OnePlus Ace 2V (OnePlus Nord 3) Official Images Leaked, Revealing Alert Slider and Flat Sides

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Feb 27, 2023

After confirmation that OnePlus’ next device will indeed be called the OnePlus Ace 2V, a new image reveals how the upcoming device will look.

The official images give us a clear look at the upcoming smartphone’s design, as it features the iconic OnePlus alert slider, as well as a large design departure from the OnePlus Ace 2 that was announced this month.

The OnePlus Ace 2V shares design similarities to the OnePlus Nord 2T last year. It will be featuring a flat 120Hz AMOLED display with a centred punch-hole cutout in the middle, along with flat sides for a better grip in hand. The back of the OnePlus Ace 2V will be featuring a triple camera setup that is accompanied by a dual flash module, supposedly for better flash photography.

The official image also confirms that the OnePlus Ace 2V will be arriving in at least 2 colours, the glossy Jade Green as shown in the image, and a black colour design as leaked earlier by Digital Chat Station.

The launch timeline of the OnePlus Ace 2V in China was also leaked as well, as the device will be officially launching in China on March 7 at 2:30pm GMT+8. In addition, a pre-reservation of the device is expected to go live tomorrow at February 28 10:00am GMT +8 in the country.

Pre-reservation and launch date in China

The OnePlus Ace 2V is rumoured to be rebranded to arrive to global markets as OnePlus Nord 3. However, a global launch date for the OnePlus Nord 3 is previously rumoured to be in July 2023.

As of previous leaks on Antutu, the OnePlus Ace 2V will come with a flagship MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chipset, LPDDR5 / 5x RAM, UFS 3.1 storage, and Android 13 on board.

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Google Brings Enhanced Zoom in Chrome for Android, Keep Shortcut for Wear OS, and 7 More Exciting Features

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Feb 27, 2023

The 2023 edition of MWC (Mobile World Congress) is underway in Barcelona, Spain. Some companies have already made their big announcements before the trade show officially kicked off today.

While others have just started announcing their products. Google falls under this category as the search giant just revealed 9 new features that are heading to Android and Wear OS.

Almost all of these features focus on improving users’ quality of life. They spread across productivity, accessibility, and customization.

Some of them will be available starting today, while others will be rolled out later. Let’s go through them.

All the 9 New Features for Android and Wear OS Announced by Google at MWC 2023

Google Keep Single Note Widget

As the name suggests, the Keep app will finally allow users to add a widget of their desired notes on the home screen of their Android devices. The widget displays reminders, background colors, and images. Users can now check off their to-do lists right from their home screen.

Google Keep Wear OS Shortcut

Wear OS 3 users can now create Keep notes directly from their watch face via a new shortcut. All they have to do is simply tap on the shortcut and create a note using voice (default) or keyboard input.

Annotation in Google Drive

Users can finally annotate PDFs natively in the Google Drive app for Android using their fingers or a stylus. They can use different tools like marker, pen, highlighter, eraser, undo, and redo. They can also show or hide annotations and save a new copy of annotated documents.

Noise Cancellation in Google Meet

Google Meet already supports noise cancellations on select Android devices. The search giant says that the feature will be now available for more devices. Thus, users need not worry about distracting background noises during calls.

Increase Content Size in Chrome

Users can now easily increase the size of the content (text, images, videos, and interactive controls) in Chrome for Android by up to 300% using the pinch-to-zoom gesture. Users can even set a default size of their own so that they don’t have to change it every time.

New Sound and Display Modes in Wear OS

Wear OS 3 users will get new sound and display modes to improve accessibility. Mono-audio mode will help limit disorientation caused by split audio, whereas color-correction and grayscale modes will help in relieving eye strains.

Fast Pair in ChromeOS

Fast Pair is coming to Chrome OS, and therefore, Chromebook users can connect their supported Bluetooth earphones with a simple tap. Additionally, already set-up earphones with an Android smartphone will automatically connect to Chromebook.

New Emoji Kitchen Combinations

One of the fun features on Gboard is Emoji Kitchen, which enables users to mash up, remix, and share emojis as stickers. Google regularly updates combinations. Hence, ahead of spring, the company has introduced new combos.

Tap to Pay Animations in Google Wallet

Tap to Pay is one of the important features of Google Wallet. This action is now getting new animations involving penguins and other animals.

Which one of the above features is your most excited about? Do let us know in the comment section below.

Samsung Galaxy A54 5G Appears On Google Play Console

By

Viraj Gawde

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Feb 27, 2023

Recently, the Samsung Galaxy A34 5G was spotted on Google Play Console. Now the Galaxy A54 5G has made its appearance on the certification website. The forthcoming smartphone has already bagged multiple certifications in the past including TDRA, TENAA, BIS, FCC, and more. The latest certification listing reveals the key specifications of the Galaxy A54 5G.

The Samsung Galaxy A54 5G is listed on Google Play Console with the model number SM-A546E. The rendered image shows the phone with a centre-aligned punch-hole cutout on the display surrounded by thick bezels and three vertically stacked camera sensors on the back panel. The device will feature an FHD+ resolution of 1,080 x 2,340 pixels and a 450 dpi screen density.

The Play Console listing reveals that the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G will be equipped with Samsung s5e8835 processor. It is a codename for the Exynos 1380 and the SoC comprises four ARM Cortex A78 cores with 2.4GHz clock speed and four A55 cores clocked at 2GHz. The device will pack 6GB RAM onboard and we can expect more options at launch. It will ship with Android 13 OS out of the box.

Apart from the Google Play Console information, the rest of the specifications of the Galaxy A54 5G remain unknown. The device is expected to come with a 50MP main sensor, 12MP ultra-wide lens, a 5MP macro unit, and a 32MP front-facing snapper. It will reportedly be powered by a 5,000mAh battery unit with support for 25W charging.

We expect the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G to launch in the coming weeks since it has already passed multiple certifications.

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Honor Magic 5 Lite Announced at MWC 2023 With SD 695 and OLED Display

By

Anurag

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Feb 27, 2023

Alongside the premium Magic 5 Pro and Magic 5, a more affordable Honor Magic 5 Lite smartphone also made its global debut today, starting with a launch event at MWC 2023. The handset brings an interesting design with a curved display and ring-like camera module on the back. It also packs a decent snapdragon processor and 40W charging. Read on to learn more about the newly launched Honor smartphone.

Magic 5 Lite follows Honor’s minimalist design language. You’ll see a circular camera ring on the back of the smartphone that makes it look different from other mid-rangers in the market. It has a plastic made chassis with a frosted glass back. The curved display on the front makes the handset looks quite premium.

The Honor Magic 5 Lite brings a 6.67-inch OLED display that offers an FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The panel is 10-bit and has an 800 nits peak brightness and an integrated fingerprint scanner. Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor.

The SoC is paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB onboard storage. Additionally, there is 5GB RAM expansion option. The handset features a triple rear camera system on the back. There’s a 64MP main sensor, a 5MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 2MP macro unit. For selfies, the Magic 5 Lite features a 16MP snapper on the front.

Fueled by a 5,100mAh battery cell, the handset supports 40W fast charging. It runs Magic UI 6.1 based on Android 12 out of the box. Connectivity options on the device include 5G, 4G, WiFi, Bluetooth 5.1, a USB-C port, and a rare 3.5mm headphone jack.

Honor Magic5 Lite will be available for purchase in Midnight Black, Emerald Green, and Titanium Silver colors. It is priced at EUR 379 (roughly $400) for the sole 6/128GB configuration.

MORE MWC 2023 Coverage

MWC 2023: Honor Magic 5 With Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Launched

By

Viraj Gawde

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Feb 27, 2023

At the ongoing Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Honor has announced the Magic 5 series. The lineup comprises a regular and a pro variant. The smartphones arrive as the successor to the Honor Magic 4 series. Read on to know what the Magic 5 offers out of the box.

The Honor Magic 5 comes with a 6.78-inch OLED LTPO curved display bearing an FHD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. It offers 1,100 nits peak brightness and HDR10+ support. The device is equipped with an in-screen fingerprint scanner. Design-wise, there is a circular camera module on the back panel and the phone is IP54-certified dust and water-resistant.

On the imaging front, the Honor Magic 5 features a 54MP primary sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 32MP telephoto unit. There is also a ToF lens and a flicker sensor. Up front, the smartphone has a 12MP selfie snapper. The smartphone packs features like falcon capture, AI motion sensing, super HDR, and more.

Under the hood, the Honor Magic 5 is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. It packs 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS 4.0 storage. A 5,000mAh battery with support for 66W charging fitted inside keeps the device running. The smartphone runs on Android 13 with Magic UI 7.0 layered on the top.

The Honor Magic 5 is equipped with Dolby-powered dual stereo speakers and X-Axis linear motor. Connectivity options on the device include 5G, WiFi-7, Bluetooth 5.2, and a USB-C port.

The Honor Magic 5 is priced at EUR 899 for the 8GB + 256GB variant. It is offered in Blue and Black colours and is slated to be available in the April – June quarter.

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Xiaomi BE7000 WiFi 7 Router Announced With Qualcomm Networking Pro 820 And Competitive Price

By

Oğuz Çakır

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Feb 27, 2023

Xiaomi has announced a new WiFi 7 router at the MWC 2023. This router, equipped with Qualcomm Networking Pro 820 platform, promises strong performance and several exciting features. Here are the details…

BE7000: latest Xiaomi WiFi 7 router with superior performance

According to the latest reports, router (model number: BE7000) is powered by a quad-core A73 1.5GHz processor, with a computing power of up to 28800DMIPS, making it capable of delivering faster speeds and reliable connectivity than most WiFi 6 routers in the market. This router is designed to handle heavy internet traffic, making it perfect for streaming high-quality content, online gaming, and other internet-intensive activities.

Another exciting feature of the BE7000 router is its 4 2.5G ports + 1 USB 3.0. This means that users can connect multiple devices simultaneously without experiencing any lag or buffering issues. One of the most interesting aspects of the BE7000 is its price. Xiaomi has positioned this router as a sub-flagship, and it is expected to cost over 1,000 yuan, making it more affordable than the Xiaomi 10G router, which is priced at 1799 yuan.

The BE7000 router’s release is excellent news for consumers who need reliable and fast internet connectivity for their work and other activities. It is exciting to see Xiaomi continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in the world of routers and networking devices. It is expected to be available in China soon, with no news yet on its international release.

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Honor Announces Magic 5 Pro Globally With Serious Camera Tech and SD 8 Gen 2 SoC

By

Anurag

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Feb 27, 2023

Magic 5 Pro is the higher-end model of the Magic 5 series unveiled by Honor today at the MWC 2023, which is being held in Barcelona, Spain. The smartphone comes with various noteworthy specifications. For one, it packs a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC under the hood. There’s also a serious camera system that includes three 50MP sensors. Let’s have a closer look at the details.

Design

Before we lay down the specs, let’s talk a bit about the design of the Magic 5 Pro. It arrives with a circular camera module in the center of the back— a design similar to last year’s lineup. The handset’s chassis is made using a combination of metal and glass and is claimed to be quite durable. It has a curved display on the front with a pill-shaped cutout in the top left corner.

Specifications

As the brand’s premium flagship, the phone packs cutting-edge hardware. It features a 6.81-inch OLED LPTO display with a refresh rate of 1Hz to 120Hz, 2160Hz PWM dimming, and a touch sampling rate of 480Hz. The panel carries HDR10+ support and a maximum brightness of up to 1100 nits.

The Honor Magic 5 Pro boasts Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, coupled with LPDDR5x RAM and UFS 4.0 storage. The handset is fueled by a 5,100mAh battery and supports 66W wired and 50W wireless charging.

The photography department of the phone is packed with exciting sensors. The Magic 5 Pro gets a primary 50MP primary camera with OIS support. The main sensor is accompanied by a 50MP telephoto camera with 3.5x optical zoom and a 50MP ultrawide camera. The smartphone features a 12MP ultrawide cam and a 3D depth sensor on the front. Additionally, the phones will operate on Magic UI 7.0, which is based on the Android 13 operating system. It packs a under-display fingerprint sensor and is IP68 rated.

Price

The Honor Magic 5 Pro will be offered in multiple colors, cyan, black, orange, and more. The company may have fancier names for these colors. The handset will likely be offered in sole 12GB RAM and 512GB storage configuration, which will be priced at EUR 1,199 (roughly USD 1,267). Currently, the availability and sale date of the handset has not been announced.

MORE MWC 2023 Coverage

After Tesla, BYD Slashes EV Prices to Combat the Competition

By

Joane

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Feb 27, 2023

BYD Auto, the subsidy of the Chinese multinational BYD company, has slashed the prices of its Electric Vehicles in China. This includes price cuts to its popular Dynasty Series in the country. This move comes after the company increased its prices earlier for some of its models, citing lower subsidies. However, experts say that it is an obvious choice to slash prices as almost all other Chinese EV sellers including Tesla have reduced their prices to sustain the tough market.

BYD has slashed the prices for its older models by over $1435 (10,000 Yuan) and the price for the latest models has been reduced somewhere between $850 to $1150 (6000 Yuan to 8000 Yuan). The price for Sedan QIN EV has been reduced by $2153 (15000 Yuan) and the HAN Sedan EV has been reduced by $2871 (20,000 Yuan). These prices are offered only in the capital Beijing. Other cities like Shenzhen and Shanghai have different offers and discounts. The discounted prices will be available only till March 2023 after which the company plans to increase its prices across models.

After the Lunar new year, the overall demand for EVs has dwindled. Moreover, price cuts from multiple EV companies like Nio, XPeng, and Tesla have increased the competition for BYD. Hence, BYD has reduced its prices to clear out the unsold inventory. Some dealers are also offering extra incentives to attract customers. BYD is planning to sell as many EVs as possible before it hits the March- April low sale season.

This year in January, BYD sold 151300 EVs a 35% reduction as compared to the previous month. On the other hand, Tesla performed quite well in January with an 18% month-on-month and a 10.4% increase year on year increase.

BYD Automobile Is Facing Competition From Tesla

BYD is China’s top EV maker and one of the biggest competitors of Tesla. In 2022 the company dethroned Tesla and became the number one EV seller in China. The automaker manufactures and sells both personal and commercial vehicles. Its personal vehicles include the E series, the Ocean series, and the most famous Dynasty series which has the bestselling mid-size luxury sedan BYD Han and compact sedan, BYD Qin.

BYDs commercial vehicles include large transit buses, vans, taxis, coaches, and trucks. Apart from vehicles, the company also makes electric bikes, rechargeable batteries, and forklifts. BYD battery division which makes Lithium-ion Phosphate batteries is the third-largest EV battery manufacturer in the world with a global market share of almost 12% in the first half of 2022.

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MWC 2023: Honor Magic Vs Launched Globally

By

Viraj Gawde

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Feb 27, 2023

Mobile Word Congress (MWC) has kicked off in Barcelona, Spain. Honor has launched the Magic 5 series and Magic Vs at the ongoing tech trade show. The latter had debuted in the brand’s home market in November last year. The Magic Vs is the second foldable offering and arrives as the successor to the Magic V. Read on to know what the device offers out of the box.

The Honor Magic Vs is a horizontal folding smartphone. It has a light gearless hinge with single-piece casting technology. Honor says that it has used aerospace-grade materials in the hinge that is rated to withstand over 400,000 folds. The foldable phone measures around 12.9mm in thickness and weighs about 261g.

The Honor Magic Vs has a 6.45-inch external OLED display bearing a centre-aligned punch-hole cutout and a resolution of 2,560 x 1,080 pixels. It features a 120Hz refresh rate and 1,200 nits peak brightness. When unfolded, the internal OLED screen of the Magic Vs measures 7.9 inches with a resolution of 2272 x 1984 pixels, 90Hz refresh rate, and 800 nits peak brightness. Both the internal and external displays support 10-bit colour depth and 100 percent DCI-P3 colour gamut.

The Honor Magic Vs comes with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner embedded in the power button. On the audio front, it is equipped with IMAX Enhanced-certified dual stereo speakers with support for DTS:X Ultra and 3 microphones.

Coming to the optics, the Honor Magic Vs has a rectangular camera module on the back panel. It houses a 54MP Sony IMX800 primary sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and an 8MP unit with a 3x telephoto shooter. The external screen has a 16MP camera for selfies.

Internally, the Honor Magic Vs is powered by a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor. It packs 12GB RAM and 512GB onboard storage. The foldable phone features a Dual TEE (Trusted Execution Environment) Security System co-developed with Qualcomm for hardware-level security. The device is backed by a 5,000mAh battery unit with support for 66W wired charging. It runs on MagicOS 7.0 based on Android 12 out of the box.

The Honor Magic Vs comes with dual SIM, 5G, WiFi, Bluetooth 5.2, GNSS, NFC, and a USB-C port.

The Honor Magic Vs carries a price tag of EUR 1,599 for the sole 12GB + 512GB variant. It is offered in Cyan and Black colour options. Availability and pricing will vary from region to region.

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Moto Buds 135 With BT 5.3 Appears on Bluetooth SIG Website

By

Sudhanshu

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Feb 27, 2023

Last month, Motorola unveiled the Moto Buds 600 ANC alongside the Moto Watch 100 at CES 2023. These TWS buds are yet to hit the market, however, we now know that the brand has another pair of earbuds in the pipeline called the Moto Buds 135.

The Moto Buds 135 has appeared on the Bluetooth SIG certification website revealing some of its details. Based on the information available from the certification, the upcoming device is expected to be compatible with Bluetooth version 5.3. Other than the Bluetooth version, the listing does not reveal any further specifications.

It is interesting to see when Motorola will actually unveil these upcoming TWS earbuds. These earbuds will likely be positioned between the Moto Buds 150 and the Moto Buds 120, so we can get an idea of what to expect spec-wise from the Buds 135.

Moto Buds 150 and Buds 120 specs

The Moto Buds 150 boasts a compact and ergonomic design and is equipped with 6nm dynamic drivers and intuitive touch controls for handling calls and music playback. With an IPX5 rating, the device is resistant to dust and water, ensuring an uninterrupted listening experience. It also boasts a long battery life of up to 18 hours, making it perfect for extended use.

Similarly, the Moto Buds 120 features a compact charging case and IPX5 rating and offers a battery life of up to 15 hours. The upcoming Moto Buds 135 is expected to share some of the features of its predecessors and may be priced similarly at around $54.99 – $49.99.

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Planet Computers Announces Linux Mini Desktop PCs with Touchscreen Support

By

Sean

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Feb 27, 2023

Planet Computers has announced that it is entering the desktop PC market segment with new ARM powered Linux computers. The new lineup is a part of its latest XR line of mini PCs, which is the first ever from the company. So lets have a look.

As per the official MWC 2023 announcement earlier today (27th February 2023), the London based tech startup’s latest PCs run on the Ubuntu OS. It will also be a part of its new range of Linux mini desktop PCs that are being crowdfunding on Indiegogo. CEO Janko Mrsic-Flogel stated that “The XR series is Planet’s first foray into the personal computer market. By productizing Linux into a mini desktop PC, the XR is another step towards creating a more open and inclusive computing ecosystem.”

The new line includes the XR1 and XR2 with former being powered by a 4 core processor, while the latter is equipped with an 8 core CPU. The XR1 features 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. On the other hand, the XR2 houses a Mali G610 GPU, 4GB to 32GB of RAM, and 32GB to 256Gb of internal storage. One can even expand this to include 2TB with add ons. Notably, the Linux mini PC also sports a colored touchscreen that offers controls and details on system performance.

Mrsic-Flogel further added that “Planet has always innovated with device form factors and we are especially excited about the XR’s integrated color touchscreen, which gives Linux users a new level of control and confidence, as well as the perfect platform for developers to access smart Linux appliances.” The XR lineup will be made available on Indiegogo, with the XR1 costing around £399 while the XR2 costs £499.

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OnePlus Ace 2V Is Coming Soon, Dimensity 9000 Expected

By

Soumyakanti

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Feb 27, 2023

OnePlus is gearing up to launch its third smartphone of the year in China, the OnePlus Ace 2V. The OnePlus president has teased the device, and also confirmed the official name on Weibo.

This latest device is being touted as a performance winner that will “disrupt industry conventions and popularize the flagship experience”. The device has already appeared on AnTuTu and TENAA with the model number PHP110 and has revealed some of its key specifications.

According to the AnTuTu listing, the OnePlus Ace 2V will come with a 120Hz display, a Dimensity 9000 chipset, LPDDR5 / 5x RAM, UFS 3.1 storage, and Android 13 OS. The device has achieved a total score of 1,050,512 on the AnTuTu benchmarks, with impressive scores in the CPU, GPU, memory, and UX tests.

Rumors have suggested that the OnePlus Ace 2V will feature a 6.7-inch AMOLED 1.5K display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It will pack a 5,000mAh battery that supports 80W charging, and it will have a triple-camera setup on the back, including a 64-megapixel main camera with OIS, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 2-megapixel macro snapper. The device will also have a 16-megapixel front camera.

OnePlus is set to launch the Ace 2V in China on March 7, and it is expected to be rebranded as the OnePlus Nord 3 in the global market.

The OnePlus Ace 2V will feature a MediaTek chipset, which is likely to be the Dimensity 9000 or the 9000+ version. The device will have a totally different design compared to the Ace 2 with a Qualcomm processor, featuring a renewed back cover and a triple camera setup inserted in a double rear module. It will also have a large display with a central punch hole and an almost square perimeter frame with slightly rounded corners. The Alert Slider, one of the flagship features of the brand, will be present along the right profile.

OnePlus fans will be eagerly awaiting the launch of the Ace 2V, and it remains to be seen whether it will live up to the company’s promises of disrupting industry conventions and delivering a flagship experience.

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Specific YouTube Video Causes Reboot Issue on Pixel 7 Series (Pixel Users Don’t Watch)

By

Oğuz Çakır

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Feb 27, 2023

Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro are undoubtedly some of the most unfortunate phones of all time. Users who own these devices have been dealing with various software and hardware issues since their purchase. The interesting thing is that these problems are quite unique and not common among the other Android smartphones. The latest issue is probably the weirdest thing that has happened so far, as a YouTube video is causing the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro to spontaneously reboot. Here are the details…

A YouTube video is forcing the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro to reboot spontaneously

Some reports on Reddit suggest that a specific YouTube video is causing some Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro users’ devices to reboot unexpectedly. The video in question is a 4K HDR movie clip, and the issue seems to be limited to the Pixel 7 series, though some Pixel 6 and Pixel 6a users have also reported experiencing the problem. You can watch the YouTube video that caused the reboot problem below.

My Pixel 7 Pro reboots on specific YouTube clip
by u/OGPixel5 in GooglePixel

Users who have attempted to open the video using the YouTube app have reported spontaneous reboots. Some Pixel 7/7 Pro users have also lost cellular connectivity after their device has rebooted. However, restarting the phone appears to resolve this issue.

While some Reddit users have compared this to the infamous wallpaper crash that affected Samsung and Google phones in 2020, others think that there may be an issue with HDR processing on the Pixel 7 series. There are reports that some people are already using the video as a prank by sending it to Pixel 7 users. Google has not yet issued an official response to the problem.

It is worth noting that this issue appears to be limited to a particular YouTube video, and not all Pixel 7 devices are affected. Until Google issues an official statement, it is unclear whether the problem lies with the device itself or the YouTube app.

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Google Cloud Announces Industry-Changing Telecom Network Automation Powered by AI

By

Leo Wong De Quan

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Feb 27, 2023

At MWC Barcelona 2023 today, Google Cloud has announced a new product that aims to help communications service providers (CSPs) automate and optimize their network operations. The product, called Telecom Network Automation, is a cloud-based solution that leverages Google’s expertise in Kubernetes, artificial intelligence (AI) and open source software.

Telecom Network Automation is based on Nephio, an open source project that Google created and led on under the Linux Foundation. Nephio enables CSPs to use common automation templates to manage their network infrastructure and functions across multiple clouds and vendors. Nephio also uses AI-powered control loops to monitor and adjust network performance based on user-defined intents.

According to Google Cloud, Telecom Network Automation can help CSPs reduce operational costs, improve service quality and accelerate time-to-market for new services. The product can also support various use cases such as 5G radio access networks (RAN), edge computing, network slicing and private networks.

One of the early adopters of Telecom Network Automation is Bell Canada, which has used it to automate its implementation of Google Distributed Cloud Edge, a platform that delivers cloud services at the edge of the network. Bell Canada said that Telecom Network Automation has helped it simplify its network management and enhance its customer experience.

Telecom Network Automation State Diagram, Source: Google Cloud

Google Cloud said that Telecom Network Automation is part of its cloud-native network modernization offering for CSPs, which also includes Anthos for Telecom, a platform that enables CSPs to run applications anywhere using containers and microservices. Google Cloud added that it is committed to collaborating with the telecom industry and supporting open standards and interoperability.

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Wings Phantom 700 With 8 Hours Battery Life Launched

By

Viraj Gawde

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Feb 27, 2023

Wings has launched a new affordable TWS earphone in India. The latest offering is dubbed the Phantom 700. It falls under the Rs 1,000 price segment and competes against other TWS earphones from brands like Noise, boAt, Boultt Audio, and more in the market. Read on to know what the Wings Phantom 700 offers out of the box.

The Wings Phantom 700 features an in-ear design with a stem and silicone ear tips. It is IPX5-rated water and sweat resistant. Users can perform various functions by tapping on the stem of the earbuds. The audio device comes in an ergonomic storage and charging case with RGB LED lights.

In terms of audio, the Wings Phantom 700 is equipped with a high-fidelity 13mm composite driver for bold bass and crisp highs. There is a surrounding noise suppression mic that is said to eliminate any background noise for clear communication. The TWS earphones feature 40ms ultra-low latency for gaming purposes. They also come with support for Google Assistant and Siri.

The Wings Phantom 700 is claimed to offer 8 hours of battery life on a single charge and a total battery backup of 38 hours. It can be topped up via a USB-C port and a 15-minute charge is said to offer 60 minutes of gaming usage. The audio device supports Bluetooth 5.3.

The Wings Phantom 700 is priced at Rs 899 and can be purchased from Amazon and the brand’s website. It is offered in a sole Black colour.

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OnePlus Launches 45W Liquid Cooling Accessory That Can Reduce Phone Temps by 20°C

By

Sean

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Feb 27, 2023

We had covered the OnePlus 11 Concept announcement at the MWC 2023 event earlier today (27th February 2023). However, it wasn’t the only new product launch as the company also unveiled a new 45W liquid cooling accessory for its smartphones. This is a first for the company and so here are all the details.

Certain smartphone makers offer external cooling accessories for their devices, and it appears that the Chinese brand is among them now. It has unveiled the new 45W liquid cooler that can attach to your smartphone and help keep the thermals in check during intensive tasks. During the major event, the company announced the new mobile accessory that can simply snap onto the back of your handset and uses a liquid cooling agent that keeps the temperature low.

As smartphone (especially flagship models) get more and more powerful and run graphically intensive games, power consumption and heat generation has also risen. This is where the external cooler comes in play as it helps the CPU from throttling. For those unaware, throttling is when the CPU on a handset lowers its performance as it gets hotter. Thus, reducing the temperature not only helps maintain peak performance for better gameplay experience thanks to higher frame rates and even keep power consumption in check.

Interestingly, the accessory is made with two parts. The first part attaches to the back of your device, while a cable connects it the second part, which is basically a small box. This device starts running as soon as you snap it onto your phone. As per official claims, the OnePlus 45W Liquid Cooling accessory can reduce temperatures by up to 20 degree Celsius. Unfortunately, the company has yet to reveal the pricing and availability details regarding this device. So stick around for more details regarding this matter.

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Xiaomi, Oppo, & Others Working on Satellite Communication for Future Phones with Qualcomm

By

Sean

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Feb 27, 2023

Xiaomi, Oppo, and a bunch of other smartphone makers are working on bringing satellite communication technology on their future smartphones. The news arrives from an announcement from Qualcomm at the MWC 2023 event in Barcelona. So here are all the details.

During the major conference, the chipmaking giant announced that Xiaomi, Vivo, Motorola, Oppo, Honor, and Nothing are working on bringing satellite communication technology on their future mobile devices. While the company did confirm that Android OEMs are working on adding satellite based communications like how Apple did with the iPhone 14 series, it is still unclear when the companies will be rolling out this feature for their future phones.

For those unaware, Qualcomm had previously announced the new Snapdragon Satellite technology that it has been working on in partnership with satellite service provider Iridium during the CES 2023 (Consumer Electronics Show) event last month. So, it is clear that smartphone from Xiaomi, Motorola, and the other brands will soon support two way texting and more in emergency situations. As per the official announcement, the Snapdragon Satellite will be available across upcoming RF modems and multiple models of 8 and 4 series of processors for smartphones.

According to Qualcomm vice president for product management, Francesco Grilli “By incorporating Snapdragon Satellite into next–generation devices, our partners will be able to offer satellite messaging capabilities thanks to a mature and commercially available global LEO constellation, which can allow subscribers around the world to communicate outdoors with emergency service providers, as well as family and friends”.

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Windows 11 Upgrade Leaves Old PC Owners Frustrated with Microsoft Once Again

By

Oğuz Çakır

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Feb 27, 2023

Windows 11 has been with us for a while now. While it brings a new and modern interface to PCs, Microsoft’s support for the OS is far from perfect. The company has become known for frequent update errors, software problems, and bugs. Recently, Microsoft accidentally offered Windows 11 upgrades to PCs with unsupported hardware, and this is not the first time. Here are the details…

Microsoft accidentally offers Windows 11 upgrades to unsupported PCs again

Microsoft has once again accidentally offered Windows 11 upgrades to PCs with unsupported hardware. Unfortunately, this is the second time this has happened in just one year. While affected PCs were not able to complete the upgrade, the mistake caused the minimum hardware requirements discussion to flare up again.

Microsoft confirmed the mistake in a support note, stating that some hardware-ineligible devices were offered an inaccurate upgrade to Windows 11. These devices did not meet the minimum requirements to run Windows 11 and were not able to complete the upgrade installation process.

As we said, this isn’t the first time Microsoft has mistakenly offered Windows 11 upgrades to unsupported devices. Despite the minimum requirements, there are ways to install the new OS on unsupported CPUs. However, Microsoft has been testing a new desktop watermark on unsupported hardware to identify these devices.

It is unknown what the company intends with this watermark. Users who are happy with their existing hardware think they have the right to experience new software as they wish. But as you know, Microsoft has a similar policy for unlicensed versions of Windows. However, users have different solutions to this situation. Just like in this one, users will probably find a solution.

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Lenovo Thinkpad Z13 & Z16 Gen 2 Laptops Unveiled With AMD Ryzen 7000 CPUs, TIO Gen 5 Monitors Tag Along

By

Sudhanshu

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Feb 27, 2023

At the ongoing Mobile World Congress 2023 event, Lenovo has unveiled a bunch of new tech and also refreshed some of its devices. The ThinkPad Z13 & Z16 have also been refreshed with the most cutting-edge hardware from AMD. Alongside these laptops, the brand has also unveiled the Lenovo ThinkCentre TIO Gen 5 monitor, which is essentially an all-in-one pc packed into a small form factor.

ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 & Z16 Gen 2 specs

The two laptops obviously differ in display sizes, but other than that there is not much difference in terms of specifications. The three display options available are WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200) IPS LCD, WQXGA (2.8K) OLED (Z13 Gen 2), and WQUXGA (4K) OLED (Z16 Gen 2). All of the display options feature a peak brightness of 400 nits and offer touchscreen capabilities. The ThinkPad Z16 Gen 2 has a larger battery capacity of 72 Wh compared to the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2’s 51.5 Wh battery. Both laptops are powered by AMD’s Ryzen 7000 laptop processors, though the specific models are not specified.

The integrated Radeon GPU is the only graphics option, but the ThinkPad Z16 Gen 2 can be configured with a dedicated Radeon RX 6500M. Both laptops have similar I/O options, including USB 4.0 ports, a 3.5 mm combo audio jack, and an SD card reader. The ThinkPad Z16 Gen 2 also has a USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port, while the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 offers an optional 4G LTE modem. Both laptops support up to 2 TB solid-state storage and 64 GB of LPDDR5x RAM and include FHD webcams with a privacy shutter and Windows Hello support.

ThinkCentre TIO Gen 5 monitos

The ThinkCentre Tiny-in-One (TIO) Gen 5 monitors are available in two sizes: 21.5-inch and 23.8-inch. They use an FHD (1,920 x 1,080) IPS LCD panel, which offers optional touch functionality, a 60 Hz refresh rate, and a 6 ms response time (4 ms in Extreme Mode). These monitors provide 99% coverage of the sRGB color gamut and have a peak brightness of 250 nits (225 nits for the touch-enabled version).

The TIO Gen 5 monitor features a three-in-one connector that allows it to be connected to existing Lenovo Tiny desktop units, including the ThinkCentre M small-form-factor desktops. In terms of connectivity, it includes one HDMI 1.4 port, one DP 1.4 port, two USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports, and one USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-B port. The monitor also has an integrated 1080p webcam on top of the screen, and at the back, there are dual Kensington lock slots and a navigation button inspired by the ThinkPad track point. Two 3 Watt speakers are located at the bottom of the screen.

Price & availability

The Lenovo Z13 Gen 2 will have a starting price of €1,649 and will hit store shelves starting July 2023. On the other hand, the ThinkPad Z16 Gen 2 will be available from August 2023 with a price tag of €1,959.

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Lenovo Unveils ThinkPad X13 & X13 Yoga Gen 4 for Professionals, Along with ThinkPad L, T, & E Series Laptops

By

Sean

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Feb 27, 2023

Lenovo has just announced a number of new PCs from its popular ThinkPad series of laptops during the MWC 2023 event in Barcelona. During the conference, the company announced the new ThinkPad X13 and X13 Yoga Gen 4 series along with new models in the ThinkPad L, T, and even E series as well. So let’s have a look.

ThinkPad X13 & ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen 4

Talking about the X13 series first, the Chinese PC maker has designed the new ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 and ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen 4 to offer professionals a great platform for hybrid work and mobility. Both models in the lineup feature a sleek design with narrow bezels. These devices feature Dolby Audio speakers and a 5 megapixel camera. The X13 Gen 4 models can also be configured up to a new 13.3 inch 2.8K OLED display that supports Dolby Vision and low light protection technology. The new ThinkPad X13 and X13 Yoga laptops will be offered in two variants.

Buyers can opt for up to Windows 11 Pro with either a 13th generation Intel Core CPUs (with Intel vPro or Iris Xe Integrated Graphics) or AMD Ryzen 7000 series of processors (with AMD Radeon 700M Series Graphics). These laptops are basically built for those that work remotely or even for those that travel frequently. As the name suggests, the primary difference between the X13 & X13 Yoga is the hinge mechanism, which lets the Yoga version have a 360 degree hinge for its display. The ThinkPad X13 & X13 Yoga will go on sale starting July 2023 and will start from €1,190 for the former and €1,290 for the latter.

ThinkPad L, T, & E Series

Apart from the X series, Lenovo also unveiled the new ThinkPad T series, which consists of the Gen 4 T14, T14s, and second gen T16 models. There are classified as workhorse laptops that are built for working professionals that need higher computing power. All of these laptops can also be outfitted with the 2.8K OLED panel option as well as low blue light display options for improved battery efficiency. The ThinkPad T14 will start from €1345 while the T14s and T16 will start from €1590 and €1390 respectively and will go on sale in July 2023.

The new ThinkPad L series are also similar to the T models and includes the latest gen L13, L13 Yoga, L14, and even L15. These are designed for businesses with a wide range of mobile computing needs. Similar to the notebooks mentioned above, the L13 and L13 Yoga Gen 4 also offer low blue light display options while the L14 and L15 Gen 4 can be equipped with up to a massive 2TB SSD storage, which isn’t too common in the professional laptop ranges. The L13 and L13 Yoga will start from €839 and €980 respectively (sale starts in April 2023) while the L14 and L15 laptops will cost €775 and €755 respectively (sale starts in May 2023).

Lastly, Lenovo announced new ThinkPad E series of budget laptops for customers and business that focus on value and productivity features. This lineup includes the new ThinkPad 14 Gen 5, which sports a new 16:10 display and even the new ThinkPad E16 that sports a tall 16 inch panel. These models will offer a high screen to body ratio of more than 90 percent and a large 115mm touchpad design.

The laptops will come with up to Windows 11 Pro and either 13th gen Intel Core processors or AMD Ryzen 7000 series. Other notable features include, up to 2TB storage, up to 40GB of RAM, WiFi 6E connectivity options, and more. The new ThinkPad E14 Gen 5 and E16 Gen 1 will go on sale in June 2023 with a price tag starting from €770 and €780 respectively.

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