OPPO partners with Reliance Jio to conduct 5G trials in India

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Feb 14, 2022

India’s efforts to become a major semiconductor manufacturer have just got a big boost with the announcement of the Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn teaming up with Indian steel and oil company Vedanta in an effort to build a manufacturing plant for semiconductors in the country.

On Monday, Foxconn revealed that they have entered into a Joint-venture, with Vedanta holding the majority share of the equity. Foxconn further informed that Anil Agarwal, the founder, and chairman of Vedanta Resources Limited will also be the chairman of the joint venture company. The name of the joint venture company has not been made public yet, along with what kind of semiconductors the newly-formed company plans to manufacture.

Foxconn has mentioned that discussions are underway with various state governments regarding where the fab will be set up by the company. Nevertheless, the new venture is sure to create multiple jobs opportunities in the country.

The new joint venture between Vedanta and Foxconn is a result of the recently announced Performance Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for electronics manufacturing by the Indian government. The scheme provides many benefits to foreign companies who choose to set up their manufacturing units in the country and also fulfills the government’s “Make in India” agenda.

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Some Samsung Galaxy S22 per-orders have arrived before release date: Report

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Feb 14, 2022

The Samsung Galaxy S22 series was announced on February 9th, at the Galaxy Unpacked 2022 event. Right now, the devices are only available for pre-order as Samsung won’t commence deliveries till February 25th in the case of the Galaxy S22 Ultra and Early march for the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus models.

However, some customers have already got their hands on these new devices according to a TechRadar report. The Samsung subreddit has been blowing up with users posting about receiving their latest Galaxy S22 smartphones way earlier than expected. The reporters have mostly been about receiving the Galaxy S22 Ultra and the S22 Plus models.

The prevailing theory is that some customers who ordered the devices as soon as the pre-order windows opened got their devices dispatched to them immediately.

The comments sections are also largely filled with disappointed customers who have still received their devices. Some people have also reported being given arrival dates way ahead of the official release date of February 25th. However, it could just be due to system errors from the retailers and couriers, therefore we suggest people assume that their devices will arrive post the official release date rather than any date that’s been shown prior.

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Ford rumored to re-enter Indian market to manufacture and sell EVs

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Feb 14, 2022

Ford Motor Company is planning to re-enter the Indian Market after its exit in 2021. The company is looking towards making India the hub of manufacturing and exporting EVs to the international markets. The company has also hinted at the possibility of selling cars in the domestic market in the future.

Ford Mustang Mach-E — Image source: Ford

The news of this upcoming venture came to light when Ford’s application to participate in the federal government’s Performance Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme got approved. This particular scheme aims at making India a hub for automobile manufacturing and offers incentives to the companies that set up their production units in the country.

Ford, which has two plants in India, said that it is now “exploring the possibility of using a plant in India as an export base for EV manufacturing”. Although the company had left the Indian market just six months back, stating that the Indian market was not profitable for the company and was ready to suffer $2 billion in losses.

While the company has no concrete plans to develop electric vehicles for the Indian market, the company said, “There is no specific discussion on this right now, but it is not out of the realm of future consideration. Ford also plans to serve customers in India with must-have iconic vehicles, including the Mustang coupe.”

This news aligns with Ford’s announcement that it is focusing on electric vehicles and has announced a massive budget of $30 billion globally to develop new fully-electric and new hybrid vehicles.
Considering these announcements and the Indian electric vehicle market, it would be a great time for ford to enter the Indian market as it is still in a nascent stage. But both the Ford plants in the country – one in Sanand, Gujarat, and the other one in Chennai would require significant upgrades in order to be able to start making electric vehicles.

If all goes well, this move could prove beneficial for the Indian market as it would provide much-needed competition as well as affordable electric cars to boost the adoption of zero-emission vehicles in the country.

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Lenovo K14 Plus finally gets a debut as a rebranded Moto E40

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Feb 14, 2022

Lenovo has officially launched the Lenovo K14 Plus in the market. This is new device is actually a rebadged model of the last year’s Moto E40. The smartphone has the same 90Hz display, triple cameras, and a UNISOC chipset.

The Lenovo K14 Plus is priced at ₽ 9,990(~$130) for the 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant. The smartphone is currently available in Russia and is sold via Citylink.

Lenovo K14 Plus Specifications

The Lenovo K14 Plus comes with a plastic body sporting a 6.5-inch punch-hole display. It is an IPS LCD panel with HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. The device has a 20:9 aspect ratio and has thin bezels on all three sides except for the bottom. At the bottom, it has a thick chin.

Coming to the cameras, the phone has a triple camera system at the rear with a 48MP primary lens, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro unit. The rear camera can shoot videos at 1080p 30fps. It has an 8MP camera on the front.

It is powered by the UNISOC T700 SoC coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. It also has a microSD card slot for additional storage. The phone houses a 5,000mAh battery with a 10W charging speed. Just like the Moto E40, we can expect it to last for up to two days, depending on the usage.

The device has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and a facial recognization option for added security. It has a USB Type-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The smartphone runs on Android 11 out of the box.

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OnePlus Nord CE 2 price, colors, and sale details leaked ahead of launch

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Feb 14, 2022

OnePlus will take wraps off the Nord CE 2 on February 17 in India. Just today, the phone’s major specs were leaked ahead of launch. Now, the tipster Yogesh Brar has revealed the pricing and colors of the smartphone.

According to the tipster, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 will start at Rs. 23,999(~$317) for 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant in India. It will cost Rs. 25,999(~$344) for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. He further revealed the possible colors of the smartphone. The device is said to launch in two colors – Bahama Blue and Gray Mirror. The device will go on sale this week itself after the launch ends.

OnePlus Nord CE 2 Specifications

Earlier today, some of the major specs of the phone were learned. The smartphone is touted to have a similar camera island bevels as the Oppo Find X3 Pro. It will feature a 6.43-inch punch-hole AMOLED panel with an FHD+ resolution and 90Hz refresh rate.

It will feature a 16MP selfie shooter at the top left corner. The phone will have a triple camera system at the rear with a 64MP main lens, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor with 119° FOV, and a 2MP macro lens.

It will be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC paired with 6GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.2 onboard storage. It will have a microSD card slot for storage expandability up to 1TB. The device will pack a 4,500mAh battery with 65W SuperVOOC fast charging support.

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New possible Amazon Fire tablet gets FCC approval

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Feb 14, 2022

A device with all the signs that it is a new Amazon Fire tablet has gotten the approval of the United States’ Federal Commission (FCC) ahead of a possible release of the product. The device with the model number and FCC ID: 2AWRO-8768 and its details, though not explicitly seen, indicate a possible Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet. If indeed, that is the case, then the model will be the successor to the released Amazon Fire HD tablet in 2021.

The Amazon Fire 7 tablet is the oldest model in the Amazon lineup, it had seemed that that was the most likely model to be iterated in the new form, but it seems that may not be the case. Sources familiar with the trajectory of the model with the recent FCC approval say that Amazon allegedly submitted the tablet to FCC with a fake company named Abyssal Plain LLC. But interestingly, the same name was used by Amazon to submit the Fire HD 10 tablet when it went through the FCC paces. The feeler is that the model is just an updated version of the Fire HD 10 and the two model numbers have only a slight difference. Amazon has also never had to use a fake filing name for two different products.

Although we are not yet in a position to know the specs details of the new device, it could bear a strong semblance to the Fire HD 10 in terms of design and functionality, with some tech tweaks to enhance its rating. There are no indications also on the possible release date for the device, but we expect some key announcements from Amazon this year including some other tablets.

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BLU G71+ with UNISOC T610 SoC and triple cameras announced in the global market

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Feb 14, 2022

Earlier this month, BLU officially announced the BLU G51S as an entry-level smartphone in the market. Now, the company has unveiled the BLU G71+ budget smartphone with UNISOC T610 chipset and triple rear cameras.

The BLU G71+ is available in the global market and can be picked up in Bronze, Green, Blue, and White colors. Unfortunately, the phone’s pricing is yet to be revealed.

BLU G71+ Specifications

Coming to the specs, the BLU G71+ has a slightly tweaked design as compared to its predecessor. It comes with a textured back with vertical strips that seems to be helping with the phone’s grip. The device has a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display with an HD+(720 x 1600 pixels) resolution. It has the standard 60Hz refresh rate and 20:9 aspect ratio.

As for the cameras, the smartphone features a triple camera system with a 13MP primary lens, a depth sensor, and a macro unit. It has an iPhone 13-like lens placement but in a vertically elongated camera island. Interestingly, it has a 13MP selfie snapper. The rear camera is capable of recording up to 1080 videos at 30fps.

It is powered by the 12nm UNISOC T610 octa-core SoC clocked at 1.8GHz. It is paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB, 128GB of internal storage. The device packs a 4,900mAh battery and has facial recognition, a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner for security. The device runs on Android 11 out of the box.

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Researchers in China reportedly achieve data streaming using 6G technology

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Feb 14, 2022

There seems to be only a minimal slowdown in the deployment of super-fast 6G technology in China even with the setbacks occasioned by the clampdown on Huawei and other Chinese firms who were on the cusp of 6G breakthrough in some form. There are clear indications that China has made progress on the next generation connectivity architecture for wireless communications according to reports from the South China Morning Post.

The report indicates that the Chinese research team led by Professor Zhang Chao was able to stream 1 terabyte of data over 1km in one second. Professor Zhang Chao is from the School of Aerospace Engineering of Tsinghua University and his research team achieved the feat using very high-frequency radio waves, called vortex millimeter waves. The implications for these outstanding streaming speeds are indeed far-reaching, as there are loads of applications that are waiting for the 6G technology to change the face of the world. They could be deployed to weapons and defense systems, with the possibility of deploying hypersonic weapons. The communications component and applications in the entire IoT ecosystem are also exciting.

China says it is at the head of research on 6G research with massive investments in support of the new technology and some great results to show for the efforts. An experimental wireless system was deployed in the Beijing Winter Olympics to simultaneously stream more than 10,000 hi-def live feeds seamlessly. Team leader, Professor Zhang insists that the vortex millimeter waves are unlike any of the radio waves deployed since radio waves were introduced over 100 years ago.

The new technology has added a new dimension to current wireless transmission, which means that the vortex millimeter waves have three dimensions similar to the motion of a whirling tornado. The researcher has also developed an innovative transmitter that allows the waves to spin in three different modes for efficient data transmission. The architecture also includes a special receiver to decode a large amount of data at super-fast sub-second speeds. Even with the decline of Huawei was massively pioneering research and development of the 6G technology, China still holds some stake in 6G patents up to 40% of the global overall. The 6G technology could deliver speeds more than 100 times faster than current 5G speeds and several countries are pursuing research in that direction.

The ultimate deployment of the 6G technology is still however years away, with some projections putting this at 2030. The global focus now is for much of the world to have the needed deployment of 5G connectivity, with its accompanying concerns for health and airline safety being pointed out. The 6G technology will also come with its potential flipsides, which will become visible as the technology continues to evolve.

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You may probably want to get an Apple Watch after reading this story

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Feb 14, 2022

The Apple Watch has had a very pleasant and life-saving run in recent months with the raft of stories that have elevated the Apple smart wearable to the status of a life-saver. Right from the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, a study showed that the Apple Watch was capable of identifying potential COVID-19 symptoms up to 10 days before the actual onset of the disease. Its fame has continued to grow and the news that the Apple Watch was able to detect the change in the health status of a TikTok user will add further hype to the device.

The Sidney-based TikTok is named Lauren and she made a video indicating that her Apple Watch detected changes in her heart rate and other body functions that correlated with the later diagnosis of her thyroid condition. The woman says that had she turned on notifications on her Apple Watch, she could have been notified of the situation several months before the eventual diagnosis. The increase in her stress levels occasioned by reduced intake of oxygen detected by her Apple Watch coincided with other symptoms like fatigue, irritability, sensitivity, among several other symptoms.

Lauren says that the Apple Watch, from her recent experience, could prove helpful in situations where extended stress levels could be indicative of more serious medical conditions. The device could assist in fast-tracking diagnoses when the user seeks prompt medical attention, rather than waiting for the full symptoms to become visible.

The collection of sensors in the Apple Watch provides a raft of critical health and fitness measurements that puts the device on the top echelon of life-saving smart wearables. Its record continues to grow, with the Apple Watch’s fall detection mechanism the major life-saving feature in the smartwatch.

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REDMAGIC 7 Pro emerged on Geekbench with 16GB of RAM

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Feb 14, 2022

REDMAGIC 7 series will debut on February 16 in China. The series will comprise the REDMAGIC 7 and REDMAGIC 7 Pro. So far, we know that the former model has the model number – NX6791, while the latter has the model number – NX709J. Previously, the vanilla model passed the Geekbench certification showing impressive results, now, the Pro model with model number NX709J has emerged on the same certification.

The REDMAGIC 7 Pro with model number NX709J has scored 1264 points in the single-core department and 3744 points in the multi-core department. The device runs on Android 12 out of the box and has 16GB of RAM. Just like the vanilla model, the Pro model also has the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, under the hood.

Just like the vanilla model, the Pro model also has the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, under the hood. In addition to this, the device also appeared on the Wi-Fi Alliance certification confirming support for 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz Wi-Fi (via).

REDMAGIC 7 Expected Specifications

The Pro’s specs aren’t clear but it is expected to have similarities with the vanilla model. The REDMAGIC 7 is expected to come with a 6.8-inch OLED display sporting an FHD+ resolution. It will come with a 165Hz refresh rate and a high touch sampling rate.

It will flaunt a 64MP + 8MP + 2MP triple camera system. The device may have a 4,500mAh battery with up to 135W fast charging support. It will have a built-in independent gaming chip along with the Snapdragon chipset.

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Galaxy S22 series, Android 13 Developer Preview, Infinix ZERO 5G, and more from Last Week

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Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Feb 14, 2022

We are back again with our new list of top stories from the previous week. Lots of things happened last week. Most importantly, Samsung announced its flagship smartphones and tablets of 2022. Then, out of the blue, Google dropped the first Developer Preview of Android 13. At the same time, the search giant ended support for one of the Pixel series. Let’s take a look at these and a lot more in our ‘latest Top Stories from Last Week’ segment.

Before we continue, we would like to inform you that the stories selected here are based on our opinion. Further, they are listed in no particular order. Since everyone’s choices differ from others, we would like to know your picks in the comment section below.

1. Galaxy S22 series – The next big thing from Samsung

Samsung’s next big thing is finally here in the form of the Galaxy S22 series. The South Korean tech unveiled its latest flagship smartphones with a fanfare at the Galaxy Unpacked 2022 event on February 9 (Wednesday).

The company has introduced multiple changes in the new models. Firstly, all three devices arrive with a new design. The Galaxy S22 and the Galaxy S22+ are only slightly different from their predecessors, whereas the Galaxy S22 Ultra has been completely revamped with a built-in S Pen. In fact, the latter is more of a Galaxy Note than a Galaxy S.

The two cheaper models come with updated primary and telephoto cameras. The plus and ultra offer the brightest display on a smartphone. Finally, in some markets, these phones are powered by Samsung’s in-house Exynos 2200 SoC with AMD RDNA architecture-based Xclipse GPU.

2. Galaxy Tab S8 series – Notch and a 14.6-inch screen

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Tab S8 series alongside the Galaxy S22 series. The family consists of three models like the phones – vanilla, plus, and ultra.

Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, the first ‘Ultra’-branded tablet from Samsung, has a massive 14.6-inch AMOLED display. The screen also includes a notch housing two cameras.

The Galaxy Tab S8 and the Galaxy Tab S8+ are regularly sized tablets. But the vanilla variant has an LCD panel instead of AMOLED like the other two.

All three are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. They also have support for the S Pen stylus.

3. Android 13 Developer Preview out ahead of Android 12L Stable release

Even before Android 12L could hit the stable channel, Google has already released the Android 13 Developer Preview. Anyone with Pixel 4 or above devices can try out the upcoming version of Android.

Android 13, which is codenamed Tiramisu, is a polished version of Android 12. So don’t expect major changes like the transition from Android 11 to Android 12.

According to a timeline shared by Googe, beta builds will be out around April, followed by stable in June or July. Anyway, this schedule is only applicable for Pixels.

4. Dynamic theme coming to non-Pixel devices

Google has officially revealed that the Android 12’s monet dynamic theme engine will be soon available on devices from popular OEMs like Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi, and others. However, the search didn’t give a specific timeline.

Ahead of this announcement, a report had already disclosed that the Android 12 dynamic theming engine will be a requirement for GMS approval from March 14. This means the feature should come to non-Pixel devices in the next few weeks, at least, in the form of beta.

5. Google ends support for Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL

The Pixel 3 and the Pixel 3 XL received their final software update last week. The system update merely brings February 2022 security patches.

The Pixel 3 series debuted in October 2018 with Android 9.0 Pie. Throughout their lifetime, the handsets received 3 Android updates (up to Android 12).

The Pixel 3 XL has made a name for itself in history for its ‘bathtub notch’.

6. OnePlus plans to discuss OxygenOS 13 with users

OnePlus and OPPO are expected to introduce a unified operating system based on Android 13 later this year. Ahead of that, the former has scheduled an Open Ears Forum (OEF) to discuss the said software with its userbase.

As of now, OnePlus is still calling it OxygenOS 13 based on Android 13. Perhaps, the name change may happen once the software reaches the release phase.

That said, the event is planned for February 28 and the registrations for it are open until February 18.

7. Bunch of upcoming Motorola phones leak in renders

Popular leaker Evan Blass shared press renders of five forthcoming Motorola smartphones on February 9. As he does with Motorola leaks, he merely described the codenames of these phones instead of their actual marketing names.

These handsets called Hawaii+, Dubai, Rogue, Rhode, and Austin belong to multiple price segments. For instance, one of them has an under-display camera, while another features a thick chin.

We expect to learn more about these devices in the coming days.

8. Infinix debuts its first 5G smartphone – ZERO 5G

Infinix ZERO 5G made its global debut in Nigeria as the brand’s first 5G smartphone. It is a mid-range offering with some interesting set of features.

The 6.78-inch 120Hz display (LCD) touting handset is powered by a MediaTek Dimesnity 900 SoC coupled with 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB UFS 3.1 storage. Unlike most phones in the segment, it sports a 13MP 2x telephoto camera.

In addition to a dedicated MicroSD card slot and a 3.5mm headphone jack, the device is backed by a large 5,000mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging.

9. Realme grew stronger globally in Q4 2021

A Canalys report revealed that Realme entered the top 5 in 30 markets globally. For the first time, the brand made it to the list in key markets like Germany, Peru, Colombia, and Western Europe.

In India alone, the company grew 48% YoY. As a result, its market share rose to 17% in the region. In Western Europe and Europe, it registered growths of a whopping 1365% and 450% respectively.

10. Hope for new BlackBerry smartphones dies

In January, OnwardMobility reassured that a 5G BlackBerry smartphone with a keyboard is on its way later this year after being delayed. Within a few weeks, a report from last week revealed that this project is dead.

It is said that OnwardMobility has lost its license to use the ‘BlackBerry’ name. The once-popular smartphone maker is reportedly distancing itself from its glorious days after selling its mobile patent portfolio in early February.

OnePlus Nord CE 2 official images, specs revealed: Features Dimensity 900 SoC

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Feb 14, 2022

OnePlus is gearing up to launch its latest mid-range smartphone offering dubbed the OnePlus Nord CE 2. The handset is set to debut on February 17 in India. Now, before its launch, OnePlus Head of Product Oliver Zhang has confirmed some of the smartphone’s features in an interview with TechRadar. Zhang has also revealed the official images of the Nord CE 2.

OnePlus Nord CE 2

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An image of the OnePlus Nord CE 2 draped in ‘Bahamas Blue’ color was leaked a few days back. And these official pictures confirm its legitimacy. Coming to the design of the smartphone, it looks quite similar to the Nord CE except for its camera bump design. It’s apparent that the camera bump borrows from the design of the OPPO Find X3 Pro.

On the topic of the new color, Zhang informed that other than the Bahamas Blue, the smartphone will be made available in another color called Gray Mirror.

Oliver Zhang also confirmed that the Nord CE 2 will come with a 4,500mAh battery supporting up to 65W fast-charging using SuperVOOC branded technology used by OPPO products. He also stated that the device will feature a microSD card slot that can expand the memory by up to 1TB using a TF card.

OnePlus India has also confirmed that the Nord CE 2 will be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC.

Other than that, the upcoming mid-ranger is said to come with a 6.43-inch FHD+ 90Hz AMOLED display. The memory and storage variants have not been confirmed yet, but rumors state that the device will come with at least 6GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB UFS 2.2 storage.

For photography, the smartphone will house a triple camera system comprising of a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide unit (119° FOV), and a 2MP macro snapper. On the front, it will come with a 16MP selfie shooter in a punch-hole cutout on the top left corner of the screen.

OnePlus India has confirmed that the device will launch on February 17th in the Indian market, so stay tuned for any more notable developments.

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Vivo T1 5G goes on sale in India starting at Rs 15,990(~$213)

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Feb 14, 2022

Last week, the Chinese phone maker Vivo launched the Vivo T1 5G in India. The smartphone comes as an online exclusive offering with specs like a 120Hz display, a 50MP triple camera system, and a big battery.

Starting today, the Vivo T1 5G has gone on sale in India. This is the first time the phone is on sale in the country. It comes in three variants an 4GB + 128GB, 6GB + 128GB, and 8GB + 128GB priced at Rs 15,990(~$213), Rs. 16,990(~$227), and Rs. 19,990(~$267), respectively.

It comes in two color variants, namely Starlight Black and Rainbow Fantasy. The device is available to purchase from Flipkart.com and Vivo’s official website.

Vivo T1 5G Specifications

The Vivo T1 5G has a 6.58-inch water-drop notch display with an FHD+ resolution. It is an IPS LCD panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate. It sports a 16MP selfie snapper and has an AI triple camera system. The setup goes by a 50MP main sensor and two 2MP lenses.

Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by the 6nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It has up to 12GB RAM expansion feature and also supports a microSD card slot for additional storage up to 1TB.

One of the highlights of the phone is the Turbo Liquid Cooling technology. The device has five layers of cooling mechanism that make sure the phone doesn’t heat up. This technology also reduces the temperature of the device by up to 10-degree Celsius. Lastly, it packs a 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging.

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Redmi K50 series rumor Roundup: Specs, Price, Colors & More – What to Expect!

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Feb 14, 2022

Redmi has scheduled to launch the Redmi K50 series on February 16(6 PM CST/3:30 PM IST) in China. Before it debuts, the phones in the series were spotted on several certification sites. The phones were also seen in teasers giving us some major details.

Today, we’re rounding up all the details learned so far about the Redmi K50 series.

Redmi K50 Series Rumor Roundup: What to Expect?

This time around, Redmi will be launching over four models in the series — Redmi K50(22021211RC), Redmi K50 Pro(22041211AC), Redmi K50 Pro+(22011211C), and Redmi K50 Gaming Edition(21121210C). The Gaming Edition will also have a Mercedes branded model called the Redmi K50 Gaming Mercedes AMG Petronas Edition.

Rumors suggest that not all may arrive at the February 16 event, the show stopper for the aforementioned date will be the K50 Gaming Edition. The other K50 phone launches are contingent.

Display and Design

The Redmi K50 series will bring a new design to the table. Leaks reveal that the show stopper, K50 Gaming Edition will have a different back design sporting all the camera sensors vertically, one after another. On the other hand, the other K50 models will have a triangular rear camera island, with the primary sensor on the top and two other lenses placed horizontally below the main lens.

The K50 Gaming Edition is expected to come with a 6.67-inch OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. The other K50 models will also have an OLED display and 120Hz refresh rate, however, the display sizes are unknown, at the moment.

Cameras

The Redmi K50 Gaming Edition will have a triple rear camera system with a 64MP Sony IMX686 primary lens, a 13MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 2MP tertiary lens. Upfront, it will have a 20MP selfie snapper.

The K50 and K50 Pro will again have a triple camera system at the rear. But the primary lens on the K50 Pro will be a 108MP shooter. It could be the Sony IMX766 sensor. We can also expect the Pro+ model to have the same primary sensor.

Hardware and Software

The Gaming Edition will be powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. The K50 Pro+ will have the Dimensity 9000 chipset, while the K50 Pro is expected to come powered by the Dimensity 8000 SoC. Lastly, the vanilla K50 will be powered by the Snapdragon 870 chipset.

As for the battery, the K50 Gaming will pack a 4,700mAh battery with 120W fast charging support. The battery capacities for the other k50 models are unknown but we do know the fast charging details.

Just like the Gaming edition, the K50 Pro+ will also have a 120W fast charging technology. On the other hand, the K50 and K50 Pro will support 67W fast charging Support.

This time around, the entire K50 lineup appears to have a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. The K50 Gaming Edition will get pop-up mechanical trigger buttons and JBL powered dual speakers. The series will run on Android 12 OS and have MIUI 13 on top of it.

Pricing, Color variants, and Availability

These are the rumored prices of the phones in the K50 series.

Redmi K50 Gaming Edition – CNY 3,499(~$553)

Redmi K50 Pro+ – CNY 3,299(~$512)

Redmi K50 Pro – CNY 2,699(~$426)

Redmi K50 – CNY 1,999(~$315)

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As for the colors, the Gaming Edition is expected to arrive in Cyan and Grey color options. The K50 Pro recently appeared in a case leak that showcased two solid colors of the case. We aren’t sure about the phone’s actual colors, as of yet.

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Vivo planning to release NEX branded flip/fold devices in the future, reveals trademark

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Feb 14, 2022

The Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo has been putting out innovative flagship tier devices in its NEX lineup, like the Vivo Nex 3 and the rumored NEX 5. However, it looks like the NEX lineup is about to take the innovation factor to the next level in the future based on recently revealed trademark filings.

Noted tipster Mukul Sharma Revealed on Twitter that Vivo has acquired multiple trademarks for their NEX lineup including — NEX Flex, NEX Flip, NEX Pocket, NEX Ultimate, NEX Ultra, NEX Max, and NEX Pro+.

vivo has big plans for its NEX lineup of smartphones.
Some of the names the brand has trademarked already:
NEX Flex
NEX Flip
NEX Pocket
NEX Ultimate
NEX Ultra
NEX Max
NEX Pro+#vivo #vivoNEX

— Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) February 14, 2022

Trademarks like the NEX Ultimate, NEX Ultra, NEX Max, and NEX Pro+ are likely secured to be offered as monikers for the higher their versions of the NEX smartphones, however, the most eye-catching trademarks in the list are the NEX Flip, the NEX Flex and the NEX Pocket.

The NEX Flex might be the name for the upcoming NEX Fold which is rumored to be in development and is said to debut later this year. While the NEX Flip and the NEX Pocket can be the name of a flip smartphone that the brand might be working on behind closed doors.

Back in July 2021, Vivo applied for some similar trademarks including the “NEX Fold”, “Nex Slide”, and “NEX Roll.” Combined with the latest listing, we are sure to see some crazy innovative designs from the Chinese manufacturer if they decide to release the corresponding smartphones in the current market. But for now, the most certain upcoming device in the NEX lineup appears to be the Vivo Nex 5.

Vivo NEX 5 specifications (rumored)

The Vivo NEX 5 is likely to feature a curved-edge Samsung E5 AMOLED LPTO 2.0 display that offers a Quad HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The smartphone is likely to come with an IP68 rated chassis.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset will be present under the hood of the NEX 5. The flagship phone may come with 8 GB / 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB / 512 GB of storage. The device may pack a 5,000mAh battery that supports 80W wired charging and 50W wireless charging.

The NEX 5 may feature a 32-megapixel Samsung GD2 front-facing camera. Its rear camera setup may include a 50-megapixel Samsung GN1 8-bit lens with f/1.3 aperture and OIS support, a 48-megapixel Sony IMX598 ultrawide lens with an f/2.0 aperture and OIS support, a 12-megapixel Sony IMX663 portrait lens with an f/2.93 aperture and OIS support, and an 8-megapixel OmniVision OVD8A10 telephoto lens with OIS support. The latter may offer 5x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom, and 60x digital zoom.

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Sony’s flagship SRS-RA5000 Bluetooth speaker looks like a 3-head shaver

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Feb 14, 2022

Sony has launched two new speakers in China including the flagship SRS-RA5000 high-resolution Bluetooth speaker which adopts a unique design. One unique thing about the Sony SRS-RA5000’s design is that it looks like a 3-blade electric shaver. The speaker is priced at 4499 yuan (~$707).

Sony describes the SRS-RA5000 to have gotten its design inspiration from the design of the home theater system in terms of the arrangement of the speakers. The wireless speaker crams a total of 7 speakers inside. Apart from having multiple speakers, the speakers are arranged in such a way as to provide a 6.1-channel surround sound effect.

Further, it is equipped with an advanced version of S-Master HX digital amplifier technology, which supports higher sampling rate music as well as a DSEE HX digital sound enhancement engine to boost non-Hi-Res sound source to a level close to Hi-Res.

In addition, the SRS-RA5000 also uses high-performance neodymium magnets and mica fiber diaphragm materials, resulting in lower sound distortion.

The speaker adopts a gold and black color mix and supports a 3.5mm wired connection, Bluetooth connection, and QPlay for music playback in Wi-Fi mode. At the same time, the SRS-RA5000 also supports NFC quick connection.

The company also unveiled the less powerful but equally high-quality SRS-RA3000 Bluetooth speaker that is expected to retail for 2,499 yuan (~$393).

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Blackview A95 smartphone is launching with early bird offers and discounts

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Daily Deals

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Feb 14, 2022

Blackview A95 the brand new A-series flagship smartphone from Blackview will officially debut on February 21, 2022. The smartphone comes with various discounts and early bird offers only on AliExpress. Under the various offers, you can get the smartphone for as low as $139.99. The deal starts on 21 February and ends on 23 February, PST.

WHERE TO BUY

Blackview A95 at $139.99 (after discount)@AliExpress

Blackview A95 comes with technological upgrades on design aesthetics, battery performance, low-light photography, and camera software algorithms thereby providing a whole new user experience. The smartphone features a 6.5inch display with 720*1600p resolution and a 20:9 aspect ratio. It runs on the MTK Helio P70 chipset and comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage.

Designed to strike the perfect weight-to-thickness balance, the smartphone is 8.55mm thin and weighs just 195g. Using the latest finishing processes and technologies like the ICM process, vacuum electroplated process, 8-layer vacuum nano-optical coating, and 3D laser technology, Blackview A95 comes with a glittering and translucent back panel and a flattened frame. And to accentuate the beauty of the back panel, Blackview is releasing A95 in three gorgeous colors viz: Summer Ocean Blue, Aurora Night Black, and Fantasy Galaxy Rainbow

Blackview A95 features a 20MP Sony® IMX376 sensor that gives you great shots even in low and dim lighting and thanks to its 4-in-1 pixel binning technology and re-mosaic algorithms, the images are super bright at night as well as ultra-clear by day. Combining the camera software algorithms, including the Super Night Mode 2.0, HDR 2.0, Portrait Mode, and PortraitColor Mode you get pro-level images and videos. For your selfies, you have an 8MP sensor in the front.

Blackview A95 runs on the Android 11 based Doke OS 2.1 and is fueled by a 4380mAh battery, that gives you up to 7 hours of HD movie streaming and 25 hours of music playback. The smartphone also supports 18W fast charging that can charge your phone from 0 to 60% in approximately 41 minutes.

Blackview A95 smartphone will be available with some early bird offers and discounts from February 21st to 23rd PT. Under the various offers, you can get the smartphone for as low as $139.99 with a $10 coupon. It also provides specific promo codes, and maybe people close the deal even lower than $139.99. For more information on the discount coupons and offers click here.

Please note that the above price is region-specific and the final price may vary according to your shipping region, warehouse, and regional taxes.

For more information on such exciting deals and offers check out our deals hub.

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Xiaomi Watch S1 listed on Amazon.de for €195 ahead of Europe launch

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Feb 14, 2022

During the Xiaomi 12 series launch in December last year, Xiaomi also unveiled the Watch S1, a smartwatch with a stylish design. The company may soon release the smartwatch for the global market as the watch has now been listed on Amazon Germany.

The smartwatch was initially listed for €195.08 but the price has been removed from the product page. However, we can guess that the watch will retail for under €200 in Europe. For reference, the watch carries a price tag of RMB 1,099 (~$173) in China.

The Xiaomi Watch S1 features an elegant and stylish design that still retains the minimalist design philosophy of the company. The watch has a 1.43-inch AMOLED touchscreen display with 326PPI surrounded by a refined stainless steel frame. The display is covered by a layer of sapphire glass. Users also get the option of choosing from a comfortable leather wristband and a fluorine rubber strap.

The AMOLED display provides a crystal-clear viewing of the screen even under sunlight. This will make it easy for users to check messages, incoming calls, notifications, calls, and use apps while on the go. The provides comprehensive health insights while supporting up to 117 fitness modes and 5ATM water resistance.

In terms of the features, the Watch S1 brings up to 117 sports modes, supports sleep tracking, heart rate, and blood oxygen monitoring. It also comes with NFC for contactless payment and supports Bluetooth calls, and dual-frequency GNSS positioning.

The timepiece crams a 470mAh battery with a battery life of up to 12 days on a single charge. The watch also offers up to 24 days of standby time. It uses magnetic charging.

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POCO M4 Pro 5G roundup: Specs, price, availability – what to expect

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