Huawei Himedia Smart Box C1, a TV Box the size of a watch launched in China

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Jan 25, 2022

Huawei has launched a new product in China and just like most of the brand’s offerings, it is a unique one. The product is the Himedia Smart Box C1, a smart TV Box that is the size of a watch. The product isn’t expensive as it carries a price tag of 399 yuan (~$63) and is presently on sale on Jingdong (JD.com).

In terms of core performance, the Himedia Smart Box C1 is equipped with a custom HiSilicon 64-bit 4K media chip that supports 4K ultra-high-definition playback and H.265 encoding.

The Android TV Box features a built-in Android 9.0 Pie operating system bringing onboard support for the installation of various applications such as Music app, games, video app, providing a variety of gameplay options. It also adopts a new UI which makes it easy to control.

It is worth mentioning that the Himedia Smart Box C1 has no startup advertisements, no screensaver advertisements, no system interface advertisements, and no system pop-up advertisements, so there is no need to worry about delays in operations as a result of in-app ads.

In addition, the Smart Box C1 features support for Bluetooth 4.2 and can be connected to various Bluetooth devices such as Bluetooth mouse, keyboard, gamepad, wireless earphones, and speaker, among others. It supports 2.4G/5G dual-band Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay/DLNA/Miracast, and other screencasting protocol.

At the same time, the Himedia Smart Box C1 has built-in Tencent Video massive copyright resources, covering all kinds of content, seamless connection of cinema movies, as well as children’s special area, NBA, “King of Glory” and other games.

(source)

TCL 20 Pro 5G and TCL 20B launched in Brazil for a higher price

By

Pranav Sawant

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Jan 25, 2022

Last year, TCL unveiled the TCL 20 Pro 5G in the US market offering mid-range specs. Now, the smartphone has arrived in Brazil alongside the budget-centric TCL 20B smartphone.

The TCL 20 Pro 5G is priced at R$ 3999(~US$728) for the sole 6GB RAM and 256GB storage option. On the other hand, the TCL 20B costs R$ 1799(~US$328) for the 4GB RAM and 512GB storage variant. This is way higher than the $500 price tag for which the 20 Pro sells in the US.

TCL 20 Pro 5G

The smartphone comes with a 6.67-inch curved AMOLED panel with a 60Hz refresh rate and a Full-HD+ resolution. It has a 32MP selfie snapper placed inside the top punch-hole. At the rear, the smartphone boasts a quad-camera system with a 48MP main lens, a 16MP ultra-wide lens, a 5MP macro sensor, and lastly a 2MP depth lens.

It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G SoC coupled with 6GB of RAM and 256GB internal storage. It also has a microSD card for additional storage. The device packs a 4,500mAh battery with 18W wired and 15W wireless fast charging support. The device has an in-display fingerprint scanner and boots on Android 11 out of the box. It has TCL UI on top of it.

TCL 20B

The device sports a 6.52-inch IPS LCD notch display with HD+ resolution. It has a standard 60Hz refresh rate and a 20:9 aspect ratio. It has a dual-camera system at the rear with a 50MP main lens and a 2MP depth sensor. Upfront, it has a 2MP selfie snapper.

Inside, it draws power from the MediaTek Helio A25 SoC paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Just like the 20 Pro 5G, this one too has a microSD card slot. It houses a 4,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. The smartphone has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and runs on TCL UI based on Android 11 OS.

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Xiaomi Mix 5 Pro concept renders surface along with key specs

By

Sudhanshu

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Jan 25, 2022

Ever since the Xiaomi 12 lineup launched in China, people have been speculating about the Ultra variant of the smartphone. Previous dummy and case leaks have revealed the existence of the alleged Xiaomi 12 Ultra, however, it appears that the smartphone will be released under the Xiaomi Mix 5 Pro moniker.

And now, graphic designer Parvez Khan, aka Technizo Concept, in collaboration with LetsGoDigital has created a series of product renders of the new flagship model.

Xiaomi Mix 5 Pro concept renders

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The concept renders are based on previous leaks of the smartphone including the case cover, dummy, and specification leaks.

The render reveals the device to come with a full screen rounded display with symmetrical edges which makes the device look aesthetically pleasing. The device is said to come with a 48MP under-display camera and therefore lacks any cutouts on the screen.

So far, the Xiaomi Mix 5 Pro is said to feature a 6.73-inch AMOLED display with a WQHD+ resolution and an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. It is said to have a 1500 nits peak brightness and will come with HDR10 and Dolby Vision support. It is also touted to come with an In-display fingerprint sensor.

The rear of the device is also intriguing as the camera module covers almost a third of the back panel. The Mix 5 Pro will utilize a round-shaped camera module with a wide rectangular protrusion at the base.

The circular module will house a Quad-camera setup comprising of a centrally placed, wide main sensor. There are rumors the Mix 5 Pro’s main camera will be a 50-megapixel Samsung ISOCell GN5 image sensor wide-angle camera.

The other cameras present to fill up the left and bottom cutout are said to be a 48MP ultra-wide camera and a 48MP periscopic telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. The camera placed at the top center remains unknown, but chances are that it could be a second zoom lens or a monochrome camera. The Mix 5 Pro has a triple LED flash and a dTOF laser autofocus system, however, the functionality of the top right square-shaped sensor is still unknown.

The rear panel also reveals the Leica branding at the top left corner, which indicates that the device will be the first Xiaomi smartphone alongside the Xiaomi Mix 5 to have Leica branded cameras.

For those unaware, Leica is a renowned German lens manufacturer that ended its collaboration with Huawei last year. The brand is rumored to have partnered up with Xiaomi to work on an upcoming flagship smartphone’s cameras.

Coming to its rumored specifications, the device is said to come equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 soc along with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. It is also said to feature the Surge C2 Image Signal Processor (ISP). The Xiaomi Mix 5 Pro is tipped to come with a 5000mAh battery and feature Xiaomi’s latest 200W HyperCharge fast-charging solution.

Although it is being reported that the Xiaomi Mix 5 Pro will come with a 50-megapixel Samsung ISOCell GN5 image sensor, previous leaks have shown that the MIX 5 Pro will have an OIS-ready 50-megapixel (8192 x 6144 pixels resolution) primary camera which is associated with Sony sensors such as IMX766 and IMX707.

Xiaomi is yet to say anything about the Xiaomi Mix 5 Pro, however, the device is expected to launch in March of 2022 along with the Xiaomi Mix 5.

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Deal: Get Amazfit Stratos Smartwatch for $74 (Retail Price $150)

By

Daily Deals

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Jan 25, 2022

Amazfit Stratos smartwatch which usually retails at around $150 is now available at a discounted price of $74 only at AliExpress.

WHERE TO BUY

Amazfit Stratos smartwatch at $74 @AliExpress

Amazfit Stratos Smartwatch embodies the perfect combination of design and technology. Its simple yet graceful design is reflected through the 1.34-inch reflective color display and delicate markers surrounded by a hand-polished ceramic bezel.

The smartwatch is 50m water-resistant. This means you can dive into a swimming pool or swim in the open seas without worrying about damaging the smartwatch. Moreover, the multiple sports mode function gives more than 16 different activity tracking options, making the watch suitable for almost everyone. Run, Walk, Swimming, Triathlon, Trail Run, Climb, Soccer, Tennis, etc are some of the modes available along with daily activity tracking.

However, the highlight of Amazfit Stratos is its VO2max Fitness Level Analysis. This premium function gives you important physiological information which is generally used by professional athletes. With this function, you can take your training to the next level and get professional and tailored guidance for your fitness and athletic goals.

The smartwatch comes with 5-day battery life on normal mode and a 35-hour battery life on a continuous sports mode. Additionally, the onboard music function lets you leave your phone behind as you can simply store your favorite music on the smartwatch and then enjoy it via Bluetooth headphones.

Amazfit Stratos Smartwatch is the winner of the RedDot Design Award 2018 and the Good Design Award 2018. Generally retailing for $150, you can now buy this smartwatch for $74 only at AliExpress.

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.

* Please Note: When you buy something using the links in our articles, we may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

Deal: Get Soundcore by Anker Life P2 Mini Earbuds for $33.92 (Retail Price $50)

By

Daily Deals

-

Jan 25, 2022

Soundcore By Anker Life P2 Mini True Wireless Earbuds which generally retails for $50 is now available at a discounted price of $33.92 only at AliExpress. This power-packed budget earbud comes with powerful bass and AI-enhanced calls that give you value for money.

WHERE TO BUY

Soundcore By Anker Life P2 Mini Earbuds at $33.92 @AliExpress

Soundcore By Anker Life P2 Mini Earbuds

Key Features:

10mm drivers: Boosted bass
3 EQ modes: Soundcore signature, Bass booster, Podcast
Compact and lightweight
AI-enhanced calls
8 hours playtime: 32 hours with the case
IPX5 water-resistant
One-step pairing
Single earbud mode
10 minutes fast charging – 1-hour playtime
Color: Black

Generally retailing for $50, you can now buy Soundcore By Anker Life P2 Mini Earbuds for a discounted price of $33.92 only at AliExpress.

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.

* Please Note: When you buy something using the links in our articles, we may earn a small commission at no cost to you.

JioPhone 5G full specs sheet and launch timeline revealed

By

Pranav Sawant

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Jan 25, 2022

Indian telecom giant Jio launched the JioPhone Next back in October 2021. Since then, we haven’t heard any major things from the brand apart from its rumored 5G phone. Now, AndroidCentral has revealed that this rumored JioPhone 5G could be coming this year and also cites its key specifications.

Jio is yet to bring the 5G network into the Indian market. The company has recently finished the 5G coverage plans for the top-tier cities in the country. These 5G services are expected to be introduced at the annual shareholder meeting in June. At the same time, the JioPhone 5G could debut, as per the publication.

Reportedly, the JioPhone 5G will come with a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display with an HD+(1600 x 720 pixels) resolution. The smartphone will feature a dual-camera system at the rear. It will comprise a 13MP primary lens which will be capable of shooting 1080p videos at 60fps and 720p slow-mo videos at 120fps. The secondary lens will be a 2MP macro sensor. Upfront, it will have an 8MP selfie camera.

Under the hood, the JioPhone 5G will be powered by the 8nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G chipset paired with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. The device will pack a 5,000mAh non-removable battery and will support 18W fast charging support. As for security, the device will have a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.

JioPhone 5G Specifications

6.5-inch IPS LCD display
HD+(1600 x 720 pixels) resolution
13MP + 2MP dual cameras, 8MP selfie camera
Snapdragon 480 SoC
5,000mAh battery, 18W FC
side-facing fingerprint scanner

In terms of 5G connectivity, the phone will have five 5G bands – N3, N5, N28, N40, and N78. It will have a triple slot having for keeping two SIMs and a microSD.

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Realme 9 Pro+ with Dimensity 920, 8GB RAM appears on Geekbench

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Jan 25, 2022

Realme is gearing up to launch new models under the Realme 9 series in India. The upcoming models include the Realme 9 Pro and Pro+ variants. The Realme 9 Pro+ has now been spotted on the GeekBench database.

The GeekBench listing shows the Realme 9 Pro+ will be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 920 chipset which will bring about 5G connectivity. The device has the model number RMX3393 and is paired with 8GB RAM which is likely one of the models. The device will also come with Android 12 OS out of the box. The device manages a single-core score of 818 points and a multi-core score of 2324 points.

Earlier rumors tip the Realme 9 Pro+ to come with a 6.43-inch AMOLED screen. The phone will get its juice from a 4,500mAh battery with the device also supporting 65W fast charging. The 9 Pro+ is also expected to come with a triple camera setup of which the main sensor is a 50-megapixel one from Sony. The device is expected to have an 8-megapixel ultrawide and 2-megapixel secondary sensors at the rear while selfies will be taken care of by a 16-megapixel camera.

The renders of the Realme 9 Pro and 9 Pro+ appeared online recently giving us a glimpse of what the models will look like.

Realme recently launched the Realme 9i in India while the vanilla Realme 9 is expected sometime in March 2022. The device recently appeared on FCC’s website revealing a design similar to the Realme 8.

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(source)

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro gets a new update after a year, but still no MIUI 12.5 in sight

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jan 25, 2022

The Mi 8 Pro was Xiaomi’s flagship smartphone of 2018. The device has now started receiving a system update in global markets. The latest software build for the handset arrives after a year from the last update, which was released at the end of 2020. But still, it does not bring MIUI 12.5.

Xiaomi has begun to roll out a new system update for Mi 8 Pro in international markets. The latest update is currently live for two regional variants, namely Global and Russia. It is being pushed with the following build numbers.

Global – V12.0.2.0.QECMIXM
Russia – V12.0.2.0.QECRUXM

Unfortunately, the changelog for the update does not mention anything interesting. It merely says that the new software build optimizes system performance and improves system security as well as stability.

In China, the phone has already bagged MIUI 12.5 update in late November. But for some reason, Xiaomi is delaying the same update for international markets.

At present, we are not sure if the Mi 8 Pro will get access to MIUI 12.5 Enhanced Edition. But we can say for sure is that the handset is not eligible for MIUI 13.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro launched with MIUI 9 based on Android 8.1 Oreo. Throughout its lifetime, it has received two Android updates (Android 9.0, 10) and three MIUI updates (MIUI 10, 11, 12).

Meizu M2111 spotted on TENAA with iPhone 13-like Camera island

By

Pranav Sawant

-

Jan 25, 2022

This month, Meizu launched its mBlu 10 budget smartphone in China with specs like a large LCD display, triple cameras, and a 5,000mAh battery. Now, the company seems to be prepping for another budget phone as a device with model number M2111 has just appeared on TENAA authority.

The Meizu M2111 has passed the TENAA authority and it reveals the phone’s design and specifications. It seems to be a budget-centric device under the mBlue branding. As per its images, the smartphone has a basic design, but the rear camera island looks similar to the iPhone 13’s camera module.

Coming to the specs, the Meizu M2111 has a 6.51-inch TFT display with 710 x 1600 pixels resolution. The smartphone seems to have a dual-camera system at the rear featuring a 48MP primary lens. As said above, it has an iPhone 13-like camera island where the lens placement is exactly the same as the iPhone 13. At the front, the phone has an 8MP selfie snapper.

It is powered by an unnamed quad-core chipset clocked at 2.0GHz. It houses a 5,000mAh battery. The phone will arrive in multiple variants having 4GB, 6GB of RAM 64GB, 128GB, 256GB of onboard storage. There will also be a storage expandability option via the microSD card slot.

Lastly, the listing reveals the phone’s colors and measurements. The Meizu M2111 has Black, White, Blue, and Gold colors. It has the following measurements – 164.5 x 76.5 x 9.33mm. The phone weighs 201 grams.

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(source, via – 1, 2)

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 design form all angles revealed

By

Sudhanshu

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Jan 25, 2022

Earlier this month, News broke that Samsung will unveil the Galaxy Tab S8 lineup along with its flagship Galaxy S22 smartphone lineup at the Galaxy Unpacked event of February 9th. Soon after, an Amazon leak revealed the entire spec sheet and design of the upcoming Samsung tablets.

Now, popular tipster Evan Blass (via SamMobile) has provided new renders that showcase the design of the upcoming Tab S8 from all angles.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8

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The renders reveal a slim design with uniform bezzles on all sides of the device making it aesthetically pleasing. Two speaker grills can be observed on both sides of the device along with an S Pen slot at the back which merges with the rear camera setup of the device. The tipster has revealed the renders in two color variants namely black and white.

From earlier leaks, we already know that the Tab S8 has an 11-inch display that offers 2800 x 1752 pixels and an 8,000mAh battery, whereas the Tab S8+ has a 12.4-inch screen that offers 2560 x 1600 pixels and a 10,090mAh battery. Both models will come in Silver, Rose Gold, and Gray colors.

The Tab S8 Ultra’s display has a notch, which houses a pair of front cameras. The screen supports a resolution of 2960 x 1848 pixels. The device is backed by an 11,200mAh battery. The Ultra model will only come in Gray. All three models are expected to come in Wi-Fi and 5G variants.

All three variants of the Galaxy Tab S8 lineup will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC and will run Android 12 out of the box. The Galaxy Tab S8, S8+, and S8 Ultra will come equipped with a dual-camera setup on the rear consisting of a 13MP primary and 5MP secondary lens. The Tab S8 and S8+ will have a 12-megapixel front camera, while the Ultra variant will have a pair of 12-megapixel front-facing cameras.

The devices will be launched on February 9, 2022, at the Galaxy Unpacked event and the Galaxy Tab S8 vanilla model is expected to be priced around the $850 mark.

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Vivo NEX 5 display and battery specs revealed

By

Pranav Sawant

-

Jan 25, 2022

Vivo’s upcoming NEX 5 is one of the much-awaited phones from the brand. The phone’s leaks are slowly surfacing on the internet and it isn’t too long until we see the phone in the market. Earlier, the smartphone’s rear design was surfaced, now, we get to learn some key specs of the phone.

According to the tipster Bald Panda, the upcoming Vivo NEX 5 will feature a mammoth 7-inch display. It will be a punch-hole panel with curved sides. The screen will sport a 2k resolution. This is in line with the previous rumors of having a large 7-inch panel.

Furthermore, the smartphone will pack a 5,000mAh battery and support 80W fast charging support. The tipster also shared the measurements of the phone – 168.5 x 76.5 x 9.3mm. It seems that the device will be thick in comparison to many of the other gaming phones. It weighs 221 grams.

Apart from this, the Vivo NEX 5 will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC and is expected to have up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. A tipster had previously revealed that the phone will come with a 5x telephoto lens.

Vivo NEX 5 Specifications

7-inch 2K OLED display
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
5x telephoto camera
5000mAh Battery
80W fast charging support
12GB RAM + 512GB storage

Previously, the rumors riffed that the phone may come in multiple color options and Earth Gray and Night Black will be two of those colors.

Vivo is yet to break its silence for the upcoming NEX 5, but given that the phone’s leaks have started taking a good pace, we can expect a launch in the coming months.

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Google Chromecast with Google TV to get a 1080p model: Report

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jan 25, 2022

Google launched the Chromecast with Google TV in late 2020. It is the company’s first streaming device with an operating system. It ships with Android TV with Google TV interface, hence the name. Over a year later, a report now says that the search giant is working on a lower variant of this product.

Google Chromecast with Google TV Featured — Google Chromecast with Google TV

According to Protocol, Google’s upcoming streaming device will be officially called Chromecast HD with Google TV. As the name suggests, it will be limited to 1080p output instead of 4K. The product is said to be codenamed Boreal.

Talking about specifications, the TV accessory will be powered by an Amlogic S805X2 SoC consisting of an ARM Mali-G31 GPU. Unlike the current model, the forthcoming one will have support for AV1 video decoding.

Further, the device will arrive with 2GB RAM. As mentioned earlier, users will be only able to stream in Full HD (FHD) quality at 60FPS.

As far as price is concerned, the yet-to-release Google Chromecast HD with Google TV is said to cost lower than the Google Chromecast with Google TV, which retails at $50. To differentiate between the two, the search giant has already started selling the current model with a 4K sticker (via 9To5Google) on its retail box.

What are your thoughts on the upcoming streaming device from Google? Do let us know in the comment section below.

RedMagic 7 will come with four firsts that you haven’t seen in any gaming phone yet

By

Pranav Sawant

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Jan 25, 2022

Nubia’s Red Magic is all set to launch its next gaming smartphone dubbed RedMagic 7. Now, ahead of its launch, the company has teased four figures in which the upcoming RedMagic 7 excels as compared to the competition. Additionally, DigitalChatStation has also shared the image of its rumored 165W fast charging adapter.

RegMagic took it to Weibo and teased the RedMagic 7’s four firsts which will set standards in the smartphone market. Notably, the smartphone has the highest figures in four different departments. Firstly, the company shows the “41279” score of the phone, which apparently represents the cooling system’s performance.

Furthermore, the phone has 165W fast charging support, which will again be the fastest charging support for any commercial phone to date. RedMagic also teased the “1101769” figure which is nothing but the AnTuTu benchmark score of the device. This score is again quite impressive when compared to the 1061361 score of the recently launched Moto Edge X30 that powers the same SoC as the RedMagic 7.

Lastly, the company also showcased the “100%” figure which could represent the 100% P3 color gamut on the phone. In addition to this, the popular tipster DigitalChatStation has shared the image of the phone’s rumored 165W fast charging adapter.

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The fast charging adapter looks chunky and has the “165W” written on it. As per previous certifications, the smartphone will pack a 4,500mAh battery. This 165W fast charger is touted to charge the device to 50% in just 5 minutes.

Other specs of the phone include the presence of Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC and 18GB of RAM. The smartphone will feature a 6.8-inch FHD+ OLED display and have a 64MP main camera at the rear. The device was spotted running on Android 12 on its Geekbench test.

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Samsung faces another lawsuit from a European Patent Troll

By

Sean

-

Jan 25, 2022

Samsung Electronics has just been hit with a new lawsuit. The legal dispute is allegedly over a patent infringement in the US. This lawsuit was filed by a European patent troll.

According to a BusinessKorea report, the lawsuit was filed by the Dublin based Scramoge Technology, which is a non practicing entity (NPE). The firm filed a patent infringement against the South Korean tech giant with the US District Court in Texas earlier this month. Scramoge Technology alleged that the brand has launched new products using its wireless charging technology without permission. This news arrives after the NPE purchased 123 patents related to wireless charging from LG Innotek back in 2021.

For those unaware, a patent troll is a derogatory term used to describe a business that utilize patents and the court system to earn money. In other words, the company is using the patents it acquired from LG Innotek to sue Samsung. It had previously filed a similar lawsuit against the South Korean brand back in April 2021, and another one back August 2021. Those legal disputes were over the alleged infringement of the company’s newly launched Galaxy Z Flip3 and Galaxy Z Fold3 foldable phones.

Now, Scramoge Technology is stating that Samsung infringed on seven of its wireless charging patents, which included short range communication antenna solutions as well. Furthermore, the NPE has also filed for damages as it claims that the known consumer electronics maker caused damages to its business by selling its patented products in the US. As of right now, industry insiders believe that Samsung might face a difficult legal battle considering Scramoge Technology’s parent company is Atlantic IP Services, which is apparently known for being an infamous patent troll group.

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Motorola Frontier concept render, key specs revealed

By

Sudhanshu

-

Jan 25, 2022

A couple of weeks ago, news broke of Motorola is working on a new flagship device codenamed “Frontier”. This device is said to feature the next-generation Snapdragon chip and a 200-megapixel camera.

And now, another German publication has corroborated the story and even provided early renders showcasing what the phone might look like.

According to a report by WinFuture, the mysterious flagship phone has the codename “Frontier 22”. The early renders have revealed that the device will feature a curved screen design with narrow bezzles at the top and bottom and a center punch-hole camera. On the rear panel, it will feature a rectangular camera island for its triple camera+LED flash setup. Do keep in mind that these are early renders of the device concept and the design might change in the future, so we advise you to take it with a pinch of salt.

Coming to the leaked specifications, the device will offer a curved 6.7-inch POLED display with FHD+ resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ support. The camera setup on the Frontier 22 will feature a 200-megapixel primary snapper which is said to be the Samsung S5KHP1 image sensor. Additionally, the device will offer a 50-megapixel Samsung SKJN1SQ03 ultrawide lens and a 12-megapixel Sony IMX663 telephoto camera. For selfies, the device is said to feature the same 60MP sensor found in the Moto Edge X30 devices.

The device is said to house an enhanced version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC which will be launching with the codename SM8475 and could be the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 “Plus” variant. The device will offer up to 12GB of RAM (LPDDR5) and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. it will run Android 12 out of the box and will come with a 4500 mAh battery with 125 watts fast charging support. The device might also offer 50W wireless charging support.

Other features include Wi-Fi 6E, USB-C, Bluetooth 5.2, dual SIM support, and a fingerprint scanner under or inside the display. At present, there is no word on the launch date and final marketing name of the Motorola Frontier 22.

RELATED:

Apple faces over $5 million in weekly fines over Dutch dating app dispute

By

Sean

-

Jan 25, 2022

Apple is facing a sizeable fine from the Dutch competition regulator, the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM). The company is being hit with 5 million Euros fine (roughly 5.6 million US Dollars).

According to the ACM (Via TheVerge), the Cupertino based giant is facing the fine for failing to allow dating app developers to use third party payments methods. It further added that the iPhone maker will continue to face additional 5 million Euros fine every week if they do not comply with the order, which was first issued back on 24th of December 2021. While the fine of more than 5 million US Dollars is a large amount, it likely won’t impact the multi trillion dollar company.

However, failing to meet the new standards might have Apple face stricter actions. On the other hand, the move from the ACM would also encourage similar agencies from different nations to also take such actions against the brand. An example of this is South Korea, which has already mandated third party payment systems being allowed on applications on the company’s App Store.

Apple had initially announced that it will be making changes ahead of its 15th January 2022 deadline, in accordance to ACM’s order. However, it has yet to roll out support for the third party payment providers in the Dutch App Store. ACM stated that “Apple has failed to adjust its conditions, as a result of which dating-app providers are still unable to use other payment systems.”

RELATED:

Android 12 available for Realme X50 Pro via Realme UI 3.0 Early Access

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

-

Jan 25, 2022

Last week, Relame kickstarted Realme UI 3.0 Early Access program for Realme 8. The very same initiative is now live for the premium Realme X50 Pro 5G as well. Let’s check out how to enroll to try out the latest version of the company’s mobile operating system.

For the uninitiated, Realme UI 3.0 Early Access initiative allows select users to taste Android 12 before the software is made available for everyone. The brand has been running this program for multiple devices. One of them has also received the stable release.

Now, following the schedule, the company has started recruiting users for Realme X50 Pro. According to the official announcement post on Realme Community, applicants should be on firmware version RMX2076PUNV1B_11.C.23.

In order to registers, users need to go to Settings > Software Update > Gear Icon > Trial Version > Apply Now and submit details to finish the quiz. Candidates who get selected will receive the Android 12-based Realme UI 3.0 beta build via OTA. Whereas, others can try their luck in the next batch of recruitment.

The Realme X50 Pro 5G debuted with Realme UI based on Android 10. It was updated to Android 11-based Realme UI 2.0 at the end of 2020. Realme UI 3.0 (Android 12) will be its last major software update as the brand only promises up to two Android updates.

Meta builds new AI supercomputer, claims it will be world’s fastest by 2022 end

By

Sean

-

Jan 25, 2022

Meta has just revealed that it has built a new “AI supercomputer.” The latest innovation from the company is a high speed computer that is designed to train machine learning systems.

The American tech giant claims that its AI Research SuperCluster (or RSC) is already one of the fastest machines of its kind. However, the company believes that it will even grow to become the world’s fastest by the year of this year. In a statement, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, said that “Meta has developed what we believe is the world’s fastest AI supercomputer. We’re calling it RSC for AI Research SuperCluster and it’ll be complete later this year.”

Notably, the news showcases the focus of AI research from tech firms like Meta. Similarly, Microsoft and Nvidia have announced their own “AI supercomputers,” which differ from regular supercomputers. The newly revealed RSC will also be used to train a range of systems across Meta’s businesses. This includes functions like content moderation algorithms used to detect hate speech on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram and would even include augmented reality features for the brand’s future AR based products.

Meta engineers Kevin Lee and Shubho Sengupta further added in a blog post that “RSC will help Meta’s AI researchers build new and better AI models that can learn from trillions of examples; work across hundreds of different languages; seamlessly analyze text, images, and video together; develop new augmented reality tools; and much more.”

RELATED:

OPPO Reno7 for India is actually Reno7 SE from China: Retailer

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Jan 25, 2022

OPPO will be launching the OPPO Reno7 series in India on February 4. The smartphones are expected to be accompanied by OPPO Watch Free. Since these devices are already official in China, we know almost everything about them. However, there’s one thing you should know.

OPPO Reno7 SE 5G Featured A — OPPO Reno7 SE

PassionateGeekz says that the OPPO Reno7 for India is a rebranded OPPO Reno7 SE from China, quoting an undisclosed retailer as a source. The publication also adds that the handset will retail at ₹31,490 for the single 8GB + 128GB memory configuration.

At the same time, the official website of OPPO India has a promotional page for the upcoming OPPO Reno7 series. Interestingly, on this webpage, there’s not a single picture of the vanilla OPPO Reno7 (via MySmartPrice).

Instead, there are multiple images of OPPO Reno7 Pro and a sole image of OPPO Reno7 SE. All of these indeed suggest that the OPPO Reno7 coming to India is different from the one sold in China.

Anyway, the company hasn’t confirmed this and we don’t think it will ever do. It’s a known fact as brands don’t talk about rebranding publicly and there’s no need for it too.

Having said that, it will be interesting to see which device will now arrive as OPPO Reno7 SE in India as it is also being tipped to launch in the country.

Samsung’s new security chip adds a fingerprint scanner to payment cards

By

Zohaib Ahmed

-

Jan 25, 2022

Samsung Electronics today unveiled a new fingerprint security IC (integrated circuit) for payment cards. The S3B512C is the industry’s first all-in-one security chip solution that reads biometric information through a fingerprint sensor, stores and authenticates encrypted data with a tamper-proof SE, and analyzes data with a Secure Processor.

The bundling up of three separate functions into a single chip will help card manufacturers reduce the number of chips required and optimize card design processes for biometric payment cards.

Cards with the new chip will allow faster and safer payments as it will do away with the need to enter a PIN on a keypad. Chances of fraudulent transactions made with stolen cards will also be significantly reduced.

Encrypted fingerprint data is stored in a SE certified for EMVCo and Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level 6+ (CC EAL 6+). A proprietary fingerprint identification algorithm works together with the Secure Processor to safely and accurately verify the user’s identity. There’s also an anti-spoofing technology put in place that prevents unauthorized users from bypassing the security system through means like artificial fingerprints.

“S3B512C combines a fingerprint sensor, Secure Element (SE), and Secure Processor, adding an extra layer of authentication and security in payment cards,” said Kenny Han, Vice President of System LSI Marketing at Samsung Electronics. “The S3B512C is primarily designed for payment cards but can also be used in cards that require highly secured authentications such as student or employee identification, membership or building access.”

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