iPad 10th generation undergoes JerryRigEverything’s durability test

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Dec 13, 2022

Apple launched the iPad 10th generation in October. Now, the tablet has received popular YouTuber JerryRigEverything’s (Zack Nelson) comprehensive durability test and teardown. He has uploaded the video on his YouTube channel. Apple claims that the 10th generation iPad is made of 100 percent recycled aluminium.

The YouTube video of the iPad 10th gen is 10 minutes long. It starts with a scratch test at the 4-minute mark. On the Mohs hardness scale, the display gets visible marks at level 6 and deeper grooves at level 7. The tablet’s sides are then subjected to a scrape test. The Youtuber says that it is made of anodized aluminium. The power button that doubles up as a fingerprint scanner does not scratch. However, the back panel was prone to scratches and Zack is seen sketching a cartoon character.

After the scratch test, the screen is then subjected to a fire test for 15 seconds via a lighter. It makes the pixels on the LCD panel turn Black but recovers after some time.

The iPad 10th generation finally goes for a bend test. It snaps in to two when applying pressure from the back panel. The tablet’s weak spot is said to be its keyboard connector dots on the side. The YouTuber then tears down the iPad and adds that looks pretty repairable.

As for the key specifications, the iPad 10th generation features a 10.9-inch LED display bearing a resolution of 2,360 x 1,640 pixels and offering 500 nits brightness along with True Tone technology. It has a 12MP front and rear-facing camera. The tablet is powered by an A14 Bionic chipset and packs up to 256GB storage.

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Oppo Reno5 Pro+, Reno6 Pro+ Getting Stable ColorOS 13 Update

By

Anurag

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Dec 13, 2022

Oppo has been rolling out ColorOS 13 update to its devices at an impressive speed. The OEM has already updated a majority of flagship and mid-range devices and is hard at work extending the latest version of Android to older devices. In the latest development, Oppo is releasing stable ColorOS 13 based Android 13 update for the Oppo Reno5 Pro+ and Reno6 Pro+ in China. Here are the details.

As announced by the company, Oppo Reno5 Pro+ and Reno6 Pro are now receiving stable ColorOS 13 update in China. The update will also roll out to the Reno5 Pro+ Artist Limited Edition 5G and the Reno6 Pro+ 5G Detective Conan Limited Edition.

In order to get this update, users need to make sure their device has been upgraded to the basic version. To check go to Settings> About This Device> Version Information> Version Number.

As usual, the software update is being pushed in batches and it will take some time to reach every unit. Users of the above-mentioned devices can go to Settings to check whether their device has received the update.

Oppo has revealed it will update a large number of devices this month. As per the rollout schedule, the brand will release a stable ColorOS update for Oppo Pad, Reno 5 series, and 10 other devices. You can check out the December rollout plan here.

To recall, ColorOS 13 was officially released in August at the OPPO Developer Conference 2022. The latest software comes with significant upgrades. It brings a new Aquamorphic design, improved animations, security and privacy improvements, and Material You icons. The company also introduced new OPPO Sans 3.0 fonts.

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Moto E13 With Unisoc SoC, 2GB RAM Spotted on Geekbench

By

Viraj Gawde

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Dec 13, 2022

Last week, the Moto G13 bagged NBTC and BIS certifications in Thailand and India respectively. Now a new Moto E-series phone has appeared on Geekench benchmarking platform. The device is the Moto E13. The database listing reveals key specifications of the smartphone. Read on to know more about the Moto E13 below.

As per Geekbench, the Moto E13 is listed with an ARM Unisoc T606 processor. It comprises of eight cores clocked at 1.61GHz. The device will pack 2GB RAM and run on Android 13 OS out of the box. We assume that it will be an Android Go phone since the RAM is less than 3GB. The smartphone scores 318 points in Geekbench’s single-core tests and 995 points in the multi-core test. Apart from this, the benchmarking platform does not reveal any additional details about the smartphone.

Motorola’s E-series phones are budget devices. From the Geekbench specifications, the E13 seems to be an entry-level smartphone. We can expect more details about the device to surface online in the coming weeks.

In other news, Motorola is gearing up to launch the Moto X40 in China this Thursday. It is confirmed to come with a centre-aligned punch-hole curved display, a 4,600mAh battery unit with 125W charging, an IP68 rating, and a horizontal camera lock feature. The smartphone is expected to feature a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with a 144Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support. The device will be equipped with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC under the hood and pack up to 16GB LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB UFS 3.1 storage.

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Realme 9 Pro+ Grabs Android 13 Based RealmeUI 4.0 Stable Update

By

Chandan

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Dec 13, 2022

Realme 9 Pro+ was one of the most famous midrange smartphones of the company. The device was mainly in the talks because of its good primary camera and an ugly-looking chin on the front display. The beta testing for the smartphone went live a few weeks back and now finally the stable update for the Android 13-based RealmeUI 4.0 has started rolling out to the device. The newly revamped RealmeUI 4.0 skin brings many new features and optimization to the device.

According to the information, the latest RealmeUI 4.0 stable update for the device comes with the build number RMX3392_11_C.05. The update weighs around whipping 5.33GBs in size. The update is currently rolling out in a staged rollout manner and will be available to the broader public in the upcoming days. The enrolled beta users are first getting the update followed by the stable users. You can check for the update by going to Settings >> About Phone >> Check for updates.

If you have not received the update yet then we suggest you hold on for a few more days and you may receive the OTA update soon. Additionally, the brand may release an updated package soon. So if you want to manually update the smartphone, you will be able to do it using the package.

When it comes to functionality, RealmeUI 4.0 makes significant changes to the entire user interface. It adds a completely redesigned notification panel, a modernised animation engine, and an enhanced haptic experience. Additional new features include customizable Omojis, new fingerprint animations, Spotify music control on the AOD screen, and a host of others. In an effort to improve user experience, the brand has worked to further refine the UI.

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Vivo S16 Pro Design Leaks via Renders

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 13, 2022

The Vivo V16 series is in the news since October. The successor of the Vivo S15 series is rumored to launch by the end of December. Ahead of that, more details about these phones have been emerging on the internet.

Today, a reliable source has leaked the design of the Vivo S16 Pro. Let’s check out what this handset will look like.

Prolific leaker @OnLeaks (Steve Hemmerstoffer) has partnered with PriceBaba to share the 3D CAD renders of the upcoming Vivo S16 Pro. As per the images and the video, the phone will have a slightly different design compared to its predecessor.

The Vivo S16 Pro’s camera island will be rectangular and larger than that of the Vivo S15 Pro. The island will house three same-sized camera holes and an LED ring. Whereas, one of the three camera holes on the back of the Vivo S15 Pro is smaller than the other two.

The front of the S16 Pro will be dominated by a curved display, just like on the S15 Pro. At the bottom, it will have a speaker grille, a USB Type-C port, and a primary microphone hole. While the top will only include a secondary microphone hole and the volume as well as power keys will be located on the right side.

The tipster says that the handset will sport a 6.6-inch display. Finally, the device will measure 164 x 74.9 x 7.5mm in dimensions.

According to leaks and rumors, the Vivo S16 Pro will be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 8200 chipset. It will flaunt a 120Hz OLED display and will house a Vivo V1+ chip for image processing.

The smartphone will carry support for 80W fast wired charging and will be available in three colors, such as black, green, and gold.

The Vivo S16 Pro is expected to be accompanied by Vivo S16 and Vivo S16e powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 and Samsung Exynos 1080 chipsets, respectively.

Moto X40 3C Certification Hints That It Will Come in 68W and 125W Charging Options

By

Viraj Gawde

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Dec 13, 2022

Moto X40 is set to launch in China on December 15th. It will arrive as the successor to the X30 that debuted last year. So far, the smartphone is only confirmed to come with a 4,600mAh battery unit with support for 125W charging. Now ahead of the launch the device has been spotted on China’s 3C certification website revealing that it will come in two variants with different charging speeds.

As per 3C, the Moto X40 is listed with model number XT2301-5. It reveals a 68W charger having model number MC-668N and another 125W GaN charger with model number MC-1258. The latest development is in line with the TENAA listing that revealed the Moto X40 in two variants with different battery capacities and charging speeds. The X40 model supporting 68W speed will be backed by a 5,000mAh battery cell.

The Moto X40 is confirmed to come with IP68 certification against dust and water resistance. It will feature a centre-aligned punch-hole display with a curved screen. The device will have a horizontal lock camera feature that is said to be some action camera mode.

Apart from this, the rest of the specs of the Moto X40 remain a mystery. It is expected to come with a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support. The device will be equipped with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC under the hood and pack up to 16GB LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB UFS 3.1 storage.

We will learn more details about the Moto X40 at the launch event on Thursday.

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Google’s ChromeOS Gets an Update to Detect Number of People Sitting at a Computer

By

Oğuz Çakır

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Dec 13, 2022

The upcoming Linux 6.2 kernel will include new features for ChromeOS, Google’s operating system for Chromebooks. One of the key new features is a driver for the ChromeOS Human Presence Sensor (HPS), which is used for detecting when one or more humans are present in front of a Chromebook.

Linux 6.2 Adding Driver for Google’s ChromeOS Human Presence Sensor

The Linux 6.2 kernel is set to include a new driver for Google’s ChromeOS Human Presence Sensor (HPS), which is used for detecting when one or more humans are present in front of a Chromebook. The cros_hps_i2c driver will be mainlined in the Linux 6.2 kernel to support the HPS, which is found on newer Chromebooks.

The driver doesn’t report on the presence of humans, but user-space interfacing with the sensor can be done through an exposed character device. The HPS is used for a variety of purposes, such as adaptive backlight handling and deferring the screensaver. The patch-set from Google explains the new driver and its capabilities:

“This patch introduces a driver for the ChromeOS human presence sensor (aka. HPS). The driver supports a sensor connected to the I2C bus and identified as “GOOG0020” in the ACPI tables.

When loaded, the driver exports the sensor to userspace through a character device. This device only supports power management, i.e., communication with the sensor must be done through regular I2C transmissions from userspace.

Power management is implemented by enabling the respective power GPIO while at least one userspace process holds an open fd on the character device. By default, the device is powered down if there are no active clients.”

Privacy-conscious users can rest easy knowing that the hardware firmware for the HPS is open-source. The firmware, I2C protocol, and other technical documentation can be found on GoogleSource.com. The new driver was sent in as part of the Chrome platform updates for the Linux 6.2 merge window. In addition to the new HPS driver, other updates in the pull request include setting PROBE_PREFER_ASYNCHRONOUS for more ChromeOS drivers to speed up boot times for Chromebooks.

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Honor receives investment from BOE to strengthen their relations

By

Sean

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Dec 13, 2022

BOE is apparently investing in Honor, the former subsidiary of Huawei. The company is investing into Honor, which will help strengthen the ties between the two brands while also increasing their competitiveness in the market.

According to a new report, the known Chinese display maker is further reinforcing its relations with Honor. This would make BOE have a better standing in the country’s semiconductor display industrial chain, as per industry experts. The former Huawei sub brand had recently completed a new round of strategic financing from six new investors. This included the likes of BOE, China International Capital Corp Qizhi Equity Investment Center, Gousen Capital and Shenzhen Baoan District Investment Management Group.

Earlier this month, Honor stated that the company has been shifting its focus on “diversifying shareholding structure, and has always adhered to the principle of openness and collaboration.” For those unaware, BOE is a major supplier for various smartphone brands, which includes major clients like Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Honor. The company is also best known for its OLED panel, which competes with Samsung and LG in the market.

As per Zhou Hua, chief analyst at CINNO Researchm “”For Honor, it is important to have a stable and reliable source of display panels as the company is ramping up efforts to expand its presence in the smartphone market.” So the strengthening of relations between the two will only benefit the company.

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Meizu’s Anti-Theft Patent Will Prevent Your Smartphone From Being Stolen

By

Oğuz Çakır

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Dec 13, 2022

The increasing price of smartphones has made them a valuable target for thieves. This problem has been made worse by the fact that stolen smartphones can be difficult to locate, putting the personal data and privacy of their owners at risk. However, the recent authorization of Meizu Technology’s anti-theft patent offers a potential solution. This technology allows users to easily find their lost or stolen devices and protect their personal information.

Meizu Granted Patent For Anti-Theft Technology For Smartphones

Meizu Technology has recently been granted a patent for its anti-theft technology for smartphones. This patent is a response to the growing problem of stolen or lost smartphones, which can be difficult to locate and may result in the loss of personal data and breach of privacy.

Meizu 18 and 18 Pro — Representational image of Meizu 18 series

The patent specification outlines how the technology works. When the owner of a smartphone activates the anti-theft technology, the device receives a control instruction. Upon receiving the instruction, the smartphone is controlled into a black screen mode, rendering it inoperable. The SIM card slot is also locked, preventing others from using the device.

Alternatively, the technology can turn on the internet access function of the device and send location information, allowing the owner to locate the device. This can be useful if the device is not in the black screen mode or the SIM card slot is not locked.

Overall, this technology offers a solution to the problem of lost or stolen smartphones, protecting the user’s privacy and ensuring that lost devices can be located. The patent granted to Meizu Technology provides peace of mind for smartphone users, knowing that their device is protected against theft and can be easily located if it is lost or stolen.

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Samsung Galaxy M14 5G & Galaxy F14 5G appear on Bureau of Indian Standards, could launch soon

By

Sudhanshu

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Dec 13, 2022

Last month, Samsung‘s Galaxy M14 5G budget smartphone surfaced on Geekbench, revealing some of its key specifications like its chipset details, RAM, and operating system. Now, the smartphone has been spotted on the Bureau of Indian Standards certification website, indicating that it will launch in India soon.

The device appeared on BIS bearing the modern number SM-M146B/DS. Along with the M14 5G, the possible Galaxy F14 5G also appeared on BIS with model number SM-E146B/DS. The listing did not reveal any details regarding the specifications, so let’s take a look at the information available so far.

According to the Geekbench listing of the Galaxy M14 5G, it features the Exynos s5e8535 SoC, which could be the upcoming Exynos 1330 chipset. The Geekbench score reveals that the chipset is quite capable considering it is being included in a budget range device. It has two cores clocked at 2.4GHz and six cores clocked at 2.00GHz. This comes with 4GB of RAM, but the company might also provide other RAM and storage options. The Galaxy M14 5G will come pre-installed with the Android 13 operating system and the One UI 5.0 skin, according to the Geekbench listing.

Regarding the Samsung Galaxy F14 5G, it is anticipated that this will be an improved model of the Samsung Galaxy F13, which was introduced in India in June of this year. The Galaxy F13 has a 6,000mAh battery, a Full HD+ display, a 50MP camera system, an Exynos 850 chipset, and 4GB of RAM. Therefore, we can anticipate an improvement with the Galaxy F14 5G.

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Red Magic starts pre-orders for new 27 inch 2K 240Hz gaming monitor

By

Sean

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Dec 13, 2022

Red Magic has just recently launched a new gaming related product in its home market of China. The device in question is a new 27 inch gaming monitor that arrives with some notable specs and features.

The Chinese smartphone maker had announced a new Red Magic 27 inch esports ready display. This variant of the gaming monitor sports a 27 inch panel that supports 2K 2560 x 1440p resolution with a 99 percent DCI P3 color gamut and a color accuracy Delta E of less than 2. This gaming monitor even houses a number of ports, including HDMI 2.0, Display Port 1.4, and even USB Type C ports as well.

This screen also offer users 400nits of peak brightness and offers high 240Hz refresh rate, which makes it perfect for PC gaming. For those unaware, the brand had launched a gaming monitor with 4K resolution earlier this year. Now, Red Magic has released a 2K version of this display. While the resolution is lower than the 4K variant, it has a higher refresh rate than the 160Hz one found in the 4K model. It also includes DisplayHDR 400 certifications as well.

Looking at the design of this gaming monitor, we can see that the company has released the gaming monitor with thin bezels on the sides and the top. On the other hand, the bottom has a small chin. The brand has began pre-orders for this gaming monitor that has a price tag of 2,499 Yuan (roughly 358 US Dollars).

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OnePlus Almost Finishes Android 13 Update Rollout in China

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 13, 2022

OnePlus has been long criticized for slower Android updates. To provide better software support to its users, the company discontinued the development of HydrogenOS and merged OxygenOS with ColorOS.

Though this move is considered controversial among the international media and netizens, it is doing wonders for the brand. For the first time, the company finishes the latest Android rollout for almost all of its eligible devices (except one) in China within just 4 months.

OnePlus now sells a wide variety of phones across different price segments globally. But in China, it only sells a single budget model called OnePlus Ace Racing Edition. While the other models in the portfolio fall under mid-range and premium segments.

Apart from that one budget handset, OnePlus is done away with delivering Android 13 stable for its entire portfolio of phones released in China from 2020 to 2023.

The following OnePlus smartphones are currently running the Android 13-based ColorOS 13 stable software in China.

OnePlus 10 Pro
OnePlus 9 Pro
OnePlus 9
OnePlus 9RT
OnePlus 9R
OnePlus 8 Pro
OnePlus 8
OnePlus 8T
OnePlus Ace Pro
OnePlus Ace

Even outside mainland China, OnePlus is only left with updating its Nord lineup to the latest Android version.

Ever since Oppo entered the western markets, it started adapting its software ColorOS for those customers. Currently, ColorOS 13 is one of the best Android skins available globally.

At the same time, Oppo has also sped up software development. The rollout is getting faster with every generation since ColorOS 11.

Hence, it makes sense for OnePlus as a subsidiary of Oppo to use ColorOS. This has enabled the two brands deliver the Android 13 update to eligible devices much faster. Additionally, OnePlus now promises 4 Android updates and 5 years of security updates for select devices releasing in 2023 and later.

For the unaware, Oppo even became the first company other than Google to release Android 13 stable update for its devices this year. Although it was beaten by Samsung in the last couple of months in terms of covering a vast majority of phones and tablets, it is still commendable.

Twitter Blue relaunched, with new Gold checkmarks for businesses

By

Sean

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Dec 13, 2022

Following a rocky launch, Twitter Blue has been relaunched by the company. Elon Musk had previously pulled back the Blue verification badge back in November 2022 due to various reasons, and now, the service has been rereleased with some notable changes.

The microblogging platform is set to roll out the new Twitter Blue service starting from 12th December 2022. This will be first available on iOS and web users that were able to sign up for Twitter Blue. For those unaware, the Blue service from the company basically has subscribers gain access to features like Editing their Tweets, 1080p resolution video upload, and even a Reader Mode. Back in November 9, the Blue Verification service was originally launched, but had to be pulled back following high rates of impersonation on the platform.

Impersonation didn’t just impact known personalities or celebrities (including Elon Musk himself) but also targeted other known brands and businesses as well. But now, the company has relaunched Twitter Blue for 8 US Dollars per month for web users or 11 US Dollars per month for iOS devices users. Although Blue subscribers can also use it on all platforms that support it, including Android. Furthermore, existing Blue users will also be able to upgrade, cancel or set their subscription plans to automatically renew at the new price.

Most notably, the company is also requiring phone verification for those that sign up for Twitter Blue. There are also different kinds of verification checkmarks now. Gold will designate businesses or corporations, while government and multinational accounts will get a grey checkmark. The Blue subscription is now available in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdoms as well.

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Samsung Galaxy M32 4G, F22, & A51 5G receive Android 13 based One UI 5 update

By

Sean

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Dec 13, 2022

Samsung is on a roll with the number of devices for which it has released the Android 13 OS based One UI 5 updates. Now, the company has added three new smartphones in this list, so here are all the details.

The South Korean tech giant is now rolling out the major software update for the Galaxy M32 4G model and the Galaxy F22. For those unaware, the Galaxy M32 5G variant has already receiving this update, and the 4G only model is now also being upgraded to the latest Android 13 operating system. The Galaxy M32 4G has received the new firmware versions M325FXXU4CVK6, while the Galaxy F22 comes with E225FXXU4CVK4.

Oddly enough, the company is rolling out the One UI 5.0 update for both smartphones but with just the October 2022 Android security patch instead of the December 2022 or even the November 2022 patches. Apart from these two models, the brand has also released the One UI 5 update for the Galaxy A51 5G model as well, with the A516BXXU5EVL2 firmware version. The company has even upgraded the Android security patch level on this smartphone model to the December 2022 patch.

As of right now, the Galaxy M32 4G and the Galaxy F22 are currently receiving the Android 13 OS based update in the Indian region. On the other hand, the Galaxy A51 5G is being rolled out in certain European countries like Switzerland, France, and other Nordic regions. For those that own these devices, you can check if you’ve received the update by manually heading to Settings and checking in the Software update menu.

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Moto X40 teased with SUV class charging, battery specs & Horizon Lock camera revealed

By

Sean

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Dec 13, 2022

Motorola is gearing up to launch its latest generation of flagship smartphones in the Chinese market soon. The new premium grade handset in question is the Moto X40, which was recently teased by the company, revealing some interesting features and specifications. So let’s have a look.

For those unaware, the company is set to launch the high end device on December 15. Being a next gen flagship, it will feature Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. Now, the latest teaser from Motorola has revealed the battery specs of the device and more. Looking at the online teaser, the Moto X40 will arrive with “SUV class” charging. Apparently, the company is claiming that the smartphone is a powerful yet versatile model that will be the perfect match for those with active lifestyles out of the box.

While we had reported on battery specs of this flagship phone, the company has confirmed that the device will be powered by a large 4,600mAh battery pack. This battery will also support up to 125W fast charging support. Apart from the battery teaser, the company also revealed an interesting camera feature for the X40. Motorola will launch the phone with what it is calling a Horizon Lock feature. As the name suggests, it appears that it might be an action camera mode.

This is further backed by the teaser image, which shows the X40 being used to capture a person skiing in the snowy mountains. In other words, the camera mode will take mode photos in portrait mode. While the brand has yet to officially reveal the rear camera setup for the Moto X40, it is expected to feature a triple camera setup, with a 50 megapixel primary sensor that will be paired with a 50 megapixel ultra wide angle lens and a 12 megapixel telephoto shooter that offers 2x optical zoom as well.

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India May Get the Chinese Redmi Note 12 Pro+

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 13, 2022

Xiaomi is gearing up to launch the Redmi Note 12 series in India. Yesterday, the company revealed that the new lineup will debut in the country on January 5. It also disclosed that the high-end model called Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus will sport a 200MP camera.

Today, the firm shared a video teasing the design of the said phone. Going by the clip, it seems like the handset heading to India could be the same as the one sold in China.

Previously, the Chinese Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus for India was mentioned in the MIUI codebase as Xiaomi 12i HyperCharge. Apparently, it was changed to Redmi Note 12 Pro+ a few days back.

So this will be the first time after a long while a Chinese Redmi Note will be released in India bearing its original branding. For the unaware, some of the Chinese Redmi Notes, such as Redmi Note 11T Pro, Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus, and Redmi Note 9 Pro were introduced in India as Redmi K50i, Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge, and Mi 10i, respectively.

Though it’s not confirmed by Xiaomi yet, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ could be accompanied by Redmi Note 12 Pro and Redmi Note 12. At the moment, we are not sure if the other two models will be identical to the phones sold with the same names in China.

As per certifications, there will be a 4G variant of the Redmi Note 12 Pro as well. What’s interesting is that it will be a rebranded Redmi Note 10 Pro from 2021. It is not sure if this device will be launched in India.

We are looking forward to learning more about the Redmi Note 12 series for global markets in the coming days.

Google debuts Android 13 QPR2 Beta 1 update for Pixel smartphones

By

Sudhanshu

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Dec 13, 2022

Last week, Google officially released the December 2022 Feature Drop for its Pixel devices. The update brings a lot of new and interesting features like an inbuilt VPN by Google One, unified security & privacy settings, Speaker labels with Pixel Recorder, clear calling, and more.

Now, the company has begun seeding the first Android 13 QPR2 Beta 1 (Quarterly Platform Release) update to compatible pixel devices. Android 13 QPR2 Beta 1 (T2B1.221118.006) includes the December 2022 security patch in addition to brand-new platform improvements. The official changelogs for Android 13 QPR2 Beta 1, as well as the updates provided by Mishaal Rahman of Esper.io, are listed below (via):

Improved windowing options in desktop mode: A floating title bar that makes it simple to move, go back, depart, or open a toolbar to expand to full screen (leaving desktop mode), enter split screen, etc. is a feature of freeform windows with desktop mode enabled.
Larger clock at notifications panel: If you fully scroll down the notifications panel, the clock in the top-left corner has grown in size and the date has been added below the clock.
1080p screen resolution option: Rahman alleges that Google modified the Pixel 6 Pro’s display driver to enable users to select a 1080p screen resolution, just as the Pixel 7 Pro.
Health Connect App: Health Connect is now much more accessible thanks to Google’s QPR2 update, at least for Pixel owners, since it will now appear as an app that needs to be updated rather than searched for or downloaded.
Re-enabled spatial audio on supported Pixel devices: Google has reactivated spatial audio on Pixels with the capability (Pixel 6, 6 Pro, 7, and 7 Pro). Additionally, he claims that Google intended to hold off on releasing the functionality until January 2023.
Fog-like effect on album art: He also mentions that the album art in the media player has a fog-like appearance after a short while.
BT A2DP enabled: In QPR2 Beta 1, Opus over BT A2DP appears to have been enabled, at least on the Pixel 7 Pro. This was probably done when the Pixel Buds Pro were awaiting a firmware upgrade and in anticipation of spatial audio with head tracking.
Users will have the choice to record either “the entire screen” or “a particular app” in a partial screen share.

Adaptive alert vibration: The strength of the vibration is reduced while your phone is still and the screen is facing up thanks to a new “adaptive alert vibration” feature. It is, however, currently hidden.
Separate ringer and notification volumes: Google is experimenting with a flag that separates the notification and ringer volumes in Android 13 QPR2. Initially separated, ring and notification volumes were subsequently integrated and have stayed as such for years.
Unlock only when screen is on: In order to use this feature, the screen must be turned on. This lessens unintentional unlocks on fingerprint scanners located on the side.

To experience these changes before they are publicly available, users can sign up for the beta program with supported devices. You should continue to receive QPR updates if you were a part of the Android 13 beta.

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Twitter to remove verified badges from non-Twitter Blue accounts

By

Oğuz Çakır

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Dec 13, 2022

Twitter’s new owner, Elon Musk, has announced that the company will soon be removing all legacy blue checkmarks from accounts. The blue checkmark, also known as the verified badge, appears next to a user’s name on their Twitter profile and indicates that the account is authentic and belongs to a notable figure in society, such as a celebrity or public figure.

Twitter to remove verified badges from non-Twitter Blue accounts

In a tweet, Musk said that the way in which the blue checks were given out was “corrupt and nonsensical.” He did not provide any further details on what he meant by this or why the company is removing the verified badges.

In a few months, we will remove all legacy blue checks. The way in which they were given out was corrupt and nonsensical.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 12, 2022

From now on, the blue checkmark will only be given to users who subscribe to Twitter Blue, Twitter’s premium tier that offers extra features. Signups for Twitter Blue relaunched on Monday. The tier costs $8 per month for web signups, and $11 per month for iPhone or iPad signups. Android users can sign up via the web.

Twitter explains the new approach to blue checkmarks on its website. It says that the blue checkmark used to be attached to “active, notable, and authentic accounts of public interest that Twitter had independently verified based on certain requirements.” But going forward, only accounts that sign up to Twitter Blue will be eligible for the blue checkmark, once the user has been verified. To receive or retain the blue mark, the account must show a display name and profile photo, and have a confirmed phone number.

It is unclear how the removal of the verified badges will affect Twitter users and the platform as a whole. Some have suggested that it could lead to more confusion and misinformation on the platform, while others believe it could level the playing field and make it easier for ordinary users to gain recognition and followers.

In a further revamp of its verification system, company accounts on Twitter will receive a gold checkmark, while government accounts will receive a gray one.

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Samsung & Oppo are licensing 5G tech from Huawei

By

Sean

-

Dec 13, 2022

Samsung and Oppo are apparently aiming on improving their 5G enabled modems. A new report has revealed that both companies are licensing key 5G technology from Huawei. So here are all the details regarding this matter.

For those unaware, Huawei is a major player in the telecommunications market apart from also being a known smartphone maker. The company was one of the pioneers of 5G technology, with its telecom equipment being used by a number of operators across the globe. However, following scrutiny sparked by the US, the Chinese tech giant was banned from telecom networks in certain regions. Furthermore, the US sanctions had even impacted its telecom operations as well. But, it appears that the company is still licensing its 5G tech expertise to other brands. A new report stated that Huawei announced a cross licensing deal with Oppo, which includes standard essential patents (SEP) for 5G networking.

According to Adler Fend, Oppo’s Chief Intellectual Property Officer We are very pleased to enter into patent cross-licensing agreement with Huawei. It clearly demonstrates that the two companies recognize and greatly respect the value of each other’s intellectual property. It is a win-win deal for both sides. We will, as always, advocate for the establishment of a sustainable, healthy intellectual property ecosystem, where intellectual property licenses can be resolved through amicable negotiations and every company’s patent value are highly respected.”

The company is also licensing key 5G technologies to Samsung as well. While there are no details regarding the purpose of this licensing, the South Korean tech giant would likely use Huawei’s 5G tech to improve its own 5G modems. Apart from this, the brand could also use 5G networking gear to be used in Samsung Network’s own telecom equipment as well.

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B&W Px8 McLaren Edition headphones launched

By

Sudhanshu

-

Dec 13, 2022

Back in September, Bowers & Wilkins launched the PX8 headphones in the market. In October, the brand released the PX8 007 special edition on James Bond’s 60th anniversary. Now, the brand has collaborated with the iconic British luxury automotive manufacturer McLaren to launch the Bowers & Wilkins McLaren Edition headphones in the global markets.

The headphones feature Galvanic Grey color cups and headband with a streak of McLaren’s Papaya Orange lapping around the earcups. The inside of the earcup also features the papaya orange color. The McLaren branding is present on the headband as well as the grey-colored carry case of the headphones.

The headphones are equipped with 43.6 mm carbon fiber drivers and a DSP capable of reproducing 24-bit audio over AUX, Bluetooth, or USB Type-C. All B&W Px8 models support AAC, SBC, aptX, aptX HD, and aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codecs.

Furthermore, Bowers & Wilkins claims the PX8 has a battery life of up to 30 hours, though we assume this decreases with ANC enabled. The pair are said to have teamed up to commemorate their collaborations on the McLaren Artura, McLaren GT, and McLaren Speedtail.

The PX8 McLaren Edition is now available for order in the Eurozone, the United Kingdom, and the United States for €799, £699, and US$799, respectively. In short, the McLaren Edition is €100 more expensive than the standard PX8 because it has a McLaren-themed paint job. To find out more about the headphones, you can visit Bowers & Wilkins’ website.

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