Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite gets MIUI 13 based on Android 12 in Europe

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Mar 31, 2022

The Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite is now beginning to receive the MIUI 13 update based on Android 12 in Europe. Along with a bunch of optimizations, the update also carries the February 2022 security patch.

The firmware is labeled V13.0.1.0.SFNEUXM and the complete ROM zip should be sized 2.9GB. The MIUI 13 launch events outside of China hadn’t introduced much in terms of features aside from new wallpapers, so don’t expect too much from the build.

Anyway, the complete official changelog has been given below for your reference.

System

‌Stable MIUI based on Android 12
‌Updated Android Security Patch to February 2022. Increased system security

More features and improvements

‌New: Apps can be opened as floating windows directly from the sidebar
Optimization: Enhanced accessibility support for Phone, Clock, and Weather
Optimization: Mind map nodes are more convenient and intuitive now

Xiaomiui says that the update is being rolled out only for those that are part of the Mi Pilot Testers program currently so it may be a while before it arrives on your device.

Still, you can download the update manually through this link, and install it by heading over to Settings > About phone > System update. No guarantees, though, since the build is currently Pilot-exclusive.

The Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite was launched back in April 2020 and first booted into Android 10, meaning that this Android 12 update is the last Android version upgrade for it.

RELATED:

realme 7, narzo 20 Pro, and narzo 30 users can now try Android 12 via realme UI 3.0 Early Access program

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 31, 2022

Android OEMs have been updating their devices to Android 12 since it hit the stable channel in October. Almost all companies run a beta program before rolling out the software to the general public. Chinese brand realme calls its initial beta program ‘Early Access’. Three more devices, namely realme 7, realme narzo 20 Pro, and realme narzo 30 have now joined this initiative.

According to official announc ement posts on the realme community, users of realme 7, realme narzo 20 Pro, and realme narzo 30 can now try Android 12-based realme UI 3.0 on their smartphones. All they have to do is enroll themselves in the realme UI 3.0 Early Access program.

The only requirement is that the users should be on the following firmware versions.

realme 7 – RMX2151_11.C.16
realme narzo 20 Pro – RMX2161_11.C.15
realme narzo 30 – RMX2156_11.C.17

If they are, then they can head over to Settings > Software Update > Gear Icon > Trial Version > Apply Now and submit the details. Applicants who get selected will receive the realme UI 3.0 beta update via OTA.

Participants who are dissatisfied with the Android 12 release can revert back to Android 11 (realme UI 2.0). However, unlike the update process, the downgrade process will wipe the device’s internal storage. Also, users can no longer get back to the realme UI 3.0 Early Access program.

Redmi Note 12 series may launch in Q2 2022 with high-performance MediaTek processors

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Mar 31, 2022

The Redmi Note 12 series may debut in April or May and will be equipped with a high-performance processor from MediaTek, tipster Digital Chat Station broke the news with a post on Weibo today.

The tipster also said that while they’re unsure if the display is an LCD or OLED, they did spot a center-aligned punch-hole in it for the selfie camera.

Previously, Lu Weibing, president of Xiaomi Group China and general manager of the Redmi brand, stated that the Redmi Note series will be refreshed every six months, replacing the yearly cycle. Phones released under it will have a special focus on performance.

Redmi Note 11 Pro vs Note 11 Pro+ Featured 2 — Redmi Note 11 Pro

Some Weibo users speculated under the same post that the high-performance MediaTek processor in question will either be the Dimensity 8000 or the Dimensity 1300, which while is only talk at the moment, does have some weight to it. Both are quite powerful and are definitely “high-performance” offerings — just not as fast as the flagship Dimensity 9000 chip.

Aside from this, barely anything’s known about the Redmi Note 12 series at the moment, but we should be seeing more bits of info leak ahead of their launch, slated to be in the second quarter of this year.

The Redmi Note 11 Pro+ came with 120W fast charging support while the Redmi Note 11 Pro supported 67W, so we should be seeing similar speeds with the Redmi Note 12 series as well.

RELATED:

WhatsApp to bring new features that make voice messages more interactive

By

Sean

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Mar 31, 2022

WhatsApp is constantly adding and updating its platform to improve the user experience of its large userbase. And now, the latest addition seems to place a focus on making voice messages more interactive.

The popular messaging platform, which is owned by Meta, is currently testing new features like the message reactions, poll feature, and multi device support as well. But the new features do not end there, as it is also working on bringing additional ones that helps improve voice interactions. The improvements will be thanks to updates like draft preview, ability to pause and resume recording, out of chat playback, resuming playback, and even waveform visualization.

Sending voice messages on WhatsApp has been a thing since 2013. However, while it isn’t the major focus of the platform, the company stated that an average of 7 billion voice messages are sent in a day. So, it is clearly a popular function of the app and it isn’t surprising that the company would seek to improve it even further. One of the upcoming features include Out of Chat Playback feature that lets users listen to voice messages even if they are outside of the original chat. This has been a highly requested feature and is a quality of life change.

Additionally, users will soon be able to pause and resume recordings as well. Another new feature is that one can first listen to their voice messages before sending them, through its new Draft preview feature. Lastly, the Waveform Visualization gives you a visual representation of the sound of the voice message. All of these features should roll out on the live build in a couple of weeks.

RELATED:

Realme RMX3372, RMX3574 full specifications, images leaked through TENAA listings

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 31, 2022

The RMX3372 and RMX3574 are the model numbers of the two upcoming smartphones from Realme. Both devices have been approved by China’s TENAA telecom authority. The TENAA listings of both models have revealed their images and specifications. The RMX3372 seems to be similar to the Realme GT Neo2, whereas the RMX3574 appears to be an entry-level 5G phone that may break cover as a Q-series phone.

Realme RMX3372 specifications

The Realme RMX3372 handset features a 6.62-inch AMOLED FHD+ panel integrated with a fingerprint sensor. It has a 16-megapixel front camera and a 64-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel triple camera unit on the rear.

The RMX3372 may ship with the Snapdragon 870 SoC, 6 GB / 8 GB / 12 GB of RAM and 128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB of native storage. It is likely to come equipped with a 5,000mAh dual-cell battery. For additional storage, it will have a microSD card slot. Mirror Black, Dream Blue, and Super Orange are the three color variants of the RMX3372.

Realme RMX3574 specifications

The Realme RMX3574 has a 6.58-inch IPS Full HD+ screen, an 8-megapixel front camera, and a 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual-camera system. It is powered by an unknown 2.4GHz octa-core processor, 4 GB / 6 GB of RAM, and a 5,000mAh battery. The device will also have 128 GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, and a side-facing fingerprint scanner. It will arrive in purple and black colors.

These models have not received 3C certification yet. Since they have bagged TENAA certification, they are expected to launch in April in China.

RELATED:

Galaxy A53 5G actually comes with in-box charger in Brazil, Samsung fears getting fined?

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Mar 31, 2022

Samsung has gone down the Apple way in ditching chargers from the boxes of its smartphone offerings, first for its flagships starting with the Galaxy S21 series, and now the budget models too. Not all regions are getting equal treatment, though, as it’s been found that the Korean company has in fact continued to ship the Galaxy A53 with chargers in Brazil.

Brazilian units of the freshly-launched Galaxy A53 5G come with a larger box to make space for a 15W charging brick, unlike boxes for the device for other regions which are much smaller than your typical smartphone box. The information comes via Americanas, one of the authorized Samsung resellers in the country, where the Galaxy A53’s FAQ page confirms it ships with a charger (via GSMArena, TechValue).

Strangely, the official Samsung Brazil doesn’t mention anything about the in-box contents. But GSMArena has come across an unboxing video of the Brazilian variant of the Galaxy A53 showing it in a larger box that includes a charger, thus confirming the info on the Americanas FAQs.

As to why Sammy decided to make Brazil an exception, it likely has something to do with the country’s government which in the past has actually fined Apple for giving a miss to in-box chargers with the iPhone 12. Fearing the same case for the Galaxy A53 5G, Samsung felt it would be in its best interests to not profit off charging bricks.

However, it remains to be seen if Brazil is indeed the sole lucky country or if there are other regions getting similar treatment.

RELATED:

Apple reportedly shared user data with hackers that forged legal requests

By

Sean

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Mar 31, 2022

Apple has allegedly provided a hacker group with user data. The company has apparently shared the data after the group had managed to forge legal requests documents for the information.

According to a Bloomberg report, three sources close to the matter revealed details regarding this incident, which was a part of a 2021 social engineering scam. Allegedly, the hackers had impersonated as law enforcement officials and were able to persuade the Cupertino based giant’s staff into sharing information regarding their customers’ addresses, phone numbers, and IP addresses as well. They managed to acquire this information after showing a forged “emergency data requests” document.

For those unaware, the iPhone maker usually provides the officials with such information only when a search warrant or subpoena from a judge is provided. However, this does not apply with emergency requests because they are known to be used only in cases of imminent danger. Unfortunately, Apple has yet to confirm if it actually shared the data with the hacker groups and directed Bloomberg to its law enforcement guidelines when asked to comment on the incident.

Similarly, it appears that Facebook’s parent company, Meta, also faced a similar situation as well. The tech giant also allegedly provided the same hacker group with user data and said after they said that they are working with law enforcement on the suspected fraudulent requests. The information acquired from the two companies could be used with malicious intent, like targeted harassment campaigns or even financial fraud schemes.

RELATED:

OPPO F21 Pro, F21 Pro 5G full specifications, pricing tipped before launch

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 31, 2022

On April 12, OPPO will be announcing the OPPO F21 Pro and F21 Pro 5G smartphones in India. Well ahead of the launch, tipster Sudhanshu Ambhore has shared all the important specs of the F21 Pro duo. In addition, tipster Abhishek Yadav has tipped the pricing of both devices.

OPPO F21 Pro specifications (rumored)

The OPPO F21 Pro 4G will come with a 6.43-inch AMOLED display that offers a Full HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. It will come with a 32-megapixel Sony IMX709 front camera and a 64-megapixel (main) + 2-megapixel (depth) + 2-megapixel (microlens) triple camera unit.

The F21 Pro will run on Android 12 OS and ColorOS 12.1 UI. The Snapdragon 680 powered handset will come with a 4,500mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging. The device will measure 159.9 x 73.2 x 7.49 / 7.54mm and weigh 175 grams. It will come in colors like Cosmic Black and Sunset Orange. The latter could be equipped with a fibreglass-leather design.

OPPO F21 Pro 5G specifications (rumored)

The OPPO F21 Pro 5G will come with a 6.43-inch AMOLED FHD+ display with a 60Hz refresh rate. It will feature a 16-megapixel front camera and a 64-megapixel (main) + 2-megapixel (depth) + 2-megapixel (macro) triple camera unit.

The F21 Pro 5G will also boot to the Android 12 OS with ColorOS 12.1 on top. The Snapdragon 695 powered smartphone will house a 4,500mAh battery with 33W rapid charging support. The device will measure 159.85 x 73.17 x 7.49 / 7.55mm and weigh 173 grams. It will sport an OPPO Glow design and come in Rainbow Spectrum and Cosmic Black colors.

Both models appear to be rebranded versions of the OPPO Reno7 4G and Reno7 Z 5G available in other markets.

OPPO F21 Pro, F21 Pro 5G price in India (rumored)

According to tipster Abhishek Yadav, the OPPO F21 Pro 4G will have a MOP (market operating price) of Rs 22,000 (~$292). On the other hand, the F21 Pro 5G will have an MOP of Rs 26,000 (~$343).

RELATED:

Honor delays Magic4 Pro first sale by 20 days, now launches on April 22

By

Sean

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Mar 31, 2022

Earlier today (31st March 2022), Honor officially announced that it will be delaying the first sale of its newly unveiled Magic4 Pro. The company has now postponed the launch of the device by 20 days.

For those unaware, the Chinese smartphone maker was originally planning on releasing the handset on 2nd April 2022. But following the delay, the Magic4 Pro will now be available for purchase on April 2 in the brand’s home market of China. While the finer details regarding the delay is unknown, the company said that the impacts of the global pandemic on the supply chain is the primary reason for the launch being postponed.

Although, Honor further added that customers that have already paid the full price online for pre-orders might be receiving the smartphone early as the company will be shipping out the device prior to April 22. For the customers that booked the device offline, the stores should contact them soon. Notably, the news was shared on its official Weibo account (a Chinese microblogging website) where it stated that Honor and its supply chain partners are working hard in overcoming the difficulties caused by the global pandemic.

Additionally, the firm is going all out to step up production to meet demands. Talking about the smartphone itself, it is a flagship grade handset that features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, powered by a large 4,800mAh battery pack that supports 66W fast charging, and is equipped with a 50 megapixel quad camera module, that has consists of a 50 megapixel ultra wide angle lens and even a 64 megapixel telephoto lens as well.

RELATED:

realme C31 launched in India with HD+ display, triple cameras, UNISOC T612 SoC, and more

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 31, 2022

Chinese consumer tech company realme has officially launched the realme C31 in India as scheduled. This budget smartphone initially went official in Indonesia last week. It offers a large screen, a triple camera setup, and a huge battery.

realme C31 Price and Availability in India

The realme C31 will retail at the following price tags in India.

3GB + 32GB – ₹8,999 ($119)
4GB + 64GB – ₹9,999 ($132)

It can be availed in either Light Silver or Dark Green color options. Its first sale is scheduled for at 12 PM on April 7 via realme.com and Flipkart.

realme C31 Specifications and Features

The realme C31 looks like any other recently released realme phone. It features a plastic body and is built around a 6.5-inch HD+ display (LCD) with a dewdrop notch.

Though the device measures only 8.4mm in thickness and weighs 197g, it houses a big 5,000mAh battery. But unfortunately, the cell is limited to 10W charging.

Further, the handset is powered by a UNISOC T612 SoC paired with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.2 storage. If needed, the storage can be further expanded by up to 1TB via a dedicated MicroSD card slot.

On its rear, the smartphone nests a triple camera setup comprising a 13MP primary sensor, a 2MP macro sensor, and a 2MP monochrome sensor. Whereas, on the front, it has a 5MP shooter for selfies and video calls.

The phone comes with support for dual SIM cards, single-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, GNSS, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a MicroUSB port, and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. Last but not least, the realme C31 boots realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11.

Motorola roadmap 2022 leak reveals 19 devices including Motorola Edge 30, Edge 30 Lite

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 31, 2022

Motorola has been launching numerous smartphones across different price points in global markets. According to a new report by 91mobiles, the Lenovo-owned brand has planned as many as 19 devices for international markets. The report has key information on some of the upcoming Edge 30 branded models. It appears that the publication will release another report later to reveal the details of other Motorola phones that are planned for 2022.

Last year, in December, Motorola launched the Motorola Edge X30 in China. This device (codenamed Rogue) has already launched in markets outside China as the Motorola Edge 30 Pro. The Moto G Stylus 2022 (codenamed Milan) and Moto G22 (codenamed Hawaii+) mid-range phones have also been launched in some markets.

The leak claims that there could be a 5G version of the Milan device. Last year, Motorola launched Edge 20, Edge 20 Lite, Edge 20 Fusion, and Edge 20 Pro. This year too, the company is expected to launch multiple phones under the Edge 30 branding.

Frontier, Dubai, Miami, and Dubai+ are the codenames for the upcoming Edge 30 series of smartphones. The Frontier model that is speculated to launch as one of the first Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ powered handsets may debut with the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra marketing name. It is likely to be called the Edge X30 Pro in China. The Edge 30 Ultra may launch in Q3 this year.

The Motorola phone codenamed Dubai is expected to debut as the vanilla Motorola Edge 30 in global markets in early April. It may offer specs like a 6.55-inch P-OLED FHD+ 144Hz display, a 32-megapixel front camera, a 50-megapixel + 50-megapixel + 2-megapixel triple camera unit, and a 4,020mAh battery. It may come with options like 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage.

The Miami model is expected to debut next with the Motorola Edge 30 Lite marketing name. It will come with specs like a 6.28-inch P-OLED FHD+ 120Hz display, a Snapdragon 695 chip, 6 GB / 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM, 128 GB / 256 GB storage, a 32-megapixel front camera, a 64-megapixel + 13-megapixel dual rear cameras, and a 4,020mAh battery. The thickness of the device will be under 7mm.

Next up will be the Dubai+ model, which will be powered by a new MediaTek chip that has an MT6879 model number. It has 2 x 2.6GHz Cortex A78 cores, 6 x 2.0GHz Cortex-A55 cores, and a Mali G79 GPU. It will feature the same screen and similar cameras as the Edge 30. It will house a 5,000mAh battery and carry support for a stylus like the Edge 30 Pro. There is no information on the moniker of the device. It is expected to debut in Q3 (probably after the Edge 30 Ultra).

RELATED:

POCO F4 5G spotted on NBTC certification, hints at imminent launch

By

Sean

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Mar 31, 2022

POCO has been planning on launching a new smartphone within its F series soon. Now, the anticipated POCO F4 5G was spotted on a certification website, which has hinted at its imminent launch.

For those unaware, this device in particular has been rumored to launch soon for a while now, and has was even spotted on other websites like GeekBench, FCC, and others. But the latest listing was on the NBTC database in Thailand (Via MySmartPrice). The smartphone will be manufactured in China, so we can expect it to launch in its home market first before shipping to other regions like India and Europe later on.

As per the previous GeekBench listing, the POCO F4 5G will feature a 5G enabled Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC paired with 8GB of RAM and will run on Android 12 out of the box. And now, the same smartphone model number was spotted on NBTC. The chipset in question is likely the Snapdragon 870 processor that will come with an Adreno 650 GPU. On the other hand, the device will offer 8GB of RAM, but the Chinese smartphone brand might offer additional storage configurations as well.

In our previous report, we had also mentioned that the POCO F4 5G might launch under a different name, depending on the region. So, we might see it rebranded as the Redmi K40S for the global market. Other rumored features include a 50 megapixel triple camera setup on the rear, a 4,000mAh battery pack, and 67W fast charging support. For storage, it could offer 128GB or 256GB.

RELATED:

Vivo X Note color variants revealed in new image, reservations begin

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 31, 2022

Vivo is all set to announce the Vivo X Note premium flagship phone on April 11 in China. Ahead of the launch, the Chinese manufacturer has now made the device available for reservations through its official online store, JD, and Tmall. These listings include the renders of the Vivo X Note. One of the renders showcases the color variants of the device.

The below shown render shows that the Vivo X Note will come in hues like gray, black, and blue. Rumors are rife that the company may also make it available in orange color later.

Vivo X Note specifications

The Vivo X Note will house a 7-inch AMOLED display that will deliver a Quad HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. For security, it will feature an ultrasonic in-screen fingerprint scanner. As can be seen in the image, the premium flagship’s display will feature curved edges and a centrally aligned punch-hole.

The X Note will be driven by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. It is likely to arrive in options such as 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage, 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage, and 12 GB RAM + 512 GB storage.

The device will house a 5,000mAh battery that supports 80W fast charging. The handset is also expected to come with 50W wireless charging support. There is no information on the selfie camera of the device. The round-shaped camera module available on the back will comprise a 50-megapixel Samsung S5KGN1 primary camera, a 48-megapixel Sony IMX598 lens, a 12-megapixel Sony IMX663 lens, and an 8-megapixel OV08A10 camera with 5x zoom.

The Vivo X Fold smartphone and the Vivo Pad tablet will also be shown off at the April 11 launch event in China.

RELATED:

Apple iPhone isn’t getting under-display Touch ID support anytime soon

By

Jeet

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Mar 31, 2022

Apple is gearing up to launch the next-generation iPhone 14 series and with that, the company is set to introduce some major changes in the design of the smartphone as well as the phone’s features.

While the Apple iPhone 14 series is yet to go official, reports about the upcoming lineup from the company have surfaced online, revealing that the rumored Touch ID support for the iPhone isn’t coming anytime soon.

Last month, Apple was granted a patent for an under-display fingerprint reader, leading to speculation about the iPhone models to soon get the support for under-display Touch ID.

Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known Apple analyst, had reported earlier this year that the company could introduce iPhone with an under-display Touch ID in 2023 but now he doesn’t think that is happing any longer.

He believes that the next couple of iterations for smartphones, i.e. iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 launching in 2023 and 2024 won’t have under-display fingerprint sensor support and Face ID will be the only biometric option to unlock the device.

As for the major changes this year, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are getting rid of the notch on top of the screen for a pill-shaped cutout. The camera sensor is also expected to get bumped up from 12MP to 48MP.

It is also being said that the company is trying to make the non-Pro and Pro models of the Apple iPhone 14 series significantly different in terms of specifications. As per the reports, there will be four models getting launched this year — iPhone 14, 14 Max, 14 Pro, and 14 Pro Max. To know for sure what the devices offer, we will have to wait for the official launch set to take place later this year.

RELATED:

iQOO Neo6 launch date confirmed, here’s what is known so far

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 31, 2022

iQOO announced the iQOO Neo5 powered by the Snapdragon 870 in March 2021 in China. It unveiled the iQOO Neo5s with Snapdragon 888 and iQOO Neo5 SE with Snapdragon 870 in December last year. Today, the company confirmed that it will be announcing the iQOO Neo6 on April 13 in China.

iQOO Neo6 is now available for reservations in China, but the company is yet to confirm its specifications. Recently, a new Vivo smartphone with V2196A was spotted on Chinese certification platforms such as TENAA and 3C. Chinese tipsters have claimed that the V2196A model number belongs to the iQOO Neo6. Yesterday, the same device was spotted at the Geekbench benchmarking site.

Rumors about the iQOO Neo6 say that it will have a 6.62-inch AMOLED screen with an FHD+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and an in-screen fingerprint reader. The device is expected to run on the Android 12 OS and OriginOS UI.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is likely to power the iQOO Neo6. According to a recent report, the device will be available in 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage configurations. The handset may house a 4,700mAh battery that may carry support for 80W fast charging.

The rumor mill is yet to leak information on the front and rear cameras of the iQOO Neo6. The device measures 163 x 76.16 x 8.5mm and is expected to come in three colors like black, blue, and orange.

RELATED:

Hi Nova 9 SE from China Post with 66W charging support leaks online ahead of launch

By

Jeet

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Mar 31, 2022

China Post has been launching new smartphones under its Hi Nova brand which are basically rebranded models of the devices from Huawei. The company has so far launched a few smartphones and is now gearing up to launch another.

A new Hi Nova series smartphone has appeared in the listing from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, revealing some key details about the device. The phone is believed to be named Hi Nova 9 SE.

It has been revealed that the smartphone features a 6.7-inch LCD display that offers a screen resolution of 2388 x 1080 pixels screen resolution. Under the hood, the phone is said to be powered by an octa-core processor with a maximum frequency of 2.2GHz.

While the exact processor has not been revealed, it is likely to be the MediaTek Dimensity 700, which is different from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 that’s powering the Huawei Nova 9 SE smartphone.

The leak also reveals that the device is powered by a 3,900mAh battery and comes with support for 66W fast charging technology. With some differences, we expect the smartphone to be similar to the Huawei Nova 9 SE.

The Hi Nova 9 SE could come with a quad-camera setup that includes a 108-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens, a 2-megapixel macro sensor, and a 2-megapixel depth-of-field sensor. On the front side, there could be a 16-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling.

As the smartphone is not produced by Huawei, it is unlikely to come running the HaarmonyOS. Instead, the phone will be running the Android operating system with a custom user inter have from China Post.

RELATED:

Motorola Edge X30 Under Screen Edition now available for purchase in China

By

Jeet

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Mar 31, 2022

Motorola Edge X30 Under Screen Edition was launched a few weeks ago in the Chinese market. It was announced just weeks a couple of months after the flagship smartphone named Motorola Edge X30 was launched in China.

Now, the Motorola Edge 30 Under Screen Edition is available for purchase in China. The phone is priced at 3,999 yuan (~$630) but for the limited time, it is on sale at a discounted price of 3,499 yuan (~$551).

Apart from the support for under-display front-facing camera, everything else remains the same as the original model. It features a 6.7-inch OLED display with Full HD+ screen resolution that offers a 120Hz refresh rate and DC Dimming.

Under the hood, the device comes powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. It packs 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 internal storage. The device also comes with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for added security.

In the camera department, there’s a triple-camera setup on the back consisting of a 50-megapixel primary sensor, a 50-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. On the front side, the smartphone features a 60-megapixel camera snapper for taking selfies and video calling.

The Motorola Edge X30 Under Screen Edition runs the Android 12 operating system with the company’s own My UI 2.0 on top. It is powered by a 5,000mAh battery that comes with support for 68W fast charging.

RELATED:

Apple patents reveal next-gen Force Touch sensors

By

Sudhanshu

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Mar 31, 2022

The US Patent & Trademark Office has published some new patents from Apple that hint at a return of the company’s 3D Touch technology.

For those unaware, Force Touch, also called 3D Touch, was a technology that Apple used for some years before replacing it with Haptic Touch. The 3D touch allowed iPhone users to access different menus by simply applying different amounts of pressure to the phone’s display.

The patents (via Patently Apple) show the force-pressure sensors built into an Apple Watch and the trackpad of a MacBook. According to the patent, Apple’s new pressure-sensitive surface would utilize microelectromechanical fluid pressure sensors. These sensors would be smaller, have better force sensitivity, and be more durable than conventional pressure sensors.

The new pressure sensors will likely operate as the click buttons on the trackpad on a MacBook. On the other hand, the Apple Watch patent figure shows the new sensors embedded into the watch’s physical button as well as in its strap. The new technology will enable the smartwatch to detect blood pressure, heart rate, and pulse wave velocity, all through the pressure sensors in its strap.

The pressure sensor is also shown to be featured in AirPods. The AirPods could feature these new sensors in its stem to make switching tracks, playing and pausing, answering calls, and adjusting volume levels much easier by applying different amounts of pressure for each input.

As exciting as this upcoming technology may be, it is worth noting that it is still in the patent stage and therefore will take a while to actually be featured in gadgets from the Cupertino giant. It is also likely that Apple never implements the technology into real consumer products. So stay tuned for more updates on the matter.

RELATED:

Black Shark 5 Pro vs REDMAGIC 7 Pro vs Lenovo Legion Y90: Specs Comparison

By

Michele Ingelido

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Mar 30, 2022

Xiaomi just announced its top-tier flagship gaming phone of 2022: the Black Shark 5 Pro. On the gaming side, it has no compromises and has the most powerful hardware you can expect from a gaming phone this year. But is it really the best gaming phone out there? This year, there is a lot of competition, more than ever. Nubia came up with the amazing REDMAGIC 7 Pro, while Lenovo launched the Legion Y90. Here is a comparison between the specifications of the Black Shark 5 Pro, the REDMAGIC 7 Pro, and the Lenovo Legion Y90.

Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro vs Nubia REDMAGIC 7 Pro vs Lenovo Legion Y90

	Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro	Nubia REDMAGIC 7 Pro	Lenovo Legion Y90
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT	163.9 x 76.5 x 9.5 mm, 220 grams	166.3 x 77.1 x 10 mm, 235 grams	177 x 78.4 x 10.1 mm, 252 g
DISPLAY	6.67 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), OLED	6.8 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), AMOLED	6.92 inches, 1080 x 2460p (Full HD+), AMOLED
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, octa-core 3.0 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, octa-core 3.0 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, octa-core 3.0 GHz
MEMORY	8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB – 16 GB RAM, 512 GB	8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB – 16 GB RAM ,256 GB – 16 GB RAM, 512 GB – 16 GB RAM, 1 TB	12 GB RAM, 128 GB – 16 GB RAM, 256 GB – 18 GB RAM, 640 GB
SOFTWARE	Android 12, Joy UI	Android 12, Redmagic	Android 12, ZUI
CONNECTIVITY	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS
CAMERA	Triple 108 + 13 + 5 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.4 + f/2.4 16 MP front camera	Triple 64 + 8 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.0 16 MP front camera	Dual 64 + 13 MP, f/1.9 16 MP front camera
BATTERY	4650 mAh, fast charging 120W	5000 mAh, fast charging 135W	5600 mAh, fast charging 68W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Dual SIM slot, 5G	Dual SIM slot, 5G	Dual SIM slot, 5G

Design

All of these phones come with an aggressive design just like all the most important gaming phones out there. I personally prefer the Black Shark 5 Pro because it has a more elegant look and it is more compact as well. Further, it comes with special magnetic gaming triggers giving an important advantage during gaming sessions and disappearing when there is no need to use them. But you should not underestimate the REDMAGIC 7 Pro and its amazing pressure sensitive zones with a 500 Hz touch sampling rate. Last but not least, the Lenovo Legion Y90 comes with four ultrasonic buttons and an RGB light panel.

Display

On paper, the display of the Black Shark 5 Pro by Xiaomi looks like the most advanced panel. It is an OLED display with one billion colors, a diagonal of 6.67 inches, a Full HD+ resolution, a 144 Hz refresh rate, and the HDR10+ certification. The REDMAGIC 7 Pro comes with the same specifications but a lower 120 Hz refresh rate and a wider 6.8-inch diagonal. The Lenovo Legion Y90 has an even wider 6.92-inch display and a 144 Hz refresh rate as well, but it lacks a 10-bit color depth so its color accuracy should be inferior.

Specs & Software

The hardware department of these phones is the best you can expect in 2022. They are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform paired with huge amounts of RAM and very fast internal storage. The Lenovo Legion Y90 beats everyone with up to 18 GB of RAM and internal storage including a 128 GB SSD (besides 512 GB of UFS 3.1 storage): the first SSD on a phone. The Black Shark 5 Pro has an SSD as well, but the maximum quantity of RAM for this device is 16 GB. You do not get an SSD with the REDMAGIC 7 Pro, but it offers up to 1 TB of internal storage: the highest quantity. All the handsets are based on Android 12.

Camera

It is not a high-end camera phone, but the Black Shark 5 Pro has the best camera: a 108 MP main sensor paired with a 13 MP ultrawide camera and a 5 MP telephoto macro camera. Right after, we got the 64 + 13 MP dual camera of the Lenovo Legion Y90.

Read More: Redmi K50G Gaming Flagship Unboxing and Hands-on: Believe it or not, it’s a Gaming Phone!

Battery

Lenovo Legion Y90 wins the battery life comparison thanks to a big 5600 mAh battery, but the REDMAGIC 7 Pro features 135W fast charging: the most powerful charging technology of the trio.

Price

The Black Shark 5 Pro starts from €600/$669, the REDMAGIC 7 Pro from €670/$748, and the Lenovo Legion Y90 from €570/$636. Which one would you pick?

Black Shark 5 Pro Nubia REDMAGIC 7 Pro vs Lenovo Legion Y90: PRO and CONS

Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro

PRO

Physical gaming triggers
108 MP rear camera
144 Hz refresh rate
One billion colors
More compact
SSD

CONS

Smaller battery

Nubia REDMAGIC 7 Pro

PRO

Faster charging
Pressure sensitive zones
Big cooling fan
Up to 1 TB
Under-display camera

CONS

Inferior cameras

Lenovo Legion Y90

PRO

Ultrasonic buttons
Two cooling fans
Up to 18 GB of RAM
SSD
Bigger battery

CONS

Slower charging

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Lotus unveils the 600HP Eletre Hyper SUV, its first electric vehicle

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Mar 30, 2022

British carmaker Lotus has unveiled its first electric vehicle, an AWD SUV with deliveries likely to start rolling in from next year across several markets. The Lotus 600HP Eletre is a hyper SUV that packs power, speed, and innovation into a single unit. The Lotus 600HP Eletre comes with five doors and reflects a similar design philosophy as the Emira sports car. It also reflects some characteristics of the all-electric Evija hypercar.

Lotus is calling the 600HP Eletre an hyper SUV. It is the first-ever five-door production car, the first lifestyle EV, the first Lotus offering outside the sports car segment, and the most connected model from the company so far. Although there are some key details still lacking for the model, the company says it could have a monster range of 373 miles (600km). This would mean that the Eletre could be competing with some of the heavy hitters in the market like the Tesla Model X Long Range Plus. The 600HP motor is capable of producing top speeds of 161mph (259km/h) and it can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in under three seconds.

The Eletre’s exterior design features an efficient aerodynamics design developed by a team led by Ben Payne. The Lotus 600HP Eletre seems to have placed a marker of performance for other models that will emerge. It is an elegant, efficient, and high-speed SUV. Its interior sports recyclable materials which are also durable.

The interior of the 600HP Eletre is a marvel to behold. The infotainment system and the entire interior sports cutting-edge and innovative gadgets and an exciting design. It is the first vehicle in the market with a deployable LIDAR system. This is used to supplement the driver-assist system in the EV. The LIDAR functionality will become a mainstay of autonomous vehicles and its presence in the Eletre is impressive. The car has been designed with the future in mind and it can accept OTA updates going forward.

There is no pricing information for the Lotus 600HP Eletre but we expect the details to be out as progress is made to its eventual release in 2023. Production will be done in the company’s new production facility in Wuhan, China. Some of the markets that will see the Lotus 600HP Eletre SUV are China, Europe, and the United Kingdom from 2023.

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