Apple to reportedly launch 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 chipset next month

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Feb 16, 2022

Realme GT2 Pro is the brand’s latest flagship smartphone. It was announced in China last month and it is set to debut in international markets at MWC 2022 on February 28. The handset recently received a price cut in its home country. Followed by that, earlier today, the price of the base variant was slashed by a large amount on the company’s official website. Turns out it was a glitch.

After the recent price drop, the base 8GB + 128GB variant of Realme GT 2 Pro had been retailing at ¥3,499 ($552). For the unaware, it was introduced at ¥3,699 ($584).

But earlier today, this version of the phone was listed at only ¥2,999 ($473) on the official website of the brand. Hence, it was thought that the company had reduced the price again by ¥500 ($79).

However, it wasn’t the case. Xu Qi Chase, one of the VPs and the President of Global Marketing at Realme, clarified on Weibo that the difference in price was due to an error and it has been fixed.

The executive confirmed that the company will not cancel the orders of the customers who were able to grab the smartphone at an unbelievable price just a month after its release.

The Realme GT 2 Pro is Realme’s first proper flagship smartphone. Some of its highlights include a 6.7-inch QHD+ 120Hz LTPO 2.0 AMOLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, 50MP Sony IMX766 primary camera, 50MP 150˚ ultra-wide camera, 5,000mAh battery, and 65W fast charging.

First batch of MIUI 13-eligible POCO devices announced

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Feb 16, 2022

MIUI 13 was announced for India earlier this month as a minor update over MIUI 12.5, bringing along a number of under-the-hood improvements and some new wallpapers. While the event had revealed the first wave of Xiaomi and Redmi devices set to receive the update, POCO devices had been given a miss. POCO is, after all, an “independent” brand. But that has changed with yesterday’s POCO M4 Pro 5G launch event.

A few seconds of said launch were dedicated to MIUI 13 for POCO devices, with the official claiming that the update stays just as clean but becomes faster and more efficient than ever before. Along with this, the first batch of POCO phones set to receive MIUI 13 was also announced:

POCO M4 Pro
POCO M4 Pro 5G
POCO X3 Pro
POCO F3 GT

Exact dates weren’t revealed but it was stated that the aforementioned models will get the MIUI 13 in the coming weeks.

But these devices are only a part of a lengthier list that also includes a bunch of older devices. While POCO is yet to announce an official update timeline for all of the MIUI 13-eligible devices, Xiaomiui has curated an unofficial list which we have given below.

POCO X2
POCO X3 (India)
POCO X3 NFC
POCO M2
POCO M2 Reloaded
POCO M2 Pro
POCO M3
POCO M3 Pro 5G
POCO M4
POCO F2 Pro
POCO F3
POCO C3
POCO C31

Not all of these devices will get MIUI 13 with Android 12, though. MIUI is sort of independent from Android, so a number of devices will also get MIUI 13 based on Android 11.

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Samsung Galaxy S22 series to launch in India on February 17: Tipster

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Feb 16, 2022

Earlier this month, Samsung had finally unveiled its highly anticipated Galaxy S22 series. Now, a new report has revealed that the company is gearing up for the Indian launch of its flagship lineup, with the new smartphones expected to be announced tomorrow.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Plus Green Galaxy S22 Pink Gold — Galaxy S22 & Galaxy S22+

The news arrives from known tipster Ishan Agarwal who shared the information on Twitter. According to the tipster, the South Korean tech giant will hold an online launch event in India at 12:30 pm IST on 17th February 2022. During this conference, the brand will likely reveal the pricing for the Galaxy S22 series, including the base S22, S22+, and the S22 Ultra. Apart from this, the company might also reveal details related to its high end tablet series, the Galaxy Tab S8, as well.

For those unaware, the Samsung Galaxy S22 lineup has been available for pre-reservations for a few days now. However, there was no official news regarding when bookings will go live. But, the pricing for the three models arriving in India was tipped earlier this week. Looking at these prices, the base Galaxy S22 model will start from 69,900 INR (roughly 929 US Dollars). Meanwhile, the Galaxy S22 Ultra will reportedly start from 109,900 INR (roughly 1,460 US Dollars).

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Burgundy — Galaxy S22 Ultra

Keep in mind that this is still an unconfirmed report so take it with a pinch of salt for now. If the company is actually releasing the Galaxy S22 series in India tomorrow, we will be covering the launch event for the official availability and pricing for the region. So stay tuned for more updates regarding this matter.

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OnePlus Nord CE 2 first sale date for the Red Cable Club members revealed

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Pranav Sawant

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Feb 16, 2022

OnePlus will take wraps off the Nord CE 2 tomorrow i.e February 17 in India. Before its debut, the specs and pricing of the phone were leaked recently. Now, the tipster Abhishek Yadav has revealed the first sale date of the smartphone.

As per the tipster, the OnePlus Nord CE 2’s first sale date is February 21 for Red Cable Club members. In addition to this, tipster Yogesh Brar recently revealed the price of the smartphone.

The OnePlus Nord CE 2 is said to arrive at a starting price of Rs. 23,999(~$317) for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant and Rs. 25,999(~$344) for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. It is tipped to have two color variants Bahama Blue and Gray Mirror.

OnePlus Nord CE 2 Specifications(Rumored)

Coming to the specs, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 is expected to come with a 6.43-inch punch-hole AMOLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate and an FHD+ resolution. It will have a triple camera system at the rear with a 64MP main lens, an 8MP ultra-wide snapper, and lastly a 2MP macro lens.

Under the hood, it is expected to come powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC paired with 6GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.2 internal storage. It will have a microSD card slot and pack a 4,500mAh battery. The battery will have 65W SuperVOOC fast charging support.

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MediaTek Dimensity 8100 chip tipped, will be Dimensity 8000’s faster version

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Feb 16, 2022

MediaTek is all set to launch an iterative update to last year’s Dimensity 8000. Dubbed Dimensity 8100, the chip will support higher frequencies and will debut on March 1st.

The info comes from notable industry insider Digital Chat Station who says that the 8100 is being launched possibly due to its predecessor’s CPU frequencies being on the more “conservative” side. The Dimensity 8000 is comprised of 4x Cortex-A78 (2.75 GHz) and 4x Cortex-A55 (2.0 GHz) CPU cores.

Judging by the naming scheme, the chip is an upper mid-range unit, making such frequencies indeed slow. The Dimensity 9000, for comparison, peaks out at 3.05GHz. And on top of that, the Dimensity 8000 also uses older ARMv8 designs.

While it’s unlikely that the Dimensity 8100 will be bringing any changes design-wise over the 8000, the frequency boosts should result in better performance.

Manufacturers obviously know of this and DCS says that some have even replaced their Dimensity 8000 orders with Dimensity 8100. A new device with the chip is expected to launch as early as March next year, which is around the same time Dimensity 8000 devices were earlier expected to go live. This makes it possible that MediaTek actually means to replace 8000 with 8100 rather than selling them together, but that’s just a theory.

The AnTuTu benchmark score of the MediaTek Dimensity 8000 reached 750,000 points, surpassing that of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 870, whose score averages at around 700,000 points. The Dimensity 8100 will thus obviously bring in some even more impressive scores.

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Realme GT2 series global launch date officially revealed

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Feb 16, 2022

Earlier today (16th February 2022), the Realme 9 Pro and 9 Pro+ were officially unveiled in India. While the conference announced the new mid range smartphone, the company also revealed the official global launch date for its flagship Realme GT2 series as well.

For those unaware, the GT2 series comprises of the base GT2 and the GT2 Pro model, which were first announced in China last month. However, these devices had yet to arrive in markets outside of the brand’s home country. But a known tipster shared a few images which revealed that the “world premiere” of the Realme GT2 series will take place on March 2022. While we first thought it was for the launch event, it appears that this timeline is likely for its official release since the company has confirmed that the flagship smartphones will be launching on 28th February 2022.

Talking about the Realme GT2, it sports a 6.62 inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by a large 5,000mAh battery pack that supports 65W fast charging and runs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC. It features a triple camera setup on the rear, with a 50 megapixel primary camera, 8 megapixel ultra wide angle lens, and a 2 megapixel macro sensor. For selfies, it houses a 16 megapixel front facing shooter.

On the other hand, the GT2 Pro features a larger 6.78 inch AMOLED QHD+ that also offers 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, it sports the more powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The battery capacity and fast charging rates are the same as the base variant. Although, the front now houses a larger 32 megapixel sensor, while the rear feature two 50 megapixel sensor for the primary and ultra wide angle cameras, and a 3 megapixel macro sensor. So stick around for more, as we will be covering the upcoming launch event.

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Realme 9 Pro, 9 Pro+ launched in India: specifications, features, and price

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Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Feb 16, 2022

Realme 9 Pro and Realme 9 Pro+ smartphones have been launched in India. The much-awaited 9 Pro models have arrived as the successor to last year’s Realme 8 Pro, which was the company’s first 108-megapixel camera phone.

The Realme 9 Pro series continues to offer a top-notch photography experience like its predecessor. The non-Pro model offers users a 64-megapixel triple camera unit. On the other side, the Realme 9 Pro+ is the first number series phone from the brand to arrive with a flagship-grade camera with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) support. In addition, the Realme 9 Pro series is packed with other stellar features such as up to 120Hz refresh rate LCD/AMOLED display, Snapdragon 6-series / Dimensity 9-series chip, and decent batteries with 65W fast charging.

Realme 9 Pro specifications and features

The Realme 9 Pro flaunts a 6.59-inch punch-hole display. The IPS LCD screen delivers up to a 120Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution. A 16-megapixel selfie camera is lodged inside the display punch-hole.

The rear camera setup of the Realme 9 Pro has a 64-megapixel primary camera. It is coupled with an 8-megapixel ultrawide shooter and a 2-megapixel macro camera. The power button available on its right edge is integrated with a fingerprint scanner.

The Snapdragon 695 that powers the likes of the Vivo T1 5G, Redmi Note 11 Pro (global), and Moto G71 5G, is present under the hood of the Realme 9 Pro. The device comes with 6 GB / 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 128 GB of UFS 2.2 storage. It has got a 5,000mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging. The device offers other features like 5 GB of virtual RAM and Realme UI 3.0 flavored Android 12 OS. Another attractive feature of the Realme 9 Pro is the Light Shift design. It is nothing but a color-changing rear shell, which changes from light blue to red when exposed to sunlight or UV light.

Realme 9 Pro+ specifications and features

The Realme 9 Pro+ is blessed with an AMOLED screen that measures 6.43 inches. The FHD+ panel delivers a 90Hz refresh rate. For selfies, it has a front camera of a 16-megapixel front camera, and its rear-mounted camera island has an OIS-assisted 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 primary camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro camera.

The Dimensity 920, which fuels the likes of the Xiaomi 11i series, and the Vivo V23 5G, powers the Realme 9 Pro+. It ships with 8 GB of LPPDR4x RAM and 128 GB / 256 GB of UFS 2.2 storage. The device houses a 4,500mAh battery that supports 60W rapid charging.

An interesting feature on the Realme 9 Pro+ is the hear-rate sensor, which can be accessed through the in-display fingerprint scanner. The device offers other features like vapour chamber cooling system, X-axis linear motor, 5 GB of virtual RAM, Android 12 OS with Realme UI 3.0, dual speakers, a 3.5mm audio jack, and Light Shift Design.

Realme 9 Pro series pricing and availability

Here is the pricing and availability of the Realme 9 Pro series.

Realme 9 Pro

6GB RAM + 128GB storage – Rs 17,999 (~$240)
8GB RAM + 128GB storage – Rs 20,999 (~$280)

Realme 9 Pro Plus

6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage – Rs 24,999 (~$333)
8GB RAM + 128GB storage – Rs 26,999 (~$360)
8GB RAM + 256GB storage – Rs 29,999 (~$400)

The Realme 9 Pro and 9 Pro+ comes in colours like Midnight Black, Sunrise Blue (comes with Light Shift feature), and Aurora Green. The Realme 9 Pro+ will be available for purchase starting from 12 pm on Feb. 21 through Flipkart and Realme India’s website. The non-Pro will go on sale starting from 12 pm on Feb. 23 through the same platforms. Both phones will be also available for purchase through offline stores.

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Microsoft finally brings Android app support on Windows 11 via Amazon AppStore

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Feb 16, 2022

Microsoft has just rolled out a new update for Windows 11 earlier today (16th February 2022). The build 22000.526 brings various new features like a new weather taskbar widget, upgrades to Edge, and more. But one of the most highlighting aspect is undoubtedly the support for Android applications.

While the American tech giant had announced that Windows 11 OS will support Android prior to the official roll out, the latest Windows did not offer this feature on launch. But now, Windows 11 Android app support is finally possible thanks to a partnership with Amazon, which brings a limited number of Android apps to Windows through the Amazon AppStore. Unfortunately, this update is currently only available in the United States.

To check if you’re eligible for the update, you can head to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. Here, you can install the option update (KB5010414), which will also require a restart. After this, you also need to update the Microsoft Store as well. Opening up the store app and going into “Library”, you’ll have to press on “Get Updates” button in the upper right section.

Once you’re all set and up to date, you can finally get Android apps on Windows 11. However, the number of applications for the OS is still quite limited, around 1,000 apps as of right now. Although, we can expect this figure to grow over time. Meanwhile, Microsoft will also be working on fixing the various bugs and stability issues with this new feature, since it is still officially a “preview” build, rather than a full stable release.

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Xiaomi Mi 11, Mi 11 Lite 5G start receiving MIUI 13 update in international markets

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Feb 16, 2022

Back in early January, Xiaomi started rolling out MIUI 13 stable update based on Android 12 for Mi 11 and Mi 11 Lite 5G in China. A little over a month later, the company has now begun to seed the update in international markets.

The Android 12-based MIUI 13 stable update is finally live for the Mi 11 and the Mi 11 Lite 5G sold outside China. But unfortunately, the latest software from Xiaomi is only available for a single variant of these devices so far,

The update is currently limited to the ‘EEA’ variant of Mi 11 and ‘Global’ variant of Mi 11 Lite 5G. We expect other regional models to get it in the coming days.

Xiaomi Mi 11
- Codename: Venus
- Region: EEA
- MIUI: MIUI 13
- Android: Android 12
- Build Number: V13.0.1.0.SKBEUXM

Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
- Codename: Renoir
- Region: Global
- MIUI: MIUI 13
- Android: Android 12
- Build Number: V13.0.2.0.SKIMIXM

Since the above-mentioned software builds have been released only now, they are in the ‘Stable Beta’ phase. In simpler words, they are only available for a select few users as part of the batched rollout. But every user should get access to the update in the near future.

If you happen to have received the update on your unit, then do let us know your experience in the comment section below. This way users who haven’t got the update can get a basic idea of what they can expect.

Developer manages to boot Windows 11 on Pixel 6 running Android 13 DP1

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Feb 16, 2022

A developer has managed to get Windows 11 to run on their phone running Android 13. The first Developer Preview of Android 13 was released last week and it apparently makes it easier to access the kernel-based virtual machine that’s built into Android.

The feat was pulled off by XDA developer kdrag0n who was able to run Windows 11 on their Pixel 6 as a virtual machine using the Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) on the OS version.

Booting Windows, logging in, using it a bit pic.twitter.com/r1ws0WFxOg

— kdrag0n (@kdrag0n) February 14, 2022

kdrag0n says that Windows on the device is “really usable,” and despite the lack of GPU or 3D acceleration, they were still able to run Doom on the Windows VM.

Said Windows 11 build is obviously ARM-based and not the x86 one you get on a typical Windows PC. kdrag0n says that they’ll be providing more information about the process and how other users can replicate it.

Do keep in mind here though that root access will be required for the procedure.

As explained by XDA Developers, Android 13 allows much easier access to the built-in kernel-based virtual machine. kdrag0n took advantage of an exploit in the OS, allowing full Windows 11 virtualization to work at near-native speeds on the Pixel 6.

Getting new operating systems to run on unsupported machines is nothing new but does take plenty of patchwork. A developer earlier managed to similarly boot Windows 11 ARM on their Xiaomi Pad 5 with little compromise. Another was successful in booting the same on Microsoft’s Android Surface Duo tablet.

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OnePlus to launch several new products in 2022, New Nord phones, Band, Watch, & more

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Feb 16, 2022

OnePlus is apparently planning on releasing a number of new products this year. The company will kick off its launching spree with the Nord CE 2 5G, which is being announced in India tomorrow (17th February 2022).

OnePlus Nord CE 2 Bahamas Blue — Nord CE 2 5G

According to a MySmartPrice report, known tipster Mukul Sharma revealed that the Chinese smartphone maker has a busy year ahead. The Nord CE 2 5G will launch alongside the new OnePlus TV Y1S, but, it does not end there. Sharma added that the brand will be releasing a number of new Nord series smartphones in India as well. Furthermore, it is expected to launch at least one new product in India every month this year.

Among some of its upcoming launches, the company will even expand its wearable lineup as well. In 2022, it is expected to release a new smart band and a new smartwatch. While it is currently unknown how many new Nord smartphones will be launched this year, OnePlus is already rumored to release the Nord CE 2 Lite 5G as well, which will be positioned below the new Nord CE 2 5G. This model is expected to sport a 6.59 inch FHD+ display that supports 90Hz refresh rate. It will also run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 as well, as per previous reports.

Apart from the Nord series, the company also plans on expanding its product range in India, with the launch of its new smart accessories. This would include at least one new smart band and smartwatch. Keep in mind that this is still an unconfirmed report so take it with a pinch of salt for now, and stay tuned for more updates.

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OPPO to showcase multiple industry-leading mobile technologies at MWC 2022

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Feb 16, 2022

OPPO yesterday announced its participation at MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2022 in Barcelona from February 28 to March 3 with the theme of “Shape the Future.” The company will showcase its latest connectivity products, mobile technologies, and achievements in augmented reality and 5G.

Five major exhibition areas will be set up at its booth titled “Brand”, “Flagship”, “Smartphone Technology”, “5G”, and “AR Ecosystem” during the exhibition. The company also says that these will contain several industry-leading mobile phone technologies that will “set new industry records.”

Additionally, OPPO will once again create a virtual playground where users who cannot be present in person will still be able to experience the latest tech from the company. OPPO’s INNO DAY held in December 2021 had a similar setup and people could join the event remotely using customized avatars.

Last but not least, OPPO at MWC 2022 will also be sharing its efforts in environmental protection as a corporate citizen and will delve into finer details concerning its strategy for environmental sustainability. The company in 2021 already managed to reduce 95% of plastic usage for its mobile phone packaging material.

In 2021, OPPO recorded a YoY growth of 22% and held the fourth position in the global smartphone market. More on that here.

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Realme C25 gets Android 12 via Realme UI 3.0 Early Access program

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Feb 16, 2022

Since October, Realme has rolled out the Android 12-based Realme UI 3.0 Early Access update for multiple eligible smartphones. However, only one of them has received the stable release so far. Joining this long list of phones running the beta version of the latest realme software is the affordable Realme C25.

According to an official announcement post on Realme Community, the brand had started recruiting testers for Realme C25’s Realme UI 3.0 Early Access program on February 15.

Interested users of the handset can enroll in the initiative to try Android 12. In order to register, all they have to do is navigate to Settings > Software Update > Gear Icon > Trial Version > Apply Now and submit details.

Any user with the unit running on firmware version RMX3193_11.A.25 or RMX3193_11.A.26 is eligible to participate. Selected applicants will receive the update via OTA. Participants who don’t get selected can try their luck in the next batch of registrations whenever that happens.

As far as stable release is concerned, unlike Oppo, Realme is not known for providing a timeline. Hence, we cannot say for sure when the Realme C25 will be updated to Realme UI 3.0 stable update based on Android 12.

That said, this will be the device’s first and last major software update. Because Realme is known for providing a single Android update for Realme C series smartphones.

Realme Buds N100 tipped to launch in India next month

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Feb 16, 2022

Apart from smartphones, Realme is also known for its accessories. The brand is quite popular for its truly wireless earphones. The TWS products from the company are usually better than the competition in their price segment. Now, according to a new report, the firm will be introducing a new lineup of wireless earbuds.

realme Buds Air 2 Neo Calm Gray Featured 04 — realme Buds Air 2 Neo

Tech influencer Mukul Sharma has partnered with MySmartPrice to share some details about a new series of truly wireless earphones from Realme. According to him, the brand will be soon debuting the Realme Buds N series of TWS products.

The first model in the lineup will be officially realme Buds N100. Weirdly, it has the same name as an old budget smartphone from the sister brand OnePlus – OnePlus Nord N100.

Mukul says that the audio accessory will launch in India in March. It will be made available in two color options in the market, such as black and grey.

Unfortunately, he does not have further information on the wireless earphones. Hence, their design and specs are anyone’s guess.

The Realme Buds N will join the two existing families of TWS from Realme – Realme Buds Air and Realme Buds Q. The former lineup consists of premium models, while the latter includes affordable models. Anyway, both of them are still way cheaper than popular truly wireless earphones.

Sony LinkBuds TWS earbuds with unique open ring design launched for $178

By

Jeet

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Feb 16, 2022

Sony has officially announced its new true wireless earphones in the market, dubbed Sony LinkBuds. The highlight of the earbuds remains the unique open-air design which is unlike anything available in the market.

The Sony LinkBuds are being offered in two color options — Black and White. As for the pricing and availability, the true wireless earphones are available for purchase through Amazon for $178.

The design of the Sony LinkBuds is unlike anything on sale in the market. It has donut-shaped earpieces that go into the ear. There’s no need to adjust the fitting as there’s no foam or similar tips given that the earphones fit directly inside the ear.

What makes the design unique is a hole in the earphones which is basically an open ring driver. It lets users listen to music while also hearing the ambient surroundings, which is similar to products like sound-equipped sunglasses and bone conduction options.

The earphones, which allow ambient sounds, are good for situations where users might need to be aware of their surroundings, like when doing activities such as walking, running, biking, and riding public transportation.

Internally, the product packs custom and ring-shaped 12mm drivers powered by the V1 processor and offers DSEE audio upscaling. The earbuds weigh four grams each, making the new Sony earphones lighter than the Apple AirPods 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live true wireless earphones.

The Sony LinkBuds are also rated IPX4 for splash and sweatproof. There’s also an Adaptive Volume Control feature that optimizes music to the sound in the ambient environment. As for the battery, the company is promising 5.5 hours of usage which can be increased to 17.5 hours with the charging case.

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Xiaomi 12 series to cost between €600 and €1,200 in Europe: Leak

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