ConsumerIT - For Europe's High Volume PC Retailers, Distributors & Builders

DJI announces a sequel to the successful Mavic Air drone-- the imaginatively named Mavic Air 2, an update promising to combine high-grade image, intuitive flight performance and "revolutionary" smart technology.

Featuring the same portable foldable design as the first model, the Mavic Air 2 weighs 570g and carries updated motors, new electronic speed controllers (ESCs) and an enhanced battery allowing for up to 34 minutes of flight. Proprietary OcuSync 2.0 connectivity provides a reliable and stable video feed from the drone at a maximum distance of 10km. The connectivity technology supports both 2.4 and 5.8GHz frequency bands, and auto-switches between the two according to signal strength.

Micron launches a pair of NVMe SSD lines through the Crucial consumer brand-- the P2 and P5, with the P5 being the first SSD from the company featuring an in-house controller design in a retailer capacity.

Available in capacities including 250GB, 500GB, 1TB and 2TB, the P5 offers sequential read speeds reaching 3400MB/s. Sequential write speeds reach 3000MB/s with exception of the 250GB model. Instead, the lowest-capacity option provides sequential write speeds clocking at 1400MB/s. Random read IOPS are 210000 for the 250 and 500GB SSDs, while the 1TB offers 390000 and the 2TB drives at 430000. On the other hand, random write IOPS are 355000 for the 250GB model and 500000 for all the others. Micron adds all the drives include a set of encryption standards, allowing for some security.

Motorola follows on years making mid-range smartphones with a device aimed firmly at the flagship category-- the Edge+, a handset promising "speed, power and the ultimate 5G performance."

Based around the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 platform, the Edge+ is a 6.7-inch number with a display set at a cinematic 21:9 screen ratio. The "Endless Edge" display wraps nearly 90-degrees around both sides of the device, and handles HDR10+ content and a 90Hz refresh rate. Also found inside the device are 12GB DDR5 RAM, 256GB storage (expandable via microSD card) and a big 5000mAh battery the company claims powers up to 2 full days of use on a single charge. The battery offers both wired and wireless charging, and can even charge other devices through wireless power sharing. The body is IP54 water-repellent, and includes a 3.5mm jack together with a pair of Waves-tuned speakers.

According to GfK, the current lockdowns have lead to consumers buying of all manner of CE, from PCs and notebooks to TVs and gaming consoles, as Europeans look for means to both work and play during the coronavirus (aka Covid-19) pandemic.

However, one has to keep in mind many stores are closed, and online sales cannot fully offset the "significant" losses in the big 5 European markets-- Great Britain, Germany, France, Spain and Italy. That said, GfK points out consumers are looking for means to cope with life during this "new normal," and retailers and manufacturers need to understand what purchases are preponed and postponed in order to secure the relevant and essential assortment.

In terms of "extraordinary" sales spikes, working from home has driven up sales of monitor (120% Y-o-Y), printers (68% Y-o-Y), notebooks (62% Y-o-Y) and keyboards (61% Y-o-Y) in the 5 major European markets during the 4 weeks starting from 7 March to 5 April 2020 (weeks 11 to 14 of the pandemic). Webcams see the biggest sales growth at 297% Y-o-Y. Meanwhile the stockpiling of groceries has lead to more purchases of freezers and refrigerators. In Great Britain, freezer sales are up by 317% Y-o-Y, and in Germany such sales are up by 185% Y-o-Y. France also sees freezer sales growth of 44% Y-o-Y.