Xiaomi Smart Cat Eye 1s door camera with a 5″ screen & 1080p camera launched

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Mar 29, 2022

Xiaomi has announced the release of the Smart Cat Eye door camera with an official price of 699 yuan (~$110), although it will sell at a discounted price of 649 yuan (~$102) when it goes on sale on March 31. The Smart Cat Eye 1s comes with a 5-inch IPS LCD screen and a 1080p camera for high-quality video feeds. The tempered glass of the screen is fully laminated while the screen inside the door can collect weather and other important information.

The Xiaomi Smart Cat Eye 1s has an outside camera with an F2.0 aperture, a 160-degree viewing angle, and all-day monitoring using its infra-red fill lights. This means that monitoring of the door is provided both during the day and at night.

The 8,000mAh battery of the Smart Cat Eye 1s offers up to six months of monitoring and the device can be charged easily via its USB-C port. It is also possible to configure the Smart Cat Eye 1s to facilitate communication with visitors at the door via Xiaomi’s AI touchscreen speakers. Face recognition is supported and the gadget has a memory of already identified persons.

The Xiaomi Smart Cat Eye 1s will be available via official retail platforms from March 31, as well as other outlets. There are no details yet on the global availability and pricing information of the model.

RELATED:

Vivo X80 to have Sony IMX886 primary sensor

By

Pranav Sawant

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Mar 29, 2022

A few weeks back, rumors revealed that a Vivo X80 phone will support the new Sony IMX8-series sensor. However, there wasn’t any clue about the exact sensor and its type. Now, the tipster @BaldPanda has revealed some details about this sensor enticing us even more for its official release.

The tipster reveals that the Vivo X80 will come with a Sony IMX886 main lens. The sensor will be 1/1.56 inches and will adopt an RGBW arrangement. Unfortunately, the tipster hasn’t revealed the pixels of this sensor on the phone, but it is expected to be more than 50MP.

Also, we aren’t sure about the other lenses on the phone. If we go by the standard setup, the phone may have ultra-wide and telephoto sensors as secondary and tertiary lenses. The camera is also expected to be backed by the Vivo V1 Image Signal Processor, just like the predecessor.

Other than the cameras, this time, the Vivo X80 series will have the X80 and X80 Pro. There are slim chances of the brand continuing the Plus model as the company is currently teasing the Vivo X Fold as the top-end model.

The Vivo X80, X80 Pro, and X Fold were spotted on TENAA recently. The X80 duo has a 6.78-inch display with FHD+ and QHD+ resolution, respectively. The X Fold has a 6.53-inch FHD+ panel.

The Vivo X80 Pro is expected to come powered by the Dimensity 9000 SoC, while the X Fold is said to have the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. The X80 Pro packs a 4,700mAh battery with support for 80W fast charging. The X Fold will get a 4,600mAh battery with 120W or 80W fast charging.

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OnePlus 10 Pro in North America will support only 65W fast charging

By

Pranav Sawant

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Mar 29, 2022

OnePlus has scheduled to launch the OnePlus 10 Pro on March 31 in India, Europe, and North America. Ahead of its launch, the smartphone was spotted on a German retail website giving away its price. Now, the OnePlus forum reveals that the model that will debut in North America will differ in charging speeds as compared to the model that will launch in other markets.

The Oneplus 10 Pro in North America is touted to come with a 65W SuperVOOC fast charging support as opposed to the 80W SuperVOOC fast charging support on the global and Chinese models. This will be because the 80W SuperVOOC doesn’t support 110 or 120-volt AC power, which is standard in the North American market. That being said, the company has to go with the lower charging speed on the 10 Pro.

Also, in the North American regions, we do not see any super-fast charging support on any phones, so this charging speed would be still great. Just for comparison, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has a 45W fast charging speed and the iPhone 13 Pro Max gets up to a 27W fast charging speed.

Besides this, this time around, the OnePlus 10 Pro will also offer Hasselblad cameras. It has a 48MP IMX789 + 50MP ultra-wide + 8MP telephoto triple-rear camera system. The smartphone has 32MP selfie snapper.

It comes with a 6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED panel with a 1Hz to 120Hz variant refresh rate. It has a 3216 x 1440 pixels resolution and Gorilla Glass Victus protection. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage. The phone boots on Android 12 OS.

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Sony unveils all-new PlayStation Plus to compete against the Xbox Game Pass

By

Sudhanshu

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Mar 29, 2022

Yesterday, we reported that Sony is preparing to introduce a new videogame subscription service for the PlayStation this week. Now, the company has officially announced this service, revealing that it is a fusion between the PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now and retains the PlayStation Plus name.

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) states that the new subscription service will be made available in three tiers. The first is the PlayStation Plus Essential, which is basically the service in its current state and provides users with at least 2 free games every month along with access to multiplayer.

The next tier dubbed the PlayStation Plus Extra will provide players with a catalog of 400 downloadable games including blockbuster hits from the PlayStation Studios catalog and third-party partners.

The PlayStation Plus Premium subscription provides all the benefits from the Essential and Extra tiers and adds up to 340 additional games including PS3 games available via cloud streaming and beloved classic games available in both streaming and download options from the original PlayStation, PS2, and PSP generations. This tier will also offer time-limited game trials so so customers can try select games before they buy. It would be interesting to see if this service will also be made available for new titles so users can try them before they buy.

At launch, Sony plans to include titles such as Death Stranding, God of War, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Mortal Kombat 11, and Returnal.

Sony has also assured that most PlayStation Network territories will have the new PlayStation Plus service by the end of the first half of 2022. SIE has also revealed the prices of their subscription service for various territories like the US, Europe, UK, and Japan which you can check out on their official blog post.

RELATED:

Realme GT Neo3 India launch timeline, variants, and colors revealed

By

Pranav Sawant

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Mar 29, 2022

While Realme has scheduled to launch the Realme GT2 Pro on April 7 in the Indian market, we may also see the Realme GT Neo3 in the country. The tipster Mukul Sharma(via Onsitego) has now revealed the launch timeline, colors, and configurations of the GT Neo3 for India.

According to the tipster, the Realme GT Neo3 will be launched in April in the Indian market. However, the exact launch date is still under wraps. The smartphone is tipped to come in multiple configurations such as 8GB RAM + 128GB storage variant, 8GB RAM + 256GB storage variant, and 12GB RAM + 256GB storage variant.

The smartphone is said to come in three colors – Asphalt Black, Spring White, and Nitro Blue. The pricing of the phone is yet to be known.

Realme GT Neo3 Specifications

The Realme GT Neo3 was launched in China this month. The smartphone sports a 6.7-inch OLED display with a Full-HD+ resolution. It has a 120Hz refresh rate and a 360Hz touch sampling rate. It has a 94.2% screen-to-body ratio and a maximum brightness of 1000 nits.

It is powered by the new 5nm MediaTek Dimensity 8100 SoC paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It comes in two variants – a 4,500mAh battery + 150W UltraDart variant and a 5,000mAh + 80W UltraDart variant. The device has a triple camera system with 50MP IMX 766 main lens with OIS support, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP macro shooter. Upfront, it has a 16MP selfie snapper.

The device has an in-display fingerprint scanner for security and boots on Android 12 OS based on Realme UI. It has VC liquid cooling under the roof and has GT Mode 3.0.

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boAt Wave Lite smartwatch launched for Rs 1,999 ($26) in India; Price, sale date, features

By

Sudhanshu

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Mar 29, 2022

Last week, boAt teased the launch of its latest smart wearable, the boAt Wave Lite by listing it on Amazon India. Now, the company has officially launched the product revealing its price and sale date.

Boat Wave Lite price and availability

The smartwatch is priced at Rs 1,999 ($26) and it’ll be available on Amazon India. The watch will go on sale starting at 12 noon on March 31. The wearable comes in Black, Blue, and Red colour options.

Boat Wave Lite specs & features

The boAt Wave Lite smartwatch sports a 1.69 inch display that has a square like design and offers 500 nits of peak brightness. This display also offers 160 degree angle of view and 70 percent RGB color gamut as well. The smartwatch weighs just 44.8 grams and also houses a rotating crown to help users access the menu and even navigate around the user interface. Similar to most modern smartwatches, this model also supports heart rate monitor, a SpO2 blood oxygen tracking, and sleep mapping.

It also supports numerous sports modes like running, walking, cycling, football, badminton, basketball, skipping, and swimming. Apart from this, the Wave Lite also comes with Google Fit and Apple Health integration as well. Other features include support for more than 100 watch faces, 7 day long battery life, and displaying notifications like calls, texts, and other social media apps. It also offers support for music and camera controls and can even be paired with the boAt wearable app.

RELATED:

TECNO x ManCity brings world’s first Augmented Reality experience in football

By

Sudhanshu

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Mar 29, 2022

The #AnnounceYourself campaign which ran throughout January and February 2022 was a global hit among football fans all over the world. TECNO, which is the Global Handset partner of Manchester City Football Club launched this first-ever immersive Augmented Reality (AR) experience in the football world.

The campaign allowed football fans all over the world to interact with the football club in exciting and novel ways. From journeying through the Etihad Stadium and City Football Academy training campus, signing a new contract, selecting their squad number, to mingling with first-team players, the immersive AR experience campaign accorded football fans a ticket to live out their dreams supporting their favorite club.

Users could even take part in the TECNO Mobile 3D penalty shootout games before showing off their skills and scores on social media. The AR experience campaign culminated in a grand lucky draw where lucky contestants won rare VIP matchday tickets and travel to a Manchester City home fixture during the season.

To step into this virtual world of Manchester City, fans just had to whip out their smartphones to scan a QR code with their built-in camera app from anywhere around the world.

With an AR platform that was specially designed for the campaign, features like 3D modeling, custom animation, 360-degree video, mini-games, and advanced analytics provision powered the entire AR experience for the fans.

The campaign was also evolving in real-time by being interactive in nature. Users were enthralled by various continuous, exclusive digital content upgrades within the virtual world and supporters could return each time to uncover invigorating new features like special player phone backgrounds and unique video collaterals.

This was the world’s first immersive AR experience campaign centered around the football league, the #AnnounceYourself campaign was met with immense success as fans all over the world joined in on this never-before-seen experience of a lifetime. The campaign was not only the “world’s first”, but it was also a global success among club fans.

RELATED:

Redmi 10 5G, Redmi Note 11 Pro+ & Note 11S 5G versions launched globally

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 29, 2022

Sometime last week, Xiaomi Global announced an event scheduled for March 29. As scheduled, the tech giant has announced the 5G versions of the Redmi Note 11 Pro+, Redmi Note 11S, and Redmi 10.

Redmi 10 5G

The Redmi 10 5G is the first Redmi entry-level series model outside the Note series to come with 5G connectivity. This model will give 5G access to more consumers as a result of its affordability as it starts at $199.

The Redmi 10 5G is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor which has an octa-core CPU clocked at up to 2.2GHz. The phone supports a dual 5G SIM designed to deliver top-notch performance. The processor pairs with 4GB RAM and has 64GB and 128GB storage options.

The budget smartphone sports a 6.58-inch Dot Drop display with an FHD+ resolution of 2408×1080 pixels and a 90Hz refresh rate. The phone crams a 5000mAh battery under the hood while for photography, there is a 50MP+2MP dual camera setup on board.

The Redmi 10 5G is available in 4GB+64GB and 4GB+128GB variants. The 4GB+64GB variant starts at $199 while the 4GB+128GB variant will retail for $229.

Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G

While the Redmi 10 5G offers the cheapest option, the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G is the star of the trio. The phone features support for 120W Xiaomi HyperCharge which is touted to deliver 0-100% charge to its 4500mAh battery in just 15 minutes. The device has obtained TÜV Rheinland’s Safe Fast-Charge System certification and comes with over 40 safety features.

As for the camera, the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G packs an ultra-clear 108MP Samsung HM2 main camera paired with an 8MP ultra-wide sensor and a 2MP telemacro camera.

The Note 11 Pro+ 5G retains the 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED DotDisplay, with a 120Hz refresh rate and 360Hz touch sampling rate that is utilized on the 4G version. The Note 11 Pro+ is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 920 processor.

Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G will be available in three variants – 6GB+128GB, 8GB+128GB and 8GB+256GB. As for the price, the 6GB+128GB variant is priced at $369, while the 8GB+128GB is priced at $399 and the 8GB+256GB variant is priced at $449.

Redmi Note 11S 5G

The Redmi Note 11S 5G is powered by the power-efficient MediaTek Dimensity 810 6nm processor as against an Helio G96 chipset on the 4G variant. The device features support for dual 5G SIM. It packs a large 5,000mAh battery which guarantees an extended usage time.

In terms of the camera, the Redmi Note 11S 5G features a 50MP AI triple camera. The other sensors include an 8MP ultra-wide and a 2MP macro lens.

As for the price, the Redmi Note 11S 5G 4GB+64GB variant is priced at $249, while the 4GB+128GB version is priced at $279. Finally, the 6GB+128GB comes in at $299.

Samsung Galaxy M13 5G production commences in India, launch expected soon

By

Sudhanshu

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Mar 29, 2022

Samsung is gearing up to launch the Galaxy M33 5G smartphone on April 2nd in India. While there is no news on when the Galaxy M23 could be expected to launch in the country, news has emerged that Samsung will also soon launch the Galaxy M13 5G in India.

According to a 91mobiles report, industry insiders have informed that the South Korean tech giant has commenced the production of the Galaxy M13 5G smartphone in India. The insider also informs that the upcoming smartphone carries the model number SM-M135.

Unfortunately, there are no details available on the specs and features of the smartphone as of yet, however, being a Galaxy M series device, we can expect it to debut with a nig battery. Additionally, since it is a 5G-enabled smartphone, it will most likely come with an entry-level 5G SoC To get an idea of its specs and features, we can also look at its predecessor.

Galaxy M12 Specifications and Features

The Galaxy M12 sports a 6.5-inch PLS TFT LCD panel with a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels (HD+), a 90Hz refresh rate, a dewdrop notch.

Under the hood, the handset features an Exynos 850 SoC paired with up to 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage with support for MicroSD card expansion (up to 1TB). On the connectivity front, the device comes with dual-SIM, 4G, single-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, and GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, GALILEO). It features a 6000mAh battery with 15W fast charging support.

For optics, the handset has a 48MP primary sensor (Samsung ISOCELL GM2), a 5MP ultra-wide unit, a 2MP macro snapper, and a 2MP depth sensor. Whereas, on the front, the phone houses an 8MP shooter for selfies and video calls.

The device debuted in March 2021 and was priced at ₹10,999 ($145) for the 4GB + 64GB configuration.

RELATED:

Xiaomi teases a new tablet launch in India, likely the Mi Pad 5

By

Sudhanshu

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Mar 29, 2022

Over the years, Xiaomi has expanded its presence in the Indian market offering smartphones, smart TVs, smart wearables, and smart home solutions. The brand however has not tried to capitalize on the growing tablet market since its first tablet launch in the country back in June 2014.

But that is about to change as the brand has teased a new tablet launch which will take place on April 1 at 12 PM IST.

𝘼𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣! #KeepTabsOnUs

Get notified: https://t.co/nBRVRR2GeC pic.twitter.com/0lTFLgg3OV

— Xiaomi India (@XiaomiIndia) March 29, 2022

The Xiaomi India head Manu Kumar Jain also took to Twitter to announce the same stating “Mi Fans, we’re gearing up to make your wish come true. Always Believe in the power of making dreams come true.”

The brand has also set up a dedicated microsite on the Xiaomi India website which has a count down going till April 1st at 12 PM IST. It remains to be seen if this countdown will reveal a launch timeline, more details about the device, or will turn out to be an April fools joke.

While the tablet device could be a brand new model, there are chances it could be the recently launched Mi Pad 5.

Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 Specifications

The Xiaomi Mi Pad sports an 11-inch with an FHD+ resolution. It has a 120Hz refresh rate and a pixel density of 275 PPI. It also has anti-blue light and a 1500:1 contrast ratio. It has a 13MP single camera at the rear and boasts an 8MP selfie camera.

Under the hood, it is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 SoC paired with 6GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. It houses an 8,720mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging technology. It is touted to offer 5 days of music playback, 16 hours of video playback, and 10 hours of gaming. The device runs on MIUI 12.5 Pad OS software skin based on Android 11.

RELATED:

Xiaomi MIJIA Fresh Air Conditioner Vertical 3 HP launched for ¥6949 (~$1,090)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 29, 2022

Xiaomi has launched the MIJIA Fresh Air conditioner Vertical 3 HP under crowdfunding on Xioami Mall. The air conditioner comes with a crowdfunding price of 6949 yuan (~$1,090) while the product will retail for 7299 yuan (~$1,146) after the crowdfunding exercise.

The MIJIA Fresh Air conditioner Vertical 3 HP uses a standing design and is equipped with a HEPA filter element and a compressor made by Panasonic. The compressor provides a large air volume of 215m³/h. The air conditioner also supports functions such as zoned air supply, high-temperature drying, and self-cleaning. It has a new level of energy efficiency and is suitable for rooms of sizes ranging from 30- 40m².

In addition, as a MIJIA ecological chain product, the MIJIA fresh air conditioner comes with support for the Mijia app remote control, XiaoAI voice remote control, and other functions are also readily available.

In terms of appearance, the new air conditioner features the current mainstream cylindrical design and vertical rectangular opening and has a silver-gray paint job. The overall appearance is not much different from the previous Xiaomi air conditioner, which is more versatile.

At present, Xiaomi Mall has not released more parameter information about this product, so the data about its cooling capacity and heating capacity are still unclear, but judging from the previous Xiaomi air-conditioning products, it should not be disappointing.

The MIJIA fresh air conditioner will officially start crowdfunding on March 30.

RELATED:

Samsung Galaxy A73 5G, Galaxy A33 5G launched in India; Specs, features & more

By

Sudhanshu

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Mar 29, 2022

Last week, Samsung debuted the Galaxy A53 5G smartphone in the Indian market and now, it has officially launched the Galaxy A33 5G and the Galaxy A73 5G in the country. So let’s take a look at what the phones have to offer.

Samsung Galaxy A73 5G specifications

The Galaxy A73 5G gets a nearly edge-to-edge screen with super-thin bezels. It features a 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED 120Hz Infinity-O panel with a punch-hole cutout in the top center.

The Galaxy A73 5G comes with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778G chipset with 8GB RAM and 128/256GB storage. The device gets a microSD card slot that supports up to 1TB of memory expansion. It runs Android 12 based OneUI 4.1 out of the box and comes with a 5,000mAh battery that supports 25W fast charging. The smartphone does not come with a charger included in the box so buyers will likely have to shell out some extra cash for a charger.

For photography, the Galaxy A73 5G is equipped with a 108MP main camera with an f/1.8 aperture and OIS support. The device also gets an ultrawide camera with a 12MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture, a 5MP macro camera with an f/2.4 aperture, and a 5MP depth sensor.

Samsung Galaxy A33 5G specifications

The screen of the device measures 6.4 inches. It is an FHD+ Super AMOLED Infinity-U panel with a 90Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The display also features a waterdrop notch for the selfie camera.

The Galaxy A33 is powered by Samsung’s latest 5 nm-based Exynos 1280 SoC and gets up to 8GB of RAM. The device will likely come with 128GB of internal storage in India, which can be expanded via a microSD card. It comes with the Android 12 based OneUI 4.1 out of the box and gets IP67 water and dust resistant certification. The device houses a 5000mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging and incorporated a fingerprint sensor for security.

For photography, the smartphone has a 48MP primary camera with optical image stabilization, an 8MP ultrawide sensor, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 5MP macro camera. On the front, it houses a 13MP camera in the notch.

Samsung Galaxy A73 5G, Galaxy A33 5G availability

Samsung Galaxy A73 5G will come in Gray, Mint, and White colors. The Galaxy A33 5G on the other hand will be available in Black, Blue, Peach, and White shades. Samsung Galaxy A73 5G will open for pre-bookings in the coming days through Samsung.com, leading retail stores, and select online portals, the company said. It will be available in two distinct variants — 8GB RAM + 128GB storage and 8GB + 256GB. The exact availability and pricing of the phone are yet to be revealed. Samsung Galaxy A33 5G price in India and availability are also yet to be announced.

RELATED:

Spotify tests Instagram Reels-like vertical scrolling ‘Audio Newsfeed’ for Podcasts

By

Sean

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Mar 29, 2022

Spotify is apparently testing a new feature that might be quite useful for those that listen to Podcasts on the audio platform. This feature adds vertical scrolling similar to a newsfeed or Reels on Instagram.

HUGE!! @Spotify is adding a dedicated TikTok-style vertical scrolling feed for @spotifypodcasts to its toolbar!

h/t @SleepwellCap #NewSpotify pic.twitter.com/0CWolZGJQy

— Chris Messina 🪬 (@chrismessina) March 26, 2022

The news arrives from a video shared on Twitter (Via TechCrunch). This new audio newsfeed shows users 60 second short audio clips that scroll vertically. Reportedly, the feature will employ machine learning model that has been trained for over 100,000 hours of audio to make it capable of automatically suggesting selected audio clips to the individual users. According to the audio streaming company, this will be based on technology that it acquired when it purchased Podz last year for around 49 million US Dollars.

Podz was the startup that created the “audio newsfeed” to help address the issue of podcast’s discoverability. Thus, it used a Instagram Reels/TikTok like vertical scrolling format for this process. Notably, the real innovation behind this feature was the ability to select audio clips of shows in a way that didn’t require podcast creators to make their own clips. As of right now, the feature is being tested in limited regions where users are offered a dedicated “Podcasts” button within the application itself.

Clicking on this will take them to the vertical scrolling audio newsfeed. Interestingly, the audio clip is also transcribed on the display as it plays. If interested, users can click on the play button to continue to the show as well. In a statement to TechCrunch, the company said that “At Spotify, we routinely conduct a number of tests in an effort to improve our user experience. Some of those tests end up paving the way for our broader user experience and others serve only as an important learning. We don’t have any further news to share at this time.”

RELATED:

Unreleased OPPO Reno5 5G with Snapdragon 855 SoC appears in live images

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 29, 2022

OPPO debuted the OPPO Reno5 5G alongside the OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G in China in December 2020. The mid-range smartphone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset, which was quite popular back then. More than a year after its release, certain pictures reveal that the handset was also tested with another chip.

Unreleased OPPO Reno 5 5G with Snapdragon 855 SoC — Unreleased OPPO Reno5 5G with Snapdragon 855 SoC | Source: Chun (Twitter)

Twitter user Chun has shared three images of an unreleased OPPO Reno5 5G with a different SoC. This particular model houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chip chipset instead of a Snapdragon 765G chip.

In order to enable 5G support on phones with Snapdragon 855 SoC, OEMs have to use the Snapdragon X50 modem. So this version of OPPO Reno5 5G should include the said chip and the modem.

Since the global semiconductor shortage began in 2020, OPPO might not have been able to procure the year-old Snapdragon 855 chipset and the Snapdragon X50 modem. Also, it is always better to use an SoC with an integrated modem for power efficiency. Hence, the company could have decided to use the Snapdragon 765G chip instead.

Anyway, this is just mere speculation from our end. We don’t expect to learn the actual reason behind this as brands don’t share such details publicly.

Having said that, If the OPPO Reno5 5G had been released with Snapdragon 855, it would have been almost identical to the OPPO Reno5 Pro 5G with MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ SoC in terms of performance.

Alleged Xiaomi 12 Ultra poster appears, key specs also leaked

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Mar 29, 2022

The Xiaomi 12 Ultra has been doing rounds on the internet for a while now but it’s only now that its launch looks imminent. Its predecessor — the Mi 11 Ultra — has received a massive price cut in China, meaning that the successor could be announced anytime now. Ahead of that, an alleged poster belonging to the upcoming flagship phone has appeared.

Shared by tipster Shadow Leaks, the poster does look fairly well designed but we are not too convinced about it being the real deal — so you’d want to take it with a pinch of salt. It shows a white Xiaomi 12 Ultra, or at least the top part of its rear, complete with its ginormous camera module.

There are three lenses at the rear and a flash, all enclosed within a center-aligned circular module, which in turn is enclosed in a rectangular bump. This rectangular bump spans the entire width of the Xiaomi 12 Ultra. The inner module also has some text printed on it showing off some camera specs like 120x zoom. And at the top-right corner, a red-colored label indicates the camera system being developed jointly with Leica.

Another tweet by the same leakster mentions key specifications of the Xiaomi 12 Ultra. The 6.73″ 2K 120Hz E5 AMOLED Display display looks to be top of the line and supports LTPO 2.0 technology. The camera setup at the rear comprises a 50MP primary sensor with OIS support, 48MP ultrawide again with OIS support, and finally a 48MP telephoto lens with 120x zoom support.

Under the hood, there will be the TSMC-made Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus chip, fueled by a 4900mAh battery with 120W fast charging support. The phone will also pack stereo speakers and feature an IP68 water resistance rating. It will be booting into Android 12 out of the box.

RELATED:

Xiaomi launches new MIJIA All-Round Sweeping & Mopping Robot cleaner for 3999 Yuan ($627)

By

Sean

-

Mar 29, 2022

Xiaomi has just launched a new MIJIA product earlier today (29th March 2022). It is the new MIJIA All Round Sweeping and Mopping Robot cleaner that offers various cleaning features for the Chinese market.

As the name suggests, the Chinese brand’s latest product comes with sweeping and mopping to help keep the customers clean without human intervention. It offers automatic dust collection and even features disposable mops along with a monthly throwable dust bags. Under the hood, a large 5,200mAh battery pack runs this device, which is rated for 70W power. This battery pack takes up to 6.5 hours to charge fully and offers around 120 to 180 minutes worth of run time.

Furthermore, it comes with features that helps it avoid light obstacles along with LDS vision and 3D mapping navigation as well. The dust collection box has a capacity of 2.5 liters and the robot weighs around 12 kilograms. Its dimensions are 352mm long, 350mm wide and 98.8mm high and operates at a noise level of 68db. The suction power of the robot vacuum cleaner is 4000AW and it also houses a 250ml water tank.

As of right now, the product is listed online for a price of 3,999 Yuan (roughly 627 US Dollars). Although, it is yet to be available for purchase. Its first sale will begin on 6th April 2022. So you can look out for this product if you’re planning on getting a new robot vacuum cleaner soon.

RELATED:

OPPO Reno Ace, Reno 10x Zoom ColorOS 12 closed beta recruitment starts in China, global release imminent?

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Mar 29, 2022

Recruitment for the ColorOS 12 closed beta program has started for the OPPO Reno Ace and Reno 10x Zoom in China, hinting at an imminent global update rollout for the duo.

With a post on the community forums, OPPO announced that OPPO Reno Ace and Reno 10x Zoom can now apply to receive the Android 12-based ColorOS 12 update before everyone else as part of the internal testing. Of course, updates rolled out through the internal testing channel may be plagued with deal-breaking bugs so it’s advised to only apply from a device that’s not your primary one.

OPPO warns that testers may run into bugs, abnormal power consumption, and app compatibility issues, so it’s advisable to not apply if you’re looking for a stable experience right now.

The recruitment already commenced on March 28 and will last until March 29, 18:00 CST so you’d want to hurry. To apply, head over to Settings > Software Update > Click the settings icon on the screen > Apply for Beta Version > Update Beta Version. Just make sure you’ve updated to the latest ColorOS 11 stable build (firmware version F.11/F.12) beforehand.

Now that ColorOS 12 is available as closed betas for the OPPO Reno Ace and Reno 10x Zoom in China, a global rollout shouldn’t take much longer. Of course, there will be a beta program first, starting with China which will then expand to more regions, so sit tight.

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Realme 9 series 108MP ISOCELL HM6 camera phone officially confirmed

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Mar 29, 2022

Realme has confirmed through a press release that it will be launching a new Realme 9 series phone with a 108-megapixel ISOCELL HM6 image sensor. While Realme has not confirmed the exact name of the device, it is speculated that it could be teasing the arrival of the Realme 9 4G.

The Samsung ISOCELL HM6 108-megapixel image sensor’s NonaPixel Plus technology, featuring 9Sum pixel binning, can intake 123 percent more light than the ISOCELL HM2 image sensor to capture brighter images. As a bonus, the in-sensor ultra-zoom technology will let users take beautiful zoomed-in shots with minute details.

Realme 8 Pro with 108MP ISOCELL HM2 lens

Reports have claimed that the Realme 9 4G will debut in April this year. It is speculated that the Realme phone with RMX3521 that has been spotted at several certification platforms such as FCC, NBTC, BIS, and EMT certification sites may break cover as the Realme 9 4G. These certifications suggest that the handset could be heading to multiple markets in the coming weeks.

The Realme 9 4G rumors have revealed that it will pack a 5,000mAh battery, which may support 33W fast charging. The device may feature a 16-megapixel front-facing camera. It may arrive in two options, such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage.

The other specifications of the Realme 9 4G are under wraps. Hopefully, newer reports will provide more details about the smartphone. It may sell colors like Meteor Black, and Stargaze White, and Sunburst Gold. The Realme 9 4G is expected to arrive as the fifth Realme 9 series phone. To recall, the lineup includes four models such as Realme 9i, Realme 9 5G, Realme 9 5G SE, Realme 9 Pro, and Realme 9 Pro+.

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Huawei’s HarmonyOS 3.0 yet to make it out of developer previews, stable release looks delayed

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Mar 29, 2022

HarmonyOS 3.0 beta rollouts were originally scheduled for March with stable releases following in July but it now looks that the timeline may be pushed back a bit. According to a report by IT Home, the next big update from Huawei is yet to come out of the developer testing stage, let alone go into beta testing.

Huawei had announced developer previews of HarmonyOS 3.0 last year with an aim to ease the development process in order to woo developers and deploy the OS to even more devices. It also released API 7 and ArkUI that together help devs to develop applications for the system more efficiently.

Still, based on a China Central Television report demonstrating HarmonyOS 3.0’s “Intelligent Connectivity of Everything” principle, the update will be released soon enough. The demo showed a Huawei phone pairing with and controlling various smart home appliances simply with a tap of the phone onto the appliance.

An example use case is when you are looking into the mirror, the phone’s screen can be mirrored onto the mirror, so you can continue your chit-chat while washing your face or applying makeup.

Huawei’s Hongmeng Zhilian has already acquired 2,000 partners meaning we should be seeing even more devices supporting the HarmonyOS hardware ecosystem and deeper integration with the world of IoT.

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Apple fines reach €50 million in the Dutch dating apps dispute

By

Sean

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Mar 29, 2022

Earlier this week, we had reported on Apple facing additional fines in the Netherlands for failing to comply with orders from the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM). While the company had almost hit the fines upper limit of 50 million EUR (roughly 55 million US Dollars), now the cumulative fines have reached this point.

For those unaware, the Cupertino based giant was facing the fines for failing to provide the mandated alternative payment system for Dutch dating apps. Since this rule came into effect, the iPhone maker would face 5 million EUR in fines each week till the fines hit 50 million EUR. However, due to its failure to provide adequate measures, Apple kept receiving the fines for 10 weeks in a row.

So far, the company has chosen to offer Dutch dating apps to use external payment methods, but developers that opt for this system will have to submit a separate app binary and will not be able to offer 3rd payment options and in app purchases simultaneously. However, the ACM did not approve of the brand’s attempt at making developers choose between using either alternative payments or in app payments and required Apple to offer both options.

Furthermore, the company had even reduced its commission on purchases using 3rd party payment systems down to 27 percent instead of the usual 30 percent, but developers would again have to submit a monthly record of sales so Apple can track its commission. With the upper limit of the fines being hit, its unknown what actions the ACM will take against the tech giant, although, it is likely that it would face stricter punishment in the form of higher fines. As of right now, the ACM is currently in the process of reviewing Apple’s latest proposal for compliance and said that it “should result in definitive conditions for dating app providers that wish to use the App Store.”

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