Indian accessories company Stuffcool has introduced its latest USB Type-C 4-in-1 Hub to the Indian market. Stuffcool Earl 4-in-1 Type-C Hub has 4K playback capability and is compatible with Type C MacBooks and laptops.
The Stuffcool Earl Hub is a sleek multipurpose device that helps users connect their USB Type-A devices to the MacBook. It has an aluminum design and it can handle up to four inputs simultaneously. It has two USB-A ports, one USB-C port, and an HDMI port. You can easily connect an array of devices via any of these compatible ports, while also offering power to the connected phone. The Type-C port supports 100W fast charging and it can be used to charge the MacBook or laptop connected to the Earl.
The Stuffcool Earl 4-in-1 Type-C Hub is a plug-and-play device, hence it does not require the installation of drivers for its operation. The HDMI port is ideal for connectivity to multimedia devices like projectors and monitors. It enables users to connect whether their laptops have the HDMI port or not, using any of the USB ports. The HDMI port is capable of transmitting 4K high-resolution video and high definition audio. This assures a crisp video and audio output when using the device.
Stuffcool Earl 4-in-1 Type-C Hub is available via the Stuffcool website for Rs. 2,999 (~$40). It was launched in India today and is an important productivity tool for MacBook and laptop owners.
Accessories maker Gizmore has launched two trolley speakers in India. The Gizmore Wheelz T1000 Pro and T1501N speakers are wholly made in India in line with the initiative by the central government. The two models are Gizmore’s first Make in India trolley speakers and offer a portable sound system for both indoor and outdoor use.
The Gizmore Wheelz T1000 Pro and T1501N trolley speakers can operate either wirelessly or via a wired connection. When they function wirelessly, they offer a battery life of 4 hours. The Gizmore Wheelz T1000 Pro has a 1000W capacity and an 8-inch subwoofer. It comes with a wired microphone and digital LED lighting. Other features are SD/TF card, USB, AUX, and a 2,200 mAh rechargeable battery. It also has a wireless microphone and remote control for enhanced functionality indoors or outdoors.
Gizmore Wheelz T1501N
The Gizmore Wheelz T1501N offers a sound output of 2000W and also has an 8-inch subwoofer and 20W strong party speaker. A wired microphone, digital RGB lighting, and multiple input options are available with the trolley speaker. It also has a 3,600 mAh battery that translates to 4 hours of playback. FM radio, a wireless microphone, and a portable remote are also part of the package.
The two Gizmore Indian-made trolley speakers are pretty affordable, but the company is offering additional discounts worth Rs. 1000 when they are purchased via Amazon India. The Gizmore Wheelz T1000 Pro is priced at Rs. 1,999 (~$26) while the T1501N trolley speaker goes for Rs. 4,499 (~$59).
Earlier this month, Samsung teamed up with repair experts iFixit to make DIY repairs easier for its phones and tablets. Now, a new report from BusinessKorea states that Samsung is considering using recycled parts for repairs.
As we know, Samsung announced its partnership with iFixit to make DIY repairs easier for its users. The company will soon start providing authentic parts, repair tools, and repair guides to customers who want to repair their own Galaxy products. Through iFixit, Samsung will soon be selling parts like display assemblies, back glass, and charging ports for the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S21, and Galaxy Tab S7+.
Under the “Self Service Repair” program, users will also be able to return the used parts to Samsung for responsible recycling which the South Korean company might be able to reuse as it is said to be considering introducing a recycled parts program in the first half of 2022.
Under the new recycled parts program, the repair cost of a display is said to be half of what it is right now. For instance, if you drop and crack the screen of an $800 Galaxy S22, it will cost you around $200 to get the screen replaced. The report also states that the quality and performance of the recycled components will be about as good as those of new parts.
With the low cost introduced by the recycled parts program, getting a device fixed will be more appealing than getting a new one altogether. The move will also have a good effect on the environment as there will be fewer spare parts and smartphones going into landfills.
OnePlus has officially announced its partnership with JioPages. JioPages is a web browser by Jio Platforms and it is entirely designed in India. With this collaboration, OnePlus plans to offer a faster, ad-free, and feature-rich browser experience to OnePlus TV users.
With JioPages coming to the Oneplus TVs, users will get a faster chromium engine migration that catches up with new web trends, offering an updated and secure browsing experience. The JioPages browser is said to be faster, safer, and custom-made for television screens.
One highlighting feature about the JioPages is that it comes with an in-built Adblocker, meaning you no longer have to see unwanted adverts. There’s also a VPN and a Secure Mode in the browser. The VPN will offer unfettered access to global websites and also ensure safety with the Secure Mode.
On the OnePlus TV, users are also set to experience one-click link openings. Users can add their favorite weblink to the home screen so that they can quickly access it next time. OnePlus users will also have access to curated videos across a variety of categories.
Personalized experience with regional languages like Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Gujrati, and others are also available. Lastly, there’s also Study Mode, which provides curated educational content.
PLAYGOhas officially launched three new audio products, namely Muze, Budslite, and Flaunt in the Indian market. The PLAYGO Muze is a wireless Bluetooth speaker, while the Budslite is a pair of TWS earbuds. The PLAYGO Flaunt are wireless neckband earphones for the budget market. Interestingly, all three products are made in India and are claimed to offer a great sound experience.
The PLAYGO Muze is priced at Rs. 2,499 (~$33) and comes in a Military Green color variant. The PLAYGO Budslite costs Rs. 1,399 (~$18) and has Marsela Red and Black color variants. Lastly, the PLAYGO Flaunt is priced at Rs. 1,199 (~$16) and has Galaxy Black and Blush Green colors. All three devices can be purchased on PLAYGO‘s official website.
Starting with the PLAYGO Muze, the Bluetooth speaker comes with a 20W power output and is promised to deliver 7 hours of battery life on a single charge. The BT speaker features a rugged design and has a strap to carry it. It has the patented EBEL (Enhanced Bass, Extra Loud) sound stage and a Smart LED display. It supports Bluetooth 5.0, USB, an aux port, and micro-SD cards.The speaker also has a built-in FM radio and a 1-year warranty.
The PLAYGO Budslite comes in the small TWS design and is claimed to offer high-definition sound and crystal-clear voice for calls. The earbuds have Bluetooth 5.0 support and also come with Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant support. Just like the Muze BT speaker, the PLAYGO Budslite also comes with the EBEL sound stage. The earbuds alone can offer up to 6 hours of music playback, while with the case, they are said to offer up to 24 hours of playback. The earbuds have touch controls, an IPX4 rating, and a 1-year limited warranty.
Coming to the PLAYGO Flaunt, the Neckband Wireless earphones come with an in-ear design and 10mm drivers. Again, there’s EBEL support, offering loud, bass-boosted sound. It has up to 14 hours of music playback and also supports fast charging. The earbuds are said to fully charge in less than 100 minutes. Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistants are supported, and there’s also the IPX4 rating. The PLAYGO Flaunt also comes with a 1-year limited warranty.
A Reddit post has detailed the rumored specs of the Unihertz Titan Slim and it seems it may be a look-alike of the Blackberry KEY2. The Unihertz Titan Slim will be the third iteration in the Titan lineup and comes with a physical QWERTY pad. The Titan Slim is also rumored to be available first via Kickstarter even without a crowdfunding campaign.
The Reddit thread adds to the speculation that was initiated by a recent cryptic tweeted image from Unihertz that pointed to the release of another Titan model. The image was covered with black ink but was explored to reveal a Blackberry KEY 2 look-alike. Titan is a phone designer that is carving a QWERTY-inspired niche for itself in its smartphones. The Unihertz Titan was launched in 2019 with a striking resemblance to the Blackberry Passport. It had a hybrid physical and touchscreen QWERTY keyboard. The smaller Titan Pocket was the next smartphone in the lineup and it got a mixed reception in the market.
It is speculated that Unihertz had used Kickstarter for its preorders as a marketing move. As per the specs, the device will have a 4.3-inch display and will be powered by a MediaTek chipset. A fingerprint scanner and probably 2D facial recognition sensor are present. The main camera is a 48MP shooter and the device will run on Android 11. The internal storage is about 256GB while the phone will have dual SIM functionality.
The Reddit thread detailing the rumored specs of the Unihertz Titan Slim is at best, speculative. Some of the details may not be authentic. No official confirmation has been received from Titan as to the specs of the Titan Slim at this time.
After the Vivo T1 5G, the next phone to enter the newly introduced T-series in India is the Vivo T1 Pro 5G. A report from February revealed that the phone would arrive in India between April and May. Well, the brand hasn’t come out to tease the device as of yet. However, the phone has been spotted on Geekbench certification.
The Vivo T1 Pro 5G carries the model number V2151 on the Geekbench version 5. The device has scored 790 points in the single-core department and 2856 points in the multi-core department. These scores are possible, thanks to the octa-core SoC inside the phone.
The device has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC clocked at a base frequency of 1.80GHz and a maximum of 2.40GHz. The variant that we see here is the 8GB RAM variant. We expect this to be the top variant, which will likely be paired with 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. The listing reveals that the phone comes with the Android 12 OS out of the box.
Apart from this, there are no details of the phone’s other specs. However, we can expect the phone to offer better cameras than its sibling, the Vivo T1 5G. It is also expected to have an improved fast charging speed.
The Vivo T1 5G, which is already on the market, has a 6.58-inch FHD+ LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The phone has a Snapdragon 695 SoC that enables 5G connectivity on the phone. It has 50MP triple-rear cameras and a 16MP selfie snapper. The phone packs a 5,000mAh cell with support for 18W fast charging.
The hope of adding a blood pressure sensor to the Apple Watch, for now, may not materialize. Apple has continued to fine-tune the sensor to meet its high standards and it is projected that the sensor will not be ready before 2024. The main issue is reported to be accuracy concerns.
A new report from Bloomberg says that the blood pressure monitoring feature will likely arrive in Apple Watches by 2024. The current report is in sync with earlier projections that put the feature a few years away. As per the Bloomberg report, the blood pressure monitoring feature is being tested by Apple but the results have not met a priori expectations and were not sufficiently accurate. It is also speculated that the sensor is yet to output specific measurements, but rather triggers a notification to see the doctor about hypertension.
The feature is yet to provide actual Systolic and Diastolic readings which is a critical component in current smart wearables that output blood pressure readings. A few brands have already incorporated the blood pressure sensor into their smartwatches with great effect. Apple will hope to overcome the current challenges to add the feature to the Apple Watch. This is bound to increase the lifesaving credentials of the device several notches higher.
In March 2021, Vivo‘s gaming-focused sub-brand iQOO launched the iQOO Neo5, with flagship-level specs but with an affordable price tag. The brand has now launched the iQOO Neo6 in China, featuring the cutting edge Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC and a whole host of upgrades over the last-gen. So let’s take a look at what the device has to offer.
Design & display
Design-wise, the iQOO Neo6 has a similar design to the last-gen iQOO Neo5. The newly launched device is just 8.5mm thick and weighs 197 grams. The camera island has a two-tone design with a rectangular module holding three lenses and an LED flash. Available in three color options, the Orange and Blue color variants feature an artificial leather back for better grip and comfort during long gaming sessions while the Black color variant comes featuring a high-end fluorite AG glass with a silky texture. The device does not have any buttons on the left edge. However, its right edge has volume buttons and a power key.
On the front, the device gets a flat 6.62-inch AMOLED display that offers a Full HD+ resolution, 1300nits peak brightness, and a 120Hz refresh rate. The device also gets a 1200Hz touch sampling along with dual pressure sensors under the screen to make it easier to play games that require four fingers by just using two. Other than that, the screen is integrated with a fingerprint scanner.
Specs
The iQOO Neo6 comes powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC which enables it to achieve a constant 59 FPS in Genshin Impact at 810p. The SoC comes paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The RAM on the device can also be virtually expanded by up to 4GB.
iQOO has also included the Independent Display Chip Pro in this device to share the workload of the primary GPU on the SoC. The company says that this will keep framerates stable through long game sessions because it will use less power and have better thermals.
Keeping the hardware cool is a large heat dissipation system made up of rare earth metal alloy, featuring a large-area Vapor Chamber soaking plate, and a six-layer three-dimensional graphite structure.
The overall feel of the device has also been improved with the inclusion of two linear motors for richer vibration and a better feeling of haptic feedback. With gaming in mind, the iQOO Neo6 features semi-enclosed top speakers to help players listen to the sound and identify their position. The speakers have also been modified to bring surround sound effects and sound field enhancement, which are quite important in many mobile gaming titles.
The device runs Android 12-based OriginOS Ocean out of the box offering features like infrared remote control, full-scene NFC, and a new Vivo Card service. The brand has provided a large 4700mAh battery equipped with 80W flash charging. It claims that the device can be charged up to 30% in just 5 minutes. Connectivity options include 5G, Wi-Fi Bluetooth version 5.2, OTG, USB Type-C port, NFC, and more.
Cameras
In the optics department, the iQOO Neo6 features a triple camera system on the back with a 64MP Samsung ISOCELL GW1P main sensor with an f/1.9 aperture. Accompanying the main camera is a 12MP ultra-wide lens with an f/2.2 aperture and a 2MP portrait sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. The primary camera has Optical Image Stabilization. On the front, it has a 16MP camera for selfies and video calls.
The phone supports features like AI Multi-Frame Noise Reduction, Night Raw HDR Algorithm, AI Anti-Glare Algorithm, Portrait mode, Night mode, dual-view video, up to 10x digital zoom, 4K videos, and more.
Pricing & Availability
iQOO has debuted the Neo6 in three configurations:
8GB + 128GB – 2799 yuan ($439)
8GB + 256GB – 2999 yuan ($471)
12GB + 256GB – 3299 yuan ($518)
The device comes in three colors namely Punk (Orange), Blues (Blue), and Black Jue (Black). iQOO has announced the first sale of the iQOO Neo6 will be held on April 20, 2022.
Apple has scheduled its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 6. The Californian giant is expected to announce the latest software upgrades for all of its devices. Undoubtedly, fans are most excited for the next iOS version, which is expected to be the iOS 16. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has now revealed that the iOS 16 will bring improvement in one of the major areas like the notifications management.
Gurman reveals that iOS 16 will offer improved notification management. He hasn’t said anything specific, but we may expect improvements to the notification panel or push notifications.
Furthermore, new health-tracking features are expected to be included in the upcoming iOS. However, the specific features have yet to be revealed. The iOS 16 is said to be codenamed Sydney. This name could also be an indication of the mixed reality headset and its interaction with the iPhone, as per Gurman.
That being said, we could also see the long-due VR headset at the event in June. Apple might also showcase a demo of the headset’s rOS revealing its features.
Apart from this, iPad OS 16 will arrive at the event. The new version is expected to bring a better multitasking UI. watchOS 9, macOS, and tvOS will also show up at the event. However, no details regarding them have been revealed.
Realme seems to have a new smartphone up its sleeves as a device with model number RMX3478 has appeared on China’s 3C certification. The listing confirms the battery capacity of the device hinting at a release soon.
The listing was first spotted by the tipster Piyush Bhasarkar and it reveals that this upcoming Realme phone has a 65W fast charging speed. The device is a 5G phone from the Chinese brand, which we expect to arrive in the mid-range segment.
Realme hasn’t spoken anything about this phone, nor have we seen any leaks as such. Since this is the early stage of certification for this phone, the launch might be sometime later.
In related news, Realme is gearing up to launch the Realme Q5 smartphone in China. The device was spotted with multiple model numbers. The phone is said to offer 80W fast charging support. It is expected to come with a 6.62-inch AMOLED display with an FHD+ resolution and 120Hzz refresh rate.
Rumors are rife that the Realme Q5 will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. It is likely to come with a triple camera system that has a 64MP main lens, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP macro sensor. For security, the device will have an in-display fingerprint scanner.
Last month, Redmi launched the budget-friendly Redmi 10A in China. The device is said to soon make an appearance in markets outside China. A leakster recently stated that the device will launch on April 20 in India.
Now, the company has officially confirmed the April 20 launch date of the device for the Indian market. The Redmi 10A is expected to come with the same specifications in India as well. Therefore, it will likely feature a 6.53-inch water-drop notch display with an HD+ (1600 x 720 pixels) resolution. The panel will have 400 nits of peak brightness and an aspect ratio of 20:9.
The device will feature a single 5MP front camera for selfies and equips a single 13MP camera at the rear. Under the hood, it will likely have a MediaTek Helio G25 SoC, paired with 4GB/6GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of internal storage. It comes with a microSD card slot for storage expandability up to 512GB.
It houses a 5,000mAh battery with support for 10W charging. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack for audio and a micro-USB port for charging and data transfer. For security, it has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and boots on MIUI 12.5 based on Android OS.
The device is expected to arrive in Black, Blue, and Silver colors. Coming to its expected pricing, the Redmi 10A 4GB + 64GB is available for 649 Yuan ($102) in China while the 4GB + 128GB and 6GB + 128GB variants go for 799 yuan ($126) and 899 yuan ($141) respectively. So we can expect the Indian pricing to start in the Rs 7000 range and go up to around Rs 10,000 for the top-spec model.
Realme will be holding a launch event on April 20 in China. It will be announcing the Realme Q5 series of smartphones through the upcoming launch event. As can be seen from the screenshot taken from Realme China’s website, the lineup will include three models such as Realme Q5i, Realme Q5, and Realme Q5 Pro. Today, the company confirmed the fast-charging capabilities of the Q5 series.
Realme is yet to confirm the specifications of the Realme Q5i, Q5, and Q5 Pro. Today, the company revealed that the series will have support for 80W fast charging. It appears that the 80W charging support will be available only on the Q5 Pro, which is said to be powered by the Snapdragon 870 chipset.
Realme smartphones with RMX3372, RMX3574, RMX3571, and RMX3575/6 model numbers have been spotted at the TENAA certification site in the recent past. The RMX3575/6 is likely to debut as the Realme V21 5G. Hence, the other three models may launch as the Q5 series of smartphones in China.
The Realme Q5 Pro is expected to arrive with a 6.62-inch AMOLED FHD+ 120Hz display. For photography, it may feature a 16-megapixel selfie camera and a 64-megapixel (main) + 8-megapixel (ultrawide) + 2-megapixel (macro) triple camera unit.
The SD870 powered device may come with up to 12 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB of native storage. It will come with other features such as a 5,000mAh battery, a microSD card slot, and an in-display fingerprint sensor. The Q5 Pro is expected to arrive in three colors like Mirror Black, Dream Blue, and Super Orange. Realme is expected to give more information about the Q5 models before its official launch. Speculations are rife that the company may also unveil the Realme Q5 Pro Vans Special Edition handset.
A new report has revealed that Qualcomm has managed to retain the lead in the Global Cellular IoT Chipset market in the fourth quarter of last year. The company managed to lead the segment by a significant margin.
The news arrives from Counterpoint Research under the title “Global Cellular IoT Module and Chipset Tracker by Application.” This report added that China was the largest market, continuing to dominate the category as it accounted for almost 60 percent of the total shipments. According to Research Analyst Anish Khajuria, “Qualcomm, UNISOC and ASR held the top three positions in the global cellular IoT chipset market in Q4 2021, accounting for nearly 75% of the total shipments. UNISOC, Qualcomm and ASR were the top three players in China. For the rest of the world, Qualcomm led the market, followed by UNISOC and Intel.”
In the cellular IoT chipset market, Qualcomm secured a 38 percent market share in terms of shipment in Q4 2021. The brand saw growth both annually and quarter on quarter. Its rise was attributed to rising demand for its cellular modules in the automotive, router/CPE, retail, asset tracking and industrial IoTs. But despite having a significant market share, Chinese rivals like UNISOC and ASR are rising in popularity in the market as well.
UNISOC was the second largest cellular IoT chipset supplier globally, thanks to robust demands of its NB-IoT and 4G Cat 1 technologies. The firm had a market share of 26.1 percent. Similarly, ASR Microelectronics came third in the ranking with a 10.4 percent market share and also saw strong growth thanks to 4G Cat 1 and 4G Cat 4 module segments.
Earlier this week, OnePlusconfirmed that the rumored OnePlus 10R will be launching on April 28 in India. Amazon India has already created a landing page featuring the OnePlus 10R, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite, and the Nord Buds in a design sketch fashion.
Now, according to a MySmartPrice report, Amazon India has “accidentally” leaked the design of the upcoming OnePlus 10 series smartphone. The leak occurred via an Instagram ad and was noticed and reported by a Twitter user.
The image featured in the ad could be the upcoming OnePlus 10R. The design of the device is largely in line with the previously leaked renders. however, the camera module is slightly altered in its design, along with the logo positioning on the back of the device. All in all, the device looks almost identical to the recently teased OnePlus Ace.
So far, the OnePlus 10R is said to arrive with a 6.67-inch Samsung E4 AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution, up to 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ support. It will be run by a MediaTek Dimensity 8100 SoC coupled with 8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage.
It will house a triple camera system on the rear consisting of a 50MP Sony IMX766 primary sensor, an 8MP Sony IMX355 ultra-wide unit, and a 2MP macro snapper. On the front, it will nest a 16MP Samsung ISOCELL S5K3P9SP shooter for selfies and video calls.
The handset will come with an in-screen fingerprint sensor, dual stereo speakers, and Hi-Res Audio support. It will boot Android 12-based OxygenOS 12 and could be sold in two variants — 4,500mAh battery and 150W charging and 5,000mAh battery and 80W charging.
More details on the OnePlus 10R are expected to surface as we get closer to the April 28th launch event, so stay tuned.
One of my favorite wireless earbuds series has finally got a new update in the form of the OPPO Enco X2.
Over the past few months, I’ve been using the series’ first-generation model, the OPPO Enco X (our review comparison here) as my primary earbuds on my PC and smartphone. The Enco X had the most stable connection and good sound quality among the ANC earbuds I’ve used so far.
But at the same time, the Enco X also had its set of drawbacks. For example, it didn’t support seamless dual connection for switching audio playback between my PC and phone, which means that every time when I wanted to switch audio between two devices, I had to go to the Bluetooth setting and manually connect to the other device. This can be really frustrating, especially when the rest of the features of the earbuds made it highly recommendable.
But with the introduction of its update, the OPPO Enco X2 has fixed this flaw, and it adds support for dual connection. And after using it for the past few days, I would even go ahead and say that this is most likely OPPO’s best product this year.
The brand seems to have listened to users’ complaints and suggestions after the first generation was a hit, and finally created this upgraded version that makes up for almost all of its shortcomings.
Let’s start first with its design. The Enco X2 continues the classic design of its predecessor with only minor changes. However, most of these changes are pretty important for improving its user experience. For example, the only button on the side of the charging case no longer protrudes and the metal ring around the case has also been removed, which naturally gives the case a better-integrated look. The charging port also gets upgraded with a delicate metal ring for decoration, which makes it look more premium.
And the charging indicator is moved to the bottom, beside the charging port. Some of you might think this is a bad design, however, if you’ve used the Enco X just like me, you would probably end up liking this change. On the first generation, the wireless charging was placed at the side with the Dynaudio logo, however, it’s intuitive to think that the side without the logo is the back that supports wireless charge, so I often mistakenly placed it wrong and couldn’t charge it properly. But on the Enco X2, the wireless charging is placed on the opposite side and finally making it more intuitive. And more importantly, the text of ‘co-created with Dynaudio’ has finally got centered and is inside the frame!
Once you open the case, you will notice that the earbuds placement inside the case has changed to a more common design. I no longer have to take the earbuds off and rotate them 180 degrees to put them back in the right position.
The ear tips have also got upgraded with an anti-germ design, which is certainly good news for users who care about the health of their ear canal.
Another important upgrade is the earbud’s sound performance. With the support of the latest LHDC4.0, the Enco X2’s audio transmission bitrate gets a significant boost from its predecessor’s 500kbps to 900kbps. Meanwhile, it supports up to 96kHz sampling rate for Hi-Res audio.
This level of performance has also helped the earbuds get its Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification.
In actual use, we could even use the customized functions such as Golden Sound and Enco Master EQ mode to tweak the output to my personal sound preference. The Golden sound feature will test your hearing with different frequencies and then optimize the personal listening experience for a sharper resolution. And you can also turn on one of the three Enco Master EQ modes based on your personal preference. These three modes can basically be seen as results of the different focus on different frequencies. The Dynaudio Real mode focuses more on the sharper vocals and trebles, while the Dynaudio Punchy mode reproduces a more powerful bass. And the Simple & clear mode is more like a compromise between them.
And here’s an interesting detail that we’d like to mention. When connecting the earbuds with a China-version phone, apart from the three EQ modes we mentioned, there’s another mode tuned by Joe Hisaishi, which, by the way, is my favorite among the four EQ modes. But when connected to an international model, it seems that this mode is hidden, with just three Dynaudio modes available. So if you’re going to use it with a Chinese version, then definitely try out this special mode because you might like it as much as I do. But don’t worry too much about your non-China OPPO phone lacking this mode, because the difference between the Hisaishi mode and the other three is not really significant. Moreover, the Enco X2’s excellent hardware can still bring you great balance and decent dynamic range without perceivable blurred sound stage.
To conclude, the Enco X2 is more like an excellent jack-of-all-trades, and is able to reproduce most music genres with subtle characteristics when applying different EQ modes.
As for its Active noise canceling, the Enco X2 redesigned its algorithm to get up to 45dB noise-canceling. In actual use, it did sound like one of the best ANC performances that we’ve experienced so far, although we have to note that the maximum value couldn’t represent its actual performance, especially when valuing earbuds’ noise-canceling performance at different frequencies.
It has the closest listening experience to the Apple AirPods Pro in terms of low-frequency noise reduction. Even when we turn off the active noise-canceling, its passive noise reduction is still impressive. Apart from four ANC modes, the Enco X2 also includes the option of personalized noise cancellation, which can bring deep noise-canceling effects while reducing ear pressure discomfort.
The Enco X2 also comes with improved anti-wind-noise performance. The updated performance can definitely put the earbuds in the top tier of wind-noise-resistant wireless earbuds.
As for sound latency, the Enco X2 maintains the series’ excellent performance for video playback and gaming. Especially for gaming, there’s almost no perceivable latency.
While bringing so many significant upgrades, it’s pretty surprising that the Enco X2 didn’t get worse in battery life. In my daily use with both LHDC decoding and ANC on, the earbuds were able to last up to 5 hours. Including the charging case, it could provide about 5 additional cycles of use, which is around 30-hour use time in total.
Finally, let me elaborate on my favorite upgrade, the dual-connection feature. Switches between devices are really smooth, and the response is also fast without much latency. And you don’t really need to worry about missing calls on the phone while using it for another device, because the Enco X2’s call connection seems to be always at the highest priority.
So, personally, I find the OPPO Enco X2 as one of the best earbuds on the market. And unsurprisingly, the earbuds are also likely the best OPPO product in 2022. Even when you compare it with any of the wireless earbuds on the market, it doesn’t seem to have any obvious disadvantages.
OPPO Reno8 series of smartphones is reportedly in the works. Last year, the Reno6 lineup was announced in May. Hence, it is likely that the Reno8 series may debut in the coming month or June. Today, reliable tipster Digital Chat Station shared the specifications of a forthcoming OPPO phone that has a PGAM10 model number. It seems that it could be arriving in the Chinese market as the vanilla Reno8.
According to the tipster, the Reno8 series could be the first phones to feature the next-generation Snapdragon 7 series chip, which is likely to debut with the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 name. The tipster has claimed in another Weibo post that the OPPO PGAM10 handset will be fuelled by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, which indicates it may arrive in the Chinese market as the OPPO Reno8.
OPPO Reno7 Pro Review camera design
OPPO Reno8 specifications (rumored)
The OPPO Reno8 will feature a 6.55-inch AMOLED screen that offers an FHD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate. It will be equipped with an in-screen fingerprint sensor.
For selfies, it will be equipped with a 32-megapixel front camera. It remains to be seen whether it will inherit the Sony IMX709 selfie camera from the Reno7 series. The rear-facing camera unit of the Reno8 will feature a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 primary camera, an 8-megapixel snapper, and a 2-megapixel camera.
The Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 powered Reno8 will be equipped with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. The device will pack a 4,500mAh battery, which will carry support for 80W fast charging.
The OnePlus Ace, the upcoming midrange phone from OnePlus. It has so far been spotted on the 3C and Geekbench databases. The listings have revealed its 150W charging capability and the Dimensity 8100 SoC.
Now, OnePlus has teased an upcoming device via the Chinese microblogging site– Weibo. The teaser includes a partial image of the back panel of the device in two different colors. It also somewhat confirms the Ace moniker, as it’s visible in the poster.
Image via MySmartPrice
Previously, the device was tipped to be a rebranded Realme GT Neo3, but looking at the images, the divide may feature some physical differences. Firstly, its camera module completely covers the top left side of the device, akin to what we’ve seen in the Galaxy S21 series. Another difference from the GT Neo3 would be the edges, which in the case of the OnePlus Ace appear to be flat.
Other than that, the OnePlus Ace teaser reveals that the device will come with a triple rear camera setup along with an LED flash. The OnePlus Alert slider is nowhere on the poster so the device will likely omit this feature.
So far, rumors state that the OnePlus Ace will have a 6.7-inch OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. It is said to come with a 4,500mAh battery with a 150W fast charging support. Under the hood, the device will house a Dimensity 8100 SoC paired with up to 12GB of RAM.
Apart from this, the phone is expected to come with multiple cameras at the rear. It will have a 50MP Sony IMX766 main lens. Since the OnePlus Ace will be a rebadged model of the Realme GT Neo3, we can expect it to have a punch-hole FHD+ screen, with an in-screen fingerprint scanner. The device is expected to be equipped with a triple camera system with a 50MP main lens, 8MP ultra-wide, and a 2MP macro lens.
Yesterday, Oppo officially debuted the Oppo F21 Pro series in India. The lineup consists of two models, namely Oppo F21 Pro and Oppo F21 Pro 5G. The former is scheduled to go on sale first. It will be up for grabs in the country starting from April 15.
The Oppo F21 Pro is a 4G-only handset. It arrives in a single 8GB + 128GB memory configuration priced at ₹22,999.
The phone comes in two color options and both of them use a different rear material. The Sunset Orange version has a fiberglass leather finish, while the Cosmic Black features a matte glass panel.
You can learn more about the device in our review. You will get a better picture of whether you should invest in it.
In case, you are looking for other options in this price segment, then we got you covered. In this article, we have listed all the best alternatives for Oppo F21 Pro in India.
The Oppo F21 Pro has tough competition in India. All of its competitors offer better specs. Some of them are even cheaper. Before we list its competitors, let’s take a look at its specifications.
BUILD
Plastic Frame + Fiberglass Leather/Glass Back
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
159.9 x 73.2 x 7.5mm
175g
DISPLAY
6.43-inch AMOLED Panel, 2400 x 1080 (FHD+) Resolution, Up to 90Hz Refresh Rate, 600 Nits Peak Brightness, Punch Hole At Top Left Corner
CHIPSET
Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 SoC
RAM & STORAGE
8GB LPDDR4x RAM, 128GB UFS 2.2 Storage
SOFTWARE
ColorOS 12.1 based on Android 12
REAR CAMERA
64MP Wide-angle Camera, 2MP Microlens Camera, 2MP Depth Camera
FRONT CAMERA
32MP Sony IMX709 Front-facing Camera
CONNECTIVITY
Dual-SIM: 4G, 3G, 2G, Dual-band WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, GNSS
The Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G is the first smartphone that comes to mind when we talk about the under ₹25,000 price segment in India. Though the handset does not bring much of an upgrade over its predecessor (Redmi Note 10 Pro Max), it is still one of the best options available in the market right now.
Unlike the F21 Pro, it not only offers up to a 120Hz refresh rate but also a brighter screen with up to 1,200 nits peak brightness. It also comes with dual stereo speakers, an IP53 rating, a larger 5,000mAh battery with 67W fast charging, and a 5G-enabled Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset.
The Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G is priced at ₹20,999, ₹21,999, and ₹24,999 for 6GB + 128GB, 8GB + 128GB, and 8GB + 256GB memory configurations respectively.
BUILD
Plastic Frame + Glass Back
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
164.2 x 76.1 x 8.1mm
202g
DISPLAY
6.67-inch AMOLED Panel, 2400 x 1080 (FHD+) Resolution, Up to 120Hz Refresh Rate, 1,200 Nits Peak Brightness, Centered Punch Hole
CHIPSET
Qualcomm Snadragon 695 SoC
RAM & STORAGE
6GB/8GB LPDDR4x RAM, 128GB/256GB UFS 2.2 Storage
SOFTWARE
MIUI 13 based on Android 11
REAR CAMERA
108MP Wide-angle Camera, 8MP Ultra-Wide Camera, 2MP Macro Camera
Side-mounted Fingerprint Sensor, Hybrid MicroSD Card Slot, Dual Stereo Speakers, IR Blaster, Z-axis, Linear Vibration Motor, IP53 Rating
BATTERY & CHARGING
5,000mAh Battery, 67W Fast Wired Charging
2. Oneplus Nord CE 2 5G
Oneplus entered the sub-₹25,000 price category in India last year with the Oneplus Nord CE 5G. Its successor Oneplus Nord CE 2 5G is currently one of the hottest products in the market.
As the name suggests, it offers 5G connectivity, thanks to the Mediatek Dimensity 900 chip. It flaunts the same-sized display as the F21 Pro but the panel’s brightness can reach up to 800 nits. Further, it can record videos in 4K quality, supports 65W fast charging, and sports an ultra-wide camera.
Oneplus Nord CE 2 5G (review) arrives in two memory variants — 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 128GB. They cost ₹23,999 and ₹24,999 respectively.
BUILD
Plastic Frame + Glass Back
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
160.6 x 73.2 x 7.9mm
173g
DISPLAY
6.43-inch AMOLED Panel, 2400 x 1080 (FHD+) Resolution, Up to 90Hz Refresh Rate, 800 Nits Peak Brightness, Punch Hole At Top Left Corner
CHIPSET
MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC
RAM & STORAGE
6GB/8GB LPDDR4x RAM, 128GB UFS 2.2 Storage
SOFTWARE
OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11
REAR CAMERA
64MP Wide-angle Camera, 8MP Ultra-wide Camera, 2MP Macro Camera
The Realme 9 5G SE (Speed Edition) is the cheapest alternative to the Oppo F21 Pro. The main highlights of this smartphone are its display and chip.
The Realme phone features a screen with up to a 144Hz refresh rate, however, it is an LCD panel but with 600 nits peak brightness level. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC, which is one of the best 5G-enabled mid-range mobile chipsets in the market. Finally, it also has a larger 5,000mAh battery.
The Realme 9 5G SE starts at ₹19,999 for the 6GB + 128GB models and goes up to ₹22,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant.
BUILD
Plastic Frame + Plastic Back
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
164.4 x 75.8 x 8.5mm
199g
DISPLAY
6.67-inch LCD Panel, 2412 x 1080 (FHD+) Resolution, Up to 144Hz Refresh Rate, 600 Nits Peak Brightness, Punch Hole At Top Left Corner
CHIPSET
Qualcomm Snadragon 778G SoC
RAM & STORAGE
6GB/8GB LPDDR4x RAM, 128GB UFS 2.2 Storage
SOFTWARE
Realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11
REAR CAMERA
48MP Wide-angle Camera, 2MP Macro Camera, 2MP Depth Camera
The iQOO Z5 5G is the only device in the list with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. It is also the only one capable of shooting 4G videos in 60fps.
It is run by a 5G-supported Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC. Despite sporting an LCD screen with up to a 120Hz refresh, the brightness level on this panel can reach up to 650 nits. Lastly, it has a larger 5,000mAh battery, 44W fast charging support, and dual stereo speakers.
The iQOO Z5 5G costs ₹23,990 for 8GB + 128GB variant and ₹26,990 for 12GB + 256GB version.
BUILD
Plastic Frame + Plastic Back
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
164.7 x 76.7 x 8.5mm
193g
DISPLAY
6.67-inch LCD Panel, 2400 x 1080 (FHD+) Resolution, Up to 120Hz Refresh Rate, 650 Nits Peak Brightness, Centered Punch Hole
CHIPSET
Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC
RAM & STORAGE
8GB/12GB LPDDR5x RAM, 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 Storage
SOFTWARE
Funtouch OS 12 based on Android 11
REAR CAMERA
64MP Wide-angle Camera, 8MP Ultra-wide Camera, 2MP Macro Camera
Despite the ongoing supply shortages issue, AMD is seemingly raising production for its upcoming series of graphics cards and processors. So we can expect the new Ryzen 7000 series CPU and Radeon 7000 GPUs to see better inventory.
The news arrives from Tongfu Microelectronics, who is a production partner of Team Red (Via 91Mobiles). According to the supplier, it is increasing the production of new AMD CPUs and GPUs to alleviate the ongoing shortages within the supply chain. Furthermore, Tongfu Microelectronics’s deputy general manager Xia Xin said that TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co) is also expanding the output of its advanced processes. This will help grow the company’s packaging and testing requirements.
For those unaware, there is an ongoing shortage of semiconductors all that has impacted various industries across the globe. This issue paired with raw materials becoming costlier led to companies like AMD to suffer, since their latest Ryzen 5000 CPU and Radoen RX 6000 GPUs were in short supply. Customers had to wait for resupplies or buy the PC parts at hiked prices from scalpers. So, the production rise should help the PC parts maker to better prepare for its next gen’s launch.
As of right now, the AMR Ryzen 7000 chips that are based on the Zen 4 architecture is rumored to begin mass production later this month and will launch sometime around late September 2022. This would be in line with the brand’s H2 2022 launch timeline that it had announced back in CES 2022. The new processors will compete with Intel’s latest 12th Gen Core processors and even its next gen 13th Gen CPUs as well.
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