DA Gadgets, Author at dagadgets.co.uk

Posted on January 28, 2025 by DA Gadgets

Meta AI Is Getting a New Memory Feature and Personalised Recommendations

Meta AI is getting a couple of new upgrades, the company announced on Monday. Meta wants its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot to offer a more personalised experience to users, and the two new features will enable it to learn more about users. The first is a memory feature that will allow the chatbot to remember certain information shared by the user in individual chats, and the second is a personalised recommendation feature that will allow Meta AI to look through the user’s social media profiles and in-app activities to suggest relevant information.

In a newsroom post, the social media giant announced two new ways it is making Meta AI more personalised for users. The company said it has been experimenting with a new memory feature that allows the chatbot to remember certain information about the user.

Memory in Meta AI can only be saved in individual chats. Users can either specifically tell the AI to remember particular details, or it can remember certain information automatically during conversations. For instance, if a user asks the chatbot to suggest breakfast ideas and it suggests an omelette, the user can tell Meta AI that they are vegetarian and it will remember this. In future conversations, the AI will then only suggest vegetarian meal ideas.

Memory in Meta AI
Photo Credit: Meta AI

Meta did not share what kind of information can be saved by the AI, and whether it will include sensitive information such as financial and medical details. However, users will be notified whenever the chatbot saves a new piece of information and they will be allowed to delete memory manually.

Memory in Meta AI is rolling out to Facebook, Messenger, and WhatsApp for iOS and Android in the US and Canada.

The second feature allows the chatbot to collect information about the user to generate personalised recommendations. The social media giant highlighted that the information will be taken from user profiles on Facebook and Instagram as well as in-app activities such as watching Reels, liking and commenting on posts, and more.

Explaining how the feature would work, the post stated that if a user asks for recommendations for a fun activity with the family on the weekend, Meta AI can find the user’s home location from Facebook, go through recent views of Reels to find the activities the user might be interested in, and information from the memory feature to recommend a music concert. This feature will be available on Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram in the US and Canada.

Notably, the company did not address if users will have a choice in deciding whether to share this information with Meta AI.

Posted on January 28, 2025 by DA Gadgets

Apple Readying New Version of visionOS for Future AR Smart Glasses: Gurman

Apple started selling its first mixed reality headset Vision Pro in select global markets last year. The Cupertino giant is now believed to be on track to release smart glasses to expand its product portfolio in the augmented and mixed-reality space. A recent report by Bloomberg states Apple’s long-rumoured smart glasses are in the works. The company is said to be developing a new version of visionOS that is tailor-made for these glasses. Apple is anticipated to release other devices in the style of Vision Pro that it hopes will be cheaper and more enticing to consumers.

Apple Smart Glasses Are At Least Three Years Away

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman claims that work on the AR glasses is ongoing at a secretive facility in Santa Clara, California. Apple is said to be working on a version of visionOS — the Vision Pro’s software — that will run on its smart glasses. The Vision Pro also runs on the same OS. Gurman notes that Apple is conducting user studies at its offices to gauge the appeal of features and interfaces alongside developing AR technology for future devices.

The Apple AR glasses will reportedly take three years or more to be ready. In the meantime, The iPhone maker is reportedly exploring other types of wearable products, including a rival to Meta’s Ray-Ban spectacles and even camera-equipped AirPods.

According to Gurman, Apple had originally hoped to launch its AR spectacles as a follow-up to the Vision Pro, but the plan was dropped due to technical challenges.

Apple is not the only company working on smart glasses. Apple’s major rival Samsung also joined the race and announced its XR headset earlier this month. Meanwhile, Meta is eying to unveil its AR product named Orion by 2027. Google is developing an operating system specifically for headsets and glasses called Android XR.

Apple is expected to design AR glasses with broader mass-market appeal than the Apple Vision Pro. It unveiled the Vision Pro in 2023 at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). The shipments began last year in select markets like the US, China, and Japan with a starting price tag of $3,499 (roughly Rs. 2,90,000). It is available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage configurations.

Posted on January 28, 2025 by DA Gadgets

Hisense’s mini 4K projector changes my mind about the laser TV revolution in 2 key ways

One of the coolest things I saw at CES 2025 was Hisense’s mini laser TV projector, which is an interesting prototype that’s not like the many other mini options among the best portable projectors we’ve seen recently. I got to see it away from the CES show floor during a trip to Hisense’s headquarters recently, and to speak to the team about it – and it’s winning me over to the idea of having a laser TV in my home instead of a regular TV. I’m a huge fan of seeing movies at the theater, and so obviously I’m a big home theater advocate – but my own home doesn’t have the space to go all out on a huge screen and speakers, and I’m far from alone there. It’s one reason why Hisense has been pushing the idea of its laser TVs, which are basically ultra-short throw projectors with streaming tech built in, that come with a matching ambient light-rejecting screen packaged. But I haven’t been convinced that this will work for me because they’re big units that still need to sit some distance from the wall – it just didn’t seem like enough of a trade up. @techradar ♬ original sound – TechRadar The Hisense mini projector is so much smaller, and so the surface it needs to sit on can be much smaller, making the UST projector-and-screen combo way more tempting as something that won’t stick a way out into the room. Now I can imagine not only going for a laser TV as my main way of watching, but it’s also making me think I can swap one of the best soundbars for something more meaty at the same time. The Hisense mini laser TV is basically the specs of a Hisense PX3-Pro UST projector packed into a way smaller body, thanks to a next-gen laser projection tech platform, but still hits over 100 inches. We rate this model as the best ultra-short throw projector, and you can read our Hisense PX3-Pro review for why – but the main things are that it’s bright, colorful and natural. Hisense says that this projector beamed onto the company’s new-gen ambient light rejection screen should be capable of creating an image that can hit around 750 nits of peak brightness at 100 inches when you’re actually watching, putting it in line with budget options among the best OLED TVs for brightness. When I originally saw the mini projector at Hisense’s HQ, it was listed as projecting 2,100 lumens, though at CES Hisense said it should match the PX3-Pro’s specs, putting it at 3,000 lumens. Either one is far beyond the small 4K projector competition – the LG CineBeam Q is 500 lumens, for example… And not only is it bright, but it’s 4K and it’s ultra short throw, which other small projectors generally are not. (Image credit: Future) The small size doesn’t just tempt me because the whole setup can stick less far out from the wall (which is essential for me), but the much smaller design leaves more space for other things… such as proper speakers. I can far more easily imagine connecting a pair of Kanto Ren speakers, or Technics’ very cool new active speakers, in a setup like this – the small projector leaves more space and a gap between it and the screen that the speakers would fit in perfectly. It is ideal for moving away from the limited acoustic of the best soundbars and into big, meaty left and right power. What are the downsides? Well, as you might have guessed from the fact that I haven’t mentioned this thing’s name, it’s really a prototype right now, so there’s no price or release date – though the tech inside fully exists, so it’s probably just a matter of time. (Image credit: Future) However, I can tell you that the current version is also notably loud. Those who saw it on the CES show floor would have no idea, but seeing it in a separate showcase, that fan was really working hard. It’s not a surprise – that’s a lot of heat for a small box, and if I commit to my beefy speakers next to it, they’ll probably manage to drown it out. But I would definitely need to see how any real product handles that before I committed to going for something like this. Still, this is the first projector that got me thinking excitedly about the idea of switching to a projector in my current home, rather than the best projectors being just something for something closer to real home theater that I want one day. It feels like a small game-changer, in that way. You might also like…

Posted on January 27, 2025 by DA Gadgets

HTC Wildfire E7, Wildfire E4 Plus Allegedly Surface on Google Play Console Database

HTC appears to be preparing to unveil two new handsets in the Wildfire series. Ahead of any official confirmation from the Taiwanese brand, the unannounced HTC Wildfire E7 and HTC Wildfire E4 Plus reportedly appeared on the Google Play Console website, hinting at their imminent launch. The listing does not include any details besides their names. HTC already has models like Wildfire E3 and Wildfire E2 Plus in its portfolio.

TheTechOutlook spotted the listing of HTC Wildfire E4 Plus and HTC Wildfire E7 on the Google Play Console platform. The screenshots shared by the publication confirm the monikers of the phones. The listing does not reveal any specifications of the handsets.

HTC hasn’t officially revealed any information regarding the launch date of the HTC Wildfire E4 Plus and HTC Wildfire E7 smartphones. They are speculated to come with affordable price tags. The brand had launched models like Wildfire E3, HTC Wildfire E2 Plus, and Wildfire E2 Play in previous years.

HTC U24 Pro Price, Specifications

The HTC U24 Pro is the latest model launched by HTC. It was launched in June last year in Taiwan at a starting price tag of TWD 18,990 (roughly Rs. 50,000) for the base 12GB RAM + 256GB storage model. The 512GB storage variant is priced at TWD 20,990 (roughly Rs. 54,000).

HTC U24 Pro runs on Android 14 and has a 6.8-inch full-HD+(1,080×2,436 pixels) OLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass protection. It runs on a Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 SoC with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM. It has a triple rear camera unit, comprising a 50-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera and a 50-megapixel telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom. On the front, it features a 50-megapixel selfie camera.

The HTC U24 Pro is equipped with up to 512GB of UFS 3.1 onboard storage that is expandable with a microSD card. It has an IP67-certified build. It carries a 4,600mAh battery with 60W wired fast charging, 15W wireless charging, and 5W reverse wireless charging support.

Posted on January 27, 2025 by DA Gadgets

Coinbase CEO Concerned About Tokens Flooding Market, Says Thorough Evaluation No Longer Feasible

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has raised concerns about the rising number of crypto tokens flooding the market. In a post on X Sunday, Armstrong claimed one million crypto tokens were being created on a weekly basis. With the massive influx of new tokens, he said, evaluating each token was no longer feasible. As per CoinMarketCap, over 10.19 million crypto tokens are currently in circulation.

Armstrong, who co-founded Coinbase in 2012, said the flooding of crypto tokens into the market had become a problem. He also noted that regulators needed to put in place a blocking system for tokens that have not applied for regulatory approvals.

“Regulators need to understand that applying for approval for each one is totally infeasible at this point as well (they can’t do 1m a week). It needs to move from an allow list to a block list, and utilise customer reviews/automated scans of on-chain data etc to help customers sift through,” the 42-year-old crypto mogul said.

We need to rethink our listing process at @coinbase given there are ~1m tokens a week being created now, and growing. High quality problem to have, but evaluating each one by one is no longer feasible. And regulators need to understand that applying for approval for each one is…
— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) January 26, 2025

Coinbase said last week it represented over $3 trillion (roughly Rs. 2,59,10,248 crore) in market cap. According to its website, the exchange does its due diligence before listing tokens on its platform. It takes votes on which assets get to be listed from its internal Digital Asset Support Group (DASG) while also assessing tokens based on their legal, compliance, and security standards.

The Coinbase chief was recently at Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum. Summarizing his key takeaways from the event, he said corporate leaders, banks, asset managers, and payment service firms had made it clear they were increasing investments in crypto. Armstong has thus highlighted the need for smarter rules that can make the crypto sector safer on a priority basis.

He has also noted that the return of Donald Trump as the President of the US has forced ‘everyone to up their game’.

“There are going to be more players and competition than ever in crypto and we welcome it all. We need crypto to update the entire global financial system to bring these benefits to everyone,” Armstrong said.

Given the projected growth margin for the crypto sector, regulators in several parts of the world are putting safety measures for the stakeholders in place. The crypto sector is still impacted by micro or macro developments around international politics and financial developments, among other factors.

In India, for instance, the government is yet to release a comprehensive set of regulations to oversee crypto. Meanwhile, industry bodies are taking up the task of deploying certain parameters to ensure that the sector is protected against scams like rug pulls and exploitation.

In April last year, the Bharat Web3 Association laid down some rules for crypto exchanges to follow while considering the listing of new tokens on their platforms. Based on the ‘Plan, Execute, Check’ (PEC) framework, these guidelines direct all crypto exchanges to become primary screeners for new tokens looking to get listed and establish minimum standards to review tokens that are in the pipeline to be listed for public engagement.

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Posted on January 27, 2025 by DA Gadgets

Vivo V50, Vivo Y19e Reportedly Spotted on BIS Website Suggesting Imminent India Launch

Vivo is expected to launch new smartphones in India soon. A recent report claimed that two handsets were recently spotted on the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) website, suggesting an imminent launch in the country. They are expected to be the Vivo V50 and the Vivo Y19e. The former could be a rebrand of the Vivo S20, which was unveiled in China in November 2024. Previously, the purported Vivo V50 appeared on Taiwan’s National Communications Commission (NCC) website, which suggested its design, dimensions, and battery details.

Vivo V50, Vivo Y19e Spotted on BIS Website

Vivo smartphones with the model number V2427 and V2431 were spotted on the BIS website, according to a MySmartPrice report. They are said to be the Vivo V50 and the Vivo Y19e, respectively. The report notes that an earlier NBTC listing confirms the former moniker, while a previous IMEI listing suggested the latter. The BIS listing does not reveal much about the expected handsets but hints at the imminent launch of the phones in India.

The NCC listing of the Vivo V50 suggested that the phone will launch in blue, grey and white colour options. It is expected to have a design similar to the Vivo S20 model and is said to be a rebrand of the phone. Connectivity options are expected to include Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, NFC, and GPS.

The Vivo V50 is expected to measure 160mm in length and 75mm in width, however, its expected thickness is not yet known. The height and width of the purported handset are similar to the Vivo S20’s dimensions of 160 x 74 x 7.9mm.

The older NCC listing suggests that the Vivo V50 could get a 5,870mAh rated battery, which will likely be marketed as 6,000mAh. It is expected to support 90W wired fast charging. Notably, the Chinese version of the Vivo S20 carries a 6,500mAh battery with support for 80W fast charging.

We can expect to see more details about the Vivo Y19e surface online soon. It will likely join the Vivo Y19 lineup which includes the base Vivo Y19 and Vivo Y19s.

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Posted on January 27, 2025 by DA Gadgets

I test soundbars for a living, and these 4 affordable models are a great audio upgrade for your Super Bowl Sunday

Super Bowl LIX is set to air on Sunday, February 9, 2025, and while you may have your TV ready for your viewing party, is your audio also covered? The audio quality on many TVs is limited by a lack of power and inefficient positioning of the built-in speakers. That lacking sound quality could affect your Super Bowl experience, but there’s a solution: a soundbar. Don’t get me wrong; even the best TVs could benefit from a soundbar. The LG C4, one of the best OLED TVs we’ve tested here at TechRadar, excelled in every area, but we still found its sound lacking. One of the best soundbars can easily fix that issue. While the very best soundbars, such as the Samsung HW-Q990D, have a premium price, there are plenty of affordable models that will significantly upgrade your TV’s audio. This is because soundbars bring the sound from the rear of the TV (where most built-in TV speakers are positioned) to the front, which will let you more directly hear the sounds of the stadium and the commentary during the big game. Below, I’ve picked four of the most affordable soundbars we’ve tested. While they won’t beat the very best Dolby Atmos soundbars, they will give your TV an audio upgrade without breaking the bank. 1. Amazon Fire TV soundbar (Image credit: Future) Amazon’s first soundbar, the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar, is a cheap, no-frills model that delivers “surprisingly good sound for the cost” as we noted in our Amazon Fire TV Soundbar review. It’s light on features but does offer Bluetooth streaming and an HDMI ARC connection to your TV. We found in our testing that its main plus point is clear speech, which will be perfect for hearing commentary during the game. We also found that it delivers decent spatial processing for a compact soundbar, providing a greater sense of immersion than the built-in speakers on most TVs. At $119 / £119, it is one of the cheaper soundbars you can buy without making too many compromises. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. 2. Sony HT-S2000 (Image credit: Future) The Sony HT-S2000 has impressive sound quality for a compact, all-in-one soundbar and is incredibly affordable for what it delivers. Plus, it’s packed with features such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support and a virtual surround engine for improved spatial processing of both movies and music. We found in our testing that the HT-S2000’s dedicated center channel produces clean dialogue and commentary. Pushed to higher volumes, it doesn’t falter, meaning even in a crowded Super Bowl party, the sounds of the game will be clear. Also, as we noted in our Sony HT-S2000 review, the soundbar’s great virtual processing creates a “satisfying level of immersion.” At $399 / £299, the HT-S2000 is a step up in price over cheaper models like the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar, but you’re getting a more powerful, dynamic and immersive experience. 3. Hisense AX5125H (Image credit: Future) If you’re looking for a cheaper soundbar that delivers even better immersion, you may want to expand to one with multiple units (soundbar, subwoofer and satellite surround speakers). With the Hisense AX5125H, which delivers 5.1.2 channels of ‘real’ surround sound, you don’t have to spend a fortune to do this. As I noted in my Hisense AX5125H review, the AX5125H is “impressive, providing plenty of punch, clarity and immersion” for both movies and music. It’s easily one of the best budget Dolby Atmos soundbar systems and is sure to take your Super Bowl party to another level. At its normal price of $349 / £499, the Hisense AX5125H is good value, but you’ll regularly find it for as low as $299 / £249, which is exceptional value for a 5.1.2-channel system. Once you’re done with the Super Bowl, the AX5125H will more than satisfy for movie viewing, too. 4. Sonos Beam (Gen 2) (Image credit: Future) Another all-in-one soundbar, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a great all-rounder for both movies and music. As a bonus, it can be expanded with the best Sonos speakers, including the Sonos Era 100 or Sonos Era 300 and a Sonos Sub (Gen 3 or the latest Gen 4). But how does it perform on its own? In our Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review, we noted that for a compact all-in-one soundbar, it had a wide soundstage, convincing bass and clear dialogue. It’s also excellent for music playback, meaning you’re covered for both the Super Bowl and the party that follows. At $459 / £449, the Beam is the most premium of these affordable soundbars, but for what it delivers, it’s great value.

Posted on January 26, 2025 by DA Gadgets

Samsung Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, Galaxy S25 Ultra Launched in India: A Gold Standard for AI Smartphones – Pre-order today

Samsung has set a new standard by introducing three new revolutionary devices in its flagship Galaxy S lineup in India. The brand new Samsung Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra smartphones are the company’s most advanced, true AI companion devices till date. Built on the concept of Galaxy AI from last year, the new Galaxy S25 series are more natural, intuitive, and context-aware. These new smartphones will help users interact with their devices more naturally and effortlessly, while ensuring privacy.

Samsung Galaxy S25 series smartphones come with One UI 7, which is built for more personalized mobile experiences unlike any other premium smartphone. Galaxy S25 series smartphones use powerful AI agents with multimodal capabilities to enable a more natural interaction be it text, speech, or images.

A True AI Companion Is Finally Here: Transforming Digital Interactions

The Galaxy S25 series introduces a massive shift in how we interact with technology through its multimodal AI agents. These intelligent systems can comprehend and process text, speech, and images, creating a truly natural interaction experience. Imagine planning a complex vacation by simply conversing with your device – searching for destinations, comparing flight prices, checking hotel availability, and scheduling events across multiple apps with a single command.

Multimodal AI enables the smartphones to analyse and process different types of data together. For example: Suppose you’re watching a YouTube video, and are curious about the background music – you can simply find out which song is playing by using a voice command.

Google Gemini integration takes artificial intelligence further. Users can now activate advanced AI assistance by pressing the side button, enabling seamless interactions across Samsung, Google, and third-party applications. The Live Translate feature breaks language barriers by supporting real-time translation across 20 languages in both native and VOIP calls, making global communication effortless.

One of the most notable new features is Google Gemini’s ability to work across apps. At Unpacked 2025, Samsung had announced that Gemini will now be supported by Samsung’s apps including Calendar, Clock, Notes, and Reminder apps. Gemini integration will also work with Spotify, and Google’s suite of apps.

Productivity has received a significant boost with features like Google Gemini Live, which provides step-by-step guidance on diverse tasks ranging from cooking complex recipes to performing device repairs. The homework help functionality enables students to easily solve complex problems by simply circling content on their screen, transforming the smartphone into an intelligent learning companion.

Samsung has ensured that privacy remains paramount. The Personal Data Engine analyzes user data exclusively on-device, ensuring personalized experiences without compromising sensitive information. Advanced security measures like post-quantum cryptography and Knox Vault protection safeguard user data against emerging digital threats.

Cameras: Pro-Grade Smartphone Photography Redefined

The camera system, particularly in the Galaxy S25 Ultra, represents a technological marvel that will transform smartphone photography. The 200-megapixel wide camera sensor delivers unprecedented image clarity, complemented by dual telephoto cameras offering 5x and 3x optical zoom capabilities. The 10-bit HDR recording provides four times richer colour expression compared to traditional 8-bit systems.

AI-powered smartphone photography features in the new Galaxy S25 series smartphones will elevate content creation to pro levels. The Audio Eraser feature allows users to remove unwanted background noise from videos, creating studio-quality recordings. Portrait Studio enables instant transformation of photographs into artistic AI-generated illustrations. Auto Trim intelligently creates short video reels by extracting key scenes, while My Filter lets users generate personalized, film-like effects with a single tap.

Low-light photography has received significant improvements through advanced motion analysis and noise reduction techniques. Whether capturing a dimly lit concert or a nighttime landscape, the Galaxy S25 series ensures exceptional image quality. The Pro Visual Engine combines hardware specifications with cutting-edge AI enhancements, delivering photographic and video outputs that were previously achievable only with professional equipment.

Battery That Powers Intelligent Experiences

Samsung has reimagined mobile power management by creating battery solutions that are not just about capacity, but intelligent energy optimization. The Galaxy S25 features a 4,000 mAh battery, perfect for users seeking a compact device with reliable performance. Its 25W charging ensures quick top-ups for users with dynamic lifestyles. The Galaxy S25+ steps up with a 4,900 mAh battery and 45W charging, offering extended usage for professionals and multitaskers who demand more from their devices.

The pinnacle of battery technology resides in the Galaxy S25 Ultra, boasting a 5,000 mAh battery that enables day-long heavy usage for power users. Samsung’s battery innovation extends far beyond mere capacity. By implementing a groundbreaking recycling system, these devices now use batteries with 50 percent recycled cobalt, sourced from previous Galaxy devices and manufacturing processes. This approach not only ensures exceptional battery performance but also demonstrates a significant commitment to sustainable technology.

The custom Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor plays a crucial role in battery efficiency. The powerful processor is capable of performing the most intensive tasks while drawing minimal power. An advanced cooling system featuring a 40 percent larger vapor chamber ensures that intensive tasks like gaming or AI processing don’t drain the battery rapidly, maintaining optimal performance throughout the day.

Pre-Order Today

By seamlessly integrating intelligent AI, sustainable battery technology, and professional-grade photography capabilities, Samsung has created Galaxy S25 series devices that are not just smartphones, but intelligent companions that adapt, learn, and empower users’ digital lives.

So why wait, Pre-order now and avail exclusive benefits worth up to Rs. 21,000.

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Posted on January 26, 2025 by DA Gadgets

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: the best Fire TV yet, and a solid option for sports and gaming

Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Two minute review The new Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED enters a seriously competitive mini-LED TV market, taking on Samsung, Hisense, TCL and Roku. It doesn’t stand out in this crowded arena, but it is a solid all-around TV for the price. The Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED’s picture quality is pretty good overall compared to the best TVs. Colors are vibrant, textures and details are lifelike and contrast is well-balanced. Motion handling is good for both sports and movies. Unfortunately, it suffers from crushed black levels in some picture modes, resulting in a loss of shadow detail. Audio quality is a mixed bag on the Omni Mini-LED. Sound is accurately placed with a good sense of direction, speech is clear and there’s generally good bass. While the sound can go beyond the borders of the screen, it feels narrow and contained, especially with Dolby Atmos effects. For those wanting a full home theater experience, I’d recommend one of the best soundbars. The Omni Mini-LED has a good stock of gaming features including 4K 144Hz, Dolby Vision gaming, VRR (AMD FreeSync Premium Pro is included) and ALLM support. Performance is smooth and while it won’t beat the best gaming TVs from LG and Samsung, it provides a good mid-range alternative, though its graphics could be better. Amazon’s Fire TV smart TV platform performs well enough and has a good number of picture settings for those who like to experiment. While Fire TV can be on the cluttered side, and there’s occasional stutter, it’s a perfectly decent smart TV platform. With a similar price to its main competitor, the Hisense U7N, the Omni Mini-LED’s real value comes down to what sort of prices it can hit during Prime Day and Black Friday. Discounts are already appearing, so it has the chance to seriously up its value when the sales begin. Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Prices & release date (Image credit: Future) Release date: November 2024 55-inch: $819.99 / £849.99 (about AU$1,316) 65-inch: $1,089.99 / £1,149.99 (about AU$1,750) 75-inch: $1,499.99 / £1,599.99 (about AU$2,409) 85-inch: $2,099.99 / N/A (about AU$3,373) The Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED series is the latest entry in Amazon’s Fire TV range, following the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED. It is the first Fire TV to feature a panel with a mini-LED backlight and is available in 55, 65, 75 and 85-inch (US-only for the 85-inch) sizes. Its launch prices are strikingly similar to the Hisense U7N, one of the best mini-LED TVs on the market. The U7N has seen major discounts since its release in April 2024, especially during Black Friday, and the Amazon Mini-LED is already following suit. Despite a relatively recent release, the 55-inch Mini-LED (the size I tested) is already down to $699.99 / £749.99 (about AU$1,122) and the 65-inch is down to $959.99 / £949.99. I expect these prices will drop even further during peak trading events in 2025 such as Amazon’s own Prime Day and Black Friday. Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally Screen type QLED with mini-LED Refresh rate 120Hz (up to 144Hz) HDR support Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG Audio support Dolby Atmos Smart TV Fire TV HDMI ports 4 (2x HDMI 2.1) Built-in tuner ATSC 1.0 Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Benchmark results Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Features The Amazon Omni Mini-LED features two HDMI 2.1 ports, a first for an Amazon Fire TV (Image credit: Future) First mini-LED panel in Amazon’s TV range 4K 144Hz support for gaming Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ high dynamic range The Amazon Omni Mini-LED is the first set in Amazon’s Fire TV range to feature a display panel with a mini-LED backlight, a step-up feature from its LED and QLED TVs. The Omni Mini-LED features 512 dimming zones and supports both Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ high dynamic range. Gaming support on the Omni Mini-LED includes 4K 144Hz, VRR (including AMD FreeSync Premium), ALLM and Dolby Vision and HDR10+ gaming. A game mode provides optimal picture settings for gaming but does not feature a game bar, a useful feature in gaming TVs from brands like LG, Samsung, Hisense and Panasonic. It also only features two HDMI 2.1 ports. (One HDMI-related issue occurred during my testing. When switching a source from HDMI 2 to HDMI 1, the TV kept switching back to HDMI 2. I found that turning the TV off at the wall fixed the problem, which is something to bear in mind should this issue happen to you.) The Omni Mini-LED has a 2.1-channel speaker array with Dolby Atmos support plus several preset audio modes including Standard, Movie and Sport. The Omni Mini-LED uses Amazon’s own Fire TV as its smart TV platform. Fire TV supports all major streaming services such as Prime Video, Netflix and Disney Plus as well as UK-based streaming services such as BBC iPlayer and ITVX. It also has an Ambient Experience, where photos and artwork can be displayed on the screen when the TV is idle and it supports hands-free Alexa voice control. Features score: 4.5 / 5 Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Picture quality The Amazon Omni Mini-LED demonstrates very good detail (Image credit: Future) Bold color and accurate detail Better than expected contrast Black crush in darker scenes The Omni Mini-LED’s peak HDR brightness as measured on a 10% white window pattern was 845 nits in the Standard picture preset and 973 nits in Filmmaker Mode. These results were with out-of-the-box settings for both picture modes, where the backlight was set to 80 and 70, respectively, and are roughly in the range of the Hisense U7N, which hit 807 nits in Standard mode and 1,074 nits in Filmmaker Mode. Raising the backlight to 100 for both modes, the Omni Mini-LED hit 1,081 nits in Standard mode and 1,333 nits in Filmmaker Mode. While the higher backlight settings resulted in much higher brightness levels, I found it made highlights look blown out when watching movies. Measuring fullscreen HDR brightness on a 100% white window pattern, again with out-of-the-box settings, the Omni Mini-LED hit 431 nits in Standard mode and 481 nits in Filmmaker Mode. When bumping up the backlight to 100 in picture settings in those modes, the Omni mini-LED hit 538 and 633 nits, respectively. For picture testing and measurements, I used the Omni Mini-LED’s out-of-the-box settings. When measuring color and grayscale in Filmmaker mode (with local dimming set to Medium), it averaged 2.9 for color accuracy and 4.8 for grayscale accuracy. However, I did find that the Omni Mini-LED has potential for those who want its picture calibrated. After using the TV’s calibration tools in Filmmaker Mode (SDR), it averaged 1.7 and 2.5 for color and grayscale accuracy, respectively, which are notable improvements. Watching an HD stream of Fight Club via Disney Plus, the Omni Mini-LED did a solid job of upscaling, with both textures and contrast improved. It also did a good job of displaying the movie’s murky, dark color palette. Color on the Omni mini-LED was very good overall. A 4K Dolby Vision stream of Star Wars: The Last Jedi on Disney Plus showcased vivid reds during the throne room fight scene. They verged on oversaturation but were still pleasing to the eye. A 4K Blu-ray of La La Land also demonstrated stunning color reproduction, with Mia’s yellow dress given a dynamic punch. Measuring the Omni Mini-LED’s HDR color gamut coverage, it yielded results of 70.3% for BT.2020 and 94.9% for UHDA-P3 – both good results that are comparable to the Samsung QN85D and Hisense U7N. The Amazon Omni Mini-LED delivers solid contrast (Image credit: Future) Contrast was generally strong, with the Omni mini-LED displaying a good balance between light and dark tones, something that could be seen in the opening crime scene and aerial shots of the city when watching a 4K Blu-ray of The Batman. I found that Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode was the best overall picture preset, though setting local dimming to Medium in the picture settings resulted in the best contrast. Also, when watching the black-and-white scenes in Oppenheimer, there was a good range of gray tones throughout. Black levels and shadow detail were a mixed bag on the Omni Mini-LED. The contrast was solid and it demonstrated decent backlight control, but I found it would crush black tones in darker scenes, resulting in a loss of shadow detail. For example, in the same opening crime scene of The Batman, with local dimming set to Medium in Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode, the detail in clothing was lost. Brighter picture modes such as Dolby Vision IQ or Dolby Vision Bright rectified this, but contrast also looked less accurate in those modes. Textures were generally very good on the Omni Mini-LED, with facial features and details in a wide range of movies including The Batman, Top Gun: Maverick and Oppenheimer all looking accurate and true-to-life. Pictures could occasionally look on the soft side compared to more premium mini-LED TVs, but they were still solid for a mid-range model. Motion in Sports TV mode was accurate out-of-the-box. When watching an HD stream of a soccer game, I found that setting Smoothness (judder reduction) at 4 and Clarity (blur reduction) at 10 were the optimal adjustments. For viewing sports, I found the Omini Mini-LED to be better than both the Hisense U6N and U7N, which required a lot more setup. Motion was also good for movies, with the Omni Mini-LED easily handling the intense, fast-moving flight sequences in Top Gun: Maverick. Interestingly, I found I couldn’t alter the Natural Cinema motion setting in Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode, but it did not seem to make a noticeable difference when tested on other picture modes. Picture quality score: 4 / 5 Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Sound quality The Omni mini-LED has average built-in sound quality, so movies such as La La Land could benefit from a soundbar (Image credit: Future) 2.1-channel speakers Good accuracy and placement Sound is narrow and contained The Omni Mini-LED has a 2.1-channel speaker system totaling 24W of power. It supports Dolby Atmos and comes with several sound modes targeted towards different types of content such as Movie, Sports, and Music. In my testing, I generally found Movie to be the best sound preset. Watching the Batmobile freeway chase sequence in The Batman, the Omni mini-LED demonstrated good sound placement and accuracy – as cars swerved across the screen, the sound of the screeching tires also swept across the screen. Bass was decent, with a good level of rumble stemming from the Batmobile’s engine. When watching Top Gun: Maverick, the sound exceeded the confines of the screen during flight sequences, giving it an expansive quality, and the dialogue was clear throughout my viewing. Even so, in both The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick, Dolby Atmos effects were so faint as to be unnoticeable, with the rain in The Batman and height channels in the Mach 10 scene in Top Gun: Maverick never hitting – something to be expected from a TV with basic, 2.1-channel built-in speakers. For those using the Omni Mini-LED mainly for watching movies, I’d recommend adding a soundbar. Sound quality score: 3.5 / 5 Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Design The Amazon Omni Mini-LED’s tall feet allow plenty of space for a soundbar (Image credit: Future) Tall feet allow space for a soundbar Hand-free voice control Bland design for the price One of the Omni Mini-LED’s best design features is its supplied feet. They are tall enough to easily fit a soundbar without the soundbar obscuring the bottom of the screen, a common issue with many TVs. Otherwise, the Omni Mini-LED’s design is very uninspired, with a rather generic and slightly bulky appearance compared with mini-LED rivals from Hisense, Samsung and TCL. I expected a slimmer depth at this price. The Omni Mini-LED comes with Amazon’s latest generation Alexa Voice remote, which still feels a little cheap and flimsy compared to remotes from other brands. Hands-free Alexa voice control is available via the TV’s built-in microphone – a welcome feature that can also be turned off in the settings. Design score: 4 / 5 Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Smart TV & menus Fire TV has access to plenty of apps but its home screen is taken up by a large banner ad (Image credit: Future) Fire TV smart TV platform Sometimes stuttering performance Advanced picture setup options The Omni Mini-LED uses Amazon’s Fire TV smart TV platform, which is featured on the Amazon Fire TV Stick range as well as TVs from other brands. Fire TV’s home screen provides a good number of movie and TV recommendations (especially for Prime Video) based on your viewing history and lets you easily jump back into programs you’ve previously been watching. It also has a large, revolving banner ad at the top that takes up roughly one-third of the screen. Performance-wise, Fire TV is generally responsive when navigating though there were occasional stutters and freeze-ups during my testing. Menus, while fairly easy to get around, could be a little more user-friendly. There are plenty of settings to tailor the picture to your taste and even 2-point, 11-point and Color Grading calibration tools for those who want advanced fine-tuning. While Fire TV gives preference on its home screen to Prime Video movies and TV shows, it does provide access to a wide array of streaming services including Netflix and Disney Plus. Smart TV & menus score: 4 / 5 Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Gaming The Amazon Omni Mini-LED, shown here with Battlefield V, has a good stock of gaming features and performs well (Image credit: Future) 4K 144Hz and Dolby Vision gaming 13.4ms input lag time Only two HDMI 2.1 ports The Omni Mini-LED is well-equipped with gaming features, including support for 4K 144Hz, VRR (including AMD FreeSync Premium Pro), ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming. It is the first of Amazon’s FireTVs to feature 120Hz support, but only features two HDMI 2.1 ports, which is currently the case for all TVs not made by LG or Samsung. The Omni Mini-LED performs well, even at higher frame rates. Playing Battlefield V on Xbox Series X, I found chaotic battle sequences, quick targeting and panning shots all ran smoothly and showed quick response times. When I measured the input lag time, it hit 13.4ms, which is similar to TVs from Hisense, TCL, and Sony, but doesn’t quite beat the best gaming TVs from Samsung and LG. Still, it sits below the 15ms threshold gamers look for. For picture quality during gaming, the Omni Mini-LED delivers good detail and dazzling colors along with solid contrast, again shown in desert and night missions in Battlefield V. I did find that textures took on a soft, muddy tone in some cases, which detracted from the experience a bit, but overall the Omni mini-LED is a solid gaming TV. Gaming score: 4 / 5 Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV review: Value The Amazon Omni Mini-LED is supplied with the Alexa Voice remote (Image credit: Future) Extremely competitive mini-LED TV market Closely matches rivals’ prices Potential for discounts The Omni Mini-LED enters a highly competitive mini-LED TV market dominated by Samsung, Hisense and TCL, and also competes with budget models from Roku. Its primary rival is arguably the Hisense U7N, which delivers similar features and performance and has very similar prices. For the 55-inch model I tested, we’ve seen the U7N average about $598.99 / £699.99, and it has gone as low as $480 in Black Friday sales. But the Omni Mini-LED has already hit $699.99 / £749.99 only months after release, and as an Amazon product, it has the potential to drop lower during Prime Day and Black Friday. The Omni Mini-LED is a solid TV for the money, offering good performance and many features that will please most TV buyers. It doesn’t quite beat the Hisense U7N in terms of value, but that could all change come Prime Day. Value score: 4 / 5 Should you buy the Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV? (Image credit: Future) Swipe to scroll horizontally Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV Attributes Notes Rating Features A good range of features for gaming, with good overall picture quality 4.5/5 Picture quality Colorful, detailed and with surprisngly good contrast, but suffers with dark tones – even in the most accurate picture mode 4/5 Sound quality Accurate placement and sense of direction, but feels narrow and limited 3.5/5 Design High feet allow space for soundbar, but design is very standard-issue 4/5 Smart TV and menus Fire TV runs mostly smoothly but with some stutter. Plenty of customization available in picture settings 4/5 Gaming Good stock of gaming features such as 4K 120Hz, VRR and Dolby Vision gaming with solid performance 4.5/5 Value Competitive mini-LED market, but well priced and lots of potential for discounts 3/5 Buy it if… Don’t buy it if… Also consider Swipe to scroll horizontally Row 0 – Cell 0 Amazon Omni Mini-LED Hisense U7N Amazon Omni QLED Samsung QN90D Price (55-inch) $699/£749/about AU$1,110 $599/£699/AU$1,195 $439/£549/about AU$699 $1,199 / £1,099 / AU$2,995 Screen type Mini-LED Mini-LED QLED Mini-LED Refresh rate 144Hz 144Hz 60Hz 144Hz HDR support Dolby Vision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG Dolby Vision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG Dolby Vision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG HDR10+/HDR10/HLG Smart TV Fire TV Google TV (US/Aus) VIDAA (UK) Fire TV Tizen HDMI ports 4 (2x HDMI 2.1, 2x HDMI 2.0) 4x HDMI 2.1 4x HDMI 2.0 4x HDMI 2.1 How I tested the Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TV Tested in light light-controlled environment Used SDR and HDR sources for testing picture quality Measurements were taken using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software (Image credit: Future) To test the Amazon Omni Mini-LED, I first conducted casual viewing to establish the TV’s most accurate picture mode. In this case, it was Filmmaker Mode, which I used to carry out both subjective and objective testing. For subjective testing, I used reference scenes from both SDR sources, such as HD streaming and broadcast TV, as well as 4K Blu-ray and streaming HDR sources. I tested the Omni Mini-LED’s color, contrast, detail, motion handling, and black levels. Some of the same reference scenes were also used to test the Omni Mini-LED’s built-in audio quality. I also tested the Omni Mini-LED’s gaming features and performance using an Xbox Series X. For objective testing, I took measurements of the Omni Mini-LED’s brightness, color and grayscale accuracy, and HDR color gamut coverage. The measurements were taken using a colorimeter, test pattern generator and Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. Brightness measurements were taken using both SDR and HDR white window patterns, ranging in size from 1-100% with a focus on 10% (peak brightness) and 100% (fullscreen brightness). Color and grayscale accuracy were taken in SDR, using Delta E values, looking for a score below 3. HDR color gamut coverage was measured for the BT.2020 and UHDA-P3 color spaces. For input lag testing, measured in milliseconds, I used a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI input lag tester.