Xiaomi to launch an 8GB+256GB version of the Mi Pad 5 Pro Wi-Fi & a new keyboard tomorrow

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Dec 27, 2021

Xiaomi will hold a launch event tomorrow (December 28) where the company is expected to officially unveil the Xiaomi 12 series flagship smartphones alongside the MIUI 13. The Chinese tech giant is also expected to announce a new Mi Watch S1, and the Mi True Wireless Earbuds 3. A new teaser poster has now been released showing the company will also unveil a new memory variant for the Mi Pad 5 Pro alongside a new color option for the keyboard-style double-sided protective case.

The new variant of the Mi Pad 5 Pro is categorically revealed to come with 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. The Mi Pad 5 Pro was launched alongside the Mi Pad 5 in August this year after a 3-year wait. The Mi Pad 5 Pro came in a 5G and 4G variant with the 5G variant getting an 8GB RAM and 256GB storage option. Whereas the Wi-Fi version was only available in 6GB RAM and 128GB/256GB variants respectively.

The upcoming variant that will be launched tomorrow will see the Wi-Fi version getting an 8GB RAM and 256GB storage option. In addition, the company is also expected to introduce a new colour variant for the Mi Pad 5 protective case which also doubles as a keyboard.

As a reminder, the Mi Pad 5 series features an 11-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 2560X1600 pixels, a high refresh rate of 120Hz, a PPI of up to 275, and a contrast ratio of 1500:1. The Pro is powered by a Snapdragon 870 processor and crams an 8,600mAh battery under the hood with support for 67W ultra-fast wired charging.

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OPPO Find N Unboxing & First Impression: The Next Normal?

By

Sudhanshu

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Dec 27, 2021

After the mid-December launch of the OPPO Find N, we covered it briefly as we experienced the device for the first time at the OPPO INNO Day 2021 event. Now, the Gizmochina team has finally managed to get our hands on one of these devices. So without further delay, this is our unboxing and hands-on experience with the Find N.

The OPPO Find N comes in a premium all-black packaging box with a matte finish. The box opens on hinges, lifting and presenting to you the Find N foldable smartphone in all its glory. In the compartment below the phone are the neatly packed 33W fast charger, a USB-C cable, and a couple of user manuals.

After unboxing this foldable phone, the first thing that entices you is its big inner display and the incredibly invisible crease in the middle. When powered on, the 7.1-inch 1080P 120Hz AMOLED display makes the crease so hard to notice that it looks more like a tablet than a foldable smartphone.

OPPO has not held back in the build quality department, evident from the all-metal body of the Find N and the delicate camera module design, which makes the camera bump less noticeable. The front screen of the device is a 1080p 60Hz display with its small form factor making it very convenient for one-handed operation. However, it is advisable to open the phone with both hands as the task is quite a challenge with just one hand.

For people concerned about the phone’s thickness while folded, single-handed use feels easy and natural without the bulkiness of the device getting in the way. While on the topic of thickness, the device does not bring any additional battery capacity for the bulk. The hinge, however, makes the device fold perfectly without leaving any gap in between the screens.

Coming to one of its most notable aspects, the phone features a split-screen mode which can be easily activated with a slide-down gesture along the crease of the screen. The feature divides the screen into two parts, which can be operated independently. Additionally, the screens can be adjusted in size, making for a great productivity feature.

OPPO Find N aspect ratio

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The one downside of the Find N we encountered was while consuming media. As modern videos are usually in a 16:9 aspect ratio, the videos on the OPPO Find N more often than not feel the same size as on a normal big-screen smartphone. However, the phone offers an unparallel watching experience while watching a 4:3 aspect ratio video like old movies or cartoon shows like Tom and Jerry.

Our first few hours of experience with the OPPO Find N have felt the most pleasant and practical for foldable smartphones. But how well will the device fare as a daily driver? Stay tuned for our full review to get the answer to this question.

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New Year Deal: BMAX i10 PLUS Tablet is available for $109 (Coupon) : Retail Price $199

By

Daily Deals

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Dec 27, 2021

This holiday season, BMAX is giving an awesome deal on BMAX i10 Plus. The tablet which generally retails for $199 is now available at a sale price of $119.99 only. Moreover, you get an additional discount of $10 by using the coupon code: WDBMAX10. So the final discounted price for BMAX i10 Plus comes down to $109.99 only at AliExpress. This deal starts on 27 December and ends on 30 December at 23:59:59 PST.

WHERE TO BUY

BMAX i10 Plus at $109.99 (after discount)@AliExpress

BMAX i10 Plus features a 10.1” IPS FHD display with 1920 X 1200p resolution and a 2.5D arc edge screen with narrow bezels. Weighing just 535g this lightweight and ultrathin tablet comes with an aluminum alloy body encased in a beautiful metal casing

Powered by UNISOC T618 64-bit octa-core processor, the tablet comes with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage which can be further expanded with a MicroSD card. It runs on a newly designed UI based on the Android 10 OS, which intelligently learns and optimizes your daily applications, loading behavior, startup speed, and switch speed. Thus it gives you one of the best user interface experiences in its segment.

Fueled with a massive 6000mAh battery, the tablet gives you up to 6 hours of video playback on a single charge. BMAX i10 Plus comes with a 5MP rear camera and 2MP front camera that helps you to easily capture images and videos and make high-quality video calls. Moreover, with dual speakers and 3D surround sound, you get top-quality sound effects and crystal clear calls on this tablet.

Featuring four satellite navigations viz: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and Beidou, the tablet helps you to easily access global locations and reach your destination quickly and accurately. Other interesting features include wireless screen projection, Facial recognition, Magic Sound system, etc.

BMAX i10 Plus

KEY FEATURES:

10.1” IPS FHD display
2.5D Arc Edge screen with aluminum metal body
4GB RAM + 64GB ROM (expandable)
Camera: Rear – 5MP | Front – 2MP (autofocus)
Navigation system: GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, A-GPS assisted positioning
UNISOC TIGER T618 64-bit octa-core processor (2*A75 2.0GHz + 6*A55 2.0GHz)
Over 210000 Scores on AnTuTu BenchMark
ARM Mali-G52 3EE GPU, Dual-core
Android 10, UI design (Gesture Navigation, Dark/Reading/Eye-Protection Mode)
Multiple network standards, Dual SIM and Dual Stand by
Connectivity: 2.4GHz/5GHz Dual-Band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0
AI Speed up Smart experience
Face Recognition
Wireless Screen Projection
Magic Sound System

Generally retailing for $199, you can now buy BMAX i10 Plus at a heavily discounted price of $109.99 only at AliExpress. Please note that the coupon code is applicable only on the first 50 orders. So place your order before the deal expires.

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.

DIZO Watch R & DIZO Buds Z Pro with ANC will be unveiled in India on January 5

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 27, 2021

Smartwatch and accessories manufacturer DIZO has announced January 5, 2022, as the date for the India launch of its latest next-gen smartwatch – the DIZO Watch R, and the DIZO Buds Z Pro with active noise cancellation. The prices of these new products are yet to be released by DIZO but they will be available via Flipkart from January 5 – barring any last-minute changes.

The DIZO Watch R has a 1.3-inch AMOLED display with 500 nits brightness, a 2.5D curved glass screen, and a metal frame. The Watch R has a 9.9mm body which is as slim as it can get. Indeed, DIZO is touting the Watch R as the thinnest smartwatch having the biggest AMOLED screen in the segment. More than 150 watch faces are available for the DIZO Watch R.

Blood oxygen and heart rate monitoring are available 24 hours, and there are more than 100 sports modes for a variety of fitness regimens. The Watch R also comes with music and camera controls, a 5ATM waterproof body, and up to 12 days of activity on a single charge.

The DIZO Buds Z Pro is a pair of TWS earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC). The Buds Z Pro reflects a natural light design, features 10mm, dynamic drivers, with Bass Boost+ and super-low latency. The DIZO Buds Z Pro earbuds are compatible with the realme Link companion app, and the earbuds offer up to 25 hours of playback on a full charge.

It is unclear whether the pricing details of the DIZO Watch R and Buds Z Pro will be released before or during their unveiling on January 5th. We’ll keep tabs on the two products for any further developments.

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Noise ColorFit Ultra 2 with blood oxygen monitoring, AMOLED screen launched for Rs. 4,499 ($60)

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Dec 27, 2021

Noise is adding to its smart wearable lineup in India with the launch of the Noise ColorFit Ultra 2. The ColorFit Ultra 2 is the successor to the ColorFit Ultra which is just a few months old. The new smartwatch has a 1.78-inch AMOLED display, offers blood oxygen monitoring via its SpO2 sensor, and has over 100 customizable watch faces which are also cloud-based.

The ColorFit Ultra 2 also has more than 60 sports modes, 24-hour heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and up to 7 days of use on a single charge. The 180mAh battery of the ColorFit Ultra 2 can last up to 20 days on standby. The ColorFit Ultra 2 comes in a square dial and has IP68 water and dust resistance. The smartwatch supports Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity for Android 7/ iOS 10 devices and older. The affordable ColorFit Ultra 2 also offers a step tracker, activity history, caller information, as well as several other call functionalities and notification features.

The Noise ColorFit Ultra 2 is now available via Amazon India at an introductory price of Rs. 4,499 ($60). It will be available in four color variants namely Olive green, Jet black, Silver grey, and Navy gold. The decent price offer and impressive features of the ColorFit Ultra 2 could combine to attract the quantum of attention needed to continue to push Noise up a few notches in the smart wearables market in India.

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New Year Deal: Get Anker Life P2 Mini Earbuds for $29.87 (Retail Price $50)

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Daily Deals

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Dec 27, 2021

Soundcore By Anker Life P2 Mini Earbuds which generally retails for $50 is now available at a heavily discounted price of $29.87 only at AliExpress. This is one of the lowest prices offered on this product. This deal ends on 30 December at 11:59 PM PT.

WHERE TO BUY

Soundcore By Anker Life P2 Mini Earbuds at $29.87 @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 $29.87 only at AliExpress. This super deal ends in 3 days. So place your order asap.

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.

Huawei JLN-AL00 is an upcoming 4G phone with HarmonyOS

By

Pranav Sawant

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Dec 27, 2021

Huawei appears to be working on a new 4G smartphone for next year since a device with the model number JLN-AL00 just gained permission from China’s telecommunication authority. The device was certified on December 24th and it reveals one of its key features.

Thanks to the certification, the Huawei JLN-AL00 is now confirmed to have 4G connectivity. Interestingly, the device was listed running on HarmonyOS out of the box. It seems that the company is working on a budget smartphone for the Chinese market.

The specifications of the phone are yet to know but as this is its first certification, we expect the handset to appear more frequently on the Internet.

Huawei P50 Pocket Specifications

In related news, Huawei recently launched a Galaxy Z Flip 3 competitor dubbed Huawei P50 Pocket. The P50 Pocket is a foldable flip phone sporting a 6.9-inch OLED display with an 1188 x 2790 pixels resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The screen has a 300Hz of touch sampling rate, 442 PPI pixel density, and P3 color gamut. It also has a 1.04-inch cover screen with a 340 x 340 pixels resolution.

As for the cameras, the Huawei P50 Pocket has a triple system at the rear. It has a 40MP main lens, a 13MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 32MP ultra-wide sensor. Upfront, it boasts a 10.7MP selfie sensor with an aperture of f/2.2.

At the helm, the device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 octa-core SoC. Although it has the flagship SoC, it still has 4G connectivity. It is paired with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of onboard storage.

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The Red Velvet OPPO Reno7 New Year Edition is up for pre-order

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 27, 2021

On Christmas Eve, OPPO announced a new version of the newly launched OPPO Reno7 in China. This variant of the smartphone is called OPPO Reno7 New Year Edition. As the name suggests, it is themed after the Chinese New Year, which falls on February 1, 2022. This handset is now up for pre-order.

The OPPO Reno7 New Year Edition sports an exclusive paint job. It comes in an eye-catching Red Velvet hue with a matte finish.

As the upcoming Chinese New Year is the ‘Year of the Tiger’, there’s also a tiger’s head embossed near the OPPO branding at the bottom right side of the phone’s rear panel.

Apart from the aforementioned differences, the OPPO Reno7 New Year Edition is the same as the regular OPPO Reno7 inside out. In fact, it also costs the same. But customers who pre-order the device before the sale kickstarts on December 30 will get a ¥50 discount.

The product arrives in the following memory configurations.

8GB + 128GB – ¥2,699
8GB + 256GB – ¥2,999
12GB + 256GB – ¥3,299

OPPO Reno 7 New Year Edition Red Velvet B

OPPO Reno 7 New Year Edition Red Velvet C

OPPO Reno 7 New Year Edition Red Velvet D

OPPO Reno 7 New Year Edition Red Velvet E

As far as specs are concerned, the Red Velvet OPPO Reno7 New Year Edition features a 6.43-inch 90Hz FHD+ AMOLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G chipset, 64MP (wide) + 8MP (ultra-wide) + 2MP (macro) triple rear camera setup, 32MP selfie camera, 4,500mAh battery with support for 60W fast charging, ColorOS 12 based on Android 11, 7.64mm thickness, and 185g weight.

Oppo Enco Air2 to launch in India by early February 2022

By

Pranav Sawant

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Dec 27, 2021

Oppo seems to be working on a new pair of TWS earbuds under the Enco Air branding. The Oppo Enco Air2 will be the successor to the Oppo Enco Air launched earlier this year. Today, 91Mobiles has revealed the launch timings of the Enco Air2 in India.

According to the publication, the Oppo Enco Air2 will launch either by the end of January or in early February 2022 in India. Unfortunately, the specs of the earphones aren’t revealed. However, we expect it to come with a design similar to Enco Air.

The Enco Air2 may come with a long stem-like design that resembles the AirPods. It is expected to have better battery life, sound quality, and features than Enco Air.

The Oppo Enco Air was launched with a 12mm dynamic driver. It came with features such as ultra-low-latency of 47ms and a Deep Neural Network algorithm that was said to provide improved call quality. As for the battery, the Enco Air TWS has 24 hours of battery life including the charging case. The earbuds solely offer a 4-hour battery backup. It has a 10W fast charging support via the USB Type-C port.

In related news, Oppo recently launched the Enco Buds TWS in India. It comes with features like IP54 dust and water resistance rating. It has an 88ms low latency feature, voice assistant support, and Advanced Audio Coding(AAC). It was launched at a price tag of ₹1,999(~$27).

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17-inch Lenovo ThinkBook Plus laptop comes with a built-in tablet of sorts for enhanced productivity

By

Zohaib Ahmed

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Dec 27, 2021

Lenovo is on a roll currently, with multiple tablet and laptop offerings being launched within the past couple of months and several more on the way. One of these is the 17-inch Lenovo ThinkBook Plus with one of the most rad laptop designs we have seen this year – the thing actually packs a tablet inside for boosted productivity.

Courtesy of Evleaks on Twitter, we now have multiple high-definition renders of the notebook from almost every angle, effectively leaving little to the imagination. The images show the device running Windows 11 and with a secondary display on the right of the keyboard that almost looks like a tablet embedded into the body.

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A custom interface seems to have been designed by Lenovo for the secondary display, which in the renders almost looks like a better version of the Start menu. This alt-Start menu sits atop an array of shortcuts that should quickly direct you to various productivity apps and features.

But that’s not all the secondary screen is capable of, as renders also show that it can display important bits of apps for quick access. The laptop even comes with a stylus, something which the secondary screen obviously supports.

Additionally, the 17-inch Lenovo ThinkBook Plus seems to be equipped with two USB-C, two USB-A, one HDMI, a 3.5mm headphone jack interface, and Harman Kardon speakers.

As for launch, Lenovo is expected is to unveil some new laptop products at CES 2022 that’s set to kickstart on January 5th, and we may see the ThinkBook Plus in the event as well.

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Samsung Galaxy M33 5G appears on Geekbench with Exynos 1200 SoC

By

Pranav Sawant

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Dec 27, 2021

Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy M33 5G soon as the pace of its leaks has started increasing. Last time, the smartphone’s battery details were leaked and now, the phone has appeared on the Geekbench portal.

According to Geekbench v5, the Samsung Galaxy M33 5G has a model number SM-M336BU. It has scored 726 points in the single-core department and 1830 points in the multi-core department. These scores are possible due to the Exynos 1200 SoC, under the hood. For those who are unaware, it is a 5G-enabled octa-core chipset. The chipset’s first six cores are clocked at 2.00GHz and the other two cores are clocked at 2.40GHz.

The smartphone has 6GB of RAM and boots on Android 12 out of the box. We expect it to run on Samsung’s One UI on top of it. Other than this, there isn’t anything else to learn from the certification. However, the phone was recently certified by Safety Korea and it revealed that the device will pack a 5,830mAh rated battery.

Rumours are rife that the smartphone will come with a 6.5-inch water-drop display. It will have a Full-HD+ resolution. It is expected to feature a quad-camera system with a 64MP primary lens, an 8MP secondary unit, a 5MP lens, and lastly a 2MP sensor(via – 91Mobiles). It is touted to have a 13M selfie sensor. If these specs are to be believed, the Galaxy M33 5G will be a great contender in the mid-range market.

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OriginOS Ocean open beta program goes live for first batch of vivo, iQOO devices

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 27, 2021

Earlier this month, vivo unveiled OriginOS Ocean based on Android 12 in China. The latest version of the company’s mobile software will be available for a vast number of vivo and iQOO-branded handsets. Just as promised, the firm has now started recruiting open beta testers for the first batch of eligible devices.

Chinese smartphone brand vivo has scheduled to release OriginOS Ocean open beta update for the first batch of eligible phones on December 30. Ahead of that, the company has opened registrations for testers.

The recruitment process began on December 24 and will continue until January 3. Applicants who apply on or before December 29 will receive the update via OTA on December 30. On the other hand, those who apply by December 3 will get the update within 24 hours from registration.

In order to enroll, interested users will have to go Settings > System Update > Gear Icon > Update Early Access > Public Beta and follow on-screen instructions. Users who were part of the closed beta program do not need to register for open beta as they will receive the new update automatically on December 30.

Having said that, the below-listed devices are part of first batch for OriginOS Ocean open beta update.

vivo X70 Pro+
vivo X70 Pro
vivo X70
vivo X60 Pro+
vivo X60t Pro+
vivo X60 Pro
vivo X60 Curved Screen Edition
vivo S10 Pro
vivo S10
vivo S9
iQOO 8 Pro
iQOO 8
iQOO 7

The second batch of smartphones are planned to get the update in late January, whie the third and fourth batches are expected to receive the update in February-March and April respectively.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra live images reveal a stunning matte black color

By

Sudhanshu

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Dec 27, 2021

Last week, an official promo image of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra emerged online, confirming its back design as well as a burgundy color scheme. Thanks to some fresh leaks, we get to see another color variant of this upcoming device.

Tipster @hypark22 took to Twitter to post pictures of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra in a black color variant. The device in the pictures is a dummy model of the Galaxy S22 Ultra. However, it gives us a good idea of how the smartphone will look and feel in our hands.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra black

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The device is seen to feature a minimalist ultra-premium matte-black look without any glass on its back panel. It has a moderate thickness with squared-off edges and a boxy look akin to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. The phone has a large Super AMOLED Infinity-O display with thin bezels, an S Pen with a built-in slot, and a USB Type-C port.

The S22 Ultra has completely ditched the camera island design of its predecessor and has instead opted for a more clean and minimalist looking design with camera lenses protruding directly from the rear panel.

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is rumored to launch in February of 2022 with four color variants: Black, Burgundy, Dark Green, and White. Previous reports suggest that the smartphone features a 6.8-inch display with a 120Hz variable refresh rate, HDR10+, stereo speakers, and an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. Depending on the region, the phone is said to feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor or Exynos 2200. And is powered by a 5,000mAh battery and supports 45W fast charging.

For photography, the phone is equipped with an enhanced 108MP ISOCELL HM3 (could be ISOCELL HM4) primary camera, which has been revealed to be powered by artificial intelligence, offering better photos with quality enhancement mode. The device has a 12 MP ultrawide sensor and two new 10MP Sony telephoto sensors with 3x and 10x zoom capabilities. Additionally, the phone is expected to feature a 40MP front camera.

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Okaya Electric Faast is a new electric scooter that offers up to 200 km range on a single charge

By

Pranav Sawant

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Dec 27, 2021

The Indian electric vehicle market has been booming lately as many India-based companies have moved towards the Electric vehicle counterpart. One such brand named Okaya, the battery manufacturer has launched its own Electric scooter dubbed Okaya Electric Faast.

The Electric Faast is priced at ₹89,990(~$1,200) and it will compete with the likes of the popular Ather 450x, Ola Electric S1, Bajaj Chetak, TVS iQube, and Bounce Infinity E1. The scooter is currently up for booking in India for Rs. 1,999(~$27). It will soon be up for booking at the nearest Okaya dealer or from the official website.

The Okaya Electric Faast was showcased at the EV Expo 2021 held in Greater Noida, Delhi, India. The electric scooter comes with 150-200 km of range even at its top speed of 60-70 kmph. With this range, it is one of the longer-running scooters in the market. It utilizes a 4.4kW lithium phosphate battery which offers the claimed extended range.

It has LED lights at the front and sports digital cluster DRLs, combined braking system. It has a maxi-scooter style design that offers a bold look from the fronts. The scooter’s built details, seat storage capacity, and other specs aren’t known. But we expect the company to list it soon on its portal.

Okaya already has three electric vehicles, the AVIONIQ, CLASSIQ, AND FREEDUM. With the Electric Faast’s launch, the company’s EV portfolio has expanded. At the EV Expo 2021, the company also revealed that it will soon launch an Electric motorcycle called Okaya Ferrato. Since it will be a motorcycle, it will have a higher 80-90 kmph speed and up to 100km range.

RELATED:

MIUI 13 Pad announced: the same OS except it’s actually optimized for tablets

By

Zohaib Ahmed

-

Dec 27, 2021

Xiaomi officially announced a new branch of MIUI 13 built specifically for tablets called ‘MIUI 13 Pad’ with a number of optimizations designed to make Android and some of its apps look better on a larger screen.

A teaser was posted by company CEO Lei Jun yesterday who revealed that MIUI 13 Pad will be going big on multitasking, allowing at least two apps to be visible at the same time. On top of that, the OS has also adapted the top 3000 apps for larger screens so that not even a single inch is wasted.

A few other tablet-specific optimizations and features are likely there too but we would have to wait until tomorrow to see them. For the uninitiated, Xiaomi has scheduled a major end-of-year launch event where a number of new products are expected to be launched, including Xiaomi 12, Watch S1, and of course, MIUI 13 along with MIUI 13 Pad.

The unveiling of MIUI 13 Pad comes at a time when smartphone OEMs are increasingly focusing on enhancing their Android skins to better adapt to larger screens – the reason for this being the pandemic that has acted as a major accelerator for tablet sales due to increased emphasis on WFH culture and online learning. And what good is a tablet if its UI can’t make use of the additional screen estate?

As for MIUI 13 itself, the update is bringing a number of new features but is prioritizing fluidity and privacy over everything else. Still, a few meaningful changes have been done including entirely reworked widgets for system apps.

RELATED:

OPPO A11s packing a 90Hz display, 18W charging, up to 8GB RAM starts at ¥999 (~$156)

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Dec 27, 2021

BBK subsidiary OPPO has expanded its budget offering segment with the launch of the OPPO A11s in China. The smartphone has been in the loop since September when the key specifications and renders first leaked.

The OPPO A11s comes powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 paired with 4GB of RAM with a higher 8GB RM version. There are 64GB and 128GB storage options available.

The smartphone features an expansive 6.5-inch LCD screen with an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels. It also comes with a 269ppi pixel density and support for a 90Hz refresh rate. The phone crams a 5,000mAh battery with support 18W charging.

On the camera aspect, the A11s packs a triple camera setup made up of a 13-megapixel main camera with a 2-megapixel depth sensor and a 2-megapixel macro camera. For selfies, the device packs an 8-megapixel front camera housed inside the punch-hole located at the top left corner of the screen.

In addition, the A11s also packs a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. For interface, it boots Android 10-based ColorOS 7.2 out of the box. The phone has a dimension of 163.9 x 75.1 x 8.4 mm weighing in at 188 grams. It is available in black and white colors.

As for the pricing and availability, the Oppo A11s is priced at 999 yuan (~$156) for the 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant. The higher 8GB RAM + 128GB storage version is priced at 1,199 yuan (~$188). The sleek smartphone is already up for grabs on OPPO’s official online store and other authorized retail channels in China.

RELATED:

Meizu fined for showing ads on Meizu 18, 18 Pro in China

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Dec 27, 2021

Meizu launched the Meizu 18 series comprising Meizu 18 and Meizu 18 Pro in March 2021. A few days after the debut of the handsets, the company promised that the smartphones will offer a pure OS experience without ads, bloatware, and push notifications. However, the firm went against its word by showing ads in November. As a result, Meizu is now facing a penalty from the government.

Meizu 18 Pro Galactic Secret Realm — Meizu 18 Pro

According to a report by ITHome, Zhuhai Meizu Technology Co., Ltd. has been fined more than ¥25,000 ($3,923) by the Zhuhai Market Supervision and Administration Bureau. Because the company, despite promoting no ads on Meizu 18 and Meizu 18 Pro, went on displaying ads for a short period of time.

Back in November, due to a configuration mismatch, users of Meizu 18 and Meizu 18 Pro were exposed to banner ads and full-screen app opening ads in the stock Weather app of Flyme, an Android-based operating system found on Meizu smartphones. However, the firm did fix it in a few hours.

But at the end of the day, it was not supposed to happen. Hence, the Chinese government had to impose a fine on Meizu for not keeping up with its words.

For the unaware, Meizu heavily promoted Meizu 18 series as ‘Three Zero Mobile’, which stands for no ad, no bloatware, and no push notifications. It even trolled other brands as part of its April Fools’ day joke.

But one fine day, Meizu deleted social media posts containing these promotions. When questioned, the firm explained that it could not continue this move for its future products as it is not a sustainable business decision. Hence, the Meizu 18 and the Meizu 18 Pro are currently the only Meizu smartphones that offer a ‘pure OS experience’.

Xiaomi’s biggest launch event this year is here: Xiaomi 12, MIUI 13, Pad 5 Pro, Watch S1, and more!

By

Zohaib Ahmed

-

Dec 27, 2021

Xiaomi’s biggest launch event for 2021 is finally upon us and is scheduled to commence tomorrow from 07:30 pm Chinese Time (11:30 am GMT). A number of products are set to be unveiled and the company’s socials have already started dropping teasers for them. Of course, the biggest highlights are the Xiaomi 12 lineup and the MIUI 13 update, but the event will also be lifting the curtains on other much-awaited products including the Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro, TWS Earphones 3, and the Buds 3, all of which have been described below.

Xiaomi 12 series

The Xiaomi 12 series is undoubtedly one of the most highly anticipated launches of this year and has been making rounds all over the internet for the past couple of months. With extensive leaks already having revealed most about it, the only thing that remains is a release, and we are now closer than ever to it.

The Xiaomi 12 series is comprised of the Xiaomi 12, Xiaomi 12 Pro, Xiaomi 12 Ultra, and the Xiaomi 12X, but it appears that the latter two’s launch event is reserved for 2022. The Xiaomi 12 has been revealed to have a very manageable 6.28-inch display, making it the first compact flagship from the company in years. On the other hand, the Xiaomi 12 Pro goes for a more prevalent screen size of 6.73-inches. Both phones have been marketed as having made some notable strides in the camera department, thanks to the inclusion of a new ‘Xiaomi Image Brain’ tech. The devices are also expected to be one of the first to come with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.

MIUI 13

Xiaomi fans would be more excited for the Android skin upgrade, however, especially since the company has been rather late in rolling out Android 12 for its devices.

Judging from screenshots, not much seems to have been changed in terms of the UI except for the system app widgets that have gotten reworked entirely. Apart from this, Xiaomi claims that the update is a whole lot more fluid and brings a number of improvements to security and privacy.

Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro

The Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro isn’t exactly a new launch as it was released in August this year but it now gets a new variant with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It was earlier selling in only 6GB+128GB and 6GB+256GB RAM and storage options, so the new variant should be a treat for workaholics that have to constantly switch between a hundred apps or for the gamers out there. Full specifications of the tablet can be inspected from here.

Xiaomi Watch S1

The Xiaomi Watch S1 will be a part of an entirely new lineup of smartwatches and will feature a circular design. Teasers from today say that it’s aimed at “business professionals” and that the S in its name stands for ‘strong,’ which is quite appropriate considering it got sapphire glass up front.

Xiaomi TWS Noise Cancelling Earbuds 3

The Xiaomi TWS Noise Cancelling Earbuds 3 or the Xiaomi Buds 3, whatever you wish to call them, are the non-Pro variant of the Xiaomi Buds 3 Pro released earlier this year. They have been revealed to have a Hi-Fi sound quality, made possible through super dynamic dual magnetic units. The ANC feature has been claimed to reduce noise by 40dB.

Xiaomi has established itself as one of the leaders in the smartphone business and its great brand image in that market has bled into its other ventures as well, resulting in good overall sales no matter what the product. It’s thus safe to assume that all of the Xiaomi products to be launched with the December launch event will be selling like hotcakes too.

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Apple supplier Foxconn extends India factory shutdown, amid inspection of Workers’ Hostels

By

Sean

-

Dec 27, 2021

It seems that Foxconn‘s, a major Apple supplier, issues have yet to subside as it extends the shut down of its factory in India. The news arrives as the local government has begun inspecting the hostels and living quarters of the factory workers.

Previously, we had reported on Foxconn shutting down its plant in India over a case of food poisoning that had affected more than 250 women that were working at the plant and were living in one of the hostels. This causes protests to erupt near the factory, which lead to the suspension of operations in the site. Now, the prior week long closure has been further extended as an investigation has begun into the workers’ hostels.

According to a Gadgets360 report, the recent incident had revealed the living conditions of these workers, especially women, that were staying in these hostels in South India. Thus, Apple’s Taiwanese supplier and others tech firms, including some contractors that provided food and living facilities, were summoned for a meeting by local authorities. The latest update arrives from an official close to the matter who added that the state government has asked Foxconn to review services being provided to the workers.

This includes necessities like power backup at the hostels, food, and water. The Directorate Of Industrial Safety And Health also recommended providing recreational facilities like TVs, a library, and indoor games as well. Another source revealed that Foxconn told government officials that it had “ramped up production too quickly” but will now first upgrade workers’ living standards before pushing for full capacity at its factory again.

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Android 13 to offer major improvements in audio streaming via Bluetooth

By

Sean

-

Dec 27, 2021

With Android 12 OS releasing a while back, Google likely began working on the next iteration that will succeed it. Now, a new report has revealed some interesting information related to the Android 13 operating system way ahead of its eventual launch.

The new changes in the next gen Android platform will offer major improvements in audio streaming through Bluetooth. This was first spotted by Mishaal Rahman on a commit in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). Looking at this, it appears that the Search Engine giant plans to merge the LE Audio codec (LC3) and has added it to system settings as an option. In other words, this codec will be able to take the highest priority when pairing with an audio device.

Rahman noted that he is unsure if these patches will be capable of getting LE audio running already, but seemed confident that the feature will be ready by the time of Android 13’s official launch. For those unaware, Bluetooth LE Audio is quite notable since it can potentially massively improve battery life while still offering a stable connection that doesn’t compromise on audio quality either. Furthermore, Bluetooth LE Audio would also enable support for multiple streams through more than one pair of headphones.

Android 13 may be the first release to add full support for Bluetooth LE Audio.

Google recently merged an LC3 (the LE Audio codec) encoder and is adding the codec as an option in settings. It'll be the highest priority A2DP source codec.

Commits: https://t.co/tXicKLMZbq pic.twitter.com/ZHcd22grEs

— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) December 21, 2021

Apart from just hearables based products, essentials like hearing aids will also benefit from the newer technology as it would make them on par with consumer products in terms of functionality and practicality. As of right now, Bluetooth LE Audio API has already been introduced with Android 12, although, it is just the basic foundation and does not fully support it. However, the upcoming version would likely be the first to support it when it finally arrives.

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