TCL Debuts New Smart Home Devices Including 5G Router and Heart Rate Monitoring Earphones

By Christine Persaud

TCL Communication has introduced four new smart devices including the brand’s first ultrafast 5G CPE, true wireless earphones, wireless heart rate monitoring sport headphones, and a 4G connected smartwatch for kids. 

The TCL Linkhub 5G CPE is an ultrafast 5G router for the smart home that is designed to be lightweight and portable, and able to access next-gen network speeds at home or work. It supports smart dual-band Wi-Fi with 4X4 MU-MIMO technology, which sxtends coverage, maintains stable high-speed connections, and supports up to 1,000 simultaneous connections.

It comes equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 chipset and supports 5G connectivity up to 2.8Gbps and the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology for speeds up to 3.6Gbps, enough bandwidth for users to download a 1Gbps HD movie in just three seconds, says TCL, which is nearly 10 times the speed of 4G LTE. Easy Mesh allows you to easily connect with a mesh router system to extend Wi-Fi coverage throughout multi-story homes and large spaces to deliver ultrafast Wi-Fi without dead zones. It also supports both Bluetooth and ZigBee for easy set up.

The TCL Linkhub 5G CPE will be available in Europe, U.S., China, Asia and Pacific, Middle East, and Africa beginning in Q3 2020 from €499. 

Two new pairs of wireless earphones are coming as well, the SOCL500TWS and ACTV500TWS. The SOCL500TWS come with 5.8mm speaker drivers while the ACTV500TWS comes with 6mm drivers. They are designed to leverage the inner ear for support versus just the ear canal, which TCL says can result in discomfort when worn for extended periods. 

Additionally, the ACTV500TWS comes with Comply Foam Tips to ensure a snug, custom in-ear fit. The SOCL500TWS is IPX4-rated with its water-repellent casing and microphone mesh, while the ACTV500TWS is IPX5 certified, meaning it is completely water and splash proof.

The SOCL500TWS has a total playtime up to 26 hours, with 6.5-hour continuous playback and 19.5 hours of additional charge from the case. The ACTV500TWS has a total playtime up to 33 hours, with 6.5-hour continuous playback and 26.5 hours of additional charge from the case. The ACTV500TWS has wireless charging capabilities, including a quick chargefeature that can generate one hour of play time with just 15 minutes of charge. 

The SOCL500TWS is available in four colours, including Blue Ocean, Sunset Violet, Sunrise Orange, and Phantom Black, while the ACTV500TWS is available in two colours, Copper Dust and Copper Ash. The SOCL500TWS & ACTV500TWS will be available in Europe and the U.S. starting in Q1 2020 for US$80 and US$100, respectively.

The ACTV200BT is TCL’s first heart rate monitoring sports earphones, which use ActivHearts, a multi-sensor system built into the acoustic tube of the right earpiece, to provide an accurate heart rate reading in real-time. When paired with common third-party smartphone apps, the earphones can provide an audio reading on the spot so you can focus on exercising without being distracted by having to look at your device. The earphones are also IPX4 certified, meaning they are sweat- and water-resistant.

Designed with an 8.6mm speaker driver and passive noise isolation, the ACTV200BT can play for up to 14 hours per charge. They also supports Bluetooth 5.0 and fast charging for up to two hours of playback time after only 15 minutes of charge time. They come in two colours, Copper Dust and Copper Ash, and will be available in Europe and the U.S. starting in Q1 2020 for US$80.

Finally, TCL is getting into the kid’s smartwatch arena with the Movietime Kids Watch MT43K, which helps parent stay connected with their children. Parents can monitor their children’s location, receive instant notifications when their children exit a preset safe zone or push the SOS button, and establish immediate contact with hands-free 4G two-way calling and voice messaging. 

The watch also acts as a daily activity tracker that counts steps, calories burned, and distance walked. Parents can track their children’s location history and easily navigate to their child with third party maps. Parents will also have peace of mind as the watch is Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant, giving its users full data and privacy protection.

Children will also have the added benefit of engaging with their friends through Bluetooth, where they can add their friends and interact with them. Parents will still have control with School Mode, a feature that allows parents to dictate when kids can use their watches during class time.

The MOVETIME watch comes with a 1.4-inch AMOLED touch display that is water and dust resistant, as well as a voice-activated assistant to call contacts or open applications. The long-lasting battery has a standby time of up to four days or usage time of up to two days.

The watch will come with multiple colourful hypoallergenic replaceable bands, and will be available in North America and Europe later this year with prices set at US$179.