The Best Xiaomi Pad 5 Alternatives in India

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May 5, 2022

Xiaomi finally launched the Xiaomi Pad 5 in India last week. It is the company’s first tablet in the country in 7 years. Also, this product was first announced in August 2021. It took the firm 8 months to bring it to India. The device is now up for sale in the region. But should you buy it or consider anything else? We try to answer this question in this article.

The Xiaomi Pad 5 is probably the best Android tablet in India in its price segment. The tablet retails at ₹26,999 and ₹28,999 for 6GB + 128GB and 6GB + 256GB memory configurations.

Unlike other Android tablets in the same price range, it offers a Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 SoC, UFS 3.1 storage, 120Hz refresh rate screen, and an 8,720mAh battery. These features are unheard of in this particular price category in India.

But for some reason, you may not like the product. For instance, Android is still not a good platform for tablets due to a lack of optimized apps. Further, it neither has a 3.5mm headphone jack nor a MicroSD card slot. It even lacks a fingerprint sensor and comes only in a WiFi-only variant in the country.

Additionally, Xiaomi is infamous for its tablet software support. Anyway, the company has promised to deliver Android 12L for the Xiaomi Pad 5.

Having said that, If you are looking for alternatives to the Xiaomi Pad 5 due to any of the aforementioned reasons or others, then you have come to the right place. We have listed the top competitors of this device that are worth considering.

The Best Xiaomi Pad 5 Alternatives in India

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1. Apple iPad 9th Generation

When we talk about tablets, the iPad is the first product that comes into our mind, and for a good reason. Apple iPads are the most popular tablet product in the world due to their ever-growing reliable app ecosystem. The tablets also offer a premium build and specs to go with it.

The latest entry-level iPad, which also goes by the name of iPad 9th Generation and iPad 10.2 (2021) is the best alternative to the Xiaomi Pad 5 though it starts at ₹30,900 for the base variant with 64GB storage and only WiFi.

Apart from a much more powerful Apple A13 Bionic chip, the iPad will also receive software updates for 4-5 years. It is the second longest-supported tablet in this price segment. However, if you want more storage space, you will have to spend ₹44,900 for 256GB or ₹56,900 for 256GB and 5G support.

If your budget does not allow you to spend more than the price of the base variant of iPad 9th Generation and you are fine with 64GB, only then go with it.

2. Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook

If your usage mostly includes accessing web applications, then it’s better to buy a Chrome OS-powered tablet, which also allows you to use Android as well as Linux apps. The only option in this price range in India is the 2-year-old Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook.

As of writing this article, the product was being sold at ₹24,999. Unlike most tablets, it ships with a keyboard accessory and a kickstand stand. You only have to buy a stylus separately if you need it.

Most importantly, it Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook is the longest-supported tablet in its segment. Though It was released in 2020, it will still get updates until June 2028.

Since Chrome OS is getting better with every major update, the tablet should have more features than it launched with in the years to come.

3. Lenovo Yoga Tab 11

The Lenovo Yoga Tab 11 is arguably the best contender for Xiaomi Pad 5 alternative running Android. Though the tablet is not as powerful as the Pad 5, it offers certain features that are not available on the latter for a price tag of ₹25,999 (as of writing this post).

The Lenovo-branded tablet comes with a MicroSD card slot, a vibrations motor, and a ToF sensor for a face authentication system. It also has quad stereo speakers tuned by JBL and dual microphones with low-power DSP for far-filed voice recognition.

In addition to Dolby Vision support, it also has a built-in stainless steel kickstand which can be used to hand it anywhere. Finally, the only variant sold in India has LTE connectivity and 128GB storage.

The Lenovo Yoga Tab 11 may be less powerful with its MediaTek Helio G90T SoC and 4GB RAM, however, it has been confirmed to receive the Android 12 update by August and will continue to get security updates until April 2024.

4. Motorola Moto Tab G70

The Motorola Moto Tab G70 can be considered as a lite variant of the Lenovo Yoga Tab 11. It is almost similar to the Lenovo model without some features for a cheaper ₹22,999 price tag (as of writing this post).

It has the same display and chipset as the Yoga Tab 11 but lacks Dolby Vision support, JBL-branded speakers, a built-in stand, and a ToF sensor for biometrics. Finally, it also comes with only 64GB storage instead of 128GB.

For just ₹3,000 less, you lose out on so many features. Anyway, if you are budget is strictly around the price of the Moto Tab G70, it’s the only good option.

5. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

Just like the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is also a 2-year-old product. Though it has already received two Android updates (Android 11 and Android 12), it is still eligible for one more major software update (Android 13).

The tablet is not as powerful as the other two Android competitors since it is run by an Exynos 9611 SoC. But it is feature-rich in terms of software. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, which others don’t feature.

Also, unlike any other tablet on the list, it is the only one that ships with a stylus. Talking about price, as of writing this article, the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite was being sold at ₹25,999 (4GB + 64GB, WiFi-only) and ₹29,999 (4GB + 64GB, WiFi + LTE).

ZTE Axon 40 Ultra appears in hand-on video; has 8K video recording

By

Pranav Sawant

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May 5, 2022

ZTE has set a launch for May 9 for the release of its upcoming flagship smartphone series, the ZTE Axon 40. So far, we have seen leaks for the ZTE Axon 40 Pro and Axon 40 Ultra. The latter has now appeared in a hands-on teaser video that reveals the phone’s design and its camera capabilities.

The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra teaser shows the front and rear design of the smartphone. Just like the leaks suggested, the phone has a curved full-screen panel without any punch-hole or cutouts. The smartphone is making use of the in-display camera here. At the back, it has the triple camera system that we saw in the renders.

One of the major highlights of the camera on the Axon 40 Ultra will be the support for 8K video recording. The teaser confirms that the phone has different video resolutions including 8K, 4K@60fps, 4K@120fps, and others. Furthermore, it also has different modes like the Professional and Night mode.

Apart from this, we do know that the smartphone will come with a 64MP + 64MP + 64MP triple camera system at the rear. On the front, it will have a 16MP under-screen camera with 2.24μm pixel fusion technology.

The smartphone will come with a 6.8-inch OLED display featuring a 2480 x 1116 pixels resolution. The screen will also double up as an in-display fingerprint scanner. It will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC paired with up to 1GB of RAM and 1TB of internal storage. The smartphone will pack a 4,900mAh battery and have support for 66W fast charging.

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Realme 9 5G for Europe to be rebranded version of this phone

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 5, 2022

Realme has recently confirmed that it will be launching the Realme 9 4G, Realme 9 5G, and Realme Pad Mini tablet on May 12 in Europe. However, it appears that the Realme 9 5G heading to Europe will be different from its Indian variant. The official page available on Realme Europe’s website mentions its key specifications.

Realme 9 5G key specifications (European variant)

According to tipster Sudhanshu Ambhore, the Realme 9 5G heading to Europe will be equipped with an LCD panel that offers a 120Hz refresh rate. It will be powered by the Snapdragon 695 chipset.

For photography, the Realme 9 5G will feature a 50-megapixel main camera. The device will house a 5,000mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging. The tipster also shared the renders of the European Realme 9 5G.

These specifications hint that the Realme 9 5G for Europe could be a rebranded version of China’s Realme Q5. To recall, the Q5 was announced last month in the home market with a starting price of 1,299 Yuan (~$196).

The Realme Q5 features a 6.6-inch IPS LCD FHD+ 120Hz display. It is fitted with a 16-megapixel front camera, and a 50-megapixel (main) + 2-megapixel (macro) + 2-megapixel (depth) triple camera unit. The Snapdragon 695 chipset is present under the hood of the Realme Q5. It has up to 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM and up to 256 GB of UFS 2.2 storage. It has a 5,000mAh battery that supports 60W fast charging. For security, it has a side-facing fingerprint scanner. The device runs on the Android 12 OS and Realme UI 3.0.

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OPPO Reno8 Lite 5G specifications leaked, launch seems imminent

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 5, 2022

OPPO is yet to announce the Reno8 series of smartphones. Reports have claimed that the Reno8 lineup will debut first in China this month, and it will be arriving in other markets including India, by June. While the global launch of vanilla and Pro models is a couple of weeks away, it appears that it will not take too long for the Reno8 Lite to arrive in Europe. A new report by Winfuture.de has revealed its entire specifications.

OPPO Reno8 Lite specifications (rumored)

The report states that the Reno8 Lite 5G has a 6.43-inch AMOLED display that offers a Full HD+ resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels. The screen has a camera cutout at the upper-left corner. It houses a 16-megapixel selfie camera.

The rear camera module of the Reno8 Lite 5G features a 64-megapixel main camera. It is coupled with a 2-megapixel macro camera and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The phone will come preinstalled with Android 11 OS and ColorOS UI.

The Reno8 Lite 5G will feature a Snapdragon 695 chipset. It will be paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of native storage. For additional storage, the device will be equipped with a microSD card slot.

The handset will house a 4,500mAh battery that supports up to 33W of fast charging. It will include standard features like dual SIM support, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.1, and NFC. At present, there is no information available on the pricing of the Reno8 Lite 5G. It will be available in two colors, such as Black and Rainbow Silver.

This phone appears to be a rebranded version of the OPPO F21 Pro 5G in India. To recall, the same phone is available in some other markets with the OPPO Reno7 Lite 5Gv and Reno7 Z 5G monikers. In the US, the same device carries the OnePlus N20 5G moniker.

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Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro Europe pricing tipped ahead of launch

By

Sudhanshu

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May 5, 2022

Last week, Huawei launched the Watch GT 3 Pro at the Huawei Mate Xs 2 Chinese launch event. At the launch event, the company did not reveal its availability date and price outside the Chinese market.

Now, a new report for WinFuture has revealed the European price of the Watch GT 3 Pro which states that the smartwatch will have a starting price of €369. This price is for the 46mm model which comes with a plastic bracelet. The metal bracelet model with identical specs to the plastic bracelet model will cost €499.

Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro specs & features

The GT 3 Pro has a 1.43-inch high-definition AMOLED display with sapphire glass and a ceramic body.

The smartwatch runs on HarmonyOS and offers features like Bluetooth calls and support for multiple apps. It also comes with an inbuilt e-wallet and NFC support.

The smartwatch has ECG functionality to check the user’s heart’s rhythm and electrical activity. Other than that, the smartwatch is also capable of heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen monitoring, body temperature detection, sleep monitoring, stress monitoring, and more.

The GT 3 Pro features 100+ sports modes and a 5ATM waterproof rating. Its battery is claimed to last up to 14 days with normal use and 8 days with heavy use. A 10-minute charge is claimed to be enough for the smartwatch to last a full day.

The smartwatch also comes in a smaller 43mm model, but its global pricing and availability are still under wraps.

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Garmin Vivomove Sport smartwatch with safety & tracking feature launched in India

By

Sudhanshu

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May 5, 2022

Earlier this year, Garmin launched the Vivomove sports smartwatch at the CES 2022 event. Now, the brand has introduced the smartwatch in India exclusively through the Nykaa, a popular beauty, wellness, and fashion products website.

Garmin Vivomove Sport specs & features

The smartwatch comes with a 0.34-inch x 0.73-inch (72 x 154 pixels) circular hidden OLED display. It measures 40 x 40 x 11.0 mm and weighs 33.8 grams including the strap.

The smartwatch has built-in sports modes for yoga, strength, Pilates, cardio, treadmill, cycling, and more. The watch can also track outdoor cardio activities like running, walking, cycling, etc. with the connected GPS feature. The smartwatch has health-related features like tracking heart rate, blood oxygen, advanced sleep monitoring, stress monitoring, and tracking women’s health.

Other than that, the smartwatch comes with an accelerometer and an ambient light sensor. It uses Bluetooth for connectivity and performs the usual functions of a smartwatch like displaying notifications, accepting or rejecting calls, quick response texts, controlling media playback, weather, and calendar alerts, and a find my phone feature that works on both Android and iOS devices. It also comes with safety and tracking features to send a message with the user’s location to their emergency contacts, in case of emergency.

The Garmin Vivomove Sport can last up to 5 days in smartwatch mode and 6 days in the watch mode. It has a 5ATM water resistance making it safe to wear during the rainy season as well as during gym sessions.

Garmin Vivomove Sport price in India and availability

The Garmin Vivomove smartwatch has a price tag of Rs 18,990 ($249) and is available in to purchase in Ivory, Cool Mint, and Black color options. The watch will soon receive a Cocoa color option as well.

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India issues new order that asks VPN firms to collect & supply it with user data

By

Sean

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May 5, 2022

India has just issued a new order that appears to be a step against data privacy. The government is now asking VPN based companies to collect and provide it with user data.

According to an Entrackr report, the government wants Virtual Private Network firms to collect the user’s data for five years on their servers and then eventually hand it over to the government. This order is not limited to just VPN based companies and even targets Cloud and Crypto based firms as well. The report adds that firms that do not comply with this order may face prison sentence up to a year under the Section 70B(7). This order has been issues by a department under the Ministry of Electronics and IT, which is known as Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-in).

The department has urged VPN companies to collect sensitive user data, which includes their customer’s names after validating them. Furthermore, they would even have to store other forms of information of the user like their IP addresses, usage patterns, and even other forms of identifiable information as well. All in all, the IT Ministry department stated that these efforts are being made to “coordinate response activities as well as emergency measures with respect to cyber security incidents.” However, this is a major step against data privacy since companies are now legally allowed and required to collect and store your data as per the new order.

The VPN, cloud, and crytpo based firms will begin collecting data starting from the date of 27th June 2021. So, the process is already underway. Unfortunately, many firms might face difficulties (especially VPN firms) that advertise their services with a no logs policy. Additionally, VPN users typically use the service to hide their original IP address and online footprint. This even helps in hiding their IP addresses from malicious individuals like hackers. So, collecting such user data defeats the purpose and makes data leaks more likely in the near future.

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Apple iPhone 14 production may see delays as Foxconn stops hiring due to China lockdown

By

Sean

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May 5, 2022

While the Apple iPhone 14 series is still months away from launch, the company’s next gen iPhone lineup might already be seeing issues in its production after one of the brand’s major suppliers halts hiring following lockdowns in China.

For those unaware, the Cupertino based giant is trying to ensure proper supply of its iPhone 14 series to avoid any delays or issues in inventory that had plagued the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 lineup previously. Thus, in line with its efforts, Foxconn had announced that it would be hiring additional workings and bumping incentives to make sure that the production of current gen and next gen iPhone stays consistent.

But just a day after this announcement was made, the major Apple supplier had to halt hiring for its plant in Zhengzhou, China after the region saw new lockdowns and restrictions being imposed. In other words, this would likely also lead to complications for the production of iPhone 14 series that is set to launch in the fall season of this year. According to an SCMP report, Foxconn is suspending new hires for line workers and is running its production in a closed loop system that has its employees stay within the campus.

As of right now, this is not expected to impact Apple’s iPhone 14 lineup in manner similar to the iPhone 12, who’s launch was delayed till October 2020. But, it appears that the brand might same the same supply constraint issues like last year’s iPhone 13. Meanwhile, the company’s overall supply chain seems to be improving as Quanta, the sole MacBook Pro supplier is set to resume production from its China plant as well following similar lockdowns.

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Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 may arrive in new colors, says analyst

By

Anurag

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May 5, 2022

Samsung’s upcoming foldables are the talk of the town these days. It was recently revealed that Galaxy Z Flip 4 could come with a bigger cover screen. Now rumor has it that Samsung will launch the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 in new colors.

DCCS’s Ross Young disclosed via a tweet that the South Korean tech giant will introduce its upcoming foldable phones in new colors. Young revealed that the Galaxy Z Flip 4 will come in 4 new colors, and the Z Fold 4 will be launched in 3 new hues.

New colors of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4

As per Ross Young, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 will be unveiled in 4 new colors – Gold, Gray, Light Blue, and Light Violet. Surprisingly, Samsung has taken out the black color option. However, Young believes that the Z Flip 4 will have some customization options for color, like the Z Flip 3. So, the black color will be available.

If we talk about the Z Fold 4, It will be available in 3 color options – Beige, Black, and Gray. While the black remains the same as the premium Z fold 3, Beige and Gray are the two new colors.

Previous reports suggest that the Z Fold 4 will have a bigger battery than its predecessor. It will have an overall battery capacity of 3,303mAh. It was also reported that the external display on the Galaxy Z Flip 4 will be 2-inch bigger.

Not many details are available about these new foldables at this time. There have been a few leaks, but we are still waiting for some solid details about the smartphones.

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Google acquired microLED startup Raxium to fulfill its AR ambitions

By

Anurag

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May 5, 2022

Google’s AR ambitions are not unknown to the world. The tech giant previously acquired the glasses maker North in 2020. Today, Rick Osterloh, SVP, Devices and Services at Google confirmed that the company has successfully acquired Raxium.

Raxium is a 5 years old startup based in Fremont, California. The company develops microLED displays used in AR headsets and similar devices. microLED is an emerging technology that has tremendous potential, but most of its applications are for large, expensive screens, such as wall-mounted signage.

The MicroLED startup is yet to launch any product, but it has reportedly developed a more efficient manufacturing technique for MicroLED that may reduce production costs. MicroLEDs have the potential to be used in devices like smart glasses, as well as in VR.

Google’s acquisition of Raxium indicates that the company is seriously dedicated to developing the components required to make AR devices a reality.

The Information was the first to break the news of this acquisition and reported that Google has paid $1 billion to buy the microLED startup. The Information noted that Raxium is working on “monolithic integration” for microLEDs, which means manufacturing them with the same kind of silicon that is used for most processors to reduce the price down.

Google is not a newcomer to the AR segment. The company was in fact one of the first to develop a commercial AR device with Google Glass. However, Google Glass failed to impress the consumers and received a strong backlash.

It appears that all the big names in the tech industry are focused on entering the AR segment. Meta and Apple have made similar acquisitions, and Microsoft has already delivered an augmented reality device with HoloLens. Snapchat is also reported to be investing heavily to develop its own AR glasses.

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Oppo Reno8 to launch in two color options, storage variants revealed

By

Sean

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May 5, 2022

Prior to the launch of the Oppo Reno8 series, a new leak has revealed some interesting details regarding the upcoming lineup. The latest report has revealed that the device will be available in multiple color options and storage configurations as well.

[Exclusive] Can confirm that the OPPO Reno8 (series) has been imported in India.
Reno8: 2 colour variants, 8GB/128GB, 8GB/256GB. 12GB variant might be there too.#OPPO #OPPOReno8 #OPPOReno8Pro #OPPOReno8Series

— Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) May 5, 2022

The news arrives from known tipster Mukul Sharma who shared the information on Twitter. Sharma shared that the Chinese smartphone maker’s new Reno8 will be launching with 8GB of RAM that will be paired with either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. Furthermore, he also added that the base Reno8 would be available for purchase in two color options. Although, he did not reveal what exact color options will be offered.

Mukul Sharma did not reveal any other details regarding the device, but we do have some idea regarding the specifications based on previous reports. The base Reno8 is expected to sport a 6.5 inch OLED display that has a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, the device is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 SoC. A large 5,000mAh battery pack powers the device, which also supports 80W fast charging as well.

On the rear, the smartphone features a triple camera setup, which consists of a 50 megapixel primary sensor, an 8 megapixel utlra wide angle lens, and another 2 megapixel macro lens. The device will also run on Android 12 OS based ColorOS custom skin out of the box. Keep in mind that the leak is still unconfirmed so take it with a pinch of salt for now and stick around for more updates.

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Nothing Phone (1) launch date may have been revealed by Carl Lei

By

Sean

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May 5, 2022

Over the last couple of days, Nothing has been in the headlines often for its upcoming smartphone. While we’ve covered various rumors and reports regarding the device, it seems the latest information has possibly revealed its launch date.

Hey @getpeid when will nothing phone (1) launch?

— Saran Bharathi A (@Sarann_18) May 4, 2022

The news regarding the Nothing Phone (1) launch arrives from none other than Carl Pei himself, the founder of the company. As of right now, the brand has yet to reveal any finer details regarding the smartphone or its launch. However, the senior executive of the firm has possibly confirmed the Phone (1)’s launch date. A Twitter user had asked Pei regarding the launch date for the company’s first handset. In response to this, Carl responded with a cryptic text of “6/9 at 4:20.”

At the moment, it is unclear what these figures stands for, but its believed to be the launch date for the handset. Going by the US date format, the smartphone may launch on 9th June 2022. In other words, it could be a summer launch event. Carl Pei has been known to create hype for upcoming products, so we can expect a similar treatment for the Nothing Phone (1).

Talking about the smartphone itself, the Phone (1) is believed to run on Android 12 OS based Nothing OS launcher. Furthermore, the device may sport a 6.43 inch AMOLED display that has a Full HD+ resolution and 90Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, the handset is rumored to be equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC, which could be paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The device will reportedly also feature a 50 megapixel triple camera setup and a large 4,500mAh battery pack as well.

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ASUS to launch ROG Gunslinger 6 series of gaming laptops on May 17, with Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti

By

Sean

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May 5, 2022

Earlier today (5th May 2022), ASUS released a new teaser for one of its upcoming product lines. It is the new gaming laptops called the ROG Gunslinger 6 series that will feature one of the most powerful GPUs in the consumer market.

The known Taiwanese PC maker shared a new teaser, which revealed that it will be hosting a new ROG (Republic of Gamers) Summer event later this month on May 17. During this conference, the brand is expected to launch a number of new products, with one of the main announcements being the new high end gaming laptop. This particular model packs quite the horsepower as it features a top end Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card that promises to deliver performance as close as possible to desktop versions of the GPU.

Furthermore, the upcoming gaming laptop will also be equipped with Intel’s latest 12th Gen processor as well. This chip is the top i9-12900H that features 14 cores and 20 threads and has a turbo frequency of 5GHz. Notably, the Gunslinger 6 series includes both a base and Plus model, both of which arrive in multiple GPU configurations. This includes the RTX 3060, RTX 3070 Ti and RTX 3080 Ti. The new laptops will also feature 16GB DDR5-4800 memory that can be expanded to 64GB and house 1TB of M.2 SSD for storage.

The ROG Gunslinger 6 sports a 15.6 inch display while the Plus model has a larger 17.3 inch screen. It is unknown if the company is also offering multiple options for the display as well, but it is confirm to at least feature 2K resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, 100 percent DCI P3 color gamut, 3ms response time, and support Dolby Vision as well.

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Rivian gets $1.5 billion tax incentives to build production facility in Georgia

By

Jeet

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May 5, 2022

Rivian Automotive, a company making electric pick-up trucks, will be receiving around $1.5 billion in state and local incentives to build a manufacturing facility near Atlanta, bolstering the company’s production efforts.

The incentive package announced by Georgia is the biggest in Georgia’s history. The Georgia Department of Economic Development says that it consists of tax credits, abatements, and subsidies like site preparation and job training support from the state.

Rivian R1T Electric Truck Featured — Rivian R1T

The company will receive $476 million in statutory tax credits if it fulfills the promise to create a total of 7,500 jobs by the end of 2028. If it doesn’t, there are clawbacks to protect the taxpayer, said Pat Wilson, Georgia’s commissioner of economic development.

It will get $288 million in discretionary spending in the form of site preparation and job training programs. Tax abatements from the four counties hosting the plant make up the rest of the package — about $700 million over 25 years.

Rivian has been struggling to ramp up production of its vehicles at the company’s existing plant in Normal, Illinois, because of the supply chain issues. The new production plant in Georgia will be made at an estimated budget of $5 billion.

It will help the company in its ambitious growth strategy as the company plans to include new consumer EV models beyond its existing offerings. It currently offers a battery-powered electric pickup called R1T and an SUV called R1S.

Rivian was operating in stealth mode since 2009 and launched its pickup truck and SUV in November 2018. It has been investing heavily to ramp up production, including for its upscale all-electric R1T pickup truck. The company has an order of 100,000 delivery vans from Amazon as a part of the online retail giant’s Climate Pledge.

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Huawei Band 7 wearable device reportedly has support for third-party applications

By

Jeet

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May 5, 2022

A few days ago, along with the Mate Xs 2 foldable smartphone, Huawei launched its latest wearable device in the Chinese market, dubbed Huawei Band 7.

Now, a new report indicates that the Huawei Band 7 will have support for downloading and installing third-party applications on the device. But there’s no information about which apps or how many apps third-party apps can be installed.

The Huawei Band 7 features a 1.47-inch AMOLED display supporting 194 x 368 pixels screen resolution. Thanks to the AMOLED panel, the device offers an Always-On display feature that enables having watch access without consuming much energy.

It comes with multiple sensors like an accelerometer, gyro sensor, and heart rate sensor. It also houses a SpO2 sensor which can help users detect signs of sleep apnea by monitoring their blood-oxygen levels during sleep.

As for the health and fitness-related features, the smart wearable device features 96 sports modes, including swimming, and can track the number of calories the user has burned during their workouts and sports activities.

The device has 5ATM protection meaning it can withstand the wearer diving around 50 meters underwater. Coming to the battery life, the company claims that with a full charge, the battery on the Huawei Band 7 will last up to 14 days.

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Vivo X80 Pro Dimensity Edition goes on sale in China, costs the same as Snapdragon Edition

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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May 5, 2022

Last week, Vivo launched the Vivo X80 Pro in China alongside the Vivo X80. The smartphone comes in two chipset variants, one with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC and the other with MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chip. The former model went on sale at the end of last week itself. Now, the latter variant is also finally up for purchase in the company’s home market.

The Vivo X80 Pro Dimensity Edition is exactly the same as the Vivo X80 Pro Snapdragon Edition, except for the chipset. This is unlike the Oppo Find X5 Pro, whose Dimensiy Edition misses out on certain features like the in-house MariSilicon X image processing silicon, 5-axis OIS, and Hasselblad tuning.

The Vivo X80 Pro’s Dimensity Edition retains everything from the Snapdragon Edition, including the Vivo V1+ ISP chip. Also, unlike Oppo, Vivo is charging the same price for both versions. In Oppo’s case, the Mediatek variant is cheaper.

The Vivo X80 Pro Dimensity Edition is priced at ¥5,999 ($907) and ¥6,699 ($1,013) for 12GB + 256GB and 12GB + 512GB memory configurations respectively. As of now, it is not sold in an 8GB + 256GB version like the Snapdragon Edition.

The Vivo X80 series is heading to international markets, starting with Malaysia on May 8. It is also scheduled to launch in India on May 18. As of now, it’s not known whether global will also be getting the Dimensity Edition of Vivo X80 Pro.

OPPO reportedly working on a clamshell foldable smartphone launching this year

By

Jeet

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May 5, 2022

Last year, after years of development, OPPO finally launched its first foldable smartphone in the Chinese market, dubbed OPPO Find N. The device went on sale a few days after its announcement for the price of 7,699 yuan (~$1,164).

A new report coming from China now claims that OPPO is gearing up to launch another foldable smartphone, but it will have a clamshell folding design this time.

It appears that OPPO is following the same strategy as Samsung which first launched the book-style folding phones in the form of the Galaxy Z Fold lineup and then a relatively cheaper clamshell foldable smartphone in the form of the Galaxy Z Flip lineup.

There are some other brands that have launched clamshell foldable smartphones. Huawei recently launched a similar foldable smartphone, dubbed Huawei P50 Pocket. Motorola debuted in this space with the Moto Razr smartphone.

As per the reports, the upcoming foldable smartphone from OPPO is more affordable than its competitors in the Chinese market. It is rumored to go on sale in China for around 5,000 yuan, which is about $755. For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is sold in China for 7,399 yuan (~$1,118).

The phone’s specifications are not yet known apart from the chipset, which is said to be the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ SoC. In that case, we expect the phone to get launched in the third or fourth quarter of this year.

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Motorola’s next launch event is on May 10; Frontier flagship with SD8G1+ expected

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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May 5, 2022

Motorola has confirmed that it will be holding a launch event on May 10 in China. The poster released by the brand has no information on the devices that will be announced in the coming week. Recently, the Moto G82 was spotted at the TENAA certification platform with all its specifications. In addition, the company is working on its premium flagship that has a “Frontier” codename. It is unclear whether any of these devices will be unveiled on May 10.

The Lenovo-owned brand has revealed it will be unveiling “something big, something new” on May 10. Hopefully, the company will confirm more details about its upcoming launch event in the next few days.

The Frontier flagship is rumored to come with specs such as a 200-megapixel primary camera and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus chipset. It is expected to launch as an Edge branded phone in China, while it is likely to debut in the global markets with the Edge 30 Ultra moniker. However, it seems too early for the phone to go official on May 10 since Qualcomm is yet to announce the SDG1+ chip.

motorola frontier featured from evleaks — motorola frontier render by Evan Blass

The Motorola Frontier is expected to arrive with specs like a 6.73-ich pOLED FHD+ 144Hz screen with an in-screen fingerprint scanner, a 60-megapixel front camera, and a 200-megapixel (main) + 50-megapixel (ultrawide) + 12-megapixel (telephoto) triple camera setup. The SD8G1+ chip phone will come with up to 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM, up to 512 GB of UFS 3.1 storage, and a 4,500mAh battery with 125W fast charging.

Moto G82 render by 91mobiles- — Moto G82

The Moto G82’s TENAA certification revealed that it has a 6.55-inch AMOLED FHD+ 120Hz display, a 16-megapixel front camera, and a 50-megapixel (main) + 8-megapixel (ultrawide) + 2-megapixel (macro) triple camera unit. In China, the Snapdragon 695 powered phone will offer up to 12 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB of storage in China. It will come with a 4,700mAh battery and 33W fast charging.

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Huawei Nova 10 series powered by Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 SoC to launch in June

By

Jeet

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May 5, 2022

Huawei has officially confirmed that its next-generation Nova series smartphones are coming — Huawei Nova 10 series. As the name itself indicates, the Nova 10 series will launch as the successor to the Nova 9 series.

A new report has revealed that the Huawei Nova 10 series smartphones will be launched in China next month, i.e., in June 2022, but the actual launch date is unknown.

One report coming from China reveals that the Huawei Nova 10 series could be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC or the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 as the MediaTek chipsets cannot be used yet. It also reveals that the phones will be specially tuned for the camera.

Another report indicates that the Nova 10 series will continue using the same chipset as its predecessor. For those who are unaware, the Nova 9 series was powered by the Snapdragon 778G 4G chip.

It is rumored that Huawei will also launch a special mobile phone case for the smartphone, which will have an extra SIM card slot for introducing support of 5G connectivity to 4G smartphones. As of now, it’s not known if the phone case will be developed by Huawei or a third-party manufacturer, but it appears to be a good solution for adding 5G support.

The phone case with 5G support is expected to get launched along with the Huawei Nova 10 series smartphones in June this year or by the end of the third quarter. We expect the company to soon confirm the launch date for the Chinese market.

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Google Pixel Buds Pro may launch soon, with Spatial Audio support

By

Sean

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May 5, 2022

Back in 2020, Google had launched the Pixel Buds, which were its first truly wireless earbuds. And now, a new report has revealed that a Pro model is in the works and could be launching soon.

For those unaware, this will be the third TWS earbuds entry from the Search Engine giant and follows after the relatively more affordable Pixel Buds A Series. However, it seems that the brand is looking to compete with market giants like Apple and Sony in the segment with a new Pixel Buds Pro. The news arrives from known tipster Jon Prosser who stated that Google is gearing up to launch the new Pixel Buds Pro.

According to the Prosser, the new wireless earphones will be launching soon and will be available in multiple color options. This includes four color models, namely Real Red, Carbon, Limoncello, Fog. Unfortunately, apart from this information, the tipster did not reveal any other details regarding this product. Although, Mishaal Rahman further added to Prosser’s tweet with some more details regarding the Pixel Buds Pro. Apparently, the TWS earbuds may come with spatial audio and head tracking support.

This would absolutely not surprise me given Google's work on spatial audio + head tracking support in Android 13, especially their secrecy around the latter. Plus, there's BLE Audio support in Android now too. https://t.co/yJHcKCF4dy

— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) May 3, 2022

These two features was apparently previously hinted in some of the codes for Android 13. With Android also supporting Bluetooth Low Energy audio support, the Pixel Buds Pro could possibly also support this feature as well. Keep in mind that all of these details are still unconfirmed and Google has yet to confirm the existence of such a gadget as well. So stick around for more updates.

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