Smartphones - at least in their current form - have reached the apogee of their evolution - at least this is what many people think. Octa-core processors will handle anything you throw at them just fine (as long as the apps they need to run are optimized right for multi-thread operation), the amount of RAM crammed into the handsets is enough for just about anything, we have huge batteries, completely lifelike displays, amazing cameras, and everything we ever wanted (and didn't want) inside a slim body. Smartphones have become hugely overpowered for what the average owner uses them, like updating social media, reading the news, watching videos, and playing
free online casino games at VegasPalms.Some have, in turn, decided not to pursue the trends, creating devices that break boundaries and add previously unseen features to the mix. And these features might become standard in the coming years - at least we hope they will.
RED's holographic display
RED's Hydrogen smartphone might not stand out of the crowd with its specifications - there's really no way to know before the actual product is released early next year - yet it is already considered by many an important step in the evolution of smartphones. And this because of the innovative approach to its display: it promises 3D without the glasses.The device, described by RED as a "holographic media machine in your pocket", will have a 5.7" professional Hydrogen holographic display capable of seamlessly switching between traditional 2D, stereo 3D, 2D/3D VR/AR/MR and RED's own 4View content (H4V - this surely means something to those routinely handling RED cameras). While it almost certainly won't beat Samsung's flagships at sheer processing power, RED Hydrogen will most likely stand out as an example to be followed by smartphone makers around the world.
CAT's thermal camera
Smartphone cameras are good for more than just snapping selfies and pictures of your cat. For those in need of such a function, FLIR already has thermal cameras that can be attached to smartphones. And now, CAT has released a smartphone that is not only rugged but gives its users the "power of thermal imaging", too (their words).The CAT S60 smartphone has pretty decent specifications - an octa-core Snapdragon 617 SoC, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, and a rugged construction to make do even in the hardest conditions (IP68 and MIL-SPEC 810G certified). And it is the first smartphone that comes with a built-in thermal camera.
Samsung's DeX
While Samsung's DeX is not the first attempt to transform a smartphone into a desktop PC, it is the first technology to have such a big name behind it (Microsoft's Continuum doesn't count - the Redmond giant is huge but not in the world of smartphones). Specialists have been predicting the smartphone becoming our main computing device in the near future, and they certainly have the processing power to do so. With DeX, this is all within reach today.DeX is supported by Samsung's latest Galaxy S8 series (including the S8 Active) and the Note8. Hopefully, the future will bring more phone models to the DeX side, transforming the way we look at personal computers.
