Earlier this year, the OnePlus 10 Pro went through a disastrous durability test where it snapped in two during the bend test. So naturally, one would assume that the company’s second flagship model of this year, the OnePlus 10T, would arrive with improvements in design. Well, you might be disappointed.
Via 9To5Google
The popular tech YouTuber JerryRigEverything shared a new video in which he put the OnePlus 10T model to the durability test. In the video, he put the smartphone through the usual durability tests like scratches, flames, bend, and even a bend test. Unfortunately for the Chinese smartphone maker, its first flagship of this year failed the bend test and had snapped in two.
The YouTuber pointed out that the cause for this is likely structural point of failure beneath the camera module. So, one would naturally assume that the company made changes to this design to improve its structural integrity. However, this scene was almost perfectly mirrored with the OnePlus 10T model as well. The smartphone’s display did survive the level 6 of the Moh’s hardness scale on the front and back, and the flame tests did not leave any permanent mark on the OLED display either.
However, the disappointment surfaced during the bend test. Here, the 10T model snapped in the exact same way as the previous 10 Pro. The frame cracked right under the camera module under pressure. The video showed that Zach was able to completely tear down the smartphone apart from his bare hands. He managed to separate the display from the chasis and even remove the cameras from the device as well. In other words, an impromptu tear down video during a durability test.
Yesterday, Vivo unveiled the Vivo V25 Pro 5G smartphone in India. The device comes with features like the MediaTek Dimensity 1300 chipset, a color-changing back panel, and a 32MP eye autofocus selfie camera. It is now up for pre-order both online and offline stores. So let’s check out the pricing and offers.
Vivo V25 Pro Pre-booking offers and price
The base-level 8GB+128GB version of the Vivo V25 Pro costs Rs 35,999, while the top-tier 12GB+256GB version costs Rs 39,999. It is available in two color options – Pure Black and Sailing Blue.
The phone is now available for pre-booking on Flipkart as well as offline stores with the following offers.
Vivo V25 Pro Flipkart Pre-booking Offers
Flat Rs 3,500 instant discount with HDFC bank debit/credit card
V-Shield Complete Damage protection for 6 months
Up to Rs 3,000 additional exchange bonus
5% unlimited cashback on Flipkart Axis Bank Card
No-cost EMI options
Vivo V25 Pro offline store Pre-booking Offers
Flat 10% cashback on ICICI, SBI, and Kotak bank cards
V-Shield Complete Damage protection for 6 months
Up to Rs 3,000 additional exchange bonus
The device can be pre-ordered on these offline stores – Reliance Digital, Jio Stores, Croma, Vijaya Sales, Poorvika, Sangeetha Mobiles, Big C, LOT, Bajaj electronics, Pai Mobiles, Happi, and Celekt.
The devices will start shipping on August 25th for both the online and offline channels.
Design & Display
The Vivo V25 Pro has a 6.65-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, the device rocks a MediaTek Dimensity 1300 chipset complemented by up to 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. It has Android 12-based FunTouch OS.
For optics, there is a triple rear camera configuration with a 64MP f/1.89 primary camera (OIS), an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP macro camera. The phone has a 32MP eye autofocus selfie camera. Last but not the least, the device has a 4830mAh battery paired with 66W fast charging.
The Nothing Phone (1) was just recently announced for the global market. It was a highly anticipated launch and it had even released in the Indian market as well. However, just weeks after its launch, the company has hiked its price tag in India. So let’s have a look at why the company made this move.
According to Manu Sharma, Vice President and General Manager of Nothing India, shared the details regarding this price hike. In a tweet, the senior official stated that “Thank you for the love shown towards Phone (1), with fluctuating currency exchange rates & rising component costs, we had to change prices.” So now, the Phone (1), which launched for 32,999 INR, will now be available for a price tag of 33,999 INR.
In other words, this marks a cost hike of 1,000 INR over the original price tag for the base 8GB + 128GB variant. Similarly, the 8GB + 256GB model and the top end 12GB + 256GB variant have also seen a price hike of 1,000 INR in the Indian market. As per the executive, the price rise was caused by the fluctuating currency exchange rates as well as the rising cost of the components.
Thank you for the love shown towards Phone (1)!
With fluctuating currency exchange rates & rising component costs, we had to change prices.
Starting today, Phone (1) will be available @flipkart for 8GB/128GB (INR 33,999), 8GB/256GB (INR 36,999), and 12GB/256GB (INR 39,999).
Talking about the smartphone itself, it sports a 6.55 inch OLED display that has a 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ SoC that will be paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. On the back, the smartphone features a 50 megapixel dual camera setup, while the front houses a 16 megapixel selfie shooter. A 4,500mAh battery pack powers the device, which also supports 33W fast charging.
Earlier this month, Madhav Sheth, CEO of Realme India, revealed that the Realme GT Neo 3T would finally debut in India in August. Today, at the end of the Reame 9i launch live stream, the brand once again teased the arrival of the said smartphone.
Realme GT Neo 3T
The launch of Realme GT Neo 3T in India has been rumored since June. It has been two months but the company hasn’t disclosed the release date yet despite teasing the phone today.
For the uninitiated, the Realme GT Neo 3T made its initial debut in Indonesia in early June. It is marketed as a successor of Realme GT Neo 3T. The handset is actually a rebranded Realme Q5 Pro sold in China.
The phone comes with a 6.62-inch FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC, LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.1 storage, and Android 12. It is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 80W fast wired charging.
Further, the smartphone offers a 64MP (wide) + 8MP (ultra-wide) + 2MP (2MP) triple camera system, 16MP selfie camera, dual stereo speakers, in-screen fingerprint sensor, 5G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GNSS, NFC, and USB Type-C port.
The device is tipped to arrive in three memory configurations in India: 6GB + 128GB, 8GB + 128GB, and 8GB + 256GB. Also, it is said to be offered in Dash Yellow, Drifting White, and Shade Black color options.
The Chinese smartphone maker’s TechLife Buds T100 is equipped with a 10mm advanced composite diaphragm made of PEEK+TPU for a clear bass. Furthermore, the hearables also feature AI ENC, which would help improve the calling experience by reducing ambient noise during calls. The new truly wireless earbuds also arrive with a dedicated 88ms low latency mode that also comes with a Google Fast Pair support. Talking about its design, it has an in ear design with exchangeable silicone tips.
On the other hand, the charging case that has a pebble like shape. The buds claims to offer 6 hours of battery life, while the charging case offers an additional 28 hours of playback time. The wireless earphones also support fast charging as well, with 10 minutes of charging offering up to 120 minutes of playback. For protection, the earbuds also supports IPX5 water resistance.
The Realme TechLife Buds T100 will be available for purchase in two color options, namely Black and White. It has a price tag of 1,499 INR and can be bought from Flipkart and Realme.com starting from August 24. Although, the brand is releasing this model for a limited time introductory price tag of 1,299 INR.
Realme has launched a new budget range 5G smartphone in the Indian market called the Realme 9i 5G. So let’s check out its specs, features, pricing & other details.
Realme 9i 5G specs & features
The 9i 5G comes with an attractive design featuring a flat back and flat edges, It has a clean-looking triple camera setup protruding from the back panel. The back panel also features a special light diffusion design called the Laser light design. It has a power button on the right side that integrates a fingerprint sensor, a volume rocker on the left side and a USB-C port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a speaker grille at the bottom. It is 8.1mm in thickness and weighs 187 grams.
On the front, it features a 6.6-inch FHD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate and 180Hz touch sampling rate. The panel is capable of producing 16.7 million different colors. It has a dew-drop notch for the front camera, thin bezels on three sides, and a sizable chin.
Under the hood, the device features the Dimensity 810 5G chipset complemented by 4GB of 6GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of storage. The phone offers storage expansion of up to 1TB using a microSD card and RAM expansion of up to 5GB using the virtual RAM feature. The device comes with an Android 12-based Realme UI 3.0 out of the box. It has a large 5,000mAh battery pack that supports 18W fast charging.
Coming to optics, the smartphone has a triple camera setup consisting of a 50MP primary sensor, a 4cm 2MP macro lens, and a depth sensor. Up front, it has an 8MP selfie camera. The device offers street photography mode 2.0 and an AI beauty filter.
Pricing & availability
The Realme 9i 5G is priced at Rs. 14,999 ($188 for the 4GB + 64GB. On the other hand, the 6GB + 128GB variant is priced at Rs. 16,999. The device will go on its first sale on August 24. ICICI and HDFC bank card users will be eligible for a discount of Rs. 1,000 on the purchase of the smartphone. The Realme 9i 5G comes in two colors – Metallica Gold, and Rocking Black.
In the last couple of months, Sony has launched two new premium smart TVs in India. These are the Bravia XR A80K OLED and the Bravia XR A95K OLED TVs. Now, the brand has expanded the premium line with the introduction of the Sony BRAVIA XR X95K 85-inch 4K Mini LED TV.
Sony BRAVIA XR X95K 85″ 4K Mini LED TV features
There is just one 85-inch variant of the BRAVIA XR X95K Mini LED TV, model XR-85X95K, and it comes with a number of features from Sony, including the Cognitive Processor XR, XR Backlight Master, Acoustic Surface Audio+, and others.
The Sony X95K television has a 4K Mini LED LED screen that is perfectly controlled by XR Backlight Master Drive technology, which divides the highly dense Mini LED backlight into small LED units using a proprietary local dimming algorithm. It accurately and independently controls each unit, focussing light for maximum brightness without flare or halos around highlights thanks to Sony’s own Cognitive Processor XR.
The XR Triluminos Pro enables the TV to access over a billion colors and recreate them with preciseness. The TV also features 4K upscaling technology called the XR 4K upscaling. Other picture features on the Bravia XR X95K 4K Mini LED TV include XR Contrast Booster 15, which modifies brightness for higher glare peaks and deeper shadow blacks; XR HDR Remaster; and XR Smoothing, which produces fluid, natural 4K images as you watch.
In addition to 4K 120 fps, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Auto HDR Tone, and Auto Game Mode, this TV offers a special gaming mode that is compatible with HDMI 2.1. The BRAVIA XR X95K Mini LED TV includes Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology, which emits sound directly from the screen.
Price & availability
The 85-inch BRAVIA XR-85X95K Mini LED TV has an MRP of Rs 899,900 ($ 11,304) in India, however, it can be purchased for Rs 6,17,490 ($7,756) through e-commerce websites, Sony Centers, and retail locations all around the country.
In May, Honor unveiled the Honor 70, Honor 70 Pro, and Honor 70 Pro+. According to a report by Appuals, the Chinese manufacturer will be launching the Honor 70 on Sept. 2 in the global market. The device is already listed on Honor’s website in France, Spain, and the UK. The 70 Pro and 70 Pro+ are likely to remain exclusive to the Chinese market. Well ahead of the launch, the publication has shared the storage, color variants, and price of the Honor 70.
According to the publication, the Honor 70 will be made available in two configurations: 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage. These models will be priced at 549 euros and 599 euros, respectively. It will be made available in shades like Midnight Black, Emerald Green, and Crystal Silver.
Honor 70
Honor 70 specifications
The Honor 70 has a 6.67-inch OLED display with curved edges. It offers an FHD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, a 20:9 aspect ratio, and a 120Hz refresh rate. The device comes preinstalled with the Android 12 OS with Magic UI 6.1. The global edition is expected to arrive with Google apps and services.
Under the hood of the Honor 70, the Snapdragon 778G Plus chipset will be present. It will come with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB / 256 GB of storage. The device lacks external storage. For security, it has an under-display fingerprint scanner.
The device packs a 4,800mAh battery that carries support for 66W fast charging. It has a 32-megapixel front-facing camera, and its back panel has a 54-megapixel Sony IMX800 main camera, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and a 2-megapixel depth-sensing lens.
Apple has been known to host its iPhone launches in the Fall (Autumn) season. And as we approach the end of August, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has revealed that the Cupertino giant is planning on holding a launch event on September 7.
According to Gurman, the information comes from “people with knowledge of the matter.” The company will be launching a bunch of new products at this launch event including its highly anticipated iPhone 14 lineup and the Apple Watch Series 8. There are apparently plans for a new low-cost iPad, upgraded iPad Pro versions, a Mac Pro with Apple silicon processors, and other gadgets, though these may be reserved for a second October event.
Coming back to the star of the show, Apple plans to release a total of four iPhone 14 models, including a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max, a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max. The Cupertino giant will skip on the mini model for the iPhone 14 as these small models have not sold well in the past.
The iPhone 14 Pro models will have new camera technology with upgraded sensors, the removal of the notch in favor of a pill-shaped and hole-punched cutout, an A16 chip, and more. The vanilla iPhone 14 model is expected to receive minor modifications. It would also be interesting to see how the customers will receive the new iPhone 14 Max model as it will essentially be similar to the vanilla iPhone 14, but it will feature a 6.7-inch display instead of a 6. inch display.
Three new Apple Watch models are in development: the Series 8 model, the upgraded SE model, and the all-new Pro model, which is anticipated to have a larger body, an updated look, and a more robust design.
Over the past couple of years, foldable smartphones have matured to an extent where it can be your daily driver. The earlier generations were far from perfect, plagued with issues such as a visible crease on the internal screen, less durable components, and even a lack of IP certification.
But things have changed now. The newly launched Galaxy Z Fold4 and the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 are two of the best foldable smartphones that you can buy on the market. Given that the two companies announced their models almost around the same time, it makes complete sense to compare the two models.
Let’s take a quick look at the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 comparison and see how they fare against each other.
Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
Xiaomi Mix Fold 2
Galaxy Z Fold4
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
Unfolded: 161.1 x 144.7 x 5.4mm
Folded: 161.1 x 73.9 x 11.2mm
262 g
Unfolded: 155.1 x 130.1 x 6.3mm
Folded: 155.1 x 67.1 x 14.2-15.8mm | 263 g
DISPLAY
Foldable: 8.02-inch 2160 x 1914p
120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision
Cover: 6.56 2520 x 1080p
120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision
Foldable: 7.6-inch 2170 x 1812p
120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision
Cover: 6.2 2316 x 904p
120Hz
The Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 feature an inward folding design. This means that both phones feature two displays. One is a large tablet-like display that folds inwards and there’s another external display for use in the folded state.
Given their similar design philosophies, we can directly compare the two foldable in the design department.
The Galaxy Z Fold4 comes with a more curved and rounded design, similar to its predecessor. On the other hand, the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 adopts a boxier design profile, similar to the Galaxy Note series designs we’ve seen earlier. That said, both the phones look premium and polished for their prices with the Xiaomi foldable coming in standard black and gold colors, while the Samsung models adding in fancier Burgundy and Graygreen color options.
Another big difference is in the styling of the camera modules. The Galaxy foldable features a vertical camera module, housing its three cameras while the Xiaomi foldable comes with a rectangular camera module, featuring its three cameras. This gives the Xiaomi Mix Fold 4 a more symmetric look than the Galaxy model.
As for its dimensions, the Xiaomi model does have an advantage here, being just 5.4mm thick in the tablet mode (vs 6.3mm on the Galaxy Fold 4). Even in the folded state, it is way thinner than the Galaxy model at 11.2mm (vs 14mm).
Notably, the Xiaomi model is larger than the Samsung one, thanks to its larger displays on both the front and the back. However, unlike the Samsung model, it does not come with stylus support, which is a shame.
There’s no clear winner in this department as both are well-built foldables on paper.
Display
Let’s start with their unfolded displays first. Thanks to its larger dimensions, the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 brings a larger display compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 4. It features an 8.02-inch 1914 x 2160 foldable OLED panel with 120Hz refresh, HDR10+, Dolby Vision on the inside, and a 6.56-inch 1080 x 2520 resolution screen with a 21:9 ratio, 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ support on the outside.
In comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold4 features a 7.6-inch 1812 x 2176 HDR10+, 120Hz panel on the inside, and a 6.2-inch 904 x 2316 screen with a 23.1:9 aspect ratio, 120Hz refresh rate on the outside.
As you can see, both the displays boast top-end specs on paper, and it’s good to see both phones adding 120Hz refresh rate support on their internal and external screens. However, Xiaomi seems to have an advantage in terms of sizing and aspect ratio. If you look closely, the external display of the Xiaomi model features a standard aspect ratio of 21:9 which is not the case with Samsung’s 23.1:9 screen.
Both the models feature Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) protection on their foldable internal screen.
Finally, we can’t talk about foldable screens without really talking about creases. This is where the Samsung model could have the advantage with the company coming close to perfecting the art of limiting the visible crease on its display. Xiaomi also boasts of crease-less displays but Samsung seems to have the advantage here.
Specs & Software
The two foldables are evenly matched when it comes to the hardware. Both the models come with the 3.2GHz Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 chip, which is the best smartphone chipset for Android phones in 2022. With options of up to 1TB of storage and 12GB of RAM on both models, they will never be short of power, be it for heavy gaming or running intensive apps. Even multitasking should be a breeze.
That said, the software is where the two phones should differ significantly. The Xiaomi model comes with Android 12-based MIUI Fold 13 OS. This is similar to the OS that runs on its smartphones with a few adaptations (like multitasking) for its foldable form factor.
On the other hand, the Galaxy Z Fold4 comes with a dedicated OS for large screens, giving it an edge. It features the Android 12L OS with OneUI 4.1.1 on top of it, adding tablet-specific features like Samsung Flex, making the experience a lot more productive and fun.
While in terms of processing power, both the phones are well matched, the software is one area where Samsung brings its rich experience in the field of foldables. This gives the Galaxy Z Fold 4 an edge in this department.
Camera
The camera is another department where the two phones are well matched.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 comes with a 50MP f/1.8 primary camera with OIS, another 10MP 3x telephoto zoom camera with OIS, and a 12MO ultra wide-angle shooter with 123˚ FoV. On the inside, the phone features a 4MP f/1.8 selfie shooter which is under the display. The Samsung model also adds another 10MP selfie camera on its cover display.
In comparison, the Xiaomi Mix Fold2 comes with a 50MP f/1.8 primary camera with OIS, 8MP 2x optical zoom telephoto lens and a 13MP 123˚ ultra-wide shooter. It features a 20MP selfie camera on the front.
As you can see, both the models feature a solid camera setup, comparable to the flagships of 2022. They even support up to 8K video recording.
Battery
It’s the year 2022 but foldable smartphones still lack large batteries. The Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 comes with an average 4500mAh capacity battery and 67W charging. On the other hand, the Galaxy Z Fold4 comes with a 4400mAh battery with 25W charging support.
However, the Galaxy foldable, like its predecessor, comes with wireless and reverse wireless charging support at 15W, which is absent on the Xiaomi model.
Price
The Galaxy Z Fold4 starts at $1,799.99/£1,649/€1,799 globally. On the other hand, the Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold 2 retails for around 8,999 yuan (~$1,335) in China. But you can get it globally via sites like Giztop for $1799.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold4 brings multiple generations of refinements, making it one of the best foldables of 2022. However, the phone is still pretty pricey, especially when you compare it to the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2. In terms of hardware, they are pretty evenly matched, however, the Samsung model would have an advantage in the software department.
If Xiaomi makes the foldable available globally for a cheaper price than the Galaxy Z Fold4, it will make the foldable market a lot more interesting in the coming weeks.
Galaxy Z Fold4 vs Xiaomi Mix Fold2: PROs and CONS
Galaxy Z Fold4
PRO
Relatively Compact Form Factor
Wireless Charging Support
IPX8 water resistance
Stylus Support
Better Software Experience
We all know that DOOGEE likes to experiment with novel designs on rugged phones. If you remember, the S98 series that we reviewed earlier, looks different from other rugged phones. Today we are going to take a look at their new design S61 Pro, which once again refreshes our perception of rugged phone design.
DOOGEE S61 Pro Box Accessories
This time, the box is not a big box like the S98 series, but a yellow box. The accessories inside are the same accessories that most rugged phones have. A Manual and Warranty card, an Anti-scratch film, and screen protector accessories. There is also a film that has been pre-applied on the phone. Then there is a SIM Card pin, charger, and data cable. This time the box also comes with a wrist rope, saving you a dollar. That’s all the accessories in the box.
DOOGEE S61 Pro Design
Now let’s take a good look at the design of the S61 Pro. From the appearance you can see that this is not an ordinary rugged phone, at least I have never seen a rugged phone with a transparent back cover. It reminds me of the Mi 8 explorer edition, which also uses a transparent back cover design. You can see the circuit board inside the S61 Pro through the back cover, very geeky design style, I believe many people will like it.
The two sides are made with a honeycomb anti-slip finish. The middle design that looks like a wireless charging coil is actually an NFC coil. Please note, it is only a $130 entry rugged phone, no wireless charging support is very much reasonable. The headphone jack is of course also there, SIM Card slot also supports two Nano SIM card and TF card. Another thing I like is that it only weighs 266g, which is light for many rugged phones that are over 300g. It’s also about the same size as a regular phone, and with its special appearance, you really feel like you’re using a regular phone instead of a rugged phone when you hold it in your hand. I really like the smaller rugged phone, at least my pants don’t fall down anymore with their weight.
Some people may ask: without the protection of the backplane, the circuit board will not be damaged by exposure to the sun? The answer is no. Because this circuit board is only decorative, the real motherboard in this circuit board is below. How do I know? Because I took the whole back panel off to confirm. This back panel is made of plastic, and there is a risk of scratching if used for a long time.
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You can also remove it yourself and replace it with your own DIY backplate, but I don’t recommend you do that because you will lose the warranty. We replaced it with the official wood grain backplate, which also looks beautiful.
DOOGEE S61 Pro Display
This 6-inch LCD screen, like other rugged phones, is nothing special in terms of specs and basically meets your usage needs. Even so, I still like one of its points: it is a full rectangular screen, rather than a hole-punch or water-drop screen. The rugged phone is not likely to have a narrow bezel anyway, so why not give us a full screen, right?
Doogee S61 Pro camera 9
Doogee S61 Pro camera 7
Doogee S61 Pro camera 6
Doogee S61 Pro camera 5
Doogee S61 Pro camera 4
Doogee S61 Pro camera 3
Doogee S61 Pro camera 2
Doogee S61 Pro camera
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As you can see, the S61 Pro has only two lenses, the main camera plus a Night vision camera, and there is not much I can say about the camera system. It’s can record daily life or scan QR codes without any problem. That’s enough for this phone.
DOOGEE S61 Pro Hardware
The S61 Pro uses a MediaTek Helio G35 processor. With a score of 137,000 on Antutu, we can see that it is only an entry-level processor. But that doesn’t mean it can’t play games.
Thanks to PUBG’s optimization for entry phones, the ultra-smooth Graphics can be kept at 30fps, which is an acceptable level. The system is also the latest Android 12. The battery capacity is 5180mAh, which is not big, but it is understandable because the size and weight have been reduced. Officially, it also says that the Standby time is at least 600 hours, so two days without charging should not be a problem. Waterproof ratings like IP68 are also available, meaning that the phone will not be affected by water in depths of up to 1.5m.
The S61 Pro is a budget rugged phone, but it is also a phone with the most special design. Even for more money, you will be hard-pressed to see a more special rugged phone. who wouldn’t like a transparent phone, right?
And at only $130, it doesn’t seem so difficult to consider this model. For those who have a need for good looks and a lightweight rugged phone, buy the S61 Pro.
iQOO is reportedly working on a couple of new smartphones, such as the iQOO Z6, Z6x, and Neo 7. The Chinese manufacturer is expected to unveil the Z6-series as early as this month in China. Even though the Neo 7 is likely to come out in October, details about it have been leaking out.
Tipster Digital Chat Station’s latest Weibo post suggests that the iQOO Neo 7 will arrive with four major upgrades. The first one is the inclusion of the Dimensity 9000+ flagship chipset. To recall, the iQOO Neo 6, which went official in December 2021 in China, featured the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.
Next, it will come equipped with a new FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display with a flat design. A recent report revealed that the device will be equipped with a Samsung AMOLED E5 screen instead of the E4 AMOLED panel that was made available on the predecessor model.
The Neo 6 has a 64-megapixel primary camera. However, the Neo 7 will be equipped with a Sony IMX766V 50-megapixel main snapper with OIS support. It will carry support for 120W fast charging instead of the 80W charging made available on the Neo 6.
Other reports have claimed that the Neo 7 will borrow most of its specifications from the iQOO 10 5G, which debuted in July. Hence, the smartphone is expected to house a 6.78-inch AMOLED display, a 16-megapixel front-facing camera, a 50-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 13-megapixel triple camera unit, and a 4,700mAh battery. The device is expected to arrive with 8 GB / 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128 GB / 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage.
As far as the iQOO Z6 is concerned, it is expected to arrive with key specifications, such as a 120Hz LCD display, Snapdragon 7-series chipset, and 80W charging. The Z6x is expected to support 44W charging.
Earlier this year, Apple-owned Beats finally released the Beats Fit Pro earbuds for markets outside of the US. Now, the brand has released a special colorway for the truly wireless earbuds called the Beats Fit Pro Kim K special edition.
The Beats Pro by Kim K Special Edition comes in three neutral colors, and you have a choice of three soft silicone ear tips. The color options are dubbed Moon, Dune, and Earth. Other than the new colors, the specs and features of the earphones remain the same.
Specs & features
A two-chamber housing with a dual-element diaphragm driver produces clear, stereophonic sound. The earphones are equipped with Apple’s H1 chip, which allows for quick pairing and automatic syncing. This is the same chipset that is used in Apple’s AirPods Pro.
Beats Fit Pro Kim K Special edition Dune color
Similar to the AirPods Pro, the Fit Pro includes active noise cancellation with a “Transparency” option, spatial audio, and dynamic head tracking. Other than iPhones, the earbuds work perfectly with Android devices.
The buds offer up to 7 hours of playback without the charging case (6 hours with ANC turned on) and up to 30 hours with the charging case. A quick 5-minute charge provides 1 hour of playback time. The earbuds, however, miss out on the wireless charging feature. Other than that, it has an IPX4 rating making it water and sweat-resistant.
Pricing & availability
The Kim K Special Edition Beats Fit Pro True Wireless Earbuds are priced at $199.99. They can be purchased via the Apple e-store in the US and some other regions.
Recent reports have revealed that Vivo is working on the Vivo X Fold S foldable phone. The moniker of the device suggests that it will be an improved version of the company’s first foldable smartphone, the Vivo X Fold, which went official in April this year. A new leak, courtesy of tipster Panda is Bald, has revealed the key specifications of the device.
According to the source, the Vivo X Fold S will have three major improvements over the X Fold. The leak revealed that the foldable phone will feature the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, a 4,700mAh battery, and 80W wired charging. In comparison, the X Fold offered the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, a 4,600mAh battery, and 66W fast charging. It appears the other specifications of the X Fold S will be identical to the X Fold.
Vivo X Fold
The Vivo X Fold foldable phone features an 8.03-inch foldable AMOLED display with LTPO technology. It supports 1916 x 2160 pixels resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+. On the front, it features a 6.53-inch AMOLED cover display that supports 1080 x 2520 pixels, a 120Hz refresh rate, and an in-screen fingerprint scanner.
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset-powered X Fold has 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM, 256 GB / 512 GB of storage, and a 4,600mAh battery with 66W fast charging and 50W wireless charging support.
The X Fold’s front features a 16-megapixel selfie camera. The rear shell of the device has a 50-megapixel main camera with laser autofocus and OIS, a 48-megapixel ultra-wide lens, a 12-megapixel telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom, and an 8-megapixel periscope telephoto camera with OIS and 5x optical zoom.
A recent report claimed that the Vivo X Fold S would debut in September. It is believed that the company is reportedly working on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-powered flagship, which may debut in November or December of this year.
Earlier this month, Nothing rolled out the Nothing OS 1.1.2 for the Nothing Phone (1) which brought some UI changes and improved the charging performance of the device. Now, users have started receiving the Nothing OS 1.1.3 update which promises better camera performance and a cleaner software experience.
Update gradually rolling out now… enjoy the camera updates. More to come!
The update weighs just 64MB and brings improvements to the photo clarity of the front camera. Night Mode and HDR photo processing times have also improved. The ultra-wide camera now has richer color saturation, and the images will come out much sharper and with reduced noise when zooming. The phone will remind you to clean the camera lenses from time to time.
The Google Adaptive Battery may now be enabled to “intelligently optimize battery life,” and the fingerprint verification UI for third-party apps has been updated. Other than that, the device has received multiple bug fixes which you can check out in the changelog below.
New features
● Added option to turn on Google’s Adaptive Battery to intelligently optimize battery life.
● Redesigned fingerprint verification UI for 3rd party apps.
Camera improvements
● When using Glyph lighting, images are automatically adjusted to optimal color and brightness.
● Improved photo clarity when using the front camera.
● Faster Night Mode and HDR photo processing time.
● Richer color saturation when using the ultra-wide camera.
● Reduced noise and increased sharpness when using zoom.
● Added reminder to clean the camera lenses.
Bug fixes and performance optimizations
● Resolved an issue that caused stuttering in some apps like Twitter, Play Store, etc.
● Resolved an issue that prevented the mobile hotspot from working properly.
● Fixed issue that caused the lock screen to crash after tapping on a notification and then trying to use finger unlock.
● Polished minor UI details.
● General bug fixes.
As usual, the update is being rolled out in stages, so users can expect the OTA notification in the coming days.
In September 2021, Xiaomi unveiled the female-focused Xiaomi CIVI smartphone in China. In April this year, the company unveiled the Xiaomi CIVI 1S as an updated version of the original model. The only improvements that it offered were an enhanced chip and a new color variant. It was reported in May that the company is working on the Xiaomi CIVI 2. Now, the alleged CIVI 2 has appeared in the database of the 3C certification platform (via), which indicates that it may not take too long to go official. At the same time, the alleged Redmi 11A has been approved by the 3C authority.
In the below-shown screenshot, two Xiaomi devices with model numbers 2209129SC and 22095RA98C have bagged 3C certification. Both models carry support for 5G connectivity. The former has been spotted with a 67W fast charger, whereas the latter has appeared with a 10W charger.
XIaomi CIVI 2, Redmi 11A 3C certified
It is speculated that the 2209129SC Xiaomi device may break cover as the Xiaomi CIVI 2. On the other hand, the 22095RA98C device could be an entry-level phone, which may debut with the Redmi 11A moniker.
Rumors have revealed that the Xiaomi CIVI 2 will be equipped with the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset. To recall, last year’s CIVI featured the Snapdragon 778G, and the CIVI 1S is powered by the Snapdragon 778G+ chip.
The CIVI 2 will house a 120Hz OLED panel that offers a Full HD+ resolution and Dolby Vision. It is likely to feature a curved AMOLED panel like the existing CIVI models. The OLED panel will come integrated with a fingerprint scanner. There is no information available on CIVI 2’s battery capacity and camera configurations. However, it is believed that the device will come equipped with an improved selfie and rear cameras.
As far as the Redmi 11A is concerned, the rumor mill is yet to reveal its specifications.
MediaTek is among the leading chipset maker for smartphones, and the company has also expanded its portfolio to other devices, including Smart TVs and IoT products. Now, the company has launched a new chipset for routers, dubbed MediaTek T830.
The newly announced MediaTek T830 chipset is aimed at Wi-Fi routers as well mobile hotspot devices and comes with support for 5G connectivity.
The MediaTek T830 5G chip uses the company’s own M80 modem with support for the sub-6GHz band for global 5G connectivity. It has a quad-core ARM Cortex-A55 CPU which is paired with a 3GPP Release-16 cellular modem.
It also comes with a Network Processing Unit (NPU) that supports 20Gbps speed through 5G cellular to ethernet or Wi-Fi connections that too without the need for CPU involvement.
JC Hsu, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of MediaTek’s Wireless Communications Business, said, “As the leader in 5G CPE solutions, MediaTek is working with Tier-1 operators around the world to bring fast, reliable connectivity to consumers and businesses. This highly integrated platform represents the latest advancements in both 5G and Wi-Fi connectivity and enables our customers to build extremely high-performance multi-gigabit 5G CPE products in the smallest form factors possible.”
The MediaTek T830 5G chip can be paired with the company’s Filogic Wi-Fi connectivity solutions. For 5G FWA routers, the T830 can be combined with the Filogic 680 (Tri-band 4×4 Wi-Fi 7), and for 5G Mobile hotspots, the T830 can be paired with the Filogic 380 (dual-band 2×2 Wi-Fi 7). It also comes with capabilities for new Wi-Fi 7 features such as MLO (Multi-Link Operation) and support for 320MHz wide channels.
Last month, Honor officially launched its latest tablet in its home country China — Honor Tablet 8. Now, the company has started selling the Dawn Blue color version with 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage for the price of 1,999 yuan (~$295).
The other color version of the tablet, Mint Green, will be available for purchase in the Chinese market from 31st August. The base model with 4GB RAM starts at 1,499 yuan, and there’s also a 6GB RAM model that costs 1,799 yuan. Both the models were available for purchase in China, but the 8GB RAM model goes on sale for the first time.
Coming to the specifications, the Honor Tablet 8 features a 12-inch 2K LCD that offers a screen resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels. The screen has a narrow bezel of 7.2mm and comes with a 10:6 aspect ratio and 1.07 billion colors.
Under the hood, the device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor, coupled with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. In the camera department, there’s a 5-megapixel camera sensor on the back and a 5-megapixel snapper at the front side for taking selfies and video calling.
It has Rheinland hardware-level low blue light, Rheinland no flicker, and eye protection certification from the National Eye Engineering Center. It also supports Huawei’s Histen sound effects and DTS:X Ultrasound for a better sound experience.
The tablet runs the Magic UI 6.1, which comes with support for multi-screen collaboration, an application split screen that offers free adjustment of three-speed windows, as well as new upgraded Smart desktop experiences. The Honor Tablet 8 is powered by a 7,250mAh battery and comes with support for 22.5W fast charging.
Yesterday, Vivo unveiled the Dimensity 1300-powered Vivo V25 Pro smartphone in India. At the same time, the company also unveiled the vanilla Vivo V25. However, it hasn’t confirmed the price and availability of the V25. The vanilla model features a 90Hz AMOLED display, a less powerful Dimensity chip, 64-megapixel triple rear cameras, and 44W fast charging.
Vivo V25 specifications and features
The Vivo V25 has a 6.44-inch AMOLED display with a waterdrop notch. It supports a Full HD+ resolution, a 90Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+. Like the Pro model, the vanilla model features an in-screen fingerprint scanner. The device will come preloaded with Android 12 OS, which is overlaid with FunTouch OS 12.
Vivo V25
The Dimensity 900 chip is at the helm of the V25. It comes with 8 GB / 12 GB of RAM and 128 GB / 256 GB of storage. It houses a 4,500mAh battery, which carries support for 44W fast charging.
The V25 has a 50-megapixel front-facing camera with autofocus support. The squarish camera module on the backside of the device has an OIS-assisted 64-megapixel main camera. It will be assisted by an 8-megapixel ultra-wide snapper and a 2-megapixel macro camera.
The V25 offers other features like dual SIM, 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and a USB-C port. The device comes in colors like Diamond Black, Aquamarine Blue, and Sunrise Gold. All three color variants feature fluorite AG glass back, but only the blue and gold editions can change colors like the V25 Pro.
Vivo renewed its amazing V series with two new devices: the Vivo V25 and the Vivo V25 Pro. The latter is an amazing upper-midrange phone equipped with great cameras, a very nice display, a high-end chipset, and even fast charging speeds. It is definitely one of the best value for money phones, but it is also a great rival for the OPPO Reno8 5G. These two phones feature the same processor and their specifications are in the same range; even the prices are not so different. That is the reason why we think it is worth comparing them. So, here is a comparison between the main specifications of the OPPO Reno8 5G and the Vivo V25 Pro.
OPPO Reno8 5G vs Vivo V25 Pro
OPPO Reno8 5G Global
Vivo V25 Pro
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
160.6 x 73.4 x 7.7 mm,
179 g
158.9 x 73.5 x 8.6 mm,
190 g
DISPLAY
6.43 inches, 1080 x 2400 pixels (Full HD+), AMOLED
6.56 inches, 1080 x 2376 pixels (Full HD+), AMOLED
Triple 50 + 2 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.4 + f/2.4
32 MP f/2.4 front camera
Triple 64 + 12 + 2 MP, f/1.9 + f/2.2 + f/2.4
32 MP f/2.5 front camera
BATTERY
4500 mAh, fast charging 80W
4830 mAh, Fast Charging 66W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
5G, dual SIM
5G, dual SIM
Design
If you look at the rear sides of these phones, then the OPPO Reno8 5G is much more attractive. It has a very original rear design, with a protruding camera module coming out gradually from the cover and a very impressive gradient color option. Even if you look at the profile, you will find a better view: the OPPO Reno8 5G is a thinner and lighter phone compared to the Vivo V25 Pro. But the Vivo mid-ranger is superior when it comes to the design of the front side: it has a higher screen to body ratio, with narrower bezels around the display. The Reno has a pretty thick chin on the lower part which makes the front glass uglier, but it is the only one protected by Gorilla Glass 5.
Display
On the paper, the Vivo V25 Pro looks to have a superior display. It is an AMOLED panel with a diagonal of 6.56 inches, a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2376 pixels, the HDR10+ certification, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and an in-display fingerprint reader. The OPPO Reno8 5G has a display with a diagonal of 6.4 inches, a Full HD+ resolution, a 90 Hz refresh rate, and an in-display fingerprint scanner. Both the handsets show vivid colors and deep blacks, but the Vivo features a higher refresh rate and a better image quality thanks to the HDR certification, as well as a thinner chin below the panel and a wider diagonal. Unfortunately, the Reno has just a mono speaker, while the V25 Pro has dual speakers, so it produces better audio.
Specs & Software
The processors of these two phones are exactly the same: they feature a Dimensity 1300 mobile platform by Mediatek built with a 6 nm production process with an octa-core architecture. The SoC is composed of a Cortex A78 CPU running at a max frequency of 3 GHz, three Cortex A78 CPUs running at a frequency of 2.6 GHz, and four Cortex A55 CPUs running at 2 GHz, as well as a Mali G77 MC9 GPU. This is a very good SoC for both basic users and gamers, it is not the best chipset by MediaTek but it is one of the most powerful ones. These two devices also feature the same memory configurations, with up to 12 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of UFS 3.1 native storage. They run Android 12 out of the box customized by ColorOS 12.1 and Funtouch OS 12, respectively.
Camera
The rear cameras of the Vivo V25 Pro look more convincing. It features a triple rear camera composed of a 64 MP main sensor with OIS, a 12 MP ultrawide lens with a FOV of 120 degrees, and a 2 MP macro camera. The rear cameras support 4K video recording at 30 fps, while the front camera has a 32 MP resolution and supports 4K video recording at 30 fps as well. The OPPO Reno8 5G has a triple rear camera composed of a 50 MP main sensor, an 8 MP ultrawide lens, and a 2 MP macro camera. The front camera is a 32 MP snapper with 1080p video recording.
The Vivo V25 Pro is the king of battery life here because it sports a bigger 4830 mAh battery. On the other hand, the smaller battery of the OPPO Reno8 5G supports 80W fast charging, which is a faster charging technology. But it has a capacity of just 4500 mAh and, given that these two phones have the same processor, the battery life will be shorter in most of the scenarios.
Price
You need at least $400/€393 in order to purchase the OPPO Reno8 5G in India, while the starting price of the Vivo V25 Pro roughly translates into $432/€440. Unfortunately, the V25 Pro has limited availability, while the Reno8 5G is going to be available almost everywhere in the global market as it will launch in Europe soon.
The Vivo V25 Pro wins the comparison due to its better display, superior camera, and bigger battery. But the Reno8 features a more interesting design, faster charging, and a better operating system.
OPPO Reno8 5G Global vs Vivo V25 Pro: PRO and CONS
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