It’s been a couple of years since Apple started upgrading the iMac lineup with Apple Silicon chips, but the company has managed to only update the 24-inch models.
Now, the Cupertino-based technology giant is coming up with a new model of the Apple iMac, powered by the all-new Apple M3 chipset, which is yet to be launched by the company.
According to the report from Mark Gurman in the Power On newsletter, the next-generation Apple iMacs, carrying codenames J433 and J434, are in the advanced stage of engineering validation testing (EVT), and the company is currently running production tests.
Unfortunately, it appears that the technology giant is only working on the 24-inch model of the iMac and that’s the only version that will be made official in the coming months.
The report adds that the upcoming iMac is being tested for the same set of colors as the previously launched M1 iMac, which includes Silver, Blue, Pink, and Orange. There’s a possibility that the company could also add Yellow, Green, and Purple color options.
The product is expected to enter mass production after three months, which means that the device could be officially launched in the second half of this year. We also expect to learn more about the M3 chipset at the WWDC later this year.
Apple started the process of transitioning its devices from Intel processors to its own Apple Silicon chips and while iMac started the move in 2021 with the M1-powered 24-inch iMac, the company is yet to upgrade the 27-inch iMac with the M-series chips.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has given its approval to a new Redmi phone with the model number 2303ERA42L. The listing has revealed a few key details about the smartphone. However, there is no word on its final marketing name.
The FCC certification reveals that the Redmi 2303ERA42L is a 4G smartphone. It will come with support for other connectivity features, such as Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth, GPS, and FM.
The listing also mentions that the device may arrive in two options when it goes official, such as 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. The device will come preloaded with MIUI 14.
One of the FCC documents states that “the subject device of this application (Model: 2303ERA42L, FCC ID: 2AFZZRA42L) is electrically identical to the reference device (Model: 2201117SL, FCC ID: 2AFZZ117SL).” To recall, the 2AFZZ117SL device is the Redmi Note 11S, which debuted last year.
There is a possibility that the 2303ERA42L Redmi could be the Redmi Note 12S, which is expected to arrive with a MediaTek chip. Before drawing any conclusions, it is advisable to wait for further reports to learn more about the 2303ERA42L device.
At the same time, Redmi is getting ready to launch a bunch of new phones in Europe. The company is expected to announce smartphones, such as the Redmi A2, Redmi 12C, Redmi Note 12 4G, Redmi Note 12 5G, Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G, and Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G. Except for the Redmi A2 and Note 12 4G, all the other phones have launched in some other markets. The A2 will be an entry-level offering powered by the Helio G36 chipset, whereas the Note 12 4G will come equipped with the Snapdragon 680 chip.
On Feb. 6, POCO unveiled the POCO X5 series of smartphones in the global market and India. The lineup has two models, the Poco X5 5G and the Poco X5 Pro 5G. While the global market received both models, the company only released the Pro model in India. It appears that the vanilla variant will be also released in India.
When a Poco fan asked Poco’s Country Head for India, Himanshu Tandon whether the company will be releasing the Poco X5 in India, he responded by saying, “yea getting a lot of messages from fans to launch the X5 after the successful launch of X5 Pro. We are seriously evaluating this.”
At the same time, a report by Xiaomiuireveals that the last internal MIUI build of Poco X5 5G (V13.0.1.0.SMPINXM) has surfaced. As per the publication, the MIUI build suggests that the device will arrive with MIUI 13-based Android 12 In India.
POCO X5 5G specifications
POCO X5 5G
The Poco X5 5G available in the global market features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display that offers a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The device is powered by the Snapdragon 695 chipset, 6 GB / 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM, and 128 GB / 256 GB of UFS 2.2 storage.
The Poco X5 has a 5,000mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging. It runs on Android 12 OS with the MIUI 13 on top. The device features a 13-megapixel front-facing camera, and a 48-megapixel (main) + 8-megapixel (ultra-wide) + 2-megapixel (macro) triple camera unit. For security, it has a side-facing fingerprint scanner.
As can be seen, the above specifications are almost identical to the Redmi Note 12 5G, which is already available in India for Rs 17,999 (~$220). The Note 12 5G and Poco X5 5G mainly differ in the chipset department as the Redmi model features the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1, whereas the X5 has the SD695.
Huawei, the Chinese tech giant, is planning to launch its Huawei P60 series of flagship smartphones and the Huawei Mate X3 flagship foldable in March, and a recent online advertisement shown in the country has detailed that Huawei will be hosting a launch event on March 23 to unveil the brand’s latest devices.
Huawei March 27 Launch Event Advert, Source: Even if there is a westerly wind on Weibo
The advertisement was screenshotted by the Weibo user, even if there is a westerly wind, and the advert states that Huawei is holding its annual spring launch event to unveil the brand’s latest products to the country, and the highlight is its flagship Huawei P60 series.
Earlier this year, Huawei teased that the Huawei P60 series and Huawei Mate X3 foldable will be launched together in March 2023, so it is safe to say that the Huawei Mate X3 will be launched at the March 23 launch event as well.
Huawei March Launch Teaser, Source: Huawei China
Besides, the screenshot of the online advert, the prominent Chinese leakster, the factory manager is classmate Guan, also posted on Weibo saying that Huawei will be holding a launch event on March 23 to reveal its latest devices for 2023.
The leakster also quotes his previous post saying that Huawei will launch not only smartphones at the event, but also smart tech ecosystem devices as well such as the Huawei FreeBuds 5 wireless earphones, the Huawei Watch 4 smartwatch, and the Huawei Band 7 smart fitness band.
From our previous reporting, it was reported that the upcoming Huawei P60 Pro will arrive with a 6.6-inch OLED display that will produce a 120Hz refresh rate and a 1440p resolution. Packing a 5,000mAh battery, the smartphone will support 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. It will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC but it will be capped to 4G only, with no 5G connectivity due to restrictions imposed on Huawei.
Fire-Boltt has recently launched a new smartwatch called the Ninja Fit, which boasts an ultra-thin design and a large 1.69-inch HD display. The device comes with various features such as Bluetooth calling, voice assistants, and an in-built microphone and speaker. The smartwatch is designed to offer a minimalist look with its square dial and slim 9.5mm body, making it lightweight and stylish.
The Fire-Boltt Ninja Fit has a resolution of 240 x 280 pixels and a battery life of up to 5 days, making it an ideal choice for people who lead an active lifestyle. Additionally, the watch has up to 123 workout modes, catering to different sports and exercises. The device can monitor various health parameters such as SpO2 levels, heart rate, and sleep patterns, making it a reliable health assistant for its users.
The smartwatch also includes smart notifications that allow users to receive notifications from their smartphones directly on the watch. The device is IP68 rated, making it water-resistant, and it can be worn while swimming or engaging in other water-based activities. Additionally, the watch features music and camera controls, weather forecasts, timers, and alarm clocks, adding to its overall utility.
The Fire-Boltt Ninja Fit is available in six different colors: blue, black, beige, green, grey, and red, making it suitable for different style preferences. The device is priced at Rs. 1,299 (~$16) and is available for purchase on the Fire-Boltt website. It will also be available on Amazon.in starting March 8, 2023, for a discounted price of Rs. 1,199 (~$15).
The ongoing US-China Tech war has put a lot of pressure on the Chinese semiconductor industry and Beijing is trying to find solutions to solve the problem. Last week Chinese Vice-Premiere Liu He said that to solve the ongoing semiconductor crisis, China must maintain a “whole nation” approach to its semiconductor industry and leverage both state and market power for growth.
He further added that the semiconductor industry was the core nexus of modern industrial systems and mattered to national security and the progress of Chinese-style modernization.
Liu also highlighted the support of President Xi Jinping by saying that General Secretary Xi has attached high importance to the development of the integrated circuit industry, and has repeatedly made written and verbal instructions on the matter. The Vice-Premiere was making these comments at a gathering of delegates in Beijing.
Focusing on the Whole Nation approach, Liu said that the government supported the semiconductor industry and would set up practical development goals for the whole industry to solve the ongoing problems of US sanctions on semiconductors. The government plans to use the Whole Nation approach to support and guide the tech industry especially when the market mechanism fails.
Apart from raw materials and machinery, China is facing a semiconductor talent shortage as the US sanctions banned the export of semiconductors, related technology, and even related personnel to China and Chinese companies. To solve the problem of talent shortage, the government has designed the ‘Equal National Treatment’ plan for foreign semiconductor experts.
During his speech, Liu said that China already had a strong semiconductor supply chain and a large chip consumption market which is the most precious resource for the country and a strategic advantage to promote the semiconductor industry.
What is Whole Nation Policy?
The Whole Nation approach was a government policy that was used during China’s planned economy period. Under this approach, unlike capitalism and market economy, the government mobilized and allocated resources through administrative command. With the government intervention, the resources were allocated across the nation based on priority and need for development instead of pure market demand.
China stopped using the Whole Nation approach in the 1970s when the country transitioned into a market economy. However, since 2019, President Xi Jinping has re-invigorated the Whole Nation concept. In 2019 at the fourth plenary session of the 19th Chinese Communist Party Central, President Xi said that a new type of whole nation system should be built to push technological progress and breakthroughs in China.
He was proposing to bring back the Whole Nation concept against the backdrop of the US-China tech war which started in 2019 with the Trump administration levying sanctions on Chinese firms like Huawei and ZTE.
What is the New Whole Nation Policy?
The new whole-nation policy proposed by President Xi is different from the traditional system. In the traditional system, the government overtook the control of all resources and allocated them as per the need of development, completely ignoring the market mechanisms. However, in the New Whole Nation approach, the government will play the role of a guide and allocator but will also involve market mechanisms to allocate resources.
The new system is designed to solve new challenges associated with globalization and digitalization. China aims to win the US-China tech war through self-strengthening, self-reliance, and reducing dependency on foreign inputs and will use the New Whole Nation Policy to achieve these goals.
The New Whole Nation Policy is adopted by China’s 14th five-year plan, as well as its local and sector-specific versions, which collectively map key strategies for advancing the country’s development from 2021 to 2025.
China is going to use the New Whole Nation Policy to integrate and divert resources to advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum science. The country plans to open R&D facilities for key industries like semiconductors, strengthen basic research, and establish national labs and industry clusters all of which will help it to become self-reliant and win the ongoing tech war with the US.
Chinese tech company Honor has launched the Honor Watch GS 3i smartwatch with various upgrades and features. The Watch GS 3i is designed to be an affordable smartwatch with long battery life, health monitoring features, and a range of sports modes.
The Honor Watch GS 3i comes with a 1.39-inch AMOLED high-definition color screen. The display is protected by 3D light and thin curved glass. The watch is designed with a round dial and a warm and full appearance, similar to the previous GS 3 series. The overall design is simple yet elegant, making it suitable for daily use and workouts. The smartwatch crams a 455mAh battery under the hood which delivers up to 14 days of battery life
One of the main features of the Watch GS 3i is its health monitoring capabilities. The watch supports blood oxygen saturation monitoring, which measures the percentage of the combined capacity of oxygen and hemoglobin in the blood. This feature helps users keep track of their body changes and ensure their overall health and wellness. The watch also supports 24-hour heart rate monitoring, which alerts users when their heart rate is too high or too low.
In addition, the Honor Watch GS 3i offers 100 sports modes, including 15 professional sports modes and 85 custom sports modes. The watch can record the user’s sports data, such as distance, pace, and calories burned. The smartwatch also supports automatic exercise recognition, recording data once the user begins their workout.
The Watch GS 3i comes with 4GB storage, providing users with ample space to store up to 500 songs. The watch also supports NFC function, covering more than 300+ cities. The NFC function allows users to make payments and access public transportation services quickly and easily.
As for the price, the Honor Watch GS 3i is available in two versions: a sports version and a fashion version. The sports version starts at 699 yuan (around $100), while the fashion version starts at 799 yuan (~$115).
Oukitel is a China-based mobile device manufacturer known for its rugged handsets and portable accessories. The company had launched some interesting phones in the past. For instance, its recent WP21 handset debuted with a rugged design and a watch-like external screen. Now, the brand is gearing up to bring the Oukitel WP22 as the world’s loudest smartphone. Here are the details.
The Oukitel WP22 will be launched later this month and it won’t arrive as an ordinary rugged smartphone. Apart from the usual IP68, IP69K, and MIL-STD-810H ratings that we see on rugged phones, it will also bring a rear-mounted speaker. The speaker on the smartphone is capable of producing audio power up to 4W and top output of 125 decibels (dB), making it the most powerful and loudest speaker available on a smartphone.
Talking about other specifications, the handset comes with a 6.58-inch FHD+ display that produces a 90Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, it is powered by the Helio P90 processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. There’s a 20MP “night vision” camera as well as a 48MP main shooter and a 2MP macro on the back. The front gets a 16MP selfie camera, placed in a water-drop notch.
The standout feature of the WP22 is its massive 10,000mAh battery, which can last up to 52 days under certain conditions. In addition, it runs Android 13, which is a noteworthy inclusion in a market where most devices still operate on Android 12-based software.
Those interested in purchasing the Oukitel WP22 can do so from March 20, 2023. The current price for the smartphone on its AliExpress page is approximately $400, but an introductory special may reduce the cost to around $171 on launch day.
US-based electronics manufacturer Westinghouse has unveiled the Westinghouse Pi and Quantum series TVs in India. The new smart TVs come in different sizes and display options. It includes the Pi 24” HD, 40” FHD, and Quantum Series 55” 4K UHD TVs. The US-based consumer electronic company Westinghouse is making inroads into the Indian market with these new offerings. Westinghouse has a rich history spanning up to 130 years.
The Westinghouse Pi and Quantum series of TVs in India come in three sizes. The Pi series is offered in 24” and 40” options while the Quantum series comes as a 55-inch model. The 24-inch Pi series model has an HD display while the 40-inch model comes with a Full HD screen with 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution. Both models feature the Linux Operating system and 512MB of RAM. In addition, both Pi series TVs have 4GB of ROM, HDMI, and USB ports. Bottom firing type 2 speakers are featured in the two Westinghouse Pi series TVs with 20W and 30W outputs respectively.
Digital Audio Output of Coaxial technology and Digital Noise Filter combine with an A35x4 processor with up to 300 nits of brightness. The TVs are also Smart HD Ready with several games and apps available via Google PlayStore.
The Westinghouse TV Quantum 55” 4K UHD TV has a bezel-less design with a DLED screen offering 4K Ultra HD. The premium TV has a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels and a home screen Digital Noise filter helps to eliminate distractions. The TV is equipped with an A35x4 processor and an IPS panel. It has 2GB of RAM and 8GB of ROM. There are three HDMI ports and two USB ports in the TV.
The Westinghouse TV Pi 24” HD model is priced at Rs. 6,999 (~$86) while the 40” FHD Pi series TV is priced at Rs. 13,499 (~$165). The premium Westinghouse TV Quantum 55” UHD will retail in the subcontinent at Rs. 29,999 (~$367). The TVs will be available on Amazon India from March 8, 2023.
Lenovo’s Yoga series is probably at the forefront of the Chinese company’s laptop lineup, offering consumers a wide range of convertibles with impressive designs and features. Last year’s Yoga series included many high-end laptops that gained quite an audience. Now, the company officially announced it is ready to announce the new Yoga 2023 in April. The brand has also released various teasers. Here are the details.
Lenovo took to Weibo to confirm that it will launch the first Yoga 2023 laptops in April. The company didn’t specify the exact launch date of the new lineup. At the moment, we don’t have any information on what new laptops will be announced by Lenovo this year. However, considering the company’s recent product launches at CES and MWC 2023, it’s likely that it will introduce new models, such as the Yoga 14s, 13s, and Yoga Pro 13s Carbon.
Additionally, we may see the introduction of the reversible 14c. These are just speculations based on past trends, and we’ll have to wait for official announcements from Lenovo to know for sure. However, the company has confirmed that the upcoming Yoga lineup will be thin and light notebooks, equipped with Intel’s 13th-generation Core processor.
The latest mobile processor from Intel, the 13th-generation Core H/P/U, boasts impressive specs including 6 performance cores, 8 energy efficiency cores, and up to 96EU for the core display. According to Intel, this new processor uses an improved hardware thread scheduler to further enhance its performance capabilities.
The 13th generation Core H/P/U processor supports a wide range of memory types, including DDR4-3200 and DDR5-5200, as well as LPDDR5-6400 and LPDDR4X-4267. In terms of connectivity, these processors offer four Thunderbolt 4 interfaces (which include DP2.1 and USB3.2) and come with integrated Intel Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+) and Bluetooth low-power audio.
Nothing Phone (1) debuted last year as one of the most hyped smartphones we’ve seen so far. Although the handset partially lived up to its hype, many enthusiasts were disappointed by its chipset and wanted a more powerful SoC to be included in the phone’s specs. It seems the next-gen Nothing Phone (2) won’t let folks down as it has more or less been confirmed to pack the capable Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC. Here are the details.
During the MWC 2023, Nothing confirmed that the upcoming Nothing Phone (2) will pack a Snapdragon 8 series processor but didn’t specify which SoC. That changes now as Qualcomm’s SVP and GM of Mobile, Compute, and XR business unit, Alex Katouzian has accidentally confirmed through a LinkedIn post that the Phone (2) will feature the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor.
The post has been edited, but a screenshot shared by 91Mobiles indicates that Katouzian has prematurely disclosed the phone’s chipset. To recall, Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 was introduced in mid-2022 as a high-end SoC from Qualcomm. Based on the 4nm process node, the chipset has an octa-core architecture. Its Prime Core is based on an ARM Cortex-X2 architecture clocked at up to 3.2 GHz.
While the chipset is not the latest from the brand, it still is quite capable. It can easily support long-term gaming and multitasking. The original Phone(1) debuted with the Snapdragon 778G+, which is a mid-range SoC that offers decent performance.
The Nothing Phone (2) is expected to debut later this year with 12 GB of RAM, virtual RAM, and 256 GB of storage. It could pack a 5,000mAh battery and will continue to feature a 120Hz AMOLED display. Unlike the Phone (1), the upcoming handset will also make it to the US market.
Startup brand Nothing launched its first product— Nothing Ear (1)— early in 2021 and there was unimaginable hype surrounding it. We admit the earbuds look unique but they sound only decent. Now, the company has confirmed it will be launching its second-generation TWS earbuds, Nothing Ear (2), later this month. Here are the details.
Nothing revealed through an official teaser that its upcoming Ear (2) TWS earphones are set to debut on March 22 at 4 PM CET. The company did not reveal the official look of the new buds or any of their features, however, the poster shows a tiny portion of the buds’ case being pushed by a beetle. Nothing says the Ear (2) will offer better sound and better clarity compared to the Ear (1).
While Nothing is yet to reveal any details about the upcoming earbuds, OnLeaks recently shared their design renders. The images suggest Nothing plans to follow the same formula with a few changes here and there. Similar to Ear (1), the new Ear(2) earbuds as well as their charging case feature a transparent design.
Nothing Ear (1) v Ear (2)
However, there seems to be a slight change in the placement of the noise-canceling microphone. It was previously on the top of the buds but now has been moved to the stem. The design may remain the same but Nothing Ear (2) could bring some new features. The earbuds are reported to come with a new personalized ANC mode to allow users to customize the level of noise cancellation according to their comfort.
The original earbuds already have Light and Maximum modes. Ear (2) may also bring a transparency mode to let you hear the background noise. Further, they could offer dual connectivity, allowing you to connect the earbuds to two devices at the same time and seamlessly switch between them.
At MWC 2023, Honor introduced its flagship Magic 5 series in the global market. The new lineup, which includes the Magic 5 Pro and Magic 5, comes with some promising features out of the box and carry an interesting yet familiar design. Today, Honor has introduced its latest premium series in its home country China. While the vanilla model features exactly the same specifications as its global counterpoint, the pro model comes with one notable change.
Honor Magic 5 Pro is the brand’s latest flagship smartphone and it packs interesting hardware. The Chinese version comes with essentially the same specifications as the one launched internationally. But as mentioned, there’s one important change— the battery. The handset arrives in China with a new Silicon-Carbon battery, which has a higher energy density than the usual Lithium-ion batteries (Via GSMArena).
During MWC 2023, Honor detailed that Silicon-carbon batteries have 12.8% higher energy density compared to traditional lithium batteries that use graphite on the anode. As a result, the Honor Magic 5 Pro in China has a larger battery capacity of 5,450mAh while the global units only have a 5100mAh battery. However, the new tech seems to be limited to the Pro and Ultimate models.
The pricing of the two phones in China is also quite different. The Honor Magic 5 Pro debuted internationally with a price tag of EUR 1,199 (roughly USD 1,267). However, in China, it is priced at 5,199 Yuan (around $750) for the base 8+256GB version. The 12+256GB and 16+512GB variants are priced at 5,699 Yuan ($822) and 6199 Yuan ($894), respectively.
Honor Magic 5
On the other hand, Vanilla Magic 5 was priced at EUR 899 ($960) globally but in the Chinese market, it will retail at a starting price of 3999 Yuan ($577) for the base 8+256GB version. It will also be available in 12+256GB and 16+512GB versions, priced at 4499 Yuan ($649) and 4999 Yuan ($721).
Both handsets come powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. You may check our previous coverage of Honor Magic 5 and Magic Pro global launch to learn more about their specifications. Also, Honor has launched a new Magic 5 Ultimate smartphone in China with a new design and some other interesting specs. More details here.
The Honor Movie Glasses are part of the products unveiled during Honor’s product launch event on March 6. The glasses are light, weighing just 80g and offer up to 500 nits of eye-catching brightness. The glasses offer a rich virtual viewing experience for an array of video content.
The light texture of the Honor Movie Glasses makes them very comfortable to wear and their inside uses a Micro OLED panel delivering 500 nits of brightness. It has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, a 60 Hz refresh rate, and a PPD of up to 49. The viewing glasses can project images up to 201 inches virtually for a fully immersive viewing experience. The glasses have a 46º viewing angle and it has the Rheinland low blue light eye protection certification.
The Honor Movie Glasses has two near-ear speakers with a 360º immersive sound field. This combines with a dual microphone for seamless and convenient communication. The device needs however to be connected to a mobile phone/ tablet/ computer for its operation. It has a type-C USB interface for connectivity.
The Honor Movie Glasses will retail in China starting at 2,499 yuan ($360). There are no indications at this time on the possible availability of the product in other markets. Honor continues to blossom after its excision from Huawei. The new product launch event is another indication of the progress of the company.
Xiaomi has opened a crowdfunding campaign for the MIJIA smart piano lamp on Xiaomi Youpin Mall. The MIJIA Smart Piano Lamp has a radar sensor that automatically switches the lamp. The lamp is dedicated to piano practice, as its name implies.
The MIJIA Smart Piano Light has built-in high-quality LED lamp beads and a color rendering index of Ra95. It is equipped with an anti-blue light hazard level RG0 exemption level. The lamp also avoids video flicker and covers 88 keys with a wide angle in both horizontal and vertical directions. The vertical asymmetrical TIR lens controls light fatigue.
The Smart Piano lamp has a three-dimensional anti-glare light-cutting design. It can thus prevent direct light from shining on your eyes so that playing the piano will not be dazzling. The light supports high-precision radar sensing with three sensitivity options available. It can be high, medium, or low. The lamp is illuminated automatically when the pianist is seated and turns off when he leaves the seat. The radar is also capable of monitoring the duration of playing the piano for improved performance.
You can control the MIJIA Smart Piano Lamp using the MIJIA app so that the piano playing of the kids can be remotely monitored. The light also has a built-in metronome that is adjustable with six beats. It also has step-less steel gears with independent remote control.
The MIJIA smart piano lamp will go on sale on March 8 and its crowdfunding price is 699 yuan (~$101). The smart piano lamp can be adjusted to focus and offers eye-friendly modes of 5000K cool white light and 4000K neutral light. There are no indications yet whether the smart lamp will be available in other markets.
Former Huawei brand Honor has released the Honor MagicBook X Pro series notebooks in China. The MagicBook X Pro notebooks are among a raft of products unveiled by Honor during its launch event on March 6. The notebook models come in two variants – 14-inch and 16-inch sizes.
The Honor MagicBook X 14 Pro is 15.9mm thick and weighs about 1.34kg. It has an integrated metal hinge that connects to the 14-inch 2.2K display. It has passed the Rheinland Double Eye Protection certification and has an e-book mode for reading e-books. The Honor MagicBook X Pro series are the first laptops to be equipped with the 13th-gen Intel Core i5 standard pressure processors. The Intel Core i5-13500H has 12 cores and 16 threads and overall improved performance over previous iterations of the processor. The highest turbo frequency of the Core i5-13500H is 4.7GHz and the maximum performance can reach 45W.
The Honor MagicBook X Pro series supports the MagicOS smart interconnection and the gadget is equipped with a solid-state hard drive of up to 1TB. The storage of the notebook is also expandable to 2TB.
The 2022 Honor MagicBook X series can be upgraded to the new MagicOS smart interconnection via OTA. The MagicBook X Pro series will retail in China at a starting price of 4,499 yuan (~$649). The MagicBook X 16 Pro starts at 4,299 yuan (~$620) and is however available for the starting level and the product will launch on March 16. You can pre-order the Honor MagicBook X Pro series laptop from Jingdong.
Update: Huawei has officially denied the recent media reports of selling its consumer electronics business group. This would primary includes its rumors of selling its smartphone business. Rather, the company added that it will be raising its investment in its smartphone business and even build up its high end brands. Huawei is schedulaed to release its latest flagship handset models later this month.
Original story continues…
Huawei has apparently been planning on spinning off its consumer electronics business unit. Rumors have been going around about the company making this major move, so here are all the details.
Based on new reports, the Chinese tech giant is supposedly considering splitting the consumer business group and even transferring some research and development of its mobile phone operations to its former subsidiary Honor. For those unaware, Huawei had to sell off its budget sub-brand since it was hit with various sanctions by the US government that hampered its smartphone operations. So now, it is rumored that it is planning on shifting more of its operations to Honor.
However, the company’s consumer business is an integral part of its efforts sin the enterprise market. Thus, the rumor regarding the brand making a large scale spin off regarding its consumer business appears to be highly unlikely. At the moment, the revenue scale of Huawei’s consumer business has dropped significantly. But despite, the company has still maintained its lineup of notebooks, desktops, tablets, and more.
Although, some market experts believe that if Huawei does spin off its consumer business, it will affect its layout in fields such as health, display, and Metaverse as well as the development of its HarmonyOS and Euler platforms. Keep in mind that this is still just unconfirmed rumors, so take this news with a pinch of salt for now and stick around for more updates regarding this matter.
The Meizu 20 series of smartphones is set to be launched soon by Meizu, which will include two models, namely the Meizu 20 and the Meizu 20 Pro. Ahead of the launch, the brand has confirmed the camera specs of the Meizu 20. Additionally, Shen Ziyu, Chairman of Meizu Technology has posted a live image of the Meizu 20 Pro.
The Meizu 20 Pro’s live image shows a quad camera setup on the back arranged vertically, with one of the cameras featuring a ring flash. The MEIZU logo is located on the back of the device. Up front, it will feature a flat display with slim and even bezels, with a punch-hole camera in the top center.
Other than that, the Meizu 20 is confirmed to feature a 50-megapixel primary camera with a 1/1.56-inch sensor and SMA optical image stabilization. In addition to that the device will also feature DarkVision 2.0 extreme night scene enhancement and a full-pixel focusing technology that has a 33% increased focus speed compared to the Meizu 18s.
So far, the Meizu 20 and 20 Pro are also rumored to feature the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor paired with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage. It will be cooled using a heat dissipation system that covers an area of 36242mm², which is 56% higher than the previous generation. Both devices are also said to be equipped with 144Hz displays. As per the 3C listing of both devices, it appears that they might feature 80W fast charging.
Lenovo is the world’s largest PC maker and offers a diverse range of laptops that cater to the different needs and preferences of consumers. In particular, the Yoga series of Ultrabooks from Lenovo is widely recognized as one of the best in the market.
Recently, the firm released a new product under the Yoga series, namely the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Carbon. While it has a lengthy name, this laptop boasts an impressively compact design. It features a 13-inch screen and a slim, lightweight carbon-magnesium body and is one of the thinnest laptops in the world. Despite its super thin form factor, it still houses a 2.5K display, an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and more.
Lenovo India loaned me a unit to try out. I got to use the product on and off for about a month. Here are my thoughts on it.
Design & Build
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Carbon’s chassis is made of carbon and magnesium alloy. Thus, it only weighs about 970 grams, much like holding a thin book. The device is razor-thin, with a thickness that rivals that of an iPad Pro when unfolded. In fact, it feels even thinner due to its curved sides.
The entire body is military-grade-certified for durability. The product is also well-built, however, the unit I received makes a creaking noise when I place my wrist to the right side of the trackpad. I believe this is a one-of-a-kind case.
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All in all, the laptop is well-designed for portability. It doesn’t take up much space in a backpack.
Unfortunately, due to its thin design, there are only two USB Type-C ports, a side-facing power key, and a camera shutter key. One of these Type-C ports is Thunderbolt 4, while the other one is USB 3.2 Gen 2. Both support DisplayPort 1.4 and Power Delivery.
Thankfully, Lenovo bundles an adapter in the box. This accessory includes ports like USB Type-A, HDMI, VGA, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Display & Speakers
The display on the notebook is a 13-inch IPS LCD panel sporting a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels (2.5K) and up to a 90Hz refresh rate. The 16:10 screen offers 400 nits peak brightness level and can cover 100% of the sRGB color gamut.
The panel comes hardware-calibrated with a delta error of ΔE < 1. Therefore, in addition to being sharp, it can output real-to-life colors. There’s no need to tweak any display settings, as the default profile is great.
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The auto-brightness works flawlessly and the display gets bright enough outdoors to get some work done or consume content. The 90Hz refresh rate keeps every animation on the screen smooth.
Since there’s also support for Dolby Vision, the panel is ideal to stream content on Netflix. The 4W speakers with Dolby Atmos support further elevate the multimedia experience. These bottom-firing speakers can get loud enough to enjoy movies and TV series. However, you have to place the computer on a hard surface (such as a table) and sit close to the product to experience surround sound effects.
Performance & Software
The notebook is powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1260P mobile processor. The silicon is paired with 16GB LPDDR5 RAM and 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD. For graphics, it uses Intel Iris Xe GPU.
This configuration is more than enough for the target audience of the product. I did not face any lag whatsoever during my entire usage. Microsoft Windows 11 Home operating system did not cause any problems either.
Though the laptop’s chassis is small, it still has a cooling fan. The fan only runs at maximum speed when the thermals go high while performing heavy tasks and installing certain system updates.
The device remains almost silent most of the time as thermals are well-controlled for day-to-day operations, like running a browser (Google Chrome), Microsoft Office, and some coding on Microsoft Visual Studio Code.
I did not play any games on the notebook, as it is not intended for gamers. However, it should be able to run most of the titles without major problems, thanks to its hardware.
Finally, you get Lenovo’s first-party software suite that offers features like background blur/noise cancellation, voice-to-text, translator, customizable hotkeys, and more.
Battery & Charging
The notebook is backed by a 50Wh battery. Lenovo claims that it can last up to 10 hours. However, the company’s test conditions only include 10 hours of 1080p local video playback at default volume level with the display set to 150 nits brightness, maximum resolution, and 60Hz refresh rate.
Ideally, you should get around 5–7 hours of battery life from this product. For me, it averaged around 5 to 5.5 hours with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS turned on along with Microsoft Phone Link running in the background. My workflow includes applications like Google Chrome and Microsoft Office.
I even tried switching the refresh rate to 60Hz from 90Hz. I gained only about 30 minutes, so I decided to use the high refresh rate option with the maximum 2.5K resolution.
As far as charging is concerned, the bundled 65W adapter can charge the laptop fully in about 1.5 hours. But the average endurance let me down. The x86 chip and a smaller battery are the culprits here.
Miscellaneous
Unlike most laptops, this one does not feature a fingerprint sensor. Hence, you have to rely on Windows Hello face recognition, which uses an IR camera.
The system detects when a person is nearby and tries to authenticate the face. On successful authentication, the notebook dismisses the lock screen to open the desktop by default, but you can turn it off.
The face authentication system works with dim to no lighting too. But if you are like me who wears glasses, it may not work all the time due to reflections. So I had to take my glasses off to sign in most of the time.
Lenovo should have included a fingerprint sensor, which is more reliable than any biometric authentication system out there.
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The laptop’s hinge is pretty smooth, as the lid can be opened easily with a single finger. But the notebook should be on a table to perform this action. It is not possible on the lap, at least, for me.
The auto-backlit keyboard takes up almost the entire bottom part as it features an edge-to-edge design. Though it has a mere 1mm key travel due to the chassis’ thinness, the typing experience is good.
What’s not good about the laptop is the subpar 720p webcam. Also, it comes with a comparatively big 65W power adapter, which does not match the thin and light form factor of the device. It would have been nice if the company had included a smaller, multipurpose GaN charger with USB PD compatibility.
Lastly, the availability of the product is limited across markets. For instance, though it is offered in three colors (Moon White, Storm Grey, and Cloud Grey), you can only get it in one (White) color option in India.
In fact, Lenovo is only selling a single SKU of this device (same as the review unit) in the country priced at ₹1,31,990.
Conclusion
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Carbon is targeted at customers who are on the move. It fulfills almost all the needs of this audience.
If only it had better battery life, it would have been the perfect thin and light laptop on the market. Even with the drawbacks discussed above, it is a highly recommendable Windows laptop for portability.
Hopefully, one day, in the future, Windows OEMs will finally launch thin and lightweight laptops based on ARM architecture, with improved battery life and performance that can rival the Apple M series chips found in MacBooks.
Until then, the MacBook Air with an M series chip is the best laptop out there for people who are always on the move. But if your workflow requires Windows, then Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Carbon along with LG Gram 14 and Dell XPS 13 are probably the only ones you should look for.
We recently tried the Truke BTG X1 TWS earbuds, which is tailored for mobile gamers. And now here is our hands-on experience with Truke’s latest TWS earbuds, the Buds A1. One of the major attractions of the Buds A1 is that it comes with support for Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) at an affordable price tag of Rs 1,499 (~$18). It offers other features like better clarity for voice calls, EQ modes, and long battery life.
Truke Buds A1: What’s in the box?
Truke Buds A1
The retail package of the Truke Bud A1 TWS earbuds comprises the following items:
Truke has used a minimalistic approach for the Buds A1’s design. It has a pebble-like look with a small textured pattern on the front, which has the company’s logo. A charging LED is available below the logo. The bottom edge of the device has a USB-C port and a physical button for Bluetooth pairing. Both earbuds have a medium-sized stem with the company’s branding and an LED.
I generally do not like to wear earbuds for longer hours. However, I tested the Truke Buds A1 for nearly a week, and I wore it for around an hour whenever I used it. I found that the earbuds fit well inside the ear canals and did not create any discomfort.
Each earbud weighs 4gm on my weighing scale, and its charging case weighs 39 grams (with earbuds inside). The flat design of the case makes it convenient to carry in a pant pocket. According to Turke, the Buds A1 offers IPX4-rated water resistance.
The Truke Buds A1 comes equipped with Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity and supports AAC and SBC audio codecs. It can be paired with one device at a time. However, it is compatible with Android and iOS devices. To establish connectivity, one needs to look for “truke Buds A1” in the list of available devices in Bluetooth settings and then pair it. The Buds A1 can instantly connect to the last paired device as soon as the case is opened.
Since there is no app support for the earbuds, users can rely on touch controls to access its different features. According to the brand, both earbuds are equipped with a high-quality touch panel, which ensures that it does not register accidental or incorrect touches. I found the touch-sensitive zones working fine on both earbuds. Here is a look at the list of touch gestures that are supported by the Buds A1.
Controls
Functions
Single tap on right / left earbud
Play / Pause | Answer / End call
Double tap on right earbud
Next song
Double tap on left earbud
Previous song
Triple tap on right earbud
Gaming Mode
Triple tap on left earbud
Access Google Assistant / Siri
Long press on right earbud
Switch between ANC on / Transparency Mode / Normal Mode
Long press on left earbud
Switch EQ modes: Dynamic Audio, Bass Boost, and Movie
When there is an incoming call, a single tap on any of the earbuds will receive the call. Double tap will disconnect the call. When there is an incoming call, one can long press either earbud for a second to reject it. In addition, long pressing either bud until there is a “power off” announcement will turn off both earbuds. If required, one can turn on either left or right by doing this same step.
To control volume, one needs to use the volume buttons on the paired device. The battery status can be checked through the Bluetooth settings on the paired device. For lag-free audio while gaming, the Buds A1 offers a low latency of up to 50ms.
The Truke Buds A1 feature 10mm titanium audio drivers. Each of the EQ modes, such as Dynamic Mode, Bass Boost, and Movie Mode offers a different listening experience. The Bass Boost mode pumps up the bass, while the Dynamic adds a bit of treble and slightly reduces the bass. The Movie Mode seems to enhance the vocals.
The Buds A1 offers up to 30dB ANC, claims the company. In my usage, I found the ANC mode working fine in considerably cutting down the background noise. For clear voice calls, the earbuds offer Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC) by means of the two microphones available on each earbud.
The Buds A1 packs a 300mAh battery inside its case. Each earbud houses a 40mAh battery. It takes around two hours to achieve a full charge. I charged the earbuds only once soon after I received it for review. It has easily lasted me for over a week since I do not listen to music for longer hours. According to Truke, charging the case for 10 minutes will offer 10 hours of playback time.
While I am not sure whether the Buds A1 can offer a total playback time of 48 hours (with the case), I can certainly say that its battery life is good and does not require to be charged frequently.
Price and Availability
The Truke Buds A1 is listed on Amazon India and Truke’s official website for Rs 1,499 (~$18). Apart from the black, it also comes in a blue variant. At the time of writing t0his post, I noticed that there is a HOLI10 coupon code available on Truke’s website, which can be used to avail a discount of Rs 100 (~$1. As far as after-sales support is concerned, the company offers a 1-year warranty across its 250+ service centres across the country.
For those who don’t know, Truke has been consistently launching budget-friendly earbuds in the Indian market. Some of the previously released earbuds include the BTG X1, BTG Beta, S2 Lite, Buds Pro, BTG Alpha, Buds F1, Buds S2, Air Buds, Air Buds+, BTG 3, Air Buds Lite, BTG 2, BTG 1., Fit 1+, Buds Q1, and Buds S1.
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