GPD XP Plus Android Gaming Handheld Launched; Pre-orders Start Today

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Jun 1, 2022

After announcing the GPD XP Plus back in early April 2022, GPD has finally opened pre-orders for the GPD XP Plus, the company’s Steam Deck competitor running on the Android operating system, in both the Chinese market (via JD.com) and the global market (via Indiegogo).

gpd xp plus promo 1 — GPD XP Plus. Source: GPD

Let’s start with pricing and availability. The GPD XP Plus will be available for sale in 4 purchase options in China and their pricing is as follows:

6GB + 128GB：1999 RMB (299 USD)
6GB + 256GB：2199 RMB (329 USD)
6GB + 128GB + Protective Case：2049 RMB (307 USD)
6GB + 256GB + Protective Case：2249 RMB (337 USD)

Meanwhile, for global buyers, you can purchase directly from GPD’s Indiegogo listing. The listing includes two purchase options and their prices (shipping included) are:

6GB + 128GB：2660 HKD (339 USD)
6GB + 256GB：2936 HKD (375 USD)

For those who are not familiar with GPD, the company is a Shenzhen-based startup in the gaming handheld market. The brand broke out into the market in 2020 and it is most known for its best-sellers such as its GPD Win 3, and GPD XP, which received positive reception among both Western and Asian audiences, as well as tech and gaming enthusiast crowds too.

The GPD XP Plus is the successor to the original GPD XP launched back in November 2021. For the essentials, the GPD XP Plus features a 6.81-inch HD screen on the front, dual stereo speakers, and a large 7000mAh battery.

The GPD XP Plus features a more powerful flagship MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chip under the hood, compared to the MediaTek Helio G95 found on the original GPD XP. The new Dimensity 1200 SoC features MediaTek’s HyperEngine 3.0 software technology which GPD claims enhances the gaming performance to 2.5 times more than the Qualcomm flagship Snapdragon 845 chipset.

Besides the upgraded processor, the GPD XP Plus now also features faster memory as well with 6GB of LPDDR4X 4266Mbps RAM and equipped with 128GB/256GB of UFS 3.1 storage, which promises more than 3 times the read and write speeds of UFS 2.1 on the previous generation.

Another upgrade of the gaming handheld is its USB-C port which is slated to feature HDMI DisplayPort 1.2 and faster charging as the company plans to include a 65W charger in the package.

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(Source 1, Source 2)

Giztop 6.18 Sale on Smartphones, Tablets, Laptops and Other Gadgets is now Live (Coupon)

By

Daily Deals

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Jun 1, 2022

Great news for all tech lovers. Giztop has launched the 618 Sale for all global customers. Under this sale, you can avail a flat 5% discount on any and every product on their website by using the coupon code: 2022618. This coupon is applicable to all products available on Giztop including smartphones, smart bands, tablets, earbuds, laptops, and more. Please note that the sale ends on 18 June 2022.

The highlighting factor of this sale is the availability of the latest and best gadgets from the market. Under this sale, Giztop is offering limited edition smartphones like Realme GT Neo 3 Naruto Edition, Redmi Note 11T Pro Plus – Astro Boy Edition, etc. You can also find the latest flagship phones like OPPO Find N, VIVO X Fold, OnePlus 9 RT, etc at discounted prices.

For gaming enthusiasts, Giztop has a range of products including gaming smartphones from top brands like BlackShark, Asus ROG, Lenovo Legion, Nubia Red Magic, and more. Apart from phones they also have a range of gaming products like consoles, triggers, gamepads, coolers, etc. So if you are a gaming enthusiast be sure to check out the 618 sale offers on gaming products at Giztop.

The 618 Sale is one of the biggest sale offered by Giztop in 2022. So be sure to check out their website and avail the benefits of the deals offered under the sale. Please note that the sale ends on 18 June 2022. So place your orders before the deal expires.

For more information on such exciting deals and offers check out our deals hub.

Amazfit GTS 2 New Version launched in India priced at Rs. 10,999 ($142)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 1, 2022

Amazfit has now unveiled its GTS 2 (new version) in India essentially retaining the features of the earlier model. Two-color variants have been added to the Amazfit GTS namely pink and black.

The Amazfit GTS 2 (new version) has a 1.65-inch AMOLED screen and it is priced at Rs. 10,999 (~$142) in India. It will be available from June 5 via Amazfit’s website and Amazon India.

The original Amazfit GTS 2 was launched in India in 2020. The AMOLED screen has 3D Corning Gorilla Glass protection with an anti-fingerprint coating. The smart wearable has over 90 Sports Modes, as well as features activity tracking and sleep monitoring.

Heart rate, distance, calorie count, and step count are some of the activity features. Different levels of sleep monitoring can also be measured by the Amazfit GTS 2. Some of the important sensors available are the BioTracker, blood-Oxygen, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, and Ambient Light sensors. Geomagnetic and Air Pressure sensors are also available in the GTS 2.

The Amazfit GTS 2 has an aluminum alloy body that offers 5ATM water resistance. Connectivity is via Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi, and GPS. The Amazfit GTS 2 also supports Bluetooth calling, while it has 3GB of internal storage. The Amazfit GTS 2 is compatible with Alexa voice assistant and comes with a 246mAh battery. The battery can deliver up to 6 days of normal activity.

The Amazfit GTS 2 (New Version) is originally priced at Rs. 11,999 (~$155). The discounted price of Rs. 10,999 (~$142) is only available on the first day of its release. The new Amazfit GTS 2 berths in India on June 5 via Amazon India, as earlier mentioned.

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Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro official renders & specs leaked

By

Sudhanshu

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Jun 1, 2022

Last week, the Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro 2 aka the Galaxy XCover6 Pro was spotted on the Bluetooth SIG certification website. Now, the official renders along with the full specification list have emerged online.

Tipster Onleaks in collaboration with Giznext has leaked the smartphone in its entirety. The leaked renders showcase the device from every angle.

Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro — Image via Giznext

On the back, the smartphone has two camera cutouts with an LED flash. On the right side, the device houses the volume rocker and power button while the left side has a large button with a red outline whose functionality is unknown. The bottom of the device has a speaker grill and USB-C port while the audio jack is on the top side.

The rugged phone seems to have a hard plastic frame for increased durability and the back panel has textured verticle lines to make the device more grippy. Other than that, the device is revealed to measure 169 x 80 x 10mm and weigh 235 grams.

Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro specs

Coming to the specifications leak, the report states that the smartphone will come with a 6.6-inch TFT display with 1080 x 2408 pixels FHD+ resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. It will have thick bezels and a dew-drop notch to house the front camera.

Under the hood, the smartphone will come powered by the 5G enabled Snapdragon 778G chipset and will combine it with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. On the software front, the XCover6 Pro will run Android 12-based One UI out of the box. The device is also said to have a 4,050 mAh battery however, the fast charging capability is still under wraps.

For optics, the device will have a 50-megapixel main camera paired with an ultrawide sensor of 8-megapixel or 12-megapixel resolution. On the front, it will feature a 13-megapixel snapper for selfies and video calls.

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OPPO to launch a new K series 5G smartphone next week in India

By

Sudhanshu

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Jun 1, 2022

Back in March, OPPO launched the K10 smartphone in India. The device is drastically different from the OPPO K10 launched in China as the Indian variant is an affordable 4G device.

Now, tipster Mukul Sharma has revealed that the company has a new K series device in the pipeline for India which will come with 5G connectivity and is likely to debut as soon as next week. Sharma has also shared the render of the device in Black and Blue colors. The render reveals that the smartphone has flat edges, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and two camera bumps protruding from the camera island.

The device could very well be a Pro variant of the previously launched K10 or the OPPO K10x which was spotted last month on TENAA. The OPPO K10x is essentially a rebranded Realme V25 5G, so let’s take a look at what we can expect from the smartphone.

OPPO K10x specifications (expected)

Being a rebranded Realme V25 5G, the K10x will likely come with a 6.6-inch LCD display with a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and 120Hz refresh rate.

Under the hood, it will likely bring the 5G enabled Snapdragon 695 chipset, paired with either 6GB or 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB or 256GB of UFS 2.2 internal storage.

For optics, we can expect the smartphone to come with a triple camera setup consisting of a 64-megapixel primary camera paired with a 2-megapixel macro lens and a 2-megapixel B&W lens. Other than that, the smartphone was spotted on TENAA with a 4,880mAh (rated capacity) battery pack. It will likely bring 33W fast charging support. It is unclear if the upcoming OPPO smartphone for the Indian market is indeed the K10x, so we advise our readers to stay tuned for further developments.

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Sennheiser TV Clear ANC earbuds can pair with your TV without Bluetooth

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 1, 2022

Sennheiser has announced a new pair of earbuds that can operate as TV headphones as well as a smartphone headset. The Sennheiser TV Clear offers some functionality that will excite a segment of the market.

The Sennheiser TV Clear will be able to seamlessly switch from TV to making a call via your phone or listening to music. The TV Clear is able to maintain a Bluetooth connection even while connected to the TV. It provides the opportunity for users to listen to audio from their TVs privately. It has been noted that there are only a few options before now that capture TV audio listening and calls.

The Sennheiser TV Clear will come with a dedicated wireless transmitter that can be connected to the TV’s audio output. The wireless transmitter creates a low-latency wireless link with the TV Clear earbuds. This innovative connectivity approach offers improvements from using Bluetooth in traditional TWS earbuds.

Up to 20dB amplification is provided in five speech clarity levels. The user can also set the volume levels of the earbuds themselves. Sennheiser says that an app will provide touch control support as well as help in discovering missing earbuds. This will be accomplished by the Find My Earbuds feature in the app.

The Sennheiser TV Clear supports noise cancellation. However, it also has a transparency mode that allows environmental sound to be heard. Sennheiser says that the TV Clear can deliver up to 15 hours of TV listening. This can be extended to 37 hours using the charging case.

It is expected that the TV Clear will deliver higher listening times when used with a phone singly. Sennheiser also did not provide expected usage time when TV listening is combined with phone use. The Sennheiser TV Clear will be released later this summer and it will cost $400.

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Razer Barracuda & Barracuda Pro gaming headsets released, starting at $159.99

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jun 1, 2022

Razer has released two new gaming headsets to join its 2021 Barracuda X headset. The new Barracuda and Barracuda Pro gaming headsets are priced at $159.99 and $249.99 respectively. The two models come with dual wireless connectivity via Bluetooth and a USB-C dongle. The Razer Barracuda and Barracuda Pro are available for US customers. Availability in other markets will follow subsequently.

The Razer Barracuda and Barracuda Pro gaming headsets are refreshed versions of the Barracuda X and offer an excellent audio output. The USB-C dongle offers wireless connectivity speeds up to 2.4GHz.

The Barracuda Pro model offers active noise cancellation (ANC) using its beamforming microphones. The Pro model also features THX Achromatic audio amplifier at the heart of its high-quality sound output. Unlike the woven fabric in other models, the Barracuda Pro’s exquisite leatherette earpads are very comfortable.

Unlike the Barracuda X model with 40mm drivers, the new Razer gaming headsets have 50mm drivers. Razer’s SmartSwitch Dual Wireless technology enables simultaneous connectivity with two input devices. It also allows a seamless switch between the two devices using touch control. A few products in the market have the capability of playing audio simultaneously from two devices.

Razer says the two new headsets are well-suited for gaming. Razer also says that the bio-cellulose drivers in the Barracuda Pro reduce harmonic distortion. The other features available in the models will further help to accentuate the gamer’s overall audio experience. The Barracuda and Barracuda Pro are available from Razer’s official website.

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RedmiBook 15 is Coming to Malaysia on June 6

By

Leo Wong De Quan

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Jun 1, 2022

Xiaomi is the globally renowned smartphone company that currently sits among the Top 3 best-selling smartphone brands in the world. However, the brand in its home country, China also sells IoT smart home products, tablets and even notebook laptops for the general consumers, and with the brand’s affordable, these products always propose a high value-for-performance ratio for the buyers.

Today, the Xiaomi brand has brought great news to Malaysian shores, as on its official Xiaomi Malaysia Facebook account, the company revealed that it will be launching the RedmiBook 15, the company’s first-ever laptop in the country, next week on June 6th, 2022.

Xiaomi RedmiBook 15 Launch Date — Source: Xiaomi Malaysia

The announcement post did not reveal any other details besides the launch date, but with a simple reverse Google Image search, we were able to track down that from the marketing materials, the RedmiBook 15 that is launching in Malaysia is the same RedmiBook 15 that was launched back in Indonesia last year in July 2021.

The RedmiBook 15 launched in Indonesia came with Intel’s 11th Gen SuperFinCore i3-1115G4 which was built on Intel’s 10nm SuperFin part process. The i3 processor is unfortunately just a dual-core processor with 4 threads.

The screen of the RedmiBook 15 is a 15.6-inch FHD IPS LCD Display that has a 720p webcam housed above it. The device is housed within a thin and lightweight metal chassis, that only weighs in at 1.8 kilograms and 19.9 millimetres.

The RedmiBook 15 has a 46Wh battery that Xiaomi claims can deliver up to 10 hours of battery life. Unfortunately, the laptop does not charge via USB-C. Instead, a barrel-plug charger is included in the box.

Ports and connectivity-wise, the RedmiBook 15 only supports the older WiFi 5 standard and has one HDMI port, 2 USB 3.0 connectors, one Ethernet port, one USB 2.0 connector, one 3.5 mm headphone jack and one SD card reader.

The RedmiBook 15 comes in with 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and two storage options: a 256GB SATA SSD or a faster 512GB NVME SSD.

Pricing of the RedmiBook 15 is to be revealed in Malaysia on the launch day, June 6th.

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(Source)

Realme Pad X Indian launch tipped for June, color & storage variants revealed

By

Sudhanshu

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Jun 1, 2022

Last week, Realme launched a new tablet in the Chinese market dubbed the Realme Pad X. The tablet was later teased to launch in India, however, no specific date or launch timeline was revealed.

Now, a 91mobiles report has revealed the launch timeline, colors, and storage options of the Indian variant of the tablet. According to the report, the Realme Pad X will launch in India in the first half of June. The slate will come in three color variants namely Glacier Blue, Racing Green, and Glowing Grey. Coming to the storage options, Realme will offer the tablet in two configurations: 4GB RAM and 64GB storage and 6GB RAM and 128GB storage.

Realme Pad X Specs

The Pad X comes with an 11-inch LCD display offering 2K resolution. The panel is capable of 450 nits peak brightness, DC dimming, and 16.7 million colors.

The slate is powered by a Snapdragon 695 chipset which brings along the Adreno 619 GPU. As mentioned above, the tablet will come with up to 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. The tablet offers WiFi and Bluetooth for connectivity and boots Realme UI 3.0 for Pad based on Android 12.

For optics, the Pad X has a 13-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel 105° front-facing front camera. It offers a big 8,340mAh battery with 33W fast charging and has Stylus support. Other features include a quad-speaker setup with Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res Audio and software features like PC Connect, split-view, and Apple’s center stage-like functionality on the front camera.

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Redmi K50i spotted on BIS certification, Indian launch imminent

By

Sudhanshu

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Jun 1, 2022

Last month, a report surfaced stating that the Redmi Note 11T Pro and Note 11T Pro+ will be rebranded as Redmi K50i and K50i Pro. The devices are also said to come with the POCO X4 GT and X4 GT Pro moniker in the global market.

Now, tipster Mukul Sharma has spotted the Indian variant of the Note 11T Pro aka the Redmi K50i. The listing reveals that the smartphone has model number 22041216I.

Redmi Note 11T Pro specs

As the device has already been launched in China, we know all of its specifications. The smartphone comes with a 6.6-inch Full HD+ LCD panel with 120Hz refresh rate and 650nits peak brightness. The panel also has Display Mate certification and offers Dolby Vision.

Under the hood, the smartphone houses a MediaTek Dimensity 8100 processor and brings the Mali G610 GPU. The chipset is coupled with up to 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of UFS3.1 storage. The device boots Android 12-based MIUI 13 out of the box.

For optics, the Note 11T Pro+ will feature a triple camera setup on the rear. It consists of a 64-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL GW1 primary sensor that features a 1/1.72 sensor size to let more light in and a 1.6μm pixel size. The primary camera is paired with an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 2-megapixel macro lens.

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Oppo Reno 8 Pro comes with these 3 notable upgrades

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 1, 2022

The Oppo Reno 8 Pro recently went official in China alongside the Oppo Reno 8 and the Oppo Reno 8 Pro Plus. Apart from a new design, the smartphone also comes with a few upgrades. Let’s take a look at these improvements in this article.

The Oppo Reno 8 Pro is here six months after the announcement of the Oppo Reno 7 Pro. Within this short period, the company has managed to introduce some upgrades that are worth noting.

The first major difference between the two phones is their design, But we are not going to discuss that here. Instead, let’s talk about the features that set them apart.

Oppo Reno 8 Pro: 3 Notable Upgrades

Larger and Brighter Display

The Oppo Reno 8 Pro flaunts a 6.62-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and up to a 120Hz refresh rate. This panel supports up to a 360Hz touch sampling rate and 1300 nits peak brightness.

Whereas, the Oppo Reno 7 Pro has a smaller 6.55-inch AMOLED display with the same resolution. Further, the screen on this phone only supports up to a 90Hz refresh rate, 180Hz touch sampling rate, and 920 nits peak brightness.

Brand New Chipset

The Oppo Reno 8 Pro is the world’s first smartphone powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 SoC. This chipset is accompanied by the company’s in-house MariSilicon X ISP chip for image processing.

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 includes an octa-core CPU comprising of new Cortex-A710 and Cortex-A510 cores. For the unaware, these ARM cores are the successors of Cortex-A78 and Cortex-A55 present in the Mediatek Dimensity 1200 SoC that powers the Oppo Reno 7 Pro.

Faster Charging

The 65W charging on the Oppo Reno 7 Pro 5G is fast enough for most people. On the Oppo Reno 8 Pro, the charging is even faster at 80W.

Anyway, the overall charging time from 1%-100% is still 31 minutes. It’s that the new model can reach 1%-45% in just 10 minutes.

Which one of these three improvements do you prefer the most? Do let us know in the comment section below.

Apple Watch patent reveals a built-in camera integrated in Digital Crown but there’s a catch

By

Viraj Gawde

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Jun 1, 2022

Apple Watch is one of the most popular smartwatches in the market and sets the bar for wearables. As per Counterpoint Research, Apple led the market with a 36 percent share in the first quarter of 2022. Now a patent spotted by iMore publication reveals that the Apple Watch could come with a built-in camera in the future.

The patent was published on the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) The image of the patent gives us an idea of how Apple will plan to add a camera in to the smartwatch.

Apple aims to put the camera lens inside the Digital Crown button. The latter is located on the right side of the device. The lens of the camera could be integrated within the aperture and/or behind the aperture of the dial so that it can focus on the subject. This will enable users to capture images by extending their arm with the Digital Crown facing toward the subject. It’s worth noting that there is a catch here i.e. people who prefer wearing a watch on their right hand would have the camera facing themselves. Hence, the user will be required to wear the device on the left hand so that the lens inside Digital Crown faces the opposite direction. It will be interesting to see how Apple tackles this issue.

It’s also worth noting that patents don’t often materialise in to actual products. The Apple Watch with a camera lens does sound interesting and futuristic. However, don’t expect it to arrive soon and definitely not on this year’s Apple Watch Series 8.

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Asus ROG Phone 6 Launches Globally on July 5th

By

Leo Wong De Quan

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Jun 1, 2022

A few weeks ago, Asus had teased that the brand’s upcoming ROG Phone 6 gaming smartphone series will be the world’s first gaming smartphones to feature Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 flagship SoC.

And today in June 2022, the company has confirmed that the ROG Phone 6 series global launch event will be held in Taiwan virtually on July 5th. The virtual launch event will be live-streamed online, and users can tune in to the launch at 8 pm Taipei Time (UTC +8) / 2 pm Berlin Time (UTC +2) / 8 am New York Time (UTC -8).

ROG Phone 6 Global Launch — Source: Asus ROG Global

In the announcement posted on Twitter, the ROG Global account had also mentioned that besides launching the ROG Phone 6 series, the brand will also be announcing several new gaming accessories and a set of new gaming headphones from the company on June 7th, which is great news for those immersed in Asus’ Republic of Gamers ecosystem.

The Asus ROG Phone 6 series is the successor to last year’s ROG Phone 5 series, which consisted of 3 models in the lineup – the standard ROG Phone 5, the ROG Phone 5 Pro and the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate. All the 3 devices were powered by last year’s Snapdragon 888 SoC.

This year, Asus is also expected to launch the ROG Phone 6 series in 3 models as well which will be the standard ROG Phone 6, ROG Phone 6 Pro and ROG Phone 6 Ultimate, where all 3 devices will be powered by the same flagship Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC.

Asus ROG Phone 6 Launch Teaser — Source: Asus ROG Global

The reason why the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC is so highly anticipated is that compared to the original Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, the new Snapdragon 8+ has both better performance and better power efficiency than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.

By switching over from Samsung to TSMC, Qualcomm has improved CPU performance by 10% and GPU performance by 10% for the Snapdragon 8+. Qualcomm has even managed to improve power efficiency by up to 30% for the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, meaning that the chipset consumes less power overall, leading to improved thermals and improved battery life, in addition to the performance gains that the new chipset brings.

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(Source)

Apple moves its iPad production from China to Vietnam due to supply chain shortages

By

Viraj Gawde

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Jun 1, 2022

Apple is shifting its iPad production to Vietnam from China. Publication Nikkei Asia claims that this is the first time ever the Cupertino based giant has done this. Ever since COVID-19 along with lockdowns came into existence, China has been facing mass factory closures. This has caused supply chain disruptions for many OEMs.

Around half of Apple’s main suppliers are around the Shanghai region. COVID-related restrictions have resulted in shortages and logistic delays causing the iPad production to be hit. The company is reportedly working to resolve the issue. China’s BYD, a leading iPad assembler helped Apple build production lines in Vietnam and can soon start manufacturing tablets there. The Cupertino-based tech giant has also suggested multiple components suppliers (especially in lockdown affected areas) to stock up their inventories against future shortages and supply chain issues.

Apple has also requested suppliers to build component supplies for the brand’s all products including iPhones, iPads, AirPods, and MacBooks. This will ensure supply continuity over the next few months.

A report by Nikkei in January 2021 stated that Apple long considered manufacturing iPads outside China but a sudden surge in COVID-19 cases in Vietnam delayed the company’s plans.

The iPad will become the second major Apple product to be made in Vietnam after the company’s AirPods. The move hints at Apple’s continuous efforts at diversifying its supply chains as well as the importance of Vietnam to the company.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 key specs tipped, same device with bigger battery & new chip

By

Sudhanshu

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Jun 1, 2022

Samsung‘s next-generation foldable phones are said to debut in August this year. These are said to be the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Earlier this week, the entire spec sheet of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 was leaked by tipster Yogesh Brar. Now, Brar has tweeted out key specifications of the Galaxy Z Flip 4.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 specs (rumored)

According to Yogesh Brar, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 will have a 6.7-inch Full HD+ sAMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. The outer display on the other hand is said to have a 2.1-inch sAMOLED panel.

Under the hood, the device will come with the recently launched Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. It was previously spotted on the Geekbench database with SM-F721U model number, rocking the SD8+ Gen 1 chipset along with 8GB RAM and an Android 12-based operating system. The tipster states that the flip smartphone will come in 128GB and 256GB storage options.

Coming to optics, the device is said to have a dual-camera setup on the rear. This includes a 12-megapixel primary camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. For selfies, the device will feature a 10-megapixel sensor. The camera setup of the device looks pretty similar to the current-gen Galaxy Z Fold 3 which comes with a similar 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel camera setup and also has a 10-megapixel selfie snapper.

One notable upgrade other than the chipset will be the battery, which is said to have a 3,700mAh capacity and 25W fast charging. This is a sizable upgrade of 400mAh over the current generation, and the fast charging has also jumped up from 15W to 25W. Other than that, the tipster revealed that the device will also include 10W fast charging.

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Samsung continues to collaborate with Google on the 2nd Generation Tensor SoC: Report

By

Anurag

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Jun 1, 2022

Samsung is once again working with Google to create the next 2nd Generation Tensor SoC that will be underpinned in the upcoming Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, as per a report. The upcoming Pixel phones are expected to be launched later this year.

Naver News, citing sources, has reported that Samsung is collaborating with Google to create the Tensor 2 SoC and the South Korean tech giant will begin mass-producing Google’s second-generation Tensor chipset on the 4nm process from June. The Tensor 2 chip will power the Pixel 7 series which is expected to be released in October.

It is to be noted that Samsung Electronics also manufactured the first-generation tensor chip used in the Pixel 6 series. It will also power the Pixel 6a, which will launch in July. The previous Tensor chip was made using a 5nm process, however, the second-generation tensor is said to be made using Samsung’s 4nm approach.

The report also mentions that the chip will be manufactured using panel-level packaging (PLP) technology. “PLP is a packaging technique in which chips cut from a wafer are placed on a rectangular panel. It is possible to minimize the discarded edges, thereby reducing cost and improving productivity,” as per the report.

Samsung has already supplied Google with DRAM and NAND flash components, as well as the chipsets used in Waymo’s autonomous vehicles. The company is also said to be in talks with Google to create chips for additional purposes, such as Google’s own server processors.

As mentioned, the Google Pixel 7 series is going to launch later this year. The smartphones will feature the same display as the previous generation models and run Android 13 out of the box. The smartphones feature a bar-shaped rear camera module made of aluminum.

Related:

Apple ranked third in gaming revenue, beating Microsoft & Nintendo

By

Sean

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Jun 1, 2022

A new report has revealed the rankings of companies within the gaming industry in terms of revenue. Interesting enough, Apple managed to achieve the third spot in the list, beating a number of other brands that focus on gaming.

The news arrives from NewZoo, with their analysts sharing the list of top 10 public game companies that collectively generated 126 billion US Dollars in 2021. In this segment, the Cupertino based giant managed to rank third with an estimated 15.3 billion US Dollars in revenue from games throughout 2021. This marks an increase of 17.7 percent year on year.

Tencent took the throne in the ranking, with the company owning popular titles like “League of Legends” and “PUBG Mobile.” Overall, the Chinese brand bringing in 32.2 billion US Dollars in 2021, with a 9.9 percent rise over the previous year. Sony took second spot in the list with an 18.2 billion US Dollars in revenue, although it saw a 2.3 percent decline year on year. This marks an impressive milestone for Apple in gaming, since it beat other companies like Microsoft and Nintendo.

These two firms even focus on offering gaming consoles as well, so its impressive how far the iPhone maker reached with its ecosystem of mobile products. Notably, this listing will likely shift in 2022 considering major acquisitions were made earlier this year. This includes Sony’s deal to buy Destiny developer Bungie while Microsoft has made a multi billion dollar deal with Activision/Blizzard.

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TikTok might soon be returning to India, ByteDance seeks new partners

By

Sean

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Jun 1, 2022

TikTok is apparently planning on returning to the Indian market. ByteDance, the parent company of the social media platform, is seeking new partners in India to re-enter the region.

For those unaware, the popular short video sharing platform was banned by the Indian government back in 2020. The government cited national security reasons for this ban and since then, TikTok has been unavailable in the region. But this might change soon as per an ET news report that cited sources close to the matter. Reportedly, the Chinese firm is in talks with Hiranandani Group for a partnership. This group is a Mumbai based firm that runs data center operations under the Yotta Infrastructure Solutions.

Apparently, the two groups are in talks and are at the exploratory stages. Although, the sources added that the union government officials have been informally details about these plans. Furthermore, a senior government official has apparently stated that “there have been no formal talks with us yet. But, we have been informed of the plans. As and when they come to us for approvals, we will examine their request.”

One of the reasons for TikTok being banned in India was due to the uncertainty regarding the storage of user data and its storage. Thus the government official stated that “Critical user data should not be stored outside India. All apps and websites have either made provisions to store data locally or are making necessary changes to their data storage and processing policies. If they (Tiktok) come back, they will have to follow these norms.”

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Redmi Note 11T Pro flaunts one of the best LCD screens in its segment — Here’s Why

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jun 1, 2022

Recently, Redmi launched the Redmi Note 11T Pro series in China. The lineup consists of two models — Redmi Note 11T Pro and Redmi Note 11T Pro Plus.

Both the phones are almost identical. They only differ in terms of battery capacity, charging speed, and memory configurations.

However, today, we are not here to talk about their dissimilarities. Instead, we want to focus on their displays.

Why the Redmi Note 11T Pro series features an LCD panel?

The Redmi Note 11T Pro series sports an LCD screen. The handsets sacrifice an OLED display for a better processor – the Mediatek Dimensity 8100 SoC, which is found in phones more expensive than its price segment.

This is not the first time Redmi has used a similar strategy. The Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G (China) also lacked an OLED panel for the sake of a Mediatek Dimensity 1300 SoC.

Whereas, the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G series (China) flaunts an OLED display. However, they are powered by a less powerful, mid-range Mediatek Dimensity 920 chip.

This is part of the new strategy laid out by Redmi last year, which involves releasing two Redmi Note lineups each year. One of them focuses on experience and the other on performance.

Going by the specs, one can clearly see that the Redmi Note 11T Pro series is all about performance. But there’s more to this phone than sheer performance. It also comes with one of the best LCD panels on a smartphone, at least on paper.

Redmi Note 11T Pro Series Display Specifications

The Redmi Note 11T Pro and the Redmi Note 11T Pro Plus arrive with a 6.6-inch LCD panel. The screen has a centered punch hole and a 20:5:9 aspect ratio with a resolution of 2460 x 1080 pixels (FHD+) and up to a 144Hz refresh rate.

The display’s refresh rate automatically switches between 30Hz, 48Hz, 50Hz, and 60Hz during video playback. While gaming, it switches between 60Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz, and 144Hz.

Further, the panel features 2047 dimming levels and supports DC dimming as well as the DCI-P3 color gamut. Redmi even claims a color accuracy of ΔE≈0.44 in professional mode and JNCD≈0.36 in standard mode. For the unaware, even the 2K OLED display on the Redmi K50 series has the same color accuracy.

If that’s not enough, this smartphone display is one of the few to have support for Dolby Vision (in addition to HDR10) and hardware level low blue light mode, as well as auto color temperature mode. Most importantly, it is the only LCD panel to get an A+ rating from DisplayMate.

Going by the on-paper specs, we could only find three drawbacks of this screen. The screen only supports up to a 270Hz touch sampling rate and being an LCD panel, its contrast ratio and peak brightness are low at 1400:1 and 650 nits respectively.

Is the Redmi Note 11T Pro series’ display as good as the brand claims?

Unfortunately, we don’t have the answer for it right now. But you can expect our opinion once our review goes live in the coming days.

But for now, we can say that LCD panels on smartphones are not bad as most people would like you to believe. Recently, we reviewed the Oneplus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G, whose LCD screen turned out to be much better than we had anticipated.

Similarly, we did not have any issue with the LCD screen on the Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G. You won’t get deep blacks and more brightness in HDR videos. But that’s about it when it comes to the drawbacks, as other parameters are mostly comparable with an OLED display.

OPPO Reno 8 India variant’s configurations, color options tipped ahead of launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Jun 1, 2022

OPPO is expected to launch the Reno 8 series of smartphones this month (June) in India. The lineup may include two models: the Reno 8 and the Reno 8 Pro. A recent leak by tipster Paras Guglani revealed that the Reno 8 Pro+ and Reno 8 Pro, which debuted in China last month (May), will be rebadged as Reno 8 Pro and Reno 8 in India. The tipster is back with key details of the Reno 8’s Indian variant.

According to the tipster, the Reno 8 will be arriving in two configurations, such as 8GB RAM + 128GB storage and 8GB RAM + 256GB storage, in India. The device will have support for 7 5G bands. The leak also mentions that it will arrive in Shimmer Black and Blue colors in the country.

OPPO-Reno8-Pro — China’s Reno 8 Pro may debut as Reno 8 in India

Other reports surrounding the Reno 8’s Indian variant suggest that it could be arriving as India’s first phone powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 mobile platform. The Reno 8 for India is likely to feature a 6.62-inch AMOLED display that offers a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. For security, it may feature a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

It may come with a 32-megapixel front camera, and a rear camera setup featuring a 50-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 2-megapixel macro snapper. It may run on Android 12 OS and ColorOS 12.1.

The SDG71 powered device may feature up to 12 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of storage. It may house a 4,500mAh battery that supports 80W fast charging. It is likely that the Reno 8 duo may go official by mid-June in India.

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