Alternatives & CAT6
If you are looking for a device for speed with more than 300 MBit, therefore at least CAT6 (LTE-Advanced) supports, however, so far no suitable stick could be found. Instead, we recommend a mini-hotspot router as replacement. They are also suitable for use on the roadside and are technically more up-to-date, such as the Huawei E5787 or the somewhat larger Netgear Aircard 790s. What’s more, the LTE Cat11 mobile router for download speed to 600Mbps is available; if you want to know more LTE models, welcome to check www.4gltemall.com .
Netgear has provided a software update for the AirCard 810 LTE Hotspot. The update is about 84 megabytes in size and is offered over-the-air (OTA) directly on the router. One of the improvements is the following: After the update, the input field for the PIN is displayed immediately and no longer has to be called via the warning message.
Easy installation
A yellow warning is indicated in the display of the AC810 on the update, the download can be started with one click directly at the device. With a fast LTE connection the update is downloaded within a few seconds. The installation does not start automatically after the download of the firmware file, but has to be confirmed again manually. During the update process, the user must not remove the battery from the hotspot as this could damage the device.
In the test, the update of the Netgear AC810 took about 5 minutes; the progress was shown graphically in the display. After the update a reboot took place and the device was then again as usual ready for use. In principle, there would also be a possibility to download the update via firmware file, but Netgear currently does not provide such a file on its support page, but refers to the OTA download directly on the device.
The version number of the update is NTG9X40C_11.14.08.18 (as of 09.03.2017). The previously installed and up to date latest version was the NTG9X40C_11.14.07.00 from 23.02.2016.
Samsung today introduced its two new flagship smartphones Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ for the year 2017. The Galaxy S7 Edge gets two successors, which differ mainly by the display size: the Galaxy S8 has a 5.8 inch display while the Galaxy S8+ has a 6.2 inch display. Both the display of the S8 and the S8+ is rounded on both sides, a version without edge display is no longer available. The highlight is certainly the almost frameless design of the Samsung Galaxy S8, the display occupies nearly the entire front, the frames above and below the display are significantly thinner compared to the Galaxy S7. It’s said the Galaxy S8 would be available in the market at the end of April 2017.
Design and display
Visually, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Samsung Galaxy S8+ differ only in size. The S8 dimensions are 148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 millimeters and weight is 152 grams, the S8+ dimensions are 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 millimeters and weighs 173 grams. The display has an aspect ratio of 18.5: 9 on both devices, so the devices are very narrow compared to 16: 9 devices with the same display diagonal. For comparison: an iPhone 7 with 4.7 inch display (16: 9) is only 0.8mm narrower than a Galaxy S8 with 5.8 inch display.
The design is broadly similar to that of the Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S7 Edge, the device consists largely of glass, only the frame is made of metal. However, due to the large display, the home button has given way to software buttons and the fingerprint sensor has been placed on the back side of the camera.
Technology and software
The Samsung Galaxy S8 is one of the first smartphones to support LTE Category 16. This allows extremely high speeds to be reached via the mobile network, depending on the extent of the network up to 1 Gbit/s in the downlink. As a processor, there is a octa-core Samsung Exynos 8895 with 64Bit, 4 x 1,7 GHz and 4 x 2,3 GHz. In other markets a Qualcomm chipset is installed, the performance should be comparable. The memory is 4 GB and the internal memory measures 64 GB (UFS 2.1 technology, via MicroSD expandable). The Galaxy S8 have versions with single sim and dual SIM functionality for different markets and carriers, the sim type is Nano-SIM.
The back camera of the Samsung Galaxy S8 offers a resolution of 12 megapixels and has an f1.7 aperture. The sensor works in the 4: 3 format, who would rather take photos in the 16: 9 format, has to deal with a lower resolution. The camera on the front takes photos with up to 8 megapixel resolution and also offers a f1.7 aperture.
In the WLAN area, the Galaxy S8 offers a very modern equipment. The 802.11ac standard is supported with MU-MIMO antenna technology, in combination with a modern MU-MIMO router, you should get significant speed advantages. The Galaxy S8 also supports NFC and Bluetooth 5.0 as well as various satellite navigation systems.
As an operating system, Android is used in version 7.0, of course again with a Samsung-adapted surface. The always-on display has been adapted in such a way that a home button is also visible when the display is switched off, since the physical home button has been lost in comparison with its predecessor.
Battery
The Samsung Galaxy S8 has – like the Galaxy S8+ – a permanently installed battery, which cannot be removed. The capacity is at the S8 3.000 mAh, while in the S8+, it is 3,500 mAh. The two devices support wireless fast charging as well as fast charging via the USB type C connector. By the way: in contrast to the Apple iPhone 7, Samsung Galaxy S8 does not have the 3.5mm audio jack connection, so you can use normal headphones and is not dependent on adapter or Bluetooth.
Price and availability
The two versions of the Samsung Galaxy S8 can be pre-ordered from now on and until the 19th of April in the Samsung Online-Shop as well as www.4gltemall.com . From the 28th of April, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ will be available in the colors “Arctic Silver”, “Midnight Black” and “Orchid Gray”.
The Chinese network specialist TP-Link was present at CeBIT 2017 and presented its new, mobile LTE router M7650. Purely optical, the model looks similar to the little brother TP-Link M7310, but inside is much more powerful hardware. With LTE Cat11 technology, the new TP-Link M7650 can handle a bandwidth of up to 600 Mbit/s in the download. Another highlight is that the M7650 provide networking with up to 32 devices via the WLAN network.
The new portable 4G router looks smart. In order to meet the ever-increasing maximum bandwidths in the LTE networks, a modem has been installed, which the Internet speed could achieve at up to 600 Mbps ( Cat. 11 ) via LTE accesses. The upload is, however, with a maximum of 50 Mbit/s. At the moment (at the end of March 2017) the manufacturer didn’t release detail specifications of this new model. Therefore, we cannot known all the technical specifications, such as the dimension and weight. However, TP-Link confirmed, among other things.
The first thing, the M7650 could reach download speed up 600 Mbit/s. The WiFi module of the M7650 makes a good job here, as up to 867 Mbit/s are implemented via a 5 gigahertz frequency. Devices that do not support WLAN at 5 GHz can get network with 2.4 GHz. With this spectrum, up to 300 Mbit/s can still be implemented in the download. This mobile LTE router should not be blamed for the battery life. According to the manufacturer, with 3,000 mAh rechargeable battery, a maximum of 15 hours of continuous operation is possible. A mobile device can not only be connected with the M7650 via hotspot, but also configure the router.
The Chinese corporation TP-link does not show a new design for M7650 so that it can be special out of the mobile gadgets; it just follows the appearance of the M7310. There is a color mixture of silver and black and an informative TFT display. All information relevant to the operation is displayed on the latter, including the LTE signal strength, the battery status, the current speed or the network operator identification, everything is clear. The display measures 1.44 inches in the diagonal, it can be operated via physical buttons. It’s a pity that TP-Link M7650 does not have a touch screen while the similar model Netgear Aircard 810s already provides touch screen for users. What’s more, the integrated memory card slot accommodates microSD cards with a size of up to 32 GB.
Here now, the TP-link M7650 is not yet available on the market. There is another model Netgear Aircard 810s which has similar specifications and it’s already available on the market. If you prefer TP-link M7650, 4G Mobile Broadband Mall (www.4gltemall.com) accept pre-order of this future-proof 4G mobile hotspot. Once we get this TP-link M7650, we would take test and show our report soon.
