The Vaio brand is now ready to finally make a comeback with two new models featuring upgraded internals, an aluminum-carbon body and a transformable form factor.

The first model, the VAIO Z is sporting a 13.3-inch display, a second-generation high-speed solid state drive and a fifth generation Core i7 processor. Its aluminum-carbon body is constructed much like the VAIO Flip we saw two years ago at IFA with a special hinge that allows the device to transform from a laptop to a tablet.

The VAIO Z weighs only 1.34kg and measures 16.8mm at its thickest point. The convertible also comes with a beefy battery, which according to VAIO should last for over 15 hours, especially when combined with a special power-saving display mode that significantly reduces consumption up to 40 percent.

The second device is the VAIO Z Canvas, which is actually the final version of the prototype we saw last year. It comes with a 12.1-inch detachable display that boasts 2560 x 1704 pixel resolution. The company is promising up to 1TB of storage on the device and a display that is able to reproduce up to 95% of the Adobe RGB color gamut.

The VAIO Z will be coming into Japanese stores in a few weeks for around $1600, while the Z Canvas will hit the shelves by May, with pricing information to be announced before its arrival.

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Japan Display’s 4K display from last year is now getting some competition from Sharp, the same manufacturer that brought us the IGZO display. Today, reports came in that the Japanese manufacturer is currently working on a new batch of ultra-dense displays.

According to reports, the new displays will start at 5.5-inches and will have a pixel density of around 600 pixels per inch and will be used for smartphones and tablets. Moreover, the new ultra-dense panels will also allow playback of 4K media especially in tablets.

Just to compare, the iPhone 5S has a pixel density of 326ppi, while the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Oppo Find 7 have a pixel density of 432ppi and 538ppi respectively. Sharp indicated that production of the new panels will start on the first half of next year, so we should expect devices with 600ppi displays during the second half of 2015.

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Acer has just announced two new smartphones – the Acer Liquid E3 and Z4 that further strengthens its presence in the budget smartphone scene.

The more powerful Liquid E3 comes equipped with a 4.7-inch 720p IPS display, a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage which can be expanded using a microSD card, Wi-Fi and GPS. Acer has also included a Rapid Key in the E3 which enable users to answer calls, launch the camera or unlock the phone using a single press.

The camera at the back is a 13MP with LED falsh and features an ultra-fast focus time, while the 2MP front-facing camera comes equipped with its own LED flash as well. The Liquid E3 comes preinstalled with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean but Acer promises that an Android 4.4 KitKat update will roll out once the phone goes on sale.

The Liquid Z4 sports a 4.0-inch display with WVGA resolution, a 1.3GHz dual-core processor, 4GB of internal storage with option for expansion via a microSD card, a 5MP rear camera with RAPID key and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

Both phones should start shipping within this month, with Europe to get the phones first at €199 for the Liquid E3 and €99 for the Liquid Z4.

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Recent reports suggest that Samsung might unveil more than one Galaxy Gear 2 smartwatch next week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona Spain.

According to sources of The Verge, the Korean tech giant maybe planning to release more than one version of its refreshed Galaxy Gear smartwatch – one of which might run on the company’s own brewed Tizen OS.

There are also rumours that a version of the smartwatch will have a version of Tizen OS based on HTML5, which should technically make it more carrier- and developer-friendly.

Samsung is also expected to unveil its latest flagship smartphone at the event – the Galaxy S5, and it’s almost a sure bet that a Galaxy Gear companion is to appear on its side. What version that smartwatch would be, will be answered next week. So we’ll just have to wait and see.

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Spanish smartphone maker Geeksphone has now given us more details about the dual-boot Geeksphone Revolution that was first announced a few weeks ago just around the time its Blackphone was announced.

The Revolution will have a 4.7-inch display with qHD resolution, a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Atom processor, 1GB of RAM and an 8MP camera at the back with flash. The smartphone will run an unspecified version of Android as its base OS and an “alternative OS” on the side.

According to Geeksphone, the “alternative” OS it’s referring to pertains to “any community supported OS” so Windows Phone and iOS are definitely out in the running. Which leaves us with either Firefox OS and maybe to a certain extent Ubuntu Mobile as the most logical choices for an alternative OS.

As always, there’s still no information on pricing and availability but we’ll probably get more info in the coming weeks, even as close as next month at MWC.

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Nest Labs is start-up company based in California that has made a name for itself in the field of home automation. The company was founded by Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers who were part of the first team that designed Apple’s iPod and iPhone.

Fadell’s and Rogers’s roots played an important role in the design and development of the company’s two products – a thermostat and smoke detector, which both exude a design and ergonomics reminiscent of many Apple-made products. However, Nest Labs is turning a new leaf today as the company has recently been acquired by the Google for around $3.2 billion.

Unlike Motorola, Google said that Nest Labs will continue to operate as an independent brand, which means that the company will still be able to provide support to iOS users.

What’s interesting though about this new acquisition, is that it’s clearly showing Google’s intent on home automation. This is pretty much the same as what LG and Samsung have been doing with their smart appliances. So who knows, we might see an Android- or Chrome OS-powered refrigerators or dish washers in the future.

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Samsung and Apple have long been breathing down on each other’s neck ever since the first iPhone and Galaxy S. Five years later the two companies are still at it trying to outclass each other. This time around it looks like plastic-metal duo models are the new thing.

Apple already did this by releasing the metal-clad iPhone 5S and the plastic-covered iPhone 5C last year. And this year, rumor has it that Samsung will be doing the same by having its Galaxy S5 built with either a plastic or metal body.

Logically, the metal Galaxy S5 will cost more than the plastic model – around $177 more expensive to be exact. The metal version will also have the company’s new Exynos 6 chip while the plastic model will be equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chip.

The phone is also expected to get a 5.25-inch AMOLED display with QHD resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels) and a 16MP rear camera with optical image stabilization. As for the other specs, we might just have to wait next month when the phone gets announced on Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

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