WhatsApp Adds Tons of New Features to Its Status Section

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Feb 8, 2023

WhatsApp is one of the most widely used messaging apps. Billions of people have used it extensively all around the world. The application has a “status” feature that enables users to post any photographs or short videos in that part, which they can be viewed by all of their saved contacts for 24 hours. The status will be automatically removed after 24 hours. Users could only upload certain texts, images, or short videos until recently, but WhatsApp has now added a tonne of new options to the status option, enhancing its feature set. Let’s explore in greater detail the specific features that the company has added.

First of all, voice messages can now be recorded and shared as statuses. These may last for up to 30 seconds. To pick who can see (or hear) your status whenever you update it, you can then update the privacy settings for each status. As you may expect, the audience choice you made most recently is kept and then used as the default for your subsequent status. After the introduction of chat reactions last year, status reactions, which let you reply to status updates, were reportedly the most often requested feature for WhatsApp. By swiping up and selecting one of the eight emojis, you may swiftly respond to any status. You can still respond by text, voicemail, or stickers, of course.

Every time your contact posts a status update, a new status profile ring will appear around their profile picture. This ring will be displayed in the chat list, group participant lists, and contact information area. Finally, link previews are now enabled in status updates, just like they are in conversations. Therefore, when you publish a link on your status, the preview will automatically appear, improving the appearance of your status and letting your contacts know what the link is about before tapping on it.

That was all we had to cover up regarding the addition of features to the WhatsApp messaging platform. What do you think about this? Does the addition of features changes your perspective on the messaging platform? Do let us know by dropping a comment in your words down below. Thanks a lot for reading the post till the end.

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Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Allows Its Users to Zoom a Little Higher in Gallery App

By

Chandan

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Feb 8, 2023

Samsung recently launched its 2023 lineup of flagship smartphones. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra was the top-end smartphone in the lineup, and it’s the first device coming from the house Samsung which boasts a 200-megapixel high-resolution primary camera. By default, the device captures images in normal 12-megapixel resolution. But when you enable high-resolution mode in the camera app, it uses pixel binning and produces a 200-megapixel image output. Obviously, the higher-resolution images are larger in size and contain more details.

Although all of these phones offer the option to switch to their camera’s highest photo resolution, most users typically end up with 12MP photographs when taking pictures with their phones. The Galaxy S23 series is the same, but when you subsequently see those 12MP images in the gallery, there is actually one obvious difference: you can zoom in on images a little bit farther than usual. This implies that the Galaxy S22 Ultra won’t be able to crop an image as much as the S23 Ultra when you take the identical image from the Gallery and try to zoom in. There haven’t been any major breakthroughs, but the effort is effort.

When you take a picture with the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 200-megapixel resolution and compare it to the S22 Ultra’s 108-megapixel resolution, it is evident that the S23 Ultra’s picture has more detail because it has more megapixels. But because the standard 12-megapixel image also has greater zooming capabilities, at least from the Gallery application, this suggests that when we zoom in on the images, we will see a little bit more information, crisper texts, and better highlights. For some users, this improvement might be helpful.

In addition to this, the newer generation has significantly improved the camera compared to its predecessor. The gadget offers a far better video shooting experience and can record images that are more precise. Samsung has invested a lot of effort into improving its camera algorithms, which, when combined with more contemporary improved sensors, produce some truly impressive results. That concludes our article on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. I appreciate you reading this article all the way through.

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Apple Watch Ultra MicroLED Upgrade Pushed Back to 2025

By

Anubhav

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Feb 8, 2023

The Apple Watch Ultra is one of the most capable smartwatches in the world right now. The watch has a host of features that sets it apart from its competition, such as 100m water resistance and up to 60 hours of battery life. The watch also boasts an OLED display. Speaking of displays, Apple screens have always been a topic of discussion among fans and critics alike. While the iPhone finally got an OLED display in 2017, many iPad models still sport LED screens. As per the latest reports, the tech giant will delay the adoption of microLED technology for the Apple Watch Ultra.

As reported by MacRumors, based on a tweet by display industry expert Ross Young, the transition to microLED will now be postponed until 2025. This news contradicts earlier reports that the microLED Apple Watch Ultra would hit the market in 2024. It must be noted that developing a microLED display technology is a bit more complex since these displays are not as common or mass-producible as OLED and LCDs.

The switch to microLED technology brings several benefits to the table, including improved power efficiency and durability, which are crucial selling points for the premium Apple Watch Ultra. There were also rumors of a slightly larger microLED panel, which could attract more athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, the target audience for the wearable.

However, the Apple Watch Ultra seems to have been put on hold due to Apple’s focus on its upcoming VR/AR headset, the Reality Pro. Apple is pitching a lot of hope on its headset, and its other devices might face some whiplash from that. Recently, the company collaborated with Disney to develop Virtual content. Like the iPad (which will receive new upgrades in 2024), the Apple Watch lineup is also facing delays due to upgrades being pushed back. Nevertheless, the Apple Watch Ultra still remains a formidable device, even with its current specifications.

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Microsoft CEO Reveals Plans to Power Bing With OpenAI, Taking on Google in Search Engine Face-Off

By

Anubhav

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Feb 8, 2023

In a recent interview with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, the company’s future plans regarding AI took shape. Microsoft’s search engine, Bing will soon be powered by OpenAI, the company that designed ChatGPT. Their announcement is all about reimagining the search engine with AI. Microsoft has incorporated ChatGPT in its search models, allowing users to converse after queries – using Bing as a co-pilot for the web. For instance, users could be looking on Edge for a website or a document, and they will be able to summarize it with a single prompt. A whole lot of features come together in order to make this work, Microsoft says.

The relationship of Microsoft with OpenAI is multifaceted, Nadella stated. What they’ve done over the last 4 years is build out the core infrastructure upon which OpenAI is built. Plus, a lot of services, such as Character.AI already use AzureAI. When questioned about using 3rd party software for its benefit, Microsoft focused on the assets the company gains from using OpenAI with their models. They get to incorporate these large models with their products, and they receive an investment return and a commercial return in the long run.

Since OpenAI is all about safety in AI, Microsoft will make sure that OpenAI will adhere to its set of principles (and incorporate it for engineering models). For their coming models, the company states it will make sure that add humans in the design loops so that human agency and judgment play a key role in training the model. They will also focus on the quality of the pre-train data. The company will filter and catch harmful data via safety nets in the AI model to create a safer, friendly tool for everyone.

The way that people will get their value back from Bing Search with GPT will be focused on new incentives for SEO. Everything will be linkable and searchable from the same page. This won’t be a complete departure from the current search model, but it will work in a similar way. When questioned regarding Google’s position in the search engine arena, Nadella stated that they want to help website publishers get to more people and seen by multiple demographics. By having a more evenly spread search share, it will help publishers divert traffic from multiple sources, increasing revenue, data collection and effectively helping the user utilize the search engines for their benefit.

Lastly, Microsoft has a very interesting stance on its competition with search engine giant, Google. Chrome uses google search to divert traffic, Edge uses Bing to do so. They want to build a competitive product that is everywhere where their users want it. Recent partnerships such as Android on Microsoft hardware will only help innovate further, Nadella says. He further states that with the integration of Microsoft with ChatGPT, they are looking forward to Google stepping down in the ring themselves and showing everyone what they can do, since Microsoft is confident in its capabilities to go up against Google. Microsoft has already integrated GPT3.5 with Teams. The latest Prometheus model, as Nadella stated, will be a game changer in the search category.

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Under Screen Face ID Patent Granted by Apple; Next Generation of Dynamic Island

By

Chandan

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Feb 8, 2023

Technology is constantly changing. We have come a long way from ordinary brick-shaped phones to smartphones and foldable phones. Many companies are developing new innovations and making them accessible to the broader public. Under-screen cameras are included in the Samsung foldable, while Xiaomi also showcased a smartphone with a 360-degree screen and perhaps other features. An under-screen Face ID patent has now been issued by Apple. The patent outlines a unique concept for the Face ID under-screen technology.

The patent showcases the evolution of Dynamic Island and applies it in a flexible way. Apple switched to two cutouts in the display itself with the iPhone 14 Pro models and calls it the dynamic island cutout. These are single pill-shaped cutout that has been cleverly integrated into the user interface by increasing their apparent breadth and showing contextual content there. The notch, which sits in the middle of the status bar at the top of an iPhone, was Apple’s initial attempt to integrate Face ID into the display.

The “single slab of glass,” in which the display takes up the entire front of the iPhone, has been the company’s long-term objective, but it necessitates finding other ways to conceal the Face ID modules and front-facing camera. Nevertheless, a fresh patent issued today details what seems to be a development of the Dynamic Island strategy.

According to a report from PatentlyApple, a portion of the patent text only outlines the way Dynamic Island is now implemented. It then, however, goes beyond this in two different ways. Beginning with gestures made without actually touching the screen, the patent details a wide spectrum of sensors that might be integrated into the display. Second, by using a number of tiny transparent windows whose apparent size and location can be efficiently adjusted across the display by selectively activating and deactivating individual pixels, the position of the Dynamic Island may be altered.

According to Apple, a typical display used in its products has 13 layers, and since light transmission through these areas is reduced by as much as 80%, it may be necessary to lower the number of layers in areas housing sensors. However, the idea seems to provide a way to distribute these areas that would make them undetectable to the naked eye, without impairing touch sensitivity or performance, and in a way that would enable nearby pixels to be turned off only when needed to maximise light transmission. So that’s how the brand has patented the under-screen Faced ID. Thanks a lot for reading the post till the end.

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Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 43″ 4K Mini-LED Gaming Monitor Pre-orders live in Europe

By

Sudhanshu

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Feb 8, 2023

A couple of weeks back, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 43-inch 4K monitor made its global debut. This massive display is the first flat Mini LED gaming monitor in the world. Samsung promised that the monitor will soon be available in European countries and the United States without specifying any dates.

Now, the brand has started taking pre-orders in the Eurozone, while offering and attractive discounts and freebies. The Odyssey Neo G7 43″ gaming monitor from Samsung has an expected retail price of €1,619 in the Eurozone, but is currently being offered for €1,399, which represents a discount of €220. As an added bonus, pre-orders come with a pair of Galaxy Buds2 Pro earbuds worth €199.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 specs

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 43″ monitor boasts a Quantum Mini-LED display with a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160, a 16:9 aspect ratio, and a fast refresh rate of 144 Hz with a 1 ms response time. It also offers VESA-certified DisplayHDR 600 and an impressive 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio.

In terms of connectivity, the monitor has two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, and two USB 3.0 connections. It also features 20 W stereo speakers.

Additionally, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 has a built-in Samsung Gaming Hub streaming tool and supports AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro software for smoother gameplay. With OTT integration, the 43″ monitor can be used for various services, like Netflix, without a PC or TV connection.

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Oppo Find N2 Flip Appears on TKDN Website, Could Launch Soon in Indonesia

By

Sudhanshu

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Feb 8, 2023

Oppo is expected to unveil the Find N2 Flip smartphone for the global market at the Mobile World Congress 2023 show. The event will happen at the end of February. Ahead of the launch, many reports have emerged revealing the pricing of this device in various markets. Now, the device has cleared Indonesia’s TKDN certification, which strongly suggests that it will launch in the country.

The listing does not reveal many details aside from the model number, which is CPH2437. It will support LTE connectivity, along with 5G bands including n1, n3, n5, n8, and N40. As the device is already in sale in China, we know all there is to know about it specs-wise.

Oppo Find N2 Flip specs

The Oppo Find N2 Flip features a 6.8-inch Full HD+ AMOLED foldable screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 32MP front camera with a hole-punch cutout.

The Find N2 Flip boasts a large exterior cover display with a 60Hz refresh rate and measures 3.26 inches in height. It has a dual camera setup consisting of a 50MP Sony IMX890 primary camera and an 8MP ultra-wide camera, as well as a 32MP front camera for selfies.

The device is powered by a Dimensity 9000+ SoC and comes with 256GB of storage and up to 12GB of RAM. It features a 4300mAh battery with 44W fast charging support and runs on Android 13 with ColorOS 13.

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Asus Vivobook 13 Slate OLED 2-in-1 Gets New Intel Alder Lake-N Processors

By

Sudhanshu

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Feb 8, 2023

Last year, Asus launched the Vivobook 13 Slate 2-in-1 convertible notebook with an attractive OLED panel and stylus support. The machine was overall a great package for creatives as well as regular users, as it could seamlessly switch between being an OLED tablet to being an OLED laptop.

The device has now received a much-needed refresh which replaces its Pentium Silver N6000 processors with Intel’s latest Alder Lake-N chips. The Vivobook 13 Slate 2-in-1 now comes with the Intel N200 and Intel Core i3-N300 processors. The N200 is a quad-core chip with 6 W TDP, while the i3-N300 has eight cores and 7 W TDP. Asus is reportedly enhancing the memory specifications by upgrading from LPDDR4X to LPDDR5, with a maximum capacity of 8GB. The storage options are rumored to be either 256GB UFS 2.1 or up to 512GB PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD. Additionally, users may be able to increase storage space through the use of a microSD card reader that is included.

Other specifications are the same as before, which means that the device has a 13.3-inch OLED screen with an FHD resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, 16:9 aspect ratio, and 266Hz touch sampling rate. It has a maximum brightness of 550 nits and supports Dolby Vision HDR, and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. There is also support for ASUS Pen 2.0 Stylus.

The Vivobook 13 features the latest Windows 11 operating system and a detachable keyboard with a spacious trackpad and chiclet-style keys. It boasts a 13MP camera on the back and a 5MP front-facing camera for selfies, as well as a fingerprint reader for added security. The tablet is powered by a 50WHr battery with support for 65W fast charging and has four built-in speakers that are compatible with Dolby Atmos technology.

The Vivobook 13 retains its port selection, including 2 USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports and an audio jack. The wireless connectivity has been improved, with an upgrade from Bluetooth 5.0 to 5.2. The availability and pricing of the refreshed models is yet to be announced.

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Xiaomi 13 Lite European Price, Launch Timeline & Storage Options Tipped

By

Sudhanshu

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Feb 8, 2023

Back in December 2023, Xiaomi debuted its new flagship devices in China dubbed the Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro. Rumors suggest that these devices could debut globally in the coming months. Through a Google Play Console listing, we also know that Xiaomi will be launching another device in the lineup called the Xiaomi 13 Lite. This will be a rebranded Xiaomi CIVI 2.

Ahead of the global launch, tipster @billbil-kun has leaked the European pricing, availability, and configurations for the Xiaomi 13 Lite. The leaker reports that the Xiaomi 13 Lite will debut in Europe alongside the Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro. Currently, rumors suggest that these devices will debut at the MWC 2023 event in Barcelona, however, pre-orders will begin on March 8.

The leaker claims that the Xiaomi 13 Lite will be sold for €549 with 256GB storage, which is not typical for Xiaomi’s mid-range smartphones which usually have 128GB storage. Hence, it’s possible that €549 is the priciest variant of the Xiaomi 13 Lite. As for color options, the device will come in light blue and black colors.

Xiaomi 13 Lite specs (expected)

As the Xiaomi 13 Lite is a rebranded version of the Xiaomi CIVI 2, we expect it to feature the exact spec sheet. The drive is expected to have a 6.55-inch Full HD+ resolution AMOLED panel with Full HD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The display has a pill-shape cutout for the selfie cameras at the top center of the display.

There are reports suggesting that the Xiaomi 13 Lite could feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor and might have the option of up to 12GB LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB UFS 2.2 storage. The front camera system of the device is said to be a highlight, with the presence of dual 32-megapixel sensors being mentioned. It is also reported that the back camera setup could feature a triple camera setup, including a 50MP Sony IMX766 primary sensor, a 20MP Sony IMX376K ultra-wide sensor, and a 2MP macro unit. The battery capacity is rumored to be 4,500mAh, and it has been suggested that it could support 67W fast-wired charging. However, these details have not been officially confirmed.

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Alleged OnePlus Ace 2 Pro specifications Leak Reveals Dimensity 9000, 16GB RAM, and More

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 8, 2023

The OnePlus Ace 2 has been announced in China. Some of its key features include a 6.7-inch AMOLED with support for a 144Hz refresh rate, the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, 50-megapixel triple rear cameras, and 100W charging. The same device has been rebranded as the OnePlus 11R 5G in the Indian market. Now, in a new leak, reliable tipster Digital Chat Station has revealed that OnePlus is working on a new Ace-branded phone for the Chinese market. He has tipped the model number and key specifications of the device.

According to the tipster, the next OnePlus Ace has the model number PHP110. He revealed that the device has a 6.7-inch flat AMOLED display with a centrally positioned punch-hole. The device offers a 1.5K resolution of 2772 x 1240 pixels and high-frequency dimming.

Under the hood, the device will feature the Dimensity 9000 chipset and 16GB of RAM. It will be backed by a 5,000mAh battery that supports 100W charging.

The leak states that its rear camera setup will feature a 64-megapixel OmniVision OV64M main camera with an f/1.79 aperture, an 8-megapixel Sony IMX355 ultra-wide lens, and a 2-megapixel GalaxyCore GC02M macro camera. While the tipster did not say anything about the storage and front camera of the device, it appears that it may offer up to 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage and a 16-megapixel front camera.

Last year, OnePlus released three Ace-branded models in China, such as the OnePlus Ace, the OnePlus Ace Racing Edition, and the OnePlus Ace Pro. The Ace 2 has been announced as a successor to the original Ace. The OnePlus Ace 2 Racing Edition is said to have a Dimensity 8200 chip onboard. The same device is likely to be called the OnePlus Nord 3 in the global market. Hence, it appears that the OnePlus Ace phone with model number PHP110 could be the OnePlus Ace 2 Pro.

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OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro Customizable Mechanical Keyboard Unveiled

By

Sudhanshu

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Feb 8, 2023

At the recent launch event, OnePlus launched a bunch of new devices including the OnePlus 11 , OnePlus 11R, and OnePlus Buds 2 Pro. We also got a glimpse of the upcoming OnePlus Pad tablet and the OnePlus Hub 5G Router, with the promise of a future launch.

One such device unveiled at the launch event was the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro. This is the brand’s latest effort of breaking into the PC and PC gaming market. Recently, the brand also launched a couple of desktop monitors, with one made for work and media consumption, while the other one offering a high resolution, high refresh rate panel for gaming.

The OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro is the brand’s first mechanical keyboard. The new keyboard from OnePlus features a unique design with marble-mallow keycaps made of a patented thermoplastic elastomer that offers a comfortable and springy feel with every keystroke.

It has an aluminum body which is quite lightweight. The gasket is designed for a more refined typing experience and satisfying sound. The keyboard also has a built-in holder and customizable options like hot-swappable switches and open-source firmware. OnePlus has teamed up with Keychron to bring compatibility with multiple operating systems, including macOS, Windows, and Linux, to their new keyboard.

It has two connectivity modes – Bluetooth and wired. To switch between the two, OnePlus has provided an Alert Slider-style toggle key. For a wireless connection, the keyboard is equipped with Bluetooth 5.1 that offers up to 10m of connectivity range. It has a 4,000mAh battery onboard that can last up to 100 hours at the lowest brightness setting. It uses a USB Type-C port for wired connection and charging, and the battery refills in about 5 hours.

The new OnePlus 81 Pro Keyboard comes in two shades of gray, dark and light, and is set to be released in April with pricing details to be announced near the launch date.

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OnePlus Hub 5G Router Unveiled, Coming to Markets in July

By

Sudhanshu

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Feb 8, 2023

OnePlus launched many new devices at its recently held Cloud 11+ event. Among them were the expected OnePlus 11, the OnePlus 11R, and the OnePlus Buds Pro. There were also some announcements regarding upcoming products such as the OnePlus Pad and the OnePlus Mechanical Keyboard.

In a surprise reveal, the brand announced that it will soon be launching the OnePlus Hub 5G Router. This is the first router from OnePlus which appears to be diversifying its portfolio as of late. We have already seen the Phone maker entering the PC gaming market with high-performance desktop monitors. As mentioned above, it also has a mechanical keyboard with some cool features on the way.

Currently, many of the details about this device are kept under wraps. The information that has been made public reveals that this router features support for 4G and 5G SIM cards. This means that users can directly insert SIM cards into this router, and it will provide connectivity using it for nearby devices.

The device is capable of blasting WIFI 6 signals for your devices. It can also form a mesh network by connecting two or more routers to provide strong connectivity across your house/office. You will also be able to make the router into a Home Hub with Matter protocol support.

The revealed images of the device do not show any cables attached to the router which leads us to believe that it could come with an inbuilt battery and an option for power. If this turns out to be true, the device will be quite portable and practical as it will allow laptop users and WiFi-only tablet users to move around freely without worrying about connectivity or the availability of WiFi. This is mere speculation at this point tho, so take it with a pinch of sale and stay tuned for the launch of the OnePlus Hub 5G Router which is said to take place in July 2023.

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iFlyTek T20 Pro AI Learning Machine With a 2.5K Screen, 12000mAh Battery Launched

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 7, 2023

iFlyTek has launched the T20 Pro AI learning machine in China. The new tablet comes with a 2.5K screen and a 12,000mAh battery. The learning machine adopts a simple design from its previous iteration. The back is made of aviation aluminum with a thin and strong body.

HKUST Xunfei T20 Pro AI Learning Machine

The T20 Pro has a 13.3-inch display with a resolution of 2.5K and a 90Hz refresh rate. The tablet has the TUV Rheinland eye protection certification, as well as the Eyesafe display standard 2.0 certification. The T20 Pro is powered by UNISOC’s eight-core processor although the specifics were omitted. The tablet has a flip design which is well-suited for AI recognition. The AI functionality is helpful when taking shots of text from textbooks or other learning materials.

The Xunfei T20 Pro AI learning machine has a ToF distance sensor to remind the user of the real-time screen distance and an RGB ambient light sensor. The tablet offers AI global eye protection and sitting position protection. The tablet’s battery supports 45W fast charging and can be used for extended periods. A portable, rotatable protective case is also included in the package, as well as a second-generation stylus.

The rich online resource available with the T20 Pro provides students with guidance through image and speed recognition and other knowledge resources. The tablet is being propped up as targeting a personalized learning experience for students and improved performance. The iFlyTek AI learning machine T20 Pro is available in China for 8,999 yuan (~$). It can be purchased directly from e-commerce platforms like Jingdong.

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OnePlus Buds Pro 2R Launched Exclusively in India at a Cheaper Price

By

Anurag

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Feb 7, 2023

OnePlus Buds Pro 2 was finally unveiled in the global market today alongside the OnePlus 11 and OnePlus 11R. The second-generation earbuds from OnePlus come with several interesting features, including Spatial audio, Dynaudio tuning, Adaptive noise cancelation, and more. Notably, the brand has also unveiled a slightly cheaper version of earbuds, dubbed OnePlus Buds Pro 2R. It will be exclusive to India and offer almost the same specs as the standard Buds Pro 2. Here are the details.

OnePlus Buds Pro 2R arrives exclusively in the Indian market in White and Black colors. The earbuds will be available for purchase in the country for Rs. 9,999. OnePlus didn’t reveal the exact sale date of the buds but confirmed they will hit the shelves in March. For reference, the standard Buds Pro 2 carries a price tag of Rs. 11,999 in India.

OnePlus Buds Pro 2R Specifications

Except for wireless charging and head tracking, the OnePlus Buds Pro 2R has specs identical to the standard model. This means the earbuds have the same dual-tone design with a glossy stem and matte finish on the upper.

The Buds Pro 2R will be equipped with dual drivers measuring 11mm and 6mm in size. They come with adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC) up to 48dB and also feature a transparency mode for listening to environmental sounds. The hearables support LHDC 5.0 audio codec and 54ms low latency for gaming.

Further, the earbuds boast spatial audio but won’t support head tracking, which enables a 3D audio effect when you turn your head in apps like YouTube and Disney+. Featuring Bluetooth 5.2, the earbuds can be connected to two devices simultaneously. The Buds Pro 2R will offer 39 hours of total battery life with the charging case. The earbuds alone are claimed to last 9 hours of usage with ANC disabled and with the feature on, the playtime is reduced to 6 hours.

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Garmin Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 965 Designs, Specs, and US Pricing Leaked by Retailer

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 7, 2023

The soon-to-be-released Garmin Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 965 smartwatches have been leaked by a US retailer. The Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 965 series come in multiple color variants. The listing by the retailer is not the first for the pair of new Garmin smartwatches. The leak also includes US pricing details for the two models and they are pricier than their predecessors.

The two Forerunner models will contain lots of improvements over the Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 955. The marketing renders for the two Garmin models were discovered by Gadgets & Wearables and they were listed by 5 Under Golf. There are no official launch details yet for the Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 965 series. As per the specs, the Forerunner 265 has an AMOLED display with 42mm and 46mm case sizes. The Forerunner 265 has a 13-day battery life in smartwatch mode and up to 20 hours in GPS mode.

The Garmin Forerunner 965 has a 1.4-inch AMOLED display and a 46mm case. It has a lightweight titanium bezel and 23 days of battery life in smartwatch mode. The battery life reduces to 31 hours in GPS mode. Both model variants will support music streaming and the previously exclusive Training Readiness feature.

The Forerunner 265 has been rumored previously to launch at $499.99 but the latest listing shows a $449.99 price tag. The Forerunner 265 is thus slightly more expensive than its predecessor. On the other hand, the 5 Under Golf price of the Forerunner 965 starts at $599.99. This is a steeper increase than its predecessor by up to $100. Garmin has not made any statement yet on the leak. It is however expected that these leaks point to an imminent launch of the Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 965 series.

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Bikee Announces Mass Production of the Lightest Mid-range e-Bike Kit

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Feb 7, 2023

Bikee has announced that it has commenced mass production of the Lightest e-bike kit. The lightweight electric motor conversion kit weighs about 4kg and will be available in several versions.

The Lightest e-bike kit was first announced via an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign in 2020. You can use the kit to transform your bike into an electric bike. The product is going into mass production behind schedules, as the company had to grapple with a few setbacks. The models include an EU-compliant kit and a range-topping 1,000W 120Nm motor with an 840Wh battery pack.

Bikee says the new e-bike conversion kit is the lightest in the market. It has a 1.75kg mid-drive motor and a base 250W motor kit to go with a 250Wh battery. The additional weight of the bike is between 4kg and 5.5kg. As expected, the heaviest kit is the top-end model 100W variant. The e-bike conversion kit delivers a riding range between 35km and 120km. The top speed is between 25km/h and 45km/h. The bike features a zero-drag mode that gives the rider the feeling of riding a regular bike and a torque sensor is also included.

The Lightest e-bike kit is currently being sold at a discounted rate starting from €499 (~$537) for the 250W kit. The top model with a 1,000W motor is priced at €1,312 (~$1,411). Bikee is offering a discount regime of up to 25% for the Lightest e-bike conversion kit. The earliest deliveries for the e-bike kit will be from March 2023.

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Xiaomi 12 Pro Gets Android 13-based MIUI 14 Update in India

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Feb 7, 2023

The Xiaomi 12 Pro has been receiving MIUI 14 update based on Android 13 in multiple markets. Recently, the device got access to the latest software update in India.

The update is currently available for Mi Pilot testers. It should be rolled out to all users in the coming days.

The Android 13-based MIUI 14 update for Xiaomi 12 Pro in India arrives with firmware version V14.0.1.0.TLBINXM. It weighs a whopping 4.4GB in size.

Though we are in February, the update only brings along January 2023 security patches. Also, the official changelog doesn’t talk about the new features. Anyway, the phone gets all the new features of MIUI 14 that are intended for global markets.

Going by MIUI rollout history in India, the update should reach all the users within a month or less. After pilot testing, the update will enter ‘Stable Beta’ phase, followed by ‘Stable’.

Android 13 is the first Android update for the Xiaomi 12 Pro. Similarly, MIUI 14 is also its first MIUI update. Since the smartphone is eligible for three Android updates, it should receive up to Android 15 and at least MIUI 16.

Samsung, Oppo, and OnePlus now promise four Android updates. Hopefully, Xiaomi also joins this bandwagon.

OnePlus TV 65 Q2 Pro Launched in India With a QLED Display & 70W Speaker

By

Anurag

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Feb 7, 2023

Back in September 2019, OnePlus launched its very first smart TV, the Q1 Pro series. Now, after several years, the brand has unveiled its sequel— the OnePlus TV Q2 Pro. The TV from the Chinese brand comes with a 65-inch QLED 4K display and a 70W speaker setup. Running Android TV 11 operating system with OxygenPlay 2.0, the TV support voice commands. Let’s take a closer look at the specifications and pricing of the newly launched OnePlus TV.

OnePlus TV Q2 Pro is touted to feature the brand’s best large-screen display. It comes with a 4k 65-inch display with a flagship-level QLED panel alongside a Blue LED backlight. It offers DCI-P3 of 97 percent and has 120 local dimming zones for accurate lighting and shadows with a peak brightness of 1200nits and 120Hz of refresh rate.

OnePlus says the TV is powered by a Gamma Engine Ultra, which apparently optimizes picture quality in real time. For audio, the TV gets a 70W speaker setup with 2.1 channel support. There are seven speakers in total with a 30W sub-woofer tuned by Dynaudio. There’s also support for 120Hz MEMC and AI Super Resolution.

The OnePlus TV is powered by a MediaTek processor, paired with 3GB memory and 32GB flash storage. On the software front, it runs Android TV 11 with OxygenPlay 2.0. Indian consumers will be able to enjoy content from over 21 platforms and 270 live channels. The TV carries support for voice commands, which is powered by Speak Now and works with Google Assistant as well. There’s also support for NFC cast and OnePlus Connect 2.0 to offer seamless interconnectivity.

The new OnePlus TV Q2 Pro comes in India with a price tag of Rs. 99,999. It will be available for purchase from 10th of March through various online channels including Amazon and OnePlus’ own store.

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OnePlus Pad Unveiled With a 144Hz Display, Dimensity 9000 SoC, Magnetic Keyboard, & a Stylus

By

Anurag

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Feb 7, 2023

After a series of teasers, OnePlus has finally unveiled its first-ever tablet— the OnePlus Pad. The latest slate from the Chinese company comes with a powerful MediaTek processor and flaunts a large display with up to 144Hz refresh rate. At a time when even a charger is barely included in the retail box, OnePlus Pad comes with a bundled stylus and magnetic keyboard. Continue reading to learn more about the tablet’s specifications and pricing.

The OnePlus Pad comes with an aluminum alloy frame and a camera centered on the back of the device, making it more useful when used horizontally. It is claimed to be ergonomically designed with a cambered frame, allowing users to hold the tablet comfortably for an extended period of time without fatigue. The tablet is offered in a new Halo Green shade. The slate is around 6.54mm thick and weighs 552g.

Moving to the specs, the first-ever OnePlus tablet comes with an 11.6-inch display that produces a 144Hz refresh rate, 2,800 x 2,000px resolution, and a 500 nits peak brightness. Under the hood, the tablet features MediaTek’s Dimensity 9000. This powerful processor is paired with up to 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.

The OnePlus Pad should offer an immersive entertainment experience with support for Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision. It supports cellular data sharing and has Omnibearing Sound Field. The slate is fueled by a massive 9,510mAh battery that supports fast 67W charging. The company says the tablet can offer up to 1-month standby.

OnePlus did not reveal the price of the OnePlus Pad but confirmed that it will be available for pre-order in April. The tablet will be sold in India, North America, Europe, and the Middle East. We’ll keep you posted.

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OnePlus 11 5G With Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 100W Charging Debuts Globally

By

Viraj Gawde

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Feb 7, 2023

OnePlus conducted its biggest global launch event today. The brand announced as many as six new products including smartphones, smart TV, TWS earphones, tablet, and a PC accessory. The Chinese brand debuted the OnePlus 11 5G (review) in the global markets. It was released in the home country last month and the global variant comes with the same specifications. The smartphone competes against the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S23, iQOO 11, iPhone 14 Pro, and more in the market.

Beginning with the display, the OnePlus 11 5G boasts a 6.7-inch Samsung E4 AMOLED screen with curved edges. It offers a QHD+ resolution and LTPO 3.0 technology with a 120Hz refresh rate. It supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+. The device is equipped with an in-screen fingerprint scanner. The display is shielded by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.

Design-wise, the OnePlus 11 5G comes with a glass sandwich built with a metal frame. There is a redesigned camera island with a half-pill-shaped border that stretches from the side frame to the middle of the back panel. It houses a circular camera bump with three sensors and an LED flash. The smartphone also features an alert slider and it is IP54-rated splash resistant.

On the optics front, the OnePlus 11 5G has a triple rear camera setup comprising an OIS-enabled 50MP Sony IMX980 primary sensor, a 48MP Sony IMX581 ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 32MP telephoto unit with support for OIS and 3x optical zoom. There is a 16MP front-facing selfie snapper. The smartphone comes with legendary camera maker Hasselblad’s image technology for enhancing photography capabilities.

Under the hood, the OnePlus 11 5G is equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. It packs up to 16GB LPDDR5x RAM and up to 512GB UFS 4.0 storage. There is a VC liquid cooling system for heat dissipation. The smartphone runs on a 5,000mAh battery unit with support for 100W wired charging. Software-wise, the OnePlus 11 5G runs on Android 13-based OxygenOS 13 out of the box. It is confirmed to be the first device from the brand to receive 4 years of future OS versions and 5 years of security patches.

Connectivity options on the OnePlus 11 5G include WiFi-7, dual SIM, 5G, Bluetooth 5.3, dual-frequency, NFC, and a USB Type-C port

The OnePlus 11 5G starts at Rs 56,999 for the base 8GB + 128GB variant whereas the 16GB + 256GB model carries a price tag of Rs 61,999. It is offered in Eternal Green and Titan Black colours. In India, the smartphone is available for pre-orders from today with open sales commencing February 14th from Amazon, the brand’s official website and offline experience stores, and leading retail outlets across the country.

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