Earlier this month, we had reported on a number of Google Pixel 6 series users complaining about their smartphones facing issues with the Wi-Fi. Now, the company has officially acknowledged the issue and has confirmed that it is working on a fix.
The news arrives from the official Reddit account of the search engine giant that posted a statement on Pixel sub-Reddit earlier this week. In the statement, the company says that “Hey u/cheesehead78. Thanks so much for reporting this issue, we’re sorry that you’re experiencing it. After some investigation, we identified the root cause and determined that it impacts a very small number of devices. Of course, we realize this is a poor experience and immediately developed a software fix that will be available in the next Google Pixel Update, rolling out in March.”
For those unaware, Pixel 6 users have been facing troubles with Wi-Fi, like not being able to turn it on, in the first half of this month. The issue began appearing after people updated their device to the second February update that was released previously. And now, the brand has stated that they are working on a fix, and users can see a software update rolling out sometime in March 2022.
Although, many have expressed their disappointment with Google for taking so long to fix some of the basic features of their smartphones that are not working properly. One Redditor said that “How in the world is it acceptable to break Bluetooth+wifi in early Feb and push a fix over a month later? This is shameful.” He further added that “Also, as someone who has reached out to your support team on three separate occasions about this issue I can attest that they are wholly unprepared to help. They have no idea what’s going on and all wanted to warranty my P6P with a new phone. Google needs to do better.” (Via PhoneArena).
Xiaomi is apparently gearing up to launch two new smartphones in India. The two devices were spotted on the BIS certification website and carried the model number of 22011119TI on the database and are believed to be Redmi and POCO branded handsets.
Redmi 10 / 10 Prime (2021)
The certification listing was first spotted by known tipster Mukul Sharma who shared the news on Twitter. He further added that the two models might be the Redmi 10 Prime 2022 and its possible rebranded POCO model. If this is true, the 10 Prime 2022 arrives just a week after the Chinese tech giant launched the Redmi 10 2022. For those unaware, this model featured the MediaTek Helio G88 SoC, along with a 5,000mAh battery pack and 90Hz refresh rate.
It is also possible that the Prime variant is the rebadged version of the Redmi 10 2022, just like how the Redmi 10 2021 model was a rebrand of the Redmi 10 Prime 2021. Unfortunately, apart from the model number, the BIS certification listing did not reveal any other finer details regarding the upcoming smartphones. Although, it is believed to be similar if not identical to the Redmi 10 2022. Meaning, we will see similar specifications on two new devices in India, but under different brands.
Talking about the Redmi 10 2022, it packs the Helio G88 paired with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. On the front, it sports a 6.5 inch FHD+ LCD panel with 90Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection. It runs on Android 11 based MIUI 12.5 custom skin out of the box. For photography, it offers a quad camera setup with a 50 megapixel primary sensor, 8 megapixel ultra wide angle lens, 2 megapixel macro sensor, and 2 megapixel depth sensor.
Earlier this month, the Nubia Z40 Pro (model number NX701J) and ZTE Axon 40 (model number A2023BH) were spotted at the CMIIT certification site in China. While the Z40 Pro is confirmed to launch on Feb. 25, there is no official word on the arrival of the Axon 40. The Axon smartphone has now bagged approval from China’s 3C and TENAA certification sites.
ZTE Axon 40 specifications (rumored)
The Axon 40 measures 163.37 x 75.88 x 8.56mm and weighs 199 grams. The device flaunts a 6.67-inch OLED display that offers an FHD+ resolution, a 20:9 aspect ratio, and an under-display fingerprint sensor. The device is expected to come preinstalled with Android 12 OS and the latest edition of MiFavor UI.
ZTE Axon 40 TENAA images
For selfies, the Axon 40 features a front camera of 44-megapixel. The rear panel of the phone features a 64-megapixel primary snapper. It is coupled with an 8-megapixel lens and a 5-megapixel camera. These auxiliary cameras could be capturing ultrawide and macro shots.
The 3.2GHz octa-core chip powers the Axon 40, which seems to be the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. The ZTE phone may come with 6 GB / 8 GB / 12 GB / 16 GB of RAM. It may arrive in storage editions such as 128 GB / 256 GB / 512 TB / 1 TB. It is packed with a 5,000mAh battery. It can be said based on its 3C listing that it may carry support for 65W fast charging. Since ZTE’s sub-brand Nubia will be announcing the Z40 Pro flagship phone later this week, it may unveil the Axon 40 in March.
Samsung is gearing up to refresh nearly its entire Galaxy A Series lineup with a number of launches scheduled for next month. One of the more affordable offerings from the bunch is the Galaxy A33 5G which will succeed last year’s Galaxy A32. The 5G phone made an appearance on Indonesia’s SDPPI certification website only a couple of weeks back but has now also appeared on Google Play Console, hinting at an imminent launch.
The Google Play Console listing reveals a number of key specifications. The device will be powered by the Exynos 1200 processor which packs 2x 2400MHz Cortex A-78 cores accompanied by 6x 2000MHz Cortex A-55 cores. It will be assisted by the ARM Mali G68 GPU clocked at 1GHz and 6GB of RAM.
The display has been revealed to have an FHD+ resolution of 1080×2400, offering a pixel density of 450nits.
On the software front, the Samsung Galaxy A33 5G will be booting into Android 12 out of the box, which will be layered with One UI 4 atop.
The Google Play Console listing also contains an actual image of the device, showing its front which is mostly all-display, save for the waterdrop notch and a thick chin.
The Samsung Galaxy A33 5G earlier has already appeared on certification websites FCC, TENAA, and NBTC, meaning its launch is nearly upon us now.
Facebook is launching Reels, its short video features, across more than 150 nations. The announcement was made by its parent company, Meta, who also said that the feature was its fastest content format.
According to a Reutersreport, the popular social media platform is pushing Reels as the next big thing, owing to its rapid growth in recent times. The news arrives as the popular social media platform lost a third of its market value, as per a recent earnings report. For those unaware, Meta had initially launched Reels on Instagram back in 2020 and later released it on Facebook in the following year. The new content format was made to rival another popular short video sharing platform, TikTok, which is owned by China based ByteDance.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, stated in a Facebook post that “Reels is already our fastest growing content format by far, and today we’re making it available to everyone on Facebook globally.” Interestingly, the company also announced new ways for content creators to make money through the Reels feature. It is further growing its program that helps pay creators bonuses in more countries and is even testing out overlay ads through banners and stickers for creators to earn ad revenue.
This feature is also set to soon show full screen ads in between Reels as well. Notably, Meta also added that it will roll out updates for users to make and see Facebook Reels in new places. This includes places like Stories, on the Watch tab, and even at the top of the news feeds as well. Some regions will also see suggested Reels in their feed as well.
Using some bank offers, you can now get the realme GT NEO 2 for as low as ₹22,999 through Flipkart, which is its lowest-ever rate.
The realme GT NEO 2 is a fairly recent release that started at ₹31,999 in India for the 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage variant. Its specs and positioning are that of a flagship-killer device, aiming to provide high-end features at a reasonable price. As such, it comes with goodies like a Snapdragon 870 processor, 64MP primary camera, and a 120Hz, HDR10+ AMOLED display.
Aforementioned specs made the device a steal already at its ₹31,999 launch pricing, but the new slashed pricing is just overkill. An instant discount of ₹6,000 when the purchase is made using any credit or debit card brings the price down to ₹25,999. This can be pulled down further by an additional ₹3,000 if you use an HDFC credit card for the transaction.
When all offers are applied, you get a massive discount totaling ₹9,000, following which the purchase will only set you back by ₹22,999. Do keep in mind that the offer is only applicable to the 8GB+128GB memory config.
Snapdragon 870 is no joke and is essentially a rebranded Snapdragon 865, which makes it a flagship offering. It loses out to Qualcomm’s newer 888 and 8 Gen 1 chips but continues to hold up well against 2022 standards, scoring around 700,000 in AnTuTu.
There are very few phones on the market right now that offer Snapdragon 870 at under ₹30k, namely the Xiaomi Mi 11X and the iQOO 7, but both will still cost you more even after applying available bank offers.
If interested in purchasing the realme GT NEO 2, then you can do so through this link. You’d want to hurry though since the offer will last until February 28th.
It was revealed by Xiaomiuilast month that Redmi is working on the Redmi 10A handset with 220233L2C model number for China, 220233L2G model number for global markets, and 220233L2I for India. The Chinese variant was seen at the 3C regulatory site earlier this month. Now, the device has bagged approval from the TENAA authority, which indicates that it may launch this month or in March in China.
Redmi 10A specifications (rumored)
The Redmi 220233L2C measures 164.9 x 77 x 9mm and weighs around 194 grams. It is fitted with a 6.53-inch IPS LCD display that offers a 20:9 aspect ratio and an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1,600 pixels.
The TENAA listing states that the handset’s back panel is fitted with a single camera of 13-megapixel. The front side of the device features a 5-megapixel selfie snapper. Unfortunately, the images of the phone haven’t appeared yet in TENAA’s database. Hence, it is unclear what sort of design the Redmi 10A will be arriving with. The listing reveals that it lacks a fingerprint scanner.
Redmi 9A
The 2.0GHz octa-core processor, which powers the 220233L2C could be the Helio G25 chipset. The device may come with 2 GB, 4 GB, 6 GB, 8 GB of RAM, and 32 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB of storage. It is backed by a 4,900mAh (rated value) battery. The 3C certification of the device revealed that it may come with support for 10W charging. The handset is expected to come in multiple colors such as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, white, black, grey, silver, and pink.
It appears that its global edition (220233L2G) may come with modified specs as compared to its Chinese variant. The global variant was spotted at FCC certification last month with a 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel dual-camera system. It also revealed variants like 2 GB RAM + 32 GB storage, 3 GB RAM + 32 GB storage, 3 GB RAM + 64 GB storage, and 4 GB RAM + 128 GB storage. The FCC certification also revealed that it runs on MIUI 12.5 flavored Android 12 OS. It also revealed that the device will be equipped with a fingerprint scanner.
Qualcomm recently launched the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 flagship chipset which comes manufactured using the 4nm process node from Samsung. The order for making the Snapdragon chips was a big win for the Samsung Foundry.
However, it is being reported that the South Korea-based technology giant has lost the business for manufacturing Qualcomm’s Snapdragon series chips.
As per the report, Samsung is facing a major issue with the production of Snapdragon chips as the yield rate for the chip Snapdragon 8 Gen1 is about 35 percent. This means that out of 100 chips produced, only 35 are good enough to be used by the phone manufacturers.
The yield rate is quite poor and it is being said that Qualcomm is in talks with the TSMC to move its business back to the Taiwan-based foundry. It is said that the yield rate for the 4nm chips from TSMC is about 70 percent, twice that of what Samsung is offering.
It is also being reported that along with Qualcomm, NVIDIA is also moving away from Samsung to TSMC for the 7nm graphics chip which was originally planned to be manufactured by the South Korean company.
There are reports about Qualcomm planning to launch the “Plus” version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset earlier than usual, sometime in the second quarter, and this new chipset will be manufactured by TSMC and not Samsung.
Earlier this year, TCL had launched two new budget smartphones at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022 — TCL 30 XE and TCL 30 V.
While the TCL 30 V smartphone has been available in the United States through Verizon, the company is bringing the TCL 30 XE 5G smartphone to the US for the price of $198.
The TCL 30 XE 5G will be available for purchase in the United States later this week, starting from Friday thorugh T-Mobile and and its prepaid subsidiary Metro by T-Mobile.
As for the specifications, the device features a 6.52-inch display with 1600 x 720 pixels screen resolution, 90Hz refresh rate, and 180Hz touch sampling rate. Under the hood, it is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor.
It packs 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage along with a microSD card slot with support for expandable storage of up to 512GB.
In the camera department, the phone features a triple-camera setup that includes a 13-megapixel primary sensor, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro lens. On the front side, there’s an 8-megapixel snapper for taking selfies and video calling.
The smartphone is running the Android 11 operating system out-of-the-box but the company has promised that it will get the Android 12 update. It is powered by a 4,500mAh battery and supports 18W fast charging technology.
Spring is back and it’s time to reconnect with nature. And what better way to get back to nature than spending your weekends and vacations camping in the mountains or on beaches. And to make your outdoor adventures more comfortable, you can carry any one of the Bluetti power stations, to ensure a reliable source of power when heading out.
Bluetti is now giving huge discounts on almost all its products under the Bluetti Spring Sale 2022. The sale starts on 22 February and ends on 14 March 2022. So let’s check out some of the best offers under the spring sale.
Bluetti AC200P 2000Wh portable power station can simultaneously power over a dozen different devices. This ultimate power beast comes with a LifePO4 battery pack that gives you 3500+ charge cycles. It can power almost all household appliances including a coffee maker, electric grill, refrigerator, hairdryer, etc. Whether you are suffering from a power failure at home or are camping out in the woods, you can always find an uninterrupted power supply with AC200P.
Key Features:
2000Wh/2000W Higher Output
17 Output Ports – use multiple devices simultaneously
Original Price:$3799 Discounted Price: Starts at $3599
Known as the modular power beast combo, Bluetti AC300 and B300 external battery packs are well known in the solar power generator market. AC300 does not come with a built-in battery which makes it super lightweight and highly portable. However, every AC300 can accept up to 4 B300 battery packs which bring the total capacity to 12288Wh. Moreover, this whole bundle can be easily transferred by one person alone making it a great choice for solo campers and travelers. Note that AC300 is compatible with Bluetti Fusion Pro which doubles the voltage, power, and total capacity. This means you get an uninterrupted power supply for days.
Key Features:
Highly portable modular solar generator
One of the long-lasting solar generators in the market
AC300 can be charged with both AC and Solar simultaneously whilst being connected to dual B300 battery modules
AC300 accepts up to 4 x B300 battery modules – Thus total capacity 12288Wh
Original Price:$2099 Discounted Price: Starts at $1999
This is an upgraded version of the famous Bluetti AC200. Powered by a 2048Wh LFP battery, AC200 MAX can also take up to two external batteries including B230 and B300. This bundle is perfect for Vanlifers, campers, RV users, etc.
Key Features:
All-round and upgraded version of classic AC200
Capacity: 2048Wh for AC200MAX
LFP Battery with life cycle 3500+
Can be quickly charged up to 80% with direct sunshine in around 2 hours
Expandable with up to 2 battery modules
Up to 6,144Wh with 2×B230’s, or 8,192Wh with 2×B300’s
2,200W pure sine wave AC inverter, Surge 4800W
Up to 900W solar input rate and 500W adapter input, 1400W in total
You can now buy the Bluetti products at huge discounts only at Bluettipower.com. The discount coupons are available on the product page itself. So please be sure to enter the coupon code at checkout before placing the order. Please note that the spring sale starts on 22 February and ends on 14 March 2022, 6:00 PM PST.
An upcoming Realme smartphone with model number RMX3560 has been approved by the TENAA authority of China. At the same time, the certification platform has also approved another Realme phone with an RMX3562 model number. It appears that the RMX3560 and RMX3562 could be the network variants of the same device. According to popular tipster Digital Chat Station (via), the RMX560 will debut in the Chinese market with the Realme GT Neo3 moniker.
Realme RMX3560/2 specifications
The Realme RMX3560/2 has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display that offers a Full HD+ resolution. Unlike existing Realme phones that have a punch-hole placed at the top-left corner, this one seems to feature a punch-hole at the top-centre position. According to the tipster, the device will support a 120Hz refresh rate. For security, it is fitted with an in-screen fingerprint scanner.
TENAA images Realme RMX3560/2
The front side of the device features a 16-megapixel camera for snapping selfies. Its rear shell has a triple camera unit, which includes a 50-megapixel primary camera. The tipster claims that it features an OIS-enabled Sony IMX766 as the main snapper. It is accompanied by an 8-megapixel camera and a 2-megapixel camera.
The RMX3560/2 is powered by a 2.85GHz octa-core processor, which seems to be the upcoming Dimensity 8100. Reports have claimed that MediaTek will announce the D8100 chip in March. The device is equipped with 8 GB / 12 GB of RAM and 128 GB / 256 GB / 512 GB of storage. Probably, it will come preinstalled with Android 12 OS and Realme UI 3.0. The tipster added that the device is equipped with a 3.5mm audio jack.
Realme GT Neo 3 leaked render by Steve Hemmerstoffer / Zollege.in
The RMX3560/2 has 163.3 x 75.6 x 8.2mm dimensions and it weighs 188 grams. Both models have a dual-cell battery. The TENAA listings only mention the rated capacity of one of the cells for both smartphones. The RMX3560 has a 2,440mAh battery, while the RMX3562 has a 2,180mAh battery. The tipster claims that the GT Neo3 will come in “4,500mAh / 5,000mah dual versions,” which suggests that the two models may come with different sized batteries. There is no information on the fast-charging capabilities of the RMX3560/2. The tipster claims that the GT Neo3 will surprise in the charging department.
Qualcomm has started using the 4nm process for its flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and now the company is gearing up to use this new process for the upcoming chips using for wearable devices.
The upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 5100 and Snapdragon Wear 5100+ are expected to be manufactured using the 4nm process node which should result in better performance compared to the current-generation chips.
For those who are unaware, the current-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 chip is built using the 12nm process node while the Snapdragon Wear 3100 was manufactured using the 28nm node.
It is also being reported that Samsung Foundry will be manufacturing these new chips but they will be used by other smartphone manufacturers as well and won’t be limited to devices only from Samsung.
It’s noteworthy that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset is also being manufactured by Samsung using the new 4nm process node.
If the reports are to be believed, then the difference between Wear 5100 and 5100+ comes down to the packaging. The Snapdragon Wear 5100 will separate the SoC and the Power Management Integrated Circuits (PMIC).
On the other hand, the Snapdragon Wear 5100+ will have what is known as Molded Embedded Package (MEP) where everything is packaged together. It is also said to have technology from ARM for heart rate and fall detection and to deliver improved haptics.
Both variants are said to have four Cortex-A53 cores running at a clock speed of 1.7GHz along with the Adreno 702 graphics processor running at 700MHz. They will support up to 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM and eMMC 5.1 storage.
Realme entered the tablet market with the announcement of the Realme Pad last year. The device came equipped with key specs like such as a 10.4-inch display, Helio G80 chipset, and a 7,100mAh battery. It was reported earlier this month that the Chinese manufacturer is working on a tablet for India. Soon a device with the RMP2105 model number was approved with the Realme Pad Mini moniker by Thailand’s NBTC authority. Now, reputed leaker OnLeaks (aka Steve Hemmerstoffer) has collaborated with Smartprix to reveal the press renders and specifications of the Realme Pad Mini.
Realme Pad Mini specifications (rumored)
The Realme Pad Mini has an 8.7-inch display, and it is powered by the Unisoc T616 chipset. To recall, the Realme tablet with the RMP2105 model number was spotted with a Unisoc chip in Geekbench’s database back in December 2021.
Realme Pad Mini leaked render by Steve Hemmerstoffer / SmartPrix
The leak reveals that the Realme Pad Mini will come with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of native storage. It will be housing a 6,400mAh battery and it will continue to support 18W fast charging like the Realme Pad. The device will sport a slim profile of 7.6mm.
The front side of the Realme Pad Mini will be flanked by a 5-megapixel camera. Its rear side will feature an 8-megapixel snapper. The leaked renders showcase the silver edition of the device. As can be seen, the device lacks an LED flash for its rear camera. The left spine of the Realme Pad Mini appears to be equipped with a power key and a volume rocker.
A render showcasing the front side of the Realme Pad Mini is yet to appear. With a couple of certifications such as India’s BIS, Europe’s EEC (with RMX2106), and Thailand’s NBTC under the belt, it appears that Realme will be announcing the Pad Mini soon in different markets.
Realme GT Neo3 is reportedly in the works. Last month, a Chinese tipster leaked the specifications of Realme’s upcoming GT Neo branded smartphone. Now, well-known tipster Steve Hemmerstoffer has teamed up with publication Zollege.into share a render of the GT Neo3.
Realme GT Neo3 Design
The leaked render of the Realme GT Neo3 only gives a look at its rear design. The left edge of the phone features volume up and down buttons and it has a power key on the right spine. It appears that like the Realme GT Neo2 handset, its successor will continue to feature an in-display fingerprint scanner.
Realme GT Neo 3 leaked render by Steve Hemmerstoffer / Zollege.in
The rectangle-shaped camera module available on the backside of the GT Neo3 houses a large-sized camera at the top. It is followed by a strip of LED flash and two cameras. The text imprinted inside the camera island confirms that the GT Neo3 will carry support for Optical Image Stabilization (OIS).
Realme GT Neo3 specifications (rumored)
Last month’s leak revealed that the GT Neo3 will feature a 6.62-inch AMOLED E4 display that offers an FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The Dimensity 8000 chipset is speculated to power the device. The Chinese manufacturer may release the device in variants such as 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage, 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage, and 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage.
The GT Neo3 may come with a 50-megapixel (Sony IMX766) + 50-megapixel (Samsung GN1) + 2-megapixel triple camera unit. It may house a 5,000mAh battery that supports 65W fast charging. The device may come preinstalled with Android 12 OS and Realme UI 3.0. It is likely to come in three colors like Sky Black, Crape Myrtle, and Morning Star.
Alleged Realme GT Neo3 Gaming Edition
The above-shown render, which was leaked earlier this month, is said to belong to the Realme GT Neo3 Gaming Edition. This phone is speculated to feature the Dimensity 9000 SoC.
OnePlus just launched its first midrange of 2022: the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G. And the same did its sister company Realme with its 9 Series including the Realme 9 Pro. Even though the latter does not include 5G in the name, these two devices are both among the best 5G mid-rangers released this year. And for those who do not know smartphones very well, it may be hard to choose. That is why we decided to publish a specs comparison between these handsets: here you will find the main differences between the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G and the Realme 9 Pro.
OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G vs Realme 9 Pro
OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G
Realme 9 Pro
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
160.6 x 73.2 x 7.8 mm,
173 g
164.3 x 75.6 x 8.5 mm,
195 g
DISPLAY
6.43 inches, 1080 x 2400 pixels (Full HD+), AMOLED
6.6 inches, 1080 x 2412 pixels (Full HD+), IPS LCD
Triple 64 + 8 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.2 + f/2.4
16 MP f/2.4 front camera
Triple 64 + 8 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.2 + f/2.4
16 MP f/2.1 front camera
BATTERY
4500 mAh, fast charging 65W
5000 mAh, fast charging 33W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
5G, dual SIM slot
5G, dual SIM slot
Design
Do you hate phones with big dimensions? If so, then you should go for the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G. It is more compact than Realme 9 Pro and its design is attractive thanks to its gradually-protruding camera module. It is even thinner and lighter than its rival, with a thickness of just 7.8 mm and a weight of just 173 grams. If you do not mind about dimensions, then you may prefer the Realme 9 Pro because the Sunrise Blue color option is the first color-changing phone launched in the global market. It is able to change color in about five seconds if you put it under direct sunlight or UV rays. But it is a bigger and chunkier phone because it includes a bigger display and battery.
Display
The most beautiful display belongs to the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G. It is equipped with an AMOLED panel with a diagonal of 6.43 inches, a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, a 90 Hz refresh rate, and the HDR10+ standard. Unfortunately, the Realme 9 Pro has an IPS LCD panel with less impressive colors, but if you are a gamer, you might like it because of its higher 120 Hz refresh rate. Further, it has a wider 6.6-inch diagonal which is better for gaming and productivity. The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G includes an in-display fingerprint reader, while the Realme 9 Pro has a side-mounted biometric sensor.
Specs & Software
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G is powered by the Mediatek Dimensity 900 chipset, while the Realme 9 Pro is equipped with the Snapdragon 695 5G chipset by Qualcomm. The MediaTek Dimensity 900 is actually stronger than the Snapdragon 695 5G as it is born to compete with Snapdragon 7xx processors. The difference is not huge, but the Dimensity 900 is superior, and, given that both the phones offer up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 128 GB of internal storage, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G wins the hardware comparison. On the other hand, the Realme 9 Pro runs Android 12 out of the box, while its rival is still based on Android 11. That is the reason why Realme 9 Pro users are supposed to get longer software support with major Android updates.
Camera
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G and the Realme 9 Pro have exactly the same rear camera departments. They include a 64 MP main camera with an f/1.8 focal aperture, an 8 MP ultrawide sensor, and a 2 MP macro camera. That is why it is a draw when it comes to the camera specifications. The two mid-rangers also come with 16 MP selfie cameras.
The most important pro of the Realme 9 Pro over the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G is the battery capacity. It is equipped with a bigger 5000 mAh battery and it is able to provide longer battery life in a lot of scenarios. On the other hand, the OnePlus Nord 2 CE 5G comes with 65W fast charging, while its opponent stops at 33W.
Price
The starting price of the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G is €359/$407 in the European market, while the Realme 9 Pro begins at €329/$373. There is no definitive winner of this comparison as each of these devices offer their pro and cons. With the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G you get a sleeker design, a better AMOLED display, and faster charging, while the Realme 9 Pro has a bigger battery and a more affordable price. Which one would you pick?
OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G vs Realme 9 Pro: PRO and CONS
A lot of things happened last week in the world of technology. For instance, the first gaming smartphones of 2022 made their debut, Microsoft finally brought Android apps to Windows, Google announced Chrome OS Flex, and many more.
We have compiled all these and other important stories from last week in this article as part of our weekly roundup series. Let’s go through them only by one.
As always, we would like to inform you that the stories featured here are based on our opinion and they are listed in no particular order. As your stance may vary, we would like to know your top picks in the comment section at the end of this post.
On February 16, the Redmi K50G went official in China as the first device in the Redmi K50 series. The gaming smartphone is the successor of last year’s Redmi K40 Gaming Edition. It not only comes with a new branding but also updated specs for a starting price of ¥3299 ($521).
The handset is unlike any other gaming smartphone in the market. It features a subtle design instead of being flashy. There’s also a Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team Edition of this phone.
The Redmi K50G offers features like a 6.67-inch 120Hz OLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.1 storage, liquid cooling system, magnetic shoulder buttons, quad speakers, x-axis linear vibration motor, three WiFi antennas, 64MP + 8MP + 2MP triple camera setup, 20MP selfie camera, 4,700mAh battery, and 120W fast charging.
The handset was also accompanied by Redmi’s first gaming router dubbed as Redmi Router AX5400.
2. REDMAGIC 7 Series – Gaming smartphones with all bells and whistles
The REDMAGIC 7 series includes two models, namely REDMAGIC 7 and REDMAGIC 7 Pro. The duo was unveiled on February 17. The specs of these phones are nearly identical, except for a few additional features on the Pro.
They come with a 6.8-inch FHD+ 165Hz OLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.1 storage, liquid cooling system, cooling fan, 4,500mAh battery, and 120W fast charging. On the other hand, the Pro model arrives with a dedicated in-house gaming chipset called Red Core 1, an under-display camera, and up to 135W fast charging.
The REDMAGIC 7 and REDMAGIC 7 Pro start at ¥3,899 ($616) and ¥4,799 ($758) respectively. Apart from regular colors, they also come in a transparent edition.
3. Nothing teases entry into the smartphone category
Carl Pei’s Nothing may soon enter the smartphone category. Cryptic tweets by the executive and the official Android and Snapdragon handles on February 16 hint at an imminent announcement.
So far, the year-old company has one product in its portfolio in the form of Nothing ear (1), a critically acclaimed pair of truly wireless earphones. Other than a smartphone, it is also being rumored to release a power bank called Nothing power (1).
Probably, the firm may reveal more details at MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2022, which is scheduled to kickstart on February 28.
4. HONOR ranked second in China in Q4 2021
Within a year from being sold by HUAWEI to Zhixin New Information Technology Co. Ltd., HONOR’s smartphone shipments reached the second position in its home market China in Q4 2021.
The brand was only second to Apple with a 16.7% market share as compared to 7.5% a year earlier. Though the iPhone maker had a 21.7% share in the final quarter of last year, it only grew 13% YoY, while HONOR’s growth skyrocketed by a 100% YoY.
The HONOR Magic3 was also the most-shipped premium Android smartphone during this period.
5. realme 9 Pro series brings flagship camera to mid-range
After teasing for days, the realme 9 Pro series made its debut on February 16 at last. The most interesting of the two phones is definitely the realme 9 Pro+.
The Pro+ looks like a budget smartphone with a huge chin and a 90Hz AMOLED display. But it comes with a flagship 50MP Sony IMX766 primary camera, which gives tough competition to almost every handset in the segment and above.
The device starts at ₹24,999 for the base 6GB + 128GB memory configuration in India. The brand is also expected to release a Free Fire Limited Edition soon. But its availability in India is a mystery as the mobile game was recently banned in the country by the central government.
6. Chrome OS Flex makes your old PCs and Macs useful
Chrome OS Flex is nothing but an official Google release of Cloudready whose developer Neverware was acquired by the search giant in December 2020.
With Google at the helm, this fork of Chrome OS designed to run on Windows and Mac could get popular once it releases to the public after the early access. The Mountain View-based tech giant claims that the operating system can be installed on devices that are up to 13 years old.
Though it doesn’t offer all the features of the regular Chrome OS at the moment, it is more than enough to make an old laptop or desktop with less powerful hardware useful.
7. Possible Pixel 7 series appear in Android 13 code
With the release of Android 13 Developer Preview 1, details of the next-generation Pixels have started emerging. According to a report by 9to5Google, the upcoming Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are codenamed Cheetah and Panther respectively.
They will be powered by a new Tensor chip codenamed Cloudripper. Carrying model number GS201, this SoC will likely arrive with an Exynos Modem 5300 with model number g5300b.
Unfortunately, that’s all the information available regarding the successors of Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
8. Windows 11 users can now use Android apps natively
Microsoft finally brings Android apps support for Windows 11 in the stable channel. Once updated to build 22000.526, users will be able to install a limited number of Android applications from the Amazon App Store.
Unfortunately, the feature is currently limited to the United States. It should be available in more regions in the coming days.
9. ColorOS hits 500 million users globally
OPPO’s ColorOS has come a long way since its inception. The once hated Android skin by international critics has now become one of the most preferred ones.
At the same time, with the entry of the company into new markets, its shipments are in increasing trend. Hence, it is not surprising to learn that the monthly active users of ColorOS have exceeded 500 million globally.
The number could go even high if OnePlus also switches to ColorOS in international markets.
10. Motorola Frontier – An upcoming smartphone with a 194MP camera
Motorola is soon expected to release a high-end smartphone codenamed Frontier. Last week, we got to see this phone in a high-quality image in almost all the angles.
The device is rumored to come with a 194MP Samsung S5KHP1 primary camera, a 5MP Samsung SKJN1SQ03 ultra-wide camera, a 12MPl Sony IMX663 telephoto camera, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ SoC, and a 6.7-inch curved OLED display.
11. Foldable smartphone shipments increased by 264.3% in 2021
Last week, a report by IDC revealed that the shipments of foldable smartphones totaled 7.1 million units in 2021. For comparison, the number was only 1.9 million in 2020.
In other words, the foldable smartphone market grew by a whopping 264.3% YoY. The market research company forecasts the growth to hit a compound annual growth rate(CAGR) of 69.9% by 2025.
BenQ, best known for its high-quality monitors and computer peripherals aimed at gamers has just released a new 4K gaming monitor in India.
The BenQ Mobiuz EX3210U gaming monitor was launched in India on February 22. This monitor has a 32-inch 4K Ultra-HD (3,840×2,160 pixels)IPS LCD panel with a 1ms MRPT response time (2ms GtG) and is capable of up to 144Hz refresh rate when connected to a computer. When connected to a PlayStation 5 or an Xbox Series X, its refresh rate is limited to 120Hz. This high refresh rate and low response time make it possible to play not just single-player titles, but even competitive shooters and high fps demanding games on 4K resolution.
The BenQ Mobiuz EX3210U has 600 nits of peak brightness and features BenQ’s HDRi technology for automatic brightness and contrast adjustment. To make gaming as smooth as possible, the monitor supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro which delivers dynamic refresh rates that synchronize the fps rate of a monitor effectively reducing input latency and eradicating screen tearing and stuttering. BenQ has also listed the monitor stating that it offers 98 percent DCI-P3 and 99% AdobeRGB color gamut coverage. It is Vesa DisplayHDR 600 certified and offers color modes like Cinema HDRi, Custom, DisplayHDR, Paper, FPS, Game HDRi, M-Book, Racing game, RPG,sRGB. The display also comes with Flicker-free and Low Blue Light certification.
The monitor has two inbuilt 2W speakers and a 5W subwoofer and features five audio presets for FPS, racing, and sports games, as well as for cinema and pop/ live music. Connectivity options on the gaming monitor include two HDMI 2.1 ports for current-gen consoles, a DisplayPort 1.4 port for PC gaming at 4K resolution with a 144Hz refresh rate, as well as four USB 3.0 ports and a headphone jack.
BenQ Mobiuz EX3210U price in India, availability
BenQ Mobiuz EX3210U is priced at Rs. 87,500 in India. It is available for purchase via Amazon and retail outlets. As for color variants, the monitor will only be available in white color.
Ambrane, a brand known for making mobile phone accessories launched the Ambrane FitShot Zest earlier this month. Now, the company has launched another smartwatch in their FitShot lineup dubbed the Ambrane FitShot Sphere.
The smart wearable has a circular dial and features a 1.28-inch touchscreen display with 450 nits of peak brightness. It comes with silicone straps for maximum comfort and durability and also features a crown button for navigation.
The Ambrane FitShot Sphere can easily be paired with your smartphone. After which you get functionalities such as smart alerts for incoming calls and notifications from messaging and social media apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, etc. The smartwatch also gives you some control over the paired smartphone as users can easily control music playback on their smartphone through the smartwatch and even control the smartphone camera from a distance making it super convenient to take pictures under specific circumstances.
The Ambrane FitShot Sphere smartwatch has SpO2 monitoring, heart rate monitoring, alongside other features. It also tracks calories, stress, and steps. It offers 17 different sports modes including stationary bike, rowing machine, cycling, running, and skipping among others. The wearable supports three watch faces and 46 cloud watch faces that can be customized via the Ambrane FitShot Wear app on paired Android smartphones.
The Ambrane FitShot Sphere uses Bluetooth 5 for connectivity and comes with an IP68 dust and water restaurant certification. The battery on the smart wearable has a capacity of 210mAh which offers a run time of up to 7 hours on a single charge.
Ambrane FitShot Sphere price in India, availability
The Ambrane FitShot Sphere smartwatch carries an MRP of Rs. 4,999 ($67) in India, but it is listed at an introductory price of Rs. 3,999 ($54) on the company website. However, the smartwatch is currently selling for just Rs. 2,999 ($40) on Amazon India.
A new wave of criminality seems to be spreading fast across the UK – theft of charging cables of electric vehicles. These cables are critical components in keeping electric vehicles on the road, as they have to be charged regularly, but thieves are now targeting this component which can be sold at a reduced price in the second-hand market or destroying the unit and selling its copper as scrap.
This new trend adds to what was the major issue – theft of catalytic converters that are put at about 10,000 stolen every year. Industry experts predict that the cost of replacing stolen charging cables could dwarf the estimated £10 million per year expended on catalytic converters replacement.
There had been a steady rise in the acquisition of fully electric vehicles or hybrid models in the UK in recent years. There are currently over 400,000 such vehicles in the UK and there is a conscious and direct effort to phase out combustion-powered vehicles by the turn of this century. Charging cables which are up to 15 feet are filled with copper cables which could be sold as scrap. On the other hand, replacement of stolen cables could cost up to £700 except one is bought from the second-hand market, where it could be priced as low as £200. There is the need to nip the theft of this important unit in the bud and searchlight should be beamed on the seemingly easy market available for such stolen item.
The charging cable can be stolen even while the car is being charged or stolen from the boot. There are some pretty cheap measures to secure the charging cable against theft, but ultimately, it is advisable to charge your car in a safe place away from criminals and overall vigilance.
Chinese EV manufacturer BYD has released its latest Blade battery-powered Yuan Plus and the model will grace some markets apart from its home market of China. The BYD Yuan Plus is already confirmed for Singapore and Australia, and it is expected to arrive in a few other global destinations.
BYD Yuan Plus EV
The BYD Yuan Plus is an all-electric SUV that can accommodate five persons. It was first showcased back in August 2021. The Yuan Plus has been launched in China and follows the footstep of the BYD Dolphin as it is based on BYD’s proprietary e-platform 3.0. The Yuan Plus is seen as a successor to the earlier BYD Yuan. It is powered by BYD’s Blade Battery and has the latest Dragon Face 3.0 design outlook.
BYD says the design philosophy of the Yuan Plus is based on a desire of the company to combine the spirit of athleticism and the beauty of music to deliver a vehicle that assures a remarkable driving experience that it says will awaken your wildest dreams. There are loads of music-related features within the interior of the Yuan Plus. Since January 1 when pre-orders opened for the Yuan Plus in China, the company says over 20,000 requests have been received for the two battery versions available. The 49.92 kWh version is priced from 144,274 yuan ($22,809) while the 60.48 kWh version starts from 154,274 yuan ($24,390).
BYD Yuan Plus EV
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As per the global distribution plans of BYD for the Yuan Plus, Australia and Singapore are already having pre-sales for the EV and the first deliveries will arrive within the second quarter and early Q3, 2022. The Australian version of the Yuan Plus is called ATTO and is covered by a 7-year or 160,000 km warranty on the battery. The Australian model indicates full compliance of BYD with extant regulations that will make the model easily exportable to Europe and other jurisdictions
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