TCL showcases new Series 20 phones plus tablets, wearable headsets and a pet tracker at CES 2021

This story is part of CES, where our editors will present the latest news and the hottest gadgets from CES 2021 entirely virtual.

TCL does much more than just TVs and CES is again showing how many other products it develops. In addition to presenting a updated line of series 6 televisions which will have 8K resolution and a jumbo size 85 inches “XL Collection”, the Chinese company unveiled new phones, tablets and headsets on Monday. He is also displaying a new wearable headset and even a pet tracker.

On the phone side, the company is continuing last year’s Series 10 with a new line of phones that it calls Series 20. There will be at least five phones in Series 20, two of which support 5G. At CES, the company exhibited some of the devices, the TCL 20 5G and a 4G model accessible only in LTE called TCL 20 SE.

The 20 5G features a 6.67-inch Ful HD Plus screen and features the second generation of TCL’s NXTVision screen technology that reportedly increases color accuracy, better converts content to HDR and a new “AI visual enhancement technology” or an algorithm that TCL says “intelligently detects ambient lighting” and “automatically improves brightness, color accuracy, clarity and contrast” A Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 chipset and 6 GB of RAM power the device, which it also has three rear cameras anchored by a 48-megapixel main shooter with an 8-megapixel wide-angle lens and 2-megapixel macro camera. An 8 megapixel camera is located at the front.

The 20 SE, in turn, has a 6.82 inch screen with NXTVision, albeit with a lower resolution than the 20 5G. A cheaper device, it doesn’t support 5G and runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 460 chipset with 4 GB of RAM. There are four rear cameras: a 48-megapixel main shooter with a 5-megapixel wide-angle lens, a 2-megapixel macro and a 2-megapixel depth lens.

The 20 5G is now available in Italy for 299 euros and will be “launched in several countries next month”. The 20 SE will cost 149 euros and will be available “this month” in “several countries”. TCL has not revealed whether the phones will come to the US, but a company spokesman told CNET that “several devices in the 20 Series” will arrive in the US with more information arriving “in the coming weeks”.

New tablets, including a rival for e-ink

In addition to the new phones, TCL is also adding two new tablets to its line: the TCL Tab 10S and the TCL NXTPaper. The first is a more traditional Android 10 tablet with a 10.1-inch Full HD Plus screen, eight-core MediaTek processor, 8000 mAh battery and comes with a stylus – called a T-Pen – in the box. A POGO pin connector allows you to easily connect additional accessories, including a keyboard-type cover that will be available separately.

It will be available from March from 199 euros for the Wi-Fi model or 249 euros for the 4G LTE / Wi-Fi version. A launch in the USA has not been confirmed.

The most interesting tablet of the two, however, is the NXTPaper. Taking advantage of a “highly reflective IPS screen”, the 8.88-inch tablet with full HD resolution has no backlight and instead has natural or ambient light to illuminate its color screen. TCL says the new screen “provides 25 percent greater contrast than most e-ink tablets” and, as it is not e-ink, it should be able to handle normal tablet tasks, including playing videos ” without blue light or oscillation “.

Other specifications of the Android 10 tablet include an eight-core MediaTek processor with 4 GB and 64 GB of storage (the latter expandable to 256 GB with a microSD card), IP52 and 5400 mAh rated dust and water resistance that TCL says it provides “another full day of use.” Also present are an 8 megapixel rear camera and a 5 megapixel front camera, a POGO connector at the rear, as well as 4G LTE and Wi-Fi connectivity.

The NXTPaper will be available in April for 349 euros in the regions of Europe, Middle East / Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Like the Tab 10S, a launch in the United States has not been confirmed.

A new wearable screen

TCL has been teasing its Project Archery headset for a few years and in 2021 it looks like it’s finally going to launch it. Called the TCL Wearable Display, the new sunglasses-like headset is a continuation of the original concept and is not a pair of VR or AR specifications. Instead, it was designed to provide a personal theater-like experience thanks to 1080p Full HD micro OLED micro OLED monitors.

Playback is provided via a USB-C connection to a phone, tablet or PC with TCL saying that, once connected, the device will allow you to “watch movies, play games and more at home, on the road or anywhere else “.

No price was disclosed, although Stefan Streit, general manager of global marketing at TCL, tells CNET that the company is working on a package of one of its phones, the headset and a subscription to a streaming service. The company says the headset will arrive in the U.S.

New headphones … and a pet tracker

Completing the busy day of TCL, there is a new pair of connected devices: wireless headsets they call MoveAudio S600 and a new pet tracker called MoveTrack.

Featuring Bluetooth 5.0 and Google Fast Pair for connecting to devices, the MoveAudio buttons also have what TCL calls “hybrid” active noise cancellation for an “enhanced listening experience” and a transparency mode for listening to the world around you . Touch controls are on each button to activate the noise canceling feature, with TCL claiming eight hours of music playback on a single charge, with the charging case adding an additional 32 hours.

The buttons are also rated IP54 for protection against water, sweat and dust. They will be available from February for 149 euros abroad, priced in the US at $ 129.99.

Those looking to keep an eye on pets may be interested in another connected device from TCL. Called the MoveTrack Pet Tracker, the new device can be attached to a collar and – through GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and “other technologies” – help to monitor and locate lost animals. When enabled, MoveTrack users can create a “designated Bluetooth coverage area of ​​up to 10 meters”, with the device sending notifications if their furry friend goes too far.

The device can track your pet’s footsteps and features a “QR code e-badge” to help other people contact you if they find your pet. An LED on the device can be activated remotely to help find a lost friend in the dark.

TCL says the device, which has an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, has up to 14 days of standby time.

MoveTrack will be launched globally “this spring” for 99 euros. TCL says it will arrive in the US, although no US price has been announced.