Twitter Blue, the subscription service offering the now-controversial blue checkmark, will relaunch on Monday with a “vetting process” designed to prevent impersonations on the site. The checkmark and other features will cost $8 a month via the web and $11 per month via iOS.
Twitter Blue relaunching on Monday starting on $8 a month
Twitter tweeted on Saturday that subscribers to Twitter Blue will now receive the blue checkmark, but only after their account has been reviewed. The company said in a tweet thread: “When you subscribe you’ll get Edit Tweet, 1080p video uploads, reader mode, and a blue checkmark (after your account has been reviewed).”
we’re relaunching @TwitterBlue on Monday – subscribe on web for $8/month or on iOS for $11/month to get access to subscriber-only features, including the blue checkmark 🧵 pic.twitter.com/DvvsLoSO50
It is not clear what the account review process will involve, but an image included in the thread mentions the need for a “verified phone number”. This suggests that the review process will involve verifying the user’s identity in some way, although it is not yet clear what form this verification will take.
The previous pay-for-verification setup, introduced by Twitter owner Elon Musk, had critics arguing that the blue checkmark had become meaningless. Traditionally, the verification process involved submitting a government-issued ID and providing evidence that the user was a “prominently recognized individual”.
In response to the chaos caused by impersonators using the blue checkmark, Musk tweeted a plan in late November that would see companies receiving a gold verification checkmark and government entities receiving a gray one. He said at the time: “Blue for individuals (celebrity or not) and all verified accounts will be manually authenticated before check activates.”
Saturday’s thread from Twitter confirmed that the plan for the gold and gray checkmarks for businesses and government would be going into effect. It also said that Twitter Blue subscribers “will be able to change their handle, display name or profile photo, but if they do they’ll temporarily lose the blue checkmark until their account is reviewed again”.
Twitter didn’t give any further information about the verification review process. However, the company’s tweet thread did reveal some additional details about the features available to Twitter Blue subscribers. These include being “rocketed to the top of replies, mentions and search”, seeing half the ads, and being able to post longer videos.
Twitter Blue subscribers who already signed up via iOS for the earlier $8 a month price will receive a notification about the new $11 monthly iOS cost and can choose to subscribe via the web instead, at the $8 rate, according to Twitter product lead Esther Crawford. Crawford also confirmed that the iOS and web versions would offer the same features, and that Android users can purchase on the web and use Twitter Blue on their devices.
In August 2022, Xiaomi unveiled its full-scale humanoid bionic robot, CyberOne. Standing at 177cm tall and weighing 52kg, the robot impressed with its ability to perform human-like movements. To demonstrate the capabilities of its state-of-the-art product, the company taught CyberOne how to play the drums.
Xiaomi trains CyberOne to play drums
Xiaomi’s full-size humanoid robot, CyberOne, has been trained to play drums. The robot was able to complete its drum performance in three steps. First, it automatically parsed out the beat from an input Midi music file to generate a drum sequence. Then, using an offline motion library and online calibration, a motion trajectory synchronized with the drum sequence was generated. Finally, the robot’s body was controlled to complete each movement through a whole-body controller.
According to reports, the most difficult part of CyberOne’s drum performance was playing long sequences of drum rhythms, as it had to ensure that its movements were continuous and collision-free. To solve this problem, the team at Xiaomi Robotics Lab extracted the basic beat and then optimized it by building an offline drum beat motion track library. This allowed CyberOne to generate a continuous track that was consistent with any drum beat.
CyberOne’s ability to play the drums is a testament to its ability to coordinate its whole body and perform fast, accurate, and wide-ranging movements. However, the robot’s drumming skills are not yet on par with those of professional drummers. The team at Xiaomi is working on improving CyberOne’s locomotion and manipulation abilities in the second generation of the robot.
However, robots playing drums is not a new concept. In fact, there is an all-robot band called “Compressorhead” from Germany, which features a drummer with four arms. However, CyberOne is the first full-scale humanoid bionic robot to be trained in this skill.
Unquestionably, one of the most popular smartphone benchmarking tools is AnTuTu. The benchmark performs several tests before providing us with a score that we can use to estimate the performance of the device. Every month, the platform publishes a list of the 10 most powerful gadgets, and in keeping with that trend, the list of the Top 10 smartphones for November 2022 has also been publicly released. Let’s see which device made it to the top of the list and which one came in last!
The list provided by the platform is based on tests administered between November 1 and November 20, 2022. AnTuTu V9, the most recent version, was used for all testing. With 1117968 average marks, the ROG Phone 6 Pro, a gaming phone, has topped the list when looking at the results. With scores of 1110082 and 1086197, respectively, ROG Phone 6 and ZenFone 9 are in second and third place. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 chipset from Qualcomm powers all three of these devices.
The Xiaomi 12T Pro, which has an average score of 1064841 and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 CPU, is in fourth place. A Snapdragon 8 Gen1 SoC and 1051650 scores put the Nubia RedMagic 7 in fifth place. BlackShark 5 Pro and Motorola Edge 30 Pro, with scores of 1026704 and 1005920, respectively, are in sixth and seventh place. With 1003314 points, the Vivo X80 is in eighth place, followed by the Motorola Edge X30 (988627 points) and Galaxy Z Fold4 5G (983354 points).
All of the smartphones on the list, with the exception of the Vivo X80, were equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile chipsets. Top models featured the Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 SoC, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen1 wasn’t far behind. There were not many differences in performance across the top smartphones’ ratings because they were powered by the same platform.
Only a few months ago, the official launch of India’s 5G network was announced. Two of the industry’s top behemoths were Jio and Airtel. While Airtel is leveraging the current 4G infrastructure to deliver the 5G technology, and their full coverage may take some time, Jio is working on standalone 5G technology and has pledged to reach all of India with 5G by the end of 2023. It has been reported that up to 50 different Indian cities are now covered by the 5G network as both telecom companies are deploying 5G at a rapid rate.
Prior to addressing Tier-based cities, the operators are focusing on covering metropolitans and megacities. Both providers’ 5G networks have already been extended to major cities like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Delhi. The list of cities that are compatible with 5G networks has since been expanded by the telecom giants.
Union Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed the information during the parliamentary question period. The minister stated in response to a question in the parliament that “Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have started offering 5G services in the country from January 1, 2022, onward, and as of November 26, 2022, 5G services have started in 50 towns.” He also emphasises the fact that both providers presently offer 5G services at no additional charge.
Airtel customers can access 5G if they move to an area that is covered by 5G support without any invitation or something, whereas Jio is now offering invite-only access to 5G. A 5G-capable device is necessary, though. However, it is important to note that Jio is presently dominating the country’s 5G network fluency by offering a quicker and more reliable speed when compared to Airtel. Since neither of them has yet reached the mature level, they are both now in their starting stages. As time goes on, we might start to notice other improvements.
Currently, only a few cities, including Delhi, Siliguri, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Varanasi, Nagpur, Mumbai, Chennai, Gurugram, Panipat, Guwahati, and Patna, have access to Airtel 5G. Jio, on the other hand, has a larger coverage area thanks to the 5G network that is being deployed in cities like Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Greater Noida, Faridabad, Mumbai, Varanasi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Nathdwara, Pune, and Ghaziabad. Unexpectedly, all 33 district headquarters in Gujarat now have access to Jio True 5G.
This year Chinese companies released several entry-level phones, but as you probably noticed if you follow the smartphone market, prices increased. That is exactly the reason why a lot of people started wondering whether it is worth buying the latest entry-level phones or saving some money to get a device released one or two years ago. Among the most important entry-level phones released this year, the latest one is the Vivo Y02. Earlier this year, Realme came up with the Narzo 50i Prime. But a lot of people noticed that the Redmi 9 Prime released two years ago still has better specifications and it is available in the same price range. So which one to choose? We will try to let you find out through this comparison between the specifications of the Vivo Y02, the Realme Narzo 50i Prime, and the Redmi 9 Prime.
Vivo Y02 vs Realme Narzo 50i Prime vs Xiaomi Redmi 9 Prime
Quad 13 + 8 + 5 + 2 MP f/2.2, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4
8 MP f/2.0 front camera
BATTERY
5000 mAh
5000 mAh
5020 mAh, fast charging 18W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Dual SIM slot, reverse charging
Dual SIM slot, reverse charging
Dual SIM slot
Design
In my honest opinion, the most attractive design belongs to the Realme Narzo 50i Prime, because it has a smaller camera module. But, especially if you are a girl, you may like the design of the Vivo Y02 very much in the lavender color option. The design of the Redmi 9 Prime is pretty outdated with its camera semaphore placed on the central part, but, on the other hand, it has a water repellent coating which may turn useful for you if you want to use your phone under the rain. Unfortunately, these phones are not built with premium materials as they all come with polycarbonate bodies, but the Redmi 9 Prime offers Gorilla Glass 3 protection by Corning for the display.
Display
The Redmi 9 Prime has the best display of the trio not because it has the Gorilla Glass 3 protection, but because it is the only one with a Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2340 pixels). For the rest, it is a classic IPS LCD panel with a 6.53-inch diagonal and a typical brightness of 400 nits like the ones found on a lot of low cost devices. The displays of the Vivo Y02 and the Realme Narzo 50i Prime are almost the same things: the former has an IPS LCD panel with a diagonal of 6.51 inches and an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels, while the latter has a 6.5-inch display with the same resolution. Note that the Redmi is the only one sporting a fingerprint reader and it is side-mounted, placed on the power key.
Specs & Software
The Redmi 9 Prime has the most powerful hardware department. It is composed of a MediaTek Helio G80 chipset running at a max frequency of 2 GHz, up to 4 GB of RAM, and up to 128 GB of native storage. However, it ships with a very outdated Android version: it has Android 10. Then there is the Realme Narzo 50i Prime with a hardware setup composed of a Unisoc Tiger T612 chipset running at 1.8 GHz, up to 4 GB of RAM, and up to 64 GB of internal storage (in this case, you get a UFS 2.2 storage). The Vivo Y02 takes the last place with an unknown octa-core chipset, just 3 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of native storage, but it is the only one with Android 12 out of the box.
Camera
The Redmi 9 Prime wins the camera comparison as well thanks to a quad rear camera composed of a 13 MP main sensor, an 8 MP ultrawide shooter, a 5 MP macro camera, and a 2 MP depth sensor. Both Realme Narzo 50i Prime and Vivo Y02 get a single 8 MP rear camera.
Battery
These phones have the same battery capacity, but the Vivo Y02 and the Realme Narzo 50i Prime should last a bit more because they have displays with a lower resolution.
Price
The Vivo Y02 costs about $95/€90, just like the Realme Narzo 50i Prime, while the Redmi 9 Prime starts from about $139/€132 at the actual change. The Redmi 9 Prime is superior, but it has a very older Android version: would you prefer to buy it instead of the Vivo Y02 and the Narzo 50i Prime?
The Xiaomi 13 series was scheduled to go official in China on December 1. However, the brand had to postpone the event following the demise of the former President of the People’s Republic of China, Jiang Zemin. The launch of Xiaomi’s next premium smartphone lineup has now been rescheduled for December 11.
As revealed by the company’s official pages, Xiaomi 13 series is all set to launch on December 11. The product launch event will start at 7 PM (local time) on Sunday. Aside from the Xiaomi 13 series, which will include the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro, the company will also unveil a bunch of other products. This includes the MIU 14, Xiaomi Watch S2, Xiaomi Buds 4, and the Xiaomi Mini Host.
Xiaomi 13 series launch event will be live-streamed on the company’s official Weibo handle. To watch the stream, you can visit the link hyperlinked here. Xiaomi may also live-stream the event on its official China website.
Most details about the upcoming Xiaomi 13 series are already out. We know the series will arrive with a boxed design, like the iPhones. The standard model will be equipped with a flat 6.36-inch E6 AMOLED display and will have leather and glass back options. The Pro model will have a larger 6.73-inch AMOLED QHD+ screen with curved edges. It will be offered in leather and ceramic back options. Both devices will support a 120Hz refresh rate.
Under the hood, both the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro will be powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, paired with LPDDR5x RAM, and UFS 4.0 storage. The Xiaomi 13 will be fueled by a 4,500mAh battery with 67W fast charging support. The 13 Pro, on the contrary, will pack a 4,820mAh battery with 120W fast charging. The Pro phone will also support 50W wireless charging. Stay tuned for the pricing and other details.
Earlier this week, Tecno launched the Tecno Phantom X2 series of smartphones in Saudi Arabia. The devices have a unique look with a massive camera island, and they run on MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chipsets.
The brand has now shared a post teasing the impending launch of the Tecno Phantom X2 Series in India. The brand promotes the smartphones, claiming that they feature the world’s first 50MP retractable portrait camera, a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 5G processor, Unibody Double-Covered design, and more. The exact launch date is yet to be revealed, however, we can expect the Phantom X2 series to debut in India in the coming weeks.
Witness the pioneer of all smartphones!
Here is the TECNO PHANTOM X2 Series, the next leap into our flagship family. It has mind-blowing features like:
World’s first 50MP retractable portrait lens camera MediaTek Dimensity 9000 5G processor Unibody Double-Covered Design & more pic.twitter.com/YMLVbjuFVG
Both the Tecno Phantom X2 and the Phantom X2 Pro have a 6.8-inch curved AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution, a refresh rate of 120Hz, a touch sampling rate of 360Hz, and a 20:9 aspect ratio. The 10-bit panel, which has a centered punch-hole and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, can cover 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
The MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chipset powers the smartphones. The SoC comes with vapour chamber cooling, LPDDR5x RAM, and UFS 3.1 storage. On the software front, they launched HiOS 12.0, which is based on Android 12.
The devices include a variety of connectivity options, including dual SIM, 5G, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.3, GNSS, NFC, and USB 2.0. (Type-C). Interestingly, they don’t have dual stereo speakers, but they do have an in-screen fingerprint sensor.
The Tecno Phantom X2 Pro’s 50MP Samsung JN1 retractable portrait camera, which supports 2.5x zoom and has an f/1.49 aperture lens, is the device’s key selling point. A 50MP Samsung GNV primary camera and a 13MP Samsung 3L6 ultra-wide camera with support for macro vision are included with this camera. Autofocus is supported by all three cameras. All of them, however, lack OIS.
The Tecno Phantom X2, on the other hand, sports a 64MP Samsung GWB primary camera with OIS, a 13MP ultrawide camera with support for macro vision, and a 2MP depth sensor. Both devices have a 32MP selfie camera and a 5,160mAh battery to power them. They allow 45W fast wired charging, which is the last but not least feature.
Amazon frequently announces their sale, in which they offer some really really great discounts. Now, the e-commerce giant has announced yet another sale, the Smartphone Upgrade Days Sale. The sale went live today i.e. December 10th and will continue up to December 14th. The sale has to offer some great discounts on smartphones. If you are from India and looking to buy a smartphone, this could be the right time for you.
Almost all the smartphones from the brands like Xiaomi, Apple, realme, OPPO and Lava are getting price discounts and offer. Apart from the original price cut, the e-commerce giant is also offering card discounts on purchases. If you buy any smartphone using an HDFC bank card, then you will 10% discount of up to 1,000 INR and if you’re using a Federal Bank card, then you will get a 10% discount of up to 1,250 INR. You can avail of either of the card discounts, according to your preferences and which bank card you hold.
The top deals of the sale include the Redmi A1 for as little as INR 5,579, the iQOO Neo6 for as little as INR 26,999, the Realme Narzo 50A Prime for as little as INR 8,999, the iQOO Z6 Pro for as little as Rs 19,999, the Tecno Pop 6 Pro for as little as Rs 5,579, the Redmi 11 Prime 5G for as little as Rs 11,999, The Redmi Note 11 will be available for as low as Rs 10,999, the Lava Blaze NXT for Rs 8,369, the Realme Narzo 50i for Rs 5,499, and the Oppo A77 for Rs 16,999.
It goes without saying that we cannot include all of the sales and discounts in a single post. Visit Amazon India’s official discount page for additional details about the devices and current deals. There, you may learn much more about the offers and smartphones and choose one that suits your preferences.
Sony is all set for the launch of the Sony PlayStation VR2 headset next year. Now, Sony had removed the invite-only limitation of the pre-booking of the PS VR2 headset. Interested users can now pre-book the unreleased Sony PlayStation VR2 without having any kind of invitation available. As soon as you pre-book for the unit, the shipments will start between February 22nd to 28th of next year. The device will also officially launch around the same timeline.
The pre-booking for the PlayStation VR2 was started back in the last month, but back then, users had to first register themself and only after getting approval from Sony, they would be able to pre-book the headset. Now the brand has uplifted the invitation-only requirement and anyone who is interested in the product can pre-book the device. Also, keep in mind that it’s not going to be any kind of cheap. So double-check before clicking on the pre-book button.
Sony said last month that it would sell the PS VR2 for $549.99 on February 22, 2023, coupled with a Sense controller charging station. Eye tracking and 3D audio are among the PS VR2 Sense Technology’s standout features. A 4000*2040 high dynamic range (HDR) video format is another element of the new headset that will give players a next-generation gaming experience. The VR2 also has an inbuilt vent for additional airflow and a lens adjustment slider for a more personalised experience. Horizon Call of the Mountain, Sony’s lead launch title, is included with the PS VR2.
Additionally, you must pair the PlayStation VR2 headset with the PlayStation 5 in order to use it. In short, without a PS5, you cannot use the VR2 headset. Without PlayStation 5, purchasing the upcoming VR2 headset will be equivalent to purchasing a brick that won’t work or provide any form of return. You can thus pre-order one if you already own a PlayStation 5. If not, add money for the PS5 as well.
Samsung’s mid-range Galaxy A series has been one of the most selling smartphones in the world. Be it the Galaxy A52 or the current-gen Galaxy A53 5G. Knowing the brand’s usual launch patterns, it is safe to say that there is still some time before the brand launches the successor of the Galaxy A54 5G. However, its design, along with some specifications, has already leaked.
Now, the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G has also appeared on Geekbench, giving us an insight into the performance of the device. The device has been spotted on Geekbench with the model number SM-A546B.
Samsung A54 5G Geekbench
The presence of an octa-core processor with 4 + 4 configurations and the codename “S5E8835” is revealed in the benchmark listing. Four of the eight cores are clocked at 2.40GHz and should be the performance cores. The remaining four cores, which are clocked at 2.0GHz, appear to be efficiency cores. The presence of a Mali G68 GPU is also revealed in the listing. Based on these, it appears that the Exynos 1380 processor will power the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G.
Geekbench also reveals the existence of a 6GB memory variant. Even so, the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G will also be available with 8GB of RAM. Also, according to the benchmark listing, the mid-range handset will ship with Android 13, but with the OneUI skin on top. Moving on to the benchmark results, the smartphone managed to score 776 points in the single-core test and 2599 points on the multicore test of Geekbench 5.
Other than that, the listing does not reveal further details. However, rumors surrounding the device state that it will feature a 50MP primary camera along with a 5100mAh battery and 25W fast charging.
This is the new Vivo X90, which is the new standard variant of the Vivo X flagship lineup. It’s quite interesting that we might have shifted our greatest attention from the Xiaomi digital series to the Vivo X series. Because there’s no brand having such an efficient upgraded speed as Vivo over flagship development. Preceded by the X80 in the spring, the X90 is their second generation model, launched in 2022. Compared to the X90 Pro and Pro plus variants, the standard model is also a heavyweight product with a few upgrades. So today, let’s just focus on the Vivo X90 and explore why Vivo has become one of the hottest phone brands, even though the market is inevitably declining this year.
If you’ve learned the specs on paper of the X90, you might find that the X90 didn’t get many upgrades compared with the X80. It got upgraded to a BOE display with a higher resolution and 2160Hz PWM dimming, a debuted MTK Dimensity 9200 chipset, 120W faster supercharge, and the new IP64-rating water and dust-proofness. Although it seems the X90 is using the same camera module, we’re pretty impressed by its shooting experience, both in taking photos and shooting videos. That’s probably due to its new Zeiss T-coating for all the triple lenses and the new V2 imaging chip. We will talk more about it later in the camera part.
The X90 keeps the same pricing as the X80. What’s important to know is that the X80 has been very popular and firmly priced for most of the year. And now, whether the X80 can have a price-cut promotion depends on how the X90 performs.
Design
Over the phone appearance, the X90 still continues the polished style of the series, but it looks neater on the back due to the simplified camera arrangement. The rectangular panel under the camera module is removed, but it’s still visually divided into two parts. To be honest, it’s not much surprising when seeing the left-rounded module, since we’ve seen similar central-rounded ones on Huawei and Xiaomi’s premium phones. Their designs are just too similar to each other.
Specifically, the black variant in my hand still looks good, but it’s just too slippery when holding it in hand. Without a protective case, I have to hold it very carefully to prevent it from slipping and falling to the ground.
1260p Display
On the front, it still has a whole edge-curved 6.78-inch display. The BOE Q9 120Hz hole-punched screen has a 1260p resolution and a peak brightness of 1300 nits, which I think is a great solution to balance power consumption and display quality.
The 2160Hz PWM dimming can offer a much more comfortable visual experience under low-light conditions than most Samsung panels this year. And now you are able to adjust both refresh rate and touch sampling in specific apps and games. The X90 features a maximum touch sampling rate of 300Hz and it would be limited to 120Hz by default. But you can manually add any apps into the game space, and free the touch sampling rate up to 240 or 300 Hz in the sidebar. For example, in Facebook you will definitely feel the difference as I did immediately.
high touch sampling rate
2160Hz PWM Dimming
The X90 series add a Zeiss Natural color mode for P3 gamut colors, which offers a pretty decent color accuracy, just like the professional mode for the sRGB gamut. The measured average delta E of both modes can be kept below 1.
The V2 imaging chip also brings a new feature for the display: the AI Smart eye protection, which can reduce blue light in real-time, keeping a balance between eye protection and the true colors. It doesn’t look as warm as the traditional eye protection mode, and I pretty much enjoy it.
AI smart eye protection
standard eye protection
Another great experience is with the phone’s HDR management. Vivo’s Origin OS is one of the few systems that can do multi-window HDR management like iPhone and Huawei. I can still have the correct HDR display even when the HDR content is played in small window mode.
Experience
This time the standard model is still equipped with an optical in-screen fingerprint reader but not the ultrasonic one as the Pro and Pro +, which doesn’t have the impressive recognition speed that we have on the X80 Pro. The adding is still slow and inefficient.
The haptic vibration is still good, not much different from the x80’s. And I’m a bit disappointed by the dual-speaker sound quality, which is good but not really improved from the X80’s. And to be honest, I wouldn’t even give it the same score. Anyway, you can check out here by yourselves.
Vivo X90 Performance – debut of Dimensity 9200
The debut of the Dimensity 9200 chipset is the core upgrade of the X90. Thanks to the excellent performance of the Dimensity 9000, more phone brands choose to trust this new MTK flagship chipset. But it’s difficult for me to tell you whether the X90 in my hand has fully realized all the chipset’s potential since the 128GB model is the only variant that still uses UFS3.1 storage, instead of the latest UFS4.0. And also pay attention to the charging port here: for data transferring, it only supports USB 2.0 on all the Standard X90 models, while the USB 3.2 is available for the X90 Pro and Pro Plus.
Anyway, let’s look at some benchmarks. In Geekbench 5, compare to the Dimensity 9000, there’s not much improvement for the multi-core performance of the 9200, but the Cortex X3 super core did achieve a 15% boost in the single-core test. While in Antutu Benchmark, it didn’t get the improvement that we expected. But it’s still one of the highest scores we can get on a phone in 2022.
In 3Dmark GPU test, the result is a bit more exciting since it easily exceeded what an iPhone 14 Pro’s A16 chip can run. So there’s no doubt that most gaming tests are already pointless for the X90. Here we’d like to show the result of Genshin Impact and probably you will know what I mean.
The X90 can achieve an average framerate of 58.5fps under the highest graphics with a pretty efficient power output of 5.88W, and there’s no obvious throttling during the whole 30-min gaming and the temperature was still acceptable. This is the new best result in our Genshin Impact test on Android phones.
And in 3Dmark’s graphic stress test, it failed to finish the test for the first time due to an overheating issue, but in a cooler environment, it achieved over 90% performance stability for the 20-round test, while the phone was still hot.
Software
As for the Origin OS, now I have less to complain about. The UI aesthetic is still special and full of detail, and it’s still one of the smoothest Android systems with super-fast responses and comfortable animation. There’re fewer language errors when the system language is set to English, though we can still find the language failing to switch in the game space.
Cameras
Well at the beginning we didn’t really expect much on its camera performance since the phone retains the same camera hardware as the X80, still the same triple-lenses led by the 50MP IMX866 sensor, companied with a 12MP wide-angle lens and another 12MP portrait lens.
All three lenses present more rigorous and natural colors if you activate the Zeiss mode, which finally offers another image style outside Vivo’s vivid tradition. But you still can turn it off. From the comparison, it’s easy to find the difference between colors. However, there’s no obvious improvement in detail. And the auto HDR mode is also more cautiously activated, no longer pursuing a rich color atmosphere. But we also found that it would tend to choose a darker exposure strategy during day time.
[envira-gallery id=’501365′]
But things changed when we shoot at night. In extreme low-light conditions, it’s very aggressively exposed and looks much brighter than in the real environment. If not showing the shooting time here, it’s really hard to convince you that it’s shot at the midnight. But thanks to the new Zeiss T coating and the V2 imaging chip, the night photos and videos were enhanced with less light reflection and less stray light. And meanwhile, even though it got significantly brightened, the amazing denoising capacity still brings excellent detail pureness for shadow parts.
[envira-gallery id=’501384′]
The 2x portrait lens worked well in most cases. But in complex scenes, it’s still not accurate enough to recognize the right subject and have the right background blurring.
[envira-gallery id=’501390′]
Battery & charge
The Vivo X90 comes with a 4800mAh battery with 120W fast charging. As a flagship killer powered by one of the most powerful chipsets, the result of the battery-life test is not bad, which is even slightly better than some models powered by the Snapdragon 8+. For charging, the X90’s 120W fast charging is a bit conservative, collecting back 100% of power in 27 mins.
Conclusion
So that’s all about the new X90. Although I pointed out a few drawbacks, it doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s about to become one of the best flagship killers of 2023. And we just got its big brother, the X90 Pro +. More reviews and comparison videos about it are coming soon. If you like this review and are looking forward to the following works about the Pro +, please kindly subscribe to our channel.
Chinese firms Oppo and Huawei have entered a global patent cross-licensing agreement. The new agreement covers cellular communications standards including 5G communications. Oppo’s Feng Ying (Chief Intellectual Property Officer) said the brand is pleased to have reached a cross-licensing agreement with Huawei. The agreement, according to Ying, fully reflects the respect and recognition of both Huawei and Oppo for each other’s intellectual property strength.
The new agreement is a win-win for both companies. It puts both entities in an advanced setting to leverage their strength for maximum business impact. The agreement advocates the settling of intellectual property licensing issues through friendly consultations and mutual respect for patent value. Huawei says it has formed several high-value patent packages during the past two decades and it is very happy to reach the cross-licensing agreement. Huawei expects the new arrangement to promote the innovation cycle of investment-return-reinvestment in high-value standard research.
Huawei has several patent packages that include 5G, Wi-Fi, audio, and video. The new agreement will promote innovation, and rapidity of research globally. It will also provide more competitive products and services for consumers. Both companies will hope that the new cross-licensing agreement will signal the beginning of a period of rapid growth and development. The agreement will be highly beneficial to Huawei since the US clampdown on its operations.
Prior to the US clampdown, Huawei was the global leader in research on 5G and 6G. It had carved a niche for itself with a raft of contracts for infrastructure across several jurisdictions. The finer details of the new cross-licensing agreement are not known at this time. However, we expect both brands to fully utilize the provisions of the agreement for the ultimate expansion of their balance sheets.
DJI has announced the Mini 3 drone aimed at the consumer market. The DJI Mini 3 is a stripped-down version of the DJI Mini 3 Pro and it comes at a lower price. The new drone lacks forward and rear obstacles sensors and outputs 4K 30p videos as its highest quality. The DJI Mini 3 also lacks ActiveTrack functionality which is some of the factors for its reduced price.
DJI has had an eventful 2022 with a raft of industry-defining offerings. The penultimate model was the DJI Mini 3 Pro which was feature-rich. The price of the DJI Mini 3 Pro started at $669 but the new drone will be less expensive. The Mini 3, according to DJI is well-suited for first-time users in suburban and urban scenarios. It is a successor to the DJI Mini 2 but also nearly identical to the Mini 3 Pro. However, the front sensors have been replaced with grills while the position of rear sensors is covered with smooth plastic.
The DJI Mini 3 doesn’t need a special permit to fly in many territories. The drone weighs 249g and can take 12MP pictures. Its video output does not include 4K 60p on the Mini 3 Pro. The new drone offers true vertical video and photo shooting and the camera can flip 90 degrees. You can shoot HDR videos with the Mini 3 at up to 30fps. It also has dual native ISO for low-light scenarios, making use of a relatively small sensor.
The Intelligent Flight Batteries of the Mini 3 delivers a flight time between 38 minutes and 51 minutes. The extended batteries option is however only available in North America. Actual times could vary by up to 10 minutes for the drone. DJI says the Mini 3 packs some power that makes it withstand stiff winds during a flight.
The DJI Mini 3 can be linked to the DJI RC controller for an extra $230. This could be a better option than using a smartphone with the RC-N1 controller. The joysticks of the RC controller can be easily tucked underneath the controller for traveling.
The screen of the RC controller is however not well-suited for sunlight. There are a few features in the DJI Mini 3 that could be exciting to social media fans. These include Quickshots, Dronie, and Circle. The new drone however lacks many of the features in the scaled-up version of the drone lacks some of the intelligent features in the Mini 3 Pro. The DJI 3 Mini will retail for $469.
Huawei Mate 50 series debuted a few months back and its successor is not expected to arrive until September 2023. However, the details of the next Huawei flagship lineup have already started to emerge. A leaker claims the Huawei Mate 60 series will be equipped with a Qualcomm processor and will only offer 4G connectivity. Some interesting info about the Huawei P60 series has also been revealed. Here are the details.
Leaker @RODENT950 claims the Huawei P60 and Mate 60 Series will be powered by Qualcomm chipsets. The P60 Series, which is expected to debut early next year, is reported to feature Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G chipset. The leaker further suggests the P60 lineup will soon enter the mass production stage.
In addition, the Mate 60 series is said to be equipped with a chipset with the model number SM8525, which is likely the 4G-only version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. As mentioned, the Mate 60 series isn’t coming anytime soon.
A recent report revealed the specs and design of the vanilla Huawei P60. The handset is expected to feature a variable aperture lens that was first introduced with the Mate 50 model. It could come with an upgraded 64-megapixel telephoto sensor.
The front of the device could house dual selfie cameras, which might be fitted on a pill-shaped cutout. On the rear, the handset is expected to have the same twin circular modules, wherein the top one nests two large sensors and the lower one has an LED flash and another camera.
The P60 series could include more smartphones but we don’t have any details about them yet. Huawei is yet to officially confirm any details about the upcoming series. We should learn more about it in the coming days.
Redmi has started to tease the Indian launch of the recently launched Note 12 series. The lineup has already debuted in China and includes three devices— Redmi Note 12, Note 12 Pro, and Note Pro+. The brand is yet to confirm the launch date of the forthcoming series. But ahead of it, a popular tipster has claimed the Redmi Note 12 series will debut in India in the first week of January. Here are the details.
Noted tipster Mukul Sharma claims the Redmi Note 12 series will launch in India on January 5. Sharma says the series will include the Redmi Note 12, Note 12 Pro, and Note 12 Pro+. All three models will be 5G ready, says the tipster.
[Exclusive] Time to reveal the SuperNote launch date 😎 Can confirm that the Redmi Note 12 series will launch on 5th January in India. Redmi Note 12, Note 12 Pro, Pro+ will all be 5G ready for India. 12 Pro+: 200MP main camera. Feel free to retweet😉 #RedmiNote12Series
Please note that the launch has not been officially confirmed yet. We’ll update the article as soon as we get an official date. The landing page of the RedmI Note 12 series is now live on Xiaomi India’s website, hinting the launch is imminent.
As mentioned, the Note 12 series has debuted in China, so we have a good idea about its specs. The lineup comes with a 6.67-inch OLED panel that produces a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The vanilla Note 12 features an 8-megapixel camera up front, while the Pro phones sport a 16-megapixel selfie snapper.
The standard Note 12 5G has a dual rear camera setup, comprising a 48-megapixel primary sensor and a 2-megapixel secondary unit. The Redmi Note 12 Pro features a 50-megapixel main camera with OIS support, whereas the Pro+ boasts an OIS-assisted 200-megapixel primary camera. Both phones also have an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 2-megapixel macro sensor on the back.
Talking about the chipsets, the Redmi Note 12 is equipped with the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 chip. The Pro models, on the contrary, are powered by the newly launched Dimensity 1080 SoC. The smartphones have LPDDR4X RAM, UFS 2.2 storage, and a 5,000mAh battery.
Xiaomi and OPPO usually release two Global series of flagship phones per year: one in the first half and one (inferior to the first) in the second half, and this year was the same. Talking about the most powerful models of the series released in the second half of 2022, Xiaomi released the new Xiaomi 12T Pro, while OPPO came up with the OPPO Reno9 Pro Plus. While the former already made its global debut, the latter is yet to hit the global market, but it is still unknown whether we will see a Pro Plus variant Global or it will be renamed with another moniker. While waiting, we think it is time for a comparison between the main specifications of the Xiaomi 12T Pro and the OPPO Reno9 Pro Plus in order to understand the differences between them. So here you go.
Xiaomi 12T Pro vs OPPO Reno9 Pro Plus
Xiaomi 12T Pro
OPPO Reno9 Pro+
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
163.1 x 75.9 x 8.6 mm,
205 g
161.5 x 73.6 x 8 mm,
192 g
DISPLAY
6.67 inches, 1220 x 2712 pixels (Full HD+), AMOLED
Triple 200 + 8 + 2 MP, f/1.7 + f/2.2 + f/2.4
20 MP f/2.2 front camera
Triple 50 + 8 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.2 + f/2.4
32 MP f/2.4 front camera
BATTERY
5000 mAh, fast charging 120W
4700 mAh, Fast Charging 80W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
5G, dual SIM, IP53 certification
5G, dual SIM
Design
There is no challenge if we talk about the design: the OPPO Reno9 Pro Plus is way better. First of all, it is thinner and lighter, with a thickness of just 8 mm and a weight of 192 grams. Further, it is the only one from this duo with a curved screen at the sides, including a very high screen to body ratio superior to 90 percent of the front panel. It also comes with great build quality as it actually sports an aluminum frame and glass protected by the Asahi Glass AGC DT-Star2 protection. On the other hand, the Xiaomi 12T Pro is protected against water and dust with the IP53 certification, but it is not waterproof. But the Reno9 Pro+ is definitely more gorgeous.
Display
Judging from the specs on the paper, it looks like the Xiaomi 12T Pro is equipped with a better display. It comes with an AMOLED panel able to show up to 68 billion colors with a diagonal of 6.67 inches, an 1.5K resolution of 1220 x 2712 pixels, a 120 Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision support, HDR10+ certification, a peak brightness of 900 nits, and an in-display fingerprint reader. It also comes with stereo speakers tuned by Harman Kardon. But the OPPO Reno9 Pro Plus still sports a good display: it is an AMOLED panel with one billion colors, a diagonal of 6.7 inches, a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2412 pixels, a 120 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ certification, a peak brightness of 950 nits, and an in-display fingerprint reader, as well as stereo speakers.
Specs & Software
The hardware found on the OPPO Reno9 Pro Plus is slightly better than the Xiaomi 12T Pro. Both phones are equipped with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 mobile platform: a chipset built with a 4 nm production process and an octa-core architecture including a Cortex X2 CPU, three Cortex A710 CPUs, four Cortex A510 CPUs, and an Adreno 730 GPU. On the OPPO, the main core is underclocked with a max frequency of 3 GHz, while the Xiaomi 12T has the standard 3.19 GHz max frequency of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. However, the Reno9 Pro Plus sports a higher quantity of RAM: 16 GB instead of just 12 GB provided by Xiaomi, as well as more internal storage: 512 GB instead of 256 GB. Further, the OPPO Reno9 Pro+ has a more advanced Android version: it ships with the latest Android 13 out of the box instead of Android 12.
Camera
At first glance, it seems like the Xiaomi 12T Pro has a better camera as it sports the new 200 MP Samsung ISOCELL sensor. However, the 50 MP Sony IMX890 sensor found on the OPPO Reno9 Pro Plus guarantees a higher photo quality, especially because it is supported by the OPPO’s proprietary NPU known as MariSilicon X. Last but not least, the OPPO flagship has a better front camera, with a 32 MP resolution instead of 20 MP found on the 12 T Pro.
The Xiaomi 12T Pro is equipped with a bigger battery and it should provide longer battery life in several scenarios. It also charges quicker thanks to 120W fast charging, instead of just 80W.
Price
The starting price of the Xiaomi 12T Pro globally is $897/€850, while the OPPO Reno9 Pro Plus, as already mentioned, is not available globally. It costs about $649/€615 in China. Which is your favorite one?
Chinese tech company TCL has launched a new smartphone that may likely become available for the global market. The TCL NXTPAPER 12 Pro Android tablet, as it is called, was launched in Russia and it is equipped with a decent specs lineup that could make it a great fit for gaming and for handling several tasks at the same time.
The NXTPAPER 12 Pro is equipped with an expansive 12.2-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 2160 x 1440 pixels. The tablet is powered by a MediaTek Kompanio 800T processor paired with a massive 8GB of RAM while there is 256GB of storage space onboard. The MediaTek Kompanio 800T processor is a 6nm octa-core chip with two 2.4 GHz Cortex-A76 CPU cores, six Cortex-A55 cores, and a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU. The storage can also be expanded up to 512GB via a microSD card.
A major feature of this tablet is the coating of the touch screen, which has anti-reflection and anti-fingerprint characteristics, and looks and feels similar to paper, making it possible for users to see the content on the display clearly without backlight.
Under the hood, the NXTPAPER 12 Pro crams an 8000mAh battery and is equipped with an 18W charger. In terms of imaging, the slate has a 13MP rear camera and a special dual 8MP camera on the front.
Furthermore, the tablet brings support for WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, USB Type-C interface, four speakers, and dual microphones. in terms of the dimension, the slate measures 279 x 192 x 6.9 mm, and weighs 599 grams. The bottom has touchpoints that may support an external keyboard. The tablet runs Android 12.
As for the pricing, the TCL NXTPAPER 12 Pro is presently on sale in Russia for 35,000 rubles ( about ) and is expected to be announced for more markets at CES 2023.
pTron Basspods P481 TWS earphones have been launched in India. The latest addition to the brand’s growing earbuds range series, Basspods P481, feature the longest-lasting battery in its franchise and come with Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC) technology. The new hearables come with an affordable price tag and a sleek design. The TWS earbuds feature Bluetooth v5.3, 50ms low latency, and smart touch sensor controls. Let’s have a closer look at the pricing and specifications of newly launched earphones.
The pTron Basspods P481 earbuds come with a stemmed design and are small and lightweight, weighing around 4 g. Users should be able to wear the earbuds for a longer period of time without any discomfort. The TWS earphones feature 10mm dynamic drivers that are claimed to deliver “powerful bass and stunningly clear vocals”.
The earbuds come with the brand’s signature noise-canceling technology and high-resolution audio capability. pTron says the Basspods P481 are equipped with an advanced processor that improves noise canceling, enhances sound quality, and reduces distortion with less power.
In addition, the hearables come with touch-sensitive controls that let users control music playback, accept or reject calls, adjust volume, and summon the voice assistant. They come with Bluetooth v5.3 for connectivity and have 50ms low latency. The earbuds are IPX4 rated for protection from sweat and water.
Further, the Basspods P481 are claimed to offer a playtime of 60 hours combined with the compact charging case. Additionally, the brand says just 10-minute quick charging can offer up to 240 minutes of playtime.
The new earbuds are offered in black and white colors. The Basspods P481 will be available for purchase at a price of Rs. 899. Interested shoppers will be able to purchase the earbuds from Flipkart, starting December 11.
Ahead of its official unveiling on December 11, a teaser video of the Xiaomi 13 Pro has revealed it will come with an IP rating. The phone is certified against dust and water but the rating level is not known at this time. The Xiaomi 13 Pro could thus be probably rated IP68, similar to its flagship sibling, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra. The video teaser was posted on Weibo.
The Xiaomi 13 Pro comes with a new camera design and a fancy green colorway. The camera will be versatile and able to take photos in all environments. A night mode that can enable clear pictures at night is also present. The night photos functionality is absent in the Xiaomi 12 Pro. Most of the affordable Xiaomi phones come with the IP53 certification which protects them from mild dust and sprinkling water. The IP68 rating provides much more resistance and safety for the device from water and dust damage. The Xiaomi 13 Pro offers up to 512GB of storage with a high RAM capacity as well. It is powered by the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.
The signature Wilderness Green color of the smartphone is part of a package that includes the Mi Watch S2 and the Buds 4 Pro. Both smart wearables also come with the same color design as the smartphone. The Xiaomi 13 Pro will be available in limited quantity and the package includes a protective travel case with a lanyard for the wrist.
The IP rating however needs to be certified by the regulator before it can be used in the advertisement of devices. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the granting organization for such certifications.
Noise has expanded its range of smartwatches. It has launched the Noise ColorFit Loop in India. The device packs all necessary health-related and convenient features. It falls under the Rs 3,000 price segment. The Noise ColorFit Loop competes against the likes of the Realme Watch 3, Amazfit Pop, boAt Xtend Talk, and more in the market. Read on to know what it offers out of the box.
The Noise ColorFit Loop comes with a square dial featuring a large 1.85-inch display. It bears a screen resolution of 284 x 240 pixels, a 60Hz refresh rate, and 550 nits brightness. There are more than 200 customised watch faces. The device is IP68-rated dust and water-resistant.
On the fitness front, the Noise ColorFit Loop is equipped with a heart-rate sensor, SpO2 monitor, and a menstrual cycle tracker. It is also capable of tracking sleep patterns, stress levels, and offering breathing exercises. The wearable device packs support for 130 sports modes.
The Noise ColorFit Loop is equipped with a built-in mic and speaker and a single chip for Bluetooth calling. It offers stable connectivity, dial pad, recent logs, and up to 10 contacts. The smartwatch is backed by a 390mAh battery unit that is capable of lasting 7 days. It offers other features like notification display, DND mode, weather updates, and more.
The Noise ColorFit Loop carries a price tag of Rs 2,499. It is offered in Jet Black, Midnight Blue, Olive Green, Mist Grey, Deep Wine, and Rose Pink colour options. The smartwatch can be purchased from Flipkart and the company’s official website.
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