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Sony LinkBuds S release date and pricing leaked ahead of launch

A new leak has revealed that Sony is already working on the successor of the LinkBuds truly wireless earbuds. Apparently, the launch of the new earbuds is just around the corner and it is called the LinkBuds S.

The news arrives from a known tipster Jon Prosser who shared the news on Twitter. Reportedly, the new wireless earphones from the Japanese tech giant is set to be unveiled on the 18th of May 2022. Furthermore, he is expecting the brand to announce its flagship Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones a few days prior on May 12. As of right now, there is not a lot of information available regarding the LinkBuds S earbuds.

Although, it is rumored to come with a design that is different from the previously launched LinkBuds TWS. In other words, it won’t feature the unique hole in the center of the earbuds and will come with a closed design with a round vent near the ear canal that will allow sound to pass through. Jon Prosser further leaked the pricing for these upcoming earbuds. As per the tweet, the company is planning on launching the LinkBuds S for around 199 US Dollars.

This also means that it is priced slightly higher than the previously launched LinkBuds TWS earbuds. So, we can expect the newer model to offer improved specifications or better features overall. Unfortunately, this is all the information we have at the moment, so stay tuned for more, as we will be covering the launch of the upcoming Sony audio products.

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ZTE launches new AX3000 Xuntian Edition Router & 2.5K Smart Camera in China

Earlier today (9th May 2022), ZTE hosted the Axon 40 Pro and Axon 40 Ultra launch event in China. Apart from the new Axon 40 series of smartphones. During this event, the company also announced other new gadgets as well, which includes a new WiFi Router and a Smart Camera.

ZTE

Talking about the new router first, the Chinese brand launched the new AX3000 Xuntian Edition Router. The new WiFi router is equipped with the company’s proprietary third generation dual core chipset. This processor comes with a 25 percent increase in performance and lower power consumption as well. It supports 160MHz bandwidth, 3,000Mbps rate, and adopts a 4+1 five antenna design that can cover a large apartment easily thanks to its 100 to 120 square meters coverage.

Furthermore, it is also equipped with a Gigabit Ethernet port and supports EasyMesh one click networking as well. It is priced at 289 Yuan (roughly 43 US Dollars) and will go on sale later this month. For those unaware, Xuntian is also known as the Chinese Survey Space Telescope or the Chinese Space Station Telescope. So in other words, the router is basically named after a space telescope.

ZTE

Apart from the router, ZTE has also launched a new smart camera that is built for home security. The new smart camera can record in low light with full color and also supports ultra clear infrared night vision. Notably, it even supports 24 hours high definition monitoring as well. One of the highlighting aspects of the new Xiaoxing Patronus Gimbal is that it can record in 2.5K resolution. The security camera is priced at 229 Yuan (roughly 34 US Dollars).

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ZTE Axon 40 Ultra launched as world’s first Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 phone with under-display camera

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra has gone official today. It is the world’s first Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 powered smartphone to come equipped with an under-display camera. It is a premium flagship that sports a curved edge display on the front and three 64-megapixel cameras on the back. Apart from announcing the Axon 40 Ultra, the company also took the covers off the Axon 40 Pro, which features a 144Hz display and Snapdragon 870. Here is all the information on the specifications, features, and pricing of the Axon 40 Ultra.

Design and Display

The Axon 40 Ultra measures 163.2 x 73.5 x 8.4mm and weighs around 204 grams. One of the major highlights of the device is its front design. Its OLED panel does not have a punch-hole or a notch because it is equipped with an under-display camera. In addition, the screen flaunts extremely curved edges with a 71-degree curvature.

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra Camera

The device has a 6.81-inch AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution of 2480 x 1116 pixels, a refresh rate of 120Hz, a 100 percent DCI-P3 color gamut, 10-bit colors, and 400 ppi pixel density, even in the area where the under-display selfie camera is placed.For security, it has an in-display fingerprint sensor.

Specifications

The Axon 40 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform. The SoC is paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 1TB of UFS 3.1 storage. The Axon flagship runs on the Android 12 OS with the MiFavor UI on top.

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra render
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra

The Axon 40 Ultra gets a 5,000mAh battery with 80W fast charging support. The device lacks support for wireless charging. For heat dissipation, it has VC liquid cooling unit, which occupies 36,356mm2 area inside the device.

Some of the other features of the flagship phone include dual speakers with DTS Ultra support and an X-axis linear motor. On the connectivity front, it offers dual-SIM support, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, dual-frequency GPS, NFC, and a USB-C port.

Cameras

The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra has a 16-megapixel under-display selfie with 2.24μm large pixels. The third-generation under-screen camera technology is equipped with an independent pixel driver, a distributed transparent circuit, and a dedicated UDC Pro screen display chip. The Axon 40 Ultra promises topnotch selfies like the front cameras of other flagship phones.

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra cameras
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra

The rear camera setup of the Axon 40 Ultra has an OIS-enabled 64-megapixel Sony IMX787 primary with full-pixel omnidirectional autofocus. It is assisted by a 64-megapixel Sony IMX787 ultrawide camera and an OIS-enabled 64-megapixel telephoto periscope camera. The rear camera setup is assisted by a flicker sensor, a ToF sensor, and a tri-microphone setup for audio zoom and audio recognition. All three 64-megapixel cameras of the Axon 40 Ultra are capable of shooting 8K resolution videos.

Pricing and Availability

Here is the pricing of the four variants of the Axon 40 Ultra

  • 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage – 4,998 Yuan (~$743)
  • 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage – 5,298 Yuan (~$788)
  • 12 GB RAM + 512 GB storage – 5,798 Yuan (~$862)
  • 16 GB RAM + 1 TB storage – 7,298 Yuan (~$1,085)

The pre-sale of the phone started in China. Its first sale will be held at 10 AM (local time) on May 13. It comes in two colors such as black and silver colors. There is no word on whether the device will be ever made available in markets outside China.

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ZTE Axon 40 Pro launched with Snapdragon 870 SoC, 144Hz curved display, 108MP camera, and more

After teasing for days, ZTE has officially launched the ZTE Axon 40 series in China today as scheduled. The company announced two models in the lineup, namely ZTE Axon 40 Ultra and ZTE Axon 40 Pro. Let’s take a look a the latter smartphone in this article. You can learn about the former handset here.

ZTE Axon 40 Pro

ZTE Axon 40 Pro Specifications

Design and Display

The ZTE Axon 40 Pro has a dual-camera ring rear design like the recent Huawei and Honor smartphones. The glass sandwich build is supported by a plastic frame.

The phone measures 8.46mm in thickness and weighs 199g. It comes in three color variants, such as Magic Night Black, Crystal Fog Blue, and Star Orange.

The device flaunts a 6.67-inch flexible curved AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels (FHD+) and 10-bit color depth. The panel supports up to a 144Hz refresh rate, 360Hz touch sampling rate, and 1000 nits of peak brightness level.

The centered punch-hole screen has a 3000000:1 contrast ratio and 4096 brightness levels. It also covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

ZTE Axon 40 Pro

Hardware and Software

The ZTE Axon 40 Pro is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC. The chipset is paired with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. The handset features a graphene-based cooling (thermal management) system.

It boots MyOS 12 based on Android 12

Cameras

The ZTE Axon 40 Pro houses a quad-camera setup on its back. The system comprises a 108MP primary sensor measuring 1/1.52-inch in size, an 8MP 120° ultra-wide-angle unit, a 2MP 4cm macro snapper, and a 2MP depth sensor.

On the front, the phone has a 16MP shooter for selfies and video calls.

ZTE Axon 40 Pro

Battery and Charging

The ZTE Axon 40 Pro is backed by a 5,000mAh battery. It arrives with support for 66W fast charging.

Other Features

The ZTE Axon 40 Pro offers connectivity options like 5G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, GNSS, NFC, and USB Type-C. It sports dual stereo speakers with support for DTS:X Ultra, an x-axis linear vibration motor, and an in-display fingerprint sensor.

ZTE Axon 40 Pro

ZTE Axon 40 Pro Price and Availability

The ZTE Axon 40 Pro will retail at the following price tags in China.

  • 8GB + 128GB – ¥2,998 ($446)
  • 12GB + 256GB – ¥3,298 ($491)
  • 12GB + 512GB – ¥3,798 ($565)

It can be purchased in either Magic Night Black, Crystal Fog Blue, or Star Orange color versions from May 25.

 

 

 

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Vivo T2 model spotted on IMEI, could be launching soon

Just a couple of days ago, Vivo launched the T1 series of smartphones, which included the T1 5G, T1 Pro, and the T1 44W models. But now, a new sighting has revealed that the company is already working on a successor.

An IMEI database listing has revealed that the Chinese smartphone maker is working on a new Vivo T2. The news arrives from a 91Mobiles report, who found the device listed online. Although, the database did not include the model number for this handset. So, it is unclear if the variant is targeted for the global market or the Chinese market. But it is likely a Chinese version, since the brand typically launches its new lineup in its home market first. Similarly, the Indian launch for the Vivo T2 could also be just around the corner as well.

Vivo T1 5G

At the moment, the base T2 is the only model that was spotted on the IMEI database, but we can expect to see additional models within the T1 successor series to surface on other certification websites soon as well. Unfortunately, the specifications of the smartphone is still at large, but it is likely to be a 5G enabled handset that comes with better specifications than its predecessors. That is all the information we have as of right now so stick around for more, as we will be providing updates when additional information is available regarding this matter.

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Sharp Aquos Wish 2 budget smartphone powered by Snapdragon 695 launched in Japan

Sharp, the Foxconn-owned company known for making electronic products, has a smartphone lineup. Today, along with the Sharp Aquos R7 flagship smartphone, it also launched the Sharp Aquos Wish 2 budget smartphone.

Both smartphones have been launched in the Japanese market. As the name itself indicates, the Sharp Aquos Wish 2 is a successor to the Aquos Wish, which was launched in December last year.

Sharp Aquos Wish 2

The smartphone features a 5.7-inch HD+ display with a 1520 x 720 pixels screen resolution. There are also thick bezels around the screen, especially the bottom bezel.

Under the hood, the device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor, coupled with 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB of UFS 2.1 internal storage. There’s also support for expanding the storage capacity up to 1TB using a microSD card.

In the camera department, the phone has a 13-megapixel camera sensor on the back panel and an 8-megapixel snapper on the front side for taking selfies and video calling.

It runs the Android operating system out of the box with the company’s own custom user interface on top. The device is powered by a 3,730mAh battery and comes with support for PD 3.0 for fast charging.

The company has added that it has been considerate about environmental protection, and the Sharp Aquos Wish 2 smartphone is made using recycled materials. It says that 35 percent recycled plastic has been used for the shell.

The phone is rated to be waterproof and dustproof and is being offered in four color options — White, Gray, Blue, and Coral. It will be available for purchase in Japan from next month, but the pricing details remain unknown.

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Apple iPhone 14 Max possible specs & price leaked

The Apple iPhone 14 series is set to launch in the second half of this year. But prior to its release, there has been a number of rumors and reports regarding the upcoming models. And now, the latest leak has revealed some of the possible specifications and price of the new iPhone 14 Max.

Apple

According to tipster @shadow_leak on Twitter, the Cupertino based giant’s iPhone 14 Max will sport a 6.68 inch flexible OLED panels that has a resolution of 2,248×1,284 pixels. Furthermore, this screen will have a 458ppi pixel density and a 90Hz refresh rate. For those unaware, the Max model is reportedly the new entry that sits between the base and Pro variant and features a display similar to the Pro Max variant. It also replaces the Mini model, which was unpopular in the smartphone market.

The tipster added that the iPhone 14 Max will feature the A15 Bionic chipset and will be paired with 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. Only the higher end iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are rumored to feature the A16 Bionic chipset. On the rear, the iPhone 14 Max will house a dual camera setup, which consists of two 12 megapixels sensors. Notably, previous reports have hinted at improvements in the front facing camera and the inclusion of satellite connectivity.

Apple

While the smartphone is still months away from launch, the tipster also shared the pricing of the iPhone 14 Max. Apparently, the 6GB + 128GB model will be priced at 899 US Dollars. Going by Apple’s usual pricing strategy, we can expect the higher end model to easily cross the 1,000 US Dollar mark as well. Keep in mind that this is still an unconfirmed report so take it with a pinch of salt and stick around for more updates.

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Oppo K10x model confirmed, might be a rebadged Realme V25

Just last month, Oppo had launched its K10 series of smartphone, which included a base, a 5G enabled, and Pro variant. Now, it seems that the company plans on releasing another entry in the series, dubbed the Oppo K10x.

Oppo

The news arrives from a TENAA listing, which confirmed its moniker and also hints that its launch is imminent. Looking at the listing on the Chinese certification website, the handset will carry the model number PGGM10 and arrives with features quite similar to another model from Realme. As of right now, it also appears that the Chinese smartphone maker plans on silently releasing the device rather than announcing it in a press conference.

The listing also revealed its specifications, which includes a 6.59 inch TFT display with a Full HD+ resolution. Under the hood, the handset is powered by a large 4,880mAh battery pack and is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC. This chipset is paired with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. For photography, the Oppo K10x features a triple camera setup on the rear, with a 64 megapixel primary sensor and two 2 megapixel shooter for depth and macro.

Oppo

Thus, the smartphone seems quite similar to the Realme V25, in terms of both design and specifications. So, we can expect the handset to arrive in a Silver and Black color option as well. It is unclear if the device supports high refresh rate as well, but if it is a rebranded V25, we can expect to see a 120Hz panel.

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Sharp AQUOS R7 launched with 240Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 8 Gen1, 47.2MP camera

Sharp has announced the AQUOS R7, its first flagship phone powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform. Some of its other notable features include a 240Hz IGZO OLED panel, a Leica optimized rear camera,  and a 5,000mAh battery. Here is all the information on the specifications available on the AQUOS R7.

Sharp AQUOS R7 specifications and features

The Sharp AQUOS R7 has a 6.6-inch Pro IGZO OLED screen that offers a resolution of 1260 x 2730 pixels, 2000 nits of brightness, a 1Hz to 240Hz variable refresh rate, 10-bit colors, and Dolby Vision support. Like the predecessor AQUOS R6 model, the R7 continues to sport a display with a centrally positioned punch-hole. It is equipped with an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner. The device runs on the Android 12 OS, which is overlaid with Sharp’s custom UI.

Sharp AQUOS R7
Sharp AQUOS R7

Placed on the front is a 12.6-megapixel selfie camera. Its rear camera setup has a 47.2-megapixel 1-inch camera with an LED flash and an f/1.9 aperture. It comes with support for all-pixel octa PD autofocus, which promises twofold fast AF speed than conventional autofocus. It can quickly focus on moving subjects, and it can detect the whole body, face, and eyes of a person in real-time. The official images show that there is another lens accompanying the main rear camera. However, there are no details available on it yet.

Sharp AQUOS R7
Sharp AQUOS R7

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 powered AQOUS R7 comes with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. It packs a 5,000mAh battery. There is no word on the fast-charging capabilities of the device. It offers other features such as 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and a USB-C port. Lastly, the AQUOS R7 is a waterproof and dust-resistant device.

Sharp AQOUS R7 price and availability

There is no information available on the pricing of the AQUOS R7. The handset is expected to release in the Japanese market in July this year. It will be available in black and silver on the home market. The device is unlikely to launch in markets outside Japan.

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POCO F4 Indian variant allegedly appears on IMEI database, Launch expected soon

POCO F4 Indian variant appeared on the IMEI database of the GSM Association, as per a tipster. The new development comes just a day after the first sale of POCO M4 Pro 5G in India. It is speculated that the upcoming POCO phone is nothing but a rebranded K40S.

Tipster Mukul Sharma, who goes by the username @stufflistings on Twitter, spotted the POCO F4 Indian variant listing on the IMEI database. He shared the screenshot of the listing which indicates that although the database does not directly mention the name of the device, it does carry model number 220212111RI which is believed to be associated with the upcoming POCO F4.

POCO F4 IMEI listing

The model number includes the letter ‘I’ which suggests that the smartphone is for the Indian market. This hints that POCO F4 would soon make its way to India.

POCO has been a massive success for Xiaomi. In just 4 years, the brand has marked a significant presence in India. The Xiaomi sub-brand was known for offering top-of-the-line specifications at an affordable price. However, POCO appears to have copied moves from OnePlus’ playbook. The brand is focusing more on rebranding rather than innovating.

POCO F4 Specifications (Expected)

The POCO F4 will likely feature a 6.3-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It is expected to house a triple camera set up on the back consisting of a 50MP primary sensor, a 13MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 5MP tele-macro snapper. On the front, it may have a 32MP sensor for selfies and video calls.

POCO F4 GT

The device will likely have Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor under the hood, the same as its predecessor POCO F3. The chipset will be paired with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.

The POCO F4 will run MIUI 13 based on Android 12. It will likely get fueled by a 4,5000mAh battery, which will be able to charge at 67W.

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Motorola rollable display phone codenamed Felix in works

Which brand will launch the first smartphone featuring a rollable display? LG was reported to be working on the so-called LG Rollable phone with rollable screen, but the company abruptly exited the smartphone market. OPPO developed a concept phone with a rollable display in 2020 and is rumored to launch its commercial version this year. However, a new report suggests that a Motorola phone codenamed Felix featuring a rollable display is in the works. It remains to be seen whether the device ends up as the world’s first rollable display smartphone.

According to 91mobiles, the Felix device by Motorola is significantly different from LG’s and OPPO’s rollable devices. From the outside, these devices appear to be regular smartphones. The screen on these devices was bendable, so it could be spread out horizontally to make it wider, like a tablet.

OPPO X 2021
OPPO X 2021 concept phone with rollable display

The report reveals that Motorola’s first rollable smartphone has a flexible screen that expands vertically. In the compact mode, a third of its screen can be wrapped around a spindle at the bottom and facing backwards. This indicates that the Motorola Felix will be a pocket-friendly device. However, there is no word on the specifications and final marketing name of the device.

The report claims that the Motorola Felix is in the very early stages of development. Since the company does not have a working hardware prototype for the Felix, the software designed for it is tested on a modified version of the Motorola Edge 30 Pro. Hence, it appears that the Motorola Felix will take around a year to make its debut and hit the shelves.

Since the product is in the very early stages of development, Motorola may make some design changes before its launch. Hopefully, the rumor mill will spill more information on the Felix device in the coming months.

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Realme Pad 5G could be coming in Snapdragon 870 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ variants

Realme Pad 5G launch date could be drawing near. A new leak has claimed that the tablet could be arriving in two CPU variants, featuring different Snapdragon 8-series chipsets. Here is all the information on the Realme Pad 5G specifications that are known so far.

Tipster Digital Chat Station has said that the next thing to watch out from Realme is the Realme Pad 5G, which indicates that it may launch soon. He claimed that the prototype of the tablet is powered by different chipsets.

The Snapdragon 870 SoC variant of the tablet is fitted with an LCD screen that produces a 2.5K resolution. The device will be backed by an 8,360mAh battery. He did not share any details on the cameras or the fast charging capabilities of the device. However, he added that the tablet will come with support for a stylus.

Realme Pad Review Screen 3
Realme Pad

He then went on to speak about the other prototype of the Realme Pad 5G. This model is likely to feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+, which hasn’t gone official yet. A recent report claimed that the SD8G1+ chip is likely to debut in the second half of 2022. Unfortunately, there is no information on the other specs of the tablet. However, the only other thing that is known about this variant is that it may debut in the Chinese market with the Realme Pad 5G Master Explorer Edition name.  

Realme entered the tablet market last year with the launch of the Helio G80 powered Realme Pad, which was a 4G device. In April, Realme announced the Realme Pad Mini in some markets, like the Philippines and India. Since Realme CEO, Madhav Sheth, has confirmed the arrival of the Realme Pad 5G, it appears that it will also be available in global markets apart from China.

Realme entered the tablet market last year with the launch of the Helio G80 powered Realme Pad, which was a 4G device. In April, Realme announced the Realme Pad Mini in some markets like the Philippines and India. Since Realme CEO, Madhav Sheth has confirmed the arrival of the Realme Pad 5G, it appears that it will also in global markets apart from China.

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Apple AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Max in new colors to reportedly launch in fall this year

Apple’s lineup of audio products under the AirPods series has been widely successful, accounting for billions in revenue. The company is now gearing up to launch the next-generation products in the coming months.

The Apple AirPods Pro 2 has been making rounds for months now and was expected to go official last year, but the rumored launch of the TWS earbuds didn’t happen that time. A new report from Mark Gurman of Bloomberg in the Power On newsletter hints at its launch in the fall of this year.

airpods pro

Earlier, it was rumored that the next-generation Apple AirPods Pro would be launched in the market in the second half of this year, i.e., H2 2022. We now have a narrower timeframe for the launch of the earphones.

The report further adds that along with the AirPods Pro 2, the company will also launch a new AirPods Max headphones with a refreshed design and new color options.

The launch timeline of fall makes sense given that the original models of the AirPods Pro were also launched by Apple in fall 2019. As it has been around three years, users are not looking to upgrade, and some buyers of the original model may be facing battery issues.

As for the earphones, they are expected to come packed with motion sensors for the fitness tracking capabilities alongside the Apple Watch. It will have a revamped design, eliminating the stems that drop below the earbuds.

It is also expected to be powered by an upgraded chip that brings advanced audio-related functions like active noise cancellation and more improvements, resulting in improved battery life. There could be support for Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC) and if that happens, then it would be the first TWS earphones from the Cupertino-based tech giant to support lossless audio.

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Roborock T8 Plus Robot vacuum with a 5100Pa suction launched for ¥2,799 (~$419)

Xiaomi‘s ecological chain partner roborock has launched a new robot vacuum cleaner packing a more powerful suction power. The Roborock T8 Plus robot vacuum cleaner is an upgraded version of the Roborock T8 that was launched in March this year.Roborock T8 Plus

The Roborock T8 Plus series comes in two variant – the Roborock T8 Plus and Roborock T8 Plus Smart Dust Collection. The vanilla variant starts at 2,799 yuan(~$419) and 3,598 yuan (~$539) respectively.

The major highlight of the Roborock T8 Plus is the massive suction power of  5100Pa. With the main brush that is not easy to entangle hair and the adjustable speed side brush, it can easily handle ground dust, floor gap dust, carpet dust, etc.Roborock T8 Plus

Roborock T8 Plus also uses TPU soft rubber material omnidirectional floating glue brush. The brush is designed with five long and five short strands that ensures effective wind pressure and dust removal. It is more suitable for the carpet/hair environment than the rubber-hair integrated main brush, and it is not easy to get stuck.

The T8 Plus equally packs a large 2.5L dust bag and can automatically collect dust from the robot vacuum for up to 60 days without a need for evacuation. The dust bag adopts a sliding dust bag mouth sealing design to avoid dust and ash leakage.Roborock T8 Plus

Furthermore, the T8 Plus supports sonic vibration and constant humidity mopping. It is equipped with a liftable pallet and a sonic vibration mopping module. The high-frequency vibration design of up to 3000 rpm motors can effectively disintegrate the dirt on the ground.

The vacuum cleaner also comes with a flat vibrating mop with antibacterial properties. Specifically, the built-in electronically controlled water tank of the Roborock T8 Plus can be used for constant-humidity wiping, full-width floor cleaning.Roborock T8 Plus

The T8 Plus adopts a structured light active ranging and obstacle avoidance, reaching millimeter-level 3D structured light ranging. With the help of infrared light, the robot can recognize obstacles and avoid obstacles in dark environments. The mapping speed is also increased up to 6 times as a result of an upgrade to RR mason 9.0 software.

In other respects, the new product supports functions such as regular cleaning, automatic recharging, child lock protection, voice control, and multi-floor switching.

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Realme Q5 Pro Gift Box Edition goes on sale in China for 2,299 yuan ($345)

Last month, Realme launched its latest Q-series flagship smartphone in the market, which has three models — Realme Q5 Pro, Q5i, and Q5. Along with that, the company had also announced the Realme Q5 Pro Gift Box Limited Edition.

Now, the Realme Q5 Pro “Time Agent” Gift Box Limited Edition smartphone is available for purchase in the Chinese market for the price of 2,299 yuan, which is about $345.

Realme Q5 Pro special edition

The Gift Box Edition comes with a custom-designed box and a few accessories, including a phone case with Time Agent anime characters. The phone has the same design on the back panel as the regular model with a yellow-colored square pattern.

As for the specifications, the Realme Q5 Pro features a 6.62-inch AMOLED E4 screen that has a punch-hole cutout at the upper-left corner. It supports a Full HD+ screen resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, 1.300 nits of brightness, and a 92.6 percent screen space.

Under the hood, the device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor, coupled with up to 12GB of RAM LPDDR4X RAM, up to 5GB of Virtual RAM, and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage.

In the camera department, there’s a triple-camera setup on the back that includes a 64-megapixel primary camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. On the front side, it has a 16-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling.

The Realme Q5 Pro runs the Android 12 operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own Realme UI 3.0 on top. It is powered by a 5,000mAh battery which comes with support for 80W fast charging.

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iFLYTEK Smart Hearing Aids with adaptive scene recognition launched

Chinese tech company iFLYTEK has launched its first C-end medical product series dubbed iFLYTEK Smart Hearing Aids. The pair of hearing aid comes in two models Pleasure and Privilege, both having core functions such as digital multi-channel, autonomous app fitting, and adaptive scene recognition. iFLYTEK Smart Hearing Aids

Compared with most 6-channel analog products on the market, iFLYTEK Smart Hearing Aid supports digital 16-channel WDRC technology and combined with professional medical fitting calculations, it can achieve better language understanding and comfort according to the hearing loss of different patients.

The digital 16 channels used by iFLYTEK smart hearing aids can cover the voice range of 0Hz-8000Hz, bringing more accurate speech understanding and better hearing comfort to hearing loss patients, making communication smooth and unimpeded. In addition, iFLYTEK’s smart hearing aid uses dual-mic array pickup and software algorithms to enable the hearing aids to accurately focus on the voices in front of them when working, remove ambient noise, and make face-to-face communication easier.iFLYTEK Smart Hearing AidiFLYTEK Smart Hearing Aid

The smart hearing aid also comes with built-in multiple frequency points for audiometry. With the efficient and easy-to-use mobile app, users can complete the hearing test anytime and anywhere. It can also track the user’s environment in real-time through the self-developed AiScene scene recognition system, perform equalization channel noise reduction adjustment, and finally obtain a perfect environmental noise suppression solution.

With as many as 6561 noise reduction modes automatically switched, iFLYTEK smart hearing aids can dynamically process various scenes in life, bringing users a natural and perfect listening experience. Based on iFLYTEK’s advanced artificial intelligence voice technology, users can also intuitively see the results of voice dialogue to text through the mobile app, and achieve double protection of communication through subtitles for hearing aids.

Furthermore, the iFlytek smart hearing aid has a built-in AiClear whistle suppression algorithm, which tracks whistling signals all the time, combined with shock absorbers to eliminate the vibration of the moving iron.iFLYTEK Smart Hearing Aid

At the same time, the fuselage is equipped with an independent in-ear detection sensor, which can judge the wearing switch status of the hearing aid in real-time, and achieve a reliable howling suppression effect throughout the whole process.

The iFLYTEK smart hearing aid adopts the popular TWS earphone shape, with the ear canal fit and anti-drop design, bringing a more stylish and comfortable wearing experience to hearing-impaired users and also has various functions of TWS Bluetooth earphones. In terms of material, the earplugs of the smart hearing aids are added with a silver ion antibacterial agent, which has passed the safety certification of the Guangdong Provincial Microbiological Analysis and Testing Center, and the antibacterial rate is as high as 99.9%.

In order to ensure sound quality is at the optimum level, iFLYTEK smart hearing aids have built-in professional moving iron units, which have a high-frequency resolution of more than 10,000Hz, the sense of hearing is more distinct, and the human voice is more stable and real.

The hearing aids also features a charging storage compartment. While the hearing aids can provide up to 14 hours of continuous use on a single charge, the charging compartment extends to usage to up to 64 hours.

As for the pricing, the iFLYTEK smart hearing aids Pleasure is priced at 1699 yuan (~$255) while the Privilege model is priced at 999 yuan (~$150).

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Vivo Y15c with Helio P35, 5000mAh battery launched in India

Vivo Y15c has quietly launched in India. The new Y-series device is a second offering after the Y15s that debuted in February this year. The Vivo Y15c is a budget smartphone and it comes with similar specifications as the Y15s. 

Vivo Y15c
The Vivo Y15c is a budget offering

Vivo Y15c specifications and features 

The Vivo Y15c has a 6.51-inch LCD display bearing an HD+ resolution and a waterdrop notch. The device comes with a gradient back panel featuring vertical stripes. It also houses a square-shaped camera module accommodating a 13MP main sensor and a 2MP secondary lens. There is an 8MP front-facing selfie snapper. The phone comes with various photography-related features.

Internally, the Vivo Y15c is equipped with a MediaTek Helio P35 processor. It is coupled with 3GB RAM and offered in either 32GB or 64GB storage options. There is a dedicated microSD card slot for additional storage expansion. The smartphone draws its power from a 5,000mAh battery unit with support for 10W charging speed. Software-wise, the device runs on Funtouch OS 12 based on Android 12 out of the box. 

The Vivo Y15c comes with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner embedded in the power button. Connectivity options on the smartphone include a micro USB port, dual 4G VoLTE, GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack, WiFi, and Bluetooth 5.2. 

Vivo hasn’t announced the pricing and availability of the latest Y15c smartphone yet. The smartphone is available in Mystic Blue and Wave Green colours. 

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KYMCO will reportedly deliver its battery-swapping electric scooters in Europe soon

Taiwanese manufacturer KYMCO is making a bold entry into the electric scooter market in Europe. The company will launch its lonex electric scooters with battery swapping functionality in Italy. There seems to be direct competition for leadership in the swappable batteries e-scooter market. Gogoro, KYMCO, and Honda are ahead of other competitors in the market.Kymco electric scooter battery swapping

Gogoro is the leader in this segment but has focused its niche offerings in Asia, with China, India, and Indonesia at the fore. KYMCO’s move to enter Europe will deliver e-scooters with swappable batteries to Europe at a much larger scale than the others. While Gogoro already has its electric scooters on a smaller scale in Europe, KYMCO hopes to swoop on Italy. The lonex scooters will be distributed by KMI di Padana Sviluppo.

The KYMCO lonex lineup includes the lonex Many 110 EV with a top speed of 50km/h and a range of 200km. The 200km range is achieved thanks to 5 swappable lonex battery packs which can be carried in the scooter. The battery can easily be charged from mains electricity or swapped at a swapping station. The lonex Many 110 EV is an urban e-scooter and could prove an instant hit in Italy. One thing however with the swappable battery system is the need for infrastructure for swapping stations across the country.

The magnitude of KYMCO’s entry into Italy will unfurl in the coming weeks, as we expect the expansion to other countries in the region.

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MediaTek Overtakes Qualcomm & Apple as the Most Popular Smartphone Chipset Brand in China for Q1 2022

As one of the world’s largest smartphone markets, China with its population of over 1 billion reflects several of the future trends that we may see in the smartphone industry, with one of them being the brand of the SoC (System on a Chip) used in our smartphones.

As we are almost halfway into 2022, data analytics firm, CINNO Research, has recently published a report on the Top 5 Smartphone SoC Vendors in the China market for Q1 2022, and it seems that MediaTek is the popular SoC brand used in smartphones for the quarter.

Mediatek China Marketshare

According to the report (via ITHome), smartphone SoC shipments in Q1 2022 were 74.39 million units, down 14.4% year-on-year, and down 0.7% quarter-on-quarter. And the top 5 vendors for the smartphone SoC vendors are MediaTek in the first place, Qualcomm in second, Apple in third, with Huawei’s HiSilicon and UNISOC in fourth and fifth respectively.

Source: CINNO Research

Let’s start from top to bottom, MediaTek saw 30.7 million smartphone chipsets shipped out in Q1 2022, which was higher than its 25 million shipments from last quarter, and 30.1 million shipments from Q1 2022. The rise in smartphone SoC shipments MediaTek can be mainly attributed to the semiconductor firm’s strategy and chipset catalogue that it had offered in the last 6 months, which included the brand’s popular Dimensity 920 5G chipset found on the Redmi Note 11 Pro+, Realme 9 Pro+ and Xiaomi 11i Hypercharge.

Realme 9 Pro+ Dimensity 920

For Qualcomm, the brand remained relatively stable at second with 26.7 million smartphone SoC shipments in Q1 2022, higher than the 23.6 million figure from last quarter, but lower than the 27.9 million shipments from Q1 of last year. Coupled with the ongoing chip shortage, Qualcomm had earlier announced that it will gradually shift its focus to flagship chipsets instead of entry-level and mid-range chipsets due to flagship chipsets providing higher profit margins. However, the one caveat of this strategy is losing market share in mid-range and entry-level markets, which leads to lower shipments overall but higher revenues for the company.

Apple on the other hand, had only shipped 12 million smartphone SoCs in Q1 2022, down 15.8% from its 18.4 million figure from Q4 2021. As the iPhone nears the end of its release cycle, shipments are also expected to go down as well, because consumers are already expecting a new iPhone release soon, and therefore would hold off buying the current model and wait for the next iteration instead.

 

Huawei’s HiSilicon continues its gradual exit from the China smartphone SoC market as the firm had only shipped out 2.5 million units this quarter, down from 13.8 million in Q1 2021. As stocks for HiSilicon Kirin are not replenished due to the still ongoing supply sanctions against the company, the brand is expected to drop out of the top 5 as late as next year or as soon as the next quarter.

Huawei HiSilicon Logo Featured A

Squeezing just into the Top 5 is the rapidly growing UNISOC semiconductor company. UNISOC saw shipments of 1.9 million smartphones SoCs in Q1 2022, up 1760% from 0.1 million in Q1 2021. The main cause for the exponential growth behind UNISOC is the entry-level smartphone market. As the bigger players like Qualcomm and Apple’s main focus area is in the high-end, UNISOC aims to tackle the low end with its relatively much more affordable chipsets sold off to Realme, Motorola and Samsung to sell in their sub 100 dollar device market.

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DJI Mini 3 Pro retail listing & unboxing video appear ahead of May 10 launch

An unboxing video and retail post of the DJI Mini 3 Pro have provided insights about the drone. The official specs and other marketing details of the DJI Mini 3 Pro could be out within days. The latest details come from a YouTube video showing the unboxing of the new drone and its controller.DJI Mini 3 Pro

DJI tweeted a teaser this week for a big announcement on May 10. Remarkably, the YouTube video unboxing of the Mini 3 Pro and the DJI tweet was released on the same day. The video was made by DM Productions and noted that the footage was received from an early recipient of the new drone. The video shows lots of the external features that feature in the new drone. There are several obstacle avoidance sensors in the DJI Mini 3 Pro.

The Controller of the DJI Mini 3 Pro seems to follow the same design as that of the RC Pro. However, it comes with some observable omissions and modifications. There are no visible antennas sticking out in the Mini 3 Pro’s controller, unlike the RC Pro. A few buttons and ports are also absent from the new controller. There could still be some twists in the plot, which was the theme of DJI’s tweet relating to the Mini 3 Pro. It is speculated that the Mini 3 Pro users can switch seamlessly between shooting in landscape and portrait format, which could be interesting. The drone will also be able to shoot vertical content, which is also an added advantage.

A previous leak has stated that the DJI Mini 3 Pro will weigh less than 0.25kg and will cost around $1,000. The camera setup of the Mini 3 Pro is also expected to have substantial improvements over its predecessors. It has a much bigger sensor and the lens offers a wider aperture for its 4K 60fps videos. The DJI Mini 3 Pro is rumored to have a 2,453mAh battery and front-facing avoidance detection capabilities. It will be interesting to see what is left of the details when the official announcement is made on May 10.

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