Sandbox VR and Netflix Bring Squid Game to Real-Life with Immersive VR Experience

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Feb 20, 2023

Netflix‘s Squid Game, which premiered last year, quickly became one of the most watched series of all time. While fans eagerly await the release of the second season, Netflix is busy leveraging the brand to its fullest potential. The latest partnership involves a Hong Kong-based VR start-up, Sandbox VR, which specializes in providing an immersive gaming experience with cutting-edge equipment and hardware. Here are the details…

Sandbox VR and Netflix Bring Squid Game to Real-Life with Immersive VR Experience

Hong Kong based Sandbox VR has collaborated with numerous entertainment and media companies to create realistic and fully immersive experiences for users. Their Star Trek-themed game, developed in collaboration with CBS, was a hit among sci-fi fans. The company’s newest collaboration with Netflix is based on the dystopian thriller Squid Game, which has gained worldwide attention for its intense gameplay and gripping storyline.

According to CEO and founder Steve Zhao, the company’s content team in Hong Kong has been working on the Squid Game experience for the past five months, and it will be launched later this year at Sandbox VR’s arcades across the globe. Sandbox VR’s expansion plans have been supported by investors such as Adreessen Horowitz, Gobi Partners, and Alibaba Group Holding. The company has 34 locations worldwide and is building 12 new ones.

Despite the setbacks of the pandemic, the company has rebounded and is now focused on increasing its global footprint to 40 locations by the end of 2022. Zhao confirms that the company is already profitable and has no plans to raise new funds at this time. Sandbox VR’s journey has not been without challenges, and the pandemic dealt a severe blow to the company’s business, leading to its US operations filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020.

However, the company has recovered and is now expanding its headcount, with 50 people working on research and development across product, technology, and content. Though the company’s growth in mainland China has been slow, it is making steady progress, and Zhao expects the location in Shanghai to return to normal operations this year. The company’s focus, for now, remains on the US market, where its collaborations with leading entertainment companies have proven to be a winning strategy.

As the virtual reality market is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, Sandbox VR is well-positioned to take advantage of this trend. With its unique approach to location-based VR and collaborations with entertainment giants like CBS and Netflix, the company hopes to continue its growth trajectory and offer guests a fully immersive experience that meets their fantasies. With the Squid Game collaboration, Sandbox VR is confident it will attract even more visitors to its VR facilities.

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XGIMI H6 4K Projector With a 150-inch Display Size, Harman Kardon Custom Speakers Unveiled

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 20, 2023

Chinese projector manufacturer XGIMI has unveiled a new flagship product under the H-series. The product is dubbed XGIMI H6 4K projector and carries a starting price tag of 6,999 yuan ($1020). It is presently available in China via Jingdong (JD.com) but no word yet on its global availability.

The XGIMI H6 4K Projector is equipped with an optical zoom lens having a brightness of 1200CCB. The lens can churn out a resolution of up to 3840 x 2160 pixels and a display of 1.07 billion colors. The video is compensated to 120 frames through the MEMC algorithm.

With the XGIMI MAVII Eagle Eye 3.0 Pro system, the optical zoom of the self-developed optical machine is prioritized. This leads to a reduction in the loss of image quality by 36%. Also, the projection ratio can be freely adjusted between 1.2 and 1.5, and the room adaptability is increased by 25%.

When the XGIMI H6 4K version has a projection ratio of 1.5:1, it can project a 120-inch screen at a distance of 3.98 meters from the wall. When the projection ratio is 1.2:1, it can project a large screen of 150 inches at a distance of 3.98 meters. Furthermore, the projector uses optical zoom technology to bring a Turbo Light engine, which can automatically sense changes in ambient light and perform one-key brightening, with a brightness increase of 39%.

The XGIMI H6 4K Projector is powered by a Quad-core MediaTek MT 9669 flagship chipset with an NPU computing power of up to 1 trillion operations per second. The processor is paired with 4GB RAM while there is 64GB storage onboard the device.

In addition, the new projector can analyze the color of the wall and adjust the red, green, and blue light sources in real time. The color temperature range can be between 3000-15000K calibration.

In other respects, the XGIMI H6 4K version supports GMUI5.0 with a 4-second fast boot. It is also equipped with a Harman Kardon custom speaker and features support for a dual Bluetooth headset connection. For interface, the projector comes with a DC power port, two HDMI 2.1, two USB 2.0, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, among others.

Pebble Launches Spectra Pro and Vision BT Calling Smartwatches in India

By

Anurag

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Feb 20, 2023

Expanding its portfolio, Pebble introduced two new smartwatches in the Indian market. Called Pebble Spectra Pro and Vision, the wearables come with Bluetooth calling feature and an immersive display. They both feature interesting designs and are quite affordable. Let’s have a closer look at the pricing and specifications of the newly launched smartwatches.

The Pebble Spectra Pro comes with a round dial with a metallic casing and a rotating crown, while the Vision features a more common square dial with a metal alloy casing, a rotatable crown, and curved glass edges. Both watches have silicon straps and are offered in multiple color options.

Moving to the specifications, the Pebble Vision sports a 2.05-inch HD screen that offers a peak brightness of up to 600 nits. On the other hand, the Spectra Pro flaunts a smaller but better 1.43-inch Always-On AMOLED screen with the same peak brightness of 600 nits. There’s support for over 100 watch faces, allowing you to opt for a new look every day.

Both watches support Bluetooth calling with the help of inbuilt speakers and microphones. The health monitoring features on the smartwatches include a dedicated SpO2 sensor, a heart rate monitor, a stress monitor, a sleep monitor, and the Pebble Zen Mode. They both come with multi-sport and training modes and up to 7 days of battery life.

The Pebble Spectra Pro is offered in Midnight Gold, Evening Grey, Jet Black, and Moonlit Grey colors and comes with a price tag of Rs. 4,999. Priced at Rs. 3,599, Pebble Vision comes in Jet Black, Forest Green, and Evening Blue colors. They both can be purchased via Pebble Website and offline stores.

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MIJIA Booster Hand Shower With Three Spray Modes Released in China

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 20, 2023

Xiaomi has launched the MIJIA Booster Hand Shower in China. The new handheld pressure booster shower will be available via a crowdfunding campaign starting on February 22. The MIJIA hand shower has three spray modes and also features an innovative button control. You can switch the spray with your fingertips no matter whether you hold it upright or backward.

The MIJIA supercharged handheld shower has gone through 22 electroplating processes. It has also passed the 24-hour salt spray national standard to create a 10-level bright coating. The soft-touch spout of the hand shower is made of liquid silicone material. You can quickly descale the process by gently rubbing the spout to keep the water flowing. The gears of the MIJIA supercharged hand shower are clear and have a lifetime of 10,000 cycles. The hand shower adopts the small hole physical pressurization technology which allows for powerful flow under low pressure.

The MIJIA supercharged hand shower comes with significant improvements in its sound output. There are structural changes done to the product to reduce the noise of water inflow to improve the shower experience. The shower head has a universal four-point interface with an anti-scald handle design. The grip of the handle of the MIJIA supercharged hand shower is thus very firm and comfortable.

The crowdfunding price of the MIJIA Booster Hand Shower is 59 yuan (~$9). As mentioned earlier, the crowdfunding campaign kicks off on February 22, 2023. There are no indications yet when the model will be available to customers. Xiaomi has also been silent on the subsequent global availability of the hand shower.

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Redmi Book Pro 15 Enhanced Version With Intel Core i5-12500H Processor Launched

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 20, 2023

Xiaomi has launched an enhanced version of its 2022 Redmi Book Pro 15 laptop. The new laptop comes with an improved Intel Core i5-12500H processor. The new laptop will go on display on February 21, 2023.

The Redmi Book Pro enhanced version is equipped with a 12-core 16-thread processor (i5-12500H) with 16GB LPDDR5 5200 memory and 512GB PCIe 4.0 solid-state drive. It has a 15-inch 3.2K display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 16:10 aspect ratio. The laptop has a maximum brightness of 400 nits and a delta E of less than 1.5. It also supports intelligent photosensitive and DC dimming, as well as being TUV Rheinland-certified for low blue light compliance.

The latest Redmi Pro Book 15 iteration uses CNC technology and weighs 1.8kg. It is 14.99mm thick and has a 72Wh battery in-built. The battery provides juice for the laptop for up to 12.5 hours. The laptop is pre-installed with Windows 11 and Microsoft Office. It has a full-size backlit keyboard while the connectivity options include Thunderbolt 4, USB-C/A, and HDMI 2.0. A high-speed card reader and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity are also part of the mix.

The refreshed Redmi Pro Book 15 is priced in China at a launch price of 4,799 yuan (~$700). It will subsequently revert to its original price of 5,999 yuan (~$875) after the launch period. There are no details yet on the global availability of the product.

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TSMC Pushes Back Opening of European Factory by Two Years

By

Oğuz Çakır

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Feb 20, 2023

TSMC, one of the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturers, has postponed its plans for a new factory in Europe due to the changing supply and demand of automotive semiconductors. Originally set to open earlier, the European factory will now be delayed for at least two years, and it’s not expected to be completed until 2025.

TSMC Pushes Back Opening of European Factory by Two Years

TSMC had been exploring the possibility of establishing a special process fab in Europe focused on automotive technology, based on customer needs and the support of governments in various countries. However, with the current correction of the semiconductor economy, major foundries are now dispatching more production capacity to produce automotive chips, resulting in an improvement of the chip shortage and even a balance between supply and demand.

The delay in TSMC’s European factory could mean that European automotive chip customers will continue to stay in TSMC’s Taiwan plant, or even move to new plants in Japan and the United States, which would help TSMC use the production capacity of its overseas plants. Meanwhile, Japanese officials are encouraging TSMC to set up a second fab in Japan, supported by the introduction of extreme ultraviolet light (EUV) machines. This could allow TSMC’s Japanese plant to support more advanced process needs of local and international automotive semiconductor customers.

Industry analysts believe that this shift could be beneficial for TSMC, especially given the fluctuating economic climate and high inflation pressure, which make the cost of setting up factories in Europe much higher than in the United States and Japan.

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LineageOS 20 Arrives on the Google Pixel 6, Pixel 7, & More

By

Anurag

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Feb 20, 2023

The LineageOS team has been working hard to bring the latest LineageOS 20 software based on Android 13 to more smartphones. After releasing the first set of official builds for more than 50 devices, including the older Pixel phones, the team has now added support for all of Google’s Tensor-powered phones, including the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series. Here are the details.

The latest devices being added to the official roster are the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 6, Pixel 6a, and Pixel 6 Pro. This will be the first time Google’s Tensor-powered phones will be able to run the popular custom ROM. Last month, the development team released a new version, bringing full Android 13 support to a sizeable number of devices, including Google phones up to the Pixel 4.

Below you can find the detailed instructions and download links for the newly added phones:

Pixel 6 (oriole)- Wiki
Pixel 6 Pro (raven)- Wiki
Pixel 6a (bluejay)- Wiki
Pixel 7 (panther)-Wiki
Pixel 7 Pro (cheetah)-Wiki

The new LineageOS 20 brings all the new Android 13 features as well as a revamped camera app, Aperture. The custom ROM is known for its near-stock UI and superior security and privacy features. However, these features may not impress Pixel users as their phones already come with a clean and bloatware-free UI.

You may install the LineageOS 20 on your Pixel 6 or 7 series device if you want to mod it without any restrictions. However, you should know that custom ROMs may void your device’s warranty, and they can even brick your phone if not installed properly. Additionally, some apps may not work properly with custom ROMs.

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Lenovo Kaitian N8 Series Notebook With a Domestic Zhaoxin Kaixian KX-6000 Processor Launched in China

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 20, 2023

Chinese tech giant Lenovo has launched a new laptop series known as Kaitian N8 series in its home market of China. The new notebook series is equipped with the domestic Zhaoxin Kaixian KX-6000 processor which throws up the potential that this series will be a China-only series.

Perhaps, the most interesting feature of the new notebook is the processor as it is manufactured by Zhaoxin, a China-based semiconductor company. The Kaixian KX-6000 processor is an octa-core processor manufactured on the 16nm process and with a maximum clock frequency of 2.7GHz. The processor pairs with 16GB dual-channel DDR4 memory and 512GB NVMe SSD. It is also equipped with an integrated graphics card supporting 4K resolution and 4K video hard decoding.

In terms of design, the Kaitian N8 Series notebook adopts a 14.6mm all-metal space gray body manufactured using a CNC finishing process body. The notebook weighs as low as 1.29kg. It packs a 14-inch IPS HD display with a resolution of 2240 x 1400 pixels and a 91% screen ratio. The display supports anti-glare eye protection, no strobe, and 100% sRGB color gamut. The laptop can also be opened up to 180 degrees, making it possible to be used in tablet mode.

In addition, Lenovo Kaitian N8 supports WiFi 6+ and Bluetooth 5.0. It is also equipped with a smart backlit keyboard with the same color anti-fouling coating used on the body. The laptop also houses a super-large silky glass touchpad, fingerprint recognition, hard disk encryption, USB smart protection + one-key recovery. It is powered by a 61Wh battery.

The pricing and availability details of the Lenovo Kaitian N8 Series are yet to be released.

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Realme C55 Gets SIRIM Certified, Could Launch Soon

By

Sudhanshu

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Feb 20, 2023

Realme is planning to launch a new budget-range smartphone in the global market called the Realme C55. This device will be the successor of the Realme C35. It has already appeared on NBTC, BIS, FCC, and EEC certification websites, and now, it has also cleared SIRIM certification.

Although the certification doesn’t mention anything about the specs, it does confirm that the device bearing model number RMX3710 is indeed the Realme C55. According to the previous FCC listing, the smartphone will have a 4880mAh battery. It will also have a 33W fast charging. Currently, we do not know about any other specifications of the Realme C55. However, we can take a look at its predecessor to get an idea of what to expect.

Realme C35 specs

The Realme C35 flaunts a 6.6-inch LCD display with a high FHD+ resolution of 2408 x 1080 pixels, featuring 401 PPI and a responsive touch sampling rate of up to 180 Hz. It sports a minimal dewdrop notch housing the selfie camera and delivers peak brightness levels of up to 600 nits.

Under the hood, the smartphone packs a UNISOC T616 SoC coupled with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.2 storage. It houses a large 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support and comes pre-installed with realme UI 2.0 based on Android 12.

The Realme C35 comprises a triple camera module on the rear, housing a 50MP primary sensor, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP monochrome sensor. On the front, it has an 8MP camera, apt for selfies and video calls.

The device features a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, dual-SIM support, 4G, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, GNSS, USB Type-C, and a microSD card slot for expandable storage.

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Heybike Tyson e-Bike With a Range of 55 Miles, 4G, Bluetooth and GPS Launched

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 20, 2023

The Heybike Tyson e-bike has been unveiled. The latest Heybike offering comes with a 750W electric motor and support for a raft of modern features. The Tyson has a foldable form factor and hydraulic front-fork suspension. The bike’s disc brakes offer excellent stopping power and its one-piece foldable design pits it squarely against its competitors.

Apart from its foldable construction, the Heybike Tyson has a rear rack and optimal battery positioning. It squares up nicely with the ENGWE but Heybike says the Tyson offers greater peace of mind with a raft of modern features. It supports 4G network connectivity, Bluetooth, and GPS with push notifications. The GPS notification alerts the owner when the e-bike is being moved from its parking position.

The Tyson has a companion smartphone app that gives the user information on the trip (battery status, mileage, navigation, and general status reports). The Tyson’s 48V/ 15Ah battery delivers a pedal assist range of 55 miles and 40 miles without pedal assist. The Tyson has a 7-inch TFT display for modulating the power and speed while riding. The bike has a top speed of 28mph (45km/h) and is a Class 2 vehicle. It has a 7-speed Shimano gear and will be available in three colors – blue, green, and black.

Heybike says the Tyseon e-bike will be open for pre-order from March 1, 2023, on the company’s website. It is being offered at an exclusive pre-sale price of $1,699 for persons on the waitlist.

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Oppo Could Be Testing a New Phone in India With Reno 8T-like Design

By

Anurag

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Feb 20, 2023

Oppo recently launched the Reno 8T in the Indian as well as the global market with an interesting design and decent specifications. However, the company is apparently not over with the 8T’s design and may reuse it in an upcoming smartphone. A report claims Oppo is testing a new budget smartphone in India, which will look identical to the recently launched Reno 8T.

A 91Mobiles report, citing tipster Sudhanshu Ambhore, claims that Oppo is testing a new affordable smartphone in India with model number CPH2527. While the handset’s marketing name and specifications are still a mystery, the publication says it will look similar to the Oppo Reno 8T. However, the unknown device won’t have a side-mounted fingerprint sensor or curved display.

Details about this upcoming device are pretty scarce. We can expect it to arrive as a mid-range or budget model with decent specifications, like a large display, capable cameras, and a long-lasting battery. We should be learning more about the smartphone in the coming days. Meanwhile, let’s go through the specifications of the Oppo Reno 8T.

OPPO Reno8 T 5G specifications

OPPO Reno8T arrives with a 6.7-inch Full-HD+ 10-bit AMOLED display. The panel boasts a micro-curved design with OPPO glow, 120Hz refresh rate, and 1080 x 2412-pixel resolution. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC paired with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. On the software front, there’s Android 13-based ColorOS 13.

The handset gets a 4,800mAh battery with 67W fast charging support. There’s a triple camera setup on the back, with a 108MP primary sensor, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 40x MicroLens camera. For selfies, the device gets a 32MP snapper on the front.

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OnePlus Ace 2 Dimensity Edition to Launch Next Month with Downgraded Primary Camera

By

Sudhanshu

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Feb 20, 2023

OnePlus recently launched the OnePlus Ace 2 smartphone in China. The same device was also launched in the global market under the OnePlus 11R moniker. The device is powered by Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. A leak earlier this month revealed that there will soon be a Dimensity Edition of the OnePlus Ace 2 with the Dimenity 9000 chipset onboard.

Now, a new report has revealed that the OnePlus Ace 2 Dimensity Edition will be launching next month. The leak comes from popular Weibo tipster DCS (via) who also reveals some more details about the upcoming phone.

According to DCS, the Ace 2 Dimensity Edition will have a 6.74-inch AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution, offering 2772 × 1240 pixels, 1450 nits of peak brightness, 100 percent DCI P3 color gamut, 1440Hz high-frequency PWM dimming, and an adaptive refresh rate that can go up to 120Hz. The report also mentions that the Ace 2 Dimensity Edition will have a different camera setup which will consist of a 64MP OV64M main camera, an 8MP Sony IMX355 camera, and a 2MP macro camera.

Compared to the 50MP Sony IMX890 primary camera, the 64MP Omnivision sensor is quite a downgrade. Other specifications appear to remain the same. This means that the device will likely have a 5,000mAh battery paired with 100W SuperVOOC fast charging and an Android 13-based ColorOS 13 operating system. The price of this is expected to be lower that the OnePlus Ace 2.

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Global Xiaomi 13 Pro Stops by Geekbench Ahead of Launch

By

Anurag

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Feb 20, 2023

Xiaomi 13 series was unveiled in China last year in November and the lineup has been on the shelves for quite some time now. Now, the company is ready to bring its latest number series, which includes the Xiaomi 13, Xiaomi 13 Pro, and Xiaomi 13 Lite, to the global market on February 26. While we wait, the top-end model of the series has visited the Geekbench website, revealing some interesting details in the process.

Xiaomi 13 Pro has visited the Geekbench benchmarking site with model number 2210132G. The handset has been listed with an octa-core processor, codenamed “Kalama”. We already know it is Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. The listing reveals the global version of Xiaomi 13 Pro will have 12GB of RAM and run Android 13 out of the box.

The handset has received a single-core score of 1481 and a multi-core score of 4676. While these scores may seem impressive, the Chinese variant of the device did better. For reference, Xiaomi 13 Pro released in China managed to get a score of 1504 in single-core and 5342 in multi-core tests. However, these may be early tests and the retail units could perform better.

To recall, the handset debuted in China with a 6.73-inch 2K OLED display that offers up to 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and 1900 nits of peak brightness. Under the hood, it is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, paired with Adreno GPU.

For photography, the handset gets a Leica-tuned triple camera setup on the back. The primary sensor is 50MP. There’s also a 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 50MP telephoto sensor. The front houses a 32MP shooter for selfies and video calls. It packs a 4,820mAh battery with 120W wired and 50W wireless charging support.

Google Pixel 7 Series Lacks Support for the Latest 5G Standard, Says Report

By

Anurag

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Feb 20, 2023

Google Pixel 7 series debuted back in 2022 with top-notch hardware, including a new Tensor G2 chip, improved cameras, better display, and a lot more. However, it is being reported that devices fall short in 5G connectivity. According to a report, the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro models only support 5G Release 15, the initial 3GPP standard, instead of the latest 5G standard. Let’s look at the details.

The 3GPP, an engineering organization that develops protocols for mobile telecommunications, is responsible for deriving standards for 5G connectivity. These standards are made available as “releases”. Back in 2018, the organization launched Release 15 as the first 5G standard, which was followed by Release 16 in 2020. Now, as per a 9to5Google report, the latest Pixel 7 models are still on the older 3GPP Release 15.

Other major flagships, such as the latest Galaxy S23 series, can support the newer Release 16. The Release 16 supports the Snapdragon X65 and last year’s X70 modem. According to Qualcomm, Release 16 brings a number of enhancements to the foundational aspects of the 5G system, in terms of coverage, capacity, latency, power, mobility, reliability, ease of deployment, and more.

According to Samsung, the Exynos 5300 modem included in Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro phones is capable of supporting Release 16. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that these smartphones will receive support for the latest 5G standard with the upcoming Android 14 release later this year.

It’s important to keep in mind that 5G Release 17 has already been launched, announced in July 2022. Furthermore, the upcoming Release 18 is expected to arrive sometime in 2024. Qualcomm has recently announced the Snapdragon X75, which includes support for both 5G Release 17 and 18, just earlier this month.

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Hongqi E202 EV Concept Features LiDAR-equipped Roof & 800v Fast Charging

By

Joane

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Feb 20, 2023

Hongqi, the Chinese luxury car brand, has released the official images for its latest fully electric concept car called the E202. The EV which will be launched under the Hongqi New Energy Brand is a medium to large SUV and will come with the luminous Hongqi New Energy LOGO.

The concept images of the EV, show a closed layout and a brand-new logo on the front. The vehicle features concave and convex facades, with a smooth and shiny finish that gives it a futuristic look. The side windows extend directly from the A-pillar to the rear of the car, giving it a simple and crisp finish. The waistline extends from the taillight to the front door and outlines downwards, gradually changing from the sculpted lines to the smooth concave surface.

Hongqi E202 will come with advanced features like an intelligent four-wheel drive system, air suspension, automatic driving system, HAC intelligent driving advanced safety chassis, and more. It will feature CATL’s Qilin batteries, an 800V platform, and battery swap technology.

Other interesting features include electronic exterior mirrors, a two-color body, a dot-matrix decorated D-pillar, and a LiDAR-equipped roof to support the autonomous driving system.

The company claims that E202 can be charged within 5 minutes for a 300km drive thanks to its 800V fast charging system. The car will be unveiled in December this year and will launch in the market in 2024.

Hongqi’s Electric Vehicle Brand

Established in 1959, Hongqi is one of the oldest Chinese passenger car brands. Originally made for high-ranking Chinese officials and leaders, the brand moved to the open market and become commercial in the 1970s. In 2018, the Hongqi brand released a new strategy and design concept, which led to a surge in market sales and the gradual realization of global exports.

Recently, the company launched its Hongqi New Energy sub-brand for Electric Vehicles. The new brand will focus not only on the Chinese market but also on global options, especially in Europe. The company is planning to launch 15 new EVs under the New Energy Brand.

(via)

Samsung Galaxy A33 and Galaxy A53 5G Grabs One UI 5.1 Update

By

Chandan

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Feb 20, 2023

Samsung recently launched its One UI 5.1 user interface, based on Android 13, alongside the Galaxy S23 series. The brand recently released the first OTA update for the Galaxy S23 series. The Korean tech giant is now rolling out the One UI 5.1 update to the Samsung Galaxy A33 and Galaxy A53 5G devices. However, there’s a catch. The update is currently limited to the South Korean market and other global variants will grab the update soon.

The firmware version of the One UI 5.1 update for the Galaxy A33 5G is A336NKSU3CWB3, while the firmware version for the Galaxy A53 5G is A536NKSU4CWB3. The February 2023 security patch is also included in these updates for the devices. Samsung may, as previously said, issue the One UI 5.1 upgrade for the Galaxy A53 5G and Galaxy A33 5G in other nations in the upcoming weeks. There’s no official confirmation on the rollout schedule yet.

You may now check for the most recent update if you possess one of these devices and reside in South Korea by going to Settings » Software update and selecting Download and install. We suggest waiting a few more days if you haven’t yet gotten the update before manually downloading it on your smartphone. The update is being carried out gradually, so it can take some time before it reaches all devices.

With the new update, the user interface and performance are also expected to be improved. The phone will operate more quickly and respond to user input more quickly as a result, making it easier to use. It is also expected that the update would include security enhancements that will shield the user data and the device from malicious attacks and other security threats. So there was the end of the topic. I appreciate you taking the time to read this entire post.

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HarmonyOS 3.1 Hands-on Video Reveals Impressive Animation Improvements

By

Soumyakanti

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Feb 20, 2023

Huawei has recently begun testing the HarmonyOS 3.1 operating system in its P50 series, and early reports indicate that the new OS comes with some impressive changes to system animations. According to a HarmonyOS 3.1 developer beta tester, the new animations have been improved for various parts of the user interface, including the notification center and service widget combos.

One of the most significant changes is the relocation of the clock to the top left side of the status bar, which animates and blends seamlessly with the large clock of the animation bar. The animation shows this transformation in real-time, making it a more interactive experience. Huawei could further optimize the status bar clock for devices with different types of notches.

In addition to these changes, the widget combo shape selection also features a new animation that is more realistic and interactive compared to the previous HarmonyOS 3.0.

These are some of the tweaks that have surfaced now. The beta build will have many more changes and tweaks with the upcoming testing phase. You can check out the video here.

HarmonyOS 3.1 Developer Preview Details

The developer preview of HarmonyOS 3.1 adds a new ArkTS language and other performance improvements. The beta developer preview includes stage model life cycle management, scheduling, callback, context acquisition, authentication, and more. It also includes new operation and management capabilities.

The ArkUI development framework enhances declarative Canvas/XComponent component capabilities, component layout capabilities, and state management capabilities. It also optimizes the usability of some components.

While some of these changes may seem more developer-focused, it is likely that users will soon see more user-friendly improvements in future HarmonyOS 3.1 releases. Huawei is expected to release more devices in the developer beta phase, and we will keep you updated on any new developments.

Huawei is reportedly preparing to launch its P60 series smartphones in March, which may feature HarmonyOS 3.1, although an exact release date has not been confirmed.

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Philips 45-inch Ultra-wide Monitor With KVM Switches and USB Type-C Ports Announced

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Feb 20, 2023

The Philips 45B1U6900C and 45B1U6900CH ultra-wide monitors have been announced. The two new Philips monitors share several similarities including 44.5-inch panels with 1500R curvature and 1440p resolutions. They are also equipped with KVM switches and USB-C connectivity. The VA panels in both models have a resolution of 5,120 x 1,440 pixels with a 32:9 aspect ratio.

The ultra-wide display in both models has a 1500R curvature, 75Hz refresh rate, and a maximum brightness of 450 nits. Philips says the panels offer 107% DCI-P3 color space coverage, 8-bit color depth, and 4ms response times. Furthermore, the pair have adjustable stands and a telescopic hook on which to hang headphones.

The 45B1U6900C and 45B1U6900CH come with dual HDMI 2.0 ports and DisplayPort 1.4 connectivity. The USB Type-C ports support 100W Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alt Mode. Both models also have Gigabit LAN ports and four USB 3.2 Type-A ports.

The 45B1U6900CH model however comes with a Windows Hello-certified webcam and a noise-canceling microphone. It is thus well-suited for professional use. The 45B1U6900C has a USB Type-B upstream port. The camera outputs at 5 MP and it can also provide biometric authentication for a connected PC.

Pricing information and full release details are lacking for both monitors at this time. More details about the new Philips lineup of ultra-wide monitors can be found on the company’s website. For now, Philips is however keeping the release details and pricing under wraps.

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Tesla Under Investigation in China After Fatal Crash

By

Joane

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Feb 20, 2023

On Friday, a Tesla Model 3 EV crashed in East China’s Zhejiang Province causing one death and a critical injury. Though the exact reason for the crash is unknown, there are allegations that the accident happened due to a braking system failure in the EV.

The incident occurred on February 17, when a Tesla Model 3 which was speeding on an urban road, crashed into a bus. Before crashing into the bus, the vehicle also hit an electric bicycle and several cars on the road. Surveillance footage shows that during the crash, the brake lights were not engaged on the EV. The crash was so severe that it instantly killed the passenger, critically injured the driver, and damaged three other cars in the vicinity.

Tesla has agreed to fully cooperate with the local authorities during the investigation. Tesla China also released a statement saying, “We are very sad about this accident. We fully understand everyone’s concern about this accident. Currently, the local traffic police are investigating the cause of the crash, and we will do our best to cooperate with the authorities. We also ask everyone not to believe or spread unconfirmed information”.

Tesla is having a hard time in China as the company is facing tough competition from homegrown EV makers like BYD. The fatal crash on Friday has added to the company’s woes as consumers are now questioning the safety of EVs. After the crash, the company has seen a drop in its sales as rumors and allegations state that there is something wrong with Tesla EV’s braking system. Recently more than 300000 Tesla EVs were recalled in the US after authorities found that they posed a crash risk. Though the company has rolled out an OTA update to mitigate the crash risk, Tesla’s reputation has taken a hit after the US investigation reports.

Tesla has faced similar allegations in the past, where customers have complained of braking issues and brake failure. However, investigations have always come out in favor of the company, as in all previous cases authorities found that it was the driver’s mistake that caused the accident.

Tesla, which was the number one EV seller in the world, was recently dethroned by the Chinese EV company BYD. China is the biggest EV market in the world, with a projected revenue of $190.40 billion in 2023. The country reported a 113% growth in its EV sale, a staggering figure as compared to North America and Europe. China’s BYD overtook Tesla last year to be the number one Electric Vehicle seller in the world. Hence, it is obvious that Tesla will keep an eye on China and its growing EV market.

During the Q4 2022 earnings call, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that Chinese workers worked the smartest and hardest of all and Chinese EV makers are the biggest rival to Tesla. Hence the company is working harder to recapture its market in China by introducing price cuts and other benefits exclusive to Chinese customers.

(via)

Samsung Rolls Out its First Software Update for Galaxy S23 Ultra

By

Chandan

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Feb 20, 2023

It hasn’t been long since the official release of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra smartphone. We recently discovered a strange OIS-related problem on the smartphone. Regardless, the manufacturer has begun releasing the S23 Ultra device’s first firmware update. The most recent update adds a security patch for February 2023 to the device, as well as other minor tweaks. For the issues reported by the reviewers, the update may contain a fix.

The Samsung Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23 Ultra are receiving the February 2023 security patch. The most recent update has the build number S91xBXXU1AWBD. The latest update is currently being rolled out to European variants of the smartphone. Other regional versions should receive the update soon. The update is usually released to all global regions within a few days. Unlocked smartphones will receive updates ahead of carrier-locked models, particularly in the United States. The most recent update is 567MB in size.

If you have a Galaxy S23 series phone and live in Europe, you can now check for the most recent update by navigating to Settings » Software update and choosing Download and install. If you haven’t yet received the update, we advise you to give it a few more days before downloading it to your smartphone manually. It can take some time for all devices to get the update because it is being rolled out in stages.

The user interface and performance are also expected to be enhanced with the new update. This will speed up the phone’s performance and make it more responsive to user input, making it simpler to use. Additionally, the update is anticipated to feature security upgrades that will protect the device and user data from malicious assaults and other security risks. So that was all there was to the subject. Many thanks for reading this post all the way through.

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