LG 11TC50Q Chromebook with an 11.6” 360° rotating touch display launched

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Mar 7, 2022

The LG 11TC50Q Chromebook laptop has been unveiled by the Korean tech giant and it comes with some exciting features in line with the new normal of online education. The LG 11TC50Q Chromebook has a 360-degree rotating touch display together with its body being waterproof and dustproof. Chromebooks have been growing in popularity due to their versatility and ability to replicate a PC experience while still maintaining compactness. The new LG Chromebook laptop has an 11.6-inch display that helps to provide a great learning experience when it is used as an educational tool.

The 360-degree rotating feature of the LG 11TC50Q Chromebook allows it to be used as either a tablet or a laptop. It has a front and rear camera, which, in combination with the in-built microphone, makes it possible to do video lectures seamlessly. Applications could be downloaded from the Chrome Web Store, Google Play Store, and other sources. The new LG Chromebook weighs just 1.44kg and can be carried easily around. There is a firm grip mechanism between the white section that connects the display and the keyboard, as well as the IP41 rating.

The LG 11TC50Q Chromebook has an Intel Celeron N500 processor with Intel UHD Graphics. The RAM available for the new Chromebook is 4GB together with 64GB of storage which can be scaled up with the microSD slot being utilized. In terms of connectivity, the LG 11TC50Q Chromebook supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, USB-A, and USB-C. It also comes with a long-lasting 47Wh battery.

The LG 11TC50Q Chromebook is available in LG’s home market of South Korea for 690,000 won ($561) from March 7. Availability is via online and offline retail outlets across the country. There are no details yet about the global pricing and availability of the Chromebook.

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Baybot OpenAlert Smart Wireless Door Monitor launched in India for Rs. 1,399 ($18)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 7, 2022

The Baybot OpenAlert Smart Wireless Door Monitor has been launched in India with an Rs. 1,399 (~$18) price tag. The OpenAlert Smart door monitor is Mumbai-based Baybot’s first internet-based product and it is a cloud-connected, smart wireless door sensor. The sensor sends an alert whenever the connected door is opened or closed.

The Baybot OpenAlert is a compact device that can be connected to an assortment of door types and windows. It is a battery-operated device and being cloud-connected, it provides 24-hour, real-time monitoring of doors of different hues at any time. It sends alerts to the owner each time the status of the door changes (open or closed). The Baybot Open Alert can be connected to the Baybot smartphone app and voice assistant functionality is also available with the device. The supported voice assistants include Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and IFTTT.

The utility of the Baybot OpenAlert seems fuzzy, as a notification that the door’s status has changed does not offer any security as it were. Whether the device can interface with other smart home security gadgets that could pinpoint who opened the door is not clear at this time. The Baybot OpenAlert is available via the Baybot India official website and Flipkart for Rs. 1,399 (~$18), which is a pretty affordable price.

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Ducati Futa racing electric bicycle is unveiled for €7,690 ($8,470)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 7, 2022

The Ducati Futa is the Italian company’s first foray into the electric racing bicycle segment of the EV market and it comes at a pricey €7,690 ($8,470). The Ducati Futa has just been launched and it provides some exciting features and an overall strong introduction of the company to racing e-bikes.

The Ducati Futa is a racing road bike designed for speedy rides in an efficient manner. Ducati has provided an overview of the features present in the Futa that will endear it to the racing segment, although at a huge price. The carbon fiber monocoque frame is designed for long-haul performances, in addition to the aerodynamic design. The bike is also comfortable and it is a culmination of innovative and efficient features that have evolved from the Ducati brand.

The Ducati Futa weighs about 12.4kg and has a 250Wh battery pack. An additional 250Wh Extender battery pack could be added to double the Ducati Futa’s riding range from about 80km to 160km. The FSA System HM 1.0 motor provides 250W of electric support which is just enough to provide a tailwind to the rider. The e-bicycle has a 2×12 speed wireless electronic shifting setup is found in the rear hub motor. Stopping power comes from the K-Force WE hydraulic disk brakes on the 160mm FSA rotors, while the GPS-enabled remote comes from Garmin.

The huge price of the Ducati Futa has not prevented the company from coming up with a limited edition model as well. Only fifty units of the new Futa Limited Edition have been produced. It retains the basic features of the Futa but features more efficient components and it is lighter. Ducati says the Futa Limited Edition was created for the most demanding riders who desire to enjoy the best in terms of technological performance and innovation. As per the price of the higher version of the Ducati Futa, it will cost €11,990 ($13,200), up to $5,000 more expensive than the basic model.

It remains to be seen how the new Ducati Futa electric bicycles fare in the market. To be sure, their prices were on the high-end of the spectrum, but Ducati hopes to leverage its track record to drive sales.

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Vu Masterpiece Glo QLED TVs with 120Hz refresh rate launched in India

By

Sudhanshu

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Mar 7, 2022

Vu has released three new smart TVs under its Masterpiece smart TV series in India today. The series named Vu Masterpiece Glo TV comes with a QLED screen, 120Hz refresh rate, Android TV OS, Armani gold metal aesthetics, and 3GB of RAM.

The series features screen sizes of 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch. All three TVs come with 3840 x 2160 pixels resolution, 800 nits peak brightness, 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz motion rate, 10-bit color depth, MEMC. In addition to this, the TV also comes with AMD FreeSync, ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), full-array local dimming, and support for HDR gaming. The display supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG content.

For gaming, the smart TV supports 4K at 120fps and HDR gameplay. The high refresh rate is perfect to play games in 4K resolution on modern consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox series X.

The Vu Masterpiece Glo TV runs on Android TV OS with Google Assistant voice search, Google Play Store and services, Chromecast. The TV comes with several modes including AI Mode, Cricket Mode, and Cinema Mode. It features apps like Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Spotify built-in. The TV remote for these TVs also comes with hotkeys for the above-mentioned apps in addition to the Google Play button, which will prove to be very user-friendly.

In terms of Audio, the Vu Masterpiece Glo TV offers built-in 4.1 speakers with four master and one subwoofer, which offers 100W output. The speaker also supports Dolby Audio, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and Dolby Atmos. You can also connect to an external speaker using eARC, ARC, SPDIF, and Bluetooth.

The hardware of the Vu Masterpiece Glo TV consists of a quad-core SoC with 3GB of RAM and 16GB internal storage. The design of the smart TV features Armani gold aesthetics, bezel-less display, premium aluminum alloy material, and metal frame design. Other features include a far-field microphone, Bluetooth 5.0, 2.4/5GHz WiFi, HDMI CEC & eARC/ARC, four HDMI ports, and two USB ports.

All three models of Vu Masterpiece Glo TV are available on Amazon India. The 55-inch Vu Masterpiece Glo TV is priced at Rs 74,999, the 65-inch model is priced at Rs 99,999, and the 75-inch model is priced at Rs 1,79,999.

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ASUS launches ROG Swift PG329Q-W gaming monitor with WQHD technology

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 7, 2022

ASUS has launched its 32-inch ROG Swift PG329Q-W monitor which sports the latest display technology and is well-suited for gaming. The new monitor utilizes WQHD technology, has a 175Hz refresh rate, Low Motion Blur Sync, a very fast IPS, and others.

The ASUS ROG Swift PG329Q-W monitor offers premium white aesthetics in its design and gamers are bound to have a very expansive gaming experience with the new monitor. The WQHD panel offers about 77% more onscreen desktop space than a standard Full HD display, while also producing a 1,000:1 contrast ratio. The ultra-fast refresh rate of 175Hz is another aspect of the WQHD panel that trumps a traditional Full HD display.

The extensive gaming-centric features of the ASUS ROG Swift PG329Q-W monitor are bound to attract attention from the gaming community. Its excellent graphics architecture and overall performance mean that the gaming monitor will be able to deliver top-notch viewing while playing games. The IPS display of the ROG Swift PG329Q-W was developed by ASUS and permits the liquid crystal elements to change four times faster than what we would expect in a standard IPS panel. This provides a fast and enhanced response. There is virtually no smearing and motion blur due to the 1ms gray-to-gray response time.

The viewing quality is further accentuated with a 178-degree viewing angle that provides a panoramic view for gamers. The huge viewing angle also guarantees minimal distortion and color shift even with the gamer’s fluid positioning sometimes. Connectivity using the ROG Swift PG329Q is accomplished via a single DisplayPort 1.2, two HDMI 2.0 ports which is compatible with several multimedia devices. The stand of the device was ergonomically designed, so as to provide tilt, swivel, and height adjustments in a versatile manner. These adjustments enable customization to the user’s best viewing position.

As per pricing and other availability details, little of such details are available at this time. However, we expect the ASUS ROG Swift PG329Q-W to spar with some of the premium offerings already available in the market.

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Dizo Watch R black screen & vibration issue patch coming, will go on sale again next week

By

Sudhanshu

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Mar 7, 2022

Earlier in January, realme TechLife ecosystem brand Dizo debuted the Dizo Watch R. Soon after its release, a number of customers flooded Twitter with multiple complaints of the smartwatch being laggy, being stuck in a boot loop, and continuously vibrating till the battery is drained. The company at the time gave a generic response of ‘looking into the matter’ following which the watch was removed from sales and is not available for purchase as of yet.

Now, according to a MySmartPrice report, Dizo is planning to put the Watch R on sale again and this time the brand has managed to fix the various bugs and issues. Industry sources state that the smartwatches will go on sale again sometime next week on Flipkart.

The company has also been rolling out the v1.58 software patch for the Dizo Watch R which is expected to fix the issues for all the current smartwatch users. However, it still remains a mystery as to how these updates will be applied to the affected smartwatches that have constantly been in a boot loop or a black screen state. However, if you are interested in buying the ‘fixed’ Dizo Watch R, you can take a look at its specs and features below.

DIZO Watch R Specs and Features

The Watch R features a round-shaped dial with a 1.3-inch AMOLED display and 360 x 360 pixels resolution. The smartwatch is equipped with a premium metallic frame and offers 5ATM water and dust resistance. Additionally, the device also features a fancy 2.5D curved glass.

The Dizo Watch R comes with the Always-On Display (AOD) feature and more than 150 customizable watch faces. The Watch R offers up to 12 days of battery life and fully charges in about 2 hours. The Dizo Watch R offers a bunch of health and fitness features like a heart rate tracker, SpO2 tracker, 110+ sports modes, sleep monitor, and more. The Watch R also offers the usual smartwatch functionalities such as music playback control, phone camera control, check notifications and incoming calls, etc.

The Dizo Watch R debuted for an Introductory price of Rs. 3,499 (~$47) in India. The watch was said to get a price hike later on landing at Rs 3,999 (~$54), so it will be interesting to see at what price does the company reintroduces this smart wearable.

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Redmi Note 11 Pro Series Roundup: Specs, Price, Colors & More – What to Expect!

By

Pranav Sawant

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Mar 7, 2022

Xiaomi’s Redmi has scheduled the launch of the Redmi Note 11 Pro series for March 9 in the Indian market. The series will be joining the two recently launched non-pro Note 10 phones — the Note 11 and Note 11S. Today, we’ll do a round-up of all the details learned so far about the upcoming Redmi Note 11 Pro series.

Redmi Note 11 Pro Series Rumor Roundup: What to Expect?

Design, Display, and Cameras

The Redmi Note 11 Pro series will comprise the Note 11 Pro 4G and Note 11 Pro+ 5G (rebranded Note 11 Pro 5G global). The duo is expected to come with a 6.67-inch FHD+ punch-hole AMOLED with a 120Hz refresh rate.

The smartphones will bring a sleek design and have a 16MP selfie camera on the front top. The Note Pro 4G will feature a quad-camera setup with a 108MP main lens, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, a 2MP depth lens, and a 2MP macro sensor. On the other hand, the Note Pro+ 5G will have a triple camera system with a 108MP main lens, an 8MP ultra-wide snapper, and a 2MP macro lens.

Hardware and Software

Under the hood, the Note 11 Pro 4G is said to come powered by the MediaTek Helio G96 SoC paired with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.2 internal storage. The Note 11 Pro+ 5G will have the Snapdragon 695 SoC, under the hood, paired with the same type of RAM and storage as on the Note 11 Pro 4G. Both will have a microSD card slot for additional storage.

The series will pack a 5,000mAh battery and will have support for 67W fast charging technology. For security, the series will have a side-facing fingerprint scanner. Both devices are expected to have dual-SIM support and IR Blaster support. Rumors reveal that the Note 11 Pro series for India won’t run on the latest Android 12 OS, rather it will boot on the Android 11 OS. There will be the MIUI 13 custom skin on top of it.

Pricing and Colors

The Redmi Note 11 Pro 4G and Note 11 Pro+ 5G are touted to come in different configurations. The Note 11 Pro 4G is said to start at Rs. 16,999(~$224) for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. It will be priced at Rs. 18,999(~$251) for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. The phone will have three colors — Stealth Black, Phantom White, and Sky Blue.

On the other hand, the Note 11 Pro+ 5G is rumored to cost Rs. 21,990(~$290) for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant and Rs. 23,999(~$317) for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. The phone will have Stealth Black, Phantom White, and Mirage Blur colors.

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Vivo Nex Fold appears on 3C certification database with 80W fast charging

By

Sudhanshu

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Mar 7, 2022

Earlier today, a well-known tipster revealed the design schematics of the Vivo X Fold which is an upcoming foldable device from the brand. And now, another device from the brand dubbed the Vivo Nex Fold has been spotted on China’s 3C certification database.

According to a MySmartPrice report, a Vivo device with model number V2178A has been listed on the 3C certification database. This model number corresponds to the Vivo NEX Fold device, which is expected to launch in China in the coming days. The listing reveals that the foldable smartphone will support 80W fast charging. This is in line with an earlier leak by a Weibo tipster who stated that the Vivo NEX Fold will come with a 4600mAh battery with 80W fast charging support and 50W wireless charging support.

So far, the Vivo Nex Fold is rumored to come with a 5x periscope zoom lens camera. But Vivo is also said to be working on another foldable device dubbed the Vivo X Fold which is rumored to come with a curved edge 6.5-inch display that offers a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate.

The Vivo X Fold is said to sport an inward folding design like the foldable devices from Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, and OPPO. The inner screen of the X Fold will measure 8 inches, and it will carry support for a Quad HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. As far as the inner display design is concerned, it will be equipped with a punch-hole on its right half. The device will house a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC and will be powered by a 4,600mAh battery with 80W fast charging and 50W wireless charging.

For photography, the Vivo X Fold is said to come with a quad-cam setup featuring a 50-megapixel primary sensor, a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera, a 12-megapixel camera with 2x zoom, and an 8-megapixel camera with 5x zoom.

Additionally, the front and inner display are said to come equipped with an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner.

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iPhone SE 2022 roundup – Apple March 8 event – What to Expect

By

Sudhanshu

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Mar 7, 2022

Last week, Apple announced that their “Peek Performance” event will be held on March 8th. Now that the event is almost upon us, let’s take a look at all the products which are expected to launch tomorrow.

iPhone SE (2022)

The Cupertino-based giant launched its last iPhone SE model back in 2020, and a successor is long overdue. The upcoming iPhone SE has been a hot topic online and has been subject to multiple leaks over the past few months.

So far, the leaks suggest that the new iPhone SE will come in multiple color variants and storage capacities of 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB. The iPhone SE (2022) will come in color variants such as white, black, and red. The device will be driven by the Apple A15 Bionic chipset, and it will carry support for 5G connectivity (mmWave and sub-6GHz).

Other than the inclusion of the 5G enabled A15 Bionic chipset, the device is expected to remain similar to its predecessor offering a 4.7-inch LCD display and a physical home button at the front integrated with the Touch ID fingerprint scanner. The device was also said to include MagSafe charging, but recent leaks suggest that this won’t be the case either.

iPad Air 5 and entry-level iPad

The next-gen iPad Air aka the iPad Air 5 is said to come with the same design and display as the 2020 iPad Air, but the tablet is expected to house the latest A15 Bionic chipset present in the iPhone 13 series. This SoC inclusion will give the tablet the long-awaited 5G connectivity.

The front camera of the device will also be getting an upgrade as it will now support the Center Stage technology which Apple introduced with the iPad Pro 2021. For those unaware, Center Stage uses machine learning to adjust the front-facing Ultra-Wide camera when you use video apps such as FaceTime on your compatible iPad model. As you move around, Center Stage helps keep you and anyone else with you in the frame. This feature will be a great addition considering work and study from home scenarios.

Last month, a report also revealed two new iPads carrying model numbers A2757 and A2589. The tablets allegedly entered India for internal testing and were expected to be launched in spring. These are expected to be the entry-level offerings from Apple in the tablet segment and could be priced roughly around $300.

Mac mini

Another Apple device due for an update is their M1-powered Mac mini. Rumors surrounding updated Mac Minis have been floating for a while now, and if they are to be believed, Apple will introduce the 2022 Mac mini tomorrow with a new design and the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips. According to reports, the Mac mini 2022 will have a thinner body, a polycarbonate top, an increase in the number of ports at the back, and a magnetic power connection.

Apple External Display

As we know, Apple currently only offers a single external display which is the 32-inch Pro Display XDR with a price tag of $4,999. At the 2022 Peek Performance event, the tech giant is expected to unveil a more affordable 27-inch Apple display without mini-LED. Rumors about Apple working on a new Studio Display with 7K screen resolution and A13 Bionic chipset have also been making the rounds recently, however, the launch of this high-end product is expected to take place in 2023.

The Apple Peek Performance launch event is scheduled for March 8 and will take place at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time (New York, USA — 1:00 p.m. EST, London, United Kingdom — 6:00 p.m. GMT, Delhi, India — 11:30 p.m. IST).

Interested readers can watch the event on the Apple Events website as well as on Apple’s Youtube channel by following this link.

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Realme Narzo 50A Prime bags BIS and NBTC certification

By

Pranav Sawant

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Mar 7, 2022

Realme Narzo 50A Prime will be the next smartphone in the Narzo 50A series and it will be joining the Narzo 50, 50A, 50i devices. Now in the most recent development, the smartphone has been spotted on BIS and NBTC certification sites.

The Realme Narzo 50A Prime has the model number RMX3516 on both certifications. This confirms that the smartphone will be available in India as well as in the global markets. Unfortunately, there are no details to scoop out from any of these certifications. However, the phone has previously been certified on FCC and China Quality certification websites.

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The FCC certification revealed that the smartphone weighs about 193 grams and has the following measurements – 164.30 x 75.60 x 8.15mm. This is similar to the Narzo 50’s dimensions, so we can expect a similarly sized display i.e. a 6.5 to a 6.6-inch panel on the Narzo 50A Prime.

The device will pack a 4,890mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging technology. It is expected to be marketed as a 5,000mAh cell. The smartphone will boot on Android 11 OS and will have Realme UI 2.0 on the top. As for security, it will have a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.

Other than this, Realme is yet to reveal its launch timings and availability details. But given that the phone has been subject to multiple certifications, we can expect an imminent launch.

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iPhone 13 is the best-selling phone in China for the 4th straight month

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 7, 2022

If you have been an avid fan of the Chinese smartphone market, you’ll agree that a couple of years back Apple was struggling to sell its iPhones in China. The turnaround started with the iPhone X which marked a massive change in the design style of the iPhone. Since then, it has been a rapid resurgence for the US company, even in China. Yes, Apple has been recording rapid growth in China. The latest iPhone 13 series has even helped bolster the brand’s performance since it was released.

The latest market research report by CINNO Research shows that the iPhone 13 is the best-selling individual smartphone in China in the month of January 2022. The company reportedly recorded a total sales of 2.3 million units during the period under review. According to records, this is the fourth consecutive month Apple’s latest iPhone 13 series is topping the individual sales chart in China. The feat started in October 2021, a month after the smartphone was first released.

Apple isn’t the top-selling brand in China in January 2022, though. That crown is coveted by OPPO which sold an estimated 5.4 million smartphones excluding models sold via the Realme brand. Vivo came in second with an estimated 5.2 million units in sales. Honor also came in third with roughly 5.2 million units in sales in January.Apple occupied the fourth spot with 5.1 million units sold during the period. Xiaomi completed the top 5 spots with an estimated 4.4 million units sold in January.

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Samsung Galaxy A73 5G appears on Geekbench with Snapdragon 778G SoC

By

Pranav Sawant

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Mar 7, 2022

After unveiling the Galaxy A13 and A23 in the market, Samsung is now headed to bring the premium Galaxy A73 5G smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy A73 5G has now appeared on the Geekbench certification revealing key details.

The Samsung Galaxy A73 5G carries the model number SM-A736B and it has been benchmarked on the Geekbench version 5. The smartphone scores 778 points in the single-core department and 2,913 points in the multi-core department.

The device packs the Snapdragon 778G mid-range processor clocked at a base frequency of 1.80Hz. It has 8GB of RAM and boots on the latest Android 12 OS. We expect it to come in 6GB RAM as the base RAM option.

Apart from this, the smartphone cleared the FCC certification giving away the supported charging speed. The smartphone has 25W fast charging support and has the SM-A736B/DS model number confirming its dual-SIM capability.

Rumors have it that the Samsung Galaxy A73 5G will bring a 6.7-inch AMOLED panel to the table. It will have a 90Hz refresh rate screen and a Full-HD+ resolution. The display is expected to double up as an under-display fingerprint scanner. The smartphone is expected to come with a quad-camera system at the rear with an OIS-enabled 108MP primary sensor. It is expected to have a 12MP unit as a secondary lens.

Other specs of the phone are yet to be known, but we can expect a base storage option of 128GB and a big battery. As of now, there’s no official confirmation about its launch date, but given that it has passed the Geekbench certification, we can expect the launch to be in the coming weeks.

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Best Smartphones at MWC 2022

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Mar 7, 2022

Last week, GSMA hosted the MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. However, unlike previous years, there weren’t many big launches. That’s because companies now prefer to announce their important devices at their own annual conferences.

Anyway, there were some 5 smartphones that caught our attention. We have compiled them in this article. Three of them are from separate brands, while two of them are from the same brand. These OEMs are HONOR, OPPO, realme, and POCO.

With that being said, let us take a look at these phones one by one.

Best Smartphones at MWC 2022

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1. HONOR Magic4 Pro

Our pick for the star of Mobile World Congress 2022 is none other than HONOR Magic4 Pro. The latest flagship smartphone from HONOR offers almost all the high-end features one can expect.

The device sports a glass sandwich housing with a metal frame. It flaunts a 6.81-inch 10-bit curved OLED LTPO display with a resolution of 1312×2848 pixels, up to 120Hz refresh rate, and a pill-shaped cutout for the front-facing cameras. The panel is not only HDR10+ certified but also IMAX Enhanced.

The phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset paired with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. It also comes with an independent security chip and an independent display chip for always-on HDR as well as MEMC.

Though the handset houses a large circular module on the rear, there are only three cameras – 50MP wide lens, 50MP ultra-wide lens, and 64MP 3.5x telephoto lens. The remaining two holes are for a flicker sensor and an 8×8 dTOF laser focusing system. On the front, it has a 12MP shooter and a 3D depth sensor.

Other features of the HONOR Magic4 Pro include IP68 certification for dust and water resistance, dual stereo speakers, ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, Magic UI 6 based on Android 12, 4,500mAh battery, 100W fast wired charging, 100W fast wireless charging, and 5W wireless reverse charging.

The device is offered in four colors (cyan, gold, black, orange) and starts at €1099 outside mainland China. Its availability will be revealed closer to the release.

2. OPPO Find X5 Pro

Unlike the HONOR Magic4 Pro, the OPPO Find X5 Pro was not announced at MWC 2022. The company unveiled it a few days ago but showcased it at the GSMA-hosted conference.

The successor of OPPO Find X3 Pro retains the design language from its predecessor with some tweaks. The Glaze Black version sports a glass back, while the Ceramic White variant flaunts a ceramic rear panel. Both have a metal frame.

The phone sports a 6.7-inch 10-bit LTPO 2.0 curved AMOLED display with a resolution of 3216 × 1440 pixels, up to 120Hz refresh rate, up to 240Hz touch sampling rate, and 525 PPI. It has a punch-hole at the top left corner and Corning Gorilla Glass protection.

The handset is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip coupled with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. There’s also a self-developed MariSilicon X chipset for image processing. As for software, it boots ColorOS 12.1 based on Android 12.

It arrives with a triple rear camera system powered by Hasselblad. The setup includes a 50MP primary sensor with 5-axis OIS, a 50MP ultra-wide unit, and a 13MP 2x telephoto snapper. On the front, it has a 32MP shooter for selfies and video calls.

Other features include dual stereo speakers, in-screen fingerprint sensor, 5,000mAh battery, 80W fast wired charging, 50W fast wireless charging, and 10W reverse wireless charging.

The OPPO Find X5 Pro is priced at €1,300 for a sole 12GB+256GB memory configuration in Europe. It will go on sale on March 14

3. realme GT 2 Pro

The realme GT 2 Pro is the only old handset is the list. It made its debut in China in January. However, it was announced for Europe at MWC 2022. The device is the first proper flagship smartphone from realme.

The phone’s back is made of biopolymer to offer a paper-like touch and feel. Whereas, its frame is made of metal. Despite featuring a different body material, it is powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC as other premium Android smartphones.

The chipset is coupled with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. As far as software is concerned, the handset ships with realme UI 3.0 based on Android 12.

One of the interesting features of the phone is its 6.7-inch display. This 10-bit flat LTPO 2.0 AMOLED panel has a resolution of 3216 x 1440 pixels and up to 120Hz refresh rate, 1000Hz touch sampling rate as well as 1,,400 nits peak brightness. Protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, it has a punch-hole at the top left corner and a fingerprint sensor with support for heart rate monitoring underneath it.

Apart from a great display, the handset also comes with an equally impressive 50MP (Sony IMX766 with OIS) + 50MP (150° ultra-wide) + microscope lens triple camera system on the rear and a 32MP Sony IMX615 front-facing camera. Other features include dual stereo speakers, a 5,000mAh battery, and 65W fast wired charging.

The realme GT2 Pro is priced at €749 and €849 for 8GB + 128GB and 12GB + 256GB memory variants respectively in Europe. It is already up for sale in select regions.

4. POCO X4 Pro 5G

The next device is our list is POCO X4 Pro 5G, which is a budget offering. Despite being a rebranded Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G, we considered it to be one of the best smartphones at MWC 2022. Because it only looks unique (subjective) but also costs only €269 and €319 for 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB versions respectively (early bird pricing).

Talking about highlights, it flaunts a glass sandwich design (flat plastic frame) and is built around a 6.67-centered punch-hole FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate, 395 PPI, and 1,200 nits peak brightness. It is run by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC paired with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.2 storage.

For photography and videography, there’s a 108MP (wide) + 8MP (ultra-wide) + 2MP (macro) triple rear camera system and a 16MP front-facing camera. Other features include dual stereo speakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a hybrid MicroSD card slot, an IR blaster, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and an IP53 rating.

Last but not least, it boots MIUI 13 for POCO based on Android 11 and gets its juice from a 5,000mAh battery, which has support for 67W fast charging.

5. POCO M4 Pro

The final phone is our list is POCO M4 Pro. It is even more affordable (early bird pricing) than the POCO X4 Pro 5G as it is priced at only €199 (6GB + 128GB) and €249 (8GB + 128GB). It is a rebadged variant of the Redmi Note 11S, which we consider better than the Redmi Note 11 Pro in terms of value.

The handset’s body is entirely made of plastic but still sports a 6.43-inch centered punch-hole AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels (FHD+), 409 PPI, up to 90Hz refresh rate, and 1,000 nits peak brightness level. It is powered by MediaTek Helio G96 SoC coupled with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.2 storage.

It arrives with a 64MP (wide) + 8MP (ultra-wide) + 2MP (macro) triple rear camera setup and a 16MP front-facing camera. It runs MIUI 13 based on Android 11 and is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging.

Other features include an IP53 rating, dual stereo speakers, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a dedicated MicroSD card slot, and an IR blaster.

Huawei MatePad Paper e-Ink tablet rated among the Best of MWC 2022

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Mar 7, 2022

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2022 was held last week in Barcelona after a two-year hiatus as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic. Although a number of Chinese OEMs like Xiaomi, Vivo, were conspicuously missing, the star of the show was a surprise Chinese company – Huawei.

Despite the U.S sanctions that have almost crippled Huawei’s smartphone business, the company mounted a solid show with the unveiling of several tablets and notebook PC. Perhaps, the most outstanding, going by ratings from the media is the Huawei MatePad Paper e-Ink tablet. This is a one-of-a-kind product that doubles as both an e-book reader and a tablet.

The MatePad Paper is ranked as one of the “Best of Mobile World Congress 2022” alongside several Huawei products including the MateBook X Pro, the all-in-one MateStation X, the 2-in-1 notebook MateBook E, the printer PixLab X1, and the portable speaker Sound Joy.

As a reminder, the Huawei MatePad Paper packs a 10.3-inch grayscale display screen with a resolution of 1872 x 1404 pixels and an aspect ratio of 227 PPI. The e-ink display comes with added features such as an anti-glare and reflective screen that aids low-light use. It packs trimmed down bezels on the top, bottom, and right edges while the left edge is slightly wider to give the outlook of a book that is opened. As a result of the reduced bezels, the device features a screen-to-body ratio of 86.3%.

Internally, the MatePad Paper runs on a Hexa-core processor paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The e-ink tablet boots HarmonyOS 2 bringing features such as the ability to easily establish a connection between the tablet and Huawei’s laptops, PCs, tablets, and phones.

The tablet comes with WiFi 6+, a fingerprint sensor embedded under the power button, and Bluetooth 5.2 support and crams a 3625mAh battery that can deliver up to 28 days of battery life on standby. It also comes with 22.5W fast charging which Huawei claims can deliver up to 6 days reading with just a 1.5-hour charge. It supports reverse charging.

The MatePad Paper bundled with an M-Pencil and a protective case will retail in Europe for €499. Huawei is expected to launch the tablet in China this month.

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(source)

Fire-Boltt Call smartwatch launched in India, with 1.7 inch display & Bluetooth calling

By

Sean

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Mar 7, 2022

Fire-Boltt has just launched another new product in India. The company’s latest product is the Call smartwatch, which features an HD display and supports Bluetooth calling as well.

Prior to its official release, the brand has listed the Fire-Boltt Call smartwatch on Amazon. It sports a 1.7 inch HD screen that supports 60 degree view and Ultiview display. Furthermore, it even supports more than 200 cloud based watch faces as well, which can be customized through the companion app. Notably, a highlighting aspect of the smartwatch is the new chipset. The Call watch houses a new FB1 Nanochip, which appears to be an in house developed SoC.

As the name suggests, its Bluetooth calling is also one of its major features, which allows users to make and receive calls when connected to your phone using the built in mic and speaker. The smartwatch also arrives with a quick dial pad, save contacts option, and call history as well. The company is launching the Fire-Boltt Call in multiple color variants, including a Green, White, Mint, Red, Pink, Blue, and Black options. Other features include, blood oxygen monitoring, heart rate tracking, sleep mapping, and physical activity tracking for sports and fitness.

On a full charge, the new wearable can last for up to 5 days with Bluetooth calling enabled, and up to 10 days with normal use. It even arrives with IP67 water and dust resistance certifications among some of the usual modern smartwatch features. Unfortunately, the pricing of the device is currently unknown so stick around for more updates, since the smartwatch is set to launch soon.

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Redmi K50 Pro Plus hinted to run Dimensity 9000 by Lu Weibing

By

Sudhanshu

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Mar 7, 2022

Redmi has already launched its first smartphone in the K50 series dubbed the Redmi K50G aka the Redmi K50 Gaming Edition which runs the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. However, the flagship Redmi K50 Pro Plus is said to come with a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC which may have indirectly been confirmed by Redmi’s General Manager.

Redmi K50 Pro Renders — Redmi K50 Pro CAD renders

According to a GizChina report, Lu Weibing who is Redmi’s General Manager has recently stated in an Interview that the upcoming Redmi K50 smartphone powered by the Dimensity 9000 chipset performs quite smoothly. From earlier leaks, we know that the Redmi K50 Pro will be getting the Dimensity 8100 chipset, leaving only the K50 Pro Plus to receive this top of the line MediaTek SoC.

The Redmi K50 Pro Plus is expected to launch soon in China and will likely come as a rebranded POCO device (POCO F4 Pro) in other parts of the world. It would be exciting to see the new chipset’s performance on the Redmi K50 Pro Plus especially since we know that it beats Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC in benchmarks like Geekbench.

The Dimensity 9000 SoC’s performance is said to be superior to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 as the chip has been manufactured using TSMC’s 4nm process rather than Samsung’s, resulting in better power efficiency and lower thermals. The processing unit consists of a single Cortex-X2 super core, three Cortex-A710 large cores, and four Cortex-A510 small cores. This system is paired to the Mali-G710 GPU.

It will also be interesting to compare the K50 Pro Plus’s performance with the already released Redmi K50 Gaming Edition which comes equipped with the SD 8 Gen 1 SoC.

So far, the latest Dimensity 9000 SoC is only available to buy on an OPPO Find X5 Pro, which for now remains exclusive to China.

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WhatsApp to soon allow users to make polls in group chats: Report

By

Sean

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Mar 7, 2022

WhatsApp is apparently working on an interesting new feature. The company is planning on bringing an “important” new feature that will allow users to start and take polls in the group chats.

According to a WABetaInfo report, the popular messaging based platform will soon let you type poll questions to send to a group chat. This feature is already available in rival chat app Telegram and even Twitter, which lets users create polls and lets others to vote and see the results as well. Now, it seems that WhatsApp plans on rolling out this feature to its userbase too, since it is currently in development.

The WaBetaInfo report also shared a screenshot, which basically showcases the “Create Poll” feature on iOS. This was spotted on the apps v2.22.6.70 beta and is currently not available to all beta testers as of right now. While we can see the create poll option, it is still unclear as to how users would be able to write a question for the poll, or even any means through which it can be customized.

Furthermore, it may even offer group members a chance to select more than one answers on the poll. But till WhatsApp rolls out this feature to beta testers in a more elaborate manner. So stick around for more, as we will be providing updates when additional information is available regarding this matter.

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Huawei AITO M5 deliveries start in China, company shares image of lined-up EVs

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Mar 7, 2022

The Huawei AITO M5 was launched in December last year as the very first to feature a HarmonyOS-powered cockpit, followed by a price reveal this year on February 26th. And starting March 5th, Huawei has started delivering the EV to their new owners after holding a launch ceremony on the same day.

Dozens of units of the AITO M5 were spotted parked on the site and an image officially shared by AITO’s Weibo (via IT Home) shows them lined up in front of what appears to be the production line or perhaps one of the company’s showrooms.

The retail pricing of the AITO M5 in China after applying subsidies has been given below:

The standard version of the rear-wheel-drive starts from 249,800 Yuan (around $39,535)
The four-wheel-drive performance version starts from 279,800 Yuan (around $44,284)
The four-wheel-drive flagship version costs 319,800 Yuan (around $50,614)

The AITO M5 has been developed jointly by Huawei and Seres. The latter is an electric vehicle and component manufacturer headquartered in California. The car’s electric drive system and smart cockpit are all provided by Huawei and the company also made major contributions to its “industrial design.”

An incredible range of 1,000km on a single full charge is promised but the car also uses a 1.5T four-cylinder “range extender” engine. On the software end, you get a smart cockpit, HarmonyOS vehicle system, and DriveOne three-electric system provided by Huawei.

The Huawei AITO M5 looks to be a China-exclusive with no global launch plans as of now but it wouldn’t be unsafe to assume that the company may be planning on expanding to global markets soon too.

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Google Pixel Watch could come with support for skin gestures

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Mar 7, 2022

The Google Pixel Watch could be released this year as the very first smartwatch from the company. The gadget has already been leaked to run Wear OS with a number of exclusive features that won’t be available on other Wear OS devices. And as if that’s not enough, it will also reportedly come with a “skin interface,” allowing gestures on the skin to control the watch.

The information comes from LetsGoDigital (via PhoneArena) which recently uncovered a mid-2020 patent filing from Google made to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) called “Skin interface for Wearables: Sensor fusion to improve signal quality.”

google-pixel-watch-buds-skin-interface — Via LetsGoDigital

Using the technology, Pixel Watch users will be able to provide gesture inputs simply by tapping or running their fingers on the skin surrounding the device. Something similar is also possible for the Google Pixel Buds, with skin inputs controlling the music track or volume levels.

For the Pixel Watch, the wrist, forearm, or the back of the hand would be the perfect place to make swipe or tap gestures. While for the earbuds, the skin in front of the ear could be the perfect spot.

The gestures work by the gadget registering the “mechanical wave” they create using an accelerometer and other sensors. Google likes to call the tech “Sensor Fusion.”

As for when the technology will be making its way to the Pixel Watch or the Pixel Buds, there is no information as of yet but we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled so stay tuned. A Pixel Watch launch is expected quite soon, though, considering it has already made an appearance on an inventory system.

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Samsung working on Galaxy Z series phone with weird P-shaped display, patent shows

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Mar 7, 2022

Samsung Electronics had filed a 66-page patent in mid-2021 titled “Electronics device comprising flexible display” for a phone with a foldable P-shaped display. This patent was made public on January 20, 2022, following which LetsGoDigital collaborated with designer Jermaine Smit to create some renders, showing what a final product will look like.

When folded up, the device has a form factor that’s very similar to the average smartphone, with the only difference being the top-left edge of its display that wraps around all the way to the rear.

samsung-galaxy-z-p-shaped-display — via LetsGoDigital x Jermaine Smit

But when unfolded, the display turns into a very unconventional P-shape. Some will compare the implementation to the LG Wing back from 2020, except the Wing used double displays instead of the single foldable unit Samsung sports.

To make this possible, an ingenious hinge has been built into the side of the frame, below the folding screen. It’s been designed quite tough so as to prevent breakage if the user accidentally bends it a bit too far. And then there’s the screen itself that’s made with UTG (Ultra-Thin Glass), which is currently standard on Samsung foldable phones.

samsung-galaxy-z-p-shaped-display-blueprint — via LetsGoDigital

It’s hard to imagine what use-cases such an implementation would allow for, but you’ll likely be able to watch videos in full landscape mode on the upper part of the display while the lower part will show another app. Videocalls making proper use of the additional estate supplied by the P-shape should also provide an improved experience.

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