Nintendo looking to ‘substitute components and tweak designs’ to tackle chip shortage

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Nov 5, 2021

Nintendo Co. Ltd on Friday revealed that the global chip shortage, which had already forced the company to downscale its expected sales for the much-loved Switch device, is also hindering hardware development.

“The semiconductor situation is having some effect on hardware development. We are looking at substituting components and tweaking designs to try and reduce the impact,” said Nintendo executive Mr. Ko Shiota.

If you have been out of the loop, the world is suffering from a shortage of semiconductors at the moment. This issue has affected various tech-reliant industries across the globe including the automobile, consumer electronics (Smartphones, Laptops, gaming consoles, Televisions), home appliances, and more.

In a statement given to CNBC last month, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger has speculated that the global chip shortage will likely linger for a lot longer. He said that he expects the shortage to extend at least until 2023.

This announcement comes a day after the company president Mr. Shuntaro Furukawa stated that the chip shortage shows no sign of easing up, and it has forced the company to cut down on its annual sales forecast of the Nintendo Switch by 6%. Mr. Furukawa also revealed that the company is struggling to meet the increased demand in the year-end holiday shopping season as chip shortages interrupt production.

The gaming giant depends heavily on its console business, all the while deep-pocketed rivals such as Microsoft are expanding subscription and cloud gaming services.

Nintendo on Friday further stated that “Nintendo plans to continue to expand its business around the core concept of creating unique integrated hardware-software products.”

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Xiaomi’s MIJIA Automatic Foaming Hand Wash Pro reminds you to rub your hands after use

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 5, 2021

The emergence of the deadly COVID 19 pandemic gave rise to several products designed towards enhancing our preventive measures against the deadly virus. Such measures range from hand wash/sanitizers, different categories of face masks, and several others. Speaking of hand sanitizers, Xiaomi has just launched one. The name of the gadget translates as MIJIA Auto Foaming Hand Wash Pro but it is a higher version of the product listed on AliExpress as MIJIA Auto Foam Soap Hand Washer.

The MIJIA Auto Foaming Hand Wash Pro features an improved design over its predecessor. Whereas the previous model utilizes AA batteries, this model packs a built-in 1400mAh battery that charges over a USB-C port. It uses a built-in energy-efficient motor that dispenses the liquid. The device dispenses foam in a new pattern that accurately merges the gas and liquid ratio. The battery can last up to six months on a single charge.

Further, the hand wash dispenser comes with a hand-sanitizing liquid with Mediterranean fig fragrance and is produced using natural amino acids. The liquid storage compartment has a 300ml capacity and a full can is said to be capable of producing foamy liquid approximately 400 times.

It also comes with an automatic dispensing function whereby it extrudes the hand sanitizing liquid as soon as a hand is detected under the tap. After dispensing, it sounds an alarm for 20 seconds, reminding the user to rub it thoroughly to ensure cleanliness. In addition, the product’s body supports IPX5 waterproof rating.

The MIJIA Auto Foaming Hand Wash Pro will retail for 129 yuan (~$20) but is presently on sale at Xiaomi Mall for $109 (~$17).

Apple makes DIY repairs harder on iPhone 13, screen replacement disables Face ID

By

Sean

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Nov 5, 2021

Apple has just made DIY fixes from independent repair stores harder on the iPhone 13 series. While replacing the display on the 2021 iPhones, the Face ID biometric security feature will be disabled.

According to an iFixit report, the Cupertino based giant has been working on making unofficial repairs harder on its products for a while now. And now, the company’s latest attempt disables the Face ID technology on the iPhone 13 if the device undergoes a DIY screen replacement. The Face ID being disabled was confirmed by iFixit through numerous tests on multiple iPhones that are running on the iOS 15 and iOS 15.1.

In other words, this implies a bleak outlook for the future for independent repair officials and even those that are looking for DIY repairs. Those looking to replace the display on iPhones would now have to not just be good with tools but also know how to microsolder as well. So to replace a screen on your own, you would have to remove a tiny microcontroller from the original screen and to a newer display. This small change could potentially be disastrous for many small scale repair shops that might have invest on expensive tools that would allow them to make screen replacements on iPhones running the new software.

A video from iCorrect also perfectly showcases how the microcontroller switch is involved, with the repairs now being a ‘multi stage’ process that appears to be quite time consuming, requiring special equipment as well. Unfortunately, Apple has yet to offer any statements regarding this matter as of right now.

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Honor 50 SE gets 12GB RAM and 256GB storage model costing 2,699 yuan ($421)

By

Jeet

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Nov 5, 2021

Earlier this year, Honor launched its latest Honor 50 series of smartphones which includes three models — Honor 50, 50 Pro, and 50 SE. Now, the Honor 50 SE is getting a new model in China that comes packed with 12GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

This new memory variant is priced at 2,699 yuan which is approximately $421 and is now available for pre-order in the country. Apart from the RAM and storage capacity, everything else remains the same.

The Honor 50 SE smartphone features a 6.78-inch Full HD+ ultra-narrow-sided full-view display that offers a 94.3 percent screen-to-body ratio, 120Hz high refresh rate, and 240Hz high touch sampling rate.

Under the hood, the device is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 900 processor and comes with LPDDR5 memory and UFS. 3.1 storage specifications. Prior to the launch of this new 12GB RAM model, the phone maxed out at 8GB RAM.

In the camera department, the smartphone uses the iconic ring design inspired by Rollei’s double-reflex cameras. It is equipped with a 100-megapixel ultra-clear primary camera and a 4-megapixel macro lens with an F/2.4 aperture and a 112-degree ultra-wide-angle camera. On the front side, there’s a 16-megapixel snapper for taking selfies.

The phone is running the Android operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own Magic UI 4.2 on top. It is powered by a 4,000mAh battery that supports 66W fast charging technology which the company claims can charge the phone up to 75% in 20 minutes.

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MSI launches massive new 55 inch OLED & 34 inch curved miniLED gaming monitors

By

Sean

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Nov 5, 2021

MSI has just released a pair of new gaming monitors. The two new launches include a massive 55 inch OLED gaming monitor along with a curved gaming monitor that feature a miniLED panel.

Talking about the curved gaming monitor first, Micro-Star International’s latest gaming monitor features a 34 inch curved panel that supports 165Hz high refresh rate. The company promises that the panel offers great color reproduction as well. This monitor is primarily being marketed for PC gamers and is called the MEG Artymis 341. Notably, the new monitor is the first in the industry to feature a sharp curvature while offering miniLED backlighting.

The model also meets the VESA Display HDR 1000 requirements that support HDR10 high dynamic range and offers a peak brightness of 1,000 nits. It has a resolution of 3440 x 1440 and a 21:9 aspect ratio. The display has a sharp 1000R arc curvature and an 800R center curvature. Furthermore, the monitor aims on offering top notch gaming experience without compromising on imagery.

Arriving at the 55 inch behemoth, the massive gaming monitor sports an OLED panel that is being targeted towards console gamers. It is dubbed the MEG 551U OLED and is the second 55 inch OLED monitor from the company that is geared towards gaming. It promises to offer high image quality to enjoy beautiful single player titles/exclusives on console on a large display. This model is tuned more towards action and RPG titles while the curved gaming monitor is better for fast paced shooters and competitive titles. Unfortunately, the company has yet to reveal the pricing and available of these two new monitors but these are expected to launch sometime in 2022.

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Deal: Get $50 Coupon for Xiaomi Mix 4 at Giztop

By

Daily Deals

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Nov 5, 2021

Giztop is giving a $50 coupon for Xiaomi Mix 4 Smartphone. The phone which retails for $749 can be bought for $699 only by using the coupon code: MIX50.

WHERE TO BUY

Xiaomi Mix 4 at $699 (after discount)@Giztop

Xiaomi Mix 4 features a 6.67” AMOLED 3D curved display and comes with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision which takes your visual experience to the next level by giving you crystal clear visuals filled with rich details. Powered by the Snapdragon 888 plus 5G processor, the smartphone comes with a triple rear camera setup with a 108MP main camera, OIS, and 50 X digital Zoom. For your selfies, you have a 20MP CUP front camera.

Xiaomi Mix 4 comes in multiple memory variants viz. 8GB + 128GB, 8GB + 256GB , 12GB + 256GB and 12GB + 512GB. Fueled by a 4500mAh battery, it supports 120W wired and 50W wireless fast charging. Running the Android 11 based MIUI 12.5 OS, this Chinese edition smartphone supports English and Chinese language, comes with pre-installed Google mobile service and Google play store, and supports OTA updates.

Generally retailing for $749, you can now buy Xiaomi Mix 4 for a discounted price of $699 by using the coupon code: MIX50 only at Giztop. Please note that this price is applicable to the Balck color, 8GB + 128GB variant only. However, you can use the coupon code for all variants. This is a limited-time offer. So place your order asap.

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

Asus launches three new entry level 11.6 inch Chromebooks with rugged design

By

Sean

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Nov 5, 2021

Asus has just quietly released three new entry level laptops that are a part of a new Chromebook series. These laptops include the Chromebook CX1 (CX1101), Chromebook CR1 (CR1100), and the Chromebook Flip CR1 (CR1100) convertible.

Each of the three new Chromebooks feature an 11.6 inch display and are positioned at the budget segment (Via Liliputing). Talking the CX1 first, the notebook is listed under the company’s series of “At home” products and features an Intel Gemini Lake processor and even arrives with a military grade durability rated design as well. On the other hand, the two Chrombook CR1 series laptops are targeted towards students and have the newer Intel Jasper lake processors.

All three models feature an 11.6 inch display along with a resolution of 1366x768px. Although, only the CX1 and CR1 feature anti glare. Meanwhile, the Flip CR1 offers a glossy touch screen and a 360 degree hinge that even supports a stylus. The maximum brightness on all three models differ, with the CX1 offering 200 nits, 220 nits on the base CR1, and the Flip variant offering the highest 250 nits. Under the hood, the CX1 is powered by either a dual core Celeron N4020 or a quad core Celeron N4120.

The two CR1 models feature the dual core Celeron N4500 or the Pentium Silver N6000 quad core processor. For memory, the CX1 is available in either 4GB or 8GB of LPDDR4 RAM that is not upgradeable, while the CR1 models feature 4GB or 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM that is also not upgradeable. The three new laptops all offer up to 64GB of internal storage as well. Interestingly, the Flip CR1 offers an 8 megapixel world facing camera as well as a 720p webcam, while the other two laptops only offer the webcam.

You get the usual selection of USB 3.2 Type C and Type A ports along with a headphone jack and microSD card reader on all three laptops, but for connectivity, only the CR1 series offers WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and an optional 4G LTE support. The CX1 offers the older WiFi 5 standard and up to Bluetooth 5.1. Unfortunately, the pricing of these laptops are currently unknown and it is unclear when exactly these models will be available for purchase.

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OnePlus 9RT Genshin Impact Gift Box goes on sale in China, with Blue Sky 9RT, in-game items, & more

By

Sean

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Nov 5, 2021

The OnePlus 9RT Genshin Impact Edition Gift Box will officially go on sale later today (5th November 2021). This bundle offers buyers a Blue Sky 9RT variant along with various accessories and certain in game items for Genshin Impact.

For those unaware, Genshin Impact is a popular online RPG game that is available for consoles, PCs, iOS, and even Android. Notably, the Chinese smartphone maker also has an official cooperation with Genshin Impacts so the new partnership doesn’t arrive as a complete surprise. In the special Genshin Impact gift box, buyers can expect to find a OnePlus 9RT Blue Sky variant along with a number of accessories. This includes a new smartphone cover, a special physical image poster, a cooling fan back clip, and certain codes and items that you can redeem in game.

Interestingly, these accessories feature unique designs based on Sucrose, who is a playable character in the game with a 4 star rating. Furthermore, the new bundle also offers users 1,000 primogems (along with in game leveling items) as well to the user as well. Apart from these new bundled items, the OnePlus 9RT Blue Sky edition is basically a high end variant of the base 9RT that features 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage and is priced at 3,699 Yuan (roughly 580 US Dollars). But for a price of 3,799 Yuan, the Genshin Impact Gift Box offers good value for fans of the game.

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Deal: Get Xiaomi Redmi K40 5G for Discounted Price of $329 at Giztop

By

Daily Deals

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Nov 5, 2021

Giztop is giving out Xiaomi Redmi K40 5G Smartphone at a discounted price of $329 only. This discounted price is applicable to the Black color, 6GB + 128GB variant. However, you can buy different color and memory variants of Redmi K40 with discounts up to $100 only at Giztop.

WHERE TO BUY

Xiaomi Redmi K40 5G at $329 (after discount)@Giztop

Xiaomi Redmi K40 features a 6.67” E4 AMOLED True Tone display and a 120Hz refresh rate. The smartphone comes in multiple memory variants viz: 6GB + 128GB, 8GB + 128GB, 8GB + 256GB and 12GB + 256GB. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor Redmi K40 features a triple rear camera setup with a 48MP main camera and 8MP + 5MP secondary cameras. For your selfies, you can find a 20MP camera in the front.

Redmi K40 is fueled by a 4520mAh battery and supports 33W fast flash charge. It operates on Android 11 based MIUI12 and supports both English and Chinese language. Xiaomi Redmi K40 5G comes in four different colors like Black, Blue, White, and Ink Feather.

Generally retailing for $399, you can now buy Xiaomi Redmi K40 5G at a discounted price of $329 only at Giztop. Please note that this price is applicable only to the Black color, 6GB + 128GB variant. However, you can also find other variants with up to $100 OFF on Giztop. This is a limited-time offer. So place your order asap.

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

Xiaomi announces Loop LiquidCool Technology with twice the heat dissipation capacity of VC

By

Jeet

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Nov 5, 2021

Premium smartphones nowadays come with powerful internals, making the device suitable for heavy or intensive tasks such as gaming. With increased performance, the company also needs to take care of heat dissipation to ensure a smooth experience.

In line with that, Xiaomi has today introduced a new heat dissipation technology called Loop LiquidCool Technology. The company says that it is inspired by the cooling solutions used in the aerospace industry.

The Loop LiquidCool Technology utilizes a capillary effect which draws liquid cooling agent to the heat source, vaporizes, and then disperses the heat efficiently towards a cooler area until the agent condenses and is captured via a unidirectional closed-looped channel.

It features an annular heat pipe system that is composed of an evaporator, a condenser, a refill chamber, as well as gas and liquid pipes. Placed at heat sources, the evaporator has a refrigerant that evaporates to gas when the smartphone is under high workload. The gas and airflow are then diffused to the condenser, where the gas condenses into liquid again. These liquids are absorbed and collected through tiny fibers in the refill chamber—which refills the evaporator—making it a self-sustaining system.

The conventional VC systems do not have separate channels for gases and liquids, hot gas and cool liquids mix and obstruct each other. The ring-shaped pump features a special gas pipe design, which greatly reduces air passage resistance by 30% and the maximum heat transfer capacity is increased by up to 100%.

It adds a Tesla valve, which is a one-way valve that allows liquid to pass through the evaporator while blocking gases from moving in the incorrect direction. This allows for higher efficiency in gas/liquid circulation throughout the system.

This also makes it possible to adopt and stack Loop LiquidCool Technology into any type of internal design. Giving an example, Xiaomi says that a square-shaped loop will allow more space for the battery, camera module, and more.

The company claims that it offers twice the cooling capabilities compared to the conventional vapor chambers (VC) solutions. Xiaomi is now aiming to bring this Loop LiquidCool Technology to its products in the second half of next year.

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Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra leak reveals an improved 108MP mode & reduced display curvature

By

Sean

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Nov 5, 2021

Another leak regarding the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has just surfaced online. This time, the leak has revealed details regarding the display on the top end model along with info related to its primary camera sensor.

The latest leak was shared by known tipster IceUniverse on Twitter who claimed that he had 100 percent confirmation that the South Korean tech giant will bring improvements on the 108 megapixel camera mode on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. For those unaware, the flagship model is expected to feature a 108 megapixel camera, which could possibly be either of the new ISOCELL HM4 or ISOCELL HM5 sensors. While the company hasn’t officially revealed either sensor yet, the previous gen ISOCELL HM3 is already a year old.

In a separate tweet, the tipster also revealed details regarding the Ultra model’s display. Apparently, the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s screen will be about as curved as the Galaxy Note 10+. In other words, its display is even flatter than the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. But this still implies that the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s screen will be more curved than the last generation’s Galaxy S21 Ultra. Unfortunately, that is all the information shared by the tipster. The Galaxy S22 series is expected to feature the upcoming Exynos 2200 SoC that features the RDNA 2 graphics and will launch sometime in early 2022.

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Apple iPad Mini featuring 120Hz ProMotion display reportedly in works

By

Jeet

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Nov 5, 2021

A couple of months ago, Apple finally launched its new iPad Mini with an 8.3-inch display but soon after its release, some users started complaining about the “jelly scrolling” issue in which the right side of the screen runs faster than the left side in portrait mode.

In response, Apple said that this is normal for LCD display as such screens refresh line-by-line. But now it seems that the technology giant is working on a new variant of the iPad Mini 6 that could solve the “jelly scrolling” issue on the device.

As per the report coming from @FronTron, Apple is considering launching a refreshed iPad Mini with a 120Hz ProMotion display instead of the current 60Hz screen. This is the same display that Apple is using on the iPad Pro models since 2017 and this year’s iPhone 13 Pro models also come with a ProMotion display.

It comes with a variable refresh rate where it drops to 10Hz when the content on the screen doesn’t need a high refresh rate. This means that the system automatically detects the activities and what refresh rate to apply, helping the device save battery life.

If the reports are to be believed, then Apple is currently testing an 8.3-inch panel that is manufactured by Samsung. Do note that this is just a rumor at this point in time and there’s no confirmation that Apple will actually launch a refreshed version of the iPad Mini 6, so take this with a pinch of salt.

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Xiaomi CIVI bags MIUI 12.5 Enhanced Edition update with camera optimizations & more

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Nov 5, 2021

At the end of September, Xiaomi launched the Xiaomi CIVI as a design-centric smartphone targeted at the female audience. This China-exclusive handset is now receiving its first major software update in the form of MIUI 12.5 Enhanced Edition.

Xiaomi CIVI review featured 2 — Xiaomi CIVI

Despite releasing a month after the announcement of MIUI 12.5 Enhanced Edtion, the Xiaomi CIVI does not ship with the latest version of MIUI. Hence, the device is now receiving the fresh software via an OTA system update.

Apart from bringing the new version of MIUI, the latest system update for Xiaomi CIVI also arrives with October 2021 security patches as well as optimizations for gestures, store download, thermals, and camera.

The update comes with build number V12.5.7.0.RKVCNXM and weighs 1.2GB in size.

Xiaomi CIVI MIUI V12.5.7.0.RKVCNXM Official Changelog (Translated)

MIUI1 2.5 Enhanced Edition
- Fully smooth, lower power consumption
Focus Calculation
- The intelligent computing power scheduling mechanism based on the scene improves the fluency of all models
Atomic Memory
- Ultra-fine memory management mechanism, application residency is comprehensively improved
Liquid Storage
- Sensitive and efficient file storage mechanism improves the anti-aging ability of the system.
Smart Balance
- Intelligent deployment of flagship hardware performance
System
- Optimize the performance of some gesture scenes to improve system fluency
- Optimize store download and charging temperature rise experience
- Update Google security patch (2021.10) to improve system security
Camera
- Optimize the camera’s response speed and enhance the photo experience

Since the update is being rolled out via OTA, it might take some time to reach every user. It should be also available for imported units.

DJI announces Mavic 3 Drone with Gimbal dual cameras, Hasselblad lens, 5.1k video & more

By

Sean

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Nov 5, 2021

DJI has just announced the Mavic 3 Drone, which is currently listed on B&H Photo. The latest iteration of the flagship Mavic series drones arrives with a number of improvements in its cameras, flight features, and more.

The Mavic 3 now features a dual camera setup with the primary camera being a large 20 megapixel 4/3 inch Hasselblad sensor that can shoot videos at up to 5.1K at 50fps. The second lens is a 12 megapixel tele sensor that can also shoot at up to 4K resolutions at 30 fps and offers 4x digital zoom and 28x hybrid zoom as well. Apart from just bumps in camera specs, the company has even offered a host of new flight features and modes for the users. Similar to the last generation, the Mavic 3 also arrives in two variants, namely a base and Cine variant.

The primary difference between the two version includes an additional video format, Apple ProRes 422 HQ, on the Cine model along with 1TB of internal storage over the base model’s 8GB storage. Talking about its specs, the new dual cameras (20MP + 12MP) are housed on a 3 Axis Gimbal. The drone can fly for up to 46 minutes, and has a Transmission range of 9.3 miles (roughly 15 kilometers). Furthermore, the Mavic 3 also features a 360° Obstacle Avoidance System along with 10 Bit D Log Color Profile and HNCS, 1080p60 Live View Video Stream, and a RC-N1 OcuSync 2.0 Remote.

The Chinese drone maker has also announced the Mavic 3 with several software and design enhancements that boost its performance. This includes an improved omnidirectional sensor array to allow better vision of its environment to enable a crash free flight. Notably, the Mavic 3 is the first DJI drone to offer 1080p@60fps live feed. In other words, users get near identical live feed on their display, offering a look at what the Mavic 3 records in real time. As of right now, the base and Cine model along with its flagship accessories are currently available for pre order on B&H Photo.

RELATED:

GPD XP Game Console carrying 6GB RAM and 128GB storage now available from Minixpc

By

Simranpal Singh

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Nov 5, 2021

This time of the year most consumer electronics receive a hefty price cut to celebrate the ongoing festive season. Similarly, GPD XP Game Console is now on sale and is now retailing at the discounted price of $399. The maiden Android-based game console offers splendid specifications including a massive 6.81-inch quality HD display, an octa-core MediaTek Helio G95 SoC, and ARM Mali-G76 GPU. The Game Console coupled advanced connectivity options including 4G LTE, dual-band WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.

Must See:GPD Win 3 handheld Gaming PC with an integrated gamepad goes official

It is an exceptional gaming console that will improve the overall experience. The Game Console will feature three control module settings including Xbox Controller Module, FPS Controller Module and Moba Controller Module. It also packs an Active Fan for heat dissipation coupling Pure Copper Collign fin. Several other features such as the Key Mapper tool, superlinear loudspeaker, and a 7000mAh battery are part of the parcel.

There are buttons like left thumbstick, D-pad, Home, Return, Background task, and a button-mapping function. In the connectivity, there’s an earphone jack, USB Type-C inlet, and a SIM slot.

The display features a 6.81-inch display, 1080 x 2400 pixels, and is well-protected with Corning 5th Generation Gorilla Glass. The display offers 388ppi pixel density and a 60Hz refresh rate. The gaming console packs a MediaTek Helio G95 SoC, 6GB LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB UFS 2.1 storage. There’s a 7000mAh polymer lithium battery carrying a 20W PD 2.0 charger. It measures 233mm x 83mm x 18mm and weighs 370grams in weight.

GPD XP Game Console is now retailing at the reduced price of $399 for a limited time period. You can head over to minixpc.com to grab the exciting deal.

Related: Buy GPD WIN 2 Gamepad Tablet PC And VOYO I7 Notebook At Lowered Prices On GeekBuying [Coupons Inside]

GREE TOSOT G7 launched as rebranded Meizu 18X

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Nov 5, 2021

Chinese electric appliances company Gree has launched a new smartphone in its home country under its Tosot brand. The device goes by the name of GREE TOSOT G7. Despite being a new phone, there’s nothing new here. That’s because it is a rebranded Meizu 18X.

GREE TOSOT G7 Featured A — GREE TOSOT G7

The GREE TOSOT G7 comes in two memory configurations – 8GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB.These two variants are priced at ¥2,959 and ¥3,099 respectively. For comparison, the same models of Meizu 18X are much cheaper at ¥2,599 and ¥2,799 respectively.

Apart from differences in price, they are basically the same handset inside out, except for a couple of changes.

The GREE TOSOT G7 runs Android-based HALO UI 6.0 and has a ‘64MP Matrix AI Camera’ text below the cameras as well as TOSOT branding at the bottom of the rear panel. On the other hand, the Meizu 18X runs Flyme 9.2 based on Android 11 and features ‘18X Dark Vision’ text underneath the cameras as well as MEIZU branding at the back panel’s bottom.

To know about the entire specs of the latest Gree smartphones, you can take a look at our Meizu 18X’s launch story. The highlights of this phone include a 6.67-inch 10-bit FHD+ 120Hz OLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 870, LPDDR4x RAM, UFS 3.1 storage, 64MP + 8MP + 2MP triple rear camera setup, 13MP selfie camera, 4,300mAh battery, and 30W fast charging.

Honor X30i goes on sale in China; pricing starts at 1,399 yuan ($219)

By

Jeet

-

Nov 5, 2021

A few days ago, Honor had announced the 5G smartphone under its X-series, dubbed as Honor X30i. Today, the Chinese company has officially started selling the phone in its home country, for a starting price of 1,399 yuan.

It comes in four different color options — Rose Gold, Titanium Silver, Charm Sea Blue, and Magic Night Black. The device is offered in three memory variants — 6GB + 128GB, 8GB + 128GB, and 8GB + 256GB, costing 1,399 yuan (~$219), 1,699 yuan (~$265), and 1,899 yuan (~$297) respectively.

In terms of specifications, the Honor X30i features a 6.7-inch LCD full-screen display with a punch-hole cutout in the top-center position of the screen. It offers a 2388 x 1080 pixels screen resolution, 90Hz refresh rate, and 93.6 percent screen-to-body ratio.

Under the hood, the device comes powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 810 chipset. It comes packed with up to 8GB of RAM and supports additional 2GB of virtual RAM. There’s also up to 256GB of internal storage. The device also features GPU Turbo X and Link Turbo X technologies to enhance the game and call performance.

In the camera department, there’s a triple-camera setup housed inside a square-shaped camera module in the top-right corner. It consists of a 48-megapixel primary sensor, a 2-megapixel depth-of-field sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro lens.

The Honor X30i runs the Android 11 operating system out-of-the-box with the company’s own Magic UI custom interface on top. It is powered by a 4,000mAh battery and comes with support for 22.5W fast charging technology.

RELATED:

Two iQOO Neo devices tipped to launch soon

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 5, 2021

Recent reports have revealed iQOO is working on two Neo branded devices. Today, reliable tipster Digital Chat Station claimed that the two Neo models are on the way, which indicates these devices may launch this month. The names of these models are yet to be confirmed. Reports have claimed that these devices may launch in the Chinese market as iQOO Neo5s and iQOO Neo6 SE.

The first model has a 120Hz OLED panel, Snapdragon 888 mobile platform, a 4,500mAh battery with 66W fast charging, and a 48-megapixel primary camera. It is said to be an updated version of the iQOO Neo5 Vitality Edition that debuted earlier this year.

Past reports have revealed that the iQOO Neo5s has a 6.56-inch screen, a 16-megapixel front-facing camera, and an OIS-enabled Sony IMX598 48-megapixel main camera. It is also expected to arrive with other specs like 12 GB of RAM, 256 GB of built-in storage, dual speakers, and a linear motor.

The other model, which may debut as the iQOO Neo6 SE, is said to be powered by the Snapdragon 778G or Snapdragon 778G Plus chipset. It is likely to carry support for 66W fast charging. It seems to be the V2157A Vivo phone that was recently certified by the 3C authority of China. Unfortunately, the other details of the Neo6 SE are under wraps.

There are some speculations that these devices will be arriving in the market as iQOO Neo6 and iQOO Neo6 Lite. It is advisable to wait for newer reports to know their final monikers and other specs.

RELATED:

Snapdragon 898 found running on mysterious phone, key details emerge

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

-

Nov 5, 2021

Qualcomm is likely to announce the next flagship chipset for mobile devices through the Tech Summit event in December. The SoC that will be succeeding the Snapdragon 888 that powered many Android flagship phones this year is being tentatively called the Snapdragon 898. Tipster Digital Chat Station shared an image of a mysterious phone powered by the SD898 chip. The image shows the phone running a benchmarking app named Device Info HW that confirms some of the key details of Qualcomm’s upcoming flagship chip.

As can be seen in the image, the model number of Qualcomm’s next flagship chip is sm8450. The SoC has a tri-cluster architecture featuring Cortex X2 prime core working at 3.0GHz. It is accompanied by three Cortex-A710 cores working at 2.5Ghz, and four Cortex-A510 power-efficient cores clocking at 1.79GHz.

For graphics, the SoC is equipped with Adreno 730 GPU. While it is not mentioned in the screenshots, reports have claimed that the chipset will include the Snapdragon X65 5G modem that is said to offer 10Gbps of downlink speeds.

There is no word on the name of the device that can be seen in the screenshot. It is equipped with slim bezels, but its top design is not clearly visible. Probably, it features a punch-hole at the top-center position.

Xiaomi and Vivo are the two brands that are expected to announce a Snapdragon 898 SoC powered flagship phone as early as next month. Last year, Xiaomi had announced the Xiaomi Mi 11 5G with Snapdragon 888 in December 2020. Hence it is likely that it could be succeeded by the Xiaomi 12 in the coming month.

Vivo’s Snapdragon 898 powered flagship was spotted at Geekbench back in September. It is unclear whether it will be an X-series or a NEX branded model.

(via)

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Google to start allowing third-party in-app payments in South Korea

By

Jeet

-

Nov 5, 2021

A few weeks ago, the South Korean government had passed an amendment to the country’s Telecommunications Business Act which now prohibits Google and Apple from forcing their own payment solutions on developers.

Now, to comply with the new law, Google has announced that it will allow developers to add an alternative in-app billing system in South Korea. Along with the developer’s chosen billion systems, the Google Play Store‘s billing system will also be available.

This new change will be applicable for both mobile as well as tablet users in South Korea. Users will be able to choose which payment or billing system to use for the in-app billing during the checkout process.

Google is also warning users that the alternative billing systems may not provide the same protections or features that the company’s own billing system offers. Currently, the tech giant’s billing system offers several payment options, including gift cards and Play Points along with the usual set of options.

The company has said that it will be sharing implementation details for developers in the coming weeks and months. While Google has not provided an exact timeline for this, it’s safe to assume that the alternative in-app billing system will go live next year in Korea.

Apple still doesn’t allow third-party payments for the app or in-app purchases and says that alternate payment options would increase financial risks for users. Last month, the company pushed back against the rule change, claiming that it didn’t need to change anything in its system.

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